Interlude 8: Henry Wong

Ba-bum. Ba-bum. Ba-bum.

Days after the fact... He's still caught in the feeling.

All this time... He feels like a blind person that's suddenly gained sight, a deaf person who can suddenly hear.

Henry smiles as he wanders down the street, basking in the feeling of his Heart...

Terriermon is atop his head, as always. Henry can feel him, his Heart beating in sync with Henry's own.

Ever since the first time they merged, they could always feel each other. A preternatural sense for where the other was, for knowing what the other was thinking and feeling. Now?

That had magnified.

Or, rather... he was simply aware of how strong it had always been.

Henry closes his eyes, continuing to walk. With a slow breath, he reached out.

Around him... so many others. People going across the streets. Students coming back from school, now that it was over. A bustle of people... Hearts all around. The variety of emotion, of feelings, was incredible. He stepped to the side, missing by a tiny margin a person who came running around the corner, heading off in a hurry. Somebody late, probably...

The two Hypnos Agents who were following him today weren't that far away. Didn't intend to come any closer.

"So this is how Drich sees things." He murmured aloud. Terriermon, atop his head, nodded.

Henry opened his eyes. Not too far to go, either way. He could sense Takato, Guilmon, Rika, and Renamon up ahead. Takato and Rika were usually not far from each other. School was about the only time it happened, really. Every other free moment, they'd inevitably be meeting up.

Like right now. After school, and they'd already met up at Rika's house. Takato had gone ahead while Henry had gone off to see Suzie home.

He pulled the key out, opening the gate. It squeaked a little, making Henry frown as he moved it back and forth. Hinges needed a bit of oiling.

He'd get that done later. Rika's grandmother would appreciate that.

Takato probably would have done it in a few minutes, so the fact that it wasn't done meant that he hadn't used it. Probably just flipped over the wall again.

He had a habit of doing that.

Henry walked forwards. Already, he could hear the muffled voices of his friends.

"... the Keyblade War, right?"

Henry raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe? Hold on, Henry's here."

The door slid open as he came closer. Renamon briefly glanced out at him. Henry nodded in thanks.

"I heard 'Keyblade War'?" He asked.

Takato leaned back, against Guilmon's form. "I was thinking about that speech Drich gave us about immortality."

"The one when Drich was showing us those weapons?" Henry asked, though it wasn't really a question. Drich had only given the one, after all. And it was one that they'd thought back on when they learned from Gorou that they themselves were probably ageless.

Takato nodded. "Yeah. Because, if Drich has been around since... basically before our World existed, then..."

"How many people do you think Drich has seen pass by?" Rika finished.

Henry sighed. "When you're that old, who can even keep count?" He asked.

Terriermon hopped off of his head, plopping down upon the cushions.

"Scala ad Caelum was empty." Renamon noted, from the opposite side of the wall. "Nobody there, aside from us all. One would think, if immortality was as easy to achieve as Drich implied, that there would be more around."

"We'll have each other." Takato stated. Guilmon's eye listed open, before closing again. The red Digimon was paying attention, even if he didn't look it. "It seems like Drich didn't have anybody for a while. The Keyblade Order Drich is planning to set up... Why now, and not before?"

"Something probably triggered it." Henry stated. "You guys noticed it too, right? Drich was a lot more... more." He couldn't explain it, really. Drich was a strange person at the best of times, but when Drich had popped up in front of them...

It had been like standing in front of Azulongmon, but more. The sheer presence that Drich radiated had... intensified, somehow. Not in a bad way, but...

It was hard to explain. It was just the feeling of it... 'I'm standing in front of something powerful'.

"I get what you mean." Takato said, and Rika nodded to show her own agreement.

"And then there's the mouth." She said. "Drich didn't have a mouth before, right?"

"Kind of?" Terriermon said. "When Drich fought those Rinkmon, Drich transformed into some beast thing that had a mouth."

"Nothing like that, though." Henry said. "Knowing Drich, that might just be to mess with us. Shapeshifter and all, you know."

"Drich does like to mess with people." Takato shuddered, only a little bit theatrically. "Still creepy."

Henry shook his head in amusement, then grabbed his bag. "How are you dealing with your Heart?"

Takato smiled. So did Rika, which said enough. Rika smirked, or frowned, or glared, and any face other than those three was a rare sight.

"I can sense so much." Takato grinned. "I walked to school with my eyes closed the entire way."

Rika rolled her eyes. "Of course you did. I, meanwhile, had to deal with the all the emotional idiots in the way." She frowned, for a moment. "Saw a spook, too."

Takato grimaced. "No problems?"

She waved her hand. "It was fine. Hypnos was shadowing him the whole way. I sensed Tally out shopping, so I went off there and 'accidentally' bumped into her." She smirked. "He got all worried at that. Then he turned around and found the agents after him. It was great."

Takato grinned, then went to grab his cup.

Henry felt Terriermon's anticipation, saw his eyes widen as an idea flashed through his mind.

Terriermon waited for the perfect moment, just as Takato started to bring it to his lips, to start speaking. "So, because you can sense emotions now, does that mean you're finally going to acknowledge the mutual crush?"

Takato spat out his drink, coughing as he did. Rika recoiled, facing turning a shade of crimson that would have been more appropriate on Guilmon.

"WHAT?!" Rika shouted, pure mortification radiating from her. Henry did not grin at seeing it.

"Tha-that's not-" Takato sputtered.

Terriermon snorted, giggling. Henry tried to suppress his own laughter, knowing that they'd get back at him for if he laughed at them.

"If you like something, why not just say it?" Guilmon asked, cutting through the quick denials from the pair.

"Guilmon!" Takato shouted, betrayed by his own partner, his other half.

"By all means..." Renamon said, lightly. "Do keep dancing around it. It's my evening entertainment."

"Renamon!" Rika shouted, her voice a few octaves higher.

That was the moment that Henry's control broke, and he just couldn't help but laugh.

They'd get him for it. Still, this was worth it.

For once...

Ba-bum.

The future seemed bright, again.