Don't Look Now: CHAPTER 6
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"Eheheheh... Hiya...?" Taichi Kamiya broke into an outrageously cheerful smile and was beginning to sweat.
"Get inside," was the icy reply from the enraged red-haired genius. Tai meekly did as told, following Izzy into his bedroom with precaution.
Izzy shut the door and kept his back towards Tai. A long period of silence passed between the two until...
"Iz--" was all Taichi Kamiya could utter before one dangerously enraged Koushiro Izzy Izumi launched into an all-out lecture about being punctual and staying focused during times of great danger.
Wait a minute. Danger...?
"What are you talking about, Izzy?!" the bushy-haired teen cut in, beginning to grow worried. "What danger?"
The muscles in Izzy's face became more tensed. His angry glare morphed into a worried expression. Izzy furrowed his eyebrows.
"While I was waiting for you to get here, Gennai gave word that a catastrophe has just occurred in the Digital World. Many baby Digimon in Primary Village were injured. The whole team is there now, including Gennai, to aid those Digimon. You and I should leave now to join them," said the red-haired genius in utmost solemnity.
"Wait--what kind of catastrophe? What happened?" It was Tai's turn to furrow his eyebrows.
"The equivalent to a major earthquake in our world," Izzy said grimly.
Tai's mouth fell open. An image of a helpless baby Digimon trapped beneath of pile of rubble flashed in his mind. "Let's get going now!"
"Right," said Izzy.
Tai reached into his pocket to retrieve his Digivice, but to his horror...
"What's wrong?" Izzy asked, noticing that his friend had suddenly paled.
"I...I don't have...my Digivice..." Tai choked out.
"WHAT?!"
-----------------------------------------------------
After surviving another round of fierce yelling and lecturing, Tai left the Izumi apartment with ringing ears. The bushy-haired teen shut the door behind him and sighed. Only he and the younger Digidestined could open the Digital Gates, but without his Digivice, both he and Izzy were stuck in the real world. Fortunately, Davis had come back to allow entry for Izzy. So one problem was taken care of. Now an even bigger problem loomed before Tai: to find that Sora girl and retrieve his Digivice.
Tai took the bus to the squalid neighborhood in Odaiba. When he arrived, a sinking feeling made itself known. How was he supposed to find her apartment without really knowing the streets? Although he had visited her home just a little more than an hour ago, he had already forgotten what it looked like. Tai walked around aimlessly, half hoping that she would randomly pop out. Unfortunately for him, Sora Takenouchi indoors, moping all alone in the dark of her apartment...
The red-haired girl folded her legs so that she could lean her chin on her knees. Beside her was Tai's odd little device. She touched it tenderly, accepting the fact that she would eventually have to see him again in order to return it to him. Sora wasn't sure if she liked the thought, especially with that embarrassing emotional breakdown still fresh in her mind. Ah, but fortunately, he had been kind about it and his sincere concern had given her some comfort. But now that she was alone again, misery returned to harass her. A string of bad memories and negative thoughts tugged on her already tainted soul. Who said it was alright for you to break down and cry like that? You're not supposed to be weak. You're supposed to be the perfect picture of strength.
Yet a dark loneliness continued to eat her up inside. Sora felt as if there was absolutely no room in her wretched heart for hope, happiness, or love... She clenched her fists and her face glowered darkly. Why did he leave? Did he ever care about me? About Mom? Why did he leave us behind with so little to live off of and so much to put up with?
Anguished memories played themselves in her mind. The way her father had lovingly lifted her up into his arms on her fifth birthday. The way he had tightly held onto her trembling hand during that unforgettable night when Odaiba bombed...fire and smoke had interrupted the otherwise peaceful night setting of the city. Images of those happy afternoons full of soccer, lemonade, rainbows, and laughter. And then came that thunderstorm... She used to like thunderstorms--until her father walked out of her home one night. Just away walked, leaving her to listen to the dreadful rolling thunder after his footsteps had faded away. And she remembered the way her mother had laid sprawled on the floor, weeping miserably, broken-hearted. Then the rain came down, pounding fiercely against the windowpane. And the thunder continued to roll. She remembered feeling so cold that night. So cold and lonely. A few days later, her mother was rushed to the hospital after coughing up blood and then falling unconscious. Sora felt numb from a violent emotional mixture of fear and relief when she reached the hospital room where her mother was residing... The feeble flower shop was abandoned until her mother had regained the strength to go back to work. Then things were alright for a while... But the illness returned, and along with it came the expensive medical bills and costly medicine, not to mention the other necessary expenses... Cold and dark days spent in the slums of Odaiba. Tingling fear while surviving in a bad neighborhood full of unpredictable inhabitants. A hardened heart...
So bleak... So depressing... So...wet...?
No! I just imagined gray water lapping at my feet... Imagined it... Yes...
The red-haired girl stared at her feet in shock.
"Sora...are you alright...?" The girl looked up at the withering woman standing in the doorway.
"What? Oh, um, of course I'm alright, Mom!" The frightened expression was suddenly replaced by a cheerful facade. "Let me help you with those grocery bags!"
"No, no. Save your energy for your work," the aging woman responded. "How is it coming along, anyway?"
Sora tried her best to hide her guilt. "It's going fine, Mom..." she lied.
"Does your boss like you?"
"Oh yes, we haven't talked much..." Sora averted her eyes. ...As in, we haven't talked since he tried to take advantage of me.
The aging woman beamed at her daughter. "Things will get better!"
Sora mustered a smile for her mother and felt awful inside.
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Defeated, Taichi Kamiya retreated to his secret favorite spot: the riverbank. There was nothing quite like watching the shimmering serene waters to calm his soul. Tai sat down on the lush green grass to rest. He closed his eyes and his mind drifted...
He thought about the memories of the Digital World and of Agumon. He thought about those formidable Dark Masters, the reign of the Digimon Emperor, and Oikawa and his minions. Then his mind settled on the horrors committed by Myotismon. Tai shuddered and promptly move on to other, more pleasant thoughts. And so he reflected upon the events of recent. He contemplated Gennai's email and the unexpected disaster that hit Primary Village...
Alright, alright... So it was time to get off the grass and get back to work.
Tai exhaled deeply and opened his eyes. Suddenly, he found himself lost in a pair of amazing red jewels.
"Sora??"
The bushy-haired teen sat up immediately. "What are you doing here?"
Sora smiled. "I always come here. It's my favorite spot, so I should be asking you what you're doing here."
"Weird," said Tai. "This is my favorite spot, too. How come I've never seen you around before?"
The red-haired girl shrugged. "There's something about this river that's very soothing..."
Tai opened his mouth to speak, but she continued, staring out at the river.
"Just being near the peaceful waters makes my heart feel lighter. This riverbank is my refuge, in a way..." she said quietly.
Tai looked at her face and noticed for the first time that she had been crying earlier. Her lovely eyes were still puffy from the teary spell. She looked so sad and downcast... Tai didn't have to heart to interrupt her then. Nevermind how urgently he needed his Digivice back.
"I used to want to bring my father here, to share this place with him. I've yet to take my mother here one day," she spoke in a near-whisper.
"Why don't you want to share this place with your father anymore? And what about your mother?" he asked cautiously.
Sora turned her head and looked directly at him. Once again, Tai found himself lost in the melancholy beauty of her eyes.
"Would you believe me if I told you that my father left me when I was young?" she asked rhetorically. "I used to think he loved me, but not anymore. My mother was broken-hearted and she's been ill since he left. We've had it rough. I've been flitting from one low-paying, back-breaking job to the next ever since I don't know when... I've been mistreated, taken advantage of. I don't know how an education is supposed to do me any good, especially since I'm barely keeping up with my classmates. I don't have the privilege to sit down comfortably and study diligently. I just can't, with so many things on my mind... My last job was a nightmare--the sorry excuse for a boss tried to physically harass me, so I quit. I gave up on working decently, so I began to steal. Didn't really have much of a choice. And my mother? I'm not letting her share my suffering. All she knows is that I still have a 'nice job.' It keeps her at ease while she works comfortably in her little flower shop. She's been through enough. I don't want her to know what's really going on with me. It'll crush her if she knew."
All the while she was speaking in low, dark and sad tones, Tai listened carefully to her every word. For the first time ever, he realized how cruel and tough life could be. To him, it wasn't fair that a person his age should have to suffer so much while he lived in the comfort of a stable, financially well-to-do, and not to mention happy, family. Never even worked a hard day in his life. He felt overwhelmed with guilt and pity as he gazed at the sad girl beside him. A strange yearning to comfort her and to make her days brighter made itself known in his heart. Not only that, he also felt as if he had known this girl all his life. But how was that possible?
Sora Takenouchi inhaled deeply. "This is going to sound strange, but I feel at ease talking to you. I feel as if I've known you all my life."
Tai was glad to know that the feeling was mutual. "No, it's not strange at all..."
The girl smiled warmly at him. "I can't believe I just pour my heart out to you again. You practically know my life story now and I still don't know anything about you!"
"Er, well..." the bushy-haired teen suddenly felt awkward. After all, they led completely different lives. What was he supposed to say? "Uh, what do you want to know?"
"Everything!" she piped cheerfully. "Your family, you...and so on."
"Alright," said Tai. "Well, I live with my parents and a younger sister in one of those apartment complexes near the high school. Odaiba High School, I mean. That's where I attend. I'm part of the soccer club and it's really fun. I love soccer. I have friends who go to different schools, but we're very close. I--" He paused, not knowing what else to say and feeling more and more awkward. "I guess my life is really rosy compared to yours and I feel guilty about it," he admitted glumly.
Sora blinked once. Then twice. And then again. "I wasn't even thinking about that," she said. "I was just enjoying listening to you. Tell me more. It's nice to have a normal conservation with a nice person for a change."
The bushy-haired teen flushed. Well, if she was willing to listen, then he felt encouraged to keep talking. And somehow, he also felt compelled to be very open with her.
"Besides school and soccer and stuff, I'm also part of a--I guess you could call it a group. It's a very special group," Tai began again.
"What do you all do?" Sora asked.
"We protect the world," he answered with a grin, causing her to look at him curiously.
Just when he was about to elaborate, a beeping noise interrupted. Tai pulled out his D-Terminal.
TAI: WHERE ARE YOU?! -- KARI
The bushy-haired teen paled considerably. Right. He had a responsibility to fulfill.
"What's wrong?" Sora asked worriedly.
And in the most tactful, most polite manner he could manage, Tai responded, "I have to go. But first, I need my device back."
"Oh, right!" she exclaimed and produced the gadget from her pocket.
"Thanks. I promise that we'll meet again sometime," he told her sincerely. And with that said, he ran off.
But Taichi Kamiya had not gone far before he heard a terror-stricken scream fill the air. He halted and whirled around.
In the near distance, the bushy-haired boy watched with horror as a black warp relentless engulfed Sora.
"NO! SORA!" he screamed.
Tai bolted straight for the black tear in the sky. He stretched both arms in front of him and desperately grabbed hold of one of Sora's hand. Then a painful sensation struck the back of his head and a phantom blackness overtook his consciousness.
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The next chapter will probably be the final chapter. Until next time...
-------------------------------------------
"Eheheheh... Hiya...?" Taichi Kamiya broke into an outrageously cheerful smile and was beginning to sweat.
"Get inside," was the icy reply from the enraged red-haired genius. Tai meekly did as told, following Izzy into his bedroom with precaution.
Izzy shut the door and kept his back towards Tai. A long period of silence passed between the two until...
"Iz--" was all Taichi Kamiya could utter before one dangerously enraged Koushiro Izzy Izumi launched into an all-out lecture about being punctual and staying focused during times of great danger.
Wait a minute. Danger...?
"What are you talking about, Izzy?!" the bushy-haired teen cut in, beginning to grow worried. "What danger?"
The muscles in Izzy's face became more tensed. His angry glare morphed into a worried expression. Izzy furrowed his eyebrows.
"While I was waiting for you to get here, Gennai gave word that a catastrophe has just occurred in the Digital World. Many baby Digimon in Primary Village were injured. The whole team is there now, including Gennai, to aid those Digimon. You and I should leave now to join them," said the red-haired genius in utmost solemnity.
"Wait--what kind of catastrophe? What happened?" It was Tai's turn to furrow his eyebrows.
"The equivalent to a major earthquake in our world," Izzy said grimly.
Tai's mouth fell open. An image of a helpless baby Digimon trapped beneath of pile of rubble flashed in his mind. "Let's get going now!"
"Right," said Izzy.
Tai reached into his pocket to retrieve his Digivice, but to his horror...
"What's wrong?" Izzy asked, noticing that his friend had suddenly paled.
"I...I don't have...my Digivice..." Tai choked out.
"WHAT?!"
-----------------------------------------------------
After surviving another round of fierce yelling and lecturing, Tai left the Izumi apartment with ringing ears. The bushy-haired teen shut the door behind him and sighed. Only he and the younger Digidestined could open the Digital Gates, but without his Digivice, both he and Izzy were stuck in the real world. Fortunately, Davis had come back to allow entry for Izzy. So one problem was taken care of. Now an even bigger problem loomed before Tai: to find that Sora girl and retrieve his Digivice.
Tai took the bus to the squalid neighborhood in Odaiba. When he arrived, a sinking feeling made itself known. How was he supposed to find her apartment without really knowing the streets? Although he had visited her home just a little more than an hour ago, he had already forgotten what it looked like. Tai walked around aimlessly, half hoping that she would randomly pop out. Unfortunately for him, Sora Takenouchi indoors, moping all alone in the dark of her apartment...
The red-haired girl folded her legs so that she could lean her chin on her knees. Beside her was Tai's odd little device. She touched it tenderly, accepting the fact that she would eventually have to see him again in order to return it to him. Sora wasn't sure if she liked the thought, especially with that embarrassing emotional breakdown still fresh in her mind. Ah, but fortunately, he had been kind about it and his sincere concern had given her some comfort. But now that she was alone again, misery returned to harass her. A string of bad memories and negative thoughts tugged on her already tainted soul. Who said it was alright for you to break down and cry like that? You're not supposed to be weak. You're supposed to be the perfect picture of strength.
Yet a dark loneliness continued to eat her up inside. Sora felt as if there was absolutely no room in her wretched heart for hope, happiness, or love... She clenched her fists and her face glowered darkly. Why did he leave? Did he ever care about me? About Mom? Why did he leave us behind with so little to live off of and so much to put up with?
Anguished memories played themselves in her mind. The way her father had lovingly lifted her up into his arms on her fifth birthday. The way he had tightly held onto her trembling hand during that unforgettable night when Odaiba bombed...fire and smoke had interrupted the otherwise peaceful night setting of the city. Images of those happy afternoons full of soccer, lemonade, rainbows, and laughter. And then came that thunderstorm... She used to like thunderstorms--until her father walked out of her home one night. Just away walked, leaving her to listen to the dreadful rolling thunder after his footsteps had faded away. And she remembered the way her mother had laid sprawled on the floor, weeping miserably, broken-hearted. Then the rain came down, pounding fiercely against the windowpane. And the thunder continued to roll. She remembered feeling so cold that night. So cold and lonely. A few days later, her mother was rushed to the hospital after coughing up blood and then falling unconscious. Sora felt numb from a violent emotional mixture of fear and relief when she reached the hospital room where her mother was residing... The feeble flower shop was abandoned until her mother had regained the strength to go back to work. Then things were alright for a while... But the illness returned, and along with it came the expensive medical bills and costly medicine, not to mention the other necessary expenses... Cold and dark days spent in the slums of Odaiba. Tingling fear while surviving in a bad neighborhood full of unpredictable inhabitants. A hardened heart...
So bleak... So depressing... So...wet...?
No! I just imagined gray water lapping at my feet... Imagined it... Yes...
The red-haired girl stared at her feet in shock.
"Sora...are you alright...?" The girl looked up at the withering woman standing in the doorway.
"What? Oh, um, of course I'm alright, Mom!" The frightened expression was suddenly replaced by a cheerful facade. "Let me help you with those grocery bags!"
"No, no. Save your energy for your work," the aging woman responded. "How is it coming along, anyway?"
Sora tried her best to hide her guilt. "It's going fine, Mom..." she lied.
"Does your boss like you?"
"Oh yes, we haven't talked much..." Sora averted her eyes. ...As in, we haven't talked since he tried to take advantage of me.
The aging woman beamed at her daughter. "Things will get better!"
Sora mustered a smile for her mother and felt awful inside.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Defeated, Taichi Kamiya retreated to his secret favorite spot: the riverbank. There was nothing quite like watching the shimmering serene waters to calm his soul. Tai sat down on the lush green grass to rest. He closed his eyes and his mind drifted...
He thought about the memories of the Digital World and of Agumon. He thought about those formidable Dark Masters, the reign of the Digimon Emperor, and Oikawa and his minions. Then his mind settled on the horrors committed by Myotismon. Tai shuddered and promptly move on to other, more pleasant thoughts. And so he reflected upon the events of recent. He contemplated Gennai's email and the unexpected disaster that hit Primary Village...
Alright, alright... So it was time to get off the grass and get back to work.
Tai exhaled deeply and opened his eyes. Suddenly, he found himself lost in a pair of amazing red jewels.
"Sora??"
The bushy-haired teen sat up immediately. "What are you doing here?"
Sora smiled. "I always come here. It's my favorite spot, so I should be asking you what you're doing here."
"Weird," said Tai. "This is my favorite spot, too. How come I've never seen you around before?"
The red-haired girl shrugged. "There's something about this river that's very soothing..."
Tai opened his mouth to speak, but she continued, staring out at the river.
"Just being near the peaceful waters makes my heart feel lighter. This riverbank is my refuge, in a way..." she said quietly.
Tai looked at her face and noticed for the first time that she had been crying earlier. Her lovely eyes were still puffy from the teary spell. She looked so sad and downcast... Tai didn't have to heart to interrupt her then. Nevermind how urgently he needed his Digivice back.
"I used to want to bring my father here, to share this place with him. I've yet to take my mother here one day," she spoke in a near-whisper.
"Why don't you want to share this place with your father anymore? And what about your mother?" he asked cautiously.
Sora turned her head and looked directly at him. Once again, Tai found himself lost in the melancholy beauty of her eyes.
"Would you believe me if I told you that my father left me when I was young?" she asked rhetorically. "I used to think he loved me, but not anymore. My mother was broken-hearted and she's been ill since he left. We've had it rough. I've been flitting from one low-paying, back-breaking job to the next ever since I don't know when... I've been mistreated, taken advantage of. I don't know how an education is supposed to do me any good, especially since I'm barely keeping up with my classmates. I don't have the privilege to sit down comfortably and study diligently. I just can't, with so many things on my mind... My last job was a nightmare--the sorry excuse for a boss tried to physically harass me, so I quit. I gave up on working decently, so I began to steal. Didn't really have much of a choice. And my mother? I'm not letting her share my suffering. All she knows is that I still have a 'nice job.' It keeps her at ease while she works comfortably in her little flower shop. She's been through enough. I don't want her to know what's really going on with me. It'll crush her if she knew."
All the while she was speaking in low, dark and sad tones, Tai listened carefully to her every word. For the first time ever, he realized how cruel and tough life could be. To him, it wasn't fair that a person his age should have to suffer so much while he lived in the comfort of a stable, financially well-to-do, and not to mention happy, family. Never even worked a hard day in his life. He felt overwhelmed with guilt and pity as he gazed at the sad girl beside him. A strange yearning to comfort her and to make her days brighter made itself known in his heart. Not only that, he also felt as if he had known this girl all his life. But how was that possible?
Sora Takenouchi inhaled deeply. "This is going to sound strange, but I feel at ease talking to you. I feel as if I've known you all my life."
Tai was glad to know that the feeling was mutual. "No, it's not strange at all..."
The girl smiled warmly at him. "I can't believe I just pour my heart out to you again. You practically know my life story now and I still don't know anything about you!"
"Er, well..." the bushy-haired teen suddenly felt awkward. After all, they led completely different lives. What was he supposed to say? "Uh, what do you want to know?"
"Everything!" she piped cheerfully. "Your family, you...and so on."
"Alright," said Tai. "Well, I live with my parents and a younger sister in one of those apartment complexes near the high school. Odaiba High School, I mean. That's where I attend. I'm part of the soccer club and it's really fun. I love soccer. I have friends who go to different schools, but we're very close. I--" He paused, not knowing what else to say and feeling more and more awkward. "I guess my life is really rosy compared to yours and I feel guilty about it," he admitted glumly.
Sora blinked once. Then twice. And then again. "I wasn't even thinking about that," she said. "I was just enjoying listening to you. Tell me more. It's nice to have a normal conservation with a nice person for a change."
The bushy-haired teen flushed. Well, if she was willing to listen, then he felt encouraged to keep talking. And somehow, he also felt compelled to be very open with her.
"Besides school and soccer and stuff, I'm also part of a--I guess you could call it a group. It's a very special group," Tai began again.
"What do you all do?" Sora asked.
"We protect the world," he answered with a grin, causing her to look at him curiously.
Just when he was about to elaborate, a beeping noise interrupted. Tai pulled out his D-Terminal.
TAI: WHERE ARE YOU?! -- KARI
The bushy-haired teen paled considerably. Right. He had a responsibility to fulfill.
"What's wrong?" Sora asked worriedly.
And in the most tactful, most polite manner he could manage, Tai responded, "I have to go. But first, I need my device back."
"Oh, right!" she exclaimed and produced the gadget from her pocket.
"Thanks. I promise that we'll meet again sometime," he told her sincerely. And with that said, he ran off.
But Taichi Kamiya had not gone far before he heard a terror-stricken scream fill the air. He halted and whirled around.
In the near distance, the bushy-haired boy watched with horror as a black warp relentless engulfed Sora.
"NO! SORA!" he screamed.
Tai bolted straight for the black tear in the sky. He stretched both arms in front of him and desperately grabbed hold of one of Sora's hand. Then a painful sensation struck the back of his head and a phantom blackness overtook his consciousness.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The next chapter will probably be the final chapter. Until next time...