Writing this chapter reminded me why I love writing and why I love writing for Digimon. It took every bit of pain I've ever been through due to these fandoms on shows that are supposed to promote love and friendship, making it worth it. Because if someone can't realise how beautiful love and friendship are, shows like Digimon and Voltron are wasted on them. The whumptober prompt for Day 21 inspired this story more than it did the other one. 'See the chains around my feet' and 'Restraints' were the two prompts I used. Warning for Past abuse and the impact of trauma.


3. All Too Familiar

Gatomon was no stranger to darkness. Growing up with Myotismon, darkness had been a part of everyday life but being with Kari, a part of her had forgotten the struggles, the restraints that had been put on her back then. She wanted to help Ken – she wanted to help everyone, she really did but stepping outside, despite the fact that the world still looked bright and sunny, she felt a cold chill envelop her. Her fur stood on edge, and she shifted closer to Kari a little who looked down at her.

"Gatomon?" Kari picked up her partner. "Are you alright?"

Gatomon nodded. "I'm fine but the Queen was right. This is no ordinary darkness."

It was a cutting darkness, one that could destroy everything if they weren't careful. Her scars burnt as if they were on fire and she hissed in pain, jumping out of Kari's arms. Something was happening – something big and something none of them were really prepared for.

"Gatomon?" Kari said softly and she wanted to respond to her partner, she really did but the screams that were ringing in her ears were becoming louder and Kari's voice, even her figure was disappearing from right in front of her and there was nothing she could do to stop it no matter how hard she tried.

The bright sunny day disappeared from around her and she was in a darker forest. Had she been called to the Dark Ocean now like Kari had once? No, this was something else. She could hear it – the screams were getting louder and no longer caring that Kari was not with her anymore, she began running towards the sound. The scream was familiar, but she was not the one screaming, that much she knew. She would have a hoarse throat by now if she was screaming that much. The more she ran though, her surroundings changed again and was now in a dungeon.

A choked gasp escaped her lips as she saw herself. She was chained to the ground and screaming as Myotismon unleashed attack after attack onto her. The screams stopped and the chained prisoner looked up and it was like she was staring straight at Gatomon.

"This is our fate, Gatomon," The feline-digimon in chains said as she was struck down once again. "See the chains around my feet. Do you really think you've broken free? We were never made to be free. We were always made to be in chains. Kari can't do anything for us. We'll bring her to the darkness. Isn't it comforting?"

No. No, it was not comforting. It felt like she was trapped in a memory she could not get out of and even though she wasn't physically in chains, somehow it felt like she was. Gatomon backed away from the chained prisoner – of the reminder of her own past and turned the other way, running again. She tried to block out the screams, which as it seemed did come from her, after all. But how? How had she ended up being visited by a past version of herself? Who was their real enemy and what kind of powers did they have?


"Gatomon!" Kari cried, her voice breaking as she tried to reach out for her partner, but the Digimon had disappeared right in front of her. What was going on? What had happened to cause this? Allura was right – something dark was out here and even as Davis pulled her close, it did not take away the cold chill.

"What is going on out here?" Yolei said, scowling. "The Queen is attacked by an old enemy, Gatomon can feel a darkness and the rest of us can't even see and now she disappeared? Izzy better have an answer to all of this!"

Normally, Yolei's antics would have been amusing if Kari couldn't sense how fast her DNA partner's heart was beating right now. Ever since they had discovered DNA digivolution, they had become stronger because of how close it made them to be able to see when the other person was vulnerable. She pulled away from Davis to give her best friend a hug.

"I'm sorry, my light isn't strong enough to ward off the darkness," Kari said biting her lower lip. "If I was, Gatomon would still be here."

Yolei frowned and hugged Kari back. "Hey, enough of that. You didn't know and hey even I don't know what this darkness is, I can kind of feel a chill which is ironic to the sun shining brightly but we don't know anything about what's going on or who the enemy is. So, stop blaming yourself?"

Kari relaxed a little although her eyes kept looking back at where Gatomon had disappeared from. T.K. was clutching Patamon tightly, face pale as if he didn't really know where he was, and Ken didn't look much better although his eyes had a passionate spark in them. Well, if there was one thing Davis gave someone, it was courage and the ability to believe that anything was possible. Cody's face didn't look pale, but he was also clutching Armadillomon tightly, forehead creased.

"It's going to be okay, guys," Davis spoke up, clenching a fist. "Yeah, we have no clue what's going on but we're usually a little late to figure out what's going on, right? Well, I am at least. I mean how many times have we freaked out over a surprise pop quiz when we were back in school? Our enemies are just throwing a pop quiz at us too, but we have to do our best to beat it up as best we can, right?"

Davis's words raised her spirits a little. Gatomon had been through a lot in the past, but she had survived, and they had been able to meet, even if it had cost Wizardmon's life. Now, her partner was lost and scared and alone and Kari had to be strong for her. Even though Gatomon had not said anything, Kari had known from the moment her friend had shivered that something was scaring her, even though she didn't know how to explain it at the moment.

Kari moved to smile at her boyfriend. "That's true. I'll never give up on Gatomon either. We can stop the darkness." She had escaped the Dark Ocean with Yolei and Gatomon's help once, now she would do what she could to save Gatomon from the darkness.