Disclaimer: Don't own Digimon. This goes for all chapters involving Digimon characters, that I do not own and merely write fanfiction as a hobby and nothing more.
Groaning, Takuya slowly sat up and tenderly rubbed his head. Both confused and lost, he began to try and understand what happened where he was. Until he saw two other bodies, and became more worried if they were living or dead ones. In the darkness it was unbelievably hard to see, and the only reason Takuya even knew there was a body or two next to him was the feeling of a soft warm body. Licking his lips to wet them, he slowly moved his hands and rested them on what he hoped was the persons shoulders. Shaking the body somewhat roughly, he smiled broadly when hearing the body's owner groan and two hands knock his own away.
"Where are we?" Kouji asked, getting up and wincing while clutching his head, but of course the brunette couldn't see this in the darkness.
"No idea. Hey yo, wakey wakey!" Takuya said, shaking the other body.
"Nnnmmm… five more minutes…" Junpei groaned, brushing Takuya's hands away. Frowning, the brunette placed his hands on his hips cooking up a plot how to awaken the stubborn other.
"Fine, if you won't get up one way…" Takuya trailed, then started to tickle Junpei. "Then you'll get up another!"
"Ahh! Ahahahah, Ranamon stop it! You fiend, ahahahahahahah!" Junpei laughed, trying to get away from the tickling fingers. Hearing this though, the brunette jerked his hands away as if the Warrior of Water's name burned them when it was spoken.
"Take this Sugah!" Ranamon's voice echoed, and the three boys immediately stiffened and listened. Nothing, it was entirely an echo from the past reaching their ears.
"Guys…" Junpei said, fully awake now. "I'm just a little freaked out now. Where are we?" He asked.
"No idea." Takuya said almost uneasily, then he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Opening them, he was calmer now. The voice was probably the same person who had mimicked Shinya's voice back in the woods, and that would mean the messenger had not lied about finding answers in this 'game'. Panicking wasn't a good idea, keeping calm and trying to appear brave was their best bet now. Takuya wasn't worried about Kouji, he knew the other had a common sense that would lead the once loner boy to reclaim his cool exterior once more. Nor was he worried about Junpei, because he had a really good head on his shoulders. It was himself that he was worried about, because it was his own impulses that got them in trouble a good portion of the time.
"It seems you made it to the locker room just fine, so while you're in here I'll brush you up on the game." A feminine voice said in the darkness.
"Who are you?" Takuya demanded, having a feeling it was the unknown that caused them to start playing this game.
"Lights!" The female voice said, instantly overhead lights flashed on filling the room with light. It turned out to be in fact a locker room, with walls covered in peeling cream paint. The lockers were dented and rusty, with the porcelain floor cracked and certain tiles missing revealing a sandy ground beneath. It was a large room, and empty of all other life forms aside from the three.
"Who are you!" Takuya demanded again, a bit more forcefully this time.
"Me?" The female voice asked.
"I don't think he's talking to anyone else." Kouji snapped. "He already knows who me and Junpei are."
"Oh, but of course! Silly me!" The female voice laughed, something jumped on top of a locker. It looked like a magenta cat, with a tail fluffed out at the end, and strange ears with gold rings below the large fluffs at the end that pointed in three different directions. Its collar was gold and held Chinese symbols that were mostly covered by it's fur. Large blue eyes looked back at Takuya, and a chesire cat grin played on it lips. "I am Widowiamon, it pleases me and others to have… some of the Legendary Warriors to return to us." She said.
"That means we're in the Digital World again." Junpei muttered, crossing his arms. "All right then, we have a few questions for you."
"Ah ah ah, not until you finish the games." Widowiamon said, cheshire grin not once leaving.
"Games! What? We were told a game, as in a single game not many!" Takuya growled.
"Yes, there are several games that add up to one game. Mini-games if you will, that together make one whole game. Think of it was a Role-Playing game, where you must accomplish several quests to complete the ultimate one. Or perhaps when you are traveling and you have to stop for food and gas, the necessities you need to reach the destination you are traveling to." Widowiamon explained, her grin still in place.
"Uh… okay then, when you put it that way I guess we understand. Whoa whoa, wait a minute! A game? I don't trust you, no offense meant." Takuya said bluntly, looking at Widowiamon crossly.
"Hmph. Don't trust me? I suppose I can see why though, so why don't I explain everything to you? Then again, what choice do you have?" Widowiamon said, then giggled and quieted herself down. Kouji and Junpei exchanged glances that purely expressed their mutual understanding of the Digimon not being trustworthy.
"Just tell us." Takuya growled.
"Demanding human, aren't you? All right, it's unknown how many games there are, but the Night Masters all agree that anyone wanting to have a chat with them must pass. Like when you were saving the Digital World a long time ago, you can die. Actually, the only reality in these games is permanent death. Comforting, isn't it? At times you don't even know if those around you are real, after all even I could be an illusion. You can't tell, can you? That's the art of the Night Masters, mixing reality with the imaginary. Heck, even I don't know if I'm real!" Widowiamon said with a soft chuckle. "Each game can be either a game, or it could be a test. If you pass or win, you go on to the next one. Any questions?" She asked, finally wrapping up the short explanation.
"If you don't know if you yourself are real, how do you know we're real?" Junpei asked, glaring at her.
"I don't. But if you are, this information will come in handy. If you aren't, then you aren't but at least I know the Night Masters won't blame me if the real you never receive this information. You see, the Night Masters have a very deep interest in you." Widowiamon said, her cheshire grin returning in full force.
"Who are these Night Masters anyways?" Takuya demanded, narrowing his eyes in a threatening manner.
"They are the ones that control everything here." Widowiamon said robotically, as if what she spoke was merely a recording.
"What about Ophanimon! Seraphimon! Cherubimon?" Takuya yelled.
"What about them?" Widowiamon said emptily, the blue eyes half-lidded in a slightly mechanical way. "What about Bokomon and Neemon? What about your Spirits? What about your friends? What about yourself? There is something and nothing about it all, having an answer and none. Have fun playing, hopefully you'll all live to speak with the Night Masters." With this, she seemingly turned to mist and evaporated away. Growling, Takuya turned around and punched a locker. Wincing he quickly pulled his hand away and cradled it, glaring at the locker. It's age and rusted metal was easily knocked out of the way by the force of his punch, but unfortunately the edges had sliced open his skin. Moving his hand away, he looked at the bleeding hand. Wiping the blood away, he was surprised to see no cut but blood still coming out.
"I guess this would be an example of reality and the imaginary, huh?" Junpei said, staring wide-eyed at the non-existent wound bleeding. Where the hole in the locker should have been, instead was a brand new locker without rust or age.
"Do you think your really bleeding, or it's just a trick?" Kouji asked. Takuya shrugged, but took some tissues he put in his pocket a few days ago when he was sick, and pressed it down on where the 'wound' may have been.
"No need to take the chance." Takuya said, and received a nod from Kouji in agreement.
"Hey guys? Is it just me or… is everything melting?" Junpei asked, getting alarm from the other two. The room was in fact melting, and they all screamed in unison as they fell into the whirling abyss.
"…that's new." Takuya said blinking, lying flat on his back with Junpei and Kouji on either side of him.
"Agreed." Junpei said nodding.
"Hn." Was Kouji's input.
"I know this place…" Takuya said, feeling his chest tighten from the memory.
"It looks like a cathedral…" Junpei muttered, sitting upright.
"That's how it looks." Kouji muttered.
"Takky? You all right?" Junpei asked worriedly, seeing Takuya staring blankly up at the ceiling.
"This is where I fought ShadowSeraphimon…" He murmured.
"What! Hey, your right!" Junpei squeaked, looking wildly around. "You purified him though, right! That means he isn't here! No Mercurymon or such, right!" He said, somewhat panicky.
"…?" Kouji blinked in mild confusion at them, not quite understanding.
"Oh, that's right you were chasing Kouichi when this happened. Mercurymon fused with Seraphimon's fractal code and became ShadowSeraphimon and Takuya had to fight him. If it hadn't been for Patamon when he was in that egg Takuya would be dead right now!" Junpei explained, faintly recalling the memory. The brunette shuddered at the memory, recalling how for a moment he actually thought he might end up in the coffin… like Tomoki. This brought on more shudders, too many bad memories at once. He stopped when feeling Kouji's hands on his shoulders and worried blue eyes scanning over him.
"You okay?" Kouji asked.
"Yeah, fine." Takuya said offering a smile, and watched as Kouji removed his hands. It felt nice knowing that Kouji worried over him, even though it was only friendly worry. It was amazing though, just having Kouji ask him that calmed him down a great deal.
"Why do you think we're in here?" Junpei asked, getting a shrug from the other two. "Well, that's a lot of help."
"At least we know that we don't know, right?" Takuya said grinning, hoping to enlighten the mood. Of course, after Tomoki's funeral they get tossed into the Digital World to face these 'games'. You couldn't lighten the mood if you had few electrical wires to zap a few peoples and have lights to last a few centuries. Slowly the organ near the front began to play soft music, causing the three to jump up in alarm.
"What? No witty quips?" The echo of Mercurymon's voice played, causing Takuya to stiffen. 'Why waste my breath on a jerk like you?' Were the exact words that he replied to that. It sent a shiver up the brunette's spine.
"This place just gets creepier and creepier…" Junpei whispered, standing up.
"Takuya, are you sure you're all right?" Kouji asked, looking worriedly at the brunette.
"Fine, just fine. Not a good day, that's all." Takuya reassured the other, and got up as well. Sighing because he didn't entirely believe the answer he got, Kouji stood up with him.
"There's no door in here, peculiar… what do you gu-…what?" Junpei gasped, looking around alarmed. He now found himself in the arena where he fought the shadow version of himself. Shaking he looked around wildly for the other two and found they were both gone. "Not good, not good at all." He muttered. He wasn't afraid to be alone, but he was concerned for the safety of his friends.
"Takuya, I really don't think you-… Takuya?" Kouji said blinking, and raising a brow at the baron wasteland where he and Duskmon, or Kouichi, had fought and Duskmon searched through his memories. Not a pleasant thing he enjoyed to think about, although it was hard not to when he was in there again.
"We just need to find ourselves a way out of here and… it seems the two of you already did that without me. Great, just great." Takuya sighed, finding himself alone in the 'cathedral'. "I doubt they chose to leave, because I would have heard them. Wonderful, can't believe I actually missed this place at one point." He frowned, and started to walk where the eye out of there had been way back when but the organ ceased playing. Curiosity getting the better of him, he turned around to see why. The ground shook some, and a hole in front of the ground appeared. "…I really hate this place."
"Hello?" Junpei called, then blinked. A D-Tector appeared in front of him, and he grinned. "All right!" Proud of his… victory (what else to call it?) he walked towards the familiar and comforting object. He stopped and blocked his eyes though as a bright light emitted from it. As it faded away, he removed his arms from covering his eyes and found himself at a loss for words. There standing before him, was his Human Spirit… Blitzmon. It wasn't in the small form it took inside of the D-Tector, no it looked like Junpei had Digivolved into him, although he was there and Blitzmon was there. Confusing very, comprehendible barely.
"…Junpei…" Rumbled Blitzmon's voice, alarming the child of thunder.
"Hai?" Junpei replied instantly, not even fearing that his spirit may attack. Especially in this place, where it could have been another shadow. It was just, something in him told him to trust it.
"This is a nice stroll on memory lane." Kouji said in a monotone voice, his eyes looking this way and that in determination to locate a hint if this place was real or not. The ground quaked some, making him glance upwards from the ground to what was before his eyes. A shadow walked in the darkness, and as it got closer its appearance became more and more apparent. A scarf, armor, blonde hair, red eyes… Kouji knew immediately who and what it was. Wolfmon approached him silently, but whether he had made that quake to get Kouji's attention or if it was just something that happened was beyond him.
"Minamoto." Wolfmon said blankly, as if speaking to no one in particular.
"What do you want?" Kouji asked crossly, not exactly trusting this was really his Human Spirit.
Staring at the hole, Takuya felt his hair stand upright when seeing the familiar coffin that ShadowSeraphimon had intended to put him in originally. You could say it was now official that the brunette was going to develop a phobia of coffins with the rate the day had been developing at. It lay there, silent and with the thud it created when being dumped on the ground caused dust to stir and a cloud of it circle around it. Staring at it unsure of what exactly to do, he stiffened more when hearing an eerie voice whispering in his ears. 'Open it… open… awaken it… open…' the voices said, and the brunette found himself shaking his head, refusing. Something said to not open it, and like hell he was going to listen to some creeps while his instinct said otherwise. It rarely failed him before, and now was going to be no different.
"…Takuya…" A deep voice called, startling the brunette. He turned around, and blinked surprised when seeing Agnimon sitting in one of the seat in the rows. The Digimon was somewhat transparent, and gave Takuya second thoughts if it really was Agnimon.
"Who are you?" Takuya demanded.
"The Warrior of Fire, and in the past your Human Spirit of Flame." Agnimon said simply, although his form flickered.
"Why don't I believe you then?" Takuya asked.
"Believe what you want, do what you will." Agnimon shrugged. The Human Spirit was too uncaring, that was why the brunette didn't believe it. From what he recalled, every time he became Agnimon, he sometimes felt what the Digimon felt. Agnimon had cared a lot about the Digital World, and his human 'host', making this transparent one a fake.
"Who are you?" Takuya ordered, not asked.
"Who are you?" Agnimon echoed, grinning as Takuya seethed from this response.
"Answer me!" The brunette growled.
"I will, when you tell me who you are. Kanbara Takuya is not what I'm asking, nor the Legendary Warrior of Fire." Agnimon said, a smirk on his lips. Growling, the brunette gave him one rather hateful look.
"Then what are you asking for?" Takuya ground out, holding himself back from trying anything stupid.
"Who you are, who you really are. Yes, anyone can say their name, and any of the warriors can state their destiny… but can anyone say who they are? A name is a name, a title is a title, nothing more." The false Agnimon said shrugging. Takuya was a bit taken back by this answer, and his eyes darted around as he tried to think of how to respond to this. Wait, why respond?
"I'll tell you, if you tell me!" Takuya said matter-of-factly.
"Spunky, aren't you?" Agnimon chuckled. 'Spunky? What the hell?' Takuya thought. "You already know, so don't ask." The brunette blinked blankly at him. "Think about it." With this, the false Agnimon was silent again.
"Who are you?" Blitzmon asked.
"What kind of question is that? You know who I am!" Junpei scowled.
"Yes, I do. But do you?" Blitzmon said, complicating the question.
"…what? Listen, I know exactly who I am!" Junpei declared.
"Really now? You know your place and everything? What you are, meant to do, and destiny?" Blitzmon questioned.
"Well… no one really knows their destiny in all actuality… they can make guesses and assumptions though." Junpei responded.
"No, one chooses their destiny. Answer me these questions, and you will obtain protection. Fail them, and you will suffer the consequences." Blitzmon said emptily.
"Hey, you aren't Blitzmon are you?" Junpei hissed.
"You tell me. What is your place, in your group of friends? The mindless hopeless romantic?" The false Blitzmon asked.
"What kind of question is that! I'm the one with the common sense! When someone does something stupid, I try and fix it!" Junpei said with confidence.
"Unless Kouichi and Kouji gets there first." False Blitzmon stated with a chuckle.
"Yeah, but I also give advice too." Junpei said with a nod.
"Has anyone asked you for their condolence lately though?" False Blitzmon queried.
"No… but that's because something terrible happened and we all work through it together!" Junpei declared.
"What about before?" False Blitzmon asked.
"Geeze, you just linger on one question. I've had it, understand? My day has been crap, and my friends have been going through it! I don't really appreciate you and you stupid questions, okay! They come to me for advice, when they can because we go to different schools!" Junpei growled.
"All right then. What are you?" False Blitzmon asked.
"I am a human, that was sent to the Digital World to fight as the Warrior of Thunder to protect it! And right now I'm a very stressed and pissed off human, a teenager no less!" Junpei growled.
"What's your place with Izumi?" False Blitzmon asked, and for once this time Junpei found himself at a loss for words.
"What I want? Nothing more than to ask a few questions. It's been so long since we've seen each other, I thought a little catching up might be in hand." Wolfmon said coolly.
"You thought wrong, faker." Kouji said with a slight growl. From what he remembered, the Human and Beast Spirits would be with them always. Not to mention that Widowiamon said that the only reality was death here.
"Ah, that gets me right in the heart." False Wolfmon said with a smirk. "Onto business, hmm? I ask you questions, you answer. If you get them all correct, then you may have your Spirits back. If you get them all wrong… well, you die." He said with a smile.
"How reassuring." Kouji said sarcastically.
"First, an easy one. What is your place in the group?" Wolfmon asked. "A) The loner. B) A shadow of your kind brother. C) The logical one. Or my favorite, D) The one who hurts Takuya's feelings every time he does something stupid." The fake said, listing each option.
"None, I used to be the loner but now I'm Takuya's best friend. And you're a fool, I didn't try and knock sense into him every time he did something stupid." Kouji sighed, shaking his head at this fake.
"Good boy! What's more important, family or friends?" False Wolfmon asked.
"Tch, family because friends are in that category. They are the same thing, not separate." Kouji snorted.
"Oh if that is so, does that make Takuya your family? If that's it, then why do you have such strong feelings for him, hmm? Family means nothing more than hugs, and from what I know you want more then that from him." False Wolfmon said with a grin, ignoring the glare Kouji was now sending him.
What could the fake Agnimon mean, especially seeing as the brunette was completely clueless as to what he meant. His brain couldn't make sense of it; how could he know what he didn't? The false Agnimon looked transparent, like a ghost. Wait… could that be it? "Your just something taking the form of my memory of Agnimon, aren't you?" Takuya sighed.
"Exactly, spunky and smart." The false Agnimon chuckled. "Know who you are yet?" It asked.
"I already know." Takuya growled.
"Then tell me. By the way, I'm a program using your memories to take the appearance of Agnimon to be more exact, but ah well ah well you came pretty close. Perhaps I'm not being specific enough, hmm?" The false Agnimon said, and then chuckled. "Who are you in the little group that 'saved' the Digital World?" It asked, a grin on its face.
"The leader, and myself." Takuya sighed. Such simple questions…
"You best you are right, because you do realize if you get even one of these questions wrong, something bad will happen." The false Agnimon said, a devilish smirk on its face.
"That… you never mentioned." Takuya said, getting somewhat uneasy now.
"If you get them all correct of course, a wonderful thing will happen!" The false Agnimon smiled, and then chuckled. "That is, if. Another question for our spunky smart one, yes yes! Who means more to you, Kouji… or Shinya?" It grinned a dark grin, and the brunette shifted uneasily under its gaze.
"Means more…? I couldn't choose, I love them both…" Takuya whispered, and glanced around hoping his crush didn't just pop up out of nowhere to hear that.
"Don't worry, he's with his own questioner." False Agnimon chuckled.
"You better not hurt him!" Takuya threatened, glaring.
"Such a silly spunky and smart one. Believe me, realistically despite the unreality we're in… the only one that can hurt him is you." It chuckled. "But you didn't answer the question, you must choose one or another." It stated calmly.
"I can't choose between them!" Takuya growled, shaking. He was worried for Kouji now, along with his brother. There were only three of them here, and he felt it was his responsibility to ensure all of their safety. He couldn't let anyone get hurt, no matter. No one!
"But you have too. If you had to choose between the two as to which to save, whom would you choose?" False Agnimon asked.
"To save them? I'd offer myself for their safety, I couldn't let anything happen to those close to me." Takuya said, shuddering. He already lost someone close to him, and he didn't want to lose anyone else.
"You really are silly." The false Agnimon chuckled. "You answered your questions truthfully, and so you pass." With that the Agnimon faded away, leaving the brunette confused. Takuya looked around, and watched the walls dull into lifelessness. The room became dark, and then it was gone all the same and he was left alone in the darkness. The temperature lowered, and before long the brunette could see his breath. Shivering he hugged himself and rubbed his arms hoping to get warm. The cold reminded him of something… eyes lowering in drowsiness, he fell to the floor with a soft thump, his last thought of how Shinya was doing without his soft snow…
"I'm her friend." Junpei said softly, with less enthusiasm.
"Just a friend? But you've been trying to woo her, for how long now?" False Blitzmon asked.
"You… you shut up!" Junpei snapped.
"Touchy subject, huh?" False Blitzmon chuckled. "Terribly sorry, all I seem to do is upset you. Then again, all you do to poor Izumi is annoy her. I'd bet she'd be so much more happy with Kouichi…" It trailed. Junpei growled, nodding his head to himself. "What are you thinking?" It asked, raising a brow.
"You think you can play with my mind like a puppet, don't you? That you are just the greatest marionette since Gepetto, even though he's not real! Hate to break it to you buddy, but it's not going to happen! If I annoyed Izumi so much, then how come she invites me over! If she would be happy with Kouichi, know what? I'd be happy! Because I love her, and whenever I see her smile nothing else matters to me!" Junpei growled, his button pushed and limit broken.
"Marvelous! You pass the test, congratulations!" The false Blitzmon laughed, and Junpei raising an untrusting brow at him.
"Why should I believe you?" Junpei growled.
"Because you and Takuya have just given us the information we need." It chuckled darkly. "Now we just need Kouji to tell us everything that goes on in his mind, and the next game should just be a jolly ol' time!" It laughed, and then disappeared.
"What? You asshole, come back here!" Junpei yelled, and charged at the mist left behind by the illusion. Releasing a furious yell, he ran around the room banging on the doors trying to escape. He had to stop Kouji from making the mistake he made, and make sure Takuya was all right. Just because he was all right now, didn't mean nothing could happen. 'And that thing lied, it said it would provide protection if I got all the questions right! Protection until the next game? Stupid…' Grumbling in his mind, Junpei continued trying to escape.
"Tick tock, tick tock you are taking your time on this question, aren't you?" The fake Wolfmon laughed, a smirk continuously present.
"That, is none of your business." Kouji growled.
"Into the incest thing are you?" False Wolfmon asked, taking out a nail file and working his claws to his desire.
"You never said if you were or were not my Human Spirit, and here's your chance to prove if you are a liar or honest Digimon that was wronged." Kouji sighed. The false Wolfmon looked up in attention, curious to hear more of the proposition. "My spirits always knew exactly what I was thinking, even when they weren't with me. Kind of like a mind reader, right? What is my answer to the question I stated wasn't any of your concern?" He asked, arms crossed and business face set.
"It does make him your family, but you want to take him away from that area of friendship and into another direction. That may lead to him being a part of your family in a different way." The false Wolfmon said with a smirk. "It seems you have wronged me, Kouji." He chuckled.
"No, I'm into the incest thing." Kouji shrugged, startling the false Wolfmon.
"W-w-what? You're lying!" The fake growled, hairs standing unend.
"Why would I lie? After all, these questions determine whether I live or die, don't they?" Kouji asked coolly, causing the fake to growl all the more.
"Fine, but that's a nasty trick you pulled! No Spirits!" False Wolfmon snarled, then left in a misty vapor.
"You never were going to give me them, because those questions were meant for you to benefit from my answers. By the way, we both lied on that last question." Kouji added, and whirled around in a fury to face whoever was trying to sneak up on him.
"Whoa there!" A shadow chuckled. "Just coming to lead you back to the others!" It grinned. "Follow me!" With that, the shadow jumped out into the outside world and began running across the fields. Kouji watched it for a moment, then turned away and walked towards where the eye had let him in all those years ago.
"I'd rather do what I didn't do last time." Kouji said softly, Junpei's voice echoing in his ears. 'If it hadn't been for Patamon when he was in that egg, Takuya would be dead right now!' This time there was no Patamon in some stupid egg, but Kouji was aware something could be wrong. The eye reopened, making Kouji merely raise a brow in question before walking through.
"LET ME OUT!" Junpei hollered, banging roughly on the doors.
"Don't worry, it seemed Minamoto Kouji managed to outsmart our program. At least we know we need to be more careful now." The false Blitzmon chuckled.
"You again! Let me out!" Junpei hissed.
"Don't you love irony? I sure do… it's interesting, how the leader would always save his teammates lives. But when he needs saving, there's no one around. Then again, as they say life's a bitch and then you die." Here it chuckled again, making Junpei's blood boil.
"What did you freaks do?" Junpei growled.
"Nothing really, we need him for the Night Masters purposes. No need to worry over him really, nothing bad will happen to him. Though you may want to worry about your own safety, because we need Kouji as well. Don't you feel special, you are the only one that needs protection." It chuckled. 'What do they mean…?' "You obviously hadn't been around them enough to notice, but they're madly in love. Silly how they can't seem to notice how the other feels, but that's how it works. You can guess why we need Kouji, to get Takuya." It continued on. 'They do? That makes sense, but…' "I can't tell you why they need Takuya however, top secret." It said, giving a bored sigh. 'But… that means they need protecting too!'
"You do realize physical harm means nothing when it comes to love, right? Hope so, because personally they might need my help more than I need theirs!" Junpei said grinning, then charged at the false Blitzmon.
Glancing around, Kouji was slightly unnerved by the silence that lay everywhere in the hallways. It certainly wasn't the same thing it was back when they were twelve, that was for sure. The walls kept twisting and changing, refusing to stay the same. One moment it reminded him of Cherubimon's lair, and then it would look like Hamburgermon village. It was like it couldn't decide what form it wanted to take, making Kouji more and more confused. He stopped walking, and looked down in thought. Everything here held some sort of resemblance of what he remembered from the Digital World, and yet it was different. Shaking his head, he decided walking wasn't fast enough and took off in a run.
'Where are you?' He mentally wondered, then stopped as a hole opened in the wall. Blinking in confusion, he peeked in. What he saw made the panic rise, and he ran quickly over and skidded to a halt in front of Takuya's form. Either the brunette was sleeping… or… shaking those thoughts away, his hand shot down and grabbed Takuya's left wrist. Sighing in relief when feeling a pulse, he gently shook the brunette's shoulders. Paying more attention now, he noticed how cold the brunette was. Not surprising, the room was freezing and all three of them were hardly clothed for this temperature. Back home autumn was just beginning, and the days weren't hot or cold. Takuya had been wearing brown shorts and a red shirt, although something was missing now that Kouji paid attention. He almost laughed, almost that is.
When they had been dragged through the portal, Takuya never had a chance to grab his precious hat and goggles. Without them though, he just… didn't seem very Takuya-ish. Takuya-ish? Kouji shook his head, ignoring the fact he was using a rather peculiar word choice when saying that. Kouji himself was wearing loose jeans and just a blue short sleeve shirt; it was the only thing he had to wear after the funeral. Sighing, Kouji hung his head and gave a weary drop of his shoulders. They were tossed back into the Digital World, with no Spirits, and only three of them. It was the same day as Tomoki's funeral, and none of them were over that either. It still hurt when they thought of the small Warrior of Ice; the boy had always been a source of optimism for the group. Kouji still felt like he owed something to the young boy, especially because if it hadn't been for him, who knew if Takuya would have ever been able to get some control over his Beast Spirit.
Kouji's old bandana was in his pocket, seeing as it no longer fit him when he hit his growth spurt over the years. They all had, but Izumi had been first being the girl (why did they always go first anyway?). Junpei next, then Takuya, after him Kouji, and finally Kouichi. Shinya and Tomoki were just now starting theirs, which was somewhat creepy. It was also strange how at the end of it all Takuya and Kouji were still the same height. Kouji continued to gently shake Takuya, in hopes of waking while his thoughts wandered. He had always heard when older women were around each other enough; their periods would start to occur around the same time. If two boys were around each other enough, would their hormones follow a pattern and agreement on the similar ending traits? That was crazy though, the PMS thing and the height stuff was completely different. DNA couldn't be altered, but a woman could get it so she never had to worry about her period again. And why was he thinking about this any way?
"You just won't wake up, will you?" Kouji sighed, and shook Takuya's shoulders harder some.
"Nnnmm… five more minutes…" Takuya murmured, at peace in his dreams. Kouji felt a pang of guilt to wake him up to this… well not quite reality but worse than it and yet still reality… though he ignored it. Otherwise he'd have to warm Takuya up himself, and as nice as that would be it wouldn't be the greatest wake up call for the brunette. Or would it? …ignoring the half of his brain that wasn't exactly considerate, he shook Takuya's shoulders more roughly.
"Wake up all ready." Kouji growled.
"Join me." A voice whispered, and Takuya whirled around just to see nothing. Blinking in confusion, he looked around more for where it came from. Gasping when feeling something grab him, he shuddered as it felt like he was being pulled downwards, downwards to nowhere… "Join me." There was that voice again, but Takuya found he was too tired to find out where it was coming from, or to even ask why. What was the point? He was too tired to care by now. His eyes sliding closed slowly, what he thought was dreamland wasn't quite what was what he came to. Gravel was in front of his eyes, and something was shaking him. Groaning, he sat up and knocked whatever made him get up go away.
"About time you woke up." Kouji's voice said, and Takuya looked around to see… Kouji. The brunette felt so relieved that what he was seeing was the real Kouji that he could almost hug him. Almost, the brunette knew good and well just how much that might freak his friend out.
"Eheh, good to see you." Takuya said, grinning softly. It was true though, that was a weird dream. And what that Agnimon thing said certainly didn't put his nerves at ease at all… wait, how did he know this wasn't a dream? So confusing…
"Now all we have to do if find Junpei, and we're out of here." Kouji sighed, and then stood up.
"That's my line." Takuya grumbled, standing up as well.
"I was saying it for you, oh fearless one." Kouji chuckled with a roll of his eyes; ignoring the glare he got in return for that.
"I'm sure you were." Takuya sighed.