Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Warriors of Destiny ❯ Night and Darkness ( Chapter 5 )

Warriors of Destiny

Part 5

Night and Darkness

Disclaimer: I do not own digimon in any way shape or form.

The sun was going to set soon. Jyou being the responsible one, he brought food. Taichi sat next to the huge lion and rubbed its belly. For the king of beasts, it sometimes acted like harmless kitty cat.

"Here you go, Iori," Jyou said, handing him a plate.

"Thank you, Jyou," Iori said and Jyou went on handing food to the rest of the group.

"I think these animals know who we are," Yamato said.

"Animals have special instincts," Koushiro informed. "They've been waiting for us to summon them." He spotted Miyako standing at a creek, tossing rocks in it. He walked over to her. "If you find a flat one, you can make it skip." He picked a flat stone and it skipped across the water about six times until it sank.

Miyako looked at him casually and then to the water, "how do I know you didn't use magic to do that?"

"You don't have to use magic for everything," Koushiro said.

She kept looking at the water and didn't say anything.

"Something wrong, Miyako?" Koushiro asked.

"I owe you an apology," she whispered, placing her hand on a tree. "For kissing you the other night. I don't know what came over me. I'm supposed to be a princess and instead I was acting like a who--"

"No," Koushiro said, taking her hand before she could finish the sentence, "you were not acting like that."

"Then tell me, Koushiro," she muttered, "how I was acting?"

"You were scared, nervous about the quest." He said. "It's natural. You are a princess and you were not acting at all like a--well, uh, a whore."

"I should've known better," she folded her arms. "I suppose I just wanted to do something before we left. I didn't know if we were going to live after this quest. You're not angry with me, are you?"

"Of course not," he said, bringing her hand to his lips, "milady." He kissed her hand and went back to talk to Taichi about the next two stones. Miyako sighed and looked at the hand he had just kissed.

Yamato was playing on his mandolin to make everyone fall asleep. Mimi sat right next to him and his arms were around her as he played on his mandolin. They looked quite cozy and it somehow made Taichi sick to his stomach. He sat by the lion, leaning against it as if it were a pillow. The lion didn't seem to mind. He glanced over to Sora, whom was sharpening her spearheads, oblivious to the peaceful music Yamato was playing and everything around her. Time to time she would pick at the plate Jyou had just offered her.

"I wonder what the other two guardians will be," Hikari said.

"We'll soon find out," Takeru said.

"Are you all right, Daisuke?" Ken asked.

Daisuke sighed.

"I know how you feel," Hikari said, "I had a cat once but then she--"

"A cat?" Daisuke grunted, rising to his feet, "you can't compare a cat to my dragon! How can you possibly know how I feel? Vee was more than just a pet to me, he was my friend and--" he made himself stop, noticing the shocked look on Hikari's face, her beautiful sweet face. He never thought he could lose his temper at her, someone so full of light. Everyone stopped at what they were doing and stared at Hikari and Daisuke. Even Yamato ceased his playing.

"Daisuke, I--" she mumbled.

"How dare you speak like that to my sister!" Taichi yelled. "Apologize at once!"

"He didn't mean it, Taichi," Hikari said quickly, "it's--"

"Apologize!" Taichi commanded.

"I'm very sorry, Hikari, I didn't mean it," Daisuke whispered. He felt Ken's hand on his shoulder and he shook it off. "I--I--I need to be alone!" He turned around and took off.

"Daisuke!" Ken shouted, "We're not angry with you!"

Hikari swallowed and glared at her brother, "You didn't have to be so rude, Taichi!"

"And neither did he!" Taichi yelled.

"He just lost his only friend in the world," Hikari said, "I shouldn't have said anything about our cat."

"You loved Meeko too!"

"He knew you were only trying to make him feel better, Hikari," Takeru said.

Hikari sighed.

There was a disturbing silence. Then Yamato cleared his throat, continuing to play.

"Anyone still hungry?" Jyou asked.

"No thank you, Jyou," Mimi murmured. The rest said their 'no thank yous' and Jyou sighed, putting the rest of the food away.

Ken gave Daisuke a few moments and then went to find him, as it got dark. He found him about a mile away from camp, sitting on a stone playing with a blue scale--no doubt from Vee.

"It's getting dark," Ken said, "you're going to camp out here?"

"I shouldn't had yelled at her," Daisuke whispered. "Not at her. It's not her fault. She's so--I just shouldn't have said those things."

"Hikari understands."

Daisuke sighed and cut a hole in the tip of the scale and threaded a rope through it. He tied the ends together over his neck.

"Is that a scale of your dragon?" Ken questioned.

"Yes," Daisuke replied, "I don't want to forget him. I just--just want to keep a part of him with me."

"Won't you come to camp?"

"I can't," Daisuke protested.

"Daisuke, I know you're feeling a lot of pain. Your dragon was your only friend." Ken said. "But Gennai instructed us to keep going. Do this for Vee. Do this for yourself. He saved you, died for you. We're your friends now."

"That's easy for you to say," Daisuke said.

"I know," Ken said, "I never had many friends. No one wanted to be my friend. I used to be so cruel. I wouldn't let anyone near me after I lost my brother, because I knew I would just lose them too. But then when I got my crest, I realized that every living thing needed a touch of kindness." He patted Daisuke on the back and caught sight of a bird with an injured wing. "See that bluebird?"

"What about it?"

"It can't fly." Ken said and picked it up ever so gently. "Nothing weak can survive out here, and neither can anything hard."

"And just what is that supposed to mean?" Daisuke demanded. "I said I didn't mean to talk to Hikari that way! I just lost my dragon and--"

"Daisuke," Ken placed the injured bluebird in his hands, "I know you can't forget your dragon but if you dwell on his loss you won't be able to let anyone get close to you. Don't make the same mistake I did." Figuring he couldn't get through to him, Ken went back to camp. "Come to camp when you're ready."

Daisuke sighed, "He's right. How am I supposed be friendly if I'm not willing to make any friends?"

The bluebird chirped lightly.

"Oh, you think just because you can't fly I'm going to take care of you?"

It chirped again.

"I can't take you with me," Daisuke said, "there's a lion back at camp and it will have you for a midnight snack. You just take care of your wing." Daisuke lifted the bird to a branch, looking at the two rings on his fingers, courage, friendship. If Daisuke wanted a friend, he needed to be brave enough to be one. He smiled then hurried to camp.

"Welcome back," Ken said.

"Thank you," Daisuke smiled and leaned against a log. He fell asleep within moments and there were light snores coming from him.

"He's snoring again," Iori groaned.

Eventually everyone fell asleep. Hikari and Takeru sat in a tree, leaning against each other. Taichi lay next to the lion and every time the lion inhaled, Taichi's head would move slightly. Mimi slept next to Yamato and Miyako and next to Miyako was Koushiro. Jyou sat with his back against a tree and Ken lay close to the fire. Sora, however, was wide-awake. She watched everyone fall asleep she sat upon the log, making sure they were warm enough and no demons or thieves came to disturb their slumber. Her eyes lingered over to Taichi constantly, wondering how he could sleep next to the lion as if it were a giant stuffed animal. She tiptoed to whoever had a blanket half of them and laid it over them again so they wouldn't catch cold. When one was having a fit in their sleep, she'd hush them quietly without having to wake them up. She looked over at Taichi again and smoothed some hair out of his face. Then she went to sit down on the log again. She let out a short laugh. 'Why am I doing this?' she wondered. 'Why don't I just get some sleep?'

A sigh filled the air and she looked over to Mimi, who stirred.

"Can't sleep, Princess?" Sora asked.

Mimi shook her head, "sleeping outside on the grass isn't my lifestyle. Can't sleep either? Shouldn't you be used to sleeping in such conditions?"

"Well, you see," Sora trailed off and blushed. She couldn't possibly tell Mimi that she was awake because she was worried about the group catching cold. She thought of something else and swallowed. "I was just keeping watch. The forest is full of thieves, you know."

"Oh, I see," Mimi whispered.

Sora still felt that didn't crack the ice. She didn't want anyone to know that she was worried about anyone. 'Why should I care?' Sora thought to herself. 'Someone else could keep watch so I can get some rest.' Caring for people, feeling concern for them wasn't Sora's personality. She lived alone most her life and was hostile with any other human she came across with. She was changing now. But why?

"Could you come with me to the creek?" Mimi asked.

"Yes," Sora answered quickly then felt as if she should open her mouth again to insert her foot. Why was she being so, so thoughtful? She had wanted to tell Mimi to go to the creek to herself, but she knew Mimi was a princess and was used to being accompanied to places. Sora stood up and walked with Mimi to the creek. She did make a mistake though. She had left her spear at camp.

"Thank you for staying up, Sora," Mimi said. "You didn't need to do that."

"I just didn't want anything to happen to anybody," the words came involuntarily from her mouth. 'Damn!'

"Ah, what do we have here?" crooned a low voice.

"Who's there?" Sora commanded, stepping in front of Mimi protectively.

"Two lovely whores," muttered another voice. Two hermits stepped out of the bushes holding knives.

Sora scolded herself for leaving her spear back at camp. Mimi let out a scream. "Help! Yamato! Someone!"

"We are not alone," Sora said.

"Ah, do you happen to have some other broads with you?"

Sora snarled, "Stay away from us!"

"Feisty one, aren't you?"

"I warn you, we are not helpless," Sora said.

"I like the one in the dress," said the shorter hermit, grabbing Mimi, "It's been a long time since I've been with a woman!"

"Let her go!" Sora commanded, kicking him in the face.

"I like it when they play hard to get," muttered the other hermit. Sora jumped and kicked him.

*********

"Aaaaaah!"

"Did you hear that?" Yamato asked, jerking himself up. "Where's Mimi? Sora?"

"What?" Taichi got up, "Sora?" The lion groaned irritably.

"I heard someone scream," Yamato said. "It had to be Mimi."

"We must go find them," Taichi said and they went to find them.

"Mimi?" Yamato called.

"Yamato!" she cried.

"What is this?" the hermit demanded, "you had better leave us alone with our women, boy!"

"I don't think she belongs to you," Yamato said.

Mimi ran into his arms, sobbing. "They were, they were--"

"Shhh it's all right," he said.

"Won't you look at that?" said the taller hermit.

"We had it under control," Sora said ungratefully.

"We ask you to leave these girls be," Yamato said, "or else…"

"Or else what, pretty boy?"

Yamato grinned mischievously.

"This bard is friends with wolves," Taichi explained, "make one wrong move and he'll call upon them."

"Wolves? Ha!" they didn't seem to be afraid.

"Well, this one here has a lion for a friend," Yamato said, "and not just any lion. This lion is huge. Probably about ten feet high."

"Y'lian!"

Taichi laughed and whistled for the lion. It roared and started stepping away from the camp to where they stood. The hermits took one look at the giant lion and took off screaming.

"Keep the whores!" they yelled as they ran away.

Taichi rubbed the lion's mane, "good boy." He looked at Sora and walked over to her. "Are you all right?" He touched her arm and she shook it off, stepping back with a sneer on her face. It made him frown.

"We didn't need any help," Sora muttered. "I had everything handled."

Taichi looked at her doubtfully then at Mimi, who was still bawling onto Yamato's chest.

"What's going on?" Iori asked, Koushiro behind him.

"Mimi and I were headed for the creek," Sora explained tiredly, "Two hermits got in our way."

"I think we won't be seeing them over here any time soon," Yamato said with a grin.

"I was too scared to do anything," Mimi mumbled, "I couldn't cast a spell or--"

"Shh, it's all right," Yamato said. "You're safe now. Let's go back and get some rest."

Iori and Koushiro went back to camp and Taichi glanced at Sora. She kept her eyes forward and walked passed him. Taichi sighed.

'Sora,' he thought and wanted to scream out, 'why must you push me away?'

Sensing Taichi's uneasiness, the lion purred and rubbed against him affectionately. Taichi petted his mane and went back to camp. Sleeping for the rest of the night was not easy for him.

**********************

"Wake up everybody!" Hikari cried. There were a few moans and groans. Hikari flew over to Taichi and patted his face, "Taichi, wake up! It's a beautiful day! Let's find those two other destiny stones before they fall into the wrong hands!" She got some fairy dust on his nose and he sneezed.

"Hikari!" he grunted, "the sun is just about to rise--"

"Exactly," she said. Takeru stood behind her, looking quite refreshed. "Come on, Takeru!" she grabbed his hand and they ran around the meadow, looking at flowers and catching butterflies while the others began to stir. Watching how close his sister was getting with the elf and knowing how distant Sora was to him; it made Taichi want to be sick.

"Ugh," he grumbled, sitting up and trying not to look at the two happy sprites. "Those two--augh!" He cleared his throat and kicked at those still sleeping. "Come on now, wake up! Wake up! Get up now before I leave you behind."

Sora woke up before he got a chance to rouse her. After the way she had been to him, he didn't want to wake her up anyway. Yamato and Daisuke almost pushed Taichi away after being woken up.

"Koushiro!" Taichi hollered, "It is time for us to find the other two stones. Can you tell me where they are?"

Koushiro rubbed his eyes as he searched for his compass. "South, I believe. To the desert."

"Desert?" Mimi mumbled, "oh, but in the desert there is no water but too many scorpions and scavengers and it's too hot in the desert!"

"I know, Mimi," Miyako said, "I don't want to travel in the desert either."

"Don't worry, dear princesses," Jyou said, holding up a flask of water. "I've got plenty of food and water. We'll survive."

"Thank you Jyou," Mimi said, kissing him on the cheek, "I don't know what we'd do with out you!"

The healer blushed lightly and looked over at Yamato. Yamato did not act jealous and yell at Jyou. Instead, he grinned at his embarrassment.

Daisuke looked over at Hikari and Takeru and grumbled slightly. He felt as though he should apologize to Hikari for snapping at her the other night but there was no way he could approach her when she was near Takeru. There was some way the two interacted with each other that was--special. She looked at him in a way that she had never looked at Daisuke.

'Will you ever look at me that way, Hikari?' Daisuke pleaded mentally.

"Sleep well, friend?" Ken asked, sharpening his dagger before sheathing it.

This surprised Daisuke, "Erm? Oh, yes. Yes I did. I'm used to sleeping in the woods."

Ken smiled, "good. It sure sounded like you did."

"What?"

"He means you were snoring, Daisuke," Iori said.

"Do I really snore?" Daisuke asked.

"Yes, you do!" Taichi roared. "Now let's move!"

The lion cocked his head and growled.

Taichi chuckled, "Sorry, boy, but we can't stay or bring you with us. Protect the destiny stone."

The large lion licked Taichi from torso to face, making his hair stand up. The others laughed. Taichi groaned and rubbed the slobber of his face. "Good bye."

The warriors of destiny left the canyon to the desert valley. Indeed, it was hot. They walked on with their mouths gaping, hunched over. Jyou had water for them but he was close to running out. They've been walking for hours and still no sign the third destiny stone.

"Let's stop and rest," Miyako wheezed, going down to her knees.

"Please, brother," Hikari added.

Taichi wiped the sweat from his forehead and stopped walking. "All right. Just for a moment."

Everyone sat down on a circle.

"I do hope we find a creek or something with fresh water," Ken said.

"Shouldn't be wearing all black then if you're so hot," Daisuke muttered.

"I'm a ninja, Daisuke," Ken reminded. "Ninjas wear black."

"Please tell me you're not completely out of water!" Mimi yelled at Jyou.

"My flask is half empty," he said. "It should be enough for all of us."

"I've brought my own flask," Yamato said, reaching for the flask on his hip and handing it to Mimi. "Here."

"Oh, thank you!"

"If I knew we were going to be walking through the desert this long I would've brought more water," Jyou mumbled.

"That's what mules are for," Yamato told him, "and you're no mule, Jyou!"

This made Jyou chuckle, "yes, but I'm a healer and what kind of healer would I be if you all die of thirst?"

"You're too reliable to let something like that happen," Hikari said. "Why do you think you're the one who got the crest of reliability?"

"Why haven't we found it yet?" Taichi demanded. "Are you sure it is here, Koushiro?"

"Koushiro found the last two," Miyako reminded with a sneer.

Koushiro held out his crest of knowledge. "My crest is glowing. We must be close."

"See?" Miyako muttered.

Koushiro blushed, "Miyako…"

Taichi groaned glanced at Yamato and Mimi. Yamato broke into song again and Mimi and few of the others were watching him play with interest and were clapping. Hikari and Takeru were drawing figures in the sand and laughing. Then Taichi got a sick feeling in his stomach. He took a fleeting look at Sora. She seemed to be in her own world. She wasn't watching Yamato play or sharpening her spear or even taking a drink. Sora felt his eyes on her and she kept her own on the ground. It seemed like the others were all happy and in love and he wasn't.

'Why does she have to look so lovely?' Taichi thought, 'but act so cold?' the question lingered in his mind as his eyes lingered on the lovely amazon. He just couldn't help it.

Sora bit her lip, now feeling a little angry that he was gawking at her. She took her eyes off the sand and looked at him with a scowl on her face.

'Stop looking at me, Taichi!' she wanted to say. She didn't have to. He got the message loud and clear and looked away.

He cleared his throat and got to his feet, "We've rested long enough."

The others stood up, groaning reluctantly. Before they were able to move from their spot, a bunch of creatures sprung from the sand.

"What are those?" Daisuke asked in surprise.

"Sand devils," Koushiro answered without hesitation. "They must be after the destiny stone!"

"Then we mustn't let them get to it!" Taichi shouted, advancing to them fearlessly. He swiped his morning star though the first sand devil but it didn't harm the creature. It laughed hoarsely and blew sand in his face, blinding him.

"I can't see!" he yelled, backing up and swishing his morning star in front of him.

"No, Taichi!" Hikari shouted, "Taichi!"

Sora gasped and clutched her spear. She was about to run in after him until Koushiro stopped her.

"No, Sora!" Koushiro shouted, "They're made out of sand! Your weapons will not work against them."

"Yes, you saw Taichi's weapon go right though that thing!" Mimi added.

"What will then?" she demanded.

"Magic," he replied, holding his staff up. He chanted a few words and a blast of water hit the sand devils, turning them into mud and washing them away.

"What happened?" Taichi asked, now lying down, propping himself up in his arm.

"It's all right now, Taichi," Hikari said, flying to his side. "Koushiro washed those things away."

"My eyes," he said. "I can't see."

Jyou walked over to Taichi and placed his hand right over Taichi's eyes. Purifying water fell from Jyou's hand and into Taichi's eyes. It washed the sand down his cheeks and he blinked rapidly.

"Can you see, Taichi?" Jyou asked.

"Yes," he mumbled. "Thank you Jyou."

"Silly, didn't you know your morning star wouldn't work on those things?" Hikari giggled, rustling her older brother's hair.

"It's magic," he said. "I thought it would work."

"Yes, but those things are made out of sand and air," she explained. "Your morning star can't injure anything, it can't, even if it is magical!"

"What Gennai meant but it being magical is that it won't break," Koushiro said.

"Oh," Taichi said, blushing a bit. "I'll remember that."

"You all right, Tai--ouch!" Daisuke caught his foot on something and fell down.

Takeru rolled his eyes, "You are so clumsy."

"I am not!" Daisuke grunted, coming to his feet and marching over to Takeru. "My foot caught on something!"

"Well, if you weren't so blind," Takeru muttered, "maybe you would've seen it before you tripped over it!"

"I'm not blind, you, you--elf!"

As they were fighting, Iori looked at the small rock Daisuke had tripped on. "Hmm," he said, holding his chin, "I wonder---"

"Is that the best you can come up with?" Takeru demanded.

"Gnome!"

"I'm not a gnome, you fool! I'm an elf!" Takeru shouted. "Gnomes are short, fat and ugly!"

"Well, I'll just have to bring you down to size!" he snarled, reaching for his sword.

"This isn't the time for this!" Taichi muttered.

"Nor the place!" Mimi added.

"We need to find the destiny stones!" Miyako said, "now stop it!"

"Takeru, come over here!" Yamato ordered.

The others tried to stop them fight, but Iori was still squatted down to the rock. He tried pulling it up out of the sand but it seemed to heavy.

"I can fight my own battles, Yamato!" Takeru hissed as he wrapped his hands around the hand Daisuke was holding his sword with. Takeru grunted in his efforts to keep Daisuke from cutting him. Takeru pushed him down and they started to wrestle.

"Leave him alone, Daisuke!" Hikari shouted, but even her words didn't stop him.

"Stop!" Iori screamed so loud that it caused the others, even Takeru and Daisuke to look up.

"What?" Daisuke mumbled.

Iori kicked the sand away and began to dig, "I think I've found something!"

"It must be the destiny stone!" Koushiro gasped, "Good work, Iori!"

They all bent down around the rock and began digging. In a few moments, they uncovered the third destiny stone.

"No wonder we were unable to find it!" Mimi cried, "It was covered by the sand!"

Koushiro brushed then blew some of the sand away from the cresses of the hieroglyphics and began to read. The ring started to glow and it emitted red sparks of light. They floated to the top of the stone, first creating giant talons, then red feathery legs, torso, wings of fire, a beak and a head. The guardian of the third destiny stone was a phoenix.

"It's so beautiful," Sora commented.

The giant red bird squawked so loudly that some of the warriors had to cover their ears. It flapped its fiery wings, making hot waves of wind. The ground began to rumble and creatures came out of the sand again.

"Sand devils again?" Miyako asked.

"No--sand worms!" Koushiro shouted.

Five giant sandworms with a mouth of razor sharp teeth approached the soldiers. Ken threw a ninja star at the neck of one and nearly slicing its head off. Green icky blood oozed out. He reached for another ninja star but Koushiro stopped him.

"No Ken," Koushiro commanded, "It needs to know its purpose."

Ken nodded in understanding.

The phoenix settled in front of the group. It screeched, sending giant sound waves to push the sandworms away. It flapped its wings and flew at them. The phoenix scorched them with a blast of fire from its mouth. It then bent over close to the scorched, unmoving sandworms.

"Uh-oh," Taichi muttered, covering his sisters' eyes, "close your eyes or look or away or something!"

They all--except for Iori and Koushiro, being the curious ones--closed their eyes and covered them. They were the ones to witness the phoenix gulp down each worm as if it was a delicacy.

"Disgusting," Iori mumbled.

"Extraordinary," Koushiro gasped, "it ate them!"

"I didn't see it and I still think it's disgusting!" Miyako muttered, "blech!"

"Don't be like that," Sora hissed, "birds eat worms!"

"I think the phoenix knows what it's supposed to do," Yamato said.

"Good," Taichi said. "Then there's no point in staying here. We must find the last destiny stone." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sora wrap her arms around the phoenix's neck. She didn't notice him watching her embrace the bird.

'She shows affection to a giant bird of fire,' Taichi thought, watching a tear trickle down her cheek, 'but why not to any of us?'

"We won't forget you," Sora whispered, pressing her face in the bird's feathery cheek. "I certainly won't. Please take care of the destiny stone."

The bird made an affectionate noise, closing its eyes. Mimi, Miyako and Hikari petted the animal as Sora quickly wiped her tears away and patted its beak.

"Sora, are you--" Taichi began.

"Let's get moving," she said quickly.

"Goodbye, phoenix," Hikari wished then flew to Takeru's side.

They set off to find the last stone and their way out of the burning desert.

Next Chapter: The Last Stone