update: cover by aoruyoru on twitter/tumblr! tried to link it, but ffn won't let me? it'll be linked on my ao3!

a/n: hi i am back from the dead with a new fic and i'll finish it this time. please let me know what you think đź’“ special thanks to Green Spaghetti for just being the best person ever and helping me with...everything.

warnings/disclaimer: original characters (fanmade digimon—i don't own Digimon but Mirrormon is mine), accidental self-harm, parasomnia (sleep disorders), referenced mental disorders/eating disorders, explicit language, mentions of blood/death, referenced abandonment/family issues regarding inadvertent neglect. Please proceed with caution.


Ch 01 || Song of the Trees

Nii-san… Hikari… Patamon…

Where are you?

No answer was provided for Takeru as he propelled himself through the darkened woods. Trees stretched above him like skyscrapers, and no matter how much he ran, no matter how much distance he covered, Takeru couldn't seem to escape.

He was lost.

Takeru wasn't entirely sure how he ended up separated from his friends and the other Chosen, but it happened all the same. He wasn't sure where he was, or where he was going. All he knew was that he was lost, and in a place that was far from safe, no less.

Where are you? Takeru repeated mentally. I can't… keep going… like this…

Loose, low-hanging branches snagged and tore at Takeru's skin like he was made of paper. The grass crunched underfoot, the leaves of the trees swaying and rustling in the wind to create an ominous, whispery song. As if the forest itself was chanting an all-powerful spell to keep him lost. To keep him trapped. To keep him running aimlessly and desperately like a mouse trying to find its way out of a too-large, ever-changing maze.

The sun was still up in the sky when they'd arrived in the digital world, but the trees of this forest caged him from daylight, bathing him in swooping shadows and unearthly darkness.

Stop running, the leaves told him.

You can't hide, the leaves told him.

It's no use, the leaves told him.

Still, Takeru kept moving. His feet pounded against the forest floor in almost perfect sync with his heartbeat, pushing himself forward with every ounce of strength he had left.

Months ago, Koushiro had set it up to where they'd be alerted of any danger in the digital world. They served partly as its protectors, after all, and that meant to respond whenever duty called. Which meant they often got roped into situations just like this.

Takeru had no idea, however, he'd end up stranded here.

Don't stop, Takeru told himself.

Find a place to hide, Takeru told himself.

There's got to be a way out, Takeru told himself.

"Nii… Nii-san!" His voice sounded so quiet compared to the song of the trees. Regardless, he had to reach his brother, his friends, his partner—even with just his words would be enough. "Nii-san… I… oof."

His foot hooked on an arched tree root. His hands flew out to catch himself, smacking the ground painfully as he went down.

Something cracked and he couldn't tell if it was a bone or a branch. Pain splintered through his body, stemming from an indistinguishable source, and he made himself believe that it was just the force of impact.

His eyes squeezed shut on their own accord, and he rested his forehead against the grass, panting for breath. He was too winded and too exhausted to get back up, and even though he knew he had to keep moving, his body refused to obey or even acknowledge his request.

Above him, the canopy of trees seemed to laugh at him. Laughed and gossipped and mocked him, a lone human teenager without the strength to make it through their carefully constructed, endless labyrinth.

Isolated from his friends.

Without the safety net of a digimon partner to help fend off danger.

Freshly wounded, with little to no energy left.

A frail, defenseless human boy—that was all Takeru had been reduced to.

Takeru closed his eyes, breath pulsing in and out of his lungs so fast and hard that it hurt his throat. Forehead still cradled in the scratchy embrace of the grass beneath him, Takeru wondered if he was shielded enough on the ground, or if he could be seen from above.

He desperately hoped it was the former, because the sun had been hot and harsh before he ended up in the forest, but it was uncomfortably cool and dark here. That meant… that meant what had been chasing him before couldn't catch him now, right? Right?

Something told him that wasn't true, and he wasn't sure what it was. Instinct? Paranoia? A mixture of both? He didn't really want to find out.

His body didn't give him much of a choice. Takeru listened to his heart thump and thump and thump, but adrenaline could only carry him so far before he plummeted back down to a state where his body was well aware of its limits.

Exhausted, weak, and winded, Takeru slipped swiftly in a haze of nothingness.


[ONE HOUR EARLIER]

"I will find you! I will find all of you! Ready or not… here I come!"

It was a wonder Takeru hadn't been caught yet. Mirrormon—a new digimon they hadn't yet encountered before today, with most of his abilities and weaknesses presently unknown to Takeru—was quick on his feet and seemed to spawn from every corner. Pegasusmon, after all, could only move so fast, and Mirrormon could almost rival his speed.

And summon any digimon to the playing field to do his bidding.

What was worse was… he barely even knew what Mirrormon looked like. He'd barely caught a glimpse of him before he and his friends were scattering like loose pages in the wind with the intention of regrouping.

Except they couldn't regroup if they didn't know where to regroup.

"Pegasusmon," he gasped out, clutching his partner's mane tightly. "Do you think we should move higher or lower?"

"It's hard to be sure," Pegasusmon called back. "I don't see our friends anywhere—maybe we should look for them from up high."

"Alright!"

Without another word, Pegasusmon flapped his wings and allowed the roaring wind to guide them up, up, up into the sky. The sun was a hot iron bar on his skin, scorching through his t-shirt and burning his skin, but he forced himself to ignore it as he scanned the ground for any humanoid shape. For anything that resembled one of his friends.

Their digimon, for the most part, had evolved at least to the Adult stage—and most of them were huge. How could he not see them by now? Were they even in this area by now?

And maybe, during this deranged game of hide and seek, going up into a clear, sunny sky wasn't a good idea. They might as well have painted a big red target on their backs.

But Takeru wasn't sure what else to do. It was as if his friends had just vanished into thin air—gone without a trace, leaving him extremely confused and worried. He was moving too fast to check his D3 for signals, but he couldn't see anyone for miles, it seemed.

"Ha! There you are~"

The wind whipped and snapped around him but Mirrormon's voice was loud and powerful still, echoing like they were trapped in a dome of sorts. Like he was talking through a speaker or something.

Takeru glanced around wildly, trying to pinpoint the direction of Mirrormon's voice. Up, left, and right showed him nothing. Which meant…

"Takeru, hold on!"

Pegasusmon dove sharply and with little warning, and Takeru's skin prickled with goosebumps as he dug his fingers into his partner's mane again for dear life. They were shooting down like an arrow being freed from a bow, gaining more and more momentum by the second.

Takeru saw a giant flash of red before he deemed it no longer safe to keep his eyes open.

"Pegasusmon," Takeru shouted again, shivering as they continued to descend rapidly toward the ground. "What're you—?!"

"I have to outspeed him," Pegasusmon said, and even though he spoke loudly, Takeru still struggled to hear him over the howling, too-warm wind. "Who knows what'll happen if he catches us! He's caused so much damage already!"

Takeru's eyes remained screwed shut, holding onto his partner so tightly that it hurt his joints. Even with the safety of Pegasusmon's presence, he still felt as though nothing existed below to break their fall. As though Pegasusmon wasn't in control.

A deafening wail echoed above. Takeru was too afraid to ask what it was.

"He summoned a Kuwagamon this time," Pegasusmon told him as if reading his mind. "He was going to grab us if I didn't dive!"

Takeru was shaking, even as Pegasusmon swooped back into an effortless glide. The wind carried them up again as he extended his wings, but Takeru remained pressed flush against Pegasusmon's back, not daring to open his eyes.

He used to believe that being airborne like this was freeing. Takeru had always been a little on the shorter side—the complete opposite of Yamato, who seemed to grow taller by the day—so everything around him seemed impossibly tall. Riding Pegasusmon (and even being in the arms of Angemon) gave him a new view of the world. Made him feel less small.

Now, well… now, he desperately wanted to be on the ground. Never before had he wanted to feel the soil of the digital world beneath his feet this badly.

"There," Pegasusmon said suddenly, his voice hushed this time, barely even reaching Takeru's ears.

Against his will, his eyes finally snapped back open. "What? Do you see anyone?"

Pegasusmon shook his head. "I found a hiding spot for you."

For you.

Takeru swallowed as he realized what Pegasusmon's exclusion of himself in that statement meant. Whatever he planned on doing, he planned on leaving Takeru out of it.

"No," Takeru said, squeezing his eyes shut again, if only to stop the sudden onset of fresh tears before they spilled free. "I'm not leaving you."

"It'll just be for a moment, Takeru," Pegasusmon said. "I'll defeat Kuwagamon and then come back for you. I promise."

Still, Takeru was reluctant. His hands balled into fists, pulling on Pegasusmon's mane. Shook his head and repeated, "I'm not leaving you."

Kuwagamon wailed again, the sound too loud, too haunting, like the aching cry of thunder. Even in the sky, Takeru could tell that it had enough force to shake the world around them. It even disturbed the wind that whipped and flowed across his skin.

"We don't have time to argue, Takeru," Pegasusmon tried again. "Please. Hide until I come to get you."

It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that all of their friends were suddenly gone and now Pegasusmon was leaving, too. Maybe it was childish, but he'd rather be with Pegasusmon or his brother or Hikari and in danger, than safe but all alone.

"No, please." Takeru's voice was a mere whisper this time, broken and quivering. "Don't… don't leave."

Pegasusmon dove again, this time into a thick heart of trees. Once again, Takeru kept his eyes closed, ignoring the scratching and hissing of tree branches. And finally, finally, they were on the ground again.

"Don't go," Takeru repeated as Pegasusmon's hooves hit the forest floor. "Don't…"

"Takeru, I swear to you I'll be back," Pegasusmon said. "I promise, ok?" Folded his knees to allow Takeru to reach the ground safely. "Ok?"

Takeru still hesitated, but Kuwagamon's roar above the trees kicked him into action.

Against his heart's wishes, he slid off his partner's back, legs unstable and shaky after Pegasusmon's sudden dive.

Pegasusmon leaned forward to press his forehead against Takeru's. "Be safe and hide, ok? I'm gonna go back up there to fight him."

Takeru swallowed. Choked back the young, clingy part of him that didn't want to be alone and looked at his partner with eyes that were vulnerable and bright with tears. Cupped Pegasusmon's face with both hands. "Be safe, promise?"

"I promise, Takeru."

Then he leapt into the air again, leaving Takeru alone in the sudden darkness of the trees. Slowly, gradually, Takeru sank to his knees, fighting back the urge to sob uncontrollably. Stray leaves and crisp grass crunched under his weight.

He wished he knew where his friends were. He wished he knew where his brother was. He wished…

Just then, something behind him snapped and—


"—I found you."

Takeru catapulted back into wakefulness as the voice echoed in the deep depths of his mind, and he was almost completely certain that it wasn't just his imagination. But when he looked around, blinking away the inky darkness to see who had spoken, he couldn't even see one silhouette. And he wasn't sure if it was because the trees blocked out so much sunlight or if, in his disoriented state, he'd lost his ability to see anything at all.

He strained his ears, willing the sloshing blood in his ears to fall quiet as he struggled to catch something—a short scratch of breath, the snapping of twigs, the crinkling of leaves underfoot—anything that signaled he wasn't completely alone.

Nothing. Nothing except, of course, the haunting song of the trees, whispering and gossiping like a crowd of people gathered around an obvious outsider.

"Hello?" he whispered, the word falling from his lips in a froggy croak.

Get up.

That was his own consciousness—a primal sense of urgency that told him to go—telling him to get moving before the danger caught up with him. Takeru struggled to obey, his body still laughably weak in the wake of his adrenaline rush.

Had… had he fallen asleep? Or had he fainted? Takeru couldn't be sure, but once again, he didn't want to find out. He… he needed to find his friends. He needed… to find…

Where are you?

"Pegasusmon?" he called out in another croaky whisper. "Nii-san?"

"Oh, dear. It is a human child."

If Takeru had made it to a point where he could stand, those words would have sent him back to the ground. Though hushed and surprised, it was sudden enough to make Takeru yelp in shock.

I need to find my friends.

I need to find Pegasusmon…

I need to find… Nii-san…

"Hush, child," the voice said. "Do not fret. I will not harm you."

"H-how do I know that?" Takeru said, his voice wobbling in spite of himself. "I—I can't even see you. It's too dark."

A chilled rope of wind curled around Takeru's body like a snake. He shivered, the ominous, ever-present song of the trees growing louder. Louder.

Takeru had to blink several times before he saw it. Two glowing red orbs, floating in the air like a puppet held up by strings. Swirling. Hypnotic. Next came bright golden symbols and a ring, lighting up one by one until the faint outline of an unfamiliar digimon became visible. He couldn't quite put a name to its many shapes, but he could see wispy clouds gathered at the bottom.

"Hello there," the digimon greeted again, blinking red eyes. "I am called Bakumon. And you are?"

"...lost," Takeru said slowly, unable to provide his actual name. Still, he couldn't ignore the allure of those eyes. Bakumon… had Takeru heard of that digimon before? Maybe? "I'm looking… for my friends…"

"In this forest?"

"Yes. Have you… seen them?"

A blink. "I think I would remember seeing more human children."

"I didn't say they were human," Takeru said, narrowing his eyes.

"Oh, forgive me for assuming, then." Bakumon smiled—all kindness and soft warmth, not unlike his brother's partner. "I simply figured that you wouldn't have come alone, that is all. Where there is one, there is more."

Takeru swallowed before drawing in a deep breath. Was… was he being rude? This digimon seemed nice enough, and he was acting rather cold in return. And… and he didn't want to be alone, not really. He'd gotten his wish.

"Does that mean there are more of you?" he couldn't help but ask.

Slowly, almost lazily, Bakumon drifted closer to him. Moved with a graceful ease that put Takeru's hasty clumsiness to shame. "Possibly, though I came to this forest alone."

The cryptic response only served in confusing Takeru even more, rather than answering his questions. Still… "...have you heard of Mirrormon?"

"...should I have?"

"Maybe you can tell me."

"I cannot say I have," Bakumon answered after a moment's pause. "Why do you ask?"

Because I don't know if he summoned you here to hurt me.

He hated himself for thinking it, but it was true. How… how long had he been out? How long had it been since Pegasusmon vowed to come back to him? Had he defeated Kuwagamon? Or… or had Kuwagamon defeated him?

The thought opened up in him a bottomless chasm that only seemed to grow in size. He hoped everyone was ok.

"Is he a friend of yours?" Bakumon asked. "Perhaps one of the friends you spoke of?"

"No," Takeru said sharply. "He's no friend of mine. He separated me from—"

Takeru shut his mouth, not wanting to say too much. He liked to see the good in digimon and people alike, but… but sometimes that got him in trouble. He had to be careful this time.

"My apologies," Bakumon said gently. "Perhaps I was wrong to ask."

If he had the strength, Takeru would have facepalmed. Instead, he sagged deeper into the ground with a groan. "No… no, I'm being rude. I'm sorry, I just… I don't know where I am. I'm lost. I just want to find…"

He chewed his lip nervously. Dug his fingernails into the soil. Being alone in the aftermath of a battle really reminded him of how terrifying and huge the digital world could be.

"I could provide my assistance."

Takeru jumped, startled, as Bakumon's voice fluttered over to him like a butterfly, gentle and elegant. His eyes widened when he realized Bakumon was closer to him than before. "Wh-what?"

"In guiding you out of this forest," Bakumon persisted. "I could help you, if you would like."

It was tempting, but it was also a bad idea. Except… what choice did he have? Gathering every ounce of strength that he could muster, Takeru pushed himself off the grass, coming to his knees.

"You are wounded," Bakumon observed suddenly.

As he spoke, a thread of pain weaved through his right leg, into his foot. And another, and another, until a big knot had formed.

Takeru's only response was a hiss of pain. He squeezed his eyes shut, releasing a long, slow breath to keep himself from screaming. The last thing he wanted to do was to draw attention to himself.

"I'm fine," he said finally in a tight voice.

"Are you… able to walk?"

He wasn't quite sure, but he didn't want Bakumon to know just how vulnerable he was. Yes, he wasn't being nice, but… but something in him wasn't ready to trust Bakumon just yet. After being separated from his team and his partner, he wasn't ready to let his guard down.

So, biting his lip again, Takeru forced himself onto wobbly legs. His foot throbbed in protest, but now wasn't the time to baby his body. He had to get moving. Had to see if Pegasusmon was alright.

Swirling red eyes met his own. "So… for whom is it that you are searching?"

Takeru fell silent, trying to block out the faint murmur of the trees above him. Bakumon's luminous symbols were the only source of light he had, and—

"My digivice," Takeru said suddenly. "Of course. I need to track them!"

"Pardon?"

For an answer, Takeru used Bakumon's light to locate a tree to lean against, and then fished his D3 out of his pocket. Didn't Koushiro enable some kind of flashlight feature on his D3? Koushiro was always studying their digivices and discovering new things about them. He needed to just…

"My word," Bakumon breathed out in a hushed voice. "I think I know what that is!"

Takeru froze. "You… do?"

"I am a holy digimon, after all. I have heard a lot of things in my time here."

A holy… digimon…

Suddenly, the wall that Takeru had been so careful to keep up came crashing down. He stared at Bakumon in quiet wonder, like he was seeing a brand new digimon.

That means…

"Patamon," Takeru said dazedly.

Bakumon blinked in confusion. "What?"

"You're like… my friend…"

...that means I can trust him, right?

That last instinctive whisper in the core of his very being told him no. But his heart told him yes, because why would something holy lie to him? Patamon and Tailmon digivolved into celestial beings, and he trusted them with his life.

"...your name?"

He hadn't been aware that Bakumon was talking, or when he began talking in the first place. Takeru blinked back the sudden fog in his brain, struggling to focus on Bakumon's words. Trying to figure out what he'd said.

"Takeru," Takeru murmured belatedly.

"I see," Bakumon said. "Takeru."

"Yes. Takeru. My name… is Takeru…"

Their gazes met again. The symbols on Bakumon's head flashed a bright gold, crimson eyes widening into large pools of blood.

The whispers of the trees grew louder. Rustled and sang like a choir.

"It's nice to meet you, Takeru," Bakumon said.

"Nice… to meet you, too…"

"Let's get you out of this forest, shall we?"

Swirling. Swirling. Bloody. Mesmeric. Takeru fell into the pool of those eyes like he'd fallen into water, rapidly and suddenly. Sinking. Sinking. Waiting to reach the bottom, only to remain suspended mid-way like a puppet.

The trees' song wafted around him. Roared in his ears like cicadas in the summer.

"Yes," Takeru whispered. "Let's go."