Wow. I didn't expect to get so many reviews for the first chapter so soon. A lot of you guys must really like this story. Well, I've seen other authors dedicate stories, so I'm gonna try it and dedicate this chapter to my idol, Artemis Tiegr. With that out of the way, here's next chapter. ^_^
Disclaimer: I don't own many of the characters this story. All real credit goes to the writers of Fox Kids. (God bless 'em)
Takari Cross Country, Part Two: Cocoamon's Attack
By takari-critic2001
TK woke up on the couch in Mimi's living room fairly early in the morning. Patomon was still asleep on the armchair, and he had nothing to do. He silently pulled out a deck of cards, and started to play solitaire.
" Let's see, red queen on black king, boring." He mumbled at about his twentieth game, and flicked the card away. He watched as it floated down where he put his hat, and a smirk spread across his face.
******
Kari gently awoke upon hearing small voices in the other room. She crawled out of the covers, carefully, so she didn't wake Gatomon, and investigated the source of the sound.
" Sweet! Five points!" She heard TK say from the other room. She looked around the corner and watched TK as he flicked a card across the room and landed in his upturned hat.
" Another five points." He said to himself. Kari giggled and TK snapped around to confront her, then snapped back around upon realizing she was still wearing that nightgown. She laughed to herself and sat down next to him. She knew it was wrong, but she liked seeing him squirm.
" What're doing?" Kari wondered. TK threw another card at the hat and just missed. Her presence was clearly messing up his concentration.
" Just tossing some cards." He replied, and chucked another card across the room. This one nearly smacked Patomon.
" Can I try?" Kari asked. TK shrugged, and Kari snatched a card and tried throwing it, but the card only went two feet.
" You're doing it all wrong. It's all in the wrist." TK said, and placed another card in her hand, which she failed to throw effectively again. TK shook his head and grabbed the next card and gently closed Kari's fingers on it. " Hold it between you're thumb and middle finger," he began, and lifted her other fingers off. " Hold the card horizontal to the floor," he said and rotated her hand as she smiled at him. TK caught her gaze and locked to it. Their heartbeats dramatically increased as TK tried to finish. " And, uh, flick your wrist to spin it at the target." TK let go of her hand as she hurled the playing card across the room and watched as the queen of hearts fluttered into the hat.
" I made it!" Kari smiled.
" Good job." TK congratulated, and found himself more comfortable with Kari. " Come on, we got to get ready for today."
" Yeah, I'll wake Gatomon. See ya later."
" See ya." TK responded and watched Kari disappear into the guestroom. After a few moments, he turned to Patomon, who was sleeping rather loudly. " Hey, wake up." He yelled and threw his shoe at the resting Digimon.
" Mmm. Just five more rounds, Gatomon. Just five more." He mumbled.
" Get up." The young blonde persisted, and Patomon came back to reality. After a short confrontation, TK and Patomon decided get ready for the day.
******
Kari smiled as she shut the door to the guestroom, but immediately wiped it off when she saw Gatomon frowning at her.
" What is it?" Kari wondered.
" Where were you just now?"
" I was talking with TK."
" And?"
" And nothing."
" Right."
" We'd better get ready to go out. I'm not going to going to go outside wearing this." Kari said, motioning to her nightgown.
" Yeah. Only TK's allowed to see you in that." Gatomon smirked before a pillow smacked her in the face.
******
" Okay, you to ready?" Mimi asked for the umpteenth time while driving her guests to Central Park.
" Yes, Mimi." TK and Kari said tonelessly.
" Remember to stay out of alleys and secluded spots." Mimi warned.
" Okay, mom. Gees, Mimi. We can survive one day alone in New York." TK said.
" I know, I know. It's just I want to make sure you're safe."
" Leave that to us." Patomon smiled and moved his rook. Gatomon shook her head and removed it with a knight.
" Checkmate."
" No way!"
" Well, here we are. Have a good time you two." Mimi smiled as she dropped them off. TK and Kari looked at the park in front of them.
" So,"
" So."
" It's a big city, I say we go exploring." TK proposed. Kari shrugged.
" Sure. I get enough park back home." She agreed.
" How does that sound to you?" TK asked the Digimon.
" Sure. I love exploring. Let's go get lost!" Patomon exclaimed.
" Okay, but you have to stay quiet!" Kari warned as they set off to nowhere particular.
About an hour later of pure fun, the group found themselves in a few back alleys of some apartment buildings. Chain-link fences and basketball courts littered the scenery.
" Wow, you've never seen New York until you wander off without any guides." TK realized.
" You're telling me. Look!" Kari said, and pointed to a public computer. They passed several earlier, but they were all being used. " Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
" I think so, but where are we going to find a small helmet and a bucket of soapy frogs around here?" TK wondered.
" What? No. We could E-mail our friends a picture of us."
" Oh. Well then what about the soapy frogs?"
" Later. Gatomon, can you take it?" She asked, and handed her the digital camera, with the smallest frame set.
" Sure." She replied as she grabbed the camera, and jumped on the computer. " Alright, TK, you're out of the picture. Move a little towards Kari." She said, and he cautiously inched closer to his secret love. " Kari, a little closer to TK." She guided, and Kari leaned in towards TK. There was a flash, announcing the finish of the picture.
" Great! TK, can you do the honors?" Kari asked as Gatomon Flicked the camera in his hands. And jumped onto Kari's lap.
" Sure." He shrugged and began working on the computer.
" So, who should we mail it to first?" Kari wondered.
" I think Matt and Tai should hear from us." TK suggested.
" Fine, but send it to Davis next. He'll freak!" Patomon chirped.
" Yeah, that'd be pretty funny." TK agreed as he typed away. An error sign popped up. " Hey!"
" Something the matter?" Kari wondered.
" Nothing major. I'll try again." TK said, but the error sign still popped up. " Oh, not again!"
" It didn't go through?"
" No."
" What's wrong with it?"
" I don't know. It says all lines are busy. There must be some kind of surge." TK theorized.
" What should we do now, TK?"
" How 'bout lunch?" Gatomon asked. Suddenly, a chill surged through Kari's body as she heard a faint call for help.
" Hey, you guys hear that?" She wondered, as the feeling became stronger.
" Did we hear what?" TK asked. Kari concentrated and the feeling became clearer.
" I've got a feeling that there's something really strange out there, but I'm not sure what it is yet. It needs our help though," Kari said, wrapped up in her thoughts. A load crashing noise snapped her back. " I hate it when I'm right."
" Correct me if I'm wrong, but street signs don't just crush themselves on their own." TK said. " Let's go!"
Kari and TK sprinted along the path of destruction that was being caused as they heard loud crashing noises not far from them.
" Hurry, TK, it's over this way!" Kari shouted as she took a hard turn. They sprinted past an alley when TK saw an enormous creature with a blonde kid backed up against the wall.
" Kari!" He shouted, and Kari saw the same. " It's a Digimon."
" I'm not sure it is a Digimon." Replied Kari.
" Alright. Tell me what you want." The blonde kid asked the Digimon.
" Go back." The creature said, and disappeared.
" He vanished." TK said with disbelief. " Hey, kid!" He called out, and the blonde snapped towards the group.
" Come here!" Kari shouted. The kid picked up another Digimon and ran.
" Don't follow me, you're in danger!" He shouted.
" Leave it to me. I'll find out where he's going." Patomon said, and followed.
" What does he mean 'we're in danger'?" TK wondered.
" All I know is he needs our help."
" Well, I know this vacation just got a whole lot more exciting than endless rounds with Patomon." Gatomon smirked.
" If that kid had a Digimon partner," TK started.
" And a Digimon enemy," Kari interrupted.
" Then he's a Digidestined. We got to find out where he is."
" Colorado!" Patomon announced as he flew back. " I overheard him talking on the phone to his mom, and he said he was going to Colorado."
" It's settled then. We're going to Colorado." TK said.
" But what about our vacation?" Kari wondered.
" It can wait. This guy needs us."
" You're right. We'd better tell Mimi." Kari sighed.
******
" You're going where?" Mimi practically yelled.
" Colorado. That kid's gonna need our help." Kari said.
" Yeah, but how are you going to get there?"
" I already refunded our plane tickets, and we're taking the train to that state." TK explained as he packed his belongings into his bag.
" But how will you find him?"
" Digidestined equals Digivice." Patomon said as he cautiously moved his knight.
" Yeah, but-"
" Mimi, it's like talking to a brick wall. We're going. I'm sorry we had to cut our visit short, but duty calls." TK said and threw his bag over his shoulder. " Come on, Kari. We have to get to Grand Central Station in about an hour, and it's a long drive."
" TK-"
" I know, TK. Gatomon, Patomon, come on!"
" Kari, listen,"
" Checkmate!" The cat sneered as she and her flying friend were dragged out the door.
" I don't think-" Mimi said as the door slammed in her face. " Matt's not going to like this." She sighed, and collapsed on the couch.
I said I'd get you.
" Shut up!"
That's it. You asked for it, Mimi. I'm sending Michael over for an NC-17 Lemon.
" You wouldn't." Mimi's voice quivered as a knock befell on her door. Don't worry. I'll bail her out. Maybe…
******
" Track 42, loading for non-stop trip to Denver, Colorado!" The PA announced. A young blonde and a brunette rushed through the crowd of the infamous train station. They slid through the doors of the locomotive as they shut, and the young couple panted for their breath.
" Stupid traffic jam." TK grumbled. Kari's eyes darted around the car.
" TK, we're alone." She realized as she evaluated the empty rows of seats." TK nodded in agreement as Patomon and Gatomon took their seats.
" This is going to be a long ride." TK mumbled as he looked for anyone onboard. " I don't believe it. The only guy is the conductor." He observed as he returned to the seats. The Digimon were locked in another chess battle across from each other, so Kari and TK sat next to their partners.
" How come you guys get the window seat?" Kari wondered.
"You're gonna be looking at that chessboard the entire trip." TK said.
" Yeah. So? You're gonna be looking at each other the entire trip." Gatomon smirked. That shut them both up as they quickly turned red.
******
The day quickly befell upon the tiresome travelers as they raced to Colorado. The chess rivals were dead asleep on the chairs as TK and Kari tried to make themselves comfortable.
" Man, I'm exhausted, but just can't sleep." TK complained.
" Know how you feel." Kari agreed. " Wanna play truth or dare?"
" Sure." TK shrugged. " Truth or dare?"
" Truth." Kari smiled. TK thought for a moment as a light bulb went off in his head.
" Who, in the entire Digidestined team, are you most attracted to?" He asked. Kari panicked. She knew what her answer was, but she couldn't tell him. She just had to make something up.
" Um, I guess it would have to be Angemon." She shrugged. TK rolled his eyes. " Now it's you're turn. Truth or dare?"
" Dare." The blonde immediately stated. Kari smiled at the idea of having TK completely at her mercy.
" Wear my nightgown. For the rest of the game." She smiled. A look of horror spread across TK's face.
" You can't be serious." He gulped. Kari reached into her bag and came out with the garment she wore the night before.
" Put it on." TK snatched the gown from her hand and set off towards the bathroom.
" She always has the best dares." TK grumbled as he closed the door. He came out a few minutes later and brushed himself off as a camera flash echoed through the train. TK looked up with terror at Kari, holding her digital camera with triumph.
" I'm going to have a field day with this." She smiled.
" Alright, alright. Truth or dare?"
" Truth." She smirked.
" Good. Because there's been something I've been dying to ask you." TK smiled and spun in Kari's gown. " Does this make me look fat?"
******
" All right, the scariest experience in my life was… oh, when Piedmon was chasing us, and he already got Angewomon? And remember we had to climb that rope and he grabbed your leg and threw us off?" Kari said. " Anyway, that was definitely it."
The truth or dare game had gone on through the night, and Kari was sitting with her underwear outside her clothes after an ill-fated dare, and TK was still wearing her gown.
" Anyway, your turn."
" I know I'm gonna regret this, but dare." TK sighed.
" What do you mean, 'I'm gonna regret this'?"
" Well, after you made me wear this gown, drink toilet water, and act like Yolie for ten minutes, a guy gets pretty worried."
" Fine, fine, I'll go easy on you. Dance." Kari smiled.
" Come again?"
" You heard me. Dance for me."
" But I stink at dancing."
" I know."
" You're pure evil."
" I know." Kari smirked as she pulled out her disc player and speakers. " Any requests?"
" Yeah. Call off the dare. I can't dance worth squat."
" I'll teach you. I learn everything from Gatomon."
" Yeah, I saw you that one day in gym."
" You did?" Kari asked with a raised eyebrow. She clicked in a movement from Bach.
" You know, it be a whole lot less awkward if I wasn't wearing a dress." TK commented.
" Yeah, well stop whining." The coy brunette snapped as she pressed the play button. TK stood awkwardly with a confused look on his face.
" I don't even know how to begin." He said. Kari rolled her eyes and stood up.
" Do I have to do everything?" She sighed and grabbed TK's hand. She stood in front of him and slipped her other hand around his neck as he placed his hand on her hip. " Follow my lead."
" I thought the male partner was supposed to lead."
" Shut up!" She smiled, and directed TK through the movements, which he picked up on rather quickly. TK eventually took a chance a spun Kari out, and she reeled back in, inches away from his face. They stared at each other as the song ended, unsure of what to do. But a clapping noise turned their attention to Gatomon and Patomon, applauding their dance.
" Bravo! Bravo! Encore!" Patomon chirped. " But TK, why are you wearing a dress?"
" Yeah. And why does Kari have her underwear on the outside?" Gatomon wondered. The young couple blushed a shade of red not capable of existing on the color spectrum.
" Um, we kinda got carried away with a truth or dare game." TK tried to explain. " And it's not a dress, it's a nightgown."
" Well, get some normal clothes on, you're freaking us out." Patomon said. TK and Kari nodded and headed for the bathroom. Their hands collided with the door handle and the smiled at each other.
" You go ahead. You've been in that gown long enough."
" No, ladies first." TK smiled and pushed her in. he closed the door and glanced over at the staring Digimon. " What?"
" I don't know, I think it makes him look fat." Gatomon commented to Patomon.
******
TK looked over at the sleeping beauty. He couldn't comprehend how a human could be so perfect. Patomon and Gatomon were fast asleep in his lap, and Kari was practically dead. They did spend the entire night playing truth or dare.
Kari stirred a bit before opening her eyes. She looked up at the staring TK.
" Oh, good. You're up. I was just about to put you in the hospital 'cause I thought you were in a coma." TK joked. She glanced over at the chess fanatics.
" Might have been just as well. We're going nowhere in this mission."
" Actually, we just entered Kansas. It won't be long." TK reassured.
" Still, we could use some help." Kari sighed. TK shook his head.
" Come on, it probably won't come to that. Besides, we really shouldn't intrude on their vacation."
" I guess you're right." She sighed again, and went into her bag for some food. She brushed by a picture of her and the others in a group photo. It has been awhile since I contacted them…Kari thought. She made up her mind and flipped open her laptop. " I'm sending an E-mail to Davis and the others. We could really use their help, and I'm sure Davis misses me." Kari explained as TK groaned.
Well, that's it. Our vacation is now officially ruined. TK thought. Kari winced as she realized she mentioned Davis a bit too much. Although, she wanted his attention, and she guessed her saying his name was the way to get it. Suddenly, another surge went through Kari.
" Wait, TK, did you feel that?" She asked. TK nodded. Patomon and Gatomon snapped awake. " Something's wrong." She stated, and her D3 started glowing. " Look, my Digivice!" Kari exclaimed. TK stood up with a look of terror on his face.
" Something's wrong with the train." He said, and Kari looked out the window. The Kansas scenery was replaced with an eerie pink glow. " I doubt this is the entertainment portion of the trip." A silhouette moved through the glow. " It's the Digimon we saw in New York!" TK realized.
" DON'T INTERFERE." A booming voice said. TK and Kari's Digivices began to glow, and the train came to a complete stop. TK was thrown down the isle, and Kari was hurled over the seat.
" There's definitely something different about this Digimon." Kari said, and corrected herself. TK bent over to pick up his hat, when he noticed something odd.
" We're not moving." He stated. Kari nodded in agreement.
" Don't interfere? I don't think he wants us to get to Colorado." The conductor burst through the car door.
" Um, we're experiencing some technical difficulties. It may be a while before we get moving again." He said, and went back to the cockpit.
" That might be too late for that kid." TK figured.
" What should we do?" Patomon asked.
" Well, it looks like we'll be flying." TK sighed.
" We can't. Are you going to risk the same thing happens when we're in a plane? Thousands of feet in the air?" Gatomon demanded.
" I never said anything about a plane." TK smiled, with an evil look in his eye.
******
" I can't believe we have to fly from one state to the next." Nefertimon complained for the umpteenth time. She was carrying TK and Kari, while Pegasusmon was dragging the luggage.
" It is getting kinda late. Maybe we should stop at the next town for the night." Pegasusmon suggested.
" I agree. We'll get some rest, and try again in the morning." TK said. " But land outside of town. We don't want any unwanted attention, and me and Kari should do a little walking."
" There's a small town up ahead. Land here. We can walk the rest of the way to that Hotel." Kari said. After about ten minutes, she regretted making that decision. " Man, walking is a lot harder with a ton of luggage."
" Hey, think how our Digimon must feel." TK said, and motioned to a sleeping Patomon and Gatomon on his backpack. They were hiking through the outskirts of the town, and some of the locals were eyeing them suspiciously. Others were just eyeing them.
" Woah, look at that babe!" A punk teenager said. Some of his friends joined in the cat calling. " Hey, sweetie, why don't you unload at my place?" " Come on, honey. Let's make some sugar!" " You haven't been roughing it until you've roughed it in my room."
" TK." Kari whispered. TK nodded, and slipped his hand around her waist. He sent the hooligans a look that said, ' She's mine, and you're dead.' To say the least, they shut up. You shouldn't mess with a guy who could easily sprint with seventy pounds on his back. " Thanks." Kari whispered, and pecked him on the cheek.
" No prob." TK smiled. " Oh, here's the motel." They plopped into the temporary shelter, and went up to the adolescent receptionist, who looked a little too much like Jun.
" Wow. Major cutie." She said to herself after getting an eyeful of TK. " What'll it be?"
" Do you have a two bedroom available?" TK asked.
" For you, anything." She said and tossed him the keys. TK flicked them into Kari's hands.
" Go unpack, I'll take care of the paperwork." He said, and Kari left. The Jun look-a-like handed TK a form.
" So, where you from?" She asked.
" Japan. We're touring America."
" Nice girlfriend you got there."
" She's not my girlfriend."
" Really?" The receptionist said, and her eyebrows raised. TK filled out the sheet and handed it back.
" Thanks." He said, and turned to leave. 'Jun' caught a glimpse of the sleeping Digimon on his bag.
" Weird dolls. Reminds me of a kid who came in here yesterday." TK turned with interest.
" Really. What did the kid look like?"
" About your age. Your height, but a lighter shade of blonde. Also a major hottie."
" And the doll? Did it look like a rabbit with big, green-striped ears?" TK said, remembering his encounter in New York.
" Yeah, that was it exactly. Why, you know him?"
" I might. Can I see his file?"
" I'm sorry, that's confidential." TK sighed.
" Please?" He said, and put on the most charm imaginable.
" Boy, you are hot. Fine." She smiled, and brought TK a photocopied file.
******
When Kari got to her room, she plopped down onto the bed, and didn't get up until TK came in, grinning like an idiot. " What're you so happy about?" She asked. TK gently set the Digimon on his bed.
" Oh, nothing. Just that I found out where to find Willis Dilmore."
" Who?" Kari asked. TK handed her the file.
" Willis Dilmore. Contact address, a vacation-home town in Colorado. Last seen with a certain large rabbit with green-tipped ears." TK said. Kari read the file, and jumped up and hugged TK.
" This is great! We have a real destination now! How'd you do it?"
" I sneaked in, unnoticed, grabbed the file, and skidatled out of there before the major security got wind of my operation." TK smirked.
" Flirted with the receptionist?"
" Yeah." TK admitted. He let his luggage fall to the floor, and stumbled into the other bed. Apparently, two bedroom rent meant two beds in one room. " Man, I gotta take a shower. I stink."
" You're telling me?" Kari said, and waved in front of her nose. She looked in disbelief at the form once again as TK went into the bathroom and locked the door.
" DON'T INTERFERE." Kari snapped her head around.
" Who's there?" She demanded, but the room was silent. " I'm getting scared now." She said as she saw a crumpled trashcan from out the window. She went out the back door and looked around.
" DON'T INTERFERE." The being called again. Kari snapped around to come face to face with the holder of the voice. She stared at the Cocoamon for what seemed like forever before screaming.
******
TK shut the door of the bathroom and turned on the water to the shower, and stuck his hand in to test the temperature.
" Stone cold. Figures." TK said and shook his head. He sat back and waited for the water to warm up when he heard a scream from outside. He ran outside to see Kari barely dodge an enormous arm that came down where she previously was. " Kari!"
" Destroy. DESTROY!!!" The atrocity cried as another fist slammed at the young female.
" Patomon!" TK yelled and the flying rodent snapped awake. It took him a millisecond to realize what was happening and to spring into action.
" Patomon Digivolve to… Angemon!"
" Cocoa Crusher!" The virus-hybrid announced before shooting a ton of deadly pellets at Kari. Angemon jumped between her and the bullets, and disarmed them with a flap of his wings.
" Hand of Fate!" The heavenly guardian shouted as a beam of light struck Cocoamon. The monster fell onto a knee in defeat. " Checkmate."
" Don't interfere." He said, and with the breeze, he disappeared. Kari knelt on the grass, heart still racing.
" You okay, Kari?" TK asked, and knelt down next to her. He put a comforting arm on her shoulder.
" That's it. He's going down." Kari gasped. Angemon reverted back to Patomon and floated back to the bed.
" You want the first shower? You probably need it, and the water's probably warm by now." TK forced a smile. Kari nodded in agreement.
TK helped her up and lead her back inside. She stepped into the bathroom and closed the door. TK flopped on the bed and worried about their new enemy.
" EEEK! THIS WATER'S AS COLD AS ICE!" He heard from the bathroom. TK tried to smile a little, but two words still echoed in his mind.
" Don't interfere."
******
" Come on, we're late as it is." Kari prompted as they flew over Colorado on Nefertimon and Pegasusmon. TK held the neighborhood map in several different positions, trying to locate Willis' vacation home.
" Found it!" He exclaimed. " It's not far. It should be right over there." TK said, and pointed to a house that came out of nowhere.
" Well, let's go!" Kari ordered as the Digimon duo descended to the Dilmore front door. The armor levels reverted back to their more familiar forms and TK knocked on the front door.
" Is anybody home?" TK yelled. He turned the doorknob, which was left unlocked. They entered the house and shut the door. " Guess not." Gatomon sniffed around the rooms. " So, what now? Willis isn't here."
" Do you think that creature got him?" Patomon asked.
" Even worse. Davis did." Gatomon smirked as she re-entered the room she was previously in. " Yolie, Cody, and Davis beat us to the punch."
" How can you be sure?" Kari asked.
" I'd recognize Davis' stench anywhere. Plus I found their Bags in the other room." The feline grinned. " And a note from Yolie telling where they went." Gatomon continued, holding up a sheet of paper with Yolie's messy handwriting all over it.
" What does it say?" Patomon wondered. Gatomon held up the slip and cleared her throat.
" Dear TK and Kari. If you happen to come to this house while we are out, we are at a field a few miles west of here, with a kid named Willis, to help a Digimon in need named Cocoamon, the same one you saw in New York. Meet up with us as soon as possible. We'll need your help. Sincerely, Yolie."
" Well, we'd better find them." TK sighed. Patomon frowned.
" And I was looking forward to a nice long rest." He spat. They decided to leave their things in the house, and set off on their Armor forms.
" A few miles west. How are we supposed to know how many miles is a few?" Nefertimon complained. Just then, a giant surge of sound waves rocked the air. A noise that couldn't be mistaken for anything else other than a fight.
" Their gonna need a whole lot of help. Guys, set us down!" TK shouted over the noise of the battle. " Guys, Digivolve into Angewomon and Angemon and fly ahead. We'll catch up." TK said, after they were on solid ground. The angels rushed off into combat. " Let's do this." He whispered to himself as he and Kari ran off to follow their partners.
Well, that's part two. I'll have part three out of the woodworks as soon as I can. I thank all of you for the reviews. I apologize for this section being more action/adventure than romance, but I promise the next section will be pure Takari fluff. Right after the fight scene with Cocoamon. Here's takari-critic2001, signing off, but not completely.