I'm afraid this chapter is much shorter because BreakingWay isn't helping me anymore. I did get help from my friend halcyonhuer who sent me this chapter after editing it through Docx. Now this chapter had some help from other authors but I cant remember their name from an angry deleting message I did a week ago. Please read and review.
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In the Digital World, there are many strange things. Perhaps one of the strangest things was that it was so ironic how when the sun set, it still remained a calm night, despite turmoil in their lives.
Despite the feelings of sorrow and helplessness.
"Why are you out here alone?" Gwen jumped a little, only to figure a second later that the voice belonged to Josh.
"It's dangerous to be separated from the group." He continued, "We don't know what dangerous Digimon might attack us next. Come to the campsite. It's peaceful now that Sandy is sleeping and the other two are counting rocks."
"I know, but I need sometime alone." She replied.
Josh kept silent for a moment. "Yes I understand. If you don't mind however, may I accompany you?"
"She just said she wanted sometime alone." Dorumon retorted to Josh's statement.
"Uhhh…." Josh felt the heat rising to his cheeks, unsure of what to say after.
"It's alright." Gwen giggled. "Then there will be more of a chance that I'll be safe. Right, Lilymon?"
The Digimon nodded. "We can't be too sure though. There are many surprises in the Digital World. I say we are lucky enough to not run into Mega level Digimon yet."
"We have the power of five, we'll fend well." Josh replied in determination, before he lowered his eyes and his voice into a whisper. "I think it is quite funny that how our lives changed all of a sudden. Previously, I wanted to die, now I want to live so badly. It scares me to know once my life changed for the better, it is now hanging by a thread."
"What do you mean?" Gwen asked.
"I didn't have much of a childhood. I…" Josh recalled the series of traumatic events and the words got hogged in his throat.
"It's alright." Gwen smiled sadly. Josh looked as if he was in deep pain. "How about this? I'll tell you mine and then, later you tell me yours."
The boy looked up at her with a bashful smile. "Deal."
She took a huff. It was going to be tough for her, but now she knew that there was someone who somewhat shared the same understanding of darkness.
"Once upon a time, there was a little a girl. She was small and skinny. Not very smart either. She doesn't dare to talk to people. She didn't have many friends. She was scared of sports to top things off. Slowly, people begin bullying that girl."
YYY
"Why did you do it? You stop crying and tell me now!" The headmistress slammed her hands on the desk.
"I didn't!" She cried, but the words were muffled between hiccups. "They started it first."
A bunch of girls bigger than the crying one was huddled at the side of the room, sniggering.
"That doesn't mean you can do that. If you continue this behavior…" Before the lady finished, Gwen had already ran out from the office. The other girls erupting into soft malicious laughter. "What a dweep!"
"Gwen! Come back or I have to suspend you!" There was a yell, but she didn't care and continued running down the hallway.
"I'm different. So what if I'm different?" She threw the pebbles into the water. Her eyes were slightly puffy and her cheeks red. "So what if I don't know how to send an email? Or make hairpins? So what if I wanted to be an artist instead of some scientist?"
She paused, taking a breath. Her lungs were painful from crying and running. "Because of this, there is no understanding? I don't get it."
"There's nothing wrong in being different." She stopped her tearing and allowed her vision to clear up a little, before it revealed a boy lying near a tree trunk opposite the pond.
"Huh? You just appeared-"
"I did not. I've been here since you came here and started your long list of complaints." He replied nonchalantly.
"I'll leave." She quickly stood up and brushed the dirt of her dress.
"You shouldn't go back now. The woman still seemed pretty pissed at you. I can see her at standing at the side of the window shouting, haha, she looks like a mad woman." He burst out in laughter. He then proceeded to look at her. "What's your name?"
"Gwen." She pulled the hem of her skirt nervously.
"Hi, Gwen. I'm Shin. Glad to see someone refreshing as you."
The first time in her life, Gwen blushed.
YYY
"And then came the days of sunshine for the little girl. She had never met someone so strong, so perfect like that boy. He was like a dashing prince from a Disney movie. The boy was in a middle school round the corner of the road, he always propped by to skip his classes. But the days of peace have always been countable, however she never knew. Spring, summer, autumn and then winter. And another cycle and another. On the third winter, both had cultivated a winter rose of love. Then…"
YYY
Then, the halcyon days ended.
"Where do you want to go today, Gwen?"
"Hmm, we could look at the lake?"
"Sounds pretty ordinary." Shin huffed.
"We always did non-ordinary things like hunting cicadas in the summer or going exploring in the abandoned shrine. I wanted to do something different for once." She blushed a little, "Like more couple-y things."
The boy stole a glance at her before grinning a little under his scarf.
However they hadn't expected the lake to be so cold.
"It's frozen and the wind is strong…" Gwen mumbled. "I don't see ducks."
"Doesn't feel too romantic." Shin laughed. "If there were ducks, their feet would be stuck."
It was then suddenly, a huge figure hit Gwen from the back and she slid on the thin layer of ice. Instantly, there were crack lines and the sound of the ice giving way.
"Shin!" She cried.
Meanwhile, Shin was distraught by the big creature hovering between them. He got back his sense and then he faced her. "Gwen! Don't move! Just stay there!"
"The ice is cracking!" She screamed as she started crying.
The monster roared. Everything happened so fast. One moment, she felt herself flying to snow. The other moment, she saw Shin grappling that monster. Then it impaled him.
They fell into the frozen lake.
But not before he sent her his final smile.
For a second there, time seemed to stop. The snow kept piling up. She was hoping that there were sounds of him emerging from the water. But, there was only silence. And that silence buzzed in her ears.
And it continued when she looked at his picture engraved on a grey rock, with an incense stick.
YYY
"The days became dreary and bleak once more and she sat the picture of her prince on the table. And then one day, a digegg appeared beside it. That's how that little girl became a digi-destined." Gwen smiled.
"I'm sorry." Josh stated not knowing what to say again.
"That is why…" Gwen mumbled beneath her breath. "I have to get stronger, so I won't lose anyone important again."
"Then I'll suppose I tell my story?" Josh said.
"We should save it for another night. We have many more chances to talk." Gwen urged him to the camp site, where everyone was finally sleeping.
She looked up to the stars, where they seemed like glittering silver paint thrown across a black canvas. Like her best art piece.
"Beautiful, not conventional at all." She could hear him say and smile when he stroked it. But the memory of that smile was slightly faded.
"What will you name it? Reflection of the Night? Or something classic like 'Starry night?'"
She never got to name it, never gave him a reply to that.
"The Digital World, I guess." She whispered.
"What's wrong, Gwen?" Josh turned back
"Nothing." She gave him a determined look. She would continue living.
YYY
When the last of the fire crackled to the point of a small candle flame, there was a rustle. Somewhere in the shadows, someone was watching.
