Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Diminished Light: Void's Assault ❯ Sparks of Life ( Chapter 28 )

Diminished Light: Void's Assault

Chapter 28

Sparks of Life

By

Sailor Janus

 

 

The wind stirred as Taichi led the others through yet another cluster of trees. Tani watched a deep green leaf flutter to the ground and stared at it as she came to a pause.

 

“What's wrong?” Sora dropped a hand on the young woman's shoulder as she sent her an inquiring look.

 

“I-I don't know. I feel strange. Not sick, but something else… It's hard to explain.” She touched her head lightly as if it were about to be assaulted by a migraine but no pain followed. She swayed slightly, but manage to maintain her balance thanks to Taichi who steadied her before she could collapse.

 

Yamato scowled as an odd speculation came to his mind. “Would this have anything to do with your sisters?”

 

“No. Yes. Maybe. I don't know.” She winced and suddenly her knees began to buckle. A sharp gasp escaped her throat but once again, Taichi was a step ahead and caught her, then eased her to the ground. Iori handed her his last water bottle, which slipped from her shaky grasp.

 

“Tani.” Taichi took her face in his hands as it fell forward. Worry flooded his eyes as he tried to keep her upright. “Shit. What the hell is wrong with her?”

 

“I don't know… but I don't like this,” Sora murmured, unaware that she was now clutching onto Yamato's hand.

 

Iori nodded gravely. “This is reminding me of Hikari's spells but it's not the same thing.”

 

Taichi's jaw hardened at the mention of his little sister. “Those assholes are not going to get their hands on Tani too and they better not have hurt Hikari or I'll rip them apart with my bare hands.”

 

“Easy, Taichi. We're not even certain that this has anything to do with the World of Darkness or Dagomon for that matter.” His best friend shook his head, trying to talk some sense into their now infuriated leader before things could get out of hand.

 

Rosa blinked in confusion. “I think I'm out of the loop on this one.”

 

“You're not the only one. “ Tani gave her a weak smile that sent her head spinning. She fought back the nausea as she sip on some water. “I don't think I've ever felt like this before…”

 

The wind picked up even stronger as the group stood, kneeled or sat gathered around the seemingly ill Chosen. Leaves and pollen flew around them unnoticed as they concentrated on trying to find a cure to Tani's ailment.

 

Iori frowned as he looked up at the darkening sky. “This doesn't look good.”

 

“Do you suppose that everything is related somehow? Tani being sick, the freak storms, us being trapped here,” Sora questioned. “I know it's reaching a bit, but we don't have much to go on.”

 

Yamato rubbed his chin in thought. “You might have something there.”

 

“I can't remember….. I can't… why can't I remember?” Tani mumbled to herself, her skin nearly as white as a freshly starched sheet.

 

“Remember what? Tani?” Taichi held her hand, squeezing it reassuringly. “What can't you remember?”

 

“It-it was fourteen years ago… no… eleven now… computer system… time… damn it.” She gritted her teeth in frustration and withdrew a deep breath. “It's … like my memory has been broken into a puzzle and all the pieces that connect the other pieces together are missing. I can't put anything together. Not from eleven years ago or eight…or seven….six…or one…What's wrong with me?”

 

“What the hell is going on here?” Taichi moved to stand up and begin pacing, but Yamato shoved him back down.

 

He shook his blonde head at his friend and began to pace himself. “When you look at the big picture, everything is a puzzle. The concept of everything being related may not be as far off as we may think.”

 

“We just need to find a way to piece everything together.” Iori agreed as he too tried to fit everything together. “To start with we have Hikari who had disappeared for several years then was found by Daisuke only to learn that she had lost her memory of anything having to do with Digimon including us aside from her own brother. Then we have Tani and her sisters who were trapped here for three years by their own sister.”

 

“We later end up separated and fighting to survive in a Digimonless Digital World in search for Power Stones and end up activating them somehow along the way,” Sora added. “All because we wanted to help Hikari piece back together her memories.”

 

“However she and Daisuke had somehow disappeared and no one knows what had happened to them,” Yamato said as he continued pacing. “I have a sick feeling that all of this might revolve around Hikari but I'm not sure how.”

 

Taichi glared at his friend's suggestion. “Are you trying to say that my little sister is behind all of this?”

 

“No. But for some reason everything centers around her. She was also one of the first Chosen and in hindsight has been involved in everything having to do with Digimon from the very beginning.”

 

“Fine. You have a point. But how does that explain what's happening now, especially to Tani?”

 

“I don't know. I don't think anyone does except maybe whoever is behind this. For now all we can really do is try to continue on.”

 

Iori scowled as his focus remained unmoved from the portions of sky he could see through the tree limbs. “Then I suggest we consider all this as we continue moving because it looks like we might be hit by another storm and I have a bad feeling about this one.”

 

Rosa looked up as well and pursed her lips as she shivered. “He's right. This doesn't look good. It's kinda of greenish.”

 

“Green?” Ice seemed to streak down Tani's spine as her head shot up. Her eyes widen in horror and she struggled to scramble to her feet. “We have to get out of here. We have to get out of here. We have to get out of here.” She wavered a bit and nearly fell forward but grabbed onto Taichi's arm to balance herself.

 

“What's wrong?” He looked at her panic-stricken face as she swore out loud.

 

“We're in BIG trouble that's what. She's going to kill us. I can't believe she's actually going to try to kill us. Oh shit!”

 

“Tani, get a hold of yourself!” He shook her firmly but gently as tears flooded her brown eyes.

 

She whimpered and sniffled as her adrenaline began to skyrocket. “She's toyed with us long enough. I don't know why she's doing what she's doing and damn my stupid memory but trust me when I say that we are in deep shit if we don't get out of this death trap now! My memory sucks but this isn't the first time that something like this has happened.”

 

“Who are you talking about?” Sora asked, trying to control the quivering in her voice at the young woman's radiating fear.

 

“My sister. No more talk. We've got to move!” The wind grew stronger as Tani spoke, the nervous tone in her normally calm voice putting everyone on edge as she tore through the forest without a second word. Regardless of how insane she seemed to be acting the others followed suit, unaware of what they were about to be challenged with next.

 

*~*~*~*

 

Large piles of snow sat lifelessly at the mouth of the cave. Suddenly, something began to stir from beneath the surface. A shock of blonde hair burst free as Michael blinked through his ice crusted lashes. He continued unburying himself until he could finally move more freely. A growl escaped his raw throat as he touched his head. “Damn it. I lost my hat.”

 

A moment later two white-gloved hands followed by a mass of tangled brown locks broke through the snow as Mimi stumbled towards her boyfriend. “You mean this?” She held out the frozen cap and winced, wiggling in discomfort. “I think snow went down my shirt. This really sucks.”

 

He chuckled in amusement at her face. “At least you're alive.”

 

“But it's in my bra!”

 

“It'll melt. We're already human Popsicles as it is,” He shrugged frowning at his soaked hat.

 

“But it's cold!”

 

Michael scowled in confusion at the lack of an audience. “Where are the others?”

 

As if on cue, an arm and a head of red hair popped up. Koushiro's nose twitched as he suddenly sneezed. “We should have anticipated something like this happening.” He brushed the snow from his shirt and sighed. His dark eyes abruptly widened as he leapt up in surprise then tripped, falling as a shout soon followed.

 

Takeru jerked through the pile of snow and glared clutching his side. “Those were my kidneys.” He flinched in pain and swore silently.

 

“Sorry. I didn't know you were there,” Koushiro admitted apologetically.

 

“Don't worry about it.”

 

Catherine's drenched curls soon appeared from behind the others as she dug herself free. I don't think I like snow very much. I am absolutely freezing.” She wrapped her arms around herself and shivered.

 

Takeru bit his lip as he gazed at the trembling French girl before turning away. “I don't think we'll be able to find our stuff buried under all this snow.”

 

Mimi groaned at the mere thought of it. “I really don't feel like digging anymore. My back is killing me as it is.” She dusted herself off and stamped a foot. “I better not get hypothermia or I'll get majorly pissed if I don't go into a coma first.”

 

Michael wrapped his arms around his girlfriend in an attempt to warm each other up when a sudden thought struck him. “Wait. Where's Akina?”

 

The others fell silent and turned to the red head then glanced down at the snow. Michael pulled away from Mimi and cursed before he dove towards the mass of white piles around and under them as he begun frantically digging.

 

“You don't think she's dead.” Catherine's bright blue eyes flooded as she knelt and clawed at the snow in search for her missing friend.

 

“Don't think about it,” Takeru urged throwing clumps of snow over his shoulder.

 

Only Mimi glanced up from her work and witnessed the sheer look of devastation wash over Koushiro's paling face as he stared deathly at the snow. “Koushiro.” She stood up and reached a head out towards him but he evaded it, tossing a mask of determination over his features and begun silently digging for the missing young woman.

 

*~*~*~*

 

Light green eyes glanced around with a disoriented gaze. “What…happened?” Akina sat up and shoved her ebony hair from her face. Her head was pounding and she had an unnerving urge to be sick. She weakly sat up, swaying slightly as she tried to contain the contents of her stomach. The cave wall in frot of her was vaguely familiar but she could not recall where she had seen it before. “Did I die?”

 

“Not yet.” A soft voice murmured from a far.

 

The young woman cleared her dry throat and slowly rose to her feet. “It certainly seems like it.”

 

“Don't give up so soon. You are different than most of the others, yes, but that doesn't have to be a negative.”

 

Akina snorted shaking her head. “What good is being the Chosen of Time? I should have just let Shina have it like she wanted.”

 

“Time is what you make of it,” the voice whispered soothingly.

 

“Then tell me how you found such value in it.”

 

A glimmer of white appeared from the corner of the young woman's eye. “I did not have Time. I wouldn't necessarily know. Great challenges may come your way and the only way to survive is to trust who you are. Find what you lost and fight again.”

 

Akina considered the words and decided that weirder things had happened. Especially the form of a wide eyed Shakomon. Her face softened as she recalled her digital friend who always had the best advice in the most sticky of situations, especially in regards to Shina. She pursed her lips and closed her eyes. Perhaps she had to be accepted at face value, just like time. She was always good at managing it, which drove her siblings nuts. “I have to accept what was rather than wish that I could go back and change things. What's done is done but just because you can't change the past, it doesn't mean that you can't change the present. I understand now.”

 

A sharp gasp escaped her throat as ice seemed to flood through her veins and suddenly she became aware that she was no longer where she previously was when she had been speaking to the mysterious person.

 

“I think I see her!” A thickly accented voice shouted, echoing slightly in Akina's foggy brain.

 

“Hustle. Hustle. Hustle!” A more masculine voice ordered.

 

“Michael, this isn't football.”

 

“No, it's the game of life and death, now hurry!”

 

“Will you all just shut up and dig!”

 

Shiro. Akina became aware of something sliding against her cheek. She winced at the stinging sensation that next followed. She drew a breath in discomfort and held it.

 

“Is she alright?” The French accented voice questioned worriedly.

 

“Her skin isn't blue and since when did she activate her Power Stone?”

 

The young woman's eyes flew open as she sat up startling her rescuers. She turned her attention to her clothing and noted that her sleeveless v-neck shirt was now a rust color layered over a long olive green sleeved shirt with a thick black stripe running down from her shoulders to her cuffs. Her loose fitting pants were also the same olive green color flowing down to her black and rusty orange colored sneakers. Akina bit her lip then leapt towards Koushiro, throwing her arms around him as she clutched his shirt. “I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I should have told you everything from the beginning but I couldn't because I was either too ashamed or couldn't remember.”

 

The red head stood stunned for a moment before he returned the gesture, hugging her back. “It-it's okay, Akina. I'm just glad you're okay. I was afraid you died and…. you didn't.”

 

She smiled as she pulled back and took her stone out of her pocket and held it up to him. The hourglass-like etchings glowed brilliantly against the olive green of the stone. “I am the Chosen of Time and because of that, my sister Shina always despised me. I still can't remember much but that might be because I'm missing my crest but…. We're all in danger because of her ever since my sisters and I fell into the Digital World.” Akina turned the others as well as she pushed the stone back in her pocket. “I don't know if anyone remembers the day a missile was fired off from a US military base nearly ten years or so ago that was targeted for Japan, Odaiba to be exact.”

 

Koushiro's eyes flickered as he reached out and grabbed her shoulder, squeezing it tight. “That was done by a Keramon. That wasn't…”

 

“Who do you think Shina's digimon was?”

 

As soon as the words left her lips the mountain began to rumble. Akina's eyes widened in horror. “I wasn't supposed to remember that. We have to get out of here now!” She snatched Koushiro by the hand and stumbled through the snow.

 

“What about our stuff? It's still buried!” Mimi yelled after the frightened Chosen.

 

“Forget it and run!”

 

The others raced after Akina, unaware of the danger they were soon about to face.

 

*~*~*~*

 

Rain fell lightly upon the Chosen as they trailed through the thick sand. Wallace exhaled deeply and wiped at his face, as he led the others. His blue eyes were filled with uncertainty as he blindly wandered. “This would be easier if I knew where the hell I was going.”

 

“You're doing fine,” Ken reassured him, pulling his damp locks from his face.

 

“Yeah, but I just have a bad feeling that I'm screwing up some how.” The American shrugged, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

 

“We'll let you know when we're about to die,” Jyou replied as he squinted through his smeared lenses. “I really wish I had contact lenses. Miyako was definitely smart in getting them. Wish I thought of it.”

 

“Huh?” The lavender haired teen looked blankly at him as though she had just awoke from a long sleep.

 

Ken glanced at her in concern. “Are you okay?”

 

“Fine.”

 

“You don't sound fine.”

 

She gritted her teeth and picked up her pace, walking briskly ahead of him. “I am.”

 

Ami blinked and clenched her hands together as though she were unsure of what to say. Finally she drew a breath and whispered to the girl, “Don't worry. You'll find your way soon as well.”

 

Miyako glared back at the red head. “Butt out.”

 

“I-”

 

Jyou grabbed her hand and shook his head. “Leave her be, Ami. She seems to have a lot on her mind.”

 

“But-” She sighed and continued to hold his hand. Her blue-green eyes sparked with life like an ocean before a storm was about to stir. “She created a virus that affected a digimon…. A chocomon.”

 

Wallace froze and slowly spun around. “What? What are you talking about?”

 

“I- I just remembered for some reason. It's like the memory was locked away and was somehow released.” Ami squeezed her eyes closed and she touched her head. “I don't think Shina is going to be too happy that I remembered that, but it might also mean that Tani and Akina might be remembering things too.”

 

“Chocomon was my digimon. And if you had anything to do with what happened to him then I will not hesitate to retaliate,” he growled stepping closer to her.

 

Ken shoved him back keeping one hand on the blonde's shoulder. “Easy. There is not reason to threaten her when she's going through just as much if not more grief than you have.”

 

Jyou looked at Ami as well. “Wait, your sister was behind his digimon's abduction of us?”

 

“I don't remember the details but please believe me when I say that Tani, Akina, and I had nothing to do with it. We tried to stop her but…. We were too late. Shina always displayed strong emotions. Unfortunately they were usually negative.”

 

“Just how much had your sister done to make our lives miserable and where the hell did she get the power from because there is no way that she could be working alone?” Miyako's brown eyes were narrowed and alert and she dropped her hands on her hips with a look that said she was going to kick someone's butt one way or another.

 

“I don't know. She never told us anything.” Ami shifted nervously from one foot to another as the rain began to fall harder. “I don't know why she is so angry but I'm honestly afraid of her.”

 

Jyou squeezed her arm. “We're not going to let her hurt you.”

 

“I just feel like I should have been able to do something to prevent all of this. Wait… that's what Tani would say. I'd sit there and tell her it's not her fault and Akina would agree with a reminder that you can't change time….I miss them.”

 

“You'll see them again,” Ken smiled then fell serious. “She sounds worse than me when I was going through my Digimon Kaiser issue. She is aware of what she is doing even more so than I was. I was a monster, but she is even worse from what you have told us.”

 

Ami dropped her gaze to the ground. “For some reason, she enjoys making others miserable. I can't understand why, nor can my other sisters. I don't understand it.” Soft tears fell from her eyes joining the falling raindrops. “She's my sister and my enemy and the fact of the matter is that it kills me every time I think about it. I don't know why she hates us or how to stop her from going any further with her malicious intentions before it destroys everything, but I'm afraid that it might be too late.”

 

No one said anything for a moment. Wallace glanced up at the sky and frowned as the wind picked up. “Shit. The weather keeps getting worse. We better get out of here before we get hit with the thunder storm or worse, a hurricane.”

 

The other Chosen agreed and began their hike through the sand, each with their mind swimming with terrifying thoughts of what might happen next.

 

*~*~*~*

 

Daisuke bowed his head against the wind and rain as he stumbled through the sticky mud that caked up the bottoms of his boots. He gritted his teeth as he clung to the girl in his arms, her own wrapped securely around his neck. He wished he knew where he was and why they were trapped in a building storm in a place that didn't seem to have anything that resembled a shelter. No houses, no stores, not even a gas station. How was he supposed to find help for the girl when there was none to be found? He heaved a sigh in frustration and wished for a wall to bang his head against. Maybe that would dislodge something useful.

 

“We'll get out of this somehow,” she said weakly in his ear.

 

There was something familiar about her but something else was blocking him from pinpointing what it was. Instead he found himself fighting against a strong wind that was trying desperately to rip her from his arms. “Yeah,” he said through his clenched teeth despite feeling as though he were in a losing battle.

 

Suddenly a particularly strong gust set Daisuke skidding and soon he was falling down a mud slicked hill tumbling head over heels. After bruising what felt like every single body part, he finally came to a stop face down in a puddle of mud. Preferring not to drown he rolled over with the last bit of his strength, and closed his eyes.

 

“Damn. You're more pathetic than I was.”

 

Brown eyes shot open and stared in disbelief at the white-cloaked figure standing at his feet. “Who… are you?”

 

“Doesn't matter. What matters is that you need to get your ass gear and start remembering who you are.”

 

“Easy for you to say,” Daisuke snorted as he ran a hand through his muddy hair. “You don't have amnesia like I do.”

 

“It's not an excuse for you to drop your guard. The girl is gone by the way and now you have to remember who you are so you can find her.”

 

“What?” Panic shone vividly in his eyes and he looked at the figure in horror. “How do you know?”

 

“She's not here.” The figure shook their head. “Think. Who are you? If you want to help her, you have to remember or else you're better off dead.”

 

Daisuke leapt to his feet with a snarl. “Hey! I will roll over and die when I'm damn good and ready but that's not coming any time soon.”

 

“How do you know? How do you know anything?”

 

“I-I don't know. I just know I seem to have an uncanny ability to improve the worst of situations. You know, when all the chips are down, I seem to find a way to make things better.” He shrugged as an ill feeling flooded through his gut over the lost girl. I can't feel sorry for myself. That's nit right. I have to help her and I know she's counting on me. I'm the only one she can count on. I help her in whatever way I can and I will succeed because that is what I must do. There is no room for failure. Not when a life is involved. And definitely not hers. Hikari's face filled his mind, easing the queasiness in his stomach.

 

“And why is that?”

 

“Because I'm the Chosen of Miracles,” Daisuke seemed to gloat. His eyes widen and blinked dumbfounded. “Wait. I'm the Chosen of Miracles. I remember. That and… Hikari. Shit. Where the hell is she….wait…. I remember. I remember. I REMEMBER!” He turned to grin at the mysterious figure, but found that he was alone. “Weird.” He reached up to scratch his head but froze at the sight of his brown gloved hands. Daisuke glanced down at himself and swore again. His jacket was now a bright blue with the zig-zag pattern in the sleeves resembling flames followed by a deep black from his elbows on down. His shirt was also black with red, yellow and orange in the stripes and a red collar. A brown belt and blue cargo pants followed next as well as brown hiking books. Daisuke had to admit, it was much better that the bland gray he was formerly clothed in.

 

He grinned and shoved a hand through his bangs then froze and finding resistance. He tugged at what felt like a strap then pulled it down over his face to his neck and discovered a pair of black goggles with reddish orange lenses. “I have goggles again! I'm a leader and…. shit I'm getting sidetracked. I've got to find Hikari before something bad happens to her.”

 

Without a second thought he took off running blindly hollering her name with every few steps he took. I refuse to give her up. Not when I've finally got her back and if I find out who the hell is screwing with us I'm going to make hamburger meat out of them. An odd urge struck him as he came to a stop and pulled out the strange stone he had found. It glowed a brilliant blue that seemed strangely comforting. He stared at it a moment then dropped his gaze towards Hikari's dim gray bag. He quickly grabbed her D3, D-terminal, the stuffed cat, and the stone she found as well and shoved the two electronic devices in his now blue bag and pocketed her stone. With that done he began his search once again.

 

After a few steps however he paused as a strange burning sensation flooded the pocket of his jeans. He quickly pulled out the two stones and stared at them in bewilderment. “What the hell?” His stone seemed to fade while Hikari's pulsed with sparks of color rapidly growing cooler the longer he looked at it. “Damn it, what is going on? V-mon would probably say they want to play Hot/Cold but….” He frowned as he thought of his missing digital friend. He closed his eyes and clasped the stones together in his hands as if in saying a prayer. “Please show me the way to Hikari. If being the Chosen of Miracles will help then I'll provide enough belief to allow that miracle to come true.”

 

Hikari's stone cooled a fraction more as Daisuke's dimmed. He spun around, watching the stones carefully. “Which way to Hikari?”

 

A slight spark flashed from his stone as he faced a group of mountains in the distance. Hikari's stone too warmed his hand a bit before fading slightly. A smile crept up on his lips as he headed forward, noting the growing brightness and heat. “It's working. Hang on, Hikari. I'm coming.” With those last words he started off again, hoping she'll be alright until he could reach her.

 

*~*~*~*

 

Author's Notes: I have to say that this chapter was hard to write. Nothing really came out the way I've expected and being sick for a few days didn't help my cause much either. Concerning the last chapter, I seriously didn't expect Daisuke to get hit with amnesia, it just happened. Same thing goes with how he broke out of it.

 

The mysteries of the sisters are finally coming to light. And no, I didn't expect for them to being to remember things the way they did either yet they still only remember bits and pieces.

 

And for those inquiring how many more chapters for this story, I'd say at least three if not four. It's been quite a ride I'd have to say and yet it's not over yet.

 

Hope you enjoyed my installment. More is yet to come.