Day 4 (You're My Best Friend): Oretachi

I was staring at a group of children playing soccer in a park near my apartment. The weather was very hot, a typical summer day. But I wasn't that excited for it anymore, and one of the facts to prove it is that I hadn't changed my outfit since I had gotten back from the Digital World. It had been a couple of days since I and the rest of the group had won our last fight against Apocalymon and returned to Odaiba. I also missed Gabumon a lot, and the fact we probably wouldn't see each other ever again was really unbearable.

As I wandered along the field, I wondered if Takeru and the others were feeling and how they were coping with our new reality. If I didn't know any better, I'd say Takeru was crying all these days non-stop. A small smile came into my lips. The first one in days. For several times, I thought of calling the rest of the group to see how they were doing and even grabbed his phone to do it, but ultimately I decided against it with the excuse they probably wanted some time on their own to process everything and move on.

After what felt like an hour or so, I was walking down the hall on my floor. My apartment was rather dark due to it being almost sunset, but it was still light enough to keep the lights off. I walked into his bedroom and a ray of the sun reflected on my harmonica, which was lying on my desk, and it immediately drew my attention. So I walked towards it and held my instrument within my hands.

The memories came into my mind like a wave, almost like a flood. I replayed all the moments where I've ever played for Gabumon, but there was one specific that lingered in my mind the longest. Maybe because it was the most recent memory, I really couldn't tell. But I still remembered very vividly me and my partner sitting on the edge of a hill tearful for having to say goodbye to each other. Gabumon had asked me to play my harmonica one last time. I simply couldn't refuse it.

The silence in my apartment was too much to take that day, even though I'm sort of used to being alone during day time after school. Well, I had homework and housework to do, so I was always doing something. And now I had a bunch of free time. I desperately wished time flew by, so my father would come home and I could get some distraction. Sighing, I lied down in my bed and stared at the ceiling. I could already see Gabumon and imagining his voice asking me to play our song again. In the end, that was what it really became, wasn't it? Our song. Our melody.

Night began to fall and I walked to the switch to turn on the lights in my bedroom. I glanced at the small clock on my desk. 6 p.m.. No wonder why it was dark already. But the sunset was still visible from my balcony and as if I was hypnotized by it, I slid the glass door that connected my bedroom to it and walked outside. The yellow and orange tones were perfectly blended together in the sky, turning it into the most amazing painting I've ever seen. Above me, the dark blue and the stars advanced, pushing the remaining natural light of the day away. I couldn't help but notice it was the full moon phase and once again I could remember Gabumon's voice in my ear again saying how much this phase of the moon fascinated him. My hand automatically curled up against my harmonica and I realized I was still holding it all along. After glancing down towards it for a brief moment, I brought my hand up and started playing the instrument again. It somehow gave me the hope it wasn't the end for me and Gabumon. I simply knew we were going to meet again soon.

.

"I'm glad everything is over and we got to save all the Gotsumon from the Digimon Kaiser." I said, sitting on the grass alongside Garurumon, Takeru and Patamon. We were leaning against my partner.
"Me too, but this is far from over. We need to keep constant track on the Digimon Kaiser."
"We can't let him do what he wants. Turning Digimon into slaves is just wrong." Patamon spoke from his place on Takeru's arms.
"I know." He looked down at his Digimon. "We are trying our best, but it seems useless right now. He keeps putting up twice as much dark towers as we destroyed."
"Yeah, that's a problem."
"And it's worse because we can't do anything to help the new generation as most of the time we can't evolve."
"Don't remind me." I looked at Garurumon. "I really wanted to be able to do more to help the new generation and these stupid black towers stop you from evolving."
"We will find a way to get around this." Takeru assured me. "This guy, whoever he is, can't keep doing these things and believe he will go unpunished."
"Absolutely not." I embraced my knees and looked at the horizon, which was painted with pink and golden tones. I took a deep breath. "It's getting late, we should head back soon."
"You've been here for a few hours, but it feels like minutes. It went by so fast."
"I know what you mean." I stroked Garurumon's soft white and blue fur. "I would totally stay the night here, but I have class tomorrow morning and have to cook dinner tonight."
"Me too. School, I mean. Mom cooks dinner every night."
"Things were so much easier three years ago when we didn't have to worry about anything really, especially because it was summer."
"Yeah, but we grew up and more responsibilities came with it."
"Exactly." I stood up and looked at the horizon again. "I think it's time we should go back and meet everyone. Taichi and the others are probably heading back to our world by now or about to."
"I think so too." My brother also stood up and Patamon flew to his white hat. "We also need to think of a way to take all the Gotsumon with us."
I turned to Garurumon. "I'm sorry we didn't get to spend much time today. It was our first time seeing each other again after a year and a half and I wish it happened under other circumstances, but not everything is the way we want, I suppose."
"Don't worry about it, Yamato. What matters is that we were able to see each other again and that you're fine. Since the portal can be open anytime now, there'll be other opportunities for us to meet again."
"Yes, and I'll try to come back as soon as I can."
"I'll be looking forward to it. In the meantime, I want to take care of this area, if that's okay."
"Of course." Takeru replied as I looked at him. "We'll need as much help as we can get."
"Good."
Garurumon remained sitting for a while, as if he was waiting for us to climb on him so we could go back to the rest of the group. Takeru followed me and held tight on me as my partner stood up.
"Are you ready to destroy some more towers before we join everyone?"
"Absolutely." I said with a smile. "Let's go."

.

A group of teenagers was enjoying a typical summer day at the bay. I watched as they swan around and splashed water on each other. I couldn't help but smile and could have sworn it was the first smile I have given in days. If it was under any other circumstances, I would be over there too, refreshing in the water. But not at that moment.

I looked down at my feet as I remained sitting on the stairs that connected the street to the Tokyo Bay. Gabumon would probably be telling me we should stay in the shadows because the sun was shining at its brightest and his heavy fur was making him sweat a lot. The pain in my heart got stronger. We were supposed to spend this summer together and had already made so many plans.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed a pair of legs but couldn't exactly see who it was. Though I didn't have to, only seven more people could understand how I was feeling at that moment. There was also someone else behind that person.
"Hey." I said eventually. "So this place calms you two down too, huh?"
"I guess you can say that, yes." Koushiro replied, bending forward and placing his arms over his thighs.
"I managed to drag Koushiro out of his office after a lot of convincing. It wasn't an easy task but Mimi Tachikawa never gives up."
"Mimi, you're making it about yourself again." He called her out, but there was a smile of admiration on his lips.
"I'm sorry. I was just trying to lighten the mood."
"Thanks, Mimi. I appreciate it." I said sincerely, still looking at the people in the water. "I wonder if they are reborn already."
"I'm sure they are. And if I have to take a wild guess here, I'd say they are probably together again as they were six years ago."
"I wouldn't be surprised." A sound that looked like laughter escaped my lips as changed my focus to the bottom of the stairs. "Their bond is so strong that even a reboot wasn't able to destroy it."
"I'm sure they are taking care of each other wherever they are." Mimi looked up at the blue sky.
"Me too." Koushiro followed her gesture. "I just hope they don't come across any bad Digimon. They wouldn't stand a chance in a fight being in such a low level."
"I hope they don't. They would be so scared." The girl flinched at the mere thought of it. "I wish I could see Palmon again."
"Who knows? Maybe one day it happens." The red haired boy looked past Mimi towards the street.
"What are you looking at?" Mimi did the same. "There's nothing different it there."
"I know, but I was thinking maybe we could get some ice cream. I heard there's a really good place near here."
"I heard it too!" She joined her palms excitedly. "We should totally do it!"
"What do you think, Yamato?"
"Uh, I'm not sure. It doesn't feel right, you know?"
"Yeah, I can understand it." Koushiro looked down, feeling a little ashamed. "I'm sorry for proposing that."
"You mean well, don't feel bad about it." I could feel his eyes on me. I shrugged and then stood up. "Oh what the hell, let's do it."
The three of us walked towards the street and then to ice-cream parlor.

.

The golden tones from the sunset reflected on my hair as I remained sitting on the floor with my back against the rail in the hall. Ten minutes ago I was leaning against it holding my digivice that had turned into stone with a shaking left hand and using my right one to stop it. Tears fell relentlessly from my eyes as the reality stuck in. He was gone forever.

I felt like my whole world was being torn apart. The feeling was even worse than having to see him getting rebooted five years ago. But back then, we were able to meet again and later Koushiro managed to revert the situation. This time, however, there was no way to change it and bring him back.

I heard distant footsteps that stopped for some seconds. I tapped around looking for my digivice with one hand while shoved my harmonica into my pocket with my other one. It was when I realized I had thrown my digivice away into the hall. The person probably bent down to catch it.

I was completely taken by surprise when a pair of arms wrapped around me and pulled me into a hug. I just couldn't tell if it was because of the gesture itself or the scent of her hair that I inhaled. Or maybe it was my intuition.
"Here you go." Sora said softly and handed me my digivice. I finally looked at her, but could tell behind her reassuring smile she was hurting too. Also, her eyes were swollen and a little red from probably crying.
"Thank you." I looked down at my digivice on her hands and took it. "How did you know I was here?"
"My intuition told me." She put a lock of her hair away and I gave a short smile, thinking we were still deeply connected with each other. She then knelt down in an L shape. "Kneel down like this."
I had a puzzled expression on my face, but did as she said anyway. As soon as I knelt down, she took a hold of my hands and stared down at them. Then she looked up at my eyes again and wrapped my arms around her, pulling me into another hug.
"I'm so sorry for what happened." She managed to say after swallowing hard and I knew right away she was crying too. Before I realize it, tears were back in my eyes and my vision got blurry. "It's okay to cry."
I couldn't exactly tell whether it was because of her stroking my hair softly or her soothing voice, but I cried like a baby again. Her shirt got soaked in a matter of seconds, but she didn't mind at all.

After we finally pulled away from each other, I realized she had been crying silently all this time too and I had no idea. "Sora…"
She simply shook her head negatively with a gentle smile and then stretched her hand. I immediately looked down at it and my eyes widened. I had a clue, but deep down I was hoping it wasn't true. Her digivice was also turned into a stone.
"I'm so sorry I couldn't be there for you during the fight."
"It's okay. I completely understand your reasons and don't hold anything against you."
"Still, I should have been there."
"Shh, it's okay." I reached down for her hands and looked straight into her eyes. "You're here now and that's all that matters."
"Yeah." She bit her lower lip and looked away for a moment. "I'm here now, and we are going to get through this together. Like we always do."
I wrapped my arms around her after she threw herself towards me and we cried again.

.

I rang the doorbell from Koushiro's apartment and waited for him to answer to the door. I got nervous from the moment he had received his text message about an hour ago saying he had to see me, but I couldn't tell why exactly. My eyebrows were raised when I heard some weird noises coming from the apartment and a few voices too. It couldn't be from his wife and daughter as he had told me they were out that moment.
"Oh sorry, Yamato." The words came out of his mouth altogether when he opened the door and his hair was a little too messy for someone who was alone, especially him who was so careful with his own image nowadays. "Please, come in."
"Is everything okay?" I asked after he stepped aside and I walked in. "I heard some noises while I was waiting in the hall."
"Yeah, everything is fine." He ran his hand through his hair. "I have some good news for you?"
"Good news?" I couldn't express how relieved I felt with that and a lot of the weight on my shoulders and the bad feeling in my heart vanished almost immediately.
"Yeah. After years of researching, I finally found a way to get around this."
Okay. Now I really knew where he was getting at and my heart was pounding so fast I thought I was going to faint or something. Still, I played dumb to see if I was right.
"Get around what?"
"You can come out now." He said loudly into the hall towards a room and Gabumon came running towards me.
"Yamato!" He exclaimed excitedly. "Look at you! You look so different!"
"Gabumon!" I immediately knelt down and hugged him tight. "I missed you so much!"
"I missed you too, buddy." He hugged him just as tight.
"How did you manage to do it?" I asked Koushiro as I got to my feet again, holding Gabumon's claw.
"It was a long and exhausting research, but I finally found a gap in the Digital World data that allowed me to bring him back. It was a shot in the dark, but I'm glad I succeeded."
"Wow, I will never be thankful to you enough." I looked down at my partner. "Let's go home, buddy. I can't wait to tell Sora you are back and…" I suddenly stopped talking and felt bad for not going home with Piyomon too.
"Yeah, about that." Koushiro said with a grin. "I hope you have enough space in your car, because…"
The door from which Gabumon came out opened again and Piyomon flew towards us and landed right beside him. I could barely hold my smile thinking how happy Sora would be.
"I hope you didn't forget about me."
"How could I?" I bent down again to hug her too, and I could tell she was taken by surprise at first but eventually hugged me back. "Sora will be so shocked and happy to see you again."
"How is she? I miss her so much!"
"She's great. In fact, I think she's never been better. I'm sure she misses you too." I stood up once again, now holding both Gabumon and Piyomon's claws, and looked down at each one of them. "Are you two ready to go home?"
"Yes!" They both said together.
"Good, because me and Sora have something really important and huge to tell you."
"Ohhh what is it?" Piyomon asked in her usual cheerful tone.
"You will find out soon, I promise. For now, it's a secret." I looked up at Koushiro again. "Thank you for bringing them back. We'll be forever grateful to you."
"You don't need to thank me." He offered me a smile. "I know you've waiting for this a long time. Consider this a gift."