All righty, then, chapter two! Gatomon makes her appearance here, as well as the antagonist. I'm sure you'll all know or have known from the start who it was going to be. But it's the role.
I forgot to mention in the first chapter the reasons for the rating. Starting, eh next chapter or so, comes the mention of child abuse and something else that makes this T, if not language (well, maybe not, that's more of a brief thing).What that is I'm not saying D. Yet. Oh, and thanks for the review, Kyer! *throws cookie*
Disclaimer: I'll never get ownage to anything in this story unless for whatever reason I'm the long-lost daughter/niece/granddaughter/cousin/whatnot of Akiyoshi Hongo, which I'm not. The plot is original. (Tidbit: this is actually related to an old story I previously did before this, but it'll never see the light of day since it died with my other laptop xP.)
Chapter Two:Kumo
"Ookawa, no! I'm home now!"
"Come on, babe, just one kiss."
"No! Let go of me!"
Kumori-Garasu slapped the Elecmon with all her strength when he got just close enough to plant a kiss on her mouth. He let go immediately and she hurried back inside her apartment, slamming the door shut and locking it. She trudged into her room and sat on her bed, groaning. She should've said no to that stupid date, if she knew he was going to get fresh. Of course, they all do that to her. Ever since she first started dating, they put their arm around her shoulder thus invading her personal space. Sometimes there was a nibble here and there, and she'd quickly walk back home in the middle of the date. As she got older, an attempt for a kiss was usually all she got.
Sighing, Kumori got ready for bed, checking to make sure her alarm clock was on the right time for the next morning. She didn't want to risk being late to her interview tomorrow. She was excited to want to be a news reporter. Why else did she spend those few years in college? After hearing there was a job opportunity at the Gaea Station, she made an appointment and got her resumé finished. A smile appeared on her face at the thought of finally working at her dream job.
Quickly, she made sure all windows and doors were locked and checked all rooms for unwanted people. Then she climbed into bed and turned off the lamp's light. Turning on the CD player, she lay in the dark, listening to the slow songs echoing in the abyss. Her head lolled to one side to look at the picture on the dresser. It was of her parents' wedding day, the bride and groom beaming brightly. Her mother was a beautiful bride, especially with her long angel sleeves she had always wanted and satin white gloves. The groom was holding her tight by the waist, his head leaning on hers lovingly. Kumori missed her parents so much. She would sometimes ask the picture why they died and left her with her uncle at such a young age of eight.
Her eyes shot over to the darkest part of the room, thinking she saw something move. Clicking on the light, she sighed with relief when there was nothing animated in the room save herself. "Oh, calm down, Kumo," she told herself. "Everything's locked. No one can get in. You're fine."
Shrouding herself in darkness once more, she led her mind to another topic. She thought about how her little sister was doing. Though not related by blood, Kumo always thought Shizuka as her little sister. The Terriermon—oh how she felt connected to her at first sight—was an orphan as well, but became one at the age of five going on six when her parents died in an epidemic. Shizuka, though sickly, was one of the few who never caught it, miraculously. But she was in terrible shape for a while afterwards, crying for her parents during the first few months. When she was available for the Big Brother, Big Sister Club, the Gatomon was the one who took her in. Though they only went to the park or to a movie every now and then when she was well, they spent her Wednesdays playing in her apartment. She'd get complaints from her neighbors, but they kept on chasing each other around, giggling and screaming and playing board games.
Oh, how she loved Shizuka.
A small smile appeared on her lips at the thought, and she was able to sleep well through the night.
*~*~*
He was the proud owner and boss of Gaea Station. He was rich, handsome, maybe even polite. Every thing inside the building was in his iron grip, and what was law was law. Now, no one went to him for interviews; no, Teki did that for him. The only time workers came to him was for punishment. He fated their future: he decides who stays and who goes. That Kohana Kinomoto was a fool. He saw the fear and regret in her eyes when she was called in. He stayed calm otherwise, but let her go and watched her leave in the police car. And after hearing from Myou a womon was interested in filling in the spot, he had immediately stood at his window, staring down in the streets below.
His icy eyes scanned the folks walking by, not one heading towards his building. He counted out the staff as they came, and noticed Ryuu making a total idiot out of himself to a small crowd. If he knew he acted that way, he would've never let Teki hire him. But alas, until he did something wrong, he was here to stay. So far, he did his job correctly both inside and out. The mon glanced over at a picture on his desk, glaring at it. How many years was it since she avoided him? If he was correct, she'd be turning twenty-two these up-coming months. About four years since she escaped from him. No matter. She'll be found.
Looking back, he spotted another figure walking up to the building, stopping to gaze up at it. Snatching binoculars from a drawer, he peered through it and his eyes widened. A smirk spread on his purple lips when he saw her bright sapphire eyes smiling up at the station. "Ah. She's come crawling back," he stated under his breath.
Excellent, he thought. She couldn't keep away from him any longer, it figured. Seems she'd rather come back, much like a good niece should for her uncle. He'd have her yet, and finish the job he started fourteen years ago. If she hadn't gone to the police yet.
Swerving away from his spot at the window, he strolled calmly, but fluidly, out of his office. Anyone he passed by stepped away quickly, bowing and staring up at him in shock. One even managed to stutter out a greeting to him as he walked down the hallway he was in. He reached the door of his supervisor and threw it open, where Teki gave a sudden yell, falling out of his chair at his appearance. "Mr. Shibou, sir!" he exclaimed with a gasp. "What a surprise! Did something happen? Is it urgent?"
The blonde mon slammed his hands onto the desk, making him slip off the side once more. Leaning in close, he whispered harshly to him, his dripping fangs showing through his smirk. "Whatever you do, Teki, don't let her get away."
He crawled back up from the floor. "Uh, don't let who get away?"
"The girl coming in for the interview," he reminded impatiently. "Hire her."
The supervisor knitted his brows skeptically. "Are you sure? I haven't met her yet."
He smacked his fist again on the surface sharply. "Yes! I don't care if she doesn't qualify, hire her!"
The DemiDevimon looked up with his golden hawk eyes. "What does she look like?"
"The most beautiful thing you've ever set your eyes on, and don't forget it!" Standing up erect, he turned to leave.
"But, uh... do you happen to know what her name is for... demanding such a thing?" came the next deadly question.
Shibou gave a wicked smile at once, glancing over his shoulder. "Kumori-Garasu Ame Ishida."
Teki blinked, disconcerted. "Correct me if I'm wrong but... she has the same last name as you."
"Her pretty-boy of a father was my brother." He said it in a disgusted spat, fists clenching and eyes narrowing at the mention of his sibling. "When he died, unexpectedly, she was placed into my care at the age of eight. I never knew how beautiful and vulnerable she was, as she wasn't allowed near me. But the laws of the land states that an orphaned child must go to his or her closest relative until he or she reaches eighteen. So she had no choice but to come."
The bat was still confused about the whole ordeal and this talk about her being kept from him and vulnerability, but decided against asking. "But... why do you want her to work here?"
"You idiot, you know we need a new reporter for the evening news!" Shibou shouted. "And the other reason is so she doesn't get away from me again! I haven't finished with her yet!" And he slammed the door shut on the way out. The halls were cleared at once until he disappeared into his office. There, he collapsed into his chair, and grinned evilly at the picture of his niece—taken shortly when she reached maturity. It was by one of her friends, but he found it in her scrapbook she had left in hurrying to leave the house and framed it for his office. She never suspected a thing.
He ran a slender finger down the glass frame where her cheek was, wondering why she never smiled at him like that. "You'll soon be mine," he murmured, an evil chuckle mixed in. "Very soon."
*~*~*
Hidoi slowly walked through the crowded streets to the station, eyes staring blankly ahead. He barely glanced at anyone, and didn't care about the blooming flowers growing from the trees overhead. Nothing was on his mind, but the thoughts of yesterdays before and the news he would receive. To anyone who never knew him, he was an empty shell that still breathed. His eyes were lighter in color from loss of light, and his face was rigid in the same expression, his mouth in a straight line. There was nothing that mattered to him anymore. Anything and everything precious to him was taken away. First, it was his sister, then family and friends. Faith and hope were next, then love. What remained besides his memories was his life. He would sometimes scream in the middle of the night that his life should be taken away as well, only to wake up disappointed he lived another day.
God must hate me, he kept thinking to himself over and over. He must enjoy torturing me.
Walking through the lobby, he headed straight for the elevator, barely missing Junjo along the way. The angel took one look at him and excused himself from the conversation to hurry after him. "Good morning, Hidoi," he greeted quickly.
He didn't bother to answer and grumpily glared up at him. The look made him flinch slightly, but continued to follow. "Hey, haven't you heard? They found a new partner for you, and she's being interviewed right now. If she gets the job, you won't have to worry about her running off and doing things."
Hidoi scoffed. "By the time the month ends, she'll be begging to quit."
"That's not true! She'll be staying!"
They reached the elevators only to find, much to his disappointment, they weren't working at he moment. The Wizardmon swore under his breath. "Are the other elevators like this?"
"No. Ryuu was being an idiot over here—" Junjo never finished his sentence for the wizard had spun around to go find the other elevators in the lobby. Sighing, he stayed behind him, hands in his pockets.
"Stop following me," his friend snapped. "I want to be alone."
"Look Hidoi, you need to get over it. What Kohana did was wrong, but what's done is done. After the interview, the new girl will be working with you." At this, he shrugged. "And who knows. You might start liking her like with Ko."
The mon paused at the elevators, leering behind his shoulder. "How'd you know about that?" he growled.
"Everyone knew about it from the day you two first came to work at Gaea," Junjo confessed, almost regretfully. "Not that someone was gossiping, but it was relevant." He grew silent for a minute, staring at the floor to avoid the poisonous glare. When he spoke again, it was in a whisper. "She liked you, too, Hidoi."
His emerald eyes only narrowed. "Where'd you hear this?"
"I heard her talking to Nohara and Sora about it one day, about a few months before the theft. I decided against telling you, thinking she might get... mad at me."
It hurt him to hear it, finding out only recently that she too had feelings for him. But it was too late, for she's gone, locked up in a jail cell in guilt. And here he was, still working and yet wasn't the same before she went and shattered him to pieces. "You should've told me anyway," he grumbled, looking away and pushing the button.
"I'm sorry," the Angemon apologized. "But at least you have a chance to find someone new now."
"Junjo, I'm through with love," Hidoi interrupted. "When the news came out about her crime, my heart broke. The week I was gone, I was fighting with myself. I locked up my heart at the end with a vow that I'd never love again." The bell dinged behind him, and the metallic doors slid open.
The angel stared at him. "Is that why you ran from home?" he murmured darkly. "Because you could not love your family the same way before your sister died?"
Without another word, the wizard backed into the compartment, his eyes coolly locked on him before he was cut off from view. Junjo stared at his reflection, fearing for his friend's life.
*~*~*
"Ryuu! Stop it!"
"Sleepy-heads!"
Haru Tachikawa stood up at once, narrowing her green eyes. Her ivy-like fingers grew when she raised her hands towards the XV-mon, threatening to constrict him. His dopey smile dropped, and he let out a nervous laugh. "Say that again," she growled, the magenta petals on her head spreading out flat.
"Well, I realize some of you have gotten up earlier than normal so you could get here on time," he corrected himself slowly.
She dropped the attack and sat back down, glaring at him. Feeling that danger was gone, he swiped someone's cup of coffee and gulped it empty. "Hey!" Nohara cried out when she returned. "You coffee thief!"
Hidoi listened to the ever-growing fight between the two from far off, leaning up against the wall away from everyone else. He didn't mind standing, but since he was considered an omen if noticed, he made it a hobby. Always he stood by the window, staring off in the distance of the city. But never did he look at the buildings. His mind was always wandering off when he was by himself. It was a habit he created when he was a child, as a way to escape the world temporarily. But after little Natsu had died, he used it as a way to escape permanently. There, he imagined she was still alive and well, and they were playing their childish games. Her voice would chime and charm itself into his heart, and he'd smile.
But today, he wasn't smiling and he'd never will. For his mind was on nothing, and he was doomed to fall forever into himself until he would disappear. No one would ever notice. He'd be alone at last...
"Hey, kids! Stop arguing!" Myou's haunting voice called out from the doorway. Ryuu and the Piximon stopped trying to kill each other to look over at the Phantomon. One look into his soulless eyes and they stood at attention, forgetting about their argument over a cup of coffee. Some of the other workers also sat up in their seats, growing silent at once.
Feeling proud of himself, he started, "All right, folks. I have some good news. We have a new reporter to replace Miss Kinomoto. Before I let her in, I want you all to behave yourselves and at least look like you're interested." He directed the last request at Hidoi, who barely noticed. "Do you all understand?"
"Yes, Mr. Kazamoto!" they cried out.
With a nod of the head, he leaned outside and waved an arm to a personage by the door. After one step into the room—the Wizardmon took note of the sudden interest in Ryuu's eyes at the sight of the female—a smile seemed to appeared on everyone's faces, some by force, others from relief. The mage didn't seem interested at first sight. The new female was a small pure-white cat with large but attractive eyes of the brightest blue he's seen. Her hands were covered in lime-green, red-orange jagged gloves with the claws at the end well-polished and sharp. Her lengthy striped tail twitched every now and then. A small smile was on her lips, though she looked nervous.
The ghoul introduced her. "This is Kumori-Garasu Ishida, and I want you all to be nice to her, boss's orders."
"Please, call me Kumo," she insisted, her ears flitting. Hidoi looked away, sneering back outside. She could never replace Kohana.
Ryuu rushed up to her side at once, not taking heed of Myou still hovering behind her. All he could see was this fair maiden in front of him. Crouching down to grasp her hand, he said ravishingly, "Welcome to our amiable building of the good and bad news, Miss Ishida am I correct?"
"Oh, God." With a roll of the eyes, Myou left the room.
"Uh, yes, that's right," she said, smiling nervously. "I'm not married, if that's what you mean."
He grinned at her. "But of course. If you were married, would I do this?" He lifted her hand and kissed the back of it.
She flushed, shifting her eyes away. "P-probably not."
Smiling, he stood up and began, "My name is Ryuu Tanaka. I'm a single of twenty-three years and the weather forecaster of this pleasant place. Server depends on me to give them the weather for the week."
"Then does that mean Server depends on me to give them the sports for the week?" Junjo smirked, glancing over at the other staff members. Many laughed, making the dragon fluster.
"Of course not! Sports has nothing to do with the skies!"
"Tonight, there is a chance of a hailstorm the size of golf balls," he mocked. "Thank God it's not baseball sized. My new Ferrari would be ruined." More roars of laughter.
"It's not funny! And I have a Mustang, thank you very much!" Ryuu huffed.
Kumo giggled with the group until she caught herself. "Sorry, Mr. Tanaka. It was rude of me. But it's still humorous."
"Yes it was, wasn't it?" he agreed all of a sudden.
"Think you can introduce me to the crew?"
Wrapping his tail around her shoulder, despite her sudden tensing of the muscles, he proclaimed, "Of course, Kumo! I'll show you the whole building if you wish!" Walking up to Junjo, he gestured to him with a hand. "This angel fellow here is a good pal of mine, Junjo Sakamoto."
The Angemon held out a hand for a friendly handshake. "Welcome to Gaea Station," he greeted.
She stared worriedly at the hand, unsure if to trust it. "Thanks," she muttered.
"Stop scaring her, man!" Ryuu shouted at the confused angel. "And this young lady here is Nohara Tatsuya."
"Bite me, Ryuu," she hissed at him, but smiled sweetly at the Gatomon. "Hello, young lady. You're such a pretty womon. How does it feel to be the youngest in the crew?"
She thought it over, then shrugged. The Piximon laughed heartily. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it. How old are you?"
"Twenty-one, ma'am."
The XV-mon's eyes lightened up. "Twenty-one?"
"Yeah..."
"Really? You don't look a day over eighteen."
"Ryuu, you pervert, knock it off!" Haru snapped from across the room.
"That Floramon over there is Haru Tachikawa. I'd stay away from her if I were you," he whispered aside.
Kumo blinked, but smiled at the womon anyway, giving a small wave. "Nice to meet you."
The introductions continued—he took her all over the building—until it was almost lunch time. They returned to the lounge ("This is not just a place to argue over things about each other!" he had once exclaimed. "We also eat together in harmony!") where she was free, supposedly, to sit anywhere she wanted. Wanting to have a girl-chat, she sat between Kimi and another womon and had quickly made a couple of new friends. Hidoi wasn't feeling hungry at the moment, so he stayed at his place by the window, only glancing over when she had returned. He had half a mind to call Ryuu a pervert as well, what with him having come in with his tail around her waist. Looking at her bright face, he couldn't help but compare her to Kohana.
But she'll never replace her, he told himself. She doesn't have her spirit in that smile.
"Do you think you could tell me more about this Kohana womon?" he heard her ask the girls. "I heard she was fired from stealing a purse. But I feel like there's more to her than meets the eye." He sharply looked back outside, trying to block her voice.
"You came to the right people," Kimi told her, smiling. "She's a very sweet person."
"She had a smile that could spread to even the grumpiest of persons," Nohara spoke up, nodding. "Very optimistic about everything. She believed the world is this bad because it would only get better later."
"Reminds me about an essay this one mon in my class did. Said the exact same thing." The feline shrugged. "Didn't want to believe him, but I did." Until I found out he was of the world, her mind sighed, recalling the gropings he did when she was on a date with him.
Before one of them could speak again, the XV-mon rose up from next to her like he was hiding under the table the whole time. "So-o-o where do you live?" he asked nonchalantly, eyebrows raised.
Junjo groaned, rolling his eyes at the sight before he excused himself out of the room.
Kumo sweat-dropped. "Err... at the apartment down not too far by Cloud Boulevard," she recalled.
"What a coincidence!" he gasped. "I do too! What floor?"
Glancing around, she whispered, "Third floor."
"You're scaring me," he breathed out. "What room number?"
That was when her eyes caught the lone figure standing by the window, leaning against the wall and his arms crossed. His gaze, shrewd and narrow, was focused on the outside and nowhere else in the room. She wondered why Ryuu hadn't introduced herself to him. Unless he just got here? "Ryuu? Who's that?" she wondered.
"The omen," he replied immediately, but quickly corrected himself. "Erm, I mean Hidoi Honda. He's your partner."
"How come you didn't introduce him?"
"I didn't know he was there," he lied, shrugging. "You can go say 'hi' to him, but he won't reply back. He's that one guy everyone hates at their job because he's all moody and keeping to himself."
Frowning, she got up from her seat, eyes still on the mon. She didn't know many people who could be like this Hidoi figure, but somehow she doubted anyone was like him. Sure, maybe Gothic people could, but he didn't look like one. Not that adults were classified as such anyway. Kumo got as close as she dared to the Wizardmon, unsure of what to say. She could sense the stares from the others behind her, but didn't dare show it. One thought ran through her mind, backing up Ryuu's immediate response to the name.
What if he was an omen?
She looked down at once, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. "I can't do it," she breathed out in a hushed tone.
"Not many can."
Her head jerked up at the voice, only to have her eyes catch his side-ways gaze. She took a sharp, slow breath, feeling a shiver in her spine. "W-what?"
"If you made it this far, then surely you've been able to do it." His stitched lips barely moved, but because her hearing was well-improved, she was able to understand his words. The crude eyes looked back out the window. "You're the first to at least bear to stand by me. Everyone else tend to stay no longer than a few seconds at the most. Did you want something?"
Her head subconsciously shook itself. "N-no! I just... wanted to meet my partner."
Hidoi tensed at the word, brow furrowing. "Now you have," he grumbled. "You'll learn as time goes by."
"Not like that! I wanted to get to know you a little!" she huffed. "That's what partners do, right?"
"Go ask someone else, I'm not giving you anymore information."
She scowled, feeling herself puffing up. "Fine! I will!" Clenching her fists, she stormed back to her seat, banging her head on the table hard enough to cry out.
It was stupid of her to make a poor impression to a mon she was going to sit next to every night. And on the first day, too. Taking a breath, her head turned slightly so she could glance over at the Wizardmon. He hadn't moved from his position, but he was struggling somehow by the way his body tensed.
She knew self-punishment when she saw it.
Next chapter is another character intro, who is personally a favorite of mine here and my favorite scene I've done so far. Yuperz.
