Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Digimon Millenium ❯ More Clues and More Questions ( Chapter 5 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon …
 
Author's Note: OK, so after a time of thoughts for details of the upcoming chapter, I'm finally done! Sorry for taking so long, was busy with my stupid tests and plus, the net wasn't working!
Special thanks to those who have reviewed this fanfic. You guys are great! This chapter is probably dedicated to those of you who have been waiting, as well as the reviewers!
So sit back, relax and enjoy!
 
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Chapter Five
 
More Clues and More Questions
 
“Well, let's get a move on …” Cody said, looking at the weathered ruin that stood before them.
 
As soon as she stepped foot into the temple, Kari knew that something was about to happen. And being the Digidestined of Light, she wasn't surprised for her ability. Having the shrewd Gatomon for a partner as well didn't make a difference.
I hate deijavu … she thought bitterly, her eyes glued to the obscurity ahead of her. She shuddered, I hate darkness too …
None of them made a sound, as if each was transfixed to the secrecy of their surroundings. Kari felt as if an alarm inside her head would go off any minute if they went any deeper. She despised this sense of anxiety and wished she were more like her brother, Tai. Or maybe even Davis.
She turned her gaze onto the leader and looked as he shared a small joke with TK. A smile crossed her face; a few years ago she would have never thought the two would share the same planet. She hadn't seen a rivalry like theirs since her first time in the Digiworld with TK and the older Digidestined, obviously meaning Tai and Matt's. Even though Davis had grown since the defeat of MaloMyotismon, she could still see the fierce, stubborn boy in his eyes.
“… So then coach asks me, `kid, cat got your tongue?' ” Davis grinned as he finished joke number two, and TK chuckled.
It was suddenly drowned out by an ear shattering crash, its source coming from somewhere beneath them. The Digidestined remained quite for a while, jammed to the spot.
“W-what was that?” Armadillomon whimpered, finally breaking the dread that hung in the air. Davis took out his blinking D3, which had started to vibrate intensely.
“What in the world?” TK felt the feeling of pulsation coming from his pocket and frowned. “Mine's doing the same thing!”
Kari looked at Cody who was looking intently at his own D3, which was making the same reaction as the other two.
“I'm seriously getting sick of this D3 feedback!” Davis growled. “If there even is any real danger, why can't it show up already?”
Just as he said that, they heard a loud screech. A loud, threatening kind. Gatomon looked up at Davis, “Smart move …”
Davis, instead of giving out his nervous laugh, turned behind him with an unreadable expression on his face. His eyes grew as wide as saucers.
“Davis …” Kari walked forward and placed her hand on his shoulder. “Are you feeling alright?”
He didn't reply but stared straight ahead. His breath came out in huffs as if he was all out of breath.
“Is he in some kind of fit?” Veemon asked, looking up at his partner in worry.
They stood there in silence, looking at the strange behavior of their leader.
“GO!” Davis suddenly yelled, making them jump. “WE'VE GOTTA GO!”
“Davis?” Cody said, frowning. “What's gotten into you?”
Davis turned around and shouted, wildly, “WE'VE GOTTA GO NOW!”
He turned to them, his face showing fretfulness, “Please, you guys!”
“Why?” TK said. “Davis, is there something you have to tell with us?”
Before Davis could reply, a low cry echoed onto them, bouncing back on the interior walls of the temple. The same cry, this time more sinister enough to raise the hair on Gatomon's neck.
They all turned around slowly and started at the internal boundary of the temple. A dark shape was forming right before them, and a mauve hue also started to waver around it.
Kari, without taking her eyes off the form, grabbed Gatomon's paw. The vibes around them started getting obscure, just like the time when Davis, TK and Kari disappeared on the street back in the Real World. Only this time, there was also a mauve hue about as well.
“Digidestined …” a strangled voice hissed in on them.
Davis blinked in surprise. He was sure he heard that voice somewhere. But where?
He tore his eyes away from the stature and turned to his friends, reading the tension and fear that they held.
Kari's eyes made contact with his and he noticed the same stress shown during the collision with that strange man. He himself felt the only hope left in him diminish.
Davis felt as if everything around him was shifting in slow motion. Veemon was staring transfixed at the form that had stopped moving and was now silent. The brunette looked back at the figure.
“I've got to admit, I didn't think you'd make it this far without your, usual routines to follow …” the figure spoke, quietly emerging out of darkness.
No one made a sound as they studies the ancient details of the Digimon that stood before them. He looked so primeval that they didn't think for a moment he held power beyond even a Champion's control before he started glowing. Dust flew out from the blaze he was creating, resulting in a small sandstorm.
“Hey!” Davis yelled out, as beams of light flew out at him. He cried out in pain, realizing at once that they burned. He heard cries from the others, aware that they were going through the same feeling.
“Stop it!” Kari squealed. “Why are you doing this to us?”
“Kari!” Gatomon shouted over everyone's cries. “It's Jijimon!”
As soon as Gatomon finished that sentence, the sandstorm stopped as quickly as it had started and Jijimon was looking down at them, an unreadable look on his ancient features.
“Gatomon … it's been a long time, hasn't it?” Jijimon said.
The feline Digimon ran forward, disbelief shown clearly on her face, “What happened to you, Jijimon? Why are you hurting us?”
The others could only watch as Jijimon floated up, seemingly suspended in midair. They were puzzled by the fact that Gatomon knew this Digimon so well.
“I believe you weren't present then at the time of fear and destruction …” Jijimon said, closing his eyes.
“What? What do you mean time of fear and destruction?” said Davis, stepping into the conversation. “We were always there for you!”
”Yeah!' Veemon piped in. “And for the last couple of years, the Digiworld was peaceful!”
“Either you're mistaken, or you're disgustingly lying …” Jijimon said, his tone increasing as he spoke. He looked at Davis with a look of pure hatred in his eyes, “And of course you're the leader. I've heard much about you, but cowardice wasn't mentioned earlier then …”
“Cowardice?” Davis spat. He was really confused by now. Was all this true?
“But enough of this …” Jijimon raised his hand up high and withdrew it behind him, a ball of energy quickly forming in it.
“No! Don't do this, Jijimon!” Gatomon shouted.
Kari ran forward and picked her up, preventing her from moving closer to the attack, “Gatomon, no!”
“Lemme go, Kari!” Gatomon cried. “I wanna stop him from making a big mistake, please!”
“Veemon, digivolve now!” Davis yelled, his hands curling into fists.
“Sure thing!” Veemon said. “Veemon … digivolve to …”
They all waited for the Champion to appear. They could feel the intensity of Jijimon's attack as it got prepared to be launched. But he didn't. ExVeemon didn't appear.
“What the -” Davis stared at Veemon, who was looking down at himself in bewilderment. “Why aren't you digivoling Veemon?”
Veemon frowned and closed his eyes in concentration, “Veemon … digivolve to …”
He fell back down, exhausted. He looked at Davis, worried, “Davis, I can't!”
“What do you mean you can't?” Davis repeated, beads of sweat appearing on his forehead. “Please try, Veemon!”
Veemon tried again. And again, he failed to digivolve into ExVeemon.
“What's happening?” TK frowned. “Why can't Veemon digivolve?”
“I … I don't know!” Davis breathed, a tight knot forming in his stomach. Why couldn't Veemon digivolve?
Before any of them could do anything else, Jijimon released the dark glow of energy, “Hang on Death!”
“NOOOOO!” Gatomon cried, shutting her eyes tight.
Davis braced himself for what would seem like excruciating pain. But it didn't come. Instead, when he opened his eyes, there came a familiar voice. Very familiar.
“Grand Horn!”
“No …” Davis said in incredulity. But he grinned as he saw a Champion level, bird-type Digimon fly over them. Riding him was none other than …
“Yolei!” Kari yelled in delight. “You came!”
Aquilamon's Grand Horn attack came into contact with Jijimon who cried out in agony once it hit him. Jijimon's Hang on Death flicked off into nothing as soon as he buckled in pain. Yolei slid off of Aquilamon once they were close enough to the ground and went running over to the others.
“Hey guys!” she smiled.
Kari ran forward and hugged her.
“Yolei, where were you?” Cody asked.
“No time for questions, Cody!” Yolei told him. She turned to face Jijimon, who was keeling down. “It's time we came back together to fight!”
Davis nodded, “Yeah … but wait.”
He looked around, frowning, “Where's Ken?”
Yolei opened her mouth to answer, but before any words could come out, they heard a scream. They all faced Jijimon with looks of horror as he began to melt. His facial features all crumbled into what looked like dark-colored mud.
“Jijimon!” Gatomon cried.
A pool of darkness appeared beneath Jijimon and he let out one final scream before sinking into it. A moment later, the pool disappeared as well, showing no sign of itself or of Jijimon.
Davis walked forward, his eyes still on the place where the pool had been, “What … happened?”
“Jijimon!” Gatomon buried her face into Kari's arm. Kari in turn, stroked her head in effort to console her but did no use as Gatomon started to sniff.
“How did you know Jijimon, Gatomon?” Armadillomon asked, concern shown vividly in his face.
“And Yolei - where's Ken?” Davis inquired, looking at the lavender-haired girl. “If he's not with you, then where is he?”
“Ken?' Yolei's eyes flashed with worry. “What do you mean? I thought he was with you!”
“What!” TK cried. “No … he wasn't …”
“There's something terribly wrong going on here …” Davis said. His frown deepened, “And I've got a feeling it's no coincidence … what was up with Jijimon hating us so much, when according to Gatomon, he seemed a real nice guy?”
Gatomon looked at them, sighing, “When I wasn't Kari's partner … when everything was controlled by Devimon … Jijimon was one of those Digimon who had always been there for me as well as Wizardmon…”
They all watched her as she continued. “And then, when I was finally came to realize the faithfulness of the Digidestined, he was graciously happy for me… he was a very good friend of mine, guys … and I'm sorry I didn't tell you about it …”
“That's alright Gatomon …” Kari said. “And I'm sorry for Jijimon …”
“Why did he turn all evil all of a sudden?” TK said. “We were always there for the Digiworld … I don't get it …”
“Hmmm …” Gatomon nodded.
Davis was only half- paying attention to the conversation. His mind was on something else. Why couldn't Veemon digivolve? And why did he, not anyone else except Gatomon, felt like he knew Jijimon?
“Davis?” Kari looked at him. “Davis? Are you OK?”
Sighing, he looked at all his friends. “I … I'm fine …”
“Davis, why couldn't I digivolve?” Veemon asked, looking down.
“I've no idea, Veemon …' Davis stood up and ran his hand through his hair. He took out his D-terminal, “But I'm gonna find out …”
When he had activated it, he looked at Veemon, “Try now …”
“Veemon … digivolve to …”
Veemon still stood there, looking very agitated. He shook his head, “I can't Davis!”
“What's happening?” Davis murmured. He put the D-terminal back into his pocket and turned to the others, “Guys … I think we should move on …”
“But Davis,” Kari said. “Everyone's exhausted and I think we should all rest, don't you think?”
“If we rest, then who's gonna find out why everyone's angry with us all of a sudden?” Davis snapped, surprisingly everyone.
He looked at Kari's alarmed expression, and took a deep breath. He sat back down, “I'm sorry Kari … but the fact that Veemon can't digivolve is not helping me take this situation …”
He looked down on the ground, trying not to look at his friends. He didn't mean to shout like that. He sensed Kari coming over and looked to see her sitting next to him.
“Davis …” she said. Davis was starting to feel guilty about shouting at her now that she was cool about it. “You're the one who taught us not to give up. And sometimes, students are better at what teachers tell them … don't you think we should help you the way you helped us?”
She gave him a reassuring smile which assured him that he didn't needn't be so worried. “Everything will turn out alright,” she whispered. “You've gotta believe it …”
Davis slowly smiled, and said, “Thanks Kari …”
“What are friends for?” Kari asked, twirling a lock of hair in her finger in a way that made her resemble Mimi.
“So we take a break, oh gracious leader?” TK asked, smirking.
“Whatever, TL!”
“Hey!”
Everyone broke into laughter. It was only the left out presence of Ken that made them feel incomplete.
 
* * *
 
At the fortress …
 
Where am I?
The room was empty, and only trace of light was of that coming from the candles that were placed around various sides of the area.
Ken Ichijoji was lying on the floor, drenched in sweat. He looked around, his eyesight blurred from staying unconscious for too long.
Davis? Yolei? … Wormmon!?
He tried getting up, but his knees gave way and he fell back down again. Something nearby caught his attention. Something that made him sick with fear.
Looking down at his wrist, he saw a symbol sprawled in something black. He studied the curves and the sharp line that ended the mark.
“No!” he yelled out as suddenly, different images came appearing in his mind. Horrible, recognizable images.
“The Mark of Darkness!” he breathed. “How? Why?”
“We will tell you all about it, Ken Ichijoji …” a feminine voice from nearby said. “Or may we call you the Digimon Emperor?”
Ken looked up to see Rita and Cyrius walking towards him, conceited looks on their faces.
“You!” he gasped. “You two? You're the … how do you know who I am?”
 
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Author's Note: Sorry, couldn't resist a cliffhanger! Haha!
Anyways, hope you enjoyed the latest chapter. Review if you want! And don't worry; I never rest without the thought of completing this story. Sorry for the lame name of the chapter, I totally stink at coming up with names … anyhow.
Till next time! ^^