A Hat
A 20ft Veemon marched through the air, followed by a Gabumon, Tsukaimon and many other colourful characters. Each fell in suit with rhythmic but random movements. The sun reflected off them brilliantly, their silky smooth skin a bit creased in places. Each Digimon was attached by way of string to a team of street dancers, introducing that year's Akihabara Digimon Card Tournament. Streamers followed as well as an instrumental Brave Heart playing in the background. Surprisingly, Tai, Joe, Sora, TK and rest of the Digimon Adventure crew kept randomly appearing amongst the crowds, as part of the many cosplay characters found there
"Hey Takato, stop keeping me waiting!" shouted Kazu, eager as ever. He was jogging on the spot, a strange habit he had picked up looking out for his friends, to stop him from being bored.
"Yo Kazu! Sorry, it took a while to convince mum to let me come along here. Where's Kenta?" inquired Takato.
"He had to stay at home. Some family issues. But come on, you're slowing us down Chumley! I want to see the main event! I've heard rumours that the Digimon Queen is in attendance. I want to show her my moves."
"Kazu, you're not even in the tournament. Let's just wait until we're inside."
"Hey, this is my treat as I won those tickets."
"How very generous!"
"Anything to see her! But I couldn't do it alone."
"Of course, per usual!"
They continued to discuss their plans as they awaited the crowds to spread out a bit more and also for announcement to head inside. As Kazu looked around, he spotted a small merchandise stall.
"Yo Chumley! I'm just going to check that out."
"Wait for me."
"Yeah yeah!"
Amongst the stall were booster packs, official from the Digimon Corporation, Digimon key rings, bowls, spoons, forks, knives, cereal and other knick knacks. There were also clothing stalls next door. On one rack t-shirts of various colours stood out, boxers and general underwear and other clothes. Whilst Takato and Kazu were very enthusiastic about this stuff, they did not have the time or the money, with the tournament starting soon.
Kazu ruffled his hair, frowning as he looked over at the clothes. Even though he did want something, there was nothing that really stood out. Yeah memories and the chance to rub the exclusivity in Kenta's face when he got back were priceless but he still felt like he needed something more. He looked left and spotted another stall.
"Hey Takato, let's check this out!"
"Yeah, just a second!"
"Takato, we don't have all day, c'mon its starting soon."
"Kazu, we only just got here, stop being so impatient. I'm nearly finished here. How about you go to the next stall and when I'm finished we meet up? Okay?"
"Fine!"
The stall here seemed to be overlooked compared to the others. No wonder why as it wasn't selling any Digimon merchandise, just hats.
Hats.
Strangely in all the years, he'd never thought of purchasing one and yet here they were.
"The Digimon tournament will be starting in 10 minutes. Please finish your purchases and enter the arena," announced someone over the area's PA system
Kazu looked at the hats in front of him. There were pink cowboy hats, aviator hats, helmets, a hat in the shape of a tennis ball (how?), orange monkey hats (who came up with this stuff?), vampire hats (would they fly away if he touched them?) and baseball hats. None of them seemed appealing, maybe the vampire hat did, but he didn't really feel like this was the time or the place.
And then he saw it, a green curved baseball hat with a rounded rectangular blue attachment that seemed to have fallen off one of the racks but not to the bottom. It seemed to be loosely hanging off the shelf.
Screams could be heard in the background as someone obviously famous was passing through and Kazu did not want to miss it. He would have enough time to get there if he hurried.
Kazu reached down and lightly pulled at the hat. It was deceptive as it would not budge, other than bounce slightly on its current resting place. The screams and cheers were getting louder and so Kazu pulled harder. Again the hat would not budge.
By now Kazu was getting very frustrated. He decided to give the hat one final yank, sending him careening into a clumsy backwards roll. The rack in which the hat was on originally also toppled over, just missing him by inches. Kazu continued rolling until he ended up slamming into various people who also fell over.
However, a great number of gasps blasted Kazu's ears. He had momentarily blacked out and regained his senses when he had been jolted. As his vision cleared, strands of red hair curtained his face so much that he tasted it. Wait. Bleucch!
"Aaah, get off of me you idiot!" someone screamed.
"Whaaaaa?" was all Kazu could reply.
"The Queen"
"He ran her over."
"Nobody touches the Queen."
"Get off of the queen."
Various comments about the queen befuddled Kazu's mind. "Beeeeeeehhhhh?" came out of Kazu's mouth before he could think of anything.
"Tch, you're not worth it, I need to get going so go away!"
"Ber, cer wer her? Her? Her?" Kazu's brain jumpstarted sending him into overdrive. "I just crashed into her?"
Kazu shook his head and looked around, already finding that the large group of what were obviously fans had left him in the dust. He slowly picked up his slightly aching body and started dusting off his shorts. No sooner was he up then Takato appeared behind him.
"So you ready to go?" Takato asked politely
"Yeah, let me go pay for this. If this hat causes me this much fun, it's got to be lucky."
"Hat?"
"Yeah, see this Chumley? I just met the Digimon Queen thanks to this!"
"Well that's good," finished Takato.
"Arrrrrgggghhhhh!" shouted what seemed to be someone middle aged. Kazu turned around and saw an irate looking vendor fuming at the disaster of his stall. He turned around and looked at Kazu.
She always goes on and on about these hot coals. Why doesn't she just do it? At least I do a better job than the wind outside. Ah nothing like a nice toasty fire. "Hey Babamon, make sure we don't run out of coals" called Jijimon
"Get them yourself that's your job afterall, you old fool!" yelled back Babamon back from the lounge.
"No you get them, you old sea gherkin," repeated Jijimon.
"Soaking in the bath! Soaking in the bath!" continued Kazu's and Kenta's chorus, their voices turning a scratchy chalkboard into a child's game.
"You're closer to them, you goat. I have yet to finish my knitting! Give us girls the time and go enjoy yourself, you misguided missile!"
"It's your turn, witch!"
"Do it now otherwise I'll sic my friend's partner on you"
"Not unless I do it first!"
"Fine then!"
"Fine then!"
"Fine then!"
"Fine then!"
"Go ahead, you bat, I can't leave my chair. Want another cold night?"
"Oh brother!" interjected Rika.
"I think we should leave these two for now" suggested Renamon
"Oh he'll do it, let me finish up and I'll help you up", said Babamon, suddenly turning her attention to them.
"Fine I will" shouted Jijimon from his room again.
"Bath! Bath! Bath! Soaking in the bath!" Kazu and Kenta sang together.
Jijimon wandered through the hall, each foot softly planted on the ground. In this darkness je could easily feel his way to the coal store, each bump and crag feeling homely and nice massaging his toes and giving him better exercise than he had had in a long time. Every tiny movement like leaping from one small mountain to the next.
He turned a corner and found that the steam against his skin had increased tenfold, causing him to sweat like a sponge inverted. In fact it was clammy and almost as though he had walked into his own private sauna... no wait he had. Which would also explain the wonderful melody of two male cats scuppering each other and laughing about it at the same time.
However, Jijimon lost his feet of direction and stopped on top of something small and squishy. It was almost sponge like but probably wouldn't have been made of the material. He looked down and spotted two large square things which seemed to fit nicely around his feet. Nice and comfy. He had to ask the boys on what they were made of.
And then he saw a strange sillohuette. A shadowy crescent moon with square attachments at each end. The moon appeared closer than the rest and peering down he saw why.
It was. But how did that human have a moon with him? Was the moon always this thin? He could always have sworn the moon was cream, not blue and green. That human, Kazu was it? He wanted a partner? He was sure he had overheard that. Did the moon give him power? Really? That thing sure looked flimsy.
Kazu was surely energetic and that wonderful symphony from the hot springs surely proved it. Jijimon just had to listen.
"The steam is becoming thin" started Kazu
"I love to sing and sing," continued Kenta.
"What a lovely din!"
"Ow! Hey you kicked my shin!"
"Be quiet numbskull, it wasn't that bad! Soaking in the bath! "
"Soaking in the bath!"
After momentarily being distracted, Jijimon reached down and picked up the moon. He'd seen Kazu wearing it on his forehead. Perhaps putting it on would work for him. He immediately did so.
"Soaking in the bath! Soaking in the baaaaaaaathcltrjk!" *splash*
"Ha! At least I have something on you!"
"Stop being a dufus and help me up!"
Jijimon frowned as the concert stopped. Silence followed with the exception of the splashing from the two boys. He didn't want to sing as to alert them he was there and instead opted to take the hat off. If it really did give the power to sing, the humans would be better at it anyway. He placed it on the spring bank and hurried off to the coal store. Some things were just not meant to be.
Perhaps he could convince them to stay or at least take him with them later. Anything to get away from that troglodyte.
"Hey, what happened to my clothes? And why is my hat so hairy?"
"You're hairy, Kazu!"
"No you are."
"No you are times one thousand!"
"No you are a million times infinity!"
"Kazu, that doesn't make sense!"
"Yes it does!"
"No it doesn't!"
"Yeah it does. I saidblblblbl-lb!" *splash*
"No it- blrbrrbrb!"
"Guardromon, you need to improve your aim. Try again!"
"Right you are sir, Guardian Barrage!"
As usual, a series of missiles launched from Guardromon, Kazu just about diving out of the way as they exploded nearby. The two were practicing with wooden targets in Shinjuku Park, only just getting away from the park warden. Kazu had somehow set up a system of moving boards with rings painted on them (which really consisted of Kazu and Kenta setting them up and running for their lives).
Kazu looked up from the ground and saw that Guardromon had caused the next lot to explode. The other Tamers were watching bemused from the sidelines. This was Kazu's idea however as he had wanted a more active role after the Parasimon incident.
He stood up and went over to the next board to pick it up.
"Guardromon, you are definitely improving. In fact you're the bot-man!"
"Bot man sir? I'll have you know that I'm fully functional as a robot and I do not gain anything organic until I digivolve. Is the next target ready?" inquired Guardromon.
"Just give me a minute," replied Kazu. The board he was trying to pick up was being particularly stubborn. Currently his hands were waging war with an elastic band and piece of wood, just showing how much of a bodge-job the targets were. Still they were still relatively well designed with the material he had when they worked. When they worked.
Almost a minute later, he finally sorted out the problem. The target sprung up so suddenly however that it caused him to jump back and wobble a bit. He fell over on his back, unfortunately right in front of the target.
"Guardian Barrage!" shouted Guardromon per usual.
"WAIT A MINUTE!" screamed Kazu and hurriedly back-crawled away from the target but it was too late as the target exploded. Almost immediately Kazu sniffed something burning.
After about 10 seconds he suddenly shouted "MY HAIR!" and quickly moved his hands to his head. Luckily it wasn't set alight, only having being singed a bit. Something else however fell off, briefly blocking his vision.
When it cleared, he found that despite a slight headache, his head actually felt freer that it had ever been. The wind blew through his hair, messing it up slightly. Kazu felt something was wrong here.
"Are you okay, Kazu?" Guardromon asked out of characteristic concern.
"Why are you asking me that?" replied Kazu.
"Look behind you, sir. I apologise. If only you had given me longer," replied Guardromon sombrely.
Kazu turned around on the spot and looked down. A small green crescent was split in two. The blue attachment was frayed at the edges. Other parts were singed or had other holes in it.
"Kazu? Kazu? What's the hold up?" shouted Kenta from the side.
Kazu did not reply, instead just sitting there and looking down. He did not budge except slightly moving his legs to get a better position.
"Sir?" asked a concerned Guardromon.
"Kazu? Stop sitting there, that isn't like you. Kazu?" shouted Kenta, more whiney.
Kazu still did not reply.
"Guys, something is terribly wrong here. Kazu's never like this. Never!" Takato could be heard saying. He, Kenta and the others moved forward and walked over to Kazu who was now starting to look up. He had an uncharacteristic frown on his face and looked like he was holding back tears.
"Kazu?" Kenta asked softly, approaching more cautiously.
Finally Kazu spoke. "My... hat? My ... hat, my ... hat!"
"Kazu? Kazu? You're starting to scare me" asked Kenta again.
"Kazu?" repeated Guardromon.
Kenta looked at the pieces on the ground. In the state it was in, he knew it was beyond repair and there was not anything anyone could do. The hat he now realised had caused him to meet Rika, although she didn't remember it. Typical. It had however survived large falls, hurricanes, being de-assembled and reassembled and being attacked by creatures from another world.
And yet one stray missile from his partner was all it took to end its life. How ironic life was. Everyone stared at Kazu as he started to grieve his lost treasure, his lost headwear.
His lost friend.
I don't really feel like I've captured Takato's personality. I'm not that good at action scenes. Still I hope this provides a good story about Kazu. I should hopefully have the next one up in the next few days. Sorry this is a bit rushed in places.
Anyway, please read, review and enjoy. Again, the concept for this series was inspired by Crestoflight3's Simply Remember. Yes I admit Tintin partially inspired me here as well.
Anyway, I do not own the characters, only the plot. Digimon is the copyright of Akiyoshi Hongo and all other associated people.