I'd like to thank everyone for the warm return they gave me.
Daisuke fans will be glad to see his cameo, and Ken fans will hopefully forgive me when they realize his sad reality in this AU. I'm sad, too, because Ken's my favorite character out of all five seasons.
By the way, take a look at the title of this chapter.
Chapter 10: Digivice
The stairwell amplified the noise of footsteps as a class walked in mostly single file to the upper level of the school. These students talked quietly amongst themselves, and their teacher led them to the computer lab. When the teacher reached the door he held it for his students and ushered them into the room. He was young with a full head of dark hair, and he had an almost casual expression. His blue blazer bore the emblem of one of the nearby high schools.
"Some of the other teachers have been having problems with the network, but the server was working five minutes ago," he announced dryly, watching his students meander into the room. Near the back of the line were Hikari Yagami and Takeru Takaishi. A third student, a male with auburn hair and square goggles on his forehead, pulled Takeru aside.
"Look, Takaishi," the male whispered roughly, "just because you and Hikari are old friends doesn't mean the code doesn't apply: I've been in the same class with her for years." He gave Takeru a hard glare with his hazel eyes. Takeru just lifted an eyebrow.
"Motomiya, the code only applies if you're going to make a move on her," Takeru replied. "If you've been in her class for so long and there's not something going on with you two, then maybe it's a sign that she's not interested." Motomiya clenched his fist at his side. His light blue vest made him look bigger than he was, but in reality he was roughly the same size and height as Takeru. "But if we don't catch up to her, someone else is going to be sitting next to her in the lab." Motomiya's anger dissolved as his eyes darted to Hikari just as she entered the computer lab. Both Takeru and Motomiya rushed to catch up with their classmates, specifically Hikari.
Hikari had taken a seat in the first row. One computer separated her from the end of the row, and Takeru took that one while Motomiya took the one on her other side. Both of the boys watched each other from the corner of their eyes as they turned on their computers.
"Good morning, Takeru," Hikari said, and without pause added, "Good morning, Daisuke."
"Good morning, Hikari," Daisuke replied instantly. "How was your weekend?"
"It was," Hikari cast a glance at Takeru as she considered her answer, "fun." Daisuke noticed the glance and grit his teeth. "Did you know that Takeru's brother is the lead singer of the Teenage Wolves? They and a few other bands had a concert at Shibaura harbor on Saturday night." Takeru locked his eyes forward on his computer monitor and kept his face expressionless, staying out of the conversation.
"You," Daisuke's voice dropped a little as it filled with dread, "Went with Takaishi?" Hikari chuckled at the question.
"No, I went with Taichi," she answered. Daisuke's expression brightened and he gave a confident smirk. "Afterwards we met up with Takeru, but we didn't get to spend very much time together. He and his brother were busy with the cleanup." Takeru's computer had finished loading, and his mouse pointer went to the Internet browser. A connection bar began to fill.
"So, Hikari, I was thinking," Daisuke began, losing some of his confidence and letting his eyes drop from hers. "If you're not doing anything this weekend, I think we should-"
Suddenly a flash of light filled their corner of the room. For a moment none of them could see each other through it, and Daisuke stopped short in asking his question. When the light faded the Internet browser had loaded on Takeru's computer, and a small device was in his hand. At first glance it looked like a virtual pet toy. It had a small screen at the center, a large button on the left, two buttons on the right, and an antenna-like structure at the upper-left. All three of the students were staring at the device, and all other eyes in the room were on them.
"A Digivice," Takeru and Hikari whispered together.
"Was that a firework?" a male student asked from the row ahead of them, turning around in his chair. "You've got to tell me what brand that was."
"I don't think that was a firework," one of the girls replied from the row the trio was in. "I think the new kid's computer screen lit up."
"Computer screen's don't light up light that," the teacher cut in, standing between the last row of computers and walking past the other students to the three. "Whatever it was, hand it over now."
"You heard her, Mr. Hamasaki, it was the computer screen," Takeru told the teacher honestly as he clenched his hand around the device. Mr. Hamasaki pointed to Takeru's hand, where white and gray plastic was still visible, and Takeru pulled the device to himself quickly.
"You're not making a good impression, Takaishi," Mr. Hamasaki told him. The relaxed appearance the man had had was gone. "You've had nearly a week to adjust to this school, and I expect you to start acting like a responsible student." Takeru's hand loosened open slowly, and he glanced pleadingly to Hikari.
"It's mine, Mr. Hamasaki," Hikari lied. The man's eyes turned to her. "I loaned it to Takeru over the weekend, and he was just giving it back to me now so he wouldn't forget to during lunch."
"That doesn't excuse playing with it during class, Yagami," Mr. Hamasaki glowered at Hikari before turning his intense stare on Takeru. He held out his hand to the boy. "I'm going to confiscate it." Takeru reluctantly handed the device to his teacher.
"Hikari wasn't the one playing with it," Daisuke blurted, "I was." Mr. Hamasaki's grip closed on the device, and he turned his gaze to Daisuke. "I, uh," Daisuke hesitated, fidgeting with his mouse. "I wanted to see what it was, so I reached over to take it, and I think I accidentally hit one of the buttons." Sweat beaded just below the boy's goggles.
Mr. Hamasaki looked down at the device in his hand. "It doesn't even look like it's turned on," he commented before pressing each of the buttons. The device gave no reaction, and its screen remained blank. "It is kind of surprising that something this small could make a light that bright."
"Normally it wouldn't," Takeru took on a sullen look as he spoke, specifically avoiding Hikari's gaze. "It's embarrassing to admit this in front of everyone," indeed, all of the students in the room had been following the conversation closely, "and I wanted to tell you, Hikari, but I think I broke it. I was looking for the right way to tell you, and I was hoping maybe I could get it to Koushirou so he could get a look at it." Now his eyes met Hikari's. "Since he's so good with electronics."
"In any case," Mr. Hamasaki harrumphed, "I'll be confiscating it. All three of you know better than to be playing with toys in class." He pocketed the device and turned back to the other students. "I hope you enjoyed your break. Now it's time to get to work on your research."
"But Mr. Hamasaki, the Internet isn't working," one of the boys complained from the opposite end of the room. Mr. Hamasaki began walking away from the trio he had been reprimanding.
"The Internet's working just fine for me," one of the boys stated from a few seats' distance from the one that had spoke. "Maybe you just don't know how to use a computer."
"Hikari, we've got to get the Digivice back," Takeru whispered urgently as soon as Mr. Hamasaki couldn't overhear. "I can't believe I just gave it to him."
"You would have gotten in trouble," Hikari murmured, eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "We'll have to wait until the end of class. In the meanwhile, we should try to contact the others."
"What was that toy?" Daisuke demanded quietly. "What's a Digivice?" He swallowed before glancing at Takeru's computer monitor. Incredulously he asked, "Did that come out of the computer?"
"Of course not," Takeru replied with a smile that was on the verge of laughter. "How could something come out of a computer?" His hands were back on his keyboard, and quickly an email window came up.
"It's a kind of virtual pet toy," Hikari equivocated. "Like a Tomagotchi or a Giga Pet."
"Then what's the big deal?" Daisuke wondered.
"It's a big deal because Hikari says it is," Takeru answered and gave Daisuke a wink. Daisuke's expression flickered between annoyance and compliance before settling on the latter. More seriously, Takeru added, "Hikari, remember how the Internet's been down all over town lately? It might be a good idea text everyone, too."
"Right," Hikari agreed. Her eyes scanned the room for Mr. Hamasaki, who was two rows away from them, before reaching into her backpack for her cell phone. She turned her head towards Daisuke. "Mr. Hamasaki will notice if I have my cell out for too long. Daisuke, I need you to text Taichi. Just tell him one word: 'Digivice.'"
Daisuke fumbled in the lower pocket of his brown cargo shorts. "I don't even know how to spell it," he grumbled, but quickly flipped open his cell phone and typed into it. A few seconds later he announced, "Sent."
"Hikari, do you have Mimi's email or her cell number?" Takeru asked suddenly. On the screen in front of him a short email was typed out: 'Computer lab. Digivce. Mr. Hamasaki took it. Going to try to get it back.' It was signed with Takeru's name, and five email addresses had already been filled in. Hikari shook her head.
"I forgot to get it from Sora," she frowned. Takeru quickly added another line: 'Sora, tell Mimi.' He sent the email and quickly switched to the school homepage just as Mr. Hamasaki came back around.
"Yagami, Motomiya," Mr. Hamasaki greeted, and quickly asked, "Is the Internet down on both of your computers, too?"
"I'm not having any luck at all today," Hikari told him with a weak smile, holding her cell phone against her leg so that the teacher couldn't see it. Daisuke's was already back in his pocket.
"The two of you will need to share Takeru's, then," Mr. Hamasaki sighed. "It's less than ideal, but it's better than needing to change my entire lesson plan." His dark eyes gave a sweeping gaze around the computer lab. The situation was the same with all of the others students. Only every third computer had a working connection. Slowly, Mr. Hamasaki walked away again.
"How are we supposed to do research at a time like this?" Takeru wondered.
"You're acting like it's the end of the world or something," Daisuke rolled his eyes, and they landed on Hikari. He reluctantly added, "But if Hikari thinks it's important, then it's important. It's just another half hour until lunch, and maybe Mr. Hamasaki will give the Digivice back then."
One by one, each of them took their turn at the computer. Takeru fidgeted constantly with the keyboard as he plodded through search results and history accounts. His eyes kept glancing up at Mr. Hamasaki rather than focusing on his research: cases of women that suffered sudden anemia and were reported in the Tokyo area three years prior. Two cases were reported in the Nerima and Itabashi districts on August first of that year, and several more were reported in Shibuya the following night. None occurred afterwards, and one line in an article suggested the possibility of biological warfare accompanying the attacks. However, Takeru took in none of the reading, and Hikari had zoned out.
When it was her turn, Hikari became restless. Rather than health, her topic was on local geniuses in the Tokyo area. She found nothing. It was clear that there hadn't been any especially gifted students during the past few years, and instead she had to resort to researching students that had simply scored the highest.
Daisuke grumbled when turn came, and at first sat staring at the screen without setting to work. His expression showed his frustrated boredom, and after glancing for Mr. Hamasaki he typed in the web address for a game. He used up the remaining time playing a platform game where he controlled a stylized cartoon donkey.
Daisuke's eyes snapped up when the bell finally rang. Takeru and Hikari immediately headed for Mr. Hamasaki, and Daisuke forgot to turn off the computer as he hurried to join them.
"Mr. Hamasaki," Takeru began, "I know it was wrong for me to take the toy out during class, but," he trailed off and bit his lip, giving a sideways glance at Hikari. "It would have been embarrassing giving it back to Hikari in front of her friends. You remember what it's like at this age, don't you?" Daisuke gave Takeru an edged look but said nothing.
"There are rules for a reason, Takaishi," Mr. Hamasaki explained, much calmer than he had been before, almost as relaxed as he had been when the class first entered the computer lab. "We need to keep distractions out of the classroom so students can concentrate on their school work. I know you're all still young, but the job market's getting more competitive by the day. Respect and discipline are essential, and learning is vital."
"Neither of them meant any disrespect," Daisuke countered. "I told you before: I was the one that hit the button. Takaishi and Hikari were waiting for their computers to load up. How can you blame them for what they did when all the rest of the kids in the class were showing the same disrespect by talking to each other?"
Mr. Hamasaki grinned slightly and shook his head. He reached into his jacket pocket, withdrew the Digivice, and handed it to Hikari. "I guess you're right, Motomiya. You said it was your fault that this toy lit up, so you'll be the one to take the punishment. I want you to stay after school all this week."
Daisuke's jaw dropped, and for a second he seemed ready to recant his story. His eyes fell on Hikari, who gave him a shy smile, and he closed his mouth in defeat. "I understand," he surrendered.
All four of them left the classroom together, and Mr. Hamasaki quickly walked down the hallway. Hikari passed the Digivice back to Takeru.
"I can't believe it, Hikari," Takeru muttered in awe, staring at the device in his palm.
"So is anyone going to tell me what's so important about a toy?" Daisuke asked, and suddenly Hikari's arms were wrapped around him in a hug. His expression softened instantly, and he was still grinning once the girl had pulled away.
"I know this isn't much of an answer, Daisuke, but it just is," Hikari replied. With complete sincerity she added, "Thank you." She turned and started to leave, and just as Takeru was about to follow her Daisuke pulled the boy back.
"Takaishi," Daisuke spoke the other's name, and only the gleam in his eyes betrayed the solemnity in his voice. "I took the fall for Hikari, not for you. That toy had better be worth a week's detention."
"It is, Motomiya," Takeru assured him, smiling. "It is."