I don't own Digimon.
A/N: I struggled a bit getting back into it, but I think I've got my flow back! Sorry about the wait!
Following the Footsteps of Destiny
Chapter 321: Tools of Darkness
DarkAngelicmon
Net, Northern Hemisphere, Digital World
Looming in the distance, the early morning sunshine glinted off the icebergs floating in the waters to the north, and taking a moment to appreciate the majestic view, DarkAngelicmon barely noticed the chilly air ruffling his dark feathers. The arctic horizon was a breathtaking sight to behold, and bowing his head, he couldn't help but wonder how such a gorgeous landscape could hide what was essentially a ticking time bomb dwelling deep within the inner core of the Northern Hemisphere's snowy crust. It truly was a mystery, and knowing what the Ruler of Darkness was planning to do with the darkness that lurked somewhere within an area known as the Glacial Waterfalls, he felt a sudden shiver race down his spine that had nothing to do with the cold.
The Digidestined are coming for the Spirit Chip, and yet little do they know the true extent of the danger to come...
"Stop daydreaming and pay attention, you idiot," a sharp voice suddenly spat harshly in his ear. "If this is what you do with your time, it's no wonder all your previous missions have failed."
DarkAngelicmon raised an eyebrow at that, and edging away from the fallen angel hovering near his right shoulder, he said shortly, "It's important to remain aware of your surroundings at all times, particularly if you intend to use them to your advantage. Judging from your moronic response, you apparently haven't mastered the basics of reconnaissance, and as such I would suggest getting out of the castle a little more often."
"What did you just say to me?" Phelesmon hissed, immediately summoning his trident in a burst of rage.
"Stand down, both of you," YukiOnnamon demanded, holding up a hand for silence. "I will not tolerate any unnecessary interruptions while I'm speaking. Our superficial goal is to steal the Spirit Chip, and whether we succeed or not, our actions should be enough to distract the Digidestined from ultimately discovering our true mission."
"Which is to reach the black pit calling out to us from the icy waterfalls where the Spirit Chip of Innocence resides," LadyDevimon finished, her lips twisting into a terrifying smile. "Essentially, the Spirit Chip is a decoy of sorts. While it is still important for us to obtain it, what is even more important is preventing Gennai and his followers from discovering the true extent of our master's plans too early."
"Indeed. While Gennai may be aware of the pit's existence, he does not yet know we intend to use it to our advantage, and our master would like to keep it that way for the time being," Persiamon agreed, her tail twitching in the icy breeze. "Which brings us to the reason why we're here."
The dark pit is not the only catalyst our master intends to make use of. I am also a tool for him to manipulate, and he will not hesitate to harness my power for his own agenda, just like he did to bring forth BlackGatomon's ultimate form...
"Ah, yes," LadyDevimon said pleasantly, turning to address YukiOnnamon. "Since you have been put in charge of this operation, I assume you have orders you would like us to carry out?"
"That is correct," YukiOnnamon replied, her pale skirts ruffling in the icy cold breeze. "There are two things we need to discuss before the Digidestined arrive this afternoon. First, we need to plan how we're going to steal the Spirit Chip, which requires the Takaishi boy's cooperation."
"Is that what you call it?" Phelesmon snorted, an ugly sneer turning up the corners of his mouth. "You make it sound as if he has a choice in the matter. If he refuses to allow the darkness into his heart, then we will force it on him one way or another."
You will do no such thing. I will delete you before I ever allow you to touch a single hair on Mickey's golden head.
There was no denying the older twin needed to succumb to the insecurities plaguing his soul in order to harness the power of innocence, but unlike the previous owners of the Spirit Chip, this particular case was a little more complicated. Due to the delicate nature of the relationship Mickey shared with his brother, the older twin's situation needed to be handled with the utmost care, and naturally the best digimon for the job was someone with extensive knowledge on the human heart.
Or in other words, me. If I allow these fools to take control of Mickey's fate, I cannot guarantee he will survive his ordeal unscathed. That must not be allowed to happen. He needs his Spirit Chip. Not only for himself, but also for me...
"You are far too hasty, even in the best of times," Persiamon scolded, raising her eyebrows at Phelesmon. "Remember, we want the child to gain control of his Spirit Chip. If he does not, it is useless to us. Unless, of course, you were in the market for a giant stone paper weight."
"Only if I can use it to crush every human that gets in my way."
Over my deleted data, you will.
"I suspect we won't have to force him to do anything," YukiOnnamon said smoothly, raising a hand for silence. "After all, his weakness is only too obvious, and the Ruler of Darkness knows it. Tell me, DarkAngelicmon, who or what has the most potential to send the Takaishi boy spiralling into the depths of despair?"
DarkAngelicmon could feel his heart racing, and without looking at the female digimon, he said dismissively, "His twin brother, of course. For reasons known only to themselves, Makiya and Masato Takaishi are already struggling with their relationship as it is. That much is clear. It'll be only too easy for us to use that to our advantage."
You many not know the truth of their failure to connect with one another, but I do. Not that I would ever reveal that information to you. They are uncertain of the bond they share, and their fear of losing each other has created a rift between them. They can sense the danger they're in, but because they do not know when or where it will strike, they're unable to put those fears to rest. Each believes the other is most at risk, and as a result, the truth eludes them. The reality is they're both equally at risk, and while that risk is necessary for Mickey to gain his Spirit Chip, if he cannot overcome the darkness in his heart and learn to trust his brother's strength, all will be lost. And since I was the one responsible for planting that seed of uncertainty in their hearts, if they fail to protect each other, it will be all my fault. I cannot accept that, not when I need their unified strength to save Lucemon...
"I'm intrigued," LadyDevimon murmured, brushing a stray strand of silver hair over her shoulder. "Are you intending for us to use the boy's brother to reach his heart?"
Mickey and Matty believe I want to hurt them, but that is far from the truth. If anything, it is the opposite...
YukiOnnamon nodded, and placing a hand on her hip, the former vampire digimon said coldly, "That is exactly what I'm saying. If we can get our hands on the brother, the Takaishi boy will bend easily to our will. Once that happens, the insecurities in his heart will finish the job and secure our path to the Spirit Chip."
"If he can overcome himself, that is," Persiamon reminded the group, her tail stirring up a cloud of snowflakes. "As I'm sure you're all well aware."
"Yes, yes," YukiOnnamon snapped, looking annoyed. "We'll go over the finer details of our plan later. Before that, I want to address our second mission."
The dark pit...
DarkAngelicmon could feel a spark of dread building in his chest, and once again turning to gaze out at the ocean, his thoughts immediately settled on the Takaishi boys. As much as he hadn't wanted to bring Matty up, he knew failing to mention the younger twin would have looked highly suspicious, especially since the Ruler of Darkness was far more aware of the situation with the Digidestined than one might assume. The cloaked digimon had eyes and ears everywhere, and the last thing DarkAngelicmon wanted to do was put himself in a position that would suggest he had a soft spot for the twins. Therefore, he hadn't had any choice in placing Matty under a spotlight, as much as it had pained him to do so.
I'm sorry, Matty. Even if I hadn't, they would have come for you anyway. I cannot stop them from separating you from your brother, but I can protect you and keep you safe in Mickey's stead. Perhaps it shouldn't be when or where you worry about. The real fear is who...
"Now you're talking," Phelesmon smirked, his dangerous eyes lighting up with an unhealthy interest in the subject. "That's what I'm here for, the star of the show. I'm interested to see this dark chasm in action."
"Yes, the pit is supposedly located somewhere near the Spirit Chip, but be that as it may, we don't know its exact coordinates," LadyDevimon murmured, what little of her expression you could see growing thoughtful. "In order to find it, we need more information."
"Which we can obtain by spying on the locals," YukiOnnamon replied, waving her hand towards a grove of trees in the distance. "There's a village several hours away from the nearest television where the Digidestined are almost certain to spawn this afternoon. They'll likely have some interesting tidbits of information about the Glacial Waterfalls that may give us a clue as to the location of the pit."
"Isn't that the same village where Gennai and his ignorant followers got their information about the Spirit Chip?" Phelesmon asked, looking suspicious.
"Indeed, but that does not mean they won't have more to offer. It's simply a matter of asking the right questions."
"Pardon the interruption, but I do not think Phelesmon is the ideal candidate for striking up a conversation with the locals," LadyDevimon interjected, sounding amused.
"Certainly not," YukiOnnamon agreed, scoffing at the very idea. "No, that job will be left to Persiamon, whom out of all of us will come across as the least threatening or suspicious. Phelesmon will tag along as backup if it's needed."
"And what of myself and DarkAngelicmon?" LadyDevimon asked, sounding curious.
That's an excellent question.
YukiOnnamon smiled, her dark eyes glimmering in anticipation of the events to come, and stepping forward, the former vampire digimon said calmly, "The three of us are going to finalise our plans regarding the Takaishi boys, and we will also need to secure the Spirit Chip's location at some point before the Digidestined reach the pedestal. It'll take them at least a day if not more to get there, which is why it is imperative for us to keep track of their movements. That being said, once the Digidestined do arrive in the Digital World, I'll have another job for you and Phelesmon to take care of."
"And what job would that be?"
Intimidation. Of course...
LadyDevimon was standing between Persiamon and YukiOnnamon, and doing his best to ignore the sound of his own pulse pounding in his ears, DarkAngelicmon turned his back on the three female digimon and said quietly, "A job only celestial digimon can do."
There's absolutely no way they wouldn't be able to sense such a vile presence...
It was still very early in the morning, and due to the fact that YukiOnnamon preferred not to use her ability to open gateways to the World of Darkness for the purpose of travelling to places she wasn't familiar with, DarkAngelicmon had been forced to get up early and fly to the Northern Hemisphere the old fashion way via the back of a large digimon in service to the Ruler of Darkness. The journey had tired him out, largely in part thanks to the celestial company he needed to play nice with, but that was the least of his concerns. What weighed most on his mind was the fate of Makiya Takaishi.
I can only protect you so much without giving myself away. I do apologise, Mickey. The hatred you did not feel before would certainly be warranted now if something happens to your brother...
"A good plan," Persiamon acknowledged, nodding her head in approval. "Shall we get started then?"
"Indeed," YukiOnnamon responded, waving the female digimon off. "Make for the village with Phelesmon and we shall reconvene later this afternoon. I suspect that is where the Digidestined will settle in for the evening, thus making it our first point of interest. And you had best have some information on the whereabouts of the black pit by then."
"Understood," Phelesmon said shortly, motioning for Persiamon to follow him. "In return, I expect the Takaishi boy to entertain us. Your plan to use his brother had better be a good one."
"Rest assured, we will not disappoint you," LadyDevimon said smoothly, the sultry tones of her voice floating on the icy breeze.
And thus you've already made your first mistake. Underestimating the human heart.
DarkAngelicmon felt a sense of relief as Phelesmon finally stepped away from his side, and watching the fallen angel disappear into the distance with Persiamon, he couldn't help but wonder. Just how far would Mickey be willing to put himself at risk for the sake of saving his brother?
Time will tell, and when it does, I can only hope they'll both manage to escape the darkness...
Masato 'Matty' Takaishi
Odaiba, Japan, Earth
The air felt chilly that morning, and sitting at the base of the tree where he usually met up with his friends before class, Matty took a moment to appreciate the cool breeze caressing his face. The sky was overcast, and studying the golden-haired boy lounging next to him on the grass, he found himself unable to prevent his lips from turning up in a fond smile.
I can tell he still has a lot on his mind, but at least he looks a little calmer compared to last night...
"Matty?" Mickey asked shyly, sensing a pair of eyes on him. "Is something wrong?"
Not anymore. At least, not the way you're thinking.
Refusing to acknowledge their upcoming mission for the time being, Matty wrapped an affectionate arm around his brother and said warmly, "I'm good as long as you're feeling better this morning."
I meant what I said last night. I was really worried I'd done something bad to upset him, which was the reason why he was acting so funny around me. Knowing all this time he actually wanted my support, I can't even describe how much that means to me. It's because he trusts me that I have to protect him...
"I know we haven't really talked about it much, and I know that's entirely my fault, but I haven't forgotten," Mickey said softly, sitting back to lean against his shoulder. "It's not going to be easy for me to harness the power of my Spirit Chip. That's the reality of the situation, especially because of DarkAngelicmon's erratic behaviour. I want to believe he'll help us, but we can't guarantee he'll be willing or able to do so. On top of my feelings for Sam, I know you and I..."
We want to help each other so much, that might end up being our downfall.
Matty understood perfectly, and letting his head fall back against the rough tree bark, he glanced at the backpack lying at his side, uncertain of whether he should change the subject or not. Since there were students passing by, Palelymon and Goldmon were doing their best to keep quiet, though occasionally their bags would shift with subtle movement. Despite the silence, Matty knew the two digimon were listening, and chances were they were eager to lend their support.
Just like I am.
That morning, Matty had graciously offered to let his twin use the bathroom before making use of the tub himself, and as a result they were the first to arrive at school. Having reached their destination earlier than they normally would have on any other given day, they had decided to wait at the usual spot for the rest of their group to arrive, whom so far hadn't put in an appearance. Upon leaving, their parents had offered to bring their packed bags to the Motomiya residence in the afternoon, thus allowing them the freedom to attend school without the extra weight. Since they had some time on their hands, Matty found himself thinking on the events of last night, and doing so made him feel suddenly warm inside.
Mickey's earnest confession had come as a bit of a surprise, but that wasn't because of the individual who was responsible for capturing the older twin's heart. The main reason Matty had found himself caught off guard was due to the fact that he hadn't been expecting Mickey to talk about love, at least not that kind of love. He had already geared himself up to apologise for having done something to upset his brother, or if not that then he was at least expecting Mickey to admit there were still some issues with regards to Sam and that the two of them weren't on as good of terms as they had led everyone to believe.
But instead, he threw me a complete curveball. Before Sam, he had never mentioned having a crush on anyone before, and I just assumed it wasn't really something he had any interest in right now. I know he's never said anything noteworthy about liking a friend or close acquaintance around our age, and he definitely hasn't shown an interest in any of the kids at school, boy or girl. Now that I think about it, before Sam, Mickey never really showed any sort of preference either way.
Which meant Sam was definitely special, something Matty had already known from the start.
Once I'd managed to wrap my head around the whole situation, it was kind of surprising that I wasn't actually surprised at all. It just makes total sense. Next to me, Sam is the closest person in the world to Mickey. They're together as often as Mickey and I are together. You'd be hard-pressed to find one without the other. It's always been that way. It would have been more shocking to hear Mickey say he couldn't fall in love with Sam. Even just thinking that feels...wrong.
Having come to such an obvious conclusion, it hadn't taken him very long to embrace the truth about Mickey's feelings, and wanting nothing more than to see his brother happy, he could only hope that someday Sam would return the sentiment, allowing the two a chance to love each other without any regrets.
I meant what I said earlier. If Sam can't find it in his heart to return my brother's feelings, I'm gonna have a real hard time not taking that as a personal insult. Mickey's the perfect life partner. There's no way Sam could ever meet anybody even half as amazing as my twin.
Hence the reason why it would be such a waste if the raven-haired Digidestined had no interest in a relationship with another boy.
It's true what I said to Mickey. I have a lot of respect for Sam, and I trust him completely. I know I can be overprotective sometimes, but I have no issue at all with those two being together. Sam's good for my brother, and there's no once else in the world who could ever hold a candle to him in that respect. He'll never hurt Mickey. I'd bet my life on that, and that for me is the most important thing.
"Matty?"
Realising he hadn't actually acknowledged the older twin's earlier statement, Matty quickly gave himself a mental shake and said sheepishly, "Sorry, I was just thinking. Look, even if we might not necessarily agree on what DarkAngelicmon and his team of baddies are doing and who their target is, you know you'll always have my full support. When it comes to anything Digital World related or the Powers of Darkness, I'm going to try my best not to let anything come between us, especially...you know...now that we have to find your Spirit Chip."
I would never do anything to put you even more at risk.
"Same to you," Mickey whispered, his timid expression immediately softening into a gentle smile. "For the record, I do feel much better than yesterday. I know nothing's really been solved yet, but...I'm just so glad I told you about Sam and that I have your full support. I can't even tell you how much it means to me to know you accept me exactly as I am."
In response, Matty gave his twin's shoulders a quick squeeze, and raising his eyebrows, he said, "Of course I do. Seriously, why would it matter to me if you like a boy or a girl? Ugh, you're as bad as Taka, accusing me of such a thing. I don't care about stuff like that. I care about you, and you'd better not forget that."
Besides, you know how I feel about Taniko, and I bet that was true even before I fully admitted it. I think it's only fair I know about you, too!
"I won't," Mickey promised, beaming at him. "Oh, looks like the others are here now. I..."
"It's okay. Nobody needs to know anything until you're ready to tell them, and despite what everyone says about me, I'm not going to blab or anything like that. I would never do that to you."
"I know, but..."
Leaning over to whisper in his brother's ear, Matty said quickly, "Remember, just stay calm and be yourself. That's something Sam will always respond to favourably. Trust me on this."
Before Mickey could respond, the rest of the group was upon them, and making a face, Dai said, "Don't tell me you guys came early. If it wasn't for Kara, I'd still be sleeping."
"Typical," Ryoko groaned, rolling his eyes. "Is everybody ready for this afternoon?"
"Packed and ready to go," Takara confirmed, dropping Dai's hand to adjust the straps on her backpack. "Thanks to our parents, we won't have to drag anything with us from school once class is over."
Matty had to agree, and glancing at Sam, who was gazing back at him without any sort of definable expression, he said cheerfully, "No kidding. I didn't fancy the thought of carrying all our stuff back to Dai's house. Ain't that right, Mickey?"
"It's certainly a relief," Mickey agreed, glancing shyly at Sam before quickly turning his face away.
Speaking of Sam, I wonder what he's thinking. He must have his own worries about Mickey's unusual behaviour, but what exactly those fears are, I have no idea. Does he suspect the truth, or does he think this is all happening for a completely different reason?
There was no way of knowing, since Sam wasn't giving anything away, and glancing between the two of them, the raven-haired Digidestined said lightly, "Everything okay?"
It was then that Matty realised he still had his arm wrapped protectively around Mickey's shoulders, and sending his brother a knowing look, he said shortly, "All good here. How come?"
For a moment, Sam didn't answer, and then shrugging his shoulders, the raven-haired Digidestined said, "No reason in particular. I just...with Mickey's Spirit Chip coming up..."
"We're fine," Mickey said firmly, climbing quickly to his feet. "I know you're probably worried about us, but even though things aren't perfect right now, I promise we're working on it. I appreciate the support, though."
The words were enough to break through Sam's cool demeanour, and stepping forward to put a hand on Mickey's shoulder, the raven-haired Digidestined said softly, "Anytime. You know I'll always be here for you no matter what."
When he says things like that, it just...makes me want him to love Mickey even more...
Matty was careful not to draw attention to the sudden fiery blush sprouting on his brother's cheeks, and addressing the rest of the group, he said nonchalantly, "We have enough time to worry about all of our problems this afternoon. Right now, we need to get to class."
All this love talk is making me wonder. Mickey seems to think Taniko really likes me...
"Yeah, I bet Mrs. Hanari's timing us to the second," Dai complained, wrinkling his nose. "Yolei will have my head if I get another detention, and I don't even want to think about what my mother will do to me if I'm late."
"Not just you, all of us," Ryoko grumbled, his deep blue eyes appearing almost grey in the weak sunlight that was attempting to break through the clouds. "Come on, let's get to our seats early if we can."
Matty purposely waited until Sam and Mickey had pulled ahead of the group before picking up the pace, and as the two boys proceeded to converse in low tones, he found himself watching them with careful scrutiny. Though Sam was walking close beside Mickey, there was something about the raven-haired Digidestined's body language that suggested he felt hesitant to make any sudden movements, and while the older twin was doing his best to hide the feelings stirring inside his heart, Mickey's conflicting emotions were painfully obvious.
Along with his overly shy behaviour and inability to stop himself from turning pink in the face every single time Sam looked in his direction.
Ugh, it's so obvious now that I know. How can Sam not see it?
Or maybe the raven-haired Digidestined had noticed, and that was the problem.
Either that or Sam's even more clueless than I am. This would be so much easier if he would just give me something to work with. I hope his neutral attitude towards Mickey isn't a bad thing...
"Something on your mind?" a sudden voice murmured in his ear, sounding highly amused.
Matty jumped, and glaring at the boy who had spoken, he said hotly, "Geez, don't scare me like that. Warn me next time, would you?"
"Is there a reason you're so easily startled today?" Ryoko asked, watching him closely.
Rising to the bait, Matty said simply, "I think you know why. It's not like you guys haven't been talking about it this whole time."
"That obvious, huh?" Dai asked, scratching sheepishly at the back of his dark head. "Guess that means you weren't totally oblivious to the weirdness going on between Sam and your brother."
"Hey! Even if you guys hadn't made it obvious, Kara didn't waste any time letting me know."
The goggle-headed leader chose to ignore that comment, and crossing his arms over his chest, he said, "So...any idea what's going on between them?"
"Or why they're both acting odd towards you?" Ryoko butted in.
That day Sam stayed over at my house with me...He was so adamant about protecting Mickey. I still don't understand why, though. He was also acting really nervous around me, which doesn't make any sense at all. Whether he knows about Mickey's true feelings or not, none of that has anything to do with me...
"Did you have a chance to speak to Mickey?" Takara asked gently, moving over to wrap an arm around his waist.
All three of his friends were gazing expectantly at him, and frowning at the two boys who were the topic of their discussion, he said quietly, "Yeah, I did."
"And?"
Matty knew the female Digidestined wouldn't give up until he gave her an answer, and smiling slightly, he said, "While I can't speak for Sam, I do know what's going on with Mickey. He told me last night."
"Well, that's good...I think?" Dai replied, looking a little confused. "So..."
"Sorry, I know this probably isn't what you want to hear, but I can't say. Mickey deserves his privacy, and I'm in no position to speak for him."
"It's okay, you don't have to," Takara said firmly, nodding her head in understanding. "Honestly, I'm just glad he told someone. At least now if anything happens, you'll be able to help him out if he needs it."
"I hope so. I know you said hearing Mickey's side of the story would help give us some insight on Sam's behaviour, but..."
"You can't say," Takara finished, smiling in understanding. "If you did, it would give too much of Mickey's story away."
"Something like that."
"Just one thing," Ryoko interrupted, looking concerned. "Whatever's going on between Sam and Mickey, is it...something bad?"
Matty thought about that for a moment, and then shaking his head, he said calmly, "I wouldn't necessarily say it's bad. If anything, it could be a good thing, but I guess that all depends on Sam. As for me, there's nothing to worry about. Mickey and I are good now. I mean, I know the Spirit Chip thing is still an issue, but you don't have to worry about Mickey acting weird around me anymore. Not about Sam anyway."
"Huh?" Dai asked, looking even more confused.
Matty could tell his three friends were practically bursting with curiosity, and knowing the digimon hiding in their backpacks probably felt the same, he said lightly, "It's like this. No matter how many times you ask me about Mickey, I'm not going to tell you anything, but...if you decide you're going to try to figure it out for yourselves, I won't stop you. Does that sound fair?"
"Like we have a choice," Ryoko shot back, though despite the heat of his words his tone was filled with affection. "I guess that means we have our work cut out for us."
Not really. Observe the two of them long enough and you'll figure it out. Hopefully before it's too late to help...
"I mean it, Matty," Takara murmured, hugging him close. "It really does ease my mind to know Mickey's not alone. You, at least, have some insight into what's going on with him and Sam before we head to the Digital World, and that's better than nothing. Anything to avoid a catastrophe from happening, that's all I wanted. If anyone can prevent a worst case scenario, it's you."
Returning the hug, Matty said dryly, "You're still going to talk to Mickey though, right?"
"If you don't mind."
"I don't. Just don't push him too hard, that's all I ask."
"Don't worry, I won't," Takara promised.
I really do hope Mickey will tell them himself, but knowing what our luck has been like lately...
Thinking on the matter, Matty suddenly remembered Takara's behaviour from the previous evening, and studying his cousin's pretty face, he said mildly, "One more question."
"What's that?"
"You talked to Sam last night, didn't you. Did he say anything about me or Mickey?"
"Not really," Takara sighed, making a face. "He's aware that we all know something's going on, but that's about it. He just kept insisting his attitude has nothing to do with what happened in the waterway, and he never really mentioned you at all. I'm not sure if he even knows you've caught on to his bizarre behaviour. There are a few things he said that got me thinking, but...if it's alright with you guys, I don't want to discuss it just yet. I'd rather wait until I have some solid proof before making any assumptions."
Huh? What does that mean? Does she know something and can't say anything for the same reasons I can't blab what's going on with Mickey? Would telling us hurt Sam's privacy by giving too much away?
"You said something similar the other day," Ryoko observed, giving the female Digidestined a look. "Out of respect for Sam, I suppose we can wait, much as I'd rather not."
"Thank you," Takara replied, smiling fondly at the golden-haired Digidestined. "I know it's hard, but we have to tread carefully. The last thing we want to do is create more problems that might hurt our chances of getting through to Mickey."
We lose more than just the Spirit Chip if that happens. Far more. If only Sam wasn't so stubborn...
"Are you guys coming?" the raven-haired Digidestined suddenly called out from further up the sidewalk, motioning for them to hurry. "Mrs. Hanari's glaring at us from the steps!"
"The warning bell hasn't even rung yet!" Dai shouted, sounding outraged. "Ah, whatever. Not like she can get us in trouble for being on time."
"For once," Ryoko joked, racing ahead to avoid the goggle-headed leader's friendly shove.
Matty watched as his cousin almost trampled Sam, who bumped into Mickey to avoid a collision, and as the older twin blushed furiously in obvious embarrassment, there was no denying the thick tension between the two boys. A quick glance at Dai and Takara indicated the couple hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary, but that didn't necessarily mean it would stay that way forever.
If only I could talk to Sam to find out if there's any chance at all he might be interested in my brother, but I'm worried if I do that, it'll just cause even more issues. After all, I'm already part of the problem as it is. If for some reason I'm not able to help my brother, Sam might be the only person who can save Mickey from himself, but even that's not a guarantee if he's not interested in anything more than a solid friendship. Let's be real here. Without Sam, there's no telling what might happen if Mickey and I end up losing our way and drifting apart...