"Yes. His reaction mostly. I'm worried how it will affect the team..." Koushiro trailed off, glancing at Sora in a way she thought resembled pleading.

She understood what he was asking of her. "Don't worry, Koushiro. I'll break the news to Taichi. I think he'll take it better than you're hoping." The carrot-haired girl placed a hand reassuringly on the younger boy's shoulder. "It'll be fine."

"I hope you're right, Sora."

She smiled at him, the gesture saying: don't worry so much. Sora walked after the Yagami siblings, aiming to have a word with Taichi about Koushiro's dilemma. She hoped for the genius' sake that Taichi would take the news of Koushiro's feelings for Hikari seriously and not act like it was a joke. Because Sora knew Koushiro would be crushed if his best friend rejected him.

Koushiro glanced at the apartment complex where the Yagami's lived one last time, before he started trudging away, with Tentomon at his side.

"Taichi!" Sora called out, catching up to the boy and his sister.

"What's up, Sora?"

"Well, I was just wondering…"

The girl paused; trying to bring up the subject naturally was proving more difficult than she had imagined.

"Umm… hey Hikari, what do you think of Koushiro?"

"What do you mean?" replied Hikari, cocking her head in confusion.

"Like… do you think he's… umm…"

"Nice?" Hikari interjected.

"Yes! That's exactly what I meant!"

"Sure. He's a nice boy. Why do you ask?"

"Yeah… why do you ask?" repeated Taichi, furrowing his brow.

"Well, I… you see, I…"

Sora nervously glanced between Taichi and Hikari; finally, she settled on Taichi, whispering something into his ear. The boy's eyes widened and focused on his sister.

"Just what's going on?" asked a thoroughly-perplexed Hikari as she placed her hands upon her hips.

Taichi glanced back at Sora, still surprised. "Really?" Sora nodded, smiling. He seemed to be taking the news well enough. "… Uh, well… Hikari..." The gogglehead exhaled, trying to steel his nerves. "… Koushiro likes you… He has feelings for you." There, now he'd said it and it was open to her interpretation.

Hikari blinked casually, taking the information on board. "Okay!" came her light-hearted answer. "Does he want me to talk to him?"

When Taichi didn't answer due to him still processing the message, Sora piped up. "I'm sure he would love that, Hikari. You can do it tomorrow, though. It's almost night-time and Taichi wants to get home."

Hikari nodded. "Thanks for the message. I'll see everyone tomorrow."

"You will," Sora replied, smiling softly. "Bye." She left the Yagami siblings and made her way back to her own apartment building, making a mental note to check on Koushiro tomorrow after Hikari had talked to him.

Later that night, Taichi was groping around under the sofa where Hikari thought the Digivice was. His hand bumped against something, so he readjusted his position and brought out a Digivice that was the same model as his and everyone else's.

"Is this what Wizarmon wanted your help to find?" The elder Yagami asked his younger sister. Hikari gave a noise of confirmation. "But whose is it?" Taichi looked stumped.

Hikari reached for it and it immediately shone. As fast as it shone, Taichi was in denial mode. "No. No, no, no. My sister can not be the Eighth Chosen Child."

"The evidence is there before your eyes, clear as day." A sharp voice bit out.

Taichi glanced over to the open balcony and his eyes widened when he saw Wizarmon and Tailmon standing there, Wizarmon feeling quite satisfied. "We know who the Eighth Child is, but who is her partner?" The elven Digimon mused.

"You two!" Taichi looked vexed. "How long have you been standing there?!"

"Long enough," replied Tailmon. "Long enough to know that your sister is the one Vamdemon is looking for."

"You wouldn't dare!" said Taichi, standing in front of his sister defensively.

"You're correct. I wouldn't. My loyalty to Vamdemon exists in name only," explained Wizarmon.

"Then why are you searching for the Eighth Child?"

"All my life, I've been searching..." said Wizarmon contemplatively. "For what, I don't know… but I can't help shake the feeling that the Eighth Child has something to do with it…"

"Hey Taichi, who are you talking to?"

Agumon walked out onto the balcony, doing a double take when he saw who was standing there.

"Look out!" he shouted, instinctively directing a Baby Flame towards Tailmon and Wizarmon… but Hikari happened to be standing right in front of the duo. At once, Wizarmon pushed the girl out of the way, absorbing the brunt of the attack.

Groaning in pain, Wizarmon fell to one knee, his staff the only thing supporting him. "Wizarmon, are you alright?" Tailmon asked from in front of him, shielding Hikari from any further Baby Flames.

"I-I'm fine, Tailmon. I've been through worse, but you would remember that." Wizarmon shook off the pain, stood up and gently touched Tailmon's shoulder.

The feline released her hold on the girl and glanced over at Agumon. "That was dumb, Child level. You could have seriously hurt Hikari!" She recalled an old myth, saying that if the Chosen Child died, their Digimon died as well. That would have been counter-productive for Wizarmon to die before Vamdemon had been stopped.

"Wizarmon!" shouted Hikari, running over to the Digimon and hugging him. "You saved my life!"

As the girl laid her hands upon him, her Digivice began to glow again. At once, Wizarmon felt rejuvenated, the pain of the attack completely washing away.

"Well, would you look at that?" marvelled Tailmon, smiling at her friend. "I think we may have found the Eighth Child's partner..."

"No... no way!" stammered Taichi. "This can't be happening! My sister is a Chosen Child and her partner is evil?"

"I resent that, you know!" said Wizarmon, placing his hands upon his hips indignantly. "I already told you, the only reason I joined Vamdemon was to help find what I was looking for. Now that I've found it - or rather, found her - I no longer need to feign allegiance to him."

"Hey, you did not find what you were looking for!" snapped Taichi. "You are not Hikari's partner!"

"I'd rethink my stance if I were you," Tailmon cautioned. "Vamdemon is trying to kill your sister. She needs all the help she can get... and who better to protect her than her very own partner?"

Hikari turned to face her brother, standing beside Wizarmon. "They're right, onii-chan. I feel connected to Wizarmon; is that the bond you spoke of when you mentioned Agumon before?"

"It's not just Hikari who is in danger, either," Wizarmon added, wincing at a pain in his head. It seemed he was on the move. "Vamdemon is on the move and night is his element. There might be children here visiting Odaiba from other districts who will need the Chosen Children's help."

Taichi was in between a rock and a hard place. "I…" He gave in reluctantly and bowed his head in defeat. "Oh alright… But I don't think the others are going to be happy with this outcome..."

Tailmon shook her head fiercely, teeth bared. "It doesn't matter what they think. Not anymore. The Chosen Children are united and can defeat Vamdemon once and for all..."

"Wait Tailmon," Wizarmon interrupted. He remembered talking to another Chosen Digimon, the ninth apparently. He was also in Vamdemon's services. Could it be his partner was visiting Odaiba at this time? "There was a ninth Chosen Digimon… a Stingmon. He's also in Vamdemon's employ. I believe his partner will be visiting Odaiba around this time."

Taichi raised an eyebrow, shocked at the news. "A Ninth Chosen Child?!"

Wizarmon nodded. "Yes. He's like you; an original Crest Bearer. I think his partner found the Crest and Tag belonging to his human before winding up under Vamdemon. Keeping it secure was a great risk, but he succeeded."