CHAPTER 10 "Maria."



(at Davis' place)

"Davis. Davis. Kari's on the phone for you," June, Davis' sister who's crazy for Matt, called out when she enters his room, and then left.

"Davis. Davis, wake up. Your sister just said that Kari's on the phone. Aren't you going to take the call?" Veemon repeated.

Davis immediately awoke and left his room to take his call from the girl that he has a crush on.

(at Yolei's house)

"Wake up, Yolei. Yolei. Come on, it's time to go and meet the others at Izzy's to tell Ken. Yolei," Hawkmon uttered.

"Hawkmon? What are doing up so early?"

"Yolei. Have you forgotten about last night?"

"Of course not. I still remember."

"Then let's hurry and get to Izzy's to meet the others. Okay, Yolei?"

"Right!"

(at the same time at the others' places)

"T.K. Wake up. T.K.," Patamon called out.

"Cody. Cody. It's time to go."

"You don't have to tell me twice. I already ready, how about you, Armadillomon?"

"Ready to meet at Izzy's place right after breakfast, Cody."

"Hello, Willis. Ready to come to my place? Ready to tell Ken the unpleasant news?"

"Almost, Izzy, almost. I still have to eat breakfast. Don't you?"

"Agreed. Be at my place after breakfast. Okay?"

"Alright, Izzy."

"Kari. Kari. Don't go, yet. You still haven't eaten breakfast and Mom's going to suspect if you go before you even eat breakfast. Mom and Dad might think that you're going on a diet, Kari. And besides, you and Gatomon have to regain your energy so you can battle. How about it, Kari?"

"Great. First, let's have breakfast, Gatomon. Then we'll go to Izzy's. Are you coming, Tai?" Kari confirmed and Gatomon nodded.

"Of course, Kari."

After their breakfasts, they left for Izzy's and accompanied each other to Ken' place. Izzy had already told Ken that they'll be coming. They arrived one hour before noon. Explaining what happened last night to Ken and Wormmon took about an hour. Before they started to explain, Ken offered them lunch and they accepted, while his mom prepared lunch for the family and company. When they finished explaining, they stayed for lunch and they left with Ken and Wormmon to assist in the search to find me before exchanging Ken without Wormmon to Arukenimon and Mummymon.



***



"Hey, Izzy, tell me again why we can't use Ken's computer to get to Digi-world instead of taking the subway to get there," Davis demanded.

"And why are you heading to my place, Izzy?"

"We're heading to your place, Willis, because we need a computer to get to the Digital World. And we can't get there through Ken's computer when his parents are home."

"Actually, Izzy, my parents were going to leave for work at 2:00pm," Ken stated when the subway stopped at their station. They all got up holding the Digimon, except for Tai and Izzy, and began walking out of the train one by one.

"Now he tells me," Izzy sighed.

"Sorry, Izzy," Ken uttered when they all got out of the train.

"Hey, Davis! Over here!" a voice yelled out and caught the attention of them and their Digimon. They tracked the location of the sound and faced the girl who just shouted and saw her waving at one of them. Dressed in a slinky, strapped, ocean-blue dress down to her ankles with a pair of matching strapped sandals, she wore her dark brown hair down to her shoulders. Davis waved back in response to find out who she is. They couldn't make out her face so they ran to greet her. They stopped when they arrived at about a metre or so from her.

"Remember me, Davis?" she quizzed.

"Who're you?" Ken asked.

"Maria?" Davis guessed.

"Still Mariana to you, Davis. Are they your friends? And what's with the toys? I thought you would be too mature for them by now, Davis."

"Oh. They're my friends. There's Kari, Yolei, Cody, Izzy, Tai, Ken, and T.O.," Davis introduced, and when their names were called they bowed, except for T.K.

"It's T.K., Mariana."

"Whatever, T.O.," Davis replied. "So, Maria, what are you doing here in Japan?"

"I'm back for just a little while in Japan. Then, I'll have to leave again. I was on my way to Tamachi," she answered sadly.

"Great. Just great! You're back and exactly when were you going to stop by at my house to visit me? You never called since you left."

"Sorry, Davis. But the phone bills' going to cause my dad a fortune which he doesn't have yet," Mariana regretted.

"And what about e-mailing me, Maria?"

"You forgot to give me your e-mail address before I left when I asked, Davis. And besides, are we going to just stand here and find each other guilty for past crimes, Davis? Come on. Let's go to my place. Since I didn't visit you, you can always visit me," Mariana said, and grabbed Davis and started to run and they laughed. "Just like old times, Davis, just for a while."

"So, Maria, where's your place?" Davis questioned and stopped running.

"Right over there, Davis," she answered and pointed. "Your friends can come too."

"It's just over there?" Davis asked to make certain that he was pointing at the correct apartment building while the others ran to catch up with Davis and Mariana.

"Yep! That's it! Coming?" Mariana asked again.

"Alright, Maria, let's go," Davis urged as the others arrived to hear what he was saying.

"Wait, Davis-" Ken started before Davis took another step.

"Don't tell me that you've forgotten already, Davis," Yolei added as Davis and Mariana turned to face them.

"About what, Yolei?"

"About Annye in the Digital World, Davis," T.K. said.

"Digital World, Davis?" Mariana asked. "What's he talking about?"

"Digital World? He didn't say Digital World, he means virtual reality, Maria. Nothing to worry about."

"The cat's out of the bag, now spilled! What was he really talking about and what happened to you, Davis? And before you answer again, remember you promise, Davis," Mariana warned.

"What promise, Davis?" Tai asked.

"You promised her not to lie, didn't you, Davis?" Izzy hypothesized.

"Ah, it's like this, Maria-" Davis started.

"Come up to my place and you can all explain carefully before I leave tonight."

"You're leaving tonight, Maria?" Davis asked and she nodded.

"When are you going to be back, Maria?" Willis asked.

"Mariana to you," Mariana corrected.

"Too bad, Willis," Tai comforted.

"That's so sad. I've decided to come along and explain while Davis and you catch up with your fun."

"Thanks, Kari," Mariana replied.

"Then, we'll come too," T.K. agreed and all of them nodded, except for Ken.

"And then, maybe, you can help us, Mariana," Cody added.

"And do you happen to have a computer we can use?" Izzy asked.

"Of course, Izzy. Of course. And what about you, Ken, you coming?" Mariana asked. "Why look so gloom?"

"We'll explain on the way there and when we're there, Mariana," Yolei suggested. And so they did, they explained completely to Mariana and trusted her to keep the secret.

"Oh, Izzy, here's the computer. It's my laptop," Mariana offered. And everyone gathered round the table that held the laptop. They waited for Izzy and Yolei to open the gate.

"Bye, Mariana. Digi-port open!" Yolei called out and left with Hawkmon after placing her D-3 near the screen.

"Bye, Yolei," she answered back as the others started to leave. "Aren't you going, Davis? Oh wait, here's my e-mail address. E-mail me when you can, Davis."

"Right. Bye, Maria, see you later," Davis answered, and placed a wrapped, yellow sticky note with her e-mail address written on it into his pocket, and then placed his D-3 to be transported there. He was the last to go.

"Yeah, bye, Davis," Mariana answered and waved goodbye. "Good luck and say hi to Annye for me."

Tai and the others were soon accompanied by Agumon and Tentomon. Divided into groups of threes plus their Digimon: Willis with Izzy and Cody, Yolei with Kari and Tai, T.K. with Ken and Davis. And they all started searching.



Author's Note: I don't own Digimon or anything relating to Digimon.