CHAPTER 7 "Not part of the team."



My decision was final; I decided to cry myself asleep. My promise had been broken, but for a greater cause of avoiding the event of Ken getting more unnecessary sadness in his troublesome and confused heart. When Ken noticed none of my complaints, he began to wonder what was happening. So, he climbed down from his bed somehow and checked on me. He was surprised to see me fast asleep. However, he was even more surprised when he glanced at my face. He saw the undried tears on my right cheek slowly dripping onto the clean pillow. The pillow seemed to be already stained with some droplets of tears. He was even more confused than ever, but at least his crying had stopped.

"I guess she was crying too. But why? For what reasons? Then again, she didn't say that she would never cry, she only said that she won't cry in public. And how could she already be asleep when I just stopped crying? How? I'm never going to understand her, am I? Wait a second, the only reason why I don't understand her is that I don't really know much about her," Ken thought. As he carefully wiped the last tear from my eye with his right index finger, he managed a smile.

The next morning, Ken's parents had already left for work, only Ken and Wormmon would remain. Ken, awake already with Wormmon in hand, awoke me and Wishmon from our slumbers. They both illustrated cheeriness when I opened my eyes. I was happy to see them both in such a good mood. Wishmon seemed grateful too, for she smiled back at them with total gratitude. Wormmon was charmed by her return of kindness so he replied, "Ready for breakfast?"

"Not yet, she isn't. We still have to brush our teeth. But we'll be ready in two minutes time. You guys can go on ahead without us, but make sure that you leave some for me and Wishmon," I answered for Wishmon.

"Okay," Wormmon said and they both nodded and left. They headed to the dining table while we went to the bathroom to freshen up as well as fully wake ourselves.

Exactly two minutes later, we arrived at the dining table to see them awaiting for us so they can start. During breakfast, we all exchanged different expressions on our face: Ken-sad to see us go, Wormmon-unhappy to see Wishmon go, Wishmon-hopeful that we'll return, me-wanting both to stay and leave.

Breakfast was over it was time to get dressed and leave. I changed my pyjamas into an aqua-green outfit of a sleeveless vest and short-to-the-knee, leaves-patterned skirt using my Illusion Confusion. My footwear was of a pair of matching high-heeled, aqua-green sandals that I purchased when I was still in Canada. I loaded my unpacked belongings back into where they belonged while Wishmon said her goodbyes to Ken and Wormmon. When I finished packing my handbag and backpack, they walked with us to the door. We waited.

"You know your directions in Japan, right?" Ken asked with expressions of concern on our safety.

"Don't you worry about that, Ken, I'm sure that I'll manage Besides, I'm going to meet up with Izzy," I assured Ken.

"Okay, Annye," Ken said lastly, "Bye, and good luck."

"Yeah, bye," I thought. "Bye, Wormmon. Bye, Ken. Take care-"

"For now, that is," Wishmon hinted, "Goodbye for now."

"What? What do you mean?"

"Oh, you'll see. You'll see soon enough, Wormmon," she instead answered, "but for now, bye."

We left. Ken and Wormmon stayed at the door waiting for us to return. When we showed no sign of return, they closed the door and headed back to do their usual work before they had met us.



***



With our late departure, we were bound to be late, so we agreed on allowing me to run while holding her. The running ended when not of them were visible. At that moment, I thought that they are late also or that we were too early. We planned to disguise ourselves but we didn't, we thought that it would be unnecessary, so instead, we settled down on two seats around a small rectangular wooden table in a fast food place which specializes in tacos and fries. I wanted to order some food for them, but I wasn't sure of was to order for them. I decided, I had ordered a plate of tacos along with a side dish of fries and a few cans of pop. I had to paid for them using a wish for I had no money of Japan's standard. After the payment, back at our table, table eight, with the food and drinks, I allowed Wishmon, who seemed tired and low on energy for some unknown reason, to snack a few of them while we both waited for their on-time arrival.

One minute before appointment, Izzy and Willis, accompanied by Terriermon, had arrived. Willis' other Digimon wasn't with him yet because he hasn't meet Davis and the others yet. All three of them continued to approach until they reached us at the table in the restaurant.

"Hey, Annye, you and Wishmon are here already," Izzy stated.

"Have a seat," I said to all of them.

"So this is Willis, right, Izzy? And is that Terriermon with him?" Wishmon questioned to make sure that we had the right person.

"And who might both of you be?" Willis asked confused as he took a glance at his Digimon so he can answer him, but he didn't.

"Ah, she's-"Izzy started.

"Oh, you can call my Annye Chang, and Wishmon's my Digimon. You've asked me to come here to Japan, haven't you, Willis? I mean, Destiny104," I answered, sounding calm and cheery.

"What?" Willis said surprised.

"Oh, Annye, do you mind if I take a bite?" Izzy asked.

"Oh, sure, go ahead, Izzy."

"Thanks, Annye," Izzy said and then started to consume tacos and fries.

"Willis. Willis. Didn't we send her the messages though, I mean, she's right about you being Destiny104? So, what's wrong, Willis?" Terriermon murmured to Willis, who was sitting next to him in another seat.

"It's just that I don't think that she's her, Terriermon. Do you remember yesterday? We received a e-mail from someone who was older and being Annye Chang. I'm not sure who's who. I've got it, I'll just ask for some proof that she's the one," Willis explained to Terriermon.

"Okay," his Digimon said and nodded.

"What's okay, guys? Tell me, and tell me if Willis is Destiny104? I don't want to stay here forever; I need to go home, now! Or maybe tomorrow, or someday soon," I said in a louder tone. Izzy, still eating, didn't interrupt, and neither did Wishmon.

"Willis. Willis-," Terriermon said.

"Alright, alright, I'm Destiny104, but are you really Annye Chang?"

"Of course not, you're the one who wanted me to take that name. Have you forgotten already, it's been only days," I answered, and handed him the printed pages that I had carried with me inside my handbag.

He and Terriermon took a moment of silence to read quietly of what was there. When they were finished, they handed the pages back to me, and Willis began to ask, "Okay, we're convinced, but didn't you send me an e-mail yesterday, saying that you were older when I asked for the age? I mean, it said that Annye Chang was over seventeen. Do you think that it could have been a spy?"

"Probably not, I mean, I'm not even Annye Chang, maybe it was the real Annye Chang that returned your e-mail. No matter who it was, we still have bigger problems," I answered Willis.

"Name one," Terriermon asked.

"Like that white hair lady that's disturbing the Digital World," Izzy answered, finished snacking some of the food, and now seemed more down to serious business.

"You guys have found out about her existence already? Okay then. Her name's Arukenimon," I added. With Mummymon.

"What?" they all spoke in surprise, except for Wishmon, who knows that already from me telepathically.

"How did you happen to found out about her name, Annye? Are you working for her?" Izzy asked.

"Just did some research," I answered, "and besides, I don't even have a job yet, I'm still working off my volunteer hours slowly. And this summer I won't even get to, and even if I did happen to do some volunteer work here, it won't count, because I won't be able to prove it."

"What do you mean?" Izzy asked curious as always.

"She's not from our world, Izzy, she's of another Earth," Terriermon replied, "You can say that she's like a Digimon in this world."

"Or an alien," Izzy added.

"But a cute one," Willis said.

"So, what's next?" Wishmon asked.

"Now, Izzy has to keep my secret secret," I suggested looking at Izzy. "So, agree?"

"Agreed, but, too bad I can't explain this to the others. So, Annye. Where are you staying?"

"Um...., I'm not really sure," I sadly answered Izzy.

"Aren't you staying at Ken's place?" Izzy asked.

"I was, but, I decided not to, anymore. You see, if I stay there and interfere, I might change the course of this history, and I'm not sure that I should."

"What? What do you mean, Annye? If you were meant to be here, I think that you are meant to change history."

"Thanks, Wishmon, but I'm still not going to risk that if I don't have to. It's getting to be time for lunch, why don't we have some before we leave?"

"Right," they all answered at the exact moment and started to finish the food.

"How about taking me to the Digital World today, Izzy?" Willis asked politely before he took a bite of a taco.

"Okay, but-" Izzy started, not eating much.

"That's okay, Izzy. Don't worry, I'll open the gate, then again, I'll take you there. Just contact your team of Digidestines that we'll be there in the Digital World, so in case something happens to me, they'll be there to open the gate so all of you can return."

"You mean that you're not on our team, Annye?" Izzy asked, finished eating his last taco and set of fries, and drinking his soda.

"Not exactly, but I'm on your team's side."

"What? How can you say that?" Willis asked.

"How can you say that about me, Willis, you aren't even on their team? And besides, I'm very confident that they'll manage very well without me since the troubles aren't that high yet."

"What do you mean by that?" Terriermon asked me.

"All of you'll know soon enough-" Wishmon answered for me.

"Okay, Wishmon, there are already too many hints. Let's just leave them guessing since we're not even sure, ourselves," I stated, "Let's continue finishing up our lunch before leaving to the Digital World. Okay?"

"Okay," they answered smoothly at the same time, and continued eating.



***



Lunch's over, we left to a nearby park hoping that it isn't really too public. When we arrived, we stopped, and they all looked at me waiting for further instructions.

"Okay, guys, Digimon, and Wishmon, hold hands, paws, .... Huh, just hold on to each other," I informed and they did. Willis-Izzy-Terriermon-Wishmon.

"Then what?" they asked.

"Okay, Willis, Wishmon. Hold on."

"Okay, Annye, then what?" Willis asked.

"Quiet. Just be quiet, and trust me," I demanded softly and they nodded in acknowledgment. In a matter of seconds, I had used my Illusion Confusion.

"Oh, I get it. She created exact visible duplicates of all of us, including herself, to trick the public that we're still here while we leave for the Digital World. Neat. And now, she's using her powers to invisibly transport us there. Prodigious!" Izzy thought as he gazed at my calm, hypnotizing concentration in total amazement. Although I had closed my eyes, I sensed that all eyes were on me, who was doing a strange action.

"We're back! We're visible again, and we're actually here in the Digital World," Willis said cheerily as we all unhanded each other. Surrounding all of us was a deciduous forest of leafless trees. Despite the theory that autumn arrives earlier in the Digital World than the Real World, there's one other theory that is more realistic. Evidently, with the green-shaded leaves off the trees and on the ground, it's likely to be someone's mischievous doing, maybe Arukenimon. It would be very soon when Arukenimon would appear.

"Annye! Look out! Behind you!" Izzy yelled. Wishmon and I turned around and looked behind us.





Author Note: I don't own Digimon or anything relating to it. I'm just writing fan fics.