A/N: I guess this is closer to a scene/potential one-shot, but I felt a need to write it. I also figured that it'd be a nice fiftieth addition to this collection. Wow, already fifty...
I've also decided... that since this is again related to the Crystal Wars idea... that I am eventually going to write this. First, I need to finish Survival of Hope (which I've been awful about!), and then there's another story that needs to be a preface to how things came about... gah, so much writing I would have to do. But it's fun. Oh, and a Survival of Hope sequel is most definitely in the works. Woohoo!
And Tai stars once again. I'll move onto some other characters after this, I promise.
Background: Takes place after the Crystal Wars (and so would contain major major spoilers for it). And yes, everyone survived. Yolei and Izzy are the only ones with crest abilities that are not directly useful in battle.
"Tai, can I talk to you?"
Tai stopped in mid-kick, his foot not even making it to the soccer ball. He sighed and stood fully, turning to look at the boy who had likely been standing there for quite some time. "Izzy, what's up?"
The resident computer whiz gazed down at the grass. "I just... wanted to ask you about this."
He held up his palm to reveal a crystal, barely the size of a marble and looking innocently harmless as its many faceted sides flashed in the sunlight.
Tai stared at it, trying to push down all the emotions associated with the object. "What about it?" he asked casually, masking those feelings with a slightly curious face.
Izzy glared at him, his eyes betraying great solemnity and concern. "You know why I'm asking you. Are you okay with this?"
Tai was glad to let his mask drop. He gazed sadly at the crystal, images flashing through his mind that still haunted his dreams. It was better now though, after all the peace and the time to recover; yet that association was still there. He doubted it would ever vanish.
He smiled gently. "Of course I'm okay with this. If I hadn't had been, I wouldn't have come up with the idea to make these for you and Yolei, right?"
"And the rest of us over time, I know," Izzy let his shoulders drop, looking away from Tai's eyes again. "I just... I don't know how you could have dealt with it. Going back to Cirgamon's castle... or what's left of it anyway... actually gathering these things, and then actually imbuing your power into it... after everything that happened to you?!"
He was staring at Tai, his face upset and twisted with guilt. "I know that you convinced everyone else to help with making these too, and it's so amazing that you did, because now Yolei and I can use elemental attacks and not have to rely purely on what physical abilities we have, but at what cost? You learned how to make these because of what happened, right? I know, I saw it, you let us all look into your memories to see, I honestly couldn't sleep for days afterwards, and how... why...?"
Tai placed a firm hand on Izzy's shoulder, seeing that the younger boy looked ready to break down into an emotional wreck. He knew too well; he himself would be unlikely to use the crystals for several years, for every time he touched one all he could think about was the pain and blood poured into these things. Yet he also knew and understood practicality, and that he had to move on.
"It's because we can't always let the past affect us, otherwise it'll just eat us away" he spoke softly, but with strength. "For me, I had to accept that what happened, happened, and I could either live the rest of my life in fear of everything around me and be unable to function, or I could continue on and come back to the world, facing it despite what I felt. Courage," he added, with a wry grin.
He gave Izzy a playful punch in the arm. "You've got some right there in that crystal now, you know. Why don't you go try burning things? It's actually pretty fun."
Izzy stared for a moment, and suddenly began laughing as tears of mirth came to his eyes. "Only you Tai, only you," he gasped as Tai watched with an amused smile.
Then his expression turned serious again. "Thank you Tai," he said sincerely. "I really mean it."
Tai felt at peace.
"You're welcome."