Frontier 02: Home Frontier – Chapter 4: Goggle-head
madjack89: Hello, everybody! It's time for chapter four, where we'll get to go into Takuya's pa…
Voice: Objection!
madjack89: Umm…Takuya's past and find out whe…
Voice: I said, objection! I heard that you used MY catch phrase in your last chapter, and I'm gonna sue! Believe it!
madjack89: Oh, it's just you, Naruto. And, you know, I'm not the first one to use your catch phrase. There are plenty of people that use it all the time.
Naruto: What! Sasuke, why didn't you tell me about this?
Sasuke: Your catch phrase, your problem.
Naruto: Nooooooo… *runs away*
madjack89: Well, that was easy. OK, now it's time to answer those reviews!
*break*
Megmo8214: As you can probably tell, I liked the Naruto part, too! And thank you for the review!
GoldenDragon326: Thanks, I really enjoy writing the beginning and end commentaries, because I can just have fun with it! And it was convenient that no one saw them transform, but they DID see the Digimon, so their secret identities are safe for now…
*break*
madjack89: Alright, time to get on with the story!
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon Frontier. I really, really don't. And, just for the record, I don't own Naruto or his catch phrase, either.
—
"Duck!" Takuya, Kouichi, and Tommy ducked their heads just as a giant hammer swished through the air where their heads had just been.
"Dai, are you TRYING to kill us!" yelled Takuya angrily, pointing an accusatory finger at the mole-like Digimon who had swung the hammer.
"I'm sorry, but this is harder than it looks," said Grumblemon, disconcerted.
"Look what you did, Taki, you got him all depressed," teased Ranamon, otherwise known as Kira.
"Look who's talking. You always find ways to make fun of us, and we've only known you for five days!" accused Takuya, turning his attention to the mermaid-like Digimon. "I can honestly say that you are worse than Kouji!"
"Aww, I'm flattered," scoffed Ranamon, batting her eyelashes.
"Shouldn't we stop them from fighting?" asked Tommy, worried.
"No, let them fight it out. There's no point in us joining this conflict, too," replied Kouichi, giving Tommy a reassuring smile.
For the past few days, the other four warriors had been given lessons so they could practice with their spirits because, as it turned out, their Spirit Evolving to defeat Falcomon was just a fluke. They found that, before they could beat any other Digimon looking for trouble, they needed to learn how to use their spirits properly. However, it hadn't been going very well.
Currently, they were practicing in a large clearing in the woods outside of town so that no one would see them. Their last fiasco had almost revealed their human identities, and they weren't taking any chances.
"I can't believe those three got out of this! I know damn well that JP and Kouji don't play ice hockey, and Zoe's never touched a key on a piano in her life, much less taken lessons!" Takuya yelled at the sky, exasperated.
"Hey, I think I've got it!" Arbormon/Shino yelled in excitement. "Power Pummel!" he exclaimed, releasing his rope-attached arm and aiming for a tree across the clearing. However, instead of hitting the tree, he hit Takuya right in the face, knocking him against a tree.
"Takuya!" cried Tommy and Kouichi, rushing to his aide.
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" Arbormon exclaimed, retracting his arm and coming over as well.
Takuya seemed to be slipping in and out of consciousness due to his head's impact with the tree.
"Hey, aren't these Takuya's goggles?" asked Hotaru, who had been watching the practice because, amazingly, he could already use his spirit with ease.
Everyone turned to see that Hotaru held Takuya's goggles, which must have come off, in his hands. Their eyes opened wide with shock, for the goggles had been smashed from the impact of Arbormon's blow.
—
"Huh? Where am I?" Takuya looked around, realizing that he was sitting on the front steps of his house.
"How…" Takuya was interrupted by the sound of laughter. Takuya turned to see that coming out of his house was a younger version of himself, about six years old, laughing at some unknown joke. But what made Takuya gasp was that, holding on to little Takuya's hand, was a boy who looked to be about sixteen with messy, black hair and a happy expression on his face. On his head were the very same goggles that Takuya always wore. Takuya's hands balled into fists, for he knew this boy all too well.
"Chikao," growled Takuya as little Takuya and the boy continued on down the street, passing right through Takuya as if he didn't exist.
—
"Oh no! We have to fix them!" cried Tommy, grabbing the goggles and dashing through the woods, back toward the city.
"Hold on, Tommy!" Daiki yelled after him, returning to human form and running after Tommy.
Hotaru instantly ran after them in order to look after Daiki, as the rest of them had assumed was the case for his behavior.
"Wait for me, guys!" yelled Shino, also returning to human form and following them.
Kira returned to human form, took one glance at Kouichi and the unconscious Takuya and said, "See ya." She then ran after the rest of them.
Kouichi looked down at Takuya as drool began to seep from his mouth. "Okay, I got this guys, no problem," Kouichi muttered to himself, sweatdropping.
—
Takuya stood next to an ice cream vendor, watching as Chikao bought his six-year-old self some ice cream. He glared at Chikao as he sat down with his younger self, adjusting the familiar goggles on his head. Takuya inadvertently brushed his fingers to where those same goggles sat on his head to realize that they were gone.
"Oh no! I must have lost them somewhere!" cried Takuya, looking all around him. Suddenly he stopped. "Wait a minute. This is a dream, right? So my goggles will still be there when I come to. And now that I think about it, if this is a dream, what am I getting so worked up about?" Takuya glanced over at the happy pair enjoying their ice cream. He gripped his side as if he'd just been punched in the stomach.
"This may be a dream, but the pain is real," murmured Takuya, staring down at the pavement. "I always thought of him as a brother, even if we were only cousins," Takuya continued, talking to himself. "Chikao and I went everywhere and did everything together. He never complained about taking me to the park, or playing games with me. I was shy, and talking to him was so easy." Takuya smiled a cold smile. "But I guess, in the end, it was that selfishness of mine, that craving for his company, that drove him away."
Takuya hadn't realized that, while he had been reminiscing, the sidewalk had disappeared from underneath him.
Takuya jumped in surprise as he looked around at his surroundings. He was in his room, and so was his younger self, although he noticed that a few years had passed and he was now nine.
"I'm nine! Oh no, what day is it," Takuya said, turning to glance at the calendar hanging on the wall. It was August twelfth, his birthday. His ninth birthday. The day everything had changed.
—
Kouichi shoved the unconscious Takuya through his living room window, and then climbed through himself.
"Why can't you remember to put the extra set of keys outside the door after you use them, Mom?" Kouichi muttered to himself, opening the kitchen door and placing the keys under the mat.
Then he went back to the living room, where Takuya lay in a heap on the ground, snoring. "Well, your in luck, Takuya, because it just so happens that I have had experience with head injuries myself," proclaimed Kouichi, chuckling. "Let's see what the damage is."
Kouichi propped Takuya up against a chair, took off his hat, and lifted up his hair. "Good god, he's bleeding!" said Kouichi, surprised he hadn't noticed this before. As blood began to seep down from Takuya's cut, Kouichi backed up, cringing.
"I hate blood," stated Kouichi, trying not to gag at the site of it. "Looks like I'll have to call someone to help me out." His first thought was to call Kouji, but then his mind began to drift to Zoe. After all, they'd be alone together in his house…
"No!" Kouichi said firmly, stifling that thought. "I've already made up my mind on THAT subject," muttered Kouichi, his eyes clouding with depression for a moment.
Kouichi grabbed the phone, still undecided. Finally he ignored his better judgment and dialed Zoe's cell number.
—
"Hey, Chikao!" nine-year-old Takuya exclaimed, hugging his cousin firmly.
"Stop! Just stop! You'll only hurt yourself more if you act like this!" Takuya yelled, trying to get the younger Takuya's attention. He knew it was a futile effort, but he couldn't let this happen, not again.
Chikao stood still as a statue, staring at the opposite wall from were he stood with little Takuya. Little Takuya noticed this, looking worriedly up at his cousin. "Hey, what's wrong, Chikao?" he asked.
Chikao was silent for a moment, but then he looked down, noticing Takuya's worry. "Come with me, buddy. I need to talk to you," Chikao said coldly, walking outside.
"Alright," little Takuya said, following with his birthday party hat still sitting on his head.
"No!" cried Takuya, tears forming in his eyes. "Don't you see what he's about to say? Don't you know what will happen if you go out there?"
Takuya rushed outside to see that Chikao had already started talking. "My girlfriend broke up with me today," he stated matter-of-factly, waiting for a reaction.
Little Takuya gasped, while Takuya cringed, mouthing along with his younger counterpart, "But you two were so good together. What happened?"
Chikao suddenly glared down at little Takuya, hate burning in his gaze. "You want to know why?" he asked menacingly. "I'll tell you why."
"STOP! Please, just let me wake up!" Takuya pleaded fruitlessly.
"It's because of YOU, Takuya," Chikao said, anger seething in his throat.
—
"Of all the things to have a phobia of, you choose blood?" stated Zoe mockingly. "Oh, Kouichi, what are we going to do with you?"
"I'm sorry that someone bleeding from the forehead upsets me," Kouichi replied with mock sarcasm.
After Kouichi's call, Zoe had come as fast as she could, bringing along some bandages and other first-aid supplies. They had dragged Takuya to the bathroom where Zoe was currently tending to his wounded forehead, with Kouichi leaning against the doorframe.
"Alright, he looks good as new!" Zoe proclaimed proudly, exhibiting her work to Kouichi.
"Very nice. We should open up a clinic," Kouichi joked. Zoe and Kouichi laughed at the joke, then decided to lay Takuya on the couch. After this was done, they sat at the kitchen table, waiting for Takuya to awaken. They both agreed to let Takuya figure out what he would tell his parents about the wound.
They sat in silence for a few moments, until Zoe asked, "Kouichi, can I ask you something?" Kouichi nodded, curious.
"Well, I was just wondering why you called me instead of someone else," said Zoe, blushing in embarrassment. "I know, kind of awkward question, but I'm just curious."
Kouichi sat speechless for a few moments, thinking of an acceptable answer. He knew the real answer, but he would never tell her that. Never.
Zoe expression became confused as Kouichi pondered his answer. She had thought it was an easy question.
Kouichi finally answered, "Well, you seem good with injuries, so you were the pretty obvious choice," stated Kouichi, smiling genuinely at Zoe.
Zoe giggled. "I am pretty good, aren't I?" she said, laughing.
Kouichi laughed half-heartedly, knowing full well that the real answer was that he wanted her to himself.
—
"What?" whispered little Takuya, shocked.
"I always spend time with you because you're too pathetic to have any actual friends," said Chikao, anger growing. "I never get to spend any time with any of MY friends, or have a life of my own! My girlfriend couldn't take it anymore, so she broke up with me."
Chikao paused, gauging little Takuya's horror-stricken face. Takuya looked on, powerless to stop Chikao's confession. "Well, you know what? I'm done with you. From now on, I don't want anything to do with you, so leave me the hell alone." Chikao turned and walked away, dropping his goggles on the ground beside Takuya. Darkness began to cloud his vision, and suddenly, Takuya was alone again, in more ways than one.
"Takuya, wake up! Look, I fixed your goggles!" Takuya opened his eyes to see Tommy standing over him, holding his goggles in front of him and smiling proudly.
"Fixed?" Takuya asked groggily, struggling to sit up.
"Yes, because I accidentally smashed them when I hit you. Sorry," Shino apologized, standing next to Tommy.
Takuya looked around, realizing that he was lying on Kouichi's couch. Daiki, Hotaru, Kouichi, and Zoe were also in the room. "As it turns out, the D-Tector can help us track each other down, too!" said Daiki, ecstatic.
Takuya took the goggles, inspecting them up and down. "I got my dad to fix them up! Are they all right?" asked Tommy expectantly.
Takuya looked at Tommy, almost seeing himself in Tommy. Takuya blinked, and then murmured, "I won't make the same mistake you made."
"What?" asked Tommy.
"Thank you, Tommy!" said Takuya, embracing Tommy.
—
"JP, pass me the puck!" shouted Kouji, maneuvering on the ice so that he had an open shot.
"Here it comes!" yelled JP, passing it to Kouji. Kouji trapped the puck, swung back, and sent it flying right into the goal.
"Yes!" JP and Kouji shouted in triumph.
—
Takuya: You've got to be kidding me.
Kouji and JP: You're right, we are.
madjack89: Sorry, I couldn't resist! Alright, so how was this chapter? Trust me, this was relevant to the plot, you'll see.
Takuya: Plus it mainly focused on me!
Kouichi: Not to mention it revealed something about me.
Shino: Alright so, in the next chapter, we'll see what happens when a Digimon shows up at the Halloween dance.
Everyone else: Dance?
madjack89: That's right; you guys are going to the dance! OK, don't forget to R&R, and see you next chapter!