Digimon Adventure Tri: Echo

42) Of Stars and Shadows

It had been a while since Miyako and Hikari had started walking toward the center point where the Chosen Children were likely going to be meeting up. Miyako had figured out the area that was approximately at the center of the chaotic region where the Chosen Children were scattered, and she and Hikari started moving as soon as their partner Digimon were fed. Hawkmon and Plotmon were walking alongside them, but Plotmon hadn't been able to find the energy yet to evolve back to her form of Tailmon. The battle against Daemon and the subsequent ambush from Dagomon had drained everyone, and it was clear as could be. 

Miyako shot a glance over her shoulder in the direction of Hikari, wishing that she knew what to say. Hikari had been so quiet ever since they started walking, and it felt like a stab to the stomach in a way. Miyako didn't know quite how to describe it, in all honesty. She could just tell that something was wrong with the glossy eyes that Hikari used to observe the world around her. Miyako had been able to see for quite some time that Hikari was slipping back into her habits of repressing her emotions from the rest of the world, afraid of the consequences despite the fact that everything was alright. 

Of course, knowing this wasn't enough for Miyako to figure out what she had to do to fix the issue. In fact, it was almost more frustrating that Miyako knew what was going on since she still didn't know what to do to resolve it. To Miyako, it was as if the solution was just on the other side of a wall of water, and no matter how much she tried to push against the current, she couldn't seem to grasp it. 

It was this sense of struggle that eventually caused Miyako to let out a heavy sigh of frustration, and Hikari perked up at the aggravated noise from her companion. "Why won't let you help me?" Miyako questioned, her voice on the verge of unraveling. "I can tell that you're falling back into your old habits of hiding your feelings, but I don't want that for you! Hikari, you have to talk to someone about what's going on. I can't help you if you don't talk me, and I'm tired of seeing you suffer all the time because you're afraid of saying something."

Hikari's expression was painted with shock at Miyako's words, and she attempted to find a solution in vain for a few long moments before she felt Plotmon nudge her ankle gently. Hikari glanced down and saw that her partner was looking up at her with pure concern in her gaze. Hikari swallowed dryly, seemingly able to sense that she wasn't going to be able to worm her way out of this anytime soon. 

"I... I don't want to see anyone get hurt," Hikari told Miyako, almost perfectly mirroring the words that she had spoken the last time that this subject came up. "We're in such an awful situation here having to fight against Dagomon now even if we've finished our mission of defeating Daemon... Did you see what happened during the fight that we had against him?"

"I don't know if you could even call it a fight," Miyako muttered with a snort and a shake of her head. "But I do know what you're talking about. He was staring at you, wasn't he?"

Hikari nodded. "He was... And I know why that was the case too... The Deep Ones under his command were trying to bring me to him to fight off the Kaiser all that time ago," she murmured softly. "But now, he must want something else... In a way, we're trespassing in the Dark Ocean, and he could be using that as an excuse to try and get me under his influence."

"I'm not going to let that happen," Plotmon cut in, her eyes narrowing with determination. "It doesn't matter what he tries to do. I'm not going to let him lay a hand on you regardless of what he tries. I'm going to protect you no matter what, Hikari."

Hikari smiled down at Plotmon, though there was still hesitation in her gaze. "Thank you, Plotmon," she whispered with such gratitude that it was almost overwhelming. "I don't want anyone else to get hurt on my behalf... Dagomon could have caused problems for everyone during that attack, and... We're lucky that we're still alright. I don't want to see any other members of our team get hurt because of this."