Ominous Flame

Chapter 28

3rd P.O.V

Author Notes: Surprise the story continues boys and girls! Muaahahaha! Ok let's be real we all knew I was going to continue. Because I'm a terrible person who really likes making her characters suffers lol. I do not own digimon.

3rd P.O.V

The road to the Rose Morning Star was a long one as a sullen gloom overtook the train. Not too hard a thing to do when the only people riding Worm the Trailmon were Koichi and his friends as well as the staff who were kind enough to make a little place at the end cart for Takuya.

A week has gone since the Autumn Leaf Festival. One week of Takuya still unconscious since trying to commit suicide. After defeating Grumblemon, dealing with Ranamon and Tommy single handedly blow Pettledramon away with his new found beast spirit along with the recovering their d-tectors this was their reward?

To find their friend barely alive after slashing his eyes and stabbing himself in the chest? It was a cruel joke. Just how long was Takuya planning this? Koichi wasn't sure he really wanted the answer but he was hoping it was an impulse situation.

One where Takuya didn't really even plan it, especially since none of them ever saw him with such a blade. It helped that JP did mention there being a booth of weapons that Takuya stopped in to ask about the Toucanmon.

It reassured the warrior of darkness that this wasn't a long term plan in the making, even if him asking Koji and Koichi to fight him should he return to Cherubimon's side was. "How desperate were you to end your life?" There was no answer.

And he wasn't expecting one as his fingers gently glossed over the bandages covering the pyromancer's eyes. He takes note of his own faint tremors going throughout his body. It's been a long time since he's felt so scared. So useless.

'Takuya was acting off-all of a sudden he booked it away from me. By the time I caught up with him he was surrounded by his flames and stabbed himself in the chest.'

There was far more to it than that. Koichi couldn't accept otherwise. The last week has been hell with Arbormon chasing them, all of them barely able to catch their breaths. The fact that Koji and Zoe's tag team wins to get them free burgers and trip to the Rose Morning Star was a miracle they desperately needed.

It gave them the chance to rest their weary limbs, even if the thoughts forming in their minds were unwanted. "Excuse me. Excuse me." He looks up to find one of the trailmon staff coming in. "Oh hello EbiBurgamon. I take it it's time for you to change his bandages?" She nods her head.

"Yes sir. Do you mind leaving for a few moments?" All he could do was give a quiet yes as he rises from his seat. In the past he along with Koji had offered to help with changing his bandages, but the little food digimon insisted that they leave, if only for those few minutes.

He wasn't sure if it was because she wanted to give her patient privacy or to force Koichi to be up and about. Still he didn't have a choice but to leave until she gives him the ok to come back. "Hey...Mr.?"

His feet freeze when he receives a little pat on his hand. The little pink EbiBurgamon barely reached his knees, so it was probably a strain for her to reach for his hand, but she did it regardless. All with a bright, calming smile.

"Don't worry, your friend is strong. And soon we'll be at my hometown. My parents will be more than happy to make a space for him if he's not awake yet." That brought a smile to his face.

It was a small, shaky one, but still genuine. "Thank you." With that he was forced to leave, sighing as he walked back to his friends. It was late into the night, so by the time he reached the others all but one was asleep. "How is he?"

His brother of course was waiting for him. "No changes. Still has an intense fever and his injuries aren't healing at all. I was just kicked out so EbiBurgamon could redo his bandages." A small hum escapes Koji but not much else.

Feeling uncomfortable with the idiot brunette's latest stunt. They all did, but it was clear that Koji was especially struggling. He was the one to protest when Takuya told them to kill him if he turns evil. And though neither boy would admit it to each other...it was clear they were close friends.

"Koichi...do you think he-" He couldn't finish his sentence, just incapable of forming the words. "I-" But before he could answer another voice popped up, a little slurred but clear enough to hear. "He wouldn't have done it if he didn't have to but it wasn't planned."

Both siblings turn, finding Tommy rubbing his sore eyes as he sits up. "He promised to introduce me to Shinya when we go home. He told me he wanted to make it up to Zoe by showing her an Italian food joint close to his house. And JP when the local fair takes place-" There were so many promises.

So many plans he had for them when they got back. And he meant every single one. Not only wanting to do it, but to motivate himself to keep going. To keep fighting. "He said all that? Even us?" Koichi and Koji wore matching expressions of astonishment.

There haven't been too many moments where the younger boy was able to properly hang out with Takuya with how crazy it's been lately. But the times they went gathering for wood for their nightly campfires gave them a few moments of peace, of dreams for their futures to be discussed.

"He said he wanted to drag you guys down to the beach so he could teach you how to properly enjoy yourselves this time." Tommy managed laugh as the raven haired boys both snorted. In complete sync.

A rarity nowadays. "So he wouldn't have tried doing that unless he was forced to. I'll bet that meanie Cherubimon was doing something to him and tried to stop him." His theory matched up to theirs...but they also knew Tommy was unaware of his surrogate brother's little favor.

So they kept their mouths shut as far as that touchy subject. "He had severe burns all throughout his body-looking like deep bruises." His flames have never harmed him in the past-at least as far as any of them knew. "But what about his eyes? Why blind himself?"

A yawn blasted throughout the room as JP sat up. "You guys are too loud." And not too long after Zoe..."Is it finally time to chit chat?" Looks like none of them were getting much sleep tonight. "Any idea on what's going on with him?" JP narrowed his eyes out the window.

"I think Cherubimon was talking to him..." Unable to look away from the dark sky. It made it easier for him to voice his thoughts. To remember without seeing his anguish reflected in his friends' eyes.

Even when they go searching to meet his tired expression. "What do you mean JP?" Now that all of them had a chance to rest, and were in a position where they didn't have to look over their shoulder...it was time to talk.

Though they'd let Bokomon and Neemon sleep...they didn't need to be woken up for this. "I told you guys he was acting weird right? Well, I kept trying to get his attention. He spoke, but it wasn't to me." He takes back every mean thing he ever said to Takuya.

Every insult, rude comment-he didn't understand the teen before, but he did now. And if he wasn't scared of what Cherubimon could do before from the stories Takuya told them all when he first introduced himself...he most certainly was now.

"After he...stabbed himself I immediately went to his side, trying to see just how bad the damage was and I heard a voice." It was no wonder JP had burn marks on his hands, but his healed within a few days. Why didn't Takuyas? "A voice? Don't tell me-" JP didn't bother look at Zoe.

Not wishing to see her horrified expression. "I heard the voice say 'You may've gotten your wish now Shagumon. But this isn't the end. You WILL return to me. And my first order when you've become my faithful servant is the execution of your precious little friends."

Dread filled all of their frames as the words soaked in. "He threatened us? How did he know we were with Takuya? He told us that when he left that he was pretending to obey orders to go to Dream Forest." Realization hit Koji so hard his face whiplashed.

"Koji?" He could hear his heart pounding in his ears as his brother moved to his side. "Oh hell." Everyone turned his way as he held his face in his hands. "What is it Koji? Don't leave us hanging." It took a moment before he lifted his head.

His gaze full of pain as he meets his brother's concerned one. "His eyes Koichi...if Takuya slashed them then Cherubimon was probably using them to spy on us." Why else would he do it? "Aren't you jumping the gun a bit Koji? How could Cherubimon even do that?"

Koichi raised a hand to his chin as he started pacing. His mind racing for any clues to try and confirm his brother's theory. "No...I think he's right Zoe." And he found it not even a minute later. "How?" He nibbles his lips, for the moment ignoring Tommy's question.

Not even sure if he wanted to tell them. The looks he was receiving told him he didn't have an option however. "Remember what Ophanimon showed us back at Shamonmon's temple. We saw how he was introduced to the Digital World." More accurately how he was tricked.

They saw hands drag him. And fire engulf his entire body before being given a new digital one. "If Cherubimon recreated him using the spirits and his own power, then it's possible he could've done something to where he merged with Takuya, allowing him to be able to see through his eyes."

There were many times in past conversations where Takuya said he felt off, especially when his powers started spiraling out of control. Even back in the beginning he said he was corrupt, tainted...his flames being proof of that.

They didn't change color until after he got his memories back and even more when he was given that necklace. "What does that mean? He's connected to Takuya?" It seemed that the yin yang twins reached the same conclusion.

"He found out while talking to Cherubimon, confirming all of his fears, and did whatever to hinder him, taking out his eyes before trying to kill himself." Even if he lives both would be handicapped.

It was a risky, desperate gamble. In a horrible ironic twist the words he spoke from the beginning held true. He was dangerous to them all, because without even meaning to he was still helping the enemy.

And when he discovered the truth, did whatever he could to fix it. That would explain why Takuya wasn't healing right. If he refused to give the ancient digimon any sort of edge, and tried shutting himself down mind, body and soul then him staying unconscious was his own doing.

"Hey guys...what happens if we beat Cherubimon? Would Takuya be ok?" But of course with THAT particular idea came with a huge can of other implications. One specifically that none of them could've expected. Yet all eyes go wide at Tommy's question.

Chills racking up their bones. "Wh-what are you talking about Tommy!?" He flinched as Zoe shrieked, hysterical. "If-if Koichi's right and Cherubimon used his powers to remake Takuya's body, and they're connected, what would happen after we beat him?"

It was a bad question to ask. "He'd be fine obviously! Like us he was born in the human world. Cherubimon gets his ass kicked and Takuya goes to normal and all of us can kiss this world goodbye." Before that would've been something they all believed, even Takuya.

But now? They weren't too sure. Not even JP who said that with such false conviction. Koichi held his shaking fingers, as new thoughts formed, his heart breaking off piece by piece. That night the three of them spoke specifically hitting him.

'Should my necklace break...and I change back I need you guys to take me out. Take my spirit and life if need be.'

'Understand where I'm coming from Koji. At any point I can go back to being Cherubimon's minion. I do that-all of you are gonzo.'

'I'm not saying to kill me in my sleep, but I want you guys ready should things go south.'

'The last few days he's been trying to get into my head. Calling me back in my dreams.'

'Either way-I wasn't doing as well as you thought I was Koichi.'

'Kill me in my sleep.'

He didn't know about Cherubimon spying through him. He probably didn't even guess beforehand that killing himself could potentially bring harm to the celestial beast. But there must've been something in his heart or his typical intuition telling him to be ready for trouble.

To prepare them for the worst case scenario. Because why would he say such things otherwise? Maybe he got another vision from Ophanimon or something that gave him wisdom to see things at face value, but either way he had confided the reality of the situation.

And like fools all of them disregarded his concerns. Assuming things would be fine since they were the chosen heroes and because they honestly believed Takuya could beat his influence. They underestimated Cherubimon. And now all of them were paying the price for it.

After they found him bleeding, Koji took his d-tector while Koichi swiped the dagger, not wanting the brunette to try anything should he wake up. "Koji...his dagger was a recent purchase. Remember what he asked us that night?" At this point his brother was in denial, he shook his head back and forth.

"I don't care what he said. It's not happening. The bastard when he wakes up is getting a punch to the face for all the shit he's put us through then I'm tearing Cherubimon to shreds-end of story." But was that the right thing to do?

To ignore the possible problems present? If the two of them were connected, would Takuya die along with Cherubimon? "I never accepted his promise Koichi. And I will beat the shit out of you if you even try considering it right now-I know you have the dagger."

At this point the two of them were having a stare down. "I still don't intend to. But he might." No matter what...Takuya couldn't trail down their thought process. Less he tries this again and succeeds. But the biggest problem now is...what do they do when they face Cherubimon?

"What are you guys talking about!?" Both freeze, now remembering the audience present. An unknowing audience that was ready to demand answers. "Woooo woooooooo! Arriving at Hamburger Village~" All of them flinched as harsh whistles and harsh screeching from Worm's breaks hit their ears.

If they all weren't awake, they most certainly were now. "Wahhhh!" Especially Bokomon and Neemon as they fall off their seats. With Bokomon falling on his companion, thankfully cushioning Seraphimon's egg.

Worm managed to derail the conversation. For now it would be dropped, especially when EbiBurgamon opens the door to their cart. "Can I please have some help with your friend? We'll be there in just a minute." But that wouldn't last long as the twins both volunteer.

to be continued

Author Notes: Oof...the angst and anxiety is real. I feel ba-actually no, no I don't lol. Writing dark fanfiction is my therapy. And speaking of 'dark' ~ I think I love Koichi even more now. Fun times are ahead!

But that is sadly it for now my friends-are any of you friends of mine at this point? Or do all of you hate me? Either way, I appreciate you guys reading the story. If you want to fav/follow/review to support my story it'd really make my day~ I'll see you all next time. Tchao for now.