Chapter Nine
Changing
Yuuta woke up from her light, restless sleep and set her bare feet on the floor. Back and forth she walked, going over what she did. She sighed. Always, the same conclusion. She cheated on her hero before she went to the Digital World and didn't clarify her feelings with Yomoki because he had made her feel special. As a result, she hadn't broken up with him before she left because she never left of their relationship as real to begin with. So, she had never dumped him, and he had never dumped her.
"I should break up with him then. Even if Izumi-sama refusesto give me a second chance, I cannot use Yomoki-kun's feelings for me to pretend he is Izumi-sama like I did before. Not all of my feelings were like that, I did like him. But...never like I loved my hero." Yuuta stalked out of her room and went to the bathroom. She waited for the water to warm. "First thing after this shower, I will break up with Yomoki-kun."
A while later, she stepped out of the shower, and wrapped her hair up in a towel.
"Yomoki-kun can wait a few minutes." Yuuta decided after brushing her long hair dry.
Yuuta walked up the Hideki family's drive. She knocked on the giant wooden doors.
"Yuuta-chan, you're here." Chidori whispered, shocked.
"Is everyone else here?"
"Hai. Yomoki-kun and Imzumi-sama are having a staring match and Inoue-sama is trying to start a fight."
"Oh, okay." She took a deep breath and trekked up the stairs. She pushed open the door to the large solar.
"Yuu-ta-chan... your hair!" Mimi gasped.
"I needed a change." Yuuta raised her brown eyes. "I have been irresponsible and a brat. I have acted like a child and hurt two people very dear to me. Instead of facing my decisions like a real Chosen Child, I have only run from them. I do not want to run anymore when it is my job to fly." She walked over to Koushirou who was sitting on the window seat with his laptop in his lap. "I choose you." Yuuta blushed a bright red and drew away her hand. "I understand if you have realized your mistake and-" She was cut off when he set aside his Pineapple and grabbed her hand. He pulled her closer and awkwardly hugged her with his casted arm.
" I thought you were going to leave me." He whispered into her ear so only she could hear.
"Mm mm." She shook her head, returning the embrace. "I couldn not, not ever." She whispered back.
Yomoki stood and left. Gazimon followed closely, torn between sadness and happiness.
& & &
"So...you're sure Lowvell is reborn?" Taichi asked slowly.
"Very sure. No one else would know how to get into the Digital World." Gennai nodded.
Chidori, Eri, Tsumi, and Shinichiro stared dumbfounded. Gennai, their DigiDeity, looked about thirty years old and was in Chidori's bedroom!
"No one else would know of the Key either." Yuuta added softly. Her hand tightened around Koushirou's, his cast cutting into her skin.
"But...he had a Digimon." Sora emphasized.
"He teamed up with an old enemy." Yamato pointed out.
"One that we deleted years ago." Ken chewed his lip.
"He's a Digimon. Digimon can't really die. They're made of computer data and can recompile after being deleted." Koushirou squeezed Yuuta's hand back as best he could.
"But... I thought that last battle with Armageddemon finished him off. Boom, period." Daisuke frowned, a little ticked off.
"It must because of Lowvell. If his people go through a cycle of rebirth, their souls are what really go to the next life. Digimon are a part of our souls. Lowvell died in our world, so he was reborn with a Digimon sharing his soul." Iori surmised. Everyone's eye went wide.
"Duh." Eri smacked her head, breaking the silence. Mimi and Miyako giggled.
"But...Gennai-sama, why did you let him through the test? You should've known what was in the Digiegg." Chidori asked looking up at him.
"I didn't test him. I would not have let Armageddemon be reborn. I do not remember a Takaki, Momiji, either." Gennai bit his lip.
"You don't read the Human World papers much, do you?" Everyone turned to see Yomoki at the door.
"Yes, I do. I look out for signs of missing Digimon, electricity outages, or weird phenomena. Why?"
"You missed something about fifteen years ago." Yomoki thrust a newspaper photocopy at him. "I happened the day after Yuuta's birth, so this was thrust to the side to make room for her. You didn't know you were famous, did you, Yuu-chan?" Yomoki tossed a half-smile at her. Yuuta got off the window seat and walked over, confused.
"I was famous?"
"You made front page three weeks in a row. The press continually mobbed your house and your parents Digifought with a bunch of people to get them to stop hounding them. You know the rules of a Digifight."
"Digifight?" Hikari's eyes narrowed.
"It is when two opposing Digipartners fight out their conflict. They state their grievance and their demands. Who ever looses has to do as the winner says. It is illegal to continue the fight after one Digimon devolves and, also, the loser gets sent to jail if they do not do as the winner demands."
"Her parents demanded they leave them in peace. The press wanted to make Yuuta this idol, or prophet, like the DigiDeity. Her parents won against the entire press. She was never harassed again." Yomoki finished for Yuuta.
"What did you bring Gennai?" Koushirou inquired.
"It's an article on a Digiegg that was found in the cradle of one of the babies born after the Festival. Did you know a lot of mothers were in labor that day, but none gave birth but Mrs. Kokubunji? Some women were in labor over twelve hours. This woman, Takaki, was in labor all day and gave birth the next day. She died of exhaustion."
Yuuta stiffened. She eyes flew to Yomoki's.
"It happened to a lot of women. Something prevented them from giving birth. That's why you were so famous." Yomoki said lowly. Yuuta began to tremble just slightly.
"This can't be. I would've noticed this story, even if Yuuta was front page. No child was born with a Digiegg, yet this boy was." Gennai frowned darkly. "These two are definitely Lowvell and Kuramon."
"Now that that is over...I am going home." Yuuta bowed and spun on her heel. Yomoki grabbed her arm.
"Yuu-yuu-chan, dame."
"I am not doing anything." Yuuta leaned away from him, hiding her face.
"You didn't do it. So, stop it."
"Let me go, Fujima-san. Now." Yuuta hissed.
"No. You're probably going to go cry somewhere again. Stop pretending you're not upset." Yomoki yelled.
"I am going to go think."
"Fine. Go run away again!"
Slap.
Yuuta glared up at him.
"I am not running away! I am going to go say sorry!" She turned and walked away, purposely laying each foot down loudly so they could hear her even pace.
"What-"
"She's going to the cemetery. It's the same one you remember. This place hasn't changed a lot." Yomoki rubbed his red cheek. "I shouldn't have brought it up." Koushirou started out the door.
"You think! Her family kept that a secret on purpose!" Eri shrieked at him. "I'm going to shove my combat boot up your a-"
Koushirou luckily had gotten far enough away from the room not to hear the ending of that.
He walked into the small cemetery. She was walking through the graveyard slowly reading each tombstone.
"Kokubunji?" His voice carried over the dead air. She turned.
"There are four women and one baby. They died the day after my birthday. Only I was supposed to be born that day. You realize this is only one small city, and one small graveyard? There are millions of women, just like her. And millions of babies just like this one." She lowered a hand onto the cold granite.
"Fujima-san was right. It wasn't your fault."
"...These people died. They died because they were due the same day as me. Millions of women looking forward to the day they would have a child born on a holy day. Or just looking forward to having a child, their first, their last, or their second. I am...I am like an indirect murderer! Gomen nasai!" She buried her face in her hands.
"Kokubunji, you're not an indirect murderer." He had a strange urge to laugh at that.
"There...there are so many." Yuuta whispered.
"You didn't do it. Aren't you being a little arrogant yourself?" Koushirou pointed out.
"I-I guess." She looked up at him, her eyes glassy, but not a tear was on her face. She seemed too sad… "C-come with me, Izumi-sama." She clasped his hand and led him near the back of the cemetery.
A large plot was fenced off. A number of gravestones filled the square.
"It is there, near the end." Yuuta jerked her head towards two.
Koushirou stepped over the fence and carefully walked towards them. The bases were connected, and the names Kenji and Ami Izumi were carved into the worn stone. He fell to his knees, his eyes wide.
"O-okaasan...Otousan." he choked. He touched the blackened circle of stone near the bottom.
"I used to come here I pay my respects to them all. The past two years I was occupied, however." Yuuta's fingers twisted together. "I thought...since we were here..."
"Th-thank you." Koushirou rubbed his eyes hard, and smiled at the two names. "Konnichi wa. I missed you. It was so hard to say yes to Gennai's idea knowing I'd never see you two again. I'm finally awake, of course. Kokubunji-san brought me. You'd like her Okaasan, you always liked my friends. Her first name is Yuuta." He rubbed at his eyes again, making them red. "Meet my otousan and okaasan, Kokubunji." Koushirou held out his hand. She grasped it hesitantly.
"Konnichi wa." She bowed. "We will come back soon with the others and leave incense and flowers. I hope you were not worried when I did not come like usual."
"Did you speak to them a lot?" Koushirou asked, surprised at how easily her words came out to the cold rock.
"Hai." She blushed. "I would talk to them about you. I would bring your picture and I would talk forever of my pretend adventures and asking them if I was the kind of girl you liked. I would ask them to tell you 'hi', but to keep my secret. I thought you were dead, remember?" She tugged her hair sharply in embarrassment. "Silly, was it not?"
"Iie." Koushirou rose and wrapped one arm around her waist. "I'm sure they wanted to tell you what kind of girl I preferred."
"What would they have said?"
"They would have had no idea. I never was interested in girls."
"Nani!" Yuuta looked up at him. "Seriously?"
"Hai. That is complete honesty. I was either assimilated with my computer, or saving the Worlds." Koushirou blushed with small smile. She smiled up at him, blushing too.
"I am very glad for that, Izumi-sama."
"Then…don't call me that. Call me Koushirou. I would like say your name."
Yuuta blinked and blushed redder. She shook her head violently.
"I could never! You're a Chosen Child."
"Then, we compromise. When I was in grade school, and the beginning of high school, I was called Izzy, instead of Izumi. So, you can call me Izzy and I'll call you...Koku?"
"Um...al-all right, Izu-zy-sama."
"No, -sama."
"Um...Izzy-sempai?" Koushirou sighed.
"Close enough, Koku-san."
She giggled and he blushed vividly. She raised herself on her toes and kissed his cheek.
"I like it, honto." She started to lower herself and 'eep'ed when Koushirou leaned down to brushed his lips with hers.
"Did I say 'thank you' yet?" Koushirou asked, his mouth hovering over hers, shyly.
"Mm hm." Her face was still upwards, her eyes closed.
"Okay..."
He lowered his head again, their lips meeting softly. She tilted her head to the side and braced herself against his chest as she rose onto her toes again.
"Whoa, I never thought you'd get it on in a graveyard, man. I so wouldna come." Daisuke's voice cut through the air.
They jumped apart.
"Um...I was...saying sorry, then...uh, I showed him his parents...er..." Yuuta stumbled.
"Parents?" Taichi perked up. "You mean...?"
"Hai. They are over there." She nodded to two others in the fenced in area. "Motomiya-sama's are right next to yours."
The couple walked slowly towards their parents, hands clasped so that their knuckles were white. They stared without words at the graves.
"I-I can't believe we never got to say good-bye. Look, even Jun is here." Daisuke sniffed.
"Why did you not say good-bye?" Yuuta asked.
"We...fought just before the…Great Battle, as you called it. We told our parents, after a year of dating, that we were together. They didn't take it well. Not badly, just not well." Taichi rubbed his thumb over Daisuke's knuckles comfortingly.
"I don't see why. What's wrong with humans being...mates?" Tentomon asked, having come with Taichi and Daisuke.
"Just say part-" Koushirou stopped. "Never mind, mate is fine."
"Humans, like most Earth beings, are supposed to reproduce, but a gay couple can't. That's one of the many reasons society looked down on it." Yuuta explained.
"Plus, the fact they were just homophobic. Some humans just thought that boys going with boys or girls going with girls was wrong morally." Taichi snapped.
"Digimon don't mate, so I don't really understand." Tentomon admitted.
"Me either." Veemon shook his head.
"I thought you and Daisuke loved each other?"
"Of course we do, Agumon."
"And do those boys love those other boys?"
"Sometimes. When they're in a serious relationship, yes."
"Well, when humans mate they get married and you spend the rest of your life together. Don't you need love to be married?" Agumon queried.
"Of course. Well, hopefully." Yuuta thought about those people who married for money briefly. "That is what marriage is intended for; the joining of two people loving each other."
"Then, what's wrong with Taichi and Daisuke?" Veemon asked, catching onto Agumon's train of thought. The three Digimon looked up at them.
"Nothing. Some people are just-"
"Stupid?" Nekomon suggested walking up.
"I guess you can say that. Where have you been?"
"Tracking down your purple eyed-friend." Her fur bristled and then smoothed.
"Takaki?" Yuuta gasped.
"None other. I found his home. I staked it out a bit. It looks normal, but looks aren't everything."
Yuuta rubbed her throat. "I know." She agreed.
"Well, I guess we should go back, unless you want to take us out on the town. It's evening, soon all the fun begins." Taichi grinned down at her.
"You're kidding." Koushirou stated flatly.
"No."
"You are Yagami-Deity to these people, Yagami-sama. You will not get fun, you will get crowds of adoring worshippers." Yuuta explained. Taichi face fell, his honey eyes sad. Yuuta felt the familiar light-headedness. "We can try and have fun, though. This is the future for you." she said breathily. Koushirou rose an eyebrow. She smiled hopelessly, as if saying, how can you say no to that cute face?
"What are you saying?" Daisuke asked, getting excited.
"If you can handle the crowds, I will buy." Yuuta smiled.
"WHOO HOO!" Daisuke caught her around the waist and spun her around, lifting her off her feet. Blood poured out of her nose and her head fell back as she fainted. Daisuke stilled and shook her gently. "Yuu-chan? Yuu-chan...YUU-CHAN! Oh no, I killed her!" he wailed, shaking her so her head snapped back and forth.
Koushirou rolled his eyes and Taichi laughed. The Digimon exchanged glances of disbelief.
"Humans." Nekomon sighed with a shrug of shoulders. The other Digimon nodded solemnly.
"I'm in the mood for...ice cream!" Daisuke decided
"It's inexpensive, too." Koushirou agreed.
"It will probably be free." Yuuta murmured.
"You have a discount or something?" Taichi asked.
"You will see." I cannot believe you do not notice it now.
Every one was stopping dead, their heads turning, watching with wide, disbelieving eyes as the group of eight walked down the street. Koushirou raised an eyebrow questioningly. Yuuta gave him a half-smile.
Taichi's orange tank top and matching long baggy pants caught the eye in the crowd, making people notice. Then came the initial double take of seeing Daisuke's white with a gloss of many colors long-sleeved, loose-necked shirt with matching pants. A tag and Crest lay upon their chests, glinting in the afternoon sun. Koushirou's dark purple, buttoned shirt, with the sleeves rolled up and purple loose pants weren't as eye catching if it wasn't for the purpleness of it. A crest also lay on his chest. Yuuta's lavendar square neckline blouse and matching shorts made it easy for her to hide in the boys' glare, but the crest upon her breast drew too many stares from people who never looked at her before but in anger or disgust.
"Koku-san, is this what you were warning us about?" Koushirou inquired.
"Hai." She blushed under the scrutiny, unknowingly pressing closer to Koushirou.
"So, how far until the ice cream shop?" Daisuke asked.
"It is just a head. Do you see the sign with a Frigimon on it?"
"Yeah. Cool! Does the owner have a Frigimon for a partner?"
"Yes. He is actually only the manager. It is a huge chain. We teased him when we were kids because he had a Frigimon, but the founder had a Toucanmon." Yuuta gave a small smile.
Taichi and Daisuke laughed loudly, heads thrown back.
"That's hilarious." Taichi gasped.
They entered the shop and walked to the line. A girl that stirred Yuuta's memory turned and then looked back at the selection. She spun around and gasped, taking a step back.
"Hey! Watch were you're going, Arisa!" her friend snapped. Her friend looked up and gaped wordlessly.
"OH MY GAWD!" Arisa shrieked.
"What?" Daisuke straightened from looking at the flavors and glancing around hurriedly. He realized she was pointing at him. "Is it the clothes? Hey, I may be gay but I so didn't choose this!"
"You're Motomiya-Deity!" her friend shrilled.
"H-how'd you know?" Daisuke asked flabbergasted.
"You have a Veemon! Nobody has a Veemon! And well, you're in every shrine all over the world." Arisa sputtered.
"Whoa...really?"
"Koku-san told you that, Motomiya-san." Koushirou reminded him under his breath.
"But...I...didn't seriously believe her." Daisuke whispered back.
"Um, how about you all just order so we can get our ice cream and go home?" Taichi suggested mildly. Everyone stumbled backwards, knocking over the poles and rope separating the line from the sitting area.
"Go on ahead!" they all insisted.
"N-"
"Just do it, Yagami-sama." Yuuta hissed, nudging the small of his back, keeping her face hidden.
They hurried forward.
"I'll have a blue bubble gum." Daisuke said, a little perplexed.
"I'll have fudge tracks."
"Green tea, please."
"Um...fr-french-green tea, too, please." Yuuta hurriedly rushed out.
"Koku-san, you can have a French vanilla. We'll all get smalls so you can afford it." Koushirou told her.
"I-I am okay." She whispered.
"Please, it's on the house. All four in any size."
"N-no! Please, sir!" She protested. She glanced under her hair at the avid stares. "All right. Two of the largest for Yagami-sama and Motomiya-sama, and..."
"A small."
"Two smalls, one French vanilla and one green tea." Yuuta finished.
"And chocolate!" Veemon and Nekomon chorused.
"Can I have a red bean, Izzy?"
"I want fudge tracks, too, Taichi." Agumon added.
"Right away."
"Hey, thanks, Yuuta! How'd you know I'd want the biggest one?"
"You and Taichi eat like bovines, Motomiya-san." Koushirou rolled his eyes.
"Yuuta?" Arisa suddenly said. Yuuta stiffened.
"You mean, Kokubunji, Yuuta?"
Yuuta inhaled sharply. Those are the girls who picked on me the night Pauftymon hatched!
"Yeah, look, Tomoyo! She's the little freak from school." Arisa slapped a hand against her mouth. "I didn't mean that Kokubunji-Deity."
All three boys turned, rage in the depths of all their dark eyes. Koushirou took one step before Yuuta swung around, brown hair swinging. Her eyes glowed green.
"Oh, now, you are sorry? Now that I have this?" Yuuta yanked the Crest off her neck. "Now that my Digimon is a Rookie? Now that I am a Chosen Child? Is this all that is important to you? A stupid little tag and glowing piece of digital matter? If I never got this would you still be treating me like crap?" She stomped to the counter and snatched the bubble gum and fudge tracks from the petrified cashier. "This is what I think of you SOB's!"
With that shouted, she slammed the large scoops of ice cream in their faces.
"Say hello to your new bloody Deity!" She turned on her heel and walked out, leaving the small cluster of bells on the door ringing sharply.
"Wow..." Daisuke whistled.
"Yuuta!" Nekomon bounded after her. With one paw on the door, she turned, tail lashing. "I remember you, kogals. Don't ever make my partner cry again, or I'll find you. I still owe you for that crack about me being ashamed of her." Her claws gleamed and then re-sheathed. She left, too.
"My ice cream deserved more than that. Couldn't she have used your nasty ice cream?" Daisuke pouted.
"There isn't enough in a small cup." Koushirou answered. He bowed at the cashier. "Arigatu gozaimasu." He grabbed Yuuta's, his, and Tentomon's ice cream and followed Nekomon out. "Get Nekomon's ice cream, will you, please?"
The door swung shut.
Koushirou and Tentomon managed to track the two partners down in a park, luckily not to far away.
"Here, Koku-san. You forgot to smear this on them, too." He handed her a large cup of French vanilla. "I thought we asked for small?"
"Like they care." Yuuta gulped wetly. She shoved a spoonful in her mouth. She closed her eyes and made a funny moaning noise. "Mmmmmm."
"Yuuta has a thing for vanilla, but she refused to indulge herself because she didn't want to get fat. She really was obsessed with you, you know-ITAI!"
"Go get your nasty chocolate." Yuuta ordered. She rubbed at her eyes.
"But-"
"I will smear this on you."
"Fine. Let's go, Tento." Neko sniffed and stalked haughtily away, her long tail swishing.
"She acts like a prep sometimes, does she not?" Yuuta giggled.
"I heard that partner! I'm not letting that slide!"
The two humans sniggered.
"What happened back there? I've only seen you that angry once." Koushirou smoothed her short hair comfortingly. She looked up, tearfully.
"I do not know. I am…a little confused myself. I can explain those two girls reaction, though." She took a deep breath. "When I was a child, I liked Digimon more than people. Digimon liked me just the same, some even more than their own Digipartners. One time, in kindergarten, I was playing with the teacher's Digimon, when the teacher tried to make me answer a question, her Digimon attacked her because I said no, and she kept on insisting. I've been dubbed freak ever since. I never tried to change it either." She ate another spoonful of ice cream. "Digimon always come to rescue…whenever I feel scared or threatened."
"I figure it was strange, but...you're not a freak. You're just a very..." Koushirou pondered carefully, "Quiet person." He chose.
"But... why do Digimon listen to me, not to their partners?"
"Because you're a better person than that partner at the time." Koushirou smiled.
"Thank you, Izu-" His fingers fell on her mouth and her puzzled eyes met his.
"No, Izumi." Her brown eyes smiled.
"Izzy..." she corrected.
"You even forgot -sempai." Koushirou murmured, his voice fading as their eyes met.
"Yes...so...you don't...have...to...say...-san..." she leaned towards him automatically, her head tilting.
"Koku..."
"Hai..."
Their lips met softly.
"Damn! I'm sorry! We keep on doing this, don't we?" Taichi cursed. Koushirou and Yuuta jumped away.
"Yes, actually. It's becoming an annoying habit, Yagami." Koushirou muttered.
"You can always walk in on us in repayment." Taichi suggested.
"No, thank you. Why don't you just not walk-"
Thump.
"I should've seen that coming." Koushirou sighed.
Yuuta lay on the ground, her lavendar shirt bloody, her eyes in swirls and her face splattered with French vanilla.
"Well," Taichi hoisted her up onto the bench, "At least when you finally do get to be alone, she'll taste like ice cream." Taichi pointed out, seeing the dessert all over her mouth and left cheek, some of it in her hair, too.
Koushirou flushed deeply and mumbled under his breath.
"She does taste good." Nekomon licked Yuuta's cheek.
"Let me try, I never had human and French vanilla." Tentomon cried.
"Me too! Me too!" Veemon jumped up and down.
"I guess I'll try, too." Agumon relented.
"Stop it! Stop licking her!" Koushirou shouted, grabbing her and pulling her away. She blinked blearily and looked up at him.
"Licking who?"
"We were trying to convince Koushirou you taste good covered in ice cream like that." Daisuke perked up, happily eating his bubble gum, a brand-new cup, his lips and tongue stained blue.
Yuuta flushed, her eyes crossed, and became alarmingly pale abruptly.
"Iie! Dame!" Koushirou shook her briefly. "I was not going to lick you anytime soon."
"You don't tell them that. The anticipation is the best part, Iz-man." Taichi scolded him.
"I wasn't. And can you prove that hypothesis?"
"Yes, actually, brainiac. Watch." Taichi grabbed Daisuke around the waist and dipped him backwards over the back-less bench. Their lips locked, and Daisuke's squeak of surprise was muffled by Taichi's mouth.
Yuuta leaned around Koushirou to watch; both had wide eyes. They blinked slowly. Taichi and Daisuke finally came up for air. Taichi, immensely satisfied, and Daisuke dumbfounded.
"Th-thank you?" Daisuke said muddled.
"No proble-" Both tumbled out of sight as Daisuke pounced on Taichi unexpectedly.
"I don't think walking in on them unannounced in a middle of a make-out session would really matter as much to them as it does for us." Koushirou said, watching with raised eyebrows as they went straight past first base. "Let's give them some privacy, shall we?"
Yuuta and Koushirou turned back around.
"We...never really made-out anyway." Yuuta forced out. "Not like...well...that." She pointed over her shoulder.
"Hopefully, we won't be horny enough to roll around in the bush...es..." he trailed off.
That actually sounds pretty fun... They both thought. They adverted their eyes and blushed tomato-red.
"We might to do it their way. Doing it the normal way does not seem to be working." Yuuta covered her mouth quickly and made an odd choking noise.
"You-You're laughing!" Koushirou accused.
"N-no." Her muffled voice protested.
"Yes, you are." Koushirou grabbed her wrist. "You think it's funny that they keep interrupting us, but they just have to fall over backwards to get to first base."
"I-Iie...hai! It is so funny!" Yuuta burst out. She laughed loudly behind her hand.
"It is not!"
"Yes, it is!"
"No, it isn't."
"It is!"
"No-"
"Hai!" Yuuta giggled, pressing her lips together to try and stem the flow. She pressed her palm harder to her lips.
Koushirou gazed at her somberly. She finally managed to stop and meet his black-eyed gaze. He hesitantly leaned forward again and her lips collided with his quickly. Her hands clutched the purple fabric of his pants, and she pressed harder. Their mouths parted for a second and then they met once more. Just as Koushirou managed to build up the courage to open his mouth, it happened again.
"Yuuta! I found...you...guys...oh, crud. Sorry, babe." Eri apologized weakly. "I'm guessing the loud crashing in the bushes is gay make-out fest?"
"You're correct, Rokunda." Koushirou sighed, running his hand through his hair. Yuuta gazed dazedly at Eri.
"I think it is more like, if-you-do-not-stop-us-now-be-glad-homosexuals-cannot-have-babies fest." Yuuta said dreamily.
"Riiight. I'll just go stop that." She started to edge around the bench. "What the hell is in your hair, and what did you give the Digimon?"
Yuuta and Koushirou turned and saw the four Digimon running in circles, besides Tentomon who was flying.
"I gotcha! No, now I gotcha! Hold still!" Veemon cried jumping up in down, spinning in midair, trying to grab a tipsily hovering Tentomon.
"Bird! Bird!" Nekomon laughed pointing at Tentomon with her paw.
"No! It's a butterfly!" Agumon screamed at her.
"Ice cream?" Yuuta offered guiltily.
"For both questions." Taichi gasped, his mouth almost as blue as Daisuke's.
"How much?" Eri squawked.
"The manager gave us the largest sizes." Koushirou got up exasperated and commenced rounding the sugar-high Digimon in. A bad idea. Yuuta and Gotsumon quickly went to help.
On the way home, Eri commandeered Yuuta, leaving the boys to tend to the sugar tokers.
"Yuuta...you are definitely not the Kokubunji, Yuuta I remembered."
"Nani?"
"You're...more open, and strong. There was that whole thing with Yomoki-kun when you first came back, but...you came back to face your problem. You've never done that. You have a tan and you're physically fit and look...shiny, like a brand new toy that found its purpose."
"I am not a toy..." Yuuta mumbled.
"That's not what I meant. What I meant was, Yuuta two years ago didn't get nosebleeds over cute boys, Yuuta didn't wear clothes that showed off her nice long legs, Yuuta didn't make out, or attempt to, with cute Deities in a public park, nor did she take said Deities to the public park. Or dump ice cream on kogals."
"You saw that?"
"Yes. I decided to go buy some new black lipstick so you'd have some time with your new friends instead intruding. Anyway, the point of all this is, you're finally...changing. Into...Yuuta. I like it, and so does Izumi-sama."
Yuuta tilted her head to side and thought about it.
Changing...into Yuuta.
"I...like changing, too."
"Just don't change too much. You're cute all shy like this." Eri snuggled with Yuuta grinning.
"Eri-chan!"
Koushirou looked back, holding Tentomon's talons firmly. Yuuta was laughing behind her hand, brown hair fluffing around her face in the wind. The white in the brown made him blush. She did taste like vanilla.