CHAPTER 8: Hidden Past
"Uh, Akira?" Shouri and Rick cautiously approached the blonde girl. "Yeah?" She turned around. Her glasses were stained with tears, and she quickly tried to hide it. "What?" The boys looked at each other. "Uh..." Now that they had her attention, what were they going to say? "Uh, are, are you feeling ok?" Rick started out slow. Akira just smiled. "Yeah, I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?" Shouri spoke up. "Well, because... Because you don't act that way. What's going on?" Akira just looked at them for a minute. I hate to lie to my best friends, but they CAN'T know. "What way?" she asked innocently. Both of her friends sighed. "Never mind. Forget we asked." Rick waved her off, and the two boys walked away. Yuuki, who was playing with the other two small fries, walked over to her older sister. "What's wrong? I know something's up, so don't try to cover it up. Something's bothering you." Akira sighed. "I guess there's no fooling you, huh?' Yuuki nodded. "Well... I'm not sure how to start out. But first, you've got to promise me that you won't tell anyone. Understand?"
"Uh huh."
"Ok then. Well, once, when you were really little, something really weird happened..." (flashback comes on, but no sound) "Mom and Dad had come to tuck us in for the night. Dad heard something, and walked out of the room. We followed him out, and there was this weird shadow. It said it'd come for us, but Momma wouldn't let him have us. He left, but as he did, he swore that he'd come back for us." (flashback ends) "At first, I passed it off as some strange nightmare, but it's more than a nightmare. It was real. I've been scared of that shadow ever since..." Akira paused, and looked around. Everyone's eyes were on her, and though they couldn't here what she was saying, they knew something was amiss. She continued. "I think that shadow had something to do with the reason we're here. It scares me to think about it, but it's the truth..." Akira shuddered. Yuuki hugged her sister. "It's ok, sis. I'm sure T.K. and the others can help-"
"No! You promised you wouldn't tell."
"But why can't I?"
"Because... Well, just because!" Yuuki sighed, then looked up at her sister. "Ok. I won't tell 'les you tell me to." Akira smiled and hugged her sister. "There's a good girl. Now don't you worry about me. Go play!" She pushed her sister playfully. Everyone was still looking at Akira. The two younger ones looked up at Yuuki as she went over and sat down next to them.
"So, what happened?" Matt walked over to his younger brother. "Don't you know when to keep your mouth shut? I mean, mind your own business, T.K. It's impolite."
Why is he being so nice, if that's what you can call it. Everyone probably thinks I just told her who I like or something. Well, we fooled them! But was it the right thing to do? Akira sat there for a moment, thinking over this idea. Tai and Sora called over to her. "Hey, we were thinking of taking a walk in the woods. Maybe moving on to the next area!"
Tai seemed anxious to get away. "Yeah, c'mon!" Akira stood up. "Ok, I'm coming. Hold on!" She reached down and picked up a small piece of glass with a symbol on it. "What's this? It looks like one of those crest things!" The rest of the group ran over to her. Izzy, of course, was leading. "What? Lemme see!" He tried to take it away, but Akira pulled it away. "Oh, you want to analyze it, do you?" she said in a teasing voice. "Hey, c'mon! Let me see it! It could be one of yours! Hey, stop it! Let me see!!!" Akira was holding it above his head, where he couldn't reach it, but only because she was standing on one of the large tree roots. Izzy, eyes wide with anticipation, started jumping up and down to try and reach it. Shouri and Rick didn't approve. "Quit teasing Izzy, Akira! You're being a real jerk right now," Rick said. "Yeah, quit it! What's wrong with you?" Shouri was confused by his friend's actions. Akira gave the crest to Izzy. "Here, geez! I was just playing around. Since when is it illegal to have fun?"
"Since now. At least YOUR version of fun." Shouri ran his hand through his dirty-blonde hair. "This just isn't like you." Akira grew quiet. "Hey, what's wrong? You can tell-"
"No I can't, Shouri! I can't tell ANYONE!" And with that, she ran off into the woods, crying. Yuuki looked at Rick and Shouri. "Well," said Rick. "Let's go get her." The three of them ran off after the crying girl. Izzy, however, was unaware of anything going on around him. He was hunched over his laptop, analyzing the new crest. It was a large triangle, with three smaller ones at the corners. "Hmm," Izzy said. "I don't know which one this is. I'll have to email Gennai. ^HI GENNAI. IT'S IZZY. LISTEN, WE FOUND A NEW CREST. CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT IS , AND/OR WHO IT BELONGS TO?^ He got an immediate response.
^SORRY, IZZY. I CAN'T REVEAL WHO'S IT IS. BUT IT'S THE CREST OF UNDERSTANDING. THAT IS ALL I CAN TELL YOU FOR NOW. GOOD LUCK! ~GENNAI^ "Well that wasn't a COMPLETE waste of time... But who's is it?" Izzy thought for a moment. It has to be either Rick's or Shouri's. Akira is already understanding, and her sister, what's her name? Yuuki, that's it. She's just like her sister. Hmmm... Izzy kept thinking about this for a while. Tai and the others weren't so lucky. The whole group was worried about these strange new kids. Sora especially, for she'd grown to like them. Tai wasn't as passionate. Why are girls so emotional? He shook his head. Always crying over something, or getting really ticked off, especially at us boys. And this Akira girl? She seems smart, but now? Even her glasses don't make her look mature anymore. I wonder what's- His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden outburst from Matt. "Well, what are we doing just standing here?! Let's go after them!" He took T.K. by the hand and left the clearing, their digimon trailing behind. "I'm with Matt. C'mon Mimi. Joe, you coming?"
"Uh, um, no, I think I'll stay here. It's too dark in those-"
"Oh c'mon, Joe! I'll be by your side the whole time!" Gomamon pushed Joe into the woods. Kari looked up at her older brother. "Well, are we going?" Tai sighed. "Yeah, I guess so." He, Kari, Agumon and Gatomon left. Only Izzy and Tentomon were left. "Uh, Izzy? Shouldn't we be-"
"Shhh! I'm trying to figure something out! Hold on a minute." Soon, though, that minute turned into an hour. And after that came more hours. Still, Izzy sat by his computer and, clutching the crest, mumbled to himself about it.
~*~
"This is the worst day of my life!" Akira cried. "I blow up at Matt first thing in the morning, I'm teasing Izzy, I yell at my best friend, now I've finally made a fool out of myself, and all over a stupid fear of mine! I hate my life! Why'd it have to be me? Can't I just be normal?!" Akira continued to cry. Growing tired, she sat down on a rock. Hands covering her face, Akira sobbed and sobbed. Then she heard something. It sounded like Shouri and Rick. "Oh no! Please no! They can't find me! I'll never go back. Never!" And with that, she took off running. "Hey, I think I hear her! C'mon you guys!" Shouri took off in the direction he had heard her. "Hey, wait for me!" Yuuki struggled to catch up to him. "C'mon." Rick started running, Still running, he picked up little Yuuki without missing a stride and easily caught up to the other boy. "Can't you run any faster? By the time you get there, we'll have found her and gone back!" he said teasingly. Shouri just smiled and ran faster. Then they saw her, running through the dense forest brush. "Hey, Akira! Sis, wait up!" Yuuki called. Rick and Shouri ran even faster. "We're not gonna hurt you! Akira! Slow down!" Shouri caught up to her first, and grabbed her shoulders. "No!" Akira said, still crying. She struggled to break free. "Let me GO! Leave me alone!" Shouri wouldn't let go. "Akira, listen to me!" He whirled her around to face him. "I'm not going to hurt you. Talk to me! You've never acted this way before. What's bothering you?" Akira just stood there, crying. "Akira, listen. I don't want to see you hurting. Just tell me." She looked up at him. "Why do you care so much? I just want to be by myself."
"What do you mean, why do I care?! I care because you're my friend! Something's wrong, and I want to know what. Maybe I can help."
"You can't help. No one can." Rick spoke up. "Akira, we're all worried about you. The others don't know you as well as we do, but even they know something's wrong. Tell us." Just then, Tai and the others burst through the bushes. "Hey, we were..." Surveying the scene, Tai shut his mouth. "This keeps getting better and better, doesn't it?" Akira said sarcastically. She sat down on a rock. "I guess I'll just go ahead and tell all of you then."
(flashback) both parents are tucking in their kids for the night Mother: "Good night, girls. What was that?" Father: "I don't know. I'll go check it out." walks out of room, with mother following Father: "Who are you?" Evil Shadow: "I've come for the children." mother runs into bedroom and grabs both girls Mother: "You can't have my children! Leave them alone!" Evil Shadow: "You have saved them, for now. But I WILL return..." (flashback ends)
Sora was the first to speak. "Wow... that's scary." Akira nodded. "And I think that may have to do with why we're here. I'm so scared, Shouri!" She leaned her head on her friend's shoulder and sobbed. Surprised at Akira's reaction, he hesitated, then tried to comfort her. "Uh..." He put his hand on her shoulder. Tai and Matt looked at each other with raised eyebrows. Sora and Mimi had a different perspective. Neither of them knew what to do. Yuuki walked over and put her hand on her sister's back. "It's alright, Akira. That shadow can't hurt us with these guys around." Tai and Matt looked at each other again. Joe cocked his head. "You've really got faith in us, don't you?" Yuuki nodded. Suddenly, the rock where Shouri and Akira were sitting began to glow. "Whoa!" Both of them were thrown to the ground when the rock disintegrated, revealing a small piece of glass. It was a new crest! The crest was a sun, with a downward triangle. The new crest floated over to Yuuki, and floated in mid-air above her. Everyone stared at it. Tai walked over to the little girl, and put his hand on her shoulder. "Take it," he said. "It's yours." Her face lit up. "Really?" She grabbed the tiny piece of glass. "We'll have to go show Izzy," Matt said. "No! He's not messin' with my stuff again!" She clutched the little crest. Everyone laughed. The bushes ahead rustled, but everyone was too occupied to notice. Something, no, some things, stepped out. Everyone froze.
"Uh, Akira?" Shouri and Rick cautiously approached the blonde girl. "Yeah?" She turned around. Her glasses were stained with tears, and she quickly tried to hide it. "What?" The boys looked at each other. "Uh..." Now that they had her attention, what were they going to say? "Uh, are, are you feeling ok?" Rick started out slow. Akira just smiled. "Yeah, I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?" Shouri spoke up. "Well, because... Because you don't act that way. What's going on?" Akira just looked at them for a minute. I hate to lie to my best friends, but they CAN'T know. "What way?" she asked innocently. Both of her friends sighed. "Never mind. Forget we asked." Rick waved her off, and the two boys walked away. Yuuki, who was playing with the other two small fries, walked over to her older sister. "What's wrong? I know something's up, so don't try to cover it up. Something's bothering you." Akira sighed. "I guess there's no fooling you, huh?' Yuuki nodded. "Well... I'm not sure how to start out. But first, you've got to promise me that you won't tell anyone. Understand?"
"Uh huh."
"Ok then. Well, once, when you were really little, something really weird happened..." (flashback comes on, but no sound) "Mom and Dad had come to tuck us in for the night. Dad heard something, and walked out of the room. We followed him out, and there was this weird shadow. It said it'd come for us, but Momma wouldn't let him have us. He left, but as he did, he swore that he'd come back for us." (flashback ends) "At first, I passed it off as some strange nightmare, but it's more than a nightmare. It was real. I've been scared of that shadow ever since..." Akira paused, and looked around. Everyone's eyes were on her, and though they couldn't here what she was saying, they knew something was amiss. She continued. "I think that shadow had something to do with the reason we're here. It scares me to think about it, but it's the truth..." Akira shuddered. Yuuki hugged her sister. "It's ok, sis. I'm sure T.K. and the others can help-"
"No! You promised you wouldn't tell."
"But why can't I?"
"Because... Well, just because!" Yuuki sighed, then looked up at her sister. "Ok. I won't tell 'les you tell me to." Akira smiled and hugged her sister. "There's a good girl. Now don't you worry about me. Go play!" She pushed her sister playfully. Everyone was still looking at Akira. The two younger ones looked up at Yuuki as she went over and sat down next to them.
"So, what happened?" Matt walked over to his younger brother. "Don't you know when to keep your mouth shut? I mean, mind your own business, T.K. It's impolite."
Why is he being so nice, if that's what you can call it. Everyone probably thinks I just told her who I like or something. Well, we fooled them! But was it the right thing to do? Akira sat there for a moment, thinking over this idea. Tai and Sora called over to her. "Hey, we were thinking of taking a walk in the woods. Maybe moving on to the next area!"
Tai seemed anxious to get away. "Yeah, c'mon!" Akira stood up. "Ok, I'm coming. Hold on!" She reached down and picked up a small piece of glass with a symbol on it. "What's this? It looks like one of those crest things!" The rest of the group ran over to her. Izzy, of course, was leading. "What? Lemme see!" He tried to take it away, but Akira pulled it away. "Oh, you want to analyze it, do you?" she said in a teasing voice. "Hey, c'mon! Let me see it! It could be one of yours! Hey, stop it! Let me see!!!" Akira was holding it above his head, where he couldn't reach it, but only because she was standing on one of the large tree roots. Izzy, eyes wide with anticipation, started jumping up and down to try and reach it. Shouri and Rick didn't approve. "Quit teasing Izzy, Akira! You're being a real jerk right now," Rick said. "Yeah, quit it! What's wrong with you?" Shouri was confused by his friend's actions. Akira gave the crest to Izzy. "Here, geez! I was just playing around. Since when is it illegal to have fun?"
"Since now. At least YOUR version of fun." Shouri ran his hand through his dirty-blonde hair. "This just isn't like you." Akira grew quiet. "Hey, what's wrong? You can tell-"
"No I can't, Shouri! I can't tell ANYONE!" And with that, she ran off into the woods, crying. Yuuki looked at Rick and Shouri. "Well," said Rick. "Let's go get her." The three of them ran off after the crying girl. Izzy, however, was unaware of anything going on around him. He was hunched over his laptop, analyzing the new crest. It was a large triangle, with three smaller ones at the corners. "Hmm," Izzy said. "I don't know which one this is. I'll have to email Gennai. ^HI GENNAI. IT'S IZZY. LISTEN, WE FOUND A NEW CREST. CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT IS , AND/OR WHO IT BELONGS TO?^ He got an immediate response.
^SORRY, IZZY. I CAN'T REVEAL WHO'S IT IS. BUT IT'S THE CREST OF UNDERSTANDING. THAT IS ALL I CAN TELL YOU FOR NOW. GOOD LUCK! ~GENNAI^ "Well that wasn't a COMPLETE waste of time... But who's is it?" Izzy thought for a moment. It has to be either Rick's or Shouri's. Akira is already understanding, and her sister, what's her name? Yuuki, that's it. She's just like her sister. Hmmm... Izzy kept thinking about this for a while. Tai and the others weren't so lucky. The whole group was worried about these strange new kids. Sora especially, for she'd grown to like them. Tai wasn't as passionate. Why are girls so emotional? He shook his head. Always crying over something, or getting really ticked off, especially at us boys. And this Akira girl? She seems smart, but now? Even her glasses don't make her look mature anymore. I wonder what's- His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden outburst from Matt. "Well, what are we doing just standing here?! Let's go after them!" He took T.K. by the hand and left the clearing, their digimon trailing behind. "I'm with Matt. C'mon Mimi. Joe, you coming?"
"Uh, um, no, I think I'll stay here. It's too dark in those-"
"Oh c'mon, Joe! I'll be by your side the whole time!" Gomamon pushed Joe into the woods. Kari looked up at her older brother. "Well, are we going?" Tai sighed. "Yeah, I guess so." He, Kari, Agumon and Gatomon left. Only Izzy and Tentomon were left. "Uh, Izzy? Shouldn't we be-"
"Shhh! I'm trying to figure something out! Hold on a minute." Soon, though, that minute turned into an hour. And after that came more hours. Still, Izzy sat by his computer and, clutching the crest, mumbled to himself about it.
~*~
"This is the worst day of my life!" Akira cried. "I blow up at Matt first thing in the morning, I'm teasing Izzy, I yell at my best friend, now I've finally made a fool out of myself, and all over a stupid fear of mine! I hate my life! Why'd it have to be me? Can't I just be normal?!" Akira continued to cry. Growing tired, she sat down on a rock. Hands covering her face, Akira sobbed and sobbed. Then she heard something. It sounded like Shouri and Rick. "Oh no! Please no! They can't find me! I'll never go back. Never!" And with that, she took off running. "Hey, I think I hear her! C'mon you guys!" Shouri took off in the direction he had heard her. "Hey, wait for me!" Yuuki struggled to catch up to him. "C'mon." Rick started running, Still running, he picked up little Yuuki without missing a stride and easily caught up to the other boy. "Can't you run any faster? By the time you get there, we'll have found her and gone back!" he said teasingly. Shouri just smiled and ran faster. Then they saw her, running through the dense forest brush. "Hey, Akira! Sis, wait up!" Yuuki called. Rick and Shouri ran even faster. "We're not gonna hurt you! Akira! Slow down!" Shouri caught up to her first, and grabbed her shoulders. "No!" Akira said, still crying. She struggled to break free. "Let me GO! Leave me alone!" Shouri wouldn't let go. "Akira, listen to me!" He whirled her around to face him. "I'm not going to hurt you. Talk to me! You've never acted this way before. What's bothering you?" Akira just stood there, crying. "Akira, listen. I don't want to see you hurting. Just tell me." She looked up at him. "Why do you care so much? I just want to be by myself."
"What do you mean, why do I care?! I care because you're my friend! Something's wrong, and I want to know what. Maybe I can help."
"You can't help. No one can." Rick spoke up. "Akira, we're all worried about you. The others don't know you as well as we do, but even they know something's wrong. Tell us." Just then, Tai and the others burst through the bushes. "Hey, we were..." Surveying the scene, Tai shut his mouth. "This keeps getting better and better, doesn't it?" Akira said sarcastically. She sat down on a rock. "I guess I'll just go ahead and tell all of you then."
(flashback) both parents are tucking in their kids for the night Mother: "Good night, girls. What was that?" Father: "I don't know. I'll go check it out." walks out of room, with mother following Father: "Who are you?" Evil Shadow: "I've come for the children." mother runs into bedroom and grabs both girls Mother: "You can't have my children! Leave them alone!" Evil Shadow: "You have saved them, for now. But I WILL return..." (flashback ends)
Sora was the first to speak. "Wow... that's scary." Akira nodded. "And I think that may have to do with why we're here. I'm so scared, Shouri!" She leaned her head on her friend's shoulder and sobbed. Surprised at Akira's reaction, he hesitated, then tried to comfort her. "Uh..." He put his hand on her shoulder. Tai and Matt looked at each other with raised eyebrows. Sora and Mimi had a different perspective. Neither of them knew what to do. Yuuki walked over and put her hand on her sister's back. "It's alright, Akira. That shadow can't hurt us with these guys around." Tai and Matt looked at each other again. Joe cocked his head. "You've really got faith in us, don't you?" Yuuki nodded. Suddenly, the rock where Shouri and Akira were sitting began to glow. "Whoa!" Both of them were thrown to the ground when the rock disintegrated, revealing a small piece of glass. It was a new crest! The crest was a sun, with a downward triangle. The new crest floated over to Yuuki, and floated in mid-air above her. Everyone stared at it. Tai walked over to the little girl, and put his hand on her shoulder. "Take it," he said. "It's yours." Her face lit up. "Really?" She grabbed the tiny piece of glass. "We'll have to go show Izzy," Matt said. "No! He's not messin' with my stuff again!" She clutched the little crest. Everyone laughed. The bushes ahead rustled, but everyone was too occupied to notice. Something, no, some things, stepped out. Everyone froze.
