A/N: I'm baaaaacckkkk!! And I'm ready to continue writing again! I'm planning on continuing VB first before I start on chapter four of SR. And please don't hurt me if it's a little rusty. I haven't had any writing practice for a while. This year is so not my year...

Anyways, I know, you're horrified that I'm back, but you all have to deal with it until this chapter's over. Darn.

Voguish Fib

chapter twelve - Kidnappers Kidnapping the Kidnapped

The noises startled him from his sleep. His eyelids quickly opened as he stared off, listening silently to the sudden muteness that inhibited the halls.

He was sure he heard noises. Taichi scratched his head thoughtlessly. It wasn't abnormal to hear noises in the night (haha...not those kinds...), but something about what he heard, or thought he heard, kind of bothered him.

Should I check it out? he wondered, tossing his sheets aside and standing up from his futon.

Maybe it was for the best. He was always suspicious about the security of the building, but he never complained about it somehow...

As he headed out the door, he paused and quickly grabbed a small dagger from under his futon.

Just in case, he told himself, trying not to look afraid, despite the fact that no one was watching.

He walked out the door, silently, inadvertently tuning his hearing towards Sora's room. He could hear the rustling of clothing, and small muffled sounds drowned out by the steps he also heard... He was hit by a strange feeling of anxiety. Something was definitely wrong. He just didn't know what...

"Sora?" He gently tapped the shouji. "Sora, I know you're not talking to me, but if something's wrong, you have to let me know." No response. "Sora? Come on Princess, stop being so snobby--" he began as he opened the door to her room.

His heart nearly jumped out of his chest.

The window was wide open, curtains fluttering in the soft breeze dramatically, her bed was empty, and there was a small piece of cloth on the ground right next to it. Someone kidnapped her... He knew in the back of his mind that something like this would have happened sooner or later. He just didn't think it would be quiet, or that Sora would go so willingly...unless...

Slowly, he walked over to the small piece of cloth and tentatively picked it up. He brought it to his nose.

"Angemon blood..." he whispered softly, recognizing the acidic scent that ran through his nostrils. He slowly began crumpling the piece of cloth in his fist, tightening ever so slightly, as he thought about the torturous ways he could murder whoever took Sora. "Bastards!" he swore, throwing the cloth across the room before trudging out.

)()()()(

"Yamato! Yamato, wake up!" Taichi hissed, shaking the sleeping boy.

"I didn't do it! I swear to all that is holy!" Yamato screamed, sitting up with incomprehensible speed. Then when it hit him that it was only Taichi, he gave him the, "Oh it's just you" look.

Taichi's small flustered look only remained for a second before he got right back down to business. "Yamato, Sora's been kidnapped."

"What?" Yamato, still in a semi-conscious state, asked.

"Someone took Sora, and I need your help to get her back. I have an idea as to who took her."

"Who?"

"Those idiots from Furugawa, you dumbass! Who else would want to take her back? Her mother probably found some people sneaky enough to get in here." When Yamato didn't answer, he continued. "I heard some noises so I went to her room. When I got in, she was gone and the window was open. But there was something strange about how the window was opened...or--I don't know. I have this feeling that they didn't use it."

Yamato still said nothing. Instead, he stood up from his futon and grabbed his robe from the hook on the wall. "Show me the room," he finally said.

The instant they stepped into the room, Yamato inspected it, finding something a bit suspicious about the window.

He smirked slightly, looking down at the reflection of the moon on the bay. "You're right. Those guys didn't use the window. It was just a
distraction to make us think they crossed the bay instead of the forest. They..." Yamato began, his eyes moving through the room, scanning each corner.

He walked towards Sora's closet, Taichi shuffling close behind. Taichi watched curiously as Yamato stomped his foot on the floor, as if looking for something underground. Then he stopped. "They went through here," he indicated, stomping on a hollow area inside of Sora's closet.

Taichi knelt down and lifted it open. He looked through it for a second, pondering thoughtfully.

"Shit," he growled, slamming it down. "I'm such an idiot. I shouldn't have left her alone..."

Yamato gave another smirk, but Taichi knew it was for a different reason this time. He elbowed him.

"Not like that you hentai! Sora means more to me than that!"

Taichi snapped.

"I'm sorry, god...no need to be so touchy-feely," Yamato teased. "We'll get your girlfriend back." He walked out of the room before Taichi could respond. "Go to the weapons room. We can't go there unarmed."

"And no army. You can't tell anyone about this," Taichi said.

"Yeah, yeah. I already knew that. Let's go."

)()()()(

It was dark when she opened her eyes. A slight groan escaped her lips.

Where am I? she thought, being careful not to move because of the brain-pounding pain in her head. For a second she couldn't remember any of the events that happened during the past few days, months, even in her--life. Even her name was a blur to her during that short period of time.

She felt her body get shifted. She grimaced from being moved. As consciousness returned to her, she realized that she was in an uncomfortable position, with her legs and arms tied up lying stomach down on a horse. Sora...Sora Takenouchi, she thought, reminding herself that it was her name. Yes...I still know it...now...where am I?

The moon hit her ruby eyes just in the right spot in order for her to see her surroundings.

Definitely the Akaguchi forest...but a different route from the one Taichi used to bring me to the Yagami territory--Taichi! The memory of that messy haired boy hit her like horse shoes to a skull. Not a pretty image. Taichi...that bastard...how could I have trusted him? Why was I trying to fight Jyou when he told me he came to bring me back? Why do I want to stay in the Yagami territory? Why do I want to stay with that lying jackass of a bastard? she seethed.

Unfortunately, there was no anger in her.

Whoever was on the horse with her began humming. She remembered that tune...it was that song that was playing in the village, when the couples were dancing... Still, instead of reminding her of home, of her family...it brought her back to someone else...

Taichi...damn him... What is this feeling? Why do I have it now, of all times? Sora thought solemnly. Why do I want him to save me? He kidnapped me in the first place... Why can't I stop thinking about him when I'm supposed to be thinking of a way to escape?

Because...

Because...

"Because I love him," she whispered subtly.

"Princess? Are you awake?" came that familiar voice that now sparked a new anger sensory in her body.

Yes, now everything came back to her.

"Jyou Kido! Untie me this instant! I demand--" Sora began. Yep...the anger was back.

"I'm sorry, but at this point, you cannot demand anything. I'm sorry Princess, but it's by order of Sir Myotismon--"

"Screw that bastard!! I don't understand how you can trust him Jyou! He's been nothing but bad luck since my mother met him!"

Jyou swallowed visibly. He couldn't listen to her. He was ordered by the queen herself who gave the responsibility to Myotis--

"I'm sorry I was so rude at the dinner that night, almost two weeks ago...but you should have known about my reputation...it's just the way I am Jyou..." Sora continued, changing the subject completely. She felt unusually talkative.

"It has nothing to do with that night Princess. I promise! I found you ravishing, Princess, even if you acted like a wild, demented animal--"

"Just call me Sora, would you Jyou?" she told him gently.

"Oh, but it seems so inappropriate," Jyou disagreed, shaking his head wildly.

"Taichi called me Sora," she couldn't help but blurt out. There was an awkward silence as Jyou stared darkly at his trail.

"Then I'll call you Sora," he answered, sounding similarly to a pouty five-year-old boy. Sora could barely hear the note of jealousy, but it was there all right. A small smile formed on her face. He continued. "I know this is kind of a random question, Pri--uh...Sora, but...did you have feelings for Prince Yagami?"

Did!? I still do...and sadly I just realized this now, Sora scoffed. "No...it was just a little crush in the beginning. Then I realized he was more like a...brother to me." Dear Kami-sama, I can't believe I just said that...

"Oh...good--I mean--it would have been extremely inappropriate if you did have feelings for him. I mean, he did kidnap you, did he not? Besides, he's not even that good looking. I mean look at that hair! Could you imagine having that hair for the rest of your life? It's prepostorous! He could have at least combed it for once. I'm surprised his family didn't scream at him to shave it off..."

Sora simply smiled, but made it completely discreet, away from Jyou's view. She turned to him, (as far as she could turn in her current position) and lifted a brow. "You're not jealous are you Jyou?" she interrupted. She was unaware that he was still talking.

"Jealous!?" he scoffed. Oh he was definitely jealous. "Of that ape? Plea--Sora, how could you--I mean...I am most certainly--"

"There is no need to be jealous Jyou. We were only friends..." ...who kiss each other and had...have (?) deep, unrelenting feelings for one another...unless that's just me... Sora paused

her thoughts for a second. Why was she worried about what Taichi felt for her? She never care about what anyone thought or felt about her before... why now?

So many things were changing and it hadn't even been a month yet...

"So we're going straight home?" Sora asked, changing the subject completely.

"Yes. Straight to Sir Myotismon."

"Myotismon? Why not Mother?"

"It was by order of the queen."

"Jyou, you're not a guard, you don't have to talk like one. I think of you as one of my peers, not one of those old bags who have nothing in life better to do than sit around and complain about how fat or old they're getting," Sora grumbled. Jyou laughed. He always liked Sora's bluntness. She curiously glanced at him then looked back down. "I'm sorry, I'm rambling."

"Oh no, I love the sound of your voice Sora."

"Oh..." Jyou was pretty flattering. She was struck by an idea. "So...do you like it enough to untie me?"

"No."

)()()()(

"We're on their trail Yamato," Taichi told his friend, confidently.

"But what will we do when we get there genius? Tap the kidnapper on the shoulder and ask him kindly to return the princess?" Yamato asked sarcastically.

Taichi rolled his eyes. "No, dumbass! We'll kidnap her right back!"

"And what if she doesn't want to return with us?"

Taichi stopped his horse. "Then..." he began slowly. A sullen look suddenly came over him. But it quickly left just as soon as it came. "Then that will be that. But we won't find out unless we find them right?" He strode on, leaving Yamato behind.

I can't believe how hung up he is on that girl, Yamato thought with a small shake of the head, soon whipping the horse's reins and following Taichi.

As the pair rode, the sight of the trees became tedious and the rhythmic sound of the horses' hooves only added to their growing drowsiness. Taichi was still determined to find them, but was desperately trying to figure out a way to sleep while trying the save the girl he cared for.

Yamato on the other hand was glancing at his friend every now and then, making sure the half-conscious man was still on his horse. He turned his head back to the forest.

If they were lucky, they'd catch up to them before the sun fell the next day.

That was without food or drink.

A/N: Kinda short, but I'm just recapping on what this fic is about. I have to think back on the entire purpose of it...ah! Don't worry! It's still in my head...somewhere...I swear!