Damn, this one was a prolonged one! Sorry!
I was too focused on my Code Geass story.
From now on I'll try and balance it out, alright?
Brother's Pain
Daisuke's wait was agonizing. The hours seemed like days to him, as his concern made him assume that terrible things were happening to sweet, little Hikari.
He had already convinced Jun to tag along, telling her that Yamato wanted to speak with her about how her life was since she started dating Shuu Kido. Admittedly he could vouch for her if she told him that things weren't easy between her and their mom.
When she confessed she was pregnant to her parents, her mother, rather than show concern, slapped her clean across the face and threatened her with a frying pan before Daisuke had to overpower and calm her alone as his dad was too distraught at the prospect of being the father of a teenage slut.
Jun walked proudly down the streets with Daisuke, ignoring the not so discreet 'comments' on her choice and how her mother must suffer due to her daughter becoming the 'slut of the block'. Shuu was away at Tokyo University, although he often called to receive an earful from Mrs. Motomiya and eventually Jun on the phone, talking for a long time about the child, however, Jun hasn't gotten around to telling her boyfriend of her mother's unreasonable treatment.
Although she put on a tough front, Daisuke could hear silent crying in the night from Jun's room, she had to defend herself from her parents and the entire apartment complex's insults and often physical violence, be it a slap or once almost a punch from her mother.
She was glad to be able to escape that for a while with friends, and especially Daisuke who had begun to repair their now distant bond as siblings. He stood with her through thick and thin, looking forward to being a child's idol.
His thoughts were disturbed by Jun, who walked in with a face covered in sadness and held back pain. She closed the door without looking at Daisuke directly, shuffled over to her younger brother's bed and almost collapsed at the knees, falling down into a crouching position beside Daisuke, and cradling her head on his lap.
"Jun..." he simply couldn't bear to say it, that his mother had abused her verbally and maybe physically again.
"D-Daisuke... I-I can't stand it anymore..." it was no more than a whimper coming from the girl, who seemed to be hiding her face from her younger brother, almost afraid that he'd turn on her too.
Daisuke stared sympathetically for a moment, eventually feeling his lap become wet in a singular spot. He had been distant for years, but he never forgave anyone who made his sister cry. Although the younger of the two, he always felt that Jun was soft inside, and thus had to harden his own heart to defend her. Perhaps one of the many reasons she slipped further away from her increasingly aggressive brother.
"Was it mom again?" he asked, yet already knowing the answer. His father never raised his hand to Jun, not even when she told him, leaving his unreasonably angered mother.
"She- she..." Jun's voice broke into small cries before finishing. Daisuke placed his pointer finger on her chin and lifted it slowly, meeting slight resistance as he got halfway, noticing a strange feeling of a warm liquid on his finger. He gently forced her to lift up her head, showing a sight that he hadn't desired to see. Ever.
Jun's face was covered by tears and snot, not exactly an attractive sight for a pregnant teenager of her social standing. But Daisuke's focus was immediately drawn to the centre of Jun's face. Her nose was leaking a strange colour with the snot, a red substance, that was pouring out fast enough for blood drops to form and fall onto Daisuke's already soaked shorts.
"Jun... what the hell did she do to you?" before getting the answer he wanted, he pulled Jun into a tight hug that she did not return, rather shutting her eyes just as tightly and letting painful tears flow onto her brothers back, feeling almost ashamed her little brother had seen a single moment of feminine weakness from her.
"She-she... punched me..." Daisuke turned to her with a distraught look upon him. This quickly turned to an unbridled rage toward the person in the house who had caused so much pain and torment in his home.
He released his hug holding onto her fallen shoulders and whispered kind and reassuring words to her, slowing her tears slowly, as she was place into a sitting position on his bed. Daisuke reached for a box of tissues on his desk, noticing the football he kept next to it and wondering whether it was a good choice to take Jun with him as she had agreed earlier.
He walks back and stares harmoniously into his injured sisters eyes as he gently wipes away both the blood and mucus from her nose, using a second tissue to apply pressure to her nose.
A long moment of silence befell the room as Daisuke was cleaning up his sister, before she weakly said "Can I still go? I want to be with friends..."
Daisuke stared angered at the floor, realising that the older Digidestined may have heard about 'Jun the Slut'. He didn't think that such things would help his defenceless sister in the face of torment from her friends.
He looks up after making a decision to protect and even fight for her if anyone dared to insult her, especially after the revelations of tonight and the escalating cruelty toward Jun.
Beaming his usual cheesy smile up toward her, he said happily "Of course! I your brother, after all! I love you too much to leave you hear on your own!"
Jun started to cry again, this time out of joy as droplets landed on Daisuke's still smiling face.
Odaiba Park
As Koushiro had previously said, the older Digidestined were embroiled in a soccer match, with the two teams being...
Yamato's side
Yamato
Jyou
Sora
Taichi's side
Taichi
Takeru
Koushiro
Mimi of course sat on the sidelines, cheering on her best friend Sora as she demonstrated still advanced skill even though she hadn't played soccer in the 4 years before this game. Yamato's side was winning by a landslide, not because they were vastly superior in skill, but because their opponents didn't focus or were sick.
Koushiro couldn't help but divert his eyes from the soccer ball to his prom date, Mimi. This earned him a headshot from a goal kick by Jyou, who had suddenly grown in skill when Koushiro joined the opposite team.
Takeru shouldn't have even been outside, having to literally sneak by his mother with his underground train pass. Every time the ball became his shot, he had an illness attack and unbearably coughed heavily, breathing deeply everytime.
As for Taichi, he was somewhat... distant. He hadn't shown the same flare and ability he usually did, only scoring when Sora allowed him an interference free kick that Jyou subtly let by. Nevertheless, Taichi remained distant, as if on autopilot.
Everyone wanted to ask where Hikari was, as she had been offered a spot at this get together to create a girls team to take on the boys. Everyone knew that Taichi was lying to them about everything being fine, hiding something that left him with a black eye last week and Hikari a nervous wreck. Koushiro thought that the answers would come out when Daisuke arrived with Jun. Taichi seemed a little less defensive around Daisuke, as he saw him as a younger version of himself.
"So... are you going to the prom, Jun?" The brother and sister had been walking slowly, prolonging the escape they had from their mother. They had bought milk to show they had a reason to be out, not snooping. But with the milk Daisuke slipped in a box of tissues whilst at the register. He wanted to be ready in case Jun was cast out.
"Well, Shuu isn't here... why? Want sisterly guidance on how not to bore your date?" Jun let out a playful laugh, as Daisuke looked on with relief at his sister's improved mood.
"Naw... just wanted to know what your plans are, I don't want you around that overzealous whore of a mother without me there." Daisuke was brash as he stared focused at Jun, waiting for his big sisters response.
"Not much of a great big sister, am I?"
"Jun?"
"I come crying to my kid brother about something like that... I've turned you against our mother... aren't I dependable?" She let's out a saddened giggle, as they come to the corner of Odaiba Park.
"Jun... listen to me, whatever she says or does, I'm right here with you, okay?" He let's out a foolish smile at his sister "So is the kids dad, Shuu."
Jun didn't respond, simply looking with a darkened expression at the ground, muttering to herself. Finally, she says "Daisuke, the truth is I'm not really Shuu's girlfriend."
"What? Why do you say you are then?" Daisuke was genuinely intrigued, yet almost sinister as if a very unwanted truth was about to be told.
"The truth is that-"
"Daisuke?" A familiar voice snapped the two back into reality, as they looked to see Mimi's face before them, giving the two of them a smile and a warm greeting. The two phased out and hadn't noticed that they were approaching the park unknowingly.
Everyone started to crowd around and give warm greetings, apart from Yamato, who was still suffering from 'Junphobia' and hung back, and a very agitated Sora. She had heard the stories about 'Jun the Slut' and taken them to heart, knowing her to be a rumoured man thief.
"Hey guy's!" Jun tried her best to refrain from crying again, forcing a smile to form on her face, and waving girlishly.
"How's the kid, Jun?" Mimi was perhaps the only girl who hadn't criticised Jun on her child. She was looking forward to having a kid of her own someday, concerning Jun when her close friend labelled it as a 'living accessory'.
Yamato simply stared, uneasy around Jun and the foreboding rumours surrounding her. This distrust stemmed from Sora's constant retelling of the Motomiya's rumoured 'activities'. Eventually working up the muster to walk over, Sora tugs on his arm, shaking her head in a spiteful jesture.
As all eyes were on Jun, Daisuke noticed Taichi walking away discreetly, seemingly sensing Koushiro's plan. Daisuke gave pursuit, and eventually caught up with him around 30 feet away from the other Destined.
"Yo, Taichi!" he says smirking a very trademark grin "How you doing?"
Taichi simply remained silent before the auburn haired young teenager, simply giving a shrug to indicate he was so – so.
"Great!" Daisuke adopted a rather serious look that he masked with the grin he had worn before. "Everyone was worried..."
Taichi still remained silent, eventually cracking a small smile that he had people that cared about him and his troubles. "That's... I'm sorry, but... it's better if they stay out of it."
"Huh?" Daisuke was baffled, was Taichi planning on revealing the problem with his family this quickly?
"I'm saying, I know Koushiro has put you up to this. This isn't the first time he put someone up to it." Taichi turned toward the group, uncaring of whether his red haired computer whiz of a friend saw his sinister stare.
Daisuke looked slightly disappointed at his idol, and let out a huge sigh to retrieve Taichi's attention.
"He's doing stuff like that because you're his friend. He's-"
"Concerned. I know, I know." Taichi had ended Daisuke's sentiment for him, rendering the Motomiya speechless. "He's had Jyou and Sora try and talk to me about it, but this goes deeper than any of you think."
Daisuke couldn't hold it any more, he had to ask. "What's wrong with Hikari, I not to sure... but I think I saw bruises, not to mention she was all panicky and almost crushed her elbow."
He stopped after hearing a snarl from the brown haired senior, feeling a cold breeze. Maybe he was too 'gung-ho' and asked too quickly. But these thought fade into the recesses of his mind as he saw Taichi's darkened expression slowly fall into a suspiciously guilty look. He stared at the ground and unballed his fists, finally looking at Daisuke.
"Just leave it... it will all end in a week. He'll have left by then." Taichi covered his mouth in a slightly comical fashion, angered that he just let a small part of his secret be known by... well, Daisuke.
"He'll..?"
"Listen!" Taichi whispered but with venom in his voice, he was clearly nervous. "Just leave Hikari for a week, she's strong, and the whole thing will disappear, just stick to your own problems!" Taichi's next statement was an unintended blow.
"It's not like your sisters in any pain!"
Daisuke almost scoffed at the statement, trying not to choke on the held back words he desired to release. He had made a vow to himself to strike down any threats to his sisters honour. But this was Taichi, his idol and the big brother of his suffering crush, he felt a stabbing at his heart, almost like a searing blade being pulled across it.
Besides, Taichi wouldn't insult his sister like that unless he was in the dark on it, right? It wasn't even an insult, just a natural reflex for the elder sibling of an abused child.
Abused...?
Daisuke's mind was flared when his own self hating may have led him closer to Hikari's problems.
He was still being violently stared at by Taichi, annoyed at Taichi's outburst, he simply lowered his eyes in a fit of restrained anger, Taichi raising a curt but still angered brow.
"You think your sister has it bad, do you know what happened to Jun before we came here?" Daisuke was returning additional venom to Taichi, who had lost his angered features and retained a blank, seamless face as he listened intently.
Daisuke proceeded with his recollection of the evening's events, spitting a still angered venomous tone at his idol, who felt more and more in sync with Daisuke's feelings and understanding that he had presented during his and Taichi's conversation. Neither Sora nor Jyou succeeded due to their misconceptions on a brother – sister relationship. But Daisuke understood this and more, as his sister was being abused, much akin to Taichi and Hikari.
Whilst still foggy on the exact details, Daisuke finished his telling of how Jun was a wonderfully kind person, made a victim by peoples arrogance and acting like sheep, following the Pied Piper of the school who revealed her pregnancy against her wishes. He almost started crying when explaining that Jun had come to her little brother, ashamed of herself for being 'worthless'.
"...Daisuke, I think my sister should stay over at yours and Jun's place for a sleepover." Taichi had been stood silent, thinking deeply and considerately of how best to amend the damage and wrong down to the two sisters. He figured that a sleepover would help Hikari rebuild her confidence while he handled 'him'.
Daisuke stood their, holding his chin in his palm, deep in thought, and finally agreed, asking how Taichi would get her over their, because he actually accepted that he hadn't exactly been a great friend, constantly asking her to the prom, and always getting between her and Takeru, who sneezed suddenly from within the Destined group talking to Jun. He gazed up and noticed Taichi actually responding to Daisuke, cracking a smile before seeing their serious faces.
What are they talking about? Takeru sneered at Daisuke If he's asking for Hikari at the prom... No, it's got to be about her attitude now. His sneer turned into a curious grin I'll ask you at school tomorrow, Daisuke.
Taichi and Daisuke were slowly walking back, both visibly determined with their plan for their sisters. They started grinning when hearing a ruckus within the group, as Jun was pretending to still be infatuated with Yamato, clutching his arm while giving puppy dog eyes upward toward Yamato's agitated but also confused face. Everyone knew this was an act, laughing hysterically at Jun's great acting.
Sora was unconvinced and took the acting and mixed it with the stories of 'Jun the Slut'. She was a solid believer in her friend's stories, never disbelieving anything since her first adventure in the Digital World, especially how people can make sudden, dark changes in character. This of course didn't bode well for Jun, who had managed to keep her depression from home to herself, saying she had a cold to cover for wiping her nose in case of another bleed.
"Let go of him!" Her order was not in the least bit playful, forcing the group to stare at her as she had made a conclusion of what Jun was up to... the man stealer.
"Okay, Sora" she let's go of Yamato's arm, much to his silent relief and worry at his girlfriend acting strangely "I was just playing..."
"Don't give me that crap! I've heard of you!" Sora snarled a violent, menacing look toward the secretly depressed future mother, to which a gasp was heard and Jun stared ashamedly down at the floor.
Jyou was always the peace maker within the Destined, but his influence had faded with his absence whilst at college, but he tried to dissuade Sora anyway.
"Sora! Rumours are just rumours!" Jyou looked slightly agitated as Sora was threatening the mother of his nephew. She turned while pulling Yamato toward her, still snarling at Jun and slowly turning toward Jyou, gaining a lighter, more respectful face.
"Jyou, rumours are rumours. But this little slut has a kid inside her at her age, making it not just barely legal, but disgusting to witness." She turned back to Jun, her expression darkened to the sight of her.
"...S-Sora...?" Her delicate little voice was broken, as tears came out of her eyes, all the while shaking. Daisuke understood that the inner wounds caused by his mother had been reopened without mercy.
"I don't want to see you near my friends again, you little bitch!"
That had done it. Jun was no longer able to hold her depression and sadness back, bursting into heavy tears, turning and running away staggered, Sora having relieved smile framed on her face, almost proud that she had put down Jun. What she didn't know was that future suicide was now a threat, as Sora only thought of Jun as an overdramatic faker wanting to steal her boyfriend.
She turned to the group, looking almost disappointed with the distressed looks shot at her.
"What?" she was genuinely clueless at this point, running on adrenaline and believing in the stories so she wouldn't feel like a bullying bitch.
Yamato tried to reason with her, finally finding the words, however becoming silenced and looking terrified at the symbol of rage looming behind his girlfriend.
Sora was caught off guard, hearing a heavily laboured heaving sound behind her, turning to see an irate Daisuke, walking slowly with purpose toward her. He had his right fist tightly clenched, and was now stomping within 10 feet of Sora. Suddenly another sound behind Daisuke was heard; as they got closer it was revealed to be Taichi's footsteps as he ran toward his friend. He jumped, clutching the back of Daisuke's head in his right hand with an iron grip before slamming him down to the ground with an audible 'THUD'.
Taichi was struggling to hold down Daisuke, who was overbearing Taichi's right hand, overtaxing his muscles and having to place his left palm firmly on Daisuke's furthest shoulder to fully overpower and stave of the threat that he would actually attack Sora without mercy. Yamato was clearly concerned, but respected the anger Daisuke had as it was completely justified.
Sora looked absolutely terrified at the prospect that Daisuke would be showing no mercy to her, gaining an overzealous grin as Taichi forced him down, shooting Daisuke a filthy look.
"What, wanna defend her from the truth?" This display of arrogance disgusted the other Destined, and infuriated Daisuke even more.
"Shut... the hell up, you...bitch!" It was difficult to summon these words, not just because of the memories he had with a joyful Sora, but also because his chest was being compressed due to Taichi's weight and his taxed breathing.
"Bitch?" Sora was genuinely ignorant toward the derogatory comment, mustering a girlish giggle at the boy before her. "Really?"
Daisuke's calmed his breathing down, gaining more sense and realizing that un had vanished.
"Taichi! Let go, I need to find her before she does something really stupid!" Taichi looked bewildered, remembering that Jun was supposedly depressed after her mother had punched her.
As he slowly released Daisuke, his captive shot off with a sprinting start in the direction Jun had vanished towards. He knew an emotionally delicate, crying teenage girl was not safe on the streets at night, as he silently hoped she didn't run into a pervert or worse, a rapist.
"Why'd you let him go? He'll just find his sister going to her pimp or something..." Sora was about to say more, as Tai walked slowly up to her with a dark expression, leaving her speechless as a loud slap resounded within the empty park. Yamato didn't even raise his fist, telling them all to go home while he and Sora go back to his place for a very nice, long talk.
Sora of course was against it, but against the overbearing pull of her boyfriends hand, she wasn't exactly left with any choice.
Daisuke was running blindly, even with street lamps to guide him, indescribably nervous and angered at the same time, as he spent the rest of the night searching for his sister.
I know, Sora isn't an evil bitch but I had writers block! It was the best way I found, and don't worry, she'll come to her senses sooner or later.
So, who do you feel worse for so far? Jun or Hikari?
Please Reveiw!
