Defender's Keep VI

After Stephan's abrupt departure, Kari trailed back as Izzy supported raven the remainder of the way to the cave.

"So Izzy. Why?"

"I cannot answer that question without more defined parameters."

"You know what I mean, Izzy. Since I've been poisoned, you've been more nervous than a long tailed cat in a roomful of rocking chairs."

"I never told the others and you have to swear you won't either."

"I swear it."

"Well, I never told anyone because I guess they'd think I was crazy, but when Mimi and I were separated in the pyramid ruins, I think I experienced a timeline where I was poisoned. I lingered for a week before I gave up on it all." Izzy took a deep breath as if to steel himself. "Five minutes later, I was back in the ruins, but I was sore and sweaty and ..."

"As if you lived it?" Raven said.

"Mmm Hmm." Izzy said. "What really worried me was that I gave up with all my friends pulling for me. I was worried something like that might happen to... Matt."

"You're a poor dissembler, Izzy." Raven said. "Matt has T.K. to live for."

Izzy looked Raven right in the eye and said. "I see myself in you."

For the first time since they had met, Raven seemed startled. "How so?"

"Introverted, no friends, nothing to live for."

"No family." Raven said quietly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Izzy asked.

"I know Izzy. I watched you guys for a long time, but even if I hadn't the evidence here speaks volumes."

"You've only known me for two days." Izzy said.

"I've only been with you for two days." Raven corrected. "I've been following you for the better part of a year. Everywhere you guys have camped there's always a camp site a little way off from the others. Your campsite. I actually got to see you a couple of times. I was watching when you got this." He said rolling back the smaller boy's sleeve, to reveal a faint scar.

"If you were so close, why didn't you join us sooner?"

"I wanted to, but I was too busy keeping you guys safe. Every time  I thought I was finally done, some digimon with attitude separated me from you guys. By the time I dealt with it you guys were days or even a week away. And so I picked up your trail and started again."

"Humph." Izzy said moodily. 

"Why do you turn into yourself, Izzy?" Raven asked. "Is it because you feel that the only one you can trust is yourself?"

"See through my eyes. My parents, who I trusted explicitly lied to me for years."

"I'll give you that one, but I too know what it is to be betrayed. I served God faithfully since before the dawn of time, and yet he stripped me of powers and cast me out. That is betrayal."

"How did you cope?"

 "I became my own master. Perhaps you need a new family." Raven shrugged. "Or perhaps you already have one."

"Perhaps I do." Izzy mused gazing at the others. "You seem to have all the answers. How do you explain what happened to me?"

"I believe you may be a Templer, someone who is highly in tune with spatial temporal variances. More than likely you crossed into an alternate timeline."

"Is that what you were telling Stephan? About our potential?"

Raven saddened. "Yeah.'

"He meant a lot to you." It was a statement, not a question.

"He was my best friend. We went  to school together."

"Angels go to school?" Izzy asked in puzzlement.

"Sure. All angels learned the words of power. Steve learned Justice, I learned Caring, Angelique learned Revenge, things like that. Steve's biggest problem was that he never saw all his options."

"You usually ended up pointing them out to him, right?" Izzy asked.

"Mmm hmm." Raven said.

"I thought as much. Tai and I have much the same relationship. You fell into your old roles without even realizing it."

"We did, didn't we?" Raven mused. "I just wanted to show him options but then..."

"Hey guys, we're here." Tai called.

"It looks pretty roomy." Mimi said. "I wonder why Gennai only said for four?"

"He said four comfortably for two weeks." Joe reminded her gently. "We can probably all fit in for tonight."

"Make yourselves at home." Raven said limping away towards a nearby trail. "Just save me a sickbed."

"I'll go with you." Izzy offered.

"No Izzy." Raven said quietly. "I need to be alone."

"Just remember you're not truly alone." Izzy replied walking into the cave.

Raven walked up the trail and sat heavily on a boulder staring at the sunset. "Gennai." He said tapping his digivice. "Can we talk?"

"Sure." Gennai said flickering into existence. "What's on your mind?"

Raven explained about Stephan and what happened. "He could get seriously hurt out there. I feel kinda responsible for him."

"It sounds like a serious case of third party intervention." Gennai said. "I've just finished creating my own artificial digimon."

"And you just happened to have that handy?"

"No. Nijamon was created to restore the balance Myotismon disrupted by creating Shadowmon. I'll send him to your friend, if you want."

"Do it. I just hope we find him before something else does. If even his nominal powers are turned to evil, those kids don't stand a chance."

"What do they matter to you?"

"Well, it's like I told Stephan, I went off a cliff with Sora, took a poison dart for Mimi, and was a Krakenmon squeeze toy for Joe. They're becoming my friends."

"Or your family." Izzy said. Raven whipped his head towards him setting off a fresh bolt of pain. "It's getting late Raven. Let's get you inside."

"Get your rest Raven. I'll tend to Stephan." Gennai said as he faded out. "So this is the one..." He mused quietly.

"How long were you there?"

"Does it matter?" Izzy asked as they limped down the trail.

Raven grimaced as his own material was thrown back at him.

The cave was barely big enough for all of them to spread out but they managed and even had room for a small fire.

"Here guys." Raven said passing the canteen of dream berry juice around. "This stuff's only good for two days, so drink up."

"Here Sora." Izzy said handing her his bag with his computer and digimon analyzer. "You'll need this more than me." He said clipping his digivice to his belt.

"But what will you do without it?" Mimi asked pouring herself some dream berry juice.

Izzy shrugged. "I'll be too busy taking care of Raven." He said drawing back on his own full cup.

From somewhere in the cave, Matt's harmonica began playing a soft soothing tune as Raven took off his cape and spread his wings, which T.K. and Kari immediately scrambled into as he sat down. Raven smiled slightly as they curled up next to him and wrapped his wings around them.

"Hey Raven." Joe asked when Matt paused between sets to drink. "Do you mind if I use your computer?"

"G' head." Raven said drowsily indicating his bag. "You haven't touched your juice yet.

"Later." Joe said briskly as Matt began another slow dreamy set.

Izzy and Sora half walked and half staggered over to him. "You two look drunk."

"I'm not as thunk as you drink I am." Izzy said deliberately slurring his words. "You okay?"

"Sure. Just need a lot sleep." He told them honestly.

"Try to keep his temperature down." Sora told Izzy draping a cold compress clumsily over Raven's forehead. "Gennai's got everything Raven, even hot and cold springs."

"But does he have an eight disc changer?" Raven quipped. "Did you talk to Tai about that... that"

"Mmm hmm. He agreed. Do you wanna do it now?"

"No time like the present."

"Okay. Be right back."

"If you don't mind a bit of a draft from the entrance, there's some space over on that side of me." Raven said.

"With all the excess heat your body is generating, I'll be fine."

"Thanks Raven." Joe said slipping the laptop back into the bag. "Where'd you get that?"

"Gift from Gennai." Raven muttered dozing off.

"Raven." A gentle prod in the shoulder roused him. "We're ready." Sora said as Tai nodded.

"Hold out your hands." As they complied, Raven warned, "This could burn just a wee bit."

 Sora nodded. Tai swallowed nervously and grit his teeth as Raven grabbed a hold of one wrist in each hand. Then with a single word in an archaic tongue, his hands blazed with gray energy and died away. Sora turned back her sleeve to see a glowing chain of the alternating crests of love and courage burned into her wrist. She turned to ask Raven about it, but he was fast asleep.

"Do you think the kids will be okay?" Tai asked as the glow faded.

"Sure, Tai." Sora said. "The stone walls and floor bleed excess heat from his back while his wings keep the heat from his chest in to warm T.K and Kari."

"Well," Matt said yawning and sliding his harmonica into his pocket.. "That's all for tonight. See ya." He said laying on Gabumon and promptly dozing off. Tai and Sora soon followed.

As the others lay sleeping, Joe stood up and slipped silently out of the cave. Gazing at the stars, he went over his plans for the hundredth time. It was so simple he had no need to fear failure. Still he suddenly wished he smoked.

Finally he gave it up and crept back inside only to stub his foot against Sora's. "Joe?" She slurred.

"Sorry, Sora. Had to use the bushes." He mumbled sitting down. Sora muttered something and dozed off. Joe waited until she was safely asleep and slipped his digivice into Mimi's bag.

"Don't you think you might need that?" Raven whispered.

Joe jumped almost hitting his head on the roof of the cave. "What are you doing up?"

"I asked you first."

"How did you see that?"

"Angels are blessed with very good vision. You're stalling."

"I'm not going with the others." He confided. "I've found a cave a little ways up the slope, just big enough for a human. Not that I don't trust Izzy's medical skills but you'll be better if there's a doctor in training around."

"Joe if you stay, you'll be next to useless," Raven said. "but if that's your choice then I won't tell the others."

"Thanks Raven." Joe said settling in for the night.

Raven was already asleep.