Author's Notes: Wow! Something new! Not three-month-old new, but brand-spanking new! Finished this about three seconds ago! Erm...This is the first of what I hope to be many chapters, outlining the interaction between the ZeroOne Digidestined and others who don't know about the Digital World. We all know they mature throughout the season, but I've yet to see a fic really explaining that, and so I decided to stop pondering and grab this inspiration. ^^;; Comments, criticisms, and flames are always welcome. But if your going to flame, at least try to make it constructive? Thanks...
Timeline would be....oh...In the three years between ZeroOne and ZeroTwo.
Disclaimer: It's not mine. I have no money. It's not yours. If it was yours, you could sue me for money I don't have. If it were mine, I'd be making a pile of money off this story, and enough money for you to effectively sue me. Ah, the paradox ^_______^
~~~
"Takeru, do you know why I kept you after school today?"
"No, sir"
Mr. Tetsuwa leaned back in his desk, wanting to sigh but not allowing himself the humanity: He was a teacher, after all, "Takeru..."
"Sir?"
He brought a hand to his temple, unsure how to begin. There's was something odd about this boy. Something not right...He was nine years old: His birth records, parents, and -looks- confirmed that. But why would a boy, so young, have such a mature stature? Be so...old, even when youthful? "Takaishi...Is there anything you'd like to tell me?"
A quick glance, effectively concealed, save that it was just the sort of thing Tetsuwa was looking for, "No sir...Should there be? Atoki was lying when he said I stole his juice, really he was!"
The teacher almost wanted to chuckle at such a misinterpretation, but he knew the boy was only trying to change the subject, "No, that's not what I meant, Takeru. You're an honest boy. I think there may be something else you need to tell me..."
Things just didn't quite add up. When the children were playing cops-and-robbers, as children were wont to do, Takeru would have no part of it. Little Tomiyo brandished his new, realistic looking squirt gun, and Takeru had gone white with rage. He had slapped the toy out of the other boy's hand, telling him he'd better not bring it to school ever again. He hadn't hurt the Tomiyo, but the apparent anger and fear of anything that /looked/ like a firearm wasn't something a teacher could ignore. And when the eighth grade class had brought in hamsters for study, or when the class had studied bats on Halloween, Takaishi had gotten that look in his eye; that far away, lost-memories look that would happen every so often at a stray comment or dropped word. It belied something more. Tetsuwa knew that these things fit together somehow, but damned if he could figure out how!
He was brought out of his reverie by the child in front of him. "Sir?"
"Yes?"
"I said that I can't think of anything, sir..."
"Takeru...Did...Did you ever have a pet?"
And again that flash of maturity, of something so great as to be inexplicable, "N-no, sir..."
Something was not being said here, Tetsuwa knew it, but could think of no way to get the boy to speak.
"Your parents are divorced, yes?"
"Y-yes sir..." That sidelong glance was the first he'd ever seen on a child so young.
"It must have hurt..."
Takeru looked at the floor, scuffing a runner, and quickly wiping away the black streak he'd unwittingly made. "Well, sure, I guess. Me and Matt were both pretty sad about it, at first, but..."
"But?"
"Nothing, sir..."
"But what, Takeru?"
He looked at his teacher then. Really -looked- at him, for the first time. The burden in that child's eyes was heavy, and it spoke of more than just a scraped knee or hurt feelings, "We found out, my brother and me, sir, that there are worse things than divorce..."
Wow..."What sorts of things, Takeru?"
And again, silence. "Nothing you'd understand, sir. Sorry..."
This was something! If anything was happening with the boy like he made it sound, there would be some big trouble very soon. "Takeru, sometimes we need to tell people that we're hurting. You may think I don't understand, but I'm an adult, and adults are a lot better at dealing with problems than children."
The boy stared at him again, but this time it was an extroverted look, not like the last; a look that would haunt Tetsuwa for many years to come. Though his whole stance shouted respect and meek submission, those eyes were anything but. They weren't laughing, not exactly, but they held a bitter humour at a world where children know more than adults, but say less; while the ignorant preach about their knowledge to other idiots, who believe them.
He could think of nothing to say, and so was silent, until it became to much for a person used to the low roar of a classroom, "Takeru...?"
"Sir, I hate to be rude, but mum gets really angry if I'm not home on time, and I don't want to miss the late bus."
"Go on, Takeru." He turned back to his papers, trying to make sense of the whole situation.
"Sir?" Takeru stood, in the doorway, half-in and half-out. "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you, sir. You seem like a really nice person. But I know you wouldn't believe me. We're not sure we believe it ourselves, and we were there." He smiled then. A smile full of innocence and hope --A normal boy. And then he was gone, out into the sunshine and city to play with his friends.
We...? He was at a total loss, now...Maybe Tetsuwa would talk to his brother...They seemed close.
Timeline would be....oh...In the three years between ZeroOne and ZeroTwo.
Disclaimer: It's not mine. I have no money. It's not yours. If it was yours, you could sue me for money I don't have. If it were mine, I'd be making a pile of money off this story, and enough money for you to effectively sue me. Ah, the paradox ^_______^
~~~
"Takeru, do you know why I kept you after school today?"
"No, sir"
Mr. Tetsuwa leaned back in his desk, wanting to sigh but not allowing himself the humanity: He was a teacher, after all, "Takeru..."
"Sir?"
He brought a hand to his temple, unsure how to begin. There's was something odd about this boy. Something not right...He was nine years old: His birth records, parents, and -looks- confirmed that. But why would a boy, so young, have such a mature stature? Be so...old, even when youthful? "Takaishi...Is there anything you'd like to tell me?"
A quick glance, effectively concealed, save that it was just the sort of thing Tetsuwa was looking for, "No sir...Should there be? Atoki was lying when he said I stole his juice, really he was!"
The teacher almost wanted to chuckle at such a misinterpretation, but he knew the boy was only trying to change the subject, "No, that's not what I meant, Takeru. You're an honest boy. I think there may be something else you need to tell me..."
Things just didn't quite add up. When the children were playing cops-and-robbers, as children were wont to do, Takeru would have no part of it. Little Tomiyo brandished his new, realistic looking squirt gun, and Takeru had gone white with rage. He had slapped the toy out of the other boy's hand, telling him he'd better not bring it to school ever again. He hadn't hurt the Tomiyo, but the apparent anger and fear of anything that /looked/ like a firearm wasn't something a teacher could ignore. And when the eighth grade class had brought in hamsters for study, or when the class had studied bats on Halloween, Takaishi had gotten that look in his eye; that far away, lost-memories look that would happen every so often at a stray comment or dropped word. It belied something more. Tetsuwa knew that these things fit together somehow, but damned if he could figure out how!
He was brought out of his reverie by the child in front of him. "Sir?"
"Yes?"
"I said that I can't think of anything, sir..."
"Takeru...Did...Did you ever have a pet?"
And again that flash of maturity, of something so great as to be inexplicable, "N-no, sir..."
Something was not being said here, Tetsuwa knew it, but could think of no way to get the boy to speak.
"Your parents are divorced, yes?"
"Y-yes sir..." That sidelong glance was the first he'd ever seen on a child so young.
"It must have hurt..."
Takeru looked at the floor, scuffing a runner, and quickly wiping away the black streak he'd unwittingly made. "Well, sure, I guess. Me and Matt were both pretty sad about it, at first, but..."
"But?"
"Nothing, sir..."
"But what, Takeru?"
He looked at his teacher then. Really -looked- at him, for the first time. The burden in that child's eyes was heavy, and it spoke of more than just a scraped knee or hurt feelings, "We found out, my brother and me, sir, that there are worse things than divorce..."
Wow..."What sorts of things, Takeru?"
And again, silence. "Nothing you'd understand, sir. Sorry..."
This was something! If anything was happening with the boy like he made it sound, there would be some big trouble very soon. "Takeru, sometimes we need to tell people that we're hurting. You may think I don't understand, but I'm an adult, and adults are a lot better at dealing with problems than children."
The boy stared at him again, but this time it was an extroverted look, not like the last; a look that would haunt Tetsuwa for many years to come. Though his whole stance shouted respect and meek submission, those eyes were anything but. They weren't laughing, not exactly, but they held a bitter humour at a world where children know more than adults, but say less; while the ignorant preach about their knowledge to other idiots, who believe them.
He could think of nothing to say, and so was silent, until it became to much for a person used to the low roar of a classroom, "Takeru...?"
"Sir, I hate to be rude, but mum gets really angry if I'm not home on time, and I don't want to miss the late bus."
"Go on, Takeru." He turned back to his papers, trying to make sense of the whole situation.
"Sir?" Takeru stood, in the doorway, half-in and half-out. "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you, sir. You seem like a really nice person. But I know you wouldn't believe me. We're not sure we believe it ourselves, and we were there." He smiled then. A smile full of innocence and hope --A normal boy. And then he was gone, out into the sunshine and city to play with his friends.
We...? He was at a total loss, now...Maybe Tetsuwa would talk to his brother...They seemed close.