II

Yagami Taesuke did not want to be ten years old anymore.

Being ten was boring. You were too old for some adventures and too young for the real adventures. All he was allowed was to go to school and study hard while Tsukiko got to, got to-

"Hmmmphhh!" He rolled out of his chair and settled on the floor, disgruntled. On the bed, Hackmon looked at him, flopped like a tired out coat.

"'S not that bad, Tae, calm down," he grumbled.

Taesuke would have spat fire if he could. "Tsukiko's gettin' registered and I can't! Yes it is! Even though I evolved you before she evolved Puku!" He crossed his arms and got back on his chair again. "We can fight too!"

"It's not about fightin' and evolvin' and you know it." Hackmon yawned again. "She's just passed the tests from the god lady and we didn't." Hackmon lifted himself from the sheets and scratched at an ear. "You're just mad that you don't get to be with Kaito as much, that's all."

Taesuke flushed. "I never shoulda' told you that." And who cared what some goddess who couldn't even talk thought anyway? She was wrong and that was all there was to it.

"You couldn'a kept it from me, we live in the same house." His partner leaped from the bed. "'Sides, Kei said it, Mio said it. Being allowed to Choose is important, cause fighting is hard and painful and stuff. We're not ready for it! So I chose no and deep down you musta too."

Taesuke puffed out his cheeks. He did not want to think of Kei. He was mad at Kei. Kei was a jerk who lied to everyone! "We are so! You're just being a downer!"

"Am not!" Hackmon shot back.

"You are too!"

"You're loud, that's what you are."

Taesuke jumped at the voice behind him, ending up falling flat on his face. The person hissed in sympathy. "Ouch. Yeah that combat response will need to get kicked out of you if you want to be like your sister."

Taesuke rolled over. "Kaito!" He shifted back a little, cheeks starting to flush pink. "How… uhm, how much did you hear?"

Kaito stared down at him, that unimpressed look on his face that Taesuke normally saw leveled at his sister after classes. "Just you and Hackmon yelling about how he's a downer," he finally said.

"'M not a downer," Hackmon grumbled again. "I just got a brain, unlike this idiot."

Taesuke glowered at him. Kaito only regarded them a few moments more as his partner walked inside. At the sight of the blue dog, Hackmon started to growl at once. Taesuke knocked his head. "Stop that you lummox."

"I'm quite used to it." Gaomon's voice was stiff as ever. "Your manners have always been somewhat lacking."

Taesuke twitched with anger, but he swallowed it hard. Everyone's partners but Kei's (and everyone said something was wrong with that one, everyone, even Kei, who was too dumb to say mean things about anyone. Yes he was still mad! So what?!) acted like that whenever Gaomon was around, at least of the children's digimon, like he was going to do something to them. It was too normal for even Gaomon to be bothered by it.

"It's not my fault Hackmon has feelings," he finally grumbled, looking down at his socks.

"Gaomon." Kaito gestured for him.

Gaomon laughed. "Fine fine. I will be outside if you need me, my master."

Kaito watched him go with a singular raised eyebrow. Then he nodded and looked back at Taesuke with that same detached expression he often worse nowadays. "So. What is it?"

Taesuke fought tooth and nail with his hackles and shoulders. "What's what?"

"What's got you in a twist?" Kaito replied, now picking at his nails. Kaito's voice was always soft, Taesuke couldn't help but notice. Soft and kinda brittle. Not gentle, not sharp either, just soft. "You're usually outside on days like today. Not sulking in your room."

"Stuff it!" Taesuke huffed out, turning himself away so he couldn't see whatever feeling might pop up in those eyes and to hide the guilt he felt at snapping. "I'm fine!"

"Fine as a broken compass." Kaito's voice didn't change at all, and honestly that just made the snakes in Taesuke's stomach feel worse. "What's bugging you?"

Taesuke determinedly did not answer, but Hackmon yawned, seemingly back to normal with their nemesis gone from the room. "He's mad he's not getting training like his sister!"

"Hackmon!" Taesuke leaped over and tackled his partner hard. "You're making it sound stupid!"

"It is stupid!"

"No it's not!"

"It's not," Kaito agreed, voice going like a lot of pins. "It's dangerous. People die in these things."

"So Sis can go out and die but I can't?" Taesuke looked at him, wounded pain rising in his throat. "She's your friend, Kaito!"

"She won't die," Kaito countered in this matter-of-fact voice that made his face flush. "She's got people looking out for her. You, by yourself would just run off into the fray and get hurt. You don't work well with others."

"I do good in group projects all the time! And I've got friends!" He did, loads of them. He and Dai were thick as thieves, Dad said!

Kaito only looked at him. There was no pity. Taesuke never got pity from Kaito, no matter how many hikes he hurt his ankles with hard soccer kicks or trees he fell out of. It was painful. Everyone else would feel sorry for him.

"I don't need your friendship," Kaito said simply. "I need your obedience. If you can't listen when you're told, if you can't hear the word no, the goddess can't work with you."

Taesuke gaped at him. "But dad said-"

"Your dad-" Kaito stopped and swallowed, looked away. "Your dad was lucky. Our parents were lucky. They made a mistake. The goddess isn't all knowing, or all powerful." He rubbed at his wrist beneath the peach hoodie he always wore. He always bought a new one when he outgrew it. "We're lucky now. But luck isn't enough. And the fact that you want to do this means you shouldn't be doing this yet. You're not ready. You'll be ready." His hand uncurled from his wrist. "You just have to-"

"Have to what?" Taesuke leaped up, anger forgotten at the thought of a hope, a prayer of being just as good as everyone else. "What do I have to do, Kaito?"

Kaito shook his head again and moved towards the door. "Not this." And he turned away, too quickly, too soon. "Your dad told me to get you, your mom's plane landed."

And he was gone, leaving Taesuke alone with Hackmon.

The boy rubbed his eyes. "This sucks."

"Drama queen," Hackmon said, not unkindly.

Taesuke ignored him. I Just want to help.

He stomped out of his room. Mom would have better advice. She always understood him during times like this.