Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Passage Through Shadow 2 : Heart of Sincerity ❯ Chapter 4

Part revised -- 6th February 2003

Firebird: Insert Disclaimer of your choice that translates to "Firebird doesn't own Digimon please don't sue her " here.

Ken: They won't have to. You did it for them.

Firebird: Oh, shut up. Anyway some people commented that they preferred the longer format so I'm trying it. This isn't as long as the last chapter but it is still longer than usual. Enjoy and when you've read it please review it. Thank you. And I've no idea what happened there! Sorry about that. Hopefully this'll be better. If not I have a problem.

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Passage Through Shadow 2

Heart of Sincerity

Part Four

Miyako joined the others in starring out to sea.

"What are we going to do now?" Iori asked. "We can't hope to take on that army as it stands. That's…" He looked at Ken. "You never fielded an army quite like that."

"Hikari isn't treating this like a game and she appears to have supporters." Ken replied softly. "Both of those things will change things a lot."

"I don't get it. One day she saves us the next she does this." Daisuke frowned. "What is going on in her head?"

"That's something we need to find out." Takeru seemed thoughtful. "I think we need to find out where Hikari just rushed off to. She seemed to be in a hurry."

"That's true." Daisuke agreed. "What do you think Miyako-chan?" There was no reply so he looked over at her. "Miyako-chan!" He said more loudly and she looked up.

"I just hope that whatever it is eats her." She said bitterly. "It'd be one less thing for me to worry about."

"You can't say that!" Daisuke sounded shocked.

"I just did." She glanced round. "Where's Elliot gone?"

"He said something about a call of nature and that it might take some time. His stomach's been playing up all morning." Mimi said. "I agree that someone should follow Hikari."

"Well, I'm not doing it." Miyako said. "I think it's too dangerous."

"I'll do it." Takeru said and then looked around with a frown. "Hum, where did Patamon go?"

-----

Patamon was more than a little suspicious of Tsukiamon and his human partner. He'd encountered a couple of his purple counterparts before and not in good circumstances and while he didn't want to assume things, especially in the current circumstances, something felt very off about this situation. So when he'd seen Elliot and his partner whisper something to Mimi and sneak off he'd followed them cautiously. The boy found a hidden cleft between two boulders and sat down. Patamon had to dip out of sight as he looked around before pulling out a d-terminal. Apparently he was sending an email to someone and the cloak and dagger stuff suggested that it couldn't be a good thing. After he'd finished Patamon expected him to return to the others but instead he settled down and seemed to be waiting for something or someone.

-----

"Well finally!" Ali stopped walking and sat down on a convenient rock to read the email that she had just received. Her eyes widened in surprise as she assimilated the contents. "Logan! Come and look at this! Who would have thought she had it in her to be so cold."

Logan came over and read the email even though he was obviously irritated by the fact there was another delay. The contents however did seem to give him pause. "Well that answers at least some of our questions doesn't it. Kamiya's surprisingly bright for a digidestined isn't she?"

Ali chuckled briefly. "True but she wasn't until whatever it was that happened to her happened."

"Do we really have to talk to him first?" Logan's mind went back to what they were supposed to be doing as he read the email. "I mean what's the point in 'co-ordinating'? We know what I'm going to do… kill Michael. Not exactly a difficult plan to comprehend."

"Oh just the small matter of keeping Elliot's cover intact if at all possible without you thinking that he's shooting at you?"

"Do I look completely stupid, Ali? I do know that. It's fairly obvious."

"Oh? So why did you try to rip Denbe's throat out that time."

"Um… ah… it was a misunderstanding." He said a little lamely.

"Exactly. He just wants to make sure that there are no misunderstandings here. Getting their throat ripped out isn't something most people do for fun. Anyway it'll only take five minutes to check that we're all singing from the same hymn sheet." She paused and then grinned ironically. "Patience is a virtue remember."

"I guess." He didn't sound convinced. "But just let's be quick about it, okay?"

-----

Patamon watched in shock as two other teenagers climbed into sight about five minutes after Elliot had sent the email. He realised that he probably shouldn't be. He had known that something was awry after all but he hadn't expected such obvious proof of his worst fears. He'd slept through most of the fight with the three counterdestined at the Cavern of Dreams but he had woken briefly and recognised these as two of the three who had attacked them. He wasn't sure how long he had before they parted and Elliot headed back to the group so he turned and flapped back towards the others as fast as he cold without being seen. He had to warn them.

"TK-kun!" He called as soon as he came into sight. "I…" He trailed off as Takeru interrupted him.

"There you are! Where've you been? Never mind, tell me later. I need you to digivolve again. We're going to see what made Hikari rush off like that."

"But, TK-kun…" Patamon began again.

"No time… we need to get going." Takeru activated his Digimental and Patamon Armour digivolved.

"I need to tell you something." Pegasusmon said as his partner climbed aboard.

"Tell me while we're flying."

"Can Betamon and I come with you?" Michael asked. The others looked at him in surprise. "Betamon's home is on the border of this area and he's worried that it may get hit if this turns into a tit for tat battle. He wants to gather any information on the situation he can."

"There is a Betamon colony right on the edge of the territory Athenamon claims." Tapirmon agreed. "You come from there?" He asked. Betamon made an affirmative noise and the Tapirmon looked thoughtful. "Ah, so." It nodded. "I had wondered." Apparently he had been enlightened to something more than where Betamon came from. Given the sudden pleading look Michael gave the other digimon the blonde American knew it too and didn't want Tapirmon to tell them what.

"We've been preparing to flee ever since the Minomon got hit." Betamon said. "Fortunately our commonest in-training form in this region is Koromon and as you know they produce a lot of vaccines."

"Will you please listen to me…" Pegasusmon tried again. Michael looked over.

"Erm guys I think Peg…" he began.

"So your nursery is probably safe from Athenamon." Miyako interrupted. "But what about Hikari?" Pegasusmon felt like screaming but suspected that it wouldn't do any good. They were all too preoccupied with what had happened here.

"That's what's worrying me." Betamon said. "If this escalates our nursery might get caught in the crossfire."

"Might?" Daisuke looked thoughtful. "I think will is more accurate."

"Yeah…" Betamon said unhappily.

"Anyway," Michael looked up at Takeru. "Betamon does know the seas round here so we may be able to help."

Takeru seemed to consider. "That's true. Climb aboard. It certainly won't do any harm."

-----

"Okay, so where is he?" Logan asked without preamble when they found Elliot.

"Michael you mean? He's on top of this ridge. They're all looking down at the village." He replied. "That girl's got a surprisingly good grasp of tactics hasn't she?"

"Right then I'm going to sort this out." He began clambering up the ridge with BlackAgumon not far behind him.

"Logan, wait! You'll be fighting against five armour digimon if you don't think this through. We need to split them up first."

"And how do you suggest that we do that?" Logan asked in a tone that suggested he'd be quite happy to take on all five but he did stop.

"Just leave that to me. I'll make sure that there's only one of the new chosen children with him."

"Why risk having even one with him?" Ali asked.

"I have my reasons. There's something I want to test."

"What?" Ali looked intrigued.

"If I told you it would ruin the test. I'll explain later. In person if I can. By email if I can't."

"Any other advice to impart?" Logan asked. Elliot shook his head. "Right then." Logan resumed his climb leaving Ali and Logan starring at each other.

"Wind him up, point him the right direction and watch him go." Elliot grinned as soon as Logan was out of earshot.

"Do you mind? That's a friend of mine." Ali said but she was obviously trying not to laugh.

"He may embody the concept of vengeance, Ali, but he's got a lot to learn. Revenge really is a dish best served cold."

"He's not exactly the Count of Monte Cristo is he?" she agreed. "But simplicity does have a certain charm. I like him."

"I know you do but he lacks anything resembling subtlety. Does he know?"

"Oh yeah, just look where subtlety got us. Anyway that's why he's got me to teach him subtlety." She smiled. "And no I haven't told him. We were told not to and why muddy the waters. Anyway I'd better go and make sure he doesn't play havoc with the plan and this mysterious experiment of yours."

"I noticed something strange. I want to be sure it's not just me."

"Now you've got me really curious, Elliot. See you later." She paused. "Won't they wonder why you've been so long?"

"I've been pretending to have stomach problems all day. Hopefully Mimi will buy it. As long as I can keep her trust it'll work."

-----

Logan was cursing fluently when Ali found him. "What's wrong?"

"I knew we shouldn't have taken the detour." He growled. "He's just taken off with Hope. Looks like they are going to investigate something." He resumed cursing.

"In which case they'll be back." Ali pointed out. "And we need to wait for Elliot to come back anyway. I hope he can pull this off without alerting them. They'll be suspicious enough as it is."

Logan sighed and settled into a more comfortable position. "I've been waiting two years for this chance I suppose I can wait a while longer. You know, Ali, I don't think Elliot's plan can possibly work. Even if he gets through today it's only a matter of time."

"You're probably right." She conceded. "Not even he can fool all of the people all of the time."

"Especially not when you naturally provoke feelings of suspicion and discomfort in the people you're trying to fool." He was still starring after Pegasusmon. "How the hell did he fool Sincerity? Could you have stood being around Ichijouji long enough to win his trust?"

Ali shook her head. "Not a chance but Elliot's determined enough that he could probably walk through fire to get what he wants. It's that she never connected her physical reaction to his presence that surprises me."

-----

"Will you listen now?" Pegasusmon asked as they flew over the sea in the direction Hikari had taken.

"Okay. What's so important?" Takeru asked.

"That boy, Elliot. He's one of the counterdestined."

"What!" Takeru spluttered.

"I knew it." Michael said. "Are you sure?"

"I saw him meeting with two of them. The girl with the Demidevimon and the boy with the BlackAgumon."

"Alison Shirai and Logan Silver." Michael positively spat the names especially the last one. "Damn what a waste of time it was."

"No it wasn't." Betamon said.

"What was?" Takeru asked.

"Two years ago a group of us stopped those two from breaking back into the Digital World. Obviously it was only a temporary victory."

"And a temporary victory is better than none." Betamon said soothingly. "Think of the suffering that they could have caused in that time."

"He's right." Pegasusmon said. "But right now we need to warn the others."

"No, it'll wait. We need to think it through Mimi won't believe it anyway unless we prove it to her." Takeru said. "We really do need to find out where Hikari went."

Pegasusmon sighed but carried on flying as fast as he could. The sooner they got there the sooner they would get back. "Won't you at least send an email?"

"At this speed? I'd fall off." Takeru laughed but there was little humour in it.

"I can slow down."

"No!"

"I think I see something up ahead. Did you bring Sora's binoculars?"

"I did." Takeru looked through them. "She's circling a pod of Dolphmon. Devimon's still with her." He scanned the immediate area. "And more pods are heading towards them."

"They probably originate in the Penguinmon village." Betamon said. "Though I really can't imagine Dolphmon siding with Athenamon. It's just not like them. They're some of the most tolerant vaccines I've ever encountered."

"Which may explain while she hasn't gone in blasting." Takeru sighed "She may be trying to avoid an unnecessary battle."

-----

"What have you done to our village?" The leader of the pod reared out of the water on its tail and looked up at Hikari.

"It was aimed at the Saberdramon not you." She called back. "Unless you work for Athenamon…"

"Of course we don't. We wanted to keep out of that insanity." He protested bitterly. "Give us back our nursery or we'll have to get involved."

"The nursery is safe enough but I'm afraid that I'll have to retain control of it for the foreseeable future."

"Unacceptable!"

"You really want a fight over this?" She asked in a reasonable tone.

"No but we're willing to if necessary."

"More pods approaching." Devimon informed her from where he flew beside the Devidramon. "There will be twenty or thirty of them here pretty quickly."

"Damn! Get the air troops here as fast as possible." Hikari muttered before addressing the pod leader again. "If you attack you'll probably destroy your own nursery."

"That would be unfortunate but it can be rebuilt." He replied.

"More visitors." Devimon pointed to where Pegasusmon was approaching from the shore.

"Well that's interesting." Hikari said. "I wonder what they want."

-----

"She seems to be trying to negotiate with them." Michael said. "I don't think she's succeeding."

"She just trashed their village!" Takeru pointed out. "I wouldn't be feeling very reasonable in the circumstances."

"That won't worry them. It's not their village they just share the nursery with the Penguinmon. It'll be the nursery that concerns them." Betamon said. "I wonder what's happened to the Penguinmon who would have become Dolphmon? They would never have been involved in what happened at the Minomon village and Athenamon doesn't tolerate dissent once she's in control if the old legends are to be believed."

"She hasn't destroyed the nursery." Takeru had been puzzling over that.

"I know. I think they're worried about what she intends to do with it." Betamon said. "But if they go in blasting they'll lose and they'll probably destroy the nursery in the process."

"I can see that." Takeru said. "But what can we do?"

Michael and Betamon consulted quietly for a few moments.

"I think we have a plan but it's risky. Can you bring us into talking distance with Kamiya?" He paused. "And try not to be too shocked by what I suggest to her. The only way out of this is to talk the Dolphmon into not attacking the village."

"Okay. I'll try but if she shoots at us we are out of here." Takeru looked at his passenger curiously. "If you're going to say what I think you are it's probably a good job that I'm not Miyako or Iori."

"I wouldn't have suggested it to them." Michael replied with a smile.

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Firebird: Oooooh, a mysterious plan.

Ken: Not really.

Firebird: Well not if you know what it is. :p

Ken: ….

Firebird: Please don't forget to review.