Welcome all to the first chapter of 'Another World'. This is a story I will be pursuing in my limited free time but am quite interested in writing. I wrote it with the idea of it being like a novel/manga/anime in mind. But I won't be going the episode route.

To those who've read my other stories, such as Desire and The Seasons, I'm sorry but I probably will have to postpone them for some time. I'm busy right now with my studies and I'm trying not to get too distracted by writing.

Well, I have nothing much else to say. Oh this story will be fantastical and adventure like but there will be Taito, like I've said in the summary. There will be other pairings or hints of them as well, such as Jyoumi, Takari in the future, but Taito will be the main pairing.

As usual, I don't own Digimon. Thanks to those who've checked this story out and those who reviewed. ;)
:) And thank you Tai-chan for giving me the courage to post this story.

So, well, enjoy.

A brown haired teenage boy hummed as he brushed the fur of a griffin in a grassland, smiling.

"Taichi, are you done yet?" The griffin whined in his mind.

"Nope," Taichi replied cheerfully with a grin, "Gotta make sure you're all clean!"

"But I hate keeping still, standing like this!"

"Fine, fine, you can lie down." Taichi shrugged, as he dipped the brush in water, covering his mouth with a yawn, "You're too big anyway, I can't reach your head!"

The griffin gave a sigh of relief and moved his massive body to lay down on the ground, "This is much better."

"And at least you can reach my back now, you couldn't in the past!"

"Oh shut up Yuuki," Taichi said as he stooped down, reaching out the brush towards the griffin, "I had a growth spurt! I'm much taller now!"

"Though I guess I'm a bit too tall, but it's better than being short!"

Yuuki smiled and rested his paws on top of each other, "You were so short in the past!" He lifted his paw to the level of his head, grinning as he laid down on soft grass, "You were this short, Taichi!"

"In the past!" Taichi said as he scrubbed at Yuuki's neck with a grin, "And, you weren't exactly small!"

"I wish I wasn't so big." Yuuki mumbled.

Taichi just smiled, "Why? I think it's cool." He said, "Stretch out your hand and let me clean your claws, Yuuki."

"They're talons!" The griffin said but stretched out his paw anyway.

"Yeah, whatever." Taichi said distractedly. He put the brush down and picked up a cloth, dipping it into the water in the bucket, "Don't you ever clean those claws?"

Yuuki shrugged, and Taichi sighed. He made to carefully clean his griffin's sharp talons, as the griffin spoke, "I still don't understand why you have to clean me."

Taichi shrugged in return, "Eh, I just feel like it," he said with a grin, "I read these books about mythical creatures when I was a kid and how to take care of them. I never thought I'd actually get to take care of one though!"

Yuuki grinned, "Then you're happy to have me, Taichi?!"

"Of course!" Taichi replied brightly, closing one brown eye in a wink and jabbing his thumb towards his chest, "You're my partner, Yuuki!"

The griffin made a sound of contentment and nuzzled his beak into the ground, as Taichi said, "Right, the last part's your tail!"

"But Taichi-!"

"No buts, Yuuki!" The brown haired boy said, standing up and shaking his finger, "Don't worry, I'll be careful!"

Yuuki sighed again and relented, trying not to flinch as his master took hold of his lion tail. "Taichi! Don't pull so hard!"

"Sorry!" Taichi apologized sheepishly but lightened his grip. He wrapped the cloth carefully around the griffin's tail and slid it gently along.

The griffin sighed, closing his green eyes, "It feels kind of nice."

"Told you so." Taichi said with a smile. He rubbed gently at the orange fur at the end, then bent away, flinging the cloth and brush casually away where they landed into the bucket of water and clapping his hands with a satisfied grin, "Right, you're all clean, Yuuki!"

Yuuki opened his green eyes and raised his body up. He was a griffin who was unusually big even for his species. He towered over his teenage master at about twelve feet, craning his eagle neck and swishing his lion's tail. He smiled, and then shook his yellowish-orange body and feathery white neck, flapping his orange wings, splashing drops of water in different directions and causing Taichi to yelp indignantly.

"Hey, Yuuki!" Taichi yelled, raising his arm in defense against the stray drops of water. "Not again!"

"Sorry Taichi, but I don't like water!"

"Well I don't like it either!" Taichi scowled, then sighed as he brushed his hand against his damp shirt, "Now I'm all wet!"

"Sorry!"

The tall brown haired teenage boy took a step back, raising a hand to his hair. His hair spiked crazily in all directions, giving him a messily handsome look, and he brushed stray drops away from brown locks as sweat slid down his neck. He was clothed in a black button down shirt and brown khaki pants, and leather shoes. He stood at about six feet, his skin had a healthy tan, and his brown eyes were bright with life.

"Hey Yuuki," Taichi said, looking up at his griffin, "Why did we meet?"

"What do you mean, Taichi?"

Taichi smiled, letting his hand down from his hair, "Nothing. I was just thinking…" he shrugged, "I know you come from another world, but why were you sent here?"

"I'm not sure." Yuuki confessed, blinking green eyes, "I remember my life in the world where I came from, and I remember I was waiting for someone- waiting for you, Taichi."

Taichi raised his brown eyed gaze, "But I didn't come to you, you came to me." He said seriously.

"Yeah. Before I came here, there was a voice in my head, telling me you couldn't come to meet me, I had to go to you." Yuuki shrugged, turning his eagle green eyes to his master, "I'm here to protect you, Taichi."

"I know," Taichi said, smiling and sliding a hand into his pocket, "But protect me from what?"

"I'm not sure, I just know I have to protect you, and your world."

"I see." Taichi said. He raised his gaze, "But since that time, nothing's been threatening our world."

Yuuki nodded his feathery head in agreement, "I know." He said, and smiled, green eyes content, "And that's good. I've been waiting to meet you for so long, I'm happy just to stay by Taichi's side!"

Taichi grinned, "Aww, Yuuki!" He said, reaching out his hand to ruffle the griffin's feathery neck, "Same here! I would like to go on an adventure though!"

"What kind of adventure, Taichi?"

"No idea. I just want to go out, you know?" Taichi said, smiling, "Explore the world, meet new people and friends!"

"Well, maybe you can!" Yuuki smile down at his master, "It's your seventeenth birthday today, isn't it?"

"Yeah! Mum's pretty strict, following the village's customs and all," Taichi said, smiling wryly, "But since I'm finally going to be seventeen, she'll have no choice but to let me go!"

"By the way, how old are you, Yuuki?"

The griffin shrugged, "Ten times your age, maybe?"

Taichi gaped, "Seriously?!"

"Not really! I mean, I'm a griffin and I live for a long time!" Yuuki smiled, "I can live to that age, but I think when I met you…"

"I was eleven then." Taichi recalled. "It's been six years since we met each other."

"Yeah. Time passes faster in that world, so I think I was sixty four years old?" Yuuki blinked,

"Wow. If I was sixty four years old I would be an old man!" Taichi grinned, "You're amazing, Yuuki!"

Yuuki smiled, "I don't remember my birthday, so I can be seventy today!"

"Heh, seventeen and seventy huh? Sounds cool!" Taichi grinned as he swung himself onto his griffin's back with practiced ease, "Hey Yuuki, pick up that bucket for me, will you?"

"Sure, Taichi." Yuuki moved his paw, slipping it through the handle of the bucket and lifting it up.

The brown haired boy grinned and took hold of the handle, taking the bucket away from the griffin, "Thanks, Yuuki!"

"No problem." Yuuki replied. He stretched his wide eagle wings, "Are we going back to the village?"

"Yup!" Taichi said, raising his gaze to the evening sky as he straddled the griffin's back, "It's getting late. I didn't notice we've been out here for so long." He shook his head, "I wonder what Hikari and Mum are up to?"

"Planning for your birthday, maybe?" Yuuki said as he stood on the grassland. He craned his neck to look at the brown haired boy, "Are you sure you don't need a saddle, Taichi?"

Taichi blinked, then smiled wryly, "Didn't I tell you before, Yuuki? You're not my pet, you're my companion!" He declared with a reassuring grin, "You're my partner, aren't you?"

"But your mother said-"

Taichi shrugged, "She's just paranoid. I've never fallen off once, have I?" He smiled, "I told you, I read that book on mythical creatures!" He grinned, placing his hands behind his head, "This is quite comfy anyway! I've never liked saddles! When I went horse riding with Dad, I didn't use one."

"I don't like harnesses or saddles. You don't like them either, do you, Yuuki?"

"I don't think so." Yuuki said. "I've never tried one on, but I don't think I'll like it."

"Exactly!" Taichi declared, placing his hands on the griffin's feathery neck and pointing a finger towards the orange sky, "So, let's go! Head to the sky, Yuuki!"

Yuuki smiled, "You got it, Taichi!"

With a bird like cry, the griffin took off from the ground and swept across the sky with his streamlined wings, gliding through the air current.

Taichi smiled as he settled comfortably on the griffin's back, the wind blowing his hair into crazier spikes, "I love flying!" He said, grinning down at the feathery neck, "You're so lucky to have wings, Yuuki!"

"Well you have me, Taichi!" Yuuki smiled as he flew across the evening sky, "I'll take you around the world if you want!"

Taichi laughed, "That's true!" He looked down, smiling, "I see our village!"

"And that's your house." Yuuki said, "Hang on tight, Taichi!"

The creature with the head of an eagle and the body of a lion adjusted his wings against the air current and dove down at a great speed, slowing down when he was reaching the ground. He lifted his lion legs and with a wild eagle cry, folded in his wings and landed neatly but heavily on the ground, causing it to rumble.

"Whew!" Taichi said, brushing brown locks of messy hair back from excited brown eyes, "That was awesome! I'll never get tired of that!"

He slid off the griffin's back and plopped onto the ground, turning to face the door of his house. "Uh, so…"

"Oh yeah," Yuuki said sheepishly. He sighed, "I can't go in."

"I'll go to the window, then."

"Yeah." Taichi smiled. He reached forward to open the door, and stepped into the house.

It was completely dark. Taichi blinked. He was about to attempt to light up the place but started as there were loud popping sounds as all the lights suddenly switched on and three voices yelled, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

Taichi blinked. He blinked again. Then his eyes widened at the décor surrounding the once dull looking room. The walls and ceiling were streaked with colorful, magical lights, and equally colorful party streamers littered the floor and table, which was covered by a tablecloth of silvery white. A lamplight hung above the table, its flame a bright orange. The aura of the place was magical, and it wasn't just because of his parents.

The brown haired boy lowered his gaze to his birthday cake, which was chocolate and had seventeen candles on it. What was best to him was the picture of a griffin shimmering in the chocolate, a griffin with sparkling green eyes.

"Yuuki!" Taichi exclaimed in delight, admiring the accurate artwork. He glanced to the grinning griffin at the decorated window, then swept his gaze to his smiling family, "This is amazing! How did you do it?!"

His mother winked at him, "Magic." She said.

Then she noticed Taichi's damp clothes, "Your shirt is wet," she said, "You should go and change!"

"It's only a little damp!" Taichi protested with a sheepish smile as he handed the bucket of water to his mother.

She took the bucket of water from him, glowering, "You're a Fire Mage! Water will weaken your power!"

Taichi sighed. "I told you Mum," He said in annoyance, "I'm not a mage, I'm a warrior!"

His mother looked like she wanted to argue, but sighed, and decided not to, "Well, at least go and change your shirt!"

"Nah, I'm lazy and I want to eat my cake," Taichi grinned and stepped back, "How about this?"

"What- AHHHHHH!"

Taichi smiled as he stood in the middle of a wall of fire, allowing the heat to dry off his wet clothes.

"YAGAMI TAICHI!"

"What?" Taichi asked as he swept the fire aside to look at his mother.

"Don't use magic in the house!" The brown haired woman yelled in panic. She shifted her gaze, eyes wide, "The tablecloth's on fire!"

Taichi blinked. "Oops." He said.

He withdrew the fire and quickly dashed forward, putting his hand to the tablecloth and putting out the fire easily. He smiled in satisfaction, brushing his fingers against the burnt mark, "There! All fine and dandy now!"

His mother looked at him with something akin to horror, looking as if she was about to faint, but his father chuckled and grinned, "That's my boy!" He said proudly, "You're a Fire Mage alright!"

"Dad," Taichi sighed, "I told you already, I'm not a fire mage! Well, not like you and Mum!"

His father just shrugged, "Well, I can always dream, can't I?"

"And you say you're not a Fire Mage," his mother said tiredly, "Taichi, you're even resistant- immune to fire! Why do you want to be a Warrior?!"

"I was born a warrior," Taichi said, with a hint of pride in his voice. He grinned, "Yeah, fire doesn't hurt me! So I can brave through storms, seas and fire on my journey as a Warrior!"

"I'm a Fire Warrior!" He declared proudly, thumping a hand to his chest with a proud grin.

His mother looked like she was about to facepalm, and Taichi blinked, wondering if he had pushed her too far. "Forget it," she said tiredly, "I give up!"

"Great!" Taichi grinned. He swept a hand down his dry shirt, "Now that my clothes are dry, "I can eat my cake right?!"

His mother shook her head, but couldn't help a fond smile. "Fine, fine." She said as she placed the bucket of water on the floor, "But blow out the candles first!"

"And make a wish!" His father added.

Taichi smiled widely and made his way to his cake. He inhaled, when a feminine voice said, "Wait!"

Taichi blinked. He turned around, face splitting into a grin at the sight of his younger sister, "Hikari!"

"Where did you go?!"

"Onii-chan!" Hikari laughed as her older brother moved to hug her, "Not now! I'm holding a cake!"

"Eh?" Taichi blinked twice, "But the cake's there!"

Hikari grinned at him. She was a brown haired girl wearing a white shirt and yellow shorts, with a hairclip in her hair. Her fringe was brushed to the side, and she smiled up at her blinking brother with ruby eyes, "That's your cake! This is Yuuki's cake!"

Taichi blinked again, then looked down, his brown eyes widening, "T-That's me!" He shouted in surprise as he pointed to the shimmering picture of himself in the chocolate cake. "What-how did you do it?!"

"Magic!" Hikari grinned.

Taichi stared as his younger sister as she walked to the window, "But I thought you couldn't do magic!"

Hikari smiled. "Who said that?"

"Well- you're not a fire mage, you're not a wizard!" Taichi said, blinking, "What are you?"

Hikari just shrugged and smiled as their mother said, "Hikari can do magic," she said almost cautiously, "She didn't inherit our aptitude in Fire magic, but she can do magic, little things like that," she gestured to the shimmering images of Taichi and Yuuki on the chocolate cakes, "I would say she's a wizard, but she's apt at healing as well."

"H-Healing?!" Taichi's jaw dropped, "But no one in our family can do that! Hell, no one in our village can heal! We're Mages, not Clerics!"

Hikari giggled, and Taichi sighed, "Hikari!" He said petulantly, "Why didn't you tell me?!"

"Well, I didn't know you wanted to know!" Hikari said innocently. She smiled, "And it's nothing big! I just healed some injured creatures, and a small cut on Mum's finger when she injured herself in the kitchen!"

Taichi pouted, "But…" he sighed, deciding to content himself with the knowledge that Hikari wasn't a mage or a wizard. His little sister was so innocent and kind hearted from when she was a mere eight years old to now when she was fourteen, and he couldn't imagine her going out of the village and facing wild creatures outside! Even when she reached seventeen! And even if she had magic on her side! Hell, he'd been happy that she didn't have magic potential like the rest of his family- he couldn't imagine her handling fire!

And, when he thought about it, having the ability to heal did suit her! Hikari was always wanting to help people in whatever she could, and well, she could help them more now! Taichi grinned to himself.

"What are you grinning about, Onii-chan?" Hikari asked curiously.

"Nothing!" Taichi said cheerfully, but he was smiling. He winked, "I'm glad you have the power to heal!"

Hikari blinked at him but Taichi was already going back to his cake. "Hey Onii-chan," she said, "Don't be selfish! Wait for Yuuki!"

Taichi pouted, "But I'm hungry!"

"I'm hungry too, Taichi!"

Taichi sighed, "Fine."

He heard a familiar eagle cry and turned his head, smiling fondly as he saw Yuuki snapping his beak eagerly outside the window as Hikari held out the cake with seven lighted candles to him.

"What kind of griffin eats cake?"

"Oh shut up! Warriors shouldn't eat cake either! They should eat tough meat to build their strength!" Yuuki rebuked.

Taichi laughed, grinning good heartedly, "Right, right. Your win." He said in amusement, "It is my birthday though!"

"And it's mine as well!"

"Happy Birthday, Yuuki!" Hikari smiled as she presented the chocolate cake to the happy griffin.

"Yeah! Happy Birthday, Yuuki!" Taichi grinned, "Congratulations on being seventy!"

Yuuki crowed in delight and was about to dive for the chocolate cake, when Hikari held it back, "Wait! You have to blow out the candles!"

Yuuki pouted- if a griffin could pout and Taichi laughed. "C'mon Yuuki, let's do it together!"

Yuuki smiled with his master, "Okay, Taichi!"

Hikari grinned and placed the chocolate cake with the shimmering image of Taichi on the windowsill, "Make a wish, you two!"

Yuuki smiled widely, "Taichi, you're on the cake!"

"Yeah, Hikari put me there." The brunet smirked, "And you're on my cake. I guess we get to eat each other, huh?"

The griffin looked horrified, "I would never eat you, Taichi!"

"I'm kidding!" Taichi grinned, "Come on, let's blow out the candles! I'm starving!"

"One, two, three!"

The boy and the griffin inhaled, and blew out the candles at the same time, making a wish together, "I wish we could go on an adventure."

Taichi grinned when he withdrew, licking his lips in anticipation as somewhere else far away, a shadowed figure smiled.

"Wish granted."