Author's Note:

I'm ending this here. For obvious reasons of me not being able to blabber on forever…And it's a good place to stop to set up for the next installment.

Chapter Ten: Legendary Tamer Search

Tayru looked up. He called Li to the area so they could discuss matters, but he highly doubted the meeting. She didn't know that she was going to see Tayru. She thought he was dead, like everyone else. It was that small meeting between the two of them that sparked his 'death.' How was he going to pull this off? It was going to be so hard to tell her the truth. In reality, she'd probably run off screaming.

"… Bakuramon, do you see anyone?"

The large digimon came into Tayru's view. The rabbit-eared digimon stared down at the hooded boy. He smiled weakly.

"Long time no see…"

Bakuramon smiled warmly.

"We saw each other a week ago. Shall I inform Li you're here?"

Tayru smiled again.

"Nah… I'll get it…"

The digimon nodded, and went back over to her partner.

"Well Rabomon… here goes nothing…"

"Should I alert Peddmon that you're doing this?"

The tail-like digimon stared up at his tamer. Tayru shook his head.

"Nah… Peddmon needs the time off."

He stood up.

"But… if you'd like to talk with someone… you saw Bakuramon…"

Rabomon's face lit up.

"Really? Can I talk to her?"

"I don't see why not… can't stop ya…"

Rabomon slithered off, happy that he could talk with a digimon other than Peddmon or that hyper little Cajunmon. Li walked up at that moment, noticing the hooded boy.

"Umm… hello," she said weakly, "Are… you here to see me?"

Tayru smiled at Li a moment.

"Yes…"

He removed his hood. Li let out a gasp.

"But you… you…"

~***~

Brad knocked on the door for the fifth time.

"Elizabeth!? Are you home!?"

The door opened, revealing Elizabeth's butler. Brad raised an eyebrow.

"I thought Liz gave you the week off?"

"She did… but I decided Mistress Elizabeth was a bad housekeeper and a horrible cook… so I came back to clean up for her… I guess I was wrong…"

"… Nah… Bub came in and cleaned it up for the past few days. He hated the mess Elizabeth always left… true she's kinda a slob, but she's got her heart straight."

"That is true Master Brad… she wasn't here when I came in however, and hasn't been in since."

Brad blinked.

"Huh?"

"She did however leave this envelope for you. If you'd like to take it…"

"Yeah… sure…"

The butler smiled, and handed Brad a small envelope. Brad took it from him and nodded thanks.

"Good day Master Brad."

The butler closed the door and went off to clean the house again after he said that, and Brad stared down at the envelope.

"Hey big bro…"

Brad turned around to face Esse.

"Yeah, what's up?" he asked, obviously upset that Elizabeth wasn't home.

"Aww… is Brad phased by something? How's Liz?"

"She's not home… I wouldn't know…"

Esse's smile faded.

"Oops… sorry…"

"No big…"

Brad shrugged.

"She left me this though…"

"Open it then silly."

Brad stared at his sister a moment.

"Are you hiding something?"

"Naw, how'd ya guess?"

Rolling his eyes, Brad opened the envelope and peered inside. It smelled of some sort of perfume, flowery in a sense. He smiled weakly, and then took out a small letter.

"Strange…" he mumbled, opening it. Esse peered over his shoulder.

Dear Brad,

Hey… I know this might seem unexpected of me to up and leave you, but… that's what I'm doing. Koji and I have some unfinished business we need to take care of, and I just wanna get it over with before it comes back to haunt me. I'll be back, don't worry, but I don't know when. Don't search for me, I'll be in the Digital World, and you'll never find me. You can use the mansion for whatever you wish, as long as it's intact when I return. I promise, I will come back. Really, I will… I just… need to tighten some loose ends, that's all. I'm sorry for leaving you without saying goodbye, but I'll be back. Really, I will.

Liz

Brad stared at the letter a moment, reading it and rereading it. He crumpled it up angrily.

"Up and left me?! How could she do such a thing?" he asked. Esse shrugged.

"Elizabeth's like that… she did that a lot… and I guess old habits die hard."

Brad stared at Esse angrily.

"She left me for that Koji kid… she said so herself... unfinished business… who knows what they're gonna do in the Digital World!"

"… Adventure around in their little Soap Opera Drama hour…"

"EXACTLY!"

"They used to do that all the time as well. She and Koji don't like each other the way they did years ago."

"But they still like each other enough for her to go into the Digital World and leave me here! She didn't tell any-… Esse?"

She giggled.

"Yes?"

Brad narrowed his eyes.

"You knew all along, didn't you?"

"I knew… Esse didn't…"

"WHAT!?"

'Esse' giggled again and shimmered slightly.

"You know Brad, that's exactly why she left you. You get too jealous… like myself…"

Matro appeared, smiling at 'Esse.'

"Jen… you can't keep a straight face, can you?"

He patted the girl, now Jen, on the head.

"Nope… that was fun though… I liked doing that…"

"I'll see if I can make it a permanent ability for you…"

Brad cleared his throat. Matro blinked, then stared at him.

"Oh yeah… Elizabeth doesn't hate you, but she doesn't like Koji."

"That makes SO much sense…"

Jen giggled again. Brad glared down at her.

"What's so funny?!" he asked angrily. Jen looked up at Brad.

"She left you for Koji… that's what's funny! You aren't him!"

Matro smiled. Brad only growled.

"I know I'm not Koji… that's not the point…"

"She meant you aren't the Legendary Tamer Elizabeth was looking for."

Brad's gaze met Matro's a moment.

"What?"

"… She's exploring… wandering around… using her abilities to see if Koji's the Legendary Tamer she's been so longing for."

Brad's face went pale.

"But… I felt…"

"Important? Yeah, so did I… she ditched me too…"

"You… she didn't!"

"Yes she did… She ditched me once…"

~***~

Koji stared up at the sky, then back to Fairymon. Elizabeth had involuntarily spirit evolved to that 'reserve' form through her 'boss,' but to make things worse, he took away her wings, and her wings were the only real things a Fairymon was good for. At this moment, she was sleeping peacefully. They had just been through a long day of their usual drama; of her playing with his mind and of him saving her hide. This one resulted in them both admitting that they liked each other. That wasn't going to have good results when they got home. Fairymon stirred a moment, moaning. Koji smiled weakly, rubbing her shoulder for comfort. He didn't know why he did it, he just did. It seemed to make her feel that much better. A smile formed on the digimon's lips, and she cuddled up against Koji. He smiled.

"Why do you keep following me around?" he asked in a whisper. Fairymon looked up at him.

"Because that's what I do best. Following you around…"

It seemed she wasn't asleep after all. Koji's smile faded a little.

"But why me? I'm not that intriguing…"

"You don't have to be…"

"I'm boring… and dull… and an idiot…"

"You forgot to mention cute and sensitive and a total knight in shining armor…"

Koji shook his head.

"I'm not sensitive…"

"Humor me, I was trying to find something that fit…"

He let out a small laugh.

"Yeah… but whenever I humor you… you're usually sarcastic and snippety back at me… I just wanted to be sure…"

Fairymon sat up next to him, smiling.

"You know… You don't have to act sensitive to be sensitive…"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"What does it sound like it means silly?"

Koji sighed deeply.

"Elizabeth… hold on…"

"Yeah?"

"You have… a boyfriend, don't you?"

"Yeah, yo-… Oh no… Brad…"

~***~

"Wake up Sagari."

Esse moaned.

"Five seconds before I drench you… Ichi… Ni… San… Aww fuck it all… JEALOUSY RAIN!"

The torrential downpour woke Esse up. It stopped after a moment.

"That… was… harsh Kira…" Esse mumbled, shivering.

"Yeah? Well you deserved it…" Lanamon replied. Esse gave the water digimon a weird look.

"Sagari, I have to train you."

"WHAT?!"

"Stand up. Now."

"Make me!"

"Alright… JEA-"

"Okay! I'll get up!"

Esse stood up, angry and wet. Lanamon smiled.

"Good, now spirit evolve."

"I can't do that at will ya know," Esse replied angrily.

"Yes you can… first, you hold out your digivice… then, you shout 'Spirit Evolution' or whatever you drama queen digidestined shout out, and then you say the name of you spirit evolution… and WA-LA! You're… Aquamon!"

"Aguamon…"

"Yeah, I said that, Aquilamon."

"AGUAMON."

"Right, right, whatever. Let's think Esse. You've got Arkiomon…"

"AGUAMON!"

"That's what I said… and you should be able to put Aritomamon t-"

"AGUAMON DAMNIT!"

"I SAID THAT! STOP INTERUPPTING! ANYWAYS… you should be able to put A-… your spirit evolution to use."

"I don't wanna… and besides, I CAN'T."

"Okay… BOYS?!"

A couple of water digimon, something similar to Divermon, popped out of the water and grabbed Esse.

"HEY!"

"Okay, take her away… let's see how she survives through her element…"

Extra Author's Note:

I'm gonna end it there. No, NO ONE IS GOING TO DIE, but things are changing. For better or worse is MY DECISION. Mine mine mine mine mine… yeah, I'll stop now.