Chapter 18 - The Past Returns
I smiled. Today was actually going well, despite a small… altercation… with Dominic earlier. Now we were walking home, just us guys, plus Cody, now that he was in high school with us. He glanced in my direction, his eyes questioning.
Still doesn't like me. Wonder why?
TK groaned suddenly.
"Hey do you guys mind if we make a pit stop for a second? I need to get some flowers for my date with Kari tonight."
Davis grinned evilly.
"Just make sure you're not around her if Tai's in the area…"
TK grimaced.
"You're never going to let me live that down are you?"
"You're just lucky Tai's never seen any tapes of the concert."
"Don't remind me."
There was the dinging of a bell as we stepped inside the flower shop Sora ran with her mother. She looked up from the counter.
"Hello! How can I… oh, hi guys!"
"Hi Sora!"
This came from all five of us at once. She blinked, momentarily stunned, then started laughing. We looked at each other and then we shared in the laughter too. When we calmed down, we got down to business.
"So, what can I do for you guys? Who has the hot date tonight?"
TK blushed a little and raised his hand. Davis smacked him in the back of the head.
"We're not in class anymore TK."
TK gave Davis a decent scowl. Nothing compared to what I was used to with Rika, but pretty good none the less. He turned back to Sora.
"I need to get some flowers for my date tonight with Kari."
Sora grinned.
"Aww. And here I thought it would be Takato here…"
Now it was my turn to blush. Surprisingly, it was Ken who turned on me first.
"Maybe pretty soon, Sora… Mandy was giving him a weird look in class today."
Davis started grinning next.
"Really? Mandy Jenkins? You go Takato! She's hot!"
I decided to have a sudden coughing fit then. I tapped my fist against a rectangular object hanging from my chest under my shirt, hoping the guys would get the hint. TK did.
"Oh. Right."
Davis sighed.
"It's been three years Takato. Isn't it time to move on?"
"You know that, and I know that, but my heart refuses to let go. What's the point of a date if I feel horrible during it?"
Sora looked at me funny, before little hearts appeared in her eyes.
"Who is it Takato? I want the details!"
"Uhhh…"
I would anything to get out of here…
*Takato, I need to see you. Now.*
*On my way!*
I grinned.
"Sorry, it'll have to wait for another time. Azulongmon calls! I'll be back!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As I walked home, I pondered the events from earlier today. Something about Takato still didn't sit right with me. I didn't know what it was, and that bugged me too, almost worse than the nagging suspicion about Takato itself.
At least if I knew what bugged me I could deal with it, but…
I sighed in frustration. Upamon looked up at me.
"What's wrong Cody?"
"I don't know, Upamon, and that's another piece of the problem."
"It's Takato, isn't it?"
I looked down. It was easy to forget that Upamon was actually fairly intelligent with his ordinary hyperactivity.
"Yes, and it's not just what happened today, but that's part of it."
"Yeah, that was a little strange wasn't it? I wonder what's up."
"I'm not sure, but I'll bet the rest of us get dragged into it somehow…"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Hours Earlier~
I ran down the street angrily. Someone of something had just made off with my ice cream cone.
That someone will pay. And pay dearly.
It wasn't the ice cream cone itself that bothered me, it was that someone would steal from me of all people.
From me!!
Then I stopped in my tracks. On the high brick wall of the park's wall was the thing that had stolen my ice cream cone. It popped the last bit into its mouth and licked its fingers. It looked at me evenly from the top of the wall and grinned.
"Thanks for the treat, toots! See ya!"
It took off into the branches, and I let out an inarticulate growl before I followed him on the ground. At least I assumed it was a he from the voice. Suddenly, it jumped to the ground in front of me, and I skidded to a halt. It's eyes narrowed.
"I don't like being followed, toots, so get off my tail!"
I smirked.
"No."
He grinned back.
"Alright, I warned you. B-"
A dark vortex opened up behind him, and a clawed hand reached through and grabbed him, pulling him back through. I stumbled backwards, landing unceremoniously on my butt, shaken thoroughly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I sighed.
That probably wasn't the best way to leave them, just bolting like that. But Azulongmon's call did seem urgent…
"Ah, excellent timing Matsuki."
Further musing was interrupted by Azulongmon's call. I arched an eyebrow.
"What's up?"
He frowned and the clouds around him darkened, shooting little lightning bolts to each other in his displeasure.
"It seems someone's been fooling with the dark gates."
I looked at him. I began to panic a little.
"Wasn't me!"
He chuckled.
"I didn't think it was. No. I suspect someone else."
"Daemon?"
He nodded.
"But I did delete him."
"Yes, but you didn't load his data. It is very possible he has reconstructed himself."
I nodded slowly.
"In any event, one of the exit points was in this quadrant, to the south, on the edge of Server's desert. Be careful, I don't believe that Daemon would dump something here unless it was extremely dangerous, but I want you to check it out."
I smiled.
"Right. On our way."
*Grani…*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Mimi!"
No. It can't be…
I turned my head at the all too familiar voice. A familiar blond-headed, blue-eyed, snake-tongued boy popped up out of the crowd. My eyes widened.
It is. Michael.
He ran through the crowd, over to me. I kept my face impassive as he approached. He was smiling brightly.
Bastard.
"Mimi, I've missed you…"
Suddenly he was looking up at me from a position at ground level. My hand had moved of its own will, slapping him hard enough to send him sprawling. I hissed at him.
"You have no right to have missed me!"
He looked up at me in confusion.
"But, Mimi, my love, we were meant for each other!"
I glowered at him, but his face started beaming again.
"Where have you been? I had to hire a private eye to track you down when you left! And I find you're here. Living with another man of all things. Well, I'll not let him mistreat you! I won't let that man use you…"
Izzy? Mistreat me? Use me? Hah! Izzy would never do that. He'd be a much better boyfriend than you've ever been, you jerk!
Michael kept rambling on.
"Well, you go pack, and I'll go get us some plane tickets out of here. Tell that loser you're leaving, and come home with me. You really need to get back to work! The agency you work for has been ringing the phone non-stop looking for you!"
"I'm not going anywhere."
"Huh?"
"I said I'm not going anywhere! I like it here! This is where my friends are, and I'm not leaving!"
The confusion drained from his face, and he smiled again.
Can't he take a hint?!
"Oh, so you want to be based here, do you? Well, I'm sure that your agency will quickly agree. They can't lose their favorite model after all, can they?"
"I'm not a model anymore Michael! You can't seem to get that through your thick head though!"
He climbed to his feet.
"Of course you're a model, Mimi! Your 'retirement' was only a strategic play to increase your worth! As your boyfriend, I assured the agency of it. They understand how that works! But we had better call them…"
"You idiot!! I. Am. Not. A. Model! Can't you get that through your head! I'm not your girlfriend either! Get out of my sight!"
I gave him another earth-shaking slap and stormed off.
Jerk. I can't believe he thought Izzy would do something like that. Izzy has way too much respect for me to even think that! I can't believe Michael is that insensitive!
I snorted.
Of course I can believe it. After everything else he's done, why should he come to his senses about this…?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The door slammed.
Hard.
Then Mimi entered the room, and with one look at her face I dove behind a couch. She poked her head around it and I curled into a ball.
"I didn't do it!"
Her face softened into confusion.
"Do what?"
"Whatever it is that you're so angry about!"
She smiled a little, I could tell it was forced, but she made an effort.
"Of course it's not you Izzy. You wouldn't be capable of doing anything close to what happened to me. It's… well…"
Feeling a little more secure, I uncurled myself and looked at her.
"What is it?"
She hesitated, and I smiled shyly at her.
"You can tell me Mimi, we've been friends for what seems like forever now."
She hesitated again, then shook her head.
"I'd… rather not talk about it. Sorry, Izzy, but it's a little too soon."
I nodded.
"I'll be here if you feel like talking Mimi. Remember that."
She smiled a little sadly.
"I'll remember."
I got to my feet and started for my room.
"And Izzy…?"
I turned back.
"Thanks…"
I smiled at her, and my heart started beating a little faster.
"No problem."
I walked into my room and lay down on my bed.
What's wrong with me?
Whenever I looked at Mimi, something happened. As far as I knew it was just a physical attraction, Mimi was a very beautiful woman, a former model, but lately just the sound of her voice had me ready to turn to jelly and melt into the floor, excepting certain parts of my anatomy…
Am I some kind of sicko? What is it about her that causes this reaction?
I sighed, and got up, turning on my computer. I'm not sure what I was trying to do, but it didn't happen. I kept staring off into space.
I wish I could say I was thinking about why Mimi was so angry. I really do.
Mostly I was thinking of Mimi, and how beautiful she had looked even when her face stormed like a thundercloud.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stupid SkullSatamon… say I'm trash will he?! I'll show him!
I sighed and stood up, dusting myself off. I sighed.
Where in the name of the digital sovereigns am I?
I started walking off, but my thoughts inevitably turned once more to the strange experience I had just had.
If only I had been able to digivolve. Then I would have kicked his ass. But I hadn't been there long enough to do it. SkullSatamon called me trash and threw me out before I could do anything!
I stiffened as I sensed a digimon approaching. Fast. The sensation was… familiar. I concentrated on it, trying to figure out where I had sensed this digimon before. The feeling of it gave me shivers in the base of my spine.
I didn't like the feeling.
I concentrated anyways. Then it hit me.
"No…"
It can't be. He's dead. They told me he was dead. And they wouldn't lie about that…
But it was true. A large blue winged dragon with a black knight standing atop of it. I looked up at it. The hazard sign and the visor gave it away immediately.
"Pineapple head?"
Its red eyes narrowed.
"Impmon?"
I smiled. Today was actually going well, despite a small… altercation… with Dominic earlier. Now we were walking home, just us guys, plus Cody, now that he was in high school with us. He glanced in my direction, his eyes questioning.
Still doesn't like me. Wonder why?
TK groaned suddenly.
"Hey do you guys mind if we make a pit stop for a second? I need to get some flowers for my date with Kari tonight."
Davis grinned evilly.
"Just make sure you're not around her if Tai's in the area…"
TK grimaced.
"You're never going to let me live that down are you?"
"You're just lucky Tai's never seen any tapes of the concert."
"Don't remind me."
There was the dinging of a bell as we stepped inside the flower shop Sora ran with her mother. She looked up from the counter.
"Hello! How can I… oh, hi guys!"
"Hi Sora!"
This came from all five of us at once. She blinked, momentarily stunned, then started laughing. We looked at each other and then we shared in the laughter too. When we calmed down, we got down to business.
"So, what can I do for you guys? Who has the hot date tonight?"
TK blushed a little and raised his hand. Davis smacked him in the back of the head.
"We're not in class anymore TK."
TK gave Davis a decent scowl. Nothing compared to what I was used to with Rika, but pretty good none the less. He turned back to Sora.
"I need to get some flowers for my date tonight with Kari."
Sora grinned.
"Aww. And here I thought it would be Takato here…"
Now it was my turn to blush. Surprisingly, it was Ken who turned on me first.
"Maybe pretty soon, Sora… Mandy was giving him a weird look in class today."
Davis started grinning next.
"Really? Mandy Jenkins? You go Takato! She's hot!"
I decided to have a sudden coughing fit then. I tapped my fist against a rectangular object hanging from my chest under my shirt, hoping the guys would get the hint. TK did.
"Oh. Right."
Davis sighed.
"It's been three years Takato. Isn't it time to move on?"
"You know that, and I know that, but my heart refuses to let go. What's the point of a date if I feel horrible during it?"
Sora looked at me funny, before little hearts appeared in her eyes.
"Who is it Takato? I want the details!"
"Uhhh…"
I would anything to get out of here…
*Takato, I need to see you. Now.*
*On my way!*
I grinned.
"Sorry, it'll have to wait for another time. Azulongmon calls! I'll be back!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As I walked home, I pondered the events from earlier today. Something about Takato still didn't sit right with me. I didn't know what it was, and that bugged me too, almost worse than the nagging suspicion about Takato itself.
At least if I knew what bugged me I could deal with it, but…
I sighed in frustration. Upamon looked up at me.
"What's wrong Cody?"
"I don't know, Upamon, and that's another piece of the problem."
"It's Takato, isn't it?"
I looked down. It was easy to forget that Upamon was actually fairly intelligent with his ordinary hyperactivity.
"Yes, and it's not just what happened today, but that's part of it."
"Yeah, that was a little strange wasn't it? I wonder what's up."
"I'm not sure, but I'll bet the rest of us get dragged into it somehow…"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Hours Earlier~
I ran down the street angrily. Someone of something had just made off with my ice cream cone.
That someone will pay. And pay dearly.
It wasn't the ice cream cone itself that bothered me, it was that someone would steal from me of all people.
From me!!
Then I stopped in my tracks. On the high brick wall of the park's wall was the thing that had stolen my ice cream cone. It popped the last bit into its mouth and licked its fingers. It looked at me evenly from the top of the wall and grinned.
"Thanks for the treat, toots! See ya!"
It took off into the branches, and I let out an inarticulate growl before I followed him on the ground. At least I assumed it was a he from the voice. Suddenly, it jumped to the ground in front of me, and I skidded to a halt. It's eyes narrowed.
"I don't like being followed, toots, so get off my tail!"
I smirked.
"No."
He grinned back.
"Alright, I warned you. B-"
A dark vortex opened up behind him, and a clawed hand reached through and grabbed him, pulling him back through. I stumbled backwards, landing unceremoniously on my butt, shaken thoroughly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I sighed.
That probably wasn't the best way to leave them, just bolting like that. But Azulongmon's call did seem urgent…
"Ah, excellent timing Matsuki."
Further musing was interrupted by Azulongmon's call. I arched an eyebrow.
"What's up?"
He frowned and the clouds around him darkened, shooting little lightning bolts to each other in his displeasure.
"It seems someone's been fooling with the dark gates."
I looked at him. I began to panic a little.
"Wasn't me!"
He chuckled.
"I didn't think it was. No. I suspect someone else."
"Daemon?"
He nodded.
"But I did delete him."
"Yes, but you didn't load his data. It is very possible he has reconstructed himself."
I nodded slowly.
"In any event, one of the exit points was in this quadrant, to the south, on the edge of Server's desert. Be careful, I don't believe that Daemon would dump something here unless it was extremely dangerous, but I want you to check it out."
I smiled.
"Right. On our way."
*Grani…*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Mimi!"
No. It can't be…
I turned my head at the all too familiar voice. A familiar blond-headed, blue-eyed, snake-tongued boy popped up out of the crowd. My eyes widened.
It is. Michael.
He ran through the crowd, over to me. I kept my face impassive as he approached. He was smiling brightly.
Bastard.
"Mimi, I've missed you…"
Suddenly he was looking up at me from a position at ground level. My hand had moved of its own will, slapping him hard enough to send him sprawling. I hissed at him.
"You have no right to have missed me!"
He looked up at me in confusion.
"But, Mimi, my love, we were meant for each other!"
I glowered at him, but his face started beaming again.
"Where have you been? I had to hire a private eye to track you down when you left! And I find you're here. Living with another man of all things. Well, I'll not let him mistreat you! I won't let that man use you…"
Izzy? Mistreat me? Use me? Hah! Izzy would never do that. He'd be a much better boyfriend than you've ever been, you jerk!
Michael kept rambling on.
"Well, you go pack, and I'll go get us some plane tickets out of here. Tell that loser you're leaving, and come home with me. You really need to get back to work! The agency you work for has been ringing the phone non-stop looking for you!"
"I'm not going anywhere."
"Huh?"
"I said I'm not going anywhere! I like it here! This is where my friends are, and I'm not leaving!"
The confusion drained from his face, and he smiled again.
Can't he take a hint?!
"Oh, so you want to be based here, do you? Well, I'm sure that your agency will quickly agree. They can't lose their favorite model after all, can they?"
"I'm not a model anymore Michael! You can't seem to get that through your thick head though!"
He climbed to his feet.
"Of course you're a model, Mimi! Your 'retirement' was only a strategic play to increase your worth! As your boyfriend, I assured the agency of it. They understand how that works! But we had better call them…"
"You idiot!! I. Am. Not. A. Model! Can't you get that through your head! I'm not your girlfriend either! Get out of my sight!"
I gave him another earth-shaking slap and stormed off.
Jerk. I can't believe he thought Izzy would do something like that. Izzy has way too much respect for me to even think that! I can't believe Michael is that insensitive!
I snorted.
Of course I can believe it. After everything else he's done, why should he come to his senses about this…?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The door slammed.
Hard.
Then Mimi entered the room, and with one look at her face I dove behind a couch. She poked her head around it and I curled into a ball.
"I didn't do it!"
Her face softened into confusion.
"Do what?"
"Whatever it is that you're so angry about!"
She smiled a little, I could tell it was forced, but she made an effort.
"Of course it's not you Izzy. You wouldn't be capable of doing anything close to what happened to me. It's… well…"
Feeling a little more secure, I uncurled myself and looked at her.
"What is it?"
She hesitated, and I smiled shyly at her.
"You can tell me Mimi, we've been friends for what seems like forever now."
She hesitated again, then shook her head.
"I'd… rather not talk about it. Sorry, Izzy, but it's a little too soon."
I nodded.
"I'll be here if you feel like talking Mimi. Remember that."
She smiled a little sadly.
"I'll remember."
I got to my feet and started for my room.
"And Izzy…?"
I turned back.
"Thanks…"
I smiled at her, and my heart started beating a little faster.
"No problem."
I walked into my room and lay down on my bed.
What's wrong with me?
Whenever I looked at Mimi, something happened. As far as I knew it was just a physical attraction, Mimi was a very beautiful woman, a former model, but lately just the sound of her voice had me ready to turn to jelly and melt into the floor, excepting certain parts of my anatomy…
Am I some kind of sicko? What is it about her that causes this reaction?
I sighed, and got up, turning on my computer. I'm not sure what I was trying to do, but it didn't happen. I kept staring off into space.
I wish I could say I was thinking about why Mimi was so angry. I really do.
Mostly I was thinking of Mimi, and how beautiful she had looked even when her face stormed like a thundercloud.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stupid SkullSatamon… say I'm trash will he?! I'll show him!
I sighed and stood up, dusting myself off. I sighed.
Where in the name of the digital sovereigns am I?
I started walking off, but my thoughts inevitably turned once more to the strange experience I had just had.
If only I had been able to digivolve. Then I would have kicked his ass. But I hadn't been there long enough to do it. SkullSatamon called me trash and threw me out before I could do anything!
I stiffened as I sensed a digimon approaching. Fast. The sensation was… familiar. I concentrated on it, trying to figure out where I had sensed this digimon before. The feeling of it gave me shivers in the base of my spine.
I didn't like the feeling.
I concentrated anyways. Then it hit me.
"No…"
It can't be. He's dead. They told me he was dead. And they wouldn't lie about that…
But it was true. A large blue winged dragon with a black knight standing atop of it. I looked up at it. The hazard sign and the visor gave it away immediately.
"Pineapple head?"
Its red eyes narrowed.
"Impmon?"