A/N: Hi guys! My first fic! Super stoked, hope you like this! To clarify, Davis' situation will be rectified quickly, I don't intend to make this fic a long one, but there will be a new bad guy to sort spur it along!
Disclaimer: If Digimon were mine, I'd screw that epilogue with a large WarGreymon! But it isn't so yeah. I cry now.
The Dark One
Prologue
Four years have passed since the second generation of digidestined defeated MaloMyotismon, and since that time the connection between the real and digital worlds has been growing slowly but surely, with digimon migration into the human world becoming more and more common. On the other side of the coin, travel to the digital world, while still mostly selective, has also become easier and more available to those with permission to cross the border. As for the digidestined themselves, well, to say they grew up would be quite the understatement.
"Hey guys wait up!" TK yelled, running up behind Cody, Yolei, Kari, Tai, Matt, Sora and Izzy. TK, now 16, had grown a few inches, standing at 5'10" and, unlike his older brother, had kept his hair cut short and neat, having grown very handsome. "Then hurry up you slow poke!" Matt replied, a mad grin on his face. He, Sora and Tai hadn't changed much, although Tai and Sora had gone to college, while Matt had decided to continue to further his band's success, which had gone steadily over the past 4 years. As for Kari and Yolei, the two girls had grown only a little in terms of height, both had turned into real lookers, and were the heartthrobs of every guy in school. As for Cody, he had finally hit a growth spurt, and stood as tall as TK did, despite being younger. Finally, Izzy had graduated from college early, and now worked as a programmer for the world's first and only digiport development company. Their digimon were spread out too, some being in the digital world while their humans were maintaining their busy lifestyle, and on this particular day any of them that were on earth had gone back to celebrate the anniversary of MaloMyotismon's defeat with the rest of the digital world.
"Phew! Sorry guys I got caught up with my chores and didn't realize how late it had gotten" TK said, catching his breath when he caught up to them. "That's alright TK" Matt started "Joe went to go pick up Mimi and Willis from the airport, and Ken went on ahead to make sure we had a table reserved for all of us at the arcade." TK nodded, and began to walk alongside his best friend Kari. The two had tried dating for a small time, but before the first date even ended they agreed that they probably shouldn't be more than friends. Yolei, however, had grown extremely close to Ken, and within 2 years Ken finally (to everyone's relief) asked her out. Joe and Mimi had also begun a long distance relationship, and although sometimes strained, the two seemed very happy. Having Willis to keep her company in America also helped Mimi, as she needed a friend familiar with the digital world or she feared she might go insane.
After a short time something dawned on Kari, and looking around at the group she asked "Hey wait a minute! What about Davis? Has anyone heard from him?" The collective cringe from those gathered answered her question, and, feeling extremely disappointed, Kari sighed and hung her head. "Hey don't worry I think Ken said he might show, we can ask him when we get to the arcade!" Yolei said optimistically, though her smile didn't quite reach her eyes. Kari, however, seemed not to notice, merely nodding her head and looking down. "Yeah, good luck with that one." Matt muttered, earning him a god slap across the back f the head from both Tai and Sora. Fortunately, Kari was too deep in thought to notice. "Cheer up sis" Tai said throwing an arm around her "If you're there I'm sure he'll show up, I mean it's always spurred him on before right TK?" TK nodded, smiling warmly "Yeah, he'll probably come in bragging about he and Ken are gonna take Odaiba High to the top as the "Star Pair" for a 3rd year running!" That caused even Kari to laugh, and she said "Thanks guys, but I'm ok, really." Seeming to take her answer, the others resumed conversation, cracking jokes about old times. Though as Kari settled back into a brisk walk, her mind wandered back to everything that had happened with the crimson haired boy in the past 4 years.
Almost immediately after the defeat of MaloMyotismon, Davis had begun to slowly but surely recede away from the others. At first it was just missing a few meet ups here and there, but by their sophomore year, they all noticed that the only thing he consistently showed up to that involved the digidestined were the soccer games, and even then it was only because he and Ken were the team's best players and had won them the national title 2 years in a row, a feat lost on no one, especially those who considered him to be their friend. However, of late the only time he met up with anyone who had been involved with the digital world had been whenever Tai or Matt or Izzy were around, never in large groups, and only if Ken were there too. By this point everyone had noticed, but whenever he was questioned about it or anyone tried to confront him, he either made up and excuse or simlply walked away, saying "I've been busy is all." The change had started almost immediately after they took down MaloMyotismon, and it had somehow managed to douse his spark, making him lose much of the life and excitement he held inside him, a trait that Kari had grown to find very appealing, especially when coupled with his knack for friendship and his inconquerable courage. Couple that with his growing good looks and you had a real winner. He had let his crimson hair grow down his back, so that it now reached a few inches below his neck. His boyish face had grown sharper, making him very handsome, and his body had become very toned and lean from all the soccer. He was every girl's number one pick, but he had never taken any of them out, instead choosing to gently let them down and say he wasn't really interested. Much to everyone's shock, his massive crush on Kari seemed to have also vanished, although she had on more than one occasion found herself wishing it hadn't.
Her mind drifting into this line of thought now, Kari suddenly blushed furiously, and shook her head, taking her mind off of Davis Motomiya for the moment. Her feelings now weren't new, in fact they had started even before they had defeated MaloMyotismon. But as always, she told herself she was just being weird, and let herself re-focus as they had reached their destination. "Here we are!" Tai and Matt and TK said, grinning madly and buncing on the balls of their feet. "GUYS! GUUUUUUUUUUUUYS!" A female voice yelled, and Sora squeeled as she and Mimi almost tackled each other, hugging tightly. "Joe! Willis!" TK called out, as the other two ran behind Mimi, Joe puffing and muttering something about a limitless supply of energy that was just plain unnatural. Willis smiled, fist bumping Tai and Izzy, frowning as he looked around and said "Where's Davis?" Once again a collective cringe went around the group, as Ken walked out and said "I'm glad to say he told me he'd be here later." Yolei zoomed up and quickly kissed Ken, smiling at him warmly. "Er, uh, anyway" Ken continued, still a little embarrassed with Yolei's need for mass PDA "Let's get inside and get this party started."
They got inside and immediately spread out like rabid sharks, forming smaller groups and enjoying the time together. Willis' uncle, who owned the arcade, had reserved it just for them when Ken had asked, and had let them use any games they wanted for free. He also supplied them with the massive meal, which he insisted upon, knowing full well the sacrifices made by the digidestined 4 years prior. When they got ready to eat, Tai and Matt, with help from Ken and TK, pushed together some tables and they all sat down, enjoying a large amount of varied pizza, sipping fizzy drinks and cracking jokes, exchanging 'war stories' from their adventures. Some time into the meal, Kari noticed Ken reach into his pocket and frown at his phone whispering into Yolei's ear and motioning for Tai to follow him. Curious, Kari followed quietly, stopping when she heard her brother yell "WHAT?!" She hugged the wall, straining to hear what was being said.
"Calm down Tai!"
"Are you kidding me right now Ken? How am I supposed to stay calm?!"
"Look, I'm just the messenger ok?"
"I know, I know! But come on, I haven't even seen the guy outside of a soccer game in over 4 months now!"
"He said something important had come up Tai!"
"That's what he always says!"
"I know but I was sure I convinced him tonight okay? I didn't mean to get anyone's hopes up!"
"Tell that to Kari or Willis! They were really excited to see him here!"
"I know, I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault Ken, but he never misses this. I guess I'm just really disappointed."
Kari's head dropped immediately. So Davis wasn't coming. What was going on with him? Why was he being so damned distant?! It was driving everyone insane! Sighing, she went back to the others, wedging herself against the wall, Ken and Tai not far behind him. Sora frowned at Kari's expression, but was startled out of asking her what was wrong when Matt slammed his hand on the table and roared "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" Everyone shut up quickly at that, turning with inquisitive glances at him and Tai, the latter of whom sighed and said "Calm down Matt, getting mad won't help."
"WHAT THE HELL?! DUDE, HE DITCHED US AGAIN!"
"He's not coming is he?"Cody piped up, sounding mad as well
"Who?" Mimi asked
"DAVIS!" Matt yelled, calmer now that Sora had taken his hand
"Oh come on, seriously?!" Yolei asked, now officially pissed off
"On today of all days?" Joe sighed
"Yeah, for real. Today is special, and even Willis and Mimi made it!" TK huffed
"Honestly I'm not surprised" Matt said bitterly
"Hey that's not fair!" Kari said, feeling a bit flustered at everyone's growing temper
"Kari's right, this isn't helping anyone" Sora said firmly
"Ken, what did he say was going on?" Matt asked through gritted teeth
"Just that something came up..." Ken replied hesitantly
"Come on guys, enough about Davis, we're here aren't we?" Willis asked and they all nodded quietly "Then don't mope, let's the party! Let's finish the night with fun!"
After Willis' statement, everyone gradually got back into a lighter mood, and soon the topic of Davis was put to rest, but Kari didn't join in, she merely sat there, her thoughts carrying her away...
Elsewhere in Odaiba, Davis sat quietly in Jun's apartment, his phone in hand, staring out the window, a single tear rolling down his cheek...