The morning sun forced Daisuke to open his eyes with a soft groan of pain. His head ached and his limbs felt heavy and uncoordinated and he idly remembered it was because of the alcohol he had imbibed the night before.
Taichi's nineteenth birthday had to go with a bang, or so the brunette had promised, while gathering all of his friends in his small, one bedroom apartment. Only the boys, though, as he wanted to get drunk enough to make a fool of himself and not have his girlfriend of three years see him in such state.
With a short glance upwards Daisuke realized he was laying on the carpet by the T.V. with his head pillowed over one of the birthday boy's thighs. If the snoring by his ear was any indication to his identity. Strong arms were wrapped around his waist and the rhythmic breathing of his best friend told him he was not the only one to have passed out on the spot. Jyou's shoes peeked from over the sofa and Iori's shirtsleeve was resting over his senpai's leg.
A trail of Koichirou's clothes leading to Taichi's bedroom indicated the redhead was the only one smart enough to secure himself with a comfortable spot to sleep on while Takeru's torso seemed to be hanging head-down over the arm of another chair.
That only left Yamato to be located.
Oh, of course, noise in the Kitchen. Yamato, always the responsible adult he was, was the first to wake up, then.
He smiled lightly.
"I better go help him," he muttered softly, before trying to rise from his position.
Ken's arms tightened around him and a low growl escaped his parted lips.
"No," he whispered in sleep. "Dai stays, so cool and comfy."
Daisuke tried not to laugh as his best friend snuggled on his stomach and laid a wet, open-mouthed kiss in his skin. It would probably leave a mark, with the way the other young man was sucking and licking at his belly-button, and be another cause of a fight between the embarrassed genius and his fiery girlfriend, but the redhead couldn't make himself care.
Ken and Miyako had done nothing but fight for the last two months, Ken trying to tell his girlfriend to give him time, Miyako convinced her boyfriend is secretly trying to lure his best friend, no-good Daisuke, to his bed.
The child of courage and friendship was sick of seeing them argue and just wanted them to be done with it. They were his friends and so clearly unhappy with each other, so… why not part while they still could remain civil?
"Ken-chan," he whispered, as to not wake the others. "I really need to move."
"No," Ken replied forcefully, his teeth sinking on the cinnamon skin underneath his lips. "Cool, good."
Daisuke sighed.
Of course Ken had been the first to notice that after the fight with Belialmyotismon, Daisuke's skin temperature had dropped considerably. Late onset of low-blood pressure, the doctors had said after countless studies, nothing to be concerned about. The young man only had to make sure to drink warm fluids ever so often and to put on an extra sweater in the winter.
Daisuke shook his head, staring at the fingers in his hand not being currently crushed by his best friend's weight. His skin had grown paler over the years, and no matter how many hours he spent under the sun, nothing would turn it back into its usual caramel color. The doctors explained it with puberty, his parents fretted over another relapse of his former deathly condition. Daisuke sighed and kept to himself the comparison between his now colder and paler body to his secret savior's complexion.
Wouldn't that be worth of study? He thought to himself.
Yamato chose that moment to come into the living room, carrying mugs of steaming coffee that had Daisuke's mouth-watering from the smell alone. He slowly waved a hand in the blond's direction, hoping to catch his attention.
"Help me up?" he asked with a small smile. "Ken-chan won't let me move, he's biting me."
The blond rolled his sharp blue eyes and took hold of the younger genius' shirt, tugging him as hard as he could.
Another growl resounded around the room.
"Ken-chan," Daisuke tried.
"No," the other man said forcefully. "No, Dai."
"Oh, come on, Ken," Yamato sighed with a small growl of his own. Not in the mood to deal with stubborn drunks so early in the morning.
Ken only tightened his embrace.
"Ken-chan," Daisuke said with a small gasp. "It hurts."
As if a switch have been turned, the arms around him instantly released their hold while sleepy violet eyes opened to stare at the redhead in confusion.
"Dai-chan," Ken hissed. "I hurt you?"
Daisuke shook his head.
"Go back to sleep, Yamato and I are going to make breakfast, okay?" he said as he stood. Ken stared after him for a moment, the alcohol still making his cheeks flush.
"Come back soon," he said as he snuggled on the carpet once more. "You are so cool… feels nice."
"Sure thing, Ken-chan," Daisuke chuckled, running a hand through his disheveled hair.
"He left you a hickey," Yamato mumbled as he handed the younger man a cup of steaming coffee.
The other man nodded, hands instantly wrapping around the cup to warm them up with a contented sigh.
"He tends to bite when he is comfortable," he explained, taking a short ship. "You get used to it."
"Poor Miyako," the blond sighed, leaning against the table, by Daisuke's side, bumping against his exposed hip with his own.
"Poor Miyako indeed," the redhead agreed.
One of Daisuke's warmed hands rose to his neck, where, sure enough, he found another hickey hiding behind his left ear.
"What happened last night after I passed out?" he asked, already imagining Ken's mortified face and Miyako's furious one.
Yamato hummed, pulling his jacket from one of the chairs and draping it around Daisuke's shoulders, making the younger man smile at him gratefully.
"Not much," he said simply. "You passed out first and made Taichi's thigh your pillow. Takeru wanted to doodle on your face and Ken told everyone you had low blood pressure and that they would be the shittiest friends ever if the teased you about it."
"He worries too much," Daisuke nodded, shaking his head.
"He was right, though, no one thought alcohol would affect you differently," Yamato argued. "Also he was very vocal and … very drunk."
Daisuke laughed.
"Sounds like him," he mussed.
"He then tried to take you to sleep in Taichi's bedroom, but Taichi said he was warm enough and not to bother you, so your pal decided to camp by your side and wait Taichi out to take you to bed, and well..." Yamato shrugged. "He passed out first."
The redhead sighed, fondly exasperated.
"He's a good friend," the blond said.
"The best," Daisuke agreed.
A groan from somewhere around the room made them both smile.
"Something tells me we don't want six hungry and hungover mouths demanding food," Yamato told Daisuke.
"I'll help, if we hurry we can have it all by the time most are awake," the teen laughed, drinking his coffee in on gulp, moaning in happiness when its warmth spread through him.
The two made their silent way towards the kitchen, already planning to cook as quietly as possible so their friends could sleep a little bit longer when their plans found themselves thwarted by the almost blinding white light that suddenly invaded the small apartment, rising all of the sleeping young men in varying states of shock, pain and noise.
"What the f-!" Taichi yelled, shielding his eyes from the light.
"Ack! My head!" moaned Takeru, trying to disentangle himself from the uncomfortable position he had been sleeping in.
"Wha- Jyou-senpai!" cried Iori as the older man jumped up and dropped him to the floor.
Ken simply hissed like a snake, shielding his face with his hands before trying to hide behind the couch.
Daisuke and Yamato looked at each other with a sigh before returning into the living room and taking a place by the couch.
"Good morning, Gennai-san," Yamato greeted sarcastically. "As dramatic as ever."
The hologram currently standing in the middle of the room stared at them with wide eyes before bursting into a healthy laugh.
"Oh, I'm sorry, children," he said unapologetically. "I believe I forgot the date. Happy birthday, Taichi-kun, by the way."
Koichirou peeked his head from the bedroom, eyes squinting against the light.
"Is this not a social call, then?" he asked, rubbing a hand over one of his eyes.
"I'm afraid not," the man said with a small shake of his head. "I'll give you a few minutes to collect yourselves, children, but we must talk."
All the young men groaned as many made their way towards the bathroom and others grasped the cups of coffee Yamato had provided with a grateful moan. Slowly, all of them made their way towards the couch Yamato and Daisuke had claimed for themselves, Taichi squeezing between them both while Takeru sat on the arm by his brother. Iori, being the youngest, sat on the floor by Daisuke's and Taichi's legs while Ken, feeling the weakest of them all, rested his head on his best friend's lap.
Jyou raised an eyebrow at the action, but remained silent as he pushed an armchair over for him and Koichirou.
Gennai stared at the men before him, now no longer little boys trying to find a way home or to save their world from a catastrophe, and felt infinitely proud. A part of him felt like he had nurtured these boys into adulthood with his teachings, his guidance.
He could only hope their new-found maturity would lead them into a path for success.
"What seems to be the crisis then, Gennai-san?" Koichirou asked, eyes already set and calculating.
"Not so much of a crisis, but a problem nonetheless," the man said, making himself comfortable while sitting on this air. "It is the balance of the Digiworld that has been compromised, and while the Digimon themselves are due to solve this problem, it would be safer for all parts involved that you, the chosen ones, would be there to see it all come to a peaceful end."
"I don't seem to follow, Gennai-san," Jyou frowned. "If the balance of the Digiworld is compromised, something must be done!"
"Something is being done indeed, Jyou-kun, however, not all
parties are pleased with the outcome," Gennai explained, shaking his head. "After many years of peaceful interaction, I'm afraid the Digiworld's stability is starting to shake from its most basic core."
"Why?" Taichi asked, tilting his head.
Gennai sighed, not sure how to explain to his children the problem that had risen without any warning in their beloved world.
"The base of the Digiworld relays on the power of all three major races of it, the data Digimon, led by the wise Leomon, the Vaccines following the teachings of the legendary Seraphymon. The Virus, however…" Gennai said.
"They have no leader," Ken muttered, understanding.
"But the Virus Digimon were evil," Iori frowned, hands clenching in his lap.
"Evil, yes, but necessary," Gennai admonished. "It is important for the Digiworld to hold its balance. All three powers have to be in the same standing, a leader for each, a control of each."
"So, because there is no Viral King, the Digiworld might be affected," Yamato surmised with a shake of his head. "What happened to the powerful Virus we have encountered, then? Any could take the reins and just be done with it."
"It is not that simple," the old man said. "Viral Digimon are not like the other types of Digimon, they are warriors and as such they settle their differences. Since this debacle started, Primary Village has been flooded with Digi-Eggs and their supplies are running short."
"They are killing each other," Taichi said in surprise.
"Not really," Gennai sighed. "It's not them that are killing each other; it's the power they are supposed to wield as the leader."
"What… do you mean, Gennai-san," Iori asked, wide green eyes full con fearful confusion.
"Viral Digimon are religious folks," Gennai said. "They believe that Apocalymon is their god, the source of their creation, and since you Chosen Children sealed his dark influence, he can only communicate with his subjects through their chosen leader, their King."
"So, none of the applicants can withstand the power and they die?" Jyou mussed, a thoughtful frown on his brow.
"In a way," Gennai agreed. "Myotismon was the last King of the Virus and as such he left a very specific will of his own. A way for his successor to know what to do, should he or she find themselves unworthy of the power they were supposed to wield."
"A… will," Yamato mimicked, eyes wide.
The older man reached inside the sleeve of his robes and produced a small golden medallion, one terribly familiar for the older chosen.
"A Digi… Tag," Koichirou whispered in awe. "Myotismon actually left a Digitag for his successor?"
"At his last years of life, Myotismon believed that only the connection to a chosen child would be able to save a Viral King from the corrupting influence of Apocalymon's power. He however, could never bond with his chosen child and therefore, succumbed to the influence himself."
"That means not all Virus Digimon are evil," Ken mussed, a hand on his chin trying to prevent the sudden shaking of his hands. Daisuke placed a hand on his shoulder but his eyes were set on the golden tag, feeling small and heartbroken all of a sudden.
"Just like no human is intrinsically evil," Daisuke said, a small, miserable pull of his lips making him swallow. "We have only met evil and corrupted Virus Digimon, but we can't assume it has always been that way."
"True," Yamato agreed, eyeing the tag himself and feeling inexplicably frightened by its intensity.
"Then what is it that we have to do?" Jyou asked, ever the practical man.
"Your courage and powers are respected throughout the Digiworld," Gennai said, a small smile on his face. "Therefore, the two remaining powers, the Vaccine and the Data, have agreed that it is you, the Chosen Children, who must deliver this tag to its rightful place on Myotismon's castle and make sure that only a worthy new King can lay its hands on it."
"What about the Chosen Child," Taichi asked then, not understanding really, if there was another one like them, shouldn't he face his or her responsibilities like all of them had?
Gennai shook his head.
"There is no such a child yet in this world, or so I've been able to gather," he said sadly. "The Virus Digimon have agreed to try and bond with the tag and the crest inside, and whoever gets chosen to be the next King will rule in wait of his or her chosen's arrival."
"Sounds like piece of cake to me," Takeru said with a grin. "Another adventure for us all!"
Gennai shook his head.
"I'm afraid not all of you might come in this adventure, Takeru-kun, due to the unfortunate nature of the crest."
"Unfortunate… nature…" Ken said softly, already fearing the response.
Gennai closed his eyes silently, concentrating for a second. The Tag in his hand began to glow a faint purple color, before the crest showed itself in the glittering onyx.
"This, children, is the crest of Darkness and many of you would be corrupted, should you come in contact with it."
The boys gasped.
Ken shrank from the tag as if it could physically hurt him. Taichi jumped in his seat, ready to call forth his partner. Jyou and Koichirou studied the crest with analytical interest while Yamato placed a protective arm around his brother's shoulders.
Daisuke, on the other hand, stared at the crest with a small, sorrowful smile on his face.
'Oh, Lord,' he thought with sadness. 'You were trying to help me all along…'
"We'll take the mission," he said, rubbing his best friend's shoulders in order to sooth him. "Danger or not, corruption or not, we can't let the Digiworld plummet, right guys?"