The Ivani Chronicles : Book 1 - Evacuation : Chapter 7 - I Knew I Loved You

A calm breeze passed over the group, unsettling TK in his sleep. Rolling over, TK's dream was broken, as earlier that night, by a gentle shaking. He then heard his name in the beautiful voice that he could never refuse. Yielding his dream to consciousness, TK opened his eyes, rubbing the sleep from them as he did so. When he removed his hands, he saw Kari leaning over him, a calm smile across her lips.

"Good morning, TK," she said, looking into his eyes.

"Hey," TK replied, lost for any other words. Kari's beauty easily captivated him. He felt especially vulnerable to her charm now; her unkempt hair, her eyes shimmering with the morning light, as well as the beautiful smile upon her face pressed greatly on his heart. Breaking the trance that had fallen over them, TK brushed a lock of hair out of Kari's face. Her reaction to his touch was even more fulfilling for the boy. Kari then sat down beside TK, allowing him to sit up.

"What's the plan for today?" TK asked as he sat up, although he already knew the answer.

"Well, the forest ends a few more miles from here," Kari answered. "We should be able to clear this jungle before dusk." As she spoke, Kari's obnoxious bangs fell once again into her eyes, only to be tossed aside by a soft stroke of TK's hand. Feeling TK's hand against her face sent a shiver down her spine, and she restrained her urge to show affectionate appreciation. Instead, she responded with a simple, "Thanks,"

"No problem," He responded, standing as he spoke. "Sounds like we're pretty much home free, too. I would expect one more battle on the edge of the forest, but it shouldn't be too difficult after what we've seen so far." Looking about, TK realized that the digimon and Ivan were still asleep. Maddie, meanwhile, was nowhere to be seen. "Hey, Kari, why'd you get me up so early? Or is everyone else just sleeping in? And what happened to Maddie?"

"Maddie went off to make a perimeter check," Kari said. She then rose to her feet, standing beside TK. Wrapping an arm around him, she said, "Otherwise, I just wanted to thank you for being so brave all through this trip. You always make me so proud you're my friend, TK."

TK returned the gesture, pulling Kari into an embrace. "Thanks, Kari," he murmured softly in her ear. "You've been very brave yourself; I'm proud to have you as my best friend, too." Kari squeezed TK as he said this, unable to hold her emotions in entirely.

TK had never found himself in any intimate position before, nor had he been at ease when discussing love. Yet he now found himself at peace, holding Kari, gently rocking her back and forth. Likewise, Kari felt truly comforted in TK's arms, able to let her cares and concerns fall from her shoulders.

The two stayed in one another's arms for several minutes, reveling in the comfort they brought to one another. It wasn't until then that it dawned upon them what they were experiencing. TK was the first to comment.

"Hey, Kari," he began, "Does anything feel – I don't know – different to you?"

Kari understood what TK was describing and nodded against his chest. "Yeah, something does feel strange. I wonder what it could be?"

TK smirked, catching the sarcasm in her voice. He then decided to play along. "I'm not sure; maybe it means I should do something."

Kari pulled away a bit, looking up into TK's eyes. "Like what?" she asked with feigned innocence, her eyes shining as she waited for a response.

"I think it goes something like this." TK said before swinging Kari around in an impromptu dance. He led her through what he'd figured would be a simple dance, but soon found that they were rotating at a comical rate. Laughing as they spun about, TK and Kari were dizzy in only a few moments. All balance dissipated rapidly. TK collapsed to the ground on his back, Kari falling on top of him. Gasping and laughing simultaneously, TK attempted to regain his poise.

"Well, that was fun," TK commented before laying his head back to try and stop the spinning images in his head.

"Yeah, Kari agreed, snuggling herself up against TK. Resting her head on his chest, she continued, "but I do feel something's different." This time she spoke in a much more serious voice.

TK, having regained equilibrium, looked down at her, his arms instinctively wrapping around her. "I know, Kari," TK said, one hand again brushing Kari's hair from her face.

Kari looked up into TK's azure eyes, seeing his kind smile beaming down upon her. She could never refuse his smile; she always loved to it see on TK's face. She knew then that her feelings for TK were mirrored, regardless of whatever he had said in the past. She knew then how much she loved him, and that she never wanted to leave him. Pulling herself up a bit more, she stared down into TK's eyes, TK looking back with warm emotion.

TK stared up into Kari's eyes, glimmering as they did when she was around him. TK never would have guessed, however, that such was a display of her incredible love and devotion to him. Furthermore, TK never would have guessed that his own actions had been such clear signals of his undying love for the girl, as well as his never-ending loyalty to her. Still holding her, he finally forced words through his throat.

"I-I think I figured out what that feeling is, Kari," he said softly, his eyes still locked on hers. Again his hand brushed her hair out of her eyes, even if it would only momentarily avert the problem. But a moment was all TK needed to make his point.

"Oh, and what is it?" Kari asked softly, desperately wanting TK to make the first move; although she knew how she felt, she didn't have the courage to act first.

TK swallowed hard, rallying himself for what he knew he needed to say. Perhaps their foreplay had shown his feelings, but he knew that he still needed to say the words. "I think-I think it means that I-I like you Kari. I think that's what it means; that I like you. Not only as a friend, but also as more than that. I'm really hoping that you feel the same way, but if you couldn't, I'd understand and I-" Kari cut him off by placing a single finger on his lips.

"Don't think like that, TK," she whispered, their eyes still locked as they lay on the grassy cove in the woods. "Don't think that way because I like you, too, TK. I don't know how long it's been different, but it's never been so wonderful to spend time with you. I like you, TK, and I like you as more than a friend." No further words were necessary, as understanding passed unspoken between the two youth, serene in the company of one another.

Kari slowly lowered her head towards TK's, her eyes still locked on his. Kari moved at such a rate that TK barely detected it. Barely detected it, that is, until he found Kari's lips pressed against his own. Under any other circumstances TK may have felt surprised, or perhaps even disgusted. With Kari, nothing felt out of place; his eyes slid shut as he reveled in the love and passion Kari gave him through her lips. Locked in the kiss for several moments, it was only the need for oxygen that broke the two apart. Catching his breath, TK rolled Kari over, placing himself on top of her. He then joined his lips to hers again, hoping to send Kari some of the same intense sensations she had sent through to him.

TK achieved his goal as Kari's body surged with energy unlike anything she had ever felt. The love and comfort of TK's arms and lips brought Kari a near-heavenly sensation that she never wanted to end. After another few minutes, TK broke the kiss. Looking into his eyes, Kari saw the same love and comfort she had felt mirrored in his eyes.

Kari pulled TK against herself, joining in a loving embrace. Her eyes shimmered as her mind finally acknowledged the fact that what she had never thought could come to pass had, in fact, come to be. TK, the one and only boy she had ever loved, or indeed would ever love, returned her emotions equally, if not even more so. She couldn't imagine a more perfect beginning to such a day. She marveled in the simple pleasures of holding the boy she had dreamt about so often.

"I suppose I should've guessed you felt this way about me, Kari," TK whispered in her ear. It may have been intuition, but he never questioned what he felt. Furthermore, the compassion he saw in her sparkling eyes always assured him of their future together, and the fact that Kari would always be his best friend. He knew it was more than a little crazy, but he believed, "I knew I loved you, since the day I met you, maybe even before then. It's like I dreamed you into life. It's a feeling I've been waiting for. Now that it's here, I know it's right."

"I know what you mean, TK," Kari said. She had never found any reason in her feelings. It just gave her this sense of completion when she was with him. In his eyes, she could always find what she was looking for. She also knew she could depend on TK, be it during this journey or any other that might arise. It sounded crazy to her as well, but Kari knew that what she felt was true. "I knew I loved you, too. It seems like I've just been awaiting this: I knew you were always there for me. I just needed to figure it out. And now that I have, I know why it was so important." Kari finished by giving TK an extra-tight squeeze, one that TK returned.

TK then pulled away, gazing into Kari's enchanting eyes one last time before linking his lips to hers again. It felt as though angels danced around them, hailing the completion of the lives of the two children, bonded by the holy love of their crests and the true love of their hearts.

TK released Kari, his gaze never leaving her eyes as hers never left his own. "It'd be nice to get a little extra sleep," TK commented, smiling down at his beloved. "After all, you did wake me up early."

Kari nodded, then rolled over on top of TK. "It's fine by me so long as I can use you as a pillow, TK," Kari said with her mock-innocent voice. TK couldn't help but chuckle at Kari's idea.

"Alright, it's a deal," TK responded, holding Kari against him. "But you get to be the pillow next time." Thus the two fell into peaceful slumber after TK's whispered, "I love you, Kari," and Kari's response.

"I love you, too, Takeru."

Maddie returned from her third excursion. Having found no further threats in the area, she concluded that the spy had been merely preliminary and that the enemy forces were yet to come. She assumed that it was nearly morning, so Ivan would soon be awake. However, she found that the camp no longer had anyone on watch. Even more surprising was the fact that Kari had fallen asleep on top of TK, with TK's arms wrapped around her. Smiling to herself, she realized that one of Ivan's goals for this journey had been obtained.

Moving to Ivan's side, Maddie roused him from his sleep. Ivan rolled over, looking up into Maddie's eyes. "Welcome back," he said, looking quite alert.

"I thought you were asleep," Maddie said, surprised.

"I was," he replied, sitting up. "That is, until TK and Kari crashed to the ground from their little courting ritual."

"Courting ritual?" Maddie asked in an amused tone.

"Well, I don't know how to better describe it. They started dancing, but ended up spinning a few too many times and collapsing from dizziness. It was indeed funny to hear: 'ha ha ha – crash.'" Maddie couldn't help but laugh at the thought.

"I just hope that whoever gives me a courting ritual knows how to keep their equilibrium," Maddie joked.

"Or has a really big pillow ready to fall on," Ivan replied with a slanted grin, rising to his feet. He then extended a hand to help Maddie up, which she took. "I suppose now we ought to get some food prepared, huh?"

Maddie nodded. "Yeah, I'm starved. Those night watches sure leave you hungry,"

"I know what you mean," Ivan said as he opened his duffel bag. Extracting all of the proper equipment to prepare the meal, he got straight to work. Maddie set out to retrieve water and returned to see Ivan occupied with the slicing of some digital herb that held the property of being incredibly thin. Even with his precision knife, Ivan needed to make several attempts before he was successful in halving each leaf.

"Need a hand?" Maddie offered, setting the water-filled pails down by the ashes of the fire. It had again been extinguished by the wind.

"I think I can handle a few Emyht leaves, Maddie," Ivan said. As if on cue, Ivan pushed down on the blade a bit too much and ended up thrusting the cutting board out from under him into a nearby tree. Shaking his head in exasperation, Ivan realized that Maddie was giggling at his misjudgment. "Yes, I'm sure that is just so amusing, Maddie," Ivan said dryly as he extracted the cutting board from the tree.

"It is!" Maddie insisted. After regaining her poise, Maddie continued, "Are you sure you wouldn't like some help?"

"I suppose," Ivan responded. Then he added with a smirk, "So long as you don't mind being on the receiving end of the cutting board when it gets launched next."

"You worry about getting those leaves cut, I'll worry about the projectile cutting board," Maddie said, kneeling to hold the board in place. A few minutes later, a small pile of finely chopped Emyht leaves was ready to be added to the batter.

Some twenty minutes later, the meal was prepared and the dishes set out for each of the members of the group. Awakening the others, Ivan and Maddie joined them in eating their first meal of the day. The watches from the previous night left everyone especially hungry. Soon, the entire meal had been consumed. Cleaning up was therefore much easier. It took only another half an hour to get the group ready for travel.

Giving the temporary campsite a final check, Ivan nodded to the group. Slinging the duffel bag over his shoulder, he said, "It seems like we've got everything, let's head out and get to Secondary Village. We should be able to get there by the end of the day. Come on, the end is in sight!" The group nodded in response, knowing that only a few more hours would place them on the out of the cursed woods. However, they held no knowledge of the great perils awaiting them in that time.

Ivan led the way through the forest, the path having separated once again. The trees, tall and imposing, were ubiquitous but no longer overbearing. Ivan was still able to follow his intended path without use of his weapon to remove outlying branches or undergrowth. As it was, the trek was quite clement. Ivan found his concentration slipping away; thoughts of things other than returning Kari and TK to their respectful planet entered his mind.

In all honesty with himself, Ivan knew that his thoughts focused on the girl trailing a few feet behind, humming a merry song to herself from what seemed now to be ages past, back when she had been in the Real World. He used to experience nostalgia about those days, but they had left him after a while. He assumed Maddie always had them, as her memories of Jason were still strong. However, TK and Kari had brought about the feeling of homesickness for both of them. In any event, it wasn't nostalgic thoughts enticing him now; it was his dreams about Maddie.

He had dreamed about Maddie for some time now, perhaps even since the day they had met. That was a day he would never forget.

Maddie had been the first recruited to the Digital world as a dragoon. She was called in by Kilvaramon the Phoenix. Ivan arrived about a month afterwards and spent a while being lectured by Azulongmon. Then, being sent out into action, the digimon decided to send the humans together to heighten their safety. Thus, Ivan and Maddie met, ushered out into the Digital Realm with no more than the instructions of their digital wards and the gifts they had received. Nevertheless, they were friends from the start.

Azulongmon had roused Ivan from sleep early that morning. Ivan had known he was to be sent out into the Digital World that day, no longer under the careful guidance of the dragon digimon. The boy had trained with Ivani for a week and could handle the basics of his controls with ease. He had also taken lessons with his blade from Azulongmon; he could now differentiate a thrust from a strike from a parry. He still had a lot more to learn, and Azulongmon felt that it was best he learn it in the field. The only other thing Ivan knew about his release was that another dragoon was to accompany him, who had been training under another godly digimon. This other person was training as a healer of sorts, the person's talents lying in the field of medicine. He didn't know that this person was Maddie, nor even the sex of the person; he knew only that they were to work together until they both were ready to take on their full responsibilities. Ivan left the training grounds of Azulongmon after eating and preparing for his first day on duty.

Ivan's first task was to meet his companion at a location known as Infinity Mountain. This required a trip over roughly five hundred miles, and Ivan, still new at operating Ivani, spent an hour realizing that he needed to fly across the leagues of water that separated Azulongmon's domain from the island that the mountain had made. After discovering how to use the engines on Ivani to their full extent, he reached his destination with ease.

Upon touching down, he recalled Ivani and took a look around his location. He was awe-stricken by what he saw. Never before had he beheld so much at once. The digimon's cities, the vast forests, the plateaus, the mountain chains, the rivers, and so many other sites of wonder filled his vision. It was as if he were looking at a colored map, complete with animated cities and wilderness. Then he heard a roar behind him. It was not an animalistic roar, but the more constant, blaring noise given off by an engine. Sure enough, another Dragoon became visible on the horizon, swiftly approaching the monstrous mountain. Glinting in the sun, Ivan saw that the dragoon was not colored with whites, silvers, and blues as his own, but rather with colors of fire. Reds, oranges and yellows adorned the foreign craft, as well as an unusual apparatus attached to the right arm. Ivan only had a few moments to contemplate this dragoon, for it landed, a bit clumsily, some twenty feet from him.

"Are you alright?" Ivan called, running over to the new dragoon.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine," The robot replied, straightening up from the landing. At its full height, the robot was at an even height with Ivan, which he found strange. Ivan's dragoon added several inches to his height, and although this dragoon didn't look built for combat as much as his, it still had the appearance of increasing the height of its pilot. Ivan hadn't really known what to expect, but a shorter pilot was something he hadn't thought of.

Ivan also noticed another thing. Now that the dragoon was standing next to him, he could see that it had feminine characteristics. Ivan then realized that his companion was a girl, another thing that hadn't crossed his mind.

"Hey, kid, are you just gonna stare at me all day?" the dragoon said, head cocked to one side. Ivan quickly shook his head, remembering his manners.

"No, of course not," Ivan said, flustered. Regaining his poise, he continued, "It's just strange how your dragoon's very different from my own. I suppose that's because yours is designed as a field medic, while mine's made for defensive combat."

"Yep," replied the dragoon. Then, the pilot triggered something from inside the Dragoon; the head dislodged from the body and slid back, revealing the pilot's head.

Although it was three years ago, Ivan still remembered seeing Maddie's face for the first time. Her bright brown eyes shining with energy and vitality. Her light brown, highlighted hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail, but her bangs dropped on to frame her face. Her skin held a light tan. Her small ears could only be defined as beautiful, and the same was true of the nose. Her pink lips, curled into her trademark smile that always sent a surge down Ivan's spine, were just as incredible to Ivan then as they were today.

Maddie spoke after a moment, breaking Ivan's trance, "My name's Madelyn. Pleased to meet you, Mr."

"Ivan," Ivan said quickly, shaking his head again to toss his thoughts aside. Then, more calmly, "The name's Ivan, Ivan Ishara."

"Well then, pleased to meet you, Mr. Ishara," Maddie said, then started to whisper something to herself. Light soon burst forth, the dragoon armor receding from Maddie's body. After a moment, the light receded, leaving Maddie in her general clothing on the mountaintop with Ivan. "As I said, I'm Madelyn, Madelyn Altair. But no one ever calls me Madelyn anymore. I go by Maddie now. I think it suits me better."

"Very well, Maddie," Ivan said, bowing. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

An awkward silence followed, neither knowing what to say to the other. Ivan had never been especially skilled at conversation, and had not expecting to be face to face with a girl such as Maddie. He knew, however, that he had to try and make her a bit more at ease, as well as himself.

"So, you're a dragoon, huh?" Ivan mentally kicked himself after he realized what he had said.

"Well, yeah, I think I am, unless there was some miscommunication and I'm now a dragon." She smirked.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to say-"

"It's OK, I was about to say something stupider anyway."

"And what would that be?"

"Never mind, it's nothing you need to worry about."

"Oh, come on, please?"

"I'd really rather not-"

"Please?"

Maddie sighed. "Alright, alright, fine. But then you have to go through with it, alright?"

"Go through with what?"

"What I was going to say. It's something I wanted you to do. It's a kind of way I greet people."

"Alright, it's a deal."

"OK: I was gonna ask if you could do a cartwheel,"

"A cartwheel?" Ivan said after a moment of surprise.

"Yeah, can you?"

"I don't think-"

"You promised, Ivan," Maddie stated with a playful glare.

He sighed, giving Maddie a quizzical look. Ivan was athletic, but cartwheels had never been his area of expertise. Holding his hands up above his head, Ivan threw himself onto his side. Bringing himself up onto his hands, he found that he had lost momentum. Unsure of what to do, Ivan simply held himself straight. After a moment, Maddie's giggles reached him, and he craned his head to look at her.

"What so funny?"

"Sorry, I just didn't expect you to do that." Maddie then walked over, kneeling down in front of Ivan. "Want some help?"

"Sure," Ivan said in a strained voice, still holding himself stiff. Maddie stood up, and poked Ivan in the side. Ivan, losing his balance as his muscles contracted on him, fell over onto the ground. Maddie's laughter reverberated in his ears as he lay in a miserable pile on the earth. Ivan shuffled to his feet and looked demurely downward, humiliated by what had just taken place.

Then Maddie's face appeared, smiling up at him, her arms around his neck. "Thanks for being a good sport with that," She said in an endearing tone, "You're very kind to put up with me for all five minutes that we've known one another. Not many people are that accepting," Maddie's tone turned serious as she continued.

"No problem, Maddie," Ivan said, dismissing his depression and humiliation. "I'm always glad to be of help."

Again a wave of uneasy silence came, and Ivan realized how close they really were. He took a quick step away from Maddie, breaking her grip.

"Well, shall we set out?" Ivan asked.

"Sounds great, Ivan," Maddie said, a slight connotation in her words that Ivan didn't understand. At the moment, he shrugged it off and started to lead the way down the mountain.

"Wait," Maddie called, suddenly stopping. "Can I take a look around here first? I've never been here; we don't even know where we're going."

Ivan paused, thought, and realized she was right. "Where are we supposed to go?" he asked himself.

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea," Ivan said, jogging back to Maddie's side. "If you weren't assigned anywhere to go, and I wasn't either, perhaps we're just supposed to wander around?"

"Maybe," Maddie replied slowly, apparently thinking of a more rational answer. "I think it might just be some time for us to get the hang of all this – but isn't it amazing?" She gestured out over the vast space of the island.

"Yeah, and now we're in charge of protecting it."

"Just us?"

"As far as I know. Just us."

Ivan watched Maddie fall into thought. He realized what she must have been thinking of as well. They were the two people, out of all humanity, chosen to defend the Digital world all alone. One was male, the other female. It seemed more than a little suggestive. It was not a thought that he was necessarily opposed to, but he was thoroughly inexperienced in any manner of a relationship with a girl his age. Shaking his head, he continued.

"Don't worry about it, we'll only be working together until we get to know our surroundings."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," Maddie replied, shaking her head to rid herself of her thoughts.

Ivan thought for a moment, ultimately deciding upon letting Maddie decide on where to go. "Well, Maddie, where would you like to head out to? See anywhere you want to investigate?"

Maddie's eyes roamed over the space below them. She then looked up at Ivan. "I'm not sure; I'm just happy to stay here for now, I suppose. I mean, we have the best vantage point of everything, right?"

"Good point," Ivan said, taking a look out over the space below. "And I suppose we ought to get acquainted, too, if we're gonna work together,"

"Alright, then I'll start," Maddie said, walking to the center of the mountaintop and sitting down. "My name's Madelyn Altair, I'm twelve years old since last September. I lived in California and had a boyfriend for the past three months. We broke up a month ago, though. I was all right in school. I especially enjoy sciences; I can't stand English. My parents never got along, and it always made me feel bad. I went to live with my aunt though, so then it wasn't bad. Then I got an E- mail, and it eventually brought me here. I love to run and do just about any other physical activity; my parents always said I have too much energy. I like the outdoors, but indoors are fun, too. I love to act in theater and, above all, I love life!" Maddie paused, seeming quite out of breath. "You?" she concluded.

Ivan, a bit surprised by the tumble of words Maddie had let out, took a second to start, "Well. I'm Ivan Ishara, I'm 12 years old, and I've lived in California for as long as I can remember. I've never had a girlfriend, nor really cared for one. School's never a challenge; I aced most all of my courses. I always enjoy math, but I find History an extreme bore. My parents both died, and I lived with my Grandma and Grandpa for a while. Then I got an E-mail, too. I'm really into hiking and exploring; working with computers is always fun, too. I love outside and inside, and I especially enjoy acting, impressions, and comedy, nearly anything in Drama. And, of course, life rocks!" a moment of hurried breathing followed before Ivan regained his poise and continued, "Would you mind telling me why you had me do a cartwheel? I'd never have someone I meet do acrobatics like that."

"Oh, that," Maddie said with a nervous laugh. "That's something I came up with back in the Real World with some of my friends. We're all very insane, you see, so we decided on coming up with some wacky way for greeting people. We invented all kinds of little stories and actions to do as a way of showing emotion to one another. For instance," Maddie stood and walked over to Ivan, holding her hand up as far as it could be stretched. She then brought it down with a crisp 'thwack' sound upon Ivan's head, causing the boy to recoil. "That is an expression of affection."

"I see," Ivan said, rubbing his head. "Well, couldn't you just hug the person or something?"

"I could," Maddie said slowly. She then continued, "But where's the originality in that? Or the fun? That little tactic not only shows affection, but gets some very amusing reactions out of people."

"If that's how you show affection, I don't even want to know what your love for someone would feel like."

"Well, one person got to experience it."

"Oh? Was that your former boyfriend?"

"Former indeed. Jason, the boy, was someone I really wish I hadn't gotten upset." Maddie's eyes seemed to falter, her expression changed from the carefree shade it had been. A dour expression was brought on by her memory of Jason. Maddie turned quickly, walking over to the edge of the mountain. She sat down in silence, dangling her legs over the edge.

Ivan, unsure of what to do, took a hesitated for a moment before moving to Maddie's side. He sat down beside her. He'd never really needed to comfort anyone; it was often the other way around. Nevertheless, as his arm instinctively ran itself around Maddie's slender shoulders, it felt right to him. In fact, nothing had ever given him quite the same feeling. The feeling was only enhanced as Maddie's head slid down onto Ivan's shoulder. Ivan noticed that Maddie seemed ready to cry, as if tears were on the verge of being free. Again, Ivan was unsure of what to do, but decided that his instincts had led him thus far, and he hoped they would guide him once again. Taking a deep breath, he spoke.

"What made your experiences with Jason so terrible? I mean, if you're cheerful enough to smack a person on the head upon meeting them, what could be so traumatic that you'd be ready to cry?"

At the mention of Jason's name, Maddie's tears could no longer be restrained. Streaming down her cheeks, Maddie's sobs consumed her with the horrible memories. So vividly imbued in her memory, they ran through her again and again.

Ivan, for all of his knowledge and experience, was completely oblivious as to how a boyfriend could have such a negative effect. He was determined to find out, however, in order to ensure that he never did such things to anyone. After all, being Guardian, Ivan felt he needed to know all he could about the negative forces in the world in order to better combat them. Running his hand up and down Maddie's arm, Ivan did his best to comfort the crying girl, but to little avail. Only time's flow brought her tears to a halt. Maddie wiped her eyes, looking up into Ivan's eyes. "Thanks," she said, appreciation resonating in her voice. "No one's ever done that for me."

Ivan smiled inwardly. He'd done it right. Still holding Maddie in his arms, Ivan asked, "Can you tell me about your boyfriend now? I'd really like to learn about him, what he did, if that's alright. But if you don't want to, that's-"

"No, it's fine," Maddie said, cutting him off. "It helps to talk about it. But promise you won't laugh at me or get angry if I cry again, Okay?"

"I promise, I wouldn't ever laugh or be angry with you if you cry again."

"Thanks. So, where to begin? I suppose I should start when I met him. It must have been six months ago now. Six months. I can't believe I was with him for less than six months. It felt like an eternity; an unforgiving, painful, and depressing eternity.

"I met Jason at the end of my fifth grade school year. He was in sixth grade, a friend of a friend. We were both a bit young for a relationship then, I know that now, but we were just out to have fun with one another. It felt really good to have a guy around; I didn't want to leave Jason for anything.

"We spent lots of time together over the summer – nearly every day. I loved to be with him. He was big and strong for his age and very protective of me, at least in the beginning. We would go to the mall, go out for pizza, play at the park, or just walk around. And each evening he'd walk home with me, making sure I got home safely, even if it wasn't much of a walk to make. He was also very sympathetic about my parents, who had abuse problems and are now in jail. Then Jason started to get more serious.

"It was probably a month or so into the relationship that Jason started showing signs of abuse. When we went to hang out, he purposefully excluded my other friends. He tried to get me to spend time only with him, and I, being my naïve self, went along with it. He said he loved me, didn't he mean it?

"Then Jason started to use verbal abuse. It began with little things: the clothes I wore were too conservative, my hairstyle was too bland, or my earrings weren't the right color. I changed according to what he said. What else would I have done? I wanted to please him so badly. But even after I changed what he asked, more things came up, and I changed to fit those requirements, too.

"It was in the beginning of August that the physical abuse began. It, like everything else, started small. Grasping my hand too tightly when we walked down the street, pushing me through a doorway, and hurting me when he hugged me became commonplace. He, of course, passed it off as being the natural way for a guy to act and that he only did it to show me that he wanted me to be safe. Then he started to be more violent: he pushed me more, hit me in the arm, and threw me into the walls at the library or to the ground at the park whenever he was angry. I had so many bruises. I was worried my guardians would see, but they never found out. I just accepted my beatings as treatment for something I'd done to displease Jason. And each time, he would always put on a little show of affection afterwards, intending to fool anyone who had seen what happened to me. It also reassured me of his love for me, and that his abusing me was something I'd earned. He was really trying to love me despite my flaws.

"After one particularly painful experience, I didn't want to go home for fear that my aunt would see the black and blue in my arm. Jason invited me to stay at his house, but I couldn't go. If he was bold enough to hurt me in public, I don't want to know what he had planned for time we had alone. I trusted him only so far, and his beatings had been getting harsher to the point that I didn't feel safe being alone with him. I ended up going to a friend's house, thankfully. If I hadn't gone to her for help, I may not have made it this far. See, Jason had planned for me to be hurt that day and for me to want to go to his house. He'd set up a special bed – a bed for two people. He also had a knife under his pillow. This was all disclosed after the police reported him. But I'm getting ahead of myself; let me go back to my friend's house.

"After leaving Jason at the park, I ran to my friend's house. Luckily, she answered the door. She gasped as she saw my arm, and then pulled me to her room. She closed the door before turning to me and asking what had happened. I told her everything I just told you: the psychological abuse, the verbal abuse, and the physical abuse. I found myself defending what Jason had done, too. I may have been in pain, but I still felt that I was the one at fault, not him. It probably was me. But my friend, Lucy, said Jason was wrong to hurt me; I hadn't done anything wrong. She also said she could get me out of the pain and suffering. I didn't believe her about it being Jason's fault, but if she had a way for me to redeem myself and make Jason happy as I had in June, I was ready to go along with it. However, all she did was record my testimony.

"I slept over that night, and the next morning I woke up to find her on the phone, the recording playing. She was relaying my speech to the police. It was only a few hours before we got a return call stating that Jason had been apprehended, his room searched, and the knife found in the queen-size bed. Jason didn't admit to any of the abuse charges, but witness accounts were enough to get him convicted to 10 years in juvenile detention, and later to prison, for his wrongdoing. The trail verdict came in on August 29, only a few short months after I met him.

"People kept telling me it wasn't my fault, but how could it not be? I've never worn clothes that are in style, like Jason asked. I was the one who was naïve about how to act. I was the one who thought a relationship didn't take work. He abused me with good reason; I know he did. He may have been a bit harsh, but I deserved it. It hurt, but I couldn't do anything right. He did all the adapting for me that he could. My dad abused my mom to keep her in line, isn't that how all relationships work? Both people have to find a meeting point, or the relationship won't work. I guess I'm just like my mother; I'm not able to find that halfway point. Now Jason has to spend 10 years of his life behind bars. Ten years. His entire childhood will be gone; he'll have none of the opportunities that normal kids get. I suppose being here is my punishment for sending him to jail; I have to fight for my childhood now, missing life's opportunities just like him. It's fair enough, I suppose, but I still feel so terrible about sending Jason to jail. He won't ever forgive me for that. I can only hope that he won't be after me." Maddie's eyes teared up again, memories returning to her in their precise detail.

Ivan was completely awestruck by Maddie's experience. He couldn't comprehend how any child, especially one so kind and innocent as Maddie, could go through such a traumatic event and still think that she was the one who had been at fault. Ivan was no expert on abuse, but he knew that to hurt another person was wrong, regardless of the reasoning. And somehow, this boy, this Jason came along and completely corrupted the girl's mind into thinking the opposite. True, it would be an effective tactic for controlling someone, but having both parties happy would have induced a more positive effect on the relationship in general.

Ivan looked down at Maddie, who appeared so small and defenseless. Resting against him, her arms wound around him as she continued to cry. Ivan put his arms around her, doing what his instincts told him to do in an effort to calm the brown-haired girl. After a few moments, the sobs slowed, and then subsided completely. Maddie's head rose from Ivan's wet shoulder. She smiled, taking her hand and wiping at his shirt ineffectively. "I'm sorry about that," she said softly, her thoughts still stuck on her past. Taking another deep breath, Ivan decided on what to say to Maddie, hoping that he could give her a different perspective.

"Maddie, it's OK; don't worry about the shirt. It's you that I'm worried about." Maddie looked down, studying the shoes Ivan wore. Ivan continued, "You have such an unusual view on how a guy should treat you, when it should be the exact opposite. No guy, no matter how old he is or what he thinks, ever has the right to treat you inadequately. Boys who do that are only looking for enjoyment for themselves, not for their partner. Such self-centered beliefs are what make people commit crime, take advantage of the less fortunate, and abuse people they see as inferiors.

"You never did anything wrong Maddie, except perhaps be obedient to what Jason said. But that isn't something you had control over. His abuse methods were done in such a way that your self-esteem was broken down to only a fraction of what it was. Without your self-esteem, your willpower faded and you became more accepting of events, accepting as your fault when they aren't. You never did anything wrong, Maddie. Jason was the one who controlled you, made you think the way he thought, and made you do what he wanted you to do. You were never naïve on how to act in a relationship, you never thought the relationship was something to be taken for granted, and you certainly never wore the wrong clothes. Those are simply things that you can't do wrong in a relationship, especially when you show as much love and affection as you do. Whenever he said you did something wrong, he was lying. You're simply too nice to be worthy of anger. Even with the cartwheel, and the smack, I still think you're a great person. I know what you did wasn't intended to be mean, but for fun. Perhaps it was perverse fun, but still fun. If Jason couldn't see that in you and felt that what you did was meant to be mean, then I pity him for his ignorance and lack of acceptance.

"I know you still think Jason was right; that you did everything wrong, and that Jason's flawless. I also understand why you think that. But you need to take at least some of the blame off of your shoulders, as it isn't you that's responsible for his actions. Jason had the right to choose to hurt you or to love you every time he got upset. He chose to hurt you, and that was the wrong choice. Some things don't have a right or wrong, but treatment of people does. You can't be abusive to a person – it's wrong. It hurts both people involved: the abuser is hurt as all actions have consequences, and the abused because of the abuser's actions.

"It's the same for your parents. Your father never had any right to treat your mother like that. Your mother never committed any crime, and even if she did, it's not your father's job to judge and convict. I understand that in the past, it has been commonplace for the male to be the dominant figure. But now times have changed, and women have the same rights as men, the rights that they should have been granted in the beginning. Abusers of females are often men who view women as inferiors, still living in the past of male supremacy. It is these same people that view Africans, Hispanics, and other cultures as subordinate to white Europeans. They're wrong.

"All humans have equal rights on the planet. There is no reason for any one type of human to be superior to other types. Why should a man be more important than a woman? Is it not the woman who goes through the challenges of raising a child? What is to keep a woman from becoming as strong as a man? Or take another race. Why should Africans be put down? Have they ever been offensive to us? Have they not held many peaceful assemblies in hopes of equality, only resorting to violence in extreme conditions? People cannot be categorized. People are not of a set, black or white, nor male or female, that is uniform. People are individuals; people are unique; people are special. It is this individuality, this uniqueness, this specialty that makes people not inferior or subordinate to one another, but equal in the sense that although he may have the strength, she may have the agility, or that he may have the charisma while she has the intelligence.

"I don't expect you to agree with me. That's fine. I just want you to know that what Jason did was not something I could accept out of any of my friends, and that if I ever take such an action towards you or anyone else, I'll be sure to put myself in the jail cell right along with Jason. I'm not going to be a hypocrite. I say that I should treat all people with equality, and I plan to treat you just as I would treat any of my other friends back in the Real World. If you will do me the honor of simply treating me as you would your friend Lucy, or any other friend from the Real World, I'd be very happy. Although I understand it would be different with a boyfriend, the principles are the same with a friend. If we can have a good time and work together on whatever our assignment turns out to be, then I think you'll begin to see that it is possible for a boy and girl to have a perfectly fine time with no need for any abusive actions on either side."

Maddie dropped her arms and sat looking out over the Digital landscape in stunned silence for a long while. Ivan also receded, dangling his arms at his side and looking outward. Slowly closing his eyes, Ivan's thoughts fluttered on to possible responses. There was one in which Maddie jumped into his arms. In a second possibility, Maddie left him there, completely disgusted by what he had said. Another showed him with Maddie's hand holding his own, still sitting on the ledge. A sudden sensation in his hand brought Ivan out of his daydream. Looking down at Maddie, he saw her smiling up at him.

"Okay," She said. "I may not completely believe you, but I'm willing to give it a try. I'll treat you just as I would any other friend. In fact, I think you've had quite a friendly impact on me already. No one else has ever been so comforting for me when I retold that part of my life. After all, you seem like a good guy; I doubt you'd be the Guardian of Hope and Light otherwise." Maddie's willingness made Ivan smile back at the brown-haired girl.

Squeezing her hand, he said, "Okay then, we'll give it a shot. It may be a while until we get a chance to see other people, or indeed even each other once we start regular assignments. Best to make the most of this time before we have our tragic separation for all eternity, right?" Ivan finished with an extreme melodramatic flourish.

"Right," Maddie said with a chuckle, squeezing Ivan's hand in return. Maddie rested her head on Ivan's shoulder again, although not for comfort as before, but for some reason that he couldn't quite understand. But he didn't complain as the same comforting and warm feeling returned to him, looking out over the Digital World with Maddie's hand in his own.

Ivan still felt as though Maddie's hand was in his own as he walked down the path. If anything troubled him, he just remembered those blissful times. True, he still had to fully convince Maddie that she had been completely free of wrongdoing in her relationship, but she had been friendly ever since. She seemed almost confused by the way Ivan treated her: completely gentle and void of violent words or actions. This was most likely due to her past experiences, but Ivan thought that there must have been some example for Maddie in her childhood; some really good, proper example of how two people should interact. But if there had not been such an example, Maddie did have an idea of how to be nice to people. Ivan worked with that, showing Maddie as best he could from his own experience how to add onto what she knew, rather than let her become an abusive person herself. He hoped that if he kept working with her, she would realize that she was free of guilt with Jason, and that he, Ivan, was the one who truly loved her. Moreover, he hoped that she loved him in return.

Ivan was still off in his daydream when Maddie snuck up behind him. He had been walking in such a way that Maddie knew he was daydreaming yet again, creating the perfect opportunity for her to catch him unaware. She certainly loved the boy for all of his kind words and gentle actions, but the reactions she got when she surprised the brown-haired Guardian were moments to be cherished.

Maddie walked in stride behind Ivan, carefully mimicking him. Making a sign to the others to keep quiet, she put arms in a hoop around Ivan's waist. She took care to not touch him and alert him of her presence. Then Maddie pulled in sharply on her arms, pressing her head against his back as well. Ivan, taken completely by surprise, lurched forward. Maddie took the opportunity to jump up onto Ivan's back, rearranging her arms around his neck and bracing her legs around his waist to keep her on his back. The added weight nearly forced Ivan to his knees, and invariably caused him to drop the duffel bag. But, after regaining his stature, Ivan as able to walk as he had before.

"And that," Maddie called back with a flourish, "is how we mount an Ivan!" The whole scene brought the rest of the group to their knees in laughter, and soon even Ivan was laughing. Maddie whispered something in Ivan's ear, unheard by anyone else, and the only response was a nod. Ivan then turned around to speak to the others.

"TK, would you mind taking the duffel bag for a distance?" TK nodded and walked forward, shouldering the black bag before walking back to Kari. "Alright; we've still got some ground to cover before lunch. Let's get going." Then turning again, Ivan continued down the path. Maddie moved herself to face Ivan, her arms and legs still grappling him. Ivan braced his arms as a seat for the girl, which she used gratefully. Maddie then rested her head against Ivan's shoulder, hoping to regain some of the sleep she had lost last night.

The hours stretched on, the path winding along the river and flanked on both sides by the great digital forest. Ivan's mind was again drawn to think of the brown-haired girl in his arms, but this time he kept himself alert. Maddie had shown how lost his daydreams could make him. Had the path turned sharply, he surely would have continued walking until he hit a tree. More importantly, if an ambush had taken place, his lack of consciousness could have been fatal. Thus Ivan kept his eyes to the path, humming softly to himself as well as to the girl whom he carried.

A clearing came into view as the group came around another bend of the road. Surveying the area, Ivan decided on using the spot as a rest point. "Feel free to relax," He said. "We've covered most of today's ground. We have some free time today. Judging by the light coming through the trees, I'd say we have a couple hours in which to have some fun." Ivan then whispered into Maddie's ear, rousing her from sleep. Setting her down carefully, Ivan proceeded to retrieve the duffel bag from TK.

Maddie, still sleepy from her nap, went over to the river to wash her face and to wake herself up. She never would have guessed how comfortable a boy's shoulder could be for a pillow. She made a note to ask to use it again. Splashing water onto her face, she shook her head, dismissing the childish thought. Surely she wouldn't want to use some boy's shoulder as a pillow. One filled with foam or feathers was far more fitting. Then again, this was no ordinary boy whom had held her and carried her over miles of the hike. Perhaps it was that, despite the fact that a generic pillow was more comfortable, she had enjoyed being with Ivan because of her feelings for him. Perhaps love could induce feelings of comfort and safety, regardless of the circumstances. The thought made her feel warm and tingly inside, just as she did when Ivan held her like that, or when he slept beside her. She got the sensation even when he held her hand. She realized that it was true; love could bring peace to chaos.

Ivan worked steadily at preparing the meal. Dismissing the others, he insisted that they enjoy themselves while they could and that he would take care of lunch for the day. Only after they left did Ivan realize that their supplies were scarce. To make it through the next couple of days would be difficult without more supplies. Leaving the campsite under the watch of Houndramon, Ivan went off into the woods in search of the needed ingredients.

Hiking along, Ivan was unable to find what he required. "Well, what else could I make?" He asked himself, looking around. "I don't see any Winolar herbs, so Winolar stew is out of the question. There's no Ifergracis either. Where is everything?" Ivan continued on, hoping to find some edible resources. However, everywhere he looked, the area was void of food, and the trees only became denser around him.

"This isn't working," Ivan said, shaking his head. After thinking for a moment, Ivan decided on trying to muster up a meal from the food still in the bag. Turning to go back to camp, Ivan found he wasn't quite sure where the camp was. All the trees looked identical to one another, and there were no landmarks to show him where he had come from. "How could I have been so stupid?" Ivan scolded himself. This forest, enchanted with magic, was certain to cause trouble if one wasn't careful. Ivan had been careless, and now found that he was in trouble.

"What can I do now?" Ivan said, leaning against a tree as he thought aloud. "I could try my luck running through the woods, hoping to come upon the camp, or I could try calling out for help. But the path I made was too twisted to follow back, and the forest is too dense for my voice to carry far. What can I do?" It only took a moment for is question to be answered, as a voice drifted down to his ears.

"Well, you could just give up," the voice said, thin and rasping. I sounded almost like a snake, slithering about his ankles.

Kicking off of the tree, Ivan swung around and scanned the forest wildly for the source of the noise. A glint of steel was all that was visible as the sword passed from its sheath to his hand, ready for use.

"My, my," the voice said, echoing all around Ivan. "Aren't we feisty today? I come merely to talk to you." The drawling voice put Ivan's nerves on end. Something in the voice made his blood chill.

"What do you want?" Ivan called out, not letting his apprehension show. Still gazing around and above, he was thoroughly perplexed about where the voice came from.

"To talk, I said. I just want to talk."

"About what?"

"Well, a few things. First, I'd like to offer you a deal."

"A deal?" Ivan's apprehension only doubled as he heard this.

"Yes, a deal," the voice whispered in it's condescending, slithery tone. "You say you're lost and don't have a way to get back to your friends. Well, I can get you back to them, if you'd like. All you would have to do is pay a small fee."

"A fee of what?" Ivan asked, defiance in his voice.

"Well, that is your choice. I have a hungry pet to feed, and it especially enjoys people. He's been watching you and your friends and it would like to sample the selection, shall we say. Now, I have you completely cut off from your friends and thus I hold you in complete control. I could let my beastly pet run rampant over your friends, but I am a kind and generous soul. Therefore, I am allowing you the choice. Go back to your friends as I instruct, then select one of your number for me to give to my pet. If you go against my edict, I will merely take your entire party for my friend. It is for your benefit that I give you the choice. What do you wish to do?"

Silence was all that could be heard for a long time. Ivan's eyes dropped to the ground. Now he was in a worse fix than before. For all he knew his friends could be in danger at that moment. Then he started to chuckle to himself. His downward gaze had caught his necklace, hanging about his neck and pulsing lightly. Why it never occurred to him before he did not know, but it registered in his mind now and he knew what he had to do.

"Well, my dear friend, I'm afraid I'll have to decline your generous offer," Ivan said calmly. "I could never part with any of my friends, so I will say good-bye to you now. Have a pleasant day." With that, Ivan grasped the pendant in his hand, reciting his age-old phrase. The voice yelled something at Ivan as his transformation began, but was drowned out by the tranquility brought by Ivani. Instantly, light exploded from the gem and engulfed his body. A moment later, Ivani stood in the clearing. The forest still pressed in about him, but by launching himself upwards with the energy rockets, Ivan located his campsite. However, Ivan first scanned the forest for some probable food. It was hard to see from so far above, but Ivan did manage to locate a small patch of Juntama bushes, the fruit of which was delectable. Setting down by the bushes, Ivan collected a bunch of the small fruits in his arms. He then leapt back into the air, this time returning to the camp.

Houndramon still lay in the middle of the camp, and Maddie had returned for a nap during her off time. Filmaramon had become a blanket, keeping Maddie warm as she slept. Gatomon and Patamon had also gotten the hint, asleep under a tree opposite of Houndramon. TK and Kari, however, were nowhere to be seen. Ivani dropped the fruit gently onto the grass and reverted.

Houndramon padded over to Ivan as the boy returned to his cooking duties. "Where'd you go that required Dragoon energy?" He asked, sitting on his hindquarters by Ivan.

"Well, I got lost. That forest can be more perplexing than I imagined. Then I decided on taking to the air to find food, which worked well enough," Ivan gestured to the large pile of Juntama fruit. "That'll make a delicious stew, won't it?"

"Indeed it will," Houndramon said, snagging one of the small fruits in his teeth. "I've always enjoyed the tart flavor of these little morsels." Houndramon finished, munching on the soft sphere.

"Houndramon," Ivan said with a chuckle, shaking his head. "Never can resist the temptations of food can you?"

"Well come on, dogs are supposed to eat whatever food is placed in front of them, right? I have to go through with at least some of my fuzzy, doggy qualities. Food is one of the more enjoyable parts of my life, so I like to put my emphasis there." Finishing with an affirmative nod, Houndramon returned to his resting spot. Shaking his head again, Ivan returned to his duties. He peeled the Juntamas and mashed up the few remaining Valancis herbs, quite potent in their sweet flavor. Ivan then found his gaze drifting to the girl asleep nearby. Seeing her only brought back his fears about what the voice he heard had said. He had refrained from telling Houndramon, in order to not alarm him, but he was still worried about Maddie's safety. Should anything happen to her, he wasn't sure what he would do.

TK looked out over the landscape before him. Never before did her remember seeing such a beautiful sight in the Digital World. Granted, most of the time he was there was spent running or fighting. Now that he took time out to look at it all, having such an extraordinary vantage point opened up a whole new aspect of the Digital World to him. The trees, covering the vast plain, amazed his eye, and the stream, how it cut through the green, yellow, and orange with a bright stripe of blue was indescribably stunning. Then again, all that he saw was nothing in comparison to the beautiful girl who rested her head against his chest. Indeed, the view was incredible, but it didn't matter what he could see over the ledge; all that mattered to TK was that Kari did return his feelings for her, fully and passionately. His arms, wrapped around her waist, gave her a loving squeeze as he rested his head on top of hers.

"A beautiful view, isn't it?" Kari said to TK, looking up into eyes.

"It certainly is," TK, staring back at Kari. She blushed when she realized what he meant, looking back out over the landscape.

"Thanks, Takeru," she said, quietly.

"What for?" he asked. She turned to face him, once again locking her gaze with his.

"For being you," She said simply, placing her hands on his. "For always being there for me, for always protecting me, watching over me, and caring about me so much. No one else has ever been so devoted to me. I've never felt this way about anyone but you, Takeru. I love you; I really do." She hesitated for a moment, but TK took the initiative for her. He tilted Kari's head back, kissing her lips briefly. He then pulled her head to his chest, resting his own head on top of hers again.

"You're welcome, Kari. I love you, too, more than I could ever put into words. I never want to leave you and I never plan to. I'll be with you always, my love, and nothing can change how I feel about you." TK pressed his lips to Kari's head. Kari felt her body weaken in his embrace, her body melting into TK's. She tightened her arms, keeping his arms against her, as if in fear that he may be taken away. TK's arms rubbed her stomach, holding her close. The two stayed in the loving embrace for several minutes before TK loosened his grip to look into Kari's crimson eyes.

"I think we ought to head back soon, Kari," he said, regret in his voice. "The others will probably be getting worried about us soon."

"Do we have to?" Kari pouted, looking up longingly into TK's eyes. "Can't we just stay here together forever? I'm happy just sitting here with you."

"I know, Kari, and so am I. However, we don't want Tai or your parents to completely freak out on us. We'll have to get back sooner or later: I'm getting hungry." TK said the last part as a sheepish afterthought, suddenly realizing that it had been several hours since he had last eaten. Kari gave TK such a look that he nearly laughed at the mixed amusement and frustration in her eyes.

"Oh, you," she said in mock frustration, gently shoving his shoulders. Then her puppy-dog look of desire returned, and she climbed on top of TK. "Ten more minutes?" she said softly into his ear, hoping to be alone with him for a little longer.

Her soft, beautiful, and pleading eyes told him he couldn't go against her. "Alright," he said, smiling at her. "I suppose we can spend a little while longer here."

"Hurray!" Kari screamed, straddling him to the ground. TK looked up into her eyes, surprised. "How about we make the most of that time?" she said, a slight tone of mischief in her voice. TK was shocked by what he heard, but after thinking for a moment, calmed himself down.

"Sure," he said, wrapping his arms around Kari's waist once again.

Kari wasted no time in reconnecting her lips to TK's. The loving warmth of his lips pulled her to him with irresistible force. The next ten minutes gave Kari the most wonderful feeling she had ever experienced. TK's arms held her firmly, as they joined their lips together again and again, renewing their love and compassion for one another each time they touched. Kari never wanted the sensations to stop, to let go of TK, nor to be taken from his compassionate embrace. She loved having TK in her arms and his arms around herself. Nothing had ever brought her so much love and comfort.

Likewise, TK had never experienced such pleasure in his life. Kari's warm lips against his own charged him unlike anything else. Her soft, agile body pressed against his own, dazzling his senses. Her arms massaged his sides, pulling him up to her warm body as he mirrored the pull on her. Again and again, he kissed his beloved. He never wanted to be taken from Kari, or to have Kari taken away from him. The emotions only caused him to hold the girl tighter, hoping to extract every ounce of adoration and affection that he could in the short time they had alone.

The full ten minutes passed, followed by five more before Kari realized that they had been making out for well over the expected time. Her stomach twisted unpleasantly. Pulling away a bit from TK, she looked again into his eyes. Her breathing was heavy, yet she smiled in spite of her fatigue. "Ready to head back yet?" she asked, the same mischievous tone in her voice.

"No," TK admitted, gently raising a hand to brush Kari's hair behind her ear. "However, I believe that I won't ever be ready to go back. It's simply something we have to do." He kissed Kari one last time before lifting her up off of himself. Then, standing beside Kari, he helped her to her feet. "How about you, Kari; are you ready to go back?"

"I'll be ready to go anywhere with you," she whispered in his ear, lacing her arm around his. TK smiled at her as she rested her head against his shoulder. Then, leading her back along the path to the camp from the viewing ledge they had discovered, TK felt his emotion for Kari burn stronger than ever before, making his chest feel as if it would burst. The feeling was new, yet he found it strangely familiar. His only prayer was that he could have the feeling stay. He tightened his grip on Kari's arm, a sign to himself that he was steadfast in his meaning and would always carry out his promise to the girl at his side.

"There you are," Ivan said to TK and Kari as they walked up out of the woods on his right. Both blushed slightly, knowing the secret they hid from the others. Reflexively, they pulled their arms apart in an attempt to not give away their relationship.

"Don't worry about it," Ivan said soothingly. "I knew it was bound to happen sooner or later, Maddie had a feeling. She is the Medic of Courage and Love, after all. She's got great insight in the field from all her experiences. I've been kind of hoping it would happen here anyway. It was one of our unspoken reasons for not trying to fly to the next transportation TV. It wasn't the only reason," Ivan quickly added at seeing TK and Kari's shocked faces. "Just a minor factor is all. But aren't you glad we did it?" TK and Kari shared a sideways glance before nodding, linking their arms once again. "I figured," Ivan said with a slanted grin, returning to his meal preparation.

Now nearly complete, the food gave off a delicious odor. Houndramon had returned to Ivan's side, sitting on his haunches and staring longingly at the pot. Ivan gave him an amused look of mock-sternness. Houndramon in turn sheepishly lowered his head, his ears drooping to his side. The other members had also been roused by the smell of the food, slowly reviving from slumber. TK and Kari sat down across from Ivan, hand in hand.

A few minutes later, the food was finally served, much to the delight of the group members. The food was indeed worth the wait, as everyone enjoyed the great flavors and piquant spices tremendously. The only thing missing was the first-class desert. However, Ivan promised a special desert once they got to Secondary Village. After the delectable meal, Ivan and Maddie quickly washed the dishes and packed them away into the duffel bag once again. Houndramon took care of extinguishing the fire, and it took only a few moments for everyone to be ready to go.

"Well, now that everyone's fed and watered, shall we be off?" Ivan asked, throwing the duffel bag strap over his shoulder. A unanimous nod ran around the party. "Very well then. Only tonight's journey remains in this forest. Before you know it, we'll be in Secondary Village." With that, Ivan turned sharply and led the party to the path once again, guiding the way to their destination, now so close on the horizon. However, the voice Ivan had heard earlier still reverberated through his head, like a shadow blanketing the coming day.