Wowsa…I'm glad you all like it! Don't 'cha worry…it'll all work out great.
Eh…I dunno…Does Tien mean sky? I just pulled it off DBZ 'cause it sounds like T.N., you know…something Davis could confuse him for.
Disclaimer: I don't own a lot of things. Digimon is one of them.
Lost
Chapter 3: Lost Name
"Here you go, Kari." Yolei's sister handed the girl a bag of groceries. "All ready."
"Thanks, Naomi." Kari smiled.
Yolei stuck her head out of the back room. "You better get a move on, Kari." she called. "The storm's getting worse. They're predicting the biggest one this year."
"I'm heading home right now." Kari called back, pulling out her umbrella. "See you tomorrow, Yolei!"
With that, she journeyed out into the driving rain.
About half-way home she nearly ran into another traveler. "Oh gee…I'm sorry…" she gasped, before she saw his face. "Tien!"
"Kari?" the boy pulled his coat down. It's been pulled up over his head to try and defend against the rain. "What're you doin' here?"
"Just got some groceries for dinner." Kari motioned to the bag in her hand. "What about you? What're you doin' here?"
Tien smiled, just a bit. He'd warmed up over the last week, but was closest to Kari rather than anyone else. "Well…I was just exploring that park over there, when the storm blew in."
Kari nodded. Tien was always exploring the town for one reason or another. "Where do you live?"
"Block 54..."
"What?!" Kari exclaimed, "There's no way you'll make it before the storm blows in!"
"I'll be fine…" Tien blushed.
"Tien, don't be stupid!" Kari insisted. "You can come over to my place until the storm blows over, then head home."
"Uh…that's not necessary…" Tien muttered, coughing.
"Oh yes it is!" Kari smiled, offering up her umbrella. "What kind of person do you think I am to leave a friend out in the rain like this? Come on, share my umbrella. We're only a block away."
Reluctantly, Tien ducked under with her and allowed her to lead him home.
~ * ~ * ~
Mrs. Kamiya heard a click as the door opened and looked up, relieved. "Kari! Thank goodness, I thought you'd…"
She stopped short and stared. Standing behind her daughter, holding a wet coat, was a rather tall and sheepish-looking young man. She felt sure she'd seen him somewhere before…
"Mom." Kari cleared her throat. "This is Tien. He's the new kid I told you about."
"Oh…" Mrs. Kamiya smiled. "It's very nice to meet you, Tien. I'll take it you're a bit far from home?"
Tien mumbled to himself so quietly that the only thing she picked up was "…Block 54…I'll be fine…"
"Oh my…" Mrs. Kamiya whispered, then smiled. "I guess you'll be staying with us for dinner then, huh?"
"Who will?"
Tien looked up. An older boy, with spiky brown hair and eyes identical to Kari's, dressed in a white collared shirt and blue jeans, had appeared in the hallway. Kari smiled at Tien, and motioned to the new boy.
"Tien…This is my brother, Tai. He's a student at KO University." she explained, then turned to her brother. "Tai, this is Tien. He's a friend from school, and got caught out in the rain."
Tai smiled, holding out his hand to Tien. "Nice to meet 'cha." he said cheerfully, but he too was feeling a little perturbed. He looked just so familiar…but where had they met before?
~ * ~ * ~
"Well…This is nice" Mrs. Kamiya smiled at the boy, biting into a slice of cheese pizza. Since Mr. Kamiya was out on a business trip, it was an excuse for the kids not to have to suffer through some disgusting health food meal, which made it lucky that Tien had come over that particular night. "Having a little company, I mean…"
Tai looked between the other people on at the table as he reached for another slice of pepperoni. His mother sat on his left side, Kari on the right. Tien was right across from him, munching away quietly. He still had the vague, nagging feeling that he'd seen that boy somewhere before…
He sighed, shook it out of his head, and attempted to make conversation. "So… Tien…How do you like it here?"
Tien shrugged. "Not bad…" he murmured, taking another bite.
Kari smiled warmly at her newest friend. "Not quite like home, huh?" she asked gently. "A little crowded?"
"A little…" Tien admitted. His eyes were out of focus and he was obviously thinking of something else.
Kari sighed and tried again. "Are you planning to join any of the clubs at school?" she asked brightly. "The basketball team's having a big drive."
Tien nodded. "That sounds like fun…but really, I'm kinda into the creative writing club."
"Basketball's okay." Tai put in. "But you know soccer rocks."
"Only in your opinion, Tai." Kari muttered, rolling her eyes. "Besides, Sora and I run rings around you."
Tai snorted. "Me? I think not! And which team beat you girls into a pulp at the picnic two months ago?"
"That was because you had Ken on your team, remember?" Kari snickered. "You and Davis tripped all over yourselves."
Tai narrowed his eyes in a laughing manner. Mrs. Kamiya stood to clear away the dishes, and for the first time Tien laughed. Kari's eyes sparkled. The laugh sounded so warm and familiar, it was like she'd known him her whole life.
"Hey…" Tai leaned across the table. "I bet we could take 'er in a sport, don't you?"
"Don't even try that Tai!" Kari warned.
Tai grinned, enjoying getting on his sister's nerves. "After all, we guys gotta stick together." he laughed. "Whaddya say T.K.?"
Tien stopped, looking confused. "Tai!" Kari cried, kicking her brother under the table.
"Tien, sorry!" Tai, realizing what he'd done, panicked a bit. "Wrong name! Sorry Tien…"
"It's okay…really…" Tien said, still confused.
Kari sighed, but she still looked upset. It had been going so well…why'd Tai have to bring that up?
Mrs. Kamiya had, like all mothers, a sixth sense when something was wrong in her house. At that moment she appeared in the doorway of the kitchen, holding a plate she'd been washing in one hand.
"Tien…" she smiled warmly at their guest. "According to the radio, the storm has just settled in. It won't be leaving until tomorrow. I'm afraid you'll have to stay the night."
Tien blushed a deep red. "No…really, I don't want to intrude…"
"Nonsense!" the mother laughed. "We'll just make up the couch, you can walk to school with Kari tomorrow, and I'm sure Tai won't mind lending you an extra pair of pajamas, would you Tai?"
"Sure." Tai shrugged.
"Fine then." Mrs. Kamiya perked, putting the plate of the counter. "It's all settled then. Kari, will you please get some sheets?"
"Sure mom." Kari forced a smile and, relieved to get up from that awkward silence, disappeared into the hall for the linen cabinet.
"And Tien…" the woman turned back to the boy. "You'll need to call your mother, of course."
Tien looked down, a slight frown crossing his face. "O-Okay…" he muttered, pulling something small and black out of his pocket. "I'll use my cell."
He stood, heading for the bathroom, and brushed past Kari on the way. She had an armful of blue-white sheets, with a pillow on top. She noticed a curious look in the boy's eyes. "Tien?" she asked. "Is something wrong?"
He looked at her a moment, as though he had something important he wanted to tell her. But he shook his head. "It's nothing…" he muttered. "Nothing at all…"
With that, he disappeared into the bathroom.
~ * ~ * ~
Kari awoke late that night, suddenly parched, and crossed the apartment to the kitchen. According to the digital clock, it was 1:43 PM as she drained the cup of ice-cold water and began back to her room.
As she did she passed the living room, and she couldn't help but peek in at Tien as he slept.
The boy was curled warmly into the blankets on the bed, so tight he was almost a ball. He was smiling gently and muttering a bit in his sleep, obviously enjoying some pleasant dream.
Kari giggled in her mind. "He looks just like a baby." she cooed to herself, suddenly tempted to run her fingers through his hair like she would a child.
Tien mumbled again, smiling contently. Through the slurred phrases she heard, "Mhm…Kari…Mm…"
Kari took in a short breath, then smiled down at him, sinking to her knees beside the couch. "How sweet…I'm in his dream…" she thought, giggling. Then she slapped herself mentally. "Oh…get with it, girl. You barely know him. Sure, he looks like T.K.… and acts like T.K.…and he's sweet and kind…but…"
Tien squirmed a bit and the smile faded. Kari started to get worried as sweat popped out visibly on his forehead. "He's having a nightmare…" she thought, viewing the pained look on his face, and shook him as hard as she could.
"Wake up! Tien, snap out of it!" she urged in a whisper.
The boy's eyes flew open and he sat straight up, nearly knocking Kari over. He panted a moment, wide-eyed, then sighed and relaxed a bit.
"Bad dream?" Kari asked gently.
Tien shook his head, like trying to get water out of his ears, and sighed again. "It's nothing…" he muttered, rising suddenly. He stumbled to the kitchen and drew a glass of water sleepily, still breathing hard.
Kari slid up behind him, still worried. It was almost 2:00 now. "Are you sure?" she asked quietly. "It looked…pretty bad…"
"I'm fine…" Tien muttered, settling the glass down. "Really…Now we gotta get back to bed…Goodnight, Kari."
Kari clicked her tongue worriedly, crossing towards the hallway. She stopped at the entrance and gazed back at him.
"Oh Tien…" she thought longingly. "I don't know everything about you…but I want to…I want to know everything…everything…"
