“You’re not worthy to call yourself a DigiDestened! But, as I promised, I will stay by your side, even if I dispise who you’ve become!”
Kyle had ignored her.
The Digimon hissed, then said, “Belief was what you had! Even if I didn’t really like Alana that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t save her to make you happy for once!” she’d then stormed away.
Kyle sighed, and rolled over, silently wondering what Alana was doing. He found himself looking out the window, and watching as the moon taunted him.
The stone that he’d found had begun to shine brighter then normal in the past few days, but he didn’t know why.
He sighed again as he rolled back over.
The darkness inside him was having more trouble then it had expected. It turned out that he was now being pulled by light and dark, and might be torn.
A half-hour later, Alana stood near the castle. She was at the edge of the tree line, and was watching three Digimon who were talking quietly.
She could hear them easily enough, and she recognized two of them as Shantamon and Ninjeriamon. The third looked like Gatomon, only black and gray. She listened as they spoke.
“I don’t trust that boy,” hissed the Gatomon look-a-like.
Ninjeriamon nodded, then added, “He found some sort of stone. I saw it once when Zach told me to go neaten his chambers. It looks like a silver dragon egg, only clear.”
Shantamon hissed, “I’ve seen the stone you speak of. From the books in the library about it, I’d say it’s very rare, but Judi ignores me when I tell her of it.”
“I’d say that she likes him more and more each day,” the cat growled. “And I don’t trust the idea that she does.”
The two other Digimon nodded.
“I agree,” said Ninjeriamon. “But, if we harm him in any way, we’ll be deleted.”
Shantamon sighed. “I also must tell you, Gathomon seems to be attempting to change Judi’s mind about taking this world into darkness along with earth.”
“It’s no wonder. She’s becoming too soft. If we aren’t careful, the Crystal Kingdom could be rebuilt. Our Destined won’t be happy.”
“Hai,” said a voice, and Zach walked out toward them. “None of us would be happy if that happened.”
Jessica and Heather appeared out of the shadows as well.
“I have read that there were supposed to be another two children of Darkness,” Heather said.
“And their Crests?” the Gatomon-like Digimon questioned.
“One would be the Crest of Spite, and the other would be the Crest of Jealousy,” she answered.
Jessica smirked. “But, it is obvious that they were never found.”
Zach nodded. “Heather, if I’m not mistaken, Alana is the only thing keeping this world and earth from collapsing?”
Heather nodded. “Unfortunately, yes. I did some research and it turns out that she is the link between good and evil. Therefore, the only thing keeping this world alive.”
“That Kyle boy is becoming a pest to us!” the dark Gatomon said. “We should do away with him, tonight!”
“We can’t,” Jessica said with a sigh. “I found out that Judi has him on her sightseer at all times. We’d never get away with it.”
“Unless, one of us distracted her from her duties and could keep her busy long enough for another one to do the job,” Ninjeriamon suggested.
Everyone looked at her, and nodded.
“I want to kill him,” growled Zach. “He’s taken my rightful position to Judi!”
“Calm yourself,” Heather hissed. “We shall figure this rationally.”
Jessica smirked. “Okay, but who gets to kill his Digimon first?”
The cat-like Digimon thrust her hand into the air. “I will do away with that In-Training!”
No one objected. It was well known among the six that KuraiGatomon hated Mikagemon, and wanted her dead.
“All right,” Zach said. “So, who does what?”
Jessica and Shantamon exchanged looks. “We’ll be the distraction. I don’t have the Crest of Shadow for nothing.”
Heather nodded. “And I’ll keep Kyle busy while Ninjeriamon and KuraiGatomon get rid of Mikagemon.”
Zach smirked. “Then I’ll come in and kill him while you say you need a break to get him some food, or something like that.”
Neither the Digimon nor the humans noticed that more then one person was watching them. Alana slowly backed into the forest, and bumped into a Digimon.
“Gathomon,” she hissed in a low voice.
The Digimon turned to see her, then smiled. “I’m glad to see you, Holder of the two Crests. Follow me.” He turned and led her away.
The girl and the Digimon stopped, and gave each other long looks of dis-taste.
“Tell me, human child, what are you doing with out your Digimon?”
“I came to…take care of something.” Alana growled.
Gathomon nodded. “I can take you into the castle. Follow me.”
He began to walk away, but Alana stopped him.
“How do I know I can trust you?” she asked.
“You heard them. I am planning to keep Judi from driving this and our twin world into blackness! I must help you to save Kyle, and get the final stone!”
Alana smirked. “How do you know about that?”
“Judi sees much, but I see more. I am the Darkness, which keeps the world at bay from destruction. Now follow me,” the Digimon began to walk again, and this time, Alana followed him.
Sometime later, Alana and the Digimon came upon a cave entrance. From what Alana could tell, it was sloping downward.
“Keep your traits in mind, believe that you can protect our world, imagine it safe with Felina as the Empress, and try to heal Kyles wounds, please. And keep in mind that hatred only brings death.” The Digimon bowed once, then turned and ran off into the forest.
Alana looked into the darkness of the passageway. It was black and cold, like death. She had no fear, because she had no feeling. She slowly went into the black abyss of the pass, and soon found that it indeed, was to the castle.
She tried to keep in mind what the Digimon had told her, and she couldn’t. She was sure it was a trap of some sort, but wasn’t about to walk out on someone that may need her help.
Dawn slowly crept up from behind the mountains, and Horkamon was the first to wake. She yawned and stretched her arms, cracking them at the joints. She then extended and retracted her blades.
The dark orchid Digimon looked about the cave, but saw no sign of her DigiDestened.
She walked outside, hoping to see the girl, but there was no such luck. She began to go around the site, growing more and more frantic as she found no evidence that Alana was around.
Mimicmon appeared, then when Horkamon told him of the girl’s disappearance, he cursed his carelessness.
“We can’t blame ourselves. Alana’s left a billion times before, and I’ll bet my blades that she went to find Kyle and destroy Judi,” the dragon said.
Mimicmon nodded. “We must tell Nathan of this.”
When Nathan heard of Alana’s leave, he yelled so loud that the bird Digimon flew away from the trees about half a mile around him.
“What do you mean she left?!” he yelled.
“I’m sorry, but you know how she is! We must have been going too slow for her to wait any longer!” Horkamon said.
Nathan relaxed, but slightly. He nodded. “Okay, but I hope she knows what she’s doing.”
Horkamon and Mimicmon looked bitter, and nodded.
Alana wandered down the tunnel, wondering how long it was. She imagined herself being lost forever in the darkness, and smirked. That she could like.
She sighed. It was pitch black. Nothing made a sound except her feet crunching on the gravel of the floor of the cave.
She went into thought about what Gathomon had said to her, ‘Keep your traits in mind, believe that you can protect our world, imagine it safe with Felina as the Empress, and try to heal Kyles wounds, please. And keep in mind that hatred only brings death.’
She turned the words over and over in her mind until she understood. With a grin, she closed her eyes, like she was going to sleep.
Slowly, it began to come to her. She was able to think of what Gathomon had said, and slowly, her Crest began to glow. The dark orchid glow was faint at first, then became brighter, and brighter, and soon the entire cave was lit.
Alana grinned slightly, then saw her Crest lifting upward, and pulling at her neck.
She blinked, then realized that it wanted her to go forward. She slowly began to walk, and soon she was speeding up.
Sometime later, Alana reached a trap door at a dead end. Her Crest was tugging up, towards the door, and she reached up and touched it. Her Crest relaxed slightly, and she opened the trap door.
The blond raised her eyes over the top half of the door, and found herself in a bathroom. She blinked; her eyes had not yet adjusted to the bright light.
The glow of the room was a creamy yellow-white. At the far side of the room, simi-transparent drapes covered what must have been the bath. Near that, about five feet away, were a toilet and a sink. The room was about twenty by fifteen feet, the long part was the side that was parallel to the sink, and the shorter side was where the bath was.
Alana could have sworn that someone was in the bath, but she wasn’t sure. She carefully hoisted herself out of the tunnel, and into the room. Noticing that a tan rug had gone over the door, she closed it silently, then lay the woven rug over it.
She was silent as a shadow as she moved toward the door, which was at the opposite side of the room from the tub.
Hearing a noise outside of the room, she began to panic. Her first instinct was to go to the tub, but now she heard someone on the other side of the curtains. She was about to go back to the trap door, when she saw a linen closet.
A small smile played on her lips as she slowly slid into it. She didn’t shut the door fully, because it had been partially cracked before.
The door opened, and a room could be seen from beyond it. Steam clouded it some, but Alana saw a small In-Training Digimon lying on the bed. She couldn’t quite recognize it, but was sure she’d seen it somewhere before.
A girl with dark brown, slightly kinked hair, and cold blue eyes entered the room with a frozen drink on a tray. The drink looked suspiciously like orange juice, but in the Digital World, it may have been something else.
The girl walked over to the tub, and set the tray down near it.
Alana listened as two people began to talk. One voice, the one that came from the bath, was male, and sounded familiar. Then the blonde’s head snapped up, and her eyes widened slightly. It was Kyle! The girl who’d brought him the drink was talking to him with a sickening cheerfulness, and then Alana caught something:
“I must go and get you something to eat, to go with your drink. It may be a while, but I assure you I shall be back soon.”
The girl then stood and walked out of the bathroom, closing the door behind her.
Alana felt her heart race. It was now or never. She had to get the last stone! But, then she remembered the murder plan. Zach was going to murder Kyle!
Without hesitation, Alana exited the closet, and cleared her throat.
The drapes moved aside, and Alana saw Kyle in the bath (it was full of pearly white bubbles, so nothing aside from his arms, neck and face were visible).
“Alana!” Kyle hissed.
The girl looked grim, and walked over to the bath.
“You must leave this place,” she said with an icy edge to her voice.
“Why? Are you jealous that I have become so powerful?” Kyle asked.
“No, never! Listen, that girl, she and her friends are planning to murder you!” Alana hissed.
“Heather? Nah. She and Jessica wouldn’t dream of it. Same with Zach,” Kyle then remembered what had happened between the two. “Why do you care anyway?”
Alana growled, then said, “I wouldn’t! But, it so happens that I do!” she hissed in a low and urgent tone.
“Yea right,” Kyle said, and began to play with the bubbles.
“Listen, I heard them over talking about murdering you and Mikagemon! You and she must--”
“Why do you care about that? After all, you are the reason that Anthylamon died in the first place,” Kyle gave her a sidelong look.
“…Augh. Fine!” Alana said then threw her hands in the air. “I didn’t come for you anyway!” the blond turned, and stalked to the door. She was about to open it when she said, “Kyle, I…”
“You what?” Kyle said in an agitated voice.
“I…never mind. I just hope you live through this.” Alana opened the door, and was gone into the room beyond.
Alana had begun to look around, when she heard two voices.
“Well, well…look what we have here,” she turned to see the dark Gatomon, and Ninjeriamon.
“It’s that snoop of a girl!” hissed the fox-like Digimon.
Alana felt her blood run cold when she saw a shadow slip into the bathroom. It was Zach! And he was about to kill Kyle!
Nathan and the others sat around; most had their heads in their hands. Felina was standing away from the others, and had a sad look on her face.
“Is something wrong?” Matt asked, coming up from behind her.
The girl nodded. “I’m afraid so,” she turned and looked at Matt. “I just spoke with Fate, or Kurt, and he said something bad is about to happen. But, we’re too far from the palace to do anything! Matt, somebody’s going to die!”
At those words, Matt felt the entire camp stop breathing. Everyone had been listening to Felina. As though one, the group turned all heads on her.
“Who?” Nathan hissed, anger visible in his eyes. But, anger wasn’t the only thing. Fear, was also present.
Felina shook her head. “I don’t know.”
Suddenly, Horkamon’s eyes went blank. Her irises and pupils had gone, and her eyes were pure white.
Lightning cracked in the distance, outlining the castle, and Horkamon stood, as though dead.
“Horkamon?” Tai asked, lifting his head off his hands.
Rain began to fall, and Horkamon opened her mouth, then said a single phrase.
“He’s back!”
Alana held the last stone in her hand, and yelled one word, “KYLE!” tears streamed down her face, and rained down onto the carpet.
Zach had murdered the boy, and blood was slowly coming from the bathroom into the room. Mikagemon was nowhere in sight, meaning she’d found a way to escape. Alana was silently glad for her.
Ninjeriamon, KuraiGatomon, Zach, and Heather stood, watching the girl.
Crimson blood stained the knife that Zach held in his left hand.
Heather was laughing. “I heard you telling him! I knew he was to dumb to listen!”
Alana slowly lifted her head. Her eyes were dark with pain and loss. She held the final stone in a death grip, and whispered, “You shall pay. You will all feel what it’s like to loose your soul.”
Heather and Zach exchanged looks, then laughed. “I doubt that!” the boy said. “Two Digimon verses a human! How pitiful! It won’t even be a fight!”
Heather nodded a smirk on her face. “It would be hard for us to ‘pay’.”
“Oh, you’ll pay for this. Oh, yes. You’ll pay with your very lives!” Alana said in a chilling tone.
“KuraiGatomon, end this pitiful human’s life,” Heather spat.
The Digimon was only too happy to comply. She launched herself at the girl, but a sudden electric shock caught her off guard, and she flew backwards.
The stones had exited Alana’s pockets, and were all now the same size as the silver one. Each was glowing a miraculous color, and the eight were floating around her.
The girl was still crying, but hatred burned in her eyes as never seen before. Her face was blank, which gave the four chills.
“You shall pay!” she yelled, and the stones began to glow brighter. A sudden crack of lightning outlined the left side of her face in deadly silver, and the lights in the entire castle went out. The only light was from the stones, and the girls Crest, which was glowing a cloudy blue.
Sudden cracks of electricity began to go between the stones, and a bright blue light shot out toward the four, knocking them through the wall of the room.
The green stone began to glow brighter then the rest, and the silver stone followed suit.
Alana closed her eyes, then whispered, “I wish Sean were alive…”
A blinding light and a deafening crack came forth, and the stones began to whirl around Alana in a circle. Faster and faster they went, until suddenly…they stopped, and all went black.
A boy began to float toward the Digital World. He began to go faster and faster, until he was racing like a bullet past the raindrops, and right into a castle of black stone.
He was about thirteen, and had dark brown hair. His eyes were a cobalt blue, and he was dressed in a gray shirt, which had a blue jersey over it, and blue jeans. Freckles lightly dotted his face.
He slammed into a room, where he fell to the floor.
Lightning cracked, and thunder boomed as rain crashed into the windows. Each crack of lightning outlined the girl who was standing at the far side of the room. Her eyes were blank, and looked dead.
The stones had fallen back into a glow, and had begun to circle the girl slowly. The girls Crest had stopped glowing, though the tears that trailed down her face had not.
The boy moved slightly, and the girl jolted toward him.
He lifted his head, and looked upon the girl. Her eyes had come back to life in a sudden second. She walked over to him, the stones following her closely.
The boy stood up, and took a step toward her. It was shaky, and uneasy, but he managed to keep his balance. He then lifted his head, his cobalt blue eyes shone with life and humor of the world.
It seemed that at last, he had been revived.
Horkamon and Mimicmon both looked like they were going to jump in the air and yell for joy, but neither did.
“Who? Who’s back?” Joe asked.
Izzy also looked perplexed. “I also wish to know who is alive.”
Val and Justin grinned at each other, and Nathan actually smiled. “Is he really alive again?”
Horkamon nodded. “But, it seems, that it came at a price. Kyle is dead. For now, at least.”
“You didn’t answer Joe’s question,” Mimi whined. “Who’s alive?”
“I can’t believe it,” Mimicmon said with a grin. “He’s alive!”
“Who?!” Sora yelled, growing impatient.
“The only one who made Alana smile,” said Val calmly.
Tai blinked, and then it dawned on the others whom Val meant.
“Sean…” Alana whispered, then walked toward him. It was him, even if his looks had changed slightly, she knew it was him. His face was sincere, but his eyes held the joy of seeing her again.
The boy smiled, and walked over to her, each step was a bit shaky, but he managed to do it. He wrapped his arms around the girl and whispered, “Alana…I’ve missed you so much…” he shut his eyes tightly, never wishing to leave again, and tears of joy and sorrow poured down his face.
Alana closed her eyes, and felt the tears of sorrow from earlier pour down her face yet again.
“Sean…he’s dead…Kyle…” she whispered.
“I know. I saw him. He’s in good hands at the moment. Nothing will happen to him as long as we win.”
The blond choked back a sob, but it came anyway. “I…missed you so much.” She gripped the cloth of his shirt, and continued to sob.
“Shhh…it’s going to be okay…nothing’s going to happen…shhh…” Sean began to stroke the girls head, and made more comforting sounds. It was obvious that all the weight and frustration had finally caught up with her. She was tired, and broken to pieces.
“Let’s go back to the group, okay? Then you can rest.” Sean said.
The blond nodded as a silent silver tear streamed down her face.
Sean smiled softly, and led the blond back to the trap door, making certain that she didn’t see Kyle’s dead body lying behind the curtains of the bath.
The two slid down and into the dark passage. Fortunately, the stones continued to glow, making light for them to walk with.
Unknown to the two children, someone had been watching with eyes of darkness. Lightning clashed, outlining a girl with orange hair, and a Digimon. They had seen it all, and neither was happy about what had just happened.
Jessica narrowed her eyes, and when the light had gone, and another flash came to, she and her Digimon were gone.
