Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Warriors of Destiny ❯ Journey Onward ( Chapter 2 )

Warriors of Destiny 2

Journey Onward

I do not own Digimon in any way shape or form. However, this idea came from whatever brain cells are left in my head.

He came to them in all of their dreams deep in their sleep. They didn't know that the others were having the same dream. They didn't even know there were others. But it seemed so real. They were confused, but interested. They asked all the same questions and some were different. He told him the same message. Who was this man? The first one he spoke to, was Taichi the Courageous Warrior.

"Who are you?" Taichi asked. Gennai knew he would receive the same question from each youth.

"Gennai," he replied.

Taichi looked around, "what is this place?"

It was like he was in between worlds almost. The colors of the entire rainbow surrounded the two people. It was beautiful.

"It begins," Gennai said.

"What begins?"

"Your destiny, Taichi, the Courageous Warrior," he said

"How--how do you know my name?" Taichi questioned.

"I know all about you, Taichi," Gennai smiled.

Taichi looked down at the ground, "where--where am I? Just where is this place?"

"This is the place of where your dreams come true. I assure you, one dreams is about to come true."

"What dream?"

"To be the best, you are a warrior of destiny." He replied with a smile.

"Warrior of destiny?"

He nodded to the crest the youth wore. "I was the one who made the crests."

"Crests?"

"Yes."

"There are others?"

"How many?"

"Counting you, twelve."

"When will I meet them?"

"Soon," Gennai answered, "soon. In fact, some has already met a few."

"Have I?"

Gennai grinned, "you'll see." When the many waves of different color moved, the youth could see a tall mountain. "My home is on that mountain. All you have to do is come to it. I'll be waiting there."

"But--what will I have to go through to find it? How far away--"

"Your crest shall guide you," Gennai said. "Hold on to your courage." He walked forward and grasped the crest of courage.

Taichi looked down on it. It was glowing.

"If nothing else would get you through your journey, your courage will," Gennai told him. "It will continue to burn inside you, like the sun."

Taichi smiled at his orange crest. It had a sun in it and it was orange, just like the sun. "My crest, does it mean anything?"

"Of course," Gennai smiled. "It came to you because your were the only one brave enough to wear it. Remember all those courageous things you've done? You are no coward."

"Courage," Taichi whispered. "Amazing."

"Good luck, Taichi, The Courageous Warrior," Gennai disappeared and Taichi's dream was over.

Taichi groaned and stirred. It was still pretty dark but he felt well rested and refreshed somehow. Just a few hours ago he'd rather sleep than journey any further, but now, he'd rather journey onward than oversleep. Pulling himself up and taking his morning star, he remembered about Sora.

When he had come to the cave, she had crest around her neck. Quietly, he walked deep down the cave and his crest was shining brightly. He should leave because he knew she was a skilled fighter and had a weapon lying right beside her and if he made a wrong move, it would be the end for him. But he wanted to get a closer look of her crest. Of her.

A torch was burning right above her and he bent down ever so quietly. He pushed back her hair slowly and handled her crest. It was red and had a heart shaped symbol on it. He saw symbols like that many times. When his sister made cards for him, she would put a similar symbol for him. His parents did the same too. Taichi sighed and frowned. Now he missed Hikari again. He let go of Sora's crest and stood up. He had to get out of there before she woke up. Taichi knew if she had a crest, it was possible she was probably having the same dream he just had and then she would come to Gennai's mountain too. But he did not know that Hikari had the crest of light. He didn't even know where she was. But the way Gennai spoke to him in his dream, maybe Gennai would know.

Taichi took one last look at the sleeping amazon, a painful sting in his heart and left the cave.

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

The sun was not up yet, but Yamato awoke when he heard the wolves howling. He lived in a small shack outside the village where he could meet with his wolf friends. He just had a dream about him talking to some man. He had told him to come to a mountain so he will learn to be a warrior of destiny.

Yamato ran his hand through his hair, wondering what that man meant about everything. He looked down at the blue crest around his neck. It looked something like a circle with wings on it almost. He had seen nothing like it. (The crest of friendship does look kind of funny. I think it should be a bear's paw because it really is a symbol of friendship! I have a ring with a claw on it, so I know these things.)

He remembered what he had told him:

Come to the mountain and I will teach you to be a warrior of destiny, was what he had said.

But my wolves; I can't leave them. They're my friends. Yamato had argued.

You can bring them with you. They'll follow you anyway. You will make new friends.

I will?

Your crest is the crest of friendship. That is why you are the Friendly Bard. There are eleven others like you that have crests of their own.

But I'm no warrior.

That is why I will teach you. Soon, you'll have to fight for your friends, if you wish to keep them.

Then he remembered the girl he met in the city. She had a crest too. It was green and had with what looked like a teardrop on it. She had told him she was a princess and invited him to the palace so he could play for her. She had to be one of the others Gennai mentioned. Maybe he could journey to the mountain, if she would be there too?

Yamato smiled and walked out of the shack. His wolves were out to meet him. Panting and barking, they ran to their human friend and jumped onto of him. Yamato laughed as he felt a bunch of wet tongues slide all over his face, tickling him.

"Good morning to you too," he said, rubbing them behind the ears.

There was a purplish tinge on the eastern horizon, where the sun was about to come up. He shivered slightly and the wolves moaned, laying close to him to keep him warm.

"Thank you, my friends," Yamato thanked. He told them about his dream, as if they could understand them.

They growled then barked. They got up and jumped around.

"Think I should go?" Yamato asked the three wolves.

They licked his hand. It was their way of telling him yes.

"I'd tell you to stay here," Yamato said, "but I figure, you'll just follow me anyway?"

They whimpered in response.

"All right, you can follow me," Yamato instructed, heading back into his shack, "but when or if I find the others, you will have to keep yourselves hidden! I'm supposed to make friends with them." He laughed and the wolves panted.

Yamato pulled on his cloak, grabbed a dagger, some food and his mandolin. He walked out where his wolves were waiting for him.

"All up for a journey, my friends?" Yamato asked, putting the dagger in its sheath on his belt.

They panted and went to his side. He sighed, wondering if he was making the right choice. What if the mountain and man didn't even exist and he'd get lost? Lost in his doubts, he felt one of the wolves lick his hand. He jumped and then laughed.

"Well, at least I have you three," he said, petting them. "And the rest of the pack. Let's go."

******************************************************* < p class="MsoNormal">

Sora moaned a little bit and then stirred. "What a strange dream I just had," she mumbled. "What did that man mean by saying I was a warrior of destiny?" She stood up and went to the mouth of the cave. Taichi was gone and the sun hadn't come up yet. She frowned, "I shouldn't have told him to leave by sunrise. He probably left the moment I went to sleep. Now he must be wandering out there half asleep. I have to go and find him!" she went back to grab her spear and then went out to find him.

'Please, be all right,' she thought as she ran through the forest. Then she remembered he had a crest like hers too, orange with a sun on it. Could he be one of the other warriors of destiny? And why did he suddenly felt so drawn to him? Did it have something to with her crest?

'You are Sora, The Lovely Amazon,' the old man had said

"Yes," she had replied, "but how do you know?"

"I made the crest you are wearing. It is the crest of love."

"Why did I end up with the crest of love?"

"Because you have love in your heart for those who you need to protect."

She looked down and saw the crest of love shining.

"Please be all right," she panted, picking up her pace. She began calling for him. "Taichi! Taichi!"

Taichi heard someone calling his name. Thinking it was his sister he looked over his shoulder. It was not Hikari, but he wasn't disappointed.

"Sora," he whispered with a smile. "You followed me?"

She stopped within a foot in front of him. She wanted to run into his arms. "Are you all right?" she looked up at his eyes, "you could've stayed asleep longer. It's not sunrise yet. Why don't you get some more rest?"

"That is all right," he said, "did you have the dream too?"

"Dream?"

He took his crest and walked forward to touch hers. "Our crests are alike," he said, "only they're different colors and different symbols. Gennai spoke to you in your dreams, too, didn't he?"

She sighed, "Y-yes."

"Let's go to the mountain together," he suggested.

"What about your sister?" she asked.

"Maybe he'll know where she is," he told her.

"It's dangerous out here though," she whispered.

"I'm not afraid of anything," he said with a grin. "Shall we?"

She nodded, "all right. Just be careful."

He blushed a little bit at her thoughtfulness, "let's go."

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

Koushiro turned in his bed and opened his eyes, "what a strange dream." He sat up and rubbed his head. A purple light was shining from his purple crest of knowledge. He smiled and pulled it up at eye-level.

"I knew I'd find an answer," he said, "I just knew. I wonder who the others are. That girl, Miyako, could she be one of them? Her hair…it's the same color of my crest." He smiled in thought, but then frowned when he realized, she didn't have a crest. He let out a sad groan, "she wasn't wearing a crest. But there was something…about her. I need to find out what it is."

He got out of his bed and got dressed quickly.

"Up all ready, Koushiro?" His mother asked tiredly, peaking through his door.

"Yes," he said, picking up his scrolls.

"I'll get breakfast for you," she said, "you'll need your strength when you go to school!" she turned away from his door and went to the kitchen.

"Yes I will," Koushiro muttered, "but I'm not going to school. I'm going to the mountain. I have so many questions to ask him."

You live on a mountain? You must know a lot of things!

Yes, Koushiro, I do.

I have a lot of questions for you!

You know a lot too, Koushiro. That is why you are the Knowledgeable Sorcerer and you've earned the crest of knowledge.

Crest of knowledge. This is mine? I have many theories, but that doesn't make--

Don't worry Koushiro, come to the mountain and I will train you to be a warrior of destiny.

But I'm no warrior!

But a sorcerer and sorcerers are also warriors. You will be very important to the group.

Koushiro grasped his crest of knowledge, "so much for me to learn. I'll learn more if I go to Gennai than to the school of magic." He ate his breakfast and set off to find Gennai, when his parents thought he went to school instead.

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

"Mimi, Mimi, wake up!" Miyako muttered, shaking her sister awake, "get up! I had the most amazing dream!"

"I had the most strange dream," she groaned into her pillow, "and just before you woke me I was having a better one…why did you have to wake me up? Can I go back to sleep?"

"Was it anything like mine?" Miyako asked, "Were you talking to a man from the mountain?"

"No I was with that handsome bard," Mimi said, "and I'd like to get back to it!"

Miyako pulled her sister up, "but before that dream, you were talking to the man from the mountain? Gennai?"

"He was strange," she sighed, "He said something about my crest and me being a warrior of destiny. I'm not a warrior! I'm a princess! I know nothing about fighting."

"Maybe we should go and meet him," Miyako said, "he told me that he made my rings. One looks like yours!" She pointed to the green one.

"It does," Mimi yawned, "what was it? Sincerity?"

"Yes, and my other ring was love," Miyako said. "Let's go find this man."

"We can't leave the palace," Mimi muttered, "we're princesses, not warriors!" She laid her head back down.

"But don't you want to know why we have these things?" She asked, "And I'm sure there are others. If I remember correctly, didn't that bard have a crest?"

Mimi sat straight up, "that's right! He did! It was blue!"

"Koushiro had one too," Miyako said.

"Who?"

"The young man I was talking too while you were talking to the bard," Miyako replied. "It was purple. I think he's a sorcerer. That scroll he dropped…"

Mimi got up, "quickly, Miyako, if we hurry, we might find the bard!"

Miyako grinned, "let's not dress so glamorous when we leave."

"But why not?" Mimi demanded, searching for her best dress.

"We'll be traveling quite far," Miyako explained, "and we'd get our dresses all dirty for sure. They'd get ripped too."

Mimi gasped. "But I want the bard to see me in my best dress!"

Miyako sighed, "Oh, Mimi, I'm not saying we have to go out in rags, I only meant in something comfortable. I remember mother made us some traveling attire--oh!" she grabbed her sister's hand and hurried to the seamstresses' room, where they kept most of their old clothing. "Now, let's see. Yes, here they are!"

Mimi looked at the two sets of garments, "Oh, I remember these!"

Miyako held two long sleeved blouses, one blue and the other purple with matching fancy pants, but not too fancy to travel in and two black capes.

"Quickly now," Miyako whispered, "put these on."

"Are you certain about this?" Mimi asked, "what if the bard--"

"Don't you at least want to try?" Miyako questioned. "If we dreamed the same dream then that must mean something. This man Gennai may have the answers for all our questions and whatever he has to teach us I'm sure it's important."

Mimi sighed, "but what about our home?"

"Mimi, we are princesses," Miyako reminded sharply, "and as princesses, we have the right to go wherever we please!"

"It's dangerous out there," Mimi mumbled, pulling onto the clothes.

"Yes, I know, but it'll be some adventure, don't you think?" Miyako asked with a grin. "I can't wait to see Koushiro again! There was just something about him…"

Mimi smiled, "we'd better be careful. Do you know how to get to the mountain he told us?"

"You have your crest and I have my rings," she said, "they shall guide us to the mountain. Now, are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

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

"Auggh!" Jyou jumped from his bed and began splashing his face with water. "What a strange dream!"

"Are you all right?" his brother asked.

"Yes," he mumbled, "just a dream. A very strange one. Must've been something I ate…"

"What was it about?"

"I was in a strange but beautiful place. Surrounded by many colors and I was talking to a man. He said he was waiting for me at the top of a mountain."

"An old wise man of the mountain?"

"No," he shook his head, "he didn't look very old. Maybe just a few years older than me."

"Why was he waiting for you?"

"He wanted to train me to become a warrior," Jyou chuckled, "but I'm not a warrior! Just a priest."

"Maybe it has something to do with that," he pointed to his crest. "You got it from one of the people infected with the plague."

"That's right," Jyou touched it. "He made it for me. But how was the girl able to get it?"

Jim {Uhmmm, does Jim have a Japanese name?} shrugged, "I don't know. Did he tell you what it is supposed to mean?"

"You will meet others, Jyou. They will need to rely on you. That is why you are the Reliable Healer. Think of what would happen to them if you did not come."

Jyou remembered what Gennai had told him in his dream.

Jyou looked at the gray crest, now glowing. "Others?"

"You may not be very brave or strong, but you are very reliable. That is an important virtue in becoming a warrior of destiny. You need to be there when the other others are hurt. You must be the voice of reason."

"Jyou?" Jim shook his shoulder, "what are you thinking about."

"Reliability," Jyou whispered.

"What?"

"That is what this means," he held his crest and looked down on it with a certain determination in his eyes. "Reliability. There are others out there that he needs to train and if they get hurt, who will be there to heal them? I'd be no good if I stay here!"

"What about the sick here?" Jim asked.

"I'm not the only priest here," Jyou smiled, "you, father and the rest of the priests can heal them. And besides, the plague is gone. No one suffers from it now."

"Of course, we were able to find an antidote," Jim said, "but how do you know your dream was real? Could there really be other warriors, this man on the mountain?"

"Well, I will just find out when I come to the mountain," he quickly dressed, grabbed some scrolls, potions, food, medical supplies, clothing and other things needed in case of emergencies and placed them in a sack.

"Are you sure about this?" Jim questioned as his younger brother went down the steps of the temple.

"I want to be where people need me the most," Jyou said of his shoulder, "since the village is all better, I should go where people do need me. Don't worry, I will return in case another plague breaks out." He smiled and walked out to wherever the people would need him.

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

Takeru woke up underneath a tree branch with his dreams still fresh in his mind, one in particular.

"Your hopes will be their hopes. But the hope you have is stronger. Do not be afraid, your hope shall get you through."

"I'll see my brother again? And Hikari?"

"If you hope hard enough, you will. With enough hope, you can bring the sun over the mountain. There will be much adversity, Takeru, but you will still have the hope of a new day."

"Really?"

"Look, Hopeful Elf and see for yourself."

Takeru looked at the mountain and the sun was shining right over it. It was true; he did deserve the crest of hope.

Takeru smiled and looked at his yellow crest, now shining. He climbed up the tree and saw the sun now rising over the mountains. He could not remember seeing the sun looking so bright. He sighed and closed his eyes, smiling as the warm rays hit his skin.

"If my hope is powerful enough to bring up the sun," he whispered, opening his eyes "then I will see Hikari and I'll get to be with my brother again." He clutched his crest. "I have to go to the mountain." He closed his eyes again, now trying to remember which mountain he saw in his dreams. Takeru had seen many mountains and they all looked the same. But this mountain was different. The peak went over through the clouds and there where no other mountains, if there were any, near it. He opened his eyes and focused on the one in front of him and let out an almighty laugh.

The one from his dreams, where Gennai lived, was the one he was looking at this very moment.

"That's it!" he cried. There were mountains with the other mountain he had seen in his dream, but Gennai had only showed him the peak of the mountain and not the whole range. The mountain was so high and it rose over the others as if were their king.

He slid down the tree and as he went toward the mountain, he heard something flutter behind him. He turned around to see Hikari flying behind him.

"You're going to the mountain?" she asked.

"You are too?" His eyes focused on her crest and remembered what Gennai had said.

"Where there is light, there is hope."

"Your crest," he whispered, "does it mean light?"

She landed and touched her pink crest. It looked somewhat like a pink flower mixed with a star. "Yes, light. I had a dream about a man telling me about it. He said, 'The light you have is for everyone.'"

Takeru smiled, "will it help guide us in the dark?"

She shrugged, "well, when the sun goes down, then we'll find out."

Takeru looked at the mountain, "is that the mountain you saw in your dream? It's the one I saw in mine."

"Yes. He lives there."

"Let's hurry then," Takeru said, "it's pretty far away."

As he walked, she flew right by his side.

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

Daisuke looked at the two rings on his fingers. On the index finger of his left hand was the ring of courage and index finger of his right was the ring of friendship. He was surprised that he never figured it out before.

"You will need to make brave sacrifices for your friends, Daisuke. You are courageous and friendly; remember your tokens of courage and friendship. They will help you."

"Courage and friendship? I'm not nearly as courageous as Taichi the Courageous Warrior!"

"Yes, but you were brave and friendly to make friends with a dragon, were you not?"

"Yes, yes I was!"

"Now you will make more friends. Come to my mountain and I will teach you to be a warrior of destiny."

"You think I have what it takes?"

"I wouldn't have given you the rings of courage and friendship if I didn't."

Daisuke left his village, went to his dragon's den and whistled for his dragon, Vee. {I couldn't think of a name, okay? Let's say he has a V shaped birthmark on his forehead like Veemon.}

Vee woke up and greeted Daisuke by rubbing his huge head against him.

"I need you to take me somewhere, boy," Daisuke told the blue dragon. "It'll be a long journey and it would take me too long if I walked. If you took me there I'd get there faster."

Vee picked Daisuke up with his tail and settled him behind his neck. He flew out of the cave and into the air fast as lightning.

"I'll take that as a yes!" Daisuke shouted with is eyes shut tight. "Not so fast! Auggh!"

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

"Grandfather," Iori said at breakfast, "I had a strange dream. Could you tell me what it meant?"

"I'll try, Iori," his grandfather replied. "What was it about?"

"I was talking to a man," Iori explained, "we were standing in the air, it seemed and there were many different waves of color around us. He said he made these rings for me and he's waiting for me on a mountain."

"The old wise man from the mountain!" His grandfather shouted.

"Well, he seemed wise, but wasn't old," Iori corrected gently. "He was probably around the same age my father died."

"I see, so he's a young wise man from the mountain."

Iori nodded, "he told me that this ring means," he pointed to the purple on his left index finger, "knowledge and this one," he pointed to the gray one on his right hand, "reliability."

"Ah, amazing," he studied the rings on his grandson's fingers, "knowledge and reliability, those are very good things, Iori and you have both of them."

"The wise man told me his name was Gennai," Iori said, "and I'm supposed to go to the mountain where he'll teach me and eleven others to be warriors of destiny."

"That's a rather odd dream," his mother frowned, "what have I told you about eating too spicy food before bedtime?"

"But I didn't eat anything spicy," Iori said, "honest."

"Iori, I think you should go see this Gennai," his grandfather told him. "he probably knows all the answers to the questions you seek."

"But Iori is only sixteen years old!" his mother gasped, "it's dangerous out there."

"I've been teaching him sword fighting and how to trust his instincts," his grandfather reminded. "Iori is a smart boy; he will know what to do when he is in danger."

"But I don't even know where this mountain is," Iori whispered, taking his mother's side, "I can get lost! All the mountains look the same around here."

"If this man made these rings for you, then you should find out why. Think of the other eleven, what if they're waiting for you and you never show up? They may need you."

That struck Iori. He never thought of it that way. He had the ring of knowledge; he may be able to teach the others some things. He was also given the ring of reliability. If they got hurt, if they were captured, he would be their only hope. He swallowed and closed his eyes.

"Iori, you must go, this is your destiny!" His grandfather said.

"You must go, Iori. This is your destiny." He remembered what Gennai told him. "You are a warrior of destiny. Iori, the Knowledgeable and Reliable Samurai"

"Iori?" his grandfather and mother muttered, trying to get him to snap out of his moment of thinking.

"You're right, Grandfather!" Iori shouted, rising to his feet, "I must go! There is so much for me to learn and the others will need me. There is a reason why Gennai sent me these rings and I want to find out what it is!"

"But Iori," his mother began.

"I'll be all right," Iori said, "Grandfather taught me a lot. I am a samurai, after all."

"I'll make you something to eat," his mother sighed.

"You'd better get ready," his grandfather said.

"Thank you!" Iori embraced them and quickly changed into something more comfortable to journey in and grabbed his sword.

"Take this," his mother handed him something wrapped in a cloth, "in case you get hungry."

Iori bowed and stepped out into the warm day. He had a long journey ahead of him but with each step he took, he knew he was making the right decision.

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

Ken didn't know how to tell his about the dream he just had, so after breakfast, he went back to his room, changed into his black ninja attire, collected his sais, katanas and ninja stars and left a note for his parents.

Mother and Father,

Forgive me. As the only kind ninja in this cruel world, I am chasing my destiny.

Ken, The Kind Ninja

Ken took one last look of his bedroom and escaped through the window. He hopped from rooftop, hoping no one saw him. He wished he had left sooner when it was still dark.

"You are unique, Ken. You are very kind and gentle but now you have to be as strong and brave as you are kind and gentle. It is a cruel world out there and it will be up to you to show how strong a gentle heart can be."

"I wasn't always so kind."

"But you've learned to be kind again. There will be eleven others out there that will need your kindness. They'll become your friends, if you just give them a chance."

The crest of kindness glowed as he continued to journey onward. He knew it would get him to the mountain; if nothing else, his kind, gentle heart.

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

"Is that it?" Taichi asked, squinting. "It is! It is the mountain!"

Sora tilted her head, "you're right! We made it!"

Over come with happiness, Taichi lifted her up and swung her around. Sora made whelp of surprise then laughed. She slid her arms around his neck and then he set her down, looking curiously at the mountain. He could make out two people in the distance.

"What is it?" she questioned in concern.

Instead of answering her, he broke out into a run.

"Wait!" she shouted, running after him. "Taichi, wait!"

Something told Hikari to turn around. She screamed.

"What's wrong?" Takeru turned around quickly.

"It's my brother!" she cried.

"Hikari!"

"Taichi!"

She flew to him and threw her arms around his neck. "Taichi! Taichi!"

Takeru looked on sadly. He wished he would see his brother again.

"Hikari, you look--different!" Taichi gasped. "How did you get wings?"

"It happened when I got this," she explained, holding out her crest of light. "It changed me into a fairy."

There was a howl from a wolf and Hikari shuddered, "a wolf!"

"I'll protect you!" Taichi said, walking to the noise. He saw a wolf come from the bushes and as he was about to attack it, Yamato shouted and tackled Taichi to the ground.

"No, don't!" Yamato yelled, "The wolf is mine!"

The remaining wolves looked at Taichi hungrily.

"It scared my sister!" Taichi roared, "it's dangerous!"

"No it's not!"

Takeru looked at Yamato with a blank expression and whispered, "Yamato? Is that you?"

Yamato stopped struggling with Taichi and stood up. "Takeru? You're alive?"

Takeru began laughing and ran to embrace his brother, "I knew it! I knew it! I always knew I'd see you again! I never gave up hope!"

The wolves inched closer to Taichi and he quickly got up and held his axe toward them threateningly.

"How were you able to live out here by yourself?" Yamato asked his younger brother.

"This crest," he said, "it changed me into an elf."

"Would you do something with these wolves before they eat someone?" Taichi demanded.

"I don't think they will eat us," Hikari said, "They were just protecting their master."

Sora nodded in agreement.

Yamato looked at Taichi and groaned. He knew that he'd have trouble making friends with this one. He walked to his wolves and petted them.

"I think it will be best if you don't follow us," he whispered to them, "you should go back home and wait for me there."

They whimpered.

"Now, don't look at me like that," Yamato muttered, "I told you not to scare anyone. I'm supposed to make friends with these people and how am I supposed to do that if they're afraid of you? Go on now. Shoo."

They walked away sadly and looked back a few times.

"Go on. Shoo. Get out of here! Bad wolves! Bad!" he looked at the others when the wolves were completely of sight. "They're gone now." He glared at Taichi, "happy?"

"Who are you?" Taichi demanded.

"Yamato, The Friendly Bard," he retorted through clenched teeth. "And who are you supposed to be?"

"Taichi, The Courageous Warrior," he replied somewhat braggingly.

'Courageous?' Yamato wanted desperately to say, but knew better not to, 'more like stupid!'

A puff of purple smoke appeared, making everyone scream.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you!" Taichi shouted, advancing to the smoke, "how dare you--"

"Ah, impressive," Koushiro said, "teleportation. I'll need to make a note of that." He looked up and saw Taichi about to kill him. "Don't hurt me, I come in peace!"

"I don't believe you!" Taichi yelled.

Koushiro stepped back, "you're Taichi, The Courageous Warrior. You have the crest of courage! Please don't, we're on the same side!"

"Wait, Taichi," Hikari grabbed his arm and pointed at the purple crest, "he has one too! He's also in our group."

"How did he know my name?" Taichi asked his sister, "It's sorcery!"

"Why, yes it is," Koushiro said. "I'm Koushiro, the Knowledgeable Sorcerer."

"Well, you certainly know how to frighten people!" Taichi shouted.

Koushiro blushed, "Oh, forgive me."

Miyako and Mimi were coming close to the group.

"I can't walk anymore," Mimi complained, "why didn't we take the horses?"

"Because you don't know how to ride one," Miyako retorted.

"You don't either!"

"Yes I do," Miyako said, "but Father would be angry with us if we took the horses. Though, he probably is already angry if he notices us gone."

"Hello again," Yamato said to Mimi, bowing.

"Oh, hello," she said immediately and then looked at Yamato, "you're the bard on the corner! Yamato, isn't it?"

"Yes, your highness."

"Highness?" Koushiro mumbled.

"She and her sister are princesses," Yamato said.

"I didn't know you were a princess!" Koushiro shouted and ran to kneel in front of her, "Princess Miyako." His face touched the ground.

Miyako blushed, "sorry, I forgot."

He looked up at her, still kneeling on the ground. "How can you be here if you don't have a crest?"

"I have rings," she held her hands out.

"Of course!" he took her hands and looked at them. "I knew somehow that you'd come." He rubbed his fingers over the top of her hands, staring into her eyes.

"You can stand up now," she said.

Koushiro nodded and stood up. "It's nice to see you again."

"The same," she whispered.

"How many are left?" Taichi asked.

"There should be four more," Koushiro replied.

There was a loud roar above them and they looked up to see a dragon.

"A dragon!" Mimi screamed.

"That must be them," Daisuke said, looking down. "Land, Vee."

"There's someone riding on it," Yamato said.

Vee landed and Daisuke hopped off.

"You're friends with a dragon?" Taichi demanded.

"Well, yes," Daisuke retorted and then looked at Taichi curiously, "Say, aren't you Taichi The Courageous Warrior?"

Taichi nodded.

"I've been waiting my whole life to meet you!" Daisuke shouted as he ran to shake hands with him, "it's an honor, a real honor to meet you!"

"Th-thank you," Taichi mumbled and pulled his hand back.

"I'm sorry, but it looks like your dragon will have to go," Miyako said.

"He won't hurt you," Daisuke said.

"I don't like how it is looking at me," Takeru muttered.

"Since I had to tell my wolves to leave," Yamato said, "the dragon should leave too."

"Well, he does look awfully tired," Daisuke groaned. He walked to Vee and scratched his head, "sorry, but I think this is where I'm supposed to go on my own."

Vee groaned.

"I know," Daisuke said, "don't worry, I'll be back. Go find some place where you can get some rest. Don't eat anyone I know, all right?"

"Or the other three warriors who aren't here yet," Takeru added sharply.

Reluctantly, Vee took off and flew out of view. Daisuke made a sad sigh, but when he saw Hikari, he didn't look sad anymore.

"Hello," he said, "I'm Daisuke, The Courageous and Friendly Dragonslayer!" He stood close to her.

"Ironic how a Dragonslayer has a dragon for a pet," Hikari murmured distastefully.

"I took care of him since he was a baby," Daisuke frowned. He peered over her shoulder to look at her wings and smiled wooingly. "Pretty wings you've got there. I've never been this close to a fairy before."

"Stay away from my sister," Taichi commanded, getting between them.

"Oh, this is your sister?" Daisuke asked, "I'm sorry, I didn't know!" He took a couple steps away.

"Not far enough," Taichi muttered.

Daisuke groaned and stepped even farther away. Snickering back at Daisuke, Takeru stepped closer to Hikari and attempted to take her hand.

"You stay away from my sister too," Taichi said.

Takeru gasped and it was Daisuke's time to snicker. Takeru walked to his brother.

Hikari giggled and looked up at her brother, "you don't have to be protective of me all the time, Taichi. I'm older now."

"I'm still your older brother," Taichi said.

Panting, Jyou walked on with a long staff in his hand. He noticed the others were also wearing crests. "I made it!" He sighed and sat down.

"We still have to go up to the mountain," Koushiro said, pointing at the mountain.

Jyou looked up at it and groaned, "oh, noooo!"

"Don't worry, we can all use a rest," Yamato said. "Let's wait here until the other two get here."

"It's hot out here," Mimi whispered, "couldn't we have waited until the sun had gone down?"

"Gennai wanted us to come here as soon as possible, Mimi," Miyako told her. "It must be important."

"I wonder what he means by making us warriors of destiny," Koushiro said. "Not all of us are warriors."

"That's why he's going to teach us," Yamato said.

Iori joined the group next. "There are others!" he gasped. "Grandfather was right."

"He doesn't have a crest," Taichi said.

"Then he must have rings," Daisuke said, showing him his own.

Iori sat down and took a drink from his flask. "I'm Iori," he whispered.

"Where's the twelth?" Daisuke asked and right after he said that, he felt the ground shake behind him. "Ghnaaah!"

"Hello," Ken whispered.

Daisuke turned around quickly, "don't sneak up on people like that! What kind of person are you? The unkind?"

"I'm sorry," Ken mumbled. "I'm actually quite kind."

"How are we supposed to get up that mountain?" Mimi questioned, "he can't expect us all to climb it."

"Some of us may have too," Taichi said.

"I can fly up there," Hikari said. "I'll take you with me, Takeru."

"W-what about me?" Daisuke asked.

Hikari flew to Takeru, hooked her arms under his and flew to the top of the mountain.

"I wish I could fly," Miyako said.

"I can teleport you over there," Koushiro suggested.

"Really?" she asked.

Koushiro nodded, wrapped an arm around her and disapered in a gust of purple smoke.

"Hey, wait for me! Miyako!" Mimi cried.

"Come on," Taichi encouraged, "his home is just up this mountain. Don't be afraid." He kept hiking and Sora followed him. They began to climb the mountain and amazingly, they made it to the top alive.

"This man had better--" Mimi began, "Oh my--"

"What a house," Yamato commented, "and this man lives alone."

"Glad you could join us," Hikari said playfully.

"Why did you let your brother climb this mountain?" Taichi demanded.

"Because I know you can do it," she replied.

"Ah, welcome," Gennai walked out of his house. "I knew you would come. Thank you."

Taichi walked forward and bowed, "We've made it, Gennai."

They all looked at Gennai as if he were a god or something. It was strange how a man could live in such a big house on the top of a mountain and send out 9 crests and 3 pairs of rings. He was in an ivory-beige robe and he had brown hair pulled back in a ponytail and he had brown eyes (I don't know what the color Gennai's eyes are…are they blue or brown? When he's an old man he has them closed all the time!) He was probably around twenty-six or twenty-seven and looked rather strapping. He had to be a warrior himself. He wore the rings of all the crests and wore a crest around his neck himself. Only it was bigger than the others and was an ivory color with a symbol that looked kind of like a planet.

They couldn't move. The dream they had was real. The mountain was real. The house was real. The man was real and here he was going to teach them to be warriors of destiny. It was something no one can prepare for alone.

Next Chapter: It Begins (This chapter was going to be It Begins but I decided to change it to Journey Onward. It fits better)