I chose an OC's POV for the prologue coz I wanted to show the Frontier Gang from an outsider's point of view of how much time has passed and how much they've changed.

I've made all the recurring OCs related to the Digital World, without actually shaking the foundations of the series. This is because I want to explain their connection and friendship and not to make them as just pawns in a chessboard like I see in most fanfictions to get on with the story. You'll find out how in the future chapters.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Digimon. If I did, I would have shown Takuya and Izumi married with kids in the anime.

Prologue

A Match made in Heaven

3rd/4th April 2008, Zoë's room, Thursday/Friday, 1:15 am

The first thing Izumi said was, "OmG look at your hair."

Izumi's father is Japanese and mother is Roman Catholic. She hasn't decided yet who she wants to be but she has this habit of taking both the Lord's and Buddha's name in vain.

I looked at her hair as well, which was silky straight and reaching a little above her elbows and appeared to be shining like liquid gold.

"Look at yours," I said mildly.

She pouts. "No way. Yours is so pure and untouched by anything. Mine is destroyed by artificial stuff and re-bonding and all."

I nod sarcastically. "Yeeaah… Why are we talking about hair?"

"Coz it's so pretty! Last time I saw you in flesh your hair wouldn't go past your ear."

"Yeah, I so miss that hair and carefreeness," I say reminiscing.

Izumi is shocked. "You're kidding right?

I shake my head. "No not really."

Izumi presses her chin with her index finger, which she does whenever she is pondering something. Wow, I miss that look. "Kōichi likes it," she says.

"What?"

"Kōichi likes it. Your hair I mean."

"W-H-A-T?"

"Yup," Izumi says grinning. "I saw it in his eyes."

"Seriously?" I say, shocked that I… well… managed to impress a guy. That has never happened before. Izumi just nods.

"Oh em Gee," I say, imitating Zoë from before. "I LOVE MY HAIR!"

Izumi laughs. "You're baka, you know that?"

Attempting to get the subject away from me, I say, "So what of your thing?"

She acts all innocent. "Me?"

"Yeah you," I answer.

She shrugs. "I told you about Hiro."

"Oh pleeease. Knowing you, that was so last month ago, coz that was when I last heard of him being mentioned by you."

"True that," she admits.

"So… What now? How come you're actually single? Anyone you have eyes on?"

She puts her finger on her chin again. "JP's so the same. Kōji's gone hotter. And Takuya…" she stops, getting lost in thought.

I thought something exciting was coming up. I lean away from my suitcase so that I won't miss a single word.

"Well… You know, he's been acting weird ever since I broke up with Hiro. Not that he already doesn't act weird, but you know what I mean."

I shake my head, "Not exactly."

"True, he's gotten real flaming hot over the years, and when I saw him last year, I couldn't believe it was the same guy who used to have snot piled up his nose and JP's chocolates all over his face."

"Uh-huh?"

"Do you really think he likes me, you know… that way?" Izumi asks.

"Actually, it appears highly possible. Tonight, I saw he had eyes on no one other than you. Or perhaps this certain beauty with the new strangely magnetic hair. Or maybe it was even that American supermodel girl I think is gonna sue me for getting ahead of her on the way out. The possibilities are endless."

Izumi knocks me with a pillow. "I'm serious!" she says.

"Anw you continue with what you were saying? You said Kōji's gotten hotter?"

"I like Kōji coz he's a challenge you know?"

"Yeahhhh… What about JP?"

She snorts. "Oh please, he's no challenge at all. He keeps trying to invade my personal bubble. Oooh, he never seems to get the hint."

"Ha-ha! You know he's just a flirt. He tries to get near every girl he sees."

Izumi nods. "Yeah of course, that thing with Natsumi was just… WEIRD. For a guy who likes me he should have better tastes."

"So what about Takuya?

"What about him?"

"You know what I mean. It is pretty obvious he likes you, why don't you give him a chance?"

She waves her hand. "He'll get over it. He's just a horny teenager, like us, we get over stuff pretty easily. Besides," she says this loudly, as I had just open my mouth to argue. "He's in the soccer team. Girls already fall for him left and right."

I say, "Maybe… he doesn't give them a damn coz his heart is already captivated by someone else."

"Oh, hardy har har." The way she said it caused us both to laugh.

"By the way," she points an accusing finger at me. "Why are YOU so interested?"

"Oh, I just think you two are a match made in heaven."

I automatically dodge a pillow I knew would be aimed at me as we both laughed, getting up and taking all my bags and heading out where Izumi's parents were waiting for us in their Ferrari.

Before I forget the sequence of events because of the fatigue and a little jet lag and all, I'm deciding to write before falling asleep. I was woken up by an American super model type looking woman. I was in such a daze to notice if she was an air hostess or just a person sitting beside me being pissed for having her shoulder used for a head rest or something. I hope to God I didn't drool and for this reason she was gonna sue me my ass off coz that's what Americans do for every little measly thing which doesn't fit their liking like if someone even dared sneeze on them, or step their toes as a girl tried in her anxiety to meet her friends again to rush out fast from the damn plane she's been sitting on for way too long.

Anw I see that I've been apparently worried for nothing. Everyone genuinely seemed happy to see me. When I got off the plane, I was searched; being forced to tolerate the women's touches. The customs people were apparently thinking I was trying to smuggle a bomb or something, like I didn't already have to bear the probes and wasn't searched well enough before departure. They apparently thought I might have sneaked one when i was up thousands of feet in the air or something.

So when I finally got through customs, I scanned the airport for a sign of my friends in the too crowded Tokyo airport. I was standing there looking so stupid with my stupid hand bag and my stupid headache from my untimely nap in the plane and stupid thinking that with these many people in just a single damn airport how come Japan's one of the most safest countries in the world and also that why the hell hadn't we discussed where it was they'll be standing to meet me God I can't believe I was so STUPID when someone grabbed me from behind very tightly.

I struggled to free myself coz the dude was seriously breaking my ribs when I turned around to see JP grinning widely down at me. When did he get soo tall and wide, wide though he was already? He is frikking HUGE now, a guy like him with his HUGE strong frikkin gorilla arms like that should not be let out of the sumo wrestling arena! Just as I was gasping with my tongue hanging out JP let go of me long enough to get me some air in my lungs and then grabbed me in a sort of neck hold and whirled me around and then started waving at the gang who was a little far away.

"Hey, I found the midget!" he yells in English.

We all spoke English with each other, like almost all of us were encouraged by our parents to do so, and as some of our friends are born English speaking. Back in the Digital World, it was only with Kōji and Izumi many of us could communicate with directly. Sure I could say words like Arigato, Sayonara and Watashi mo and all, but holding a whole conversation in Japanese was difficult for me. Understanding what they were saying was a lesser problem; I could understand what the others said as long as they didn't speak too fast. As with Mercureymon's intelligence, everything looked as if it was just made to be explored. But it was Kōji or Izumi who had more than once always ended up interpreting to the others whatever I tried to say. It was mostly for this reason that I was more attached to Kōji and Izumi than anyone else in the gang, just like Tomoki was more attached to Takuya than the rest of us, and Kōichi to Kōji.

In case you're wondering, I used to be the ex Warrior of Steel.

And excuse me, I'm NOT a midget, I'm just a little short heighted being 5'2"… almost. It's your fault you're so damn HUGE! Aren't Japanese supposed to be SHORT? I mean, please, does he honestly eat what, a whole COW for a dinner? I was barely levelling his damn shoulder in height! What was he aiming to be, Big Show or Yokozona? Then he must've been aspiring to be one of them since he was in diapers!

They all noticed my strangulation and ran towards us. Izumi grabbed my bag before it could fall, as I had lost feeling in my arms and it was dangling from my elbows. JP finally lets go of me so that Izumi could hug me and all the guys could shake my hand and thump me on my back. She had tears in her eyes and I admit, my eyes got a little wet too, but that was just coz of seeing Zoe's tears ok? All the guys couldn't stop grinning. Even some passer-byes looked at me and laughed. I thought it weird at the time. Then they all shook my hand in turn. Even Tommy is a bit taller than me. This is so unfair.

Tommy greeted me with, "Hey Li, guess what? I just ended Super Smash Bros. Brawl for like, the hundredth time yesterday! You have so got to play it; it's like the best game evaa!"

Tommy was also the same, not all that tall and lightweight, having the slim body of a runner. Or in his case a talented ice skier. Chakmon has apparently rubbed off on him.

Before I got to reply, Kōji exclaimed, "Oh FISH what happened to your HAIR?"

Kōji was medium built, and his arms looked strong, hard and tough with muscles. He was skilled in fencing and was also a skilled kendo player of course. Courtesy of Wolfmon's sword fighting. Except here he did it with blunt swords and sticks respectively instead of twin light sabres.

I self-consciously touched my abnormally long hair (for me it was) wondering if it was sticking out weirdly or something just as some more passer-byes laughed at me looking at my hair. I seriously thought something was wrong, but I had my pride, and I didn't want to ask Izumi if she had a hand mirror in her purse. It was so unlike Zoë to go anywhere without a few make up items and accessories at hand.

Takuya also stared. "It's… too… Long I guess."

Takuya, his skin tanned from regularly playing football in the heat, had almost the same type of body as Tommy's, though he was a little taller than him.

JP wolf whistled. "Girl, last time we say you we couldn't even tell you were a girl! Is this even real?"

He pulled my hair, successfully earning a smack from me which I doubt he even felt, as all I succeeded in doing was tingling his flesh, as there was so many of it. I notice that the fact he was so wide in the chest was the reason which made him look taller than he really is.

Zoë says, "Come on guys, quit teasing her, I think she looks perfectly adorable. Thank goodness you did something at last which shows you're a girl and not a boy in a girl's body."

Zoë has become the type of girl other girls will hate on pure sight alone. If I am thinking she must be a child of Aphrodite, I am unsure and hesitate to write what all the guys passing by her who stopped to stare were actually thinking, though judging by the way they looked at her legs, I could be sure their thoughts were nowhere near as decent as mine. JP and Takuya were staring like drooling dogs as well, and they had been in the constant company of her beauty for a year. And they still weren't used to it. Obviously. Zoë was an inch or so taller than Takuya, shouldering in with Kōji, looking even taller than him in heels levelling with his 'kerchief which he was wearing as a bandanna.

I could tell Takuya wasn't happy with this fact.

I wasn't sure if what Zoë has said was supposed to be teasing or complimenting. "Ummm… Thanks… I guess…"

I noticed that Kōichi hasn't said anything yet; perhaps hoping to blend in with Kōji as always but looking at him he was all smiles. Blending in with Kōji was a habit of his acquired from Löwemon, Darkness being the shadow caused by the Light. Kōichi almost never failed to use its advantage for shedding off as much limelight as possible. Talk about insecure. Or maybe they're just identical twins so when they're together your mind automatically sees them as one coz they look so much alike? Allah knows. He is shorter than Kōji, reaching till his ear. Kōji with his bandanna was looking even taller than he actually is. I think this isn't supposed to be fair.

When I smiled towards Kōichi he nodded in acknowledgment to show me that yeah, he knows I'm there. Ok, that was weird. I'm supposed to be one of his best friends, not some guest he meets at a party whom he doesn't wanna approach and talk to but nods in greeting from afar only. I saw Zoë watching this exchange with a wicked smile on her face and I knew that as usual something twisted is going on in her mind. So I cleared that then only.

"Kōichi, why are you just standing there nodding like an idiot? Really, come on and meet me like a best friend who's been apart for way too long!" I say spreading my arms.

Kōichi's left eye and cheek twitched like it always did whenever he was uncomfortable or nervous as he stepped forward to meet my embrace. I remember thinking, odd. He never used to act like this in front of me before. He was the type who used to tap my shoulder around whoever sat beside me and pretended he hadn't done it by looking somewhere else automatically putting the blame on Kōji who was usually the one who sat beside me with Zoë on my other side. I think that's the part of growing up, and realising that the person of the opposite sex is well… opposite. That's really sad. The world would be a much better and peaceful place if we didn't have to go through this nonsense of growing up and becoming aware of our surroundings and just forever remain naïve, coz sometimes it's just better that way, because I saw that Kōichi wasn't the only one acting like this.

Throughout these exchanges, I kept noticing Takuya's eyes kept straying towards Izumi even though they were just for a few seconds' glances. I got the feeling he just kept needing an excuse to look at her. I wasn't sure if this theory of mine was proved when Zoë suddenly starts laughing for no apparent reason and Takuya's eyes fastened on her again with a look that clearly portrayed that he was entranced by her ravishing beauty and subtle movements. (Ok, so it's one of my dreams to be a published author, sue me for practicing adjectives. So with my love for art combined, will that make me a… an Illustrious Author? Hmmm… It certainly has a nice ring to it. Well, I don't know what I'm dreaming about anyway, like my parents will ever allow me to pursue Arts instead of Science, which I'm currently doing by the way. Sheesh.)

"Why are you laughing like a silly girl Izumi?"

Izumi tries to stifle her laugh looking at someone behind me. I look at her with eyes narrowed but just then someone touches my shoulder. I turn to see my aunt and uncle standing there. They smile in greeting.

"Assalam-o-alaikum Mamu, Mami," I greet them.

"Walaikum-assalam beta. My, how you've grown young lady," My aunt says, hugging me.

"Why do you have a paper saying "I'm So Stupid and Dumb" stuck on your back on your hair?" my uncle asks curiously.

I look at him questioningly as he peels something off my back and I yelp as some hair also comes along with it. I see the sign. I turn around angrily to face the gang to find them all snickering.

"You…" I had to control my language in front of the elders. I remembered how the guys had thumped me on the back as a way of greeting. All of a sudden I remembered the people who had laughed as they passed me by looking at my hair. You can tell how embarrassed and angry I was. But it was no place to be reacting, not in front of my relatives, who were bound to tell my parents every step I take and every air I breathe.

Before I could go to Izumi's home, I had to take my luggage and put it in their house. After a week my own family will be moving here as well. So that gave me only one week of freedom and to spend it with Izumi at her house. I kept hoping from now only that their flight keeps getting delayed, cox I was in no mood to be an obedient daughter or a responsible sister. Or act like one either.

"It's nothing Mamu; my friends are always this big bundle of laughs," I tell my uncle.