A/N: Thank you for your patience on my updates! I'm happy to finally break my hiatus, especially with this fic. Please enjoy.


DIGITAL RECOVERY

Chapter 16

System Reformation


-Taichi-


The moment Taichi stepped out of the elevator, he noticed that nobody on the department floor was working.

Rather, his fellow coworkers were not hunched over their computers and quietly typing and clicking away, but they were either swiveling in their chairs or leaning against their cubicle walls as they chatted among themselves. He greeted them all with a smile and a "Morning!" as he made his way down the walkway towards his own cubicle. The confusion he felt at the sight before him was already hidden behind that smile, but he had already been hiding the anxiety that had been growing ever since he parted ways with Koushiro at the train station not too long beforehand. It was the anxiety knowing that he would have to face Jensen and Nyla, after discovering what they knew.

Jensen and Nyla were the first two people he introduced himself to during his first day on the job. Jensen always jumped to his aid for any processing-related questions, and Nyla always seemed to be the assistant closest to his cubicle whenever his computer went haywire on him, or when he felt like drinking another cup of coffee.

The two of them seemed the most eager to be his friend. They convinced him to join them at the local pub on most nights after work, and they always spoke encouraging words, making even the hardest days on the job bearable for him.

However, Taichi discovered that they knew about the Digital World, about the Digimon, and about his connection to it. They knew more about him than just as "Taichi Yagami, Data Processor". They knew, and they didn't tell him a thing.

Taichi was desperate to find out why.

He tried to calm the whirling questions that dizzied his mind as he turned the corner into the walkway that led to his desk. His heartbeat quickened with every step closer, and he enclosed his hand around the digivice and tightened his grip, as though it would somehow give him the strength to speak to Jensen the moment he faced him in his cubicle. However, when he reached his desk and soon after stepped over to Jensen's next door, he came to find out that Jensen wasn't even sitting in it.

"Coffee, Yagami-san?"

Taichi turned to see the coffee pot in front of him and expected to look up to meet Nyla's blue eyes and red hair, but saw that he was facing the other assistant, her brunette hair twisted up in a large clip.

"I guess so…" Taichi said, removing his coat and setting it on the hook on the side of his cubicle. The assistant smiled and moved to his desk where he filled his empty mug with fresh coffee.

"Drinking coffee ought to be the hardest part of your day, today, huh?"

"What do you mean?"

"Oh-did you just get in? The system has been down all morning. No one's been able to work."

For however long it took, a system shutdown normally made all the pressure of daily goals and end-of-the-week deadlines disappear for Taichi and his fellow coworkers. The boss even gave more relief by extending their deadlines whenever something like this occurred. On an occasion like this, Taichi would join the conversations with his fellow coworkers, laughing and smiling as though he suddenly didn't have a care in the world.

It didn't make sense for him to smile this time.

He remained lost in his thoughts until he felt a hard smack across his back, surprising him and even the assistant next to him.

"Taichi!" came a deep voice with a raspy growl. Taichi turned to look at his boss, an older, balding man with a cheerful smile below his silvery mustache. "You look tense."

"Oh - Hiraga-san…" Taichi said, uncertain of what to say next. Then, he let out a nervous laugh while scratching the back of his head. "Well, it has been a strange morning."

"Indeed, it has been, son, but I'm sure you'll find it'll be an easy day here, for the time being."

"Nyla is certainly missing out on the fun, isn't she?" said the assistant with a grin, and Hiraga laughed.

"I haven't heard from her at all today!"

"Really?" Taichi asked, curiously.

"Haven't even heard from our buddy, Jensen, either."

"He hasn't called in?"

"I'm sure it's something they'll have a good explanation later. You keep in touch with them, don't you, Taichi? Tell them I send them my regards."

Taichi was at a loss for words as Hiraga laughed heartily, and the assistant with him joined along. The boss appeared more relaxed than he usually was, and Tai couldn't help but feel something odd about this.

Another assistant appeared then, and Hiraga-san leaned towards him to listen to his whispered instructions. Hiraga-san nodded, and turned to Tai as both assistants parted in opposite directions.

"Well, apologies for making you come all the way here, Taichi," said Hiraga. "Our techs have discovered the virus and are now sorting it out in 'Digital Recovery'. They don't have a time frame, but we might as well start sending everyone home."

"You sure, Boss?" asked Taichi.

"Why not? We can't get anything done if our systems aren't running."

"I guess so…" Taichi unhooked this coat and put it back on, still trying to wrap his head around the events of the morning. Of all days for Jensen and Nyla to miss work… he thought.

"It's incredible to think about," Hiraga added. "They finally found the solution to get rid of the virus. After all this time, they'll have a chance to finally be themselves again…"

Taichi turned to Hiraga, the words oddly meaningful.

"What was that, sir?"

Hiraga laughed his hearty laugh, smacking Taichi's back once again. "Don't you worry about it, my boy! The system will be back up before you know it! Now, go on! Enjoy your day!"

Well, that was going to be hard to do. Taichi walked across the floor, in the direction he just came from. He couldn't echo the lively chatter and the delighted goodbyes to him as he passed through, not with the deepening thoughts flashing in his mind. As he ignored the boisterous atmosphere among his coworkers going down the elevator, he knew the next thing he had to do was find out what Jensen and Nyla were even up to.


-Jensen/Nyla-


As Jensen and Nyla arrived at the cave, they realized that there were no Digimon to greet them.

"It can't be helped," Jensen said with a low exhale. "I'm sure they won't be able to sit still, now that they know they'll see their partners soon."

"They've waited for so long," Nyla added, tears glistening on her lower lids.

"We all have." Jensen wrapped his arm around Nyla's shoulder in comfort, smiling as he thought about the task they accomplished that morning.

It began as they left the bar the night before. Izzy was the easiest to approach for Jensen, even with the failed attempts at recruiting him to join D.I.G.I. Corp as he slipped a business card into Izzy's pocket. That night, a digivice was slipped in instead.

Jensen and Nyla waited until the morning to deliver the other digivices, splitting up the work. The timing had to be right. They hadn't planned on bringing any of the Digimon back into the real world, even as all eight Digimon bounced around excitedly, begging them to join along. As reluctant as the pair were, they decided that only one of the Digimon was allowed to come with, and everyone agreed that Koromon should go.

Upon reaching the real world, Nyla parted from Jensen with four digivices to return. She hid wherever she could as she planted them near the Chosen Children that they belonged to. Things seemed to fall into place, as the troubled Mrs. Takenouchi handed Mimi's with her potted cactus; as the young Mizu saw Hikari's and somehow knew it was hers; and, as the dog Hibiki scratched at Yamato's with her eagerness to draw his attention to it. Even when Sora threw hers away the first time, Nyla had fished it out and dropped it in Yamato's path, quickly hiding behind a tree when she was nearly caught by him. She knew it was in him to bring it to its rightful owner.

Jensen had lost track of Koromon, but trusted that he would wander his way to Taichi somehow. He had found Taichi first, however, walking along the street, lost in thought, like he usually was. It was the perfect moment to drop the digivice into his pocket. As the box truck made its stop in front of the bookstore, Jensen made sure that he planted Takeru and Jou's near the packages as soon as they were dropped off.

And now, as Jensen and Nyla both stood in the cave alone, all they knew to do was to wait. They knew, based on the beeping of their own digivices, that all eight of the children now had their own in their possession. What happened from then on remained a mystery. Jensen figured that Koromon would have returned to the Digital World by then, with new information to report.

Digimon in their in-training forms began to file into the cave, one by one. Bukamon, Tokomon, Tsunomon entered, and Jensen and Nyla were shocked to see Palmon and Biyomon, both looking worn. They were fighting? They digivolved? That must have meant...

"What happened?" Nyla asked.

"Biyomon and Palmon took down the Kamemon easy!" said Bukamon.

"They could barely put up a fight," said Palmon as she rested against Biyomon by the fire.

"The Kamemon…" said Jensen.

There must have been more out there than there usually were. It was a sign that Daemon knew what was going on, and he must have sent them to be on the lookout, but…

"You must have seen Sora, and Mimi, didn't you?" asked Nyla as she knelt down next to Palmon.

Palmon smiled, closing her eyes. "Mimi…" she said, sighing happily. Biyomon was expressionless.

"We digivolved to protect them from the Kamemon," said Biyomon. "And made sure they went back to the real world to bring the other partners back."

"We saw Tai and Izzy, too!" squeaked Tsunomon. "They came back with Koromon before he and Motimon digivolved!"

"And, where are they now?" Jensen asked.

"They stayed outside to find Nyaromon," said Tokomon. "She's been missing for a while now."

Beeps sounded from Jensen's and Nyla's Digivices. A blinking dot appeared, indicating that an owner of a digivice had arrived in the Digital World. Jensen exchanged glances with Nyla, knowing that she concluded the same thing he did.

"I've been worried about Hikari," said Nyla.

"Did you see any of the other humans?" Jensen asked when he turned to the digimon

The three in-training digimon shook their heads.

"We'll have to split up," he told Nyla. "I need to make sure our friends out there don't get into any more trouble."

"I'll go back to the real world," said Nyla in agreement. "I'm sure I know where to find everyone else when I get there."

"They're going to have a lot of questions."

"I know. I'll handle it."

Jensen got up, throwing the hoodie over his head. "I'll be here by the time you come back," he said.

"You'd better be."

With one last glance between them, Jensen and Nyla went their separate ways, preparing themselves for anything.


-Takeru-


In the early afternoon, Jou and Takeru stood side by side in front of the door of the pub. Takeru turned to Jou, waiting for him to make a move. Jou appeared to keep his eyes on the door, and heaved a loud sigh.

"Aren't we supposed to knock, or something?" Takeru asked, holding up his fist and ready to knock.

"Wait-" Jou said, stopping him with his hand on Takeru's wrist. "It looks closed. Maybe we should come back later. Let's go, Takeru."

Takeru eyed Jou for a few moments, observing his hesitation. He couldn't comprehend what was making Jou so nervous, but he figured that maybe he had to trust in his boss at a time like this.

Or not.

Just as Jou turned his foot away from the door, Takeru lurched forward and rapped his fist against it, anyway.

"Takeru!" Jou said with a gasp.

"Lighten up, Jou!" Takeru said. "You said you wanted to show me something, didn't you? I've been curious about it all day."

"Well, maybe now's not a good time…"

"I don't see how it can't be if you've got the first aid kit sitting in your shoulder bag."

Jou took a moment to pause.

"How did you know?"

"Don't think I didn't see you trying to sneak it in."

The door opened, and Jou and Takeru turned to see someone peer out at them, with long, brown wavy curls flowing down, her brown eyes squinting as the sun hit her face.

"Jou? TK?" she said.

"Mimi?" said Takeru, surprised. "From summer camp?"

"Get in, quickly," she said, opening the door further and motioning them to go inside. Questions began to form in Takeru's mind, especially seeing that Jou wasn't as bewildered as he was.

"TK!" Mimi said impatiently, causing him to snap out of his thoughts. He followed Jou through the door, and Mimi locked the door as soon as she closed it.

Takeru looked around the quiet bar, seeing the tables and chairs empty. The blinds and windows were closed, and the lighting was dim.

"I've got a weird feeling about this," said Jou.

"You, too?" Takeru asked.

"There's a nagging worry in my mind, and I don't know how to avoid it."

"Jou," said Mimi. "Please tell me you brought some supplies."

"Supplies?" he asked with surprise. "I have a first aid kit-"

"I knew you'd come prepared."

Quickly, Mimi grabbed Jou's arm and led him through the table aisles and toward the back of the stage. Takeru followed closely behind.

"Wait - where are we going?" Jou asked.

"The break room. Don't worry. I kicked the manager out, so it's just us here."

"I can only imagine how that went."

"Hang on," said Takeru, scrambling to catch up with them. "Who do you mean by 'us'?"

As soon as Mimi threw the door open, they were all met by stares from Yamato and Koushiro.

"Jou?" said Koushiro.

"Takeru?" Yamato stood up from his seat next to Sora, who was laying on the couch on her stomach, her eyes closed.

"Yamato..."

Takeru looked around the room, not only surprised to see Yamato there, but two others who he also hadn't seen since that one summer.

What was going on?

"Jou," Mimi urged, holding his arm. "We need you to help Sora."

Takeru's eyes steered toward Sora, and noticed a towel over her back, stained with marks of red.

"What?" Jou said. "Me?"

"She was attacked and got her shoulder hurt, just before we got back from the DigiWorld."

"WHAT?!"

"The DigiWorld?" Takeru asked, curiously. It was a name that felt more familiar to him as soon as it was mentioned.

"Please, Jou!" pleaded Mimi. "We need you…"

Takeru saw that Jou had a panicked expression on his face, then, he saw that he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"I'll have to see how bad it is."

Takeru had caught Jou in the back of the shop sometimes, when he thought no one else was looking. How he cared about mending a book back together. He gave it the care it needed. Takeru thought about it before, that Jou would have been a great doctor, if things turned out differently.

"We ran out of disinfectant," Takeru heard Yamato tell Jou as he lifted the towel from Sora, revealing the slashes oozing with blood on her shoulder. No human could have done that to her - Takeru figured that much.

"It's going to get infected if we don't treat it," said Jou.

Jou took out his first aid kit, which, as Takeru saw him comb through, didn't have any alcohol wipes, or any kind of liquid that might help.

"Vodka…" they heard Sora say weakly.

Everyone exchanged glances at each other.

"I'll get it," said Koushiro, and came back immediately with a tall bottle that had a quarter of the clear liquid left. Jou poured it all to drench the towel.

"This is going to sting, Sora," said Jou.

Sora let out a shriek, piercing to Takeru's ears as he watched Jou pressed the vodka-soaked towel against her shoulder. Mimi winced and averted her stare, but Takeru couldn't look away. He had always admired how strong Sora was, and how much pain she was able to withstand. It just terrified him to see her in agony.

"Sora!" Takeru shouted, terrified to watch the pain in her eyes, but he stepped back, startled to hear his own voice echo in his ears.

"Biyomon! BIYOMON!" Sora screamed, banging her fists against the cave walls that had just appeared in front of them.

"Sora! Please!" Takeru cried, clutching the bottom of her shirt with tears stinging his eyes. "Patamon… Biyomon… They're all gone!"

"Leave her alone, Takeru," said Yamato shakily. He dropped to his knees on the cave floor, holding his hands to his own eyes. Hikari, Jou, Mimi, and Koushiro stood along the walls, all of them just as distraught.

"I'm sorry, TK," Sora said with her soft, quivering voice, her whole body trembling. "I just don't know what to do without her. I feel so lost…"

"I know it hurts to lose them," said Takeru, his tears flowing as he thought about his own. "Patamon's gone, and it hurts! But even if he's gone, he'll always be with me. They all will be with us, even Biyomon."

"TK's right," added Hikari, wiping tears from her eyes. "We can't let this stop us from saving my brother! I know Gatomon wouldn't want me to give up!"

"Even if they're gone, we still have each other, don't we...?"

Takeru blinked his tears as he waited for Sora to speak. Her fist was still on the wall, but she didn't move from her spot.

"Don't we, Sora…?" he repeated, desperate for an answer.

"You're right, TK," Sora finally said. She lowered her hands and wiped her eyes. Then, she turned to Takeru and gave him a tight hug. "We're all in this together."

She pulled apart from him and placed her hands on his shoulders, her amber eyes staring into his. Then, she smiled, and wiped the tears from his eyes.

Seeing her in pain frightened Takeru, but he knew that she would never let herself dwell in it for too long.

She always bounced back, no matter what.

"Takeru, you okay?"

Takeru blinked, realizing that Yamato stood in front of him, supporting his shoulders while he slouched. Standing up made him feel dizzy. He took his hands to his eyes, surprised to find them wet from tears.

That hope he was feeling... Where did that come from?

"I'm fine," he said, even though Yamato gave him a look of skepticism, which Takeru expected.

Sora lay flat on the couch, but panting as she caught her breath. Her eyes were closed, with tears streaming from her eyes. Jou wrapped her shoulder with a bandage as her breathing calmed.

"You didn't save any of it for me to drink," she croaked.

"Don't be ridiculous, Sora," said Jou.

"Leave me be."

Sora turned her head to face the couch. Mimi appeared again, this time with a blanket to cover her with. Despite Sora's silent hostility, Takeru noticed that her and Mimi's friendship didn't seem to change.

"Don't you want us to keep you company?" Mimi asked, but Sora was still silent.

"We should let her rest," said Jou, and Takeru noticed his fingers massaging his temples.

"Jou?" he asked.

"I'm okay... It's just another headache."

Mimi frowned, and walked out of the room with Jou and Koushiro. Takeru followed, not knowing what to do but watch. He noticed Yamato linger behind, as though he didn't want to leave Sora's side. He never knew what Yamato did during his free time, but wondered how much of his time was spent with her. Takeru could tell how much he cared about her; he saw the same worried expression on Yamato's face that showed whenever Takeru was in trouble.

"I'll be fine," Sora told him. "I mean it."

"Let's go, Yamato," said Takeru, knowing that meant what she said.


When the brothers entered the pub dining area, they met the others sitting at the bar tables.

"Boy, do I need a drink," said Jou in exasperation as he leaned back against his chair.

"I'm sure you do, after what you just did," Koushiro replied. "You had a flashback in there, didn't you?"

"Is that what we're calling them now?"

"It's the best I could think of. They hit you all of a sudden, these images and scenes that seem so unfamiliar, yet they feel so real, that they're almost like... like..."

"Memories," Takeru said, and everyone fell silent, exchanging glances with each other. The 'flashbacks'... 'memories'... it made sense to Takeru as to why everyone gathered here, and the reason that Jou brought him to the pub became clearer.

"I can't wait any longer," Mimi said impatiently. "What do we do now?"

"I told Tai that we would all be meeting here," Koushiro said. "He should be here any moment."

"No doubt that Kari will show up here, too," added Jou.

"Hmm," Yamato grunted, turning his head to the door. "What's taking him so long?"

"I'll call him," said Koushiro. But as soon as he put his phone up to his ear, he heard the sound of a ringtone. Everyone else heard it too, and they all turned to look at the door.

Mimi gasped.

"That's gotta be him!"


-Taichi-


No one had been answering Taichi's calls.

Throughout the last few hours, Taichi sent a text to Jensen and Nyla, and a few more to Hikari to check on her. His phone stayed silent, with no words or voices to respond.

His apartment was quiet, save for Tenshi rushing to him to nuzzle against his leg. He sighed, feeling hopeless that Hikari had wandered off once again. It was then that a thought frightened him, with his digivice in his pocket. He and Izzy already got theirs. The other kids at summer camp and in his dreams must have gotten theirs, too.

Hikari wasn't at summer camp, but if she had those dreams...

Where did she go?

"Sorry, Tenshi, I have to go," he said, rushing out the door. This time, he hurried to Jou's book shop first, thinking that it might have been a waste to try the other places beforehand.

But when he got there, he was crestfallen to find that she wasn't. However, he was surprised to see it closed in the middle of the day, and neither the shop owner nor his trusty employee were in it.

He checked all the places he normally checked for her, getting more worried after each place. He checked until there was only one place left to go, and he had been hesitant to go all along. As he headed there, he picked up his phone again, seeing that Koushiro was already there as they had planned:

"At the pub now. We're all waiting for you."

Hikari might have already gone to the pub - at least, Taichi figured. She must have gotten word from one of the others, and ended up there on her own. It was the only plausible explanation.

Whether she was at the pub or not, Taichi sped up his pace as he approached the pub. Hikari is safe with them, he thought. She knew something was wrong with herself, just like the rest of us, and we're all meeting up to figure out what to do next.

Standing in front of the door to the pub, he was about to knock, and then…

Me? Was I their leader?

Taichi took a step back, his eyes widening at the images that flashed in his head.

Why would they choose me? I'm not even strong enough...I could never-

That was when his phone rang.

He stopped and scrambled to get his phone out of his pocket. Was it Hikari calling him? Or maybe it was Jensen?

But when he looked at the name on the lit screen, his eyebrows furrowed.

"...Izzy?" he said aloud, just as the door opened in front of him.

He was face to face with Yamato, staring, waiting for him to say something.

"Tai! You made it!" said Koushiro excitedly.

Jou, Mimi, and Takeru stood behind, staring curiously at him. All eyes were on him, watching, like they all did back then... as though they were waiting for him to say something.

As though they were waiting for him to lead.

"I can't do this," Tai said suddenly.

"Wait a minute, Tai," said Jou. "What are you talking about?"

He felt the tremble in his own breath as he inhaled.

"I'm sorry… I can't."

Then, he broke into a run. How could he face them like this? Not after all that happened. What could he do to help them face whatever they had to face?

He didn't realize that anyone would run after him.

"Tai!" he heard Yamato call from behind him. "Stop!"

By the time Taichi reached the park, he was panting, his hands on his knees as he bent down to take a breath. He sensed why Yamato chased him, and he was prepared to send him away.

"Let's go back, Tai," said Yamato. "We've been waiting for you."

"I'm not going."

"What?"

"You go on ahead without me."

But Yamato didn't budge, to Taichi's dismay.

"Don't you want to find out what happened to you? To all of us?"

Taichi stood up, clenching his fists and tempted to raise his arms. He couldn't understand why, but it annoyed him that Yamato wouldn't back down. "I'm fine out here."

"I'm serious! We need to go back to the others!"

Gritting his teeth, Taichi stared at Yamato whose voice raised in volume. It angered him enough to shout back. "I said I'm fine out here, Matt!"

Yamato glared in response. "Do you really think I really want to fight you right now?"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Why are your fists up when you're talking to me?!"

"Oh…" Taichi lowered his hands as he realized what he was doing. But just as he did, he felt it again - a sharp pain and a blinding flash of light, then fragments of an image of the younger versions of him and Yamato at each others' necks.

It left his mind as soon as it appeared. He held his head, but he also saw Yamato massaging his own temples.

"This is giving me a headache," Yamato grumbled quietly.

"You didn't have to follow me," Taichi said with irritation.

"It's not just you."

Taichi realized what he meant.

"Matt. The headaches… the questions… I get it. I'm just… afraid of what I have to do. I'm afraid of what we have to face when we all go back."

Yamato sighed. "We all are."

Then, he turned around, and Taichi followed him. They walked back to the pub together in silence. Taichi wasn't sure what to talk about with Yamato. Either way, he knew he would have to face everyone again. At the very least, he would know where Hikari was, and that she was safe with everyone else at the pub.

Except, Taichi didn't remember seeing her there when the door was opened.

"Hikari's there, too, right?" he asked.

"Hikari? We've been waiting for her," Yamato replied.

Taichi stopped. If she didn't show up at the pub, then where could she have gone?

Unless...

"No… That can't be right."

With his panic rising, Taichi burst through the door of the pub, everyone turning their heads toward him in surprise. "Where's Hikari?"

"I've already said she wasn't here," said Yamato.

"We thought she was gonna show up with you," said Koushiro.

"What do you-" Taichi stopped as he noticed Sora from behind the counter, her shoulder wrapped in bandages. Everyone turned to look at her, but her eyes met Taichi's with a quick glance before she averted them. She took a seat next to Mimi, who stared at her with concern. Taichi knew he was going to ask what happened to her later.

"I saw Hikari," said Takeru. "There was something odd about her."

"I saw her, too," said Mimi. "She was looking for someone."

"No…" said Taichi, not wanting to believe it. "She couldn't have gone..."

"She's in the Digital World."

Everyone turned to see a woman with red hair, and Taichi recognized her immediately.

"Nyla!" he exclaimed, surprised that she appeared before him after hearing nothing back from her all day. The longer he stared, dumbfounded, the more questions raised in his mind.

"I've seen you before," said Mimi. "You come here with Taichi sometimes, and with that other guy."

"Jensen," added Koushiro. "You know what's happening, don't you? Why we have these memories? Why we're like this?"

"We made sure that you all got your digivices, and it seems like some of you have already made your way there."

Sora avoided Nyla's eyes and went to wash the glasses. Taichi knew there was no mistaking what that meant.

"Who else has gone?" Taichi asked. "Other than me, Izzy, and Sora?"

"Just me," Mimi replied.

"I haven't," said Yamato, then he looked to Nyla. "You've got a lot of explaining to do."

"We'll explain when we get there," Nyla replied.

"Wait, what?" Jou said in surprise. "We're going? Right now?"

"Isn't that why you came prepared, Jou? No wonder they call you a 'doctor'."

"I'm not a doctor!"

"Let's go," said Taichi, now with only one worry on his mind. "I have to make sure Hikari's alright."

"Jensen's looking for her right now," said Nyla. "Don't worry, Taichi."

'Looking for her'?

"But wait!" said Jou. "How are we supposed to get there?"

"...We'll go through the front door," said Taichi, with Nyla giving him a look. She nodded, and then looked to the others, all of them wearing the same knowing expression.

"Let's go."


Thanks for reading. 'Til next time. ;)