Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

A/N: I know it's been quite a while, but I've got another chapter ready now. It's pretty much still leading into what's to come. Hope you enjoy.

Following the Footsteps of Destiny

Chapter 292: Bad Omens

Sam Ichijouji

Odaiba, Japan, Earth

Sam pulled his coat more closely around his body to ward off the afternoon chill, and scanning the faces of the students streaming past him as they headed down the front walkway towards the road, he waited patiently for a flash of familiar golden hair to capture his attention.

Though he stood off to one side of the path, he wasn't quite close enough to the edge of the property to benefit from the shelter of the trees, thus the cool breeze was making him wish he had worn a hat that day.

Most of the group had already gone on ahead to the Motomiya residence, though it had taken a bit of coaxing from him to get them moving, particularly in Matty's case, but eventually they had left him behind to wait, much to his relief.

Takara had been with the others, and though she still seemed somewhat subdued and hadn't commented on the way she had crossed paths with the rest of them during lunch, there had at least been somewhat of a smile on her face, and she hadn't objected to going along with Dai and the others.

That being said, it was only thanks to his excellent skills of persuasion that he had managed to remain behind alone, and knowing he had been lucky, he planned to take advantage of his good fortune.

Unfortunately Takara's subdued behaviour hadn't been the only oddity to catch his attention that morning, and curious to know what was going on, he had been waiting ever since to catch the one responsible for his sudden curiosity in a moment alone, since he didn't think the other boy would tell him a thing if the others were around, especially Matty in particular.

Now that the opportunity had come, he knew the other boy he was waiting for often had a hard time keeping things from him, and he hoped that would work in his favour this time around.

Now where is he? I couldn't have missed him...

At that moment he spotted a familiar golden head in the crowd of students, and calling out the other boy's name, he smiled slightly as the older twin stumbled in surprise before turning to look in his direction.

Immediately a spark of recognition flashed across Mickey's face, and hurrying towards him, the older twin stopped and took a moment to catch his breath before gasping, "Sam, what are you doing here?"

Mickey's handsome face was flushed from both exertion and the cold, and though there was nothing particularly out of the ordinary about the golden-haired Digidestined's appearance, for some reason Mickey looked rather harassed, as if he had just escaped from an unpleasant situation.

"I was waiting for you."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Mickey replied, blushing in embarrassment. "Did you have to wait long?"

Sam raised his eyebrows, and crossing his arms over his chest, he said dryly, "Not too long, but long enough. I can't say I really fancy standing around in the cold when my ears are burning, and Glimmermon hasn't stopped complaining since we got out here."

Mickey's blush deepened, and avoiding his eyes, the older twin glanced at his backpack and said, "I'm sorry, Glimmermon. Are you okay?"

"A bit chilly, but I'm fine," a quiet voice replied from the backpack.

Sam couldn't help smiling at that, and watching Mickey closely, he said easily, "I suppose we'll forgive you. This time."

"Can we get going now?" Glimmermon asked, his tone hopeful.

Sam could tell Mickey was really happy they had waited for him, if the way the older twin's amber eyes had immediately lit up upon recognizing them was any indication, and conscious of his own partner, who was quick to greet Glimmermon with a muffled hello, Mickey held onto the straps of his backpack a bit tighter and said, "Of course. Where are the others?"

Sam hesitated a moment, and glancing once more towards the street, he said carefully, "They went on ahead to Dai's house."

"Oh."

The change in Mickey's expression was instantaneous, and as the older twin's face fell, Sam quickly put a hand on his friend's shoulder and said in a scolding tone that was still quite gentle, "Don't you give me that look. Matty wanted to stay and wait for you, but I made him go with the others."

"Really?" Mickey asked, his tone sounding a bit hesitant.

"Really, and it wasn't easy, by the way. You know what Matty's like. It's almost impossible to force him to do anything he doesn't want to do, especially if you're involved."

Mickey's face immediately softened, and nodding in agreement, the older twin said, "I know that only too well."

Did he really think even for a moment that Matty wouldn't care and just leave him behind?

There had definitely been a flash of pain in Mickey's eyes when the older twin had realized that Matty had gone on ahead without waiting for him, but thanks to his intervention, the look of loneliness and uncertainty had left the golden-haired Digidestined's bright eyes. At least for now.

That kind of expression wasn't something he normally saw lurking in the depths of Mickey's amber gaze, especially since it wasn't as if the twins never spent any time apart. They did often hang out together, but when certain commitments, different interests, and the routine daily activities of life in general had them going in separate directions, being apart from one another had never seemed to affect either twin in a negative way. As far as Sam could tell, even during those moments when the twins weren't with each other, they never seemed lonely, which was why that particular look on Mickey's face at the thought of being separated from Matty had caught him off guard. Usually, the twins always seemed to know that the other was there with them, and as long as they had each other they would never really be alone no matter how much distance separated them.

And yet, that was exactly how Mickey had looked when Sam had mentioned that Matty had gone on ahead without him. The older twin had looked lost and lonely, like he wasn't quite sure what to do without himself without his brother close by.

That's not exactly what I wanted to see...

For some reason he couldn't explain, Mickey's current expression really bothered him, and gently putting his arm around the older twin's shoulders, he said, "Come on, let's get going. The others are waiting for us."

"About time!" Palelymon called out, sounding a tad grumpy.

They started off down the street in silence, and watching the cars passing by, Mickey seemed to lose himself in his own thoughts. The cold wind ruffled the older twin's golden hair, making it sparkle in the sunshine, and with flushed cheeks and glowing amber eyes, the golden-haired Digidestined suddenly looked a lot younger and vulnerable than he really was.

Something about that vulnerability made Sam feel uneasy, and trying not to stare, he said slowly, "Where were you anyways?"

Mickey turned to look at him, and letting out a soft sigh, the younger twin said, "I got caught by Mrs. Hanari. She's really suspicious now that Ryoko and Dai are getting along. She kept asking me questions, like she was trying to get the truth out of me about what was going on, but I didn't say anything."

"So that's why you looked so flustered earlier."

"Did I?" Mickey asked, suddenly looking embarrassed.

Sam smiled, and nodding, he said in a teasing voice, "You did."

Mickey's blushed deepened, and glancing shyly at him, the older twin said thoughtfully, "Why me, though? Why didn't she go after Dai or Ryoko? They're the ones she thinks are acting suspicious."

Sam paused on the sidewalk, and staring at the golden-haired Digidestined, he said dryly, "I'm sure she did, and when that failed she decided on you. Isn't it obvious why?"

"Huh?"

Mickey looked genuinely confused, and studying his friend's baffled expression, Sam took a step closer, forcing the older twin to look at him again. "She was bothering you because she figured it would be easier to get an answer out of you rather than Dai or Ryoko."

"What do you mean by that?" Mickey asked, gazing at him in surprise.

They were almost at the Motomiya residence by this point, and as they passed by the park, Sam grabbed the older twin's arm and pulled the other boy over to one of the benches nearby. Sitting next to the blond, whom he had pushed gently onto the seat, he folded his hands together and glanced towards the street where a group of laughing students were passing by, obviously on their way to spend the rest of the afternoon having some fun.

"Sam?" Mickey asked, tugging lightly on his jacket to get his attention.

Without looking at the older twin, Sam said bluntly, "It's because she thinks you're the one most likely to crack under pressure and blurt out the truth."

"That's not true!" Palelymon protested from inside Mickey's backpack, which the older twin had pulled off and sat on the bench next to him to make them both more comfortable.

"Not true at all!" Glimmermon agreed.

Mickey was silent for a moment, his face a mask of emotions, and refusing to look at him, the older twin said in a subdued voice, "I thought you wanted to get out of the cold."

Though the older twin's words were pleasant, coming from Mickey that was the equivalent of a cold response, and moving closer so he could put a hand on the other boy's shoulder, he said sternly, "Don't get angry with me. I never said I believed that. It's what Mrs. Hanari seems to think, not me."

"Think what?" Mickey asked quietly, bowing his head. "That I'm the weak link? And I'm not angry."

Sam was starting to grow a bit concerned, as Mickey had never used such a frosty tone with him before, not even when he had acted like an idiot over the whole Emperor thing, and starting to panic a bit, he said sharply, "Hey, look at me. You know I didn't mean it like that, and I know you're not really angry. You never get angry, even when you have a perfectly good reason to get mad."

After a moment, Mickey finally met his eyes, and lips trembling, the older twin said, "Do I really seem that way? Do I come across as weak? Is that why..."

Now Sam felt really bad, and not caring who was watching them or whether Mickey wanted him to or not, he pulled the older twin close and said firmly, "Of course not. You're just...you're you, Mickey. You're so nice and friendly to everyone, and you're just so caring that Mrs. Hanari misinterprets that as weakness. She's obviously gotten this idea in her head that your openness makes you the most likely to talk."

Mickey was shivering slightly from the cold, and speaking into his shoulder, the older twin mumbled, "I can't help being who I am."

Sam tightened his hold on the older twin, and letting out a deep sigh, he said fondly, "Of course you can't, and we wouldn't want you to. We love you just the way you are, and I know better than anyone you're not weak. Far from it. You're stronger than I am, that much I'm sure of."

He suddenly felt Mickey smile into his shoulder, and shaking his head, the older twin said, "I don't know about that."

"Besides, the joke's on her anyways. Everybody knows out of all of us that it's Matty who's the most likely to talk. Not because he's weak, but because he can't keep his mouth shut."

Mickey started to laugh, and pulling away slightly, the older twin said quietly in his ear, "Why do you keep looking at me like that?"

The older twin's keen observation skills caught him completely off guard, and jerking back in surprise, he said quickly, "What do you mean?"

"Like that," Mickey said softly, tilting his head to the side to study him more closely. "Like how you're looking at me right now. And now that I think about it, why did you send the others on ahead? Was there something you wanted to talk to me about?"

I should have known he would see right through me. He always does.

Sam slowly pulled away from his friend, and sensing that Mickey's mood had improved, he hunched his shoulders against the cold breeze and said, "You've been a bit off today."

Mickey's cheeks once again turned a deep shade of pink, and looking away from him, the older twin glanced towards the playground, his attention focusing on a couple of kids who were taking turns going down the slide. "Don't you think we should be more worried about Kara?"

"No, I don't. You're no less important than she is, and I have every right to worry about both of you if I want to."

Mickey looked startled by his sudden outburst, and sounding embarrassed, the older twin lightly touched his sleeve and mumbled, "I didn't mean it quite like that."

"I take it your behaviour has something to do with Matty?"

"What makes you say that?" Mickey asked, clearly startled by the sudden change in subject.

Sam let out a deep sigh, and crossing his arms over his chest, he said, "It's pretty obvious. You never get like this unless it has something to do with Matty, and I made him leave today because I figured you wouldn't tell me anything while he was here, so...what's up? What's he done this time to make you worry?"

"Nothing!" Mickey protested, avoiding his eyes. "At least...nothing yet. Is it really that obvious?"

"Always. At least to me."

Mickey slowly looked up at him, and as their eyes met, the older twin gave him a very shy smile. "Somehow that already makes me feel better."

Sam couldn't help smiling in return, and giving the older twin a friendly shove, he said, "I know you too well. There's not much you can get past me, not when we've been this close for so long. You can't hide anything more from me than you can from Matty."

Mickey was silent for a moment, and leaning back against the bench, the blond closed his eyes and took a moment to let the cold breeze caress his face. The sunshine glinted off the older twin's golden hair and eyelashes, and though his expression was soft and full of affection, there was a sense of strength and resilience about the blond's angelic features.

There was no doubt that Mickey was more of a shy and cautious individual compared to his twin, but Sam knew better than anybody that didn't make the golden-haired Digidestined weak by any means. Mickey might get easily embarrassed, but there was a quiet toughness about him and a sense of determination that given the right motivation, he could be just as fierce about what he believed in as Dai, and he wouldn't hesitate to help someone in need. That was where Mrs. Hanari a misjudged the older twin. Mickey was shy, gentle, and caring, but he wasn't weak or timid, and if you got on the wrong side of him there was no doubt you would end up regretting it for one reason or another.

"It's nothing major," Mickey finally said after a long moment of comfortable silence. "It's just...I was talking to Mom and Dad last night, and they're pretty worried about Matty. And...I think the closer and closer we get to finding his Spirit Chip, the more worried they become."

"Why is that?"

There was a pause, and letting out a small sigh, Mickey said, "You know what Matty's like. He's a bit on the reckless side, and I know he wants to protect me, but I don't want him to do that at the expense of his own life. I don't think he realizes just how worried our parents are about him, and that's pretty concerning."

Sam nodded, and watching the kids on the slide as they laughed and giggled, their childish voices drifting on the breeze, he said, "You promised them you would protect Matty and watch over him a bit more closely in the Digital World from now on, didn't you."

"Something like that, yes," Mickey said quietly, slowly opening his eyes. "Matty doesn't know that, though. I wouldn't tell him. If I did, he would just insist it's the other way around, but I don't think it is. Even if they were to use me to get to Matty, I'm still don't think I'm the one in the most amount of danger."

It was true that Matty probably would insist he didn't need protection, but Sam was inclined to agree with Mickey. Because of that, he could see why Mickey would have kept the conversation with his parents a secret from Matty, though he couldn't imagine that had gone over well with the younger twin.

"Does Matty suspect something?"

Mickey nodded, and folding his hands together, the older twin said, "He knows I was talking to Mom and Dad, but I didn't tell him what was said. I can tell he suspects I'm hiding something, though, but...he didn't really bug me about it that much, which is unusual for him."

Huh...Interesting...

"Was he in good spirits last night?"

Mickey nodded, and smiling softly, the older twin said, "At first he was a bit quiet, but after talking with Jayden he definitely seemed a bit more relaxed and...softer."

Sam blinked in confusion, and finally getting his head around what Mickey had meant by that statement, he said, "Oh, was he on a video call with Jayden?"

"That's what he said."

"I see. How's Jayden doing, by the way? It's been forever since we've seen him."

Mickey glanced thoughtfully at the sky, and shrugging his shoulders, the older twin said, "I'm not sure. I didn't talk to him myself. I was in the shower at the time, but I'm grateful to him all the same. Whatever he said to Matty seemed to help a lot, and that makes me happy."

Blond, blue-eyed, and arguably even better looking than Ryoko, it wasn't hard for Sam to picture the American boy inside his head, and smiling slightly, he said, "Well, that's a relief."

"Jayden's always been a good influence on Matty," Mickey said softly, his voice filling with affection. "I can't help but look forward to when he visits."

"Kind of like you?"

Mickey blushed at that, and turning his face away, the older twin said, "You won't tell Matty what I said, will you?"

Sam pretended to look offended, and poking the older twin in the ribs, he said, "Would I do something like that? Besides, it's up to you to tell him how worried you are, not me. Though...I'm still going to support you no matter what."

"Sam...Thank you."

The words were sincere, and Sam didn't hesitate to accept the hug he received from Mickey, who clung to him for a moment before pulling away.

Giving his friend a gentle pat on the shoulder, Sam said, "Now that we've got that settled, we should get going. The others are probably wondering where we are right about now."

"Matty's going to let me have it," Mickey said softly, smiling as he got to his feet. "That much I'm sure of."

"Well, you are taking a bit too long to get to Dai's house," Palelymon remarked.

"Still cold here!" Glimmermon added, sounding amused.

Sam couldn't help laughing at their digimon partners, and rolling his eyes, he said, "By the way, what were you going to say before?"

"When?" Mickey asked, looking confused.

"When I was trying to convince you that I don't think you're weak. You were about to say something but changed your mind."

Mickey's expression suddenly grew serious, and shaking his head, the older twin said quietly, "It was nothing. Don't worry about it. Shall we get going?"

"Sure..."

Sam didn't believe the golden-haired Digidestined for a minute, but he decided not to press the issue. There would be time enough later for that. Together, the two of them quickly hurried towards the Motomiya residence, and upon entering the front foyer they were immediately assaulted by Matty, who gave his twin a look that was positively bursting with curiosity and disapproval.

"Matty, it's cold out here," Mickey said, giving his brother a gentle nudge to get him out of the way. "Will you at least let us inside first before you interrogate me? You're blocking the door."

"Where were you?" Matty demanded, stepping to the side just long enough to let them both pass. "Dai's the one who's always late, not you."

Mickey let out a soft sigh, and smiling slightly, the older twin said, "Somehow I don't think Dai wold have appreciated that comment."

"Don't try to change the subject," Matty shot back, crossing his arms over his chest. "I want some answers, and I'm not going to let you distract me this time."

At this point Sam thought perhaps he should probably step in, and removing his outerwear, he said calmly, "We were just talking."

"I guessed that much," Matty shot back, clearly impatient. "I mean before that."

"I got caught by Mrs. Hanari on the way out," Mickey explained, also removing his backpack and coat.

Matty immediately looked suspicious, and frowning, the younger twin said, "What did she want?"

Sam couldn't help laughing at Matty's response, and pulling Glimmermon out of his backpack, he made sure the little digimon was comfortable in his arms before deciding to respond. "You know, the usual. She thinks we're up to something again, particularly Dai and Ryoko."

Before Matty could respond, Mickey quickly jumped in and said shortly, "Before you ask, I didn't tell her anything."

"I didn't think you would have!" Matty replied, sounding a tad offended. "Look, just...forget it. Come on, let's join the others. We've kept Gennai waiting long enough."

Mickey quickly pulled Palelymon out of his backpack, and together the three of them made their way up the stairs to the large corner room that Davis and Noriko used for an office.

Upon entering through the door, Sam took quick note of who all was in the room, and he wasn't surprised to find that the group was a bit smaller this time. He had figured some of them wouldn't show up, since logically speaking Izzy probably wouldn't allow them to start their next mission until Friday afternoon when they were finished with school for the weekend, and that was just fine with him. Unfortunately other aspects of life tended to get in the way of playing the hero, but despite the fact that everyday tasks didn't always accommodate the Digital World, Sam was grateful all the same that those he cared about made a regular effort to join them when they could.

His quick glance around the room had revealed to him that Tay, Emma, Kenzo, Taniko, Ami, Izzy, Miya, Sora, Tai, Matt, Mimi, Davis, Noriko, Ken, Yolei, and Joe had all managed to put in an appearance, along with their digimon partners of course, and smiling at them as they came through the door, Izzy said, "There you two are. We've been waiting for you."

Sam was quick to send Gennai an apologetic look as he sat down on the floor next to Mickey, and smiling at the robed figure, he said, "We're sorry for keeping you. I'm sure you're probably pretty busy right now."

"There's no need to apologize," Gennai replied, smiling at him in return from the computer screen. "I can't stay long, but I did want to give you all a quick update in person and see how you were doing, since I assume all of you won't be heading to the Digital World until tomorrow afternoon?"

"That's correct," Izzy agreed, shifting in his seat. "While we do have Seta to cover for Dai and his friends, I don't want to make their teacher anymore suspicious than she already is. It wouldn't do to have six of her students cutting class on Friday. That would be sure to raise alarm bells with Mrs. Hanari. That being said, we will definitely be there as soon as Dai and the others are finished with school."

"I think that would probably be wise," Gennai agreed, nodding in approval. "In that case, I will be brief, since the Spirit Chip isn't going anywhere until the seal is broken. Once you're all actually in the Digital World, I will explain your next mission in detail."

Sam was quick to glance at the suspiciously neutral expression on Izzy's face, and frowning slightly, he could not help suspecting that Gennai had already given the computer expert quite a few of the details already. He wasn't quite sure why the thought occurred to him, but for some reason he sensed that both Izzy and Gennai were choosing to keep quiet about what those details were until the last possible moment. That was a bit concerning, since it made him suspect that Izzy already knew who the Spirit Chip belonged to, and chances were they weren't going to like what he had to say, but there wasn't much he could do about it at the moment. As a result, he chose instead to focus on the rest of the group, and as his eyes fell on Matt, he suddenly remembered what Ryoko had said about his father during lunch. Currently, Matt was sitting on a chair next to his wife, and Takara was sitting by the former musician's feet next to Dai. Despite the tension radiating off Takara's body, Matt's expression was calm and pleasant, and not once since Sam had entered the room had the man looked in Kara's direction, but the same couldn't be said for the female Digidestined. As he watched her, several times Kara glanced shyly up at the golden-haired Digidestined, but Matt either didn't notice or chose to ignore her gaze.

Studying them, Sam could tell instantly what Ryoko meant, and he couldn't help feeling curious about the whole thing. It was obvious there was something in the atmosphere between those two, but only Kara seemed affected by it.

Something must have happened between them, but I have no idea what it could have been.

Dai, who was seated next to Kara, hadn't appeared to notice, and instead of being his usual boisterous self, the goggle-headed leader was staring quietly at his hands, his head bowed as if in prayer. Ryoko was sitting on the dark-haired boy's other side, and on the blond's right, Ami kept glancing around her newly acquired love interest's shoulder to frown at her brother. Davis sat in a chair on Matt's other side, with Noriko sitting in a chair on his right, and though they were both now aware of Ami's feelings for Ryoko, neither objected to the two young teens sitting close to one another. That left everyone else to congregate on the floor on the other side of the room, which made for a reasonably large crowd. Sora, Tai, Joe, Yolei, and Ken were seated on the floor with Tay, Ema, and Kenzo in front of them, and Izzy, Mina, and Taniko were all gathered around the computer in chairs of their own. As for his own seat, Sam was sitting by the door with the twins and all of the digimon, and turning his attention to the big group on the left, his gaze fell on Tai and Sora.

Tai seemed well-rested, despite the blaze he had battled the night before, and though the former leader had been joking around with Taysuke when they entered the room, the smile on the man's face hadn't quite reached his eyes. Sora understandably looked weary, and every so often she would gaze across the room at her daughter, who was doing her best to avoid her mother's concerned eyes. Several times, Tai had also glanced at his daughter, but the former leader's expression was a little harder to read.

Why do I feel like the fact that Kara is sitting on the opposite side of the room from the rest of her family is somehow significant? Like some kind of bad omen...

"Hey, Uncle, we heard you had to fight a big fire last night," Matty said, gazing at the former leader with interest. "I take it everything went well?"

"Nobody hurt and no loss of life," Tai agreed, turning to smile at his nephew. "I'd call that a success. Did you hear that from Tay?"

"No, actually Kara told us," Mickey replied, giving his uncle a meaningful look.

Tai turned slowly to look at his daughter, who blushed and quickly dropped her eyes to avoid his gaze, and refusing to look away from the dark-haired girl, the former leader said softly, "I'm sorry I worried you."

Takara's face turned a darker shade of red, and without looking up, she said quietly, "I'm fine. I'm just...glad everything went well."

"That's good to hear," Tai replied, is eyes flashing as Tay reached out to put a comforting hand on the former leader's arm.

Takara didn't reply, and sensing the sudden awkward atmosphere in the room, Gennai cheerfully spoke up to ease the tension and said, "I'm quite flattered you were all able to join me today. As for what I was going to tell you, I can say at this point that the next Spirit Chip is located on the continent of Cyber."

"That's where the Ruler of Darkness built his castle," Joe murmured. "Though he wasn't there the time Dai and the others infiltrated the building, there is a possibility he could be in residence this time around."

"Indeed," Gennai agreed, growing serious. "Thankfully, though, the Spirit Chip itself isn't located near the castle. I've already briefed Izzy on the location, so he knows which gate to use for when you arrive tomorrow afternoon."

"Do you know what DarkAngelicmon and the others have been up to lately?" Iramon asked, frowning slightly.

Gennai was quiet for a moment, and shaking his head, he said, "We've been trying to keep tabs on the them over the last three weeks, but they've managed to elude us for the most part. We do know they have been following our movements, so I'm sure they know just as well as we do where the next Spirit Chip is, but that was to be expected. Other than that...I can't say at this time what other plans they might have in motion."

"So we need to be on our guard," Ken finished, glancing at his wife.

"That sounds a bit ominous," Yolei muttered to herself, giving Gennai a look. "You think they're up to something, don't you. Something other than trying to take the next Spirit Chip from us."

"I can't say for sure, but it isn't like the Ruler of Darkness to disappear so completely off the radar," Gennai explained. "Even our best spies haven't been able to judge his movements. That could mean something significant or nothing at all. It's hard to say."

"What about DarkAngelicmon?" Matty demanded. "Hear anything about him lately?"

Gennai was slow to respond, and shaking his head, the robed figure said, "Nothing. He hasn't been seen since you were last in the Digital World. Normally, he tends to lead those following our movements, but this time..."

"What about Vampiramon?" Davis asked, speaking over the gasp that had escaped Mickey's mouth. "Did you ever find out what actually happened to her?"

"I can't see how she could have survived the fall into that pit," Gabumon spoke up, looking serious. "Especially with all that darkness waiting down below..."

Gennai stared at Davis for a moment, and once again shaking his head, the man said, "There has been no word on her unfortunate fate. Nobody from our side has seen her since, and with so many servants at his disposal, it's hard to say how the Ruler of Darkness might feel about her apparent demise. Even when they're stalking us, it's not always the same group of servants, so if one were to survive such an ordeal, it may not become immediately apparent to us until much later."

"Do you think she survived?" Mina asked quietly, obviously wondering what Gennai's expert opinion on the matter might be.

"The Digital World is often full of surprises. I would not rule anything out at this point."

Sam had a feeling that was the best answer they were likely to get out of the robed figure, and raising his eyebrows, he said, "You don't have to admit it, but I suspect you think there's something stirring in the Digital World, something none of us know about yet, and whatever it is, it's probably not a good thing."

"Only time will tell," was Gennai's mysterious reply.

"So...in other words you're not going to tell us anything?" Ami asked, making a face.

Gennai smiled slightly, and shaking his head, the robed figure said, "I think it would be more prudent to explain the situation in full once Daichi and the others arrive, and naturally since Izzy will be coming with this time around, I've also briefed Taniko on the matter, as she will be assisting us and overseeing the operation in Izzy's place from Earth."

"This again," Ryoko groaned, glaring at the robed figure. "Why don't you just tell us already and be done with it?"

"You're fighting a losing battle there," Ema snorted.

Gennai cheerfully ignored both the young girl and the golden-haired Digidestined, and beaming at them, he said, "Once again, I do humbly request that Ken joins Daichi and the others in the Digital World tomorrow, as I would like to give him the power of the Digicore."

"I'll be there," Ken promised, smiling across the room at Davis, who smiled return.

"Excellent. As for the rest of you, Izzy will contact those whom he feels are needed for this particular mission tonight to request their presence in the Digital World once he works out the details of tomorrow's operation with Taniko."

"Whether I'm needed or not, I'm coming," Tai said quietly, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Izzy calmly returned the former leader's gaze and said easily, "I figured you might say that, and I suspect Sora feels the same?"

"I do," Sora agreed, her expression just as determined as Tai's.

Across the room, Kara was now openly staring at her parents with her mouth hanging open, and rather than dwelling on the tension brewing between members of the Kamiya family, Sam chose instead to focus on Taniko. Like her father, Taniko's expression was neutral, but despite the serene look on her face, he suspected like Izzy she knew more than what had been revealed to the rest of them so far. It was only too obvious that Gennai had told them things they both didn't think they should reveal just yet, and like he had wondered before, he suspected that one of those things was the identity of who owned the next Spirit Chip.

The continent of Cyber. I wonder who it could be. There are only three choices left, and none of them are encouraging...

The fact that Izzy also hadn't revealed yet who was coming with for the next mission also made him suspect that the computer expert and his daughter knew who owned the next Spirit Chip, and he had good reason to think so. Izzy wouldn't have kept that information a secret unless he thought somebody would be able to figure out the significance of who was going with like what had happened with Ryoko's Spirit Chip. The names alone of who owned the three crests that made up the barrier surrounding the Spirit Chip would make it only too easy to figure out who the Spirit Chip belonged to thanks to the process of elimination.

And the fact that they're not saying yet definitely isn't a good sign. It means whoever owns it is going to cause us some major issues...

Which technically could mean Takara or any one of the twins, since all three of them were currently being frustratingly difficult to deal with.

"I do apologize that I dragged you all out this way for such little info, but I really must be going," Gennai said, at least having the grace to look apologetic. "There are a few things I need to prepare for tomorrow, and I'd like to have them out of the way by nightfall. Make sure you're all rested for tomorrow. It's not going to be easy to obtain this Spirit Chip, but I have faith in all of you that you will succeed."

"We appreciate the compliment and the concern," Kenzo said, smiling in return. "And the rest of us will do what we can to support Dai and the others from home."

"We'll see you tomorrow then," DemiEmbermon called out, earning a bark of agreement from Shadow, who had just entered the room.

"Until tomorrow," Gennai agreed before signing off.

Once the robed figure was gone, Sam could again feel the tension in the air building, and glancing at Kara, he could tell that her face was very pale.

Although he did not yet know what tomorrow would bring, the sudden strained silence felt like a bad sign.

A very bad sign.

It's coming. The darkness. It's coming to test us again. To test the faith we have in each other...

Only one question remained. Who would become the next victim of its alluring call?