A/N: Written out of sheer excitement that both CCS and Adventure are being continued in Tri and the Clear Card arc. A couple notes - the digimon are still secret; for the purposes of this story Malomyotismon was defeated by the core group of 12 rather than thousands of kids around the world. The world tour still happened, but is now old news. ALSO! Consider this a quick concept-shot. I'm not sure whether or not this is going to be continued, let alone finished. If someone else wishes to take up where I've left off, please feel free - just PM me first.
...o0O0o...
Takeru sighed softly as he walked through Odaiba's mall. Bright splashes of color assaulted his vision, advertising products of all kinds. From the soft shimmer of faux jewels and the sweet scent of candies, to the colorful array of clothing and toys; there were so many choices.
There just wasn't anything worth actually looking at.
At this rate, the boy mused, disheartened, he wasn't going to be able to find anything. Hikari's birthday was in less than a week and he'd been looking for a gift for over twice that time. She was his best friend, but what kind of friend was he if he couldn't even manage something like this?
Daisuke had probably already gotten her something.
Though, Takeru reflected with an eye-roll, whether the gift would be appropriate for the girl or for himself was another matter entirely. Daisuke tried, but he often forgot that others didn't like the same things he did in quite the same way. It was touching how excited he was to share his interests, but that didn't stop his gifts from occasionally being awkward or boring for the giftee.
Takeru was determined not to make that kind of mistake. He had known Hikari for five years now, and they had been closer than siblings for almost as long. He knew her better than he knew anyone else. Her likes, her dislikes, her insecureties and fears, her aspirations were all things they'd shared. He just... didn't know what to get her for her first official year as a teenager.
Shaking his head at his own ridiculousness, Takeru stepped into a small antique store, hoping to find some inspiration amongst the clutter. Dark wooden shelves lined the walls and paneled flooring, each packed with odds and ends. Figurines, vases, hats, containers... blue eyes glazed as he skimmed the merchandise, nothing in particular catching his interest.
A flash of pale pink nestled in amongst a row of scuffed books caught his eye and he slid what looked like a fancy journal from the shelf. The cover was a soft, clouded pink leather boxed in by a gold frame and corner guards, and a wing clasp locked it securely to the pages. A fierce-looking winged lion gazed out from beind a golden sun.
It was very pretty, Takeru mused, but he wasn't sure it was really her style. For one thing, if Hikari ever took up journaling, it would likely be a picture journal rather than written. For another, the book had apparently had a previous owner; the name SAKURA was engraved at the top, and there was no way Takeru was giving Hikari another girl's diary. Still, the book was definitely unique, and Takeru was almost tempted to get it anyway. While not an appropriate gift by any means, there was something alluring about the thought of cracking open its pages and delving into the world of another novice writer.
Takeru shook his head at that, the thought of what Yamato would do if he caught him with such a thing spurring him to put the book back. As he slid it back on the shelf, his finger caught on the latch and it popped open with a soft click.
He blinked. The book wasn't a journal at all. Instead of lined pages, a neat rectangle had been carved out of the center of the pages.
"Cards?" he murmured, and was about to slide the first one off the deck when an annoyed shout made him freeze.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Takeru turned to the shopkeep with wide eyes. After a quick glance around, he confirmed it; he was the one being yelled at. "Uh?" he asked inarticulately.
"That book can't even be opened! It's just decoration! What on earth did you do to the lock?"
Takeru's first thought was was a rather critical 'Why on earth would you sell something like that?' His second, after a lengthy lecture about breaking things that weren't his, was 'Looks like I'm getting it anyway.' He hadn't even broken anything! The latch had swung open without even the slightest amount of effort on his part.
Takeru could only sigh as he forked over the money for the book-box and was unceremoniously booted out of the shop.
Several hours later and a good 2000 yen lighter despite unsuccessfully locating a proper present, Takeru flopped tiredly onto his bed.
"No good?" Patamon asked, ears settling from his brief flight to the boy's pillow.
Takeru groaned and shook his head.
Patamon tilted his head curiously. "Kari will probably like anything you give her," he stated plainly, by now long familiar with many of Earth's customs. "You're making this a lot harder than it has to be."
"I know. I just. I want it to really mean something, that's all."
"That's all, huh? Hey, what's this?" Patamon crawled into the lone plastic bag Takeru had dropped on the floor, popping up a second later with the disguised box.
"Where all my allowance went," Takeru sighed, gently extricating the book-box from his partner's paws.
"I thought you didn't get her anything?" Patamon asked skeptically as he fluttered back up to the plush green comforter. He peered up at the cover. "It's very pink."
Hikari's color. "Yeah. I don't think this is something she'd really appreciate though," he said, flipping the latch and inspecting the contents. The top card was very pretty, depicting an elegent young girl clutching a winged heart to her chest. He glanced down at the gold scroll below the picture, murmuring to himself as he recalled his English lessons. "The Hope."
Patamon gasped.
Takeru blinked, startled. "The Hope?" he said again, then promptly loosed a frankly embarassing squawk as his D-3 burst into light, Patamon following a hearbeat after.
"Patamon, shinkaaaa..."
The digidestined dove for cover at the phrase, feeling the familiar warmth of his energy flowing to his partner. "What are you - There's not enough room to digivolve in here!"
"Angemon!" the angel digimon howled, wings unfolding from his back in a burst of light and wind. His staff twirled in his hands, scattering school supplies from his desk to the floor and knocking the Sakura book to the ground. Takeru had half a second to be grateful his computer hadn't followed when another burst of light caught his attention. Cards flew from the box at the force of the wind generated by Angemon's wings, each shining brightly and, Takeru realized, drifting far longer than they should have.
Gravity didn't take hold. The cards hovered gently for the span of a few heartbeats before abruptly shooting away, passing through the walls of his apartment as though they weren't even there.
Takeru didn't even have the time to gawk before the Sakura book started to glow, the brilliance expanding and taking shape, and out of the radiance flew a tiny doll with feathered wings. The glow settled and Takeru sighed in relief as the manic activity that had swept through his room seemed to calm.
The doll raised a round golden head. Beady black eyes blinked open. "Good morning!"
Angemon started, then froze as the motion caused one of his wings to jar against the desk. Takeru ignored the minor commotion, staring at the doll. The doll stared back expectantly.
"Good morning," he replied blankly. Takeru shook himself. "I mean, good evening. It... it's evening," he explained inanely, too startled to string more than a few words together coherently. The Digital World was one thing, but finding something like this here? Speaking of... "A-are you a digimon?"
"A what? No!" The little creature crossed its arms and puffed up self-importantly. "I am Keroberos, the Beast of the Seal and guardian of this book," he announced with all the gravitas a toy could muster.
That just provided more questions. "What seal? You mean the lock on that box?" Takeru asked nervously, a sinking feeling growing in his gut.
"Yup!" Keroberos nodded. "I look out for the cards in the Sakura book to make sure they don't get up to any mischief. It's pretty impressive that you were able to wake me up, actually. The book only... opens..." He trailed off, beady eyes popping at the sight of the very empty book.
"Where are the cards?!" he squawked loudly.
Takeru shifted guiltily, holding out the sole remaing card still clutched in his hand. "I, uh, read the name of this one and all the others went flying."
Keroberos' entire body drooped and Takeru could have sworn he muttered 'not again.' The little creature slumped forward, taking the card. "Wait a minute. The Hope card...?" Keroberos' head tilted curiously. "The Hope card doesn't have that sort of power."
"W-well," Takeru stuttered nervously. "I'm not sure how, but I think that card had something to do with my friend suddenly digivolving. Angemon was actually the one that knocked them out of the book."
Angemon let out a tiny noise of protest, and Keroberos jumped a good foot in the air at the sudden realization of the angel's presence. The little wings proved to be functional as Keroberos stayed in the air.
The digimon shifted again, wingtip brushing against Takeru's computer. At the boy's wince, the angel glowed, shrinking down to the familiar shape of Patamon.
"Pah!" the digimon gasped in relief. "Been trying to de-digivolve for ages," he huffed dramatically.
Keroberos stared, open-mouthed. "What are you?!"
Patamon flapped his ears, matching the little creature's wingbeats. "I'm a digimon."
"He's my partner," Takeru explained briefly.
"And he can turn into an angel?" Keroberos asked, skeptecism tempered by the fact that he'd seen Angemon turn into Patamon just moments before.
"Sort of," the digidestined started, slightly more comfortable now that he actually knew what they were discussing. "You see, I'm a Chosen Child, one of twelve kids that has a partnered digimon and can travel to the Digital World, a world that runs parallel to this one. We provide our partners with energy they can use to digivolve into other forms to protect both worlds," he said. There was no harm in explaining, he figured, seeing as the little creature not only had seen Patamon, but wasn't exactly standard human knowledge himself.
"I see," Keroberos cast him a shrewd look, chin held in one paw. "Well I guess it's my turn. That book," he pointed at the pink book-box still lying open on the ground, "contained 53 Sakura Cards. Those cards were created by an amazing sorcerer and contain powers beyond ordinary people. But each one is alive, and they all like acting on their own. So you need to help me get them back before they can cause too much trouble!"
Takeru glanced at his partner, catching the little digimon's gaze. "Alright," he said. "I guess it kind of was our fault anyway."
Patamon scoffed. "Don't look at me! You're the one that bought the book. And read that card."
The blond coughed. "Alright, alright. My fault, then."
"Great!" Keroberos rubbed his paws together before focusing on the book. "You stand right there," he gestured, and Takeru hastily obeyed. A soft glow suffused the little creature's body. "Key of the Seal, there is someone wishing to form a contract with you." Incredibly, a tiny key-shaped charm floated out of the Sakura book. "A boy. His name is..."
"Takaishi Takeru," the digidestined hastily informed the guardian.
"Takeru. Oh key, grant him the power. Release!"
The key flashed softly, stretching into a short staff colored a gentle seafoam green. A gold star flanked by two white angel's wings tipped the staff.
Takeru spared the flying plush an uncertain glance. At Keroberos' nod, he reached forward. Warmth spread throughout his body as his fingers closed around the staff.
"All right!" the little guardian cheered. "A new cardcaptor is born!"
Takeru stared at the staff for what felt like ages, basking in the comforting warmth spreading through his fingers and settling near his heart.
"Wow," Patamon gasped. "Look at that, TK!"
"Hmm?" Takeru dragged his gaze from the staff, eyes darting from his partner to the window. "Woah."
Keroberos flew to eye-level, smiling out at the darkening sky where little motes of light flickered and danced, reflecting the stars barely visible against the glow of the city.
"Those aren't fireflies," Takeru murmured, pressing his nose to the glass.
"You're right," the flying plush said cheerfully. "Seems we've already found our first Sakura Card."
"That's a card?"
"The Glow," Keroberos confirmed. "I guess she decided to stick around," he added curiously, pushing at the window's latch. Patamon joined in when it proved too large for the little guardian to grip easily, and the window slid open with a quiet click.
Takeru looked out at the tiny lights and couldn't help but smile. Even with a large city as their backdrop, the shimmering lights were beautiful.
"The Glow is a really gentle card," Keroberos explained, tail swishing contently. "She won't cause any throuble, but you should still catch her quick."
"What do I do?"
"You'll know," the lion doll encouraged. "Go on!"
Takeru hefted the staff, hesitantly lifting it above his head and pointing it out the window. The Glow's lights flickered almost cheerfully in response and his lips twitched in an aborted laugh. He could feel the words tumbling out of his mouth as if by instinct. "Return the to guise you were meant to be in! Sakura Card!" he called, swinging the staff. Motes of light swirled, flowing together and joining into a glowing rectangle.
The shine dimmed after a long moment, the object it settled as drifting toward the digidestined's outstretched hand. Well that had been simple enough, he mused, lifting the reformed Sakura Card.
He examined the image, admiring the artwork of a fairy dressed as a gently glowing firefly. Wingbeats sounded in his ear as Patamon hovered at his shoulder, peering down at the captured Glow. Recalling Keroberos' words, Takeru smiled. "Nice to meet you, Glow. My name's Takeru."
Keroberos laughed. "I think I'll enjoy working with you, Cardcaptor Takeru."