MOONBASE

Kouji looks down the window at his twin speak to a couple of Starmons in deep thought. Bokomon and Neemon stands next to him. As the Starmons scramble here and there, Kouichi's words resounded in his mind.

A family... something that his twin said to not have thus, urged them return home... Towards himself, clearly Kouichi refer to the Minamoto's. Yet, in the Red Moon, Kouichi did tell him that it is because he is his family that he wanted him to leave. But he still wonder if that is truly the case.

When their birth mother passed Kouji was devastated yet hopeful for the future when Kouichi would move in with them. However, Kouichi strongly dismissed the proposal, and insisted on living by himself. But Kouji didn't give up believing that in time, things would be better like how things turned out for him and his 'mother'. He had tirelessly tried persuading Kouichi, but now he has a better understanding of Kouichi's disgust in living with the Minamoto's. With a father who'd threw him away and with the woman his father left his mother for, for his twin, the Minamoto's will never be his family. Kouji feels the growing discomfort in his chest. At this moment, he can only give up on the matter. He will never speak to his twin about it again.

But still, he is a Minamoto who'd forgiven their dad long ago and had accepted his stepmom as his mother. Does Kouichi still consider himself his family or... Afterall they'd become a little distant lately, and his twin hid things from him. The memory of his near-death-experience at the Fortune Teller's Village flashed, recalling that Kouji wasn't in his thoughts when he thought he'd surely die. Why? the more he thought about it now, he felt dejected and perplexed. Will the two of them continue on drifting apart, slowly reverting back to the time they were strangers to each other? He doesn't know but fears for it to happen.

"What are you thinking about?" Takuya's voice pulls him out of his thoughts. He had been at the door for awhile but Kouji hadn't noticed him. Seeing how deep in thought is friend was, Takuya wanted to look at what's down the window. Looking at it now, he had an inkling of what Kouji maybe in his friend's mind.

Takuya says,"You're thinking about what he said?"

Kouji gives his Takuya a glance then returns his gaze at the scene below. He nods.

"He took me to the Red Moon... where Anna and Mihn rests..." Takuya looks at him but doesn't say anything, waiting for Kouji to continue. "It was a place surrounded by his 'allies' who had fought with him. I can't help but wonder why he didn't seek our help- why he had not said anything to me. He even lied about falling down the stairs. And now he wanted us to leave just like that."

Takuya smiles faintly, "Kouichi... has become so strong doesn't he?" Kouji doesn't answer but agrees internally. "I had wondered too about that. But maybe he didn't say anything because he did it for us. For you."

Kouji turns his head to look at his friend. "I didn't pay much attention before, but I remember seeing on the news about a mother and father looking for their child. I could only imagine..." Takuya paused feeling a great deal of sadness overwhelm him. "It must've been why he said what he said to us... I think."

A brief silence followed before Takuya hollowly chuckles. Rubbing his nose slightly he says, "Though I still preferred he told us about it."

Kouji doesn't say anything. Perhaps, Takuya maybe right- just as what Kouichi had said in front of 'their' graves. The pain and the guilt on Kouichi may have overwhelmed him, even more than what he'd felt when they were in the Red Moon. He decided to speak to his twin about many things. To understand him better.

"Have you decided?" he asks.

Planting his hands in his pockets, Takuya slightly straiten his posture. "I suppose. Though I've agreed to come here to help Bokomon, I've also looked forward to another adventure with you guys. But... I never expected this place to change a lot."

"You'll return home?"

"Junpei will." Takuya replies. "I've heard him and Izumi talk a little while ago."

Kouji paused before speaking, "I see. And Izumi?"

Takuya shrugs, "I didn't get to hear." He observes the commotion down below and sighs, "Honestly, I want all of us to see this adventure through like we did before. But- we grew a little older and we can't just think about this task, but also have to consider many things. I can't blame them if they want to go back. And there was Sepikmon's warning too."

I advice you to return to the human world or wherever you came from while you can. If you don't want to end up doomed like those three!

Their fates can no longer be changed.

Kouji heard of Sepikmon's prophecy from Takuya. Anna and Mihn have had an unthinkable fate, while his brother hadn't remained trapped in that stone because they came for him. Sepikmon said their fate cannot be changed, then, were they not able to change Kouichi's fate? If that is not so, will his brother still end up like those children did?

Kouji balls his fist stopping his thoughts. He had nearly thought he'd lost Kouichi once. What did Sepikmon exactly see? Whether they stay or leave, will his twin not be with them when everything's over? Or will staying actually change something? He doesn't know what fate lies ahead but he doesn't want to return back home without his brother.

"I am going to stay," says Takuya resolutely.

The words didn't come a surprise to Kouji. His friend had always been bold and carried an air of a leader. If he likes, he could as well persuade Junpei and Izumi to remain. But he also knew that Takuya isn't someone to force decisions unto others.

"We may not return home." Kouji tells his friend with a serious look.

Like what happened to Anna and Mihn, they may end up suffering the same fate- this Takuya understand. He could make his parents and brother look for him too, while his friends left in sorrow carrying a secret their entire lives. But he knew he'll regret leaving Kouji and Kouichi on a very dangerous quest by themselves.

Takuya fell silent for a while then let's out a loud sigh, "Ahh~ It's going to be tough going into battle without the other spirits,"

Kouji looks at Takuya and the brown haired boy looked back assuringly. Kouji smiles, "Yeah."


In the lounge, Kouichi stands in front of his peers like a judge at a trail, awaiting their answer. He studied their faces, trying to draw out their answers, but unable to hide his irritation over his brother's deadpan look. Tomoki stays on the side, beside Bokomon and Neemon observing the faces in the room.

"I'm going home," Junpei is the first to speak up, sounding hesitant. He had been worried about what his friends will think of him. His friends might think of him as a coward but he'd come here on a mission to free Kouichi, and that mission, he had fulfilled. Everyone looks at him. He had been prepared to receive their criticism but he did not expect that none of them would not be saying anything. Instead on his friends faces were look of understanding. Inside, he felt a little relieved.

Takuya slowly shifts his attention to Izumi as if asking her about her choice. That evening he'd heard her and Junpei speak, she hasn't decided and even now, Izumi hangs her head down feeling conflicted.

"I'm staying," Kouji tells to his brother. Kouichi darts him a glare, and Kouji crosses his arms on his chest not averting his gaze, "And don't even bother arguing,"

"I..." Izumi could feel her hands tremble. Even without raising her head, she could feel the stare of her friends on her. She'd envy Junpei and Kouji for being resolute, and even without asking, she also knows Takuya's decision. On the other hand she herself hasn't decided. Or maybe she had already made her choice, but couldn't blurt it out. Her friends are important to her as well, and thus she had come back to the Digiworld once more. Tears form at the corner of her eyes when a warm hand held hers.

"Izumi," she raised her head and sees Takuya's smiling face. "Wait for us with Junpei and Tomoki. We can strive harder to return home knowing you're there waiting for us,"

Large beads of water fell down her cheek. She turned to look at Kouichi. "I'm sorry..." she says in a whisper.

Kouichi gently smiles at her, "Don't be. You are not wrong,"

When things settled down, not long after, Kouichi opened a portal for his friends to pass through to the human world. Tomoki stares at the portal, then thought about something. He turned around and asked, "Kouichi-nii have you... ever blamed Petermon for what happened to Mihn?"

Kouichi was surprised at the question, but Tomoki had gone to Never-Ever Land and even told about the destruction of the place. Petermon must've spoken to the younger boy about it. "Was that what he said 'he' felt?"

Tomoki shook his head, "He didn't say. But... I think he brought me there to replace someone he had failed to protect. He also said he wasn't friends with the three of you."

Kouichi doesn't hide his surprise at what he'd heard. Petermon was filled with antics, but they'd rather got along well until Mihn passed. He had been angry but not only at Petermon for keeping Mihn's wound a secret from himself. In retrospect, Petermon may have decided to stab Mihn before he did because he felt guilty for failing to keep his promise to Kouichi to protect Mihn. Petermon probably didn't want him to also bear the burden of having to be the one to 'eliminate' Mihn.

Despite his quiet fury, Petermon was one of those that still stood beside him. He followed him, and was there when he displayed his anger at the Divine Digimons. Yet he didn't say anything. He might have given the impression that he disliked him, but he was just really angry. However, when he'd woken up, he had wanted to see everyone including he and Tinkermon. But they had gone without having to see each other again.

Sadness crept in his heart. He looks at Tomoki and says, "I was mad at him for a while for not telling the truth earlier on. But no. I hadn't blamed him for what happened to Mihn. I feel quite regretful for not having been able to talk to them properly before they'd gone,"

Tomoki looks down on the ground still recalling the last moments of Tinkermon and Petermon. It's really a shame that they didn't get the chance to patch things up. Petermon would've have been glad to hear it, but nonetheless Tomoki felt satisfied at Kouichi's answer. He flash a smile, "That's good,"

Kouichi smiles back at him. Izumi walks to Tomoki with Junpei, and looks at her friends once more before stepping into the tunnel. "Then, we will wait for you guys,"

The twins and Takuya nodded with smiles on their faces. Izumi smiles back at them and turned around with Junpei and Tomoki. When they were no longer in sight, the smile on Kouichi's face fades as he faces Takuya and Kouji. He said seriously, "Since it seems you won't change your minds, I will discuss our fighting plans with you."

Kouji and Takuya exchange glances and nods.

"But before that, let's go see the divine digimons," Kouichi adds.