#i'll hopefully be more timely tomorrow a;lsdjf;asj

[genork-the-fandork]

This is Just the Start

This is Just the Start

Word Count: 841

Prompt: “Beginning,” Day 1 of Digiweek 2021

Featured Characters: Tai Kamiya

A/N: Because I’m silly, I can’t just post one thing a day for Digiweek. I love Digimon too much (and I guess I hate my hands too much) to do so. So for my second contribution, I decided to make reference both to the original generation of Adventure, as well as the next generation that was hinted at with the 02 epilogue. I hope you enjoy!

@digiweek​

It was happening again. The snowstorm in summer. The giant wave that washed them away. The feeling of his stomach in his throat as he fell. Disorientation from not knowing where he was. Koromon. Kuwagamon.

His first adventure in the Digital World played back like a film reel, moving so fast he couldn't focus on one image for more than a few seconds. The confusion was familiar, even after so many years. Tai could almost believe he was eleven again, armed with only his mini telescope and goggles as he explored this strange new world that he'd come to love.

The memory washed away as sunlight flooded his vision, bringing him back to reality, where his alarm was blaring and his son was throwing open the curtains. "Come on, Dad, we're gonna be late!"

Tai sat up and yawned, scrubbing his hand through his short brown hair as he tracked his son's frenetic movements all over the room. "Even if we are, they won't leave without us, Daichi."

Pouting, Daichi said, "But Daaaaaad!"

He had to admit, it was hard to argue with that logic. "Alright, alright, I'm getting up. You better get dressed, too, young man."

With a flash of gravity-defying hair, his son sprinted out of the room to do as he said, and Tai stood and stretched his arms above his head. Moving to the window, he noted the sunshine lighting up the city, and he hoped that the weather was just as pleasant in the Digital World.

A yawn interrupted a budding thought regarding his dream, and he hurried to get ready for their outing before his son could scold him again. Considering the teasing he was probably going to have to endure when they arrived, he wouldn't want to add more fuel to the fire.

Today wasn't about him, after all. It was all about Daichi and the other kids.

~ ~ ~

"Still haven't managed to figure out how to wake up on time?" Kari teased as Tai and Daichi arrived at the park.

"Did you expect anything less?" Tai quipped back, reaching over to ruffle his sister's hair. She'd pulled it back in a ponytail today, and her cheeks were flushed with excitement. Gatomon perched on her shoulder, blue eyes narrowed into unreadable slits. Tai felt a sudden wave of nostalgia for the days when Kari was much younger, and a brief image of her eight-year-old self flashed across his mind.

Ah, to go back to the good old days.

"Is everyone ready?" Izzy asked from the ground, looking up from his computer along with his daughter, whose owl eyes resembled that of Izzy's ten-year-old self.

He was starting to feel older the more he was reminded of his own first time in the Digital World.

The DigiDestined and their children all nodded, and Izzy opened the gate to the Digital World. Eyes wide with awe, the children stepped through first, their joyful exclamations causing their parents to chuckle. Daichi held tightly to Tai's hand and led him through the gate, blinking when they emerged into the sunlight of the Digital World. The bright colors stood out among the duller shades of their clothes, but Tai felt a strange sense of peace wash over him the longer he stood staring.

How he loved this strange little alternate world.

"This is the Digital World?" Daichi asked, looking up at Tai with round brown eyes.

"This is the Digital World," he confirmed, crouching beside his son and ruffling his wild hair. "I hope you'll like it here, Daichi."

"I love it!" the boy chirped, grinning the type of grin he must have definitely inherited from his father.

"Then why don't you go and explore?" Tai suggested gently, nodding his head to where the other children were running around. Daichi's eyes brightened, and he scampered off.

Tai stood and watched his son, slipping his hands into his pockets and fingering the Digivice he'd been keeping in there.

He heard the distinct sound of Agumon's footsteps behind him. The orange dinosaur had been strangely silent all day, which would have worried Tai if there hadn't been such a thoughtful look on his face. "He looks just like you, Tai," the Digimon finally said, his green eyes fixed on Daichi. "It's almost like we went back in time."

"Yeah," Tai agreed, letting his hand fall so Agumon could reach up with his claws. Wrapping his fingers around one of Agumon's claws, he had to bite back the tears as he said, "But our adventure ended a long time ago, buddy."

"And Daichi's?" Agumon murmured, concern tinging his raspy voice.

At that, Tai couldn't help but smile, even around his nostalgic tears. Around him, his friends were also shedding tears, silent or noisy, as they watched their children frolick in the place they'd come to consider a bit of a second home. Seeing how happy his son looked to be in this place Tai loved so much, he turned to his Digimon partner with a smile.

"For Daichi, this is just the beginning."