A/N: Haha...sorry for the hold up...the end to my crazy schedule has almost arrived...so, please, stay with me! ^^;; Oy! There's actually people who read my fanfiction! oo; ((Short and crappy chapter, it was done really quickly))

Disclaimer: I do not own digimon, blah blah....blah. Want some more blah? You got some more blah! BLAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! oo;; ((That little tune Yamato sings in the beginning was written by me ^^, it sucks doesn't it oo;;;;))

CHAPTER TWO

Stepping Stones (Age: Four)

The Kingdom of Eternity/Depression (June)

"The prince! Where's the prince!?" wailed Queen Ishida, stomping down the halls of the castle.

"He could not of wandered far. Do not threat your highness." vowed Joseph, one of the castle's many servants, as he rushed out the palace doors.

Meanwhile, propped on the ledge of the fountain near the rear of the castle, sat a lonely, solitary young boy playing a depressing beat on his harmonica before chanting a sorrowful tune. "Oh stars in the sky, look down up upon me...I wish you would give me the gift to be free......Oh stars in the sky, please help with my sorrows...I want you to know, even if it's tomorrow... free ... that's what I want to be... free .... I wish, I wish to be free...I can't understand why you start questioning me...cause, me, I want to be, I want to be so very free..."

As the song drowned to an end, Joseph, who had made his way around the palace caught sight of the young child. "Prince Yamato! There you are! We have been looking everywhere for you! Your mother is worried sick, you must come in now."

Prince Yamato turned his head, facing Joseph and sighed heavily. He slowly stood up from the marble stone exterior of the fountain and followed Joseph into the castle.

"Prince Yamato! How dare you go wander outside of the castle without permission!" scowled Queen Ishida. "You know I'm very busy with your brother! I'm disappointed in you. Go to your room, now."

"Yes mother..." sulked Prince Yamato, holding his head down as he walked up the steps of the palace stairs. He momentarily lifted his head up as he head the sounds of a young baby crying softly. He almost managed a smile, identifying the voice to be of Prince Takeru.

As Prince Yamato reached the safety of his room, which was painted in shades of blue and black, he noticed a white feather which laid in the center of the bed. "A feather? What could this be doing here..." Prince Yamato wondered, reaching for it's fragile texture. As his soft young hand met contact with the feather, a flash of powerful blue light arose, similar to the light that shone the day he was born. He felt the urge to scream, but forced himself to inhale his voice. After Yamato had realized the surroundings and happenings, he noticed the palms of his hands held marks, both different on each part. Only Prince Yamato didn't know that the marks represented, "Angel" and "Fairy". How foolish of his parents to believe that to getting rid of his gift would be so easy...

The Kingdom of Insanity (July)

"Daddy! Daddy! Lookie!" Prince Taichi cried happily.

"Okay son, what do you want me to see?" smiled King Kamiya full-heartily.

Prince Taichi grabbed his father's hand and lead him to the palace gardens. King Kamiya stood frozen, unable to move. All the flowers were arranged to spell the words "blue pickles". "Taichi! It's...it's...beautiful! Servants? Get the camera! Quickly! Quickly! Ms. Ironda? Where's the baby? Kari???? KARI!?!?!"

Ms. Ironda quickly came to King Kamiya, camera in hand, Princess Hikari in the other. She slowly handed the enfant to the king as she swiftly took snapshots of the arrangement for the family photo album.

"Aw...coo chi coo chi coo?" King Kamiya smiled playfully. Princess Hikari managed a silent "goo..." until Queen Kamiya called.

"WHERE'S MY CHILDREN? WHERE'S MY HUSBAND!? WHERE'S MY BROOM!? I mean ... uh ... tomb and uh ... loom ..." wailed a faint voice from the inside of the palace. King Kamiya and Prince Taichi glanced at each other. They both nodded before they left the garden and back into the castle.

The Kingdom of Compassion (August)

"7 times 8?" questioned Miss Marise, holding up what seemed an electrical see-through flashcard, the symbols 7 x 8 stamped out vertically.

Prince Koushirou yawned mindlessly. "56." He replied lazily as he laid down on his bed with his chin in his palms and swung his feet up and down. The card flashed the number 56 at the bottom of the card in green, meaning his response was correct.

"2 times 10 minus 16?" Miss Marise repeated in the same tone, holding a similar card to the last one. Right after she asked the numerical problem, the door swung open. Koushirou turned his head to it's direction.

"You must dress quickly!" the man blundered out nervously.

"What for?" Koushirou asked, tilting his head sideways.

"Your mother wishes that you meet the Tachikawa throne immediately sir." the man's eyes darted nervously from one end of the room to the other.

"Taichikawa throne...okay." Prince Koushirou agreed reluctantly. At his young age, unsurprisingly, he did not understand what this meeting was about, but dressed in one of his casual suits and followed the man to the formal dining room where his parents were waiting, along side two other adults.

One of the adults was a man, the other female, who both sat with much poised and elegance at the other end of the table. Beside them stood a beautiful girl, the same age as Prince Koushirou, smiling shyly.

"So, Prince, you have arrived." the unfamiliar man at the end of the table raised one of his brows. Prince Koushirou nodded politely and bowed deeply. The little girl giggled slightly, but it was too faint to reach Koushirou's ear.

"Prince, we would like to introduce you to the Tachikawa family, they are the rulers of the Kingdom of Perfection. We must talk about some business with them. Please show Princess Mimi to the garden and amuse her if you wish." Queen Izumi ordered to her son, nodding to his dismissal.

"Yes mother." Prince Koushirou replied brightly, heading towards the doors to the palace garden as the little girl with brown locks followed him silently.

----In the gardens----

"Wow, this flower is beautiful..." Princess Mimi smiled, bending down to take a closer look at a light purple tinted flower with beautiful flowing petals.

"Yes...that's the love blossom...when two people who are in love approach it, it glows red, and when two people are friends, it glows pink, and when two people who don't know each other meet, the flower might glow blue, meaning that someday, they'll become friends or even fall in love..." Koushirou smiled as Mimi giggled.

Koushirou also bent down to take a better look at the flower, and all the love blossoms in the garden started to glow blue. Koushirou and Mimi blushed, wondering what it really meant.

----The discussion----

"So, you're saying, that both the Kingdoms of Eternity and Insanity wish to have Princess Mimi's hand as well?" King Izumi asked thoughtfully.

"Yes, I am afraid so. I feel the worst for this generation. Of course there is still Princess Hikari from the kingdom of Insanity..." King Tachikawa suggested.

"Princess Hikari and Prince Takeru are already arranged to be married." Queen Tachikawa reminded her husband.

"Yes, I have almost forgotten..." sighed Queen Izumi, tapping her fingers on the table with frustration.

"Well, at least our children are beginning quite nicely..." smiled Queen Tachikawa, looking through the window a caught sight of Princess Mimi and Prince Koushirou laughing enthusiastically.

"That might give us an advantage..." Queen Izumi whispered to her King quietly.

As if King Tachikawa could read her mind, he crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. "The other two princes of the Kingdom of Insanity and Eternity will both meet with the Princess. In two years from now, when the children understand a bit more, we hope all of us can have some sort of meeting at the central castle."

"But the central castle hasn't been used for centuries dear..." whined Queen Tachikawa, looking up at King Tachikawa with hopeful eyes.

"I'm afraid that's the only thing that's option at this state. I am hoping you all understand this," he nodded to the two Izumis, "and we will notify you when we decide our meeting. Now, I think it's time to go now. Goodbye." both King and Queen Tachikawa got off of their chairs went to fetch Mimi.

A/N: CRAPPY ENDING! I HOPE YOU'RE HAPPY THAT I AT LEAST FINISHED IT! Arg, stupid caps lock...