Wow. I can't believe what a roll I'm on. This story might be finished before I originally predicted. Just one more chapter to go, after this confection of bitter irony (I hope you all understand what I mean by that). And I hope everyone enjoys reading this as much as I'm enjoying writing it. Well, most of it. It's been really hard causing pain to a character that I've nurtured for so long.
Now...I'll answer Kara's question(s): No, Ken isn't sick now. He just felt sick because he was relieved. And yes, I remember you 8 )
Now, on with the chapter! Read and enjoy, and don't worry: You have to have a little rain, before you get a rainbow.
Diclaimer: Insert here, I'm too tired to write one.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Digidestined ended up in a forest. That same forest that Yolei and Hawkmon had been in. The dark, evil chill that had first been there had increased in strength, and getting worse with each passing minute. It was almost painful to feel. Having felt true evil before, Kari, Ken, and Deeanna were most affected by the pain.
"We can't stay here," Deeanna gasped. She pulled out her D-3."Yolei's just ahead. Come on!"
They made their way through the forest, guided by the increasingly stronger signal of their missing teammate, hoping that they had been wrong.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Our guests have arrived in the Digital World," DarkPalmon informed Yolei, his red eyes glimmering with manic glee.
"Then by all means, show them the way," Yolei replied with a nod."And don't be slow. Halsemon and I are eager to greet them. Aren't we, pet?"
Halsemon nodded slowly and stood, stretching magestically. Yolei laughed, cold and unplesant.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"No, not here!"
They had found their way out of that cold, empty forest, onto the dead, grey plain, and were now viewing a scene out of their worst nightmare. Deeanna had taken one look and had nearly collapsed. She had the right. Memories and nightmares flooded her mind with utter chaos. She shook herself to try and gain some composure; she just barely managed it.
"Deeanna?" Tai asked his trembling successor.
"Well, if it has to be here, then there's nothing we can do about it, right?" Deeanna finally said, acceptingly. She turned her head slightly at a faint whistling sound, and was recoiled by the impact of a vine striking her cheek. She was knocked into Ken with a cry of pain and shock.
"Ow!" she winced, fingering the shallow but painful wound the vine had made. Blood bagan to seep out slowly.
"Who's out there?" Ken demanded, righting his wife. A peel of grating, evil laughter met their ears. Deeanna recognised it, and saw red.
"Show yourself, twerp!" she yelled furiously.
"Who...?" Matt started to ask.
"DarkPalmon," Deeanna explained quietly."This is his territory, his home. He knows the lay of the land better than we do, and he can strike at any time if his wishes!"
"Let's not give him another chance to strike, then!" Veemon said, putting up his little fists in determination. The younger Digidestined smiled encouragingly.
The Digimon that could Armour Digivolve did so. Wormmon became Stingmon, and Gabumon became Garurumon. It was decided that the other Digimon would be too big to move quickly and steathily, so they all doubled up on the available Digimon.
"We have to reach that fortress," Raidramon growled to the other Digimon."Let's go!"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yolei watched their progress from a window in the throne room haughtily. She had eyes only for the tall man with Stingmon. Pocessive eyes, at that. Those eyes darted to the woman in the lead, and they turned hateful.
"You couldn't have made it easier on yourself, Deeanna, hmm? If you had just given up and died, all of this would have been easier," Yolei sneered, banging her palm down on the stone window sill. Sensing someone watching her, she turned.
"Oh, Halsemon," she sighed lovingly. That one tone she used for him and him alone was filled with the last positive emotion she pocessed."There you are. You know what to do, pet. Go on."
Wordlessly, Halsemon turned and left the room. Fondly, Yolei watched him go. When he was gone, her eyes turned cold as ice once more. Stalking across the room, she sat down on her throne to wait.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 angry Digidestined burst into the fortress, expecting a fight, but were sorely disapointed.
"What is this?!" Ken demanded, looking around at the echoingly empty chamber they stood in.
"It doesn't feel right," Deeanna said so quietly that only Raidramon heard her. He looked up at her worriedly.
They all looked at the stairs as they heard screams of terror and pain. Wordlessly, Deeanna nodded in the general direction of the stairs, and they cautiously made their way up, all tense and nervous. What were they going to find? Was Yolei alright? When they had reached the top of the stairs, they were faced with one large door.
"In for a penny..." Deeanna said mirthlessly under her breath and gave Raidramon a nudge.
"Thunder Blast!"
The door was reduced to smoking ruins within seconds.
"Sometimes, you have to use the direct approach," Raidramon rumbled, stepping through what was left of the door. The others quickly followed.
The scene that met their eyes was Yolei, wrapped in DarkPalmon's vines, squirming in a futile effort to get away from the ever tightening vines. Deeanna didn't know what to make of this. Her heart warred with what her eyes saw, until she noticed a few things.
Yolei fearful expression didn't reach her eyes, which were black and faintly, very faintly, glowing. She saw the pendant, which didn't look like some harmless trinket, was also glowing. The vines that appeared to be squeezing Yolei and holding her hostage didn't actually seem to be all together that tight. Deeanna certainly didn't miss the small wink passed between Yolei and DarkPalmon when Yolei turned her head slightly, as if gasping in pain.
A few of the others started to press forwards, but Deeanna stuck out her arm as if to stop them. They desisted. They trusted Deeanna's judgement in this, and if she said not too, they wouldn't make a move until she did.
"So, you've finally come to claim what's yours?" DarkPalmon hissed.
"If she still is," Deeanna said, very blandly. DarkPalmon ignored this comment.
"Oh, please, please help!" Yolei sobbed."You don't know what it's been like, being trapped here!"
"Why did he take you?" Ken asked.
"I don't know!" Yolei continued to sob pitifully. Deeanna wrinkled her nose in disgust. She saw straight through this, and so did Ken.
"I think you do," Deeanna said stiffly. Yolei stopped in the middle of a sob.
"What?" she sniffled.
"You heard what I said," Deeanna continued."I can see through your bad acting like it's plastic wrap."
Yolei could see that she wasn't fooling Deeanna, or Ken, and definately not the two people she thought would defend her, Sora and Mimi. The others were clearly staying out of ths. She decided to attack the Digidestined's trust in Deeanna.
"You mean, hateful woman!" Yolei cried."Just because I've done a few mean things to you, you don't trust me? You're spiteful! and jealous! You're going to stand there and question why I was captured and not help me because you're bitter and cruel!"
This passionate speach had the opposite effect.
"That's enough, Yolei!" Ken barked. Yolei blanched at his fierce tone.
"Yolei, look at yourself!" Sora admonished. She hadn't missed the little things that Deeanna had noticed."Listen to what you're saying! Deeanna may not like you for the things you've said and done, but she's not mean, and she doesn't hate you! Deeanna can't hate, there's too much love in her to really hate."
Yolei recoiled at her former mentor's words.
"You've abused the Crest of Love so badly, you don't know what love is anymore, only hate! If anyone is spiteful and jealous, it's you!"Sora continued with a snarl."I'm embarassed by your behaviour!"
"You've told nothing but lies!" Mimi was scornful."You've mistreated the Crest of Sincerity. You don't deserve it anymore!"
"You'll pay for your words!" Yolei dropped the 'Pity me' act, and all facades of being a prisoner, losing control."Attack!"
Deeanna hissed at her stupidity. they hadn't attacked, they'd kept their cool and their distance, and still they'd walked blindly into a trap! Everyone huddled closely together, as Dark Digimon swarmed into the spacious throne room. She saw only one way to deal with this.
"Retreat to the ground level!" Deeanna yelled."We'll be able to fight better if we can get outside!"
It was a difficult struggle to get down the stairs in one piece, dodging attacks and trying to keep hold of their Digimon partners. As soon as they were outside, the Digimon that hadn't already Digivolved did so. Deeanna was the last to cross the ground floor entry chamber.
"Dark Tempest Wing!"
She screamed in fright as she was thrown from Raidramon's back. Raidramon had been flung out the doors and was laying in an unconcious heap. Deeanna ran for the door, but it was blocked by vines. She broke out in a cold sweat. All of the windows and doors were blocked, just like in her dream!
It hadn't been just a dream. It had been a warning! Throat too dry to swallow, Deeanna turned to what she knew was an inevitability, and stepped back. Halsemon advanced on her, his talons crushing the flagstones as easily as if they were made of rice crackers. He screeched warningly at her, and lept.
Deeanna tripped and fell. She could see there was no way to avoid this. She put up her arm to protect her face, though it seemed pretty ridiculous. There was no way she'd survive the impact. She could hear Yolei's maniacal laughter of triumph, and was vaguely annoyed that that was going to be the last thing she ever heard, when...
"Spiking Strike!"
"Thunder Blast!"
Shocked stiff, Deeanna looked up. Standing protectively over her were Stingmon and a groggy but fierce Raidramon, who had broken through the vines. They hadn't attacked to kill but to deter. Halsemon was crumpled halfway across the chamber, but was slowly picking himself up. Yolei was spluttering with fury.
Shakily, Deeanna brushed off Ken's exclaimations of worry and fear, and pulled herself painfully to Raidramon's back. The two Digimon and humans rushed away as fast as they could manage, not want to stick around to face the combined wrath of Yolei and halsemon when they finally gathered their wits.
"The others moved the battle to the forest!" Ken shouted. Deeanna nodded painfully. She was bruised and scraped, and the cut on her cheek stung like hell's fury. they headed for the forest.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All was confusion. Many of the Dark Digimon had already been defeated, not being as powerful as they looked, or had retreated. DarkPalmon, however, was still a major problem. He was powerful; more powerful than he looked.
"Thunder Blast!" Raidramon snarled. DarkPalmon dodged the attack.
"Living Vine!"
They had never come across this attack before, and the Digidestined and Digimon were stumped. But it soon became very clear just what this attack was and did.
DarkPalmon thrust his vines into the ground, deeply, and was able to take control of any vine or root that grow within the imediate area. These he used as an extension of himself, and he could attack more than one Digimon at a time. This, they could see, was going to be a problem. But not as big a problem as what happened next.
"Deeanna!" Ken cried out a warning, but it was too little, too late.
Deeanna's hands were snared by vines that hung from trees on either side of her. Roots and tree shoots caught her feet. vines captured Raidranmon like chains. Furious, he struggled to free himself and come to his partner's aid. Snarling and thrashing, he could not break the vines. The others tried to get to Deeanna, tried to help free her, but were kept at bay by the living vines.
"We have to break DarkPalmon's connection to the ground!" Izzy yelled for all to hear."Get his vines out of the soil, and the vines will stop!"
Deeanna was furious at having been caught like that. She struggled and tugged, pulled and strained, but the vines just got tighter. She thought one of her feet was slightly looser from the effort she gave, but it was still slightly stuck. She decided that shee was just going to have to try harder.
"Give give up, everyone!" she called encouragingly."Just concentrate on uprooting that twerp, I'll be okay for now!"
Though extremely worried, Ken nodded, and the fight continued, this time with renewed vigor.
"Spiking Strike!" Stingmon attacked, but was deflected by a vine that whipped him back against Digmon.
"Sorry about that," he appologized.
"No problem," Digmon grunted, trying to right himself. Nefertimon and Pegasusmon tried to attack together.
"Rosetta Stone!"
"Star Shower!"
All for nought. They destroyed some vines, but none of the attacks could reach DarkPalmon.
"You'll have to go at it all together!" Deeanna called out."Don't let the vines stop you! Figure it out, then attack with all you've got!"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yolei and Halsemon arrived to watch the battle. It was so amusing, the pitiful efforts they were giving. All for nothing. Nothing could get through DarkPalmon's Living Vine. She laughed viciously, then strutted over to the still struggling Deeanna and Raidramon.
"Poor Deeanna," she purred condescendingly, patting the furious captive on the head rather forcefully. Deeanna bit her hand. Yolei snatched it back.
"Ooh, careful!" Yolei sneered."You don't know where that's been!"
She backhanded Deeanna roughly. Raidramon shrieked and snarled, almost foaming at the mouth, seeing this...this...betrayer handle his partner so cruelly. Halsemon cuffed Raidramon, viously raking the thunder Digimon with his talons.
"What?" Yolei pouted."No smart reply?"
Deeanna growled with disgust and effort. Her foot was nearly free...Yolei didn't notice, and continued to pace in front of Deeanna.
"Bet you wish you'd died by now, hmmm?"
No, actually, Deeanna thought. Not at all. Quit taunting me, witch, though I suppose that's all the more reason to kick your ass when I get loose!
Her foot slipped free, and she pulled it back to kick Yolei like she was a soccer ball, then froze at what she saw.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The fight wasn't going well. The Digimon couldn't get enough time to group together for an attack, and were being severely beaten. Stingmon bashed a vine away from him, giving them an opportunity to attack, which they took. No one realised that Stingmon had changed the vine's direction, not stopped it, and that it kept going.
Straight for Yolei.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yolei didn't suspect.
Though she knew in her heart that Yolei was evil, and that she might never be changed back to good, Deeanna knew that no Digidestined should die. She made up her mind what she was going to do in a split second. She kicked Yolei, knocking her to the ground, just in time to be hit herself.
Gasping at the sudden agony she felt, Deeanna looked down at the vine that had gone right through her chest, just as the others had succeeded in uprooting DarkPalmon.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ken had turned at that moment to shout victoriously to Deeanna, but his voice died in his throat.
"No!" he whispered, seeing Deeanna sag.
The roots and tree shoots disapeared, but the tight vines from the trees that had held her upright remained. Deeanna would have collapsed if it hadn't been for those vines.
"Deeanna, no!" He yelled.
Everyone turned and gasped in horror. Raidramon was howling in anger because he hadn't been able to protect Deeanna. He lost his Digivolution as Deeanna's hold on life began to loosen, and became Veemon, lying in a tangle of vines.
Ken ran to his wife and held out his hands slowly, unable to bring himself to move her. Stingmon set her free, and she collapsed into Ken's arms.
"Ken!" Deeanna's voice came out as a pained choke. Her eyes were wide with pain and shock. She coughed a mouthful of blood that splashed onto Ken's shirt. Crowding around, the other Digidestined recoiled tearfully.
"Oh, Deeanna..." Ken's eyes were filled with tears that threatened to spill at any moment. Deeanna managed a painfully smile, trying to be brave. Under the circumstances, she did the Crest of Courage proud.
"It doesn't hurt too much," she winced. No one noticed of the tiny fragments that were starting to float away from her body.
"Oh God!" Ken sobbed.
"Ken, I-" Deeanna tried to tell him. She knew what was going to happen. She didn't want to die before she told Ken, even if that made him sadder than ever that two lives were lost, instead of one. the fragments quickened.
"Dee!" Veemon cried. He'd seen what was happening. He was sad, and furious. He wanted to take it out on someone, or something. And then he saw Halsemon.
Ken was shaking violently as he held Deeanna. He couldn't believe that this was happening. Just like what he'd seen in that forest!
"Not now, not like this!" he whispered. Deeanna weakly laid he head against Ken's chest. She could hear the frantic beating of his heart.
The others didn't know what to do. Tai and Matt clenched their fists helplessly, while Joe and Izzy tearfully tried to think of something, anything that would save Deeanna. T.K and Kari held each other, while Sora and Mimi tried to comfort an inconsolable Cody. Yolei just sat, struck dumb that Deeanna had saved her.
Ken leaned down to kiss Deeanna, knowing this was the last time he'd be able to. Their lips met, the kiss deepened. And then...she was gone. All that remained were the bloody vines.
"No!" Ken sobbed, pounding her fists on the ground."No, no, no, no, NO!"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
While the Digidestined and Digimon tried to clumsily comfort and support Ken, Veemon was slowly stomping over to Halsemon.
"Vee Headbutt!" he screamed, smashing into the bigger and stronger Digimon.
"Veemon!" Kari cried, seeing the brave little Digimon go beserk."Stop, come back! you'll get hurt!"
"I don't care!" Veemon screamed. He attacked with all his heart and his might, anger fueling his strength.
He didn't care. Not when his attacks were next to useless and all in vain. Not when Halsemon beat him almost senseless. Not when he was almost certain that he couldn't get up again. He just didn't care.
"Dark Tempest Wing!" Halsemon roared, striking the valiant little Digimon and deleting him instantly. The silence that followed was broken only by Ken's sobs of anguish and loss.