For ten years, Kido Shouichiro and Kido Rin had only two sons. Shin was the first child and Shuu was born two years later. The brothers had similar appearances and resembled their father: dark blue hair, black eyes and both needed glasses. The main difference in their looks was that Shin's face was rounder, while Shuu's was slender. Personality wise, Shin was straight-forward and pragmatic, often times coming off as rude and apathetic. Shuu was more sensitive and soften-spoken.
Shin never seemed to be particularly interested in anything. His reasoning for becoming a Doctor was that it was a useful profession to society and he could not think of any better career, not being particularly affected by his father's wishes that his children would continue on his footsteps. Shuu, on the other hand, did not feel compelled to become a doctor. He kept that to himself, afraid that he would disappoint his father. Maybe he just had to get used to the idea and, one day, he would be happy to practice medicine.
The announcement of Rin's third pregnancy had caught the other three members of the family by surprise. Shouichiro was concerned about his wife's health and did everything to guarantee that she would have a safe delivery. Shuu was excited and nervous at the prospect of becoming a big brother. Shin tried to keep on doing what he always did, as if nothing major was happening.
When Jyou was born, Shuu fell in love immediately with the baby and vowed to support him in everything. Shouichiro was enthusiastically imagining the bright future where his three sons would be doctors. Rin pointed out that Jyou could want to be a paramedic and made a small comment about having to wait until one of the siblings got married so she could have a daughter, even if only in law.
Shin did not say anything when he saw Jyou for the first time. The eldest son remained stoic, taking in how small and fragile the baby was. As it happens to down-to-earth people, he soon began to imagine all the things that could harm his youngest brother and became frightened. Therefore, he swore to himself that he would help Jyou to grow up strong and healthy.
As Jyou grew up, both his brothers watched his evolution in different ways. For instance, when the toddler began to walk, Shuu would mush about how his baby sibling was becoming independent and ready to embrace the world, while Shin was the one who had to make sure that Jyou would not put anything dangerous in his mouth or walk through the apartment's door that someone (probably Shuu) used to forget to close.
When he was five years old, Jyou stated for the first time, with shiny eyes, that he wanted to be a doctor. Shouichiro, obviously, was proud. Rin simply told her youngest that he would have to study a lot. The big brothers, however, were concerned.
In Shin's eyes, Jyou was an emotional kid who overreacted to every little problem that came his way. He believed that, as the child was, he did not have the right personality to become a doctor. Because of that, Shin tried to teach Jyou to be stronger and more in control of his emotions. He instructed his brother to remain calm in every situation, to analyze things logically and to ponder things carefully before making a decision.
Shuu, on the other hand, was disheartened that his baby brother was closing all the possibilities for his future in such a young age. He told Jyou to consider other careers, to search for what was right for him instead of simply adhering to the path their father wished. Only a few years later Shuu would understand that he was projecting his personal feelings on the child. The shame brought by that realization would lead him to confess to Shouichiro that his heart sought a different path.
Ever since he had decided to become a doctor, Jyou began to study more intensively than a small child should. Shin was worried that the kid would have a psychological meltdown if he did not take breaks and have distractions, like everybody else. Shuu, despite admiring how serious and hardworking Jyou was, shared the eldest brother's concerns.
Therefore, Shin and Shuu would regularly take breaks from their studies and invite Jyou to have ice cream with them, to play videogames, to go for walks, to have fun. Shouichiro criticized them for being irresponsible with their duties, but the love the big brothers had for Jyou was strong enough to compel them to disobey their father and keep on trying to make the child relax. Rin approved that decision, believing that kids should behave like kids and knowing that Shin and Shuu did not have to burn themselves out studying when they had no problems getting good grades.
However, Jyou did not seem to like to be invited to their activities. Instead of becoming more relaxed, the child was getting progressively stressed. Sometimes, the kid made comments about the older brothers not working as hard as they should. Soon, it began to feel like Jyou was looking for excuses to complain about anything they did.
Shuu was conflicted between being a supportive big brother and calling to Jyou's attention that the child's determination of becoming a doctor was making him miserable. Shin had no doubts about what he should do. His advice and attempts to help Jyou were not getting to the kid. The child was burning himself out more and more with excessive studying and their parents did not seem to acknowledge the dangerous path Jyou was taking. The youngest sibling's mental well being was at stake and Shin had to act.
He came to that decision after being accepted to the medical school he wanted to attend, knowing that he would have to move out.
When the three futons of the siblings were kept inside the wardrobe, there was enough space in the room for three small low tables, one for each brother to study. One day, when both their parents were working and Shuu was away doing a group project to school, Shin kneeled across the low table where Jyou was reading a grammar book and said that they needed to talk. When Jyou put the book down and looked into his big brother's eyes with his tiny ones, Shin remembered the baby that child used to be. Why was it that now Jyou seemed to be even more fragile than as a baby?
"You need to stop working so hard." Shin told him.
"I need to work hard to become a doctor!" Jyou protested.
"I don't dedicate myself to studies as much as you and I still got into a university." Shin pointed out.
Jyou's eyes widened and shone. The child picked the book up, opened it and hid his face behind it.
"Jyou, look at me when I'm talking to you!" Shin scolded him, knowing that he had the responsibility to correct his brother's manners. "You can't be immature like that to someone who only wants the best for you!"
"You don't want me to be a doctor." The child's tone was cold.
"I don't want you to exceed your limits." The big brother corrected.
"Y-You think it's out of my reach, then?" Jyou asked. "You think I'm not smart enough!"
"Don't distort my words!" Shin reprehended, distressed to see that once again Jyou was making up things to be upset about. "You're not going to win anything by playing the victim!"
"I'm not a slacker." The child affirmed. "I'm going to keep on working as hard as I can and become a doctor, even if nobody else believes in me!"
"You don't know what's best for you." Shin said, feeling his heart sink. "You're nothing but a child."
Jyou did not reply to that. Once Shin moved out, he barely came to visit his family and never got to talk to his youngest brother in the phone. Nevertheless, he would always ask his mother about him.
"I found a pamphlet of a summer camp among Jyou's books." Rin told her oldest son during a phone call, years later. "I talked to Shuu through the phone and he was enthusiastic about Jyou attending it. But your father thinks that Jyou should go to a cram school this summer and Jyou agrees. That boy already studies so hard all the time; some fresh air could be good for him. What do you think?"
Shin considered himself to be a logical person who could assess situations with clarity. He knew exactly what he had to respond.
"Make Jyou go to that camp, no matter what."
Chapter 27: Kido boys
When Wizarmon and Tailmon came to the real world, they found themselves at the top of a building. The heavy snow falling from the sky would have buried them if the mage had not cast a spell to create a warm bubble around them.
"Is the human world always like this?" Tailmon questioned, trying to see something amidst the blizzard. "How are we going to find my partner?"
"Don't worry about it." Wizarmon said, opening the box the cat digimon had been holding and taking the digivice out. "I can use a tracking spell on this and-"
Suddenly, the little machine flew from his hand in high speed, towards the grey clouds. The mage digimon was paralyzed by his shock.
"Just how powerful was that spell?!" Tailmon shouted, closing the box immediately, as if afraid that the same thing could happen to the remaining object in it.
"That wasn't me." Wizarmon spoke in low voice, looking around with suspicion.
"What do you mean?" Tailmon paled intensely. "Are humans capable of-"
"This wasn't the work of a human." Wizarmon muttered.
"A digimon, then?" She asked, worried.
"If another mage, no matter how skillful, invaded a space filled with my magic, I would've noticed it and resisted." He explained. "A digimon powerful enough to make a move on me like that… knowledgeable enough to hide from me…"
Both Wizarmon and Tailmon looked up, fearfully. The mage held his staff with both hands and closed his eyes. Look for a magical signature, he told himself. There must be a presence. Concentrate!
In his mind, he saw an even denser blizzard. The white and luminous snowflakes contrasted with completely dark surroundings.
Trying to keep me out? Try a little harder! Wizarmon thought, concentrating with more effort. The fierce winds began to lose strength. Its howls diminished, allowing another sound to be heard.
Someone was crying loudly.
Wizarmon walked through the accumulated heavy snow that reached his knees. The freezing sensation was unbearable despite existing only in his mind. Several meters ahead, someone was sitting on the snow, leaning forward. Trembling, sobbing. Not sinking, as if weightless. That person was wearing a white jacket that could perfectly blend with the snow.
The digimon approached the mysterious individual. Their head was leaning down. The face was hidden behind curly dark bangs. The pained voice sounded masculine. Wizarmon circled around to see the other side of the stranger and noticed that he had his arms positioned in an odd way, as if he were holding someone invisible. The front of his jacket and his lap were drenched red. At his right, a helmet with countless long bloody needles pointing inside laid on the ground.
Wizarmon noticed a trail of blood in front of the stranger and followed it. It led to a metallic chair with restraints, less than ten meters away. The object was also covered in blood.
What the hell is this? The digimon wondered, frightened. Suddenly, his surroundings became bright, forcing Wizarmon to close his eyes. When he opened them again, the mage found himself in a field filled with diverse and multicolored flowers, with the sun high in the sky. In front of him, there was a large crystalline rock that should not be larger than two miles, projecting itself a few centimeters from the ground. On the top of the rock, a little bird was sharpening its beak.
The digimon squatted and touched the hard crystalline material. Diamond? He wondered.
"There was once upon a time a shepherd boy whose fame spread far and wide because of the wise answers which he gave to every question."
Wizarmon couldn't tell from where that voice was coming. It was different from the one the crying person had and the mage could not confirm whether it was a masculine or feminine voice.
"The King of the country heard of it likewise, but did not believe it, and sent for the boy. Then he said to him, 'if you can give me an answer to three questions which I will ask you, I will look on you as my own child, and you shall dwell with me in my royal palace.' The boy said, 'what are the three questions?'" The voice continued.
"Is this some fairy-tale?" The digimon inquired, looking for the owner of the voice in his surroundings. "Why are you telling me that?"
"No reason at all." The voice lacked emotion. "It's just an old story I was told a long time ago… by someone who was trying to make small talk."
"Is that what you're trying to do now?" Wizarmon questioned.
"I'm rather polite, aren't I?" The other sounded amused. "Considering that you tried to invade my mind and have seen something you shouldn't have, I'm treating you way better than you deserve."
Something I shouldn't have seen… that person crying? The helmet? The chair? He was trying to put the pieces together. The only digimon I know that is well versed in magic to this extent and is a skillful enough telepath… is this Monzaemon? Is he trying to disguise himself behind this childish voice?
He did not know Monzaemon's past. Maybe that monster had a complicated history nobody knew about.
"Do you think you scare me?" Wizarmon asked, attempting to sound self-assured. "I was one of the most talented priests in the Sanctuary! I'm more than capable to deal with you!"
"I know very well who you are." The voice sounded thunderous.
There were many telepathic digimon in the Sanctuary, but only a few of them were highly instructed on magic. Wizarmon used to be proud for being a magician skillful enough to earn praise from the Queen herself. There was only another monster acknowledged by her in the same regard.
This guy really must be Monzaemon. The mage concluded, feeling his heart skip a beat. There were stories about the bear monster visiting the human world and messing with children, but they were considered to be nothing but gossip. However, the memory of that crying child in a scenario that resembled a nightmare was a strong indication that the rumors were true. Monzaemon later betrayed the Sanctuary and fought alongside the Academy and then, after the war, he just vanished. Not even Kanda's network was able to locate him.
Did that wicked creature flee to the human world at some point? Was he now completely dedicated to psychologically tormenting people? But why did he take Tailmon's digivice away? There was only one plausible answer for that
"What's your interest in Yagami Hikari?" Wizarmon inquired. He, Kanda and Tailmon should be the only ones to know about that child, and the former bearer of love was the only one who knew how she looked like and where she lived, not daring to keep that information in the Academy's databank, but in the only place Wizarmon would never be able to invade: his mind.
However, everything indicated that Monzaemon knew about her. Was he able to read Kanda's mind? How frighteningly powerful was that toy monster?
"You're not having a lot of luck in your search for her, are you?" The other chuckled, despite not sounding actually happy.
"And you are?" Wizarmon had a defiant tone.
"Do you want me to give you a clue?" The voice offered.
"Why would you do that?" The mage digimon gripped his staff more fiercely.
"It could lead to interesting developments." The other replied. "Now, let me give you some information."
Wizarmon grabbed his staff with his other hand and began to cast a protective incantation, not willing to allow that monster to do anything to him. Nevertheless, his mind was invaded by a series of images.
First, there was a building; the address was easily readable in its front. Then, a blue haired child wearing glasses left that place in large steps, seemingly distressed.
The mage had seen that child before in the archives of the Academy. He was the current bearer of honesty, Kido Jyou. But now that the Academy had been destroyed (if the plan had succeeded) the new chosen children should be stranded in the Digital World, with no means of returning, or worse! What was the meaning of that? How could that chosen child be there?
"That was a vision of the future." The voice explained. "If you go to that building and wait for that scene to happen, you might find something interesting in that boy's mind."
"You have prophetic powers too?" Wizarmon asked, finding himself back in the flower field.
"I'm not a prophet." The voice said. "I simply predict predictable events."
"How…?" Wizarmon's body was shaking against his will. "An ordinary Monzaemon is not even naturally telepathic… did you become this powerful just by studying?"
"You're denser than I expected, Wizarmon." The other commented. "I wonder how you got to be so good at betrayals."
Suddenly, a blizzard approached Wizarmon from all directions and he blacked out. When he woke up, he found himself resting next to Tailmon.
"You fainted suddenly!" The cat sounded alarmed. "Are you alright?"
The mage sat up with difficulty, feeling a little dizzy.
"We need to look for a building." He told her. "There might be a clue about Hikari there…"
"How do you know that?" Tailmon inquired.
"Someone gave me that information… it could very well be a trap, though." He acknowledged.
"And you want us to go there anyway?" She frowned.
"We're not in a position where we can let chances pass by." Wizarmon admitted. "I promised to bring you and your partner together."
"That's true." Tailmon nodded. "Let's go, then!"
"I think fish sticks are good." Jyou muttered, in the convenience store, holding Pukamon wrapped in a shirt in his right hand and a box of frozen food on the other.
"Do you think I can control them with my 'marching fish' attack?" Pukamon wondered.
"Wouldn't that be necromancy?" The boy shivered. Right after that, he realized that he should be worried about something else. "Hey, don't speak!" Jyou censored Pukamon while looking around, nervously. "You don't want to cause hysteria, do you?"
"Hysteria?" The digimon was puzzled. "Is it like when you tried to run away from me when we met?"
"T-That's a completely normal reaction! Anyone would've done the same!" Jyou's cheeks became vividly scarlet.
"Would everybody cry and think I'm haunting-?"
"I DIDN'T CRY! I DEFINITELY REMEMBER NOT CRYING!" Jyou shouted, realizing only in that moment that he had done that in a place that should be full of strangers.
Fortunately, there was only a young purple-haired girl with glasses and a red sweater working as the cashier. Someone definitely too young to be working there. She was muffling a laugh while looking at him. Jyou turned his back to her, in an attempt to hide his flustered face.
However, in front of him there was a little girl with short brown hair, wearing a pink coat. She showed him a smile that the boy found enigmatic.
Jyou was at a loss of words. Was that child mentally mocking him?
"Please, don't get irritated at your friend. I'm sure he didn't mean to embarrass you." She told him, affably.
"My friend…?" Jyou paled.
"This one." The girl pointed to Pukamon.
"N-no! T-That's just a toy!" The boy hurried to deny.
"You don't need to lie to me." The younger child said, gently. "This isn't the first time I've seen a digimon."
Jyou unconsciously let go of the box of frozen food and his partner. Unlike the fish sticks, Pukamon was hovering in front of the boy. The sixth-grader was not able to say anything, simply staring at the little kid as cold sweat covered his forehead.
"Where have you seen digimon before?" Pukamon inquired in low voice, keeping himself close to the boy's belly, in an attempt to hide his presence from the girl in the cashier some meters behind Jyou.
"In my dreams." The girl replied, beaming. "I've been visiting a magical place for years, whenever I slept. In that world, I've seen wonderful creatures like you."
"H-hold on!" Jyou found his voice again. "What the hell are you saying? W-What kind of crazy talk is this?!"
The smaller child paled deeply and dropped her smile. She looked down and passed by Jyou's side, murmuring "I'm not crazy."
"You need to go after that girl!" Pukamon urged in a whisper.
"Yeah…" Jyou muttered. "I was insensitive and made her upset."
"Huh? No, not because of that!" Pukamon said. "Don't you find it strange how she knows about digimon?"
"That's true." Jyou nodded. He grabbed Pukamon with his right hand and then lowered his body to pick up the fish sticks and the shirt that had been enveloping his partner. After that, he turned around and headed to the cashier. The girl in the pink coat was talking to the child with purple hair.
"Sorry, Hikari-chan. The price of your favorite ice cream went up." The girl wearing glasses had an apologetic voice.
"It's okay, Miyako-san. I didn't want it that much." Hikari forced a smile.
"But you came all the way here just to buy it." Miyako was not convinced.
The child in the pink coat noticed Jyou's presence next to her.
"I need to go." Hikari hurried to say, getting away from there with large steps, not paying attention to the protests of Miyako and the boy. After leaving the market and closing the door behind her, she stayed still for a moment, looking at the snow that covered the ground. The flakes were no longer falling from the sky but the heavy clouds were still there, stopping the sunshine from reaching her. Hikari tried to find comfort in the coldness and distract her mind from unpleasing memories.
She should know better than to be too sincere. Yet, there were times when Hikari could not help herself. That was definitely the case upon seeing an actual digimon for the first time.
While lost in her thoughts, the door behind her was abruptly opened and the boy with blue hair stepped outside. He took from the plastic bag he was holding (from which the digimon's head stood out) a small ice cream cup labeled "supreme vanilla meets chocolate" and handed it to the girl.
"I'm deeply sorry for hurting your feelings!" Jyou bowed. "I was too shocked! I didn't mean to say that! Sometimes it's like my mouth has a will of its own and just spills every stupid thought that crosses my mind!"
"It's alright, please don't be like that." Hikari told him, startled by the show of regret. "You haven't hurt my feelings at all!"
"Of course I have!" Jyou reiterated, raising his head and facing her. "When a person does something that upsets you, you deserve an apology! Also, you're entitled to call the person out for it!"
The girl stared at him with wide open eyes, not saying a thing or moving a muscle. The boy eventually got tired of bending over and decided to straight his posture, despite keeping his right arm stretched to her, offering the ice cream.
"You shouldn't have bought me that." She murmured, glancing at the cup. "I can't accept it."
"I don't like this flavor. If you don't accept it, I'll have to throw it away." Jyou informed her.
"Please, don't do that!" Hikari quickly took the ice cream from his hand and held it against her body.
They stared at each other in silence for half a minute, until Pukamon spoke:
"You really do like ice cream, don't you?"
The girl's face turned completely red.
"I'm an ice cream fan as well!" Jyou laughed. "I only have them with cones, though."
The girl's expression softened at the sight of the boy's smiling face.
"My name is Yagami Hikari." She introduced herself.
"I'm Kido Jyou. This is Pukamon." Jyou said.
"Nice to meet you both." She greeted.
"You said before that you saw digimon in your dreams?" Pukamon asked.
"I realize it must sound odd." Hikari muttered. "Most people don't have dreams like the ones I have…"
"You have prophetic dreams?" Jyou sounded amazed.
"I don't know if I'd go that far and call them prophetic." The girl giggled, nervously. "My big brother sometimes jokes that I'm psychic, though."
"Your big brother?" Jyou was only now registering the family name she had told him. "Is your big brother by any chance Yagami Taichi?"
"You know him." Hikari commented, not surprised. "He has many friends."
"I just met him in a summer camp." Jyou clarified. "I wouldn't call him my friend. We have friends in common, though. Besides…" He grinned at Hikari. "You seem to be way cooler than him!"
The child's eyes widened and shone. A large smile appeared on her lips.
But then she realized something else.
"Summer camp?" The girl frowned slightly. "Was the camp canceled? Did everybody come back?"
"Yes, your brother is probably in your home right now, waiting for you." The boy informed.
"Please excuse me, I need to go." Hikari said, walking away quickly.
"I can walk you home." Jyou offered.
"There's no need! Thank you for your kindness!" The girl yelled back, already a couple of meters ahead.
"Be careful not to slip!" The boy told her.
"Ok!" She replied.
"What do you think, Jyou?" Pukamon asked once they were alone. "Do you think she was telling the truth?"
"She seems to be a good girl." The boy said. "Maybe she really is psychic. My Grandmother believed that people like her existed."
"It seems that she's feeling better." The digimon pointed out.
"Feeling better?" Jyou was confused.
"Don't you remember that Taichi had said that she wasn't feeling well?" The other inquired.
"He said that?" The boy was surprised. "Oh no, was I not paying attention?"
"How insensitive of you." Pukamon taunted.
"I do the best I can!" The human got flustered. His partner chuckled in response. Then, Jyou took Pukamon to his building.
Once Jyou opened his apartment's door with the key he took from his backpack, Pukamon left the plastic bag and floated inside, intending to explore the place. The door opened to the kitchen, which had a large rectangular glass table with a flowery sheet over it and six chairs around it, a black counter connected to the sink and a black oven, a gray refrigerator at a corner and a cabinet at the opposite wall from the entrance. The digimon hovered towards the living room, which was connected to the kitchen by an entrance and had a large beige couch across from a wooden shelf filled with books, with a television at its center
"This place is so pretty!" Pukamon praised, loudly.
"My parents have really good taste." Jyou commented with a bit of pride, slipping out of his shoes. He did not find the home sandals he usually left at the entrance. Maybe his mother or father had taken them to his bedroom, believing the boy would be gone for a couple of weeks. Jyou walked in his socks. He took the package of fish sticks from the plastic bag and placed it inside the sink, turning on the tap, allowing the flowing water to start to unfreeze the food recipient. Then, he picked the gray shirt that he had used to keep his partner warm from the plastic bag and went to the living room, from where he would take the corridor to his bedroom. Pukamon followed him.
"I thought you were going to cook." The digimon said.
"First, I'm going to put my things in my bedroom." Jyou replied, opening the door to his room. The place had a well made bed close to the window, a large wardrobe at the left of the bed and a study desk with three piles of books on its right. The boy used to share that room with his older brothers. Ever since both of them moved away, he found himself with more space than he needed.
The boy noticed that his home sandals were placed in front of his wardrobe and wondered why his parents did not put them inside it. Jyou put his backpack on his bed and opened the wardrobe, intending to place in there what needed to be there. He shrieked when he saw the eldest son of the Kido family taking a nap over the youngest sibling's folded clothes. The older brother seemed to be comfortable, wearing jeans pants and a yellow sweater.
"Huh, what?" The young man in the wardrobe woke up, confused. He sat up, cross legged on the clothes, and looked at the child.
"It's just you, Jyou?" He asked.
"What are you doing in there, Shin-niisan?!" Jyou nearly yelled. "I folded those clothes myself!"
"I wanted to take a nap but the sheet on your bed was perfectly straightened up… it would make me feel guilty if I messed with it. So I opened the wardrobe to pick up a futon. But then I thought it'd be too troublesome to put that thing down. That's why I decided to just sleep in the wardrobe." Shin explained.
"That's really lazy of you!" Jyou reprehended. "Not to mention that you're on my clean clothes! Please, get out of there!"
"I'm entitled to be lazy at home." The big brother yawned, jumping from the wardrobe and putting on the home sandals that belonged to the child.
"Those are mine!" Jyou complained.
"You weren't supposed to come home earlier." Shin scratched his forehead, glancing at his brother. "You should be relaxing in a summer camp, away from here."
"Do you mean that you wanted me to go to a summer camp just so you could come home and use my things?" Jyou was offended at the thought.
"That's not true and you know it." Shin furrowed his eyebrows. "Like always, you're stressing yourself over nothing."
"I-I'm not…" Jyou stuttered. Shin was no longer paying attention to the boy. Instead, he was looking at Pukamon, who was floating at Jyou's side.
"Who is this?" Shin asked in low voice, raising both eyebrows.
"Ah! I can explain!" Jyou said in loud voice. "Please, you need to stay calm! I know this must be a shock for you but I can guarantee that everything is okay! Calm down!"
"He seems very calm to me." The digimon observed, examining Shin's relaxed body language. "Your brother is almost like the anti-you."
"I came first. Therefore, Jyou is the anti-me." Shin teased.
"Shin-niisan, you don't need to use humor to hide how scared you are!" Jyou tried to sound comforting. "Fear is a completely valid human reaction!"
"Jyou, seriously, this guy is super chill." Pukamon sighed.
"There's no way he'd be chill, Pukamon!" Jyou protested. "Shin-niisan has never seen a digimon before! He must be freaking out in the inside! Clearly, he's so overwhelmed by his emotions that he can't even pick one to express!" The boy stated, pointing to the blank expression his brother had. To tell the truth, he knew that Shin had the frustrating capability of staying calm in any situation. But Jyou believed that his big brother should not be truly calm in that moment. He had to be freaking out in the inside and hiding it! "Imagine how shocked Shin-niisan will be when he learns that you came from a different world!" Jyou continued. "He's going to need a glass of water! And to sit down!" The boy felt a strange satisfaction imagining that scene.
"Oh, you're like an alien, then?" Shin questioned Pukamon, sounding a little impressed. "I always thought that you guys would be like little green men."
"I don't become humanoid or green in any of my evolutions." The monster informed.
"So, you evolve? That's cool." Shin commented.
"Niisan, you really don't need to hide your nervousness!" Jyou muttered, shocked at his brother's tranquility. "Aren't you scared of Pukamon? Not even a little bit? He's a strange life form that you never saw before, it's okay to be a little scared!"
"Were you scared when you saw this guy for the first time?" Shin inquired, looking at Jyou. The little brother saw reproval in the other's eyes.
"I…" The boy felt his heart racing in his chest. He did not want to tell the truth, but neither did he want to lie. Was Shin going to be disappointed at him? "Actually I…"
"In the Digital World, Jyou faced many dangers for the sake of the other children and digimon who needed help." Pukamon told the older brother. "I've never met someone as brave as him!"
"Pukamon…" Jyou felt a wave of gratitude for his partner.
"I couldn't imagine how courageous he was when we first met." Pukamon smirked. "Jyou was shaking, sickly pale. He called me an evil spirit and ran into the jungle, crying."
"How many times do I have to say that I didn't cry?!" Jyou shouted. "Why can't you support me for more than a couple of minutes?!"
"He faced dangers…?" Shin muttered, paling. "What exactly-?"
Suddenly, a voice rang out from the kitchen.
Kido Shuu took the chance that his summer research had been canceled to come to Tokyo and visit his family. He imagined that his parents were working and that Jyou was in the summer camp, after all the support he and Shin gave to the idea.
Knowing that he was probably going to have the whole apartment for himself, Shuu opened the door with a great gesture and began to sing, unafraid of being heard.
"Even if I dream, even if I cry, even if I get hurt, reality keeps on coming recklessly. I want to find my own place, the value of being the person I've been until now." Shuu crossed the door of the apartment, dancing to his own singing of the opening theme of his favorite anime. He left his shoes at the entrance and did not bother to look for sandals, stepping on the floor wearing his socks.
The young man took off his dark blue coat and placed it on one of the kitchen's chairs. Underneath he was wearing black pants and a thick light blue cotton shirt. He closed his eyes when he got to his favorite part of the song:
"Let's find the strength to throw it all away, to strip down to nothing at all! Become like a rose petal, blowing free! Even if the two of us are torn apart, I swear that I will change the world!"
Once he opened his eyes, Shuu found both his brothers staring at him, from the passage that connected the kitchen to the living room.
"How long have you guys been there?" Shuu asked in a murmur, sweating.
"Enough time." Shin replied with a smug smile. "Did you always do that kind of thing or did Kyoto change you?"
"Rinbu Revolution is just a really catchy song, alright?" Shuu replied, blushing.
"Shuu-niisan, good thing you're here! I need to introduce you to someone!" Jyou exclaimed, stepping aside from the kitchen's entrance. From behind him, Pukamon floated into the room. He's going to be scared, isn't he? It's not going to be like it was with Shin-niisan. The boy thought, hopeful.
"IS THAT A YOKAI?!" Shuu yelled, excitedly, approaching the monster. "A real yokai? Wait until Professor hears about this!"
Why is he taking this so well too? Jyou felt as if his heart was being squeezed inside his chest. Come on! He has to be at least a little frightened! That's how people should react!
"Pukamon is a digimon! A monster from the Digital World!" Jyou corrected. "He changes his shape and gets bigger and stronger! He has attacks! He could destroy this building if he wanted to!" The boy was slightly raising his voice. "I know this must be a lot for you to take in, Niisan. It's completely normal to be scared! Don't worry, you can sit on a chair and I can get you a glass of water-"
"Who cares about water? I want to know everything about this wonderful creature right away!" Shuu nearly shouted in excitement, not taking his eyes from Pukamon. "You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, Pukamon! Shin-niisan, isn't he beautiful?"
"Not really." Shin replied. "But it's not like I have a beauty parameter for aliens."
"Hey! I'm cute!" Pukamon complained, but did not sound honestly offended.
"Did you come from a different dimension, Pukamon?" Shuu asked. "Perhaps a different realm? Could it be that what our civilization has come to call yokai were actually digimon? Do you have a civilization of your own? Do you have your own writing? Do you have a government? How complex is your society?"
"Hey, Shuu, don't forget to breathe." Shin joked.
"To navigate is necessary, to live is not necessary." Shuu said, dramatically putting his right hand under his chin.
"Obscure citations don't make you sound smart." Shin informed. "They make you sound like someone who's trying too hard to sound smart."
"Sure." Shuu grinned. "Just like your constant lack of excitement is just you trying to make people think you're cool."
"T-That's not true!" The eldest brother blushed.
"Oh, my! Did I just get a reaction out of Kido Shin?" The middle brother had an exaggerated surprised tone. "I must have super powers!"
"Only if being inconvenient is a super power." Shin smirked.
"I shall accept what I have been blessed with." Shuu was now speaking with an over the top deep intonation. "With great powers come great responsibilities."
Shuu laughed at his own joke. Shin smirked.
"Your brothers are great, Jyou!" Pukamon chuckled, hovering to his partner and sitting on his right shoulder. "I had no idea your family was so funny!"
"Yeah…" The boy murmured, glancing down. "They have better social skills than me… and other things…"
"Hey, what's the matter?" The digimon asked. "We're all getting along. Aren't you happy that they didn't get hysteric over me?"
"Sure." Jyou mumbled. He should be happy that his family had accepted his partner so easily but it did not feel right. Why were they so unfazed when it had been such a shock for Jyou? Could it be that most people would behave with grace when confronted by something new? Was he the odd one for not adhering to that rule?
Why can't they be more nervous? He wondered. Why does everything have to be so much easier for them? While I always have a hard time with everything, they just…
"I was born in the Village of the Beginnings, in File Island." Pukamon began to tell his story. "Ever since I could remember, I knew that I was going to meet a human named Jyou and that he would be my partner. I knew that he was going to give me the power to evolve and that we would be best friends. I have to admit that I had imagined him as someone way cooler, though." The digimon laughed.
"Jyou was never good with first impressions." Shin commented, scratching his face with his right hand.
"He might not be a cool person but he's really hard working and earnest." Shuu said with a proud smile.
Literally nobody finds me cool. Jyou thought, not registering the second part of Shuu's speech.
"Who brought him to that other world?" Shin inquired, contracting his eyebrows. "With what purpose?"
"A guy named Kanda." Pukamon explained. "Jyou and other four children were taken to the Digital World to fight alongside us."
"Fight?" Shin was becoming increasingly paler. "What do you mean by that?"
"Actually he gives me energy so I can fight." The digimon clarified. "I pretty much do almost all of the hard work." He added, giggling.
"I'm going to prepare lunch, excuse me." Jyou interrupted, heading to the sink of the kitchen after taking his partner from his shoulder and placing him on the table.
"Hold on! We haven't even touched on the important parts yet!" The digimon protested.
"I'm sure you can fill my brothers in about all of my shortcomings." The youngest sibling muttered.
"We didn't mean to make you feel inadequate, Jyou." Shuu tried to appease the boy. "I'm sorry if I said something that made you sad!
"Stop twisting things, Jyou." Shin reprehended. "You know very well that-"
"No! I don't know!" The boy almost yelled. "You can't just make fun of me and then expect me to know that you don't mean it!"
"Yes, you are expected to know that we don't mean it. Because that's how people normally talk to each other." Shin affirmed. "You need stop being overdramatic."
"Shin-niisan, you're going too far!" Shuu scolded.
"I'm just saying what he needs to hear!" The eldest brother stated.
"Sorry for being overdramatic, then!" Jyou raised his voice, turning off the tap and picking up the package he had left in the sink. "Sorry for not being as well-adjusted as you!" He tried to open the package with too much force. "Sorry for being such a disappointment!"
The package was torn open and the fish sticks fell on the ground. Instead of trying to pick them up, Jyou put both his hands on the counter and hyperventilated. His body was shaking, his thoughts were chaotic. He wanted to cry but refused to do it in front of his siblings. They were just going to think even less of him.
"Jyou, I'm sorry!" Pukamon floated to the space on the counter between the boy's hands. "I was just joking! You know how much I care for you!"
"You're not a disappointment to us!" Shuu stated. "I'm always bragging about you to everybody I know! Despite being my baby brother, you're always so serious, responsible and dedicated! I honestly admire that in you!"
"Whenever anyone praises me, it's always about how I'm always working hard." Jyou whispered. "I always have to work more than everybody else… nobody ever says that I'm naturally good at something…"
"What are you talking about, Jyou?" Pukamon asked. "Aren't you proud of your effort? You're more dedicated than anyone!"
"If I have to work hard to achieve anything, doesn't that just mean that I'm not gifted in any way?" The boy murmured, feeling his eyes getting humid.
"Stop saying that, Jyou! You're scaring me!" Shuu was getting anxious.
"Jyou, you can't let those thoughts win you over!" The digimon warned him. "There are many wonderful things in you! You're brave! You care a lot about people! You put the needs of others above your own, risking your own life doing so!"
"Anyone can do that!" The boy dismissed.
"Do you think anyone would do what you've done?!" Pukamon raised his voice. "You offered your own body to a wicked computer program hoping that it would let Koushiro go! You defied Leomon to protect an innocent, knowing that he was a strong digimon who would be dangerous to have as an enemy! You were the first one to acknowledge Sora as a better leader and didn't shy away from admitting that you weren't suited for the task! And when she got hurt in Aurora Town, you were the first person to think of ways to help her! Not to mention that you stood up to a god and insulted it, not fearing what could happen to you! Do you honestly think anyone would have done that?! Are you joking with me now?!"
"Did you really do all that?" Shuu asked, amazed, approaching his little brother and placing a hand on his right shoulder. "I've always known that you were the kind of person who would stick to your values but I never expected you to be so courageous!" The young man had a large smile. "You can't even begin to understand how proud I am of you right now!"
"You're proud of me…? Both of you…?" Jyou looked from Pukamon to his brother Shuu.
"You should be proud of you as well!" Pukamon told him. "You're very different from me and that's frustrating sometimes but I wouldn't change you for anyone else." The digimon smiled. "I'm proud of being your partner, Jyou!"
Jyou picked Pukamon up and wrapped him in a hug. Shuu hugged his little brother as well.
"Thank you for telling me that!" Jyou let a couple of tears escape his eyes. "I have issues with my self-worth… I keep comparing myself to people…" He gulped. "For years, I've compared myself to both Shuu-niisan and Shin-niisan and thought that I was lesser... That made me frustrated…" The boy glanced down. "That frustration manifested as anger and nit-pickiness… I felt the need to criticize people for little things… to complain constantly… I wanted to feel better about myself and I failed to notice how my behavior affected other people." Jyou shut his eyes closed. "I don't like to be that kind of person and I'm trying to change but sometimes… I can't escape those thought patterns… thank you for reassuring me. Thank you for reminding me that I have worth…"
Jyou's digivice, that had been in his pocket ever since he had returned from the camp, shone. Pukamon was enveloped in white light.
"Pukamon evolves to… Gomamon!"
"He changed form!" Shuu exclaimed, breaking the hug and unceremoniously taking Gomamon from Jyou's arms. "How did this happen?"
Gomamon began to explain what a digivice was and how Jyou's emotional state influenced in his evolutions. The boy, however, was now paying attention to Shin, who had not moved from his spot near the entrance of the kitchen. The eldest brother had his arms crossed and a severe expression.
"Niisan…" Jyou approached him.
"What have you been up to, Jyou?" Shin had a grave tone. "Have you been trying to get yourself killed? Is that it?"
"Why are you phrasing it like that?" The child got annoyed. Shuu and Gomamon realized that an argument was rising between those two.
"How should I be phrasing it?" Shin inquired. "Were you expecting me to call your recklessness bravery as well? What are you trying to prove by jumping straight into danger?"
"Jyou doesn't want to prove anything!" Gomamon defended his partner. "He just honestly wants to help everybody!"
"But there are responsible ways to do that!" Shin stated, looking at the digimon. "If Jyou used his head instead of letting his emotions rule him he would see-"
"If I used my head?!" Jyou glared at the eldest brother. "I tried to do that from the beginning but forcing myself to be logical and do things for a supposedly greater good didn't work for me or anyone else!" He shouted. "I only began to become someone better when I started being honest with myself! I'm not logical or cold blooded! I feel things strongly! And I like this version of myself way better than who I was trying to be before!"
"You always felt things way too strongly!" Shin raised his voice. "That's exactly your problem! Your emotions cloud your vision and you can't see what you're doing to yourself!"
"Hey, hey, no need to get so intense, you two!" Shuu tried to appease them.
"You don't think this is an important matter, Shuu?" Shin asked, glaring at the middle sibling. "Oh, right! Jyou's new developed death wish makes you proud, doesn't it? Because you're such a supporting brother!"
"You used to criticize me for how I was before!" Jyou recalled. "Now you're criticizing me for being true to myself! Am I never going to be good enough to you?!"
"The way I see it, you haven't changed one bit!" Shin stated. "You're still just an illogical child who doesn't know what's best for you!"
Jyou could not bear to remain in his presence any longer. He went to the entrance of his apartment, put on his shoes and left.
"Jyou, wait!" Shuu called. "How could you say that to him?!" He turned to Shin.
"You don't know through how many things Jyou has been and how much he has changed!" Gomamon was angry at the eldest sibling. "You don't have the right to deny his growth!"
"He changed, you say?" Shin had a morbid tone. "My brother decided that he wanted to be a doctor and help people when he was five and took it so seriously that he began to study a lot more than a child his age should! He became obsessed with it and endangered his mental stability! All these years later, he's still risking his health for the sake of helping others, but this time he's actually flirting with death!" His lips trembled. "I can't just sit still and applaud him when he's doing that!"
Gomamon felt sympathy for Shin in that moment. He too worried about Jyou's well being and about how far his ideals could take him. The digimon had suffered with that concern for long and knowing what had happened to Jyou's predecessor only made things worse. What if the boy ultimately destroyed himself trying to save as many lives as he could? What should Gomamon do in that case? He respected his partner's kindness and devotion to what he believed to be right. But he could not value those things over Jyou's life.
"I understand where you're coming from." The digimon told Shin. "Jyou's selflessness is admirable but it's also terrifying. But do you know what's even scarier than imagining Jyou getting hurt for his ideals?" His voice became lower. "To imagine him suffering alone."
"What are you saying?" Shin murmured.
"I think I understand." Shuu said, glancing down at the monster in his arms. "There are things that are integral to a person's self. Things that can't be changed, no matter how much you negate them. Being passionate and idealistic, taking things too seriously… that's all part of Jyou's nature. It's who he is! It's not up to us to decide whether those traits are good or bad. We can only accept our brother in his wholeness."
"I can't do that." Shin mumbled. "I can't stay inert and watch my baby sibling…" He could not finish the sentence.
"It's not a matter of choosing between supporting Jyou and taking care of him." Gomamon explained. "We can do both things. We can love him for who he is and still call him out when he exceeds his limits." The monster felt a nod in his throat. "That's what I want to believe in."
Shin stayed quiet for half a minute. He had a lot to think about.
"Niisan." Shuu called him. "Let's go after our baby brother."
Shin knew that was the logical thing to do in that moment.
Jyou made his way through the snow that almost covered his shoes. He was slowly organizing his thoughts. Independent of his motivations, Shin's way of speaking was hurtful and Jyou knew that he deserved an apology for that.
Once the boy entered an alley, he suddenly was no longer able to move forward. His feet had been glued to the ground. He looked down and saw a faint glowing circle around him, on the snow.
"What is this?!" Jyou wondered in loud voice. He heard the sound of something softly hitting the snow a couple of meters in his front and looked to see what it was. Someone that looked like a person wearing a cape that hid most of the face and a pointy hat with a skull at its front was standing there, pointing a golden staff with a metallic sun at its extremity in the human's direction.
"You really came, chosen child." The other sounded a little surprised.
"You're a digimon?" Jyou asked. "H-How did you get here? What are you doing in this world?!"
"I don't have to tell you anything, bearer of honesty." The mage replied, stepping inside the circle. "You're the one who's going to give me answers."
"Jyou!" Voices were calling him in the distance.
"I'M HERE!" Jyou shouted.
"Bringing people here won't change a thing to you." Wizarmon informed.
Shin, Shuu and Gomamon followed the boy's voice and found him.
"A Wizarmon?!" Jyou's partner was shocked. "Why are you here? What do you want with Jyou?!"
"He trapped me!" Jyou shouted, picking up the digivice from his pocket. Gomamon jumped from Shuu's arms, ready to evolve. But the energy of the little machine never reached him.
Wizarmon held his staff with both hands and stuck its base into the snow. The circle glowed with more intensity as wind involved the two individuals inside it. Jyou took both his hands to his head and let out a cry of pain.
"What are you doing to him?!" Shin inquired, clenching his fists.
"You won't get hurt if you don't oppose me." The mage told Jyou as his green eyes glowed. "Open your mind to me!"
The boy's body became rigid and he let his arms fall by his sides. The digivice was loosely kept in his right hand. A blank expression was visible in Jyou's face.
"Jyou?" Shuu calleed, afraid.
"Leave Jyou alone!" Gomamon ordered, running in Wizarmon's direction and jumping. The small mammal hit on an invisible wall at the edge of the circle and fell on his back.
Shin felt his body quivering and heart racing. His eyes were becoming warmer and his vision blurred. His baby brother was in danger! He was under attack! But he could not find any way to save him. He could not see any way out for Jyou. What could Shin do? How was he going to rescue the boy?
"Jyou…" Shin muttered, heading towards the edge of the circle. "Let go of him!" He pressed both his hands on the invisible wall. "LET GO OF JYOU!"
Jyou watched his life playing before his eyes in high speed, without being able to do anything to stop it. There was only a moment when the memories slowed down and he could discern what was happening.
The memory showed the moment when Fate had assumed the form of a boy with dark curly hair and brown eyes and said:
"But my favorite child is still to come to this world."
"That's…" Wizarmon's voice echoed in Jyou's head. "This person… I don't understand…"
The digimon's moment of confusion made his control over Jyou get weaker, which enabled the boy to hear Gomamon and his brothers calling for him. There was something peculiar in Shin's voice. Instead of the usual cold and composed tone the young man used, there was anguish and desperation overflowing from his voice. Was Shin, perhaps, crying? Crying for Jyou?
"Return my brother! Get away from Jyou!" Shin ordered.
He's scared! The boy thought. He's scared for me!
"Niisan, Jyou is going to be okay, isn't he?" Shuu sounded even more desperate than the eldest sibling. "What are we going to do?"
"Why doesn't he respond? Why isn't he reacting?" Gomamon sounded distressed as well.
"It's my fault…" Shin muttered. "Because of me… I just wanted to protect Jyou… I c-can't lose him! I can't!"
Jyou thought that he would be relieved the day he witnessed his brothers breaking under pressure, proving that they were not above emotional low points so familiar to the youngest sibling. But to hear the two young men in that state made Jyou feel as if he was freezing from the inside out. Don't cry, please… I can't stand this… Jyou pleaded in thought, I don't want them to be like this! It's going to be okay, Shin-niisan, Shuu-niisan! I promise you!
"Get out!" Jyou commanded, while a furious expression took over his face and he clenched his fists. His sudden shout startled Gomamon, Shuu and Shin.
"You're just human! How can you resist me?" Wizarmon, once again visible in front of Jyou, had his green eyes wide open. His image flickered with fragments of the boy's memories.
"My name is Yagami Hikari." The girl Jyou had seen earlier that day appeared in a flash.
For some reason, Wizarmon's control over the boy got even weaker after that vision of the girl. Jyou took the opportunity to assemble all of his determination and expel the invader.
"GET OUT OF MY MIND!" Kido Jyou roared.
Wizarmon lost his balance and fell to his knees. The golden circle dissolved itself. Shuu and Shin ran to Jyou, catching the boy before he collapsed. Gomamon headed in Wizarmon's direction, but the mage was able to quickly pull himself up and fly away.
"Jyou?" Shin called, holding the boy from behind along with Shuu. Jyou opened his eyes and saw the concerned looks on their faces.
"I'm sorry for worrying you." The boy said in a weak voice.
"I'm sorry too." Shin murmured, wiping the tears from his face with his left hand. "I wanted to take care of you but I was doing everything wrong, wasn't I?"
"You do a better job as a big brother than me, Niisan." Shuu had an apologetic tone. "If Jyou had only a careless sibling like me, would he still be alive today?"
"This is not a competition to determine who is the worst big brother." Shin sighed.
"You just say that because you know you'd lose to me." Shuu pouted.
Jyou started to giggle, surprising the others.
"What's so funny?" Shin inquired.
"You guys are a mess." Jyou laughed. "You're not so different from me, after all."
Shin and Shuu softened their expressions upon hearing that.
Gomamon approached them slowly, not wanting to interrupt their moment. He was glad to see Jyou's peaceful smiling face. Nevertheless, he could not shake off his preoccupation about the new enemy that had appeared. Who was that Wizarmon and what did he want with Jyou?
Tailmon had been asked not to interfere, so she had to wait on the top of a building while Wizarmon extracted information from the chosen child. Once her friend had returned, she wanted to know how things had gone.
"Did it work? Did you have to fight? I should've gone with you, shouldn't I?" She asked, concerned.
"I know what your partner looks like." He informed. "Now it will be easier to find her."
Tailmon was happy with the news but quickly noticed the worried look in her friend's eyes.
"What's the problem?" The cat digimon questioned.
Wizarmon glanced at the sky, noticing that a few snowflakes had begun to fall again.
"I underestimated the risks of coming here." He replied after a minute. "The enemy we're facing is far greater than I had expected."
Thank you very much for all the support! And special thanks to my beta Qwertyshuman who does an amazing job editing this fic and helps me to make it better. For this chapter, she gave me many valid advices and I'm truly grateful for them. Thank you for always being an extraordinary friend!
The song Shuu sang (Rinbu Revolution) was the opening theme of the Revolutionary Girl Utena anime. "To navigate is necessary, to live is not necessary" is a fragment of a famous poem by Fernando Pessoa. Shuu is also a Spider-man fan. :)