Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon.
Chapter 4: The Saiba Family
Kari and T.K. were still reeling from the news that Norn was somehow their daughter. Izzy and Jason had checked and rechecked the results to make sure there was no error. But every check they ran seemed to indicate that there was no mistake. After this surprising little revelation, Arthur had called Tai, Matt, and Sora and had asked them to come over. As soon as the three had arrived, Gwen and PawnChessmon took Norn and her two Digimon into the other room so that everyone else could have a serious talk. Needless to say, Tai, Matt, and Sora were just as shocked as everyone else.
"So T.K., are you sure there's not something you and Kari would like to tell us?" Tai asked as his left eye twitched a bit.
"For crying out loud, Tai! I'm as shocked about this as you are!" T.K. told him.
"Tai, there's no way I could've kept everyone from knowing if I was pregnant!" Kari pointed out.
"She's right about that, Tai." Sora calmly agreed as she gently patted her own bulging stomach. "After awhile that kind of thing is impossible to hide."
"Tai, you do realize that Norn appears to be about twelve years old." Izzy pointed out. "Which means Kari would've had to have given birth to her…"
"Okay, okay. You're right." Tai relented as he sat down in the nearest chair he could find. "Sorry I reacted like that. It's been a long day at the office."
"Izzy, are you and Jason sure that there wasn't some kind of computer error?" Matt asked.
"We rechecked everything about ten times now." Jason answered. "As far as we can tell, there's been no error."
"Perhaps we've all been looking at this the wrong way." Arthur suggested. "Look at what we know about Ms. Norn. She has two Digimon partners, yet know Digivice. And while she has no memory of her past and seems to lack knowledge about the world, she able to solve in second mathematical problems that would take normal scholars weeks if not months to solve. Given all this information, I'm starting to think that Norn is not a normal human being."
"Then what is she?" Patamon asked.
"Maybe she's a being like Gennai." Jason suggested. "You know, some kind of digital life form that's similar to a human."
"A good theory. But then how is it that she has T.K. and Kari's DNA?" Arthur pointed out.
"What if someone just wants us to think that Norn is T.K. and Kari's daughter?" Matt theorized.
"That would require someone to tamper with Genome Database." Izzy pointed out. "And the only one I can see with the skills to do that would have to be someone at the Saiba Corporation."
"Well then, what do we know about the Saiba Corporation?" Arthur asked.
"From what I've read, it started out as a simple software company in 1987." Jason began. "It took off in Japan fairly quickly. Then after the untimely death of its founder, Koichi Saiba, the company was taken over by his son Neo. He was only fourteen at the time."
"A company run by a fourteen-year-old?" a surprised Sora asked.
"He was something of a child prodigy." Jason explained. "One story I heard is that he built his first computer at age nine. It's because of Neo that Saiba Corp is currently the third largest software company in the world. Anyway, Saiba Corp has recently become one of the major companies that's doing research on the Digital World."
"What kind of research?" Kari asked.
"That I couldn't tell you." Jason answered.
"Then I think it's time we started looking into the Saiba Corporation's activities." Arthur decided. "Jason, how long will it take you and Izzy to hack into their computers?"
"Probably a few days at most." Jason answered.
"Indeed. The Saiba Corporation's firewalls are probably going to be hard to crack." Izzy agreed.
"Then I guess we'll let you guys work on that and the rest of us can go home." Tai decided.
"I'll go get Norn." Kari told them.
Moments later Kari was in the next room where Norn and Gwen seemed to be playing some kind of card game. Gao and Agu meanwhile seemed to be having some kind of argument.
Gwen looked up and saw Kari standing in the doorway. "So, I assume the rest of you are done talking."
"Arthur can fill you in on the rest later." Kari replied. "Norn? We're going home now."
"Okay mom." Norn replied.
Kari felt a wave of emotion when she heard Norn call her mom. "Uh, yeah. So go get Agu and Gao and we'll be leaving in just a minute."
An hour or so later, T.K. and Kari had returned to their apartment with Norn. Norn had gone to bed soon after. After she had gotten ready for bed herself, Kari stood in the doorway to Norn's room. The girl was fast asleep, holding the teddy bear that T.K. had gotten for her that day. Agu and Gao meanwhile were both asleep in a corner of the room.
"Hey." T.K. called from behind, slightly startling Kari. "You coming to bed?"
"Yeah, I'll be there in a minute." Kari assured him. "…She called me mom, T.K. It… it actually felt pretty good."
"I guess Norn would have every reason to think of you has her mother." T.K. replied. "And not just because of what happened today. You really seem to have a way with her."
"T.K., I don't care who Norn is or where she came from. I want her to stay with us." Kari told him. "Ever since Norn got here, our lives have been different."
"I know what you mean." T.K. agreed. "I don't know how all this is going to end, but I'd like her to stay with us too."
Kari and T.K. kissed for a moment. After they finally broke apart, the couple headed back to their room. They both needed their rest after such an eventful day.
It was 6:30 AM as Tai walked into the convenience store down the street from where his apartment was. He had realized only this morning that he had forgotten to get more orange juice the night before. There was much on Tai's mind that morning as he made his way to the juice isle, and it wasn't just the confusion issue of Norn's origins. As happy as Tai was for both Matt and Sora, it still seemed like he wasn't completely over how his own romantic relationship with Sora had failed. Sora reminding everyone of her pregnancy to make a point the night before seemed to remind Tai of what might've been but could no longer be.
"Excuse me." A female voice spoke from behind as Tai looked for the right brand of juice. "You think you could do me a favor and grab me a bottle of grape juice from the next shelf over?"
Tai glanced and saw that the grape juice was on a shelf that was easily accessible. "You too weak to grab it yourself?"
"Are you trying to be funny?" the woman asked in an offended tone.
Tai turned around to say something only to find that the woman was in a wheelchair. She was a young woman who had short reddish-brown hair and wore a white short-sleeved buttoned up shirt with a black skirt. Tai saw that the young lady was quite attractive, though he noticed this only in passing.
"Oh… uh, sorry." Tai told the young woman as he grabbed the juice bottle she requested. "I guess I just didn't see you there. Looks like I really stuck my foot in my mouth, huh?"
"Don't worry about." The young woman assured him. "It's not like you have eyes in the back of your head. Plus you looked like you were in pretty deep thought."
"Yeah, I've got a lot going on I guess." Tai admitted.
"I'm Rei, by the way." The young woman informed him as she held out her hand.
"Nice to meet you." Tai replied as he shook her hand. "My name's Tai, Tai Kamiya."
"Hey, I don't know if it's too early for you. But would you like to get a cup of coffee?" Rei offered.
"That'd be great." Tai agreed.
After paying for their purchases, the two headed to a small café that was only next door to the store. They got their coffee and sat down at one of the small tables outside.
"So Mr. Kamiya, just what was it that was on your mind when we bumped into each other?" Rei asked.
"I was thinking about my ex-girlfriend and how it ended between us." Tai explained.
"What happened between you two?" Rei asked.
"A few months ago my younger sister was kidnapped." Tai began. "She's fine now, but she was gone for about two months. I was pretty angry with myself that whole time because I thought it was my fault that I didn't do enough to protect her. And I just took it out on my girlfriend, Sora."
"So there's no chance of you getting back together, I take it." Rei assumed.
"She ended up with my best friend." Tai revealed. "In fact they're married and expecting a kid."
"Oh… ouch." Rei replied. "That must've caused some tension."
"At first." Tai admitted. "It still does a little, I guess. But I'm happy for them both."
"You seem like you're being a real good sport about this." Rei remarked. "I'm not sure if I'd take it so well if something like this happened to me."
"The three of us have been friends for years." Tai continued. "Plus my little sister married my friend's little brother, so we're all pretty much family."
Rei's eyes widened a bit in surprise. "Wow! Seems like your family has its share of drama."
Tai chuckled a bit. "You could say that. I'm sure your family's had its share too."
"I won't argue with that." Rei admitted. "For one thing both my parents are dead. They died in a car crash when I was twelve. That's how I ended up in this chair."
"I'm real sorry to hear that." Tai replied. "So… is there any chance you'll be able to walk again?"
"Well, all the doctors I've seen say there's a chance I might be able to walk again one day." Rei answered. "But it's a long shot, so nobody's real optimistic about it. I don't let it slow me down though."
"I don't doubt it." Tai replied. "So besides you, is there anyone else left in your family?"
"Just me and my older brother." Rei revealed. "We don't seem like we're as close as we used to be though. In fact these days he's been throwing himself into his work."
Tai glanced at his watch and noticed the time. "Oh crap! I better be going or I'll be late getting ready for work. Sorry I have to leave so soon."
"It's fine. I should probably get going to." Rei decided before grabbing a napkin. "But before you go, I'd like you to have this."
Tai took the napkin Rei offered him and noticed something written on it. "Is this your phone number?"
"Call me sometime, 'kay?" Rei replied with a wink before rolling off.
Tai looked at the phone number for a few moments before putting the napkin in his pocket. As he headed back home, he found that he was in a much better mood than before.
Neo sat at the breakfast table in his penthouse apartment sipping from his cup of coffee as he read the paper. The ring of his doorbell interrupted his reading. Neo calmly got up to answer and found Bram standing on the other side.
"I hope I'm not too early." Bram greeted.
"Not at all." Neo replied as he let Bram in. "Glad you come to see me."
"You know I don't see why we couldn't have this little meeting at my place." Bram remarked as he sat at the table.
"That's because when I go to your place, I feel like I'm walking into a brothel." Neo told him. "What is it with all those women you keep over there?"
"I'm merely someone who appreciates the finer things in life." Bram innocently replied. "You should take the time to do the same, my young friend."
"I'll consider it once we finally change the world." Neo coldly responded. "Now then, what is it you wanted to discuss about Norn and the prototypes?"
"I think it's best we leave them where they are a few days." Bram suggested. "We should take this time to build up our forces for the next attempt."
"And in the meantime we simply let Norn and the prototypes roam free?" Neo asked.
"Don't worry, Neo. This is exactly how we want things to go." Bram told him. "Norn's awakening process is going splendidly. Once she reaches a certain level of awareness, we will make our move and take the power we need to change both this world and the Digital World."
Before Neo could respond, the doorbell rang again. Neo got up to answer and found Rei on the other side of the door.
"Hi Neo." Rei greeted. "Sorry to drop by this early, but I think I might have left my phone here yesterday when I came to visit."
"Oh… of course." Neo responded. "Come on in. I have it right here on the counter."
Rei entered the apartment as Neo went to go get her phone. While looking around, Rei noticed Bram sitting at the table.
Bram noticed Rei as well and walked over. "Well, this is certainly an unexpected treat. Who might you be, my dear?"
"Bram, this is my younger sister, Rei." Neo introduced as he returned with Rei's phone. "Rei, this is a business associate of mine."
"Bram Vladimir Collins, at your service." The gentleman greeted as he kissed Rei on the hand.
"Uh, nice to meet you." Rei replied.
"Please leave now, Rei." Neo coldly requested. "Bram and I have very important business to discuss right now."
"Yeah… okay." Rei replied before leaving the apartment with her phone in hand.
"Lovely young lady." Bram remarked.
"I'll thank you to leave my little sister off your lists of sexual conquests." Neo told him.
"I understand." Bram replied. "It's a pity though. I could've totally changed her life."
"Getting back to the matter at hand, you make a good point about taking time to build up our forces." Neo continued. "Now that more Digidestined are involved, we're going to need more power if we're to take back Norn."
"How true." Bram agreed. "But I'm starting to wonder if perhaps those Waspmon you've cultivated will be enough."
"Not to worry. I have a contingency plan." Neo assured him before tapping a few keys on his laptop. "I trust you're familiar with this species."
Neo turned the screen of the laptop towards Bram. Floating in a small window on the display was a bluish jellyfish-like creature with two small horns and a large yellow eye.
"Ah, a Kuramon." Bram observed. "That's truly a destructive creature when fully evolved."
"I've already cultivated several of them." Neo revealed. "But given their destructive capabilities, I've held off on setting them loose. Even so, if it means getting Norn and changing this world, I'm willing to unleash them no matter the cost. This world will be changed, even if I have to destroy it first."
Author's Note: Those familiar with the V-Tamer 01 manga may recognize Neo's sister, Rei. Back when I did Home by the Sea and Demon Crisis, I kind of felt bad about breaking up Tai and Sora. Though I did like Matt and Sora as a couple a lot better. Still, I felt like I needed to come up with a new love interest for Tai. And after reading V-Tamer 01, I got inspired to just use Rei. Now I just need to come up with a love interest for Davis.
Please review and let me know what you think.