Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon.

Chapter Eight: Horizon

Despite the lingering dread soaking into his soul Takeru had to push forward. But this time, today, he did not feel like talking to anyone. In fact, he didn't think he could even wear a fake smile. He kept walking until he got to the same spot by a bench nearby Hikari's place where he would wait for her, but sometimes she walked ahead of him.

He wasn't surprised that she wasn't there today. But, instead Miyako lay in wait. She glanced up at him from the pages of a book. "What? Disappointed Hikari's not here?" she asked.

"Not really," Takeru sighed sitting down next to her hunching his back over, one arm dangling loosely on his stomach. His hand-me-down tuxedo from Yamato seemed a bit loose around him, but rolling up the sleeves and making sure his white shirt underneath was buttoned all the way up did the trick, though he didn't say anything back to Miyako about it. "I think if Hikari-chan saw me right now I would only stress her out."

"You've already given her plenty of reason to stress out," Miyako scowled. "But don't worry, I was kind of worried about her so I asked Iori, Daisuke, and Ken to walk with her to school."

"...How kind of you," Takeru smiled, but hiding his indignation. Walking Hikari to school had always been his territory after all.

"Takeru-kun," she said turning a page, "Does Hikari know that you are confessing to her today? Does she even think you will?"

"Maybe," he said fidgeting his thumbs together. "But even if she doesn't I'm still going to confess."

"There is something that's been bugging me about that," Miyako said turning another page, and then shutting the book. "I know I sort of pushed you into this situation, but you have just given this craziness a life of it's own. It's as if this is something you had to do instead of something you want to do."

"What?" Takeru chuckled slightly. "That's just silly Miyako-san. Whatever gave you that idea?"

She closed her eyes, took out a container of strawberry milk, and stabbed her straw in it quite fiercely a few times before taking a good long slurp.

"...You're unnaturally desperate, especially for you."

"What is that supposed to mean?" he countered defensively. "I'm just the same as always."

"No you're not," she said not looking at him, and shaking her head as if ridding herself of his little annoying lies. "No, something's up. What's so important about today?" she asked. "Is it because Hikari's going to be seventeen in a few months? But you know the legal age of consent is-"

"-It's got nothing to do with that!" Takeru snapped swatting her Doujin out of her hand to the ground.

She stared at him a bit dumbfounded, Takeru at a bit of a loss the way he kept trying to register what he just did.

"If it's really nothing," she said calmly getting up, walking over to her Doujin and brushing some dust off, "You wouldn't have done that, would you?"

Takeru hesitated, her eyes narrowing staring at him.

"Tell me," she said jaggedly sharp, Takeru tilting his cap down over his eyes.

"No can do," he said swallowing, starting to laugh a bit like he was starting to crack up.

"Why?" she said, her hands on her hips.

"Just watch," he said standing next to her, but not facing her. "When the truth stares you face to face you can't hide from it. No matter how hard you try, even if you don't want to see it. The truth will find you. And hit you with a reality with more force than any digimon."

With that, Takeru brushed her shoulder walking by her. He stopped, starting to shake a bit.

"Takeru-san," she said a bit worried. "What are-"

"-I'm going now," Takeru said still shaking. "Hikari...will be ok," he said walking on. "...At least, I hope so," he muttered underneath his breath.

Hikari could not shake her anxiety realizing that her relationship with Takeru Takaishi would change today for better or for worse. She had spent the morning getting ready, looking her very best, practicing her smiles as if convincing herself that she had value in Takeru's eyes. She had stayed up late with Tailmon, and scraped by the day off of a mix of optimism and despair being pulled back and forth by her emotions.

Daisuke, Iori, and Ken met up with her and walked her to school that morning, but Takeru was not in sight. She appreciated their kindness, but the hole in her heart from Takeru not being there almost caused her to panic internally. She couldn't let the others see her like that though. The last thing she wanted to make them do was worry. They parted after they dropped her off, Daisuke trying to hit on her for a date before Iori and Ken both dragged him away with each arm, Daisuke yelling out 'Hikarichan!' until all three of them had left her alone.

The classroom had been whipped into some kind of strange frenzy, most of the talk centering around Takeru, some girls squealing excited. They tried to get Hikari excited to, many of them commenting how jealous they were of her, but Hikari managed to calm them down by downplaying her and Takeru as just friends...even though it hurt.

By the time the morning announcement arrived she had already succumbed to exhaustion. A pounding headache crept up the back of her head, pressure building up into her temples. As the announcer started speaking, Takeru's voice echoed into her ear, soothing her frustration slightly.

"I'm so glad to arrive at this day," his voice said a bit cheerful, but down.

"It has been a long week," the school president said. "I heard you broke over three hundred hearts Takeru-san. How do you feel about that?"

"Well," he chuckled, "My brother now has three hundred fans with tickets now. So at least some good came of it," he said positively.

The school president managed to laugh, Hikari also entertained by him as well as the raucous crowd listening in behind her.

"So," she said, "I take it the girl of your dreams did not come to you with a letter, did she?"

"'Fraid not," Takeru smiled as if doing his best to keep himself together. "I guess I have no choice, but to tell her how I feel myself. There's ten girls who are still candidates," he said, a mischievous tone to his voice. "So, let's get right down to it."

"Are you telling us already?!" The school president said a bit shocked. "You're really going to tell her right now?"

Takeru's voice hesitated, Hikari's heartbeat hanging on his every word. This was it. This was the moment she would finally-

"-We're not going to do this here," he interjected her thoughts. "All of you, give me one hour. Then come down to the gymnasium and take your places…"

Hikari breathed a sigh of relief knowing she could get some air before the big event. She excused herself to the restroom, her headache starting to return.

She bent down to the sink, turned on the water and refreshed her face trying to be calm. But today was not a day for being calm. Yet strangely it did not feel 100% like it was because of Takeru. Very, very slowly over time she did not know how to explain it, but she felt a certain presence as if someone had been watching her. With the excitement dying down for the time being it seemed to increase even more sharply as if she had a stalker constantly watching her.

Tailmon had been strangely on guard recently that morning so maybe she sensed someone had been following her. But she felt even weirder about this. With all the excitement and drama she realized that this feeling had been growing, practically screaming at her as if warning her. Just thinking about it made her feel anemic, nausea setting in.

The world started to spin around her slightly, but she managed to lock her hands around the faucet knobs and pulled herself forward. She furiously washed her face enveloping her hands with water trying to regain her composure.

She let out a sigh, stared up into the mirror and froze. The person staring back from her reflection...was not herself.

She stared back, a sense of terror rising within her. Her leg instinctively grinded her foot against the ground backing up into an air dryer hitting her head, Hikari unable to tear away from the glowing dangerous off-golden eyes staring back at her.

"Who are you?" she asked. "What do you want?" she panicked, suddenly having flash backs of the dark ocean and the denizens of darkness that infested it.

The girl in the mirror appeared to float effortlessly out of it towards her, her hand reaching out closer and closer to her.

"S-stay away!" Hikari shouted. She wanted to run, but her body felt heavy as if she had been paralyzed.

"...As if I would let you escape," she said emotionlessly, one hand touching Hikari's cheek, the hand ice cold.

"W-who are you? What do you want?" she asked, Hikari feeling her voice leaving her.

The doppelganger touched Hikari's other cheek clasping them staring deeply into her eyes, Hikari starting to panic. "...To reclaim what's rightfully mine," she declared, Hikari's body starting to feel light.

"No," she said starting to shiver. "Please. You can't…"

The light from the being's eyes in front of her started to envelop her, a pleasant light wrapping around Hikari until it suddenly went dark, Hikari screaming within herself being silenced.

Everyone slowly gathered into the auditorium. The seniors, the juniors, the sophomores, the freshman. From out in the backside of the auditorium nine girls appeared, all lovely and all, but nothing compared to the gracious and wonderful Hikari Yagami that he had known and loved. As they all made their way one by one they all appeared with some smiles, and excitement in their eyes, Takeru smiling like he always had; not having the heart to tell them right now to 'get out' and let him confess his love to the one and only girl for him.

"Ok everyone," he smiled, "take your places," he said, each girl responding to his command. The school council president had texted them all earlier so hopefully things would go well. Yet, for each girl that appeared, his heart started to sink in his chest.

Hikari was nowhere in sight.

He got out his phone, texted Miyako furiously asking her where she was.

She texted him back 'She didn't know, she thought he would be keeping track of her.'

Takeru knew he had to speak to her in person. He texted her to waive her hand out there. He saw it, waived his hand, and he waited for her as she made her way up the other side of the auditorium creeping under the curtain.

She made her way over, a concerned, but angry look on her face. "You're ruining your own announcement," she scoffed. "Why did you need me back here?"

"I need you to go and look for her," he whispered. "If she's not here this won't work."

'Why don't you just text her?" she asked.

"I did," he replied, his voice hushed. "She didn't answer."

"Maybe she's just getting cold feet?"

"She promised she would be here," Takeru sighed, placing his hand on his head trying to keep his composure so the other girls would not notice. At this rate my plan is going to go up in flames."

"You don't need an audience or a big extravagant event to confess to her," she scolded him. "But don't worry so much. I'll round up the others to go look for her. Just the Digidestined crew."

"Thanks," Takeru said feeling a bit better. "I'm counting on you."

"Oh!" The student council president said coming on on over. "This is a surprise! I thought Hikari-san was the last choice, but I had no idea you had Miyako-san as a candidate!"

Takeru broke character guffawing, Miyako also staring at her dumbfounded. "Not on your life!" she growled. "Not in a hundred million billion quadrillion any number bigger than that years!" she shouted even more.

"Miyako-san, just calm down," Takeru said innocently interjected trying to appease her anger. He then walked over to the Student Council President and shook her head. "Miyako-san is a friend of mine, and that is the only thing I would ever consider her as. But she's good friends with Hikari-chan and I trust her."

"Ah I see then," she replied. "Well then, you better hurry and go get her Miyako-chan," she smiled. "We're pressed on time. I might have to do things a little differently but we'll buy you an extra ten minutes. That means you only have fifteen before it's her turn," she said matter-of-factually."

"Thanks," Miyako said lifting up the curtain and jumping down. "Haaaah! Time for Miyako's super secret special missing Digidestined locator move!" she shouted jumping down and making a scene yelling through the crowd.

Takeru frequently received updates via text from her, Daisuke, and the others, but he couldn't keep this under wraps very long. Fifteen minutes had passed; the school president giving him a scolding glare.

"Takeru-san, we have to start now. We don't have the budget or the patience anymore."

"Right," he sighed.

The other girls stared at him, some flashing their eyes, others shyly looking at him with a smile. He had to admit they all looked lovely, but none of them could move his heart.

"All right," Takeru sighed. "She'll just have to show up hopefully near the end. Let's...start the show."

With much fanfare the school council president appeared with a spotlight shining down on her, the whole room going dark except that light.

"Good afternoon peers and classmates, teachers and faculty, and any visitors," she smiled brightly. "Welcome to the closing of Golden Week Ceremony with me, your student council President Arisa Kuramitsu…

"...And me," Takeru said, a light shining upon him and his tux, "the heartthrob of so many of your hearts, Takeru Takaishi," he smiled, many girls in the audience swooning.

"So Takeru-kun," Arisa said, "It's been a long week hasn't it? We've captured a few of your moments breaking the hearts of some of the girls. We happened to take 'some' pictures of a few of those moments and have the express permission of the girls pictured here for their release of these images."

"Oh, you shouldn't have," he said. "You're going to make me look like a heartless monster?"

"Aren't you though?" she countered, Takeru seeing more and more images of him breaking hearts.

He had a warm smile on his face the whole time, Takeru suddenly feeling very isolated. Each image passed him by, one after the other, Takeru realizing just now looking back that this was not right what he had done. He shouldn't have done it this way.

"Well, anything you have to say?" she questioned. "Why did you break all the hearts of those girls who only had love for you? Did you not feel anything for them?"

Takeru glanced up at everyone, smiled, but turned his head. "No," he answered. "I did not."

"Anything you wish to say?"

"Of course," he smiled lowering his head sincerely. "To everyone who I involved in this, I am sorry. I am sorry if I hurt you or if I ever gave you the wrong idea about how I feel."

"I see," The school council President said nodding her head. "That is noble of you, Takeru-kun. But even though you gave us all tickets to minimize the pain you still owe us."

"Owe you?" he wondered.

"You bet you do!" someone in the audience yelled, Takeru recognizing it as Hitomi. "You got to tell us which of those girls with you is the girl you're in love with!"

With that everyone started clapping and hollering, Takeru smiling, his face twitching.

"I did promise you didn't I?" he said, still wondering why his phone had not buzzed for awhile.

"Well then," he said. "I have here with me ten of the finalists for the girl that I am in love with. The school President here will introduce all of them to you, and then a tally will be made asking everyone in the audience who I like. If you get the right answer I'll see about talking to my brother Yamato about getting the winners...yearlong backstage passes?" he teased. "How would you like that?"

The audience erupted into sheer applause as he waved a bit, the focus on him. Girls squealed, others whispered among themselves, Takeru knowing everything but the most important person was in place.

"Well then, let's see how you all do?" he winked, but hating himself for it.

"Let's bring out girl number one!" the school council president shouted, as the curtains opened revealing the first girl.

"This is Manabi Hatase," she said, the girl appearing in a swimsuit style dress. "She is a first year who is on the swim team, enjoys painting, and hanging out with her friends. Her favorite food is croissants, and she first fell for Takeru from when she observed him while she was in the school pool watching him walk with his friends."

The girl smiled pleasantly, her dashing amber eyes innocently flowing with her amber hair.

"Any thoughts Takeru-kun?" The School President asked.

"She is...lovely," he admitted with a smile.

"Uh-oh, that did not sound like you were interested enough," she said feigning disappointment. "So, is that a no? What does the audience think?"

A lot of them protested, but some approved, Takeru smiling nervously still wondering how he talked himself into this situation. "...I guess we'll have to wait until the end, won't we?"

"Sure enough," she said, the girl nodding smiling at him with a wave.

"Onto the next girl," she said, Takeru sticking his hand in his pocket. He could feel the vibrations on his leg, Takeru anxious to see the results. The curtain went down briefly while the next girl positioned herself. Takeru checked his phone, his eyes flickering like lightning seeing the content.

Miyako did not have any luck searching the high places. Daisuke had been checking out the locker areas near the changing rooms, Iori had volunteered to pass by the different club rooms, and Ken determined to wander the halls hoping to interview someone who may have seen her.

Takeru swallowed, himself feeling dreadful as the curtain raised; the next girl showing up.

"Say hello to Tachiko Remurin. She's a sophomore with a vision for technology and sweet potatoes!"

Takeru rolled his eyes a bit as the School President continued on, each of the girls making their appearances and leaving one after the other, the curtain raising and lowering, Takeru still not hearing anything.

"Come on Hikari," he said to himself aloud. "You have to be here. I can't do this without you."

The curtain went down for the last time as the ninth girl Sagasa Tsubame, waved and smiled, her short curly brown hair bobbing with her head. Another cute girl to be sure. In fact, Takeru realized that he really could get along with any of them. But, once they really knew who he was, he realized this would not work. He would not be accepted by any of them, nor did he want to. He felt his heart ache, his heart thumping loudly within himself realizing the time was at last approaching.

"What you said," Takeru groaned falling to a knee. "Is what you said really going to happen?"

The audience gasped as the teacher council president called out to him through the microphone.

"Takeru-kun are you all right?"

"Y-yeah," he winced finding the strength to stand. "Breakin all these hearts like that I think I'm starting to get what I deserve," he smiled. "It's given me some pretty bad heartburn!"

With that the audience and President had a good chuckle. Takeru laughed a bit too, wanting to kick himself for how long he was stalling. The President stared at him, the audience also staring at him as if trying to keep him accountable.

"Well then," he swallowed, the light shining down on him. "I guess it's time to make my decision, right?"

"Of course it is!" The Student Council President exclaimed. "You can't drag this out any longer! You owe the girls whose hearts you broke! And you told us you would at the end of it!"

"Of course," he chuckled, standing up straight looking at them all.

"I have my confession ready," he said, all eyes laser locked on him.

He swallowed heavily, realizing even if she wasn't there, she would know soon. But this was not the way he had planned it. It was not the way he-"

"-Tell us!" the girls shouted. "Takeru-kun!"

He smiled a bit, but the smile quickly faded. "Then here it goes," he said, his palms a bit sweaty. "The girl that I love, more than anything in this world, it's-"

"-Move!" a voice shouted, the doors swinging open to the gymnasium. Takeru squinted, recognizing a panicked voice as Miyako pushed people out of the way, Iori in tow with his kendo stick creating a circumference around them so no one would intervene.

"Takeru-kun! Takeru-kun!" she shouted.

Takeru briefly looked up at the window, time slowing down as he saw the flickers of red from an ambulance. Immediately his heart sank to his stomach, his mouth clenching up in frustration.

"Out of our way! Out of the way!" Daisuke yelled, his voice getting hoarse.

"Move! Now!" Ken shouted.

"We must pass!" Iori shouted. "You must let us through!"

Her and the others finally made the way to the front of the crowd, all of them exhausted breathing heavily.

"Um, why the interruption?" the student council president asked. "And where were the four of you?"

Miyako seemed to ignore her, her hand around her own throat. "Takeru," she groaned, "It's Hikari! She was found in the bathroom unconscious! You have to go to her!" she said panicking. "If you don't she's-she's-"

Takeru broke out into a cold sweat running- parting the crowd before he even knew what he was saying. "-Hikari!" he shouted out repeatedly through the crowd pushing his way through it. "Hikariiiiiiiiiiiiii!"