For those who are unsure still yet: yes, this is a Takari...eventually. The romance isn't vital to the story yet. However, you will get a peek of it soon (sadly not this chapter but the next).

Wildcats15: yes, Tk is looking for information and the digidestineds will discover this soon. And yes, everything is connected...

Thanks also to LaLaLandx3, field innocence, TheAddicted, jerbear16, Togetheragain, KumoFuzei, and KoumiLoccness for reviewing. Your words encourage me to write.

Chapter 4. The Mystery

Tk's fingers hovered over his keyboard. They had been like this for over ten minutes because the moment he clicked submit his goal would be accomplished. His graduate level thesis would be finished and e-mailed to his French University who would likely publish it in a journal. It was the conclusion to a long year of research.

"Have you decided?" A soft voice appeared besides Tk's left side.

"Yes." Tk pushed enter and closed his laptop. His eyes flickered to Cory. She looked eager to hear his answer. "I'll do as you ask."

"And you fully realize what this entails?" Cory questioned. She wanted to make sure that this wasn't a whim and that Tk would not later regret his decision.

"I understand." Tk nodded his head.

"Do you want to say goodbye before you leave?"

"I don't know if I can." Tk said truthfully. He had a grimace on his face not from disgust but from the turmoil in his heart. Although he had been distant from the digidestineds recently he could never forget the fond memories from his childhood. It was these memories he would need to lean on in the future...the future when his adult reality would become unbearably painful.

"I've got an idea." Cory reached over Tk and opened his laptop. In a few clicks she'd turned the video camera on and connected the soon to be recorded message to all the digidesntined's email accounts. "Say goodbye."

"Aye," Tk nodded again and looked towards the camera, "Hey guys, I'm leaving and I don't know when or if I'll come back. I'm sorry I've isolated myself. It's just something that needed to be done. I hope you all have wonderful, happy lives. And Matt, don't worry about me too much; I can take care of myself. Bye."

Cory ended the video and sent the message, "That was short and nice."

"Thanks." Tk said sadly.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes." Tk answered and Cory put her hand on his shoulder.

"This may be painful." Both Tk and Cory's bodies began to fuzz like a bad TV and within three seconds they had disappeared completely.

Matt lounged about in his underwear with a can of beer in his hand. At his feet were already seven empties. He hated to admit it, but he was drinking alone in sorrow. It was the one month anniversary of Tk's departure. And while Tk had left before, this time it felt different. For starters, the video he had left was odd. It almost sounded as if Tk was saying goodbye forever, and there was no evidence to tell Matt differently.

He had called all his relatives in France to see if Tk had arrived safely but none had seen him. His dad was also worried, especially after Matt had showed him the video, and used his contacts at the TV station to look into his son's whereabouts. No one had found anything. Tk had simply disappeared off the radar.

"Matt. Matt!" Someone was banging on his door and Matt grudgingly got up to shoo away the unwanted guest. "You look horrible."

"Go away, Tai." Matt said and shut the door. Unfortunately for him, Tai was quicker and had already slipped into his apartment.

"Sorry bro, I can't do that." Tai walked through the living room and towards Matt's room where he grabbed pants and a shirt. He threw them at Matt, "Put these on."

"Why?" Matt asked as the clothes hit him in the face. The alcohol had damaged his reflexes.

"I don't feel like having a heart to heart with a guy only in his underpants. It's going to be uncomfortable enough as it is." Matt gave a chuckle and started putting on the clothes. "So tell me why you're acting like this?" Tai asked.

"You know why." Matt declared.

"Not really," Tai sat down on one of the living room couches and continued, "didn't Tk tell you not to worry? Then, why are you worrying so much?"

"Of course I'm going to worry, he's disappeared without a trace. What if it were, Kari?" Matt flipped the conversation on Tai and he frowned.

"It'd be different." Tai finally said.

"Not really." Matt defended. "I know Tk can take care of himself but everything about his last visit irks me. I need to talk to him and see what's up."

"And how is drinking helping that?" Tai chided, "Do you know why I came over here? Your neighbor called me. She knew we were friends and said you were making weird sounds all day."

"Nosy neighbor." Matt said under his breath.

"I'm glad she was." Tai responded, "Who knows how long you would have continued."

Matt shrugged and sat down his now unappetizing beer, "Fine. What do you want from me?"

Tai shrugged as well, "I don't know. Relax or stress out in a healthy way."

Matt raised an eyebrow and said in an unimpressed voice, "That's your advice?"

"I was never the smart one."

"That's for sure." Matt agreed with a shrug and a small smile. Tai also smiled. Even if Matt was smiling at his own stupidity Tai didn't care; it seemed to help.

Joe set down his briefcase and hung up his coat before collapsing into a recliner with his laptop. The sun was rising but Joe was tired; he had just pulled a twelve hour shift at the hospital. He planned to quickly check his e-mail and then sleep the day away.

As he opened his e-mail he saw a single message from his older brother Shuu. At first he thought it would be something trivial that could wait until he had slept but curiosity caused him to read it.

Hey,

I was flipping threw a journal and read an article that your friend Tk Takaishi wrote. It was super enlightening. Even I, who am considered a semi-expert in the field, learned many new things. I have a few more questions I'd like to ask him; do you have his e-mail address?

Shuu

Joe's face was scrunched up in confusion. His brother was a professor of Japanese folklore. Joe didn't know Tk had any interest in that sort of thing let alone was publishing papers. Then again, Joe didn't know much about Tk at all. Even their meeting a few months ago hadn't been very informative.

Joe's further curiosity got the better of him and he replied to his brother.

Shu,

I have an e-mail address but Tk doesn't answer it anymore. He also didn't mention anything about writing an article in folklore. I'm curious, where could I find a copy of this.

Thanks, Joe

Joe set aside his computer and went to bed with his thoughts still buzzing. He wondered if he should call Matt. Then again, Joe didn't understand what was going on yet and it seemed wrong to bother Matt. Though Matt had recovered from his Tk related depression a few months ago, it was still a touchy subject. Joe decided to wait until he knew more - that wait wasn't very long. When Joe awoke Shuu had responded and told him the name of the journal. The article was only available in print so Joe quickly ordered a copy. The expected delivery time was three days.

After three days and when Joe had a moment of peace he sat down on the couch and began reading the nearly thirty page article. By page two his mouth was hanging open. While his brother may have found Tk's article enlightening, Joe read much, much more into it. He quickly identified obscure mentions of the digital world and, even more frighteningly, the dark ocean.

After Joe had finished the entire article he was left with an indescribable, worried feeling. There was something about Tk's article that frightened him. Joe also knew it was something he ought to alert the others to.

Joe went over to his printer and began to scan each page of the article. He complied the documents on his computer and then e-mailed them to the other digidestineds with the following message.

Please read. I'm not sure what this means but it seems very important.

I hope you guys are even more intrigued...I'm sure all your questions are piling up but, don't worry, they'll be answered soon. Until then, I hope you tell me your thoughts in a quick review.

Thanks, Xanpluto.