Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Diminished Light: Void's Assault ❯ Broken Memories ( Chapter 4 )

Diminished Light: Void's Assault

Chapter 4

Broken Memories

By

Sailor Janus

 

 

 

 

Hikari didn't have far to search in the small motel room as she burst out of the bathroom. Urgently, she raced for the young man still seated at the table. “Hey, um, I can't remember your name, but I need to see your pictures,” she said excitedly to the man who seemed half-asleep in his chair.

 

Daisuke however immediately perked up as he heard Hikari's voice and looked at her in bewilderment. He blinked then retrieved his wallet and handed it to her.

 

Frantically the young woman flipped it open and shuffled through the pictures until she found the one of the formal wear. There standing among the group was the blonde teenaged boy that was standing next to her brother in the vision, the red haired girl, the short red haired boy, the tall bluish haired one and the bubbly pink haired girl whose hair was no longer pink. Even the photographer was in the picture standing next to the girl. “They're here. They're all here! Then it's true. It has to be!”

 

To the leader of the Chosen's pure shock, Hikari burst out into a fit of gleeful laughter. His jaw dropped and he stared at her completely flabbergasted. It took a moment for him to recover, but when he did, he was pleased to see her finally smile. “What's true?”

 

“Huh?” She spun around, then looked at him and realized right then and there, the dumbfounded expression on his face made her giggle. “Oh, thank you! I'm sorry I don't remember your name, but if you didn't have these pictures then I'd think I really was losing my mind with all these visions I've been having lately.”

 

“Visions? Wait. Are you trying to tell me you are starting to remember?”

 

Hikari's smile faded and she descended down to the floor. “Not exactly. And I don't know why I am telling you this, but since you have a key to my missing memories, and seem to know that I am missing my memories. Then maybe, just maybe, there was some good in my life.” She spoke every word softly and solemnly as if acknowledging everything was much too painful for her to grasp.

 

Daisuke nodded. “So, you do believe me when I say that we were friends as kids?”

 

“I don't know, but I have to find answers and so far you are the only one that seems to be able to provide me with any pieces to this humungous puzzle.” She then described in whatever detail she could remember all the visions and flashes she had of the groups of children. When she was done, she gazed back down at the pictures. “They have to have been real. I couldn't have been alone my whole life. It's too cruel.”

 

“They're true and you had and still have a close group of friends that care very much about you and miss you like crazy.” He shrugged for a moment and furrowed his eyebrows. “Too bad the goggles broke or I could show them to you for proof too. Your brother gave them to me.”

 

“I thought they looked vaguely familiar, though I can't remember too much of my childhood.” Hikari sighed and ran a hand through her hair, suddenly wishing it were clean. “So my visions really did happen?”

 

A grin lit up Daisuke's face and he nodded in confirmation then took a seat in front of her. “Yeah. The snowball fight, the park, the beach, the pictures….all of it. I have to admit none of us ever thought you'd hit the tree that hard. I even had snow in the back of my shirt!”

 

She giggled and swept a lock of hair from her face then fell quiet. “How do I know that this isn't all just one big lie? How do I know what is real and what isn't?”

 

“You just have to believe and trust in your own heart.”

 

Hikari lifted her gaze to his face and held it for a moment. “But what if it's shattered? How can you trust something that is broken?”

 

“It will heal. Hearts are good like that.” Daisuke sighed and rocked back and forth slightly as if anxious. “I wish you remembered more. It would make this easier. You are missing a huge part of your memory, but I don't think it would be a good idea to tell you. So just trust in what you are remembering.”

 

“If you say so.”

 

“Listen, I know you have gone through a lot but as you looked through my pictures you've got to believe that no matter what, I won't leave you high and dry. Friends don't do that. We WILL get your memories back. You just have to trust in your heart that you will remember.”

 

Her mouth felt dry at the sound of determination in his voice. Trusting was hard now. She didn't know if she could even trust herself after all that had happened. Was it even worth getting her memories back? Just as she was about to reply in defiance, she felt someone squeeze her hand reassuringly. Her head snapped up and she stared in shock at the stranger.

 

“I am Motomiya Daisuke. Your friend. And I promise to help you no matter what even if you don't believe me. I will do all I can and more to help you, Hikari. And I would do the same for any other friend. I care about you and I don't want to see you suffer anymore than you already have. You have to believe me.” His voice cracked a bit as he said the last part as if he felt the same pain in just knowing only pieces of what she had gone through.

 

The stunned young woman wanted to draw her hand out of his grasp, but discovered she didn't have the energy to do so. Daisuke, that was his name, looked so urgent as if he understood vaguely what was going on in her head. At that point she didn't know what to do. He wasn't trying to hurt her and wanted to instead help her so yelling at him and slapping him would be undeserved. Exhaustion was now rushing through her system and her eyes and body felt heavy. Numbly she nodded and allowed herself to be overcome by fatigue as she collapsed to the floor.

 

*~*~*~*

 

The desktop felt cool against Ichijouchi Ken's forehead as the pronouncements of a headache threatened to assault his already tormented head. He ran a hand through his short dark hair and at that moment, wished it were longer so he could hide behind it like shroud. Instead his locks barely brushed over his ears in a bowl-like fashion. His bangs still fell in his eyes but at times he wanted something to better hide with.

 

He clenched a hand into a fist, then lifted his head and looked at it. In his mind, it should drip with blood from those he had hurt and maybe even killed. Even in saving the world, he still felt it didn't atone for his sins. The only reason he was probably still alive was so his parents wouldn't have to suffer anymore.

 

“Ken?” A feminine voice said as a knock sounded on the door. “Are you napping?”

 

The former genius turned his head and looked at his girlfriend, Inoue Miyako. Her long lavender hair now reached her waist and was pulled back in a thick braid. Long gone were her glasses. Instead she wore contact lenses, which Ken had to admit made the young woman look a lot lovelier. The baggy t shirt and dark pants however, didn't really do too much for her nice figure, making it rather indistinguishable.

 

He rubbed his face and shook his head. “I have a headache and have been trying to reach Koushiro to tell him about Hikari.”

 

Miyako's face softened at the mention of their long lost friend. “I see.” She scowled at the bottle of sake next to him and shook her head. “Well, that bottle gives a good reason to your headache.”

 

“I haven't had any today,” he lied.

 

His girlfriend rolled her eyes in disgust. “Whatever. Just don't come crying to me when you have a hangover.”

 

Ken glowered at her. “Only if you don't do the same when you are having a bout of PMS.”

 

“Go to hell,” Miyako hissed. “But wait, I think you are already there.”

 

“Damn right, with you here!”

 

The infuriated woman gasped and screeched. “If you want to drink yourself under the table rather than talk about your problems, fine by me, Ken. Just remember there are some serious consequences to that and I'd prefer not to find you one day dead!” With that final statement, she turned on her heel and stalked out of the small office.

 

The Chosen Child of Kindness glowered at the pale white walls that seemed to mock him with cruel laughter at his misfortunes. He picked up the bottle and threw it across the room, smashing it into the fiendish face. Slowly the clear liquid began to saturate the wall and dripped to the floor forming a slick, alcohol scented puddle. Ken dropped his head onto the desk again and groaned, silently cursing everything he could think of in his muddled mind as the laughter continued to ring in his ears.

 

*~*~*~*

 

Miyako pressed her back against the walnut colored door and swore loudly. What happened to them? Weren't they happy once, but somehow, somewhere, everything got turned upside down. Then again perhaps she was just imagining it or maybe Ken was only pretending. Maybe he didn't really want her after all. It wasn't too hard for the twenty-two year old woman to grasp. After all, he seemed to only withdraw more and more. And there didn't seem to be a damn thing she could do about it.

 

“It was so much easier when we were kids,” she murmured sadly. At that moment she wanted to cry, but knew she couldn't. She was too stubborn for her own good. Perhaps she was why Ken was so distant. He barely ever talked to her much anymore.

 

A bittersweet smile spread across her lips as she recalled the days when they were so in love that they made sugar seem bitter. He used to surprise her with gifts that seemed to have no particular significance, until he explained to her what they meant. Her favorite was probably an hourglass that was so full of sand that it couldn't shift no matter how many times you turned it or shook it. Miyako thought it was a joke, but Ken explained that it symbolized that their time together would never run out. It would always be there for them, just as his love for her would never run dry either. That confession nearly made her cry. It was the most beautiful thing that anyone had ever told her.

 

“Damn it,” the young woman clenched her hands into fists, fighting the coming tears. She hated herself for recalling that moment and now she knew she was going to pay dearly. She wiped her eyes and took a breath, forcing her mind to redirect itself anyplace but Ken. Instead she rushed out into the living room and broke down feeling weak and helpless.

 

*~*~*~*

 

The thundering sound of rock music bounced off the walls of Takaishi Takeru's dorm room. He leaned over the windowsill and drew a long drag from his cigarette then puffed out a cloud of smoke. He ran a hand through his shoulder length blonde hair and sighed. School so far wasn't working out. The classes were horrible, especially for one who wished to be a novelist. They all wanted him to write literary fiction and press on about it being the epitome of the art of writing. Whatever. Literary fiction was dull, concentrating only on the characters rather than an interesting mix of characters, plot, and scene in what was called genre fiction. Genre was the form of fiction that Takeru believed to be a true art form. You had to have the balance of all the necessary elements just so otherwise the story falls apart. That was what writing fiction was truly about. Unfortunately, his college didn't agree and instead, he was forced to write things he hated, and often found ripped to shreds by his peers and professors anyway.

 

Maybe I should have tried being a musician like Yamato. Ha, like that would ever happen. Takeru snorted and snuffed out the cigarette before discarding it on the ground below. The school officials didn't like anyone smoking in the dorms, but they never actually tried to stop anyone from doing so either.

 

Yamato is popular. Yamato gets all the girls and even has a girlfriend. And what do I get? Homework. Why am I always overshadowed? Not that he even CONTACTS me anymore. Too lost in his damn life. Like everyone else. Of course everyone is going to probably rally together with what's going on with Hikari. The Bearer of Hope's anger stilled for a moment. He didn't know whether or not to envy the girl.

 

Takeru dug his hands into the pockets of his dark denim jeans shoving aside the large over shirt, which hung loosely over the pockets. He scoffed as he looked at his reflection shining off the mirrored closet doors. He probably couldn't look more like his older brother if he tried. Well, since everyone seemed to favor Yamato, maybe they'll like me a bit more if I were like him. The rationality in his thoughts made sense in his mind though most people would probably call him crazy, but he couldn't help it. He was so incredibly lonely at the university that was Yamato's alma mater that perhaps he'd have better luck if he just took up some of his brother's habits. Of course, it didn't seem to be doing too much good. Looking like a rock star was one thing, but to be one, you had to know how to play an instrument. Something that Takeru was having difficulty with no matter how hard he tried to practice, he just couldn't get the hang of the guitar. Instead, the twenty-one year old was stuck playing dress up in hopes that his luck of being a nobody would change.

 

*~*~*~*

 

The dull, dim, desolate atmosphere chilled Hikari to the bone. The sky, trees, water, everything looked as though it was dead. There was no wind, or any sound for that matter. It was just cold and foreboding.

 

“Where am I?” The young woman rubbed her arms nervously. Something felt very wrong about this place, and deep down she knew she was afraid. She just couldn't remember why.

 

“Home,” another voice sharply said with a bite of a laugh.

 

“No, this isn't home. I don't know what this is, but it's not home.” Hikari took a step back as if burned. She didn't want to be there, anywhere but there.

 

The voice laughed a soft female cackle. “Surely you are mistaken. This is where you belong. And I will see to it that you return very soon.”

 

“NO!” The young woman screamed and suddenly found herself standing in the middle of the sidewalk of an empty street. A huge rush of icy rain poured down upon her, threatening to push her to the ground. Warm tears streaked down her face and she lifted her head. “Why are you doing this? What have I ever done to you?”

 

“You existed.”

 

Hikari spun around and found a figured hidden under a dark cloak. Helplessly, the young woman shoved a handful of hair from her drenched face, but it didn't aid her any better in seeing the mysterious person. “I don't understand. Do I know you?”

 

“No. Not that it matters. You will soon meet your fate.” With those final words, the mysterious person disappeared, leaving Hikari alone in the storm.

 

“Wait! Come back! Please, I don't understand.” She burst into a fit of tears as she fell to her knees in defeat. “Please!”

 

*~*~*~*

 

Daisuke's brow furrowed at Hikari in the bed, tossing and turning in her sleep. Fresh tears leaked from her eyes and slid down her cheeks. He balled his hands into fists as if debating on whether or not to wake her when she suddenly screamed.

 

“PLEASE!” The Chosen Child's eyes flew open and blinked, trying to gauge her whereabouts. She groaned lightly and pressed a hand to her face.

 

“Bad dream?”

 

“Huh?” Hikari frowned and glanced over to the soccer player for a moment before realizing that she was not at home….or what used to be home. I'm homeless. Just another misfortune to add to my growing list.

 

The young man walked over and handed her a bottle of water. “This might help since it looks like you're soaked again.”

 

The brunette glanced down at herself and blushed slightly. She hated waking up drenched in her own sweat. It was so disgusting. “Thanks,” she replied accepting the bottle and eagerly drank it down. “I really need to stop starting the morning like this.”

 

Daisuke chuckled. “I think you need a nap just to recover from your sleeping activities.” He paused a moment and allowed her to drink to her heart's content. “So, do you want to share what you've been having nightmares about? You don't have to if you don't want to.”

 

“I wish I could explain it. Usually it's bits and pieces of different things at a rapid pace but this one…. this one was different.” Hikari considered her words as the spiky haired young man dragged a chair over so he could listen without worrying about falling over if it was something really bad. “It was almost real, but didn't feel like my visions. Almost as if it had actually happened.”

 

“How?”

 

“I don't know. I was someplace cold, dark, and dead feeling. I can't really remember much else. Just that someone or something talked to me and said that was my home. Then I was in a rainstorm and they told me it was my fault because I existed or something. I'm not too sure. They just said we never met, yet it's my fault.”

 

The Bearer of Miracles scowled for a moment. “Well, that sounds really unfair. Just because you exist it's your fault? Geez, do they think everything is your fault? Next thing you know they'll blame you for world hunger, pollution, the destruction of the rainforest, and the fact that there is never enough toilet paper on the roll when you need it the most.”

 

Hikari sighed in misery, but that quickly faded thanks to the last statement. “Toilet paper?” She blinked then laughed. “Toilet paper? Yes, I sneak into bathrooms around the world and short sheet every roll….. That was just…. odd.”

 

The soccer star however grinned at her in merriment as he walked to the table. “Yeah, but you have to admit, it was fun. You really need to lighten up more, but we'll work on that later.”

 

“If you say so, but I still don't know what to do. I only have fragments of my memory and as you said, I'm missing something big. How am I supposed remember everything?”

 

“Good question.” Daisuke picked up his coffee cup and took a sip then made a face. “If I wanted iced coffee, I would have asked for it…. Of course it'd have chocolate and whipped cream on it.”

 

“Cold?”

 

“Very. I'm surprised it didn't freeze over.” He put the cup back down, careful not to topple it then turned back to Hikari, taking a seat on the floor. “Let's see. Well, it'd be nice to not to have to spend more money on this room, despite how, um, pastel it is.”

 

The young woman pursed her lips and looked at the carpet. She forgot that they were in a motel room that the guy was paying for. She glanced around the room and noted that there were no travel bags other than her backpack, which was leaned haphazardly against the wall near the bathroom. At that moment she felt a little guilty since he had done so much for her, yet she had been a very ill mannered guest. Her mother would have a fit if she knew how her daughter had been behaving. “I suppose that would mean checking out and going somewhere. I just don't know where.”

 

“Well, I could take you back to your parents…if I knew where they lived. Or to see your brother…if I knew where he was. Sorry.”

 

Hikari cringed at the mentioning of her family. If they knew what had happened to her, she may never be able to leave the house again. Plus, it was kind of embarrassing. Never in her wildest dreams could she imagine sitting in a motel room with a stranger who insisted that he knew her when they were kids because her ex-boyfriend had tried to kill her and her memories were broken. The Bearer of Light gazed down at her knees and bit her lip. “Please don't tell them. I couldn't bear the thought of worrying them. And they would really overreact, especially Taichi.”

 

“I kinda figured that so I haven't told your brother yet.”

 

“Thank you.” She tugged on a piece of hair and grimaced. “I must really smell so I guess if you'll let me get cleaned up, we can figure out where to go next. I imagine we'll need to stop off at your place since I don't see any luggage here.”

 

Daisuke scowled in thought for a moment and before an idea popped in his head. “Hey, what about Odaiba? I mean that is where you used to live when we were kids. Maybe being there would trigger some more memories.”

 

“It's worth looking into.” Hikari paused a moment and bit her lip insecurely. “Um, is there going to be anyone else there?”

 

“I don't know. Do you want to see any of the others?”

 

Flashes of her visions shot through her head as she considered the idea. She could see the friendly group smiling and laughing, joy shining brightly through their eyes as they enjoyed each other's company. “Well, maybe. I mean they seemed nice and … I don't know. I don't know how they'll react or I'll react or anything. I just want my memories back. Is that too much to ask?”

 

“Not at all.” The Chosen Children leader leaned back on his hands. “Tell you what. Go get cleaned up. I'll contact the others to see what they think and from there, we'll figure out what to do next.”

 

“Okay.” Hikari climbed out of bed and smiled down at the kind young man, hesitating for a moment. “Thank you, Daisuke.” She then turned around headed towards her bag.

 

The soccer star froze in bewilderment over the fact that she had actually said his name. “You-you remembered my name?” He sputtered as she swung the bag over her shoulder and shrugged.

 

“Got to start somewhere I guess. Just don't ask me to recite the names of everyone else.” The young woman then departed into the bathroom and shut the door behind her.

 

“She remembered.” Daisuke murmured still in complete amazement of the fact. The past few hours were rough. Already it was late in the afternoon and he had to pay two days worth for the room. He picked himself up and stepped out onto the porch for a smoke.

 

The Bearer of Miracles knew if Hikari had her memories back, she'd frown then lecture him on the harm it was doing to his health. He supposed he should quit…. eventually.

 

He pondered how V-mon was doing back in the Digital World. Hopefully he and the others were fine. It had been a few months since they last saw each other but V-mon said Tailmon was worried about the Child of Light because she never came to visit or anything. It wasn't before long that the other digimon decided to keep the feline digimon company. This fact of course made Daisuke worry just as much.

 

At times he questioned if it was his fault that she never tried contacting any of them. They had fought a bit before she left but even after they had made up, he still feared that she was angry with him. She had insisted on him going to college and pushing for the soccer scholarship. His grades were a little better than average at the time and his soccer skills had improved greatly throughout the years. Even after he had sprained his ankle in a snowboarding accident on a trip visiting Mimi in America. He had been really depressed over his accident, but Hikari encouraged him to allow himself to heal fully before training again so he didn't aggravate his injury any worse and end up pulling a ligament instead.

 

It took every ounce of strength to accomplish her wish, especially when he had not heard from her since the day she had left. Daisuke however knew he'd see her again somehow and that if he had given up, she'd be greatly disappointed. Of course, he never dreamed that when that day would come, she would have no clue as to who he was.

 

The young man smiled dully as a raindrop hit his face. He looked up and another landed on his nose. Gradually the rain fell harder as he stood under the shower with his eyes closed and the cigarette long since smoldered. In fact, Daisuke was so lost in his own world that he didn't hear the sound of Hikari opening the door and stepping out to meet him.

 

“It's really coming down,” she softly said, turning her hands palms up and tilting her face skyward.

 

The soccer star glanced in her direction noting how her freshly clean, wet hair clung to her beautiful face. A brief memory of a younger version of Yagami Hikari with chin length hair giggling and prancing in the rain on their way home from school entered his mind and quickly vanished. That teenaged girl was no more. The only chance she may return is if Hikari got her memories back, but even then the world and its bitter experiences may have changed her too much to return to what she once was. After all, this version of Hikari chose to wear a faded black v-neck shirt and a silver necklace that he had never seen before with a gray stone in the center. It looked rather bland with her well-worn dark denim pants. The Hikari I knew would wear something brighter and would spin around as the rain fell upon her.

 

“You're quiet.”

 

Daisuke shrugged. “I have my moments.” The sky rumbled as a flash of lightening streaked through the sky.

 

“I see. I guess everyone has them once in awhile.” She looked down at the ground and wrinkled her nose at the snuffed cigarette. “I didn't know you smoked.”

 

“Off and on,” he replied, a bit amazed at the fact that she noticed.

 

“It's not good for you.”

 

“And you're the expert on health?” Daisuke cocked an eyebrow at the young woman who narrowed her eyes in response.

 

“I didn't say that. I just think that you shouldn't smoke.”

 

“And I think that you should eat before you blow away.”

 

They stared at each other for a moment as if daring the other one to speak before turning away. Daisuke smirked, and nudged her in the ribs. “Tell you what, if you eat three square meals a day, I'll quit smoking. No more cutting or anything else that would also be referred to as unhealthy either. Deal?”

 

Hikari looked at him in bewilderment. “You've got to be kidding. You'd really quit smoking if I ate and all that?”

 

“Yep! Do we have a deal?”

 

“Uh, I guess so.”

 

“Good because for every meal you skip, I get to smoke one cigarette.”

 

“Half a cigarette.”

 

“Whole.”

 

“Whatever.”

 

Daisuke grinned at her in victory. “Remember, a deal is a deal.”

 

“Right.” She nodded then leaned over the dark metal railing. A light breeze toyed with her loose hair as she stared out into the distance. “So, we're really going back to Odaiba?”

 

“Have to make a stop at my dorm in Tokyo, but yeah.”

 

Hikari bit her lip nervously. “So are any of the others going to be there?”

 

“Uh, whoops. I forgot to ask.” Daisuke scratched the back of his head as he laughed sheepishly. “I'll contact them after we make a brief stop at my place, okay?”

 

“Okay. Then I guess we better leave now so we can buy some tickets since I suspect you don't have a car.”

 

“Good idea.” Together they headed back inside to prepare for yet another journey. Daisuke paused at the door and shook his head at the young woman who once seemed to know him so well. He had to wonder if she was still just as perceptive, or if perhaps, she tried to shut away everything. Either way, he knew he was going to be in for quite a ride.

 

*~*~*~*

 

Author Notes: I know several of the characters may seem to be out of character, but keep in mind it has been over ten years since the series finale (outside of the so called look into the future) so people will change. I have put a lot of thought in how every character acts, looks, and the events that had occurred in their lives, which may or may not change. (I've even done character sketches and made notes on everyone involved.) Everyone, not just Hikari has been through a great ordeal as you can see. Just understand that there is a method to my madness and that the characters will more than likely grow as they are reintroduced to each other again.