A gentle and warm hand caressed her forehead; it probably belonged to the person in whose lap her head rested. Hard as it was to open her eyes, she managed it. His radiant smile greeted her.

"Koushiro-san?" She asked, smiling at him too.

That was the Koushiro she knew, her beloved friend, seemingly only a couple of years older than her. There weren't signs of pain or injury on his face. He seemed to be so happy and at peace. Safe and unharmed.

Hikari turned her head slightly to the left, noticing that they were on the wooden porch of a traditional Japanese house. In the backyard, under a cherry tree filled with flowers, Taichi was playing soccer with Sora, Daisuke, Ken and Takeru. Iori was talking to Jyou a few meters away, close to where Mimi and Miyako were having a lively conversation. Yamato was leaning against the tree, keeping his eyes on his brother.

"Hikari! Hikari!" Tailmon called, coming running from inside the house to jump in her partner's arms. "Are you feeling better now?"

"Wasn't I before?" Hikari asked, trying to remember to what her partner could be referring. She closed her eyes, but all that came to her mind were flashes of things that made her heart ache.

"I had the most horrid nightmare…" Hikari whispered, reopening her eyes to look at her partner's puzzled expression. "I hurt you and the other digimon… I hurt everybody…"

Thick tears blurred her vision as she sat up and hugged Tailmon. Hikari couldn't recognize herself in that dream, doing those things, being cruel… Hikari loved her friends and brother too much to go that far.

"A nightmare, Hikari? What are you talking about?" Tailmon asked in a serious tone.

"It's nothing to worry about!" Hikari said, forcing a smile. Everybody was safe and happy, she hadn't made anyone cry. It had been nothing but a nightmare. All was well.

"You don't understand, Hikari-san." Koushiro said by her side.

When Hikari turned to him, she saw lines of blood running down his face and he had a pained look that contrasted with his large smile.

Disturbed, Hikari looked back at the backyard, but found an ocean instead. The sky that had been clear and sunny a little before was now covered by huge dark clouds.

"You did do all that, Hikari." Her partner spoke in a haunting voice. "You hurt us all."

Trembling, Hikari turned to the digimon, but didn't find Tailmon.

Instead, an Ofanimon was chained to the floor, forced to sit in front of her. Two streams of blood came from under her helmet, where her eyes should be.

Hikari felt the urge to run, but Koushiro held her down by the arms.

"I-I had to… I…" She mumbled, among tears. However, her words rang false even to herself. Did she have to force Tailmon to evolve and fight? Did she really have to brutalize her friends' partners?

Or did she do that because a part of her she didn't want to acknowledge, a part that didn't belong in a good person, wanted it?

Hikari felt cold from the waist down. The feeling was familiar in the most horrible way. In too many worlds that darkness had come to prey on her.

She didn't have to look to know that the waves had invaded the porch and that she too would soon be consumed by the darkness.

Chapter 39: Dark Ocean

The sand they had fallen on was rough and cold. The small waves of the pitch-black ocean were a couple of meters away but seemed to be slowly approaching them. The sky was completely hidden by thick dark clouds, the only light came from the blue lightning crossing between them. They were surrounded by dense fog. Uncountable presences could be felt from within it. Their voices were crying out in sad whispers rather than the expected despair.

Wizarmon tried to block those voices, like Ofanimon had taught him a long time ago. But some fragments still reached him. He could make sense of some of those words.

Our Queen knows what's best.

We trust our Queen.

Our sacrifice was necessary.

What had happened to the Digital World? Wizarmon pursued an answer that wouldn't break his heart, but that task was doomed to failure. Hikari's words about Ofanimon resurfaced in his mind.

"I need to save the Digital World from a dangerous digimon who wants to destroy it."

Something Kanda had told him a long time ago also returned to haunt Wizarmon:

"I know a merchant that works as my informant. From what he has told me, Ofanimon plans to destroy the world."

Wizarmon had protested to that suggestion, but the man insisted afterwards:

"It's a plan named 'Salvation.' I don't know the details, but it involves destroying the Digital World and killing everybody on it to replace it with a new and shiny world of her creation."

A couple of tears rolled from his eyes. His whole body trembled and he had to lean heavily on his staff to stop himself from falling to his knees. Wizarmon felt as if his very life was being sucked from his body.

Maybe he was about to join those unfortunate souls inhabiting the clouds and fog, the digimon she had killed.

He didn't want to accept it, but there was no other explanation. With the Academy destroyed, the Sanctuary was the only remaining powerful organization in the Digital World. They had the knowledge and the means to reduce the world to that state, and they would only do it for her.

Was Ofanimon always capable of that? She couldn't have been. Her time in that dimension, stripped away from everyone, having only the suffering souls of her brother's victims as company, must have done that to her. Not even Ofanimon's kindness could withstand that amount of pain.

Nanomon had told him that Ofanimon was communicating with her subjects and reorganizing the Sanctuary, and had warned him about how dangerous Hikari would be. Wizarmon didn't want to listen. He had stubbornly held onto the illusion that he wouldn't have to choose between Ofanimon and Tailmon, planning to make them all happy. To what result? He reunited Hikari and Tailmon only for the human girl to treat his friend with cruelty, and had protected Ofanimon only for her to do that to the world.

How much sacrifice and heartache had he put Tailmon through because of his naivety?

Wizarmon looked at his side. Plotmon was observing the unconscious human girl lying with her back on the sand. Hikari's face was pale and covered in sweat. Her eyebrows were furrowed in a pained expression. Plotmon approached her to take a better look at the child. Wizarmon wasn't happy to see the worried expression his friend had.

On that beach, there were only Wizarmon, Plotmon and Hikari. Nothing alive seemed to be in the vicinity. Maybe not even in the rest of the world.

"You should take this chance to escape." Wizarmon suggested to his friend.

"Escape where?" Plotmon inquired without looking at him.

Wizarmon didn't have an answer. He wasn't sure if he would be able to open a gate to the human world or if she would want to return there. Where in the Digital World could she hide from Hikari? How long would that world even last?

"The last time I was on a beach, Megaseadramon sank my island…" Plotmon began to say, "… Hikari saved me… I could feel kindness irradiating from her… I could tell that she cared about me. Do you think that kind little girl is still there somewhere, buried in her troubled mind? Can she still be reached?"

He didn't answer.

"I used to think that meeting Hikari would solve all my problems." Plotmon told him. "I thought that I just had to find her and then I would live happily ever after. I didn't think about her feelings, nor did I consider what she could want. I didn't want to listen to Taomon… I guess it serves me right… I brought all that upon myself…"

Wizarmon approached her and gently moved her tear-washed face to his direction.

"Nothing that happened was your fault!" He assured. "That girl was the one that used you! She doesn't deserve your concern!"

They sensed a movement and turned to Hikari's direction.

The girl opened her eyes.

Hikari couldn't know if she had really woken up from her nightmare. The sky looked even worse than the one she had just seen. She glanced to the right and jumped to her feet, unconsciously getting ready to run away.

That was the Dark Ocean she had seen in so many lives, but it couldn't be there. Hikari knew it wasn't created in any world her friend had designed. Now that she was Homeostasis, she had the sure knowledge that such a dimension didn't exist in that universe. Hikari had opened a gate to the Digital World; that had to be where she was. But it didn't feel like it.

She closed her eyes in search of an answer and the explanation came to her. That was without a doubt the Digital World. Ofanimon's plan had already begun.

Hikari gazed at the ocean, knowing what she had to do. But not even the conviction of saving the world was able to shake off the dread of having to enter that place. That very idea made her want to cry. It's not that ocean, she had to remind herself, there's no Dagomon wanting to trap me. And even if there was, I can protect myself now. I won't need to be saved!

Yes, she wasn't going to be helpless ever again. She wasn't going to be chased by darkness and nobody would have to go through the trouble of rescuing her. Hikari now was strong, independent, all-powerful and all-knowing. Nothing could threaten her. She shouldn't fear anything.

But if that was the case, then why was she trembling?

"Are you alright?"

Her partner's voice came from behind the girl. She turned around and saw Plotmon standing on all four legs, wearing an anxious expression. By instinct, Hikari took a step in her direction. However, the digimon took three steps backwards, keeping her eyes on the sand below. Wizarmon placed himself between Hikari and Plotmon. He was holding his staff, but didn't point it to the girl. Nevertheless, his eyes made it clear that he wouldn't allow Hikari to get closer to the little monster.

Hikari felt as if she had swallowed a bucket of icy water. Did Plotmon hate her? It would be understandable, after what Hikari had done. But the little digimon had showed concern for the girl. Plotmon still cared about her, despite everything, but couldn't stand to look at Hikari's eyes. She couldn't stand to be too close to the human, as if fearing what the girl would do to her. Hikari had never known of any world where her partner was afraid of her. She had never prepared herself for that possibility.

"Do you remember the fight?" Hikari asked in low voice.

"I remember you forcing me to evolve… then, we were falling… Wizarmon reached out to me… there was a Houomon… and then darkness." Plotmon murmured.

"She used you to brutalize the other chosen digimon." Wizarmon told his friend. "They nearly died."

"I didn't want to hurt anyone!" Hikari spoke in a defensive tone. "I told them not to follow me! They left me without options!"

She felt a sting in her heart after saying that. Not too different from how she had felt trying to defend herself in that nightmare. Her words sounded wrong, as if they were sounds that meant nothing. She couldn't convince herself, but she needed to.

"You're the goddamn Spirit of the World!" Wizarmon shouted. "Literally nobody has more options than you do! You chose to do all that!"

"I had to do all that so I could save the Digital World!" Hikari yelled, trying to accept her own words. Yes, she wanted to save the Digital World! To save all the digimon! It was for a good reason, so what she did had to be right! And if she had done the right thing, she shouldn't feel guilty.

There was no reason to be ashamed of herself, not anymore. She should be proud of her actions. Hadn't she taken charge? Hadn't she decided what was best for everyone and done it? She was a heroine! But her reasoning wasn't powerful enough to stop her heart from shattering. Her self-preaching couldn't bury her doubts deep down, but merely throw a hand full of dirt on them.

"You were angry." Plotmon said, lifting her head to look at Hikari. Her eyes didn't show any rage, but deep sadness. "There was nothing noble in what you did. You were angry because you wanted everybody to think highly of you, but they saw you for who you really were."

That comment made Hikari feel as if flames had been lit in her heart.

"Only one person has ever seen me for who I really was." Hikari stated. "The only person who could understand me… and I did that to him… I had to do that to him because of you all! To protect you all!"

"You chose to murder him. Don't blame others for your decisions." Wizarmon said.

Hikari couldn't take that anymore and turned around. She embraced herself, trying to make her arms stop shaking. She kept thinking on her friend in his final moments and how understanding and accepting he was of her decision. But he was someone who wanted to die by her hands, someone who believed she would do things better. She had to know that she was correct and that he was right about her. Hikari needed that to be true and would hold to it with all her forces.

"Ofanimon and her followers poisoned the Digital World. Most digimon have perished already." The girl informed as emotionlessly as she could. "The Dark Masters have the four key codes. If they destroy those codes, it'll be the end of everything and Ofanimon will reinitiate the Digital World."

Hikari expected questions from the other two, or at least Wizarmon defending the Queen of the Sanctuary. Instead, they remained in silence.

"I'm going to the bottom of the ocean to find Metalseadramon." Hikari announced. "He's the same digimon that destroyed your island, Plotmon."

A part of Hikari hoped that Plotmon would react strongly to that. Like in all those worlds where Wizarmon's death unlocked her evolution, maybe the chance to get justice against the murderer of her friends would prompt Plotmon to accompany her into the ocean. It wouldn't be so bad if the girl had her partner by her side while going there, even if for the digimon's particular reasons.

But Plotmon's response never came. Hikari thought about turning around to face her but was afraid of a confrontation. She wouldn't bear to hear her partner rejecting her again. Thinking about it alone was enough to bring tears to her eyes. Those tears strengthened her resolution to not turn around. Hikari wouldn't let anyone see her like that anymore.

She conjured a pink bubble to shield her and marched to the ocean. Her steps didn't falter. Hopefully, her broken heart wasn't denounced.

Hikari descended into the dark ocean protected by the bubble. By inheriting Fate's knowledge, she knew where to find Metalseadramon and that he had hidden the key code of the seas inside his body. What she didn't know, however, was how to revert the corruption of the data surrounding her, which belonged to thousands of deceased digimon.

She could perceive their sadness, but it wasn't an invasive or destructive feeling. It was almost like a bitter-sweet resignation to most of them. She knew that those souls had believed that their death and the rebirth of the Digital World was the only way to save those who had fallen long ago with the annihilation of the Cloud Continent. All digimon needed to have their data converted to match the data of Seraphimon's victims and then the Digital World would be reshaped to allow that data to return to living digimon. That was Ofanimon's plan. Far too many agreed to that plan, and those who didn't were merely waiting for the world to end. The poison of the black gears, developed by Devimon, had been weakened, so it wouldn't provoke violent instincts any longer. It affected not only the living, but also the data of the deceased, even if they weren't infected before dying.

Hikari felt depressed thinking about how most of the digimon in that world were already dead. Only in a few locations were there small groups that resisted longer to succumb to the poison or that had chosen not to take it, deciding to die along with the world. But their days were numbered just the same. And once all infected digimon died out, the Dark Masters had orders to destroy themselves along with the key codes, so the Digital World would die as well. Ofanimon, locked in another dimension, unable to find a way to cure the disease, chose to recreate the world to accommodate the corrupted digimon.

Hikari searched for a cure in Homeostasis databank, but she couldn't find it. Nanomon had developed that corruption to permanently kill his master's enemies: a complex and ever evolving code that never stayed the same. Not even Fate was able to crack that code, but he had entrusted her to do that in his place. He expected her to save the world. She felt her heart race thinking about that. That responsibility weighed her down. It was becoming hard to breathe.

She was still grappling with that new unlimited knowledge she had received. It overwhelmed her. Hikari needed to take it little by little. She closed her eyes and tried again to envision an answer, a cure. It had to be there somewhere! Her mind was flooded with more information than she could understand. Her desperation increased the deeper she sank.

Think! Think! She ordered herself. You're the only one that can save them all! You're the only one with the knowledge and the power! Find a solution! Find a cure!

If she couldn't do that, if Hikari couldn't save the digimon and the Digital World, then what would have been the point of everything she had done? What would have been the point of breaking her brother's heart? Of mistreating the chosen digimon? Of being cruel to Sora and the others? Of hurting Tailmon? Of killing Koushiro? Hikari had done everything because she knew best and the others didn't trust her. But if she didn't actually know best, if she couldn't actually save the world… to think about that was too painful.

The bubble stopped. Hikari opened her eyes and saw a huge serpent outside, illuminated by the bubble's glow. She had found Metalseadramon.

The giant digimon barely moved. His body lay on the bottom of the ocean in a spiral, with his head on the top. He slightly lifted his head when Hikari's light reached him. The digimon's eyes didn't seem to focus on her or anything else, though. They were empty, detached.

"There was a story about a goddess Light in an island I had to sink." He spoke in an unemotional tone. "Are you her, perhaps?"

"I am her." Hikari confirmed, a little amazed that she could listen to him perfectly under water. "And I'm also the Spirit of the World. You can't possibly defeat me, so don't even try to begin a fight."

"A fight?" He asked, as if finding the idea absurd. "Look around, Spirit. My people are all dead. I don't have anyone to fight for any longer… anyone left to protect… to make sacrifices for…"

Hikari wondered what had happened to Metalseadramon in that universe. Homeostasis provided the answer. Several scenes invaded her mind.

A long time before, when that digimon was barely an adult, the sea folk chose him to be their king. He had always worked hard to be a mediator and do what was best for his underlings. When he achieved perfect level, the digimon embraced the idea of expanding his influence to other vicinities and bring prosperity to everybody, but never by using violence.

But then, the Bloody Lord heard of him and his kingdom and demanded subjugation from them. The majority of the sea folk, used to peace and freedom, didn't want to accept that tyrant's rule and urged their king to resist. However, understanding the tyrant's overwhelming power and fearing for the lives of his subjects, the king became the angel's vassal.

Under the angel's orders, he had to take the lives of innocent digimon. His heart ached with every unjust action he had to make, but the king kept on doing it. Everything was for the sake of protecting his people, even if his people deemed him a coward.

One day, the angel unleashed an attack against the Cloud Continent. Not only was that piece of land destroyed along with its inhabitants, but hundreds of aquatic monsters in the vicinity also suffered the same fate. Those were his subjects, his people, digimon he had sworn to serve and protect, digimon for whom he had endured submitting to Seraphimon.

He had failed. Everything he had sacrificed his ideals for proved to be nothing but a delusion. His people weren't safe; they could never be with that tyrant around, with their king aiding him. Having fallen in disgrace, he could only think of ways to atone for his naivety.

And then, Jokermon, who was Seraphimon's most trusted general, approached him and told him about a plan to convince the Lady of File Island to put an end to her brother's rule of terror. The king accepted to be part of the conspiracy without thinking twice. His determination in avenging his people was so strong that he evolved to Metalseadramon that same day.

Under the Queen's rule, the sea folk were granted autonomy, but that couldn't erase all the pain they had endured. They never stopped asking their king questions he couldn't answer.

"What about our fallen comrades?"

"Will they ever be able to be reborn?"

"Can their corrupted data be restored?"

"What are you doing to help them?"

And, of course, there were the accusations.

"If you had confronted the Bloody Lord, that wouldn't have happened!"

"They died because of your cowardice!"

"You served that murderer! How many crimes did you commit for him?!"

"It was all your fault!"

"Their deaths are on you!"

They wanted a new leader, but Metalseadramon was the only ultimate level digimon in the ocean and they couldn't simply toss him away. In the end, they kept him as the official king, but he made no decisions anymore; that would be the job of an assembly of elected citizens. Metalseadramon should only act in case they needed protection from an outside enemy.

He accepted that. What else was there to do? The fallen king could only hope he could still be useful.

A time came when he was called to the surface. There was a crisis involving a human invasion orchestrated by the Academy. Metalseadramon was asked to help in the resistance, but he refused. He had compromised his sense of justice many times. But to attack children, even if they were human, was a line he wouldn't cross. Piedmon threatened him, but Ofanimon respected his decision.

The chosen children defeated the Queen and banished her to a pocket dimension along with the corrupted data of the deceased. The Academy almost wiped out the Sanctuary. The holy beasts brought a new terror to the world. Conquerors sent by the Headmaster tried to take his kingdom.

All because he didn't act when he should've. Again.

The details of what happened later were unknown to him. New chosen children had come, but they had died. The Academy was defeated. The Sanctuary rose to power again and the Queen knew how to save Seraphimon's victims. But her plan involved killing every digimon in the world.

Metalseadramon vehemently opposed to that idea, but his people agreed to it. What was dying one time if they could save their friends from eternal torment? They would all be reborn in the new world, anyway. The fallen king wanted to stop that, but what kind of king went against the wishes of his people? What kind of king abandoned a part of his people to suffer forever?

To allow that poison into his realm, to accept that code into his body, were those the honorable things to do? To see them all dying while doing nothing, was that right? He didn't know the answers. All he knew was that his heart wouldn't take it any longer.

He prayed to any deity that could listen. Prayed for the horror to end, for his people to find peace, for the pain to stop forever. He kept praying, alone in the darkness, to find the courage to fulfill his mission.

To die with honor.

That girl that appeared before him, Fate and Light at the same time, could be the answer to his prays.

After witnessing his life passing in front of her eyes, Hikari was left speechless. That Metalseadramon was different from any other she had known of before. He wasn't a simple villain that wanted to conquer the world, but someone far more tragic and complex. She didn't know what to do.

In her fantasies, in her make-believe scenarios, in her other lives, in her dreams… saving the Digital World was such a straightforward thing. It was clear what had to be done, who had to be fought and who had to be saved. All that was needed was power to defeat evil.

Hikari had all the power in the world, it should be simple for her to save it, but what should she do? No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't think of a way to cure the corruption or to bring the dead digimon back to life.

"Hey, miss Goddess…" Metalseadramon called, looking into her eyes. "When I die and the key code is destroyed, all the data of the oceans will be sent to the Queen's dimension to be reconfigured. That's the mission entrusted to me… I just need to die, but… this is so shameful… I-I'm scared of death… I shouldn't be… I should've never been chosen by them… I never deserved to be anyone's king… I'm just a disappointment…"

"Please, don't say that!" Hikari almost shouted, feeling a knot in her throat. "You did your best! You tried really hard! And I guarantee that you're the best version of yourself that I've ever seen!"

"The best version of me is a pathetic, incompetent and gutless king? That's really depressing." Metalseadramon muttered.

"That's not what I meant!" Hikari hurried to say. "Listen, I'm sorry for not doing anything before! I'm sorry I let things get to this point! I can never apologize enough! But I'll find a way to make everything better! I'll find a cure to the corruption, I'll bring everybody back to life, I'll fix the Digital World! Just trust me, ok? You can leave everything to me, you don't have to suffer anymore! Nor do you have to die!"

Metalseadramon observed her for a few seconds. Hikari wondered if he could see the tears in her eyes. She wanted to give the impression that she was strong and reliable, but was sure it didn't work out.

The sea monster smirked briefly.

"You're a kid. I was praying to a kid… a tiny human that doesn't actually know what she's doing… are all gods just scared children?" He asked.

"I know what I'm doing! And I'm not scared!" Hikari stated, but her remaining faith in her own words was vanishing quickly. "I can help you! I can help everybody! And the Digital World!"

"I guess that's just how life is…" He muttered. "We search for meaning in things greater than us, we search for answers outside of ourselves… but in the end we're on our own, we're condemned to solitude. We have to decide things for ourselves, act for ourselves and face the consequences of our choices alone. I chose to serve my people. I know what I have to do."

His metallic nose began to shine. The digimon was accumulating energy to launch an attack.

Hikari was paralyzed, not wanting to believe he was about to do that.

Stop him! Do something! Anything! She ordered herself. Taking control of his body crossed her mind, but the idea made her remember of her partner.

Hikari couldn't do that again. The idea of violating another's agency once more was unbearable to her. But it was for a good reason! She knew what was best! Or she hoped she knew… she would find a way to fix everything, wouldn't she? Just because she hadn't found it yet, it didn't mean she wouldn't! Her friend believed that she could save the world… she had to do that! However, her resolve wasn't strong enough to propel her to action.

Metalseadramon shot an energy beam through his own chest, creating a huge hole in it.

His body quickly disintegrated in gray particles.

And so did the ocean.

He brought death to himself and she did nothing to stop him.

She just watched it happen, as if she was powerless. But Hikari shouldn't be powerless. She had to have done something, she should have saved him! Why didn't she do it? Why did she let it happen? What was holding her back?

Her body stopped emitting light. It felt heavy, as if it was being pulled down. She couldn't see anything beyond deep darkness.

Hikari knew that darkness wasn't like any other she had seen in previous lives. She knew it since that nightmare, since she had controlled her partner and attacked her friends, since she had insulted Sora and broken her brother's heart… since she had killed Koushiro…

That darkness wasn't an outside force preying on her goodness. It was a dreadful force born from her ugly heart, and now it was out to devour her.

Hikari could've forced Plotmon to accompany her, but did not, as if aware of the digimon's feelings. Maybe regret was behind the girl's sorrowful expression. But if that was the case, why didn't Hikari apologize? If only she had done that…

But would Plotmon forgive her so easily? To be forced to evolve and used to fight was hurtful, it was a betrayal of the relationship she had hoped to have with Hikari. However, Plotmon could feel the girl's hesitation during those times, mixed in her anger and sadness. Maybe Hikari was forcing herself to act like that, but deep down was still the sweet and caring girl that once saved her life.

"I should've been loyal only to you." Wizarmon, sitting next to her, said that as if confessing a crime. "I tried to be loyal to her too. I believed in her and protected her… I orchestrated the fall of the Academy, erased all those agents' memories, I caused the death of Kanda and his friends, the annihilation of Vamdemon's army… almost killed the new chosen children… I was so certain that she had to be good, I couldn't let go of that and because of it, you… the things I let Kanda do to you… and then bringing you to Hikari…"

"I had agreed to it, you didn't make any decision against my will." Plotmon assured him. "I wanted to meet Hikari."

"But you must regret it now." Wizarmon told her, shivering slightly. "You must feel like a fool…"

"There's kindness in Hikari, I have seen it." She said. "Maybe I can find it again."

"You're deluding yourself, Plotmon!" Wizarmon stated. "She hurt you, you should let go of your feelings for her and walk away! It's the right thing to do… she disappointed you…"

The sadness in his voice conveyed something beyond regret for wronging her. Deeper than guilt, shame ran through his veins. His feelings became clear to Plotmon, and it seemed obvious how he was projecting those on her, as if that helped him to cope.

"Is that what you want to do about Ofanimon?" She questioned.

Wizarmon didn't reply immediately. He shut his eyes closed, as if feeling pain. When he reopened them, they were brimming with tears. Wizarmon tried to look away at first, but then looked at her once more, ready to let her know what went through his mind. Didn't he owe her at least that?

"I should've let go of Ofanimon a long time ago." He said.

"For someone who was so important for you, you're giving up on her very quickly." She commented.

"Do you have any idea how many dead digimon are surrounding us now?" Wizarmon inquired. "I can hear them. Do you know how many are talking about their Queen? About what their beloved Queen did to them?"

The mage lowered his head and covered his eyes with one hand, shaking.

"I loved her. For a long time, she was everything for me… the things I did because of that love…" He said among sobs. "I doomed the world because I failed to see who she really was. Not the kind digimon that only wanted to help others, but a destroyer of lives… someone that brings suffering to everybody…"

Plotmon gulped.

"But don't you want to understand why she did all that?" She asked. "You could find out that things aren't so simple. Maybe it's not about her being either a savior or a destroyer. She could be both things, but you would only see it if you made an effort to know her better."

Wizarmon sighed, glancing at the ocean.

"You're not giving up on Hikari, are you?" He asked.

"Not yet. Not before I understand her." She replied.

Suddenly, the data of the ocean began to break and ascend to the sky in high speed, towards the dark clouds, shocking the two digimon. In less than one minute, there was a deep and seemingly endless abyss where there had been an ocean.

"Hikari was there! She must be in danger!" Plotmon shouted, looking at Wizarmon with pleading eyes.

He looked away from her, but couldn't do that for much longer. Plotmon would go after that girl not matter what. He wouldn't be able to stop her. But if he went with her, at least she would be safer.

"I know." He said, picking Plotmon up and flying with her towards the abyss.

As they descended into the darkness, Plotmon could feel her partner's presence getting stronger. After almost one hour of searching, they found a gray bubble floating, inside which an unconscious Hikari was trapped.

Still being held by Wizarmon, Plotmon hit the bubble with her paws and called Hikari's name, but nothing happened.

"The girl had an emotional breakdown." Wizarmon said. "It's a mess in her mind… she's drowning in desperation."

"Is there a way to get to her?!" Plotmon asked, nervously. "I need to get to her!"

"It's dangerous to enter her mind!" Wizarmon stated. "The mind of Fate is a frightening place to be! You could get lost there forever! Your consciousness could be destroyed!"

"But I can't just leave her like this!" Plotmon protested.

"This human is not worthy of you putting your safety at risk!" Wizarmon raised his voice. "After what she did-"

"It's not about worthiness or what she did! It's not even about her being my partner!" Plotmon cried. "I don't know if I can forgive her yet, but Hikari needs my help now. She's suffering, all alone, and I can help her! Or at least try to! Isn't that enough reason to do it?!"

Wizarmon's eyes widened and his grip on the other monster and his staff loosened. Almost one minute later, he said:

"Ofanimon told me something similar once… after she saved me…"

"Do you think she didn't mean it?" Plotmon asked.

Wizarmon looked away for a few seconds, but then looked into her eyes again. His eyes had a softer, albeit sad, glow. With a movement of his staff, he conjured a magical circle filled with symbols below them, so they could stand on it.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked.

"Yes." She replied.

Wizarmon instructed her to close her eyes and concentrate on Hikari. That way, he could guide Plotmon's consciousness into the girl's mind.

The ground was covered in cold water that reached her knees. Floating above her, under the dark sky, several bright water bubbles showed strange scenes. In one of them, Wizarmon sacrificed himself to protect her and Hikari. In another, several Numemons died for Hikari. There were many more deaths that took place to protect her and the other chosen children, and many scenes of those children suffering and arguing under the weight of those deaths.

Several bubbles showed Taichi moving forward despite the tragedies, but he was always concerned for his sister; he too suffered for her sake, maybe more than anyone else. Hikari was showed to be constantly in danger, being attacked, threatened, targeted, kidnapped, possessed, used… and that brought so much pain to everybody around her. That pain was reflected everywhere Plotmon looked.

"Why are you here?"

Hikari's question startled her. Plotmon went in the direction that voice had come from and found the girl sitting cross-legged on the water-filled ground, leaning to the front. She looked at the digimon with dead eyes. Her face was stained with tears.

"What happened?" Plotmon asked, shocked to see the girl in that state.

"I couldn't save Metalseadramon…" Hikari muttered, ashamed.

"Was that what you were trying to do?" Plotmon asked, surprised.

"He killed himself in front of me… I c-could have stopped him…" The girl said among sobs. "I could've controlled him, but I couldn't bring myself to do such a thing a-again…"

"Because you realized it's wrong to do that?" Plotmon inquired, hopeful. "It's disrespectful, hurtful…"

"I thought I knew what was best." Hikari muttered. "I thought that I was right and everybody else was wrong… I w-wanted to believe in that… I wanted to be strong and brave and for once be able to protect everybody… for once to be someone I could like… but in the end all I did was hurt the people I cared about. That's all I can do, even as a goddess… I can't help anyone… I can't fix anything… I'm sorry… I'm s-so sorry!" She cried. "I'm useless! Worthless! I've always been that! How could I think I could be different?! I only exist to make people suffer!"

"That's not true!" Plotmon shouted, putting her front legs on the girl's lap. "Nobody is useless or worthless! Not even you!"

"But I should be better… I wanted…"

"Why do you have to be anything more than you already are?!" Plotmon asked. "I never wanted to be more! And I hated how everybody told me that I had a super important destiny I couldn't escape from! I didn't want to be the partner of a goddess or save the world or anything!"

"But it's my responsibility!" Hikari stated. "I should be able to do that! To help everybody!"

"Why is that your responsibility? You don't have to do that!"Plotmon insisted.

"Of course I do!" Hikari protested.

"Why?!" Plotmon asked.

"Because if I can't be helpful, then I'm just a burden!" Hikari cried. "I'm just the weak girl that can't protect herself and needs to be helped all the time! I'm just a problem to everybody!"

Plotmon remained in silence for a couple of minutes, taking in what the girl had just said.

"You said that you wanted to help everybody, but you think it's shameful to need help?" Plotmon asked.

Hikari didn't know how to reply to that. She had never found other people troublesome for needing help, nor did she think it was shameful for them. But it was for her. Only for her.

"I like to feel useful." Hikari said. "To help people makes me feel that my life has a purpose."

"Purpose?"

"It gives meaning to my life… something I can live for…" Hikari replied. "Don't you have anything like that?"

Plotmon gazed into her eyes and answered:

"I wanted to be your friend. I thought we could be happy together."

Hikari's eyes widened and got filled with more tears.

"I must've been a huge disappointment." The girl murmured. "You must hate me… you're entitled to that. Everybody is…"

"You hurt me." Plotmon told her. "I know that I could hate you… but…"

"But?"

"Hating you wouldn't make me happy." Plotmon affirmed.

"But you should!" Hikari protested.

"How about we stop talking about what we should do, what we should be or how we should feel for a moment?" Plotmon asked. "I have a question for you and I would like it if you answered as honestly as you can. Can you do that?"

The girl nodded.

"What would make you happy, Hikari?"

She resisted the impulse of saying the first things that crossed her mind. To help everybody, to save the Digital World, to feel useful… those were things she wanted, but Hikari felt that they didn't answer her partner's question. To be heard? To be respected? To feel validated? To like herself more? She was getting closer to the answer, but needed to go deeper. To make amends with those she had wronged? To be forgiven by them? To earn that forgiveness… those were all things she desired, but not precisely what she needed the most to be happy.

Hikari thought about the things that made her happy. She enjoyed being by herself. In those occasions not only could she do whatever she wanted, but she didn't have to behave in any special way that would make other people comfortable, but not her. When she was alone, she also didn't feel like she was deceiving people by pretending to be sweeter and nicer than she actually was. She felt free. But there was a hollowness to that freedom, something that stopped her from being completely satisfied.

Then, she thought about her friend, her Koushiro, who had also seen so many different universes. He was messed up, expected too much from her and let her down. Their friendship was far from ideal and he did hurt her feelings. But with him, Hikari felt that she could say or do anything and he would still accept her. He was the only person to whom she wasn't afraid to show her ugliness. With him gone, she thought she would never have that again.

Hikari wanted to have that with other people, in healthier relationships. She wanted to feel free to complain, to throw a tantrum, to show anger and even pettiness, to let out the imperfections she had hidden for so long and to have people who would love her regardless of it. However, she would never have the courage to show them that side of her.

But suddenly Hikari realized that she had already shown her worst sides to her brother, to the other chosen children and digimon and to her partner. They had all witnessed Hikari in her worst, letting her darkness out for everybody to see. She had been awful to them. And yet, they still wanted to help her.

And Plotmon, the one Hikari had hurt the most, had come to her rescue in the depths of the girl's mind and was trying to help her. Plotmon was actively trying to understand her and offering a hand. All for the chance of being happy by being Hikari's friend.

The girl wanted to be friends with Plotmon and the other children. She wanted to let them get to know her and to show herself without fear. She didn't want to lock her feelings inside and feel distant from other people.

Hikari had found the answer to Plotmon's question:

"It would make me happy not to be alone anymore."

The bubbles of water around them exploded, filling everything with intense pink light.

Hikari felt her partner's body becoming warmer. And she heard the digimon say:

"Plotmon evolves to…"

Hikari woke up on Wizarmon's magical circle. Tailmon was close by, smiling at her.

"You evolved…" The girl muttered, worried. "I didn't mean-"

"I wanted it this time." Tailmon assured. "It was a gentle and caring feeling, like what I felt when you saved my life on my island."

"I'm so sorry about everything." Hikari said, sitting up. "I'll work hard to make it up to you… and to everybody else."

"I know you will." Tailmon told her.

"You were able to reach Hikari…" Wizarmon commented, glancing at the girl, astonished. "You… you really found the kind person you were looking for, Tailmon…"

"You can do that too." Tailmon said to the mage. "Maybe Ofanimon is lost in darkness as well, in need of someone to help her."

Wizarmon glanced at the sky and then back at Hikari.

"Aren't you going to fight Ofanimon?" He asked.

"I don't know what to do." The girl replied. "I don't have a plan, nor can I fix everything by myself."

"Then, what do you want to do now?" Tailmon asked.

Hikari looked at the cloudy sky, where lightning could be seen. She needed to figure out what to do and would need a lot of help. To accept that didn't bring her any shame, but relief, as if she was breaking free from heavy chains that held her to the ground. The girl turned to Tailmon and said:

"I want to talk to Sora-san."

Thank you for the support and the patience. With this chapter, the final arc of "The song of Love" begins.