In The Defence Of Love

Chapter 8: Yin And Yang

Tai and Kari's apartment was full of the digidestined. everyone sat and watched Davis moan as he moved the Ice cold bag on his face. The door opened and the final member of the group stomped into the living room.

"This had better be important..." Matt said Gruffly "Were still planing TK's Funeral"

Tai stood up "Matt, your gonna want to sit down."

"look I've got more important things to worry about than What some Psycho is doing in the digital world" He turned to leave, but Kari's small voice stopped him "He's alive Matt, TK is alive.."

"WHAT! How? Where is he?"

"Maybe I can explain that Yamato." Matt saw in a corner a man in what looked like a jedi robe.

"Don't call me Yamato... who are you anyway?! and what do you know about TK?"

"well Child of Friendship... my name is Gennai and your brother is in the service of a Great Evil."

"Great Evil?" Matt looked offended "Your wrong, this is TK were talking about!"

"its true," Davis spoke up "he attacked Kari and me..." he removed the bag of frozen peas from his face, revealing the biggest black eye ever, "your brother packs a mean punch!" he joked wincing

Matt collapsed into a spare chair next to Yolei and cody. He had a look of total shock on his face, "what's going on?"

slowly Kari told the rest of the digidestend what happened, her dream, finding TK , the fight... "after he punched Davis i saw a Symbol on his chest, it looked like a crest but i could feel the darkness coming from it..."

Gennai spoke up then "that was the Crest of Despair, the darkness inside TK given form" he looked at the blank stares and sighed "your familiar with the concept of yin and yang?"

"Yes the balance of good and evil, light and dark, its a Chinese philosophy, part of Taoism" Izzy piped up.

"very good, now you all know the digidestined are needed to be the balance against the forces darkness, right?" everyone nodded, "well when we created the crests to keep the balance we made both light and dark versions, and you were given both-

"but why can we only use the good versions?" Izzy interrupted

"I was coming to that Izzy. Always asking question never waiting for the answers..." Gennai shook his head "Anyway where was I?... ah yes, the good Crests where based on your dominant traits; Courage Friendship, Knowledge, Sincerity, Love and Reliability." he paused to make sure everyone paid attention.

"The Dark Crests are the exact opposite; Fear, Loneliness, Recklessness, Lies, Hate and Irresponsibility. They are also what could be considered a dominant trait. When you feel these emotions, your power is corrupted and Dark Digivolving occurs. Skullgreymon is proof of Tai falling to Fear."

"I thought that happened because Tai forced Greymon to Digivolve?

Gennai turned to face man in question "Tai?"

"I did it because I was scared, I was afraid I couldn't protect anyone from Etemon. I thought if greymon could Digivolve I could protect everyone..." Tai's eyes quivered, head hanging in shame. Sora pulled him into a hug whispering forgiving words.

"Wait you said these 'dark' emotions are also dominant traits in all of us why haven't they shown up more frequently?"

They did when you were younger... think about it. The reason they haven't affected your Digimon is simple, Choice. Everyone chose the Path of Light, you all made a decision to do what's best for others not for yourselves."

"He's right" Tai spoke up "I was always scared for Kari, I was always scared every time she went to the hospital, I was afraid she wouldn't come back"

"When my parents split up, and TK went to live with mom, I never felt so lonely, I knew I had friends to talk and play with, but without TK I felt empty inside"

"I was a terror, I ran everywhere, across streets with scissors, doing really stupid reckless things."

"I told fibs and stuff to get my way, I manipulated my parents into getting me what i wanted."

"I hated my mom, she never let me do what I wanted, it felt like she always held me back"

"I just didn't care about anything, i was the youngest brother, no responsibilities, i didn't have to do anything, if something happened i would blame someone else..."

Gennai smiled "Good.. Knowing your darkness is half the battle."

"you've talked about our six crests, what about TK and Kari's?" Izzy asked hand on his chin "Surely they have a dark-side too?"

"Kari and TK are different form the rest of you, as are Light and Hope. Hope is the fire that burns in all of you and Light is the path you all walk. Kari has, in the past, lent her power to you to defeat foes, while TK with his youthful optimism has given everyone the hope to carry on. Individually those two are powerful, but their true strength is in others. Empowering and affecting them. Tell me how did you all feel when TK was taken?"

"Lost," Matt said, all except Kari nodded in agreement. Gennai turned to the girl "Kari, how did you feel?"

"Despair, crushing waves of it. If felt as if hope had left the world."

"Hope and Light affect each other most of all, because without Hope, Light has no strength, and without Light, Hope has no goal." Gennai paused, and everyone thought about what he had just said.

"What did Ken want with TK anyway?" asked Davis.

"Not Ken, an enemy far stronger then any you have faced. He wants the power of the Dark Crests to free himself from his prison."

"But we gave up our crest power to free the Digimon sovereigns didn't we, so how can this enemy use the power?"

"I do not know but what i can say is, without the power of crests, you may not be able to defeat him..."

"so basically we're screwed right?" Matt growled

"i didn't say that. But you are going to need help."

"help," Yolei asked "help from whom?"

"the ninth crest bearer"

"OK nine crests?" Tai said surprised. "whose the ninth child?"

"you already know him, he bears the powers of Kindness and Tyranny..."

"Tyranny?... hmm... No your kidding right?!" Izzy's eyes were wide as realisation hit him.

Next time: Search for the Sixth