Chapter One - In the Sunlight
If anyone should have been called for a mission, Izumi was somewhat certain that it should not have been her. She was not weak, her standing here was proof of that. She was friendly, yes and straightforward. But her endurance is not the best, and she's never been alone in the Digital World for very long.
Even so, Izumi followed her cell phone's instructions for the second time. She moved to the old elevators. No one else was in the crowd with her, and no one met her at the elevator doors either. in fact, people were walking right by without a single word. So it was easy to assume that she was on her own here.
Izumi swallowed and pressed the button. It took a few moments but the door opened to her. As soon as she stepped in however, the air flickered.
In the years following her adventure, she had never stopped listening to the way the wind blew, both literally and metaphorically. So, she paused, slowly and lifted her head. Izumi closed her eyes and let the world wash around her. The doors closed and before she could even press a button, she was falling. The car fell like a rope cut from its gears and Izumi stumbled, her frayed purple cap floating to the floor. Yet, for whatever reason, she felt no fear. There was only a strange sensation of welcome deep in her chest. It thudded alongside her heart.
With a soft thud that went against their descent, the sensation faded. Izumi opened her eyes and a small box was there that wasn't before.
The elevator doors opened as she picked it up. A girl stood there, blonde locks loosely tied into a braid. She regarded Izumi with a cool smile and an easy stare.
"Orimoto Izumi, yes?"
Izumi nodded slowly. "Yes and you are?"
The girl dipped her head in an impression of a bow. "I am a representative of the Three Great Angels. You may call me Isaiah." She made a vague gesture with one pale hand to the blue Trailmon. "Please. If you are choosing to accept this mission, follow me onto the train. I will explain everything as we ride."
Normally, Izumi would refuse and beg the explanation here and now. After all, when teachers pulled things like this, it led to nothing but trouble. However, this was the Digital World. It had a habit of not telling simply because it could not or didn't know. Which, though frustrating, couldn't be helped. So, she swallowed her questions and carried the small box onto the train.
"Izumi-chan," the train called from down the tunnel, echoing with delight. "It's been a while!"
Izumi's lips stretched into a grin. "Worm!" she patted his door. "I missed you!"
"I know!"
Izumi wanted to run forward, rub his side, chatter for a little longer. However, Isaiah's eyes were resting in her. They didn't seem to be judging, but the intensity of them made her want to go forward. For a moment, Izumi felt a twinge of irritation. Then, it passed and she went into the familiar train compartment. The seat was comfortable against her back. Isaiah took a seat opposite her. Her fingers played with the ribbons of her skirt.
Only when the train wheels were tumbling steady down the tracks did the girl speak again. "This mission is on the behalf of our comrades in the sky, the Digital Initiative. It is an attempt, begun following the fall of the Legendary Warriors and rise of the Great Angels, to reach out to the Human World and work with them as companions."
Izumi stiffened. "What? There were humans… in the Digital World… this whole time?" There were warriors who could have fought. Who could have taken the Legendary Spirits and- no. The very thought made her sick with sadness. Fairymon and Shutumon were hers. They had been earned and judged her worthy. She shook her head. How could they ever be for someone else?
That didn't explain the other problem. Izumi regarded Isaiah, express cool. "Why weren't they helping us? Why were kids from Earth called if they were here?"
Isaiah smiled sadly and for a moment, her eyes flickered to the window. "That would be the doing of the Royal Knights. The legion of them betrayed the world to Lucemon, all but a few. In their wrath, they destroyed the connection between our side and theirs. The Digital Initiative was confined to a different server from this. Cherubimon was meant to repair that problem, however… as you suspect."
"Lucemon's interference made that pretty impossible, huh?" In truth,the idea of parallel Digital Worlds was enough to make her want to stop talking and deal with that casual revelation.
Isaiah sighed. "Yes, until two months ago. We managed to open a connection. Our lady was quite relieved, as her comrades from the other side, an organization of similarity to our angels, were instrumental in our first set of repairs. We believed they would be so now. They offered to send us a representative, someone to help us finish the work we started after your departure. We have made great progress, and therefore accepted. For a representative would be a wonderful ideal. So they were sent. And they should have arrived."
"But they didn't." Izumi frowned. This sounded political at best. This would be a grave insult normally. "Or is it more than that?"
Isaiah dipped her head. "I-We have reason to believe it is more. Please open the box. It was left at the transfer point."
Izumi did so. Inside was a familiar sort of scenario. Her mother drew designs for wedding ring boxes. A matching set in one box, to be chosen in quiet by one. Promise rings. Something beyond that maybe. One was missing from the two indentations. In the other sat a small ring, a silver band and a deep violet gem. It glowed softly in the light of the compartment.
"The last communication said that these were a symbol of our reformed union. They are meant to be a pair that can find each other under any circumstances." Isaiah regarded the box. "That one is missing allows the representative to be found. And that is what we ask of you. You have a way with the Digimon, a personal way. It is easier for you to involve yourself in their troubles and find clues."
The girl leaned forward in her seat. "Are you willing to do this?"
Izumi examined the ring once more. Then, she slipped it on her finger. It warmed against her finger. "Yes," she said, meeting Isaiah's eyes. "I am."
A/N: And here is number three! Time for me to play with marriage tropes. Oh my. Please read and review!
Challenges: Interseason boot camp prompt - violet, gameverse boot camp prompt fuzzy Femslash Week Day Six Married, Novella Masterclass (Frontier list), canon fill. Easter Egg Advent day 8, Mega Prompts Word Prompt 500.