I don't own Digimon.

A/N: I finally finished Final Fantasy VII Remake so here I am with another chapter! I'm pretty excited about what's coming and there will be lots of hints along the way for the story even beyond Takara's Spirit Chip. Enjoy!

Following the Footsteps of Destiny

Chapter 299: Snake Eyes

DarkAngelicmon

Cyber, Western Hemisphere, Digital World

DarkAngelicmon leaned back against the glowing green pipes lining the walls of a small utility room deep beneath the city of Abacus, and crossing his arms over his chest, he waited in silence, taking extra care to keep his expression neutral.

Though he was well aware of the plan YukiOnnamon had eventually settled on with the Ruler of Darkness to steal Takara's Spirit Chip, now that they had Daichi Motomiya and his D-Coder in their possession, he had no idea what the former vampire digimon's next move entailed. He assumed that was what they were going to discuss momentarily, hence the reason he had been ordered to summon Spritemon and Encantamon from the central chamber, but so far YukiOnnamon had made no move to enlighten them on their next course of action.

Standing a few feet away from him, her foot tapping impatiently against the ground, Spritemon looked ready to burst with curiosity, and curling herself onto the hard floor like a snake, Encantamon let out a loud yawn, her expression indicating that she was getting bored. Opposite them, YukiOnnamon sat upon a small desk, and acting blatantly as if she was the only person in the room, the former vampire digimon frowned, her dark eyes narrowing in concentration.

Since it looked as if YukiOnnamon was still in the midst of finalizing her vision for the upcoming evening, DarkAngelicmon quickly decided now would be a good opportunity to gather his thoughts together, particularly since he hadn't had much of a chance to do so since coming back from the dark depths that pulsed behind the ancient Wall of Fire. Tilting his head back, he let his deep green gaze wander across the low ceiling, and thinking back on his earlier conversation with the leader of the Digidestined, he shook his head in confusion at his own peculiar behaviour.

Why in the Digiworld had he taken it upon himself to honour Dai's plea for help? It was so unlike him, and yet at the same time it wasn't. Without any hesitation, he had agreed to do what he could to protect Kara, but why the girl's fate should have mattered to him at all was somewhat of a mystery.

Except it isn't just Kara. If any one of the others had been in her place, I suspect I would have done the same thing.

Had he offered his assistance because he hoped to use their debt towards him for his own convenience at a later date? He didn't think so. There were plenty of other ways he could bend the Digidestined to his will if he chose to do so, particularly the twins. Was it out of sympathy? Was he growing soft?

Or was it because of what the Ruler of Darkness had brought back with him from the Wall of Fire.

Daemon...The data was there, just like the Ruler of Darkness said it would be. If that data is reconfigured...

The thought immediately caused a flash of fear in his chest, and closing his eyes, he felt for the familiar presence of Lucemon. From what he could tell, it appeared as if the celestial digimon was on his way back to the Eastern Hemisphere, and knowing that journey would put some distance between his old friend and the castle on Cyber, he forced his shoulders to relax a bit.

I wonder what he said to them...

Due to the fact that Lucemon's presence had come from the same location as Celestimon and Halomon, DarkAngelicmon figured his old friend must have spoken with the Digidestined, but he could not fathom a reason as to why the celestial digimon would have done so, especially when Lucemon hadn't made many attempts to contact Matty and the others in the past.

You've grown bold, my old friend. That's so like you. I used to tease you all the time for being so timid, but I've always known you can be daring when it truly counts.

Comforted by the warmth of Lucemon's subtle presence filling his mind, DarkAngelicmon allowed himself a moment to indulge in the feeling of his friend's light glimmering across the ocean, and remembering the loss of that warmth, even if it had only been for a little while, he felt a terrible shiver race down his spine.

I couldn't feel him no matter how hard I tried. It was like the darkness behind the Wall of Fire was blocking our connection. The evil in that terrible place can sever even the strongest of bonds. I must tread carefully if I'm ever to return there...

He had no intentions of ever visiting the Wall of Fire again, at least not of his own free will, but there was a good chance he might not have a choice in the future. Just thinking about ever going back there made him feel sick with fear, especially since being separated from Lucemon for even just a short period of time had almost driven him mad. That in itself was concerning, since the celestial rookie had betrayed him, but despite the anger boiling in his veins, he was still dependent on the friend who had left him behind. His heart still wasn't willing to let go, and that only made him even more frustrated. If something ever did happen to Lucemon, what would become of him then?

Would I be able to survive his loss? Even I do not know the answer to that...

Perhaps that was why he had agreed to help Dai. He was going to need the Digidestined if he had any hope of stopping the Ruler of Darkness from resurrecting the Demon Lord of Wrath. It was the only way he could keep Lucemon out of danger, and he was wise enough to know this time he could not save the celestial rookie on his own.

Even now Daemon's data rests deep beneath the dungeons of the castle. I must destroy it...I must get rid of it before he has a chance to return. If I don't, I'll have no choice but to use their power for evil, and Mickey and Matty will suffer...

"Uh...so what exactly are we waiting for?" Spritemon suddenly spoke up, interrupting the silence. "The Digidestined are getting closer even as we speak."

"They still have a ways to go," YukiOnnamon said calmly, fixing her dark gaze on the small pixie. "At the pace they're moving, they won't even make it to the central chamber by nightfall. The waterway beneath the city is as big as the city itself and much more complex. Even with the human they call Izzy and that fool Centarumon guiding them, they will have to stop often to get their bearings. All it takes is one wrong turn down here and they could be lost for days."

"I would never get lost," Encantamon drawled, scoffing at the very idea. "Listen closely. Do you hear it? The flow of running water. That sound always tells me the way."

Since she was considered an aquatic digimon, DarkAngelicmon figured her ability to sense the water's flow was a special talent she possessed, but even without such a gift, he wasn't concerned about getting lost. With Lucemon's presence to guide him, he was never in danger of being unable to eventually find an exit, and whether they knew it or not, neither were Halomon and Celestimon.

Even now, he could feel the two rookies reaching out to him, and raising his eyebrows, he said, "Since we appear to have some free time on our hands, how exactly do you intend to make use of it?"

YukiOnnamon shifted her unnerving gaze to him, and tilting her head to the side, she said coldly, "This is a perfect opportunity for us to perform a little test of sorts. Now that we have Daichi Motomiya, I'm interested to see what sort of state the Kamiya girl is in and how these new developments have affected her thus far. Depending on how she reacts, I may decide to make things a little more interesting."

"I like the sound of that!" Spritemon said eagerly, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "Tell me more!"

"It is imperative to know your enemy well if you want to utterly destroy them. The girl's spirit is strong. I'm not going to make the mistake of underestimating that strength, which has been our downfall in the past. Once we have a better understanding of where her heart is, we can act accordingly. This time we will exercise caution and make sure there are no loopholes the Digidestined can use to slip away from us again."

"Does that mean we get to play?" Encantamon asked, climbing slowly to her feet.

"Some of you," YukiOnnamon replied, her expression remaining neutral. "This is a delicate matter, though. I don't want to set the girl off too early."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Spritemon asked, looking suspicious.

YukiOnnamon ignored the little pixie digimon, and realizing she was gazing intently at him, DarkAngelicmon said smoothly, "Something you need me to do?"

"As much as you disgust me with your sentimental nonsense, you do seem to have a knack for manipulating others. I want you to take Encantamon with you and confront the Digidestined for me. I'd like to know how they're behaving as a team and what the overall feeling and atmosphere is within their group. I also want to know if the loss of their beloved leader has affected their strength."

"Does that mean we get to battle them?" Encantamon interrupted, her hips swaying as she moved to sit next to the former vampire digimon. "I do love a good battle."

"If you want. I don't particularly care how you go about it, I just need an idea of what their energy levels are like. As for the girl, she needs to remain insecure, but I don't want you to push her over the edge just yet. If you intend to taunt her, do so lightly. Most of what we have in store for her will come later."

"Hey, what about me?" Spritemon demanded, hopping angrily up and down on her toes.

"You will remain here with me," YukiOnnamon ordered, dismissing the small pixie with a wave of her hand. "Your thirst for revenge against the girl is strong, and I don't want it to get in the way of my plans."

"That's not fair! I'm the one who deserves a chance to go taunt her after the way she humiliated me!"

"Knowing you, you'll let your temper get the better of you, and I can't afford any mistakes," YukiOnnamon said harshly, glaring at the small pixie. "Rest assured you will have your chance to play with the girl later, but for now it's going to have to wait."

The Digidestined...If I see them...

"What do you think, handsome?" Encantamon asked, swinging her slippery legs back and forth as she turned to regard him with obvious amusement. "Are you ready to put on a show?"

DarkAngelicmon slowly stepped away from the wall, and fluttering his wings to disperse the dust that had settled within the feathers sprouting from his back, he said nonchalantly, "I do love a good show."

"When would you like us to head out?" Encantamon inquired, turning to the female mega seated next to her.

"Soon," YukiOnnamon answered, a twisted smile playing across her lips. "We'll wait until this evening once the Digidestined have had a chance to move further into the waterway. That will save you the hassle of having to go too far."

"True, although I could just have DarkAngelicmon carry me," Encantamon teased, sending a flirtatious smile in his direction. "Those strong wings of his would get us there in no time."

DarkAngelicmon turned his back on the female digimon, and heading towards the door, he said shortly, "My wings are sensitive. I prefer not to use them for any unnecessary work."

"Ouch, so mean! Look at you playing hard to get."

DarkAngelicmon chose to ignore that comment, and exiting through the door, he could hear Spritemon attempting to change YukiOnnamon's mind about refusing to let her join them on their mission. Most of what the pixie digimon was saying were insults directed at him, which included several comments about how unpredictable and unreliable he was, thus she was the better choice, but he wasn't offended.

Truthfully, Spritemon was right. Even he wasn't sure how he would react once he came face to face with the rest of the Digidestined, and that was definitely a cause for concern. Would he do as he was instructed, or would the part of him that wanted so desperately to keep Lucemon safe have other plans in store for him? Only time would tell, and until it did, the Demon of Wrath would continue to taunt him from the bowels of the castle, the dark digimon's resurrection growing ever closer.

You should know by now I can't be trusted, YukiOnnamon. Or maybe...you do know, and this is your way of testing me, as well...

Regardless, he had a task to perform and he intended to go through with it however he saw fit.

And in the meantime, if Daemon did wake from his slumber...

Matty...will you ever forgive me for using you if I have to take what is rightfully yours?

Or maybe even more importantly, would he be able to forgive himself.

Takara 'Kara' Kamiya

Cyber, Western Hemisphere, Digital World

As much as she didn't want to admit it, Takara Kamiya couldn't prevent herself from becoming distracted by her own depressing thoughts, and as a result she was having trouble focusing on the path ahead. Though she had tried several times to push AncientMermaidmon's words to the back of her mind, every so often they would once again force their way into the forefront of her brain, causing her breath to catch in her throat.

The female mega had seen right through her, and that made her feel even more vulnerable.

Am I really so easy to read? If I was, then none of this would be happening. Dai and the others would understand without me having to tell them...

How was it that a digimon whom she had only just met was able to sift so calmly through the turmoil in her heart and figure out the source of her pain when she was still having trouble even forming her emotions into actual thoughts? Even now, she was still having trouble understanding the raging river of feelings coursing through her body, and remaining silent about what was going on in her head was only making it worse.

Somewhere out there Dai was suffering. How was she going to save him when she couldn't even express how much it scared her to lose him?

"Be brave, child. Your heart will be your strength, and all will be well."

Takara blinked as tears suddenly filled her eyes, and clutching her glowing Digivice to her chest, she whispered, "Easy for you to say."

Oh, Dai...I just want you to know how much I love you...

"If you keep breaking out into tears, you'll make Dai worry," a voice suddenly said softly in her ear, causing her to jump in surprise.

Having been caught off guard, she glanced uncertainly at the man who had spoken, and blushing, she mumbled, "I can't help it."

Matt raised his eyebrows, and waiting a moment for Izzy and Centarumon to move a little ahead of them, he motioned for her to walk with him and said calmly, "She's not wrong, you know."

It's almost scary the way he does that sometimes...

Takara let out a soft sigh, and feeling a bit shy, she reluctantly fell into step beside the former musician. Fluttering next to her, Dovemon looked suspiciously smug, and glancing over her shoulder she discovered that Gabumon had tactfully remained behind to chat with Agumon, likely in the hopes that she would feel more comfortable talking without too many listeners hanging about.

She loved Matt dearly, but after treating him so badly the last time they were alone together, she couldn't help feeling terribly self-conscious and vulnerable in his presence. It was even more embarrassing because the former musician hadn't acknowledged their previous encounter over the last few weeks, and she had to admit it was a tad frustrating that he didn't seem fazed at all by what had happened. Really, it was a bit unfair, and wishing she had that same level of composure, she kept her eyes averted from his face.

No wonder Dai hadn't been able to prevent Ryoko from getting under his skin so easily. After her encounter with Matt, she was starting to understand on a whole new level.

I guess...that's why Mom and Dad love him so much...

"I agree with Matt," Dovemon said softly, moving closer to brush a feathery wing gently against her cheek. "All this time, you've been telling the boys to stay strong when they're suffering, and they've taken your words to heart because they know how strong you are."

Takara felt her blush deepen, and glancing over her shoulder, she held her breath. Immediately, she realized both of her parents were watching her intently, their gazes shifting from her to Matt with obvious interest. Agumon, Gabumon, and Biyomon were also watching her, and further back, Ken and Wormmon were chatting with Ryoko, Matty, and their digimon, their expressions indicating they were having a fairly serious conversation. Trailing behind the others, Sam and Mickey were sneaking looks at each other when they thought the other wasn't looking, and though they were walking close together it was the older twin in particular who appeared oddly nervous, though she had no idea why that would be the case. Celestimon and Glowmon seemed blissfully unaware of the peculiar tension between their partners, and unable to figure it out for herself, Takara chose to ignore their silly behaviour for the time being.

Besides, she was more concerned about her parents, both of whom had just caught her watching them.

I wonder if they agree with AncientMermaidmon...

The thought made her feel even more flustered, and quickly turning her back on them, she mumbled, "None of that matters if we can't save Dai."

"We will save him," Matt said bluntly, glancing down at her. "In fact, Dai probably believes that more than anybody."

It was true, and she knew it. Dai would never doubt a friend, no matter what the situation was. If he could still believe in her, then why couldn't she believe in herself?

"There is only one scenario I can imagine that would explain how such a strong digimon could have succumbed to the darkness, and that is if he had sacrificed his soul for the sake of another."

Even now, she couldn't forget those words, and picturing DarkAngelicmon's handsome face in her mind, she felt a wave of sorrow wash over her. Had he truly sacrificed his soul to save a loved one? If so, who could it have been?

Before he met us, who did he love more than anyone else in the Digiworld? We don't know his whole past, but from what we do know only two names come to mind. Could DarkAngelicmon's current form have something to do with one of his two closest friends?

She couldn't see how that was possible, since the fallen angel had already succumbed to the darkness long before Luciamon sacrificed herself to help them, and Lucemon was obviously fine.

So what then could have caused such a drastic change? Unless...something did happen to his friends before we met them.

Or maybe to one in particular?

"Would you not do the same if someone you loved was about to lose themselves to the darkness?"

"Kara?" Dovemon murmured, looking concerned. "Kara, are you listening?"

Takara gave herself a mental shake, and taking comfort from the glowing D-Coder cradled carefully in her hands, she avoided the former musician's penetrating gaze and murmured, "Of course he does. Why do you think he can't stay out of trouble?"

"If you keep looking at me like that, they're going to think I'm the bad guy," Matt said dryly, sounding very amused. "If you don't want them to worry about you, I'd advise against giving them reasons to do so."

Takara blinked, and whirling around, she spotted her parents watching the former musician with raised eyebrows, their expression indicating they were clearly wondering what was going on, and just behind them, Ryoko was staring at her with obvious curiosity. Apparently, the golden-haired Digidestined had abandoned his conversation with Ken and Matty to study her with interest, and tossing her head, she said hotly, "There's nothing to worry about!"

Matt smiled at her, and reaching out to tug gently on her ponytail, he said, "That's more like the Kara I know."

Uncle...

Takara felt her heart swell with affection, and not caring who was watching, she stepped forward and cuddled herself into the former musician's strong arms. It made her feel safe, and resting her head against his chest, she whispered, "I'm trying."

"I know you are," Matt murmured, stroking her dark hair, "And you're doing a fantastic job so far. Keep it up. When we find him, Dai will want to see you smiling."

"I..."

"Don't feel guilty," the former musician said firmly, pulling back so she had no choice but to look into his eyes. "I'm a parent, remember? If I can't handle being yelled at by my children once in a while then I'm doing it wrong. You have enough to worry about. I don't want you adding me to the list."

Takara laughed, and squeezing him tightly, she said softly, "Thanks for trying to keep my mind off Dai."

If I think about him too much, I'll fall apart...

"Now give the same treatment to your parents," Matt whispered in her ear, returning the embrace. "I don't want to make them jealous by stealing all your hugs."

Takara peeked around the former musician's shoulder, and as she met her father's dark eyes, she murmured, "You won't. I've got plenty to go around."

I just wish I was brave enough to give them out when they really count.

"Kara, do you mind joining me for a minute?" Izzy suddenly called out, his tone pleasant. "We've got a few options coming up and I want to make sure we're still on the right path."

Takara quickly pulled away from Matt, and hurrying over to Izzy's side, she said, "Are we getting closer?"

"There's still a ways to go, but the waterway gets much more complicated from here on out."

"The city of Abacus is laid out over a large expanse of territory and the same is true for the waterway that runs beneath it," Centarumon explained, leaning over Izzy's shoulder for a better look at the computer expert's laptop. "Without a way to navigate this network of underground rivers and pipes, which is essentially a giant sewer system, one could get lost quite easily."

"Wait, did you say a sewer system?" Matty asked, sliding up beside the centaur digimon and wrinkling his nose in disgust. "We're not gonna end up stepping all over digimon poop or something, are we?"

"You, young man, can be quite vulgar sometimes," Tentomon scolded, his tone reeking of disapproval.

"Hey, who are you calling names!?"

Takara bit her lip as she felt her father brush past her, and letting out a sigh, the former leader said, "Behave, Matty. I'm going to assume this is more of a storm sewer?"

"Your assumption would be correct," Centarumon agreed, his voice echoing pleasantly in the wide passage. "This network cycles water that's been cleaned and treated throughout the city to keep the canals full and the greenery alive. It also provides drinking water. The process for safely removing waste is a different system."

"That explains why it doesn't smell that terrible in here," Biyomon joked. "A bit musty, but it's not bad."

"I'll take this any day over the freezing cold of the Ice Caverns," Halomon added, happily fluttering his ears.

Alopemon turned his nose up at the celestial rookie, and crossing his arms over his chest, the small fox digimon said, "I prefer the cold."

By this time, all of the others had gathered around them, and doing her best not to focus too closely on her parents, Takara turned to Izzy and said, "You mentioned something about the path splitting up ahead?"

"That's correct. I'm pretty sure we want to head right, since the path to the left eventually leads back out again and straight ahead doesn't take us any further in, but I'd like to confirm that with your D-Coder first before we continue on."

"Sure, I don't mind, but...Sam's D-Coder could tell you the same thing."

Sam, who had been standing quietly with his partner next to Matty, stepped forward, and giving her a look, the raven-haired Digidestined said calmly, "It could, but that's your Spirit Chip, not mine. This is something you need to do."

"He's right," Mickey said quietly, glancing discreetly at Sam before turning his amber gaze on her. "Remember, Dai's waiting for you."

Takara quickly ducked her head, and without replying she held out her Digivice, allowing the green light coming from its hard surface to filter out into the passageway. The arrow on her D-Coder's screen quickly turned to the right, and as the light also shifted in that direction, Izzy nodded in a satisfactory manner and said, "As I suspected. Shall we continue on then?"

Takara nodded, and putting some distance between herself and her parents she quickly scurried after Izzy and Centarumon. Now that he had said his piece, Matt seemed content to fall back with the others, and watching her father, she winced as the dark-haired man immediately latched onto the former musician's arm and proceeded to speak in low tones that she was obviously not meant to overhear. Her mother was leaning in close on Matt's other side, making it obvious she was listening to what was being said, and having anticipated their efforts to bombard him with questions, the former musician simply shook his head and quickly shooed them away before turning his attention to Ken. Takara was relieved that Matt had every intention to respect her privacy, but the thought of hiding anything from her parents didn't exactly make her feel very good about herself.

They still had a long way to go before they reached Dai. If she could barely handle her parents and their close proximity now, how was she going to survive the rest of the journey?

"We've been walking for hours now," Matty complained, groaning as he stretched his arms above his head to ease the tension in his back. "How much longer before we can stop for the evening? It has to be getting late by now."

It was true they had been walking for several hours, and judging by the time on her D-Coder, it was just past seven in the evening. Izzy didn't appear that concerned, though, and as they entered into a wide tunnel with an arched ceiling and a river of water running through the centre, the computer expert said, "We'll continue on until we reach a good spot that looks suitable for a campsite. Contrary to what you might think, Matty, we've made good progress this afternoon."

"I'll believe it when I see it," the younger twin grumbled, turning up his nose. "You said we're going right?"

At first glance, the way to the left looked like it was blocked by black bars, allowing only the water to pass through, but on closer inspection Takara could tell there were doors on either side of the stream, allowing you to continue on. That way apparently led back outside if you were to follow it long enough, and on the other side of the canal, a dark doorway showed off an ominous narrow passage beyond that she was grateful they didn't have to travel. A bridge crossing over the water would have allowed them to take that route if they chose to do so, but thankfully they were heading to the right where the wide corridor continued on with at least some visibility. All around them the walls were covered in those strange glowing beams of light, and even the dark pipes running along their granite surfaces were glowing green.

Is this what Dai's seeing, or do they have him locked away in some dark place, unable to do anything but wait?

The thought scared her so much she had to cover her mouth to stop a gasp from escaping her lips, and fluttering into the air, Celestimon said, "At least it's a bit lighter here than it was in those narrow passageways."

"We should probably keep going if we want to find a decent place to rest before it gets too late," Mickey advised, motioning for Halomon to join him.

Takara couldn't agree more, and falling into step beside the older twin, she proceeded to brood in silence. A moment later, Sam joined them, and giving her a look, the raven-haired Digidestined said, "How are you holding up?"

Takara let out a soft sign, and reaching out to pull Dovemon into her arms, she said quietly, "As well as can be expected."

Sam and Mickey exchanged a look, and slipping an arm around her, the older twin said gently, "We're really worried about you."

Takara nodded, and resting her head on Mickey's shoulder, she whispered, "I know. That's what makes this even worse."

"Oh, Kara," Glowmon moaned, snuggling into her neck. "Don't say such terrible things."

"Dai wouldn't want you to feel like that," Halomon scolded, fluttering up behind her back and tugging anxiously on her ponytail.

I bet...they're disappointed in me.

"I would have thought you would be the last person to waste time feeling sorry for yourself," Sam said bluntly, keeping his eyes trained on the path up ahead. "Is this what you really want?"

"Sam," Mickey warned, giving the other boy a meaningful look.

The comment stung, but Takara didn't have the strength to fight it. Instead, she gently pulled away from the older twin and said dully, "If you guys don't mind, I think I'd like to be left alone for a little while."

Mickey looked like he wanted to protest, his amber eyes widening in obvious shock, and grabbing the older twin's wrist, Sam said calmly, "That's fine. You know where we are if you need us."

"But-"

"Move, Mickey," Sam said sharply, pushing the older twin ahead of him, his sapphire eyes flashing in the dim light. "Let's go."

Mickey flinched at the words, but instead of arguing, he meekly followed after the raven-haired Digidestined, his handsome face a mask of conflicted emotions.

Watching them, Takara wasn't surprised that the older twin made no effort to pull his arm out of Sam's grasp, the defeated look in his eyes indicating the fight had gone out of him, and feeling guilty, she left them to their own devices.

Halomon pouted at her before fluttering off to join his partner, a flabbergasted Glowmon hurrying after him, and studying her closely, Dovemon said quietly, "That wasn't very nice."

I know, Dovemon, but I can't look at them. When I do, it scares me. It reminds me of just how much I have to lose...

"What's that room over there?" Ryoko asked, pointing towards a small door to their right.

Ken paused, and walking up to the door, the former Emperor said, "Why don't we have a look and see?"

"Why not," Izzy agreed, shrugging his shoulders. "A room like this would be ideal for sleeping quarters if we find one that's large enough to fit us all."

Takara made a point of keeping her eyes down, and crowding into the room with the others, she winced at the hard look Ryoko gave her as she pushed past him. Clearly, he had witnessed her behaviour towards Sam and Mickey, and studying the room, she said hesitantly, "Is it...a maintenance room of some sort?"

"I believe so," Cantarumon replied, turning to regard the group as a whole. "While the waterway is off limits to the general public, there are those who work for the castle whose job it is to perform maintenance every now and then to keep the pipes running in peak condition. You'll find more rooms like this one as we continue on that are used by the maintenance workers."

"Nice, I'd rather sleep in one of these rooms than on the damp floor out there," Matty sighed, glancing uncertainly at his brother, who was sitting next to him on a long bench. "Hey, what's with you?"

"Nothing," Mickey mumbled, huddling closer to his twin and avoiding the other boy's eyes.

Sam was sitting on Mickey's other side, and ignoring the older twin for moment, the raven-haired Digidestined said, "This one's too small to hold all of us comfortably, but if we continue on we might find a bigger room."

"A wise decision, I think," Izzy agreed, giving the room one last look before edging carefully towards the door in order to avoid stepping on anyone's toes. "Ready to continue on?"

"I would have preferred a longer rest, but I guess so," Tentomon grumbled, following after his partner.

"Are you sure nothing's wrong?" Matty whispered to his brother, tugging on the older twin's arm as they climbed to their feet.

At this point, Mickey looked positively miserable, and shaking his head, the older twin mumbled, "Let's just go."

I guess Matty didn't notice...

The fact that the younger twin had missed the painful exchange didn't make her feel any better, and nudging Mickey to keep him moving, Sam turned to Matty and said shortly, "He's fine. We better not lag behind or Matt will scold us again."

"What do you mean 'again?' I didn't get scolded," Matty pointed out, rolling his eyes.

Takara quickly turned her back on the arguing trio, and leaving the room, she gasped as her father suddenly caught her arm, forcing her to stop. The former leader's expression was hard to decipher, and studying her closely, he said quietly, "Whatever you do, don't push them away."

Dad...

Though she couldn't see her mother, who was standing behind her, she knew the older woman's eyes were watching her, and attempting to keep her voice from trembling, she said, "That's not what I'm doing."

Leaning forward to kiss her forehead, her father said simply, "Just remember what I said."

Without another word, he slipped past her to take her mother's hand, and unable to look at them, she quickly hurried to join up with Izzy and Centarumon again. There was a strange tension in the air that hadn't been there before, and knowing Mickey was upset and that Sam was probably angry with her, she had a feeling the sudden change in atmosphere was entirely her fault.

Nobody seemed to want to talk much, and as they continued on for another hour, she could feel herself falling deeper into despair. If Dai was with them, he would know how to cheer everyone up.

"What was that?" Ken suddenly said sharply, halting everyone in their steps.

"What was what?" Agumon asked.

Takara blinked, and realizing they were standing in a large chamber that was full of pipes, she turned to Ken and said slowly, "Did you hear something?"

The former Emperor nodded, and sapphire eyes searching the room, he said, "I don't think we're alone anymore."

"We're not," Celestimon said firmly, settling himself on one of the glowing green pipes and glancing around the room. "I thought I felt his presence growing closer, but he feels...different somehow."

"What do you mean?" Matty asked, frowning at his partner. "You're talking about DarkAngelicmon?"

"Yes, something about him feels off," Halomon said softly, shaking his head. "I can't really describe it. He still feels like himself but slightly...different. I wonder if that's why we didn't sense him this close a little sooner. Then again, we were also slowly moving closer to him, which complicates things somewhat."

"You mean...he's here?" Ryoko said slowly, looking confused.

"Oh, he's here," a female voice replied, the words ending with a soft laugh. "And he's not alone."

Takara let out a gasp as something detached itself from the black pipes hanging overhead, and dropping to the ground, the thing slowly straightened up, its mass of green hair glimmering in the dim lighting. It looked humanoid in appearance, but the leathery skin and snake eyes suggested it was anything but.

A...digimon?

As the thing's emerald eyes came to rest on her face, it smiled and said, "Now the fun begins."