This is my version of leonardo1123581321's and creepingshadow's story Takato's Light. I liked Takato's Light, but there were parts I want to change and its sequel was rather disappointing. I do NOT mean to flame the writers' work or anything like that, I just decided to write a sort of 21 years later sequel to that story but there are some changes from the original. I thought, since the sequel would otherwise be a little confusing, I'd write my own version of Takato's Light. I DON'T mean to steal any work and pretty much all credit goes to the writers of Takato's Light.

I realised since the story's about Takato's destiny a little bit I'd change the name. But after working on this, I figured maybe a different name would fit it better. So vote on the poll for a better name.

This takes place about a year after the end of CherrygirlUK's Twist of Fate.

TAKATO'S FATE

Meetings

It felt like a nightmare. But it wasn't, as he couldn't wake up to make his problems vanish. He held onto his backpack as he aimlessly wandered along the hallway of Odaiba High School. Why did we have to move here? he thought for the hundredth time. It's my first day and I already hate this school.

Every other student seemed to know where to go, except 15-year-old Takato Matsuda. He looked around, without the slightest clue of where his locker was. The chocolate haired teenager held a timetable in one hand and he was about to head for the stairs ahead, when a soccer ball came out of nowhere.

Not seeing it, Takato stepped on the ball and tripped backwards. He felt someone break his fall. "I gotcha."

Regaining his footing, Takato turned and saw a boy around his age. He had short-spiked maroon hair and, like Takato, wore goggles atop his head. The boy picked up his ball with an apologetic smile before introducing himself. "Hi, I'm Daisuke Motomiya. But you can call me Davis. Are you new?"

Takato nodded. "Yeah. I'm Takato Matsuda. Homeroom 9-D, but I've no idea how to find it or my locker."

"Then you bumped into the right guy! That's my class and I'll take you there, but first we gotta find your locker. Then I can give you the grand tour." The boy grabbed Takato's timetable and walked off. Takato shrugged and followed.

Davis was still grinning as he led Takato to their lockers, chattering about soccer non-stop. Not being very athletic, Takato just smiled gratefully. Davis seemed fun and like a good friend.

But I already have friends, Takato thought sadly. Henry, Kazu, Kenta, Ryo, Rika, and those three kids… Jeri… I wish they all were here.

The two boys arrived at their lockers, which were next to each other. Takato opened his, and a look of disgust came on his face. In the locker was a carton of long expired milk.

"Are all lockers like this?" Takato asked. Davis closed his own locker and took a look at Takato's, his face going a slight shade of red.

Dash! I forgot! he thought before answering the question: "Well… That depends on who had them last."

"Urgh!" Takato groaned, taking the carton with a paper towel in his hand. It felt squishy and smelt horrible. Takato put it in a nearby bin, before throwing a few of his books into the locker and slamming the door shut.

"So this is the victim of your prank?" a voice said from behind Takato. He turned and saw a blue-eyed blond boy of his age, wearing a light beige hat. Davis' face went even redder.

"I dunno what you're talking about, TK," he said, clasping his hands behind his head. Takeru Takaishi just grinned, narrowing his eyes.

"Oh yeah? What about that expired milk you left in the locker next to yours?"

"Wait, that was you?" Takato gasped, getting a little angry.

Davis threw his arms in the air, as if surrendering. "I can explain. It was… umm… Mice?"

TK laughed. "Mice? Boy, you gotta work on your excuses, Davis!" Then he turned to Takato, saying: "I take it Davis planned to give you 'the grand tour'. Don't listen to anything he says. He's a goofball."

"Am not!" Davis protested, and the two friends started bickering.

Wow. They kinda remind me of Kazu and Kenta. I guess these guys might replace them, and I'll eventually find someone who will replace Jeri… Then Takato shook his head to get rid of the disturbing thoughts.

"No way!" he muttered fiercely to himself. Davis and TK turned to look at him, puzzled. Before neither of them could say anything, the bell rang.

"We gotta head to class. See ya, TK," Davis said as the boys parted ways.

Takato walked into the lunchroom. He stood awkwardly at the door and scanned the room for any sign of either Davis or TK. He had been invited to join them and their friends for lunch before separating from Davis after homeroom.

To his dismay, the mass of students gathered to buy food made it hard to see where Davis or TK were. Takato began walking around, hoping to spot them. People were quickly taking their seats and chatting to their friends. Carrying his tray, Takato just wandered about.

A hand suddenly landed on Takato's shoulder and he turned to see Davis. "Hi! Sorry, I forgot to tell you where we sit at lunch. Anyway, lets go!" Davis said in his usual cheery way.

They came to a table at the far end of the room, where TK was sitting with four other people. "Hey, guys! This is Takato, he's new."

Takato smiled at the group nervously, muttering a "hi".

"Oh, right! My name's Takeru Takaishi, but you can call me TK," the blond from before said, shaking hands with the newcomer.

"Hello. I am Iori Hida," the youngest of the group, a 13-year-old brunette with green eyes, said. He bowed to Takato politely. Takato wasn't sure f the junior expected him to bow back, but did it anyway.

"Hiya! I'm Yolei Inoue!" the oldest one, a 16-year-old girl with long lavender hair and glasses, greeted him enthusiastically. She shook hands with him rather vigorously, making Takato even more nervous.

Guilmon, if only I could've brought you to school, Takato thought. He felt much better now, knowing his partner would be at home waiting for him. Bringing him to school would've caused a commotion, like that one time at his old elementary school in Shinjuku…

Flashback

11-year-old Takato hurried up the stairs, not in the least caring he hadn't switched from his PE kit. He ran along the hallway, passing students gossiping about something the principal had seen.

"Please don't be Guilmon, please don't be Guilmon, please don't be Guilmon," Takato kept saying. He passed through a large group of people and came to a halt.

Guilmon's box was on the floor, and there was no trace of him. The principal was talking to a few teachers about seeing a red dinosaur.

Guilmon, what have you done? I gotta find him! "Guilmon," Takato muttered, darting off.

End flashback

Takato smiled as he thought of that incident, sitting down next to Davis and opposite a boy with shoulder length navy blue hair. The boy was the same age as Takato, Davis and TK, as was the last member of the group, a girl with chocolate-red eyes and short cocoa brown hair.

"Nice to meet you. I am Ken Ichijouji," the navy haired boy said, holding out a hand. Takato shook it.

"You wouldn't happen to mean former boy genius Ichijouji?" he asked.

Ken's polite smile turned into a frown. "Sure, if you want to say that," he said.

Nice going, Takato. You made him angry on your first day. Some first impression, Takato thought, stammering an apology.

"Takato, I'd like you to meet Hikari Kamiya," Davis introduced the brunette girl on Takato's other side.

"Call me Kari," she said, holding up a hand to shake.

Just as their hands met, something that felt like a small electric shock caused the two to contract their hands. Takato fidgeted, and Kari looked at her hand. They suddenly became aware of the other staring at them and looked around.

"What?" Takato asked Davis, who whistled innocently.

"Nothing," he and the other four chorused.

To be continued…

Just in case it's confusing, I wanna explain about their schools. Izzy's on his last year of high school, but he transferred to one that specifies in technology, although they teach other stuff too, of course. The school system goes like this coz it's the only way I can make sense of it: Elementary, then High/Secondary, then University. I know most school systems aren't like that, but I decided to put it like that since I figured high school can have middle school and college all in one. In Frontier Takuya, Koji, Koichi and Zoe are twelve and on 6th grade. That makes Takato, Davis, Kari and Ken 9th graders in this fic. Plus, in 02, TK said Tai and Izzy are in high school. They are 14/15 and 13/14 in that series.

Another point I wanna make is that I don't mean to make Davis or Yolei sound stupid. Davis is one of my all-time faves, and I think Yolei's a great character even if she isn't my favourite. I just liked that prank in Takato's Light so much, I didn't wanna leave it out.

Enjoy the fic!