Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ A Perfect Picture ❯ Lure of Darkness ( Chapter 7 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon or any of the characters thus associated with it. I own only this storyline.

Chapter Seven: Lure of Darkness

Ken remained silent throughout most of the journey to the place where they would meet up with the rest of the Digidestined before returning to the valley. Daisuke was quiet as well, only commenting softly when they changed direction, since Ken wasn't paying a lot of attention on where he was going.

How was it possible for the others to miss something as big as the Dark Ocean here in the Digital World. I mean, c'mon, sure it was difficult to see, but not if you knew how. Daisuke obviously knew how to see it, but since the others wouldn't listen to him, he kept his mouth shut and just quit trying. If they were going to push him into that valley with Daemon, then so be it. He didn't really care anymore, and Ken knew this.

Sighing, he caught Daisuke's concerned look as he glanced at him, and smiled softly. "I was just wondering why they won't listen to you when it's this important. Do you think they'd listen to me any better?" Daisuke just shrugged and continued walking, only this time he moved close enough that he brushed lightly against Ken with every step. Ken found this both comforting and pleasant, and smiled again. His lover grinned back at him.

"I really don't think they'll listen to you, and to be honest, I'm not entirely sure whose side they're on now," he stated abruptly. When Ken glanced at him, surprised, he just shrugged and replied, "They won't listen to me, and I'm usually at least half-way intuitive when it comes to something this dangerous. In your case, they may think that I've either corrupted you, talked you into helping me, or otherwise deluded you."

"Besides," he added bitterly, "you were the former Kaiser. They still don't trust you, not completely. The only reason that they keep either of us around is so that we can call forth Imperialdramon."

Ken nodded, realizing that this was true. Daisuke was truly the only one who accepted them. "In that case," he pointed out, "we owe them no loyalty and can simply refuse to go. It's not like they can really stop us, you know."

Daisuke nodded, then grinned. "Yeah, but that wouldn't be very brave or kind of us, now would it? Nor would it be a good show of friendship. Besides, maybe if we go and Daemon calls to you, it'll teach the others a lesson that they'll never forget."

Ken stared at him, then asked incredulously, "You want to do this, Dai-chan? You want to risk that I'll become the Digimon Kaiser again?"

Daisuke thought for a minute. "Well, when you put it that way, it does sound rather selfish of me, doesn't it? I would never wish you harm, Ken, but I really don't see how we're supposed to avoid this without being cut off completely from the others. And even if they aren't true friends, I still don't want them to be hurt or killed, which we both know is what will happen if they go in there without us, especially since they don't even realize that Daemon brought a part of the Dark Ocean back with him."

They were cresting a hill and could see the other Digidestined traveling in their direction. Making a quick decision, Ken spoke, "All right, Dai-chan. We'll go. You're right, I don't want to see them hurt, even if I think they deserve it. If Daemon tries to take over, we'll deal with it then." The cinnamon-haired boy glanced over at him and smiled warmly. "Thanks, Ken." Ken just shrugged and grinned back.

They stopped at the top of the hill and waited for the others to get there. Once they arrived and greeted the two friends, they began heading towards the valley. Daisuke and Ken led the way, waiting until the others were far enough behind before venturing to talk again.

"I hope this goes all right," murmured Ken softly. He was terrified of the idea that he might become the Digimon Kaiser again, after he had done so many horrible things to digimon in the past. Daisuke caught his brooding expression and punched him lightly in the arm.

"Hey, cheer up, koi. We beat him once, there's no reason we can't kick his butt again. After all, we make an unbeatable team, remember?" Ken found himself smiling at the younger boy, despite the danger they were all walking into, and he nodded his agreement.

Ten minutes later, they had reached the cliff by the valley. Since the Bearers of the Crests of Friendship and Kindness had already seen what overlapped the area, they felt no need to stare at it searching for the best way in. Besides, the other Digidestined had taken charge anyhow, so it didn't really matter.

They eventually decided to go in by air, so they quickly digivolved their partners, with Iori and Armadillomon sitting in front of Yolei on Aquilomon. Daisuke and Ken used their own Digimon, digivolved to Stingmon and Ex-veemon, for the flight in.

As they descended into the valley, both boys felt a sense of dread and foreboding. Next thing they knew, they were both tumbling out of the sky, their digimon having hit a barrier that forced them to dedigivolve back into Wormmon and Veemon.

They hit the ground with enough force that the pain of their landing wasn't even noticed before they both lost consciousness. They didn't notice that only they and their digimon had gotten through the barrier, or that the other Digidestined were busy fighting a large task force set against them outside the barrier. They weren't aware of Daemon appearing before them and laughing at how easily the brats had fallen into their trap.

Neither Ken nor Daisuke were conscious as they were picked up and carried away by some of Daemon's minions, nor when they were chained to the side of a cliff, next to their digimon. Unconscious, they didn't notice when their digivices and D-3 terminals were confiscated, either.

Left alone to wake up on their own time, they hung there, motionless. About three hours later, Daisuke began to stir. As his chocolate brown eyes opened and gazed around him, the first thing he noticed was that he was really high up. Actually, he was hanging from the side of a cliff next to Ken, with their digimon on the opposite side.

Daisuke couldn't help but laugh at the memories his predicament brought up. Hadn't Ken done this same thing to him as the Digimon Kaiser? And where the hell were the others? Surely, they were right behind him and Ken? Where could they have gone? Did Daemon have them somewhere else? What in the world was going on?

Frustrated, the brunette cheered instantly when he heard his boyfriend groan next to him. "Welcome back to the world of the living," he greeted. "We're here, our digimon are right over there, and the others are nowhere to be found. Any suggestions on how we get out of here?" he asked brightly.

Ken just blinked those gorgeous violet eyes at him for a few moments, then shook his head. "Could you repeat that, please? A little slower this time, if you don't mind." Daisuke did so, then waited for Ken's answer. "As far as I can tell, we're the only ones who made it past the barrier that either Daemon or the Dark Ocean itself had erected around this entire area. Everybody else hit the shield and bounced off. I don't remember anything but blinding pain after that," the bluenette admitted quietly.

Daisuke shrugged. Ken still knew more about what had happened than he did. Deciding to at least try and cheer his boyfriend up, he grinned and asked, "Doesn't this bring back some good memories? I seem to recall hanging around on cliffs before. Rather exciting, isn't it?"

The ex-Kaiser looked at him, shocked, then saw the amusement twinkling in the younger boy's eyes and grinned back. "Yeah, but this is the first time I've ever hung on a cliff myself, you know. I tend to prefer doing something as opposed to just hanging around, listening to evil geniuses talk my ear off."

Daisuke burst out laughing, then subsided into giggling. Ken stared at him-he had never, ever thought he'd get to hear Daisuke giggle. Sure, he was loud and obnoxious and funny and intelligent and Ken's best friend in the world, but he had still never heard him giggle before. It was a rather pleasant sound, to be honest.

The soccer-loving Digidestined caught his gaze and raised an eyebrow, silently asking what he was thinking. Ken just smiled and shook his head, deciding to keep his thoughts to himself. Daisuke shrugged, then glanced up the cliff and froze. Ken followed his gaze and saw Daemon staring at them both.

Dropping down so that he was floating in the air in front of the two children, he greeted, "Welcome to my home, Digidestined brats. I'm sure you remember me. Did you ever wonder what had happened to me, or if I meant what I said? Now you know," he continued smirking. "I told you I would be back to take my revenge, and here I am."

Daisuke rolled his eyes. "Oh, please, Digi-freak. Could you be any less creative? Hi kids, I'm back, and ready to get my revenge. Honestly, all you bad guys talk the same way. Is there some kind of universal bad guy code that you all follow? I mean, c'mon, even Ken here is more creative than that, though not much, I have to admit."

"Hey!" This was from a mildly affronted Ken. After all, it wasn't his fault that there were no ideas left for bad guys to try because they'd all been used millions of times before.

Daisuke just shot a grin at him, then turned back to Daemon. "Surely you can be a bit more creative than that." Daemon just shot a nasty smirk back at him and nodded. "Of course I can be more creative than that. I'm usually extremely imaginative in the torture chamber."

Daisuke gulped, then choked out, "That's not quite what I meant when I said you should be more creative." Daemon just cackled again, but this time neither boy found it terribly amusing. After all, it tended to be a bad idea to piss off a bad digimon, but sometimes it was worse if you amused them. Then they tended to keep you around a little longer for their own personal amusement.

Suddenly, the wall at their backs shifted, and they were pulled into a cave, the opening sealing behind them. As soon as they were completely inside the cave, still chained to the chunks of rock, they were hit with some sort of sleeping powder produced by a plant digimon, and they lost consciousness again.

While they slept, they were removed from the stones and carried down several flights of caved stairs. In the room at the bottom, the two children were chained onto two stone alters on opposite sides of the room. There was a large window next to each alter, and the Dark Ocean could be seen through them.

Of course, the Digidestined children weren't aware of this, nor the fact that Daemon had entered the room and set their digivices, D-3 terminals, and digimon next to them on the alter. They didn't hear the chanting that had begun, or feel the first tugs of the Dark Ocean as it seeped into them, trying to bring them over, to force them to shun the Light and all that it implied. They slept on, oblivious to everything happening around them.

All right, yes, I know it's not the best chapter I've come up with, but it's the best I could do for now. I needed a chapter to play the filler, so this is it, all right? And yes, there will be more romance in it, but not yet. I need a plot in here somewhere. ^__^ Anyhow, please review so that I'm encouraged and inspired to write more, okay? And if you feel up to it, please check out some of my other fanfics, all right? Thanks!