Better the Devil You Know

Chapter 13: The Zone of Darkness

All the Digidestined sat around in Izzy's bedroom. Tai, Matt, Sora and Mimi sat on Izzy's bed with their Digimon by their feet. Joe, with Gomamon sitting on his lap, sat on a pine chair that Izzy had brought into the room and placed next to his bed. TK, Kari, Davis, Cody and Yolei were sat on the opposite side of the room. The younger Digidestined and their Digimon were sitting on Izzy's perfectly clean sky blue carpet and everyone was waiting for the meeting to begin.

It was early in the morning on Monday and Tai and Izzy had woken up all the Digidestined to get them all there for this important meeting. Izzy said that he and Ken had some important information which they had found out and needed to share with the others. The two teen boys stood next to Izzy's computer desk, ready to part with the information now the whole group was present.

"As you all know, Ken and I have been studying the zone of darkness that is slowly enveloping File Island," Izzy began as he pointed with his index finger to the map on his computer. "We already know Neodevimon is the creator of it and that the area it is encompassing is spreading everyday. At the current rate we will only have about two weeks until it covers all of File Island."

"We have also found out that the darkness is very similar to the darkness created by the control spires," Ken took over from his fellow genius. "I don't know if it is going to affect our Digimon's ability to digivolve but Patamon has not had a problem digivolving so far."

"There is a bigger problem though," Izzy raised his right index finger as he spoke. "Cast your minds back to the reason Malomyotismon had Ken make the control spires in the first place."

"Weren't they meant to weaken the defences of the Digital World?" Matt asked. He looked at the genius' as he waited for their answer.

"Yes," Ken replied. His actions as the Digimon Emperor were clearly on his mind and made him respond in a sombre tone.

"That means Neodevimon's darkness could be weakening the barriers of the Digital World," Izzy shared his theory with the rest of the group.

"Why would he want to do that?" Agumon pondered aloud as the whole group thought of possible reasons.

"The only reason Izzy and I can think of is that he wants to come here and get us on Earth," Ken spoke in a serious tone knowing exactly what that would mean for the Digidestined's and Digimon's safety. "It would make sense with his current plans for getting revenge on TK."

TK nodded his agreement with Ken's theory. He clenched his fists in a show of determination. "Don't worry. I won't let him come to our world."

"We'll stop him before that happens," Patamon added to his partner's statement in a confident tone. "We are getting closer to beating him every time we fight."

"There is another worry," Tai interrupted and gained the attention of the whole group. "What if this zone of darkness does stop our Digimon from digivolving?"

"I don't think it will, Tai," Kari answered her brother's question. "Patamon has managed to digivolve when he and TK have fought Neodevimon, so it shouldn't have an effect on the rest of us."

"What if Neodevimon is letting Patamon digivolve?" Tai asked as a concerned expression formed on his face.

"Maybe it is something to do with the Crest of Hope being able to overpower the darkness," Gatomon added her opinion. "If that is the case then I might be able to digivolve in the area of darkness covering File Island because the Crest of Light is kin to the Crest of Hope."

"Are you suggesting that you and Patamon will be able to digivolve in the dark area but the rest of us can't?" Gabumon asked in a worried tone.

"Yes because of Kari's and TK's crests being able to overpower the darkness and, therefore, allowing Patamon and me to digivolve," Gatomon replied. "It could be just like when I digivolved to Angewomon in that Dark World when TK, Patamon and I went to save Kari."