Frontier 02: Rebirthing — Chapter 12: The Betrayal
madjack89: Hello people, I'm back! How was the gang last chapter?
Takuya: Ow…
madjack89: Great!
Takuya: I said ow! On what planet is the word ow a good thing?
madjack89: My planet!
Takuya: …They broke my arm, you know.
madjack89: What?! Hey guys, you can do anything you want to each other as long as it doesn't involve breaking limbs or hurting each other in irreversible ways! Those are the rules!
JP: We have rules?
Kouji: Madjack, it wasn't us, it was Ilsemon's cronies which YOU invited in the first place.
madjack89: Details, details…
Takuya: So can you fix my arm with your author powers or something?
madjack89: I can try. Let's see…the leg bone's connected to the…other bone.
Takuya: Oh god I'm in trouble…
madjack89: Dai, get me some pens and paper, stat!
Dai: Ai ai, captain!
madjack89: Shino, do you know anything about the bones in a human body and what order they go in?
Shino: No, but my mom has a chart…
madjack89: Go get the chart!
Shino: Okay, okay…
madjack89: JP!
JP: Yes?
madjack89: Give me some chocolate; I'm hungry!
JP: Oh, so you just automatically assume I have chocolate with me!
madjack89: Do you?
JP: Well, that's not—
madjack89: Do you?
JP: …Here.
madjack89: Thank you! munches on chocolate Alright, while Dai and Shino get me supplies, I'll answer your reviews! Yay!
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Dawn of Glory: Sorry I got your hopes up about an update before, but here's an actual update! Hooray! But I'm glad you liked the celebration anyway. I hope I'll be able to do a second someday! Oh, and CHOCOLATE! (Sorry Sakura…) Thanks for reviewing!
DigiBleach: Yay, more people that think KouichixZoe is adorable! Yay! (lol) Anyway, I'm glad you like the story and my writing! I try! And I'm glad you like that You Tube video! Once again, I try! Yeah, Masumon's healing ability will be used, which is why I brought it up (might as well tell you). Alright, thanks for reviewing!
Aldamonburst: Well, I'm glad you think I'm funny! Yeah, I really want to change Calmaramon's appearance for poor old Kira's sake, but that won't work with what I want to do in the next few chapters, so I'll just have to suck it up and write (I'm scared lol). Oh, twin attacks! Yay! Maybe I'll get to use them someday…anyway, thanks for reviewing!
garnettfox: Heh heh, sucks with teeth. (JP: Hey, I'm not complaining. I got to say sucks TWICE in the DUB of Digimon!) Very true. Concerning the story ideas from your last review, I say go for it! They sound cool! Alright, thank you very much for the review!
JewelledTears: Yay hybrid drinks! (lol) Wow, Duskmon having paddle hands…hey Duskmon! (Duskmon: No.) Darn. Well, I'm glad you think my random ideas are interesting! Technically, I'm not making Kouji "emo" per say (I was just messing with him!). I'm just gonna…mess with him a little in heart-wrenching ways that may get him a bit depressed. (Kouji: glares) Sorry! Okay, thanks for the review! (And I don't even know how I manage to juggle three stories at once! It is indeed a mystery!)
apapa155: It's always fun to beat Taki up, isn't it? I'm glad you thought the chapter was funny! Aw, sorry I made you nervous, Eva. Here, have a cookie! hands cookie In fact, I'll give you a big plate of cookies to share with everyone! hands plate of cookies Thanks for the brownies, by the way! Alright, thanks for the review!
GoldenDragon326: Yay anniversary! (lol) Man, a myspace thing is messing with my story? Curse it! Oh well, anyway, Takuya liked chapter thirteen because he thought it was cool to be Kouji for awhile (don't ask me why…). Yeah, I didn't want to steal your face, so I made it different. Hooray! Yup, that's Masumon! I like her! And there is a specific reason why she knew what a Light Saber is, but I can't tell you yet. Just be patient a bit longer! Hm…I guess Kouji would be drinking some sort of blue slushie…blueberry perhaps? Anyway, thanks for the review!
zandermon: Congratulations, you are the 100th reviewer of this story! Hooray! That means you get a prize! Hm…here, have this commemorative prototype Takuya plushie I've been working on! It has twenty different action-packed phrases! Hee hee! Anyway, back to the review. Yay extreme insanity! I'm glad you liked the chapter, and thanks for the review! (And I got your message and sent you a reply already.)
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madjack89: Alright, I got my supplies! Let's see what I can do about that arm, Taki!
Kira: Please don't accidentally disfigure him!
Takuya: That raises my confidence right up there, Kira.
madjack89: Hm, to begin, we must knock the patient out!
Takuya: …Wait, what? Why do you need to do that?
madjack89: Because when I was a child I never got to play the doctor in the doctor game, so here's my chance! Don't worry, I won't dismember you or anything!
Takuya: But all you'd have to do to fix my arm is write it down!
madjack89: This is more fun!
Takuya: looks at me nervously
Shino: Don't worry, Takuya, we won't let her do anything bad to you.
Takuya: Why…?
madjack89: Kouji, apply the anesthesia!
Kouji: Um…alright then. hits Takuya across back of head
Takuya: falls unconscious
madjack89: Good job, Nurse Kouji!
Kouji: Nurse?
madjack89: Alright, while I fix Taki's arm, enjoy the twelfth chapter of F2R!
Shino: Man, I feel bad for Takuya…
—
"Zo, I think we're going around in circles," Kouichi said suddenly, stopping next to a large tree.
Zoe halted, giving Kouichi a skeptical glance. "What makes you say that?" she asked, staring Kouichi down.
"Well," Kouichi began, feeling uncomfortable under Zoe's gaze. "You see, I've been keeping track of this tree here, and we've passed it five times now."
Zoe glanced at the tree, then back at Kouichi. "How do you know that's the same tree?"
"It's purple with orange stripes, Zo," Kouichi said flatly. "It's kind of hard to miss."
Zoe paused, and then sighed. "Oh, you're right; we're lost!" Zoe sighed again, exasperated by her own inattentiveness. Then suddenly she realized something else Kouichi had said.
"You called me Zo," Zoe said, staring at Kouichi.
Kouichi blinked, surprised by this statement. "Well, I just thought that…maybe…I could give you a little nickname, because…I don't know…" Kouichi lowered his head, embarrassed.
Zoe smiled, placing her hand reassuringly on Kouichi's shoulder. "I like it. It's interesting."
"In a good way or a bad way?" Kouichi asked, still unsure.
"Definitely a good way," Zoe replied, chuckling.
Kouichi smiled, relieved. "So what do we do now?" he asked, getting back to the task at hand.
"I don't know," Zoe said, shaking her head slowly. "I thought we were going the right way, but…" Zoe paused, then continued a bit sheepishly, "that kiss got me a little flustered."
As expected, Kouichi's face turned instantly red at the mention of the kiss they'd shared. "I'm sorry," he muttered, glancing at his feet.
"Don't be," Zoe said. "It was really nice. In fact," here Zoe grabbed Kouichi's hand and shook it jokingly, "thank you for my first kiss!"
Kouichi paused, eyes wide. Then he laughed, warmed by Zoe's cheeriness. "Let's hope it's not the last."
"Right," Zoe agreed, letting go of Kouichi's hand and grabbing her D-Tector. "Alright, let's try to contact one of the guys and hope they don't laugh too much at us!"
—
"Kira!" Takuya called yet again, making his way through the forest. "Please come out, Kirahhh!"
Takuya cried out in surprise when his foot caught on the root of a tree and he began to fall. He instinctively held out his arms and caught himself with his hands before he hit the ground.
Takuya remained motionless, crouched on the ground. Then he muttered, "What did I do?"
He got up slowly, continuing to talk to himself. "Could it have been something I said? Something I did, or didn't do?"
When no reply came, Takuya yelled, "What did I do wrong, Kira? Whatever it is, I'm sorry! I'll do better! I'll compliment you, and give you gifts, and—"
Takuya's breath caught in his throat and he stopped, hands clenched in frustration. "Just tell me why you think I'm still in love with Zoe."
"Hello, anybody there?" Takuya jumped, startled by the voice coming from his D-Tector. It took him a moment to realize that the voice was Zoe's.
"Zoe?" he said tentatively, pushing thoughts of Kira out of his mind for a moment. "What is it? Are you and Chief okay?"
"Yeah, we're fine," Zoe said. Takuya noticed that she sounded a bit ashamed, which worried him.
"What's wrong, Zoe?" Takuya asked seriously. "Did something attack you two?"
"No," Zoe said quickly, and Takuya could just picture her shaking her head rapidly. "You see, Kouichi and I, we…"
"We got lost," Takuya heard Kouichi say.
"Well, yeah," Zoe said, sounding slightly embarrassed by her predicament. "But it's mostly my fault, so don't go picking on Kouichi or anything."
At first, Takuya stood there, dumbstruck. Then he began to laugh.
"It's not that funny, Takuya!" Zoe yelled through the D-Tector, hearing Takuya's hysterical laughter.
"Yes it is!" Takuya managed to reply before bursting into more laughter.
"Takuya, just tell us how to get to the camp," Kouichi said calmly, trying to calm both Takuya and Zoe down at the same time.
"Alright, alright…" Takuya said, laughter finally dying down. "Where are you right now?"
"We're next to this weird purple and orange tree," Zoe said, explaining their surroundings.
"I take great offense to that!" Takuya heard a third voice 'bark' in the background. (Ha, it's a pun!)
"Sorry Cherrymon, but you do kind of look out of place compared to these other trees," Zoe said, sounding sheepish.
"True enough," Cherrymon muttered.
"Wait, I remember passing by that tree," Takuya said, recalling the route he'd taken earlier. "From there, just go north until you get to a stream, then turn left and keep walking until you find the guys."
"You're not with them?" Zoe asked curiously.
"Not at the moment," Takuya replied, Kira popping back into his thoughts. "I'm just taking care of something right now."
"A Kira kind of something?" Takuya's eyes widened, surprised by Zoe's remark.
"How did you know?" he asked.
"Well, I don't know what it is, but she's been a little down for the past few days," Zoe explained, voice growing sympathetic. "Is she with you, or did she run off?"
"She ran off," Takuya replied quietly.
"I see," Zoe said thoughtfully. "You're looking for her, aren't you?"
"I have to," Takuya said firmly. "It's my fault this happened in the first place. If I'd never tried to kiss her, this wouldn't be happening."
"That's not true," Zoe said sympathetically. Takuya could almost picture her kindness filled eyes. "It's not your fault. Kira's just working through some issues. She'll come around, you'll see."
"We'll keep an eye out for her," Kouichi added, sounding equally sympathetic. "We'll let you know if we find her."
Takuya smiled, spirits lifted by his friends' kindness. "Thanks, guys," he said. "That means a lot."
"No problem," Zoe and Kouichi replied at the same time.
"And thanks for helping us too, Takuya," Zoe added before ending her transmission. Takuya pocketed his D-Tector and continued his search, enlightened by his friends.
"Hang on Kira; here I come!"
—
Kira leaned against a tree, staring out at the forest before her. She heard a stick crack and froze, expecting Takuya to come out from behind a branch or bush. But after several moments, she realized that was just her paranoia getting the best of her.
Now that she was alone, Kira realized how stupid it had been to run off like that. All she could do was replay Takuya's pained expression in her mind, causing her as much pain as she had caused him.
"I'm sorry, Takuya," Kira muttered to herself, sinking slowly to the ground. Once she was on the ground, she grabbed her legs to her chest and laid her head on her knees.
"I don't know what's wrong," she said, voice muffled. "I don't know why I'm so afraid that you'll leave. Maybe…I think I'm just not the girl for you."
Kira squeezed her legs tighter, tears welling up in her eyes. "You deserve better!"
"Do you believe that, Kira?" Kira's head shot up, startled by the voice she heard above her. She was even more startled when she saw that the person that had spoken was Zoe.
Zoe stared down at Kira, eyes completely expressionless. Kira's eyebrow shot up, confused. Usually Zoe wore her emotions like an open book. But now Kira couldn't tell what she was thinking. "Zoe?" Kira said slowly, getting back to her feet. "You okay?"
"Do you believe that?" Zoe repeated her earlier question, cold eyes locked on Kira. "Do you believe what you said?"
Kira paused, not knowing where this was coming from. "Zoe, are you alright? Did something happen…?"
"Answer my question, Kira!" Zoe snapped, now glaring at Kira. Kira flinched, taken aback by Zoe's sudden anger.
"Zoe, what's going on? Why are you so mad at me?" Kira asked, anger flaring up in her. "I haven't done anything!"
"Haven't done anything?" Zoe chuckled coldly, still glaring at Kira. "You've done everything!"
"Zoe, what are you talking about? I don't understand!" Kira yelled, getting a bit hysterical.
Zoe's chuckle turned into a full laugh at Kira's statement, but it wasn't anything like her normal, good-natured laughter. It was dark and cold as ice.
Kira's anger began to subside as fear took its place. "Zoe…?"
Suddenly Zoe's hand shot out and she grabbed Kira by the collar, pinning her against the tree behind her. Kira struggled, but Zoe was surprising much stronger than her. It was surprising because Kira had always found herself to be the stronger of the two, but now she was helpless in Zoe's grasp.
"Help," Kira tried to yell, but was cut off by Zoe slamming her against the tree again, hard.
"Listen to me, Kira," Zoe said, staring straight into Kira's eyes. Kira felt as if they were boring right into her heart and soul, and found she couldn't look away.
"You've caused Takuya enough pain and suffering to last a lifetime," Zoe murmured just loud enough for Kira to hear. "It's time that he had a girl who can really be there for him, instead of the other way around. Do you believe that could be you, the way you are now? No, you've been broken too many times."
Kira realized what Zoe was getting at before she spoke the words. "It's time that he and I were together, the way it was meant to be."
Kira's eyes widened, causing Zoe to smirk. Then she let Kira go, turned, and ran into the forest, leaving Kira behind to gather her thoughts.
At first, Kira could only stand still, eyes still wide with shock. Then a slow smile played across her face. "I knew it," she muttered to herself. "I freaking knew it!"
Kira took an unsteady breath, holding her tears back for the time being. Then she began to run. She had to find Takuya, before it was too late. She had to give herself a fighting chance. She had to.
—
"Takuya?" Takuya turned at the sound of his name. The voice sounded feminine, and for a moment Takuya got his hopes up that Kira had returned on her own.
His face fell when he saw Zoe standing behind him. "Oh…hi Zoe," Takuya muttered a greeting dejectedly.
"Sorry to get your hopes up," Zoe said, mocking annoyance. After a moment of silence, Zoe asked, "Are you alright, Takuya?"
Takuya nodded. "Where's Kouichi?" he asked, noticing that Kouichi wasn't there with Zoe.
"Back at camp," Zoe replied. "We made it there thanks to you, but…I was worried about you, and I wanted to help, so I left to try and help you in any way I can."
Takuya smiled slowly. Good old Zoe. We can always count on her. "Thanks, Zoe," he said, perking up a bit. "If you really want to, could you maybe check behind that bush over there? I haven't looked there yet."
"Sure thing," Zoe muttered gently, walking toward the spot indicated by Takuya.
After several minutes of searching, Takuya sighed, getting more and more depressed as the search continued. "Kira…" he murmured, staring at the ground.
"Takuya, you're not really okay, are you?" Takuya glanced to his left, seeing Zoe standing beside him with a sympathetic look on her face.
"No," Takuya replied, closing his eyes. "I'm not, and I won't be until we find Kira. It's all my fault that she ran off, just like it's my fault that she's felt so wrong for the past few days. I want to make her happy, but I can't."
Takuya clenched his fists, not knowing what else he could possibly do to make things right with Kira. There seemed to be nothing…
"Takuya." Takuya turned and was instantly grabbed around the waist by Zoe and pulled into a tight hug.
Takuya's eyes widened, surprised by Zoe's sudden gesture. "Thanks for the reassurance, Zee, but I would've been okay with a pat on the back, if it's all the same to you."
Instead of backing off, Zoe brought her face closer to Takuya's, breathing methodically in his ear. Takuya froze, feeling the tingling of her breath course through him. "Zoe…?"
"It's time that you were made happy, Takuya," Zoe murmured softly, a smile playing at the corners of her lips.
Takuya noticed that her smile seemed a little dark, but he didn't have time to mull this over before Zoe drew him closer and pressed her lips tightly against his.
Takuya was instantly paralyzed, frozen with shock. He didn't struggle when Zoe pulled his arms gently, placing them around her neck while still kissing him.
Yes, she was kissing him. Zoe was kissing Takuya. And Kira was watching the whole thing from behind a tree.
—
JP: Wow, sparks sure are flying, aren't they?
Kouji: Sure seems that way.
Takuya: Ugh…
Tommy: Hey, Takuya's coming to!
Takuya: What the hell…what happened?
madjack89: Hey Taki, good news! I fixed your arm!
Takuya: Thanks, but…why are there bandages all over me?
Dai: You had many serious boo-boos!
Takuya: …Boo-boos?
Shino: Madjack finally got to play doctor…
madjack89: Hooray!
Takuya: …Kouji, I blame you.
Kouji: Whatever.
Zoe: Uh, Madjack, I have a few complaints to make about this chapter, the first one being WHAT THE HELL?!
madjack89: File your complaints in chapter thirteen, Zoe. And you guys keep watch for the next pulse-pounding chapter of F2R!