Chapter 2
Meeting
When Takato reached the park, the eighth graders were on the swings, or spraying graffiti on the low brick wall, just like in his dream. He waited by the gate, until they left. As soon as they were out of sight, he raced towards the bandstand, but found his way blocked by a girl about his age.
" No!" she shouted. " You can't come in here."
" But…the Digi-egg…" he muttered.
The girl moved to the side. " You know about the Digi-egg?" she asked quietly.
Takato nodded.
" What's you're name?" she added.
" Takato," he replied.
" Takato! Really? Oh, come on then!" she exclaimed. Confused, he followed into the bandstand. She was pointing at something under the bench. He crouched on the floor and looked down.
" The egg!" he said, and reached out to pick it up. When he stood up, the egg was in his arms.
" It didn't burn you," she observed. " Then you must be…"
" What?" asked Takato, but he knew what he wanted the girl to say next.
" …you must be the Digidestined!" she finished.
Takato felt like laughing. That was what he had wanted to hear. But then…
" That can't be right," he laughed. " There's no way I'm the Digidestined!"
" It has to be," she pointed out. " You're the only one who can touch the egg."
He sighed and looked down at the red and white egg in his arms.
" My name's Jeri, by the way," the girl said. Takato didn't say anything back. He was frozen.
" What's wrong?" said Jeri.
" Shh…I can hear something," whispered Takato.
They were both silent. After a while, Jeri heard it too. Buzzing. Getting louder. And louder. Until, with a small scream, Jeri fell to the floor. There was a Flymon in the bandstand! Takato screwed his eyes shut, and didn't open them until the buzzing had faded. Jeri picked herself up off the floor.
" What did that want?" Takato wondered, but his thoughts were interrupted by a shriek from Jeri.
" Ah! Takato, the egg's gone!"
Takato searched all over the bandstand, but Jeri was right: Flymon had taken the egg.
Kazu and Kenta cycled as fast as they could to the library. They headed for the computer section, where the only two computers left were next to a girl with gingery hair.
" Excuse me, were you saving these seats?" Kenta asked her, remembering his manners.
The girl shook her head but said nothing. As they logged on, Kazu cried in surprise:
" Hi Jeri!"
Jeri, who was sat next to the silent girl, looked round and smiled. Takato looked round too.
"Kazu and Kenta, at the library?" exclaimed Jeri. "Now I've seen everything."
" Who're you're friends Jeri?" asked Kazu.
"I'm Takato," Takato called back.
" And I'm not her friend," added the girl coldly. "My name is Rika."
Kazu gave them the thumbs up. " I'm Kazu, and this is Kenta, my friend. We go to the same school as Jeri. And actually," he turned to Jeri. " We're here on important business."
" We're researching Digital gateways; we saw one in the bandstand yesterday," added Kenta. Kazu elbowed him hard in the ribs. " Ow, Kazu! Why are you guys here?"
" I'm redesigning my web page," shrugged Rika.
" And we're researching Flymon, because, well…" Takato took a deep breath, and plunged into the whole story. When he was finished, the other three were stunned into silence.
" You're the Digidestined?" exclaimed Rika.
" You don't have to sound so shocked," muttered Takato.
" He's the Digidestined! Wow!" gaped Kazu.
"Let us help you find the egg," suggested Kenta.
Jeri looked like she wanted to say no, but it was Takato who replied.
" Of course you can help! Although, we need to find out about Flymon first," he sighed.
" I can help you there," came a new voice.
All five of them jumped. It was another boy.
" How?" demanded Rika.
" I have been studying Flymon for the past six months – my name's Henry, thanks for asking," he added with a grin.
" Can we see the notes?" asked Jeri.
" Certainly," replied Henry. " Though I'm not sure where the notes are…"