Votes counting...................

Dating Miss Biyomon

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. Perhaps it's just as well.

Chapter 1: Sisters

Important note about this chapter. ASSUME NOTHING. As the Digidestined learnt at the start of 01, just because you recognise the scenery doesn't mean you're back home. So keep your eyes wide open.

------------------------------------ [A/N: I don't know Sora's mother's name, either in Japanese or English. So for now she's Suzanne Takenouchi. Until I hear to the contrary!]

Suzanne Takenouchi was holding a coffee morning.

Flowers were everywhere, of course, and the delicious smell of hot coffee and cakes filled the living-room. An old friend of Suzanne's was seated on the couch, sipping at her mug and providing a listening ear.
"I'm so worried about my daughter," admitted Suzanne in a whisper. "I mean, she's a charming kid, but she isn't independent enough, she doesn't seem to have any wish to get away from me. And she's so trusting. I know it's better to think the best of everyone, but I'm terrified she'll get into real trouble one of these days..."
The confidence was cut off in mid-flow by the sound of a slamming door. Suzanne's only daughter ran into the room, dressed in her favourite green teeshirt and jeans, a pink headband holding back her hair. She snatched up a cup of coffee and a biscuit. "Hi, Mom."
"Aren't you meant to be at summer camp, young lady?" Suzanne demanded. "If I get word you've run away again like last summer..."
"Relax. The camp leaders've given us a few days off while they sort out a few hitches."
~Not really true,~ Biyomon thought. ~But close enough. Sora and I have to come back here and help search for the eighth Child.~
"All right. I suppose you'll be just in time for the charity disco downtown, then."
"The disco!" In all the excitement of her Digiworld adventures, she'd forgotten that there could be other ways of spending the summer. "But who'd go with me?"
"Well, I can think of a couple of nice boys..." Suzanne laughed as her daughter started to blush and ran from the room. "And pay the paper-boy while you're out there, OK?"
Her daughter smiled and gave that strange little arms-spread, head- askance curtsey that was so typical of her. "Mm-hm!"
"I'd wear that headband to the disco, if I were you," Suzanne called after her. "It matches your hair..."

The green-eyed boy walked into his home street casually. These few days back in the real world would be a welcome breather, and give him a chance to catch up on the things he'd been missing. First things first, though. There was someone he just had to see.
At the top of the staircase he paused before pushing the door. He didn't want to wake her if she had managed to get some needed rest. Turning off the landing light, he gently turned the handle and opened the door that led to her room.
The room was dark. A window was jammed open, letting cool air into the room and flapping the curtain to and fro. He tiptoed towards her bed.
It was deserted.

The street below was lit with electric glow. A girl was walking down towards the city, her hands in her pockets and a Rookie Digimon kept closely hidden in her bag.
"Biyomon- Sora-" He was relieved to see them. "You've got to help me. Get the others. She's missing..."
"Who's missing?" questioned his friend, suddenly worried.
"My sister!"

Instantly all thoughts of newspapers, discos and hairstyles were forgotten completely. She raced along the suddenly endless street, looking for others. Looking for help.

Her own best friend was quite close in distance terms, but mentally she was miles away, lying back in the bath with her favourite music playing loudly over the stereo in the next room. Man, it was good to be home. Not that she didn't enjoy her Digiworld adventuring, but it was nice to have a bit of luxury once in a while. Her mother always said that. After she'd washed and got a change of clothes, she'd go sit in the garden, where she'd always felt kind of at home amongst the flowers. Mom used to say she was as pretty as a flower herself. That was when she was younger, though. She rather wished someone would say that now.
The mobile shrilled from her bedroom. Sighing, she got out of the bath, wrapped herself in a warm towel and took the 'phone from her Digimon's mouth. With a glance at the display she saw who was calling, and put on a silly voice, like a parody of her mother's. "Good evening, Tachikawa residence. Who's calling?"
Her friend's next words shattered all illusions of peace and luxury. Mimi snatched up the red dress from where it still lay on the bed, and five minutes later human and Digimon were running towards an emergency rendezvous.

No-one quite knew what to say or do. The obvious idea might have been to go to the police, but seven such children as these were rather uncertain. After all, nobody said this was a criminal incident. Anyone, or anything, could be involved.
"Well, I think we should search the city," someone said. It proved to be the most successful of the suggestions. The group dashed away in twos and threes, everyone taking a different direction.

A shuffling of feet, and a slight cough from about his knee height. Bracing himself for another irrelevant comment from his companion, the leader of the Digidestined looked down with a sigh. "What is it now?"
"Nothing." The usually brash and over-confident Digimon was strangely quiet and tongue-tied. "I, I just want you to know... I'll do everything I can to help find your sister."
Green eyes let go a tear, splashing against the circular markings on the little monster's forehead. If- as they sometimes joked- the markings were real glasses, he wouldn't be able to see much right now. "Thanks... I know you're trying. I just know that... no-one understands how I feel."
~Sure, my Digimon is brave and loyal, I know that too. Heck, he'd take on anything for me and probably win too. But he's so... confident, so self-assured. He probably never had anyone to worry about until I came along. Go on, prove me wrong.~
"I understand," came the reply, almost in a whisper. "You couldn't really guess how much I do."
The Digidestined leader wiped away a tear and looked in puzzlement at the small figure at his side.

"Look, this happened a long time before I met you. I was very young then, only just in my In-Training form. There was someone... I thought of her as my little sister. She was only a baby, the smallest thing I'd ever seen, and I took care of her. And then one day... She was gone. And I had a fair idea where. There was no getting her back." The Digimon had his head in his paws, tensed with sheer frustration. "I still regret not going after her.."
His partner gazed at him with a new understanding. "Well... Maybe when we go back to the Digiworld, we can get her back at last. I'll help you find her and then it'll all be all right. We'll rescue your little... whatever her name is..."
The Digimon looked up with tears in his eyes. "Kari."

-------END OF CH1----

And the vote result...It's Taiora/Mimato/Takari!

Hazy- Er, thanks, I think.

Miaow227- Your wish is my whatdoyoucallit.

Takari4ever- Thank you... 'readable' what?

Savoan Locc- Afraid to say I can't understand a word you're saying.