Chapter 7 Recap
"Hey guys!" I greeted them cheerfully.
"Zoe! Kouji!" the others swarmed around us excitedly.
"Did you find the Crests?" Kouichie asked us. We exchanged amused smirks.
"We found a little more than just Crests." Kouji hinted, sharing a brief smirk with myself as they looked towards us in anticipation.
Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, but I do own Dick and Zelena.
AN: This may get a little mushy and dramatic. I apologize in advance.
CHAPTER 8
"Come on in guys!" I hollered for Zelena and the others to enter. I wish I had a camera with me so I could capture the shocked and dumbfounded looks on either parties' faces.
For a moment, no one moved, then a massive outbreak of sound occurred and either side converged on the other. Takuya and Shinya noisily demanded why and how the other was there and various other things before Takuya got him in a headlock, playfully giving him a noogie. Yutaka and Tommy exchanged greetings slightly better than their cousins, briefly and simultaneously demanding how the other was there before Tommy laughed and caught his brother in a hug. JP was shocked to see Yutaka and Dick, and Dick finally had someone whom he could ask questions and wouldn't lose their patience or temper so easily. Once everyone settled down, we did formal introductions.
Tommy reminded us about the chest filled with the sets of clothes and cloaks for the other, and I decided now was as good a time as any to hand them out.
Yutaka wore light gray pants with the pant legs bunched into a pair of below the knee black boots, a violet collared shirt that buttons half-way down chest but there are no buttons holding the two parts together, just a silver clasp at the base of the neck, and long sleeves; light teal vest with emerald green and red designs around the edge and 3 silver clasps holding the loose, sleeveless vest together.
Dick had on a pair of dark gray pants with the pant legs bunched into a pair of below the knee black boots a dark brown collared shirt that buttons half-way down chest but there are no buttons holding the two parts together, just a gold clasp at the base of the neck, and long sleeves; light green vest with burgundy and gold designs around the edge and 3 gold clasps holding the loose, sleeveless vest together.
Shinya is wearing a pair of gray pants with the pant legs bunched into a pair of below the knee black boots, a rust-colored collared shirt that buttons half-way down chest but there are no buttons holding the two parts together, just a gold clasp at the base of the neck, and the sleeves are short; light blue vest with light indigo designs around the edge and 3 gold clasps holding the loose, sleeveless vest together.
Lastly, Zelena had on a Tea length Dress, with a slim-fitting corset-like top, and a skirt that reasonably flared out from her waist to just below the knees, without looking like a poufy mess. The corset was a shade of mint green so light, it practically looked white and it was meant to be worn over the dress rather than under. The top of the dress, the part that could be seen from above the corset and up, was a short sleeved, rounded high-collared shirt, with a gold circle pendent holding the collar closed, right at the base of her neck. The shirt was pretty ravenclaw blue color that was the same shade of blue that made up the large flowers along the bottom of the skirt. The skirt itself was a brilliant shade of turquoise, trimmed in silver. Lastly, there was a cropped, sleeveless dark green vest trimmed in sea blue and gold, a pair of black flats to wear and a black Cloak trimmed in gold and sea blue. Her strawberry-blonde hair was plaited and wrapped around her head.
After all four had changed into the clothes gifted to us by the occupants of Breezy Village, short introductions were made between all ten of us for the sake of those who weren't familiar with some of us. Zelena was the last to introduce herself.
"'ello, my name is Zelena Ikari Orimoto-Ishida, but you may call me Lena. I am Zola's older twin sister, and apparently, I 'ave 'ze spirits of water." She smiled at the guys, not many consciously heard Lena call me by my birth name, but the twins did, go figure.
"Again I ask…Zola?" Kouji asked extremely confused.
"Our mother is Italian, and values her culture and background greatly while our dad who is Japanese also greatly values his background and heritage. So to reach a compromise, our first names are classic Italian names and our middle names are Japanese." I explained.
"So how did you get Zoe from Zola? We thought that was just how you shortened Izumi?" JP asked just as confused as Kouji.
"W'en we were younger, I couldn't pronounce Zola and Zoe could not pronounce Zelena. So our Papa came up with nicknames for us to use. 'E told Zoe to call me Lena, and 'e 'ad me call 'er Zoe. It worked out well enough, and 'as obviously stuck all 'zese years." She shrugged nonchalantly.
"And the accent?" Dick rudely asked.
"Dude! That's rude, you don't ask people that!" Takuya berated him.
"No wonder people call him Dick..." I muttered under my breath to my sister, boyfriend and his twin, all of whom chuckled.
"No, no, it's alright. I 'ave been in an all-gril French private boarding school for 'ze last 'alf of my life, and being around 'ze French 24/7 for almost 7 straight years, you tend to pick up a 'zing or two 'zat become increasingly more difficult to let go of as time passes. Accents being one of 'zose 'zings."
"So, exactly how many languages do you know?" Shinya asked with his eyebrow raised.
"Well, Zola and I both know Italian and Japanese, and English as well since our grandparents live in New York."
"But Lena also knows French from her time at the boarding school, and I know German because my parents and I spent a year abroad there when I was 13 for our father's job."
"You guys are each fluent in four different languages?!" the guys all exclaimed at once. We winced and slightly reeled back at the volume of their combined voices and gave them an annoyed look.
"Well w'at do you expect us to do w'en we go to o'zer countries? Draw pictures or play charades and 'ope 'zey figure out w'at we are trying to say?" Lena deadpanned with one eyebrow raised.
"Plus, we were born in Japan, moved to Italy when we were four and stayed there for three years, then spent a year in America, came back to Japan for another two years, returned to Italy for a year, then Lena went to France and I came back to Japan when we turned 11. Lena's been in France for almost 7 years, and I spent one year abroad in Germany when I was 13, followed by another year in Italy, and then returned to Japan when I was 15." Dick and Shinya were the only ones who seemed surprised, and slightly overwhelmed, by this information, seeing as Tommy and Yutaka are Lena's and my cousins, and the others I've known for almost 7 years.
"You know, there are people twice your age who would kill to just visit one other country, but the two of you have been to three other countries." Dick stated matter of factly.
"Oui, we know, 'zat is w'y we try so 'ard to learn 'ze languages of 'ze o'zer countries we visit, so 'zat we do not need to rely on a translator or 'ave to worry about botching 'ze o'zer dialects."
"So Lena, are you going to stay in France, or come back to Japan for your last year of high school?" Yutaka asked her.
"I 'ave not decided yet. 'Zer is an opportunity available for me to transfer, but I 'ave been in France for so long, 'zat Japan will seem foreign to me."
"You know that isn't something you should worry about Lena, I will be there for you always." I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and smiled comfortingly at her.
"And you have all of us too, we won't let you get in too much trouble." Takuya winked at her, and I swear I saw a hint of pink light up her ears and cheeks. I nudged her and stared imploringly at her, raising my eyebrows suggestively and discreetly nodding in his direction when she looked at me confusedly. Her immediate reaction was a furious pink blush that started crawling up her neck and lighting up her cheeks and ears more obviously. She looked down and away in embarrassment, tucking a stray strand of strawberry-blonde hair behind her ear. I smirked knowingly, her actions being the only answer I needed to my wordless question. Looks like someone has a crush on the big egotistical, irrational, sometimes annoying, but always caring, leader.
We all talked and exchanged banter for the rest of the afternoon, on through dinner and into the night, before we finally started breaking off to get some sleep. JP and Dick were the first to go, falling asleep on the south-west side of the dais. Yutaka, Tommy and Shinya were next, taking up the North-west and North sides of the Dais in that order. Kouichie was next, falling asleep on the South-east side of the dais. Lastly, Takuya, Lena, myself and Kouji joined the group of sleeping warriors, taking up the remaining space on the remaining space on the North to East side of the Dais, Takuya next to his brother and Kouji next to his, with my sister and I caged in between them. Kouji was spooning my back both of us laying on our left sides. His left arm was tucked under his head like a pillow and his right secured me closely to his body. I laid my right hand on top of his, our fingers intertwining, and my left arm was extended towards my sister with my left hand holding onto Zelena's left, as she slept on her right side facing me, Takuya close behind, but not physically touching, her.
The next morning I woke up before the others and made the breakfast fire and prepped the meat apples to be cooked. The others slowly woke up due to the smell of the food, and gathered around the fire, each person clambering into their respective thrones. We discussed what our next course of action should be as we ate our breakfast of meat flavored fruit on a stick.
"I think it would be a good idea if I went out to secure the rest of the maze, or at least the entrance near Breezy Village." I told them in a no-nonsense manner.
"By yourself?" Yutaka frowned at me. I nodded my head in answer.
"Absolutely not." He immediately argued.
"Oh? And pray tell me why not." I argued back stubbornly.
"You could get attacked, or hurt, or something else and we wouldn't know." He tried to argue.
"That's ridiculous, there is no way I could get hurt in my own magic maze." I deadpanned, "I mean, the whole thing is made from magic that answers solely to me."
"I still don't think it's a good idea."
"It is actually, I need to make sure the entrance located near Breezy Village hasn't been breached and I also need to strengthen the wards that prevent enemies from finding or entering the maze." I urged them, "without the wards, the Demon Lords will be able to find the entrances to the maze, and they will be able to use their attacks to put a hole in the barrier preventing them from entering…then it won't matter if the wards are up or not, or if the walls have magic, if the DL's enter the maze they will find us and they will attack us, and I can't honestly say we will all survive. I am going alone and that is final." I stood up from the group and walked away to where I placed my things the night before. Moments later I was joined by Kouji, Kouichie, and Zelena.
"This is ridiculous, arguing is only prolonging my departure, and giving the Demon Lords more time to find the entrances." I threw my belongings in my satchel in a fit of annoyed rage. Lena and Kouichie frowned at my actions and Kouji just stared at me.
"He only argued with you because he's our older cousin and he cares." Zelena spoke softly.
"I know, but it's frustrating! I've been here before, he hasn't! I know what the risks are, im not stupid nor am I ignorant. I also know what could happen if I don't try to strengthen the wards. If the Demon Lords find and attack us now, when four of us don't even know how to use the spirits and we haven't activated any of the Crests, we will easily lose, and our defeat, could mean the end of all of the Digital Worlds plus the Real World, and I am not willing to risk that, I'm not! Not, when I have to capability of doing something about it." I looked at the three of them in despair
"Do you promise to be careful?" Kouji interjected immediately
"What?" I asked, confused by the whiplash of the topic change.
"If you go alone, do you promise to be careful? Because I have to be honest with you Zoe, the thought of you leaving the group and going out there alone to possibly face a Demon Lord alone terrifies me." He kept his gaze locked with mine, holding tightly to my hands. I squeezed his hands gently and smiled softly.
"I'm not immune to fear, leaving on my own and the prospects of battle laid before me scares me too…But the thought of leaving you and my sister in danger, when I have the chance to do something to protect you both, terrifies me more than any fear I could have for myself." Zelena took one of my hands in her own, effectively catching my attention.
"Just, promise you'll come back, to us, safely in one piece." She asked me, looking urgently into my eyes. I glimpsed at Kouji to see his jaw tightened and his mouth in a grim line, he already knew my answer. I smiled sadly at them both, squeezing their hands, then letting go.
"You know I can't promise that, Zelena." I whispered softly, wrapping an arm around each of them. Zelena's arms tightened around my waist as she buried her head in my shoulder crying softly. Kouji wrapped an arm tightly around my upper back and shoulders, the other anchored my head towards his. His eyes were closed as he placed a long kiss on my head, his hand on my cheek shook the slightest bit, and his eyelashes glimmered with the hint of a couple tears. When he finished, he buried his head in my hair and inhaled my scent long and deeply. I bowed my head to wrest against their shoulders to stifle my sobs. After a moment or two longer, we all three pulled back at the same time, exchanging looks of sorrow and devotion.
Kouichie and JP were the next two to hug me goodbye, each one tightly hugging me and demanding promises I couldn't give. Takuya was next. We exchanged one glance, before I threw myself in my honorary brother's arms and cried softly into his shoulder.
"I'm coming back, I'm coming back." I whispered over and over again, to reassure, though whether the reassurance was meant for him or myself, I couldn't tell. He sadly smiled at me, tears at the corner of his eyes, and whispered back "I know."
Tommy was next, picking me up like a ragdoll and crushing me to his body, visibly crying, not even bothering to hide it. I shushed him and ran my hands through his hair in a comforting manner similar to how a mother would calm her child. I've always held a tender, motherly spot in my heart for my younger cousin.
Dick stood off to the side of the room awkwardly, not entirely sure how to approach the situation. I smiled at him as I wiped my tears and told him he better protect my family while I was gone. He merely nodded his head and bowed at the waist, promising me he would protect my family until I came back. And I believed him.
Shinya hugged me next, in that awkward way that only teenaged boys can.
"Don't give your brother such a hard time," I told him softly but sternly, placing my hands on his shoulders, forcing him to look me in the eyes. "He's our leader for a reason and most of the time he means well, he just doesn't always get it right the first or second or even fifth time, but he's persistent and stubborn, and he eventually succeeds in his endeavors. Make sure he watches out for my sister, but don't let him do anything inappropriate." He nodded in reply.
Yutaka was the last to say goodbye. He had a frown on his face that told exactly what he thought of my plan.
"You don't have to like my plan 'Taka, you don't even have to be okay with it, you just have to deal with it. This is happening with or without your consent, but id at least like your support." I looked at him with uncertainty, unsure if he would ever forgive me for this.
"You're right, I don't have to like this plan, nor do I have to be okay with it," he paused for a moment and I looked down to the grown dejectedly, "But you're wrong if you think for even a moment that I would ever stop supporting you in anything you do, just because I don't like it or agree with it." He finished in a very serious voice. I looked up quickly at him in astonishment, then quickly wrapped him up in a hug, thanking him through my teary voice. He hugged me softly in reply.
After I finished all of my goodbyes, I met Kouji one last time by the doors to the chamber. We embraced for a couple moments, my head burrowed in the crock of his neck as he rubbed my back soothingly. He kissed the top of my head then pulled back to look at me, and proceeded to kiss me on the lips in a tender way that left butterflies in my stomach and made my toes curl in pleasurable bliss.
"If I'm not back within 24 hours, the chamber will unlock a hidden door with a secret passage that will lead directly to Seraphimon's palace. Take the others and go, don't stop, don't turn back, just go quickly and quietly. Make sure everyone leaves, knock someone out and drag them if you have to, but do not let anyone stay behind. When the secret door opens, the main doors to the chamber will be permanently locked from everyone including myself, and the chamber will disappear. Promise me you won't let anything happen to Zelena or yourself." I pleaded with him with my eyes.
"You know I can't promise that nothing will happen to me." He smiled sadly at me. I nodded my head in understanding, tears brimming at my lashes. I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand, smiled softly at him, whispered "good-bye" then kissed his cheek. I stepped back from his arms and walked the rest of the distance to the doors, pushed them opened, looked behind me one last time, trying to memorize their faces in my mind's eye, smiled, then stepped outside the chamber. I closed the doors behind me, locking them with magic, thus preventing anyone from entering or exiting the chamber, and whispered softly to myself, "I'm coming back…I know."
AN: PLEASE REVIEW! Flames accepted...