Digimon V-Tamer: A Victory Dragons Lessons on Humanity
By Sonfaro
Humans are weird.
I'm jolted from my pleasant dream of L-meat and a hornless lady Greymon with a huge backside to the sound of Rei's laughter. I shift a little from my place around the campfire Taichi made to get a better view of what is going on, careful with my wings so as not to wake Gabu the Gabumon who rests at my side. Even though it's late at night, the two humans are still awake: my combo partner Taichi Yagami on his feet acting out a joke he told me months ago, before the girl named Rei even joined up with us. They don't know I'm awake, and I'm not sure I want them too.
I've known Taichi all my life, but I've only ever met him eight months ago, when Lord HolyAngemon drafted him from his world into ours. I've known Rei for even less time: maybe two months if I'm remembering right. In that time they've gotten pretty close: almost as close as Taichi and me. Every once in a while they'll say something together that doesn't make sense to me, or do some silly thing that humans do that leaves me confused. But they do it together, because they know what it is. Which makes me a little sad. There's still so little I know about humans.
So I decide, before I fall back to sleep, that tonight I'll watch them and see what I learn.
I don't have to over analyze what Taichi's doing right now though. I've seen it before. Taichi is a physical joke teller, and a master of it if I do say so myself. Its clear Rei thinks so too. She bushes red hair behind her ear, smiling. Taichi continues with the joke, building his story larger and wider until he hits it! The punchline! Rei's face is alight with laughter. I smirk from my position on the ground too, it's as funny as it was the first time I heard it.
Things get quiet between them next, which is awkward for me because they're still looking at each other, smiling. Rei says something to Taichi: I think she says that he's 'sweet'. Which is weird, because I've licked the side of Taichi's face before (don't ask) and it was pretty salty. Taichi smiles though, so I guess he doesn't disagree. He then says something back to her; but I'm not sure I heard right, because how she reacts is totally opposite of what it should be. It's hard to make out exactly, but it makes her blush a pretty shade of pink, regardless.
Whatever Taichi said must have been pretty embarrassing, 'cause he's blushing too, and talking fast about this and that and nothing at all. She nods with every point, but whatever he said still has her upset. Except it's a weird kind of upset because while her eyes are still wide, her lips are smiling.
Which is really weird.
Finally, after running his mouth for another minute, Taichi bows quickly to her and rushes to his side of the campfire, slipping into his cot and facing away from her while still mumbling under his breath. Rei still sits on the log, facing outwards and not really focusing, that same strange half smile on her face, while playing with strands of ginger hair. She notices me, accidentally, and waves with a smile. "G'dnight Zero."
I grunt. After a while she makes her way over to her own cot and lies down, but not before she takes another look in Taichi's direction. Pretty soon both humans are fast asleep: Taichi with his signature snore, and Rei with a smile still on her face.
I lean my head back down, thinking over what I learned from that exchange. I've learned that an old joke by Taichi Yagami, no matter how old, can still be pretty funny. I've learned that Rei thinks Taichi is some kind of sugary treat, and he's okay with that. And I've learned saying a few simple words like 'I like you' can upset a girl so much that it flips her frown the wrong way and makes boys blush almost as hard. Before sleep reclaims my digital mind I'm forced to again acknowledge the obvious.
Humans are weird.
A/N1: Wrote this while re-reading V-Tamers and listening to the last Naruto op. theme ('Diver' by Nico Touches The Wall, really nice track) during the epic blackout of last week. I'm hoping to bring back the V-Tamer goodness to the unfortunate souls who haven't heard of it. I may post more of these in the future ala 'Shots in the Dark'. We'll see.
A/N2: For those interested, you can read V-Tamers in its entirety on Mangafox.
Sonfaro