Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Diminished Light: Void's Assault ❯ Conflicts of Heart ( Chapter 22 )

Diminished Light: Void's Assault

Chapter 22

Conflicts of the Heart

By

Sailor Janus

 

 

Tani groaned as she squeezed her eyes shut even tighter. She couldn't remember the last time her head pulsed like it was that moment. All she knew was that she did not want to remain awake.

 

“Don't tell me you plan on sleeping the day away,” a rather familiar choice said in amusement.

 

“Taichi?” Her brown eyes flew open to find the young man in question smirking down at her.

 

“You okay?”

 

Tani slowly sat up and winced as she touched her forehead. “I-I think so….other than the feeling as though I'm going to fall flat on my face again.”

 

“You're probably just dehydrated,” Iori explained and he walked towards the pair and offered the young woman a bottle of water. “This should help at least.”

 

“Thank you,” she replied, accepting the bottle. Tani gritted her teeth as she tried to unscrew the cap but after a second try Taichi snatched it from her.

 

“Let me give you a hand.” With one quick twist the brunette boy had successfully opened the bottle and handed it back to Tani who had been staring at him the whole time.

 

“Um, thanks.” She thirstily drank it down and it was only when half the bottle was gone that others approached her as well and sat down. The young woman glanced between the newcomers and wiped her mouth with a sigh. “I guess I have some serious explaining to do now,” she muttered before taking another gulp.

 

“To put it simply, yep.” Yamato nodded as he studied her with interest. “So you have not one but two sisters here?”

 

“WHAT?” Tani sputtered as she spat out a mouthful of water spraying Taichi in the process.

 

“HEY! I know I'm dirty, but I don't need a shower that badly,” The young man shouted in outrage.

 

Flustered, she shot up and started wiping away the water from his face with her hands, unaware of how close they were. “I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Did I get you in the eye?”

 

“Um… N-no.” Her target mumbled.

 

Sora exchanged glances with Rosa and smiled. “At least you should be relieved that both of your sisters are safe.”

 

Tani blinked and lowered her head. “Yeah. Um, about that…. What did you say my other sister's name is?”

 

Yamato frowned. “What do you mean what your other sister's name is? Don't you know?”

 

“Just give me the damn name!”

 

Rosa shrank back in horror from the wild expression in Tani's brown eyes. She glanced towards Sora who seemed just as stunned.

 

“Akina. Her name is Asukai Akina,” the blonde replied after a long pause. Everyone fell into an awkward silence before Tani launched to her feet and started off. “Where are you going?”

 

“I-I….can't stay here…..I-I have to go,” she said frantically before coming to a halt after realizing that there was no logical place she could go. Instead Tani sank to the ground and covered her face with her hands as she tried to shield away her tears. “Damn it. Damn it!” Once again she was trapped and helpless to do anything to change the predicament she was in. I can't bring them together. Hell, I can't even pull myself together. This group keeps falling apart just like my own stupid family. Maybe I deserved to be banished after all.

 

“Tani?” Taichi walked over to her and sat by her side. He hesitated a moment and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Can of worms, huh.”

 

“Or something like that.”

 

He nodded and drew a deep breath. “I know how siblings can be. You just want to protect them the best you can and feel helpless when you can't.”

 

“It's not like that, Tai.”

 

“Then what is it?”

 

She sniffled and bowed her head even lower. “I failed them. I couldn't keep the peace between everyone. I didn't see what was going on until it was too late. And in the end, everyone paid the price.”

 

“Tani.”

 

Tani whipped her head around to face him. Hot tears streaming down her cheeks. “This is all my fault. All of it. It's because of me that we are stuck here right now. Because of me the crests were stolen and the digimon are gone. I just wasn't strong enough to go against her and as a result we are all paying dearly.” She shook her head sadly and wiped her eyes. I failed. If only I hadn't said what I did…

 

“You're just being too hard on yourself.”

 

“No, I'm not. Don't you understand? This isn't about you. It's about me, Akina, and Ami. I don't know what she is planning by dragging you and the others here but if there is something that she wants, she will get it.”

 

Taichi blinked in confusion. “Who are you talking about?”

 

“Shina. Asukai Shina. She is the cause of all this.”

 

“So you have three sisters?”

 

“Triplets.”

 

“Triplets? You mean-”

 

“My little sisters are triplets.” Tani sat up and brushed a strand of hair from her eyes. “Well they aren't so little anymore, but they are younger than me. Akina, Ami, and Shina. We each have `a and i' in our names to represent love. I guess you could say my parents are romantics at heart.” She laughed softly then buried her face in her hands. “I couldn't stop her.”

 

Taichi said nothing and wrapped his arms around her from behind. After a long moment he finally spoke. “Well, I guess it doesn't hurt to start trying now.”

 

“How?” She shivered slightly despite the warmth filling her.

 

“I don't know, but there has to be a way. You just gotta find it.”

 

Tani closed her eyes as she considered his words. A moment later they snapped open. “That's it. I have to bring everyone together. Then maybe we can make Shina see that we are not against her. That we all still care about her despite all the horrible things she has done. My blaming her and even myself is wrong. If anything all of us were at fault in one way or another. Oh, Tai, thank you!” She kissed him on the cheek and quickly pulled away feeling the heat rise to her face. “I can do this. If we all work together we can overcome whatever may happen next. I just need to get Akina and Ami to agree and everything should be fine again.”

 

Suddenly and iridescent glow enveloped around Tani. She gasped, breaking away from Taichi and looked fearfully at him. “What's happening to me?”

 

He said nothing as the light became brighter. Just then the other Chosen came racing towards them and skidded to a halt in bewilderment a few feet from their companions.

 

“What the hell is going on?” Yamato exclaimed as Taichi looked at him dumbfounded. Before anyone else could say a word, the light died away revealing a very confused Tani.

 

“What…” Sora threw her hands over her mouth as she gaped at the girl's newest appearance. Rather than the drab mud-covered gray everyone else was dressed in, Tani's clothing were in color. Her tank top was in a sea foam green as well as her fingerless gloves. The off shoulder t shirt she wore over it was in indigo and her shorts were an aqua blue shade trimmed in violet at the cuffs. Matching blue sneakers with sea foam green and indigo colored socks clad her feet. What was even more odd was over her deep dark chocolate brown hair was a sheer sea foam and indigo colored scarf like bandana and a pair of purple goggles.

 

“You have goggles. Does that make you the new leader since Taichi declared himself unworthy?” Iori questioned after giving her a once over.

 

“I-I don't know.” Tani pulled out her Power Stone and stared in shock at the fact that it too was now indigo in color. “But this can't be right…. Harmony was white not indigo. What is going on here?”

 

“Did she activate her Power Stone or something?” Rosa inquired to no one in particular. “I want to be in color too!”

 

“One would think so.” Iori said then addressed Tani. “Did you say Harmony? Does that mean your crest is Harmony?”

 

“Yes.” Tani nodded then glanced around realizing that someone was missing. “Where's Taichi?”

 

The others looked as well, but he was gone.

 

*~*~*~*

 

This is all my fault. Stupid crest. I didn't know how to use it and now I've even dragged Koushiro in the muck with me. Why did I have to get that stupid crest anyway? I don't even like copper. Akina narrowed her green eyes as she pulled her Power Stone out of her pocket and stared at it for a moment, debating on whether or not throwing the gray stone away. She sighed deeply and returned it to the safe confines of her pocket. She closed her eyes and leaned against the cool truck of the frozen tree. Not only am I weak, I'm a coward too. Can this get any better?

 

“Akina!”

 

The raven haired girl gasped nearly cracking her head against the tree and she jerked in shock. Her head flew up and she found four anxious faces staring down at her. “What do you want? Can't you see that I want to be alone?”

 

Mimi bunched her hands into fists at the girl's rudeness but forced a smile as she asked sweetly. “We were just wondering if the names Ami and Tani were of any importance to you?”

 

Akina fell silent, her face paling to an almost deathly white as she became statue stiff. She couldn't even remember if she was still breathing as the two names echoed in her head over and over again. She opened her mouth, visibly shaken as her vision blurred. “What are you talking about?”

 

“Takeru received some email from Ken. It appears that our friends have found them and interestingly enough, you all have the same last name so are you three siblings or something?” Michael raised an eyebrow at the girl then shook his head. “Look I can understand the drama act if you're worried about them, but they're both okay. So why don't we call it truce and work together in finding a way out of here with our skin still attached?”

 

“I didn't mean to act like such a bitch but if it wasn't for me, then none of this would have happened.” She paused a moment and closed her eyes. “Ever since the beginning I was a failure. If it wasn't for Tani and Ami…. and yes, they are my sisters.”

 

“Did you get into a fight?” Catherine tilted her head as she clasped her hands together. “I'm sure everything will be okay. I mean, I doubt anyone could hold a grudge for over three years.”

 

“Don't count on it.”

 

The French girl blinked in surprise. “What do you mean?”

 

“Nothing. It's not important.” Akina rose to her feet and pushed her bangs out of her eyes in frustration. She frowned at the group and inquired, “Where's Koushiro?”

 

“He stormed off after yelling at all of us, except maybe Catherine.” Takeru shrugged and ran a hand through his blonde locks with a dejected look in his eyes. “It was a real mess.”

 

“So none of you know where he is?” She stared at the apologetic faces and growled. “If anything happens to him, I'm going to kill her!” Akina spun on her heel and just as she was about to take off into the iced forest she stopped and turned back to the other Chosen. “Well, are you coming? He is your friend after all.”

 

Michael gaped at the girl as he slowly nodded. “Uh yeah. Right behind you…. Just a bit further away.”

 

“Now what's wrong?”

 

“Who are you threatening to kill?” Mimi put her hands on her hips and took a step defensively in front of the others.

 

“We don't have time for this! We need to find Koushiro fast! Please!”

 

“Not until you tell us what the HELL is going on!”

 

Akina however shook her head as she clenched her teeth together. “If you don't go with me then I'll just go alone. But I'll warn you, if you don't trust me, we may never get out of here alive. I know more of what is going on here then all of you do put together.”

 

“Then tell us, damn it!” Mimi tossed her hair behind her shoulder and swore loudly to the sky. “Please, give us some clue of what the hell is going on because all we were told was to find some stupid stones that Gennai had referred to as Power Stones that ironically have our crests etched on them. We know absolutely nothing else of what is going on here, why the digimon are gone, or where the hell Daisuke and Hikari are.” Tears flooded her brown eyes as she ground her hands into fists. “So please help us figure out this puzzle because nothing makes sense.”

 

“I can only tell you what I can,” she whispered after a moment of silence. “I don't know why you all were dragged into this. The only thing I can really figure out is that we are supposed to be eliminated. How? I don't know that either. I also know that the danger is very real and unless we do something this won't be the last time that we'll be fighting for our lives. All I can do now is apologize and find Koushiro with or without you.”

 

“But you do know who we are dealing with, don't you.” Michael said in an accusing tone.

 

Akina closed her eyes as she nodded. “Yes, I do. It's my sister, Asuaki Shina.”

 

“Your sister?” Catherine gasped as she covered her mouth. “How awful. Why would she want to hurt everyone?”

 

“I-I don't know. Tani tried to reason with her….” She drew a sharp breath and shook her head sharply. “Enough of this! Come on!” Without a second word, Akina took off into the icy forest with the others trailing close behind.

 

*~*~*~*

 

Ken grabbed Miyako and shielded her with his body as the hole they were trapped in continued to collapse around them, raining thick clumps of dirt down as they scrambled for safety. Unfortunately there was no place to go so all they could do was huddle and hope that they would come out okay in the end.

 

“WE'RE GOING TO DIE!” Ami cried into Jyou's shirt as he gritted his teeth.

 

“Just…. don't blow your nose on it please. It's dirty enough as it is,” he muttered between coughs.

 

“If I didn't need a shower before I sure as hell will need one when this is over with,” Wallace said next to Ken and Jyou.

 

“It's getting hard to breath in here,” Miyako winced, squeezing her eyes shut.

 

“Just, don't think about it,” her boyfriend replied, holding on to her tighter. Ken wanted to protect Miyako the best he could. He had already lost his older brother and more than likely Wormon as well. He couldn't bear the thought of losing her as well. I'm not going to lose anyone else. Not again. Not ever again. His mind immediately drifted to his best friend. And once again, a strangling feeling flooded his chest. Daisuke had to be somewhere. He couldn't be dead. Ken refused to allow that possibility to exist in his head. Hikari too had to be okay. Even though she wasn't his best friend, she was still like family. All of the Chosen had become his family. Maybe it was one of those things where fighting death against all odds truly brought one together. He didn't really know, but it did help that despite being from different backgrounds that they could work together as one…. If they had the will to do so.

 

He closed his eyes and in the back of his mind he could make out a blurry figure in white. He couldn't see their face, but felt as though he knew them.

 

“You'll be okay. You'll all be okay in the end.”

 

“Who-” Ken began, but someone shook his shoulder causing the image to fade away.

 

“Ken! It's over. Are you okay?”

 

He opened his eyes and found Miyako staring at him in concern. Her face was covered in dirt, but other than that she looked as though she was never better. “Yeah.” Ken glanced at the others and noted that they too were all right. Was that Osamu?

 

Wallace walked over to a large pile of dirt and kicked it. “I think it's high enough that we should be able to climb out of here…..that is if it doesn't collapse on us.”

 

“In that case, the tallest should go first and since I'm the shortest, that leaves the guys,” Ami announced cheerfully. She bit her lip as she glanced over the three young men and grinned. “So I guess that would be Ken with Wallace next followed by Jyou.”

 

“Wait, why Ken?” Miyako spun around and folded her arms over her chest.

 

“Because he's the tallest.”

 

“What does height have to do with anything?”

 

Ken stepped between the two girls before another fight could break out and shook his head. “I get it. If I get out first, I can help the others out even if the dirt mound collapses.”

 

“Ken…”

 

“I'll be okay, Miya. I promise,” he replied reassuringly. This only caused her to roll her eyes in response.

 

“Just don't go Daisuke on me.”

 

He chuckled. “Only if you don't go Hikari on me.”

 

Wallace blinked at the pair and scratched his head. “Um….. what's wrong with Hikari? I mean I already know Daisuke can act like Mr. Confidence with a bad reckless streak, but what about her?”

 

Jyou shook his head. “We'll have to explain that one later, but let's just say that she has nearly given her brother a heart attack a few times. We're still unsure why it happens to begin with. Doesn't happen often but when it does, stay far away from Taichi.”

 

“Okay, if you don't want to tell me then just say so!” The American glared coolly at the group and folded his arms over his chest in anger.

 

Ken walked up to him with his hands out in a peaceful gesture. “It's not like that, Wallace. Hikari…. How do I put this… She has disappeared at least twice that we know of and ended up in what she calls the World of Darkness. We aren't sure why or what the place wants with her only that it may have something to do with the fact that she is the Chosen of Light. She never talked about it, but we could tell that it haunts her and because of it Hikari doesn't talk much about how she really feels. At least that is what we suspect. Truthfully, no one really knows.”

 

Wallace fell silent for a moment. “So your reference about Hikari to Miyako is that you don't want her to disappear?”

 

“Exactly.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“Um, that's nice and all but can we please get out of here before something else happens?” Ami pleaded, twisting her hands nervously.

 

Ken nodded and climbed up the dirt pile, pausing a few times to catch his balance. Carefully he rose to his tiptoes and gripped the edge of the hole then pulled himself out. Chunks of dirt shattered in his grasp and quickly he clawed at the ground for a better handhold, his feet moving up the wall of compacted soil as he went. I can do this. I will help save everyone. His thoughts flashed to Osamu, Worman, his parents, Miyako, Daisuke, Hikari, and the other Chosen as well as their digimon partners and all the digimon that he had harmed during his time as the Digimon Kaiser. I WILL BE REDEEMED!

 

Suddenly he found himself able to escape from the hole as a bright light encompassed his body. He stared down at his hands, gaping in shock at the glow, which died away a moment later. Ken frowned in confusion over what had happened then turned to help the others out. Just as he leaned over the hole and pulled Miyako up with the help of Wallace and Jyou from below, he found her staring at him in complete bewilderment.

 

“What…. Ken…. You're….” She stuttered as he looked at her in confusion.

 

“What? Miyako, you're acting as though I grew another head.”

 

“Blue!” She blurted out still in shock.

 

Ken glanced down and gasped at the sight of his clothes. What was once gray was now a blue-gray button down shirt layered over darker blue shirt with black pants. His shoes too were the same blue gray shade. His tag however, was still clear. “I'm wearing color?” He pulled out his Power Stone and frowned at the fact that it was now a brilliant black. “What is going on here?”

 

“Hey! We'd like to get out of this hole too you know!” Jyou's voice boomed from the bottom of the hole.

 

The coupled exchanged glances and started helping the other up as well who each wore similar expressions of surprise.

 

“Well….. this is unexpected,” Wallace said in a low whistle. “So, I'm guessing you must have activated your Power Stone somehow.”

 

Ken nodded, his blue eyes still wide with disbelief. “I don't know how I did it though. Maybe this is what Gennai meant?”

 

“Don't know, but hey it's a great start.” He shrugged, “So, now what?”

 

Just as Jyou opened his mouth to reply, he was pelt with a piece of ice. “Hey! Who threw that?”

 

“No, one. Look,” Ami cried out as she pointed to a large cloud that was looming over them. “I think its hail.”

 

“That would be a very accurate guess so um, run?” Wallace gritted his teeth in pain as another chunk hit him in the shoulder.

 

“Sounds like a good idea to me,” Ken nodded as they took off in a frantic race from the storm cloud.

 

*~*~*~*

 

A light breeze blew through Daisuke's hair as he finished packing up his bag. Food was indefinitely a good idea he decided as he glanced back at a calmer Hikari who was sitting quietly on the ground a few feet from him. The fear that was previously in her brown eyes from the tornado was a distant memory and one he would like to stay as far away as possible. Now if only I can keep her safe and figure out what the hell is going on here. He touched his head and frowned at the lack of goggles. For some reason he missed them at that moment as if they could reassure him that it would all come out all right in the end.

 

“That was nice. Thank you, Daisuke.” Hikari smiled at him as he zipped up his backpack. She pushed a strand of hair from her face and stretched. “I hope we're not going to have to run for our lives again. I think it's starting to wear both of us out.”

 

“We can only do what we can and hope for the best,” he shrugged.

 

She stared at him for a moment and slowly nodded.

 

“What?”

 

“I don't know…. There's just something off about what you said but I can't quite put my finger on it.” Hikari bit her lip and stood up. “It may just be my imagination, after all I'm the one with the screwed up memories.”

 

Daisuke frowned for a moment as he too rose to his feet. He knew what it was and in the back of his mind he could hear his voice dripping with overconfidence cheerfully exclaiming that they could get through anything thrown at them. That enthusiastic voice seemed so far away now. He grinned at Hikari and chuckled, “Don't know what it could be, but it might be best if we continue on…. That is if you want to.”

 

“Nothing better to do.” She glanced at him a moment and started off slowly as if wanting him to take the lead. “I don't really know where to go though.”

 

“We'll find someplace-” he began when a loud rumble of thunder interrupted him. Daisuke groaned as rain soon followed at a rather moderate pace. “Damn it. Given this place's record with storms, we better find shelter before a disaster hits like a flash flood or something.”

 

“Right.” Hikari nodded, wrapping her arms around herself.

 

“If only we could find' he mumbled searching their surroundings for a possible place to keep them dry a brief moment later his face lit up as something caught his eyes. “Got it! There're some mountains not too far from here. Maybe there will be a cave.”

 

“What if we slip on the rocks climbing up?”

 

Daisuke shook his head as he smiled at her. “Don't worry. I won't let you fall. Come on.” He took Hikari's hand at started off through the field towards the mountain before she could even react.

 

Quickly the pair raced through the rain as it poured down upon them harder and harder with each step they took. After several tries and searches they finally found a secluded cave. Unfortunately by the time they made it inside they were completely drenched.

 

The thundering raindrops beat against the exterior of the damp cave. Rainwater dripped from their hair and fell upon moist, pale faces and saturated clothing as they panted heavily from their race from the storm as the pair collapsed tiresomely to the ground. They took off their backpacks, leaned numbly against the wall next to each other trying to catch their breaths.

 

“That wasn't exactly my idea of a good time.” Daisuke wiped his face and sighed heavily.

 

Hikari shivered as she huddled herself into a tight ball in attempts to keeps warm. “At least we're out of the storm.”

 

“Yeah, but we're totally soaked to the bone.” The teenaged boy ran a hand through his wet locks and grimaced. He glanced towards his shivering companion at his side and quickly took off his jacket. “You're freezing. Hopefully this will help.”

 

Hikari stared in disbelief as he offered her his jacket. “But you'll freeze too.”

 

“Take it. I can deal.”

 

“But-”

 

“Take it, Hikari.”

 

She bit her lip and dropped her gaze to the ground for a moment before accepting the jacket. She hesitantly pulled it on. “Thank you.”

 

Daisuke folded his arms over his chest and nodded. “I'd do it anytime.”

 

Hikari smiled and moved a bit closer to him. Daisuke looked at her in surprise and she shrugged. “Combining our body heat should help as well. There's no sense in you freezing to death if you insist on helping me.”

 

He glanced thoughtfully at her as she snuggled against him. “Good point.”

 

A smile crossed her lips as she gazed up at his face. She bit her lip as a blush creep up on her cheeks. “Daisuke?”

 

“Hm?” He turned his face towards her and paused. They stared at each other for a moment and the next thing he knew Hikari's eyes were closed and her soft lips were pressed against his in a gentle kiss as he froze in complete bewilderment. Any thoughts racing through his mind had come to a screeching halt. Suddenly the girl's eyes flew open and she pushed away.

 

“Oh God, I'm sorry,” Hikari covered her mouth and bowed her head apologetically, refusing to look him in the face.

 

“Hikari-”

 

“No! I-I don't know…. I-I shouldn't have… you're in love with someone else!” She pressed her hands against the sides of her hand as if it were in pain. “I-I don't have a right to kiss you.” Hikari climbed to her shaky feet and pulled off the jacket. “This isn't right. I'm sorry, Daisuke.”

 

Daisuke stumbled to his feet, his mind racing, and tried to reach out to her but he was too late. She had already bolted out of the cave and back into the thundering storm. “HIKARI!”

 

*~*~*~*

 

The heavy rain pounded against Hikari's lithe frame as she slipped and skidded, running as quickly as possible from the shelter of the cave. Hot tears gushed from swollen brown eyes and streaked down her cheeks. I am so stupid. Why did I have to kiss him? Why? What was I thinking? Was I even thinking at all? I have probably just destroyed our friendship and now I'm alone again in a place where no one will find me. I just want things to go back to normal.

 

Her boots slid against the slick rocks as she briefly lost her footing and fell to her knees. Hikari shoved a fist full of hair from her face and clenched her jaw tightly. She pushed herself back to her feet trying to ignore whatever new bruises were quickly forming and half walked, half ran as the storm increased, whipping her saturated locks in her weather-beaten face.

 

The despair filled teenager sobbed harder and tripped again, this time catching herself on a thin, brittle tree. She gripped it for a moment and took a few more steps. Why can't I get him out of my head. I know he's a friend but…he's different. He's different than Nitoni. Why did I have to kiss him? Damn it. Why did I have to screw things up again? I'M SUCH AN IDIOT! Suddenly the earth fell out from under her feet and Hikari found herself tumbling as the world turned and shortly became black.

 

*~*~*~*

Author's Notes: I think this is probably one of my most emotion driven chapters so far. I have to say, I think this story is turning out a lot better than I expected. I am especially happy with the scene between Hikari and Daisuke. As you can probably expect, I've been building up to that moment and I think it went pretty well.

 

I hope you have enjoyed and thank you for reviewing.