Title: I Want The Truth
Category: Digimon
Pairing: Possible Ami/Arata
Rating: T
Summary: Yukino Aiba is on a mission, the Central Hospital in Japan called stating that her daughter is a victim of EDEN Syndrome, but Kyoko told her that Ami is released and someone is messaging her using Ami's digivice
Author's Note: I don't know if Japan's hospitals are the same where a child is put into the hospital, the parents are notified, however, I found it strange that her mother wasn't more informed. So didn't a friend of mine. So this story takes place where Yukino is more involved.
Disclaimer: I do not owe any rights to the Digimon franchise
~~Story Begins~~
"My daughter is in a coma, I am going to go back to Japan for a week. I am using a week of my built up vacation for it," Yukino Aiba spoke to her boss. "I need to see my daughter."
"I'm afraid, we can't do that," her boss spoke over the internet call.
"I have enough vacation build up to where I can take five years off," Yukino argued. "A week shouldn't be a problem."
"Ms. Aiba, I simply cannot allow you to - "
"I'm GOING to Japan for a week to see my DAUGHTER who is in a COMA," Yukino restated with authority. "You WILL use a week of my vacation time to cover it."
"How dare - "
"I can easily find another job," Yukino bluntly told him. It wasn't a secret that her stories was the only thing keeping her boss' company skating by. As soon as other programs heard the news that she was no longer working with this company, she will have new coverage stations and shows running to get her to join their team. She has that big of a fanbase internationally and her stories have helped out so many people in the world. "You don't scare me."
"Too bad, you're fired," the boss said.
"Excellent, you'll be hearing from my lawyers," Yukino said ending the call.
Two years without having a day off, a cut in the paycheck that she wasn't notified about, harassment and discrimination, and now not letting her use a week of her vacation to go home due to a medical emergency that dealt with her daughter, her only family member in fact. This company that she stayed with due to loyalty will have no choice but to surrender to her.
She paid for a ticket back to Japan as she called her lawyer, "Hello, Mr. Soujo, do you still have all the evidence for my case?"
"Yes, why?"
"Think you can add unlawful termination and another case of discrimination to the list? I'll send you the recording."
"Of course, what's the new discrimination case?"
"Not letting me have a week off to see my daughter who is in a coma."
"I'm terribly sorry about that, however, if Ami is anything like you, she'll make it through," Mr. Soujo said. "However, I will not put that on the discrimination case."
"Why not?"
"Too lenient on the charges, they could buy their way through it. No, I will add that to the failure of complying with the MLA Act of '25 that was passed in Japan stating that a company must allow an employee time off to be with an immediate family in time of crisis. I'm assuming you tried to use vacation and they refuse?"
"Yes."
"That will go your case of back pay. So, what would you like to do with this case?"
"All the way to the court, no bargaining either. The world needs to know the truth about this company and those in charge. When I get back to Japan, I'll do some research, see who else is working for them and I'll give them a part of the money that I'll win."
"Of course," Mr. Soujo said.
She talked with him a few more minutes before hanging up and calling another international TV station. "Hello, this is Yukino Aiba and I was wondering if that position you offered me is still available?"
"..."
"Yes, I am interested in it."
"…"
"Great, you already have an assignment for me? "
"..."
"I can't. It takes place in Japan?"
"..."
"Eden Syndrome?" Yukino thought about it. That's what the hospital said Ami was suffering from. "I accept. I'm heading back to Japan now. Will it be okay if I meet with you after I see my daughter? She's a victim of EDEN Syndrome too."
Yukino smiled as the other line offered their condolences and said it would be okay and offered to give her some time to spend with her daughter. "No, I'll still work since I will be back at home and not abroad. She wouldn't want me to mope around the whole time. Thank you."
Yukino boarded the plane two hours later and waited impatiently as she headed back to Japan.
When she arrived in Japan, she instantly headed to Tokyo then to the Central Hospital, just passing by Shinjuku, five minutes before the Digital Shift happen, eight minutes before Ami and Arata started exploring the Digital Shift.
Yukino saw her daughter through the glass which she placed a hand against, "I'll find the reason why this is happening and I'll find a cure, I promise," she said to her daughter.
Weeks passed and Yukino was investigating the Akihabara Disappearances, her reporter instincts knew a story and this was quite the story. An original work that had influences was being credited as a fan story, the author got bullied and had insults of them being a terrible person stealing someone else's work and crediting it as their own. Those were the first people to disappear and Yukino was curious as to why the police wasn't investigating it. Bribery? Blackmail?
She'll look into it later after she decides on what her next story will be, the hacker group known as Judes or the Japan police force. Obvious to Yukino, the police force was corrupted with a few good detectives on the team.
There was a purple light, the world went black before returning to a warped space. She did see one of the people that went missing and tried to speak to them.
"Hello? I'm Kino from anchor news station, can you -" the person obviously wouldn't respond. They were as still a statue so Yukino caught off her own question and looked around the environment that she was in now. "Where am I now?"
"You are still in Akihabara, dear," a voice said from her behind her. She turned around and glared at Akemi Suedo. A face she was hoping to never see again. "I was not expecting you to be here, Yukino."
"I wasn't expecting to see your face ever again, Akemi," Yukino replied poison laced within her voice.
"Ah..yes..well, where a Digital Shift happens, I'll be there."
"Digital Shift?" Yukino knows she's been gone from Japan for a while but all the new stories that she could be covering keep making her list grow longer.
"The reality world is being affected by Digital Waves thus causing a shift to happen," Suedo explained. "We are in one now."
"Mari? Mair!" a voice yelled close by.
"How many people can enter these Digital Shifts?" Yukino asked.
Akemi shrugged, "Whoever has the bravery to enter it I guess. I never thought about that before. However, I see that my two young acquaintances are here," he said. "Your daughter has grown up beautifully."
Yukino's eyes flashed as she sneered at him. "You leave my daughter alone. You had a chance to be - "
"Suedo I'm not surprise to see you here, but the famous reporter Kino? That's new," the boy said shoving his hands in his pockets.
Yukino looked to his companion and her eyes went wide, so didn't his companion. Her daughter was standing right there, right next to the young man.
How is that possible? Her daughter is still in a coma caused by EDEN Syndrome. She visited her this morning!
Ami shook her head once, she seemed just as surprise to seeing her as well. The head shake was a sign not to give anything away, a sign language that they created when Ami was a child so Yukino could escape dates easily or if Yukino was really into a guy and didn't want too much information given away. So her companion doesn't know about Ami being a victim of EDEN Syndrome.
The conversation happened between the three, well mostly between the two boys. Yukino and Ami just sort of took a step back upon hearing all the technical terms. Yukino watched as the two teenagers leave, Ami poking the man's shoulder. A sign for Yukino that Ami will message her and explain more in person.
The two Aibas did have a very complicated sign language but it got the points across without it being too obvious.
So, hours later, after receiving a message from Ami to come to Kuremi Agency. Yukino found herself sitting in Kyoko's office as Ami sat on the other couch with Kyoko, because she was a client.
"So, you have a cyber body?" Yukino questioned.
"Yes, it's weird, but no one truly knows about it," Ami explained. "The one who might have an idea is Yuuko Kamishiro, but I don't think she's put the facts together yet."
"I see, I guess that makes sense now," Yukino spoke as everything came into place. No one was lying to her about her daughter's condition, it was just complicated and the facts were hidden. "You are looking into the connections of EDEN Syndrome and Kamishiro Enterprise as well?"
"Yes, there is no doubt about it that they are connected," Kyoko said.
"So Mom, why are you back in Japan?" Ami questioned. "I thought you was in Italy?"
So, Yukino explained her side of the story to the two.
"Finally!" Ami exclaimed.
"That is quite interesting, the fact that you are investigating EDEN Syndrome along with doing side reports. I'll be happy to share some of the information we have already gathered with you."
"I think I'm caught up to date if not more," Yukino said causing the two detectives to look at her. "However, more importantly, who was that young man you was with, Ami?"
Ami tensed up and looked away, "Arata Sanada, one of my online friends that I met recently."
"That's what I thought," Yukino mumbled quietly as she watched her daughter try to hide a blush. Even when Ami was little, she had a huge crush on him, not that Ami remembers it.
Months passed and the Tokyo Blackout happened than the disappearances of Ms. Rei Kishine. Suedo kept in contact with Yukino much to Ami's confusion and Yukino knows she wants to ask, 'Is he my father?' but Ami knows now is not the time to ask. Yukino knows Ami deserves the truth over what happened to her father, but she can't bring herself to tell her.
She was walking to Shinjuku Station late at night and spotted Arata Sanada sitting there sleeping. She remembers hearing about it on the news and Ami asking her for help on what to do, but he's a fugitive now.
She slightly nudged his side with her foot, she wanted to talk to him but she knows, learned, that information doesn't come free. She doesn't want to ask him why he's a fugitive, she knows from Kyoko, Ami, and Suedo himself so she got both sides of the spectrum.
He wakes up slowly before freezing once seeing her, "Get up and follow me. We need to talk."
"How do I know you won't turn me in?" Arata questioned.
"I could have left you asleep, but I didn't." Yukino said. "Besides, I want information that only you can give me. In exchange, you can get food and a warm bed without the fear of getting caught with me."
"What type of information?"
"Judes."
"How did you -"
"I'm a reporter, I have connections," Yukino said nudging his side with her foot again. "Come on, let's go. I would much rather wait until morning before I start getting the information and I'm sure you would like a comfortable bed."
Arata followed her after getting up, he was warily about this reporter. She seems to know that old man on a personal level, the fact that she knows about Judes and how he's related to it, so he's going to play dumb and follow that saying, 'Keep your friends close, your enemies closer.'
"In price for your information, you can spend three days at my house, avoid windows, and don't answer the phone, doors, or your digivice. You'll also get warm food and a bed. Needless to say, my food won't be as good as my daughter's but it's still warm."
"Won't your daughter get suspicion?"
"I'll tell her not to come over for three days, she understands that I deal with shady people some times so when I tell her not to come over, it's usually in her safety."
Arata quickly got in the back seat of her car where the windows were tinted. "It seems like this isn't your first time dealing with a fugitive?"
"No, not by a long shot," Yukino said getting into the driver seat. "You are actually the easiest fugitive to follow me."
"I'm still learning."
Yukino smiled. She wanted information over the Judes and over being a hacker. Even if he couldn't provide the information she needed for her story, she would still take care of him, Just to help put her daughter's mind at ease. She would save the information later for a different new story, she's still working on the Akibara Disappearance side story.
After the defeat of Examon, Yukino spotted Eater Arata and went up to him.
"Are you happy?" she asked causing the boy to turn around and face her. "Is the Arata Sanada happy?"
"Of course, I'm happy. I have all this power. I can save my friends."
"With power comes responsibility," Yukino said. "I know what Suedo did is wrong but -"
"You knew?" Arata asked outraged.
Of course she knew, Ami was forced to forget the past eight years, five years of her dating Suedo was such an excellent father to Ami even though she wasn't his child, two of those years overlapped with the EDEN Beta Test. With her daughter being a victim of memory locked by at the time her fiance, how could she not know?
"Of course, I'm a reporter, it's my job to uncover the dark truth," she responded with instead. Arata tried to imitate her holding his Eater hand up in front of her but she just crossed her arms. "She's worried about you."
"I know a lot of 'she's'," he commented with a snicker.
"Oh, but you know exactly what she I am talking about," Yukino said and watched as the red eyes turned grey for a millisecond before returning red. "Mind if I give you a warning?"
"Are you going to lecture me over my choices?"
"No. She hits hard." Short and simple, the message was clear and vague. Yukino wanted the message like that, to give him somewhat of a warning but to also still have the element of surprise. She walked away from him, not fearing Arata would eat her. She wasn't digital and he wasn't powerful enough, close, but not quite there.
She watched from the roof of the Tokyo Metropolis Building as Arata rubbed his cheek as he spoke to Ami. She made herself known as she joined them. She was focused on Suedo and she was going to make sure she was heard.
"You'll bring all five children back safely, won't you, Suedo?" she asked.
"N-n-no way?" Nokia said. "The famous Kino is here too?"
Suedo scratched his head, "I'm not much of a fighter, you should know this Yukino."
"Obviously, the children can take care of themselves and each other," Yukino stated. "But don't you want to fix the mistakes? Yuugo could have been saved if you didn't seal their memories."
"You knew?" Yuuko asked.
"Along with other previous mistakes," Suedo spoke. "I'll make sure the ones who aren't data return safely. The two that are data, I can't make any promises."
"You have no shame," Yukino said so badly wishing she could be as bold as her daughter and punch the scientist.
"OMG! Just kiss!" Nokia shouted causing the two adults to blink. "Sexual tension is bad for you and we can feel it over here!"
"Nokia!" Yuuko exclaimed.
"What's sexual tension?" Omnimon asked.
"No! No! No!" Arata spoke shaking his head. "That doesn't put a good image in my mind."
Alphamon laughed as the reporter turned to look at them, "You humans, never fail to surprise. I expected Ami to have that reaction, not you Arata."
"Huh?" Nokia questioned. "Why would Ami have that reaction?"
"You two dated for a time, didn't you?" Ami asked her mother. "I remember memories of me being little and Suedo taking you and me out on dates, he also asked for my permission before you two started officially dating, I think."
"I told you that she grew up beautifully," Suedo said scratching his head. "Observant, just like you."
"Anyway, I do know that you two kissed so much I became immune to it," Ami said. "Possibly the reason as to why I am never jealous when I see couples." She pointed at her mother and at Suedo, "The two of you never could keep your hands off of each other. It's a wonder I'm still an only child."
"That's enough out of you," Yukino said placing her hand on Ami's head and pushing down on it gently, glaring at her laughing daughter.
"Aw, how cute. You two are blushing," Alphamon said laughing herself. "Let's create a new blend of coffee for this moment. How does coffee with chili peppers, dragonfruit, and black bean paste sound?"
"Are you crazy?" Nokia asked.
"Ah, that's right. You preferred the wasabi in it," Alphamon said thinking.
Ami got away from her mother and started pushing Arata away, "You have a case for me, right?"
Arata quickly got the message and walked with Ami towards the elevator, "Yeah, of course."
They entered the elevator and Yukino looked at Suedo. "You had better make sure that all five of them returned, that's including Ami."
"There is a large amount of uncertainly, I cannot give you-"
"You WILL bring my daughter back to me," Yukino spoke. "Five years of dating me, three years being engaged, you know how much Ami means to me! You know that she's the only family I have left!"
"Ami is your only family?" Yuuko asked surprised. Maybe that was why Ami wanted a connection with her, because they each only have one family member left in their life.
In the elevator going down to the lobby, Arata was still rubbing his cheek.
"Does it still hurt?" Ami questioned.
"It stings a bit, how are you not feeling it?" Arata asked back.
"Possibly because I'm data. I can't feel any physical pain but I can feel my Digimon's pain."
"Makes sense. Damn, your mother warned me too that you hit hard." Arata leaned back against the railing behind him as they kept going down. "Your mom is really nice, though I really didn't need all of those images you gave us."
"You think I wanted them when I was at the age where I didn't want any cooties?" Ami asked. "However, how do you know my mom is nice?"
"She gave me a place to stay for three days with warm food for information over Judes and being a hacker. Said it was for a story. If I would've known you was her daughter -"
"You honestly didn't think I wasn't there," Ami said. "My mom's cooking is good but there is a reason as to why I can handle some of the coffee blends Alphamon makes. The food you ate was definitely not from my mother."
"You fixed those dishes than?"
"Every single one. I highly doubt you wanted to try my mom's weird flavor experiments that don't work 75% of the time," Ami said giggling. The elevator doors opened and they walked out. "Mom also did it to help put me at ease."
Months later, EDEN Syndrome was known as a cyberterrorist attack but six people knew better. Yukino looked at her daughter who was still in a coma, the last one to awake. "Don't you think you've worried your friends enough? It's time for you to wake up."
Blue eyes slowly opened and stared at the ceiling as Yukino called to staff to let them know that Ami was finally awake.
"This is one story where the truth will stay in the shadows, away from the people's attention," Yukino said to herself.
~~The End~~