Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN DIGIMON

Chapter Four: The Guardian

"When the Digital World was first born, there was a perfect balance between the light and the dark. But as time went on, we realized that it would take some help from other beings to keep the world balanced. First people like myself took over and made sure the balance was equal. We kept the dark Digimon in check, and made sure there weren't too many light ones.....Eventually it got out of our hands, and we needed to pass it on to the Digi-destined. The first group of Digi-destined died many years ago, as I've told you before. There was a group before yours, Taichi. The second group came and did an amazing job! They beat Devimon, Etemon, Myotismon, and all of the Dark Masters with their Digimon partners. Then they went into High School, so we brought back the children of Hope and Light, but added a few more to the group. That group also thrived. They defeated many evil Digimon themselves, including Myotismon's final form. Even though the Digital World may look as though it's at peace, it's not. The core of the Digital World is greatly disturbed, and we need help fixing it. There is only one human with the power to balance out the light and the dark. We've actually been searching for that person for sixteen years, but we couldn't find her. Eventually we assumed that the children of Hope and Light would find that person, but neither did. The Child of Courage found the long lost guardian of the Digital World. That's you Kiku," Gennai explained.

Kiku didn't say anything. This was quite a lot of information for her to be taking in. An hour ago she was in school, a normal teenage girl, and now she was being told that she was guardian of another dimension. Even though this news was new to her, in the back of her mind Kiku knew everything that Gennai said. Part of her was connected to the Digital World, there was no more denying it. It was impossible to now.

"Kiku," Gennai said. "You are very important to the Digital World. Koushiro informed me that Taichi saw you "space out" yesterday, and when you did, a portal to the Digital World opened. I never imagined that such a huge power would be put into such a tiny teenage girl, but then again, I don't think I would have done it differently myself. I really wish I could tell you that you get to chose between a life here and a life back in your world, but you don't get a choice."

Gennai looked over at Kiku, who now had her head hanging low. There were tear stains on her capris, but her eyes were covered by her bangs. Her hands were clenched into tight fists, and you could hear pain in her voice as she spoke.

"You mean that you want me to give up everything to come help you balance your world? You want me to leave my parents, my brothers, the rest of my family, and the one friend I have just to save your dimension, which, up until now, I had no connection with?" Kiku asked softly.

"You have always had a connection with this world, Kiku," Gennai assured. "Since the moment you were born everything you have done had something to do with this world. When others think you're "spacing out" you're really making a mental connection to the world. Come now Kiku, you can't tell me that you don't believe me. I know that you know every word is true."

Tears were now streaming down Kiku's face. She knew that those words were true, and she knew that she would have to give up everything she ever had just to help Gennai and the Digital World. Taichi saw her distress, then put a comforting arm around her. Kiku buried her face in his shoulder and began to sob harder.

"I don't mean to be rude," Gennai said. "But Taichi, can you please let Kiku go."

Taichi looked at Gennai as though he were insane. His grip on Kiku's shoulders tightened, as though he were telling her that he was there.

"Why do you want me to do that?" Taichi demanded.

"It's another long story," Gennai sighed.

"We have time," Taichi assured.

"Kiku is the Guardian. Her job is to keep the balance of the Digital World," Gennai began. "That means that she must have full control of her powers, and more importantly, her emotions. Her emotions can trigger reactions that she did not intent. That means that she must be separated from humans, Digimon, and everything else living that can disturb her emotions..."

"Wait. You want to make Kiku live alone for the rest of her life?" Taichi demanded. "That's inhumane! She needs people just as much as everyone else!"

Kiku looked up at Taichi. A small grin began to form on her lips. Taichi looked down at her and smiled. Holding her in his arms like that was magical, but he knew that magical moment would only last for a few more moments.

"Kiku cannot let her emotions get the better of her! Therefore she must live alone!" Gennai protested.

"If she's alone then she'll be more emotional!" Taichi assured. "She needs..."

"To speak for her self," Kiku interrupted. "Gennai, I know that I'm destined to guard this world, and I understand that you want what's best for your world, but I don't want to be alone the for the rest of my life. Can't we come to come agreement?"

Gennai looked at Kiku, still clinging to Taichi, then sighed. He knew that it was already too late to rip her away from humans permanently.

"Fine," Gennai agreed. "We'll work something out."

Kiku smiled and hugged Taichi tighter. He grinned as her face was buried once again in his shoulder, only this time there were no tears soaking through his shirt.

"Thank you Gennai," Taichi said. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet," Gennai thought.

With another sigh, Gennai pulled Kiku away from Taichi. He made the young girl look him straight in the eye by putting his hands firmly on her shoulders.

"Kiku, you must understand something. Since you are the guardian of the Digital World, there are certain limitations that you're going to have. One: You are to come here every day after school, no exceptions. Therefore, you may not have any after school activities. I know you love soccer, but no soccer teams. (Kiku sighed at this) But that's not your biggest restriction. No dating. No falling in love. No getting married."

Kiku froze for a moment, then looked back at Taichi, her eyes full of tears again.

"But then I can never be with him," she thought. "But I'd rather die...."

It was almost as though Gennai could read Kiku's thoughts.

"Kiku. Keep your head. There are more important things in life. Guys aren't everything. Believe me. The Digital World is more important than they'll ever be!"

"NO!"

Kiku pulled away from Gennai, and in that action, a tree behind her uprooted and fell backwards. There was a loud crash, and Kiku turned. Gennai sighed.

"You did that," he told her. "You just ripped that tree out of the ground."

"No she didn't!" Taichi exclaimed. "You can't blame something like that on her!"

Kiku was crying again. Most would think she was a cry baby, but put yourself in her shoes. Her whole world was being torn away from her in front of her own eyes.

"Kiku! You must control your emotions or else you'll never be able to take care of the Digital World!" Gennai exclaimed.

"I don't want to be the Guardian!" Kiku screamed. "I want to be a normal teenage girl!"

"You've never been a normal teenage girl, and you never will be!" Gennai assured. "So just accept that you can't change this!"

The tears in Kiku's eyes were now tears of anger. She fell to her knees then glared at Gennai.

"What do you want me to do?" she asked.

Gennai reached into his pocket and pulled out a crystal. It was hanging on a plain silver chain with two pearls on either side. The crystal was glowing red.

"This is how you will control your power."