Chapter 1
Math class was lethargic. Warm rays of sunlight streamed through the windows, and , combined with the steady drone of Mr. Satoshi's voice, had blanketed the class in a mild euphoria.
Davis sat dreaming of open fields (flat, of course, for soccer.). Closed spaces made him uncomfortable and tense. He was not meant to be couped up like this; His soul existed under endless blue sky with soccer ball underfoot.
He smiled absently and leaned back, trying to catch the eye of the tousled blond in the seat behind him. T.K. grinned back, and Davis knew that he had been thinking about the same thing. They had planned a trip to the digital world for a little soccer. Over the last couple months their rivalry ebbed into an easy friendship. More than either of them would admit, they enjoyed each others company, working together on projects and playing soccer and basketball.
The bell rang, startling the class out of various daydreams. The teacher blinked sleepily as if he too had been sleeping. The class quickly emptied before he could assign homework. Davis ran through the halls gleefully, narrowly the avoiding wrath of several teachers. He burst into the computer room, T.K. in tow.
"What took you?" Yolie squawked crankily. Cody rolled his eyes behind her.
"Hello to you, too!" Davis said cheerfully, then turned to Kari.
"Hey Kari, as great as I am at soccer I need some incentive. How 'bout you sweeten the deal; the winner gets a kiss from you," he said playfully, sure that she would refuse as she always did.
But the sparkle in her eyes surprised him. "Kay."
He grinned in disbelief and turned to T.K. "You are so going down, Takaishi!" he bellowed.
"Of that I have no doubt." Takeru answered wryly.
"Enough! Let's go!" Yolie yelled.
"Right! Digiport open!" Davis, T.K., and Cody were gone in a flash.
Kari moved to follow, but Yolie held her back.
"Hey, Kari. What's with?"
Kari knew what Yolie was talking about. She ducked her head shyly.
"I don't know, Yolie. I just felt spontaneous today. Besides," She giggled, "didn't you see Davis's face?"
"Priceless." She agreed, smiling, "but now you have to ante up. We all know Davis is better than TK in soccer. Digiport open!"
***
They spotted Ken from a while back: A lone figure in jeans and a t-shirt knocking around a soccer ball.
"Keeeeeeeeeennnnnnnnnnnn!!!!!" Davis bellowed.
The figure looked up, startled, revealing fine features and soulful eyes framed by dark gossammer hair. His lips formed a sincere smile as he saw them coming over the hill, obviously pleased by their presence. Unlike the other digidestined, Ken Ichijoji did not have many friends at his school. His aloofness and new found shyness did not help the matter, and he only felt comfortable around the digidestined. He had gradually lost his Kaiser-Genius persona, shedding formalities and stiff uniforms for a soft, eager character and loose, casual clothes. One thing that did not change (rather grew) was his ambivity for soccer. In the midst of a game he grew livid with joy, on a plane of awareness shared only by the other players.
From under a tree at the edge came six chattering little vibrant balls. Yolie went over to feed the voracious little monsters, while Ken and Davis passed the soccer ball back and forth with increasing speed. Davis stopped short, catching the ball and cradling it. He looked up at the cerulean sky, almost cloudless, then at the rest of the digidestines.
"This is life," he announced, satisfied.
Ken playfully slapped the ball out of his hands. "T.K., me, and Kari against you, Yolie, and Cody. Let's go!"
At this age, children are walking hydrogen bombs of pent-up energy. The soccer field was like a catalyst; they tore across the grass after that black and white ball, while the digimon bounced after them. But even hydrogen bombs have a finite amount of energy, and after an hour the children collapsed onto the the warm grass, letting the sun's rays rejuvenate them.
"I win!" Davis managed to gasp out.
"Did not!"
"Yeah, well, Kari promised a kiss to the winner! Do you think I would risk losing with that prize at stake?"
Ken grinned. "You're right. We concede defeat."
Kari and T.K. groaned. Ken never could deny Davis anything. His love was tainted with awe, but the shy boy trusted Davis more than anyone.
"Where's my kiss, Kari?" Davis demanded.
She laughed. "Let me catch my breath!"
A shadow fell over the group. Yolie shaded her eyes and found Gennai standing over them.
"Gennai!" She yelped.
The kids scrambled to sit up.
The young man nodded solemnly to them. "Hello, kids."
Kari peered at him under her raised hand. "Gennai, what's wrong? What are you doing here?"
He sighed. "I'm sorry, kids; I bear bad tidings."
"What is it?" Kari asked anxiously.
"A prophecy." He handed a slip of paper to her. She read it tight-lipped, her brows knitting in worry. She looked up, pale.
"Call the others."
Cody grabbed his D3 and began sending messages.
"What is it, Kari?"
"I'm not sure yet. Might be nothing." She lied in a vain attempt to comfort them.
"Don't sugar coat it! What's wrong?" Davis snapped.
Kari's voice trembled as she read from the slip of paper.
"Year's high noon
dearest hearts beat as one
And walk long path
of stalemate victory
Destined to protect,
one and all
And afore journey's end,
one by one fall:
Love bared heart, from breast
torn asunder
her blood, a debt payable
to fate
Kindness's face
tempers all
And cradles delicate hearts
to certainty
Courage, brave test,
blood runs cold
afore self-treachery
And dies true
Have Faith, blond angel
loyal to light,
shines golden
under it's dying glow
Calm waters,
sure tides sway battle
to definite victory before
being pulled under
Light, inverted,
Betrays herself to
nothingness
Darkness comes to
find no barrier to
victory.
Cold hearts warm with
life rise to close the black wound
quest's key in hand
and are restored."
The air suddenly grew cold around the digidestines as a cloud obscured the sky.
Davis drew in a breath. "I know exactly what it means."
"What?" Yolie trembled.
"We die." Ken's voice was distant. "In battle."
"We're all here. See? Yolie, Ken, Davis, T.K., Cody, and Me." Kari pointed to each in turn. She read her passage again, lips pressed together.
T.K. peered over her shoulder and pointed to the first passage. "Hey, this sounds like a Jogress evolution."
Ken shrugged.
No one said anything.
Tai came over the hill, Matt in tow. "Hey, guys, what's wrong?" he called, face etched in worry. As they recognized Gennai they ran faster. "What's going on?"
"Where's everyone else?" Kari asked, tight lipped.
Tai looked at her strangely. "They couldn't come. Whatever it is Matt and I will deal with it."
"You can't." She said bitterly.
"We got our death certificate signed. Our candle blown out. Our card punched. Handed a pink slip. Lights out-"
"Davis, SHUT UP!" Davis's almost hysterical babbling was cut off.
Davis and Yolie stared at each other for a minute, both glassy eyed with surprise.
"I'm sorry, Yolie."
She nodded.
By now Tai was sick with apprehension. "What the hell is going on?" He snapped.
"This!" Kari threw the prophecy at him, which he and Matt proceded to read, faces gradually turning abnormally pale.
Tai turned to Gennai, who had stood there quietly under a oak tree the whole time. "How do we prevent this?" He asked determinedly.
Gennai looked surprised. "You can't. It's a prophecy. It tells the future. That's their future. There's nothing you can do about it, Tai."
"I will not except that!" Tai exclaimed, shaking with rage. "Every battle can be won. If anything this should help us turn the tide."
Gennai looked at him sorrowfully. "I'm sorry." He turned around and vanished into the shadows.
"Gennai!" Tai cried. "Aghhhh!" He rammed his fist against the tree truck in frustration.
The group gasped as he pulled his fist back to reveal blood streaming from split knuckles.
Tai watched, mesmerized, as the blood trickled down to the tips of his fingers, where it form drops that fell into the pure green grass.
"Tai." Matt said gently, putting his hand on the outstretched arm.
Tai looked up, confused. "I think I hurt myself." He murmured, embarrassed.
Matt didn't look at the kids as he spoke to them. "Go home. We'll take care of everything."
"What if you can't?" Yolie asked tentatively.
"Don't worry about it."
The younger digidestined quietly picked up their digimon (which had slept through the whole ordeal) and moved single file up the hill.
Matt sat down against the tree and gently pulled Tai into his arms. Tai leaned against him, burying his face in his chest as Matt tore a strip white cloth off the bottom of his shirt.
Tai watched him hazily. "You didn't have to do that."
Matt didn't look up from the bloodstained knuckles he cradled in his hands. "Don't worry about it."
Tai laughed bitterly. The both were quiet as Matt cleaned the would with the cloth.
Matt broke the silence. "I think Gennai might be right."
"Why?"
"We've had prophecy's before, Tai. They came true, down to a letter. We can't suddenly deny it happened because it doesn't suit us."
"I'm not, but we don't know that we can't change what will happen." Tai said stubbornly.
Matt smiled in spite of himself. "Okay, Oedipus."
"What does this have to do with killing your father and marrying your mother?"
"It doesn't, Tai. It's about cheating fate."
"What about cheating fate?"
"You can't. Oedipus tried, and he ended up bringing it about anyways."
"We can't lose hope. There has to be a way."
Over the hill they could see the older digidestined approaching. Tai reluctantly slid out of Matt's arms. "Who is going to tell them about it, you or I?"
Math class was lethargic. Warm rays of sunlight streamed through the windows, and , combined with the steady drone of Mr. Satoshi's voice, had blanketed the class in a mild euphoria.
Davis sat dreaming of open fields (flat, of course, for soccer.). Closed spaces made him uncomfortable and tense. He was not meant to be couped up like this; His soul existed under endless blue sky with soccer ball underfoot.
He smiled absently and leaned back, trying to catch the eye of the tousled blond in the seat behind him. T.K. grinned back, and Davis knew that he had been thinking about the same thing. They had planned a trip to the digital world for a little soccer. Over the last couple months their rivalry ebbed into an easy friendship. More than either of them would admit, they enjoyed each others company, working together on projects and playing soccer and basketball.
The bell rang, startling the class out of various daydreams. The teacher blinked sleepily as if he too had been sleeping. The class quickly emptied before he could assign homework. Davis ran through the halls gleefully, narrowly the avoiding wrath of several teachers. He burst into the computer room, T.K. in tow.
"What took you?" Yolie squawked crankily. Cody rolled his eyes behind her.
"Hello to you, too!" Davis said cheerfully, then turned to Kari.
"Hey Kari, as great as I am at soccer I need some incentive. How 'bout you sweeten the deal; the winner gets a kiss from you," he said playfully, sure that she would refuse as she always did.
But the sparkle in her eyes surprised him. "Kay."
He grinned in disbelief and turned to T.K. "You are so going down, Takaishi!" he bellowed.
"Of that I have no doubt." Takeru answered wryly.
"Enough! Let's go!" Yolie yelled.
"Right! Digiport open!" Davis, T.K., and Cody were gone in a flash.
Kari moved to follow, but Yolie held her back.
"Hey, Kari. What's with?"
Kari knew what Yolie was talking about. She ducked her head shyly.
"I don't know, Yolie. I just felt spontaneous today. Besides," She giggled, "didn't you see Davis's face?"
"Priceless." She agreed, smiling, "but now you have to ante up. We all know Davis is better than TK in soccer. Digiport open!"
***
They spotted Ken from a while back: A lone figure in jeans and a t-shirt knocking around a soccer ball.
"Keeeeeeeeeennnnnnnnnnnn!!!!!" Davis bellowed.
The figure looked up, startled, revealing fine features and soulful eyes framed by dark gossammer hair. His lips formed a sincere smile as he saw them coming over the hill, obviously pleased by their presence. Unlike the other digidestined, Ken Ichijoji did not have many friends at his school. His aloofness and new found shyness did not help the matter, and he only felt comfortable around the digidestined. He had gradually lost his Kaiser-Genius persona, shedding formalities and stiff uniforms for a soft, eager character and loose, casual clothes. One thing that did not change (rather grew) was his ambivity for soccer. In the midst of a game he grew livid with joy, on a plane of awareness shared only by the other players.
From under a tree at the edge came six chattering little vibrant balls. Yolie went over to feed the voracious little monsters, while Ken and Davis passed the soccer ball back and forth with increasing speed. Davis stopped short, catching the ball and cradling it. He looked up at the cerulean sky, almost cloudless, then at the rest of the digidestines.
"This is life," he announced, satisfied.
Ken playfully slapped the ball out of his hands. "T.K., me, and Kari against you, Yolie, and Cody. Let's go!"
At this age, children are walking hydrogen bombs of pent-up energy. The soccer field was like a catalyst; they tore across the grass after that black and white ball, while the digimon bounced after them. But even hydrogen bombs have a finite amount of energy, and after an hour the children collapsed onto the the warm grass, letting the sun's rays rejuvenate them.
"I win!" Davis managed to gasp out.
"Did not!"
"Yeah, well, Kari promised a kiss to the winner! Do you think I would risk losing with that prize at stake?"
Ken grinned. "You're right. We concede defeat."
Kari and T.K. groaned. Ken never could deny Davis anything. His love was tainted with awe, but the shy boy trusted Davis more than anyone.
"Where's my kiss, Kari?" Davis demanded.
She laughed. "Let me catch my breath!"
A shadow fell over the group. Yolie shaded her eyes and found Gennai standing over them.
"Gennai!" She yelped.
The kids scrambled to sit up.
The young man nodded solemnly to them. "Hello, kids."
Kari peered at him under her raised hand. "Gennai, what's wrong? What are you doing here?"
He sighed. "I'm sorry, kids; I bear bad tidings."
"What is it?" Kari asked anxiously.
"A prophecy." He handed a slip of paper to her. She read it tight-lipped, her brows knitting in worry. She looked up, pale.
"Call the others."
Cody grabbed his D3 and began sending messages.
"What is it, Kari?"
"I'm not sure yet. Might be nothing." She lied in a vain attempt to comfort them.
"Don't sugar coat it! What's wrong?" Davis snapped.
Kari's voice trembled as she read from the slip of paper.
"Year's high noon
dearest hearts beat as one
And walk long path
of stalemate victory
Destined to protect,
one and all
And afore journey's end,
one by one fall:
Love bared heart, from breast
torn asunder
her blood, a debt payable
to fate
Kindness's face
tempers all
And cradles delicate hearts
to certainty
Courage, brave test,
blood runs cold
afore self-treachery
And dies true
Have Faith, blond angel
loyal to light,
shines golden
under it's dying glow
Calm waters,
sure tides sway battle
to definite victory before
being pulled under
Light, inverted,
Betrays herself to
nothingness
Darkness comes to
find no barrier to
victory.
Cold hearts warm with
life rise to close the black wound
quest's key in hand
and are restored."
The air suddenly grew cold around the digidestines as a cloud obscured the sky.
Davis drew in a breath. "I know exactly what it means."
"What?" Yolie trembled.
"We die." Ken's voice was distant. "In battle."
"We're all here. See? Yolie, Ken, Davis, T.K., Cody, and Me." Kari pointed to each in turn. She read her passage again, lips pressed together.
T.K. peered over her shoulder and pointed to the first passage. "Hey, this sounds like a Jogress evolution."
Ken shrugged.
No one said anything.
Tai came over the hill, Matt in tow. "Hey, guys, what's wrong?" he called, face etched in worry. As they recognized Gennai they ran faster. "What's going on?"
"Where's everyone else?" Kari asked, tight lipped.
Tai looked at her strangely. "They couldn't come. Whatever it is Matt and I will deal with it."
"You can't." She said bitterly.
"We got our death certificate signed. Our candle blown out. Our card punched. Handed a pink slip. Lights out-"
"Davis, SHUT UP!" Davis's almost hysterical babbling was cut off.
Davis and Yolie stared at each other for a minute, both glassy eyed with surprise.
"I'm sorry, Yolie."
She nodded.
By now Tai was sick with apprehension. "What the hell is going on?" He snapped.
"This!" Kari threw the prophecy at him, which he and Matt proceded to read, faces gradually turning abnormally pale.
Tai turned to Gennai, who had stood there quietly under a oak tree the whole time. "How do we prevent this?" He asked determinedly.
Gennai looked surprised. "You can't. It's a prophecy. It tells the future. That's their future. There's nothing you can do about it, Tai."
"I will not except that!" Tai exclaimed, shaking with rage. "Every battle can be won. If anything this should help us turn the tide."
Gennai looked at him sorrowfully. "I'm sorry." He turned around and vanished into the shadows.
"Gennai!" Tai cried. "Aghhhh!" He rammed his fist against the tree truck in frustration.
The group gasped as he pulled his fist back to reveal blood streaming from split knuckles.
Tai watched, mesmerized, as the blood trickled down to the tips of his fingers, where it form drops that fell into the pure green grass.
"Tai." Matt said gently, putting his hand on the outstretched arm.
Tai looked up, confused. "I think I hurt myself." He murmured, embarrassed.
Matt didn't look at the kids as he spoke to them. "Go home. We'll take care of everything."
"What if you can't?" Yolie asked tentatively.
"Don't worry about it."
The younger digidestined quietly picked up their digimon (which had slept through the whole ordeal) and moved single file up the hill.
Matt sat down against the tree and gently pulled Tai into his arms. Tai leaned against him, burying his face in his chest as Matt tore a strip white cloth off the bottom of his shirt.
Tai watched him hazily. "You didn't have to do that."
Matt didn't look up from the bloodstained knuckles he cradled in his hands. "Don't worry about it."
Tai laughed bitterly. The both were quiet as Matt cleaned the would with the cloth.
Matt broke the silence. "I think Gennai might be right."
"Why?"
"We've had prophecy's before, Tai. They came true, down to a letter. We can't suddenly deny it happened because it doesn't suit us."
"I'm not, but we don't know that we can't change what will happen." Tai said stubbornly.
Matt smiled in spite of himself. "Okay, Oedipus."
"What does this have to do with killing your father and marrying your mother?"
"It doesn't, Tai. It's about cheating fate."
"What about cheating fate?"
"You can't. Oedipus tried, and he ended up bringing it about anyways."
"We can't lose hope. There has to be a way."
Over the hill they could see the older digidestined approaching. Tai reluctantly slid out of Matt's arms. "Who is going to tell them about it, you or I?"