Chapter 12: Yūnagi 夕凪

The figures slowly shuffled through the blizzard towards the DigiDestined. They were steadily becoming recognisable as the snowy wind between them thinned. To Mamoru's relief, it was immediately apparent what kind of Digimon the quadrupeds were with their orange fur and black spine blades. The Gizamon made up just over half of the dozen wild Digimon advancing toward them. At least they were just rookie level, giving them hope of fighting them all off.

"Yuki," Kodai called out, "can you identify the humanoid Digimon?" They were much harder to see, lacking any distinct features while seeming to meld into the snow at times.

She inched forward, remaining behind Kodai and Nagato. Holding her glasses by their temple, Yuki pushed the lens closer to her eyes, attempting to get a better look.

"I cannot see them well enough." There was a hint of remorse in her otherwise stoic voice. Yuki stepped back, looking up into the air. She was in thought, not paying any attention to the battle above them.

The IceDevimon continued to generate a tempest around itself, concentrating most of the icy projectiles at the observation deck. Wizardmon was desperately fending off the attacks, blasting them out of the sky using his Meteor Squall. The two other airborne Digimon assisted him with their own attacks, though they were much less effective at intercepting the projectiles. It seemed Sorcermon had reached the same conclusion, his Crystal Barrage unable to measure up against the giant shards of ice being flung at them. The magician began to syphon off the snow gathering around IceDevimon with his staff. Though successful at reducing the rate it could throw out ice shards, he lacked the power to bring it to heel.

"Sanada-san, Kodai-san," Yuki said. She had come up with something. "you have better eyesight. Can you see if the humanoid Digimon have red buttons on their chest?"

Staring far into the snow at her strange request, it was difficult to make out that kind of detail despite the wild Digimon having closed in further.

"Kodai, can you see anything?" Mamoru said, feeling his eyes dry out in the wind.

"It's like they are fading in and out," Kodai rubbed his eyes, feeling the same sting he did.

Yuki seemed to ponder their statement for a moment before responding. "just focus on the centre of their figure."

Mamoru strained his eyes, attempting to pierce the veil of snow between them and the wild Digimon. Their advance was sluggish, perhaps caused by their recent appearance from the digital world. It was faint, but he could see what appeared to be two red orbs in the distance. They were vertically aligned at around chest height, gently bobbing around as they drew closer.

"I see them," Kodai had beaten him to the punch. "definitely two red circles on the humanoid Digimon."

"They are Frigimon," Yuki responded immediately. There was not a hint of doubt in her voice. "they look like snowmen, which explain why they are difficult to see in this weather."

This presented a new problem since five of the approaching Digimon were champion level. They were vastly outnumbered on the ground, not including IceDevimon who alone had been able to handle all of them at once. Mamoru began rapidly considering the possibilities available to them.

"Kodai, can GrapLeomon get down here now?" Mamoru had concluded he was the only Digimon not in a position to contribute to the new dynamics of the fight.

Kodai gritted his teeth, making his jawline extremely prominent. "If I hadn't Digivolved to ultimate, Leomon would still have a ranged attack he could use."

While it would have been possible to realise this limitation beforehand, it was also incredibly easy to overlook. GrapLeomon was undoubtedly stronger than his champion form but even less suited to aerial combat without his Juouken. Kodai's partner still clung to the tower's frame, looking poised to intervene as soon as the opportunity arose.

"Kodai," Mamoru called out again.

"I don't think so," he finally answered, exiting his brief state of frustration. "not anytime soon at least. Unless we completely reck the tower on the way down."

"We'll hold them off," Nagato said as he unravelled the string holding his bag shut. "Just take down IceDevimon before this gets out of control."

The kendoka drew his hazel-coloured bokken from the bag, its vanished surface gleaming as he raised it over his head. As insane as it seemed, Mamoru had to be impressed at Nagato's guts. He was going to fight the Digimon himself if he had to.

"Woah!" Natsuki exclaimed, her eyes fixed on the bokken. "is that real Biwa wood?" It was strange that she knew anything about kendo. Though perhaps she was able to recognise the wood from her Ikebana experience.

"Yes," Nagato replied, keeping his gaze fixed at the Digimon shuffling toward them.

"But that cost over a hundred thousand yen," Natsuki said, awestruck by the price.

Nagato shrugged. "They're about to find out why it's expensive."

Mamoru thought it had better be a superb weapon given its astounding cost. Nagato never struck him as conspicuously wealthy, unlike Natsuki. Though, going to a private school like Rakusei meant that he was probably well off enough to afford it. The man must be undyingly dedicated to his kendo to have spent this much on equipment.

The Digimon began to quicken their pace, cutting through the snow toward them. Above them, Sorcermon seemed to be successfully checking the amount of ice generated by the tempest. Ikkaumon and Kiwimon readied themselves to launch their attacks at the oncoming wild Digimon. Nagato stood with an impeccable stance at the front of their group, bokken raised high, ready to strike. Musyamon was in complete harmony with his partner, mimicking his posture with his giant blade.

Nagato took a full breath, preparing to release it all at once. "Attack!" The samurai pair surged forward, the snow in their path melting from the flames around the nodachi.

Yuki with an icy calm pushed her glasses up. The ends of her salmon coloured scarf billowed in the wind as she gave a nod to Ikkakumon. Immediately, her partner began launching missiles at the oncoming Digimon, targeting the champion level Frigimon. Natsuki looked much less sure of herself, turning towards Kodai's direction before quickly pivoting back to the oncoming threat. She sounded shrill giving her command for Kiwimon to attack, her Digimon letting lose a Pummel Pecker barrage.

The Frigimon ceased their advance at the sight of the attacks hurling toward them. Forming a line abreast, they curled their right arm and raised them parallel to their chest. As the black casing of Ikkakumon's missiles broke away, the snowmen shot their arms forward. A blast of blue energy erupted from their five fists, intercepting the missiles. Kiwimon's Pummel Pecker was more effective, having too many projectiles to shoot down. Some of the Frigimon stumbled as they were hit by the attacks, but they were nowhere near powerful enough to stop them.

The Gizamon leapt forward, undeterred by the barrage. One of the amphibian Digimon was struck out of the air by Musyamon's nodachi the moment it got in range. Immediately reversing his blade, the samurai made an upward strike taking out another Gizamon. Before he could recover, more the rookie level Digimon latched on to Musyamon's armour, dragging him down.

"Nagato!" Kodai called out, rushing forward.

Mamoru lifted his hand, but he had already sprinted out of reach. The two remaining Gizamon had adopted a prowling stance, sizing up Nagato. His partner continued to struggle, immobilised by the three Digimon clawing on his armour. The other Gizamon on the ground appeared to be completely incapacitated by a single strike from Musyamon. The samurai had incredible strength but was too cumbersome for his own good. Mamoru hoped Nagato was just as strong as his partner.

One of the Gizamon pounced, soaring through the air toward Nagato. The kendoka turned his body perpendicular to the attacking Digimon and readied his bokken. There was a sharp crack as the laminated wood soared through the snowy air. The Gizamon was sent reeling from the strike. This was the first time Mamoru had ever seen anyone physically attack a Digimon. All of them knew it could be done, but to actually see it was watching madness unfold.

Nagato had placed all his strength into that one strike, leaving him off balance as he tried to recover his balance. It seemed to have paid off, successfully dispatching that Gizamon, though he was left open. The other Digimon lunged forward, claws raised to lacerate him. Kodai charged forward, striking the Gizamon with his bare fist. Its attack disrupted, the wild Digimon attempted to scurry away before promptly being knocked out by Nagato. Standing with his bokken resting on his shoulder, the only thing missing from the bancho look was his gakuran uniform. Kodai stood beside him with a posture just as intimidating. His leather bomber jacket had become undone and was fluttering in the snowy wind.

A loud, almost draconic growl erupted from Musyamon as the wild Digimon continued to claw at his armour. The samurai thrust himself upward from a kneeling position, throwing the Gizamon off and sending them fleeing. The battle above them continued in a deadlock with Gatomon and GrapLeomon still unable to intervene. The cat Digimon was now perched atop the metal cage surrounding the observation deck, securing a vantage point above her opponent.

The Frigimon had resumed their advance, no longer dissuaded by the barrage of attacks coming from Yuki and Natsuki's partners. Every few paces, they would stop to fire off another blast from their fist before continuing forward. Ikkakumon and Kiwimon could not maintain the rate of their attacks, and it gradually whittled down to intermittent volleys.

"Marching Fire," Yasushi mumbled, still completing his thoughts.

"Would you stop with the useless facts," Noriko sighed. She was concentrating on the battle above them, steadily showing more signs of fatigue.

"It's not useless." Yasushi shot back.

"Then why don't you do something? It's not like your fighting the Digimon."

Yasushi grasped his temple, trying to collect himself. Was he feeling inadequate after Nagato and Kodai rushed into the fray?

"Natsuki-chan, Yuki!" Yasushi had decided to just ignore Noriko. "Stop attacking."

Both girls turned to him with a look of confusion. Their attacks seemed to be the only thing that stopped the Frigimon from ploughing into them.

"Ikkakumon and Kiwimon will exhaust themselves before the Frigimon. After that, they'll just pummel us with their ice blast."

The Frigimon had not deviated from their earlier pattern, alternating between advancing and firing. Their sheer numbers threatened to overwhelm the two Digimon who could not hope to match their firepower for long. How Yasushi had recognised this was a mystery to Mamoru. He seemed able to keep his attention split between his own partner's efforts and what was happening on the ground.

"Then what do we do?" Natsuki cried.

Their three Digimon would have a difficult time fighting five opponents. Especially since the Frigimon appeared to have a significant power boost due to the weather and IceDevimon's presence.

"Charge!" Yasushi yelled back.

There was a scoff from Noriko who clearly thought it was folly. Natsuki and Yuki look clearly undecided, the former's panicked expression completely contrasted by the latter's complete lack of one. Mamoru could see the logic in Yasushi's command. If they continued their firefight, eventually numbers would win out. Their only hope was to rush in with Musyamon and deal a knockout blow from there.

They turned to Kodai and Nagato who as at the vanguard of their group. Nagato had turned around during the conversation, appearing reluctant as well. The Gizamon had already forced him and Kodai to join the melee. Five champion level Digimon would threaten to overwhelm them.

It was Kodai who broke their indecision. "He's right. We just need to keep them busy. Defeating IceDevimon is our priority."

While Yuki showed no outward sign of change, Natsuki was now fired up running forward to join them with Kiwimon. Ikkakumon lumbered forward after them, having been given the signal by his partner.

Musyamon deflected a volley of ice blast from the Frigimon with his blazing sword. Once Kiwimon and Ikkakumon had joined him, they crashed into the line of Frigimon. The battle devolved into a brawl between the two groups. Ikkakumon's mass and fur allowed him to shrug off some of the icy punches the Frigimon sent his way. Kiwimon seemed to have a more challenging time, though she was fighting only one opponent. Though her superior agility kept her out of harm's way, dodging every one of their attacks.

No longer useful in the battle on the ground, Kodai turned back to the remainder of the group. "Yasushi-kun, can you break up that snowstorm around it?" He was trying to find an opening for them to attack.

"Sorcermon's been trying. There's just too much snow for one Digimon to handle." Yasushi was staring at his partner who was trying his best to disrupt the rotation of the tempest.

"He just needs to make a small opening," Kodai insisted. "If Gatomon can break through, it should be enough."

Reina flinched at the mention of Gatomon. It was a sound plan but still incredibly dangerous for the Digimon attempting the breakthrough. They had no way to accurately measure the strength of IceDevimon's protective sphere.

"Wouldn't GrapLeomon be more likely to smash through it?" Mamoru countered. Reina was probably emotionally strained enough just from fighting. He did not want to find out what would happen if her partner was seriously injured.

Kodai nodded without hesitation. "Of course. Though I doubt any of your Digimon could catch him."

Reina looked at them, attempting to prove her resolve with a steely expression. Though her eyes gave away her reluctance. Kodai was right, of course. Leomon already weighed close to two hundred and fifty kilos with his massive frame. GrapLeomon could literally weight a ton with the turbines in his body. None of the three flying Digimon could hope to stop him from smashing into the roof.

Their leader finally noticed Reina's melancholic stare. "I'm sorry," Kodai started, "the people up there need us. This has been going for over fifteen minutes already."

As empathetic as he was trying to be, Kodai still applied an amount of force with his words. Reina was unable to resist a request put that way. Though she was already gathering the will to fight before Kodai's prompting. If Noriko had any intention of intervening, she was too exhausted to voice it. As Wizardmon strained himself to intercept all the attacks, it took a corresponding toll on her.

Kodai turned to Yasushi. "Do it."

The lanky high schooler looked as strained as his junior. He only nodded, prompting Sorcermon to concentrate his magic. Wind began to circle around the magician, as vast amounts of snow was stripped from the sphere around IceDevimon. Channelling it into the tip of his staff, the amount of water being compressed was enormous. Mamoru estimated it to be multiple thousands of litres being readied for an attack. Although the more worrying part was that this vast amount was only a fraction of the tempest's volume.

There was a brilliant burst of ice as Sorcermon's attack struck the tempest sphere. The raging gust sprayed the crystal flakes throughout the air, showing the tower and roof. IceDevimon wailed as the tempest around it fluctuated, almost dissipating from the force of the blast. The snowy wind above it began to thin out, revealing an opening.

Gatomon exploited this instantly, launcher herself from the observation deck, paws coated with electricity. There was a sharp thunderclap, fully audible from even a hundred metres below. It was difficult to make out clearly, but Mamoru could see sparks flying off the edge of the snowstorm. There was another loud explosion followed by a lone ice shard plummeting to earth.

"Gatomon!" Reina cried, her voice cracking up by the end.

Mamoru looked up to see the distinctive yellow and orange striped paws of Gatomon through the ice. Her tail was the only part unfrozen, the holy ring on it glinting as it swayed in the wind. Wisemon immediately dived after Gatomon. Despite pushing himself, he was still just barely out of reach. Looking back to the ground, Reina's legs began to tremble. Mamoru rushed forward to hold her up before they gave way.

Kodai stood utterly still, his right fist clenched on his chest. He inhaled sharply and snapped his head upward. GrapLeomon reacted to his partner's movement, leaping from Kyoto Tower toward IceDevimon. The roar of the turbines pierced the wind around the tower. Mamoru could see the air reverberate as GrapLeomon impacted the tempest around IceDevimon. It looked like a distorted sonic boom, rippling outward and scattering the snow as it progressed.

IceDevimon struggled to regain control of the tempest and stay aloft; its wings shattered by the attack. Though GrapLeomon was faring little better. He hurtled toward the earth, Sorcermon and Wizardmon unable to keep up. The lion thrashed about, attempting to slow his descent, but his sheer mass made it impossible. Even if the two magicians could catch up, Mamoru doubted they would be able to slow his fall enough.

Everyone went into a panic as Gatomon and GrapLeomon plunged from the tower. The remaining Digimon were still embroiled with the Frigimon. Reina was still struggling to stand up on her own, still resting most of her weight on Mamoru. He leaned forward to check on her, only to find her expression frozen in despair. Her face remained unmoving, but Mamoru could see the horror in her eyes.

"Nagato!" Kodai yelled, his voice almost going hoarse from the effort. "Can you do it?"

A pillar for fire erupted as Musyamon thrust his nodachi into one of the Frigimon, deleting it. Another volley of missiles from Ikkakumon knocked the remainder off their feet. Though they were not out of the fight, slowly rising up as the samurai Digimon returned to his battle stance.

"We don't have much of a choice," Nagato said, taking in a deep breath to compose himself.

Holding out his Digivice, it pulsed with light, its back cover turning sea grey. Musyamon was engulfed in the familiar yellow light, rising into the air as he began to Digivolve. The colour of his armour faded as it began to compress and melding into his body. Two pairs of ragged red wings started to erupt from his back while his hands turned into claws. Emerging from the evolutionary light, parts of the now draconic figure's armour were now coated in chrome.

Nagato pointed skyward to the plummeting GrapLeomon. "Cyberdramon!"

The dragon Digimon let out a ferocious growl before taking off, leaving a gust of air in his wake. Reina looked on, tears forming in her eyes as Cyberdramon accelerated toward the falling Digimon. She turned to Mamoru, grabbing on to his jacket.

"I'm sorry," Mamoru mumbled, averting his gaze. "I can't save Gatomon."

Wisemon was still trying to close the distance. The same wind that slowed Gatomon's fall buffeted the cloaked Digimon, leaving him just of outreach. She tightened her grip, completely crumpling the fabric. Reina pulled on him, forcing him to look her in the eye again. They were wet with freshly formed tears, but there was also a steely determination.

"We need to help everyone else. We'll save ourselves."

Pushing Mamoru away, she held out her Digivice like Nagato. Light erupted from it, the casing turning scarlet. Gatomon was encased in an intense light, shattering the ice that enveloped her. Pure white wings burst from the cocoon of light, slowing her fall mere moments from the ground. Wisemon quickly broke away to avoid slamming into the earth.

Flying beside the cloaked Digimon was a blonde-haired angel, clad in white. Her purple scarf fluttered in the breeze as they approached the DigiDestined's location. Reina and Hikari's partner's most apparent difference was that the Angewomon before him now only had three pairs of wings.

Before Mamoru could ponder the implications of that further, there was the sound of crashing metal as Cyberdramon caught GrapLeomon. The dragon Digimon had incredible strength, carrying the other Digimon's weight and continuing flying upwards. The IceDevimon had landed on the top of the observation deck, curled up in pain. The two wizard Digimon had turned around, flying beside Cyberdramon as they ascended to finish their battle.

The Frigimon began to regain their composure, reorganising themselves into a line abreast. Mamoru felt the hairs on his face stand as two bolts of electricity crackled above them. They struck the Frigimon before they were able to attack, knocking two of them out. As the survivors reoriented themselves to the threat, Angewomon stopped in front of them and drew her bow. Firing two Holy Arrows in quick succession, she dispatched the remainder of the Digimon. Yuki and Natsuki dashed forward, Digivices raised to send them and the Gizamon back to the Digital World.

Angewomon and Wisemon immediately started to gain altitude to join the other against IceDevimon. Another tempest had formed around the wild Digimon, obscuring it from sight again. Sorcermon's attempts to dispel it were now more successful, thinning it considerably. The snowstorm dissipated, clearing the air around the tower as well.

Yuki gasped as the wild Digimon's figure became clear. Now hovering in front of the observation deck, its wings had transformed into a pair of tentacles. It let loose another howl, revealing its body had now turned deep blue.

"It Digivolved to MarineDevimon," Yuki said as she regained her composure.

Ice continued to form around the ultimate-level wild Digimon. Sorcermon's attempts to disrupt it continued to be successful. It still appeared to be a fragile balance, as the ice dissipated as quickly as it formed. Mamoru assumed that Kodai's interruption had caused the wild Digimon to lose control of the snow it had been building up over days. Despite it being stronger now, it could not muster the same volume of ice it had previously.

"Noriko, have Wizardmon heat up the frame around the observation deck," Kodai instructed, having restored confidence in the group.

She wearily nodded, prompting her partner to generate a flame on the end of his staff. The effects were almost immediate, the heat conducting throughout the metal frame, causing the ice to melt away. That couldn't be natural; the heat had spread too rapidly. Yet, Mamoru could not put it pass a Digimon who seemed to be capable of literal magic.

Cyberdramon flipped GrapLeomon upward as they neared MarineDevimon. The dragon Digimon's strength was immense, propelling the other Digimon over twenty meters above them. He accelerated, claws glowing bright blue with energy. Cyberdramon made a swift pass, slashing the wild Digimon. GrapLeomon followed this up immediately, pummeling MarineDevimon with a turbine kick to the chest. The dragon Digimon rolled over and dove away to catch his partner.

While the attacks were effective, MarineDevimon seemed to be far from beaten. The wild Digimon began to generate a strong downdraft, slowing Wisemon and Angewomon's ascent. Cyberdramon seemed to fare little better, encumbered with the weight of GrapLeomon.

"Tsk." The sound came from Yasushi. His face was scrunched up, his glasses pushed ajar by his raised cheeks.

"There's no other Digimon in position." He said, directing his words mostly to Kodai. "I'll Digivolve as well and take it out."

There was a snarl from Nagato, expressing his scorn. Kodai raised his hand between them, signalling them to stay focus on the actual fight.

Noriko moved behind Yasushi and put her hand on his shoulder. "You can't. There's no one else that can control the snow around the wild Digimon."

Yasushi's shoulders eased back, his anger defused by Noriko's actions.

"I know how it feels," Kodai said, clench his palm briefly. "but we aren't even sure if Wizardmon's ultimate evolution will still be able to fly."

Yasushi looked away, resigned to the role he was playing in this fight. Noriko tried to reassure him, giving him a weary smile. But it was hardly convincing to anyone. Reina staggered to Mamoru, her hand clutching her temple. Mamoru immediately linked arms with her to help her stand.

"How bad is the headache?" Mamoru asked. While Nagato showed no outward signs of fatigue, Reina was not doing half as well.

"I can… manage." She croaked, forcing herself to look upwards at the battle.

Angewomon was the fastest flyer among the Digimon and had pushed through the downdraft, closing into firing range. The threatened MarineDevimon firing black bolts of ink wildly at the Digimon below them. Angewmon gracefully avoided the oncoming fire, inching toward her foe. She raised her bow high, aiming it squarely at the squid Digimon's chest.

The barrage of holy arrows was blistering, striking MarineDevimon multiple times. Its concentration was shattered, ending both the downdraft and the remaining snow. The weather itself seemed to change, the clouds above the tower thinning out. Beams of sunlight broke through, placing a spotlight on the beautiful angel.

Wizardmon's efforts appeared to be successful as Mamoru saw figures start to appear on the observation deck's edge. It was warm enough for them to get up and spectate the fight happening in front of them. Sorcermon too the initiative to fire a crystal barrage, hammering MarineDevimon from another angle. GrapLeomon and Cyberdramon relaunched their combo attack, though the wild Digimon still managed to keep itself aloft despite the severe beating it took.

Mamoru took it on himself to finish it, and hopefully dispatch MarineDevimon without needing to delete it. Undisturbed, Wisemon regained the concentration required to launch his Pandora Dialogue. The words leapt from the pages of his book, ensnaring the wild Digimon and dragging it toward the earth. It was in a pitiful state, too weak to resist an attack that it could have easily deflected with its snow tempest.

"Yuki! Natsuki!" Mamoru shouted as Wisemon neared the rooftop.

They ran forward, raising their Digivices. There was a loud screech as the MarineDevimon used the last of its strength to spite the DigiDestined. Reina dropped to her knees as their Digimon descended from the tower. The clouds were beginning to dissipate, revealing patches of blue sky above them. Nagato finally succumbed to the toll of ultimate level Digivolution, wearing an expression of immense pain.

As their partners reverted to their rookie states, Mamoru and Kodai looked around to see that the rest of the DigiDestined were utterly exhausted. While he was fatigued himself, it was closer to the feeling of ending a day of work than the total exhaustion the others seemed to suffer from. Beyond a doubt, their experience was building up, allowing them to lessen the consequences of Digivolving to higher stages.

They remained in silence for a few minutes, sitting in a circle and basking in the warmth of the sunlight that now bathed downtown Kyoto. The remaining snow around them had begun to melt, signalling the temperature was finally rising above freezing. Yasushi was the first to recover enough to stand up. He tried to give Mamoru and Kodai a reassuring smile, but his expression was still closer to deadpan. A little later, Yuki and Natsuki stood up as well, seeming to have put themselves together. Though it was difficult to tell for the former, her expression had remained consistent since the battle had ended.

"We should get moving," Kodai announced, looking over to the base of Kyoto Tower. People were beginning to descend and were all looking towards them, likely curious about their Digimon.

Noriko groaned but managed to stand up and drag herself towards the stairwell they had come from. It was Nagato and Reina who were in no condition to go anywhere. They had dozed off during their break, only to be awakened by the prodding of the others.

"I'll take care of Nagato," Kodai said as he helped him up. It was difficult to discern if their manoeuvre's ease was due to Kodai's strength of familiarity with the situation.

Mamoru turned to Reina, who was still reeling from her headache. "Come on." Mamoru said gently, "I do owe you for that day in fall anyway."

Reina tried to squeeze out a smile, but she just appeared more miserable as she tried. Mamoru placed her arm over his shoulders as they began to shuffle toward the staircase. Ahead of them, Noriko had abrupt stopped as he overheard their conversation. As she turned around, Yasushi placed his had on her head, forcing her to turn back to where she was facing. Too weak to protest, Mamoru heard her sigh before continuing her walk.

They received curious glances as they exited the mall. Thankfully, vehicle traffic had resumed, which drew some attention away from them. Yasushi unlocked his Digivice to reveal Tapirmon peacefully sleeping on his home screen. Scrolling through various notification, Mamoru saw that both the Nara and Keihan Uji had become inoperable due to snow build-up.

"It's going to take a few hours for them to clear the snow everywhere else in Kyoto," Yasushi announced.

"Nagato and I can take the bus home from here," Kodai said, gesturing to the bus interchange nearby.

"There are also buses back to Higashiyama," Natsuki said, prompting Yuki to nod in acknowledgement.

Mamoru would have no problem getting back to campus if buses were running to Higashiyama. Though those living in Uji seemed to be in a bind. There was no easy way to get back, and the two high schoolers were in no condition to help Reina home.

"Senpai," Noriko said, dragging out her words in exhaustion. "Your dorm is near campus, right?"

Mamoru did not like where this was going. But the only alternative was for him to bring the three of them back to Uji which would take hours.

"Yes…" He replied hesitantly, trying to conceal his hesitance.

"Can we rest there for the day?"

Mamoru turned to Reina who had not said a word. She was using most of her remaining strength just to stand up. As much of an inconvenience as it would be, Mamoru could hardly refuse at this point. They boarded the bus with Natsuki and Yuki to make sure they got to Higashiyama alright. Though tired, Yuki was still typing into her laptop, though much slower than usual.

"What are you doing?" Mamoru asked. What could be so important that she would still work on it after their massive battle?

"Messaging Koshiro-san," She replied nonchalantly, her eyes glued to the screen as always.

"The detection system?" Mamoru had a hunch that she would be frustrated by it. That IceDevimon seemed to have been causing the freak amount of snow Kyoto was having the past few weeks. Yet they had never picked up on it.

"Yes," She placed the finishing touches on her message before closing her laptop screen. "We still don't have enough satellites…" Yuki mumbled.

Her eyes looked like they were about to glaze over, using the last of her energy to finish her work. Mamoru decided not to press his questions further. He doubted that he would understand much of what she said anyway.

Turning to Natsuki, who was now the only other person awake, she continued to look out the window as the bus plodded along. Her reflection showed a sour and melancholic expression on her face. After some time, she turned around and noticed Mamoru was unoccupied. He only occasionally checked on the other DigiDestined to ensure they were still alright.

"Sanada-san?" Natsuki started. "Do you think Kodai-senpai was disappointed in our performance at that battle?"

It was transparent that she was referring to herself. Mamoru did not know much about her previous battle experience, having been out of the group so long. Even then, it was apparent that Natsuki was the weakest member of the group.

"Not at all," Mamoru replied, trying to sound reassuring. "It was mostly an aerial battle today. I'm sure Kiwimon will contribute more in another situation."

Her expression lightened, but it was clear Natsuki was still not convinced. "Are you sure that's what Kodai-senpai thinks?"

"Kadotani-san," he began before she interrupted him with a raised hand.

"Just call me by my first name. You already did it just now." Mamoru realised that in the heat of the moment, he had used their first names without thinking.

"Alright," Mamoru said, resuming his train of thought. "I don't actually know Kodai that well. So, I can't be completely certain." Natsuki seemed mildly surprised at his admission, but he chose to just brush past it. "But he is definitely proud of what we did. Kodai is probably more disappointed in himself, being unable to contribute because GrapLeomon can't fly."

This seemed to assuage Natsuki's fears. Though Mamoru did not know precisely what their origin was. She nodded and smiled briefly before returning to her own thoughts. The two of them alighted before the rest, waving goodbye to Mamoru as their bus drove off.

The final stretch to Mamoru's dorm was a mess. Reina could barely stay awake, and Noriko stumbled about as if she was drunk. Yasushi barely had the energy to support her and himself. They drew plenty of unwanted attention, making Mamoru grimace at the thought of it filtering back to Asuka. Worse, these were not just any people he was with. Reina would be recognisable to some others on campus, and Noriko was very obviously in Todoh High School's uniform.

They spilt into his room, the two girls immediately collapsing onto his bed. Noriko still had the energy to make herself comfortable, pulling his blanket over herself and Reina. This left him and Yasushi to lie on the tatami floor that had gone cold in his absence. Despite IceDevimon's defeat, it was still midwinter with the temperature remaining in the single digits. As the silence set in, Mamoru felt himself slowly drifting off.

"Sanada-san?" Yasushi said, breaking the silence. Mamoru had lost track of time they had spent lying on the floor. He was not even sure if he had been asleep.

"Can I stay here overnight?"

Mamoru was caught off guard by the request, immediately sitting upright in response.

"Why?" He said, his mouth parched. The tatami was now warm, indicating that the heater had been left on for some time.

"I have an exam here tomorrow," Yasushi said nonchalantly. "The sun is about to set, so I think it is a bit late to go back."

"Aren't you going to send Noriko home?" Mamoru immediately shot back. He walked to his window and drew his curtains, revealing a blazing orange sky. They had slept the whole afternoon away.

"I don't think she is going anywhere,"

Mamoru turned around to see that Reina and Noriko had steadily shifted themselves into a proper sleeping position, aligning their bodies with the length of his bed. Mamoru remembered what had happened after Kiyomizu-dera, he had slept through most of the day after. Even if Noriko had not Digivolved to ultimate level, this was the most protracted fight they had ever been in.

"I thought this might happen, so I brought everything I need for the exam." Yasushi patted his bag that he had been using as a pillow.

Mamoru internally cursed himself for not realising it earlier. "The Centre Test are tomorrow."

Yasushi calmly nodded. Mamoru was surprised at how collected he was despite having spent the day before his exam exhausting himself in a Digimon fight.

"What about Nagato?" Mamoru was worried, Nagato would be in no condition to even consider getting up tomorrow.

"Takeshi?" Yasushi still insisted on using his first name. "He's in the science division. His exam is the day after."

"Damn, this is important, of course you can stay." Mamoru immediately started to rack his brain for how he would work out the logistics for this. "I have a sleeping bag somewhere," he began, walking towards his closet.

"Sanada-san, I appreciate what you are doing, but I'd rather not have to sleep on the floor. And you also need somewhere to sleep."

Even excluding the social implications, the bed was physically occupied to capacity. Another through flashed through Mamoru's mind, though he immediately wanted to dismiss it. Yet, after spending another five minutes attempting to come up with a solution, he found no other options.

"I'll ask one of my friends," he sighed. "We can borrow the inflatable mattress she has."

Reluctantly, Mamoru trudged out of his building and made is way to the residential colleges to the west of his dorm. At the very least, the weather was now completely calm without a single cloud in the sky—a welcome change to the blizzard they were experiencing earlier. Though Asuka went home to Uji more often than he did, she also decided to stay close to campus. It was mostly an excuse to live with Haruka and have fun away from home.

He buzzed the intercom to hear a perplex Asuka on the other end. After deciding her interrogation was better conducted in person, he was allowed up to her room. Mamoru meekly greeted her roommate Haruka as he entered the two-person room, hoping to stir anymore suspicion. He was hardly surprised to find Kaori also present. Despite going to a music college nearby, she seemed to spend most of her time at Kyodai with her high school friends. Though this worked to Mamoru's advantage. It was the whole reason Asuka and Haruka owned extra bedding and an inflatable mattress.

"Eh? Your junior wants to stay over here for his exam tomorrow?" Asuka's energetic tone shattered the evening calm that had graced Kyoto.

"Please, he is exhausted," Mamoru said, intentionally glossing over other more sensitive details.

"Let me guess," she said, turning to Haruka prompting her to bring up an article on her phone. "Did you guys have something to do with what happened at Kyoto Tower?"

"Yeah," Mamoru said, averting his gaze. "That's why we are having such nice weather now."

Kaori and Haruka's was grabbed this statement. Being in proximity to Asuka throughout high school, they had gradually learnt about Digimon through their connections to him. Though Asuka was the only one who had any idea close to the full extent of what was happening.

"So that means you were with Reina and Noriko." She said, raising her left eyebrow.

Mamoru clenched his jaw, irritated that the additional information he had thrown out failed to distract her. "Yes. Now please lend me the mattress. Yasushi had a major exam tomorrow. Take pity on him."

"Kaori, you weren't planning on staying over tonight, right?" Asuka said, her tone even more energetic than before. She shook her head, prompting Asuka to immediately bring out the box the mattress was in.

"Come on Mamoru," She said with a sly grin. She had handed him the mattress box and had picked up a basket with the bedding herself.

"I can carry all of it myself," Mamoru said.

"No, no," Asuka was utterly undeterred. "I'm lending you this after all. I need to ensure that its properly set up over there."

"I know how to do this," Mamoru said, letting his irritation show.

"I am trying to be a good friend." She said, her voice now sickeningly sweet. "How can I let you carry all this by yourself in the cold." There was a burst of laughter from Haruka and Kaori which pushed Mamoru to resignation.

Mamoru barged back into his own room out of sheer frustration causing Yasushi to scramble to his feet in surprise. "You can leave it here, Asuka," Mamoru said, in a last-ditch attempt to get rid of her.

"Hello, Senpai," Yasushi said with a slight bow. "Thank you for lending me your mattress."

"Not at all," Asuka replied in her normal voice. "You're from the history club, right?"

"Yes, I've seen you in the hallway a few times near the music room." Yasushi continued making polite conversation despite Mamoru's signals to cut it.

"Oh?" Asuka said, turning to his bed to see Reina and Noriko fast asleep.

"They had a long day," Yasushi said sheepishly.

"Oh its fine, I'm sure Mamoru will take good care of them as well," Asuka said, giving Mamoru one of her exaggerated winks.

"Are you happy now, Asuka?" Mamoru replied drily as he began to set up the additional mattress.

"Oh yes," She said. "Noriko looks nothing like me."

Mamoru shook his head as he ushered her out of the door. In the hallway, Asuka gave him a thumbs up before waving goodbye. He definitely would not hear the end of this. But at least she had picked up that they were genuinely exhausted.

Mamoru settled in for the night in his sleeping bag. They had polished off the last of his onigiri and packaged food for a makeshift dinner, too tired to even drop by a convenience store. He hoped that neither of the girls would wake up before tomorrow since nothing was left for them to eat. Just in case, Mamoru had prepared extra water for them, but that was as much as they could manage.

"Sanada-san?" Yasushi said as he turned off the light. "I'm kind of glad this is happening. It's the first time all the DigiDestined from Todoh have spent time together."

"Is it what you always wanted?" Mamoru said as he lay down. He wondered if he had been a bit too distant in high school, not even interacting with Reina.

"Kind of. I guess this is more of Noriko's wish."

That sounded more like it. "Too bad she isn't awake."

"It's okay. You'll have your hands full tomorrow when they wake up."

Mamoru shuddered at the thought, remember that Yasushi would be leaving early for his exam. Though he decided that he could deal with her badgering when the time came. It was only eight on a Friday night, but the evening calm quickly lulled him to sleep.