Answers to your reviews:

Guest: Things are only going to get worse

Finalcool720: Myotismon escaped with Hikari into the Digital World after Wizarmon's sacrifice. He's hiding out from both the Dark Masters and the Chosen Children.

This is a side-story to The Dead Princess, so please give that a read.

The Fall of Light

Chapter II

The Darkened Stars

Hikari watched the night sky through her barred windows. "Does the sun ever come up in this world?"

Tailmon yawned from the bed. "It used to, even in Myotismon's realm, but since the Dark Masters have taken over…"

She quieted as the door opened and Floramon stepped inside. "Good evening, Lady Hikari, Lady Tailmon."

Tailmon hissed again. Hikari tried to act the same, but the plant creature's face was full of kindness and warmth. "Good evening," she said.

Floramon's eyes focused on the tray resting near the bed, bare save for the empty goblet. "I see that you at least have your appetite back."

Hikari had tried to act brave, she had tried to act strong, fight Myotismon by starving herself, fight Myotismon by killing herself. But she was weak, she was frail. She could not last long; she gave into her hunger after the first night.

Floramon waved her over. "Come. Let me help you wash."

The young girl pulled herself away from the star-filled sky and allowed Floramon to untie the strings on the back of her gown; the large garment fell into a pool at her feet. The plant digimon led her into the washroom where she filled the tub, pouring in powder from a brown tin. Hikari sniffed the air and found a grin sliding over her face. "It smells like flowers."

Floramon chuckled. "I thought you might like it. And Lord Myotismon said to treat you as a queen as long as you behave."

Her brother would not behave; he would misbehave so badly that he would end up in the dungeon! Her brother could starve himself, could resist Myotismon; could win.

But she was too weak, too fragile.

Floramon scrubbed her back and washed her hair. "Lady Tailmon, would you like a bath?"

The cat digimon licked her paws. "Not a chance."

Hikari giggled as she stepped from the water. "You're still so thin though," Floramon sighed, "I'll have to make sure the kitchen sends you a bigger meal. Or maybe some more treats."

Hikari thought of a fat princess and shook the image from her mind. She lifted her arms and Floramon dropped a clean shift over her body. "Um, c-can I ask you something?"

"Certainly."

"D-do you know anything about my brother?"

The plant digimon frowned. Tailmon hissed. "Do you know something?"

She hesitated. "I shouldn't tell you, but the Chosen Children have begun to battle the Dark Masters."

Hikari's face broke into a grin. "Oniichan!"

The plant Digimon sighed. "It is not necessarily good news. From what I understand none of the Chosen have Final level partners. They will not stand a chance against the Dark Masters."

Hikari's smile fell. "B-but Taichi's coming! He's gotta be coming!"

Floramon's frown grew. "Lady Hikari, I would suggest giving up on any hope you have of leaving. The Master will not allow it."

Tailmon glared. "I've seen the Chosen Children. If there's even a chance, they'll win."

Floramon pulled off the covers of the bed and motioned for Hikari. The girl climbed inside the sheets. "Good night, Lady Hikari," she bowed before shutting the door.

The little girl stared at the ceiling of her room. "Tailmon, how far away do you think Taichi is?"

Her partner did not answer. She sat up and stared at the cat digimon curled at the end of the bed. "Tailmon?"

The feline sighed. "I don't know Hikari."

The girl frowned. "H-he's coming, right? He's going to rescue us, right?"

"Hikari, I'm sure he's doing everything he can to get here."

The girl thought again of the princesses from the time her family had gone to Tokyo Disneyland. Her mind drifted further to Pinocchio. She hopped from bed and stared out the window again. "I'm gonna make a wish on the stars, Tailmon, that Taichi finds us soon."

Her partner yawned. "Hikari…"

She turned to the cat Digimon, a large grin on her face, "And I bet Taichi's wishing on the same star."

Tailmon sighed, a smile coming onto her face. "Sure Hikari."

The girl back into bed and closed her eyes; Taichi's face on her mind as she drifted to sleep.

Floramon returned the next morning to help her dress. "Lord Myotismon wishes your presence at breakfast."

Hikari frowned, the fabric of her full skirt running through her fingers. She had not seen him since the first night; how long had that been? She tried to recall, but the days melted together in her mind. Her heart raced and she struggled to keep her breathing under control. "Tailmon, I can't remember how long we've been here!"

Her partner rushed to her side while Floramon rubbed her back. "Lady Hikari…"

"Hikari!" Tailmon cried, "We've been here for two months!"

The waves of despair only grew. "Two months? We've been here for so long already?"

Floramon took hold of the young girl's hands. "Lady Hikari, the Master is waiting for you. It is not wise to make him unhappy."

Hikari's cheek stung, remembering the vampire's hand across her face. Tailmon hissed. "Can't you see she's having a panic attack?"

"I understand," Floramon said, "But Lord Myotismon will be unhappy if he is kept waiting."

Tailmon snarled but addressed her partner in a soft tone, "Hikari, she's right. We need to go. It's really bad when he's angry."

Taichi would be calm, he would not be panicking. He would know what to do no matter what. She was not strong like him, but she had to try.

The girl swallowed, her fingers clenching her dress until her heart slowed and her breathing returned to normal. "O-okay. I'm ready."

They entered the dining area. Myotismon was once again seated at the far end of the table. "Ah, good morning my dear."

Hikari wanted to insult him like her brother would, but she remembered Floramon's words, she would be treated like a princess if she behaved. Taichi would not behave, but she was not strong like him.

"Good morning." She curtsied before sitting in the chair held from her by the Bakemon servants. Tailmon joined her a moment later. The smell of eggs filled her nose.

"I'm glad to hear that you have been eating," Myotismon said as he drank from his goblet, "Soon you will not need to."

Tailmon paled, but Hikari blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Later," he chuckled.

The young girl continued her breakfast in the way she imagined a princess would eat. She peered at Myotismon, who appeared to enjoy his own steak and eggs. Vampires only drank blood, right? Yes, his steak was bright red on the inside…

What would Taichi do? Just like he would study his soccer opponents, he would try to figure out as much as he could about the bad guys. She was not strong, but she could ask.

She cleared her throat. "C-can I ask you a question?"

"Of course, my dear."

"I-if you're a vampire, how come you eat?"

He smiled. "Vampires must survive on blood, we cannot live without it, yet that does not stop us from enjoying other food. You don't need sweets to survive, correct?"

Hikari knew plenty of girls that would disagree.

"Yet you eat them, right?" he asked, "The same with vampires. You need blood to survive, but there is nothing more satisfying then a raw steak in the morning."

Tailmon's eyes were wide and she had stopped sipping her miso soup. "Tailmon, are you okay?" Hikari asked.

Myotismon rose to his feet. "Come with me, my dear. Let us take a walk."

Her heart rattled against her chest again. She wanted to refuse, but the Bakemon pulled her chair out and forced her to her feet. Tailmon jumped to follow her, but the ghost Digimon blocked her path. "Do not fear, my former pet," Myotismon laughed, "You will see your human partner shortly."

Tailmon cried. "Hikari!"

Myotismon led her through the halls, the Bakemon behind her making certain she did not lose her way. The vampire stopped before a set of elegantly-designed double doors. With a smirk, he threw it open and the Bakemon pushed her inside.

A bedroom; his bedroom, no doubt.

She should have realized what would happen, but her mind refused to make the connection. Instead, she focused on the Phantomon in the corner. Hadn't Angemon deleted him? Maybe one of the Bakemon had grown larger; evolved, that was what Tailmon said, Digimon evolved.

Myotismon waved to the seat and Hikari sat, fingers playing with her full skirt. What should she do now? What was she supposed to do? Should she try to get more information from him. "Um…"

He was over her in a flash, hands on her shoulders, holding her place. His lips pulled back, white teeth glistening in the candle light. He lunged at her neck, fangs digging in her neck.

She cried out, but bit her tongue. Taichi would not cry!

Myotismon pulled back and licked the blood from his lips. His eyes closed and a content sigh escaped. "You taste more exhilarating than I first thought."

Her palm flew to her neck and she held back her tears. Myotismon tossed her a handkerchief. "Fear not. Vampires are similar to….to…" He turned to Phantomon, "What are those insects in the human world that drink blood?"

"Mosquitoes?" he answered.

"Yes," Myotimons nodded, "Like the mosquitoes in your world, we vampires add something that stops you from bleeding." His smile grew, "We would starve to death if we killed our food supply, eh?"

She removed the handkerchief from her neck; the bleeding was slowing.

Myotismon lifted a blade from the nightstand. Hikari swallowed, her spine straightening on its own. He laughed. "If I wanted you dead, I would have drained you dry." He held up the blade, "But when a vampire bites you, a portion of himself is left inside you. Your body's immune system will soon destroy it, but before then…"

The blade sliced through his other palm, a stream of blood dripping down his arm. He nodded at Phanotmon, who darted behind her before she could react. He grabbed her head, forcing open her mouth. Myotismon towered over her. "Now you will drink of my blood, and become my princess."

He clamped his bleeding palm over her mouth. His blood burned her tongue and she vomited. "You witch!" Myotismon screamed, his hand slapping across her face once more.

Hikari heaved again, hand rubbing her injured check, but she held back her tears.

The vampire snarled. "You will stand by my side willingly or not, but I will have you."

She should have known, should have realized, but her mind refused to make the connection. Even after the Phantomon stripped her of her dress, stripped her of her shift, leaving her naked, leaving her vulnerable. And then Myotismon shed his own clothes, his pale skin visible; eyes drifting to what she knew would be there.

She should have run, should have fought, but she was not strong like her brother, she was not brave like her brother. Her heart froze and her mind blocked out the vision of Myotismon towering over her, filling her thoughts instead with her brother.

Tailmon awoke from her nap to see Hikari in her desk chair, staring at the noonday sun, or as close to sunlight as it got in Myotismon's realm. "Hikari, are you okay? I tried to wait up for you, but I shouldn't have eaten so much at breakfast. I just couldn't keep my eyes open."

The young girl did not respond. Tailmon leapt onto her lap, and Hikari screamed, jumping to her feet. Tailmon tumbled to the ground and stared at her partner. "Hikari, what's wrong?" Her eyes narrowed, "Let me see your teeth."

"He didn't…I mean, I'm not…"

Tailmon's face softened. "Then what's wrong?"

Hikari looked back out the window. "Hikari, your brother's doing everything he can to…"

"That's not it."

"What?" Despite the past few months as prisoners, Hikari had maintained a somewhat hopeful outlook, but as she stared at her partner, she knew something was wrong, something had happened. The light in her eyes had dimmed.

"Are you sad? Angry?"

She shook her head. "No, I don't feel anything." Her eyes drooped, "I'm supposed to, though, right? Why can't I feel angry or sad? Why can't I cry?"

"Hikari, what are you talking about?" Tailmon gasped. Realization washed over her like a cold wave. "No! Hikari, did he…?"

"No!" she gasped, "No, nothing happened."

Tailmon leapt onto the windowsill and slowly placed a paw on the girl's arm. "Hikari, please tell me!"

"Yes!" she screamed, tears flowing from her eyes, "Yes…." She sobbed into her crossed arms, "This wouldn't have happened to Taichi! He's so strong, not weak like me…"

Tailmon rubbed her head into her partner's arm in the way she had seen cats do it on Earth. "Hikari…"

Hikari was brought to Myotismon's bedchamber everyday for the two weeks, repeated the same act each day. He had only asked on the second day for her to drink his blood; she had refused, as she had on the first day. For the rest of those two weeks, he requested that Floramon removed her dress and send him to her in nothing but a robe, to make it, "Less complicated," as he said.

Hikari stared at the night sky through her window once more. "Hikari?" Tailmon asked.

Her partner gave a short mumble in response.

"W-which star did you and Taichi wish on?"

"I don't know," she replied in a flat voice, "They're all the same. And Taichi can't be looking at the same star anyway, right?"

Tailmon's eyes squeezed shut, tears flowing down her furred face. "I'm sorry Hikari." She was sorry for the girl's lost innocence, sorry for her pain, for her torment. If only she could evolve, but Hikari was drowning in her own sadness; and she had no way to save her.

The door opened and Floramon stepped inside. "Lady Hikari…"

Hikari sighed and pushed away from the wall. "I'm ready."

The young girl did not fight, did not protest as her clothing was removed and a pink robe wrapped around her. "Please, Lady Hikari," Floramon said, "I can't bare to see you so sad. Just do what he commands."

Her mind was blank, her heart numb as she entered Myotismon's bedroom. She tilted her head and pulled down the collar of the robe. He smiled, fangs digging once again into her neck.

She felt nothing; the pain had long since run dry.

Once Myotismon had finished, her hands began to untie her robe.

"Not yet, my dear," he snickered, "It has been days since I asked, so let me ask once again." He slit his palm from the blade on his nightstand, "Will you drink my blood? Will you become my vampire princess?"

Blank brown eyes stared at the red liquid dripping down his arm. She needed to refuse, needed to fight. Taichi would fight until the end. He would never give in, he would never surrender. He was brave, he was strong.

But she was not. She was weak, she was scared…

And she was drained.

Myotismon once more pressed his palm to her mouth; allowed the burning liquid past her tongue.

And Hikari swallowed. She drank and drank until Myotismon's wound closed.

He grinned. "Welcome, my dear. Welcome."

Tailmon paced the room, as she had every day for the past two weeks during this time. "Taichi, where the hell are you?"

Hikari made a wish on the stars, maybe she should as well.

Yet when she jumped on the window still and look out to the night sky, thick fog covered her vision.

It was as if the stars had gone out.

To be continued…