The Prince and his Friend

"What do you suggest then,"

"I suggest you do nothing. We have few allies and any rebellion would be snuffed out quickly. We bide our time while we look for the proper time. Perhaps meeting the King is not a bad idea. Just you and him...if anyone can talk with him it is you."

___

"About what," Don's tail dragged behind him, his body felt a bit heavy.

"Mmmmm.......I can't tell...you...you'll....hate me." Don whispered. He began to lean away from Ike, his weight shifting.

"I'm getting....sleepy and thirsty I need....water..." Don's jaw lolled open as his tongue hung out.

"Kaa...Kaallel....needs me...needs...the orb..." Don was becoming even more delirious, it was the first time he had ever used Kaa's birth name in front of anyone.

"It...can heal...his wound.." He said weakly.

"Oh we'll talk," Natalie said. The thought of talking to her father sobering her slightly. He would not respond well to her yelling at him. As much as she hates it she could never go against him outright. "I hope he arrives soon."

___

"Mmmmm.......I can't tell...you...you'll....hate me." Ike readjusted his weight. Hate him? Ike doubted it was possible.

"I'm getting....sleepy and thirsty I need....water..." Unfortunately they left without any.

"Kaa...Kaallel....needs me...needs...the orb..." Kaallel? Kaa?

"It...can heal...his wound.." Definitely Kaa. Could such dark energy truly heal? He doubt it; not without side effects. Don was fading fast and he was slowly becoming more of a dead weight. Ike couldn't keep up like this.

Ike bent down slowly sliding him into the sand. He wouldn't take much of the orb just a small sliver. Of course he need to break it first. He wrestled it out of Don's weak bloody hand despite any protest he may give dropping it to the ground and drew his sword. The weight a bit much and his arms feeling like jello after carrying Don for so long. He raised it up then let it drop on the orb.The metal ringing and embedding itself in the hard surface. Just the smallest of cracks running through. He pulled up the sword and pushed the orb off the edge before sheathing it once more.

He grabbed the orb fingering the rough edges of the crack til he was able to pry a sliver loose. Dark tendrils seemed to follow the pieces wake sending a shiver up his spine. Ike dropped the remained of the orb least those tendrils seek him. He then reached over and undid Don's arm.

"We'll be home soon," Ike said as he pushed it into the swollen mass of flesh. The muscle seeming to eat it as it settled in. Ike hoped Magi would be able to reverse it. The skin was starting to turn black. He felt it thinking the skin was dying but it felt as supple as ever. It had to be the orb.

With that Ike re-bandaged it and gave Don back the orb. Then he struggled but finally managed to get Don's weight back onto his back. He began walking thinking about what Don said. Ike couldn't hate him...but others have. The other night; when they had their heart to heart. Should have told him what? It all started because Kaa said Don loved him. Had Don been lying? It would do no good to dwell on it. He would just have to ask Don later when he was feeling better. 

Don felt the sand on his back, his blurring vision of Ike in front of him. He didn't speak until he felt Ike trying to take the orb. He gripped it tighter around his claw, "No...stop please...Kaa needs...this. Don't take it away...from me!" He said as his palpable grip around it gave little trouble to the Victory Greymon.

"Kaa...I'm sorry...it's my fault...mine..." Don's voice trailed off as he laid his head back into the sand and closed his eyes.

"We'll be home soon,"

When Ike placed the piece of the orb into his wound, it's dark tendrils invaded Don's arm. He shot his head back up with a gasp, "My arm...is burning!!" Don hissed at the pain surging through his arm.

The blood running down Don's arm turned black before seeping into his scales and dying them a dark ominous color. Small red like veins ran out from the plugged wound, tying itself to the prince.

Don clenched his eyes tightly and his arm twitched and shook. He closed his claw into a fist. The pain on his face a testament of what he currently felt from the dark magic.

Soon, the pain passed and he could feel a throbbing in his shoulder. Don looked at it then back to the blurred Ike, "You...?" he said. Immediately, Don's voice felt a bit stronger. Ike's decision to infect Don's wound already was paying off if his intention was to keep his best friend alive.

Don felt the orb back in his claw and he gripped it, Ike managing to get Don back onto his back as he continued.

"Kaallel...." Don whispered falling to sleep. His black arm hanging over Ike's shoulder, gripping the orb tightly.