A Digimon Frontier Fanfic

By Sakura Martinez


Author's Notes:

Well, it certainly has been a very, very long while, hasn't it? I can't even recall when was the last time I've updated here in FFN. Anyways, I will spare you guys the excuse as I know how the lot of you are anticipating this chapter. Just be sure to read the Post Author's Notes later, okay?

With that said, I present the latest RotM chapter. Enjoy!

End of Author's Notes


The Rabbit on the Moon

The Valley of the Mist and the Mirror of Truth


She stood there in front of him. Her lips showed a smile but in her eyes there was nothing but worry and sadness. She didn't know why she was feeling that way. She knew that their journey would be a short one and that she had nothing to worry about even when he faces an enemy's sudden appearance for he was not going on this short trip alone. No. His older brother, who at the moment was his mirror-image, would be tagging along with him.

Despite how much she reassured herself however, Izumi Orimoto could not shake that intense feeling of worry in her heart. Of course, she tried to hide this worry from those around her as she knew that Takuya needed not to think about anything else at the moment save proving to himself and erasing his doubts of himself.

Takuya Kanbara was being his usual self, however. Of course, that's only a facade that he is trying to pull as everyone knew what he must truly be feeling inside – worry.

"I guess we'd better head off now." Takuya said as he looked back towards his companion who was already seemingly bored. "I don't want Shinya to change his mind about coming with me..."

"I agree." Katsuharu said. There was no hint of a joke in his reply as he knows full well that Shinya does have a tendency to suddenly change his mind and leave without warning. "Don't worry too much about it, though, Takuya."

"R-right." Takuya replied with a fake grin. He then looked over at Izumi and said, "I'll be back soon."

Izumi nodded. "Be careful out there."

Takuya nodded back.

It seems, however, that Shinya heard Izumi's words as he suddenly said, "You don't have to worry about him. Mirror Valley is not too far from here and there aren't anything dangerous along the way that we won't be able to take care of."

Shinya's sudden interruption caused everyone to look at him with a strange look of surprise in their faces, which, in turn, caused him to ask: "What?"

"Oh, it's nothing Shinya." Katsuharu was the one who replied in a casual manner. He knew that what he was about to say would earn him Shinya's 'stare of death' but he decided to continue on with what he was to say anyway. "We're just surprised to hear you say that. Usually you'll just reply with a 'hmph', or with anything that would end a conversation. I suppose being back here with your head cleared up is transforming you – one way or another."

Sure enough, even with a flushed face that only Katsuharu could notice, Shinya was glaring daggers at him.

"Let's just go." Shinya ended up saying whilst turning around.

"R-right." Takuya said and looking at Katsuharu, he was about to say something but Katsuharu cut him off.

"Don't worry. I'll keep her safe. I promise." Katsuharu said.

Takuya nodded, turned his back and began running after his brother who was already walking away from them leaving Izumi and Katsuharu to watch their silhouettes vanish from the distance.

Even when the two were already out of sight, Izumi remained where she was at with Katsuharu by her side. Being as observant as he is, Katsuharu immediately read Izumi's mind.

"Don't worry about those two." Katsuharu said as he turned around and began heading back to the inn, "Even though Shinya is still having a hard time adjusting and expressing himself... and though he didn't look like it... he meant what he said."

This caught Izumi off-guard and she turned around to face Katsuharu. Katsuharu, sensing her movement, stopped walking and said. "He will make sure that Takuya returns here unharmed. He owes that much."

And with that said, Katsuharu continued on walking. Izumi stayed there for a little while longer. Somehow, despite having the worry in her heart, she felt that she could believe in Katsuharu and Shinya's words. With one last look at at the path that the brothers thread, Izumi turned around and decided to do a little bit of training to pass time as it was the perfect day to do so.

Anticipation was building up inside of her. Fist clenched with a deranged look on her face she wanted nothing more than revenge and she could feel that she would be getting it soon.

She swayed her right arm down and as she did so, a blade made entirely of water materialized. And though it was made with that kind of material, one could see that it was quite sharp and capable of cutting someone's head of completely and cleanly.

She then raised her arm back up, just enough that her eyes would be seen through the water-blade attached to it. In her eyes there seemed to be no trace of human emotion only anger and malice. It was hard to associate this person to the woman that was once known as Chiaki Minami. But, there was no mistaking it. It was one and the same person.

"Tell me brother, whom would you like to take on?" Chiaki asked as they arrived at the crossroad of their journey on board the Empire's Durandal Airship.

What came as an answer was nothing near a human's speech. It was even impossible to say that it was a human producing those sounds. It was easy to see why, however, as the 'person' whom Chiaki referred to as her brother, Terrou Minami, for he seemed more like a mindless Cyborg than anything else.

"Then I suppose we really do need to split up." She said with a fake sigh. "Oh well, I suppose we should as this would please the Emperor and make our work that much quicker."

Another growl followed by all sorts of guttural sounds was only reply that Terrou gave to her before she began to walk away to board the small aircraft that was ready to take flight. Just before her aircraft closed, though, she said, "Remember brother, hold back on your strength but just a little. But if you really can't do that then, I don't mind if you rip them to shreds or even destroy a whole city in the process. Just be sure to do away with them."

Ishige Orimoto was beginning to feel much better. His wounds were healing, albeit slowly. However, despite returning to his physically fit-self, he still felt anguish for the lost of his mentor and old friend. He hoped that the sacrifice that the general had made would not be in vain, however, something in the back of his mind was nagging him, telling him not to let his guard down.

He had been a soldier for as long as he can remember. He tried his best to live up to the expectations of the people around him and most especially, the expectations of his former master. He wanted nothing more but to hear his approval... however, he did not wish to hear it in such a form as a last goodbye.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when Kouji suddenly came knocking at his door. Of course, Kouji did not wait long before Ishige allowed him to enter.

"What is it, Kouji? Is there something you need from me?" Ishige asked. Ever since the incident of the general's death, Ishige had been a bit nicer... well, he was already nice before, but he became more and more of a father figure and a guide to both Kouji and Kouichi. Listening to them and understanding them and even giving them advice when they need it.

"Sorry to bother you so early in the morning, sir." Kouji said as he sat down on the empty chair opposite to the former commander, "I just came to deliver some news... It's a bit sudden but it seems that one of our spies caught sight of Lady Izumi and Lord Takuya a couple of days ago. The person who saw them is currently downstairs awaiting you, sir."

A sudden look of surprise surfaced in Ishige's face but it soon disappeared as soon as it did appear that Kouji wasn't sure if he really did see it in the first place. Then, Ishige Orimoto simply smiled and shook his head.

This surprised Kouji as he figured that his former senior officer would immediately rush over to where the spy who reported seeing Izumi and Takuya was waiting.

"I don't understand, Lord Ishige... aren't you going to listen to what the spy would say?" Kouji asked. It was obvious that he was confused at Ishige's decision.

"When I told Takuya to take my daughter and escape, I did not ask them where they plan on going or ask them to contact me and tell me where they are when they finally do manage to find a place to hide for the time being. Do you know why, Kouji?" Ishige asked as he looked over and outside his bedroom's window.

"I don't know, sir." Kouji merely replied as he followed Ishige's gaze out of the window.

"Because I want them to be safe." Ishige knew that Kouji would be surprised by his answer and would be confused by it, and so he continued to talk. "There may be a chance that some of us will end up being captured by the enemy or forced into telling things that we otherwise would not wish them to know. By severing any communication and any way of learning where those two are currently at, we are protecting them – the only Chosen Ones left who can combat this growing threat with their full power."

"I see..." Kouji muttered, then asked. "Then what about that spy? What am I suppose to tell that person?"

"Tell him exactly what I told you." Ishige replied. His tone was one filled with finality and Kouji knew it best not to go against what he was told by him.

Just before Kouji left however, Ishige said, "Can you feel it? An ominous atmosphere in the air."

Kouji shook his head and replied, "I can't feel anything, Lord Ishige. Are you sure you're feeling alright already?"

Ishige shook his head and said, "Hmm... then maybe it is just my imagination... But, don't let your guard down, Kouji...."

"Yes, of course." And with that Kouji left the room leaving Ishige to think for himself.

"That's all he said?" Terrou asked as Kouji told them what Ishige had said. "He didn't even want to tell the spy himself of that?"

Kouji shook his head. "No. It seems that the Commander...err... I mean, Lord Ishige, has a lot on his mind right now. To tell you guys the truth, he said something strange just before I left..."

"Something strange?" Kouichi asked.

"Yeah." Replied Kouji. "He asked if I could feel an ominous atmosphere in the air. Of course I told him that I didn't but then he said that it might just be his imagination and told me to be careful. I know it doesn't sound strange when I'm the one retelling all of this but... the look in his eyes... I can tell that he wanted to say more but was hesitating."

The three were talking in the tea room after Kouji had returned to the spy and told him to stop following Izumi and Takuya, and to not tell anyone that he had seen them. This has been a regular happening in the small house that the group had acquired while staying in Fortsview – a few miles from where the entire rebel forces was set to meet for their march towards the capital and to war.

"Do you think that it might have something to do with your grandfather?" Terrou asked.

"I doubt it." Kouichi was the one who replied. His hand under his chin, thinking. "Lord Ishige has not hidden anything from us when it came to our grandfather. I don't think he has any ill intentions with his actions. Do you, Kouji?"

Kouji said 'No'. The three continued to think, throwing theories after theories, guesses after guesses of what Ishige had wanted to say but couldn't say. It was only after an hour has passed that the door to the tea room opened to reveal the Leader of the Organization, Yuriko.

"What are you all doing here?" She asked, surprised to see the entourage all together in the tea room. "I had thought that all of you were busy with training or something of that sort."

"Oh, sorry about that, Leader." Terrou said, standing up from where he sat. "Are you going to use this room for a conference?"

The Leader shook her head. "No. I simply came here to rest and relax for a while. Now, may I ask what you are all doing inside?" Terrou looked at Junpei who looked at Tomoki who then looked at Kouji, who in turn looked over at his twin brother. When none spoke after her query was asked, she added, "Is this something so secret that I cannot even know what it is?"

"It's not that, Leader." Tomoki was the one who spoke. "It's just that... we're unsure on how to speak of it."

Yuriko could guess what it was about and she let them in on her guess as she sat on a vacant seat just beside Tomoki. "Then speak to me casually about it. I am guessing that it has something to do with that messenger... or should I say, spy that came today. Am I correct?"

The silence that came after her guess was enough of an affirmation from the group.

"The messenger reported something that we thought would peak the interest of the Commander...err... I mean, Lord Ishige... However..." Kouji spoke after a short while.

"I am sure that Lord Ishige has his reasons." Yuriko said.

"Yes, but... we don't understand that reason very well, Leader." Junpei said. "Especially since he did not wish to talk with the spy...even though it had something to do with Lady Izumi and Lord Takuya's whereabouts."

Yuriko closed her eyes in contemplation, and opened them a while later as she said, "I am sure you have heard the reason from Lord Ishige... and I am sure that it isn't true what you say that you do not understand his reasons for not wanting to talk to the messenger and why he had asked you, Kouji to send the messenger off and tell him to forget that he saw Izumi and Takuya..."

The surprised look on the faces of the people around her amused the Leader of the Organization very much, and she awaited the question that was obviously in the minds of these people.

"H-how did you know about that, Leader?" Kouichi asked.

"Just because I may seem so busy with the preparations for the upcoming battle against the Emperor's men doesn't mean that I am oblivious to things that are happening inside my own organization, Kouichi. Apart from that, Ishige talked to me about it as well." The Leader explained. "Thus, I also know what the messenger knew and what he wanted to say."

"Then, you also agree with Lord Ishige turning the messenger away?" Terrou asked.

Yuriko was silent for a while as the thought of her son entered her mind. However, she said nothing about Takuya. It was still one of the secrets that only she and Ishige knew about and it was not time yet to tell the others of it. Yes, if there was someone who need to know first about her relationship with Takuya, it would have to be Takuya himself first.

And so, Yuriko Kanbara's reply was one that was from the Leader of the Organization and not as Takuya Kanbara's mother.

"For the sake of the safety of those two... and the future that we are all trying to protect from the Emperor... Yes, I do believe that Lord Ishige made the right decision." Was Yuriko's reply. "Since Izumi is the only one left whose powers were not taken by the Emperor, her whereabouts should remain unknown for us whom the Emperor would feel should know of it... Also... you should know very well that Lord Ishige is having a battle with himself on this matter as well... He is as worried of the two as you all are, however... he chose to look at the much bigger picture."

"Yes... of course..." Kouji sighed. "Then I suppose we should all do our best on our part as well."

Yuriko nodded and smiled.

Hours have passed since they have left Harim and it would seem that they were doing well as no monsters or even any wild animals have come to face them making their journey easier and their pace faster.

Of course, throughout the journey to Mirror Valley, an eerie silence had befallen them. Neither spoke a word unless needed. Either it was because none of them want to talk to the other or because neither knew what to say or what to talk about.

Takuya's mind was restless as he wondered what he would see in the valley. He hoped it would be something good and not something ominous.

"But knowing my luck..." Takuya thought to himself, before his thoughts were cut off by Shinya suddenly talking to him.

"We're almost there." Shinya said.

"R-right." Was all Takuya could think of saying.

Shinya took a glimpse at Takuya and he could easily see the worried look on his face. '"It's that same stupid look on his face ever since we left Harim. It's getting annoying just looking at him..." Shinya thought to himself.

It felt like he was looking at a very different person... as compared to the Takuya that had always faced him head on in battle – strong, confident and resilient. There was a part in Shinya that could care less on Takuya's transformation but another part was worried of him – the larger part, the part of him that still thinks of Takuya as his younger brother.

It was that part of Shinya's personality that made him wonder if it was the right thing bringing Takuya to the Mirror Valley. It was that part of him that questioned if what he knows was right or if it was another illusion.

It was this flow of thought that remained in Shinya's mind up to the point where they have finally arrived at the Mirror Valley.

There isn't much to say in terms of the geography of the valley except that it was a vary large valley covered in thick fog, as if the fog was made as a defense mechanism to those who wish to trespass and to those who wish to use the power of the valley for their own selfish desires.

Knowing that it would not help to have their heads in the clouds, wandering off to who knows where – Shinya composed himself and told Takuya to be wary of anything that would lurk behind the curtain of the fog.

It would seem that the further they go in the valley, the thicker the fog got. As if the whole valley was warning them to turn back. Not heading the warnings being given out by the valley, the pair continued on their way. Deeper and deeper they went.

Takuya thought that the fog could not get any thicker, but he was wrong. It came to the point where he was so unsure of where he was going and that all he could see was the whiteness of the whole fog covered area, and had it not been for Shinya's help, he would certainly had gotten lost.

Takuya wondered how Shinya could know the way around the valley. He wanted to ask him about it but decided to keep quiet instead.

After what feels like hours upon hours worth of hiking through the unknown, Takuya and Shinya both found themselves in the ruins of a temple. And in the middle of the ruins stood a fountain that had water gushing out of it.

For Takuya, it was a surprise to see the fountain still working and when he looked at Shinya to see if he was astonished as well, he saw a contemplative look on his face.

"We're here." Shinya said after a while. "I am not sure if you remember but... that fountain over there is the Mirror that made Mist Valley earn it's name as 'Mirror Valley'. That is where the prophecy was carved out."

"Does that mean we can read what the prophecy states?" Takuya asked.

Shinya shook his head. "If it had been about fifteen years ago, then it would still have been possible to read the prophecy in the Mirror. However, since my last visit, the prophecy carved in the mirror had disappeared."

"Disappeared? What do you mean by that?" Takuya asked. He found it impossible for something to disappear just like what his brother had said.

"It's as I say. You won't be able to read it anymore. It's gone. There are no traces of the prophecy in its written form. However, I can still remember what it said... after all, I used to visit here with father and he would tell me about it and about being a Chosen One."

Takuya remained silent as he did not know what to say to it. Shinya took this opportunity to recite what he remembered of the prophecy:

Yet to return the shadowed one
who quests for the Twilight Dragon
Rumbles the Dark Hearth
And when the Dark has finally raised his army
the King of Light beckons.

At the base of the rainbow they meet
Against an abominable wave,

together they fight.

When the "Naur Huine" rages the land

Light's great tree doth fall.

Power – now all to droplets turned

in the temple of "Hith Nan".

Like a frenzied horse that is driven.

An unseen wind of plague shrieks across the border.

Pandemonium, wailing, and stench of carnage fills the air.

There is no place to run. No hope of escape.

Those who are mourned will never return.

The hands of time cannot be turned back

for those who quests for the Twilight Dragon.

"What does that all mean?" Takuya wondered out loud for to him, all that he had heard was just a jumble of words – a riddle that seemed so hard to understand.

"I don't know... and I don't think I would like to be bothered by it." Shinya replied coldly. "It has nothing to do with us anyway. We came here for the riddle that is currently in your heart and not one that has long been written and long have disappeared."

Takuya did not know what else to say and so he just gave up on the idea of knowing what his so-called brother had just narrated to him. And with a questioning gaze, he faced Shinya as if asking what he should do now that they are only a couple of feet away from the Mirror of Truth.

"Just look at the mirror. The spirits will reflect who you truly are inside." Shinya instructed him. "Who knows, they may even be kind enough to show you your future..."

"They can do that?" Takuya was so surprised by it that he almost exclaimed the question.

"So I've been told... as for whether or not that is true is another matter entirely." Shinya replied. "Enough of this chatter. Hurry up and do what you need to do so that we can return to Harim immediately."

"R-right." Takuya replied. And we that, he moved towards where the fountain and the mirror was. His heart pounding and his head full of questions.

The fog was not a hindrance to her, after all, it was nothing more than another form of water – something she can control, something that was a weapon for her.

She thought of herself as fortunate for having quickly spotted her target. Albeit she could have only wished that she was with him. However, the surprise of having found the clone working along with the real Takuya was not as overwhelming as one could have thought. She had, after all, figured that the clone would turn on them eventually.

But she could care less. It just added another excuse for her should the great General Kanbara question her actions. "All I would need to say is that his prized clone was planning on betraying them and I merely caught him in action and gave him the punishment that he deserves."

She could have easily ambushed them, though. But Chiaki Minami decided not to as her curiosity as to what those two were doing at such a place and of what they were talking about increased. And so, she decided to wait and listen in to their conversation.

As she was close to them without them realizing it, she was able to hear almost everything that they were saying. Chiaki was confused as to what one of the Takuyas meant by 'riddle in your heart', and so she still continued to watch as the Takuya who questioned the other one walked towards the center of the ruins where the fountain was. The other Takuya, as she saw it, stood behind him. She could see that his gaze was so intent and his face was serious. The other one, on the other hand however, seemed worried of something.

She watched and readied herself to make the first move to attack. She could feel it – call it woman's intuition or instinct, her preys were starting to let their guard down. And still, as she waited she continued to listen in to their conversation.

To be continued...



Post Author's Notes:

Well, it wasn't the longest chapter that I'd hope it would be. Anyways, I do apologize for not updating as frequently as I should but, as you can see, things are a bit different now as I have graduated and have a lot of more important responsibilities I need to accomplish. But, that does not mean that I won't try to update since I still see this as my responsibility as well as my desire to continue writing.

Anyhow, that little bit of prophecy will come in handy in the future. And for those wondering, that prophecy's history will be tackled on in another chapter. Of course, it is also part of the trilogy of games that I am making.

With that said, I do hope you all enjoyed reading this and hope that it isn't too confusing. The next chapter will deal more on Kouji's group and it would probably take about two chapters before we resume with Takuya's part of the story.

Well, that's all for now, folks. Be sure to review this chapter if you haven't already as I do wish to hear your thoughts about it. I wish I could say more but there are still a lot of things for work that I need to accomplish. And so, on that note, I bid you all goodbye for now and hopefully you all can read another chapter by Monday as I would be in Manila on Saturday.

Oh well, Ja ne!

End of Post Author's Notes