Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon

A/N: Finally finished another chapter! Not one of my better ones, but things should get better once we're in the Digital World and the story starts moving forward. Next up I'm going to be posting a chapter for Trinity, so look for that soon as well!

Following the Footsteps of Destiny

Chapter 259: An Educated Guess

Ryoko Ishida

Odaiba, Japan, Earth

Ryoko crossed his arms over his chest, and giving the red traffic light a dirty look he let out a deep sigh and proceeded to gaze nervously down the street up ahead. He was standing on the street corner with Kenzo about a block away from the Motomiya residence, and although he was packed and ready to go to the Digital World, he couldn't really say he was looking forward to it.

In fact, if he was going to be entirely honest with himself then he was dreading the trip this time around.

What if it's my Spirit Chip? What will I do then?

And not only that, how was he gong to spend another trip in the Digital World that could easily take a couple of days with Daichi Motomiya? After all the advice Tal and Kenji had given him, if anything it only made him even more nervous.

Tal and Kenji both seem a lot stronger than I am. How am I supposed to make Dai understand when I can barely understand myself?

"Ryoko? Hey, Ryoko? The light's green. Let's go," Kenzo said quietly, tugging gently on his arm.

Ryoko gave himself a shake, and glancing at the traffic light again he was surprised to discover that Kenzo was right. How could he have missed that when he was staring at it only moments ago?

"Come on, the walk signal will change if we don't hurry," Kenzo insisted, tugging once more on his arm.

Ryoko allowed the younger boy to drag him across the street, and letting out another sigh he glared at the traffic passing by in the opposite direction. Over the last four weeks Dai had taken it upon himself to harass him more often than usual, and it concerned Ryoko. Why was the goggle-headed leader being more nasty to him all of a sudden, and what did it mean? He had managed to avoid most of Dai's wrath by making himself scarce, but even though he had been subtly going out of his way to avoid the goggle-headed leader, there were still times when Dai would catch him off guard. Earlier when Dai had been throwing paper airplanes at him was one of those times, and Ryoko wasn't sure what to make of it. What exactly was Dai trying to prove, and why wouldn't the goggle-headed leader let him worry in peace?

"Looks like we're the first ones to arrive," Kenzo commented.

Ryoko frowned, and realizing they were already standing in front of the Motomiya residence he felt a sudden urge to smack himself upside the head. Was he really so out of it that he couldn't concentrate on even the simplest of tasks anymore?

"I wonder what's keeping the others," Kenzo wondered, glancing first one way and then the other down the street.

They had all agreed to meet in front of the Motomiya residence after everyone was packed and ready to go, but so far it appeared that none of the others had arrived yet.

It had caught Ryoko by surprise when Kenzo had volunteered to go with him to his house and help him pack. While the two of them were friends and saw each other all the time, and they even hung out together occasionally, he wasn't quite as close to Kenzo, Ema, and Taniko as he was to Taysuke. As a result, he had simply assumed that if anyone was going to volunteer to come with him it would have been Takara's younger brother. Instead, Tay, along with Dai, had gone to help Kara at the Kamiya residence, and Taniko had volunteered to go with Mickey and Matty. Ema had cheerfully volunteered to go with Sam, who was grateful for the help, and that had left Ryoko to continue on his way with Kenzo.

With help from Kenzo, it hadn't taken him very long to pack, but by the time he finished he'd worked himself into a bundle of shaky nerves.

The only thing he could think about was Dai, and for some unexplained reason he had a bad feeling that something terrible was going to happen between them.

I've always been a bit nervous every time we go to the Digital World because we never know what kind of danger awaits us there, but I've never been this nervous before. Why do I feel such a sense of dread?

Thankfully Kenzo wasn't the type to pry, and thus Ryoko had been left alone to brood on his jumbled thoughts. He could tell Kenzo suspected there was something wrong, but the younger boy did not ask, and for that Ryoko was grateful. He had enough to worry about right now without having to endure the others bombarding him with questions.

Ryoko had to admit he was angry with himself for his behaviour over the last four weeks. He wasn't proud of the way he had avoided Dai, but at the same time he couldn't seem to work up the courage to face his friend. Tal and Kenji's words had affected him deeply, and he was lost on how to respond to their advice. He wanted more than anything to fix the issues between them, but despite his eagerness to do so he didn't really know where to start.

And what about Matty? Could he truly risk losing Matty's respect by effectively stealing his own cousin's best friend?

I thought you had more faith in Dai than that, Ryoko. What is wrong with you? Dai would never hurt Matty like that. He would never treat Matty the way he treats you...

"Great, and now I'm talking to myself," Ryoko muttered under his breath, frowning at his own behaviour. "There must be something seriously wrong with me."

"Look, I think I see Sam and Ema coming now," Kenzo commented, pointing down the street at the two figures approaching.

Ryoko glanced up in surprise, and watching the approaching duo he quickly rearranged his face into a more neutral expression. It wouldn't do for him to worry the others, and besides it wasn't like there was anything they could do to help him. This was something he was going to have to figure out on his own.

"The others aren't here yet?" Sam asked, glancing over his shoulder to see if there was anyone approaching from behind him.

"Trust Dai to show up late," Ema grumbled, rolling her eyes. "And Taysuke too. Poor Kara doesn't stand a chance with those two tagging along."

"I'm sure they'll be here soon," Kenzo soothed, glancing at the stuffed backpack Sam carried on his back. "Do you have everything you need?"

"Enough that I couldn't even fit Glimmermon into my backpack anymore," Sam laughed. "Ema's carrying him in her backpack for me. Have you got Iramon?"

"I've got him safe in my backpack until we get inside the house," Kenzo replied, reaching behind him to give his bag a gentle pat.

Ryoko was grateful that Kenzo had been willing to carry Iramon for him, and spotting Taniko and the twins hurrying towards him from the same direction Sam had come from, he raised his arm in a half-hearted wave and kept his gaze turned away from Matty. Taniko came to a stop next to Ema, and beaming at them, she said, "We're all set now! Sorry to keep you waiting."

"I hate having to pack," Matty grumbled, making a face.

Mickey shook his head at his twin, and taking note of everyone who had arrived, he said, "So we're still waiting on Dai and Kara?"

"Naturally," Ema snorted, shaking her head in disgust. "It'll be a miracle if Dai ever shows up for anything on time, and Taysuke isn't much better."

"I heard that!" a voice shouted, nearly causing Ryoko to stumble in surprise.

He spotted Dai and the other two hurrying towards him from the opposite direction that the twins had come from, and stepping off to the side he allowed the others to circle around the goggle-headed leader.

"What took you so long?" Ema demanded, placing her hands on her hips and glaring at her cousin.

Dai went immediately on the defensive, and looking outraged, he said, "It wasn't me! It's Kara's fault! Why do girls always have to pack so much whenever they go anywhere?"

"I'm sorry," Takara said sheepishly, tugging on her long ponytail. "I had to change as well as pack. I didn't mean to keep you guys waiting."

Ryoko glanced up at Takara's words, and taking a closer look at the female Digidestined he realized she was indeed wearing a different outfit. She had replaced her jean shorts with a short white skirt, emerald-green tights, and knee-length winter boots. On top she was wearing a long-sleeved green top, and there was a white scarf wrapped around her neck. She was carrying her wool winter coat over her shoulder, which was also green, and in her other hand she held a pair of white mitts to match her scarf.

"Aren't you warm right now in that outfit?" Taysuke asked, giving his sister a look. "It's a pretty mild day here for October."

"I am right now, but if Gennai's telling the truth about dressing warm then I won't be for much longer."

"We should hurry up and get inside," Taniko interrupted, starting up the front walk. "I've got both Goldmon and Palelymon in my backpack right now, and they're probably starting to feel a little squished."

"DemiEmbermon's doing just fine," Dai smirked, patting his own backpack. "When we get inside I'll have to quickly grab my own stuff from my room."

"I've got Fluttermon with me, so we should all be set now!" Taysuke said, hurrying after Taniko.

The group quickly crowded into the Motomiya residence, and racing up the stairs to reach the second floor they started down the hallway towards the room that Davis and Noriko used for an office while Dai took a quick detour to his own room.

Once they were inside they let the digimon roam free, and speaking apologetically, Kenzo said, "Sorry we're late. I hope we weren't keeping Gennai waiting too long."

"It's quite alright," Gennai replied, smiling at Kenzo from the computer screen. "As soon as Daichi finishes packing, we can get started."

Ryoko set down his own backpack, and pulling on his blue ski jacket and gray winter boots, he kept his eyes averted from his fellow Digidestined. Gennai hadn't told them much yet, but even without knowing the full details Ryoko didn't like the sound of where they were going.

Not to mention I've always hated the cold...

The thought alone was enough to effectively sour his mood, and reluctantly pulling on a pair of gray mitts and a gray hat to cover his blond hair, he proceeded to suffer miserably in silence.

Sam was looking very smart in his black, wool trench coat, and the dark purple hat and scarf he wore accentuated his sapphire eyes. A pair of black gloves completed his outfit, and standing next to his father he looked like a miniature boy genius with a different haircut.

Matty's ski jacket was a dark gray with yellow detailing on it, and a yellow hat and mitts completed his outfit. Mickey's ski jacket was orange, and he wore a black hat and gloves to go with it, along with a pair of black boots that were the same as the one's Matty wore.

And judging by the way some of the adults were dressed it wasn't too difficult to figure out who was going to tag along for the ride. And that left Ryoko feeling a little confused. "How were you guys able to figure out so easily who would be coming with us today when we don't even know yet who we need to bring to break the seal surrounding the next Spirit Chip?"

The adults exchanged looks, and scratching the back of his head, Davis said, "We didn't actually decide. It was Gennai who recommended which of us should tag along."

Everybody turned to look at the computer screen, and smiling pleasantly at them, Gennai said, "It will become clear to you soon enough why I recommended this particular group. I will explain in more detail once you've joined me in the Digital World."

Ryoko took a closer look at all the adults in the room, and taking note of their clothing his forehead wrinkled into a frown. Davis, Noriko, June, Joe, Mina, Izzy, his parents, Tai, Sora, Kari, and T.K. were the only adults there at the moment, and out of that group only his parents, Joe, Kari, Davis, and Tai were dressed in warm clothing. Though Gennai was acting like he didn't have a care in the world, Ryoko knew the robed-figure had chosen those particular Digidestined for a reason. And he knew that three of them would have the ability to break the first seal surrounding the next Spirit Chip.

But which three will it be?

There were only four Spirit Chips left. Wisdom, Loyalty, Faith, and Innocence. It was a matter of simple math to figure out Gennai's intentions. The Spirit Chip they were looking for couldn't possibly be the Spirit Chip of Innocence since two of the crests protecting it were Kindness and Hope, and neither Ken nor T.K. had been chosen to go. The same was true for the Spirit Chip of Faith.

Two of the crests protecting the Spirit Chip of Faith were Hope and Love, and neither T.K. or Sora had been chosen to go. It also couldn't be the Spirit Chip of Wisdom because one of the crests protecting it was the Crest of Knowledge. Izzy also hadn't been chosen to go on this particular mission. That left only the Spirit Chip of Loyalty, which was protected by the Crests of Sincerity, Friendship, and Reliability, and in this particular case Joe and both of his parents were chosen for the journey.

That could mean only one thing. The obvious conclusion would be that they were looking for the Spirit Chip of Loyalty.

And now the question remains...Who does it belong to?

Judging by the playful behaviour of the rest of the group, no one else had yet taken the time to think too closely on the matter of the Spirit Chip, and thus Ryoko could tell that none of them had yet reached the same conclusion that he had come to.

Well, no one except for Izzy. Judging by the thoughtful look on the computer expert's face he had also come to the same conclusion, but despite his findings he had chosen to remain quiet for now on the matter. Maybe Izzy was being polite and giving Gennai a chance to explain it all once they got to the Digital World, but if that was the case then Ryoko was sure Izzy was going to miss out on an opportunity to share his knowledge, since he figured Gennai probably wasn't going to tell them. Chances were Gennai would leave them to discover the truth on their own, and if that was the case then Ryoko was already one step ahead of the robed figure.

The seal protecting the Spirit Chip will cause the Digivices of anyone connected to the three crests protecting it to glow if they come within range of the barrier. That means the Spirit Chip will start to glow for my Mom, Dad, Joe, Davis, Yolei, Cody, Dai, Sam, and myself. Out of those people only three of them are new Digidestined. And out of those three new Digidestined two of them already have Spirit Chips, which leaves only...me.

Ryoko clapped a hand over his mouth to stop himself from gasping out loud, and turning his fearful eyes on Izzy, he was surprised to find the computer expert staring back at him. Judging by the look on Izzy's face, it was obvious he had come to the same conclusion.

Ryoko expected Izzy to say something, but instead the computer expert merely gave him a slight nod and a sympathetic smile before turning his attention back to Gennai.

And considering the way Gennai was looking at him now, Ryoko had a sneaking suspicion that the man was secretly enjoying his discomfort.

Can the Spirit Chip of Loyalty really be mine? I didn't want to get my hopes up. It's the Spirit Chip I wanted all along, but I didn't want to assume and end being disappointed if it turned out that it wasn't mine.

But who else could it belong to? He was the only logical choice, and although he was scared and nervous about what was to come he allowed himself to feel a small spark of hope.

Will Dai finally understand once I have my Spirit Chip?

As if on cue Dai burst into the room in his red ski jacket and back gloves, and pulling on his backpack, he said, "Are we ready to go?"

"You're not even going to ask what we were talking about while you were gone?" Sam asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Who cares?" Dai replied, sounding impatient. "We've got a Spirit Chip to find!"

"And on that note it's time you were all off," Izzy spoke up. "Are you ready?"

"Do you all have everything you need?" June added, glancing in particular at Dai.

"I think we're ready to go!" Takara said cheerfully, holding Fluttermon tightly in her arms.

"The rest of your parents will be popping in on and off over the weekend to check in with us and see how everything's going," Izzy explained. "I'll be sure to keep everyone up to date. While the others are free to come and go depending on their availability, Mina, Taniko, and I will be staying here at the house to monitor you for as long as you're still in the Digital World. According to Gennai here, it doesn't sound like this is going to be an easy mission, and you could be there for a couple days. Gennai will explain more in detail once you arrive."

"We figured when we didn't see you guys at home that you would be here," Mickey said to his parents.

"As soon as Izzy found out who would be going to the Digital World, he contacted all of us adults first. That's how we got here so early," Mimi explained. "I'm sorry we weren't home to greet you, Ryoko."

Ryoko shrugged his shoulders, his mind still preoccupied with the Spirit Chip, and shuffling into line he waited while Dai proceeded to open a gate to the Digital World. Now that he knew the truth, how in the Digiworld was he ever supposed to concentrate on anything else?

"Be careful out there!" Taka warned.

"Make sure you keep in contact with us via the D-Terminals," Taniko informed them. "As usual, if you need help we'll send reinforcements."

"Stay warm!" Makku grinned, giving them a cheerful wave.

Goodbyes were exchanged all around, and holding up his D-Coder, Dai said, "Everybody ready?"

"We're always ready for anything," Davis replied, giving his son a thumbs up.

"Okay then, here we go! Take us to Gennai on the continent of Net! Digiport open!"

There was a flash of light, and Ryoko closed his eyes as he was swept through the gate.

He knew what he needed to do, but in order to achieve his goals he was going to need some help. The only question that remained was whether or not the one Digidestined whose help he needed the most would be willing to give it when the time came...

And unfortunately for him, that time was now.