Three friends were sitting on a circular table at a coffee shop after classes were over: a brunet guy with bushy hair, a handsome blonde with deep blue eyes and an auburn-haired athletic girl.
Taichi, the brunet, collapsed with his chin on the table looking like a miserable five years old kid after finding out that Santa was actually his dad dressed up. He blew on the straw of his soda can making noisy bubbles.
"Would you stop that?" Yamato, his blond best friend asked annoyed as he took a sip of his cup of coffee, because rock star Yamato (or Matt, his stage name) was oh-so-mature and grown-up and loved nasty drinks like coffee. "It's disgusting," the guy added.
"I can't help it, I'm depressed," Taichi snorted chewing his straw.
"And why would that be?" Sora, the female of their trinity mocked. "They kicked you out of the soccer team?"
"Yeah," the brunet huffed making more bubbles. "As if there's chance of that ever happening." Taichi was undoubtfully the ace of Odaiba Middle School's male soccer te
"What's bothering you so much then?'' Yamato asked stretching his arms as he leaned back on his chair.
"I gave my goggles to Daisuke," Taichi whined.
The three of them were friends since… well, forever and it felt like there wasn't a time before Taichi started wearing those big swimming goggles over his messy hair. What could possibly go into one's head to use pool equipment as accessories on his daily life? Sora and Yamato had no idea and they had long given up on trying to understand their best friend's logic.
"About time you got rid of them, huh?" Sora commented having a spoon of her parfait.
"Yeah, goggles aren't exactly what I would call stylish, dude." Yamato smirked staring at him. It was weird looking at Taichi's brown hair and not finding his signature item there. So much time with those horrendous things made them look like a natural part of the guy and it was showing to be surprisingly hard to get used to their absence. They were Taichi's trademark.
"It's not just the goggles"-Taichi straightened his body folding his arms-"it's what they represent."
Yamato and Sora shared confused glances at each other.
"Okay, you lost me," Yamato said turning to face the brunette again.
"Yeah, same here." Sora nodded agreeing.
"I handed them over to Daisuke. He and his friends are the new Chosen!" Taichi cried dramatically.
"Uh…" Sora looked at Yamato for help. He just shrugged back and Sora sighed. "We know?" she said with a questioning intonation "And I thought you liked Daisuke."
"I do, I couldn't think of anyone better than those three to protect the DigiWorld."
"Then what exactly is the problem?" Sora asked unsure with an eyebrow arched.
"I HANDED THEM OVER TO DAISUKE!" the brunet guy yelled loud enough for the rest of the customers and employers to stare at their table.
"Oh, it's official: he lost it." Sora sighed heavily, ignoring her blushing cheeks as she pressed a hand on her forehead like she was having a headache. "I knew all those balls to the head would give him serious brain damage someday. I just didn't think it would be so soon."
Yamato started laughing but had to feign a cough when Taichi's mortal gaze landed on him.
"Taichi, you do realize that you're saying the same thing ever since this conversation started, right?" Yamato joked with a serious expression.
"Oh, shut up, you two." Taichi threw his arms in the air indignant with his supposed to be best friends. "I'm serious." He narrowed his eyes.
"How so?" Yamato teased.
"Anyways," Taichi chose to ignore him. "What I'm trying to say is… We retired from the DigiWorld… We're getting old."
"You are so not old enough for a midlife crisis yet." Yamato was pinching his thighs to stop him from bursting into uncontrollable laughter.
"Yeah, Yamato is right," Sora sad with her motherly concern. "We're only fourteen, Taichi. Besides, having new DigiDestined Children is a good thing, don't you think?"
"I guess," Taichi muttered under his breath "but still, it makes me think that… I have no more use, that I'm not needed anymore. I'm no longer the leader, I even handed over my goggles!" Taichi's hand bumped into the table loudly catching attention of the people around them a second time.
"Get a grip, Taichi!" Yamato shot bumping his fist on the table just like his friend. People were now entirely focused on them. They were all watching in silence the argument. Yamato lowered his voice to a whisper so only Taichi and Sora could hear him. "Stop acting like your life is over! So you're not the DigiWorld's hero anymore, big deal. It doesn't mean you're no longer a Chosen, think about Agumon and how he'd feel if he heard you right now." Every word spelled from Yamato's mouth was like a dagger pinning into Taichi's conscience, heavy with the weight of the truth. "Dude, this doesn't mean our job is done. We are not letting those kids all by themselves, there's a lot we got to teach them. They're just kids!"
"Those kids have the same age as us when we first went to the Digital World," Sora reminded them matter-of-factly, enjoying her dessert.
"Not helping, Sora." Yamato stared at the auburn-haired for a moment.
"Besides, they have Takeru and Hikari," Taichi said playing with his straw boredly.
"Yeah, not making less of those two, but they were babies back then," Yamato said serious.
"Babies who faced as much danger as we did! If not more-" Sora shout-whispered at the blonde boy.
"Whose side are you on?!" Yamato furrowed his eyebrows at her. Then, he sighed frustrated, cleared his throat and looked back at the other guy. "Okay, sorry. What I mean is that it's their adventure now; the beginning of a new era. But it doesn't mean we're just gonna stay here sitting on our butts, waiting for them to come home. We're gonna help them the best way we can. Together, as a team." Yamato help up his fist at Taichi's direction.
"Thanks, man." Taichi gave him a weak smile and fist bumped him. "Since when are you a motivational speaker?" he teased with a brow raised.
Yamato shrugged and leaned on the back of his chair. "Since our leader lost his track and started doubting his leadership."
"You are our leader, Taichi." Sora put a hand over the brunet's to reassure Yamato's words. "With, or without goggles."
"And we're stuck together till the end of times, no matter how many DigiDestined generations come in the future," Yamato added.
"Generations?!" Taichi panicked and started running his hands through his bushy hair, "There are gonna be more?" he cried desperate "Oh, shit, I feel like an invalid. I'm aging just on the thought."
"We were this close, Yamato," Sora shot at the blonde scarily gesturing with her hand at him. "This close!"
"Hey, it's not my fault if your friend is a paranoid drama queen," Yamato tried to defend himself.
"My friend?" Sora echoed half serious. "Says the Bearer of Friendship, huh?" she raised an eyebrow at him.
"Guys, in the middle of a crisis right here, remember?" a freaked out brunet interrupted them but they could notice a smirk forming on the corner of his lips.
"I'm sure you'll get over it, bud." Yamato patted him in the shoulder. "Eventually," Yamato added lowly, just in case.
"Yeah, and if not, I'm sure Yamato's shoulders will be always available, right, Matt?" Sora teased using his childhood not so forgotten nickname. Yamato used it on stage (because it was catchy) but had asked (almost begged) his close friends to start calling him by his name.
"Of course." Yamato faked a bright smile. "And I'm sure Sora, as the good friend she is, is totally gonna join us then, huh?"
"Gee, guys," Taichi rolled his eyes. "I think even Mimi can feel the sincerity in your words, you know, ALL THE WAY FROM AMERICA!" he shot loudly.
Yamato shrugged and Sora laughed.
"But thanks, surprisingly, you did make me feel better." Taichi grinned his full signature grin.
"Anytime, bro." Yamato smirked.
"Yeah, that's what friends are for." Sora smiled as well.
"Oh, spare me." Taichi rolled his eyes playful. "With friends like you two, who needs enemies? In fact, I'm sure Piedmon would be a much better listener than you two together."
The three friends started laughing hysterically. It wasn't even that funny, but they couldn't help it. People were again staring at them, but they didn't care. The three best friends were laughing together and that's all that mattered for that moment.