Chapter 24 - Shake Ups
"I don't think this is a good idea guys…"
"Oh, come on Takato, you'll never know unless you try, right?"
"I suppose…"
I marched on like a man going to his own execution. This would not be pretty, I could tell you that much. I moderately in shape, and had decent coordination, but soccer was not something I thought I'd be good at. The only consolation I had was that it was after school and no one would be able to bear witness to my humiliation. Davis, Ken and I reached the soccer field without difficulty. Despite his lack of Dark Spore, Ken remained a valuable player, if not quite up to his old standards, given he was now a goalie.
Davis threw the ball onto the field, and we both went after it. Davis got to it first and began driving towards me.
Closer…
Closer…
Closer…
Now!
I ran up and kicked, attempting to steal the ball. It was a scene right out of Charlie Brown, I'm sure of it. I completely missed the ball and went up in the air, coming down flat on my back.
"Ouch. You okay, Takato?"
"I think so…"
Davis cut in.
"Good. Then you'll have no problems trying again."
"Ugh…"
I got up anyways though. If Davis didn't think I'd given it my all, I'd never hear the end of it, and Davis has a long memory.
Well, when he actually wants to remember something that is.
The second attempt wasn't as bad. I still missed the ball, but I didn't end up on my back this time.
"Okay, let's try something different. I want you to start with the ball, and drive towards Ken here, who will be guarding. I won't be blocking you, we'll get to that later. Without interference, I wasn't that bad, but in soccer there was always interference. In any event, I drove the ball towards Ken a kicked at it as hard as I could.
That was more effort than I should have put in to it.
I'd been continuing my training, so my legs were in really good shape. The problem was that I didn't aim the kick properly. It sailed up over the net and right towards the glass double doors the signaled a school entrance.
"Oh boy."
"We're dead."
"Pretty much, yeah."
We could only watch helplessly as it continued on towards its destination. We'd never make it in time and we all knew it. An unexpected miracle occurred then.
The door opened.
Wait, that means…
Yes, the person attempting to exit the building was slammed full in the face by a soccer ball. A roar of rage and pain was heard. Davis, Ken and I all looked at each other.
"Bye Takato!"
"Good luck!"
In seconds I was standing watching two dust trails forming.
Nuts.
"Did you do this, boy?"
This is sooo not cool.
I recognized that voice. I turned around to face Dominic.
"Heh heh… oops."
He wasn't amused.
"Cullen, Ryong…"
His two lackeys came out of nowhere and held me fast.
Where do these guys keep coming from anyways? Davis and Ken are gonna be dead men when I get my hands on them…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I am really bored."
"Then why don't you come with me, Impmon?"
Huh?
Behind me was that blue digimon, Veemon.
"Uh, sure… I guess. What's up?"
"Eh, not much, but a lot of the digimon are gathering in the computer lab."
"Hmm… beats being bored."
"Great!"
I followed the blue one into the lab where BlackGuilmon, Wormmon and Patamon were waiting, snacking on the things the purple haired girl had brought.
"Hey Impmon!"
I suddenly realized why Takato was here. These people were willing to put the past behind them fairly fast. I smiled and relaxed. The food was good, but we weren't really all that hungry, except BlackGuilmon of course, and soon we were bored again.
"Hey… there are all these computers in here, right? Why don't we do that 'net surfing' thing I heard TK talking about?"
We all just looked at each other as Veemon raced for the nearest computer. He jumped on top and squatted partially, spreading his arms front and back for balance. Patamon flew over.
"Veemon, that's not what you're supposed to do!"
"But Davish showed me what surfing was on TV. Of course this is how you do it!"
I was chuckling, and would have laughed, if BlackGuilmon hadn't distracted me right then.
"Pbffff! Hey, this isn't food!"
Huh?
I turned back to BlackGuilmon, who had something in his hands.
"What is it BlackGuilmon?"
"I'm not sure Wormmon, but I know it's not edible."
"Lemme see."
BlackGuilmon tossed the packet over. My eyes widened as it landed.
Whoa. Heh heh… cool.
"Do you know what it is Impmon?"
"Yeah. One of the coolest things the humans ever invented."
"Really, even better than bread?"
I looked at BlackGuilmon like he was nuts.
"Of course it's better than an bread! Much better."
Wormmon looked at me with big eyes.
"Really, what is it Impmon?"
I grinned.
"These, my friends, are firecrackers."
BlackGuilmon came over and looked curiously at the packet in my hands.
"Really? How did they get in our food bag?"
I shrugged.
"Eh, who knows, maybe they fell in by mistake. Her loss right? I mean, what she doesn't know won't hurt her, will it?"
Wormmon seemed to think this over for a moment.
"I suppose you're right, Impmon, but what do they do?"
"Lemme show ya!"
I threw the packet on the floor, purposely aiming away from Veemon, who was still doing some kind of funky dance on the computer over Patamon's objections.
I took aim.
"BADA BOOM!"
Perfect shot! As always…
The firecracker started blowing off multi-colored sparks everywhere as it zigzagged across the room at a ferocious pace. We all just watched, mesmerized by the movements and the colors. So naturally, none of us noticed the computers starting to smoke, right?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dominic reared back his fist, and I prayed for something, anything to happen that would make him stop.
Prayers are answered in funny ways.
There was an earth-shattering explosion then, and I'm told that a lot of scientists thought it was an earthquake at first. The glass from the building shattered and shot out like bullets, narrowly missing us, as the shockwave knocked us all off our feet. Dominic and his two hench-goons got up first, me completely forgotten.
"What the hell was that?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Every computer in the lab had blown up pretty much at once. Patamon, BlackGuilmon, Wormmon and I looked at each other.
"Hey, where's Veemon?"
We look around, but we couldn't see him.
"Wait, there he is!"
We looked up to where Patamon was pointing. Veemon had his head stuck in the ceiling and his legs were flailing as he tried to get out. Finally, he did, and he came crashing down into the center of us. He looked right at me.
"Impmon, did you do that?!"
I pulled at my bandanna nervously.
"Uh, yeah…"
He grinned suddenly.
"That was so cooool!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I stared down at Impmon incredulously.
"So you're telling me that blowing up the computer lab was an accident?!"
"Uh… yeah…"
I smacked my forehead.
"Aye-yi-yi…"
"Impmon, that was you?!"
He looked at Davis a little nervously. Davis continued on.
"That was awesome! I'm getting you some ice cream."
"Huh?"
"What?"
Davis looked at me.
"Oh, come on Takato. It was an accident! And besides, we won't have school for weeks now while they get everything replaced!"
I sighed.
I can't win.
"Fine, go. At least they didn't pin it on any of us."
Davis chuckled.
"Yeah. They're still looking for sixth graders in animal costumes."
Impmon looked up at me.
"Uh, you're not really mad, are you Takato?"
I smiled a little.
"No too much I suppose. Just… try not to do it again, okay?"
He grinned.
"Sure!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The man surveyed the amusement park. It was crowded.
Perfect.
He signaled.
"RIVER OF POWER!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My luck must be really bad some days…
Izzy frantically helped me to my feet. I thought that the time a week ago when I pitched Michael into the lake would have given him a clue. I didn't. If anything, he was worse now. He believed Izzy did it, and was determined to get him away from me before he did something similar. So, Izzy and I were back out here, attempting to do the happy couple thing.
Not that spending time with Izzy is bad… Then this happens.
I wasn't sure where MetalSeadramon had come from, but it was a really bad thing. Tentomon and Palmon were back at Izzy's apartment.
"Mimi!"
Oh lord, not again.
Michael came hurrying up the avenue.
"I'll save you Mimi!"
I gripped Izzy's arm and hissed at him.
"We run, now."
He nodded and we started running away from him.
"I WON'T LET YOU TAKE HER AWAY FROM ME!"
Michael was chasing us through the rubble.
Great.
"HELL SQUEEZE!"
MetalSeadramon wrapped itself around the Ferris Wheel and squeezed, bending and twisting it out of shape. Michael caught up with us and looked at what was happening.
"What the… How dare that thing threaten my Mimi! Get away you beast!"
He started running towards it, screaming and flapping his arms. A huge piece of debris was heading towards him. At the same time, MetalSeadramon saw him and started lunging for him, horn first, intent on impaling him. Michael was an idiot, but I didn't wasn't anything bad to happen to him.
Well, not this bad anyways…
"ROSETTA STONE!"
As Nefertimon destroyed the stone, Pegasusmon flew down and pulled Michael up out of the action just as MetalSeadramon slammed into the space where Michael had been. The bad part was that TK returned him over to where Izzy and I were.
"Michael, you idiot! What were you thinking?!"
"Mimi, my love, my darling, my light! See, you do care! I thought I would die and never again be entranced by your beauty!"
I growled.
"Shut up Michael. I didn't want to see you die, but that doesn't mean I want to lay eyes on you ever again!"
He looked up at me with his blue eyes wide and happy.
"Don't keep saying lies to keep this abuser happy Mimi! Of course you want to see me again! Tell him how you really feel, and come away with me!"
"Fine."
He grinned.
"Izzy…"
He gulped.
"Yes?"
I pulled him to me and kissed him. Long and hard. Michael was up and about, yelling franticly.
"Hey! Stop that! Get your lips off her you Neanderthal!"
I broke the kiss a little reluctantly. I looked towards Michael.
"Who I kiss isn't your concern Michael."
He looked at us uncomprehendingly. Then he growled.
"I will find out what hold he has on you Mimi! Then I will crush him and save you, my love! Believe!"
And with that, he just ran off.
"Well, that was weird."
"Yeah… sure…"
I looked at Izzy. He seemed a little dazed from the kiss.
That's sooo cute!
Since Izzy was in no condition to, I looked around, trying to find what had happened. MetalSeadramon had vanished, and TK and Kari were coming for us, arguing about something, their digimon trailing behind.
"I'm fine TK, it's just a bump on the head."
"Are you sure? You should really get it checked out, you know."
"TK quit! You're just as bad as Tai sometimes!"
He blushed.
"Sorry Kari."
She rolled her eyes.
"Forgiven. For now, anyways."
Then she stuck out her tongue a little.
"I hate the sound of that 'Sorry Kari'. Sounds like a little kids rhyme…"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SkullSatamon smirked. His servant had deviated from the path slightly, but it had worked out. The Digidestined would be so distracted by this that they wouldn't even know what hit them when the true plan came to fruition.
He would have his day.
And it would be soon.
A long laugh echoed through the Dark Ocean.
"I don't think this is a good idea guys…"
"Oh, come on Takato, you'll never know unless you try, right?"
"I suppose…"
I marched on like a man going to his own execution. This would not be pretty, I could tell you that much. I moderately in shape, and had decent coordination, but soccer was not something I thought I'd be good at. The only consolation I had was that it was after school and no one would be able to bear witness to my humiliation. Davis, Ken and I reached the soccer field without difficulty. Despite his lack of Dark Spore, Ken remained a valuable player, if not quite up to his old standards, given he was now a goalie.
Davis threw the ball onto the field, and we both went after it. Davis got to it first and began driving towards me.
Closer…
Closer…
Closer…
Now!
I ran up and kicked, attempting to steal the ball. It was a scene right out of Charlie Brown, I'm sure of it. I completely missed the ball and went up in the air, coming down flat on my back.
"Ouch. You okay, Takato?"
"I think so…"
Davis cut in.
"Good. Then you'll have no problems trying again."
"Ugh…"
I got up anyways though. If Davis didn't think I'd given it my all, I'd never hear the end of it, and Davis has a long memory.
Well, when he actually wants to remember something that is.
The second attempt wasn't as bad. I still missed the ball, but I didn't end up on my back this time.
"Okay, let's try something different. I want you to start with the ball, and drive towards Ken here, who will be guarding. I won't be blocking you, we'll get to that later. Without interference, I wasn't that bad, but in soccer there was always interference. In any event, I drove the ball towards Ken a kicked at it as hard as I could.
That was more effort than I should have put in to it.
I'd been continuing my training, so my legs were in really good shape. The problem was that I didn't aim the kick properly. It sailed up over the net and right towards the glass double doors the signaled a school entrance.
"Oh boy."
"We're dead."
"Pretty much, yeah."
We could only watch helplessly as it continued on towards its destination. We'd never make it in time and we all knew it. An unexpected miracle occurred then.
The door opened.
Wait, that means…
Yes, the person attempting to exit the building was slammed full in the face by a soccer ball. A roar of rage and pain was heard. Davis, Ken and I all looked at each other.
"Bye Takato!"
"Good luck!"
In seconds I was standing watching two dust trails forming.
Nuts.
"Did you do this, boy?"
This is sooo not cool.
I recognized that voice. I turned around to face Dominic.
"Heh heh… oops."
He wasn't amused.
"Cullen, Ryong…"
His two lackeys came out of nowhere and held me fast.
Where do these guys keep coming from anyways? Davis and Ken are gonna be dead men when I get my hands on them…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I am really bored."
"Then why don't you come with me, Impmon?"
Huh?
Behind me was that blue digimon, Veemon.
"Uh, sure… I guess. What's up?"
"Eh, not much, but a lot of the digimon are gathering in the computer lab."
"Hmm… beats being bored."
"Great!"
I followed the blue one into the lab where BlackGuilmon, Wormmon and Patamon were waiting, snacking on the things the purple haired girl had brought.
"Hey Impmon!"
I suddenly realized why Takato was here. These people were willing to put the past behind them fairly fast. I smiled and relaxed. The food was good, but we weren't really all that hungry, except BlackGuilmon of course, and soon we were bored again.
"Hey… there are all these computers in here, right? Why don't we do that 'net surfing' thing I heard TK talking about?"
We all just looked at each other as Veemon raced for the nearest computer. He jumped on top and squatted partially, spreading his arms front and back for balance. Patamon flew over.
"Veemon, that's not what you're supposed to do!"
"But Davish showed me what surfing was on TV. Of course this is how you do it!"
I was chuckling, and would have laughed, if BlackGuilmon hadn't distracted me right then.
"Pbffff! Hey, this isn't food!"
Huh?
I turned back to BlackGuilmon, who had something in his hands.
"What is it BlackGuilmon?"
"I'm not sure Wormmon, but I know it's not edible."
"Lemme see."
BlackGuilmon tossed the packet over. My eyes widened as it landed.
Whoa. Heh heh… cool.
"Do you know what it is Impmon?"
"Yeah. One of the coolest things the humans ever invented."
"Really, even better than bread?"
I looked at BlackGuilmon like he was nuts.
"Of course it's better than an bread! Much better."
Wormmon looked at me with big eyes.
"Really, what is it Impmon?"
I grinned.
"These, my friends, are firecrackers."
BlackGuilmon came over and looked curiously at the packet in my hands.
"Really? How did they get in our food bag?"
I shrugged.
"Eh, who knows, maybe they fell in by mistake. Her loss right? I mean, what she doesn't know won't hurt her, will it?"
Wormmon seemed to think this over for a moment.
"I suppose you're right, Impmon, but what do they do?"
"Lemme show ya!"
I threw the packet on the floor, purposely aiming away from Veemon, who was still doing some kind of funky dance on the computer over Patamon's objections.
I took aim.
"BADA BOOM!"
Perfect shot! As always…
The firecracker started blowing off multi-colored sparks everywhere as it zigzagged across the room at a ferocious pace. We all just watched, mesmerized by the movements and the colors. So naturally, none of us noticed the computers starting to smoke, right?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dominic reared back his fist, and I prayed for something, anything to happen that would make him stop.
Prayers are answered in funny ways.
There was an earth-shattering explosion then, and I'm told that a lot of scientists thought it was an earthquake at first. The glass from the building shattered and shot out like bullets, narrowly missing us, as the shockwave knocked us all off our feet. Dominic and his two hench-goons got up first, me completely forgotten.
"What the hell was that?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Every computer in the lab had blown up pretty much at once. Patamon, BlackGuilmon, Wormmon and I looked at each other.
"Hey, where's Veemon?"
We look around, but we couldn't see him.
"Wait, there he is!"
We looked up to where Patamon was pointing. Veemon had his head stuck in the ceiling and his legs were flailing as he tried to get out. Finally, he did, and he came crashing down into the center of us. He looked right at me.
"Impmon, did you do that?!"
I pulled at my bandanna nervously.
"Uh, yeah…"
He grinned suddenly.
"That was so cooool!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I stared down at Impmon incredulously.
"So you're telling me that blowing up the computer lab was an accident?!"
"Uh… yeah…"
I smacked my forehead.
"Aye-yi-yi…"
"Impmon, that was you?!"
He looked at Davis a little nervously. Davis continued on.
"That was awesome! I'm getting you some ice cream."
"Huh?"
"What?"
Davis looked at me.
"Oh, come on Takato. It was an accident! And besides, we won't have school for weeks now while they get everything replaced!"
I sighed.
I can't win.
"Fine, go. At least they didn't pin it on any of us."
Davis chuckled.
"Yeah. They're still looking for sixth graders in animal costumes."
Impmon looked up at me.
"Uh, you're not really mad, are you Takato?"
I smiled a little.
"No too much I suppose. Just… try not to do it again, okay?"
He grinned.
"Sure!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The man surveyed the amusement park. It was crowded.
Perfect.
He signaled.
"RIVER OF POWER!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My luck must be really bad some days…
Izzy frantically helped me to my feet. I thought that the time a week ago when I pitched Michael into the lake would have given him a clue. I didn't. If anything, he was worse now. He believed Izzy did it, and was determined to get him away from me before he did something similar. So, Izzy and I were back out here, attempting to do the happy couple thing.
Not that spending time with Izzy is bad… Then this happens.
I wasn't sure where MetalSeadramon had come from, but it was a really bad thing. Tentomon and Palmon were back at Izzy's apartment.
"Mimi!"
Oh lord, not again.
Michael came hurrying up the avenue.
"I'll save you Mimi!"
I gripped Izzy's arm and hissed at him.
"We run, now."
He nodded and we started running away from him.
"I WON'T LET YOU TAKE HER AWAY FROM ME!"
Michael was chasing us through the rubble.
Great.
"HELL SQUEEZE!"
MetalSeadramon wrapped itself around the Ferris Wheel and squeezed, bending and twisting it out of shape. Michael caught up with us and looked at what was happening.
"What the… How dare that thing threaten my Mimi! Get away you beast!"
He started running towards it, screaming and flapping his arms. A huge piece of debris was heading towards him. At the same time, MetalSeadramon saw him and started lunging for him, horn first, intent on impaling him. Michael was an idiot, but I didn't wasn't anything bad to happen to him.
Well, not this bad anyways…
"ROSETTA STONE!"
As Nefertimon destroyed the stone, Pegasusmon flew down and pulled Michael up out of the action just as MetalSeadramon slammed into the space where Michael had been. The bad part was that TK returned him over to where Izzy and I were.
"Michael, you idiot! What were you thinking?!"
"Mimi, my love, my darling, my light! See, you do care! I thought I would die and never again be entranced by your beauty!"
I growled.
"Shut up Michael. I didn't want to see you die, but that doesn't mean I want to lay eyes on you ever again!"
He looked up at me with his blue eyes wide and happy.
"Don't keep saying lies to keep this abuser happy Mimi! Of course you want to see me again! Tell him how you really feel, and come away with me!"
"Fine."
He grinned.
"Izzy…"
He gulped.
"Yes?"
I pulled him to me and kissed him. Long and hard. Michael was up and about, yelling franticly.
"Hey! Stop that! Get your lips off her you Neanderthal!"
I broke the kiss a little reluctantly. I looked towards Michael.
"Who I kiss isn't your concern Michael."
He looked at us uncomprehendingly. Then he growled.
"I will find out what hold he has on you Mimi! Then I will crush him and save you, my love! Believe!"
And with that, he just ran off.
"Well, that was weird."
"Yeah… sure…"
I looked at Izzy. He seemed a little dazed from the kiss.
That's sooo cute!
Since Izzy was in no condition to, I looked around, trying to find what had happened. MetalSeadramon had vanished, and TK and Kari were coming for us, arguing about something, their digimon trailing behind.
"I'm fine TK, it's just a bump on the head."
"Are you sure? You should really get it checked out, you know."
"TK quit! You're just as bad as Tai sometimes!"
He blushed.
"Sorry Kari."
She rolled her eyes.
"Forgiven. For now, anyways."
Then she stuck out her tongue a little.
"I hate the sound of that 'Sorry Kari'. Sounds like a little kids rhyme…"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SkullSatamon smirked. His servant had deviated from the path slightly, but it had worked out. The Digidestined would be so distracted by this that they wouldn't even know what hit them when the true plan came to fruition.
He would have his day.
And it would be soon.
A long laugh echoed through the Dark Ocean.