Chapter 3
Author's Note: flashbacks/dreams
Word or phrase emphasis
Past:
Serena smiles as she walks around the newly restored forest of Flame Terminal with a Poyomon on her head. Takuya smiles as he watches over her, coming here was probably the best thing to ever happen to her. He didn't get much time to bond with just his little sister. Generally it was all three Kanbara siblings together, except for a few special brother/sister bonding trips. Takuya had actually taken her to and anime/manga con for her eighth birthday. He'd shoveled a lot of sidewalks to save up the money on his own for that, their dad had ponied up the spending money since Takuya had gotten the money for the con and they'd been able to stay with Hiroaki's parents to save on the cost of the hotel room.
" You are going to stay her and save this world, right? " Bokomon asks.
" Of course, well, I can only speak for myself, but I'll stay. "
" Like hell I'm leaving you here alone, Taku-nii. Who the hell else will keep the gaki in line? " Serena calls back.
" Who's the gaki? " Tommy asks her.
" Tsukino Sammy, my half-brother. He doesn't respect me but he doesn't dare anger Taku-nii either, Tommy. "
" Ya know, I kinda envy you, Serena. There's so many years between me and Yutaka, my big brother. "
Takuya frowns, Tommy was a good kid, " How many years are between you two? "
" Yutaka's already in college. It's not like I asked my parents to buy me all the stuff that they do. Yutaka doesn't see it that way. Some of the stuff I've saved up my own money to get. He sees me as a spoiled child and it doesn't help that my interests are so different from kids my age that I can't connect with them. " Tommy says.
" Tommy, when we get back we'll introduce you to Shinya. " Serena says.
" Yeah, he could use some more friends. " Takuya admits, " Maybe I'll also facilitate a mediation between you and Yutaka. "
While those three were talking JP manages to convince Zoey to find a way to leave by talking to the digimon. Bokomon and Neemon failed to notice their disappearance as well. Ten minutes later Serena curses, " Taku-nii, why is it that I'm more responsible than JP and Zoey. You don't go wandering off without telling someone. "
Takuya groans at this, Serena hadn't done that when she had been a toddler. Her mother had been very sick after she had been born and then convalescing, then she got pregnant with Sammy. This meant that Serena had spent the first four years of her life living with him and Shinya. She only started living with her mother six years ago. Takuya knew Serena wasn't really happy there and he had told Sammy off more than once. The kid wasn't an idiot, he knew damn well if he was too cruel to Serena Takuya would tell their dad.
Kanbara Hiroaki was not a man to be taken lightly as he was a family law attorney, which is how he'd gotten the agreement drawn up and notarized so fast. Takuya, Tommy, Serena, Poyomon, Neemon, and Bokomon go looking for the missing twelve and thirteen year old. It was Tommy whom spotted Zoey's lavender and teal D-Tector. The ten year old rolls her eyes at this and sighs, before looking at her brother, " I say we take our time finding them. There's still the other boy that was in the elevator with us, Taku-nii, I get the sense that his spirit is nearby, he can get them out of trouble. Frankly they should both know better. "
" True, my responsibility is to look after you two, not go chasing off after people whom should truly know better. " Takuya admits and the six wander off, Takuya using his D-Tector to track JP's and they meet up with them eventually. Tommy hands Zoey her D-Tector, " It's sad when my little sister is more responsible than you two are. You should have told someone where you were going. "
JP and Zoey both wince as the younger kids both look at them in disappointment, though they did tell them about the boy whom had spirit evolved into Lobomon and saved them from the Pagumon.
Present:
After getting wounds treated and having eaten another meal, then fashioning baskets to carry Meat Apples they climb the cliff where Tai looks out over the horizon, Takuya standing by him and quietly advising him on what it meant to be a leader, a goggle head. Serena was chatting with TK, she knew what it was like to be younger than the others and was giving him tips on how to make sure the others didn't stress too much. That was the role she and Tommy had taken on. Thanks to Digiworld she had Zoey as an older sister figure, which Takuya had no hard feelings about. Tommy was one of her closest friends, second only to Molly. Molly even knew about Digiworld, which meant Serena had alibies if she needed them with her mother.
They continue on, Serena was grinning happily, she was home. Takuya shares her joy, though it was marred by the fact that some evil idiot was pulling a Lucemon on them. The female Kanbara was also telling TK war stories about their time in the Digital World and TK was a captive audience. When Serena reaches the story of how Takuya got his Beast Spirit the elder Kanbara yelps, " Imooto, do you have to tell him that one? "
" Hey, I'll tell him Light's next. " Serena retorts.
" No, Light's first and I'll tell it. " Takuya states.
The others all tune in now as they get to hear about the first group. " Wait, so most of you had problems controlling your Beast Spirits? " Matt asks.
" Not me and Zoey, girls rock. " Serena says, smiling as her brother flips her off, " Now, Taku-nii, I know you don't believe in incest. "
Takuya groans, " This is what happens when my little sister hangs out mostly around teenaged boys. "
Joe, Tai, and Matt all sputter at what the twelve year old had said while Mimi giggles. " Dad will kill me for corrupting you. " Takuya moans.
" Nah, dad knows that I'm my own person and then there's the fact that to date you are the only one whom can even get near me when I get pissed off. " Serena retorts.
Takuya almost whimpers at the reminder of her fearsome temper, " Shinya could as well, he's just a coward. "
" Who's older, you or Shinya? " Serena asks him.
" That doesn't mean it has to be me every time, imooto. Dad could grow a set and calm you down. " Takuya grumbles.
" Please, mama Yuriko has a bigger set when it comes to my temper. " Serena tells him.
Sora looks at them, " Serena, don't you have any female influences? "
" Zoey, but I don't do girly. Hell, I steal from Taku-nii's closet all the time, well, only his t-shirt's. "
" Trust me, I have to get three copies of every shirt I own just so I have one of them to wear. " Takuya says, glaring at her.
Serena grins, " You know you love me, Taku-nii. "
" That doesn't mean you can't be aggravating at times. " Takuya points out to her.
" I have to aggravate you some of the time. It's in the younger sibling handbook. Paragraph E, I believe. "
" Subsection ten. Very true. " TK adds on.
Matt looks at him, " Wait, there's actually a handbook? "
" Oh, the contents are only known to younger siblings. " TK says.
Takuya and Tai roll their eyes, " It's true, " Joe admits, " Paragraph E, subsection ten, line seventeen to be precise. "
Serena grins, " Yes, another younger sibling is present. "
Suddenly Joe, TK, and Serena are talking together, sharing stories of their older siblings, " Remember, I do know embarrassing things about you and I know where my mom keeps your baby pictures, imooto. "
Serena blanches, " I'll tell Zoey about that dream. "
Takuya turned as white as Tokomon had been and looks at her, " Serena, my dear kind sweetly vindictive little sister, let me count the ways I love you. "
Serena smiles, " Oh, I won't tell her, unless you start showing my baby pics around. Though seriously you need to ask her out. "
Takuya sighs as he looks at his little sister, " I would but she's dating Koichi at the moment. "
Serena's eyes narrow, " How long has that been going on? "
" About a month, why? "
" Ooh, Ichi-nii is going to be in trouble for not telling me, Z too, " Serena pulls out her D-Tector and calls them both up, once they're on she smirks and Takuya grins, " How dare you two not tell me you're dating! "
There's spluttering from both of them as they try to placate the female Kanbara. " That is not something I should learn from Flame you two. Z, you're like a sister to me, you should have told me. Ichi-nii, I'm disappointed in you. "
Wind and Darkness both fall silent and then Wind speaks up, " We are both so sorry, Ikkuko intercepted my calls to you. "
" She DID WHAT NOW! " Takuya all but roars it out.
Serena went numb, " Yeah, Ikkuko said she had lost phone priveledges. "
" Bullshit, Dad would have been over there in a heartbeat if that were the case, unless Ikkuko's not an idiot and knows if she says Serena's lost her phone priveledges she'd get her daughter's father over there and in her face. Not even Kenji likes dealing with dad when he's pissed and he's seen what I can do to grown men when I'm defending my little sister. " Takuya snaps.
Serena just couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that her mother had kept her calls from reaching her. Takuya ends the call and swings his little sister up, he was still boiling mad, but she'd gone into shock. " Her mother kept her calls from her, kept her from her friends, but why? " Mimi asks.
" I can't answer that, I won't betray my little sister's trust. " Takuya says.
" Yeah, back off, little sisters can be scary when they're pissed off. " Tai says.
" You got one of those too, huh, I have both, though she's only my half-sister. Still, she's family and no one is allowed to screw with my little sister. " Takuya says just as Tentomon finds the perfect campsite for them. Takuya carries his still stunned little sister, he really couldn't blame her for that, Ikkuko hated her but to deliberately keep her from her friends and the girl that was like an older sister to her. Either dad was going to have a chat with Ikkuko or his mother was, that or he would.
" What about your brother? " Tai asks.
" My full blooded brother, her half. My parents were legally separated long enough for sis to be conceived, but then they reconciled. Sis actually lived with me for the first four years of her life, her mom was really sick after she was born, then convalescing, and finally she had a high risk pregnancy, resulting in that pain in the ass gaki. " Takuya states as they reach the site and he lays his sister down, ordering his partner and hers to stay with her.
" Hey, where are you going? " Joe asks.
" Anger management. " is all Takuya says.
Tai frowns and then remembers that Takuya had been the leader of his team and had turned into a digimon to catch up with them, " How about you gather some more of those herbs, Gabumon, never know when we'll need them. Some of you go and get more food, we need to make sure we make what we have stretch. " Tai says.
" He does have a point. " Matt admits.
Soon Izzy and TK are fishing, Matt and Tai are getting the fire pit ready, Sora, Mimi, TK, Patamon, Biyomon, and Palmon are all gathering fruits. Tentomon is assigned to gather wood, and sometime later Takuya returns with some sticks for cooking their food with. Candlemon and Betamon are watching over the Queen of Water in concern. Takuya sighs as he looks over at this little sister and then pushes a few buttons on his D-Tector, " Lady Ophanimon, you need to send Ice in. "
" What's wrong, Takuya? "
" Water has gone catatonic and I don't think I can pull her out of it on my own. Give Ice whatever he needs to be a new chosen child, just get him here. " Takuya says.
" Understood, Takuya. He's on his way. "
Real World, Shibuya/Digiworld:
Himi Tomoki, preferring to be called Tommy hadn't changed much in two years, he still wore green and white, now however, he wore an orange beret, overall his basic outfit had just gotten larger as he grew, " Tommy, Flame has requested your presence in the Digital World, he and Water have been called on again and Water has gone catatonic. You will be receiving a new digivice and a partner digimon, spirit evolve as a last resort. " Tommy can hear from his D-Tector.
Tommy groans and places a call to Koji and explains the situation, asking the Light Warrior to cover for him with his parents. Then he was sucked into a portal and drops down on top of Tai, " A little warning would be nice next time, Lady Ophanimon. " Tommy says to his D-Tector. Then a digivice like the others, a white squarish shaped device with a green screen appears in front of him and then a digimon that Lady Ophanimon identifies as Wanyamon, an in-training digimon that appears cute and cuddly even while using his attack Smile Fang.
" Tommy, would you. She just found out from Z that her mom has been intercepting her calls. " Takuya says.
Tommy picks up his partner and goes over to one of the best friends he had, talking quietly to her. Just getting her up to date on his life and the others, talking about what school was like for him, what classes he liked, what sports he was trying out though he was phenomenal at soccer, although Takuya was a good teacher when it came to that. Takuya smiles briefly when he sees life coming back into her eyes, " It's not easy being the older sibling, is it? " Tai asks him.
" No, it's not, especially when one of my siblings lives away from me part of the time. " Takuya admits.
" Is she older or younger than your little brother? " Tai asks him.
" Older, the 'rents were legally separated for a while after I was born, they reconciled shortly before dad found out about Serena's upcoming existence. He's in family law so he drew up the contract for the shared custody agreement himself. Wanting to be a part of his child's life. " Takuya says, " Of course, it's not by much, she's a little more than a year older than Shinya. It's hard balancing the two of them as I don't want either one of them to think I'm playing favorites, but since I see Shinya all the time he at least understands things like Serena and I going to camp together. "
" Ouch, I only have Kari, and she's been sickly for a lot of her life. " Tai says, unwilling to say more at the moment. Takuya frowns, there was more to it and he hoped the younger goggle head opened up to him about it soon. Slightly after that the others all return and Tommy has gotten Serena out of her funk. She was still quiet though, much like the first time through Digiworld for the three Warriors.
Takuya ends up intervening with Matt and Tai, then stating that he and his fellow warriors would take the first watch. Serena was quick to curl up against her brother, and the Flame Warrior smiles as she immediately drifts off to sleep. Though he was even more worried about her home life now, " Takuya-nii, things are getting bad for her, aren't they? " Tommy asks.
" Yeah, they are, Tommy. They don't hurt her physically, they do and dad gets full custody and the child support checks stop, though I've noticed anything of importance she leaves with me. She doesn't trust them and with good reason, you heard her rant at Koji two years ago, Tommy. "
Tommy winces, Koji had looked shell shocked at the lambasting he had gotten from her. Serena still wouldn't really talk to Koji, she had no problem with Koichi and tolerated Koji for Takuya and Koichi's sakes. The Warriors all curse when the others get towed off by a Seadramon, Takuya shakes Serena awake and the girl immediately Beast Spirit Evolves to Tsukimon and once Gabumon has digivolved frees Matt from Seadramon, towing him back to shore. The others, once Gomamon and Tsukimon convince the fish to haul the mini trolley island back collapse and sleep. Betamon and Candlemon keep watch while the Warriors drift off too.
Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or Digimon.