Well, I have to say...daily updating probably won't be lasting much longer. Chapters are getting a bit longer and my schedule's beginning to get hectic. I think updates will start coming every other day or more, but don't forget to remind me if a week passes between chapters!

Stone Wall

He had to keep hope. Whatever the darkness was planning, it wasn't going to come through. He would either escape or defeat it, but he would not submit. He had to keep hope. It was hard, especially when he was the only light in a dark world. A light suffocating from a lack of fuel. There just seemed to be nothing that he could hold on to hope for in this place, except to avoid the darkness until the others came. Even since last Friday, the Dark World suddenly had the power to block digivolution. There was no fighting back; he could only run at the first sign of danger.

TK had his D3 out, staring at its blank screen while softly humming the tune of one of Matt's songs. After Oikawa had replaced the protective barrier of the Digital World, not only was Gatomon's tail ring returned, but the power of the crests was also released. Though no one was given a tangible version, they still had their internal crests back. It was plenty of power for the kids' partners to digivolve beyond champion. Even Wormmon didn't need to DNA digivolve to get to ultimate anymore, though Ken had him do it anyway most of the time to keep Davis happy.

TK's lips parted as he sang a line of the song out loud in a barely audible voice. "And if you don't believe I've been here all along, just turn around."

He looked down at the digimon by his side, reaching out a hand to stroke the orange fur. The rookie woke with a start, and looked sulkily at TK. "What?"

The boy shook his head and smiled, still petting his partner. "Nothing. Didn't mean to wake you."

The digimon shrugged and laid his head back down to rest again, but lifted it back up again an instant later. There was a frown on his little face, a sign of concern and concentration.

"Patamon?" TK ventured. "What's wrong?"

"Shh," the rookie commanded. TK obeyed, nearly holding his breath as he strained his ears to listen. Presently, his partner whispered, "I can sense them. They're coming closer."

"Who?"

"Them. The creatures in that maze. The ones that tried to take Kari away. They're coming here."

TK stood and walked over to the door of the dusty, empty room. He put his ear to the wood and tried to listen for any movement outside. He frowned and looked at the rookie, who had taken to flight. "How close are they?"

The digimon looked like he was about to complain about something, but decided against it and replied, "Farther away than MarineDevimon was when he attacked, but they can probably sense us like we can sense them."

It felt like being a virus, where it was only a matter of time before the host would eradicate them. TK hated the feeling of helplessness that came over him. He unlocked the door and peered out into the hallway, restlessness not allowing him to sit still in the small room. He looked up and down the hall. At one end was the doorway outside; the other led to a room with a window. TK listened closely, straining to discern any noise out of the ordinary.

When it came, the sound chilled his blood. A faint wail carried on the air and through the house, marked with agony. Then, as if that first one was a signal, several other voices followed, all with the same mournful tone. TK could imagine the crowd of shady creatures slowly making their way towards the house.

"Patamon…" He said quietly.

"I hear them too. They're here."

TK looked at his digimon and nodded in acknowledgement. He looked back out towards the front door, and froze. They were there. The door had been opened slightly, and one of them had taken a half-step in. It was staring straight at him with a silent, but eager look. TK could only gaze back. Maybe if he stayed still, they wouldn't bother to come in. His partner jumped lightly on his back and peered over his shoulder. The digimon had a better idea than TK's in mind.

"Y'know, while you two are having a staring contest, chances are the others are surrounding the house."

TK's head immediately snapped into action. He spun towards the room with the window and bolted. He could imagine the creatures behind him giving chase, but instead only heard an annoyed, raspy groan. So he was only a nuisance to these beings? TK ignored the thought and ran on down the long hall, yet skidded to a sudden stop before reaching the threshold. The rookie had been right. Those few seconds TK had spent staring at the creature behind him had given the other shadowy beings the edge they needed to seal off his escape. TK watched in horror as one of them began to clumsily climb through the window, its long, thin arms grasping for anything in reach to pull itself in with. Others were crowding right behind it.

There was a guttural noise behind him. The boy whirled around to see a group of the shadows staggering down the hall, taking their time in their pain. Their wails grew louder the closer they approached, and TK shivered at each one. He grabbed the knob of the nearest door in the corridor, twisting hard and ramming into it with his shoulder. He burst into a stairwell, leading to the second floor of the two-story home. With intent to place as much distance between him and his pursuers, TK sprinted up the stairs and towards the far side of the hallway he came to, and barged in on the room at the end. He locked the door behind him, hoping that would buy a little time.

TK examined the room as his partner relinquished the tight grip he had on the boy's shoulder. The place was empty and musty, just like all the other rooms. There was a window, facing the one-story building that stood not even a yard away from the one they were in now. TK walked over to the window and opened it, sticking his head out to get a look at his surroundings. It was definitely night time, though the world hadn't gone pitch-black. The air had an early-morning grey feel to it. Normally it would be a peaceful time of day for TK, but there was obviously no time to sit back now. Especially when there came the sound of a locked doorknob being jiggled. TK twisted his head to look over his shoulder, his heart beginning to race. His partner grunted.

"C'mon, buddy. Out here."

TK turned to the rookie, who was fluttering just outside the window. The digimon's recently snappy attitude was apparently rubbing off on TK as he replied. "Get real. I'd break something if I jumped out there."

The flying rookie scowled in reply and pointed towards the side of the building beneath the window. "Look down there, genius."

The boy followed the digimon's gesture and saw the fire escape ladder running from the window down to the empty alley. He almost chuckled in relief at the stroke of fortune, and then was all frowns as a pound sounded at the door. TK grabbed the windowsill and swung his legs out into the open and onto the ladder. He descended as quickly as he could, especially after hearing the splintering of wood coming from the room above him. He kept his eyes below him, watching the ground come nearer and nearer, and right before he reached the spot on the ladder that he was planning on jumping from, the entire fire escape was detached from the building.

For a split second the ladder was in freefall, and when it hit the ground, the impact jarred TK from the rung he was clinging to. The fall to the ground measured only five feet, but it was enough to cut up his knees and tear holes in his jeans. He stayed on the ground for a moment to recover from the adrenaline of the fall, and then stood to find his way to escape.

Before he could even pick a direction, TK was driven to the ground by a mass from above. He gasped sharply, and even let out a weak yelp when he found himself looking straight into the eyes of one of the shadowy creatures. It had him pinned down effortlessly, its hands gripping his shoulders as for dear life. The terror only lasted for a second, as a hard blast of air struck the being from the side, disrupting its balance enough for TK to squirm out from underneath and sprint from the alley, his partner flying right beside him.

The two were soon out running in the streets of the town once more, trying to avoid their enemies. It seemed hopeless, being that the creatures were now flowing out of nearly every walkway. TK began to think that he and his partner were being herded in a certain direction, but where in the world could it be? All he saw in front of him was an empty main street that led out of the town. For all he knew, that was where he wanted to go. The way that the creatures were pouring out of every alley, it seemed as if this place was where they lived, and he had to get away from them.

By the time they reached the outskirts of the city, TK was running low on endurance. Sure, he was well experienced in fleeing from monsters, but in the DigiWorld, there came a point where they could run no longer, and would stand and fight. There was no such situation here. If they stopped…TK wasn't sure what would happen. That being that had tackled him didn't exactly seem to have intent to kill, despite how menacing it looked.

TK finally had to slow down. The two had come out of the opposite side of the village that they came in. The ocean was behind them; cliffs were now in front. He stole a glance behind him, and his gaze took on a look of confusion when he realized the shadowy beings didn't follow them out of the town. He relaxed somewhat, and took the time to catch his breath while he examined the cliff.

"Do we climb it, Patamon?" His voice was still winded as he asked.

The digimon gazed up at the stone face, and shuddered. "It'll probably be the only way to escape those guys."

A familiar, deep voice intervened. "Still trying to escape?"

TK spun to see Daemon standing there, not a yard away. Silence ensued until the mega took a step forward. The boy swallowed hard as he backed away in turn, the cold stone wall soon pressing against his back. Daemon didn't stop his approach until his cloaked face was a foot from TK's. Just as the mega seemed to be ready to speak, TK's partner burst out.

"Get away from him!" An air shot knocked into Daemon's head to follow up the rookie's words. The mega replied by simply swatting the flying digimon away.

"Patamon!" TK cried, attempting to follow, but he found Daemon's arm cross in front of him. The boy fell back against the wall, once again face to face with Daemon, hemmed in on both sides by the mega's arms.

Daemon snickered. "Come to terms with reality, Takeru. Not even your partner will remain in your circle of friends for much longer."

"What are you saying?" TK challenged. "That's my partner. I know normal friends may eventually leave, but not a digimon like Patamon!"

"You're only delaying the inevitable, boy." Daemon countered with a growl. He looked like he was about to continue, but the mega checked himself. He dropped his arms from the wall and gave the boy some space. "I'll leave you to the Shades. Just you remember that no friendship lasts forever. There won't always be something to hope for."

TK watched Daemon leave with clenched fists. Was the digimon really meaning what he thought he meant? Were the others even coming for him? Sure, they may be trying, but could they succeed? TK mulled over the words of the mega as he walked over to his half-conscious partner. There was only one way out, and that was by flight. There was just no way to do it. Now, the one thing standing between him and his capture or even death at Daemon's hands was Daemon himself.

"Patamon," he whispered desperately, laying his hand on the orange-furred back. "You have to digivolve."

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