"There have been more strange monster sightings tonight, just like the ones on the Empire State Building."
Tonya sighed, leaning against Leo as the screen cast inconsistent light around the room.
Agumon sat on the floor, leaning back against the couch, as she raised her head.
"Someone got in a fight…"
"Any idea who?"
"The picture was a bit grainy, but…"
Gold eyes narrowed…
"I think it was Fang and Weregarurumon."
"Meg and Tsunomon?"
"Yeah…Which means TJ and Patamon were there, too…"
"More young woman have been struck down with what doctors call sudden anemia. As the police investigates if they're connected with the monsters, a young girl was murdered."
Agumon shot up in surprise, and both on the couch focused their attention on the screen.
"At only eighteen years old, Missy Geralds was found slaughtered in an alley. Someone had ripped out her heart and, strangely, dyed her hair red."
After a moment, the dinosaur Digimon looked up at his partner in concern…
"Tonya?"
"…He's escalating…"
Pulling her close, Leo rested his chin on her hair.
"It's not your fault."
"If we had found the eighth child today…"
"You'll find them. Everything will turn out alright."
"…How can you be so sure?"
"…Because I trust you."
After a moment, Tonya nuzzled his neck, starting to relax…
"…Me, too…"
A knock at the door startled both out of the moment, and Leo slipped into hiding as Tonya raced to the door.
"Hello?"
"It's me, dear."
"Granny?"
Opening the door, Tonya couldn't help the happy tears at the sight…
"Granny…"
Enveloped in a hug, the full relief of being home nearly swamped her.
"I'm so glad you're alright, dear…I was worried about you all…"
"…How did you know?"
"You're old grandmother knows a lot of things."
Her eyes flickered to the table, a knowing smile on her face…
"No need to hide, young ninja. I don't bite."
After a moment, Leo revealed himself, looking surprised, and Agumon stood at his partner's side.
"So you're Grandmother Beverly?"
"Yes, little Digimon."
"But I don't understand-."
"Let's all sit down and I'll explain everything, dear."
Once the trio had settled on the couch once more, TV muted, she sunk into the arm chair.
"…You know that the this world and the Digital World are connected?"
"Yeah."
"Lizzy explained it."
"Some humans are more…sensitive to the connection than others. Once you and your friends were involved with it, so were your families."
Tonya's brow furrowed in concern…
"You mean…everyone's in danger?"
"Dear, we only know the basics of what is to come. It doesn't necessarily mean we're in any danger."
"How did you know about Leo?" Agumon questioned.
A flicker of sadness, and Grandmother Beverly lowered her eyes…
"It's fate. Some things are unavoidable."
"…But not everything."
Holding her hand tightly, Leo released a breathe…
"Do you know who the eighth child is?"
The elderly woman almost flinched…
"…No. I only know this belongs to them."
Pulling something from her pocket, she held up a cat-shaped charm gingerly.
"Their charm…" Tonya realized, carefully taking it in her palms.
"The cat…"
"It will show its true color in the hands of its owner, like yours did."
"…What do you know about the eighth child, granny?"
"Only their Spirit Animal and crest…"
"What is it?" Leo wondered.
"The Crest of Light."
"Light…"
Tonya's finger caressed the smooth surface, and she looked up at her grandmother.
"We find them, don't we?"
"…I don't know…"
The phone began to ring, and the redhead sighed before reaching into her pocket for it.
"Hello? …Meg, you guys are alright? …Yeah, I heard about it on the news…What?!"
Agumon jumped, climbing into her lap as the redhead put the cell on speaker.
"Like I told you, Midnight and Myotismon destroyed their own subordinates. We don't have time to play around, Tonya."
"I never said we did. But there's nothing more we can do."
"…I have a bad feeling. We should pick up the pace."
"Let's not start tonight. Everyone just got home to their families…"
"…I'll call tomorrow."
"Alright…Good night."
"Good night."
Snapping the phone shut, Tonya released a breath to relax, wrapping an arm around Agumon.
"…We're running out of time…"
Leo put an arm around her shoulders.
"…Some things are unavoidable."
"…Right…"
Leaning against his side, gold eyes smoldered with concern…
"But what things?"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kitty looked up from the small TV in her room, her dirty dishes piled onto her night table.
Spot was cuddled up at the foot of her bed, dozing, as the news was changed to cartoons.
The brunette fidgeted, running a hand through her hair and eyes flickering from one item to another.
Something was nagging at her, like someone was trying to search and she wanted to help…
Rocking from side to side on the mattress, Kitty tried to focus on the laughing sponge taking up the screen.
The cat meowed, stretching slightly on the comforter, and Kitty pulled her pillow close.
Resting her chin on it, she stared blankly at the wall…
'I wonder if that Digimon will come back…She seemed sad…'
Brushing off her white pajama shorts and baggy pink t-shirt, Kitty fell back to look up at the ceiling.
'And now that she's gone, my chest hurts…I hope she doesn't feel the same…'
A commercial was cut off by a warning, telling everyone to stay indoors or travel in large groups.
'All those poor people…And Missy…'
Now, Kitty knew how badly the girl had treated Lizzy, but death was not something she could wish on anyone.
Spot crawled into her lap, meowing softly as the curtains on her window fluttered from their tied positions on the sill.
"Are you tired?" Kitty cooed, scratching lightly behind the cat's ears.
As a purr rumbled from its chest, she looked out the window at the gloomy sky…
'Why does she feel so close?'
Lifting Spot into her arms, Kitty walked to the window and looked out.
The dark clouds were slightly outlined by the light from the streets below, and stars shone weakly against the patches of velvet sky.
Her eyes locked on the building across the street, and a shadow jumped into hiding.
'What was that?'
After watching the rooftop a few more moments, her attention turned back to the sky.
'It's pretty…'
For a split second, she thought a pink star winked at her…
'Just like yesterday…When Spot got home…'
The cat meowed, jumping to his bed in her room and chewing on a squeaky toy Kitty had bought her.
'I hope nothing bad happens…'
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Watching from the rooftop and protected from the starlight, Gatomon sighed.
'Is this really what it feels like to be bonded? Maybe it's just a mistake…'
"Gatomon…"
Arrow landed before his Digimon did, dark cerulean eyes looking concerned.
They reminded her too much of Kitty's eyes…
"What are you doing here? I thought you'd want to meet your crush."
The rook-boy blushed slightly, eyes averted.
"I already did…"
"Because we found this."
Wizardmon held up a pink Digivice, and Gatomon's attention focused on it like a laser beam.
"A Digivice! Where did you find it?"
"In a crow's nest in Central Park."
"Then the eighth child must be somewhere near there."
"We don't think so." Arrow admitted.
"We believe that the identity of the eighth child…"
Wizardmon steeled himself, taking strength from his partner.
"Is locked somewhere inside your own heart."
"…That's not possible…"
"Gatomon, you shouldn't be afraid of what you might discover. Your past is a part of you." Arrow insisted.
"That's enough!" Gatomon hissed, fully extending her claws.
"Who sent you? Myotismon?!"
"No one." Wizardmon soothed.
"We fight by your side, not theirs."
Relaxing, the cat Digimon turned back to see Kitty at the window, staring up at the stars…
"You think my past is connected to her?"
"Possibly. You're bonded."
Arrow smiled sheepishly when both Digimon looked at him in surprise.
"It's your eyes. They're a bit different…Softer…"
"…"
Blue eyes cast their gaze downward…
"She's weakening me…"
"No, Gatomon. She's making you stronger."
"Do not close off your connection. Embrace it."
Closing her eyes, Gatomon reached out for this bond that was connecting her heart to another…
Warmth and light filled her chest, making her feel light as bubbles, and it was like a star was shining deep in her soul.
Kitty seemed to react to the sudden opening of the bond, jolting upward and breathing sharply.
"It's so…strange…Is this how it always feels?"
"Sometimes." Arrow admitted.
"To be apart from your partner…"
"It causes pain worse than almost anything you can imagine."
"…But you two…"
"Fighting is inevitable. We just couldn't resolve our differences at the time." Wizardmon explained.
"But you showed me how I had cut myself off from my partner and let my heart grow hard."
"When I got there, you told us your story…About waiting for someone and not remembering her."
"I don't remember…"
The second set of balcony sliding doors opened, and Kitty stepped out, taking a deep breath.
"It's time we set things straight."
When both took flight, Gatomon almost felt like her heart was going to leap out of her chest…
"WAIT!"
Blue eyes darted up, and Kitty backed away as the pair landed on the railing before her.
"You can fly…"
"We didn't mean to startle you. I'm Arrow, and this is my partner, Wizardmon."
"Partner?"
Her eyes lit up, and Arrow couldn't help but compare them to bright stars.
"Like Ton-Ton and Agumon?"
"Yeah…Like them."
He'd heard about Tonya and Agumon plenty of times from Gatomon.
The redhead was one of the most fierce, dangerous Digidestined to tangle with by anyone's standards…
Gatomon flipped onto the balcony, tail ring giving a soft twinkle of sound as a smile blossomed across Kitty's face.
"You came back…"
Wizardmon dropped the Digivice into his friend's paw and Arrow pushed her forward.
Intrigued, the girl came forward, reaching out as if something inside her recognized this strange device…
'Ton-Ton has one like it…'
The screen shone just before her fingers touched, and the brunette almost jumped.
"Does this mean…?"
"That's right. She's the eighth child."
"…Isn't that who Ton-Ton is looking for?"
"…Yes."
"…So they've been looking for me since they got back?"
Kitty looked almost guilty, though she couldn't have possibly prevented such a thing.
"But how could I be her Digimon?"
"Try to remember, Gatomon."
"Your past is the key."
…
"Yes, I was waiting for someone…"
The cat Digimon sighed…
"Ever since I was in my In-Training form, Nyaromon, I was waiting for someone…Day in and day out…I waited and waited and waited…"
Kitty felt her heart tug…
"But no one ever came…When I became Salamon, I went on a journey to find her instead of passively waiting…"
'She was searching for me?'
"But the one who appeared in my path…was not who I was waiting for…Myotismon…"
"…I'm so sorry…"
Her eyes filled with tears, making them glisten, and Gatomon felt sadness pull at her soul.
It was still unfamiliar, having someone else's feelings in her chest…
"If I had known you were looking for me…I would have gone searching for you, too…"
"It's alright now…"
Tears almost swelled behind her lids…
"We've found each other…I won't forget again…"
Kitty scooped up the small Digimon, hugging her close as her heart sung at the closeness of its other half.
Resting her forehead against Gatomon's head, she let out a shuddering breath…
Suddenly, the doors opened, and Tonya was framed in the light from inside, Agumon at her side.
"Kitty!"
"Watch out! They're evil Digimon!"
"Wait!" Arrow insisted.
"Let us explain!"
Fiery gold eyes locked on them as Tonya gave a rumbling growl, Leo at her back.
"Get away from my sister."
"Ton-Ton, it's alright. They're not here to fight."
Gold eyes and blue locked, sibling communication transferring through the contact as Grandmother Beverly stepped forward.
"Tonya…"
"…What are you doing here?"
"We needed to unite them. Kitty is the eighth child."
Leo seemed as stunned as the redhead did, and Gatomon's tail swayed.
"I know I've been against you so far…But I had forgotten what I was born to do. I'm Kitty's partner, and I'll protect her with my life."
"…"
Leo put a hand on Tonya's shoulder…
"Do you trust her?"
Her eyes didn't waver, as if she was searching Gatomon's very soul, before she nodded.
"I trust her."
"Why?"
"…She has a piece of Kitty in her eyes now…"
Wizardmon stepped forward, seeing the charm in the older girl's hand.
"Is that her charm?"
"I guess…"
Turning to Kitty, she held out the cat charm, which gleamed a faint pink at its close proximity.
"This is yours, Kitty."
"Really?"
Carefully wrapping her fingers around the smooth surface, it glowed brightly a moment, and revealed its pink color once she relaxed her palm.
"This confirms it. Without a doubt, Kitty is the eighth child." Arrow concluded.
"You should hold onto the Digivice and the charm." Wizardmon advised.
"Why should Tonya keep them? They're Kitty's." Leo wondered.
"She can't be seen with them, or Gatomon."
"If Myotismon or Midnight figure out she's the eighth child, they'll destroy Gatomon and won't rest until they find Kitty."
"But what are we going to do?" Tonya questioned.
"I can't just sit here! This is my little sister!"
"If you come with us, it will raise suspicions." Gatomon replied.
"Go with you WHERE?"
"We must find Kitty's crest."
"Midnight and Myotismon made copies to help locate the Digivice."
"Where's the hideout? We can help you." Leo insisted.
"It's too dangerous." Arrow reminded, spreading his wings.
"Come, Gatomon."
As Wizardmon took the cat Digimon into his own arms, Kitty seemed to wilt…
"We'll come back as soon as we can."
"…I know…"
As they flew away, Grandmother Beverly pulled her youngest grandchild into a hug.
"Tonya…Are you alright?"
"Just jumpy…"
Turning to face Leo, she smiled slightly.
"I'm not used to being out of the action."
…
"Do you think they can handle it?"
"…If they don't get caught."
Kitty flinched, the pull on her bond hurting the raw newness of it.
"Ton-Ton…"
"It's alright, Kitty." Agumon soothed, nuzzling her shoulder in an attempt to comfort.
His partner's bond had ingrained so deeply into his heart that her need to protect Kitty was almost his own.
"They'll be okay."
"I'll bring out some tea. We might be out here for quite some time."
As Grandmother Beverly went inside, Leo pulled a chair out for them all to sit on.
Sitting on his lap, Tonya sighed, weariness taking over each of her limbs…
'First searching, and then that fight with Bruiser and Skullmeramon…I hope I can evolve if they need help…'
Kitty stared out to the horizon, the Statue of Liberty's point starting to come into focus…
'Gatomon…Be careful…'
It traveled through the bond with a pulse of warmth, and she hoped it reached out.
Holding Tonya against his plastron, Leo couldn't help but try to memorize everything about her.
The feel of her skin, the sheen of her hair, the beat of her heart…
The way her eyes could swirl like molten gold…
Something in his soul was shouting at him to protect her, to keep her close, or else…
"Leo?"
Her tired voice pulled the turtle from his thoughts, causing the focus to train on her in a second.
"What are you thinking about? You're so tense…"
"…Nothing."
A slight smile crossed Tonya's face…
"I can tell when you're lying."
Blushing at being so easily caught, Leo turned his eyes to the cityscape.
"It's nothing you should worry about."
After a moment, the red-haired girl nuzzled his shoulder, a deep purr coming from her chest…
"I just want you to be happy…And whatever you're thinking about is messing with that…"
"Telling you wouldn't help, either…"
"…"
Agumon, being hugged by Kitty, felt his heart constrict…
"…You know you can talk to me, right?"
"Yeah…I know…"
The door opened, and Grandmother Beverly came out with a tray of tea cups, steam escaping their mouths.
"It's a bit chilly out. This should warm you up."
Accepting a cup, Tonya nursed it in her cool palms before taking a sip.
"Peppermint and cocoa leaves…Thanks, granny."
"I know it's your favorite, dear."
Kitty distractedly took her own, blowing softly across the top to cool and disperse the steam.
Agumon couldn't hold his own, so the brunette helped him as Leo wrapped an arm securely around Tonya's waist.
"Relax…Everything will be fine…"
"Yeah…Yeah, it will…"
Kitty gasped in sudden pain, and all attention turned to her as thunder suddenly cracked the air asunder.
"Gatomon…"
"They got caught!"
Tonya jumped to attention immediately, pulling Agumon onto her back before heading for the fire escape.
"Where are you going?"
"To help them! They can't fight Midnight and Myotismon alone!"
Leo grabbed hold of her arm, heart tight…
"I'm going with you."
"You can't. Leo…If you get hurt, I don't know what I'd do…"
Smiling slightly, she kissed his forehead.
"I'll be fine. Take care of Kitty for me?"
"…I'll protect her. I promise."
"Thank you."
Swinging down the ladder, the redhead almost immediately disappeared from view.
Pulling out his Shell Cell, Leo hit a button before bringing it to his ear.
"…Raph, I need you to get Meg. We've got a problem."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sitting on Greymon's shoulder, Tawny felt soothed by his thundering footsteps.
They had just gotten to Liberty Island, and the air still crackled with electricity.
"Greymon, are you ready?"
"Ready as I'll ever be."
The mist was thickening, and the water splashed loudly, as if something had been thrown in…
"Wizardmon! Arrow!"
'That was Gatomon's voice!'
"Gatomon!"
"Tonya!"
An opening in the mist, and Tawny jumped down to face their opponents.
"Back off!"
"Well, koneko-chan. I didn't expect to see you so soon."
"Leave her alone." The tiger-girl bit out, almost baring her teeth in a snarl.
"You see, I can't do that. She's bait now."
"Then we have no choice…Greymon!"
"Nova Blast!"
Myotismon blocked the flames with his cape as Gatomon hid behind the large Digimon for protection.
"Crimson Lightning!"
"Whip of Decay!"
As Greymon was being smacked in the helmet brutally, the other whip nearly wrapped around Tawny's throat.
Holding her arm up to keep it from closing dangerously tight, she growled in an effort to free herself.
"You can't seem to figure out when to give up…"
"Because I don't…"
Greymon was brought to his knees, and her knees stung with residual pain…
"And if it meant the life of your new 'friend'?"
Instinctively, just from the jealousy in his eyes, she knew who he was talking about…
Her crest shone…
"YOU LEAVE HIM ALONE!!!"
"Greymon, Digivolve to…METALGREYMON!!"
"Transformation of Courage into…Courageous Tawny!"
Snapping the energy whip with her swords, the tiger-girl jumped back, spinning them quickly.
"Did I hit a soft spot?" Midnight mocked.
"What would you do if I ran him through?"
Gold eyes flashed, looking like molten lava, and it shot a spike of lust through him.
"Blazing Courage!"
"Giga Blaster!"
"Crimson Lightning!"
As the missiles were knocked into the water to detonate, Midnight avoided the fiery 'x' aimed his way.
Courageous Tawny nearly buckled, falling to her knee…
'I can't…keep this up…'
'Tawny…Hold on…'
'I…can't…'
"Whip of Decay!"
It struck her straight in the chest, and she flew back, the transformation falling away before she hit the ground rolling.
Dazed and weak once she stopped on her back, Tonya blinked slowly at the cloudy sky…
'Agu…Gatomon…Can't stop…'
Forcing her arms and muscles to lift her up, gold eyes locked on the fallen Agumon and Gatomon, who was being lifted by bats.
'No…'
"If a Digidestined came all this way, then Gatomon must really be the eighth Digimon."
"I'll be back for you once we've found the eighth child, koneko-chan."
'Damn it…'
"I won't let you win." Tonya swore.
"We'll see…"
Garurumon's growl echoed through the air, and Myotismon telekinetically lifted his partner into the air.
"Tonya! Help!"
"Gatomon!"
'He'll hurt both of them!'
That fueled her strength, and she managed to get up, running towards the edge.
"GATOMON!"
Collapsing at the edge, Tonya panted, fingers curling into the grass and dirt…
"Tonya!"
Leo was at her side, and he touched her shoulder gently.
"Tonya?"
Tears hit the grass, and she clung to him as if the blue-masked turtle would disappear.
"I'm so sorry…I couldn't…"
"It's alright…" Leo soothed, pulling her into his arms as Fang came up, Agumon in her arms.
"…"
She nodded, placing the exhausted Digimon on his shell.
"Be careful."
"I will."
Turning back to her own partner, Fang swung up onto Garurumon's back in front of Raph.
"I'm sorry…Sorry…"
As the redhead drifted off, Leo wondered if she was apologizing to him at all…