Chapter Three: The Personal

"It's complicated," had been the only thing Ruki, nay, anyone could get out of Ryo before he had practically flown off with Ichijouji Ken under one arm. Ken had waved awkwardly at Daisuke as they passed, Wormmon hopping after them as quickly as he could.

Daisuke looked puzzled but shrugged it away. "Taichi-san warned me that that was coming." He smiled easily like he had all the answers and positively knew the best outcome of every single one. It was almost like Takato, except less excited at the moment. Which was, in its own way, bizarre. "Some past stuff that I wasn't involved in, I guess and no one's really wanted to talk about it. So, while that's happening, I guess I'll talk to you and your pals about why we're here! Sound good?"

Not particularly, but she wasn't going to tell him that. Not considering she had no idea what he was here for or about. All she knew was that he wasn't a hallucination. Which was fine by her really. She did have questions. Like, was the tv show real or a lie? Was that happy ending really possible for everyone? Could Digimon and humans actually live together for real or was that just a pipe dream they made up to feel better about watching a man die?

She wanted to know. Was it like Juri losing her precious friend, her family? Was it like her waking up one morning and her father is gone?

None of those questions were appropriate to ask but she wanted the answers anyway.

Instead, Ruki had pressed her lips together and nodded.

Daisuke beamed at her like she held the sun n her hands. "Great! Let's find a good meeting place before V-mon gets us an angry mob."

Of course, it's where Gogglehead number 2 kept Guilmon every day (how did no one think to come to check this place ever since Digimon started appearing, did no one care, were they paid off, what even happened? The older Ruki got the less she understood.

Of course, everyone else was there, and Takato was almost vaulting himself across the dirt path. He restrained himself, however, because his two minions were already there, Hirokazu screeching in Daisuke's face about something or other. Probably how much of an honor it was, how pleased he was to meet him and how amazing he was, that sounded about right for the knuckleheads.

Eventually, somewhat gently she assumed, V-mon hauled both boys off with a hand each, leaving her standing awkwardly beside the boy like she hadn't thought of doing the same thing not too long ago. But then again she also had some god damn dignity.

Jenrya cleared his throat to stop the rush of noise and babbling. Juri sat on a rock, fascinated and solemn-eyed. Shaochun, Ai, and Makoto were about as interested as little kids got, so they were on the playground.

"Anyone called Yamaki?" Ruki figured she had to be the one to ask because she sure hadn't.

Jenrya nodded. Good. "He'll be here with… with my dad in a little while. Said he wanted us to hear it out first. Whatever reason you're here."

Ruki turned to Daisuke, who was standing there with the kind of grin on his face that Ruki could only describe as shit-eating.

"We ready to get started?" he asked, and he looked at Ruki first, then at Takato. "We're all right on time but… figure there's no point in waiting right?"

Takato instantly sobered and nodded, fiddling with his cards and deliberately not touching the goggles on his head. "Right! You're not an anime character! So why are you here? And how are you here?"

"Same way that Ryo guy's here!" Daisuke patted V-mon's head as he spoke. Then he frowned. "Least I think so. Ken would know more about the mathematical knowing and stuff. Or Koushiro-senpai. But they sent us here because we have a lot of ground to cover."

Ruki almost heard Hirokazu keel over and resisted the urge to kick him in the shin. It was a difficult thing but she applauded herself for it. "For what?" she sat down with an ungraceful movement. "No offense but my life has not been made from the existence of you being confirmed, no offense."

"Ruki?" Takato hissed, red eyes going wide.

Daisuke laughed, hard, at that. "Oh man, Miyako would like you. Anyway, why we're here! Yep." He sobered, lips twisting into a frown so fast it was practically whiplash. "There is a Digimon threatening multiple, parallel worlds, and some guy called the clockmaker is trying to stop it from spreading past its own world set. Which… it's failing at. He called us right after we'd dealt with it, and that was only a teaser. Or something." He scratched his head. "The guy said he'll be here in a day or so, but we at least needed to warn you in case it beat us here."

All of them looked at each other, Juri's solemn frown falling further, brows knitting with discomfort. Ruki swallowed, anger and guilt and pain welling up like ugly welts from falling off the monkey bars.

"Just one problem with that, short stack," she said, relishing in the extra centimeters she had had over him when standing up. "We don't have our Digimon anymore. Even if we wanted to do anything, we're pretty much sunk."

Daisuke only smiled in the face of her gradually rising ire. "I got that covered. We just need your resident brains here." He paused and looked at Jenrya. "Gonna guess that's you right?"

Takato bobbed his head eagerly before Jenrya could even open up his mouth. "He keeps up with his father and the other scientists."

Jenrya's face darkened with embarrassment, eyes lilting down to study the now fascinating off-white color of his shoelaces. "Well… I'm not an expert, but I can try and break it down."

Daisuke's grin widened. "Great, cause I have no idea!" Everyone couldn't help but notice the sweat dripping down the back of their necks when he said that. Daisuke didn't even seem to care either. "Anyway, before that, is there a gate near here? A hole? Something like that?"

Takato practically glowed. "Yeah! In here!" And he turned and ran into Guilmon's hideout.

Daisuke glanced at Ruki. "Could use some of that enthusiasm?"

"I keep him around for it so I don't have to," she shot back.

Another wild laugh. "Pretty sure that's what Ken, Iori, and Hikari-chan do for me anyway. it's a good trade-off."

"Do you get the strategy from them?"

Daisuke only laughed harder. "You've got jokes, Makino."

Ruki squinted at him. "The hell's that supposed to mean?"

She didn't get a response, because V-mon had bounded after Daisuke and yelled so loud it had echoed across the pavement. Daisuke didn't hesitate to bolt after him.

Ruki shared a look with Jenrya.

Goggleheads. Same in every universe.