Hello, hello. This little story of mine takes place before the Digimon02 kids hit the Digiworld, but it contains no spoilers cause I've never seen Digimon02, only read about the characters. But then I guess thats really a spoiler, huh? Whatever.
Anyway, here comes a prologue. Disclaimer at bottom.
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~prologue~

"Excuse me? What did you say?"

"You heard me, Mimi is coming to the Halloween Dance."

"Aw, man. Now she'll want all the lights, well, pink!"

"She'd never miss and oppurtunity to dress up. Isnt it obvious she'd come to the dance? Now come on, hurry up and get you butt down to the auditorium. The dance is tonight and we still gotta touch up some of those special effects, remember?"

"Yeah, Izzy. I'll be right over, okay?"

"Hurry Miyako. I need those disks to get the program up and I'm starving. Bring food."

Meanwhile...

"WHAT!"

"Dont be so loud, man. Kari's on the phone talking to him now!"

"Tai, this is impossible! How can Kari like TK! Its not fair!"

"You are obsessed, man. Just go with it. They're only friends.

"What if that slimeball takes Kari to the dance tonight?"

"I am positive that they are both going solo."

"But in case..."

"I know!"

"What?"

"Daisuke, remember all that a/v equipment I got for my birthday?"

"Um, yeah."

"Well, we can set up cameras all ovcer the auditorium. And plant some of those bugs Matt got me from his dad's work."
"Hey! And we can set up the control center in the science Lab. Its perfect, man."

"Yeah! But lets hurry, its only six hours until the dance..."

At the Kido house....

"Hey Jim!" A tall blue-haired boy called. He was obvioiusly frustrated and growing mmore and more impatient by the minute. "Jim!" Joe Kido walked over to the couch and picked up his bottle of water and took a sip. "Man oh man, I'm supposed to drop off Dad's breifcase at the hospital AND pick up something at the mall...all before the dance!" Joe stalked into the kitchen.

"Joe!" Jim Kido thumped down the stairs and laid a bottle of clear liquid on the coffee table. My experiment, Jim thougt happily. Wont Dad be impressed now. "Here's Dad's breifcase," Jim yelled. The boy walked to the bathroom.

Joe walked out of the kitchen with a sandwhich. He picked up one of the bottles and the breifcase. "Later, Jim!" Joe called. Joe walked out.

Unknowing of the fact that he had picked up Jim's bottle, and not his own.

~chapter one: present, past~

later that day...

Sora looked at herself in the mirror. She wore a glossy, silvery spaghetti strap and a black miniskirt. But not too short, otherwise her mother would've kiled her. Her hair was pinned with matching clips, and she had on beautiful sandals that lifted her, maybe about 2 inches up. Matching earrings, necklace, bracelet, anklet and watch also added to the young girl's beautiful appearance. Sora also smelled like flowers because of her new perfume. She sat in front of her bureau mirror and added a touch of lipstick.

"Sora, honey, your friend is here to pick you up!" Ms. Takenouchi yelled.

"Okay, Mama, I'll be right there!" Sora replied. She dumped the lipstick, a compact mirror, small brush, mascara tube. a small wallet into her matching purse and dashed downstairs. " Who's here? I thought Miyako, Izyy and Tai were picking me up. Like as a group. Mama?"

"What? Sora, Miyako and izzy called awhile ago to say they got tied up over at the dance beforehand and Tai called and said that he had to wrap up something at home, and he'd be 15 minutes late. He said to go on your own. Really, Sora, you need to check the answering machine once in a while."

Sora slapped her forehead and sighed in frustration. She stalked to the door and screamed when she saw who was waiting on the steps for her.

Earlier that day...

ZZZZZAAAAAAAPPPPPP!!!!!!!!

"Aw, shit!" Izzy yelled angrily. He stomeped forward. "Miyako did you fix the damn thing yet?" he asked. Izzy jumped as anoth4er spark flew from the lights board. "Dammit!"

"Koushirou Izumi! Its a school dance. I said not to worry. Its all going to be under control," Miyako replied sweetly.

"You didn't fix it yet did you?" Izzy said knowingly. He was referring to theposition of the flickering lights in one corner of the gym. He sighed in frustration as he stood up to adjust the angles of the laser lights. The boy sat in the catwalks above the place. The lights were on but dim. Miyako was in the right corner next to the stage, audience's view.

"Okay, okay. Almost done, I promise you, man." Miyako shook her head. " Look, man, we just need to hook up that last soundboard and fogmachine and make sure the 'Japanese Fireworks' is all set up and ready to go." She winked, referring to their secret effects part of the show, the one that would make the two famous.

Izzy grinned. He nodded, excited, then his grin dropped. " So whats the problem?"

"We have four hours. Lets bounce for two hours and then get back to set up the remainder of the equipment..." It didnt matter any longer because Miyako was already out the door. Izzy sighed.

"Fine, lets go."

Around the same time in a different part of the school...

"Hey Tai, hurry up," Daisuke Motimiya whispered to the tall-haired, older-boy next to him. He fixed one of the cameras he had set up in the far side of the huge gym of two full basketball courts. The far end had a long refreshment table, specially equipped with 3 bugs from Tai's nearly endless supply, all well hidden of course. The two giant speakers on the sides of the table also had small cameras. There were cameras on every speaker, and on every other one, a bug. There were bugs inside the long strips of crepe paper that had been rolled up slightly, for the convienience of the the two boys. Some even had mini cameras that sent info to the science lab/control center, which the two had already set up. Tai was putting a few cameras and bugs up on stage and on the catwalk, since Miyako and Izzy had left for two hours, according to the bugs.

Tai came forward. "And now the outside," Tai said with a sly grin that reminded Daisuke of Matt Ishida's. And his terrible brother, he thought angrily. "Daisuke?" Tai asked, snapping Daisuke out of his thinking.

"What? Yeah, lets go. Hurry, we still gotta get ready." The two boys placed the remainder of cameras and bugs in the neccesary places, double checked them in the control room, then left to get ready for the Halloween dance. Which, on a lighter, less sneakier note, was not a lets-all-dress-up-and-be-witches sort of dance, but more like a lets-use-Halloween- as-an-excuse-to-hold-a-dance sort of dance.

At the hospital...

Joe ran a hand through his hair and sighed in frustration. He was all set for the dance; new clothes, same cologne, same watch, same glasses, same worried glance. Not quite happy. He sighed. Where is Dad, he thought. Of course, he had three hours to kill before he had to set off for the dance. So he was waiting in his dad's office waiting room at the *sigh* hospital, which was, in a sense, Joe's future. Now didnt your ninth grade teacher talk to you about those run-ons? Joe asked himself silently, chuckling a bit. Patience and practice, son, and I know you'll get it...

Boy did those words sound familiar.

At the Ishida house...

"Dammit," Yamato Ishida cursed lightly under his breath. Better known as Matt, the guy everyone can like. Correction: Every girl. Every freaking, teenybopping [no offense], screaming, exagerating, clueless [again, no offense], spineless girl. Who understood nothing. Then why the hell was he going to this stupid dance?

TK. Make sure things didnt go out of hand with Kari.

Make sure Tai and Daisuke didn't mess up things. It was sort of obvious they would, or try to, anyway.

Make sure little Iori didnt get too curious.

Make sure Sora got her Tai.

Make sure Joe actually had fun and make sure the poor guy didnt fall all over himself worrying.

Check out Izzy and Miyako's rockin' special effects, listen to some cool music.

Matt sighed. He wished someone would be there to make sure he got his girl.

He smiled in remembrance. " 'Love'll lead us, all right. Love'll lead us, she will lead us...Can you hear the dolphins cry?' " Matt smiled again, this time almost painfully. "Can you hear the dolphins cry, Mimi?" he asked softly. The only screaming, teenybopping girl he had ever wanted to like him. And had not done so. " 'See this road rise up to meet us... ' "

How typical. Matt rolled his eyes, and set off to the dance.
~chapter two: bond's gettin a run for his money, that all i can say~

Iori sighed. He was going to the dance. He still didnt get it, not yet. Sure he had had schoolboy cruches and occasional dates, but he dont think he had ever felt, well, love to anyone besides family. But to love to an unrelated person of the opposite sex? Iori, however intelligent and precocious, could never understand.

There was a dance tonight. Iori wondered if maybe he could possibly understand this complex thing at such an early time. The others did, why couldn't he? The next question would be...How could he come to understand this complex feeling at such a meaningless school function? A blend of the middle scool and highschool teenagers that gathered together to what? It couldnt possibly be to simply dance and eat, Iori realized. Theres something more, something deeper. Iori got dressed in khakis, a solid overshirt, and plain white shirt underneath, put on some cologne, and put a few notepads, pens, pencils, film, and a camera in a bag. He was all set to go.

The dance was just starting. Well. Not really. Only a few kids were there, and the music hadnt even started-yet. Izzy, not noticing the stuff planted by Tai and Daisuke was walking around backstage. After a few moments the fog started simultaneously from the five machines set up all over the gym. Izzy leaped up and pumped his fist. "YESSS!" he yelled. Miyako ran over from the other side of the gym with Izzy. The both made fists and slammed them on each others. "We did it! We did it!" Izzy cried happily. "Yes!"

"Now lets hope the rest of night goes well. Try not to jinx it, partner," Miyako replied. Izzy nodded then smiled at her. Miyako blushed. She never liked Izzy that way, but it was always nice to get some attention. She had on a long khaki skirt, blue vest with a sinle stripe, and a nice shirt underneath. She had a nice denim jacket and kerchief over her hair to topp it off. Plus, some jewelry and lip gloss. Miyako Inuoe actually felt, well, pretty.

Kari was already there, talking to one of her friends. When she saw Izzy and Miyako, she walked right over. "Hey guys," she called. They started to chat excitedly with her, leaving out any info on the better parts of the special effects.

Matt rested his head in his hands. TK was off with his basketball buddies. The rest of the band decided not to go since they didnt have to play. Stuck-up musicians, Matt thought, then replaced musicians with something else. He sat on the cement steps, one of the wways that led to the gym. There he could hide until more people came. Not many screeching girls would be there, unless they had dates. So he wouldnt have to hide...much. Matt got up and went in. He had the ticket stub which said he already checked in, so he could come and go as he pleasesd for the night. Matt looked around and then sat in one of the folding chairs. The dj was just seeting up. Almost doomesday, Matt thought with an ironic grin.

More people came, and soon the party was coming around. Some people were even dancing. Emphasis on some. Joe Kido, upon seeing this scene, was relieved. He crashed into a tall TK and nodded in greeting. Then Joe went off to get something to drink. He didnt want water, he needed...sweetness.

Sora and her surprise friend walked in. The friend was Mimi Tachikawa, and she had only told Izzy and Miyako she had planned to go. She lived in another part of Tokyo, and was about to move to the US after the school year was over. And her parents had a second honeymoon, of course. Mimi had to go to the bathroom.

Mimi was dressed in a short pink skirt with a slit, and an off white spaghetti strap with an elbow length white lace button over. Her chesnet hair hung down freely yet beautifully and her lips were a beautiful shade of pink. She had earring studs with a pretty pink stone inside each, and a matching ring on her right hand. She also had a matching necklace. Her pink and white platform sandals made her look even taller and somehow, more elegant. in a look only Mimi could achieve. Mimi reapplied her makeup and bumped into Miyako, who looked casual, but much prettier than usual. The younger girl seemed terribly excited about something. Not surprising, Mimi thought. This girl could get excited over any technical whatnot.

"Mimi!" Miyako cried, then hugged her happily. "Mimi, Mimi, wait till you see the stuff Izzy and I have planned! You're gonna love it!" Miyako was clearly ecstatic. She grabbed Mimi by the elbow and dragged her out onto the gym, which was being filled up. Mimi bumped into someone and somehow lost track of Miyako.

"Oh, sorry, sir, I didnt mean to-ohmygod! JOE KIDO!" Mimi screamed over Madison Avenue's 'Dont Call me Baby.'

"Huh?" Joe asked, almost cluelessly. He was on his fourth cup of punch only 10 minutes into full-party mode. So Joe was just a bit hyper and more than just a bit restless, and desperately in need of the bathroom.

"Joe! Its me, Mimi! Dont you remember me?"

Joe nearly dropped the bag he was gripping. In fact he did, and a few of its contents spilled out. "Mimi? Tachikawa? My God, is it really you?" When he saw Mimi's anxious nod, Joe bent down to pick up the items. "WOW! You look great, and its great to see you again! Man, its been awhile, huh? But um, can you hold on a sec? I gotta go. To the bathroom, 'k?" Without another word, Joe dashed off.

"But Joe, you forgot your," Mimi began, and picked up what appeared to be a bottle of water. Which it really wasnt, but of course, neither knew that. Mimi sighed. " Your water," she finished with a sigh.

Daisuke turned the little knob on the transmission reciever and adjusted the headphones. Tai smoothed out his slightly wrinkled linen shirt. He kept his eyes on each of the video screens that made up one of the TV screens. There were 2 TVs in all. Each had 12 mini screens. But the TVs werent the heavy ones. It was the receptor stellite.

"Man, I gotta go," Tai told Daisuke.

"But, I need serious help!" Daisuke cried. "I can't listen to a conversation about how Tanya looked at Cara's party AND keep an eye on where TK and Kari are going. Then if he tries anything, get over there and interrupt them! Thats too hard!" Daisuke looked on the verge of tears.

"But man, I gotta go..." Tai began. Just then, someone burst through the door, almost accusingly.

"I know what you two are up to!" Amazingly enough, it was little Iori [insert his last name here].

"IORI!?!?!" the two older boys said, shocked, amused, startled, and a bit ashamed at having a little middle schooler cathcing them both spying on people.

"Hey, I'm smooth. I catch on. And I wanna help."

"Why?" Tai asked suspiciously.

"I have my reasons," Iori answered simply. "I wont tell anyone of course. If others find out, you'll know it wont be by any fault of my own, alright?"

"What do you think?" Daisuke asked Tai.

"I trust him," Tai replied. He nodded affirmatively. "Go ahead, man. Daisuke can help you out. And I gotta go." Tai left, and Iori sat down in Tai's chair and began to watch the screen, looking for his subjects. Daisuke watched him a moment, then shrugged and pulled the headphones back on and continued listening.

Outside, Tai finally reached the gym, where the gym had reached full capacity, the music was playing, and the party had reached full swing. Even the air conditioner was up. Tai sighed pleaseantly, and went to look for Sora.

I gotta coupla screws in my head loose.....MY BUM IS ONE YOUR LIPS......." Joe was screaming Eminem lyrics at the top of his lungs "I"M SLIM SHADY YES I'M THE REAL SHADY ALL YOU OTHER SKLIM SHADYS ARE JUST IMITATING SO WONT THE REAL SLIM SHADY PLEASE STAND UO PLEASE STAND UP....." Joe was actually dancing as well. A bunch of people were gathered around him, cheering and yelling. Izzy was frozen at the stage, holding one of the fog machine hoses. Openmouthed, in shock at a dangerously hyper Joe. Izzy scratched his head and shrugged.

"I need some water," Izzy muttered and hopped off the stage and bumped into Mimi, who coincidentally was happening to hold a bottle of water. Izzy hitched up his pants and nodded to Mimi. "Thanks, Mimi." He took a long swig from the bottle, hitched up his pants once more, and hopped back up on the stage.
Mimi stared in shock after Izzy. The red-haired, black eyed computer genius sure had changed. Or maybe it was just the dance that hyped him up. Izzy had on incredibly baggy blue jeans with a chain hanging around one of his legs. A plain white shirt and checkered orange button over. His red hair was still messy but no longer spiked, in fact, it was grown out a bit, and Izzy Izumi was still short. But the boy even sported bright orange and brown Vans. He was way different the the genius in the Digiworld. Mimi chuckled slightly. Koushirou had yellow lensed glasses. Sunglasses. Whatever. The point was, the boy had definitely grown.

But whoops, Izzy had taken Joe's water with him. Joe wont mind, Mimi thoughht. She left to go find Sora. Or at least Miyako.

"Hey, TK, that Kari's a hot one," joked one of TK's basketball buddies. His name was Jay. "Are you two, like, going out?" TK blushed. "I mean, man, she looks weak. Like the one you can trick into going out with you easy. With pretty words."

Kari's not like that, TK thought angrily. How can anyone think that about her?! She is sweet and kind and caring. Okay, not the Little Angel all the time but, man, what a sicko Jay is getting to be. "Yo, TK," Myron, another basketball player, said. He snapped TK out of thought. "Kari looks gooood tonight, ya know..."

TK was fuming inside. "Yeah, and I think she's free too," Gary said smugly. "I'm gonna go put the moves on her."

"Yeah, way easy," Myron said, laughing.

"Hell, lets all go flirt with the little hooker," Jay said. The other two let out hoots. TK, however, was completely outraged.

TK glared at each of the boys in turn. "Do not mess with that girl. I dont like her, but I'm telling you now, you mess with that girl, you gonna have 7 guys and 1 very pissed-off little girl after yo asses. Then ya'll got Sora Takenouchi to deal with. Ya hear. So donbt ever, EVER, let me catch you talkin like that about Kari Kamiya, understand. Or even doing anything to her. In fact, dont come within 10 feet of her. Ya'll got that?" The three basketball players looked at TK, and nodded slowly and fearfully. They had never seen TK so mad before. And here he was, ready to slam all their heads into the wall and break all their arms. Still fuming, TK turned and stomped away.

Iori had grabbed the extra set of headphones, and zeroed in on this conversation. Was TK showing love for Kari when he stood up for her? he wondered. Those guys had spoken terrible things about Kari. TJK's words were true, however. Tai, Matt, Izzy, Joe, Matt, TK, Daisuke, and even Iori himself would beat the living crap out of anyone who tried to do something so...Iori shuddered. It all seemed so wrong. Iori supposed that wasnt love at all, talking about someone like Kari like that. And Sora...Iori laughed. When Sora was mad at you, she would come pretty close to killing you. Obviously TK had not known Mimi was there, because Mimi too would have been steaming.

Matt was walking outside again. They were playing another teenybopper-type song [no offense!] and he was getting sick of those. He needed some rock or alternative or something. He rubbed his forehead, when he heard someone fall on the steps beside him. Tai.

"Man," Tai muttered. "I screwed up everything with her, and she's gone now." Same here, Matt thought.

"Whats up?" Matt asked, turning to him.

"Man, I acted so stupid, so rude. I am such a stupid, stupid moron!" Tai sighed. "Matt, Sora was one of the better things in my life. We were such good friends, and she was always so...nice to me. When she talked to me, it almost seemed like nothing in the whole wide world didnt matter, only I did. And I ignored her! I was so self centered, dude.

"Sometimes I'd wonder if maybe I did like her, and if she liked me. Just for a millisecond at a time, then I shoved back in the corner of my mind. It hurt so much, because, because...I dont know. It was so painful, seeing Sora like that, because I knew she had grown to love me. What did I do? I hid everything. I was rude, hostile, outright mean and cruel. I pushed her away, in the corner of my mind. Sure she was my friend, but more like a side sort of friend. I blew her off so much. And now, she's forgotten..." Tai began to cry. "I cant believe what a moron I am."

"You said that already," Matt replied calmly. Almost the same with Mimi, except I treated her like that even after we had told each other what we felt about each other. "We're both losers," Matt told him groaning. Tai looked at him and cried even harder.

~chapter 3: the hyper, the depressed, the crazy, the curious, the hopeful, and the just~ ~plain weird~

"WAAHOOOOO!" Joe screamed at the top of his lungs. He waved his arms around and screamed loudly again. "I live in a blue house with a blue window, blue is the color of all that I wear..." Joe sang along as he got up and giggled hysterically. He made his way to the punch and got himself some. 5 minutes later, he had already downed four cups of the punch. Which, strangely, no one else was drinking. They al cheered when Joe came back and began to breakdance to Alice DJ.

TK was no longer mad, only sad. Kari was one of his best friends. Of course he had to defend her. Frustrated, TK left gym and went outside, nobody noticing much. They were all concentrating on Joe, the life of the little party. TK saw Matt and Tao both crying on the steps. The three exchanged their stories, and, all still completely depressed, they sat on the steps together and cried even more.

Izzy was worried. Where the hell was Miyako. He felt ready to cry. He started to, then dashed out, as to not be seen by others. Izzy went to the bathroom and washed his face. He left, prepared to be in control. He felt, hyper. Ready to jump around and act wild or something. Instead, he glanced at Mimi's water and bottle in his hand and muttered, "Damn, Mimi, what is it that you're drinking?" Izzy wrinkled his nose in disgust and just then, the dj began to play that Jessica Simpson song, "I think I'm in Love." Izzy let out a very highpitched giggle and began to dance. Mimi was coming up behind him, and gasped when Izzy flung the bottle at her, still dancing wildly.

"Whoa," Mimi murmured. "And I thought it was just water!" Izzy jumped up and flung Mimi around, dancing with her. Mimi laughed, thinking, ah, what the hell. The two danced crazily.

Iori had seen and heard the entire conversation between TK and his friends on the b-ball team. But, he had forgotten to tell Daisuke about it till the end. Daisuke quickly rewound the tape and watched/heard it again. He almost looked sorry he had set up all this equipment, Iori noted. Perhaps he sees that TK loves Kari, and that he, Daisuke, has but a simple schoolboy crush, Iori noted. Wha--? How did that thought come? Maybe Iori understood it, almost. He saw Izzy dancing with Mimi and nearly fell off the chair in shock. Iori's eyes flickered to another miniscreen and there was Matt, Tai and even TK crying their hearts out. Well, this dance is going well, Iori thought. Then suddenly, the boy was smiling proudly. Enough spying, Iori thought, I have hearts to put back together. Iori jumped from the seat.

"Daisuke, buddy, please understand my viewpoint, but I believe I can fix these problems in a different way," Iori told his friend. Iori jumped up and left for home.

Daisuke could only stare in shock at the place where IOri had once been. He shrugged, then concentrated once more on the screens and headphones. Thinking only of how hard it would be with only one person.

Miyako sighed. Where was Izzy? Then Miyako saw him, dancing with Mimi. Miyako was so hurt and angry. Izzy had told her to hurry up and get the equipment up for the laser lights show, and here he was, pleasantly dancing with a beautiful, prefect girl! Miyako was shocked. Stupid laser show, stupid special effects, and stupid stupid Izzy! Miyako said to herself. She saw the water bottle Izzy had had earlier, and without thinking she snatched it up. Hmmm. Then Miyako heard wailing from somewhere outside, and she then left to follow the strange sound.

Sora sighed. She couldnt believe Tai would be so rude. Calling and canceling picking her up, then refusing to dance with her, snapping at her in public and arguing with her in the middle of Joe's breakdance performance. Then he had left, without even apoligizing! Tai was getting worse every year! Sora thought unhappily. But I know that he really is sweet and kind. He's such a good kid, and really cute not to mention. He used to be the most perfect, sweetest guy on the block! I wonder what happened. Sora sighed. The dance had just started anyway. I will have fun, Sora thought determindly. I just wish Tai would be here to dance with me...I've liked him forever, and I'm not so ready to give it up yet...

Matt was thoroughly surprised when he saw Miyako coming with a bottle of water. "Miyako, what are you doing out here?" he asked. Tai and TK had left already, in search of Sora and Kari.

"I heard something," retorted Miyako. "Were you crying too?" she asked. Matt blushed and nodded. "Thats okay," Miyako answered nicely. "I mean, I was too, and I'm about to again."

"Why? What happened?" Matt asked, giving Miyako space to sit on the steps next to him.

"Because..you know how Izzy and I were gonna do a laser show right?"

"Yup."

"Well, he said to get all ready, not to waste time, and he, well, keeps lecturing me."

"He doesnt want things to get messed up. He wants to do a good job, thats all."

"But, I'm not finished! So I finish setting up those stupid lights and wires and go off to fing Izzy. And what is he doing! Dancing with a pretty girl! He wanted me to do all the hard stuff just so he could dance with a pretty girl!"

"Thats horrible," Matt said, showing his disgust. It wasnt hard, since it really was horrible. He wanted to ask Miyako who the girl was, but Matt decided not to push it.

Miyako sighed and cried even more. How could Izzy do this to her? At least Matt seemed to understand, even though the boy seemed a little heartbroken herself. Miyako really cared about the laser show, and all the special effects. If things went right, she could go to that electronics class meant for one of the upper grades! She desperately wanted to hit that class, so nothing could go wrong! This was why Miyako had worked so hard for the lights and everything. She took several sips of the water to calm herself. "With or without Izzy, this show is gonna go on!" Miyako cried through her tears.

"Thats the spirit!" Matt replied, smiling. "Go get 'em!" Miyako jumped up and went back in, walking with determination. Matt smiled again, then turned back. Miyako had left behind her water, he noted. Actually it was Jim's water, but no one really knew that yet.
He took a few sips and stretched out on the steps again, prepared to think just a bit more...