Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Passage Through Shadow 2 : Heart of Sincerity ❯ Chapter 7

PART EDITED 06th February 2003

Firebird: I don't own digimon. This is for fun not profit.

Ken: Where have you been.

Firebird: ack… writer block… you do not want to know how I've suffered. Not to mention I'm learning your language… how do you cope with Hiragana?

Ken: ….

Firebird: anyway here goes nothing

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Passage Through Shadow

Heart of Sincerity

Part 7

"What do you mean she emailed for help?" Logan glared at Ali. "You were supposed to stop her."

"I know. I got distracted." Ali met his gaze levelly.

"You got distracted?" He asked in disbelief. "What sort of an excuse is that?"

"It isn't." she admitted. "Didn't you notice it?"

"Notice what?" He asked blankly. "I didn't notice anything but I was busy you know."

"Yes." She agreed mildly. "I noticed that." Her expression became serious. "But Inoue doesn't have the aura I associate with the light's chosen children. She flanked me and I didn't even sense it. I had no idea she'd got round behind me until she landed on my back."

"Okaaaay!" He conceded. "That's is pretty weird. Do you think that that's what Elliot wanted to test?"

"I think so." She agreed. "And I think I know why as well." Ali was examining her D3 as she spoke. "Aha! Got you!" She grinned and pressed a sequence of buttons.

"What did you just do?" He asked her.

"Figured out how to track another digivice. I've got a lock on the Inoue girl's one." She paused and pressed some more buttons. "I also think I've figured out how to block her signal so she can't send emails and they can't track her. But don't hold me to that, please. We'll have to do this quickly just in case."

"Slight change of plan." He replied as he nodded. "I'm going to kill the pink haired witch as well."

Ali sighed and shook her head. "That's not a good plan, Logan. The whole point of this is to have Elliot use her as a source of information."

"But she hit me with a rock!" He protested. "She has to pay!"

"Oh, she'll pay." Ali reassured him. "Just not today. It's a dish best-served cold remember. Wait until she's forgotten the incident and then make her pay. With interest for the delay." She paused. "And if that doesn't work for you. Imagine how she's going to feel when she realises how thoroughly Elliot has used her. When she realises she's betrayed her friends."

Her gave her an ironic look. "Do I tell you how to torture people, Ali?" He asked with a grin. He was trying to sound annoyed but she knew he'd accepted her points. She met his gaze with equal irony.

"Logan." She replied between giggles. "I'm rather afraid that you lack the subtlety to tell me how to do my job… except for the most direct forms anyway."

"I what?" he looked confused. She sighed and shook her head.

"Never mind. I like you just the way you are." Let's go and finish this. They're in a cave up there." She pointed up the cliff.

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"Everybody stop!" Daisuke said looking back. "We appear to have lost our back markers." The group stopped and looked back.

"I don't like this." Takeru scowled briefly. "I told you I should take back point."

"T.K.-kun, you can barely stand up without help at the moment." Daisuke pointed out. "How could you have protected the rear."

"That true… but it should have been anyone but Miyako."

"And if you'd told us what you knew before we set out it would've been." Daisuke looked like he had more to say but he broke off as his d-terminal bleeped. Everyone read the incoming email from Miyako. "Why are they so interested in Michael? I have a feeling it's not just because he stopped them before."

"Probably because he knows about Elliot…" Takeru said.

"It's not just that either." Ken said. His eyes were narrowed thoughtfully. "There's something else."

"What do you mean?" Takeru asked and then swayed and had to catch onto a nearby tree to stay upright. "Oh no, not again."

Yamato grabbed his brother and held him up. "Are you okay?"

"Yes. No. I don't know. It's the same as before. Constant deja vu."

"That must be really strange."

"It is." Takeru replied faintly.

"Okay. You and Tapirmon take your brother back to the rebel's base." Daisuke told Yamato. "The rest of us had better go and rescue Miyako and co."

"Yes you try and do that but I'm not at all sure that YOU will. Good luck." Takeru said. He looked really spaced out. "I'd help but I really do need to get back to the base. There's some I have to meet before this drives me insane. And it will if I don't."

"Err… yeah… whatever." Daisuke gave Takeru a worried look as he and the others headed back the way they'd came to find Miyako and the others.

"Come on." Yamato put an arm under his brother's shoulders. "Let's get you where it's safe." He looked at Tapirmon. "It is safe isn't it."

"Of course it is. Best place he can be right now." The little digimon replied.

"Okay. You still with me, TK-kun?"

"Hai." His brother whispered but Yamato had the unnerving feeling that Takeru wasn't talking to him or Tapirmon.

"It'll be okay." He said somewhat lamely. He didn't know what else to say. Takeru's eyes cleared momentarily.

"Yes it will." He agreed. "More than okay in fact." Then he fainted.

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"So what is she like?" Hikari asked as the Penguinmon she'd rescued from the cellar ate like the food might vanish if they paused. The one who had done most of the speaking looked up.

"My partner? Vibrant and very sweet… oh and unrestrained. It's obvious when you know her why she's the child of freedom." He paused. "She always feeds me chocolate."

"Yes I know… well except for the chocolate bit though that doesn't surprise me. We've met. I actually meant Athenamon. You said that you fought her?"

"Yes we did. It was several lifetimes ago." He replied quietly. "But I remember it all too clearly. To be blunt she's deranged. She's determined and moderately clever. I warn you that she won't just react to what you've done here. She'll attempt to come up with some sort plan. On the upside she's a lousy tactician. She's a fanatic and can't believe those she sees as her natural allies don't always support her. And even when she intellectually knows they might actively oppose her she never really expects it and rarely allows for it in her plans."

"Well that's useful I guess. Unfortunately I'm not a great tactician myself. I'm still learning."

"I can give you some advice if you want."

"I'll listen." She allowed cautiously.

"She'll attack here… and soon. You just eviscerated her aerial forces so she'll be desperate to regain control of the nursery."

"I know that. Fortunately this is quite defendable… though I think I'll draft in a few flying Ultimates though… and if she attacks herself I may have a problem. I don't know if I have anything that can handle a flying mega."

"She's not really good at fighting. Consider the fact that MagnaAngemon defeated Piedmon. Not every mega in invulnerable. Anyway I doubt that she will risk it this time. However I'm fairly sure that you friends are planning to attack her base. If they could be persuaded to take it out while she's got her troops focused on here. It would shatter her troops, temporarily anyway, and force to scramble to regain a foothold elsewhere in the digital world. And there are only a couple of other places where her Viral Purge Cult is as ingrained as it is here."

"That would work…" Hikari agreed. "There's just one little problem. The others aren't exactly likely to do anything that I ask them at the moment."

"Well not if you ask them… but there is another way. As you know not every vaccine supports her and the datas almost all hate her guts. I'm sure there's a rebellion forming even now… and I'm also willing top bet that the other chosen children will have joined up with them."

"There is and they have." Hikari confirmed. "But what's that got to do with anything?"

"Well YOU can't suggest co-ordinated action to them but I'm sure that one of the rebels could be cajoled in to suggesting that while Athenamon has most of her troops attacking you is a tactically good time to take her base. Without letting on that you suggested it."

"That should possible." Hikari admitted. "I've a couple of… erm…" She paused trying to think of a term.

"Spies?" The Penguinmon suggested. He seemed amused.

"That's not a good word for it. They aren't trying to undermine the rebels. Sympathisers would be a better word. Yeah… I have a couple of sympathisers in there who could put it forward."

"And of course your friends aren't stupid they may well realise it themselves."

"Perhaps but then they are also bright enough to figure out that that would help me." She pointed out. "Do you really think that they'll go out of their way to help me. There would be other tactically advantageous times for them to take out the base."

"Then the key is to make sure that bit is glossed over and the tactical advantages of helping you in this are played up."

Hikari smiled and leaned forward. "An interesting suggestion. How would you suggest I do that?" She asked.

"There is a way -- but it's a little risky. Your biggest advantage in dealing with them is the fact they want to reach you."

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The four teenagers stood looking at the Digimental of Sincerity. After Mimi had tried to lift it and failed Michael had tried but he hadn't been able to move it either. Now he was looking at Elliot.

"I think that it's your turn." He said in a deceptively mild tone. There was a definite challenge in his eyes.

"Oh, I'm sure it's not for me. Let Miya try it first." Something in his tone made Miyako frown. She had the definite impression that he really did not want to touch the Digimental for some reason. Much as she wanted it for herself she also wanted to know why he seemed almost afraid of it. Surely Michael couldn't be right… could he?

"Oh no." She demurred. "I already have one. It's only fair that you try first."

"It's not for me." He repeated. He was beginning to look a little cornered. He was even sweating slightly. Apparently he really, really did not want to touch it.

"You can't know that for sure without trying to lift it… can you?" Michael asked. "Anyway what's the worst that can happen? You'll fail to lift it." The blonde paused then pressed his advantage home. "Of course, that ISN'T the worst that can happen is it?"

"Oh for Heavens sake!" Mimi yelled. "Just try and pick it up, Elliot, before Michael turns your refusal into more spurious evidence of malice on your part." She turned back to Michael. "I don't understand what you think Elliot is but he'd one of us."

"You're blind Mimi." Michael replied calmly. "He's one of them. Nothing would give me more pleasure than to be proved wrong but he's the Child of Manipulation unless he's suffered a serious change of heart and that I doubt. I guess that's why he is so desperately trying to avoid touching the Digimental of Sincerity."

Mimi rolled her eyes. "You see. That's exactly what I mean. Come on Elliot prove him wrong. Please." Then she frowned and for the first time doubt crept into her tone. "He is wrong isn't he?"

Elliot looked at her and then apparently came to a decision. He visibly gritted his teeth and walked purposefully towards the Digimental and grasped it in both hands…

…There was a loud noise like thunder and a flash of cold fire filled the cave. When their vision cleared a stunned Elliot was slumped against the opposite wall. His hands looked like they had been burnt.

"Okay… what just happened?" Mimi whispered in horror. It was obvious that she knew but was hoping someone could give her another explanation.

"It looks like I was right I'm afraid. He hasn't changed a bit" Michael replied.

"But if he knew that would happen why touch it? Why not just run?" She paused. "And just how did you know?"

"Neither of us was really sure that anything would happen. But it was a fair guess that it would. I suppose he decided to risk it on the off chance that he'd be able to maintain his cover. I mean if nothing had happened you'd have felt he was vindicated wouldn't you?" He glared over that the other boy who had scrambled to his feet and was heading for the exit.

"You'll regret this, Michael, believe me! You have no idea how much!" He hissed as Tsukaimon covered his retreat.

"He'll regret it?" Miyako yelled. "You'll regret it. I trusted you! I have got to stop judging people by their faces. You… you… I'm going to start looking at what's inside people. That cave was right I am superficial but no more!" She broke off as the Digimental floated into her hands. "Oh!" It was only when the threesome thought to look up from the Digimental that they realised that Elliot had taken advantage of their distraction to flee."

-----

Yamato and Tapirmon had managed to carry the unconscious Takeru back to the rebels base and had placed him in quiet room to recover then had left him alone in the hope he'd be better when he woke up. Only Patamon remained with him. Moments after they closed the door the boy opened his eyes and looked at his partner.

"Are they gone?"

"Yes." His partner replied in surprise.

"Good." He raised his voice slightly. "It's okay. You can come out now."

A cupboard door opened and a cloaked female figure glided out. She smelled human to Patamon and familiar too but he couldn't place it.

"Don't try." She advised even though he hadn't said anything. "You won't be allowed… not yet anyway." Her voice was familiar too. Takeru looked at her.

"You are one of the original Chosen Children aren't you."

"I am."

"And you sent me that email?"

"The first but not the last." She agreed.

"The Child of Fate, right?"

"Very good. I know exactly what you're going through. I've been there. I'll show you how to control it."

"I don't suppose you'll explain this prophecy to me while you're at it?"

"No." And her tone became serious, sad even. "The only time I ever explained a prophecy to someone it got them killed trying to prevent it. And that was someone I cared a great deal about."

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Please R&R