Disclaimer: Always a disclaimer at the start. It's a good habit. So… I don't own Digimon.
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The Doctor, the Model and the Rock Star
Part II: Cody, the Little Cherub
He doesn't know for how long he has been out, but he does know that during those moments that he was not seeing the park or any of the other Digidestined, he was seeing definitely something else. He was seeing definite heartache. He even felt it. He would describe it as a wrenching pain inside, as if you just want to cave in and not come out for a long time. He felt like his world just collapsed, and there was that indescribable feeling inside him when he saw Mimi and Matt in his head, holding hands. He heard her laughing, and then she said out his name, greatly concerned. It was faint at first, but it was getting louder now. Louder and steady, until he opened his eyes and he saw her, Mimi, and Tai and Matt and the rest crowding around him, looking if he's okay.
"Are you okay, Joe?" asked Mimi.
He grumbled. "Why am I getting asked that so often nowadays?"
Matt laughed. "Well, we're sure he is now."
Joe looked at Matt, who was smiling, and then to Mimi, who still looked concerned. He looked at Tai, then to Izzy, asking that question. Tai must have read it in his eyes because he answered exactly what he wanted to hear.
"No, Joe," Tai said. "We haven't told anyone. It stayed between the… let's see." He turned to the computer genius. "Izzy, how many are there of us here before Mimi and Matt came?"
Izzy answered for Tai. "It stayed between the nine of us. Don't worry."
Joe sighed of relief. Mimi would still be talking to him. He sat up and looked around. Everyone was eating candy. Mimi held out a blue lollipop to him.
"It's blueberry flavor," she explained. "I didn't think you would like the pink one."
Joe scanned his head for words to say. "It doesn't matter as long as I get one," he told her. Mimi just smiled and sat back beside Matt.
Tai looked around before saying anything again. "Okay, the meeting has started. What does the new Digidestined have to report?"
All five started talking at once. "Arukinimon-she's-really-Stingmon-and-Arukenimon-has-an-we-have-no- made-starting-to-Exveemon-ally-his-idea-why-she-another-bug-me-DNA-digevolved-name-is-wants-to- destroy-the-Digital-Dgimon-Mummymon-Digital-world…"
Tai only looked at them, greatly confused.
"
"We were saying that Arukinimon has an accomplice," repeated TK.
"What's its name?" asked Izzy.
"Mummymon."
"Anything else?" asked Tai.
Cody answered. "Stingmon and Exveemon DNA-digiveloved to Paildramon, just like Wargreymon and Metalgarurumon did to form Omnimon."
"Wow," Matt breathed in wonder. "I thought only our Digimon could DNA-digevolve."
Yolei spoke up in frustration. "We can't even figure out why she's so bent in trying to destroy the Digital World."
"Calm down, Yolei," said Izzy, patting her in the back. "You can take out all your anger when you get to the Digital World." Yolei relaxed a little.
"How about Ken?" asked Mimi. "Has he decided if he wants to join you?"
"No," Kari shook her head. "He still wants to straighten everything out himself. He thinks it's all his fault."
"Poor Ken," Mimi said, concerned. Matt put an arm around her shoulder. Everyone looked at them then turned to see Joe's reaction.
"What?" Joe mouthed. They all looked somewhere else.
"Davis told us about Black Wargreymon," Sora said. "Anything about him?" she asked the remaining four.
"Did he tell you that he stopped obeying Arukinimon?" confirmed Kari. The other nodded. "Then there's nothing else."
"I'll go with you guys," said Tai, referring to the new Digdestined, "when you next go to the Digital World. I think Wargreymon would be a good help."
"I'll go, too," Sora declared. "I want to see how Biyomon is doing."
Before Tai can stop the word, it came out. "Great!" he said enthusiastically. Too enthusiastically that everyone looked at him in surprise. He lied his way out of it. "I mean it in a way that it's great that someone will be coming, too."
Cody looked at Tai and Sora. Something was coming into his head; he was figuring something out. They like each other! The idea screamed in his head. His brows furrowed. Then why don't they just admit it? Another voice in his head answered, They're too shy to admit it. The other part asked, Do they need help? The other part answered just one word that involved everyone's help. Definitely.
For the rest of the afternoon, they talked about things like friends talking to each other, not like teammates. Joe was quiet for most of the time, lost in his own thoughts. Izzy and Cody crept up beside him.
"Hey, Joe," greeted Izzy quietly.
Joe almost jumped from his seat and turned to see Cody and Izzy's serious expressions. "Oh, hi," he greeted back. "What's up?"
"Cody and I have been talking," Izzy answered.
"What's new?" It sounded more like a statement than a question.
Cody answered. "We feel that you should tell Mimi if you really like her. Tai was right. It would be kind of an waste if you're not even going to express your feelings towards her."
Joe was really surprised. That coming from someone a lot younger than him was not something he's not going to experience everyday.
"Oh," he could only say. "Well," he looked for words, "she and Matt seem to be getting along so well, I don't want to spoil it."
Tai came over to join them. "Hey, dudes," he greeted, slapping Joe hard in the back jokingly, getting into a circle with the other three. "You know, Joe, I really think you should tell her."
Joe rolled his eyes. "Here we go." The other three looked at each other.
Sora came over. Joe looked at her gratefully. By now, the Digidestined have divided into two groups of five and six.
"Sora, tell the rest of them I don't have to tell Mimi I have feelings for her," he whispered.
Sora looked at the others. "Joe's right," she said. "He doesn't have to. He needs to."
Joe's face fell like an exaggerated cartoon. "Come on, Sora. You were my last hope."
Tai looked at Sora and Sora looked at him, communicating. It was amazing, remarked Sora in her head. She and Tai could just look at each other and say things no other could understand. Maybe it started ever since they were little.
"Well?" asked Tai.
Sora shook her head firmly. "No, Tai. That would be kind of indignant for Joe."
"What would be?" asked Cody.
Sora looked at the others. "Tai was suggesting that we set them up."
"A set up?" Izzy repeated. "You're right, Sora. That would make Joe feel and look unapt." He looked at Joe. "He would come around at his own time."
Joe sighed of relief again. "I knew you'd come through for me, Izzy."
A silence fell over the group. They looked at the other circle of the Digdestined who were laughing and undoubtedly loud. Mimi was laughing warmly and so was Matt, and he was stealing glances at her. Joe's unfamiliar poetic side gave him shivers when words came into his head. Each glance he takes at her bares his soul through his eyes, showing genuine affection. His eyes are giving away the painting of his real feelings for her. Joe gasped untimely and took in his lungs some of his saliva. He started coughing and everyone in the little group of five started fussing over him.
"Joe, man," started Tai, "you're really starting to bug out more than you have. Are you okay?"
Joe continued coughing and got himself under control after a few seconds. "please stop asking me that," was the first thing he said.
"Yeah, sure," said Tai. "Are you okay now?"
"Tai," said Sora with a warning in her voice. Joe just sighed in frustration while Tai started laughing.
"Sorry," he said between laughs. "I couldn't resist."
"Hey, Izzy!" called Yolei from the other group. Izzy looked over at the other circle with what seemed like a certain shine in his eyes.
"Yeah?"
"I think we've figured out how DNA-digevolving works."
"I'll be there in a nanosecond."
Cody watched them. Teenagers, he said in his head. Why do they have to go roundabout in telling others they like them?
Other than his kendo practice in an hour, a little plan was forming in his head.
