Fordina: :: twists her hands uncomfortably :: Um… sorry it took so long…

Soccer Chicka: Yeah… we kinda took like a… what? Five, six month break?

Fordina: :: nods :: Yeah, 'bout that… But, we are here and we have another chapter!

Tai: And it better be good for the amount of time you made them wait…

Soccer Chicka: Of course it's good! It was done by me wasn't it?!

Fordina: :: ahem ::

Soccer Chicka: Oh yeah, her too.

Fordina: :: sighs :: What I have to put up with…

Soccer Chicka: Aw, com'n! You know you love us!

Fordina: :: sighs again :: Know all too well. Anyway! This is chapter nine of Desperate Days. And we're hoping to actually make it move soon! Yay!

Ken: 'Bout time I say. I told you guys to do that almost three chapters ago!

Soccer Chicka: Ken hush! We were busy writing what the people love and the people seem to love our humor! And can you blame them?!

Fordina: If I tried really hard I probably could. But that's not the point. Who's doing disclaimer?

Tai: *raises hand* Oh! Me! Me!

Fordina: Fine. Get it over with… it's too depressing…

Tai: Soccer Chicka and Fordina do NOT own Digimon or Card Captor Sakura.

Fordina: Thank you Tai. Now—

Soccer Chicka: ON WITH THE SHOW!

Desperate Days

By: Fordina and Soccer_Chicka

Chapter 9

It was the next morning and Traci was sitting in class trying to pay attention. Although she wasn't being very successful…

'Hmm… What was that… creature… that was in my room last night…?' She asked tapping the desk with her nails. 'It couldn't have been a… a… a Digimon could it? I mean… Ken said that you had to be a Digidestined to have one. As well as have on of those Digivices…' She grabbed her bag and started to search through it. 'I know I brought it with me… It's not a Digivice… But I think I remember seeing Tai with one…' Traci pulled something out. "Got it!"

"Ms. Kazaki!" The teacher yelled at the front of the class.

"Um… Yes sir?" Traci asked hesitantly. She could hear the rest of the class snickering behind her.

"Would you mind containing yourself until after class?" He asked tapping his fingers on his desk impatiently.

"Yes sir…" Traci said glumly as she put the D-Terminal back into her bag and went back to sulking.

After class James came running up to a still sulking Traci who was slowly walking out of the classroom.

"Trac, what's wrong?" James asked stepping in front of her so that she couldn't get past him.

Seeming to come out of her daze Traci looked up at her best friend. "Huh? Oh it's nothing James…" Traci said as she tried to get past him. But he would just move back into her way. "James? Could you move out of the way? I have to get to my locker and it's on the other side of the school. Which doesn't help since my classroom is right there," She said pointing to a room across from the one they had just exited.

"I keep telling you to move into my locker. Not like I use it," James told her.

"Yeah well… You would if you actually did the work…" Traci mumbled.

"Harsh…" James muttered.

Traci looked up at him. "Sorry… Sorry, sorry, sorry. That was stupid of me."

"So you going to tell me what's wrong?" James asked crossing his arms over his chest.

"You won't leave me alone until I tell you will you?" James shook his head. Traci sighed. "Darn… Knew you wouldn't but thought I would give it a try anyway."

"So? Out with it!"

"Not here okay? Come over to my place after school and I'll tell you all I know…" Traci told him. Then added silently in her head, 'I just hope Ken and the rest don't kill me for telling him…'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jen sat at her desk in her last period class. The dreaded math…. how she loathed it. So she made up this time for daydreaming and such. Today, she used this time to think about the supposed Digimon that had visited her the night before. She tried to piece together the words that it had said to her….but it wasn't making sense. She had concluded that it was a Digimon….a female one. But as to what she was doing or what she wanted, Jen was clueless. Other then her last statement, 'set me free', the rest was a whole lot of mumbo jumbo. She tapped her pencil on her binder as she watched the clock. Ten minutes… of hell….She sighed. What did the D-Terminal mean though?! She took it out and looked at it intently. She opened it and fiddled around with the buttons.

"Stupid thing…why won't you turn on?!" She cried out loud almost slamming the poor D-Terminal into the desk.

Her math teacher blinked. "Uhh…Jen….what are you doing?" He asked looking at the D-Terminal curiously.

"Oh! Uh…Nothing….You know…these damn battery-powered scientific calculators! I think the battery is dead…." Jen grinned sheepishly.

"I see…" Her teacher cocked an eyebrow and went back to his work.

Jen shook her head and looked at the D-Terminal once more. It had turned on. She smiled to herself for knowing how to turn it on and went on fiddling with it. "A few whacks did it good…" She thought to herself. She found the email part of the terminal and decided to try it out. She quickly typed in a message and pressed the send button. She grinned. "I hope this gets him in trouble…." She thought giggling silently. "Cuz, he should have told me about Digimon a LONG time ago…." She smirked. She looked at the D-Terminal with a sudden new light. "I think me and this D-Terminal are gonna have some good times…"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Traci was about half way home when she felt two arms wrap around her shoulders. Trying to stay calm she turned around quickly ready to strike her attacker. As she lifted her fist she noticed that it was James.

"James! Don't do that, you scared me half to death!" She said mock slapping him on the shoulder. James just laughed.

"Thought I'd see if those classes that you were taking did you any good!" She glared at him. "And apparently they did," James blushed hard as he noticed that he still had his arms around her. "Um… Sorry…" He said letting go.

Traci smiled, "Doesn't matter. So you still coming to my place?" She asked as she started walking again.

James ran up to her, "I wouldn't have come to find you if I wasn't, considering I live in the opposite direction," He pointed out.

"Good point. Sure your parents won't mind you not being home? Traci asked.

"Nope, they probably won't even notice that I'm not there."

"Oh come on! Of course they will! You'll just phone them when you get to my place," Traci decided for him.

James just sighed, "Whatever…"

"You know, I think that's starting to become your new favorite word! You've been saying it a lot ya know," She said poking him in the side slightly.

"Hey! Don't do that!" James yelled as he backed away a little.

Traci turned a corner, "Well come on! My house is just over this way!"

"I think I know where you live Traci," James said running back over to her. "I've known you for what…? Seven, six years now?" He asked thoughtfully.

"More like eight but I'll let that one slide," She grinned at him.

"Sure you will," He pushed her a little.

"Hey! Don't you know you're not supposed to push girls around!?" Traci yelled as she regained her balance.

"Yeah, but you're not a girl!" Knowing he was in for it he started running ahead of her.

"James Crusher you get back here!" Traci yelled running after him. But he just laughed and kept running.

Once she caught up with him they were standing in front of her house. James was once again standing with his arms crossed against him chest, a serious look on his face.

"Now what?" Traci asked irritated. "You were happy, what's with the face?"

"You said you'd tell me what's up today and I'm just making sure I get all the information," Traci sighed and walked past him to the front door.

"And you'll hear it all. Although I doubt you'll believe me," She opened it and walked in. James followed.

"Try me," James said as he walked over to her room, and beckoned her to follow him. Once they were both inside her bedroom James sat down on the bed and patted the spot in front of him. Walking over Traci laid down and placed her head in his lap. Sighing she closed her eyes. "So, talk," James said as he fiddled with her hair.

"You won't believe me," She told him again.

"I'll be the judge of that, thank you," He said leaning against the wall.

"Alright…" And she went on to tell him all she knew about the Digimon and the Digital World. "…and now I don't know what to think… Because I'm pretty sure what I saw was a Digimon! And I got this D-Terminal thingie…" She sighed and looked up at him, "You don't believe me do you?" She asked reaching one hand up to move his face to look at her. "Well? Do you or don't you?"

He looked back down at her and smiled to himself at how cute she looked with that expression on her face. It was a cross between seriousness and anxiousness and perhaps a bit of fear? But why fear?

"If you say it's true then it's true," James said taking her hand that still lay on his cheek.

Traci smiled, "Thanks Ja—" She was cut off by the sound of the front door opening then someone running over to her room.

Jen then came running into her room D-Terminal in hand and a now shocked face on. "Traci! Guess wha—Whoa… Sorry for interrupting there Traci…" James blushed as Traci got up off his lap and sat cross legged on the bed.

"Damnit Jen, get your mind out of the gutter!" Traci cried.

Jen grinned as she saw the expression on James' face. 'Hmm… So little James over here is embarrassed? But why? But of course! …He likes Traci…' She snickered to herself at how she could use this information. "Well either way, I need to talk with Traci, so James, go away!"

"Jen!" Traci yelled.

"That's okay, I should get going anyway…" James said as he got off the bed. "Um… I'll call you later ?"

"Yeah, sure," Traci said as she watched James leave. "Bye!" She called.

"Bye," Was the quiet reply.

"So… What were you two doing?" Jen grinned. Traci just glared.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Davis sighed as he knocked on Tai's hotel room door. He glanced behind him at the elevator and replaced a strand of hair into its proper position. Tai's voice could be heard from the other side of the door. A rather grumpy voice.

"Matt, I didn't MEAN to tell Jen and Traci about the Digimon! Jen kinda found out on her own and with Traci it kinda just slipped out…!" Tai was saying loudly.

"How can something like that just slip out Tai?! It was supposed to be a secret! No one is supposed to know about them! Can we not trust you with anything!?" Matt yelled back at Tai.

"Well I can certainly trust you with the door Matt!!!" Tai cried. (Soccer Chicka: THE DOOR! THE FRICKIN' DOOR! Fordina: SHUT UP!)

"Tai, I thought you were ok with that…" Matt said seriously.

Tai pouted and crossed his arms. "Well you thought wrong."

Davis stood outside the door dumbfounded. What was Tai talking about? What was he not ok with?

Suddenly panicking Davis started to bang on the door, "TAI ARE YOU OK?!" He screamed pounding his fists on the door. "TAI ANSWER ME!! BREATHE!!! DAMN YOU BREATHE!!! EVERYTHING IS OK TAI!!! IT'S ALRIGHT!!!! Someone get me an ambulance and an axe so I can break down this door to help Tai! He's not ok!"

Tai and Matt looked at each other. Tai sweatdropped and opened the door for the now panicked Davis. "TAI!! YOU BREATHED!!!" Davis cried throwing his arms around his idol.

"Ok, yeah, get off of me. I know I'm attractive but contain yourself please! I don't swing that way!" Tai said urgently trying to pry Davis' arms off of him.

Davis let go and looked up. "Tai! I thought you were gonna die!" (Soccer Chicka: hehe…he's a poet and he didn't know it… Fordina: Old School Jen… old school, plus how does it make him a poet?)

Matt smirked. "Davis, I wouldn't be surprised if Tai never died. I think you need to calm down."

"Hey! What were you doing outside my room anyway?" Tai glared at Davis. "You're not trying to stalk me again are you? I told you the next time you did I'd call the cops!"

Davis sighed. "I just needed to tell you some good news…" All of a sudden Davis' eyes went slack and he started to drool.

Matt's nose turned up in disgust. "You're just like a puppy. Better get some newspaper Tai, I think he may wet himself…"

Davis snapped out of his state. "I am not! I'm in love dumbass!"

Matt gave Davis the 'evil eye' . "I meant….I'm in love Mr. Ishida…." Davis corrected himself.

Tai glared at Davis again. "We knew that Davis…You make that perfectly clear every time you look at my sister. Now, is there anything else? Matt and I were discussing something important."

"But it's not Kari!!!" Davis exclaimed.

"IT'S NOT KARI?!" Matt and Tai repeated incredulously.

"It's not Kari." Davis confirmed with short and serious nod of his head.

Tai was utterly speechless so Matt voiced the question they both had in mind. "Who?"

Davis looked at his feet. "Her name's Rita." He blushed. "She's amazing. She's just…great. I mean I can't explain it, can't explain this feeling…She is a lot like Kari though. But there's one difference…She likes me back!" Davis sneaked a peek at the two older boys. Tai was looking at Davis intently, thinking about what he had said. Matt looked a bit dreamy, a rare look for Matt because of his strong persona. "Guys?" Davis asked quietly. "What do ya think?"

Tai opened his mouth. "You said she's a lot like Kari but there's only one difference…?" Tai asked confused. "How could they be so similar…? Are you sure Davis?"

Tai was interrupted by the door bursting open. Jen and Traci came running breathlessly into the room. Tai looked at them in confusion. Jen held up a finger so she could catch her breath.

"Sorry to come bursting in…" Traci apologized as Jen pushed her way in front of her.

"Look….Look at this!" Jen waved her D-Terminal in Tai's face. "We both have one!"

Tai was stupefied. Matt shook his head in shock. He grabbed the D-Terminal out of Jen's hands.

"Hey!" Jen shouted. "That's mine!"

Matt fiddled around with the buttons. "It's real" He stated as Jen grabbed the D-Terminal back.

"And it's mine!" She cried.

"But only the Digidestined have those!" Davis shouted.

"SHUT UP!" Tai and Matt yelled in unison.

"Digidestined…" Traci breathed. "We're Digidestined…"

Jen literally bounced around the room. "That means it was a Digimon! And she's mine! All mine!" She was giggling like a little schoolgirl, totally amazed at what adventure was starting.

"Digimon?!" Cried the boys.

"You never mentioned anything about that…" Matt added.

Jen looked at him seriously. "She visits at night and sounds like she need help. When I try to touch her she disappears. It's the weirdest thing."

Traci nodded her approval. "That's what happens with mine too."

Tai shook his head. "You guys, I don't think…" He was interrupted by a cry from Jen.

"Now we can go the Digital World!" She laughed as she started singing. "I'm going to the Digital World, You're going to the Digital World…We ALL go to the Digital World! We all—" She was interrupted by a cry from Matt.

"HEY! Look, you're not Digidestined just because you have D-Terminals…And the stupid kid over here…" He gestured to Davis. "…shouldn't have made you think otherwise."

"You need one of these…remember?" Tai flashed his Digivice at the girls.

Traci hung her head. "I guess so…It was kind of dumb for me to think that I could be Digidestined…"

Jen glared fiercely at Tai. "How could you say something so mean?! We are Digidestined. I don't care what you say! You're not gonna dash my hopes. I'll prove it! You just watch!" And with that Jen lead a quiet Traci out of the hotel room.

Tai's face contorted. "Wait…"

Matt cringed. "Ouch…"

Davis sighed. "Tai, you need to learn a lot about women…"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

James was walking briskly back home after leaving Traci's place, cursing himself the entire way.

"Stupid, stupid me! Why… why do I have to… to feel for her…?" James asked himself quietly. He turned another corner but stopped to rest against the wall of the building. Clenching his fists tightly he sighed and slammed his fist into the wall behind him. Causing the whole street to tremble slightly.

Li was just down the street from James, he'd decided that he better get out of the hotel now before something drastic happened to Eriol, when he felt the tremor in the earth. Stopping suddenly as he looked forwards and saw James standing there with his fists clenched and hitting the wall repeatedly. He could feel something coming from him. And it was just as powerful as before. But how could this guy have gotten those kinds of powers?

"Hey!" Li yelled out. "How are you able to do that?!"

Startled James looked up and saw Li running towards him, "Able to do what?" He asked.

"I know it's you that was making the ground shake. I can sense it," Li told him.

"You can sense it? Look kid I don't even know who you are."

"The names Li Syaoran. I'm in the IQ contest as well. We've met twice," Li told him, holding up two fingers. "Now confess that it was you that was making the ground shake or I swear…"

"You swear what? I'm twice your size kid! You couldn't possibly do anything to me!"

"Oh yeah?" Li asked.

"Yeah," James challenged.

Putting his hand behind his back Li reached for one of his elemental cards, waiting to call forth help if needed.

"You don't want me to do anything…" Li told him.

"You couldn't hurt a fly kid," James' hands curled into fists once more and the ground began to tremor.

Li looked on in victory, "I KNEW it was you!"

James looked at him in surprise. "What?"

Li looked at him smugly and stepped up to him, "You made the ground shake. I saw you before and I just saw you do it again, now just CONFESS!"

James backed away a bit, "I… I don't know what you're talking about…" James told him.

Li smirked, "Sure you don't," He stepped closer again.

"Back off kid…" James threatened.

"Or what? You'll make the ground shake again?" James just looked at him. "That's all the proof I need," Li backed up a bit and started to turn around, making his way back to the hotel.

"Who are you?" James asked.

"I told you, Li Syaoran, I'm in the IQ contest with you. See you there," And he walked away.

James just stared in confusion then smacked his head, "Damnit! What ever happened to NOT letting anyone find out?!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Darkness rang against metal as an attack whistled through the dull and almost lifeless air. A clump of rags and teeth growled as another of his attacks was thwarted by the stronger-than-steel metal bars that imprisoned him. The Digidestined of long ago had forged the prison with all of their hopes, dreams and aspirations linked together in one mighty metallic prison cell. Their work had lasted one thousand years, one thousand years of freedom against the evil, vile creature know as the Forsaken One. His henchmen called him that, although he was a Digimon. He was from their world. He controlled them only by their purest fears and desires. They feared him above any other thing. That's how he knew he could control them. They all failed to realize he was still imprisoned. But if any of them did, the others turned on the one to wipe the traitor out. And they also knew The Forsaken One's time in the prison was about to come to an end. The metallic bars were thinning with every passing day; they weakened and were rusting. Forsakenmon knew that soon, soon his glorious moment would be at hand. He'd be free, free once more to ravage the Digital World that betrayed him, free to kill. He intended to seek revenge on those who had put him there, and he, being timeless, would not have realized the long ago Digidestined would be dead. He curled back into the darkness, his darkness. The one he would create…for everyone…The Digidestined would then pay…they would feel his wrath. He laughed mercilessly. He wouldn't just kill them…oh no….he had much more planned. Maybe he'd let them become his minions…like the thousands of Digimon he all ready commanded. He smirked, the soulless Digimon. The only thing he worried about…the only thing he had any doubt about was if the Digidestined received outside help. That chance being ultimately thin, he thought little of it. He must stop the outside influence…that meant a job for his minions…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Damn that Tai! How could he say such a thing? This DOES prove that we are! It does!" Jen cried.

"Well maybe not… maybe it just proves that we're insane…?" Traci added.

"We're not insane. If anyone is insane it's either Tai or James."

"James isn't insane!" Traci told her.

"Yeah, yeah. And he doesn't like you!" Jen said sarcastically.

"H-he likes me…?" Traci squeaked. "No… no. James? Why would James like me of all people?"

Jen shrugged, "Heck if I know, but why not? Not like you're ugly."

"I guess not…"

"Not at all," A voice behind them said.

Turning quickly the two girls breathed a sigh of relief as they saw Ken, "Damnit, you scared the shit out of us!" Jen yelled.

Ken blushed, "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you."

"Why did you say 'not at all'?" Traci asked.

He blushed harder, "I heard the last bit of your conversation and I couldn't help but add that you aren't ugly at all. The opposite in fact."

It was Traci's turn to blush, "Really?" Ken nodded.

Jen stood there between the two and shook her head; "Maybe I should leave you two alone?" She suggested.

Traci looked at her, "Why would you do that?"

Jen shook her head again in disbelief, "Because you two seem to be having some sort of a moment here, and I don't want to be the third wheel."

"You aren't the third wheel. And what moment? Ken would hardly go for someone like me," Traci pointed out matter-of-factly, totally ignoring the fact that he was standing right behind them.

Jen looked at her unbelieving, "Really? I beg to differ," She turned to Ken, "Would you like to go out with her?"

Ken choked, then stuttered out, "Ah—I—well," He stopped, unsure what to say.

Traci looked to Jen, "See? I told you."

"Of course."

"What?" Traci asked.

"I said, 'of course'," Ken repeated.

"Of course what?"

"Of course I'd like to go out with you…" He said quietly.

"Seriously?" Traci asked stunned.

"Seriously," Ken answered.

"See? I told you," Jen smirked. "I'll leave you two al—one," She dragged out the word, "I'll make my way back home. See you later Traci!" She winked and ran out of sight.

"J-Jen!" Traci yelled after her. But once she was out of sight she sighed and turned back to Ken. "So…"

"So…" Ken looked around slowly, his eyes darting back and forth. His right hand graced her cheek, causing her eyes to close. He traced her lips with his fingers, moving ever so close. She could feel his breath on her lips; they were only millimeters apart when…

"I can't…" Traci back away and ran off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"This serious Tai! Why didn't you let me in on this?!" Izzy cried as Tai slumped in his desk's chair.

"Because I didn't think it was something to worry over. Plus, you have more important things on your mind…Like the IQ test." Tai answered boredly as he swiveled the chair in a circle. He spun once and stopped so suddenly that he was thrown from the chair. "What the…?"

Izzy stood there holding the back of the chair. "Tai, I'm serious! This is very important!" He said as he glared down at Tai. "The girls having these D-Terminals may be connected with the strange radio waves I've been receiving from the Digital World. Because of these waves, I've been unable to communicate with Gennai. And these wings and stars they've been talking about."

"And the blinking Digimon…" Mumbled Tai.

"And the blinking Digimon." Izzy repeated. "I'm going to have to see those D-Terminals…and perhaps interview the girls on what they think about all this." Izzy started to pace, deep in thought.

"Don't even bother." Tai replied retrieving his chair and stuffing himself in it.

Izzy stopped to turn and raise an eyebrow at Tai's skeptical face. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that they'll just go nuts." Tai answered, eyes closed as he relaxed in the chair. "Jen and Traci were almost fainting they were so excited." Tai opened one eye. "I haven't seen excitement like that since Matt's last concert." Tai smirked.

"Well, weren't you a bit excited when you found out that you were a Digidestined?" Izzy asked logically.

"Yeah…but I didn't almost pee my pants…" Tai retorted.

"They've never heard or thought of something like this before. It blows their minds. Just as it did for me when I found out." Izzy replied.

"They ARE NOT Digidestined!" Tai cried jumping up. "All they have are stupid D-Terminals! They need crests and tags…REMEMEBER?"

"Have you looked at the other side of the story Tai?" Izzy asked reasonably. "The blinking stars and wings they've seen…how they've actually RECEIVED D-Terminals?"

Tai looked uncomfortable. "And…"

Izzy glared at Tai. "There's more?!" Tai nodded. "I can't believe you!" Izzy cried, frustrated.

"Jen told me about a strange dream she had. Well, she said she thought it was real, but it was so weird it had to be a dream. She said that she saw a little dog, with stars on her ears and tail, blinking as it walked up to her. She said it talked, but just a whole bunch of jumbled words she couldn't piece together. The only thing she understood was her last phrase. 'Set me free!'. And then it just disappeared. It must have been a dream…what else could it have been?" Tai asked as he sat down once more. "Could it be the same kind of thing we saw in the park?"

"I think it is Tai. I think that this is just the beginning. We better learn what we can…as soon as possible. The longer we wait…well, I think it'll result in us scrambling…"

"For your lives…" A deep voice resonated in a dark corner of the Digital World.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Fordina: Well that's it for now.

Soccer Chicka: Are you serious? We just ENDED it there?!

Fordina: :: sweatdrop :: Um… Chicka? You ended it there… not me…

Soccer Chicka: Well it wasn't all my fault! You choose to end it there!

Fordina: Because it's a nice suspenseful ending :: smiles ::

Soccer Chicka: *grumbles*

Fordina: Well, that's for coming! And I hope to see you here again when we post our next chapter.

Soccer Chicka: When ever that may be *smiles*

Fordina: :: smacks head :: Bai all.

Soccer Chicka: Bybye!