To put it nicely, Koji was in a bad mood.
That felt like the understatement of a lifetime though. His back was hurting more than he had ever thought possible, and the ground below him was rocky and rough. Koji wasn't sure of where he was or how rough his landing had been after the battle with Alphamon, but he absolutely hated it what was taking place. He had to persuade himself for nearly three minutes before he was actually able to rise to his feet and look around at the strange space that he suddenly called his surroundings.
The first notable observation was that the ground was glowing. The overhead sky was dark, and nothing could be seen across the net of obsidian that covered the horizon. It made the light of the blue rock underfoot notable, and Koji couldn't help but love the strange warmth that flooded his body with the presence of the illumination. He closed his eyes briefly, simply enjoying the moment of peace despite the pounding of his body.
The second thing that Koji noticed was that the area was completely blank. There wasn't even any grass to be seen. Instead, the ground was completely covered with blue rock, and the surface of the area was littered with craters. No matter how many steps Koji took, he was never able to touch down evenly, instead winding up with a strange sensation of uneven uncertainty. This was far from being like the Digital World that he had come to know, to say the least.
Before Koji had a chance to fully register what was happening, a rock was flying at his head. Koji heard the whistling sound, and he ducked down to keep from getting hit. Adrenaline began to course through his exhausted form immediately, and he rose to his full height before glancing around furiously to try and figure out what the source of the attack could have been. His hands clenched into fists, and he reached for his D-Tector. He wasn't sure of who would want to hurt him so randomly, but he was positive that he wasn't above shifting into Beowolfmon to take them out.
"State your intentions!"
Koji turned to see that the one who had attacked him was a small Digimon who came up to his waist or there about. He was made completely of gray rocks, and he had one hand pressed in front of his torso aimed in Koji's direction. The Digimon had bright yellow eyes that shone from darkened sockets. He was ready to attack again at a moment's notice if Koji showed himself to be a threat, and the Warrior of Light knew that he would have to tread carefully.
Slowly but surely, Koji raised his hands in the air as a sign of surrender. He didn't move towards the rocky Digimon, instead choosing to simply watch his foe from afar. "I'm not here to hurt you," Koji explained cautiously. "I don't even know why I'm here. What is this place?"
The rock Digimon let out a scoff and rolled his eyes. "You can't just wind up in a place like this! We're on one of the moons of the Digital World, and it isn't easy to get here!" he cried out, taking a step towards Koji. "Tell me how you really got here or I won't hold back!"
Koji felt as if he had been punched in the stomach. He was on a moon? That certainly explained the glow of the blue ground below, but he was beyond unsettled regarding the fact that he was there at all. Had Alphamon's attack truly done enough damage to split the group up in such a way? He didn't see anyone else in the area. Perhaps he was truly alone.
"Hold on for a moment!"
Koji gasped as he saw a familiar figure fly into view from behind the rock Digimon. Patamon appeared, his wings flapping madly to keep him afloat. He landed in front of Koji's assailant, and he glanced back and forth between the two parties carefully. "I promise that he isn't going to hurt you," Patamon told the rocky Digimon. "We didn't mean to come here. We were attacked by the Royal Knights, and then we wound up here."
Koji's immense relief to see Patamon again was cut short when the rocky Digimon shook his head. "You have no idea what you're talking about. The Royal Knights haven't been around since the times of the Legendary Warriors. You had better stop lying to me," he threatened. The rocks beneath his feet began to stir once again, and Koji could tell that he was raring to go for another attack.
With no other options left, Koji reached for his D-Tector. "I'm one of the new reincarnations of the Legendary Warriors," he explained quickly, praying that he didn't set off the other Digimon by speaking so randomly. "I even have proof. I can use the Spirits of Light."
The rocky Digimon glared at him, and another rock was sent flying in Koji's direction. The Warrior of Light ducked down to dodge it, barely managing to keep from being hit in the shoulder. "Don't lie to me!" Koji's attacker cried out. "How dare you even consider sullying the names of the incredible Legendary Warriors!"
Koji quickly pressed the activation button on his D-Tector, and he scanned the single ring of Fractal Code that appeared around his fingers a moment later. He was replaced by Lobomon in the blink of an eye, and he towered over the small rocky Digimon even more than before. Rather than reaching for his weapons though, Lobomon raised his hands into the air as a sign of surrender.
The opposing Digimon let out a gasp, and he dropped his hand back to his side. "It's true... You are one of the Legendary Warriors!" he cried out. "Forgive me for being so violent. Times have been rough as of late with Cherubimon. A few of his soldiers have found a way to come here, but that shouldn't even be possible. I'm a bit on edge. I'm sorry. You can call me Gotsumon."
Lobomon was bathed in Fractal Code once again, and Koji was left in his place. The Warrior of Light was beyond relieved that he hadn't been forced into combat so soon after the previous encounter with Alphamon, and he was unsure as to if his body would have even been able to endure another fight. He let out a small sigh and approached Patamon before picking up the small orange Digimon. "I'm Koji. This is Patamon," he introduced simply, running one hand through the space on top of Patamon's face. The small Digimon nuzzled up against his contact.
Gotsumon started to walk away, and he gestured for Koji to follow him. "This is Caeruleum, the blue moon of the Digital World," he began to explain. "This place has been widely abandoned by the main area of the Digital World for quite some time. We moon occupants live in a small village far from everyone else. The Legendary Warriors established our home for those who needed to escape the war and discrimination between Human and Beast Digimon. After all, tensions were high during the battle against Lucemon, and there were some who simply weren't equipped to stay on the main planet."
Koji nodded his understanding slowly. He glanced off on the horizon once again and saw that two other outlines could be seen nearby. The red and yellow moons were within view, and they both glittered with the same subtle glow as Caeruleum. Patamon continued to stare at the two sites with wide, wondrous eyes as well.
"A few of Cherubimon's servants have been coming here to stir up trouble for quite some time, so we've had to go on patrol to make sure that nobody comes close to our village," Gotsumon continued. "I was in charge of keeping everybody safe for today along with a few others. Maybe they found other friends of yours. After all, there were more Legendary Warriors than just the one."
"Cherubimon is gone," Koji told Gotsumon simply. "We already took care of him. He isn't going to be causing any issues for you from here on out. I can promise you that much. I worked with the rest of the Legendary Warriors to finish him off, and the Digital World is safe from his clutches now."
Gotsumon's shoulders relaxed at those words, and he smiled to himself. "Good... That's nice to hear," he muttered under his breath before glancing over his shoulder at Koji. "Everyone is going to lose it when they see you. There were some rumors here that the Legendary Warriors had returned, but we didn't know if we could really believe what everyone was saying. It's not exactly easy to get access to important information like that when you're so far away from the Digital World, you know?"
Koji let out a gasp as he noticed a few outlines appear in the distance. It appeared to be a town, and that certainly fit the description of the area that Gotsumon had described. The buildings were all rather splendid and large, and Koji had to admit that this moon city was beyond anything that he ever could have imagined. He prayed to every higher power that he could think of that there were at least a few other members of his team in the area. The fact that he had woken up alone was far from being a good sign. Running into Patamon was good, yes, but Koji knew that he wouldn't stand a chance at defending himself from the Royal Knights if he was alone.
Gotsumon continued to lead Koji through the city, and the Warrior of Light glanced around at the area in curiosity. There were far more Digimon gathered here than he had expected, and the Human and Beast Digimon mingled without any concerns. In fact, they seemed to be happy to enjoy the presence of the other type. It was far from being normal as far as Koji could tell. After all, he had only heard of strife existing between the Human and Beast Digimon. Cherubimon waging war with his Beast Digimon army had only worsened the tensions, and Koji hadn't ever been given the chance to see what peace like this looked like.
There was a large crowd gathered at the center of the town, and Gotsumon started running towards it at full speed. Koji did the same, still clutching Patamon tightly to his chest. He wasn't sure of what could be awaiting him, but his curiosity was already starting to eat at him from the inside out. What could have been such a widespread source of attention?
The chatter from the Digimon surrounding said target grew louder as Koji, Patamon, and Gotsumon got closer. He could see a pair of silhouettes at the core of the circle, and Koji let out a gasp as he caught sight of a few familiar features. The tall, wide figure of Junpei was unmistakable, and Yumiko's strawberry blonde hair stuck out like a sore thumb amidst the countless Digimon that had crowded around her.
Gotsumon managed to push through the crowd, and he threw out one hand to grab onto Koji's wrist as he shoved his neighbors aside. He gestured grandly to Koji with both arms, and a wide smile spread across his rocky features. "Meet one of the Legendary Warriors!" he cried out. As soon as he caught sight of Junpei and Yumiko, his grin somehow grew larger. "And it seems that we have a few others in our midst too!"
"Koji! Patamon!" Yumiko cried out, relief flooding her face. "It's so good to see that you're both safe. We were hoping to run into a few others here, and it appears that our wishes were granted. It's nice to know that you're alright after the battle with Alphamon."
'Alright' was certainly a debatable term given how utterly exhausted Koji still felt from being thrown around like a rag doll, but he couldn't bring himself to mention such. Instead, he simply nodded, smiling as he took in the full glory of Junpei and Yumiko once again. Having three of the Legendary Warriors gathered together was significantly better than Koji wandering around on his own.
"They found us while patrolling the area, and they brought us back here as soon as they heard that we were Legendary Warriors," Junpei explained, jabbing a finger to a trio of Gotsumon that were gathered nearby. They were chattering amongst one another excitedly, seemingly unable to calm their rampant joy. Junpei regarded them for a moment before shifting his attention back to Koji as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "I think that they're going to give us a place to hang out for a while."
"That's good!" Patamon chirped, scrambling out of Koji's arms to sit on his head. "I know that I could use some food after all that. I'm utterly exhausted!" His stomach rumbled to confirm his claims, and Patamon let out a small laugh of embarrassment. His claws dug into Koji's bandanna gently, enough to anchor him in place while lacking the force needed to cause harm to Koji's scalp.
"I can get you food!" Gotsumon suddenly exclaimed, and he gestured for the crowd to part. The surrounding Digimon did so gladly, but their upbeat chatter didn't cease even as Gotsumon dragged the three humans and their companion Digimon through the area. The blue of the ground below illuminated their steps as Gotsumon took them into a grand silver building that Koji assumed was a restaurant.
It didn't take long after the quartet was seated for Gotsumon to return with food for them. Koji found himself feeling almost dizzy with anticipation at the sight of the meal, but he bit down on his lip to keep from looking too ridiculous. A brief glance up at Junpei and Yumiko showed that they were just as excited as Koji was.
"Enjoy yourselves!" Gotsumon cried out. He seemed to have forgotten all about his previous woes involving Cherubimon and the Royal Knights, too caught up in his own enthusiasm to bother with the outside world. He didn't have the power to stay still anymore either, and energy seemed to rattle beneath the surface of his stony exterior. "I'm going to find a place for you to rest after you're finished. Feel free to make yourselves at home while you're waiting. The Moon Base is a friend to the Legendary Warriors, and I'm sure that your previous incarnations would want you to be comfortable and happy."
Gotsumon dashed away before any of the Legendary Warriors could protest. Koji shared a small smile with Junpei and Yumiko before Junpei shrugged and started to eat. The Warrior of Thunder immediately relaxed, and the heavenly expression that crossed his face told Koji that the food was beyond incredible. Yumiko seemed to agree, and she let out a dreamy sigh as she took her first bite of the salad that had been placed before her.
Lunch came and went in an unquestioned silence. None of them bothered to protest the quiet, and Koji could tell that it was because they all needed the quiet far more than they were willing to admit. It wasn't as if they had been given the chance to rest prior to that point. Ever since the battle against Cherubimon, it had been nonstop without a moment to breathe. This was exactly what they needed, and Koji wasn't going to object to it in the slightest.
After the food had been finished, Yumiko pushed her chair away from the table and rose to her feet. "I'm going to get some fresh air," she explained before moving to the entrance of the building. She gave a brief wave to Junpei and Koji before disappearing.
Patamon glanced back and forth between Koji, Junpei, and Yumiko before taking to the air. He flew after Yumiko and darted through the closing door just before Yumiko could fully disappear from sight.
Koji watched them go silently, one of his arms positioned on the backrest of his chair. He couldn't help but wonder what had drawn Yumiko away so suddenly. Something told him that it wasn't simply a wish to enjoy the outdoors that had pulled her attention from the rest of the group.
Yumiko's steps were slow and careful as she made her way around the Moon Base. She wanted to find a place to rest, but more than that, she wanted to put her mind at ease. It felt as if the world hadn't stopped spinning in quite some time, and she didn't have the slightest idea how to calm it.
In all honesty, Yumiko didn't know how to approach a relationship with Koji or Junpei. It wasn't as if she had ever been given the chance to grow particularly close with either one of them. She was best when it came to speaking with Tomoki, Mayumi, and Haroi. Takuya, Izumi, Hinoka, and Koichi all seemed rather kind as well, but the remaining members of the group were mysteries to her. Chihiro and Saki were quiet in a way that drove Yumiko away since she simply didn't understand what they could have been thinking. Koji and Junpei were similar, though while they weren't quite as outwardly as Chihiro or Saki could be, there was still something about them that made Yumiko feel awkward.
It wasn't as if she didn't like them. That was far from being the truth, actually. Yumiko cared for all of the Legendary Warriors and wanted to get to know all of them. Still, she felt strange spending time with Koji and Junpei when they were so different from the people that she regularly navigated connections with. She didn't even have the buffer of someone who she knew slightly better; she was left alone with two people who she couldn't even begin to understand, and she didn't know what to do.
"What are you up to, Yumiko?"
The Warrior of Wood felt a sudden weight on her head, and she glanced up to see Patamon settling down. His wings curled around the outside of her cheeks gently as he attempted to stabilize himself. Yumiko couldn't help but smile at his sudden arrival, though she had to admit that she hadn't expected him to follow her.
Yumiko shrugged casually. "I've just been thinking," she answered simply. She felt closer with Patamon than Koji or Junpei because of how much help Patamon had been when she was first becoming part of the team. She wasn't sure if Patamon understood the impact of her words, but she would never be able to forget his kindness.
"What is it about?" Patamon asked, and she could feel him shift in his curiosity. He moved for a moment longer before he got fully comfortable and settled down. After that, he stopped scooting around on top of her strawberry blonde curls.
Yumiko hesitated before letting out a sigh. "I don't know what to do when it comes to Koji and Junpei," she confessed. "They're just... They aren't like anyone that I'm used to spending time with. Well... I say that as if I actually interacted with people much before coming to the Digital World. I suppose that they just intimidate me, and I don't know what to do so that I can stop feeling so unsettled around them."
"Are you scared of them?" Patamon inquired. She could feel his shock as she continued to walk through the Moon Base. "You don't need to be. I can tell that they aren't scary at all. They're just trying to get through the Digital World the same way that you and everyone else are."
"I know," Yumiko said softly. "I guess... I don't know what to do." She longed to say something more than that, but she didn't know where to start. Yumiko took in a slow, cautious breath before she managed to speak again, doing what she could to channel all of her honesty into one group of words. "I'm not used to trusting people. I know how awful a lot of people can be, and... I never wanted to get close in case somebody decided that they were just around me for the sake of manipulating me. I've seen that a lot, and... I don't want it to happen again."
"Do you think that they'll treat you that way?" Patamon questioned. He didn't say anything after that, but Yumiko could tell that he was thinking far more than he was saying aloud.
Yumiko shook her head, not even needing to contemplate her response. "Of course not. I guess there's just lingering anxiety about being open with my struggles. With Tomoki, it felt natural because I could tell that he was like me... Afraid to trust anyone because of his past issues. He said that the rest of the group helped him out, and I believed him. I still have faith in what he said. Still... It's harder to act on than you would expect after you've drilled it into your own head for so long that other people can't be trusted," she explained.
Patamon stopped for a moment, thinking about how to properly formulate a reply. "You know... I heard something from Junpei when we were all split up," he finally told her. "It was when you went with Mayumi, Haroi, Bokomon, and Neemon to find the Beast Spirit of Energy. Junpei finally started talking about why he couldn't control his own Beast Spirit, and he said that he wasn't used to trusting people either. A lot of people hurt him back on Earth, and he was scared of being open and vulnerable after that."
Yumiko had to admit that Patamon's words caught her by surprise. "Really?" she whispered breathlessly. When she began to think it through, everything began to make sense. Junpei seemed to have two different sides when it came to interacting with the world at large. Even if he was getting better about his authenticity, there was still a clear divide at times in the ways that he behaved.
On one hand, Junpei was optimistic and bright, almost burning with enough force to scorch anyone who came too close. Still, it felt almost false once in a while, and his nihilistic dark side certainly contrasted that. He seemed to switch between being happy and chipper and angry and reclusive on a dime. When the pieces were spelled out in that way, Yumiko realized that Patamon was right.
In a way, she was similar to Junpei. Yumiko put up a mask of silence and harmlessness. She had always tried to seem as vulnerable and weak as possible at a first glance, believing that others possessed the same nobility that she did to not harm those who were quiet and defenseless. Deep down, Yumiko was far more than that though, and her sadness and grief for the innocence and love that had been stolen from her ate at her core when she wasn't careful. Her care for others almost destroyed her on her darkest days, the hidden side that she dared not to show the world out of fear of what could happen next.
Koji wasn't all that different from either one of them upon further examination. He was stoic and detached most of the time, and that acted as his mask to prevent anyone from pushing too close to who he was inside. Koji's gentler side could be seen in the silence and in places where Yumiko wasn't able to see him. She could tell that he was far more careful and gentle than he originally let on based on the way that he interacted with Koichi. There was something about Koji that completely changed when Koichi was involved, as if he was finally allowing the walls that had dictated his previous outlook on existence to crumble into nothing but dust.
"Thanks, Patamon," Yumiko murmured. She stopped walking and glanced back to the restaurant where Koji and Junpei were. She felt stronger than before, almost as if she would be able to face her fears regarding their previous distance from her. There was still the familiar buzz of anxiety in her chest, but she could feel it starting to degrade as the seconds slipped away.
For another long moment, there was silence, and Patamon frowned from his place on top of Yumiko's head. "Do you want to talk about why you're scared of the world and what it can do to you?" he eventually questioned, though there was an odd uncertainty to his inquiry, almost as if he wasn't sure that this had been his best option.
At one point in time, Yumiko would have responded in the same way that she answered all other questions about her life. She would have simply smiled, prayed that others didn't see the exhaustion in her eyes, and explained that she was alright before continuing to make herself as invisible as possible though she would never be able to shrink enough. Yumiko wouldn't have wondered if that was the best choice until hours afterwards when she was left to stare alone at the floor of her room, the one place where she was safe from the actions of others.
However, Yumiko had changed since then, and she was positive that she knew how she wanted to answer this time. She nodded and pulled Patamon off her head so that she was cradling him in her arms. "I wasn't always like this," she began to explain. "When I was younger, I had all sorts of friends. Everyone thought I was really nice, so you could have called me popular. I just wanted to make people happy."
Yumiko's expression slipped into something darker, and she refused to meet Patamon's gaze. "But that was when I learned about how awful people could be. I thought everyone was good. I believed that humanity consisted of amazing people who wanted others to be happy just like I did. I was naive, though I didn't know any better at the time. I didn't realize how awful the world could be," she continued.
Patamon tilted his head to the side, his blue eyes swimming with anxiety. Yumiko steeled herself and forced her eyes into his. "I was betrayed by a few people that I really cared about. When we started growing older, they decided that they wanted me for something more than simply my personality. There were a few of them, and... They wanted me for my body only. I learned that the hard way, and I realized that there aren't as many good people out there as you would want to believe," she explained. It felt foreign to her to say all of this out loud after she had spent so long hiding it. Her parents had told her that she was being dramatic, and she had believed them before vowing to never speak of the truth again.
Patamon pressed his body closer to hers, and Yumiko began to absentmindedly stroke at the space between his ears. "When I said that I had been hurt, nobody believed me. Some even outright blamed me for what took place even though I had no way of defending myself. I was scared, and... I stopped talking to people if I could. It seemed like an invitation to be hurt again, so I just stopped. It was too much for me. My trust had been shattered so many times that I couldn't put it back together. I just wanted to keep from getting hurt, so I made myself seem shy even though I didn't want to be. I wanted to find a group who would care for me, but no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't do that again. I didn't want to be hurt again," she confessed.
Tears were starting to well up in her eyes, and Yumiko allowed them slide down her cheeks before landing on Patamon's head. She didn't bother to rub the trails away, choosing to continue speaking instead. "I know that the Legendary Warriors aren't going to hurt me. I can tell that they're different from those who have treated me poorly in the past, but... It's hard to just get over the fear that somebody might hurt you. Having someone betray you after you spent so much time caring about them... It's awful, and I don't want to go through that again," Yumiko went on.
Patamon adjusted himself so that he was looking up at Yumiko again, and he smiled to her gently. "I'll be here for you no matter what happens, Yumiko," Patamon assured her. "That's what friends do. I'm sure that they all feel the same way too. Junpei and Koji will want to make sure that you're safe. I'm positive that they want you to be happy. You should go to them and tell them everything that you want to say."
Yumiko knew that Patamon wasn't referring to her previous recounting of traumas buried in the past. Instead, he was referring to simply talking to Junpei and Koji as a way of alleviating the fears that had threatened to drag her away from the light of day for so long. With her fears fully laid out for Patamon to see, Yumiko felt safer than ever before in a peculiar way she didn't know how to describe.
"I think I will," Yumiko told Patamon, sniffling when she felt the tears returning. She let out a choked laugh of a sob before finally reaching up to rub at her eyes with the heel of her hand. She scratched at Patamon's head afterwards, and the small orange Digimon nuzzled against her fingers. "You're a sweet and wise little Digimon, you know that?"
Patamon giggled under her grasp. He didn't say anything, but she could tell that he had accepted the compliment enthusiastically. She took in a shaky breath before turning her attention back to the building where Junpei and Koji were waiting for her. After a moment of hesitation, she took her first step in their direction, and she knew that this was one of the best steps she had ever taken, but it was far from being in only the physical respect.
Junpei watched as Yumiko left the building before glancing over to Koji. He was silent for a while, wanting to say something but not knowing what entirely he could even tell Koji. The moment felt strangely somber, and Junpei chalked it up to the invisible tension that was resting heavily in the air around them.
"I want to thank you."
Koji's voice caught Junpei by surprise, and he saw that the Warrior of Light had fully shifted himself in his seat so that he was facing Junpei once again. His gaze was oddly soft, showing a vulnerability that Junpei hadn't anticipated.
Before Junpei could offer a response, Koji continued. "Before coming to the Digital World, I didn't really have anyone like this. I know that I was a bit of an ass at first since I insisted that I could do everything on my own, but... I really have liked spending time with you and the rest of the group," he explained.
Junpei found himself nodding before he could stop the action. "Me too," he agreed. "I was lonely for ages back before the Digital World appeared, and I didn't know what to do to fix it. I hated the world. That's a blunt way of putting it, but... It's the truth, and I feel like we're all aware of it to some degree."
Koji let out a humorless laugh. "You weren't the only one," he confessed. "I was angry at everything for a long time before I came here. I suppose that you could blame my father for that, but... There were a lot of factors that caused it."
"You haven't ever spoken about your father before," Junpei said after brief hesitation. He didn't want to pry, but given that Koji had been the one to bring up the subject first, he figured that it would be alright to ask about.
"I've lived with him all my life. I believed that my mom had died in a car accident when I was younger, but... That wasn't true. She was off raising Koichi after an awful divorce between our parents. Our father lied to me and said that she was dead while insisting that I move on. I never had the chance to grieve for her, and I couldn't stop being mad at him for it. He just wanted me to look to the future without thinking of my feelings," Koji sighed with a shake of his head. "He taught me not to trust anyone. I didn't know about what happened with my mother until I met Koichi, but... He was so volatile and angry towards me for not moving on when he said to. I never wanted to talk to anybody in case they wound up being like him."
Junpei nodded his silent understanding. "Yeah... I get it," he murmured. "I would be pretty pissed off at someone like that if they pulled that too... I guess that makes sense as to why you were so distant at first. You didn't want to have to deal with any situations that would put you close to other people. It scared you after the way that your father treated you."
Koji's gaze fell down to the table, and the Warrior of Light suddenly seemed to find it to be the most interesting thing in the world. "When I heard about what was happening with Tomoki... I was mad. It reminded me a lot of the way that my father treated me. Sure, my father never got physical with me, but he was still constantly mad and didn't even seem to want me around. He never acknowledged how I was feeling, and... Yutaka pisses me off. He's too similar to my father, and Tomoki shouldn't have had to go through that," he said softly and carefully.
"Let me guess... Your father was the reason why you were so upset over what happened with Izumi too," Junpei assumed. It was easy to put the pieces together when Koji's father was framed in such a negative light. Koji had seemed so haunted and upset after Izumi was hurt in pursuit of Zephyrmon's Spirit, and it had been the most emotion that Junpei had seen out of him up to that point.
"Yeah," Koji confessed after a moment of heavy silence. "I guess that it reminded me of my mom. At the time, I still thought that she was dead, and since I never got the chance to grieve for her... I was still hurt by it. I didn't want to have to go through that again. It's not like the Digital World gives us a chance to think about any who have fallen. We just have to keep moving."
Junpei nodded his silent understanding. "The world's a shitty place," he joked, though it didn't seem to fully encapsulate the situation. No words could ever properly summarize the way that Junpei and Koji felt about the world at large, it seemed.
"I never wanted to let anybody get close, but... You all have shown me differently. I finally feel like I can let my guard down and be safe for once. I never had that with my father, but times have changed since then. I'm glad that I have all of you in my life. I know I didn't act like it at first, but... It's how I feel now. Sorry for being such a tool back then," Koji told him.
Junpei shook his head. "Don't worry about it... I can't say that I was any better. I was constantly mad when I first got here too," he muttered. "Though I suppose that I took it out on myself rather than anyone who was around me. I've been used to people treating me like an outcast for years now. I loved having you guys nearby, but I was scared of when it was going to fall apart. For a while, I was convinced that my Beast Spirit would finally show you all how I can be a bit of a shitty person."
Koji's expression could only be described as shocked. "You? A bad person?" he echoed, his eyes wide as saucers. "I don't know what you're talking about. You've always been there for us. I don't think that Izumi would be anywhere near as happy as she is now if not for you, Junpei."
"It's a similar case to what you put up with. I heard from people from a young age that I was an awful person, and I stopped believing in the world. I hated everything around me. I was mad at myself for not being able to satisfy any of the standards that others had set for me. I got along with my parents, sure, but... There's only so much that your parents can do to stop bullying outside the house, you know?" Junpei explained.
Koji let out a snort, but the sound seemed far more loving than aggravated. "Anyone who picks on you is a coward and a fool," he commented under his breath. "I don't know what I would do without you. I know that it's weird of me to be this openly sappy, but... I want to get better about this sort of thing. I'm tired of hiding how I feel all the time. I don't want to think that the world is attacking me all the time."
"Same here," Junpei agreed, laughing to himself. This was far from being an entertaining situation, but he chuckled regardless. "Look at us... We're two misfit peas in a misfit pod with our ten companion outcasts... Life would be a lot worse if I didn't have you and the rest of the group around to help me feel better about all this."
"The Digital World is an unforgiving and brutal place right now. We're in the middle of a war, and people are getting hurt constantly even if they're out of our line of sight. Still, even through all of this chaos, we're managing to find a place to be happy and belong," Koji told Junpei, glancing up with a smile on his face. It felt so overwhelmingly sincere that Junpei almost thought he was dreaming. Koji's deep sapphire eyes almost appeared as if they were glowing.
"When we get back to Earth... I want to stay in touch with all of you," Junpei said confidently. "I don't want to go back to being the person that I was before. I don't want to be mad at the world anymore, because I understand that there are good people out there now. For a long time, I almost thought that no person could possibly fit the mold of being good. I was so caught up in my own anguish that I just took it out on myself and others by projecting the worst possible outcome. The first time I actually allowed myself to hope in ages was with you all, and... I'm glad that I decided to take a chance."
"I am too," Koji agreed. His smile was still radiant, and Junpei couldn't help but wish that Koji smiled more often. Then again, he supposed that Koji would have more of a reason to keep grinning given that the rest of the group was there for him. They were divided temporarily, but when they got back together, they would be ready to take on the world. The Royal Knights weren't going to know what they were up against until it was too late for them to run from their own mistakes.
The door to the restaurant opened, and Junpei's eyebrows shot up as he watched Yumiko walk in. Everything about her seemed oddly disorganized, something that was completely out of the question for someone who always presented herself so perfectly. Yumiko's curled hair was out of place, and there was a clear dent from where Patamon had been sitting on her head. Her eyes were weary yet seemed oddly free and passionate, and her smile was sober, exposing everything that was going through her mind. Trails from tears that had been wiped away traveled down hr cheeks, but she didn't seem to care. Junpei was sure that she was aware of them, and that only made her sudden shift in appearance all the more curious to him.
Yumiko effortlessly slid into her seat beside Koji, and Patamon scurried out of her arms to sit on the table beside Junpei. "I want to get to know you both better," Yumiko said quickly. Her voice was confident and bold in a way that Junpei hadn't seen coming, and it caught him by surprise. It wasn't like Yumiko to be so bold with her thoughts. Despite its strangeness, Junpei found himself loving the shift in her personality. Everything about her seemed free and unchained, as if she was finally releasing herself into the atmosphere, a bird ready to take wing after years of being locked in a self-imposed cage.
"Where is this coming from?" Koji questioned. His vulnerability was still present, and Junpei had to admit that he was silently proud of Koji for not shelving his emotions as soon as he realized that it was no longer a conversation between the two of them exclusively.
Yumiko took in a breath to assure herself before she answered. Her posture was perfect yet relaxed, a paradox that she was able to pull off effortlessly after finally unleashing her true nature. "I've been afraid of the world for too long. I wasn't sure if I wanted to open up fully to the two of you because I know that we're rather different, but... I know that I want to try. I don't want to keep being afraid of what could go wrong. I want to embrace the idea of what could go right when it comes to talking to people and opening up," she explained.
Junpei could tell that this had been rooted in a conversation that Yumiko had likely shared with Patamon. He lacked the context needed to fully comprehend the gravity of her words, but he still understood them. It was strange to him, but he didn't mind it in the slightest. After all, it seemed to fit in effortlessly with the conversation that he and Koji had been sharing prior to her arrival. It hadn't been intentional since Yumiko had no way of knowing what the Warriors of Thunder and Light had been discussing, but that didn't lessen the joy that it brought to Junpei in the slightest.
"We're happy to have you and the rest of the group around," Junpei told her as soon as he was able to collect his thoughts. "Trusting people isn't easy, but... I think that the benefits of finding people you care about far outweigh the potential dangers of finding those who you don't get along with." It took far more strength for him to say something like that than he had anticipated. Junpei never would have expected himself to be able to say that and mean it, and yet, there he was. He wouldn't ever take back those words after having spoken them for the first time. He knew that they were true after spending years doubting that there was any good left in the universe.
"Yeah," Koji agreed quietly. It took him a moment to muster the courage to speak, and Junpei saw the flicker of shyness that appeared in his eyes as he pulled himself together. It added a strange dimension to Koji that he wouldn't have ever seen coming based on their first encounter in the Digital World. "I think I would have spent the rest of my life alone if I didn't have you all to bring me out of my shell. If I was still on Earth, I would be spending all my time being bitter and hating the people around me. My father and stepmother were the easiest targets, but... I know there would have been others. That isn't how I am anymore though. Times have changed, and so have I."
"I would have just been scared all the time," Yumiko confessed. "I've spent so long believing that I couldn't trust anybody because I've been hurt before. My parents always blamed me for my own suffering, and... I believed them because it was easier to do that than realize that I was worth more than others were telling me. I'm not going to do that anymore. I'm not going to drown in my own sorrow like how I did before. I deserve to be happy, and if the world won't make a place for me on its own, then... I'll simply make sure that I have my own corner where I can be happy, and I won't let anyone take that away from me."
"I think that we made a perfect place for ourselves away from the hustle and bustle of Earth," Junpei said confidently. "It was a way for me to escape my constant anger at the world. It was frightening at first to constantly have to run for your life from evil monsters that were out for your blood, but... I think that we've adapted well. This isn't exactly an ideal situation for any of us to be in, but we're making the most out of it, and I think that's what matters most at the end of the day."
Junpei didn't say it openly, but he was sure that his point had gotten across. He didn't want to be angry at everything all the time. He had allowed his own self-loathing regarding the way that others felt about him get to his head, and it had been poisoning his thoughts for as long as he could remember. Still, he didn't need to suffer under the weight of all that hatred any longer. It wasn't easy to break out of old habits, but Junpei was sure that he would be able to do it with time. That was what they all needed to move past their issues. They already had each other, and that was the first time. The only remaining step was distance from the pain that had brought them so far from heaven in the first place.
Patamon grinned widely from his place beside Junpei, and the trio of Legendary Warriors glanced over at him as he let out a small giggle. "You know, when I first met you all, I didn't think that this would happen," he admitted simply. "You always seemed to be hiding things from each other, but you were too afraid to push it in case something bad wound up happening as a result. I'm glad that you're finally being open about how you feel. It's nice to see you so happy. In fact, I don't think that I've ever seen you three looking this upbeat. It's not like you were constantly moping or stewing in your own negativity, but you were holding each other at arm's length. I like this a lot better."
"I suppose that we were," Junpei murmured. He hadn't even realized that it was an issue until Patamon brought it up. He had been holding everyone away, yes, but he hadn't even seen it in its full glory until after it was mentioned. Patamon had a point. Junpei had been passively afraid of being left behind or otherwise betrayed after years of hearing that he would never be good enough. He didn't allow himself to get attached completely because he was frightened of the possibility of being left alone.
But his fears weren't a reason for him to deprive himself of ever having in the first place. Junpei deserved satisfaction and joy the same way that all other people did, and he shouldn't have been keeping that away from himself. He hadn't been aware that he was doing it, but since the issue had been brought to his attention, he knew how to fix it. The journey to full recovery and peace would not be easy, but that hadn't exactly stopped him before. Saving the Digital World from Cherubimon hadn't been easy either, but he had still managed to pull it off.
Speaking of things that hadn't been simple or easy, he had reached out to Saki. They had been isolating themselves from the beginning due to reasons that Junpei hadn't initially understood, and he had done nothing but watch them from afar for a while, unsure of how to approach them. He had changed since those times then, and he knew that he was far better with emotions when he allowed himself to be. Blocking out the ugliest of his emotions had been an unhealthy way of coping for years. Junpei had been aware of it for quite some time, but he hadn't ever seen a reason to change it as long as he was managing to survive.
It was only thanks to the rest of the Legendary Warriors that he finally let the light in. He didn't force himself into a corner where he never spoke to anyone who he thought could be a threat. Slowly but surely, Junpei's kindness and open nature became sincere rather than an act that he could simply slip in and out of when he so pleased. He was improving, and he would continue to evolve for the rest of his life. He was changing faster and becoming stronger because the Legendary Warriors were at his side, and he never wanted to go back to life without them ever again.
"I think that the Digital World is as much a part of us now as we are of it," Koji said suddenly, snapping Junpei out of his thoughts. "We've begun to change since we arrived here. We aren't quite as human as we used to be, and... The Digital World has made us into the current versions of ourselves. Even after we leave this place behind and return home, its effects are going to stay for the rest of our lives. I don't think there's ever going to be a way for us to fully abandon what took place here."
Leaving the Digital World was a strange concept to Junpei. He knew that it would have to happen sooner or later, but he wasn't sure of how it was even going to happen. They had been in the Digital World for so long that the days and nights had started to bleed together, and he had lost track of dates ages ago. The timeline in his mind was bookmarked only by significant events that had left behind enough of an impact for the details to linger in the back of his head for ages afterwards. Returning to Earth, once something he had longed for simply on principle, no longer mattered as much to him.
He still wanted to see his parents again of course, but Earth wasn't as much of a staple in his mind as it once had been. Junpei had found another place where he was happy, and for the moment, that was all that mattered. After years of searching with no results, he had managed to embrace peace, and it was beautiful in every way that he could have ever imagined, as if he was seeing the sun for the first time after hiding underneath a rock for most of his life.
Junpei didn't know how returning to Earth would even be possible. He hated to admit it, but he didn't have the slightest idea as to how they were going to return to Earth when all was said and done. Before, the gate had been opened by the Celestial Three when Ophanimon was searching for the Legendary Warriors to pass through the barrier between realms and bring the Digital World salvation. The Celestial Three were no longer alive though, and their reincarnations were nowhere near as powerful as they once had been. There were no clear answers as to how they would be able to get home, assuming that it was even possible for them to pass through the gateway and return to the lives that they had been living up until that point, lives that didn't include magic, Spirits, or combat.
"We're going to find a way back one day," Yumiko assured Junpei, seeming to understand his silent fears without even needing to ask him for details. Her eyes had gone hard and sharp with a determination that filled Junpei with a peculiar sensation of warmth. "When we get home, everyone's going to wonder what could have happened to change us so much... It will just be our secret though. Nobody else needs to know about what we've been through. It's a secret that we'll share only with one another for the rest of our lives, and I'm okay with that."
Junpei had to admit that he agreed on that front. He was sure that he was going to be more than happy to keep this between himself and the rest of the Legendary Warriors. There was an odd feeling of inclusion that came with this level of exclusivity. It wasn't as if they would be able to tell their tale to the rest of the world. Nobody would ever come close to believing them, leaving it as a story that would be written in their blood forever and nowhere else. After spending years on the outside, only ever able to look in and yearn for more, Junpei rather enjoyed the idea of being in on one of the largest secrets that the world had ever known. It was a secret so large that the whole of Earth was unaware that it was even something they should be contemplating in the first place.
The eruption of phone calls across Shibuya was sure to raise a few eyebrows if anyone thought back to it a few years down the line, but there wouldn't be a way to explain it in full. No other person would know that the truth was far more fantastical than they would have ever been led to believe. There wouldn't be a soul outside of the Legendary Warriors who knew that another world existed and that the voice that had whispered through the phones came from a different universe entirely. It was something for them to know and cherish no matter what happened, and Junpei rather enjoyed the idea of that.
He was so caught up in his thoughts regarding their eventual return to Earth that he didn't even notice that the ground had started to shake until Patamon let out a yelp. Junpei immediately snapped to attention, and he rose to his feet before he could fully process what was taking place. The Digital World had changed him in more ways than simply evolving his character and personality. He was no longer merely human as Koji had explained just a few short moments before. His instincts were stronger, and Junpei felt as if his senses had been heightened to something that could only be described as animalistic. Then again, he was partially a beast thanks to his Spirit of the same name, so it only made sense that he was slowly making the transition to bridge the gap between human, beast, and Digimon.
It was these instincts that spurred Junpei into action, and he sprinted for the door of the building as he pulled his D-Tector free of its regular home in his pocket. He heard Koji and Yumiko dashing out behind him, and Patamon flew behind Yumiko before settling on her shoulder, watching the world with wide, transparent blue eyes.
Junpei slid to a stop as soon as he was cleared of the restaurant in full, and he glanced around to see that Digimon were running every which way. They were absolutely terrified, unable to decide on what would be the best course of action. Junpei felt his throat grow tense, and swallowing seemed to become impossible for him all of a sudden. He didn't know what could have been scaring the Digimon to such a degree, but he was already sure that he had to fight and win on their behalf.
When he turned his gaze to the sky, he could see Crusadermon had made an appearance in the overhead air. She was firing spheres of energy at the glowing blue ground, attacking anyone who dared to get too close. A few buildings had already started to collapse under the strength of her attacks, shattering the calm that had fallen upon the Moon Base prior to her arrival. The screaming in fear suddenly made all too much sense, and Junpei felt his stomach firmly create a knot at his core. This was not what he had wanted or expected.
Still, wishes and expectations weren't going to stop him from saving the Digimon who needed him. He could tell that his assistance was going to be required to save Caeruleum from the influence of Crusadermon. She had undoubtedly come here to collect extra data from the Digital World and loosen the seal on Lucemon's prison. The power would be donated to the fallen angel, giving him the chance to rise from the ashes and destroy all that was left.
Junpei couldn't allow that to happen. He had grown too attached to the Digital World, his second home, to even imagine allowing such harm to befall it, and he allowed his finger to slam against the activation button of his D-Tector. A trio of rings of Fractal Code appeared around his finger, ready to be scanned and start the Spirit Evolution process.
Koji and Yumiko followed his lead, and Patamon took this as a chance to retreat from the scene of the oncoming fight. Junpei saw the small orange Digimon flee to hide behind a building that a few other Digimon were clustered behind. Patamon had no chances of soothing the fears of the Digimon in the Moon Base, so he elected to find safety first and foremost instead. After all, the Legendary Warriors would be more than capable of distracting Crusadermon for long enough to allow the occupants of Caeruleum to find somewhere safe to hide until the battle had drawn to a close.
Junpei scanned the Fractal Code around his fingers, and he began to change shape. It didn't take long for him to be replaced by Thundramon, and when he glanced over to his right, he could see that Beowolfmon and Calanthemon had appeared as well. The Warrior of Wood immediately took to the skies in preparation for the fight to come. Everything about her seemed far more confident and powerful than usual, and Thundramon could sense that she had changed completely compared to the time when he first met her. He wasn't aware of the small details, but he was still proud of how far she had come since their arrival in the Digital World.
Crusadermon's attention was drawn by the sudden Spirit Evolution of the Legendary Warriors, and she turned her armored gaze in their direction. Even with her eyes hidden, Thundramon could tell that she was glaring, but he couldn't bring himself to care. After all, what did her opinion matter? She was going to be dead in a matter of hours as long as he had a say in what was coming next. He was going to defend the Digital World no matter what, and if Crusadermon insisted on standing in his way, he would simply have to topple her.
He had changed, and he was going to use that evolution for the better. The time had come for Thundramon to prove to the world that he was not the same person that he had once been, and he couldn't wait to put his shift on full display for everyone to see.
For the first time in far too long, he was happy to be Junpei Shibayama.
This is by far my favorite chapter in act four so far. Wow.
Full disclosure, I wrote this chapter in the span of twenty-four hours since I was having so much fun with it. I started, and I just couldn't stop. The character development here was so much fun to work on, and I absolutely adore the way that this chapter turned out.
Now, let's get into the analysis stuff. I decided to use Gotsumon in the opening scene as a reference to the original Frontier. I didn't wind up needing to utilize Gotsumon since Koji's Beast Spirit was gained in a completely different way from canon, so I gave him a cameo here, and I'm glad that I did. Gotsumon is a nice guy in Frontier who deserves a bit of recognition.
The world building behind the Moon Base is rather nice in my opinion. It's an easy way to highlight that the Digital World isn't always about Human against Beast, and I think it adds a bit of nuance to the society that's been constructed throughout the book. It's just a quaint little piece of world building that helps to expand the universe and the impact of the ancient Legendary Warriors.
Yumiko is one of the reasons that this chapter is so high up for me as far as favorites go. Since she's so naturally quiet, she hasn't been given much time to shine, and I thought this would be the perfect time for her to finally manifest all of the development that's been happening in the quiet throughout the book. Her conversation with Patamon is one of my favorites in this entire book, and I absolutely adore how it turned out.
I loved the part with Junpei and Koji as well. I've always wanted to explore their relationship since they're the two most grounded out of the Frontier main cast (aside from Koichi, that is). I really enjoy their dynamic, and it was nice to have Koji open up to somebody aside from Koichi. It shows how far he's come as a character since he's finally being somewhat talkative with his team.
The connection between Koji, Junpei, and Yumiko is really nice to me as well. I love drawing parallels between characters who don't seem to have much in common at a first glance, and this was the perfect time to do that because of how radically different they are. I think it meshes with their trust issues very well since, despite their differing traumas, they have a lot in common with their outlook on the world as a whole. Also, if you reeeeally squint, you could sort of see some romantic-esque stuff with Koji and Junpei. I wasn't going for that initially, but hey, this entire cast is queer, so it could happen.
I think that's about all I have to say for now. Next week, we have a special chapter as the fight with Crusadermon begins. Until then, I hope you enjoyed. Feedback is always appreciated. Have a nice day, everyone!
-Digital