Chapter Seven
Tranquil Love
"Tsubaki, I haven't seen you talking to Taichi in a awhile. Has he been busy?" asked Iori.
Tsubaki stroked Baublemon's fur without answering and Iori just sat down next to her used to it.
"Shizuko hasn't been acting like usual either. I thought it was because of what we found in the digimon cage building, but I don't think that's it. Maybe she misses Touji?" Iori pondered with frown.
After Shizuko had cried on his shoulder that day Motoko appeared in the Jyou's lap, she had been aloof from everyone and often turned away from Iori whenever he tried to talk to her. The strange thing was, he often found her looking at him when she thought he didn't notice.
Suddenly, Tsubaki leaned over Iori and looked him right in the face. He blinked.
"Your eyes..." he whispered startled.
"Do I disgust you?" she whispered her eyes over flowing with tears, and her voice trembling.
"What?"
"Everybody who sees my eyes, they gasp and look away in fear or disgust." Tsubaki explained tearfully. Iori blinked remembering Touji's reaction when Tsubaki looked him straight in the eye and told him to stay away from Motoko.
"Oh, Tsubaki..." Iori whispered. Wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her gently, his cheek against her hair. "If your eyes are strange, it's okay. They make you special, and beautiful in your own way."
"Thank you, Iori." Tsubaki whispered grabbing onto his sleeves. "Taichi was scared of me. As soon as I saw his smile when we were picking our advisors I knew he would see past my eyes, and what they meant...I was wrong."
"What? Taichi? I think you're mistaken, Tsubaki. Is that why you haven't been talking to him anymore?" he asked pulling her away to look at her. She nodded sniffling. "Tell exactly what happened." He said smiling. She smiled faintly, her pale lips still quivering.
"What's going on over there?" asked Melina with a suggestive grin.
"How would I know? Or care?" Shizuko snapped.
"Looks like somebody's got a green eyed monster on their shoulder." Melina 'tsk'ed waving her finger back and forth.
"If that finger gets any closer, the green-eyed monster is going to bite it off."
"Ouch!" Melina cried out mockingly.
"I don't think Tsubaki sees Iori that way." Yukina said suddenly looking up from typing an email to Jyou.
"What? But she just hugged him and looked him in the eye! She doesn't do that with her own family!" Melina replied surprised.
"Because her family is disgusted with her like Touji. Iori didn't even flinch. Well, okay, he did flinch, but at first sight they are pretty surprising." Yukina explained patiently.
"So, what makes you think they aren't getting in on?" Shizuko asked as if it didn't matter.
"One: Tsubaki's reaction to Taichi. Two: Iori didn't kiss her even though they were definitely in kissing range. Three: We all know Iori has a crush on you. Oh, my! Did I just say that?"
"Yukina! I'm going to kill you!" Miyako yelled jumping up.
"I didn't mean to Miyako-san!" Yukina yelped flinching.
"You weren't supposed to say anything!"
"What's going on?" asked Iori walking up holding Tsubaki's hand. Shizuko looked away angry with herself. I have a boyfriend! I shouldn't think about Iori that way. Of course, Touji is a bad guy now. A total liar and almost murderer...
"NOT GOING THERE!" Shizuko yelled out. Everybody looked at her. "What? I have little voices in my head, don't you?" Shizuko asked with a shaky grin and huge sweatdrop.
"Roight." Melina muttered.
"Oh, you too? YAY! I'm not crazy!" Miyako exclaimed happily.
"Let's not crash her hopes." Melina said under her breath.
"Right, where'd you put it again, Tsubaki?" Asked Iori shaking his head, baffled. Tsubaki pointed and he picked up her D3. "Okay, you don't have to do it now. But you have to do it soon. Taichi was probably just startled, like I was." Iori said handing it to her. The others watched interested. "Tsubaki, promise me you'll email him."
"I promise." Tsubaki murmured so quietly he barely caught it. He smiled softly.
"Great, let's get going. Pawmon found a scent by the block building from yesterday. He said it might be from the evil creature that created that...thing." Iori said, turning to the others.
"It smells familiar!" Pawmon said scratching his nose.
"Really?" asked Miyako, her brows snapping together. "Do you know what it is?"
"No..." Pawmon admitted, "but I almost got it...I just need to think..."
"Well, I say we go! We really have nothing else to do. Plus, I'm hungry. You guys get to munch on meat apples, but I have to make do with granola I had stashed in my pocket before we were thrown here. I'm running low." Melina whined dusting off her bottom and scooping up her dozing Lizmon.
"Herbivore." Shizuko said automatically.
"Carnivore! How can you eat those defenseless creatures?" Melina cried with big eyes.
"Most of those defenseless creatures were born and raised on farms that ensure their sacrifice to man." Shizuko sighed rolling her eyes.
"That's disgusting! How would you feel if catfish made human farms? Humans born and raised to be eaten by the catfish population."
"Catfish don't eat people." Miyako said. She frowned uncertainly, "Do they?"
"NO! At least we aren't wiping out the species! We're just making more in a controlled habitat." Shizuko yelled frustrated.
"Would you eat dog?"
"NO!"
"Well then."
"What?"
"Hypocrite!"
"SHOVE IT! You don't make any sense."
"Carnivore."
"Don't worry, they do this all the time." Yukina said with a sweatdrop and a flap of her hand.
"We should keep it down. Who ever Pawmon's tracking will hear us before we get to them." Iori said with a raise of an eyebrow. Shizuko blushed and turned away muttering. Iori blinked. She did again.
"You think Yukina was telling the truth?' Shizuko asked Quimon rubbing her head.
"I guess, why does it matter? I thought you loved Touji?" Quimon pointed out smugly. Do I? I wonder how I feel. I'm so confused. Why in the world am I off my rocker about some squirt half my size? I'm going insane.
"Hey, the forest ended!" Miyako said stopping abruptly.
"Why in the world did you stop?" Melina snapped, wincing at the pain in her butt from falling after bumping into Miyako.
"Because of that." Miyako said raising her hand and pointing.
In front of them rose a long range of mountains, looking from left and right they saw no end. The mountains reached to sky and still they couldn't see the top through the purple clouds. A thin strangling path winded up the mountains and disappeared in the height. Snow blew angry around the mountains and the wind whistled. Yukina shivered instinctively and hugged Finmon close.
"We have to go up there?" Melina asked, her jaw dropping.
"Yes." Tsubaki said.
"You're joking." Shizuko stated incredulous.
"No. A crest waits on the peak." Tsubaki walked forward holding Baublemon close.
"Well, I guess duty calls." Miyako grinned, chasing after the golden haired girl.
"Are you okay, Shizuko?" Iori asked concerned as Yukina and Melina raced after the two others.
"What? Yes, dandy." Shizuko mumbled staring at the high mountains and the small path that never seemed to stop going up.
"Are you afraid of heights?" Iori inquired as he followed her gaze.
"N-no. W-why?" Shizuko asked her teeth chattering as she walked into the freezing wind. A hand clasped her own. She turned to see a blushing Iori.
"I said you'd have me whatever happens." He stated simply. Shizuko blinked and then smiled. She leaned over and kissed his cheek, a blush gracing her own pale cheeks.
"Thank you. But I thought I said I wasn't scared of heights?"
"You're a bad liar." He muttered embarrassed. She giggled and he was jerked forward, almost dropping a happy Upamon.
"Come on, Hida! The others will be at the top before we begin!" Shizuko called over her shoulder, her breath frosting in the air in front of her. Quimon gazed up at the mountains from her head, who knows how she stayed there.
"Aw, what a cute couple!" squealed Miyako with stars in her eyes. "I feel so happy for Iori."
"I don't think Touji will be." Yukina said worried.
"If you think he has a reason for Shizuko to stick with him, you're joking. The only reason she hasn't dumped him for Iori was because of her sense of loyalty, and, well, he's not here to hear the news. Now, look, they're almost here, don't even mention Miyazawa, Kudo." Melina warned.
"I'm not stupid." Yukina answered daintily.
V V V
"This is the third day she's been in this state." Koushiro said looking down on the 'sleeping' girl's form. If I don't look anywhere else but her face, I can make believe she's sleeping. Koushiro thought, brushing her face with his knuckles. "I already miss her." He admitted.
"Time means nothing to the heart, man." Taichi agreed, smacking him on the back. Koushiro flinched.
"How's your own quest progressing?"
"My what?"
"To get Tsubaki-san to talk to you."
"Oh...down the crapper to put it bluntly."
"Very bluntly."
"I didn't do anything! I just, well, her eyes kind of surprised me for a moment." Taichi said uncomfortably.
"So you found out what she is?" Koushiro asked with blank face.
"Yeah, I think I hurt her feelings. I was just sorta staring at her, ya know? But I didn't mean to! I was just so surprised, but not bad surprised, like, 'ew', but like 'whoa'." Taichi tried explain.
"Uh-huh."
"Geez, I felt like I was drowning. Like I couldn't breathe, but it felt nice. Like I didn't need to smile, because I felt too happy to smile. I felt ready to take on the world, but at the same time I felt like melted butter, ya know? Like blind, but able to see colors, beautiful colors, and that's all I needed, those colors, to see." Taichi kicked the wall. "Do you get what I mean?"
"Yes, Taichi, I do. I feel the same way about Motoko." Koushiro said. Taichi stopped.
"But-but...you...you like Motoko. I mean, not like, but, well, man, you're head over heels for her."
"Yes."
"If you feel...the same...wait, no way, man! I don't...I mean, she's like fifteen, sixteen! I'm nineteen! I couldn't, could I?" Taichi stammered.
"Tsubaki is sixteen. And yes, you could. I'm eighteen and in love with a fifteen year old, Jyou probably doesn't think there's another female alive but Yukina, and he's 20 and she's sixteen." Koushiro said calmly.
"But...OH CRAP! And she probably thinks I think she's a freak!" Taichi shouted and then started banging his head on the wall.
"That's not helping matters."
"Well, no, but I deserve a hell of a lot more. How can I fix this? She won't even speak to me!" Taichi moaned miserably, falling against the wall, his head in his hands.
"There is a way you can fix it. You can tell her what you just told me." Taichi blinked.
"But she won't talk to me."
"Try it one more time Taichi, and then a dozens times more. Just don't give up. I never told Motoko how I really felt because I thought she'd laugh, well, not really. To be honest, my practical mind told me to wait, that's love doesn't take three days. But sometimes it does. And I was too late. Now look at her, Taichi, she may never wake up! If she does, she might not walk or speak! She may not be able to go the bathroom on her own, Taichi! I feel like everything died when she refused to breathe on her own. And I wasn't even there. Because a damn computer wouldn't let me through. Don't make the same mistake I did." Koushiro blurted, his shoulders shaking in his effort to keep from crying.
"Hey, Koushiro..." Taichi whispered reaching out a hand.
"Just go and tell Miss Tsubaki what I never told Motoko. Maybe you'll have better luck than me." Koushiro said turning his back to Taichi. He heard Taichi run out the door and the soft thud as the door closed. He slowly fell to his knees and grabbed Motoko's death-white hand in his. Tentomon, where are you when I need you? Koushiro cried in his mind, his body numb as hot tears plopped onto the comforter.
Stop it! Stop it!
Don't tell me what to do, whore! You're going to leave me too, aren't you? Leave me just like your mother did.
No daddy, no, I love you.
-smack- Don't you ever say those words! They're lies! Your mother said that, every night, every day, she didn't mean them, you want to know why? Because there's no such thing, Love's a lie, and your mother's the queen of liars! Love! -thud- Whore.
If you tell anyone, I'll kill you. You're dad was right. You are a whore. Love is just a word to you. You say it just to ensnare your victims. -thud- Whore.
No, no more! Leave me alone! Don't touch me! Don't touch me! You bastard! I'll kill you first!
Stay away from him, Shizuko! He's a monster! Stop it! Stop it! GO AWAY! LEAVE ME ALONE! ...Love doesn't exist...he was right...nobody can love me...nobody, if it doesn't exist.
What? Who's there? Who's holding my hand? Is somebody crying? Where am I?
Koushiro gasped looking up.
"Oh my god. DOCTOR YAMAMOTO! Her eyes are open! Doctor!" Koushiro screamed frantically.
He tried to run out the door, but he was held in place by her hand that held him there gently. He stopped and kneeled back down on the side of the bed. Her eyes were wide and unseeing, but open none-the-less. He brought her hand to his face and smiled, tears slipping down her arm. He kissed her fingers lightly and grinned at her through blurred eyes. She's getting better; thank you, who ever is up there.
Koushiro? Koushiro! Where am I?
V V V
"Tsubaki, your D3 is beeping." Iori pointed out. Tsubaki said nothing. "You know exactly who it is."
"I'm not ready."
"Tsubaki, Iori, what is going on?" Shizuko sighed, staring at the wall of rock to her right. Don't look down. Don't look down.
"It's a private matter between Tsubaki and Taichi. Sorry, Shizuko."
"S'kay. Just, don't you dare let me fall." Shizuko grinned.
"Right."
"Hey, will you please stop that infernal beeping?" Melina yelled, her voice bouncing through the pass.
"Lizmon found a cave!" Miyako shouted, her voice also echoing.
"Good, now you can sit down and talk with him. That beeping is really getting annoying, Tsubaki." Shizuko said in a false cheery voice.
Tsubaki slipped into the large crack in the rock face that opened into a cavern. Shizuko gulped and quickly moved for the crack. Her foot slipped on loose pebbles and she let out a short shriek before a hand grabbed her arm and pulled her back. Her hair whipped in the chilly wind and she opened her eyes feeling warm breath against her throat. She glanced down to see Iori breathing deeply.
"Hida?"
"Sorry, I got a little scared seeing you fall." Iori said with an assured smile. He looked up at her, and then looked down, blushed vividly and then looked at the rock. She then blinked realizing why he blushed. Her eyebrow ticked.
"Hida, were you just checking out my boobs?"
"NO! I mean, I didn't mean to! I'm shorter than you!" Iori sputtered. Shizuko looked at him and bit her lip to keep from laughing.
"You're so cute!" Shizuko teased. Iori blushed redder.
"Wha?"
She quickly leaned down and kissed him straight on the lips. He didn't even think, just instinctively reacted, his hand, already grasping her arm, tightened while his other snaked around her waist. They broke away for breath, opening their eyes and locking gazes, black meeting moss. Their lips met once more, lost in the sweet heat that warmed them head to foot. Lightning seemed to dance at their touching lips and his mouth opened as she ran her tongue along his bottom lip.
"See, I told you." Melina whispered towards Yukina.
"It's so beautiful!" Miyako exclaimed quietly, tears running down her face.
"Yes, isn't it? Like a fairy tale." Yukina agreed dreamily. "I want to be kissed like that."
"By Jyou?"
"I'll ignore that."
"They're going at it awfully along, think they can breathe?" Miyako asked worriedly.
"I think Shizuko might be able to last longer, but Iori's a beginner."
"Aren't they just adorable?" Yukina gushed, oblivious.
"If you like the girls knowing more the guys, then they're so adorable it's disgusting." Melina sarcastically replied.
"Shh! You're ruining the moment!" Miyako complained.
"You're the one who brought up the breathing." Melina said defensively.
"Ahem." Tsubaki cleared her throat. Shizuko and Iori parted looking behind Shizuko, dazed. "You might enjoy that more, warm." Tsubaki disappeared back into the cavern. The new couple blinked and then looked at the girls huddled outside on the path.
"Oh crap! Tsubaki! You gave us away!" Melina cried out.
"You were spying on us!" Shizuko accused.
"Um, no?"
"Miyako..." Iori said through gritted teeth.
"AH! RUN! Get inside quick!" Miyako ordered panicking.
"You're going to die!" Shizuko yelled pushing herself through the entrance. Iori shook his head and then stepped aside as the three 'spyers' ran in circles around the small cave.
"Tsubaki?" Iori queried. Tsubaki touched the sun on the top of the D3 with a quiet sigh. She opened the screen to see a dejected looking Taichi. His hair looked wilder than usual from all the times he ran his fingers through it. He looked up with sad honey brown eyes and stopped, blinked and then broke it a grin.
"Tsubaki! I love you!" Taichi exclaimed happily. He suddenly slammed his head into his desk. "Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" he yelled repeatedly hitting his head. "Did I really just say that? Crap! Stupid!"
"I'll go now." Iori suggested fighting back a grin.
"Stop, Taichi." Tsubaki said worried. She instinctively lowered her eyes.
"Huh? Oh! Sorry! You see I had this whole speech in my head and I just blew it! Wait! Tsu, you're not meeting my eyes. Crap, I'm sorry! I was just surprised." Taichi blundered on. He paused and took a breath. "Please look at me." He begged. She looked up, holding her breath. "Just as beautiful as I remembered." Taichi grinned. Tsubaki blinked.
"I love you, too." Tsubaki said, her voice not giving away her surprise. Taichi grinned. Maybe that's why I love her.
"That's good to hear, Tsu."
"Tsu?"
"You don't like it? I guess if you'd rather I call you Tsubaki, it's no big deal." Taichi rushed on. Tsubaki shook her head. "Okay, I guess I should tell you why I stared. I'm sorry if you thought I...I thought you were a freak or something. Cause I don't!"
"I thought I frightened or disgusted you."
"What? Why would you think that I would feel that way?"
"A lot of people do, even my family." Tsubaki answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"The only disgusting thing is the way your family, or anybody, could ever feel that way." Taichi seethed vehemently.
"I don't blame them. I am what I am."
"You're an albino. Who cares? That's just makes you special." Taichi shrugged.
"That's what Iori said."
"I guess I'm right then, Iori is a pretty wise kid." Taichi grinned again. Tsubaki's eyes glowed ruby, the unusual shade of red darkening in happiness. Taichi's breath caught in his throat, amazed that he should feel this way about a girl three years his younger. I don't know if I should be happy for Koushiro or pity him.
"Br! It's cold!" complained Melina, "I wish I had a guy to snuggle with." She added slyly, nudging Shizuko. Shizuko blushed and looked at the ceiling.
"That's nice..." Shizuko said airily. Melina frowned.
"Would you like me to be more obvious?" Melina grinned.
"No."
"Aw, too much cuddling for rod-up-her-butt Shizuko?" Melina asked cheerily.
"YOU BRAT!" Shizuko pounced.
"Quiet you two. I don't think we're alone." Iori warned, his eyes narrowing into the darkness.
"Maybe we should light a fire?" Miyako offered.
"With what? Our clothes?" Melina snapped rubbing her neck where Shizuko had choked her.
"Well, we could always get Iori and Shizuko to kiss again. That was definitely hot." Miyako thought aloud.
"Remind me to never go on a double date with you." Iori muttered darkly, blushing. Shizuko flamed.
"I don't think that would be a problem. Seeing how you won't live to see yourself in the human world again." Said a voice. A figure stepped out the shadows in front of Iori. Iori doubled over as a fist struck his the stomach, and then he was flung to the ground with a loud thud.
"Who the hell are you?" Shizuko snapped, grabbing Iori and cradling his head.
"Your boyfriend, slut." Touji grinned. Shizuko shuddered. He looked evil.
"You aren't her boyfriend, you asshole! I suggest you throw yourself off the cliff or you'll wish you had before we're done with you." Miyako shouted raising her fists.
"I don't recall dumping Shizuko."
"Duh, after you tried to kill Motoko it was a bit obvious she wasn't going to take you back." Melina rolled her eyes, cracking her own knuckles.
"Which reminds me, Koushiro has been having a hard time. He may like a punching bag. I'm pretty sure he's found out how Motoko got back to the human world."
"Wow, Yukina. You're evil!" Melina said appreciatively. "I like you."
"Shut up, vermin. I only want one person dead here. Don't make me kill you, too."
"You're awfully sure of yourself. You're out numbered." Iori croaked spitting blood.
"Iori..." Shizuko murmured worriedly.
"Shizuko, get over here."
"Go to hell."
"Been there!" Circusmon happily bounced.
"I guess the devil didn't want you."
"I am the devil." Circusmon grinned.
"I wouldn't doubt it."
"Come here, Shizuko. You're still mine."
"Like hell I am! I went out with you because I loved you once! It was nice for a while, but it wasn't meant to be forever! I'm only sixteen! I have every right to stop loving you and to fall in love with someone else or wait until I'm thirty to find the forever kind of love. I don't love you, Touji."
"You're a whore, just like her. You have no idea what love is." Touji's voice dripped poison.
"What do you mean just... like... her?" Shizuko asked, an ugly answer slipping into her mind.
"The little whore I failed to kill, thanks to miss ugly over there."
"Moto?" Pawmon asked, his gold eyes widening. "You're the monster! The monster that-"
"Say another word and I'll kill you, hairball."
"I'll kill you first!" Pawmon roared, starting to digivolve, others followed suit.
"Stop! You won't all fit in here!" Iori shouted, rising. Pawmon, now a raging Leomon, ignored him and charged at Touji.
"Big mistake, kitty." Circusmon grinned, digivolving into Trapezemon. Leomon let out a roar of pain as he was kicked towards the small crack in the wall. Trapezemon continued punching, rubble falling from the ceiling. Soon, Trapezemon broke the wall behind Leomon, sending the large lion digimon slipping down the wet slope.
"Leomon!" Miyako cried out as Trapezemon, laughing maniacally, ran down the slope after the barely hanging on digimon.
"Make him stop it, Touji!" Shizuko screamed. She stopped and stared, unable to recognize Touji with the evil twisted face before her.
"Nah, let Trapezemon enjoy himself. I have another goal to accomplish." Touji spun around. He saw Armadillomon standing in front of Iori, his shell gleaming in the darkness.
"Armadillomon, move."
"But Iori..."
"Move."
"Want to take me on yourself little man?"
"I'm a bigger man than you. At least my digimon is my partner, not the one controlling me." Iori said calming, his eyes betraying his anger. "You hurt your girlfriend for being independent from you, you tried to kill a beautiful young woman because she dumped you and threatened to tell us why, and you soak up the evil emanating from your digimon like a sponge. You don't deserve to use your legs, but deserve to slither like the snake you are on your belly."
"Big words, pipsqueak." Touji hissed, his beautiful eyes narrowing.
"Which shows how little you are, bully."
"You little snot!" Touji yelled slamming his fist towards Iori's face. Iori moved his head to side slightly, without even flinching, making Touji fist slam into the wall with a crack. "Fuck!" the girls stared astonished to see a small cut on Iori's face.
"Touji's fist was that fast?" Yukina whispered.
"Iori's head is that fast?" gawked Miyako.
"I thought you knew him?"
"So did I." Miyako admitted to the Hawaiian.
Iori's foot slid Touji's feet out from under him, and then spun away, grabbing Shizuko and running towards the exit.
"The cave's going to fall in!" Iori yelled. The others followed him quickly, fear mounting at the groaning of the cavern.
"Wait, what about Touji?" Yukina asked her voice almost covered by the shrieking of the wind outside.
"He can take care of himself." Shizuko yelled, her eyes burning after the shock of what happened faded. "Stupid bastard."
"Don't be angry at him, Shizuko. He's being controlled by his digimon. I have a feeling I know what Circusmon's Mega level is, but I can't be certain. When Koushiro calls later, I'll ask him to look it up if he can spare the time." Iori whispered into her ear so he didn't have to yell. Shizuko fought the urge to shiver at the feel of his breath and mouth so close to her ear. I think there's something wrong with me... "You called me Iori, in the cave."
"What? I just got worried. He hit you pretty hard. I shouldn't..."
"No, you should. I liked hearing you call me Iori." Iori smiled shyly. Shizuko fought the urge to kiss him again. Damn, he's so cute!
"That's stupid bastard still thinks you weren't serious. You got to make it very clear to sadistic bastards like that." Melina shouted suddenly, looking over the edge for Leomon.
"Fine, I'll make it clear to every living thing with ears in the freaking mountain range!" Shizuko snapped. She took a deep breath. "I'M IN LOVE WITH HIDA, IORI! NOT MIYAZAWA, TOUJI! AND I AM NOT PROPERTY TO BE OWNED, DAMN IT!"
"Woo! You go girl!" Miyako cheered.
"So, you really think I'm going to give up that easily?" said Touji, suddenly rising up over the edge. Trapezemon was balancing Touji on his feet while he was standing on his head...in midair.
"Whoa! I didn't know he could do that." Melina gasped her eyes widening.
"He's not supposed to. It's not in his program to do so." Iori replied, his eyes narrowing. Koushiro better have some answers soon.
V V V
After the doctors kicked him out Motoko's room, Koushiro went home to analyze the data Iori had given him. It had been three hours since then, and he was getting frustrated.
"This data is encrypted with so many firewalls, it's like trying to hose down a wildfire in a draught-ridden forest with one hose." Koushiro exclaimed letting his head fall into his hands.
"Honey, I brought you some tea and snacks."
"Thanks, Mom." Koushiro mumbled, without lifting his head.
"Honey, I'm sure you'll work it out like you always do. Now, eat, or you won't have any energy. Which reminds me, how is that pretty young girl in the hospital?" Mrs. Izumi asked curiously.
"She opened her eyes."
"Oh!"
"She didn't wake up."
"Oh."
"She grabbed my hand though."
"Oh!"
"Can't you be a little more articulate, Mom?" Koushiro snapped, raising his head and opening one belligerent eye.
"I'm sorry, dear." Mrs. Izumi said taken aback by her son's tone.
"No, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped at you. I'm just really stretched thin. I have to write that thesis paper for Prof. Masabe, a person dear to me is in a coma that no doctor has ever experienced before, I can't crack into this damnable firewall, and I don't even have Tentomon here to help me!" Koushiro's voice had slowly gained volume until he was shouting.
"Honey, shh...I know you have a lot to deal with right now, but everything will come out right. And just a little advice, I'm sure even Tentomon will agree with, one thesis paper isn't worth anything compared to losing the one you love. You are my little genius." Mrs. Izumi rubbed his shoulders comfortingly and then rose up to leave. "But you better eat and drink what I just made for you, or I'll get angry." Mrs. Izumi winked at her speechless son and shut the door behind her.
"I can't believe my mom told me not to do my homework." Koushiro muttered shaking his head and retrieving one of the six rice cakes and his mug of tea.
He frowned at the page of mixing up figures and then blinked, choked and threw is rice cake back on the plate and setting the mug on a coaster automatically while lurching forward.
"I can't believe I didn't see it before! A child could've have seen through a code this obvious!" Koushiro began to type rapidly, almost flying over the keys.
His mother peeked in the door and smiled silently before slipping out, taking notice of the abandoned rice cake and tea.
"I found it..." he whispered hoarsely, "I found it...the explanation, the cause...the cure...the cure to Motoko's infection."
Koushiro stared a the screen amazed before saving it on a disk, and then shutting off his laptop and slipping it in his backpack with practiced ease. He slid out his bedroom door and tiptoed down the hall. He had just touched the doorknob when-
"You didn't eat your rice cakes, Izzy." Mrs. Izumi said from behind him. He jumped a foot in the air.
"MOM!"
"I made you a light dinner to munch on instead, and a thermos of tea. I added a little more than usual too." Mrs. Izumi said pressing the lunchbox wrapped in a flower handkerchief into his hands.
"Mom, how did...?"
"Mothers know everything, honey. Especially when their sons are computer fanatics who tune out the world when he's playing on his computer." Mrs. Izumi smiled.
"Thanks mom."
"Of course, dear."
V V V
"Touji, I'm going to rip you apart." Shizuko hissed through her teeth.
"No, that's my job." Tsubaki said suddenly.
"Tsu?" Taichi asked confused.
"It's my turn to kick ass." She stated simply. Everybody stared and Touji began to laugh.
"You? You're nothing but a scrawny little freak. A freak of nature. Did you show your precious Taichi those hideous eyes of yours? Or are you still hiding?" Touji's laughter turned shrill.
Tsubaki said nothing. She merely closed her D3 before Taichi could speak, her eyes lowered. She raised her hand and Baublemon flittered about her.
"Tranquil as the sky, but as strong as the wind." She whispered, the sleet whipping her blonde hair about her pale face. "Those are the words that saved me as a child from destroying myself. Motoko has touched me deeply, and has never left my heart. It is my turn to repay the kindness she had shown me." Her hand dripping with the melted water from the sleet and the wind began to glow. The purple clouds hovering the sky above them shined. A symbol surged down into the small frame of the albino beauty and her digivice flashed. She smiled, her head tipping back as the tag and crest gleamed upon her chest.
digivolving "Baublemon digivolve to Faeriemon! Faeriemon digivolve to Pixiemon! Pixiemon digivolve to...!"
A giant faerie floated in the torpid sky, as though no wind was around her. Her long legs were lavender and her feet were adorned with slippers with wings at the heels. She wore skin-tight shorts with a tube top connected a teach side of the shorts, forming a diamond on her belly and back. Her pink hair was short around her face and lines coming from beneath her hair were over and under each eye to meet at the bridge of her nose, creating a white x-like mask that seemed painted on her face. Her eyes had no pupil or irises, but instead of just being white, they were lavender. Lavender angel wings flared at her back, though transparent butterfly wings fluttered rapidly on top of them.
"Feathemon! The Pixie of the Tranquility!" announced the soft but captivating voice of the Ultimate digimon.
"Look, I peed my pants in fright."
"You're going to do more than just pee." Feathemon said with a dazzling smile. The teens had to shake their heads to make sure they didn't dream the vision saying 'pee'.
"Trapezemon, go!"
"High Wire Chock Hold!" A thin wire that was barely seen glinted in the air as it wrapped around the Pixie's throat. She stood there, her butterfly wings still rapidly beating. Blue blood dripped off her throat on down the wire. She held up her index and middle finger and placed them against he wire as if her fingers made a blade. The wire glowed and snapped, the cut healing as the remaining wire slid off her throat to fall down the mountain.
"My turn! Butterfly Rod!" Feathemon cried. The staff Pixiemon usually held appeared in front of her and she spun it so fast their seemed to be more than one. "Baton Bludgeon!" she cried. The teens stared. Bludgeon?
Trapezemon shrieked in pain as the swiftly spinning baton came flying at him. He managed to knock it aside to see that the one staff had in actuality turned into dozens, not one moving swiftly. He swung crazily, the whites of his eyes showing and his mouth foaming. He flew towards the pixie-angel and his hands glowed red as balls formed in them.
"Clown Nose Slingshot!" the red balls in his hand whistled, shooting straight for the calm digimon.
"I like Feathemon's attacks better." Miyako said with a definite nod.
"Come to me, Butterfly Rod!" Feathemon ordered softly raising her hand. It appeared in her hand just in time for her to swing at the red balls. "Home Run!" she laughed as the balls bounced back and hit Trapezemon in the stomach.
"Pixie Turbo!" Feathemon said, still laughing. She was suddenly in front of Trapezemon and, with a pretty grin, her lavender eyes meeting Trapezemon black ones, her kicked with one leg, and then spinning to hit him again with the other, not stopping but gaining speed as she spun, kicking him backwards in the sky. By the time she stopped, Trapezemon was a mass of bruises and blood.
"Feathemon, stop. Finish this." Feathemon pouted at Tsubaki's request.
"But I was having fun."
"Feathemon."
"Oh, alright. Angel Touch!" she pressed her two fingers together like she had done when she cut the wire, and touched Trapezemon's forehead gently, a pink light flaring at the touch. Trapezemon and Feathemon began to scream in pain as her attack began to enter Trapezemon's data, but at the same time it backfired on the angel-slash-pixie.
"Oh no!" Yukina gasped as Feathemon's back arched and she twitched, refusing to stop her spell.
"Feathemon, stop it!" Iori yelled out.
"She can't. It's her duty to heal all evil she fights. Trapezemon is very evil and therefore she must sacrifice her goodness to pain. But goodness always wins." Tsubaki said calmly touching Iori's arm. He looked down and her and nodded grimacing, listening to the harsh screams.
"Not this time!" Touji yelled throwing a large rock at Feathemon's forehead. It distracted her long enough for Trapezemon to get away and soar to Touji before disappearing into the darkness below them.
"I'm sorry, Mistress," Feathemon whispered, "I have failed you. Because of a rock."
"No, no, you did beautifully." Tsubaki said gently reaching out with her arms. Feathemon smiled and fell into Tsubaki's arms while digivolving into her Champion level Pixiemon. She pointed with her staff to the edge and the tip glowed faint lavender. A dirty and mussed Pawmon floated up in a lavender bubble, unconscious.
"Oh, Pixiemon! Thank you!" Yukina cried out gratefully grabbing the beat up digimon.
"I thought Touji deleted him! Thank goodness! Motoko will be very proud of this scamp!" Melina smiled tearfully.
"We need to find shelter! This temperature isn't good for any of us and especially not for our wounded!" Iori said searching the rock face with narrowed eyes.
"There!" Miyako pointed gleefully.
"But it on the other mountain! We can't get over there!" Shizuko snapped.
"Yes we can! Windommon is huge! He'll fly us over one by one or two by two." Miyako said holding up a sleeping pink Poromon. Miyako sweatdropped and then shook him hard.
"What? What?" Poromon yelped sleepily.
"Digivolve!" Miyako ordered.
"Oh, alright." Soon, everyone was inside the cavern besides Miyako and Windommon, opting to look for wood.
BEEP!
"Oh, yea, it's Koushiro! We can tell we found another Crest thanks to Tsubaki. He'll tell us what Crest she has." Melina yipped happily pulling out Motoko's D3. "Hullo Izumi-san! How's it hanging? Why are you out of breath?"
"I'm trying to get to the hospital." Koushiro panted. Melina noticed the screen was bouncing erratically and he was flushed and sweaty.
"It's almost eleven, visiting hours are definitely over." Iori pointed out.
"I'm not dim-witted! Do you think I am concerned about some damn visitation requirements? Negative. I managed to get past the encrypted firewalls and figured out the data's code."
"Yeah? And?" Everybody yelped as Miyako appeared behind them holding a bundle of sticks with Hawkmon trailing behind her, tired and dragging his own bundle. "Oh, stop being a baby, Hawkmon!" Miyako huffed dumping her sticks and walking over the grab his load and then picking him up in the other arm as he de-digivolved.
"I'm sleepy, Miyako." Poromon yawned.
"I know, go to sleep, you did very well. Well? What's going on here in the digital world?" Miyako asked, snapping back to Koushiro. Iori hurried over to grab the collection of sticks and leaned over to start the fire.
"Yes, well...let me rest for a minute." Koushiro said setting his Pineapple computer on the steps of the hospital and bent over panting, his hands on his knees.
"Come on! Hurry up!"
"Melina! He looks exhausted! Let him be!"
"Don't tell me you have the hots for him too, Yukina?"
"NO!"
"Stop it, girls!" Iori's voice yelled. Koushiro tentatively picked up his laptop.
"Um, I'm back?" Koushiro said, still a little out of breath.
"Oh, good!" Yukina exclaimed turning from Melina with a raised nose.
"Snob."
"I'm ignoring that, too. What did you figure out, Izumi-san?"
"Koushiro, please, and it's a little complicated. Somebody's been tampering with the digital world's program. It seems for quite some time now, approximately a couple months, somebody or something has been capturing digimon and putting them in those building. The buildings' program is a complicated mass of jumbled bytes that was like trying to untie a tight knot, but I managed to do it. They were creating to suck the fractal code of digimon and use it to create more programs that deny the laws of the digital world firewalls. Motoko was bit by one."
"You mean the tarantula and giant eye monster thing? But who could do that?" Shizuko asked incredulous.
"Someone who knows the digital world, and has an accomplice in the world itself. The culprit is a human and has a digivice to enter at will."
"A Digidestined." The teens in the digital world whispered together, a sickening twisting in their gut.
"Yes, and with a digimon inside corrupted enough to enslaved and drain his fellow digimon."
"Touji." Shizuko flinched, her fingers curling into fists. Iori stiffened and turned to Shizuko automatically putting an arm around her. She flung herself at him, her fists grabbing his shirt, her body shaking. "Ten...nine...eight...seven..."
"Oh man, she's getting the rage on..."Melina choked fear filling her eyes.
"What? When did Aizuko-san and Hida-chan become a couple?" Koushiro blinked.
"Um, on a ledge..." Melina forcibly grinned.
"What do mean 'she's getting the rage on'?" Koushiro queried.
"Um, well...she's counts backward to it..." Melina hedged, sweatdropping, she gulped as Shizuko said 'one'.
Shizuko eyes flamed red as she growled loudly.
"Where's Quimon?" Yukina cried out frantically, the same fear lacing her voice. Iori stared at the violently trembling Shizuko.
"Shizuko! Calm down!" Quimon ordered jumping on her head. Her fists tightened and Koushiro watched Shizuko with his scientist face.
"What's happening to her?" Iori asked worried as Shizuko twitched and her eyes dripped hot tears.
"She's in a rage. It's really confusing. She's had them since she was little. When something really bad happens near her, instead of grieving, she goes into these fits called 'rages'. The last time she did it, she almost killed a guy with one punch and bit off another guy's ear. They robbed an old lady and stabbed the woman on the street right in front of her. It was really scary. By the time she became normal again, three policemen were bleeding and they had to tranquilize her." Yukina explained fearfully.
"She can't control it. She's been going to a psychiatrist, so she can hold it back a little, like if an old lady gets robbed and stabbed, she won't be affected...but..." Melina trailed off.
"If it comes to someone close to her, she can't at all?" Iori finished.
"Exactly."
"That's intriguing...what's the cause?" Koushiro asked with his black eyes thoughtful. Melina stared at him.
"You're the weirdest human in the world...and she never told us...but I think it has to do with her parents being murdered..." Melina answered amazed.
"Shizuko, snap out of it!" Quimon yelled kicking her head.
"Stop it!" Iori shouted.
"Quimon knows what she's doing! She managed to get Shizuko out of it before." Yukina interjected.
"She's not tearing anything up now. She's staying in one place and Iori is still intact." Koushiro pointed out.
"That is strange."
"She's biting my shoulder." Iori admitted gritting his teeth.
"Oh... she's going to tear something..."
"I know...I'm already bleeding..." Iori said closing his eyes. "Forgive me, Shizuko." He raised his hand and hit her in the neck swiftly. She went slack and promptly fell asleep.
"Whoa, you know how to do that?" Miyako asked with awestruck eyes.
"My grandfather showed me."
"COOL!"
"Shut up, Miyako." Iori hissed.
"Oh, sorry."
"I'll have to observe her more carefully next time. Contact me if she has another 'fit', okay? Now I have to go to Motoko and wake her up." The screen blacked out and the teens stared at it.
"Did he just say what I thought he did?" Melina finally asked in a strangled voice.
"Did you hear him say 'wake her up'?" Yukina questioned.
"Yes."
"Then, yes, we both heard right." They looked at each other and jumped on each laughing and crying. Miyako joined in as they opened up their arms for her too. Their digimon opened groggy eyes, and then fell back asleep, not caring what the heck they were doing.
Iori held Shizuko in his lap, falling asleep against the wall of the cavern. Tsubaki spoke quietly to Taichi about the battle as he watched with warm honey brown eyes that made her blush under their scrutiny as she bandaged the bedraggled Pawmon and Baublemon.
V V V
