Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Diminished Light: Void's Assault ❯ Struggles of Trust ( Chapter 20 )

Diminished Light: Void's Assault

Chapter 20

Struggles of Trust

By

Sailor Janus

 

 

The rain heavily streaked through the air as the three boys marched onward against the storm in search of the three missing Chosen girls. With each step they took, the wind threatened to blow them back another two feet. Taichi grimaced as another strong gust blinded him momentarily with a stinging spray of rainwater to his eyes. “This really sucks!”

 

Yamato gritted his teeth. His blonde locks saturated with water flew wildly in the breeze. He glanced towards the other boy who appeared just as miserable as they were. “The storm is getting worse.”

Iori nodded in agreement slipping slightly on the slick grass. “We better find them soon because I have a really bad feeling about this.”

“They better be okay.” The leader stumbled to his knees and cursed. He fell backwards from a particularly nasty gust of wind and rain then fought to get back to his feet. He would never forgive himself if something happened to any of the three girls. It was bad enough that Taichi had no idea where his sister was and couldn't seem to do anything to find her, but to lose any of the other Chosen especially those he had been traveling with would be inexcusable.

He knew Sora was more than experienced in the most difficult of conditions, but he did have to question Tani and Rosa's abilities. They were Chosen Children yes, but he did not know exactly what kind of dangers they had dealt with prior to this adventure.

Yamato seemed to know exactly what his best friend was thinking as he touched the brunette's shoulder and looked at him determinedly. “Sora will make sure everyone is okay.”

“We shouldn't have split up and it's my fault that we did. What if they're all alone? What if we don't find them? It's going to be all my damn fault!” Taichi shoved the hand from his shoulder and balled his hands into fists. “I AM SUCH AN IDIOT!”

 

“Beating yourself up over this is not going to do anyone good and it's not going to bring us any closer to finding them.” Yamato shook his head and brushed past his self-loathing friend. “We have to keep it together. At least… that's what Sora would say.”

 

“You are our leader, Taichi,” Iori reminded him with a sincere look in his emerald gaze. “If you fall apart, so does everyone else. You can't lose your head.”

The older brunette however stared down at the ground in dejection. “I don't deserve to lead anyone or anything. Not anymore and probably…. not ever again.”

 

His two comrades stared at him in bewilderment. “Taichi-” Yamato began.

 

“I DON'T DESERVE TO LEAD THE CHOSEN!” He paused a moment and chuckled bitterly to himself. “I gave my goggles to Daisuke, remember? He's the new leader.”

 

“Yes, but of the younger group,” Iori softly said.

 

Taichi shook his head. “I can't lead anyone. Not even myself. Just…. Someone else should lead. Not me.” He spun on his heel and slowly walked through the storm. However, he didn't get too far as Yamato grabbed him firmly by the arm and spun him around.

 

“Leader or not, you're still coming with us. And we are still going to find the girls. I don't care if I have to kick your ass, knock you out, and bodily drag you across the Digital World and back, but there is no way in hell that I'm going to let you leave, Yagami Taichi. You're my best friend and personally I think Sora would kick my sorry ass herself if she knew that I let you walk away and you ended up dead.” The blonde gave him a sharp shove to the chest. “So get moving. All this shit over you not being worthy to lead is really starting to piss me off.”

 

“Whatever.” The former goggle head shoved his hands in his pockets and angrily marched through the storm as the other two boys trailed closely behind.

 

*~*~*~*

 

Three years? How could someone survive here for so long? Sora was lost in her own thoughts as she wandered through the intense storm behind Tani and Rosa. She shivered violently and pushed a tangled mass of red hair from her eyes. It seemed the longer they were there; the more questions popped up in her head and unfortunately, most remained unsolved.

 

“Are you okay back there, Sora?” Concerned deep brown eyes glanced back at her from a curtain of darker brown tresses flying wildly in the wind. Tani glowered in irritation and pulled her hair away from her face.

 

“Yeah. I'm just grateful that I'm not wearing white,” she laughed.

 

Tani smirked. “That makes two of us.”

 

“Three of us,” the Mexican girl chimed in. “It would be really embarrassing about now.”

 

“I don't think `soaked to the bone' could describe even half of how drenched we are,” Sora squeezed out some excess water from her hair then wrapped her arms around herself again. “I hope we find the guys soon.”

 

“Yeah,” Tani murmured softly. She drew a deep breath and exhaled. “And I wish my sister wasn't such a bitch. Then again, maybe it's my fault she's the way she is. Maybe it's my fault that all of this is happening…” Without a single word she heavily dropped to her knees to the muddy ground. Tani stared long and hard at her gloved hands as if trying to force back something that wished to escape that she held deep inside her.

 

“Tani?” Rosa bent down and looked at the older girl in concern. “Okay, are you going to cry?”

 

“Don't be silly.” She sniffled and rubbed at her eyes. “Why should I cry? I just…”

 

“Are trying too hard to be strong. I know.” Sora knelt beside the forlorn young woman and touched her back gently. “I've been there too many times to count. But you can't give up. Hell, I think Taichi is too damn stubborn to even think of giving up so why should you?”

 

Tani frowned as she looked at the red head. “What does this have to do about Taichi? I was talking about my sister not-”

 

“You gave him up because of her, didn't you?”

 

“I… how did you know?”

 

“They don't call me the Chosen of Love for nothing.” Sora grinned mischievously at the confused girl. “At least that's what I was the bearer of before. Now…I'm not too sure. I guess you could say I have a sixth sense for this kind of stuff.” She glanced at Rosa briefly who flushed in turn.

 

“I…I…I…. I….There is absolutely nothing going on with that jerk, Iori and his hot eyes…. I mean his annoyingly sparkling green eyes. Mr. tall, dark, and handsomely brooding asshole of a guy. I don't even find him that interesting.” The Mexican girl folded her arms over her chest and pursed her lips, trying to look infuriated at the suggestion but her now crimson colored face was a dead give away to Sora's meek suggestion.

 

The other two girls however burst into a fitful of giggles over Rosa's response. “I find it cute. Little Rosa has a crush on Iori.” Sora's eyes twinkled with a refreshed light at the mere thought. That brightness however died away quickly as they were suddenly hit by a giant wave of mud that lifted them from the ground and carried them screaming away.

 

*~*~*~*

 

“This is ridiculous!” Taichi grumbled. “How do we expect to even find them in a storm like this?”

 

Yamato opened his mouth when a sharp cry from not too far away caught his attention. “Wait… was that…SORA?”

 

Iori stopped as well and squinted through the blinding rain trying to confirm the whereabouts of the screams. “It sounds like they're coming closer at a rapid pace. Almost as if they're headed right for us.”

 

“We better help them.” Taichi said urgently.

 

The Kendo expert however froze and took a step back. “Um, as you two would probably say… We're in deep shit right now. Whatever it is, is headed straight for us.”

 

“What?”

 

Iori however didn't get a chance to reply as the rush of water swept them up and stole them away in one bodily motion, taking them along it's wet and muddy journey.

 

*~*~*~*

 

Michael narrowed his blue-green eyes at the odd sight of fresh snow gracefully lining the outside of the entrance to the cave like some sort of elegant decoration. He scratched his head in puzzlement as Mimi peered in awe at the sparkling powder dusting the frozen soil around frost-coated flowers. “Well, this is unexpected.”

 

“But how could this be? There wasn't snow where we came in at.” She ran her fingers against a rock and furrowed her brow in wonder. “This place keeps getting weirder and weirder.”

 

“My sentiments exactly,” Koushiro nodded in agreement. “Nothing here makes sense logically.”

 

Akina frowned as well. “But…. The opening I use is normally green and the temperature is not cold enough for snow.” She picked an ice-encrusted flower and stared at the intricate crystal formations. “How can this be?”

 

“Just goes to show that logic doesn't exist here.”

 

“Sounds like the perfect place for my sister,” the raven-haired girl muttered bitterly.

 

Koushiro raised an eyebrow at her, which only earned him a shrug and an abrupt brush off. He sighed and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

 

“But since when has anything in the Digital World ever been logical?” Catherine glanced thoughtfully at the snow and turned to Takeru who simply shrugged. “I mean what is so logical about a digital world with digital monsters made of data living in it that can evolve into other types of digital monsters with special abilities and powers? I don't see anything logical about it but that is what is so fantastic about this place. It's almost like magic.”

 

`I don't believe in magic,” Akina whispered as she headed deeper into the icy forest. “Anyway, the lava is probably still following us so it'd be best if we stop gawking and keep moving.”

 

“She has a point,” Michael said as he took Mimi's hand and pulled her away from a particularly lovely display of iced wild flowers.

 

The others trailed after them without a single word of protest, each eager to escape from the danger as best they could with their lives.

 

*~*~*~*

 

Have I always been like this? So bitter and angry? I finally get to see Koushiro again yet…I'm not happy. Why is that? Is it because of her? Is it because of this place? Or is it just what I have become? Akina tucked a lock of hair behind her ear as she climbed up a particularly steep hill with the other Chosen trailing her a few paces behind. Did I die? Is this what has become of me?

 

The notion of death was one possibility that she had never truly examined. Yes, she had been lured to the Digital World by her sister however whatever happened after her crest was stolen was still a mystery that she was left unable to solve. Could it be possible that she had been killed and left in some sort of strange mockery of the Digital World? If so, what of the others? Had they died too? Perhaps that's why she didn't die there, because she was already dead to begin with. Just considering the concept was enough to make her head hurt.

 

But if we aren't dead then I still have to wonder what has become of the others. Akina sighed and paused at a large ice glazed tree. She tilted her head up towards the frozen leaves and slightly smiled. It was odd how something that seemed so ordinary could appear so beautiful in an almost magical sort of way.

 

“I think we're a good deal away from the volcano now, but whether it's far enough is another matter,” Takeru gasped tiresomely as he wiped a thin layer of sweat from his face.

 

“I'm too tired to go any further. All we have been doing lately is walking and to be honest, I don't know how much longer I can go on.” Catherine sat on the ground near Takeru and groaned. “My feet hurt.”

 

“I have to agree with Catherine. We have barely been able to rest at all.” Mimi joined the French girl on the stiff, frigid grass and wrinkled her nose. “However, I think if I sit here too long, my butt may go numb.”

 

Akina said nothing and began walking deeper into the forest.

 

“Well, this place suits her well. Frosty and ice cold.”

 

“Mimi!” Michael sent a glare towards his girlfriend who simply ignored his tone of disapproval as she began flicking ice from the blades of grass.

 

It doesn't matter what they think. I don't really care. Green eyes shifted to the ground in thought. Akina unconsciously formed her hands into fists as a chill ran down her spine. She blinked several times and drew a sharp breath. I don't care. I don't…. so why does it hurt so much? A glittering object on the ground took a hold of her focus before she could even fully consider the question. “What?” Akina bent down and frowned in confusion at the small gray stone. Curiously, she picked it up and studied the engraving of what resembled a simple hourglass. A sad smile appeared on her lips as she enclosed it in her grasp. “So you've found me again.”

 

“Akina?”

 

The young woman gasped as she whipped around and met the gaze of the last person she wished to see. A tightening sensation flooded her stomach as she fought to tear her eyes away from the red head's intense stare. “Sorry. I was just talking to myself.” She hesitated a moment and dropped her head as though the thick blades of grass were more interesting than the computer expert's perplexed expression.

 

“I see.” Koushiro tilted his head slightly and ran a hand through his mussed locks. “You found a Power Stone didn't you.”

 

“A what?”

 

“A Power Stone. It's a stone with what seems to be a crest symbol etched on its surface. What it does, we aren't sure. All I know is we have to find them.”

 

“I didn't find any such thing.”

 

He frowned at her. “Then what is in your hand?”

 

“Nothing.” Akina replied quickly, tucking her hands into her pockets.

 

Koushiro shook his head. “You picked up something. I saw you.”

 

“So now you're going to spy on me?” She glowered at him. “I thought you were above that.”

 

“And I thought you were above lying through your teeth and keeping secrets.”

 

At that moment Takeru and the others approached then paused a moment as they looked between the two. “And I think that bush way over there looks more interesting.” Quickly he ducked away from the others before someone could say a word.

 

Michael stared at the departing blonde and pointed to the sky. “I have to agree.” Soon he, Mimi, and Catherine left as well, leaving Akina and Koushiro to continue their argument.

 

Akina however chose that moment to walk away without a single word. The red head stared at her back as if debating whether or not to follow before he sped after her.

 

“Wait! You are acting ridiculous. I understand how it can be going from total isolation to having people you don't particularly care to associate with trying to be your friends, but that doesn't mean that you have to turn a cold shoulder on everyone.” Koushiro grabbed the girl's arm and made her face him. “At least, that's not how you used to be.”

 

“Things change.” She adverted her eyes from his own in an effort to mask her guilt-ridden face. “And sometimes things that you wish could change, don't.”

 

“Akina…”

 

“Don't. Please. Everyone is better off without me.”

 

Koushiro furrowed his brow at her unaware that she had once again slipped out of his grasp. “What happened to you?”

 

“I-I don't know. I just don't like what's become of me.” Akina drew a deep breath and slowly lowered herself to the ground in front of a frozen tree. “Maybe I've just been trapped here too long…. But I still don't understand why she did it.”

 

“Who?”

 

Just as the girl was about to reply, she thought better of it and instead shook her head solemnly. “It's not important.”

 

“Akina…” The red head sat down next to her, studying her pain filled eyes as they flooded with tears. He reached out to brush them away but she jerked back and scampered back to her feet.

“I'm sorry, Shiro, but I can't. I just can't.” The tears finally broke through the surface as Akina streaked away before Koushiro could even react. Leaving him to only watch as she ran.

 

*~*~*~*

 

Ken stared into the gray cloudless sky and made a face. So much had happened since they had arrived in the Digital World, yet he was unsure if they were even in the Digital World to begin with considering all the odd occurrences of the late. Of course this only increased his concern for the others' well being. He grabbed his backpack from the ground and unzipped it, pulling out his D-Terminal. He could barely remember the last time he had heard from the others, and that only worried him more.

 

With a renewed determination on his face, he began typing.

 

*~*~*~*

 

Hello Everyone,

 

I hope you all are okay and out of danger. Lately we've had to deal with earthquakes, small tsunamis, flooding, and collapsing trees. Luckily, we have all escaped pretty much unscathed other than a few bruises and cuts, but nothing life threatening.

 

The newest development is we lost Jyou for a while when a huge wave had carried him away. He was found later by a girl named Asukai Ami who also appears to be a Chosen. Jyou said that she told him she was trapped here for three years, which I find to be rather incredible. Currently she is traveling with us, though she does not give much in the way of an explanation as to how she became stuck here to begin with. She doesn't really say much at all. Jyou said she does cry a lot. I just hope Miyako doesn't lose her temper if she really does cry as much as Jyou said she does. With my luck, I'd end up being the one getting decked trying to keep Miyako at bay.

 

All of us have also found one Power Stone each although we still have no idea as to how to activate them if that is even possible. I do have to wonder if Ami has one as well. I'll have to ask her the next time I see her since she is a Chosen as well. If only Gennai could have given us a little more to go by. Then again he may not know too much of what is going on himself.

 

Has anyone heard from either Daisuke or Hikari? I don't know why, but I have a bad feeling concerning them and can't help but to be worried. Somehow I don't think it's a coincidence that all these events have been happening here at the same time that we try to look for Hikari's missing memories. I have a feeling that the two may be interconnected though how, I'm not sure. I just hope that we all can survive whatever we may face as well as find the missing digimon.

 

Please write back something soon so I don't have to continue worry about everyone being dead. It was hard enough trying to keep Miyako calm when we lost Jyou for that time period while trying to keep my own wits about. I don't need to fly off the handle myself, though Wallace seems to keep everyone together pretty well to say the least. Someone remind me to buy him a pair of goggles. Taichi, you can do the honors of presenting them to him.

 

Sincerely,

 

Ken

 

*~*~*~*

 

Ken closed his eyes and he hit send. He didn't know why but he felt very uneasy about something and it made him sick to his stomach. You've got to keep it together, Ichijouchi.

 

“Are you okay, Ken?” Miyako looked at him thoughtfully as she joined his side on the crisp cool grass.

 

He looked at her gratefully and exhaled. “Yeah. I sent a message to the others. I just hope they'll reply soon.”

 

“I'm sure they will. At least… most of them.” Her brown eyes softened at the thought of their two missing best friends. “If anything happens to Hikari and Daisuke…. I will hunt down however hurt them and make them pay dearly.”

 

Ken smiled at his girlfriend and wrapped his arms around her. He loved her inner strength and missed that quality dearly. It was right then that he realized how much they all had changed, and not for the better. If there was any good to come from this adventure, it would be that whatever wounds they all possessed would heal from the sharp daggers that life had bore upon them.

 

“Ken…” a bright flush painted the girl's cheeks a vibrant rosy color.

 

He smiled and pulled back, looking into her glassy gaze, a vision of dreaminess and wonder evident her eyes. “Sorry, I just figured it was appropriate at the moment.”

 

Miyako smiled back as she whispered. “There's nothing to apologize for.” She leaned closer to him, but just as the courage had been gathered, another interruption forced her to slam on the brakes in the formed of blonde head peering down at them.

 

“Oh! Sorry. Am I interrupting something?” Wallace stepped back in embarrassment as Ami and Jyou joined him as well.

 

“No!” The lavender haired girl rushed to her feet and brushed off the back of her shorts.

 

“I just sent a message to the others. It's been too long since we last heard from them.” The former Digimon Kaiser also stood up with a blank expression on his face as he zipped up his bag.

 

“Others?” Ami's blue-green eyes widened as she gripped the sides of her skirt. “You mean there are more of you? Do you think they may have found my sisters?”

 

“SISTERS?” Jyou glanced at the red head in disbelief and as she slightly swayed, humming softly to herself. “You didn't mention that part.”

 

The girl however shrugged innocently. “I guess I forgot. Oh! Daisies!” Happily she sprinted towards a patched of white flowers, leaving the puzzled trio to stare after her.

 

“Unbelievable.” Mikayo shook her head as she ran a hand through her long hair. “I don't know whether she did that on purpose or really is that one-track minded?”

 

“You've got me there,” Wallace scratched the back of his head and blinked several times in confusion. “If it's the latter then she's more blonde than I am and I'm a natural.”

 

“You just stereotyped yourself,” Jyou pointed out.

 

The American however grinned. “I know. I also know hair color doesn't show how many brain cells you have, but if you're going to make fun of someone, might as well be yourself that way when someone else does it, you can just laugh it off.”

 

“Rough time in high school?” Ken looked at the boy who shrugged thoughtfully.

 

“You could say that. But it was even worse in middle school. The other kids just didn't understand how a blonde haired guy could be so smart. I was small for my age until I hit a growth spurt, which made matters even worse. I was also one of the best baseball players but even then I didn't fully belong.”

 

“Didn't you go to school with Mimi and Michael?”

 

Wallace smirked. “Nope. It was private school for me. Plus I'm a year younger than Michael and two behind Mimi. So needless to say, I was kinda on my own.”

 

Miyako opened her mouth to comment when suddenly a blood-curdling scream murdered the calmness in the air with one deadly swipe. Frantically they spun around to find Ami was gone.

 

*~*~*~*

 

Daisuke released a sigh of discomfort as he briefly closed his eyes wishing for a breeze to eradicate the dry atmosphere as he and Hikari wandered through the brittle, rapidly dehydrating forest. One thing he had to admit, wherever they were just couldn't seem to decide on what temperature to be. “Can't the weather make up its mind? It's worse than when Jun goes clothes shopping.”

 

“Not all girls are like that,” Hikari said simply, pausing as Daisuke slipped off his backpack followed by his jacket.

 

He blinked at her then snickered. “Can't say that of yourself.”

 

“What do you mean?” She pouted at him, making the spiky haired boy laugh harder.

 

“You are worse than Mimi at times when trying to pick out something to wear and even worse when shopping.”

 

“I am not.”

 

“Oh come on. Taichi has told me horror stories of you practically ransacking your closet trying to find that perfect outfit to wear as you race around in a mad panic.” He chuckled as she glared at him with her arms crossed. He tied the jacket around his waist then pulled the heavy bag back over his shoulders. “He even showed me pictures of the aftermath as proof.”

 

“WHAT?! I'm going to kill him!” Hikari clench her hands into fists and appeared to be ready to hunt down her older brother and put his lights out. Daisuke however grabbed her by the hand and yanked her back making the girl do a twirl mid-step. She flushed lightly at the bemused expression on her companion's face. “What?”

 

Daisuke however shook his head. “Won't do you any good. For one thing, you'd never kill Taichi and for another, I've seen the aftermath in person.”

 

“You have?” She asked in a small voice, her brown eyes wide as the blush deepened. “Oh.”

 

“It's nothing to be ashamed of. It was kinda cute seeing you rush around trying to find something for the ski trip….” He stopped however as the memory tried to return. The sparkle in his eyes dimmed as he pushed the memory away before it could fully return and his hand slipped away from hers as if he were unaware that he was still holding it.

 

“Daisuke?” Hikari glanced at him curiously at the noticeable change in the boy's demeanor.

 

Quickly he plastered a smile on his face and ran a hand nonchalantly through his locks. “Come on. We need to get out of this heat before you melt.”

 

“Okay,” she whispered as they started off again. Occasionally she stole curiously glances his way, but the boy only looked straight ahead with a blank stare. Hikari sighed and tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear.

 

Damn it. I can feel her gaze on me. Why doesn't she just let it go? She wants her memories yet… I don't want mine. How ironic can you get? Daisuke exhaled sharply and came to a halt. He turned and looked at the girl then refocused on one of the dying trees. “I'm sorry. I just…. It's hard sometimes because some memories are good while others are bad, but both can hurt like a thousand knives stabbing into your heart at once. I'll do what I can but…” He fell silent as he found the ability to say what he felt grow increasingly difficult.

 

She touched his arm with a genuine smile. “It's okay. I understand. But there is something to keep in mind and that is that despite whether it's a good memory or not, it's still in the past and you shouldn't live in the past. Even so, you can learn from the past and with that knowledge, make the present and possibly even the future brighter.”

 

He numbly nodded, his bare skin growing warm from her gloved hand below the short sleeve of his t-shirt. His brown eyes focused on her own as a true smile formed on his lips. “Thanks, Hikari.”

 

“And thank you for sticking with me this far. If it weren't for you…I-I may not have been able to see my brother again…. because I would have been dead.”

 

“Hikari-”

 

“And I'm not talking about this…place.” She bowed her head and drew a breath. “I don't know if I would have had the courage to run from Nitoni when he tried to kill me but for some reason after our encounter in the park I found the tiniest will to continue living. It was small, but somehow, even though I was slowly self-destructing…. When faced with the actual possibility of death, I fought against it. Even when I wanted to threw myself off the balcony and you stopped me, I…. just couldn't bring myself to do it.”

 

“I…don't really know what to say….”

 

“I don't know if it's because of you or if for once, I actually felt like someone gave a damn about me outside of my family, but well, thank you.”

 

“I'm glad you are still alive and I promise to fight to make sure you stay that way….no matter what,” Daisuke said sincerely with every fiber of his being. Suddenly his eyes narrowed as he looked out in the distance. The sticky humidity was being smothered by a strong breeze that wafted through their hair. Further out a deafening roar growled in fury, increasing his anxiety. “Okay, I guess I should be more careful what I wish for. This might be bad.”

 

“I don't like this,” Hikari murmured nervously as she tightened her grasp on his arm.

 

“We better get out of here and fast because I have a really bad feeling considering this place's track record with disasters.” He took a step back, feeling as though he were in a particularly large box that was about to seal them both inside if they did not escape in time.

 

“You won't hear any arguments here.” Together Daisuke and Hikari took off at a frantic pace, unaware of where the true danger lurked.

 

*~*~*~*

 

 

Author's Notes: Hopefully my laptop issues are now done with. Aside from that this particular story is increasingly getting more and more interesting. Bits and pieces of what will happen in the future keep coming to me and I find that it's hard not to play those futures scenes in my head.

 

I hope you all enjoyed my newest chapter. More is yet to come….