I do not own Digimon.

Hi people! Welcome to my insanity! This story explains the events that lead up to my other story, Setting With the Sun. This means that chronologically, this story comes first. Setting With the Sun was posted way before the conception of this story, so you may have read that first, in which case, I apologize: you have been massively spoiled, lol. If you don't want a gigantic spoiler, maybe don't read Setting With the Sun just yet. All the same, hopefully this will be an enjoyable read.

We'll be dealing with some heavy stuff here, including illness and the emotional turmoil that comes with it, so tread carefully.

"I remember that day clearly. Maybe too clearly. It was a day that was filled with everything: strength, and weakness. Solitude, and kindness. Discouragement, and hope.

…The beginning of a story…and the end of one…"

Prologue: His Story

He should be rushing. That's what any normal kid would do if they woke up late for school. He should have stuffed a piece of plain toast in his mouth, grabbed his bag, and raced out the door, uniform disheveled and with his neck-tie flapping in the wind.

But Takeru wasn't a normal kid, and today was not a normal day.

By all intents and purposes, it should have been a normal day. It was a Tuesday like any other, and it was an absolutely characteristic spring day in May. He was taking the same route to school that he did every morning, though he usually walked with Miyako and Iori. His friends had had no choice but to go on ahead without him, or risk being late themselves. He wore his same school uniform, green like the trees, and carried his same school bag.

But all the same, it felt different.

Takeru glanced upward to gaze at the morning sky and winced slightly at the brightness of the sun. He was tired. He supposed that most people were tired in the morning, but he considered himself rather an energetic person. Even on rough days, he was never without the capacity to greet the day and be his optimistic (if somewhat troll-ish) self.

But today he just felt, well…tired.

"C'mon, Takeru," he whispered to himself in a self-directed pep-talk, "Time to rise and shine."

There was no reason for him to be so tired. He'd fallen asleep early, at nearly eight o'clock the evening before, and had overslept this morning. He should be bouncing off the walls and terrorizing people with his cheerfulness.

Instead, Takeru felt like he had foregone sleep altogether, like a cell phone that had been plugged in to charge, yet for some reason didn't. School and basketball practice and a meeting with the rest of the Chosen awaited him, but he had no idea how he was going to muster the energy to face it all. What's more, he had a dull headache that was manageable, yet annoying all the same.

I could turn around, he thought. I could go home and crawl back into bed and think of a good excuse for Mom later…

A light breeze, gentle like a butterfly, caressed his face and brought him to his senses.

Takeru shook his head and straightened his shoulders. No. He was fine. Tired, but fine. It was a beautiful morning and there was no reason why it wouldn't be a good day. No bad mood was going to ruin it.

He put on a smile and that was that.

A shopkeeper was sweeping the street in front of his fruit stand as Takeru passed by. The peaches, green apples, and oranges were in stark color-contrast to the deep reds and purples of the berries and plums. It looked like a painting.

"Good morning," Takeru greeted the man, who glanced up from his sweeping to return the sentiment before checking his watch.

"Have you looked at the time, son?" the shopkeeper questioned, eyebrows raised. "I daresay you'll be late for school."

"What?" Takeru checked the time.

Crap. It was later than he thought.

"Gah!" He pocketed his phone and turned back to the man. "Thank you, sir. I really wasn't paying attention. Have a good day."

He made to break into a run when the man suddenly grabbed his arm. In his hand he held an apple.

"I expect you haven't had breakfast?" he correctly assumed. He handed Takeru the fruit with a smile. "Eat this on the way. Quickly now!"

Takeru grinned at the man's generosity and bowed. "Thank you very much, sir."

And he was off.

Putting aside his exhaustion in favor of wanting to get to school somewhat on time, he darted down the street toward school, taking a bite out of the apple. It was juicy and tart and made all the tastier by its nature as a gift.

Things and people blurred past him. Shops and restaurants. Mothers with strollers and men in business suits. Cars and gates and trees and plants and the blue morning sky and the spring air and the world itself.

And in another world, he knew that an orange creature with wings and big blue eyes – his best friend – played and laughed and wanted to see him soon. Almost as badly as Takeru wanted to see him.

This was his life. This was his story. He didn't know what the next chapter would be, but it was his story nonetheless.

His story…

"I need to write about it," he said randomly to himself, and laughed because he had just spoken that out loud. He had been feeling the writing bug for weeks now, itching and poking at him to grab a pencil and begin his story. School and life told him that he needed to wait, that he had other responsibilities that came first, but the colors and sights and sounds around him inspired him. His love for his friends and family inspired him. There were words in his heart and he needed to write them down.

His life was only beginning, he knew. He had plenty of time to write his story.

But a funny feeling told him that he needed to start now.

…just in case he didn't have as much time as he thought.