Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ When Worlds Collide ❯ War ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Digimon nor it's characters, etc, etc. Digimon belong to people whom I don't know. This is just a hobby and I gain no profit.

Author's Note: Just a question, is this format better than the first chap? Many thanks to Iv again. As always, all constructive criticism and feedback are appreciated. Enjoy!

Chapter 2: War

Sheaths of voluminous rose-lit sunlight broke through the white panes of a window dome, encompassing the entire length of a perfectly structured room. A glow from a single lamp counteracted the brightness and added its own luminosity. Already the darkness of night invaded the twists and turns of the immaculately decorated area and the objects which inhabited it. Sitting tensely on a black leather armchair a young brunette leant forward on the makeshift wooden desk and wearily rubbed the back of his neck. Wide shoulders stretched back, knotted while a head full of bushy dark brown hair rolled back and forth, trying to lessen the stiff muscles.

Blearily, Taichi Yagami rubbed his tired hazy eyes and tried to focus on the maps spread messily in front of him again. Frustrated, Taichi leant back on his chair and clenched his fists. Focus, focus, focus. Why can't I focus? People depend on me. Digimon depend on me. I can't let them down. Got to concentrate on these maps... got to find their next point of entry... got to protect the Digital World... Grimly, Taichi repeated his mantra and slowly forced his body into a state of relaxation, knowing the futility of his efforts if he was clouded with anger or irritation.

Relaxing unconsciously, the lines of well-built body alleviated its rigidity and cushioned itself against the yielding surface. Tightly fisted golden hands gradually unclenched and lay deceptively pliable on lean hard thighs. Taichi stilled. He gazed at his room blankly and let the suppressed memories tide over. Recalling lazy summer days spent with a group of people who was as close to him as family was not something Taichi often did. It was in the past. And the past must be left behind if he wanted the future. So Taichi concealed these treasured memories at the back of his mind, summoning them with ease when the stress, loneliness and bleak reality of the present slipped through his carefully structured control.

Could he really be that lonely? Taichi wondered vaguely. He still had some of his friends left with him, few as they may be. Surely it wasn't that bad... but try as he might, Taichi could not evoke any positive emotion for the remaining survivors of his group of friends. Out of all his closest friends, only Koushiro was left. And he was too busy trying to predict and counteract what the WU was up to that they barely talked about anything other than strategies and plans. Daisuke had become like a little brother to him and Taichi found he could no more unburden his uncertainties and pain than he could run towards exploding sheep. Chortling, Taichi marvelled at his attempt of a metaphor. Or a simile. Or… whatever the heck it was.

As a big brother, Taichi held many responsibilities. One of which, was to protect. That meant being strong and steady in times of danger. It meant hiding weaknesses behind facades of strength. It meant concealing his greatest doubts and fears, and lending a shoulder to lean on whenever Daisuke needed it. Right now Daisuke needed it despite his denials. Taichi had seen the turmoil clouding in darkened brown eyes. Had seen the way his ruddy brown head bowed in defeat, the crushed stance of his tan body. But no matter how insistent Taichi was, Daisuke would always respond with a quip and a forced grin. Murmurings of how he was fine, of how he was okay, in addition with the detailed report of his day's exploits verbalised with strained relish, spoke volumes. Grounding Taichi's failure in his face and spiking Daisuke with unresolved misery.

With a sigh, Taichi allowed himself the luxury of casting his suspicions for the source of Daisuke's distress. It always came to one thing. One person. Ken Ichijouji.

Whatever was eating away at Daisuke, he hoped it was resolved quickly. A rift in the remaining group could cost them the Digital World. It was not an option Taichi was willing to take. Not after all they had sacrificed to maintain the resistance.

***

Beeeeeep.

Losing his trail of thought, Taichi snapped into action and quickly opened the communicator strapped on his left wrist. If something had happened, Taichi needed to be alert and ready.

A pixel-sized image of Koushiro appeared on small screen.

"I have found out recent activities from our belated opponents. Please meet me at the Conference room."

Before Taichi could open his mouth and ask what was going on Koushiro switched off his communicator, pitching the once coloured screen into pure black. Frustrated, Taichi could only slam his hand hard onto his desk. It hurt like hell, but at least it gave him some measure of satisfaction. Taichi lightly rubbed his aching palm and hurriedly shot out of the now stifling room.

***

"Ken…"

"Leave it, Daisuke."

"But Ken, don't you see what's happening? You're turning into… " Daisuke halted. The beseeching note waning.

"Leave. It." The voice had turned flat. Mercifully cold and with a sharp edge, ready to strike.

Taichi paused. His body poised, ready to intervene at the slightest hint of a threat, outside the large chamber within the menacing hallway.

Brusque footsteps clicked heavily. The door swung forcefully back and Ken stepped out. Lips thinned dangerously on a pale face as he took notice of the intruder. Anger which had been apparent now lurked in violet eyes as he regarded Taichi. For a split second, Taichi wanted to question him. To find out what had been going on. But now was not the time. Not when Koushiro might have discovered something new on the WU.

"After you," Ken finally spoke, his voice neutral.

"No. You go first… I have something to discuss with Daisuke," his voice was equally neutral, but with an imperceptible sharpness.

A narrowing of flashing violet eyes was his only answer. Ken gave a brief nod and walked briskly away.

Taichi turned his eyes away from the fading figure and looked at Daisuke. He had appeared on Taichi's side as soon as Ken began walking.

"You okay?" Taichi couldn't help but ask, concern lacing his tone.

"Yeah. I'm alright." Weariness and a hint of strain, apparent on his face.

They walked, side by side in an uneasy silence. Taichi, unsure of how to broach the subject, wisely kept his mouth shut. He knew that if he pushed Daisuke would never confide in him.

"Taichi," Daisuke started cautiously.

"Yeah?" He made sure to keep his tone light and neutral, hoping Daisuke would relax and continue.

Calming slightly, Daisuke began again, " Have you noticed anything… eh… strange about Ken?"

"Strange? What do you mean strange?"

Daisuke struggled again. "Strange… as in… the way he dresses. Acts."

Taichi frowned. Dress? Act? Taichi had seen nothing different about the purple haired genius. Sure Ken had been colder, more emotionless. But that was due to the battle they waged everyday, the pressure and stress each faced in order to be prepared for the worse. And yet, it nagged in his mind. It was something he should remember, something that had caused him much anguish at one time.

"What do you mean, Dai?" Taichi finally asked.

Daisuke shrugged, unwilling to elaborate. Internally beating himself up at his own inaptitude, Taichi rubbed his forehead. Brown eyebrows creasing unconsciously at the pain beginning to throb within his head. The uneasy silence remained until each entered the bright quarters.

Chairs sprawled around a large circular table. Overhead florescent lights flooded the entire room in brightness and cast grey shadows on the occupants of each room. Already the other digi-destined had seated themselves and were anxiously waiting for Koushiro.

Reaching for empty seats, Taichi and Daisuke constrained themselves to wait for the red haired genius. It didn't take long.

Taichi watched quietly as Koushiro tiredly settled his laptop on the table, jolted into awareness at the haggard appearance of his best friend. Ruffled red hair sat on his head, stiff and unmoving. Shadowy bags lay under red-rimmed murky eyes, a direct contrast to the pallid golden skin. In other words, his friend looked like death warmed over. Twice.

What ever Koushiro found out, it did not look like good news.

"Thank you for meeting me on such short notice," he gave a drained grateful smile. "What I have found out cannot wait.

As you all know, for the past two weeks I have been researching the WU databases, in hopes of disserting their recent inactivity."

All eyes were trained towards Koushiro.

"What I have found out may mean the victory of the WU," Koushiro halted briefly at the sudden inhalation.

"There are several reasons as to why we have not lost to the WU yet. One of the main reasons is the fact the WU does not have the technology to control their advances into the Digital World and out. The gates they have created are unpredictable, spontaneously carrying them to random sectors of the Digital World. Moreover, because of their unnecessary energy consumption in order to breach the Digital World, we were able to track them using the monitors Ken and I have programmed. However, everything has changed. During these past couple of weeks, I grew suspicious at their idleness. There have been no retrievals, no attacks and no word from them," he turned towards Ken. The latter gave a concise nod at the accuracy of Koushiro's statement. Koushiro continued.

"So I began to search through their encrypted databases. I found a secretive password protected log - coded of course, which made me especially suspicious. Unfortunately, it has taken me quite a while to enter and decode it," frowning somewhat at the painstakingly long time it had taken him to decode it -two weeks was just too long! - Koushiro flipped open his laptop and typed in his commands. Immediately a three dimensional image appeared above in the centre of the table, featuring a vertically rounded loop that looked like some sort of a doorway.

"They call this a Gateway. Its purpose is to create an entrance to the Digital World without gathering enormous energy and rupturing the barriers which keep our worlds from colliding. A man-made extra large Digi port, if you will."

Nothing but the echoes of Koushiro's words swamped the room. But the small measure of tranquillity and peace was broken as many displayed their alarm and anxiety.

Face thin with exhaustion Jyou spoke, "So this means there's noway we can tell where they're coming in, right?"

"Correct."

"Is there any other way we could track them?" Mimi asked apprehensively, fearful of the answer but steeling herself for it nonetheless.

"No. We cannot predict their intentions or their point of entrance until they actually arrive. We would have to use motion sensors but by then, we may be too late." Despite his fatigued, Koushiro's statements were even toned and matter of fact.

Furtive and apprehensive glances were given and received in equal measures. Stumped, none of the Digi-destines knew what to do. One of their most indispensable advantages against the WU were gone. Without knowing the WU's entry into the Digital World, Taichi knew it would not be long before they decide to attack and infiltrate their base. He also knew they would be successful and by then the Digital World would be lost, ruled and used by humans who could not understand its splendour. Digimon would be enslaved, experimented on and controlled. It would be much worse than when Ken had taken over as the Digimon Kaiser. Much worse.

"So we wait here to die. How nice." A pale hand slammed hard onto the surface of the table. The sound reverberated throughout the chamber, echoing eerily. Takeru laughed bitterly.

"No one's waiting to die," Ken responded quietly.

The laughter abruptly stopped. "Oh? And what do you suggest we do… Kaiser?"

Everyone held their breath. No sound was permeated as all faces turned towards Ken, awkwardly waiting for his reaction. The reaction, when it came, was as quick as the conflict that instantaneously invaded the tense room.

Ken's face tightened. Violet eyes narrowed in rage and hands gripped the table forcefully. Then just as swift, his rage and anger vanished, leaving behind a smirk.

"Well, it's simple really," drawled out Ken. Arrogance and superiority evident.

"We just destroy the Gateway. No Gateway, no problem."