A/N: Hey guys! I hope this makes sense more than the last one. I think I did that one on a lack of sleep. Not fun.

3-6

Takeru looks up at his brother, somewhat with trepidation. He doesn't like that look at all. It's like Hikari-san before the first time Bastemon happened and they were all nearly ripped apart or drained or whatever could have happened. Hikari-san had the same look in her eyes as his big brother does now.

"Onii-chan?"

Yamato didn't answer him at first. He just smiled, the expression unfamiliar. "Don't worry, Takeru. Everything's fine."

When Taichi yelps again from the sheer chill of the ice, scrambling away into WarGreymon's grasp, Takeru decides that everything most certainly is not fine and squirms from his brother's arms. He bolts without thinking and charges farther into the gloom. Pinocchimon cackles with utter triumph and disappears. Yamato moves to race after Takeru but Taichi stands in the way.

"No," he says. The high voice is complete calm, his arms are crossed over his chest. "Leave him alone. You're scaring him."

Yamato thinks he could just throw the little kid over his shoulder and keep walking. He's just a kid, he can't do anything. "I need to keep Takeru safe." He says it like it's one of the cardinal rules of life.

Unfortunately, Yagami Taichi has never been good with rules on a general principle.

"Sora can do that," he says, waving a tiny hand, like it's not a big deal. Before Yamato or Sora can protest, she goes, because really, the kid's right. Taichi glances at MetalGarurumon, who is regarding WarGreymon like a mat to pounce on. "I'm not letting your near your brother with that dumb look on your face," he continues, as though he is suddenly a leader, as though he's not just a jumped up little kid in big clothes with goggles on.

"You Yagami like to get on my nerves," Yamato says, and he shakes a little, somewhat with rage, somewhat with revulsion. "You think you're always right, huh?"

Taichi snorts, and the noise is weird, not a little kid noise. "I don't think you want me near Nee-chan right now, so i won't let you near Takeru while you're scaring him! Friends protect each other from the people who can hurt them!" He bends his knees and that is Yamato's only warning before he's knocked over. The little boy's eyes are a bit manic, but they lack fear, and Yamato decides not to hold back.

If this kid won't let him near Takeru, he'll fight to get there. He doesn't like this, he doesn't want to do this, but what choice does he have?

Hikari watches this overhead. Her blue-green eyes flicker red and she touches her head with the back of the scythe.

"Oh, don't mind me," she whispers. "I just want to play a little."