The REAL Fourth Generation Interlude

Which still isn't techically an interlude because PLOT damn it.

Another day, another boring class. Takuya slouched in his desk, doodling on his notes. It was a terrible piece of work—he thought it was supposed to be Neemon, but he wasn't sure. It had the oversized ears for it.

Neemon…his eyes drifted to the empty desk. It had been so long since Kouji didn't show up for class. They'd ended up in the same middle school, much to Takuya's delight. It was hard to keep track of everyone nowadays…they were scattered all over the city. As days and months and years drifted by the group had grown apart. Or they would have, if Takuya didn't make an effort to arrange a meet up once every month or so.

He hadn't heard from Izumi in nearly three weeks when she'd called him early one morning after he'd been woken from a fading dream. His hand had drifted to the phone, he had to call someone…and there she was.

It didn't matter that it was Sunday, that most of them had homework due the next day, they'd convened at a park near Tomoki's neighborhood, the youngest being the one with the most parental restrictions.

Two hadn't shown up. Kouji hadn't answered the phone calls. An attempt to call Kouichi's home phone had resulted in a clumsy attempt to stave off a worried mother. Takuya got a call from Kouji's step-mother soon after.

Neither knew where the twins were. Takuya had traded glances with Junpei. He frowned and shook his head. They suspected—but…how could that soothe worried parents?

So Takuya had just joked it off and said they'd probably gone out together, and would be back later that day.

Their adventures had only taken a couple hours last time, anyway. It was a decent enough estimate.

It's been nearly three months, Takuya thought, chewing absently on his pencil. There were missing person reports out now. Takuya felt that he should be worried. He really should. Maybe they were kidnapped or something.

But the chances of both vanishing, on the same night, from houses on complete separate districts of the city? And then there was the strange dream Takuya had, waking him up in the middle of the night, his cellphone glowing with a distinctly familiar pattern.

It had to be the Digital World.

But why only them? If only two of them were to go, it should have been Takuya and Kouji. He wasn't even being arrogant about it; they'd been the only ones to unlock double spirit evolution. Kouichi was as strong as the rest of them—stronger even, given the crap he'd gone through along the way—but if there was some sort of threat, then wouldn't Takuya be the better choice?

He stopped, realizing he'd been sketching Agunimon's symbol in the corner of the page. Maybe he was just jealous. He wanted another adventure. He knew Izumi and Junpei didn't share his sentiments. Junpei never complained that he'd gone that afternoon, three years ago, but he was also settled now, happy with himself and his friends who liked him for more than his dumb jokes and magic tricks. Izumi…she'd…grown. She'd stopped trying to fit in, and just became herself. She was having fun in school, with new friends and more confidence. One of these days Takuya wondered if she wouldn't show up for their monthly gathering, simply because one of her girlfriends took her shopping.

And yet she'd still made it three months ago, with no warning other than a hushed call in the wee hours of the morning.

Tomoki now…even if he had grown the most, he felt Tomoki wouldn't mind going back to the digital world if they could. The shrimp wasn't quite a shrimp anymore and was starting to catch up to Takuya. And with his new found height came new found confidence. Chakmon had given Tomoki the seed of it, and now it was beginning to bloom.

"Mr. Kanbara—if you find my class so uninteresting, the door is right over there."

The teacher's disapproving words cut through his musings, and he reddened, ducking his head against the giggles from his classmates. He flipped the paper over, picked up his pencil, and tried to pay attention, scratching notes occasionally. But looking at the whiteboard had him looking at Kouji's empty seat.

Sometime during class he thought he heard his phone buzz. He didn't dare check it, not with the teacher swooping through the rows of desks as he talked.

Finally the bell for lunch rang, and the teacher's parting words were swallowed up by student chattering and the scraping of chairs and shuffling of books and bags. Takuya shoved his notebook and textbook into his bag, and then stopped. His phone was blinking. He fished it out, leaving his lunch in its box at the bottom of the bag.

A text message.

He snatched his hat off the back of his chair, all but smashing it in place on his head as he scrambled out of his desk. Everyone had stopped eating and talking, looking at him. He ignored them all, throwing his bag over his shoulder. He had to leave.

"Mr. Kanbara! Where do you think you are going?"

He just waved vaguely in the direction of the teacher's voice, shouting something about an emergency. He'd be written up for this, but he found he didn't really care. All he could remember was the message. He'd been waiting for it, believing it would never come.

Meet me at the station. Make your excuses.

He assumed the others got the message too, so he didn't bother texting them. Instead he wracked his brain to figure out what to tell his parents.

"Sorry, I'm off to chase my destiny—I haven't been kidnapped, I promise!" sounded just as dumb as it had last time…

x-x-x

Takuya waited impatiently as the elevator dinged each floor, the red light slowly traveling down the indicator. It felt so much faster last time. A part of him feared that it would reach the bottom floor and just stop. Just as it had when Takuya had tried the elevator once they'd repaired it.

He hadn't necessarily wanted to go back then—he'd just been curious. That's all. Really.

He hadn't run into anyone yet. Maybe the others beat him to it? Tomoki lived pretty close to Shibuya station, which was how he'd gotten here the last time. Maybe they were going to wait until school let out—Kouji hadn't specified a time. Takuya was just too impatient.

He held his breath as the elevator dinged for the basement floor. It shuddered, and Takuya thought it would stop.

And then the red light vanished, the elevator continuing its journey downward. The grey steel walls dissapeared, the world opening up around him as the elevator passed through the top of the enormous cavern. He shivered. The last time he'd been here…

But it seemed in miraculous shape given the trashing Lucemon had given it. It was just…so empty. The tracks still spread out from the central hub like a star, but there were no Trailmon waiting. There were no kids loitering around, debating whether or not to get on a train and leave their world behind. The doors slid open with a hiss, letting Takuya out onto the concrete platform. It was chill. He shuddered, grateful for the long sleeves of his winter uniform. As much as he hated the new school's uniform policy, he had to admit it was warm.

There wasn't anyone here. Not his friends. Not Kouji. Not anyone.

"Hello?" His voice echoed in the cavern. He heard answering echoes greeting him back, but that just made him shiver again.

And then…he wasn't alone.

"I shoulda known you would ditch school." Takuya recognized those clothes. He glanced down to make sure he was still in the dark blue of his uniform—yep—and then looked back at the boy standing calmly at the end of one of the platforms. He had his hands stuffed in his pockets. That was Takuya's favorite shirt and jacket—they were lamentably too small for him now—and the hat…

The boy turned, and the glare from the overhead lights caught in the lenses of square goggles. Takuya's hand went to the ones resting on his own head—the exact same.

The hair was wrong. More red than brown. The eyes green. Skin darker than Takuya's ever got, even in the middle of summer. "Who are you?"

The boy sighed heavily, "Not this again…Suffice to say I'm the Warrior of Fire. I called you here because I need your help."

"Kouji called me here." It had been Kouji's number. That was how he'd known what station to go to. That was why he hadn't questioned it.

"I did that." Exasperated, the boy rested his palm against his face for a moment, shaking his head slowly, "Kouji needs help. Kouichi's doing his best, and I…I can't help anymore. Not without you."

Kouji needed help. Wasn't he just thinking earlier that he should have been one to go? He should have been the one to go on this adventure?

And now he could. Why was he hesitating?

Was it his doppelganger? Was it how worn down he looked? Was it the green of fading bruises on his face? The white of healing scars and the holes peppering the sleeves of his jacket? He'd been in a fight. A nasty one at that.

Was it the thought that someone else was the warrior of fire, and not him? That he was replacable?

And really, in the end, what did all that matter? His best friend was in trouble. That was enough for him.

Kouji hadn't once accused him of recklessness for nothing.

"How are we going to get there without a Trailmon?"

His double's troubled face eased into a smile, and he strode forward, eating up the distance between them. "We don't need one. Give me your phone."

He held out a gloved hand. Takuya looked down at the cellphone sitting innocently in his own. Resolutely he held it out, placing it in his double's upturned palm.

The little machine burst to life, and Takuya tried to jerk away in surprise. But his hand remained clasped in the other's, the cellphone shining between their palms. He could almost watch the change, from nondescript ordinary cellphone to the black and red D-Scanner Takuya remembered vividly.

He caught eyes with his double; saw the fanged smile…and then everything went black.

x-x-x

He came to moments later. He was standing alone on the platform. His head throbbed as memories slotted themselves neatly into his mind—three years worth of blurred existence, and then a sharp week. Takuya put a hand to his aching temple, trying to process the sheer amount of information. His hat must have gotten skewed—his hair was irritating his eyes. But most of that wasn't important. Most of the memories weren't important. He had to find the right ones.

And then he found it, shining like a star. LordKnightmon. A fallen angel. Kouichi, angrier than Takuya'd ever seen. His eyes glimmering a feral gold in the light.

He took my brother.

It felt weird that he didn't need to wonder what to do. He slid the D-Scanner into his jacket—his JACKET, not his uniform. It reminded him of getting off that Dark Trailmon. He'd known what he'd needed to do. He'd found surety in Agnimon back then. He found comfort and direction in Flamemon now. His other had known, and he would guide him.

But it wasn't an other now. He closed his eyes, reaching for the spirits. They felt…changed. But it was an old friend, a missing piece of himself slotted back into place. The other's pain and weariness and worry settled around him like a well-worn jacket. He'd been pushed to his limit—done his best. Now it was Takuya's turn.

Slide Evolution.

Flaming wings spread in the still air as Hiryumon crouched on the edge of the platform.

If felt strange to be going on this journey alone. But at the same time, he wasn't alone at all.

Taking to flight, Hiryumon soared down the tunnel, further and further from the world he knew, and into one he knew better than ever.

x-x-x

I've gone after Kouji. Don't worry about me.

Tomoki stared accusingly at the message on the screen, but it wasn't going away. He sat alone on the swings, far from the playing of the other kids. Recess was almost over. He knew that. He also knew his phone would be taken away if the teachers caught him with it once it ended. But he couldn't bring himself to put it away.

I've gone after Kouji.

It was dated only minutes ago. Tomoki had immediately called back, only for it to ring. And ring. And keep ringing.

Don't worry about me.

There was the bell.

He slid off the swing, turning to shuffle back inside without drawing any attention to himself.

But Ai would notice it. Mako too. They pestered him with questions—he wasn't normally so sour faced. Had he gotten hurt? Was something wrong?

He put on a brave face and laughed off their concern. He was fine.

He was fine…even as a cold chill settled in his gut.

Takuya-niisan…why didn't you take me with you?

x-x-x

A/N: And now onward to the Dark Area!

But yes, a few people were asking about what was going on in the Frontier-verse, way back when. I guess we get a glimpse of it now?

And if anyone is wondering about the time-relationship between the two worlds—I have no idea. I gave up trying to figure it out. I ended up picking arbitrary lengths of time. There is a difference, but I don't know how much it is.

I also don't know why the last section with Tomoki snuck in there. It has no relevance to the plot (which is about the only part that actually falls under the interlude category) but it made me feel sad so I kept it.

Hope you guys like this! The next Arc is the Dark Area. Things get a little crazy :) See you Wednesday!