For the sake of [my] convenience, let's just assume that everyone can understand each other's languages!
The story's pace should pick up now, so enjoy...
Disclaimer: My parents have given me a leather jacket, a cellular phone and nice pair of shoes for Christmas, but I don't think I'll be getting ownership of Digimon anytime soon...dommage!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Oh, I'm sorry for running into you." Cracker apologized. She and Ominous helped the boy pick up his things.
"Interesting...I thought this only happened when she drives." Ominous muttered lightly. Cracker heard this remark and thrust a quick elbow to his side.
"It's alright." Said the boy. "I should have watched where I was going. Thanks for helping me pick up my stuff."
"No problem." Cracker smiled. The boy and the duo went their separate ways after saying goodbye.
"I'm amazed it wasn't me who bumped into him." Ominous stated. "Usually I'm the clumsy one."
"No matter, let's just find somewhere to eat." Cracker said. "Shall we walk around to find a place, or shall we drive?"
"Walk." Ominous uttered almost immediately. "I'd rather not tempt fate." Cracker rolled her eyes at him as they started searching around.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Eventually, the duo found themselves a quaint little restaurant with non-intimidating food, about ten minutes away from the hotel. Shortly after they ordered their meals, the door jingled open. It was the same blond-haired boy they had bumped into earlier. He sat at a table nearby with his shopping bags and slumped in his chair. His face appeared somewhat worried and tense. The pair looked at the kid, and then looked at each other with concerned faces. Ominous and Cracker both nodded in silent agreement as they got up from their chairs to talk to the child. The blond recognized the two and smiled.
"Hello, again." He said, cheerfully.
"It's quite a coincidence to see you once more." Ominous noted. "My name is-" A stray server slipped on a slippery section of the floor causing several dishes to collide with the ground loudly. "-but you can call me Ominous."
"Well that was odd." Cracker said as she glanced at the accident. She turned her head back to introduce herself. "My name is-" A second server tripped over the first and sent even more dishes crashing to the floor. "-but you can call me Cracker."
"Odd indeed..." Ominous added, as he momentarily looked at the pileup.
"My name is Takeru." The boy quietly said. "You don't look like you're from Japan."
"What gave it away?" Cracker joked. "We're visiting from overseas. Anyway, we were just sitting down to eat when we saw you come in with a stressed look on your face. Do you want to talk about it?"
"If you don't mind, that is." Ominous added in quickly.
"I'd rather not trouble you with my problems." Takeru stated.
"It's not a problem." Cracker reassured. "We love helping, don't we, Om?"
"Sure! Helping...interfering...it's all good, really." Ominous beamed. Cracker sweatdropped. "What's on your mind?"
"Well, it's kind of embarrassing, really." The boy replied. "It's about my best friend."
"This sounds serious." Ominous noted.
"What's your friend's name?" Cracker questioned.
"Hikari." Takeru answered. "We've known each other for as long as I can remember."
'Hmm...I think I see where this is going.' The pair both thought.
"Tell us something about the two of you." Ominous requested.
"Well, as we were growing up, we were always being teased by our family and friends about how we were a couple." Takeru continued. "I can't believe I'm telling you this..." The older pair assured him that it was alright, so he continued. "At first, I brushed it off as an annoying joke. We both did." He chuckled lightly. "As small kids, I was expected to look out for her. Wherever she would be, I wouldn't be far behind, and vice-versa. We went through happy and sad times, laughing and crying along the way, and always together." Takeru then took a deep sigh. "As the years passed by, I began to see that our friends and family all noticed something that I never did before."
"That's wonderful." Ominous noted. "I think it's marvellous that a close friendship can blossom into such a deep love."
"There's a catch though, isn't there?" Cracker quickly asked. Takeru nodded.
"While I know how I feel about her, I do not know if she feels the same way." Takeru concluded.
"That's what I thought." Cracker uttered.
"I knew that." Ominous chimed. Cracker gave him a quizzical look. "What?" He asked innocently. "I did."
"Anyway, I bought her this necklace for Christmas, and I told myself that I would tell her how I felt as soon as I gave it to her." Said Takeru as he displayed a red, velvet box. He opened it up to reveal a sparkling gold chain with a pink star in the middle. Ominous and Cracker stared in awe.
"It's gorgeous." Cracker simply stated. Ominous nodded in agreement.
"Why a star?" Ominous inquired. Takeru blushed.
"Well, the explanation to that is going to be a part of my confession." The boy said. "To me, Hikari has always been this constant light in my life. She shone brightly for me when my world was dark, like when my parents divorced. She was there for me. She also brightened all my happier days with her presence and her smile."
"I can tell that you really care for her." Cracker said. "She's lucky to have such a good friend."
"Indeed." Added Ominous. "I'm certain that she feels the same way."
"I'm scared though." Takeru confessed. "If she doesn't feel the same way, our wonderful friendship could die. I don't want her to not be a part of my life."
"It can seem risky." Cracker began.
"However, I doubt that she feels nothing for you." Ominous continued. "From what I gathered, you two appear to have an unbreakable bond. I think I speak for me and my friend when I say that love always deserves a chance to bloom. People have sacrificed themselves and given up everything for the sake of love in the past, so why can't you do something similar?" Takeru thought deeply about this.
"Love is worth the risk." Cracker noted. "You should not repress your feelings; it's not healthy. Love is meant to be free."
"Maybe you're right." Takeru muttered. "I can't begin to tell you how much my heart has ached over this."
"How old are you, Takeru." Cracker asked next. Takeru gave her a confused stare. Ominous snickered at this.
"Don't worry, she claims to have attention deficit disorder." Informed Ominous. "I don't think she really has a serious problem, but she does tend to jump from topic to topic." Cracker blushed.
"Oh." Takeru murmured. "Well, I'm fifteen."
"Only fifteen?" Cracker said, puzzled. "You seem so mature for your age, and so sure about your emotions. That's remarkable."
"I concur." Ominous said. Takeru smiled nervously, and caught a glimpse of the time.
"Oh, I better get going or my mom will worry." Takeru stated as he got up from his chair. "It's been nice talking to you."
"Likewise." Ominous and Cracker said in unison. Takeru went to the counter to collect his food to go. He was about to exit the restaurant when he paused and returned to the table where the duo was still sitting.
"Excuse me again." Takeru uttered politely. "I don't want to seem to forward, but I'd like to repay you for your kindness and advice." Cracker and Ominous looked at each other in bewilderment. "Since you're not from around here, I can show you around the town tomorrow, and you can meet Hikari and my friends." The pair smiled.
"That's not forward at all." Stated Cracker. "We're grateful that you are offering to show us around. We still have much to learn and see."
"We can do it tomorrow." Ominous added. "I think me and Cracker need the rest of the day to get over the jetlag." Cracker nodded and yawned.
"Great!" Takeru exclaimed. "Let me give you my number."
The two parties exchanged their contact information and said their goodbyes. Takeru left with his food and purchases while the pair finally began eating their meal. They were glad to have met a new friend, and were even happier knowing that they helped a bit. One thing was for certain, though. They both knew that tomorrow was going to be full of surprises...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To be continued...
My schedule is more arduous than I originally thought, which means that this story's end will be delayed a bit. However, it is now my priority story. It shall be finished before I focus on the others. Hopefully I can finish it before school starts again.
As always, review and share your thoughts.