"Hehe," Hanarei chuckled. She moved the cloth from over her mouth and revealed that she had a wicked grin under it. "If she tries any funny business, Enma won't know what hit her when I'm finished with her."

"Hanarei, I don't like that look in your eye," said Himotomon.

"This is how I look when I'm really happy."

"Yes, but not in a good way it seems."

Hanarei remembered Asayake's comment about having one of their digimon fly on the back of hers. Hanarei looked at Himotomon and was sizing her up. "You know, Himotomon here is a rather small digimon. She wouldn't be much weight on your back, Rogishimon."

"Maybe so, but she'll be flying above water. How many times do I have to tell you I HATE water. What part of 'I'm a fire-type' do you not get?"

Hanarei ignored this and continued on. "Despite her protests, I still nominate my digimon for your idea if you want her." Himotomon sighed at this remark. "Just be careful not to drop her into the bay," Hanarei added. "I don't know where to get a digimon exchanged."

***

Kirimon was looking over at Yuu and noticed her brushing her hand through her hair. "Just wear a cap or something," he said. He was partially guessing on why she was doing that. "Just so long as it doesn't stand out and it covers enough of your head.

"I'm not sure how well it would work," Shouki replied to Yuu's comment. "Hanshin pointed out the radar function on this thing so they may be able to track us down even we're in costume. If anything, we'll be able to stay in front of them well enough not to be caught."

"Wow Shouki," Kirimon said in a joking tone, "it sounds like you're taking this robbery thing seriously almost."

Shouki turned to Kirimon in surprise. "I'm, I'm not. It's just that I want to protect the world and, unfortunately, that means having to commit this... certain act."

"By saying 'certain act' you mean stealing."

"Borrowing without permission."

"But with no intention of bringing it back."

***

Enma nodded. "Right, got it." She said. If anyone of Shireika's group followed her, they'd have one hell of a time. "I wonder if my brother would...no...that'd be too long of an explination." She imagined the look on Kou's face if she asked him for a signal displacer for the digivice.

"Look at me, I'm a fairy tale witch!" Mitikomomon mumbled around Enma's wand. The girl let out an annoyed growl, before smaking her hand against her forehead.

"That's not food, Mitikomomon! Now look, you've got sparkles in your mouth!"

"So?"

"So? You look diseased." Enma sighed, taking the wand away as if Mitikomomon were a baby. She placed it in the front pouch of her bag, before lifting the blue digimon up and inspecting his mouth. She closed her eyes, shaking her head. She turned to the others. "I guess I'll see you tonight." She said, nodding to Yuu and Shuuichi. She muttered a few incoherent sentences as she started away, looking at Mitikomomon.

"Why don't you stay and make friends, Enma?" The ball asked, nuzzling into Enma's chest. Enma looked down, laughing quietly as she saw the small digimon had basically nested in the shirt.

"No." She answered to Mitikomomon's question. Big, watery black eyes looked up at her, confused.

"Why not?"

Enma tried to pull her bag up farther on her arm. "Because friends are fleeting."

"Exactly, that's why you should make them!"

Enma rolled her eyes. "No, I mean they only stay with you through the good times, but once they realize you're not the same as them, they leave you. That's where the term 'fair-weather friend' comes from."

"But I have to stay with you through battles with monsters bigger than me, and through good...'fair-weather' days. Does that mean I'm not your friend?"

"You're my digimon partner, there's a difference."

"Oh...but I thought I was your friend, too." Mitikomomon pouted, seeming to not understand what the difference was. Enma smiled, scratching his head.

"I guess you are that, too, then, Mitikomomon."

His eyes lit up. "Really?" He started to do a mishaped victory dance.

"Please, never do that again." She muttered as she reached her locker

***

"Why would I drop Himotomon in the bay?" Rogishimon asked Hanarei, blinking owlishly, "I wouldn't do that to her."

"I think Hanarei knows that, Rogishimon," Asayake prodded Rogishimon in the side, producing an indignant squawk from the bird-type, "She was only teasing."

"Oh. All right then." Rogishimon shifted her feet slightly, looking back and forth between Parumon and Himotomon. She huffed, rather impatient, and frowned as best she could with a beak, "Right, I don't care who goes on my back, so long as whoever wants a piggyback decides it soon. I haven't been able to fly since I found Asayake, and my wings are itching for air."

"Whoo," Asayake said, plucking her digimon from her shoulder, "Somebody's got a pickle stuck up her ass. You better not be this snooty all the time."

"I'm not!" Protested Rogishimon, making a face, "I'm just antsy."

"Whatever." Asayake looked back and forth briefly between Parumon and Himotomon, finally tossing Rogishimon in the direction of Hanarei and Himotomon; Himotomon looked slightly smaller than Parumon. "Fly, my pretty!"

"Asayake!" Rogishimon squeaked angrily, righting herself in the air before she collided with Hanarei's face, "That was fairly mean!"

"And your point?" Waving Rogishimon away with her hand, Asayake put on a horribly fake smile and cleared her throat. "Attention passengers!" She giggled in a slightly stupid-sounding Barbie voice, "Air-Mon flight 4 to Hanshin and the Watcher Lovers is now boarding. Please keep all arms, legs, tails, or any other jutting appendage inside the feathered menace at all times, and if you've gotta puke, please do us all a favour and hold it in!" Rogishimon glared daggers at Asayake and opened her mouth to say something, but Asayake cut her off with a brisk, "Stuff it, Satan!"

Mumbling under her breath, Rogishimon landed gently on Hanarei's shoulder, lowering a wing for Himotomon. She heard Asayake snicker, and stuck her tongue out at her. "Yeah, yeah, 'Sayake, 'all aboard' indeed."

***

Naoko returned silently to Hanshin’s side as if nothing had happened. She listened to the other ask questions while remaining stonily silent. Her face was set. Her lipstick smiled, but she didn’t.

Finally, she spoke in a soft monotone that was very unlike herself. “Hanashin, about this devices….do they track each other or do they track us? It might be better to leave them at home, or else give them to someone to take on a bus or train so our followers will have a merry chase? And, about the walkie talkie, it works between all digivices not just our group right? The split is ours afterall.”

Suzumon lept from her handbag to the table., and curled up looking dejected. His tin ears drooped, and he rested his head on his forepaws. A pair of bright red crescents now adorned his back. “I can’t believe you did that.” His normal enthusiasm seemed absent.

“Get over it. I told you I was sorry.”

“Naoko, you were in the bathroom; you could have used a paper towel.”

“Those were out.”

“No tissues in your purse?”

“Used those. Not as much room in there since you moved in.”

Suzumon covered his eyes with his paws. “I can’t believe you used me as a lipstick blotter.”

“Get over it. You were useful to me. Be happy about it.”

Suzumon perked up. “I was useful? Nya, you shouldn’t do that though. I’m a friend.”

“Ok, you a friend and a blotter. You can be both.”

***

Tegiwa shifted uncomfortably as Shireika started her lecture anew. “Hey, they say the first step in avoiding a trap is recognizing it. I think I’ll survive Mariko. Not that it matters. A few more blunders and I’ll lose her along with all the rest of my friends.

“It’s strange. I don’t know. Maybe, it isn’t. I have asked out a few girls when I got up the nerve. You remember when you were the only girl I could talk to, right? Well, needless to say, those fiascos lead no where. It was really discouraging, so I dropped it. I’d rather hang with you anyway. Well, while I was at Naoko’s I met her sister. Never really noticed her before; she’s like that, as invisible as Naoko is outlandish. She was having this breakdown, see. It was sad; having Naoko as a sister must be tough. But, it was sad watching her breakdown. Her self-esteem had evaporated to the point she thought she should just be like Naoko. She threw herself on me like she wanted to die. If my self control was like you imply I would have nailed her in the same bed that was still warm from her sister. No, I wasn’t going to do it. I reassured her about herself, and asked her out.

“I like her a lot. I can’t say I love her, but we’ve had fun. I think it’s been good for her as it has been good for me. I wish this stupid key business wasn’t in the way. But, anyway, that’s what happened. It’s not likely to last. Good things seem to fade for me.”

He looked up into Shireika’s cold grey eyes.“There is only one girl I’m ever likely to love. It’s not Mariko or Naoko. Certainly! My dream girl is respectable and independent --a power unto herself, But, now I wonder if I’m worthy of more than Mariko. I don’t think the girl of my dreams would have any respect for me of late.”

“I’m sorry. You didn’t want to hear me whine. You are just worried about me. Thanks. I don’t think I could live without you."

***

Shireika's face softened, and her posture relaxed as she listened to Tegiwa. She sighed as she sat down the nearby bleachers and leaned back.

"Of course I'm worried," she said with a smile. "How long have I known you?" She raised her eyebrows and didn't wait for him to answer. "I just don't you getting yourself involved in something that's not going to help you. You're got enough going on with this, that, and the other, and we won't go into that. I just don't like that you're dating Naoko's sister. You and I know Naoko a little too well, and we know what she'll do for my idiot of a twin brother." She shook her head. "I just don't want you to get hurt. I don't want any of us to get hurt."

She felt somewhat badly for Tegiwa, as foolish as he could be sometimes. She knew how many times he had tried to ask girls out, but he had failed miserably in every attempt two years ago when they first started senior high school. She remembered those days, when she was jealous of every girl he talked about because, secretly, she liked him. Still, he had his sights on someone, whom he had yet to identify.

Whatever the case was, she wanted him to be happy, but she didn't like the feeling of him dating Mariko. Despite the breakdown and the circumstances, she still did not feel comfortable with him getting know Naoko's sister that well.

"Look, if the key thing wasn't an issue, this probably would be totally different," Shireika said. "Mariko is still Naoko's sister, so just be careful. But, not all good things fade away, right? We're still friends after all these years." She smiled. "I'm not going anywhere, not as long as I can help it." She paused. "And whatever has happened in the past, I've always been here for you, haven't I?"

***

"So email then," Hanshin said to Naoko. "I'll send a message to the others before dinner tonight. I just hope Shireika doesn't try following us because that will complicate things." He hated that Shireika was still convinced that he was wrong and was still determined to keep from the key. What harm would collecting the key fragments do? After all, it simply was a key, but they didn't know of a door. Did anyone know of what it the key would unlock? Surely, not many, considering how the former digi-destined have tried to keep a low profile about the key fragments to begin with. They barely even talked about being digi-destined. So, certainly, not many would know about the key to begin with.

"Shouki, it's going to be okay," he said. "Come on, think about what we're working for. Think about that. We're protecting our world, and what's a little bit of stealing going to do? In the end, the world will be grateful that we were prepared. Besides, the former digi-destined aren't likely to throw a huge fit to the public about the fact that we stole their key fragments. Consider how resistant they were to even telling us anything about the keys. Even my father wouldn't tell me a single thing, and I even told him why. He still refused to talk about it. So, things are going to be fine. Everything works out in the end."

***

Hanarei put her hands to her face after it was hit by Rogishimon. Thankfully, part of that crash hit the bandana covering her eye. She rubbed her face until it felt better again. "Watch it," she said slowly and trying to keep her temper in check. She at least knew it was an accident. When Rogishimon landed on her shoulder, Hanarei picked up Himotomon.

"Hanarei, please," said Himotomon. "I reeeeeeeeeeally don't like the water. What if I fall in?"

"You heard them. They're not going to drop you." Hanarei too changed her voice the same as Asayake did hers. "All passengers please have your boarding passes ready at the gate. After such, we will toss you onto your flight which we have overbooked as always." Hanarei then placed Himotomon onto Rogishimon. "There. Look at it as finally being able to come out of my bag and seeing the city without any trouble."

Himotomon didn't look too happy but she didn't move either. Instead she looked over at Hanarei and tried to glare at her while being scared. "You owe me big after this," she mumbled.

"Just so long as you're not at the bottom of the bay. I was kidding," said Hanarei after she heard something like a 'merp' come from her digimon.

***

Shouki noticed Naoko coming back to the group quietly like she never really left. He tilted his head looking curious. Something must have bothered her but he didn't know what. He was going to ask her about it but thought otherwise. He thought it might be rather personal and she didn't want to share it with the group. It was like him and keeping the death of his sister to himself. But, it also took a lot of strength for him to even tell Naoko about it by herself.

To look like he was thinking about something else, Shouki turned his attention to Enma as she was leaving. "Take care," he said to her back. He faced the group once more. "I hope it's going to be okay," said Shouki. "A part of me keeps repeating that the idea of stealing is wrong and it's hard for me to think around that."

"Let me try something," said Kirimon. He used his tail to signal Shouki to lean closer. Thinking he was going to whisper his suggestion, Shouki leaned down. No sooner did he turn his ear to Kirimon, the digimon shouted, "STOP BUGGING SHOUKI!!" Shouki stumbled back a few steps and was rubbing his ear. "Did it work?" Kirimon asked innocently.

"No," Shouki said in a voice slightly louder than usually. "And please don't do that again." Shouki tapped his ear a few times hoping for the ringing to go away soon.

***

Naoko sat down beside Shouki facing opposite him with her back to the table. Her face still looked strained, but the gleam was slowly firing again in her eyes. “Shouji, you are so sweet, but please: either come up a better way or quit your grousing about what we have to do. I mean, we did ask first. So, what else can we do? We can’t leave these decisions in the hands of adults. They’d rather we not be involved, but they are going to end up getting us killed. The way I see things is we have to fight this stupid queen with power or without. I pick with.” She looked at Shouki. “Hey, its no concert night; but I could show you around some more if you like after this stuff. It might cheer you up.” Naoko tried to make all that sound slightly humorous, but her manner was still stiff. However, she was careful not to sit close enough to the shy boy to make him uncomfortable. He was an asset to the band and good company as well. She wanted to keep him around.

***

“Yes you have,Shireika, and I’ll always be here for you as well. Even if we end up miles apart after school, I’ll be this far away.” He held up a thumb and forefinger about a millimeter apart. "You may never need me, but holler and be at your side. Nothing will ever change that either. You should know that.” He put his hand lightly on hers before giving a light squeeze.

She should know him, that he might be stupid at times, he wasn’t dumb or naïve. He was a bit worried about her, since she seemly slightly more worried about Mariko than Naoko. Naoko had earned him a well deserved slap. Mariko seemed to preoccupy her. Shireika knows, he thought, that I’ll never abandon her doesn’t she? He could feel her distress. He just wish she could feel how he felt. He would have asked her long ago, but she wouldn’t have accepted him, and he knew rejection would end their friendship. Better this way than live without her.

***

Yuu giggled aloud at Shouki's partner's attempt to help him out. Those two really were a good match. But then she became a little more subdued. "I don't like the thought of stealing much either, Houzuru-san, but Naoko-san is right," she explained. "We have to have this key, and right now this is our best option. It's all that we can do"

***

Shireika smiled a little as she leaned towards Tegiwa. Her head fell on his shoulder. She hoped they would always be close friends like they were now, through thick and thin. She would always be there to make sure he didn't do something stupid, like her brother. In a lot of ways, Tegiwa had become the brother she always wanted or expected of Hanshin. It was strange, but knowing each other since childhood had done that.

"Well, whatever happens, just be careful," she said softly. "Just know that I don't trust Mariko because she's Naoko's sister and because of Naoko is capable of if it involves Hanshin."

***

Hanshin sat anxiously at the dinner table at the Ishida household. It was incredibly awkward without Tegiwa there to divert attention away from him and whatever he did wrong. He checked his watch frequently as it became 7:00PM. He had to get out soon so he could meet up with Naoko and Shouki at the Itoh residence.

"The women's soccer coach at TU said she was very impressed with Shireika's ability when she came to the game last week," Tommy said to Sho-rei and Ken. "Shireika might be getting herself a full scholarship to TU then."

"Dad," Shireika whispered.

"She get embarassed when I talk about her."

Shireika sighed a little. While she knew Tegiwa had managed to get himself a date with Mariko instead of coming to the bimonthly dinner, she swore she would find some way to convince him never to do it again. Well, at least, plan a date on the same day at their families' dinners together. She had to listen to her father blab about various ongoings from Tokyo University, and she had no one to talk to.

Sho-rei and Ken were nice, but they were adults. They didn't really know what happened Tokyo Academy. Kaze was, well, Kaze. He rarely had much to talk about, since he really just enjoyed listening to her all the time. It was flattering and so annoying sometimes. And, then there was Hanshin. She had nothing to talk to him about.

"Dad, may I be excused?" Hanshin asked suddenly.

Shireika glared across the table at her twin brother. What was he thinking? Getting out of dinner early? It would take a really good excuse to get out of this.

"I have to meet up with the band about some band business," Hanshin added, noticing Shireika's glare. "We couldn't plan it any other day," he continued when Tommy didn't seem very pleased. "We just got a new location the other week, and the managers wanted to meet with us."

"Fine," Tommy sighed.

Immediately, Hanshin bolted from the table and to his room. Ten minutes later, Hanshin ran through the living room and left the apartment. He had changed his clothes to something more comfortable and was carrying his backpack.

"Teenagers," Tommy grumbled softly. "They're so busy." He turned to Shireika. "Since your brother and Tegiwa aren't here, you can go if you want. We probably aren't all that interesting."

"Are you sure?" Shireika asked.

"You can do whatever you want for the rest of the evening. Tegiwa's not here."

"Thanks." Shireika stood up and took her plate, along with Hanshin's back to the kitchen.

Quickly, she shuffled to her room and grabbed her computer. She immediately began writing a message to Hanarei, Asayake, Tomeo and Tegiwa.

[Hey guys,

Hanshin just left dinner early with his backpack. No keyboards. None of his music stuff, despite his excuses it was band stuff. Plus, it was his large backpack, which looked kind of full.]

She paused while writing and checked next door. No sign of his digimon partner anywhere. She continued writing her email:

[And no sign of his digimon anywhere. Something's going down. I'll be heading out shortly. How are things going for you guys? -Shireika]

***

Hanshin jumped into his car. He checked his computer for the directions to the Itoh residence. Even though he knew where it was, he never had driven there. His father always drove the entire family over there, so he never really paid attention. Finally, figuring out where he was going, he wrote a short message:

[Shouki and Naoko,

I'm on my way. I'll see you there in about twenty minutes. - Hanshin]

He started up his car and took a look around.

"Shireika had better not be following us," he muttered to Koumamon.

"If she did, she won't be able to stop us," Koumamon replied. "We outnumber her and her followers."

***

Asayake plucked at a few strings on her guitar, squinting at the music in front of her. The sound they made was horrid -- was she playing it wrong, or did she just suddenly start sucking at writing her own music? She looked harder, sighing when she realize she'd written an F rather than an E. Scratching in a line with a pen, she tried again. "Ugh. What the hell?" She stared at her guitar, and decided that it was probably due for a fresh tuning or something. Too frustrated to do anything more, however, she tugged the case over to her, and carefully slipped it inside. She was careful not to bob her head too much, since Yuuki was snoozing in a ball on top of her head. She heard her computer beep at her, and shuffled over to it for her message. It was from Shireika; Asayake decided it was a good time to tell her about what Himotomon and Rogishimon had found out.

[Shireika –

Himotomon and Rogishimon didn't really find out anything on their little flight; most of the group had dispersed by the time they found them. As for Yuu,]

She stopped typing, snatching her digivice from the desk beside her and checking the little blinking dots on the screen. [She's still at what I think is her house. Even if it's not, she hasn't really moved around all that much. She isn't all that far from me, so if she moves, I'll follow. -- Asayake]

She sent the message off on its merry way, staring at the computer a moment longer; she was so bored, she thought her brain might start dripping out of her eyeballs. She took another look at her digivice, praying that Yuu would move soon. She'd pulled out her leather jacket in the event that she left the area she was currently blinking in. Hell, if anyone left the area she'd follow at this point.

Carefully pulling Yuuki from her head and settling the ferret in her arms, she sat back, and waited. 'Please, God. This is an awful way to die. Couldn't you at least send me a phone call or something? I'm losing the feeling in my ass-cheeks, so any excuse to move would be delightful.'

***

It had become the time of Shuuichi's crime. Well the whole group was in it but Shuuichi knew that if he would get caught what it would do to his image. He slipped the black gloves on. He was wearing a pair of black jeans, a black shirt, a pair of gloves, and a pair of plain old black sneakers. He also had a small backpack with him which he placed Squijimon in, a small hand towel, some fishing line, his phone, and his mini computer. He placed his digivice on his belt line. He opened the door. For once Sarika wasn't home and his sister was too busy in her room making a lot of noise with her CD player. :She really needs a hobby," Squijimon whispered.

"She's okay, let's go," he whispered running down the stairs as he put on a pair of black goggles with tinted lenses. "There now no one could possible recognise me."

He closed the door quietly and turned to the street as he began to walk until he realised something. "I don't know how to get there," he said.

"WHAT!!!" Squjimon squealed out. "You mean we're going to get lost! You're going to ruin the whole mission, idiot!" she cried out.

"And you care so much because?" he replied.

He began to dig through his bag and found the mini computer. He gave it a few taps and it came on. "Let's see here they are," he said smiling.

[To: Yuu, Enma;

I guess we're suppose to be meeting around now. I'm not sure, I don't remember and Naoko and Hanshin are in the other group. I'm ready to meet but I have one slight problem. I don't know how to get to Tegiwa's grandfathers' place. I've never really talked to the guy before nor know his family. Do any of you guys know where it is? And if any of you can drive, can you pick me up? I don't have a car and I have a feeling it is a little away.

-Shuuichi]

"Hopefully someone will pick us up," he said as he looked around. "Until then we need to find a place to hide just in case one of the other's come to find me," he said as he found a fairly patch with three pushes. He crawled under them until he was in the center of the three. "Now I can wait here for a response."

"Oh brother," Squijimon muttered.

***

Hanarei sat at a distance far enough from not to be noticed but also allowing her to see where Enma was currently at. She still hadon most of her costume but got rid of the bandana and the cloth that went over her mouth. She laid back and let her backpack hang by her side. This is going to be easy," she said. "Ah, that limb is in the way again." Hanarei was sitting up in a tree. The wind died down and the tree limb was no longer blocking her view.

It wasn't very hard for her to leave the house. And even if her parents did say no she still would have left. Yume was the difficult part since she wanted to know why Hanarei was going out in only part of her costume. (Yume had dressed up as a magical girl with a wand, a small toy lion-thng with wings, and holding a stack full of cards).

Her mini-comp vibrated (she set it to silent mode) and Hanarei checked the email from Shireika. "About time," she mumbled. She hooked the mini-comp onto her belt and reached into her pocket for her digivice. So far, Enma's dot hadn't moved around very much. "C'mon out, my pretty...."

***

Shouki heard his mini-comp beep and he knew it was time. He read over Hanshin's email just to make sure and was ready to go. Kirimon had already been put into his backpack in case Shouki had to make a fast exit. "Are you ready there, partner?" said Kirimon.

Shouki sighed. "I guess I have no other choice at the moment." He picked up the backpack and Kirimon and left his room. He saw his mother and Narumi in the living room watching TV. "Mom, I'm going on tonight."

His mother, Yukute, was rather surprised by this but in a good way. "Oh really?" she said. "I know you don't have a concert tonight since you usually tell us... are you meeting with some friends?"

"Sure. I mean, yeah," he said nervously. He glanced over at Narumi who had noticed that slight flatter. "I'm not sure when I'll be back but probably before the last train."

"Okay then," said Yukute. "Take care."

Shouki was on his way out the door when... "Hold it," said Narumi from behind him. Shouki stopped in mid-step and turned around. Kirimon glanced up at Shouki and it was obvious to him that his partner was sweating bullets now. "Shouki, you have "the look" on your face."

"The look? What look?"

"Like something is really bothering you more so than usual. What's going on?"

"Nothing. I'm just going to meet a few members of the band and were just going to do a few things tonight. Nothing wrong with that, right?"

Narumi stared at Shouki like she was trying to look straight through him. "Alright," she finally said. From the tone of her voice, it didn't sound like she fully believed him. "I hope you have fun with your friends." Shouki turned to leave the conversation. He made a few steps when Narumi added, "You try to be like Hikaru and I bet she wouldn't have lied to you."

And there's the dagger through the heart.

"Concentrate Shouki," said Kirimon. "She doesn't know what's going on. You can talk to her about it sometime later. Now let's hurry."

Shouki nodded and continued on his way to the Itoh house. He looked up the directions earlier that day and knew how to get there. He'd have to take a hover-bus part way to get there faster but that was simple to do.

***

"The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of Hell, a hell of Heaven…." Tegiwa murmured the quotation to himself as Shireika leaned upon him. Now, it was making a hell for him. He was at a loss as to what to do for many moments. His action was decided for him as in his reluctant panic his arm moved around her shoulder by some will not his own. Why was he so reluctant to embrace the one who mattered most to him. Insanity, fear, betrayal of her, himself, and everything they were occupied that list. Misplaced feelings of incestuousness and damnable fears of inadequacy ranked high.

He knew he wasn’t good enough and his lusting after Naoko proved it. Damn, Why was he was weak? Damn, why was he shallow? Damn, Why did her hair have to be so soft and smell so good? She was the answer to his unheeded prayers. It was a cruel joke.

Mariko was as good as he could expect. She was everything her sister wasn’t. He had no complaints or problems with her. In another place and time she would qualify for his dreamgirl. Not here. Shireika was the queen of his heart although she did not know it. However, Shireika would neither accept Mariko nor recognize his own feelings.

***

Sho-rei nodded at Tommy’s statement. “Yes, you embarrass your kids no matter what you say when they are this age. It’s tell a few stories about Tegiwa, but they aren’t half as fun without Tegiwa here to be uncomfortable over them. Just kidding Shireika.”

Ken smiled. “Todai [TU] is quite an achievement. They were on of the first places to reject me, but Sho-Sho- did her grad work there. A scholarship is just amazing. You should be proud of her. If she doesn’t like attention she should be a failure like me.”

“You are no failure dear.”

“Thanks.”

Sho-rei looked around after the twins left. “I guess it’s just us adults and Kaze. Kaze, you can leave too. Here’s some funds to spend at the mall. Be home by 11:00pm. And, no fighting Kaze.”

“Now we can watch a boring movie and drink beer.”

“I suppose one of your guy flicks. If Tommy would remarry, then I might have a decent chance of seeing what I want. You have been single for too long Tommy. You barely live like civilized people. If we didn’t come over you and you kids would be barbarians.”

“….”

***

Naoko came home carrying a couple of shopping bags from the mall. Once sequestered in her room, She withdrew two bags from within her shopping bags. One labled Fredricks of Hollywood and the other one Pleasure Chest.

“Yes! Hanshin is just going to be so surprised when he sees this. I hope he likes it…no loves it.” Her devilish smile flashed as she looked in the bag….

***

"I am," Tommy replied as he looked in the direction of the bedrooms of the apartment. "I'm proud of both of them." Well, he didn't like that they fought all the time, but that was something beyond his control to some extent. It was bound to happen, unfortunately. He chuckled at Sho-rei and shook his head. "I think if Shireika wasn't here, Hanshin and I would be living like barbarians. Still, I can't remarry. I couldn't do that to Shireika and Hanshin; they would be furious if I moved on with someone else. And, well, I especially couldn't do it to -" He stopped and shook his head.

It had been seven years since Sutako's death. He had spent his life loving her, ever since he could remember. She had been his world. She had been the reason for everything in his life, and she still was. She always would be. He had spent nearly thirty years of his life with her, all the way from high school sweethearts to husband and wife. And now, she had moved to another world, and he knew he couldn't lose faith that he would find her again. He just couldn't. He had spent too much of his time loving her to just move on with someone else.

***

Hanshin parked his car a couple blocks down the street from the Itoh residence, using the parking lot for Yukio's apartment complex. He knew Yukio didn't live far from the Itoh's, so if the three of them got questioned, they could pretend they were going over to Yukio's. It was very convenient and lucky for the three of them, since all of them were a part of the Wild Stallion operation. He grabbed his backpack from the front seat and started to head down the street.

"No sign of Shireika on the digivice," Koumamon said softly to Hanshin as they walked through the parking lot. "Though, it appears that she's on the move somewhere."

"Let's hope she's off to meet up with someone other than us," Hanshin replied. "We're just going to have to work fast."

As he walked down the street, he took out his computer and began typing a few messages.

[Shouki and Naoko: I'm about two blocks from the Itoh's place. Meet me outside his apartment. We shouldn't all head in at the same time. See you there -Hanshin]

[Yuu, Enma, and Shuuichi: Good luck over there. I'm sure you'll do just fine. Email us if something bad happens. -Hanshin]

***

Shireika grabbed a bag and stuffed Alatusmon into it.

"What's going on?" Alatusmon demanded, but Shireika immediately covered his mouth.

"I'll explain on the way. Promise," she whispered as she closed the bag. She grabbed her keys and jacket before she walked through the living room. "Hey, Dad. I need to meet up with a friend from school for a class project. Could I borrow the car?"

"Yeah, sure," Tommy replied. "I won't need it." He waved for her to head on out.

Shireika shuffled out the front door and headed out. She pulled out her computer and checked her messages. Only one from Asayake, and no sign of any other movement yet from the others. She better be chasing Hanshin down for a good reason. But where were the others?

She stormed through the parking lot of their apartment building. She put her bag down into the passenger seat as she slid into the driver's seat. She opened the bag and pulled out her digivice.

"Fuck, they're raiding Tegiwa's house," she whispered. She started up the car quickly. She hoped the others were on the move.

***

"Yuu?"

"Mmnf..."

"Yuuuuu~?"

"Jus'a few mins..."

"Oi, Yuu!"

"Ow!" Yuu sat up sharply after a pointly little beak poked her hard in the side of the head. She blinked. Her bed was a mess of books and blankets, and she realised right away that she had fallen asleep doing her homework. Rubbing the spot on her head that had been assaulted, she looked down at the digimon sitting on her pillow. "What is it, Kuinamon? That hurt, you know"

"Sorry 'bout that, your little computer is fussin'," he reported, and pointed a fin at the buzzing mini comp. He continued, "By th' way, esn't our heist startin' at eight 'o clock?"

Yuu had just picked up the comp to check what turned out to be an email when she spun around to look at the clock on her desk. 7:40.

"Ah--!" She dropped the handheld nearly right on top of Kuinamon's head and lept to her closet to grab a jacket. She had hoped to arrive early.

Her partner, meanwhile, ruffled a little put-outedly at having almost been crushed and leaned over to check the thing himself. After reading through it once, he annouced "Oi, it's from that kid with th' squidy digimon!"

"Jounin-san?" Yuu was rifling around in the closet for a hat and pulled out a floppy grey one with droopy kitty ears that Rukia had given her. "What does he need?"

"Looks like a ride. Th' sap don' know where the thing's s'pose to happen" he snickered.

"He doesn't? But Naoko-san sent us all the information..." She walked back over to the bed and read the message herself. "Well, either way, it looks like he needs to be picked up" she said. "Mom won't mind me borrowing the car for a little while, I'm sure. And I don't think he's to far out of the way" she added as she double-checked his address on her computer.

Finished, she dropped the mini into her small backpack and held it out for to hop into. "Alright, we need to be off now" she said, and he hopped in snappily. As she turned to head out the door she picked up her digivice off the desk and clipped it to a belt loop. She had a feeling she would need it.

***

Well, this was his street all right, Yuu thought as she hovered slowly down it. But where was Shuuichi? Thoroughly confused at the apparent emptiness of the roadside, she parked the car near his house and stepped out to look around. "Jounin-san?"

***

"Come on, push it! I'm not seeing you sweat!" Parumon shouted at Tomeo, as she sat on his back while he did push-ups on the floor in his room.

"38, 39... 40." Tomeo wheezed under his breath, and collapsed on his chest to catch his breath. "I think... that's enough... for now." he told Parumon, content with just resting on the floor to catch his breath for a while.

"Aww, c'mon, you pansy! I could do more push-ups in my sleep!" she boasted, but stopped when a sudden beeping came from Tomeo's bag, which he had dumped by the side of his bed. "Hey, something's up. I'll grab your computer, you weak excuse for a boy." She scooted across the carpeted floor of his room, ducked her head into the open zip of the bag, and produced Tomeo's computer which she carried back across to him in her mouth. She dropped in gently into Tomeo's hands as he brought himself to sit up, and flipped his computer open. "Great, a new e-mail. And just before I was about to take a break, too..." He read it thoroughly and gasped.

"Crap. It's from Shireika, Hanshin's on the move. No instruments for his band, a full backpack, and his digimon's out of sight. Something is definitely going down tonight. I didn't think they'd do anything tonight - let's move." he informed Parumon, and got up to get his digivice out of his bag. Accessing the map, which he had got the hang of thanks to Tegiwa's help, he located what he assumed must have been Shuuichi's blip on the screen. It had moved from the last time he had seen it, and now another familiar blip had moved to the same area. He could only assume that, from the colour, that it was Yuu's.

Grabbing his keys, then Parumon, and after checking the coast was clear outside his room, he walked quickly towards the front door of his house, tucking Parumon under his arms snugly to leave his hands free for typing on his mini-computer.

[Everyone,

Shuuichi's moved from his house, but not far, just down the street. He's stopped so I think he's waiting for someone - Asayake, I think it's probably Yuu, but I can't be sure. Whatever the case, you're right Shireika, it looks like they're getting together for something - this can't be good. Could be a false alarm if it's just a meeting, but we should look into it just to be safe. I'm going to follow Shuuichi's blip in my car with Parumon, I'll keep you all posted. If anyone needs a lift, let me know and I'll pick you up.

- Tomeo]

"Tomeo, where are you going?" his mother's voice suddenly came from the direction of the kitchen, as Tomeo had his hand on the door.

"Oh, hey Mom." Tomeo smiled faintly, turning around to look over at his shoulder at his mother, Yone. "I, uh, just got a call from someone needing a lift - they're one of my friends from school."

"Oh, alright. See you later." she nodded, brushing back her raven-black hair, and looked oddly at the strange creature tucked underneath Tomeo's arm. She was about to inquire if it was some toy or something, but a quick "See you later, bye!" from her son followed by the closing of the front door, and he was already gone.

"Thanks for not making so much noise. I honestly didn't even know if she was home yet or not." Tomeo said to Parumon, opening up his car door and placing Parumon down on the front seat.

The car was an older model, the family car his father used to drive, but he had upgraded to a superior model and handed down the car to Tomeo, so it was still only a few years old. He paced around quickly to the driver's side and opened the door, giving Parumon the opportunity to speak in a position where Tomeo could hear him. "Yeah? Well, thanks for letting me ride up shotgun in this transportation machine for once. Being stuffed in your smelly bag? Not fun."

"Aww, you said thank you for once with me having to remind you. And it's called a car, not a transportation device." Tomeo teased, starting up the car and backing it out manually onto the street. He reminded himself that once he found Shuuichi's address, he would let the autopilot do it's work.

"Tomeo?"

"Yes?"

"Shut up."

***

Asayake smiled impishly as Yuu's dot found itself on a street about ten minutes away. She pulled on her jacket, poking the snoozing Rogishimon. "Rogishimon, we're on the move."

"Okay." The bird cooed, hopping into a little drawstring bag. Asayake slung it gently over her shoulder, and grabbed her car keys from her desk. Closing the door of her room behind her, she slid down the banister, earning small amused frown fom her father.

"Where are you off to?" Botan asked, putting the plate in his hands back in the drainboard, "Hot date?"

"No, Papa," Relaied Asayake hurredly, tugging on her shoes, "Just out. I won't be too long."

"Just be careful, and leave your phone on." Said Botan, smiling as his daughter gave him a quick wave before hurrying out to her car.

***

Asayake eased the black Hover-Corvette over to the curb, within view of Yuu, and flicked off the headlights. Yuu was apparently waiting for someone, and she heard her call out the name 'Jounin'. "Jounin, Jounin," She mumbled, frowning softly, "Where do I recognize that name?"

"That's Shuuichi-san's last name," Rogishimon said, peering over the dashboard, "She must be here to give him a ride."

"That means that Tomeo shouldn't be far behind, then." She said, checking her mirrors, "I hope there's some sort of chase. I've always wanted to race this baby." Asayake smiled, drumming her fingers over the steering wheel. She tossed back her bangs, having forgotten the clip that usually kept them from her eyes, and rested her elbow on the doorframe. Rogishimon was currently poking the stuffed dice hanging from her mirror.

"'Sayake?"

"Yes?" Asayake asked, keeping her eyes on Yuu.

"Why does your car have no roof?

Asayake chuckled.

***

"Can we go now!" Mitikomomon asked, bouncing up and down on Megami's bed.

"In a minute." Enma said, still scrounging through a desk drawer. Finally, she held up a keyring triumphantly. "Ah-ha!" She cried, bouncing up and down, before pocketing the keys.

"Won't your mom need those?" Mitikomomon asked. Enma shook her head in the negative.

"These are her spare keys, and besides, she never goes out, she's a...a parent!"

"Oh..." Mitikomomon was picked up, and Enma snuck out of the house. She got into the car and put her purse, her keyring, and Mitikomomon onto the passenger seat, before taking the car's key off of the ring and putting it into the ignition. "Enma, don't you need a piece of paper to drive one of these things?"

"Yeah, why?" Enma said, backing out of the driveway.

"Well, you don't have one in your purse, you just have a funny thingy that says 'permit' there."

"We're ignoring that fact, Mitikomomon." Enma said, starting in the direction of the Chikusa household.

[Yuu and Shuuichi –

I'm on my way to Tegiwa's grandfather's house. If you guys get lost, I'll send you good directions from wherever you are - I know how to get there easily.

-Enma]

***

Sho-rei patted Tommy on the shoulder, “Look, your kids are almost grown, and I know Sutako wouldn’t want you to spend the rest of your life alone. You won’t be unfaithful to her memory if you find someone else. This kind of love expands. Sutako would tell you this herself I’m sure.”

Ken looked up at her. “You’d remarry if I died?”

“Well, that depends…” She gave him a slight smile.

“Depends on what?”

“If I could find anyone who came close to you. Tokyo is a little short on ex-bully, compassionate, thoughtful, military types.”

Ken laughed and turned back to the movies. Guy action flicks with explosions, guns, fast cars, fast women, and more explosions.

Sho-rei glanced at the movie choices. “No, thanks guys. Fake senseless violence is worse than the real kind. I’ve seen enough unrest on the news to last me a bit. I think I’ll clean up since you free the slaves early. Honestly, what do you guys see in those movies.”

“Simple. The good guy gets the bad guy by taking matters into his own hands. At work we just have to stand there and take it when the mobs throw stuff at us. And, arrests…so much paper work and the lawyers still get them off. We guys need a bit of fantasy where we see the guys take decisive action and get results.” Tommy was holding up a few more movies. Ken was eyeing “Death Race 2000” and a ubiquitous save the world flick.

Sho-rei rolled her eyes. “And naked babes…”

“And naked….hey, that’s not fair. In your movies the disgruntled housewife always has a fling with the studly guy.”

“It’s about emotion and understanding, plus the people keep their clothes on most of the time.”

“Mostly…We guys just need an adrenaline release. Those chick flicks put us to sleep.”

“You never sleep when you watch them with me.”

“That has more to do with you than the show. I wouldn’t watch them without you. Too boring.”

Sho-rei finished clearing the table. “It’s because you are such children…”

“Ok, we concede our immaturity and settle on ‘Killer Whores from Outer Space’.”

***

Naoko donned her costume for the evening. She was Zera, a replicant from“Blade Runner”. She wore a form fitted plastic and vinyl bra that was more like a an armoured plate than an undergarment. A super short black mini skirt than barely covered her rear, a black thong under that, garters and black fishnet stockings, and high side buckled boots (combat style) with a thick sole. She added a clear PVC raincoat for warmth. Zera had medium brown hair and she had long black. Who cared. The tenchoslut look was cool. She just hope she wouldn’t be crashing through any plate glass windows tonight. However, she wouldn’t mind an exotic dance number with a snake. She thought of Hanshin and smiled.

She was already hurrying to Hanshin’s side when he emailed. She replied she’d like to go in first. She passed by him outside the Tegiwa’s and gave him a subtle wave. She preceded to the door and entered the code. The interior was dimly lit; darkness dwelled in the corners. She couldn’t find the lights, so she turned on her own mini light in order to search the wall panel.

“Where is that control board? Her macro commands didn’t seem to work either.”

Something, a shadow, moved from the ceiling downward. Naoko caught sight of the movement but couldn’t figure out where the castee was.

Suddenly, she felt something prickly on her neck. She brushed at the irratant, and dislodged the largest spider she had ever seen. It was at least six inches across. She screamed…well, exactly as if a six inch tarantula had landed on her. Her high pitched quavering headed for the area beyond human hearing and faded to a whisper as her throat closed. At the same time, the part of her brain which had frozen her let go and she flailed her arms spastically while jumping up and down on the unlucky spider who had landed on the floor.

Her breathing returned to normal slowly. She noted that the spider’s corpse was on fire.

“Halloween toys. Damn the bitch. Almost made me piss my pants.”

She gave the others the signal that it was safe, after she lit the lights.

***

Tegiwa was occupied when the message came, both hands occupied. He moved to answer his beeping message program.

“Hey, I like the way you do that. I never said stop.” Mariko laughed.

Tegiwa flipped his mini-comp on, and continued with Mariko’s shoulder rub.

The holograph displayed Shireika’s warning message. “Shit, looks like your sister and her boyfriend want to wreck our evening. They are at my house.”

“We are across town, though. Will we make it back?” She looked disappointed.

“I can if I take the express car. You can find your way home right?”

“No, I’m going with you.” She clutched at his arm.

“This could be really dangerous. I don’t want you involved.”

“Naoko is involved, so I am. If it’s dangerous for her.”

“Look, I don’t want anyone getting hurt . I’ll try to protect Naoko too.”

“Thanks. She’s all I’ve got really.”

“You have me.”

“Yeah, but she’s family. I love both of you though.”

“Love...that’s a nice word. Sure?”

“Yeah, I think so.” She turned a little red.

He smiled. “I think I could love you. Ok, let’s go to the nearest transport terminal. I’ll see you get home normally, and I’ll try the express.

A few minutes later he was only blocks from home.

***

Sho-rei was partly right, but she didn't know the whole extent of what actually happened to Sutako. Even he didn't, but from what he could tell, Sutako was alive somewhere. He couldn't move on. He just couldn't.

And, that's how Tommy had always been when it came to Sutako. She was his one and only, and there was no changing his mind. He couldn't find it possible to fall in love again, but Sho-rei would always bug him about finding love again.

For Tommy, he felt he had, or at least, a new purpose in life would be a better term. His children were everything to him now. They and Sutako were always his life, and he had to take care of them, even if they didn't seem to need him.

"You know you're crazy," he said. "It's a wonder how Sho-rei puts up with the two of us without Sutako around anymore. I guess she's gotten used to it after seven years of it."

***

Hanshin watched Naoko pass him, and his green eyes followed her trail. He grinned to himself. He remembered that she had wanted to have a little naughty fun in the Itoh master bedroom, and she certainly had prepared herself for something. He wouldn't mind getting his hands on that rear again. They'd have to do it quickly, since they wouldn't have all the time in the world if Shireika was on his tail.

Before entering the Itoh residence, he looked around to make sure no one was following him and then entered. He found Naoko inside, facing away from the front door. He quickly approached her.

"Hey babe," he whispered as he gave her rear a soft spank. "Any sign of Shouki anywhere?" he asked as he took around the living room. "I'd hate to get started without knowing that he's on lookout." He winked as signaled towards the hallway heading to the bedrooms. He began shuffling around in the living room, checking for any possible hiding places. "Any possibilities of where this key fragment is going to be?" He looked back towards Naoko, wishing that the key fragment was hiding somewhere in that

***

"Alatusmon, where is he?" she asked as she quickly drove through Tokyo, trying her best to avoid any congestion.

"He's at Tegiwa's already," Alatusmon replied. "He's stopped moving big distances quickly. There's someone else there."

"The slut," she muttered. "Where's my phone?"

Alatusmon tossed it with her beak into Shireika's hand. Without looking, Shireika dialed Tegiwa's number. His number was ingrained into her muscle memory by now. She put the phone down and clipped on the earpiece and microphone.

"Come on, pick up already," she murmured as she turned a corner.

***

"About time," said Hanarei as she watched Enma drive off from her house. Hanarei checked her digivice and saw the small red dot move quickly across the radar screen. She guessed Enma hadn't noticed her yet. "Let's go," she said.

"Alright," said Himotomon from Hanarei's bag, "action time!"

Hanarei jumped out of the tree and landed on the sidewalk without any trouble. It certainly surprised the people who were walking close by. Hanarei ran down the street to her mother's hover-motorcycle. She wasn't allowed to use the car because, 1: her dad used it mostly for work, and 2: she lost all benefits of using it after taking it for a joy ride which resulted in getting the rear fender replaced. "I must have the most ancient thing among the digidestined," she mumbled. She threw on the helmet which was placed on the back, hopped pn, pressed on the pedal and was soon in hot pursuit of Enma's car.

Hanarei loved the feeling of her hair flapping in the air behind her. She kept her distance and mostly watched where Enma was going by using the digivice radar. She would have to wait to send an email until Enma stopped long enough or until she reached her destination. Himotomon seemed to be enjoying the ride as well. "Strange, you don't seem afraid on this ride even though we're basically flying," Hanarei shouted over the wind to her digimon.

"It's because of what's below us," she shouted back. "No water, no problem."

***

Shouki quickly ran out of the bus and headed for Tegiwa's house. He had a look of panic on his face. "Aww man, I'm late," he said to himself. "Why did we have to hit every singal light and stop at every single bus stop?"

"You mean doing that stuff was optional?" Kirimon asked. Shouki ignored Kirimon's comment and finally made it to Tegiwa's house. There didn't seem to be any sign of the others but the door looked open and there were lights inside. Guessing they were already inside, Shouki took the chance and headed in. He saw Hanshin and Naoko before he spoke. "Hey guys, sorry about being late, the b...." He stopped when he saw what Naoko was wearing. Shouki shook his head in disbelief. Fortunately, Kirimon was able to fill in the odd silence with a whistle and the phrase "Nice."

It took a moment before Shouki regained his senses. "Right, so, I'm doing lookout then. Any ideas for a signal or should I just yell 'run for it' if the time comes?"

"Or how about the phrase, 'Get your cloths back on,' instead?" Kirimon added. If Shouki wasn't blushing bright red from the phrase, he might have bopped Kirimon on the head.

***

Naoko purred when Hanshin felt her up and grinned back at him.

"The bedroom," she said, "but it could be anywhere. I suspect that Tegiwa's mother has moved the key fragment now that she knows that you're interested in it." She turned around when she heard Shouki enter. "Send a quick message on your computer, and we'll get it." She held up her hand to show off her ring which allowed her access to her email and almost all communication. "Hanshin and I will escape out a back exit or something. You figure out a way to distract them." She paused, holding a finger to her lips. "If I haven't orgasmed yet, you should hold them up until I do." She winked at him. "Look, just send us a message, and we'll figure out what to do from there. So, just stand outside in the hallway and keep an eye out for Shireika and her crew." She pushed Shouki out into the hallway quickly and closed the door.

She looked at Hanshin. "Ahhh," she gave a wide grin as waves of pleasure swept over her. "No, that one doesn't count. I get orgasm preshocks with you superman."

Hanshin chuckled as he pulled off his sweatshirt and dumped it by his backpack. The apartment was heated, so the sweatshirt wasn't really necessary. He raised his eyebrows when Naoko did the same with her clear jacket, not like the jacket had covered up much to begin with. He followed her into the kitchen when she beckoned him to follow her.

"You done in there?" she asked as she turned on the lights.

"Yeah, no success," Hanshin replied as he took a look around.

"Why don't you search the upper cabinets, since you're taller," she said. "I'll take care of these." She walked straight ahead and bent down, showing off a good lower portion of her rear.

"Yeah, sure," Hanshin said slowly as he walked over to the stove and began searching through the upper cabinets. He kept looking back and forth between the empty pots and Naoko. That skirt left very little to the imagination, not that he minded a good glimpse of that ass. When he finished, he turned around and leaned against the counter, just watching her quickly search through the drawers.

Naoko grinned as she felt Hanshin's gaze. She pulled open a drawer, finding various old utensils, which only reminded her of making passionate love with Hanshin. She quickened her pace. She wanted him now, but that wasn't why they were here. Well, that wasn't why Hanshin here. He wanted to find that damn key fragment, and, well, she did too, but she really just wanted to do it rough and nasty on that scary woman's bed. Just to spite her. Tegiwa's mother was creepier than she could have imagined, only not quite as disturbing as Shireika. She'd do it on Shireika's bed on of these days, if Hanshin agreed to it.

"Take your time," Hanshin said. "We wouldn't want to miss the key fragment if it were here." That, and he didn't really want her to stand up. He could just stare at that rear for hours.

"I'm done," she replied as she stood up. She tugged at the bottom of her skirt and walked up to Hanshin. "Master bedroom," she whispered as she walked past him. She grinned to herself when Hanshin gave her another spank as they exited the kitchen. He certainly was getting in the mood for it, and it was the perfect revenge.

Once in the master bedroom, Hanshin immediately began raiding through the closet, pushing clothing back and forth and searching through pockets. He opened shoeboxes and checked the walls for any hiding places that could have been made for the key. He had to find that key fragment if it was here, and there was no way he was going to miss it.

"Having any luck?" he asked as he looked back at Naoko. What he saw was another glimpse of that wonderful rear end facing him. She had leaned across the bed to search under the covers and pillows. Then, he was suddenly was reminded that Naoko had wanted to do it here. Well, he wasn't going to argue with that, and with those clothes, she was making something start to rise.

"You need to stop wearing skirts like this," Hanshin whispered as he approached her from behind. He gave her rear a harsh squeeze. "So, how do you want it?" he asked as he gently pushed her down onto the bed. He straddled over her, waiting for her next move. "I do recall a specific request of location."

"It doesn't matter, as long as it's with you," Naoko whispered as she sat up a little. She brought her hands to his waist and unbuckled his belt. Quickly, she undid the top button and unzipped the fly. She snuck a hand down into the front of his pants. "However you how want." She kissed him and softly bit his lower lip. "As long as it's good."

***

[author's note: for all of our own personal comfort levels, we shall leave it at that they finished in about ten minutes. You can use your own imagination on what actually happened.]

If she thought she was going to walk funny last time they did it, Naoko thought she surely was going to be the same way again this time. Never had she found so much pleasure in getting laid in another person's bed, especially this bed. Plus, it was with Hanshin, and he knew what he was doing better than any other male she had done it with. He was well practiced, and, well, he was amazing in his own right.

She pushed herself up with her arms so she stood on her knees on the bed. She turned around, seeing Hanshin pulling his pants back on.

She didn't say anything as she got off the bed. She was still mostly clothed. They didn't have time to strip down to nothing if they were going to get it done as fast as possible. She pulled out a new thong from her vinyl and plastic bra and readjusted the garment.

"So, let's finish up searching, and let's get out of here," Hanshin said. "We can do it again later tonight. Get yourself redressed. I'm checking the bathroom. You check the other bedrooms." He kissed Naoko on the cheek. "Love you, babe." He gave her another spank and hurried off down the hallway to search the bathroom.

***

Hanarei zoomed through the air on the hover-bike as she followed Enma. She enjoyed the ride very much and was partially upset when Enma stopped but remembered she had a job to do. "Himotomon, how's that email coming along?" Hanarei asked.

"It'ff gephhin theer," she said with the mini-comp in her mouth. It was hard for her to type without any arms and had to rely on her teeth. As Hanarei was slowing down to park the hover-bike (somewhere close to Enma's car), Himotomon handed her the mini-comp along with the message she wrote.

[berry on, Emma jazz stooped summer were ear thy Tokyo bat. -Himotomon]

Hanarei frowned at this, glanced over at Himotomon (who didn't seem to notice all the mistakes), then erased the message. "Let me give it a try," she said sarcastically.

[Everyone, I'm over at the Chikusa's residence at the Tokyo Bay. It looks like Enma and a few others are in this area as well. Better hurry up. -Hanarei]

She pressed send and put away the mini-comp. "Time to get things started." It looked like Hanarei was too late to keep the others from going down the elevator. "Which leaves you all alone," said Hanarei as she spotted Enma. "What to do? What to do?" She had a familiar wicked smile on her face.

"Wait for the others is option A," said Himotomon. "Attack would be option B."

"We're suppose to stop them, right? And they have already sent some of their digimon into the water. Let's keep them from sending another one to help." She walked out of her hiding spot and strolled over toward Enma. She stopped some 20 feet away. Himotomon jumped out of the bag and landed next her partner. "My, my," said Hanarei as she stared at Enma, "isn't this a nice time for a night-time stroll. What brings you out here; The sea air? The moon? A key fragment?"

*** Shouki waited patiently in the hallway as Hanshin and Naoko finished doing... whatever. Shouki didn't want to imagine what was going on and tried to be very interested in a scratch on the wall. The moans from the bedroom did nothing to help.

Kirimon seemed content bouncing himself or jumping off the walls and floor. Shouki mostly stood there. "C'mon Shouki," said Kirimon. "You're lookout but that doesn't mean you don't do anything."

Shouki still didn't move. He was acting as though the walls were made of acid and touching them would kill him. "I'm still unsure about this whole thing."

Kirimon slapped his forehead at Shouki's comment. "Look," he floated over to Shouki, "take a look behind that picture. That's all I'm going to ask. After that you can stand there like scarecrow for the rest of the evening and I won't ask for anything else from you tonight, savy?"

He tried to ignore it, but soon Shouki's eyes kept darting over to the picture frame Kirimon pointed out. 'If the key is behind there,' he thought, 'we could finish this and be out of here instantly.'

"C'mon," Kirimon urged. "Just a lift of the frame and a feel of the wall." Thinking it over some more, Shouki finally inched his way to the picture, slowly lifted his hand, then the picture frame, and felt the wall with the back of his hand before dropping his hand and the frame quickly. "Ooooohhhhh," Kirimon said in mock worry. "You're now corrupt. Next thing you know you'll be stealing bank buildings. And not just the money but the building itself."

Changing the subject, Shouki thought he heard Hanshin and Naoko starting to come out of the bedroom. 'Oh please have cloths on?' he thought.

***

Shuuichi stared through the bush as he heard the shouts. He glanced at his digivice and saw one colored dot right near him. The voice sounded like Yuu so he just assumed. Then he noticed two more approaching dots.

"They must be the ones that Shireika sent to watch over us," he whispered as picked up his bag and slung it over one shoulder. He then dashed out of the bush and to the door putting his index finger to his mouth signaling her to stop yelling his name.

Yuu was surprised when Shuuichi came speeding out of the bushes and up to the car, but as per his signal she didn't say anything. As she turned around to unlock the car and climb in, she unclipped her digivice and peeked at it. There were two dots on it, and nearby. Well, that explained it. She motioned for Shuuichi to climb in and slid into the drivers seat to punch in the destination.

"You could have just e-mailed me a reply instead. Shouting out my name could have been possible what lead them on this way!" Shuuichi cried out.

"Oh God he is going to get us kicked out of the ride!" Squjimon squealed in the bag. The idea of having to ride around on Shuuichi's back while he complained about how special he was not an idea of sheer entertainment. It was more of sheer hell to the poor digimon.

Shuuichi gave a sharp glare to the bag. "To think if we hadn't been trailed or being watched 24/7, we could have tricked her group into thinking that we were going to one or the other house instead of both. I guess Shireika's gang really doesn't have a life if their keeping such a close eye to us," he said.

Yuu flushed a little in embarrassment. It hadn't even occurred to her to reply to email. "Sorry," she said, "but how was I suppose to know they'd follow us like that?" The car lifted off. As it flew down the street towards the bay, she thought of something and turned towards Shuuichi. "Do you think they're tailing us in a car? It might not be a good idea to go straight there; we wouldn't have any time to look around before they found out what we were doing"

"I bet they know what we are going after and what we will be doing anyway. Shireika isn't stupid by all means. And neither are the others. As soon as one of them figures out one house they will notice the pattern and that we are going after the houses of knowledge," Shuuichi said watching the scenery. "If we screwed off now and went on a joy ride to try and throw them off, they might find out the next house by themselves or by one of the others. It is too big of a risk to take. Our goal is to head and check the place first. Possibly to find the item we are looking for before they find it and take it from us. “I wouldn't be surprised if they were in cars with watcher hater silent dog whistles on them coming after us. They know how much this could jeopardize either group," he said.

Yuu nodded mechanically, "Ah, you're right..." she admitted, although she thought he was reaching a bit about the dog whistles. This was beginning to make her uneasy again. What if they ended up having to fight for it? She'd rather it not come to that, but... she sighed. This was getting serious. "I guess we'll have to hurry, then."

"Isn't that the turn off," Shuuichi pointed to the next turn a few yards ahead.

Karen and Sho Chikusa live on the 6th story (from the top) in Tokyo Bay's newest housing complex. It hugged the contours of the bay just outside the neck of the harbor between the seawall and the coral reefs It looked like an office building or dormitory set underwater. It was 600ft long and grouped in semi-round sections which were the covered and styled frame work of the pressure resistant towers. The whole thing was ten stories from top to bottom, and the bottom rested off the sea floor by about ten meters. This last level severed as water access and garage for those with submersibles. The top served as lobby and entrance from dry land, and it was attached to a dock for that purpose. On this evening, Karen and Sho were supposed to be out. That's what Naoko, had promised. However, it wasn't possible to tell whether this was the case simply by standing on the dock. All the residential units had windows that were well underwater and facing the wrong way. The top of the complex with it’s elevator and VTOL parking pads was all that was above ground. Vistor spaces and ground places were along the shore.

Their email contained a note from Naoko: "Here is the access code to the alarm and door. You shouldn't have an trouble. It's a normal flat." Along with her codes and maps. Naoko was thorough.

"Ah--!" Yuu made the turn off, but a little sharper than she'd have liked. She caught sight of the docks and set down in the nearest parking she could find, on the shore. Shutting down the car, she grabbed her bag with Kuinamon and hopped out to look around. "Should we wait for Enma-san?"

Shuuichi looks at his digivice. "I don't know where their dots went at the moment but I don't think we can risk that. We need to hurry now since we have been somewhat spotted. She can take my place as the look out once we're inside," he said as he slug the bag containing Squijimon in it and began to jog to the lobby area.

"Let's see the e-mail has all the stuff we need," he said turning to Yuu. "Would you like to do the honors?" he said pointing towards the elevator.

"No, you're welcome to it" she replied. Even now, the thought of using stolen security codes made her a bit uncomfortable. "I'll keep a look out"

"Oh you're coming with me. I will not go down in this alone. And Squijimon does not count as not being alone," he said. "Plus um... I don't really like water that much. I'm not afraid of it, just don't like it that much."

He opened his e-mail to read the codes."Okay I know which room. Let's see, according to Naoko's notes, this should be the right floor," he said as he pressed one of the buttons. "Get on before the door closes," he ordered as the doors began to slowly closed in front of him.

Enma finally pulled in near the apartment building. She was late because Mitikomomon had forced her to go slowly as to not alert the police to her 'joy riding' in her mother's car.

"You're worse than my mother." Enma muttered, before slamming the door and starting at the entrance. "Hell..." She looked around, noticing Yuu nor Shuuichi were there. She opened her email and started to type:

[Yuu, Shuuichi -- Sorry I'm late, my partner has decided to manifest himself into a cross-dressing version of my mother. I figure you guys are already here - do you want me to stand guard for any of Shireika's group? - Enma]

Yuu began, “Oh, no, I'll certainly come down with you, it's just... ah, nevermind." She sighed, and hurried through the closing doors. "By the way, shouldn't we let our digimon swim out in the bay and look around there too?

Just then her bag poked her and she turned to see Kuinamon's head pop out. "'Nother mail for ya!" he reported and handed her the buzzing computer.

"Ah, thank you" She checked the mail. "It's from Enma-san. It looks like she just arrived."

"Hmm?" the questioning noise of Shuuichi. He found his own computer and opened up the e-mail. "Please make sure they don't find us. Two were on our tail before we got here. We are going to put the digimon in the water. Yuu suggested that they search there too," he said into the computer's mini microphone, that way he didn't need to type as he dug Squijimon out of the bag.

As the elevator got to the floor, Shuuichi turned to Yuu and said, "Give me your digimon. I'll go back to the lobby and drop them off at the bay, that way they can dive in and search. I will meet you back here. You can enter and disarm the stuff with the codes that Naoko sent," he said as he held the squirming squid digimon in his arm

Enma leaned against the entrance of the building, letting Mitikomomon out of her bag. "Well, now what are we doing?" asked the overly enthusiastic blue ball of fur.

"Alright, here" she said as she picked up Kuinamon out of her bag and handed him over to Shuuichi.

Kuinamon grinned at the other digimon. "Looks like we're teamin' up!" he chirped. Yuu sighed. He really wasn't being serious.

The hall was brightly lit with off white walls and taupe carpeting and overhead lights. The Chikusa place wasn't far from the elevator.

"I'll see you in a bit" Yuu said, and walked down the hall to the room she'd be breaking into.

Enma checked her email, and sighed. "Now, we play look out while Yuu and Shuuichi play detective." She said, showing Mitikomomon Shuuichi's email.

Mitikomomon wilted as he read what he could understand of the email. "But I don't wanna play look out! It's not fair!"

Enma rolled her eyes. "Life in general is not fair, Mitikomomon. If it were, I'd either be a genius or an only child."

She made herself comfortable and she waited for further instructions from the others.

Shuuichi kept pressing the elevator button wanting it to go faster. Finally reaching the lobby he held both digimon in his arms tightly as he jogged out of the lobby to where Enma was to be. "Here you are. These two are going now, they will need you're assistance if anything begins to go wrong since look out doesn't seem to be thrilling you two," he said as he let Squijimon and Kuinamon onto the group. Squijimon began to head to the water. "You do know you could join those two and help them under water possibly," Shuuichi said a little annoyed as he crouched down to talk to Mitikomomon. "You four settle things out, I’ve got to get back," he said as he ran back to the elevator immediately going down.

Squijimon had already begun to float in the small waves near the land as he waited for Kuinamon. "I can't believe you are going to swim. I didn't think you would like water," she said as she ducked under water and back up. "I am so excited. I am in the water, the beautiful water. Oh how I love thee!" She began to rant, "Hurry up slow poke, I can't wait!"

The moon glinted placidly off the waters of the bay which were both beautiful and clear. If anything was out there, tonight would be a good night to find it. One could not ask for better conditions even the stars were out in force.

"I get to play in the WATER! I get to play in the WATER!" Mitikomomon sung as he jumped up and down on his nonexistent legs. Enma rubbed her forehead, trying to ease the impending migraine. "So, how do you want to do this? Squijimon? is obviously going to be searching the water, but what about you two?" She looked at Kuinamon and Mitikomomon.

"I get to play in the WATER!" Mitikomomon sang out again. "I get to play in the -" Enma smacked a hand over the digimon's mouth.

"We got that. Kuinamon, what's your vote?" she asked hastily.

"Wha'd'ya mean? I'm a fish-type too, you know!" Kuinamon called back as he hopped and fluttered over and into the water. Once in, he zipped right over to where the other digimon was floating. "See, eh?" He turned up to look at Enma. "Well I can search in the water jus' as well as squidy 'ere, it's you there we gotta think about" he pointed out, indicating Mitikomomon.

Meanwhile down below, Yuu read over the codes Naoko had sent and selected the oe for the front door. She entered it slowly, checking over each number before she punched it in. "I can't believe I'm doing this..." Checking it over one more time, she hit 'enter' and walked in the door.

The elevator door had begun to open as Yuu had finished to press in the code. He dashed out of the elevator to catch the door into the apartment. He smiled as he replied to her original comment, "At least it was you and not me."

The light glinted off various items on the ocean floor between the complex and the coral reef. Inside, the Chikusa residence was clean and spartan; it ranked somewhere between Danish and traditional Japanese decor. Low tables, soft lights, and open spaces comprised the layout. There was light in the living room, but the others were dark."

"Wow, pretty nice," Shuuichi said staring open mouthed at the many different items of decor. "I didn't even think they made half of these things anymore," he said. He turned back to Yuu, "So where should we start searching?"

Shuuichi's attitude through Yuu off for a moment, but she followed him inside and looked around. "I... really don't know" she replied.

***

"Parumon, get that message for me." Tomeo spoke as he drived, trying his best not to lose Shuuichi's ride in Yuu's car in the darkness. "God, I hope this doesn't lead into a car chase. Someone could get seriously hurt, or worse."

"Ah, quit bein' such a square." Parumon told him, flipping open Tomeo's mini computer on the car seat with her small forelimbs. "Which button do I press?"

"That one." Tomeo said, after a moment's glance, ignoring Parumon’s latest insult.

"Great." Parumon sighed, scanning the memo. "Looks like Hanarei has pulled ahead of us and found them. She says Enma and co are already over there. And something about a 'Chikusa' residence... name ring any bells?"

"Nope, not anyone I know. But if Enma and Shuuichi are there, then it has to be the home of a former digidestined." Tomeo reasoned. "We have to stop them."

"Pulling up to the residence, Tomeo almost considered parking away from the complex so they could sneak up on them, but suddenly discarded the thought. They were the ones doing the sneaking, why catch them in the act when scaring them off would serve the right purpose? The idea was to get them away from the key fragment, after all. He parked close along the shoreline near Hanarei's hoverbike, the right angle if they needed to resume chase, and pocketed all his belongings as Parumon followed him out of the car.

Tomeo took in his surroundings as he quickly, but quietly moved up towards the lobby. "Looks like these people live in an underwater apartment... Parumon, can you..."

"Say no more, Tomeo." Parumon acknowledged, scuttling along after him on her four tiny feet. "Squid-boy probably has sent squid-mon into the water to look for the fragment. I sense an underwater battle coming on... but that's where I have the advantage. I AM the water." she claimed rather coolly, as they approached the lobby area.

Tomeo nodded to his aquatic partner as he slowed down, spotting quite a scene ahead of them. Hanarei and Hitomomon had already encountered Enma, Mitikomomon, Squijimon and Kuinamon, and from her body language he could tell it wasn't in a good way. She was supposed to hang back and wait for help, or at least e-mail everyone about what to do before she confronted them, wasn't she? She seemed pretty eager to pick a fight, he thought silently to himself.

But he disregarded that for the moment - what it also meant that Yuu and Shuuichi had already gone ahead down the elevator, since their partners were present. He checked his digivice, the map zooming in to reveal that two dots had moved into the centre of the building and weren't definitely on sea level. Well, it didn't matter. Even if they did find the key, they had to come back for Enma and the digimon, so the only way they were coming out of there was the same way they had come in - the elevator. Which meant all they had to do was wait.

He strolled in from behind Hanarei, a disappointed look on his face as he looked at Enma for a moment. He didn't say anything, deciding to let Hanarei have her moment as he caught the last half of what she said, and started typing up an e-mail to the others as she let her do the talking.

[Guys,

Hanarei and I are at the Chikusa residence with Enma. Shuuichi and Yuu are unaccounted for but their partners are here. My digivice tells me they're in the building, but it's hard to say if they got into the apartments or not. Plan is to wait it out until they come up - can anybody suggest anything else?

- Tomeo]

He sent the e-mail to everyone, and looked down at his digimon. "Now, Parumon, get in - " But he was too late, and with a burst of speed, Parumon leaped over the docks where the three digimon had begun getting into the water, and dived straight in, resurfacing in front of them.

"Okay, 'mons. It's time to end this little play-date! And don't think you can get away, because I can out-swim and out-dive all of you, combined, with all the skill in my little toe. Yeah, sure pretending to act like a thief might be cool, but stealing ain't. The key doesn't belong to any of you, it belongs to the former digidestined!" A growl escaped her lips following her warning, daring any of the digimon to weave past her.

***

Asayake wondered to herself if anyone had noticed her following Tomeo, but decided it didn't matter. Quickly checking her mail, she followed Tomeo to the small showdown going on by an elevator. "An underwater apartment? These folks are odd." She scoffed, standing beside Tomeo. As she took on her surroundings, she sighed; Rogishimon wouldn't be of any help in this sort of situation, since she was a bird and didn't exactly have gills. She kept a careful eye on the elevator, though, listening as it began it's slow ascent to ground level. Inclining her head to she could whisper in Tomeo's ear, she shielded her mouth with her hand on the off chance that Enma would be able to read her lips. "We need to get someone down into the apartment if Yuu and Shuuichi are already there. Rogishimon isn't much help with the water, so I'm going to try and get to the elevator before Enma does. See if you and Hanarei can keep her occupied for the time being. If you or hanarei could make a break eventually, I'd be able to use your help."

With a quick smirk she moved off to the side, edging slowly towards the elevator with almost immesurable movements, as if she was just shifting rather than moving, waiting for Enma to get caught up in holding the fort so she could make a break for the elevator. If the little light over the door told her anything, the elevator was ready for another go, and her feet tingled in anticipation of the opportune moment.

***

Tegiwa was racing through the night streets toward his home at top speed. The buzzing of freshly activated sodium vapor lamps and the nocturnal insects they drew were his only companions in the bleak night. His home was being invaded and violated, and he was still blocks away. The dark void of night seemed to stretch out forever before him, while he felt like he was running in place in the orange cone of light. And, the buzzing…the endless buzzing of a thousand insects filled his ear. An endless serenade to accompany his endless journey.

Running…

Buzzing…

Running…

Droning…

Emptiness….

Futility…

Loneliness… Buzzing…buzzing? Shit! That was the last time he set his phone on “Cicada” ring. He slipped on his ear-mic and answered the phone. The caller ID revealed it was Shireika. “Mushi-mushi……I’m I’m almost home, Shireika. Just a block or so away now. I took the express pod home from down town.

“Can we just call the cops on them? I mean, I doubt your dad would be in a hurry to bail them out, so Hanshin would be ‘safe’ for a month or two. Well, out of our hair at least. Those two ruined a perfectly good date for me…”

Tegiwa knew that he should have called the cops from downtown, and he would have if he had any balls. Or, called his mother. Called anyone. But, he subjugated himself to Shireika’s will once again because he was a pansy. Correction: her pansy. He consoled himself with the notion that Hanshin was Shireika’s brother, and duly entitled to special treatment by her. That thought helped a little.

The key was Digi-only business, but breaking and entering was well within the bailiwick of law enforcement. And, if those two should have the key fragment then it is theft and the key fragment would be locked up in the evidence room where Hanshin would never be able to touch it. Nice thought. Shireika never delegated tasks she considered personal. Tegiwa sighed. He knew he’d give in to her despite all reason and she would see none.

***

Naoko ducked out of the Master Suite for an instant to pay a quick visit to tegiwa’s room where she secreted a card with her lip prints on the seal and the orginal thong she wore over. These two items she secreted under the pillow. She flopped on the bed to restore the messiness she had undone by disturbing the bed. She found herself tired and looking at the ceiling while she said to herself:

“I can’t believe Tegi lives like this. Hanshin either. Guy’s are such pigs. Ok, my room is messy, but this place is beyond belief. He could file for typhoon relief and get it. Pity, I always thought Tegiwa would turn out like his brother if he met the right guy. Guess not with this shabby a room.

“Wow, I feel exhausted, but in a good way. Hanshin really had a go at me this time. My jaw still aches from biting the pillow. Damn, I’m going to be sore in the morning. Ah, well. It’s all good. I hope my little note does the trick. Hanshin might need me to see him again.

“I can’t believe I’m encouraging that stick figure to come after me. But, Hanshin needs me and my sister doesn’t need the scarecrow. He’s just the type of idot she’d fall for and let knock her up. Tegiwa doesn’t have a bit of sex sense. He never expects to get laid, so he has the mindset of a starving man at an all you can eat buffet. He just dives in without thought. Of course, he’d never leave her if he did that. Be around the house all the time. Dinners. Holidays. Maybe, he’d move in. He could, since her parents were going to kick her out at eighteen anyway. No, I am going to drive a wedge between Mariko and Tegiwa if I have to sleep with him a hundred times and show the video of it on the huge holographic projector downtown.”

Of course, she didn’t have to worry about things like Mariko. Mariko was an perfectly healthy normal girl while she was merely healthy. Tegiwa had been so cruel to her that day. She’d never have Hanshin’s kids. He’d never allow that, and she understood it. But, she’d never have anyone’s kids. Not even if she wanted to.

She slowly got off the bed and went into the main room. “I think they are upon us,” she stated as she checked the digivice. “We better go out to meet them. We won’t find any key fragments here. Sho-rei will have moved them to a more secure location. It wouldn’t be unguarded like this. We better go.” She grabbed Shouki by the hand and pulled him away from the front door. As soon as Hanshin was ready they could leave. Good thing this place had multiple exits. Houses were more convienent to escape from than apartments.

***

A clunking noise came from above Shuuichi. It moved across the ceiling several times, and crossed into the dark kitchen where a metallic rattling was heard. A faint scuttling noise was heard followed by a sliver of light, the sound of glass moving and clinking, and finally the return of darkness

***

The objects deep in the water still twinkled in the moonlight as Parumon blocked the path of the others.

***

"We get the police involved, and this whole thing is going to be trouble," Shireika replied when she finally parked the car in Tegiwa's apartment complex. "We can't afford to do that. We don't need the police getting their hands involved in what we're doing. It's always been that way. No one but the digi-destined ever knows what's going on." She stepped out of the car and headed inside the apartment complex. "I'm heading up to your floor now. Figure out which exit they might use. I'll find out whether they even have that stupid key fragment." She put her phone in her back pocket, without hanging up on Tegiwa, and headed up the stairs. She ran up them in twos, quickening her pace when she hit Tegiwa's floor. She sprinted out of the stairwell into the hallway, spotting Naoko and Shouki in front of Tegiwa's door.

She grabbed Naoko by the arm and slammed her up against the wall next to the front door for Tegiwa's place.

"So, where is it?" she growled softly. She knew she was outnumbered, but she knew Shouki and Naoko well enough that neither was going to try much on her. She was stronger than the both of them, and looking at Naoko, the slut wasn't going to be able to do much period.

"Any success, Naoko," Hanshin asked as he left the apartment. "I bet it's at Tegiwa's -" his voice trailed off slowly.

Shireika took one look at Hanshin, and something seemed to click. These three hadn't been successful, and it had to be at the grandfather's place. She let go of Naoko, letting her fall to the floor, and immedaitely ran down the hallway for the elevator. She grabbed her phone as she entered the elevator.

"Tegiwa," she said. "You still there? Key fragment's not here. Meet me down in the parking garage at my car. I'm parked near the entrance. I assume you know what it looks like. Get a move on it." She foled up her phone, ending the phone conversation. Hanshin and his crew weren't getting away with this, and she wasn't about to see these key fragments get in the wrong hands, even if it meant fighting for it.

***

"Shit," Hanshin muttered when Shireika ran off. He helped Naoko up. "We got to get going. She's likely to head over to the Chikusa place and won't let the others leave with the key fragment." He pulled Naoko along as he quickly walked down the hallway. "We'll take my car. It'll be faster, and hopefully, we'll get there before Shireika and her followers can do too much damage. Come on, Shouki."

***

"Well, glad to see you're all finally here," Hanarei said to Tomeo and Asayake. She turned her attention back to Enma.

"Hanarei," whispered Himotomon, "keep me up on the surface."

"Because you hate the water, I know," Hanarei whispered back.

"No, because if Enma sends all three digimon into the bay, she's an open target for us. And I can come in handy for these kinds of things."

Hanarei smiled. "Sounds like a good plan."

***

Shouki was taken completely by surprise with Shireika's appearance. He wanted to do somethign to get away but there didn't seem to be any time. Shireika left and Hanshin and Naoko where leaving to use the car as well. Shouki picked up Kirimon and followed everyone. "I'm coming," he called to Hanshin and Naoko.

He was about to pack Kirimon in his bag again. "Keep me out," said Kirimon. He sounded more serious than usual. "You may need me for more than just a lookout buddy soon."

***

Enma let go of Mitikomomon's mouth, and looked down at him. "You're not going into the water and that's final. You'll... you'll...blow up like a balloon." She poked his blue fur.

"BUT ENMA!" The in-training digimon wept. She rolled her eyes, before looking up when she heard Hanarei's voice.

"It's never too late for a midnight stroll." She said, watching Tomeo and Asayake out of the corner of her eye. She stuffed her hands into the pockets of her pants, waiting. "Well, have you come to gawk, or have you come to fight?" She asked.

"Enma, maybe goading them isn't such a good idea." Said Mitikomomon. Enma shrugged, but panic slipped across her face momentarily. Mitikomomon looked up at his partner, than down at the ground, still mumbling about wanting to be helpful. "Hey!" He whined, walking into something about half his size. He quickly realized it was Enma's mini-computer. 'I can be helpful by sending a message to those other guys!' He thought, before typing a quick email to Yuu and Shuuichi using his tail.

[Hiya!

Enma's in trouble and won't admit it. Three other humans that are with the Shireika girl are here. Someone should come up here and help her.

- Mitikomomon]

He hit the send button with his tail, before bouncing next to Enma's leg.

Enma watched as Asayake whispered into Tomeo's ear, and she cocked her head slightly. "Now, you guys wouldn't seriously hurt a defensless girl, would you? I mean, my best friend's grandparents live here, would I seriously try to rob Kaze's grandfather?" She crossed her arms around her chest. "And three against one is hardly a fair fight, is it, Hanarei?" She asked, not even looking at the other girl.

***

Shuuichi looked up at the moment when he heard something shift. He swore he heard something move above him. "Shit, did you hear that? Yuu? There is something moving above us and I don't like the sound of it. I can't tell what it is," he whispered as his computer began to beep. He opened it and read it.

"Great! Shireika's group stalkers are now here too and hassling Enma by the sounds of it," he said giving out a sigh in frustration. "You keep searching here, I'll go up the elevator to help her," he said as he walked out the door and to the elevator. The elevator was at the top already which meant someone or something had pressed the button. "Great either it's one of them or it's a person who lives in this apartment."

He went back inside the room and looked for Yuu. "Do you want to try and play a little trick?" he asked her as he took his backpack off. Inside he pulled out thin fishing line he was going to use for Squijimon. Now would be the best time to use it. "Here take this line and follow me," he said walking with the line. "Go hide over there and I'll hide behind this chair, the line will stretch so no worries," he said. He crouched down as he grasped the line. He had left the door a crack open when he had come back inside.

"Alright, when they walk in if it is Shireika's group, we'll give them a trip. Then we can leave. Maybe the alarm will click on when we shut the door hard and it locks. That way they would trip up the alarm and get themselves in trouble and not us," he said smiling at what he thought up. "It could work after all right?"

***

Squjimon felt something strange. She ducked her head under the water and searched with the eyesight she had. "I thought I felt something different in the water for a second. There is something downthere, I know it. Look!" she cried out seeing the new arrivals.

"We need to go now and search for that key before they come after us or get Shuuichi and Yuu," she cried out in a low whisper.

She ducked under water and began to swim as fast as she could, which wasn't doing too much. "Do you see anything," she asked.

***

Sho flew his car along the skylines toward Osaka. “I wonder if they found my surprise.”

Karen was sitting beside him drumming her fingers nervously. “Do you really think they’ll search our house? I don’t like the idea of them breaking in to find that…thing. And, I can’t believe were we expected to fall for that stupid ruse ”

“I thought it was sweet of them to pay for the rooms. It’s not their fault they didn’t know I’m the committee that organizes the conference, is it. It’s not heavily publicized. I figure it’s ok to let them feel they pulled one over. Besides, we really shouldn’t be around for all this. We’d be in the way.”

“Sho-rei will be dispointed in you. She expects you to keep that key safe for her….”

“She’s my daughter, but sometimes she misses things. The key’s power belongs in the hands of the Guardians As long as /that one/ does get it, I’m happy. But, that matter is between the Guardians and The powers that be.”

“Should it really matter who gets it? They are both Tommy’s kids and Hotarubi’s grandkids.”

“Hanshin is the Child of Light, like his mother and grandmother. He may seem to be shallow and self destructive teenage rockstar, but the boy really takes after them. I know its hard to see, but if you look in his eyes its like Hotarubi is looking back at me. I trust his heart. Shireika is Shinka. Well, she’s not Shinka, but I get the same feeling around her as around him. Shinka was Child of Fate, you know.”

“But, you and Shinka became good friends after…”

“Yes, we did. Somehow. But, Shinka never really changed. His motives were redirected, but he was still…” He decided to end that train of thought. It would end in an argument. All of the new crest bearers from his time had more than proven themselves. Their children too. How could he hold the events of the Chaosmon war against any of them after they made their choice? Two weeks in 2005 verses a lifetime. Shinka was Shina was Fate. Sho knew Fate could be cruel. “I’ll always put my faith in Hotarubi, so I’m going to bet it all on Light.”

“You’re betting the world.”

“Yes, double or nothing. My gut’s never been wrong. Sho-rei and Tegiwa are blinded by Hanshin’s popularity. They see it as a mortal flaw. I was popular in school though, so I understand him a bit better. He’s rough, but he has heart.”

“He sleeps with every girl at the school, and so does his girlfriend.”

“Teenage hedonism. We come from a different time. But, I never said he was smart or wise. Just that he had heart. And, he does.”

“Dear. You know I like this planet …in orbit …in one piece … So I hope you bet right.

***

Tegiwa skidded to a halt as his newest orders came in. “byokai! Koncho.” He turned back toward the parking lot and let his long legs carry him back at a lope.

Of course he knew what her car looked like. He was in it often enough. He climbed in her car and waited.

***

One minute Shireika was tossing Naoko against the wall, and the next Hanshin was dragging her out the door. “What the fuck is up with your sister? She looked like she wanted to kill me. I swear…I swear she did. I thought they didn’t want the key. But, Miss Buns of Steel there certainly seemed concerned with it. Hanshin, we’ve got to get that key.” The dirty rotten priss of bitch. She didn’t want to follow the Watcher. She was too good for us. We were the wrong ones. Ten minutes after Hanshin shows up to search she’s all “Where’s the key?” That just takes the cake. She wanted it all along. Well, if Shreika [sic] wanted it that badly, she could eat it out of her cunny. No way was Shreika going to get the key to satisfy her shallow need for sibling rivalry. Hanshin may have his own motives for wanting the key but he was willing to save the world in the process. No, Miss Soccer Practice would just sit on the key to spite them all. The Bitch.

Brought out of her euphoric afterglow by brutalization and realization, she hit her stride as she started taking care of bidnez. “Ok, hon. I’ll plot us a course. We’ll beat them there for sure.” She had her ring computer on the job in moments. A few seconds later she had an optimized route to tell Hanshin’s car

Once she was in the car and underway she calmed down a bit. “By the way, tonight you were incredible. Thanks, for indulging me. Next time, you can choose whatever and bring a friend.”

***

From the Chikusa kitchen, came the sound of wet munching followed by a small burp. The kitchen was dark, but the darkness exuded the feeling that something was cloaked within it watching the duo.

Indeed it was, for two beady eyes black as coal beheld the pranksters and furrowed with distain. Dammit. This was his moment. It was Hallowen, and he was making scary noises and the dimmer of the two bulbs (Shuuichi) was setting some sort of prank up by the front door thus spoiling his efforts. Ok…he had to admit it was a good prank.

A red and white, dumbbell shaped object came from the darkness above the bar. It traveled in a long arc. It tumbled end over end as it flew straight toward the back of Shuuichi’s head. It hit with an annoying thump, and rolled around on the floor. It was an apple core.

Soft sniggering is heard from kitchen.

***

Under the water, moonbeams glint from one object to another. As Squijimon head toward one glint it fades to be replaced by another further away. The glints seem to form a path toward the reef, which is about 150 ft away (50yds/45m).

***

Yuu looked up as well when she heard the noise. She followed the sound as it seemed to move toward the kitchen and stood in the darkened doorway. She heard some rattling and scuttling noises, followed by a light turning on and off. A cleaning robot maybe? She hoped so, but they had better hurry up.

She turned around as Shuuichi reported the situation outside and left for the elevator. She began searching around the living room, careful to put things back where they had been, but Shuuichi wasn't gone long.

"A trick?" she wondered aloud, but her face fell when he handed her the fishing line. He couldn't really be planning to...

He was. She sighed. "Here," she kneeled down to tie her end to the chair leg, "you can hold it, and I'll keep looking for the key. I'll be sure to bolt for it if anyone..." She trailed off and looked towards the kitchen. Did she just hear something from in there? Her question was answered when an apple core came flying through the air and hit Shuuichi squarely in the back of the head. She suppressed a giggle, but it died in her throat as she realized something: whatever was in that kitchen not only knew they were there, but didn't approve.

***

Kuinamon followed Squijimon down into the water, but not before giving Parumon a little grin. He swam all-out; that lizard didn't look to fast, but you couldn't take any chances.

"Nah' much," he replied, squinting at the ocean floor. There was a glint on the bottom they were swimming toward, but then it faded. Then he noticed another glint ahead of them and swam toward that, but it faded too... and he saw another one.

"I think we gotta follow th' shiny stuff!" he called over to the other digimon.

***

Shireika jumped in moments after Tegiwa did and threw her bag, which contained Alatusmon, into his lap. Alatusmon yelped a little when he felt himself land on something.

"All right, you tell me where to go, and we'll get there faster than Idiot Boy and his posse," she said as she started up the car. She looked out her window, making sure Hanshin, Naoko and Shouki hadn't caught up yet. "We better hurry. They're on their way too." She back out of the stall quickly and immediately headed out to the street. "Let's just hope they haven't found the key fragment over there either." She also hoped that Hanshin, Shouki, and Naoko didn't have it either, but her instincts reminded he that they didn't. She could feel that they didn't. The look in Hanshin's eyes when he asked Naoko if she had had any luck in finding it. She knew those eyes, and she knew her brother. She knew when he was lying, even when he had a smile on.

***

With Shouki and Naoko in the car, Hanshin initiated the car and hit the acceleration.

"If there's one thing I know about Shireika, when she's determined, no one's stopping her," he said as the car sped off on auto-pilot through the air. "On the soccer field, she's terrifying, even more so in tennis. It's just her and her opponent, and she'll frighten them to death with whatever she does on the court. When my sister's ticked off, she's ticked off. Even I don't try to get her angry, and I still manage to get her pissed off." He shook his head. "She wants to make sure we don't get that key fragment so we can't use it, that's what. I doub thse actually wants it. She's doing it to screw our plans up. And she will do whatever it takes to keep me from what we need to stop that dark queen." He looked back at Shouki. "Doing okay back there?"

***

In the middle of the movie, Tommy had gotten up and had headed into the kitchen. The movie was unappealing to him, and his mind wasn't in it. He rarely really ever was interested in the movies Ken picked anyway.

"Excuse me," he said as he left. He sat down at the counter in the kitchen and looked over at Sho-rei. "I'm worried. Hanshin and Shireika are involved with something, and I know it's those key fragments that's at the root of it. Except, I know only Hanshin's interested in them, but Shireika." He sighed. "Something's not right."

***

"Oh I was just following orders," said Hanarei. She tightened her gloves and started to slowly walk toward Enma. "I was just suppose to wait for the others. With that being done, I see no reason why I shouldn't take matters of stopping you into my own hands." Hanarei snickered. "And you are such an awful liar. Why else would other digimon be around you other than their partners are here? Starting a digimon day care service?" She stopped moving and faced Enma.

Himotomon moved to keep up with Hanarei. If Motikomomon was going to join in what Hanarei seemed to be planning, Himotomon wanted to be ready to stop her.

Hanarei was sizing up Enma. "You yourself said you get into trouble and have meetings with my dad, so I'd hardly call you defenseless." She turned to the others behind her. "Don't come anywhere near me," she whispered before turning back to Enma. There was a moment of silence as Hanarei stood there. The wind was blowing through her hair as she mentally prepared. It was so quiet you could hear the water splashing up against the buildings. Finally, the time seemed right.

Hanarei lunged at Enma in a fast run. An evil look almost unlike her own was on Hanarei's face. This motion for her was instinct. She always wanted to fight someone, to prove she was strong to them. She did not know where this feeling originally came from, but it had been with her for as long as she could remember. In mere moments, Hanarei was next to Enma, still moving quickly, and was aiming a fist straight for her gut.

***

Shouki was still a bit shaken from the rapid departure to the car and the ride to the bay. This night seemed to be getting worse by the second. "Umm, I'm doing alright, kinda, sorta," he said.

"Fine over here," said Kirimon.

Shouki looked slightly upset but nothing that looked too dramatic. "Look, I'm sorry I wasn't a very good lookout back there. I should have tried to keep her back or something but I was taken by surprise." He hated the feeling of being a failure when someone asked him to do a favor.

"Is your sister always like that?" he asked Hanshin. He didn't look forward to another encounter with Shireika again, especially if he was alone at that moment. "Even if you don't mean to make her angry will she still act like that?

***

"Okay, but be careful. One of us will come down soon, I'll e-mail you." Tomeo whispered back in Asayake's ear, and watched her go ahead as he stayed behind with Hanarei. "Hey!" he called out automatically soon after she left, witnessing Hanarei making an aggressive swing at Enma, and ran forward to try his best to break the fight up before it got started, bringing himself between the two girls. He hadn't heard what Hanarei had whispered, but in any other way he would have disreguarded it. He would not stand by and allow something like this to happen, even if Enma wasn't completely innocent.

"Hanarei! Stop! That was completely uncalled for, stand down!" he said in a loud voice, trying to startle her so she would step back and see reason. "I'm angry too that they're doing this, and it's against the law, but there is no need for violence." He turned his attention to Enma. "Are you okay? I really think you should call your friends back now, please, before anybody else gets hurt. What you're doing is wrong and you know it." Speaking of which... he then remembered the digimon and looked to where Parumon had been, but she was gone.

'Both of them are deaf as well as dumb...' Parumon thought, as she sped through the water after Squijimon and Kuinamon. 'Two against one, is it? Those are my kind of odds... it hardly seems fair for them.' She wasn't about to be outdone by a pathetic excuse for a plastic bag and some freak crossed between a bird and a fish. She hadn't been swimming in the pool all that time building up her strength for nothing, and quickly caught up with the two aquatic digimon, ramming herself into them as she swam past to push them off course and give herself some much-needed time to gain distance ahead. She looked in the direction they had been heading, seeing if she could spot anything noticeable, for they must have seen something to have come so far this way...

She spotted the glint trail heading towards the reef, speeding up to compensate for her slowing down to notice it. It looked un-natural and out-of-place, so she naturally assumed it was what her opponents had spotted.

She had to find this key, and she was going to fight for it as if it were the last key Shireika's idiot-boy brother needed to get his power fix and unleash an unspeakable evil in the process. She couldn't fly like Alatusmon and Rogishimon, and she couldn't walk as fast as Robotomon and Himotomon, but when it came to the water, it was her element. She would not fail here, not when she was the only aquatic digimon the entire group was counting on. Including Tomeo - she wanted to prove to him was she was made of.

Following the glints of light, she snaked her way through the water like some miniature crocodile, using her tail as propulsion and going as fast as any In-Training digimon her size in the water could go, unwillingly leaving Squijimon and Kuinamon a trail of bubbles in her wake.

***

Asayake knew an opportunity when she saw it; she hadn't taken karate for ten years to be blind to something like that. She took off at a run, nearly slamming herself into the door in the process as she hurried the doors open. Once she was inside, she pressed the doors shut again with a few frantic clicks of a button, and steeled herself for whatever she might find below. Rogishimon noticed this, and puffed herself up. "Do you want me to go in first, 'Sayake?"

"That'd be a good idea, I think," She said, smiling to herself as she felt her heart thud in her chest; her adrenaline was kicking in. A faint voice in the back of her head warned her not to let it take control, but she scarcely heard it. "Yes, that'd be good."

"All right." Rogishimon said, slightly weary of the look in her digidestened's eyes. It was unfamiliar, and it frightened her.

The elevator slowed slightly before bouncing lightly to a stop, and the doors slid open. Rogishimon flew from her perch on Asayake's shoulder and hopped to the door of the apartment. It was slightly ajar, and she listened carefully. She quickly took off back towards Asayake. "There's one beside the door," She said quietly, puffing up again, "What do you want me to do?"

"Give whoever it is a bit of a scare," She whispered, so Rogishimon could barely hear her, "They've probably boobie trapped something just in case, and whoever's there is probably the trigger. Send whoever it is running."

Rogishimon gave Asayake a worried look, but the Asayake she knew didn't seem to be reflected in the minty eyes of the person who's shoulder she was on. Without a word, she nodded once and took off again, landing near the gap in the door. With a quiet breath she made herself as large as possible before taking off like a shot into the room, straight into Shuuichi's face. She squawked loudly and shrilly, batting at his face with her wings and pulling at his hair with her sharp little talons. She managed to get a good grip on his hair, and pulled as hard as she could to get him away from the door.

As soon as the shouts began, Asayake stalked into the room, smiling at she saw the glint of fishing line in Shuuichi's hands and across the floor. She stepped over it carefully, and went off in search of Yuu. It didn't take her long to find her, and once she spotted the bleach-blond hair not far from the door she grabbed the smaller girl by the shoulders, pinning her arms and body firmly to the wall. She smiled as Yuu's feet found themselves off of the floor, and positioned her elbow so it was digging into the girl's throat, cutting off most of her air, but leaving her enough to avoid having her pass out. "Tisk tisk, Yuu, you'd think you'd know better than to play thief; it's illegal to steal, didn't you know? Rogishimon!" She called behind her shoulder, her grip never loosening on the girl in her grasp, "Keep yours busy!"

With a quick glance at her partner, Rogishimon's beak found it's way to Shuuichi's ear. She bit down -- HARD.

***

Mitikomomon meeped, jumping behind Enma's leg. "I'm a pacifist!" He said, looking at Himotomon from behind Enma's leg. Enma had to will herself to not kick her digimon partner.

"You're not scared of her, are you?" She demanded. Mitikomomon nodded, cuddling closer to Enma's leg. "Oi." Enma looked up at Hanarei, readying herself. She noticed the slight flaw in her badgering - Hanarei was much taller than she was, and thus not only had a height, but a weight advantage next to her own scrawny frame. She breathed in deeply, trying to make herself look more menacing than she really was; she was hoping to make herself look larger, like Queen and Tom cats did in alley fights. Although it usually worked for the other kids at school, she had a faint idea that Hanarei wasn't going to fall for it.

When the other girl came at her, Enma tried to will her body into a defensive position as fast as possible, but she knew she couldn't move fast enough. She closed her eyes and waited for the impending blow. At least she could say it was the first fight she hadn't started; even she knew her taunting wasn't the cause, just kindling for the flame.

She opened her eyes when she realized Hanarei hadn't hit her yet. Lowering her hands that had instinctively flown up to protect herself, she peered at Tomeo between her and Hanarei, almost mystified by his actions. She quickly shook herself out of her surprised reverie, and straightened herself, frowning at Hanarei and Tomeo.

"Don't protect me." She told him. She weighed the other options. She couldn't stop Asayake, and she was probably in the apartment by now, so trying to warn the others was a moot point. But if she could keep Tomeo and Hanarei engaged for a few minutes, maybe Kuinamon and Squijimon would find something in the bay. She didn't know what she'd do after that, but she really didn't care at the moment. She set her resolve and raised an eyebrow toward Hanarei. "But apparently poor little Hanarei is too much of a proper young lady, and needs protection from big bad me?" She asked, in mock sweetness.

She felt Mitikomomon bang his forehead against her ankle. "Enma....this isn't a good idea..." he whispered.

***

Shireika took her car into air before Hanshin could lift off. The car rose with its engines whining as she maxed out the throttle. She let Tegiwa set the course on the computer while she tried to gain altitude quickly. Her brother was already in his car and pursuing his own plan, concocted by Naoko. From 100ft in the air, she could see him lift off. He went flying down the road without trying to gain altitude. The idiot was going to do something dangerous like following the terrain just to get the key.

Hanshin smiled as he left his sister behind in the dust. It was one thing to speed through the air, but entirely another to dodge the buildings while flying only a few feet above land cars and pedestrians. It was risky, but faster over moderate distances than the skylanes.

Shireika cursed whatever ancestor gave her brother stupid gene. She opened the throttle wide again and merged with the traffic in the virtual skyline. She was putting her faith in Tegiwa’s route. It was safer, and if she chased Hanshin he’d only run harder and get both of them killed. In minutes the bay was below them, and the car descending on its own to a parking spot on the roof.

Neither Tegiwa nor Shireika were thrilled to see Hanshin landing simultaneously in the spot right next to them.

Both sets of occupants left their vehicles and faced each other uneasily.

***

Naoko jumped from the car screaming and wailing as she ran at Shireika. “Damn you! Who do you think you are!” She barreled into her with all her momentum and started to beat on her with the edges of her fists like some sissy girl. “Why do you have to ruin things for your brother? Are you that jealous of him? Leave us alone you prissy old hag. You chose not to get the key, right? Well, we made our choices too!” She swung her fists with each word, but her energy was fading fast.

***

More clicking from the kitchen was followed by a thunk, and the appearance of a small devil on the bar. For some reason this apparition was wearing a black and white cap. He had a whistle in his mouth.

He sounded an earsplitting note on his whistle. “…..ay, all of youse guys can leave. You two for breaking and entering. Youse other two for assault and battery. Find the key is a fun game, but fighting here is out o’ bounds. Sho and Karen are too old ta worry about new furniture. Go play outside, All’a’yah. “ His black eyes gleamed, his face was set in a scowl, and his arms were crossed across his chest. He would have cut an imposing figure if he had been taller than two feet.

***

Parumon (only): sees a vanishing silver trail of glimmers curving to the right.

Squijimon (only): see a vanishing trail of glimmers headed to the left.

Kuinamon: (only): hears several tiny fish voices from ahead (from shoals of silvery tiny fish) :

“Okay, here they come. Everyone, Lean! Good, now the next shoal.”

“Wait, I don’t think they saw us that time. Darn moonlight. Okay, lean again. No wait! Bob, thats the wrong way. Lean with the others….No, wait there are more of them. No, that’s the wrong one in front. Lean to the squid. The squid. Dammit. The lizard saw us. Okay, okay….I know…half of you lean toward the lizard…half toward the squid. Tell the other shoals to split up…yeah”

“This is so tiring…lean lean. Why are we doing this?”

“Because we were told to…”

***

"And I refuse to let you get that stupid key!" Shireika growled as attempted to grab Naoko's flailing hands. She finally gave up as she swung a open palm, smacking Naoko across the face. "Get it straight in your little head. We don't want the key because it's dangerous, but we aren't about to let anyone else threaten world safety by getting that stupid key."

"But, Shireika!" Hanshin protested. He couldn't attack her. He couldn't do anything to really stop her. "We need that key."

"You don't need that fucking key!" Shireika hissed. "I am not letting your stupidity destroy all of us." She harshly shoved Naoko towards Hanshin.

"So, what are you going to do about it?" Hanshin asked as he caught Naoko. "Fight us?"

"I'm going to find who has the damn key fragment, and I'll do whatever it takes to keep it away from your dirty hands," she replied as she grabbed her digivice and Alatusmon from the car. She slammed the car door shut and stormed off.

"Fuck," Hanshin muttered as he dug into his own bag for Koumamon. "Come on! Bring it Shireika!" He looked towards Shouki and Naoko, hoping that they would head on to support their allies against Shireika's crew.

***

Hanarei was able to stop her fist just short of hitting Tomeo as he stood between her and her original target. She didn't even take a step back from her attack as she stopped. Her face, which had on a sadistic look moments ago, looked as though it was filled with anger. "Get out of my WAY!!" she growled at Tomeo. "Never do that to me again and I promise you I will not stop the next time this happens."

As a part of her (though really, really slight) was thinking of leaving things where they were now, Enma made the comment about her needing protection. "Protection?" Hanarei hissed. One of her eyes was giving off an unsettling twitch. Hanarei gritted her teeth as her anger was starting to rise. If the look on her face before was anger, what it was now was total hatred. She just wanted to hurt, no, pound, no, deform Enma's face against the walk-way. "OUT OF THE WAY!!!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. She shoved Tomeo to the side, not even looking to see where or how he landed, and attacked Enma.

Hanarei grabbed her throat, tripped her with her leg, and forced her body onto the ground. Now Hanarei had a grip on Enma's throat while she was flat on her back. Hanarei was holding her throat with a death grip. Hanarei placed a knee onto Enma's stomach to help keep her down. With her free hand, she raised it and made a fist. "Protect THIS!" She brought it down and was heading straight for Enma's face.

***

The car race was definitely something Shouki was not ready for. While he could see them, Shouki worried about Tegiwa and Shireika driving that low to the ground. He didn't want them to hit anything or especially anyone. He was relieved to see them land safe but since this was basically a race, a part of him wished Shireika's car had to stop somewhere or got held up.

Shouki and Kirimon got out of the car soon after Naoko beat her fists against Shireika in what looked like a futile attempt. He followed after Hanshin and the others just as they were running from the cars. "But... Hanshin," said Shouki. He was thinking about what Hanshin said earlier about annoying his sister. Shouki wanted to say he didn't like the idea of her side 'bringing it' but he thought otherwise. The look on Hanshin's face was enough to tell him to remain quiet on that train of thought.

Kirimon seemed to have been expecting something like this to happen and jumped out of Shouki's hands. "Come on, buddy. We have work to do here," he said sounding serious as he floated ahead. Shouki was in the back of the line as he wasn't used to running. Kirimon even had to slow down to stay close to his partner.

Once they were within view of the doors, Shouki spotted something or someone ahead of them. "Hey, isn't that... ENMA, WATCH OUT!" he shouted as he realized what Hanarei was doing.

***

Tomeo grunted as Hanarei shoved him aside to the ground, landing roughly on his forearm he had brought out to caught himself as he landed on his chest, rolling over to his side to sit up. He looked between the girls fighting, furrowing his eyes at both of them as he recalled what each of them had told him. "Fine, fight all you want!" he spat bitterly, feeling rather angry now that some of the fury had rubbed off on him. "You two can beat the snot out of each other like a couple of immature boys, if that's what you both want."

He looked up at Shouki as he entered with Kirimon, and figured that the other half of the groups had arrived. He looked with hope at Shouki as he shouted a warning to Enma, wondering if he would be enough to stop the fight as he picked himself up. "Forget it, Shouki. I tried stopping them, but they just pushed me aside. Maybe you'll have better luck, but right now one of my friends needs me. Maybe under different circumstances, we could have all been friends... sorry."

He shook his head in disgust at both Hanarei and Enma slugging it out, making a run for the elevator. He pushed the button to summon the elevator down to the apartments, flipping open his mini-computer as he stepped inside. He figured the other groups would be on their way inside if he didn't get a move on, and sent Shireika, Tegiwa and Asayake an e-mail.

[Guys,

Asayake, I'm coming down to join you in the apartments, so hopefully you've got everything under control, but hang in there if you need help.

Shireika/Tegiwa, I left Hanarei up in the lobby. She started a fight with Enma I couldn't separate - hopefully Shouki will be able to succeed where I couldn't. In any case, I sent Parumon in the water after the two other aquatic digimon from Hanshin's group.

- Tomeo ]

He pressed the button to shut the elevator doors as his e-mail was sent. It meant if the others wanted to come down to the apartments, they would have to wait for the elevator to return. He hoped Shireika would forgive him for going ahead on his own - but Hanarei was clear she didn't need him. It was Asayake he was worried about now. At least, he thought, she wasn't out for blood...

***

It was impossible. The trail of glimmers Parumon had been following seemed to vanish off towards the right, away from the reef. Hadn't she been following it towards the reef? She descended in speed and looked around frantically, darting back and forth. Maybe she had missed something, a detail, maybe she was in the area where the key fragment was. She looked around for anything suspicious or even remotely looking like a key, but saw nothing around her but clear water. Maybe it was buried, so it wouldn't be carried out by the underwater tide? She hoped not, unless she dug she would never find it.

She looked towards the other digimon nearby for clues, trying to determine if they had picked up anything about they key, but they looked as lost as she did. She had to find this key, she couldn't let Shireika and the others down. She couldn't let the former digidestined down. Scratch that - she couldn't let the human world down. The evil power couldn't be that much of a power if it could be defeated and contained, but it was still evil and locked up for good reason.

She had to use her brains, think outside the box. Everything seemed to be riding on this moment, or else she'd be regreting it forever after. She rode the current forward, following the vanishing trail as it curved off to the right, checking every rock and every coral fragment for any clues she could find. If it were this hard to find the key fragment, even if it wasn't down here, at least Squijimon and Kuinamon would be having the same difficulty locating it. But on the off chance one of them would get lucky and spot it, she needed to be ready and alert. She would fight tooth and claw for it if she had to. She prayed that if there were any dragon gods in the heavens of this world, that they would guide her to find this fragment. She scanned the sea floor, glancing back every now and again to check on the two digimon nearby competing with her. On second thought, the idea of dragon gods helping her was stupid. She had wondered why she'd even thought it up. If anyone was going to find the fragment, she told herself, it would be her, and on her own merits

***

Enma turned when she heard Shouki yell out to her, and lost her consentration. She grunted when Hanarei pinned her to the ground, and tried to open her mouth to say something to her, but Hanarei had already grabbed her windpipe. She heard Mitikomomon let out a squeel as he was pinned underneath Enma's leg.

"Get...off...of...me..." Enma hissed, her teeth clenched. She grabbed Hanarei's arms with her own, pulling the other girl's hands away from her neck and trying to get her off balance. As she did so, she bent her legs. She grounded herself with her right leg that Mitikomomon was happy to get out from under, and kicked out with her left to try to get better grounding. She put more of her weight into her legs than into her arms, before trying to roll over and pin Hanarei under her, still trying to claw the other girl's hands away from her neck.

***

Asayake moved her elbow from Yuu's throat, but kept the girl against the wall, her feet a few inches from the ground. She turned around, and gave the little demon in the kitchen a venomous glkare. "Oh, another digimon, huh? At least Rogishimon can speak properly; you sound like a friggin' New Yorker drunk of his gourd, trying to speak japanese. Put away your whistle, Bravo Leader, I'm just trying to keep these little fuckers away from what's not theirs." She turned her glare onto Hanarei, cocking her head slightly.

"Kapeech, Yuu? Rogishimon, get Shuuichi out into the hallway!"

Rogishimon gave the little demon an appologetic look before tugging Shuuichi by the hair towards the door. She managed to get him just outside the threshold of the apartment before she let go, fluttering in front of the boy's face. "I'm sorry, Shuuichi. I don't want to fight with you, or anyone, but Asayake is my digidestened. Please, don't blame her, okay? Don't blame anyone for this."

Back inside the apartment, Asayake let Yuu drop roughly to the floor, giving her a hefty shove towards the door before her feet felt the ground again. "Now, are you gonna mosey on upstairs on your own, little missus, or am I gonna have to drag you by the seat of your pants?"

***

"How is trying to kill Yuu and more right that what you guys are calling wrong about the Watcher? You guys are worse than us, we're stealing but we're not trying to commit murder of anthing like that!" Shuuchi cried out. He looked at the little bird. He was still holding onto the fishing line. He looked up smiling a little smirk as he grabbed her feet and quickly tried the fishing line around them. He then used a little more to tie it around Rogishmon's body and then let go as he crawled back into the apartment room.

"I'm also terribly sorry for tying you up but I can't let you and your partnet not only jepordize this mission but kill Yuu!" he said turning around as he looked at the thing on the table with the whistle, he covered his ears as the whistle rang out. "Why the hell did you do that?! And what are you ?" he asked. "You know what wait there for one second," he said.

He glared at Ayasake as he walked in and looked at Yuu. "I thought stealing was bad, but this, you almost killed her! Is this key worth killing a person?" he asked.

He knealt down at Yuu and checked her pulse, "At least this time you won't be charged wtih 1st degree murder but human indangerment is another story."He gave a little chuckle as he knealt there," I thought this whole thing was about this guy named the Watcher and whether to trust him or not, now look where it is. I thought we would become superheros or of the elite but now look. We'll soon become the abandoned, the outcasted, those looked down. This will bring nothing. Please Ayasake, by what I can see, you don't follow the rules. But this one time please don't involve Yuu in this fight," he said as he rose slowly.

"Back to you, what are you? No one ever said anything about referees in this. Were you made by Tegiwa's grandfather or something?" he asked.

***

Squjimon had caught up with Parumon. "What the f..." she began to mutter as she watched the glimmer go away towards the left. "There is something down here but where did it go?" she said as she watched it continue to leave. 'Wait,' she thought 'He's looking the other direction. But what at?' she thought. 'Well while distracted,' I've got my chance,' she said thought as she looked at Parumon and then swam as fast as she could towards the dissapearing glimmer.

"There's something here," she whispered. "Who's here and do you know where the key is if you know what that is please tell me,' she whispered so that only what was in front of her could hear her.

***

Shireika let Alatusmon jump to the ground and pulled out her digivice.

"Bring it," she hissed.

"Alatusmon digivolve to Alesmon!" A two and half foot tall bird like digimon appeared in place of Alatusmon. He was covered completely with black feathers, and his eyes had darkened a shade of gray in his digivolution. His build was similar to that of a fairly slim teddy bear that had been modified to look like a bird instead.

"Gladly," Hanshin replied, hoping that Naoko would get moving. If he could distract Shireika until they found the key, they would have better chances. There were six on his side, while five on theirs. They had the upper hand if they could occupy all five of them, and he hoped he could do it.

"Koumamon digivolve to Shunbamon!" Koumamon's figured floated into midair, and in burst of light, the body of a small horse appeared, using Koumamon as its head. The light brown and white horse stood beside Hanshin, its eyes focused directly on Alesmon.

Alesmon stood directly in front of Shireika on his two feet. The child of fate leaned down and whispered something to her digimon partner.

"Winged Force!" Alesmon called as he jumped into the air. He flapped his wings furiously, which picked up a great amount of dust and dirt from the pavement of the parking lot.

Hanshin held up his hands to protect his eyes, and Koumamon turned away. When the dust had died down, Shireika and Alesmon had run from the scene towards the apartment complex.

"Shit," Hanshin whispered as he and Koumamon went running after them.

"Horse Whispers," Koumamon mumbled as he galloped after Shireika and Alesmon. While chanting a verse in an unknown language, sparks of energy flew from his figure which headed straight for Shireika and Alesmon.

***

Yuu was so surprised by Rogishimon's sudden entrance that Asayake's assault caught her totally off guard. She found herself pinned forcefully to the wall and lifted off the floor. "Shi... Shinzuino...san..." she choked out, looking at the taller and stronger girl fearfully. She wanted to say something, to reason with her, but there was something in Asayake's eyes that made the words catch in her throat even more effectively than the elbow against it. She was trembling.

As Asayake pushed her towards the door, her head to hit the edge of the doorframe sharply. She was knocked unconscious for a few moments... ... and came to with Shuuichi kneeling beside her. She sat up slowly and rubbed the spot on her head a little. "I'm alright, Jounin-san... Shinzuino-san was just following what she believes in, that's all..." She looked at the tied up Asayake and Rogishimon apologetically. Taking the hand away from her head, she saw that there was a little bit of blood on it. She quickly wiped it off on her jacket.

"I think that devil is the thing we heard on the ceiling earlier, and tossed that apple at you. He looks like a Halloween prank to me" she observed.

***

It took a moment for Kuinamon to right himself after having been rammed by a speeding Parumon. "Geez, tha' chick's a fast one" he thought aloud, then zoomed off to try and catch up. As he got close to one of the 'glimmers', he heard the conversation at realized what had been leading them. Clever little buggers, he thought, if a bit uncoordinated.

"'Preciate th' hard work!" he called out to the little fish as he passed them, and sped off after Squijimon. He soon caught up to her, and heard her whisper something unintelligible seemingly to thin water. "Wes'sat?"

***

Tomeo watched as the doors of the elevator closed behind him and pressed the floor number he had seen Asayake take as she left, feeling the elevator plunge downwards. As soon as the doors opened, he looked around cautiously on the floor and heard loud voices up ahead. He ran ahead and found an apartment door open slightly ajar, and peered around it in case he had gotten the wrong one. Sure enough, he spotted Asayake and Shuuichi standing over a very disoriented Yuu, and a tied-up Rogishimon. "Are you okay?" he said as he came in, tending to Yuu first, who he could see was bleeding from her forehead. He didn't know what had happened, but it didn't seem to matter right now, he was just glad that Asayake was okay. Yuu, on the other hand, was a different story. Once he had taken Yuu's hands and pulled her onto her feet, he was immediately onto Rogishimon's problem and started furiously untangling the fishing line wrapped around her.

As he did, he looked over disappointedly at Yuu and Shuuichi.

"I understand you're hurt, but it's both your fault." he scolded them. "Nobody told you guys to be here, in fact nobody here is supposed to be here. We're all trespassing right now, so I suggest to the both of you to leave. Right now." He turned his attention to Rogishimon for a moment, where the line had gotten caught in a knot around her leg. "Hold still, I've got it." he reassured her, and looked back at Yuu and Shuuichi. "If you refuse to leave, I'll make sure that everybody in this apartment complex knows we're here. Hell, I'll call the police if I have to. And if you guys decide to hit another place for a key, we'll do the same. So get out. Now."

***

'Why didn't I think of that before?' Parumon scolded silently to herself. She realised she had been following the glimmers of light when she hadn't even know what the glimmers themselves were. Maybe they were part of the puzzle instead of a trail, or maybe they were key fragments themselves! On closer inspection, she realised what the glimmers were. Little... fish things? "Oh, so you thought you could fool me, eh? Well, we'll see about that." She said to one of the glimmering objects in the shoal, and looked back to check up on Squijimon's and Kuinamon's progress.

'They've found something!' she realised, darting forward through the water towards them. She slowed down just as she reached them, listening to the incoherent babble between them. Who were they talking to? It must have been the shoal of little... fish? No, wait, it couldn't have been. From her knowledge of the human world so far, there was nothing besides humans that were that intelligent. Could they have been digital in nature, like Gomamon's Marching Fishes attack? If they were, maybe they could help her, if they knew the true reason why they were all here.

"Hey, whoever is out there, listen to me now!" Parumon spoke up, moving in the direction the other two digimon seemed to be looking, and pointed at them with one of her webbed digits.

"Obviously you're out here to protect the key fragment, since you've been misleading us around in circles. These two are after that key fragment! I've been sent out to stop them, so the point I'm making is, keep up the good work and don't tell them where it is! You can't trust me either with the fragment, it's better off unfound rather than in someone's possession. I understand the hard work the digi-destined sacrificed to hide it and the danger of it's potential, but who are you to trust me, either? That's for you to decide. Don't trust any of us into taking that fragment, if it is here, no matter what we might say to convince you. I want to protect that fragment as much as you guys do."

She looked back at the other digimon, smirking in satisfaction. "Sorry guys, but you're all out of luck. Those... things," she paused, unable to think of any other word to describe them, "...are never going to trust any of us now. You might as well go home and forget any of this happened, because you're not getting stealing that fragment. And if you do..." she paused, scowling at them. "...I'll make you both regret it."

***

Rogishimon ruffled her feathers, sighing sadly when a couple fell gently to the floor. She gave the bathroom a worried glance, before turning to the others. "Yuu-san, Shuuichi-san. I didn't want to do that." She hopped over to Shuuichi, looking at his face; there were a few scratch marks across it. "I'm sorry I hurt you. Do you need a band-dayed? Asayake says those things make cuts go away."

When she heard Yuu's head meet the doorframe, Asayake felt like someone had punched her in the stomach. She scarcely heard what Shuuichi was yelling at her, didn't notice when tomeo came in, as she put a hand against the wall, her other hand around her throat. 'What the hell...? Why did I do that? Oh my God, no... It's back, it's back...!' She felt her stomach tighten, clamping both ands over her mouth and looking around frantically. Spying the bathroom in the far corner of the apartment she ran towards it, slamming the door shut behind her. No sooner had the door shut behind her when she felt the bile rise in her throat, and she wrenched the toilet seat up just in time, emptying her stomach into it.

Coughing and sputtering she flushed it away, falling back on her knees in the nearest corner she could find between the bathtub and the wall. She drew her knees up to her chest, tucking her head between them, and tried to get a grip. 'I can't believe it... Why did it have to come back? Why, why, WHY!?'

Startled, Rogishimon hopped over to the bathroom door, tapping on it with her beak. "'Sayake? Are you okay? What was that icky noise?" When the girl didn't answer she flew back over to the others, landing at Tomeo's feet. "Tomeo, she won't talk! I don't know what's wrong, she didn't get hurt or anything!" The little bird's eyes glassed over, and she looked as if she was about to burst into tears.

***

Hanarei was surprised by Enma being able to get out from under her and turning the tables on their fight. Hanarei still tried to go for Enma's neck as she didn't seem to like it as much. Hoping to distract the girl for just a moment, Hanarei spat into one of Enma's eyes. She was unable to grab a hold of Enma's neck but Hanarei was able to leave some scratch marks where she made attempts.

'I need to get her off of me if I'm going to kill her,' thought Hanarei. She moved her her left foot underneath Enma's stomach and gave her a hard kick. That was for any chance of getting her to loosen Enma's grip. Hanarei then kicked again but that was to send her opponent into the air and off of her. Hanarei quickly stood up and faced Enma. "Why can't you just a good little girl and die?! She growled. With Enma on the ground, Hanarei saw her chance to attack. It was times like this Hanarei was glad she didn't play fair. She ran toward Enma and jumped into the air. She position herself and her elbow and was about to perform a pile-driver.

Hanarei didn't even notice Tomeo leave or Hanshin, Shireika and company join them there.

***

"You want me to handle two girls who could probably beat the living daylights out of me?" Shouki said in shock to Tomeo's request. "Were you even at the last meeting we had as a group? I couldn't even handle Hanarei when she was threatening someone." He saw Tomeo leave and noticed Shireika and Hanshin were busy with one another. He wasn't sure what Naoko was doing which meant that... he was alone with dealing with Hanarei and Enma. He started to panic at what he was going to do. He wanted to help but how could he?

As though he read his partner's thoughts, Kirimon jumped in front of Shouki before heading toward the brawl. "I'll handle this," said Kirimon as he floated at top speed. "Just hold out your digivice and lend me your strength!"

Shouki didn't know what good that would do but he did it anyway. He reached into his pocket, pulled out the digivice, and held it in front of him. "Like this?" He got his answer when the digivice started to viberate and glow. Kirimon also started to glow brighter by the second.

"Kirimon digivolved to... Reimumon!" Kirimon had changed from a floating cat head into a full fledge cat with mangy orange fur. However, he was wearing a robe around his top half which resemble something found on a priest at Shinto shrines. Around his mid-section was a bright red sash.

Shouki couldn't believe his eyes. He would never had imagined that such a thing could happen right in front fo him. Seeing a digimon was one thing but seeing one change was another. Looking from Reimumon to the bout between Hanarei and Enma, he noticed Hanarei jumping into the air, ready to land on Enma. "Reimumon, STOP HER!" he shouted.

Reimumon, now on all four paws, ran toward the fight and stop when he was in close range. "Grapple Sash!" he shouted. The ends of the sash shot out from both sides of the note and were aimed at Hanarei. One end wrapped around her arm while the other wrapped around her leg. With that done, Reimumon pulled Hanarei off-target.

"WHAT THE!" were the only words Hanarei got out before she landed hard on the ground several feet from Enma. When she lifted her head off the ground, you could see her anger reaching its peak on her face. Wondering what happened, Hanarei noticed the sash tied around her arm and leg, traced it to Reimumon, and saw Shouki standing back in the distance. She glared at Shouki and spoke with every ounce of hatred coming out with each word. "You just signed your death wish," she hissed.

***

Enma let out a low groan, rubbing her neck. Hanarei had scratched her neck up badly, but at least she wasn't under the other girl anymore. She crouched, cat-like, and waited for Hanarei's newest attack, alllowing a small cough to pass through her lips as she tensed.

Mitikomomon watched nervously, before letting out a small yelp as Reimumon's attack passed over him. "I'm too little to do anything." He said sulkily. He looked at Enma, and his eyes lowered slightly. "I'm supposed to be protecting her, not allowing her to get hurt...but what can I do?" Then he remembered Reimumon's former state. "Well...I can get that big too...maybe!" He said, bouncing again. He bounced over toward Enma, and nuzzled her clenched fist. "Enma, do you have your digivice?" He asked.

Enma stole a glance at Hanarei, and, satisfied that the other girl was tied up, looked down at Mitikomomon. "Yeah, it's in my purse over there." She nodded toward the bag.

Mitikomomon bounced over to it and drug through the bag before finding the device. He put it in his mouth and bounced back over to Enma. He spit the digivice out next to her, and looked up at her. "Now...pick it up, and point it at me." He said. She did as she was told, but not without a skeptical glance. "Enma, am I your friend?" He asked her.

"Yeah." She said.

"Then just let me do this, okay!" He said. He closed his eyes, and consentrated. "Mitikomomon digivolve to...Aoiromon!" Mitikomomon transformed from his small blue orb form into what appeared to be a blue cross between a rat, a snowboarder, and a teddy bear. Enma stared, open-mouthed at the new form.

"Mitikomomon?" She asked, bewildered.

He shook his head. "I'm Aoiromon now." He said. He stepped away from Enma and glared at Hanarei. "No one hurts my digidestined!" He hissed as his tail twitched, and he held up a paw covered with a purple glove. A ball of energy formed between his fingers, and he leveled his look on Hanarei. "Bilge Rat Bomber!" He said, throwing the attack towards Hanarei's feet. He was still a pacifist, after all.

***

Before Shireika's digimon partner launched her attack on Hanshin, Naoko had snuck around cars and had headed for the apartment complex. She could see Shouki run on ahead and slowed a little. She figured the fight inside the apartment itself wasn't going to need her help, probably since Yuu and Shuuichi weren't ones to get physical within the building. Besides, with Shouki joining them, they didn't need a fourth from Hanshin's group.

She looked around, seeing Enma and Hanarei duking it out. She knew Hanarei was probably stronger between the two of them. As long as Hanshin kept Shireika distracted, they would have the upper hand here. She and Enma could take Tegiwa and Hanarei any day, and Tegiwa was likely to defend his bitchy leader anyway.

She watched Enma's digimon partner launch an attack at Hanarei's feet, and she shook her head.

"What is he doing?" she muttered softly as she pulled out Suzumon, which she had stuffed into her bra during the car ride.

"Suzumon digivolve to Seidomon!" The little scrap of tin foil grew rapidly, filling into the shape of a German shepherd made completely of bronze. The bronze-colored dog leapt ahead of Naoko and charged towards Hanarei, tackling the girl to the ground.

***

Squijimon (only): There was a faint sparkling off in the distance, in the midst of some coral. Its pattern of flashes was clearly different from the other glimmers around.

*** Tegiwa had begun running ahead, but he stopped when he heard Shireika accept Hanshin's challenge. Moments later, he saw her running towards him.

"Get a move on it!" she called out to him.

"Shireika!" he replied when he saw Shunbamon's attack heading towards them.

"Robotomon digivolve to..." The little toy-sized robot jumped out of Tegiwa's backpack. His shape seemed to melt into a ball and then seemed to mold itself into the shape of clockwork owl with a silver and rusty orange coloration. "Orengii-mon!" It flew towards Shireika and Alesmon, who were attempting to escape Shunbamon's incoming attack. "Golden Gaze!" Successfully, his attck intercepted the energy beams which were bouncing over the ground towards Shireika and Alesmon.

Shireika stopped in her tracks and looked back at Hanshin and Shunbamon, who were heading towards her. She noticed that Naoko had joined Enma in fighting Hanarei.

"Tegiwa, go help Hanarei!" she said as she pointed towards Naoko. "What kind of cheap attack was that?" she demanded.

"You ran out, when we weren't finished," Hanshin replied.

"Fine!" Alesmon said. "Bring it on." He stood in front of Shireika and glared at Shunbamon as he crossed his arms. "You're asking for it. We're not letting you get that key fragment." He spread his arms apart, causing four single feathers to fly through the air towards Shunbamon. "Feather Strike!"

***

Tomeo turned his head the moment he sensed Asayake move, watching her run into the bathroom. "Asayake?" he called cluelessly, and watched Rogishimon who was listening at the door. When she returned and landed at his feet, he kneeled down and cradled the little In-Training digimon in his arms, sensing her distress.

"Don't worry, it's okay." he assured her, comforting her as best he could by stroking her feathers. "I'll go see what the problem is. I'd take you with me, but we still have a job to do here. Make sure Shuuichi and Yuu leave, okay? I'm counting on you, Rogishimon, since Parumon isn't here, okay? I'll be right back with Asayake, come and get me if something goes wrong."

He placed Rogishimon on the ground, and went over to the bathroom door. "Hello?" He knocked once, placing one side of his face against the door, so he could still watch the others in the apartment. "Asayake? Are you okay in there? It's me, Tomeo. Can I come in?" He knocked again, and this time the door of the bathroom swung slowly open. Tomeo peered cautiously inside and spotted Asayake huddled up against the wall in the fetal position, biting his lip. It looked serious. He grabbed the door handle and moved inside slightly, leaning against the door frame as he peered around to look at Shuuichi and Yuu.

"I don't know what the hell happened in here, but by the time I get back, I expect you two gone. Got it? Go. Get out of here." he warned them, and left the door open a crack, so Rogishimon could get inside , and so he could hear what was going on outside.

He turned away from the door and looked at Asayake. He stepped towards her a few steps, knelt down on the cold tiled floor before her, and tried to make eye contact with her with soft, nurturing green eyes. "Asayake..." he breathed out in a loud whisper, looking deep into her green eyes try to determine what was bothering her. "Is something wrong? Please, tell me..." His nose caught a whiff of vomit, and he looked towards the toilet nearby. He could see traces of throw-up over the rim, telling him the story of what had happened. He looked back at Asayake. "You're sick, aren't you? Or did they do something to you? What... what happened, Asayake?" he tried to summarise his questions into one, and reached out a hand to affectionately rub her shoulder. "It's okay, I'm your friend. You can tell me."

***

Silence. And the crash of the waves above her. That was all Parumon could hear, after her grand speech. It was all for nothing. Not even Squijimon and Kuinamon said anything to her. Well of course, she thought, they were deaf.. They hadn't listened to a single warning she had given them, after all.

She looked towards them, reading the direction they were looking for a clue. She looked in the same direction, but saw nothing but the comforting blueish-green of the sea. What were they looking at? The intelligent shoal of...'things', she told herself, for lack of a better word for referance, or did they see the fragment? She moved around behind them to get a better line of sight, peering into the distance.

She was the epitome of the ocean. She HAD to know where that key was. So why couldn't she find it? Time was running out...

***

Hanarei tried her best to get back up but everytime she tried, Reimumon would tug at his sash and make her lose her balance. The attack from Aoiromon didn't help either as Hanarei lost her balance there. And for the final kick, Seidomon tackled her when she was finally able to get up successfully. There were scratchs and cuts on around Hanarei's body. A small drop of blood was coming out of her mouth. She couldn't let the pain get to her, she thought. She had to ignore it if she was going to beat them.

Himotomon saw the number of people surrounding them. She wasn't sure how well Hanarei could do with the odds being 3 against 1 and that wasn't including digimon. "Hanarei, get out your digivice," she called out. "I'll be able to help you!" Without saying a word, Hanarei reached into her pocket and pulled out the digivice. The screen on it started to glow as did Himotomon. "Himotomon digivolved to... Okimon!" Where Himotomon stood there was now a small girl. However, she didn't look 100% human. Her ears were long and pointed, her hair was raven black with a mix of gray and orange in it, and the pupils in her eyes were slits. She wore a slightly burnt-looking dress that reached down to her feet.

Once the transformation was complete, Okimon held a fist in front of her mouth. She opened her hand and a small flame appeared in her palm. "Warm Kiss!" she yelled. She took a deep breath and blew at the flame. Instead of putting it out, the flame shot out like it was a flame thrower. Okimon, while still blowing on the flame, directed it around her opponents, trying to keep them at a distance, and then aimed for Reimumon's sash. The sash was burnt through and it returned to Reimumon's body. With that down, Okimon stopped blowing, which caused the flame to go out, and rushed over to Hanarei. "Hanarei, are you okay?"

Hanarei tried to stand up on one knee. "Pfft, nothing I can't handle," she said. "Thanks a lot Himo...." Hanarei suddenly realized that Himotomon had transformed. No, digivolved. And just as suddenly, something happened inside her. She stopped moving, as though in a trance. Her eyes were staring off toward something unknown. And then... pain. It felt like someone had taken a sharp axe and was trying to chop their way out from the inside of her head. Hanarei let out a cry that could have woken the dead. She grabbed her head as the pain kept coming with no signs of stopping. Her body joltted at random moments as she rolled back and forth on the ground.

Images were going through her head. It felt like they were forcing their way into her rather than her trying to remember them naturally. Each one fo them surged with pain beyond anything Hanarei had ever felt. "AAAAAGGGHHHHHHH!!! GOD, PLEASE STOP!!! MAKE IT STOP!!!" she cried out.

Shouki watched in horror at what was happening to Hanarei. He just wished he knew what was going on. Each one of her screams seemed to hurt him like daggers through his heart. He had to reassure himself that Reimumon's attack couldn't have caused her that kind of pain. He looked from Enma and Naoko and back again several times as though he was hoping for an answer from them as to why this was happening.

Reimumon was able to gather all of the sash (which had regenerated itself) and rushed over to Shouki. He wasn't sure what was going on either but he wanted to stay by in case this was some clever, however strange, way of attacking.

Hanarei had sudddenly stopped screaming and rolling around though her body was still twitching. Shouki didn't take Reimumon's action and walked past him and over to Hanarei. "Be careful over there," said Reimumon.

"But she looks hurt," Shouki replied. He stood next to her and bent over her. "That's odd," he said in a low voice. "Weren't her eyes purple or some cold color?" He looked down and noticed that Hanarei's eyes had changed to the color yellow. They also looked empty as though she had no pupils. Shouki leaned in a bit closer out of curiousity.

Suddenly, Hanarei blinked and her eyes had pupils again. She noticed Shouki standing right over her. She quickly pushed him away from her without so much as a second thought. "Get away from me," she growled. Somehow, her voice didn't sound so much like her own. It rather sounded like her voice along with someone else's though much deeper.

Shouki hit the ground away from Hanarei. Reimumon ran over to him and stood by, ready to attack again it needed to.

***

"Shit..."

"Enma, what should we do?" Aoiromon asked as he came over to his partner. She picked him up and hugged him to her chest as she stared at Hanarei. She put the rat-bear down after giving him another quick squeeze, and turned to him, leaning down.

"You stay here, I'll be right back." She said.

"Don't do anything bad." He said, peering over Enma's shoulder. "She still looks hurt."

Enma touched her neck lightly, giving her digimon a queer look. "Oh, right..." he said.

"I won't do anything to her." Enma promised, before turning. She walked over to Hanarei, even though a very small voice in the back of her brain was screaming at her and telling her that this was a very bad idea. She looked over at Naoko and Shouki, before looking at their digimon. Swallowing back some unknown emotion, Enma reached Hanarei, and looked the other girl straight in the eye. Well, tried to, at any rate. "Hanarei, what's wrong?" She asked, her voice low. She reached out, but did not touch the other girl. Their previous fight had been much closer than she wanted to admit, and she didn't want a repeat, especially with Naoko and Shouki around - no matter how much she pretended to distance herself from them, they were still her teammates, and didn't want them to think any less of her than they probably already did.

Near the building, Aoiromon watched nervously, jumping from foot to foot. He saw Shouki get thrown, and let out a small noise, before running over to the boy, trying to help him up. "Are you okay?" The blue digimon asked. "Enma's being stubborn, and I don't know what to do." He confided, before staring at Reimumon, almost jealous.

***

"What are you going to try and kill us next? I don't know what you guys are playing here. Shireika is leading you wrong. And so is Hanshin, I'll agree with that. It's not like I wanted to try and steal anything. I'm better than that. We all are. But something is wrong with that gal of yours. Your girlfriend is insane. If you had only been here... you would have seen the kind of monster she became. She almost killed Yuu. Sure we're not innocent but we aren't planning to hurt anything or anyone. At least I'm not planning to. You can have my word on that," he said. "Maybe someday we can go and get a cup of tea. Maybe after this is over we can. My aunt she makes some mean orange blossom tea," he said rambling as he went to the door.

"Come on Yuu. Though I've been also wondering, is this our fight," he said. "I know that we're in it, but it is truly our fight. Now that I hear the battle above us and how the twins act to each other, I've been wondering if it is really the sibling fight between Hanshin and Shireika, that one sibling fight to end all others," he said as he grabbed Yuu's hand and lead her out.

He looked at Rogishimon and gave a smile. "Sorry about that again. I feel sorry for you having such a violent partner. I know you aren't that mean, at least I hope you aren't. Watch them Rogishimon, next time Squijimon sees you, you will have to fight her since I guess you would call us the enemy, ne?" he said as he left the apartment room and went up the elevator.

As the elevator door opened he got in and kept the doors open waiting for Yuu.

***

Squjimon tried to listen but just kept watching. "This is hopeless," she muttered swimming farther and farther down. Then she saw something different. It was distinctly different by how it glittered in the waters. She swam as fast as she could to it and looked at it in happiness. "All is not lost," she whispered as she grabbed the fragment out of the coral.

She saw Parumon. She couldn't lose it. It was in her tentacle, if she lost it then Shuuichi would be pretty angry about it. She held on tight as she swam or more floated to the top like a hot air balloon. Her head popped through the crashing waves as she saw all the digimon there. They were not the same ones she had seen when she went under and now Hanshin and others had appeared. She rode the small waves to the beach as she landed there and gained to land legs. She limped as she quickly ran using her little seven tentacles while one held onto the key fragment.

"HANSHIN!!!" she squealed out as she reached him. She climped up his leg and as she held onto the boy's thigh she waved the fragment below him so that he could see the glimmer. "We won!!! I got it!!!" she cried out as she continued to wave the fragment in her tentacle.

***

"The Asayake I know isn't like this at all," Rogishimon called as Shuuichi headed to the elevator. She hopped over to Yuu, smiling up at her sadly. "She's really kind of nice, actually. Maybe one day you'll meet that one, too. Please don't blame her... I'm sure she had a reason."

Asayake felt her chest tighten as Shuuichi's words reached her ears, her head snapping up. Her eyes began to sting, growing wide as she felt them water, and she bit her top lip. 'A monster? Am I really? ... I thought I was better...? They said I was better...' Giving her head a brisk, firm shake, she attempted to smile at Tomeo; it ended up lopsided and half-hearted. "I'm -- I'm okay. Really, I'll be fine." She stood up sharply, shuffling out of the bathroom on shaking legs. As soon as she had left the safety of the bathroom, however, a white blur threw itself at her, nuzzling her neck.

"Asayake, you're okay!" Rogishimon cried, peeping in between gasps of air and bird-sobs, "You had me really, really worried! What happened, what was wrong?"

Asayake just gave the little bird a hug and shook her head slowly. Rogishimon knew that signal -- 'I'll tell you later'. With a little nod of her own, Asayake turned back to Tomeo, gave him a sad smile, and walked over to Yuu.

"Um..." She began, but lost whatever she had wanted to say in the back of her throat. She refused to look directly at the girl in front of her, choosing to look curiously at the little demon in the Chikusa kitchen. "I'm sorry. I really, really am. I didn't mean to do that; I lost control of myself. You're not hurt too badly, are you?"

'They told me I was better... I guess they were wong.'

***

Hanshin reached down for Squijimon and removed the fragment from her tentacle. It was exactly like the picture the Watcher had sent him. Well, only part of it. He looked down at Squijimon and grinned.

"Good job," he said, but no sooner had he said those words, Shireika had snuck around the fight between Alesmon and Shunbamon and jumped him. She pushed him to the ground and reached for Hanshin's hand. "Fuck, Shireika! We found it."

"You think I care?" Shireika replied as she snatched Hanshin's wrist with a hand.

"We need this!" he said through his teeth as he grabbed Shireika's other hand to keep her from removing the key fragment from his hand.

"No, you don't!" The two strained against each other. He trying to keep her from reaching for the key fragment; she trying to free herself so she could grab the key fragment.

Hanshin looked over at Squijimon, hoping that the digimon would grab the key fragment and protect it.

***

Seidomon shook himself off after Okimon's attack had finished. He stung from Okimon's attack, but he was ready to duke it out until he could not longer keep this form.

Naoko couldn't believe what Enma was doing: reaching out for the people who rooted them out. They brought their own pain by launching an attack on them. They were getting in their way, in the way that the Fates had intended for them to follow. It was Shireika and her crew who were being foolish, and there was no reason for them to receive help from those who sought the key fragments.

"Enma, don't," Naoko said. "We don't have time for this, and they don't deserve it. They are the fools who have decided to go against the Fates, and this is how the Fates force them to pay for it." She glared at Hanarei. "The bitch of a leader named Shireika leads them off course to believe that the key we want is dangerous." She pointed towards Okimon. "Teach them to get in our way."

"Hollow Woof!" Seidomon shouted as he directed a sonic attack towards Okimon.

***

Meanwhile, Tegiwa began running towards Hanarei, only to realize that Naoko and Shouki had joined the battle up here. That meant three versus two. They needed more people. He quickly pulled out his computer.

[Asayake and Tomeo: We need help up here. Shireika's duking it out with her brother to get the key fragment from him, and Hanarei's got herself surrounded by Naoko, Shouki and Enma. We're going to need some help up here now. -Tegiwa.]

"All right, buddy," Tegiwa said to her digivolved partner. He didn't know what to call his friend now.

"It's Orengii-mon," the owl replied.

"Okay, Ore," he stopped. "How about O-Man?"

"O-Man?"

"Nevermind. Time to help out Hanarei," he said.

"Talon Attack!" Orengii-mon called as he flew towards Aoiromon and grabbed the little rat-bear digimon. His claws sunk into the digimon's back as he lifted him into the air.

***

Hanarei was breathing heavily as she lay on the ground. She looked over at Enma for a second before slapping her hand out of her way. But the look on her face was more scared than angry. Like a wild animal, Hanarei was backing away from Enma and everyone else, her head moving back and forth between people. Something had happened to her, mentally, and she didn't know what it was. Finally, Hanarei felt another sharp ache in her head but it was less painful than the last one. She gritted her teeth as she felt the pain subside in her.

"Make it stop, make it stop, make it stop," she mumbled as it vanished. She blinked several times and looked up at everyone. Her face had a look of curiousity on it and her purple eyes had returned to her.

Meanwhile, Okimon jumped out of the way of Seidomon's attack. However, part of the sonic wave caught her and she flew back a few feet. She was able to land on the ground without much damage on her.

"I don't have time to play games with you now, Seidomon," she said as she ran her hand through her hair. "My partner is hurt and I need to help her." She took her hand out of her hair which was now full of a black powder. "Charcoal Cloud!" She threw the black powder at Seidomon's feet. The powder turned out to be ash and a black cloud rose up in front of Seidomon's face. "That should keep you preoccupied for now," she said. Okimon then ran off to Hanarei. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Hanarei panted, "I'm okay Hoshimon, I mean, Okimon."

"Hoshimon? Where did that come from?"

"Ask me later, okay?"

"Right." Okimon ran another hand through her hair. "Let's get you out of this situation. Charcoal Cloud!" She threw another large pile of ash in front of her and Hanarei to block them from view. Hanarei was able to stand up and she pulled Okimon along with her and over to Tegiwa.

"So, what'd I miss?" she asked, trying to sound like nothing out of the ordinary had happened to her.

***

Shouki was shaking a little but it was probably from all that had happened so suddenly. He turned to Aoiromon. "Yeah, I'm doing okay," he said.

"Y'know, for someone who doesn't seem to like lying, you do it an awful lot when it comes to your emotions," said Reimumon. "Look, I can see that hand moving around like you're in an earthquake. Plus, your prayer beads are clinking together while you're doing that." Shouki quickly grabbed his arm in an attempt to steady it. "Nope, still there." Reimumon noticed Aoiromon looking at him and he did so in return. "What? Something wrong?" He was able to ask that just in time before Oregiimon picked up the blue rat.

"Aoiromon!" Shouki cried out. He looked back over to where Hanarei was but could only see a black cloud in front of where she was. 'I guess she's alright,' Shouki thought. "Reimumon, we have to help Aoiromon."

"Welcome to Attack tactics 101," the digimon said in a fast voice. "Here you will have to make quick decisions with your digimon if you wish to survive. You have already seen one of my attacks and I have another which will hurt the opponent rather than restrain. Please make your snap decision now."

"Wha...?" It took Shouki a few moments to sort out everything Reimumon had told him. "Um, I, ah, try that grapple-thing again. Aim for the wings I guess."

"Okay," said Reimumon. "But for future reference, you must also realize that you can not be a pacificist all the time if you wish to survive in this game. You will have to hurt someone eventually." Reimumon ran toward Oregiimon and Aoiromon. Once he thought he was close enough, he stopped and shouted his attack. "Grapple Sash!" He did what Shouki said and was able to wrap the ends of the sash around Oregiimon's wings. He wasn't sure how well this attack would turn out though.

***

Tomeo slowly nodded, and followed Asayake out the bathroom. "If you say so..." Suddenly he felt his mini-computer beep, and he pulled it out to read Tegiwa's message. "... A fight? The key fragment? ... Shit, Hanshin found it! C'mon Asayake, we've gotta go, we're needed." He grabbed hold of her hand and guided her out with Rogishimon into the corridor. When he saw Shuuichi in the elevator holding it open for Yuu, his temper returned and he stormed up to him, remembering what he had overheard from him in the apartment. Walking into the elevator, he grabbed him by the collar and shoved him against the elevator door.

"You jerk!" he shouted, looking straight into Shuuichi's eye as he raised his voice. "She's not my girlfriend. You don't know anything, do you? I've just about had enough of your mouth, Shuuichi. She's not insane. You don't know her, so just shut up, got it?"

He was waiting for one of the girls to press the button to go up, ignoring any protests they had against him about his treatment to Shuuichi. "And another thing, you think you can justify what you did was nothing compared to Yuu getting hurt? Yes, you're right, a human life is the most valuable thing in the world, I agree with you there. But she would never have gotten hurt in the first place if she didn't decide to come here. Even if Asayake did hurt her, she would have never done so if Yuu wasn't already trespassing in someone else's place, with the intent of stealing something that didn't belong to her. You both put yourself at risk. You knew that, and yet you're blaming Asayake? She was trying to stop you from doing something you'll both regret. And don't tell me you didn't have a choice - you say you know that following Hanshin is wrong, and yet you continue to do so anyway! 'It's not like I wanted to steal anything?' 'I'm better than that?' What, did Hanshin force a gun to your head and tell you to do it? No, I didn't think so. You're such a hypocrite, Shuuichi. A two-faced liar."

He let go of his collar, giving him one last shove against the elevator wall, and continued to watch him, arms crossed, with an angry stare.

***

"Outta my way, squid lips!" Parumon yelled, head-butting into Squijimon as she resurfaced from the water to stop her from getting the key off Hanshin. "Hold on, girl!" she said to Shireika as she wrestled with Hanshin, and bit on the other end of the key fragment, pulling on it furiously with her teeth like some mad dog wrestling for his bone. She didn't care if she damaged it or even if she swallowed it, as long as that fragment was out of Hanshin's hands, they would all be better off.

Squijimon would be up soon and Kuinamon wouldn't be far behind, but she had to do what she could. "That... key... is... OURS!!!" she growled between the gaps in her teeth, pulling as hard as she could until Hanshin let go.

***

Hanshin grit his teeth as he wrestled with both Shireika and Parumon for the key fragment, but it was proving to be difficult. Shireika had a strength of her own, and it didn't help with Parumon tugging at the metal key fragment between his fingers. He let go of Shireika wrist as he attempted to shove Parumon's bite off the key fragment, but he soon found Shireika hand about his throat.

"Let it go," she growled as she put both her hands about his throat.

Instinctively, Hanshin did, allowing Parumon to run off with the key fragment.

"Shit!" he yelped as he managed to shove Shireika away. He couldn't actually punch her or attack back. She was his sister, and as much as he knew she was going to get him for whatever he did, he would never hurt her. He just couldn't. "Shunbamon!"

Shunbamon took the brunt of most of Alesmon's attack. Two of the four feathers had missed him, and two of them struck him. They stung, but he could ignore the pain. He heard Hanshin's call for help and looked back, seeing his partner pointing at the in-training lizard digimon with the key fragment. Yes, the pain could be ignored in order to get that key fragment from their enemies. They had come too far to lose it now.

"Hippodromos Cyclone," he shouted as he began to speed around Parumon. His eyes focused on Parumon, who was at the center of his track that he made around her, and his pace quickened rapidly. His figure seemed to disappear into a single ring around her as wind began to pick up within Shunbamon's circle. It cycloned around Parumon and lifted her into the air roughly.

Shunbamon stopped, allowing the cyclone to toss Parumon about, and hoped that she would let go of that key fragment when she was suddenly dropped from eight feet in the air to the ground right next to him. Or he would have to take more drastic measure to get that key back.

"Hey, we weren't done yet!" Alesmon called as he hurled another set of four feathers at him. "Come on!"

Hanshin made an attempt to run forward to grab Parumon and squeeze the little lizard to death for stealing the key fragment from him, but he soon found himself tackled once again by his sister.

"I thought we were done with play wrestling years ago," he said as he tried to push her off, but she was stronger than she used to be.

"You try to get that key, and I'll be here to stop you every step of the way," she replied.

***

Orengii-mon attempted to squeeze tighter on Aoiromon as Reimumon pulled down on him with his attack. He flapped his wings against the pull, but it did little to keep him from falling to the ground. He let go of Aoiromon, dropping the rat-bear on top of Reimumon.

***

"Well, not too much," Tegiwa said nervously. "Are you all right?" he asked as he looked at her. "You don't look so great right now." His training was coming in handy right about now. He looked down at Okimon. "Hanarei will be fine. Right now, we've got to make sure that Hanshin's crew doesn't get that key fragment." He took a look up, seeing Orengii-mon getting pulled down by Reimumon. "Right now, would be a good time to help out the others." He held Hanarei's shoulder to keep her steady. "Come on. We'll find shelter somewhere." He hoped backup was coming soon. They were going to need it. He led Hanarei along to a car and sat her down behind it. "How's your head?"

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