My deepest apologies for how late this is, but I just hit a mental block with this chapter. I've also started back at uni now, so updates will take more time than they have previously. I wish I could be on holidays permanently, but unfortunately the call to be a productive member of society is too powerful to ignore :/ .
I got a little lazy with editing towards the tail end of the chapter, so if it stuff doesn't make grammatical sense in places let me know and I'll fix it up ASAP. Other than that I just have some review responses:
Dracula X: Thanks, and I did consider Myotismon, but I personally find that he was overused as a villain. I really didn't think it was a good idea to bring him back in Adventure 02 (others would disagree with me, but that's just my opinion), so I'm loathe to use him as a villain in a fic set post 02.
Aizawa Li Syaoran Vessalius: Thanks again, and I kind of just want to work with one firearm. I know there would be more, but I think a single gun just fits a bit better with the mood – a gradual action build up if you know what I mean.
Mimato love 4ever: I though Mimi's gun skills would be a bit of a surprise and I definitely had a smile on my face as I was writing it.
Vigatus: Thanks, glad you enjoyed the last chapter.
morales8: Hope you enjoy this chapter as well.
Also thanks to StarPurpleandBlue, sicko323 and morales8 for the favourite. I've gotten a lot of traffic on this story following the last chapter and I'm really thankful that everyone reviewing is so kind and supportive. I hope you all enjoy this chapter and don't hesitate to leave any thought and/or comments you may want to share in the reviews section.
Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon or any of the characters, they are the property of Toei Animation.
Life was not fair. Life was never fair. This was all Joe could think about as he sat silently with Izzy and Ken, watching the midday sun through the smudged window. Once again, the Digidestined had been torn apart by disaster, and now neither Joe nor his two remaining companions knew what had become of their friends.
In all the commotion of the previous night the three teenagers had managed to stick with the families. They had run for what seemed like hours, but in reality had merely been a little over thirty minutes. All out of breath, they came across a hotel, from where another survivor had emerged, lead pipe in hand and yelled at them to get inside as quick as possible. It had then occurred to Joe that it had been naïve of him to think that the convention centre was the only stronghold for survivors. It was one of the rare occasions he did not mind being proven wrong.
But despite their good fortune at finding safety, they were still without a good number of their group. Tai, Sora, Matt, Mimi, T.K., Kari, Cody, Davis and Yolei, as well as Sora's mother, had all been separated from them during the attack that claimed the life of Chizuru Inoue, one of Yolei's older sisters. Her death had come mere minutes after Davis's father was killed, holding off the undead as the others escaped. Indeed, the night before had been one of great loss for them all.
As Joe looked around the first floor restaurant of the hotel, where they had been ever since they arrived, he saw the pain and sorrow amongst the families. Yolei's parents and remaining siblings were huddled together, giving each other what little comfort they could in the wake of Chizuru's death and Yolei's disappearance. The two parents in particular were worst affected. Mr Inoue had his head bowed as he sobbed quietly into his wife's shoulder. Yolei's mother, however, seemed beyond tears and she stared blankly off into space; her eyes were lifeless, all light having left them.
Not far from the Inoues was Mrs Motamiya, and of all the people in their group, she was hardest to watch. Her husband was now dead, her son missing and her daughter, while safe, was halfway across globe. She was alone, and while Ken's parents sat with her in the hope of providing some solace there was little that could truly be done for her. Without her loved ones by her side she was lost in her time of mourning.
Most of the other families, although they had not yet lost anyone, were still deeply worried about their missing children. The Kamiyas, Tachikawas, Hidas and Mr Ishida and Ms Takaishi all displayed the deep concern they all clearly felt. It was difficult for Joe to see all of them so depressed and disheartened, especially when his family had so far avoided the spectre of death.
Joe had been at home when the outbreak had occurred, on break from university, although that had not stopped the bearer of reliability from diligently studying. Joe's brothers had thankfully all been abroad at the time as all three had graduated their degrees and their jobs, interestingly all non-medical, took them right around the world, a stroke of good fortune that had saved Joe and his parents from endless pain and worry. But while he was undeniably relieved that all of his close family were safe, Joe could not help but feel slightly guilty at his own luck. Surely everyone else deserved peace of mind about their own families, and while he considered his friends to be the same as family, Joe knew that it was not quite the same as losing or fearing for one's own child.
On top of his guilt, Joe was also dealing with a strong sense of uselessness. Most of his friends were missing, he and everyone else were trapped in a hotel waiting for everything to blow over and their enemy was isolated in another dimension where they could not reach him. All Joe could do was wait for the Digimon to defeat Daemon. Until then there was no other option but to hide from the undead and hope for the best.
The blue haired teen sighed. What could he do? There was no way he could leave to search for the others, it would be suicide. But, with each passing minute, Joe was giving more and more consideration to the idea. Tai, Matt, Sora and the others would risk their lives to seek him out if he were missing. How could he consider doing any less for them? They were all friends to the end and Digidestined for life and Joe knew it. He felt that every second he waited was a betrayal of sorts; he was letting down his friends by doing nothing and the bearer of reliability could not abide by this.
As he contemplated this, Joe turned his head slowly to the side and locked eyes with Izzy, who it seemed had also been deep in thought. Joe could tell by his worried expression that he too was thinking of their friends. The two regarded each other, reading what little they could of their opposite's thoughts. Finally Izzy spoke.
"They're out there somewhere, y'know." he said simply, his tone low and even.
"I know. I feel like we should be out there looking for them." Joe replied solemnly.
Izzy nodded and turned his face forwards again.
"Yeah, but we can't exactly just go gallivanting off into the streets; odds are we'd be killed." he pointed out sadly.
Joe sighed and returned to his strained and conflicting thoughts again. No matter how hard he tried, though, he could not dismiss the responsibility he felt towards his friends. They would risk life and limb to find him. He owed them that much at least.
A few minutes later his mind was made up. He would leave in search of the other, and no one was about to stop him. He turned to Izzy, ready to explain his plan.
Davis had not spoken since the night before. His normal exuberance had faded away and had been replaced by a cold and lifeless demeanour. This matched what he felt inside. All happiness had left him, hope and enthusiasm had evaporated from his mind and, like ice in the hot sun, his strength and energy had melted away. For the first time in living memory he was still, seated in silence in the corner of the police station locker room.
T.K. had sat with him since they had first arrived at the station, trying in vain to get some kind of response. But Davis simply could not bring himself to say anything. How, he thought, could he respond to T.K. and answer any of his questions when he could not even figure out what was going on inside his own head? After a few hours the Takaishi boy had given up and moved off, probably seeking out Tai or Matt for assistance.
Davis had felt different ever since the outbreak. For the first time in a long time he had felt vulnerable, like he was no longer the invincible, indefatigable leader he liked to see himself as. It was strange. He had only rarely ever thought of his own safety and mortality, always willing to go head first and pull out a victory, whether it be on the sporting field or on the field of battle. This time around, however, with death surrounding him and now with the loss of his father, he was looking at life and himself in an entirely new manner. For once he was afraid, truly scared that maybe they would not be so lucky, maybe they would not be able to cheat death this time, maybe he would not be alive to see the end of Daemon's wrath.
Davis was in no mood to talk, not to anyone. Nevertheless, as he slowly raised his head to see what the others were doing, he spotted Tai and T.K. heading over to him, both wearing concerned yet determined expressions. Davis groaned inwardly as they came up to him and sat down, one on either side.
For a few awkward seconds there was silence, a thick and heavy fog that permeated every fibre of Davis's being. He could literally feel the quietness suffocating him as he sat there. After some time, T.K. spoke up.
"Are you alright Davis?" the blond asked simply, a clear air of concern in his voice.
Was he alright? How could T.K. ask so stupid a question? Of course he was not alright. Davis had no idea how anyone could possibly conceive him to be anything less than devastated. The spiky haired teen understood T.K.'s concern, but his enquiry just made him angry. Davis resolved to not even give a response, as if T.K.'s answer was not obvious enough.
"C'mon man, give us something." Tai prodded, not taking the hint that Davis wished to be left alone; that or he was ignoring it.
Still Davis was in no mood to speak. In truth, he was not snubbing them because he was angry or annoyed. If he was honest with himself, it was really because he was afraid. He was scared that they would think less of him, that he was a coward and that he was letting them all down. Davis hated all of those possibilities. He was never one to abandon his friends and he could not stand the thought of being seen as a coward. The idea was sickening to him.
"Davis, we're not going anywhere until you at least talk to us. Please, we're worried about you." Tai pleaded.
Davis was now desperate to just get them off his back. Much like Tai, lying was not his strong suit, but by this point he was willing to do anything for some peace. Ignoring T.K. was one thing, but his mentor and one of his best friends together was much tougher.
"You want me to talk? Fine, I'll talk." he snapped, "I'm fine and you worrying about me is pointless."
Davis saw both T.K. and Tai frown, clearly unimpressed and unsatisfied with his cold and rather rude response.
"How many times have we heard that line and it's been an utter lie?" Tai questioned rhetorically, receiving a nod from T.K.
Davis grumbled bitterly. Was there no way to get these two to back off?
"Davis, for goodness sake, just talk to us, please." T.K. implored.
Davis wanted none of it. He was going to hide the truth from them, lock it away so that no one could see his weakness, his fear. Davis simply crossed his arms and leant back against the wall, refusing to open his mouth again.
"Davis this isn't like you." T.K. insisted desperately, "I know you've just lost your dad, but it's more than that, I can tell."
Davis could hear every word of T.K.'s, the worry and sincerity in his voice. It was hard for him to ignore the pleas of his friends. Still, though, he remained silent, giving nothing away as the seconds ticked by following T.K.'s words. Tai, however, seemed prepared to push harder.
"Davis, I expected more from you. You're supposed to be a leader, but how are you supposed to do that if you can't be honest and open with people?" he challenged, "How can we even count on you if you can't even trust us, your closest friends, with what you're going through?"
At that Davis snapped. He was not going to be spoken to like that and not stand up for himself. How could Tai even say that? To be talked down at by someone he respected so much was truly upsetting to Davis, but the hurt quickly turned to anger as he rounded on his mentor.
"Fuck you Tai! You wanna know what I'm thinking? Then I'll tell you!" he exploded furiously, "I'm scared! Fucking scared! You get it? Everyone's dying and maybe, for once, I don't wanna die too! I don't wanna get eaten alive by some crazy zombie thing!"
Davis felt T.K. recoil a little at his outburst, as well as the eyes of all the others being trained on him, but Tai maintained his composure with a calm expression on his face. The older leader had not been taken aback by what his younger counterpart had said, almost like he had been expecting it; that or he was hiding his surprise very well. This infuriated Davis. He had wanted to shock him, to get Tai to back down, go away and leave him to his shame. Instead he just sat there, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Seeing as no one else seemed willing to speak, Davis continued on his rant.
"Are you happy now? You happy that I've embarrassed myself now?" he yelled angrily, any semblance of self-control having vanished from him.
Now Tai reacted. His steady, almost stoic expression softened, revealing a look of deep concern.
"Davis I want to help you, but-" he tried to explain, but Davis wanted none of it.
"Just shut up!" Davis bellowed as he jumped to his feet and stormed off, leaving the locker room in a huff, not caring where his feet were taking him.
T.K. watched Davis storm out, too shocked at what had just transpired to stop him. He was unsure as to what surprised him more, how harsh Tai had been or how Davis had reacted.
As T.K. sat there stunned, he saw Sora and Matt approach Tai.
"Tai, I realise Davis needed some help, but don't you think that was a little too insensitive?" Sora asked carefully.
"Insensitive is an understatement. Seriously, what were you thinking?" Matt questioned more aggressively.
Tai grimaced. It looked to T.K. as if the older leader was already regretting saying what he did to Davis.
"That's just it; I wasn't thinking. I was just so hell bent on getting something out of him that I didn't stop and think through what I was saying." Tai admitted, his voice full of shame.
Sora and Matt both sighed.
"Well we should probably try to start repairing some of the damage, I suppose." Matt stated wearily, evidently not in the mood to go chasing after anyone.
"I'll go; I'm the one who set him off, so it's my responsibility to fix it." Tai said, still clearly feeling guilty.
"I'll come with you." Sora offered, receiving a thankful and affectionate nod from Tai.
The pair quickly left the room in search of Davis, leaving the others to wonder how exactly they would deal with him when they found him. T.K., for one, hoped they could at least get him to calm down and return to them, if not fully open up to them.
In the wake of their departure, T.K. looked around at the others who remained. Mimi held the gun that Tai had found and was currently demonstrating how to use it to Matt. Looking across to Cody, T.K. saw that he had found a thin metal pipe and was using it as a substitute for a Kendo stick. The boy was effortlessly practicing his moves off in a corner, appearing to be almost tranquil while doing so. T.K. supposed that, after years of dedication to the martial art, its practice gave him some peace and focus, even in the darkest of times.
At that, T.K.'s eyes fell upon Yolei. The girl was still very much in shock at what she had witnessed the night before. While Davis's outburst had drawn her attention and distracted her, the effect of the drama had not lasted and she had quickly fallen back into her dreadfully saddened state. She was not alone, however. Toshiko Takenouchi sat with the girl, providing what comfort she could.
The older woman had perked up over the last few hours, no longer in a near catatonic state like she had been over the past two days. It seemed as though the loss and heartache suffered by some of the other Digidestined had woken her up, so to speak. T.K. could not quite put his finger on it, but Mrs Takenouchi had clearly come to terms with her husband's death, and while she had by no means gotten over it, she was able to function again, much in the same way as Sora had recovered following her heart to heart with Tai.
T.K. then caught sight of Kari. She had left Yolei's side in order to get some sleep when the sun had begun to rise. Now, she sat isolated on the far side of the locker room from T.K., curled up with her knees up to her chest, not a word escaping her delicate lips.
This had T.K. worried. Earlier he had been trying to catch her attention but had received no response, and while she had been consoling Yolei he was certain that she had noticed him. Kari's seeming disinterest in him both confused and concerned T.K. He could not remember the last time the two of them had been unable or unwilling to speak to one another, and he had thought that, especially now, she would want to be close and talk to him. So the fact she seemed to be segregating herself from him did not make sense to T.K.
T.K. wondered if perhaps he had said or done something to make her angry or upset. She had been fine the previous night, before he had tried and failed to confess to her his feelings. T.K. concluded that it must have had something to do with the conversation he had with her, and with the declaration he had attempted to make.
The Takaishi boy had initially been against saying anything to Kari about how he felt. With the outbreak and the sheer amount of death and destruction caused, he had felt it would be better to wait until after the Digimon had dealt with Daemon. But when they had all been told that the undead had surrounded their shelter, T.K. had been forced to reconsider. He had felt that perhaps it was better she knew, lest the unforeseeable occur and he was no longer able to make that confession. Now he was regretting ever opening his mouth.
T.K. had not said anything overt to Kari, the words he managed were merely an attempt to introduce his admission. At the same time, though, he knew that if anyone could read him it was Kari. He had had so much trouble containing his emotions that he was sure it must have been obvious what he was going to say, even if he never got around to actually saying it. The only conclusion T.K. could come to was that Kari must know how he felt.
Dread filled him, from the pit of his stomach up to his throat; he felt almost like he would throw up. T.K. was positive she knew, and now she was avoiding him, at a time when she would be more likely than usual to want to be with him. To him, that meant only one thing; she did not share his feelings and he had either scared, intimidated or freaked her out. He began breathing heavily, terrified by the possibility that things between them could never be the same, that he had ruined their friendship. Every beat of his heart resonated in his ears like a bomb blast and he harshly gritted his teeth, angry at himself for doing something so rash and stupid. For T.K. there was little that could make the situation worse, save for an onslaught of Daemon's undead minions on their hideout.
As these thoughts were rampaging around his mind, he failed to notice Matt approach and sit down next to him.
"Hey bro, you look a little tense. What's the matter?" the older blond asked with concern.
T.K. jumped in surprise with the abrupt realisation that he had company. Jerking his head in the direction of the question, he saw that it was his brother and he scrambled to provide a quick answer.
"Wha- umm, nothing. Nothing's wrong." he lied shakily.
Matt was not so easily fooled, though, and he frowned at T.K.'s pitiful attempt at deception.
"C'mon little bro, I wasn't born yesterday. It's something to do with you and Kari, isn't it?" he replied pointedly, looking the younger teen dead in the eye.
T.K. baulked at this. How could Matt possibly have figured that out? He had not said anything that he thought would lead his older brother to think that, so how did he know? Perhaps it was a lucky guess, he supposed. Still, T.K. had no idea what to say in reply. Matt, however, beat him to the punch.
"I'll take your silence as a yes." he said with a weak smile that still managed to make him look smug with it plastered on his face.
Accepting that his brother had figured him out, T.K. saw no other option than to admit it.
"Alright yes, but how-" he began.
"Give me a little credit man. First of all, I'm your brother so I know you better than most, and second it's a global disaster in and of itself when you and Kari aren't right next to each other when you're in the same room. It's pretty plain to see." Matt explained himself.
So he was that obvious, T.K. thought. Now it seemed even clearer to him that Kari must have discerned what he was trying to tell her the night before. He solemnly hung his head, defeated. As he did, though, he felt Matt place a warm hand on his shoulder.
"So why are you both having problems? It's not like the two of you to not be talking." he questioned worriedly.
"I think she knows." T.K. sighed sadly while turning his head to look at his brother.
It took Matt a few seconds to catch on, but T.K. soon noticed his eyes widening in surprise.
"Really? That's great. How did she figure that out? Did you tell her?" Matt asked excitedly.
"No it's not great because she doesn't feel the same way and now she's avoiding me." T.K. moaned.
"But how does she know?" Matt queried.
"Last night… I-I was going to tell her…" T.K. revealed shakily.
"Last night…" Matt mused before T.K. saw him realise.
Matt looked at him questioningly and T.K. nodded. The bearer of hope did not wish to explain himself any more than he already had, but his brother's curiosity was not yet satisfied.
"So when me and Tai interrupted you guys….?" he probed.
T.K. again nodded in affirmation, becoming steadily more uncomfortable with Matt's questions.
"But wait a minute. You said you were going to tell her. So how could she possibly know how you feel about her?" Matt asked, confused.
How could she not, T.K. thought. If Matt had been able to figure it out then there was no way that Kari could not have seen through him the night before.
"Matt, she knows me better than anyone. I was gonna tell her and I was being so obvious. She can practically read my mind, there's no way she can't know." he insisted, "And before you ask, she's been ignoring me since then, despite the fact I've been trying to get her attention pretty much non-stop. That can only mean she doesn't feel the same way. Now I've gone and wrecked everything!"
"T.K. stop being so melodramatic, I'm sure this is just a misunderstanding." Matt said earnestly.
His words caught T.K. off guard. 'Melodramatic'? How could Matt say that? T.K. was lamenting the friendship he had ruined, the closest relationship he had with anybody in his life, and now Matt was saying he was overreacting? He was not sure what to feel. Insulted that Matt thought he knew his relationship with Kari better than he did, hopeful that maybe his brother was right or sorrowful at losing his best friend. He was lost in a sea of conflicting emotions and thoughts, nothing making any sense to him at all.
Matt had seemingly sensed T.K.'s confusion as he quickly tried to reassure his brother.
"C'mon T.K., Kari isn't the type to just blow you off for telling her you like her. If you'd gone and said you hated her or insulted her or something then maybe, but I can't see her giving you the cold shoulder for how you feel about her." he told T.K. optimistically.
"How else do you explain how she's acting then?" T.K. asked, unsure of whether he had the confidence to take his brother's word.
"Well I don't know, have you thought to ask her?" Matt replied coolly.
T.K. paused. The thought of asking her had crossed his mind. The thing was, he did not think he could face her yet. She was obviously upset or unhappy with him or something he did and he did not know if he could endure a conversation with her at that point. He felt self pity and frustration bubbling inside of him, like the heated magma of a volcano. But what tempered him, kept him breaking down was the fear; the fear for his life, for her life, his brother's life and his friend's lives, as well as for the friendship he shared with Kari which was the light of his life, the major source of all the enjoyment and happiness he experienced. The fear kept him silent; he could not face her yet.
"I can't talk to her. Not yet, at least." T.K. said sadly.
"Why the hell not? She's right over there." Matt responded, clearly finding his brother's attitude difficult to believe.
"I just can't alright." T.K. told him, raising his voice slightly in frustration.
T.K. thought that Matt would persist, but to his surprise he backed off.
"Alright T.K., you play this how you want." he relented, "But I'm still sure you and her have just misunderstood each other, probably because you haven't talked enough."
T.K. nodded, eager just for some peace so he could think things through a little more clearly. Sensing this, Matt got up and began to walk back over to Mimi.
"Just make sure you talk to her while you still can, little bro. With everything that's happening you're best off seizing every opportunity you can." he said knowingly.
T.K. just sat in silence as his brother walked away. Things just kept getting harder and harder, and the Takaishi boy was caught right in the middle.
Ken was unsure if he should go through with it. All afternoon, Joe and Izzy had been figuring out the best time to sneak away from their families and the hotel hideout to search for the others. The dark haired genius had listened in silence to their planning, not sure if he should jump in and stop them or give in to his own desire to find his friends.
In truth there was only one thing stopping him. Ken had been agonising about his parents since the beginning of the undead outbreak. Thoughts of his late brother had also resurfaced more heavily than they had in some time. Ken knew too well the pain and anguish his parents had endured with Sam Ichijouji's tragic death and he had long pledged that they would never have to go through the terrible ordeal of losing a child again.
When he had disappeared into the Digital World as the Digimon Emperor, Ken had worried his parents, particularly his mother, half to death. He had long left those days in the past where they belonged, but there had always been a certain twinge of guilt that he had never been able to put behind him, baggage from his past life that he could not seem to shed.
Now, looking at all these things laid out before him, Ken was starting to doubt his role their mission. He knew the dangers well; the constant threat of attack by the undead, who had claimed the lives of hundreds, likely thousands of their fellow Odaiba citizens. It was not his own life he was concerned for, at least not directly. Ken only wanted to preserve his life for the good of his parents. He could not stand the thought of his mother and father living through the death of another child. Sam's death had been too much, and a second lost son would surely overwhelm them with grief and devastation. If he left the safety of their hideout in search of the others there was a good chance that he would not live to tell the tale.
Now, as Joe and Izzy packed a few covertly acquired supplies into the former's satchel bag, Ken knew that the time for him to decide was fats approaching. Despite the urgency of the situation, though, he could manage very little aside from staring at his shoes, lost in thought. Caught between two sides, Ken could not see the right path; he had no idea what to do.
"OK, we've got everything; food, first aid kit, torch…" Joe listed off as he rummaged through his bag, freshly stuffed with all the necessities for survival.
"Even with all the other items, the food will only last us a day or two at most." Izzy pointed out.
"Well we'll just have to find them really fast then." Joe retorted as he continued his last minute checking.
The sun had begun its slow descent in the sky, heralding the time for them to slip away. Ken was out of time. He decided that if he was going to voice his doubts, then now would be the best time.
"Guys, are we sure about this?" he asked timidly, afraid of what Joe and Izzy might say.
"Hmm? Oh yeah, if we leave just before nightfall we can slip away when they hand out the rations, so they won't be paying as much attention to us and we'll also be able to find some shelter for the night." Joe replied, missing the point of Ken's query.
"There's no point searching at night; daylight is a far more favourable time." Izzy added, also misunderstanding Ken's concerns.
"No, I mean are you guys sure about leaving at all." Ken clarified.
The other two were silent for a moment, seemingly confused by Ken's words.
"What do you mean Ken? Don't you want to find the others?" Joe asked, surprised at the young genius.
"I do, but it's so risky… I-I just don't know if we should…" Ken answered, eyes fixed on the floor.
Izzy and Joe looked at each other. Ken might not have been able to read their minds, but it was pretty clear what they were thinking. In their faces, Ken could only see disbelief, they had not expected this of him, especially not now. This filled him with guilt. No matter what decision he made he would be doing something selfish.
"Ken, what's brought this on?" Joe asked carefully.
Ken sighed. There was no way he could lie to them, or evade the question. They deserved to know why he was reluctant to go with them.
"I-it's just that I've been thinking… about my parents." Ken admitted, looking them in the eyes for the first time since their conversation began.
"Your parents?" Izzy repeated, confused.
Ken swallowed harshly before he continued. Words began forming before he could even think about what he was saying.
"When Sam died they went through hell. I was too young at the time to notice it, but looking back I've never seen them more heartbroken." Ken explained soberly, "Then, when I ran off to the Digital World, they went through something similar. I hadn't died, but they thought they had lost me. I… I don't want them to have to go through that again."
Joe and Izzy were silent. Their faces betrayed the conflict brewing within them. Ken could see the realisation of what he was talking about in them. Their friends were not the only ones emotionally invested in them. Their families were also there to be considered. After a few moments, though, Joe spoke.
"We know that our families are there too. I know how I'd probably feel if one of my brothers or parents were killed. But we also have our responsibilities to our friends, to the other Digidestined." Joe declared with rising confidence, "We're not risking our lives for no reason, we're doing it because they'd do the same for us, and we owe them that much."
Izzy nodded, showing his agreement. They both then looked at Ken, waiting to see what he would decide.
In truth Ken was still unsure. Joe was right. Tai, Matt, Sora and the others would undoubtedly put their lives on the line to ensure his safety. Why then should he not do what he felt obliged to do? But then there was still that nagging doubt, the spectre that sat at the back of his mind and plagued him with each passing second. What if he did not make it? What if he was killed?
Ken knew what he wanted to do, but he was still unsure about what he ought to do. In the end there was no right decision, only two paths that could each potentially lead to hurt and sadness. In the end, he thought, it was best he choose the path he wanted. At least then there was a clear choice before him.
Mustering up his courage, Ken made his decision.
"OK, I'll come." he told them.
He received a smile and a nod from both his friends. The way before him now set, Ken readied himself mentally for the search they were about to embark on.
"Alright, they're starting to ration out the food, now's our chance to slip away." Joe whispered, looking over Ken's shoulder at the line starting to form at the other end of the restaurant.
They made it as far as the fire escape before they heard him.
"Ken? Where are you boys going?"
The three teens gulped and turned around, only to be met by the sight of Ken's father, who wore a look of confusion and worry.
"Mr Ichijouji… We were, um… Well we-" Joe stammered, seemingly hoping that a convincing lie would form naturally from his words, but to no avail.
Izzy was also having trouble forming words. He stood there opening and closing his mouth as if each new sentence he thought up was immediately dismissed by his brain before he could manage to say it. Ken could see that this evasiveness was getting them nowhere. He saw no other option than to be honest, at least then they could give his father an answer that did not insult his intelligence.
"Dad, we're going out to find the others." Ken confessed guiltily, not wanting to look his father in the eye.
Ken expected his father to shout, to forbid him to go or to plead that he stay. Why would allow his son to go out into a world infested by flesh eating undead monsters? Ken was to find, though, that he was wrong.
"I thought you might do this sooner or later." Ken's father said sadly, catching his son by surprise.
"W-what?" Ken stuttered, doing a double-take.
His father sighed and approached his son.
"Ken you've grown up so much. You're nearly an adult now and your mother and I often wonder where all that time went." he said mournfully, "We worry about you son, but at the same time you've reached the age where you're starting to make your own decisions."
"Dad what are you saying?" Ken asked, his eyes beginning to water.
"I'm saying that while I want you to be safe, I can't stop you from doing what you think is right. You've reached the age where I feel we can trust your judgement." Ken's father replied.
"D-does Mum feel the same way?" Ken questioned.
"To be honest, she'd put you under lock and key if she knew you were going to do this. But then she doesn't have to know just yet." the man admitted with a weak smile.
Ken had no idea what to say. His father knew what he was going to do and he was going to let him do it. He wanted Ken to stay and be safe, of course, but at the same time he was allowing his son to make his own decisions.
Ever since his stint as the Digimon Emperor, ken had been very close to his parents. Now though, he felt that he had reached a new level of understanding, at the very least with his father. Knowing that there was such trust placed in him, Ken became teary eyed. He wanted to stay and protect his parents from the pain and grief that would come if anything happened to him, but at the same time he felt like he could go out into the streets with Izzy and Joe without any regrets or guilt. Ken was unsure what he should have been feeling. All he knew was that he was now at peace with what he was about to do.
Moving quickly, he hugged his father, whispering his thanks before pulling away and returning to stand beside Joe and Izzy. The man wore a solemn smile, tears forming in the corner of his eyes.
"Just be careful son; come back alive." he managed to say.
"I will." Ken replied simply, returning his father's smile.
"And you two." Ken's father added, looking to Izzy and Joe, "Don't worry about your parents, I'll make sure they're OK. Stay safe boys."
All three nodded, secure in the knowledge that they had some backing from the families. Without further delay, they exited the hotel restaurant and descended down the fire escape stairwell, toward the darkening streets below. There they would face one of the greatest tests of their lives.
Tai and Sora continued to search for Davis. They had been searching for over half an hour and had so far been unsuccessful. Tai appreciated his younger friend's need to vent, but with Daemon's minions running rampant it was incredibly dangerous to be on one's own.
Tai was not only dealing with his anxiety for Davis's safety, he was also had to contend with his own guilt for setting the boy off. He never meant to do anything but provoke a response from Davis, not to push him over the edge and cause him to blow up in a rage. Nevertheless, despite Tai's good intentions, he knew and accepted that he was responsible for Davis's outburst. Now it was his responsibility to pick up the pieces and try to repair the damage.
"You OK Tai?" Sora asked worriedly, pulling the Digidestined leader from his thoughts.
"I'm fine I guess. I just feel like such a jerk for setting Davis off like that." Tai confessed to her glumly.
"You were a little harsh from what I heard." Sora admitted, "But you can still fix it, and you are not a jerk Tai."
Tai smiled at her words and he felt his cheeks heat up. Although he thought she was humouring him a little, it still felt good to hear her talk about him like that. Tai had no time to dwell on this, though, as Davis was their current priority.
Thankfully, they did not have to look much further. They found him in an office, most likely that of a senior police officer. He bore no trace of tears, but he displayed no happiness in his face. Seeing the two enter he groaned out loud. Tai could tell he was still angry at him.
"What do you want?" Davis spat.
"Davis I'm sorry for talking to you like I did, but can you please at least come back with us." Tai pleaded, seeing no reason to beat around the bush with him.
"Why can't you just leave me alone?" Davis asked irritably.
"Because we're all worried about you Davis. I understand what you're going through, you know that. We just want to help you." Sora beseeched him.
Despite his sullen expression, Tai could tell that Davis was thinking it over. The younger teen was angry, that much was clear, but Tai knew that another part of him was scared and confused. The anger was really just a cover for what Davis was truly feeling, a façade masking his grief and fear.
Tai understood that Davis was not like Sora in that he did not easily share his innermost emotions. He was not the same emotional lone wolf as Matt had once been, but he was nonetheless more emotionally guarded than others. Tai could now see that it was a mistake to push him like he had.
"Please, just come back to the others with us Davis. We won't bother you anymore if you don't want us to." Tai implored.
Davis raised his head at this, a chance for company without being fussed over.
"Fine." he said simply, moving over to them.
"Just remember we're here if you want to talk." Sora offered kindly.
Davis just grunted, not ready to commit to anything just yet. Tai and Sora smiled at one another, happy that they had at least found Davis and got him to return with them. With that they turned back toward the locker room, Davis falling in step behind them.
"Mimi what's that noise? Are Tai and Sora coming back?" Matt asked as he heard the sound of footsteps in the corridor just outside the locker room.
"I'll check." T.K. said, moving towards the door.
Mimi did not feel any fear at that moment, but she nonetheless loaded the pistol just in case. A frightened yell from T.K. was to validate her readiness as he crashed back through the doorway.
"Shit!" he yelled as he was chased through the door by a pair of undead.
At that, Mimi reacted on instinct. The small amount of casual training she had was all she could rely on. She had not used a firearm in nearly two years, but the adrenaline that had started pumping in her veins was enough to move her to confident positive action.
Without a second thought, she raised the gun and fired two shots. As the echoing crack of the gun sounded and then faded away the room fell silent. The only sound that could be heard was the frightened cries of Tai, Sora and Davis as they ran back to the locker room, terrified of what they might discover.