Intro: Um…maybe this chapter's a little confusing, since it doesn't answer the last chapter, but don't worry, it's supposed to be this way. I have no idea if you have to hike through woods to get to Bass Harbor Head, but it looks like there's a forest next to it in the painting.
Across America
Chapter 2: Cara & Yamato
"Wow, this place is more gorgeous than in the pictures!"
Mira Wilkinson smiled at her enraptured daughter. "I knew you'd like it, honey. Planning to paint some pictures for me?"
Cara grinned. "Sure, Mom. I can't wait to see the lighthouse. I heard the view is breathtaking."
After driving to Maine for two days, and being there for three days, they were finally going up to Bass Harbor Head. At the moment, they were hiking through the woods to get there. The air was refreshing and cold, and it was pretty cold anyhow, for summer. But the sun was shining, and the scenery was wondrous. Every once in awhile, Cara would stop and snap a picture. Her parents didn't mind, they loved beautiful things as much as their daughter did. Cara was an only child, but she was all right with that. Her flaming, wavy hair and contrasting velvet gray eyes gave her a mysterious look, not knocking you out with good looks, but they were obviously there. Despite her artistic background, Cara was the fastest sprinter in the whole 10th grade. She painted and drew with great skill, and had good grades, with more As than Bs. Today she was dressed in comfortable shorts, a plain green t-shirt, with a light jacket over it in black. As she walked along the trail, she wondered how Jessica and Kari were doing, as well as Bryan and Jeff. She imagined Kari was sharing time with her family, Bryan would be walking around New York City, Jeff would be slaving in summer school, and Jess…Jess would be scowling where ever she was in Kansas, maybe sitting on a haystack. Just the thought made her giggle uncontrollably, earning her strange glances from her parents. Still, maybe the haystack wasn't too accurate. After all, she didn't know what Kansas was like, so it was unfair of her to make judgments. I'll paint pictures for them, she thought. Haha, they don't know what they're missing. This place is great!
* * *
"Honey, if your eyes get any wider, they'll pop out of your head!" declared her father.
Cara gaped at the sight before her. The cliff overlooked the rolling blue sea, the waves crashing with white foam. The magnificent lighthouse stood nearby like a lone guardian. "Kirei," she whispered.
"What was that?" asked her mom, puzzled.
"That's Japanese for 'beautiful'" Cara explained.
"It sure is."
Cara slowly sat down and stared. Her parents exchanged glances and smiled. They put down their stuff and got out food and water, not knowing they were being watched. A lone figure stared down from the lighthouse, a figure with piercing blue eyes.
The redhead ate mechanically, still admiring the ocean. It was just too beautiful. I want to stay here forever! Well no, I guess not forever, but at least for a couple more hours.
In fact, it was about two hours later that her parents suggested that they look at the lighthouse. Cara had been sketching the water, the sky, the lighthouse, and the forest. She agreed, but still had to be half-dragged. Inside, Cara's heart quickened a little. The lighthouse was…spooky. The inside was dark, and the door was creaky. "Hello?" she called, waiting for the lighthouse keeper to respond. When he did, she nearly fainted. He seemed to melt out of the shadows, with glowing eyes. Not only that, but he was gorgeous! He looked about college age, muscled, with fair skin and spiky blond hair, not to mention those eyes…there was almost something familiar about him. Cara frowned. There was no way she knew this guy. Was there?
When he spoke, his voice was deep, with a smooth feeling to it. The voice of a singer. "Welcome to the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse. There's not a whole lot to show you in here, but you're welcome to look around. If you come at night, I'll show you how to turn on the lights!" he said with short laugh.
"Can I go see the view from the top?" Cara asked. The guy nodded and gestured toward the stairs, which were in spirals. Her parents nodded as they began to look at the ground floor, which had several paintings and an interesting setup. Cara followed the mysterious guy up the stairs, her skin tingling. There was just something about him that was vaguely familiar! Someone she had seen…"Excuse me, but have we met?" she asked.
He gave her a startled look. "I don't think so."
"What's your name? You're Japanese, aren't you?"
"Yeah. My name's Matt Ishida. And you are?"
"Cara Wilkinson. Well, maybe I don't know you."
"Know you?"
"Yeah, I thought I've seen you somewhere. Have you ever been to New York?"
He turned away slightly, a shadow in his eyes. "Yeah, a while ago. Maybe you just happened to see me somewhere."
She followed, unconvinced. When they reached the top, they were in a room of sorts. Unorganized bags of items lay on the ground. His stuff? She wondered. "Do you live here?"
"I go to the city closest to here on weekends to work at my other part-time job. During the school year, someone else takes care of the lighthouse."
A cot was on the ground, and next to it was a low nightstand with a lamp, a book, and a picture on it. Cara glanced at the picture frame. It was pretty, with seashells framing it. Her glance froze as her eyes fixed on the picture inside the frame. "No way.." she whispered.
* * *
"Kari, your room is so pretty! I love it!" Jessica exclaimed.
She smiled. "We're getting some more furniture, but this is my room!"
For the first time ever, Jessica and Cara had come to Kari's home in the eighth grade. (She arrived during the summer before) Like her brother Michael, the two were enchanted with her room. Cara wandered over to Kari's neat desk, with the pretty lamp and paper, pens, and some books. There was also a picture in a plain wooden picture frame. It was a fairly large picture, filled with a bunch of people, Kari included. They appeared to be holding some stuffed animals. "Hey Kari, who are these people?"
Kari's smile faded a little, and her eyes seemed very sad. "Those are some friends of mine."
Jessica came to look too. "Wow, look at the cute guys!"
Cara rolled her eyes. "You're so boy-crazy, Jess! Although they are cute," she added.
"Especially him! Look at those eyes! And look at that boy's cute hair! Hey, he looks like the really cute one!"
Cara looked closer at the boy in question. He was Kari's age, with blond hair and blue eyes. Standing next to him was a boy that could have been his brother, with the same looks, but with angular eyes, which seemed to pierce out at you. Kari was standing on the other side of the younger kid, and next to her was the kid with big hair. Kari was hanging on to him, whoever he was. "That your boyfriend, Kari?"
Kari looked shocked. "Cara, that's my brother!"
"Oh. Well what about the blond kid then?"
She looked uncomfortable. "Well…he…we…sort of…we both cared for each other. But we never got a chance to get together."
"He's…okay, right?"
Kari's eyes suddenly filled. "I don't know! I haven't seen him in months!"
Jessica nudged Cara. "Be careful! You know her past is a touchy subject."
"I'm so sorry, Kari. I hope you guys see each other again sometime."
* * *
The blood drained from her face. He was…the older blond one, but he looked a little different.
"Um, are you okay?"
His voice snapped her back to reality. Laughing nervously, she moved to the window, but she was trembling a little. He watched her critically. She had been looking at that picture, of him and the other children. Perhaps she did know one of them. From New York, did she say? Everyone had a copy of that picture, maybe, just maybe. "Excuse me, but do you recognize that picture?"
She jerked a little. "Hahaha, this view is great, isn't it?"
Matt's eyes swirled. "Why are you avoiding the question? Answer me!"
Cara spun around, anger flaring inside of her. "Why should I? You're a bad person! You're one of the people that makes Kari cry!" She turned and ran down the stairs, then out of the lighthouse.
Matt watched her run into the woods, her parents calling after her. Kari…Hikari-chan. Yes, that girl must know her from a picture, or maybe from Hikari's description. So Hikari had stayed in New York after all. Matt slowly sat down, shock fading from his system. It had been four years now, that he and the others left. What did she look like? Matt had left and traveled north to Maine, found a job and enrolled in the high school, with a fake story and a new first name, because Yamato would sound funny in America. He worked hard to earn a full scholarship, and payed for the rest with the money in his bank account and his part-time job. He had heard that the lighthouse needed a keeper, so he took care of it in the summer as a job. It was lonely, but that was all right because Matt was used to being lonely, from seven years ago. Did Hikari-chan cry about our leaving? It was so abrupt, after all. She still cries for us, lost and scattered across the country. Matt stood up and walked to one of his bags. Opening it, he pulled out a picture book and flipped to the full page picture of his love, Tachikawa Mimi. His eyes softened at the sight of her, her beauty, her pink hair, her soft brown eyes. Next to it was the picture they had taken seven years ago, when they had to leave the Digital World. Oh Gabumon, what would you say if you saw us today? Gomen nasai.
* * *
Cara had been so mad, she'd stomped off into the woods. Her parents were totally confused about her sudden departure from the spot she'd been rooted to for hours. They were staying in a cabin about a mile away from the cliff. The cabin was located inside the forest, so Cara walked in that direction. How could he? How could he just sit in a lighthouse all summer, go to school during the school year, and never write or call or e-mail Kari, who obviously was good friends with him? Well, as Kari's best friend, she could do her this duty and straighten up that guy. Tomorrow, then. She only had three more days here, and for a day her family was going on a boat in the harbor. Anyways, she would have to go back to the lighthouse to paint.
Cara seated herself comfortably on a rock on the cliff. The sun from yesterday was gone, replaced by dark blue swirling clouds, and a chill breeze. Brushing away a lock of red hair from her eyes, she got out paintbrushes, watercolors, and thick tagboard. Cara was famous at Riviera for her watercolor paintings. She seemed to know exactly what tint, the amount of water, and the right strokes for watercolor painting. Humming, she wet her brush and swiped it in the dark blue. She had only worked for 10 minutes when she heard him come out.
He sat down next to her, with a BLUES HARP harmonica in his hand. Putting his mouth, he blew out a few bars. Then he wove into a depressing blues song. Cara's breath caught in her throat. It seemed like the world had gone silent around them. The waves could be seen in all their glory, but not heard. The wind swirled around them, like answering a call. Hair flying, she turned with eyes wide to this summoner of magic. His eyes were shut, and he was swaying slightly with the wind. The echoing notes flowed around the area, and Cara shivered as the air grew ice cold. For a moment, she could have sworn that the young man was glowing blue, but the song came to an end, and so did the magic. Shaking slightly, she asked in a trembling voice, "Who are you?"
He seemed surprised by the question. "Like I said, I'm Matt Ishida. And you're Cara Wilkinson. I came to apologize for yesterday. I hope I wasn't rude."
Breathing hard, the world swam around her. Matt caught her before she tipped over completely. She steadied herself and shook off the effects of the song. "No, no, that's okay. But I do have a request."
"I think I know what you're asking. And I say yes. I'll come back to New York and see Kari. That is what you want, right?"
Cara nodded. "My family can take you. There's enough room in our rental car. I can explain to my parents that you're a friend of Kari's. They'll understand."
He laughed, a rich sound. "Thanks. I haven't laughed in a while. It felt good, and I don't even know you."
She blushed a little. "Um, you're welcome. By the way, you're a great harmonica player."
"And you're a great painter," he said as he gestured to her painting of the waves and sky.
Cara relaxed a little, feeling tense around this amazingly cute blond. "You like it? I like to paint. Everyone says it's always great, but I get better all the time. It's the same for drawing. When I look back at a few months ago's drawings, they look horrible. People can be so weird!"
His blue eyes laughed even as he replied seriously, "You're right more than you'll ever know, I think."
Cara looked up at his cryptic answer. She felt uncomfortable again. "Um, so…how do you know Kari anyway? Friends of her brother?"
"I guess you could say that. Her brother and I didn't become good friends until after a while."
"You didn't answer the question."
"I know."
"All right, then, who is everyone else in the picture? Kari wouldn't tell us."
Matt looked as uncomfortable as Kari, so Cara, frustrated, dropped the subject. "Well then, do you want to come with my family and I on a trip to McKinley National Park? Or just meet up with us later? We're leaving in five days."
"Meeting up sounds good. I'll have to go down into the city and have someone else take care of the lighthouse while I'm gone, among other arrangements."
Cara gave him a thoughtful glance. She was glad she wasn't Jess, while with a boyfriend, she would be drooling over this guy. Not that she was boy-crazy all the time. "Why don't you stay in New York? Or go back and visit whoever in Japan like Kari does."
Matt sighed and looked down. "It's not that easy." He shifted a little. "Do you know why Kari and I are here in America in the first place?" When she shook her head, he went on, "We were just visiting a friend, but things…went badly. We split up, and stayed here."
"But what went badly? What happened?"
He turned away, the shadow back in his eyes. "Not even Kari knows. Why should you know?"
"Because I care! Find those people and straighten them out!"
"I thought you were Kari's best friend. Surely you see that she never kept in touch with us, simply because she doesn't know where everyone is. Why would I know? Anyhow, it would be wrong for you to know when Kari doesn't." He laughed sadly. "Sweet, caring Kari. Has she changed?"
"Not a bit!" snapped Cara. "She's very sweet and caring, even though her boyfriend deserted her."
Now Matt's eyes flashed. "Don't you dare say that about Takeru! He had his own reasons for leaving his loved one, same as me!"
"Self-guilt, is it? So who did you leave behind?"
He sighed again. "The girl I love. And still do. Her name's Mimi Tachikawa, unless she changed it, like me." Looking her square in the eyes, he said abruptly, "Let's change the subject."
"Fine with me," and she went back to painting.
* * *
Her parents had been understanding about the situation, as Cara had anticipated. After leaving Matt in the city, Cara and her parents had driven to the national park and had a great time there for three days. Cara felt excited. Kari would be so happy to see an old friend! This was perfect! Naturally, the days dragged by before they went back to pick up Matt and leave for New York. Of course, Kari and Jess wouldn't be there when she got back, but it would only be a week anyhow. The days whirled by as Cara and Matt walked around Kingston, having fun in the sun. Michael had been so surprised to see them. "Ishida Yamato?" It was almost funny. Some days they hung out together with Jeff as well. He'd received a letter from Jessica, who wasn't as bored as she thought she would be. There was a message for Cara as well, but it only said, "You'll never believe who I met in Kansas!" which, of course, became clear as she came back, bearing a twelve year-old kid with green eyes with her. Both Matt and Michael almost fainted this time, and Cara recognized him as "another picture kid." "Kind of a coincidence, isn't it?" Michael remarked. "Nice to meet you, Cody," Cara said.
Kari was a couple days late, and they were all talking in Michael's room when she popped out of the computer. If that wasn't shock enough for Cara and Jessica. Cara had been expecting Kari to be crying, with joy this time, maybe, but she looked like she was about to faint. The blood completely disappeared from her face, and she sat down hard.
The redhead grinned uncertainly. "Um, Kari, hi! I think we met some old friend's of yours. Matt and Cody, right?"
That was, of course, when Kari actually fainted. Michael quickly laid her on the bed and put a cold cloth to her forehead. After a few minutes, she came around, with Matt and Cody around anxiously. After she sat up, Matt hugged her, speaking in Japanese. "Hikari-chan, gomen nasai!"
Cody also hugged her. Kari looked confused. "Yamato-san? Iori-kun?"
"Hey, let's talk in English, now!" demanded Jessica. "Aren't you guys happy to see each other?"
"Well, it is a big shock."
"True."
Kari felt dizzy as she looked around. They weren't fake, they were actually here! "Yamato, Iori, have you seen any of the other kids?" She was disappointed as they shook their heads. "But how did you get here? Did you come back?"
Matt grinned. "Your friends met each of us on their vacations, and I guess we came back with them. I'm glad."
Kari smiled weakly. "I'm glad too. But, tell me what's been happening!"
Cara related her tale, and she gave Matt a high five. "Now it's your turn, Jess!"