A/N: In this one, which will features more abouit wild roses and 'brothers'. And it focuses mostly on Gabumon and Taiki's point of view. So please enjoy.
Chapter 3: Roses and brothers:
Now we finally come to the 12th cycle where our story begins. And there are some interesting events that happened also.
In the gardens of the digital world, Joe, Gomamon, Matt, Gabumon and Koji were walking through it on their way back to Alice. Suddenly, Gomamon spotted something on the ground and calls the gang to stop. There was a single red rose lying on the ground.
"Hey look!" Gomamon said to Joe and the others "Flowers are still blooming here, even in a place like this."
"In a place like this?" Koji asked "It must probably be put here. Could be some sort of trap."
"I'll be a judge of that, Koji, and if it was a trap, it's a clever one" Joe said as he bent down and picked up the flower "Hmm… it's perfectly safe alright."
"A flower huh?" Matt said as he looked at it "It's a rare sight alright. This bloom-what is it called, Joe?"
"The name of the flower, Matt?" Joe said as he adjust his glasses "I am no expert on flowers or anything but I think it's a wild rose."
'It's just a stupid rose' Koji thought in disgust 'Where did he get wild rose from? He's making stuff up now…'
"Wild rose?" Gabumon asked in bewilderment.
"Yeah, so I thought. Why ask, Gabumon?" Joe asked.
"Nothing" Gabumon said "It's just...I just feel like I've heard those words somewhere before. It's so frustrating. As if the memory is just out of reach..."
Matt understood and then has an idea "Hey, Joe. Why not let Gabumon hold on to it?"
"M…May I?" Gabumon asked in surprise.
"Good idea, Matt" Joe said "Maybe it might pull some memories out of hiding. Here you go, Gabumon, don't drop it now." And he held out the flower.
Gabumon reached out his hand and accepted the rose. "Thank you, Joe."
"Yeah, don't expect dinner and a date" Gomamon joked. "Okay, let's rest up here and... where is everyone anyway?"
They were all alone. The others did not come.
"Good question. We'll see what's keeping them. They can't be too far. Let's go, Gabumon" Matt said as he and his digimon ran off.
"Thanks, Matt!" Joe called "And don't forget to come back!" He then turned to Koji who looked on in distrust.
'Wild rose' Koji thought 'He got Matt and Gabumon believing it.' He then saw Joe looking at him "What?"
"You know, Matt and Gabumon's pretty interesting a lot right?" Joe said.
"Interesting?" asked Koji.
"All of different digidestined and digimon are" Gomamon said "You guys are Froniters right and you became digimon by merging with your digivices. The DATS used their data from their body to make their digimon digivolve. The tamers can digivolve with cards and Taiki's digimon can use machines to make him stronger. Oh, yeah, Taiki's digimon? He sure wasn't happy when I put a fish in his mouth. He really hates fish huh?"
Koji looked shocked as Gomamon said that. 'You put a fish in his mouth?'
"Think about it, we'd never have met these people if all this hadn't happened. Gotta take the chance to get to know 'em. Yep, expand our horizontals" Joe said.
'Horizontals?' Koji thought 'I think he means horizons?'
"Well, you're kind of a mystery yourself. Especially since you barely string more than three words together, Koji. How do you expect to make friends?" Gomamon asked.
There was silent before Koji said "This is a battlefield. Why do I need to make friends? Why get to know one and another when we all gonna head back to our own worlds anyway?"
"Oh please, you can't be serious!" Joe said "For a child like you, that seem naïve."
"Yeah, I mean 'if it's not forever, there's no point of getting close to anyone'" Gomamon said doing an impression of Koji's voice.
'That's not what I meant' Koji thought.
"Listen. Even if we lived in the same world, there'd come a time when life would pull us apart. It's not a reason to avoid people. Even if it's someone you love more than life itself, that time will come. There's no guarantee you'll even get to say good bye. But before that happens, you get to be together, right? You can't just waste all that potential for a rewarding relationship. Koji! Do you see what I'm saying? You gotta forget about the stuff you can't change and enjoy the now" Joe said as he and Gomamon said before walking off "What I am trying to say is, let's try and get along alright?"
Koji looked at him and stares. 'This guy has got serious problems' he thought.
Koji is not the only one who has trouble with others. On a train heading towards Alice's place, Taiki and Shoutmon are sitting opposite Keenan and Falcomon, who both seem down in the dumps.
"Hey, is something wrong? You seem down today" Shoutmon said "Actually, you've been kinda down for a while now. If you've got a problem, just spit it out."
Truth was, Taiki and Shoutmon were bothering Keenan and Falcomon all day, thinking they were little kids so Taiki and Shoutmon decided to become their 'big brothers' which was driving them mad. One day, they were training with Tai and Agumon where Taiki and Shoutmon showed up again. They both sighed annoyed.
"Wait… don't tell us" Taiki said "You still over the other day. Training gettin' a little rough for ya? You gotta let that stuff go."
Keenan went silent again as the train rode across the rails. Taiki nodded and sat up and walked across him.
"By the way I've see it, sometimes you gotta lose" Taiki said.
"Huh?" Keenan looked dumbfounded.
"You hafta take some falls before you can grow up. Once you're older, then you can show that guy who's boss. And when that time comes, you'll have no trouble taking anything he can throw at you" Taiki said.
Keenan groaned as he heard it. Taiki thinks he's much older than Keenan think he is just a kid while he just a kid himself. "Taiki…"
"Hey, just keep that in mind that's all he's saying" said Shoutmon "So feeling better now."
"You two really don't get it do you?" Falcomon said but just then, Joe, Gomamon and Koji walked up.
"Aaah… look at you two, always thick as children. It's almost like you're almost brothers or something" said Joe.
"You got it all wrong, Joe" Taiki said "We're not almost like brothers, but exactly like them, right?" he turned to Keenan as he did. But Keenan groaned again.
As Joe, Taiki, Shoutmon and Gomamon left the coach, Keenan stood up.
"These two are clueless aren't there, Keenan?" Falcomon said.
"Sucks to be us huh?" Koji said.
"You know" Keenan said, "I'll think I'll get used to this. When you're stuck with a brother like that, what else can you do?"
Meanwhile, Gabumon was searching all over an area looking for something. Matt just stood there, watching the distance.
"Oh man, where did it go? Matt, have you…" Gabumon began.
"Found it. He has it" Matt said looking in the distance.
Gabumon turned to the distance and sighed "I suppose... I suppose I should just let it go, huh?"
"Matt! Gabumon!" came a voice as a boy walked over to them. He wore a cap, goggles, red jacket, yellow shirt and shorts "Is something the matter?"
"Takuya" Matt said addressing the boy.
"Err… no. It's nothing" Gabumon said.
"Your expression tells a different tale" Takuya said as he looked at the distance to see two figures. One is a teen with yellow flat hair and wore a green shirt and white trousers. Next to him is a young blue akita-like dog digimon who wears a red scarf tied around his head and a pair of large red boxing gloves "You were staring at Thomas and Gaomon. Is it about them?"
"Well, Gabumon is mostly looking at Gaomon" Matt said smirking.
"No, not exactly, I…" said Gabumon.
"Heh. He's just to shy to start a conversation" Matt teased.
"Matt! This has nothing to do about being shy!" Gabumon said embarrassed.
"HEY! THOMAS! GAOMON!" Takuya called to the distance towards Thomas and Gaomon.
"N-No, don't call them over!" Gabumon stuttered.
Both Thomas and Gaomon turned to them.
"It seem that Gabumon would like to speak to you, Gaomon!" Takuya called "Would you be so kind?"
"Does he now?" Thomas called "we'll be right with you!" And both walked over to them.
"With me?" Gaomon said "What is it, Gabumon?"
"Well, that is…" Gabumon said, very worried.
"What?" Thomas asked Gabumon.
"Err… guys… I would prefer to discuss this with Gaomon alone" Gabumon said but then realized what he said and looked embarrassed "Ah! Oh dear! It's not what you think…"
"No problem, OK?" Thomas said "come on, guys. Let's go."
The humans walked away leaving the digimon alone.
"Gaomon… I need to talk to you" Gabumon said.
Gaomon crosses his arms. "You know, I'm starting to wonder if you ever will. Spit it out already!"
"Well, you see… you picked up something of mine" said Gabumon.
"You mean this?" Gaomon said as he held up the wild rose, the same flower Joe gave Gabumon.
"Uh, yes! I'm so glad you haven't thrown it away" Gabumon said relieved.
"So it's yours huh?" Gaomon said "Why didn't you just tell me?"
"You're right, of course. I wasn't sure how to ask. I mean, a grown digimon asking for his flower back... feels a little silly" Gabumon said.
Gaomon chuckled and said "Never would have guessed it belonged to you. Here, take it then".
He held out the flower and Gabumon took it back. "Thank you. Thank goodness" he said relieved.
"Tell me something" Gaomon said "That's flower important to you, right?"
"Yes of course" Gabumon said nervously "Well, I couldn't say for certain. Roses are not exactly my field of expertise. However, when I heard the name of the flower spoken, I felt a connection. Like hearing the name of a long lost group or friends. I've been unable to forget about it since... Hah! Listen to me. Matt's digimon and his precious rose."
"Then you should hang on to it. It might be the key you need. Who cares what other people think." Gaomon said shocking Gabumon. "Just promise me one thing. Once you have all your memories back, can you give it back to me?"
"What?" Gabumon asked, surprised that Gaomon liked flowers too.
"That flower... I think it means something to me too. I keep seeing an image of its petals dancing in the air. That's why I couldn't throw it away. Just like you, I feel the connection but don't have the memories to explain it" Gaomon said.
"Then it's a key to both of us" said Gabumon understanding.
Gaomon turned away to go after the others not before saying "So like I said, you hold onto it. Keep it safe for me will you, Gabumon?" And he walks off.
"I will" Gabumon said "I promise."
And he goes off to find Matt.
Meanwhile, there are some betrayal going on in Diaboromon's side.
To be continued…
No, there is no yaoi to this so this is just a friendly conversation between Gabumon and Gaomon. Next, there is the Marcus chapter.