Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Diminished Light: Void's Assault ❯ Raging Storms ( Chapter 12 )

Diminished Light: Void's Assault

Chapter 12

Raging Storms

By

Sailor Janus

 

 

“Help…”

 

Taichi froze in mid-step as a familiar voice seemed to echo in his head. “Hikari?” His companions came to a halt as well, watching their leader frantically search the trees and bushes for something or someone. “HIKARI!”

 

“Taichi? Are you okay?” Yamato gave him a concerned look, appearing rather uneasy about his best friend's odd behavior.

 

“I heard her! It was my little sister's voice and she was asking for help. We have to find her!”

 

Sora frowned. “Taichi, I don't think any of us heard Hikari let alone someone asking for help.”

 

“Nope.” Rosa shook her head and wiped a stream of sweat from her forehead. “I think the heat is cooking his brain like un huevo.”

 

Iori blinked in question at the Mexican girl.

 

“An egg,” she sighed then began muttering to herself in Spanish.

 

“I'd have to agree with Rosa, the heat is getting to you, Taichi.” The blonde haired young man shook his head.

 

“But I heard her! You have to believe me! I've got to find my little sister!” Taichi cupped his hands around his mouth and began to shout. “HOLD ON, HIKARI! I'M COMING!” However, before he even had a chance to run off, Yamato swung out and hit the brunette in the face.

 

“SNAP OUT OF IT!”

 

“But Hikari-”

 

“You're delusional! It's got to be over 100 degrees out here and there is barely any shade with all these bare tree limbs.” Yamato sighed and grabbed a bottle of water from his bag then tossed it to his friend. “Drink.”

 

Taichi however let the plastic bottle hit the dry soil as he narrowed his brown gaze towards the musician. “Are you telling me I'm hearing things?”

 

“Yes. Yes, Yagami Taichi. I'm telling you that you have reserved tickets to a nut house and I'm not talking about cocktail peanuts. Now shut up and drink.”

 

The leader however was ready to pounce on his friend when an icy sensation flooded over his scalp and spread down his back in a sudden rush of relief that covered his burning skin. He spun around and found Sora holding a half empty bottle of water as she glowered at him.

 

“I just wasted most of my water on you. I hope you're satisfied.” The red head took a sip from her bottle then turned away.

 

Taichi blinked and realized for the first time how flushed and sweaty his friends' skin was from the insanely humid temperatures. The dry heat was not doing any of them any good, and if anything else, was worsening their situations. With lack of moisture in the air, it seemed as though they were in the middle of a draught. “I guess maybe I was hearing things…. Sorry,” he sighed and ran a hand through his quickly drying locks.

 

Sora nodded and leaned heavily against a tree. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “I overheard you and Yamato earlier,” she began softly. “And it had me thinking that perhaps you two were right. Maybe we did fail the Digital World and with Hikari being the Chosen of Light…. She was caught in the crossfire.”

 

Yamato studied his girlfriend carefully. “Even if that is the case, it seems Gennai is giving us a chance to rectify our mistakes with having us search for the Power Stones. There is still hope, even if it's microscopic, it's still there.”

 

“I just feel like something has happened that we are all unaware of and it is so strong and so painful.” Her brown eyes brimmed over with tears. “I can feel so much hate and anger… it's like a violent ocean crashed down on this place in heavy waves threatening to drown us all and I hate it. I HATE IT!” Her body shook with a mixture of sorrow and fury as she slid down the tree and formed her gloved hands into fists. “This isn't how the Digital World is supposed to be. It didn't even feel this horrible when we had to deal with BelialVamdemon.”

 

“Sora…” The musician moved closer to his girlfriend, but she looked away. He sighed and took a step back, and glanced towards Taichi for help, however, it was Iori that decided to aid him with giving Sora some much needed reassurance.

 

“Even if that is the case, and even though the digimon are not with us, that does not mean that we are helpless. As the old saying goes, `If there is a will, there is a way,' meaning if we strive to find the Power Stones, and the answers as to why the Digital World is like this and where all the digimon and Daisuke and Hikari are, then we can succeed. We only fail completely if we don't even try.” The Kendo expert paused momentarily to allow the his words to sink in. “There is always failure, and yes, we may have failed the Digital World, but that doesn't mean that we can't pick up the pieces and try again. We have an opportunity to do just that.”

 

Rosa blinked and smiled at the teenager. “You are very wise.”

 

Iori calmly nodded at her. “Thank you.”

 

The others remained silent as they considered everything he had told him. Finally Sora rose to her feet and dusted herself off. “I supposed you do have a good point. It's just hard because I can feel all this negative energy and it just makes me want to vomit.”

 

“Um, if you have to, please give us a warning. I don't care to get sick,” Rosa blanched at the mere thought of it.

 

The red head laughed. “Don't worry, I promise to be as discrete as possible if I do need to.”

 

Taichi made a face. “This conversation isn't exactly the most entertaining…. Can we just change the topic because I'm feeling kinda light-headed, but I don't care to revisit my breakfast so soon.”

 

Sora touched her head as she swayed a bit. “I'm feeling bit nauseous too. This heat is really bad.”

 

“It's not even this hot at my home,” Rosa moaned as she fanned herself with one hand. “Es muy caliente.”

 

“Can you please speak in a language that we all can understand?” Iori sent the girl a rather steady gaze as sweat dripped off the tip of his nose.

 

She stared at him a moment with an almost hurt expression. “Sorry.”

 

Yamato pressed his water bottle to the side of his face and closed his eyes when an odd thudding nose made him jump. Blue eyes snapped open and fell on his girlfriend lying sprawled out on the ground, motionless. “Sora!”

 

*~*~*~*

 

“The way I see it, with there being five of us, we should be able to find at least one stone within twenty-four hours,” Koushiro said as he and his group, which he had dubbed the Mountain Group, climbed up the steeper slopes of the mountain. “The Forest Group also has the same chances but their territory is a lot more vast while ours is pretty much straight up. The Ocean Group however only has four members which brings their ratio down.”

 

“Yes, but so far, no one has seemed to have found any since we agreed on contacting each other if a Power Stone were to turn up.” Takeru leaped up on a large boulder and sighed at finding nothing. “So, so far our efforts have turned up squat.”

 

The French girl held her hands out to the side as she balanced on the shifty terrain. “We haven't been looking very long either. One of them is sure to turn up.” Catherine bit her lip and hopped nimbly to a rock with a flat surface, landing gracefully on one foot and twirled around.

 

Mimi blinked at the blonde haired girl. “How did you do that?”

 

“Do what?” Catherine tilted her head in confusion.

 

“That spin. Are you in ballet or something?”

 

A slight flush spread on Catherine's cheeks and she winced as Takeru turned away to examine a stone. “Oui. I mean yes. I've been in ballet for as long as I can remember.” Her blue eyes saddened and she bowed her head. “It's a very lady like activity. At least, that's what my mother always told me.”

 

“Sorry, if I upset you. You just looked very elegant.” The pigtailed brunette smiled.

 

“Thank you.” The French girl clasped her hands together then continued her search.

 

Michael stepped up to his girlfriend and raised an eyebrow at her. “Didn't you take dance?”

 

“Yeah, but I was never that good. She's like something you would find in the best companies and would even bring some of the most well known ballerinas to shame.” Mimi sighed and continued watching the dancer. “I was never that light-footed.”

 

“You're good at a lot of things.”

 

“Name one.”

 

The American ran a hand through his thick hair. “Shopping?”

 

Mimi shoved him in the chest, narrowing her eyes. “I am not just some ditz with a credit card!”

 

“Woah, I never said you were…”

 

“You just said I was good at shopping!”

 

“But you are,” Michael argued then shook his head cursing under his breath as the irate young woman stomped away. “When am I going to learn to keep my big mouth shut?”

 

“Need help with your foot?” Koushiro stepped up to Michael after watching the couples' scene. “She'll get over it.”

 

“I know I just… need to learn to stop talking. That's all.”

 

“Not necessarily. You just need to know how to talk to her.”

 

“Oh? And what was the last relationship you were in? If I recall correctly, you haven't been in one.”

 

The red head's face darkened. “Shows how much you know.” He glared at the American for a moment longer then he too turned away.

 

“Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. STUPID!” Michael threw his fist into the side of the mountain and swore loudly. He clutched the now bleeding hand and bit back a sob. “I am so damn stupid!”

 

Takeru shook his head at the frustrated teen and continued hunting for the Power Stones. He glanced at Mimi who was muttering to herself then to Koushiro. The computer expert seemed lost in a thought as he stared at the ground. His blue eyes shifted towards Michael who was now cursing to his hand as if it was his hand's fault that it was now in pain. The only person he didn't want to look at was the lithe French girl. It doesn't matter. I can ignore her. It's as simple as that. He kicked a pile of ordinary stones, scattering the heap in the dirt. It doesn't matter. His thoughts wandered to Daisuke and how the spiky haired brunette had more than likely been feeling the past few days. Takeru never thought he'd actually be able to relate to the Chosen leader…. until now. One single question continued echoing in his head. What happened to all of them?

 

“Takeru?”

 

The writer's gaze drifted away from the rocks at the sound of the soft foreign voice. He pressed his lips together and looked up. “Hm?”

 

Catherine hesitated for a moment then shook her head. “Never mind.” She turned on her heel and slowly departed as the blonde teenager could only watch.

 

He sighed sadly and sank down on a large rock. Now I understand, Daisuke. I understand perfectly well. A sudden cry broke him from his thoughts. Takeru's crystal blue eyes shot up and widened in terror at the sight of the French girl sliding down the side of the mountain. He immediately rose to his feet and bolted in her direction. “CATHERINE!”

 

The others looked up and gasped in horror as Catherine continued to fall and her odd knight not in shining armor but a gray jacket came rushing to her rescue. Once the shock was over, they too raced towards the two teens to offer aid.

 

“Takeru!” Catherine cried out in fear as she grasped for something solid to cling to but only found more loose rock and dirt. “Don't. You'll fall too.”

 

The blonde boy however didn't listen as he skidded to a stop and did a move that could have only been taught by Daisuke, Ken, or possibly Taichi as he threw himself to the ground on his side, swerving around in a half circle and halted in front of Catherine. He gritted his teeth as he leaned over the edge, but found himself slipping down the slope as well.

 

“Takeru, you idiot!” Michael growled as he grabbed the boy's legs, trying to keep him steady. “Do you want to fall too?”

 

“I-I didn't think,” Takeru admitted.

 

“Think you can reach her, man?”

 

The writer narrowed his eyes as he looked down the sloping side of the mountain. It seemed like Catherine was a good two feet away and appeared to have halted her decent as she clung to a tree root that was slowly being pulled from the ground. “I need more leverage.”

 

Michael nodded, and pushed the boy further down as Mimi and Koushiro gripped his legs tightly. It was a rather dangerous maneuver because one false step and they could all end up falling to their deaths. “Okay, I'm going to lower you down and hopefully we don't all end up joining her.”

 

Takeru nodded and stretched out his arms, trying desperately to reach Catherine's outstretched hand. His fingertips barely brushed against hers. “Come on, Catherine. Reach!”

 

“I'm scared, Takeru.” Tears streamed down her face as she choked on a sob. “It's a long way down.”

 

“Don't look down.”

 

“Too late.” Her chin quivered and she cried softly. “I don't want to die. I don't like being pressed into being a proper lady but I really don't think death is the answer I desire to escape my fate.”

 

“You're not going to die. Just grab my hand,” he said reassuringly.

 

“I can't.”

 

“Yes, you can.” Takeru could feel Michael's grip starting to give away a bit, but he refused to allow himself to be pulled up without the French girl. “Grab my hand. Please, grab my hand, Catherine.”

 

She bit her lip as she reached up higher, pushing all her body weight into the hand that was gripping the tree root. She gasped as the root snapped and felt herself plummet for a moment until something tightened around her wrist. Catherine lifted her head and found a pair of intense yet friendly eyes staring down at her. She smiled in thanks and reached up with her other gloved hand and joined it with Takeru's. Tears continued to flood Catherine's eyes as they were both pulled back up to safety by their friends.

 

“Nice move, Takeru. If it weren't for you, she probably would have fallen to her death,” the American shook the hero's hand with a grin once they were all back on solid ground.

 

The next thing the blue-eyed wonder knew however was that his damsel in distress had thrown herself into his arms and began crying into his shirt as she clung onto him. Takeru froze in shock at the action and stood completely dumbfounded as his companions watched. Slowly, he broke out of his stupor, a sad glint shone on his face. “It's okay, Catherine. You're safe now,” he whispered dully as he stared down at the ground and wrapped his arms lightly around her. “It's okay.”

 

*~*~*~*

 

The earth continued to quake as the four Chosen sprinted as fast as they could through the sand. They were harshly rocked back and forth as if on boat during a major storm. Several times they were knocked off their feet and ended up tumbling in the sand as they scurried towards the hill that led them to their newest team member, Wallace.

 

Wallace made it up the hill first, followed by Ken. Then together they helped pull Miyako and Jyou up. They rested for a brief minute, but suddenly the earth's rage intensified.

 

“This isn't normal!” The eldest Chosen looked completely horror-stricken as he balled his shaking hands into fists.

 

“No kidding.” Wallace panted for a moment then rose to his feet. “We're not out of the clear yet and the last thing we need is for a tree or something to fall on us so we better seek out some form of shelter and fast.” He ran a few steps before violently skidding to a halt. The earth before him opened up to reveal a stone similar to the one Ken had found only with a different symbol etched on it. “Well, this makes two. I just hope it doesn't shock me like the last one did.” He took a deep breath, bent down, and scoped it up. He blinked in surprise then tossed it lightly in his hand. “I guess this one is mine then?”

 

“Wallace! Watch out!” Miyako's voice cried out.

 

The blonde spun around and gasped at the tree falling in his direction. “Crap!” He quickly threw himself to the ground and rolled away to safety. “This is totally insane. I think I preferred the digimon battles.” He frowned at the memory of his two lost friends and pushed the thought from his head as fast as it had appeared then began running.

 

The lavender haired girl grimaced and quickly evaded a large tree branch. She shouted in both surprise and pain as another hit her bare legs, cutting into her skin, but she refused to stop.

 

“Are you okay, Miyako?” The American looked at her in concern, racing in her direction.

 

“I'll live.”

 

“Shelter would be a good idea about now,” Jyou said sprinting to their sides. His dark hair was now littered with twigs and bits of leaves.

 

“We're trying to find some place, Jyou. Just cool it, okay?” The teenaged girl hissed at the med student who was getting on her nerves again. Her face paled as she realized a member of their party was missing. “Where's Ken?”

 

Wallace paused and glanced around the chaos. “I-I don't know. I don't see him anywhere.”

 

“Ken? Ken, where are you?” Miyako balled her gloved hands into fists, her brown eye wide and filled with worry. “What if he was killed? Oh God, what am I going to do? KEN!”

 

“Calm down, Miyako. We'll find him.” The blonde leapt up on a collapsed tree. He wavered a bit then straightened up once his balance was gained and scanned the area. It wasn't until a few moments later did he find the former Digimon Kaiser scrambling back up from the beach. It was more than likely that he had to jump back down to avoid being crushed to death. “I see him, and he seems to be okay. He's just now getting off the beach.” Wallace cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled. “HEY, KEN! OVER HERE!”

 

The other teenager glanced up and nodded. However just as he began heading in the direction of his friends, the earth began shaking even worse, cracking under his feet.

 

Wallace gasped and vaulted off the tree, ducking around another, and shoved Ken out of the way before the earth could swallow him whole. The two teens flew over the small cliff and back into the gritty sand of the beach. After a moment, the blonde sat up sputtering sand and turned to the other boy. “You okay?”

 

Ken lifted his sand coated face and blinked dazedly.

 

“Ken!” Miyako raced towards him and practically threw herself in his arms then pushed away glaring at him. “Don't ever do that again! You could have been killed.” She swung her head to the America who was shaking the sand out of the wheat blonde locks. “Both of you.”

 

“Hey, I couldn't just let Kenny get squashed by a tree like that. Besides, I like a little danger once in a while.” Wallace chuckled with his hands up in surrender.

 

Miyako rolled her eyes. “Someone get the boy a pair of goggles.”

 

“Hey, I'm not a boy!”

 

“Are you a girl then?” She raised an eyebrow at the blonde.

 

“No! I'm a man.”

 

Miyako laughed and shook her head. “If you say so.”

 

Wallace glowered at the girl then glanced at Ken. “Is she always like this?”

 

A small smile crept up on the dark haired teen's face. “Yeah.”

 

“Um, shouldn't we find a shelter about oh, say now?” Jyou said as he stood warily before the others on the edge of the small cliff.

 

The American frowned for a moment at the realization that something was different about their surroundings. Then it hit him. “The shaking stopped. I think we're in the clear….at least for now.”

 

“Good, because I don't think I can take too much more of this,” Jyou sighed and wiped the sweat from his face as he sat down. “There aren't supposed to be any earthquakes in the Digital World. Gomamon would have told me if there were.”

 

“Yeah, well Gomamon isn't here. None of the digimon are,” Miyako said running a hand through her long hair in frustration. “At least we found one Power Stone.”

 

“Two. I found mine as well.” Wallace said, pulling the stone out of his pocket for the others to see. He furrowed his brow at the engraving and scratched his head. “I'm not fully sure, but I think that's the symbol of Fate. It was on my Digimental as well.”

 

The three Japanese Chosen studied the odd swirls that resembled three pieces of string.”

 

“The threads of Fate,” Ken nodded at the symbol.

 

“Well, we seem to be starting off better than the others so I guess it's time to enlighten them on our discovery,” Jyou said as he friends nodded in agreement.

 

Miyako smiled at the pony-tailed teen and touched his arm lightly. “You can do it. You found the first stone after all.”

 

He blinked at her gesture but smiled slightly. “Right. We can also tell them about the earthquake. I wonder if the others have experienced anything similar.” He dropped his backpack to the ground and started digging through the small pocket for his D-terminal. “Well, there's only way to find out.”

 

“At least we're off to a good start,” Wallace said as he stretched out his arms.

Ken glanced up and a wave of guilt flooded over him. “Yeah.” He lowered his eyes to the computer screen and began typing.

 

*~*~*~*

 

“Hikari, watch out!”

 

The brunette turned around and quickly ducked under the fragile paper streamers of green and blue Miyako was attempting to tape to the doorframe of her apartment. “Sorry, I was just…” the flustered Child of Light began.

 

“Distracted?”

 

Hikari's face flushed and she furiously shook her head as Daisuke and Takeru passed by with large bouquets of helium balloons. They laughed with each other, too absorbed in their conversation to notice the short teenaged girl.

 

“Uh huh. There is your evidence ladies and gentlemen.” Miyako snickered as the brunette threw her an icy look. She shrugged innocently and returned to her task.

 

Hikari watched the two boys for a moment as they sang in high-pitched helium induced voices along with the radio. She giggled at their antics then refocused on setting out the plastic cups, plates and paper napkins for her brother and his best friends' Yamato and Sora's, surprise graduation party.

 

“Um, can someone give me a hand?” Iori struggled balancing the large stack of gifts set haphazardly in his arms that was nearly higher than his own head.

 

“Sure thing, buddy,” Daisuke squeaked in an extremely high voice as he grabbed several of the packages on top of the pile and placed them on the table. Iori shook his head and set the rest down as well.

 

“Too bad Ken is in Kyoto,” Takeru said as he tied the balloons to the large banner. “He would have helped.”

 

“Who said I was?”

 

“KEN?” Miyako nearly fell off the ladder as she spun around and jumped at the sight of the indigo haired boy. She shrieked as the ladder rocked and gripped the railing, trying to center it against the wall again. “AHH! How did you get here?”

 

Hikari raced towards her flabbergasted friend to steady the ladder, but stopped suddenly as the room fell silent and all movement but Hikari's own had stopped. She gasped at the sight of Miyako suspended in mid-air, half hanging off the ladder. Ken looked like a strange statue. Even his normally calm hair was defying gravity mid-run. The Child of Light turned and found Daisuke, Iori, and Takeru had met the same paralyzing fate. “What's going on?” An abrupt laugh broke the silence causing the brunette cry out in alarm. Quickly she spun around and was met by the same piercing sapphire blue gaze of a face shadowed by a well-placed hood. “You!”

 

“Yes, me. So sorry to disturb your little… party.” The woman laughed and shook her head. “Actually…. I'm not. It was too perfect and quite boring.”

 

“But-but it's my life. And you stole it from me!”

 

“No, I did not and how dare you accuse me of such things. You, the Child of Light, and your stupid little friends…. you know absolutely nothing. You're just like them.” The figure looked down, her words softened as she spoke. “They never understood anything either… but they'll learn…. Even if it kills them.”

 

Hikari's eyes widened. She took a step forward and said sincerely, “I don't understand what you are talking about, but if you just give me a chance, I could help. I'm willing to help if you just let me.”

 

“Help?” The woman's head snapped up and she glared at the teenaged girl. “That's what they always say. That's what they'd say but they never even had a damn clue! No.” She shook her head and clinched darkly gloved hands into fists. “I'm done with them. And I'm done with you.”

 

“Please just let me try! I don't know what is going on but if you're in pain-”

 

“Pain? Once again, you with your perfect little life don't know anything. You are so ignorant!”

 

The brunette bit her lip and clasped her hands together in front of her chest. “I'm sorry for whatever I have done, but please, listen to me. If I have done anything to wrong you then I'm sorry. But please tell me so I could maybe fix it instead of hurting me like this.”

 

“You hurt me by existing!” The woman hissed as the room fogged over and came alive once again. “I'll kill each of your stupid friends one by one just as you hurt me.”

 

Hikari felt her body going numb. Something in the back of her mind was screaming at her, trying desperately to warn her of something she couldn't remember.

 

The woman seemed to know exactly what it was however. “Feeling a bit chilled? Soon that won't matter, because I know something that you don't know,” she chided with a laughed.

 

“What do you…” A sudden image of her and Daisuke being buried in the blizzard flashed in her mind. Hikari's pulse quickened, as the room became coated in a film of ice as snow began to fall. “No.”

 

“Frozen Light and whatever that idiot you're with is supposed to be.”

 

“He's not an idiot! You are the stupid one, taking pleasure in hurting others. I don't know who you are, but I won't let you hurt anyone else. So please, stop this. I don't want to fight you.” Hikari closed her eyes and bowed her head. Moisture soon gathered in her eyes and streamed down her pale cheeks. “It's horrible to be alone…. But we don't have to be, neither you nor I.”

 

Blue eyes stared at the peaceful teenager for a moment then flickered violently. “Stop it! I will not allow you to manipulate me with your pacifistic ways.” The figure threw a gloved hand against Hikari's face and stared down at the girl.

 

Rather than fight back, the brunette only blinked in surprise at her assailant. She stilled for a moment, her thoughts muddled by the icy temperatures as a blue tint formed on her lips.

 

The cloaked woman however gaped at her lack of response. Her hands shook with fury and fear. She took a step back as if unsure of what to do next. “Are you really going to give up just like that? Are you really that stupid?” She slapped Hikari again, but the girl didn't respond even as her cheek reddened leaving the impression of a handprint. “YOU ARE STUPID!” The young woman shoved the object of her disgust to the ground, but there was still no reaction. Instead blank brown eyes gazed back up at her. “DAMN YOU!” She kicked Hikari in the side then swore. “If I wanted to fight a doll, then I would, you stupid moron.”

 

“I'm sorry,” Hikari whispered in a barely audible voice.

 

“You're just as damn pathetic as they are!” The cloaked woman hauled the girl back to feet by her hair and arm then threw her into a table in frustration. “Fight. Glow. Do something for crying out loud.”

 

However, a limp headshake was all the irate woman received. The teenager tried to blink back the fuzziness in her head. Only one thought occurred to her as blood leaked down her face from a cut on her forehead. I'm dying. A scream made her slightly jump as the figure threw a hand into a wall then kicked it.

 

“Damn it.” She picked up a chair and threw it at Hikari. “GLOW, DAMN YOU!”

 

A shriek erupted from the brunette's throat as an intense wave of light flooded the room, deflecting the chair back to the opposite side of the room. The last thing Hikari remembered seeing however was an eerie glint in the woman's blue eyes before all faded to black.

 

*~*~*~*

 

Brown eyes suddenly snapped open as if having been electrocuted then blinked in confusion. What is this? Daisuke frowned at the mass of white he was surrounded in until realization came back to him. The blizzard. I must have passed out… oh shit. Hikari! Did we get buried alive? How much snow is on top of us? Damn it. Damn it. DAMN IT! Okay, Daisuke, don't panic. Easy for you to say. Oh, great, now I'm arguing with myself in my head. Okay, I need to try to warm up because I can't seem to exactly move anything at this point. He tried to form a fist with one of his hands, but couldn't seem to feel his arm let alone his fingers. Okay, that didn't work. Now how do I warm myself up when I can't even move? Warm thoughts. Um, summer… ramen… fire… Hi…no…. I'm not going there. Uh, freshly dried laundry…the sun… what? Where is that light coming from? Daisuke furrowed his brow as the strange light continued glowing brighter to the point that he could see luminescent strands of brown hair followed by pale skin and gray clothing. HIKARI! She-she's glowing….again. To his surprise, he found he could move his fingers again. “Hikari,” Daisuke choked thickly.

 

A soft groan was his only answer as the girl shifted from beneath him. Her eyes fluttered open as the light diminished once again. “What happened?”

 

Daisuke carefully gathered himself off her and scratched his head as he gazed around the huge walls of snow that surrounded them. “I think you glowed again and melted the snow around us. Other than that, I'm not sure.”

 

“Glowed?” Hikari pursed her lips in thought and touched her forehead. She winced in pain and withdrew her hand. “What…” a barely audible gasp escaped her throat as she stared down at the traces of blood smeared on her gloved hand.

 

“Did you cut yourself?”

 

She looked up at her companion and shrugged. “I guess so.”

 

Daisuke reached down and helped her to her feet then examined the large cut on her face. “It's a little bit big, but doesn't look too deep. You should be okay, but first, let's get out of here before anything else happens.” He glanced around and handed Hikari her bag. “I think the blizzard is over…. I haven't seen one snowflake since we woke up.”

 

“Right,” she murmured, still staring at the blood on her glove.

 

The teenaged boy ripped open his bag, and dug around inside until he found a small white box then pulled out a bandage and gently placed it over the cut on Hikari's head. He paused for a moment as he looked into her eyes then turned away to repack his bag. “That should help.”

 

Hikari drifted her attention briefly to the boy then refocused it on the sky. Her eyes narrowed at an odd gray cloud and a strange feeling of concern filled her.

 

Suddenly large chunks of frozen rain fell from the sky, showering down upon the two teens as if an ice machine had exploded from afar. Daisuke looked up in confusion only to be pelted square between the eyes by a small object.

 

He swore in pain and knelt down to find the offending item. “Where are you, you damn…” He paused upon finding a familiar symbol etched onto a rock and lifted it into his hand. “This…”

 

“RUN!” Hikari cried out as she grabbed his other hand and pulled him away when a piece of ice the size of a softball nearly crashed into them.

 

Daisuke snapped out of his stupor and found that they were now facing off with a rather intense hailstorm as chunks of ice in multiple sizes plummeted dangerously from the sky above. “Crap if it isn't snow, it's ice!”

 

Frantically the two teens sprinted as fast as they could in hopes of escaping the ferocious storm with their lives.

 

*~*~*~*

Author's Notes: This seems to keep getting more and more intense with each chapter and I am nowhere near done yet. I hope you enjoyed my newest chapter.

 

Thank you for reading and reviewing.