By Amai
Disclaimer- Digimon and all it's characters are not copyright me, but copyright Toei Animation/Bandai (there probably are others, but I can't remember offhand). I wish they were, but sadly, not all wishes come true. The only things that are copyright me are this fanfic, Tanryoku and the woman at the end who no one know's yet. So no stealing, kiddies.
Author's Notes- Before I forget...my IM is Hiraku Akuen, talk to me if ya like! Anyways..semi-continuation to Maybe! Explains what really happened with Ken and Daisuke when they 'dissappeared'...this part is mild, and basically wanders into their son, Tanryoku's thoughts. I still don't give any information as to why he exists, but it will all be explained within the fic. I've decided to go on and off with finishing the "Field of Dreams II" series and this one, so you'll probably see one of that tommarow and the next day the continuation of this...if I don't decide to make the next part longer, which I probably will. Note that Tanryoku tends to call all of his "fathers" with the 'Tousan title before the actual name. This is because he has so many fathers in his life he prefers to do that. Hikari will sometimes be called 'Kaasan Hikari..but most of the time just 'Kaasan. And the others go by either 'Jisan or 'Basan, aunt or uncle (if you don't know the others, they're father or mother). Hope that clears things up. ^^; Okay, I'm getting boring, so go on and read! But please review when you're done, okay?
My name is Tanryoku Tatsumi Takaishi.
I am a bastard. Known that for years. But I've learned how to cope with it....enough, so I don't break down crying. I couldn't do that...not in front of Suteki-chan.
Suteki Takaishi's my sister....she's no bastard. She knows who her parents are. She's happy.
I wish I could be truly happy. 'Tousan Takeru and 'Kaasan Hikari are wonderful, really...but I'm lacking my true roots. I really can only remember my parent's names...not much more. It's been so long. Yes, I have small memories of them..but no visual ones. Just their..feeling. Daisuke, one of them..he felt, warm, but extremely tired. Every time I was near him I would feel his heart calming down from it's hectic pace. It was only truly calm when my other father...Ken, was as well with him. Ken felt weaker than Daisuke, but at times...at times, he was stronger. It kept fluctuating.
I can't remember much about 'Tousan Ken. 'Tousan Takeru and 'Kaasan never really said much about him when they told Suteki and I their stories about "digimon". Somehow that word..that world...it all seemed familiar to me when they spoke.
It all seemed so interesting! But sometimes, when 'Kaasan started talking a bit about 'Tousan Daisuke she would begin to cry, and we wouldn't hear anymore that day.
I wonder...I wonder what was so wrong about 'Tousan Daisuke to make 'Kaasan cry.
—
"He's still too young..."
"Hikari, he's nearly fourteen. He's got to find this out someday!", Takeru Takaishi whispered to his wife, Hikari Takaishi. The two were watching their son, Tanryoku from the distance of the kitchen while he watched television with their seven year old daughter, Suteki.
It had been so long since they had first found the then-five year old Tanryoku on their doorstep with Daisuke's note. And they had granted their late friend his last favor...taking the boy in as their son. But they had neglected one thing, in fear that it would hurt the boy they had become so close to.
Tanryoku was yet to learn what really happened in the past to make Daisuke leave them. In fact, the boy didn't know that much of his past, as Hikari and Takeru didn't quite know as well. But...to tell Tanryoku that it was their fault that his father wasn't with him now...how could they do that? Takeru knew it was time, but Hikari, still stricken by guilt refused to believe.
"He's just not ready, Takeru! It would hurt him...", she cried out, softly, still staring at Tanryoku distraughtly. Takeru sighed and took her hand in his,
"Daisuke wanted Tanryoku to be strong...and I know he knows that. As much as it might hurt, the son of the second bearer of courage can take it. I know he can." Hikari frowned, but nodded.
"Okay..okay, but please, let's tell him after his birthday. I at least want that to be enjoyable for him.", Takeru gave her a small smile,
"Of course."
Tanryoku's fourteenth birthday was the next day. It actually wasn't really his birth date, but because he didn't remember what it was they had dubbed they day Tanryoku became part of the family his birthday. At the age of fourteen, he had matured a lot...keeping distinct aspects of both of this parents. He was soft-spoken most of them time, much like Ken was....but at the same time could be boisterous, with the intent of gaining attention, like Daisuke. His purple eyes held the same depth of deep understanding that Ken's did..but he harbored Daisuke's loud and spiky hair, keeping the dark blue color of Ken's.
Tanryoku was quite handsome for a fourteen year old. Unfortunately, he did not have many friends at school, much to everyone's dismay. He was mysterious, a bit aloof, and people seemed to not have the time to pry through his demeanor. But Tanryoku didn't seem to care. He made friends when he wanted to, with who he wanted to. No one would decide that for him, no one. And he was rather content with his own situation most of the time.
Just not now.
Now he wanted to know more about his parents than anything else...now he wanted to scream out, 'Where's my father!' when 'Tousan Takeru tried to comfort him with a fatherly talk....he just wanted to know. And it was hurting not to know.
He hated feeling so helpless.
—
I can't stand it anymore. Why is my life so secret? I wonder about this, too much now....it's so secret that even I, the bearer of my own self do not know.
I hate this.
'Kaasan Hikari, why do you cry every time you start to explain 'Tousan Daisuke more? Onegai, please tell me....I won't be angry. I just want to know. I need to...I need to...
I'm laying in my bed looking at one of their group pictures in my hands. I can see them all...'Jisan Iori,'Basan Miyako, 'Tousan Daisuke, 'Tousan Takeru and 'Kaasan Hikari...all of my younger close ones. The younger "digidestined" without the others. They look so happy, even 'Tousan Daisuke who I heard always was fighting over 'Tousan Takeru for 'Kaasan's heart.
I never get to hear more of that because of the tears. The tears that flow from 'Kaasan's eyes whenever she continues. I hate to see her so hurt like that...I wish I could take her tears instead, so she didn't have to cry. I hate tears. Because they are something you can't control, can't make stop...they make you vulnerable.
Somehow thinking these thoughts reminds me of something..shrouded in the past. I guess I blocked everything I had seen or heard before my fifth year of life when I first came here...because I frustrate myself trying to remember those little facts. Dammit, I feel helpless again..
I hear something drop next to my window. That's odd, it's night..birds aren't usually out. As I check to see what it is, I notice that it's not a bird at all. It's an odd..device...with a note on it. I pick it up, observing this device before finally reading the note. I wonder who it could be from...It reads:
For one to find out his own past,
One must follow where this was last...
A riddle. A riddle to find my answers! Someone out there knows me...knows what I'm thinking. I've got to find them. I must.
"Tanryoku!"
'Kaasan calling me for dinner. Should I go, as the note tells me to? No...not now, I should eat first, gain strength so it doesn't seem like I just disappeared. I wouldn't get far before 'Kaasan and 'Tousan Takeru would find me. That wouldn't be good.
But I will find out what this is about, you can bet about it.
—
"He's received the letter. Good...that leaves less work for me.", a figure spoke to no one in particular but herself. She had been pacing, waiting until the boy would open up the letter..hoping that he would, so she wouldn't have to go after him.
"Am I ever going to get rid of you, Daisuke, Ken? Even after your deaths, your offspring comes to haunt me.", she gave a small laugh.
"You two did a fine job though, despite how I made it seem....you opened up the gate for the others, and hopefully your peers will be the next to catch the connection. I know the first keepers of the crests certainly did.....I just wonder why it had to be your sacrifice in stake for their realization. Hopefully Tanryoku doesn't have any sacrifices on his plate, ne?", her voice sounded solemn, thinking of this.
"Of course he doesn't...because he's not a destined one. But..as life turns around, I fear that we may learn about new, hidden sacrifices to be made. I just wish that the lady of life does not turn the tables on us, though...Tanryoku is ripe for manipulation, be a destined one or not. He holds the naive being of you, Daisuke...and the plotting mind of you, Ken. And I know that he will at first be just as selfish as the both of you...", she sighed, starting to pace again.
"Ne, I have a lot of work to do with him...."
The bastard child who had no true concept of courage, kindness and friendship would soon be arriving to retrieve his past. And Daisuke and Ken's last 15 years of realization.
Unfortunately for the pacing woman, she was not the only one who knew this...
