Digimon: Conquering Middle Ground
Episode 1
"Marching Boldly into the Abyss"
By: Shmeilia Rockie
*Welcome to the Second Season of my Digi-fic. I suggest no one reads this series until they have read all fourteen chapters of 'A Bigger Threat'. Otherwise, this won't make much sense. This is the second of a trilogy I hope to write, but probably won't finish. But then again I think I just might be able to because I've gotten this far, even though I never expected to. So wish me luck and enjoy reading. In this episode, as with the whole 'show', I hope to change some people's minds about June. She's not a bad person...She was just going through a weird phase. I did it too when I was in Middle School. It blew over, and I think hers did too. And I'm one of the only people who actually thought that Matt should have gotten together with her...I see much potential in June. She could have turned out better if he'd given her a chance...And that's one of the main reasons why I don't like Sora. So now you know.
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. I DO own Garz, Zarg, Keesma, the Dark Digidestined, Tyler Haston and his digimon partner, Tigermon.
"Davis! Davis, wake up, we have to leave in half an hour!" A voice called to him from the darkness. June shook him awake. "Come on, please don't do this to me!"
He opened his eyes, letting in the harsh morning light. "Okay, June. Don't get yourself all worked up. I'm alive."
She sat back on the bed and placed a hand over her heart. "You had me worried. You've always slept like a rock, but ever since...You know... it's only gotten worse."
He struggled to sit up, every fiber of his being stinging with the pain of coming abruptly back to the land of the living. He'd been so tired lately. "Well, I'm sorry. I don't mean to give you so much anxiety."
She ruffled his hair. "I know you don't. It's okay. Now, get dressed. Matt'll be by in thrity minutes."
"Is it time for him to leave already?"
She frowned. "Yeah, I'm afraid it is."
"Say, June?" He called softly to her as she started for the door. She turned. "Are you sure you're ready to let someone back into your heart this soon?"
A shadow fell across her face. "Well, it doesn't really matter since he's leaving for good today, anyway. Now does it?"
He knew better than to answer her. She left the room without another word.
"Touchy area, isn't it?" The voice-of-the-day asked him from atop his head. "Pity she'll never land herself a husband."
Davis looked up at the ceiling and pushed off the covers. "Shut up, demon wannabe. Don't say things about my sister."
"Ooh, I'm so scared. You're lucky I've let you be sane this morning. You could be cowering in the corner or babbling incoherently, or something crazy like that. But I've decided to let you off easy."
A chill ran down his spine. "Thank you so much. I don't want to make her any more miserable. I feel I've ruined her life by being so sick. I just know it disturbs her greatly. And she has enough to worry her today without... Me. Messing things up."
"That's right. I'll even help you out." Suddenly, almost as if someone had hooked him up to a big battery, an intense energy filled his being. He used it to his advantage, getting dressed and eatting breakfast in record time. The second he left the front door, however, the energy evaporated, leaving him greatly drained.
"Thanks a lot," he mumbled as he climbed into Matt's dad's car.
"No problem." It answered.
Matt had been rather down and quiet all morning. He perked up when she climbed into the car. "Hey, June! How are you this morning?"
She smiled weakly, not wanting to rain on his parade. "Fine, I guess."
He could see the trouble in her eyes. "What's wrong?"
She looked to the front seat, where Davis had already fallen back asleep. She lowered her voice, not realizing Davis could still hear her. "He worries me so much. I think there's something physically wrong with him."
"Have your parents taken him to a doctor yet?"
She shook his head. "They think he's faking it. They don't understand, and I'm not about to tell them the truth. And if Davis ever tried they would think he's just making it up. He's always had a very vivid imagination. But soon they won't be able to ignore it. He...he hasn't gotten any better."
Matt winced, hating to see her this way. "I don't know what to tell you. I'm sorry. Ken said he's going to be this way for the rest of his life."
She bit her lip and changed the subject. "I don't want you to leave. We were just getting to know each other."
He hesitantly brushed the hair from her eyes. "Hey, there's always email."
"But..." Her eyes clouded over. "You'll find a nice American girl and never come back!"
He leaned in closer and cupped her face in his hands. "Do you really believe that?"
She pulled away from him, the tears running freely down her cheeks. She whispered, "I don't know what I believe any more. The whole world has turned inside-out and it's an ugly, ugly place." She looked up at him with ruined, pleading eyes. "I want things to be innocent again. Like back in the days before there were demons and violent boyfriends and...and..." She couldn't say any more. The dam broke, and everything she had bottled up came out in a rush of tears.
He held her close for the rest of the trip to the airport. He knew he didn't need to say anything. Just someone caring was enough to begin to heal her troubled soul. Suddenly he understood why this was meant to happen. And he didn't mind it at all.
* * * *
The whole group turned out to bid him farewell. Everyone except Sora, who still hated his being deeply, for some unknown reason. That didn't bother him a bit, because if she knew what he had planned to do, she would have probably ripped out his throat. What did bother him was his brother's sudden attitude. "Don't give me that look, TK."
TK narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms defiantly. Matt turned to June and whispered loudly, "Doesn't he look just like me when he scowls like that? All except that hat!" He grabbed TK's hat in order to get some kind of reaction out of him.
He snatched it back angrily. "Hey, don't mess with the hat!"
"I'm going to miss you, little bro. Don't change a bit, just because I'm leaving. 'Cause you know I'll be back."
"Will you?" TK snapped.
He was beginning to get on Matt's nerves. "Do you think this is easy for me? Of course I'll be back. This is my home, and nothing in America will change that."
TK's eyes softened a bit. He croaked out, "I'll miss you too, Matt. This place just won't be the same without you." Without warning he gave his brother a bear hug.
"You make it sound like I'm dying! I'll probably back in a month. You know how fast Americans tend to get over the latest trend."
He quickly wiped the tears from his eyes. "I hope so, Matt. I hope so."
Matt checked his watch and quickly turned to June. "Are you better now?"
She nodded, tears threatening to spill over her eyes again.
"Good, because I want you to have this." He pulled out a small, velvet box. Inside was the prettiest ruby ring she'd ever seen, with the stone cut into a little heart. At the sight of it the tears did spill over, but for a different reason. "I know this is incredibly, insanely sudden, but..." He placed it on her finger and whispered in her ear so no one else would hear. "Would you marry me?"
She gasped and searched his sky blue eyes for any hint of malice. Finding none, she nodded so faintly he almost couldn't see it, then bolted for the ladies room as quickly as possible. Everyone stared at him in shock, only guessing at what he'd just asked her. He sweatdropped. "That didn't quite go as well as I hoped."
Tai blinked and threw him a suspious look. "What on Earth did you say to her?"
"Oh, I just proposed."
"WHAT?!" Everyone yelled together. Davis fainted.
There was a long, painful silence. Finally, his dad spoke up first. "Son, do you think that's wise? How long have you known the girl? A week?"
"I know," He groaned. "I know! It's crazy, and I can't explain it, but I've never felt this way about anyone else. Not even Sora."
Suddenly, the flight attentand came over the intercom, "Now boarding Flight 113."
"That's my flight, folks. I'm sorry." He hugged his family one last time. "Would somebody go talk to June and appologize for me leaving without saying anything to make up for this?"
"I'll go talk to her." Yolei said coldly, walking off. June was her sister's best friend, so she knew her well enough.
Without another word, Matt took his first step into a new chapter of his life, not knowing what the future held for him.
* * * *
"June? Are you still in here?" Yolei heard sniffling, but couldn't find it's source.
"What do you want?"
She found her hiding under a sink. "What's wrong, honey?"
"This." June practically shoved her ringed finger up Yolei's nose. "He asked me to marry him!"
Yolei adjusted her glasses and studied the stone carefully. "It's beautiful. You should be very proud."
June choked back another wave of tears. "I don't deserve this! He's too good for me!"
"No, dear, don't say that. I know you're a good person. A little hyper, maybe, but that's never been a crime."
"You don't know me. You don't know how I've been."
Yolei sighed. She knew. She'd been that way too, once. "I don't care how you've been or what you've done, and neither does he. He obviously sees something beautiful in you, so you can't be as bad as you make yourself out to be. Rejoice, for crying out loud! You're engaged! I'm really happy for you."
June wipped the tears from her eyes and genuinly smiled for the first time all day. "Thank you, Yolei. You don't know what this means to me."
"You're welcome." Yolei gave her a small hug and stood up. "He left already, I'm afraid. But there are more important matters right now. Your brother fainted at the news of your engagement."
"Oh, dear no!" She sprinted out into the lobby to where Davis still lay unconcious on the cold floor. She propped him up against the wall and fanned him. "Could someone get me some cold water?"
Someone handed her a cup and she threw the water on him. His eyes snapped awake and he screamed like his life was in danger. "Don't let me do it again, please!"
Everyone within hearing distance stared at him uneasily. June brushed the hair out of his eyes and asked gently, "Do what again?"
"Nothing." He looked up at her, panting. Then he noticed the ring, and an uncertain pain gripped his heart. He grimaced. "Nice rock. It matches your hair."
"It does, doesn't it?" She'd seen that flash in his eyes, and it bothered her. She helped him up.
"Come on, you two, I'll take you home." Matt's dad motioned for them to follow.
Outside, the sky had turned gray with the promise of bad weather. Davis looked up desprirately, realizing everything had turned gray. So the demon was playing with his mind after all. It just figured, didn't it?
The two climbed into the back seat. June pulled her little brother back from his postition by the window. "Come here." He complained, but didn't resist as she put his head on her lap and began slowly running her fingers through his hair. "Now, tell me what you think of this?"
He sighed. Rain began pounding on the windows. A lot of time seemed to pass before he responded. "Of what? This ring on your finger?"
"Yes."
He studied it with fake interest. "Since when did you need my opinion to do anything?"
"I don't," she admitted quietly. "But you are my brother, and my friend. Besides, you know Matt. he won't break my heart, will he?"
"No," he groaned. "I think you'll be perfectly happy with him." Happiness was a feeling now very alien to Davis. He secretly envied her for it.
* * * *
Commercial Break!
Garz is about to take a bite out of a hamburger.
Voice (Accompanied by some sexy background music): Stop, you're making a big mistake!
Garz (looks around nervously): Who said that?
Voice: This is your appetite talking!
Garz (raises an eyebrow): Why does my appetite sound like my brother, Zarg?
(Long pause)
Voice: Nevermind that. You weren't about to eat HUMAN food, were you?
Garz looks thoughtfully at his hamburger.
Garz: Yeah, why?
Voice: Wouldn't you rather have your favorite thing to eat in the whole world?
A brand-new toaster pops into Garz's mind. He drools a little.
Voice: That's right. We put the 'ooh' in toaster, baby!
Garz (tosses the hamburger over his shoulder): Man, you're making me hungry!
Voice: That's my job, sir!
Garz reaches up into his thought bubble, grabs the toaster and takes a bite out of it.
* * * *
"What? What do you mean by this? I am a solo act! You hear me? That's what my brothers told me when the band broke up and...Oh, I have no choice. I see. Yeah. Okay, whatever." Tyler Haston threw the phone across the room, his blue eyes flashing dangerously. "Who do they think I am? Huh?"
"I dunno," a voice from the couch answered. "Why don't you tell me?"
He stared in the mirror, wanting to punch something. "They said my popularity is dangerously low and this is the only way to bost it back up."
"What is?"
Tyler took a deep breath and ran his hands through his neatly done blond hair. "They're sticking me with this new guy from Japan who's supposedly all the rage there. I don't even know what he looks like, Tigermon, and all of a sudden he's going to be my new best bud? I don't think so."
His Digimon partner popped some popcorn in his mouth and muttered, "I thought I was your best bud."
He sighed and plopped down next to him. "You are, man, you are. Nothing will ever change that."
"Thanks!"
"But unfortunately, they're bringing him here in like five minutes, so I suggest you make yourself scarce. I don't want anyone finding out about-" Suddenly, there was a knock on the door of the suite. Tyler panicked and shoved Tigermon under the couch. He answered the door and thought he was staring in a mirror. He raised an eyebrow. "Hello?"
The new guy forced his way inside. "Are you Tyler Haston?"
"Yes. Who are you?"
"Matt." He offered a hand. "Matt Ishida. Your new, uh, partner."
Reluctantly, Tyler shook his hand. "I didn't ask for this, you know."
Matt grabbed his bags from the hallway and lugged him inside. "Like I did? I would just rather be a solo act. They made me leave my band for this."
They stared at each other with little less than total hate. After a silent moment, Tyler asked, "Matt? That's an awfully American sounding name. Aren't you Japanese?"
"Yeah. What's that have to do with anything?" Before Tyler could anything more than open his mouth to respond, Matt informed him, "My real name is Yamato. Matt's like my nickname."
"Oh, then I guess you can call me Ty. Since we're now on a nickname basis and all."
"Ty?" A picture of Tai popped into Matt's head, winked and gave him the peace sign. "No, I already have a friend named Tai back home. That would get confusing."
"Suit yourself." Tyler went back to the couch, without offering to help. He picked up the remote, but didn't turn on the televison. He pointed lazily. "This is my room, here. Yours is over there." While Matt struggled to get his stuff into his new room, Tyler ducked his head under the couch. "Tigermon, as soon as he goes to bed, I'll let you come out, okay?"
But Tigermon didn't have time to respond before Matt came back. "Do you have something to eat? Man, I'm starved!"
Tyler sighed and handed him a bag of chips. "You speak English really well. I can't even tell you weren't raised here."
Matt colapsed in a near-by chair. "I'm tri-lingual. Besides Japanese, I speak both English and French. Although, I'm not as fluent in French as I am with English. My grandparents on my mother's side are French, but I live with my Dad so I don't see them very often."
He snorted. "Ah, parlez-vous francais?"
"Oui, un peu. But probably more than you do. No offense." Meaning of course, in your face, American boy.
Ouch. "Yeah...So, let's just get this straight. I don't want to work with you, and you don't want to work with me. But we have to, for now. So let's not get at each others' throats, okay...Pierre?"
Touché. Matt glared at him.
Tyler held up his hands in surrender. "Sorry. Couldn't help it."
"So when is this show?"
"Which one?" Tyler laughed uneasily. "The first one is tomorrow at three. Who knows what happens after that. I ought to check my schedule, but truthfully I'm too lazy right now."
"Are all you American kids like that?"
He shook his head, an amused look crossing his face. "Just the over-worked, underpaied teen stars. This is the first real day off I've had in a year. I want to enjoy it."
Matt opened his mouth to say something else, but stopped short when something soft brushed against his leg. Tigermon sniffed his shoes thoughtfully. "Pierre isn't so bad...Hey! He smells kinda like a Digidestined!"
Matt's eyes went wide, but not nearly as wide as Tyler's. His mouth worked, but he couldn't remember how to form words. Matt stared at this orange-stripped guest for quite a while before asking calmy, "So, you're a Digidestined? Were you thinking of telling me, or just keeping it a secret for our whole career together? Did you think I wouldn't notice?"
Finally, Tyler's voice returned. "Tigermon, I'm never feeding you again!"
"Aw, geez! I couldn't help it! I got bored under the couch!"
"Tigermon, eh?" Matt picked the Digimon up and looked into his amber eyes. "Not a very creative name, huh?"
"Not my fault..." Tigermon looked away and pouted. Then a thought hit him. "If you're a Digidestined, where's your Digimon?"
Tyler snatched Tigermon away from Matt. "Yeah! What, are you hiding it in your suitcase?"
Matt crossed his arms. "I certainly wouldn't do that to my friend. Unlike you...Under the couch, wasn't it?"
"Just shut, okay? He didn't listen to me anyway, so what's the harm?" Tyler dropped his Digimon on the couch and went into the kitchen area. He took a soda out of the fridge and commented, "He never listens to me."
"What'd you say, Ty? I'm afraid I wasn't listening." Tigermon rolled his eyes and turned on the television. Tyler held out his hand to indicate he'd spoken the truth.
Matt held back a laugh. "You two haven't been doing this very long, have you?"
Tyler shook his head and tapped the top of the pop can thoughtfully. "About a month. And you?"
"Since I was, what? Eleven? Twelve? I can't remember anymore."
"Were you one of the firsts?"
Matt waved that comment away. "Heck no. I was one of the firsts of our generation, though."
"So I'll ask again, where's your Digimon?"
"In here." He placed a hand over his heart and closed his eyes. "It's a long story, but I'll spare you most of the details.
"I'm a Megadigidestined...A higher level of Digidestined, if you will. I had to absorb my Digimon, Gabumon, in order to 'Morph Digivolve'. My duty is to protect Earth from the demon invaders. This country suffers greatly from the loss of it's regular protectors, because they were called to the Digital World. Since my arrival there are three of us here...Another Japanese Megadigidestined named Mimi, you and me. We're all that stands between the good people of this country and Keesma's foul army."
"Wow. No pressure," Tyler plopped back onto the couch. He stared off into space, trying to digest that thought. After a while, he asked, "Will I ever become a Megadigidestined?"
"Probably not."
"Oh...So, uh, what's your crest?"
"Friendship."
Tyler smiled and held out his hand. "Then why don't we start over? As friends? Partners?"
"Deal." They clasped hands and officially put their differences behind them. Sorta. "So what is your crest?"
He saluted. "Freedom, of course."
"Ah, how appropriate." Matt pictured the rest of the American Digidestined, now guarding the Light Castle as Freedom Spirits. "You have no idea how appropriate."
"Say, we've got all afternoon. Why don't you tell me your story? Unless you'd rather sleep off your jet lag." He snatched the remote from Tigermon and turned off the television.
"Hey! They were showing a Pokémon marathon!"
Tyler bopped him on the head, making his eyes go swirly. "Too bad. You shouldn't be filling your head with that stuff, anyway. Imagine, little monsters running around in public like that, and they don't even talk! Except for Meowth, of course, but that's besides the point."
"But, it's Pokémon!"
"I said no. Now, have some respect..."
Matt lifted an eyebrow. "Are you two done yet? Or should I tell my story to the wall over there?"
They sweatdropped. "Sorry. Go ahead."
So Matt spent the next few hours explaining his experiences in the Digital World from the past years, beginning to end. Tyler and Tigermon were a good audience, occationally gasping at the right places and asking lots questions, but never interrupting. When he finished, he'd exhaused himself. He sat back in his chair and exhaled loudly.
"So," Tyler dared to ask. "Could you maybe Morph Digivolve for us?"
"I don't know...I'm a bit tired, and I've never done it without a threat before. But I'll try it if you order us some pizza for dinner."
Tigermon's ears twitched at the word, and he jumped up with excitement. "PIZZA! Oh, please, Tyler, pleasepleasepleaseplease PLEASE order us a pizza!"
"Okay, okay, I give."
After they had their fill of pizza, Matt stood up and stretched. "Okay, I'll give it a try. But be warned, it might not work." He held up his hand and shouted, "Morph Digivolve!"
No one was preprared for what happened next. Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad, if nothing happened. Unfortunately, it worked. But while he expected Garurumon, he got something a little tamer. Much to his embarrassment, he morphed into Gabumon. "Well, I didn't see that coming. I just should have known better."
The other two rolled on the floor with laughter. "Oh, oh, this is too good! What is he, a dog, or...Or a lizard?"
"Geez, do you think if I make like a cat he'll bark me up a tree? Ha! That's just too funny!"
"Ha, ha." his eyes narrowed to slits.
"Ah, don't let them get to you, Matt," Gabumon's voice echoed in his head, startling him. Their minds normally combined upon morphing, so they couldn't directly talk to each other. Gabumon read his mind. "It's because there's no threat."
Before he could say any more to his best friend in the universe, he snapped almost violently out of the morph. No threat, again. Something told him he needed to conserve his energy, anyway. He ignored the other two still rolling on the floor. "Okay, I definately need to hit the sack after that..."
"Wait, man," Tyler held up one hand and wipped away tears with the other. "We still need to practice for tomorrow, ya know, at least once."
Matt groaned. His new life as a star in a foreign country wouldn't be easy, but at least he had a new friend. Kinda.
What's in store for Matt in America?
Find out in the next episode of Digimon: Conquering Middle Ground:
"Firsts"
*Shmeilie finally decided to get offa her butt and write! Yippee! I finished episode 2! *confetti!* I need to proof-read some more, tomorrow, though. I'm too tired to now.
Okay, so this is a transition fic...I know it's a bit slow...The very first one I ever wrote was slow too, and 'A Bigger Threat' turned out alright in the end. Hm, maybe there's a pattern here. Hopefully, this one will work out too. It isn't as structured as the other one, however...Tyler and Tigermon just popped into my head like a week ago, so I don't know what they're going to do at all...But then again, Garz and Zarg were the same way. Still are, in fact. They're completely unpredictable! Oh, and speaking of G & Z, just thought I should share that they are officially no longer demons in my mind. They've morphed into cute little monsters. It frightens me when I remember how evil they were when they first appeared. At least Season 02 is over, so now I'm no longer battling the uncertain and unpredictable future. Every time I would write something, something in the show would contradict it! I hated it when they ended it, and the only thing I got right was that TK became a writer. Grr. But now that's over and I have peace. Now I will finish it the way I saw it before that last episode. Okay, not yet. I'm getting ahead of myself. That's Season Three.
And did anyone notice that the real show finally stole my 'Morph Digivolving' idea? Of course it has a different name ('Bio Merging', wasn't it? Rolls eyes.), and it's not perminent...But still, that cheeses me off! I feel like someone's tapping into my files, or bugging my house or something! Okay, I'm just being paranoid, and I know it.
Okay I'm done. Sorry for taking up so much time!*
Episode 1
"Marching Boldly into the Abyss"
By: Shmeilia Rockie
*Welcome to the Second Season of my Digi-fic. I suggest no one reads this series until they have read all fourteen chapters of 'A Bigger Threat'. Otherwise, this won't make much sense. This is the second of a trilogy I hope to write, but probably won't finish. But then again I think I just might be able to because I've gotten this far, even though I never expected to. So wish me luck and enjoy reading. In this episode, as with the whole 'show', I hope to change some people's minds about June. She's not a bad person...She was just going through a weird phase. I did it too when I was in Middle School. It blew over, and I think hers did too. And I'm one of the only people who actually thought that Matt should have gotten together with her...I see much potential in June. She could have turned out better if he'd given her a chance...And that's one of the main reasons why I don't like Sora. So now you know.
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. I DO own Garz, Zarg, Keesma, the Dark Digidestined, Tyler Haston and his digimon partner, Tigermon.
"Davis! Davis, wake up, we have to leave in half an hour!" A voice called to him from the darkness. June shook him awake. "Come on, please don't do this to me!"
He opened his eyes, letting in the harsh morning light. "Okay, June. Don't get yourself all worked up. I'm alive."
She sat back on the bed and placed a hand over her heart. "You had me worried. You've always slept like a rock, but ever since...You know... it's only gotten worse."
He struggled to sit up, every fiber of his being stinging with the pain of coming abruptly back to the land of the living. He'd been so tired lately. "Well, I'm sorry. I don't mean to give you so much anxiety."
She ruffled his hair. "I know you don't. It's okay. Now, get dressed. Matt'll be by in thrity minutes."
"Is it time for him to leave already?"
She frowned. "Yeah, I'm afraid it is."
"Say, June?" He called softly to her as she started for the door. She turned. "Are you sure you're ready to let someone back into your heart this soon?"
A shadow fell across her face. "Well, it doesn't really matter since he's leaving for good today, anyway. Now does it?"
He knew better than to answer her. She left the room without another word.
"Touchy area, isn't it?" The voice-of-the-day asked him from atop his head. "Pity she'll never land herself a husband."
Davis looked up at the ceiling and pushed off the covers. "Shut up, demon wannabe. Don't say things about my sister."
"Ooh, I'm so scared. You're lucky I've let you be sane this morning. You could be cowering in the corner or babbling incoherently, or something crazy like that. But I've decided to let you off easy."
A chill ran down his spine. "Thank you so much. I don't want to make her any more miserable. I feel I've ruined her life by being so sick. I just know it disturbs her greatly. And she has enough to worry her today without... Me. Messing things up."
"That's right. I'll even help you out." Suddenly, almost as if someone had hooked him up to a big battery, an intense energy filled his being. He used it to his advantage, getting dressed and eatting breakfast in record time. The second he left the front door, however, the energy evaporated, leaving him greatly drained.
"Thanks a lot," he mumbled as he climbed into Matt's dad's car.
"No problem." It answered.
Matt had been rather down and quiet all morning. He perked up when she climbed into the car. "Hey, June! How are you this morning?"
She smiled weakly, not wanting to rain on his parade. "Fine, I guess."
He could see the trouble in her eyes. "What's wrong?"
She looked to the front seat, where Davis had already fallen back asleep. She lowered her voice, not realizing Davis could still hear her. "He worries me so much. I think there's something physically wrong with him."
"Have your parents taken him to a doctor yet?"
She shook his head. "They think he's faking it. They don't understand, and I'm not about to tell them the truth. And if Davis ever tried they would think he's just making it up. He's always had a very vivid imagination. But soon they won't be able to ignore it. He...he hasn't gotten any better."
Matt winced, hating to see her this way. "I don't know what to tell you. I'm sorry. Ken said he's going to be this way for the rest of his life."
She bit her lip and changed the subject. "I don't want you to leave. We were just getting to know each other."
He hesitantly brushed the hair from her eyes. "Hey, there's always email."
"But..." Her eyes clouded over. "You'll find a nice American girl and never come back!"
He leaned in closer and cupped her face in his hands. "Do you really believe that?"
She pulled away from him, the tears running freely down her cheeks. She whispered, "I don't know what I believe any more. The whole world has turned inside-out and it's an ugly, ugly place." She looked up at him with ruined, pleading eyes. "I want things to be innocent again. Like back in the days before there were demons and violent boyfriends and...and..." She couldn't say any more. The dam broke, and everything she had bottled up came out in a rush of tears.
He held her close for the rest of the trip to the airport. He knew he didn't need to say anything. Just someone caring was enough to begin to heal her troubled soul. Suddenly he understood why this was meant to happen. And he didn't mind it at all.
* * * *
The whole group turned out to bid him farewell. Everyone except Sora, who still hated his being deeply, for some unknown reason. That didn't bother him a bit, because if she knew what he had planned to do, she would have probably ripped out his throat. What did bother him was his brother's sudden attitude. "Don't give me that look, TK."
TK narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms defiantly. Matt turned to June and whispered loudly, "Doesn't he look just like me when he scowls like that? All except that hat!" He grabbed TK's hat in order to get some kind of reaction out of him.
He snatched it back angrily. "Hey, don't mess with the hat!"
"I'm going to miss you, little bro. Don't change a bit, just because I'm leaving. 'Cause you know I'll be back."
"Will you?" TK snapped.
He was beginning to get on Matt's nerves. "Do you think this is easy for me? Of course I'll be back. This is my home, and nothing in America will change that."
TK's eyes softened a bit. He croaked out, "I'll miss you too, Matt. This place just won't be the same without you." Without warning he gave his brother a bear hug.
"You make it sound like I'm dying! I'll probably back in a month. You know how fast Americans tend to get over the latest trend."
He quickly wiped the tears from his eyes. "I hope so, Matt. I hope so."
Matt checked his watch and quickly turned to June. "Are you better now?"
She nodded, tears threatening to spill over her eyes again.
"Good, because I want you to have this." He pulled out a small, velvet box. Inside was the prettiest ruby ring she'd ever seen, with the stone cut into a little heart. At the sight of it the tears did spill over, but for a different reason. "I know this is incredibly, insanely sudden, but..." He placed it on her finger and whispered in her ear so no one else would hear. "Would you marry me?"
She gasped and searched his sky blue eyes for any hint of malice. Finding none, she nodded so faintly he almost couldn't see it, then bolted for the ladies room as quickly as possible. Everyone stared at him in shock, only guessing at what he'd just asked her. He sweatdropped. "That didn't quite go as well as I hoped."
Tai blinked and threw him a suspious look. "What on Earth did you say to her?"
"Oh, I just proposed."
"WHAT?!" Everyone yelled together. Davis fainted.
There was a long, painful silence. Finally, his dad spoke up first. "Son, do you think that's wise? How long have you known the girl? A week?"
"I know," He groaned. "I know! It's crazy, and I can't explain it, but I've never felt this way about anyone else. Not even Sora."
Suddenly, the flight attentand came over the intercom, "Now boarding Flight 113."
"That's my flight, folks. I'm sorry." He hugged his family one last time. "Would somebody go talk to June and appologize for me leaving without saying anything to make up for this?"
"I'll go talk to her." Yolei said coldly, walking off. June was her sister's best friend, so she knew her well enough.
Without another word, Matt took his first step into a new chapter of his life, not knowing what the future held for him.
* * * *
"June? Are you still in here?" Yolei heard sniffling, but couldn't find it's source.
"What do you want?"
She found her hiding under a sink. "What's wrong, honey?"
"This." June practically shoved her ringed finger up Yolei's nose. "He asked me to marry him!"
Yolei adjusted her glasses and studied the stone carefully. "It's beautiful. You should be very proud."
June choked back another wave of tears. "I don't deserve this! He's too good for me!"
"No, dear, don't say that. I know you're a good person. A little hyper, maybe, but that's never been a crime."
"You don't know me. You don't know how I've been."
Yolei sighed. She knew. She'd been that way too, once. "I don't care how you've been or what you've done, and neither does he. He obviously sees something beautiful in you, so you can't be as bad as you make yourself out to be. Rejoice, for crying out loud! You're engaged! I'm really happy for you."
June wipped the tears from her eyes and genuinly smiled for the first time all day. "Thank you, Yolei. You don't know what this means to me."
"You're welcome." Yolei gave her a small hug and stood up. "He left already, I'm afraid. But there are more important matters right now. Your brother fainted at the news of your engagement."
"Oh, dear no!" She sprinted out into the lobby to where Davis still lay unconcious on the cold floor. She propped him up against the wall and fanned him. "Could someone get me some cold water?"
Someone handed her a cup and she threw the water on him. His eyes snapped awake and he screamed like his life was in danger. "Don't let me do it again, please!"
Everyone within hearing distance stared at him uneasily. June brushed the hair out of his eyes and asked gently, "Do what again?"
"Nothing." He looked up at her, panting. Then he noticed the ring, and an uncertain pain gripped his heart. He grimaced. "Nice rock. It matches your hair."
"It does, doesn't it?" She'd seen that flash in his eyes, and it bothered her. She helped him up.
"Come on, you two, I'll take you home." Matt's dad motioned for them to follow.
Outside, the sky had turned gray with the promise of bad weather. Davis looked up desprirately, realizing everything had turned gray. So the demon was playing with his mind after all. It just figured, didn't it?
The two climbed into the back seat. June pulled her little brother back from his postition by the window. "Come here." He complained, but didn't resist as she put his head on her lap and began slowly running her fingers through his hair. "Now, tell me what you think of this?"
He sighed. Rain began pounding on the windows. A lot of time seemed to pass before he responded. "Of what? This ring on your finger?"
"Yes."
He studied it with fake interest. "Since when did you need my opinion to do anything?"
"I don't," she admitted quietly. "But you are my brother, and my friend. Besides, you know Matt. he won't break my heart, will he?"
"No," he groaned. "I think you'll be perfectly happy with him." Happiness was a feeling now very alien to Davis. He secretly envied her for it.
* * * *
Commercial Break!
Garz is about to take a bite out of a hamburger.
Voice (Accompanied by some sexy background music): Stop, you're making a big mistake!
Garz (looks around nervously): Who said that?
Voice: This is your appetite talking!
Garz (raises an eyebrow): Why does my appetite sound like my brother, Zarg?
(Long pause)
Voice: Nevermind that. You weren't about to eat HUMAN food, were you?
Garz looks thoughtfully at his hamburger.
Garz: Yeah, why?
Voice: Wouldn't you rather have your favorite thing to eat in the whole world?
A brand-new toaster pops into Garz's mind. He drools a little.
Voice: That's right. We put the 'ooh' in toaster, baby!
Garz (tosses the hamburger over his shoulder): Man, you're making me hungry!
Voice: That's my job, sir!
Garz reaches up into his thought bubble, grabs the toaster and takes a bite out of it.
* * * *
"What? What do you mean by this? I am a solo act! You hear me? That's what my brothers told me when the band broke up and...Oh, I have no choice. I see. Yeah. Okay, whatever." Tyler Haston threw the phone across the room, his blue eyes flashing dangerously. "Who do they think I am? Huh?"
"I dunno," a voice from the couch answered. "Why don't you tell me?"
He stared in the mirror, wanting to punch something. "They said my popularity is dangerously low and this is the only way to bost it back up."
"What is?"
Tyler took a deep breath and ran his hands through his neatly done blond hair. "They're sticking me with this new guy from Japan who's supposedly all the rage there. I don't even know what he looks like, Tigermon, and all of a sudden he's going to be my new best bud? I don't think so."
His Digimon partner popped some popcorn in his mouth and muttered, "I thought I was your best bud."
He sighed and plopped down next to him. "You are, man, you are. Nothing will ever change that."
"Thanks!"
"But unfortunately, they're bringing him here in like five minutes, so I suggest you make yourself scarce. I don't want anyone finding out about-" Suddenly, there was a knock on the door of the suite. Tyler panicked and shoved Tigermon under the couch. He answered the door and thought he was staring in a mirror. He raised an eyebrow. "Hello?"
The new guy forced his way inside. "Are you Tyler Haston?"
"Yes. Who are you?"
"Matt." He offered a hand. "Matt Ishida. Your new, uh, partner."
Reluctantly, Tyler shook his hand. "I didn't ask for this, you know."
Matt grabbed his bags from the hallway and lugged him inside. "Like I did? I would just rather be a solo act. They made me leave my band for this."
They stared at each other with little less than total hate. After a silent moment, Tyler asked, "Matt? That's an awfully American sounding name. Aren't you Japanese?"
"Yeah. What's that have to do with anything?" Before Tyler could anything more than open his mouth to respond, Matt informed him, "My real name is Yamato. Matt's like my nickname."
"Oh, then I guess you can call me Ty. Since we're now on a nickname basis and all."
"Ty?" A picture of Tai popped into Matt's head, winked and gave him the peace sign. "No, I already have a friend named Tai back home. That would get confusing."
"Suit yourself." Tyler went back to the couch, without offering to help. He picked up the remote, but didn't turn on the televison. He pointed lazily. "This is my room, here. Yours is over there." While Matt struggled to get his stuff into his new room, Tyler ducked his head under the couch. "Tigermon, as soon as he goes to bed, I'll let you come out, okay?"
But Tigermon didn't have time to respond before Matt came back. "Do you have something to eat? Man, I'm starved!"
Tyler sighed and handed him a bag of chips. "You speak English really well. I can't even tell you weren't raised here."
Matt colapsed in a near-by chair. "I'm tri-lingual. Besides Japanese, I speak both English and French. Although, I'm not as fluent in French as I am with English. My grandparents on my mother's side are French, but I live with my Dad so I don't see them very often."
He snorted. "Ah, parlez-vous francais?"
"Oui, un peu. But probably more than you do. No offense." Meaning of course, in your face, American boy.
Ouch. "Yeah...So, let's just get this straight. I don't want to work with you, and you don't want to work with me. But we have to, for now. So let's not get at each others' throats, okay...Pierre?"
Touché. Matt glared at him.
Tyler held up his hands in surrender. "Sorry. Couldn't help it."
"So when is this show?"
"Which one?" Tyler laughed uneasily. "The first one is tomorrow at three. Who knows what happens after that. I ought to check my schedule, but truthfully I'm too lazy right now."
"Are all you American kids like that?"
He shook his head, an amused look crossing his face. "Just the over-worked, underpaied teen stars. This is the first real day off I've had in a year. I want to enjoy it."
Matt opened his mouth to say something else, but stopped short when something soft brushed against his leg. Tigermon sniffed his shoes thoughtfully. "Pierre isn't so bad...Hey! He smells kinda like a Digidestined!"
Matt's eyes went wide, but not nearly as wide as Tyler's. His mouth worked, but he couldn't remember how to form words. Matt stared at this orange-stripped guest for quite a while before asking calmy, "So, you're a Digidestined? Were you thinking of telling me, or just keeping it a secret for our whole career together? Did you think I wouldn't notice?"
Finally, Tyler's voice returned. "Tigermon, I'm never feeding you again!"
"Aw, geez! I couldn't help it! I got bored under the couch!"
"Tigermon, eh?" Matt picked the Digimon up and looked into his amber eyes. "Not a very creative name, huh?"
"Not my fault..." Tigermon looked away and pouted. Then a thought hit him. "If you're a Digidestined, where's your Digimon?"
Tyler snatched Tigermon away from Matt. "Yeah! What, are you hiding it in your suitcase?"
Matt crossed his arms. "I certainly wouldn't do that to my friend. Unlike you...Under the couch, wasn't it?"
"Just shut, okay? He didn't listen to me anyway, so what's the harm?" Tyler dropped his Digimon on the couch and went into the kitchen area. He took a soda out of the fridge and commented, "He never listens to me."
"What'd you say, Ty? I'm afraid I wasn't listening." Tigermon rolled his eyes and turned on the television. Tyler held out his hand to indicate he'd spoken the truth.
Matt held back a laugh. "You two haven't been doing this very long, have you?"
Tyler shook his head and tapped the top of the pop can thoughtfully. "About a month. And you?"
"Since I was, what? Eleven? Twelve? I can't remember anymore."
"Were you one of the firsts?"
Matt waved that comment away. "Heck no. I was one of the firsts of our generation, though."
"So I'll ask again, where's your Digimon?"
"In here." He placed a hand over his heart and closed his eyes. "It's a long story, but I'll spare you most of the details.
"I'm a Megadigidestined...A higher level of Digidestined, if you will. I had to absorb my Digimon, Gabumon, in order to 'Morph Digivolve'. My duty is to protect Earth from the demon invaders. This country suffers greatly from the loss of it's regular protectors, because they were called to the Digital World. Since my arrival there are three of us here...Another Japanese Megadigidestined named Mimi, you and me. We're all that stands between the good people of this country and Keesma's foul army."
"Wow. No pressure," Tyler plopped back onto the couch. He stared off into space, trying to digest that thought. After a while, he asked, "Will I ever become a Megadigidestined?"
"Probably not."
"Oh...So, uh, what's your crest?"
"Friendship."
Tyler smiled and held out his hand. "Then why don't we start over? As friends? Partners?"
"Deal." They clasped hands and officially put their differences behind them. Sorta. "So what is your crest?"
He saluted. "Freedom, of course."
"Ah, how appropriate." Matt pictured the rest of the American Digidestined, now guarding the Light Castle as Freedom Spirits. "You have no idea how appropriate."
"Say, we've got all afternoon. Why don't you tell me your story? Unless you'd rather sleep off your jet lag." He snatched the remote from Tigermon and turned off the television.
"Hey! They were showing a Pokémon marathon!"
Tyler bopped him on the head, making his eyes go swirly. "Too bad. You shouldn't be filling your head with that stuff, anyway. Imagine, little monsters running around in public like that, and they don't even talk! Except for Meowth, of course, but that's besides the point."
"But, it's Pokémon!"
"I said no. Now, have some respect..."
Matt lifted an eyebrow. "Are you two done yet? Or should I tell my story to the wall over there?"
They sweatdropped. "Sorry. Go ahead."
So Matt spent the next few hours explaining his experiences in the Digital World from the past years, beginning to end. Tyler and Tigermon were a good audience, occationally gasping at the right places and asking lots questions, but never interrupting. When he finished, he'd exhaused himself. He sat back in his chair and exhaled loudly.
"So," Tyler dared to ask. "Could you maybe Morph Digivolve for us?"
"I don't know...I'm a bit tired, and I've never done it without a threat before. But I'll try it if you order us some pizza for dinner."
Tigermon's ears twitched at the word, and he jumped up with excitement. "PIZZA! Oh, please, Tyler, pleasepleasepleaseplease PLEASE order us a pizza!"
"Okay, okay, I give."
After they had their fill of pizza, Matt stood up and stretched. "Okay, I'll give it a try. But be warned, it might not work." He held up his hand and shouted, "Morph Digivolve!"
No one was preprared for what happened next. Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad, if nothing happened. Unfortunately, it worked. But while he expected Garurumon, he got something a little tamer. Much to his embarrassment, he morphed into Gabumon. "Well, I didn't see that coming. I just should have known better."
The other two rolled on the floor with laughter. "Oh, oh, this is too good! What is he, a dog, or...Or a lizard?"
"Geez, do you think if I make like a cat he'll bark me up a tree? Ha! That's just too funny!"
"Ha, ha." his eyes narrowed to slits.
"Ah, don't let them get to you, Matt," Gabumon's voice echoed in his head, startling him. Their minds normally combined upon morphing, so they couldn't directly talk to each other. Gabumon read his mind. "It's because there's no threat."
Before he could say any more to his best friend in the universe, he snapped almost violently out of the morph. No threat, again. Something told him he needed to conserve his energy, anyway. He ignored the other two still rolling on the floor. "Okay, I definately need to hit the sack after that..."
"Wait, man," Tyler held up one hand and wipped away tears with the other. "We still need to practice for tomorrow, ya know, at least once."
Matt groaned. His new life as a star in a foreign country wouldn't be easy, but at least he had a new friend. Kinda.
What's in store for Matt in America?
Find out in the next episode of Digimon: Conquering Middle Ground:
"Firsts"
*Shmeilie finally decided to get offa her butt and write! Yippee! I finished episode 2! *confetti!* I need to proof-read some more, tomorrow, though. I'm too tired to now.
Okay, so this is a transition fic...I know it's a bit slow...The very first one I ever wrote was slow too, and 'A Bigger Threat' turned out alright in the end. Hm, maybe there's a pattern here. Hopefully, this one will work out too. It isn't as structured as the other one, however...Tyler and Tigermon just popped into my head like a week ago, so I don't know what they're going to do at all...But then again, Garz and Zarg were the same way. Still are, in fact. They're completely unpredictable! Oh, and speaking of G & Z, just thought I should share that they are officially no longer demons in my mind. They've morphed into cute little monsters. It frightens me when I remember how evil they were when they first appeared. At least Season 02 is over, so now I'm no longer battling the uncertain and unpredictable future. Every time I would write something, something in the show would contradict it! I hated it when they ended it, and the only thing I got right was that TK became a writer. Grr. But now that's over and I have peace. Now I will finish it the way I saw it before that last episode. Okay, not yet. I'm getting ahead of myself. That's Season Three.
And did anyone notice that the real show finally stole my 'Morph Digivolving' idea? Of course it has a different name ('Bio Merging', wasn't it? Rolls eyes.), and it's not perminent...But still, that cheeses me off! I feel like someone's tapping into my files, or bugging my house or something! Okay, I'm just being paranoid, and I know it.
Okay I'm done. Sorry for taking up so much time!*