Disclaimer-I don't own Digimon. I own this really cool bracelet though! It's magnetic and...I can make it a necklace!
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Dark Secrets (To Be Discovered)
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Kouichi walked out of the classroom, making a point to ignore and avoid everyone and everything. After all, he only had fifteen minutes to discuss matters with Lowemon and Duskmon.
Turning the corner, he found himself alone in a field. Kouichi drew a breath and called out sharply, "Duskmon, Lowemon."
The two digimon appeared, both kneeling before they rose to their feet. Before Duskmon could say anything, Lowemon bashed him in the jaw. "Yes, Kouichi?"
"...would you two stop trying to murder each other?" the boy requested, exasperated with their behavior.
Duskmon muttered something, but ended up getting bashed in the jaw again. Lowemon answered instead, "If you insist, but if this...thing..."
Angrily, Duskmon whacked Lowemon. "I'm a digimon, too! How many times do we need to go over this?" he growled.
"Forever. Now, what is it, Kouichi?"
Kouichi stared at his watch. "I have thirteen minutes to talk to you and head back to class. So I suggest you be quiet and listen. So...it's about the..." looking around, the boy whispered, "you know, the..."
"Yeah, yeah...what about it?" muttered Duskmon rudely. I'm not in a good mood, he thought. Then again...when am I ever?
Sighing, Kouichi managed a weak smile. "Uh...how...exactly do you two expect me to lug it around everywhere?"
Lowemon shut his eyes. "I believe S-er, Mr. Saito," he corrected hastily, "not Saito...Duskmon...I'm going to have to whack you for that. Anyway, Mr. Saito should tell you."
When no more was said, Duskmon asked, "Is that it?" Kouichi nodded. "Then get back to class. Torture that brother of yours for me."
"Oh, I almost forgot, thanks," Kouichi replied with a grin. "The pre-calc books are in my locker. I won't be able to make a bet with Kanaye, but Kouji'll be a great target!"
Duskmon broke into a faint smile as Kouichi walked off. Lowemon shot a look at his companion, then smiled slyly. "You really are changing..." the warrior of darkness chuckled.
The smile disappeared as if it had never been there. Annoyed with Lowemon's observation, Duskmon turned around and headed to the nearest shadow, muttering, "Be quiet. You don't know what you're talking about. Just because I approve of one human..."
"AHA! You admit it!"
"Hush, fool!"
"You're the fool, here, Duskmon."
"Lowemon, if it didn't hurt me in any way to hurt you..."
"Likewise, Duskmon. Likewise."
"What now?"
Lowemon merely shrugged. "We wait until he summons us next."
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"Okay, well, class, guess what?" Ms. Kawai said, as unenthusiastic as possible. "Mr. Ogata's back. I hear the cheers. Well, I saved you from the Shakespearean unit, and now you guys have Gym with your...oh, so favorite teacher. Behave."
Kouichi smiled slightly as Ms. Kawai directed her last word mostly at him with a look. He nodded slightly and felt a smirk tug at his lips as Mr. Ogata entered the room.
"So, class, I did have a great time on vacation. How were you?" Mr. Ogata asked cheerfully. The class mumbled silently to themselves. "Ah...I see...so how was your Shakespearean unit?"
At this point, Ms. Kawai left the room and Kako muttered, "We didn't have it. We skipped it and did something more interesting."
Mr. Ogata was surprised. Startled, he questioned, "What?"
"Napoleon debate," Kouichi answered, smoothly, putting on an innocent face. Mr. Ogata directed a glare in his direction, one that lasted for a mere second before he told them to dress up for P.E.
Oh, Kouichi just couldn't wait.
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"Time to make his life miserable," Kouichi muttered. Slipping on his gym clothes, he sighed and shut his eyes, picturing JagerLowemon. Ogata's...and Kanaye's...both of them will regret everything.
Kouichi walked outside, turning around just as Kouji attempted to scare him. "Kou-?"
"B-AAAAAHHHH!" Kouji yelped, barely stopping himself in time before he crashed into his older twin. Kouichi merely stood there, staring as his brother fell backwards. "Oof...ow...Kouichi, can't you stop being a kill joy and let me have some fun?" whined the younger of the two.
"Hmm...let me think...no."
"Gah, evil."
Kouichi broke into a grin. "Only if it's to torture you."
"H-hey...what's with the new attitude?" Kouji suddenly accused.
Suddenly turning away from his brother and staring at the sky, Kouichi headed off to join the rest of the class, not wanting to think about Kouji's question.
"Hey! Get back here!"
Kouichi broke into a run, ignoring his pursuing brother. Gah, questions...questions. When did he get a curious mind, anyway? Or has he been reading too much 'Curious George?' Kouichi skidded to a stop, then looked behind him, sighing in relief when there was no sign of Kouji.
"Yeah...I heard, too..."
"I know, isn't it weird?"
"You think those two would go out."
"No, but I heard Naoko's going with him to the dance!"
"You mean he's actually going to the dance?"
"Oh my god!" one girl squealed. "I have to go!"
Kouichi turned back front, seeing a group of girls in front of him. Very stiffly, he turned around again, slowly heading back to find his brother. In the case of question or girls, he would choose any question...
As long as it wasn't from a girl.
"Hey, Kouichi!"
Kouichi froze in place and slowly turned his head, wincing. "Y-yeah...?"
"So, are you really going to the dance?" the girl asked eagerly.
Fighting the urge to whimper, Kouichi nodded. Both Duskmon and Lowemon would laugh at me for being scared of a couple of girls...
A few more girls ran towards him, all babbling about things he couldn't understand. Kouichi didn't know how he managed, but he eventually found a way around them and ran over to Izumi, breathing hard. "Exactly where are the rest of the boys?"
Izumi stared at the ground in front of her quietly. "I...think they're with Kanaye. Oh, Kouichi, I don't want to go!" she exclaimed, looking up at him.
"What?"
"I don't want to go to the dance! I...I wanted to be with Takuya...but that...that thing..."
Kouichi chuckled, murmuring, "You sound a lot like Lowemon..."
A look of surprise overcame Izumi. "What? Lowemon! What are you talking about?"
That was when Kouichi realized his mistake. Turning pale, he swallowed, looked around and murmured, "Duskmon and Lowemon are here. Along with their beast spirit forms..."
"Why?"
"I don't know...but apparently...I'm missing...part of my fractal code."
"Kouichi! How...is that possible?" Izumi wondered, looking at the sky.
The boy shrugged. "I guess it just is. But it does seem strange to be perfectly normal with a half complete fractal code, now that you mention it."
"Hey, Izumi!" Kako yelled, racing over. "Have...you seen the rest of the boys?"
"Nope. Why?" asked her cousin.
"Uhh...oh. Oh...OH! I bet it's Kanaye again," muttered the younger girl, suddenly irked. "He's probably betting something..."
Izumi turned around, her eyes searching for any sign of the rest of the class. They narrowed as soon as Kanaye appeared, her face scrunching up in disgust. "Well," she finally said, pushing Kouichi forward, "it's up to you, Kouichi." Under her breath, she added, "Just pray Duskmon's feeling on your side."
Kouichi shot her a confused look before calmly meeting Kanaye's eyes. "Huh. The murderer. What do you know," he commented.
Kouji ran forward and muttered something in his brother's ear. "And I'm gonna make major money!" he added after.
Suddenly irked, Kouichi turned around. "Forget it. That's stupid."
Kanaye laughed. "Afraid?" he sneered.
Kouichi turned around, glaring murderously into Kanaye's eyes. "You want competition? You asked for it the moment you decided to mess with certain people's lives. Let's see how fair you can play."
"Fair? Fair's for girls."
"HEY!" Kako yelled, glaring at Kanaye.
Kanaye walked around Kouichi, then looked down at Kako. "Well, you'd have to agree, wouldn't you? That is why you failed."
Kako felt her blood boil as Kanaye lifted her chin with a hand. Smoothly, she pushed his hand away and merely glared at him in the eye. "Even the smallest hint of a wrong move towards my cousin, and I will tear you to pieces."
Laughing, Kanaye leaned forward and murmured something in her ear, causing the girl to turn white. "It's strange, isn't it? So...Izumi. I trust you'll be as beautiful as ever?"
Izumi said nothing, but merely turned away, folding her arms. Kouji suddenly frowned, turning around and seeing the rest of the boys walk over. "Huh...hey, Kanaye. Exactly how many idiots work under you?"
"Why, most of the boys in our class. Why do you ask?" Kanaye questioned in turn, spinning Izumi around and grabbing her arms so she wouldn't move.
"Let her go, Kanaye," Kouichi growled.
Kanaye turned his head around and replied, "Would you like to have a replay of Saturday's incident? No? Then I suggest you shush." Turning back to Izumi, he leaned forward, kissing her.
Izumi's eyes widened as she tried to raise her hands to fight him off, but found it impossible. Her eyes searched for help, looking at Kako who was ready to strike. As soon as Kanaye pulled away, she shouted for Kako to stop, but found it too late.
Whirling around, Kanaye grabbed Kako's foot just as she kicked, yanking it up and causing the girl to fall back. Kouji barely caught her in time to stop her head from hitting the ground. "Very nice kick, Kako. I can see why my uncle thinks so highly of you. But there is no way you'll be able to hit me."
"Are you so sure?" Kouichi asked, his tone dangerously low.
"You'd have to be one of a few people to hit me. And since none of them go to this sch-"
Kouichi grabbed Kanaye by his collar just as Mr. Ogata walked over. The teacher blew his whistle, and Kouichi winced. "Kimura!" Mr. Ogata yelled furiously. "Violence is prohibited. If I catch you again..."
"AND YOU WON'T!" Kouji yelled back.
"Be quiet, Minamoto! Kako...Izumi, are you alright?" Mr. Ogata asked, looking at Kako, who was still shaking from the fall.
Nodding, Kako whispered, "I...I'm fine." Izumi, on the other hand, remained quiet.
"Good. Now, today...we'll be doing fitness testing. Meaning you'll be running a mile, doing sit ups, push ups...all those great things. So! Let's start off with sit ups!"
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"Ahahah! Those were easy!" Kako laughed, stretching her arms in the air. Kouji walked besides her, smiling slightly. "I still can't believe you didn't do all your sit ups, Kouji..."
Kouji chuckled slightly, then murmured, "Well...I was kind of worried..."
"Hm? About what?"
"Well, you, for one. You could have broken your head. It's like he was sure I'd catch you..." Kouji stopped in place and looked at the ground quietly.
Kako fell quiet as she, too, stopped, then sighed and rested her head on his shoulder. "Yeah, well thanks. I'd be a mess if you hadn't."
"And Kouichi...seemed to know, too."
At the mention of Kouichi, Kako pushed off of Kouji. "He's...going to be in a lot of trouble."
Kouji shrugged. "Competition. It's not dangerous. Not like they have swords or anything."
Kako shivered and murmured, "But that's what worries me. Kouichi was mentioning something about swords yesterday in his sleep at the hospital. And...I told him not to make any bets with Kanaye...but..."
Silence befell the two.
"How...how's Izumi?" Kouji then asked, catching a glimpse of Izumi leaning against the wall, alone. "I don't think we should leave her alone like that..."
The girl nodded. "Being without Takuya's really killing her. She was really looking forward to dancing with him. I mean, because before they were just going as friends...and...now she's all depressed because...c-can we just go talk to her? After the incident with Kanaye today, I don't think it's a really good idea to leave her alone."
Kouji nodded in agreement, and the two headed over to Izumi. "Hey...Izumi..."
Izumi looked up, a small, but tired smile on her face. "Hey, what's up? So...did you two know Kouichi's going to the dance with Naoko?"
"WHAT?" Kako exclaimed.
Her cousin shrugged. In a small voice, she whispered, "That's what I've been hearing."
Once again, there was a silence until Kouichi and Kanaye came out, glaring at each other. Kouji winced. He could almost feel the competitive sparks flying. "Hey, Kouichi," he called out, "what'd you get!"
"Eighty," the two boys answered, Kanaye's answer more smug than Kouichi's fierce one.
"How many did you do," Kako asked her cousin.
Laughing nervously, Izumi replied, "Seventy-seven. You?"
"Seventy-nine. Kouji got one less than I did."
"IT'S NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL! It's just eighty. You were all five within the eighty range, anyway. Sheesh," Kouichi muttered, leaning against the wall and watching Kanaye talk to his companions. "Are they even his friends?"
"No." Kouichi turned to his twin, who put on a serious face. "If you look at it, most of them look brain-washed. I'd say they're either really amazed by his skill, or got stuck in following him, like Takuya," the younger of the two boys murmured.
A sigh escaped Kouichi's lips, "Thought so."
Unable to bear the silence, Izumi declared, "Well it doesn't matter, because Kouichi can stop him!" As the other three looked at her in surprise, she asked, a bit more unsure and meek, "Right, Kouichi?"
Silence, once more, dominated the group. He shut his eyes and nodded. "Yeah," agreed Kouichi, "I'll beat him. No matter how long it takes."
"Great! So push ups are next!" Kako laughed. Kouji paled and Kouichi coughed. This made Kako twitch. "You can beat him in push ups, right?" she growled.
The older boy swallowed and replied, "I'll do my best."
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"Gahhh...my arms," Kako wailed. Izumi whimpered, but said nothing as the two girls watched the twins and Kanaye continue their push-ups. "When are they going to stop."
Mr. Ogata watched the three boys, then shot a glance at the tape recorder. "Well," he said, as they finished their very last push up, "the tape is out. You're all done."
The two girls exchanged glances before staring at the boys. "They...they're nuts, right, Kako?" Izumi asked.
"Oh...sorry," Takuya muttered as he bumped into Izumi.
Izumi's eyes brightened at the sound of his voice, but quickly faded when she realized he didn't notice her. "I'm never going to get him back."
Kako grumbled as the twins both glared at Kanaye, Kouji sticking his tongue out childishly before she replied, "You will. Or I'll just murder Kanaye in his sleep."
"Kako..."
Laughing, Kako said, "Just don't worry! We'll get him back if it's the last thing we do!"
Her face showed her surprise before slowly melting into a smile. Standing up, Izumi walked over to the twins and congratulated them on their push-ups. In the mean time, Kako sat down against the wall, pondering what her cousin had mentioned earlier.
'So...did you two know Kouichi's going to the dance with Naoko?' Izumi had said.
He was going to the dance.
And with Naoko.
"Hey, Kako!"
Kako winced and looked up, forcing a smile. "Hey...Naoko...so, you're really going to the dance with Kouichi?"
Naoko smiled back and nodded, sitting beside Kako. "Um," she murmured, "you...aren't mad, right?"
"Mad? Why would I be?"
"Kako, stop it...everyone knows you liked Kouichi."
"I'm going out with Kouji."
"It's a lie."
"No it isn't."
"Others may not be able to tell," Naoko told her, "but it doesn't really fool me. You still love him."
Kako shifted uncomfortably. "I...I don't..."
The other girl snorted, "Keep telling yourself that. But it won't come true."
"Mile time!" Mr. Ogata shouted, ordering the class to head out to the track.
Naoko continued, "Please, tell me the truth, Kako. I want to know!"
Squeezing her eyes shut as she took her place, Kako kept silent.
"Kako!"
"And...ready...set...GO!"
Kako ran off, leaving Naoko behind. Every ache in her muscle told her to run faster.
But that was all she was doing so far.
Running.
She hated it. She didn't want to run away, anymore. She wanted to fly.
What would it take, Kako thought in despair, to just leap up and fly off with invisible wings? Why is it that we don't have wings? Why can't they be invisible instead of broken?
Kako shivered as she slowed down. Keep the pace, Kako, keep it! Just...run!
I don't want to, another part of her yelled back. No more running!
She was slowing down again, more so than before. Kako fought the pain, pushing herself harder.
"Kako, wait up!" she heard Naoko yell.
No, her head whispered. "N-...no..."
Two more laps...
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"Five fifty-two!" Mr. Ogata yelled as Kouichi and Kanaye crossed the end line. The two were out of breath, both panting and exchanging glares.
"Tired?" sneered Kanaye.
Breathing heavily, Kouichi returned, "No. But it seems you are."
Indeed, Kanaye's breath was the same as Kouichi's, heavy and labored. "N-no. You're hearing your own breath, fool."
"The only fool here is you." Saying that, Kouichi weakly headed off, head pounding, to find refuge in the shade. His feet nearly buckled under him as he slid against a nearby wall and onto the floor. D-Duskmon...Lowemon...how the digimon did I run that fast...? Nevertheless, Kouichi shivered with joy. He was evenly matched with Kanaye in everything so far. There was no way Kanaye would win. If need be, Kouichi would simply get stronger. What do they say? Rise to the call? Guess that's what it was, Kouichi thought, chuckling.
"Seven fifty-seven! Eight minutes!" yelled Mr. Ogata.
Kako stumbled over weakly, nearly collapsing as she slid down by Kouichi. Her eyes slid shut as she tilted towards Kouichi, her head falling onto his shoulder. Kouichi nearly jumped in surprise, but looked at her, suddenly worried.
"There's something called stamina," he muttered, adjusting himself so Kako would be comfortable, "and you of all people should know that, especially when it comes to Chocobos or racing." Shutting his own eyes, Kouichi yawned and allowed sleep to overcome him. Three minutes was long enough.
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"Kimura. KIMURA!"
Kouichi opened his eyes groggily, yawning and looking up at Mr. Ogata. "Oh...five...five fifty-two. Yeah. Do we get to go in, now?"
"Yes, but apparently Ms. Sakai has lost consciousness."
Kouichi froze. "You mean..."
"Yes. She's unconscious."
Groaning, Kouichi stood up carefully so as Kako wouldn't fall and have her head hit the ground and asked, "So...what do I do?"
"Nothing. You go and get changed. It's lunch."
"Oh...right..." WHERE THE DIGIMON IS KOUJI? Kouichi's head yelled as his face heated up. So much for a three-minute nap...
After getting changed, Kouichi went in search of his brother, but found no sign of anyone he knew but Kanaye and Takuya. But, not wanting to jeopardize Takuya's life in any possible way, Kouichi steered clear of his friend, and instead headed to where he had talked to Duskmon and Lowemon earlier that day.
"You two...come out..." Kouichi called, leaning against the wall and placing his backpack down. Only Lowemon appeared, however. Kouichi frowned. "Where's Duskmon?"
"Said he had business, but someone had to answer you, and he wouldn't do it. So I'll congratulate you for him," Lowemon said smoothly.
Kouichi chuckled slightly, resting against his backpack. "Oh...I almost forgot. There was a note in Takuya's goggles," he murmured, opening his backpack and taking out the goggles. As soon as he got the goggles out, he frowned.
Lowemon frowned as well, noticing the look on the boy's face. "What is it?"
Shivering, Kouichi reached into his backpack once more. "Something...else is in there..." he murmured, rummaging through his backpack. His hand brushed against the object, then grabbed it. Pulling it out, Kouichi nearly died from shock.
"Well, at least you can scan your fractal code if you find it," Lowemon murmured in shock.
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A/N-
.:shivers:. I AM COLD! But this chapter was semi fun to write. It's a major filler, and it makes no sense, but hey, Kanaye and Kouichi had to have a competition in some sort of way. And...well, P.E.'s just a civilized way. So, what happened to Kako? Next chapter! What did Kouichi find! As obvious as it is, next chapter! The note in the goggles? Next chapter! A lot of things? NEXT CHAPTER!
Did you enjoy it? I hope so. Well, for your amusement, I shall add here that I have a syndrome! It's a mighty funny one, too. No, seriously, there's a syndrome for cold hands! No wonder I don't worry during the summer...XP I tried steaming it, and in the end, it turned cold. My sister told me about it. I was thoroughly amused.
But my brother has warm hands! GAH!
Well, the only bad thing about cold hands is when you're on a cold table and your entire arm freezes and you can't type. But since the table isn't cold, I'm good! How was your Turkey day-er, I mean, Thanksgiving?
Review or Flame.