Little Mr. Odaiba
[General Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or any of its characters. There use in the following work of fiction is purely for entertainment purposes. However, certain characters here are original to me.]
[AN: I don't have a clue where these ideas keep coming from, but when they don't go away I've got to write them. This works as a stand-alone piece (I think) but it will probably grow to completion. Enjoy.]
Chapter 1: Tag You're It!
The halls of Odaiba Elementary School (which actually housed Odaiba Middle School as well) were unusually abuzz today, or so it seemed to one particularly solemn little figure making his way to his homeroom. It puzzled Cody Hida slightly that all the boys his age seemed to be dressed up especially well today, but that really wasn't quite it -- the school's dress code stressed a standard for neat appearance. The strange thing was that all the kids were actually trying to stay neat this morning. Usually there were spontaneous games of tag on the playground before the homeroom assembly bell rang, or races, or dodge ball or other activities that skewed the hair and clothing of these boys before classes. But today the players were all inside showing off new jackets, new shoes, and fresh haircuts. It's not that Cody minded that others his age now seemed to be approaching school mornings as seriously as he did. Why engage in childish games, and become unkempt before class when one could always spend that time reading, or doing something similarly productive? There had to be some reason for this uncommon behavior, and Cody knew the answer was in the back of his mind someplace. It just wouldn't come out, that's what was bothering him now.
On his way to his homeroom Cody passed the school's gymnasium. He was about to pass it by when he heard two familiar voices bantering with each other. He stopped, standing in the gym's doorway, and saw his friends TK and Davis trying to best one another in a pick-up game of basketball. He noted that the two older boys definitely did not share the goal of remaining neat exhibited by his grade this morning. He would have left them to their game in silence, but TK saw him out of the corner of his eye and stopped the game so that he and Davis could both come and greet him.
"Hi Cody." called TK as he came over followed by Davis.
"What's up dude?" Davis added.
"Hello TK. Hello Davis. I didn't mean for you to interrupt your game." Cody bowed in greeting.
"That's OK," Davis assured, "It's about time to quit anyway."
"He means I was winning, again." explained TK.
"Big deal, TJ." Davis sneered.
Before the barbs went any further Cody interrupted, "I'm heading for my homeroom now ..." It was enough to stop the older boys for the moment.
"Hey that's right." TK said. "Today's the big day for the boys in your class isn't it? Do you think you have a chance Cody?"
"Sure he does!" blurted Davis. "Cody's a Digidestined."
The smaller boy's face was blanketed by confusion. "Excuse me, but what are you both talking about?"
Davis and TK both looked at each other in surprise then looked at Cody. "The Little Mr. Odaiba contest." they said together.
That was it then. That was the reason all the boys his age were behaving so carefully this morning. Cody remembered now, it's coming had been announced with a flyer at the end of last week. This was an annual contest for third grade boys throughout the city. One boy was chosen from each school. The selected students competed with each other in different categories: talent, general knowledge, and personality. There was a winner who became that year's Little Mr. Odaiba. They were picking students here today. Cody had seen the flyer, assessed the entire affair as foolishness, and quickly relegated the information to the back reaches of his mind.
"Oh, that." Cody remarked tonelessly, "Honestly, I don't pay attention to that kind of stuff. Yolei usually insists on reminding me of these kinds of things, but she didn't this time." In fact, though, he did seem to recall the wickedly mischievous grin Yolei carried all the way to school this morning. He'd have to have a long talk with her about that grin later.
"But Cody," said TK. "What if you get picked to represent the school today? What if you won it all?"
"Yeah Cody! It could happen." Davis asserted.
"Not to me." Cody said plainly. "Let them pick a popular kid."
"Not everything's based on popularity Cody," reminded TK. "You were chosen to be a Digidestined, so don't sell yourself short pal."
"That's different TK." Cody insisted, "The Digital Word needs me. This contest can use any third grade boy here."
"Well that includes you then." Davis pounced. It annoyed Cody slightly when Davis was so obviously right, but the younger boy didn't show it.
"All the same," Cody said, "I'm not going to worry about it. I'd better be going now. See you." He bowed to them both and left. TK and Davis returned to arguing about basketball.
Cody reached his homeroom, where his male classmates continued to preen and strut in anticipation of selection for the silly contest. Cody sat at his desk reading in anticipation of the school day. He wanted to ignore the antics of the others. He was grateful when the assembly bell finally rang.
The homeroom teacher greeted the students, and took attendance. Then instead of reading off morning announcements as usual the teacher introduced a special guest to the class. Her name was Mina Isan and she was an associate producer for the Little Mr. Odaiba contest. Ms. Isan would be talking briefly and individually to all the boys in the room before the first period bell. The teacher wanted the homeroom to sit and read quietly until Ms. Isan was done. Cody didn't have a problem with that. He would read, and when it was his turn he would speak politely to the lady, then she would go. That would be that. Cody turned his attention to his books and read. He was in the midst of turning a page when he realized the announced Ms. Isan was before him.
"Hello there." She said brightly. She checked the seating chart the teacher had given her. "You're Cody Hida, right?"
"Yes Ma'am." the boy replied. She noticed that he instantly closed and set aside his book. Not only that, but he actually bowed to her from his seat, nearly bringing his forehead in contact with the top of his desk.
"You're very polite Cody." She praised. "You can just call me Mina, and you don't have to whisper."
"OK ... Mina-san," the boy continued respectfully, "But I wasn't whispering." Cody had no idea why this statement of fact made her smile.
Mina's questions took all of fifteen seconds to ask and answer: Did he like school?; What was his favorite subject?; What did he like to do after school?; Did he like contests? To these Cody replied: Yes, mostly.; Mythology; Kendo and "computer club" (because he couldn't say "Saving the Digital World.").; and No, except for kendo tournaments. His last answer caused Mina to arch her eyebrows. He didn't mean to offend her, he was just being honest. "Oh? Why's that Cody?"
The boy sighed and explained as best he could. His intense green eyes never left her. "Kendo tournaments are won by the best fighters because they prove that's what they are inside their gear." He wasn't sure the lady would understand, but he finished. "Contests like yours are won by people who just look like they should win. That's all, excuse me if that was impolite to say."
"No, that's a really honest feeling there Cody. I'm glad to know it." Mina said. "I'll let you get back to your book. Nice meeting you Cody."
He nodded to her politely. "Goodbye Mina-san. You were nice to meet too." In spite of himself, Cody returned her smile. She really was a nice lady, but he was glad that was over and he could get back to more important things. Only a short time after returning to his book, Cody heard the homeroom teacher call the class to attention. The teacher told them Ms. Isan had chosen the names of five boys who would go with her to meet more people instead of going to first period, from which the five would be excused. The teacher turned the class over to Ms. Isan for the important announcement. Mina-san began to read off her selections. The first three names came as no surprise to Cody. They were indeed popular boys. It was the fourth name that stunned Cody Hida ... because the fourth name was ... his own. He was still sitting, stricken in his seat, when the last name was called.
The four other boys scrambled excitedly to the front of the room. Cody sat still. The homeroom teacher finally prompted him. "Cody, Ms. Isan called your name. Come on up please."
Cody gulped and pulled at his collar to get more air down his throat, all the other kids were watching him now. He finally got up and joined the other selected boys. Those four were still excited and they gestured with high fives and fist pumps. Cody stood with his hands behind his back, feet together, and knees locked as Mina-san addressed them.
"Congratulations guys." She told them cheerfully. She had five large red tags looped on string on which she had printed their names, birthdays, and homeroom number. "You'll need to wear these for a while." She ceremoniously hung a tag around each boy's neck. As Mina Isan presented Cody Hida with his tag she whispered to him. "I liked what's inside your gear Cody-san. Now you have to come with me." She smiled at his gasp. She started the group of five toward the door, and Cody moved on with her, if only to keep from being pushed by the four more eager boys behind him.
Associate producer Mina Isan led her five selected third graders to the school's Teachers' Lounge, which had been borrowed for the second part of the selection process. She had the boys line up by height which put Cody last, while she introduced two friendly looking men sitting at a long table. Their names were Danny and Gary. Mina-san said they were the producers and she worked with and for them. Then she asked each boy to step forward one at a time to say his name and age for Danny and Gary. The four boys ahead of Cody made short work of doing so. It was then Cody's turn. He quickly thought how Mina-san had picked him to come here, and that these were her bosses. He did not want to make her look bad, so he stepped up. "I'm Cody Hida. I'm nine." On instinct he bowed, it was just something he always did, he wasn't trying to show off. The two producers shot a glance at their associate producer, who nodded and smiled, as if to confirm that this small boy was really that serious. Mina-san had all the boys step back, then she led them back out the door and had them sit in five folding chairs set up in the hallway. She had them all "sit tight for a few minutes" and left them with a big smile while she went back inside to talk with the two men. Now all the boys were nervously quiet until Mina-san returned and told them that Gary and Danny were going to talk to them all, one at a time. They were called alphabetically this time which brought Cody in second.
When Cody re-entered the room he noticed a digital camera on a tripod and a stool had been set up against a deep blue background. Mina-san asked him if she could take a couple of pictures of him, and when Cody agreed she lifted him on to the stool and let him settle himself. She had him look straight ahead and she snapped one picture. Then Mina came over and swiveled the stool below him so that he faced left. She looked back through the camera and teased, "OK this time Cody, smile. Don't make me have to spin you all the way around." The joke worked, Cody smiled, and Mina-san took the second picture. She insisted on helping him down from the stool, and led him to a seat on a small couch in the Lounge. He found himself sitting across from Mina-san and the two producers, who all sat in folding chairs. The one named Danny spoke first.
"So Cody, Mina tells me you practice kendo. How did you get started in that?"
"Yes sir." Cody began firmly. "It's a tradition in my family."
"You're right Mina." Danny told his associate. "Very polite. Cody you can call me Danny, and you can call him Gary, OK?"
"Yes Danny-san ... and Gary-san." the boy confirmed.
"I guess we can live with that." said Gary, smiling. "Now Cody, you said kendo is a family thing for you? Does your dad teach you?" He saw the boy tense up.
"No." Cody stated. He wanted to be matter-of-fact about the next part, and almost succeeded. "My Dad's dead now." He could feel the unwanted sting of tears building in his eyes, and momentarily broke eye contact with the others to blink them back.
The three adults were silent for a moment. Finally Mina-san managed, "Cody, we're very sorry about that. We didn't know."
"It's OK Mina-san. It was a few years ago. He was a police officer and he died doing his duty. He was ... he was brave." Cody didn't know why he was sharing that with these people, and decided to re-answer Gary-san's question before he had to look away again. "My Grandpa teaches me kendo. He lives with us now."
"Oh, OK Cody." Gary-san said. "I'll bet your good at it."
"I try." The boy professed. "I practice a lot. Grandpa says that's important."
"And," Mina included, "I hear from your homeroom teacher that you're a really good student Cody, attentive and ready."
"Thanks," he accepted, though unimpressed with himself. "I've recently come to value knowledge and reliability."
Danny-san remarked, "Those are important traits."
"I think so too." Cody agreed.
Gary-san had another tough question for him, but this time he meant it. "Mina told us you don't like contests like ours. Is that so?"
"Yes." Cody answered honestly. "Contests like this are for kids who show more ... kids who actually have a --
Gary-san leaned in, "Have what Cody?"
" ... a personality," Cody announced.
The three adults laughed together. And Mina-san gently reached out to the boy to quickly assure him that they weren't laughing at him personally. "Cody, don't you think you have a personality too?"
The boy shook his head slowly from side to side. "No." He meant it. The adults all looked at each other, trying not to laugh again but they had to smile at the boy's unusual conviction.
"Just one more question." Danny-san promised. "If you were in a position where you did represent your school could your classmates depend on you to try your best?"
The boy before them on the couch sighed. "Yes Danny-san, I would try to do my best. But please believe me, for something like the best thing I can do is know that someone else would be better for it than I would."
Danny-san concluded the interview. "Mina will take you back to your seat in the hallway now while we speak to the rest of the others."
Cody got up to go with Mina-san. He bowed saying, "Thank you all for the consideration, it was an honor and it was nice." Then he was ushered out again.
Cody felt that his interview had taken forever, but judging by the speed that the next three boys went in and came out of the Lounge, he realized it probably wasn't as long as he thought. Still he knew that the second period couldn't be very far away. After the last boy had come and gone Mina-san came out as well. She told them that all did very well. She asked them to take off the red tags, which she took back. She replaced these with small button pins, which she attached to their jackets or collars. The buttons were white, and each one had a stylized black number from one to five on it. Cody got button #4.
She told them that though they were all super young men, only one of them could be the school's representative for the contest, and she hoped they all understood that. She added that the final decision would be announced in front of the whole school at a special assembly just after their Lunch period. She wanted them all to wear their new buttons until then. At the assembly they would all sit together with her for the announcement. Finally, Mina-san took them all back to their homeroom so they could get their books and things for second period. Cody would've said goodbye to Mina-san, but she was already gone by the time he had donned his backpack. He knew he would see her one more time, and that made him strangely glad. The bell for second period rang. At last Cody could do what he was really here for and attend class.
Throughout the second period Cody's classmates found moments to try to ask him where he had been taken during the first period. What had happened? What was the white and black button for? Cody firmly offered polite but plain and short answers. In truth, wearing the button embarrassed him a little because it drew people to him. However, a nice, adult authority figure had asked him to wear the button, so he would until he was allowed not to wear it. The other children eventually decided Cody was still boring, so they let him alone.
Soon second period became third period, and Cody enjoyed the routine of schoolwork. Third period ended too quickly and Lunch began. Lunch was the first time he saw the other four boys with with buttons since Mina-san had left them. They were sitting together at Lunch, but they were all friends anyway, and there was a mob of other students around them now. Cody decided not to squeeze through the crowd to sit with them now. Instead, he found his usual spot: the last seat of the last table before the kitchen. No one sat there. no one but him. He ate in peace.
Of course, Cody couldn't help thinking about his strange day so far and anticipating the coming assembly, just a little bit. However, he harbored no delusions about the outcome. He knew he would not be chosen. He had all but told the three nice adults not to pick him. He looked at the empty seats all around him and compared them to the throng surrounding the four other hopefuls. What kind of Little Mr. Odaiba could he be compared to any one of them, much less a host of other third graders from different schools. No, there was no excitement for himself. Cody just wondered which of the other boys it would be with the same mental calculation he might use to approach a word problem in math. After his contemplative meal Cody practiced kendo on the playground -- another activity his classmates would not disturb him from. There was no bell ending Lunch today. The school principal called the entire school to the gymnasium for the special assembly.
When Cody reached the filling gym he went first to the place where his class was always assigned to during school assemblies. His homeroom teacher caught up to him quickly. "You need to go up there Cody, see where Ms. Isan is waving from?" The boy craned his neck and saw that the teacher was pointing to the stage in the very front of the gym.
"Up there?" Cody asked, dismayed.
"Yes, that's right. Do you want me to walk you up there?"
"No Sensei, thank you. I'll go now." He resolved.
"OK Cody, go on. Oh, and good luck."
The boy nodded slightly and bowed. Then he started toward the stage. Mina-san was was still waving and smiling. He'd be there soon. Cody passed the fifth grade seating section. He heard TK call out, asking him where he was going. The smaller boy pointed weakly in the direction of the stage. He didn't stop walking because he feared he would never start moving again. He thought he heard Kari whisper something excitedly and both TK and Davis whisper back in surprise. Cody reached the steps leading to the stage. Mina-san came down and placed a guiding arm around his shoulders. She hurried him up to the stage and led him to where the other four boys already were. She showed him his seat, the fourth in a row of five, which made sense. He sat down and Mina-san whispered to him, "Just sit here Cody, and keep breathing." Sound advice.
With all five boys in place now, Mina-san conferred with the school principal. The principal called the assembly to order, and quickly introduced Mina-san. She restated who she was and why she was there for the school's benefit, and gave a brief background on the Little Mr. Odaiba contest. Then she got down to the real business. "These five fine young men up here on the stage with me now were chosen this morning as promising examples of your school's third grade class. Unfortunately only one of them can represent this school in our contest. Before I announce who that representative is, I think all five deserve a big round of applause." The gym exploded partly with appreciation, but mostly as an excuse to make noise. When the ruckus finally subsided Mina-san continued. "Now, I'm very pleased to announce that this year's Odaiba Elementary representative in the Little Mr. Odaiba contest is ... Cody Hida! The room sounded with applause and cheers again. The sound of it was actually not really equal to the first ovation. A careful observer would have noticed that the loudest applause was being led by a handful of teachers, strong cheers were coming from just a few fifth graders, and the loudest cheers of all came from an ecstatic seventh grader with purple hair and glasses.
The boy of the moment, Cody Hida, had lost the ability to be a careful observer. He sat in his chair with his jaw dropped and his eyes wide. Mina-san came over to him, and gave him a handshake he could not feel, and she used it to pull him to his feet. She got behind him to keep him steady and guided him to center stage where the principal of the entire school shook his hand and somebody snapped their picture together. Mina-san then led him off backstage, just to give him a chance to let the shock wear off. As the principal dismissed the assembly, and the student's exited noisily, Mina-san coaxed Cody to calm down. "Cody, take a deep breath and say something, anything." She was only half-teasing.
He finally managed to sputter back into talking "B-b-but Mina-san, I- I told you ..."
"You told us you would try your best even when you were so sure it was so impossible for you. That was good enough for us."
"But I really don't have a personality for this Mina-san. I told you that too." Cody said plaintively.
"You know what Cody? That is the only thing you said today that none of us believed after meeting you. We're not going to let you believe that anymore either. That's partly why we chose you."
"It is?" The boy asked.
"Absolutely, that and you're just plain adorable! You'll figure it out. Now, if your ready, let's get going." Mina-san prompted.
"Where are we going? I have more classes today." Cody insisted mildly.
"I'll get you back to your regular classes as soon as I can Cody, but right now your next class is Little Mr. Odaiba 101. Don't worry, I'm one of the teachers. This will be great, you'll see. " She exhorted. With that, Mina Isan seized Cody Hida's hand playfully. "Tag. You're it!", and she pulled the still-startled boy along in a new direction.