The Big D: I think we've already established from the last 8 chapters that I don't own Digimon.
So, guys! I've finally gotten off my sorry butt and started writing again! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, your support and encouragement was much appreciated.
I was re-reading all the previous chapters...a bit cornier than I remember, and a couple of chracters seem to be -out- of character, but never mind. To be honest, I'm kind of worried that my writing style will no longer be the same, but meh! (Actually, I think you probably -would- care, but meh!) I've also re-posted chapters 1, 3 and 7 for minor mistakes. (They're not -that- far gone, it's not really worth going back and re-reading them-- unless you really want to, of course ) And moving right along...
Kari looked around at the brightly decorated hall. "I think it's good."
"The great Kari approves. It must be good, then." TK grinned. Kari elbowed him in the ribs.
"Hey guys!"
They turned to see Yolei walking up to them with Ken in tow, waving madly.
Kari smiled. "Hey," she called back.
"Anything we can help with?" Ken asked, when he and Yolei reached the other two.
"Nope, we just finished," TK replied, grinning broadly. "So since there's nothing to do, why don't we go outside?"
"Great idea," Yolei said, already turning to go. "Come on then- woah!" She tripped over a previously unnoticed box and was sent sprawling to the floor. She sat up, rubbing her head. "Ow."
Ken was at her side in an instant, helping her up. "Yolei, are you okay?"
"I'm fine, I'm fine, don't worry." She waved him off embarrassedly. "What was that?"
The four of them all stooped to get a closer look at the label.
"All-purpose-stand kit. Instructions and diagrams included." Kari stared at it in disbelief. "A stand kit? Now I've seen everything."
"Who in their right mind would buy something like-"
"Hey guys!"
They turned to see Davis running up to them with a manic grin on his face. "There's something I need your help with." He noticed the box that they were all looking at. "Oh, you found it."
Kari blinked.
TK coughed.
Ken opened his mouth as if to say something, then shut it again.
Yolei stared and then exploded into hysterical laughter.
Davis looked at them in confusion. "What?" "A stand kit."
"Yeah, I need your help putting it together--"
"A -stand- kit."
"It's for my noodle stand."
"A -stand- kit. I don't believe this," TK muttered, shaking his head. "No one in their right mind--"
"This is Davis we're talking about," Yolei said, also looking less than impressed. "-What- mind?"
"Good point."
"Hey!" Davis exclaimed.
"Ah well," TK sighed. "We've got nothing better to do. Might as well give it a go. I mean, it's not as if it'll be hard, right?"
The boys opened and up-ended the box. TK picked up the instruction booklet.
"Alrighty. It says...take the smallest piece and insert into the appropriate slot on the large, flat piece."
"Er...TK?"
"Hmm?"
"Which?"
"Which what, which piece?"
"Which appropriate slot?"
"What do you mean, which appropriate slot? How many can there be?"
TK looked up to see three slots of the same size, side by side on the same piece of wood.
"Er, I see. That can't be good." He scanned the instructions. "Stuff this, we'll use the diagram. Here, you guys had better come over here and look as well."
The other boys came to stand on either side of him and they all pored over the small piece of paper.
"This seems pretty self-explanatory," Ken commented.
"Then let's get to work!" Davis ran back to where the various pieces of wood were lying on the floor.
Ken and TK followed with the diagram.
"Insert part A into slot B."
"Er...right..."
"Ken, you'd better go and help him."
"Er, TK?"
"Done?"
"Er, no. It doesn't fit."
"What? How can it not fit?"
"Er, TK, he's right. Maybe you should come and have a look."
"Yes. As I said, it doesn't fit."
"Ah. I see. Maybe we could force it in?"
"Might as well try."
"It's still not going in!"
"Just push harder!"
"Easier said than done!"
"Shut up and keep pushing!"
"Here, let me help-"
"Wait a moment. Guys?"
"?"
"Is this even piece A?"
"..."
"You sure that's piece A?"
"I'm sure."
"And you sure that's slot B?"
"Yup."
"Alright then."
"..."
"Uh, Ken?"
"Yeah?"
"It still doesn't fit."
"I don't believe this."
Yolei and Kari were leaning on each other for support, laughing so hard they were almost crying.
"Hey!" Davis exclaimed defensively. "As if you could do better!"
Gasping for breath, Yolei forced herself to calm down.
"We -can- and -will-. Never send a man to do a woman's job. Come on, Kari."
"Now this is something I've gotta see."
"Don't you worry, we'll show you how it's done."
"Does this go here?"
"I don't see where else it could go."
"It's not going in."
"Just wiggle it a little, yes, that's right. There we go."
"Here, help me with this."
"Ah, this thing is -heavy-!"
"You said it."
"Just a couple more pieces.."
"Done!"
"There," Yolei announced, out of breath. "Couldn't be easier. What do you say now?"
The boys looked at her creation dubiously.
"Well? Ken?"
"I..uh.." Ken stammered nervously, torn. TK came to his rescue.
"Well..it doesn't look very sturdy," he said hesitantly.
"Or much like a stand, either," Davis commented.
"What do you mean, not like a stand? Of course it's a stand! It's so obvious!"
The boys raised their eyebrows. Yolei took another look. Even she had to admit that it looked more like what people called "abstract art" than anything else.
"Fine," she said shortly. She turned on TK. "And what do you mean not sturdy?!" she demanded, poking him in the chest. "Of course it's sturdy!"
Creak.
"I'll bet it could take your weight anyday!"
Creak.
"Uh, Yolei?"
"I mean, in ten years' time, when everything else has collapsed, it'll still be standing!"
Creeeak.
"Yolei?"
"You wouldn't be able to break it if you wanted to!"
Creeeeeak.
"Yolei."
"It could last through war! People could use it as a bomb shelter!"
"Yolei!"
"What, Kari?"
There was one last drawn out creak before the whole thing collapsed.
The boys howled with laughter.
"Alright, we're giving this one last go. We're all going to work together."
"Yessir!"
"Forget about the instructions and the diagram, we're doing it our own way!"
"Yessir!"
"Ken, you're the brains of this outfit, you're in charge. We await your instructions."
"Atten-tion!"
They all raised their hands in mock-salute.
Ken smiled.
"Alright, troops, let's get to work!"
They stood back to admire their handiwork.
"Looks like we did it, guys."
There was a moment of silence, before they burst into laughter and loud whoops, and started dancing crazily all around the hall, either not noticing or choosing to ignore the strange looks they received from the other students.
Looks like I'm not dead after all, folks!
Hopefully you still remember this poor little fic of mine.
So, after some squeezing from me (I think I will call this "verbal consitpation" as opposed to "verbal diarrhoea".) and much ranting from a certain friend of mine (I was so tempted to delay this fic just to annoy her) we have this chapter!
Hope you enjoyed, and remember to RR, as always!
WnT (formerly YT)