Takato ran through the park and finally got to the stone steps that he was looking for. He ran up them, and almost tripped on one but caught himself before he could fall. He carefully opened the gate and stepped inside the cement shrine. Old bags that were torn had been partially buried in the dirt ground, but still slightly noticeable. Carefully, Takato bent down at the hole and looked into it. He gasped and gaped into the hole, not believing what he was seeing.
"The digital gate….it's open…."
Chapter 03:
The Discovery!
The Dethroned King Returns!
Planes were landing and taking off, making the airport a busy place. People crowded around the desks and chairs, waiting for their departure or other family members to arrive. Sitting in one of the plastic blue chairs, a boy in his mid to late teens looked out the window at the planes getting ready to board. He had already gotten to his destination, Tokyo, Japan. The only problem was they lost a bag of his luggage and were currently searching for it. He sighed and then tightened his hair in the short ponytail he put it in, since he felt it come loose.
"Sir?"
Looking up, he saw one of the managers of the airport holding his bag. He got up and took it. "Thanks."
"No problem. I hope this hasn't caused you any trouble."
"No trouble at all."
He then turned and left the airport, going through the sliding doors. He breathed in the fresh air and exhaled.
"It's nice to be home again…"
Kazu stared at Takato. "You sure?"
"Yes! I saw it myself. It was small, but it was there!"
Takato was nearly jumping out of his skin when he found Kazu. At first, Kazu thought he was delirious. I mean, the guy created his own digimon and of course he would miss him. Kazu missed Gaurdromon, but it had been so long he gave up hoping and he thought Takato did too. Of course, we're talking about Takato here…
"Ok Takato I believe you. Now sit down and relax before you pass out," Kazu said.
Takato sat on a bench nearby and did breathing exercises. Kazu then sat down next to him and looked at him and then at the sky.
"Do you think...they remember us?" he asked softly. "I mean…it's been so long and…what if it's too late?"
"Don't say that," Takato said in the same volume. "They wouldn't forget us and as long as they're together…they should be all right."
Kazu turned to him. "But they were in their in-training forms when they left. Anything could've happened to them."
Takato nodded. "True, but I have a feeling that they're still alive."
"I wish we could tell though. Our digivices stopped working after they left."
"I think it's just because we're in two different worlds, so the link was lost after they went back."
Kazu nodded and then smiled. "When did you get so smart?"
"I don't know." Takato looked up at the sky and a small smile crawled onto his lips. "Time changes a lot of things, I guess."
Rika looked at a red strapless dress and then looked at Mako. "What about this one?"
He looked at it and thought for a bit. Then he said, "It's a nice color. But it's kinda plain, don't ya think?"
She looked at it and said, "Yeah. I would like to have some type of design to it."
Letting it fall back in place, she went around the store and Mako followed. Rika did want to get a dress for the dance, but she knew her mom would pick the wrong dresses for her to try on. Also, she thought that Mako's help and advice would lead her to pick the right one. Seeing a few more dresses, she picked them up and went to the dressing room.
Mako, sitting on one of the chairs, waited patiently.
"Should I…come out…?" he heard her ask.
"Only if you want to."
There was a pause and then he heard the door unlock. As it opened, he stood up as he watched her come out. His eyes grew wide and he tried to not let his jaw drop.
Standing in front of him was Rika, in a glittery blue dress with a fake flower pinned on the shoulder and a few strands of ribbon that were blue and white trailed down to her side. She looked nervous and stared at the floor.
Mako finally found his voice and said, "You look…amazing…" He walked up to her and looked at her. She looked up into his eyes, wondering what he was going to do next. He just smiled. "You really look beautiful…"
She smiled back. "Well, I'll have my mom come in and see what she thinks. I might buy it then."
He nodded and let her go back into the dressing room. Once she got out again, she was dressed normally and they left the store.
"You really should wear skirts or dresses more often," Mako said once they were on the sidewalk.
"Why?" she asked blandly.
"Because you look beautiful…" Mako caught himself and blushed, looking away from Rika.
Rika stared at him. "Do you…really mean that?"
He nodded, waiting for what was to come. She looked at him some more and then looked forward again. "Well, then that just gives me more reason not to wear one."
Mako quickly walked beside her and shook his head. "You're weird."
"Takes one to know one."
"Hey! That wasn't nice…"
"So?"
He gave her a mean look and then she looked at him and stuck her tongue out. He did it right back and then smiled. Rika smiled back and they continued their way onto an ice cream shop nearby.
The teen with his hair in a ponytail walked down the busy streets of Shinjuku, since there was nothing else to do. As he walked, he looked across the street and then stopped. He saw a girl with red hair in a ponytail at the ice cream shop across the street. He went to the next street crossing and went across to the shop.
Rika was outside, waiting for Mako to return. As she stood there, she didn't notice anyone come up behind her, until she heard a guy say, "Hey, wildcat."
She froze, almost not believing what she heard. Only one person calls me that. She turned around and looked up to see a, (she had to admit), handsome teen with his brown hair in a short ponytail and blue eyes. He was wearing a dark green shirt with a black vest over it and jeans. She looked at him and then said, "Ryo?"
Ryo smiled. "Yep. It's nice to see you again Rika."
"But…I thought you moved to America," she said, still surprised to see him.
"I did. But we're having our fall break right now, so I decided to come see everyone."
"Oh, I see…"
"So, what're you doing here?" he asked.
"Well…"
Before she could respond, Mako came up beside her and handed her an ice cream. "Here ya go." She nodded her thanks and then Mako noticed the other person. Not sure what to say, he said, "Hi?"
Ryo looked at this guy who was a bit taller than him and blinked. Rika looked back and forth between them, and then realized they didn't recognize each other.
"Mako…this is Ryo. He just came back from America. You remember him right?" she asked nervously.
Ryo then said, "Wait a second. You were that kid that beat me a few years ago, right?"
Mako then remembered. "Oh yeah. Ryo!" He chuckled nervously. "Wow, I didn't even recognize you! It's been so long."
"Yea, I know. You were smaller the last time I saw you."
Rika groaned. "Ryo…"
"It's ok, Rika," Mako said. "I don't mind."
"Ummm…Mako?"
Mako looked at Rika and then got the idea. "I'll be back. I'm going to get some napkins."
As he left, Ryo said, "So, what're you doing with him anyway?"
"We're just hanging out. Not that it's any of your business anyway."
"Well, it is my business."
Rika looked at him oddly. "What do you mean?"
"I mean that you shouldn't be hanging around with jerks like him."
Rika grew red in the face, mostly from anger. "He is not a jerk. In fact, he's the nicest person I've become friends with and he's there for me." Then she added smugly, "You're the one acting like a jerk."
He stared at her and said, "Well how would you like it if you left and you came back to see someone with someone else that you don't even know?"
Rika scoffed. "Like you care?"
"What?" Ryo asked bluntly.
"You left Ryo. You moved to America and you never called me, never wrote me letters, or even e-mailed me at all! I gave up after a while and then I met Mako at school. Since he's the only one of us that goes to my school, he's been there for me. But I don't expect you to understand, since you're too worried about other things that don't include me!"
Ryo looked at her and struggled to get a response out of his mind. Mako then walked back up to them, cautiously, hoping he gave them enough time alone. When he looked at Rika, he could tell she was pissed.
"What's going on?" he asked.
Rika huffed and turned away from Ryo. "Nothing. Ryo was just leaving." She glared at Ryo after saying the last part.
Lost for words, Ryo just said, "Whatever." He then left, leaving Mako and Rika alone again.
Mako looked at Rika after Ryo was out of sight. "What was that about?"
"Nothing. Come on, let's go."
Rika walked off, and Mako soon followed down the sidewalk. He stayed off the subject of Ryo and tried to talk to her about other things. She soon forgot about Ryo's appearance and talked with Mako as they ate their melting ice cream.
Kazu and Takato were sitting on one of the benches in front of the school. It was the following day that Takato found the gate that was re-opened. It was a cloudless day but a bit chilly since autumn was finally settling in for the season. It was quiet as they sat there and soon the sound of a bus came rolling down the street. It stopped in front of the school and Takato and Kazu got up from the bench. Students flowed from the bus as soon as the doors opened. A teen with long dark-green hair stepped out and adjusted his glasses. He carried his luggage carefully, trying not to drop anything.
"Hey Kenta! Over here!" Kazu yelled.
Kenta looked their way and smiled. He ventured over to them and set his belongings down next to him. "Hey guys. How's it going?"
"Not too bad," Kazu said casually. "But you should've been here for our game against Yamabuki High School! It was awesome, dude!"
Kenta adjusted his gray hoodie and said, "I would've gone if I didn't have the field trip."
"We know Kenta," Takato said. "So how was it?"
"Boring mostly. We didn't look at too much while we were down in Kyoto. Most of the time we were in art galleries. I would've rather gone to see shrines."
Takato nodded sympathetically. The teacher sponsoring the trip was an art freak and everywhere they went they had to stop at art museums, even if it had nothing to do with the trip.
"Oh yea!" Kazu said, suddenly remembering something. "Kenta, you'll never guess what Takato found. He –
"Doesn't know what Kazu's talking about." Kazu gave him a weird look while Takato glared at him.
"Found what?" Kenta asked.
Takato saw that students were still everywhere and knew it wasn't a good place to tell him. "I'll tell you once you get your stuff taken home. It's not safe to say here."
Kenta nodded with understanding. Picking up his belongings, they headed to his house.
Rika sat outside of her house, listening to the water rippling in the pond nearby. She was thinking about Ryo's return and about how he reacted to her being with Mako.
I don't get why he's so bent out of shape. I mean…it's really his own fault for not staying in contact with me.
Rika sighed, wondering what she should do.
I can't just not talk to Ryo…and it's not like Mako said I couldn't. But…Ryo's so different now than what he was before. It's strange.
It's because he really likes you, another voice said as it crept into her mind. She chuckled at her own thoughts.
Yeah right. If he did, he wouldn't be so cold right now and he would've tried to stay in touch with me.
You may have a point.
Rika was so deep into thought that she failed to notice the crystal blue eyes looking at her from above in a tree.
Kenta adjusted his glasses and looked at Kazu and Takato. "You're sure?"
"Takato is, but I'm still not," Kazu said.
"Well, that's why I brought you here," Takato said, groaning.
The three of them were at the old hideout. Takato wanted to show both Kazu and Kenta that he was right, that the gate had re-opened. Kazu, of course, was still sort of skeptical.
"So…are we going to go in?"
Takato sighed. "Yeah, we can. Come on."
Takato led the way into the cement structure and they carefully went towards the hole dug in the center of the shrine. Takato kneeled in front of the hole and smiled.
"See?" He pointed down below as Kazu and Kenta kneeled beside him.
It was still small, but it was there. Kazu's jaw dropped and stayed like that for a bit before finally closing it. Kenta stared at it with wide eyes, his mouth working up and down but not very noticeable. Finally they stood up, but still looked down into the dark hole.
"So you were right. Man," Kazu said.
Kenta kept his gaze towards the gate, but softly said, "It almost feels like I'm dreaming but I know I'm not. Can we really see them again?"
"I think so," Takato said. "We'll have to try and get a hold of the others. Call up a meeting or something. Show them that the gate really has re-opened."
"It might be hard to get Ryo because I think he moved to America," Kenta said.
"We'll worry about that later," Kazu said. "If no one's moved yet, we should be able to find everyone."
Takato nodded and Kenta tilted his head a bit. They finally walked out of the shrine and down the stone steps.
"We'll think about it tomorrow guys," Takato said. "Until then, don't tell anyone."
"We won't," Kazu said. "See ya!"
Kenta waved bye and walked his own way. Takato watched them leave and then walked down the sidewalk.
There's one person I have to tell in person. I can't let her know from someone else. I hope…that she doesn't regret it.
Thanks to everyone that's reviewed so far. I appereciate it a lot. Hopefully I'll start updating more quickly. Hopefully you liked it thus far, so send those reviews:)
