Authors note:
I can't believe I got a review, thanks so much! I hadn't really thought about Mimi's pairing, I was just letting the relationships fall into place but now that you have given me the idea I think I'm going to run with it. The main focus is still Sorato but other pairings will be mentioned. This chapter short but provides the setup, next one will be longer. Characters (especially Joe) may be a little OOC though I try to avoid it hehe…
Chapter 2: Unacceptable return
"Koushirou we're waiting, can't you cut the suspense already?" Tai mumbled as he tried to peer over Koushirou's shoulder to find out what he was trying to accomplish by typing so furiously on Yamato's computer.
"Tai I'm sure the only one left in suspense is you, everyone else has already figured out what I'm doing." Koushirou replied without averting his gaze from his task. Everyone had come back to Yamato's apartment since Koushirou had stayed the night to find out what he had planned and were currently fidgeting in anticipation.
"That's not true!" Tai retorted, "I have figured it out that's why you should hurry up, we can't wait anymore!" He threw his hands up in exasperation when Koushirou made no effort to appease him further.
Yamato couldn't blame Tai for pushing him. After all they had been waiting for this day ever since they left the digital world! That's the only thing that could be the surprise, I mean they were in his apartment and all Koushirou had on him was his laptop. Yamato thumbed his harmonica impatiently; he cast Sora an excited glance to see if she shared his assumptions. He was rewarded for his efforts with a smile which could make grown men cry and suddenly all he wanted to do was to reach across the short distance between them and take her hand in his, but that short expanse felt like it extended for miles and despite his desires he still couldn't find the courage to tell her. "No words are good enough, god when did this happen? I can't stop thinking about her. Here I am about to be reunited with Gabumon and all I can think about is how freaking good she looks in those jeans! When did I lose all semblances I had of keeping to myself? How did she destroy all my guards without even trying?" All these thoughts crashed around his mind but his expression remained unchanged.
"Ha!" Koushirou exclaimed breaking Yamatos reverie and bringing his concentration back to the matter at hand.
"Ok, as most of you know for a while now I have been trying to re-establish connections with the digital world. For the longest time nothing worked, all my attempts to reconnect failed miserably." Koushirou's paused; his features betrayed his frustration at this fact before he continued, "Two days ago I received an encrypted email, it took me a full day to decipher it. I could hardly believe what it was when I had finished, it contained instructions on exactly how to reconnect with the digital world!"
"Who was it from, Gennai? And why did you wait to tell us? Don't tell me you wanted to surprise us." Joe interrupted, pushing his glasses further the bridge of his nose as he did so.
"No, I actually was unable to trace its origins. All I was able to establish is that it was sent from the digital world. I decided to wait till today because we had already made plans for last night and I knew everyone would want to go right away. But even though I have followed the instructions to the best of my ability I still have no guarantee that it will work, I guess I didn't want to get everyone's hopes too high…" Koushirou responded with a trace of sadness. Mimi shot Joe a deathly glare before throwing her arms around Koushirou's torso and resting her head on his shoulder, rendering him speechless. A thick blush crawled up his neck before settling in on his cheeks, she pulled back and turned him to face her. "You should have more faith in yourself! If it weren't for you we wouldn't even have a chance at getting back to the digital world, even if it doesn't work no one would blame you!" Mimi gushed. She smiled broadly before realising what she had done. She quickly let go of her hold on his shoulders and turned away from him, her face tinged slightly pink. Yamato, Tai, Sora, Takeru and Hikari smiled knowingly. Joe looked like a deer caught in the headlights, his jaw hung open before he snapped it shut with an audible *chomp*.
"She's right though Koushirou, no matter how it turns out we all appreciate your efforts." Yamato stated warmly, the group nodded their agreement. Koushirou rubbed the back of his head happily before turning his attention back to the screen. "Thanks guys. Tai, bring your digivice over here, you should do the honours."
"Sure thing Koushi, okay everybody ready?"
"Yeah!" everyone responded in unison, they all looked determined and ready for anything. Yamato could feel his heart in his mouth as Tai extended his arm, "DIGIPORT OPEN!" Tai roared. The bright light they had all been hoping for showered them, Yamato could almost cry for joy as the familiar feeling spread through his entire body, the strange tingling sensation of being transformed into data had never felt so good. Once it was over he slowly opened his eyes, expecting that unnatural blue sky to welcome his return. But instead of blue the sky was overcast with billowing grey clouds. The ground beneath his feet, once the raw colour of dirt and sparse vegetation was a cold grey. He shared a worry ridden look with Sora before turning to Tai. They seemed to have landed in a ditch because a sharp ridge prevented them from examining the horizon. Tai said nothing as he began to climb, Yamato quickly followed along with the others. As they passed the ridge he felt as though the blood in his veins had been replaced with ice, he could fell a cold bead of sweat roll down his face as his expression hardened. Hikari was last to scale the ridge, her expression was one of pure shock and despair as she shakily turned to her brother, slipping her hand into his. "Tai…what happened?"
"I don't know, but we sure as hell are going to find out." Tai's voice was thick with resolve and his hand curled into a fist around hers. The scene before them was nothing like the digital world they once knew. It was devoid of colour; even the light seemed dull and dark. The once lush forests lay in ruin; black flames licked the once fertile countryside, it seemed to swallow any living thing in its path. Yamato swallowed hard as realisation hit, no digimon could have survived whatever the hell those flames were. Sora grasped his arm from behind but he could find no happiness in the development. They had to find their digimon. NOW.