Date Started: April 18th, 2010
Date Finished: April 21st, 2010


Summary: A lone digimon known as Natsu is drawn towards Daisuke. Daisuke sets out to find her missing human partner, but isn't prepared for the other mysteries that surround this very human-like digimon.


Almost Human

Chapter 4 – One Spring Day

Natsu lay on the bed in the Takaishi guest room. Noon had only just arrived for her first day there. The lights were off and the windows closed. Despite the daylight outside, the curtains allowed only small traces of light to enter the dimly lit room. Exhaustion had overwhelmed her, it being a byproduct of her earlier distress. It had been a strange feeling of loneliness; it was a sadness, a depression that she had never felt before. Until but a few days ago the word family had been foreign to her, and now she found herself desperately craving for one of her own.

"I helped her to bed earlier," she could hear the voices outside. "She became really distraught over something during breakfast."

"Tell me what happened," another said. The voices became fainter. The next few exchanges were little more than hushed whispers to her ears. Natsu wondered what Takeru and his mother would now be discussing. Perhaps they would decide it best that she went back to Daisuke.

Eventually the whispers stopped. She could feel a pair of footsteps drawing ever closer, and culminating with a knock at her door. Takeru's voice called from behind the door, "Nat-chan, are you awake?"

She stood up, the bed and her rest forgotten. Immediately she felt the dizzy lightheaded sensation that came hand in hand with an attempt at forced sleep. Quickly she shook the cobwebs off, and opened the door. Staring upwards, she blinked at her host.

"Hello," she simply said.

He frowned. Without a word he stepped into the room. He opened his mouth to speak, and then thought better of it and closed it once again. He came to a stop near the edge of the bed and took a seat. Natsu followed his movements with her eyes all the while.

"I wanted to apologize to you," he finally said.

Her brow ridges narrowed. "Why is that? I don't recall you doing anything that troubled me."

Takeru looked away, not wanting to meet her gaze. "I was upset with you," he told her.

"I see." Natsu nodded. She had been worried about that the previous day.

"You were asking personal questions about my parents and it angered me," Takeru explained. "And because of my anger I didn't want to see you today. And for that, I apologize."

"I still do not understand." Natsu said. Takeru turned to look at her at last as she continued, "Why does this warrant an apology? I've also felt anger before."

She recalled her own feelings towards Daisuke and the female Hikari. She had been angry that Daisuke had chosen Hikari over herself for his display of affection, and afterwards it had been Daisuke that had taken her elsewhere to calm her mind as a token of apology. Natsu had not been the one to apologize.

"Because I was in the wrong," Takeru said. "I invited you here because Daisuke would have been too busy to be with you." He frowned then, "And yet despite that, on your first day here I left you behind to stay with my mother."

Natsu felt a smile rising in her cheeks. "That was not a problem. I rather enjoy her company. She is a wonderful person."

At that Takeru chuckled. "You're really fond of her, aren't you?"

Natsu nodded. "I am, very much so. I do not wish to cause her any ill by staying here. Shall we go back to Daisuke?"

"Nonsense," he waved off her concern almost immediately. "I spoke with my friend Taichi. He'll come by to the apartment later this evening."

Another nod, and then she spoke again. "What shall we do until then?"

Takeru blinked. That was quite the question. He'd freely admit that he hadn't quite planned out what to do with Natsu once he had brought her here, he only knew that he needed to help Daisuke and that she needed to see Taichi. Mimi had mentioned Natsu was looking for a partner, yet Daisuke had not uttered a word about it – neither had Nat-chan for that matter. He briefly recalled what she and Daisuke had already done: hung out with Hikari, had tea with Iori, gone to the museum. She had been introduced to both Koushiro and to Jyou, but now Takeru wondered, what did he have to offer? It was unlikely she would show any interest in reading his unfinished manuscripts.

"Takeru-san?" she interrupted his thoughts.

"Oh, right," he smiled, coming out of his reverie. "I can show you around the neighborhood. There's no sense in staying indoors." He continued, buying some more time until he could make a decision, "We could go see Iori – he lives in this building – maybe you'd like to have tea with him again?" He judged her reaction before continuing, "Another of our friends, Miyako, lives in the building too. Her parents own the I-Mart at the base of the apartment complex."

Natsu raised her brows in suspicion. She had met Takeru the previous day at Daisuke's, and not once had she heard him speak as much as she had just now. "That sounds fun," she said, moving towards the window. Setting the curtains aside, she opened the window and peered outside. "Is there much to see in your neighborhood?"

Below her was a nearby park. She could hear the distant chatter of children in play. Another sound caught her attention as well. It was a rhythmic thump, a sound of something repeatedly hitting an isolated paved field within the confines of the park. She identified a single boy as the cause of the sound; he was there with an object, repeatedly bouncing it off the ground with alternating hands, and every now and then he would throw it upwards where it would hit a board held in place by a stationary pole.

The sound had apparently been heard by Takeru as well, for when she turned to face him he carried quite the cheeky grin. Again, it was yet another such thing she had never seen on him before.

His grin remained as he announced his decision, "Nat-chan, I know just what to do."


Takeru's apology was unexpected. His explanation stemmed from the fact that I had inadvertently caused him anger, and because of that the fault lay with him instead of with me.

I am still uncertain of this reasoning. If this is indeed true, then perhaps I should apologize to Hikari-san as well, for she had unknowingly caused me to anger.

Yet, I find that I do not want to apologize.


The view of the Digital World erupted upon Daisuke's vision as he exited from the television screen behind him. It had certainly been a while since his last visit. He glanced upon his surroundings at the largely familiar forest. The grass was soft beneath his feet; it was summer in this part of the world, and many flowers bloomed around him. He noticed below that he stood on one of them, and as he lifted his foot off it let loose a soothing, tranquil scent as it recovered and sprang back up. It inspired him to move onwards.

He made sure to watch out for twining roots as he passed through the forest of trees. It slowed his pace slightly, but he was determined to press forward. Soft lights glowed from within the greenery at his sides, hidden by the dark shades the vast flora provided. They appeared as eyes staring at him from the darkness, and the soft sounds of rustling and movement confirmed them as such. He was sure that whatever was watching him was merely curious, and not a threat, yet the strange eerie calm his surroundings provided was at complete odds with what Daisuke's senses were telling him.

With a grunt, he sped forward, leaping over fallen tree trunks and dashing towards where he knew the open clearing awaited him. The bright lights sizzled out, the leaves and bushes rustling as whatever had been watching him retreated from the scene.

Soon he reached his destination: a small cave surrounded by trees with a small meadow extending from its mouth. With a deep breath, he stepped inside and continued down the tunnel.

Only slightly deeper into the cave, he found his partner there, just as he knew he would. There was V-mon, sitting on the stone pedestal where he had once slept for close to an eternity, his head in his hands, worried and lost.

Daisuke sighed loudly, just enough for the digimon to hear.

V-mon jerked his head upwards instantly at the sound. His eyes widened, "Daisuke! What're you doing here?"

"I came to take you home," Daisuke said. He shook his head, "Just what were you thinking coming here?"

V-mon turned away, his arms crossed over his chest, his chin held high. "I am home," he declared. "This was home before being with you was home."

"Don't say that," Daisuke frowned. "Look, I know you're upset with me about Nat-chan right now, but she'll come back soon."

V-mon didn't turn around. He let out a 'humph' in reply.

"And I'm sorry for leaving you two behind so much."

"I don't care!"

"What do you mean you don't care?" Daisuke grimaced. He continued, "I suppose I didn't think too much about it since you and Nat-chan were getting along so great. I thought you would be fine if you were alone together."

"It's Nat-chan that doesn't want to get along," V-mon turned to Daisuke, trying to show his anger, yet the pitying look he gave was anything but. "She doesn't like me."

"You mean she's jealous of you again?" Daisuke couldn't believe it.

"No, not that," V-mon said. He hopped onto both feet before he continued. "She just doesn't like me. When we're with Tentomon," he motioned with his hands, and then pointed to his partner, "She would rather be with you and Koushiro, when it was with Armadimon she would rather pay attention to you and Iori." He shook his head then. "Haven't you noticed? Nat-chan always prefers being with you humans. I think that's why she chose to go with Takeru rather than continue spending time with me while you were gone."

Daisuke blinked. He had been silent while V-mon spoke, and he had to admit he really hadn't noticed any of these subtle actions Natsu had undertaken. Heck, he never even assumed there was a possibility that for once V-mon would be the one jealous of Takeru. He tried to come up with a reason. "Maybe it's because she's still looking for her partner?"

But V-mon merely shook his head. "If there's any human that she's looking for, it's you Daisuke."

Daisuke frowned. He didn't want to hear such a declaration, yet deep down held the suspicious feeling that it was highly accurate. He just didn't want to admit it. He had V-mon as a partner, and he was happy with that.

"You're my partner V-mon," Daisuke maintained. "I would never ask for anyone else."

"I'm happy to hear that, Daisuke," V-mon tried to smile. "But what would Nat-chan say about that? How can she be with you, when she doesn't like me?"

"She knows that you're my partner," Daisuke's face was grim. "And she'll find her own partner, I'm sure of it. And then she'll forget all about me." At V-mon's silence he forced a sigh. "And even if she doesn't, know that I would never pick her over you. I didn't before during that summer, and I wouldn't now either. Natsu will be fine on her own. Taichi-san and Sora's dad will make sure that she can live her own life. She can live like a human, around humans, even with humans if she chooses to, but she will never take your place."

V-mon voiced meekly, "And what will we do?"

Daisuke's expression gave away. His shoulders fell as he continued. "Listen, V-mon, I also spoke with Mimi earlier, and she gave me a lot to think about." He paused a brief moment at V-mon's expectant gaze. "I think we should go back home."

"You mean to your parents?" V-mon wondered.

"Yeah," Daisuke nodded. "We've barely even been on our own for a month, but I already think it's time to call it quits. Right before I came here I told my folks that I want to take the entrance exams next year, and they're already more than encouraging it."

V-mon smiled. "So, it's back to the old neighborhood, huh?"

He'd never seen Daisuke's grin any wider. "So how's about it, V-mon?" said Daisuke. "Think it's time we went home – our real home?"

He extended a hand towards his partner, and V-mon happily shook it.


Takeru and Patamon had led her out of the building towards the local playground. Many of the children had dispersed as it was now early evening and the sun would soon be setting. The lone stretch of isolated pavement was empty now, the one boy she had seen from the apartment windows had long since left. Takeru carried a round orange stripped ball in his arms. Every now and then he would bounce it against the ground. It never failed to bounce right back into his awaiting arms.

"This is the basketball court," Takeru explained once they had come to a stop. "The objective of the game is to throw the ball through the hoop." He pointed towards the pole with the backboard. Natsu could see the metal ring with a small net attached to it falling downwards.

As a demonstration, Takeru threw the ball in his hands and with a swoosh it fell through the basket. It bounced towards them as it hit the ground and Takeru sprinted forwards to catch it once again in his arms.

Natsu nodded in understanding. Takeru and Patamon proceeded to explain various terms used in the game. The ball was only allowed to move when it was bounced off the ground with the player's hands – this was known as dribbling. If the ball ever came to rest in the player's hands, the player was forced to pass – throw the ball to a teammate – or shoot – throw the ball towards the basket in an attempt to score a point.

"Put your hands against your chest like this – palms outwards," Takeru said, and demonstrated. "This is a basic way to receive a pass." With that, he gently passed the ball to her.

With her palms outstretched and in proper position, she easily managed to catch the ball with both hands. Natsu blinked, half surprised. "I caught it," she said.

Takeru grinned. His partner Patamon gave her a round of applause from the other side of the court. The little digimon shouted to her, "Shoot it in, Nat-chan!"

She stared down at the ball in her hands, holding it now for the first time. She bounced it once against the ground, feeling for the amount of effort it would take to throw it. It came back into her hands, and she did it again a second time, and then a third after that. Satisfied, she attempted a shot towards the basket.

It didn't even reach the required height.

She grimaced, her face full of disappointment and frustration at the outcome. Takeru let out a chuckle as he jogged towards the ball. He picked it up and casually tossed it back to her with an underhand pass. She bent forward and reached out with both arms to catch it.

Natsu frowned down at the ball in her hands. She mimicked her previous shot, yet instead of aiming for the basket she threw it back to Takeru with both hands. "Show me," she requested.

"From here?" Takeru asked from where he stood. "Are you sure? This is a three-pointer."

She nodded, despite not quite knowing what a three-pointer was. Takeru's grin returned and he prepared for the shot. He bounced the ball a few times, and then bent down holding it in a crouch. He rose to almost full height before releasing it into the air. It soared towards the backboard, hitting it briefly before landing on the inner rim of the basket and finally falling down through the loop.

"Way to go, Takeru!" Patamon cheered for his partner. Natsu stared at him in awe.

"Just a lucky shot," Takeru colored at the praise, and went to retrieve the ball.

The basketball once again found its way into Natsu's grasp. She tried and failed several more times in getting it in the basket.

Patamon stifled a giggle, and she shot him a glare in return.

"You'll have better control of the ball if you shoot with one hand," Takeru told her.

Her next attempt proved even more disastrous.

"This isn't working," she complained. "Why are you able to do it properly yet I'm not?"

Takeru smiled. "I'll help you get it right, don't worry."

He moved to a step beside her, showing her the proper posture. "Hold it flat in your palm like this with your right hand, using the left to hold the ball steady." He next motioned the shot, "Then extend your right arm outwards in an arc like this."

She mimicked the action. The basketball soared through the air, much higher than she had previously managed thus far. Still, it bounced off the backboard and fell to the ground, having missed the basket completely.

"You're getting better," Patamon shouted words of encouragement.

"Let's try this again," Takeru told her. "You've almost got it."

"Alright," she said. The determination was clear on her face. With a smile, he brought the ball back to her once more. She subsequently got into position again, and nervously glanced towards Takeru. "Am I doing it right?" she asked.

He nodded, stepping in to stand behind her, helping her steady the ball. He bent forward, coming to rest beside her and his arms reaching around her own. He began speaking almost immediately. "Right hand holding the ball, left hand balancing," his voice lowered. "Keep your eye on the basket – on three, alright? Concentrate."

"I can't," she said.

Takeru blinked. "Huh? Why not?"

"You are blowing in my ear. It is distracting."

Takeru let out a short nervous chuckle before taking a full step back. He pulled away from her completely; clearing his throat, he began again, "Is it better now?"

"Shall I shoot?" she asked.

"Go for it," Takeru said.

She nodded. Her arm shot forward, sending the ball flying. Her eyes clenched shut almost instinctively, not willing to follow where the ball would go. It was only when she heard the familiar swoosh sound did she will her eyes open. She blinked, eyeing the ball as it fell to the ground. She whispered to herself in disbelief, "Did I do it?"

"Nat-chan, you did it!" Patamon flew right in front of her. "You were awesome! You were like this," he mimed a few throws mid-air, "and the ball was like swoosh right in the middle of the basket!"

His words went unnoticed by Natsu. She stood still, not yet overcome from the surprise of getting the basket. "I did it," she repeated. "I did it!" she said again, and turned towards Takeru, fully sharing in his enthusiasm and smiles.

She laughed aloud, leaping forward with her arms surrounding him in a fierce hug. "I actually got it in!" she told him, "It's all thanks to you, Takeru."

She sighed wistfully, as if a heavy burden had been lifted just due to her one single success on the basketball court. She rested her head down on Takeru's shoulder, feeling his cheek against her own. It was then that she came back to her senses and realized what she was doing. The embrace startled her, and it startled her even more when she noticed that Takeru was indeed hugging her back.


It was finally time for the long awaited meeting. Yagami Taichi was a fairly young man, and while no doubt older than either Takeru or Daisuke, his vibrant youth was still the focal point of his character. He arrived with two elder men, clearly showing the contrast to his age. He identified one as Tanaka-san, a politician he had recently begun working under, and the other as Takenouchi-san, a professor from Kyoto University that studied and dealt with matters related to the Digital World.

"There shouldn't be any trouble in getting her registered," Taichi-san was saying. He sat on the sofa in the Takaishi living room with the other two men. All three had arrived dressed in formal black tuxes. They carried with them a startlingly intimidating presence. Standing nearby was Takeru, Patamon on his shoulder. His mother sat at a nearby chair on the other side of the coffee table. Natsu peered at the meeting from behind Takeru, sitting at the table in the kitchen. They had been discussing her situation for the entirety of the past hour.

"Is it really not a problem?" Natsuko-san asked. Prior to the meeting, Natsu had become aware that Takeru's mother thought her to be simply a normal human. She couldn't begin to imagine the surprise that the elder woman had experienced upon learning that the girl her son had brought home was just another digimon.

"Digimon form partnerships with humans," Takenouchi-san added. "They come to our world for that very purpose. It's utterly impossible to police at this time, and as I'm sure you know," he motioned with his hands towards Patamon and Takeru, "It's been declared that partnered digimon need to be registered in order to remain in this world."

"How exactly will that help Nat-chan?" Takeru thought to ask while the attention was still on him. "She hasn't exactly found a partner yet."

It was Tanaka-san that offered an answer this time. "These digital creatures appear out of nowhere – they've never been recorded to exist previously, yet they become registered as part of the family almost immediately." The man had a bushy mustache, and it bristled at each word he spoke. "Since this is a relatively new phenomenon, the proper official forms have yet to be made. At this time it's no different than taking in an orphan."

"An orphan?" asked Natsuko-san. Her tone was that of bewilderment.

"It fits, don't you think so?" Tanaka-san said. "Your Natsu-san is a lost girl with no family, and this is the second home she has been to – it fits the profile of an orphan doesn't it?" He turned to his aide, "Yagami-kun, how old would you say that poor girl looks?"

All gathered immediately turned towards the kitchen, looking over Natsu. She blinked a few times, before finally looking away to avoid their gaze.

"She could pass for maybe sixteen or so," Taichi-san answered.

"Exactly," Tanaka-san nodded. "At this point it would be better for us to find her a proper family instead of treating her like a digimon without a partner."

Natusko-san started. "Now just a min-"

"I agree with him," Takenouchi-san interrupted. "I understand that Natsu-san has developed friendships with some of the Chosen, but it would be unfair for her to be moved around from home to home while we just wait for her to find a suitable partner. She needs schooling, a family, and a permanent home."

"She doesn't have to move around anywhere," Takeru said. At his side, Patamon firmly nodded. Takeru continued, "Nat-chan has a home right here, isn't that right, mom?" He looked to his mother for approval, and after receiving it turned back to the girl behind him. "Right, Nat-chan?" he repeated.

Taichi frowned, voicing his thoughts before Natsu could reply. "Now, Takeru, don't rush into this. We should at least discuss it with the others first."

"There shouldn't be anything to discuss," Takeru maintained. He looked to the elder men, "You are correct, Nat-chan hasn't even been in our world for two full weeks yet and she's already in her second home, but I don't want to see her moving on to a third before she's even become accustomed to this one."

Before either of the men could reply, Natsuko spoke up. "Perhaps we should hear what Nat-chan has to say about this?" she suggested.

Again the spotlight turned to Natsu. She frowned, thinking deeply about what the others had spoken of. She looked to Tanaka-san, contemplating, "You wish to find me a suitable family?"

"Yes, that is what the three of us discussed before arriving," the man said.

Natsu thought back to the early morning, to the feelings of the love and family that she craved. A mother like Natsuko-san, perhaps even a sibling similar to the ones Daisuke and Takeru spoke of. She glanced towards Takeru, recalling the hug they shared earlier. She thought about Daisuke, about V-mon, and about Natsuko-san. It was then that the sudden idea came to her.

She turned back to Tanaka-san. "I, too, wish for a family." Out of the corner of her eye she could see the grimace on Takeru's face. For a moment she thought there was hurt showing from Natsuko-san as well. Natsu tried to ignore it.

The older man smiled. "Then it's settled. We'll begin the procedures immediately."

"However," Natsu said. "I request permission to choose the family."

"Of course," Taichi-san said. "We'd never leave you with anyone that you wouldn't want to be with."

"It is as Taichi-kun says," Takenouchi-san told her. "You will be able to pick the family you wish to stay with."

"In that case," Natsu began. "I would like to choose the Takaishi family."

Takeru's eyes went wide. Likewise, so did Patamon's. She didn't have the courage to meet Natsuko-san's gaze, but had she looked she would have seen the flattered, almost welcoming smile.


Much has happened in the span of those twenty-four hours that I've spent with Takeru and his mother. I've felt joy, I've felt sadness. I've laughed, and I've cried. I had fun with Takeru and had caused him distress. I found someone I admire in his mother, and I certainly hope Natsuko-san will be able to find someone she likes within me.

I'll admit to an ulterior motive during the meeting with Taichi-san, which I do not wish to state. I've found joy with Takeru, and while it was not quite as much as with Daisuke, it was certainly enough to share an embrace.

The romantic couple that I witnessed by chance so many days ago is still on my mind, albeit the memory is fading. I can no longer recall what the pair looked like. It is only the vivid imagery of their intimate display that remains. I see myself in place of the woman, and in place of the man…

I will not hide it anymore. In place of the man is Daisuke.


Daisuke and V-mon were finally ready to depart the Digital World. He had arrived looking for his partner in the late evening, and they had spend much of the night beside a lit bonfire at the mouth of V-mon's cave, gazing up at the stars together and discussing their future plans. Chief of their topics revolved around Nat-chan and wondering how she was coping with Takeru, if she had met with Taichi yet, how Daisuke's parents would be welcoming them back, and of course Daisuke's old goal of running his own ramen business.

During their talks, Daisuke still couldn't shake the feeling that the pair was being watched from the darkness of the surrounding forests. Ever so often he would hear a few footsteps or the nearby rustling of foliage when there was no wind about. He ignored it for as long as he could, and immediately regretted it when the sun finally rose and the pair set out to return to the human world only to find no nearby television in sight.

His eyes narrowed, annoyed, as he stared at his surroundings. Whatever had been spying on him was by now long gone. He grunted, and began retracing his steps looking for the Digital Gate he had used the previous evening. He nudges his partner to follow along, "C'mon, V-mon, looks like we've got quite a walk ahead of us."

V-mon frowned. "The Gate I came through should have been here."

"Seems like someone moved it," Daisuke said. "Hopefully the one I used is still there."

After roughly a half hours walk, Daisuke finally stood in place only to stare at a dead television screen. It was the same one he had used the previous day, but it wasn't reacting to the Digital Gate he had left opened on his home computer, and he didn't have any idea as to why. Something had shut his computer off during the night, and his best guesses ranged from local power outages to his computer randomly crashing. He considered either to be just as likely as the other, as he simply wasn't paranoid enough to believe that whatever had been spying on him had been able to access something in his apartment. V-mon nudged him from his side. "We'll need someone to open another Gate for us," his digimon partner pointed out.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm on it," Daisuke said. He quickly fished out his D-Terminal and sent an e-mail to Ken.

He sighed at the lack of an immediate response. It was several minutes later when one finally came, letting Daisuke know that Ken was on route to visit Koushiro and was unable to open a gate. With a groan, Daisuke opted to message Koushiro instead. Almost immediately the television came to life, and Koushiro's face appeared on the screen.

Koushiro spoke almost immediately. "You've got great timing, Daisuke-san."

"So I hear. Why's Ken coming over?" Daisuke asked. The answer that he received arrived completely unexpected.

"You should come by, too." Koushiro had said. "I need Ken here to confirm something." He had paused for a moment, and then continued, his voice largely conspicuous. "I think I've finally figured out exactly what Nat-chan really is."


Chapter Notes:
- The convenience store the Inoue family owns is called the I-Mart, without a doubt short for Inoue Market.
- The cave Daisuke finds V-mon in is where he first lifted the Digimental of Courage.
- Entrance Exams are taken, as their name suggests, in order to pass the entrance requirement of the specific school hosting the exam. In Daisuke's case here, the school would be a university or college.