Hey there once more. This is really super-fun for me to write and Aiko's Testing Your Patience Challenge is very helpful. The prompt used for this chapter is 'cope'. Once again, similar warnings as there were for the first chapter. Thank you to
Zero Slash One for betareading this chapter!

Chapter 3 – Beginning to Break

Pain seared through Kari's body in her legs, back and really, her whole body as she came to consciousness. As soon as she did, she wished she were still asleep because at least it wouldn't feel as if her body was on fire. Disgust filled inside her as she realised what Dagomon had done. She looked at her hands, feeling them tainted. Frustrated tears welled up in her eyes but she hastily wiped them away. Crying would get her nowhere after all. Now more than ever, she wished T.K. was here. But would he want her anymore? She wasn't the pure girl he once knew, after all. She didn't know how to cope with all this and wished someone would just get her away from here. I wish you were here, Tai. You always protected me when we were kids. Gatomon, please don't stop searching for me even now. Don't give up on me. Yolei, scream. Scream because the darkness is trying to take me again. T.K., I never got to tell you, how much I love you…I'm sorry, I wish I had said something.

"You shouldn't try to move, Child of Light," A monotone voice said.

Kari blinked a little, seeing a young girl with chestnut brown hair standing there with a small box in her hand. "Who are you?"

"Name's Miya," The girl replied in the same tone. "I'm here to tend to your wounds. You'll collapse if you bleed that much and Dragomon wants you alive."

Kari bristled a little at those words, of course he wanted her alive to torture her as much as he could. She may have fallen unconscious last time but she had a feeling if this continued, there wouldn't be anything left in her to resist. "What's the point of healing me if he's going to continue torturing me?" She did not mean to snap, but being trapped here like a prisoner was making her feel like she had no control over anything anymore.

"You need to remain alive," Miya spoke again as if talking to an insolent child. "Please allow me to heal you. You'll feel better once I do."

Kari looked at the girl and wondered how anyone's expression could be so blank like hers was. It was as if nothing she said had an effect on her. Then again, Dagomon was pretty much the same. It wasn't as if she were gaining anything by being stubborn though so she turned over allowing Miya to clean her wounds. A hiss of pain escaped her lips as the wound stung so bad that her eyes watered.

"It'll get easier," Miya said and for the first time since she had come in, Kari could detect some emotion in the other girl's voice. "It's always harder when you're used to comfort and love to be treated as a tool."

Kari frowned, wondering what the girl meant. It was if she knew exactly what Kari was going through. However, for now, the Child of Light shut her eyes, trying not to whimper as Miya worked as she knew it would be harder if she struggled.

"Are you done, girl?" Dagomon's voice hissed and Kari froze, eyes opening wide and she shivered. What was it about this beast's presence that made her feel as if her heart was being crushed in seven different places and there was nothing she could do to stop it?

"Yes, sir," Miya said bowing down to him. "I've cleaned the Child of Light's wounds."

"Good," Dagomon hissed, reaching out a tentacle and stroking Kari's cheek, causing the girl to shudder. "You needn't be afraid, Child of Light. The pain will eventually vanish." The tentacle moved beginning to stroke her hair.

Kari attempted to squirm because as Dagomon began stroking her hair, screams left her, but her flesh refused to move. In her mind, images showing a group of faces she thought she knew began to draw away from her, fading to monochrome pictures, dulling as though with the passage of years. Though she tried, she could no longer remember their names, if indeed she ever had known them. All her mind know was a deadened ache, almost as if someone or something was scratching through the depths and layers of her mind. As Dagomon continued stroking her hair, she realised she didn't mind it so much anymore. Nothing seemed to matter anymore.