#c: koushiros child

[koushirouizumi]

Me, for like 8+ years straight on all my Digiblogs and all my fan works: Hey did you all know you DONT have to be blood related to a relative to consider each other family lmao??? Ppl in wider fan bases today, all of a sudden, out of nowhere, despite never {or extremely rarely} acknowledging this before EXCEPT when its about ship's they hate: dID YOU k N O W you DONT HAVE TO BE BLOOD RELATED to a rELATIVE to cONSIDER EACH OTHER FAMILY L M A OOOOO M E: . . .

[tobiasdrake]

Digimon Adventure 01x52 - The Holy Swordsman! HolyAngemon / Piedmon's Last Jest

Previously on Digimon Adventure: Yamato and Sora picked the worst time to go spelunking. Fortunately, Jou vanquished Sora's insecurities through reason and logic and Gabumon vanquished Yamato's with indignant toothmarks. They returned just in time to stop Taichi from getting himself killed, as tends to happen when he's left unsupervised.

Now, together, WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon stand against Piemon. Which you may think will go either very poorly or very well, depending on which spoileriffic episode title you read.

We open on the Chosen Children taking cover behind a ridge, sending the two Ultimates out into the fight.

Yamato: Get him, MetalGarurumon! Taichi: WarGreymon! This all ends after we defeat Piemon! Piemon: But can you defeat me? Ahahahahahaha!

Piemon is very amused by his terrible comeback. He forms a ring of fire over his head while he mocks the children. MetalGarurumon is less amused, however, and takes the obvious bait.

MetalGarurumon: We will defeat you!

MetalGarurumon rushes Piemon. Piemon tosses out the ring of fire he was flagrantly telegraphing, which MetalGarurumon flies straight into. It constricts around his midsection, burning him and bringing him to the ground.

WarGreymon: MetalGarurumon! Piemon: And this one's for you.

Piemon summons a large ball, which emerges from the ground under WarGreymon's feet. He tries, futilely, to balance on it for a couple seconds before slipping and falling on top of MetalGarurumon. Piemon laughs merrily at his jest.

(WarGreymon, you can fly.)

In the dub, Tai uses the establishing shot to lead us in and remind us of what's happening.

Tai: Now that we have two Mega Digimon, let's destroy Piedmon once and for all! Matt: Go get him, MetalGarurumon! Tai: Come on, WarGreymon! Take care of this clown! Piedmon: So... I'm a clown...? Then I'll act like one! CLOWN TRICK!!! (Piedmon forms the ring of fire) MetalGarurumon: I'll get him! (lunges) Piedmon: Try jumping through this hoop! (Fire ring takes down MetalGarurumon) WarGreymon: Whoa, are you okay!? Piedmon: Why don't you join us? We're having a ball! (Balancing ball appears under WarGreymon) Piedmon: Hahahaha! Bravo! Sorry if I caught you off-balance! Round and round he goes; Where he lands, nobody knows! Hahahahahaha!

Dub Piedmon is chewing all of the scenery and it's fun. XD

In the original, MetalGarurumon flew straight into a telegraphed attack because he was baited by the worst comeback in history. In the dub, he's acting on Yamato's plan of "Get him". They changed his motive, but retained the pure essence of dumbness permeating the doomed charge.

Piemon's attacks here don't have a name in the original, but the dub calls them Clown Trick. Which makes more sense than last episode, where Clown Trick was their name for his finishing move, Ending Snipe.

I was initially a little peeved that Tai didn't say "Let's finish this clown once and for all," but then it turned out he was saving it for his next line. Calling someone a clown is a child-friendly burn in the U.S. so you obviously can't pass that up.

So, round 1 to Piemon. Time to regroup and figure out a plan for round 2.

Koushiro: He's toying with us. Taichi-san! Taichi: Hang back for now. Yamato: Agreed. Let's gauge the situation first.

How sick do you think Koushiro is hearing that? Taichi was telling him that all last episode and was nearly beaten to death for it. Fortunately, Taichi seems to have forgotten that he was on death's door between episodes so he's all good now.

Maybe MetalGarurumon brought him back to life too.

Piemon: I think it's time I struck the final blow. TRUMP SWORD!!! Taichi: Careful! We don't know where they might come from!

At the end of last episode, the boys vaporized this attack with a combined assault. But Piemon's got more where that came from, and this time he makes it trickier. The swords separate and flicker out of visibility to make it--

MetalGarurumon: Sensor Catch! WarGreymon, left by 45 degrees! WarGreymon: Got it.

Oh, never mind then. With MetalGarurumon backing him, WarGreymon easily deflects the first incoming sword with his Dramon Killer.

MetalGarurumon: Next, to the right! WarGreymon: Whuh!?

WarGreymon whips around in time to deflect not just one but all three of the other swords, flanking him to try and capitalize off the first's distraction.

(Clever trick. Clever clown trick, if you will. Ahaha ha ha.... Oh no, where did this sword come from?)

MetalGarurumon: I'll handle the rest.

The four swords regroup for their next pass. Firing blue beams from his snout, MetalGarurumon vaporizes them all.

In the dub, Izzy's exchange with Tai and Matt is less argumentative.

Izzy: He thinks this is just a big game! Tai: Well, I'm tired of playing around! Matt: Let's not be hasty. He wants us to make a mistake.

Here, it's Tai getting impatient and Matt coolly telling him to chill. In the original, it's Koushiro getting impatient with both Taichi and Yamato presenting a united front on where we go next.

You know. Because. Taichi and Yamato being united is kind of the big thing going on right now.

Piedmon: What's the matter? Don't want to play with Uncle Piedmon anymore? TRUMP SWORD!!! Tai: Be careful of the swords! Hey, wait... Some of those swords aren't real! MetalGarurumon: WarGreymon, I'm picking up the real swords on my sensors. Over to your right! WarGreymon: Cover me! (WarGreymon deflects the first sword. Then, without a word from MetalGarurumon, whips around and deflects the other three.) Piedmon: (triumphant) WAHA!!! MetalGarurumon: METAL WOLF SNOUT!!! (vaporizes the other swords)

Metal Wolf Snout. XD They are absolutely taking the piss with that one. I swear the dub is written like an Abridged Parody sometimes.

This fight is completely different. First off, the dub interprets the swords suddenly disappearing to mean that there are a bunch of extra illusory swords floating around alongside the four real ones.

I'm not going to bag on them for that. That's a cool idea and it still plays into the idea that MetalGarurumon's sensors will be the key factor in winning this exchange.

But... then the action kinda goes to shit. I don't like that they took out MetalGarurumon's precise instructions as well as him redirecting WarGreymon's attention to deflect the other three swords.

It's a small moment but super important for the theme of Yamato's arc. Remember "There are some things only you can do"? Both Yamato and recently Jou have been about it lately.

We saw WarGreymon face down Trump Sword on his own last episode, and he got decimated by it. He simply can't keep his attention on all of the swords at once. This moment is here to demonstrate how MetalGarurumon's unique abilities can push WarGreymon through an encounter that he can't win with his own strengths.

This is thematically important choreography.

From here, the boys go on the offensive.

MetalGarurumon: That attack won't work anymore!

WarGreymon nails Piemon with Gaia Force, sending him flying.

Taichi: We've got the upper hand! No more waiting around, Koushiro! Everyone, evolve and attack him together! Koushiro: Here we go, team. SUPER EVOLUTION!!! Tentomon: Let's go! Gomamon: Count me in! Andromon: Wait!

Andromon cuts in, warning the others. Piemon is up to something.

In the dub:

MetalGarurumon: Looks like the joke's on you, Piedmon. (WarGreymon hits Piedmon with Terra Force) Tai: Alright! Nice shot! Izzy, have everyone DIgivolve and attack! Izzy: You heard him, guys! Now it's our turn! Tentomon: I'm in! Gomamon: Me too! Andromon: Caution!

Taichi calls out Koushiro here because he and Koushiro have been having it out since last episode over keeping Tentomon in reserve. Koushiro's been chomping at the bit to get in this fight, so Taichi singles him out to say, "Okay, finally, now you can jump in."

The dub version of this is absurdly redundant. Tai tells Izzy to tell the team to evolve and fight, rather than just... telling the team to evolve and fight. They're all right there next to him; No need for a middleman.

In any case, Piemon's up to something. He holds out a simple white cloth.

Jou: What the? Is he waving the white flag to surrender? Sora: That pose... Is he saying there's no trick involved?

Calling Piemon out as setting up a magic trick, Sora seems to have hit the nail on the head. Piemon slowly turns the cloth back and forth, revealing it to be a plain white cloth with nothing on either side.

Taichi: Is he going to pull out a pigeon next? WarGreymon: PLAYTIME IS OVER!!! Piemon: Is it, now?

WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon rush Piemon. He tosses the cloth out in response. It expands in the air, growing into a large sheet that blankets the both of them. After a short crackle of pink energy, the sheet falls flat on the ground.

Taichi: WARGREYMON!!! Yamato: METALGARURUMON!!!

The boys run out onto the field to check the now-flat sheet. Piemon tosses another cloth, taking them as well. As before, it blankets the two boys and crackles with pink energy. Then it too goes flat.

Hikari: ONII-CHAN!!! Takeru: WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM!?!? Piemon: Allow me to show you!

Piemon lifts the two sheets and throws them into the air. The boys and their Digimon are gone! It's magic! What a performance!

Oh, shit, this is bad for us.

In the dub:

Joe: A white flag? Maybe he's trying to surrender to us. Sora: I don't trust him. I think he's got another trick up his sleeve. Tai: Hey, why don't you make yourself disappear? WarGreymon: PLAYTIME IS OVER!!! Piedmon: But I'm just getting started! (Digimon get cloth'd) Tai: WARGREYMON!!! Matt: METALGARURUMON!!! (The boys run out there and get cloth'd) Kari: What happened!? T.K.: I don't know.... Piedmon: (revealing) TA-DAAAAAAAA!!! Thanks for coming; Next show's at 7:30. You've been a GREAT crowd! Goodnight!

"Why don't you make yourself disappear!?" XD That one got me.

Also super love Piedmon's expanded last line. He's doing a fantastic job this episode.

On the original's side of things, I like the casual and unimpressed "Is it, now?" retort to WarGreymon over the more indignant response in the dub.

Now for the burning question: What exactly happened to Taichi, Yamato, and their Partners?

Jou: THEY VANISHED!!! Tentomon: WHAT'S GOING ON HERE!?!? Koushiro: (furious) WHERE DID YOU SEND TAICHI-SAN AND THE OTHERS!?!? Piemon: They're still right here, are they not?

Piemon feigns ignorance over Koushiro's accusation, then holds out his hand to show them what he means. As he opens his hand, he reveals a pair of keychains in the image of Taichi and Yamato.

Piemon: Look. And these ones too. Look!

Holding out his other hand, he reveals keychains of WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon.

Sora: H-He's turned them into dolls! Piemon: That's right. To reward them for trying so hard, I've made them part of my collection. Ahahahahahaha! So, who wants to go next?

What a dick! So, on a scale of 1 to Oh Shit, losing both of our Ultimates in the fight against the strongest Dark Master rates about a 13.

Yamato and Taichi's dramatic reunion after Yamato finally accepted himself and self-actualized made such a difference in this battle. XD

I jest. If Yamato hadn't come back, then Taichi and Agumon would have died last episode. Just because they didn't strike the final blow, that doesn't mean their reunion didn't matter.

Piemon may have had the keychain trick in his back pocket this whole time, but it was only Yamato joining the fight that pushed him hard enough to use it and sent us on to this next stage.

In the dub:

Joe: HE MADE THEM ALL DISAPPEAR!!! Tentomon: Well, at least he didn't saw them in half. Izzy: What did you do to Tai and Matt, Piedmon!? Piedmon: I hold the keys to their existence. And I need a place to put them, so I made a couple of keychains. (Piedmon reveals Tai and Matt) Piedmon: I think I'll hang these two on my backpack. (reveals the other two) Sora: What kind of sicko turns people into keychains!? Piedmon: I'm not a sicko! I'm a collector and these new items have such sentimental value to me. Ha! Haha! DAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Now, who wants to be next!?

Dub Piedmon is a lot more menacing here, rather than the playful tone that Piemon strikes. They also use his final declaration, "Who wants to be next!?" as the cliffhanger for the first commercial break. Good timing.

Cut to the fire cave. ...fire cave? Yes, that's right, the fire cave.

It's a cave that fire shoots out of. Alternating between horizontal flames and vertical flames pouring out of two separate holes. Gennai approaches, piloting that Mekanorimon from the flashback.

(...that was a Metal Empire goon that he temporarily hijacked. How are they friends now? There is an offscreen redemption arc that I need to see.)

Gennai: Centarumon, is this it? Centarumon: Oh! You managed to come? Yes, that's right. This is the Wall of Fire from the prophecy written in File Island's ancient ruins. (Gennai opens the hatch to see for himself) Gennai: But could it really have come through these flames? Centarumon: That's what the prophecy said. Gennai: Unbelievable!

Ominous! Obvious firewall pun aside, something has breached said firewall.

We, uh, need to revisit Centarumon's name for a second, because the situation there's a bit fuckier than I previously understood when I was doing his original episode.

So. Officially, his name is ケンタルモン Kentarumon. The intent here is clearly "Centaurmon". But. That's not. The correct spelling of Centaurmon. It should be ケンタウルモン Kentaurumon. In the process of turning this Romanized Greek word into Japanese, they missed a letter.

Wikimon calls him Centalmon while the dub goes for Centarumon, both for the same purpose. They replace the hard K with a soft C as is appropriate for the word "centaur" but leave the end misspelled. I'm siding with the dub on this one because the "Centaru" does a better job of looking like a misspelled "centaur" than "Cental" does.

The dub returns from commercial here to a bit more lighthearted tone than the original.

Centarumon: LOOK AT ALL THIS FIRE!!! This is terrible; I didn't bring a single marshmallow! Gennai: Centarumon, I came as fast as I could. Centarumon: Oh, Gennai! I'm glad you made it. Gennai: Is this it? Centarumon: Yes, this is the mystical wall of fire the ancient prophecy on File Island describes. Gennai: Really? What do you say we barbecue? (Gennai opens the hatch to see for himself) Gennai: Incredible! Is it really true that he had to make it across these flames? Centarumon: I know it sounds crazy, Gennai. But that's what the prophecy says. Gennai: Unbelievable!

This scene's a little dry, so the dub adds some levity. This has the effect of removing the ominous tone of the original, however. They're having a serious conversation about something bad that's about to happen, setting the stage for our final adversary.

The more casual tone fails to capture that vague sense of foreboding. We don't know what they're talking about but they're super friendly about it, like they're chatting about a friend's achievement.

"Oh, yeah, Tai jumped right through the electric fence without hesitation." "That's CRAZY!"

Neither of them seem too perturbed by the idea of something coming through here.

Back at the fight, Piemon has clipped his new keychains to his coat. They aren't attached to anything but instead awkwardly clipped to the fabric itself. The kids beat a hasty retreat.

Piemon: Hahahaha! Andromon: HIDE IN THAT CAVE!!!

The children run for a small cave entrance under the roots of one of the darkness realm's dead trees. However, Sora realizes that Andromon is not among them and turns back.

Sora: ANDROMON!!! Andromon: I'll hold him off. Sora: But-- Andromon: SPIRAL SWORD!!!

Before she can argue further, Andromon whips around and launches his Spiral Sword at Piemon. Piemon deflects the projectile with his sword, then closes distance.

For a short time, Andromon's metal armor allows him to deflect and parry Piemon's strikes.

Jou-senpai grabs Sora by the arm, forcing her to retreat.

Jou: RUN, SORA-KUN!!! DON'T LET ANDROMON'S GESTURE GO TO WASTE!!! Sora: (anguished) AUGH!!!

For Andromon, things are going well. He even manages to go on the offensive between blows, missing two punches but landing a solid hit with his third and pushing Piemon back. This buys him an opening to fire his Gatling Missiles,

For a moment, it seems as if they hit Piemon dead-on. But then Andromon sees the edges of the cloth coming down around him.

In the dub:

Piedmon: Huhuhahahaha HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Andromon: Get into that cave! (Sora realizes) Sora: ANDROMON!!! Andromon: Don't worry! I'll hold him off! LIGHTNING BLADE!!! (Andromon and Piedmon briefly fight) Sora: (anguished) Andromon! Joe: (pulling Sora) We've got to get out of here, Sora! Andromon's buying us more time! Sora: (wailing) WAAAAAUGH!!!

In the original, it's a little ambiguous as to what happened when the missiles landed. We didn't see Piemon get away, but the way he suddenly enshrouds Andromon in his disappearing cloth from an unseen location seems to imply an answer. He probably did that shonen anime thing where the dust clears and the bad guy's eerily not there because he dodged so hyper-fast you didn't notice.

But it's also possible he took the hit and tanked it with his Ultimate 'mon strength.

The dub has Piedmon grunt in pain when the missiles hit, indicating that not only did he tank the attack but that it hurt him. Still won the fight thanks to the cloth, though.

Inside the cave, the children find things are not so safe as they may have hoped.

Their path comes to the edge of an overhang above a great cavern. The path gives way in this massive room, with the only exit being a similar overhang across the ravine. Curtains are hung along the cavern's walls, with only a pair of trapezes offering a means of passage.

Tentomon: W-What is this place? Sora: It looks like a circus ring. Koushiro: It seems the path continues up ahead. Jou: But how do we get over there!?

Tentomon flies across, gesturing at the trapezes.

Tentomon: You'll have to swing across using these. Hurry up! Tailmon: Hikari, hold on tight! Hikari: Mhm!

Hikari holds onto Tailmon while the latter uses her natural agility to cross the trapezes. They make it across with ease. Tailmon deposits Hikari on the opposite cliff, then goes back for the others.

Takeru makes the jump to the first trapeze by himself. Jumping off at the midpoint, he grabs onto Tailmon's paws and she delivers him safely to the other side. Patamon flies across to join him.

Sora goes next, with Piyomon unhelpfully clinging to her back. Then Jou and Koushiro throw Gomamon to Tailmon, since the poor little sea mammal can't jump himself. Then, the last two on the ledge, Jou loads Koushiro up on the first trapeze to--

Piemon: You won't make it.

Piemon enters, holding Andromon's keychain in front of him.

Jou: ANDROMON!?!? Koushiro, GO!!!

Piemon casts one of his disappearing cloths, but in the moment before it takes him, Jou-senpai gives Koushiro a hard shove on the trapeze. Then he's gone.

Koushiro: (tears in his eyes) JOU-SAN!!!

It's for nothing. A second cloth wraps around Koushiro on the trapeze. By the time it reaches Tailmon, Koushiro is gone too. Tentomon furiously charges at Piemon.

Tentomon: WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO KOUSHIRO-HAN!?!? GYAH!!!

Predictably, Piemon takes him too.

Piemon: (singsong) Look, I ca~ught it, I ca~ught it! It's u~useless to run!

In the dub:

Tentomon: What kind of place is this!? Sora: It looks like a giant circus tent! Izzy: Whatever it is, I don't like it. Hey, there's a way out across this canyon! Joe: My only question is, how do we get to it!? Tentomon: (flying across) The only way is to use these swings like a trapeze artist. But don't look down! There's no net! Gatomon: Kari, hold me tight and don't let go! (Gatomon takes Kari across) Tentomon: Not so easy to fly, is it? (T.K. goes next; Gatomon grabs him) Gatomon: What do you carry in that backpack!? Bricks!? (Gatomon delivers T.K.; Sora's turn) Sora: Ow! Gatomon, you've gotta trim your claws! (Joe and Izzy launch Gatomon) Joe: Away you go! (Joe prepares to send Izzy) Piedmon: Don't you want to take your friend along? Joe: ANDROMON!?!? GO, IZZY!!! (Joe pushes Izzy and gets taken) Izzy: DAAAUGH!!! JOE!!! (The cloth takes Izzy next) Tentomon: Don't worry, Izzy! I'll save you! (Tentomon rushes in and gets taken) Piedmon: Now you see them and now you don't! They're dropping like flies.

The dub adds in some quips to break up the silence when the kids make the trapeze jump. Apart from that, it's mostly the same.

As a villainous boast, I like Piemon's entrance line asserting bluntly, "You won't make it." There's something bone-chilling about a monster stating matter-of-fact that it's too late to run and then immediately proving it when you try. 10 out of 10 on the horror movie scale.

Meanwhile, the playful taunt of "Don't you want to take your friend?" in the dub is also a great entrance line. Tonally, they're very different, but they're both solid "Oh shit he's here" announcements.

Meanwhile, there's one last person who's finally ready to join this party.

Mimi's nakama doesn't get to "But how did we get up here?" their way onto the big bowl-shaped platform at the top of Spiral Mountain or fly on Birdramon's talons. No, they have to fucking climb with ropes.

We join Mimi with Lilimon shoving her butt to try and help her climb.

Lilimon: Nnggh... Yegh... You're too heavy... I can't push you up! Mimi: Liar! I'm not that fat, am I?

It seems Mimi has amassed a small army of Gekomon and Otamamon now, not just the pair. Some have made it to the top and are working at pulling up the ropes, but many more cling to ropes around her.

Gekomon: Mimi! It looks like the fight's already started geko! Mimi: There's so many of us! Isn't there someone in our nakama who can fly!?

As Mimi exclaims that question, the shadow of Unimon passes over her and the many hanging Gekomon and Otamamon.

In the dub:

Lillymon: Ugh! Mimi, I'm getting exhausted! Mimi: Really? That's strange; I feel fresh as a daisy. Gekomon: Mimi, get up here! It looks like the battle's started! Mimi: Oh, it's just my luck! I finally bring all the reinforcements and all they want to do is hang around!

This is a goofy scene in both versions, with the Lilimon exchange having punchlines predicated in Mimi's vanity in the original and her ditzy screwball tendencies in the dub.

But for the second part, the dub's gag doesn't really engage with the scene. She riffs on the animation, with Unimon's passing shadow now entirely divorced from the context of the scene.

Back in the trapeze room, Piemon inspects his new keychains.

A pair of sparkles under his eyes reveals that Koushiro's keychain is locked in the crying expression he had when he was taken.

Piemon: My my, you're still crying even after becoming a doll? You must be lonely without the rest of your nakama. Just wait; You'll all be together soon.

Skipping the trapezes, Piemon leaps across the gorge in a single bound. He pursues the Children into what appears to be a building interior, with brick walls and wooden floors. He calls out into the building, his voice and his footsteps echoing through.

Piemon: I told you it's useless to try and escape. Why not accept your fate and come quietly?

The children don't answer. They're hiding beneath the floor, silently waiting for him to pass.

Piemon: (receding footsteps) That's strange. Maybe they're over here.... Sora: (whispers) I think he's gone to another room--AHHHH!!!

Without warning, Piemon's sword thrusts down through the floor, splitting the air right between Sora and Hikari. The girls shriek, flinching away from the attack.

Piemon: HEY, I FOUND YOU!!!

He conjures his other swords to stab down through the floor as well, scattering the children who are forced to try and dodge in their tight confines. Hikari, terrified, buries herself in Sora's arms.

Piemon: Try this! (more stabs) Hikari: IT'S OVER!!! Sora: NO, IT'S NOT!!! Piemon: (jovially) It might be.

Nobody asked your opinion. XD

In the dub, Piedmon doesn't comment on Koushiro's tears. Additionally, as usual, the sound design misses some details. His echoing footfalls setting the isolating tone of the scene are gone, as is the eerie silence punctuated by a lack of music. He steps silently and the usual "We're in danger" BGM plays.

Piedmon: (mocking) "Hello, my name is Izzy and I'm very smart. Although I didn't know how to stop me and my friends from being made into keychains!" Wahahahaha, I love a good puppet show! (Piedmon jumps across) Piedmon: Ah, so you want to play hide and go seek? Mm, okay, I love a good game! Now, let's see... if I were a little pest, where would I hide? ...maybe you're in this room over here.... Sora: (whispers) I think we're out of danger for now--WHOA!!! (She is stabbingly wrong) Piedmon: PEEK-A-BOO!!! (More stabbing) Sora: RUN FOR IT!!! Piedmon: OLLY OLLY OXEN FREE!!! (stab stab)

Aww, they cut the funny exchange between Hikari, Sora, and Piemon.

"Olly olly oxen free" is an old phrase used during children's games like hide and seek, back in the day before children were banished indoors by a changing society that no longer welcomes them in public. It indicates that the game is over and you can come out now.

Piemon raises his sword for another strike. Thankfully, he's not the only one offering unsolicited opinions at this time.

Angewomon: HOLY ARROOOOOOOW!!!

(I love that she makes a finger gun when she shoots Holy Arrow. I never noticed that before. It's a consequence of using the joint where her thumb connects with her hand to steady the arrow while she aims it, I think, but the result is fantastic.)

Angewomon's arrow strikes the blade, shooting the sword out of Piemon's hand.

Piemon: What the--!? Angewomon: Run, Hikari! Garudamon: Hurry, Sora! Hikari: Angewomon! Sora: Garudamon!

Standing there excitedly shouting their names is neither running nor hurrying. Let's see some hustle, ladies. A man is trying to stab you. :P

Garudamon and Angewomon engage Piemon to try and buy time. Garudamon hits him dead on with her Shadow Wing, which he casually tanks. He does, however, move when Garudamon tries to crush him with her talon. She buries herself in the weak floorboards, and he lays down one of his disappearing cloths on her from there.

With Garudamon out of the picture, Piemon turns his attention to Angewomon. His Trump Swords pin her to the wall by her wings, and he collects her from there.

(Speaking of small details I just noticed, the Trump Swords have different handles. In the shot of Angewomon getting pinned, you can see a heart, a diamond, and a club. Presumably the other one is a spade. That's neat.)

The dub does a great job with the surprise Celestial Arrow too, though they might have overlooked that the arrow doesn't hit Piemon directly. That's a very tiny thing; It's interesting to me that they change his reaction of shock and surprise to a pain grunt.

Piedmon: NGGHH! Angewomon: RUN, KARI!!! Garudamon: Hurry, Sora! Kari: It's Angewomon! Sora: Garudamon!

From there, the fight plays out with no extra dialogue or censorship.

Sora, Hikari, and Takeru emerge from the floor in another style of building entirely. They crawl out from under a huge floor tile in time to hear Angewomon's final scream echo down the halls.

Sora: Takeru-kun! Takeru: W-What? Sora: Take Hikari-chan and get out of here. Takeru: Eh!? But what about you? Sora: Listen to me very carefully. There's no question at this point that Garudamon and Angewomon have both been made into dolls. You are the only one who can protect Hikari-chan now. Do you understand?

She's right. They have two Digimon left: Gomamon and Patamon, and Gomamon's Partner is already gone so he can't evolve. Takeru is the last Chosen Child standing with the ability to fight.

Takeru: But Sora, you-- Sora: Don't worry about me. Do you understand? Takeru: (reluctantly) ...yeah. Sora: No matter what happens, you have to get out of here. Takeru: (more confidently) Got it. I'll make sure to keep Hikari-chan safe.

Sora turns Takeru around and gives him a push to get him going.

Sora: Now, hurry up and go! Takeru: Let's go, Hikari-chan!

The youngest children make their retreat, leaving Sora to face Piemon alone.

In the dub:

Sora: T.K., come here. T.K.: What is it? Sora: I want you to take Kari and get out of here! T.K.: But what about you? Sora: Listen to me, there isn't much time. Piedmon has the rest of our friends and if he gets us, we're doomed. T.K., please, you're the only one who can protect Kari. You have to be brave. Now get going! T.K.: I won't leave you! Sora: Don't worry about me; I'll be fine! T.K.: (reluctantly) ...alright. Sora: No matter what happens, just keep running. T.K.: Okay, Sora. I promise I'll do whatever I can to protect Kari. (Sora turns T.K. around and gets him moving.) Sora: Right. Hurry, go! T.K.: Come on, Kari! Let's go!

"If he gets us, we're doomed" is a terrible line but setting that aside.

In the original, there is no question that Sora is going to sacrifice herself. She lets that hang over the conversation, engaging with Takeru with the expectation that he's strong enough to face that reality.

She's still clearly acting with intent to protect the youngest among them, but she talks to him as one of their nakama.

Dub Sora lies to T.K., adding in the false reassurance that she'll be okay so that he doesn't have to think about her fate. She also adds in the line, "You have to be brave," which isn't something that Takeru needs to be told. He faced down an angry puppet with a magnum revolver and won. His bravery is already well-established.

Sora's conversation with T.K. has the vibe of a parent's last words to their helpless child in a disaster film or something before they die. You have to be strong now, keep your sister safe, I'll meet up with you later (lies), get going and don't look back. Which, as an interpretation of Sora and how she interacts with younger children, is a vibe that works pretty well.

But it comes at the cost of once again downplaying T.K.'s strength and conviction in a scene that's partially about his strength and emotional fortitude. This late in the game, he doesn't need to be lied to and puffed up. He knows what the stakes are and what's about to happen to Sora, and he can make the hard choice.

While Takeru, Hikari, and Patamon go on ahead, Gomamon makes a few short hopes to try and keep up, then stops. He looks back at Sora.

Gomamon: Sora! I'll fight with you. Sora: Don't be stupid. You can't even evolve, so what can you do here?

Harsh. Uh, he can summon infinite fish out of seemingly thin air even without a clear source of water. I'm not saying that's going to be enough against Piemon. but I'd give it better odds than your proficiency at soccer and adequacy at floral arrangement.

Maybe if we throw enough fish at PIemon, some of them will manage to swim away with his swords. He'll probably summon new ones but it will feel like we're doing something!

Gomamon: Sora! Sora: If you get made into a doll here, how will you face Jou-senpai and the others later, knowing that they risked their lives to protect you!? Now get out of here! HURRY!!!

Reluctantly, Gomamon turns back around to go. But it's too late. Piemon bursts through the floor, holding up Angewomon and Garudamon's keychains.

Piemon: Hahahahahahaha! Did you not have time to run away? Well, it's only a matter of time before you become dolls anyway. Gomamon: THAT WON'T HAPPEN!!!

Suddenly, Gomamon lunges for Piemon's coat, snatching Yamato's keychain away.

(Maybe if you attached them to something sturdier than coat fabric, this wouldn't have happened to you.)

Gomamon: SORA, CATCH!!! Sora: (catch) TAKERU-KUN!!!

Gomamon throws the keychain to Sora. Sora prepares to throw it at the same time Piemon prepares a vanishing cloth. In a difference of microseconds, Sora wins the quick-draw and sends the keychain onward an instant before he takes her.

(That shuts me up for shit-talking her athleticism. Her sport doesn't even let you throw things like that! That's raw ability.)

This should be a meaningless gesture. Takeru and Hikari went around and a corner a moment ago so Sora should not have line-of-sight on them anymore. Fortunately, because a plot hole has opened up to warp time and space, Takeru and Hikari are now straight ahead down the path trying to open a huge door. Takeru can not only see what she's doing but receive the keychain in his hands.

(Did the creators change their minds mid-scene and forget to alter Takeru and Hikari's escape path?)

In the dub:

Gomamon: Sora, I wanna stay and fight with you! Sora: Don't be ridiculous! You can't even Digivolve without Joe so go before Piedmon gets here! Gomamon: But Sora-- Sora: Gomamon, Joe risked his neck to protect us and if Piedmon turns you into a doll, his sacrifice will mean nothing! Now please help T.K. and Kari; There's not much time! NOW GO!!! (Piedmon arrives) Piedmon: WAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Look, I only need five more keychains for my collection and then I'll have the whole set! Gomamon: NOT IF I CAN HELP IT!!! (Gomamon swipes Matt's keychain) Gomamon: SORA!!! Sora: (catch) T.K., CATCH!!!

XD Piedmon excitedly sharing his new keychains like a neurodivergent kid info-dumping about his hobby, to one of the "keychains" he's trying to collect. Perfect. Perfectly written, perfect delivery, 10 out of 10. Hahahahaha.

With Sora gone, Piemon turns his attention to Takeru and Hikari.

Piemon: Now, where do you think you're going?

Piemon asks, and the camera slowly pans down to show Gomamon beneath his boot. It's unclear if he's talking to Gomamon or to the kids, but he isn't wrong either way.

They don't answer him. They push the huge door until finally it opens, releasing them back outside. Unfortunately, all that awaits out there is a balcony overlooking the realm of darkness far below. They're up in the observatory now.

Patamon: Oh no! Takeru: It's a dead end! Hikari: What now!? Piemon: Ahahahahahaha!

Piemon laughs us all the way to the commercial break.

The dub riffs off Piedmon having Gomamon underfoot.

Piedmon: In order to succeed, sometimes you have to step on people along the way! Wahahaha! (T.K. and Kari get the door open) T.K.: Quick, let's run! (Balcony) Kari: We just ran out of room! T.K.: This isn't the escape plan I had in mind.... Patamon: Now, what!? T.K.: Can we jump? Kari: It's too far! Piedmon: Nahahahahahaha! Welcome to the dead end! Come be a keychain like your friend.

"Can we jump?" Yes, T.K. Don't worry, the jagged rocks will break our fall. Among other things.

Piedmon is having so much fun right now. XD

We return from commercial to Takeru and Hikari trying to make plans.

Hikari: W-What do we do? Takeru: We have to go down. Hikari: It's too high! I won't make it down without falling. Takeru: But we can't climb up.... Patamon: Hey, Takeru? What's that?

Patamon calls Takeru's attention to a woven basket with a lid sitting in the center of the balcony.

Takeru: What is that?

Takeru approaches the basket, pulling off the lid to reveal a rope coiled up inside of it.

Takeru: Ah! It's a rope! We can use this to get down!

Unfortunately, the rope has other plans. Of its own volition, it uncoils from the basket and ascends into the sky, climbing up into the dark clouds above.

Both Kids: Wha--!? Patamon: Ah! Takeru: What is this!? Hikari: How far is it going to go? Takeru: It keeps going up....

Finally, the rope seems to reach its destination, affixing to somewhere beyond the clouds and holding tight.

So. You know. That seems super untrustworthy but desperate times and all....

The dub skips the commercial break and keeps the scene right on going.

Kari: We can't just sit here! T.K.: We've got no choice; We have to climb down! Kari: It's too high, T.K.! If we slip, we're goners! T.K.: Kari, we're going to have to try! Patamon: Look, T.K.! Where'd that basket come from? T.K.: Who put that there!?

Uh, that basket has been sitting on the balcony since they got out here. Though we don't know exactly what it is, we see it a couple times in wide shots of the balcony. Its origins are not the mystery; Its contents are.

The dub accidentally invented a mysterious benefactor whose identity will never be revealed because the basket was here the whole time.

T.K.: A rope! We can use it to climb down the side of the mountain. (Rope ascends) T.K.: Uwah!? Patamon: Whoa! I didn't know you were a snake charmer, T.K. Kari: Do you think we should climb it? T.K.: I dunno. Mom always said never to take candy or rope from strangers.

That is a weird thing for her to specify. Sound advice, but still weird. XD

Tonally, these quips don't vibe well. This is the height of tension. We could die sort-of in the next ten seconds.

Takeru tests the rope to see if it will hold.

Takeru: It's fine. The rope is holding steady. Alright, climb up, Hikari-chan. Hikari: But.... Takeru: Don't worry. Just climb. Hikari: (reluctantly) Okay....

Hikari takes the rope and begins to climb, with Takeru following up after. They only make it part of the way before Piemon blows open the doors, and our very last Digimon steps up to fight.

Patamon: I'll hold off Piemon!

Takeru's face says everything you need to know about this plan.

In the dub, T.K. backtracks over his awkward comical naysaying a second ago.

T.K.: (thinking) What am I thinking? We have to climb it! Sora told me to be brave no matter how scared I get. T.K.: (frightened) Looks dangerous; You go first. Kari: (disappointed) Oh. (Kari starts climbing) T.K.: That's it, Kari! Pretend you're in gym class! (T.K. climbs up after her) T.K.: LISTEN!!!

...nothing happens after T.K. shouts listen. We hang silently on them for a moment, then cut from there to Piedmon slowly approaching the doors. It takes about ten seconds between T.K. saying that and Piedmon blowing off the door.

So unless he could somehow hear Piedmon's soft, barely audible footsteps through the very heavy door from halfway up the rope, I have absolutely no idea what he wanted Kari to listen to.

Piedmon: OPEN!!! (Piedmon blows the door off) Piedmon: I must quit this. It costs me a fortune in new doors! Patamon: Keep climbing! I'll distract him!

So, yeah, the dub of this scene sucks. T.K. lets Kari go up first because he's too scared to do it himself. That sucks. I think they're trying to do the "(eyeroll) My hero, how brave" gag, but either way, it's pretty much the peak of the dub disempowering Takeru.

The reason Takeru sends Hikari up first is pretty clearly so that she can be the first to reach safety. He's doing what Andromon, Jou, Koushiro, and Sora all did before him: Sending someone else ahead first. So that if only one of them makes it out, it will be Hikari.

Evolving, Angemon throws himself into melee with Piemon.

Angemon's always been fantastic at hitting above his weight class, able to hang with the Perfects in fights with Vamdemon and his goons, and he shows it again here. He parries Piemon's sword strikes with his Holy Rod before taking a hit to the side and backing off. That's when things happen quickly.

Piemon tries to follow up by throwing a sword into Angemon's face. Angemon ducks under the blade and counters, coming in and slamming the tip of his Holy Rod into Piemon's forehead to knock him off-balance.

Before Piemon can recover, Angemon closes distance. Piemon jumps to try and escape, but Angemon swings his rod and slams the side of it into Piemon's gut. The hit takes the wind out of him, sending him stumbling for a second before he falls on his back.

Takeru: Now, Angemon!

With Piemon on his back, Angemon takes the opportunity to back off and prepare his signature attack, Heaven's Knuckle. But, before it can hit, Piemon puts up an energy shield and pushes the attack back, repelling it back into Angemon himself.

Hikari: Angemon!

The dub censors a bit of this fighting. Piemon landing a hit on Angemon and Angemon thocking Piemon in the forehead are both cut. After Angemon's parries, they cut to the sword toss, then cut the scenes together to segue straight into Angemon hitting Piemon in the gut.

Credit where it's due, the splicing's pretty good. It comes through like it's one fluid motion; Angemon ducks under the sword and then swings his rod and hits Piemon's gut. If you didn't know another move was supposed to be between these two, it'd be easy to miss that they did anything. Still, I'm left once again wondering what makes certain hits acceptable but others not.

T.K.: You get him, Angemon! Piedmon: CLOWN TRICK!!! (Piedmon repels Hand of Fate) Kari: Angemon, no!

So I guess this, too, is Clown Trick. What a versatile attack.

Kinda surprised the vanishing cloth isn't Clown Trick, now that I think about it.

Once Piemon's retaken control of the fight, he puts a hard stop to it.

He's got another bolt of energy waiting when Angemon lands, hitting him dead center and throwing him from the balcony. As Angemon falls, Piemon's Trump Swords pass through at once, clipping his wings.

Takeru: ANGEMON!!!

Leaving some feathers behind, Angemon falls from the observatory, hitting the ground far below. His Holy Rod clatters to the ground beside him.

Takeru: (crying) ANGEMOOOOOON!!! Hikari: Takeru-kun! Takeru: Hikari-chan!? Takeru: (thinking) I have to pull it together, or I'll scare Hikari-chan. Takeru: Angemon will be fine, so keep climbing! Hikari: Okay....

Hikari starts climbing again, but it's too late now. One of Piemon's Trump Swords slashes the rope over her head. There is no escape now.

Hikari: AHHHH!!! Takeru: Hikari! Piemon: I told you, there's nowhere you can run to. Hahahahahaha!

Panning down, we see that Piemon has begun to climb the rope after them. They can't go forward and Piemon is behind. There truly is nowhere left to go.

In the dub, Piedmon calls his Trump Sword attack when the blades hit Angemon.

T.K.: DON'T GIVE UP!!! (Angemon falls) T.K.: ANGEMON, NO!!! Kari: I'm scared! T.K.: It's okay! T.K.: (thinking) Great, now Kari's afraid. I can't let her see that I am too. I've got to be brave! T.K.: Angemon will be fine, but you've got to keep on climbing! Don't let that joker Piedmon scare you! Kari: Okay.... (Sword slashes the rope) Kari: AHHHH!!! Piedmon: You've reached the end of your rope! Ahahahahaha!

Sorry, T.K., but I think that joker Piedmon is doing a pretty good job of scaring her. Boy practically asked for this to happen.

Since coming out onto the balcony, the quips have been pretty bleh, but I liked Piedmon's rope quip.

Piemon climbs the rope, closing in on the two helpless children.

Angemon lifts his face out of the dirt, straining weakly.

Angemon: Takeru....

But it's too late for Takeru. Piemon grabs him by the ankle, pulling him downward on the rope.

Takeru: Augh! Piemon: See, I've caught you! Hikari: Takeru-kun!

Hikari turns around, grabbing onto Takeru's wrist to keep him from falling.

Takeru: Let go of my hand! He'll get you too, Hikari-chan! Hikari: No, I'll never let go! Piemon: Hehehehe... THEN FALL TOGETHER!!!

Piemon releases Takeru's leg and swings his blade, severing the rope behind the pair. With no magic rope above and no magic rope below, Takeru and Hikari scream and plummet to their doom, with Hikari still hanging onto Takeru's wrist.

Angemon: TAKERU!!! HIKARI!!! Piemon: NYAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Then Hikari loses her grip and they fall separately.

In the dub:

Angemon: T.K...! (Piedmon grabs T.K.'s leg) T.K.: NO!!! Piedmon: Sorry if I gave you a wedgie! Kari: Let go of him! (Kari grabs T.K.'s wrist) T.K.: Let go, Kari! Or he'll get you too! Kari: No, I won't let you go, T.K.! Piedmon: Sounds like you two are falling for each other! (slash) Angemon: T.K.!!! KARI!!! Piedmon: Ahahahahahahaha!

As T.K. and Kari fall, the dub finally takes their second commercial break.

Piedmon, don't ship it. They're eight.

I mean. People do ship it. It's one of Adventure's most popular ships. I think it might be the most popular, at least since 02 took Tai/Sora out behind the sports shed and gave it the Old Yeller. But wait until one of the shows where they're older!

As Takeru and Hikari fall to their doom, Takeru suddenly notices his new fashion accessory.

Takeru: AHHHHHH!!! Takeru: (thinking) It's hopeless!

The Yamato keychain clipped to his backpack jingles as he falls. He opens his eyes, turning his head to see where the sound is coming from. Unclipping Yamato, he holds his brother in his hand and examines him.

Takeru: (thinking) Onii-chan....

Takeru hears the sound of his brother's harmonica, and Yamato's voice. It's unclear if he's imagining what Yamato would say to him in this situation, or if the keychain is communicating with him in some way.

Yamato: Takeru. Don't lose hope. Takeru: Onii-chan! Yamato: As my little brother, you can't give up no matter what. You have to muster all of your strength, until the very end. Takeru: I won't give up! Until the end, I'll never give up! If we die, then this world and our world will die out with us! THAT'S WHY WE CAN'T GIVE UP!!! ANGEMON!!!

Over in the dub, as usual, they don't pick up on the little details buried in sound effects. Rather than the jingling of Yamato's keychain, they write in their own reason for T.K. to suddenly notice it.

T.K.: (thinking) I'm sorry I let you down, Matt! ...wait a second! (T.K. grabs the keychain off his backpack) T.K.: (thinking) Matt! What would he say? Matt: T.K.! Don't ever give up. T.K.: ...Matt!? Matt: You can do it, T.K. I have faith in you. But it won't help if you don't have faith in yourself. No matter what happens, you have to fight to the very end. T.K.: I promise you, Matt! I'll never give up the fight! Kari: AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! T.K.: If I don't do it, then this world and our world will be destroyed! I have to do it for Matt, for Angemon, for everybody!

I see the way you carefully talked around the phrase "If we die" but it works. I also love how they opted to have Kari scream for four straight seconds rather than find a way to pad the dialogue out, since they had too many lip flaps to pace it the same way as the original.

Though I am a little irked at the line, "I have faith in you but it won't help if you don't have faith in yourself." Filthy rich coming from Matt when, historically, the problem was always Matt's faith in him, not his own faith in himself. More deflection, I guess.

In any case, I hope that pep talk was real because it shows remarkable character growth and pays off Yamato's cave revelations in a big way. Whether it is or not, Takeru refuses to surrender even in the face of the impossible. And finally, at long last, the Crest of Hope shines.

Angemon: (reinvigorated) TAKERU!!!

Takeru's hope fills Angemon with power, and it's time for the very last new evolution sequence of the first Adventure. Angemon CHO-SHINKAAAAAA!!!

HolyAngemon catches Takeru and Hikari in his arms.

Takeru: Angemon Super-Evolved!

HolyAngemon says nothing in reply. He smiles down at Takeru, then ferries the children safely to the ground below. Time for the rundown.

HolyAngemon is a Perfect-stage Vaccine-type Archangel Digimon. From what I can tell, HolyAngemon was created for the anime. Specifically, the earliest appearance for him that I can find is the anime's tie-in Digivice V-Pet, released in July of 1999 and featuring evolution chains for all seven original Partner Digimon going up to Perfect.

Which is right around the time the kids were invading Nanomon's pyramid and finishing off the Etemon arc. Japan does not give a fuck about spoilers. "We're going into the arc where everyone gets Perfect evolutions. Buy this toy to find out early what they all are! If you don't buy it, don't worry, we'll put them all in the new closing credits."

He wouldn't make his first appearance in the regular V-Pet series until Virus Busters, released one week after this episode debuted, nor in the TCG until November of 1999 when the kids were fighting Vamdemon's Odaiba siege in Tokyo. So he's in a kind of a funny place where the TCG got to him before the anime did but the anime kinda got to him before the TCG.

Narrator: HolyAngemon. On his left arm is his Beam Shield. On his right, the holy sword Excalibur. An archangel Digimon with eight glittering wings. His special attack is Heaven's Gate.

If you're hoping for more information on what "Beam Shield" means, I have none. Those words are in English. That's just what it's called. I guess it blocks beams? He has Excalibur, though, so that's pretty neat. It's a laser sword that comes out of a wrist-mounted beam emitter.

So Excalibur is a beam, but the Beam Shield is not a beam. It's a hard chunk of material that's more of a pauldron than a shield.

I have no idea what's going on with this Digimon.

In the dub, he's called MagnaAngemon. Because... Angemon is fine but Holy is forbidden, I guess. Same reason Holy Arrow had to become Celestial Arrow. The word "magna" is Latin for "great" or "large".

This makes both of their names funny. The redundancy of "holy angel" implies that his prior form has secretly been Insufficiently Holy Angemon this whole time so y'know maybe he should work on that. Meanwhile, in America: "Big Angemon. The biggest."

T.K.: Angemon! I knew you could Digivolve! (MagnaAngemon sets T.K. and Kari down) MagnaAngemon: (rundown) I am MagnaAngemon. I have eight shining wings and a Beam Shield. I wield the mighty sword Excalibur and my devastating attack is the Gate of Destiny.

Between "Hand of Fate" and "Gate of Destiny", it seems the team has settled on predestination as their go-to swap-out for Heaven.

With the children safe, HolyAngemon turns to confront Piemon.

Piemon: What.

Piemon angrily throws a vanishing cloth to capture HolyAngemon.

HolyAngemon: Take the sword of judgment!

Excalibur slices through the cloth. Because it is cloth and Excalibur is a sword.

(This is what the others were missing: Sharp edges. Always bring a pocket knife on survival excursions, kids. ...super embarrassing for WarGreymon, though.)

With his second swing, HolyAngemon slashes Piemon's midsection, cutting all the keychains free and sending Piemon hurtling to the ground below.

In the dub:

Piedmon: Chew on this! (cloth throw) MagnaAngemon: I'm not hungry. (MagnaAngemon slashes the keychains free) MagnaAngemon: I guess my sword trumps yours.

"Chew on this!" "I'm not hungry!" is a pretty weak replacement for a line as raw as "Take the sword of judgment!"

But then he comes back with the Trump Sword burn and that's fantastic.

As an aside, I love what the dub does with MagnaAngemon's voice. HolyAngemon's voice sounds about the same as Angemon's in the original, but a bit sharper and more commanding. MagnaAngemon's voice gets a lot deeper and has an eerie calm about it. Additionally, his words sound artificially synthesized and his lines echo, as if they were coming through a speaker in an empty cave or something.

It all comes together to give MagnaAngemon a profound "Booming Voice of God" resonance in his line deliveries.

Watching Piemon fall, HolyAngemon does not follow up. He prioritizes healing the party instead.

HolyAngemon brings the keychains down to ground, then calls Holy Disinfection. His wings shimmer with rainbow energy, shining a healing light on the keychains that purges them of this strange status ailment.

Taichi: Guys... We're back to normal!

OH GOD THEY WERE CONSCIOUS DURING ALL THAT. Well, that's fucking horrifying.

Again avoiding the H word, the dub calls this Magna Antidote.

MagnaAngemon: Now to bring our friends back to normal. MAGNA ANTIDOTE!!! (MagnaAngemon heals everyone) Tai: Wow! What a weird dream! I had an incredible urge to carry some keys.

Time for some team reunions.

Takeru, Hikari, Yamato, and Taichi run to each other, both pairs of siblings cheerfully embracing one another.

Takeru & Hikari: ONII-CHAN!!! Taichi: HIKARI!!! Yamato: TAKERU!!! Thank you! You were amazing. Takeru: Only because my big brother was there to cheer me on! Yamato: (confused) Eh?

I think Yamato's confusion confirms that Takeru was imagining what he'd want Yamato to say to him. He was having a one-sided conversation with a conscious Yamato doll, who only saw Takeru suddenly burst out with a surge of confidence.

Tentomon, meanwhile, gushes over HolyAngemon.

Tentomon: WHOA!!! When did you evolve!? You look so cool-- Piemon: Haha, is that right? Tentomon: EE-YEE-YEE-YEEP!!!

Angemon whips around in the direction that voice came from, while Tentomon falls to the ground in a flailing panic. This isn't over yet.

In the dub:

Tai & Matt: KARI!!! / T.K.!!! Kari & T.K.: TAI!!! / MATT!!! Matt: You did a great job, T.K. T.K.: If it wasn't for your advice, I don't think I would have been able to do it! Matt: Huh? Tentomon: Wow! When did Angemon digivolve!? You look great! Turn around, let me see! MagnaAngemon: Very well. (MagnaAngemon turns to the side looking worried. A second later, Tentomon flails and falls to the ground.) Tentomon: AUGH!!!

The animation doesn't line up with the joke the dub's trying to make here. But the idea of the gag seems to be that MagnaAngemon turned around at Tentomon's behest, inadvertently swatting Tentomon with his wings and knocking him to the ground.

Piemon, furious, storms towards the children.

Piemon: I had planned on mercifully keeping you as my dolls instead of killing you, BUT YOU'RE SO DETERMINED TO DIE!!! SO BE IT!!! I'LL GIVE YOU WHAT YOU WANT!!! DAHHHHHH!!!

I mean. He says that but "mercifully keeping them as dolls" was Plan B after murdering them all one-by-one failed. I don't think Taichi's barely conscious near-corpse at the end of last episode appreciated Piemon's mercy very much.

Piemon raises his hand, and the ground erupts all around them. Countless strange little gremlin Digimon emerge, filling the sky and the terrain around them.

Tentomon: GYAH!!! They're coming out everywhere! What are these creatures!?

To answer his question, those swarming creatures are the rather bluntly named Evilmon, an Adult-stage Virus-type Imp Digimon. They're from the Sega Saturn V-Pet, the same one that debuted Angewomon and LadyDevimon.

Narrator: Evilmon. A darkness-type Digimon that loves to fight. Their special attack is Nightmare Shock.

And there's like a hundred of them so. Y'know. Have fun with that.

The dub names them Vilemon. Uh, okay. Evilmon may be a bit on the nose but Vilemon isn't that much better.

Piedmon: So, those DigiDestined think the Dark Masters are that easily defeated, hmm? Hahahahaha! Well, guess again! You're not the only ones with an army of friends that can help you! TA-DA!!! (Piedmon summons the Vilemon swarm) Piedmon: This is more fun than a barrel of flying monkeys! Piedmon: (rundown) DigiDestined, meet the Vilemon! Their Nightmare Shock will give you a rude awakening!

Very different vibe with Piedmon. Piemon is losing his shit right now, ranting furiously and vengefully about how he's going to slaughter them all. Piedmon, on the other hand, remains cool and collected, and is still making merry jokes.

He also isn't talking directly to them, courtesy of the reframing from last scene, so they only seem to become aware that he's still around when the Vilemon swarm moves in around them.

Speaking of which, the swarm of Evilmon surrounds the children. There are so many of them.

Jou: We're surrounded! Koushiro: There's nowhere left we can run. Takeru: But we aren't going to lose! Yamato: Yeah! We're turning this around! Taichi: That's right! As long as the Chosen Children and Digimon stand united, these little freaks-- Mimi: WAIT!!! DON'T FORGET ABOUT ME!!!

Mimi charges into the fray atop a gleaming white Unimon, leading her army straight into the carnage.

Sora: (shocked) Mimi-chan! Lilimon: Thank goodness! We made it in time!

Ogremon makes the first move, swiping away three Evilmon with his club.

Ogremon: I hate enemies that swarm. EVERYONE, THIS IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR!!! HAHA!!! Taichi: ALRIGHT, TEAM!!! IT'S THE FINAL BATTLE!!! Digimon: YEAH!!!

It is not the final battle.

Together, Mimi's army and the Partner Digimon pour into the Evilmon horde. MetalGarurumon begins the battle, scattering a group with a stomp.

Elecmon shocks a cluster of Evilmon, incapacitating them long enough for Unimon to fire his Holy Shot, an exploding ball of energy shot from his mouth, into the crowd. The successful combo attack prompts Mimi and Sora to high five each other.

Mimi & Sora: YES!!!

Ogremon slams his Haouken into another trio of Evilmon.

Jou and Koushiro watch from behind a rock with their Partner Digimon, while Mimi's army continues to work together surprisingly well. The Gekomon and Otamamon lure in a trio of Evilmon and retreat, right into Yukidarumon, Meramon, and Andromon.

The latter of whom is not part of Mimi's army but he counts now.

In the dub:

Joe: We're surrounded! Izzy: Oh no! We can't escape! T.K.: Come on, toughen up! Matt: I'm with you, T.K.! Tai: Our only chance is if we all combine our powers together! But the problem is, we're still missing some of our friends.... Mimi: Wait for me! (Mimi rides in on Unimon, leading her army) Mimi: Sorry we're late! Sora: It's Mimi! Lillymon: Are we too late for the party?

Tai's line here is totally different. In the original, he is all set and ready to try and do this with the seven of them. Taichi's not thinking about Mimi here because. Like. She left a while ago and he's made peace with that. He has no reason to be thinking of her now. He's thinking only with the resources they have on-hand, and he's got his game face on. He's ready to fight.

In the dub, Tai doesn't think they can win this and queues up Mimi's cavalry charge by implying that her impending return is their only hope now.

(Ogremon swats three Vilemon) Ogremon: PUMMEL WHACK!!! Nice slice! I guess I'm gonna have to work on my swing, huh? Hehehe! Tai: Alright, gang! Give them the full Digimon attack!

During the combo attack, Elecmon and Unimon call their attacks as Super Thunderstrike and Horn Blaster respectively.

Sora & Mimi: (high five) NICE SHOT!!!

Ogremon's Haouken is also, as usual, renamed Pummel Whack.

Not to be left out, Tentomon and Gomamon quickly evolve and then Super-Evolve so that Zudomon and AtlurKabuterimon can join the fray.

Zudomon obliterates a group of Evilmon with his Hammer Spark. Piemon chooses that moment to get in the thick of it, casting out his Trump Sword - only for AtlurKabuterimon to see him coming and blast his swords out of the air with a shot of Horn Buster.

This is followed by the goofiest-ass shot of Jou, Sora, Mimi, and Koushiro rising from the scenery doing V for Victory poses. XD

With the army engaging the Evilmon, the Partners move in together on Piemon. It's time for the Chosen Children's most powerful technique: dogpiling on an asshole's face.

Lilimon gets the first shot off with her Flower Cannon. Piemon deflects her shot, then tosses his vanishing cloth. But that's not happening this time; Angewomon's Holy Arrow tears through the cloth and narrowly misses a hit on Piemon, who sidesteps quickly.

He can't dodge everything, though. As he's evading the Holy Arrow, Garudamon lets off her Shadow Wing, which hits him dead on and sends him flying from the blast.

Piemon: DOWAAAUGH!!!

Piemon's face in the instant before the Shadow Wing hits him is priceless. A picture truly is worth a thousand words.

Up in the sky, HolyAngemon calls Heaven's Gate. He carves a circle in reality using Excalibur, which opens up into a huge golden door.

Taichi: What is that? Takeru: Ah! It's opening!

As Heaven's Gate opens, the hordes of Evilmon are pulled inside of it. HolyAngemon explains.

HolyAngemon: Evil things are drawn inside the Gate, where they will be consigned to oblivion. Piemon: Eh!? WHAT!? WarGreymon: Let's wrap this up. MetalGarurumon: Yeah!

WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon hit Piemon together, blasting him with a simultaneous Gaia Force and Double Tomahawk. The blast throws him into Heaven's Gate with the rest of his forces, which closes and seals around him as soon as he's inside.

(Y'know, given that he spent most of the episode chasing the kids around with an Instant Kill move, it's fitting that Piemon himself falls victim to an Instant Kill in the end. Ultimately, HolyAngemon collected him.)

Then, explaining what "consign to oblivion" means, the Gate disintegrates into pixel dust as if it were a dying Digimon. A wave of golden dust ushers outward from the disintegrating dust, washing over the Dark Masters' platform and down into the Digital World below. As it goes, the stripe of Piemon's darkness realm recedes from Spiral Mountain.

The dub explains Gate of Destiny like this.

MagnaAngemon: GATE OF DESTINY!!! (The gate pulls in all the Vilemon) Tai, Matt, T.K., and Kari: Wow! Piedmon: Huh!? WarGreymon: Hey! Remember us?

They...

Do not.

Explain Gate of Destiny. At all. They remove all dialogue referencing the gate beyond a simple "Wow" and leave it completely ambiguous as to what the fuck happened to the show's penultimate villain.

Weird choice, guys.

With the very last Dark Master finally defeated, the Chosen Children take a moment to savor their victory. Their long ordeal is finally over.

Taichi: (smiling) It's over. Yamato: Yeah... Both: Huh?

Taichi and Yamato turn and notice Mimi's army cheering their victory and waving to the children. This is their big moment too. Taichi and Mimi wave back, but Taichi's a little confused.

Taichi: Eh? Ogremon is here? Why and how? Mimi: Oh, yeah, you don't know what happened. You see.... Koushiro: Huh? A message from Gennai-san.

Once Mimi's caught Taichi up on the events of her sub-arc, the group gathers around Koushiro's laptop.

Sora: Might be a congratulatory email. Taichi: (griping) Oh, what is it now? Koushiro: (reading) Nonsense! Taichi: (annoyed) What did he write? Koushiro: Our true enemy is not the Dark Masters. Taichi: HUH!?!?

That gets Taichi's attention. He whips around, shocked.

Koushiro: Our true enemy is a creature whose very existence creates the distortions in the world. The Dark Masters merely drew their power from those distortions. Taichi: Then... who's our real enemy--WHOA!!!

Suddenly, the ground beneath the children's feet shakes violently.

Lilimon: What's happening!?

A fissure opens in the ground between Lilimon and Angewomon, forcing them to fly from their positions. A spray of red energy pours out of Piemon's observatory, and the sky turns as black as it was before. The episode closes on the ominous implication that something worse is about to happen.

In the dub:

Izzy: The last remnants of Spiral Mountain are disappearing! The Dark Masters' control over the Digital World is finally gone! Tai: Good riddance!

The final commercial break comes here and we return on the shot of Mimi's army waving. In the process, Matt's line and his and Tai's sudden surprised faces are cut.

Digimon: BYE!!! / TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES!!! HOPE TO SEE YOU AGAIN!!! Tai: You know, I'm starting to think we have a strange looking group of friends. Mimi: They might not have the best fashion sense but they're the best friends we've ever had! Izzy: Hmm... We have email from Gennai. Sora: What's it say, Izzy? Tai: Not now! I need a nap! Izzy: It's coming in now. Tai: Is he congratulating us? Izzy: Gennai says here that the Dark Masters aren't the real enemies. Tai: HUH!?!? Izzy: It says here that the real enemy is an evil force whose very existence warps the Digital World and created the Dark Masters. So according to this, I don't think we're out of the woods quite yet! Tai: Wait a sec! If it's not the Dark Masters, then who do we fight next--wh-WHOA YAHHHH!!! (Earthquakes) Angewomon & Lillymon: What!? (Fissure opens and red energy blackens the sky) Mimi: WHAT'S HAPPENING!?!? Narrator: What is the evil force that Gennai was warning the DigiDestined about? Find out on the next Digimon: Digital Monsters.

The funny "Wait, why Ogremon" exchange doesn't make it into the dub, which is a shame. Plus side, they do capture Taichi's annoyance at hearing from the useless old codger, as he sees him.

An interesting note: The dub says that the True Enemy created the Dark Masters, which isn't quite accurate. The True Enemy created the distortions in reality, as a passive consequence of existing within it.

This creature's existence is steadily breaking down the fabric of reality itself. This is what the "distortions in the Digital World" that we've been hearing about since we first met Gennai have been all along. The true nemesis was never Devimon or Etemon or Vamdemon or even the Dark Masters; They were all just evil Digimon who drew power from the distortions created by this thing.

We've been battling symptoms all this time. Evil Digimon made stronger by drawing power from the distortions. But there's no implication here that they are in league with the source or even that they are aware of its existence. Only that they found reality straining and breaking down, and promptly went, "Fuck yes, I can use this!"

Something is happening that is destroying both realities. And all of these guys have been opportunistic parasites riding its coattails who thought they could profit off the end of the world.

Assessment: Can you imagine if Piemon won here? This is the guy. Leader of the Dark Masters. When Homeostasis conceived their plan to create the Chosen Children, this was what it was for. It was Piemon they were afraid of. It was Piemon they were right to be afraid of, as it was Piemon who broke through their defenses and nearly strangled this entire countermeasure in its crib.

This was Homeostasis's last, best hope for thwarting the Dark Masters and the growing instability in the Digital World. What a victory this would have been for Piemon to not only vanquish the Chosen Children, but to collect them as memorabilia. To store them on his trophy case as a reminder of the desperate, futile lengths the world went to in order to try and stop him.

This. Right here. This fight. This is what it was all for. I mean, it's not really, the next fight is what it was all for. But so far as anybody knew, this was what it was all for.

There's an interesting implication that Yamato's behavior towards Takeru was suppressing his Crest this whole time. That he needed Yamato's validation, needed his brother to believe in him, before he'd have the strength of will to achieve Super Evolution like the others.

Mimi's cavalry charge gives me life. I legit spent the entire episode wondering when she'd get here. I remembered HolyAngemon and the Heaven's Gate finisher, so when Angemon Super-Evolved and Mimi still wasn't here yet, I was beginning to worry that they'd make her a punchline or something by having her show up after the fight was over.

But nope. Mimi's army to the rescue!

[izzyizumi]

I can hear it now I can feel the encore This endlessly thrumming beat Let it RING OUT once more {Jou Kido appearance} I just want to know what’s out there Beyond the furthest reaches of the sky I set my sights on the beyond In my desire for an infinite shine {Mimi Tachikawa appearance} [+Tachikawa Family] No matter how hard it got You gently wrapped me in those kind arms of yours These feelings too overflowing to express in words {Takeru Takaishi appearance} [+platonic Takaishi-Ishida Brothers] Let me express them to you now Take your voice And this dream of mine Let’s bring them together {Sora Takenouchi appearance} This LIVE {LIFE} is beautiful Let my song dance and rise high above {Koushiro Izumi & Tentomon appearance} Though this may be goodbye It would make me happy if YOU could KEEP SMILING Even if I can’t see you anymore This place will always be special to us

{Yamato Ishida appearance} No matter how many times I’m reborn or travel the stars I want to find you again I’ll embrace you in my kisses {Taichi Yagami appearance} Let my love RING OUT to the farthest futures {Hikari Yagami appearance} [+WIZARDMON friendship] Take your voice And this dream of mine Let’s bring them together This LIVE {LIFE} is beautiful Let my song dance and rise high above This love of mine This song of mine The voice calling for it all This encore is forever I wish you endless happiness {Adventure Chosen & Digimon} I sing out in THIS moment because IT WON’T LAST F O R E V E R {02} I can hear it now I can feel the ENCORE This endlessly thrumming beat Look, a rainbow spans the sky Instead of saying goodbye Let me hear you call for me one more time Believe that it will start once more in the future A call for us and only us {tri.} We’ll CREATE TOMORROW This love of mine This song of mine The voice calling for it all This encore is forever I wish you endless happiness I wish for the beginning of eternity Our love lasts through the encore

{ WE L O V E ... }

- M A M O R U . M I Y A N O ; E N C O R E

“When my {Quality of Life} is so diminished that I can no longer enjoy even eating, {when I can only be fed through a feeding tube lying in a hospital bed}, That’s when it might be time for me to go.”

“... BUT I’M NOT A F R A I D.”

- Dedicated to my Grandmother C., Z”L*, (*May her memory be a Blessing) 1926 ~ August, 2015 (passed near 89 years old) - Jewish, she also lived through the years of the Holocaust, (1941~1945) and her entire Jewish family got safely through those years. [Not long before WWII ended, she met my Grandpa.] My grandmother was one of my closest family members. When I was little (around 8 years old myself when first watching), she wholeheartedly supported my strong interest in Adventures/Digimon when I was first getting into this series, even if she didn’t know anything about it, (other than small bits I told her) even she could see how much I loved it. (Because she was one of my closest family members, she was also the one who overall learnt the most about my health. When I was, few years after discovering Adventure as a child, diagnosed Autistic and with generalized Anxiety disorder as well, she continued to support me all throughout, educated herself & our other interconnected family about my conditions, and continuously encouraged my interests and growth.)

Original Posters [Mine] commentary: I made this quick A.M.V edit a handful of days ago to this gorgeous song by Miyano, one of my favorite JPN voice actors/singers, {You may know him as: Dent[o] in JPN Pocket Monsters, Tamaki in Ouran, Rin in Free!, Tokiya in Utano*Prince-sama (where this song comes from), Konoha, Haruka & “Clearing Eyes” in Kage-Pro, among many more} mainly made with thoughts of general appreciation for this series in mind. I also made it with thoughts of my Grandmother in mind, who passed late August 2015, (yes, August). Tri had been announced, but wouldn’t yet air until November. I didn’t start much more actively blogging about Digimon until a bit later on, starting from a couple years later, because I was still heavily grieving. However, I still enjoyed reblogging Digimon posts I enjoyed to other blogs I had at the time even in the pre-Tri and early Tri years.

This was made very quickly, so it’s not perfect, has minimal editing, and the 1st Adventure portion is straight from the final battle with no editing done to it, but it fit the music well enough, so I included it as-is for now. I’ll probably re-arrange scenes if I remake it later and include much more other, varied scenes from Adventure, (for example, during end of Yamato’s portion, I was also thinking of the Yamato&Sora+Jou scene from the end of Dark Masters Arc).

(^One of my favorite Adventure scenes regardless of personal favs) But until I can edit those in, I’m just leaving this as it is. The middle portion with 02 is edited slightly more timed to music. A major Tri ending spoiler for the final battle’s result appears during the end. Kizuna is not included in here as of yet, but it may be in the future, along with Adventure 2020. All of this will probably be rearranged in a remake overall, but I’m keeping the general themeing & feel as-is for now, along with the Tri ending scenes.

Because this was made in appreciation of this series and out of respect to and with thoughts of my grandmother, please be respectful when interacting with this post. Thank you.

{& Pretty soon, in a few days, I’m getting my 2nd C.O.V.I.D shot.} (So I’m posting this now as-is, but I’ll see if I can work on it more later. It’d be nice if I could manage to finish it in time for August 1st, but we’ll see.)

{because every August, I think of not only this series, but also my grandmother.}

(August 2021 will be the 6th-year anniversary of her death.) Please remember this if you interact with my blog during the month of August. Or just during the summer in general.

This blogs’ queue will be ongoing in general for a while after this post.

{Additional note: this post is mainly intended GENERAL CHARACTER/SERIES SUPPORT-FOCUSED. please remember + RESPECT this when interacting} {my other major ship/O.T.P. is Taichi x Koushiro, though I’d probably keep this A.M.V. more gen[eral] overall later} [I also enjoy various other ships with all characters on the side anyhow]

[Note: commenting/tagging positively/respectfully is ok!] (Please AGREE TO BANNERS BEFORE interacting) (Note: click on the images/banners to enlarge!)

[afaithy]

Prompt 11 for the haunted house headcanon! ;)

Sorry this turned out this long! The whole intention was to make it funny not scary, it turned out kind of silly. 

Hope you like it :)

As usual. This is part of my Universe so...keep that in mind dear readers:

SEND MORE PROMPTS! HERE

If I die I am going to haunt your ass

“Maybe all the people who say ghosts don't exist are just afraid to admit that they do.”

― Michael Ende

“We gotta do it! “Mimi shouted excitedly “I mean look at how things are...Sora, Taichi and Yamato are in their first year of college...when exactly are we going to have a chance to do it?” “Eh..but Mimi-san…” Jou said disapprovingly “You and Koushiro-san are in third year. You two should be using summer vacations to prepare for entry exams and…”

“Yayaya…” Mimi said covering her ears “I’ll be studying design abroad, so that’s already taken care of. Koushiro here has pretty much his way into Computer Science on Todai ensured. So now problems, there. Come on Jou.-..this could be our last summer together, you know?”

“Last summer sounds a little ...dramatic don’t you think?” Koushiro said, chuckling “It’s not like we are cutting tights with each other.”

“No, but think about it. Jou  is in med school. If it was already hard to get him to join us when he was just a regular high schooler, how hard do you think it’ll get now? Taichi, Yamato and Sora are in college as well, soon they will be so busy that they won’t be able to join either; Then I might be leaving to study abroad and Koushiro, you will be busy with school and that cyber security company you are working on with Tachibana. The group is scattering...and soon all that will be left will be those that  pair of love birds over there!” Mimi screeched , pointing at Takeru and Hikari.

“Love birds?” they both replied puzzled. Hikari and Takeru looked at each, and Mimi gave them a mischievous smirk.

“Let her be, Jou.” Taichi laughed “Besides. The test of courage huh...we never did that, and yet it is something so...highschool like. Sounds like a fun thing to do, Right, Yamato?”

“What? Eh...y-y-yes. Of course.”

“I can’t say that Mimi isn’t wrong. We might not get another chance in a while, right?” Sora reasoned “I’m sure we can make an exception for old time’s sake.”

“Yes, yes!” Mimi said, jumping excited “Come on Jou. You can bring Marina-chan along, too.”

“Oh, boy…” Jou said “Ok, I’m going. Someone needs to make sure you kids stay out of problems.”

“Good ol’ Jou.” Taichi laughed. 

“But where exactly are we going?” Hikari asked, tilting her head “IT’s not like there are too many haunted places around here.”

“Well...there’s that old shack by the hill…” Takeru said. “Didn’t our class go there last time?”

“Eh?” Hikari said “I wouldn’t know.I didn’t go ...it was you  who went with those girls.”

“Ah…” Takeru said “True. I did…”

“ You’re such a ladies man, Takeru…” Yamato chuckled.

“It wasn’t like I wanted to go. Rest assured, bro. THere were other places I would have preferred to be.”  Takeru chuckled.

“No, everyone knows that place is a farce.” Mimi said, waving her hand in front of his face “No, no. Don’t worry.I have that solved. Right , Koushiro?”

“Uh. I think I have the right place we can go.” Koushiro nodded.

“Ah...why am I not surprised about you two ganging up together?” Taichi smirked “I’m sure going to miss that. You are sure going to miss it, too, eh Koushiro?”

“Yeah. I admit it will be kind of strange.”

“Don’t think that you can get rid of me so easily…”

“Don’t worry. I wouldn’t even dream of that.” Koushiro chuckled “The place is chosen, so all that is left is going.”

“Hooray!” Mimi said happily “We go in three days then. You guys get psychologically prepared. Ok?”

Three days later, the group was sitting on a bus on their way to the outskirts of Tokyo. The weather was burning hot and the cicadas chanted in full volum, as the bus drove through a landscape that was becoming more and more rural. 

“So...this is our itinerary.”  Mimi chanted “ We’ll be camping on the near area so...first things, first. Preparing the campsite, then…”

“Wait…” Yamato groaned “Camping? You’re making us camp in a haunted forest?”

“The mansion is supposed to be haunted, not the forest…” Mimi said “It’ll be alright, right Koushiro?”

“According to my research, the hauntings are only restricted to the mansion area.”Koushiro nodded “ I don't think there will be any problem with us staying on in the forest. We can still ask around the inn we are staying to be sure.”

“That won’t be necessary. I am sure we can stay there without issues” Mimi said, winking “Or do you have anything to say, Yamato?”

“Me...w-w-why-would I...I have s-something to say?” he replied “I-i’t not like I am s-scared.”

Nobody believed it. Everyone knew that Yamato couldn’t stand any kind of horror related subject. 

“He’s scared to death…” Takeru whispered into Hikari’s ear.

“Poor,  Yamato-san. Even now he’s still trying to act tough huh?”

“His pride will haunt him, but this is actually going to be fun.”

“That’s mean,Takeru-kun, you shouldn’t tease your brother…”Hikari chuckled.

“Just a little bit, okay?” Takeru said, winking at her before turning to look at Koushiro. “Where exactly are we going again, Koushiro-san?”

“Ah…” Koushiro replied, turning his tablet to let them see “It’s an old abandoned manor. According to the legend, the family was practitioners of some sort of ritualistic religion and would often make human sacrifices.”

“Ah!” Takeru said “ I think I know. I remember researching it for my story. Isn’t that the shrine where the head of the family went crazy and slaughtered everyone in the middle of the night? Then he took each body and threw them into the pit, one by one before hanging himself in the central hall..”

“Why do you even search for those things?”Yamato mumbled to himself; sinking into his seat. 

“Ah...yes, I believe so.” Koushiro replied, browsing in his tablet “Yes, you’re correct, Takeru-san.”

“But...I think I read that some people have seen child spirits roaming the forest.” Takeru said “ people who have gone lost in the woods say they hear children’s voices and the sound of leaves shuffling as if someone was running around.”

“C-children?” Yamato mumbled.

“Oh...really? That’s creepy. Children are creepy even when they’re alive.” Taichi said.

“Taichi!”

“What? It’s true…”

“Ohhh, I think I’ve heard that story before.” Marina said, peeking over her seat.” They said the children spirits try to lure you into the shrine, right?”

“Right, right…” Takeru nodded with a malicious grin “It is said that they call out at people, feigning to be in trouble so that people will try to find them, and then before anyone even realizes…”

Takeru reached under the chair and pulled Yamato’s leg. Yamato, who had been covering his face and shrinking in his seat trying to tune out the conversation, gave a jump and a very uncharacteristic screech that caused several of the other passengers to look back at them. 

“WHat the hell, Takeru?!” Yamato said, reddening as the group laughed. 

“...the ghosts grab you and pull all the way into the pit…” Takeru said, innocently “Just like that…”

“Yes, yes...That’s what I’ve heard too!” Marina said excitedly “ this place came out in a magazine recently I think. It’s one of the most haunted places in Tokyo.”

“Ehhh?” Jou said “From all the places to choose, Mimi-san.” “Hey, we wanted to feel the real thing, no? Come on it will be fine.”

“Is it really that famous?” Sora asked.

“Uh, I supposed. I think it became quite popular after the local government tried to get it exorcised or something.” Takeru shrugged.

“Yes! It seems it went pretty bad and the priest who came went missing.” 

“Oh god…”

“Eh? Missing?” Taichi said “No way!”

“THat’s only gossip.” Hikari chuckled “ An exorcism was indeed performed. It was successful and the place should be safe now.”

“Thanks god…” Yamato sighed.

“I think…”

The last words Hikari muttered only made Yamato let out a groan. After three hours of road trip, they finally reached their destination. The group checked into the inn, dropped their things and, taking only the necessary things for camping, the group made their way to their destination. 

Ignoring the fact that they were stepping into a rumored cursed forest to camp in the gardens of a famous haunted location, the whole thing would have seemed to be like any regular trip. The sun shone brightly, the sky was blue and the cicadas were chanting noisily around them. Perhaps it was the light or the distraction by the tasks that camping required , but Yamato seemed to have calmed down considerably. His calmness had been short lived, as the sun began to set soon after they had set camp.

“Alright everyone! Gather here!” Mimi chanted, calling out for everyone's attention “It’s time to make the teams for the kimodameshi!”

“Eh?”  Taichi said “Isn’t that too troublesome? We can just make the team ourselves.”

“No, no!” Mimi replied “Absolutely not!” IF we let that happen everyone will just go for Hikari-chan.”

“Eh? Me…?” Hikari said shocked,

“Of course...so I tada…” Mimi said, showing them a bunch of threads she had in her hand “Everyone pick and end. Your partner will be the one holding the other side…”

“But Mimi...we are an odd number…”

“I know that! The threads have colored tags in the middle. THe one that gets the single thread will make a trio with the pair with the same color. Ain’t I a genius?”

“Mimi-san, wouldn’t it be easier if I just used my tablet to randomize the teams?”

“Koushiro-kun...sometimes you gotta do things the old way.Now pick!”

Everyone took one of the ends and Mimi counted to three before releasing them and allowing everyone to see the teams. 

“Ah! Jou, we are together! Lucky” Marina chirped happily.

“Ah...Mimi-san, we are together.” Koushiro said, blinking in surprise.

“Eh...we are the trio, huh?” Taich said, punching Yamato’s shoulder “Don’t worry, buddy. Sora and I will protect you…”

“Sounds more like I’ll be the one protecting you two, instead…”Sora said, rolling her eyes. 

“Don’t be like that…” Taichi laughed.

“Shouldn’t be surprised that you two ended up together, huh? Even fate is on your side,”

Tekeru and Hikari were still holding their end of the thread and looking dumbfounded. 

“Lucky dog…” Yamato groaned “He’ll be the only one leaving this place alive.”

“Yamato!”

“Like you didn’t think of it, too!” Yamato said “hey Takeru. Be a good brother and switch with me…”

“Sorry, bro. I think fate thinks we make a good team…” Takeru smiled “Right, Hikari-chan?”

The girl smiled. 

“Ah…”

“Alright instructions!” Mimi said “Everyone has their flashlights, remember to keep them on. We’ll go in with 15 min of difference between each team. Starting with Koushiro and I…” Mimi winked “Then Marina and Jou-senpai, Sora’s team and finally the love birds.”

“Why do you keep calling them that?” Taichi said, rolling his eyes.

“Here is a layout of the place. The red spot is our goal. Once you get there, you take a photo and you’re done with the challenge.”

“A photo?” Sora asked.

“Yeah, if you get a ghost to photobomb, you get extra points.” 

“God, no!” Yamato said, covering his eyes. 

“You can stay outside i f you’re too scared, Yamato…” Taichi smirked “Alone…”

“Well… I….”

“Uh? Did you guys hear that ?” Hikari said suddenly. 

“Eh? What?” Mimi asked “What? What?”

“Uh...thought I heard a whisper…” Hikari replied very seriously, and the color drained completely from Yamato’s face. Takeru chuckled, he wasn’t sure if Hikari was being serious or if she had joined the “Let’s tease Yamato” train as well. 

“Yeah, you can stay out here, aniki…” Takeru said, poking his brother’s neck with a branch and making him jump “alone...in the dark...surrounded by ghostly children and who knows what else...boooo.”

“Takeru-kun...don’t be mean.” HIkari scolded him.

“Forget it, I’m coming…”

“You’re a scared kid, Yamato.”

“Take a paper bag…” Jou sai, giving one to each of his friends.

“In case I need to throw up?” Taichi asked,

“More like , if you start hyperventilating, but maybe you should take some extra. Just in case. Yamato tends to throw up when he’s scared.”

“I don’t!”

“Mmmm…” Hikari said, “Just in case, too. Take one of these…”

“What’s these?”

“Ofuda(**Paper charms). You know, for protection.”  

“Ah! Well thought, sis.”

“Thank you, Hikari-chan …” Marina said with a smile. 

“Oh, and if you hear someone calling. Don’t listen...keep moving forward. If you don’t pay them attention, they don’t know you saw them.”

“Advice from the expert. Taken.”

“Do you see anything?” Taichi asked casually.

“Mmm, not really. I don’t think there are evil spirits.”

“Thank god. I’m trusting you word…” Yamato said “The building is probably more dangerous, yes…”

“Ok...well, I think we are ready, right?”

“Yeah. We can use the digivice to see each other’s location and to communicate in case of emergency.” Koushiro said “Remember...stick to the map. It would be dangerous if any of us got lost.”

“What do we do if a ghost drags us away?” Taichi asked.

“Eh...well….”

“Taichi...stop scaring, Yamato.”

“I am not scared. Who’s scared?”

“Just saying…”

“That’s not going to happen.” Hikari assured them “Hold each other hands. Don’t let go and you should be fine.”

WIth that said, the test began.

Mimi and Koushiro

The house was, by far, creepier than Mimi had originally thought. The photos online didn’t give it enough credit. It was even scarier than the sceneries in horror movies. The first thing that both tees noticed when they stepped into the old dilapidated house was that it was like stepping into a completely different place. 

Outside, the sound of crickets and cicadas filled the forest. The wind blowing through the trees and one or two night birds, but inside the house it felt ominously cold and the silence was unsettling. 

Mimi wasn’t scared. SHe had already made a quick run through the building with Hikari earlier and the girl had told her that the place was ok, but still, she had to admit that the house was creepy. 

“Uh…ok. This way…” Koushiro said.

 She might not be scared, but this was the perfect time to hook Koushiro. Who could resist the sweet innocence of a scared damsel, after all.

“Wait!” she said, hugging his arm “Hikari-chan said that we should stay close, right? Just in case.”

“I thought you said you weren’t scared…”

“I thought I wasn’t…” Mimi replied “but I must admit, this place is creepy. It’s making me hesitate…”

“Oh….” Koushiro said “That’s reasonable. We can step back…”

“What? No!” Mimi replied “What I mean...is that I would feel safer like this.”

Mimi hugged Koushiro's arm tighter. The action made Koushiro stagger in surprise. 

“Ah..ah! Of course…” Koushiro replied. The dim light of the flashlight didn’t show his blush.” Sure...you can hold me, if that makes you feel better.”

Victory, Mimi thought. The pair began their way through the dark and eerie corridors, Something was hanging from the roof. Mimi remembered seeing ropes and fabric hanging earlier, but in the darkness, it was difficult to distinguish it.

“Do you think Jou and Marina have entered already?” Mimi asked casually,

“Uh? Probably…” Koushiro said, looking around the corridor. The place seemed to transform when the night fell “Knowing Jou, they’re probably walking through very slowly. I can understand, though...this planks could be dangerously rotten.”

“Oh, yeah...it wouldn’t be nice to fall into one of these...AHHHHH.”

Mimi gave a jump and hugged Koushiro tightly. This time it hadn’t been faked. 

“M-Mimi-san?”

“Something touched me…” Mimi said horrified, “Something definitely touched me….”

“It was probably a piece of wood or one of those ropes…”

“No...no...I felt fingers. Cold fingers….”Mimi said looking around “small, cold fingers…”

“Mimi-san...please calm down. It’s probably a self suggestion.” 

"I don't…."  

Hehehehehehehe

"What was that? You heard it, didn't you?" 

Koushiro had stiffened . He had and he couldn't believe his ears. It has to be a trick of their mind. Koushiro's logic mind began to work on any possible explanation when they heard a loud thud. Like if something had fallen down and then, there was a soft rustling. 

A shudder ran down their spines and the pair unconsciously began to walk faster. 

"Oh god!" Mimi screeched. 

They had stopped in their tracks as they had come face to face with two figures, but when they shone their lights at it, they realized that it was nothing but a very old and dirty mirror, and the two phantom images were only their reflection. 

"A mirror? Who the hell places a mirror in the middle of the corridor?" Mimi said gasping for air. That had given her a fright. 

"Uh… Maybe it is a religious thing? A hikari or Takeru would know." 

"Mental note to ask them later." Mimi muttered. 

She'd been here earlier  but she didn't remember that mirror. She wouldn't have missed it. The thing was the size of a wall. 

"Koushiro… Are we on the right way?" 

"Yeah," he answered, flashing his map c right on track to the main hall, why?"

This was Koushiro. She could trust his sense of direction, but why did she feel like everything looked different from when she had come during the day?

They turned around a corner and stopped in the tracks. Mimi swallowed hard and felt a knot form in her gut. This was definitely different. The room was filled with several old kimonos hung on stands, giving an eerie sensation of people standing around them. 

"This wasn't here before…" Mimi muttered" Koushiro-kun… Are you sure we are in the right place?"

Mimi was holding his arm so hard, that she was beginning to sink her nails through the fabric of his shirt. She wasn't feigning anymore, she was really scared and by her friend's expression she could tell she wasn't alone. 

Koushiro had gone pale. He had to admit that  he was beginning to feel scared as well, but seeing how Mimi was clearly upset, he didn't dare to say it out loud. He had to stay firm for her sake, but the task was becoming harder as the sound of tiny feet seemed to have grown louder around them. 

"Y-yeah. This should be it. I mean...it is the kimono room...so I guess it shouldn’t be strange that there are kimonos here….we are in the right place.”

“This can’t be right!” Mimi shrieked” Those weren’t here before!”

 “It's ok. " Koushiro said, trying to sound soothing, "  It’s ok. You probably missed them, that’s all…”

“How could I miss this?”

“Calm down.  Remember Hikari's words. Don't pay attention and let’s keep going.”

Mimi swallowed and nodded. The temperature had gotten colder . The sound of rustling was louder and as they circled between the kimono, Mimi had the uncomfortable impression that someone was watching them.

They were starting to think that perhaps choosing this place was a bad idea. 

"I wonder how Marina-chan and Jou-senpai are doing, hehe…" Mimi mumbled. She felt less nervous when she spoke. 

"Yeah, I'm sure they're fine." Koushiro replied as calmly as he could. He could swear he had seen something move ahead "They should be behind  us and not too far…. '

Almost as if summoned, a distant echo of screams that they easily recognized as the eldest in the group and his girlfriend, cut through the silent stillness of the ruins. The screams were terrified and Mimi automatically jumped into Koushiro's arms. 

"W-what?" Mimi said in horror. 

"Uh, Jou-san….” Koushiro said, “Right. He’s easily  startled. They probably got scared with the mirror at the end of the hallway, too.”

“Oh right...t-that must be it...hehe. How far are we from the great hall?”

“J-just a couple rooms more…” Koushiro replied. Now he was sure he had seen a shadow run past them “T-this way…”

Niii-san, Oneesan… will you play with us?

“K-k-koushiro?”

“Y-yes…”

“C-can we h-hurry up?”

“Of...of course.”

Neesan, Niisan...why do you ignore us?”

That was too much. Forgetting about everything, Koushiro grabbed Mimi’s hand and sprinted away without looking back. Muffled voices sounded around them, but they ignored it and kept running and didn’t stop  until they had reached the main hall.

     Marina and Jou

“So we must wait 15 minutes before going in right?” Jou said looking at his watch. 

“Yup, that’s how it works.” Takeru replied “ The point is that the team aren’t to close to each other as they go through the test.”

“You sound familiar with this, Takeru-kun.” Marina smiled. 

“I’ve gone through a couple of them. “Takeru shrugged “never to a real haunted location though.”

“Takeru-kin is way to popular with the girls…” Hikari said tilting her head” they are always arguing to see who will get to go with him….”

“Well, I can’t blame them. A test of courage is certainly a good opportunity to hug or try to hold hands with the boy you like, right?” Marina said, winking “Isn’t that pretty much the main objective of it?”

“I thought the goal was to prove your courage.” Taichi said, dumbfounded.

“Well, that, too, but I think most of the girls just go in for that priceless chance.”

“Ah…” Hikari said “I see...so how many girls have you hugged, Takeru-kun?”

“Do you really want to know?” Takeru smiled wolfishly.

“I think it should be about time…” Sora said “It’s been 15 minutes. Jou-senpai, Marina-chan….”

“Alright!” Marina said cheerfully, hugging her boyfriend’s arm “you ready, Jou?”

“You’re awfully excited about this….” Jou said with a frown.

“I am excited! Are you not?”

“No...I still think this is reckless…”

“Oh, come Jou. Where’s your sense of adventure?”

“You are brave, Marina-chan.” Sora laughed “ unlike somebody I know…”

Sora nudge her head at Yamato’s direction. He was crouched by her side , with his head between his arms. 

“Please be careful.” Hikari whispered “I know you like this whole spirit thing, but don’t let it carry you away.”

“DOn’t worry! If anything happens, I already memorized the Kuji!”

“Hehe...I don’t know if using the kuji, recklessly will help in a bad situation, though.”

“Kuji?” Sora asked.

“The nine hands seals…” Takeru replied “It is often used to ward off evil spirits.”

“You’re getting awfully good with shinto lore. Hikari’s been teaching you, huh?”

“A little” Takeru shrugged  “It’s for creative purposes.”

“Either way. I promise not to use the kuji mindlessly.” Marina smiled “Shall we, Jou?”

“Yeah, let’s get done with this.”

Jou and Marina walked through the door and just like Mimi and Koushiro earlier, they disappeared into the house. A shudder ran down Jou and Marina’s back as a gust of icy wind blew past them. “Oh boy, this is worse than I imagined it.” Jou sighed.

“Yeah, it is even scarier in real life.”

“Ok...let's go.” Jou sighed “ Be careful, Marina. These floors could be rotten for all we know.”

“Yes, yes….” Marina siad cheerfully “Ok...according to the map, we should go...that way.”

Jou used his flash light to point at the direction that his girlfriend was indicating him. A large wooden door laid closed in front of the Jou groaned. 

“Oh, great...doors. WHy couldn’t they trace a straight , no way to get lost, route?” Jou complained “These old japanese houses are like mazes, you know that?”

“Yes,yes...but we will be ok. If we get lost, all we gotta do is use our phones.”

“Knowing our luck...we won’t have a signal.”

“It will be fine. At least we are not alone and worse case scenario, we just need to wait til morning to get out.”

“This is a bad idea…”

 Hehehe

“Huh? DId you hear that?” Marina said, pulling Jou’s hand. 

“WHat?” 

Kekekekek

“That…” Marina said loudly “I heard kids.” 

“You’re auto suggesting, Marina. I didn’t hear anything…”

“I swear, Jou…”

“It was probably the… AHHHHHH!”

“What? What?”

Jou looked at his reflection on the old dirty mirror. 

“Who is so crazy to put a mirror here?” Jou said annoyed.

“Ahhhh...creepy.” Marina said, pushing up her glasses.

“Let’s get done with this. I am sure someone is bound to get hurt today.” 

 “Don’t be so pessimistic.”

“I am not. I call being realistic…” Jou said” just look at this place. If someone panics and runs away...they might stumble with something or fall into a hole…”

“And that’s why we are keeping our cool!”

“Yeah, I am calm….why wouldn't I?Right?”

Kagome kagome...the bird in  the cage...when . oh wen will it come out?

“Jou...tell me you’re hearing that.”

“I….” Jou said. THe color had drained from his face. Suddenly, his flashlight began to flicker until it finally turned off leaving them in darkness.

Marina screeched and grabbed Jou’s arm in panic. 

“Damn thing...the batteries were new! Ok, calm down. Good thing I brought a second one.Let me get it out…”

Hehehehehe...hehehe….

“Jou...you must have heard that right?”

“Keep calm, keep calm….Ah here it is!””

Jou switched his new flash light on, but to both’s horror. They found themselves face to face with a white, masked face.

Hehehe….I found ...you!

Jou and Marina let out a terrified screech the pierced through the night. The doctor grabbed his girlfriend’s hand and ran off in a burst of fear, not looking back even once. 

Sora, Taichi and Yamato

“Are you guys going to be ok out here alone?” Taichi asked, looking at the two youngest of the group. 

“Are you sure you three will be okay in there alone?” Takeru asked instead, with an amused look.

“Touché. YEah...I guess you guys are probably the least scared here, huh?” Sora chuckled.

“I’m not scared.” Taichi said “I don’t have the crest of courage for nothing.”

“Courage doesn’t mean fearless.”

“Are you sure, Yamato-san will be alright?” Hikari asked. 

“Don’t worry about him. “Takeru smiled “ He’s doing his “Courage “ mantra. He doesit all the time before concerts and...finals.”

“Yamato...you okay? It’s our turn now…” Sora said softly.

“Ok? Yeah...I’m ok…Why wouldn’t I be okay?” Yamato blurted “It’s just and old house. There are no ghosts there, just mold and maybe rats, right?”

“Right, buddy and maybe a few corpses as well.” Taichi smirked.

“Taichi!” Sora said, glaring at the boy.

“Oh, god…”

Hikari crouched by his side and put her hands on his shoulders.

“It is alright. There are no evil spirits in there. I promise you that.” she said in a soft soothing voice, that seemed to calm him a little. 

Yamato took a deep breath and stood up. 

“Fight hard, aniki!” Takeru grinned patting his brother´s back.

“Shut up…”

Taichi, Sora, and Yamato cautiously entered the house. Taichi was holding his head and Yamato reluctantly followed, looking around nervously.

“Woah...creepy. It does look like a horror movie setting, huh?” Taichi said, running his flashlight all over the place.” “It also looks like it is falling in pieces.” Sora added” Don't do anything stupid, Taichi.”

“What are you talking about?” Taichi said. 

The piece of wood that Taichi had been touching fell apart and one of the pieces fell to the ground with a strong thud that made Yamato jump.

“I’m talking about something like that…” Sora said, rolling her eyes” Stop messing around and let’s move…”

“Eheh...sorry.”Taichi chuckled “This way…”

Yamato was taking long deep breaths behind them.

“Yamato, if you are scared you can take my hand.” Sora offered.

“Or mine…” Taichi smirked “Like a kid…”

“Shut up, Taichi. Can we get done with this?” Yamato said, rubbing his face.

“Ehehe…” Taichi laughed “Right. Follow me...don’t worry Yama-chan, Sora-nesan and Taichi-nisan will keep you safe.” “Taichi...I swear that if you don’t shut up, I’m gonna punch you.”

“Not cute….” Taichi said putting, the flashlight under his chin and making a “ghost face”  “Not cute at all….”

 Niiisan….niiisan…..

“Huh?” Taichi said, looking around “Hey guys...did you hear that?”

“It’s not fun, Taichi…” Sora sighed.

“No, I...I’m not joking. I seriously  heard something.” Taichi said, looking around with his flashlight.

“Very funny, Taichi.” Yamato said grumpily, looking around with his flashlight as well.“You just want to scare me…”

“No...I swear...I heard something.”

“It’s an old house. Old houses make noises. You probably heard that…” Sora reasoned “come on let’s move. Haunted or not, this place makes me uncomfortable, so let’s hurry up and finish this.”

“RIght...old houses make noises...yeah.”Yamato repeated “ old houses make noises….old house….AHHHH:”

“What? A ghost?” Taichi said, rushing to where YAmato was.”Oh...come on...you got spooked by your own face?”

“WHat did you want me to do? I wasn’t expecting to find a mirror there?” Yamato replied.

“Wow...well. In Yamato’s defense, that mirror does make you look creepy.” Sora said  “This thing is old, it is incredible that it is still intact…”

“Yeah, I don’t really care about old things. Can we get moving?” Yamato said impatiently.

“Why? ARe you scared that someone is gonna try to pull you into the mirror?” Taichi said, tainting him with his hands.

“I warn you, Taichi...if you…”

Yamato paled and both Taichi and Sora looked at him dumbfounded.

“Yamato?”

“Eh….you okay, buddy?”

“Something pulled my sleeve.” “What?” Taichi repeated. 

“I said...SOMETHING pulled my sleeve.”

“It was probably an old nail…” Sora suggested.

“How…? There’s nothing here!

“Chill...Yamato. I’m sure you’re scaring yourself….”

Onisan!

“What the hell?” Taichi said, turning to look behind him “Guys...you must have heard that.”

“Maybe...we should move.” Sora said nervously “now?”

“I second the idea…” Yamato agreed “Move…”

The trio hurried through the old corridors and sliding doors. The sound of their footsteps against the worn floorboards echoed in the burying silence of the manor.

It was then that the group noticed that the steps that they were hearing,  were not theirs alone. There were at least a fourth set of steps that definitely didn't belong to any of the three. They were smooth and light steps, as if they belonged to very small feet.

“Eh...guys….?” Taichi said looking around “Is it just me or something is following us?”

“Stop joking, Taichi.”

“Yeah, shut up…” Yamato groaned.

“I swear guys...I…”

Hehehehe

Eheheheheheeh

“What the…?Oh god, no…” Yamato said, losing all his color “No,no.no…”

“Yamato, put yoursefeñ together.”

“Are hearing that?” Yamato cried “Those are damn ghost voices. They are going to drag us all the way to that pit and we’ll be dead. It’s like one of those damn horror movies…” 

“This could be something that Mimi did to scare us…”SOra reasoned “it’s not a ghost, calm down.”

“I hell...I saw something over there….”Taichi said suddenly “We’re screwed…. We’re gonna get spirited away and Hikari will have to go through the place trying to contact our souls to see if she can brings us back…”

“Taichi, you’re not helping.”

“I knew this was a bad idea. Why did I agree to this?”  Yamato said in panic “Taichi...I swear, if I die I am going to haunt your ass…”

“Yamato….”

“Buddy, you might end up  haunting my ghostly ass!”

Sora looked at the two panicking boys trying to figure out what she was supposed to do, when suddenly...

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Taichi and Yamato automatically jumped to hug Sora in terror. The screams had come from somewhere deeper in the manor and after thinking about it, there was certain familiarity in the voices.

“Jou-senpai and Marina-chan!” Sora said in realization. 

“Oh, no! The ghost caught them!” Taichi said   in panic “What do we do? We are next now, aren’t we?”

“Ahhh..! Something touched me again.” Yamato cried.

“OK, STOP IT!” Sora shouted impatiently “Taichi get a hold your reins, your panic is not helping. Yamato, for god’s sake. I promise you, there are no ghosts touching you. Now, we should hurry and try to catch up with Jou-senpai. Something bad could have happened to them and… What, Taichi?”

Taichi’s eyes were wide as plates. He was absently pulling Sora’s blouse as he pointed at Yamato with a trembling hand. Sora turned to the blonde slowly and she opened her mouth to scream, but her voice died away as the light of the flashlights died one, by one.

Takeru and Hikari

Takeru paced in front of the entrance looking at his watch. Meanwhile, Hikari was standing pensively a few steps from him. Her hands were clasped in her lap and her head was slightly tilted.

“Should we give them a couple minutes more?” Takeru asked “I’m sure my brother is delaying them.”

“Sure…” Hikari nodded “knowing my brother, he’s not helping either. He’s probably touching things he shouldn’t  all over the place. I just hope he won’t break anything.”

“Sounds like, Taichi,” Takeru chuckled “So what’s the verdict?”

“Uh?” Hikari replied, confused, 

“Ghosts or no ghosts?” Takeru asked.

“Oh, about that.  Well...there are no evil spirits.”

“Uh...so no ghosts. Too bad I guess. “

“I said no evil spirits. I never said there weren’t spirits.” Hikari chuckled “I just thought that whether they were evil or not, was irrelevant for Yamato-san.”

“Yeah, under this conditions...he’s probably scared of his own shadow.” Takeru laughed “Ok...I think we can go in now.”

Hikari nodded and turned to the door. To her surprise she found Takeru offering her his hand. 

“Uh? You do realize I am not like those girls and I won’t be jumping and hugging you because I am scared, right?”

“Yeah, I know that. I think this is more for my own moral support.”

“Oh, so the hugging went both ways around.”

“You wouldn’t be jealous, would you?” 

“Should I be jealous?”Hikari asked, taking his hand. “Nope. For the record, I would rather go through this with you. Those girls jump at anything.”

“Getting scared in that situation is the normal thing to do.”

“Yeah, I guess I just got used to my little shrine maiden who’s not afraid of anything.” he  chuckled.

“Flirt. Don’t let my brother hear you…” Hikari said, shaking her head.

“Well, Mimi-san isn’t helping. She promised not to say a word, but her teasing is becoming a little too obvious, don’t you think? Lovebirds?”

Hikari shrugged.

“No one seemed to catch the hint. Mimi is like that, I suppose no one takes it too seriously.” Hikari sighed “ what? Are you getting tired of the secrecy? We can say it...but remember that would mean I win the bet.”

“When did you become so greedy, huh?” Takeru snorted.

“Learned from you.” Hikari replied, winking at him “Uh...yeah. Not the most romantic place for a date?”

“Didn’t know you were taking this as a date.”

“Wasn’t that Mimi’s whole idea?” Hikari asked “She did arrange that sorting to leave all couples together, after all.” 

“Including my brother a third wheel?”

“I don’t think she foresaw that outcome. Probably a miscalculation.”

Takeru laughed.

“I pity Sora. She’s probably going crazy with those two.” “Mmmm… My brother can handle the pressure, unless he sees something. Then he’ll just snap and panic.”

“Talking from experience?”

“More or less.”

“My brother is a lost case. They will be lucky if they can get him to walk at all…” Takery laughed “He can’t even see a horror movie without finding an excuse to leave the room every five minutes. I am actually surprised he agreed to this trip.” “Social pressure…” Hikari shrugged “but you telling him those stories didn’t help at all.”

“Sorry?” Takeru smiled apologetically “You know having the chance to tease your older brother is a rare opportunity. “

Hikari shook her head. 

“Poor Yamato-san. Uh?”

“What?”Takeru asked “Saw something interesting?”

“Yeah...kids. Very mischievous kids.” 

“Do you think they will want to play with my brother?”

“For his own sanity, I hope not.”

“So between everyone. Who do you think will go through this smoothly?”

“Mimi-san and Koushiro-san, probably. Mimi is hot headed, but she’s not easily scared and Koushiro is very rational, so I don’t think some random noises and a couples of shadows will make them lose it.”

“Uh...agree.” Takeru replied “So between the other two teams?”

“Hard to tell.” Hikari shrugged “ Jou-senpai gets scared easily, but having my brother and Yamato-san together, puts Sora in a very difficult position.”

“Do you think we’ll end up having to rescue those five?” 

“It’s possible…uh? Weird…” Hikaris said looking around “I think we might have taken the wrong turn.”

“What? Why?”

“This doesn't seem like the right place.”

“Night time makes things look different…”

“I wonder…” 

Suddenly, the two teens stopped dead in their tracks and looked at each other. There was a soft rustling  accompanied by muffled voices that seemed to be in some sort of conversation. 

“Did you...hear something?”Takeru asked

“I did...and those are no ghosts.” Hikari said with a frown. 

“Huh. Hold on a second.”

Takeru grabbed his flashlight and began looking between the boxes and fallen logs until he finally found the source of the muffled voice.

“Patamon? Tailmon? What are you guys doing here?”

“Takeru!” Patamon chirped happily “Look, Tailmon. We found them!”

“Good...but we still have a problem. AGumon and the others are pretty much still missing.” Tailmon sighed. 

“What are you here?”

“We heard you were having an adventure and we wanted to join.” Patamon explained “It was agumon’s idea. We thought we would surprise you.”

“I tried to stop them, but they wouldn’t listen.” Tailmon said shaking her head “then we arrived here and they all said they would search for their partners and  went running on their own. Now we don’t know where they are.”

“Wait...so the digimon are running free around this place?” Takeru asked, surprised, “Well, that’s an interesting twist.”

“A twist that will certainly complicate things. What are the odds that everyone mistakes the digimon for ghosts?”

“Extremely high.”

“We must find them before they get in trouble.”

 Takeru, Hikari, Patamon and Tailmon spent the rest of the night tracking down their friends and their digimon. As they had guessed, everyone had mistakenly seen the digimon as ghost causing them to run away in panic and passing out. By the time they had managed to gather everyone in the great hall -with the digimon’s help, of course -  the first rays of the morning were already getting in through the holes of the ceiling. 

“Good morning…” Hikari said when their friends began to wake up.

“”Morning…” Taichi yawned “Wait...where are we?”

“Mmm...where do you think?”

“Ahhhh…” Mimi screamed “ don’t tell me we fell asleep?”

“ How can that be?”

“We actually spent the night in a haunted house?” Yamato said with a shudder.

“Congratulations, aniki. You can now cross out “sleeping with ghosts” from your bucket list. “Takeru said with a sheepish smile and Yamato glared at him.

“What happened?” Sora asked.

“Well...it seems our little test of courage got hacked by digimon.” Hikari chuckled “Right guys!”

“Sora!”

“Biyomon! What are you doing here?”

“We wanted to play too!” Agumon said.

“And we thought we would give you a surprise.” Gabumon nodded.

“Wait...then...the ghosts…” Taichi said with wide eyes “The ghosts were actually our digimon?” “Uhm...yes, probably.” Hikari nodded.

“No, that’s impossible!” Jou said “I saw it clearly. THe ghost I was wearing a noh mask! Right, Marina?”

“That’s right! I saw it, too.”

“You mean...this?” Gomamon said, showing him the old mask. “I found it lying around...I thought it looked funny.”

“Gomamon…!”

“Sorry,,,I didn’t mean to scare you.” Gomamon apologised. 

“We tried reaching out to Koushiro-han, but they ran off screaming when we tried.”

“Yes...Mimi you went off running when I pulled your skirt!” Palmon said sadly.

“Well, of course I would! You scared me to death, palmon!”

“The digimon didn’t intend to scare you. It was...a very amusing outcome…” Takeru laughed.

“I fail to see the fun in that!” Yamato said, annoyed.

“Sorry, but if you had seen your face...though…” Taichi laughed.

“Hey, you were scared as hell too.” 

“I saw a friggin blue fire floating over your shoulder. Of course I was going to be scared!” Taichi laughed.“Well, at least I am glad it was the digimon and not the actual ghost. That was intense.”

“We are sorry…” the digimon apologised.

“Forget about it. It was fun...wasn’t it?” Sora smiled. 

“Horay...it was, but wait...none of us took the picture...right?”  Mimi said. 

“We did…” Takeru said “While you were sleeping, of course.”

“You mischievous lovebirds.“ 

“We actually got some additional ...bonus photos.” Hikari smiled innocently “but since everyone is awake, why don’t we take one together before we leave?”

“Sounds like an awesome idea!” Mimi said.

“But...wait…” Jou said out of sudden “When did the digimon learn to sing Kagome, Kagome?”

“What?” Mimi asked.

“Ah, you’re right. We heard someone singing that, didn’t we?” Marina said..

“Oh... The song? Those were kids that helped us find you!” Gomamon said. 

“They said it was a game, and they wanted to play with us, too.”  Tentomon nodded.

“WHAT?”  everyone,  except Takeru and Hikari, said.

The two teenagers looked at each other and laughed. Perhaps the trip hadn’t gone as planned, but one way or another, it had become a great summer memory. 

Ok....very crappy art because this was already pretty long. 

[lightchildofthespring]

I finished rereading “The song of love,” a fic I wrote from 2015 to 2018. I began to reread it when the Digimon Adventure 2020 series entered a hiatus, as a way to pass time. It was my longest and most complex work of fiction so far.

So, almost two years after concluding it, I'll share my thoughts.

First, my ranking of arcs:

1. Original chosen children arc (c. 10 – 24)

2. File island arc (c. 1 – 9)

3. Yagami Hikari arc (c. 25 – 38)

4. Apocalipse arc (c. 39 –  46)

It's not that I didn't like arcs 3 and 4 (some of my favorite chapters are from them!), but I could tell that my burnout had begun affecting my writing. Arcs 2 and 1 just felt more fun and cohesive. I do think, though, that the ending was fitting to the story.

Arc 1: File Island

Favorite antagonist: Devimon, but Monzaemon comes in close second.

Highlight chapters:

Broken mirror (c. 7)

Takeru's loss (c. 9)

Mimi's strength (c. 3)

Jyou's remembrance (c. 6)

The first arc was way more fun than I remembered it being! Sure, my writing was clunkier, I kept referring to everyone's grades (ugh) and the transitions weren't the smoothest, but it was really nice to see the characters bouncing off one another before the big drama began (not that they didn't have drama already). The beginning of their friendship ranged from sweet to tense, but it all ended well... until Angemon died in the final chapter of the arc. The story was so much simpler back then, but the seeds of complication were there.

Arc 2: Original chosen children

Favorite antagonist: Fate, followed by Kanda (technically not an antagonist to the chosen children, but he did do many terrible things)

Highlight chapters:

Heaven sent (c. 17)

The Magician's apprentice (c. 19)

The beginning of all things (c. 16)

Rock Opera (c. 14)

Hands down, my favorite arc of the story. And I think it's the best one. The character journeys really shone in these chapters. And yeah, I liked to write my original chosen children ocs as broken people showing what could go wrong if the new kids followed a dark path. Above all, I really liked Sora's character arc (I liked everybody's, but Sora's was the one that made me keep saying “YES” while writing) and Koushiro's (his trauma was just beginning!).

Arc 3: Yagami Hikari

Favorite antagonist: Fate

Highlight chapters:

Child of the Spring (c. 31)

The end of all things (c. 30)

Sora rises (c. 38)

Tachikawa interview (c. 28)

The most ambitious and audacious arc of the story and also the one with my favorite chapters of the whole fic (30 and 31). It doesn't rank higher because the burnout hit me by its end, the Vamdemon subplot felt lackluster (to the point where I gave up on bringing him back after the first defeat), the Ame reveal by the end felt too sudden and... I just wasn't all that passionate about writing for Taichi and Yamato. Aside from that, Fate is the best and most compelling villain in the story. All the build-up to their reveal, their interactions with Hikari, Mimi and especially Koushiro, the tragedy, the complexity, the themes... I loved writing all of it and loved reading it. It was also nice to explore Hikari's antagonistic role later on (despite chapter 36 not having quite the punching effect I hoped for). This arc was dark, emotional, complex and hopeful despite everything.

Arc 4: Apocalypse

Favorite antagonist: LadyDevimon (the most complex antagonist, after Fate) and Wisemon (nobody in this story is nearly as evil as Wisemon)

Chapter highlights:

Koushiro concludes (c. 43)

Hikari's choice (c. 45)

Symphony in the sky (c. 46)

Merciful Mimi (c. 40)

The final arc served as a conclusion to everybody's journey. Some were more successful than others (rereading the fic, I felt that Jyou and Takeru were being a bit repetitive). “Koushiro concludes” certainly was the highlight of the arc. Despite being a Koushiro chapter, Sora definitely stole the spotlight in that one, being in her most heroic mode. Overall, I liked how the story ended and the characters' ultimate fates. “Hikari's choice” was a lot better than I remembered! Despite the arc being a bit clunky, I'm glad it delivered a strong end.

Top 10:

1. Child of the Spring

2. The end of all things

3. Heaven sent

4. The Magician's apprentice

5. Koushiro concludes

6. Hikari's choice

7. The beginning of all things

8. Rock Opera

9. Symphony in the sky

10. Broken mirror

[digimonadventuretimelines]

[10-  Emergencial Reunion!!]

“You said it was an emergency so you have to be straight and tell us what’s going on.”

Iori didn’t want to sound rude, but considering everyone at this point is full of work to do, like Joe having many appointments with hurt or sick digimon as example.

“It’s about him” Ken said with a serious tone.

Everyone stopped talking or complaining, creating a heavy and uncomfortable atmosphere in the room. It wasn’t like they had given up on Daisuke, and yes that they had no clues to solve that issue. Taichi had gotten no time to search for him, and had given a lot of excuses to the media to keep everything under control. If not… How would’ve Taichi explain that without revealing that Daisuke is one of the DigiChosen?

“What did you get?” Miyako broke the silence, yet her voice was cold. They were talking about her husband after all.

“We never learned what happened to him” Ken began, “Two years ago, we got a message on our digivices about a mysterious S.O.S. signal. Daisuke and I went to check it out, but we had been ambushed by a digimon.”

“That we know, Ichijouji” Takeru vaguely commented.

“The jogress was an option for us but, we got separated in combat. When we found each other, Daisuke shoved me into the gate to save me from being captured.” 

“Then, what have you discovered about the case?” Taichi acted as the good and old leader once again “You said on the phone that it is connected to the Roar of Freedom, am I wrong?”

“It’s an assumption” Ken explained “This group had been spotted on the same area Daisuke got caught, and they know who we are. Because after someone executed the Strikedramon brothers… We found that they left a message addressed to us.”

“Are they threatening us…?” Yamato clenched his fist, but Takeru calmed him down.

“We didn’t give up on finding Daisuke, and this may be the very first clue we got since two years ago.”

“... What you want us to do?” Koushiro asked him, and that was everyone’s question as well. 

Ken hated to feel pressured by glares, somehow it brings him bad memories from his childhood. However, he was on Daisuke’s position in the group -- While Taichi is the first and Yamato the second… Daisuke is somehow the third. And Ken does not like to be the lead despite being the head of the Special Digimon Cases Unit.

“Nothing for now” he answered a few moments later, trying to formulate words in his mind.

“You want to go there and investigate, am I wrong?” Taichi said, then looked at the others.

“If Ken goes, I’m going” Miyako raised from her seat “Daisuke is not only our friend, it’s my husband. And I have to protect my family.”

“I’d like to go too but… I’m busy” Iori mused.

“I have a lot to do too” Hikari, Mimi and Sora replied, some frowns were visible.

“The hospital needs me, I’m sorry” Joe was honest as ever, deep down he wanted to do more for the group but he was the most busiest of the them right now.

“I could go, but” Takeru spoke “I have a book release to attend. After that, I can lend you a hand Ken.”

“The next mission is settled to the next week” Yamato was pouty “I will help giving support here. Could go investigating those cases in the meanwhile” then he glanced at Taichi.

“Sorry, I can’t go” and he answered “I had been a target, while I can still fight… Handling with the role as a Chosen Child and as the digimon’s Ambassador wouldn’t be good. I trust you two though. If you need help, I will do my best to send backup.”

“Taichi, our identities are a secret!” Yamato argued “You can’t simply ruin all of our efforts to keep our families safe!”

“I won’t, I prefer to call Ken’s unit to give him and Miyako support.”

Daichi was sleeping when someone had entered in his room. Luckily, Ulforce and Natsu were still spending the night at the old Daisuke’s office room so no one suspected about them.

A very quiet voice was what made Daichi wake up, seeing a blurred human holding a pink ball.

Wait.

“Daichi, please wake up and help” Kiyoko was the one he saw now that his vision went back to normal “This lil’ guy is needing some help!”

“Lil… W-wait, that’s a digimon!?”

“No, it’s a plush. Duh, of course he is!”

“What happened?!” he got up from the bed “Where did he come from!? Where did you find him!?”

“Uhh, long story short… He was running away from some baddie and de-evolved back to this form. Is it a… Poromon right?”

“Hm yes” he examined the borb-like baby “I think it is.”

“Why don’t you use that shining thing on your desk?”

“Shiny thing--” he looked back and realized he didn’t hide the D-TimeRune before going to sleep!! “Aa- Um, that thing!? It’s a phone! A normal phone!! Old phone I meant…!”

She smirked, “I know you’re hiding something from me dear brother. Because after getting your message, I phoned Mitsuki and he said you weren’t at his home. I also phoned your other friends and they said the same!”

He gasped.

“You can’t hide it from me, Daichi. I’m sly as a fox, faster like a cheetah and your sister.”

“A… Uh… Please, don’t tell anyone about this” Daichi sighed “I’ve got a digivice and a digimon partner.”

“YOU WHAT!?”

“Y-you’re going to wake mom up!!” he whispered to her “Please don’t tell mom or anyone else.”

“Fine fine!” Kiyoko muttered and pouted “Now please help me with this digimon, he seems hurt!”

Daichi grabbed the digivice and told Kiyoko to follow him to the room no one ever had opened since Daisuke’s disappearance. When they stood in front of the door, Daichi muttered:

“This is also a secret, don’t let anyone else know,” and he opened the door. They walked in and he closed the door, turned the lights on and made the sleepy digi-duo wake up.

“Aww, they’re cute!!” she was looking at them and almost squishing the hurt Poromon “What are they? Digimon too? That’s a Chibimon and… I never had heard of a pink bun!”

“Daichi isn’t your identity supposed to be a secret?” Natsu squinted her eyes but her expression changed to concern “Uh-oh, you have an injured digimon here! Let me heal it…!” and she switched forms in front of them, took the Poromon from Kiyoko’s hands and put it on the couch by Ulforce’s side. she send an energy from her hands to the bird-like digimon, healing him slowly.

“A secret?” Kiyoko glanced at Daichi “I thought you wouldn’t hide something from me…!”

“Natsu said to me to not tell anyone else, there’s some things you cannot know--”

“And there’s more!? And you can’t trust me!?”

“I think y’all should tell her” Ulforce interrupted the heated discussion. Both Daichi and Natsu looked at him “Sorry guys, the girl needs to know now that she’s aware of us here.”

“Fine, Daichi tell her I’m busy to give details. But you must keep quiet about it, Kiyoko.”

“I… I will, don’t worry!” the girl nodded “Not even mom and dad must know right…?”

“Especially them, or else they will lock me in the depths of the Digital World.”

“Ok…?” Kiyoko wasn’t able to understand that, but she promised to not tell anyone about whatever it was Daichi’s secret.

“... Mom and dad are legendary heroes” Daichi began “Remember of those stories about the Digital World’s warriors? They were real… And our dad is a brainwashed enemy right now.”

She stared at him for a while. Then she snorted and laughed but not too much loud.

“Seriously? Have you been talking with Junya lately? Our parents are heroes!? How funny!”

“Kiyoko I’m deadly serious here! They are, I just saw--”

“Wait, How can a digimon researcher and a worldwide famous chef be secret heroes? It makes no sense, big bro. You’re talking like Junya about the conspiracy theory of ambassador Yagami hiding the truth from everyone about the legends.”

“... He is right. But not for something evil, actually it’s about our safety.”

“Daichi, I don’t know what happened to you to jump from ‘our dad is dead’ to ‘our dad is alive, and our parents are part of the legendary Chosen Children’ but I know dad is on a business trip and our parents aren’t heroes.”

“He’s telling the truth” Natsu turned back and stared at Kiyoko “Daisuke, Miyako and Taichi are DigiChosen. Most of their friends are.”

“I… It’s strange knowing that our babysitter is a digimon but...”

“Kiyoko, my sweetie… I’ve been with your parents from a long time ago that I’m basically an honored digimon partner. Believe me, I tell no lies.”

“Why would dad be an enemy? He’s a good person!! Makes no sense!”

“He had been captured, but Daichi knows how to fix it… You have to stay here and not tell anyone about it--”

“Urk…” the Poromon woke up, his vision being pretty blurred but slowly coming back. His noise called the kids, Natsu and Ulforce’s attention though “I need to find the… C-Chosen Children.”

“Don’t talk, you’re badly injured!” Kiyoko said, worried with the poor bird “You’re safe, please rest.”

“Why is he looking for them?” Ulforce tilted his head.

“What happened to him, Kiyoko?” Daichi asked calmly.

“I don’t know, I was coming back from school and…”

  … It fell from the skies devolved in front of me.

“Hey little one, are you okay?!” I approached from, super duper concerned with him. I took from the ground and examined him for a few seconds. Then he talked to me:

“... Human kid-- W-watch out…!!” He said and then he shove me to the ground. A light hit this poor Poromon and he fell again on the floor.

“Ugh, h-hey why did you-- Huh!?” I looked behind me and saw a shadow. It was trying to catch the Poromon so I grabbed the bird orb from the floor and ran away.

  Daichi, Ulforce and Natsu looked at Kiyoko, then to each other. To Daichi, that sounded like the plot of one of the old games he and his father had played together.

“So, someone’s looking for him” the boy mused “And, probably is going after you now.”

“Yeah, I think so…”

“Do you think it chased her at home?” Ulforce looked around “I mean-- Not like I care of someone trying to invade your home...”

“The house is safe” Daichi said “There’s alarms and mx. Hawkmon lives here. He’s mom’s partner after all.”

“Uh… About that…” The three looked at Kiyoko “... Mom and mx. Hawk are not here, they went to an important meeting.”

“So we’re all alone!?” Ulforce babbled in panic, then he started to verify every corner of the room “Are we safe!?”

“Are you scared…?” Natsu smirked “Aren’t you the grand hero Ulforce?”

“Me!? Scared!?” the tiny-mon took the bait “I gonna show ya how great I am! Daichi kid, evolve me and I will protect everyone for the night!”

“Uh, no need to--” suddenly a noise was heard from outside. Kiyoko grabbed the Poromon and hid behind Natsu, while Daichi took the D-TimeRune to see if it was a digimon signal.

“Wha-what was that!?” the girl asked “It sounded like someone crashing the restaurant’s entrance door…!”

“Stay here” Daichi whispered, “Ulforce come with me.”

“F-fine…??” he nodded, then jumped to the boy’s arms. The duo left the room, leaving Natsu and Kiyoko to protect the injured Poromon.

“... Mom’s going to not like if they damage the restaurant” Kiyoko mused “Natsu, can you see if there’s someone inside?”

“I don’t feel anything from here, and Poromon is injured we can’t--”

Kiyoko left the room and Natsu sighed. No matter how much she worked to keep the siblings safe for the sake of their lives… Those two always find a way to get into trouble. Quite like their parents.

When the girls arrived at the restaurant floor, they saw Ulforce on child level already and chasing a shadow, with Daichi going after the blue digimon.

“It’s… It’s that one who was chasing me!!” Kiyoko shouted, Daichi glanced at her but turned back to the battle “P-please don’t damage the restaurant, dad wouldn’t like it…!!”

“I won’t!” He assured her “Ulforce, Kiyoko, Natsu, try to lure it to the outside!”

“Wait will you put YOUR SISTER in danger!?” Natsu babbled.

“She’s fine, she’s with us!”

“Yes, but do you forgot she’s a not a tamer!?”

“Oh screw that!” Kiyoko yelled “With or without a digimon, I’ve raised to fight! I’m made of fire!” then she ran towards the mysterious silhouette, with the Poromon in her hands “Hey, dummy dumbo thing! Come catch me, leave this place alone and come after me!” She left the restaurant by the main entrance, forcing the shadow to chase her.

“Good job, Kiyoko!” Daichi nodded, then looked at Ulforce and Natsu “Let’s go, we need to prevent that thing from hurting Kiyoko and the Poromon.”

“Ok” they nodded and with this the three left after the shadow.

[florencetheflowerfairy]

psst idk if you still take drabble prompts but if you do, 32 with taishiro?

Thankyou for the wonderful prompt, Peach! This isn’t the first Taishiro fic thatI’ve written, but it’s the first that I’ve posted online. Hotaru is my sister’sheadcanon name for their daughter. It means “firefly.”

150 drabbles challenge

32. “Why did we have to have kids?”

The sun hung low in the sky,touching the distant mountain tops. It marked that time of day when the cloudsturned orange and violet, and the colors were always more vivid in the DigitalWorld. They were walking hand in hand alongside a gentle river that reflectedthe rosy blue sky. It would have been romantic—

“Daddy!” Hotaru crawled underneath athree-foot-tall mushroom. Her toothy smile was still bright under the shade ofthe giant fungus’ cap.

“What’s up, baby?” Taichi let go ofKoushiro’s hand and knelt next to the toddler. The girl’s smile was asenchanting as it was on the first day that Koushiro introduced her to him.Taichi still felt a rush of giddiness whenever she called him her dad.

“Flower name?” Hotaru patted thedigital mushroom’s stem. She had developed an interest in plants since Koushirostarted writing a paper about Digital World flora. It was all they talked aboutat dinner.

“That’s not a flower. It’s amushroom. I bet Papa can tell you the scientific name—”

“Papa no helping Daddy!” Hotaruinterrupted.

Koushiro abruptly closed his mouth.Then he giggled.

“You want me to come up with a scientific name for it? Do you want me to embarrass myself in front ofPapa?” Taichi drawled his questions and Hotaru erupted into giggles at herfather’s silly tone of voice. “Fine. It’s the Fungasaurus mushroomiest giganticlus.”

“Nooo!” Tentomon shouted andhovered next to the girl. “That’s not how binomial nomenclature works at all!He’s supposed to only say two names! Genus and species! By saying three names,he completely blew his cover!”

“Oh come on.” Taichi shrugged.“That was two words. There was…a hyphen.” Koushiro joined his daughter in giggling.But Taichi didn’t convince the bug digimon.

Tentomon nudged Taichi’s arm andwhispered loudly. “That didn’t even sound Latin! You should have said somethinglike Mushroomius mithrilus and itwould have been more believable. I’m just trying to help you impress Koushiro!”

“Tentomon…” Koushiro covered hismouth to hide his smile. “You keep saying ‘mithril,’ but I don’t think youactually know what that word means.”

“Of course I do! It’s what themushroom is obviously made of. At least, that’s my hypothesis!” Tentomonreplied.

“Does that mean it’s poisonous?”Agumon asked.

“Goodness no! It means that it’smetallic,” Tentomon answered.

Agumon chomped his teeth around thegiant mushroom stem. Hotaru gasped and clapped her hands. Tentomon made adisappointed sounding buzz.

“S’defin’tly NOT made uff medal,”Agumon said with his mouth full, making the girl laugh. Taichi immediatelygrabbed the little dinosaur and yanked him off the fungus.

“Agu, what have I said aboutputting strange things in your mouth? Set a better example for Hotaru!” Taichishook his digimon partner and looked back at Koushiro. “That’s not actually poison, right?”

“No, no! I would have saidsomething if it was!” Koushiro’s eyes widened. “I’m sorry to make you worry. Iwouldn’t have let Hotaru come if I knew there were poisonous plants here!”

Taichi gently dropped Agumon and roseto his feet. He grasped Koushiro’s hand again. “Hey, it’s okay. I wasn’tworried. I trust you—”

“It’s not a poisonous plant! It’s a poisonous fungus!” Tentomon corrected his partner.

Koushiro sighed. “I just said itwasn’t poisonous. You’re missing the point, Tentomon. I don’t mind, but pleasedon’t try to show off in front of Hotaru.”

Hotaru, meanwhile, chomped on themushroom stem. She quickly spat out the bits that stuck to her teeth. “Yuck!Yucky yuck!”

“Maybe mithril is softer than Ithought…” pondered Tentomon.

“Sweetie, don’t eat that!” Koushirolooked alarmed.

“She’s fine, remember?” Taichireassured him.

“It will taste better if we cookit!” Agumon spoke up, eager to teach Hotaru the cooking skills he had learnedfrom Taichi. “We can make a HUGE miso stew with this!” The T-Rex threw his tinyarms around the mushroom stem and pulled with all his might. After he grunted,Tentomon flew above him and started pulling the cap to help, to no avail.

Hotaru loved miso stew, and she lovedher digimon friends. She wanted to be as big, strong, and intelligent as themsomeday. She pulled on the mushroom stem from the opposite side, and promptlyleaned too far back and fell into the river. The digimon and the adultsshrieked.

“Hotaru!”

“Hotaru!”

“Hotaruuu!”

“HOTARU!”

Taichi was the quickest to reachthe water, and he immediately grabbed the girl and swooped her out of there. Heheld her tight against his chest. Hotaru’s eyes were wide as saucers. Shelooked too stunned to process what had just happened.

“Sweetie, are you all right?”Koushiro’s voice was a little high. He patted her wet hair nervously.

Hotaru realized just howuncomfortable her dress was now that she was wet, and she started crying.“C-cold…”

“You’re cold? I’m so sorry!” Koushirobit his lips and fumbled with his hands.

“You’re safe now. Don’t worry,”Taichi spoke with authority, and Hotaru’s sobs subsided to sniffles withintermittent whines. Taichi handed the child to Koushiro, who wrapped his armsaround her carefully and kissed her head. Hotaru stopped fussing.

“Let’s go home,” Taichi said.Koushiro nodded and started quickly walking back in the direction they hadcome. Taichi wrapped his arm around the man’s shoulder, and felt his partnerrelax a bit. Taichi peeked over Koushiro’s head to see that the sun was almostgone. They had missed the most romantic moment of the sunset already.

“I’m sorry that we didn’t get tosee the giant redwoods,” Koushiro murmured. He knew that Taichi had been mosteager to see the truly enormous digital plant life.

Taichi shrugged. “Some other day.”

Agumon and Tentomon both apologizedat the same time, talking over each other. Then Agumon complained that he couldhave yanked out that mushroom if Taichi had evolved him to Greymon, andTentomon piped up that he could make Hotaru dry faster if she was riding onKabuterimon’s back.

“It’s fine! Stop worrying so much!She just needs a bath. We’re almost at the Gate.” Taichi grinned at the pair ofthem, and the mood lightened again. The digimon started chatting with eachother instead. Taichi chuckled and whispered in Koushiro’s ear. “Why did wehave to have kids, eh?”

Koushiro froze, which stoppedTaichi in his tracks. “Um…?”

Taichi blinked. “It was a joke!” Heoffered an awkward smile and gestured to the child-level digimon. “They’re allour kids. Our crazy kids, and I love them all.”

“Oh! Haha.” Koushiro tried laughingand blushed that he didn’t get the joke. It was embarrassing when that stillhappened to him. He continued walking forward and Taichi squeezed his shoulder.“Yeah, I love them too,” Koushiro responded. “I didn’t understand what you weresaying. At first…I thought that you were asking for another one.”

“Another what?”

“Another child.” Koushiro kept hisvoice as low as possible. Though Hotaru didn’t look like she was payingattention. She seemed to be drifting to sleep in his arms.

“What?” That came out louder thanTaichi wanted, but he covered any awkwardness with another laugh. “I see! Nowonder you were confused.”

Koushiro nodded.

Taichi hesitated. “Do you wantanother child?”

“I…” Koushiro furrowed his thickeyebrows. “I’ve actually been thinking…”

Taichi guffawed. “You do?”

“No! I mean, yes. I mean! I-I wasjust thinking the other day of how jealous I used to be of you and Hikarigrowing up. That’s all. And…I don’t want Hotaru to be lonely. Ever.”

Taichi softened. “She won’t be. Shealready has Agumon and Tentomon, and she’ll get her own digimon partner soonenough. She’ll make plenty of friends too. I promise.”

“Right. I know that you can definitelyhelp her in that area. You’ve always been helpful in that area. Friendship, Imean.”

“Thanks.” Taichi ran his free handthrough his brown hair, blushing a little. He should probably get it cut againsoon…

“It’s more than that,” Koushirosaid suddenly, his voice more self-assured. “I want to help as many orphans aspossible!”

Taichi nodded, beginning tounderstand. His throwaway joke must have triggered deep-seated issues thatKoushiro had been thinking about for a long time.

“But it was hard enough for me toadopt Hotaru. I got really, really lucky. I was a single clueless collegeprofessor who spent more time with digimon than people. I don’t know if I cango through that stress again. Especially with you in the picture now.”

Taichi stopped moving, and Koushiropanicked.

“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry. I didn’tmean that you were bad. Y-you’re really helpful! You’re a much better parentthan I am. I would be so lost without you…” Koushiro stopped talking whenTaichi kissed him.

“You’re a wonderful parent,” Taichiwhispered. “You’re the best thing that ever happened to Hotaru.” He kissed himagain. “And you’re the best thing that ever happened to me.” He kissed himagain.

“Mmf…” Koushiro felt a littlelight-headed. Even though they had been a couple for over a year now, he stillgot giddy whenever Taichi turned romantic. “Thanks…” Koushiro finally pulledaway, not wanting to make the situation too awkward for the digimon.

“Are you done yet?” Agumon asked,as if on cue. He and Tentomon were hiding behind rocks.

“Yeah! It’s safe to come out!”Taichi yelled. “We reached the Gate!”

Hotaru fussed again, and Koushiroset her back on her feet. She was getting a little too big to be carried. Hesaw that there was, indeed, a monitor-screen gateway just ahead of them,nestled in a sandy bank of the river. Koushiro looked back to Hotaru and Taichiand the digimon. He wished—not for the first time—that they could all stay inthis world instead. The sky was already a velvet blue, filled with a millionnew stars to count…

“We’ll talk about it later, okay?”Taichi said. Koushiro nodded.

“I’M COLD!” Hotaru whined.

“Shh. Let’s get you home,” Koushirosaid.

The three humans and two digimonwalked up to computer in the sand bank. Then Koushiro took Hotaru’s left hand,and Taichi took her right hand, and the family opened the portal back to thereal world.

[fizzingwizard]

Okay then. Yagami Taichi. So that's Y/A/G/M/I/T/C/H. And Izumi Koushiro is I/Z/U/M/K/O/S/H/R. Give us your wisdom, oh great one.

Finally answering! Thanks for your patience. OK, I’ll put the answers under a cut because I accidentally added a couple ficlets teehee. Also got Yamato and Daisuke in my inbox so will get to those soon~

Yagami Taichi and Izumi Koshiro under the cut

Yagami Taichi

Y: What is one question they’ve always wanted an answer to?

Why does what everyone else sees as courage feel so much like fear?

A: What are/were this character’s best subjects in school?

In elementary school, he just barely made the grade by in pretty much everything. Outstanding marks in P.E. Otherwise, generally too energetic and distracted for homework. He was very much that kid the teacher genuinely likes yet wishes was in someone else’s class some days…

In high school, well, Tri verse seems to have made him into a pretty standard, “life happens to me” type of high school student, but I like to think that his sense of leadership and resourcefulness would make him a bit more of a go-getter. I think he’d buckle down to some extent — perhaps for most of his high school career, soccer would be first in his mind, and some subjects would just not be his thing. But charisma, public speaking skill, and leadership ability would definitely show through in group projects, presentations, debate, that sort of thing. So I think his best subjects would probably be social studies, government, and perhaps English.

G: How do they flirt?

If he tries to flirt on purpose, he acts like Marty McFly, minues the oedipus thing. Luckily he’s not a very flirty guy. At least not at first. After he’s been in a relationship for someone in a while, however…

��Stop licking my ear.”

“But it’s delicious. I just want to eat it up.”

“I am not your dinner.”

“Of course not, you’re too sweet for that. You’re dessert!”

“That is so cheesy.”

“Would you like it if I ate cheese off your naked body, sweetums?”

(Of course, he’s really trying to be funny here, more than he is trying to flirt. In truth he remains an awkward, fairly oblivious lover his entire life, and his redeeming qualities are his positivity and affectionate nature.)

M: What is their favourite dessert?

Chocolate banana! At festivals he breaks them in half, sticks them under his tongue and parades around as a walrus. But honestly he’ll take fried food over sweets.

I: On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do they love themselves?

He doesn’t really think about it. If you asked, he’d open his arms wide and say in a loud, child-like voice, “Thiiis much!” But he has his real lows as well as his real highs. Sometimes he’s bitter. Sometimes self-pitying. Sometimes he thinks someone else, anyone else, could do a better job at being Yagami Taichi than he does. But he shakes himself out of it pretty well usually, or someone helps him to it. He gets by thanks to his friends.

T: Where are they ticklish?

“I am not ticklish. At all. Anywhere.”

“You definitely are.” Yamato looked like he was struggling not to laugh, which only made Taichi frown harder.

“Maybe when I was a kid, and overreacted to everything.”

“Yesterday, when Jou tapped you on the shoulder, you started squirming around.”

“I was surprised, not ticklish. I do not have ticklish shoulders.”

“Okay,” Yamato sat down on the edge of the couch. Taichi immediately scooted back against the arm and pulled his legs in. “What are you doing?”

“I sense danger.”

“You think — I’m not going to tickle you,” Yamato sighed. Then his eyes narrowed. “But if you’re not ticklish to begin with, why are you worried?”

“Not worried,” Taichi harrumphed. “Not ticklish either.”

“Fine, you’re not ticklish.”

“I’m not.”

“I just said that.”

They fell quiet. Yamato picked up the remote, started to flick through the movie selection on TV. Meanwhile, a muscle worked in Taichi’s jaw as he sat beside him with tense, folded arms.

“Taichi.”

“Do NOT tickle me!”

“I’m not going to tickle you! I was going to tell you to unclench! I’m getting a charley horse just watching you!”

(In sum: He is not ticklish. At all. Anywhere.)

C: Can they swim well?

Like a fish. An exceedingly ungraceful fish. Like a torpedo when Sora’s in the water too and he wants to start a splash fight.

H: What is their deadly sin?

“Let’s see, there are seven deadly sins, right?” Taichi frowned. “Uh, I don’t remember what they are, so.”

Koushirou began to tick them off on his fingers. “Pride, wrath, gluttony —”

Yamato let out a low chuckle. “Gluttony, for sure.”

“You shut up.”

“Yesterday you ate the ramen and fried rice special, the large size, for lunch,” Yamato remarked, cool as you please, while glaring daggers down his nose. “After which you ate my fried rice too.”

“I was doing you a favor,” Taichi pouted. “You couldn’t finish it.”

“Admit it. You’re a glutton.”

“I’m a gourmand.”

“Pffft.”

“It’s thanks to people like me that your beloved matcha Kit-Kats became a thing.”

“— Envy, greed, sloth, and lust,” Koushirou finished, not appearing to note the interruption.

Mimi squealed. “Lust! That’s it for sure!” She clasped her hands over her chest. “If we only knew the nights he lies awake in bed, tormented by desire, confused, all alone with his turbulent teenage hormones —”

“In your dreams!” Taichi shouted.

He threw a pillow at her. She ducked. Sora lunged between them and snatched the pillow before they could begin an all out war in Koushirou’s pristine office.

“Taichi’s deadly sin is not lust.” She rolled her eyes. “Unless it’s lust for nachos.”

“Not you too,” the glutton groaned. “Gimme that pillow.”

“No.”

“You’re no fun.”

The pillow smacked him in the face. “I’m not what now?”

“How about sloth?” Hikari suggested.

All eyes turned to stare at her. She blushed. “Well, it takes him fifteen minutes to roll out of bed in the morning.”

“Traitor!” Taichi said with what the others supposed was meant to be righteous fury, but sounded rather more pitiful with his face squashed into a pillow.

“We still haven’t heard from the accused himself,” Yamato pointed out. “If Sora can be obliged to stop suffocating him for a minute.”

Sora acquiesced in favor of sitting on Yamato’s lap. Very serious, Taichi cupped his chin in his hands as he gazed at the coffee table.

“My deadly sin,” he began — pausing for dramatic effect — “is greed. I want too many things,” he went on, quietly, eyes unfocusing as if looking far into the past. Somewhere he didn’t like to go too often. “Like wanting to win without losing anything. Wanting strength without getting hurt. Wanting peace but also wanting change. I’m greedy.  I can’t… accept the way the world limits me.”

His friends stared. For a moment, thoughtful silence reigned. Then:

“So you admit to being a glutton.”

“Damnit, Yamato!” Taichi drove his fist into the arm of the couch amid the flurry of giggles that spread throughout the group. “I am trying to have a moment of self-reflection here!”

“Sorry,” Yamato said unrepentently. “Everyone, he wants a moment of self-reflection. Show some respect. No more titters for fifteen seconds.”

“Ten,” Sora corrected, “No, better make it five.”

“Better make it zero,” Taichi growled, “if you want a decent head start before I rip you all to shreds. With my teeth.”

“How about Mario Kart?” Koushirou said, digging through the box of games.

“… OK, fine. With Mario Kart.”

(You could, and probably will, argue that his sin should be pride. It’s a common one for shonen protagonists. But I’ve never really felt that Taichi is prone to pride, or arrogance. His big struggle with just that, the infamous SkullGreymon episode, isn’t enough for me to put it down a major character flaw. Taichi’s bossiness and optimism to the point of naivete don’t come from an overblown image of himself for the most part. I think he really does just, as the song goes, want it all and want it all now. And being the leader puts him in a position of constantly having to make sacrifices he doesn’t want to make. That’s my reasoning, but you’re perfectly welcome to yours.)

Izumi Koshiro

I: On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do they love themselves?

He might put it at 8.4. Generally he is happy with himself. He values hard work, creativity, thirst for learning. He also values friends and family. As long as those things are first in his life, he feels pretty good. But if something slips, he beats himself up pretty hard. And he’s not so great at talking himself out of it. In those cases he needs a dose of perspective from the people who love him and understand how hard he drives himself.

Z: How do they sleep?

Like a log or not at all. Also a light snorer. The type who snores through a closed mouth while lying on his back. If he rolls over on his side, no issues.

U: What’s their voice like?

Gentle, neutral, precise, neither high nor low. Everyone listens the minute it’s colored by some emotion. Always apologizes afterward. Someone hug this kid.

M: What is their favourite dessert?

Creme brulee. He is secretly quite fancy.

K: How do you know when you’ve upset them?

Most people don’t. Those closest to him, though, find out pretty easily, because he tells them. Very frankly. (This he learned from a long friendship with a certain big-haired blockhead who doesn’t always notice when he’s being an ass.) And he forgives them quickly as well, once he knows they understand what they did that hurt him. He always wants to be fair and hates pettiness. Though now and then he has a petty moment ahaha.

O: What would it take to break them, inside and out?

WHY DO YOU WANT TO KNOW THIS.

but seriously, it would probably be losing the trust and support of his friends. He may have a bunch of solitary hobbies, but Koushirou really, deeply values his loved ones. He’s not cut out for perpetual loneliness. Similarly, if he felt like he could have helped more but didn’t, hello guilt trip.

S: How stealthy are they?

Can be quite stealthy. He’s short and soft-spoken, easy to overlook. But the reason why he wants to be stealthy tends to influence his judgment. Case in point…

“Koushirou…” Taichi stared, jaw hanging open a bit, giving him a rather stupid look which Koushirou felt compelled to warn him off. But before he could say a word, Taichi linked his arm around Koushirou’s neck and dragged him bodily down the hallway to the boys’ restroom.

Inside, he found the farthest unoccupied stall and, to Koushirou’s extreme confusion, locked them both inside.

“You’re not going to dunk my head in the toilet, are you?”

“Excuse you, what do you take me for, some kind of boneheaded jock? Wait, don’t answer that.”

Taichi looked nervously through the crack by the door hinges. “Taichi-san, what are we doing?” Koushirou sighed.

“What are we doing? What are you doing? What is that,” he cried, pointing emphatically at Koushirou’s collar.

“This?” Reaching up, Koushirou’s fingers adjusted the purple bowtie he’d painstakingly selected to match his silk lilac shirt. “This is a bowtie.”

“It looks you pinned some kind of moth through your button hole.”

Koushirou’s brow knit. “Does it? I thought it made me look sort of dressed up.”

“Why would you want to though?”

“Well, we are at a dance, you know. I just wanted to make sure I blend in. It would be horrible if tomorrow everyone was talking about how I was the only one inappropriately dressed.”

“Uh, I hate to say this, but haven’t you noticed that nearly all of the guys came in their school uniforms?” To illustrate his point, Taichi gestured at his own attire. He had indeed come in his school clothes. His shirt was even tucked in for once.

A streak of crimson colored Koushirou’s face. He looked down. Taichi’s eyes darted back and forth as he struggled to come up with something to say. Just then, the bathroom door swung open.

“Taichi, Koushirou, if you two are in here, come out before Mimi accosts every last person looking for you,” Yamato called in a tone of deep longsuffering.

Without opening the stall door, Taichi replied: “What does she want us for?”

“To take a picture.”

Koushirou groaned. “Tell her I’m sick… Taichi-san… I can’t go back out there like this!”

“Why not?” Yamato asked impatiently. It sounded like he was at his wit’s end dealing with Mimi.

“I’m… a little overdressed.”

“Psh. So what? Mimi came here in a ball gown.”

“What?” Koushirou exclaimed as Taichi made a noise of surprise. “She did?”

“Yeah, and you can’t be more overdressed than her.”

“There’s your out, Koushirou,” Taichi hissed in his ear. “Just stick with Mimi the whole night. If anyone asks, she picked out your clothes. She’ll be happy to take the credit. She’ll think you look great.”

Koushirou blushed harder, though for an entirely different reason. With a smirk, Taichi patted his back, and even straightened his bowtie for him before opening the door.

“Get out there, then. Stud.”

(whoever thought I, a staunch joumi fan, would write a koumi drabble… oh well… it just happened lol)

H: What is their deadly sin?

Hard one. He’s a pretty perfect kid lol. I suppose I might put him down for “greed” as well, and maybe it fits better than it does Taichi, in the sense that his curiosity compells him to want to know as much as he can, so he sometimes doesn’t noice the needs of people around him. But it’s not like this is intentional or he doesn’t know about it. Half the time the reason he’s working so hard is because he’s trying to help those people.

R: What are their hands like?

Short, stubby fingers. Often ink-blotted. He’s constantly flexing his hands from typing so much. Bound to get carpal tunnel someday.

[ahiddenpath]

I was tagged by my gal @gouguruheddo here for this questionnaire. 

A- age: 28, born in 1989, like Koushiro and Mimi

B- birthplace: USA, East Coast

C- current time: 10:27 PM

D- drink you last drank: Water

E- easiest person to talk to: My husband      

F- favorite song:  I made a playlist to answer this for a different ask game, you can find it here.

G- grossest memory: I dunno about gross...  It’s hard to gross out a biologist.  

H- horror yes or no? No.  I can’t, I cry for the victims and am distraught about it for days -__-

I- in love? With my husband, yes.

J- jealous of people? No, I’m way too aware that we all have our own shit to go through. 

K- killed someone? No, I should certainly hope not O__O

L- love at first sight or should I walk past again? Love at first sight is difficult for someone that does not experience attraction.

M- middle name: Lauren

N- number of siblings:   I have an older brother.

O- one wish? For everyone to look out for each other, even if it’s just in very basic ways

P- person you last called? Husband

Q- question you’re always asked: “Why do you say thank you so much?” (it was expected of me as a child)

R- reason to smile: My husband, animals, music, books, CREATING, science, cats, food, people being good to one another, great weather, did I mention animals? XD

S- song you last sang: I was singing while I was baking, but what was it...  I think it was Once Upon a Dream.

T- time you woke up: 7:00 AM

U- underwear color: Right now?  White with rainbow polka dots, I think.

V- vacation: I want to visit Hawaii, Japan, Bora Bora, Italy, Ireland, Spain...  

W- worst habit: Terrible self-confidence, degrading myself

X- x-rays: ?  I mean I had a lot of them done with my hip surgeries?

Y- your favourite food: Moroccan beef kefta

Z- zodiac sign: I’m a Capricorn, which is the closest fit available, although I lack the severity and ambition associated with the sign.  I think technically I’m Sagittarius now, but no thanks XD

If they would like to, I want to tag: @hannahdimond , @a-v-e-z-a, and @adventure-hearts (although I’m not sure if you want to take this kind of ask on a fandom only blog?)  Thanks for the tag <3

[digitalgate02]

Dang it! I thought they weren’t related as they were from different worlds. That would mean their dad is technically two different people right? Oh well. Glad you liked two of my pairs!

So uh...Hold on, i’ll write down this chart here:

World A/Daiki’s AKA Canon Epilogue:

Taichi’s child: Takao

Yamato & Sora’s children: Atori & Yoshiya

Daisuke’s child: Daiki

Ken & Miyako’s children: Mai, Toushin, unnamed baby (yet)

Koushiro’s child: Mirai

Jou’s child: Jin

Mimi’s child: Mike

Iori’s child: Reika

Takeru’s child: Mitsuki

Hikari’s child: Hikaru

World B/Daichi’s:

Taichi & Sora’s child: Taisuke

Yamato’s child: Elise

Daisuke & Miyako children: Daichi & Kiyoko

Ken & Hikari’s children: Hoshi & Eiji

Koushiro’s child: Mirai

Jou’s child: Jin

Mimi’s child: Mike

Iori’s child: Reika

Takeru’s child: Mitsuki

Maki & Daigo’s child: Yume

Unknown families: Soleil, Lune, Étoile

World C/Akira’s:

Taichi & Saiba Rei’s child: Takara

Yamato’s child: Elise

Daisuke & Hikari’s children: Akira & Amy

Ken & Miyako’s children: Mai, Toushin, unnamed baby (yet)

Sora’s child: Yoshiya

Koushiro’s child: Mirai

Jou’s child: Jin

Mimi’s child: Mike

Iori’s child: Reika

Takeru’s child: Mitsuki

World D/Toshi’s:

Taichi’s children: Takara & Taisuke

Yamato’s child: Atori

Daisuke & Ken’s (adoptive) child: Toshi

Sora’s child: Yoshiya

Koushiro’s child: Mirai

Jou’s child: Jin

Mimi & Miyako’s (adoptive) child: Minako

Iori’s child: Reika

Meiko & Takeru’s child: Tamaki

Hikari’s child: Hikaru

Notes:

Yume only exists in Daichi’s timeline.

Soleil, Lune, Étoile exist in all worlds, but not with relevance like they have in Daichi’s timeline.

Also Toshi exists in all timelines, like previously said, but with his biological family. Same goes to Minako. They’re considered “counterpats” of Daisuke-Ken & Mimi-Miyako kids because of this major timeline

In Akira’s and Toshi’s timelines, Yoshiya is NOT related to Elise and Atori.

I HC’ed that Takao’s mom is Meiko but i didn’t mention her there to avoid people thinking it’s something canon.

The idea of making different endgames is because I multiship everyone~

[koushirouizumi]

{Reference}/{Starting Master-list} - Donor Children History in Japan

(Gathered by me for reference; It's been a while since I researched this, but maybe you'll become Informed by following these {and I do plan to search around again}...)

Also re-blogging for my own reference since I'm, you know, a Donor child, and wanting to research more about how the laws surround such in other countries, including for the series I create fan works for.

(Some of the language may lean slightly bionormative in the reporting, so it is important to keep this in mind. Please note I am compiling these for my own reference, too.)

Children born through Artificial Insemination Speak Up {2003} "The Ministry of Health reports that {Donor children} births have been reported since the mid-seventies in Japan. While statistics record about 10,000 such children, the numbers could be much higher."

"There is no correct record on the number of AID children {Donor children, etc} as laws now do not stipulate that parents and doctors record such births. We contend the actual numbers could be between 100 to 200 a year," says Tomoko Kashiwage, a director in the infertility section at the ministry.

(...) Experts are now supporting the passage of a law in 2004 that would allow children above 15 years the right to the disclosure of personal details of donors of sperm and eggs in their birth.

(Yuri Hibino) Attitudes towards Disclosure of Children’s Genetic Origins among Japanese Patients Using Assisted Reproductive Technology {2014} (PDF) Keyword: Donor conception; Right to know; Infertile patients; Japan "In Japan, a 2003 government report recognized the right of children born via donor-assisted conception to know about their genetic origin, including identifying information about the donor [2]. However, this right has {not} been enacted into law(...)"

first, woman gives birth using egg from anonymous donor {2017 Mar}

"(...) Although there have been earlier cases of children conceived using a husband’s sperm and eggs donated by sisters or friends"...

{Tradition} denies Surrogacy {2017 May};

"Most major media covered the March 22 Tokyo news conference where Sachiko Kishimoto of the nonprofit organization Oocyte Donation Network (OD-Net) explained how a woman in her 40s had recently given birth to a daughter who had been conceived using the woman’s husband’s sperm and an egg from a third party. Though there have been instances in Japan of women giving birth by using the eggs of friends or relatives, this was the first publicized case in Japan of a baby successfully coming to term with the help of an anonymous egg donor."

"(...) there are no laws governing infertility treatments using donated eggs from third parties"...

"Japan tops the world in the number of women who undergo infertility treatment, while at the same time it also has the lowest success rate." (...)

[koushirouizumi]

{D I G I M O N} Adventure 02 {x T[e]xt Post(s) M e m e} ~ 02 Chosen + Daisuke M o t o m i y a['s Canonical "Digimon Test" Scores] {as given/moderated by (Implied)} 02!Koushiro[u] Izumi ~ from a Japanese-only 02 children's "Q u i z b o o k" publication; {Published pre-Tri and post-02 era} vs. "B r a i n-cell" {M e m e}/Fanon P e r c e p t i o n s

{Cap’d by Me} {DO NOT RE-POST} {DO NOT COPY} (Please ASK to Use/Share!) {DO NOT RE POST TO OTHER SITES WITHOUT MY PERMISSION UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!}

[NOTE: Despite the fact that I am Poking Clear Good F u n at an eternally Longtime Child-hood Fav; This Is in fact overall meant as Positivity post, PLEASE Do not leave negativity* on this post, {*includes for 02 U.S. Dub and/or "Davis" negativity/comparing} Thank you!!]

[koushirouizumi]

{DO NOT RE-POST} / {ASK TO USE} {READ & AGREE TO F.A.Q. BEFORE ASKING} {PREFER NO RE--BLOGS} / {LIKES OK}

[koushirouizumi]

* d o . n o t . r e b l o g [likes ok]

title: donor pair: taishiro[u], hinted koushiro x past not-quite-partner implied summary: original version of an old vent-fic bc im battle-worn & tired warning: bit of angst-y introspection over-the-years style but otherwise a good end

Koushiro Izumi is five years old when his parents bring home a computer. * Koushiro is eight years old. His family registry is displayed clearly {before him} . His parents don't know that HE KNOWS .

{ HE ALWAYS KNEW } * [ in another place , ] Koushiro is eighteen years old. He finished high school long ago. * Koushiro is twenty years old. Does he even want a family ? * Koushiro is in his early twenties. His parents are once again celebrating their anniversary. He smiles at them yes I WANT A FAMILY * Koushiro ages some years. ‘ Maybe if I TRIED, ... ’ * He gets put on A WAITING LIST for a d o p t i o n {... a waiting list ...} [....?] * Koushiro is around twenty three years old. HE'S STILL WAITING FOR A REPLY. * Koushiro is twenty four years old (or so) when he realizes for the second time exactly how broken the systems across the world really are. * [ in another place , when he is in University , BUT NOT AS A STUDENT --- ] Koushiro Izumi is twenty five years old when he MEETS TAICHI YAGAMI. * Koushiro is a few years older. He could wait FOREVER if he HAD TO, but ... ... * [ the ORIGINAL WORLD ] Koushiro is hitting his late 20's when he reads about {that} technology. Koushiro wonders. " If this technology had been around before , to help my mother , {would I not have BEEN A D O P T E D ? "} ... He's not sure how he feels about these thoughts. { It hurts, a little, maybe -- or, more }

{ he doesnt want to think about it anymore } * [ the ORIGINAL WORLD ] Koushiro is hitting his thirties. {He's STILL WAITING.} He wonders " Am I being " " SELFISH " for considering ‘THIS’ INSTEAD ? After all, {THIS} SHOULD BE EASY , R I G H T ? * [ the ORIGINAL WORLD ] Koushiro is in his early thirties when he meets her. SHE'S NOT THE ONE HE WANTS . SHE ISN'T " HIS WIFE " ... But , her, too, he cares about her, too * " Didn't you want a family ? " she asks , ... Koushiro nods , mutely , she smiles , " You're not being selfish . " * Koushiro is a father not much later * Koushiro is in his thirties when he realizes he's A D O P T E D this girl all the same .

{ ITS - ALL - THE - SAME } * [ the ORIGINAL WORLD ] Koushiro is in his thirties when he once again meets Taichi Y a g a m i . *

[afaithy]

43 for Koumi?

I think this might be my first time writting a Kuomi piece, so I hope that it turned okay?

Once again, this take’s place in the same universe as my other drabbles so this one in particular has references to this drabble and this one

If you enjoyed it, don’t forget to send more asks HERE.

==========================================================

 43. Frost the damn cupcakes 

“Love is like a good cake; you never know when it's coming, but you'd better eat it when it does!”

― C. JoyBell C

Koushiro was a smart boy. If I had syntax, code and commands, I could handle it with no problems. Things were a little different when it came to more "mundane" things like relationships.

He wasn't exactly a social person, but he'd been fortunate to find a group of understanding and loyal friends and a girlfriend, no, a fiancée, whose temperament couldn't be more different than his.

According to her friends, that was an advantage, since Mimi had all the chivalry and mischief that Koushiro lacked, while he had all the patience and logical reasoning that she often lacked. Both parties complemented each other and iIt goes without saying that Koushiro was the brake on the relationship, while the girl with the rose hair was the full-power engine of the relationship. 

Sometimes, however, Koushiro couldn’t understand why Mimi made him do some of the things she made him do. At this time, the girl had managed to drag him into this silly couple cooking competition  even though he had clearly stated that he knew nothing about cooking. 

“It will be fun, so stop complaining, already.” Mimi said, tying up her brand new pink apron. She had custom made them for the occasion and hers had a cute patchwork of Palmon, while his had a tentomon. 

“Mimi, neither of us are prominent cooks. THe odds of us even making it through the first rounds…”

“No, stop it right there. I’ve told you so many times, Koushiro. Don’t tell me the odds.”

“But…”

“You owe me this one after that little escapade you had with the guys. Don’t think I don’t know what happened that night.” Mimi pouted “Jou can be a miraculous doctor, but he sucks at lying.”

Koushiro swallowed and said nothing. To be fair, Koushiro barely remembered what had happened that night. He had recollection of the beginning and of the aftermath, but what transcended in the middle was a complete blur of blankness. He had learned of the atrocities of that night  thanks to “Bachelor’s party present” from Takeru. His friend had written him a full notebook with the tale of the night. The notebook was tucked in his safe box for fear that anyone aside of him would ever come across it. 

“Besides...it’s just baking. How hard can it be?”

“Baking has a pretty high level of complexity…”

“Koushiro...what did I tell you?”

“Right...sorry.”

Mimi was pretty excited about the whole baking thing and Koushiro was simply content with seeing her smile, so despite all the potential things that could go wrong, he shut his mouth and followed her lead. 

“Ok...we need  a recipe…”

“Sure, I can find one…” Koushiro shrugged “What did you have in mind?”

“I was thinking of something...original.” Mimi said, rubbing her chin in thought “My mother always said that recipes were for fools.”

Koushiro had his own thoughts regarding the lack of a recipe, especially considering that neither of them knew anything about cooking.  Not using a recipe sounded more like a path to disaster.

“Eh...ok. I admire your creativity, but maybe we should try with a basic recipe...as base?”

“We need no recipe. I mean...it’s a cake…” Mimi said, winking at him “Flour, sugar, eggs, milk...voila!”

He was sure that a cake mix was more than just adding the ingredients into a bowl, but with Mimi’s temper, he needed to find a way to tell her that without actually contradicting her. 

“You wanted me to help, and I want to help. You know...searching stuff is pretty much my thing, so...why don’t you...let me find one? Please?”

“Ah, fine. Get one then…”

Koushiro smiled. At least he had managed to convince her to let him do that. It was a small thing, but maybe the whole baking experience wouldn't be as bad as he thought.

“Why did you suddenly feel like entering this contest?”

“No reason in particular. I was talking to Sora and Hikari, and it sounded like a good idea to bond.”

“To... bond?” Koushiro asked dumbfounded “What?”

“I read somewhere that going through challenges is an excellent way to create a strong bonds when you’re a couple.”  Mimi said. She was rummaging through the cupboards and taking out anything that she considered potential ingredients. 

“Koushiro -han...I don’t think tuna goes into a cupcake recipe…” Tentomon muttered to his partner and Koushiro sighed. 

“Mimi...I think saving the world from malicious digimon counts as enough challenge to create a bond.”

“Ah...it’s not the same. We need stuff we can tell our grandchildren! Funny stories.” Mimi pouted “ Not creepy stories about how a psychopath digimon tried to kidnap innocent kids to turn them into dukes of darkness. I don’t want my grandchildren to have bad dreams...”

Grandchildren, not children. Koushiro noted. He chuckled and stared at his fiancee with a grin.

“I don’t see why not? What child wouldn’t want to hear how his grandmother beat the bad guys into a pulp?”

“I don’t want them to see me like a violent woman!” Mimi pouted “hence why I went for the baking contest.”

“Ok…” 

Koushiro could see her reasoning there, but there were plenty of other “family friendly” activities to which they would be more suitable. 

“But...why baking?”

“Mmm… it sounded about right.” Mimi shrugged “Hikari and Takeru cook together all the time.”

“But they didn’t enter a contest did they?”

“Sora is still single, so she doesn’t have much advice to give on the topic.”  Mimi shrugged “Taichi and Sora should stop dancing around each other and get at it already. Uh,,,maybe I will turn that into my new project after all the wedding is over. I can always use the distraction.”

“Like you did trying to hook up Hikari and Takeru when they were in highschool?”

“Hey! For starters...I needed to do that or Taichi would end up hooking you  with her. Besides...everyone knew those two had something going. THey’re really their brothers’ siblings.”

Koushiro laughed and rubbed his fiancee’s back caringly.

“Ok, ok...as long as you’re happy. So have you decided on the ingredients for the cupcakes?”

“Yup!” Mimi said triumphantly “Tuna, mayonaise salad with a frosting of mayo and sweet milk.” Koushiro stared at her in silence. That combo couldn’t be right, but he knew Mimi and once the woman had made her mind, nothing anyone could do would ever change it.  All he could do was to follow her lead and try, as best as he could, to persuade her to dropout some of the exotic ingredients on the way. 

The baking session went on better than he could have asked. True, the kitchen was a mess with flour, cake mixture and dirty utensils scattered over the table and sink, but for a first attempt of baking in their lives, the results were actually good. 

Forty minutes later, the kitchen was filled with an odd mix of sweet and salty  scent. The famous cupcakes had turned out pretty well, at least at first sight. Color was pretty, it was well cooked, and puffed well enough.  

“Aha! Told you it couldn’t be that hard!” Mimi said triumphantly “I might actually have talent for this!”

“You’re an extremely talented woman. I never question that, but maybe we should check on the flavor before we make that assumption.”

“True...Alright. Frosting time!” 

Mimi pulled out the frosting bag. the mixture did not have the most pleasant appearance, or the most beautiful consistency. The color was a little dull and Koushiro had some reservations about asking what things she had added to it. He had seen Mimi rummaging through the cabinets again a while ago, but he’d been keeping an eye on the baking pastries and had not seen what she was doing. 

“Eh...this is?”

“Heh...this...is my new creation. Mayo-Marshmallow-Sweetened milk merengue!”

Ok...aside from the mayonaise, it sounded rather normal.

“I added up some cayenne and pepper to give it personality, too and curcumin for color.”

He stood corrected.

“Eh...Mimi, I am not sure about….”

“Oh shush. Shut it and frost the damn cupcakes!” she said, pushing the bag to him.

“What? Me?”

“Yeah, I made the mix...it is only fair that you frost them.”

“I don’t think…”

“Just do it.” Koushiro sighed. The first cupcake was a pathetic attempt.The frosting was thicker than he had thought and apparently way too sticky. THe mix kept getting stuck on the tip and he couldn't make a proper shape, which caused Mimi to burst into laughter. 

His second attempt went a little better, it wasn't perfect, but it looked a lot more like a normal cupcake. Things kept improving as he proceeded to the rest of the cupcakes until the infamous frosting was gone. 

“See? Wasn’t that bad, was it? I bet you had a fund...”

“I must admit, it had certain therapeutic effects…” Koushiro chuckled and he heard a soft click. Mimi had just snapped a photo of him.

“What was that?”

“Nothing...you’re all covered in frosting, so I wanted this as a keepsake” Mimi smirked, winking at him. 

“You’re one to talk...have you seen yourself?”

“I think I am rocking the baker style though…” the girl said with a flirtatious gesture.

That was true, Koushiro had to admit. There were very few things that could make Mimi look bad. The flour on her cheeks highlighted her eyes and the mixture stains on her apron looked more like a print than stains.

“Well, we did it Mr. Odds…” Mimi smiled brightly “Now the fire test!”

The rose haired woman picked one of the cupcakes and settled on a plate. She grabbed a dessert spoon and scooped a generous portion of the cake and handed it to her fiance. 

“Say ah!”

“Wait...you want me to test it first?”

“Well, duh. You’re supposed to give the first bite to the person you love, no?”

Koushiro blushed. Part of him felt extremely touched by the gesture, but another part, a tiny one, felt a little scared about what the exotic thing would do to his stomach. 

He took a deep breath and took on the piece of cake he’d been offered. He had expected a disaster, but to his surprise, the mix of saltiness from the tuna, the sweetness and fluffiness of the cake and slightly tangy flavor of the mayonnaise blended well together making the flavor unique. 

He took his time to chew and swallow, while Mimi watched him expectantly.

“So…?”

“It’s good. Like incredible and surprisingly good.”

“Hah, see? Told you. I’ve got talent for this.”

“Another thing you’ve proved me wrong.” Koushiro smiled “but why did you come up with these ingredients?”

“Because…”Mimi smirked “They are different...just like you and I, but when they’re together, they simply work.”

Koushiro chuckled. He was, once again, defeated by his fiancee’s logic.  

[izzyizumi]

Digimon Adventure (Series)/tri. + Headcanons Koushiro Izumi + Child + Koushiro & Hikari Friendship/Supporting Each Other {+Bonus Maki, “H o m e o s t a s i s” Commentary} Original Commentary & (only Slightly outdated) Theorizing (& Rambling) under the ‘read more’!

Headcanon name: Kami(ko?) (An “English dub”-style localized name would probably be: Cami with the ‘C’) [In my childhood headcanons, “Camille”, meaning “Light”, was also possible; Koushiro’s name, in comparison, also contains the kanji for “Light”, which is the exact same as Hikari’s name meaning!] (Thus, ‘Camille’ would be fitting as a sort of ‘U.S. Dub’ name but...?)

(why bother keeping the “-ko”, etc. when you have A LITERAL psuedo? “ GOD ” hanging out inside of your body??) [+Kami{ko}’s friends probably roll with it anyway and give it as a nickname BECAUSE, W E L L -----]

Edits made by me + some also made via my TAICHIxKOUSHIRO ficverse’s: “KOUSHIRO’S ? CYBER JOURNEY” AMV

         “ I AM THE ONE WHO DESIRES STABILITY … ”

- H O M E O S T A S I S, Digimon Adventure Ep. 45 / Digimon Adventure tri: Ketsui

BONUS:

        “ but I FEEL that SOMETHING is CHANGING ... “

{ PLEASE DO NOT INTERACT WITH THIS POST IF YOU ARE LGBTQIAPN+phobic in ANY WAY } [ Please read my “about” and “FAQ” pages for more on this. ] { IF I NOTICE OTHERWISE, YOU WILL BE BLOCKED. DON’T DO IT. }

                        [ This post is meant purely as fun headcanons. ]                              (Including the Below original ramble)

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