Davis lay on the cold floor, staring up at the source of light that illuminated the spot he was in. Growing bored from that useless task, he stood up and straightened his clothes while taking another look around into the darkness. As before, he could see nothing that came even close to a building, a ground, or anything like that. Davis still wasn't sure whether the ground itself was actually made out of anything- or whether it was even really there- but the fact that he wasn't falling through space told him that something was holding him up.
As his curiosity rose, Davis decided to do some tests of his own. The digidestined took a single, methodical step into the darkness, hoping to get out of that annoying light and perhaps find out where he was. The beam of light moved with him like a spotlight, which actually made Davis smile a bit. The boy took another step, this time to a perpendicular direction, and the light followed him there as well.
"Heh heh heh..." laughed the boy to himself. Davis took off at high speed and started running in random directions, trying to outrun the spotlight that illuminated his position. Each time he did this, the light jerked left and right as it tried to keep up with him, and Davis continued to avoid the light source as best he could, until finally something big and strong like metal whacked him on his back- hard. Davis fell flat on his face, and didn't get up for a little while thanks to the strength of the hit.
Davis groaned and sat up so that he was sitting again. "Afraid I might break it?"
"Well I'm bored out of my mind! Why do we have to wait an hour at a time for these 'tests' of yours?!"
"Well why don't you do it?!"
Davis' curiosity worked up again. "So you're hiding, eh..."
"So you don't work for the powers of darkness?"
"No! I know Gennai is supposed to be a good guy, but during this whole testing mess he's been nothing but a jerk as far as I'm concerned! Besides, if you're good, why don't you show yourself?!"
Davis groaned again in complaint. "Whatever, but by the time we get around to my test, I'll look as old as Gennai!"
"Watch it jerk, or I'll start running around in circles again!"
"Hey pal, what's my test going to be like anyway? Is it going to be like the others, where I do that "soul searching" junk, or do I actually have to do something tough?"
Davis smiled. "All right! What do I have to do?! Fight someone or run the five-minute mile?!"
"You're not so tough!" said Davis, sticking his tongue out.
The voice growled a bit.
Davis put up his balled fists. "You want some?!"
*ping*
Hmm...you just lucked out punk. It's time for Cody's trial. A section of the darkness swirled into the floating view of Gennai's room, and the sound of the others talking could be heard. Davis lowered his fists and sat down to watch.
"You were the one who lucked out," muttered Davis under his breath.
****
Cody.
The boy looked up when he heard his name being called. He stood up and bowed lightly. "Yes."
It's your turn.
The boy nodded to the TV screen, although he was unsure if good manners applied to appliances. "Okay."
I should also warn you that this test won't be for Armadillomon's egg.
"What?! What do you mean?!"
This test will be for Patamon's egg.
TK's expression grew worried, and Cody's just grew angry. "What game are you playing Gennai?"
These aren't my rules. All I know is that Patamon's life depends on Cody succeeding. Good luck, young man.
Cody looked over at TK, who returned the look with worry. Quickly seeing the same worry enter Cody's face, he put on a smile and nodded. "I have faith in you Cody. I know you can do it."
The child's nervousness didn't leave, but he returned the nod and turned back to the TV screen wordlessly. The digiport program appeared onscreen, and Cody held up his digivice so that he could open the gate to wherever it may lead. "Digiport open!" With those words, the gate unlocked, and a bright white light filled the room.
"Good luck Cody!" said Kari. "We aren't going to lose anybody, okay?"
Cody turned and nodded. "Don't worry. If my test is anything like Ken's and Yolei's, then I have nothing to worry about because I have nothing to hide."
"How do you know what our tests were about?!" yelled Yolei, her face blushing a little.
"Let's just say your face doesn't lie." While TK chuckled at Yolei and Ken's embarrassment, Cody stepped into the white light and waited for his test to begin.
==Elsewhere...==
Cody looked around, and saw that he was at least in someplace familiar- the underwater oil platform where the digidestined found the digiegg of Reliability. Cody found it interesting that he was here, but unlike his last visit here, he wasn't afraid. Those days of being afraid of the water are gone. So why was he here?
"Hello?" called out Cody to the rest of the building, wondering if anyone (or anything) else was present. Looking around the room where the digidestined were trapped during their last visit, he found it empty, and surprisingly intact considering what occurred last time. It looked as if they had never been there. Eventually, after walking full circle around the underwater construct's central column, Cody stopped walking.
"*Sigh*...what am I supposed to do." Cody closed his eyes in deep thought, and tried to think of why he could possibly be there for this test. "Think Cody, think." Since nobody had spoken to him yet, Cody guessed he was on his own for this one. No matter. As far as he was concerned, he could do this by himself if he needed to. The question was...what was he supposed to do? Cody crossed his arms and looked at the ground as he tried to think, while the other digidestined walked around and talked, oblivious to his presence.
What am I supposed to do? If this is a test of whether I'm worthy of being a digidestined, then I would guess that it involves knowledge and reliability somehow. Now, since I'm here in the oil platform, the test probably involves this place too...or maybe it's just a trick, or a random place. Cody unconsciously began to pace. Come on Cody, think! You can't let TK down!
"Again, Cody," said a new, but still familiar voice. Cody looked up, and again he was surprised by a sudden change in the environment. Instead of the underground oil platform, he was now inside a kendo training room- probably the one built in Cody's building. In the center of the room, two people sparred with kendo sticks and the standard protective uniform and helmet. Judging from the size of the two combatants, and the skill and style each displayed, Cody knew immediately who they were.
A quick lunge to the right from the smaller of the two opened him up to the taller opponent's weapon, allowing him to finish the battle with a light swipe from at the smaller opponent's side. With the battle finished, the two backed off and went to their starting positions, though the smaller one seemed less energetic in the process.
The taller one removed his mask, revealing an elderly face fixed in a stern expression, as befit any teacher. "Cody, what is wrong?"
The smaller opponent removed his mask, revealing Cody's face from one year ago. Despite his difference in age, he looked the same as the real Cody. The only real difference between the two was in their way of acting. The real Cody was silent, attentive, and emotionless as he watched the situation unfold. The other Cody was a bit more emotional and, as Cody put it, 'animated'.
"Grandpa, why isn't dad home yet? He promised he'd be home early tonight since you were visiting."
Grandpa Hida shrugged. "He's a policeman, Cody. Sometimes they are forced to work late." When Cody's eyes became sad like a puppy dog's, Grandpa walked up to him and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry. I am sure he will be home soon."
Cody looked up at his grandfather hopefully. "Really?"
"Of course," the old man answered with a smile. "He'll be home any minute." He put on his helmet and took a few steps back. "Until then, let's see if you're a match for old grandpa."
Cody giggled happily and put his own helmet back on. "I'll win this time! Just you watch!" Assuming the appropriate stance, he went at his grandfather with his stick, showing his childish exuberance, as well as the lack of discipline that came with it- something Cody never imagined himself having. As the scene continued to play out, Cody's mother came up to the door, looking in with eyes dampened by tears. Both Cody and Grandpa looked at her with shock. Grandpa went over to where she stood, and she whispered a few words to him. Grandpa looked at her eyes, and she began to weep once again. Young Cody just stood at the end of the kendo mat, wondering what was wrong with his mother.
"Mommy?" he asked as he walked over. "Why are you crying?"
Mrs. Hida looked down at her son and held his innocent little face as she wept. "I'm sorry Cody...I'm so sorry." As this tearful scene continued on, the image faded away, leaving the real Cody alone in the dark, lost in his own memories of the past.
That was the night father was killed. Cody's face remained stone cold, but the rest of him was trembling. At the corners of his intense brown eyes, drops of tears started to form, but didn't quite fall. That was the night I left my childhood behind.
The darkness around him formed into a new environment- the bedroom where he's slept his entire life. It was here that his heart was allowed to be free- at least, that was true before Upamon became a permanent roommate. Cody was always closed and serious, and even though he was his friend, Upamon was still not privy to certain things- Cody's innermost thoughts and feelings. It was here in Cody's bedroom where he let those feelings go, when he was younger.
In the current image, young Cody lay in his bed crying into his pillow. After hearing the news concerning his father's death in the line of duty, he ran to his room and immediately dived into bed. Despite the mother's wish to be there with him, Grandfather Hida convinced her that letting the boy sort out his feelings on his own for a while would be for the better. Besides, in the mother's current state, there wasn't much she could do to cheer him up.
Cody's weeping momentarily stopped as his thoughts changed from sadness to anger. In all cases of handling the death of a loved one, there was a predictable set of stages that occurred. One such step was anger- unreasoning anger. For young Cody, this anger wasn't directed at the ones who killed his father. It was directed at his father- the man he had always thought was invincible and perfect. Like any other child his age, his father was his hero.
"Why, daddy? Why?" Cody beat his pillow mercilessly, repeating these words all through the night, until finally he fell asleep.
I couldn't understand. I hated him for not being perfect like I thought he was. My father had failed in my eyes. That's the day I lost my childish, happy voice. I became determined and focused in everything I did, because it would help me forget. Of course...I couldn't live without feeling and still be a child.
The scene faded to a new place- a little park where lots of little children played on the swings or in the sand. Older kids played on the nearby basketball court, while those in between played a dodgeball game with dozens of participants. Cody walked to the dodgeball area, again noticing that he was apparently invisible to everyone there. Find a spot where he could watch the scene easily, Cody waited for something to happen.
Cody happened to glance to a section of the park where a little child was by himself. He looked closer, and noticing his wardrobe and overall disposition Cody immediately realized who it was- himself. At the moment, the other Cody was next to a tulip tree, filled with pink bulbs that waved lightly in the spring breeze. He was training in his kendo using a wooden stick, and apparently ignoring everything else going on around him. He didn't notice the dodgeball as it rolled to a halt about three feet away from his place. A young girl a few years older than him ran over to pick up the ball, and noticed Cody by himself.
"Hi!" she said with a pearly-white smile. Cody glanced up at her and nodded once before returning to his training. The girl walked over to where he was and tapped him on the shoulder when she saw an opening. He looked at her again, and she said, "Do you want to play with us?"
"No thank you," he said in his typical whisper-for-a-voice. He returned to his training, expecting the girl to go away.
"Come on Yolei!" shouted one of the other kids in the dodgeball game. "Are you coming?!"
Yolei threw the ball back to the others, answering "Play without me, okay!" The other kid shrugged and picked up the ball to continue their game, while Yolei sat under the tree next to Cody, watching him swing his kendo stick methodically.
Cody glanced over at her. "Is there something you want?"
"What are you doing?" she asked innocently.
"Kendo," he answered simply, doing a particularly powerful swing at that moment.
"Oh..." she said. Young Cody was sure she didn't understand what Kendo was, but he didn't care anyway. He continued to train and tried to ignore her at the same time.
"What's your name?" she asked after a period of silence.
"Cody."
"Cody," she repeated to herself. "That's a nice name." Another swing with considerable force behind it. *Whoosh*
"Don't you ever get tired of this?"
"Why do you ask?" he said in a way that lacked actual curiosity.
"Whenever I see you around our building, you're always swinging that stick around or walking by yourself. Don't you ever want to play?"
"No." *Whoosh*
"Really? You mean you don't like playing with your friends?"
"I don't have any friends." *Whoosh*
Yolei looked at Cody sadly. "Oh... I'm sorry."
*Whoosh*... *WhooshWhooshWhoosh!* After all this up-tempo training, young Cody was starting to sweat and pant. Feeling his fatigue catch up with him, Cody gathered his stuff up and headed home.
"Wait, Cody!" said Yolei. Cody halted, but didn't turn around. He could hear Yolei shuffling her feet around. "Do you...um..."
Cody looked over his shoulder. "Yes?"
"Do you...want to come to my birthday party?"
Cody thought about it for a moment, then an old, familiar pain filled his chest near his heart. "I can't."
"Please?" Yolei pleaded. "It'll be fun, and you'll get to meet lots of people."
"I don't want to meet lots of people! I just want to be left alone!" Cody ran off towards his house, leaving Yolei behind to wonder what brought that outburst on.
The real Cody watched this all silently. My first meeting with Yolei. Heh...friendly enough I guess. I'll give her points for trying though. Of course... I underestimated how pushy Yolei could be.
==New Scene: Hida Residence==
*DingDong*
"Cody, could you answer that please?" asked Cody's mom. "That should be the girl repairing the computer."
"Okay mom," answered Cody. He went to the front door and opened it. Cody was surprised (and annoyed) to see the girl from the park standing there. She smiled when she saw who it was.
"Hi there Cody," she said with a smile. "Remember me?"
"Come in," he said simply. "The computer is this way." Cody led her down the hall to the room where the Hida computer was. Yolei went to the computer and sat in the chair and got to work. Cody headed for the door, but Yolei stopped him with a question.
"So why don't you want to make friends?" she asked.
Cody thought of a million mean things he could say, but lately his grandfather had been reinforcing the idea of proper manners. So instead, Cody answered "Friends are supposed to understand you...but nobody understands me."
Yolei seemed surprised at Cody's words. "...How old are you?"
"Seven."
"Whoa...I've never heard a seven year old say something like that."
"That's because there aren't any seven year olds around here like me. Hence, why I have no friends. Now, if you're done with your questions, I'll return to my book." Cody headed towards the door, but again something Yolei said stopped him in his tracks.
"Do you act this way because of your father?"
Cody turned around angrily. "What did you say?!"
"When I mentioned to my mom that I was coming to fix your computer, she was reminded of your father's death a few years ago. She said he was a good policeman."
Cody felt a pressure build up in his chest but unlike the other times in his past, nothing happened. He simply trembled a bit, and looked at the ground as he tried to remember what his father was like. Even though it had only been a few years since then, he had forgotten much- most of it on purpose, because being reminded of him brought back to much pain. Now, all he had left were faint glimpses.
"...Sorry. I do that sometimes."
Cody looked at her. "Do what?"
"I say things before I think, and I end up hurting people's feelings," she replied. "Forget what I said." Yolei returned to typing on the computer and trying to debug it, while Cody stood by in thought.
"...You're right."
Yolei glanced over at the boy. "Huh?"
Cody trembled slightly. "I...nevermind. I'll go now."
"Wait!" Yolei said quickly. "Cody, don't go!"
Cody turned around. "Why?"
"Tell me what you were going to say. Please?"
The boy shook his head. "No, forget it. It's not important."
"Yes it is! You were about to tell me why you don't want to have friends."
"It doesn't matter why I have friends. Friends aren't important."
"What?!" exclaimed Yolei. "Friends are the most important thing in the world! They're the people you can share your thoughts and feelings with."
"I wouldn't know," said Cody solemnly. "I have no feelings to share."
"...Because of what happened with your father?" she said, but quickly regretted that. "Oh, wait, I didn't mean that!"
"No, you're right. It is because of my father, but I can't change that now."
"Sure you can Cody. I can tell you have feelings."
"No I don't," he replied stubbornly.
"Yes you do! Everybody has feelings! I can tell you're a sweet, kind, and dependable kid."
Cody looked at her with surprise. "What?"
"You don't think so?"
"Well, I...uh...I don't know."
Yolei smiled at Cody's awkwardness. "Look, I know you can be a great friend. I bet you're the kind of guy who'd never let anybody down, huh?"
Cody shrugged. "I guess..."
Yolei punched a few more keys on the keyboard, and stood up to leave. "There you go. The computer should be fine now."
"Oh, thanks." Cody went to the counter to pick up the money his mother wanted to pay, and held it to Yolei. "Here you go."
Yolei shook her head. "Keep it. If you promise to be my friend, I'll do my services for free."
Cody looked at the money, then shrugged and held it out again. "Here you go."
Yolei giggled. "Let me put it this way. I don't want the money. Listening to you talk was payment enough."
"Uh...are you sure?"
Yolei thought for a moment. "Hmm...actually, I'll make you a deal. If you smile for me, then I'll fix your computer whenever you want."
"Smile for you?"
Yolei smiled. "Yeah, like this. Show me what you look like when you're happy."
"...Happy?"
"Sure. Kids should be happy! Show me your smile, and I'll be satisfied."
Cody shrugged, and decided that if he could save his mom some money by just smiling, he could stand it. Cody focused his thoughts like he did when he was preparing for Kendo, but the act of smiling after so long was more a challenge than any Kendo fight. The edge of his lips twitched and curled, but didn't quite make it; he didn't have anything to be happy about. Yolei watched intently, and neither her nor Cody noticed that Ms. Hida had come into the room to watch. The boy focused everything he had, and tried his best to smile, but nothing happened. This only made him angrier.
"Cody, just relax," said Yolei. "You don't try to smile; you think of something that makes you happy or makes you laugh."
"I don't have anything to be happy about."
"Sure you do! You have a wonderful family, and the cutest girl in town for a friend," she said jokingly.
Cody's lips curled into a smile as the stupid humor seeped into his cold exterior. When Yolei saw his smile, she cheered happily. "I knew you weren't all Mr. Serious." As the two continued to talk, Ms. Hida started to weep happily in the background as she saw her only son smile for the first time in over a year. Outside in the real world, the real Cody started to smile as well as the image faded away into blackness.
Cody...
"Gennai! I was starting to worry that you were never going to tell me what I had to do! Hurry up and tell me how to save Patamon!"
You already have, Cody. You have proven yourself to me.
Cody looked confused, and actually unsatisfied as well. "That's it?"
Something wrong?
"Well...I thought these 'tests' would have a little more to them."
Your test had little to it, because aside from your lack of personality, you're fairly well suited for your role as the child of Knowledge and Reliability. Don't worry though...even though your mission is complete, there is something else you can do. As the child of Reliability, saving your friends is a top priority. Soon, you may have to save Davis from himself.
"What?!"
****
"WHAT?!"
"What's this all about?!" yelled Davis.
"No! No more of this 'you'll find out' stuff! Tell me now! I don't care what it is, just tell me!" As they were speaking, Cody disappeared from the blackness and presumably returned to the cabin where the others were waiting.
Davis blinked in surprise. "What are you talking about?"
Flash
Kari glanced down at her D-terminal. "Since Davis isn't here, I have to."
Cody, Ken, and Yolei stepped back while TK moved closer to the girl. "Okay Kari...be careful," said TK just before he touched her lips gently with his own. Kari accepted the kiss and added her own emotions to it.
Eventually they broke the kiss. "I'll be waiting for you," said TK softly.
"I'll be with you soon," she answered just as quietly. TK finally joined the others, while Kari turned and knelt next to the strange shimmering pool. As the others watched intently, Kari extended her hand ever so slowly towards the opaque liquid.
The instant Kari touched the liquid, she cried out in pain. A horrible, disgusting noise of flesh being burned filled the air, and Kari seemed to be the source. Or rather...her hand seemed to be the source.
"It's acid!" cried Ken as the kids all ran forward to try and aid her.
"Help me!!" she cried just as she was seemingly pulled into the fluid. TK and the others gasped in total shock at the sight. TK was about to jump in, but Ken and Yolei held him back as best they could.
"Kari!!" he cried.
The girl's hand poked up one last instant, though most of it was burned and melted beyond recognition. Soon, her hand once again sank down into the murky acid, disappearing with one last bubble of air from what was left of her lungs.
Flash
"No!!!" cried Davis as the torturous images went through his brain again.
"What do you mean?!"
"Betrays me?"