Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

The Dreamer

Chapter: 7

Takato busily wrote down notes as Ms. Asagi droned on about last class's reading assignment. The one that Takato had forgotten to do, and had been unable to complete despite his best efforts, and that of his friends as they helped him that morning. As much as Takato hated to admit it, there was something to be said about the timeliness for the completion of homework assignments and not leaving things 'till the last minute. Takato shuddered mentally as he recalled Ms. Asagi's withering frown as she approached his desk and had found him not only without a completed homework, but a lack of knowledge on the subject at hand.

Needless to say, detention became the buzzword for the day, complete with an essay on 'Importance of Doing Homework'.

Takato sighed dejectedly as he wrote down more notes, knowing that each and every bit of them was going to be important for him if he was going to ace the quiz that was coming up for the class tomorrow. The timing couldn't have been better Takato noted sarcastically. One day to study, and a good chunk of it was going to be lost spending it here at school, learning about other things. Well, it wasn't as though he worried that he was going to fail the test. The story itself was actually pretty easy to memorize, but it did bother him a little that the quiz was coming down on him so soon and he just wasn't as ready for it as he had been on other occasions.

At least Kazu's stopped complaining, thought Takato with a small smile. The way he was going on you'd think that the world was coming to an end. Come to think of it, he'd probably welcome another attempt at it. If only because he'd get out of school to help the rest of us deal with whatever digimon or evil program it was that was attempting to do such a thing…again. And then he'd complain about how the school wasn't destroyed in the ensuing chaos…

Takato chuckled lightly remembering Kazu's reaction upon finding that Shinjuku elementary hadn't been demolished during the many battles against D-Reaper and its agents. It was rather interesting that the school escaped unscathed when everything else had either been demolished or had a huge gaping hole in it (usually courtesy of MegaGargomon's missiles, a missed Lightning Joust from Gallantmon, or Justimon's Thunder Clap as it tore up the streets, and if failing that there was also the agents that went about wrecking havoc). It lent a bizarre, almost mystical quality to the school that had twice been used as a shelter for the Tamers. Though for those who attended said school it seemed more like a personal joke played on them by fate or fortune, though whatever that joke was it had definitely gone over their heads.

Takato paused in his writing to glance over his notes to make sure that he had everything that he needed and that he had gotten them right before resuming once again, matching the strict pace that his teacher set for the class with the ease of long practice. As he did so, his mind drifted, tugged by the winds of his subconscious where he eventually came to rest on a certain girl with brown hair, a small pigtail on one side of her head, and soft, warm amber eyes that at times, more often then not these past few months, enchanted him…

Jeri…

Takato jerked suddenly as he realized that he had been staring in reality at said girl in addition to what was going on in his brain, and as warmth flooded his face Takato looked away and back down at his notes. After a second he glanced back up at Jeri. She was firmly focused on the teacher at the front of the class. Apparently she hadn't noticed him staring as he had feared.

That would be embarrassing, thought Takato as he went back to his notes and attempted to catch up with the teacher. However, his efforts were presently made futile by the fact that having caught himself the way he did had brought forth a large amount of emotions that left him with an increasing feeling of warmth and a nervousness that made his heart beat a harsh rhythm in his chest. Taking a deep, calming breath, Takato closed his eyes and counted to three. Upon reopening his eyes Takato glanced once more at Jeri before returning his gaze back to the chalkboard. Takato's expression fell a little as he thought about the brown haired girl, remembering how she had wanted to see him after school to talk to him. About what he didn't know, and that worried him. Actually, the way that she had been acting since asking him about that disconcerted him entirely. She seemed uncertain about something. Worried to by the way she sounded though about what he couldn't tell for sure. She had been acting rather oddly ever since he had first invited her to go Cherry Blossom watching with him

I don't understand what it was that got her to act like this, thought Takato glumly as he absently scribbled in his notebook, a picture already beginning to form when he had sworn upon entering class that that was the last thing that he was going to do in school today. She told me that it wasn't anything that I did, so why do I feel that whatever it is that's bothering her is about me? Maybe I'm just being paranoid…

Takato's mind, ever at work with its mysterious, imaginative workings, was already conjuring up a series of memories from conversations that he had with his father, Kazu, and a short, pointed remark from Terriermon on a brief discussion about girls, none of which had ever really been comforting to him even though for his father, and to some extent Kazu as well, comfort had been their primary agenda. Takahiro's version was not quite the sage knowledge that the elder Matsuki had been trying to make it out to be as his words were occasionally punctuated by half uncertain glances at his wife as she eavesdropped on the conversation in a way that made the man sweat. Kazu, under no such pressure had put it much more bluntly after he had told him how Jeri had wanted to go home on her own. Kazu was affirmed in the belief that at any time that a person of the female persuasion said that whatever was bothering them wasn't the guy's fault, it most definitely was. The fact that Kazu's experience with girls up to this point consisted of hanging out with Rika and Jeri, as well as the occasional argument with his fellow classmates Ayaka and Miki was not lost on Takato. It wasn't lost on Kenta either, and the bespectacled boy had derided Kazu for his lack of experience in emotional relationships outside of friendship with the Tamers and the partnership that he had with Guardromon.

Kazu of course, as humble as he was, insisted that in spite of his lack of experience in the field he was just as qualified to give advice as the next guy. Not that his advice was reassuring.

I'm just glad that I didn't tell him about Rika walking me home, thought Takato glumly as his rough doodle began to take shape. Since he wouldn't leave me alone about my actually defeating her in a card game, I imagine that if he knew about that I'd never hear the end of it.

Oddly, Takato's mind hung on that thought, and in an odd twist attempted to connect it with Jeri's current attitude towards him. In a brief moment of recollection the brown haired boy remembered a time at the Hanami festival when Rika and Jeri had disappeared into a clump of Sakura trees; Rika looking somewhat irritated about something while Jeri looked concerned. Takato's pencil paused on the paper and he frowned at his doodle as the memory hovered in his mind like a raindrop hanging off of a leaf. A second later Takato discarded the thought and reversed his pencil, setting about to erase his drawing. It was a nondescript piece of art, crudely resembling a girl wearing a wide brimmed hat (if he could even call it that). He didn't really know why he had been drawing it to begin with, but now seemed like a good time to get rid of it before Ms. Asagi caught him drawing in class again. He didn't want to have another essay on the importance of paying attention to go along with the one that he was already going to be writing once school let out. When it came to that sort of thing, Ms. Asagi could be brutal…

Takato had just pressed the eraser end of his pencil to the drawing when a folded up piece of paper flopped down in front of him. Blinking in surprise Takato hesitated, staring at it in confusion before he heard some giggling from a couple rows over. Looking up carefully Takato saw Jeri looking at him from the corner of her eye while her friends Ayaka and Miki attempted to stifle their laughter. Smiling, and blushing lightly as well, Takato felt a small bit of relief flood his mind as he carefully unfolded the paper and began read what the note said.

He got as far as Takato when he realized that the sound of Ms. Asagi's writing on the chalkboard had stopped completely, and was replaced by the steady rhythm of her shoes clicking upon the ground.

Takato's eyes went bug wide and frantically he looked up at the cool expression on his teacher's face as she made her way towards his desk. There was no way out of this one. He couldn't hide the note without her noticing and…Takato felt his heart pick up even more as he remembered the doodle that he still had sitting in his notebook. That was also in plain sight! It looked like he was going to get a two for the price of one deal, and Jeri was going down with him.

Aw nuts…

Ms. Asagi approached his desk with smooth, measured steps. Each click of her shoes on the tiled floor almost perfectly emphasized by the growing silence of the room as the students watched her go, their sound reminding Takato a little of the way Rika's feet had sounded when he had caught her singing the day before Hanami. Never before had he wished that a digimon would bio-emerge and start wrecking havoc somewhere in the city. It would at least give him the perfect excuse to get out of Dodge. Nonetheless, fortune did not favor Takato that day, and within three more steps, Ms. Asagi loomed over the poor Tamer like some kind of Giant out of Norse lore. His doom was sealed.

"Well Takato," said Ms. Asagi in a voice that was much too calm for Takato's liking. It made him break out in a cold sweat. "I can see that you have something going on here that seems to be far more interesting to you then the assignment you were supposed to read last night. Would you care to share with us what that might be?"

Takato felt his face heating up, but the temperature of his body was offset by the cold perspiration that crawled down his back, making him shiver a little as he fought to beat back his embarrassment.

"Um…no Ms. Asagi," Takato stuttered, feeling his heart rate increase exponentially. He wondered if she was going to take Jeri's note and read it at the front of the class. She didn't seem like the type of teacher who would, but one could never know for sure. This was Ms. Asagi after all.

Ms. Asagi, not looking the least bit amused, held out her hand, the gesture carrying as much weight as Yamaki, the man whom he unofficially worked for. Sighing in defeat, Takato handed the note to her (while at the same time, making sure that his doodle was also covered so as to avoid further trouble with his teacher). Ms. Asagi glanced at the piece of paper and raised an eyebrow in bemusement and…was that a small ghost of a smile tugging at the corners of her lips? Takato, in his exasperated mental condition could not tell. He already had enough on his mind as it was.

Ms. Asagi finally folded the piece of paper up and stuck it in her blouse's left pocket before looking back at Takato with the unreadable, stone expression that was her trademark.

"Let me remind you one more time Takato, and the same goes to all of you, that the school rules do not smile upon the passing of notes to other students. I don't think I need to remind you of the reasons thereof but just so we're clear it serves as a distraction from learning. You can have this back at the end of the day Takato. After you finish your essay on the 'Importance of Doing Homework'."

Takato groaned inwardly as he slumped down in his desk, already feeling the weight of the day's hours on his young shoulders.

"Yes Ms. Asagi."

"So tell me Jeri," said Kazu that afternoon as the Tamers, minus one Takato, exited the front doors of Shinjuku elementary and made their way towards the gates. "That whole business with you passing a note to Takato earlier today; was that your attempt to get in trouble so that Ms. Asagi could give you detention with him? Pretty slick I've gotta say…"

Jeri blushed deeply as she pulled the schoolbooks that she had been holding closer to her.

"I-It's not like that…at least, I didn't intend it to be that way…"

"Your crazier then a Fruit Bat Jeri," chuckled Kazu. "C'mon, everyone knows that you two are crazy about each other. Fess up! It'll be easier for you if you do. At least then you'd have Kenta and me trying to help hook you two up instead of just teasing you about it."

"Yeah," said Kenta with a laugh as he rubbed the back of his head. "The way you two act around each other it's pretty obvious. And it wasn't all that long ago that Kazu and I were helping Takato get the courage to ask you if you wanted to watch the Sakura blossoms with him…"

Henry raised an eyebrow and smiled slightly at the puppet-loving girl who was presently blushing a deep, crimson color as they neared the school's gates.

"Somehow I'm pretty sure that Jeri and Takato don't need any encouragement…"

"I don't know about that Henry," giggled a certain long eared digimon as he hopped down from a tree branch that lay just outside of the school grounds and clambered up onto Henry's shoulder. "Takato was quite the lady killer at the Hanami celebration, or did you forget all about that?"

"Terriermon," sighed Henry so predictably. "I hardly see how Takato buying Rika and Jeri ice cream counts…"

"You're right," countered Terriermon, smiling humorously. "But Rika holding his hand after that Frisbee game does."

"Huh? Time out!" said Kazu making a T sign with his hands. "Chumley actually bought Rika ice cream? And lived to tell about it? When did this happen?"

"During Hanami," murmured Jeri, seeming to shrink into herself as she tried to hide her ever-reddening face. "Um…we met up with Rika there before you guys showed up and I…invited her to tag along. Takato bought us both ice cream…"

Kazu and Kenta had halted in their tracks, both awestruck by this revelation. They had been made witness to a number of strange instances the day that Takato had first asked Jeri out to Hanami, one of which being the dragging a confession out of Guilmon about Takato catching Rika singing in the park (something that they had so far managed to keep to themselves much to their own amazement), but this just about knocked them off their feet. As one, the two boys turned their heads to look at each other, fearful looks on their faces.

"Dude. That's…" Began Kazu in a voice that was distant.

"…Just wrong," finished up Kenta, his own tone border lining on fainting from shock.

Henry didn't know what was going through their minds at this moment, but he had a funny feeling that he wasn't going to think that it was good. Kazu and Kenta, being who they were, were notorious for leaping to conclusions and shortly afterwards flying off the handle. Henry gave a look at Terriermon that said, 'this is your fault you know'. Terriermon looked back with an expression of pure innocence as he fiddled with his tiny thumbs and giggled.

Kazu and Kenta, in tune with their motions both looked at Jeri with a weird look that made the brown haired girl want to take a step backwards.

"Um…guys?" She began nervously, only to be interrupted by Kazu as he took on a commanding tone and struck a pose that looked like it was supposed to be awe inspiring.

"Don't worry Jeri! Whatever it takes, we'll make sure that you and Chumley will get hooked up! Digimon Queen notwithstanding!"

"Um…Kazu?" Began Kenta, losing some of the synchronicity that he first shared with his friend. "We don't even know if Rika even feels that way for Takato. I mean, come on…"

"Come on? Don't give me come on, bud! How many people act the way that she was around Chumley when we were all at Hanami?"

How many people have dreams about someone before they even meet them? Jeri's mind whispered but she brushed the thought aside almost as soon as it came, and her amber eyes hardened as the two Tamers continued their argument unabated.

"I'm starting to think that you're losing your connection with reality…"

"But we've gotta do all we can to help Jeri…"

"You two will do nothing of the sort!" Said Jeri in a firm voice as she glared at Kazu and Kenta. Everyone turned to stare at the brunette with wide, surprised eyes, stunned at the hard tone that she carried in her voice. Kazu felt the urge to flinch when seeing Jeri level her gaze on him. Something about the way she looked…it reminded him of Ms. Asagi on her worst days, and it was times like that that it was best to tread lightly and go soft.

Obviously I just hit on a rather touchy subject, Kazu thought as he felt his face heat up slightly in shame.

Jeri gave them another withering glare before resuming in her berating of the two boys.

"You two won't do anything, got it? You don't know for sure about anything of what's going on between Takato, Rika, and me, and you're wrong to assume these things and think that you know what's best for us! If Rika likes Takato then she deserves to have a shot at trying to capture his heart without any interference, and the same goes for me. To you that may sound like a defeatist attitude, but Rika and Takato are our friends. If they ever do develop something between them then they should be encouraged just as much as you've been encouraging Takato to…uh…be with me."

Kazu and Kenta relaxed visibly when they heard Jeri stutter on that last bit, feeling as though the angry Jeri was moving back a bit and the girl that they had been friends with for the past few years had returned. There were times where Jeri surprised them. She was usually not as outspoken as most of the girls that they had known, being somewhat meek if not eccentric and could be so sweet about it too, but every now and then she would let loose a side of herself that was direct and took no nonsense from anybody, even Rika. It had a way of surprising all of them.

Leomon was right, thought Kazu as he looked into the fierce, amber eyes of Jeri Katou. She's got the heart of a lion…

"So…" began Kenta as he licked his lips nervously. "Does that mean that we can't set you two up?"

Jeri blinked in surprise before giving a slight huff and bringing her school supplies up to her chest. Not giving the two boys an answer, Jeri resumed her walk and began to giggle lightly in a way that unnerved the three boys and one digimon.

After a few seconds, Terriermon chipped in his two cents.

"Man, I wish I had some popcorn for this."

And like the thunder following lightning…

"Mmmnnn…Terriermon…"

7