Parents, Pt 2

"Are you alright, Eimi?"

Koushiro was standing over Eimi, who was collapsed in a cushy seat at Tokyo Big Sight, Odaiba's convention center. Her eyes were wide and vacant, and she was staring at nothing, her expression alarmingly bovine. He could hardly blame her, given everything that had happened today. The business with Phantomon, facing her father, meeting Yamato's father at the TV station, regrouping with the others, learning that her other cousin, Taichi's sister Hikari, was the eighth Chosen Child, watching Wizardmon die, seeing Angewomon defeat Myotismon...

Koushiro was, of course, glad to find the newest Digidestined, and even more glad to see Myotismon fall. But he couldn't shake the feeling that something still wasn't quite right, and he was sure Eimi was picking up on the same signals that he was noticing. For one, the fog still hadn't dissipated, as it should have the moment Myotismon fell. For another, well...

The children had all wanted to recover their parents, so everyone went to the convention center, where all of the captured humans had been corralled by Myotismon's forces. They expected to find everyone confused and panicked, but basically well. What they found was a seemingly endless stretch of people lying on their backs, chanting disturbingly, not responding to anyone or anything. Eimi took one look at Taichi leaning over his mother and frantically calling to her, turned around, found a quiet corner, and shut herself off, like a robotic toy removed from its power source.

She didn't respond , so he put his hands on her shoulders and shook gently. Her eyes snapped into focus, and she tipped her head inquiringly. Her normal brightness and animation were completely absent from her expression, and that frightened Koushiro. Eimi didn't seem like Eimi at all without them, and it reminded him of that injured persona that she had recently worked so hard to discard.

"Are you alright?" he repeated, placing his hands over her shoulders. She blinked at him, then smiled ruefully. The fact that she was unwilling to answer spoke leagues. Eimi didn't like making people worry, so she would stay silent instead of speaking up when she should. Koushiro sighed and tightened his hold on her.

"Fair enough," he said quietly. "Just try to rest, for now. I'll come back if anything develops. Galemon, would you please watch over her?" He turned his attention to the pink dolphin floating hazily a few feet away.

Always. Galemon's mind voice sounded worn, but Koushiro knew that she would stay alert for Eimi's sake. Nodding, Koushiro patted Eimi's shoulders, then took a hesitant step away. Eimi didn't call for him or try to follow, and that worried him. When he glanced over his shoulder, he saw her eyelids drooping. She slid down in the seat, curled up on her side, and closed her eyes. Almost instantly, it seemed, her breathing became deep and even.

Needs rest, Galemon said, sounding distant and stressed. What boy do?

Koushiro cleared his throat and sighed. "I'm going to check in with the others, and then I'm going to try and discern the meaning behind the chanting. I'll return the moment I have any information. If something happens, please let me or Tentomon know." Galemon nodded, floated over to him, nudged his face with her snout, then returned to her human.

Koushiro turned and walked away, waiting until he was out of earshot to speak. "Did Galemon just express affection towards me?" he asked Tentomon, who was buzzing over his shoulder.

"It would seem so," he replied.

"Why would she do that?" Koushiro wondered, absently touching his cheek. "She's partnered to Eimi, not to me."

A faint sound of amusement drifted down to Koushiro's ears. "Well, the four of us have spent a lot of time together, particularly when we were searching for Gennai. I believe you've grown on her. Besides, you make Eimi happy, and so Galemon is invested in you."

Koushiro stroked his chin as he absorbed that information. "So... It would follow that you feel a certain affection towards Eimi, as well." He tilted his head back to look up at Tentomon.

"Naturally," he replied. "At any rate, once Eimi finally began to speak to me, I found that I like her. I would care about her regardless, but the fact that she's the only human you really connect with makes her rather priceless, as far as I'm concerned."

A befuddled sound slipped out of Koushiro's lips, and he felt his brow begin to furrow. He hadn't explored the implications of the Chosen Children making deep relationships with each other's Digimon partners. He mulled over it for a moment, then dismissed the thought. There were more pressing issues at hand, and he began to think about the chanting and possible meanings behind it.

"Koushiro! Koushiro!" The boy paused and looked about, then twitched when he saw his parents approaching him.

"Mom?" he blurted. "Dad? What are you doing here? Why did you leave my bedroom? The protection program-"

"We know, son, we know," his father said. "We sheltered some people who managed to hide from the monsters when they came to Odaiba Mansion, and they told us that everyone was being held hostage in the convention center, so we came to see if we could do anything."

His mother shuddered as she approached him. "But then, we find everyone chanting! They won't respond to anything. Do you have any idea what's going on, Koushiro? And where's Eimi-chan? You promised me you'd stay together."

Although Koushiro didn't like that his parents had ventured away from the safe zone, he had to admit that something inside of him was relaxing at the sight of them. When his mother took hold of his shoulders, his hands automatically rose to hers, returning their caress.

"I'm afraid I haven't had time to look into it yet, but I was just about to begin. Eimi-chan is here, taking a nap in a quiet room. She's had a particularly trying day." Part of him wanted to pay attention to his parents, but the team needed him to get to work. He shifted awkwardly and trailed his thumbs along the straps of his backpack.

His parents shared a long look, and Koushiro's attention focused in on them. His intuition sparked up, warning him that something might be amiss. He rarely used to trust such feelings, but his perception had shifted during his exposure to Eimi, Galemon, and their eerily accurate predictions. While he hardly saw himself as a psychic, he was more willing to allow the possibility of instinct these days.

"Koushiro..." Masami began. "Before you and your friends face any more monsters, there's something... There's something your mother and I need to discuss with you."

His parents looked unaccountably grim, even given the current situation, and somehow, Koushiro knew exactly what was about to happen. A blind panic overtook him, and he had a strong desire to flee, but his respect for his parents, combined with his curiosity, kept him in place. This was it. After years of avoiding this moment, of hiding from this issue and wishing for it to disappear, it was finally going to come to light. Koushiro's hands began to shake, and he clung to the straps of his backpack in an attempt to still them.

"I see," he said quietly, staring at his shoes. "Tentomon, would you mind keeping an eye on Eimi while I speak with my parents?" His partner stared at him for a long, uncomfortable moment, then nodded, executed a clumsy bow for his parents, and flew off. Koushiro knew, of course, that there was no way Tentomon had moved himself out of earshot. His partner was not without his own sense of curiosity, and there were plenty of seats and columns in the convention center for him to hide behind. He'd be out there, listening, but at least his parents would be afforded the illusion of privacy.

His parents ushered him off to a secluded corner, and Koushiro followed, feeling nervous, afraid, and terribly heart sore. Worries and fears overwhelmed him to the point where walking was a challenge. Would his parents unwittingly tell him that they didn't love him as much as a biological son? Would they admit to being embarrassed by having such a nerdy, withdrawn, foreign child in their home? And, of course, overriding all the others was the fear that this encounter would put even more distance between Koushiro and his adopted parents.

Finally, their little group came to a halt, and his parents shared another worried, uncertain glance. His father cleared his throat and put and arm around his mother's waist, pulling her in, no doubt trying to calm her. "Son," he began at last, and Koushiro fought not to twitch. He enjoyed having that title; would he still have it after this conversation?

"Son, we have something to tell you, and I'm afraid it's going to be something of a shock."

Yoshie closed her eyes, breathed deeply, and leaned into her husband. Koushiro's eyes followed her lips, and he waited for all of his suppressed fears to crash through the walls around his heart. He was suddenly reminded of a documentary he had seen on dams. The water crashed through the structure with the force and fury of a tempest, flooding and destroying the town below.

"You're adopted, Koushiro. Biologically... Biologically, you're not our son."

Despite the fact that he already knew this information, Koushiro's breath caught so sharply that his lungs seized up. He threw all of his effort and thoughts into behaving normally, a desperate defense mechanism that he hoped would spare him from more of this pain.

"I know." His tone was bland, robotic, but it was the best he could do. "I know."

There was a soft, mewling moan from his mother. "But- Koushiro- Was it something we did?" Koushiro shuddered when her voice broke. "We never meant to make you feel like you weren't our son-"

"No, no." Koushiro forced himself to look up at his mother. He tried to smile, but he just couldn't manage it. "It's nothing like that. I simply overheard you discussing the matter when I was very young."

Masami sighed and rubbed his arm. "You've known all this time," he said heavily. "We always meant to tell you, but we were afraid that you weren't ready, that it would be too much of a shock, that it would hurt you. But..." He tipped his head and glanced away. "All this time, and you didn't mention it? That... That must have been so lonely."

His father didn't express emotions that obviously, but Koushiro could detect the pain and confusion in his voice. And, when he began to speak, he could hear it there, as well. "I tried to pretend that I hadn't heard anything, but I've never had much of a gift for distorting my memory. I tried to convince myself that I misunderstood you, but that wasn't effective, either." He licked his lips nervously, then tried to summon his strength and courage. Somehow, he found that he had a lot more of both than he remembered having. "In the end, my mind absorbed the truth, and I just wasn't able to handle it. The only coping mechanism I could find was distraction."

His father sighed, then dropped his forehead into his palm. "The computer," he breathed. "That's why you suddenly started spending all of your time on the computer."

Koushiro managed half a nod. He hated causing his parents pain, and he knew that they would feel guilty about causing him such distress. But he was also truly beginning to comprehend the importance of honesty. Truth could be devastating, but if a person could survive it, they could eventually find peace and freedom. And what was science, if not the pursuit of truth?

That thought reminded him of the first time he opened his father's laptop and stumbled onto the internet. Koushiro wasn't overly impressed with his own capabilities, but perhaps he was somewhat gifted. Without even knowing what the internet was, he had managed to access a satellite and observe space in real time that day. Those images soothed him, piqued his interest, made him wonder about faraway worlds and forget the one around him. It sucked him in like a whirlpool, easing his pain and nurturing his curiosity and intelligence.

Looking back on it, he was hooked on discovery from the moment he first set eyes on the stars through that screen.

The sound of his mother sniffling pulled him back into the present. "I'm so sorry- I'm so sorry- I can't believe we hurt you so much that you felt you had to escape. And now... And now, you're..."

Koushiro reached for her and stepped forward, desperate to calm her. "I'm sorry, too, mom. If I were braver, I would have taken Eimi's advice and approached you about what I overheard, but instead... Instead, I allowed it to fester in silence, and the issue grew much more hurtful than it actually was. Worse yet, I..." Koushiro paused and averted his eyes, so that he was staring at nothing. Speaking so frankly about this was difficult for him, even though he had been expecting to do so for a while.

"I built a wall around myself, and I grew more and more distant from you and the rest of the world every day. I never meant to shut you out like that. It was never my intention to cause you concern, or to put strain on our relationship." He paused long enough to rub his eyes, which had gone oddly hot and blurry. "But... At the same time, please don't apologize for whatever role you may or may not have played in my withdrawal. Although I would like to improve myself in many ways, I am happy with my interest in computers, math, and science. Those skills have been vital to me over the course of my encounters with Digimon. And while I still have a lot to learn about relating to the people around me, I'm beginning to see that it may be possible for me to expand my world." In truth, ever since he overheard that he was adopted, Koushiro had been skeptical about his value as a person beyond his knowledge base. But then, people of little worth didn't typically inspire other people to protect them with their lives, as both Tentomon and Eimi were willing to do. It was clearly time for reassessment.

"Koushiro... We really want to apologize to you," his father said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We meant to protect you, but we ended up causing damage, regardless. Is there anything we can do to try and make it up to you?"

Part of him suspected that he should decline this offer, but his curiosity was already taking control of his tongue. "How did you end up adopting me?" he asked. It occurred to him that, even after years of knowing that he was adopted, he had no idea how adoption actually worked. He pictured couples standing in front of nurseries and selecting a child, then dismissed that image as being silly and unlikely.

Yoshie immediately began to wring her hands, and Koushiro wondered if the question was somehow hurtful. "We... We can't have children of our own, Koushiro," his father said softly. "Biologically, there's a problem there. So, when my distant cousin and his wife died in a car crash, and we were asked if we wanted to adopt you, their son..."

"We had wanted a child for years," Yoshie said, and a tear dripped down her cheeks. "Of course we said yes, especially since we knew that your father was a good man. We wanted to make sure his child was provided for."

Although there was a heavy sense of sadness in his gut, a spark of interest still lit up in Koushiro's mind. If his adopted parents knew his biological parents, then he might be able to learn more about them. Part of him wondered if it was rude to make the inquiry, but he couldn't seem to help himself.

"What were they like?" he asked, drumming his fingers along the straps of his backpack. He had no way to explain his intense interest in two people who were long dead. Perhaps that was the strength of shared blood?

"They were wonderful," Yoshie breathed. "Your mother, Misaki-san, was the sweetest woman I've ever known. She was a bit distractable, and she sometimes had a temper, but she was a wonderful pediatrician and a gifted harpist."

"And your father was Satoru-san, a scientist. He performed research at an esteemed university and taught a few classes, as well." His father sighed and rubbed his chin. "In many ways, you're his spitting image. The red hair, the dark eyes, the heavy brow... Even the way you speak and forget about the world when you're working. I'm sure they both would be so proud if they could see you now."

"Mm." Koushiro wasn't sure how he was feeling. He was detecting traces of pride, likely resulting from hearing positive things about his birth parents, but at the same time... They were dead. What mattered most was the two people standing in front of him right now.

"Of course, I think we're proud enough of you for all four of us," his mother said, and Koushiro's neck cracked as he whipped his head up to look at her. Her eyes were watery, but she was smiling. Koushiro's heart began to pound, although he wasn't really sure why. He suddenly felt a sense of hope and suspense, and his attention focused solely on his parents.

"That's true." There was faint pressure on his shoulder as Masami clapped it and smiled down at him.

"Koushiro, even though we're not related by blood, we're still a family. You are the greatest part of our lives. It doesn't matter at all to us that you're adopted. You are our son, and we love you. We always have." Yoshie's chin trembled, and she pressed her palms to Koushiro's face. His cheeks blazed as those loaded words registered in his mind, but, although they made him mildly uncomfortable, they also fed a terrible need inside of him. "We always will."

Koushiro tried in vain to say something intelligent, then tried to parrot the sentiment, but, after years of faithful service, his brain completely shut down on him. "Mom," he choked, throwing his arms around her. He buried his face in her apron, hoping to hide his tears. Then, his mother's arms were around his waist, and his father's hands were on his shoulders, and he acknowledged at last that he belonged with them.

Author's Note: I meant to include another scene, but it was too jarring to move from this to something else.

What always annoyed me about this conversation was that Koushiro doesn't ask about his mother. He specifically says, "What was my father like?" (in the English dub). This is probably because Masami was related to the father, and not the mother, so he might know more about the father. In reality, of course, it was to save time in a jam-packed episode, and I doubt it's supposed to be indicative of Koushiro's personality. Either way, I made sure he asked about both of them.

Those of you who read Insurgence may recognize Koushiro's birth parents XD

That's all I got for now. The kids will be back in the Digiworld in the next installment. Also, please check out my tumblr (there's a link in my profile) for drawings of Eimi, Galemon, Koushiro, Taichi, and Yamato, and for some comments on writing and stuff.

Thanks for reading!