Finding Strength Within || Digimon Savers/Data Squad
.:: || Chapter 10: Thank you || ::.
Oh my god, I finally finished this chapter. ;w; As usual, I've been through quite a lot since my last update. Depression hitting me, having a falling out with a good friend and not speaking for two months, and working so much I'm exhausted all the time. But I was typing this out on my phone whenever I had the chance to. (Other than that, I've been playing Persona 5. It's AWESOME and one of the characters reminds me of Masaru. xD)
Things are a lot better for me now than they were a few months ago. This is the end of this arc, and the next one will focus solely on Rosa and her family. Just bear with me, as work has been incredibly stressful lately.
Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon Savers or any other OCs that appear in this story other than my own.
School was hell the following day for Tohru. She constantly fought against her lack of sleep to stay awake during her classes. Her mind was a jumbled mess of fear and anxiety. She knows what she saw now, and she couldn't continue to deny its existence. There was a ghost in her home, and not just any spirit, but that of her grandfather. She still had his face engraved in her memory. His eyes were dead and lifeless, his entire silhouette a very pale and translucent white. He was wispy; she was sure if she tried to touch him her hand would go right through him.
He had stood over her, his eyes staring right through her, into her soul. Tohru made a beeline for her room and slammed the door shut, crawling back under the covers and refusing to fall asleep for the rest of the night. She clutched Terriermon close to her chest as tears streamed down her cheeks. Her face as pale as the ghost she'd just encountered. Why? Why was she being haunted by the ghost of her grandfather? Why did his presence feel so...dangerous? If this was her grandfather, wouldn't his spirit be a bit more benevolent? He had been a kind person in his life. There was never a bad bone in his body. Yet she felt as though her and her grandmothers' lives were in grave danger.
A loud thud was heard in the classroom, each student turning their heads to the source. Tohru was slumped over, head face down on her desk and a soft breathing sound emitting from her mouth. Masaru immediately began to panic upon seeing his best friend sleeping in class again. He knew she'd get in trouble if she was caught—which she did. Their teacher looked at the sleeping girl disapprovingly and tossed a piece of chalk at her head. The thick, short white stick hit its target and Tohru jolted awake with a snort.
Everyone in the class, aside from Masaru and the teacher, began snickering at her expense. Tohru looked around before her emerald hues settled on the strict looking man with his arms crossed, foot tapping against the floor. The brunette timidly shrunk in her seat, expression apologetic. Her teacher gave her another warning; if she fell asleep in his class again she would be staying after school. While Tohru felt embarrassed to be outed like that in front of her peers, there were far more pressing concerns that she was worried about.
Her grandmother was home alone right now. Was she okay? Tohru had no way of knowing, and it was eating her up inside. She seemed to be in a daze the entire day, Masaru had noticed. She barely paid attention in class, got beamed in the face with a volley ball during gym and barely touched her lunch. Even during their walk to DATS headquarters, she was quieter than usual.
Masaru couldn't tell what was going on in her head. She seemed to have so much she worried about, and kept it to herself. He wanted to help her, but didn't know how to. Not when Tohru hadn't told him what was bothering her so much. While Tohru was changing into her uniform, the other three could no longer hold back their concerns.
"So, since you're the one who's closest to her, can you tell us what's going on with her?" Yoshino questioned the auburn haired teen, crossing her legs as she sat down with a mug of tea. From the expression he gave her, it was apparent that not even he had an answer to Tohru's strange behavior.
"If I knew, I'd tell you." He let out a sigh, running a hand through his bangs as he leaned forward in his seat, staring at the ground with furrowed eyebrows. His elbows resting on his thighs as the street fighter racked his brain for a possible answer—any kind of reasoning as to why Tohru looked so exhausted. He hated seeing her in this state. She was his best friend and he felt like he couldn't help her at all. Masaru had always known her to have these periods of feeling tired and upset, and he's been there to comfort her.
Now there was something wrong, but he had no clue what it was. What was she going through that made her look so tired and scared? "Lately, she's looked really tired, like she isn't getting enough sleep. She seems scared of something…"
"...Perhaps she's worried about her grandmother." Tohma interjected with a theory of his own. While he wasn't entirely sure, he'd noticed the way Tohru reacted upon thinking her grandmother was in danger. Even as they were leaving the home, the brunette still looked concerned. Like the way her grandmother acted was bothering her.
"She freaked out when she thought a Digimon had appeared at her house." Rosa added, remembering that small detail as well. "Though it ended up being a false alarm. Isn't our system supposed to be flawless at detecting Digimon?" She questioned taking a glance over at Yoshino, who looked just as stumped.
"Well, usually it is. I don't know why our detection system was wrong…" Yoshino even looked to Tohma, the technical genius of the group, but even he couldn't pinpoint what the problem was.
"Maybe it's broken from all the times this idiot tried to use the computers." Rosa commented, narrowing her brown eyes at Masaru.
"Hey!" Said auburn haired male narrowed his eyes right back, clearly resenting that comment.
"You have almost broken our system before…" Tohma added, causing his new rival to cross his arms and pout.
"Not like I meant to! We can't all be geniuses like you!" The street fighter retorted childishly.
"Not everyone is of below average intelligence like you either."
A mix between a snort and a snicker could be heard from Rosa as the street fighter stood up, looking as though he were ready to send a punch flying into Tohma's jaw.
"Children! Please! Let's just calm down and drop the subject for now." Yoshino interjected, trying to be the mediator in this situation. The two males seemed to understand now wasn't the time to argue and fell silent. "And Rosa, please don't instigate their arguments. We're having a serious talk here."
"Don't tell me what to do. You're not my mom." Rosa responded coldly, glaring back at Yoshino grumpily. This kid was so disrespectful!
"Hey now—"
"Not listening."
Yoshino felt her eye twitch as the much younger girl turned her swivel chair around so they wouldn't be looking at each other. She didn't want to think ill of Rosa but...the girl was being kind of a brat right now! 'Just calm down, Yoshi. She's thirteen, she's going through that rebellious teen phase.'
The room fell into awkward silence after that, everyone feeling a bit of animosity towards each other. Yoshino wondered if she was right for this kind of job. Nobody ever seemed to want to listen to her. She felt a bit useless here.
Masaru suddenly recalled a question Tohru had asked him before, something about ghosts. Should he bring it up to them? It might sound silly though. "Well...she asked me if I thought ghosts were real, only to immediately take it back." He said sitting up and leaning back in his chair, head tipped back and green eyes staring up at the ceiling.
"A ghost?" The other three agents asked in unison, their tones skeptical. Yeah, it was silly to them as none of them really believed in ghosts. The previous tension in the air all but fizzled out as more questions began to arise.
"Are you on something?" Rosa's question almost seemed genuine as opposed to her usual snark.
"No! I'm being serious! When she asked me about it...something felt wrong. I don't know how to explain it...I just have this horrible feeling in my gut."
"Are you sure it isn't gas, Aniki?" A punching noise accompanied by Agumon's loud help and whimpering could be heard. A bump appeared on the yellow lizard's head, Masaru's face turning red with embarrassment and anger. "Owww! Aniki!"
"Jeez, Agumon! Don't go around sayin' things like that!"
"But I was just asking since you eat so much—"
Agumon received yet another bonk on the head, Masaru's face only getting redder. Rosa was hunched over in her chair trying to contain her uncontrollable giggling, while Tohma's expression was less than amused.
"...Can we calm down with the arguments already?" Yoshino couldn't have sounded more done even if she tried. Masaru complied and gave a quick apology to Agumon. He didn't want a repeat of what happened the just a couple of days ago.
It was then that the very girl they'd been discussing entered the room. Terriermon fast asleep on her head, and Tohru looking like she wished she could sleep right now. The other four agents decided to just drop the subject entirely, seeing as it was getting them nowhere.
"Um, good afternoon." Tohru greeted them politely, forcing herself to smile as she sat beside Masaru. Her green eyes were drooping, the warm and comfortable atmosphere of the room causing her to feel sleepy.
"You can take a nap if you want, Tohru. Things have been pretty quiet today." Yoshino offered, noting the dark rings under the girl's eyes and the way her head kept nodding. Like she was trying to force herself to stay awake. Each of them were concerned about her, even if they weren't outright showing it.
As much as she wanted to stay awake, the urge to sleep was far too tempting for Tohru to pass up on. It was immediate, her head gently laid on the surface of the table she was sitting at. Emerald eyes closed and Tohru was out like a light. A soft snore came from the slumbering brunette, not going unnoticed by the boy sitting beside her.
She looked so peaceful...so cute with Terriermon also sleeping on her head. A small smile ghosted onto Masaru's lips, forrest green hues gazing down at his childhood friend with an affection he showed way too often with her.
"I know she's pretty and all, but you can stop staring at her now." Yoshino chided in a teasing manner that caused the street fighter to turn red and quickly look away from the slumbering girl.
"I-I wasn't staring!" Masaru stammered, his cheeks feeling hot as he vehemently denied doing such a thing.
"You totally were. Don't deny it."
"Agreed."
"Totally staring."
"Even I could see you were, Aniki!"
"Shut up! I wasn't staring!" The auburn haired male continued to deny it, but deep down he knew it was true. He knew his own feelings for Tohru, but didn't want to admit it. Stuff like that made him feel all weird and mushy, but it also felt kind of nice. He sunk into his chair, arms crossed and an annoyed expression on his face.
Side glancing Tohru, his hardened face softened a bit. He began to wonder if there was ever a chance she'd feel the same way about him. For now, he'd just continue to look out for her just as he's always done.
"For now...I think it's best if we let her sort things out herself. If she really needs the help, she'll come to us." Tohma suggested, cerulean hues trained on the sleeping girl. He still didn't really know too much about Tohru, but this whole situation gave him a bad vibe. He wasn't sure why, but seeing her looking so worried and fretting over her only living relative...it felt all too much like his own life. Even if most of his family was still alive, the only person he had a soft spot for was his little sister.
Finding out that Tohru only lived with her grandmother painted a whole new picture of her in his mind. She was going through more than even he was, and had a lot more to lose. The blond genius was truly regretful for the way he initially treated her and wished he knew how to make it up to Tohru. If she ever came to them for help, he would jump right on it, no doubt.
"That's probably for the best. No use getting involved if it's something that she can deal with on her own." Yoshino agreed, letting out a small yawn. Today was...quite boring. "I could use a nap too…"
"Can't we just leave early today?" Rosa questioned, reaching her hand down to pet Coronamon's head. Poor little guy fell asleep too, it was such a boring day.
"That's really all up to the Captain…" Yoshino looked over at Satsuma as if begging him to let them go earlier. His expression remained stoic for several long moments.
"Alright. There haven't been any sightings all day, so you're all dismissed for now. However, should something come up you'll be contacted." The authority figure commanded, a wave of relief washing over the DATS agents.
"Great! I'm going to go home and nap!" The magenta haired female stood up and stretched her arms over her head.
"You should probably clean your room first tho—"
Yoshino grabbed Lalamon, stretching her face out despite the flower bud Digimon's protesting. "Will you stop letting people know about the state of my room?!"
Rosa snickered from where she sat and stood, picking up Coronamon. She left the room to go change, as did Tohma. Masaru was about to get up and leave too, but remembered that Tohru was still sleeping. He tried to think of a way to get her back to her house without waking her up.
"Why not carry her on your back? You seem strong enough." Yoshino suggested to the younger male with a playful wink, causing the street fighter to start blushing again. She was right though. He was strong enough to give Tohru a piggyback ride home.
"Yeah...you're right...I guess." Sheepishly taking in the sleeping form of the girl he had budding feelings for, Masaru bent down and hoisted the girl up onto his back with ease. Her arms dangling over his shoulders and her head resting against his back, he held her legs at his sides with both arms wrapped around them. The physical contact causing Masaru to flush redder. Terriermon was still clinging to Tohru's head, sleeping just as peacefully as his tamer was.
"I'm heading out. Bye!" He gave Yoshino and Satsuma a small wave and started the trek home, carrying Tohru on his back.
He kind of liked this...he could hear her soft breathing. He could feel her heart's steady rhythm against his back. A small, affectionate smile etched itself onto his strong features.
"...You'll be okay, shorty. Granny too. I'll...protect you both."
"Aww~ Aniki! That was so swee—"
"A-Agumon! Stop listening in on me!" Masaru sputtered in a harsh whisper, nearly tripping over himself and losing his grip on Tohru.
"I can't help it! I can hear everything you say from in here!" Agumon whimpered from the Digivice.
"Then cover your ears or something!" Masaru's cheeks burned, brows furrowing together in annoyance. He heard a soft voice from behind him, someone stirring from their slumber.
"...Hnn…" Tohru's eyes fluttered open, and the first thing she noticed she was resting against something warm. She was also being carried. The familiar auburn hair and ponytail gave it away, and it clicked in her head that Masaru was carrying her.
"U-Um...w-what happened to the meeting?" Tohru's cheeks were turning red as she wrapped her arms around Masaru's neck.
"We got dismissed early since nothing had happened all day. I didn't want to wake you up, so I'm uh...carrying you home." He explained, trying to ignore how hot his own cheeks felt.
Tohru's cheeks heated up, the brunette nuzzling her face into his back and closing her eyes. "Thanks, Masaru…"
She didn't want him to leave, but knew she couldn't keep him for long. Tohru watched his retreating back as he left, desperately wanting to just call out to him. To reach out and take hold of his hand, and tell him how she was really feeling. That she was terrified. But Tohru held herself back, not wanting him or anyone else to worry. She entered her home, the same feeling of dread she'd been feeling the past few days hitting her hard.
Dinner was quiet, and her grandmother didn't have much to say about her day. When questioned about any strange occurrences, the elderly woman simply shook her head and denied anything of the sort. Tohru guessed that this...ghost only seemed to show up at night. She knew it would be stupid of her to do, but the brunette had decided she would stay up all night and keep watch for this malevolent spirit. After she finished eating, Tohru cleaned up the table and helped do the dishes. The three residents of the house headed to bed early, however only Hikaru would be sleeping.
Tohru, in her pajamas, sat on her bed in the dark. A small lamp being the only source of light in the room. Her eyes were glued to the digital clock on her dresser. 2:59 am, it read. Her eyes were drooping, and each time it looked like she would fall asleep she had Terriermon lightly slap her with his long floppy ears. She was practically counting down the seconds in her mind until 3:00 am. The anxiety of waiting for something that she knew would happen was overwhelming.
The numbers on the clock changed, her head immediately perking up. Quietly, and very slowly, Tohru and Terriermon crept over to their bedroom door. She was going to attempt to get a drink of water, and maybe catch another glimpse of this spirit. If it did indeed show up again, Tohru would finally speak up about it to the others at DATS. Even if they didn't believe a word she said, she needed to let them know what was scaring her.
"Do you really think it'll show up again?" Terriermon asked in a hushed whisper. The poor little guy looked like he just wanted to sleep. Tohru felt terrible for making him stay up with her this late.
"I'm sure of it...but...I'm kind of hoping it doesn't." That was just wishful thinking. Slowly, Tohru grabbed hold of the doorknob. Her breath caught in her throat as she hesitated to make any moves. Biting the inside of her mouth, the brunette's chest tightened. She kept telling herself to just open the door, even just a crack. Mustering up some courage, Tohru turned her wrist, the door clicking and she drew her arm back. Opening her bedroom door a crack, she and Terriermon leaned forward to take a peek outside the room.
They wished they hadn't.
It stood just outside Tohru's door, and facing the direction of her grandmother's room. It did nothing. Just stared straight ahead. The brunette felt chills up her spine and she was frozen to where she stood in fear. Now she really had forgotten to breathe. Tohru and Terriermon were both too scared to make a single noise, even just taking a breath of air.
Its head snapped to look at them. Soulless eyes piercing right through them.
Tohru immediately slammed the door shut and backed away, expecting the spirit to come right through the solid surface. Minutes ticked by and nothing happened, her heart was racing much faster than she was used to. Her breathing escalated to fast, uneven gasps of air. Terriermon was frozen stiff, looking white as a sheet and his tiny body trembling. It would be a comical sight if the entire situation hadn't been so terrifying.
Ten minutes passed and nothing else had occurred. Was this thing messing with her now? Whether it was intentional or not, that's sure what it seemed like. Tohru managed to calm her unsteady breathing and slowly crept back towards her door. Opening it wider this time, she saw that...nothing was there.
The girl slid down to her knees, overcome by a sense of short lived relief. She'd been too scared to realize it the moment she encountered the spirit again, but now that she could think more rationally...Tohru realize something that made her heart sink.
The spirit was not fixated on her or Terriermon.
It was staring at her grandmother's door.
"I'm not coming to school today...I didn't get any sleep last night again." Tohru spoke into the cordless phone, her best friend's voice coming up on the other line. He sounded concerned, which was understandable. She knew her behavior was worrying him and the others at DATS. After her encounter with the ghost confirmed her suspicions that her grandmother was in danger, she decided to reach out to her friends for help.
"You feeling okay, Tohru? You've been acting off lately…"
"Y...Yeah. Um...I'll be at HQ later on. I'm going to tell you all what's been going on." She told him sheepishly, curling up on her bed as she kept the phone pressed to her ear. Just hearing his voice made her feel a bit better. It wasn't much...but it gave Tohru a small amount of comfort.
"..Alright. I'll bring you today's homework when I come to get you." Tohru's lips tugged up into a small smile. She felt like she hadn't been doing a whole lot of smiling lately.
"Thanks, Masaru." There was so much more she wanted to say. I love you being one of those things. She was far too shy to freely admit that right now. It wasn't the right time.
As if he could hear her smiling on the other side of the phone, she swore she heard him chuckle. "No problem. I uh…" The usually outspoken boy's voice seemed to trail off as he paused. "I'm always here for ya. Don't forget that! Go get some sleep, okay? Wouldn't want ya falling asleep at HQ again." Her cheeks flushed red as he brought up the day before, and how she slept through her entire shift.
"W-Will do. Have a good day at school...and don't pick any fights."
"Okay, mom."
Masaru and Tohru shared a good laugh before saying their goodbyes and hanging up. She didn't want to fall asleep at the moment, since her grandmother was making breakfast. Picking up a sleeping Terriermon in her arms, she walked quietly into the kitchen. Yawning, Tohru sat down at the table and sniffed the air. Pancakes. And judging by the fruit containers on the counter, he grandmother mixed some fruit into the batter.
A good breakfast to hopefully lift her spirits up. Terriermon seemed to stir from his slumber, of course once he smelled something delicious.
"Good morning you two. Sleep well?" Hikaru greeted her granddaughter and her partner. Nothing seemed off about her today.
"Not really...I'm gonna stay home from school...I've been...having nightmares." Tohru lied, resting her head against the cool surface of the wooden table. Her eyes threatened to droop closed, but sleeping could wait. Her grandmother's fruit pancakes couldn't.
Concern was written all over the old woman's face as she approached her granddaughter. Stroking her messy brown locks. Tohru glanced up at her grandmother, exposing the dark rings under her emerald eyes and the incredibly tired expression she wore. "Oh dear...you've got bags under your eyes. Once you finish eating, get some sleep. Okay?"
Nodding her head, she sat up just as Hikaru put the food on the table. Terriermon dug in right away, almost fighting Tohru for the same pancake. The family of three enjoyed their meal and then cleaned up together. Tohru guided her grandmother by the hand into the living room, helping her sit on their couch. The brunette sat next to Hikaru, resting her head against her chest. Terriermon hopped onto Hikaru's lap and curled up to once again, fall asleep.
"Grandma...you're not...going to go away anytime soon...are you?" Tohru's serious question had caught the elderly woman off guard. However, she only smiled and put her arm around her granddaughter. Gently stroking her back to soothe the young girl as tears formed in her eyes.
"No. I'm not going anywhere, Tohru. I won't leave you and Terriermon." Of course, Hikaru could never truly know that for sure. But she wasn't lying. She was old, but she knew she'd live for a good deal longer.
Tohru felt a bit reassured by her grandmother's words. However, doubt lingered in the back of her mind. Her memory recalling a couple days prior, her grandmother wishing she could be with her husband replaying in her mind. Why did this moment in particular give her such terrible, ominous feeling?
The brunette's eyes slowly began to slide closed, and sleep hit her hard. Tohru slept for most of the day, groggily getting up and getting ready to head over to DATS. Even as she walked out of her house to greet Masaru, Tohru still seemed tired. However, she looked far more awake and aware of everything than she did the past few days.
"Looks like you got some sleep, shorty." Masaru smiled playfully as he ruffled her head. Tohru laughed a bit, trying to bat his hand away.
"Yeah. Grandma said I slept all day. I even missed lunch." Tohru rubbed her stomach, wincing as it gurgled from hunger. Though she usually would be worried about her weight, that was the last thing on her mind right now. The taller boy smiled, taking her hand and leading her over to a Taiyaki place he knew of.
Leave it to Masaru to know where to get good food. The auburn haired male bought two fish shaped, bean paste filled pastries and handed one to her. It was fresh, so it was still nice and warm. She thanked Masaru before taking a bite into the crispy treat. A delighted smile tugged at her lips, her tired face seeming to brighten up. He bit into his own Taiyaki, gazing upon his crush's joyful smile. His cheeks felt a bit warm, but then he heard Agumon whining from his Digivice.
"Aniki, I'm hungry too…"
"I can't feed you right now, we're in public." Masaru explained, looking into his digivice's screen at his partner. "Once we're at HQ, alright?" Agumon seemed to be convinced and nodded his head.
"Tohru~ I want some too~" Terriermon whispered from inside the hood of her sweatshirt, where he'd been resting until he smelled food again. Tohru smiled and let her partner try some of the fish shaped pastry. He smiled blissfully and smushed his ears against his cheeks.
Tohru was thankful that at least for this moment, she didn't feel too worried about her situation. For a moment...she could just enjoy time with Masaru and forget her worries. This was only brief, but it was welcome nonetheless because once they got to DATS headquarters, she stood in front of her fellow agents. Ready to tell them what's been going on at her house.
They gathered around, willing to listen. Of course, she was nervous that they wouldn't believe her or possibly even laugh. Not that she would blame them, it certainly was a very farfetched idea. Taking in a breath of air, Tohru tried to get her bearings to start speaking.
"You've...probably been wondering why I've been behaving so weird lately…" The green clad girl started, watching their heads nod before continuing. "...T-The past several nights...I've been seeing something in my house...and I think it means to cause harm to my grandmother."
Everyone stayed silent for a few brief moments, wanting her to elaborate more on what she saw.
"Is it a Digimon? There was a sighting at your house a few days ago." Yoshino asked, though somehow she doubted it. "Although...that seemed to be a false alarm.."
Tohru shook her head, though now she kind of wished it was a Digimon. It would have been a lot easier to explain than what she actually believed it to be. "No...i-its...I keep seeing the ghost of my grandfather…"
The other agents fell silent again, unsure of how exactly to react to what she was saying. It seemed so silly that no one wanted to believe her. However, with the utter look of desperation on Tohru's face, they couldn't help thinking she was telling the truth.
"Um...I-I know it's kind of stupid for me to say...and even I had denied it at first...but I know what I saw. This spirit looks like my grandfather…but his eyes...they were so blank and soulless…I-I got a terrible feeling from looking into them." Her hands were stuck at her sides, fingers tightly gripping the spandex material of her uniform. Her bottom lip quivering as tears threatened to form in her eyes. She avoided looking at her audience, not wanting to see how they were reacting.
"It's true! I saw it too!" Terriermon piped up from ontop of her head. He tried to comfort his partner by caressing her cheek with one of his ears. "It was real scary…"
"I-...I think this spirit wants to hurt grandma. Last night...I stayed up so I could see it again...it was standing right outside my room, b-but it was staring at my grandmother's room." Tears spilled from her emerald hues, sliding down her round cheeks. Her chest heaved as she started to sob and tried to wipe her tears away. It was futile as they wouldn't stop.
"I-I'm scared...I don't...want to lose grandma. She's the only family I have left…" She broke down crying, her body trembling as the tears continued to fall. "Please...help me protect her!"
She felt a pair of arms wrap tightly around her smaller frame, and she was pulled against something warm. She didn't have to look up to know it was Masaru hugging her. Tohru sobbed into his chest, feeling so helpless and vulnerable in front of everyone. The street fighter gently stroked her back, his own body shaking as he tried not to cry too. He had to be strong so Tohru could rely on him as a shoulder to cry on. It's always been that way.
"...Don't worry, Tohru...granny isn't going anywhere. We'll all help keep her safe." Masaru's voice was much softer than anyone was used to, even a bit shaky. He really did sound as though he'd start crying. It was a bit of a shock for the other three, who all gathered around.
"Yeah, don't cry, okay? We're all here for you and your grandmother." Yoshino put a hand on the younger girl's shoulder, smile reassuring. Lalamon floated close to Tohru and pat her head with her stubby little arm.
Coronamon nuzzled against her leg, his body feeling as warm as a small flame. Rosa kept quiet, unsure of how she could comfort Tohru more than the others were already. She simply rubbed the crying girl's back to soothe her.
Tohma had also remained silent, deep in thought about the situation at hand. Something didn't seem right. Of course, being more of a man of science, ghosts weren't something he believed in. He also couldn't ignore the 'false' Digimon sighting the other day at Tohru's house. It was on his mind and now that she'd come out to them about what she's been seeing...it only made his suspicions all the more possible.
This wasn't the ghost of her grandfather.
This had to be a Digimon.
Why it was after her grandmother, he didn't have a single clue. But in that moment he felt like he related to Tohru, connected with her. For he too had someone who couldn't take care of themselves that he wanted to protect. He had a sickly little sister, around the same age as Chika. She was the only person left in his life who he cared deeply for. He didn't get along well with the rest of his family...but Relena...he'd do anything to keep her safe.
That's why he felt so strongly about wanting to help Tohru protect her grandmother. She was in a similar situation to him...he understood how she felt. The blond boy placed a hand on her shoulder, putting on his best charming smile.
"Don't worry...nothing will happen to her. I promise."
He didn't miss the small look of jealousy on Rosa's face, though she really didn't need to feel that way. Tohma felt nothing like that for Tohru, rather he felt like he could be friends with her. The sobbing girl glanced up at the genius, sniffling and quietly nodding her head.
"O-Okay."
Masaru felt a bit annoyed that Tohma was smiling at Tohru like that, giving him the same jealous look that Rosa wore. The street fighter lifted his hand to her face and wiped her tears away, his smile warm and comforting. A blush formed on Tohru's fair cheeks, timidly looking away as a contagious smile tugged at her own lips.
"T-Thanks guys…" She sniffled, drying her face and putting on a brave smile. Tohru wasn't sure what was going to happen next. Would the spirit show up again tonight? Or...would something much worse happen? The knot in her stomach tightened. She silently prayed that nothing bad would happen...and if it did, she hoped she could be strong enough to save the only person left in her family.
Time seemed to fly, Tohru spent the rest of the day talking with her teammates and trying to be brave. Masaru walked her home, as he usually did, and she had a quiet dinner with her grandmother. But that ominous feeling lingered in the back of her mind, eating away at her. She tried to reassure herself by recalling what her friends told her. She trusted them, knowing they wouldn't lie to her. They'd help her keep her grandmother from danger. With some peace of mind, Tohru was able to fall asleep without too much trouble.
She was woken up in the middle of the night, the sound of her communicator going off. Eyes slowly opening and brows furrowing, she let out a tired groan and groped around for her earpiece. Her fingers touched it and grabbed onto it, placing the small communicator in her ear.
"Hello…?" Her voice spoke groggily, emerald eyes half lidded as a deep yawn escaped from her throat. Terriermon had been woken up by the loud noise too.
"Tohru! We got that same Digimon signal we detected the other day!" Judging by her tone, Yoshino sounded panicked. "We detected it at your house!" Now Tohru was wide awake, shooting up in her bed as her blood began to run cold. Emerald eyes wide open and darting around her dark room.
"...W..What should I…?"
"Go make sure your grandmother is okay. We're already just around the block from your house, so we'll be there soo-" It sounded as though Yoshino's communicator had been taken from her, another voice speaking into it.
"Don't worry, Tohru! I'm gonna protect you and Granny!" Masaru reassured her as the earpiece was taken back from him. "Hey! Yoshino!"
"Just go check on her for now. I'm pulling up to the house as we speak. Do you want me to stay on the line with you?"
"..Y-Yeah." Tohru responded shakily, quickly getting out of her bed and rushing to her grandmother's room. Her heart was thumping against her ribcage. She expected to see the ghost again but...when she threw the door open, she saw nothing. Nothing but her grandmother sleeping soundly in her bed.
Looking around cautiously and seeing no Digimon or ghost, Tohru breathed a sigh just as her friends came in through the front door. The first ones to come rushing in was Masaru and Agumon. She entered the living room, still clothed in her loose pale green button up pajamas.
"H-Hey everyone…" She greeted them in a nervous tone, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. Yoshino, Rosa and Tohma didn't seem to care about the fact she was still in pajamas, but Masaru was looking away as a blush spread across his tanned cheeks. He must have felt shy about seeing a girl in her pajamas. Tohru felt just as embarrassed, as she wasn't even wearing a bra—
Face flushing red, Tohru looked down at herself upon the realization that she was, in fact, not wearing a bra. In front of the boy she liked...and he clearly must have noticed. But this was no time to be fretting over the lack of an article of clothing. Yoshino approached Tohru, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"See anything?"
Tohru shook her head, quickly buttoning up that top button of her night shirt. "No. I just woke up when you called...grandma seems to be okay though."
Rosa rolled her eyes, huffing and crossing her arms. "Another false alarm? I had to leave my warm bed for this?" The Spaniard appeared grumpier than usual, and her long chocolate brown hair was slightly disheveled.
Yoshino breathed out a sigh, feeling a mixture of frustration and relief. "Even if it is a false alarm, we still have to take into account what Tohru told us." Yoshino turned to the younger girl, "We're gonna search the house, you go check on your grandmother again. Tell us immediately if something happens."
Tohru didn't say anything at first, glancing over at her clock. 3:00 am. It's around the time that it will show up again. "Y-Yeah...I'll go do that now." The rest of her fellow agents were already searching every room they could think of. She swallowed hard and with Terriermon on her shoulder, she approached her grandmother's room. But as she got closer, a familiar chill ran up her spine. She quickly glanced behind her, seeing nothing. Tohru looked around her, but no sign of that ghost.
She could feel its presence, it was close by. But if it wasn't near her then… Tohru was overcome with a sense of pure dread as she slowly made her way towards her grandmother's room. More chills ran up her spine and she could hear her own heart violently pounding against her ribcage. Terriermon whimpered and trembled as he was sensing its presence too.
Tohru took in a deep breath and took a step into the room...and immediately froze in horror.
It was standing right next to her bedside, staring down at the sleeping elderly woman with blank eyes. It didn't even seem to acknowledge Tohru or Terriermon at first, leaning down and scooping her grandmother up into its arms. She snapped out of her stupor and found her voice that was caught in her throat.
"P-Put her down!" The ghost looked over at her trembling form. It stared her down, but she didn't budge. She knew something was strange about all this. This ghost showed up just after the first false alarm several days ago, and now it shows up again after the detection alarm went off again. Those weren't false alarms. This thing wasn't a ghost.
It was a Digimon.
"...Y-...You're a Digimon...aren't you? What do you want with grandma?!" She raised her voice, reaching for her Digivice that...wasn't there. Of course, she left it in her room and now she couldn't just retrieve it. She couldn't take her eyes off the Digimon in front of her, as it had her grandmother held captive. She couldn't make Terriermon evolve.
Taking her...to where...he is.
The ghost spoke, using a voice that wasn't her grandfather's. It's shape began to morph into that of what looked like a stereotypical bedsheet ghost. It had black soulless eyes and a wide mouth full of sharp teeth. Terriermon perked up, glaring at the Digimon. "Tohru, that's Bakemon! We gotta fight him!"
"B...But he has grandma…what if we hurt her?"
The Bakemon suddenly lunged at them, causing Tohru to get knocked to the ground. She scrambled to her feet and rushed after as it zoomed through the hall into the living room. "Guys! It's a Digimon! It has grandma!" Tohru shouted out to her friends, who all came rushing. They stood in shock, but Masaru gritted his teeth and rushed towards the Bakemon with a raised fist.
"Let go of granny you son of a—" The hot headed male was stopped by an unknown force and thrown across the room. His back hit the wall, making everything on that side of the room shake from the impact. "Bastard…!"
"Masaru!" Tohru was about to rush to his side, but watched as Bakemon made the front door fly open. It zoomed out of the house, and Tohru began chasing after it. "Wait! Give her back!" It had mentioned something before...it wanted to take her to be with him. As in...her grandfather? But...he was dead. How could it possibly—
She realized what it had meant, and adrenaline coursed through her as she desperately tried to run faster. "No! You can't do this!" Bakemon was getting further and further from her, carrying her grandmother's sleeping form. "Please! Don't take her away from me!" She choked out as tears fell from her emerald eyes, her voice coming out in pleading sobs. "I don't want her to die!"
She recalled what her grandmother had said the other day under her breath, thinking that Tohru couldn't hear her.
"I wish...that I could go to where you are."
Coupled with what Bakemon said before, about taking her to where he is, she came to a very horrifying realization. It was going to take her to the docks where her grandfather had died all those years ago...and drown her. So that she could be with the husband she missed so much.
Tohru tripped and fell to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably as everything came crashing down around her. She was about to lose the only family she had left… "Give her back..!" She pushed herself up, stumbling as she started to run again. She was out of breath, but didn't care. Her lungs burned but it didn't matter. "I don't...want to be alone…!"
"Tohru! Get on!" Looking up, she saw Tohma of all people, reaching his hand out to her. He was riding on Gaogamon's back, cerulean eyes urging her to take his hand. "Hurry! We can still catch up!" Without hesitation, Tohru took hold of the genius's hand and was hoisted up onto the dog-like Digimon's back behind the blond male. "Hold on, we're going to be going faster."
Sniffling and nodding, Tohru held tightly onto Gaogamon's fur as he began to sprint through the streets of her neighborhood, sniffing out the Bakemon's scent. "Master. I'm tracking its scent. They're headed for the docks." The blond agent nodded his head.
"Why the docks though?"
"B-Because...I-I think it wants to...throw her into the water and drown her!" Tohma's cerulean eyes widened, but soon filled with a determination to save the elderly woman. He wasn't going to let what happened to him as a kid happen to Tohru.
"Gaogamon! Hurry!" His partner merely grunted and sprinted off at a much faster pace, to the point where Tohru had to hold onto Tohma to keep from falling off. Gaogamon darted through the empty streets of the city, the Bakemon now in his line of sight. They were closing in as they reached the docking area. Tohru jumped down from Gaogamon's back and ran onto the wooden dock. Bakemon went further out, floating above the dark waters below.
She kept running until she reached where the dock ended, coming face to face with the water below her bare feet. Looking up at her grandmother's captor, she didn't know how else she'd be able to get to them other than to...jump in. "Bakemon! Please, don't do this! Please just give her back!" Tohru pleaded, trying to get air in her lungs as she still wasn't so used to running so much. Tears continued falling down her cheeks as the Bakemon turned to look at her.
Tohma and Goagamon were right behind her in an instant, but knew attacking Bakemon wasn't a good idea. It was still holding her grandmother, and she could get hurt.
The Bakemon let out an eerie chuckle before dropping the woman he was holding. Tohru's heart nearly stopped, eyes wide and her mouth opening to scream.
"No! Grandma!" Her voice pierced through the night air. Without a moment's hesitation, Tohru took in a deep breath and ran forward, throwing herself into the water.
"Tohru!" The blond male called out, reaching his hand out to try and grab the back of her shirt, but she had already jumped in. He glared up at the ghost-like Digimon that was eerily chuckling to itself. Tohru wasn't resurfacing, and neither was her grandmother. Tohma clenched his hands into fists, "Gaogamon. You handle it from here." Before his partner could question anything, Tohma jumped in after Tohru.
"Yes, Master." Gaogamon growled and began his attacks on Bakemon.
The water was cold and dark, but she could faintly see the body of the elderly woman sinking down. Tohru swam. Kicking her legs and moving her arms, cutting through the water and bringing herself closer to her grandmother. It was quiet underneath the surface. It was scary...and lonely. Was this how her grandfather felt when he drowned all those years ago?
She wasn't about to let her grandmother suffer the same fate. Her lungs were beginning to burn from not being able to breathe, and she was growing tired. Tohru wasn't used to this. But she didn't stop. She couldn't afford to. The brunette reached out with both arms, wrapping them around the unconscious woman and attempting to swim back up. Her body was growing heavy, and she didn't think she was strong enough to keep holding her grandmother like this.
She needed oxygen in her lungs, and fast. Determination flared in her eyes as she kept swimming with one arm, adrenaline coursing through her veins. A pair of arms wrapped around her body, pulling her and her grandmother up towards the surface.
In an instant, she was gasping for air and making sure the elderly woman's head stayed above water. Looking to her savior, she was shocked again to see it wasn't Masaru…but Tohma. "T...Toh...ma?" He don't say a word as he began helping her towards the docks. Through her unfocused vision, she could make out Gaogamon's figure swimming towards them.
With Tohma's help, she got her grandmother on Gaogamon's back, who then carried her to dry land. The blond helped Tohru swim back and once out, he rushed over to the unconscious woman.
Her frail body lay motionless on the ground. Tohma knelt down beside her and put his ear to her chest, listening for a heartbeat. Nothing. He could hear Tohru's sobs, her pleas for her grandmother to wake up as she nudged the old woman's body.
"Grandma…? Please...wake up…don't leave me all alone…" She curled up on the ground, sobbing loudly, not caring who heard.
"...You won't be alone." Tohma spoke softly, reassuring his teammate before doing the necessary preparations for CPR. He'd been trained to do this thanks to his higher education. His words reached Tohru's ears, and she slowly sat up as she watched him begin to breathe air into her grandmother's lungs. She didn't realize she was holding her breath until the unconscious woman began to cough up seawater. Her chest was now rising up and down again, and when Tohma put his fingers to her neck he found a pulse.
Turning to the crying Tohru, he put on a smile. "She's going to be okay. I just have to call an ambulance to—"
He was cut off by the smaller girl lunging forward and embracing him, sobbing into his chest. "T-Thank you...thank you, Tohma...f...for saving her." Her voice cracked as she tried to speak through her sobs, her tears mixing with the water dripping from her face. The blond male tensed up upon being hugged so suddenly, awkwardly moving his arms up to return the gesture.
"...You shouldn't sell yourself short. You saved her too."
It was strange...how he went from thinking this girl was wasn't fit to be in DATS, to forming a genuine connection with her. Someone cleared their throat, getting Tohma's attention, the blond looking up and seeing an annoyed looking Masaru. He quickly let go of Tohru, knowing that's why the other boy was mad. The auburn haired boy knelt in front of Tohru, letting her hug him tightly as she continued to sob.
"She's gonna be okay...g-grandma's gonna be okay!" The smaller brunette buried her face in his chest, not wanting to let go. His arms wrapped securely around her smaller frame, not caring that she was getting the front of his shirt soaking wet. He was just happy she and her grandmother were okay. Terriermon joined in the hug, wrapping his ears around her head as he hugged her tightly.
Tohma smiled a bit at this heartwarming scene before calling an ambulance. The elderly woman would have to stay in the hospital overnight, just in case. But he knew she'd be fine. Yoshino picked up Bakemon's digiegg and put it in the back of her car.
"You all head back, I just called for an ambulance to come get her. I'll stay here and make sure nothing happens, alright?" The blond genius told them, sitting beside the woman's unconscious form.
"T-Thanks….Tohma." The brunette smiled through her tears and stood up, shivering as the cold air finally started to affect her. She hugged herself, wishing she had a change of clothing. Masaru glanced down at his best friend, seeing the way the wet shirt clung to her body. Blushing, he took off his red overshirt and quickly put it around her shoulders. Tohru glanced up at him questioningly, her own cheeks turning a bit red.
"It's...so you don't catch a cold. You're soaked." The hot headed boy mumbled awkwardly, looking away from her to hide his red cheeks. Tohru smiled softly and hugged it closer to herself, uttering a small "thank you."
Rosa was about to join them in Yoshino's car, but stopped and turned on her heel. Coronamon halted and watched his partner curiously. "Hey…" The Spaniard knelt down in front of Tohma, staring him straight in the eyes. "...I'm...sorry for that time I slapped you."
Tohma had honestly forgotten about all of that, but lifted his hand to his cheek when she reminded him of the incident. "It's fine. I deserved it." The blond chuckled as he began to hear an ambulance's siren in the distance. "You better get going. I'll take things from here."
Rosa nodded and stood up, "What you did for her...that was pretty heroic of you."
"I can't really take all the credit...she jumped in to save her grandmother herself. I only helped out." Tohma closed his eyes, his smile never leaving his lips. He was shivering from being soaking wet, but didn't let it bother him. Rosa rolled her eyes and took off her jacket, throwing it on his head.
"You're gonna get sick...idiot." She turned away, cheeks tinted red as she walked off. He took her jacket off his head and watched her retreating back, a warm feeling bubbling up in his chest. It was too small for his broader upper body, but he made due with it. He made sure Gaomon was back in his Digivice before the vehicle pulled up, bright lights flashing. A couple men came out with a stretcher and helped Tohma get the elderly woman onto it safely. He went with them, contacting Yoshino with the address to the hospital.
He knew that they'd all want to come visit after getting some sleep.
Tohru walked into Masaru's room, her whole face red at the prospect of sleeping in here. Thankfully, he was being a gentleman for once and using a sleeping bag while she took his bed. They'd decided it probably wouldn't be the best idea to stay at her house alone. Especially after what just happened. They'd stopped at her house to get a change of clothes. She wouldn't be going to school the next day either, as this experience drained her emotionally.
"T-Thanks for letting me stay tonight…" She stuttered, crawling into his bed wearing a fresh pair of night clothes. Their partners were curled up together on the floor, out like a light.
"No problem! You're always welcome to stay over, you know. Not like I'm gonna turn you away." He smiled up at her, making butterflies flutter in her stomach. Masaru sighed, exhausted as he plopped his head onto his pillow and stared up at the bed. "..You okay, Tohru?"
She smiled sadly at him and nodded her head. "Yeah...I'm just...happy she's okay...I-I really thought I was going to lose her…" She was starting to cry again, trying to wipe her tears. Masaru's face softened and he left the sleeping bag, sitting on the bed and pulling the smaller girl into another warm embrace. Forrest green eyes closed, his strong arms holding her against him.
He was blushing redder than ever, but held her until she fell asleep. Masaru pulled the blanket over her and muttered a "good night" before crawling back into his sleeping bag and finally letting sleep take over.
She felt like she was in a haze the next day. All she could think of was her grandmother in the hospital, wondering if she was okay there. Yoshino came to pick her and Terriermon up; Masaru couldn't join them as he had school. (His grades were already bad enough as it is. No way he could afford to miss a day.)
After seeing Masaru off, Tohru got into the passenger's side. Rosa was in the back with Coronamon, both greeting her when she got inside. The three females sat in silence as Yoshino drove them to the address Tohma had given her. It didn't take too long to arrive at the large hospital building, and the trio headed inside after putting their Digimon in their digivices.
The woman at the check-in desk informed them that Tohru's grandmother was on the second floor, room 105. Silently, they took the elevator up and easily spotted their destination. Tohru went on ahead of them, practically running to the doorway.
Her grandmother was sitting up in the bed, smiling and talking with Tohma. She looked like she was in good spirits, and glanced up at her granddaughter when her attention was drawn to her. She smiled as the brunette teared up and ran to her, hugging her. "Oh my, Tohru. It's alright. I'm just fine." The elderly woman returned the hug as best she could, cradling her sobbing granddaughter and speaking in a soothing tone as she reassured her. "It's okay, Tohru. Everything is going to be okay."
Yoshino and Rosa walked in, approaching the hospital bed. "Hey Mrs. Harima. How're you feeling?" The magenta haired girl asked, concern lacing her tone.
"Oh I'm feeling just fine. The doctor said I can go home today." She wiped her granddaughter's tears and kissed her forehead. Terriermon couldn't take it anymore and popped out of his digivice to hug the older woman too.
"Granny!"
"You too, Terriermon?" Hikaru chuckled and hugged the small creature, still having one arm around Tohru. "I'm tougher than I look. A little water isn't going to do me in." She joked, getting a chuckle out of everyone in the room. That was just like her, to joke around even after she nearly died.
Tohma watched the three embrace each other, a warmth in his chest. But at the same time...he felt envious of Tohru. Though she only had her grandmother and Terriermon as her family, they never neglected or pushed her away. He wished he'd had that kind of family.
They spent a good chunk of the day with Hikaru, talking and laughing with her as if nothing had happened. By late afternoon, she was discharged from the hospital and Yoshino drove them back to the house. Tohma had even offered to pay the hospital bill, as his family was wealthy enough. Tohru walked her grandmother inside, helping her onto the couch and brewing her up some tea.
The brunette brought the tea to her, sitting down and laying her head on her grandmother's shoulder. Eyes heavy as they slid closed. Terriermon curled up in Hikaru's lap like a kitten.
"Tohru…"
She sipped on her tea as Tohru's eyes slid half open. A smile etched into Hikaru's wrinkled features, tears running down her cheeks.
"Thank you."
Not going to lie, I actually teared up a bit when I was typing some of the more emotional parts of this chapter. I'm such a softie. I really Tohma to be the one that helped Tohru, and to form a friendship with her through this event as he can really relate to her on a personal level.
I kind of feel like this chapter might be a bit disappointing, but I really did try my hardest with it. I worked on it for days! xD
I hope you all are having a good day, and hope that you enjoy this chapter as well!
-Bean