Hey guys so I finished this chapter and decided to post it even though you know there hasn't been any reviews. Well I hope you guys like this one it took me all day to write and thank you all for reading the story you guys are great. Oh and I decided to change the title and summary to reflect the direction the story is going (:
I don't own Digimon :(
Chapter Four: The Price Paid for Courage
Takumi didn't know what had compelled him to invite the blond-haired girl to his soccer game. He didn't think she'd come and was surprised when DJ pointed up to the bleachers at her and Raiden sitting amongst their friends. For a moment he allowed himself to remember the time his dad decided to teach them both how to play soccer, he fell in love instantly while Kai didn't.
"Are you guys ready to kick some butt?" Ryuu said as he laced up his cleats. He shoved Takumi's shoulder gently. "Earth to Taki."
Shaking his head Takumi said, "Don't call me that." He noticed that ever since her return the group had been calling him by his childhood nickname. He looked at his two best friends and flashed them a confident grin. "Lets go win this game."
Yuudai paced the length of the hallway aggravated that the DigiDestined had beaten him to the crests. The only crest that remained was the crest of courage but the blasted map had yet to reveal its location. He dragged a hand through his unruly black hair; even if he beat the DigiDestined to the crest he couldn't lift it. There had to be a way to get the crests off of the necks of those light-inclined do-gooders. He could always tackle them to the ground and rip the crests off; he let out a hearty, slightly crazed, laugh at the thought of charging at the DigiDestined like some American football player.
The air around him chilled and filled with the despair that always accompanied Daemon. His body gave an involuntary shudder as the cold and despair seeped into his bones. He hated living in the Dark World with Daemon, he much rather be back in Odaiba, but that wasn't an option if he wanted to keep his sister safe from Lord Dragomon.
"Master." Yuudai said.
"You have yet to acquire a single crest aside from your own, need I remind you of your sister's fate." Daemon said in a low voice.
"I know what will happen if I don't get you out of here." Yuudai said clenching his hands into fists. When he and his sister stumbled into the Dark World being Daemon's servant was the better of the two options he was given. There was no way he was handing his little sister to Lord Dragomon. "I have another plan."
"Hopefully it is better than your first otherwise the Dark Ocean will have itself a new queen." Daemon said disappearing into the shadows.
Yuudai punched the wall not caring that he'd just bruised his knuckles. He had to come up with a plan to free Daemon from this black and white world. The girls Lord Dragomon took to his underwater palace were never seen again. He cursed his sister's light for being so strong, that's what attracted Lord Dragomon to her in the first place, but Yuudai knew that it wasn't as strong as Kari Takashi's, whom the Undersea Master truly wanted.
Before he could bash his head against the wall in frustration a thought occurred to him, he'd could bring Lord Dragomon the daughter of Kari and TK Takashi surely that would take the sick-minded digimon's interests off of his sister. There was still the problem that was Daemon, if he didn't free him not only would his sister be handed over to that sicko but he'd die. He needed to open the gates, he needed the crests, he needed…a DigiDestined.
"What have you come up with Yuudai?" Cyberdramon asked.
"A plan to kill two birds with one stone." Yuudai said dropping his cloak, he was tired of hiding behind it, and starting down the hall. "We're going to bring one of the DigiDestined to our side."
"How?"
"By manipulating the darkness within them." Yuudai answered pulling his crest out from underneath his black t-shirt. "After all as the Guardian of Darkness that is something I can do."
Takumi noticed the way Kai's eyes had darkened and were fixed intently on the beach across the street. Just as he figured out what to say to her his cell phone rang. With a defeated sigh he forgot about talking to Kai and focused on listening to what Izzy had to say.
"Is everybody still with you?" Izzy asked.
"For the most part everybody's here, why? What's going on? Did the map give you the location of the crest of courage?" Takumi said unable to refrain himself from asking the questions.
"Yes the map has revealed the location of your crest. It is imperative that you all get to the lab immediately. Call those who are not still with you." Izzy said. "Don't worry about you're digimon they're already here."
"Okay." Takumi said hanging up the phone. He looked to those that hadn't gone home after the game; they were all looking at him expectantly. "The last location was revealed, Izzy wants us to get to the lab now. Deej call the twins and Hana, tell them to get to the lab quickly."
Discarding their unfinished food and trash the DigiDestined scurried out of the restaurant. It was their luck that they weren't too far away from the lab, though they weren't exactly close either. Takumi suggested they run for it and everybody seemed to think that was best.
"Izzy we're here." Takumi huffed when they barreled into the conference room.
"Good now we can get started. The crest of courage is at the topmost peak of this mountain range." Izzy said pointing to the spot with his laser pointer. "It is located in a cave at the top."
"Oh joy another cave." Kai muttered. She still hadn't forgotten what happened when they went in search of her crest, the finger shaped bruises on her ankle served as a constant reminder of the 'zombie' attack.
"Yes a cave but that's not of importance, the fact that the entire mountain is being guarded by X-Antibody Digimon is. Yuudai has gotten to the crest before us and getting it back safely is going to be a challenge." Izzy said bringing up a visual of the mountain.
"Holy shit that's a lot of digimon." Takumi said aware that he had just cursed but as he looked at the image on the screen felt that it was a dignified curse. "How are we going to get through that many?"
"With teamwork and strategy." Izzy answered. He went over a carefully thought out battle plan with the kids and when they understood the plan he opened brought up the gate. "Takumi if you would."
"Digi-port open!"
Takumi connected his headset to his D-Power, what Izzy and Gennai hadn't thought of when designing the devices, and instructed the others to do the same. Akira established a communication link between them and Takumi told them to keep it open no matter what happened. They divided themselves into their pre-made groups and got into formation.
"Nikko, Akira you're in charge of your groups." The blonde and redhead nodded in understanding. "We'll meet at the rendezvous point, be careful everyone."
"'And may the odds be ever in your favor.'" DJ said as he mounted Raidramon.
"I thought you didn't read DJ." Kai said as she pulled Raiden onto Garurumon's back.
"That's in a book? I got that from that one movie that all of the girls are obsessed with." DJ said as he helped Ryuu onto Raidramon's back.
"The movie's based off a book." Ryuu said.
"Enough chit-chat, lets head out." Takumi said.
The three groups moved forward. The X-Antibody Digimon immediately attacked them. Greymon immediately blasted the ones coming at them from the front while Raidramon and Garurumon made quick work of those coming in from the left and right. Stingmon took care of the enemies above them and Reptiledramon covered their rear.
"Oh no the zombies are back Garurumon." He heard Kai say through the headset.
"I see them." Garurumon growled.
Takumi looked around at the battlefield before them to see what she meant by 'zombies,' all he saw were X-Antibody Digimon. "Kai what the hell do you mean by zombies?"
"You guys don't see them?" Kai asked sounding terrified.
"No." The four boys answered.
"Garurumon!" Kai shrieked.
Takumi looked to his right, he had to rub his eyes to make sure he was seeing things correctly. Kai, Raiden, and Garurumon were fading. "Kai, Raiden what's going on?" The only reply he got was static. He watched them vanish from the battlefield completely. "Kai, where did you go?"
"They're gone." DJ said in a disbelieving tone.
"What do we do Taki?" Ryuu asked in the same disbelieving tone DJ had used.
"We shift into diamond formation and continue up this mountain." Takumi said keeping a calm voice even though he was internally freaking out. "Akira can you hear me?"
"Loud and clear, what's up?" Akira replied instantly.
"Kai and Raiden disappeared somehow, can you patch me through to your dad?" Takumi said as he flagged down Stingmon and motioned for him to take their right side.
"What do you mean they disappeared? Did they abandon the fight?" Akira asked.
"No they just vanished." DJ said joining the chat. "Well Kai said something about zombies, that only she and Garurumon could see, then the three of them started to fade and finally they disappeared completely."
"Okay I'll establish communication with the lab but don't stray from our mission." Akira said.
Takumi tried to ignore the fact that she just said to go on even if they'd somehow just lost one of their own. He supposed that's what the military did when they lost a soldier but they weren't soldiers they were kids.
Greymon's quick and jagged dodge of an oncoming attack brought him out of his thoughts. They had a mission and he had to believe that Kai and Raiden would be okay, wherever they were, until they could help them. He relayed the story back to Izzy who like Akira said to focus on their current objective.
"Can we help them?" Ryuu asked.
"I don't think we can." Izzy answered in a solemn voice. "I can't locate their D-Powers which means they're not in the Digital or Real worlds. I have to speak with the others and when I have more information I'll contact you."
"Okay." Takumi said. He turned around and addressed the reptilian digimon taking care of enemies that attacked them from behind. "Raiden will be fine, Kai and Garurumon are with him and I know for a fact that Kai won't let anything happen to him."
Reptiledramon was evidently still worried about his partner but continued to fight nonetheless.
Nikko held on tight as Pegasusmon swerved quickly to avoid the two attacks that had been coming their way. He looked over at Amaya and noticed that she and Nefertimon had three enemies coming at them from behind.
"Pegasusmon we need to help them." Nikko said. His brown eyes widened with fear as he saw that his sister was being surrounded. Calling her up on the communication link he said, "Have Nefertimon dive and come up beside us we'll handle them together."
"Okay." Amaya said, her voice quivering.
From behind him something exploded. He looked in time to see an enemy that would have sent him to the ground spiral out of the air. In his ear he heard Michi yell with glee. He thanked the Kido boy for saving him. His attention returned to his sister and her digimon. Nefertimon dove, leveled out and flew a forward a bit before executing a sharp turn and then pulled up to where Pegasusmon hovered.
"Ready partner?" Nefertimon asked.
"Ready." Pegasusmon replied.
"Golden Noose." The two digimon yelled flying off in opposite directions, a golden chord tethering them together. Together the two digimon rounded up the enemy digimon in a golden net and let it fall to the ground below.
"Ah!" Amaya screamed.
"What is it?" Miku's voice yelled frantically into his ear.
"Sis what's going on?" Nikko asked narrowing his eyes to see what it was that caused her to scream. He saw nothing but Nefertimon fighting off an invisible enemy. "What are you fighting?"
"Can't you guys see them?" Amaya asked.
"I don't see anything but Nefertimon attacking the air." Michi said.
"They're black with large bat wings and red eyes, how can you miss them?" Amaya yelled.
"Because there's nothing there." Nikko said trying to see what his sister was seeing. "Pegasusmon lets head over there."
When he reached his sister he noticed that both her and Nefertimon had taken on a greyish tint. He heard the buzz of static in his ear but disregarded it because his sister was fading. Before he could call out to her she disappeared all together.
"Uh, where did she go?" Miku asked.
"All I get is static when I try to get her on the communication link." Michi said.
"Pegasusmon land in between Togemon and Ikkakumon, then revert back to Patamon and digivolve to Angemon." Nikko said in a hollow tone. As they dove down toward the ground he brought Takumi up the link and told him everything that just happened.
"We can't help her, she's not in this world anymore." His cousin said. "The same thing happened to Kai and Raiden."
Nikko punched the ground and let out a string of curses, two of his cousins and his sister were gone and he couldn't do anything about it.
"Nikko what do we do?" Angemon asked.
"We continue up this mountain." Nikko said grabbing his hat. "You're the only defense we have against aerial attacks so I'm going to ride on Ikkakumon so I don't slow you down."
"Kai what are those things?" Raiden asked unable to hide the tremble in his voice.
"I affectionately call them zombies but I'm not sure that's what they are." Kai said aiming her D-Power at the creature that was reaching for her ankle. The groaning got louder; more of those creatures were coming their way. "Garurumon run, we need to get out of this cave."
"I really hate caves." Garurumon growled as he sprang forward.
"You and me both buddy." Kai said holding onto Garurumon and Raiden for dear life.
"Howling Blaster!" Garurumon yelled hitting the creatures that were blocking their way, they withered away.
Picking up speed Garurumon raced through the cave. Occasionally some creatures would attack them but they were easily dealt with via a Howling Blaster or a burst of light from the D-Power. A dim light appeared at the end of the tunnel and Garurumon headed for it. The ground beneath Garurumon's paws changed from solid rock to soft sand. A light breeze blew their hair around and Kai caught the scent of salt in the air. Looking to her left she saw it, the beach complete with a lighthouse that shone black light.
"Where are we?" Raiden asked looking around at the black and grey world.
"The Dark Ocean." Garurumon answered. "I've heard whispers about this place, this world but didn't think it actually existed."
"How to return to the world of color?" Kai asked looking around for a way out of the colorless world.
"Its cold." Raiden stated.
Kai nodded wishing she wore pants or at least tights underneath her shorts. For Raiden's sake she unbuttoned her plaid shirt and draped it over his shoulders. "Stick your arms through the sleeves and button it."
"But Kai—"
"Just do it Raiden, I'll be fine." She said mentally cursing the day for having been so warm. If it hadn't been so warm out then she'd be wearing a long-sleeve t-shirt instead of the tank top she was wearing, she wouldn't be able to see the Goosebumps that dotted her arms or the scars on her wrists.
"Do you hear that?" Garurumon asked.
"What?" Kai asked. Her answer came in the form of a scream. "Someone else is here."
"Where?" Raiden asked.
"Up on the cliffs." Garurumon answered.
"Lets go help her." Kai said.
Takumi looked around at the group, they had all made it to the rendezvous point without being severely injured. There weren't any X-Antibody Digimon at the top of the mountain except for Cyberdramon who was positioned at the cave's entrance. Takumi hoped that their champion level digimon could hold their own against the ultimate level digimon.
"Are you guys ready?" Takumi asked his friends.
"Yeah lets get your crest and go home already." Miku said from her spot beside her twin.
"Alright group one go." Takumi said looking at Angemon, Togemon, Ankylomon, and Stingmon. "Group two get ready because once they engage the target in battle you're up." He looked at Ikkakumon, Aquilamon, Kabuterimon, Reptiledramon, and Birdramon.
"Taki its time to send in group two." Akira said deducing that Cyberdramon had his full attention on the champions he was already dealing with.
"Go and remember long range attacks only, close range is group one's job." Takumi said getting behind Greymon and ExVeemon. He looked at the group and then at the cave. "Are you guys ready to run for it?"
"Yeah."
Amaya watched helplessly as Nefertimon fought against the humanoid creatures coming toward them. She could tell that being in this black and white world was weakening her digimon partner. As another wave of creatures replaced the ones Nefertimon just destroyed a wolf-like creature jumped into the fray and two beams of white light zoomed past her. She watched as Garurumon clamped his strong jaw around one of the creatures and tore it apart until there was nothing left. The two creatures the beams of light hit withered away into nothing.
"Amaya!" Kai yelled as she and Raiden made their way to where she stood frozen. "Use your D-Power, the light of the D-Power kills them!"
Though she was skeptical Amaya did as her cousin said and was surprised when a white light burst from the screen of her D-Power and hit one of the creatures square in the chest. Kai and Raiden made it to her and together the three of them fought off the creatures that crawled toward them.
"Where are we?" Amaya asked.
"We're in the Dark World and this exact location is called the Dark Ocean." Kai answered keeping one eye on Raiden and the other on the zombie creatures.
"So what are those things?" Amaya asked hitting another creature with her D-Power.
"Kai calls them zombies." Raiden quipped.
"There's no such thing as zombies." Amaya said.
"Says the girl being attacked by the creepy crawling groaners." Kai said.
"Uh Kai what's that?" Raiden asked pointing to the figure that broke the surface of the Dark Ocean. "Is it a digimon?"
"I have no idea what that is." Kai said looking at the creature that was slowly getting closer to the shore. "All I know is that it's going to be the main star of my nightmares from now on."
"Shadows stop, I've found my queen. Bring the Guardian of Light to me and dispose of the Guardians of Friendship and Loyalty." An eerie voice said.
Takumi lifted the gold box from the pedestal. An orange light disappeared into his D-Power and when he looked at the screen he saw that the digi-egg of courage was no stowed inside. He opened the box, inside was his crest and the six cards for the digi-egg transfer.
"Guys we have all of the crests and digi-eggs now." Takumi said to the group.
"Yay! Now can we go home it's been a long day?" Miku said.
"Yeah lets go." Takumi said worried about leaving the Digital World without Amaya, Kai and Raiden.
"Takumi, Kai and Raiden have reappeared in the Digital World, Matt, Joe, and TK are on their way to their location right now. I'm afraid I have bad news though, Amaya's not with them and three of the Gates have been opened." Izzy said into his ear. "Get back to the lab immediately."
Kai lifted her head, which felt like it weighed a ton, and took a look around. Raiden and Gabumon lay beside her unconscious but alive and in color. She noticed the tall slightly opened white and gold doors in front of her; a thick gold chain and large padlock lay on the ground.
"Kai?" Raiden groaned as he came to. "What happened?"
"I don't know but we're back in the Digiworld." Kai answered looking her brother over to make sure he was in one piece. "You okay?"
"My head hurts and so does the rest of me." Raiden answered.
"That's pretty much how I feel." Kai said noticing their D-Powers and crests lying in a pile a few feet from the door. With every ounce she had left she crawled toward them. At the sight of the pink D-Power she remembered that Amaya had been with them in the Dark World. "Raiden where's Amaya?"
"I don't know she was with us but then those creatures attacked and everything went black and cold." Raiden said.
"Kai! Raiden!" Instinctively Kai turned in the direction of her father's voice.
He made it to Raiden first and did a more thorough examination of him. Joe and her uncle made it to her. Joe examined her while her uncle picked up Amaya's D-Power; he stared at it with tears in his eyes. Kai looked away from him afraid that he'd blame her for the fact that Amaya wasn't with them. Her eyes settled on Gabumon, he hadn't woken up and there was a needle and syringe lying next to him.
"Gabumon!" She yelled trying to get away from Joe who wasn't done with his examination of her wounds, she hadn't been aware she had been hurt until he said so. "No Joe, I'm fine! Check on Gabumon!"
By the time her dad reached her she was borderline hysterical. He pulled her onto his lap and held her against his chest. She watched as Joe examined her digimon partner. When he picked up the empty syringe his facial expression turned grave. The scars on her wrists itched with anticipation as Joe walked back toward them.
"Gabumon's been infected with the X-Antibody."
To be continued...
So there you have it chapter four. I decided to only show them getting the crests of courage and friendship because well this was all I could come up with for crest hunting and well I wanted to get to the main part of the story quickly. So three of the thirteen gates have been open, the Undersea Master has Amaya, and Gabumon's been infected with the X-Antibody. What's going to happen next? Find out next chapter.
Until then please review.