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The Right Kind of Wrong
Chapter 9 - Hope
Author: Krys Yuy
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Takeru and Usagi flew out the screen of one of the many televisions laid in the digital world. They hit the grass with a thud, Usagi landing on top of the young boy. Both of them groaned in pain as small digimon peeked out from bushes in curiosity.
"Softer... landings..." Usagi moaned as she tried to lift her head, temporarily forgetting the task at hand.
"You... got... that... right..." Takeru agreed as he let his right hand fall against his forehead. When he finally found some grip on reality, he realized that his 'older sister' was still dazed and still... on top of him.
Usagi, whose mind was not exactly with her at the moment, could only take in the blonde hair and blue eyes beneath her. "Hey Yama-kun," she whispered, falling against Takeru once more.
Takeru blushed brightly as he gently placed his hands on her shoulders. He pushed her off softly as he sat up. "Oneesan..." He waved a hand in front of her face as she blinked. "It's me. Takeru." He shook her slightly. "Remember?"
Usagi shook her head and her eyes widened. "Oh yeah," she said as she stood. She blushed as she recalled what she did. "Gomen, otooto," she whispered, laughing sheepishly.
"No problem, oneesan," the younger boy grinned. He rubbed one of his arms as he shifted his weight from foot to foot. "Can I ask you something?"
Usagi pulled him up with her right hand as she nodded. "Sure, whatever," she replied with a shrug.
"What happened... back there?" He gestured to the television, indicating about the incident that occurred at his home. He looked at her face intently as she turned to study him.
Usagi's face became serious as she placed one hand on his shoulder. "I'd rather tell all of you at once," she replied, her eyes masked. "It'll be easier. For now, you just have to trust me... o-negai." The expression in her eyes melted away to reveal pleading blue orbs.
Takeru sighed as he nodded in reluctant understanding. Then he recalled one other thing that puzzled him. "Oneesan... why did you call me 'Kibou' instead of Takeru?" He inquired. 'And why did it sound so familiar?' he asked silently.
Usagi started to walk again, her 'younger brother' falling in step with her. She kept quiet as she contemplated whether or not she should tell him. When she had called him 'Kibou,' she wasn't exactly in control. Someone had been talking through her, but she was aware of it. It was a form she knew, but couldn't remember. It was connected with her identity as the Crest Keeper. It radiated a kind of innocence and royal sense. As for why she said 'Kibou'... she had no idea. She sighed as she tried to decipher it. She recalled her duty as the Crest Keeper, and accepted it. Something else was calling her though. Something that also needed her...
"Oneesan?" Takeru's voice broke through her thoughts. He was looking at her worriedly, his gaze searching for hers.
Blue eyes locked together as she smiled in reassurance. "I don't exactly know why, otooto," she replied truthfully, referring to his earlier question. She gave him a half-smile as she realized calling him 'Kibou' felt almost natural. "Let's say it was kind of connected with instinct."
'Instinct?' Takeru repeated in his mind, his face scrunching together. 'What would that have to do with instinct?' Outwardly he just nodded and picked up their walking pace. "All right, oneesan," he said quietly. He glanced around the area, and his brain registered something. 'I've never been in this part of the Digital World...' He was about to mention it, when his walking partner spoke.
"Takeru..." she murmured, stopping short as she spotted something move in the forest.
Takeru stopped when she did and rushed over to her. "What is it, oneesan?" He inquired, face neutral.
She just pointed at a clearing through the shrubbery. 'That... looks like...'
"The Crest of Hope!" Takeru gasped.
After he said that, both of them dashed into the clearing and skidded to a stop in front of a large stone pedestal. It had the markings of the crest of Hope around the sides in gold. The crest looked somewhat like a medal with cut edges. On the sides, carved just above the crest designs, it read, 'Hope Kingdom.' The top of the pedestal was flat, and it had a panel that looked like a screen, which faced the sky.
As Takeru neared closer to it, he suddenly felt a strange sense of deja vu. 'I... know this place,' he thought, narrowing his eyes. 'It belongs...' He stepped in front of the pedestal, and his hands skimmed across the panel.
It suddenly beeped rapidly, and the two Chosen Ones found a gold staff blocking their way to the pedestal. They both gulped as their eyes traveled up the staff to see the owner. A fierce looking Angemon stood there in a fighting stance. By first glance, Takeru immediately knew that it wasn't his digimon partner. First of all, his partner wouldn't be frowning at him and holding a staff in his way. Second, his partner also would've stayed as a rookie to greet him. Besides, Patamon needed Takeru to digivolve anyways.
"No one touches the Pedestal of Hope," the angel digimon stated with authority. "I am Angemon, one of the guardians of the twelve stones, which guard the kingdoms." His face remained neutral and stern as he talked. "I was appointed by Prince Kibou. What business do you have here?"
'Kibou? Prince Kibou?!' Takeru opened his mouth to speak, but Usagi stepped forward, her face determined. "We have come here on urgent business," she said, eyes masked. "I come here with the Keeper of Hope."
The Angemon immediately questioned her, and his stance never wavered. "And who, may I ask, are you?" He inquired behind his iron mask.
"I am the Crest Keeper," Usagi replied with no emotion.
The angel digimon gasped and straightened his form quickly, bringing the staff to his side. He stared at them hard before Usagi sensed a flash of recognition run through his mind. "Did you say you come with the Keeper of Hope?" He asked slowly.
"Hai," she replied, trying not to voice her confusion.
"And you are the Crest Keeper?" His voice radiated a barely contained excitement, far from the tone he used in the beginning.
"Hai," she repeated, crossing her arms over her chest. "Why?" She tapped her foot as she scrutinized him under her gaze.
Both Chosen Ones were caught by complete surprise when the Angemon bowed on one knee. "Forgive me, your majesties! I did not recognize you!" He proclaimed.
"Your majesties?" The two echoed, glancing at each other in puzzlement.
Usagi looked at him, as he remained bowed, becoming embarrassed. "O-negai, get up. There is no need for that," she said softly. 'I've done this before...'
The digimon stood up obediently, smiling at them. "Serenity-hime, you haven't changed at all," he whispered. Then he looked at Takeru. "Ooji, it is good to see you again. Finally, after all these years..."
"What are you talking about?" Takeru questioned carefully, not bothering to hide his confusion about the whole ordeal.
The Angemon paused as if contemplating something. He flexed his wings, obviously becoming absorbed in thought. He lowered his head to meet both of their gazes. "Perhaps, my prince... you should come to the pedestal," he suggested.
Takeru followed his instructions, stepping right in front of the stone pedestal, looking down at the screen. 'Why is this so familiar?' he thought.
Before he could give further directions, the angel digimon turned to Usagi. "Princess, forgive my intrusion," he apologized. "But I believe this belongs to you." He waved a hand through the air, and a shining object materialized above his palm.
Usagi took the object gently, and was amazed to find it was a diamond tiara. "This is mine?" She squeaked. "It looks... expensive..." She traced the stones delicately, trying to remember something.
"It is time for you to remember, oojo," the Angemon whispered. "Remember your identity as the one destined to rule..."
Usagi gasped as the tiara glowed and floated out of her hands to the top of her head. It flashed and Usagi now wore the gown of Princess Serenity. 'I am... the Moon Princess,' she thought to herself. Usagi groaned inwardly. 'I guess I'm just not cut out for a normal life,' she sighed. Then she brightened and smiled. 'I will take on my duty, my responsibility, so that others may be happy. I will do it... for the world.'
"Oneesan?" Takeru asked, confused as ever. He stared at her gown, impressed by its material.
"Place your hands on the panel," the Angemon instructed gently, stepping to the side, smiling mysteriously.
Takeru tore his gaze away from his 'older sister' and followed what the digimon told him to do. He placed both palms on the screen, and it flashed gold. The screen scanned his palms, and beeped twice. Takeru felt a part of him stir once again, like before. He closed his eyes as the gold glow surrounded him again. His hands were still on the panel. 'This place... so peaceful and beautiful...' A vision of a majestic gold castle appeared in his mind's eye. 'It belongs...' The glow brightened with each thought he had as something inside him began to awaken. His aura suddenly shot up and surrounded the area, flooding everything in its gold light. His eyes snapped open as memories came crashing through. 'To me!'
* * * * *
1,000 years ago...
Princess Serenity stumbled as the portal opened. She took a deep breath, steadied herself, and walked out. The black hole quickly dissipated once she was out. The princess looked around her in confusion. 'Where did Gennai send me?' she thought, beginning to explore.
Rustling sounds coming from a tree made her freeze. "Who's there?" She called out cautiously, fingering her new transparent robe.
A winged creature flew out slowly, looking at her with big eyes. Another sound was heard from the bushes, but no one else came out. The strange animal, which she figured to be a digimon, was tan but a little darker in some places. He encircled her and she held her palms out. To her pleasant surprise, the digimon landed on them.
A word popped into her head. "Patamon?" She questioned aloud, confused about the word she had thought.
The creature nipped her gently, making her look at it curiously. "How did you know my name?" It asked, tilting its head.
She raised an eyebrow. "So your name is Patamon?" She asked, feeling a smile tug at her lips. 'It can talk!'
"Yeah," the digimon replied, smiling back at her. "What's your name? You don't look like any digimon I know." He poked her on the hand.
Serenity gave a twinkling laugh. 'How funny,' she thought. "I'm not a digimon," she replied, tapping his head lightly. "I'm a Lunarian." She briefly pointed to the crescent moon located on the center of her forehead.
"Lunarian?" Patamon repeated aloud, eyes becoming clouded with confusion. "Why does that sound so familiar?"
"Another word I could use is human. I'm human," the princess said slowly, hoping the small creature would be able to understand.
"Human?" Patamon's face brightened considerably. "You're like Kibou! Oh, he'll be really happy!" The creature began flapping its wings, hovering in the air. "He thought he was the only human around!"
"Kibou?" Serenity echoed, her face scrunching in thought. 'Could he be one of the Chosen Ones?'
"And I'm his partner!" Patamon exclaimed with pride.
Serenity almost pictured a light bulb over her head. Now she recognized him as one of the digimon Gennai had shown her. 'This Kibou must be a Chosen One!' she exclaimed in her mind.
"There you are Patamon!"
A boy of eleven suddenly appeared in view, running towards them. He had golden blonde hair and bright blue eyes. He was fairly tall and had a kind aura radiating from him. However, he skidded to a stop when he saw the stranger standing near his partner. He became shy almost instantly as he stood just feet away from them.
Serenity smiled at him. "Hello. You must be Kibou."
"That's me," the boy replied. He couldn't help the curious gleam in his eye. "But who are you?"
"I am Serenity, Princess of the Moon." She paused here; gazing down at the ground before her a glint of silver caught her eye. Her stare shifted to the ring resting comfortably on her right index finger. Somehow it flooded her with confidence, and she vaguely noticed there was now a symbol made of gold on the ring, along with the other symbols carved delicately on the sides. She met Kibou's eyes once again with a new vigor. "The Crest Keeper."
Patamon's small mouth dropped open in shock. 'Th-the Crest Keeper?!' he thought, eyes growing wide. 'After all this waiting... finally!' Still too surprised to do anything, he stopped flapping his ears and began to fall.
"Patamon!" Serenity cried out. She quickly ran forward and caught him in her arms.
"Patamon!" Kibou shouted as well, and missed catching him moments after the princess had. Knowing that his digimon partner was safe relieved him though. Just then did Serenity's words really sink in. "Yo-you're a pr-pri-princess?!" He stuttered.
Patamon shook his head and then began to flap his ears excitedly. However, he never left the young woman's embrace. "Are you and Serenity-hime going to marry, Kibou?" He asked, sincere innocence in his tone. "Royalty marry royalty don't they?"
"Just call me Serenity, Patamon," the princess commanded automatically before she registered his words. Her cheeks were tinted bright reds in moments. She almost let the small digimon drop to the ground, but her hold on him became firm again. "Marry?!" 'Ugh... as if I don't have enough arranged marriage problems...'
"Hai, ojoo," Patamon almost grinned. "You're a princess and Kibou's a prince." He looked back and forth from human to human.
"Marriage doesn't come that easily, Patamon," Kibou groaned as he shook his head. "Besides, we're too young! Don't forget that tiny little detail." He wanted to hide under a rock... anything! He had just met the girl and his digimon was already planning to marry them off.
"Yes, Kibou's right Patamon," Serenity hurriedly agreed. "You must love someone before you marry. It is the right thing." She smiled bitterly at those words, before she wiped it off her face. 'If only mother would listen to that...'
It looked as if a light clicked in Patamon's eyes. "Oh." He flew out of Serenity's grasp and hovered in front of the two humans. "That's what Ai-hime was trying to tell me..."
The moon princess raised an eyebrow at the name. "Ai-hime?" She inquired, placing her hands on her hips. 'Could it be another Chosen One?'
"Ai-hime?" Kibou echoed, narrowing his eyes at his digimon. "Patamon, is there something you need to tell me?"
Patamon tried not to sweat at the two looks he was getting. 'Slipped baka,' he scolded himself. 'Well, the truth is bound to come out sooner or later. She's finally here...' He still kept his mouth shut. 'But she has to tell all of them. It is her right.' "Uhh... No one! No one! Ai-hime is just a fellow digimon! Definitely not another human! Why would you think that?!" He blurted out.
"Another human?" Kibou said, his tone serious and strangely calm. "We never said anything about this 'Ai-hime' being human, Patamon..."
'Uh-oh...' the winged creature thought. "Well, I'll leave you two to get acquainted, ne? I have a few errands to run." With that said, Patamon flew off toward the east.
Kibou tried to reign in his frustration and the urge to face-fault. 'Blunt, wasn't he?' he drawled to himself.
As Serenity looked toward the north, she noticed tall gold towers. She squinted her eyes. "What's that Kibou?" She asked curiously.
The young boy followed her gaze and fought the urge to blush. "That's my castle," he squeaked out.
"Soo ka?" Serenity asked, nearly awed.
"Hai," he murmured quietly.
She grabbed his hand in child-like excitement. "You'll show me one day, won't you Kibou? O-negai?" She pleaded with him.
Kibou didn't answer but stared at their entwined hands. It looked normal enough, minus the fact that they were beginning to glow gold. "Umm... Serenity?" He asked distractedly. For some reason, he couldn't break the contact.
"Hmm?" Serenity looked down at what Kibou was staring at and almost gaped herself. "Oh my." She didn't know why though, since she had seen much stranger things than glowing bodies such as herself and Kibou.
"What's happening?" Kibou asked, his mouth going dry.
Serenity raised her head, while at the same time, raising the hand holding Kibou's. The boy locked gazes with her as he noticed her movement. The glow intensified, but the two never needed to close their eyes. Instead, they welcomed it and knew it meant something great. Between their clasped hands, they felt something beginning to mold.
The Crest Keeper stared into Kibou's with an enlightened expression. "Hope..."
* * * * *
Takeru's eyes snapped open as the flashback ended but the green forest was nowhere in sight. Instead he found himself in nothing but a black void as far as the eye could see. "Where am I?" He questioned aloud.
Suddenly, the void began to take shape. It formed into a large canyon, and Takeru sensed it was in the Digital World. However, the atmosphere became dark and gloomy, the sky an endless sea of black. Only then did he notice the battered figures on the ground, humans and digimon alike. Some were people he didn't even recognize, but in one area he saw his fellow digidestined.
Takeru ran to the closest one, kneeling by his side. "Daisuke!" He exclaimed, worry filling his eyes. "What happened?"
The young brunette boy's eyes fluttered open weakly. "That you, T. J.?" He asked, chuckling softly. It looked like he immediately regretted it when he shut his eyes in pain.
Takeru was trying very hard not to panic. "What happened here?" He questioned again. He grabbed Daisuke's shoulders gently. "Daisuke! Tell me! Was it the Kaizer?"
The brunette looked up at him, confusion shining through his eyes. "The Kaizer?" He echoed. "T. A., please don't tell me you still haven't forgiven Ken." He almost shook his head.
"Ken? Who's Ken?" Takeru asked, eyes narrowing. 'I'm doing a lot of asking.' "Ken Ichijoji? The boy genius? What does he have to do with anything?"
Daisuke frowned at him. "T. C., I never knew you had such a bad memory. You know, Ken the one who turned to the good side? The Keeper of Kindness?"
Takeru could barely hide his shock. He then shook his head. "Forget that for now. What happened here, Daisuke?" He asked yet again.
Daisuke smiled grimly and painfully. "What does it look like? We lost. The digidestined lost." He coughed violently before he closed his eyes.
This time Takeru really did panic. "Daisuke? Daisuke!" He exclaimed, feeling tears prick at the corner of his eyes. The two hadn't known each other for a long time, but he still considered Daisuke to be his friend, even when he could be a jerk. But Takeru knew that wasn't his true self. "Daisuke! Answer me, damn it!" Takeru shook his shoulders; fear running through him as he realized the brunette's body had gone limp. "No! No!"
"He's gone, otooto," whispered a hoarse voice.
Takeru quickly found the source of the voice a few feet away. "Oniisan!" He cried out. He laid Daisuke's body down gently, and ran to his older brother's side. "Are you okay?!" He noticed the bruises and the cuts on Yamato's body as if they had just been in a fierce fight.
"The digimon was too strong, otooto," Yamato whispered, coughing as a red substance leaked from his mouth.
"Digimon?" Takeru repeated, puzzlement flooding his mind. "Who was it, oniisan? Who was it?"
"Just forget it, otooto," Yamato groaned. "We lost. There's nothing left. There's nothing to hope for anymore." Then he in turn fell limp.
Those words struck something deep inside Takeru's soul. There was no more hope left. Despair began to fill him, the complete opposite of hope. "There's no more hope," Takeru mumbled, defeated.
"Excuse me?" A voice asked as if offended.
Takeru lifted his suddenly weary eyes to meet the blue gaze of Usagi. She stood there defiantly in her school uniform. "What are you doing here, oneesan?" he asked, tired. "Hope is gone. Evil has already won."
Usagi's eyes hardened with something unreadable. "Takeru, you fool!"
Takeru stood up, wavering as her words hit him like a slap. "Nani?!"
"Hope is never gone! You should know more than anybody!" she retorted, her emotions blazing. "Hope is always inside our hearts!"
"Don't you dare talk, oneesan!" he screamed, making Usagi freeze. "You promised to keep in touch, but you never did!" He pointed a finger at her accusingly. "My hope nearly died that time!"
It looked like the courage in Usagi shrank away as she trembled at the abrupt change. "Gomen nasai," she whispered, tears filling her beautiful eyes. "I had a hard time... I forgot... I took away your hope... I- I-" She buried her face in her hands. "I have no excuse."
As Takeru studied her with furious eyes, he felt a sudden shame well inside him. He lowered his gaze to the ground. Words she had said drifted back to him.
"I'll be back again someday, Takeru."
"Never say never..."
"Hope is always inside our hearts!"
"I have no excuse."
Takeru lifted his head just as Usagi touched him on the shoulder. He looked into her eyes and winced at the tear streaks on her face. He opened his mouth to voice an apology but she put a finger to his lips. "Look around you, otooto," she whispered, her tone laced with emotion. She swept her hand through the air, gesturing to the bodies of humans and digimon as well as the dark sky overhead. "This is a vision of what the future could be..."
Takeru gasped and was rendered speechless. 'It isn't possible,' he thought in dismay.
Usagi held her palms up and reached towards him. Takeru copied her movements and placed his palms against her own. Though they had a three-year difference between themselves, Takeru's hands were larger than Usagi's petite ones. The blonde girl resisted the urge to giggle at the fact. Instead, she settled for looking into Takeru's eyes for who-knows-how-many times.
"If there's one thing you should know, Takeru," Usagi started with a smile as if she had never cried at all, "is that hope never dies." Her voice turned dead serious. "I never forgot you, otooto. I always loved you and I still do. I knew one day we'd be together again just like old times."
Takeru felt a flame being lit inside him. The flame of his ever growing hope. "I'm sorry I ever said those awful things," he whispered to her. "I love you too, oneesan."
"Of course you're forgiven," Usagi winked, laughter back in her eyes. Neither Takeru nor herself had moved from their position. "Now we have to snap out of it."
"Nani?"
* * * * *
Takeru opened his eyes to find himself staring into the eyes of his 'older sister.' He realized his palms were facing up, resting against her own. They were glowing intensely, and he felt warmth from their connection.
"... hope never dies."
The golden glow at their palms suddenly floated just in front of their faces. Usagi and Takeru dropped their palms as they stared at the twinkling globe of light. It began to form into the Crest of Hope. The two blondes touched it at the same time, and a bright flash of light radiated for a moment. When it faded, Usagi found herself back in her Crest Keeper outfit. One space in her silver belt had been filled with the crest. Takeru smiled at the familiar tag he now wore around his neck. What was odd was that he also had the Hope Crest, except it was in his tag.
Takeru noticed that he had the Crest of Hope, but Usagi also did, except hers was in her belt. "Oneesan... why do you have the crest when I do too?" he asked, confusion in his eyes.
"There is only one Crest of Hope," Usagi informed, smiling at him. "But it's like we're splitting it. However, instead of being cut in half or something, the crest created a double of itself with the same amount of power as itself." She paused as if to consider something. "You have the original and I have the copy, you could say."
"I guess I understand," Takeru replied, scratching his head, but stopped when he felt something.
Usagi let her gaze travel to the top of his head, and her eyes widened. "Takeru... you do know that you're wearing a crown?"
"Nani?!" Takeru exclaimed. He grabbed the object he felt, and sure enough, he had a gold crown. It had the engravings of the Hope symbol. It glowed in his hand before it turned into a beam of light that shot into his D-terminal.
"Aww..." Usagi sighed with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "You looked kawaii with that on, otooto."
Takeru couldn't help but blush at her words. "Geez, oneesan..." He looked around and noticed that the Angemon they had met was nowhere in sight, but the pedestal was still there. "I still can't remember what that pedestal is for," he commented under his breath.
Usagi still caught it though, but chose not to say anything. She knew what it was for but it wasn't time to reveal that yet. "Time for the next person, otooto," she said aloud.
"Guess I'll see you then," Takeru whispered as he turned to face her.
"Yeah, I guess I will," Usagi replied, smiling. "Ja ne, otooto." She kissed his forehead and he disappeared in a flash of golden light. She turned around as she herself vanished.
* * * * *
"It's already been a hour..." Sora commented from her spot on the couch.
"She'll be back," Jyou replied as he paced the room.
"Sure she will," Daisuke snorted as he sat on the floor. He brushed a hand through his spiky hair.
"Of course she'll be coming, Daisuke," Koushiro said, trying not to glare at the younger boy.
'The question is... when?' Yamato thought, worry for his brother running through him.
"Sooner than you think." A musical voice laughed, answering Yamato's unsaid question.
Usagi appeared in the room, clad in her slacks, silk shirt, and robe. Everyone was so startled by her sudden appearance, they couldn't say anything. Usagi's necklace changed shape again as she was covered in a pink glow. She stared into Hikari's eyes and smiled. The younger girl smiled back at her, not the least bit afraid, knowing something was going on. Usagi spoke again, this time fully aware of what she was saying.
"Akiko..." she whispered. She held her hand out as she did to Takeru before, except this time she was offering it to Hikari.
Hikari walked towards her with no hesitation as she glowed pink as well. She grabbed Usagi's hand in her own.
The two girls were sucked into the computer as they became pink lights. That was when the digidestined snapped out of their stupor.
Daisuke broke the silence. "Is that going to happen every time?"