Chapter 2 – Strange Things Come In Threes
A pale, almost gray light snuck into the bedroom. Tailmon stretched happily as she slowly got up from her bed. Hikari had been watching her sleep for a few seconds from the doorway.
"Morning sleepy."
"Good morning Hikari."
She stretched once more before sitting up and fixing her eyes on her partner.
"You're usually up before me Tailmon; why so tired?" Hikari teased.
"What? Oh, well I was out late with Gaomon the other night. We talked for a long time."
Gaomon was a Digimon who Tailmon had known for a few weeks. Hikari walked to the side of the bed and bent forward to look at Tailmon at eye level.
"So Tailmon, do you like this doggy Digimon?"
"No, of course not. We're just friends. Well, more like acquaintances. Even though we talk a lot it doesn't seem like I know that much about him. He keeps a lot inside."
Hikari smiled and pated Tailmon on the head.
"Reminds me of someone I know."
Tailmon shot her a playful glance before leaping down from the bed.
"Let's just go eat already; I'm starved."
She walked with Hikari out to the kitchen, where they made some cereal. Tailmon got the bowls and the box of corn flakes, and Hikari got the milk and poured it. This was the most effective form of teamwork the two could perform as Tailmon could not pour the four litre milk carton herself (it's heavier than it sounds, believe me). Tailmon wasn't a huge fan of corn flakes, but it was filling and healthy.
"Someone as cute as me needs to eat only the healthiest foods to stay fit" she would often cite.
They talked a bit as they ate at the table.
"Hikari, where are Taichi and your parents?"
"He left before you woke up. He and Agumon went to go get some supplies from the supermarket. Mom and Dad went to buy a Christmas turkey in Shinbashi."
"When are the others coming over?"
"Not until four o'clock. There's still a lot to do though; prepare some snacks, tidy the bedroom, that sort of thing."
Tailmon glanced at the clock.
Eleven thirty six…that's…
Tailmon did some calculations in her head and counted her fingers a few times.
Four hours twenty four minutes.
Tailmon was slowly getting the hang of this whole Math concept. Being a Digimon, one doesn't need to know such things usually, but seeing as she was going to live in the human world from now on, she decided it would be interesting to learn. It was one of the things she and Gaomon did; count the stars, buildings or lights in the city.
"You looking forward to it Tailmon? You don't really get to see all the other Digimon that much anymore…"
"Well, I don't mind. I talk enough with Gaomon, and I have you to talk to as well. I'm not lonely, really."
Hikari smiled warmly at Tailmon and ran her hand through the cat Digimon's fur. Tailmon purred.
"Now, let's wash these dishes and have our showers. We may have a few hours but that's no excuse to be lazy."
Tailmon nodded in agreement and the two proceeded to bring their empty bowls and dirty spoons over to the sink. Once again they worked together, Hikari filling the sink and Tailmon squirting in some dish washing soap; three squirts, just the right amount. After the two finished their cleaning, Hikari announced she was having her shower.
"I'll be a little long since it's a party and all."
"That's fine Hikari take as long as you want. I'll go watch TV."
And for the next few minutes that's what she did. There wasn't really thing of note on; mostly news programs or cartoons, which she didn't much care for. Nevertheless, she found an interesting show that was about scientists and scientific discoveries. A man was walking through a dark room, a desk and a few computers in the background. He was talking to the camera as he moved.
"Just over thirty years ago in this now abandoned complex underneath the Yoyogi National Gymnasium, three scientists known only collectively as the 'Nō Group' (roughly translates as "Brain Group" or "Smart Group") discovered a vast world inside their computers while working on government projects. Up until last year, following the defeat of a very powerful evil Digimon, the government of Japan had been trying to keep the location of this secret facility hidden from the public to keep its research confidential, but revisiting the site last month, scientists have discovered notes and files belonging to the 'Nō Group'. Upon the ceasing of this information, the doors of this underground "laboratory" have finally been opened to the public and…"
The report went on and on, Tailmon quite intrigued. It seemed Taichi and his friends were not the first humans to see the Digital World after all.
"What is most mysterious about all of this is that the three scientists that discovered this strange world have since gone missing, or perhaps have gone into hiding. Their last known sighting was fifteen years ago, by the now deceased Nishimura Eita, a lecturer at the University of Tokyo. As Nishimura and his wife died in a car crash some thirteen years ago, there is no telling what they talked about or where the 'Nō Group' are."
Tailmon was so entranced in the television that she either didn't care about or hear Taichi and Agumon coming back from the store. Taichi, dressed in a new, red winter jacket and gray pants that just fit, kicked off his boots. Agumon came in and took off the woolly blue and black tuque he had on. They both carried several plastic bags filled with assorted party necessities.
"It's a good thing the party's at my house; there's no way I'd go out in that cold!" exclaimed Taichi, who was now taking off his jacket.
"I'd say. I'm surprised I didn't turn into a popsicle out there."
Agumon sighed with relief and placed his bags beside the kitchen counter. He went over to sit in the living room on the couch adjacent to the one Tailmon was on. Taichi wandered into the kitchen and grabbed a can of something from the fridge, he too throwing his bags next to the counter.
"Well, well look who's up! Morning Tailmon."
Tailmon finally noticed Agumon's presence and greeted him with a smile.
"Oh…welcome back you two…find everything you were looking for?"
Taichi came from the kitchen and plopped down next to Tailmon.
"Barely, I tell you it's not easy finding nice looking Christmas plates this close to Christmas. We were able to find most of the stuff, except the humus dip."
Tailmon took it a little badly, considering she loved humus.
"Is Hikari in the bathroom?"
"Yes, she went in about twenty minutes ago. She should be out shortly."
Agumon shuffled uncomfortably and spoke.
"She better hurry, I've 'gotta go', and I'm not sure how much longer I can wait."
Tailmon rolled her eyes and Taichi laughed.
"I told you you should have gone at the store!"
Just then the bathroom door was heard being opened and a little steam escaped the bathroom. Hikari came out with a towel wrapped around her hair, and the pink sweater and black pants that she had on last night.
"Oh hey brother, hi Agumon. You guys get everything we needed?"
"Everything except the humus."
"That's too bad…sorry Tailmon."
She patted her partner on the head and took a seat next to her on the couch.
"It's fine, I don't really care."
She really didn't, in fact. It was enough just getting to spend time with her Digimon friends…
Not far away, Takeru was getting ready himself. He and his brother Ishida Yamato, who was a very handsome blonde haired fifteen year old, were going to meet with another Chosen Child, Kido Jyou (sixteen, very serious and responsible), at a café in Shibaura. Apparently, he had something very interesting to show the brothers and called Takeru early that morning.
"Takeru…?"
The small, flying hamster-esque Digimon Patamon, was siting peacefully on Takeru's head as the young teenager stared blankly at his D-Terminal (a small handheld IM device, which also housed the Digimentals, magical "eggs" if you will, that allow certain species of Digimon to evolve into an armoured form). He had nonchalantly let his mind wander and Patamon was trying to resuscitate him.
"Hmmm… oh, Patamon. Guess I kinda blanked out. Sorry I just had something on my mind."
"Like what?"
"You wouldn't understand."
"Maybe not, but that's what you're for!"
Takeru looked up at his partner and took hold of him, placing him next to himself on the bed. He gave him a stern look.
"Fine but promise you won't tell any of the other children or the Digimon."
Patamon made a little cross gesture and smiled.
"Cross my heart and hope to die! Now tell me!"
"Alright. Well…"
Takeru thought about how to continue. He wasn't really sure how to explain love to a Digimon.
"Ok so you know how you see people kissing sometimes?"
"Ummm… uh huh!"
"Right, so do you know why they do that?"
"Because they're very good friends?"
"Well, ya, sort of. It's something called 'love'"
"Ya I've heard of that. Isn't that when you really really like someone?"
"Yes, that's exactly it! Wow I guess you do not a lot more than I thought Patamon."
"Of course, I love you, remember? And you love me too!"
Takeru shot Patamon a grin and reiterated.
"I'm not talking about that sort of love, I mean like a girl and a boy liking each other love."
Patamon's expression turned to one of puzzlement.
"Oh… girl and boy love? Not sure what that one is…"
Takeru face palmed and sighed.
"Ok, well let's start at the beginning. Ummm, after a while, when a boy and a girl know each other for a long time, sometimes the boy or the girl, or both, will 'fall in love' with the other person…"
Takeru realized he was being quite romantic and blushed a little. He never really talked about this sort of stuff.
"…and when you fall in love it's like that person is a lot more special now, and you want to be around that person, and kiss them and…"
Takeru was beet red and frantically waved his arms in front of Patamon.
"Ya know what buddy! Forget everything! I don't even know what I'm talking about! Let's just go already!"
Patamon was extremely confused and his face was contorted into one of astonishment. He began to flutter about once more and smiled.
"You humans are really weird sometimes, you know that?"
He flew towards the door and went out into the hall. Takeru got up, sighed with relief, and followed after, grabbing his grey tuque on the way out, which was sitting on the end of his dresser.
What was I thinking…Patamon couldn't possibly understand… -sigh- I wish there was somebody I could talk to who could help me out.
He immediately thought of his older brother, who was very good with women. Although he already had a girlfriend, another Chosen Child by the name of Takenouchi Sora (also fifteen, a great tennis player and ikebana student), he still had his number of past flings and could most certainly help his little brother with his own troubles. With newfound hope, young Takeru ran out of the door, almost forgetting his green and white winter coat, behind his partner Digimon. Patamon waited for him, and when he ran by, flew onto the boy's head.
"Lazy are we Patamon?"
"Hey flying isn't as easy as it looks you know!"
"Hey it's fine! I can barely feel you up there anyways."
Rushing out of the main entrance and out into the cold, morning air of a Japanese winter, Takeru made his way down the streets to the café.
"You all right up there Patamon? It's pretty cold out today!"
The poor little Digimon was shaking and chattering his teeth. He lifted up Takeru's tuque and crawled inside, leaving it open a little bit to stick his face out.
"That's better!" he exclaimed.
"Just watch the hair ok? I just fixed it the way I wanted it before we left."
Takeru's hair had grown a bit since last year; indeed it was almost a mullet of sorts now. It gave him an older looking countenance and made him look a bit more like his brother. In just a few moments they reached the small café, Atsuikafe. Outside, steam from the sewer grates was rising up into the bitter zephyr, most windows surrounding the area covered in a light coating of late morning frost. Takeru pushed open, with a gloved hand, the door to the small café on the corner of three streets, and scanned the inside for his friends. Patamon spotted them and leapt out, flying to meet his Digimon friends.
"Gomamon! Gabumon!"
"Hey! It's Patamon and Takeru!"
Jyou and Yamato looked over at the new arrivals; Jyou, who was face deep in his digital camera and Yamato who was talking with the two other people there. Takeru noticed this; Jyou and Yamato were seated with two other young men, neither of which the dirty blonde had ever seen before. Jyou motioned him forward.
"Takeru! Over here!"
Takeru walked over to the table with four chairs and a booth on the wall. Gomamon, Gabumon and Jyou sat on the booth side, and Yamato and the two males sat on the other side. He noticed off the bat that one of the young men had a cocky smile on his face; and the other, with a slight similarity to Jyou, sat cross armed with an austere expression.
"Jyou! Yamato! And…"
He stared at the other men. Jyou smiled and introduced them.
"These are my roommates," he pointed at the tall, thin one. "This is my cousin, Fumihiko,"
The man, as Takeru had previously noticed, had upon him a similarity to his relative. He did not wear glasses, though he had short black hair and a glow of intelligence surrounded him. He was dressed in a simple white long sleeve shirt with a thin plaid dress shirt over it, and jeans that were just the right length. Over this he wore a black jacket. He appeared to be somewhere between seventeen and nineteen, though Takeru could not tell which exactly. He raised his hand slightly in salutations to Takeru.
"And this character over here…" but Jyou was cut off by the other young man, who was slightly rotund.
"I'm Shibayama; Shibayama Nozomu!" This figure was the complete opposite of Jyou and Fumihiko. He had on a blue tank top and wore a ripped piece of red fabric as a headband. His loose, olive pants were touching the ground and it appeared as though he were in sandals (which astounded Takeru as the weather outside was not permitting of such attire). He held up two fingers in a peace sign and wore a silly grin.
"Nice ta' meet'cha!"
"Hello. My name's Takeru Takaishi, nice to meet you to!"
"Fumihiko asked me to come live with him and his friend Nozomu, since its closer to the high school. They wanted to tag along today when I said I was meeting up some friends." said Jyou.
Nozomu placed his hands behind his head and yawned.
"Nothing better to do anyways."
Yamato finally spoke up, and motioned his brother to sit down beside him.
"Sit down already Takeru; Jyou's been waiting to show us something."
Takeru took a seat and Jyou turned his camera around to show the other kids.
"Well, you see, last night, as I was out on the balcony, a very bright, golden object came down from the sky. At first I thought it was a rocket or something but it shot down the skyline and into the ocean, near the Rainbow Bridge. There was no explosion or nothing but the water stayed illuminated for a few minutes than went back to normal. Here, I took a video of it all."
He pressed a small button on the side of the camera and a video began to play. It was exactly as he had described; a meteor-esque object flew down from the clouds and slowly travelled across the night sky before finally slamming into the water. A soft, golden glow was seen coming out of the water, and then the video ended. Everyone was quite surprised, except for Fumihiko who just stared casually at the small device.
"It was probably just debris from a spaceship or something in the Earth's orbit. It's not like it could have been aliens." Questioned Fumihiko, who was sipping a coffee.
Nomozu crossed his arms and said curiously, "I dunno… I never saw any spaceship that looks like that…"
"That's because it's not from space."
Everyone looked over at Gomamon, who had just spoken up.
"There's no doubt; that ray of light came from the Digital World."
"But how can you be sure?" questioned a puzzled Gabumon.
"Well for starters, there was nothing on the news about any spaceships crashes, and if it was a meteor it definitely wouldn't have made the water glow like that. Whatever it was, it was made in the Digital World."
Jyou patted Gomamon on the head and turned to his comrades.
"Well, let's not jump to conclusions buddy. Although that's a pretty good explanation, it doesn't give us any insight as to why it crashed into the sea, away from…"
He was cut off by a large explosion outside. A man a few tables away peered outside the coffee shop window and jumped in surprise, screaming something about monsters. He ran outside and immediately got thrown into the air by a nearby blast, which incidentally shattered all the windows and the glass door of the restaurant. Everyone gasped.
"It's a bombing run! Everyone down!" shouted a frantic Fumihiko.
The other three followed suit as well as the Digimon. Under the table in the café, they could hear explosions outside and the screaming of people, and soon enough the sound of a voice. They heard a laugh somewhere outside.
"These human's are so weak; this is easier than taking over the Digital World! They can't even fight for crying out loud!"
The voice was deep and foreign, and spoke in jest. In a few moments, the figure responsible came around the corner into sight. It was a round Digimon, with muscly arms and legs, and red gloves and boots. He wore sunglasses and had fiery red hair, but strangest of all was the fuse on top of his head/body, which made him resemble a moving bomb.
"Where are you, Chosen Children? I'm not here to hurt you, I'm just here to, um, deliver your package, ya that's it!"
The strange Digimon walked around a bit, searching the area, before chucking a bomb into a neighbouring store. The blast rocked the café and pieces of the ceiling came down. Jyou leaned into Gomamon.
"Hey Gomamon do you know that Digimon?"
"Looks like Nanimon, you know that short bald guy that we saw in Vamdemon's castle a few years ago? Except this one's grey…never seen a grey Nanimon before…"
The grey Nanimon finally acknowledged the café, and spotted the huddled children. A wild smirk appeared on his face and he prepared the throw another bomb.
"Well there you are! I've been blowing up a lot of places looking for you pesky kids!"
He unleashed a torrent of bombs and everyone scattered from under the table to the back of the café, behind the counter.
"Come on guys! Run!" shouted Yamato amongst the madness around them. The front of the café gave way to the fury of the explosion and they were trapped in the back, with only little outside light peeking in through gaps in the rubble. There was no escape.