It's been forever since I wrote Digimon fan fiction. I'm glad to start doing it again. The idea hit me as I was noticing how much Miyako and Hawkmon make little references to ancient Japan, especially the Edo period. I made a breif sketch of them in Edo attire, and then all the ideas hit me and I knew I had to write it. The first chapter moves a little fast, but the pace slows down as more characters come in.
Style wise, I'm using their Japanese names, but the dub terms. I like them better than "evolve"! As much as I'd love too, I won't through in more Japanese culture terms than necessary. All the main characters will be ones you already know and love, kept as in character as possible (considering their new situations).
Miyako and Hawkmon stood quietly in a dark room, where the clock of the Digital World was kept. It ticked steadily as she collected her thoughts.
He partner turned to her with concerned eyes to meet her tear-stained ones, and asked firmly, "Are you sure you want to do this?"
"If you could, wouldn't you want to turn back time to erase your mistakes?" she asked back, trying to cover up her uneasiness with a smile.
"No, because I think before I act so I won't make such huge mistakes," he scolded. "Besides, it's better just to correct your mistakes."
"That's what you think. I think it's better if some of them never happened in the first place," she replied as she reached her hand out to the clock. "I'm only setting it back an hour. That won't do much harm."
"What if it effects your world, too?"
"Hawkmon, since when have our worlds been on the same timeline?" Miyako rolled her eyes.
The digimon sighed heavily. "I hope you won't regret this."
"I already have regrets."
It was a very simple movement to push the hour hand back. When she removed her hand, the clock simply continued ticking as usual. As if nothing happened, they returned back to public domain of the Digital world. Looking around carefully, they concluded that everything was just the same as it was an hour before.
With a sigh of relief, they opened the digi-port to return to the real world.
"Ouch!" Miyako yelled as she hit the ground, and Hawkmon landed on top of her. "Wasn't I supposed to have a carpet here?"
"Come to think of it, what are we doing outside?" the digimon observed. "And where's the digi-port we came out of?"
"Hey… Hawkmon? Why do you suppose everyone's dressed so formally?" she pointed down the hill to where the streets were filled with people dressed in traditional clothes. The people were all hustling about, shopping and showing off their swords.
"Maybe this isn't the real world?" he suggested.
"No, it's probably just a festival!" she clapped her hands in excitement. "I didn't know they were having one today! Let's go check it out."
They wandered the stands, carefully examining everything people were selling. Miyako was a little disappointed not to find the typical festival games, but Hawkmon was more distressed by the glances all the other shoppers were giving them. "Miyako, are they upset at us for not dressing up?"
"Maybe," she agreed. "My yukata is a little dirty right now, though. If I had known about this, I would have cleaned it up. I've got a little extra cash, so maybe I could buy one here," she scanned the vendors, until two familiar faces caught her eye. "Hey! Takeru and Iori are here!"
"Are they?"
"Right over there, see? Takeruuu! Ioriiii! Heeey!"
The two faces glanced over, shrugged, and then continued their business. Miyako grunted. "Oh, I see how it is."
"Are they mad at you? How did they find out about-"
"I can't believe they didn't tell me about this festival! They must be avoiding me because of that," she quickly dodged the question.
"Excuse me, miss," a gruff-voiced man said from behind her. "It seems that you're in need of some better clothes."
"Yeah, I am!" her mood picked itself right back up. "How much for… that yellow kimono?"
"That one will look especially flattering on you," he pitched his sale, and Hawkmon slapped his palm to his forehead as Miyako gleefully opened her wallet.
"They you go, sir! Five thousand yen. Do you have a bag I can use to keep it in later?"
"Wait a second there, missy," the man's tone turned darker. "You think you can pull a fast one on me and call this money?"
"Well I'm not calling it digi-dollars, am I?" she half-glared at him for implying that she was thief. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go change into this now."
"Thief! Stop that girl in the strange clothes!"
Miyako tensed up in surprise as a few large men with swords started charging at her. Taking his role as her guardian, Hawkmon didn't have a second thought as she threw his head feather at them. It dinged each of the swords before winding up back in his hand. "What are you trying to do to an innocent girl?" he asked them as he brandished the feather.
The men stepped back in surprised. "That bird… isn't that?"
"Takeru! Takeru, look!" Iori watched the commotion from further down the street. "It's a digimon!"
Takeru's eyes widened as he looked. "You're right. What does that girl think she's doing?"
"Don't step any closer!" Hawkmon threatened as he stood protectively in front of Miyako, who clutched the kimono tightly.
"L-Listen! All I want is my payment!" the gruff man said nervously from behind the cowering men with swords.
"She already--"
Hawkmon's mouth was clamped shut by a young boy's hand, just as Miyako's mouth was clamped shut by another. Iori and Takeru stood next to them with nervous smiles.
"T-The bill is on us, sir!" Takeru sweated a little. "How much did that kimono cost? Five hundred ryo?"
"Five thousand," the gruff man corrected him firmly. Reluctantly, Takeru handed him a bag of coins and led them away from the commotion.
"You can you get dressed in that little shop over there," Iori motioned for Miyako to hurry a little. "We'll watch this guy for you."
A little unsure why he referred to Hawkmon as 'this guy', Miyako nodded and left with the kimono. Seeing her leave, the young boy turned back around and heaved a sigh as he took a seat next to Takeru against their cart. "So much for dinner tonight."
"It's alright, Iori. Mimi won't mind feeding us."
"I feel bad asking her to do that so often," he replied meekly. Hawkmon could only look on, puzzled by their behavior.
"But we'll still get just a little something to eat… right?" a muffled voice came from the inside of the cart. Armadimon stuck his nose out with sad, hungry eyes behind it.
"Shh, Armadimon! We'll be fine! It's those growing boys we have to worry about!" Patamon's voice came from behind him.
"Ah! I was wondering where you two were!" Hawkmon perked up as he peaked under the cloth that covered them. "Why are you under there? Are you playing hide and seek, or something?"
Armadimon and Patamon stared back blankly. "Who are you?"
The bird digimon's jaw dropped. They didn't know him? Come to think of it, Iori and Takeru weren't acting very friendly to him and Miyako, either. An idea struck him as to why, but he hoped he wasn't right. "Takeru, what year is it?"
"Um… 1647," he said cautiously.
"What have we done?" Hawkmon yelled in shock. "I never though the clock in the digital world would have--"
"The digital world!" Patamon and Armadimon both grew big smiles. "You've been in the digital world?"
"Of course… you have too, haven't you?"
They both quieted back down sadly. Seeing the look of confusion on Hawkmon's face, Iori clarified. "They haven't been back to their home in years."
"Oh, I see," he looked back at the ground. By messing up the flow of time, the friends they used to know must have been leading alternate lives, and not going to the digital world like they regularly would.
"I guess that if you're from the digital world, you don't understand what kind of position you're in here," Iori continued. "Only a few powerful people are known to have digimon partners. We have to keep Armadimon and Patamon a secret so that those people who are opposed to their presence won't hurt them."
"Can't they digivolve?"
"Digivolve? No!" they all shook their heads together, as Takeru continued, "They aren't strong enough. It's much easier on everyone just to lay low. It would be a good idea for you to do the same."
Hawkmon furrowed his eyebrows. Digimon shouldn't have to live their lives in secrecy, he thought. He still felt strong enough to digivolve, though, so laying low was far from his mind. Besides, this was 1647. A lot of the samurai dramas Miyako's father watched took place during this time. At last, he might get the chance to live like a samurai and gallantly protect Miyako with that status- and more importantly, coolness.
"Um… you look a little dazed. Is this too much for you, um… something-or-othermon?"
"Oh, excuse me. I'm Hawkmon," he bowed. "And my companion is Miyako."
"I didn't know that girls came from the digital world, too," Takeru scratched his chin thoughtfully.
"I don't remember seeing any," Patamon shook his head.
"T-they don't," he clarified. "Miyako is from… well, never mind."
"Talking about me, I see?" she came up from behind him, with a makeshift obi made of her dress to hold up the kimono. "Anyway, Hawkmon, let's go back and give that guy a piece of our mind!"
"Ah, about that," he pulled her out of Takeru and Iori's earshot to explain the situation.
"I-I did that?" she yelled loud enough for them to hear, unsure what to make of it. "And now digimon have to cower and hide? That's horrible. We have to fix this."
"And I'm sure you know how that needs to happen," he looked her straight in the eye. She paused, and then shifted her glance away as she felt a knot in her throat.
"You're right. Mistakes should be dealt with rather than just avoided… well, we'll tackle this one head on. We'll just head back to the digital world and set the clock forward an hour."
"In theory, that would work, Miyako," he said. "But how do you expect to find a digi-port here?"
She paused again, before sinking her head and muttering some light profanity.
"I guess that since you just got here, you don't have a place to stay, huh?" Takeru interrupted them as Iori hitched the cart back up. "We have a friend who would be alright with you staying with her. Follow me!"
The boys lead her and Hawkmon to a small restaurant, which was quiet and fairly empty. A smiley, familiar face came out to welcome them.
"Mimi!" Miyako perked up and clasped Mimi's hand as a greeting. "When did you get back to Japan?"
"Ummm…" Mimi blinked at her. "Have we met?"
"Long time no see, Mimi," Takeru waved from behind her. "Do you mind if we see you for a few minutes?"
"Oh, sure thing, Takeru. Come on in, and I'll get Patamon and Armadimon a snack," she said before noticing Hawkmon. "And this guy, too."
Hawkmon was starting the miss the sound of his name as they kept referring to him as "this guy".
"You said 'return to Japan'?" Iori snickered. "Nobody leaves here. Mimi's been running this restaurant with her parents for her whole life."
"Oh, I see," Miyako said quietly. "So everyone here has been leading alternate lives… I wonder where my family is? Ha! Maybe we run a giant yakuza! Ha ha ha!"
"Sssh!" Iori hushed her as Takeru looked away. "Don't joke about that."
"Um, okay," she blinked. Mimi returned and served them in a private room, and sat down to join them.
"So, what have I missed?" she smiled, not bothered at all by seeing another digimon. Miyako figured it was because Palmon must be hiding around there somewhere.
"This is Miyako, and her digimon partner, Hawkmon. They came here from the Digital world," Takeru motioned towards them. "We just found them today stirring up trouble with some other vendors."
"The Digital world?" Mimi's eyes widened. "So it really does exist?"
"Of course it does!" Armadimon looked up from his food with an insulted face. "Where do you think we came from?"
"I don't know… the mountains?" she shrugged obliviously.
"Um, Mimi? Wouldn't Palmon have clarified that for you by now?" Miyako sweated a little.
"Who?" she tilted her head with a curious glaze over her face.
"Oh, never mind," she blushed. Mimi must not have her partner in this reality. "Anyway, Hawkmon and I need to find a way to get back to the Digital world to fix this whole mess. Where is the closest digi-port?"
Everyone laughed, a little anxiously. "If we knew that, do you think we'd still be here?" Iori asked.
"I see. Man, all I'd need is a computer! It might not even need an internet connection!"
"Wait… a computer?" Takeru clarified, as the room became quiet. "I've heard of that."
"You have!" Miyako's jaw dropped.
"Maybe in this alternate reality, they have Edo-Macintoshes…" Hawkmon suggested. "Anyway, were can we find a computer?"
"I've never actually seen it myself," he said in a very serious tone. "It's a national treasure kept at the castle by Lord Daisuke."
"Wait wait wait… as in, feudal Lord Daisuke?" Miyako's glasses slid down her nose. "And he's the only one with a computer?"
"He has a digimon, too," Iori chimed in. "And that one is strong enough to digivolve."
"Figures. It's V-mon, right?"
"Yes…" they said slowly. "Though we've only occasionally seen him prowling the streets as XV-mon."
"I see," Hawkmon thought. "Well, we should pay him a visit right away."
"I-I-I wouldn't do that if I were you!" Mimi waved her hands. "It's not like you can just walk into the castle without an invitation!"
"Why? Has having a digimon given him such a big head that's he's declared himself the new Digimon Kaizer? Sheesh!" Miyako grunted. "Well, it's not like his head wasn't big to start out with… whatever. It shouldn't be a big problem. We're familiar with him."
"A-are you?" The group blinked at them.
"Yeah, we'll be fine," she smiled back. "Well, if you'll excuse us, we should get to that right away."
"No, you won't," Mimi tugged on her kimono to make her sit back down. "You're not getting away without taking me up on a hospitable offer to stay here tonight."
Miyako was about to protest, until the irresistible thought hit her. She could have a sleepover with Mimi. With an all too content face, she sat back down.
"Now then. Takeru, Iori, how are you? Have you been keeping up with your training, Iori?"
He nodded. "Every night."
"Glad to hear it," she smiled.
"We've been having to cut some corners, but it'll be alright," Takeru smiled.
"You'll have to take the leftover food in the ice box before you go. Sometimes I worry that you don't eat enough," Mimi mused.
Before that could refused, Armadimon and Patamon were already thanking her profusely for the food. The boys sighed and gathered up their things. Bidding Miyako farewell and good luck, they took their leave.
"Why can't they get food at home?" Miyako asked as she took a big bite of what Mimi had prepared for the remaining three of them to share.
"They're orphans, Miyako," Mimi looked back at her. "They've been living as street vendors together for the past few years."
"Oh," a knot in her stomach churned. "That's horrible."
"Takeru was the sole survivor of a yakuza raid. I think it might have had something to do with his having Patamon," she said quietly, as if reminiscing. "And Iori was living with his grandfather at the dojo since he was a very small child. Until the night his grandfather was killed, anyway. The boy's been training to get revenge ever since."
"That's really, really horrible!" Miyako bit her lip. "But still, that's just like Iori, to want justice so much."
"Yeah," Mimi agreed. "Since that day, he's had his eyes peeled for that dark haired drifter named Ken."
Miyako and Hawkmon gulped simultaneously. "Naaaaw," they looked at each other nervously. There were plenty of other Kens in the world, so it couldn't have been--
"I think he had a digimon, too. Stingmon, was that his name?"
They both dropped their food in shock. Surely, Mimi must have confused the murderer with a nice, quiet drifter named Ken who had a digimon partner named Stingmon.
"Forget I mentioned it," Mimi laughed, trying to break the tension. "Anyway, do you need some help with your… um, obi?"
"Ah! Yes, please!"
"And you, her little samurai Hawkmon, must need a little something, too," she smiled, and Hawkmon beamed at the title. This alternate reality wasn't going to be so bad after all.