Episode 17: Time; Turbulence; Territory

The elevator door creaked open, and Kurohi bounded out, his crooked tie flopping around. "Sorry I'm late." He was in R&D again, having lunch with Shibumi and Iruka.

"What kept you this time?" He had an all-knowing smile on his face.

"I had to use the bathroom."

Iruka looked at his watch. "It took you...fifteen minutes? Are you sure you're not coming down with something?" He, too, was wearing that same smile.

"Can we change the subject, please?"

Shibumi hummed a little as he started digging into his instant noodles. "So you've officially been working here for a week now, right? Holding up, alright?"

Kurohi opened his more-impressive-than-usual bento, and started eating, too. "I guess. It's still technically an internship, so..." He took a moment to down some fish before continuing. "...I'm not getting paid, which kinda sucks since I quit my job for this."

Iruka, who had just finished a bite of his similar bento, shifted his chin. "Aren't you leading the DIGIrus Investigations sub-division?"

"And I'm not getting paid for it."

Shibumi slurped up some noodles before giving Kurohi a pat on the back. "Hey, do a good enough job, and you'll get a paycheck. A pretty decent one, too, considering your job."

"Yea, but I only have three weeks until my break ends and my classes start up again."

Shibumi set down his empty cup. "Weren't you juggling all that before? You seemed to be doing a pretty good job."

"Yea, but now I'm actually working here, so I'm guessing they're expecting increased productivity, which I'm not sure I can deliver on considering how infrequent reports of DIGIrus activity are. On top of that, I'm not living as close to my campus as I used to, so I actually have to drive there, which cuts into both my work and study time." Kurohi jabbed a chopstick into another piece of fish. "Change is hard."

Iruka took a sip of tea out of a plastic bottle. "You say that as if you're not enjoying it. I'm sure there's something good about all this."

Kurohi just stared at him; stared like a gorilla at a tiny bird. "Remind me why I spend my lunch breaks with you guys again?"

"Because if you spent your lunch at your desk, Haugen would be 'riding you' all break."

Iruka had a hard time stifling his laughter at Shibumi's joke.

"I really don't appreciate the innuendo."

"Oh come on, you two are living together. You can't expect rumors not to start."

"Yea, but I'd hoped I could avoid them during one hour a day when I have some 'me time'." Kurohi rubbed his forehead with the palms of his hands. "Guys, I can guarantee you that there is absolutely nothing going on between me and Erika."

Erika had started to strip before the apartment door had even closed.

They had only been living together for about a month and a half, and she was already way to used to him being there.

"It really is no surprise that there are so many rumors about us floating around the office." He sat down on the couch next to the door and pulled out his laptop, purposely averting his eyes from the hallway to the bedroom and guestroom.

"What rumors?" The echo of her voice told Kurohi she was in her room, meaning he could look up.

"Well, the guys were very curious as to why I took so long in the bathroom."

"Yea, sorry about that." She came out in a tank-top and sweat pants. "I didn't realize that those carrots were expired. How's your stomach?" She sat down on the couch next to him. Kurohi was very aware of how close she was.

"Better, thanks."

"But I think it's kinda funny."

"It wasn't funny for me. I couldn't sleep last night I was tossing and turning so much."

"That wasn't what I meant, but again I am sorry about that." She patted him on the head. "I meant the rumors. How would that even work, you and me."

Kurohi mused a bit. "I can imagine..."

"Seriously?" At least she seemed amused.

"What? No, I mean, you're ten years older than me. It'd be really weird if-"

"Are you saying I'm old?" She crossed her arms in mock anger, but she couldn't keep herself from smiling.

He knew she was enjoying this, but still couldn't pull himself out of being flustered. "You're not old, you're just older than me. I'm young and stupid, which puts you at the exactly the right age."

"Yep, young and stupid sure seems to fit the bill, doesn't it?"

Kurohi's shoulders drooped.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding." She gave him a hug. "But you're right, I am a lot older than you. It'd be really weird."

"Yes, extremely."

Linkmon stared at them silently from the laptop that Kurohi had set on the coffee table around five minutes prior. "Yes, you two sure are the weirdest."

Erika pouted and poked the screen. "You're ruining the moment, Linkmon." She got up and stretched. "Now that our intimate moment's over, I'm going to make some coffee. Want some?"

Kurohi placed the laptop back on his lap. "Yea, I'll have a cup."

Linkmon watched her walk off to the kitchenette, before turning back to Kurohi. "You looked like you were enjoying yourself."

"Please shut up. I get enough of that from the guys at work, thank you."

"Fine, I'll change the subject. How are your studies coming."

Linkmon's arrow hit true. Kurohi cringed as he spoke. "Slowly, but surely..."

"And surely you've done nothing."

Kurohi felt eyes on him, and turned to see Erika. "He gave you the perfect set-up; you have to say it."

Kurohi did a quick inhale-exhale. "I haven't done nothing, and don't call me Shirley."

Erika giggled, while Linkmon face-clawed. "I know it's from something, but I don't care what. I've already read through the entire Sherlock Holmes series for you, you're not getting me to do anything else."

"Sorry, sorry." Kurohi gave a small nod-bow.

"Hey, this might be a bit of a weird observation..." Erika returned a minute later with two cups of instant coffee. "But you guys talk to each other a lot."

Kurohi and Linkmon both shared the same confused look. "Is that...unusual?"

"Not really, I guess." She handed Kurohi his cup, and sat back down next to him. "But I really don't talk to Darcmon except about work stuff, and as far as I know that's most people's sentiments at work. Maybe there's a disconnect between the office and normal players or something."

Kurohi sipped his coffee. Not the best, but he'd never verbalize that. "I think it's weird that you don't talk to her considering where you work, and all."

"But she's so stiff. She's got no life to her." She scrunched up shoulder-to-shoulder with Kurohi to get a better view of Linkmon. "Hey, Linkmon, why're you so smart?"

Linkmon stared at the awkward expression Kurohi was making for a moment before responding. "Under technicality, I'm extremely old for a Digimon, and for us age begets knowledge. Experience and exposure also helps."

"So if I talk to her more, she'll get better at talking back?" She looked between the comuterized lizard and her young roommate who had quickly regained his composure.

They responded in unison. "In theory."

Pop turned her paper over and set down her pencil. She was the first of her classmates to finish, and there was still another fifteen minutes before the test was over. Her teacher came and picked up her test, tapping her shoulder to silently say she could leave.

As she walked the short distance from her school to the bus stop, she pulled out her DP. "Sopranomon, has dhere been any word from Kurohi or Linkmon?"

He bowed. "I'm sorry mistress, but I haven't heard anything from them today, either."

She made a difficult to replicate sound. "Id's been real quiet lately. Do you think something's up?"

"Possibly. The evolved DIGIrus have been shown to be quite intelligent. They could be planning something."

"Nod wi'dhem. Widh Kurohi. He used to give us reports himself, bud now Linkmon's always the one to do it."

"According to master Linkmon, master Kurohi has been very busy lately, juggling school, a new job, and moving. I'm sure once everything has settled down on his end that he'll be in contact again."

"Guess you'r'ight." She looked around to see that she had gotten onto the bus when she wasn't paying attention.

It was almost half an hour before she sidled through the door to her third floor apartment. "Bro, I'm home." She settled down onto the couch and flipped on the TV.

Her apron clad brother peered out of the kitchen. "Welcome back, Potpourri. I'll have your lunch ready in just a moment." He ducked back into the kitchen. "Anything in particular you'd like for a snack."

She gave her stomach a quick pinch, and not liking her estimated BMI, decided to opt for the healthy choice. "We got fruit?"

"Coming right up."

Pop clicked through channel after channel of nothing before finally tiring on what looked like a foreign political show. She had no idea what language they were speaking, seeing as she could only speak English.

"Hey, Sopranomon?"

"Yes, mistress?"

"Has Linkmon ever told you why Kurohi's so fluent in English?"

"He has not. Should I ask him the next time I see him?"

"No. 'S'ok. I'll ask him myself next time." She plopped her head down on a pillow and closed her eyes, wondering how exactly she'd bring it up with him the next time they talked.

"Mum, dad, I'm home!" Ricker sauntered through the door, still in his soccer uniform with dufflbag under his arm.

His dad, a portly man clad in clean white clothes and apron, wandered into the hall. "Welcome back, son. How was your game."

"Kicked their arses all the way back to Marghera. Headed to work?"

"Ay. Should be picking up soon. Got to go help out your mum before it gets too hectic. Are you going to help out today?"

"Sure, just need to take a shower first." Ricker kicked off his cleats and jogged up the stairs. "See you in a few."

He closed the bathroom door behind him, and pulled Rollermon out of his bag. "Hey pal, can you check with Linkmon and see if anything came up today?"

With a salute and a couple of beeps, Rollermon was off and out of sight.

Half-way through his shower his partner's familiar beeping sounded, signaling his return.

"Anything?"

He gave a very low-toned beep, meaning no.

"Man, it's been quiet lately." He grabbed the shampoo and started to lather his hair. "Do you think the DIGIrus are up to something?"

"Bwip-ba-woooo." He guessed that meant he didn't know.

"If they are, do you think we'll be able to stop them?"

Rollermon's response was very enthusiastic.

"Yea, you're right. Our team's strong. Whatever they throw at us, we'll toss it right back at them...I really hope I didn't just jinx us."

Cleaned, combed, and clad in the same clothes as his father, he set off for the butcher shop to help out with the lunch rush.

White was in his office. Signing papers. He had a lunch meeting in another half-an-hour. And he was bored to tears.

"Legionmon."

Legionmon descended from the top of the screen as if hanging from an unseen thread. "Yes, master."

"Has there been any word on any more disturbances?"

"No, master. We have not received any word of more attacks."

"How long has it been since the last incident?"

"The last incident was twelve days ago."

"No wonder I feel so bored." He picked up a small paperweight in the shape of a shark, and made it swim around in the air. He began to hum the theme to Jaws under his breath. "Legionmon, why do you think the DIGIrus have stopped their attacks?"

"There is a small chance that they have retreated and stopped their activities all together."

"How small?"

"Below 1%."

"Huh." He set the tiny metal shark back on the desk. "Higher than I expected."

"There is a 37% chance that they are still in activity, but have not been detected."

"Yes, there is that possibility, too. Some of them seem organized enough to influence the lot of them to be more stealthy in their endeavors. Tell me, what is the other 64%?"

"They are planning something."

The words hung still in the air. "Yes. I agree. Do you believe our leader has any idea?"

"I have heard similar opinions from Linkmon during our meetings. However, it is difficult to be proactive against something we know so little about.

"So we just have to wait, do we?" He leaned back in his chair, folded his hands behind his head, and closed his eyes. "I suppose I should enjoy this peace while it lasts."

A giant arm pinned the DIGIrus to the wall. It's owner growled at it. "Seems like you're the kind that doesn't talk. Can't talk, can't help. Sorry about that." The pressure built on the DIGIrus' chest. More and more until its form could no longer take it and it burst into bits of raw data.

Iramon watched until the bits of data flickered into the ether. "First one een two weeks. He'll want to hear about thees."