Chapter 3
T.K. dribbled the soccerball half-heartedly through the wide green field. It was late morning, dew still clinging to the green blades. The sun was high in the sky and already T.K. was starting to sweat. "I still feel as if should be in school-" he began.
The rest of the children glared at him, except Ken, who said softly "I know how you feel."
"I thought we agreed!" Davis said loudly. "I am not spending the last days of my life in a stuffy enclosed space learning stuff I don't need to know."
"Yes, Davis, but it still feels like skipping." Ken murmured.
Davis shrugged. "I don't feel guilty. I'm giving up my life to save a world. All I ask for in return is a little free time. If anything I'm getting the bad end of the bargain."
"We didn't say you were wrong-" T.K. began.
"Never mind, T.K. Who's up for some soccer?" Davis grabbed the ball from T.K. and started juggling it on his knees.
Ken got up to join them, but Kari, Yolie, and Cody declined. They watched almost jealously from the sidelines as players became lost in their own world, bereft of problems and pressures, only them and the soccer ball. Soon the euphoria dissipated, and the boys sat down, satisfied smiles left on their lips. Cody had been very quiet that morning, but now he spoke up.
"I can't do this." he said suddenly. They all stared, and he continued. "My dad is dead, and my grampa is really old. If my mother loses me, too..." His eyes filled with tears.
Ken shuffled over and dropped down in front of the trembling boy. He looked into his eyes. "Cody, my parents lost my brother. They almost lost me last year. I understand that you don't want to subject you mother to this kind of pain again, but we have a duty. The only thing we can do is to explain to them what will happen. I know it's not really comforting..."
Cody sniffled and nodded. "You're right, Ken. I'll have to tell her."
"I'm not telling my parents." Kari said quietly. "Tai will tell them."
T.K. looked at her strangely.
"What?"
"If it comes from him your parents will blame him for your death." he said bluntly.
"Why?"
"You've always been fragile, Kari. Tai has always been your protector. He's responsible for you. If you don't tell them they won't understand that Taichi couldn't protect you."
"What am I supposed to tell them?"
"The truth." He shrugged. "My dad is coming over tonight. I'll tell them then. Matt's coming, too. He's taking a vacation from school and band practice to spend time with me." He smiled a little.
"I'm leaving a letter." Yolie announced quietly.
"Me, too." Davis mumbled.
"Well," Kari stood up and brushed stray grass off of her skirt, "I have a couple letters to write, myself. Oh! I forgot!"
"What?" Davis asked.
She slid into his arms. "Your reward. I never gave it to you." she murmured before pressing her lips against his. Daisuke's hesitation left with his initial surprise, and he kissed back. Kari slowly melted out of his grasp. He wanted to pull her back but he just stood there, slightly dazed, as she gave a friendly peck to Cody and one on Yolie's cheek.
Davis felt a rush of exileration. "I can die a happy man." he grinned at T.K.
T.K. smiled wanly. "I know how you feel."
T.K. dribbled the soccerball half-heartedly through the wide green field. It was late morning, dew still clinging to the green blades. The sun was high in the sky and already T.K. was starting to sweat. "I still feel as if should be in school-" he began.
The rest of the children glared at him, except Ken, who said softly "I know how you feel."
"I thought we agreed!" Davis said loudly. "I am not spending the last days of my life in a stuffy enclosed space learning stuff I don't need to know."
"Yes, Davis, but it still feels like skipping." Ken murmured.
Davis shrugged. "I don't feel guilty. I'm giving up my life to save a world. All I ask for in return is a little free time. If anything I'm getting the bad end of the bargain."
"We didn't say you were wrong-" T.K. began.
"Never mind, T.K. Who's up for some soccer?" Davis grabbed the ball from T.K. and started juggling it on his knees.
Ken got up to join them, but Kari, Yolie, and Cody declined. They watched almost jealously from the sidelines as players became lost in their own world, bereft of problems and pressures, only them and the soccer ball. Soon the euphoria dissipated, and the boys sat down, satisfied smiles left on their lips. Cody had been very quiet that morning, but now he spoke up.
"I can't do this." he said suddenly. They all stared, and he continued. "My dad is dead, and my grampa is really old. If my mother loses me, too..." His eyes filled with tears.
Ken shuffled over and dropped down in front of the trembling boy. He looked into his eyes. "Cody, my parents lost my brother. They almost lost me last year. I understand that you don't want to subject you mother to this kind of pain again, but we have a duty. The only thing we can do is to explain to them what will happen. I know it's not really comforting..."
Cody sniffled and nodded. "You're right, Ken. I'll have to tell her."
"I'm not telling my parents." Kari said quietly. "Tai will tell them."
T.K. looked at her strangely.
"What?"
"If it comes from him your parents will blame him for your death." he said bluntly.
"Why?"
"You've always been fragile, Kari. Tai has always been your protector. He's responsible for you. If you don't tell them they won't understand that Taichi couldn't protect you."
"What am I supposed to tell them?"
"The truth." He shrugged. "My dad is coming over tonight. I'll tell them then. Matt's coming, too. He's taking a vacation from school and band practice to spend time with me." He smiled a little.
"I'm leaving a letter." Yolie announced quietly.
"Me, too." Davis mumbled.
"Well," Kari stood up and brushed stray grass off of her skirt, "I have a couple letters to write, myself. Oh! I forgot!"
"What?" Davis asked.
She slid into his arms. "Your reward. I never gave it to you." she murmured before pressing her lips against his. Daisuke's hesitation left with his initial surprise, and he kissed back. Kari slowly melted out of his grasp. He wanted to pull her back but he just stood there, slightly dazed, as she gave a friendly peck to Cody and one on Yolie's cheek.
Davis felt a rush of exileration. "I can die a happy man." he grinned at T.K.
T.K. smiled wanly. "I know how you feel."