Disclaimer: I do own Digimon.

Note: I never expected this to go this long. It was only supposed to be one long post for a Takari Week entry called 'Letters' on Tumbler, but it morphed into this. And though Takeru is a jerk sometimes, most of the time you can't be mad at him for it because he just seems so innocent, but not this time.


Chapter Four: Love is War

Hikari reflexively sat up and snapped her eyes wide open in terror shrieking at the top of her lungs. The Dark Ocean. The Watchers in them. The ones who tried to drag her into their depths, Hikari helpless as she could only imagine what was going to happen to her, her only hope Takeru brushing aside her cry for help.

It was all over. It was all-

-Before she had realized it, a loud smacking sound hit the side of her cheek, Hikari adjusting her eyes to her surroundings. There, her mother held both of her shoulders, concern flooding down her face as she gritted her teeth. "Not again," she groaned. "Hikari not again!" she cried into her chest, wrapping her arms around her waist.

"M-mom," Hikari realized, the gentle shudders and tears from her mom soaking into her night gown. "I'm...I'm o-"

-She could not hold in her frustration anymore and closed her eyes shivering and crying, both of them there for quite some time.

After awhile, after both of them had calmed down Hikari went with her mother into the living room. Her mother had smiled nervously, told her to wait a bit and came back a few minutes later with two piping hot cups of green tea on saucers.

"I promise it's not one of my experiments this time," she smiled awkwardly.

"K," Hikari replied taking in the scent, the freshness lingering in her sinuses clearing away the last fragments of terror her dream had brought her.

"It's been quite some time," her mom said drinking some tea herself, "Since you've had a dream like that. It's always something that's really bothering you isn't it?" she said calmly.

Hikari nodded her head, smiling a little sadly. "Yes," she admitted, her hand shaking a bit drinking the tea.

"What is it this time?" she smiled warmly, her caring eyes calming a bit of Hikari's fears.

Hikari wanted to keep to herself, but somehow her mom had a way of getting through her silence. Usually in times like this, she would-

"-Well, I remember the first time this happened you were upset because you had to say goodbye to your childhood friend. What was his name?" she asked herself rhetorically, a finger to her lips. "Takeru, right? Isn't that the same boy you go to High School with every day?"

"Not...every day," Hikari said trying to keep herself composed.

"I see," her mom said smiling as if she adored her.

Hikari did not want to have this conversation. She wanted to go back under her covers and forget she ever had a bad dream or-"

"-Hikari, does this dream have something to do with him? You know I can tell when you're lying," she sang in a playful voice.

Hikari felt heat rush to her face, her trying her best to remain composed. "S-so what if he did?" she said nervously defiant. "That doesn't mean anything," she said sipping some more tea, but it was strangely lacking in flavor.

Her mom still smiled affectionately as if she knew something.

"W-what is it mom?" she asked nervously, but smiling herself.

"Hikari, you've been drinking that empty cup for the last few minutes. Would you like some more?"

Hikari sighed in defeat. "No, but, I knew you could tell what was wrong. I can't hide anything from you mom," she sighed a bit relieved.

Her mom weaved her hands together and cracked the joints. "Now that the tension is over let's get down to it," she said strangely energetic. "What's bothering you so much?"

Hikari shifted her eyes slowly away, but closed them realizing it was pointless. "Ok," she relented. "I'll tell you mom…

...And that's the story," Hikari said feeling a little bit better even though she still felt overwhelmed.

"Hmm," her mom said intrigued by it. "This friend of yours sounds pretty messed up," she noticed. "But to think he would go so far as break the hearts of 73 girls in one day is almost not human."

"That's what we all think," Hikari agreed. "All to get some girl out there to give him a letter to tell her she likes him. It's really absurd," she agreed with her herself. "But then again, it is Takeru after all," she smiled warmly, but sadly.

"Hikari," Her mom said placing the cup and saucer down. "This boy, Takeru Takashi- Isn't he the one that saved you all those years ago on multiple occasions?"

"Yes," she nodded her head.

She put one finger to her lip, concerned. "I was wondering about this for awhile," she said. "But, though I don't know everything that happened when you went missing, I did notice afterwards you started spending a lot more time with him. Even walking to school."

"What's so weird about that?" she asked.

"Well," she said taking a breath, "It could just be my imagination, but usually girls at your age were usually giddy with love. I had quite a few admirers in my day," she winked, "But, surely there would be a crush or two you would have-"

"-Mom," Hikari sighed emotionally drained. "I just...can't have those kinds of things other normal girls have."

"And why not?"

Hikari bit her lip trying to stop them from trembling. Tears built up into sobbing pools in her eyes. She did not know how she could tell her. She still had thought that it was just another normal saving the day kind of thing when she went to the dark ocean, but, her mom, she truly had no idea. Nor did she know how to tell her. But, she knew she had to now- not after her mom had consoled her like this.

"Mom," she said swallowing hard, "Before Takeru and Tailmon saved me from the Dark Ocean, there is something you should know."

Her mom instantly developed a worrisome look on her face. "I'm prepared," she said stone faced. "Hikari, please tell me."

Hikari swallowed her tears, one hand over her heart. She felt if she did not tell her now she would never tell her.

"The truth is...those monsters were not really digimon that had taken me to the dark ocean. I don't know what they were, but, one of them, it- it grabbed me by the arm," she said suddenly realizing she was out of breath. "It told me that they were going to make me the mother of their offspring, and-" she said covering her hand to her mouth. "...Were it not for Takeru and Tailmon I would have-""

Her mother instantly wrapped her arms tightly around her daughter, Hikari feeling life enter into her lungs again.

"Now I finally understand," she said in relief. "I can only imagine how horrifying that must have been for you," she said clutching her even tighter as if scared to let her go. "It makes sense why you don't go after the one you love. That terror still grips your heart."

Hikari nodded her head, crying into her mom's shoulder, her tears soaking into it.

"Do you think," she said, her face a mess, "That I'll always be like this? He's going after the girl he likes, so if I don't do something I'm going to lose him to...some unknown girl. We won't be able to be the way before. I won't be able to walk with him to school like I used to," she sniffed. "I feel like I'll always be...alone."

Hikari felt a heaviness fall around her, her mother's loving embrace the only thing keeping her legs from collapsing underneath her in emotional and physical exhaustion.

"Hikari," her mom said, a different tone in her voice. "Even with all of our doubts, and fears, and experiences, I've learned just as you have with your digimon adventures that life itself is a battle. It's not digivolving to defeat some arch villain or anything like that, but you have to overcome those things by trial and error, and putting your heart out on a limb."

"What do you mean?"

"Your grandfather used to be a soldier," she said. "And he always seemed to have this vitality about him that I picked up that gave me energy and confidence. Because I knew from his experience's life was a battle. "

She cleared her throat, holding one finger up matter-of-factly pointing at Hikari. "If you don't fight on the front lines you aren't fighting at all."

Hikari stared at her a bit dumbstruck. "I don't understand," she said perplexed.

"Fine, then I'll tell you in a different way," she said even more confident. "Hikari, remember these words, engrave them into your heart and never let go of the fight."

Hikari nodded her head a bit fervently, a strange energy passing from her mom to her. The words came from her mom so passionately, Hikari felt a fire stir within her.

"Love is War."

"Love is...war?" she said a bit confused.

"It definitely is," her mom smirked all energetic. "Love makes you do crazy things, and stupid things but it all comes from your heart," she said placing Hikari's over hers. "I'm not saying you do, but, if you have feelings for Takeru you got to bring the fight to him. You can't just let him get away."

"I can't?"

"No silly," she laughed. "If it was your grandfather and he let an enemy go it would have been his head instead. That advise helped me confess to your father. But that was just the beginning. I tirelessly made him meals, wrote him cards, and spent all the time I could with him even though he himself was pretty busy. Because if you don't bring the fight to him for your love someone else will."

Hikari closed her eyes in defeat. "But what can I do? I can't just confess like that. It would be so...awkward. We've been friends for such a long time I-"

"-Hikari," Her mom said humming a song to calm her, "But if you don't do this sweetheart your heart will ache when you lose the war for his heart. Men seek comfort," she said like a teacher. "If you don't comfort him he will try to be comforted by someone else. And that seems to be what he is doing."

"So...it's too late then," Hikari sighed.

"It's never too late child!" she said karate chopping her head. "It's only too late once you give up! Now tell me, if he hasn't accepted the letter from a girl yet you still have a good chance of at least reaching him. How are you going to fight? What's the last thing you did for him?"

Hikari looked this way and that unsure of exactly where this conversation had gone. "Well, it is white day week," she said. "I gave him some friendship chocolate with all the others on valentine's day."

Her mom stared at her, her eyes open in shock. "Eeeeegh!" she yelled almost horrified.

"Hikari!" she snapped shaking her by the shoulders, Hikari's head bobbing up and down, "Get your head in the game! You are so far behind! It's like your going to flunk love school!"

Hikari turned her eyes down a bit embarrassed. "I'm sorry mom. I just don't have the heart to-"

"-Would you like to see him walking with someone else starting tomorrow? "she said staring into her eyes. "A peck on the cheek. A hug. A caress. And it wouldn't be you. It would be some other girl," she said, Hikari's heart racing a bit in terror.

"T-tell me what to do mom," she smiled wryly lifting up her arms weakly.

"I'll tell you what we're going to do," she said racing upstairs, much to Hikari's curiosity and coming down with two bandannas on it. She wrote on them 'Love is War' and tied one around her head and the other around Hikari's head.

"We're going to give it our all!" she yelled confidently. "Come on Hikari. Give it a go!"

Hikari tried to control her voice calling out a pathetic 'augh,' much to her mother's disappointment.

"Come on sweetheart. You can do it! Like this!" she yelled again. "Auuuugh!"

Hikari tried it again, shouting it out.

They went back and forth until Hikari was blue in the face.

"All right dear," she said stretching her arms. "Don't think I've been teaching you home making skills just so you can take care of your helpless older brother," she smiled. "You'll need these skills to be a great wife and mother one day. This is just practice."

Hikari felt herself swoon a bit thinking about it. Takeru in a tux, and her arm and arm smiling pleasantly to each other walking down the ai-"

"-Ho?" her mother grinned mischievously. "Hikari you silly girl- you're daydreaming about marrying him already. You're head over heels girl."

Hikari covered her eyes in embarrassment, but still did not want to give up. "I'm ready mom," she swallowed. "What do I need to do? I'll do everything else, but confess."

"That's right," she said nodding her head approvingly tapping her on the shoulder. "Bring the fight to him Hikari. And you know why?"

Hikari felt any tension deflate, as her mom's warm fighting spirit passed over to her. She smirked, suddenly feeling an ounce of courage for once within her. This was her own courage. Her own battle. And to win him, Hikari would bring the fight. She said the answer with confidence, ready to wage war, the words resonating within her:

"Love is War."


After a good rest, Hikari woke up the next day a bit tired. Her alarm clock blared off in the room somewhere between having fallen down between the floor and the bed, Hikari not having the energy to shut it off.

"Five more minutes…" she said to herself half in a daze still recovering from that evening.

She felt her eyelids droop down giving into slumber when a nostalgic feeling gave her just the burst of energy she needed. She smiled, the words echoing off of her lips. "...You've slept enough," she said, the days of childhood full of the encouragement of Takeru.

She then slapped her face with both hands, the pain stinging, but Hikari would not let herself be swayed in the past. "That's enough," she said determined. "Game time."

With the encouragement of her mother and Tailmon Hikari felt more confident in herself. She picked out her school uniform and tried to look as beautiful as she possibly could, naturally of course, never wanting to appear fake or insincere to anyone, especially to him. As she looked in the mirror at herself, a vague presence staring back at her, she started to formulate her plan.

She nodded her head approving of her look. A thin lipstick, a slight blush, and her hair with just a bit more conditioner was all she needed. In addition, she grabbed a small vial of perfume she had picked with Miyako one day while out shopping. It had a mellow sweetness to it of watermelon and cucumbers, two of Takeru's favorite foods. She knew it was slightly risky to wear it, but, it smelled a bit fruity and refreshing.

With that, she brushed her hair slightly, inspecting her face for any blemishes, but she had to admit she looked radiant. Maybe… a bit too much. Tailmon snuck up on her and climbed up a bathroom towel and jumping onto her shoulder.

"Wow Hikari, you're pulling out all the stops," she noticed.

"You think he will notice me now?"

"He always notices you."

"Not as...just a friend Tailmon," she said not letting the person in the mirror win a staring contest as she looked in. "Am I...pretty?"

"You're really pretty Hikari," she said. "I'm surprised all the boys at your school have not fallen for you."

"Just a soccer team," she laughed a little. "But, the way this is now Tailmon, I am so far behind I have to make up for it. But I can't do it all at once otherwise it will be too obvious."

Hikari had to admit, she still did not feel right. Even with the lack of sleep, she shouldn't be feeling this weak. It took all her focus this morning just to get ready.

Just then her mom's voice shouted out from the dining room. "Hikari, you're not leaving without eating breakfast!" she shouted, Hikari finally turning away from the mirror and entering into the dining room.

She sat down, said a quick prayer in her head, and started eating. Despite how well her mom cooked, the taste seemed a bit off and unsettling.

"Here," her mom said turning around pouring some tea. "This should help. Best of luck today," she smiled heartily. "I know you'll be able to point yourself in the right direction."

Hikari nodded. "Thank you, mom," she smiled. "I'll do my best!"


The sun had nearly risen fully in the sky as Hikari walked to school. She hesitated, lingering in her shadow as she passed by the spot she had met Takeru every day. He wasn't there of course. She wondered if by chance Daisuke had been right and he was spending time with a new girl. She knew she would find out eventually maybe even during the morning announcement.

She resolved herself to make it at least until then and stepped lightly, but quickly on her way to school.


Takeru smiled as innocently as he could, bitter words causing nervous smiles and shed tears. Even being nice it still hurt them it seemed. After about the tenth girl that day he reckoned it akin to stabbing someone with a knife. No matter how you did it, it was still messy, but his encouraging words after were like a bandaide for a fatal wound.

After the last girl, dejected, walked back wither her friends, Takeru retreated to a shadowy corner hoping to have a moment to himself. That last one stung a bit more. He appreciated her honesty, her tears more real than any of the other girls that had tried to hold it in.

He found himself smiling, but could barely keep it up away from everyone. He put thumb and index finger in his eyes, tears leaking down. It was too early to start panicking yet, but, the way that girl reacted somehow reminded him of Hikari. She had short hair like her, a different face, but the way she presented herself was so like her.

For a moment he imagined Hikari in front of him frozen with her there. What would he say? What could he say? There was no way he would turn her down, but, even if she did what words would be able to be enough? He had been so comfortable being everything to her except the thing he wanted to be most.

Takeru composed himself staring at a locker that had a bit of a reflective surface. He tried to force a smile on his face, preparing himself to get ready to break some more hearts. "I'm sorry,' he said to himself. "But this is only the beginning…"


Takeru every few minutes had to deal with a confession and a rejection. He started to let down his guard a bit, not even explaining himself as much, not talkative as much as he retreated away. His exhaustion with the whole matter had started to get to him a bit.

He had no time that day for any of his classes. He hadn't seen Hikari it seemed in days, and he only sent her one text message telling her a little bit more than he should. It was just a seemingly innocent text. And all it said was 'I could really go for some ice cream'.

Corny, yes, but somehow, he had forced himself into a corner. There were only a few more days he had to endure this test of his, hoping beyond hope that somehow Hikari would come up to him with a letter. But, if she didn't, it would break him. It would only confirm with him she never saw him as a romantic interest in the first place.

He hesitated as he took out his cell phone and texted the others telling them he would be coming over to the hang out spot soon. Hopefully Hikari would be there and restore a part of his heart that had worn itself out breaking so many others.

He looked around the corner looking for an opening, but the feet of other female and male students went forward, many of them a bit frenzied about something. Takeru sighed, realizing just now how big of a mess he had made things for himself, and he only had himself to blame.

He waited for them to pass, looking out of the corner of his eye, and to his shock, he saw Hikari, yet different than how he had seen her before. He could not help but be a bit mesmerized. She wore a faint lipstick and her make up seemed a bit different, but her serene grace and smile melted his heart to the core, even so much as him considering repenting of his sins and living the rest of his life as a saint.

That was not the only troublesome matter though. He noticed among this group about three or four guys that he thought a girl would consider attractive among them. Two of them Takeru had seen from Taichi's soccer team. The other two, he had never seen before at all. They seemed to want to butt in conversation talking to Hikari, Takeru noticing Hikari seemed a bit tense and nervous.

Takeru sighed placing one hand over his eyes, bitter tears stinging his face, clenching his teeth so he would not make a sound. He had wanted to make Hikari jealous all this time to show that she might have feelings for him. He wanted that more than anything, but somehow, in her Hikariesque manner she one upped him as if they were still walking together to school, talking, laughing, and having fun together.

The air grew quite chill around him as he felt a shiver crawl down his spine. He hated how things turned out at the time, but he realized he loved this side of Hikari to. Even though it seemed like they were apart, in a way Takeru had never felt closer to her. It was difficult to describe. Not to mention, he felt annoyed seeing all those guys fawning over her. To say he felt jealous was an understatement. But, maybe, just maybe he hoped that this feeling of his might be how Hikari felt when she saw him among all the girls he turned down.

Speaking of which, a girl in the hallway's shadow turned as if looking towards him. "What luck!" the girl said smiling coming over to him. "I have you all to myself," she said taking out a letter. "Well, here it is," she said grinning. "I'm ready for you to shoot me down now and get my ticket."

Takeru stared at her a bit dumbfounded. "Well," he smiled still feeling the heat of jealousy from earlier, "I don't really want to now that you know what's going to happen," he said the tone of his voice sounding darker and darker, a bitter smile crossing his face, "But, if you insist…"