A/N: Huh, that's funny. Wikia has Chocomon brown but I'm sure the ones I've caught in Digimon World DS are pink. Well, since I put them down as pink last time, they'll be staying pink. :D

Next chapter will be Takuya. Managed to get what I needed from Kouichi's POV into this…with some words to spare. :)

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Wish Journeys 1.1
Three Brothers

Chapter 12/Kouichi

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The land was sad, but there was something that clung to the castle. He didn't think it was hope, though Lopmon seemed relieved to see it.

And he confessed himself a little relieved as well when the pink blobs swarmed out to meet Lopmon. 'Chocomon!' Lopmon cried happily.

'Guess that means this castle's still holding up.' Takuya sounded relieved as well. Maybe the idea of coming to a haunted castle had creeped him out a little. Or maybe he was just happy for Lopmon.

He felt an apology rise to his lips and squashed the impulse, confused. He hadn't done anything that required an apology so far as he recalled. And if he apologised after the blue, the other would no doubt want an explanation. It was probably better to save that apology for when he did know where that impulse had gotten from.

'Kouichi!' Lopmon bounced ahead as the pink creatures, the Chocomon, went off to do their own things. 'Let's hurry.'

Lopmon was bouncing, plainly eager to move.

Kouichi glanced around first. It looked…not quite how he'd expected, but he supposed the inhabitants of the castle didn't have anything to do but cleaning and maintaining the castle, if they were locked in. And they did look somehow…dull.

'Lopmon?'

Lopmon stopped and looked at him.

'Can we free this place?'

Lopmon paused, then turned around again. 'We'll – we'll try. Taking the dark orb will – will let them in.'

Kouichi stopped walking. Takuya crashed into his back but not hard enough to knock him off his feet. 'Then why –'

Lopmon turned back, and Kouichi winced at the anguish that had suddenly appeared in those eyes. 'We can't go on forever,' he said.

They went the rest of the way silently.

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It was a room in the centre of the castle, heavy with…something. He couldn't quite place what that something was. There was an altar in the middle of the room. And a throne behind it. An empty throne.

'Who sits on that throne?' Takuya muttered behind him.

He was looking at the mirror though.

'It's in there.' Lopmon tugged on his cloak. 'It's inside the mirror. But I'm not sure how…'

Kouichi took a step.

Lopmon tugged again. 'Be careful.'

Kouichi blinked. 'Careful..?'

'Of the mirror. It shows…' Lopmon shivered, that haunted look returning to his eyes.

Kouichi offered a smile. 'It'll be okay.' And he hoped it would be. He did want to know what that mirror would show. He did want some warning. But not enough to increase that look in Lopmon's eyes. He could do without a warning for that price.

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He saw the warrior Chosen and forgot about him again, focusing on the mirror. He forgot everything except Lopmon clinging to his cloak and the mirror.

Its black surface wavered. Flickered in and out. Refocused. Or tried to refocus. The images were still hazy. And so far away.

He heard Lopmon give a sigh of relief. He tried to focus, but he couldn't make out those shapes. Couldn't understand then.

He felt a pull on his cloak. Lopmon was climbing on to his shoulder. 'Remember the sphere of darkness,' Lopmon said.

Remember the sphere of darkness…

He remembered. Like the three spheres already on his staff. He wondered if the sphere of darkness would be black, or something else. And as he thought about that, his hand felt heavier. Lopmon cried out suddenly and he shot the chocolate rabbit a glance of concern – but he looked happy.

Kouichi looked down. He was gripping a black sphere – the sphere of darkness – in his hand.

He fit it into the staff, in the space he'd left for it.

'One more left.' And Lopmon relaxed. Was smiling.

Something nagged at the edge of Kouichi's mind. And, when he saw a Chocomon float past, he remembered. 'The castle!'

He whipped around. And stared at the scene in front of him a moment before reacting automatically and throwing up a shield. And none too late. The warrior Chosen's steel sword scraped against the barrier – with Takuya scrambling safely away on the other side.

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Urgency both clung to his mind and slipped from it. Perhaps if he'd been more conscious on it, if he didn't have other distractions, he would have questioned that oddity. But, for now, he focused on what was in front of him. Maybe there was a delay in the castle's defence. Or maybe Lopmon had been wrong. Or, maybe, it wasn't important.

Or maybe he was just worrying about nothing at all.

What was more important was the way the Chocomon clung to the edges of the room, staring, frightened. The way they'd been fighting – well, not him per say but the other two.

'Your fighting's frightened the inhabitants,' he said. And that wasn't – that wasn't fair on those Chocomon, staring with wide eyes. The castle was supposed to keep them safe.

He watched the eyes flicker around, then back to him. In a way, they'd never left his face at all.

Wasn't there something about his face..?

He couldn't quite recall.

Lopmon slipped down and gripped his cloak. 'He'll hurt them,' he whimpered.

The forest… And the Land of Fire…

He would, Kouichi realised. He really would.

They dropped into fighting stances –

And then they clashed.

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It was difficult, fighting with a staff. He had no idea now, and it was difficult to use magic without compromising himself as well. But it became easier. He felt Lopmon's eyes watching the battle – and other eyes as well. For some reason, that seemed to help. Like the extra eyes could guard him.

He swung, parried and blocked with the staff. It wouldn't hurt as much as a sword. He knew that. He clung to that, despite how it tried to slither off into the depths of his mind.

Was this what they called "the heat of the battle"?

It, more than once, almost made him stumble and fall, but there was Lopmon, paws clasped and watching. There were the Chocomon watching. There was…

Who else was there?

There were more. He was sure, but he couldn't remember and he couldn't right then look. His opponent matched him blow for blow, almost. Both of them were looking for an opening. Both of their minds were racing beyond the clashing of their weapons.

He forgot about who he'd missed as he thought of possibility after possibility. Wind spells. Ice spells. Teleportation spells. Finding spells – why in the world would he think of that in the middle of a battle? That was no use at all. But the others. Ice could freeze his feet. Wind could propel him into the air. Teleportation could take him somewhere where he'd have a cleaner long-range strike – but all of those required concentration, and teleportation perhaps too much in a close-ranged battle.

Wind then. Or ice.

They'd jump back eventually. Perhaps together. Probably together. They were all too good at reading the other's movements –

But the other's movements had changed, suddenly. He'd spread his attack. He was leaving a gap. An opening.

Wind…or –

'Ice!'

He wasn't sure who'd shouted but he followed the command. He struck the heel of his staff on the floor and ice spread from it. It caused the other to slip, to stumble. He summoned the wind up after that to sweep him off his feet. Not far. Just enough so the ice wouldn't hinder him as well.

Maybe it was already over. Part of him said it was; another said it wasn't. He was hot. Floating.

Well, of course he was floating. He used a wind spell to pick himself off the ground after all.

His opponent was still on his knees, gripping his sword but not picking it up.

Be on watch. He'll strike again.

He waited. And the thought was correct. His opponent struggled to his feet and struck. He blocked with the staff. The arm drew back –

And, to his surprise, he tossed the sword right past them both and punched.

He blocked with the staff automatically, and then something screamed in his mind and he stumbled, fell onto the un-iced ground and crashed to his knees.

His opponent didn't make another strike, but it didn't matter. His lips parted, perhaps to replicate that scream – but it was gone too quickly. In seconds, if even that. Instead, it was just a sigh that passed his lips and he crumbled, his thoughts slipping away –

Like they were never his to begin with.