Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Love Evolved ❯ Hikari: Light of the gods ( Chapter 3 )

Love Evolved

By Lord Tarsisk

Soyez influencé-Be influenced!

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Italic Text indicates someone's thoughts.

"Someone's speech…" As if you couldn't tell that one. Honestly, some people are just plain stupid.

--- Indicates a transition between different times, scenes, and/or points of view.

~~~ Indicates a transition between memories or visions (but same real scene and time and same POV.)

As always, I don't own the subject matter, but seeing as they're not busy or doing anything useful, I will now take them from their holding cells and use them for my own "Emotional Reward." Just don't sue. In fact, any jumpy lawyers can stop reading this right now.

Again: As always: Be Influenced, and review. This is my hardest worked fic yet. I think I deserve a little feedback.

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Hikari: Light of the Gods

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I'm worried about her-even though everyone else is, I can't help thinking I'm worrying the most. Her parents, as well as Takeru and Daisuke, would disagree. I don't care.

Hikari is full of life-usually. She's usually radiant and sparkling, clean and fresh. She's always ready for some new adventure, some new challenge, even if it's only defending against Daisuke's most ruthless attacks, his flirting. She is always there to help, full of courage and friendship. She got the courage from her brother, and the friendship from Takeru-and Daisuke has both of those, so I'm surprised they aren't together. Hikari's full of life-usually.

Now she's hiding, and I'm not sure why. She's scared, and she's run away from her friends, shying away. She doesn't shy away from anything, unless it brings back memories of her past, like BelialVamdemon did. You were scared then-and yet, you still fought through.

Show's how evil a broken heart can be, I guess. I hope I don't have to find out-you look scared now, and I hate what he did to you. You're hiding, and that's not the Hikari I think I know. That's not the Hikari I think I keep thinking about.

---

Veemon left for home, feeling very depressed. Not only was he beginning to think he was obsessed, but the others seemed to think he was crazy.

He stopped. What if he was crazy?

He shook his head. No, there was something big going on with her; they were all talking about her. Hikari had disappeared once before, but Veemon hadn't had anything to do with that or her rescue-he wasn't sure what he had to do. Maybe she was invisible to them.

Or maybe he was crazy.

Veemon shook his head and walked home slowly, ignoring the others on the sidewalk, wishing he had pockets into which he could shove his hands. Eventually, he'd make it home, and it was getting dark. He was already getting tired, as he hadn't slept a lot. Now he was worried, tired, confused, and worried some more.

And if Hikari needed his help? He was the only one that could see her-Veemon was now resigned to the decision that she was invisible-should he try and save her? He turned a corner-

-And found himself staring right at Hikari.

He jumped. "Hikari!" he cried, but she didn't seem to see him. He blinked, and looked around. Now she was gone. Maybe he was going crazy. They all certainly seemed to think so.

He ran home.

---

Veemon sighed when Daisuke finally came home, later that night. His whole family was asleep now, and Veemon had made sure that Daisuke wouldn't get into trouble. Daisuke muttered something about how they had been unsuccessful, and would try again the next morning, skipping school if they had to.

Veemon nodded, convinced that he shouldn't tell him that he'd seen Hikari not once, but about three times that evening.

Daisuke wouldn't believe him. They finally went to bed, and Daisuke slept quickly, though once again Veemon was stuck awake, teetering on the edge of consciousness.

~~~

Hikari screamed, and the noise was a knife to Veemon's ears. He clamped his hands on his head, and struggled to find the source-except Hikari was invisible, and all he could hear was her screaming-still as loud, still as painful.

~~~

CRACK! A long, spiked whip came down on her battered, bleeding body, and Hikari clenched her jaw shut; she wouldn't let a sound out, wouldn't give any sick pleasure to her captives. She hissed, and struggled about in her clamps, but they held strong, and she heard the whip fly through the air again.

~~~

CRACK! The long, spiked whip came down on his battered, bleeding body, and Veemon clenched his jaw shut-

~~~

Veemon awoke suddenly, before the whip had a chance to impact again. He moaned, cursing his dreams, his love, his life, his lisp. He was covered in a cold, thick sweat, and he started to shake and chatter as the sweat evaporated. He quickly changed his mind about telling Daisuke.

"Daishuke?" he asked quietly.

Daisuke took in a deep, quick breath, and was instantly awake.

"What?! What?" he asked. "Veemon? Is that you?"

"Daishuke… I'm shcared."

Daisuke sat up, and Veemon could barely see him in the darkness. He tried to hold himself still, but he was trembling.

"Why?"

Veemon heard a note of care in Daisuke's voice-was his frustration fading?

"I… I've been sheeing Hikari-kun everywhere, but you all shay that she's not there-why am I sheeing her?"

Daisuke thought for a moment-a dangerous thing. "I don't know, Veemon. Is she here right now?"

Veemon looked around, and shook his head. "But I don't know why I'm sheeing her, and… I'm shcared, Daisuke," he repeated, trembling, as a tear crept its way down his face.

Daisuke motioned for him to join him in his bed, and Veemon obligingly climbed up, and Daisuke gave him a hug. Daisuke was soon fast asleep, and Veemon rested his head on Daisuke's stomach, pulled up the blankets and joined him.

---

That night, he dreamt of Hikari again, but he didn't fight it this time. The dream was odd: they were at a crosswalk, and Hikari was trying to avoid Veemon, but he chased after her. He noted, as he ran across the incredibly long crosswalk, that all the people seemed to be wearing white suits, and carrying white briefcases-but Hikari was a deep shade of black. She struggled to pass between the suits, but they kept missing her-she was invisible to them-and bumping into her, and Veemon found that he would gain two or three strides of ground frequently.

"Hey, look out!"

"Watch where you're going, miss!"

"Hikari!"

Veemon found that it was he who'd called that last one. He tried again, but she wouldn't listen, or couldn't hear him.

"Hikari!"

Soon he had nearly caught her, and he lunged-

His outreached claw flew towards Hikari; she stopped, and turned, and stared as he raced towards her-

His claw touched her hand-

She frowned-

And there was a brilliant flash of light. Veemon blinked and cried out her name again as she vanished. The suits around him stopped moving and looked at him as if he'd gone insane. Then they, too, flashed and disappeared, leaving a blind Veemon whimpering on the crosswalk that never ended, except that-

Veemon's eyes slowly adjusted to the lack of light. He found that the crosswalk had disappeared, along with the suits. As his vision continued to darken from the flash, he noticed that it was quite dark here. In fact, as he couldn't see anything at all now, and as it was deadly quiet, he wondered if he was dead.

Wait, he told himself, and forced his heart back into his ribcage, while he calmed the rest of his shaky body. He discovered that he could see a little. He put his hand in front of his eyes and he could make out a faintly darker shadow right there, so… He blinked.

Actually, there was a light up ahead. He made sure he could walk in there-he decided this must be a cave-and moved forward, curving around a few turns before coming across Her sobbing figure, curled up around a large rock.

He rushed to her. "Hikari!" he cried, and at this, Hikari started and tried to get up and run away, but couldn't-when she put weight on her ankle she shrieked and collapsed. Veemon raced to try and help her, but she swung at him. Quite unprepared for violence, he was caught square in the jaw. He stopped, stroking his chin, and sighed.

"Are you afraid of me?" he asked, but Hikari hissed in response and he gave up that question. "Well, do you at least remember who I am?"

Hikari snarled. "Of course I know who you are, Veemon. How did you find me?"

He paused, then shrugged. "I'm not quite sure, really."

She looked away, and started crying again. "Takeru should've been the one to find me, though he wouldn't deserve it. Oh, why did he do this to me?" Hikari moaned, apparently forgetting about Veemon's presence.

"Argg, I hate him!" She slammed her fist on the rock around which she was curled. Then she cursed and shook her hand, trying to get rid of the pain. Veemon approached her, and she didn't try to stop him.

"Calm down, Hikari. Let me take you home."

"Do you even know how to get home?" she snapped, and Veemon admitted that he didn't.

"But I can carry you, because of your ankle-"

"My ankle's fine!" she insisted, standing up-except that she fell over, and Veemon raced to catch her. She wrenched herself free of his grasp, and hit the ground. Veemon winced, but this time Hikari didn't shriek.

Veemon knelt in front of her, gazing into her soulless, dead eyes-there wasn't even an iris, a pupil; just a gradient from gray to darker gray to black. He sighed. "Where are we?"

Hikari titled her head towards him, and whispered, "We are in a cave. By the Dark Ocean. I've been trapped here before, but Takeru and our Digimon saved me. But now they can't see me in the sky, and I'm not pleading for help-so they won't come for us now." She laughed softly.

Veemon considered this. He remembered that event-he also remembered how choked Daisuke was that her hadn't been able to save her. Veemon wondered if Daisuke would show up and at last prove himself. Then another thought struck him, and he whispered back, "Don't you want to be saved?"

Hikari shook her head. "Of course not! Everyone hates me now. Taichi can't stand sharing a room with me; Takeru's gotten cold feet about our relationship; Daisuke's getting to be unbearable, always trying to flirt with me-he's not verbal now, but he winks at me all the time; Miyako thinks she can fix anything, and tried to set me and Takeru up on a fancy date, with the hope of getting us laid that night, but her plan blew up in our faces, and Takeru again got cold feet…" and she went on like that for some time, finishing with, "damned x-rated movies…"

A wave of darkness approached them. Hikari ignored it.

Veemon considered this as well, then started talking slowly. "Well, I'm not sure about Taichi, but I bet he's trying to score a room for him and his girlfriend; Takeru is afraid of moving on to the next level with you because he can't stand the thought of losing you as his best friend; Daisuke is crazy…" He paused. "…So is Miyako…"

Hikari stopped crying and looked at him-then snorted and looked away.

Veemon sighed, and then jumped as he saw the wave of… nothingness… climbing around them. He tried harder. "Hikari, I've been meaning to tell you something… I care about you too, just like the others. They're all scared, worried for your safety. Umm… No one hates you Hikari… Please, calm down… Hikari… Hikari!" but all he could do was watch the darkness creep slowly over her body, until she was all but invisible, and the room was once more plunged into total blackness, Hikari being the only source of light. It was suddenly very cold.

Then Veemon fell, and screamed-

Then he felt something press against him from all sides, it was really wet, too-

Water surrounded him, and he gasped, immediately holding his breath and catching the gasp before he could inhale any water, and started paddling upwards, except that he soon couldn't remember which way was up. He held his breath for as long as he could, but it was becoming painful… his lungs started aching, then screaming, for breath; and at length he could hold on no longer, and he exhaled, knowing he was about to die, this had to be a dream, somebody had to save him… Ahh!

Except that he wasn't drowning. He took in a sharp breath, unable to hold back, and he cried, he was going to die, except that it passed as lightly as air. His heart stopped thrusting up against his throat, and he looked around properly.

There! He found her, and started swimming again, this time for her life and not for his own. Her eyes were wide open: black, soulless eyes; her body was limp, her jaw open, her clothes clinging to her body. Bubbles issued forth from her mouth, a small, steady, deprived stream.

Still he swam, with every muscle aching; and with every once of strength he had he pushed, but Hikari kept sinking further and further away, and Veemon began to get very scared that he would lose her forever.

"Hikari!" he cried-but all the came out was a burst of bubbles. Hikari sank further, and her body became darker and darker. Veemon couldn't reach far enough, and she was too dark to see.

---

Hikari hugged him, tightly, as the gentle breeze rippled her white shirt. She whispered in his ears, "I love you, Veemon."

He blushed, and nodded, whispering in turn, "I love you too, Hikari."

~~~

Hikari ducked left and rolled, while Veemon went flying over her, they were laughing, she was too good at this game for him. He landed and turned, but Hikari tackled him to the ground, and still they laughed.

~~~

Hikari ignored his question and instead sat back on the couch, passively watching the TV. Veemon sighed, and made his way over to the rest of the group, and suddenly they were yelling at him and he didn't know why.

~~~

Veemon soared. Hikari was on his back, and he wasn't Veemon, he was Exveemon now. Hikari hung on, feeling almost at ease on his back now-after that barrel roll he'd done earlier, she'd been hesitant to fly with him again, but eventually his charm and persistence had paid off.

~~~

Hikari collapsed on the ground, exhausted, crying, smiling with joy, as Taichi held her. Chibimon soared in the air, as Daisuke held him and cried with joy, dancing around. Chibimon couldn't understand why he screamed but heard nothing, it certainly hurt enough… but soon the pain was gone.

~~~

Veemon felt… her. She was he, and he was she. From his mouth came her voice, but it was supposed to be this way. He flew with majestic wings and swung their sword. They shared a body, a massive, white and blue body. Powerful, too…

~~~

Everything was white-no, the world around Chibimon was blurry, now, unfocused, slow, and oddly quiet. He looked up, and saw a pale, glowing face, and an equally brilliant halo surrounding her… He knew that face… despite the pain he recognized Hikari, as her healing powers of Light flowed from her to him, saving his life… she was crying, but as his eyes opened she gasped, her tears of sadness turning to tears of joy. Then her energy gave out and she collapsed on the ground.

~~~

Hikari grabbed him and held him close, and she sounded deadly serious, her skin softer than the finest silk. "I love you, Vee-chan."

"I love you too, Hikari-chan." He didn't blush anymore.

Her eyes sparkled, but soon they were closed as she brought his head to hers.

~~~

Somehow, he knew that Hikari cared for him, and with renewed energy he pushed faster and harder. Hikari couldn't sink fast enough; he was gaining. Another race, and as he pumped his legs and feet and arms and hands, he reached out and grabbed her finger, the softest touch-

There was no blinding flash, but all at once her body surged with a massive flow of white energy, and she gasped, as Veemon's protective air-bubble flowed over her body. She was awake, and Hikari started crying again, but this time he felt they were more like tears of joy than sadness. She was Safe; he had her now, and he grabbed onto her with both arms and hugged her with all the energy he could muster, and he started crying too… he didn't care if Daisuke though he was a baby now.

Then there was a jolt, and a loud pop, and Veemon fell three feet to land on Daisuke's bed. He continued to cry, and he jumped up, feeling a surge of warmth flood his body. Daisuke started, and was awake in an instant.

---

Ah Ha Ha Ha!

Oh, Kami, I thought I'd lost you! I don't care if this is read or seen or anything, I need to say this-I love you. I certainly could never say it to your face-but maybe you already know. I wouldn't be surprised.

If you already know, then I also wouldn't be surprised if you left me-left so that I could heal, I think, and that's what you would mean. I hope. I know Takeru loves you too, and it's so much easier to care about someone you've known for years, someone you've already taken steps with, someone who's at least as tall as you are.

But I'm so damned tired of crying, you know. Now I'll admit this, since I'm already past the point of no return: I've been dreaming about you, Sweet Hikari. And in your dreams you are twice as sweet, but then I wake and realize nothing can be sweeter, and I get so confused.

Which one would I want more: Dream Hikari, or Real Hikari? Dream Hikari would never reject me, judge me, or discriminate me for my size, my color, or my species. Of course, I've never known Real Hikari to do that either, so I'm still confused. Real Hikari would be Real. Real Hikari gets angry at things, sad at others, and depressed real easily. Real Hikari is Real.

Maybe that's what I need-real touch. Real emotions, real affection from you. Something that I can touch and feel and sense. Something sweet, like you, Sweet Real Dream Hikari.

---

Seeing Veemon crying, Daisuke frowned, knowing that he might have to stay up a while later-looking at the clock, he decided that they should remove "two o'clock" from his language. He started to pull Veemon into a hug, but Veemon backed up, and Daisuke saw that he was positively beaming. Daisuke didn't need to ask what was making him smile so broadly-Veemon exclaimed, "I saved her, Dai-kun! I saved her, she's okay now, we should be able to find Hikari now-" and he started doing a little dance.

"Hold on. You saved Hikari? How? What are you talking about?" He became suspicious. "Are you playing us again?"

"No, Dai-kun, I shwear, I wouldn't lie to you, and you know that. But I saved her!" And he jumped with glee.

"Then where is she?"

Veemon stopped, considering. Then he heard a soft voice from behind them say, "Veemon… th-thank you."

Daisuke whipped around, staring at a sobbing Hikari, who had indeed appeared right behind them both, by the door to his room. Veemon flung himself down on the floor beside her and hugged for dear life, as if afraid that she would disappear, again. He checked her eyes, when she would open them long enough: sure enough, the black, soulless orbs were gone, replaced with the usual radiant sunbursts he remembered from his dreams.

"Hi… Hikari! Where-I mean, how did…" Daisuke croaked, then gulped. "What happened to you?"

Hikari looked up at him over Veemon's shoulder, and stopped crying, though tears continued to stream down her face. "I was just… depressed, Daisuke. I needed someone like Veemon-kun to find me and save my soul."

He felt as if his eyeballs would roll out of their sockets if he opened his eyes any further. Veemon… saved… Hikari? Her… soul? But… I… He shuddered, filled with a sense of hollowness.

Hikari had been sucked into the Dark Ocean before-only that time, it was partly Takeru and his Digimon, as well as her own, that had saved her. Daisuke could understand that. But this time, he had wanted to find her; he'd been planning to visit all her favorite spots, the Digital World included. But Veemon had simply fallen asleep and had found her right away, it seemed. Daisuke sighed.

"I… I wanted to find you, Hikari…"

Hikari looked at him. "So? Veemon found me first."

"But you don't understand, Hikari-kun. I was going to get up early and look for you…"

"Daisuke? Why does this matter? I'm fine now. Veemon-kun, can you take me home? It's pretty late, and I bet my family is worried."

Daisuke sat on his bed, jaw on the sheets, staring at her. Another chance, gone… He felt like dying. And she was in my room…

Hikari stood up and reached for Veemon's hand. Like a gentleman, he walked her out the door, and Daisuke's heart sunk at the touch.

---

"Veemon… that took a lot of courage. Thank you."

Veemon nodded, smiling. But then he had a thought. "How… how come I found you in that cave?"

Hikari stopped. "I… I don't know. I'm not even sure how I got there. All I know is that Yamato and Sora had been there before, in that cave, I guess, four years ago, when we fought the Dark Masters. Likely the darkness I had been feeling created it."

Veemon nodded. He had heard about that. "But that doeshn't explain why…"

"I guess your need to find me was so great that you were the only one who could. For Yamato, it was Gabumon who saved him; for Sora, it was Yamato and Jyou." They continued walking.

Again, Veemon could only agree with her. He kept thinking along those lines… then he stopped. "Hikari? I have a confession."

She paused, and looked down at him. "What?"

"I… I've been dreaming about you, Hikari, shince… Kami, shince forever." He blushed, embarrassed with himself. Hikari stood silent for a moment, then knelt down so that she was level with him.

"I see… Are you-are you ashamed?"

"No! I mean, well… short of…"

"Don't be. I don't mind; indeed, it's good to have another good friend that will go to great lengths to save me. And I had a dream about you, though it was very short, you stood in my room, that's all…"

"But, you don't get it. I like you, Hikari, and that's why I'm afraid of losing you. Ever since Takeru did… whatever he did… I've felt as if I had a chance with you… but you're human, and twice as tall as me." He chuckled, again almost on the verge of tears. Hikari remained silent. "I have feelingsh for you Hikari, I know this now, and I'm scared that you won't return them."

Hikari stood, and started walking again. Veemon followed. "Are you mad at me?" he asked quietly, afraid of the answer.

"No, I just don't know what to think. I mean, just an hour ago, I was almost killing myself, pining over Takeru, who obviously cares but can't show it. And Daisuke, he was really disturbed about how he didn't get to save me. And now you tell me all this-which probably took a lot of courage-and I can't figure it out."

"Figure out what?"

"Figure out what all this means. Why you're the one who saved me, not Takeru or Daisuke or Tailmon. Why you-Hold on. What happened to your hand?"

Veemon stiffened. "Nothing."

"Show me."

Veemon undid the bandage and showed the wound that he had picked open so many times it was now scarring.

"What happened, Veemon?" she asked again.

"I hit it with my horn… banging my head in frustration… over you…"

"I see…" and she left it at that. "You really do care about me, don't you, Veemon?"

"Well, yeah. I looked up, half-blind from the bursts of energy around ush, completely deaf and numb, and all I could sense was the sight of you and your healing powersh that continued to flow while you collapsed. I saw you… you had saved me… from then on, I couldn't stop myself. I'm… I'm so sorry, Hikari." He let a lone tear slide down his face, but was determined not to cry this night.

"Don't be," she said, smiling. "I think you're cute, and while I might not be attracted to you, I certainly don't mind being a very close friend with you. It might not be enough for you, and for that, I'm sorry, but that's all I can do for you now."

Veemon looked up at her. "Really?" And his heart did a double back flip. Maybe not all he had been expecting, but at least now Hikari knew about his feelings and didn't hate him for them. He asked her another question. "What about you and Takeru? What happened?" In a quieter voice, he asked, "What did he do?"

Hikari stayed silent for a few steps, as they rounded the corner and saw her apartment building. Then she said, "He just wouldn't move forward with me, and I think he thinks we're just really close friends. But I need more than an ice cream now and then… a walk in the park… And yet, I know he cares… I just don't think the love is there anymore…" Hikari trailed off.

He tried another question: "How are you feeling?"

Hikari paused for a moment. "I feel… alive. I mean, not any different than, say, a couple days ago, but I really appreciate these normal emotions right now. And I can't believe I got carried away like that, just because of the little things."

"The little things are the ones that turn the world," Veemon said quietly, and he found that he didn't know if he believed it or not. "You can't ignore the little things. I mean-Daishuke's mad at me, probably, because he didn't get to save you. But you're safe now-he doesn't get to save anymore."

They opened the door to her apartment building and soon found themselves in front of her room. Hikari smiled, then leaned down and told him quietly that they should meet again to discuss his feelings, and see if they couldn't sort them, and he agreed. He left down the hall before Hikari opened the door and was rushed by worried family members, including Taichi, who was in a right state about her being missing.

---

Veemon walked home, quite unafraid of late-night Tokyo. He made it home and knocked on Daisuke's bedroom door.

"Whozat?" Daisuke asked sleepily.

"Veemon. Do you want to talk?"

Daisuke paused, then said, "No, not really, Veemon."

Veemon sighed. "Can I come in?"

Daisuke paused again, then said, "I don't think you should, Veemon."

Veemon turned, sighed, and took the couch. It was rather cold, but Veemon didn't really mind. He found a small blanket, just big enough for him, and he tried to sleep, but his mind was plagued with thoughts of Daisuke being pissed at him, for no reason that he could control, and images of Hikari, happy with him, though what he'd said probably should have made her run. When he started to fall asleep, his thoughts had stewed so much that he became slightly angry with Hikari and attracted to Daisuke, but he shook his head and jumbled things back into some sort of order before he lost all consciousness, dreaming once more about Hikari.

---

That night, Hikari found out just how badly she plagued his dreams, as she started dreaming about him. First, she dreamt there were in the park, and he was chasing her, playing a game; then they were beside a fire, sipping hot cocoa, then they were standing side by side, staring down a dangerous Digimon.

Then she dreamt the most unusual of dreams. She dreamt that they were… she couldn't explain it… together. They shared one body, it seemed, and it was a terrific body, blue and white, and strong… and she could hear his voice, but it came from her mouth… she awoke, disturbed at the realness of the dream. Then sleep once more overtook her tired body and she lost herself again.

---

Hikari awoke, later in the morning than she'd intended. She shook off her parents, still worried about her, even though she was safe and sound. Her version of what had happened to her had a lot of holes in it-getting lost in Tokyo could happen, but not to her, not often.

She made some toast, and sat down on the couch. She'd decided to skip school for the day, and her parents didn't mind. Taichi and their parents soon left for school and work, respectively. Tailmon hopped up on the back of the couch, causing Hikari to start, and leap a few feet in the air.

"Care to tell me what really happened?"

Hikari smiled: Tailmon had a tendency to know when Hikari was lying. "Well, it was weird. After Takeru dumped me, I started feeling depressed…" and she continued, talking about the never ending crosswalk, and the dark cave. She fought back tears as she recounted how vicious she had been towards Veemon, and she smiled when she told Tailmon about his bravery and determination when he grabbed her, drowning, ending with "then we were in his room."

"How did Daisuke take this?"

Hikari stared, once again amazed at how fast Tailmon's mind was.

"Well, I think Daisuke was pretty choked."

"He wanted to save you, you should've seen his determination."

Hikari sighed. "Is it my fault that he couldn't save me? Did I choose who'd come for me?"

"Of course not, onesan. But he thinks it is." Tailmon turned away, and lay down on the back of the couch, resting her head on Hikari's shoulder. "And what about you and Veemon-kun?"

Hikari started. "What about me and Veemon-kun?"

"Well, what did he say about all this?"

"I think… I think he likes me, Tailmon-kun. He said he'd been dreaming about me… and I dreamt about him last night." And she told Tailmon about how they were one with two minds.

"Well, I don't know about a Digimon being able to love a Human, but I guess it's possible. Just don't hurt him. You've already hurt Daisuke-inadvertently, maybe-but just the same, I'd rather have him as a good friend then not at all."

Hikari nodded. "I promised to talk to him today, to help sort his feelings." And Tailmon agreed, and proposed that they go to the Digital World, where Veemon would be most comfortable.

---

You don't care about me.

Oh, Kami, you've no idea how it feels to be unloved. You don't know what it's like to have your one true love tear your heart open. You've never fought with your Partner, and you have a perfect life. You've never been alone.

People throw themselves left and right to save you. Tried, I guess, and I certainly didn't deserve to be the one to do it in the end.

You have so many saviors, while my own has left me to die. And the sad thing is I can't blame you for anything, because it's all my fault.

There's a little part of me that wants to move on. I'm so confused, so I hold myself and cry.

---

Veemon sat down on the small bank beside the stream and dipped his short legs into the water. He looked around, then looked at Daisuke's D3, which he had "borrowed," and tapped his fingers. He wanted to see her, he needed to hear her voice…

He needed to tell her everything, the night before had been all to short. He needed to tell her that he was in love, as drastic as it sounded. He had to tell her that he had spent the night holding his pillow in a deep hug, and in a sad voice he would have to tell her that it was a substitute Hikari. He no longer cared about scaring her-he just needed to tell.

He sniffled, ignoring the wetness that now flowed freely from his eyes, red from lack of sleep and from the cascade of tears, and started humming to himself.

---

Hikari and Tailmon emerged from the television and found Veemon sitting with his back to them, his feet in the nearby stream. He was humming a song to himself. Hikari smiled, but… he was humming an unhappy song. She frowned.

"Veemon?" she asked. He turned, and smiled weakly, but Hikari saw, to her horror, that he had been crying earlier.

"Veemon, what's wrong?"

"I… I can't sheem to stop myself from crying these daysh."

He chuckled. "I cried all last night, I cried at Koushiro's-I think I shcared him-and I cried when I saw this stream. I can't imagine being near you, Hikari, and not been sad, because you don't love me."

Hikari and Tailmon both stared.

"But it hurtsh! Oh, Kami, it hurtsh! And it hurtsh even more because it's all my fault! And I feel bad for making you feel bad, for ruining your day, so early. I mean, we came to talk, and for a while, last night, I thought I had a chance… but you don't-can't-love me."

He took a deep breath.

"And I've given up hoping, you know. Last night, I came up with fo-four different waysh to ashk you out… on… on a da-" and he started wailing again, and Hikari, terrified of hurting him more, didn't know what to do.

And it was her fault; she knew it, and she hated herself for it.

He snorted, trying to bring the sobs under control. "And I'm shti-shtill shcared, Hikari-kun. I was shcared of dying in that valley, I was shcared of going crazy when I was the only one who could hsee you, I was shcared that I might let you drown in that ocean, and now I'm shcared that you'll run away from me again. I don't know what to do any more, so I cry." He looked back at her, and smiled weakly, letting out a small, lifeless laugh.

Hikari rushed over to him and embraced him in a deep hug. "Veemon-kun, it's not that I can't love you, it's that I'm with Takeru instead. But, Veemon… I want to be your closest friend, I want to help-please, just name it, and I'll do it. Just ask," she said softly. She felt Tailmon walk over and offer him a shoulder.

Veemon stopped crying for a moment. "Thanksh, Hikari, Gats', but there'sh not much you can do. You can't convince me that I'm not in love, and you can't flick a switch and change that. But…" he took a deep, slow breath, and hugged back. She was so warm and comforting. "Thanksh. I will always be there for you."

"As will I-" Hikari started-but was interrupted by a loud roar.

A very loud roar.

---

A dark-blue Dragon-type Digimon emerged from the tree line, bellowing its call in an insatiable fury. Tiny wings, but a powerful set of fangs and claws adorned the beast, as did a glowing red jewel in its forehead. Tailmon sweat dropped.

Veemon stood, so suddenly that Hikari lost her balance and fell over. Veemon appraised the Digimon, listening to Hikari as she read the stats on "Dorugamon" from her D3. "Adult level. Viral Dragon. Its attack is Power Metal. Doesn't have much else to say."

He nodded, knowing that he was no real match for a trained Adult-he was only a Child. He sighed: he wouldn't be able to Digivolve well. He looked over at Tailmon, who was handing her Ring of Power to Hikari to allow herself the ability to Digimental Up.

"Tailmon… Digimental Up to… Nefertimon!"

Nefertimon's beautiful Egyptian cat-like body appeared, and Veemon watched sadly as she flew up and over the Dorugamon. "Rosetta Stone!" she cried, and a gray tombstone flew out from a pink beam above her head and smashed into the Dorugamon, causing him to yelp in pain.

The Dorugamon shook his head and screeched at Nefertimon, and launched a blue fireball right at her. Nefertimon dove and missed the shot just in time, but this brought her within striking distance of Dorugamon. He slashed at her, and Nefertimon cried out, left with a long gash of red along her side, landing on the ground, barely balancing.

"Nefertimon!" Hikari and Veemon cried, as they watched, helpless to do anything, and all at once Veemon knew what it was like to be removed from all the fighting, all the time. He needed to Evolve! But he couldn't, not without Daisuke, who probably hated him right about now.

Nefertimon took to the air and cried out, "Cat's Eye Beam!" and shot red lasers from her snake's eyes, hitting Dorugamon right in the back… Dorugamon cried out, a vicious, guttural scream, and a hole appeared in his back, he had to be finished now, Come on! Veemon thought to himself.

But although bleeding from his major head wound, Dorugamon stood on his hindquarters and bellowed, while a black, spinning spiral surrounded his body. Something had to be done soon-Nefertimon had quite a challenge in front of her now.

Nefertimon shot beam after beam of red, ionized energy at Dorugamon, but Dorugamon jumped this way and that way, avoiding the beams with ease. But his pathetic wings couldn't lift him off the ground, and for a moment they realized that they were stalemated.

Veemon smiled slightly, knowing that the Dorugamon couldn't win.

Then the purple dragon/lizard turned and faced him and Hikari. Licking his fangs, he started running, and Veemon froze. Hikari stood her ground, but there was a look of terror on her face.

Nefertimon dove to distract him, no good; she tried to tackle the Virus, but missed-in the end Nefertimon was too far away and Hikari couldn't run nearly fast enough to outrun it… Fifty feet away…

Hikari stood, frozen to the ground, staring at the fast approaching Dorugamon… she had to do something… take a step left… anything… evolve Veemon… and she cowered and cried, "Veemon! Save me!"

Twenty feet away… There was a burst of light around Hikari's D3.

Veemon leapt into the air, and dove towards Dorugamon-

Hikari's D3 turned into a brilliant hue of blue-

Ten feet-

"Veemon… Digimental Up to…"

---

There it is, Chapter 3 to Love Evolved. A cliffhanger-I don't use enough of them. What's happening to Veemon? How is he Digimentaling up? And into what? I'm not sure, but I hope we'll find out soon. I will post the next chapter as soon as I get a couple of reviews-not too much to ask for, is it?

Oh yeah, Tailmon can't Evolve into Angewomon because of another Dark Tower, but they don't know that.

© 2003 Lord Tarsisk (Not the characters, or anything else Toei owns, just everything else! Don't steal my ideas, or the insects will get you!)