Disclaimer: I forgot to do this on my last fan fic, so here goes: Digimon is not owned by me, it's owned by TOEI, BANDAI, FOX, and all of those other big name companies. If I really owned it, I'd make a little more romance happen between certain characters..heh heh heh (read my profile to see which couples I like).
Author's Note: Here is my newest fanfic, I hope you all enjoy it. I'm only 13, and I'm trying to develop my writing skills, I tried my best here. It's kinda short though. Sorry it took so long, but perfection takes time ^^ (just kidding)! Please read and review, your suggestions for improvement and your praise are greatly appreciated.
The Death Agency
When the end of the alley was met, the figure stood in front of the tall brick wall and gave a small, arcane smile. First, it looked back and forth, scanning the area for any unwanted intruders. Finding none, it gently pushed the thirteenth brick from the bottom in the thirteenth row. The figure stepped back, and a hidden door in the wall revealed itself, slowly opening with a creak.
It's face still hidden, the cloaked object rushed through the door and turned around, pushing it to a quiet shut.
It's shoe soles squeaked as the made it's way across the polished granite floor towards a small, foreboding door, marked with the Egyptian sign for death. The thing walked in, seemingly excited, yet nervous at the same time.
"Welcome, my faithful companion, my Sora Takenouchi,"
The hood of the cloak fell off of the small figure with these words, revealing the true identity of this mysterious being. It was the face of a suprisingly beautiful young woman. Her amber eyes shined bright with excitement. She bent down on one knee, bowing to the man that stood before her.
"I have come, as you asked, my love," she said, straining to see the face of the one she adored most, which was now hidden in shadow. A mere silhouette in the darkness, nothing was revealed about his appearance.
"You need not bow in front of me, my sweetness, we are past that now,"
Sora stood up, pink with embarrassment.
"What news was so urgent that you needed to call me here, my love?" she said, voice hinting curiosity.
"It concerns the 'Courage Detective Agency',"
Sora stiffened at these words.
"Damn that man," she hissed through her teeth.
"Ah, you were once lovers with the leader of the Agency, weren't you?" the black silhouette said calmly, already knowing the answer to his question.
"Damn him," Sora said again, face twisting in fury "He ruined my life!"
"And now it is time for you to ruin his," said the silhouette, with a note of satisfaction "if he finds our 'Death Company', we'll be doomed! Our job is to kill people for those too lazy to do it themselves. His job is to stop us. He has succeeded many times, and I find that rather...irritating. Sora, you must stop him, no matter what it takes! Do what you're best at, what this company was built for," he paused, giving a smirk of pure delight, barely noticeable in the dim light, voice filled with a lust for bloodspill "Kill Taichi Kamiya,"
-----------------------------
"Oh Taaiiiii?" Kari said, doubled up with silent laughter.
Tai looked at himself in the mirror for the tenth time.
"Jeez, Tai, you must've looked at yourself in the mirror ten times now!" Kari exclaimed "and why in the heck are you dressed up so nicely?"
Tai ran his hands over his brand new Armani suit. It consisted of a white, collared shirt with buttons running down it, and a long, black jacket on top. His black pants were held up by a leather belt with a silver buckle. He unbuttoned his top two buttons on the shirt.
"I am 'dressed up' because I am going on a date with-"
"Oh, wait, lemme guess," Kari interrupted "is it...SORA?" she yelled. Tai winced, sticking his fingers in his ears.
"Yes, it is. And Kari?" said Tai, with a note of innocence in his voice.
"What?"
"Even though you're twenty-two, you still act like a second grader," he said, bracing himself for an attack from his little sister.
"One of these days, you watch yourself, bro," she said, puffing herself up and trying to intimidate him.
"I already have too many people out to get me already, you know, with my detective agency and all,"
"Oh yeah, I forgot: I grovel before you, Private Eye Kamiya," she said, making an exuberant bow.
Tai rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the full-body mirror behind him, and struck, what he thought, was a manly pose. His face was in a huge grin, and he stood as if he were slouching against a wall, his right foot slightly ahead of the left. Kari snickered and stood beside Tai, doing a fairly good impression of him. He playfully aimed a swipe at her, which she easily dodged.
"Ooooo, nice macho pose, Tai. I wouldn't be surprised if Sora took one look at your scary face and started running,"
"Ha ha ha ha," he said, sarcastically "and this week only, a bonus 'ha',"
He sat down, facing the back of the wooden chair, and thought for a moment.
"You make fun of me, but what about you and T.K? When you're gonna go out, you-"
DING-DONG!
Tai's 'witty' comeback was interrupted by the doorbell ringing very loudly. Tai, in his rush to get to the door, fell off his chair with a loud, resounding THUMP on the wood floor.
Kari guffawed. "Nice going, hot stuff. Good thing you're thin, otherwise the floor would've caved in,"
Tai sighed and picked himself up. He was just no match for Kari's sharp wit. That didn't mean he wouldn't give up without a fight. He glared at her with his 'look of doom' (one he usually saved for criminals when he had them cornered).
"Okay, backing off now..." Kari said, a wide grin plastered onto her face. Tai relaxed.
"So, how do I look?" Tai said, spinning around to give Kari a view from all angles.
"Other than the big hole-near-your-butt-where-you-caught-it-on-a-nail-on-the- floor-when-you-got-up? The same as when you looked at yourself in the mirror the first time," Kari said, giving her brother a sigh that said: 'you're such an idiot'.
Tai strained his neck to look at the area Kari described.
"OH SHIT!" he yelled "OH GOD! What will Sora think?!"
"Uh, she won't be able to think anything if she leaves. It's been seven minutes since she last rang the doorbell," Kari said
"Man oh man..." Tai groaned as he rushed down the hallway towards the door.
The oak door creaked as Tai opened it. He almost fell down again at what he saw.
Sora stood in his doorway, her red, velvet dress giving her the look of a grand divinity. Her lips were parted in a smile, revealing teeth, white as pearls. Her amber eyes shown brightly, despite the fact that the night was totally dark outside. She wasn't the little girl she used to be, awkward and tomboyish. She has grown from the sapling to the willow tree; from the weed to the rose. She had evolved from girl, to woman, in the seven years that he hadn't seen her. She was...she was....she was, well...sexy.
"Um, are you okay Tai?" Sora asked, suspiciously. In the three minutes Tai had been staring at her, he didn't realize that his gaze was drawing dangerously close to her large chest.
"Uh, yeah, I'm fine," Tai stuttered.
Oh great, he thought, closing his eyes I'm already making a complete fool of myself!
"Sorry," he said quickly, turning completely red in the process.
Heh, Sora thought to herself, What a complete and total idiotic pervert. I guess that will work to my advantage though...
Oh man, Tai thought to himself, She probably thinks I'm a complete and total idiotic pervert now! Okay, I'll have to be smooth from now on...
Tai nervously ran his fingers through his, wild, deep-brown hair.
"Shall we go?" Sora said, smiling sweetly once again. Tai automatically relaxed, seeing that she wasn't fuming over the 'incident'.
"Sure, let's go," he said, putting on his macho grin again. Kari snickered from the end of the hallway.
"Have a good time, lover boy!" she yelled, just as Tai was closing the door. He blushed again.
"Uh, don't mind Kari, she's a little...over-energetic,"
"No, it's okay, she's just like I remember her," laughed Sora.
-------------------------------
They trudged along in the cold, blanket of fog, Tai in an embarassed silence, and Sora in a scheming one. Their feet clicked slowly across the hard pavement, slowly making the way to their destination. Sora would have carried out her orders from her beloved right there and then, but two factors kept her from this. Firstly, her love, just as she, had a passionate hatred for the man standing beside her, Taichi Kamiya. She had been ordered to keep him alive long enough for her love to kill him. Secondly, she had a few...questions to ask Tai, her former lover.
Thunder boomed and blue lightning lit up the sky. The rain started to fall in a light sprinkle upon them.
"Oh, dammit, my dress will get ruined!" Sora said, frantically searching around for some cover from the unwelcome rain. Tai took off his jacket and rested it upon her shoulders.
"That should be better, I really should've brought an umbrella," he said, grinning a genuine smile at her this time "Let's hurry and get to the restaurant, we can't show up looking too wet,"
They ran down several abandoned streets, running as fast as Sora's high-heels would let them. Tai looked over Sora's way. Her face was in a state of panic.
"You're pretty when you're panicking," he said. Suprised at this sudden comment, Sora stumbled upon a stone, jutting out from the rough road, and fell.
"Oh man, I'm really sorry, Sora," said Tai. Her dress had ripped down the side as she fell. Sora pushed herself up from the ground and fingered the rough tear in her red dress, forcing herself to remain cheerful, as it was her job to.
"It's okay, this dress was getting old anyway, and it was already ruined from the rain," she said, with great effort. "I should be sorry that I tripped, we can't go to 'Yamashiro's' now, looking like this..."
Tai pulled out his small, black cellphone from his shirt pocket, and dialed a number.
"What're you doing?" Sora asked.
"I'm calling 'Yamashiro's' and cancelling our reservation,"
"Where will we eat?"
Tai grinned and pointed towards a small building a few yards away. A blue, neon sign glowed in the window, broadcasting the words 'we're open '. "We can always eat there!"
-----------------------------
Sora and Tai entered the small, cheap, burger restaurant. The heat from the stoves wrapped around them like a warm blanket, restoring feeling to their numbed limbs.
Sora breathed a sigh of relief; she could finally start her job now.
They walked over to the booth at the north end of the restaurant, their shoes leaving muddy tracks where they walked. The manager gave them a dirty look. They sat down to the table, Sora's bare legs sticking to the soft plastic seat. A gum-chewing waitress came over and threw two menus on the table.
"Lemme knoaw whean you'rea readay," she drawled, then walked off to read her magazine again. Tai took the pitiful menu from the tabletop and looked at it. It consisted of only three different meals, a cheeseburger, a hamburger, or fries. Sora watched Tai as he read the menu. He had grown up since college, when they last saw each other. He was full of false hopes and dreams, head-strong and reckless, basically the same as he had been in elementary school. She had loved him, every single admirable quality, and every single fault. She had loved the way he used to run his fingers through his wild hair when he was nervous, loved the way he was so concentrated on the soccer field, loved the way he laughed, loved the way his lips felt against hers...
But that was a long time ago, before he left her, before he ruined her life. Now, not even he could take back what had happened, what seemed, so many years ago. She couldn't love him again, not now, not after what had happened. Her gaze drifted towards the seat, then to Tai.
"Um, Tai?" Sora said, attempting to stifle a laugh.
"What?" Tai asked, nervously. Did he have something on his face? In his hair?
"Why...do...you...have...a...hole in your...pants?" Sora said, nearly collapsing from laughter. Tai's face turned completely red, he felt like melting into the seat.
"Uh, you see, when you rang the doorbell, I sorta..."
"Sorta what?"
"Isortafelloutofmychairandcaughtmypantsonanailandittore," he said, very quickly. Sora continued to laugh heartily, trying to get some words out, but not succeeding.
"Hey, Sora, what're you going to order?" Tai said, attempting to change the subject, "No, wait, lemme guess...cheeseburger and fries?"
"How'd you know?" Sora asked, stopping her laughter in surprise at his accurate 'guess'.
"Well, there are only three things on the menu..." he said, grinning.
Sora felt foolish. He didn't remember her...but she remembered him. He had always ordered...
"I know what you're going to order," Sora said "a cheeseburger, no onions or pickles (they taste funny to you), well-done patty, and lots of ketchup,"
Tai looked greatly suprised "How in the heck did you know tha-"
"Irememberfromwhenweusedtogoout," Sora said. It was her turn to talk very quickly. She turned pink.
Why am I embarassed? she thought, Why? I mean, it's over. It was over when he left me, I have another lover now, this is work! Work for the 'Death Agency'. Work...it's time to get on with work...
Sora slowly, but surely, scooted closer towards Tai, entwining her fingers in his. His hand was soft to the touch. She felt his warm leg against hers. She felt him stiffen at her touch. She used her other hand to stroke his face gently, but he still did not relax. He radiated nervousness, yet he also gave off a slight cautious air too.
Dammit, he's sharp, thought Sora, Looks like temptation isn't going to work.
"I'm going home," Tai said quietly, disentangling his fingers from her's. "I have to be at work early tommorow,"
He got up from the seat, walked to the door, and pushed it open, cold air rushing in. The door closed with a small tinkle from the bell that hung on it.
It was time to report to her beloved.
--------------------------------
Sora found herself, once again, at the brick wall. She pushed the secret brick to open the concealed doorway, and slowly closed it behind her, shutting out the light sheet of rain from outside.
The 'Death Agency' door stood before her, looking the same, yet this time she was not as eager to enter. The pure, raging hatred for the 'Courage Detective Agency' leader had died down, leaving her with a different feeling inside of her, one which she could not understand, yet it seemed so familiar, like one she had felt a long time ago.
She hesitantly pushed the door open.
"You stood in front of the door a long time, my love. Is your attention somewhat...straying from myself?" the sillouette said, voice in a soft, yet angry, whisper.
"No, my beloved. I was thinking about our tactics for Taichi. It seems that seduction won't work in his case, the years of detective work must've hardened his heart. He was quite gullible in college,"
"Yes, and you would still remember that, wouldn't you?!" the sillouette said, anger quickly rising in his voice "You work for me now, and you remember that! I helped you in your time of need, when he left you, I came to you,"
"Yes, my lord," Sora said, bowing down
"I AM TO BE CALLED BELOVED! NOT LORD!" the sillouette screamed, rising from his chair, and stepping partway into the light. Not much of his appearance was revealed, even the light on his glasses showed nothing. He sat himself down again, regaining his composure. "Now what was this 'change of tactics' you were talking about?"
Sora moved closer to the dark man, whispering something audible to only their ears.
"Ah, yes..." said the figure, with a note of bloodthirstiness, laughing with pure delight, "Yes...."
-------------------------------
Tai plopped himself down on his brown, leather couch, sighing. He kicked off his shoes and slouched back, closing his eyes and resting his hands on his stomach. He had blown it.
What were Sora's intentions? Why was she doing that in the restaurant? Should he have left?
All of these questions circled his mind as he drifted off into a restless sleep.
Tai saw Sora run towards him, gun in hand, her face a mask of fury. The mask covered up the Sora he used to know, the one he knew in college.
"You ruined my life, Taichi Kamiya!" she screamed, lunging at him. He put up his hands to defend himself, finding that he didn't have the heart to pull out his gun. He braced himself for the cold, hard bullet that would enter his body, but amazingly, it did not come. Opening his eyes, he saw Sora, tears in her eyes, standing before him. It seemed that she could not pull the trigger either. Then, a dark man came out from the shadows, a gun in his own hand. He whispered one sentence: "Die, Child of Courage, the one who took my glory."
RRRRRIIIIIINNNNNNNNGGGGGGGG!
Tai woke from his nightmare with a start. Covered in sweat, and his breathing labored, he answered the phone.
"Hello?"
"Hi, it's Sora, sorry about today, I didn't know what I was thinking..."
She sounded truly sorry.
"That's okay Sora, think nothing of it," Tai said, relieved that that load was off his back.
"I know! To make up for it, how about I choose a place for us to go tommorow, I'll meet you in the alley near Taiora Park, maybe, 11 o' clock PM?"
"Yeah, sure!"
"See you then, bye!"
Sora hung up the phone.
Tai fell asleep again, wondering why she wanted to meet him in the abandoned alley, and wondering why she was doing it so late.
---------------------------
Tai walked on the street, making his way towards Taiora Park, pondering his recent action.
Maybe I'm just paranoid, he thought, Why do I need a gun? Or maybe that dream just freaked me out...
As the thought these words, he fingered the gun inside of his brown, suede jacket. It was cold against his breast, yet it was comforting to his soul. His feet clacked against the black surface of the street, the only noise to be heard in the late night. His breath came out in puffs, forming small clouds in the air, then disappearing. He stuck his hands in his pockets, to try and get rid of the numbness in them.
Turning into the alleyway, Tai came face to face with Sora. Her gun was drawn, and pointed towards his forehead. The moonlight glinted off of it's barrel, making it seem even more like a shiny weapon of hell.
"Sora...?" Tai asked, confused.
"You ruined my life, Tai, and now, I'm going to ruin yours," Sora said, calmly.
"I ruined your life...?"
"YES! YOU RUINED IT! YOU LEFT ME!" she started to cry tears of hate, fear, and sadness "YOU LEFT ME TO START THAT DAMN DETECTIVE AGENCY OF YOURS! DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THAT HURT ME, TAI?!"
Her throat tightened in an effort to hold back the tears that had already come. She forced herself to regain her composure "When you left, I started drinking. I made new friends, and with them, they had these contests. Who could drink the most? That's all we cared about. One night, I won. I won! For the first time! We had celebrating, more drinking, and then, it was time to go home. I drove home, Tai, I drove,"
Tai stiffened at these words. Sora gave him a weak smile, but left the gun leveled at his head. "There was a car accident, and I came out with a mangled face, but I kept my life. My savior then showed himself to me. He fixed my face, and in return, I had to work for him. He helped me, when you left me. He was my guardian angel, while you were the devil,"
Her finger tightened on the trigger of the gun. She was getting ready to fire.
"I have this feeling inside of me, I don't know what it is, but I don't know what to do about it. Holding this gun...pointing it at you...it brings that feeling to me, and it's hard for me to keep the gun in my hands..." she whispered. An owl hooted in the late night.
Realization slowly came onto Tai's face, and he smiled.
"Why in the hell are you smiling at me?!" Sora screamed
"Because I know your feeling," he said, calmly "I too, have a gun in my possesion, right here and now, but, I myself cannot pull the trigger to seal your fate,"
"What're you saying?" Sora said, her tone softening.
"You still love him," said a voice, coming from the shadows. The always-dark sillouette came into the moonlight, revealing his true identity to the world for the first time in many a year. A smile came upon his dark features.
"Joe," Tai hissed,
"Ah yes, I am Joe Kido, the 'Child of Reliability', the whiner, the complainer, the wuss. But not anymore. I have begun a true world for myself, one where everyone bows down to me, I am a ruler, I am the king! I've become strong now. Taichi, I am strong," he looked at Sora and smiled, moving to her side.
"My Sora, my beautiful Sora," he said, running his hand over her face "You now have your chance for revenge, why don't you kill him now?"
Sora put her finger on the trigger once more, sweat breaking out on her forehead.
"What's the matter?! KILL HIM!" Joe yelled. Sora squeezed her eyes shut, and pulled the trigger, falling back from the force of the gunshot. Tai slammed back against the brick wall, a bullethole in his chest. It had barely missed his heart. He sat, slumped up against the wall, breathing labored, and eyes half-closed. Blood flowed freely from the wound, bathing his body in red. Joe walked up to him, a wide grin of triumph plastered upon his evil face. "I always stood in your shadow, Tai. I got even less respect than T.K and Kari, the youngest members of our group! I was at the bottom, and you were at the top! You stole the glory that I could have had. Now, I have worked my way up, and only you stand in front of me. Only you prevent me from ruling this city, perhaps even the country, then next, the world! All of the rest are dundering fools, trying to overpower me with their weapons. When I heard that Sora was in my hospital, I went over to take a look. Back then, I was still using my doctor profile as a cover-up, a mask so I could have access to the outside world. When I saw her, I knew, it was perfect. She would be able to blind you of your 'hard' side, she could get the way to your heart. She was perfect for my use: she was used to capture you. And now, Taichi Kamiya, leader of the digidestined, Child of Courage: you die, under the gaze of your worst nightmare,"
Joe pulled out his gun, aiming for Tai's chest, aiming for his heart...
A bang rang through the air.
Joe fell onto the ground, clutching at his chest, blood spurting from between his fingers. Sora stood there, gun in hand, glaring at Joe.
"You used me, you didn't love me!!" she screamed
"Yes, I didn't love you, but then again, you never did love me," he managed to gasp out, "you loved him," he said, giving a nod in Tai's direction "you always loved him. Even I, a man who has never known love, can see that. Why can't you?" and with this, he died, a grimace upon his treacherous face.
Sora took a step back. Was this feeling she felt, the one that kept her from pulling the trigger immediately, was this love? She walked slowly towards Tai, cautiously. He was merely a step away from death, a step away from leaving her. She knelt by his side. He looked up at her with a blood-stained face, giving her a smile, one last smile. She looked into his eyes, and saw a message there, he was telling her he understood, he understood her.
"Sora," he whispered, softly, barely audible, even in the silent night, "I still love you,"
Moments later, in the dead, silent night, a life flickered out.
Sora took Tai's cold, limp hand and whispered back, "I love you too, Tai, I love you too,"
~* Love is not alway realized, until (what some think) is too late. Sometimes, it is realized when the moment has passed and gone. One certian thing about love is this: it will always prevail, no matter what the circumstances, no matter how hard the heart. A true love, an unseperable couple, can withstand the beating winds of time, jealousy, temptation, and rage. Love will always break through these walls and show itself, whether the moment has passed or not. It is never too late for love. *~
Author's Note: Here is my newest fanfic, I hope you all enjoy it. I'm only 13, and I'm trying to develop my writing skills, I tried my best here. It's kinda short though. Sorry it took so long, but perfection takes time ^^ (just kidding)! Please read and review, your suggestions for improvement and your praise are greatly appreciated.
The Death Agency
When the end of the alley was met, the figure stood in front of the tall brick wall and gave a small, arcane smile. First, it looked back and forth, scanning the area for any unwanted intruders. Finding none, it gently pushed the thirteenth brick from the bottom in the thirteenth row. The figure stepped back, and a hidden door in the wall revealed itself, slowly opening with a creak.
It's face still hidden, the cloaked object rushed through the door and turned around, pushing it to a quiet shut.
It's shoe soles squeaked as the made it's way across the polished granite floor towards a small, foreboding door, marked with the Egyptian sign for death. The thing walked in, seemingly excited, yet nervous at the same time.
"Welcome, my faithful companion, my Sora Takenouchi,"
The hood of the cloak fell off of the small figure with these words, revealing the true identity of this mysterious being. It was the face of a suprisingly beautiful young woman. Her amber eyes shined bright with excitement. She bent down on one knee, bowing to the man that stood before her.
"I have come, as you asked, my love," she said, straining to see the face of the one she adored most, which was now hidden in shadow. A mere silhouette in the darkness, nothing was revealed about his appearance.
"You need not bow in front of me, my sweetness, we are past that now,"
Sora stood up, pink with embarrassment.
"What news was so urgent that you needed to call me here, my love?" she said, voice hinting curiosity.
"It concerns the 'Courage Detective Agency',"
Sora stiffened at these words.
"Damn that man," she hissed through her teeth.
"Ah, you were once lovers with the leader of the Agency, weren't you?" the black silhouette said calmly, already knowing the answer to his question.
"Damn him," Sora said again, face twisting in fury "He ruined my life!"
"And now it is time for you to ruin his," said the silhouette, with a note of satisfaction "if he finds our 'Death Company', we'll be doomed! Our job is to kill people for those too lazy to do it themselves. His job is to stop us. He has succeeded many times, and I find that rather...irritating. Sora, you must stop him, no matter what it takes! Do what you're best at, what this company was built for," he paused, giving a smirk of pure delight, barely noticeable in the dim light, voice filled with a lust for bloodspill "Kill Taichi Kamiya,"
-----------------------------
"Oh Taaiiiii?" Kari said, doubled up with silent laughter.
Tai looked at himself in the mirror for the tenth time.
"Jeez, Tai, you must've looked at yourself in the mirror ten times now!" Kari exclaimed "and why in the heck are you dressed up so nicely?"
Tai ran his hands over his brand new Armani suit. It consisted of a white, collared shirt with buttons running down it, and a long, black jacket on top. His black pants were held up by a leather belt with a silver buckle. He unbuttoned his top two buttons on the shirt.
"I am 'dressed up' because I am going on a date with-"
"Oh, wait, lemme guess," Kari interrupted "is it...SORA?" she yelled. Tai winced, sticking his fingers in his ears.
"Yes, it is. And Kari?" said Tai, with a note of innocence in his voice.
"What?"
"Even though you're twenty-two, you still act like a second grader," he said, bracing himself for an attack from his little sister.
"One of these days, you watch yourself, bro," she said, puffing herself up and trying to intimidate him.
"I already have too many people out to get me already, you know, with my detective agency and all,"
"Oh yeah, I forgot: I grovel before you, Private Eye Kamiya," she said, making an exuberant bow.
Tai rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the full-body mirror behind him, and struck, what he thought, was a manly pose. His face was in a huge grin, and he stood as if he were slouching against a wall, his right foot slightly ahead of the left. Kari snickered and stood beside Tai, doing a fairly good impression of him. He playfully aimed a swipe at her, which she easily dodged.
"Ooooo, nice macho pose, Tai. I wouldn't be surprised if Sora took one look at your scary face and started running,"
"Ha ha ha ha," he said, sarcastically "and this week only, a bonus 'ha',"
He sat down, facing the back of the wooden chair, and thought for a moment.
"You make fun of me, but what about you and T.K? When you're gonna go out, you-"
DING-DONG!
Tai's 'witty' comeback was interrupted by the doorbell ringing very loudly. Tai, in his rush to get to the door, fell off his chair with a loud, resounding THUMP on the wood floor.
Kari guffawed. "Nice going, hot stuff. Good thing you're thin, otherwise the floor would've caved in,"
Tai sighed and picked himself up. He was just no match for Kari's sharp wit. That didn't mean he wouldn't give up without a fight. He glared at her with his 'look of doom' (one he usually saved for criminals when he had them cornered).
"Okay, backing off now..." Kari said, a wide grin plastered onto her face. Tai relaxed.
"So, how do I look?" Tai said, spinning around to give Kari a view from all angles.
"Other than the big hole-near-your-butt-where-you-caught-it-on-a-nail-on-the- floor-when-you-got-up? The same as when you looked at yourself in the mirror the first time," Kari said, giving her brother a sigh that said: 'you're such an idiot'.
Tai strained his neck to look at the area Kari described.
"OH SHIT!" he yelled "OH GOD! What will Sora think?!"
"Uh, she won't be able to think anything if she leaves. It's been seven minutes since she last rang the doorbell," Kari said
"Man oh man..." Tai groaned as he rushed down the hallway towards the door.
The oak door creaked as Tai opened it. He almost fell down again at what he saw.
Sora stood in his doorway, her red, velvet dress giving her the look of a grand divinity. Her lips were parted in a smile, revealing teeth, white as pearls. Her amber eyes shown brightly, despite the fact that the night was totally dark outside. She wasn't the little girl she used to be, awkward and tomboyish. She has grown from the sapling to the willow tree; from the weed to the rose. She had evolved from girl, to woman, in the seven years that he hadn't seen her. She was...she was....she was, well...sexy.
"Um, are you okay Tai?" Sora asked, suspiciously. In the three minutes Tai had been staring at her, he didn't realize that his gaze was drawing dangerously close to her large chest.
"Uh, yeah, I'm fine," Tai stuttered.
Oh great, he thought, closing his eyes I'm already making a complete fool of myself!
"Sorry," he said quickly, turning completely red in the process.
Heh, Sora thought to herself, What a complete and total idiotic pervert. I guess that will work to my advantage though...
Oh man, Tai thought to himself, She probably thinks I'm a complete and total idiotic pervert now! Okay, I'll have to be smooth from now on...
Tai nervously ran his fingers through his, wild, deep-brown hair.
"Shall we go?" Sora said, smiling sweetly once again. Tai automatically relaxed, seeing that she wasn't fuming over the 'incident'.
"Sure, let's go," he said, putting on his macho grin again. Kari snickered from the end of the hallway.
"Have a good time, lover boy!" she yelled, just as Tai was closing the door. He blushed again.
"Uh, don't mind Kari, she's a little...over-energetic,"
"No, it's okay, she's just like I remember her," laughed Sora.
-------------------------------
They trudged along in the cold, blanket of fog, Tai in an embarassed silence, and Sora in a scheming one. Their feet clicked slowly across the hard pavement, slowly making the way to their destination. Sora would have carried out her orders from her beloved right there and then, but two factors kept her from this. Firstly, her love, just as she, had a passionate hatred for the man standing beside her, Taichi Kamiya. She had been ordered to keep him alive long enough for her love to kill him. Secondly, she had a few...questions to ask Tai, her former lover.
Thunder boomed and blue lightning lit up the sky. The rain started to fall in a light sprinkle upon them.
"Oh, dammit, my dress will get ruined!" Sora said, frantically searching around for some cover from the unwelcome rain. Tai took off his jacket and rested it upon her shoulders.
"That should be better, I really should've brought an umbrella," he said, grinning a genuine smile at her this time "Let's hurry and get to the restaurant, we can't show up looking too wet,"
They ran down several abandoned streets, running as fast as Sora's high-heels would let them. Tai looked over Sora's way. Her face was in a state of panic.
"You're pretty when you're panicking," he said. Suprised at this sudden comment, Sora stumbled upon a stone, jutting out from the rough road, and fell.
"Oh man, I'm really sorry, Sora," said Tai. Her dress had ripped down the side as she fell. Sora pushed herself up from the ground and fingered the rough tear in her red dress, forcing herself to remain cheerful, as it was her job to.
"It's okay, this dress was getting old anyway, and it was already ruined from the rain," she said, with great effort. "I should be sorry that I tripped, we can't go to 'Yamashiro's' now, looking like this..."
Tai pulled out his small, black cellphone from his shirt pocket, and dialed a number.
"What're you doing?" Sora asked.
"I'm calling 'Yamashiro's' and cancelling our reservation,"
"Where will we eat?"
Tai grinned and pointed towards a small building a few yards away. A blue, neon sign glowed in the window, broadcasting the words 'we're open '. "We can always eat there!"
-----------------------------
Sora and Tai entered the small, cheap, burger restaurant. The heat from the stoves wrapped around them like a warm blanket, restoring feeling to their numbed limbs.
Sora breathed a sigh of relief; she could finally start her job now.
They walked over to the booth at the north end of the restaurant, their shoes leaving muddy tracks where they walked. The manager gave them a dirty look. They sat down to the table, Sora's bare legs sticking to the soft plastic seat. A gum-chewing waitress came over and threw two menus on the table.
"Lemme knoaw whean you'rea readay," she drawled, then walked off to read her magazine again. Tai took the pitiful menu from the tabletop and looked at it. It consisted of only three different meals, a cheeseburger, a hamburger, or fries. Sora watched Tai as he read the menu. He had grown up since college, when they last saw each other. He was full of false hopes and dreams, head-strong and reckless, basically the same as he had been in elementary school. She had loved him, every single admirable quality, and every single fault. She had loved the way he used to run his fingers through his wild hair when he was nervous, loved the way he was so concentrated on the soccer field, loved the way he laughed, loved the way his lips felt against hers...
But that was a long time ago, before he left her, before he ruined her life. Now, not even he could take back what had happened, what seemed, so many years ago. She couldn't love him again, not now, not after what had happened. Her gaze drifted towards the seat, then to Tai.
"Um, Tai?" Sora said, attempting to stifle a laugh.
"What?" Tai asked, nervously. Did he have something on his face? In his hair?
"Why...do...you...have...a...hole in your...pants?" Sora said, nearly collapsing from laughter. Tai's face turned completely red, he felt like melting into the seat.
"Uh, you see, when you rang the doorbell, I sorta..."
"Sorta what?"
"Isortafelloutofmychairandcaughtmypantsonanailandittore," he said, very quickly. Sora continued to laugh heartily, trying to get some words out, but not succeeding.
"Hey, Sora, what're you going to order?" Tai said, attempting to change the subject, "No, wait, lemme guess...cheeseburger and fries?"
"How'd you know?" Sora asked, stopping her laughter in surprise at his accurate 'guess'.
"Well, there are only three things on the menu..." he said, grinning.
Sora felt foolish. He didn't remember her...but she remembered him. He had always ordered...
"I know what you're going to order," Sora said "a cheeseburger, no onions or pickles (they taste funny to you), well-done patty, and lots of ketchup,"
Tai looked greatly suprised "How in the heck did you know tha-"
"Irememberfromwhenweusedtogoout," Sora said. It was her turn to talk very quickly. She turned pink.
Why am I embarassed? she thought, Why? I mean, it's over. It was over when he left me, I have another lover now, this is work! Work for the 'Death Agency'. Work...it's time to get on with work...
Sora slowly, but surely, scooted closer towards Tai, entwining her fingers in his. His hand was soft to the touch. She felt his warm leg against hers. She felt him stiffen at her touch. She used her other hand to stroke his face gently, but he still did not relax. He radiated nervousness, yet he also gave off a slight cautious air too.
Dammit, he's sharp, thought Sora, Looks like temptation isn't going to work.
"I'm going home," Tai said quietly, disentangling his fingers from her's. "I have to be at work early tommorow,"
He got up from the seat, walked to the door, and pushed it open, cold air rushing in. The door closed with a small tinkle from the bell that hung on it.
It was time to report to her beloved.
--------------------------------
Sora found herself, once again, at the brick wall. She pushed the secret brick to open the concealed doorway, and slowly closed it behind her, shutting out the light sheet of rain from outside.
The 'Death Agency' door stood before her, looking the same, yet this time she was not as eager to enter. The pure, raging hatred for the 'Courage Detective Agency' leader had died down, leaving her with a different feeling inside of her, one which she could not understand, yet it seemed so familiar, like one she had felt a long time ago.
She hesitantly pushed the door open.
"You stood in front of the door a long time, my love. Is your attention somewhat...straying from myself?" the sillouette said, voice in a soft, yet angry, whisper.
"No, my beloved. I was thinking about our tactics for Taichi. It seems that seduction won't work in his case, the years of detective work must've hardened his heart. He was quite gullible in college,"
"Yes, and you would still remember that, wouldn't you?!" the sillouette said, anger quickly rising in his voice "You work for me now, and you remember that! I helped you in your time of need, when he left you, I came to you,"
"Yes, my lord," Sora said, bowing down
"I AM TO BE CALLED BELOVED! NOT LORD!" the sillouette screamed, rising from his chair, and stepping partway into the light. Not much of his appearance was revealed, even the light on his glasses showed nothing. He sat himself down again, regaining his composure. "Now what was this 'change of tactics' you were talking about?"
Sora moved closer to the dark man, whispering something audible to only their ears.
"Ah, yes..." said the figure, with a note of bloodthirstiness, laughing with pure delight, "Yes...."
-------------------------------
Tai plopped himself down on his brown, leather couch, sighing. He kicked off his shoes and slouched back, closing his eyes and resting his hands on his stomach. He had blown it.
What were Sora's intentions? Why was she doing that in the restaurant? Should he have left?
All of these questions circled his mind as he drifted off into a restless sleep.
Tai saw Sora run towards him, gun in hand, her face a mask of fury. The mask covered up the Sora he used to know, the one he knew in college.
"You ruined my life, Taichi Kamiya!" she screamed, lunging at him. He put up his hands to defend himself, finding that he didn't have the heart to pull out his gun. He braced himself for the cold, hard bullet that would enter his body, but amazingly, it did not come. Opening his eyes, he saw Sora, tears in her eyes, standing before him. It seemed that she could not pull the trigger either. Then, a dark man came out from the shadows, a gun in his own hand. He whispered one sentence: "Die, Child of Courage, the one who took my glory."
RRRRRIIIIIINNNNNNNNGGGGGGGG!
Tai woke from his nightmare with a start. Covered in sweat, and his breathing labored, he answered the phone.
"Hello?"
"Hi, it's Sora, sorry about today, I didn't know what I was thinking..."
She sounded truly sorry.
"That's okay Sora, think nothing of it," Tai said, relieved that that load was off his back.
"I know! To make up for it, how about I choose a place for us to go tommorow, I'll meet you in the alley near Taiora Park, maybe, 11 o' clock PM?"
"Yeah, sure!"
"See you then, bye!"
Sora hung up the phone.
Tai fell asleep again, wondering why she wanted to meet him in the abandoned alley, and wondering why she was doing it so late.
---------------------------
Tai walked on the street, making his way towards Taiora Park, pondering his recent action.
Maybe I'm just paranoid, he thought, Why do I need a gun? Or maybe that dream just freaked me out...
As the thought these words, he fingered the gun inside of his brown, suede jacket. It was cold against his breast, yet it was comforting to his soul. His feet clacked against the black surface of the street, the only noise to be heard in the late night. His breath came out in puffs, forming small clouds in the air, then disappearing. He stuck his hands in his pockets, to try and get rid of the numbness in them.
Turning into the alleyway, Tai came face to face with Sora. Her gun was drawn, and pointed towards his forehead. The moonlight glinted off of it's barrel, making it seem even more like a shiny weapon of hell.
"Sora...?" Tai asked, confused.
"You ruined my life, Tai, and now, I'm going to ruin yours," Sora said, calmly.
"I ruined your life...?"
"YES! YOU RUINED IT! YOU LEFT ME!" she started to cry tears of hate, fear, and sadness "YOU LEFT ME TO START THAT DAMN DETECTIVE AGENCY OF YOURS! DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THAT HURT ME, TAI?!"
Her throat tightened in an effort to hold back the tears that had already come. She forced herself to regain her composure "When you left, I started drinking. I made new friends, and with them, they had these contests. Who could drink the most? That's all we cared about. One night, I won. I won! For the first time! We had celebrating, more drinking, and then, it was time to go home. I drove home, Tai, I drove,"
Tai stiffened at these words. Sora gave him a weak smile, but left the gun leveled at his head. "There was a car accident, and I came out with a mangled face, but I kept my life. My savior then showed himself to me. He fixed my face, and in return, I had to work for him. He helped me, when you left me. He was my guardian angel, while you were the devil,"
Her finger tightened on the trigger of the gun. She was getting ready to fire.
"I have this feeling inside of me, I don't know what it is, but I don't know what to do about it. Holding this gun...pointing it at you...it brings that feeling to me, and it's hard for me to keep the gun in my hands..." she whispered. An owl hooted in the late night.
Realization slowly came onto Tai's face, and he smiled.
"Why in the hell are you smiling at me?!" Sora screamed
"Because I know your feeling," he said, calmly "I too, have a gun in my possesion, right here and now, but, I myself cannot pull the trigger to seal your fate,"
"What're you saying?" Sora said, her tone softening.
"You still love him," said a voice, coming from the shadows. The always-dark sillouette came into the moonlight, revealing his true identity to the world for the first time in many a year. A smile came upon his dark features.
"Joe," Tai hissed,
"Ah yes, I am Joe Kido, the 'Child of Reliability', the whiner, the complainer, the wuss. But not anymore. I have begun a true world for myself, one where everyone bows down to me, I am a ruler, I am the king! I've become strong now. Taichi, I am strong," he looked at Sora and smiled, moving to her side.
"My Sora, my beautiful Sora," he said, running his hand over her face "You now have your chance for revenge, why don't you kill him now?"
Sora put her finger on the trigger once more, sweat breaking out on her forehead.
"What's the matter?! KILL HIM!" Joe yelled. Sora squeezed her eyes shut, and pulled the trigger, falling back from the force of the gunshot. Tai slammed back against the brick wall, a bullethole in his chest. It had barely missed his heart. He sat, slumped up against the wall, breathing labored, and eyes half-closed. Blood flowed freely from the wound, bathing his body in red. Joe walked up to him, a wide grin of triumph plastered upon his evil face. "I always stood in your shadow, Tai. I got even less respect than T.K and Kari, the youngest members of our group! I was at the bottom, and you were at the top! You stole the glory that I could have had. Now, I have worked my way up, and only you stand in front of me. Only you prevent me from ruling this city, perhaps even the country, then next, the world! All of the rest are dundering fools, trying to overpower me with their weapons. When I heard that Sora was in my hospital, I went over to take a look. Back then, I was still using my doctor profile as a cover-up, a mask so I could have access to the outside world. When I saw her, I knew, it was perfect. She would be able to blind you of your 'hard' side, she could get the way to your heart. She was perfect for my use: she was used to capture you. And now, Taichi Kamiya, leader of the digidestined, Child of Courage: you die, under the gaze of your worst nightmare,"
Joe pulled out his gun, aiming for Tai's chest, aiming for his heart...
A bang rang through the air.
Joe fell onto the ground, clutching at his chest, blood spurting from between his fingers. Sora stood there, gun in hand, glaring at Joe.
"You used me, you didn't love me!!" she screamed
"Yes, I didn't love you, but then again, you never did love me," he managed to gasp out, "you loved him," he said, giving a nod in Tai's direction "you always loved him. Even I, a man who has never known love, can see that. Why can't you?" and with this, he died, a grimace upon his treacherous face.
Sora took a step back. Was this feeling she felt, the one that kept her from pulling the trigger immediately, was this love? She walked slowly towards Tai, cautiously. He was merely a step away from death, a step away from leaving her. She knelt by his side. He looked up at her with a blood-stained face, giving her a smile, one last smile. She looked into his eyes, and saw a message there, he was telling her he understood, he understood her.
"Sora," he whispered, softly, barely audible, even in the silent night, "I still love you,"
Moments later, in the dead, silent night, a life flickered out.
Sora took Tai's cold, limp hand and whispered back, "I love you too, Tai, I love you too,"
~* Love is not alway realized, until (what some think) is too late. Sometimes, it is realized when the moment has passed and gone. One certian thing about love is this: it will always prevail, no matter what the circumstances, no matter how hard the heart. A true love, an unseperable couple, can withstand the beating winds of time, jealousy, temptation, and rage. Love will always break through these walls and show itself, whether the moment has passed or not. It is never too late for love. *~