General Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon or any of its characters. Their use in the following work of fan fiction is for entertainment purposes only.

[Author's Note: Consider this chapter a layaway of sorts for my usually annual Cody Christmas story in gift to my readers. This was the first part of what was shaping up to be at least a 5,000 word chapter. After re-reading and re-thinking this portion is the right place for a chapter break. For context, readers may want to look over "The Herald Angel Hida" and Chapter 2 of "Cody's Christmas Tale" among my other stories. Here, I'm exploring Cody's powerful emotional memory, and how revealing it and how he deals with it might help others who are or are just beginning to be aware of the need to face similar memories in productive ways. Thanks to FFN pen name Thisisfunwhattooksolong for reading ahead for me even if time doesn't permit a response. Enjoy! – BMillsWrites]

We Traverse Afar

Chapter 2: Do You Know What I Know?

Cody Hida was usually a patient nine year-old boy. In his usual patience Cody knew that, as a nine year-old boy, he really only had two consistent frames of reference for shopping- his Mom and his older best friend Yolei. To be clear, the young Hida had also been to stores of various kinds with his Grandpa Hida – but that wasn't shopping. Instead, Grandpa Hida quickly made a planned purchase of only one or two intended items from the visited store – that was buying, at least according to the elder Hida. The boy's naturally brief experience combined with his current opportunity for observation to tell him that his friend Kari definitely was shopping.

The trio of Digidestined had visited a number of stores. Some were specific to Kari's advance intentions while others were enthusiastic in-the-moment decisions on her part. Cody had enough in-the-moment experiences with Yolei to think that, if the older girl had joined them, the second category would outnumber the first – by a lot. It was a thought that the undersized Child of Knowledge knew to keep to himself. Instead, Cody considered the burden that TK was strangely happy to place himself under: the boxes and bags that contained all of Kari's purchases – so far. Of course the mannerly nine year-old had offered to carry anything he could manage too. TK, though properly appreciative of Cody's offer, insisted that he had everything under control. It was a dubious claim, given the older boy's increasing resemblance to someone attempting to carry a small tower. The young Hida still had no intention of trying to understand Kari's effect on the usually sensible TK. That, at least, was not part of their still-potential disconnect as DNA Digivolving partners.

The younger boy reminded himself that, at least according to Grandpa Hida's wisdom, there was likely some other reason for Cody's contrived inclusion in Kari's shopping trip – a reason that he would discover when it discovered him. However, Cody was following Kari and TK through one of the larger department stores as a shortcut to the mall wing housing the sweets shop where the Child of Light hoped to arbitrate better understanding between the Child of Hope and the Child of Knowledge. Working things out with TK might be the only thing Cody would discretely be able to report to Sensei at this evening's kendo lesson after all. The lurking temptation of frustrated impatience was no match for the quiet Hida boy whose innate ability to be intensely more patient rivaled any kind of Digivolution. When such patience was rewarded – even unexpectedly – the rightness of that was matter-of-fact.

As a matter fact, the three young friends were walking down a central lane for shopper traffic just a few aisles over from a display area that various shelves and racks kept them from seeing. They stopped and turned abruptly when, like everyone else in the store, they heard a sudden toppling crash. The Digidestined group was better positioned than most to hear the distinctly young shouts of inarticulate rage as loose objects too easily within someone's reach were tossed away for angry emphasis. The reward for Cody Hida's patience suddenly came flying at him and landed at his feet – in the form of a hat. The only son of Officer Hiroki Hida would've known the dark round mandatory accessory anywhere – it was a police officer's uniform hat. The way the youngster bent down the short distance necessary to pick the hat up left no doubt as to its authenticity. Cody rotated the hat in his hands until the badge on its front was face forward. The youngest Hida hadn't said anything while recovering the item, TK and Kari both felt a deeper silence take hold of the smaller boy.

The older boy backed up to stand just behind the younger one. Yolei aside, the rest of the newer Digidestined didn't know everything about Cody's sad past – but they knew enough. TK briefly grimaced when he recognized what held such attention, but erased the look with a question before the youngster noticed it. "Hey, Cody, are you OK?"

The reliable manners of the young Child of Reliability self-prompted looking up to his older friend, "I'm fine, TK, thank you. I was just wondering what kind of problem happened over there, and who threw this hat?"

Kari easily picked up on TK's hopeful intent to brighten the smaller boy's sudden downcast look. She offered as she stepped over to join the boys, "Whoever it was, I'm sure that display will be good as new in no time."

"Then I need to return this," Cody determined about the hat in his hands. Please excuse me for a moment." The young Hida began to move in the direction of the ongoing commotion.

TK offered to intervene, "I can take that back for you Cody. My strides are bigger, it wouldn't take as long." The lame argument did little to hide the fact that the blonde boy thought relieving Cody of responsibility for the police hat might be for the best emotionally.

Cody bowed while holding the police officer's hat close to him in order to be clear about not handing it over. "I appreciate the offer TK, but I want to return it myself – and see who threw it, please. After all, it landed right in front of me. Besides, you're already carrying a lot for Kari, so my taking this is easier."

"Let's all go together," Kari said as brightly as she said anything when she wanted things settled. TK smiled and Cody bowed again. The youngster stood straight, nodded firmly and led the way.

In spite of the proximity, actually getting to see where the trouble had started was like moving through a forest of curious onlookers and store employees picking up and evaluating other tossed objects. Finally, they came to a one-man perimeter being maintained by a member of mall security moving back and forth trying to keep the onlookers from moving past a certain point. Cody's older friends realized that it would be easiest for him to politely make his way to the front of the perimeter by himself. They encouraged him to do so while reminding him that they were there for him if need be. Cody was mindful of the enforced invisible line when he reached the front. This was obviously a situation that grownups were taking seriously, and the young Hida's own seriousness silently adjusted to that level – so much so that the man maintaining the line overlooked him for a few passes. It was long enough for Cody to see an aftermath that … bothered him … a lot.

A small but festive banner, strung between ceiling support beams read: "A Holiday for Heroes". Centered below the banner, a fully decorated Christmas tree had once probably stood – but now it was toppled on the floor as if someone decided to use it as a directional marker for their anger. Gift-wrapped boxes that Cody guessed were fortunately actually empty kind of indicated the tree's original position. Some of these boxes had obviously been flung away while others had been flattened. The main feature of the original display was no less than six mannequins. Each was authentically dressed to depict very important services to the community. Going by the positions of the four that still stood unscathed, there had been three standing on either side of the tree. Looking at them from right to left, these four were meant to be: a disaster volunteer, an Emergency Medical Technician, a nurse, and a doctor. The two figures farthest on the left were on the floor. A fireman mannequin lay face down, and the figure of a police officer lay face up, minus the uniform hat that the boy held in hand. For a moment – a very long moment – Cody gazed at the fallen and rigidly still representation of his Dad's chosen duty. He felt his hands reflexively start to ball into fists, but the firmness of the police officer's hat pushed back. The interrupted gesture snapped the young Hida back to his current intention.

The boy decided to quietly get the security man's attention at his next pass. However, the man detoured at the side of the line farthest from Cody to consult with an older gentleman who's back was turned too much for Cody to see face to face. Together, these men – and a woman who looked unhappy – were gathered around someone else. The downward tilt of the grownups' gazes suggested that their center of attention was a little taller than the young Hida himself. Ultimately, it was Cody who was seen first by the cornered culprit of the display's demise – who was phasing out adult admonishment by looking at onlookers through the gaps between the interrogators.

"Wait …," a young voice said loudly – as if finally processing an asked question. However, the voice asked its own question, then pursued the created tangent. "Cody?! Hey, Cody Hida!" The youngest Hida recognized the voice – having very recently met its owner. A girl about Cody's age stepped between the gap that separated the two men. It was indeed Danyi Uta. Family resemblance made it likely that the unhappy-looking grownup woman was Danyi's mother.

Danyi's emergence brought everything about meeting her to the young Hida's mind: from Cody's supportive inclusion in promoting Mina Isan's televised Christmas production during an event at the Comfort Cottage grief center, to being the ambushed honoree according to the designs of Mrs. Judi Tumia-san. In the midst of all that, was a brief conversation between the two children about loss and keeping, which – in that particular situation – offered Danyi Uta the best example Cody Hida could give about Christmas helping to keep the important things. That day had become a good day for them both, but right now Danyi Uta was having a bad day – in a big, very angry way. Even calling out to him sounded like challenging any right he had to see her in this predicament. Yet, as surprised as Cody Hida and Danyi Uta were to see one another again in dismaying context, the surprises continued. At the sound of the boy's full name, the oldest of the three adults also turned as Danyi Uta moved past him, following the girl's march over to the boy. Danyi thought the guy was trying to continue yet another grownup lecture, but the man instantly fixed upon the mild – now somewhat taller – boy, and Cody could now see the man's face. He was Mr. Taiko Korkoro-san!

As Cody's mind was still processing his first encounter with Danyi, the youngster began to recall meeting the man as well. Of course, those memories were more remote. Still, the fact that they involved time spent with his Dad as part of the full compliment of Hiroki Hida's patrol group when Mr. Korkoro-san first opened his repair shop quickly made them acute. That shop really began as a memorial promise to overcome personal badness and be a good person. Cody Hida would never forget the story of one brother – now unfortunately gone – whose life stayed straight, finally inspiring another brother to end the messy wrongness of his own zigzag ways. Such transitions had been on the youngster's mind lately, and might be important context if Danyi was in the kind of trouble she seemed to be.

"Cody Hida! Well this is a surprise – a growing one at that, and I can certainly use its pleasantness right now." Mr. Korkoro-san admitted. His smile could not quite banish the stress from his face. The man continued, noticing an important detail, "Oh, it seems you've found something we're missing here."

The youngster bowed deeply, this time holding out the police officer's hat and keeping it extended while rising. "Hello Mr. Korkoro-san. This landed in front of me – and two of my friends – a couple of rows from here. I knew what it was because … because I've seen at least one before … lots of times. I knew I should get it back where it came from as soon as possible. A police officer's uniform isn't complete without this."

"Of course." Korkoro affirmed.

Cody's Dad had both helped and respected Mr. Korkoro-san, so the boy could confidently return the police uniform hat to the man – as long as Cody checked on something important first. "Do you work here now, Mr. Korkoro-san?"

The kind adult actually chuckled, grateful to be amused by the obvious continuation of Hida propriety. "Indeed I do, Cody. In fact, I'm the afternoon floor manager for this store."

"Oh, that's nice," Cody congratulated – then wondered, "Did you change the hours when your repair shop is open so you could work here too?"

Mr. Kokoro-san sighed, but not in a way that seemed unhappy. "The repair shop has the same hours, but I only work here now, Cody. I'd like to tell you more about that – but I'm in the middle of something at the moment. I haven't finished my conversation with the young lady here, and curiosity got the better of me when she called your name. If you two know each other as friends, that gives me some confidence that her behavior here wasn't just vandalism for its own sake." He placed his hands on the offered back of the police hat while the boy still held the side with the badge, and in that gesture the youngster reconnected with an adult friend in a silent moment just remembering Officer Hiroki Hida.

The moment was clumsily broken by the huffing approach of the store security man. That man scowled down at Cody as he addressed Taiko Korkoro. "What's this sir, did you catch another little hooligan trying to make off with part of the display?" He chided the young Hida gruffly, "Listen kid, you let go of store property when the grownups here want it. Don't you have any manners?" Cody, who had every right to become indignant about the security guard's abrasive assumptions, silently let go of the police officer's hat. The boy stepped back and bowed – clearly directing the honor to Mr. Korkoro-san. The older man reciprocated the bow, noting the way the silently polite youngster clinched his hands at his side.

"Mr. Soku! Don't say one more rude thing to this boy." Taiko Korkoro then chided pointedly. He intended to say a lot more to Henpei Soku, but hesitated to add to the public spectacle already caused by the display's disruption. He also remembered Cody Hida's sense of proper discretion. Reprimanding the rude employee was something Cody deserved to hear, but that necessity complicated settling the girl's outburst. At least the maintenance crew had picked up the police officer mannequin, carrying it off in its turn for attention to re-tighten any jarred joints and check its uniform for damage. It would soon be on a workshop bench – as if it was lying in state – without its hat. Korkoro pondered for a long moment. Cody had respectfully returned the uniform hat to honor his father's memory. The Uta girl reacted to Cody's presence as a silent and mild challenge to her showy rage, but that was more than the adults had accomplished with her. Soku was completely wrong about the boy to the point of public insult. How, then, to deal with all that in a much more private way? Taiko Korkoro's genius for drawing people into a persuasive narrative gave him an idea. There was a story here that would obviously expose Soku's poor assumptions. It would also hopefully prompt young Ms. Uta to explain herself. "Cody, will you please hold on to this uniform hat for about ten minutes more while I discuss some future steps with the young lady, her mother, and our security agent, Mr. Soku? After that, If I meet you here and show you the way, would you also please bring the hat to our maintenance workshop to complete the police officer's uniform?"

Cody nodded resolutely, "Of course, Mr. Korkoro-san, I'm honored to do that, but … that isn't the simplest way to do it." Obviously, the man had a grownup reason for something more complex than it had to be. The boy was respectfully confirming that he understood that truth while still being curious about it.

Taiko Korkoro, honoring the boy's own sensibilities, lowered his voice and explained frankly, "I think returning the uniform hat calls for a little ceremony, and – to be completely honest Cody – it's likely to remind you of another kind of ceremony, but I want the girl, her mother, and Mr. Soku to see what that means to you. I think it will help them, but please understand that I'm releasing you from any obligation for saying yes to my plan just because I'm an older authority figure or your friend. You can say no and we'll still be friends. I believe you can do it, and I hope you believe you can too – but we both might be wrong without meaning to be. It's a risk I'll only take if you want to take it."

Cody Hida gave the suggested plan the seriously long moment of thought it deserved. "I want to ask my friends, Kari and TK, to come with me for the ceremony then too. Is that OK?"

"I think that's a very wise idea, Cody, absolutely." Mr. Korkoro-san approved. "Here." He bowed and returned the police uniform hat to the boy, who bowed, in return, to receive it. "This couldn't be in better hands. Get your friends and tell them everything you want to, and I'll meet you right here in ten minutes."

Fortunately, Kari and TK had managed to move much nearer, and were both agreeable to supporting Cody. Both were aware of the younger boy's inclination to help in the name of doing right things. It was also encouraging that Cody was acting in the interest of a wider set of friends, particularly one who was a girl about his own age. That detail was revealed as merely an incidental matter-of-fact, and Cody's current seriousness invited no immediate gentle teasing. Still, the youngest Hida's older friends shared a private look of mutual concern while being led to a rendezvous point for a formal introduction to Mr. Taiko Korkoro-san.

TK especially pondered the smaller boy who was now his DNA Digivolving partner. Cody obviously knew that the upcoming "hat returning ceremony" would evoke a pre-funeral viewing that could only increase the uniformed mannequin's association with his Dad. TK would do his part by hoping that Cody would achieve the help he intended without being emotionally devastated. It was bad enough when Cody was infrequently blindsided by emotional reminders of loss – made worse by Cody faulting himself for losing control. Like Kari – who was DNA Digivolving partner with Yolei Inoue, avowed protector of Cody Hida in all things – TK could well imagine how displeased the older girl would be if Cody returned from this celebratory shopping trip in tears or down on himself.

However, there was something different about this, and that something both compared and contrasted TK Takaishi with Cody Hida. Of course, their immediate connection was as the youngest of respective Digidestined groups. Cody had taken it upon himself to trace TK's anger about evil harm to Digimon back to the older boy's early experiences in the Digital World. Rather than challenge the blond boy with direct questions, the youngster had sought out TK's brother Matt and asked him. TK had been miffed at Matt for speaking out of turn, but couldn't be offended by Cody's curiosity. Cody's awareness of Patamon's protective Digivolution and Angemon's sacrifice was undeniably part of the boys' recent breakthrough as partners. TK had never shared that experience with any of the first-time new Digidestined, probably specifically to avoid telling Cody after learning about Officer Hida. Patamon was back in a way that Cody could not have his Dad. Even now, the usually upbeat, happy-go-lucky floppy hat wearer never wanted to experience what losing his Digimon felt like ever again. He'd combat any evil that dared to raise that possibility. Yet, that was exactly the difference here. Cody Hida wasn't being blindsided now – he was volunteering to be put in a circumstance that made his loss real for him again, simply because others might be helped by the example. TK didn't know if the younger boy was just that stubborn about helping, just that accepting of inevitably being reminded, or both.