Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Passage Through Shadow 3: Rain of Mercy ❯ Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon and I'm not making money from this.

A/N: Keeper of Darkness - the answer will be in part 10. Though if it isn't blatently obvious by now I haven't done my job.

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Passage Through Shadow 3

Rain of Mercy

Part 9

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Ken was nervous. He hated to admit it but he was really nervous. He couldn't help wondering what the others would make of what he had discovered on the computer. He didn't blame Osamu for trying to protect for all his brother had feared he would but he wasn't sure how the others would react to this.

He glanced over at Koushiro who was working on hacking the Control Spire network. He had tried to help but the level of pain it caused him had led Koushiro to say he'd do it alone. Once he'd noticed anyway. When the red headed genius got engrossed in a project he really got engrossed. Unfortunately that had just left Ken with time to brood on what he'd read and to deal with the fact that even once he'd stopped working on the project his neck had continued to ache dully.

"Ken-chan, what's wrong?" Wormmon asked from where he sat on Koushiro's bed. "You're pacing round like a caged animal."

"Huh?" Ken looked round and realised his partner was right. He hadn't even realised that he had got up from his seat. "I'm worried about what the others will say about what we've found out." He admitted. "and my neck still hurts..." He broke off with a stifled cry as a stabbing pain worse than anything he'd felt since he'd stopped being the Kaizer exploded out from his neck and left him gasping for breath.

"And by the looks of it someone doesn't want you talking about it." Koushiro had turned round at the cry. "Any voices?"

Ken thought for a moment. "No... no voices." He said hesitantly. "But there's something." He gritted his teeth against another wave of pain and continued. "It's more of a feeling... something is there... and it feels familiar but I'd swear it's not the same something as before if that makes sense."

"Hmmm." Koushiro considered. "I think we'd better tell the others about this."

Ken nodded. "But can you do it? I'd rather not collapse from the pain." He sat down on the bed and closed his eyes. As Wormmon snuggled up to him he took his crest in one hand. "I think I'd better try and fight this off before it gets too bad." He opened his eyes momentarily. "Can you talk to Daisuke and Jun when they arrive? I asked Dai come an hour earlier than the rest so they should be here soon.

"No problem." Koushiro reassured him. Ken smiled his thanks before descending into himself armed only with the light of crest to fight whatever force of darkness was attacking him from within this time. With his eyes shut and his mind turned inwards he was unaware that Koushiro was staring at him or that the lilac glow of his crest was physically surrounding him like a shield.

-----

Daisuke and his sister arrived about ten minutes later to find Ken still wrapped in the strange crestborn shield. Dark flickers were skittering over the surface. An external sign of the blows being turned by it in an internal battle. Jun watched for a moment a small almost puzzled frown crossing her features. Given what he learned from Ken's brother's journal that worried Koushiro.

"That," Jun in a soft voice, "Is not good." She glanced over at Koushiro. "You read Osamu-chan's diary so you know when I say that THIS should not be happening I know what I'm talking about." It wasn't a question. Koushiro nodded and she turned to her brother. "You have to try and help him. You should be able to." She told him quietly.

"So Daisuke knows?" Koushiro asked her. She nodded.

"I told him last night after you and Ken broke the code. Once Ken realised I was the Child of Fate I was freed from certain of the constraints upon me." They both watched as Daisuke sat beside Ken and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I hope he can use the bond between them with his memory still mostly gone." She frowned and looked over at Koushiro. "You have a question?"

"Only one." He said. "For now anyway. And it's about Miyako-kun. The warning in the prophecy about gifts is for her isn't it?" He held up the crest that Miyako had received the night before. "And this is what I think it is isn't it?"

"That's two questions, Koushiro-kun." She grinned but it was somewhat strained and she kept glancing over at Ken and Daisuke. "But yes to answer the question you meant to ask. Miyako is Chosen by both the Digital World and one of its enemies at the same time rather than consecutively which is a little less uncommon. A freak of chance caused by her peculiar mix of personality traits."

"Why is the data on this so simplistic compared to one of our crests?" He wondered aloud. "That's a rhetorical question." He added. "I suspect it's one of those things you can't tell me."

"Actually I'd be allowed to but it's an abstract concept I barely understand myself." She admitted. "I can't tell you because I lack the right words." She turned her gaze back to Ken and Daisuke with a frown.

"Will they be okay?" Koushiro asked in concern.

"They should be but I... I don't know." She said in a subdued tone. "And that worries me more than anything else. I'm not used to not knowing."

-----

Michael got the Digimental of Mercy?" Denbe stared at Logan incredulously. "Please tell me that Ali's been carrying tales and this is some sort of a warped joke."

"If it's a joke then it's the Digital World not mine and Ali seemed to think it was funny as well." Logan glanced pointedly at Chiharu who had collapsed into a fit of giggles. The Child of Dark was doing that a lot recently and it seemed so unlike the usually collected if stupid girl that Logan began to suspect he should add to his list of weird behaviour he'd noticed among his colleagues. "But she didn't tell me why." He paused to make it obvious that he wanted an explanation. He didn't get one. Instead Denbe just frowned thoughtfully.

"Well that is unexpected." He said slowly. "I guess that anything really is possible." He looked over at Chiharu and then nudged the still giggling girl. "Stop that! I know it's startling but consider the implications for a minute."

Chiharu took a deep breath before responding. "I know... I do know..." She replied. "But still... it's just too bizarre." She stifled another giggle. After a moment Denbe snorted too but he didn't laugh out loud and he still looked worried and very thoughtful. Baffled by the reactions the news was raising - though he had a niggling suspicion that he should know and was repressing it himself for some reason. A feeling he hated. He looked over at Ali and noticed with some concern that she was looking really depressed again. He reached over and touched her hand. She glanced up and gave him a reassuring smile before sinking back into her reverie. He sighed and looked up in time to catch Sean's expression. It was what could only be described as complex. A combination of the same amusement that Denbe was showing, concern, surprise and weirdest of all interest was written across his features. He looked like he was calculating the risks and benefits of something and that worried Logan. Sean obviously realised that Logan was looking at him because the look vanished, replaced by a bland mask of an expression as he looked over at Logan.

"Did I understand you right?" Sean's question caught Logan by surprise. "Michael is working for the Kamiya girl?"

"That's the impression I got from Motomiya's mind anyway." Logan nearly shrugged then narrowed his eyes as the implications of THAT sank home. Sean looked over at Denbe.

"Curiouser and curiouser. Forget about which digimental Michael got and consider the fact the Digital World gave him one at all in these circumstances. Something I think Logan is already considering by the look on his face."

"Hmmm...." Denbe scowled. "It means I don't have the faintest idea what the Digital World is up to... except that it's on to my next plan."

"Plan?" Logan broke from his considerations and looked at Denbe. He wondered briefly if he should even bother hoping that this plan would be sensible given the others recent track record.

"What plan?" Chiharu asked. Apparently Denbe hadn't confided in her either. Another oddity... Logan would have sworn those two shared everything. Denbe looked at her and frowned.

"I haven't mentioned it? That's odd I could have sworn I did. I'm sorry." The Child of Fear seemed to have to actively pull his thoughts together. "I think we should co-opt the Child of Kindness's little abberation for our own use."

"You mean those Control Spires?" Logan asked. "Wow someone actually came up with a potentially workable plan."

"Yes, it should help is to consolidate quite nicely." Denbe said. "Feedback anyone?"

"We have no way of getting the code for the rings and spirals." Elliot said in a musing tone. "But that's no great killer. We can come up with something that will work." He tapped his fingers in a stacatto rhythm on the polished wood of the table. "But it will take time and the spires are vulnerable. Do you think we have the strength to defend them?"

"It's an issue." Denbe conceded. "Especially since Ichijouji destroyed the control system so we'll have to connect them up to our computer manually. The Chosen Children will no doubt figure out what were doing and try to stop us."

"We need a distraction. We can do that right?" He looked at Sean who hummed to himself and scowled thoughtfully.

"Dubious." He said finally. "It would only work if they didn't know we were after the spires. It is a good and logical move but therefore predictable and Michael will see it coming even if no one else does. We'll try to distract them of course but we'd better be prepared for a fight."

"Hmm, yes, Michael is very much a wild factor isn't he." Denbe said thoughtfully. "Let's hope he doesn't warn Miyako about her crest."

Sean shook his head emphatically. "And explain to her how he knows? Given her predjudices I..." He broke off as Ali leapt to her feet and fled the room in tears.

"What the heck?" Chiharu stared after the Child of Cruelty. Sean raised an eyebrow.

"Well, well, well.... that I never suspected." He seemed amused. Logan glared at him for a long moment before rising to his feet and going to see if Ali was okay.

-----

The other would probably have had more questions about the discovery about Osamu and Jun if they hadn't naturally been more concerned about Ken and Daisuke for the time being. While only Ken had been surrounded by a shield at first a similar construct had leapt into existence around Daisuke just before the others arrived and the sight of two of their fellows obvious involved in a titanic but mostly invisible battle. There'd been some questions of course though nothing he hadn't expected... except from Yamato who'd asked if her interest in him had been faked so she could keep an eye on them? What had really surprised Koushiro was that it was the only question that caused her to look at the speaker rather than her brother while answering.

"Not *all* that interest, Yamato-kun." She said in tone suddenly gone sly in spite of the circumstances.. "Though I'm honestly not usually such a stalker girl, I swear. Why? Don't tell me that you're interested afterall"

Yamato had actually turned bright red and mumbled something about it just would have injured his pride. Jun smiled briefly and then looked back towards her brother.

"Koushiro-senpai?" He looked up at Miyako who he hadn't noticed walking over. "Did you analyse it?" He nodded and told her what he had learnt both from his analysis and from Jun. Miyako's eyes widened as she made the connection. "So that's why it asked me about my worst trait. This thing is... I was so eager that that never occured to me. Thank you, I think you saved me from a disaster." She looked down. "We have to tell the others." She looked over at Ken and Daisuke. "Later though when people are in a fit state to listen. What do you suppose is going on in there?" She added as a bead of sweat ran down Ken's temple."

"I have no idea." he admitted.

-----

This couldn't be real. Daisuke knew that. He knew where he was. He was sitting in Koushiro's bedroom physically and deep in his own mind ... or possibly Ken's psychically. That however was not where he seemed to be. He seemed to be in what might have been the Dark World watching Ken combat a strange, cloud of inky darkness that he presumed was the mental manifestation of the digimon that was attacking Ken. He kept trying to reach his friend but the shadowy digimon thing could keep him away.

Mindscape. The word came unbidden to his mind and with it came understanding. The actual mental battle was beyond his mind's capability to process so it translated into symbols he could comprehend to give him something to work with. It was very possible, likely even, that Ken and the digimon were both experiencing the battle very differently from him but in the end it didn't matter. Now that he understood what was happening he had a fair idea what he could do. If this was inside his mind then it should be responsive to him since he made it.

Carefully he stepped back from the battle. The darkness only attacked him when he got too close. He had an idea but he'd only get one shot. Cautiously he drew the barrier that he'd somehow formed from his crest back into himself and concentrated the energy in his 'hands'. He looked back up at the Inky blackness and yelled a challenge. A beam of light like a laser beam seemed to shoot from him towards the cloud which didn't have time to disperse or otherwise react. There was a shriek as it's concealing darkness was boiled away to reveal.... nothing. Daisuke stared at the 'not sky' and cursed. It had managed to retreat. Which meant...

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In the real world the other kids were aware of the change in the tenor of the battle because when Daisuke pulled back his mental shield the pale plue aura surrounding him vanished. And they were definately aware of the blinding flash he gave off when he took the offensive against Ken's attacker. A second later both boys fell back on the bed gasping loudly.

"What happened?" Takeru asked once they recovered. "Did you win."

"For now." Daisuke sad in a quiet, disappointed tone.

"It's gone for now." Ken told them. "But it was strong and managed to escape."

"Who was that?" Daisuke asked. "I knew who that was but I don't know if you know what I mean."

"I think," Jun said softly, "That very soon you and Ken had better visit Akiyama's gravesite. You need to free your memories because it's obviously something from the past."

"Oh come on, you must know. Don't you see every possible event?" He was only half teasing her.

"Well I'm supposed to forsee all potential major events but apparently not." She seemed baffled by that. "Something is hiding stuff from me and I want to know who's strong enough to hide stuff from one of us. I'll look into it but I think it's down to the two of you."

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"I assume that you heard our conversation earlier?" Sean enquired of Daemon that evening.

"Oh, yes. I most certainly did." Daemon's voice had an edge of cold amusement to it. "It's just too perfect. I never imagined that I'd have the chance to make a full foray into that World so soon. Tell me how much about the true origin of the spires do they know?"

"Nothing." Sean assured him. "Nothing at all. They think it was all his own system." He considered. "Well Ali might suspect otherwise given her to him but I'm sure she has no idea where he got it from."

"Excellent. That means that if I give them the shards they won't know where they are from or what it means."

"In theory no." Sean said with a malicious smile. "But they are far from stupid. If you would take some strange advice. Marr the work."

"Explain."

"If you present them with a fully functional control system that merges seamlessly with the spires they will get suspicious. Is there any way you could give them functional shards that don't work with the spires and let Denbe think he adapted them?"

"Of course. A most intelligent point and I still have a few prototype shards from when I first took this world and made the system. Patience will serve me well. To other matters. How goes the seduction of the Children of Instincts and Hate?"

"Well in the latter case. Liam is easily led. Dana is more suspicious however. She's extremely in tune with her crest nature. I think her gut is telling her that something is up and that's going to be hard to allay. I am proceeding cautiously."

"Hmm... only to be expected I guess. Fortunately time is not a critical factor so you can work on allaying her fears as subtly as necessary. Did you find that wretched Foolhardiness yet?"

"No... she has hidden herself extremly well. My spies can't find hide nor hair of her."

"This is crucial. You must find her and kill her." Daemon said firmly. "She knows who I am and if she tells the others my plan is doomed and you with it."

"True, but she is avoiding the others as well and to approach them she'll have to come out of the woodwork. Then I'll have her. What worries me is that she hasn't come in. She must be cutting her own plan."

"Entirely prob..." Daemon began and then broke off. The evil mega seemed to be in pain. "Damn it. Not now! I haven't finished. Just five more minutes!" Whatever he was yelling at apparently didn't care to listen to him. He turned to Sean. "Go!" he ordered. Sean stared at him.

"What's wrong?" Sean asked. "Can I help?"

"No!" Daemon hissed. He was obviously in some pain. "Now if you value your life get out of here! I don't need you that much and I'm not stupid enough to reveal my weaknesses to you!"

Sean bowed. "As you wish."

-----

When Logan finally found Ali she was outside, about half a mile from the base, sitting on a fallen log under a tree. Her shoulders were slumped and from the way they were shaking and her hands were covering her face he could see that she was crying. DemiDevimon was watching her from the branches with a worried expression. Logan walked over and sat down beside her.

"Ali?" He put an arm round her shoulders. "Ali, whatever is wrong?"

"All my fault." She mumbled. "This is all my fault."

"What on Earth are you talking about, Ali? What's your fault?"

"This whole thing with the Digimental. It's my fault!"

"Okaaaay, this makes no sense at all? Why would it be your fault?" Logan blinked in confusion.

He couldn't make much sense of her answer. She babbled incoherently about how she had lost control and not stood by a friend when she should have. Which made Logan frown thoughtfully. She'd been in the exact same state when they'd gotten into the fight with those American Chosen kids who got in their way two years ago. He'd never gotten to the bottom of that.

"You aren't making much sense, Ali." He told her. "Try to calm down.

She looked up at him and made an obvious effort. "I... me... I'm a bad person, Logan... this wouldn't be happening if I wasn't... he shouldn't... my fault... I... know being bad goes with the territory to a degree but I shouldn't have..." She broke down in tears again. Logan raised an eyebrow. Of course there was only one commonality between the two incidents.

"Ali, are you talking about Micheal?"

She glanced up at him again and nodded wanly.

"So what is this about Micheal? What happened?"

"I nearly killed him is what happened!" She replied. Logan frowned.

"And he got away and you feel bad because you didn't finish it?"

"No, I let him go." She replied. Logan stared at her.

"Why on Earth would you do that?" He asked. Come to think of it he also wondered why she had called Michael a friend.

"Because I came round. I was under the influence of my Crest at the time."

"Even you have a soft spot." Logan smiled at her. "But I would never have expected Michael to hit it. Even I would have killed him given the chance." He frowned thoughtfully for a moment as he recalled her assertion that nothing good for the Counterdestined had ever come from being Crest-led. Gut feeling told him that she wasn't wrong about that but he couldn't imagine why killing Michael would have caused them problems.

"I didn't even remember doing it. I've never been so far under that I come round and find out what I've done before or since." She closed her eyes. "If I'd have known then what would happen as a result of what I'd done to him maybe I would have killed him."

"The past is the past, Ali, you can't change it. If it's going to eat you up like this let me take care of him." He smiled at her. "But you weren't in this state a couple of days ago."

She shook her head. "You don't understand, Logan. I know what has to be done... and sometimes I'm so focussed that I don't care that it's my fault but... but... if I'd known what would happen maybe I would have finished it back then... but if I hadn't started in the first place it wouldn't have happened at all. Without even meaning to I took the shards of a broken weapon and forged them into a weapon for our enemies' hands." She paused and snorted wryly. "But I don't think whoever was controlling me intended it either. They wanted him dead but something woke me up sooner than they intended."

"Why do you get all metaphorical when you're depressed?" He asked in a joking tone as he analysed what he said and came to a puzzling conclusion. "Ali, when was this?"

"Three years ago."

"Before he was Chosen?" Logan could think of no other explanation for what she was saying but wondered how that worked. Ali just nodded. "So this is what you were trying to apologise to him for that time?" He asked. She nodded again. "And you feel that you were responsible for him being Chosen because of what you did?" She nodded again. "How? Did you bring him into contact with the Digital World like we did Tsuki or something?"

She looked at him thoughtfully. Her tears had stopped for the moment and the scowl on her face suggested that she was considering whether to answer.

"Or something." She said finally. "It wasn't me who bought him into contact with the Digital World." She paused. "Okay. I'm going to tell you what the boss... the old boss... said I shouldn't." She paused. "But before I tell you it you have to absolutely promise me you won't explode, go off half cocked or otherwise do something stupid."

"Come on, you know that I can't promise that, I can promise that I'll try though." Logan tried to keep his tone light but he didn't like the sound of this

"Well at least promise to let me finish first."

He grinned. "Okay, that much I can do." Then he frowned and looked around with a shiver.

"What's wrong?"

"I feel as if someone is watching us." He told her as he continued looking round. There was no one there. Ali looked around as well and asked DemiDevimon if he'd seen anything. He hadn't.

"Let's go to the den." She suggested. "It's getting towards sunset... it's probably just a cold breeze."

"Yeah." He agreed. "Probably not a bad plan." He helped her up and they headed along the valley towards their personal hideout through the dusk. They'd been walking for about five minutes when Logan stopped and frowned up at a cave not far above them. Ali followed his gaze and saw nothing of interest.

"Logan? What's wrong?"

"That cave." He frowned. "There's a light coming from it..."

"There is?" She didn't see any light. "It looks dark to me."

"That's odd." He headed up towards the cave mouth. "I'm going to investigate because I know I'm not hallucinating which means that if you can't see it..."

"The source bears investigating." She finished. "I agree." She set off up the sloping ledge after him.

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