Disclaimer-I don't own Digimon.
------------------------------------
Maze
------------------------------------
Izumi stared at the round pink digimon who began to hum happily while floating beside her. "Piximon," she said hesitantly, "won't it be kind of strange if you do that? If you'd let me carry you, people wouldn't think you-"
"Let them think!" Piximon interrupted happily. "Hey look! Kako's up ahead!" Before Izumi could stop him, the digimon flew up ahead.
The girl sighed and quickened her pace, only feet behind. A familiar yell met her ears and she broke into a run, catching up to Piximon, who had stopped beside Kako and Kouichi. "What's going on?" Izumi asked fearfully.
Kako turned around and whimpered, "Takuya and Shinya are in there..."
Everything seemed to slow down for Izumi. Her vision blurred; white spots appeared to distort the picture. Slowly, she sank down to the floor, the last thing in her vision being Takuya pushing Shinya behind him.
------------------------------------
Kako began to panic.
One, Izumi was unconscious. As to why, she had no clue, making the girl worry all the more. Two, Piximon was flying around carelessly in public. He didn't attract any attention away from Takuya, however, and for that she was thankful. Three, Kouichi seemed to be completely out of it, and four, Takuya was stuck in a cage with a lion and his brother.
"Takuya, this isn't working!" Shinya wailed, clutching tightly onto his brother's arm. He began to shake it viciously. "I'm too young to die!"
"IF YOU'RE YOUNG, I'M YOUNGER!" Takuya snapped. "SHUT UP AND LET ME THINK!"
Shinya's eyes suddenly brightened. "You can digivolve!" he suggested.
A sigh escaped Takuya and he confessed, "I left it at home. I never really thought going to the zoo would be that much trouble." Thoughtfully, he turned his head and called out, "Kouichi! Do you have your D-Tector?"
Kouichi slipped a hand into his pockets, turning them over as he did. A troubled look overcame his face. "Nothing," he yelled back. Thank goodness I told Kouji to give Junpei his D-Tector. They've got to be around here stalking us.
Nervously, Kako turned to Piximon. "Can you do anything?" she asked, a hint of hope in her voice.
After studying the situation before him, Piximon replied, "I could probably lead the lion away. That is, if he has interest in flying pink, round, out of this world things." Before anyone could stop him, Piximon flew through the bars and between Takuya and the lion. "Oh, Mr. Lion! Mind following me? I'm sure there's something to eat around here!" sang the digimon.
Kako's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. "HE'S USING HIMSELF FOR BAIT?" she screamed, hands grabbing the metal bars viciously. "GET BACK HERE PIXIMON!"
If Takuya was a riot, Piximon was worse. The murmurs and gasps from the crowd grew louder in volume. They began to point and scream-several fainted at the unbelievable sight. Piximon flew around wildly in front of the lion, maintaining his space from Takuya and Shinya, but also making sure he didn't fly straight into the lion's jaws. He held his staff out in front of him, slowly managing to lead the lion away from the brothers.
"PIXIMON YOU STUPID---" Kako stopped yelling when Kouichi clamped a hand over her mouth, but furiously tried to scream. Upon regaining her self-control, she pushed away Kouichi's hand and looked at Takuya and Shinya and inquired, "Can you two squeeze in through the bars?"
------------------------------------
"We have to find Piximon," begged the girl, grabbing Kouichi's hand.
Kouichi yanked his hand away. "You aren't going in there. Piximon can fend for himself. Don't worry."
A terrified look replaced the misery on Kako's face as she screamed, "HE COULD HAVE COME OUT HOURS AGO! WHAT IF THE LION ATE HIM? I'LL BE DOOMED!" She turned away from Kouichi and began to watch the empty cage where the lion once was. "Come on, Piximon..."
"Kako, get real. He's probably...uh...talking to the lion."
"Why is Piximon so special, anyway?" Takuya groaned, rubbing his stomach. He had managed to squeeze through the bars, though it had been incredibly painful to do so. Jealously, he turned to his brother, who, due to his small frame, was completely fine. Turning back to the unconscious Izumi, Takuya sighed, "And when's she going to wake up?"
Wiping her eyes, Kako replied, "Mr. Saito gave him to me! And no one was supposed to see him!" The girl let out a sigh and hung her head, hands gripping onto the bars tightly.
"Mr. Saito...?" Takuya repeated. His look of confusion turned to one of amusement. "Oh, I get it!" he laughed, stretching a bit.
Kako whirled around to face him. Immediately, she questioned, "Get what?" Her eyes were narrowed on the goggle boy suspiciously, as a cop would do while interrogating the suspect.
That was when Takuya realized he had said too much. Hideki's going to murder me, he thought, gulping. And if I don't tell Kako, she's going to murder me! It took several seconds for Takuya to answer, as he was weighing out whom it would be more torturous to be killed by. Finally deciding Kako was worse than Hideki, he yelled, "BECAUSE SAITO IS-" At this point, he stopped and lowered his voice into a bare whisper. "Hideki told us Mr. Saito's your dad," Takuya mumbled.
If Kako was having a heart attack, Kouichi was having a larger one. HIM? He's Marise? But that makes no sense! He sent Kako a hesitant look, but found she was laughing. "K-Kako...?" Don't tell me she isn't taking this seriously...
She wasn't. Kako kept laughing until she managed to gasp out, "Oh, that's a good one. Hideki was probably lying. Why would he tell you and not tell me first?" She continued to laugh before turning back to wait for Piximon to come out.
Takuya's jaw had dropped, Kouichi could see, and he didn't quite blame the goggle boy, either. He supposed Kako was Kako and she wouldn't be moved from her ideas. Too bad it's going to hit her sooner or later, he thought. "Where are the rest of you guys?" Kouichi asked Takuya, whacking Shinya away. The little boy had grown bored and was apparently amusing himself by stomping on people's toes, mainly Takuya's.
"We split up."
Kouichi rolled his eyes. "Typical," he declared. "Answer honestly-don't you guys have anything better to do than bug us?" The boy leaning against the area beside Kako.
Takuya shrugged. "Izumi, Shinya and I came to see the lion. So did Katsuharu, Tomoki and Teppei. Hideki and Piximon...well...you know their reason. And Kouji's is obvious, too. But Junpei came here for the lion, too, and that's how Kouji tricked him," explained the goggle boy, absentmindedly hitting his brother's arm.
Shinya scowled, "You two are no fun! Even Kouji's better!" Angrily he stormed over besides Kako and stood there, not bothering to talk or look at anyone.
"Thank digimon," Takuya muttered, casting his brother an annoyed glare, "I never thought he'd shut up."
In response, Kouichi allowed his gaze to slowly drift towards the clouds. They seemed so free, without a care-nothing to worry about. Is that why the clouds are up and not down? Or rather why we're shot down by the laws of gravity. He sighed and shut his eyes, twitching a minute later when a loud yell for mercy split the air, startling the remaining crowd in front of the lion's cage. The rest had gone to get help, and the remaining had stayed, waiting tirelessly for the lion. Now they, too, went to get a park personnel.
Groaning, Takuya rose to his feet, stretching his aching muscles. "That was Junpei?" Kouichi nodded and he asked, "Should we help?"
"Kouji should have given him his D-Tector," Kouichi replied mercilessly, grabbing a hold of Kako's arm when she tried to run off to find out who was screaming. The goggle boy took a seat with a sigh. "Kako, don't scream! It won't hurt for him to digivolve," added the boy, using his other hand to cover Kako's mouth.
While Kako and Kouichi engaged in a small scuffle, Takuya wondered if Junpei would be alright. Moreover, he wondered if Kouji had remembered to give Junpei his D-Tector. Sooner or later, he decided, they would figure out. Why not relax while I can? Takuya allowed a small smile to creep onto his face as he took a look at Izumi. He would have fun reminding her about this for a long time to come.
------------------------------------
Junpei and Teppei had a chance run in with Katsuharu and Tomoki while looking for Kako and Kouichi. Junpei had insisted that they go straight for the lion (mainly so he could do his homework), claiming that was the only reason Kouichi would have come, and was where they would go (knowing nothing about Kouichi's current problem).
Teppei insisted they follow the direction Takuya and Shinya had gone off in, claiming that they looked particularly murderous. Although Junpei agreed, he really wanted to do his homework. That was a rare occasion and one he cared too little for to celebrate.
Upon running into Tomoki and Katsuharu, the four boys wandered around for mere seconds before hearing two things; a loud roar and a frantic scream for help. Piximon had flown over a fence, straight into Tomoki. "He's gonna eat me!" the digimon panicked.
That was when the lion had managed to bring a large portion of the wire fence down. Junpei's eyes widened considerably. "You? He's going to eat us!" the boy screamed.
Which brought them to now. The lion was slowly approached the four boys. The rest of the visitors had fled, screaming loudly. Yet the lion remained, eyes glued on the four boys.
"Is this because of Piximon?" Katsuharu suddenly wondered, grabbing a hold of the pink digimon and running a few yards away. Sharply, the lion turned in that direction, taking a few steps forward. Katsuharu ran back to the group, frightened for his life. "He's out to get us," murmured the boy in amazement.
Tomoki was the next to experiment, cautiously backing away from the other three boys and the digimon. He could feel the lion's eyes on him, but saw no change in movement. Its body was full facing towards Piximon. Defeated, Tomoki walked back to the others, shaking his head. "Piximon," he murmured, "I think it wants to either eat you or play with you..."
"I'm no toy!" the digimon cried indignantly. A loud roar erupted from the lion. "And I'm not food either!" he shouted loudly.
This was when Junpei completely lost his mind. As to why he did so was beyond anyone's comprehension, but Junpei let out a loud, long scream that only died down when Katsuharu neatly smacked him on the head. After this, he let out a choked sob and declared, "I'm too young to die!"
Teppei took off his glasses and wiped his eyes, snapping, "S-stop...you're getting to us!"
With an annoyed sigh, Katsuharu elbowed Teppei. "Quit you two," he ordered. "You're letting the situation get to you a bit too much." Returning his gaze to the lion, Katsuharu asked, "Can any of you digivolve?" There was an awkward silence. When no one answered, he cleared his throat and was about to ask again when Tomoki tapped his shoulder. Questioningly, Katsuharu turned to the younger boy.
"As of now we've only got two people who can digivolve, neither of who happen to be here," Tomoki reported. A faltering smile appeared on his face and he shrugged when Katsuharu opened his mouth. "Who knows if they'll come. I kind of doubt they can find us. And it's risky," he added.
Katsuharu sighed and stared at the lion. "Then we've got no choice." Turning to Junpei and Teppei, he announced, "We've got to wait for help. I doubt Piximon can duke it out with the lion and we can't do much either. So we'll stare it down and hope it was recently fed."
------------------------------------
"That's a stupid way to go. Why would Kouichi go there?"
"It's not where the twerp would go, it's where Kako would go that matters! A guy's got to be courteous. Maybe that's why you don't have a girlfriend."
"Hah, what about you? Pining after someone who doesn't give a damn about you!"
"You're a twerp. What would you know?"
Hideki and Kouji continued to argue as they absentmindedly made their way around the zoo and pointed towards possible ways where their siblings could have gone.
Snorting, Kouji dug his hands into his pockets, hitting an item he had apparently forgotten. As a mob of people rushed towards them, screaming, Kouji realized what he had forgotten to do. Wide eyed, he turned to Hideki and uttered, "Junpei."
"What, he's in trouble?" Hideki asked, suddenly concerned. Did I get us into that much trouble?
Kouji shook his head. "I don't know! I have his D-Tector and Kouichi told me to give it to him but I was so caught up on stalking Kouichi that I completely forgot to give it to him and Kouichi's going to kill me but it isn't my fault because I didn't think we'd get split u-"
"Stop running off!" Hideki snapped. "That was one of the longest run on sentences I've heard. Only Kako's worse..." The young man trailed off, barely stepping to the side as a group of children came running towards his direction. "What the hell is going on?" he demanded, grabbing hold of a passerby. "Hey, what-"
A slap answered his question. Kouji snickered as the girl furiously dashed off. Determined to best Hideki, he stepped in front of a lady and politely inquired, "Excuse me, but what's going on back there?" He practically laughed, noticing Hideki shooting him an annoyed look.
"The lion got loose!" she told him, pushing him forward slightly. "I would get moving if I were you, boy!"
Kouji quickly thanked her and made his way to the grumpy Hideki. The two exchanged glares before Kouji made his way against the crowd. "If I'm right, either Junpei or Takuya are up ahead," he yelled back to Hideki, knowing perfectly well that Hideki was following him.
------------------------------------
Kouichi felt as if he was slowly freezing. His fingers felt numb. Shuddering, he sat down on the floorless space and pulled his knees towards him, trying to keep warm.
"Cold, isn't it?"
"Go away," he muttered, trying to clear his head. Was he doubting himself? Obviously. But he had given himself a chance, and he had to stop doubting. Will Duskmon disappear after this? he wondered, suddenly overcome with a twinge of regret.
The voice chuckled. "So just go against your word, Kouichi," it told him. "You've done it before." There were footsteps that echoed from nowhere. He couldn't tell where. He didn't care where, either.
It occurred to Kouichi many times before that he ought to give himself a chance. But after Duskmon, he couldn't bear it. He feared himself and locked himself up. Many regrets resulted from that, and he grew to despise himself. He envied others. How innocent they seemed, positively happy, normal. No hidden faults. Their faults were as visible as they themselves were. And more and more, each day, Kouichi would hide himself away, thinking he, too, could be normal.
Every time he let himself slip out, he feared what would happen. Maybe, he realized, Duskmon's not the evil one. Maybe I'm the cause of his torment, and he's not the cause of mine. This thought Kouichi found to make much sense.
"Don't be ridiculous. Why would you be hurting Duskmon? He's got no feelings."
Ignorance. Am I really like that? Kouichi began to wonder which side of him really had more faults. Was it his 'perfect' side or his 'faulty' side? He shut his eyes and drew a breath. "Regrets last a lifetime. There's no way to live a life completely without regrets, but I'll make sure to have as little as possible from now on. I'll start by ignoring you," he declared aloud, praying with all his mind that things went perfectly.
------------------------------------
Junpei drew a breath as the lion finally sat down to watch them. He didn't want to let it out, but he had to; it didn't seem reasonable to hold it. And today wasn't the day he wanted to die because he didn't want to breath. Slowly, through pursed lips, he let the air out, hoping the lion wouldn't jump.
Much to his delight, the lion just sat there, many feet directly across from Piximon, who had apparently fallen asleep. Junpei happily took out his notebook and began to make observations on the lion, writing down everything in sight. Finally, the 'A' he had been hoping for had come. Blitzmon, look at me, blitzing away!
Horrible pun, Junpei, came the response.
Junpei made a face. "And you could do much better, Blitzmon?" he asked aloud.
Blitzmon snorted, "Exactly what are you blitzing?" He stood a few feet to the side of Junpei, eyeing the lion warily.
"Hey, Blitzmon could get some help!" Tomoki realized. Beaming, the young boy turned to Blitzmon. He hadn't expected to be shot down, but became slightly desperate when the digimon shook his head and demanded, "But why?"
The digimon scowled, "Don't you know?" Tomoki shook his head and Blitzmon explained, "They say animals have quite keen vision. Even if it hasn't been to the Digital World, it probably still sees me. Oh, and I have discovered neither Kouichi nor Takuya have their D-Tectors, but that was before coming here. Izumi's unconscious as well."
"WHAT?" Junpei screamed, jumping to his feet. The lion, which had it's eyes closed was now wide-eyed and alert. Self-conscious of his mistake, Junpei clamped his mouth shut and sat back down to continue to write.
Katsuharu fanned himself. Shifting his position to be more comfortable, he declared, "If we get eaten, I'm sending Junpei a one-way ticket to hell for sure. Maybe the trip there will scare him back to his senses."
"You guys sure got yourselves in a mess!"
The boys turned their head to see a hysteric Hideki and a surprised Kouji.
"Bandana head!" Junpei cried out happily. "I've never been happier to see you!" He was about to jump to his feet when the lion let out a roar, startling everyone. Only Junpei screamed, falling back down on his bottom.
Teppei winced at the volume, plugging his ears with his hands. "Could you get any louder?" the boy grumbled.
Kouji withdrew the D-Tector and with all his might, threw it in Junpei's direction. "Digivolve, would you?" he yelled as he did. When Hideki gaped at him, Kouji returned a look of confusion and questioned, "What?"
Doing his best not to scream, Hideki hissed, "What if the D-Tector falls on the ground? And breaks?" His voice grew louder with each verbal attack.
Returning his gaze to the D-Tector, Kouji could only hope. He pushed Hideki's voice out of his head and watched as the D-Tector, almost in slow motion, made its way to the ground a few feet away from Junpei. Junpei jumped to his feet, running for his D-Tector to catch it in time. Catch it, Kouji thought, holding his breath as Junpei fingered the item. Almost...
"Got it!" Junpei yelled happily. He looked back at the lion and hastily made his way back to the other boys. "Hey Kouji!" he yelled. "What am I supposed to do with this?" It was a valid question. The lion wasn't a digimon, and nothing gave him the right to harm it.
Hideki answered him, yelling back, "Wrestle it or something! Piximon can show you where to make it go. And then seal the door shut!" He turned around at the sound of footsteps and looked back at Junpei, who was still staring at his D-Tector. "But do it fast! There are people coming!" he urged the boy.
Junpei's eyes widened as he realized what he was about to do.
Digivolve.
The feeling seemed brand new all over again. Smiling, Junpei gazed fondly at the D-Tector in his hand. "Spirit Evolution."
------------------------------------
"You're idiots, every single one of you! Why can't you just avoid all of this by not stalking me or interfering in my life in any way?" Kouichi yelled as they all walked to the exit of the zoo.
Junpei had managed to wrestle the lion back in its cage and partially seal the door before the zoo personnel came running over. Everyone else had met up in front of the lion's cage. It was about that time when Izumi had finally woken up. After going through a thorough tirade with Takuya and Shinya, Izumi told everyone that if they ever mentioned her fainting, she would make sure that once she got her D-Tector, they'd feel immense pain. Kouji completely ignored what everyone told him and Junpei continued to stare at the lion, taking notes whenever applicable. A large crowd had gathered where they were having forgotten the earlier incident.
Impatiently, Kouichi turned to Hideki. "And what were you doing here?" the boy snapped.
Hideki shrugged and replied, "I don't really have any reason to trust you, especially with your state earlier this day."
Kako, who was holding Piximon tightly in her arms, suddenly whirled around to face Kouichi. "W-wait...what was up with that? And...why do you look normal now?"
Kouichi scowled. "I was always normal!" he insisted, looking away from the eleven skeptical faces. If not, I am now.
"Right, right, whatever. Say, Kouichi, Kanaye beat you up before you went weird, right? That's what Kouji told me when we were arguing along the way," Hideki commented, pulling out his keys from his pocket. "So do you mind telling me-"
The answer came instantly as if it was a practiced reflex. "A black jewel in the hilt," Kouichi told him quickly, "and I would have told you earlier, but one, some...personal issues came up and two, you weren't around."
Hideki smiled. Chuckling, he shut his eyes. "Ah, so you fixed it?" he asked Kouichi.
"I'm trying."
Opening his eyes, Hideki clapped Kouichi on the back and said, "That won't excuse you from training, I'm afraid! We'll have an extra long lesson...tomorrow!" Noting Kouichi turned pale, Hideki burst out laughing and turned to his sister. "Come on, unless you want me to prevent you from going on anymore failed dates."
Kouichi shut his eyes and drew a shaky breath. It had been minutes since he had regained control of himself, bringing both sides of him together. He had forced it, and it wouldn't last long. There was only so much one could control. In time he knew it would come apart, but it would do for now. "Kako!" he called out. She turned around in surprise, remaining calm. "Just...consider it, okay?"
The girl opened her mouth, about to shout something back. Her eyes slipped shut and so did her mouth. A quick nod answered Kouichi, and Kako turned back around, racing after her brother, letting go of Piximon and allowing him to fly beside her.
"You know, it looks like she's Link and has a fairy!" Shinya commented.
Scowling, Takuya snapped, "Are videogames all you think about?" When Shinya nodded, he threw his hands up in the air. "I give up!" he yelled in defeat.
Shinya snickered and sent a mischievous look in the direction of Kouji and Junpei, both of which returned a thumbs-up sign. Izumi noticed this and shook her head. "Takuya, you're losing your head for no reason. He's younger than you. And don't tell me you weren't like this!" she told him, her voice stern as she said the last sentence.
The sheepish Takuya looked away in response, pointing up at the darkening sky. "Well, whaddya know!" he laughed, "It's probably about dinner time! Come on, Shinya, we have to go home!"
Everyone fell silent, watching as Shinya tripped and bumped into his brother and the two Kanbaras began to fight. Kouji sent his twin a quick glance, wondering exactly what he was thinking. Kouichi's eyes were shut, but he seemed to know exactly where he was going. A second later, they opened and he turned to his left, gazing up at the sky. "Kouji, come on, we should go," the older twin whispered softly, not bothering to wait for Kouji as he walked off.
There were no good-bye's, no sounds at all as everyone fell silent, even Takuya and Shinya. Kouji turned to them, a slight frown on his face. "You think," he told them, "I'm trying to ruin his life. Just wait and see. Let's see your judgment then." And the bandana boy ran off to catch up with Kouichi, not waiting for any of their responses.
"Methinks he be not content," Junpei said aloud in a solemn voice.
Katsuharu suddenly snorted. One could tell he was still upset about the lion. "Methinks that thou art an-"
"Katsuharu," Tomoki groaned.
Somewhat reluctantly, Katsuharu grumbled and shut his mouth. Shortly after, everyone else burst into laughter, not because of the comedy of the moment, but because they were compelled to, much as one would look over their shoulder when walking alone. But that one thought lingered in their minds, making them wonder just what was going on and if they truly grasped the importance of the situation.
------------------------------------
Kouichi walked silently beside his brother, eyes glued ahead of him. They had been silent for most of the way, but now he felt as if there was too much he held back. Without warning, Kouichi told Kouji, "I asked Kako to go to Hawaii." He turned to his brother with frantic eyes, unsure of the effect it would produce.
Silently, Kouji looked away from his brother. His heart was hammering in his chest, and he wasn't sure if he had heard properly. Swallowing, he asked, "So...you're going?"
"N-no...I asked her to take my ticket." Kouji said nothing, and the older twin looked at the ground and tried to comprehend what he was feeling. "Y-you see," he murmured quietly and quickly, "I couldn't figure out what to do with the ticket, and it wouldn't hurt would it? And about earlier today, I'm sorry. I just don't understand why I couldn't control myself, but that other side-I-"
"I know," Kouji interrupted, gazing at his brother. "I know. Hideki told us everything. I think you and Kako are probably the least informed of us all right now." A wry smile played on his lips. "Kind of strange that you two are probably the most important part of this all," he added thoughtfully.
The other boy fell silent. After a few seconds, he asked, "So you knew, then? About Duskmon, the other me...everything?" There was an edge to his voice and Kouichi knew exactly how he sounded. Bitter, angry, violent-maybe this was why he couldn't control Duskmon. "Just how much do you all know?" he inquired curiously.
Again, Kouji had that smile on. "A lot more than we bargained for."
They reached the doorstep of their house when Kouichi asked, staring up at the now starry sky, "Do you ever get the feeling that we're in a maze?"
'Samayoeru kokoro DOA wo sagashiteru
Koe ni naranai koe naze? to kurikaesu'
'Kinou ni karanda kono yubi ga hanarenai
Amai maboroshi wo ima mo shinjitsuzukeru'
"A maze?" Kouji repeated. "Well...no." He seemed to answer quickly.
'Save me kono meiro kara
Tsunagareta yami kara
Hayaku dashite yobimodoshite
Show me mou ichido dake
Torimodoshitai kara
Miushinatta hontou no watashi
Mitsukedashite yo'
Kouichi looked down, somewhat disappointed when Kouji admitted, "I don't feel like we're all in a maze. But it's just that...sometimes, when I want to know someone, I feel like I have to go through this maze just to find out. They don't want me to find them, but I feel like they'll be hurt if I don't." He inhaled slowly.
'Tozasareta mune no kagi wo sagashiteru
Anata no sono kehai chan to kanjiteru'
'Kabe no mukougawa kono negai todoku no?
Hikari ga mietara tobidashite yuku...dakara'
"But the more I find this person, the more I realize I'm jealous of them. It can't be helped. That's why I distance myself from them. 'I won't hurt them like this,' I tell myself. I go back to them again, and I'm still jealous. Then I realize the reason for the maze. It's so they can protect themselves from none other than me," Kouji whispered softly.
Kouichi shivered slightly. "Hey, Kouji...? Is that...how you felt like when you tried to get to know me?" the older twin asked tentatively. The reoccurring wave of guilt crashed him against a rock, pinning him there as it came for him again and again. His breathing pattern stopped, and Kouichi found himself holding his breath in anticipation for the answer.
'Save me kikoeteru nara
Sono te wo sashinobete
Kono mujun wo tokiakashite
Show me mou ichido dake
Ano hi no kagayaki wo
Nakushikaketa ikiru kibou wo
Omoide sasete'
It wasn't hard for Kouji to know where his brother was going. Humiliated, the bandana boy looked down. "I..." He stuttered in his own mind for a while before he had the guts to answer, "Yes. That's how I felt. That's how I feel. Anytime now, a Centaurumon could catch me."
His brother couldn't help but crack a smile. "What, with a Saggitarimon so he can demand that you hand over your obsessions?" Kouichi joked. The twins exchanged grins before walking inside. "Mom, we're home!" called out Kouichi, dropping his backpack beside the couch.
'Save me kono meiro kara
Mada akiramenaide
Watashi rashiku I want to smile again
Show you ano hi no egao
Ano hi no kagayaki wa
kitto, kanarazu todokete miseru
Anata no moto e'
Kouji regarded his brother with a smile. He couldn't give up yet. Silently, Kouji watched as his mother walked out of the kitchen and immediately embraced Kouichi, crying, though she wouldn't admit it. No, he couldn't give up. There was his goal he had to reach, and he would do anything to make sure he reached it. The stars were out, dancing along the dark night sky. Whether it was in the shadows of the day or the stars of the night, Kouji could simply not see how darkness and light were separable. This only fueled his determination. Watching as his mother walked over and gave him a quick hug as well, Kouji shut his eyes. He knew his brother was entirely confused with their mother's actions. He completely understood why Hideki had told everyone but Kako and Kouichi almost everything they needed to know. I never said I was alone in the maze, Kouichi. After all, someone's got to save you. And if they can't, I'm still going to be there to do so.
------------------------------------
A/N-
Yes, I finished! I like the last part quite a bit. Usually, I hate inserting songs, but what with the name of the chapter, the theme of the last part, and my determination to finish the chapter (and close connection with Kouji at this point. Not to mention Koda Kumi is cool), I found this song entirely appropriate, though maybe I could have switched around the verses a bit to better suit what was happening. I do not own M-A-Z-E, sung by Koda Kumi. I like the lyrics, too. The translations aren't on animelyrics(dot)com, but you can google them, unless you use some other lyrics site.
And...Thank you EVERYONE who reviewed (or PMed) last, last time! With extra bows, and many sorry's, thank you-
Ruki Minamoto, Snowy Leopardess,WithBrokenWings, PrincessYami, GemmaniGirl, The Light's Refrain
And to everyone who reviewed (or PMed) last chapter, same thing. THANK YOU, SORRY, but mostly THANK YOU-
GemmaniGirl, Catwarrior, Winter's Light, Snowy Leopardess, WithBrokenWings, Echo in the Dark, Lady Hikari-Yami, Ruki Minamoto, PrincessYami
I tell you, it wasn't easy. I didn't expect it to be. I've been reading 1984. I just finished it, and I hated the ending. It was evil. I didn't get half the plot of the book, and found a lot more amusement in The Taming of the Shrew. Who knew I could love one of Shakespeare's works so much? I'm enjoying Chem slightly (balancing equations is fairly easy) and Math's a killer as always (one hmwk behind). But I owe you guys a lot for allowing me that break. I know it takes a lot of patience to wait an entire week for a chapter, moreover a month (no I'm not asking for a month's break). If all goes well (I hope it does) I should be updating regularly. It might take a while…
I'm sorry the chapter is shorter than usual (or it seems to me) but I'm trying to…add a bit more of a point into the chapters. And signed reviewers, I'm sorry if I spam you with all the reviews I need to catch up on. Tell you what: I'll condense it into one.
Review or PM or Flame