Takeru led the now blind Hikari trough the maze of corridors, closely following V2 Takeru- Gatomon and Patamon on red alert- they were in enemy territory now.

"Hikari make sure your eyes stay closed, our Hikari will be focusing on you now. She must not know you are here." Whispered the V2 as he carefully maneuvered trough the seemingly abandoned passageways.

Hikari's heart was pounding, was it for returning to place that almost stole her brother from her… Yes, that must be it… it was making her jittery, hyperaware of her surrounding- the near silent echoes of their footprints, the strange yet familiar smell Takeru's blazer still emitted, the gentle yet firm grip Takeru had on her elbow… No… it couldn't be anything else.

"Why does she have to keep her eyes closed?" Questioned Gatomon, her eyes narrowed.

"That's how we find you. Piedmon created us with a sort of link with the originals. When we close our eyes we can see what you see, sometimes we get emotions too, but only when they are really strong. But we can always see what you see. My Hikari is probably already searching for your Hikari, she mustn't realize you are here. "

"I hope I don't walk into a pole." Hikari Sighed.

Takeru was carefully leading Hikari by the elbow as they manoeuvred trough the somewhat familiar rooms of Piedmon's palace.

"Um… Takeru… why did u bring us here?"

The young boy nervously shuffled his feet. "You were going to be crushed. That wouldn't have been good. "

"But wouldn't it have been easier for you to get my crest if I was dead? Why would you help us?" Observed Hikari.

"We aren't all as bad as Piedmon intended. Our personalities are based on your own, we are just as evil as you original digidestined could ever have turned."

"Good to know I wasn't that dark." Laughed Takeru making Hikari smile silently

"Hey Takeru, where is the crest of hope?" asked Patamon.

The boy stopped, peering around the corner of a corridor.

"I would have returned it to you, but our Hikari won't give it to me. She scary."

"But what are we going to do now?"

Beep.

Blind Hikari clutched her digivice, trying to muffle the echoing noise.

Beep.

"I guess we find the crest of light." She meekly answered.

Without much choice Hikari handed her digivice to Takeru.

"We can't let the v2 know we are here." Was her reluctant answer.

And with that they followed the digivice.

"It's like a maze" commented Gatomon as they turned yet another corner.

"Piedmon always liked his games." Commented Patamon.

"I've only been in this part of the castle once..." V2 Takeru's voice trailed off as they entered a large round room. Bark blue torches instantly flared around them illuminating the only structure within it. At the centre stood a slab of stone on witch a collection of cards were neatly spread out .

"I know what this is." Whispered Takeru reluctantly taking another step into the room, Hilari's digivice was beeping like mad now, they must be close. "This thing is one hell of a survivor."

"What do you see?" Hikari forced her eyes to remain closed which was becoming more difficult with each step she took.

"The teleportation puzzle we had used to get back to our world. The one Oikawa had used, remember?"

"Does that mean the crest of light is in another dimension?"

"This could actually take us home!" There was excitement in Takeru's voice when he said this.

"And Piedmon with us, probably." Sighed Hikari.

Disappointed, the boy turned to the collection of familiar cards. "So in what order do you think we have to put them this time?"

"I'm more concerned with where it will take us."

Absentmindedly Takeru spread out the cards.

"I think your Hikari has to organise them." Piped in V2 Takeru.

"Why are you so certain of that?" growled Gatomon narrowing her eyes.

"When we are checking on you, our Hikari is always in here, I followed her once, she was just placing them in different orders… maybe you'd have better luck?"

"But I'd have to open my eyes to do that…"

"How long Would we have before the v2s fid us?" A severity had enetered Takeru's voice.

"Five minutes… max."

Hikari turned her head to where she thought Takeru stood. "We shouldn't risk it. If we get caught… we'd be better of dead."

Her bow was creased with worry, Takeru wanted to give her a reassuring smile but he knew it was pointless. Should he … no, better not. However he gently squeezed her elbow, reassuringly.

"I have faith in you Hikari." He said instead.

There is was, her heart was pounding once again, it had to be out of anticipation of what their decisions may cost them, that was the only reason. Right?

Hikari nervously swallowed before turning towards the pedestal. "Here goes nothing."

She quickly opened her eyes. She wanted to blink against the sudden light but they had no time. Her hands began to fly across the surface changing and switching and removing cards from their places as if she actually knew what she was doing. All the while Takeru stood watch anticipating the V2s arrival too distracted to notice Hikari's flickering form. He could hear the echoes of running feet.

They were coming.

"Hikari!" squealed Gatomon jumping towards her partner, who was still too preoccupied with the cards to notice her unsteady state.

As if in unison Hikari's trance was broken and Takeru's head swivelled sideways. Their eyes locked, realization struck them both, the word hadn't even left his lips before she faded into the darkness.

"NOOOOOOOOO!"

He ran to where she had been standing only seconds ago, how had that happened again!? He looked down at the now neatly arranged cards, had they teleported her there? But how? No door appeared and if that were the case why wasn't he teleported there as well?

Why?

"Takeru you have to hide!" Pleaded the V2 fearfully looking looking at the door.

Takeru roughly turned to the boy "Did you know this was going to happen? Was it your plan all along? You little.."

But the tears in the V2 eyes made him stop. No the v2 had notating to do with this.

"I'm sorry." He hurriedly whispered. " I didn't mean to yell at you."

The young boy wiped his eyes. "That's' ok, I understand why you are so mad."

I undersand- of course the boy would understand, he was him.

"Takeru we have to hide they are almost here!" whispered Patamon.

"They should be in here!" They heard someone who sounded too similar to Hikari yell.

The V2s along with Peidmon ran into the giant room.

"Takeru, where have you been?!" ordered Peidmon . "We have intruders!"

"I.. I… I was trying to find where the digidestined were." Stammered the small V2. "For some reason I couldn't see where they were."

The v2 Hikari looked up at Piedmon. "Master, the same had happened with me. Until a few minutes ago all I could see was darkness. Then suddenly, all I could see were the cards. She put them in an order, I probably can remember it but I knew that meant we had been infiltrated."

V2 Takeru nodded is agreement too eagerly. 'Exactly, I saw something similar."

"And you didn't report to me?" accused Piedmon.

"It would have taken too long. They would have gotten away."

"well as you can see they are no logner here." It was Tai who spoke, folding his hands disapprovingly.

Hikari took a step towards the pedestal. "I know the order she put the cards in, we can follow then easily."

Too hastily V2 Takeru blocked her path.

"There's a missing card!" he blurted out, waving his hands, "It's useless."

Hikari narrowed her eyes at the boy, was that desperation? Artificiality? A lie?

"Master, we won't need the cards. I know where she has gone."

"Ah so it is there that she went, I would have thought as much. Go, claim the crest that is rightfully yours."

She shot Takeru yet another suspicious looks before, with a strange gesture with her hands, she vanished in a smoke of darkness.

"Incompetent." Piedmon's insult was directed to V2 Takeru. "Next time report to me and wait for orders!"

"yes Master."

The V2s snickered before they followed their master.

"That was too close." Sighed Patamon flying out of Takeru's hands from were he sa,t hidden in the shadow of the pedestal.

"We have to find Hikari before that V2 does. You think you could get us out of here?" Whispered Takeru carefully standing and directing the last part to V2 Tkaeru.

The v2 nodded his head shakily. 'I probably can find your friends. Peidmon's on red alert now, you can't stay."

"Takeru I'm going to go find Hikari." He said bluntly.

The little boy sighed. "I knew you where going to say that."

"So you should know why I have too."

The boy sighed again. "I think I know why better then you at this point. I might not be able to tag along but I'll try get you started at least."

And there it is! I'm so sorry it took me so long to write this but exams are nearing to fast for comfort and had to study :3 Again sorry for the wait, I hope you like the chapter Please tell me what you think - LunaPendragon.