Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

A/N: Well, first of all I just want to apologize for taking so long to write a new chapter for this story. I know it's a short one, but that's due to the fact that it's really the next chapter after this one where things will start to get interesting and the story will pick up. I'm not exactly sure how many chapters this story will have, but we'll get to the end eventually. I suspect this story will be of average length by the time it's done. Not sure when the next chapter will be, but I will get onto writing it as soon as possible. I'll check the chapter again for mistakes, and also I do tend to eventually edit the entire story to fix some minor grammar mistakes I've been noticing in earlier chapters. That's it for news at the moment. FTFOD fans, you'll be next!

Trinity

Chapter 13: A Leader's Advice

Kari

"We've been all over this section of the city and still nothing!" Davis groaned, making a face. "That evil baby snatching digimon sure is sneaky. At this rate, we're never going to find him or the babies!"

Kari, who was walking quietly next to the goggle-headed leader down a narrow back street lined with overgrown flower beds, let out a soft sigh, her amber eyes studying the tall buildings on either side of the stone walkway. As much as she didn't want to admit it, Davis was right, and the longer the whereabouts of Elecmon's babies remained unknown, the more anxious she grew to find them.

Something didn't feel right, and though T.K. had been trying to hide it earlier, she knew he felt the same way. The whole incident with Primary Village and the missing babies, and even the fallen city itself. Though she did not doubt the crests had been calling to them, there was something else pulling their strings. Something entirely different from the crests.

Something dark. Something evil.

But what could it be? The Digital World's been really peaceful for a long time now. Why would that suddenly change, especially right when Willis decides to stay here in Japan? Does he somehow have something to do with what's going on here in the Digital World? Could he possibly...maybe be...in danger?

"Kari? Hey, Kari."

It seems a little too convenient to just be a coincidence, especially now that some of the crests have returned. For Willis to get a crest now, after all this time...I mean, he hasn't been to the Digital World in four years. Whoever or whatever put those crests there, how did they know he would be coming back here right at this very moment when it's been so long? How did they know he would be here in Japan, which is the only country where there are D-3 Digivices, allowing him to once again come to the Digital World? Whatever is going on, it must have something to do with Willis, and maybe T.K. too. And...maybe even me, since we're the three who received the crests...

"Kari? Hey, you in there?"

Kari looked up, jumping slightly as Davis waved a hand in front of her face, a surprisingly concerned look in his dark eyes. "Huh? Oh...sorry, Davis. You were saying?"

"Well, I did ask where you think we should go next, but...uh...you don't really look so good. Maybe we should take a break or something."

At this sudden declaration, Kari raised her eyebrows, a smile finally coming to her face. "That wasn't exactly a compliment, you know."

"Typical Davis," Gatomon sniffed, rolling her eyes. "You sure know how to make a girl feel good about herself, don't you."

"You know what I mean," Davis replied, giving the female champion a rather impatient look. "Come on, let's go sit on those benches by that funky looking garden over there."

Sighing in defeat, Kari surrendered her arm to Davis, and tugging lightly on her wrist he led her beneath an intricately carved archway covered in golden vines and white flowers, their feet carrying them towards the main street where several benches stood guarding the colourful arrangement of flowers on display. The garden stood in the centre of the brick road, the circular path branching off into several smaller streets, and gazing at the arrangement of white, pink, and gold flowers, to Kari they appeared to act as silent sentinels watching over the empty streets of the city.

"Is this about T.K.?" Davis asked bluntly, sitting down next to her on the closest bench, his dark eyes fixing her with a steady gaze.

Kari stared at him in surprise, her cheeks turning a faint shade of pink. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not stupid, you know," Davis grumbled, making a face. "You get all weird whenever he's around, and...well, you've been worse than usual ever since Willis showed up. What's the deal?"

Kari could feel the goggle-headed leader watching her, and bowing her head, she proceeded to stare at her hands clasped together in her lap, uncertain of how to respond. She wasn't exactly sure what Davis was trying to get at, and his words confused her. Did he know how she felt about T.K., or was he talking about the golden-haired Digidestined's strange behaviour recently? And more importantly, did he know that Willis appeared to be at the centre of most of what was going on lately?

Has he noticed the tension between T.K., Willis, and myself? Davis always manages to get along with everyone, no matter who they are, and it makes me wonder if he really understands how hard it is for others to emulate him, since friendship comes so easily to him. If you only knew, Davis, how much I wish I could be more like you...

Deciding to play it safe, Kari glanced at Davis and said softly, "I've never thought you were stupid. Stubborn, yes, and sometimes a bit too rash, but never stupid."

Davis looked momentarily surprised by her words, and shrugging his shoulders he mumbled a quick thanks before returning to the conversation at hand. "Listen, there's something up with T.K. You noticed it too, right?"

Kari tensed at this, doing her best to keep her expression neutral. "Yes, he has been acting a bit strange lately."

"Any idea what's going on with him?"

Kari sighed, her heart feeling suddenly heavy inside her chest. "I wish I knew."

I wish he would tell me. All my suspicions mean nothing if he won't trust me enough to tell me the truth.

Kari suddenly felt Davis slip an arm around her shoulders, and leaning against him, she gave him a grateful smile, though it did not diminish the sadness in her amber eyes. For someone who tended to act a bit clueless on a daily basis, it was amazing how easily Davis could tell when someone was hurting inside, and being Davis, he could never just sit back and do nothing when someone he cared about was suffering.

Which was why she currently found herself leaning on him for support, the relief at being able to share the burden she was carrying and the horrible fear in her heart making her somewhat calmer and better able to think through all of her problems in a more sensible manner.

"I tried to ask him about it, but he wouldn't tell me," Davis grumbled, a slight frown on his handsome face. "I'd help him if he'd just tell me what's wrong..."

"He will eventually," Veemon spoke up, giving his partner an encouraging smile. "It's not just you."

"Obviously whatever he's hiding, he's keeping it from everyone, even Cody," Gatomon added, exchanging a meaningful look with Veemon.

The two digimon were sitting comfortably next to each other on the low border of stones surrounding the garden, and watching them, Kari muttered without thinking, "I wouldn't be too sure about that."

"Huh?" Davis replied, looking down at her in confusion.

Kari quickly raised her head from his shoulder, and avoiding his dark eyes, she said, "It's nothing..."

Or is it? Yolei and Izzy know something. I know they do...

"Uh, Kari...look," Davis said slowly, scratching the back of his head. "It sounds like there's a lot going on that I don't know about, and I just...It doesn't really bother me exactly, but...if someone's going to end up getting hurt, I want to be there to help, you know?"

"Davis..."

"I'm not asking for all the secrets, but if there is something I can do to help, I don't want to be left totally in the dark."

Kari wasn't quite sure what to say to that, and overcome with emotion, she hugged him tightly around the shoulders, her head burying itself against his neck. "I'm sorry, Davis. I...I just wish there was an easy answer for all of this. I don't really know how I feel, and now with the Digital World possibly being in danger..."

"Oh that," Davis snorted, returning her hug and shifting slightly so he could more easily wrap his arms around her waist. "What are you worried about? Come on, Kari, the Digital World has been in danger before and each time we've always been able to teach the bad guys a lesson they'll never forget. How is this time gonna be any different? You just leave worrying about the Digital World to me and focus on what you have to do to sort out all those annoying thoughts in your head. You gotta learn to think more like me, Kari."

"Really? I didn't think your brain was capable of something as strenuous as thinking," Kari teased, tugging on her friend's goggles.

"Very funny. You know what I mean. You gotta stop worrying so much. Less thinking, more action. Don't use your head so much. That's what the heart's for, am I right?"

Kari pulled back slightly, and reaching out to give her friend's hand a grateful squeeze, she said, "You're right. Thanks, Davis."

"So...you and T.K. You guys gonna hook up soon, or what?"

Huh?

Kari blinked at the goggle-headed leader, her eyes widening in shock. "S-sorry? I don't know what you-"

"You know you have a thing for him, so just tell him already, why don't you," Davis interrupted, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"I keep telling her the same thing, but she never listens," Gatomon informed the goggle-headed leader, her tail twitching lazily in the breeze.

"Gatomon!"

"Well, it's true."

Kari ignored her partner, and feeling rather embarrassed, she mumbled, "It's not that simple."

"Why not?" Veemon asked curiously, looking rather confused. "I don't get it. Why do humans always make things more complicated than they have to be?"

"He does have a point there," Davis insisted, smiling fondly at his partner.

"But-"

"I don't know what the big deal is. It's obvious T.K. likes you back," Davis snorted, nodding his head for emphasis.

That made Kari pause, the words she had been about to say dying instantly in her throat. "You...really think so?"

"Duh, would I say something like that if I didn't mean it?"

"Did he...tell you that?"

"Not exactly, but come on, it's kind of obvious."

"I don't know about that..."

"You don't want him to end up with somebody else, do you?"

At those words, Kari felt a sudden sharp stab of pain in her chest, and seeing the look on her face, Davis pulled her back into a hug, an apologetic look in his steady gaze. "Well, say something then. If he's going to be a wimp and not say anything to you first, then you have to say something to him. I don't like seeing you guys all...you know, moody and sad, and stuff."

"What about you?" Kari asked softly, pulling back so she could look directly into his dark eyes.

Davis shrugged, a half smile on his face. "I'll live."

Davis...

Kari returned the hug, a small frown on her face. "Davis...I...you know, I mostly just want you and T.K. to be good friends."

"We are," Davis assured her, giving her the thumbs up. "Uh...don't tell him I said this, but I'll admit he's a pretty cool guy, and you know...I'm kinda worried about him as much as I'm worried about you."

"I know. Davis, could you promise me something?"

"Sure, whatever you want."

"Could you just...stick close to T.K. for me, please? Don't let him worry too much. And if you could do the same for Willis, I would really appreciate it."

Davis looked beyond confused, but he nodded all the same, a smile on his face. "I don't really get it, but...if that's what you want."

"Thanks, Davis."

"No problem. Uh...I guess we should probably get going, huh? Those baby digimon aren't going to save themselves, as awesome as that would be. Seriously, I'm getting sick of all the walking. It's making me hungry, and if we don't hurry up soon, I'm gonna starve to death."

"Me too!" Veemon said enthusiastically, leaping up and tugging on his partner's jeans to get him moving.

"Is that all you two ever think about?" Gatomon scolded, her tail twitching in annoyance. "Those baby digimon are more important than your stomachs. If Elecmon could hear you now..."

Kari started to laugh, and pulling Davis to his feet, she motioned for him to follow her down the next closest street.

Though she still had her fears, speaking to Davis had definitely made her feel better, though she wasn't sure yet if she could bring herself to believe what he had said about T.K.

Could T.K. really care about me after all this time, even though I was the one who pushed him away without meaning to?

Hope had always been more T.K.'s thing than hers, but even so she found herself wanting to believe. Not only would all of her dreams come true, but they would also stand a better chance of bringing Willis into their circle if they could put up a united front to gain his trust.

She still had no idea what was going on with T.K., Yolei, and Izzy, or what was going on with Willis, but there was one thing she was sure of. Whatever was going on in the Digital World, Willis and T.K. needed her, and she knew, somewhere along the line, she was going to need them too.