Frontier 02: Home Frontier – Chapter 11: The Loved and the Loveless

madjack89: Hey there, everyone! I've got some news for you! We're gonna have a contest!

Kouji: …

madjack89: Ahem!

Kouji: Oh, uh, yippee.

madjack89: Yes indeed, but this isn't just any contest. It's a contest to decide which character will answer your reviews in the next chapter! (I enjoyed doing them so much that I decided to do a few more) Okay, so, let's make the contest between…um…oh, I know! Kouichi and Daiki!

Kouichi: Wow, I didn't see THAT coming.

Daiki: Yay, I might get to answer reviews! Vote for me, everybody!

Takuya: I don't know, Dai, Kouichi has a pretty big fan base. How are you gonna get more votes than him?

Daiki: I'll promise to love whoever votes for me forever and ever!

Takuya: Uh…yeah. Great.

Kouichi: I guess, if you really want to, you can vote for me. But, I'm sorry, I am NOT promising you fan service if you vote for me, just to let you know.

madjack89: Okay, you guys can handle the rest! Just put in your review who you want to answer comments, and they'll answer them in the next chapter! And speaking of reviews, boring old me is answering your's today. (heh heh)

*break*

Megmo8214: Yes, they definitely are! Is your name the same on youtube as on here? I should try looking you up! And thanks! Oh, and, by the way, if you're into Death Note, I've been working on a story for it on the side. Once I upload it, you should check it out! (and once I finish it)

greywindfalcon: It is about time Takuya and Kira got together, isn't it? Well, their relationship is pretty much taken care of, but that still leaves Kouichi and Zoe…they may take a bit longer, but eventually it'll happen! And no, Gatomon had nothing to do with this. Truthfully, she really doesn't care about their relationship anymore. She has other things on her mind. Thanks for reviewing!

babytigera: Hi! Its okay if you started reading late, I'm just glad there are people that like this story! I also like your author name, it's pretty cool sounding (cooler than madjack89, at least :) )! I'm working on getting those other evolutions in, but right now I'm just trying to get in some character development. Thank you for your review!

*break*

madjack89: Alright all you readers out there, just don't forget to vote! Time for the next chapter to commence!

—

"Oh look, ice cream!" exclaimed Zoe, pointing at an ice cream stand sitting in the park.

The guys stared at her like she was crazy. "Uh, Zoe, you do realize how cold it is, don't you?" asked Kouji, worried that Zoe had gotten so numb that she couldn't feel the cold anymore.

Zoe smiled. "Yeah, but I've always thought that ice cream tasted better in cold weather. I'm just quirky like that!" she said. "So, would anyone else like to get some with me?"

"Zoe, let me just throw this idea out there. What if the owner of that ice cream stand decided to close it up for the winter?" Kouji said, speaking slowly.

Zoe glared at Kouji. Suddenly a man poked up from behind the stand. He smiled and waved when he noticed the four children standing in front of his stand. "Hey, would you kids like some ice cream?" he asked cheerfully. "I'll make them half price."

"I would!" squealed Zoe, bouncing up to the stand.

The man looked at the others. "And what would the three gentlemen like?" he asked politely, handing Zoe her ice cream.

"Um, I don't really have any money…" said Kouichi.

"I guess I'll get something. I could lend you some money, Kouichi," said Shino, offering Kouichi some yen.

Kouichi tensed with annoyance. You don't need to help me, you know! Kouichi swallowed. "Sure, thanks," he said through gritted teeth.

"No problem!" replied Shino, oblivious to Kouichi's annoyance.

"Are you freaking kidding me? Do you all want to get hypothermia?" yelled Kouji exasperatedly.

The ice cream vendor grinned at Kouji. "There's never a wrong time for ice cream, young man! After all, it's the treat of romance."

Everyone stared at him. "The treat of romance?" asked Zoe. "I've never heard that before."

"Oh, it is 100 percent true! I've seen thousands of couples begin just from sharing a single ice cream cone," he said assuredly. "They'll come up, asking for two ice cream cones, completely innocent. Then one of them will drop their ice cream. They'll bemoan their fate, saying they have no money left. The other will propose they share the other ice cream. They each pick a side to eat from, but eventually, they always end up bumping heads. They'll look into each others eyes, and before they know it, their a couple!"

Zoe sighed. "Sir, thank you for the ice cream, but just let me say that is the most ridiculous story I've ever heard."

"I feel like I'm losing more and more brain cells as I stand here listening to you," said Kouji, not bothering to be polite. "Come on, let's go. Hurry up with the ice cream, Kouichi."

Kouji, Shino, and Zoe waited a little down the path as Kouichi waited for his ice cream. He leaned against the stand, staring absently at a tree.

"You know, young man, that story was for you." Kouichi jumped, turning to see the vendor smiling at him.

"What?" Kouichi asked, confused.

"Don't think I don't see what's going on. I've been around a while now, and I've seen more than my share of love struck young men," he said, winking.

Kouichi blushed, putting his collar up in embarrassment. The vendor chuckled, placing Kouichi's ice cream on the stand. "I tell that story to people like you all the time. It isn't actually true, but sometimes it just seems to set the right mood.

"Listen," he continued, staring Kouichi straight in the eye. "Don't give up on her just yet. She's quite a charmer, and it would be very unfortunate to lose her."

Kouichi glanced quickly at Zoe, then he turned to thank the vendor. But the vendor was gone. Kouichi blinked, turning around to see where he went. But the vendor was nowhere in sight.

"Come on, Kouichi!" called Zoe. "Get your ice cream and let's go!"

Kouichi looked sheepishly at the others. "Sorry, guys. I'm coming," he said, grabbing his ice cream. As he walked away, he turned to look at the stand one last time.

That was…creepy, he thought. But he was right, whoever he was. Tonight, I'll tell Zoe the truth.

—

Takuya's eyes widened as this shocking revelation came over him. I'm in love with Kira! But…I don't…it…how could this happen! I've never even thought of her that way! Except maybe at that dance… Takuya shook his head gently so he wouldn't disturb Kira.

No, no, no! That was all Gatomon's fault. She's the one that made me like her… Something suddenly occurred to Takuya. What if she just rose my confidence! So that I'd have the courage to tell her that I loved her.

"Uh, not that crying my eyes out isn't fun, but could you please let go of me, Taki?" Kira's voice broke through Takuya's thoughts. He realized that he was still holding Kira.

He blinked, quickly lowering his arms so Kira could sit up again. She looked slightly flustered, but quickly composed herself. Her eyes were still red. "Sorry bout that, Taki, but you kind of caught me off guard. I mean, who asks someone how they FEEL about their mother dying besides a shrink?" Not that I minded the hugging part…

Takuya's cheeks turned red, flaring with annoyance. "Well, sorry I'm such a moron!" All this yelling at her isn't helping my chances!

Kira glared at him, anger mounting. "When in the hell did I call you a moron?" He's so cute when he gets all defensive!

"It was implied!" I'm digging my own grave…

"You are such a baby!" But I love you all the same!

"Who's the one that was balling their eyes out a moment ago?" What am I saying? I have to tell her I love her!

"That was different and you know it!" I have to somehow stop this fighting! I…I need to tell him I love him. Zoe was right.

"You always have some kind of excuse!" I love you!

"Even when it's true?" I love you!

"Well, you know what? I love you!" Takuya blurted out, breathing hard.

"Well, I love you too!" Kira yelled back.

"You want to hug?" Takuya yelled breathlessly, holding up his arms.

"I thought you'd never ask!" Kira exclaimed, lunging at Takuya and rapping her arms securely around his waist.

After a moment of this, they looked at each other happily. "You know, that was a very unconventional way to get together," chuckled Takuya.

Kira smirked. "Get used to it, Taki. I'm a very unconventional girl."

Takuya was about to respond, when he turned his head and sneezed.

Kira laughed. "Looks like someone's talking about you, Taki! Hope it's not a girl, because then I'd have to kill her!"

—

JP and Tomoyo sat in a booth outside a closed restaurant, talking to each other. Tomoyo had suggested that, in order to get to know each other better, they tell the other more about themselves. Tomoyo had asked JP how he met his friends, so he was busy making up stories about them.

"Yes, well, I was just sitting in the subway train when some random kid just walked up to me and asked me how my day was going. I said fine, but then he just started this whole conversation with me. And that's how I first met Taki," said JP, coming up with something on the spot. Well, it kind of happened that way. Sorta.

"Hmmm…" Tomoyo looked at him with interest. "I'm really curious to know how you became friends with Kouji, not to mention Kouichi. I mean, neither of them knew they had a twin until about a year ago, right?"

JP smiled. "Now, therein lies a story." Which I will have to tell the others about later in case Tomoyo brings it up again. JP shrugged. Well, at least this date is turning out better than I thought it would.

—

"Oh!" Zoe exclaimed as a snowflake fell on her nose. All four of them looked up to see that it had begun to snow. "Wow," said Zoe in awe. "It's the first snow of the season."

Shino blinked as a snowflake fell in his eye. "I've never been much for snow," he said, rubbing the water out of his eye.

Kouichi smiled. "I've always liked snow. In fact, when I was younger, I tried collecting snowflakes with different sorts of patterns on them. But when I tried to take them inside and put them in the freezer, they melted on my mitten."

"Oh, that's so cute!" said Zoe, laughing. Kouichi blushed bright red, staring down at his shoes with a huge smile on his face. Shino chuckled too, but Kouichi paid no attention to him.

Zoe turned to Kouji. "So Kouji, do you like snow?"

Kouji jumped and stared at her as if he hadn't been paying any attention to the conversation going on around him. He looked up for a second then said, "Yeah, I guess I do."

Zoe smiled warmly. "You sure are a surprising person, Kouji. I thought that you wouldn't like snow."

Kouji smiled back. "Well, I guess I'm just a complex individual."

Shino looked at Kouji, confused. "You really do have a good guy side, don't you?"

Kouji sighed. "I suppose so."

While Zoe and Shino continued the conversation, Kouichi watched Kouji worriedly. He'd seen something flash across Kouji's eyes before he had answered Zoe. It had looked like regret. What does he have to regret? Kouichi pondered.

Kouji suddenly looked up, giving Kouichi a "what do you want?" look. Kouichi quickly looked away, deciding he'd figure it out later. Right now he had something he needed to do.

Alright, I can do this. I just need to get her alone with me, and then I'll tell her. Kouichi walked up to Zoe.

"Hey, um, Zoe, can I, uh, well," he stuttered, fiddling with his jacket's zipper.

Zoe stared at him, slightly worried. "Yes?" she asked. He looks kind of red. Is he getting sick or something?

Oh, I can't do this! "Well, I was wondering if I could tell-"

"Well, look who it is, girls!" A girl's voice interrupted Kouichi's sentence. All four of them turned around to see three girls sneering at Zoe. Zoe glared back at them and strangely, so did Shino.

How does he know these girls? Kouichi wondered to himself.

"It's the Italian slut herself!" said the girl who had recognized Zoe. The other two girls snickered. Kouji and Kouichi's eyes widened in shock as they realized that these girls were talking about Zoe!

Zoe smiled evilly. "You're all just jealous that Kouji and Kouichi have better taste than to hang out with posers such as yourselves!" She turned to the twins. "Can you believe they actually think they deserve great guys like you?"

The three girls glared at Zoe angrily. "You little whore! I'll beat your prissy little face black and blue!"

The leader of the group swung back, aiming a punch right at Zoe. Kouichi's expression darkened. "Oh no, you don't!"

He jumped into action, meaning to grab the girls arm. But her fist had already made contact with someone. Shino fell to his knees, hugging his stomach in pain.

Shino had jumped far enough in front of Zoe to prevent the girl from slugging him in the face, for she had meant to hit Zoe under the chin and go on from there.

"Shino!" cried Zoe, rushing up to him. Kouichi stood motionless as she crouched beside Shino, seeing if he was hurt. I lost.

The girl looked more furious than ever, glaring at Shino angrily. "How dare you get in my way!"

"And how dare you try to start a fight for a petty reason like jealousy," said Kouji, staring at the three girls hardly.

The girls looked at Kouji in anguish, tears forming in their eyes. They ran away quickly, crying as they went. Kouji smiled. "That was a little too easy."

"Can you stand, Shino?" asked Zoe, trying to help him up.

"Zoe, it's okay. I'm fine," said Shino reassuringly. "Plus, I couldn't just let them hurt you, could I?" he whispered in her ear.

Zoe grinned. "Thank you so much!" she said, hugging Shino happily. Shino looked surprised then hugged her back.

Kouji looked up at the sky. "Hm, it stopped snowing," he pondered.

Kouichi hid his eyes from view, a weak smile playing on his lips. I've completely lost. He chuckled darkly, letting this set in. "I think I'm gonna go home now," he said, turning around. As he turned, he slipped clumsily on the light dusting of snow on the path, landing with a thud on his side.

"Kouichi!" exclaimed Kouji, making a move to help him up.

"Are you alright?" asked Zoe, worried.

Her voice cut through Kouichi like a knife. "I'm fine!" he yelled, getting up quickly and running down the path toward his home.

The other three stared after him. "Why…?" began Kouji, confused by Kouichi's behavior. Then he put together what he had just witnessed. He's in love…with Zoe!

—

Kouichi wrenched his door open, slamming it with more force than necessary. He knew that he could just as well have been alone in the living room, because his mother was at a Christmas Eve party. But he wanted to make sure that he wasn't disturbed.

He locked the door, the click of the lock reverberating in his ears. He slowly sank to the floor, reaching up for something sitting on his dresser. He grabbed it, examining it in the darkness. He didn't bother turning on the light. After all, didn't he belong in darkness? At least, that's what Cherubimon had said. Kouichi was beginning to think he wasn't lying.

The object in his hands was something Zoe had given him when he was in the hospital. From back when he had first fallen in love with her. He smiled briefly, clutching the earplugs in his palm.

That old guy beside you is always complaining, so I thought you might need a pair of earplugs. Zoe's words that day rang in his head. Kouichi looked at the gift dully. "I really thought I had a chance." He let the memory wash over him one more time. Then came the pain.

"But I'm just a hopeless nothing!" He dropped the earplugs, finally letting the tears flow freely. He clutched his knees to his chest, resting his head on his legs' support. "Why?" he muttered, sobs racking his body.

—

Wizardmon watched Kouichi gleefully from his window, chuckling. "It's just too perfect!"

"What's too perfect?" asked Gatomon suspiciously, jumping up beside him. "I was trying to enjoy my day off when you called me."

"See for yourself!" said Wizardmon, gesturing toward the window. Gatomon peered in, gasping when she saw Kouichi's state.

She turned to Wizardmon. "What did you do?" Gatomon hissed, claws bared.

Wizardmon smiled. "I didn't do anything. He's just reached his limit, that's all. And isn't it lucky that I'm almost done my 'present' for him!"

"I don't care if you're my brother, Wizardmon. If you do THAT to him, I'll…"

"You'll what, little sister?" asked Wizardmon playfully, popping up behind her. Gatomon hissed angrily. Wizardmon chuckled. "It's so cute how you've fallen in love with him! Perhaps I should call our boss and tell her about it?"

Gatomon's expression changed from anger to fear. "No!" she cried. "I'm sorry."

Wizardmon laughed. "You may love him, but you don't know the first thing about love! You would rather safe your own skin and doom his than save him and nobly sacrifice yourself. You're pathetic!

"But it doesn't matter," he continued, preparing to leave. "It only means that you won't get in my way." With that, he vanished.

Gatomon stared at Kouichi, concern evident in her eyes. "I'm just a loser!" She pricked her ears, hearing Kouichi's statement through his tears.

She turned sadly, knowing she wasn't allowed to comfort him. It was against orders, and she always followed orders. She had seen what happened to those who disobeyed orders.

"You're not a loser, Kouichi," she muttered, disappearing from Kouichi's windowsill as well.

—

madjack89: Well, both good and bad things happened in this chapter. And I also noticed while writing this that I relate best to Kouichi, but that's not a big surprise since I get him as a result to Digimon Frontier boyfriend quizzes every time I take them!

Kouichi: You do?

madjack89: Yup! They also say that Takuya, Zoe, and JP are friends with me, Kouji is indifferent towards me, and Tommy is just kind of there.

Kouichi: …Well huh.

Kira: Aside from that, praised be the day! Takuya and I are finally a couple!

Zoe: Yay! Woohoo!

Kouji: Oh my god, you're doing it in the next two chapters, aren't you?

madjack89: Yes Kouji, I am. Don't worry, you'll be fine. Trust me, why don't you?

JP: So, the next chapter's about…?

Shino: The next chapter's about Gatomon's relationship with our group, I think.

Kouji: And then it's happening, isn't it?

madjack89: Yeah. Okay, don't forget to vote, leave a review for the winner to answer, and see you in the next exciting chapter!

Daiki: Vote for me!

(Yes, for once, Takuya wasn't in the end commentary. Believe it!)