Three weeks later, Miyuki was excited to finally leave the hospital.

"You're in the clear." She heard one of the nurses speak to her. "The wound has healed without infection and the doctor is allowing you to go home. However, you will have to attend therapy for your depth perception issues."

Miyuki scoffed, already shaking her head in refusal. "That's a no." She bit out, stubborn to the end.

The head nurse glanced at Miyuki with a frown. "You are going. Don't try to get out of it. The doctor has already written a referral." She held up some paper.

Well, fuck. There goes that idea… Miyuki thought as she tried to think of a comeback. "Then I'm only going once." Miyuki remarked under her breath as the nurse gave the piece of paper to her father.

Either the nurse didn't hear her or chose to ignore the under the breath comment as she exited the ward. Miyuki didn't care one way or another. She just wanted to get out of the hospital already.

Miyuki's father offered her his arm to help with her walking, but she shook her head and accepted Hikaru's arm instead. The man smiled at them.

As the group made their way out of the hospital, Miyuki found herself leaning heavily on Hikaru. This made her feel awkward in the sense of needing help, when she was normally so independent for her age.

"Sorry, Hikaru." She spoke to him, soft, so only he could hear.

"You're fine." Hikaru replied, giving her a small smile. "I don't mind helping you." He would always help Miyuki, even if she didn't want anyone's help.

Miyuki knew he was an ambivert but, in times like this, he seemed more of an extrovert. "Only for you, I'd accept. Thank you, Hikaru."

Miyuki watched like a hawk as they entered the carpark and made their way over to her father's car. Hikaru helped Miyuki into the front seat, before he got into the passenger's side in the back. Miyuki's father got into the driver's seat and started the car.

Exiting the carpark, the man drove towards the apartment complex where both families lived. A few minutes later, he parked in front of the complex and got out quickly to help Miyuki out of the car.

"I've got it this time, Hikaru." Miyuki heard her father tell her friend. The boy just nodded.

Closing the car door behind her, Miyuki accepted Hikaru's arm again and started making her way to the entrance of the building. They would then enter the elevator once inside and go up to the correct floor where the Hayashi and Kaneko families lived.

"I don't want the Digimon inside." Miyuki told Hikaru quietly as the group exited the elevator and walked down the hallway to the Hayashi residence.

She listened to Hikaru sigh, before he replied. "As you wish." Miyuki went inside with her father and closed the door behind her, too late to hear Hikaru speak to Dracomon.

"Hikaru…" Dracomon began, but was stopped by the boy.

"Not here. Come with me and Plotmon X into our unit. It'll be better than getting stared at by people." Hikaru explained, his expression worried but understanding. He knew what Dracomon was feeling with Miyuki rejecting him and all Digimon.

"Okay."

Hikaru walked beside Dracomon as the pair entered the Kaneko unit. Hikaru cautiously peered down the hallway, hoping none of the neighbours had seen him with the two Digimon. He then closed the door behind him and locked it, as his family were already inside.

Turning to face Dracomon as Plotmon X settled on a cushion, Hikaru had an apologetic look on his face. "I'm sorry she's being like this."

"Why is she being like this?" Dracomon asked, his voice shrill. He did not understand in the slightest. And it hurt him.

Hikaru nodded, understanding. "She's hurting at the moment."

"I know that. But why is she being so toxic? It's hurting our bond." Dracomon insisted, his eyes starting to become moist. What was going on?

Hikaru sighed, sympathizing with the small dragon Digimon. "I get that. I am sorry. I can only imagine she's terrified still from being attacked and being hostile is her current go-to attitude. I know it's not the best. I will have to have a talk with her as soon as I can."

Dracomon nodded. Hikaru's explanation was better than nothing, even if it didn't completely satisfy him. "Thank you, Hikaru. I know you're her friend."

Hikaru's eyes flicked towards the floor for a moment and he didn't say anything. "Yeah." He sighed again, thinking back on the trouble he had had trying to become friends with Miyuki. "I won't lie, Dracomon. Becoming her friend wasn't easy. It was… definitely an uphill battle."

Dracomon just chuckled. "I can see that. I imagine she would have been very hostile at the start, from the little I know of her." The dragon remarked, having seen the friendship between his partner and Hikaru.

Hikaru nodded. "Yes, she was very much against wanting to have friends when I first met her two years ago. Probably something to do with how she was treated by other kids back in Glasgow. I did my best every day to convince her I wasn't going to hurt her and never would. She eventually warmed up to me. It took time to gain her trust."

Dracomon was silent for a moment, his chest starting to heave as he thought of the hurt connection between himself and Miyuki. "I don't want it to stay this way. I want to be someone she trusts." The small dragon sobbed out, realizing he was crying.

Hikaru moved over to crouch in front of Dracomon and did his best to hug the Data-attribute. "I know she will trust you. It will just take a bit of time. Hang in there, Dracomon."

He watched the Digimon sniff as he tried to stifle a sob. "Thank you for believing in me, Hikaru."

The next day, Miyuki listened to Hikaru suggest that they go and meet up with the other Chosen who had witnessed the attack on her. They were also going to talk about how the other Chosen had progressed with getting their partners to the Adult level.

"Hopefully, they've actually done some work and gotten to the Adult level." Miyuki snarked, quiet.

She heard Hikaru exhale with a tinge of amusement in the noise. "I think they would have, Miyuki. I don't see them leaving all the work to us."

Miyuki stared at Hikaru for a moment. "Let's hope not indeed."

There was silence, before Hikaru spoke again. "I'd like you to try and get to know the other kids as well. They're our teammates, so it won't do to be hostile to them all the time."

Miyuki looked away, but nodded. "Sure, I'll try to get along with them. But they need to try as well."

She watched him not respond and the silence grew. His non-responsiveness was answer enough. Everything was riding on her being nicer for a change. Miyuki sighed. She could do this; she had to try at least. Potential friendships were counting on her being friendly.

"Anyway, let's head down to… um, the river bank." Miyuki suggested, thinking of a place they could meet up at. She tried to walk to the door by herself, but found herself stumbling and had to accept Hikaru's arm again. I'm so useless . She swore out loud.

"You're not useless, Miyuki. It'll just take you some time to fully adjust." She heard Hikaru respond to her. He wasn't psychic, but knew her well enough to know when she was berating herself mentally.

Miyuki grumbled under her breath as she was helped to the elevator. "I know, I know. Still sucks."

She was grateful that Hikaru was continuing to help her. Miyuki didn't know what she would have done if he hadn't decided to befriend her. She probably wouldn't have any friends at all right now.

As the pair exited the elevator, they made their way down the footpath seconds later.

On their way to the riverbank, Miyuki was surprised to learn the rest of the team lived locally as one by one Ryan Smith, Kiyoko Matsutane and Ren Yagami and his adopted sister, Astra, joined them.

She wasn't one to cut corners, either. "How's your progress to the Adult level?" Bouncing on the balls of his shoes, Miyuki noticed Ryan wanting to say something. She stared for a moment, thinking he looked familiar, but ended up nodding at him so he could speak.

"In the three weeks you've been recovering, we've each gotten our Digimon partner to the Adult level and discovered some information that may or may not be important."

Miyuki's remaining eye widened at this tidbit of information. What could it be? The possibilities were endless. "Go on." She prompted, a little curt. Miyuki observed Ryan stare back with reproach in his eyes, but said nothing. Don't start .

"There are rumours that the real Chosen Children are locked in the Digital World, due to Vamdemon manipulating the Gate." Ryan replied and Miyuki noticed his voice was terse.

What's up with him? She thought, haughty. Not like she cared. There was no water off of her back at all.

Ryan was about to answer, when all of the children noticed Ren's Coronamon tense up and start shaking. Like he was feral.

"What the hell's up with your Digimon?" Miyuki asked bluntly. She saw Hikaru stifle an exasperated cough-like laugh. "What?"

The answer was soon given to the team when the small red, lion-like Digimon ran off towards the bank of the river. They followed and soon saw a giant octopus-like creature. Miyuki paled and swallowed nervously. How were they going to fight this thing? What was it even called?

"That's Gesomon!" Dracomon barked as he and Plotmon X evolved.

Miyuki noticed Ren hanging back, but it was clear to the rest of them that Coronamon wanted to participate in the battle. Feral growls were coming from his mouth and his little body kept shaking, like he was holding himself back deliberately.

Why would he hold himself back, though? Hmm . Miyuki mulled over this, but was brought out of her thoughts a moment later at Hikaru's raised voice.

"We don't have time to hold back for any reason. Ren, let Coronamon fight! He's getting more feral the longer you don't fight."

"Fine, fine. Hurry up then, Coronamon!" Miyuki heard the other boy snap at Hikaru. She assumed he was from Africa and watched him hold up his Digivice. Her eye turned to his Digimon, who snarled almost in relief as he evolved into Firamon.

Reluctantly working as a team, the six Chosen Digimon took out their foe.

Meanwhile, at Vamdemon's underground base, Phantomon had started to notice a drop in his lord's soldiers returning from battle. The scythe-wielding ghost wondered what was going on, before deciding to wander through the forces again to double check that his counting wasn't off for some reason.

Hmm… The Chosen are currently locked in the Digital World. So how are Vamdemon's soldiers disappearing like this? Phantomon pondered as he floated amongst the various Digimon who made up Vamdemon's army.

Tailmon straightened up and saluted as Phantomon came out. "Anything you need, Phantomon?" The white feline asked Vamdemon's right hand mon.