"Hikari, you bitch. Stop laughing at me!"
Sweatbubbles popped beside the heads of the other Digidestine. They'd never heard Ken talk like that before, other than to Arukenymon. Hikari looked at him for a moment with a perfectly straight face. Then burst into giggles once again.
"Thanks a lot." Ken flushed and crossed his arms. He looked off into the bright blue sky and walked alongside the other Digidestine as they continued their search for their partners, and a good place to spend the night.
The Digital World doesn't look out of balance. I haven't even felt any shifting here. Maybe it was just telling me we needed to come.
Hikari glomped Ken with a sudden hug. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to laugh."
Ken groaned as her will power broke down again, and she began giggling.
"What'd you do that was so funny?" Miyako demanded. "Since when does Ken tell jokes?"
"I tell jokes all the time. It's only that no one understands them, aside from the guys at the lab."
"I can understand that." Koushiro concurred. He was certainly glad he had Ken and Jyou along this time. There were no television sets around, but he'd expected that, considering. It looked like they were stranded for a bit in the Digital World, and he wasn't sure he wanted it to be like the last time. "We're lucky we had our equipment with us."
Takeru looked over at Koushiro, who was pecking happily away at his D-terminal in hopes of finding their partners. "I just felt like I should bring it."
"Yeah, it makes sense to have our gear when we get together, even if we didn't plan it." Iori said.
"It would make sense to park it for the night." Yamato said looking seriously at Taichi. "I don't see any reason to keep walking around aimlessly."
"Logically, we should probably split up and see if we can't find our partners, ne?" Koushiro interjected. Taichi nodded.
"Yeah, but it's getting dark. We should start that in daylight."
"Can you read us on the D-terminal, Koushiro?" Sora asked. She rubbed Miyako's shoulders. Her love seemed to be getting irritated for some reason. "So we can find each other again when we split up?"
"Definitely."
"Okay." Sora stated. "Miyako and I saw a lake in the distance. I think we hike there, take a bath and camp there for the night. Then, we can split up in the morning, and come back in an allotted amount of time, so we don't lose each other like we did when we were all stuck here for the first time."
"Waaa, Sora, that's good." Taichi remarked. Yamato grabbed his rear playfully.
"Looks like you've been replaced as leader, Taichi."
"No way, that'll never happen!"
"Oh, Anichan." Hikari sighed. Sora turned her head to Hikari and winked impishly.
"Okay, everyone, follow me!"
The other Digidestine trod after her in a mock march. Taichi stood for a moment in bewilderment, and was dragged along by Yamato.
"Don't make me sleep beside someone else tonight."
"You guys are going to freak out your Digimon." Koushiro declared. Jyou frowned.
"I don't see why. They don't understand half of what we do anyway. They didn't even get the idea of Christmas until you made 'em come see us."
"Yeah, explain to Agumon why he can't sleep between you and Yamato."
"He can." Yamato said wryly. "As long as he knows when to get out of the way. I'm not into threesomes with lizards."
"Oh, really, then what was that thing with Jun-"
"Shut up, Taichi! I never had a thing with Jun." Yamato looked away angrily. Taichi caught the young man, who wasn't really looking ahead of him and force him to look into his eyes.
"You know I'm just kidding." Taichi insisted. Yamato licked his nose.
Koushiro grimaced and averted his eyes.
"Enough, ladies, lets get moving!" Miyako yelled back at them. The boys immediately jerked into a semblance of order and continued their trek to the lake.
"And Yamato tells me I don't know how to deal with girls." Takeru said lightheartedly to the younger Digidestined in the back. Daisuke scratched the back of his head.
"Who cares about dealing with girls? I never bothered with them after Hikari and look at me!"
Iori chuckled and Daisuke could feel Ken's exorbant eyes watching him worriedly.
Is he upset? Why does he look at me like that lately? Daisuke wondered to himself. I wish he'd open up to me again, like he used to. And why is Takeru looking at me so intently?
Takeru caught Daisuke' eye, then looked away quickly.
Ken looked ahead blankly, thinking hard about what their sudden trip to the Digital World could mean. He rubbed his arms, feeling a chill deep inside him. I'm wearing two shirts and a sweater. I don't see how I can be so cold.
"That lake is huge." Iori noted. Takeru grinned suddenly.
"This is the place we spent the night our first day here! Remember Yama-chan?"
"Un. That's kind of kewl. In a weird sort of way." He flashed the group one of his dazzling grins and pulled something out of his pocket. He raised it to his mouth and the sweet sad song of his harmonica filled the air.
The Digidestine sat on the ground to rest for a moment, listening to Yamato play. It was as though he were playing the story of all their adventures, the danger, the destiny, the love they'd all shared at one point or another.
Hikari rubbed Ken's neck, and whispered ever so softly into his ear. "Neither of us were here that night, but I think we were supposed to be."
"I don't know about that..." He replied forlornly, analyzing the horizon with his brilliant blue eyes. "I hope we find our partners soon, though."
"We will."
The last dulcet notes faded into the air, and Yamato looked up at them finally.
"Who's first?" He said softly, looking as though he were trying not to let some errant emotion get the better of him.
"Huh?" Daisuke asked on the behalf of everyone.
"Who's jumping in the lake first?" Yamato said a little more brashly.
"Ladies first, Yamato." Mimi stated firmly. "You know that. Now you boys settle yourselves over there, and we'll let you know when we get done."
"Mimi san never changes." Jyou grumbled. Koushiro looked around for a secluded spot.
"C'mon guys, let's vacate before they start throwing things."
The girls promptly stripped and hopped into the water.
"It's a little unfair that there are only four of us girls, don't you think guys?" Hikari mentioned. Sora and Miyako had paired off to scrub each others' backs and were giggling softly as Sora tickled Miyako's sides playfully.
"It's not so bad. We're in charge anyway." Mimi declared, loosening her pretty pink hair. Sora laughed.
"Even if they don't know it! No offense to Taichi, Hika-chan."
"Don't worry about it."
Miyako ducked under the water.
"Where'd you go?" Sora asked glancing around her. Suddenly her face turned completely red. "Ahhhh... ha haa... Miya! Not nooow!"
"Oh, my goodness." Hikari blushed and swam closer to Mimi for protection. "Miyako seems to be taking her frustrations out on Sora san!"
Mimi closed her eyes and smiled widely. "How sweet. We need someone in our lives, Hikari chan, to make us squeal happily."
"Have someone in mind, Mimi san?"
Mimi glanced at her knowingly. She wasn't blind. "Do you?"
"I thought those girls would never get out of here." Taichi complained. Jyou was testing the water with his big toe. "Just jump in, Jyou kun."
"No way. It's too cold." He refused. "I'll just, ease in."
"I'm with you, Jyou kun. And lets stay on the right side of the lake." Koushiro retorted, grinning over at Yamato and Taichi. Iori slowly inched over towards Koushiro and Jyou.
"I'm feeling neglected." Takeru said with a mock pout. Daisuke abruptly pushed Takeru into the water, and soon after leaped in himself. As the others splashed around, Ken hid behind a tree, pretending to take his time getting his layers off.
It isn't noticeable. Not to anyone but me. Ken tried to convince himself. He looked down at his pale naked stomach and traced the slight curve with his index finger. He pressed against the flesh gently, marveling at how hard it seemed. How are you in there??
"Ken chan?"
Ken looked up with joy in his eyes. "Wormon!"
He rushed forward and embraced his Digimon.
"It's so good to see you. What a surprise!" Wormon said between squeezes. "You've gotten so tall!"
"It couldn't be helped, I guess. The others will be jealous. We've all been looking for our partners since we got here."
"Taking a bath break?"
Ken giggled. For some reason, he couldn't bring himself to be ashamed in front of his Digimon. It wasn't like Wormon hadn't been witness to many disgraces prior. "Sort of. I was just about to join the others."
"Are you okay?"
Ken furrowed his brow and gave a weak smile. "Why do you ask?"
"You're crying, Ken."
"Oh!" Ken touched his face, feeling the telltale tears. "I'm, taking some medication... it seems to have made me kind of emotional... and I'm... just happy."
"I'm glad you're happy, Ken. But I don't want you to cry."
"I'll try not to." Ken promised. Ken looked down at his stomach again, cupping a hand over the tiny curve. "I have a surprise for you later. Let's go."
"A surprise? Ken, wait!"
Ken walked out to the lake confidently with Wormon hopping after him.
"Hey, guys, look who I found."
"Aw, man! Cheap." Daisuke complained. "And I still haven't found Veemon."
"Gomamon just popped in on us, too!" Jyou said elatedly. The water Digimon waved.
"It's about time you guys came back."
Ken slid into the water.
If you like, email me and let me know. I'm vain and like to know if yall like what I'm doing.