Title: Mom?
Category: Arata x Ami friendship
Rating: K
Summary: It's been two years since Ami last saw her mother, years since AWA Studio Works took off in the States. Ami acts like it's not a big deal , but the signs are there. A surprise visit might be in order.
Disclaimer: I do not owe any rights to the Digimon franchise.
~~Story Begins~~
"You know," Yuuko spoke as the group of five friends was eating at a pasta place, "I have never heard of AWA Studio Works, I've even tried researching it. What is it?"
"Hm?" Ami hummed as a piece of ravioli was placed in her mouth.
"Your shirt," Arata spoke using his fork to point at her shirt. "I've been curious about that as well. None of my friends could tell me anything about it."
"It's possibly fake if a bunch of geeks like you don't even know about it," Nokia said.
"Oh? Do you know about it than?" Arata questioned back.
Ami slightly chewed her food as Nokia answered, "Of course not."
"You okay?" Yuugo whispered to Ami.
"I'm fine," Ami whispered back with a smile. She coughed and got Arata and Nokia's attention. "AWA Studio Works is a real company, it's big in the States. They create reality unsolved and solved crime shows."
"You've been to the States?" Nokia asked.
"To all fifty states," Ami answered. "My mom has a dual citizenship between Japan and America. When I was born, she started to get me my own dual citizenship so I also have a dual citizenship."
"No fair!" Nokia whined. "I want to go!"
"She's not leaving," Yuuko said. "It's expensive to go back and forth from Japan and the States and come back to Japan."
"However, that explains as to why we can't find any information over it. Japan's ideas are quick to accept over there, not so much the States ideas are accepted over here," Arata explained putting them back on topic. "Oh, I know. Give me one of their shows so I can watch an episode!"
"Why?" Ami questioned slowly losing her appetite, which was a shame. She just received her plate of food and only had that one piece of ravioli.
"English class, need to translate something in English to Japanese," Arata explained.
"Do we really need to have this topic of conversation?" Yuugo asked more aware to Ami's emotions due to complicated reasons. Mostly due to the program he installed in Ami's EDEN form, not predicating that she'll be stuck in a cyber body and connect jump within the Eater's data to save their friends.
"Murder or Suicide is one and then Jealous Affairs is another," Ami responded sitting her fork down.
"You aren't going to eat that?" Yuuko asked.
"I lost my appetite," Ami responded. Yuuko looked at her worriedly. "It's nothing really. I just overestimated how hungry I was."
"Well, if you don't want it, then I'll take it," Nokia said reaching over the table and grabbing Ami's plate.
"Rude," Arata said shaking his head.
"I've done it before to Ami, so she doesn't mind," Nokia argued.
"That's besides the point," Arata said. He looked over at Ami, "You let her walk on you, stop it."
"Why?" Ami questioned innocently with a smile. "Nokia keeps forgetting that if she takes my plate when I've barely eaten any of it, than she has to pay."
"Why do you never remind me of this before I take your plate?" Nokia asked with a whine causing the two siblings to chuckle.
"Where would the fun be in that?" Ami asked.
After their lunch, the five went there ways, mostly. Yuuko and Yuugo were heading back to Kamishiro Enterprise, Nokia went off towards who knows where with her, while Arata and Ami headed towards Shinjuku where they would part ways.
"So, what exactly happened to make you lose your appetite?" Arata asked "Don't tell me nothing either."
"Like I said in the restaurant, it's nothing to worry about," Ami said.
"Yeah, and I believe that as much as Nokia believes she's a mature adult. What's wrong?"
"It's silly, really. It's nothing. Just me being weird and I would much rather not have you make fun of me for it."
"Ami," Arata said in his serious tone of voice that is usually directed towards Nokia.
"What?"
"Tell me."
"You won't leave me alone about it, will you?"
"I will annoy and follow you to work until I know."
Ami let out a small sigh. "I miss my mom. Usually I'll go to the States to visit her for a week every other month. You wouldn't know it from knowing me, but she's a perfectionist."
"When was the last time you saw your mom?" Arata asked looking at her, his tone went from being serious too concerned.
"Two years and a half, she's been busy so she usually postpones my trips. Last time, it was me who had to postpone it."
"Why did you have to postpone it?" Arata asked as they boarded the subway.
"Nokia wished to go to that special event in EDEN," Ami answered. "The one that started it all. I was supposed to leave later that night but Mom told me to stay home until I was better."
"Dammit," Arata said. "I should have talked that chicken out of it."
"It was no one's fault, besides even if I was there, I would've been alone. She started two more projects."
"Projects?"
"She's the President, CEO, and the one in charge of AWA Studio Works. She's got her hands full, but she's happy. Did I answer everything?"
"Yeah, mostly. I still don't like how Yuugo and you are so close," Arata grumbled. "You are the only one who I have trouble reading."
"That means my acting skills are improving," Ami laughed.
"You know, we do worry about you," Arata said. "So if you need to talk than talk to one of us, okay?"
"Thanks, Arata," Ami said. "It means a lot just knowing you are here."
Months passed and Ami never talked about her mom to Arata or the others again. The group of five were walking through Akihabara, Arata in the front trying to deflect the geek comments from Nokia and Yuuko. Yuugo and Ami in the back talking amongst themselves.
"Right, everyone?" Nokia questioned.
"What?" Yuugo asked.
"Just say yes," his sister said.
Ami laughed while shaking her head, "No!"
"What am I agreeing to?" Yuugo asked.
"Huh?" Ami said as she stopped walking and looked to the side and behind her.
"What's up?" Nokia asked as they all stopped walking.
"Nothing, just thought I heard my name being called," Ami said. "So, what did I say no to?"
Arata's eyes narrowed in annoyance as Yuuko spoke, "Arata is too much of a geek to end up getting married."
"I stick by my answer than!" Ami said excitedly before frowning, "I heard it again."
"You're imaging things," Yuuko said.
Her brother shook his head, "No, I heard it too this time. It was very faint."
"I'll go investigate it," Ami said. "I'll see you four later."
She ran off and Arata rolled his eyes as the other three stared at him. "Fine, I'll go with her."
He took off running towards Ami who he easily caught up to with his long legs, "Yo."
"What are you doing?" Ami questioned as they slowed down to a walk.
"Investigating with you," Arata said. "It's not wise to go following voices."
"Last time I did, I was able to log into EDEN via TV. Besides the voice sounds like Mirel's."
"My point has been made," Arata commented dryly. "Why not just go to her consulting business and call her?"
"Because she is saying go to the airport. You don't have to come with me," Ami argued.
"I know, but someone's got to have your back. Kyoko says you haven't been sleeping well so your reflexes might be a bit slow."
They got onto the subway and headed towards whatever airport Mirel told Ami to go too. Arata found the whole thing sketchy to be honest. However, the closer they got to the airport, he heard it.
"Okay, that is freaking," Arata said catching Ami off guard.
"What is?" Ami asked looking around thinking she missed something.
"Mirel calling your name, she seems like she's laughing about something as well," Arata responded.
"Knowing her, it's the imminent future that will happen when we arrive at the airport," Ami said as the subway stopped and they got out.
"Okay, so why was I able to hear it?" Arata asked annoyed.
"Might be because of your connection to your Digimon or because you are within her range of abilities. Possibly a connection with both."
They walked into the bustling airport, "Okay, so how was you able to hear it first."
"Connection with my DIgimon plus the fact I was data for quite a while," Ami explained. "Yuugo just so happened to be the second because he was data a bit longer than I."
"Yeah, I guess that makes sense, except for the fact I wasn't data," Arata commented playing with her side pony.
It was a quirk to get the cyber sleuth riled up and it worked beautifully, "Stop that!" Ami commented swatting his hand away. "Unless you want to be like Nokia! Besides you was data."
"I'm pretty sure I wasn't," Arata responded back with a smirk as he played with her pony tail again.
"Do you want me to punch you like I did when you was an Eater?" Ami snapped. "Because that was when you was data."
"But I wasn't an Eater for long, thanks to you. If anything, I was an Eater around the same time length as Yuuko," Arata commented.
"No, your arm," Ami explained. "That was data and it was connected to -" Something caught Ami's attention as she looked harder at the people behind Arata, "-you."
Arata turned around and stared at the people getting their baggage, "What caught your attention?"
Silence.
"Ami?"
Before Arata could even think about stopping her, before he could even register that he blinked, Ami was running into the crowd, weaving and dodging those who were coming towards her.
"Mom!" he heard Ami yell. "Mom! It really is you!" He saw his friend hug a lady who seemed surprise but genuine happy that she was there as two arms in a tan coat blocked parts of Ami's yellow shirt. Arata shook his head and calmly walked into the crowd towards the two women.
"Ami! I miss you so much! Look at you, you've grown up so much," the lady said hugging her daughter tightly. "Why are you here? It's not that I'm complaining but I was expecting to surprise you at Kuremi Detective Agency."
"Ami received a call from a mutual acquaintance and told her to come here," Arata explained covering for the both of them by stretching the truth. "I just happened to tag along in case she got herself in trouble."
Ami backed away from her mom and shrugged. "He speaks the truth. Trouble seems to find me lately."
"You must be Sanada. Ami has told me a lot about you, well a lot about everyone, but you mostly."
Arata refrained from raising an eyebrow at Ami but did give his friend a quick questioning glance before returning his attention back to her mother. "All good, I hope," he commented nodding his head.
"So far, all I heard was good. I'm Aiba Yukino by the way."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Arata spoke shaking her hand.
"Mom, why are you back in Japan?" Ami asked as Yukino grabbed her baggage refusing to let the two younger people to carry it for her.
"Would you believe that my own company is making me take two weeks off? Two weeks!"
"I'm surprise it wasn't for a week," Ami commented.
"You make your mom sound like a workaholic," Arata whispered into her ear. Ami just gave him a 'watch' look.
"I know! I did try to get only a week off! No, the lowest they could go was two weeks! They banned my administration identification so I have no idea how the shows are going! They promised to call if trouble rises but, I'm still unsure." Yukino started to put her baggage in a cab waiting for her. "So, since I don't have to stop at Broadway, where should we go?"
"Why don't the two of you head home?" Arata asked. "Catch up with each other."
"What about you?" Ami asked trying to stop him from pushing her closer to her mother.
"I'll take the subway and report back to the others. Let them know everything's okay," Arata said.
"The cab can take you there," Yukino offered.
"Thanks, but no thanks. My express subway card is about to expire and I like to get what is left on it used," Arata commented.
He walked away, waving at them as they got into the cab and shut the doors.
"He's nice," Yukino said watching her daughter.
"He is."
"He's also pretty cute," her daughter's face started to have a blush on her cheeks and her neck. "Is he your boyfriend?"
"MOM!"
"I'll take that as a no. Do you want him to be your boyfriend?"
"Mom! I am not having this conversation with you here in this cab!" Ami said her face and neck quickly matching the color of her hair.
"I'll take that as a yes."
"Mother!"
~~The End~~
