Title: I Wished Someone Cared
Rating: T
Category: Digimon
Pairing: Ami x Arata friendship
Summary: After Chapter 6 when Arata finds out that Nishino had fallen to Eater Syndrome and walks away from Ami. Ami goes back to the agency to file her report but tells Kyoko that she's going back to her mom's house. Arata comes by later on to find Ami is away from the Agency.
Disclaimer: I Do Not Owe The Rights To Digimon Or Its Franchise.
Writer's Note: I have the original digi-destined mentioned in here with the ending of the second season. Mentions of Jyou and Koushiro. Does not match with the games events.
~~Story Begins~~
Ami watched sadly as her friend Arata Sanada walked away. She waited for his black rumpled hair and white overcoat with blue stitching that matched the front of his full body undercoat to get out of her eyesight before walking towards Kuremi Agency. The wind blowing her small red side ponytail in front of her blue eyes, her digivice goggles getting some of the hair caught, her yellow backpack was filled with much needed items for her dearly beloved Lillymon and hanging on her black and yellow shirt with circles on the front, her black skirt blowing against her long legs, yellow knee high socks and black shoes completed her outfit.
She wrapped her arms around herself as she kept walking, "I guess I really don't have anyone who truly cares about me. I know they don't allow friends to visit if one has EDEN Syndrome, Mom is doing her first book abroad, Takumi is studying in America so I'm happy that they don't know about my physical state right now." She talked quietly to herself feeling alone and homesick. "Ryota is too worried about Sakura and Sakura is all crazy about this Jimi Ken singer. Kyoko and Mirel know about what's really wrong with me, Yuuko might have an idea, but as for Nokia and Arata, they think I'm perfectly fine."
She looked at Nakano's building and the feeling of being homesick grew. She heard a dog bark and looked to the side seeing a young man walking his Russell Terrier past the pet store. She smiled and walked inside the building as she thought about returning home for the weekend.
Kyoko Kuremi was a very busty woman who enjoyed showing off her long blonde locks and curvaceous body, but her brown eyes and intelligent mind (except for when it came down to coffee), proved she knew a lot more than most. When she saw her assistant walk in to file her report, she had a feeling that Ami would need time off. Especially since Ami's mom called asking why Ami hasn't turned in any of her schoolwork leaving Kyoko to call her school and explain that she was focusing on solving a very dangerous case.
Once Ami turned her report into Kyoko, Kyoko spoke to her, "You have done wonders since becoming my assistant but I guess I forgot you are also a high school student. That is one of the reasons as to why I'm offering you a ride to your residency. This case that Date gave you also took quite a bit out of you. So, I'm giving you the rest of the week off so you can get your school work done and relax. Good thing today's Monday, right?"
"Really, but what about the cases?" Ami asked.
"I'll take care of them, so shall we get going? In case you haven't noticed, I'm not giving you an option to refuse. Your digivice now, please. This way your friends can't try to get you to help them for free," Kyoko responded holding her hand out.
Ami hesitated but gave her boss her digivice,"Thank you so much Kyoko. I was just going to ask you for the weekend off."
Kyoko didn't have the heart to tell Ami that she heard how bad her case of homesickness was.
~~Two Days Later~~
Arata Sanada was trying to figure out if he said or did something wrong to Ami. He's been trying to get a hold of her to ask about the 'weird stalker' guy. Sure, he hasn't known Ami long but for her to call him that and than that man being arrested - obviously Arata was missing parts of the picture.
Arata was browsing through the book store in Shibuya trying to figure out if he should ask around in EDEN about Ami when he looked out of the store's window. Right outside was Ami with her hair being out of the small side of the ponytail, the ends of her hair resting against the middle of her shoulder blades, her usual black and yellow outfit was replaced by a baby blue t-shirt and a black skirt with blue stars that was the same length as her usual skirt. Ami was walking past the shop talking to a boy that was wearing a local Shibuya school uniform and blonde hair.
Arata quickly went to the checkout desk, leaving the books he plans on buying there before running out of the shop. Thankful that the workers there know him and that he was a frequent customer.
"I absolutely refuse to buy-" the unknown boy was saying to Ami until -
"Ami!" Arata yelled causing both of them to stop and turn around to face him.
"Arata?" Ami asked tilting her head to the side. Once Arata got closer, she spoke again, "Did something happen to Mari or Nishino?"
"Mari is recovering and Nishino is still a victim of EDEN Syndrome. The question that should be asked is where have you been?" Arata responded sticking his hands in his pockets. "I've been trying to get in contact with you for the last two days!"
"Kyoko has my digivice," Ami responded. "She's letting me have this week off."
"Oh, and you didn't bother to tell anyone that?" Arata huffed. "Here I am worrying about you and you just so happen to be perfectly fine."
The other male tapped Ami on the shoulder, "I'll catch up with you later so I won't be included in this conversation. Still okay for me to come by your mom's place later tonight?"
Ami nodded, "You know you are always welcome, Ryota, whether it be my mom's place or my apartment."
"Thanks, I'll see you later than," Ryota said before taking off. Arata turned and watched Ryota run towards a girl with a blank expression and brown pigtails.
"Why doesn't it surprise me that he'll happily spend more time with Sakura?" Ami said fondly before shrugging her shoulders. "Kyoko asked me to give her my digivice so I really didn't have time to notify anyone."
Arata turned his attention back to her, "Anyway, where have you been?"
"Mom's place and the library," the cyber sleuth responded. "I've seen you at the library as well. You usually are to focused in the magna section or you are trying to understand medical terms."
"...why didn't you say something then?"
"Because I didn't want to bother you, plus I've been busy trying to self-teach myself all the information I've missed from school along with helping Ryota get caught up again," Ami explained. "I honestly didn't mean to make you worry."
"Yeah, well, don't do it again," Arata said with a kind smile. "How much school work do you still have to finish? I might be able to help you with it if you tell me as to why that one nerd is a 'weird, stalker guy.'"
"Easy enough," Ami smiled placing her hands behind her back. "Mom's place isn't too far from here. Did you want to get your books first?"
"Uh, yeah," Arata said looking away briefly. "Give me one minute." Ami smiled and shook her head as Arata went back inside the shop. "How did she know I have books?"
The guy at the checkout desk was grinning from ear to ear at Arata when he approached, "What?"
"Arata, man, when did you get a girlfriend? Especially one with the beautiful looks that she does?" the check-out guy asked.
"She's not my girlfriend," Arata defended. "She's just a good friend of mine I met online."
"Oh, then do you think that I have a -"
"No," Arata interrupted. "You do not."
The checkout guy laughed, "You do have a crush on her. I don't think I have ever seen you act so protective before."
"...Shut up," Arata said paying for his books.
"Don't do anything that I wouldn't do," the clerk yelled as Arata left the store.
"Weirdo," Arata said outside. He looked around for Ami and spotted her across the streets.
Ami was talking to another person who was wearing a kitty maid outfit. Arata walked over and stood next to Ami as the other person kept talking, "Kenji has the hots for both-"
"I'm sorry, Lily," Ami interrupted as she acknowledge Arata, "but I really must get going. Tell everyone in the occult club I say hi please."
"Occult club?" Arata asked confused.
Lilly's eyes seemed to have a glint in them as she noticed how close Arata was standing to Ami and she opened her mouth to make a statement when her alarm started to go off, "Shoot, my break's over. I'll see you later."
Lilly went back inside a nearby building which caused Ami to let out a sigh, "I just wanted to know how everyone is doing. Not the latest gossip."
"You happen to be a member of an occult club as well?" Arata asked with a raised eyebrow. "No wonder it's never boring when you are around."
"I'm not a member," Ami said. "I've just had to solve one and a half cases for them."
"I thought you was a cyber sleuth?"
"Yeah, they thought Kyoko's business dealt with the occult and not cyber crimes," Ami responded. "Shall we get going?"
"How dare that police woman try to keep me away from my true love!" a voice yelled causing Ami to sigh.
"Here's the guy who you wanted to know about, "Ami said as she started to walk away from the shops and in the direction of the residential area.
"I have now realize that the florist girl was just a decoy, a test of my love," the voice continued to shout. "I have passed that test. My true love is that cyber sleuth who was asking about the disappearance."
The color in Ami's face washed away as Arata asked, "True love?"
"Hell no," she responded grabbing Arata's wrist, "I've dealt with him once. Not dealing with him a second time." She started to run making Arata stumble before he started to run with her.
Once they got to the residential area, Ami finally slowed down to a walk, letting go of his wrist. "Well," Arata spoke first. "I can understand as to why he's a 'weird, stalker guy' now."
"Please, Nishino was his first target and wanted her personal information, her address, EDEN account information, it was bad," Ami said shaking her head. "I talked to Nishino who said that he was stalking her. I don't know why but something snapped and I confronted him. He was the one who told me about the Comic Mania forum." Ami spun around as she looked at Arata, a bright smile on her face. "Or the Commani forum for short."
"Shut up," Arata said. "Just don't tell anyone, okay?"
Ami laughed as she turned back around, "You aren't the only one who reads manga you know. Remember that I work in Nakano and have become good friends with the bookstore clerk there."
She turned the corner and proceeded to go up the stairs that led to a two story house that had fruit and sakura trees in the front. "Hey! Hey! Where do you think you are going?" Arata asked as he stayed on the main sidewalk. "Do you know whose house that is?"
"Yeah, it's my mom's place," Ami responded. Arata just stared at her like she was crazy.
"I highly doubt your mom is Yukino Kido," Arata stated crossing his arms.
"Why is that hard to believe? The fact that my last name is Aiba?"
"You used your last name as your username in Digi-line?"
"That is not the point!" Ami exclaimed placing her hands on her hips. "Why do you not believe that Yukino is my mother? Because I don't look like her?"
"Calm down," Arata said placing his hands in the air. "It's mostly just because you don't act like someone whose mother is considered a celebrity throughout the world. Seriously? You used your last name as your handler online? Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?"
Arata walked up the stairs and continued following her up the stairs. "I honestly didn't think I would have time to be online as much as I was, let alone in EDEN, so I just created an account because I had to for school. I didn't realize I was actually going to be using it."
Arata watched as she unlocked the front door and a mass of brown and black fur rushed out of the door jumping at Ami's legs. Ami laughed and bent down to pick up the moving mass of fur which was a little Yorkshire Terrier. "Yes, Jyou, I'm home. I missed you too. Now I want you to meet my friend, Arata. Be nice to him and be nice to Ryota who is coming over later, okay?"
Jyou stuck out his tiny paw towards Arata waiting for him to shake it. Arata chuckled under his breath as he shook the paw, "You have a really good trained dog."
"He's never done that on the first meeting before," Ami responded confusion evident in her eyes and voice. "It took him two months to get used to Ryota and he still hasn't shook with him."
"I must be an 'irregular' than," Arata responded shaking his head.
~~In A Parallel World Somewhere~~
An old man with grey hair, oval framed glasses covered his black eyes as he watched from his window where Ami and Arata was talking outside. Ami was holding onto a Gomamon in her arms while Arata's Tentomon was in the tree above them taking a nap in the warm sunlight.
"Yes, I do approve of this Arata Sanada boy," the old man said towards another Gomamon.
Gomamon stared at him with wide eyes, "He has had trouble with the law and you approve of him? Jyou, are you feeling okay?"
Jyou laughed and patted his digimon partner's head, "I'm feeling fine. I haven't seen her smile like that since Yukino got a better journalist job that leaves Ami alone most of the year. Besides, I'm not 100% sure but I do believe that Mr. Sanada is related to Koushiro since he's so young and already a skilled hacker."
"You never fail to surprise me Jyou," Gomamon said watching the two teenagers with Jyou. "You've become a proud grandfather."
~~Back In The World Story Takes Place~~
"So Jyou here doesn't know how to shake," Arata started to ask as he sat at the kitchen while Ami made them some tea, "but he shook hands with me?"
"Strangest thing that dog has ever done," Ami responded bringing two cups of tea over to the table. "He's even snuggling up to you. The only other male that he's acted this way with is my grandpa who is named after."
"Well, he's about as strange as his owner," Arata smiled waiting for the tea to cool down. "So, how much homework do you have left?"
"Algebra, German, Psychology, and Med I," she responded. "The only hard one is my Med I class."
"You are a cyber sleuth but taking classes to become a doctor?"
"Family tradition for the Kido's, my mom's side of the family. My great uncle never had children so it falls upon me to become a doctor," Ami said taking a sip of her tea. "So, why exactly were you worried about me? I know it's not because of the stalker guy."
"Shouldn't we be working on your homework so you could enjoy the rest of your week off?" Arata asked trying to change the subject.
Ami had her tea cup close to her mouth with her eyes closed when she spoke, "Are you afraid of me making fun of you?"
"No, you already know most of my secrets and we haven't known each for long."
Just the way that Ami slowly sat her teacup down made Arata think he said the wrong thing however, he wasn't quite sure. Especially since Ami laughed as she got up, "You don't want to lose your 'cool'. I understand. I'll be back with my homework." With that being said, she left the kitchen.
Arata looked down at the dog, the dog was looking up at Arata, his eyes half closed almost like he was glaring at the hacker. "Did I say something wrong?"
Jyou jumped off of Arata's lap and went towards his grey pillowy pet bed.
Ami leaned against her bedroom door, looking at the ground. "He showed more concerned for Marippe and Nishino than he is for me. I know I shouldn't be disappointed in it, but it would still be nice to know people worried about me." She pushed herself away from the door and grabbed her school bag.
Arata was still sitting at the kitchen table when Ami returned, "Your dog left me."
"He probably got tired of your lap," Ami shrugged as she sat her bag down on the table. "Are you sure you wish to help me with my homework?"
"I don't talk back on my offers," Arata deadpanned. "I came here to help you."
"Then which one do you wish to help me with," Ami spoke pushing her bag towards him.
"It's going to be the only one I can help you with, Algebra."
So Ami listened to Arata who was explaining on how to do complex equations along with the geometry part of it, something in which she couldn't understand. When he left, Marippe digi-lining him repeatedly asking for him to come over to watch a series with her, Ami was caught up in Algebra. She was only two assignments behind in that class to begin with.
Ryota had messaged her, stating that he had to cancel to hang out with Sakura more and that something was bothering him about Sakura's behavior, so Ami was left alone...again.
She looked at Jyou, "Shall I finish my homework on the couch?" He went to the couch and waited for the female. "I'll take that as a yes."
It was quiet once Ami got back, nothing unusual besides the normal unusual for a while than Ami was caught in between Nokia and Ararta. She got Nokia's quest done first for reasons. Nokia is impatient, she has little experience in Digimon battles, and she could easily be taken advantage of. Arata would be upset but understanding, plus he can take care of himself when push comes to shove.
On the way to Shinjuku, where Arata was waiting for her, her body glitched out once before returning, she rubbed her temples. "It's getting worse. Hopefully, the cure will be found before glitching out becomes common," she whispered to herself, trying to calm herself down.
Ami met up with Arata, a smile on her face as he shook his head, "You helped Nokia first," he said watching her nod, her smile disappearing. "That idiot is going to get what's coming and you'll be the one swooping in to save her, you know that?"
"I always wanted to be a knight in armour coming in and saving people," Ami spoke.
"Weirdo," Arata grumbled. "Anyway, let's go."
He turned around and went to head towards the subway, "Wait a minute," Ami said. "Please."
Arata rolled his eyes and turned around to stare at her, watching her go to the EDEN portal. "If you need to do something before we start than do -" Ami held her hand up and Arata watched as a blue and white portal opened up and Ami's body turning into little data blocks before the portal vacuumed them it, "-it. Ami?" He walked over to the portal, looked around it, lifted his hand up to it...nothing. "Ha, ha, this isn't funny, Ami."
No response. He pulled out his digivice and tried to call her, no connection. He sat down and proceeded to try and find her signal. No signal.
"What the hell Ami? This isn't normal," Arata said as he kept trying to call Ami.
When Ami arrived in the front of the Asakusa gate where a Digital Shift was happening, the first thing she thought of 'Oh no'. Her digivice started ringing and she answered it, expecting Kyoko to call her and tell her about Asakua only for Arata's holographic image to appear.
"What the hell happened, Ami? I've been trying to get through to you. Where are you?" Arata questioned.
"Asakusa," she said almost like she didn't wanted to respond and that she was confused as well. "Look there's-"
"Asakusa!? How the hell did you get there? Look, don't move, don't do anything until I get there, okay?" Arata said before ending the call.
Ami sighed as she emailed Kyoko, "So much for Arata not knowing."
She had planned on taking care of the Digital Shift before going back to do Arata's quest, but she did owe him for making him wait as she took care of Nokia's quest first, then ending up in Asakusa.
"Okay," Arata said as he finally stood in front of her, his hands on his knees bent down, and trying to get his breath back.
"Did you run all the way here?" Ami asked.
"No, I took the subway and than ran from the subway to here following your digivice signal," he responded. "Not everyone can teleport like you can."
"First time it happened this far, usually I appear within the area still," Ami spoke causing Arata to look at her with a glare. Then she realized that she just admitted to Connect Jumping to someone who doesn't know she's pure data wearing a disguise, "Haha, let's get going into Asakusa Digital Shift now before Date shows up."
Arata looked at the gate as Ami went in which he followed, "I still have questions that you need to answer."
"I will later," Ami spoke welcoming her digital friends, Lillymon, Antylamon, and Ikkakumon. "Suedo is already here, I talked with him briefly while waiting for you."
After their discussion with Suedo, many random digimon battles, Ami happened across a dead end causing Arata to cross his arms, "Do you not know how Asakusa is laid out?"
Ami turned around and faced him, "It's been awhile since I was last here."
"Anyway, what happened in Shinjuku to get you to come here?" Arata spoke.
"We don't have time for that right now," Ami spoke trying to get around Arata only for him to block her way by stepping in front of her.
"Oh? I think we have plenty of time and I want my answers," Arata responded with a frown. "So, what happened?"
"It's called connect jump," Ami said.
"What the hell is a connect jump? Ah, where do you think you are going?" Arata asked grabbing Ami's arm. She almost made it past him but by the time she could take a step back, Arata had her trapped more. Her back pressed against one of the buildings, his hands gripping both of her arms tightly, his grey eyes were glaring at her own blue eyes, "I want answers. Now what's a connect jump?"
"It's what Kyoko calls it, the ability to go into the connecting links of databases," Ami spoke. Her Digimon must not see him as a threat otherwise they would have attacked.
"No way, you can go into the very basic of wiring of EDEN?" Arata asked amazed.
"Of any electronics," Ami spoke, tempted to tell him that she uses the TV in Kyoko's office to get to EDEN a lot. "I've fixed the old A/C and heater in Broadway plus a game app. Now can we go?"
"No. How are you able to do this?" Arata asked. "Because seeing my friend get turn into data blocks before getting sucked into a portal isn't normal."
"Arata, where's our Digimon?" Ami asked now realizing that the rapid buzzing of Lillymon's wings, the curious and inquisitive comments made by Antylamon or the loud heavy thuds of Ikkakumon moving, were gone.
"Don't be changing the subject," Arata spoke. "How can you connect jump?"
"Be careful," Ami spoke as she escaped his grip by glitching, the blue blocks moving around his hands. "Ground is about to shake."
Just as she was back in one piece, the ground shook, resembling that of an earthquake. It lasted for three seconds but those seconds felt forever to Arata. Once the ground stopped shaking, Ami spoke, "We need to hurry otherwise when it moves, we move with it."
She stared as she turned the corner and saw all four of the Digimon asleep, "Ami-"
"I have what Kyoko dubs a 'half cyber body', she can explain more," Ami spoke waking her Digimon up.
Within the shadows, overhearing the conversation, two hands rubbed together in glee, "How interesting, Ms. Aiba, perhaps the tidbits of information you gave me will be most influential into not only my work, but also in convincing your young friend there to join me experiments."
~~The End~~