Time for a new chapter. Lots of detail and events in this one too. Please enjoy and forgive any mistakes that I've surely made.

Chapter 14

Trowa had returned from his fishing trip and was back inside the cabin he shared with his two digimon friends. As the freshly caught fish he'd caught today sizzled away in the frying pan as Gotsumon cooked for dinner Trowa slipped out of the kitchen and into the over towards the living. In the middle of the mantelpiece which dominated this area of the cabin stood a large, full length mirror.

Trowa store at himself in silence, studying his own appearance meticulously. Gennai was right, he'd changed so much from the little kid who'd first come to the digital world. He still had that old green outfit he used to wear, it was packed away in draw somewhere. Now he wore completely different outfits.

He'd come across and collected many items of clothing during the last few years, and it still amazed TK how he'd found stuff like this here in the digital world (he couldn't think of any possible digimon he'd ever come across who could have made them). He'd found numerous shirts, vests, socks, underwear, pants, shoes and boots. A wardrobe full of everything a growing teenage boy could ask for. He usually just dressed depending on the weather. One item of clothing he was particularly fond of and wore often was his pair of dark brown cowboy style boots. He'd come across them a year ago in the castle of Gekomon and Otamamon. He liked them so much because as a child he used to love watching cowboys and Indians shows on TV and it was what all the cowboys wore. They just made him feel cool when he had them on is all. He was wearing them now and had been wearing them a few days before when he'd met Tai, he'd noticed his former friend checking them out.

One thing he didn't wear anymore was hats. He'd grown out of them as he'd got older. When he was little he used to wear a funny green one that looked slightly like a backwards cap only it wasn't. Nowadays he let the sun at his golden coloured hair (which he'd recently to an appropriate length after letting it grow for several years). He occasionally combed it, either back or down. The total opposite of Matt who used to always apply infinite amounts of gel to his. To Trow, it was all part about carving himself a new image. Not the small little crybaby with the cute outfit anymore, but the now older, tougher teenager who wore grown up clothing and looked cool. It was the reason for the new attitude, name and personality he had now.

He tried to imagine what would have been going through Tai and Agumon's minds when they first seen him again. It must have been a freaky sight, seeing him so grown up when to them they'd only seen him as a kid a few days before.

He finally pulled himself away from the mirror when Gotsumon called him that supper was ready. He sat down at the table with his two friends and began to pick at his food.

Shortly after….

"What's the matter Tro?" asked Pumpkinmon. "You've barely touched you're fish?"

"What….. ? Oh nothing, just thinking."

"What were you doin' all day out in the boat on your own?"

"Thinking."

"Thinking? Do you do anything else?"

Trowa managed to raise a smile to that. Still witty as ever was Pumpkinmon.

"Look, Tro," began Gotsumon now. "Tell us the truth. Are you having second thoughts about not going back to your world?"

"What!? No, I'm not. It's just, seeing Tai again, it's made me think about a lot of things. Things I haven't thought about in a long time."

"Like your family?" suggested Pumpkinmon.

"….. Yeah," Trowa admitted.

"You want to go back and see them, don't you?" Gotsumon asked.

"Yes and no," he answered.

"What does that mean?"

"Yes because I haven't seen my mom and dad for so long and I've missed them. And no because I know seeing me….. like…. this….. (he gestured at himself) would upset them because they wouldn't understand. Plus I don't think I could keep my hands away from my brothers weasley, little neck."

The other two gave small smiles.

"Look Tro, buddy. If you want to go back and see them then just do it. You said the digi-gate is open again now right? So what's stopping you apart from the those bad thoughts you have in your brain?"

"Well, nothing I guess."

"Then what's the problem? If you want to see them, go see them. You don't even have to talk to them or let them know you're back. Just go watch them from a distance."

Trowa considered this suggestion. He had to admit, it made a fair bit of sense. The only real concern was, if he did go back and see them again, would he be able to resist the inevitable desire to reveal himself.

"I think I'll sleep on it, okay?" he announced after a while of giving it some thought.

"Sure, no problem."

With that Trowa stood up from the table (leaving his barely touced fish supper) and made his way over to his bedroom. It was a tiny room that contained only a single bed and closet full of his clothes. He undressed and threw himself down onto his mattress, his tired mind still full of thoughts about his loved ones and whether or not he should go see them. Fortunately, it wasn't look before he drifted off to sleep. His slumber didn't last long though.

…

Later

Trowa felt himself being shook away by one of his digimon friends.

"Wha…. Gotsumon? What is it? I'm bushed and want to sleep, what do you want?"

"Trowa, you've got to come outside quick and see this," explained Gotsumon breathlessly.

"Why? What is it?" Trowa asked suspiciously.

"just come see," answered Gotsumon running back towards the door. When he reached it he turned back to look at Trowa and beckoned him to follow.

"Come on, quick!"

Trowa yawned and got out of bed. Scooping up his clothes he quickly pulled them back on and hurried outside to join Gotsumon and see what it was he was fussing so hysterically over.

He stepped outside and saw Gotsumon standing next to Pumpkinmon, both of them staring up at the sky looking mystified. Trowa looked up too, and he got his answer as to what was going on.

There it was, the digi-gate, the portal of white light which led back to the human world, shining bright in the sky. He hadn't seen this sight in years.

"Whoa…." mouthed Trowa. "It really has re-opened for definite."

"Trowa," called Pumpkinmon from the down the lawn. "What do we do?"

"What?" Trowa called back. "How should I know?"

No sooner had the words left his mouth that the blonde began to feel a strange sensation. It was a sensation he'd felt before, felt the last time he'd seen the portal like this.

"Whoa….." he said as he felt his feet slowly leave the floor. He was drifting upwards.

"TROWA!" called Gotsumon and Pumpkinmon simultaneously. They both ran towards the friend, jumped up and each managed to grab one of his legs.

"WHAT'S HAPPENING!?" called Pumpkinmon from the bottom as he and Gotsumon each hung on for dear life (their weight wasn't enough to stop Trowa from levitating upwards towards the light.

"ISN'T IT OBVIOUS!?" Trowa called back. "THE PORTAL, IT'S TAKING ME BACK TO REAL WORLD!"

"OH DAMNNNNNNN!" screamed Gotsumon.

"YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE TO COME WITH ME!" Trowa told them.

"DON'T BE STUPID TRO, WE'RE YOUR BUDDIES. AND FRIENDS STICK TOGETHER!"

Trowa felt a tears form in his eyes.

"Thanks guys…."

"THANK US LATER!" yelled Pumpkinmon. "HERE WE GO!"

The three of them then entered the light. And passed through to the other side.

…...

Even later…..

All Trowa could remember was a blinding light and hitting something a hard thud. He'd blacked out and was now only just coming too. He opened his eyes and could make out the fuzzy image of the blue sky. He could also hear a lot of noise. A strange noise, a type of noise he'd not heard in a LONG time. It sounded like…. children. Human children running around and laughing.

He slowly sat up and tried to make head or tail of where he was. He looked down and was very relieved to see both Gotsumon and Pumpkinmon lying on the grass next to him. Both were still asleep. He then studied his surroundings, and got the fright of his life.

He was surrounded on all sides by people, human people of all ages. Children playing, adults walking around, people riding bikes, a couple of dogs with their owners, everything you could imagine. This must have been a public park, the must turned up back in the human world in a public park! After so long of not seeing another human being, Trowa found himself right in the middle of the most sociable place you could think of.

He merely sat open mouthed and stared as people passed him and the two digimon, simply going about their business. It was so much for him to take in. He was finally back.

(THUD). Trowa felt something hit him hard on the back of the head. He jumped to his feet in alarm to see who had hit him. He found it was only a soccer ball.

"Sorry mister," said a little boy running towards him nervously. "I guess I kicked it to hard. You and you're friends shouldn't really be sunbathing on the grass though."

"We're not sunbathing," Trowa said defensively.

"Oh well, whatever. Can I have my ball back?" asked the boy.

Trowa looked down at the ball at his feet. He gently kicked back to the boy.

"Thanks," answered the boy picking it up and running back to join his friends a few metres away. Trowa simply store after him.

After a while he looked back down at his friends.

"Hey guys, wake up!" he urged, gently nudging them both with his feet. Both Gotsumon and Pumpkinmon opened their eyes. They both then sat up and began to look around.

"Where the hell are we?" asked Pumpkinmon.

"We're in the human world," Trowa told them. "The world I'm from. We must have passed through the portal."

"And ended up here?" asked Gotsumon looking around.

"Yeah."

"Where are we? And who are all these people?"

"This must be a park or something. And these are just human beings like me. They're all just walking around, doing their own thing."

"Whoa….. this way far out."

"What do we do now Tro? Where are we supposed to go?"

Trowa thought long and hard about this. Now that he finally back in the human world, what was he to do with himself?

"Why don't we go find your folks?" suggested Gotsumon now. "They could help us out, couldn't they?"

"No, we're not doing that," Trowa told them firmly.

"Well, what do we do then?" asked Pumpkinmon.

Trowa just grinned at both his friends. He'd decided what to do now. Looking around taking everything and everyone in, he took a deep breath of air and declared;

"We're back in my town now guys. And now I'm older. Let's go have ourselves some fun!"

Gotsumon and Pumpkinmon both smiled too now. That sounded like a pretty good idea to them.

….

Meanwhile…. at the Izumi apartment

"Izzy dear, you're breakfast is ready," called Mrs Izumi.

"Okay mom, I'm coming," Izzy shouted from his room.

Mrs Izumi then continued to walk along the hallway towards the letterbox to pick up today's morning mail. She scooped up the letters and walked back towards the kitchen. Her husband, Mr Izumi and Izzy's father (adopted) was sitting at the table drinking his coffee and reading his newspaper before work.

Mrs Izumi flicked through the mail. Bill. Bill. Letter from the library. Bill. Competition winner. Wait? Competition winner? Where was that from she wondered? She ripped open the letter and read it thoroughly.

"Darling," she asked. "What's this?"

She passed the letter to her husband who put down the newspaper to read the letter form himself. It read;

"HELLO! Mr and Mrs Izumi, we are pleased to inform you that you have won a fabulous prize! A free, 5-course meal at the best restaurant in town, Bennington's. You have won this prize courtesy of your son Izzy, who placed 1st in the school science fair. He himself will also receive a prize but we also have taken the liberty of handing out a prize to you, his parents. You're son clearly didn't become so smart on his own. Your table is booked for 7pm tonight, please join us at their where we will hand you Izzy's prize in person. We look forward to seeing you.

Yours Sincerley,

Oikawa High School"

"A free meal? All because Izzy won a science fair?" asked Mr Izumi confused.

"It seems strange they'd give us, his parents, such a fabulous prize," agreed his wife. "I don't even remember Izzy telling us there was a science fair anyway."

"Who it is were supposed to meet there at this restaurant?" asked Mr Izumi, studying the letter thoroughly.

"I don't know, the school principal?" Mrs Izumi suggested.

"I'm not sure. Well, what do you think? Shall we go?"

"I'm not sure Masami, this whole thing sounds strange."

"It does say that they would give us a personal prize for Izzy."

"What do you think it could be?"

"I haven't got the foggiest idea."

"Well, what do you want to do?"

Mr Izumi leaned back in his chair and thought hard. He eventually made a decision.

"Okay Yoshie, here's what we'll do. We'll go after I get back from work tonight. Don't get dressed up or anything though, if this turns out to be a joke or something then we can just come straight home. Don't tell Izzy about this either. Don't let him get his hopes up about this supposed prize it says he's going to be getting only to find out that later that it was all a hoax."

"Okay," she nodded in agreement. She then looked down at the breakfast she'd cooked her son and remembered something.

"Izzy," she called again. "Come on son, you breakfast is going cold.

Izzy's room.

"Sorry guys, I gotta go for a few minutes. You guys just stay in here under the bed okay?"

"Sure thing Izzy," Tentomon replied.

"Make sure you eat it all Patamon," said cheerfully.

Izzy smiled.

"Okay, I'll eat my breakfast and then we'll go over to Tai's. Let him and everyone else know you're here Patamon."

"Okay."

Elsewhere….

"Did all of the digi-destineds parents receive those letters?" demanded Myotismon.

"Yes master," croaked Demi-Devimon.

"And what about the other two? The mother and father of the brothers. Did they each receive the notes I wrote? The notes regarding their youngest?

"Yes master."

"Good," Myotismon laughed evilly. "It's all starting to fall into place. By tonight, all the digi-destined crests will be mine!"

Hope you're enjoying it. So, TK's back in the real world (but no one else knows yet), as is Patamon (only Izzy and Tentomon know as of now), Myotismon has a very evil plan already in motion and there's a very explosive situation brewing. What are you thinking so far? Are you enjoying the story? Because there's more to come soon. A reviewer requested that I go into more detail about TK's appearance now he's older so that's what I did at the start of this chapter. Don't ask me to go into detail about how he got his new clothes, he just did okay? It's not the same outfit he wore in 02, I never cared for that personally, especially the hate. Physically though he looks the same as he did in 02, just different outfit if you can picture it (I specifically but the cowboy boots in cause I think they're awesome and look really cool on a person. Just a personal anecdote I thought I'd slip in like I do in all my fanfics). TK is also still older now he's back in the human world by the way, no going back to being a little kid for him. That would ruin the plans I have for this going forward.

Next chapter coming soon. In the meantime, PLEASE RATE AND REVIEW. It's highly appreciated thanks.