Infinite Possibilities

Phase 1: Bridge

Chapter 9

Koushiro sat at his bedroom desk in the Izumi apartment, facing a computer monitor. The display was split in the middle, showing Daisuke's face on one side and Ken's on the other. Their partners were in the background, V-mon reading a manga, Wormmon napping on Ken's bed. Tentomon sat on Koushiro's spare desk chair, following the meeting.

"Thank you for coming. I'll be brief." Koushiro shared his second monitor's screen. "Can you see that?"

"Yes," Ken confirmed.

"Eimi-san and I wrote this list of requests for the Bureau concerning Reyes-kun and the related issues. If you have any input, now is the time. When we've come to an agreement, Eimi-san will deliver the list to the Bureau."

Daisuke's eyes flicked from side to side as he read. "I think it's too lenient. But before we argue about that… You can't seriously be thinking of responding to the Bureau before you tell the others what happened."

Ken's eyes hardened. "I know how you feel, Daisuke. But the Bureau forbade us from telling the others."

Daisuke struck his desk with a fist, and V-mon glanced over his shoulder in the background. "Daisuke?" he called.

Daisuke released a slow breath. If Koushiro had to guess, he was working hard to restrain himself. And, further stretching his capacity to extrapolate, he suspected that Daisuke's response was just as much fear as anger and frustration. "Sorry. But are you guys hearing yourselves? We. Are. A. Team. If we can't be honest with each other while all this insane stuff goes down, then we're toast." The muscles in his jaw tightened as he looked away. "It scares the crap out of me."

V-mon abandoned his book and gazed up at Daisuke's screen. "Daisuke's right! You need to trust your team! We can only evolve at our strongest together."

Daisuke nodded, heartened by his partner's support. "Right! That's what I'm saying!"

Ken rubbed his forehead. Two minutes into the meeting, and he already looked exhausted. "That is true. Working together is what's gotten us this far. But…"

Koushiro gripped the edge of his desk. His hands were slick, sweaty. "But if we tell the others… Not only do we go against the Bureau's direct order, but we also involve everyone in a volatile situation. Are we willing to endanger them? To take on the moral weight of involving them?"

Silence stretched on as the boys considered. Then, Daisuke's eyes snapped up, staring through the camera. Koushiro recognized that determined expression. It would be nearly impossible to argue him down from whatever he was about to say.

"Whether they get involved or not needs to be their choice. If anyone feels too scared or overwhelmed and needs to bail, fine. But we can't make that choice for them. I won't do that to my team."

Koushiro's grip tightened. He felt like he was falling, floundering. How could he best protect everyone? Was it somehow wrong to want to do that? Was protecting them even possible?

"Koushiro-san?" Ken called. Swallowing hard, Koushiro looked into the camera and nodded. "Are you alright?"

"I've felt better. I do see your point, Daisuke-kun. But… I'm concerned about… The Bureau has proven dangerous to us in the past."

Daisuke snorted. "You don't have to remind us."

Images flashed through Koushiro's head, uninvited and dreadfully vivid. Daisuke unconscious in a hospital bed, hooked up to fluids and instruments. Iori's mother sobbing beside her son's nonresponsive body. Miyako's siblings hysterically asking what had happened to her. Ken shaking head to foot, teeth grit, eyes watering, as Koushiro helped him attempt to walk.

"Daisuke," Ken whispered, as if Koushiro wouldn't hear. He did, of course, but his spiraling brain failed to translate the sound into meaning. A squishy, soupy interim passed, during which they struggled to pull themselves together.

Finally, Daisuke's neck cracked as he tilted his head, eyes pinched shut, clearly thinking. "You've always looked out for us, Koushiro. You now I appreciate the hell out of you. I don't like going against you, and I'm sorry, but I'm telling the others. If one of our friends cut me out of this, if I found out that they were dealing with something so awful on their own… I'd be really, truly pissed. So… Let's tell them together, okay? Things always go better if you're involved."

Ken stared into the camera. Both Koushiro and Daisuke could see his feed, but Koushiro knew he was "looking" at him, specifically. He won't back down, Ken's gaze suggested. Koushiro didn't need help to see that.

His head bowed as he exhaled, desperate to release the tension inside him. In a way, Daisuke's insistence was a relief. This agonizing choice was no longer in his hands. "Alright. I'd be shocked if the Bureau doesn't follow our movements. We'll need a pretense if we meet in person. Otherwise, the Bureau will suspect that we're discussing Reyes-kun against their orders."

Daisuke grinned. "I never would have thought of that. How about those cooking lessons at your place that Takeru mentioned?"

"Good idea," Ken said. "We need to have someone bring them up again over a channel that isn't secure."

With difficulty, Koushiro ignored the urge to sigh. Leaving trails of information for the Bureau, intentional bread crumbs meant to misdirect them, was exhausting. "Alright. I'll take care of setting up the meeting. Since we're discussing the list with everyone, we'll end this talk here."

"Makes sense," Daisuke agreed. "Koushiro, I really am sorry I'm pushing. But with something so big going on, everyone deserves a chance to weigh in."

Koushiro had no clue what to say, and was feeling too much to try. He nodded, said farewell, and ended the call. Tentomon reached over, placing a talon on his knee.

"It will be alright," he murmured. "Daisuke-han is right, I think. No one wants you to struggle alone, me least of all."

Koushiro patted his elytra. "Thank you," was all he could manage. Thank goodness there was work to do. He turned his attention outward, to planning this meeting and composing an explanation that gave his friends a chance to excuse themselves without giving them too much dangerous info. Better to grant them an opportunity for plausible deniability. It was delicate work, the kind that blessedly occupied his mind for a time.

He couldn't bear to think about the risks and burdens he was about to throw on everyone's shoulders.

XXX

Koushiro's bedroom grew cramped as Chosen arrived with their digimon. The digimon piled onto his bed, since the humans avoided sitting there (except for Taichi, who plopped onto its foot). Koushiro sat at his desk, and after some dithering, Eimi accepted the second desk chair. Yamato, Ken, Hikari, Takeru, and Iori sat on the floor, cross-legged to fit. Miyako and Daisuke's faces were displayed on Koushiro's monitor, reporting from Spain and America, respectively. Tentomon flew above everyone's heads, excited and flustered, administering drinks and snacks.

Miyako's forehead seemed to expand as she leaned towards her camera. "Mimi-san is in Paris, so I guess that's why she's not here? But where are Jyou-san and Sora-san?"

Koushiro stiffened, worried someone might express displeasure. The older they grew, the more some members of the Japanese Chosen drifted from their connection to the Digital World. Originally, Koushiro observed this with a sense of loss. Lately, though, he understood that devoting himself to Chosen duties came at an enormous price. He found those difficulties worthwhile, but researching the Digital World and helping Chosen was his life's goal. That simply wasn't true for everyone. If Mimi, Sora, and Jyou wanted to follow their dreams, then who was he to judge them?

When no one replied, Koushiro offered, "They won't be attending. Thanks for coming, everyone. I know weekends are precious."

Daisuke sighed. "I just wish I had time for the cooking class!"

Koushiro blinked. "We- We're still doing that?"

Takeru raised a hand. "I want to! But let's focus on this first, and then see how we're feeling."

A wise call. This meeting was going to be difficult, and frankly, Koushiro wished it weren't happening. Let's get this over with. "Agreed. As you know, I've called you here to discuss what happened after Daisuke-kun and Ken-kun apprehended an American Chosen, Reyes Raul, while he attempted to kidnap Tanemon from their village." He tried to summarize that horrible experience objectively, but it wasn't easy. No one interrupted, but everyone's expressions and body language hardened as he narrated.

When he stopped speaking, a strained, volatile silence formed. Koushiro took a deep breath. "The Bureau ordered us not to tell anyone about this, not even the rest of our team. I fear that I'm endangering everyone by calling this meeting, but... As Daisuke-kun pointed out, it would be unfair for us to make a unilateral decision of this magnitude."

Takeru ran his hands down his face, stretching skin. "Could you really keep a burden like this to yourselves? I think it would have come out, anyway. But by talking about it now, we can brainstorm what to do."

"Exactly." The intensity in Yamato's voice, the fury sparking in his eyes, told Koushiro what he suspected from the start; he would not accept this situation quietly. "A Chosen, kidnapping and selling digimon? If you hadn't warned us that this might be happening, I'd be…" Yamato paused, but decided to abandon description. Instead, he demanded, "What are we going to do?" A shiver danced down Koushiro's spine. Of course Yamato was angry; they all were. But no one was going to push for some kind of... Attack on the Bureau, were they?

"We have several issues to address," Koushiro replied, hoping he didn't sound nervous. "Because this topic is so volatile, I recommend breaking down what we want to cover before beginning. First, Eimi-san and I prepared a response for the Bureau, expressing our ideal resolution concerning Reyes-kun."

"That's reasonable," Iori replied. "If our relationship with the Bureau is too one-sided, then there isn't much reason to cooperate."

A slight sound came from Taichi's end of the bed. Koushiro glanced at him. Other than greeting everyone, he hadn't said much yet. In fact, Koushiro couldn't recall their last meaningful conversation. Koushiro included Taichi in all Chosen texts about digimon emergencies and group hangouts, always inviting him. For a while, now, Taichi's response was uniformly no, if he gave one at all. Koushiro had been ignoring Taichi's silence for a long time, or at least pushing it aside. But each day, the ache of being shut out by his closest human friend grew and festered.

"Yes?" Koushiro hoped he sounded encouraging, rather than the far more accurate descriptors: lost and upset.

Taichi was slumped forward, staring at his hands, which were interlocked between his knees. His voice was quiet, strained. "The Bureau doesn't care if we want to cooperate or not. They just flex their authority. And as long as they have Eimi-chan and the rescued baby digimon, we're..." He turned exhausted eyes to Eimi. "They have the leverage. I'm not saying it's your fault, Eimi-chan."

"I see your point." Maybe Koushiro should have allowed Eimi time to respond, but he wanted, perhaps needed, to engage with Taichi. "But our leverage is our ability to defend against digimon attacks and to access the Digital World, especially through the D-3s."

Taichi made a noncommittal sound. Perhaps hoping to smooth things over, Hikari said, "What do you want to ask of the Bureau?"

Although they were calmly seated, Koushiro braced himself for everyone's reaction. Would his suggestions go poorly with them, as they had with Daisuke? He pulled up the list, expanded the text size, and shared his screen online, so everyone could see it.

"First, we want Reyes-kun to permanently lose his digivice, and for it to be entrusted to the Chosen's custody. The Bureau currently has it. Second, in lieu of incarceration, we'd prefer Reyes-kun to help the Chosen and the Bureau shut down the poaching ring. Whatever intel he has could be instrumental to that end. Finally, we want public trials for all kidnappers, rather than the Bureau making decisions in the shadows."

"I think we aren't taking the kidnappings seriously enough." Thankfully, Daisuke had processed things enough to speak calmly, more or less. "It's a serious crime. Eimi-chan's digimon went through so much, and are still struggling."

"We all agree that the crime was heinous, and I'm willing to amend that Reyes-kun help and also be tried. However, we simply aren't a justice system, so that decision might not be up to us," Koushiro replied. "But as protectors of the Digital World, we do have the right to stop the kidnappings and bring any kidnappers to..."

Koushiro paused. His face heated as everyone gazed at him, expecting more. "Er- I suppose this is a large part of the problem. I was going to say that we have the right to deliver Digital World criminals to the proper authorities. But who is that? Who does have the right to enact justice for the Digital World?"

"Not the Bureau," Yamato sharply replied. "And if we don't take action now, they will step in and take those rights for themselves."

Koushiro gaped at him, stunned. He was so focused on reaching a workable compromise with the Bureau in this instance (and likely processing the horrors of the situation) that he hadn't considered that long term possibility. Based on what he knew of the Bureau, Yamato's assertion was not only reasonable, but likely.

Iori's tone, stiff but measured, was a welcome contrast to Yamato's ire. His eyes averted as he pressed his fist to his chin. "And once the Bureau sets a precedent, pushing back will be more difficult. They might deal with future issues before the Chosen can respond. And we might not like their methods."

"That's why we have to act now," Yamato agreed. Koushiro reflected that Yamato's passion paired with Iori's practicality was a potent combination.

"Shouldn't the digimon decide what to do with the kidnapper?" Daisuke asked. "They're the ones who were most affected."

Koushiro's stomach twisted, a sinking, greasy sensation. Even Yamato looked away, troubled by the implication of Daisuke's suggestion. Gingerly, Eimi asked, "Um, Tentomon, everyone, how do you think a digimon would deal with a human who kidnapped digimon from their village?"

The digimon glanced at each other, but remained silent, unwilling to respond. Agumon held up a clawed hand and innocently offered, "They'd fight."

Maybe it was his imagination, but Koushiro thought he heard several people swallowing, hard. If an irate digimon attacked a human who had no partner to protect them… Were any of them willing to bear the moral weight of approving that method of justice?

There was an odd tinge to Eimi's voice, and Koushiro leaped on this innocuous puzzle. He identified a forced lightness in her tone, a contrast to her typical earnestness. "I thought that might be the case. I see the logic of having digimon decide what happens to Raul, and to any other kidnappers. But even from country to country, justice is perceived differently, and processes vary. For example, in the states, they have a jury of peers and a judge and various levels of courts. Um, in Japan..."

She trailed off, and Iori lifted a hand. "We have a lay judge system."

They began a brief conversation on the differences between American and Japanese justice systems, and Koushiro waited for the first natural opportunity to redirect the conversation. "Iori-kun, what is the purpose of incarceration, by Japanese standards?"

Iori's tone took on the drone of a student reciting memorized material. "The primary goal is reform and rehabilitation, but repaying society and punishment are also stated objectives."

"Hmm..." Miyako sighed. "Helping us shut down kidnappers is more useful to society than Reyes-kun sitting in jail..."

Eimi ran both hands through her hair, apparently forgetting that it was braided. Her fingers tugged the top loops away from the rest. "I'm afraid that Raul won't receive a public trial. It really scares me. Does the Bureau throw anyone they don't approve of in a back room and leave them there? What if that happens to one of us some day?"

Koushiro's hands snapped into fists. Eimi tossed one of his chief fears into the discussion so plainly, as if it wasn't a skittering, skulking creature haunting the recesses of his brain. Maybe she could do that because she didn't go through what the Chosen endured in 2005. Regardless, it was a relief when she moved on.

"But, um. Even though I think the digimon should be involved in deciding what to do when someone commits a crime against them, uh… I don't think handing Raul over to, say, Meramon is, um... Something we want... to do."

A shudder progressed down Takeru's body. "The Digital World has no elected representatives to talk to. Some digimon might be willing to pursue justice that resembles what many human societies practice. Others would probably, ah..."

Koushiro winced. Over the years he lived with, helped, and sometimes fought digimon with Tentomon, he tried not to wonder what harm an aggressive digimon could do to a human body. Meramon took his protective duties seriously. If he attacked someone who committed crimes against digimon, their death was unlikely to be quick, clean, or merciful.

"Leomon would be our best option as a representative, I think."

Although Hikari spoke quietly, nearly in a whisper, everyone looked at her. Koushiro couldn't bring himself to respond, but Eimi had no background information to cause hesitation. "Leomon?"

Koushiro's eyes bounced from face to face and found tight, worried expressions. Even the digimon were subdued, huddling together for comfort. Daisuke exhaled through his nose and rallied, the first to brush off the heavy mood. "He's a digimon who has always been friendly with the Chosen. He patrols the Digital World to make sure things are okay and to share info. A lot of digimon know and trust him."

Takeru nodded. "He has supported us a lot. In fact, he's so entwined with the Chosen that he was able to evolve to perfect from exposure to our digivices."

Eimi's eyes went wide. "Really? That's possible? But he's not partnered to any of you?"

"Nope," Miyako replied. "He just has... Sort of a special bond with our group."

"I'm not sure if I'm really following, but that sounds like a great person to ask. Can we talk to him?"

Koushiro looked away just in time to see Taichi wince and also look away. After a long pause, Tailmon supplied, "We don't know where he is."

Eimi's brow furrowed as she considered. "I guess the Digital World is pretty big, but we can ask around using the communication devices on the village gates."

"I don't think that would help," Hikari gently replied. "Leomon died on earth before the Reboot. That means he should have been reborn in the Digital World, but... No one has seen him since he passed."

Koushiro followed Eimi's confused glance around the room, as if she hoped someone would leap in and rescue her with an explanation. Her eyes landed on the digimon, but they offered no response. "Oh, um… I'm sorry to hear that. What, um… What does that mean?"

"We don't know," Koushiro replied. Heart sore and wishing to keep things on track, he added, "But functionally, it means we can't treat him as a liaison between the Digital World and humans. I suggest we brainstorm potential alternatives some time today."

"What about Gennai-san?" Takeru suggested. Hikari began speaking, but quickly stopped. With a forced grin, Takeru added, "Didn't catch that."

Hikari swayed slightly, as if to soothe herself. "Gennai-san is aligned with Homeostasis, right? After what happened back then… I'm not sure how much we want to involve anyone allied to Homeostasis."

These days, Koushiro felt sick so often that he wondered if his emotions had caused actual, physical illness. Once upon a time, the Chosen and Homeostasis shared the same goals. But in 2005, Homeostasis took actions that the Chosen didn't agree with in attempts to spare the Digital World from the infection. They tried to kill Meicoomon, a partner digimon, then rebooted the Digital World, deleting every digimon's memories of the Chosen, and of the lives they lived after the reset point.

Trusting was far more difficult these days.

"Regardless, I haven't been able to contact Gennai-san for a few months. That's normal." Koushiro directed that last statement to Eimi. "He appears when he wants to, and only then. Has anyone mentioned Gennai-san to you? He's an entity in the Digital World who appears as a young brunette adult man or as an elderly man. We're not entirely sure what he is, but he has helped us greatly in the past. He is, as Hikari-san mentioned, aligned with Homeostasis, however. He was also missing in 2005, and has never provided a clear explanation on his whereabouts at the time."

"Thanks for explaining. I guess it's not relevant if we can't contact him," Eimi said. "I am wondering, though. Um… If the Digital World is going to become more vulnerable to human interference as more Chosen appear, we obviously need some kind of solution. But… We also can't force our ideas of justice onto the digimon. Although…" She shut her eyes and rubbed her temples with both hands, suggesting a headache. "We can't just… Leave the digimon at the mercy of rouge Chosen, either."

Unclenching his jaw seemed to cost Yamato effort. "All we can do is talk to the digimon about it. We can't force a whole world to do what we want, even if we tried."

"Try telling Meramon to do something he doesn't want to," Miyako muttered. Koushiro nodded. The Chosen could plan all they wanted, but their ideas would only go forward if enough digimon in the Digital World agreed with them.

"Speaking of involving the digimon, we have to tell them that we apprehended Reyes-kun," Ken pointed out. "For one, the Tanemon and Yukidarumon were there, so word will spread. And goodwill is already stretched thin, since the Bureau didn't immediately return the digimon Eimi-san is watching. Cutting them out of this conversation isn't possible, so I think it's best to loop them in now."

"They won't like the response, though," Takeru warned. "We can't just tell them the Bureau has Reyes-kun, but we have no idea what will happen next."

"That's an excellent point." Koushiro turned to his computer to adjust their requests. As he typed, he read aloud, "The digimon must be informed of Reyes-kun's status and given input on his sentence."

Miyako cradled her head in both hands. "Wait, wait. So we're, uh. We're seriously trying to establish how… How the Digital World and earth respond to crimes committed by humans in the Digital World?"

"Before the Bureau establishes the precedent of handling that outside of the public eye, yeah," Yamato replied. "We can't let them quietly become law and justice in the Digital World, using the Chosen to bring in suspects."

Taichi sucked in what sounded like a woozy breath. "I… Never would have foreseen this, even a few years ago."

Hikari nodded. "There are 30,000 Chosen globally, with more each month. We can't possibly teach them all about living with digimon, protecting the Digital World, and what we think their duties to the Digital World are."

Yamato's shoulders were set and tense, his gaze piercing. "There's no avoiding it anymore. Some Chosen don't see digimon and the Digital World the way we do. The same way humans hurt each other and earth for profit, Chosen might choose to use their rare ability to access the Digital World to hurt digimon and the Digital World. And because of the digital elements, they might not even see digimon as living creatures."

Daisuke's upper lip curled back. "Reyes-kun said something like that. That digimon are just data, so we can fix any damage. What a load of bullshit!"

"The ethical argument isn't important in this room," Iori replied. "We know that digimon are living, sentient beings. We love them and want to protect them. But clearly, assuming that every Chosen will feel and act the same is self-delusion. And with no laws to protect them, we have proof that humans will hurt digimon for profit. I know we're all angry, but it's more important to decide how to protect digimon in the future."

"Fine," Daisuke replied. "I think Reyes-kun should clean up this mess and go to jail. But also, I don't want him in the Digital World again, so whatever help he gives has to come from earth."

Koushiro blinked. Daisuke was hyper focused on this particular instance of kidnapping, ignoring that the kidnapping issue was not over. The priority now was to establish an effective response system that gave digimon a voice. I got caught up in dealing with the Bureau, too. That's a danger for anyone in such a volatile situation. With that in mind, Koushiro decided to recruit friendly digimon who were not affiliated with baby digimon villages for potential liaison roles. While heightened emotions were normal under the circumstances, it was best to call on more objective individuals when setting up what might become a judicial system.

"I think we all agree that Reyes-kun should lose his digivice," Taichi replied. "If he did go to the Digital World and was recognized, he'd be hunted down by pissed digimon. And you said he, um…"

He paused. Wormmon and Tentomon, who were present for Raul's interview, shuddered. "Sold his partner," Daisuke spat. "Bastard. So going to the Digital World would be a death sentence."

Eimi crossed her arms, brow furrowing as she stared off into nothing. "If he didn't cooperate, Raul was under threat of losing his parents to false child abuse allegations, financial ruin for his family, and lack of medical care for his sister. Selling his partner was obscene, but we can acknowledge the extreme pressure he was under. But then…" Her mouth twisted into an uncomfortable frown. "He went to the Digital World to kidnap and sell more digimon, even without his partner's protection. Not only is that horrific, but as Daisuke-kun said, it's an insane risk. I've been wondering… Why did Raul go back to the Digital World? Was it simply greed? Were people offering that much money for more digimon? Or was someone coercing him?"

Koushiro was joined by a few other Chosen in jerking upright. He hadn't considered that someone might be manipulating Raul into kidnapping digimon. Yamato tsked. "We can't do anything with that unless he confesses. It's not our job to make excuses for him or save him from something he won't talk about."

"That's fair," Eimi allowed. "I'm just trying to get in his head, figure out what led to this. And like- How could someone kidnap and sell baby digimon? I can't understand or accept it. Did Raul fail to see that digimon are biological, sentient beings? And if he didn't understand that digimon aren't just 1s and 0s, even living with PetiMeramon, then how many other people will make the same awful mistake? But then, I'm not sure how relevant the sentient part is. Most animals are sentient, including many that humans eat. Unless we're talking about sapience, which-"

Koushiro gently cut in. "Please pardon me, but those semantics, while interesting, aren't helpful. But as you pointed out, what matters is how digimon are perceived by humans."

"What if we ran a PR campaign?" Miyako suggested. "If more humans understand that digimon are living, feeling, intelligent beings, rather than cute mascots, animals, or bits of data, then the baseline for how they are treated might improve."

"I like that," Taichi replied. "Koushiro, can you write that down for later? We're forgetting something important, though. Most humans don't care what digimon are. They see them as threats, full stop. There have been too many cases of digimon attacking people and cities on earth. Eimi-chan, didn't you say that the first lab you worked for was actively developing…"

Taichi paused and glanced at the digimon huddled beside him on the bed. He cleared his throat. "Um… Digimon defense technology?"

Weapons meant to kill digimon. Koushiro turned to his computer to take note of Miyako's suggestion. Mostly, though, he wanted to look anywhere but at someone's face.

"Ugh!" Miyako cried. "This is too complicated! You're saying there are humans who actively think that the kidnappings and the lab experiments are good?!"

"Bullshit," Yamato growled.

"But accurate bullshit." Though Takeru's voice was steady, his eyes were tear bright. "We want to protect humans and digimon. Many humans want to protect humans from digimon. And the more that happens, the more we'll see digimon who feel they have to protect digimon from humans."

"We need to act now." Taichi sounded so heavy, so tired. An irresistible tug of concern made Koushiro rotate his computer chair towards him. He was bent forward, as if the weight of the world pushed on his bowed back. "Before those prejudices take hold even more. Before the Bureau decides they can control everything. But functionally… I don't know what that means. What do we do?"

Koushiro's mouth went dry; he drank deeply from the glass of oolong tea by his elbow. Was this pressure why Taichi was so scarce, lately? Was that better or worse than a personal issue between them? Koushiro couldn't make this situation go away, no matter how much responsibility he shouldered.

Catching himself floundering, Koushiro called on his experience as CEO to direct the conversation. This was far from a standard meeting, but treating it as such might help him cope. "First, we agree on what to tell the Bureau. What do you think of these modified terms?" He directed everyone's attention to his screen, which displayed:

Digivice is removed from Reyes Raul and given to Izumi Koushiro for custody.

Reyes-kun and and other apprehended kidnappers will have public trials.

Reyes-kun will assist in shutting down the digimon kidnapping ring. This assistance will be considered during his public trial.

Digimon liaisons for the Digital World will be selected, kept informed of all proceedings, and play a role in the trials and any sentencing.

"Will the Bureau agree to that?" Ken didn't sound hopeful, which a glance at his rigid expression confirmed.

Iori looked grim. "Courts generally function by referencing existing laws and previous cases. It's all legal precedent. So without laws protecting digimon on record, without a precedent for how crimes in the Digital World are handled, the courts might behave as though they are powerless."

"So treat it as a crime against humans," Daisuke suggested. "Kidnapping a Tanemon is like kidnapping a toddler." Done, his confident tone implied. Koushiro shared an uncertain look with Taichi. For a moment, it didn't register that they were silently communicating, sharing doubt regarding Daisuke's statement. An ache, shocking in its force, followed when he realized that they hadn't shared a brainwave like this in months.

"It won't be that easy," Taichi pointed out. "If the court thinks of digimon as data… We're going to keep hitting that wall, plus human fear of digimon and lack of laws and precedent."

"But we have to start somewhere," Yamato insisted. "We can't ignore the issue because it's complicated and difficult. Koushiro, I think your list will at least tell the Bureau that we aren't sitting idly by."

"And if they reject our input?" Ken's tone was difficult to decipher. He almost sounded mild, but the strain in his eyes suggested otherwise.

Yamato's expression hardened. "Then the next kidnapper we apprehend won't be taken to the Bureau. It will be dealt with on the Digital World side."

Miyako looked pale. "Um. We need to find a digimon liaison who is more open to… Uh, who won't just… Attack a human. Unless we want that on our consciences."

"Dealing with the kidnappers in the Digital World might not be feasible," Iori warned. "We'd be in danger of shifting from giving digimon a say to acting like dictators, or at least operating in the shadows, like the Bureau does."

Sensing potential discord, Koushiro said, "Perhaps we should wait for the Bureau's response before worrying about that."

"It never ends," Taichi sighed. "Alright. Are we in agreement on Koushiro's list? If so, Eimi-chan will give it to the Bureau. After that, we need to gather friendly digimon who might be interested in a liaison position. That would be a good time to explain what happened with Reyes-kun to them, too."

"Definitely better to report that to someone who trusts us." Takeru's smile was tight, stiff. Why did it suddenly feel as though their past allies might not be allies for much longer?

"If that's settled, let's decide what digimon to approach with this." And because their partners had mostly been left out of this discussion, since it focused on the Bureau and earth laws, Koushiro asked them, "Any suggestions?"

They spent the rest of the meeting constructing a list and splitting up contact duties. And, as Koushiro had predicted, no one felt like having a cooking lesson afterward. But after the others hung up or left the Izumi apartment, Taichi, Agumon, and Eimi lingered.

Taichi glanced at Eimi, and Koushiro hastened to intervene. "Um, Taichi-san, have you been introduced to Eimi-san? You know that she reported the lab digimon and has been looking after them in the Bureau's custody."

"Thank you, Eimi!" Despite the long, difficult conversation, Agumon's raspy voice was cheerful.

The strain that tightened Eimi's face throughout the meeting finally lightened. "Oh, um, you're welcome! A lot of people made it happen, though." She rose from the chair, approached Taichi, and extended a hand. "I've really been looking forward to meeting you, Agumon and Yagami-san. I've seen the Diablomon incident footage, and I know you've done a lot to protect both worlds." Looking suddenly flustered, she bowed. "Thank you for everything."

"Aw, c'mon." Taichi flushed with embarrassment. "Call me Taichi, alright?" He stood and shook Eimi's hand, and Agumon insisted on having his hand shaken, too. Koushiro grinned when he noticed Eimi exploring the cool, scaley texture of his skin.

"You sure you're okay, Eimi-chan?" Taichi asked. "Has the Bureau been treating you well?"

Eimi's head tipped to the side. The way she opened her mouth, grimaced, and shut it hinted that there was plenty she could say, if she were so inclined. "More or less. I'm stuck in their building, though, unless an agent or a Chosen with their digimon takes me out."

A grimace distorted Taichi's face. "Damn. Is there really a threat against you? Your identity hasn't leaked, right?"

"It hasn't," Koushiro confirmed. And he would know. He checked daily, and had friends monitoring the news and the internet for mentions of the Bureau lab raids. So far, nothing.

"So why keep you hidden? I'm worried the Bureau is looking to control the narrative, here." That was one of the more benign options, which is probably why Taichi chose it.

"It's possible," Eimi allowed. "I'm planning to ask about that soon, but… Normally, when I ask questions at the Bureau, it's like I'm talking to a wall."

"Damn." Taichi seemed to expel all the oxygen in his body. "Yeah, sounds right. How are you getting home?"

Eimi blinked. Koushiro scowled at Taichi. Why was he rushing Eimi out? "Um. I was kind of hoping. Well, you're probably both busy, but, um, it's Saturday, so. Maybe one or both of you would like to get a drink?"

"Ahhh." Taichi gave Koushiro an uncomfortable glance, but he could not divine his intention. "Geez... Sorry, Eimi-chan. I wanted to talk to Koushiro alone."

"Oh!" Eimi's shoulders jerked up with discomfort. She forced a stiff laugh. "Okay. Sorry. I'll just call for an escort, then."

"Belay that thought, please," Koushiro replied. "Eimi-san, could you please wait in the living room? Tentomon, Agumon, would you accompany her?"

Tentomon leaped into the air and went to Eimi's side. "Of course, Koushiro-han! Agumon, please help me attend to our guest."

As Koushiro had hoped, Eimi was charmed, if someone baffled, by this display of manners. She followed Tentomon out of Koushiro's bedroom without further comment, with Agumon stomping behind. Koushiro gently closed the door, turned to Taichi, and cocked an eyebrow.

"Pfft," Taichi laughed. "I didn't mean to be rude. I just need to talk to you."

Koushiro's mind raced. What could Taichi have to say that was so sensitive? "Is it truly something Eimi-san can't hear?"

Taichi considered, head tipped. Finally, he crossed his arms. "I guess that's your call. I was going to ask a question you might rather hear alone, though."

"Can you ask now? That would help me decide."

Taichi scowled. "What if you use the extra time to prepare an answer?"

Calmly, Koushiro replied, "That's what you would do. I promise, I'll be upfront and honest."

"You little-" At first, Taichi blustered, mouth open in shock. Then he sighed and slipped his hands into his pockets. "Fine. Maybe you have a point. But first, can I ask why you want Eimi-chan to come? You could go out with her another time."

"Yes, but she's been looking forward to meeting you. And it's been difficult to get a hold of you." Koushiro knew he was being blunt. Sassy, even. Taichi had never minded in the past, had always laughed and gone along with him. He still would. Right?

Taichi's shoulders jerked up. "Yeesh. You're really on my ass today." Slowly, his posture corrected, and his expression went sombre. "You're mad."

There was a thud in Koushiro's chest. He disliked conflict, and wasn't the best at emotional communication. But he respected and trusted Taichi. Whom else could he speak freely to, without fear of escalation, reprisal, or being misunderstood, if not him? That was partially why he was so desperate to reconnect. "Making you feel guilty isn't my intention, but… I'm hurt. I value our friendship, and I… While I hate to pressure you, I rely on you. I always have. But… I'm also cognizant that if you want to step away from involvement with Digital World issues, then… I have to honor your wishes and support you."

Taichi gaped at him, mouth hanging, absolutely flabbergasted. Heat rushed to Koushiro's face as he hastened to… What? Clarify? Backtrack? Even he wasn't sure. "But if you do step back as a Chosen, you're still my close friend. I hope… I hope that won't change."

Taichi gripped Koushiro's shoulder. He was leaning on him; his weight made Koushiro feel like he was sinking into the floor. "Koushiro, I- Shit. I didn't mean to- No. You're right. I have been blowing you off. I'm sorry. It's not anything personal, I promise."

"Then what?" As always, Koushiro believed Taichi. But also as always, he wanted all the information he could get.

The weight on Koushiro's shoulder was accompanied by stinging as Taichi's grip tightened. "Hell. I don't know. I just… I'm always at class or at work, or trying to eat or clean or pay bills or buy groceries and household shit. I know that's not an excuse, but…"

"Are you alright?" Koushiro was unsure how to interpret Taichi's explanation. It was true that this period in a young adult's life was busy, difficult, and tinged with anxiety for their future, for the adult life that was coming at them fast. The gods knew that Koushiro's days were a blur of activity. But still, he found time to text Taichi. Or at least, he did before the responses became shorter and the stretches between them grew.

He was no psychologist, and hated to even guess at other people's mental states. But it sounded like Taichi was struggling. Taichi's tight, fake smile and exhausted voice made the worry Koushiro tried to push down grow explosively.

"Tired, I guess. It feels like I'm putting all my effort into treading water. You know, just keeping my head up, not advancing." Taichi shrugged. "Can't say it's a good feeling, but it's probably common."

Being chronically overwhelmed may in fact be common. That doesn't mean it's healthy or acceptable. But what could Koushiro say? He couldn't solve societal issues because his friend was struggling with them. "It likely is common. But when you feel that way, it's an ideal time to reach out, rather than pull away. If you're too busy for Digital World issues, fine. But please, lean on me any time."

Taichi's upper lip curled back, a mixture of disbelief and discomfort. "Lean on you? Koushiro. You're literally leading a company and a global network of Chosen, plus handling the millions of problems that pop up, like this Bureau situation. You don't have time for-"

"That's for me to decide, not you." Koushiro caught and held Taichi's gaze, hoping he came across as serious. "I have time for you."

A muscle beneath Taichi's eye twitched, or at least tightened. Koushiro couldn't parse his expression, except that he seemed to be feeling something intense. Then, Koushiro was pinned to Taichi's side in a one-armed guy hug. With a voice nearly as raspy as Agumon's, he said, "Okay. You win. I'm sorry."

Koushiro patted Taichi's back, then eased back. "If you need to talk, then I'll ask Eimi-san to join us another time."

As predicted, a note of panic touched Taichi's eyes. "You know what. That would be rude, especially since she's been wanting to meet me."

"Ah. I see." Koushiro infused each syllable with sarcasm, letting Taichi know that he knew he was leaping on a chance to avoid discussing his personal problems. As always, Taichi would rather suffer alone than seek help. As Koushiro suspected, something more was probably going on with him.

But they were close, old friends. If Koushiro gave Taichi space and reminders that he was here, then he would open up eventually. These things couldn't be forced, not with him. And he knew Taichi well enough to guess that his emotional capacity was already at a breaking point. Thus, he relented and threw him a bone.

"You said you had something to criticize me about?"

Taichi blinked, then burst out laughing. When he finished, he ruffled Koushiro's hair. "Yeah, you bet. And if you're okay with Eimi-chan hearing it, then we'll bring her along. I'm still curious, though. Why are you really pushing for her to come? And don't say because it's rude not to, or that she wanted to meet me."

Koushiro smiled, pleased to have salvaged the mood. "That is genuinely part of it. I also feel that we have a debt to Eimi-san, since she's stuck under Bureau surveillance because she reported the lab digimon. Additionally, she might become a liaison between the Chosen and the Bureau, and maybe even between the Bureau and digimon in the Digital World. She's already an important person in terms of relationships between several groups."

Taichi stared at him, absorbing, considering. "That's pragmatic, sure. But look, I've known you a long time. You don't go drinking with every important connection."

Koushiro twitched, caught off guard. He hadn't thought of it that way, but then… "Well, no. But they aren't all personal friends. Our friendship is new, and I'm hoping to… Well, nurture it, I suppose."

Taichi slapped his forehead. "Koushiro! Then just say that she's your friend! Damn! What was all that exposition?"

Koushiro huffed and opened his bedroom door, so he didn't have to look at Taichi's put-upon expression. "I wouldn't have to give you that information now if you had answered my texts!"

They bickered out of the apartment, with a bewildered Eimi trailing behind, accompanied by Tentomon and Agumon.

Author's Notes:I originally planned to keep moving things along, but I kept feeling bothered. Would Koushiroreallylisten to the Bureau about not telling the rest of the Chosen about the kidnappings, etc? Obviously, he has good reasons for wanting to keep as many Chosen away from them as possible, but I decided to have him ultimately loop everyone in. I don't want to tease the next chapter, since I've been tinkering with the story, so... Please keep looking forward to the next update! And please do let me know if you enjoyed this chapter. Love you!