AN- Okay, here's the deal. I know that you tire of me apologizing, but I am truly sorry this took so long. I've been working forty hours a week since school ended, so I have very little free time. I can promise that the other chapters won't take a month to up date though. Just to let you know that updates will take a little longer. Also, this chapter isn't just from Tai's perspective, as it follows everyone around, so I hope it doesn't get confusing. Enjoy!
The DDR Revelation
"So, we are going to split off into pairs, except for one group will have three, and Jyou here will be walking around, observing each pair in turn. You can hang out with other pairs, but you can't leave your partner. Everyone understand?" Tai asked, and everyone nodded. Tai put a list down on the table, and everyone looked to see who they were partnered with.
Davis picked up the list first, and smiled, telling Ken that they were partners. Both of the boys stood, and after Davis stuffed as many coins in his pockets as he could, they headed off.
Koushirou, who had been next to Davis, picked it up, and told Miyako and Iori that they were the group of three. They left too, Miyako looking relieved, probably since she hadn't been placed with Davis.
Kari and Takeru were next, and they left looking a little shy of each other but not too much, since they were in class together.
Yamato looked around the table at the five left, and it hit him who the last two pairs were going to be, he groaned.
"Are you serious?"
Sora rolled her eyes at his behavior, but then stood up, and walked away with Mimi. Jyou, obviously not wanting to be around an angry Yamato for long, left to go watch another group.
"So, Yagami, we are partners. Is this some elaborate plan to pain and torture me?" Yamato asked.
"No, especially since it feels like I'm the one being tortured..." Tai mumbled. Yamato laughed, a genuine laugh. Tai grinned at him, slightly, reminded of his Matt. Yamato rose from the booth and started strolling away, the rest of the tokens in his hands.
"You better be good at these games, Yagami. I don't want to waste you too badly," He called back to Tai.
Tai smiled and started walking after Yamato. Under that cold exterior, he still might find a friend in Yamato.
"So, what are you going to do with your tickets?" Davis asked as he stuffed a pile of the said tickets in his pockets and put another token in the arcade game.
Ken looked thoughtful as he put in his token, too, and picked up one of the guns for the game. "I don't know. When ever I would come to an arcade, it would be with my brother, Sam, and he would take all of the tickets, claiming I would only waste them, so I've never gotten a prize before."
Davis grimaced in annoyance. "Yeah, that sounds a lot like my sister, Jun." Davis shot the screen and dropped to zombies. "You know, these monsters kind of look like her..."
Ken laughed and shot a few more that popped up. They paused as the screen moved on to the next level. "So, you don't get a long with your sister?" Ken asked.
"We argue a lot, and she is always putting on an attitude like she is better than me, but we have our times. But its never like it is with the Yagami's..." Davis answered, grinning at the mention of Tai and Kari.
"You seem to really like both of them," Ken added in between shooting.
"Yeah. When I first met them, I was a little jealous of how close they were. Like they were the perfect siblings, something I would never have. But then I actually started hanging out with them, and now its like I'm part of their family. Tai is so brave and outgoing, and Kari is so sweet, its hard not to like them, and even harder not to want them to like you."
The continue screen suddenly popped up because Davis had lost too much life points, not paying attention to the game. He simply shrugged and collected the tickets, and him and Ken went to the next game.
"But, it doesn't bother you that Jun doesn't like you, that she is constantly putting you down?" Ken pressed further.
"Hey, I figure it as you can't pick your family, but you can pick your friends. You might not get a good family, but you friends are your decision, and they show who you really are. So, you want to play this game?" Davis said, changing the subject. "I've never understood the strategy to win, but you are really smart, right? I bet you could figure it out."
Ken looked surprised, but then relaxed into a friendly smile. "I'll try my best."
Davis grinned. "Great!" He then scowled. "We just need to make sure we get more tickets than that ogre, Miyako..."
"Achooo!" Miyako sneezed.
"May you be blessed and have a long life," Iori commented solemnly.
"Um, isn't that a little formal and excessive?" Jyou asked, looking up from his clip board.
"I guess anytime is a good time to bless someone, right? Anyway, you know what sneezing means, right? Someone was talking about you," Koushirou mentioned in between strategically pressing the pin ball buttons.
"Really? Who would be talking about me? If it's bad..." Miyako threatened as she looked around, cracking her knuckles.
"Miyako, calm down. I doubt that they are around here, watching themselves wreak havoc on you by mentioning your name." Iori pointed out.
"Yeah, you are probably right," Miyako agreed reluctantly, watching Koushirou play the game after looking around for enemies one last time.
"So, um...what do you guys like to do?" Jyou asked as he looked up from he sheet again.
"Well, Miyako and me are both in the computer club at school with Ken. We've received first prize at the national computer competition two years in a row," Koushirou explained.
"I like to practice Kendo. My grandfather is a Kendo master," Iori added in.
Jyou nodded and wrote their responses down on the paper. "Um, okay...tell me a bit about your families."
Koushirou, who had been building a high score on the pinball machine, slipped and let the ball fall past the hitters as he stiffened at the question. Iori, too, looked uncomfortable and glanced away. Miyako, however, answered Jyou's question.
"I have three other siblings, two parents that are still married, and a cat. We all help run our family grocery store. I'm the youngest, but I still manage."
Jyou nodded. "Yeah, I have two older siblings too. They both are doctors, just like my father. That's what I'm going to school for too," Jyou didn't sound very confident about his becoming a doctor, but none of the other three pushed it. "What about you, Koushirou, Iori?"
Koushirou had deposited another coin and was building his pinball score again. "I'll pass on this one," he said shortly.
Iori nodded in agreement. Jyou looked to Miyako, but she simply shrugged.
After a few awkward moments, they all got engrossed in Koushirou game. Jyou smiled suddenly, and Iori looked confused.
"What is it?"
"Well," Jyou explained, "My brother always said that the closest friendships aren't the easiest to start or maintain, but if you can work through the hard stuff, then things will be fine. I was just thinking that we made a big step towards being really good friends today."
Iori smiled. "I think so too."
"That's so unfair!" Takeru said as Kari scored another 100 points. Kari smiled.
"Taichi taught me how to play skeetball when I was really young, so I've been practicing a long time. Don't worry, I'll give you some of my tickets if you need them," Kari taunted.
Takeru snorted and tried rolling another ball, which landed in the 10 point bin as Kari got another 100 point ball. Takeru decided to give up and just started to watch Kari.
"So, you seem to like Taichi a lot..."
Kari turned and nodded. "Oh, he is the greatest, really. I know that you probably don't think a lot of him because he is your brother's enemy, but he really is a wonderful person. He is a good leader, and he's brave and really kind to me."
Takeru nodded. "You know, my brother is a really good person too. He sings really well and cooks dinner and is really kind to me too."
"It's too bad they hate each other..." Kari said, lopping another ball, and only getting into the 80 point circle.
"Maybe not hate, maybe they just don't understand each other yet." Takeru corrected.
Kari smiled, and looked at him bashfully. "Even if they don't become friends, could we?"
Takeru looked surprised, and Kari hurried on. "I know it might seem weird, but we are in the same class, and I'm sure that you and Davis would get along great and-"
"Yes," Takeru interrupted. "I want to be your friend."
Kari smiled brightly and walked next to Takeru, handing him one of the wooden skeetballs. "Good. Now, my friend, let me teach you the secrets of skeetball."
Takeru grinned mischievously. "I am ready to learn, sensei."
"I just had the weirdest feeling that something I wouldn't approve of has happened..." Yamato muttered, looking around.
Tai rolled his eyes from his spot leaning against an arcade game, as him and Yamato watched Sora and Mimi from afar. Sora was playing Dance Dance Revolution as Mimi looked on in what could have been any emotion, since her face was like a mask.
"You aren't going to get angst-y on me, are you?" Tai complained.
Yamato snorted. "I'll have you know that I am a teenager in complete control of very health emotions, unlike a certain mop top jock who can't deal with his feeling for a very nice red head jock."
Tai looked appalled. "My hair doesn't look like a mop!"
Yamato shook his head. "You missed the point by a mile."
Tai turned to look at Sora. "Things are complicated between us."
"Because of her?"
"Because of Matt."
Yamato looked confused. "Matt? No one goes to our school by that name. Almost sounds English, is it?"
Tai, realizing his slip up, played along. "Yeah, he was an exchange student that lived...near us, but went to a different school. He was really close to me and Sora."
"And, he was really close to Sora, right?"
"Yeah, they dated."
"Even though he knew that you liked her?" Yamato asked in amazement.
"I never really verbalized it..." Tai argued glumly.
Yamato waved that aside. "He should have known, though. What kind of a crappy friend would do that? I wouldn't even think about it, and I'm an angst-y, rebel with a record and a record of bad habits."
Tai smiled. "No you're not."
Yamato nodded and grinned. "Your right, I don't really have a record. I make sure never to get caught."
Tai laughed and they fell into comfortable silence. Yamato suddenly motioned to Mimi. "She was the one who wrote that note, wasn't she?"
Tai nodded, and Yamato considered her again. "I always thought her life must be perfect."
Tai looked confused. "It is, isn't it? She is rich, obviously from today's tokens, and she is so popular she has a fan club. Besides from being a little emotionally detached, things can't be that bad, right?"
Yamato shrugged, not looking convinced. "Problems come in all different packages. Some of us wear them on the outside, others on the inside. In the note, she wrote..." Yamato shook his head. "Never mind."
Tai looked confused, but didn't push it. He fell back into friendly silence with Yamato, feeling like the day was going to be a success.
"One more, please?" Mimi requested to Sora as the game ended. Sora was panting slightly.
"Mimi, I've played this five times in a row. Aren't you bored, just watching me?"
Mimi shook her head. "Nope. It looks fun."
Sora rolled her eyes. "Then why don't you do it?"
Mimi looked shocked. "You want me to do it with you?"
"Yeah, why not? It is a two person game, you know. Don't worry about being embarrassed, we all make mistakes on this game."
But Mimi didn't need to be persuaded. She hoped up on the pad next to Sora, smiling slightly. "No one's ever done this with me before."
"Er, okay," Sora answered slowly, not seeing the greatness in the event. "Do you know what to do from watching?"
Mimi nodded. Sora set the song and the difficulty at beginner and started the game. She was able to watch Mimi out of the corner of her eye, and saw her get a perfect on every step.
"Mimi, you are great!" Sora exclaimed as the game ended. Mimi blushed, and smiled tentatively.
"I have done it before, just not with anyone else."
Sora smiled with glee. "Really? Hey, lets do a really difficult one! I've always wanted to do that with someone."
Mimi nodded, looking enthusiastic. Again the music started, and the girls went, matching each other as they each got perfects. As the game ended, they heard applause from behind them, as Taichi yelled congratulations and Yamato nodded coolly in approval.
"Mimi?" Sora questioned, and Mimi turned to face her. She simply nodded in agreement, understanding Sora. They put their tokens in and hit the highest difficulty. The music started and the girls danced. They didn't hit as many perfects as before, but still stayed in step.
Mimi gave a loud, gleeful laugh, and she smiled brightly, and didn't wipe it off her face like usual, but stayed there. Sora laughed too, as she and Mimi spun quickly for one of the steps. They didn't notice the other members of the group gather around them from the other parts of the arcade.
The others smiled at the giggling pair of dancers, marveling at how a simple game could bring two people together, some realizing the same thing had happened with them.
"Friendship uncovered by an arcade game..." Jyou said in wonder.
"Yeah, don't you know? Its the Dance Dance Revolution Revelation theory!" Davis responded.
Some laughed, and others groaned, but Tai couldn't help but agree.
The next day at school, Tai walked in confidently, feeling like things were finally going his way. As he entered, he saw Yamato and headed for him.
"Hey Yamato! How's it going?" Tai called out. Yamato was about to respond, but looked around at the shocked faces of his classmates and stopped. He gave Tai a quick, apologetic looked and turned away and stalked off. Tai stood there in confusion.
"Tai, close your mouth," Sora commanded as she and Koushirou walked up to him. "Its like that with everyone, you know? Mimi just walked on by, and Miyako and Iori avoided Koushirou here. One night isn't going to change everything, and when we come back to school, anything we accomplish will be erased again. Tai, some people just weren't meant to be friends."
Tai shook his head grimly.
"Some people might not be able to be friends, but not us." Tai started to walk away, searching for a new plan in his head.
"We are supposed to be friends. Its our destiny."
I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed the last chapter! And ten points to everyone who caught the fanclub thing with Yuki. I didn't mean it to turn out that way, but him and Mimi really do have a lot in common. So ten points to you!
Hmm, oh yeah. Future reference: This is a story that has Taiora in it, but not a Taiora story. I'm gonna be focusing on friendships way more than couples, but it will be in there.
And finally, Tai's hair doesn't resemble a mop. It's more like a palm tree, if you ask me.
Thanks to these people:
spunkylilcowgirl
Strawberry'd
Mew Yukari
EvanescentShadow
Marie Darkholme
Kawaii Kitsune Club
Litanya
MarialeBenitez
Kari Minamoto
naughtyN'nice
Helena Pi Myths
Lord of Swords and Waffles
Miranda
Sari Kamiya01-Mika Takaishi01
digimon-Taiora
Fruitloop Trooper
irish vampire
BenignUser
Vigatus
KoumiLoccness- Ah, KoumiLoccness. This is a Taiora, which I have stated from the beginning. It will not develop into a mimato too. Mimi will remain single. If anything, this story isn't really going to focus on the romance, but more the friendships between people. I would be sad if you stopped reading, especially since I have nothing against Koumi, but if you feel you must stop, then I am sorry.
Lord of Swords and Waffles- Imaginary plushies? LOL! Actually, I might give a real prize out at the end of the story, so watch out...
Ryuu-takahashi- Ah, where do I begin with your two reviews? Um, okay, 1.) This will not be a Taito, in any way shape or form. Not that I have a problem with that, but I sincerely don't think that they would make a good couple. At all. In my eyes, they were meant to be best friends, nothing more. 2.) When was I mean to Matt in What Women Want! 3.) I am NOT a Taiora author. If I have to be classified as anything, I would like to be a michi author with hints of mimato. I added Taiora to this story as a favor to my loyal fans who like Taiora.