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Author's Note: Revised version of "Tai's Truth Unfolds" (old title for chapter). Meant to be a prelude for the sequel, but am not sure if sequel will ever be published. Enjoy.

Love Knows No Bounds
Bind 10: Unfolding Truth

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"So, what are we suppose to do?" Miyako inquired, trying to catch someone's eye. Disliking the awkward silence, she tried to adjust herself onto the squashy bus seat, sitting beside Ken. The Chosen Children all rode the bus, together heading towards the old football campsite. Late at night, no one else sat on the bus, luckily for the Children. They did not want a crowd to stare at them. It was enough already to have the bus driver giving the Chosen Children a funny glance. The Children had decided that he was a little suspicious of them, since they were only kids riding a bus late at night. What adult would not suspect that?

"Well, seeing that this is the same cycle that Ken went through, we'll find Takeru, convince him that we're on his side, and then try to eliminate the Darkness in him," Taichi planned bluntly, looking out the window blankly. He sat alone, Yamato sitting in from him and Sora diagonally from him. He didn't seem to be paying any attention to the group or to anything else for that matter. Taichi was deep in thought, thinking. 'The Darkness—we can't give it anymore chances,' he sighed. 'I thought, after all that's happened, it would let go of Takeru, but I was wrong again. Maybe—maybe it's not the Darkness we have to eliminate but—ah, I shouldn't worry—it doesn't matter now.'

The Chosen Children looked at Taichi and then to each other, all surprised. Something bothered Taichi; and from the looks of his calm, placid appearance, the thought in Taichi's mind was very disturbing. "Taichi, are you okay?" Koushiro asked worriedly, popping his head above behind Taichi's seat.

"Yeah, sure. Why is it you ask?" Yagami asked blankly, turning his attention back to the group. Taichi's eyes were dark chocolate brown, the usual happy, cheerful spark within them dead; and when the other Chosen Children looked into their leader's eyes, they saw nothing but forever: an endless and empty eternity.

"Well, Taichi—you seem, well, different," Yamato responded, turning around to face Taichi.

His friend raised a curious brow. "Different?"

"Yeah, different. Like how you know so much more about this situation than any one of us," Jyou put in, turning around from across the aisle. "You also seem, well, how can I put this? You don't seem as passionate about fighting like you usually are." The oldest Chosen Child looked around as if to gain everyone's assurance. In turn, everyone gave him a nod. "When one of us are in danger, you're the one person who's so determined, caring, and optimistic that makes the rest of want to go on," Jyou continued, "but now, it's different. You're so worried about something else that you don't have that fire you've always had."

"Jyou is right, Taichi. You're not the same," Mimi added, sitting beside Jyou.

Taichi looked down and away from the group. He had not known that he was completely apparent. 'So they've noticed, huh? But now what are you going to tell them? You obviously can't tell them the truth,' he groaned inwardly. 'Worse things than this situation will come if you do. You can't tell them a lie, either; Yamato's sitting in front of you! He'd know in one second flat that you were lying—well, I guess it's better to say nothing about it.' There was complete silence on the bus as the Chosen Children waited for their leader's answer. When Taichi realized that he HAD to respond, he sighed.

'They don't understand, and they shouldn't. They don't know what we're going up against,' the leader thought with a sad smile. 'Either way, it's me that we're going to have to sacrifice, all to save the others. And to keep them from finding out the truth, I will die.'

"Takeru and I, we have a lot in common. I just know what Takeru is going through right now," Taichi replied after a moment, watching the scenery that could be seen in the black of night as they drove by. Yamato stared at his best friend with a quizzical look in his sapphire eyes.

"Do you care to explain? You know, elaborate in some way?"

"How would you like your deepest, darkest secret known to everyone?" Taichi asked coldly in response. Everyone turned away from Taichi right then, all except for Yamato, who stared with fury at Taichi directly in his brown eyes.

"Taichi, he's my little brother. I want to know what's going on with him. I want to know how I can help him. No, I need to know how to help him," Yamato replied firmly. "I can't just sit here and do nothing to help Takeru! That would drive me insane!"

"You can help him as you helped Sora and yourself," Taichi replied blandly, staring without expression at Yamato.

The blond young man felt confused. What did Taichi mean by his words? 'Taichi, where are you going with this?' Yamato thought with a frown. At the moment, he did not understand his best friend at all. "What does this have to do with Sora and me?"

"Everything and nothing."

"Quit talking in riddles, Taichi. Talk to me straight," Yamato spat angrily. He was quickly losing patience for his long-time friend. He felt that Taichi spoke ambiguously purposely, to anger and frustrate him. Why?

"I'll talk to you straight," Yagami responded sternly, "when you finally realize that Takeru is having the same problems that you and I faced when we were in the Digital World."

Yamato glared at Taichi, fire burning within the blue-glass orbs. "Taichi, I don't think Takeru has the same kind of problems as I did."

"Oh, do you, now?" Taichi laughed briefly before saying, "Yamato, quit being so blind! Takeru, like all of us had, is going through confusing times where he doesn't realize who he is. You've been there, Yamato. You left our group just to find yourself. You left us just to find YOU." Yamato turned away from Taichi, stung by the accusation. Indirectly, Taichi had just called him a traitor in front of everyone. Yamato shook with fury and rage, his fist by his side trembling.

"I didn't know the meaning of life, my crest, myself. I needed to find myself. I just thought—I thought that if I couldn't help, than I would be in the way," Yamato explained as calmly as he could. His fist trembled beside him. "I had too much negative thoughts and feelings, and if I had stayed it would have just become worse. I would have put in everyone in danger."

Instantly, Taichi responded, "That's exactly what Takeru is feeling. He's feeling those exact same emotions, and a little more. He feels as if no one cares, he is useless, nothing more than a shadow to others. Yamato, as his older brother, just try to be understanding."

"What about Hikari?" Yamato asked in retort. "What's wrong with her? Can't you help her, Taichi?" Taichi sighed.

"She's—Well, I can't say." With a defeated slouch, Taichi placed his head in his hands and released a deep sigh. His sister: what could he say about his little sister? He could not say much about her that he wanted the others to know. "I—I don't think she wants everyone to know how she feels, or what she thinks. She's beginning to close up like Takeru; and I'm not going to let anyone take away Hikari," Taichi finally said when he found the proper words. "Those two are always suffering the same problems, Hikari and Takeru. It's as if they were connected by each other's lifeline." Taichi stared out of the window once more, deep waves of sadness overcoming the look of coldness in Taichi's eyes. "It's all my fault. I should have ended this a long time ago."

Yamato was not sure what Taichi meant. 'Ended it a long time ago? What are you talking about, Taichi? What are you hiding from me, from all of us?' Having nothing more to say, Yamato turned around and retook his seat; Sora continued to stare at Taichi with worry. Ishida frowned, afraid of everything at the current moment. With how he felt, anything could happen—anything being good or bad.

The Child of Friendship growled angrily; he hated being afraid of everything. He hated being scared of anything; but it was his fear that usually kept him level-headed. Fear kept him realistic and reasonable. Yamato stared at Taichi with sad eyes, wondering if his brother-like friend was ever going to tell him what was truly happening.

'Taichi, I won't press the matter now; but this is FAR from over. I don't know when, and I don't know how, but I will find out what is going on,' Yamato swore inwardly. 'Why do I have the feeling that you, my dear friend, are in the middle of all this? What are you hiding from me, Taichi?' Yamato thought sadly, disappointed that Taichi did not trust him enough to tell him. 'Why can't you trust me, Taichi? Why? Aren't I your friend? Don't I know you better than anyone? I know you, Yagami Taichi, better than anyone else, even yourself.'

As Taichi watched the world go by, he could feel Yamato's blue eyes boring into his back. Taichi sighed, knowing that Yamato was upset because of him. 'Yamato, I know you feel hurt. I'm sorry that you think I don't trust you, but it is better that you know as little as possible. I know you want to know, and I know that you worry for everyone. And that is why you must not know. This is why you must not know the truth.'

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