My Girl, a digimon fanfic

My Girl

A "Digimon Frontier" FanFiction

by Moonlight

Rating: Teen; 'T' for mild profanity, bloodless violence, and suggestive themes. Viewer discretion is advised for young children.

Synopsis: Six years after returning from his adventures in the Digital World, 17-year old Takuya Kanbara is peacefully enjoying his new life in Shibuya. He continues to keep in contact with his best friends, Kouji 'Koji' Minamoto, Tomoki 'Tommy' Himi, Junpei "J.P." Shibayama, Kouichi Kimura, and Izumi 'Zoe' Orimoto. Time has changed him significantly since winning the Digital War, yet there is one thing that still weighs on his mind...

Author's Notes: The first several introductory paragraphs in italics are intended for those who are not familiar with the series. The original Japanese names, along with minor cultural references, are retained in this story. In addition, the character dialogue taken from the anime is a mixture of the English dub and the original Japanese language. Original dialogue was created with a blend of these differences in mind. Notes are marked with numbers, [1], [2], etc.

While far from perfect, Digimon Frontier is my favorite season of Digimon hands down. While the first season got me introduced to the series, there was just something about Frontier that really spoke to me. Unlike the previous seasons where the writers focused primarily on the Digimon and their human partners, this series more so touched upon on character development and lighthearted fun. I honestly don't know why so many people bash it. Frontier took a unique spin to what many have known and loved about the genre, and there is a lot of material left unexplored in the anime that I feel can be easily expanded on.

Speaking of which, I highly recommend taking a listen to "Digimon Frontier Original Story: Things That Want to be Told" music CD. It's a compilation of letters in which the DigiDestined write about their true feelings towards each other. It's an absolute treat, and if you love these characters as much as I do you'll be in for wonderful surprises! This story was inspired after listening to the CD, which is considered to be the official sequel of sorts to the TV series.

R&R is appreciated!

-Moonlight

The clock struck 5:30pm in the kitchen of the Kanbara residence in late April. Hiroaki and Yuriko Kanbara owned a quaint little property in a quiet neighborhood outside Shibuya, Japan. The yellow house proved big enough for comfortable living yet smaller than the two of them would have liked. However, they refused to complain, for the couple enjoyed the solace of the life they had. The neighbors remained friendly and cars rarely passed through. Children were often seen playing on the empty streets. Mr. and Mrs. Kanbara felt quite pleased with this, for they bore a beautiful family of their own: 12-year old Takuya Kanbara, their eldest son, and Shinya Kanbara, his younger brother. The two boys stayed their pride and joy, and Mr. and Mrs. Kanbara loved spoiling them.

Today marked Shinya Kanbara's eighth birthday. The homey Kanbara kitchen remained brightly decorated more so than usual. Four sets of formal utensils were neatly arranged on the dining table, colored balloons were scattered around the ceiling, and various party favors from paper hats, posters, and streamers flooded the area. A large white cake reading "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" proudly sat on the table as the room's centerpiece.

While the day produced excitement it also proved hectic. Baking, cleaning, and making the proper preparations for company exhausted Yuriko. She sighed as the phone rang precisely at the moment she reached for the oven door. Quickly prying it open and snatching her prized chicken, Yuriko plopped it on the counter and answered the summons on the final ring.

Par usual, Shinya and Takuya relished their freedom in the late afternoons. A pile of comics sat on the wooden floor in the corner of the room. Shinya eagerly flipped through them one by one. Sprawled out on his stomach, he put a book down and began fiddling with the television. His brother's neatly stacked video game collection begged to be touched. Takuya, on the other hand, felt less than content. Normally he would have scolded his brother for messing with his games but boredom continued to wear him down. Frankly he couldn't care less.

Sitting on the kitchen table, Takuya rolled his eyes and rested his head on his arms. His life felt so unsatisfying. The pattern for his typical routine appeared as follows: his mom would yell at him to get up for school, then he wobbled from class to class and made trouble for the teachers, followed by some after-school banter where he and his classmates would stay out late and play soccer. Upon coming home he would find his brat of a brother glued to the television, messing with his videogames that he specifically told him a million times not to touch.

In short, his life was average. Normal. Just a little too normal for his taste. A daydreamer by nature, he craved adventure. Some life-changing experience that set him apart from the rest. But who was he kidding? There was nothing exciting to be found so long as he lived in Japan.

Takuya sighed. He just wanted to get the day over with. The thought of his dad slicing cake later on was making his mouth water. Impulsively his fore-finger dove for a strawberry.

"Tell daddy to bring me home a big present!"

Shinya's outburst immediately snapped Takuya out of his sugar-filled daydream. Likewise, it attracted the attention of his mother, who hurriedly chattered on the phone. She put down the headset and turned to face her sons.

"Mind your manners, Shinya. And don't even think about touching that cake, Takuya," she hollered. Defeated, Takuya slid further down in his chair.

"Ugh, I'm BORED…My life is so boring," Takuya groaned.

On the kitchen table his phone could be seen vibrating. Curiously he picked it up. The screen was flashing.

He cocked his head. "What's this?"

"Would you like to start? Yes? No?" the message read.

"A text? No sender? Well, whatever."

Takuya clicked the 'YES' icon in annoyance. He was sick of constantly receiving false advertisements on his phone. Surely the strange message would go away if he responded in a timely matter.

But Takuya remained baffled as to what happened next.

"Takuya Kanbara. Your future has been decided. You have chosen to begin the game."

At first Takuya thought he was going crazy. A mysterious voice, soft-spoken yet stern, spoke to him in his mind. The sensation felt as if something was firmly pressing on his head. Takuya put his forehead to the earpiece only to hear no sound coming through the receiver. Next he tried shaking the phone but still no voice was present. Yet somehow he could still hear it, clear as night and day, echoing through his eardrums. He thought to pinch himself to see if he was dreaming, but he decided against it. He knew it couldn't have been a dream because he vaguely remembered waking up in the morning, going to school, skipping soccer practice and coming home early. The realization of his consciousness and sanity immediately clicked. Takuya's shock nearly caused him to topple out of his chair.

"Huh? How do you know my name? What game?" he inquired.

"Take the 5:45 outbound train from Jiyuugaoka Station, and all will become clear."

Takuya blinked, bringing his thoughts back into focus. It proved difficult for his mind to break the habit of wandering off somewhere. He slapped his cheeks with both hands and shook his head. Tonight he could not rest or contemplate. Losing the Digicode to Ofanimon's Castle was not an option. A new evil had risen in Dynasmon and LordKnightmon, two evil Digimon with a mission to scan all the Digicode in the Digital World, with their mission to revive Lucemon, a powerful angel Digimon seeking to obliterate the Digital World for his amusement. Ofanimon's castle contained the final piece of the Digicode needed to bring him back to life. If Takuya were to fall in this final attempt at keeping the peace everyone and everything he loved would perish. Time remained his enemy.

But despite himself a smile crept up on his face, his heart warming at the memory of his younger brother. The events of Shinya's birthday now seemed months away. Who would have guessed that such a mysterious text message would be his calling for an adventure of a lifetime? Naturally his curiosity won him over, and before he knew it, Takuya found himself dashing outside his backyard and dodging past cars and pedestrians towards Shibuya station. Down the central elevator he went as his phone continued to vibrate. When the conveyor drove past the basement level Takuya knew he was entering the unknown.

He recalled the machinery abruptly slamming to a halt. When the doors creaked open his vision became flooded with colors, from the oddly patterned trains to the crowds of screaming children. Some were chattering in groups of three or four, others running, even a few had stopped to take pictures of their mysterious findings. Evidently a hidden train station existed below the main one above. The ceiling and walls were made entirely of glass, and a towering clock made of crystal proudly stood in the station's center. The room felt so bright one had to squint to get a clearer picture.

As breathtaking as it all appeared, Takuya didn't have time to gawk. For soon as he took his first step onto the glittering floor the trains began to holler signaling departure. Without giving it a second thought he frantically dove for the nearest one to his right, clinging to the railing of what appeared to be the last cart. Before the door slammed behind him Takuya met the gaze of a boy on the train to his left. His mouth formed into a thin, hard line. The image of long, raven black hair, cold, unfeeling eyes, and a blue jacket with a yellow tee burned into Takuya's memory. Somewhere a voice persuaded him they would meet again, though not as strangers. Takuya shivered. The roaring train entered a red tunnel and soon the crowds of people were far behind him.

Upon entering the first seating area remained completely empty. This puzzled him because there were so many kids wandering around the mysterious glass station minutes prior. After pacing through the ghostly cart he found himself entering the next one. Light and warmth greeted him. Sure enough, three people were scattered inside. A little boy about Shinya's age sat in the back while a girl and a boy around his age were seated towards the front. The boy closest to Takuya's age continued to chomp on a chocolate bar, his face twisted into a glare. A blue jumpsuit with large, yellow pockets loosely hung on his bloated figure. Thin, brown locks of hair spiked in all directions. He appeared to be ten times Takuya's height and weight. Takuya hesitated to speak up as he didn't seem too friendly.

He turned to face the girl on his right. Unaware of his presence she fiddled with her cell phone while whistling a happy tune. She wore a purple and magenta getup that matched from head to toe with the exception of a blue and white striped t-shirt underneath her pink sweatshirt. Her skirt was shorter then her knees and her tee fell just under her chest, revealing her stomach. Long, golden hair fell to her lower abdomen. Takuya snorted and rolled his eyes. Her bawdy appearance made him think of all the preppy snobs in his class. No doubt the two of them would get along just peachy.

Finally, Takuya took notice of the little boy in the back. His arms were folded in his legs and he shivered constantly. He dawned a white t-shirt with orange bell-bottoms. His matching cap remained three times his size and covered his face. Immediately a pang of worry washed over Takuya. The poor kid looked scared out of his mind, and he wondered what possessed him to board the train with strangers in the first place. But Takuya piped up and eventually introductions were made. Whether he liked it or not, Junpei, Izumi, and Tomoki were to be his new traveling companions.

Takuya and the others were shocked to find themselves arriving in a strange new land. Fields of barren earth surrounded them on all sides. A chill hung in the air. There was no sign of life except for the caravan. To the group's surprise their rider owned its own consciousness: the train was no ordinary train indeed, for it bore the face of a twisted, shriveled insect. Sharp, curved, yellow teeth sprang from its mouth, and two pairs of golden, beady eyes circled in all directions. It groaned and whined at the sight of the children, disgusted his superiors bestowed him the job of carrying them. Before Takuya could question it about their whereabouts, however, the train called Worm swiftly drove back the way it came.

With no passage back to Japan Tomoki panicked. He wanted nothing but to go home after being shoved onto Worm by a group of snickering teenagers. Worm's departure from the station prompted him to follow, but Tomoki failed to realize the remainder of the track sprouted from the cliff into an abyss of nothingness. The metal bar in which the train followed floated ominously in midair. Tomoki screamed and clung for life until Takuya rushed to the scene. And if that much excitement wasn't enough for them, moments later a mysterious three headed dog-like creature jumped out of nowhere and threatened to kill them for no reason.

Two tiny creatures calling themselves Bokomon and Neemon came running thereafter, slamming into Takuya and Tomoki. The track broke and the four of them crashed into the rubble below. Hungry and eager the ferocious dog closed in. Its prey had nowhere to run. Without thinking Takuya stupidly grabbed a broken pipe from the ground, swung at the animal, and found himself being snatched and flung into a burning furnace. Upon collision it exploded, but instead of losing consciousness Takuya felt himself surrounded by light. He squinted his eyes. Finally, taking a deep breath, he opened them. Takuya felt shocked to discover he was standing in a circle of flames where the boiler had once been. Mysteriously, the heat did not burn him. Rather, he felt different. Unreal. Comfortable. The wildfire surrounded him, consumed him. He felt a surge of energy bursting from his heart. The power of flame coursed through his veins.

Moments later he morphed into a strange beast, destroying the creature with his newly super-powered fists. Without warning the vicious dog disintegrated into a stream of data. Takuya's phone had transformed into a strange rectangular device. Sucking in the dog's remnants like a vacuum, the compiled line of data disappeared into the phone and Takuya transformed into himself again. He was at a loss for words.

And so Takuya's journey in the Digital World truly began. Apparently, beings called Digimon ruled and roamed the land. No two Digimon were alike and possessed certain human and beast-like qualities that set them apart from one another. Takuya's phone transformed into what locals called a Digivice, an artifact unique to the Digital World used for collecting data. The incident near the furnace proved he was one of six selected heroes chosen by the celestial Digimon Ofanimon to save the world. A crisis had befallen the humble planet. With no choice but to expose themselves to humans, emails had been sent to children on earth pleading for help. Takuya also discovered that the concept of humanity was foreign in the Digital World, which he found to be quite odd. He certainly didn't feel a connection to the bizarre creatures surrounding him as much as they seemed to ogle him, but transforming into Agunimon, the ancient spirit of fire, felt pretty badass. He could materialize fire in air and shoot missiles, as well as jump and climb like a cheetah. Lifting objects ten times his weight had become a simple task. He could fly and dash at incredible speed.

Takuya and his new acquaintances scored victory after victory once they gathered all their spirits (it seemed they were chosen like him), so in the end he decided to roll with it. At first it all seemed like a video game, traveling from Digimon village to Digimon village in order to defeat various terrorists. Kouji, the boy from the train station, and Kouichi, his twin brother, soon joined the group. But as time passed Takuya began to realize the severity of the situation he was in as well as the feelings of mutual respect for his companions that weren't present before. His heart churned as he witnessed innocent creatures die before him and slowly the Digital World began collapsing. Darkness and plague blanketed the once beautiful planet. The souls of the living were constantly in danger as the enemy basked in power. With no way home there was no choice but to fight. His presence in the Digital World proved more than a game; he had become a part of something so much greater.

The problems he continued to dodge back home became clear to him: his once normal life was lonely. Kouji, Tomoki, Junpei, Izumi, and Kouichi were the first, and probably the most important, group of friends he ever had. Lessons of trust, respect, and loyalty now resided within him. It was almost as if coming to the digital world caused him to be reborn. Yes, the void in heart had been filled at long last, and every day he would wake up with a new sense of pride and accomplishment.

Now, for the sake of his loved ones, he refused to fail. The digicode in Ofanimon's castle was somewhere.

Arriving at Ofanimon's palace prior to the beginning of his search everything appeared to be in order. While he carried his friends to the castle as EmperorGreymon, his monster-like eyes were met with a sight to behold. The main building itself was breathtaking, with cream towers stretching into the spiraling clouds above. A balcony rested atop the highest tower, surrounded by smaller towers with teal-colored rooftops. The setting sun created a palette of tertiary colors in the sky: orange, yellow and purple blended together as if to construct a painting. Topping it off with a gentle breeze and some puffy, marshmallow-like clouds, the universe was practically screaming at Takuya to throw himself into the flowerbed of irises surrounding the palace. He was worn out from the previous battle with the enemy and had been traveling for what seemed like hours. But seeing as the floating castle contained the only piece of Digicode left preventing Lucemon from obliterating the Digital World, he and the others could not afford to sleep. Especially him, as Tomoki and Izumi provided him their spirits in order for him to obtain his final evolution to stand against the Royal Knights.

The inside of the building was not what one would expect: unlike Seraphimon's crystal palace in the Forest Terminal, where the walls were bright enough to blind a man, the main hallway in Ofanimon's castle was blanketed in darkness, surrounded by mountains of books. Dusty shelves with untouched materials lay disorganized and cluttered. Dimly lit candles hung on the sides of the walls. In the left-hand corner of the room a blinding staircase led upstairs to more novels. A dark hallway to the left revealed a set of marble stairs winding downwards.

After meeting Nefertimon, the castle's guardian, Takuya decided to split everyone into three groups to look for the hidden Digicode. Nefertimon owned the ears and eyes of a cat, the head of a sphinx, a long, lanky tail, giant, golden paws, pure white fur, and a pair of feathered wings sprouting from her back. In such a time of crisis it seemed odd to see her so calm and collected. But clearly there were many rooms to search. If the six of them expected to find the data they would be up all night without breaking into groups, so Kouji and Kouichi decided to explore the upstairs portion of the towering library. Much to Junpei's dismay, Izumi was quick to turn down his flirtatious advances at getting paired with her. Sniffling with defeat Junpei and Tomoki headed towards the middle chambers while he followed Izumi downstairs to explore the basement.

And now here he was, four hours later, still searching for the the castle's Digicode in Ofanimon's stuffy old library. Picking up a dusty book for about the hundredth time, Takuya sleepily rubbed his eyes. He grumbled as the flickering candlelight created playful shadows on the bookshelves. They weren't helping his nerves. His locks of brown hair seemed to stick up more than usual, and his red jacket, yellow t-shirt, and green hiking pants felt like a bucket of weights. It must have been after midnight by now. He turned around. Izumi showed no signs of fatigue. She blissfully hummed the song of the Floramon as she worked, flipping through one book after another. Takuya wondered how she could have so much energy at such a late hour. Struggling to stay focused, Takuya leaned against the wall. He did his best to stifle a yawn. If the Royal Knights showed up he needed to be conscious. As the team's leader it was his responsibility to project the others.

Little did he know the book he propped his elbow against was loose, causing a mountain of volumes to topple over them. Izumi cried in shock as the river of literature carried her further in the room. After the dust cleared Takuya wiggled his way through the iron grip of the pile. He didn't know whether to be grateful that the shock woke him up or worried at how Izumi would react to his clumsiness. The two of them butted heads often.

"Smooth move, Takuya," she muttered. Pushing through the mound of books her head popped to the surface about a meter away from him.

"Sorry, my bad," he chuckled nervously. Her disgruntled look made him quick to slap his hands together in apology. He'd never forget the time she accidentally tripped and pulled him down a hole in the Flame Terminal only to be quickly slapped in the face and called a pervert. Izumi had a temper not to be messed with.

He decided to change the subject. "But man, where could the Digicode be? We've been searching for hours."

"I wonder if it's getting close to morning," Izumi replied lazily. She too was sleepy but refused to show it. Takuya was always fighting so hard, going out of his way to protect her and the others. Because her spirit lacked a Mega-Evolution like EmperorGreymon and Magnagarurumon the least she could do to pay Takuya and Kouji back by doing her best to help. An internal pep talk made her reach for a novel titled The History of Digimon Evolution. She began to read, covering her mouth to stifle a yawn.

Takuya observed her on the corner of his eyes. It almost comforted him knowing that he wasn't the only one going insane from sleep deprivation. But, nonetheless, he greatly disliked seeing her battling uneasiness. Izumi…well, she was Izumi. Though strong-willed and confident, which he deeply respected about her, she was still…he thought uncomfortably…a girl.

"Are you tired?" he asked gently.

For a moment Izumi bit her lip, refusing to show tiredness. She shook her head.

"No, I'm fine," she cocked her head with a smile.

"Izumi, you rest. I'll handle things from here," he turned to face her.

"You should too, Takuya."

Takuya shook his head, pressing on. "Seriously, don't worry about it. I'll only be a bit longer."

"But you'll need the sleep. If the Royal Knights attack the castle, you'll have a tough battle ahead of you," she placed her hips on her shoulders.

His eyes trailed to a pile of books and he picked one up randomly. "The last one."

"Yeah."

Takuya smiled brightly. Staring into his amber irises Izumi couldn't help but smile back. Their respect for each other at this point in time felt mutual. In her first week in the Digital World she couldn't stand Takuya. His personality radiated stubbornness, immaturity, and rashness, much like the jocks who paraded around her classroom acting like they were everyone's business. But as time went on she noticed there was more to Takuya than she imagined. He was energetic, brave, carried a strong sense of justice…and he was sweet, all the qualities present in a person maturing over time. There was no doubt in her mind that out of the six of them he deserved to be the group's leader. All of their dumb fights in the past seemed like a hazy memory now.

Takuya put down the book, lost in thought. "You know, Izumi…"

She blinked. "Hm?"

"This could be our final battle," he continued. "When Kouji and I defeat the Royal Knights, it's all over. We can finally stop fighting."

"This world hasn't been all about fighting, though. I got to meet you and the others, Takuya. And all the Digimon too," Izumi replied excitedly. "There were a lot of happy and fun times. When I go back to the human world, I know I'll make a ton of friends. Before I came here, I didn't know how to be a friend...But now I think I understand a little more about myself and others' feelings."

She brushed aside a loose strand of hair that covered the side of her face. "Now that I've become a Digimon, I can actually say that I love myself now."

"Well I really love the person you are, Izumi."

There was a moment of silence. Takuya froze in horror, coming to the realization of his more-than-friendly complement. For some reason he felt his cheeks burning all of a sudden. A tingling pang churned his stomach like a hoard of butterflies. The spell of the moment had robbed him of all speech, and in his mind he silently cursed his foolishness.

If only he could shoot himself with Vitramon's Corona Blaster.

Izumi saw Takuya's face becoming a deep shade of scarlet. Her mouth dropped open, having never seen Takuya acting so...so forward before. Of course she never really thought about him in that way. "That's what he meant, wasn't it?"

Her mind continued to race. "Okay, maybe once," she decided. More than once.

Twice.

He was kind of cute, especially when he laughed.

Now it was Izumi's turn to blush. Her dimples redder than the ripest cherry, all she could do was fiddle with the zipper on her pink jacket. Takuya clearly meant it as a friendly compliment; after all, it was Takuya she was referring to. Cluelessness, for better or worse, was at the top of his personal traits list. There was just no way he looked at her so tenderly.

Normally she could care less about boys. Her, dating? Such a repulsive thought was the last thing on her mind. Yet for reasons she couldn't place the idea of his affections sort of interested her. Of course she would reject him, but nonetheless she felt intrigued that she of all people held the heart of such a warm person. If he really did look at her in that way, she wanted to know. She had to know. Such a chance would never present itself again.

She took a moment to clear her throat. Her head dropped to the floor before bashfully meeting his gaze.

"Y-Yeah?" she squeaked.

"Just perfect," Takuya mentally slapped himself on the forehead. He could see the deep blush spread across Izumi's face. And as much as he hated to admit it, so was he. Clearly he only meant to say that he really liked Izumi as a good friend. A friend. Only a little bit more than a friend, like a bromance…was there even a definition for a friendship between a boy and a girl? A sismance? "Oh god," Takuya thought. He was terrible at being personal with girls. Izumi was the only girl he ever really got to know. Judging by the fact that she continued to twiddle with her thumbs it was clear the situation was getting more awkward.

What exactly was Izumi to him? He had no idea. Izumi and him were just friends as far as he could tell, and in the beginning he thought she was a complete nutcase. But slowly he noticed her courage, her strong will…and damn, the time he briefly saw her half naked in a swimsuit at Tocanmon Paradise, she was hot.

So maybe he did like her a little. But there was no way in hell Izumi felt the same way about him.

Swiftly he turned away. "I-I mean, you know…NOT like-like…or in that way...uh…oh come on, you know what I mean," he sputtered anxiously.

He hoped she did.

"R-Right…" Izumi trailed off.

There was a long moment of silence. Takuya stood up and awkwardly shuffled away towards a separate pile of books. Izumi picked up a history novel in front of her and dug her nose into its pages. She pretended to skim through the book, flipping through a chapter at a time before making a quick glance at Takuya, who remained red-faced. She could hear him muttering to himself but she couldn't quite make it out.

It took every inch of Takuya's willpower not to look at Izumi. Endless thoughts were pouring into his mind like Ranamon's Rain Stream to the point where it was overwhelming. He just couldn't process the awkward situation along with the burden he was already carrying. It was necessary for him to find the Digicode before morning without distractions, yet waves of hormonal gibberish continued to roll off his tongue. Takuya clamped his mouth shut and rested his back against the mountains of novels. He grabbed a random volume and attempted to read, with one hand over his mouth to keep himself from babbling. His head was spinning violently. Moments later he put the book down, succumbing to his desire to rest. He needed solitude, if only for a moment.

Izumi continued to scan her book. After catching a glance of Takuya once more she shyly turned back to her reading. She turned a page. Then another. Her face scrunching in a frown, she then nodded to herself. She was going to do it.

"Takuya?" Izumi inquired.

Silence.

"Takuya?"

"Izumi?" he answered lazily.

"KANBARA-KUN!"

Takuya blinked. The images of Ofanimon's castle faded away to reveal several pairs of eyes starting at him. Several people were snickering. Drool dribbled from the left side of his lip onto his desk. His books were scattered all over the floor. Still in a daze, Takuya sat up. He turned his head left and right. Finally facing forward, his gaze met with the beady eyes of Mr. Asaji[1], the infamous tyrannical homeroom teacher of Kokugakuin High School. The stubby black-haired professor was feared by most of his students. A pair of bulky rectangular eyeglasses rested on his pointy nose. What good fortune that Takuya was placed in his class as a third-year student.

Or not.

As reality sunk in, Takuya jolted backwards in his chair with the horrible realization that he had fallen asleep during second period. Takuya frantically shuffled to pick up his fallen notebooks only to slam his head underneath his desk. A roar of laughter erupted from his peers. Mr. Asaji slammed a ruler against the whiteboard in order to get the class's attention. Regaining his balance, Takuya chuckled nervously and rested his hands behind his head. He was screwed.

"Heya buddy. Ehehe, I guess I didn't get much sleep last night. Go figure."

"That's Asaji-sensei, NOT your 'buddy!'" Mr. Asaji bellowed. "Kanbara-kun. I don't know who this 'Ikumi-san' is, but I won't tolerate such ludicrous behavior in my lecture. Sleeping in my classroom is a disgrace to this school! Go stand outside! NOW!"

Takuya clenched his fists. There was a time where his first reaction would have been to act rashly, but he took a deep breath and let the flames die within him. If there was one thing he could be sure of, it was his new-found respect for authority. The Digital World, as well as Kouji, taught him never to pick a fight he knew he couldn't win. Here and now, he was faced with one of those moments. Standing up from his seat, Takuya bowed in apology.

"I'm sorry, Asaji-sensei," Takuya answered politely. "It won't happen again. Your a great teacher; it's just that today I'm having a bit of a rough day. If you would be so kind as to let me, may I solve the next few problems on the board, please?"

Mr. Asaji flinched. In the hundreds of junior classes he painfully suffered through he was so used to dealing with rowdy miscreants who often talked back to his authority. Taken aback, Mr. Asaji cleared his throat.

"W-Well then! Kanbara-kun, carry on. Considering how your test scores are the second-highest in the class, I'll let this slide," he quickly turned away, muttering to himself. "You caught me in a good mood."

The sneering subsided. The class could only stare in shock, wide-eyed, while some of the girls in the class began swooning and giggling. The guys snorted in disgust.

"Kanbara-kun has really changed over the years, hasn't he?" a girl studying in the back commented.

"Yeah," the brunette sitting next to her piped up, whispering. "It's almost as if he's grown up somehow. He used to be such a class clown before."

She thoughtfully began drumming her fingers on her desk. "I wonder if he has a girlfriend?"

"Don't hold your breath," said one thin looking guy with spiky brown hair sitting in front of them. He snorted and turned around to meet their gazes. "Apparently he's turned down every girl that's asked him. You haven't got a chance," he clicked his tongue in annoyance. Takuya's recent popularity on the soccer team had proven to be a hindrance to him lately.

The short haired brunette rolled her eyes. "Your just jealous because he beat you out for team captain," she shrugged her shoulders. "Besides, I'm not interested. I'm just making conversation."

The first girl with the purple hair playfully nudged her male friend. "What's the matter, Daisuke? Afraid Hikari will drift away from you?"

"No way!" he roared.

Equally disgusted and red-faced, the girl named Hikari stuck out her tongue. "Geez, Miayko! I've told you a thousand times to quit saying things like that!"

She adjusted her glasses, snickering. "Sorry."

Meanwhile Takuya bowed again, taking his seat. "Thank you, sir."

Mr. Asaji continued his rant about calculus equations. As he turned away to grab some chalk for the blackboard, Takuya took the opportunity to bury his face in his textbook before he needed to get up and solve the equations. The flames inside him returned. Only this time they were not of anger but pure embarrassment.

Today was going to be a long day.

(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)

After several hours of painful lecture, the school bell echoed over the voice of Mr. Asaji. Takuya sighed in relief. With a playful grin he slung his green bag over his shoulder and made a beeline for the exit. Before he could make it to the door a hand stopped him.

"That's our captain!"

Takuya whirled around to see Ginta, a fellow teammate on the Kokugakuin High School soccer team. Back in freshman year the two boys easily made the team, and every now and then he and Takuya would exchange witty banter. His black school uniform contemplated his tooth-faced smile.

"Intimidating on the field, intimidating in the classroom. Way to go, man. You managed to freak out Asaji, the old coot. Dude, your like a fighting machine!"

"You have no idea," Takuya rolled his eyes. However, as much as he enjoyed Ginta's company, today was Saturday. Saturdays at 3:30 had become a weekly tradition for him. He didn't want to be late. Takuya was so wild with excitement that he didn't even notice himself jogging in place.

"Woah, where's the fire?" Ginta said. "You're always so quick to bail out of here on Saturdays."

He shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah. I'm meeting some friends."

"More like a special friend, if you know what I mean," Ginta snickered and slung his arm around Takuya's neck. "You dog. Got yourself a girlfriend and ya didn't even tell me."

"Come on," he teased back. "If I had one, we both know I wouldn't be able to stop thinking. And I really don't want to do that."

"I really love the person you are, Izumi."

"Y-Yeah?

Izumi.

Takuya bit his lip, recalling his dream. Lately that particular memory seemed to nag at him, and as much as he tried to dismiss it from his thoughts, the dream continued to appear in his subconscious like a wildfire. His true desire was fruitless, however. He and Izumi were good friends, nothing more, nothing less. Furiously he shook his head. He felt foolish for drifting to such a shameless place.

Takuya glanced at his cell phone. It read 3:22. He was already late.

"3:22?! The guys are going to kill me!" Takuya hollered. His feet dragged him down the hallway towards the entrance of the school. He waved a hand at Ginta. "Sorry buddy, I've got places to go, people to see! I'll hit you up later!"

Bursting through the front door the sunlight greeted Takuya. A gentle breeze swirled in the air. Before him lay a grassy field, one that seemed to stretch endlessly towards the horizon if it weren't for a fence separating the school and Takuya's neighborhood. Students of all ages surrounded the campus. Some were playing soccer, some were riding bikes, and others, specifically couples, had happily plopped themselves on the grass. Without a doubt, it was another beautiful day in April; not to hot, not too cold. Taking a deep breath, he could feel the wind coursing through his veins. Since becoming a Digimon his senses sharpened significantly.

Takuya fled down the stairs and raced past the crowds. Where he was going he didn't need a flood of noisy students crowding the place. All he needed was himself, the serenity of the afternoon, and Yoyogi Park.

And there was Kouji, Tomoki, Junpei, Kouichi, and Izumi of course.

After returning from the Digital World the group decided to exchange cell phone numbers before parting to their respective families. Takuya was shocked to learn that they were all practically neighbors: Kouji lived south of Ebisu, Kouichi in the next town over in Hiroo, Izumi in Shinjuku, Tomoki in northern Yoyogi, Junpei in Sendagaya, and himself in Hatagaya, the six main residential districts in Shibuya. All six of them were quite pleased with this, as the idea of carrying long distance relationships felt unsettling after they had bonded so much in the Digital World.

After running for about a mile or two Takuya rounded the corner and sped through the gate of Yoyogi Park. The entrance separated a forest of trees from the main road. Another exciting adventure with his second family awaited him. Takuya continued down the dirt path, making haste. The plan was to meet Kouji and the gang in the heart of the gardens by a bridge with some bubblers. The surrounding area was a nice little section cut off from the main section of the park. Consisting of grassy fields, a crystal lake, and a forest of prunus trees, it was the ultimate meeting place. Their place. Consequently it reminded him of the Forest Terminal in the digital world.

But when he rounded the corner to the clearing, his friends were nowhere to be found.

Takuya flipped his phone. 3:47. He scratched his head in confusion. If he owned 100 yen for every time he showed up late over the past six years by now he would have dropped out of school. The thought made Takuya burst out laughing.

"I crack myself up every time," he blurted aloud, basking in the glory of his own corny joke. "But seriously, it's not like the guys to be so late. I'm the first one here. I guess Izumi won't strangle me this time."

What Takuya failed to realize was that a pair of ears were listening.

"Who's strangling who now?"

He flinched. The headstrong face of Izumi surfaced from a clump of trees. Her blue and white school-cap rested atop of her long, golden waist-length hair. Today she was wearing her high school's summer uniform: a navy-blue blouse with white stripes circling the edges of the outfit's collar and sleeve cuffs. A red ribbon hung from her neck, contemplating her pleated skirt. Topping it off with a wooden basket in one arm and a cell phone in the other, Izumi's slender figure stood tall, unyielding and fiery as always.

"I'll have you know that I'm an intelligent, mature, and graceful girl," she huffed, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Not one who starts cat-fights. You ought to know me well enough by now.'"

He placed his hands behind his head and spun around in the opposite direction. "Right," he frowned. "And how many times have you head locked one of us if we didn't agree with you?"

She sighed. "I'll pretend I didn't hear that. Obnoxiousness aside," Izumi went on, "It's great to see you. I was starting to think nobody would show up."

Her playful frown quickly broke into a sweet smile. She hummed while placing her belongings on the ground.

Takuya winced. Why did girls always have to be right? She wasn't just graceful…she was...stopping himself, he quickly pinched his cheeks with both hands and grinned nervously. He needed his hormones to shut up.

Izumi gave him a puzzled look. "Takuya? What's the matter?"

"Oh, it's nothing," he lied, waving his arms frantically. "I thought I saw a bug. No big deal. Bugs fly. Nothing going on here! Just me swatting a mosquito. You know how crazy they can get this time of year."

She raised an eyebrow. "You're acting weirder than usual."

"Aw, come on...You know me, I'm as jumpy as they come! Like a kid in a candy store. Only instead of candy, it would be filled with asparagus. Lots and lots of asparagus."[2]

His weird sense of humor had gotten him out of the wackiest situations. He prayed it would save him now.

Izumi tipped her head to the side thoughtfully, bringing a finger to her cheek. "Well, when you put in that way…that's true. Anyone who likes asparagus is weird."

"Heeeey, what's that supposed to mean?" Takuya snapped.

They both laughed.

"So Izumi, how long have you been waiting here for? Isn't Junpei with you?"

"No," she shook her head. "I came alone. I've been waiting here for about a half-hour. Junpei normally walks with me when I get out of school, but he wasn't waiting in the courtyard like he usually does. I tried calling him, but he didn't answer."

"What?!" Takuya cried in shock. "Either A), Junpei's lost his mind, B), Junpei's actually lost his mind, or C), Junpei's officially lost his mind."

She placed her hands on her hips. "Very funny, Sherlock. But wouldn't he let us know?"

"Yeah," Takuya nodded, now serious. "I wonder what's going on. Kouji and Kouichi aren't here either. They're always punctual. And let's not forget that Tomoki's school is literally five minutes away. I'm starting to get a little worried."

"Me too," Izumi's face fell. "So what now?"

"Let's try calling them. I'll call Kouji. You try Junpei and Tomoki."

She nodded. "Got it."

Takuya and Izumi began furiously punching numbers into their phones with no avail. After dialing Kouji's number three times Takuya growled in frustration. He called a fourth time and added a goofy message for extra measure. Izumi texted Junpei and Tomoki, but minutes past and she received nothing. To her surprise the line went directly to Junpei's voicemail when she tried to call. Now Tomoki was their last hope.

By now Izumi was practically yelling into the receiver. "Hello? Hello?! Tomoki? Anyone?! It's Izumi! If you're there, answer me!"

No answer.

"Takuya's here too!" she added. "Pretty please?"

A few rings later and the line went dead. They both sighed. A few moments later, however, both of their phones began beeping.

"It's a message from Kouji," Takuya turned to Izumi.

"And I got one from Tomoki and Junpei!"

"'Hey. Kendo got out late. Lost track of time. Kouichi and I will be there soon'," he read aloud. "What the heck? There's no way Kouji would ever lose track of the time. This is Kouji we're talking about here."

"'Junpei-oniichan promised he'd take me out for ice cream today so we're gonna be a few minutes late. Can't wait to see you and Takuya-oniichan!'" Izumi added, slightly giggling at the implication that Tomoki saw Junpei as a big brother. Honestly, she was surprised that Junpei was an only child, because she knew he would be a great sibling if given the chance. Junpei was sweet.

She cleared her throat and continued reading. "'Sorry, Izumi-chan. I forgot to tell you I'm taking shortie here out for a treat. I'll be there soon! Wait for me!"

Takuya let out a huge sigh. Sulking towards the bottom of a cherry tree he plopped himself onto the soft grass. "Geez. Talk about bad timing. I guess we'll just have to kill time before they get here."

"Guess so."

Izumi joined him a few feet away on the grass, taking out the food utensils and picnic blanket she packed. For several minutes the two of them remained silent, taking in the beauty of the peaceful spring afternoon. Izumi closed her eyes as the wind blanketed her skin. "Bellissimo," she thought. Fondly she remembered trailing the same type of sky as Fairymon. With the soft sunlight and the cherry blossoms in full bloom, petals dancing in the wind, the park would definitely be her ideal spot if she was on a date.

She glanced at Takuya. For a moment his eyes were closed and he was leaning against the tree. As she watched his chest gently rise and fall her cheeks began flaring up violently. Immediately she recalled the time in the Digital World when she'd promised to take Takuya and Kouji on an all-day-date if they defeated Cherubimon. Of course at the time she was joking. She knew the guys weren't taking her seriously after Bokomon had offered to knit them a matching belt.

Deep down she was partially joking, but secretly she admired Takuya's burning passion. Which also reminded her of when the two of them were alone in Ofanimon's library. She refused to forget the comment he made and how stupid she felt afterwards. As much as she tried to bury the memory in her consciousness it still continued to bubble to the surface over the years. The fact that she never offered an answer to his question still bothered her for some reason. It was foolish, really. Here she was, agonizing over a conversation that he'd probably long forgotten by now. Here she was, the girl who swore to her younger self that she would never let her guard down for anyone.

But she had fallen high from the sky. Now at seventeen her feelings were past the point of no return. The truth of the matter had come to light.

She was a girl in love and she wanted to give him an answer.

Her eyes widened as she took notice of her current surroundings. The two of them were alone, an instance that rarely happened since the Digital World. A stronger current of air hugged her body, as if to say now was the right time.

Izumi took a deep breath.

"T-Takuya?"

He yawned and stretched his arms before rubbing his eyes and turning to face her.

"Yeah?"

Meeting his gaze Izumi turned away, still flushed. The innocence in his expression was making her heart pound.

She began fiddling with a ruffle in her skirt. "Um, there's something I wanted to talk to you about."

"Sure," he replied. "Is everything okay?"

"But of course!" she retorted. "I'm fine."

"Well that's a relief. You looked so serious for a minute there."

"That's because I am serious," she fidgeted.

Takuya blinked, confused. He could only stare dumbly as he observed her tender expression. Safe to say he rarely noticed a more vulnerable side of Izumi. He took notice of her eyes which seemed to be lit up a little brighter than usual. A chill crept up his spine as she inched a little closer to him. Before letting his mind wander, he dug his nails into his side and repositioned himself. Her gentle femininity was sucking him in and he wouldn't have it.

"What do you mean?" he leaned backwards.

"It's...about something you said."

He gulped. "Something I said?"

"Yeah," she murmured.

He breathed a sigh of relief, resting an arm against the tree. "Oh. You mean the comment about you strangling people. I'm sorry if that offended you. I was just joking."

Izumi shook her head. "That's not it."

"Huh?"

Izumi turned away. She started playing with a loop of her hair, a habit Takuya noticed Izumi always did when she felt uncomfortable. He still wasn't following.

"It was a long time ago. When we were in the Digital World."

Leaning his back against the tree, Takuya rested his arms behind his head. He shut his eyes for a moment to clear his thoughts. "The digital world, huh? Well knowing me, I wouldn't shut up about anything. I was practically the definition of a walking chatterbox."

"Right," Izumi giggled softly, appreciative of how easily Takuya could lighten the mood.

She took another deep breath, the heat rising to her ears.

"What I'm trying to say is…um...what I'm getting at…I..."

"Izumi, you can tell me anything," he interjected, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "We've been through so much together. If something is ever bothering you, no matter how crazy it is, just tell me. I would never think less of you."

"You mean that?" she hesitated.

He grinned. "Duh."

"Seriously?"

He smiled warmly. "Of course."

Izumi nodded before her head dropped to the ground.

"Well...Takuya...I wanted to say that I-"

"Grooooooooowl."

Izumi flinched at the sound of Takuya's stomach.

Takuya chuckled nervously. He recalled oversleeping earlier in the day and skipping breakfast. If there was anything he knew he sucked at it was getting up in the mornings. With nothing but a bread roll to munch on at lunchtime he felt starved, especially since his high school didn't serve lunch. Unbeknownst to him, Izumi was clenching her teeth. Her cheeks, once hot in embarrassment, were now burning with rage. Some aspects about Takuya hadn't changed at all.

"Hah, sorry about that! I kind of overslept this morning…say, do you mind if we eat a little early? I know you had prepared lunch for when everyone got here, but…well, I don't know if I can wait much longer," he paused. "Oh, by the way, what were you trying to say?"

"…idiot."

Takuya leaned closer. "What? I didn't catch that."

"IDIOT!" Izumi roared.

Takuya remained stunned by the sudden outburst. Before he had time to react she shoved the basket in his face and began stomping furiously towards the bridge. The force of the impact left a bright, red mark.

"What was that for?!" he demanded, leaping up and following after.

Izumi glared back. Her shoulders were raised and her hands were clenched into wide fists. "I'll tell you what! Takuya, you're nothing more than a clueless, idiotic, immature little kid! I HATE you! To think I almost told you that I…UGH! Never mind!" she turned his back to him.

"What is your problem? I could say the same thing about you! For a girl who boasts about being all mature, who starts spazzing when a friend asks you for a favor? You're crazy!"

"I'm CRAZY?" she spat. "I'm not so crazy where I would fall asleep or start babbling on about food in the middle of a serious confession! But wait, I almost forgot. You don't even know what that means, do you?"

He furrowed his brow. "Confess? What the heck are you talking about? You're the one who said you wanted to tell me something in the first place!"

"Yeah. I just did," she snapped.

"So this is what you were trying so hard to say, huh? That I'm a stupid kid? For no good reason? Anything else you want me to know?!"

"Just eat your stupid lunch and don't talk to me!"

"Fine!"

"Fine."

"I'm going home," she added in a huff. "Tell the others I'm busy when they arrive. And Takuya? Don't talk to me until you've matured a few years!"

Teeth bared, Izumi stomped across the bridge leading towards the park's exit. She shoved through the crowds of tourists fawning over the lake and made her way to a secluded area with a few benches and some vending machines. Centered in the marble walkway were a pair of geysers. Children were running back and forth, splashing their way through the hot afternoon. Izumi plopped herself on a bench. Still flustered, she began fiddling with a strand of her hair. Part of her envied the innocent youths for being able to be so carefree all the time. Life had been so easy at that age. She missed running through the grassy plains of Tuscany, Italy. Playing in her father's lush gardens. Helping her mother in the kitchen. Walking down the streets with her girlfriends with a handful of Gelato.

Sooner or later everyone had to grow up. Time had changed her, and while she still enjoyed similar pastimes in Japan with family and friends, her mind had begun to wander past that carefree zone. The plague called boys had hit her like a ton of bricks. When she was ten or so she recalled having a conversation with a group of girls in Italy about how stupid and immature they were, and how each of them vowed never to associate with them as long as they lived. Yet the irony of it all was that many of her new friends in Japan were exactly the opposite; they lived, breathed, and obsessed about them, all the time. Her closest friend Juri-chan liked to show her magazines with tons of 'hot' male celebrities, when, in fact, she already had a boyfriend, Takato-kun[5]. Her classmate Rika-chan always flirted with boys from other high schools.

Call her old school but none of those fantasies interested Izumi. Sure, like any girl she did love to dress up and accessorize, but it needed to be for the right person. One person.

Takuya.

Izumi clenched her fists. Takuya's naivete felt painful to endure. While not intentional, his clueless attitude stung. How many guys had she turned down over the past six years for the small chance of getting to tell him how she felt? How many hours had she spent on her appearance on Saturdays and Sundays in the mornings, just to see if he would catch a glimpse of her at the end? It felt so aggravating. It seemed Takuya's heart remained untouchable. He was just too innocent to understand the romantic feelings she bore, or any girl for that matter.

Izumi could feel her eyes burning. A hot tear began to roll down her cheek. She quickly wiped it off and stood up, her mouth forming in a thin, hard, line. She refused to be swayed by such wavering emotions. She was strong. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed her purse and pivoted towards the vending machines. A nice drink would lift her spirits. She slid a 500 yen coin in the money slot and waited.

Moments later, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Look, Takuya," she snapped in disgust, "whatever you have to say, I don't want to hear it-"

Izumi gasped.

(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)

Meanwhile, Takuya continued to sulk at the original meeting place. The picnic basket Izumi flung at him rested against a tree with her other belongings. For a moment he crouched by the lake. As the water began to mirror his reflection, he scowled. Disgusted by his appearance he splashed some water in his face. The cool liquid only seemed to agitate the burn further, but nonetheless it felt refreshing.

His brain had been wracking for some time, unable to process the cause behind Izumi's negativity. As far as he was concerned hunger wasn't a crime. However, the neatly packed bento lunch she prepared remained untouched. He felt too upset to eat at this point. Words from the argument continued to float in his mind.

"Takuya, you're nothing more than a clueless, idiotic, immature little kid! I HATE you!"

More than anything he felt extremely pained by those words. Could she not see how much his desire for her burned? Though rash, Izumi was extremely sincere, one of the things he loved about her the most. It made sense that the spirit of Fairymon, warrior of wind, had chosen her as her partner. Izumi mirrored the breeze in every way…she was gentle, elegant, and graceful. Her will was strong and unyielding. Her kindness and uniqueness was present in her face, mind, and voice. His heart fell slave to his emotions whenever she examined him. He could no longer look at her in the eye without babbling incessantly.

Suddenly he felt like a fool. All this time he had been mocking Junpei for openly displaying his affections, while it was him who lacked the balls to say anything to her. He couldn't lie that at first he denied seeing her in as a woman (after all, they were only eleven), but several years after he left the Digital World it was clear that such feelings had been there all along.

Takuya crossed his hands in his arms. Though he still couldn't understand what exactly set Izumi off, nonetheless he wanted to apologize immediately. He cared about her opinion too much. Before she got too far ahead of him he had to think. He cleared his throat.

"Izumi, I'm sorry. Will you forgive me?" he thought aloud.

Takuya shook his head. Too informal.

"Izumi…it would be stupid of me not to forgive you. Same goes for you. I'll forgive you if you forgive me."

With frustration he buried his face in his hands. Way too rude.

"Look, Izumi, I don't know what happened earlier, but if I did anything to upset you, I'm really sorry. More than sorry. I don't want anything going on between us because I really care about you…A lot. I've always respected you…and I…I..." he trailed off.

Takuya growled in frustration. Why did he have to be so bad with words? There was no way he could say such a thing to her. He might as well as try to come across as a stalker or a pervert if that was what he was going for, which he wasn't. He sighed.

"LET GO OF ME OR YOU'LL BE SORRY! LET GO!"

Takuya gasped, whirling in the direction of the sound. His stomach leaped to his throat as he recognized the voice.

Izumi's voice.

(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)

Izumi flinched.

"Hey, babe. Couldn't help but notice you walking around."

"You look like you're a little lost," a second voice chimed in.

Two boys who appeared to be a couple of years older than Izumi had surrounded her on all sides. Both wore matching black school uniforms and pants with white collars. The first wore glasses and his breath reeked of booze. His rounded face complimented his large, bulky figure. His partner, though clean, had a scrawny body and thin, long legs. His mess of wavy black hair clearly differentiated him from his blonde companion.

Izumi grit her teeth. She was pinned against the front of the vending machine. Her eyes darting in all directions, she noticed the area had cleared out. The children playing under the fountains, as well as their adult chaperones, were gone. She glared at the two men and clenched her fists.

The blonde took a step towards her, reaching for her shoulder. "How about it then? Come and spend some time with us."

Izumi remained silent. She slapped his hand away and stuck her nose in the air. If she played it cool perhaps the creep would let her walk away and that would be the end of it. Unfortunately she had no such luck. As Izumi tried to push through an arm slammed against the vending machine, blocking her path. The second man proved to be just as aggressive as the first. Sweat began to cultivate in her hands. She leaned against the soda machine, the cool metal making contact with her skin. Now she had nowhere to run.

"What's the deal? You shy?" The black-haired guy inched closer to her face. Hot, repulsive breath flooded her nostrils. Disgusted by the stench she turned away. The situation was becoming out of hand. She prayed to god Kouji, Kouichi, Junpei, or Tomoki would pass by and recognize her. But the four boys were nowhere in sight. She had to act fast.

"Woah dude, check her out," he motioned to his partner. "She looks confused," he cooed, placing a finger on her chin. The both of them snickered loudly. "Is this your first time? Don't worry…we'll go…slow."

With a swift kick Izumi thrusted forward and jabbed him between the legs. As he roared in pain and tried fruitlessly to grab her she leaped backwards. Readying a fist in one arm she aimed for the first guy's face only to be stopped by a rough hand. She attempted to shove him away but the grip around her arm felt as strong as iron.

"Y-You...You bitch," the second man coughed, staggering to his feet. He wiped the saliva dribbling down from his mouth. "Your awfully feisty, aren't you? Hehehe. I guess I like that in a girl. What about you, Kenshi?"

"Of course, Satou," Kenshi licked his lips. "The more they struggle, the sexier they are."

"Don't worry, girlie," the man named Satou grinned. "We're going to have a good time with you."

"No! Let go! Let go of me! Someone-"

Izumi's cry became muffled as a hand covered her mouth. She squirmed and struggled with no avail as the two men began dragging her towards a secluded area. Panicked, she quickly took note of the setting sun on the horizon. Most of the general public were clearing out by now. Without help there was no way she could get away from her pursuers.

Izumi began to lose hope as they tugged her closer into the woods. Was it all going to end like this? Her purity robbed by a couple of thugs? She was so stupid. She should have just stayed with Takuya, finished the three words she wanted so desperately to convey…but, once again, as time had proven many times, her pride had been her downfall. As soon as the men were finished with her she would be changed for the rest of her life.

Izumi felt her knees knocking. By now the two men had pushed her against a tree. Her whole body was shaking. The first man, Kenshi, began to close in. He reached for the zipper on the back of her skirt.

"NO!" she screamed.

(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)

Takuya brought his hands to his mouth. "Izumi? Is that you? Where are you? Izumi?!"

In a wild frenzy Takuya continued to race through various sections of the park, calling out Izumi's name and wandering aimlessly through the crowds of various pedestrians. Much to his frustration his search had uncovered nothing. It irked him because he felt sure that he recognized the summons. Stupidly he cursed himself for his terrible sense of direction.

If he remembered correctly he last saw her crossing the bridge, and from there it was all a blur. He grunted in agony. If this were the Digital World he could transform into Aldamon and fly around to get a better view, but on earth he was just Takuya. He raced past a group of little kids that emerged from a clearing to his right. Whipping his head to the side he scanned the area only to find nothing. Angered, he punched his fist against a nearby tree trunk. He was beginning to lose his mind.

"N-No...please...don't! Stop it! NO!"

Takuya winced. Perhaps he was getting closer after all. Picking up speed he dodged around a horde of families to a hidden clearing with some geysers. Suddenly, Takuya gasped. Two men, and the sobbing face of Izumi, could be seen in the far back towards a cluster of trees. The duo had her pinned to a tree and she was completely at their mercy.

Takuya dashed forward. "Hey! What are you doing? Let Izumi go!"

The two schoolboys whirled around. Immediately they loosened their grip on Izumi's neck and arms, causing her to tumble to the ground with a cry. She chocked and sputtered for air.

Satou grinned in amusement. "Well well well, look at what we have here. This whiny chick has got herself a little hero."

"Heh heh heh," Kenshi snorted, bringing his hands to his sides. "What are you? In grade school?"

Takuya stepped forward, arms clenched. "Did you hear what I said? Let her go," he replied icily.

"Pft. And why should I?"

Trembling and disoriented, Izumi remained sprawled on the grass. Gingerly she lifted her head up. Takuya's heart palpated as he observed her look of pure terror. Her shoulders were slumped and her arms were curled around her chest. Bits and pieces of her uniform had been torn off, exposing her shoulders and her parts of her stomach. Her skirt had been loosened and her hair was frizzy. No words could describe the sudden burst of shock, fear, anger and love bubbling through his heart.

And then a wave of pure rage washed over him.

"Y-You..." his eyes bulged. "What have you done to her?!"

Satou raised his arms behind his head. "Hey, we didn't do nothin.' Nothin' that you should be concerned about, anyway."

"We were just playing around, you know what I mean?" Kenshi cackled. "That's what it's all about, am I right?"

"Shut UP!" he bellowed, offering Kenshi a rough blow on the nose. As he staggered backwards and slammed into the concrete Satou sprung forward. He awkwardly thrust his fist towards Takuya's face, but he swiftly dodged to the right. Feet planted firmly on the ground, Takuya dropped his fist before propelling his other hand into Satou's stomach. Sputtering and gasping for air, there was no time to react as Takuya extended another quick jab to his face. Satou hobbled to the left and retaliated by grabbing Takuya's chest, pushing him forward, while Takuya pounded his fists onto Satou's back. The force of the blow sent him flying a few feet away from Kenshi. Not as athletic as his companion he remained paralyzed from Takuya's previous attack.

But Takuya could show no mercy. He was out for blood. With a cry of rage he began furiously kicking at the ground, aiming for Kenshi's chest. He hobbled backwards and clumsily dodged left and right for a few minutes until Takuya's foot made contact, sending him flying into Satou. Even combined the two of them were no match for Takuya's athletic prowess and experience fighting in the digital world.

Kenshi, mouth agape, slowly brought himself to his feet. "S-Satou…this guy's crazy…Satou?"

Satou's whole body was trembling. His face, paler than a ghost, whimpered in panic. The guy before him couldn't have been human. Though he owned the appearance of a normal teenager, his body radiated an air of strange toughness. His eyes looked like haunting black slits. His breathing sounded coarse. As Satou scrutinized the boy's rough expression, he could have sworn he was starting into the eyes of a beast: one with a foot of golden hair, strange white markings, two devilish horns, and the teeth of a shark. The frightening silhouette of a monster flashed in his mind.

Takuya took a step forward. "You bastards! Don't you ever touch her again!" he screamed. "Izumi is my girl!"

"G-Go ahead…t-take her…I'm getting out of here!"

Satou leaped to his feet and ran screaming in the other direction, Kenshi stumbling not too far behind. With his heart racing a mile a minute Takuya flung himself to the ground next to Izumi.

"Izumi, are you alright?!" he examined her carefully, holding out a hand. He quickly brought it back after sensing her fear. "What happened?"

Still paralyzed and trembling from the onslaught, Izumi couldn't bring herself to speak. She merely shook her head back and forth as he watched her intently.

"Are you sure your alright?" he repeated. "Did they get you anywhere?

She remained silent as he quickly began unbuttoning his shirt. He tore it off and swiftly brought it around her shoulders. The warmth of the black cloth helped her to relax her arms and back a little. She continued to stare at him, wide-eyed.

"Here. Wear this," he said sternly, buttoning it closed. Without warning he slung his arm around her shoulders and back and propped her to her feet. The two of them began walking towards the direction they'd came.

"Come on. Let's get out of here. I'll take you to the others. They must be here by now. Okay?"

Takuya paused for a moment before pressing on. "You're going to be okay, I promise," he lowered his voice into a soft whisper. "I've got you."

A quiet "Okay," was all she could muster.

Takuya and Izumi walked in silence for several minutes while slowly making their way back to the campsite. The silence between them would have felt more awkward to him if it weren't for the fact he was so worried about her safety. Several times she stopped for a moment to catch her breath, a glazed and confused look in her eyes, before stuttering softly for them to push on. The shock of the situation continued to paralyze her, but she refused to admit weakness to him. Eventually her tiredness gave way and she nearly collapsed to the ground. By then Takuya had scooped her up in his arms and allowed her to lean against his back. With this gesture she felt her guard steadily being lowered, the anxiety and pressure slowly ebbing away from her muscles. His kindness and protective nature eased her spirits immensely. With a soft sigh she buried her head into his neck, smiling slightly and closing her eyes. The warmth of his bare back against her body felt extremely comforting.

Before she knew it the two of them had returned to their original meeting place. Takuya was shocked to find the space as empty as they had left it. Kouji, Junpei, Tomoki, and Kouichi were still nowhere to be found. Takuya exhaled outwardly and carefully approached the tree with the picnic blanket laying underneath. After gently helping Izumi to the ground he leaned forwards in attempt to meet her timid gaze. She hadn't said anything in some time and he was growing quite worried.

"Are you..."

Without warning Izumi sprang forward and flung herself into his chest. Takuya flinched as her body made contact. The sudden realization of her sprawled onto his lap was making him feel fluttery and dizzy. At first he hesitated to move, his arms hanging on his sides like meat puppets, but seeing Izumi shivering broke him out of the spell of the moment. She was petrified. His expression hardened protectively and he wrapped his arms around her back.

"Takuya…I was so scared…so scared!" Izumi cried, bawling her eyes out. Holding everything in had taken an enormous amount of willpower and energy. She knew she was failing miserably at keeping up her strong front, but a part of her no longer cared. Takuya had come for her. His body and soul were so warm, like the heat from a flame. In his presence she no longer felt guarded but safe and protected.

"It's okay, Izumi," he pulled her closer. "Everything's fine. You're safe now."

"Y-Yeah?" she whimpered.

"Yeah."

He held her defensively until she began to fidget.

"Um, Takuya?"

"Yeah?"

"You can let go now," Izumi mumbled, her face a light shade of pink.

A cold chill crept up Takuya's spine. "Oh, uh, sorry," he muttered.

Frantically he loosened his grip and dropped his head. Izumi took note that the back of his ears were beet red. She blushed, peering down at the uniform he'd given her to wear. The black clothes were a size too big for her, but nonetheless felt comfortable. It suddenly dawned on her that he had been walking through the park and carrying her without a shirt.

Quickly she wiped away a loose tear. "Takuya...Thank you. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't been there. So...well...thanks."

"Forget about it," he mumbled.

She cleared her throat, fiddling with the buttons. "And Takuya?"

"Y-Yeah?" he gulped. Her gentle femininity was making him uncomfortable.

"When you were fighting those guys...you said...that I was yours...um..."

Takuya stiffened in horror. Immediately he raised his head and offered Izumi a casual frown.

He gently flicked her forehead. "Stupid. I only said that to get those guys away from you," he rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean."

Izumi looked at him carefully for a moment, then relaxed her shoulders. She smiled ever so slightly. "Funny. You said something similar to me a long time ago."

She paused. "Hey, remember when I said to come talk to me after a you've matured a couple years?"

"Oh yeah. Look, about that. I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"Well," she turned from his gaze, "it would seem that I was mistaken. You look like you could be two…no, four, years older."

"So I'm an old fart now?" he sighed.

"N-No!" Izumi wailed. Boys were so clueless. "All I'm trying to say is that…I'm sorry. Considering how long I've known you, I was way out of line. Friends?"

"Friends," Takuya nodded, relieved.

She took a deep breath, the heat to her cheeks rising.

"But here's the thing...I think there's more."

He cocked his head. "There's more?"

"Yeah. It's about earlier. I was trying to tell you something…and it didn't come out the way I wanted it to."

Izumi rested her hands on her lap. "Hey, do you remember when we were battling the Royal Knights at Ofanimon's castle? How all of us were up all night trying to find the last piece of Digicode?"

"Yeah, of course. Why do you ask?"

"Well...There was a point in time where you and I split off from everyone else. I doubt you would remember," the pep in her voice had dropped considerably. "When you and I were alone, you said something to me that really bothered me. It's something I could never really forget, even after all these years."

His eyes widened. Internally he wanted to kill himself, heavily anticipating a firestorm of negative emotions. Despite acting otherwise he knew immediately where she was going with this. How or why she chose to recall the instance remained a mystery.

"You said you 'really loved the person I am...' Did you really mean that?"

Takuya's head whipped to the side for a second, trying to maintain composure. "Well of course I did," he said awkwardly before meeting her gaze once more. "You and I are friends, aren't we?"

For a moment he thought he caught a look of defeat flicker in her eyes, but they flared delicately just as soon as he blinked. "That's just it. What if I told you there was more? What If I wanted to say that I 'really love the person you are,' too?"

Before he could say something stupid he clamped his mouth shut, waiting for her response with baited breath. His stomach threatened to leap out of his chest as Izumi intertwined their hands together. There was no way she was going to where he thought she was going. There was just no way.

"During our battle with Cherubimon, I made you a promise," she hurried on. She was speaking much louder now. "I promised," she paused, cheeks flushed, "that if you won that battle, I would take you on a date!"[6]

Izumi squeezed his palms harder, lowering her head. "So! Um! What I'm trying to say…what I'm trying to get at…well…Takuya!" she shuffled anxiously. "I really, really love the person you are! Your the one I care about the most...so...so..."

She met his gaze. "I think we...I mean, if you want to, that is...I want to go on a date. Just the two of us!"

Izumi clamped her eyes shut and waited for an answer, her heart thumping faster than a bomb ready to explode. She had never felt more exposed in her life, and his lack of an immediate response was crushing her spirit immensely. Why did he refuse conversation for so long? Was he as angry at her as she feared? Immediately she bowed her head and attempted to make an escape.

"I'm sorry! Forget I said anything!" she cried, ready to leap to her feet, but a hand on her arm stopped her. She gasped.

"Izumi…Really?" Takuya finally mustered up the courage to speak, a strange look of shock and relief washing over his face.

Izumi nodded. "Mm."

Takuya pointed to himself dumbly. "M-Me?"

She scrunched her shoulders and raised her voice to a yell. "Don't make me say it again!"

A gust of wind picked up.

"Hey, Izumi. It doesn't look like anyone's around. The guys still haven't shown up yet."

Izumi sighed. "N-No? I guess hadn't noticed."

"We're alone..." Takuya trailed off.

"Y-Yeah."

A burst of joy swelling in his heart, suddenly he felt very full. Finally he could be free of the doubts, fears, disappointments, and regrets that had plagued him for so many years. Now, fully knowing the truth, there was no need to hesitate any longer. Without a second thought he inched closer to Izumi, the shock of his forwardness pushing her against the tree. He brought one arm to rest on the trunk while the other reached for her face.

Her entire face had blown up like a tomato. "Hey! W-What is it?"

"There's a leaf in your hair," he commented, carefully brushing it away.

Izumi shivered as his fingers gently made contact. She was so absorbed in her inner ramblings that it took her a moment to realize that Takuya was now inches away from her face. Hesitantly she cracked her eyelids open, only to meet his tender expression. His lips were drawn in a hard, serious line.

"Izumi. Let's get out of here and go somewhere. Anywhere you want."

"B-But what about the others?" she sputtered. "They'll be waiting for us! We can't just leave!"

He frowned. "Why not? They'll get over it."

"What's come over you?" her shoulders slumped. "I just spent the past five minutes pouring my guts out to you and that's all you have to say?! 'Let's go somewhere?'"

"Isn't that what you just said you wanted?" he responded a little more forcefully. "For the two of us to be alone?"

"Y-Yeah, I did said that," the color returned on her cheeks. "But it sounds like you don't really want to, so..."

"Of course I do!" Takuya was practically shouting now. "Don't you get it? There's no girl that could ever compare to you! One look is enough to make a guy go crazy! I can't take it anymore!"

He inched closer, blushing deeply. "I love you, okay? I always have and I always will!"

"Takuya..." Izumi gasped.

Gently he cupped a hand under her cheek. "Believe me. It's the truth. As long as I'm here, I'll always protect you. Don't ever forget that."

His resolve strengthened, he pressed on. "Izumi. Please be my girlfriend."

"I-I..."

Instinctively Takuya pressed his lips against hers. She flinched at the sudden gesture, overcome with a strong desire to push away his forwardness, but quickly those thoughts faded as soon as they came. Deep inside Izumi was accompanied by a warm feeling, starting at her toes and spreading up into her cheeks. Takuya's kindness made her feel like she was melting. The sweet gesture was nothing short of perfect. For a few moments the two of them merely sat there, simply enjoying each other's presence and the kiss of the wind. A jet of water exploded from the geysers surrounding them.

Suddenly, a loud crashing sound caught their attention. The two of them pulled away and spun around to find Kouji, Junpei, Tomoki, and Kouichi approaching from the distance, wide-eyed. Groceries once held by Junpei had been scattered everywhere. Seeing their two friends sitting in such close proximity had startled them immensely. Tomoki, completely unaware of the situation, only tipped his head to the side, happily licking his chocolate ice cream cone. Remnants of his child-like innocence still remained after many years.

Junpei, on the other hand, could not, would not believe what he had witnessed. He could only wish his eyes had been playing tricks on him. The others had witnessed it too, right? Saddened, he began to sniffle, slumping his shoulders in defeat. Deep down he knew this day was coming, but he'd hoped it could have waited a bit longer. Yelping in embarrassment Izumi slapped Takuya away with a swift motion.

"I-I-I-zu-mi-ch-chan…" Junpei gaped in horror, dropping his half eaten ice cream sandwich. "Y-You...Why are you two dressed like that?"

"I-It's not what you think!" she sputtered, her entire face blowing up in the shape of a red balloon. "Takuya was just helping me out with something! I swear!"

Tomoki turned to face Kouichi, cupping his hand over his mouth. "I don't get it. Helping her with what?"

Kouichi exhaled deeply and patted him on the shoulder. "Trust me, kid, you don't want to know."

"Ow," Takuya croaked, dizzy and confused. "What was that for?"

"I should be asking the same question about you, you jerk," Kouji pushed forward and snatched Takuya's arm, yanking him to his feet. He inched closer to his face and held up a fist. "You've got a lot of nerve messing around like that. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't deck your ugly face."

"K-Kouji, it's okay!" Izumi held up her arm defensively. "Really! Like I was saying, on my way over here, a couple of guys attacked me. My clothes kind of got a little torn," her lip curled up embarrassingly. "Takuya was nice enough to let me borrow his shirt. B-But that's all!" her voice raised an octave. "Nothing else happened! R-Right, Takuya?" she nervously turned to face him.

His eyes trailed to her and he dropped his head. "R-Right."

"Oh. Well that's a relief," Kouichi scratched his forehead. "I automatically assumed otherwise. Are you going to be alright, Izumi-san?"

"Y-Yeah," she blushed. "I'm fine now. I don't think they'll be coming back after what happened."

Looking at this opportunity to change the subject, Takuya raised his fist proudly in the air. "That's right! I gave 'em a good thrashing! No one can stand up to me and get away with it!"

"So you beat them up, Takuya-oniichan?" Tomoki piped up excitedly. "Awesome! I would have liked to have seen that!"

He paused. "Now that you mention it, your face is kind of red. That must have been some fight."

"Y-Yeah. What can I say? Ehehehehe."

Kouji looked at Takuya for a moment with a hardened expression, then he sighed. "Really? Is that all? Well, okay then."

Junpei turned to the others, teary-eyed, then to Kouji. "K-Kouji?! Kouichi? Wait! You saw them, didn't you?"

"Saw what?" Kouichi asked.

"I didn't see anything," Tomoki shrugged his shoulders.

"If they say nothing happened, nothing happened," Kouji refused to meet their gazes. "That's all there is to it."

Kouji loosened his grip on Takuya and turned to walk away before lowering his voice to a whisper.

"The others may be clueless, but don't think I don't know what's going on," he said matter-of-factually. "You better know what the hell your doing."

He smirked, a small smile creeping up. "I have to say, I'm impressed. I didn't think you had it in you."

"Your lucky I don't pummel you right about now," Takuya replied curtly, frowning.

"I could say the same. I suppose you'll have to fill me in later, won't you?"

Kouji paced over to Junpei and slung an arm over his shoulders. His face remained cold and expressionless. "Junpei. I'm thirsty. You know your way around here. Show me where the vending machines are."

"B-B-But-"

"I insist," he yanked him by the arm and began dragging him in the opposite direction. "Kouichi. Tomoki. Let's go. You can help me carry all the drinks back. I'm sure Takuya and Izumi have had enough excitement for one day."

For a split second Kouji held a hand behind his back. Snickering, he grinned at Takuya a little too nicely for his liking. Takuya could only bit his tongue and growl in disgust.

"Okay!" Tomoki smiled gaily. He finished off his ice cream and began running after them.

Kouichi followed. "K-Kouji, wait!"

As soon as the four of them left the couple sighed.

"That Kouji sure knows how to get under a guy's skin," Takuya rolled his eyes and dropped his arms. "I'm wiped out."

Izumi giggled. "Yeah. That's Kouji for you."

Takuya and Izumi briefly looked at each other before quickly turning away.

"S-So. Uh. Yeah," he mumbled, his cheeks a light shade of pink. He ran a hand through his hair and shuffled awkwardly. "S-Sorry about before. I didn't mean to scare you. I guess I just couldn't help it."

Dazed, Izumi brought a hand to her lips. She certainly hadn't expected things to move as fast as they did. But even she couldn't deny that she felt very elated at the exchange.

"It's fine," she mumbled. "Your...fine."

She fidgeted in her seat for a moment before standing up and walking next to him. "My answer is yes, by the way."

He offered her a bright smile. "I'm glad."

Author's Notes:

[1] A reference to Mrs. Asaji from Digimon Tamers, the third season of Digimon. Remember Nami, Takato's bitchy 5th grade teacher in the beginning of the series? Haha, well this is what I imagined 'Mr.' Asaji to be! I pity the children of the Digimon universe who are in Nami's class.

[2] In Frontier's english dub of episode 6, A Molehill Out of a Mountain, when eating the cabbage-shaped food offered by the KaratsukiNumemon, Takuya makes a pun that his cabbage tastes like asparagus. The group responds in disgust but he says he loves the taste of asparagus. Consequently, in episode 7, Island of Misfit Boys, Takuya makes a reference to a candy store.

[3] 'Bento' is a boxed lunch made in Japan, packaged in a rectangular shaped container. A typical bento contains rice, fish, meat, and a variety of cooked vegetables, all in one serving. It is common among high-schoolers because most public high schools in Japan do not serve lunch.

[4] In both Frontier's original Japanese and English dub of episode 2, Takuya and Izumi (Zoe) are searching for Junpei (J.P.) and Tomoki (Tommy) after being separated. Izumi finds Tomoki's Digivice laying on the ground, only to fall into a hole and instinctively pull Takuya down with her by grabbing his neck. Takuya breaks her fall. The shock of the landing prompts her to blurt out how thankful she is to be alive, yet she slaps Takuya and calls him a pervert for clinging onto her when it was her who did so in the first place. Ah, our young pair's first lovers' quarrel.

[5] A reference to Takato and Juri (Jerry in the english dub), two of the several main protagonists from Digimon Tamers. As much as I disliked Juri, honestly it's only a matter of time before the two smitten teenagers hook up...The both of them were clearly crushin' on each other from the beginning.

[6] In both Frontier's original Japanese and English dub of episode 37, Takuya and Kouji say their goodbyes to their friends before facing Cherubimon, the first main villain of the series, for the last time. The DigiDestined begin to joke about on how they'll each reward the two of them for coming back victorious: Junpei, Kouichi, and Patamon promises to throw them a party, Bokomon vows he will sew them identical belts, Tomoki offers to give them a big kiss, and Izumi promises she'll take each of them out separately on an all-day date back in Japan. Best part is later in that episode, when Takuya is suddenly knocked unconscious by the enemy, he has a dream he is on that date!

Aaaaaaaaaa I know the ending seemed rather rushed, but I hoped you enjoyed the oneshot! I also recommend checking out the english subtitled scene of Takuya and Izumi in Ofanimon's Library - the scene is rather touching in the Japanese version and the beautiful OST adds to the mood! A shame that it was cut from the english dub, as much as I love the voices for the characters. My lay of the line: voice acting better in english dub, story execution slightly better in the Japanese dub. Anyway that's enough rambling.

Review and shoot me your thoughts.

Thanks to Charlie for inspiring me to write, create, and learn.

~Moonlight