Story:The Power of Three
Chapter 2: Heat of the Moment
Principle Characters: Yagami Hikari, Ichijouji Ken, Takaishi Takeru
Pairings:Takari, Kenkeru, Kenkari
Word Count: 2,144
Disclaimer: This work combines elements of Digimon with elements of Charmed. These programmes are the property of their respective broadcasters and creators. Not mine.
Notes: Kari already has two powers… now it is TK's turn…

Gritting his teeth behind his plaid scarf, Takeru continued to battle the fierce winds as he wound his way to the school. His one-time rival Motomiya Daisuke, who appeared to be dressed as a yeti, greeted him at the gates. As the pair drew closer together, the blonde realised that his friend was wearing an extremely shabby-looking duffle coat. TK opened his mouth to comment on the clothing, but the soccer player's glare silenced him.

"Not a word, 'Keru. Jun made it, and she forced me to wear it…"

There was a click and a flash, accompanied by a girl's giggle, which took the pair of boys by surprise. When Davis's vision cleared of coloured spots, he was alerted to the presence of Hikari and Ken. His eyes darted immediately to the digital camera hanging around her neck, before glowering at the smirking faces.

"Nice coat, Dai…" Kari unwrapped the pink scarf from around her jaw, and playfully put on a flirtatious pout at her blonde friend, much to Daisuke's chagrin. "…Think how much money I'll make with this photo of a genuine aboriginal snowman!"

"Abominable?" Ken bit his lip after suggesting the correct word.

"That's what I said!" The brunette haughtily replied. "Morning TK!"

Rolling his eyes, Ken removed his purple woolly hat, and shook his hair slightly. He stopped when he noticed that Takeru's eyes were glued to his every action. Vaguely spooked, the purple-haired ex-genius snapped his fingers in front of the twink's face.

Responding instantly to the predicament, the teenager sprung back into life, blushing profusely and muttering words of apology. The loud school bell resonated through the small courtyards before they had a chance to question the blonde, and reluctantly the group split into two, with Davis and Hikari heading to the main block, and the others advancing towards the Science Classrooms.

It was colder inside the laboratories that it was outside, considered Ken as he took his seat opposite TK. Today, it appeared, many people were absent, and so they had the table to themselves.

"So... are you going to tell me what's wrong?"

Again, Takeru's cheeks turned scarlet as he muttered a feeble excuse. Ken started to complain about his friend's shyness and secrecy but was forced to follow the instructions from the teacher. Through his peripheral vision, the violet-haired teenager watched as TK procured a Bunsen burner and two pairs of goggles.

"Do you need a hand setting up?" Ken decided it was beneficial to their friendship if he pretended to forget about the blonde's concealment, and so spoke in a faux carefree lilt.

Takeru flashed his co-DigiDestined a beaming smile. "Nah, I'm good, thanks." He seemed genuinely pleased that the earlier discussion had apparently finished. "Although, you may want these…"

Ken gratefully caught the pair of goggles tossed at him, silently admiring the hand-eye-coordination skills that the budding basketball player possessed, and put them on. TK struggled not to notice the self-loathing look that had materialised onto Ken's face, and he didn't need to gaze at his friend in order to recall the mental-image of the goggle-wearing Digimon Kaiser.

Ken reached over, placing his hands onto Takeru's own, and fastened the Bunsen burner's connection to the gas tap. Just as Ken expected, the blonde blushed brightly and a small smile graced his own lips. Takeru looked shyly into the indigo eyes of the boy beside him, expecting to see fury and disgust, only to find that his friend was already staring at him with an expression that mirrored his own.

Across the campus, Kari and Daisuke traipsed through the labyrinthine bookshelves of the Library. However, instead of focusing on the research task they had been dealt, Hikari couldn't help but browse the oaken shelves for books regarding occult paraphernalia.

As the brunette returned to the table her friend was situated that, Davis raised his eyebrows in shock as the walking tower of books approached him. With a cocky grin on his face, he could not resist questioning Kari on her choice of reading material.

"How will "The Witch's Guide: Astrology through to Zodiacs", "Everything you always wanted to know about the Occult, but was too scared to ask" and "Hexes, Sexes and Vortexes" help us study Math?"

As usual, Kari chose to ignore her friend's snide question, before dropping the books onto the table and sitting in her chair.

"Don't question me, Dai!"

With that, she picked up the first book, opened it, and began to read aloud from its pages. Daisuke lowered his head slightly, craning his neck to read the title of the tome.

""Craft and Computers: Incompatible or Ingenius?""

She paid Davis no attention as she continued to read, unaware that her admirer was hanging on to her every word. "In modern society, where technology is the prominent feature, there appears to be little room for the ancient art of Witchcraft. However, although it has often been presumed that the mystical and the digital shall never work in conjunction, hypothetically it may be possible for the two to co-exist in harmony."

Davis let out a snort at that line, which Hikari returned with a piercing glare. "Just because it's something you don't believe in,it doesn't mean that it isn't true!"

Daisuke folded his arms across his chest, his eyes squarely on the girl opposite him. "We didn't need any mumbo-jumbo or hocus-pocus to beat MaloMyotismon, did we?"

Kari shook her head in disbelief, anger and disgust as she contemplated her friend. "You know what, Davis? Sometimes I just wish you'd shut up!"

She stood up and picked up all of the books, before heading to the library desk to have them checked out to her. After somehow managing to fit the many volumes into her satchel, she left the room without another look back at her fellow DigiDestined.

As she approached the stairs, she grasped at her throat, struggling for breath. She wobbled precariously, before overbalancing and toppling down the steps.

"Hikari!"

Takeru woke from his mid-class slumber, drenched in cold sweat. Ken was right by his side, gripping his arm protectively, refusing to let go until he knew that his blonde friend was okay.

"'Keru? What's wrong?"

Before TK could give an answer, they were joined by their cross-looking Science teacher. Ken instantly came up with some story about Takeru having a serious migraine and feeling nauseous.

TK felt the Science teacher's eyes run over him quickly, before granting him permission to see the School Nurse. Ken looked hopefully at their lecture, who allowed Ken to walk his friend to the Nurse's office.

They left the class in a hurry, walking along a corridor until they were sure that they were alone. Then, Ken turned Takeru to face him, demanding an explanation.

"What the hell happened in there, 'Keru?"

"I… I don't… I'm not sure… One minute I was awake, listening to the lesson, and the next…" He clamped a hand over his mouth, fear and distress immediately showing in his eyes. "We have to get to Kari!"

"Huh? Wha--" He felt himself get dragged along the corridor by his surprisingly-strong friend. "Damn it, Takeru! What is going on?"

"I saw Hikari! She was walking… ugh!" He struggled to recall the events of his daydream. "But… she fell, down some stairs, I think!"

Ken yanked his arm away from the basketball player. "You had adaydream?That's what this is all about?"

But TK didn't stop, he continued walking forward, leaving Ken to catch up with him. "I know what I saw, Ken! It was so real, so vivid, so… oh god!"

Ken followed his line of sight towards a group of people crowding on the stairs. He saw the colour drain from Takeru's face as they approached. The crowd parted to let the pair see the object of interest.

Deathly white, Hikari's body was splayed out at the foot of the stairs. No-one attempted to move her, instead they were too preoccupied with giggling at her misfortune. Carefully, so as not to endanger her further, the two boys picked her up and carried her into an empty classroom.

"Think, 'Keru! What was she doing before she fell?" Ken's voice was strained with emotion, his fondness for the brunette stemming from their roles as late-arrivers into their DigiDestinies.

"Ugh… She was… reading a book, then arguing with Dai, then she fell…"

Ken opened her satchel, tipping the contents of it onto the floor. He then proceeded to pick up one of the books on witchcraft. He knew now was not the time to question Kari's choice of literature, and so opened the book to the section on Healing.

"Ken? Anything we can use?"

Ken thumbed through the pages frantically, desperately trying to locate a spell or charm or anything that could help them. "This is ridiculous!" He fumbled with the book, and it fell out of his hands and onto the floor, landing open to the necessary page.

Once more, Ken knelt down and picked up the book, his eyes now scanning the page to see if it was appropriate. He nodded his approval before looking at Takeru. "Ready for our first chant?"

"As I'll ever be…" TK took one of Hikari's hands into his own, squeezing it tightly for comfort. Ken took the blonde's other hand, before they both looked at the book, and read aloud the chant.

"Body be healthy!" Ken's voice started the verse, loudly and powerfully.

"Spirit be strong!" Takeru, on the other hand, sounded meeker than ever. The potential loss of his friend was wrenching his heart uncomfortably.

"Voice sing out in joyful song!" They continued to take each alternate line, one after another.

"Perfect health we now restore!" They were halfway through the chant now, and Takeru's voice sounded stronger as he built up his strength.

"And pray it be so evermore!" Ken, in comparison, had lowered his voice, deep in concentration.

They read the last line in unison, hoping it would be enough to finish the incantation. "And it harm none, so be it!"

Instantly, they could see a difference in the Yagami child. Colour returned to her, and her skin gave out its natural rosy glow. The boys grinned in success as their first attempt at witchcraft was powerful enough to restore their fallen friend from the brink of death.

Hikari had recovered quickly, and had left minutes ago to phone her brother to let him know what happened, leaving TK and Ken to talk.

As they exited the building, and sat on a bench outside the school, they glanced at each other. Ken could see that TK was still hiding something and it pained him, the thought that TK couldn't (or worse, wouldn't) confide in him was tearing his heart apart.

"'Keru, what's wrong?"

Takeru looked at his friend, and flashed him a fake smile, trying to downplay the question, but Ken was insistant. As the violet-haired boy asked again, TK stood up, furious.

"It's always us!"

Ken raised an eyebrow at his friend's outburst; it was quite unlike Takeru to raise his voice, especially without Daisuke around, and this greatly worried Ken.

"We get attacked by Vampire Digimon, or turn evil because we are being controlled, or even lose our partners because of what we have to do!"

Ken stood up and pulled him into a tender kiss, admitting his feelings for the younger boy to him directly. But Takeru, rather than relish the contact with the guy he felt closest to, pulled away.

"It's just always us! Never anyone else! This just makes me feel so… Argh!" He threw his hands out in anger and frustration, and a large ball of fire burst from his hands.

TK watched in shock as the mystical projectile continued to dart forward until it hit a true, which suddenly became engulfed in flames.

Just at that moment, Hikari rounded the corner and saw the blazing tree, and the two boys standing near it. "What did you do now?" She closed her eyes, focusing intently once more, and the flames vanished, spirited away by her powers of projection and conjuration.

Ken smiled at Hikari, giving her a silent 'thank you' via a nod of his head. Takeru, however, continued to look at his unscathed palms, contemplating what just happened.

"Takaishi Takeru, talk to me!"

Upon hearing his best friend's voice, the blonde turned to stare at her, and another ball of fire uncontrollably erupted from him. The fireball got dangerously close to Hikari before she managed to dissipate it with her power.

'Okay… things just keep getting weirder and weirder!'Ken thought to himself. 'But things can't get any worse, right?'

Okay, that's 2.5 powers for Hikari (Conjuration, Projection and Telekenesis), 2 for Takeru (Clairvoyance and Pyrokinesis) and nil for Ken. Poor guy…

And… Ken and TK kissed! Yay!

All my love,
Joey xx