Insanity Angel Kari: I've decided to upload dah next chapter! As long as I
get reviews, I continue, at least four before I upload another chapter…and
if you want, in your review, you can recommend ideas for my next fanfic or
two or so, and for pairings. ^_^
KC: I thought you were the one who CREATED ideas! rolls eyes dramatically
Insanity Angel Kari: Of course! But I must allow others lend me their thoughts…you of all people should know what happens when I let all my ideas run wild by themselves!
KC: AHHHH! TOTAL DESTRUCTION!! screams and jumps into a fox hole
Insanity Angel Kari: Muhahahaha! cough Anyway, as I have stated I do not own Digimon. No flaming for pairings(?) in later chapters. A little Takari and VeeGato in dis chapter, I'll just go ahead and tell you! And all made- up characters here are mine, ask permission before you use them, like Tao and Cystamon. Do this and we all stay happy! ^_^ halo appears over head
KC: still in fox hole…sticks a helmet over her head Ebil…
Chapter Three
Potato.
That's basically what Kari felt like, after her third helping of the Yikani Surprise. She sighed contently, watching Gatomon finish off her sushi and the guys finish off food that never had a chance once it was set on the table. Davis was the most amusing, as he somehow managed to keep breathing while scarfing down huge amounts. Chibimon was right behind him, practically burying himself in a heap of munchies then eating his way out. Kari scanned the area, watching people come in and order, or people waiting for someone to meet them. Or just people just coming to have idle chat. After a moment Davis sat back and patted his stomach. He held out a piece of some bread he had to Kari, right under her nose. "Want some?" he asked.
"Nah…I'm pretty full. Any more and the Blue Whale won't be the largest creature on Earth," replied Kari, pushing the bread away.
Gatomon took a last bite of her sushi, then settled back in her seat. They were by a window, with a good view of the sidewalk. Kari, Gatomon, T.K., and Patamon sat in one seat, Kari by the window, and Davis, Chibimon, Ken, and Leafmon sat in the other, Davis by the window. Gatomon tilted her head slightly, settling her gaze on Kari. Kari rubbed her head and glanced away. Why does she have to bother me so, Kari thought, I told her I'm fine, and there hasn't been any more trouble…
Gatomon, seeing Kari look away, sighed and turned her sight back to her sushi. But she didn't feel hungry anymore, so she pushed her plate away and rested her elbows on the table, head resting in her paws. Kari twitched. She hated seeing Gatomon so depressed…but no way she was going to say anything, at least for now. Not until something that made sense surfaced.
"So, what's up Kari?" T.K. asked after a moment. Kari blinked, and for split second she thought he knew what had happened. But then he added: "I mean, you didn't just bring us here to get fat, right?" He smiled and winked to show he was kidding.
Davis didn't like the smiling and winking. Bristling up, he stated, "Well I'd come even if there was nothing going on! I mean, for Kari and everything."
"There's nothing special, really…" Kari said after a moment. Ken watched her carefully, in thought. To him, Kari was acting rather distant and guilty, but he said nothing.
"No. Nothing special at all," Gatomon said, her voice monotone. Kari could hear a twinge of anger in her voice though. Gatomon sent her a look, then looked to the rest of her sushi, seeming to find it fascinating. Another wave of guilt washed over Kari, but she swallowed it.
"Is it a crime to invite friends over to eat?" Kari asked simply.
"I say one day only Kari and I go out for dinner," said a dreamy Davis.
"What about me??" Chibimon squeaked, finishing off his drink through a straw. "Huh, Davish?"
"I GUESS you can come, too…" he replied.
"What about me?" Leafmon cut in. Ken chuckled.
"Yeah. Because we're all good friends, and we trust each other, so we do stuff together." Gatomon shot a look at Kari. "We enjoy ourselves, and we're open and we tell each other things that are important. Excuse me for a moment." Gatomon slid off her bench and headed toward the Girls' Room. Kari coughed, then stood.
"You know, I'll go check on her. That sushi must be getting to her."
Ken blinked. "Is something wrong?"
"What? No. Of course not." Kari quickly made her way to the Girls' Room. She wondered if she had answered in that high-pitched voice she always got when she lied. Rubbing her arm, she opened the bathroom door and walked in. Gatomon was sitting on the vanity, tail hanging off, gazing into a mirror. Kari took a deep breath and stood by her.
"You're mad at me, I take it?"
"Not really mad…confused."
"I see."
"No." Gatomon turned her blue eyes to Kari. "If you did, you would tell the others. But you sit there, lying through your teeth while I sit there worrying. I would tell them, but it's not my place. It's yours. But you don't. You act like nothing happened, IS happening. And it hurts me, Kari. You won't even tell me. You keep quiet, like a turtle in its shell."
Every word from Gatomon struck Kari like knives. It was all true. Gatomon had always made sense, and always told the truth unless it was an emergency.
"I don't want to worry them with something they probably won't be able to help with anyway. There's no point. Let me try to get a good grip on what this is about, and then…" But Gatomon interrupted her.
"Kari, the turtle's not going anywhere if it stays shut up in its shell."
There was a moment of silence. Finally Kari said, "I'll tell you what I know. But don't tell the others just yet, okay?"
Gatomon nodded. "Finally, the turtle sticks its head out a little."
************************
"You think something's wrong?"
Davis looked to T.K., whose gaze traveled over to the Girls' Room.
"You wanna follow and find out?" Davis snipped, still not happy about the smiling and winking that occurred earlier.
"No."
"They'll come out in a minute," Ken said neutrally.
"You don't know girls, Ken. The bathroom is their hangout. And have you ever noticed how they always go to the bathrooms in groups of two?"
"Mysterious," said T.K.
"Girls aren't normal," said a thoughtful Chibimon. Patamon and Leafmon nodded. A few minutes passed, and T.K. shifted his weight uncomfortably.
"I'm going to go check on them," he announced after a pause. He looked to the people coming in and out of the building, wondering if he really meant what he said.
************************
Tao stood by the entrance to Yikani's burgers, a paper bag from the Italian stop in hand. Cystamon had concealed herself somehow under her hat, and even though it bulged a little Tao knew people wouldn't pay much attention to her. They never did.
She liked it that way.
Even though she had just arrived, Tao could see something was up. The three guys and their Digimon were sitting at the table alone, looking fidgety, and the girl with the white cat was no where in sight. Slipping through the door behind a young man, Tao sauntered over to a wall, leaning against it and watching them more closely.
"I wonder where the girl and her Digimon is," Cystamon's muffled voice came from under Tao's hat.
"Not at the table," Tao observed. Thinking, she narrowed her eyes. "Maybe in the Girls' Room." Straightening up, she made her way there, keeping her chin tucked into her chest and her hands in her pockets. By doing this she had learned people often left you alone. Deliberately she walked close by the table where the guys were sitting, scanning them over out of the corner of her eyes. None of them looked very dangerous, or their Digimon, especially the two little ones, which she guessed were in their In- Training stage. She noticed the tallest and oldest looking boy glance at her. Brushing off his piercing gaze, she strolled to the door of the Girls' Room and opened the door and stepped in…
…Bumping right into the girl.
"Ah! Oh, I'm sorry!" the girl yelped, surprised. She smiled nervously and stepped to the side. "Are you okay?"
Tao, on the other hand, bit her lip so she wouldn't scream at the pain jolting up her leg, numbing her senses. The girl had accidentally stepped right on her left foot, which was one extremely delicate place. "I'm fine," she snapped. "Watch where you step next time."
The girl was not phased. It was then Tao noticed the white cat standing by the girl's leg, studying her. Pulling her cap more so over her eyes, Tao frowned at it.
"Are you sure you're okay?" the girl asked again.
"Didn't you believe me the first time?" Tao retorted icily. She studied the girl's features. Pretty, around her age. Amber eyes, smooth skin and brown hair cut short, one side pulled back with a red clip. A camera around her neck, which was something a bit new to Tao, a pink shirt and blue jeans. Pink would usually look childish on someone her age, but it fitted her well.
"Hey…your sock."
It took a moment for that to register through Tao's mind. Looking down, she saw a faint red stain on her sock, and gradually spreading. Her face fell. "Shoot."
"I am SO sorry! Come on, I'll help you clean up that…" Taking Tao's arm, the girl pulled her gently into the bathroom. The cat followed close behind, keeping Tao under her gaze. Tao felt the cat was possibly regarding her as a threat.
"Look, I said I was fine!" she snipped, gradually losing her temper. The girl seemed to mean well, but that wasn't the point. This wasn't supposed to happen…her plan was going wrong already.
"The least I can do is help you with your foot…mind rolling down your sock?" Without waiting for an answer, the girl grabbed some paper towels and began wetting them.
"Did you not…" Tao stopped herself in mid-sentence. Maybe her plan wasn't blown after all. Originally she had plotted listening in on the group's conversation from a nearby table, but perhaps she could get more information from this girl alone.
It was all needed for her Master Plan.
Tao sat down on the bathroom floor, took off her shoe and sock and said, "I'm sorry for being rude. You caught me by surprise." She masked her natural voice with a sweet kindness, without overdoing it. Her gaze fell to her ankle. A long gash ran diagonally across it, stretching down the length of her foot and stopping right behind her pinky-toe. The cut itself was black, almost like a tattoo, but when the girl had stepped on her foot it had reopened and was bleeding slowly. Nothing serious or grotesque, but it did hurt.
"Itai! Does it hurt really bad?" the girl asked, kneeling by her and placing the wet paper across her foot, pressing it gently.
"Not really," Tao lied, "but the cut was already there. You really don't have to do this, you know." The pain was decreasing, and with it Tao's patience with the girl. Who could be this nice? She was obviously up to something, or extremely dense. "I'm Tao, by the way."
"I'm Hikari, but call me Kari. And…" the girl nodded her head over to the white cat standing just behind her. "…That's Gatomon."
Kari watched Tao closely for any hint of emotion. She knew the normal human being would be scared of Gatomon, or very curious one. But Tao's face was masked, and no flicker of even a thought shone through. Gatomon also had a masked face on, looking right back at Tao. It was then that Kari knew they weren't going to get along well, if at all.
"Cystamon. It's okay to come out." Tao's hat wiggled, bulged, then from out under the rim slid a Digimon. Kari's eyes widened. This girl is a Digidestined, she thought, of all things?? But that is a Digimon…she must be…
The Digimon, called Cystamon, regarded Kari and Gatomon warily. She sat on Tao's shoulder, her tail wrapped around her neck.
"Wow…so…you're a Digidestined?" Kari asked after a pause. Gatomon's eyes flickered to her, then back to Tao and Cystamon. Those two weren't going out of her sight. She got a bad feeling from them, and after hearing Kari's story she was more protective and short-tempered than usual.
"You could say that."
"Double wow. So…I think it's stopped bleeding." Kari pulled the paper towels away and sure enough the bleeding had stopped. Taking some tissue, Kari folded it and placed it gently over the foot and on the ankle. "The tissue will help cushion it."
No duh, Tao thought. She put her sock back on, and carefully slipped her sneaker back on. There was a sting of pain but it subsided. She stood, brushing off her cut-off jeans. Kari got up after her, tossing the bloody paper towels into the trashcan.
"How'd that happen?"
Kari's question surprised Tao. "What?"
"The cut. How'd you get it?" Kari didn't know why she was so cautious of Tao. She had helped her, but a sick feeling lingered in the back of her stomach whenever she looked at her.
"Glass," Tao replied after a moment. Her voice was dark and mysterious again, without the fake kindness or generosity she had used earlier. "So. Are you here with your boyfriends?"
"Boyfriends? Well, yeah, if you mean friends," replied Kari.
"You don't have a boyfriend?"
"No. Do you?"
Tao flinched. Was this girl called Kari getting sarcastic with her? Playing games with her? No one played games with Tao. Tao was the one who played games, who often made them up, and often broke the rules.
"Of course not, boys are worthless," Tao snipped.
"Not worthless, unless their name is Tai. Who are you here with?"
"No one." Tao leered some, just to intimidate Kari. "I like it that way," she added darkly.
"Ah…that's cool. You want to meet my friends? They're Digidestined, too." Despite Tao's obvious efforts to make Kari dislike her, Kari tried anyway. She could tell Tao had a wall around herself, and kept it up.
"How long have you been a 'Digidestined'?" Tao asked Kari, evading her question.
"Since I was a little kid, years and years ago." Kari could feel her patience and like for this girl wear thin. She didn't like this game she was playing, where Tao asked all the questions and she answered. "What about you?"
"A while."
"Surely 'a while' means an obvious time span," Gatomon said, "and surely you know the length of that time span." Her voice was low and silky, radiating with barely hidden anger. Tao was getting on her nerves, playing games with her Digidestined. Even the silent Cystamon was getting on her nerves, just by being there.
Tao looked to Gatomon, along with Cystamon. She considered this cat-type Digimon. "A few years. And it would be best if you didn't pick at everything I say, Digimon."
"Her name's Gatomon," Kari retorted hotly. "Look, if you're going to be a pain, go on. I'm going back to my friends. So long." She turned and walked out of the bathroom, Gatomon following close behind. Tao stood in the door, Cystamon still sitting silently on her shoulder. A smirk made its way on her face.
"Phase one of Master Plan is complete, I take it?" Cystamon asked after a minute.
"Yes," Tao responded. "Kari thinks she is traveling her own road, but she doesn't know I'm paving her way for her. And its end may not be quite what she nor anyone else expects."
************************
"Yay, Kari's back!"
Kari twitched as she made her way over to the Digidestined table. Davis' voice practically echoed through the restaurant. She smiled and slipped back into her seat, Gatomon beside her.
"Sure took you a long time," T.K. observed.
"Sorry," said Kari.
"You know how us girls are," Gatomon added.
"Who was that girl who went in after you?" Ken asked curiously.
"Huh? What girl?"
"A girl with a cap. I saw her go in after you."
"Dude, Ken, you were watching girls going in and out of the girls' bathroom?" asked Davis.
"You watch girls 24/7," Leafmon chirped from Ken's lap. Davis leaned back, his hands behind his head. "Of course!" he replied sunnily, "But mostly Kari."
"Davish, you're obsessed!" Chibimon piped up.
"And you're obsessed with-" Chibimon leaped and yanked Davis' hair, cutting him off in mid-sentence. "OWWW!"
"Food?" Patamon put in. Chibimon nodded quickly, a big grin plastered on his face.
"Yesh! That's what Davish was going to say. But I saw a bug in his hair, so I got it!" Chibimon explained, the smile not leaving his face. Davis rubbed his head.
"My hair," he pouted.
"Her name was Tao," said Kari while smiling at the antics going on.
"And Cystamon," Gatomon added, looking to Kari then back to the others.
"Wait. Cystamon. CystaMON? Mon? As in DigiMON?" T.K. asked, surprised.
"Yep," Kari confirmed. "She's a Digidestined, at least it looks like it. She was pretty snippy and rude. I ran into her while I was walking out and she was walking in, and her foot got hurt. I helped her out."
"I didn't like her, nor her Digimon, one bit," Gatomon said coolly. Kari raised an eyebrow at her.
"Leave it to you to be honest," she observed.
"It must take a lot for Gatomon not to like somebody," Ken said thoughtfully. "Did you get any bad vibes from her, Kari?"
"Well…yeah. She just seemed…I don't know. Dark-like. Keeping to herself, like there was something bigger going on that she was involved in," she responded just as thoughtfully.
"Would she be considered an enemy?" Davis wondered aloud. "Sort of like another Ken?"
"I'm not sure. I wouldn't jump to any conclusions." Kari scratched her arm, considering that herself.
"Either way, she doesn't stand a chance against us if she's bad! And if she's good, we'll make her good, right?" Chibimon hopped onto the table, standing tall. "Because there's nothing we can't beat, right??"
"Right, pal!" Davis agreed, grinning hugely. "Looks like we have another mystery on our hands! And…er…paws. And stuff."
************************
-Bus-
6:35 PM
"Is there something you're not telling me?" T.K. asked Kari as the lights of the city streaked by outside the bus window. Davis was fast asleep on the opposite seat of the bus, snoring soundly to himself, stretched out and comfortable. T.K. and Kari were sitting by each other, Kari by the window. On the seat in front of them was Patamon, Veemon, and Gatomon. Chibimon had digivolved, feeling a little left out in his in-training form. They had dropped off Ken at his cousin's house, where his mom would pick him up. Now they were on a bus heading towards Kari's apartment, as it was closer on this route. It would take an hour or so, as the bus had other stops.
"What? No, of course not," Kari lied. "I would tell you if something was wrong, T.K…"
"You seem a little shook up by that girl, Tao…" T.K. said. "I was just wondering…you know, if there was something else that was bothering you…"
Kari took T.K.'s hand in her own, holding it in her lap. He looked to her and she looked back, smiling warmly. "You heard what Chibimon said, that we can beat anything. So don't worry about losing, because it's not going to happen."
T.K. nodded, smiling back. "You're right. Maybe I'm the one that's shook up." Looking into Kari's understanding eyes, he added: "And you know what's best for you, so I shouldn't worry about that either."
He wanted so much to kiss her then. It seemed like the right time, right place, and right by Davis of all things. But the second the thought entered his mind, fear of rejection welled up in his heart. He just nodded again and leaned back into the seat, but kept his hand in hers. Kari, feeling a little relieved and disappointed all at the same time, leaned back against her seat and closed her eyes.
Takeru…if only you knew…I know nothing…she thought as she drifted off to sleep.
"Veemon?"
Veemon blinked, then yawned. He had almost drifted off to sleep, but the sound of Gatomon's voice woke him up. He looked over. Patamon was sound asleep, but Gatomon was wide awake, sitting in-between them. "Yes, Gatomon?" he asked.
"What made you say that…today. Earlier." She turned to her side to where she could look at him better.
"Say what?"
"That we can beat anything."
Veemon shifted his weight some, turning himself where he could face Gatomon better. She was looking at him with puzzled blue eyes. She wanted to talk, he could tell, and that was fine with him. Just being with her made him feel more confident in himself. "Well…we have before. And with our strength and courage and stuff, we can beat or do anything, just like earlier times. Why?"
"I just wonder sometimes…if there's something out there we can't beat," she said.
"Nah. And even if we go against something tough, we'll overcome it sooner or later."
"You have a lot of confidence."
Veemon was a little surprised at that comment. "You mean you don't? You're the one that taught me confidence."
"How so?" Gatomon asked curiously.
"Well…you were always so sure of yourself, I guess. And after learning about your past, and how you handled that and went against Myotismon and everything…I admire you. I usually just take things as they come…a little hothead at times. But you think things out. You have the confidence to go in knowing what your doing, and I go in blindly," replied Veemon. He flinched at the little extra emotion that somehow slipped in his voice when he said 'I admire you'.
"I'm not always so confident…I just put on a show sometimes…" Gatomon sighed, sleep tugging at her eyes now. It had been a tiring day for her. "Thanks for that, Veemon…I never knew I was admired…"
Veemon smiled, bushing. "No problem, Gato…You come to me when I need confidence and I'll go to you when I need it."
Gatomon smiled, closing her eyes, and leaned against the back of her seat. Her paw came to rest by Veemon's hand as she drifted off to sleep. "Sounds like a plan to me…"
Veemon snuggled back against his seat, and after a pause inched his hand closer to Gatomon's paw. He knew it was stupid, but he did it anyway. He was taken completely by surprise that a few minutes later, in her sleep, she moved and her paw slipped into his hand.
"Sounds like a plan to me, too…" he said softly, and drifted off to sleep himself.
************************
-??????????-
-Meanwhile-
He watched them. He read their thoughts. He could sense their hear rates, their emotions, their feelings or desires.
He could see their strengths, their weaknesses.
Watching them, he carefully went over his plan. It was perfect, flawless! He could see the ending in the future, as he had seen the beginning in the past.
He could see the girl named Tao and her Digimon, Cystamon, standing on the sidewalk, watching the bus go by. He could hear her thoughts, feel her anger. And beneath the anger and solitude, pain.
It was flawless. He was flawless!
Snickering some to himself, Flawless turned his attention back to the Digidestined. He peered into the young girl's mind, drifting through her dreamless thoughts. All of them were a part of his plan. Even the one who thought she was playing the pieces as much as he, she was in it to. Part of his plan. Pieces, all of them.
His Master Plan.
Who is this strange girl named Tao and her Digimon, Cystamon, and what do they want?
Will Kari ever tell the others about her dreams?
Will Davis ever stop snoring?
And is Veemon right…can they beat anything?
Who or what is this thing called Flawless? And what is his Master Plan?
Find out in Chapter Four of 'The Missing Piece of Light; One Fallen Angel' to find out!
KC: I thought you were the one who CREATED ideas! rolls eyes dramatically
Insanity Angel Kari: Of course! But I must allow others lend me their thoughts…you of all people should know what happens when I let all my ideas run wild by themselves!
KC: AHHHH! TOTAL DESTRUCTION!! screams and jumps into a fox hole
Insanity Angel Kari: Muhahahaha! cough Anyway, as I have stated I do not own Digimon. No flaming for pairings(?) in later chapters. A little Takari and VeeGato in dis chapter, I'll just go ahead and tell you! And all made- up characters here are mine, ask permission before you use them, like Tao and Cystamon. Do this and we all stay happy! ^_^ halo appears over head
KC: still in fox hole…sticks a helmet over her head Ebil…
Chapter Three
Potato.
That's basically what Kari felt like, after her third helping of the Yikani Surprise. She sighed contently, watching Gatomon finish off her sushi and the guys finish off food that never had a chance once it was set on the table. Davis was the most amusing, as he somehow managed to keep breathing while scarfing down huge amounts. Chibimon was right behind him, practically burying himself in a heap of munchies then eating his way out. Kari scanned the area, watching people come in and order, or people waiting for someone to meet them. Or just people just coming to have idle chat. After a moment Davis sat back and patted his stomach. He held out a piece of some bread he had to Kari, right under her nose. "Want some?" he asked.
"Nah…I'm pretty full. Any more and the Blue Whale won't be the largest creature on Earth," replied Kari, pushing the bread away.
Gatomon took a last bite of her sushi, then settled back in her seat. They were by a window, with a good view of the sidewalk. Kari, Gatomon, T.K., and Patamon sat in one seat, Kari by the window, and Davis, Chibimon, Ken, and Leafmon sat in the other, Davis by the window. Gatomon tilted her head slightly, settling her gaze on Kari. Kari rubbed her head and glanced away. Why does she have to bother me so, Kari thought, I told her I'm fine, and there hasn't been any more trouble…
Gatomon, seeing Kari look away, sighed and turned her sight back to her sushi. But she didn't feel hungry anymore, so she pushed her plate away and rested her elbows on the table, head resting in her paws. Kari twitched. She hated seeing Gatomon so depressed…but no way she was going to say anything, at least for now. Not until something that made sense surfaced.
"So, what's up Kari?" T.K. asked after a moment. Kari blinked, and for split second she thought he knew what had happened. But then he added: "I mean, you didn't just bring us here to get fat, right?" He smiled and winked to show he was kidding.
Davis didn't like the smiling and winking. Bristling up, he stated, "Well I'd come even if there was nothing going on! I mean, for Kari and everything."
"There's nothing special, really…" Kari said after a moment. Ken watched her carefully, in thought. To him, Kari was acting rather distant and guilty, but he said nothing.
"No. Nothing special at all," Gatomon said, her voice monotone. Kari could hear a twinge of anger in her voice though. Gatomon sent her a look, then looked to the rest of her sushi, seeming to find it fascinating. Another wave of guilt washed over Kari, but she swallowed it.
"Is it a crime to invite friends over to eat?" Kari asked simply.
"I say one day only Kari and I go out for dinner," said a dreamy Davis.
"What about me??" Chibimon squeaked, finishing off his drink through a straw. "Huh, Davish?"
"I GUESS you can come, too…" he replied.
"What about me?" Leafmon cut in. Ken chuckled.
"Yeah. Because we're all good friends, and we trust each other, so we do stuff together." Gatomon shot a look at Kari. "We enjoy ourselves, and we're open and we tell each other things that are important. Excuse me for a moment." Gatomon slid off her bench and headed toward the Girls' Room. Kari coughed, then stood.
"You know, I'll go check on her. That sushi must be getting to her."
Ken blinked. "Is something wrong?"
"What? No. Of course not." Kari quickly made her way to the Girls' Room. She wondered if she had answered in that high-pitched voice she always got when she lied. Rubbing her arm, she opened the bathroom door and walked in. Gatomon was sitting on the vanity, tail hanging off, gazing into a mirror. Kari took a deep breath and stood by her.
"You're mad at me, I take it?"
"Not really mad…confused."
"I see."
"No." Gatomon turned her blue eyes to Kari. "If you did, you would tell the others. But you sit there, lying through your teeth while I sit there worrying. I would tell them, but it's not my place. It's yours. But you don't. You act like nothing happened, IS happening. And it hurts me, Kari. You won't even tell me. You keep quiet, like a turtle in its shell."
Every word from Gatomon struck Kari like knives. It was all true. Gatomon had always made sense, and always told the truth unless it was an emergency.
"I don't want to worry them with something they probably won't be able to help with anyway. There's no point. Let me try to get a good grip on what this is about, and then…" But Gatomon interrupted her.
"Kari, the turtle's not going anywhere if it stays shut up in its shell."
There was a moment of silence. Finally Kari said, "I'll tell you what I know. But don't tell the others just yet, okay?"
Gatomon nodded. "Finally, the turtle sticks its head out a little."
************************
"You think something's wrong?"
Davis looked to T.K., whose gaze traveled over to the Girls' Room.
"You wanna follow and find out?" Davis snipped, still not happy about the smiling and winking that occurred earlier.
"No."
"They'll come out in a minute," Ken said neutrally.
"You don't know girls, Ken. The bathroom is their hangout. And have you ever noticed how they always go to the bathrooms in groups of two?"
"Mysterious," said T.K.
"Girls aren't normal," said a thoughtful Chibimon. Patamon and Leafmon nodded. A few minutes passed, and T.K. shifted his weight uncomfortably.
"I'm going to go check on them," he announced after a pause. He looked to the people coming in and out of the building, wondering if he really meant what he said.
************************
Tao stood by the entrance to Yikani's burgers, a paper bag from the Italian stop in hand. Cystamon had concealed herself somehow under her hat, and even though it bulged a little Tao knew people wouldn't pay much attention to her. They never did.
She liked it that way.
Even though she had just arrived, Tao could see something was up. The three guys and their Digimon were sitting at the table alone, looking fidgety, and the girl with the white cat was no where in sight. Slipping through the door behind a young man, Tao sauntered over to a wall, leaning against it and watching them more closely.
"I wonder where the girl and her Digimon is," Cystamon's muffled voice came from under Tao's hat.
"Not at the table," Tao observed. Thinking, she narrowed her eyes. "Maybe in the Girls' Room." Straightening up, she made her way there, keeping her chin tucked into her chest and her hands in her pockets. By doing this she had learned people often left you alone. Deliberately she walked close by the table where the guys were sitting, scanning them over out of the corner of her eyes. None of them looked very dangerous, or their Digimon, especially the two little ones, which she guessed were in their In- Training stage. She noticed the tallest and oldest looking boy glance at her. Brushing off his piercing gaze, she strolled to the door of the Girls' Room and opened the door and stepped in…
…Bumping right into the girl.
"Ah! Oh, I'm sorry!" the girl yelped, surprised. She smiled nervously and stepped to the side. "Are you okay?"
Tao, on the other hand, bit her lip so she wouldn't scream at the pain jolting up her leg, numbing her senses. The girl had accidentally stepped right on her left foot, which was one extremely delicate place. "I'm fine," she snapped. "Watch where you step next time."
The girl was not phased. It was then Tao noticed the white cat standing by the girl's leg, studying her. Pulling her cap more so over her eyes, Tao frowned at it.
"Are you sure you're okay?" the girl asked again.
"Didn't you believe me the first time?" Tao retorted icily. She studied the girl's features. Pretty, around her age. Amber eyes, smooth skin and brown hair cut short, one side pulled back with a red clip. A camera around her neck, which was something a bit new to Tao, a pink shirt and blue jeans. Pink would usually look childish on someone her age, but it fitted her well.
"Hey…your sock."
It took a moment for that to register through Tao's mind. Looking down, she saw a faint red stain on her sock, and gradually spreading. Her face fell. "Shoot."
"I am SO sorry! Come on, I'll help you clean up that…" Taking Tao's arm, the girl pulled her gently into the bathroom. The cat followed close behind, keeping Tao under her gaze. Tao felt the cat was possibly regarding her as a threat.
"Look, I said I was fine!" she snipped, gradually losing her temper. The girl seemed to mean well, but that wasn't the point. This wasn't supposed to happen…her plan was going wrong already.
"The least I can do is help you with your foot…mind rolling down your sock?" Without waiting for an answer, the girl grabbed some paper towels and began wetting them.
"Did you not…" Tao stopped herself in mid-sentence. Maybe her plan wasn't blown after all. Originally she had plotted listening in on the group's conversation from a nearby table, but perhaps she could get more information from this girl alone.
It was all needed for her Master Plan.
Tao sat down on the bathroom floor, took off her shoe and sock and said, "I'm sorry for being rude. You caught me by surprise." She masked her natural voice with a sweet kindness, without overdoing it. Her gaze fell to her ankle. A long gash ran diagonally across it, stretching down the length of her foot and stopping right behind her pinky-toe. The cut itself was black, almost like a tattoo, but when the girl had stepped on her foot it had reopened and was bleeding slowly. Nothing serious or grotesque, but it did hurt.
"Itai! Does it hurt really bad?" the girl asked, kneeling by her and placing the wet paper across her foot, pressing it gently.
"Not really," Tao lied, "but the cut was already there. You really don't have to do this, you know." The pain was decreasing, and with it Tao's patience with the girl. Who could be this nice? She was obviously up to something, or extremely dense. "I'm Tao, by the way."
"I'm Hikari, but call me Kari. And…" the girl nodded her head over to the white cat standing just behind her. "…That's Gatomon."
Kari watched Tao closely for any hint of emotion. She knew the normal human being would be scared of Gatomon, or very curious one. But Tao's face was masked, and no flicker of even a thought shone through. Gatomon also had a masked face on, looking right back at Tao. It was then that Kari knew they weren't going to get along well, if at all.
"Cystamon. It's okay to come out." Tao's hat wiggled, bulged, then from out under the rim slid a Digimon. Kari's eyes widened. This girl is a Digidestined, she thought, of all things?? But that is a Digimon…she must be…
The Digimon, called Cystamon, regarded Kari and Gatomon warily. She sat on Tao's shoulder, her tail wrapped around her neck.
"Wow…so…you're a Digidestined?" Kari asked after a pause. Gatomon's eyes flickered to her, then back to Tao and Cystamon. Those two weren't going out of her sight. She got a bad feeling from them, and after hearing Kari's story she was more protective and short-tempered than usual.
"You could say that."
"Double wow. So…I think it's stopped bleeding." Kari pulled the paper towels away and sure enough the bleeding had stopped. Taking some tissue, Kari folded it and placed it gently over the foot and on the ankle. "The tissue will help cushion it."
No duh, Tao thought. She put her sock back on, and carefully slipped her sneaker back on. There was a sting of pain but it subsided. She stood, brushing off her cut-off jeans. Kari got up after her, tossing the bloody paper towels into the trashcan.
"How'd that happen?"
Kari's question surprised Tao. "What?"
"The cut. How'd you get it?" Kari didn't know why she was so cautious of Tao. She had helped her, but a sick feeling lingered in the back of her stomach whenever she looked at her.
"Glass," Tao replied after a moment. Her voice was dark and mysterious again, without the fake kindness or generosity she had used earlier. "So. Are you here with your boyfriends?"
"Boyfriends? Well, yeah, if you mean friends," replied Kari.
"You don't have a boyfriend?"
"No. Do you?"
Tao flinched. Was this girl called Kari getting sarcastic with her? Playing games with her? No one played games with Tao. Tao was the one who played games, who often made them up, and often broke the rules.
"Of course not, boys are worthless," Tao snipped.
"Not worthless, unless their name is Tai. Who are you here with?"
"No one." Tao leered some, just to intimidate Kari. "I like it that way," she added darkly.
"Ah…that's cool. You want to meet my friends? They're Digidestined, too." Despite Tao's obvious efforts to make Kari dislike her, Kari tried anyway. She could tell Tao had a wall around herself, and kept it up.
"How long have you been a 'Digidestined'?" Tao asked Kari, evading her question.
"Since I was a little kid, years and years ago." Kari could feel her patience and like for this girl wear thin. She didn't like this game she was playing, where Tao asked all the questions and she answered. "What about you?"
"A while."
"Surely 'a while' means an obvious time span," Gatomon said, "and surely you know the length of that time span." Her voice was low and silky, radiating with barely hidden anger. Tao was getting on her nerves, playing games with her Digidestined. Even the silent Cystamon was getting on her nerves, just by being there.
Tao looked to Gatomon, along with Cystamon. She considered this cat-type Digimon. "A few years. And it would be best if you didn't pick at everything I say, Digimon."
"Her name's Gatomon," Kari retorted hotly. "Look, if you're going to be a pain, go on. I'm going back to my friends. So long." She turned and walked out of the bathroom, Gatomon following close behind. Tao stood in the door, Cystamon still sitting silently on her shoulder. A smirk made its way on her face.
"Phase one of Master Plan is complete, I take it?" Cystamon asked after a minute.
"Yes," Tao responded. "Kari thinks she is traveling her own road, but she doesn't know I'm paving her way for her. And its end may not be quite what she nor anyone else expects."
************************
"Yay, Kari's back!"
Kari twitched as she made her way over to the Digidestined table. Davis' voice practically echoed through the restaurant. She smiled and slipped back into her seat, Gatomon beside her.
"Sure took you a long time," T.K. observed.
"Sorry," said Kari.
"You know how us girls are," Gatomon added.
"Who was that girl who went in after you?" Ken asked curiously.
"Huh? What girl?"
"A girl with a cap. I saw her go in after you."
"Dude, Ken, you were watching girls going in and out of the girls' bathroom?" asked Davis.
"You watch girls 24/7," Leafmon chirped from Ken's lap. Davis leaned back, his hands behind his head. "Of course!" he replied sunnily, "But mostly Kari."
"Davish, you're obsessed!" Chibimon piped up.
"And you're obsessed with-" Chibimon leaped and yanked Davis' hair, cutting him off in mid-sentence. "OWWW!"
"Food?" Patamon put in. Chibimon nodded quickly, a big grin plastered on his face.
"Yesh! That's what Davish was going to say. But I saw a bug in his hair, so I got it!" Chibimon explained, the smile not leaving his face. Davis rubbed his head.
"My hair," he pouted.
"Her name was Tao," said Kari while smiling at the antics going on.
"And Cystamon," Gatomon added, looking to Kari then back to the others.
"Wait. Cystamon. CystaMON? Mon? As in DigiMON?" T.K. asked, surprised.
"Yep," Kari confirmed. "She's a Digidestined, at least it looks like it. She was pretty snippy and rude. I ran into her while I was walking out and she was walking in, and her foot got hurt. I helped her out."
"I didn't like her, nor her Digimon, one bit," Gatomon said coolly. Kari raised an eyebrow at her.
"Leave it to you to be honest," she observed.
"It must take a lot for Gatomon not to like somebody," Ken said thoughtfully. "Did you get any bad vibes from her, Kari?"
"Well…yeah. She just seemed…I don't know. Dark-like. Keeping to herself, like there was something bigger going on that she was involved in," she responded just as thoughtfully.
"Would she be considered an enemy?" Davis wondered aloud. "Sort of like another Ken?"
"I'm not sure. I wouldn't jump to any conclusions." Kari scratched her arm, considering that herself.
"Either way, she doesn't stand a chance against us if she's bad! And if she's good, we'll make her good, right?" Chibimon hopped onto the table, standing tall. "Because there's nothing we can't beat, right??"
"Right, pal!" Davis agreed, grinning hugely. "Looks like we have another mystery on our hands! And…er…paws. And stuff."
************************
-Bus-
6:35 PM
"Is there something you're not telling me?" T.K. asked Kari as the lights of the city streaked by outside the bus window. Davis was fast asleep on the opposite seat of the bus, snoring soundly to himself, stretched out and comfortable. T.K. and Kari were sitting by each other, Kari by the window. On the seat in front of them was Patamon, Veemon, and Gatomon. Chibimon had digivolved, feeling a little left out in his in-training form. They had dropped off Ken at his cousin's house, where his mom would pick him up. Now they were on a bus heading towards Kari's apartment, as it was closer on this route. It would take an hour or so, as the bus had other stops.
"What? No, of course not," Kari lied. "I would tell you if something was wrong, T.K…"
"You seem a little shook up by that girl, Tao…" T.K. said. "I was just wondering…you know, if there was something else that was bothering you…"
Kari took T.K.'s hand in her own, holding it in her lap. He looked to her and she looked back, smiling warmly. "You heard what Chibimon said, that we can beat anything. So don't worry about losing, because it's not going to happen."
T.K. nodded, smiling back. "You're right. Maybe I'm the one that's shook up." Looking into Kari's understanding eyes, he added: "And you know what's best for you, so I shouldn't worry about that either."
He wanted so much to kiss her then. It seemed like the right time, right place, and right by Davis of all things. But the second the thought entered his mind, fear of rejection welled up in his heart. He just nodded again and leaned back into the seat, but kept his hand in hers. Kari, feeling a little relieved and disappointed all at the same time, leaned back against her seat and closed her eyes.
Takeru…if only you knew…I know nothing…she thought as she drifted off to sleep.
"Veemon?"
Veemon blinked, then yawned. He had almost drifted off to sleep, but the sound of Gatomon's voice woke him up. He looked over. Patamon was sound asleep, but Gatomon was wide awake, sitting in-between them. "Yes, Gatomon?" he asked.
"What made you say that…today. Earlier." She turned to her side to where she could look at him better.
"Say what?"
"That we can beat anything."
Veemon shifted his weight some, turning himself where he could face Gatomon better. She was looking at him with puzzled blue eyes. She wanted to talk, he could tell, and that was fine with him. Just being with her made him feel more confident in himself. "Well…we have before. And with our strength and courage and stuff, we can beat or do anything, just like earlier times. Why?"
"I just wonder sometimes…if there's something out there we can't beat," she said.
"Nah. And even if we go against something tough, we'll overcome it sooner or later."
"You have a lot of confidence."
Veemon was a little surprised at that comment. "You mean you don't? You're the one that taught me confidence."
"How so?" Gatomon asked curiously.
"Well…you were always so sure of yourself, I guess. And after learning about your past, and how you handled that and went against Myotismon and everything…I admire you. I usually just take things as they come…a little hothead at times. But you think things out. You have the confidence to go in knowing what your doing, and I go in blindly," replied Veemon. He flinched at the little extra emotion that somehow slipped in his voice when he said 'I admire you'.
"I'm not always so confident…I just put on a show sometimes…" Gatomon sighed, sleep tugging at her eyes now. It had been a tiring day for her. "Thanks for that, Veemon…I never knew I was admired…"
Veemon smiled, bushing. "No problem, Gato…You come to me when I need confidence and I'll go to you when I need it."
Gatomon smiled, closing her eyes, and leaned against the back of her seat. Her paw came to rest by Veemon's hand as she drifted off to sleep. "Sounds like a plan to me…"
Veemon snuggled back against his seat, and after a pause inched his hand closer to Gatomon's paw. He knew it was stupid, but he did it anyway. He was taken completely by surprise that a few minutes later, in her sleep, she moved and her paw slipped into his hand.
"Sounds like a plan to me, too…" he said softly, and drifted off to sleep himself.
************************
-??????????-
-Meanwhile-
He watched them. He read their thoughts. He could sense their hear rates, their emotions, their feelings or desires.
He could see their strengths, their weaknesses.
Watching them, he carefully went over his plan. It was perfect, flawless! He could see the ending in the future, as he had seen the beginning in the past.
He could see the girl named Tao and her Digimon, Cystamon, standing on the sidewalk, watching the bus go by. He could hear her thoughts, feel her anger. And beneath the anger and solitude, pain.
It was flawless. He was flawless!
Snickering some to himself, Flawless turned his attention back to the Digidestined. He peered into the young girl's mind, drifting through her dreamless thoughts. All of them were a part of his plan. Even the one who thought she was playing the pieces as much as he, she was in it to. Part of his plan. Pieces, all of them.
His Master Plan.
Who is this strange girl named Tao and her Digimon, Cystamon, and what do they want?
Will Kari ever tell the others about her dreams?
Will Davis ever stop snoring?
And is Veemon right…can they beat anything?
Who or what is this thing called Flawless? And what is his Master Plan?
Find out in Chapter Four of 'The Missing Piece of Light; One Fallen Angel' to find out!