Frontier 02: Home Frontier – Chapter 12: A Monster
madjack89: Holy flippin' crap! I have five reviews for chapter eleven in only one day! Sweetness! More people must be reading this now! Thank you for your reviewing! And the winner of that contest is…it's a tie!
Takuya: What?
Daiki: Then, who gets to answer reviews?
madjack89: How about this…each of you can answer three reviews, and I'll pick which ones you answer!
Daiki: Okie dokie!
Kouichi: I guess…
Kouji: Stop making Kouichi so depressed, damn it!
madjack89: I'm sorry! I'm sorry!
Kouichi: Kouji, stop yelling at her.
Kouji: Hmph…something good better happen in this chapter.
Daiki: Can we start answering reviews now?
madjack89: Excellent idea. You can start by answering greywindfalcon's, Megmo8214's, and –Crystalwing's Legacy's reviews.
Daiki: Okay!
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greywindfalcon: Hello, there! I'm Daiki, but I like people to call me Dai because Daiki is too long to say every time someone tries to talk to me and- (Dai! Get on with it!) Oh right, the review. Let's see…a love triangle? What progress did they make while I was gone? Alright, now I'm excited for this chapter! And Takuya and Kira in a closet…? What, were they at a party or something? I thought we were too young for beer… (Daiki!) Alright, alright…well, thank you for your review and I hope that all of your questions are soon answered!
Megmo8214: Hey there! Thanks for complimenting the great chapterness! I just made up a word! Yay! (…) Okay, so Takuya and Kira confessed their love? Well hooray! I always thought that they should have been together. I have instincts about those things. Oh, madjack! (Yes?) Go on this person's profile to find their youtube account. (Alrighty! Thank you!) I guess that's it! Thank you!
-Crystalwing's Legacy: Hi! I'm Daiki, spelled D-a-i-k-i. I like ice cream too! (Their referring to the last chapter!) Oh…well I still like ice cream! GatoxKouichi=bleah, if you ask me! I can't remember how people write KouichixZoe…is it Kouzumi or Kouizumi? But Kouzumi could also be KoujixZoe…aghhh, my brain hurts! But to answer your question, yes, you can use the name Kira. Thanks for reviewing! (And you keep writing, too!)
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Daiki: Wow, answering reviews is harder than I thought!
madjack89: You did a good job Dai, despite getting distracted constantly.
Daiki: Thanks!
madjack89: Alright, Kouichi, your turn.
Kouichi: …
madjack89: Kouichi!
Kouichi: What?
madjack89: It's your turn to answer reviews.
Kouichi: Oh…okay.
madjack89: Kouichi, you're dragging my mood down.
Kouichi: Sorry…
madjack89: No, it's fine. Alright, here are the other reviews!
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GoldenDragon326: Hi…um, you voted for Daiki, but I guess you get me instead. Sorry if that's a problem…but…'it' will be uncovered soon, so I guess you'll find out soon enough what it is. If you ask me, it's just something that Kouji would flip out about, but it really isn't that bad…so thank you for your review.
babytigera: Um…thanks for loving the chapter. I don't really love it, but whatever. And…uh, thanks for wanting to hug me, I guess. By any chance, are you a fangirl? I don't really care if you are or anything, but fangirls usually want to hug me…a lot. Alright, uh…I guess that's all. Thank you for your kind words.
Katami-chan: Hi. The description isn't very descriptive, but madjack89 isn't very good at descriptions…(I'm working on it!). Yeah…uh…koukou…well, let's just not think about that. And uh…wait, poor Shino? For what? He's the one who…*sigh*…oh well, it's not important, anyway. So, more brotherly love, huh? We can do that. (Actually, I was thinking that myself!) Thanks for voting for me and…uh…giving me "a little love." It's much appreciated, despite being a fangirl. I don't really care if you're a fangirl, and you don't seem that annoying…okay, I guess I'm done. Thank you very much.
*break*
madjack89: Okay, that took way longer than I thought it would! Time to start this chapter!
—
Gatomon paced outside the school gate, shifting her eyes around anxiously. Her tail twitched in annoyance. "Why do human children have to go to this place for so long?" she muttered, staring at the school building.
She knew she wanted to. All she had to do was kidnap Kouichi, take him to the Digital World, find a safe place for him…but she knew that would never work. Wizardmon would know what she was up to. He had made that clear three nights ago, outside Kouichi's window, on Christmas Eve.
Gatomon cringed, still able to picture Kouichi's tortured face all too well in her mind. She stomped her foot, a determined expression crossing her face. "I couldn't comfort him then, so I'll protect him now!"
Suddenly, she heard a bell go off inside the building. "Finally!" she exclaimed, climbing up the nearest tree. I'll have to tell him what's about to happen.
—
"Finally!" Takuya exclaimed, stretching his arms out over his desk. "Today dragged on forever! You'd think that all the teachers had a sucky Christmas with all the work they gave us!"
"Well, my Christmas was nice! I got this new yo-yo!" said Daiki, demonstrating it for Takuya.
Takuya smiled. "Dai, you really are simple, aren't you?"
"Yup!" he said, rising from his seat. Takuya rose as well, stretching his legs and grinning broadly.
"Well, aren't you happy," Daiki said, knowing full well why he was especially jovial.
"Of course I'm happy," he replied, strutting toward the door of the classroom. "You don't get a new girlfriend everyday, you know!"
Daiki chuckled, joining Takuya by the door. Before he left, however, he realized something. "Hey, where did Kouji and Kouichi go?"
Takuya shrugged. "I guess they left while we were talking. We'll probably meet up with them by the lockers."
—
Kouichi leaned on the locker beside Kouji's, patiently waiting for him to gather his stuff up. Kouji stared at Kouichi as Kouichi stared at the floor absentmindedly. Kouji was worried about what had happened the other night. He hadn't even expected Kouichi to show up today, but he had come, and he seemed like he was fine. Too fine.
He's trying to put on an act, Kouji concluded, slamming his locker door shut. Kouichi jumped, startled by the noise the locker door had made. Kouji glared at Kouichi and said, "So?"
Kouichi cocked his head, confused by his younger brother's angry expression. "Um…what?" he asked.
Kouji sighed, tying his bandana on his head. "You're not going to make this easy are you?" he said, glancing around to make sure that no one was near.
Kouji looked at Kouichi, grabbing his shoulders firmly. "You know that I care about you more than anything, right?" he asked, staring at Kouichi with concern burning in his eyes.
Kouichi grew slightly wary, not knowing where this was going. I wonder if… "Of course I know that," he said, staring back at Kouji.
"And you know that I would do anything for you?" he continued, gripping Kouichi tighter.
"Yes. I would, too," Kouichi said, getting more anxious by the second. …he knows that…
Kouji closed his eyes, knowing that he was about to hurt his brother. I always end up hurting him, he thought, remembering what had caused Kouichi's transformation into Duskmon. But…this has to be done.
"Kouichi, I-I know that you're in love with Zoe," he murmured almost inaudibly. He cringed as Kouichi's eyes widened in panic, fear, and pain. …I'm in love with Zoe.
—
Zoe stood by the school's gate, anxiously waiting to see Kouichi walk toward her, smiling and waving like he always did. Kouichi…I'm worried. After you left, I tried to call you, but you never picked up. Kouichi…what's wrong? I want to see you…I need to see you!
Kira stood next to Zoe, placing her arm around Zoe's shoulder. "Gee, when you got us out of that closet and we told you we were an official couple, I sure was surprised that you didn't flip out and go nuts over us." She smiled, squeezing Zoe's arm softly. "I'm sure it's not your fault that he was upset. This is probably just a misunderstanding."
"I think it's actually my fault." Zoe and Kira looked up to see Shino standing before them, smiling sadly. "Nice outfits," he added, gesturing to their school uniforms. "The gloves add an interesting touch, Kira."
"Shino…" How can you think this is your fault? Zoe stared at Shino, perplexed by his reasoning.
Shino understood immediately, answering, "Did you see him when he glanced back at me? He looked like…like he wished I was dead."
Gatomon's eyes widened as she heard what Shino said. She had listened to their conversation intently up to that point, but she stopped as soon as Shino said that Kouichi had wished him dead.
Dead? Gatomon's claws dug into the bark of the tree. She froze for a moment, scared out of her wits. Then she shook her head roughly, bringing her back to reality. He's already begun! I have less time than I thought. At this rate, he'll make his move in the next week or so! He just needs more time to prepare that ghastly attack of his!
Gatomon stared at the school, looking determined. I'll protect you, Kouichi dear. I promise!
Then she bounded down the tree and raced around the corner, heading toward Wizardmon's hideout.
Shino, Zoe, and Kira stared after her, wide-eyed. "Um, was that Gatomon or the Flash?" asked Kira.
—
"What…?" Kouichi backed away slightly, panic spreading through him. Why? Why now?
Kouji dug his hands even further into Kouichi's shoulders, holding him where he stood. I'm sorry, he thought. "Kouichi, I know how hurt you feel. And that's why I'm going to do this. Please don't be angry, because I'm doing this for you. Because I care about you. So much."
Kouji's voice faltered when he saw Kouichi's face. He hates me… Kouichi was glaring at Kouji, anger burning in his eyes. Kouji's worst fear seemed to be coming true, and it was by his own hand.
Kouichi saw the look of pain on Kouji's face and turned his head, glaring instead at the floor. Why? Why am I so angry at him? He's just trying to help. "You're going to tell Zoe I love her, aren't you?"
Kouji nodded his head stiffly. "Yes."
Before he realized what he was doing, Kouichi wrenched his arms from his brother's grip. In the same moment, he grabbed Kouji's shirt collar, slamming him hard against the lockers. Kouji sank to his knees, grabbing his side in pain. He looked up slowly to see Kouichi standing over him, taking a baseball bat from an open locker nearby.
Kouji's eyes widened. "Kouichi…?" Before he could utter another word, Kouichi raised the bat and brought it down on Kouji's head.
Kouji's gaze became blurry and the room began to spin. He felt himself land with a thud onto the floor. What?
Kouichi's eyes seemed to brighten as he realized what he had just done. "Kouji!" he cried, dropping the bat and rushing to Kouji's side. "Kouji? Kouji! Can you hear me? Kouji!"
Kouji blacked in and out of consciousness, each time seeing his brother's scared face staring down at him, pleading with him.
He tried to say something, but he couldn't seem to form the words. That wasn't you, he thought, fading for the last time. Kouichi…
"No…" Kouichi muttered, staring at Kouji's unconscious form. "I…I…" Kouichi's thoughts swirled in his head, accusing him. You hurt your own brother! He was trying to help, and you hit him in the head with a bat! You're a monster! You are a dirty, filthy monster!
"NOOOOOOOOO!" he cried, clutching his head in pain. Tears formed in his eyes, but they didn't begin to run down his cheeks. They merely stayed beading in his eyes, weighing him down further with what he had done.
"Kouichi!" Takuya ran around the corner of the locker, followed by Daiki, JP, and Hotaru. They took in the scene before them. "Kouji!"
They quickly rushed to Kouji's side, seeing that he had been knocked unconscious. Kouichi didn't look well either, as he was clutching his head in apparent agony.
"Kouichi? What's wrong? What happened?" asked Takuya, concern in his gaze.
"Are you hurt?" Daiki added, glancing at the tears in Kouichi's eyes.
Kouichi realized that they were talking to him. He opened his eyes, staring at his friends with fear.
"Chief?" said JP warily, using his unofficial nickname. Hotaru said nothing, staring at the baseball bat lying on the floor.
Kouichi jumped up quickly, backing away from his four friends.
Takuya and JP began to move closer to where Kouichi stood, worried by Kouichi's behavior.
Kouichi's eyes widened in terror. "Stay back!" he yelled, trembling. Takuya and JP stopped abruptly, scared by Kouichi's sudden shout.
"Kouichi…" Takuya began, reaching out his hand.
"No!" Takuya stopped, lowering his arm.
Kouichi stared at his friends, scared for them. "Don't get n-near me. I-I'm a m-monster."
JP snorted. "What are you talking about? It's not like you're the one responsible for whatever happened to Kouji or anything, right?"
Takuya stared at Kouichi, fear creeping into his gaze as he realized the truth. "You…you did that to Kouji."
Kouichi turned, sprinting down the hallway. He heard his friends yelling after him, but he paid them no attention. I have to go away. Go far away, where I won't be able to hurt anyone else! Somewhere for monsters…the Digital World.
Kouichi smiled faintly. The Dark Area of the Digital World. Perfect for monsters like me.
—
Zoe looked up, seeing Kouichi rushing out the doors of the school. She perked up instantly, waving at him. "Hi, Kouichi!"
"Where's Takuya?" wondered Kira.
Shino stared at Kouichi as he got closer. Something's wrong…
Suddenly his eyes widened. "Zoe, look out! He's not stopping!"
Zoe stayed rooted to the spot where she stood, staring at Kouichi's face. Before he crashed into her, he turned and rushed past her down the street. But before that, Zoe's eyes had met his. She had a look of terror in her eyes, remembering Kouichi's expression. It had been a hopeless, fearful, pained expression. But there had been something else there as well, something she thought she would only see in her nightmares.
Kouichi had an evil glint in his eyes that was akin to Duskmon's.
—
Gatomon threw the old factory's doors open. "Wizardmon!" she yelled, challenging him.
When no answer came, she looked around. Suddenly her eyes grew wider.
"He's moved his hideout!"
—
Kouichi ran, letting his feet carry him to the only portal he knew of to the Digital World. The Trailmon station.
As he rounded a corner, he hit something hard, falling to his feet. He looked up, recognizing the Digimon standing over him.
He smiled. "A Wizardmon. The Wizardmon from before."
Wizardmon chuckled. "I can't let a monster like you slip from my grasp, can I?"
With that, Wizardmon pressed a pressure point on Kouichi's neck and everything went black.
—
madjack89: Well, there it is! Hope it was good!
Kouji: No!
madjack89: Oh, you know everything will turn out right in the end.
Takuya: Will it?
madjack89: …Well, look at the time! I've got a drum lesson to get to! I'll just have to rap it up here! Alright, R&R and see you in the next chapter!