Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon.

On two notes of importance. The first one is for whatever reason has made it impossible to see my viewership and it makes me sad. I have asked the m in emails multiple times, but they still don't fix the issue. The second part is more towards your end. I have decided that I am going to stop writing the Digital Record Series...yeah, I had you there for a moment. There is no way I will stop until I die. But I did not want to tell you, that, well, just like we had the prologue short shorty: A Birthday for the Ages I have decided it is necessary to write another one.

And what is that, you ask? I have yet for a title, but it will be about Hikari Yagami from the time the Digidestined give up the power of their crests until shortly before Takeru returns back to Hikarigaoka. I always wondered how Hikari met Daisuke and how all of that fit together. I will leave you with a hint though. A large portion of this story revolves around that one girl Hikari went to a birthday party to in the Digimon Movie. It's going to be fun. I'll be working on it and probably will complete it in a week while on vacation. I so wanted to finish this story first, but, the situation demands the short story to be completed. Always appreciate constructive feedback.


Chapter Forty-Five: The Waves That Are Calling

The shadow of a youth faded into Rei's domain, Rei curious as to the reason of his arrival. Ygdrassill's servants lurked in the depths ready to strike, but Rei held up his arm keeping them at bay.

The youth seemed to be crying, his sniveling lips quivering as if exhaling his soul into the bitterness of the atmosphere. "Nisan," he groaned, his hand clutched over his heart as he wedged his way through the last of the forest into the beach part of his domain. He clutched in his fist, nearly bruised and bleeding, a familiar device, Rei staying hidden as he followed the sheen of it as the boy approached the ocean.

"This," he said, his quivering voice growing more confident. He bent down and plunged the device into the Dark Ocean water, the Digivice contorting into a different shape. "This is no longer Osamu's," he grinned. "He's gone. Long gone. This is my proof," he grinned holding up a dark digivice, "That the Digital World no longer belongs to my brother. It's not his anymore," he declared. He turned facing out from the Dark Ocean as if looking towards the Digital World. "The Digital World...is MINE!"

Rei, having had enough of the lad tricked him into expelling him from his domain back to the earth using the darkened light of his own Digivice.

"So then," Rei smirked noticing the boy's footprints. "That's what you've been up to," he said taking the data he had fashioned regarding the junk data of previous viral data including the blueprints for dark spires and dark rings and filtering them as he inserted them into the light back to whence he came.

He pondered about it considering his last conversation with his minion. "Perhaps you will more than make up for the loss of my other generals," Rei quipped. "Once I have all the power you've attained, I likely won't need to worry about dissolving...for quite some time."


Not much later, Rei received yet another visitor. A visitor whom he had known this time, slightly surprised to see her. He let King Ygdrassill who he had trained just for such a moment as this to chart her course of hatred to destroy her by finding her weakness. Yes, Rei wanted to bring out the negativity of viral data to it's fullest, but he still knew he had to keep her alive as long as possible just until his power could be released...if, that, was at all possible.

They stared at her from the depths as the girl with the bobbing hair made her return, vulnerable and shivering. He nodded his head as King Ygdrassill smiled coming out from the ocean with only smiles and a false warmth.

"Hikari," King Ygdrassill called, her voice as smooth as butter and syrupy as, well, syrup. The girl responded in her pink nightgown, her eyes open, but as if fully not aware of herself.

"Hikari," she said again, Hikari's body moving on it's own in this dream-like state. "There you go. That's a good girl," she smiled, Rei aware of her indignation.

"Come here," she said holding out her hands. "It is I, Homeostasis," she lied through her teeth.

Rei shook his head whispering to her through the barrier between the Dark Ocean and the Darker Depths within.

"You look like you're more excited to eat a feast than to be her friend," he warned. "Your smile is too broad. Relax, and be inviting. Not like your threatening to devour a whole smorgasbord of sweets."

She grinned back. "I got it. I just wanted to tease her a bit," she said, Hikari's foot walking forward stretching out for her.

"Where...are you?" she called out. "I haven't heard...your voice in a long time."

She walked closer to her with her arms out, King Ygdrassill skipping and dodging away from her.

"I'm right here silly," she said.

"Where?"

"Just use your light to find me," she teased.

Hikari stopped moving, her eyes closed in concentration.

"If you say so," she said, her eyes opening brightly; a light capturing the outline of King Ygdrassill.

She stared at her a bit dangerously as if wondering what Digidestined flesh would taste like.

"No, you can't have that one!" Rei scolded, his voice like crashing waves.

"Awwe come on, just a little taste?" she begged, Rei not having it.

"No. If anything happens to her you'll never eat sweets again. You'll never see Homeostasis again. I will ensure it!" he scolded, his wrath in full display as thunder cracked overhead, a fierce storm brewing.

"Homeostasis?" Hikari asked innocently.

"I'm here, Hikari," she said following Rei's advise, serious but welcoming, and trying to wipe the drool around her mouth.

"Just...who was it that you're talking to?" she asked, both her and Rei at a loss.

"Abort!" Rei shouted. "Return her, now!"

"Time to wake up Hikari!" she shouted, Hikari fading from view, the Dark Ocean empty once more.

Rei stepped out from the barrier at a loss.

"Rei," King Ygdrassill said as if unable to believe it, "How did she know?"

"I don't know," Rei admitted. "She has remarkable depth perception. Truly, she has grown from when she was just a little girl. It's only been a few years since then."

"I suppose your correct," Cthulusmon said, rising from the depths of the Dark Ocean. He shook his hair spreading it all around, King Ygdrassill annoyed. "But her awakened powers only make her more tantalizing to devour," he said licking his lips.

"You're both hopeless fools," Rei scoffed. "Ah, well. In time."

"Yeah," King Ygdrassill said looking away. "That girl is really bugging me," she growled. "She looks more and more like me every day."

"Quite a curious thing, isn't it?" Rei asked.

"It is," she said. "But I've noticed something else about her. Something that makes me feel...jealous."

"Jealous? You?" Cthulusmon covering his mouth holding back laughter. "I'll have to hear this one."

"It's not funny!" She said threateningly. "It's just, she's a girl that's always been protected by somebody. Her brother, that Taichi guy. Loving Parents. Her Digimon. And that handsome young man Takeru," she said.

"What's your point?" Rei inquired.

"How come she gets all that plus the pretty boy!" she said clenching her teeth. "She's just a spoiled little girl. She pretends to be fearful and weak, but secretly takes pleasure at turning everyone to her side."

Rei glanced at her as if he really didn't understand the monster at all.

"You really don't know anything, do you?" he asked.

"What do you mean?"

"What have you been doing during these dream sessions? Playing nothing but hide and seek with her?"

"Well…" she said turning her head away from his wrath.

"What did I tell you Ygdrassill?" he challenged. "You can't truly deceive your enemies until you build rapport with them. Because then you'll know their fears and weaknesses and just how to break them. You haven't at all begun to have any pleasant conversations with her."

She said nothing staring down. "Just thinking about it makes me angry," she confessed. "I want to, but then immediately after want to tear her to pieces, offer it to Homeostasis and say, 'See? I'm your real sister. She is nothing like you," she said, her eyes beaming dangerously.

"Just take it easy then," Rei said bending down at her level rubbing her head. "Get to know her. Pretend to like her. And imagine the whole time the end result as she slowly shifts into the palm of your hand. And just when the time is right you can do to her as you wish as long as you let him have her body thereafter."

She glanced at Rei and then back at him.

"To the perverted old Butler?"

"Perverted?" he said astonishingly. "Me?"

"What else would you call it?" she said eyeing him suspiciously. "Your inner maniac is showing."

Cthulusmon grinned putting his hand across his face, closing his desirous eyes. "There will be a time for it. As is time for everything else our Lord sets out to accomplish."

King Ygdrassill raised her hands stretching them behind her back. "I'll play nice," she said. "Maybe tomorrow night she'll even have...sweet dreams," she grinned.


The following night Rei transformed himself into a ghoulish creature blending in the background. Ygdrassill had been swinging on a makeshift swing he had crafted for her humming to herself waiting for the girl to appear. It wasn't too much longer until she manifested.

"Hello Hikarichan!" she smiled, as Hikari smiled back.

"Hi," she said moving forward getting on the swing next to her.

"You're getting pretty good at controlling yourself in my domain," she said. "Think you can swing the swing and control yourself?"

"I don't know?" she said moving her body with the swing rocking back and forth getting higher each time. "I can get pretty high, but I've never gotten past Taichi."

She glanced over at her cheerfully. "Your brother?"

"That's right," Hikari said swinging more. "I've told you before about him, haven't I?"

"You have," she said "But I notice you haven't been appearing like your chipper self for awhile. Maybe even since you came here."

Hikari glanced away. "You can tell?"

"Of course I can," King Ygdrassill agreed stopping. "It's got me very worried Hikari."

Hikari stopped her feet firmly planted in sand.

"I'm...still not used to it," she said swallowing hard. "It's been...almost two years, but I…." she said choking back tears. "I'm...still not used to him not being there."

"Who are you talking about?" she said getting off the swing and falling forward, her chest falling on Hikari's legs.

She glanced away as if embarrassed and too sad to even say the name.

"Ohhh, I see," she said. "Is it that young man from before? The one that protected you from the Dark Masters?"

She nodded her head. "He's probably forgotten all about me," she sighed. "That's… a good thing, I suppose."

King Ygdrassill glanced at her curiously but angrily.

"This girl," she groaned under her breath. "Wh-what?" she said perplexed, Rei making every signal he can for her to stay in character even going so far as to mimic the cutting off the head sign. "What is wrong with you?" she asked reaching forward and grabbing her shoulders.

"Wrong with me?" she smiled. "Nothing is wrong-"

"-Liar," she winced. "What, you're going to pretend to be little miss downer? Oh, look at me, poor Hikari. I am so pitiful and miserable and-"

"-I never said I was anything like that!" she exclaimed protesting.

King Ygdrassill was not impressed. Rei knew her 'I'm going to knock some sense into you' look and she was giving off all the signals she was about to get violent.

With a shove, she pushed her to the ground, Hikari wincing getting up.

"What, you have to call someone to save you?" she scoffed. "I gave you more than enough power to even think you needed anyone else like that," she said angrily. She bent down to her, Hikari wincing as she got up. She then grabbed her by her hair, holding her up, scooping up sand in the other.

"I can hear all of your pathetic sobbing," she said coldly, a smile spreading across her face. "If you open your mouth, but don't have anything to say," she said taking the sand and shoving it in her mouth, "then you might as well eat sand."

She dropped Hikari to the ground, Hikari spewing up the sand, her voice choking on it, coughing desperately getting it out of her system.

"You see, Hikari?" she said toying with her. "If you belittle yourself, you nothing more deserve to be stuff with sand or stuffing and be displayed like a trophy for your enemies," she said belittling her. "But, I guess that's the best you can do, isn't it, poor little Hikari?" she mocked her sneering wickedly.

Rei wanted to intervene, but remarkably her tactics seemed to reach Hikari, Rei noticing desperation return to her eyes after looking cloudy and lifeless for so long.

"Crude..." he observed, his own grin spreading across his face, "…. But greatly effective…"


The very next night Hikari appeared again in the Dark Ocean. The way Rei watched over her every movement like a hawk, she seemed lost and aimless, only Ygdrassill's voice beckoning her over once more.

"Hikari," her voice called out, slithering her way.

The child's eyes seemed a bit wary, even hesitant and frightened.

"Hikari!" she said creepily, Hikari hearing her voice, the Dark Ocean summoning familiars, strange creatures that looked like creatures she had never seen before.

She backed up as they approached, hesitant., swallowing heavy.

"Who are you guys?" she asked backing up as they slowly advanced.

"Are you friendly? Or are you-"

"-What do you think?" Ygdrassill asked. "They are friends," she said as they turned towards her and kneeled.

"F-friends?"

"Mhm!" she grinned.

"That seems...nice," she said, Ygdrassill detecting sadness in her voice.

"You're really messed up, you know that?" she said not at all amused.

Hikari said nothing only looking down.

"Hey," she swallowed, Rei noticing her averting her gaze from Ygdrassill. "Where exactly...am I?" she asked. "This...isn't the Digital World...Is this...a nightmare?"

"Why do you say that?" Ygdrassill asked cheerfully.

"Because, these last few nights, they don't feel like the terror of the evil Digimon haunting my dreams," she confessed. "It seems so much more real. I…" she said hesitantly, "...I still taste the sand from yesterday."

"That's because you are psychologically traumatized," she said as if enjoying her suffering. "Really, Hikari, as my vessel, I thought you would be able to handle yourself better."

"How...am I supposed to handle myself?" she said, her servants turning to her malevolently.

"With reverence," she said approaching her. She walked forward and took off her shoe from her foot. "My foot's dirty," she said holding it out. "Lick it for me," she sneered.

"L-lick it?" she said hesitantly. "But why-"

"-You dare to question me?" she asked angrily. "Some servant you are. Maybe I should find another vessel. One who is more obedient."

"N-no," Hikari stammered. "You can't. If something happens to the others and I can't use my crest- I-"

"-You WHAT?" she said challenging her. "You won't be able to digivolve Tailmon? And the others will die against viral evil digimon? Well," she snickered, "Then I guess that's up to you and how willing you are to obey me."

Hikari shivered slightly and collapsed to the ground on her knees. "O-ok," she said. "If it's for my friends," she said fearfully but obediently moving her lips towards her foot, "then I-"

-All of a sudden, her crest lit up, the light flickering off and on, blinding King Ygdrassill slightly, her servants retreating into the Dark Ocean.

"What is this?" she asked averting her eyes. "Why does her light hurt me Rei?" she asked, Rei at a loss.

Rei crossed both his arms and stared at her shaking his head. "You've pushed her too far," he said. "Like a battery at the end of it's life, I perceive the crest is using it's waning power to protect her."

"Protect her?!" Ygdrassill asked incredulously. "Why? Why would she-"

"-We're near the end," Rei declared, Ygdrassill at a loss. "The time is coming as Gennai had foretold. Very soon, I will be trapped here until the angels and their chosen children are strong enough to break me out."

"That's terrible!" Ygdrassill exclaimed.

"What are you saying?" Hikari asked, the blinding light practically shouting around her. "I- I can't understand-"

"-Send her back," Rei commanded, Ygdrassill clenching her teeth as Hikari faded from view.

"Why?" she asked angrily clenching her fists. "Why does she get to live with HER blessing? Why not me? Why can't I have my sister's favor?!"

Rei stepped out towards her revealing himself. "You know the answer. She's on autopilot mode doing all she can to protect the Digital World. With the Dark Masters gone, and, subsequently Apocalymon and Diaboromon destroyed the pressing threats to the Digital World have been silenced. It means that there will soon be no more need for Digidestined for awhile."

"That is," a familiar voice said rising from the depths as Cthulusmon appeared in a grotesque tentacled form and then morphed to his humanoid one, "Until the next threat emerges."

"We'll get there," Rei agreed. "It's all in place already. The goal is the maturation and growth of all of them. Keep that fresh in your minds," he said. "No matter how much you wish to savor her flesh and strip the meat from her bones, her and all the others are vital to the Dark Ocean Depths being released."

They both seemed to salivate, wiping their mouths in anticipation.

Rei also felt his appetite grow licking his lips. "Once that happens the whole of humanity will be ours to turn or devour. With all worlds dyed in darkness, their will not be a single one that will not twist to our cause...or succumb to our appetites..."


As Rei predicted not much longer, he certainly felt it. A powerful force converged spreading out completely isolating the Digital World from Rei's domain, the border set up firmly in place smashing and cracking the outer foundation of his domain.

"Wow!" Ygdrassill said, her hand over the brow of her eye looking out as if looking at the devastation. "You weren't kidding!" she exclaimed.

"Our Lord never jokes around like that," Cthulusmon said a bit annoyed. "But that does mean it will be quite some time before that girl can enter our domain again."

"Once her and the child of hope release me," Rei said, "then will we be free to do as we please. You only have to be patient."


What felt like an eternity seemed to pass to Rei Kurenada. He felt walled in, the lights of the cursed crests pressing ever so firmly against his borders. He could not access the earth anymore either. Even with Myotismon out there still and his solutions for the future, he could not help but feel trapped.

At this time, Rei could not even take the Digital World and convert it into viral digital data unfortunately. With everything perfectly in place all Rei could do was wait for the opportunity he needed to weaken the barrier. And, at long last, after two years of isolation, that chance finally arrived.


Frankly, this girl Hikari Yagami seemed more interesting every time she visited. But this time, this dream encounter with Ygdrassill seemed off. She appeared surprised to see Homeostasis practically in tears.

"It's been...so long," she sniffed as she found her in the entrance of the domain. "Homeostasis, why haven't I heard your voice? Without it, I've just been feeling...so lost," she admitted. "But, at least that's how I felt. I feel a little better now."

"Oh?" Ygdrassill said curiously. "You know it's because of your crest protecting the Digital World that I've not been able to speak to you as I've liked to," she said. "I'm sure it must have been hard, huh?"

Hikari wiped tears away with her forehead. "Mhm."

"But, you seem a little chipper the last time I saw you. Did something good happen?"

"Yes," she said forcing a smile. "You remember my friend Takeru? He...he came back," she smiled pleasantly. "And, just recently me and some other Digidestined kids formed a group. It's a lot different from before."

"Tell me all about it," she said, Rei keenly listening in desirous to relieve his boredom.

"Because of these Dark Spires made by this guy named the Digimon Emperor no one has been able to digivolve. But, strangely all of us have now been able to what's called 'armor digivolve' or, as I've heard it 'Digimental Up'.

"Really?" Ygdrassill feigned interest.

"It's the most bizarre thing," Hikari admitted. "Somehow Daisuke, Miyako, and Iori were able to find these digi eggs of Courage, Love, and Knowledge and use them to change into armored Digimon. We've been able to defeat the Dark towers and free Digimon the Digimon Kaiser has enslaved."

"Wonderful," she said clapping. "The Digital World needed a way to defend itself. It pleases me all of you were able to move forward."

"Me to," she said.

"But I'm curious about one thing," she said staring at her. "Whatever happened to the original Digidestined group?"

"Well, since they can't be any use unfortunately, they've been helping us out, and, they've been able to get their partners to digivolve once those towers were deactivated. But, more than anything they are a support group for us."

"Gee, such a shame," Ygdrassill sighed. "I'm sure that's not the only thing you have to tell me though."

Hikari glanced to the side away from her.

"...You really can see everything can't you?" she said in a downward tone.

"Who do you think I am?" she teased.

"I'll tell you then," Hikari said, "But on one condition."

"By all means," she smirked. "What is it?"

"How come we are appearing here of all places?" she questioned. "When we met before it was in the Digital World. Or in my dreams. Or you spoke to me personally. But why does our meeting look like I'm in the Dark Ocean?"

Ygdrassill considered the desperation in her eyes and glanced back at Rei concealing himself. He nodded his head as if giving her the ok. Now was the time for her to utilize the training she had been taught.

"About that," she said. "I have a confession Hikari."

"Confession?" she said puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"You should know," she said darkly. "The nightmares you have been experiencing. The ones Tailmon experiences. And all the anxiety you have felt as if some strange force has been calling you… I have been holding it all at bay."

"Holding it back? How could you do that?" Hikari wondered aloud.

"Quite simple," she said. "I have been interfering with the pull of the Dark Ocean that's been calling you. Those nightmares are just a symptom of the voice that's haunting you. The more you fear, and the more you are isolated, the greater a pull it has on you. Even if it's a servant of the one calling you to the Dark Ocean, they act under their authority. And, it appears as though you will be taken there soon."

Hikari stared at her shivering, sweat perspiring from her brow. "I feel that place even now in this dream," she stated swallowing. "And soon I'll be going there. But if I do get taken, what will happen to me?" she asked.

"Well, who knows?" she said. "But the dark ones are fickle beings. They don't understand the light so they will either want to destroy it...or, enslave it or dominate it," she said. "The last thing you want is to be stuck in their clutches."

Hikari swallowed a bit nervously as if imagining horrible scenarios of being devoured or worse.

"If… that should happen," she said a bit nervous, "Can I ever go back?"

Ygdrassill tried to smile at her pleasantly even though she pretended to be Homeostasis. "Well, those that are taken to the Dark Ocean can't make it back on their own. However, if you have a strong connection with anyone from your original world then you at least have a chance."

"Dare I ask," she said nervously, "How much of a chance?"

"Let me just put it this way," she said still trying to be cheerful. "I have never heard of anyone ever being taken away that's ever returned, except one person. But he was invited in. He wasn't snatched away."

The composure on her face drained even more. "Why is it so low?"

"Easy," she replied in a chipper tone. "Not many people will even think someone they care for has gone missing in the Dark Ocean," she said. "And if they did figure it out, by the time they realized it- it would be too late," she said somberly.

Hikari shivered slightly, afraid, but hesitant to look forward.

She opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but held it back.

"I know what you want to ask," Ygdrassill said still pretending to be Homeostasis. "And, to let you know, for those who get taken, eventually they get dragged down to the depths of the dark ocean. Their mind is tortured by all the lingering spirits of other humans that entered, and their bodies eventually disintegrate after being tortured by their captors. But, you probably want to know how I know all of this, huh?"

Hikari closed her eyes, her hands clenched to her chest as she nodded firmly.

"It's because," she said bending down and whispering in her ear, "...I allowed it to happen."

Hikari stared at her wide eyed in fear. "You…" she said glancing up at her in terror. "You're...not Homeostasis," she said as if suddenly realizing she was in danger. "But then….just who are you?" she asked, the girl in front of her only smiling.

"Who am I?" she asked sneering. "I'm...your worst nightmare," she said sinisterly as Hikari vanished from view.

Rei leaped from the shadows clapping joyfully. "Bravo Ygdrassill. Bravo!"

"Thank you Rei," she smiled. "You should have seen the look on her face. I planted that terror in her heart. Because of that she will be coming here rather soon."

"Oh joy," Rei laughed. "I must admit I've been losing my mind being confined here. She will provide ample entertainment for us. Especially when we see if it's actually possible for a human, nay a Digidestined to escape once they've been taken."

"I doubt it," Ygdrassill said happily. "Because the thing about the Dark Ocean is once you get swept in the tide you're out to sea forever. And the conscience agonizes with all the others as the body is drowned and lost."

"True enough," Rei said."It's been quite some time since any human has come here, hasn't it? We must prepare a warm welcome for her," he snickered. "I can't wait to see just how far she has come."

"Oh, absolutely!" Ygdrassill said clapping her hands. "It will be festive. My servants will be in wait. And we'll be there watching from inside the depths," she said holding out her hand as if stretching forward to the girl that was just there.

"We're coming for you..." she hummed menacingly, "…Hikari Yagami..."