"http://www.crosswinds.net/~filldnothingness/addiction" I am such... a Kenyako slave...
Author's Notes: Two small notes. There's a very tiny, mild spoiler for the prequel/sequel to this story in this chapter. You'll probably miss it if you're not looking for it.
Glay, that last review for "Paper Crane" was mine! I signed in and everything, but when I reviewed, it showed that stupid white blank. Why, FF.Net, why? I was signed in! Signed in, I tell you!!!
And before I forget, Nefertanya, "WAFF" means "Warm And Fuzzy Feelings."
Chapter 10: Learning Time
There is a world in between worlds.
There's the "real" world. The world inhabited by creatures like the Digidestined. The world where humans live and rule the top of the food chain with a technological grip. Then, there's the Digital World, where the digimon are supreme. In fact, there is nothing but digimon there, aside from a few blessed humans who were chosen to protect both worlds.
The in between world is known as the Data World. Not quite real, not quite digital. The first generation Digidestined made their final stand there, giving up their roles as protectors in the process. The second generation Digidestined fought and defeated Apocolypmon there, once again unknowingly passing the torch to the third generation. It is a world where anything and nothing is possible. Thoughts and Knowledge reign as King and Queen, and Chaos is God. The Data World is, for obvious reasons, not traveled through often.
But this is where Mimi Tachikawa presently resided. At least, where her mind was, anyway.
And being just her mind self, with no true body, was quite enough to make the situation terrifying for the fifteen year old. She heard nothing, and saw only black. When she tried to put her hands in front of her face in a foolish, childish, desperate attempt at calming herself, she saw no hands. No arms. No anything.
She was nothing.
She was nowhere.
She had no one.
It was enough to drive even the strongest person insane in a matter of minutes. And it was quite enough to make Mimi want to scream for her mother. Unfortunately, with no mouth with which to cry from, she was reduced to despairing in mute agony. She didn't even have real eyes for tears to spill from. She simply floated in the void, taking up invisible space.
Pain was a thin thread through the veil of reality. Knowing there was something out there, that there was a true, physical lump of something that used to be your body, and not being able to reach it, but so desperately wanting to get back to it. So foolish to want, became the mantra. But so necessary. Without the want there was no hope. And without the hope, there was no reason to continue. But could she stop continuing if she wanted to? Did she even have such control?
Here, with no hands to grip together in anxious fear, with no knees to tremble in nervousness, with no mouth to vocalize her distress. Here, there were no friends except in her mind's eye. Here, all her enemies existed in a dark corner just out of sight, waiting to prey upon her at a moment's weakness. It didn't matter that they were all dead, they were here just the same. She was dead too, after all. In a way.
With a scream of horrifying silence, Mimi let out a final cry for help.
No one answered back.
"Ow!" Palmon grabbed the back of her head, wincing as some strange, stabbing pain went through her skull. It lasted only a moment, and when it ended it was like it never happened. Unnerving, to say the least. "That was odd," she murmured.
"You okay, Palmie?" Agumon asked, green eyes focused with concern.
"Uh, yeah," she nodded, slowly, then looked up at him with a large smile. "Yeah, I'm fine."
"Shmooze later, lovebirds," Gomamon quipped. "Spill now."
"Yes," Biyomon leaned forward, straddling her backward chair. "How did you do it?"
"Well, to be honest," Agumon frowned, "I really don't know."
"Don't know?" Gabumon repeated, somewhat incredulous. "You landed a devastating attack, and you don't know how you did it?"
All the digimon sat in a deformed circle on the back deck. The same deck where they had been transformed to their present states. It was rather strange to be back there all together again, but they wanted to have this discussion away from their Digidestined. This was their business, after all, not their human companions'. All eyes focused on the green girl and orange boy that sat next to each other. The only two who had done what they had previously thought impossible.
"I... I remember having a dream," Palmon offered, softly. "It didn't make much sense. There was fire," she shivered, subconsciously, "and screaming. But I kept on hearing this voice. It sounded like it was hissing at me, at first. Then... " She closed her eyes in remembrance. "But then, I realized it was speaking. Saying something. It said 'sakura' right before I woke up."
"Your attack came to you in a dream?" Tentomon questioned, a brow raised skeptically.
"Oh, yeah," Gomamon panned. "She's lost it."
"No. No, she's right," Agumon defended, shaking his head. "I had one, too. No fire or disembodied voices, though. There was a tablet on the ground. It had the word 'Aries' on it. It was there in front of me, and I couldn't figure it out. Tai was there, and so was... " he coughed suddenly, using his hand to cover a slight blush, "someone else. I asked them to help, but they said I had to figure it out on my own."
"Soooo... " Gomamon looked around, lips pursed. "Anyone else having funky dreams and not sharing with the class?"
"It makes no sense," Gabumon frowned. "If we all have powers, which should be assumed, shouldn't we have known about them to begin with? Just like all the other times we've Digivolved?"
"Not necessarily," Tentomon argued.
"What do you mean?" Gatomon asked from her position next to Wormmon. Her aqua eyes focused on the maroon gijinka digimon in front of her.
"Well, I was talking to Izzy about it," Tentomon explained. "The way he figures it, we're not completely human, like Trikmon wanted us to be. We're just... mostly human, I suppose."
"That would explain our coloring," Hawkmon nodded, gazing down at his chocolate colored hands.
"Our digimon sides are basically dormant," Tentomon continued. "At least, that's what Izzy thinks. Which would explain why you two," he pointed at Palmon and Agumon, "got your first hints of your attacks through dreams. It was your subconscious giving you a push, so to speak."
"And when the pressure was on in the battlefield... " Armadimon began, catching on.
"Our instincts took over," Palmon finished, nodding. "That's exactly what it felt like. I wasn't thinking at all. I just... reacted."
"Hn," Tentomon nodded, green eyes narrowed. "Yes. It seems as if one way to push our dormant digital sides to the forefront is by radical stimuli. In your cases, the desire to protect others from Trikmon's assault forced your attacks to make themselves known."
"Thank you for the explanation, Mr. Wizard," Gomamon quipped. "Now, anyone have a suggestion as to how the rest of us manage to connect with our 'inner digimon?'"
"Don't be an idiot," Biyomon scolded, smacking the redhead lightly on the shoulder. She turned away from him, but her scowl remained. "He has a point, though. How are we supposed to figure out our own attacks?"
"I guess we're just going to have to wait until we have no choice but to fight," Tentomon sighed. "It seems we have to be pushed to the point where our backs are to the wall. It's reflex, not response."
"That's not very dependable," Gatomon complained. "What if it doesn't work?"
"Yeah, what if it's just a big ol' mesh?" Veemon murmured in his slurred way.
"What if T.K. gets hurt because I can't help?" Patamon demanded.
"I don't know everything!" Tentomon cried, fingers clawed in frustration. "What do I look like? An encyclopedia?"
"Yes," was the immediate, unanimous response.
"Sometimes, I hate being the smart one," Tentomon moaned.
Hawkmon walked almost anxiously towards Yolei's room. He didn't like being away from her for long while she was in this condition. Of course, his constant vigil was quickly taking a toll on him. He felt drained, and every time she moaned or moved, a little more of his energy would be expelled as he hoped for her to wake up. Which she never did.
Two days without her eyes opening. Two days without Yolei saying something. That in of itself was strange. She always had something to say, be it significant or trivial. Not hearing her for so long was odd, and surprisingly disturbing. Hawkmon didn't realize how used to her rambling he had gotten.
His Yolei. His Digidestined, and his best friend. She never treated him any less, even though she was the only Digidestined with a digimon of a different gender. In fact, she had surprisingly thought it great. And she had never mocked him for his 'stuffiness.' She actually thought him a gentleman. Charming, even.
And now she was hurt. Hurt because he hadn't protected her properly. Palmon had an attack. Agumon, too. But it was his Digidestined who had been in danger, and he hadn't been able to do anything! Reason told him he was being ridiculous. After all, Palmon hadn't learned her attack when Mimi had been struck down. Then again, Palmon had been nowhere near Mimi when it happened.
It didn't matter, Hawkmon scolded himself. What mattered now was that he was at Yolei's side as often as possible. Maybe she'd know that he was there, and that would somehow wake her up. But when he walked in to her room, expecting only Yolei to be lying there, there was a surprise.
Sitting on the side of Yolei's bed, was Ken Ichijouji.
He looked like hell. At least, that's what Hawkmon thought. The blue haired boy looked frighteningly pale. His eyes were sunken, as his dark locks looked dull and straggly in front of his ragged face. He stroked strands of Yolei's purple hair with shaking hands, and Hawkmon felt something akin to empathy for him. The former Kaiser did, after all, care for his Yolei. And now was not the time to stay as enemies.
Hawkmon's arrival startled Ken into looking over. Upon seeing the gijinka digimon in the doorway, he stood up on quivering legs, muttering a mild apology.
"I'll leave," he murmured.
"You can barely walk," Hawkmon observed. "How'd you get over here?"
"I walked," Ken answered, somewhat short. "Very slowly."
A smirk appeared on Hawkmon's face. "I see. Do you need help?"
"No," Ken shook his head. "I can make my own way, thank you."
Hawkmon nodded. "I suppose. But," he added, as the boy was almost past him, "Yolei would never forgive me if you hurt yourself."
That stopped Ken. He stood frozen for a moment, then ever so slowly, turned around. "Is that all you care about?"
Hawkmon blinked, and faced him. "Excuse me?"
Ken stared back at him, a scowl just barely on his face. "Whenever any of you help me, you always mention it's because of Miyako. You're only doing it because of Miyako's feelings."
"She cares for you," Hawkmon stated, flatly.
Ken's eye twitched, but he made no other movement. "But you wouldn't help me if it wasn't for Miyako."
"That was true," Hawkmon said without hesitation. His eyes narrowed
on the boy in front of him. "I didn't care a whit about you when you first
came here. You were arrogant and cold, and I couldn't fathom what Yolei
saw in you.
"But I guess she saw something we didn't," he sighed, causing Ken to
look at him in surprise. "You saved her. You had a chance to get away from
Trikmon, and instead you put yourself in danger to save her life. You saved
my Yolei when I couldn't," he spat the last part with self loathing. "And
for that, I'm grateful.
"So... " Hawkmon reached his hand out, "thank you."
The blue haired boy stared for a moment, shock and wariness evident on his face. Then, very hesitantly, he offered out his hand, and shook Hawkmon's. "You're welcome."
A smile finally appeared on Hawkmon's face. A real one. This boy cared for his Yolei. So, he figured, this would make him Yolei's Ken. Well, all right, then. As long as he didn't do anything stupid, Hawkmon supposed he could handle it. Of course... "If you break my Yolei's heart," he suddenly warned, gripping Ken's hand a little too tightly, "I'll break your neck."
Ken's ice blue eyes widened a moment, before gazing back at him in understanding. "I should be going back to my room now. Wormmon's probably frantic."
"Probably," Hawkmon agreed, releasing him. "You sure you don't want help?"
"I can manage," Ken assured him.
With a nod towards Hawkmon, and a final glance at the slight girl sleeping in the bed, the blue haired boy walked out of the room using his own two feet. Albeit, a bit wobbly. Ken walked down the hall, his legs heavy, but his chest amazingly light. Hawkmon didn't blame him for what happened to Yolei. Not only that, but he had acted rather... civilized. Maybe there was hope.
His left leg suddenly gave out, and Ken lurched to the floor... only to be stopped by two pink arms wrapped tightly around his chest.
"Whoa there," Biyomon said, pulling him back to his feet. "You okay?"
"Yes," he nodded, recognizing the digimon who had given him the aspirin those many nights ago. "Arigato... Biyomon."
Her eyes brightened. "Hey, you remembered my name!" Her smile faded a bit then. "You look worse than when you had the migraine."
He instinctively glowered at her. "Thanks for noticing."
"Oh, lighten up," she waved aside his snide remark. "Here, let me help." Before he could protest, she put his arm over her shoulders so she could support him. "To your room?"
"I can walk on my own," Ken argued.
"Just not that well," she commented. "C'mon, let me help."
"Why?" he demanded.
Biyomon looked at him in silence, a bewildered expression on her face. Finally, she dared, "Uh... because I want to?"
He blinked. "That's it?"
"There has to be more to it?" she shot back. Shaking her head, she muttered, "You humans are weird."
She gave him a slight tug, and reluctantly, Ken allowed her to walk him along. There were only a few steps of silence before she began talking again, much to his chagrin.
"Ya know, I was thinking," Biyomon explained. "You seem very lost to me."
"I do?" he asked, a brow raised.
"Uh, huh," she nodded, a matter-of-factly. "You need support and guidance."
"I do?" he repeated, drily.
"Yup." She frowned. "I just think that you wouldn't be such a sourpuss if you had a good example in your life. Like Sora does with her mom!"
"My parents are adequate," he said, defensively.
"Oh, I'm not saying they're not good parents," Biyomon said, quickly. "I just think... Hey... " her face brightened, and she turned to him. "You know what you need, Ken? A sister."
He stared at her incredulously. She just beamed back, something eager glinting in her eyes. It made him uneasy. In fact, that smile was warning him about something. A... sister? Oh... She couldn't possibly mean... " ...Oh, no."
Veemon sat on the carpeting of his room, long blue hair in front of his face swaying just a bit by his steady breath. His magenta eyes were closed in concentration, brows down making him look like he was frowning. He looked relaxed and tense all at once.
"So... how long has he been there?" Jun asked from the doorway.
"Ten minutes," Davis answered, watching his friend from the bed.
"What's he doing?"
"Meditating."
"Hn?" Jun looked confused. "Why?"
"Eh," Davis shrugged, scratching his head. "He said he was trying to contact his 'inner digimon.'"
"'Inner... digimon,'" she raised a brow. "Daisuke, I think he's crazy."
"I think you're right," her brother agreed.
"And I think you two talk too much!" Veemon snapped, eyes still closed. "How's a guy shupposed to hear himself with you two yapping?"
"Gomen," Davis apologized. "But, have you had any luck?"
"No," Veemon admitted, deflated. "I thought maybe thish would work. But nothing's happening."
"Well maybe you're not trying hard enough," Jun suggested. Then, she looked perplexed. "Uh, what exactly are you trying to do, anyway?"
"I'm trying to learn my attack. You know," Veemon looked at her, "like Palmon and Agumon did."
"Oh," Davis nodded. "So, why isn't it working?"
"Well, Tentomon said that it's more instinct than response," Veemon explained. "Sho, I thought maybe meditating would work. But, it doesn't look like it. I guesh Palmon was right. I need to have no choice but to react. What did Gabumon shay... ?" he screwed his face up in thought. "'Fight or flight,' that was it."
"It has to be life and death?" Davis exclaimed.
"I guesh sho," Veemon shrugged. "Mine or yours. Ya know, a shituation where it's all on the line."
"Oh... " Jun nodded. Then, a wicked smile appeared on her face. "Well, I can help there! Banzai!" Without a moment's hesitation, she pounced on Davis, the two of them rolling around on the bed until she managed to get her baby brother in a headlock. "C'mon, Veemon!" she declared, giving Davis an extra tug to make him gag slightly. "Learn your attack, or Daisuke dies!"
"H-help!" Davis choked, only half joking, his arms waving frantically. "She's... *gak* gonna kill... me!"
Veemon stared at the two, as Davis finally got out of his sister's death grip, and did his best to 'choke' her back. His attempt resulted in Jun taking his goggles, pulling them out, and allowing them to snap painfully back onto his head. Which, naturally, only fueled Davis' choking attempt forward.
Veemon raised a brow. "You two are weird."
In the midst of their fight, the siblings stopped to look at the blue, humanized digimon. "Who are you to judge?" they both asked.
She still hadn't woken up. She hadn't even moved, perfect features never flinching, slender fingers never twitching. Her soft breath didn't even waver. And yet, Palmon could swear Mimi was trying to talk to her.
"What's wrong, Mimi?" the green girl asked. And then, she sighed at her stupidity. "Well, I know what's wrong. But, I know there's something new. You can tell me. Just... just wake up, and tell me," she pleaded, voice cracking ever so slightly. "I'll fix it for you."
Mimi still didn't respond.
Palmon's face crumpled with misery. "Please, wake up, Mimi. Please?"
A gentle hand on her shoulder startled the digimon. "Gomen," Kari whispered, gingerly sitting on the bed. She looked down on Mimi. "Still no luck?"
"No," Palmon shook her head. "She just won't wake up."
"She will," Kari assured her, offering an encouraging smile.
"When, though?" Palmon demanded. "If... When we beat Trikmon, do we have a guarantee that it will bring her back? And if her condition isn't connected to him, how do we know she'll ever wake up?"
"Palmon... " Kari frowned.
"I just want Mimi back!" the gijinka digital girl declared, openingly crying. "I just want her back, safe and sound. I don't see how that's so much to ask!" Her sobs coming harder, Palmon leaned over, placing her forehead on Mimi's arm, her tears slipping from her face and onto her friend.
"It'll be okay," Kari soothed, gently. She had gone in to cheer Palmon up, not to make her depressed. The brunette frowned, sympathetically. The poor digimon had barely slept since Mimi's injury. Everyone was worried for her. "There, there... "
"...Don't cry, Palmon... "
Palmon's head shot up. "Whu-?"
"What's wrong?" Kari asked, concerned.
"Palmon... you shouldn't be crying."
Palmon blinked. "I... "
"It makes your face all red, and your eyes puffy! Ew!"
Wiping her eyes frantically, Palmon gazed at her fallen friend. "Mimi?"
"Palmon, are you okay?" Kari questioned, warily.
The gijinka digimon ignored her. "Mimi?"
"Have you stopped crying? Good... You look much better dry eyed. Crying's my job!"
Palmon's green eyes narrowed in confusion. She could hear her, but Mimi... she wasn't moving. She was still lying on the bed, as unconscious as ever. This didn't make any sense. But... but she was there! Palmon could hear her!
"Mimi, where are you?" Palmon asked, jumping up and spinning around to see everything.
"Palmon?" Kari blinked, now truly worried. "Mimi's right here."
"I know she's here," Palmon snapped. "I can hear her!"
"What?" Kari narrowed her eyes.
Palmon turned to her. "Can't you hear her?" Kari looked down at the silent pink haired girl. "No, not there," Palmon told her. "She's somewhere else. I just can't see her."
"Palmon," Kari bit her lip, "maybe you should rest for a while. I think-"
"I don't need a rest!" Palmon yelled. "I'm telling you, I can hear her!"
"That's no way for a lady to act, Palmon. She's just trying to help."
"Can't you hear her?" Palmon repeated.
"I... no," Kari sighed, deciding to give this idea a chance. Stranger things had happened, after all. "I can't. Where do you hear her?"
"Everywhere," Palmon answered.
"I'm right here, Palmon. Right next to you."
"Where?" Palmon declared. "I can't see you!"
"What did she say?" Kari asked.
"I'm right here."
"She's right here," said Palmon.
"Where?"
"Here."
"Where, Mimi?" Palmon sobbed, now frantic.
"Here!"
"Where here?" The humanized girl wiped her eyes again. "I can't see you!"
"Here!"
"I can't see you!" Palmon cried, her body now shaking with sobs. "I... I can't see... "
"Shh... " Kari comforted. She reached out to give Palmon a supporting hug. The instant her skin touched the green girl's, a shock ran through her, and a bolt of blinding light seared her eyes. Blinking repeated, Kari clutched Palmon's shoulders, so as not to fall over. When her eyes began to clear, Kari looked up, and saw something that made her want to sob, too.
Standing next to Palmon, wispy and ghost-like, was Mimi.
"Here. I'm right here!" the girl said.
Next Chapter: Break On Through to the Other Side
