Disclaimer: Yup, that's it. You know the drill. Digimon 02 is not mine. 'Nuff said. Well, R & R, please.
Almonds in Creamy Chocolate Ice Cream
by
My sis, CrystalSablan aka Kristina, editor of my fics
Ch. 1: How it all began
"Joe, I got some good news, some bad news, and some more good news," Jim said slowly in the living room of his family's apartment.
"Awright, what is it?" Joe asked nonchalantly. He was a little bit annoyed that his brother would just pop in out of nowhere to say that right when he was getting to an interesting part in a novel he was reading.
"Okay, here we go. The good news is that dad and I bought a new dress for mom's birthday today."
"Ahhh, that's sweet," Joe sighed, covering up his surprise and relief; Jim and his dad always forgot what day his mom's birthday was. When they did, she would give them a piece of her mind, and Joe would get dragged into it. And, believe me, it wasn't pretty.
"The bad news is..." Jim muttered, his voice getting quieter, "...dad accidentally dropped it into an open gutter."
"OH, MY GOD!!!" Joe cried out in a miserable voice. He calmed down a little before asking, as calmly as possible, "Was it a nice dress?"
"Oh, yeah. One of those expensive Italian ones sold at fine clothes department stores."
"OH, MY GOD!!!"
"Hey, but don't worry. Here's the extra good news: dad and I still have the receipt. It guarantees that the store will take it back if any damage had been done to the item the customer bought," Jim said, brightening up a little.
"Oh, thank God," Joe sighed, falling back into the comforts of the sofa on which he sat.
"You're right about that. Also, dad was able to fish the dress out of the sewers, and clean the darn thing as much as he could. So, here. You go and return it," Jim said, with just a hint of biting amusement, as he shoved the receipt, and the disgusting frock right in front of Joe's face.
"UGH, SICK."
On the city streets, Joe struggled to get to the store. He was pretty embarrassed that he had to go walking around, carrying a bag with slimy things dripping out of it now and then. He was more riled up about going to the store where the dress needed to be returned. It was one of those stores, for women, that sold many types of lovely suits, and gowns. And also where most men never dared to enter.
But that wasn't what got him all nervous. It was the lingerie section that did. The store he was going to was famous for it's lingerie section. And this particular section stretched from the entrance of the store all the way to the counter where customers bought their things. When he entered, the women inside might probably think he was a pervert or something. Or so he thought.
Ah, freak. How the hell did dad, and Jim get out of there alive?
As Joe stood outside the store, he was breathless. He thought about running for his life. It was only a third-minute "okay" that got him inside that damn femme store. Once inside, he walked as casually as he could. But failed. Because he could see the lingerie with his peripheral vision. What could he do? The section was only six inches away from him, and the garments seemed to be sticking out at him, saying "Look at me. Look at me, ya crummy bastard."
He tried focusing his attention on the decent clothes, but his eyes kept wandering back to the section of unmentionables. After all, he was a sixteen-year old boy for crying out loud. Sixteen-year olds are practically swimming with hormones.
I'd sure like to see Mimi in that...
"Ew, shut up, brain. That's disgusting," he scolded his wandering thoughts.
After a few seconds, Joe was getting so nervous that his hands were shaking.
"C'mon, Joe. You can do this," he said to himself softly. "It's just a store for women, that's all - YOW!" he winced because blood suddenly spurted out of his nose.
He had just finished wiping the blood away with his hand, when he saw the store employees rushing up to him.
AAAAAAAAAAH, I'VE BEEN DISCOVERED, his brain screamed at him.
"Congratulations, young man. You're our 10,000th customer," the two women cheered with extremely enthusiastic smiles on their faces.
"What!? Huh!?" Joe asked, confused.
"Oh, my God. Burke, honey, get the news reporter!" one of the employees yelled across the room.
"He's right here, darling," the guy named Burke called back.
"What!? News reporter!? No, please. Not that!" Joe panicked as he desperately tried to get away, but couldn't; the whole store was rushing to congratulate him, and news reporters were flooding him with lights, and cameras, and all that news-reporter junk. How could he get away?
"Here, hon. You've won a certificate for you and a friend to eat at Masami's Famous Ice Cream Parlor, a ten-thousand dollar shopping spree at the Cherry Blossom Shopping Center Mall, and one discount coupon to our store," Burke's so-called "darling" said as she handed him the certificates, and coupon.
"N-N-NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ," he screamed as the crowd closed in on him.
Over at Tai's house, where Izzy, and Matt are crashing for the night...
"I'm bored. Matt, turn on the TV," Izzy ordered.
"Yeah, sure. Whatever, ya lousy bum," Matt joked around as he turned on the TV.
***
On the TV:
News reporter lady: This is Megumi Shiga reporting live at the Victoria's Rumors store in downtown where it's 10,000th customer, a boy named Joe Kido, is receiving his reward.
Joe: No, this is all a big mistake.
***
"What the...!?" Izzy stuttered. "Th-that's Joe..."
"AAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" Izzy and Matt both cracked up.
"AAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! THE CRAZY BASTARD."
"HEY, TAI. TAI! WAKE UP. IT'S JOE!!!" Matt called to the direction of Tai's bedroom. Shouted, actually.
"Wh...wha-? I didn't invite him," he said as he went down the hallway, and into the living room where Matt and Izzy were.
"Joe, you've got some explainin' to do," Tai said in his impression of Ricky Ricardo.
"Wha-?" he managed to say after his eyes met the TV.
***
On the TV:
News reporter lady: Oh, this is such a momentous occasion. What do you have to
say about it, Joe?
Joe: Uh...I don't know. I'm so confused.
Strange lady: Joe!?
Joe: Wha...what the..!? Mom!?
Joe's mom: Oh, Joe. I saw you on the news. I'm so proud of you. You came here to buy a birthday present for me, didn't you?
Joe: No, wait. Mom, this is all a mista...
Joe's mom: You're the only one who's remembered my birthday this year. Oh, Joe, sweetie, I love you so much. When I get home I'm gonna give your father and
brother a piece of my mind.
***
At Joe's house...
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"
***
Joe woke up the next day to what he thought was the most depressing morning of his life. He was still really bummed about what happened last night. Right now, he just wanted to do something that would cheer him up. Maybe the Masami ice cream deal would do the trick. But, then again. There were some complications. For example, the public. He knew it wouldn't be long when his friends would be calling him about the absurd incident. Which, of course, didn't take very long...
Somewhere near noon, Joe heard the doorbell to his apartment ring. Thinking it was his brother, Jim, he went over to the front door and opened it only to be bombarded by Izzy, Matt, Tai, Davis, and T.K.
"Oh, geez, not right now, you guys," Joe complained.
"No way, man. We're not gonna let you off on this one," Matt teased.
The five boys broke out laughing, while Joe just stood there with an anime sweat drop on his head.
"Joe, you've got some explainin' to do," Tai said. Again, the Ricky Ricardo impression.
"C'mon, you guys. I'm depressed as hell right now. I just want to lay back, relax, and do something fun to take me out of my deep sadness," Joe whined, sounding just like that goddamn sorceress Lina Inverse.
"Aw, Joe, cheer up," Izzy said, trying to comfort him. "It's not the end of the world, you know."
"No. It is. I'd rather be caught dead in a lady's store that sells all that sex crap," Davis commented.
"Ah, freak. Do you have to make it worse than it already is?" Joe said in a thick voice; he looked as if he was going to cry, or faint.
"Just tell us what happened," T.K. said politely.
"No. Just forget about it," Joe said. Suddenly, he brightened up a little. "Remember I was given stuff for being a 10,000th customer? Well, I won this ice cream deal. Would any of you like to come? It would really cheer me..."
"Don't try to change the subject," Matt interrupted, getting impatient.
"Oh, man. I promise I'll tell you later. Right now, though..."
"Hey, did you hear that guys? Joey-boy's gonna tell us later!" Matt interrupted again.
"Alright, alright!" everyone cheered as they left Joe all by himself before he could even get an answer out of any of them.
In the solitary confinements of his apartment, Joe sat on the sofa, feeling very bad about himself. He wanted to go to Masami's Famous Ice Cream Parlor, but he didn't want to go alone; he'd feel miserable than ever if he were to go alone. He wanted someone to be with him to make him forget about all the things that happened last night. As he stood up, something crossed his mind.
Sora. Sora could go with him. It was better to go with her than to go with any of the guys because they'd just pester him all day about the femme store disaster.
He then thought about how much he knew about her. Red eyes. Red-brown hair.
Caramel perhaps. Very sweet personality.
They'd known each other for many years, and were still currently keeping in touch. But not as much as back then. He used to like her a lot. But most of the fondness had faded away because of the miniscule time they spent together in the present. He knew that she liked him, too. Not the kind of friend "like", but the "like" as in "that" way. She could express it, but she couldn't say it. The only thing that kept her from saying it to his face was her crush on Tai. He knew, without a doubt, that Sora had a crush on Tai. She was very faithful to him, and had been pining over him for the last couple of years. But Tai on the other hand...
Alright, Sora it is, he thought as he dialed her phone number.
Right during the first ring, someone answered.
"Hello?" an adult female voice asked over the phone. It was Sora's mom.
"Hello, Mrs. Takenouchi. This is Joe. May I please speak to Sora?"
"Uh, okay. I'll go get her."
A few seconds after she left, Joe thought he heard laughter at the other end.
"Hello?" someone asked over the phone after a minute had gone by; Sora.
"Hey, Sora. It's me, Joe."
"Oh, right. Lingerie boy," Sora mumbled in a drawl that wasn't quite like her.
Actually, she just sounded very bored.
"That's not very funny, Sora," Joe said in a voice that was almost yelling. He had almost lost control when she said the word "lingerie".
"Heh, 'kay. So whaddya want, Joey-boy?"
"Remember what I won last night? Y'know, the certificate for two people to eat at that famous ice cream parlor in downtown? Would you like to go? Today?"
Silence.
"Uh...just a second. I need to ask my mom," she said hesitantly.
Silence, again. About thirty seconds afterward, laughter. And Joe knew exactly what the laughter was all about. He could even hear the conversation going on between the two at the other end:
Sora's mom: What!? You mean him? Now? Are you kidding?
Sora: No, I'm not. He's serious about it.
Sora's mom: AAAHAHAHAHAHAHA...
Sora: Mom, he's going to hear you.
Sora's mom: So what? Let him...hee, hee.
Sora: Mom, stop. You're going to make me laugh, to-
Sora's mom: AAAHAHAHAHAHAHA...
Sora: Mom, no...AAAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
Sora's mom: Hee, hee...Well, he is kind of a cute boy...
Sora: Ew, mom. That's disgusting. He's young enough to be your own son.
Sora's mom: ...but what if underneath that exterior is a sex maniac.
Sora: Okay, that's going too far-
Sora's mom: Alright, alright. Go. Go. By all means, go.
Sora: Geez, whatever...
"Hello, Joe?" Sora asked.
"I'm here," Joe said in a weird way; he was embarrassed.
"You've got someone aboard. So what time?"
"Like, right now, maybe. I'll pick you up. Just wait for me, 'kay?"
"'Kay. Later, dude."
"Alright, bye."
Before Joe even had a chance to put the phone down, he heard, at the other end:
Sora's mom: But what if he really is a sex maniac?
Sora: MOM!
Click.
***