#koushiro and guilt

[koushirouizumi]

{This is the Nice Drink of tonight!}

{Remember to enjoy your Nice Drink forever and always!!!}

(*Please be mindful to brush your teeth well after.)

{D I G I M O N} Adventure: B e y o n d {Adventure 25th Anniversary M u s i c V i d e o/Official P.V.} + T A I C H I Yagami's & K O U S H I R O Izumi's N e w {D e s i g n} T e a s e r s! {KouTai} / {Tai/Kou} / {Taishiro[u]} {from here and here}!!

[maryychill]

Digimon Adventure Tri: why it's more than you think

Originally posted on Reddit.

I believe Digimon Adventure Tri deserves a more careful, emotionally attuned rereading. I'm not here to claim absolute truth. I just want to share what I understood and felt, hoping this might encourage viewers to see the work through a different lens, especially if they're open to reevaluating it.

Tri isn't broken, it's fractured on purpose

Tri is not a classic sequel. It doesn't try to replicate the adventure spirit of the original series. Instead, it dares to explore a more introspective and emotional space. I've read some people saying that there are many subplots. But if you pay attention, everything that seems scattered is actually tied together by one common thread: the dissonance between who they once were, and who they begin to be when life stops giving easy answers.

I understand that not everyone wants to see their childhood characters grow up. That's valid. Sometimes we'd rather keep them frozen in time, running across the digiworld without ever facing heartbreak or existential crisis.

But Tri proposes something different.

It doesn't ask us to return to who we were, it asks us to acknowledge that we've changed. It shows that heroes can hesitate, that bonds can shift, and that searching for meaning is part of the fight too.

I find it moving that these characters have grown, that they're still evolving, each in their own way. That gives me hope. Because evolving doesn't always look like a flashy transformation. Sometimes it looks like staying, questioning, choosing not to run.

And if this stage doesn't resonate with you, that's okay too. Maybe it wasn't your moment. Or maybe your connection to Adventure lives on a different plane.

The beauty is that nothing takes away what came before or what comes after. It just gains new layers over time.

An emotional, not conventional structure

Tri doesn't talk about an external enemy. It speaks of an internal fracture.

From the very beginning, it tells us:

“Demiurge, the soulless creator... Idea, the true form of the world...”

This isn't just poetic dressing, it's the story's thesis. The Digital World was created as a system, but one that never truly understood the beings it would hold. The infection corrupting digimon isn't just a virus. It's a metaphor, a crack in the digital soul.

Tri doesn't follow the traditional "adventure-enemy-digivolution" formula. Its core conflict often comes in silences, glances, inner contradictions.

What hurts isn't always what happens. Sometimes it's the feelings too complex to name.

Taichi hasn't lost his courage, he's transformed it into responsibility.

Yamato isn't angry for drama's sake, he's frustrated because he doesn't know how to reach Taichi anymore.

Sora doesn't fade, she's depleted from holding everyone together while forgetting how to hold herself.

Joe isn't a coward, he's the first to confront doubt.

Mimi isn't shallow, she's defending her authenticity in a world that tries to mute it.

Koushiro isn't just the genius, he's a child who made logic his shield to avoid emotional collapse.

Takeru isn't just the optimist, his quiet strength is how he doesn't get pulled under by others' pain.

Hikari isn't just light, she's a channel. Her sensitivity connects her to the invisible, but it also makes her deeply vulnerable.

Meiko isn't a mistake, she's the weight of quiet guilt and undeserved blame.

Himekawa isn't a villain, she's a warning, consumed by a love that couldn't let go.

Nishijima isn't a mentor, he's a man who regrets arriving too late.

A symbolic reading of the Digital World

Tri challenges the Digital World's mythology. It introduces concepts like the Demiurge (imperfect creator) and Idea (true essence), pulling from gnostic and platonic philosophy. The infection is not just a digital bug. It's the result of a world built without understanding the emotions that would one day inhabit it.

Distortions in space, corrupted binary code (like the unexplained "2" in a system built on 0 and 1), the merging of realities, and the appearance of soulless replicas like Imperialdramon, none of it is random. It all speaks to a world collapsing from within, not due to external battles.

A quiet story of transformation

At the beginning of this story, Taichi wants to bring everyone back together, but time has passed. They've taken different paths, changed in ways that aren't always compatible. It's not about caring less. It's about learning that closeness sometimes fades without meaning to, and that trying to reclaim it isn't always simple.

A common criticism is that Taichi now hesitates and that this is regression.

Taichi's hesitation isn't fear, it's awareness. A pause. A question: can I still protect, without hurting anyone?

This isn't a contradiction, it's a continuation.

Let’s go back to Adventure:

Episode 16: SkullGreymon emerges from his recklessness

Episode 19: Sora was kidnapped because of him

Episode 45: his leadership fractures the group

Episode 48: we see him doubt and we learn the origin of his guilt, blaming himself for Hikari's near death as a child.

02 never explored that aftermath. The story shifted focus to a new cast. But Tri picks up that thread and now Taichi isn't afraid of danger, he's afraid of causing harm. That’s not cowardice, it's growth.

And in that pause, we glimpse the roots of the future Taichi, who will one day become a diplomat, working for coexistence between humans and digimon.

Yamato doesn't understand the change, and he pushes, hoping to ignite the old spark. But underneath the anger is the fear of losing a connection that once felt unbreakable.

Meanwhile, the Digital World is fracturing.

Not from outside danger, but from the blurring lines between emotion and system, past and present, role and identity.

Soulless Systems

These aren't classic "villains":

Yggdrasill is not an evil mastermind or alien invader. It's a symbolic, near-divine system that governs without empathy. Cold, logical, and utterly disconnected. It never appears because it doesn't need to. Its will is carried out through proxies like Alphamon, corrupted Gennai, and even manipulated humans. Yggdrasill represents the idea of a creator that has lost touch with its creation, a divine absence rather than a presence.

Alphamon is not an enemy. He's an executor without voice or motive. He doesn't speak, doesn't hate, doesn't choose. He deletes threats because that is his function. He is kind of a ghost in armor, a weapon with no soul, following the will of a broken god.

Homeostasis is not the "good side". It's a system that seeks balance. A bodiless, emotionless protocol whose only priority is to restore order when chaos threatens to collapse the Digital World. It doesn't act out of empathy or cruelty, it simply follows its function. It doesn't shift because it changes its mind, but because its compass is not moral, it's systemic. It speaks through vessels (like Hikari) and intervenes not with force, but by rebooting what’s broken to restore balance.

Hackmon / Jesmon is not a friend or foe. He is the system's messenger. He watches from the shadows, especially focused on Meicoomon, whom he perceives as a destabilizing anomaly. But Hackmon doesn't act on feeling. He is the voice of Homeostasis. Its blade. And when observation is no longer enough, he digivolves into Jesmon. But Jesmon is not hope, is protocol. A final measure. He doesn't come to save, he comes to execute.

When the system doesn't grasp the soul

In a world where connections become unpredictable, systems try to fix what they don't understand.

But emotions can't be repaired or deleted with code.

It's there, amidst reboots and algorithms, that the chosen children must decide whether to obey or to choose.

Meicoomon, a rift in the soul

Meicoomon isn't just an infected digimon, she contains Libra, which can't be controlled or regulated.. Her bond with Meiko is the most fragile, yet it's also honest.

Meiko, a chosen child who struggles to understand and bear her role, still chooses to stay. She remains, even when she feels she's the source of the pain, and even when her presence brings discomfort to others.

Libra, the code sealed in the soul

Libra is more than just a virus or a system error. It's an anomaly within the code, a burden sealed within Meicoomon from her origin. Imagine it as a living archive, holding the emotional record of the Digital World before its reboot: light and shadow, order and chaos.

To safeguard this data, it was encrypted inside her, unbeknownst to her and beyond her capacity to handle.

But Meicoomon was not created to carry such a burden. Her sensitivity and natural instability made her vulnerable to that information. It overwhelmed her, turning her into a contradiction of innocence and chaos.

Libra is not her fault. It's the Digital World's doing for putting such a heavy burden on a digimon who simply deserved to exist.

The Reboot: resetting isn't healing

The reboot wasn't a mere narrative whim or an attempt to "fix" the Digital World. It was an emergency measure. The infection had destabilized the system so severely that Homeostasis executed its last resort to restore balance: a complete reset.

This reboot came with an incredibly high cost: the loss of memories, of everything shared between the chosen children and their partners.

It wasn't an act of malice, but one of coldness. A systemic protocol that simply doesn't account for emotions. For Homeostasis, a bond is just another variable in the equation of balance.

Some criticize the reboot for "failing" because Meicoomon remained infected. But that's precisely the point: Libra wasn't a superficial error. It was a deep rift, inscribed in her soul. It wasn't just digital, it was existential. And that can't be erased with a reset. Systems can be rebooted, but the soul cannot.

Yet, even though the reboot failed in its ultimate goal, the most valuable outcome was this: even without memories, without data, without prior programming... the bonds found their way back. Because some connections don't depend on memory. Some encounters transcend code. When the soul recognizes another, it doesn't need reasons. It simply responds.

Tri shows us that some connections can't be explained, they can only be felt. These are the bonds that endure, even through forgetfulness and loss.

And it's within this very mystery, something that completely eludes rigid systems, that the emotional and the intangible begin.

The "canon" isn't broken, the story has layers

The absence of the 02 kids has been one of the most persistent criticisms of Tri. However, from the first episode, their disappearance is presented as a deliberate choice, not an oversight. It's not a case of forgetting or erasing them. It was about narrowing the focus. Also, a narrative void designed to generate uncertainty, and that uncertainty is a key part of the emotional tone the story aims to convey.

Alphamon defeats them off-screen, and while this bothers their fans, it also emphasizes a crucial point: this isn't their story. It's the story of the original chosen children. Of those who are drifting apart and question if they are still the same people. Himekawa deceives them, telling them everything is fine, much like the system watches them silently. This manipulation also reflects an uncomfortable truth: sometimes, we grow up believing everything remains as it was, until it no longer does.

And when Imperialdramon appears in Episode 8 “Determination - Part 4”, it does so as a shadow. Not as the return of a beloved digimon, but as an anomaly. Daisuke and Ken aren't there. There's no digivice, no connection. It's a silent replica that attacks as if the Digital World were projecting a broken memory.

Could the pain of their absence have been explored more deeply? Maybe. But Tri chooses to focus its lens. It doesn't erase or contradict, it simply pauses at a different stage: the stage of those who are present. Those who, without intending to, also somewhat disappeared from themselves.

Perhaps Tri wasn't created to please. Perhaps it was created to make us feel.

Not all errors are failures

Tri isn't perfect. There are narrative moments that could have been more polished, and even the technical aspects of the art could have been refined. Yet, as a whole, it's a work that takes risks and proposes new ideas. It shifts the focus from "what happens" to "what we feel".

And for a series built on emotion and evolution, that might be one of the most natural next steps it could take.

What Tri tells us (if we dare to listen)

Tri shows us that growing up isn't just about leaving things behind, it's about relearning who you are when everything changes.

It shows us that sometimes, bonds break without anyone being at fault.

It reminds us that you can't always save another person, but you can stay, watch, feel, and simply be there.

And above all, Tri makes us realize a powerful truth: that bonds, even if they fade, change, or cause pain, are still what makes life truly meaningful. Because to feel, to doubt, to make mistakes, and to try again with another, that is truly to evolve, and it's absolutely worth it.

Recommendations for a better viewing experience

Divide it into chapters. I know Tri was originally released as OVAs, but you might find it on platforms like Crunchyroll, which divides it into episodes. This makes it easier to digest its emotional pacing.

Watch at least these prequels beforehand: Digimon Adventure, Our War Game and Digimon Adventure 02. Not because they're strictly mandatory, but because I think Tri is in direct conversation with the memories and events of those stories.

Choose the original japanese audio with subtitles. The dubs (especially in english and spanish) often contain significant errors that distort the emotional message. The original japanese voice acting is also rich with subtle nuances.

Avoid external noise. Don't let soulless criticisms or external expectations contaminate your experience. Watch Tri with a clear mind and open heart. Let the story unfold and speak to you, at your own pace, in your own way.

If it helps, approach it as a side story. Think of Tri less as a continuation and more as an exploration of this particular stage in the original Adventure kids' lives.

And if Tri wasn't for you, that's perfectly fine. Don't worry. It doesn't ruin anything, and it doesn't change anything. You can simply choose to omit its existence, or you can enjoy the layers it adds as it leads us toward the epilogue of Adventure 02.

Thanks for reading. If Tri also stirred something within you, offered you comfort, or left you with questions... it's truly wonderful to inhabit that space with you.

[adventurexheart]

Whenever I see people who hate Digimon try to roast the series, saying, "It's for kids, and it's not like other anime that talk about serious stuff," I'm always so baffled. Did you people forget when Digimon Adventure talked about the severity of Yamato and Takeru's parents' divorce and how that impacted them?

Or the complicated relationship Sora had with her mother through Adventure? The minor implications of Our War Game when Taichi and Hikari were small children, and their dad came home drunk?

How about coming from a family that expects you to have your career figured out like Joe and not really considering his feelings when he talked about how it felt like to be the oldest of the chosen children.

Koushiro's backstory is that his parents had to tell him that he was adopted and that there was a car accident that killed his biological parents and his adoptive parent's child???

Heck, even in Digimon Adventure 02, Ken's survival guilt over his older brother's passing is pretty serious, and it goes against the whole "Digimon is just for kids" argument.

It's cool if you don't enjoy Digimon, but to act like the series itself doesn't touch on serious issues that can relate to not just kids but adults today is wild.

[starmahgalaxies]

Guaranteed way to show how hot it is: reflections in the asphalt, of all things.

Hikari, please, I'm begging, please speak up. You selfless, dear, child.

Tailmon looking like her whole world is crashing down not knowing what to do for Hikari 🙁.

Yep! Two peas in a pod 😁

Oh God, that is America. You want to go farther in, American health care is shit.

Looks of joy before having hopes and dreams crushed:

(Speaking of hope, Takeru's and Patamon's 😮 expressions in the background get me hard. lol)

Their looks of determination. There is my child and 'mon of hope and never give in.

...Well, it's a good plan while it lasts.

Medicine labels can be daunting. It does make sense something like that can be complicated (ingredients, instructions, etc), but that is a problem. The pharmaceutical labels, not kids not understanding how to read them.

That's an intimidating sight.

No!

It is a reason though. (Me empathizing most with Taichi but also a need to defend neurodivergent-coded Koushiro hyperfocusing on not the whole picture)

As someone who has horrible insomnia, watching TV is possibly the easiest activity to pull off while I'm sick. Not calling out Taichi in any way, as he clearly regrets and holds more guilt over what happened, and for being a young child. Just a brief FYI for anyone, though the episode makes it clear Hikari is still feeling awful. She's quieter and not as chipper, and plus in this shot specifically she's clearly slouched and in a position that suggest moving at all isn't something she feels putting effort toward.

All the regrets in the world + the kitchen sink for good measure 💔

No, even if there wasn't the pressure to save the world, I think what Hikari wants is not to be left behind and having her loved ones safe. She would have wanted to come with you, and Tailmon, and the other kids regardless of how much obligation she feels. She was disappointed and worried when you had to go back to the Digital World yourself the first time.

Reasons to have a VPN:

I'm glad someone recognizes that is a bad idea and overkill to go scorched earth. Doesn't make a difference, still gave that order. C- effort.

😡

(not at Koushiro, obviously, don't shoot the messenger and all that)

Picture moments before disaster.

A single picture does not convey it properly, but the build up for Mugendramon to fire his attack conveys alone how powerful he is.

Lessons learned this Episode:

Notice and be lenient with family members and loved ones who are sick.

Get a VPN.

Bombing people is bad.

Bombing children is fucked up.

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

This, after the SkullGreymon episode, is the second-most impressionable episode on little tiny baby me. Looking back on it as an adult, the episode kind of works as a tragedy and a war story and city under siege? I feel so hard for Taichi. The kid desperately does not want to make a similar mistake from when he was younger even though everything here is out of his control. It holds a special place in my heart with bittersweet nostalgia. Not the most gut-wrenching sibling tragedy war story anime I've seen, but that's because the other one is Grave of the Fireflies.

[genork-the-fandork]

Beating Hearts

Word Count: 547 Prompt: & Koushiro A/N: As the years go on I find something new to love about the relationship between Taichi and Koushiro. Romantic or not, these two have a lot of potential stored in them, and I don't think I completely did it justice. Continuing on with my personal theme of pain for myself, this one nearly did a huge number on me. I hope Koushiro and Taichi would have liked it. @taichiyagamiweek

The office looked empty without Tentomon buzzing around. It filled Taichi with a certain unease that somehow hadn't been following him in every other instance of this. Maybe because of the specific way Koushiro and Tentomon complemented each other, a singular unit of technology and science that functioned better together than they did alone. Taichi had always considered them one person, at least subconsciously.

Before Koushiro could begin whatever conversation he intended on having, Taichi bowed low, practically bending in half. "I'm so sorry."

He could hear the gears whirring in Koushiro's brain, hear the way he blinked once, then twice, then a third and fourth time, trying to process the reason for the apology. Finally, the younger boy said, "Why are you apologizing?"

Straightening up, Taichi tried not to meet his friend's gaze, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "We sped up the process, didn't we? And now you're alone."

Koushiro didn't answer at first, turning away and walking over to the window of his office. Taichi's brain inserted the image of Tentomon buzzing beside him, chattering away while Koushiro smiled that soft smile of his. The more he witnessed these cruel separations, the broken hearts left behind by a decision that was never theirs to make, the more Taichi's heart hurt. Whereas he felt the emptiness Agumon had left behind, he felt the hole beside his friends. It hurt so much to see what the Digital World had wrought upon them.

Lightly, Koushiro touched the window with the pads of his fingers, sighing. "There was bound to be something like Eosmon," he pointed out. "That's the way of our two worlds. Something is always at stake, always threatening the status quo. This was no different." He looked over his shoulder and smiled. "Do you regret any of it?"

The man who used to be a boy with goggles shook his head, grinning wryly. "Never. I'll never regret it."

"Neither will the rest of us." Koushiro turned fully to face him, backlit by the setting sun. "We had one last battle together, all eight of us. Including Sora." His mouth twitched; when he had become aware of what happened to Sora, he had been stricken, and Taichi wondered if perhaps Koushiro shouldered the guilt for not knowing what had afflicted their friend earlier than even Yamato or he. "All we can do now is watch over those who still have their partners and hope we'll find a way to see them again."

"If anyone can find the way, it's you, Koushiro. You were always the greatest of us that way." Taichi fingered the goggles in his pocket, his mind supplying memories of all the times Koushiro had literally and figuratively saved their butts, even when he was not directly involved in the fight at hand. "I'd say you're at the height of your potential."

"Aren't all of us? This isn't the end, Taichi." Koushiro placed his hand over his heart. "As long as our hearts are beating, I know we'll find a way."

Smiling widely, Taichi made his way over to his friend and held out his fist. Koushiro formed a fist with his own hand and bumped it lightly against Taichi's. A promise made between those who had always shouldered more than was fair. 

[digitalworid]

@glassesandpassion

"Miyako-senpai...!"

Hikari trotted up to her with a somewhat awkward smile.

It was surprisingly hard to get a moment alone with the girl known as Inoue Miyako. At first it was confusing. Now, with Miyako refusing to turn around and continuing away from her, it was clear that the avoidance was deliberate. The awkwardness grew by several magnitudes.

To begin with, she'd started this interaction because she wanted to apologize - for the chosen children monopolizing the computer lab which was technically Miyako's clubroom. But the level of hostility she felt from the older girl was much stronger than expected, enough to make her question how dearly important her club might've been to her, or if Hikari had somehow personally slighted her..

The girl felt only guilt and regret, not reciprocating even an ounce of that animosity. When someone glared at her, Hikari only thought to apologize for hurting them. And well, she'd already prepared an apology to begin with.

"Senpai, I got you a present!"

With that, the surprise was ruined, but there would be no surprise if Miyako wouldn't give her the time of day.

Hikari gently held the gift forward. It was the new peripheral Miyako had wanted for her computer.

"I...I know it must be annoying for you that we keep hogging the computer lab...! And that you probably only tolerate it because Koushiro asks you to...So...I wanted to say thank you!"

She summoned all her energy and held the peripheral out further, smiling with a warmth that could cut through a blizzard.

"I asked Koushiro what you would want. Is it ok?"

[izzyizumi]

Digimon Adventure ~ Episode 31 (J.P.N Version) featuring Characters: Koushiro[u] Izumi (& Mrs. Izumi) (+Tentomon) + as Canon ADOPTED

Start of the Episode -> End of the Episode

“Your mother must be making something DELICIOUS for you.” “She must be a very nice mother!”

“Koushiro-han, you look really HAPPY about something.”

BONUS:

“Even if he IS {HIDING SOMETHING}, we CAN’T {BLAME HIM} We’re {hiding “something”} from {him}, TOO.” - Mr. Izumi

“...” - Koushiro, in the final long moments of the scene, not making a sound

caps/gifs by @izzyizumi​, {Do Not Repost} {Do Not Remove Caption} {Do Not Reproduce without my Permission}

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[ayukaze]

Taiora - Hugging them from behind.

Is it ok to ask for Sora to be the one hugging Taichi?

+ smirking in a way that suggests more requested by @xnananko

Thank you for the request Anon, and for letting me know that you wanted Sora to be the one to initiate the hug. Though I'll be honest, when I first saw the notification of the ask, I could only read the first part and I'd already decided that Sora would be the one hugging so I'm glad our thoughts matched up 💖

This fic is set in a post adventure canon divergent au aka no 02/tri/kizuna/epilogue etc 😌

Hope you guys like reading it, posting something Taiora related after 7 months 😅

🧡~~❤️

Taichi would be lying to himself if he said that he had remembered Sora’s birthday correctly.

In fact, in the week leading up to it, he kept thinking he was forgetting something important but couldn’t put a finger on it. Until he arrived at school that morning and passed by Sora’s classroom, almost doing a double take noticing the crowd that had gathered inside. He’d always known that she was the kind of girl who made friends with people easily, but it was when he saw seniors and juniors alike handing her little packages and wishing her enthusiastically did Taichi realise, that maybe he didn’t know Sora all that well after all. He’d quickly made his way back to his own classroom, a little grateful that they weren’t in the same class this year and he could take this time to think about how he was going to make it up to her.

A distant memory of a failed gift from his childhood appeared in Taichi’s mind, how when he’d assumed what was better for Sora without asking her how she felt, it left her feeling upset with him during a crucial Digimon attack. He reminded himself to not make a mistake like that again, lest a wormhole opened up above their school and dropped more evil Digimon which Sora might refuse to fight against together with him.

All jokes aside, Taichi knew that he had to act and act fast. He texted Koushiro casually, asking him if he’d gotten anything for Sora at school, trying to make it seem like that he just wanted to check whether it was better to hand over the gift later, outside of school. His friend replied almost instantly, stating that he’d handed his gift to the birthday girl right at the school entrance this morning. Taichi tried his best not to curse under his breath, he’d seen a glimpse of Mimi’s pastel hair in Sora’s classroom, so he knew there was no point in asking the chirpy brunette. So as a last resort, he turned in his seat and came face to face with his best friend.

“You forgot Sora’s birthday,” Yamato muttered dryly, not looking up from the book he was reading, as if this conversation didn’t deserve that honour.

“Yeah.” Taichi accepted his fault, knowing that there was no point in trying to hide the truth from someone as observant as Yamato.

“And?” Yamato turned the page of the book he was reading and still did not seem as invested enough in this problem as Taichi would like him to be.

“Did you get her anything?”

“I’m dating her best friend, Taichi, so of course we got her a gift. As a matter of fact, we handed it over to her yesterday itself.” Yamato stated this as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, and it was Taichi’s fault that he hadn’t figured it out yet.

“And you didn’t think of reminding me?” Taichi asked, exasperated by his best friend’s cold behaviour.

“What am I? Your assistant?”

“No, I’d like to think you’re my best friend, but apparently not.” Taichi gritted his teeth and turned away from Yamato, letting his head drop on his desk with a loud thud that scared some of his classmates seated around him.

“Just go to the convenience store during lunch and buy her some chocolates.” Yamato offered in a much softer tone than before, maybe the best friend comment seemed to get to him.

“It’s Sora! I can’t just buy her cheap chocolates for her birthday.”

As much as he wanted to hide his guilt and frustration with himself, it was hard to keep the emotions in when he felt so helpless. With his current track record of gifting stupid stuff to Sora, he wanted to make sure that this time around he’d get her something she would truly like. Of course, to do that he should’ve strived to remember her birthday correctly in the first place. However, Taichi still felt that if he had time on his side, he could make up for this blunder and walk up to Sora with the perfect gift in his hand. Maybe Yamato had figured his intentions out too, because he heard his friend sigh loudly behind him.

“I’ll help you in avoiding her today,” Yamato said.“Just make sure you go buy a gift after school and hand it over to her in the evening.”

“You’d do that for me?” Taichi raised his head and looked at Yamato with shining eyes.

“Yes. I am your best friend right?” Yamato smirked as he turned his attention back to his book.

It seemed that Yamato and Mimi were addicted to texting each other in between classes, which is how his best friend was able to figure out Sora’s schedule for the day, and that made hiding from her a very simple task for Taichi. He managed to keep his profile low the entire day, only stepping out from the comfort of his classroom when it was time for his afternoon soccer practice. But he wasn’t worried about getting caught then since most of the school would’ve emptied by the time his practice was over and Yamato had mentioned something about Sora making plans with Mimi for the evening.

And that’s why, as practice went on and Taichi completely immersed himself in the sport, he let his guard down, ruining all the effort he’d put into staying under the radar during school hours.

He stood gulping down water from his sipper at the edge of the soccer field. Their Coach had wrapped up practice with a few words of advice and while most of his teammates were heading back to the locker room, he considered if he should stay back for about thirty minutes to work on his weak points. He’d already figured out what he would buy for Sora, so he knew he wouldn’t take too much time in getting the gift to her, which should free up some extra time for soccer right now. The sun had only just begun to set and Taichi viewed the orange hue that had started to spread across the skyline with a hint of confusion.

Before he could reach a decision, however, he felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist.

Taichi felt his whole body tremble as a familiar and sweet, flowery scent reached him along with the warmth that spread across his back as someone pressed themselves against it. He was frozen to the spot and colour rushed into his cheeks when he looked down and noticed the slender arms that now rested comfortably around his waist. The dimmed rays of sunlight made the beige coloured skin shine like bronze, making his fingers twitch with an ache to trace his name slowly across her arm.

“Gotcha!” A soft giggle reached his ears as he felt a chin rest upon his shoulder.

Taichi tried his best to not jump as an electric sensation ran across his body through his ears, the part where Sora’s breath had tickled against his skin still buzzing. His heart began to beat fast when the fact that Sora’s chest was now touching his back registered in his panic stricken mind.

Deep down he didn’t mind the proximity, especially when Sora had been the one to initiate it.

He was used to letting his hand brush past hers or bumping his shoulder with hers when they walked side by side. He didn’t try to hold himself back when he sat next to her, letting his knee rest by hers, letting his head fall onto her shoulder for a quick nap. He never hesitated to take her hand into his own when they walked through crowded streets or ran to get to school on time. However, Sora had never done anything like this before, sure she played along with him when he tried it, but in those few moments when he expected this of her, she’d shy away by averting her gaze or moving further apart.

Something about today must really be different for Sora to suddenly hug him from behind like this.

With all the willpower he could muster, Taichi pried her hands away from his body carefully and took a few step forwards, so he could turn around and face her with a nervous smile.

“Happy Birthday.”

“Thank you.” She returned his smile in full, cherry eyes filled with excitement as she looked at him.

“You’re quite the popular girl today, huh?” Taichi joked, an attempt to hide the anxiousness of being caught before he had the time to get her a gift.

“Is that why you didn’t come to see me all day today?” Sora folded her arms across her chest, tilting her head as she passed him a confused look.

“Yeah.” He lied, swallowing the nervous gulp in his throat with great difficulty, “Almost couldn’t find you, what with your ladies in waiting forming a wall around you.”

Sora narrowed her eyes at him, he could see the gears in her mind turning as she dissected his words and behaviour. He squirmed under her gaze, finding it difficult to hold his ground, he looked up at the sky instead and started to whistle in a low tune. If Sora hadn’t figured out he was trying to hide something from her till now, he knew that this would’ve definitely given him away. As expected, in the next moment she shook her head and sighed tiredly.

“You forgot it was my birthday today, didn’t you?”

“No, I did not! I totally remembered, you just looked so busy-”

“Oh, Taichi please don’t lie to me today.” She interrupted him with a raised hand and he hated how disappointed she sounded. This was the exact opposite of how he’d expected their conversation to go once he finally decided to face her today.

“Just admit that you forgot, I won’t be mad at you,” Sora said, letting her hands drop to her side so she could fidget with the hem of her uniform skirt.

“I didn’t forget.” Taichi reasserted, though he had no idea from where he was getting the guts to lie so confidently. “I...I even- I even prepared an amazing gift for you.”

Since he’d already dug a hole for himself with the first lie, Taichi decided that he might as well dig a little deeper. Looking at the sudden spark of interest that spread across Sora’s face, he felt more motivated to keep going with the plan he’d just come up with a few seconds ago, despite how utterly crazy and reckless it was.

“Really?” She asked him, eyes wide with hope as she stared at him.

“Yeah. I spent a lot of time thinking about what I should get you this year.” Taichi cleared his throat and took a step forward, reducing the distance between them slightly, “But nothing I saw seemed like the perfect gift that I know you deserve, so I came up with something else. Something...something I couldn’t have given you in front of everyone else.”

The sun had pretty much disappeared against the tall skyscrapers of Tokyo, which left the sky drenched in deep shades of purples and oranges. The violet hues danced off of Sora’s auburn hair, surrounding her with a reddish glow that made it hard for Taichi to look away from. Her bright eyes were fixed on him, anticipation bubbling through them as a pink tint spread across her cheeks. What he was about to do next scared him slightly, but looking at her right now, when she was surrounded by a mesmerising radiance that beckoned Taichi to come closer, he knew that he was taking the right step.

This might not be the gift he’d originally thought of, but it was still a perfect gift nonetheless.

With that thought, Taichi took another step forward to close the distance between them.

He cupped Sora’s chin in his hand and tilted her face upwards, pressing his lips to hers gently. He smiled against her lips when he felt both her hands clutch onto his t-shirt as he leaned deeper into the kiss. A soft moan reached his ears when he used his tongue to caress her lips, tasting her orange-flavoured lip balm. He raised his other hand and traced his fingers across her cheek, feeling her soft skin at his fingertips just so he could remind himself that this wasn’t a dream, but he really was standing on the school soccer field and kissing Sora.

The thought jolted awake his rational side and Taichi pulled away from the kiss abruptly, darting his head around to check if they were being watched. He sighed with relief when he noticed that the lights were out in the school building and the field was completely deserted as well. When he turned his attention back to Sora, he saw that she was still clinging to his chest as pouted up at him.

“So..uh..yeah, happy birthday,” Taichi murmured as he avoided looking at her eyes, feeling the repercussion of his bold move flood to his cheeks in the form of a hot flush.

“Hm. I wouldn’t consider it a happy birthday yet,” Sora said as her lips curved upwards and she let her gaze drop to his lips.

“Uh, I don’t understand-”

“Come on, Taichi,” Sora smirked at him as she stood on her toes so she could lean closer towards him. A mischievous glint danced across her dark, rosy eyes as her smile and low tone suggested more than what her innocent words let on, “You can still give me a better gift than that, right?”

Taichi held his breath for a moment, waiting to see if Sora would laugh and push him away, claiming that she was just joking. But when her eyes stayed fixed on his face and her hands continued to hold onto his chest tightly, he allowed himself to grin as he snaked one arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him.

“The birthday girl’s wish is my command.”

🧡~~❤️

[droshawoluv]

For a while I've been thinking of putting words why Digimon Adventure 2020 doesn't make me want to be super invested into it (but still entertained) and it all boils down to: it doesn't make me cry lmao.

I love that, I love being invested in that and characters having emotional rollercoaster everywhere and traumatic backstories or memories and then I am crying along Taichi feeling a deep rooted guilt because how almost killed his own sister, or how they see Digimon get brutally killed and instead of being scarred for life they are like "oh no...anyway off to victory!"

But I have to admit it's nonsensical fun and just a good time at points, which is what I want for every time the destined children are together (which is another issue, when they join they split, when they reunite they are drifted away, when they make it back they are drifted away again). But when it happens, there are fun moments just like every Mimi and Joe episode 🤣 (is the potatomon a reference to Joe singing "Kaze no fraido potato"? Because that's make it a 10/10)

It's frustrating maybe if the OTT plot in the real world appears and gets solved in between the main journey, are we fighting Devimon or are we helping the NASA, or both? Why is Omegamon appearing so much? When did their Crest meaning have to do with something? + the timing or moments or reason behind every new evolution may give that "eh that wasn't as satisfying". But if I look it just as the silly fun and COOL AS FUCK animations and moves, then I have fun myself! Accepting that I won't be crying just of imagining what a character may feel, and see them do stuff made it to me to enjoy it more, I like the wild digimon leveling up because survivor of the fittest type of thing, and they do show nice relationship between each other (in fact, one of the best moments are when there is no ISS crisis AND they are still together as group):

Taichi being a source of support and encouragement to Koushiro, the siblings relationship, Taichi and Sora being that 1-2 leading combo and being the reliable parents. Yamato being that cool tsun tsun but not annoying dude. Mimi is always queen in every universe. Joe using Zudomon hammer what the fuck go off king. Cute things to catch up from that.

And also, the fact that I don't have to watch the same attacking animation 17890 times through the show is so important. Imagine Digimon Adventure or Tamers with these animations, is insane. I thought the warpevolution was already cool, seeing Wargreymon appearance not the first, but the second time show an animation that was the coolest evolution animation ever in that technical stuff.

In summary, a lot of things to not care about the whole of it (so far, chapter 40 already), but taking bits individually (that you may completely forget because it's irrelevant to the big scene) is actually cool! Some I can remember off the top of my head are

Mimi chan kingdom; Joe and Gomamon speaking before Ikkakumon evolution; Yamato having a small "wow these bozos are caring about me and supporting me? Is this...FRIENDSHIP?" bc you know, his crest and all; the way MetalGreymon evolved, like, is not better than the OG of course, but I mean how he was fighting a bigger dude and for MANY times they were trying but not giving up, as in, showing their courage, made sense; Lillymon and the whole nature defeating the machinery of Andromon; Holy Digimon being special and focusing on that; Tailmon fears and struggles up to its Angewomon evolution (MarineDevimon was a good idea to put there); the one solving the ISS crisis being Koshiro not just in knowledge but in action trusted by his friends and leader Taichi; Taichi and Sora playing football together heck yeah cuties show how well you both combine for everything and be cute in front of my salad (they are making it on purpose, Taichi gets trapped and immediately the Love emblem shines to evolve to Garudamon).

Is there a Team Light and Team Hope coming apparently? That's cute. Looking forward to it.

Anyway, just wanted to write about it for so long since I have that "ok I get where this is heading and it's to not make me cry" feeling but I have different thoughts, not mostly bad or anything.

Should start making Gifs of these moments I loved.

[noctisfishing]

Unused Scene from The Spark of Dawn

I'm in the sharing mood...

I wrote this out years ago but given how far into the fic I am, I don't know where I would fit it in if I end up using it. But I'll share it, anyway.

Ships: Taiora & Mimato

Some Context: Taichi leads a pirate crew (Jou, Koushiro, Mimi, Yamato). Sora is an unofficial member, whether she likes it or not. I also wrote this after watching the 2nd Fantastic Beasts movie where Newt talks about Tina having salamander eyes.

“Sora…” Taichi said. “She commands my heart and makes it feel funny. She might be stealthy and invisible, but to me, she’s grand and majestic, and there is nothing like her across the sea. She’s like… a whale.”

Yamato sat up and stared. Koushiro, who had just appeared on deck, stopped in his tracks.

“A whale, Cap?” Yamato asked.

“Yeah. I don’t know how to explain it.”

Yamato and Koushiro exchanged glances, and looked as though they were holding in their laughter.

“You shouldn’t ever tell that to a woman.”

“Why not?” Taichi asked.

“It’s just not very nice. They won’t react to it well.”

“But I don’t mean any insult. I find it hard to believe, Yamato. I know! Go tell Mimi.”

Yamato’s eyes flashed. “I wouldn’t dare.”

“Come on! I really want to see what she thinks.”

“Can it, Taichi! I am not going to call Mimi a whale!”

They heard a gasp, and Mimi appeared from the bottom. The look of horror on her face, the tears springing in her eyes told them all that she heard Yamato.

“Oh, I knew I shouldn’t have eaten all that calamari!” she cried, turning back down to the bottom.

“No, no, no, Mimi, wait…” Yamato immediately jumped to his feet to follow right after her. It was then that Taichi registered that perhaps his idea of a compliment was not very flattering after all. He looked to Koushiro with guilt as he heard the crashing of pots and pans down below, joined by Mimi’s sobbing and Yamato’s consoling yells.

“You know how I can get with the calamari, I should listen to you more when you say not to eat so much!”

“That’s because you always tell me to tell you that, Mimi! I promise, you look beautiful!”

“Yeah, right! I look beautiful - I look like a whale!”

“Mimi…”

When dinner was served, it was quiet around the dining table. The feast Mimi had normally planned was cancelled, and all the courses were reduced to one plate of salad for each member of the crew. Taichi looked around the table to see Mimi sulking over her plate, Yamato staring daggers, Jou eyeing everyone with confusion, and Koushiro giving a nervous, apologetic smile.

[digitalworldbound]

next time (koumi)

hello! welcome to the fourth day of valentine's drabbles! today's is dedicated to @stoppingtosmelltheflowers. thank you for always being so kind. i adore you and your writing. happy valentine's day!

Oolong bottles lay empty across the wooden floors, takeaway boxes overflowing in his trash can. Objectively, his office was disgusting, but Koushiro didn’t have time to worry about it.

Colorful lines of code filtered down his computer screen. His eyes scanned the page, desperately trying to decipher the code. The flurry of numbers seemingly streamed into a nonsensical line of text, words jumbling together in his mind.

“What is this?” he muttered under his breath. The glare from his computer illuminated the dark circles under his eyes.Tentomon stirred restlessly at his feet, prodding at Koushiro.

“You need to eat something, Koushiro.” Tentomon tried once again, voice falling onto deaf ears.

His partner mumbled back another weak excuse, eyes nearly watering with focus.

“Tentomon’s right, you know?”

Koushiro jerked in surprise, scattering his day-old leftovers in the process. “Mimi?” incredulousness in his tone, “What are you doing here?”

A lift of her finger bathed the room in fluorescent lights, Koushiro’s eyes clenching at the sudden intrusion. “I was going to see if you’ve already eaten , but Tentomon beat me to it.”

Koushiro’s cheeks grew warm, only deepening the closer she got.

His eyes trailed gently over her frame, trying to deduce exactly what had changed. Mimi’s eyes were the same bright pools of hazel they always were. Her hair was swept away from her face, a coy smile settling on her lips. Maybe it was her dress, a wispy green thing that fluttered around her knees. She looked radiant, but that was nothing new.

Something had changed.

“So, are you hungry?” A bag hung loose around her arm, bright, red label eliciting a growl from his stomach.

His eyes flitted back towards the screen, tension high on his shoulders. It would only take a minute for Koushiro to unweave this numerical puzzle; he was so close.

At least, that was the feeble excuse he offered to Mimi, fingers quickly going back to work once she was seated.

Slowly, his office dipped into darkness, late-night shadows crawling up the wall. Stars shone into the window, Tentomon’s light snores pulling Koushiro from his stupor. It had been too long.

Guilt simmered in his stomach. Back stiff with disuse, Koushiro stole a glance at the clock before seeking his partner out. His singular minute had turned into four hours; Tentomon was surely to be famished.

Except, the little bug wasn’t next to Koushiro’s feet. He wasn’t underneath the desk or hidden away in a drawer.

For a moment, icy tendrils of panic gripped Koushiro’s heart. Bottles clattering, he rose to his feet, heart pounding in his ears.

In his haste, Koushiro’s foot caught the underside of his office chair, the pair crashing haphazardly onto the ground. His face made rough contact with the floor, but the pain never registered. From his low position, the tension in his muscles finally relaxed. Tentomon was safe, curled into Mimi’s side as they snoozed together.

The guilt returned tenfold, seeing Mimi’s limp hand still curled around the handles of the bag she had brought for him.

Once he untangled himself, Koushiro quietly meandered towards her, doing his best to avoid the creaky spots in the floor. A warm flush had risen to her cheeks, an arm drooped lazily around Tentomon. The little Digimon seemed at home in her arms, Koushiro’s heart giving an odd skip.

She was so peaceful like this, eyelashes resting against her rosy cheeks.

Gently, so carefully, Koushiro coaxed the bag out of Mimi’s grasp. It was much too late for her to meander across town. Besides, he didn’t have the heart to wake her.

‘What a way to spend our first Valentine’s together,’ Koushiro chastised himself. Out of all the puzzles he had managed to solve, Mimi’s faith and reassurance seemed the most puzzling. She deserved much better than sleeping on an uncomfortable couch, gas station food in clutch. He had promised to care for her, to meet her every need, and yet he had allowed her to go to bed hungry.

Still, Koushiro’s pulse thrummed unsteadily as he gently tucked an extra blanket around her chin. ‘Tomorrow,’ he promised. Tomorrow, he would make it up to her.

Until then, his computer hummed in overdrive, another numerical string filtering across the screen.

Tomorrow, Koushiro would make things right. He had a few more hours before daylight; another puzzle awaited.

[koushirouizumi]

[Index] Koushiro{u} Izumi {DigiAdvs} Scenes (J.P.N Ver.)

{This is still actively being worked on; Please be patient as I continue to add more!!}

Because I got tired of not being able to immediately refer to scenes without having to use piles of caps / etc.

{More to be added shortly!!}

NOTE/DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THIS SERIES. I do not make $$$ off my posts. This is being posted for Reference. Please actively support the series via any official means in your location{s} as well!!

{Adventure}

Ep02: Koushiro + rapid Maths Calculations {+Moments; with Jou} Ep05: Inside the Battery; Interests + Adoption {+ Friendly; with Tentomon} Ep10: Koushiro Guides Mimi Out The Maze {+Friendly; with Mimi} Ep13: Koushiro stands to signal support for Taichi’s decision {Friendly} Ep18: Koushiro and Yamato discuss their Crests {+Friendly; with Yamato} Ep20; vs. Etemon Arc (Near-End); Koushiro assisting Taichi Ep21: Hosoda!Koushiro; Communicating from Vademon’s Dimension? {+Moments; with Taichi} [+Taichi’s Monologuing that follows in relation] Ep24: Searching for Crest; & Vademon’s Dimension {+Friendly; with Tentomon} Ep24: Koushiro’s laptop + “Cosmic Power”?? activates communication with Taichi Ep24; Koushiro regains Inquisitive Heart + “I Want to Know!” {+Friendly; with Tentomon} Ep24: Koushiro Snaps Awake {+Friendly; with Tentomon} Ep28 vs Tri. Kyousei: Motimon/Tentomon’s “Bond” {“Kizuna”} with Koushiro Ep28: The Gate sequence {+Friendly, with Taichi} + Part 2 Ep28: Ending moment; Taichi with hand on Koushiro’s shoulder Ep29 x Tri. Soushitsu x 2020 Ep59: Motimon / Tentomon Parallels Ep30: Koushiro {physically} intervening to defend Jou / Pushed from Bridge Ep31: Koushiro’s Polite{ness} +(J.P.N) speech {+Familial; with Mrs. Izumi} Ep31: Koushiro’s Excuses + Adopted!Koushiro Scene {+Familial; with Mrs. Izumi} Ep31: Koushiro’s Bad/bland jokes + Adopted!Koushiro  {+Familial; with Izumis} Ep31: Koushiro’s Guilt + Adopted!Koushiro & Izumi’s concern + Taichi’s worry Ep36: “Just leave your computer behind!” {+Familial; with Izumis} + “Let’s BELIEVE in Koushiro, in our son.” - Mr. Izumi, to Mrs. Izumi [Koushiro sets up Gennai’s “barrier”; Izumis discover Tentomon] Ep36: Koushiro sets off to help the fight; Izumis send him off with love Ep38: the Adoption reveal / “It’s not wrong for you to be obsessed with Computers!” Ep38: Koushiro & Izumis Figure Out the Prophecy {+Familial; with Izumis} Ep39: Koushiro Displaying Compassion for Parents {+Familial; with Izumis} Ep45: Yamato & JouMi Leave the Group {+Moments; with Yamato & Chosen} Ep48: vs. Mugendramon Arc (Start); Koushiro showing concern for Yagamis Ep48: vs. Mugendramon Arc; +Andromon; Fake-Fights {+Friendly; with Taichi} Ep48: vs. Mugendramon Arc; Taichi’s Confession {+Friendly; with Taichi} Ep50: Koushiro (Totally Not) Showing off Skills {with Adv!Chosen; & Taichi} Eps 52~53: “Why WON’T YOU LET ME FIGHT?!?” {+Interaction, with Taichi} Ep52: vs. Piemon; crying out for Jou + teary-eyed {+Friendly; with Jou} Ep53: (Near End) Koushiro’s realizations {+Friendly; with Tentomon} + Tentomon: “But that’s what I like about you” Ep53: (Near End) Adventure Lore about The Crests

[lightchildofthespring]

Awkward story time. So, I had begun writing chapter 13 of “The fantastic adventures of Takeru Takaishi” (AU story, kind of weird and difficult to explain the plot) and, after writing three pages of Koushiro angst, I realized that I had already sort of established in chapter 9 a different death for Mr. izumi, so... I couldn’t actually include this whole part in chapter 13 because it would contradict chapter 9.

But I already wrote the whole scene and can’t just erase it now. Well, I can, but I don’t want to. Anyway, if anyone wants some out of context AU Koushiro angst (and a bit of taishiro angst, maybe), I’ll just leave this here.

When he was fourteen years old, by his calculations, Koushiro had dreamed about Mr. Izumi riding his favorite horse, Thunder. Then, the horse got frightened by a snake... Mr. Izumi fell from the black horse, hitting his head on a nearby rock.

He woke up, shaking. Although he had been having nightmares like those every night since he had resurrected, that had been the first time it had involved someone he knew. Masami Izumi, the kind elderly man who, along with his wife, had allowed him to live in their farm since he was rescued from the ocean... Koushiro had just seen his death.

“Save the people you'll see be wronged. Show me that you're not another selfish human being.”

Justine's words echoes in his mind. He had to save him! But how? Koushiro had never told the Izumis about his past on Shrimp Island, about how his parents were killed and he fell from a cliff, much less about how he met Justine and gained the ability to see the future. He couldn't just tell them the truth, he couldn't... they wouldn't believe him... who would believe in such a story? Nevertheless, he had to do something!

That night, he went to the stable and freed that horse. Koushiro watched as the animal trotted towards the horizon. That should be enough. He had saved Mr. Izumi's life.

The next morning, Koushiro woke up to only find Mrs. Izumi at home.

“The Kurosawa boys came here earlier, they said they had seen Thunder on the open fields. Masami must've forgotten to close the stable last night,” she explained. “Masami went to retrieve him. He should be back soon.”

As dread filled him, he ran past the woman and left the house, not answering when she asked where he was going. No, please! No! Don't ride that horse, please! Koushiro begged, mentally. Maybe if he ran fast enough, he could find Mr. Izumi in time. He could still save him!

However, before Koushiro could take twenty steps, he saw old man Kurosawa coming in his direction, pulling his white horse by the saddle. On the horse's back lay the corpse of Mr Izumi.

As Mrs. Izumi screamed and ran towards her husband, Koushiro felt as if all his strength had left him.

“Masami was already on his way back with Thunder when the horse got scared by a snake,” old man Kurosawa told Mrs. Izumi. “It all happened too fast, there was nothing anyone could do... a true tragedy!”

He had done that... Koushiro was the one who had caused that... he had a vision of a tragedy he would be responsible for... in trying to save Mr. Izumi, Koushiro had killed him. Never, in his entire existence, had he felt despair like that.

The funeral took place that afternoon. Overridden by guilt, Koushiro remained silent the entire time, not responding to anyone. Not even Taichi's words, nor Hikari's, were able to reach him. Koushiro couldn't hear anything, he couldn't see anything. His mind kept replaying Mr. Izumi's death over and over again, and he kept repeating to himself: I killed him!

He wandered off, not noticing that Taichi and Hikari were following him. Until he felt someone pulling on him and pressing his body against the ground.

“WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, YOU IDIOT!” Taichi cried, on his back; he was the one pining him down. It was when Koushiro looked ahead and noticed where he had been heading.

“I was... walking towards that cliff?” Koushiro asked no one in particular. “I was going to fall...”

Again.

Taichi turned Koushiro over to face him. The other was crying profusely.

“Don't you ever do this again! Don't you ever scare me like this again!” Taichi shouted. “Promise me you'll never do something like this again!”

“Mrs. Izumi can't be left alone now,” Hikari told Koushiro in a serious tone. “She already lost her husband, she can't lose you as well! If you don't think of yourself, then think of her! Do you want her to suffer more?”

Koushiro tried to speak, but found himself unable to. All his words were lost, replaced by grunts of guilt and desperation. He felt as his eyes got flooded by tears. There was nothing that could stop them from falling down.

Taichi sat up and pulled him up, to a tight hug.

“We're here for you! We'll always be here for you! You're not alone!” Taichi told him, trembling.

Hikari got close to Koushiro and whispered in his ear:

“What happened today was inevitable. It wasn't your fault. I know you were just trying to help him. He knows that too.”

After saying that, Hikari stepped back, showing Koushiro a sad smile. Hikari knew... he didn't know how, but she did. And she was telling him that what had happened hadn't been his fault. Hikari was mysteriously wise, she knew things nobody else could know. If she was telling him that, it had to be true.

“I'm sorry...” Koushiro said, hoping that Mr. Izumi could hear him. “I'm so sorry!”

Hikari held one of his hands and told him:

“You are forgiven.”

[ahiddenpath]

Nanowrimo Update

Word Count: 25,085 words, about two days ahead of schedule.  BUT-

I REACHED THE END OF MY OUTLINE ON THURSDAY, HELP!

More beneath the cut, lol!

First of all, I cannot believe I’m halfway through, and we’re just now shifting from, “Let me show you where the main characters are and what they’re dealing with,” to, “Let me take you info Café du Ciel to enjoy the lovely cast and atmosphere.”  True, my first drafts tend to be repetitive, as I try out where to place information/exposition so I can choose the spot that felt the most natural, but still.

I need to figure out what I’m doing from here, and fast.  I don’t have an outline!  It’s also not feeling romantic yet, although there does seem to be a level of attraction- or, at least, a mutual, “I see the pressure you’re under and the expectations on your shoulders, and I relate.”  Sora quickly picks up on how lonely and isolated Yamato is, with only two close friends in the whole world, one of which is across the ocean, and legions of people who call him by title, not by name.

Actually, Yamato is interesting in this story.  He has all the Moods that Yamma Jamma is known for, but, because he’s a prince, he isn’t permitted to have outbursts.  He’s also been trained in conversation, so he’s not nearly so...  You know.  Grunt, grunt.  Shove people into walls to start a conversation.  Can’t say what he needs to say, etc etc.  He feels simultaneously less adjusted because of the pressure and isolation of being a prince, and more adjusted, because he’s been trained out of some of his communication and outburst weak spots.  That’s been really interesting!

The story has also taken on a sort of...  Really class conscious angle.  The fictional world I’m making is far less sexist/homophobic than the one we know, especially in 1930 ish, but there is a loooooot of class stuff going on, along with strained relationships between countries.  We’re seeing a lot of privileged   characters (in terms of money and power) trying to figure out how to use what they have to help others and deal with guilt that comes from having an easier life than others.

I can’t wait to show you my takes on characters in this AU!  I mentioned how Yams is different, but Koushiro is another character who received lots of tweaks.  Computers don’t exist yet, they’d be roughly fifty years in the future.  And, in this story, Koushiro’s colorations make it obvious that he wasn’t born to his adoptive parents, so that discussion comes up early in his life.  As a result, while he’s highly intelligent, he isn’t the once-in-a-generation-or-less genius that he is in canon, as he didn’t escape into academia to avoid his situation.  He also lacks the identity crisis and insecurity at the core of his arc in Adventure, so he’s well adjusted and has a broader range of interests from a young age.  He’s honesty a catch, dudes.

I JUST GOTTA PLAN ALL OF THIS, AHHHH!  Anyway, here’s a wee tidbit from what I wrote today, unedited and subject to change.  One thing that really stands out to me is that Yamato isn’t even allowed a name here- just the prince, the prince, the prince.  That’s rough, buddy.

xxxxxxx

"May I ask what made you want to open an Autun style café?"

"Hm..."  Sensing that the prince was looking for conversation, Sora opted to follow cleaning with pastry decoration.  She moved the tray already prepared nearby and began to artfully drizzle chocolate over the pain au chocolat.  

“I've always been interested in Autun," she said.  "I was born not long after your parents wed.  Things were peaceful for the first time in a long time, and there was a joy to that.”

Yamato didn't respond, so Sora risked a glance.  He nodded, but offered no comment.  "I've always enjoyed baking, and I love it when someone enjoys something I've made.  I've been baking ever since I can remember."

"Your pastries are amazing.  My parents had some brought to them after I came in-"

Sora's hand jerked, and chocolate splattered onto a pastry, drenching it with a loud plop.  Sora stared at the glistening pile of hardening goo.

"I'm starving," the prince said mildly.

"You don't have to eat this," Sora nearly snapped.  She couldn't serve a prince a reject pastry!  "And I got the impression that you prefer pastries that aren't as sweet."

"Everyone wants sweets sometimes."

The last thing Sora wanted to do was hand over the pastry, but what choice did she have?  Arguing with a prince was even lower on her list.  She grabbed a dinner sized plate from a clean stack and placed the pastry on it, then placed it in front of him.

"Thank you," he said, grinning.  Frazzled, ignoring the way her stomach flopped at the light of boyish mischief in his eyes, Sora retreated to her counter and tray.

"You're welcome.  Did, um..."

"My mother said your pastries were even better than the ones from her chefs," he replied.

Sora placed the pastry bag of chocolate on the tray with exaggerated care.  "R-really?"

The prince nodded, and Sora gripped the edge of the counter to spare herself from doing a giddy little jig in the middle of a busy kitchen.  She wasn't interested in royalty, but they did have access to the best of everything.  If they really did enjoy her pastries...

"Maybe it's not so bad, having a prince around," Sora joked.  Instantly, her buoyant mood chilled, aghast at her friendly jab.

The prince blinked, his mouth stuffed with dripping pastry.  He swallowed, then leaned against the counter, roaring with laughter.  Sora stared, and was willing to bet that everyone else in the kitchen was joining her.  The joke wasn't that funny, even if she had made it to a friend, and not a powerful person who could likely do whatever he wanted.

"P-pardon me," Sora said when he quieted.  "I was out of line."

He wiped the glob of chocolate off the corner of his mouth with a napkin, flushed and still smiling.  "Not at all.  It's refreshing."  He dropped his voice as he leaned forward, and Sora copied him, almost propping her lower stomach against the counter.  "Between you an me, nobles, politicians, and royalty are exhausting."

Sora tried to cover her laugh with a hand over her mouth, but it slipped free- and now, she had to wash her hands before touching the food.  "You're not what I expected from a prince," she said as she went to wash up.

He lifted a single golden brow.  "I can't say you're what I expected from an iemoto heiress."

Sora scrubbed her hands and lower arms.  "I suppose you're right," she murmured, unsure of how to feel about that.  There were times when she wished she fit the image she had of the daughter who would one day succeed Toshiko.  In her mind, that person was basically a younger version of her mother: hard working, creative, disciplined, elegant, with a sharp business mind, connected to hundreds of powerful people through her work contacts and nobles eager to enroll their children in her coveted personal lessons.

In contrast, Sora felt like an unruly child who selfishly wanted to follow her own passions.  The fact that her mother was so young and healthy was all that allowed her to cope with the fact that she needed more time to come into herself before taking on the Takenouchi ikebana practice.

"I didn't mean to offend," Yamato said.  "Your café is wonderful."

Sora managed a rueful grin.  "I can hardly complain, after talking to a prince like that!"

"I enjoyed it," Yamato replied, with an earnestness that caught Sora's attention and pushed all thoughts of her own insecurities aside.  "Please, speak freely to me.  I won't take offense to a friendly joke."

I wonder if he doesn't have many people to talk to?  I suppose he did just arrive here after over a decade away.  And he doesn't seem too fond of the class of people around him.  Sora knew from her mother that navigating the whims and attitudes of influential people was exhausting, a kind of fatigue that could not be replicated from any other irritant.

[holyhikari]

HIKARIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII (spoilers)

Taichi seemed on the verge of tears in the last scene, and I’d like to tell you I’m a good person who felt bad for him, but I’m neither a) good nor b) a person. Give me that onii-chan despair. 

How’s gonna be his Assigned Guilt Complex towards her this time? What was Hikari Seeing™ in the distance? Are they gonna confirm my theory that she hasn’t been entirely human since she was a small kid/had a near death experience? How come no one prepared me for how cute it’d be Metalgreymon evolving because Taichi and Hikari were holding hands? Why didn’t Yamato have a meltdown over Takeru acting all grown up? How many kilos Patamon gained after de-evolving?! Was that creepy shot of Nanimon in the point of view between Jyou’s bare legs really necessary? Is Mimi going to enter the jewellery business? Is Koushiro aware he can open his mouth to say stuff that isn’t him acting like The Taichi’s Guide to the Digital World? Did the writers completely forget about Sora midway through the episode?!?!?!

Am I still ranking Taichi and Yamato’s voice actors by how much they seem like they’re crying when yelling Hikari and Takeru’s names? Yes, why, I am.

[holyangemon]

Etemon Arc

Surprisingly, for the arc considered to be the most forgettable, I actually have quite a bit to say about it. Mostly because it’s forgettable, and why that could be the case. (Other than just the fact that it’s the shortest arc, which is also a thing).

The biggest problem with this arc is the fact that when you boil it down, it’s about Taichi. Adventure is at its strongest when it shifts its focus around and you get to spend time with all of the characters. That doesn’t happen much here. 

Taichi finds his crest first, gets all dumb about it and acts like a dick, Agumon dark evolves into SkullGreymon filling the both of them with guilt, and while he’s able to evolve back into Agumon after degenerating to Koromon, he’s unable to reach Greymon. They get special training in some weird dimension to be able to evolve again, and Taichi seems to have grown, but then they learn they’re in a world of data which Taichi takes to mean they’re invincible and he starts acting like a dick once again. Once Koushiro clarifies that no, they can probably still die, Taichi is overcome with fear of death and is unable to save Sora from being kidnapped. In rescuing her and facing his fear, he’s able to activate the Crest of Courage, Greymon evolves to MetalGreymon, they ‘defeat’ Etemon and are then sucked back into the real world, end of arc.

What do the other characters do during this? Not much. They each find their crests, but they don’t get focus episodes for that, and instead maybe get a short moment, but it takes a backseat to Taichi’s plot. There’s a general hopelessness about the group, and concern over if they can raise their Digimon partners correctly, but this is show in brief moments and lines of dialogue. (The group was already struggling before Taichi disappeared, it’s not much of a surprise it fell apart after.) There are some nice little character moments here, Takeru doing his best to keep the mood of the group up despite only recently dealing with Angemon’s death (that’s a point for another day), Yamato and Koushiro’s cute little bonding adventure, Mimi’s reluctance to even find her crest after the SkullGremon event, but these all take place on the side of the main Taichi plot. 

I do think the Taichi plot is a good one, but it really could have used more time with the other characters, especially in-between his two acting like a dick events. They happen so close to each other it’s like, really Taichi? Again? We’re doing this again? Stop being a dick Taichi! But, it is what it is, and at least it’s over quickly I guess. It’s unfortunate though, since I think there is potential here for a much stronger arc. Oh well.

Some random observations!

1. What is with the weird thing with the girls taking baths in this arc? It’s a short arc, and yet there’s the Mimi in the bath scene, and then them taking showers on the boat which involves a slow pan over their discarded clothes and then has them running around in towels. Was that really necessary? It feels so much more gross than the bath scene in the mansion in Devimon’s arc.

2. In episode 3 they made a point to split the night watch shifts among the older boys and leave the girls and Takeru out of it. However, this arc shows Sora taking over for Taichi during a night watch. Yay for gender equality.

3. I’ll definitely talk more about Takeru once I compile my data, but connecting him dealing with the aftermath of Angemon to the aftermath of the divorce is one big old ow.