Chapter Twenty-three- A Perfect Pair





Later in the evening, the Digidestined huddled around the fire trying to heat up. The dark forest was much colder at night than it had been during the day.

Earlier that day, as they wandered away from Digitamemon's restaurant, they had re- entered the dark forest in search for Shadowmon. As they walked however, the trees seemed to become a maze until they were too disoriented to know where they were going. Now, they were lost. Alone in the woods, with no shelter, no blankets, and no supper, nothing but a dysfunctional television Digiport.

"Is this all the food you could find?" TK sighed, looking and the handful of berries his brother handed him.

"That's it TK, there's nothing else in these woods." Matt said as he passed out what little food they had to the others.

Kari was awake now, Just barely. She had her head leaning against TK's shoulder.

"Here Kari, you can have mine. You need your strength."

Kari pushed his hand away. "No... TK you need to eat too... Don't worry I'll be fine with what I have."

TK sighed. "Kari, you need food more than I do...."

Kari didn't have the strength to argue. She reluctantly let TK give her his food.

Tai glanced over at the digimon while he stuffed the berries in his mouth.

"Well, I don't know about everyone else, but I think I'm going to follow their example and get some sleep."

Ken glanced up at him. "You mean you're going to sleep at a time like this? What if Shadowmon attacks while you're off in dream land!?"

"Ken settle down, You don't need to jump all over me!"

"That's my job," Matt chuckled.

"I can't see how you can just go to sleep while the whole digital world is in danger."

"Ken..." Jesi tugged at his shirt. He could see by the look on her face she was pleading for him to stop.

Ken flashed a dirty look at Tai and stomped off into the woods.

"Ken don't go wandering off by yourself!" Tai shouted after him. Matt placed his finger over Tai's lips.

"Just let him go Tai...I know better than anyone sometimes you just need to be alone."

Jesi looked over at Tai and Matt with a worried look on her face. She slowly stood up and wandered into the darkness of the forest after Ken.

Ken stood alone staring blankly ahead. The accusations of his nightmare echoed through his head. He clenched his fist when he thought of what Arukenimon had created.

Jesi stepped up and stood next to him. "Ken...Are you ok?"

"Go away," he snapped at her.

Jesi stepped back, shocked that he could be so cold to her. She turned and looked down at the ground.

"I'm sorry...." She slowly started to walk away.

Ken's look of anger faded. "Oh great... Now look what I've done..." he thought to himself. "Jesi," she stopped and glanced back at him.

"I didn't mean it...I'm just...not thinking straight."

She walked back over and took his hand in hers. She brushed a few strands of hair out of his eyes and looked into them.

"Ken do you really think the eyes are the window to the soul?"

"I guess...."

"If that's true... Then your soul is as kind and pure as they get. Don't feel guilty Ken. I'll never blame you for any of this because I know it's not your fault."

"Jesi..." Ken felt an overflow of feelings. He put his arms around her body and pushed her up against a tree. Ken closed his eyes and touched his lips to hers. She made him feel warm on such a cold night.

Ken slowly pulled the long white gloves off her hands and kissed her soft skin. He looked back at her face. Her grey eyes sparkled, even in the dark. Her long lashes batted against her face and he could tell, she was begging him....

"Jesi I...."

"Ken....." She ran her fingers through his dark hair as their bodies got closer.

"I've been feeling this way for so long." His forehead pressed against hers.

The corners of her mouth slowly turned up to form a smile. She sank down along the tree until she was sitting, with Ken leaning over her. Ken placed his hand on her cheek and they leaned back.

The two figures formed one shadow in the night.







The other children were asleep while Tai and Matt leaned against a log looking into the fire.

"Ken and Jesi have been gone for hours, maybe we should go look for them," Tai said.

"Tai I don't think that's such a good idea," Matt said quietly.

Tai glanced over at him, confused. "Why not? What if something happened to them?"

Matt just shifted his eyes over towards him and gave him a kind of all knowing look.

"Oh..." Tai turned back towards the fire and poked at it with a stick. Bits of ash flew out of the fire and settled on the dusty ground.

"Matt, when did you get so much older than me?" Tai sighed.

"Hm? What do you mean Tai?"

Tai ran his hand through his brown hair. "I don't know... You just, Matt you seem so mature all the time. I don't get it."

"We've all been through a lot, experience can make you more mature I guess."

"But you're different for some reason Matt. I don't know what it is."

"Me neither."

Tai inched over closer to Matt and leaned his head on Matt's shoulder. Matt smiled. He put his arm around Tai and squeezed him tightly.

Tai yawned and felt his eyes starting to slowly close.

"Mmm... Yami..." Tai yawned in the middle of his sentence.

"Yeah Tai?"

"I love you..." Tai's talking was replaced with soft snoring. Matt smiled down at his friend.

"Cute Taichi. I guess he's right about me... I've always felt that I had to take care of everyone for some reason. Must be because of TK, and my parents divorcing and all that." Matt sighed and stared into the glowing fire.

"We make a good couple you know that?" Matt stroked Tai's soft hair. "It's like some poet said, Songs of Innocence and Experience, that's us." Matt rubbed his eyes and felt himself starting to get tired too. Before long, Matt and Tai were both asleep.

Deep in the forest, two other Digidestined were also sleeping in each other's arms. A chilly wind blew and Jesi began to wake up. She could feel Ken's gentle breathing against her.

She ran her fingernails along Ken's bare back.

"Mm..." Ken's eyes slowly opened and he sat up. Jesi smiled up at him.

"We should go back, the others are probably worried about us."

"Mm hm" Ken nodded. He stood up and began to put his shirt back on. Jesi stepped up behind him and slipped her arms around his waist. Ken turned around with her arms still around him. He kissed her forehead. For some reason, nothing needed to be said.

Jesi slipped on her gloves and boots and took Ken's hand. They walked back towards camp in silence. Just being in each other's company was enough.