Intro: Ok, I'm doing three chapters more instead of two

Intro: Ok, I'm doing three chapters more instead of two. Here's Tai and Sora's chapter (TK is in the last chapter and the epilogue) Sorry if anyone is unhappy about the couplings, and I admit I'm not a big fan of some of the couples I've put in, but I wanted to put different couples in my stories, even if I don't actually like the couple very much. I warn you, this chapter is going to be very short, and it's possible the next two will be fairly short too, I don't know yet, heehee! I don't really have any ideas about what to put in about Tai and Sora and TK, which is why these were last (hoping for inspiration) and so short…

Across America

Chapter 9: Tai & Sora

She knew she shouldn't do it. Every visit became more strained, but she had to. Piyomon was one of her closest friends, her partner. Sora felt bad about making Piyomon not say anything about her visits, but as long as none of the other digimon found out, it was okay. Well, she couldn't right now anyway. She stuck her hair, now grown a few inches past her shoulders with that outwards curl, in a high ponytail. She glanced hastily in a mirror at her reflection. Coppery brown eyes stared back at her. A small smile crept on her pretty features as she remembered her partner's words: "You look so grown up now, Sora! Sort of like when I first met you!" It was true. Sora had retained her bangs and the parts on the side that hung in front. Grabbing a jacket, she left her apartment complex and went to her part-time job. Pillsbury Bakery was only a couple blocks away, but Sora needed to get there early in the morning, as early as when the sun rose. Today it was a flaming, eye-smarting creature rising from its dwelling in a vast lake, turning the gray sky into a shining pastel of gold, pink, lavender, and peach, with just the hints of crimson and sky color. The creature swept away the silver of the early morning, blowing it back around any of the viewers, with a wind so refreshing, it was like breathing in a spring morning on the mountains, surrounded by wildflowers. Sora shivered from the crisp briskness. It was nice, but a little too cool for her t-shirt. She pulled on her jacket. Boston mornings were so amazing to her, even after walking in them for over a year. There-the Pillsbury Bakery, with the cheerful Doughboy on the equally cheerful sign.

"Good morning," Sora greeted her friend and fellow worker, Jenny.

"'Morning, Sora," she replied. "I finally got here before you!"

Sora grinned. "Finally is right. I was just admiring the scenery a little too long, if I got here later than someone who's chronically late!" When Jenny stuck out her tongue, Sora started giggling and replied, "Tsk, tsk, for someone who's 20 years old, she sure acts like a 3 year old!"

"Yeah, yeah, so anyway, why were you late? It's the same beautiful sunrise as yesterday, and you weren't late then."

Sora hesitated. She didn't confide much, and the real reason…

Jenny's light hazel eyes flashed. "Sora, you never tell me anything! I can see it, you're about to make up some excuse again! Come on, we're friends, aren't we? Best friends, maybe, but you're supposed to talk to your best friend!"

Her "best friend" sighed. "I know, I know, and I'm sorry Jenny. I just…don't like to talk about some things. But I'll tell you that I had a bad dream last night and woke up late, and then I was trying to decide something and the time just slipped away."

"All right, all right, I can tell you don't want to talk about it, but you know you can talk to me."

Just then a customer came in, so they stopped talking until the morning rush stopped. Even so, there was an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes.

"Erm, Sora?"

"Yeah, Jen?"

"You will tell me what's bothering you sometime, right? And about…before you came here?" Jenny asked cautiously. It was always a touchy subject.

But Sora smiled and said, "Of course sometime, just not…right now." I'll tell her, soon. But first I'll see Piyomon again, but…how much should I tell her about…the Digital World? And Taichi…I'm sorry about what I said….I want to see him again. I should tell Jenny about Taichi, she'd have advice. I'll tell her about it all later sometime.

Of course, she would be wrong about that, because then Jenny said, "Well then, let's turn on the radio! Especially since Sora is such a good singer!"

Sora rolled her eyes but obligingly but walked over to an electric radio….

* * *

Miles and miles away, totally bored after a day full of summer school, Yagami Taichi, now going by Tai Kamiya, entered his dorm. Everyday, climbing up and down six flights of stairs. Of course he could take the elevator, but taking the stairs took about the same amount of time, the way those elevators went. Up he went, dragging his big feet up and up and up. Hopefully his roommate was out, which he usually was, thank goodness. His roommate was almost certainly in a gang. Once, he had offered Tai illegal marijuana, trying forcibly to get Tai to smoke some, but Tai punched him, and after that he ignored him. Tai had seriously considered reporting him then and there, and should have. Out of hundreds of possible NICE roommates, I get stuck with a druggie with an attitude like an insane dog, he though tiredly. Oh, we're here…Tai groaned inwardly. Joe was there. How funny it was to have a roommate the absolute opposite of the Jou he knew. And he wondered, like he always did, where Jou was and how he was doing. And that would lead to brooding thoughts to the others, especially his sister, of course, and Sora.

Without looking up, Joe muttered, "You got a call. Number's over there." He jerked his head toward the phone, with a post-it on it.

Tai recognized the caller's name and it gave his heart a little leap-it was the apartment manager! He had said he would call this soon only if he could get the apartment for Tai! The apartment wasn't much of a place, not run-down but still very small, and there would still be a roommate, but anybody would be better than Joe!

As if echoing his though, Joe belched and reached under his mattress: his secret stash. Tai rolled his eyes. Really! Enough was enough, he should report Joe there and now. How could I be so stupid? I should have turned him in as soon as I found out.

Joe reached a hairy hand over on the shelf between the two beds and grabbed the TV remote. "Hey!" said Tai angrily. "It already cost me to help pay for that TV, since we had to do it jointly, and you've been watching all the time whenever you're here, and I'm supposed to pay for you too!"

Joe glared at him. "I didn't ask for your opinion, Kamiya. Shut up."

Tai was about to retort something, thinking, I should pound him here and now! But no, he wasn't that kind of person anymore. Solve with words, not fists. Slowly, he inhaled air and counted to five. In the meantime, his roommate switched on the television. The screen was all white, and there was a voice speaking, a voice that sounded almost familiar. "-and we know most of you are out there. Please, wherever you are, listen! Please, it's important, all-"

Joe flipped the channel, grumbling.

"-dren, you know who you are. I know-"

With a growl of anger, Joe flipped through all the channels. All were white, with the somehow familiar voice speaking. Joe was flipping so fast and hard, Tai was afraid he was going to break it. "Hey, watch it!"

But all the anger went out of him as Joe stopped flipping channels, for a face had appeared on the screen, a face that Tai knew well, even after four years: his beloved sister.

Okay, one more chapter and the epilogue. I know, I know, this one was really short, but like I said, I didn't have any ideas for it, only the end. I haven't gotten much of a chance to write this summer either, because I've got summer school and I'm taking a writing class, but I've got lots of essays to write before I can write fics. I'm sorry! I hate that class, I really do, even though it'll probably help my writing….so that's why I haven't been writing lately.