Naoko waved her hands around as the dust from Okimon's attacks cleared. She held out a hand to help Enma up.

"The girl's crazy, just like that bitch named Shireika," she said. "Right now, it's time that we show them that they should stay out of our way."

***

Hanarei looked up at Tegiwa. "Yeah, I think everything's okay," she said. She felt her head again to check if it she had a fever or something. The pain that was there moments ago was gone and, as far as Hanarei could find physically, there was nothing wrong with her. As far as her mentality.... "They're better now," she mumbled mostly to herself in realization. She didn't care if Tegiwa heard her or not. "The images are making sense now."

Okimon understood what Hanarei was talking about. "Have you figured out what it all means?"

"No, there are still some gaps. They're still blurry but better than usual." She stopped for a moment trying to take in everything going on inside of her. "And voices. I can hear voices but they sound like an mp3 file that's been horribly distorted and incomprehensible."

Okimon looked from her partner to the battle still going on. Hanarei was out of danger now and seemed to be recovering. "I'm going to head back. Orengii-mon is out numbered back there." With that said, Okimon left to return to the fight. She noticed that her Charcoal Cloud attack had disappeared by now. For the moment, Seidomon was the largest threat to her as the digimon wasn't preoccupied by something else. Okimon ran over to her opponent and stood ready. "I'm ready for round 2," said Okimon, holding up two fingers in front of her. She moved her hand in front of her face opened her palm and blow on the flame that appeared. "Warm Kiss!" The jet of fire continued to blaze as it headed for the metal dog.

***

Reimumon mouthed a silent yes as he watched Orengii-mon fall from the sky. He didn't know if it was on purpose or not, but Reimumon was happy to have caught Aoiromon on his back. "Have a nice flight?" the cat digimon asked sarcastically. "Funny, isn't it? An owl going after a rat and being saved by a cat. If we weren't digimon, you'd be eatten by now."

"Reimumon, stop that," Shouki called out to his digimon.

"Fine, fine." The digimon walked over to Enma and 'presented' Aoiromon to her. "I believe he belongs to you," he said. "And please hurry up. I can't attack if he's on my back because he's on my sash and my other attack would cause me to be off balanced."

Partially paying attention to what was going on outside of the battle scene, Shouki was able to hear something in the distance. He moved to where he could get a better look of Hanshin as the noises seemed to be coming from his direction. Shouki saw Hanshin and his sister wrestling on the ground but they weren't exactly going after each other. Just then, he saw something glittering in Hanshin's hand.

"Hey guys," Shouki said to Naoko and Enma as he ran back to them, "it looks like Hanshin and Shireika are fighting for the key fragment or something. I think one of them has it."

***

Enma chuckled slighty. "I guess you're right." She said, taking Naoko's offered hand and pulling herself up. She dusted her capris off, before turning to Reimumon, who was holding a shivering Aoiromon.

"Not funny." The digimon whispered to Reimumon, as Enma picked him up.

"Thanks, eh...Reimumon, now, right?" She asked, looking the cat digimon up and down skeptically. She looked up at Shouki as he came over, and her expression grew hard. "We've worked too hard for them to get it."

Aoiromon wriggled out of Enma's grasp and started over toward Parumon. "Come on, Reimumon! We've gotta help Shunbamon!" He started to run away, before stopping. "Bildge Rat Bomber!" He said, throwing a couple of energy balls at Parumon to combine with Shunbamon's attack.

Enma turned to Naoko and Shouki. "So, do you guys want to split up? Hanshin's on that lizard's rear; Naoko, why don't you go on one side, and I go on the other...since she's headed in approximately this direction, so why don't you stay here and try to catch him Shouki?" She bit her lip. "Unless Naoko has any better ideas, it's the only way I can think of quickly." She looked at the other two, waiting for their approval on her idea.

***

Hit by Shunbamon's attack and tossed eight feet into the air like a rag doll, Parumon dropped to the ground and hit it hard, dropping the key as she heard it clanging to the ground. She cringed as Hanshin attempted a grab at her, only to look up at Shireika saving her hide as she tackled him once again. 'Thanks, Shireika... I won't let you down..." She barely had time to get up and finish her proclamation before she was hit with Reimumon's bombarding attack, sending her and the key flying farther. "Shireika..." Parumon cried out for help rather weekly, pulling what strength she had left to pull herself to her feet. There were so many digimon around her against her that had digivolved to the Rookie level... how was she supposed to fight back? "Tomeo..." she cried out for her chosen, as she leaned towards unconciousness.

Tomeo ran out of the elevator as soon as it hit the top floor, witnessing the combined assault Shunbamon and Reimumon had made on his little In-Training digimon. He didn't recognise most of the digimon there, but that didn't seem to matter to him now. "Parumon!!!" he screamed out in concern, running towards her, dodging attacks from the other digimon. The digivice in his pocket glowed, shining out a bright light that even the dark confines of his denim jeans could not contain.

"Parumon... digivolve to..." There was a pause as the light shone out and hit Parumon, data swirling around her until her form grew into something bigger, and then disapated as it became complete. "... Takamon!!!" she finished, roaring with new energy as she felt like a whole new mon. Instead of a four-legged lizard, now she was a small crocodile standing upright, with long slender legs giving off her female appearence. Her body was a bright azure-colored blue and had jagged spiky yellow fins on her arms and legs. She bared her new set of fangs as she snarled defensively at the group of digimon provoking her.

"What the...? Parumon?" Tomeo gasped out in surprise, halting in his step to glance at his new partner as she ran towards the key fragment.

"Not anymore! Now you can call me Takamon!" Takamon said confidently, and grinned mischeviously at the many opponents around her. "You're all in big, big trouble now! Rain Vapour!"

Her new attack had her breathe out a spray of water droplets around her in the air, forming a thick barrier of fog around her and Tomeo that hid them from sight. "They can't attack me now they can't see me!" she replied in quiet satisfaction to Tomeo.

"The key fragment!" Tomeo realised in a hushed voice, and scanned around to look for it. He had seen it earlier glimmering in Takamon's grasp before she dropped it, and now it was hidden in the mist. "We have to find it before someone else does! Quick!"

"Oh, no! Wait, it landed over here..." she whispered back, and sniffed the ground for her own scent, remembering she had left traces of her saliva on it. "Here it is!" she exclaimed a bit louder, but tried to keep quiet in order to remain hidden, as she spotted the key few feet away. In a vain attempt to reclaim it, she ran towards it away from Tomeo, confident she wouldn't be spotted and attacked in the vapour veil she had created.

***

“Golden Gaze” Orengiimon sung out. His eyes targeted the scarf of the ghost kitty so that he could break free.

Tegiwa looked around at the fighting with distain. “So, this is a digi-battle. Funny how it looks like nothing more than my friends and schoolmates getting hurt by each other.”

***

Naoko looked at the bigger lizard that was swallowed by the vapors. “Enma, I have no confidence in our ability to route, channel, stop, or even concern a thing such as that. However, I do have an idea. Seidomon! You are a dog, right?”

“Woof! You betcha!”

“Good. Run over there and sniff out the key.”

“Will do. I can smell Takamon from here. The key should be near her. And, I can hear her too. She may have fog and a nose. But, I have eyes, nose, and brain.”

“If you say so…go get the key.”

Seidomon ran into the cloak of vapor sniffing for key and takamon.”

***

Hanshin pushed Shireika off his back when Takamon unleashed a foggy attack on everyone.

"And I will find ways to get it away from you," he said. He knew that Shireika was going to feel outnumbered, no matter how hard they tried. That one person made a huge difference, and they would reclaim that key this time. He could hear Seidomon searching for the key fragment right when Shireika fought back. "Will you ever stop?" he asked as he tossed her over him.

She landed on her back and mumbled something.

"Not unless you do," she replied as she got back up. She cracked her back and neck quickly.

Hanshin froze as he stared at her. Suddenly, she just seemed creepy. There was something different about her at that very moment. Well, maybe ever since they arrived here at the Chikusa residence, but this certainly wasn't like her. She never got really physically when she fought. She always used words to fight back, but here she was, ready for more and so willing to have a real fight.

"Shireika, you don't know realize what you're doing. We need that key," Hanshin argued. "Why can't you just stay out of it?"

"Didn't I make it clear that I don't want anyone touching that key, and if you're going after it, then I'm going to have to stop you," Shireika replied.

Hanshin prayed that Seidomon found the key before Parumon did. They had to win that key. Shireika didn't understand what they were doing, and he and the others had to prove her wrong. They were going to need that key, and whatever it took to get the entire key, they were going to do.

***

Okimon stopped her jet of fire as Seidomon ran away from her. "HEY! We weren't done here!" she yelled as she stomped her foot on the ground. She mumbled something incomprehensivable as she ran after the metal dog. She stopped short of entering the cloud of vapor that Para... Takamon had formed around him. She could see through her own ash attack but didn't know how she would do in vapor. Unsure what to do next, she waited for the vapor to vanish and reveal who had the key. She readied herself and had a flame appear in her hand. If Seidomon had the key, Okimon was going to blast him. If he didn't, well, same thing would happen.

Meanwhile, Hanarei was still leaning against the car as she was collecting her thoughts. She had never heard of anyone ever going through something like that before. She found it especially odd that she was doing fine until she looked at Okimon. Was that just a coincidence or something? And why did she call her Hoshimon? That name didn't sound familiar at all with the other digimon.

Hoping to have shaken off what had happened, Hanarei stood up from behind the car and ran over to where the action was. She spotted Shireika and she looked ready to rumble with Hanshin. Hanarei could feel a surge of renewed hatred for the both of them. She still didn't like either of them that much but this wave of emotion seemed so sudden that Hanarei was taken by surprise. She stood next to Shireika and glared at Hanshin. "Say there, princess," Hanarei said in a serious tone, "mind if I join in on your little pummel-fest?" She tried to wipe off the droplets of blood from her mouth.

***

"I'll be with you in a second," said Reimumon. "I want to have some play time with birdy... aw man!" Orengiimon had cut through Reimumon's sash. It retracted itself and wrapped around the cat's body again. Reimumon looked upset that his prey got out and turned to Aoiromon. "Let's go I guess," said Reimumon. The cat ran after the blue rat who had a head start on him.

Reimumon made it in time to see Seidomon run into the cloud of vapor. "C'mon you metal mutt," he whispered to himself. "Find that thing." Since he couldn't see through the vapor, he didn't have a clear shot of Takamon. He'd have to wait until another digimon appeared or the vapor cleared out before he could attack.

Shouki nodded at Enma's plan and stood where he was. If Takamon was going to come running out, Shouki was ready to make a grab for it.

***

"You're more than welcome to keep him away from that key fragment," Shireika said as she wpied dirt off her jaw. "If that's what you would rather do." She looked over at Hanarei, getting the feeling that this was something Hanarei wanted to do. "Just keep him from running after that key fragment. He's all yours for the beating if needed. I'm finding that key fragment." With those words, she disappeared into the fog, where she supposed the key was.

Hanshin, meanwhile, began to storm in right after Shireika. If she was going in there to get that key fragment, he was too. He found it first, and he was the only who choose to find that key in the first place. Why couldn't she and her friends just stay out of the way?

***

"Alesmon," Shireika called as the fog began to fade a little finally. She spotted the black digimon through the fog as it thinned. "Come on. Time to get that key fragment back." She waved a hand around, hoping to make some of the fog disappear. It slowly was, making it easier to see. "I think Takamon's on the hunt for it. Let's make sure she gets it and not someone else."

"Got it," Alesmon replied as she spotting Reimumon not far away. They probably were waiting for Takamon to appear in order to attack her. There was no way that was going to happen, especially since they had to keep that key fragment out of Hanshin's hands. "Feather Strike!" Through the thinning fog, four feathers flew from Alesmon towards the cat digimon.

***

Tegiwa was unhappy about this interevntion. Stoping Hanshin hadn't included beating up the others with oposing pets. "Shireika, is all this violence really necessary? I mean, they are friends. He's your brother. Is the key more important than they are? Isn't there a way to stop them without maiming and killing?" The look in Shireika's eye told him she would kill anyone if she had too, if they got in her way. "I just don't know you right now."

Orengiimon broke free of the scarf, gaind a bit of altitude, and spread his wings back for a dive. He fell upon Reimumon with his claws wide open"Talon Attack." He clutched at the scarf that had just entangled him aiming to lift the ghost cat high into the air were he could do no damage. "Tegiwa, I think we have to hurt the digimon. Not much choice."

***

Naoko tapped her foot impatiently. "Got it yet, seidomon?"

"Looking...looking..er...smelling." Seidomon's keen nose led him through the fog as he followed a trail of slobber until his nose touched something cool. The key...he grabbed it in his mouth and tried to find his way out of the fog without finding Takamon.

***

"Much appreciated," Hanarei replied to Shireika. She probably would have joined in anyway but she thought asking would have been the 'polite' thing to do. Hanarei always wanted to hurt Shireika and Hanshin. She didn't know why, but there was just something about them that made her blood boil, even when she didn't know them. And with Hanshin standing before her in an area full of fighting, Hanarei was going to savior this moment as much as she could.

Hanarei saw Shireika run into the vapor with Hanshin following close behind her. "You're not going anywhere." She ran in after the both of them. Hanarei made a grab for Hanshin and was able to catch his shoulder. She kept a firm grip on him as she spun him around to face her. "I'll hurt you so much your mother will feel it," she growled. She drew back her fist and aimed right for Hanshin's face.

***

Reimumon was startled to see an attack coming at him instead of a digimon with the key in it's hand, paw, or whatever. He jumped out of the way of two of the feathers at first. The other two feathers hit him, one making a deep mark on him and the other giving him a scratch. "Hey, watch it!" he yelled. "You wouldn't hit a guy in Shinto priest clothing, would you?"

Shouki looked down at his partner. "Well, you're not exactly holy, you know."

"... Funny, very funny," Reimumon said in a monotone voice. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have someone to hurt." Reimumon focused hard at the fog. "I know you're in there little birdy. I recognized the voice." He thought he saw a dark figure through the vapor. It looked different than Seidomon. 'That must be Alesmon,' he thought. Reimumon took careful aim. When he was ready, he shouted, "Spirit ShaMEEEEERRROOOOOOOWWW!!!" At that moment, Oregiimon had sunk his talons into Reimumon's sash and lifted the cat into the air by surprise. Reimumon wasn't able to call his attack.

The cat looked up at his holder. With his talons in Reimumon's sash, he couldn't use it as a grapple and his other attack could land anywhere. "Put me down!" he yelled. "This isn't how the food chain in suppose to go. I was going to yell out 'Grapple Sash.'" Suddenly, while he was swinging his paws in protest, Reimumon felt something in his two sleeves. He looked down and a small purple orb falling out of his sleeve and heading for Shouki. "Shouki! Watch out!"

Shouki looked up and saw the orb heading for him at a fast rate. About 10 feet away, the orb shattered itself into spikes and continued in his direction. Shouki let out a yell before ducking his head, barely missing the spikes from hitting him. He turned to see the spikes behind him and could feel his heartbeat going a mile a minute.

"Sorry about that Shouki," Reimumon called to him from up high. "Hmm, wasn't there suppose to be a second one somewhere?" If there was, he didn't know since he had been swinging his paws during the attack.

***

Takamon almost got a hold of the key she could sniff through the fog, but was beaten to it by another digimon she didn't recognise. Taking a sniff of the metal traces left in the air, she identified it as the digimon that was originally Suzumon. Naoko's digimon.

"That metal-head!" Takamon fumed, and chased after him. Running forward on her thin hind legs, she was able to catch up to Seidomon and leaped on top of him, tackling him to the ground in a desperate attempt to stop him returning to Naoko. "Give it back! That key doesn't belong to you! If you know what's good for you, you'll spit it out right now!" she warned, hissing as she used her weight to drive Seidomon's hide further into the ground.

At that time the fog finally dissipated, allowing Tomeo to see his partner he was furiously trying to keep up with in the chaos. As he spotted her trying to wrestle the key of Seidomon, he looked up in the direction the metal dog was heading towards... Naoko. He narrowed his eyes at her and shot her a disapproving glance. "The fragment doesn't belong to you. You still have a chance to give it up, you know. It's not too late." he said in all seriousness as he walked towards her, deciding to give the girl one chance before he'd take action to stop her.

***

Asayake looked at the chaos surrounding her -- or rather attempted to, since she really couldn't tell which digimon was with which digidestened anymore.

"'Sayake, aren't we going to help?" inquired Rogishimon, fluttering beside Asayake's head, "We're slightly outnumbered, the others need us!"

"I know!" Snapped Asayake, frowning slightly, "I'm just a little.... weary, I guess."

"Of whatever happened in the apartment?"

"Yeah. It's happened before, but not for a really long time. The doctors told me I was better, but I guess I'm not. I'm just afraid of getting all crazy like that again!" She shouted, rubbing her arms nervously as she watched the fighting go on around her.

"I'll help you, then!" Rogishimon said, "I'll make sure you stay normal!"

"It's not that easy, Rogishimon! It's not something I can control very easily, I'd be in the way!"

"But they need our HELP!" The little bird urged, getting rather angry, "Asayake, they can't do this without everyone helping, and you're part of 'everyone'!"

"I can't!"

"STOP BEING SO SELFISH!" The little bird screeched, flying at Asayake's face, "They need your help, whether you think you can do so or NOT!"

"Well, you go, then! You're bound to be able to do more help than I would be!"

"I can't attack! I'd be no more help than you would be! If you'd just believe that you could help, maybe I'd have enough energy to digivolve!"

"Digi-what?"

"That's not important! Believe, Asayake, or I won't be able to help you! You can do something to help, you just won't TRY!"

"That's not true!" Asayake growled, stomping her foot, "I want to help! I want to but I don't want to hurt anyone again! Not again!"

"You're not trusting yourself, Asayake! If you don't trust yourself, how are you supposed to get other people to trust you? How are you supposed to make friends?!"

"I was fine without friends!"

"Do you actually believe that? What about Tomeo? Isn't he your friend!?"

"Of course he is; that is assuming he doesn't think I'm a psycho freak like Shuuichi does!"

"Didn't you HEAR him?!" The little bird screamed, finally catching Asayake's full attention, "In the elevator? Didn't you NOTICE, or were you too busy SULKING?! He stood up for you, Asayake, but you won't stand up for HIM! He doesn't think you're crazy, or sigh-cow, or whatever! If he's your friend, then DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!"

Asayke slammed her eyes shut; no, she hadn't heard, she hadn't seen anything in the elevator. Had he really done that for her? Rogishimon smiled when she saw the digivice in Asayake's back pocket glow with a strange reddish-orange light, and felt the enegry surge through her. Asayake felt it, too, and opened her eyes.

"AAAAAUGH!"

"Asayake, you did it!" The gigantic bird said happily, flapping rather large wings, "I digivolved!"

"...Rogishimon?"

"I'm Soranomon!" The bird said proudly, showing off a rather sharp-looking set of talons. The bird winked at her cockily, which took Asayake by surprise, before flying off towards the faceoff between Takamon and Seidomon.

"Well, this doesn't look fair. Fight's always more fun when the odds are with you, isn't it Takamon?" With an evil little chuckle she took aim, and pulled back her wings. "Feather Needles!" Soranomon sent a hail of razor-sharp feathers down on Seidomon, making sure that Takamon was out of range.

***

Daemon exited the elevator as soon as the doors opened. The fight on the roof was in full swing.

“Well, these kids certainly don’t hold back. I hope everyone parked up here has his premium paid up.” He grinned wicked. “And, ta think I was afraid this would be a dull evening. It’s a pity I can’t get involved in the fight.” He glanced left and right. “Or can’t I?” He put his hand behind his back and coughed, “Fireball…” He held the ball of flames out of sight until he found a chance to use it.

***

Tegiwa stood at the edge of the fight with his medical kit. He decided the best thing he could do would be to patch up people as best he could as needed. He wasn’t following the fight very well with all the cast changes, and it made him a little nauseous anyway. He didn’t even see his own digimon at the moment.

***

“You need pockets, butterpaws. Now, what do I with you? You should be a pray-er, not a prey-er, little kitty.” The mechanical owl scanned the ground. “Hmmm. Tell me are those robes dry clean only? Well, lets find out ….” He dove again and let go of the ghost cats sash when he was over the ocean.

***

Seidomon was lucky he hadn’t swallowed the key fragment when he was tackled; however the contested bit was flung from his jaws instead. He reached for the cast out item with his paw, but got impaled by a bunch of feathers for his effort. “Ow! That smarts!”

Dammit. He had to get the fragment. Naoko needed that key. “I still have it. Maybe…” He shook the feathers from his abused paw and drug himself forward with Takamon still on him.

***

Naoko caught Tomeo’s disdainful glance. “Yeah, I love you too. Let’s go out after the fight is over and my side wins. I don’t hold grudges you know.”

She ran toward the key fragment. “And, Tomeo, unless you happen to have a receipt for this thing, shut up about whose it is or isn’t. It aint yours either. Considering how hard your boss is fighting for the key fragment, do you think she’ll just give it back should she win it?”

***

Hanshin suddenly found himself hurled around and then punched in the face by Hanarei.

"What was that for?" he demanded as he punched back at her. "Look, you, my sister, and the rest of the people who chose not to go after the key should just stay out of this." He paused. "And what's with this wanting to hurt me?" He touched his lip, which had a little blood on it. "What did I ever do to you in the first place? I can understand my sister wanting to beat me to a pulp, but you of all people. I mean, what is your fucking problem anyway?" He stood ready for another attack from her.

***

The fog had finally cleared, and Shunbamon could see the insuing fight between Seidomon and Takamon over the key fragment. There was no way that they could lose that key fragment, or any of the pieces. His eyes caught sight of Soranomon in the air. The small horse reeled on his hind legs, focusing his attention on the bird.

"Horse Whispers," he murmured in the midst of a soft chant. Seidomon was going to need the help he could get if they were going to get that key fragment. Three bright balls of energy flew towards the Soranomon.

***

Alesmon was prepared to get bombarded by Reimumon's attack, only to discover that Orengiimon had come to his defense.

"Nice!" he cheered.

"No celebrating yet," Shireika replied as she looked around, ready for anything anyone was going to give her and Alesmon. "We have to get that key away from Hanshin and crew."

***

"I can't speak for her, but wherever it ends up, it'll be a lot better off than in your hands!" Tomeo shot back at Naoko as he ran and caught up with her, blocking her path to the key. "And, unfortuately for you, I don't date whores. Never know where they've been, y'know? Oh, wait, look who I'm talking to." He shoved her violently backwards, not caring if she kept her balance, protecting Takamon and the key. "Even the thought of you disgusts me. Get out of my sight!" he said repulsively, as if Naoko was carrying some kind of infectious disease.

***

"Thanks, Soranomon!" Takamon waved up to her avian friend. "Nice digivolve! I was handling things fine, but..." She dove forward off the top of Seidomon, grabbing the fragment off the ground as she rolled. She came to a stop, and grimaced wickedly at Seidomon. "Hope you're rust-proof, dog breath, 'cause things are about to get wet. Pulse Wave!" A ball of hyper-white light formed in her mouth, blasting forth a jet of pressurised water straight at Seidomon, in an effort to push her back and away from the fragment.

***

Hanarei felt the blow from Hanshin and tried her best not to take even one step back. It didn't take long for her to regain balance but the punch did send a wave of pain through her. "I just hate every single thing about you," Hanarei shouted back at Hanshin. "You AND you're sister! But since we've basically split up over this discussion about the key, you took the lead on my hate list." She rubbed the spot where Hanshin had hit her and quickly checked for blood. "Ever since I first saw you, before I even knew or heard about your reputation, I just hated you with every fiber of my body! I wanted to pound you into the ground like some pathetic worm! And now Tommy," said Hanarei who, for a brief moment, had her voice become a mix of hers and the deeper voice, "I want you to be a good little boy and DIE!"

At those words, Hanarei spun around and was attempting to aim a round-house kick to Hanshin's chest.

***

Okimon gave a small cheer as the vapor around Seidomon, Takamon, and others had cleared up. Now she was able to see what was going on. Some of the people and mon on her team were too close to her enemies. There was no way Okimon could create her attack to be that accurate. "New target then," she said. She looked around and spotted Squijimon sitting there. 'Wonder how fish guts likes being roasted,' she thought. She pointed her hand toward Squijimon and blew on the flame. "Warm Kiss!" The pillar of fire zoomed toward the water digimon.

***

Shouki was having a personal conversation almost during the fighting. "I should help out my friends," he said to himself in a voice above a whisper, "but at the same time I don't want to fight." He looked back and forth at different people as he tried to figure out what to do. He held on to his prayer beads tightly and closed his eyes. "Come on Hikaru," he said, "please guide me." There was a sudden gust of wind and he heard the prayer beads clink as they moved in one direction. Shouki opened his eyes and could see the prayer beads leaning toward Naoko just as she was pushed by Tomeo. Shouki let out a gasp as he ran toward her, unsure if she was going to fall.

He was able to make it in time and stood behind Naoko. As she went backwards, Shouki caught and supported her from falling. "Are you okay?" he asked her. He was surprised that Tomeo had done such a thing. He seemed like the most reasonable person out of Shireika's group. Shouki stood Naoko back up in front of him. "Hey, where did Reimumon and Orengiimon go? I lost sight of them as I ran over here."

***

Reimumon was still struggling when Orengiimon started to fly over the water. At the sight of what was beow him, Reimumon started to squirm even more. "MEEEEERRRRROOOOWW! Put me down on the ground. On the ground!" he shouted though he figured the owl digimon wasn't going to follow through with his request.

He could feel Orengiimon loosen his grip on the sash. It seemed like reality went into slow motion as Reimumon could feel himself falling toward the water. "Grapple Sash!" he called out, hoping it would hook on to something or possibly Oregiimon again. The was a *splosh* sound and the sash was unable to grab onto anything. The part of the sash that was sent out flopped onto the surface of the water and lay there. Reimumon poked his head out of the water and started to splash around with his paws. "MEERRROW! Help! I can't swim." The extra weight of his clothes didn't help him much either.

***

Enma saw Tomeo push Naoko, and was about to grab her, but Shouki beat her to it. She did walk over though, looking slightly ashamed. "I know this sounds hypocritical, coming from me," she started, touching Hanarei's marks on her neck, "but juvenile pushing and shoving and name calling isn't the best solution to this." She easily came between Naoko and Tomeo, and looked up at Tomeo. "Yes, the key fragment belongs to the House of Knowledge, I get it, but they no longer are digidestined. If my mother was, still, do you think she'd be a greif consuler for God's sakes?" She coughed, trying to think about what she was going to do. For once. "Look, I know we haven't been acting like it, and," she looked over at Hanshin and Hanarei, eyes widening slightly. "Some of us still aren't, but...can't we...act...like...adults..." Her small speech broke off as she watched Hanarei come after Hanshin again. "Now, excuse me while I be a hypocrite again."

Enma stepped away from the group, rubbing her eyes wearily. She started jogging over to Hanshin and Hanarei, and stopped the other girl's attack on Hanshin by grabbing her ankle and pulled the girl down into a sweep and ankle lock. She looked down at the taller girl, tisking.

"Hanarei, you know that wasn't very nice...and Hanshin's not a worm. He's much too tall and, look! He even has arms and legs!" She left out the fact that he also had a brain, as she really didn't need any more of Hanarei's comments. "Now, Hanarei, I don't think we were done. It isn't very good protocol to start a fight with someone else when another fight's not even over yet."

She turned back to Hanshin, and nodded towards his digimon. "Go on, go help your partner. I can keep her busy for a little while anyway." She said, tightening her grip on Hanarei's ankle. If the other girl tried to roll away, Enma hoped that her grip would be enough to hold the ankle in place and break it.

***

Aoiromon stood in the middle of the attacks, not exactly sure what to do. Even though he was as powerful as the other digimon, he was much smaller, and he sighed, not sure what he could do.

Then he heard a splash, and a call for help. "Maybe...maybe I'm better off on the sidelines...yeeeaaahh..." Aoiromon started to side-step away, before running over to the water's edge. "Reimumon!" He called, waving. "Just give me..." Aoiromon looked around for something he could grab, and saw the floating, moderately dry parts of Reimumon's sash. The fabric was drifting in the water close to shore, and the furry digimon waded waist-deep in the water before grabbing the sash. He started back towards shore, and started to pull with all of his might, keeping a close eye out for the Tegiwa's clock-work owl while trying to repress a shudder.

"I...can get you...oof...to the shallows....oww....Reimumon....but you've....you've gotta pull...nono...walk the...the rest of the way...okay?...'cuz I'm...I'm not big....big enough to....to...pull...owowow....pull you all the way." Aoiromon said as he tugged the large cat out of the water with all his might.

***

“I’m no whore…” Naoko began as Tomeo rudely shoved her backward. She staggered a bit in her roman sandals before toppling backward awkwardly. She landed hard in the arms of something soft. Someone had caught her. Maybe, it was Hanshin? Had he dove across the lot to save her?

She noted, not without a slight feeling of disappointment, the prayer beads on one of the arms around her. “Shouki, thanks for saving me. You are such a sweetheart.” She reached up a hand and ruffled his hair more than it already was. “Uhm, Shouki, unless you are truly interested in meeting me in a hotel later, you can let go of my breasts at anytime; I’m safe now.” Of course, if he was interested he could hold on to her all night. She wouldn’t mind a bit.

“Shouki, do you see me as dirty?” Tomeo’s taunts had gotten to her just a wee bit.

***

Seidomon was on his feet as soon as Takamon had jumped for the key fragment and was just in time to be smacked with Takamon water jet. He was driven backward with his four paws digging deep gashes in the roof.

“Don’t worry about me lizard breath. I’m bronze, not iron. A little of your drool won’t harm me. Now, try this: Hollow Woof!” He let a howl reverberate inside his empty interior so that it gained power through wave reinforcement then was compressed and focused into a sonic force as it exited his mouth. The cone of sound headed for Takamon would knock her silly just as hers had done him.

***

Orengii-mon swooped and circled the roof again. He spied Aoriomon rushing to the roof’s edge to help Reimumon, “This is just too easy…” He grabbed the rat by the nape of the neck and hoisted it aloft just as he did the ghost kitty. “No, I’m not going to eat you little one. I’m just dropping you on to play with you friend there.”

***

“Shireika.” He ran to where Shireika and Hanarei were fighting with Hanshin, who looked a little ragged with blood oozing from his mouth. He decided the best thing to do was restrain Hanshin for his own good. He tackled the more athletic boy from behind. “Give up the key or kiss the roof!” Well, it sounded good before he said it.

***

Hanshin was caught off guard when Hanarei called him Tommy. Why did she call him his father's name? He and his father were absolutely nothing alike, and there was no way he would ever be considered anything like him. His father was a idiotic jock who favored Shireika only because she was an athlete just like him and because she did what everyone expected of her. He, however, didn't, and he would refused to. His father wasn't like that. Well, at least to Hanshin's knowledge.

He was grateful when Enma caught Hanarei's ankle, but as soon as he believed he was free to get that key, he felt his body hurl backwards when Tegiwa tackled him. The two landed on the ground roughly.

"Why don't you just make-out with dirt then?" Hanshin growled as he shoved Tegiwa off of him. He hoped that this would soon be over. He looked over towards Seidomon, hoping that the brass canine would make claims to that key fragment any minute now. He turned back towards Tegiwa. "Now, let's get one thing straight here. We came for that key fragment, not you. We are the ones looking for it, not you." He grabbed Tegiwa by the collar and gave the boy a harsh punch in the stomach. "My sister doesn't realize what she's led you to do, but this is stupid. Then again, you were always a sort of fool."

***

Shireika watched Tomeo knock Naoko backwards, who was caught in Shouki's arms.

"Careful," she hissed loudly enough for Naoko and Shouki to hear. "We don't need to be committing murder here. Naoko may be a whore, but everyone knows why she does it. She knows how worthless she is, and she needs sex to believe that she has worth." She looked down at Naoko and Shouki, almost daring them to make an attack with her sneer. "Tomeo, help get that key fragment before they do."

***

"Oh, look at poor Reimumon," Alesmon said as he approached Reimumon, who had just been pulled out of the water. "Did kitty get all wet?" he asked with a devilish grin on his face.

***

Yuu was so surprised and confused by the sight of the strange digimon fighting when the elevator door opened, that for a few moments all she could do was stare. Then she noticed what was missing.

"Kuinamon!" she called as she skirted around the battle, looking for her partner. He couldn't be in the fight, could he? He was such a little guy... she was worried about him. And where had all these larger digimon come from...? She was just thinking that, when she spotted a little brown bird over by the cars. "Kuinamon!"

Kuinamon had arrived a little late to the party (you try getting around with tiny wings and a mess of wet feathers), coming up around the time Parumon pried the key from Hanshin. He'd been about to tackle her for it when Shunbamon got to her first, with the added bonus of his attack knocking Kuinamon back a few feet. Soon after that Parumon digivolved, and he decided to hang back for a bit. He was smart enough not to mess with a bunch of Rookies. But now as he saw his partner running towards him, he knew he'd soon be able to get in on the action.

"Yuu!" He bounced his way over to her. "We gotta help the others! Hold out yer digivice!"

"Huh? My digivice? Why?" she asked, fiddling the gadget off her beltloop.

"So I can get stronger! Jus' do it!" he said. Yuu held it out towards him, and was startled as it began to glow bright blue.

"Kuinamon digivolve to... Kamomemon!" Where the little brown bird had been there was now a white feathery creature with a bird's head and a seal-like body, with a pair of grey wings and two taloned arms. "Ha-ho!" he exclaimed as he easily took to the air. "Tha's more like it!" He turned around and saluted with a grin to an amazed Yuu. "One key fragment comin' up!" And with that, he sped off towards the conflict.

He saw quickly that Takamon still had the fragment on her, and decided give Seidomon a hand in getting it off. "Oi, crocs! Nothing personal, but -- Dolphin Kick!!" He spun around quickly in mid-air, kicking his tail at Takamon and sending a blast of air that would hit her at the same moment as Seidomon's Hollow Woof.

***

Hanarei was caught off guard by Enma's intrusion on her fight with Hanshin. She regained her senses and blew some of her hair out of her face. "And what makes you think I follow rules when it comes to fighting?" she said. Seeing the grip Enma had on her, Hanarei used her other leg and kicked at Enma's arm. After several direct kicks, Hanarei rolled and was able to get out of her grip. Hanarei got up on all fours and slowly stood up. "But if you insist on having another go, by all means," she signaled for Enma to come after her with her fingers, "come and get it."

***

Curious at why Naoko said such a thing (about where he grabbed her to catch her), Shouki took a closer look. He was surprised to see that he had accidently grabbed her breasts. His face changed to the color red so fast you could have sworn he was a stop light. He immediately let go but still stayed close to her. "Sorrysorrysorry," he repeated over and over. This night was full of weird "firsts" for him.

Shouki didn't know how to answer Naoko's second question though. He looked at her for a moment as he tried to figure out what to say. TTrue, in his opinion, there were things she did that he would never do or even thought about doing, but ever since Shouki joined the band he found she wasn't always some sex-crazied person most people made her out to be. He was about to answer her when Shireika cut in with her comments. Shouki didn't like this gaining up on Naoko from the other time. He didn't want Naoko to feel like she was trash. He knew she wasn't. Before he thought about it Shouki answered. "No Naoko. I don't see you as dirty." He was hoping that would give her a boost in self-confidence.

He looked at Shireika. He didn't know what to do. He was probably the weakest one among Hanshin's group so fighting was definitely out. Plus, that just wasn't him personality-wise. Shouki spoke with his head facing the ground at Shireika's feet. "I guess Hanshin was right." He spoke barely enough to be audible. "About your personality and how you treat your enemies."

***

Reimumon was glad to see Aoiromon pull or at least drag him part way out of the water. He was able to feel ground underneath him and was able to walk the rest of the way. It wasn't a pretty sight. Reimumon was completely soaked along with his cloths. His fur hung down from him, dripping, making him look more like a wet rat. He shuke his body to get off any extra wet but had little succes. The sash wound itself back together and on Reimumon. "Oh that little birdy is going to pay dearly for this," he mumbled.

Reimumon turned his head when he heard Alesmon's comments about him. He found it rather ironic that Alesmon was giving him a devilish grin since Reimumon was part ghost type. Reimumon mocked the other digimon's voice. "Did the little birdy get shredded to pieces?" he said. Despite the wet robes, Reimumon swung his paws in front of him and shouted. "Spirit Shards!" Two purple orbs flew out of his sleeves heading for Alesmon. They broke into small shards moments before they were to make contact.

***

Aoiromon let out a grunt of dissaproval and tried to wriggle away from Orengii-mon. "I'm not an arial digimon!" He said. He shivvered when the owl made a comment about eating him, then started to panic as he saw water. "No, I might be blue, but I retract my statement as an in-training digimon; I don't wanna play in the water!" He said. But Orengii-mon had already dropped him, and he closed his eyes as he fell and the water enveloped him.

When he resurfaced, he coughed and spluttered for a few moments, before swimming as best he could back to shore. "That wasn't fun." He muttered as he reached semi-dry land. He took off his gloves and wrung them out, before looking for Enma. "Maybe wherever she is is safer." He said to himself. He walked around the fray, trying to find Enma, but noticed the girl was again fighting with Hanarei. "It never ends, does it?" Aoiromon asked himself, before trotting over to where she was.

***

Enma cursed as Hanarei wriggled away from her, but turned when she heard Hanshin behind her. She rolled her eyes, glaring at Tegiwa. "I'm surprised at you." She said to him, before her attention went back to Hanarei. She rubbed her arm where Hanarei had kicked her, snickering to herself. "I never thought you'd play by the rules, Hanarei, you're too much like...well, me." She said, before cracking her wrist. "But kicking my arm hurt, and you attacked me before with no need. So.." She closed her eyes, thinking. Then she moved her weight onto her right leg visibly, making herself ready to kick. She tensed, then moved.

But she didn't kick.

Instead she grabbed Hanarei's arm and jerked it behind her, holding it there. She put her left hand on the small of the other girl's back, and applied pressure, mostly to feel when Hanarei's muscles would tense so she'd be ready for an attack. "See?" She asked, almost innocently. "It really isn't fun when you hurt your dominant arm, is it?"

***

Naoko patted Shouki on the arm. “It’s ok. I’m glad you caught me, is all.” Naoko couldn’t remember the last time she minded where anyone grabbed her. It was likely before she had breasts though. And, she certainly couldn’t remember the last time someone felt bad about grabbing her. “You are sweet, Shouki. Don’t ever change.” Well, don’t change too much. She so wanted his virginity now, but it was going to take more coaxing to get him out of his shell.

“Shireika! Look, you prissy pants prude. I have sex because I like it. You might understand that concept if your own fingers didn’t freeze inside your twat. “

“Shouki, Tomeo really wants me you know? He’s just playing hard to get.” She hiked up her skirt in front. “C’mon Tomeo. Have some. I swear I’m better than your mother! I know because she said so!”

Okay, she was officially insane and tempting fate as well. She drew aside her thong to reveal the lightly downed organ it covered. Her private parts had the look of a preadolescent girl’s due to the lack of mature pubic hair, instead she had soft light hair down there. She thought it made her look even sexier to the guys, and it meant she never had to shave her patch for them.

Naoko was sick of being called a whore for no reason. So, Tomeo could bite her.

***

Seidomon charged at Takamon and seized the key while the other digimon was reeling from the joint attack. He took off again for Naoko at a run.

***

Tegiwa folded like a stack of junk bonds. “Guuuahhh.” He retched out the remains of his lunch on Hanshin’s shoes. “I’m….not….the fool, Hanshin. You have to be stopped because you will wreck the world with this power. It belongs to no one. No good can come of using it. I’m not fighting you; I’m fighting for my friends. That includes you, idiot.”

O-man soared in a spiral around and above the fighting. He loosed a pressure beam from his eyes at Hanshin after the boy assaulted Tegiwa. His Golden Gaze should knock Hanshin of his feet even though it won’t hurt him.

***

"You're disgusting," Shireika said as she smacked Naoko across the face. "You think you're too cool for everyone else just because you can coax any..." She paused. "Just about any guy into your pants. You have some nerve, that's what." She gave Naoko a harsh shove to push her to the ground. "Think you're so beautiful because you wear next to nothing if you can. You and the others at school just like you, who bring my brother down to your level." She pointed towards Shouki. "And others like him too because you all know you're not good enough. Because you all know that the only thing you really can offer is an easy lay."

***

"Oh, gross," Hanshin responded when Tegiwa hurled onto his shoes. Moments later he found himself on his back next to Tegiwa, thanks to O-man. He groaned as he sat back up and rubbed his head, which had hit the ground harshly in his fall. He glared up at Tegiwa. "My sister's gotten that stupid thought into your head. I am not the one who will destroy all. I am not the one threatening the safety of our family and friends, am I? It's that queen who's coming to do that, and you, Shireika and the rest of you all have it wrong. When that queen comes, you'll see that we were right to find that key. Think about that."

***

Alesmon covered his face when Reimumon's attack approached him. He could feel the little shards cut into his body, and he winced a little. When the attack was over, he opened his eyes. He was tempted to send the cat digimon back into the water, but he was feeling weak. Besides, that attack wouldn't have had the strength to send Reimumon into the air and back into the water.

"Fine, you want to play that way?" he asked as he wobbled a little from side to side. Any moment now, and he would instantly dedigivolve. He couldn't. He had to show Reimumon and the rest of Hanshin's crew. He couldn't let down Shireika, never. She was right about that key, and she was his partner. He had to be on her side, and he had to stand up for her.

As he regained his balance, he looked up at Reimumon. He crossed his arms quickly and spread them apart.

"Feather Strike!" he called as he hurled four feathers towards Reimumon, using as much of his strength as he could. He felt dizzy when he finished the attack. If Reimumon retaliated, Alesmon knew he would be in trouble. He prayed that there wouldn't be any problems.

***

Hanarei could feel where and how Enma was holding her. She grimaced at the pressure that was being applied to her back. However, that grimace quickly changed into a smile. "I don't know about you Enma," she said, "but I'm more of a leg person." Instead of trying to fight back, Hanarei's body went completely limp, including her legs. Her body fell down but moments before it hit the ground, Hanarei used her weight on Enma's grip to swing under Enma's legs. When her body was completely through, Hanarei stuck out her left foot, used her right foot to stop and then kicked off the ground. Her left foot was heading straight for Enma's mid-section.

***

Reimumon braced for the attack by Alesmon. With his wet fur and robes, he couldn't move around as easily as he did when dry. He ducked down in hoping the feathers would sail over him. He wasn't so lucky as three of them made contact. He let out a loud hiss when he stood back up. He watched closely and noticed that Alesmon was taking a few extra steps. Was he wobbling? Reimumon wanted to grin but he was too focused on getting back at Alesmon.

"Let's end this thing!" he shouted. "Grapple Sash!" The sash shot out and wrapped itself around the bird digimon. Reimumon saw his chance. He lifted Alesmon into the air with the sash, brought him overhead, and then followed through with a kind of backdrop.

***

/Not good enough, not good enough, not good enough.../

Those words echoed in Shouki's mind. His expression looked as though someone told him he would never be happy again if he tried. He wore his sullen face once more. He looked like he was on the verge of crying.

Shouki looked over at Shireika, his yellow and blue eyes starting to gain bits of red behind them. "Shireika," he said quietly, "that hurt. That really did hurt." He felt himself start to sniffle and wiped his nose over his sleeve. "I can't be a failure, I just can't. I won't allow such a thing to happen and I'm not going to let you alone decide my worth." By now, tears were forming in his eyes. Again he wiped his eyes but that didn't help as much as the last time. "I can't fail her," he said now speaking louder but still sobbing. By the end he started to yell. "I can't fail my sister!" All the emotion he felt toward his goal came streaming out along with his tears.

***

"Right, Shireika." Tomeo nodded, feeling just about ready to lash out at Naoko, but looked to the side in both disgust and embarrassment when Naoko purposely flashed him her privates. He could feel his cheeks burn red from embarrassment, and felt his anger return to wash it away.

"You clearly have no shame, do you?" He watched Shireika slap Naoko with some enthusiasm, and Shouki breaking down; biting his lip as his rage subsided in the wake of Shouki's tears. He looked at his hands, realising what he had done - and what he could have done.

"I didn't shove her because I wanted to hurt her, and I definitely wasn't trying to kill her," he said defensively, looking at Naoko. "You were after the key, and therefore you were after my digimon. And that key unlocks an evil, which is risking human lives! You all heard Shireika’s uncle say so himself! And you trust the Watcher over him!?" He shook his head in disappointment to himself. "So, I had to stop you. I warned you. I was only teasing you, but are you surprised that I called you a whore, after the way you acted? At least it's the truth." He turned to Shireika, and anybody else who was nearby, in the same way Naoko had spoken to Shouki. "It's sad. She really thinks every guy wants her, including me. But I'm not like other guys - and I'm sure Shouki and Tegiwa can agree with me on this - we need love from just one girl, we would never use several women just for sex. And Shouki, that's one of the reasons we do matter, okay?"

He was trying to comfort the other boy, and as much as he was hesitant to do so, kept his focus on Naoko. "The fact that she thinks she can use me for sex, is really the thing that can't be accepted around here. The difference is that I can accept that I'll never be with a girl like you. Why would I ever think about sleeping with you when the only thing I know about you is that you sleep around? You’d use me like a paper cup after quenching your thirst, and make me feel hollow and empty inside in just the same way. Ugh, even thinking about it makes me want to throw up. The fact is, Naoko, if you want to stop having people call you a slut, then maybe you should stop acting like one and start respecting yourself. If you start doing that then maybe others will too, because they won't be so god-damn intimidated by how sexually experienced you are. So grow up and start treating yourself like you have a life, and you can make a start by stop making attempts to hit on me." He heard a scream from behind him, realising it was his partner. Turning around, he saw she had gotten hit. "No... Takamon!" he screamed, running towards her again.

***

"Gyaahhh!" Takamon yelled in pain, as she was flung backwards from the combination of Seidomon's Hollow Woof, followed by Kamomemon's Dolphin Kick. She hit the ground hard and rolled, coming to a stop but still holding onto the key, and didn't keep a tight hold on it as Seidomon seized it off her. She was barely keeping her Rookie form together as much as it was, and as she struggled to get up and push her body from the ground, the data from her form suddenly collapsed, and she was Parumon once again.

"That was nothing!" she screamed after Seidomon, crawling on all fours. "That bark just proved how bad your breath stinks! I'm not finished... with you... yet!"

She fell down on her face just as Tomeo ran over to check on her. "Takamon... Parumon... are you okay?" his voice wobbled, not sure what to call his partner anymore.

"What do you mean, I'm not..." Parumon said, and looked down at herself, realising she was Takamon no more. "No... no!" she wailed, and started banging all four feet down on the ground as if she were having a tantrum. "This can't be! I'm not Parumon! I didn't... lose!" she cried.

"But that was just digivolving, right?" Tomeo tried to reassure her, hopeful for one thing that Parumon had returned to normal size, and that she didn't permanently stay bigger than she was. "You can digivolve back, can't you? C'mon." he held his digivice up, but the light didn't seem to shine.

"No... it's over. I've lost all my energy. I can't..." Parumon sobbed, curling up into Tomeo's arms. "I... I... I failed!" This time it came out in an angry outburst as she realised the way she had been acting, and she kicked herself away from Tomeo's arms, scrambling after Seidomon. "No, I'm not going to give up! I can't attack but I'm still going to make that stupid tin canine's life a living hell!" she growled, pouncing on Seidomon from behind as she caught up with him once again.

She crawled over his back to leap onto his face, latching onto it and scratched away as she attempted to bite at his eyes in a rage of fury, too full of hatred to even bother lashing out with an insult this time. She knew Seidomon could easily shake her off at any second, but she didn't care.

"Go Parumon... that's it, don't give up!" Tomeo cheered her on, but from the way it looked it seemed like she was making a rather desperate, if not pathetic an attempt. But the others were still in Rookie form, even if they were outnumbered they still had a chance of winning. Or so, he hoped.

***

Naoko slowly picked her self up off the ground and brushed herself off. "There's nothing disgusting about me or about anything down there. Just ask some of the girls on your team. They like to dress me in one of your old uniforms and let me have my way with them. I hate to think what would happen if you went down on one of them. She'd be likely to die from continual orgasm. Actually, you are a popular fantasy among most of the school. God knows why. I guess they like to pretend I'm you because of my black hair. I bet you'd be shocked if you knew just how many people wanted you. Well, you don't need to know. It's better if you didn't."

Her cheek still stung from where she'd been slapped. Maybe her words would sting too. "Oh, your brother has plenty of uses for me other than bedwarmer. And, those other girls don't have to drag him anywhere either. He's as much a hedonist as I am. Except it. He likes to have fun and there is nothing wrong with it. He made his choice and you made yours. Deal." She staggered away from the group toward Seidomon.

***

Seidomon barely noticed Parumons feeble attacks as he shook her off his head so that she hung around his neck. He trotted over to Naoko with the key fragment. “Rere rou are!”

Naoko looked at Seidomon and his passenger. Her eyes were still unfocused and her ears still burning from Tomeo’s condescending speech. “See, Shouki. We won. We came through this just fine. Thank your sister for me, ok? Now, go with Seidomon and give the key fragment to Hanshin. Ok? I have to return something.” She grasped Parumon by the back of the neck before heading toward Tomeo.

“I hope Seidomon didn’t hurt you to badly, Parumon-san. I like girls with a bit of fight in them, so I think you were impressive even if you lost. No wonder Tomeo thinks he has his hands full with you.” She strode up to Tomeo with a resigned expression. “Here’s your partner back. A lot of fight in a little package. I hope you aren’t too disappointed in her.”

She looked into his eyes and fixed him with a steely gaze. She was royally pissed at him for the things he said. This boy needed an education.

“Now, about that speech. It proves you don’t know anything about me, so I’ll enlighten you. One, I am not a whore. A whore uses sex as a way to get things. It’s all about the money for them. They are the lowest thing I know of. If being a free spirit who enjoys sex and is comfortable with her body enough to show it off in public makes me a slut, then I’m guilty of that. I have sex because I enjoy it. It’s fun. Sex has nothing to do with love for me. That said, let me be clear: I do not use people for sex. All parties involved should have a good time. Likewise, I never, never ever, abandon people or toss them aside. I never kiss and tell either. Am I getting through to you? If you spent time in my bed you’d know all this. So, quit saying stupid things about me.

“Now, I know you don’t want to have anything to do with me. That’s fine. But, I must admit its fun to taunt and tantalize you guys from time to time. You, however, seem immune. I respect your self control. Most guys don’t bother developing any. So, I guess I’ll leave you alone, if that’s what you want.”

***

Tegiwa tried to rise from a kneeling position. .

“Ouch! My gut…Damn you!. Hanshin, the power is evil. No matter what purpose you turn it to, the power is evil. Don’t be stupid enough to let it loose again. You can’t control it, and you shouldn’t trust the Watcher like you do. We don’t know if there is a dark queen, but it there is maybe she’s the one who wants the power freed. You know whats right Hansin. I know you do. Make your choice.”

Tegiwa struggled to his at last, but he couldn’t stand. O-man landed beside him and braced him as he retched again. O-man sparkled as he returned to his Robotmon form.

***

Seidomon ran full speed to Hanshin’s side and dropped the key bit in his lap. He stayed close by to guard the both of them.

***

"Bitch," Shireika muttered as Naoko walked away. She was absolutely, without a doubt, the most disgusting person she had ever met. Even more than her own brother, who was high on that list. She couldn't believe the words she had heard from Naoko; she certainly did not want to be a popular fantasy of her classmates. She knew about it, but she tried her best to avoid that thought.

She looked down at Shouki, who clearly was breaking down right here on a battlefield. The wimp.

"Look," she said harshly. "If you don't want to fail, then don't let people like Naoko bring you down in life. You're like my brother. You have so much to offer to others, to bring good. You haven't been like that." She pointed towards Naoko. "And you don't have to be. I never said you failed. It's people like Naoko who have brought my brother down, girls like her who made him who he is now. You won't fail your sister if don't get dragged down like the rest of the band."

***

"Power is simply power," Hanshin said after Seidomon handed him the key fragment. He held it tightly in his hand and protected it. "It is neither good nor evil. It all depends on how it is used." He shook the hand holding the key fragment towards Tegiwa. "This key fragment and the entire key will unlock a power than can stop evil. We aren't merely puppets to the Watcher, doing all his commands blindly. If it turns out that the Watcher is that queen, then we'll kill her with this power."

Shunbamon had joined Seidomon in guarding Hanshin and the key fragment from Shireika and her crew.

"My sister has led you all to believe that the Watcher is dangerous," Hanshin continued as he stood up. "But, we don't know whether he is or isn't. I give him the benefit of the doubt. If he is truly from the Fates, then what we are doing is destiny and inevitable. The books of prophecy even confirm the arrival of a dark queen in our world."

***

Alesmon groaned as he landed on the ground with a thud, instantly transforming back into Alatusmon. He coughed softly and whined as he lay on the ground. He hoped that Reimumon would spare him or that Shireika would come rescue him. He covered his eyes with his winged appendages.

This certainly felt familiar. Why did he have to have such a loud beak that got him trouble all the time?

***

Yuu saw Hanshin get hit the ground hard after being shot by the owl digimon's laser-like attack, and ran over to make sure he was alright. As she got there, though, she heard the tail end of Tomeo and Naoko's argument, and what Shouki said about his sister. Suddenly, it clicked. The person whom his prayer beads were in memorial of... the person he didn't want to forget... it was his sister. And at that moment, Yuu felt like she understood Shouki far better than she had before.

Then she remembered why she was there. Hanshin seemed alright now, though. She gave a concerned look to Tegiwa, but hesitated to do anything.

***

Kamomemon watched the de-digivolved Parumon take on the bronze dog with a new bit of respect. That lizard sure had some spunk in her, he had to say. Almost made him feel like a wimp for hanging back earlier. ... Almost.

"Oi, nice snatch Seidomon!" he put in as he flew over to join in on the guard duty.

***

"Shut up! Just shut up!" Shouki screamed out at Shireika, tears were still coming from his eyes. "You know nothing about my sister. Nothing!" He shook his fist at her, the same fist which held on to his prayer beads. "She did what she always thought was right. This path is what I think is right. And I do think I'm bringing good with these people, okay?"

As he spoke, the expression on Shouki's face was slowly changing but tears continued to come out. With each sentence his sulking expression was turning into a harsh gaze. "I'm not going to let you decide for me if I did the right thing or not. I followed my heart. I'm not going to let someone like you tell me I'm not like my sister by doing what I think is right."

***

The sash recoiled itself back onto Reimumon. He was glad Alesmon was only a rookie level as he wasn't sure if that kind of attack would have worked on anything higher. Reimumon shook himself again in hopes of getting more of the water off of him. He walked over to Alatusmon and stared down at the bird. "A word of advice for you," he said. "A little birdy should never call out kitty. Otherwise, that little birdy will face a very large, angry cat." He turned his back on Alatusmon and walked off. In his eyes, this fight was over.

***

Tegiwa looked up at Hanshin. Why was he trying to reason with this buffoon? He wasn’t going to persuade him, but he supposed he was obligated. “It’s a key to the next Pandora’s box. That power isn’t for use by anyone, at anytime. All power comes at a cost, and you can’t afford to pay it. It’s a terrible power. Horrible. That’s what my mom told me once. Yes, I knew of the fragment a long time ago. It was sealed so it could never be used again. That power is too much for humans. It would be a distaster if wielded by the holiest of saints. You hardly qualify since you always yield to temptation. I’d not trust the power to you. I wouldn’t trust your sister with it either. Your best move would be to forget the power and toss the key into a volcano or something. We can defeat the Queen together. I have faith in us.”

***

“Dear Tomeo. You shouldn’t despise me because I sleep around and I’m a girl. We all only want one love, you know. I just want to have some fun first. You guys seem to enjoy a privilege that girls don’t have. Guys are expected to be horny bastards. They are credited with their conquests while the girls are looked upon as sluts. I never understood that. It takes two to tango and usually both sides are willing. So, what does it matter? Chastity is boring. This way I can have as much fun as the guys. What people think of me is as irrelevant as it is unfair. I am true to myself, my feelings, and my friends. That’s true enough for me and more than most.”

She noticed Shouki was still breaking down. What had Shrieka [sic] said now? Selfish bitch. Well, Naoko had to go pick up the pieces. “Sorry Tomeo. It’s been a pleasant chat, but I have to go. I hope to see you around sometime. Oh, could you remind Tegiwa to keep his mitts to himself and off my sister. She’s too good for him. Thanks. Ja na.”

***

Naoko marched up to Shireika and Shouki. “I take what I said back. I’d much rather have you say hurtful things to me than Shouki here.” She put her arms around him. “It’s okay babe. You did just great. Shireiki, since Shouki chose our side you might want to re-evalute your own position. It seems rather selfish at the moment. Hmmm, I’d like to talk to you in private about something. Would you mind going for a flight?” She gestured toward Shireika’s car.”

***

Soranomon heard the chanting before she saw the little orbs; she managed to evade the first, but the second hit her left wing, and the third hit her square in the chest. She dipped in the air for a moment, but managed to hold herself up again. Miffed and rahter sore, she wheeled around in the air and glared at Shunbamon. "You have a lot of nerve for a half-pint pony, you know that?! Falcon's Cry!" A silvery beam shot from Soranomon's mouth, aimed directly for the horse-type.

Casting Naoko a confused, rather disgusted glance as she walked away and shuddered; sex was just not something she'd like to talk about in the middle of a power-struggle. She heard the sound of someone vomiting, and turned to see Hanshin and Tegiwa having at it. She frowned; it seemed Tegiwa was at a disadvantage. She caught a few snippets of their conversation and felt her skin prickle, but held back the majority of the anger. She headed over to Tegiwa, and put a ahnd on his shoulder.

"Tegiwa's right, Hanshin," Asayake said slowly, trying as hard as she could to keep her temper in check as she stared at Hanshin, "If it was sealed away, it was probably for a damned good reason; it's hypocritical of you to tell us we're wrong when there isn't any proof you're right, other than emails from something that might no even be human and a hunch. If you can show me some solid evidence that The Watcher is real, the Dark Queen is real and the threat is real, maybe I'll reconsider, but right now it sounds way too much like a Sci-Fi novel to be believable. Just because you're ready to trust the first person that goes around predicting the end of the world doesn't mean everyone should." She looked at Tegiwa, frowning softly. "You gonna be okay?"

***

Enma let out a small groan as Hanarei's foot made contact with her stomach. She crashed onto her knees, glaring up at Hanarei through her bangs, and growling. She tried to get back up without the use of her hands, but quickly went back down, clutching her mid-section. Hanarei had kicked her harder than she had thought.

"Great..." She said, hissing in pain. She picked herself up by using her hands, and got up slowly. She looked at Hanarei and grabbed her ribcage again. "Thanks...thanks a lot." she said through grit teeth. She walked by Hanarei. "You win." She muttered thickly, ramming Hanarei's shoulder with her own as she walked by. She dragged herself over to where everyone was gathering around Tegiwa and Hanshin, pointedly ignoring looking at Kaze's older brother. "Well, we've got the key fragment. Can we go now? Preferably in the direction of a hospital." She asked, still clutching her ribcage.

***

Shireika glared at Naoko suspiciously upon hearing her request. Why would Naoko want to take a ride with her? Didn't Naoko know that she wasn't interested?

"Fine, do whatever you want," Shireika said to Shouki. "As for you, Naoko, what is it that you really want? If it's sex, go ask my brother, since that's what he enjoys." She began to walk. "And if you really wanted to talk, fine." She looked to the others. "It's over," she said to her crew. She walked up to Hanshin. "But get this straight. We're not letting you get those key fragments without a fight."

"Why can't you stay out of this?" Hanshin replied. He pointed at Tegiwa and Asayake. "All of them. You've managed to brainwash all of them to follow you. We need this key, Shireika, but you are so determined to keep me from doing anything. You are always so determined to show me wrong, but this time. This time I'm right. This power isn't inherently evil. It can be put to good use, and I will do that. It will stop that queen, and I will do whatever it takes to protect our family and friends from her."

"And, like I said, I don't believe a single word the Watcher has said," Shireika retorted. "End of discussion. We can't and won't agree. Come on, guys. We'll get it from them next time." She turned away from his brother, passing Alatusmon on the way back to her car. She knelt down and picked up the little digimon. "I'm sorry, Alatusmon."

"Did we get it?" he asked softly as she stood up, cradling him in her arms.

"No, but we'll get them all." She looked off into the distance. "We can't let anyone get that key. It's too dangerous." She walked back to her car and sat down in the driver's seat, waiting for anyone else who might want a ride.

***

Hanshin sighed as his arms fell to his sides. He still held the key fragment tightly in one fist. He wasn't going to let it go until he could put it somewhere safe where no one would find it except him or something. He might just end up sleeping with it to protect it from his sister. He didn't trust the others with it, even Naoko.

"If we have this key," Hanshin said to Tegiwa, "we can defeat her more easily. We don't know how powerful she is. She might be more powerful than all of us combined. We need as much as we can get to be prepared, just in case. If she turns out to be extremely powerful, then the power sealed by this key will stop her."

***

Hanarei picked herself up and stood ready for another attack from Enma. But when Enam went down againon her own, Hanarei no longer stood in attack position. When she overheard the news that the fight was now over, the overall fight, Hanarei felt unfulfilled and stared at the ground. She won her pride but her group lost the battle which took part of it away. As Enma bumped into Hanarei, she didn't even acknowledge her.

Okimon walked over to Hanarei quickly. She couldn't believe that the group was giving up. "Hanarei, c'mon!" she pleaded. "I still have lots of energy. I can take them down if you help. We can...."

"Drop it," Hanarei said to cut off Okimon. She wiped off some of the blood that was coming from her mouth. "Just drop it. I've had enough of today as it is." So much had happened that night, she thought. The fight over the key, the chase, her own mental break-down or whatever that was....

Hanarei's mind rested on the new images that came to her. Some were images she had seen before but they had become more clear to her; names were being given, voices could be heard, and emotions could be felt. This was becoming a weird experience for her. ***

Shouki knew that Naoko was trying to be helpful at the moment, but he really didn't want to be bothered by anyone now. He gently shook Naoko's hands off of him. He was having difficultly trying not to totally break down until he finally did. He sat down on the ground and buried his face in his knees. He just wanted to be alone now. He didn't want to feel anything at that moment and just wanted everything around him to end. It was moments like this when he missed his sister the most. He always thought she could comfort him in times such as this.

Reimumon finally made his way over to his partner and sat down next to him. He wanted to tell Shouki two things but kept his silence. One of them was Shouki was behaving like a dramaic child, but the other was how he felt sorry beyond words for him and his late-sister.

***

"Let me go!" Parumon squirmed violently, trying to get out of Tomeo's grasp as she watched Naoko walk away. "I'll get that girl and her poor excuse for tin can! I don't care if I'm In-Training, I'll... I'll... I'll make them pay for what they did to me!"

"No Parumon. Forget it!" Tomeo scolded her, keeping her clutched tightly in her arms. "You heard what Shireika said. We'll get it from them next time. And next time, you'll be ready for Naoko and her little cyber-pooch."

"Yeah, you hear that!?" Parumon screeched out after Naoko and Seidomon. "Next time we meet, you'll be as good as dead!"

"Parumon, you seriously need some control issues." Tomeo told her, starting to walk over to the others. "You need to accept you lost because you're better than them, and you don't have to say anything to them because they don't need to be told. It's gone too far for words. They need to be shown, and you'll do that next time." He wasn't satisfied with Naoko walking off before he could say anything, either, but he had gotten his point across. He wasn't some piece of meat Naoko could toy around with. But he was annoyed with himself - in trying to defend Parumon and the fragment, he had let Naoko distract him. And he promised himself he wouldn't get personal next time.

"Yeah, you're right." Parumon admitted. "I don't know what came over me. I really HATE losing."

"That's my girl." Tomeo smiled, hugging her tightly to his chest. "Just rest now, okay? Rest."

He wondered over to Asayake, Hanarei and Tegiwa, since Shireika had already gone to her car. He ignored any words coming from Hanshin's group's direction, turning his back to them as he switched eye contact with his friends. "Hey, guys. Is everyone okay?"

"Hey, everyone." A disheartened Parumon sighed. One could tell she was depressed about losing the fragment, but at least she wasn't yelling anymore.

***

"Shireika, what's wrong?" Alatusmon asked.

"What do mean?" Shireika replied.

"I don't know, but something's wrong."

"There's nothing wrong."

Alatusmon knew he wasn't going to get anything out of her. It annoyed him. No, it frustrated him that she wouldn't talk when she clearly was bothered by something. He wanted to help her. He wanted her to open up to him, but clearly, it was going to take a lot of work to get her to trust anyone. He knew she barely trusted Tegiwa with her personal thoughts. She never told anyone anything, not even her own father.

That worried him. Why couldn't she trust her own father of all people?

***

"Enma-san!" Yuu hurried over to support the stumbling girl. She knew that she had been fighting with Hanarei, but she hadn't realized how physical it had gotten. "The hospital? I can drive you there if you'd like. Here," she said, and helped Enma toward her car. They passed by the other group on the way, and Yuu glanced at them with an expression of mingled concern and regret.

She couldn't even look Asayake in the face.

As they neared the car, she remembered something and turned around to look back for a moment. Shouki was still there, sitting on the ground now with his head in his knees. She wanted desperately to help him out somehow, to comfort him, but she couldn't think how. But as she unlocked the doors and slid them open, she decided she could at least try.

"Wait here a minute," she said to Enma. Then, "Kui.. Kamo.. Kamomemon?" she stammered to the bird-thing flying behind her. "Could you watch the car for a moment?"

"Righto" he replied, and watched her run off towards that ponytailed kid. "What is she now, the TLC quick response unit?" he muttered, plopping down on the car roof.

Yuu walked up to Shouki quietly and kneeled down in front of him. "Hey... are you okay?" she asked softly. She really didn't know what else to say. Well, she thought, she could at least be helpful.

"Um... do you need a ride home? I've got a car, and I'm already taking Enma-san, so, um..." she trailed off. Lame.

***

Without turning her head to see him, Hanarei heard Tomeo join their group. She raised a her hand and gave him the thumbs up before letting her hand drop back to her side. "Gah, all that work and we get nothing in return. That takes out some of the joy I had after punching Hanshin." She looked down at her body and noticed the scratches and marks all over her. "There's no way I'll be able to cover this up; me fighting I mean."

She looked over and noticed Shireika staring out into nowhere. The same wave of hatred flowed through Hanarei as it did when she fought Hanshin. She shook her head slightly and the anger seemed to subside slightly. Some name came to her mind as she looked at the girl but it was one Hanarei did not recognize. Ignoring this and looked around at the rest of the group. Her fist tightened as she spoke. "We'll get them next time. There are still more key pieces out there."

Okimon stood next to her partner and nodded. She "There there," she told Parumon. "I'm sure you'll find someway of getting back at them in one way or another." She turned her back and mouthed something which sounded like "cry baby."

***

Shouki merely glanced up at Yuu as she spoke. Reimumon was able to see that Shouki's eyes were bright red from crying and there were still some tears left. He buried his face back into his knees. Reimumon frowned and took it upon himself to speak for his partner.

"Yes, he would like a ride as we first came by bus and then by Hanshin's car. Plus, I'd prefer not to be stranded out here in the middle of the night with no way of getting back home." He glanced over at Shouki but he was still in the same position. "Oi, Shouki, it's time to go home. Yuu is offering us a ride." No reaction. Reimumon took his paw and patted his partner's knee several times but no response. "Look," he said in a slightly harsher tone, "you can continue to mope, I respect that, but would you like to travel back home on some bus where no one understands your problem or would you like to be around people who do understand?"

There were a few sniffles before Shouki responded. "I want to be alone."

"Which you can do once we're back home," Reimumon added. "I know it's going to be a task for you at the moment, but could you please stand and walk to Yuu's car?" This time Shouki did react. He slowly stood up, head facing the ground, and slowly walked over to Yuu's car with Enma. "I apologize if that sounded harsh, buddy. I didn't know how else you would move. Excuse me for a moment."

Reimumon ran over to Hanshin and meowed to get his attention. "I hope you don't mind Shouki taking another ride back home," he said to Hanshin. "He's been through a lot tonight. I'll take good care of him by the way." He glanced back at his partner. "If you heard what he shouted to Shireika, you probably figured out why he's always so emotional. If you didn't hear, you can probably ask Naoko."

***

Enma winced as she sat down in Yuu's car. She looked at the car she had 'borrowed' from her mother. She didn't want to get into any more trouble, so she was going to leave it at the garage and have Kou pick it up tomorrow. She smiled weakly at Shouki and Yuu, before gently picking up Aoiromon. "Eh...maybe the hospital's not the best idea in the world; even if he is a heart surgeon, my dad has a shift now, and I really don't want to get in trouble this late at night. My brother lives closer to here anyway. If you want, Yuu, you can drop me off there." she said.

***

Asayake glared at Hanshin; nobody had damned well brainwashed her! It WAS possible to have a mind of one's own, after all! She throught of saying something but decided it was rather pointless, seeing as Hanshin seemed to have a stick up his ass about the whole thing. The redhead settled for giving the back of his head a dirty sneer and an obscene gesture. Soranomon -- no, Rogishimon -- flew over to her, landing softly on her shoulder; the little bird hadn't really done all that much, but she looked exhausted. Giving her a weak smile, Asayake scratched the top of her head and looked at Tegiwa with a critical air. "You might have a broken rib or something. Want me to give you a lift to the emergency room?"

***

"Geez, you look like you went through hell." Tomeo said, looking at Hanarei. He understood what Hanarei had gone through, but it still didn't mean he approved of it. He hoped that Enma wasn't too hurt as he glanced over to her in Yuu's car, then looked back at the group at about the same time Parumon slipped out of his arms and landed on the ground.

"You want a piece of this!?" she growled at Okimon, having overheard her insult. "I was there, using my life to protect the key fragment! So where the heck were you? Huh? Huh?!?"

"Parumon!" Tomeo objected, lifting Parumon back up and tried his best to restrain her. "What the hell's gotten into you? Settle down!"

"Call me crybaby, will you? You're lucky I didn't put your pretty little flames out, you little..." The rest of what she said was interupted by Tomeo placing his hand over her mouth.

"I'm sorry Hanarei, Okimon, I'm really sorry. Owww!" he pulled his finger away from Parumon after she had bitten it in an attempt to stop Tomeo's hand from gagging her.

"I'm not sorry! Show some respect for some digimon who actually fought for the key!" Parumon shouted, looking up at Tomeo. "That's all I wanted to say, don't do that ever again."

"Sorry, but no more from you Parumon, okay? That's enough." Tomeo replied disappointedly, and tried his best to apply pressure to the bite mark on his finger to stop it from bleeding, hiding it behind his back. He looked over at Asayake and Tegiwa. "So, how did you guys hold up?"

***

Naoko stepped up to the passenger side car. "I'm game. I just want to talk. I know what you think of me and I don't care, but for the record I am more than a sexaholic. It's just easier for everyone to view me as such. Now, shall we have a little chat?"

Tegiwa was right behind her still stooped from the gutbuster punch Hanshin delivered ealier.

"I'm going with her."

"That's nice, but you look like you need to get to the hospital. We're just talking, so this ride is going nowhere. She'll probally dump me in the bay from 3000 ft. if you are lucky though. She can't have witnesses for that." She gave Tegiwa a little wink. "Really, I'll be ok. and, she'll come back for you I'm sure."

"I really wasn't worried about you...." Actually, he was. Shireika was in one of her violent moods. He was certain Naoko would piss Shireika off on a good day."

Tegiwa looked around. "Fine, I'll be waiting my G-san's place. Shireika, be careful. If she dies you are the 235th person the police will want to question."

"Loved by some, hated by the rest. What can I say?"

"I'll be fine, Tegiwa," Shireika said as she started up the engine. "Are you getting in already?"

"Yes, thank you. I'll try not to waste your time."

"Already is," Shireika mumbled softly.

She started up the car promptly as soon as Naoko sat in the passenger and took the car into the air.

"So, what do you want?" she asked.

"The time has come for us to talk of many things. Many things. Let's start with basics. Do you care for your brother? I mean at all? Do you care for anyone down there? Friend or foe? I have to ask this you understand..." Naoko replied softly.

"He's my brother. I will always care about him because he is my brother."

"Okay, in this we share some common ground. You said some insightful things down there. His lifestyle is dragging him down. It's a team effort, and Hanshin is captain of that team. He used to live for his music, but now he lives for the concerts and after the concert. It's messing him up. His old stuff is good, but the newer stuff seems faded. Now, this digimon bussiness is taking his time too. I'm... I'm worried about him too."

"Then why don't you do something about it, since you're the one who micro-manages his music life now. You have persuasion in his world if you do it right. He won't ever listen to me."

"I do what I can. I find him good gigs. I sell him and promote him, but largely I just do what he asks. I'm good for that it seems. I'll do what I can. I have been, I mean. But, don't discount yourself. He'd never admit to listening to your advice that's true. He listens though. With his heart more than his head."

"What do you want?' She was getting a little tired of this babble.

"A few more answers and a few more questions. I do believe you love your brother, but that just complicates what I witnessed tonight. Do you remember when you first met me?"

"Please don't remind me."

"That's the first time you remember? Yeah, I remember when I bumped into you that night in the apartment. We met before that however. I was in middle school, and it isn't important now. I guess I've know you longer is all."

"Naoko, if you want to say something, say it, or I'll just drop you off at the next corner."

"Okay, this skinny is this: Is tonight a good example of how you are going to go after us? I don't want my friends hurt. I don't want your friends hurt, if it can be avoided. I know I can't persuade you about the watcher or the key...It's stupid. I have to try something before someone gets killed. I...I...I can't reconcile what I saw with what I know about you or what we know about the key....I do know that if Hanshin gets the key it's powers will divided among the digidested. Our split is artifical. The fact we were chosen, Chosen, is the basis for Hanshins reasoning as well as key that we are meant to work together. No matter what, we are digidestined. The Fates...made us so according to Matsuro-san. But, even so, you....you fight with a certainity and resolve. I....I...can only conclude you know something about the key we don't. You act like you have a personal interest."

"I do not trust the Watcher, and I do not trust so much power in the hands of my brother nor anyone. Power is corrupting. You've seen Ami, how she has become. She uses her power and sex to get boys to do what she wants them to do, and she abuses them. I do not want Hanshin getting himself involved in it, and I absolutely do not want us to be involved with the Watcher. We don't know enough about the key, and I don't trust it."

"This just isn't how I imagined all this happening. I knew you opposed us. I figured you try some stunt to stop us. I just didn't forsee the Battle Royale we had down there. I don't want my friends hurt. I don't want your friends hurt either. I wanted to talk to you in private away from Hanshin. There's piss little chance of me changing you mind about the Watcher. I know. But, I don't know, there has to be a better way. What I saw from you worried me. The others tried to do the same things....brutality. You scare me sometimes."

"Then maybe Hanshin should stop trying to get that stupid key," Shireika replied. This was getting annoying. What did Naoko want anyway? "If he stops, then I'll stop, but there is no way I'm letting Hanshin get that key."

"Always the direct one aren't you? Straight for the goal. Well, excuse my rambling style. Ok, heres what we have other than the letters from the Watcher: 1) Matsuro's Library which had texted that confirmed the Dark Queen bussiness. 2) the very fact we are digidestined 3) enough wiggle room between getting the key fragments to figure out if we are making a mistake....and the good sense get out if things look bad. ....you have a vague feeling of unease and the desire to bash our skulls in.....unless...unless you know something we don't. Do you know anything concrete I could tell Hanshin? If we had proof this was a scam, I could persuade him to stop."

"I don't trust the Watcher," Shireika said bluntly. "I don't trust people I haven't met. I don't care what the books said. What bothers me is that we're going after a key that belonged to some evil entity. I wouldn't want to touch it."

"Well, i'm glad we weren't almost killed over something that was your opinion." Naoko fumed. "Like I said, if you do find anything...I'll try. Without proof, there's not much I can do. I believe in your brother more than you doubt the Watcher. I love him. I'll do my best to check everything out. But, its a pain in the ass to do that and fight half the team at the same time."

"Until you stop, we won't stop. I do not trust Hanshin with such great powers. I don't trust anyone with powers that are possible with that key," Shireika replied.

Naoko smirked. "Well, we all are digidested. The digidestined will get that power, so you'll beat the crap out of us, but we'll get the key away, use it, we'll all have the power....and, And, AND, you'll still end up leading the team. How would that be for irony?" Naoko laughed like a horse dying of emphysema, but she soon stopped when it was clear that it wasn't funny. "It just seems sad and strange to me that we can't work something out beyond fisticuffs. We aren't wild animals, you know. I don't hate you. I don't like you, but I don't hate you. Hashin cares for you very much; you are his sister. I don't...We don't hate the other digi's. Yeah, you do hate me. I got that vibe. I just want to avoid having anyone you, him, Shouki, Tegiwa, anyone hurt or killed over this.

"I want it so much that I'm here in car with the one person most likely to harm me. I wish you cared about you group as much as I did...Anyway, if you would just have a little faith in you brother. He's not out for power and glory. He's a good guy with a good heart. He's no idiot either. We know the Watcher could be planning a trap. But, we chose this route because we thought it was the surest way. If you wish to help us then protect us...or...or...find something to persuade us we are wrong."

"Then there's not much I can do for you, right?" Shireika replied as she slowed down the car as they approached the parking lot where the battle had been. "We don't know enough about the key, and I don't trust it."

"We aren't stupid. We know this could be a trap. We are paying attention. The prophecey rings true. The fates. The Chosen. Those things add up. It's worth a shot. Your suppositions are based on vague reasons and paranoia. Sorry, I'm not buying what you tried to pull on us tonight was due to vagness. As I said, if you can give us something concrete Hanshin might listen. I want to spare all of us pain if I can. Your either a fanatic or you do know something. I don't want anyone hurt, but without reasons we'll go for the key."

"Fine, then go for the key."

"Okay. It was a rather shitty attempt on my part, but I had to try for Shouki and Tegiwa and the others. One more thing, I am who I am because thats what Hanshin wants me to be. No, its not his fault. I chose a path to him. But, it's the path that got me where I wanted to be. None of us are who we are. We hide behind masks. Sometimes the mask is the monster others the monster is behind the mask. No, I have no idea what that means. Its an old song or an old saying. Just remember, I care for Hanshin too."

"Get out of the car."

"Thanks for your time." Naoko sighed. "It's strange, in another world we could be friends."

Naoko remember a place and time long ago when she had looked up to Shireika. But, this Shireika was different, and she was nolonger her old self. Shireika didn't remember her as a 12 year old girl at Tommy's soccer clinic in a faraway town. Shireika couldn't see much beyond the "Hanshin's Whore" label.

"Maybe," Shireika said. She didn't know what Naoko wanted from her, but at this rate, she probably wouldn't find out. "Are you done now?" "Yeah. And, next time we'll know you intend to make a federal case of things." Naoko got out of the car hoping Hanshin hadn't left without her.

Shireika rolled her eyes as Naoko left. Naoko and girls just like her were the reason why Hanshin did what he did. He fed off of them just like they fed off of him. It was disgusting. She looked around, seeing if Tegiwa was around. At least he wouldn't annoy her for being who she was.

Tegiwa was standing by the elevtor when Shireika pulled up. Avoiding Naoko, he climbed in the car. "Ok, so which is more pointless: talking to Naoko or watching paint dry?"

"Don't get me started. I was to bash her head in one of these days," Shireika said as she started up the car.

"About that... Do you plan to get carried away in fights from now on? I know we have to stop them, but I don't think we should be as eager to as that. You should show a little restraint. By the way, when did you learn to fight like that anyway?" Tegiwa was marvelling over tthe moves she had pulled. "You brother has a bit of style himself."

"If Hanshin's going to be an idiot and go after that key, I am going to be there to stop him," she said as the car took off. "I'm not sure where I learned to fight like that. I supposed it's instinct. That and being determined, I suppose." She shrugged a little as she turned down a street to head back to Tegiwa's place. "Still, we have to stop them. Hanshin can't get that key. No one can."

"Yeah. I agree. The fates shouldn't leave things like that lying around. Well, they need four pieces. All we need is one. The odds are with us."

"Right, and once we have one, we can keep them away from potentially destroying all. That power is dangerous, and I don't trust any of them with it."

***

"Yeah," Hanshin said as he walked up to Shouki. "Don't worry about Shireika." He held out a hand to Shouki to assist him in standing up again. "She's like this, especially when she's angry." He knelt down, realizing that Shouki was going to need some help. "Look, Shireika is who she is. Don't listen to her, and don't let what she says get to you. She thinks I'm an idiot for wanting to be a professional musician as well. She expects something of me, of everyone, and we all fail at it. But, that's her opinion. Besides, you're doing just fine. If you think you're doing something right, then stick to it. Shireika's just one person, who happens to be critical and very strong-willed. She has her own ideas, and she'll voice them to you when she feels it's appropriate, but she's one person, Shouki. Don't worry about her."

***

There was an awkward silence as Shireika drove Tegiwa home.

"I can't believe they raided your home," she said she turned a corner. Then something occurred to her. Why hadn't she realized this before? "Did you tell Mariko that our families have dinners together every other month?"

***

"Went there, came back, and went back again," Hanarei said in response to Tomeo's first comment. She glanced down at Okimon who was glaring at Parumon.

"You think I didn't want to help you little...." Hanarei happened to sneeze at that moment as Okimon spoke. "I could have used my flame attack back there but it's wide range. I couldn't do anything without frying your sorry-excuse." Hanarei felt like she should have stopped Okimon like Tomeo did with Parumon but didn't feel like doing it. She knew Okimon needed to vent as much as herself wanted to at the moment. "Save your apologies Tomeo and tell Squirt she shouldn't even try to mess with me."

Hanarei placed a hand over her face. 'Now she's done it,' she thought. She grabbed Okimon by the scruff of her neck and started walking away before she could get herself into more trouble. "C'mon, we're heading home."

"But I'm not finished chewing out Parumon."

"Want me to throw you into the bay?" said Hanarei. Okimon remained quiet and crossed her arms. "Thought so." She turned to those remaining. "I guess I'll see you guys at school if not the next time the others go after a key piece." She waved her hand once and walked to her hover-bike. She placed the helmet over her head, placed Okimon in front of her due to the digimon's now larger size, revved up the engine and zoomed away. Right now, she needed some time to be alone and think.

***

Shouki remained quiet and continued to look down at the ground even when Hanshin was talking to him. He was trying to walk toward Yuu's car but had some difficulty as he tried not to fall back down.

"I'll say thank you in Shouki's place, Hanshin," said Reimumon. "He needs all the help he can get at the moment. He just had to get all of that emotion out of him I guess." He glanced at his partner then back to Hanshin. "I'll try to do my best and get him back up and running. It'll take some work though."

Shouki's blue and yellow eyes, which were now blood-shot red from crying, darted around the area. He wasn't paniked, but after everything that happened he felt drained and didn't know what was going on around him at the time. He just wanted to go home and sit in his room. Reimumon didn't notice this at first, but Shouki appeared to be holding on to his prayer beads like they were his last remaining possesion.

***

"Who are you calling 'Squirt'? At least I'm not afraid of the water..." Parumon started, but Tomeo cut her off once again.

"Parumon. Remember what I said? Restraint, please."

The raven-haired boy expected some harsh feedback from his partner; instead, he received an exhausted half-sigh. "Yeah, I know.... whatever." The In-Training digimon replied, resting her head on Tomeo's arm. Seeing his friends leave, Tomeo waved with the other arm to see them off.

"Bye Hanarei, Shireika, Tegiwa..." Tomeo waved faintly, his voice trailing off as he watched everyone leave. Reflecting back on th whole night's scenario, he felt a rift had now between them all, and not only between his group and Hanshin's. Hanarei, for starters, was a nice enough girl who at times he saw peace in, especially when that boy Yuki had been around. But that night had changed what he had seen in her, for the peace had shifted into a bloodlust the moment she had seen Enma. What was it about that girl that Hanarei hated? Her hatred had made her completely forget what they were there for, the fragment, and he didn't like that. It felt like it was one of the reasons they lost the fragment to Hanshin. It would be awkward seeing her again, not to mention Parumon and Okimon were now fighting like cats and dogs.

And then there was Shireika and Tegiwa - he had seen Naoko getting into the car with the former digi-destined girl and coming back, but what they had talked about wasn't what worried him. He agreed with both their beliefs, fought with them, and even he and Parumon respected them both on some level. But he felt like he didn't even know them at all. The way they seemed to come and leave both together, since they were such close friends, left him feeling left out of the loop somehow. Was being a digi-destined the only reason he was on friendly terms with them? His conscious came back and he felt he was being too pessimistic, reconsidering his thoughts - maybe they didn't realize it since they were such close friends. He was sure they didn't mean it, but still - he felt it would be nice if they could be closer friends. They could work so much better as a team. Which left the only member of the group he could feel the closest to was - well, Asayake.

He stirred out of his thoughts and looked up at the red-headed girl who remained with him, and a smile formed on his lips. "Well, I - I guess we better call it a night, too." he said in afterthought, looking down to check the bite on his finger, only to see that it had been clotted up. He restrained himself from asking her if she was okay; she had thrown up in the apartment's bathroom before, and he was concerned about the circumstances that had brought it about. What had happened down there? Maybe, he would never know. But it wasn't any of his business, he was sure - Asayake assured him she was well enough to take care of herself, and he didn't want to sound like a broken record. And although there was a feeling that there was something she wasn't telling him, he was going to give her the benefit of the doubt. Unlike Hanshin's example of putting faith in the Watcher, however, felt he knew enough about her to trust her.

"Parumon needs to lick her wounds; I guess I'll see you sometime soon. Unless, you need a lift?" He hadn't seen entirely how she and Rogishimon had got there, but there was no harm in asking anyway.

***

Yuu came up to Shouki and held his arm to support him. He looked as if he could fall to the ground again any moment. She noticed his damp and bloodshot eyes, he must have been crying for a while. Looking down, she also noticed how tightly he was clinging to his prayer beads, and felt a new wave of pity. "Come on," she said softly, "let's go home" and led him into the car.

Yuu slid into the driver's seat and turned to look at Enma. "Are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital?" she asked, looking her up and down. She didn't look in the best of shape, but if it wasn't where she wanted to go, she wouldn't take her. After Kamomemon glided in and settled himself down between the two front seats, Yuu started up the car, ready to head wherever Enma chose.

***

Naoko walked toward Hanshin who was on the other side of the lot. She passed Tomeo along the way. “Ah, gentle Tomeo, trying to pick up girls I see. Well, if she won’t go with you, my offer is still good. I can’t understand why a sensible guy like yourself wants to hang around the likes of Shireika. I hope her bad manners and fanatical way of thinking influence you too much.” She arched her back and stretched her arms wide. The effect thrust her modest bosom forward and lifted her minuscule skirt enough to show off her thong. This time the move seemed natural and not calculated since she was truly fatigued.

Tomeo was going to be a tough nut for her to crack, but he looked well worth the effort. He looked to be the type she could really have some fun with. Let’s face it, the guys who said yes the first time were losers and perverts. Or, like Tegiwa, they were desperate. Desperate pervs were not the makings of a long term sex buddy. Unfortunely, Shouki and Tomeo types wanted a relationship and bothersome fidelity. Oh well, she could just snuggle the two of them they were so cute. “Poor Shouki. He really did his best tonight. I hope his sister would be proud of him.”

She opened a message to Hanshin on her ring. [Hashin. Your sister is not play with a full deck, and she wants to stack the deck against us. Or, I should say she has a dangerous fanaticism about the key, and she plans to use any means possible to stop us. We should avoid her in the future if we want to stay in one piece. I think she might be willing to kill or maim over that key.]

“Really, Red… you should go with him. Not like any of us here would comment if you did.” Naoko motioned for Asayake to join Tomeo.

***

“I have no idea. Probably. But, Naoko would have been the first of us to hear about the evening since she plans Hanshin’s concerts a month in advance. And, Hanshin should know, but I bet he relies on Naoko to keep him informed. I don’t pay attention until the week of…My schedule is rather flexible.”

***

Asayake gave Naoko a quizzical look, one eyebrow raised high adn her lips pursed together. She kept her eyes on Naoko for a while. "No, thanks, Tomeo," She said, directing her attention back to the black haired boy, "I parked my 'Vette around here somewhere... I just have to find it." Craning her neck and looking around the lot, she caught a flash of red, and smiled. "Ah. Found it." She said, pulling her keys from her back pocket. She pressed one of the buttons on the keytag, and the car's lights flashed. Rogishimon squawked excitedly, and flapped her way over to the car; Asayake laughed. "She really likes driving for some reason. She's like a dog, only she hasn't drooled all over anything yet."

"'Sayakeeeeeee!" Rogishimon shouted in her whiniest voice, fluttering around the red Corvette like a little hyper bat, "Hurry!"

"I'm coming!" Asakye ashouted back, smiling at Tomeo. "I'll see you later then, I guess." With a smile and a quicl wave, Asayake made her way over to the car. As soon as she opened the door, Rogishimon flew in and settled into the passenger seat. With a soft honk of her horn in passing, Asayake drove off back towards her house.

***

"But, we switched locations only a few days ago when you told your mother you were going on a date with Mariko. Your mother felt it would have been better to have the dinner at our place since you weren't going to be there," Shireika replied.

"Well, even though Mariko and Naoko seem rather at odds, they are sisters," Tegiwa said. "It's safe to assume they talk. I guess she might tell Naoko things inadvertantly. I don't think she understands...

"I don't think she understands the danger."

"Right. Don't you think it's odd at all? Of all days to have a date, Mariko wanted it tonight. You could have told her that our families have dinner together."

"You mean the only date I've ever in my life. No just a coincidence. I think that this war of ours is not a good time for love either.... I think this has upset you alot to. I don't like that. So, I think I should, um, do, something..."

"Just coincidence? Tegiwa, you could have told her that you were going to be having dinner with my family! I'm sure your mother wasn't particularly happy about having to move things around, but, as I recall, Mariko was insistent." She looked over at Tegiwa. "Don't you think, of all people, Mariko would have the respect to not demand for a date, on which you had a dinner set weeks ago?"

"I was being sarcastic, Shireika. It's obvious to me you have a point. I just rather not think about it..."

"Tegiwa." She sighed and shook her head. "Doesn't it occur to you at all that maybe dating Mariko isn't a good idea? Mariko has connections to Naoko. That means she can get information to help them. Yes, I know she can help us too, but who do you think she would be more likely to help? Her boyfriend, or her sister?"

"I know. I'll call things off until this key nonsense is over, which should be soon. Will that work? I'm feeling a little tired about all this. You haven't been happy with any girl thats shown an interest in me. Granted, you've had good reason with Naoko. But Mariko....she's nice. I hope you can accept her later..." Tegiwa sulked.

Shireika stopped the car in front of Tegiwa's apartment complex.

"Because they're never good enough for you, Tegiwa," she said. She paused. "I know I tend to treat you like a younger brother, but I think you know why. I just don't want you getting yourself hurt. I'm sure Mariko's a nice girl, but a relationship with her is risky."

"Right now. I agree. But, these adventures never last forever. After tonight, I don't think we should be pulling in normal people. It's dangerous and distracting.

"I guess I don't mind being your little brother." He guessed he was top of her list for guys who weren't good enough for her, but he didn't see any way to change things at the moment. And, she had a point as usual about Naoko and Mariko. He sincerely wished he could believe that his best interest was at heart; however, he suspected she liked him as he was: single, dependable, and focused on her. He wished he didn't think that way about her, but he did; he was jealous. He wanted her more than any girl...

"I hope you realize that we might have had to deal with all of this had you and Mariko not gone on that date tonight." She took in another breath. "Well, I should get going." She smiled. "I'm sure things will be better once this is all over."

His head hung even lower (if that were possible) as he exited the car. "Your brother has quite the sucker punch. I think I'll be ok as long as I don't get peritenitis. Thanks for asking about my health though...." He looked around. His parents weren't home yet. Maybe....

"I doubt things would have gone differently...well he'd have found another time to search I'm sure. And, your brother is as stubborn as....well, he's stubborn."

"Of course he is. Take care of yourself, all right? Sleep well." She restarted up the car and drove off quickly.

"Sure...bye." He watched her drive off. "Now....clean up or call the ambulance?

***

"Yuu, you got them both?" Hanshin asked. He was concerned about Shouki. For one, he didn't need to lose a perfectly good bassist, but he cared about the kid. Shouki was a good kid, who simply wanted to do what was right. Shireika knew how to mess with anyone's head if she wanted. He checked his computer when Naoko messaged him and sighed. He would never be able to understand Shireika. "Yuu, make sure Shouki and Enma get home safely." He looked over towards Enma. "Enma, if anything's broken, go to the hospital immediately and ask for Dr. Makoto Hotarubi, my grandmother. She'll get you fixed up in no time, and you'll be ready for next week. We're going to need everyone." He looked around at everyone. "It looks like Shireika won't be likely to back down, and she'll bring the others with her to stop us each time. So, I'm heading off. Email me if you need me." He held up his computer as he walked away. He walked up behind Naoko, grabbing her rear. "Hey, babe. Need a ride?" he asked softly.

***

Hanarei pulled into a public viewing balcony that was placed for those who wanted to see something other than the city like the bay or Imperial Garden from above. It was a safe place as the only people there at that time were romantic couples and a sercurity guard who only reacted after hearing a loud noise. Hanarei landed the hover-bike beside the edge of the balcony. As soon as it touched ground, she jumped off the bike, removed the helmet and threw it down on the ground with a clunk. She then walked over to rail and leaned on it, facing out toward the bay and city lights. From this high up there was a strong gust of wind blowing her hair to the side.

Okimon got off the hover-bike as well but more slowly and careful. She could feel the small wings on her back flutter from the wind as well as her hair. She glanced over at the fallen helmet before turning to her battle-worn partner. "You okay over there, Hanarei?"

Surprisingly, Hanarei did react. She reached a hand behind her neck like she was fidgeting with something. She was like that for several moments before answering. "No," she groaned. "I'm not okay."

"Thought so," said Okimon. She walked over to Hanarei, hoisted herself up onto the railing, and sat there. "I take it you're thinking about your problem right now, huh? You always act like this when you're thinking to yourself."

"It helps me relax," she explained. "I just want to know what is going on up here." She pointed to her head. "First I go crazy and have some sort of mental break down. I don't even know what could have caused it. And why do all these images, which I am not a part of, keep appear in my head? It's like someone's giving me pieces of a story while leaving out details. On top of that, there's the usual."

"The usual?"

"My liking the opportunity to fight," she explained. "I mean, yeah, I like the occasional brawl and all, but I just seemed to go all out that time. It was like someone was taking control of me almost and telling me to do these things." Okimon looked at Hanarei before starting to slide away along the railing. "Only when I'm fighting, you dolt," she growled. Okimon stopped moving and Hanarei continued. "And why do I hate Shireika and Hanshin so much? I did in the past, yeah, but during that battle I wanted to hurt them more so than ever."

"Well, you did say that you went all out during that fight," Okimon added.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." She stared out into the distant bay. She wanted these questions answered and she wanted that to happen now. "Think I'll ever figure out what the images are?" she asked.

"Maybe. In the meantime, just follow your crest name and hope for the best to happen."

***

Reimumon stretched out in Yuu's car. He was tired and wanted to rest now. "I don't know about you guys," he said, "but I'm going to take a cat nap right now. If you need directions to Shouki's home, wake me up after you're taken care of," he said refering to Yuu and then to Enma. He then turned around three times in a circle and laid down the same way a natural cat would.

Shouki was huttled up in Yuu's car as it zoomed through the city. He wanted this night to be over with and to be back in his room. He looked around Yuu and Enma and then outside at the surrounding cars. 'Here I am again,' he thought, 'being another burden for people rather than a helper. ... I'm sorry Hikaru.'

***

Enma smiled at Hanshin, nodding. "I feel fine, but thanks." She said, before closing her door, and turning to Yuu. "Thanks a lot for driving me home; I don't think I could have...that, and I kind of...'borrowed' my mother's car." She made a face, before watching the shadows swirl by as Yuu drove her toward her brother's apartment.

Aoiromon cuddled next to her chest. She winced, but hugged the small rookie quickly. The ride to Kou's apartment seemed longer than usual, but they were quickly there, and Enma got out of the car slowly. "Thanks again, Yuu." She said, before clearing her throat. "Eh...Reimumon, I'm leaving; tell Yuu the directions to Shouki's." she said, before closing the car door and walking slowly toward the door of the building.

She hit the intercom's button four or five times, before she finally heard something on the other end of the intercom.

"Go away, I don't want anything, and do you people even know how late it is? I should call the police on - "

"Kou? It's me. Can I stay here tonight?" Enma asked, hitting the button and cutting her brother off.

There was silence, before Kou's voice came back. "Enma? Are you okay...look, I'll be right down."

"No, I'm f...Kou? Damn." Enma leaned against the cool brick of the old building, eyes closed, as she waited for Kou to appear. About two minutes later he came rushing through the door, his hair sticking up in all directions. Enma winced, realizing she had woken him up. "Sorry, didn't mean to wake you." she said.

Kou turned to her, and leaned against the doorframe heavily. "Shit. Enma, what the hell did you do?"

She winced. "I got into a fight, that's all." she said. He looked her over, before he started to usher her in.

"What did you get into a fight with, a street gang?"

She had to laugh. "Uh...no, actually, Mayonaka Hanarei." She said as they reached his apartment.

He pulled her into the small bathroom and forced her to sit on the edge of the small bathtub. He ran some water in the sink, before grabbing a facecloth. When the water started to steam, he dipped the cloth under it and moved over to Enma.

"Well, first thing's first..." He took Aoiromon away from her, placing the digimon pretending to be a stuffed toy onto the floor, before pulling down the collar of Enma's shirt. "Ouch...take the shirt off, you've got tons of scratches on your collarbone." he said. Enma did as she was told, but she wanted to make a comment. She opened her mouth, but Kou put the hot, damp cloth onto one of the scratches, and she hissed in pain. "Does that hurt?" he asked.

"What the hell do you think?" she bit out. He chuckled slightly, but frowned as he started to wash off her neck and face.

"And what did you do to your ribcage?" he asked, looking at the large bruise on her chest.

"I didn't do it, Hanarei did! She kicked me." Enma said. Kou looked up.

"So...you got into a fight with the vice-principle's daughter?" he whistled. "Great...I hope no one else in that school have children your age."

"Funny." Enma muttered as Kou checked her ribs. "Is it...broken?" the last word barely came out of her mouth, but Kou looked up, shaking his head.

"Lucky for you, it's just a really bad bruise. It'll hurt for a little bit, but you'll be fine." He looked up. "How'd you get here?"

"This new girl, Yuu." she said. Kou sighed, before getting up.

"You can sleep in my bed tonight, I'll sleep on the couch." He started away, muttering to himself, "it's not like I'll get any sleep anyway, once mom realizes you're gone."

Enma got up and looked at herself in the mirror over the sink, before pulling her shirt back on.

"Does it really look that bad?" she asked.

"Worse." Aoiromon said, coming over and hugging Enma's shin. "But...I like Kou's I think...are all Kous like that?"

Enma looked down at Aoiromon. "Nope, he's one of a kind." she said. "C'mon, you'll like my brother's bed, it takes up most of his bedroom." She said, walking through the apartment and collapsing on Kou's bed.

***

"See you later." Tomeo waved to Asayake as she walked to her car. He didn't mind either way Asayake hadn't accepted his offer; in fact he was glad moreso that she had her own ride. He remembered how annoyed he felt when he couldn't drive and had to depend on other people for rides.

When Asayake was gone, he shot Naoko a annoyed look. Parumon made a smug look at Naoko, nodding and smacking one fisted foot into the other, giving the non-verbal message to her that Seidomon was gonna cop it bad next time around.

"First of all, her name isn't Red." Tomeo said informatively. "It's Asayake, get it right. Second of all, I don't need Shireika's way of thinking to rub off on me 'cause I have my own way of thinking, and they just happen to fall in line together. I work with her of my own free will. Besides, it's a hell lot better than your way of thinking, which isn't saying much."

When Hanshin walked over, he sniggered, hearing his offer to Naoko. "I think someone else wants you, more than I ever will. Have a good night..." He turned around to walk to his own car. In afterthought, he paused in midstep. "Oh, one more thing. Even if you think you can control the power the key may unlock, consider this." He turned back around to glance at them, namely at Hanshin.

"You can't win with power alone, Hanshin."

Leaving them with that train of thought, he turned around once again and smiled in self-satisifaction, unlocking his car with his keys before he reached it. He got in and started it up, driving it away before Naoko and Hanshin could say another word.

***

“Hmmph,” Naoko was shooting Tomeo a black look through the back window of his vehicle. “I take it back. Tomeo isn’t so nice after all. He’s a guy prude. I’m beginning to think Tegiwa is the only decent one on your sister’s side. …only honest one at least.”

Hanshin’s hand kept playing with her rear. “Yeah, I could do with a lift. But, its nowhere near my curfew. We could go someplace and celebrate.” Oh, she was going to be sore in the morning, but she wasn’t one to waste a good thing. And, Hanshin twice in a night was a very good thing.

“Congratulations on getting the key piece, dear.” Naoko turned around and kissed Hanshin on the mouth. “Only 3 left.”

***

Tegiwa collapsed on his bed. He felt like shit. He had been gut punched by Shireika’s brother, made a dupe of by Naoko too many times to count, most likely used by a girl he thought liked him, and severely pissed off the person closest to him—all because of his stupidity.

Now, because of that stupidity, he would have to talk to Mariko in the morning and let her know he had to call it quits with her until the digimon thing was over. She’d understand that he was only looking out for her safety, right? She was a smart girl, still he knew that mentioning Shireika during this conversation would be a bad idea.

Tegiwa felt himself falling asleep. Naoko would understand….no, Mariko would. Naoko might but she wasn’t an issue. Mariko didn’t do it for him like Shireika did. Shireika was all fiery perfection, and Mariko was just a sweet, timid girl who reminded him of his mother. She was a good kid. He didn’t want to hurt her or see her hurt, even in spite of what Shireika had accused her of doing. Must be a mistake. But, now was not the time to be worrying about love. Anyway, this would prove a decent test. If Naoko…If Mariko cared for him she’d still be there after all this stupidity.

Naoko….he kept thinking of her. He was failing at not remembering their time together. She had exhausted him on each occasion. She was a shopping list of bad points, but she had some good ones too. He had found her company surprisingly pleasant.

An odor seemed to pervade the room, forcing him to focus on her. Damn, he hated to admit it but they had had on fine time together.

He put his hands behind his head and under his pillow. His hand touched something wet and something stiff. He withdrew from under his pillow a black thong and a card.

[Tegiwa, Han and I were going to make it on your bed, but it was too small. We borrowed your parents’ room instead. Thanks to you and Mariko we had the whole evening to search the house. And, time for other activities too. Thanks for making this treasure hunt so entertaining! We couldn’t have had tonight without you.

Naoko

PS

Come see me again. I want your hands off my sister and on me. ]

Tegiwa let out a primal scream and tossed the card and underwear in the trash. He did NOT need this….

***

"I'll get you home," Hanshin said as he separated from Naoko. He wasn't really in the mood for another round. "I'm exhausted." He feigned a smile at her as he walked to his car. Running around for this key fragment took a lot out of him, especially with Shireika following close behind and fighting him for it.

He stared into the car before he got in. He didn't know what to make of Shireika. She was his twin sister, the closest of kin he would ever have. She had been his support until their feud when she decided to quit music lessons so she could pursue tennis. Maybe it was his fault. He knew he shouldn't have gotten angry with her for that. How could he have accused her hating their mother when all she wanted to do was pursue her own interests?

Oh right, they were thirteen, and he still had yet to fully recover from their mother's death. Well, she was important. She always had been an important driving force behind his passion for music. He did for her. He did it to make his mother happy, and it worked. And, well, he loved music, probably more than Shireika ever did.

He knew he shouldn't have gotten angry with her. He really shouldn't have, and he knew that she was one to hold grudges forever. Of course, as he became more interested in music, Shireika got more and more angry with him. She probably found more reasons to see him as stupid, especially when he formed the band.

He sighed as he opened the car door. This had to be so complicated.

***

"Hey, I'll see you outside with the others," Shireika said to Tegiwa as she left literature class after the bell had rung. Tegiwa was taking a long time to pack up, and she wanted to leave. She headed down the hallway to her locker.

"Shireika! Wait up!" she heard someone call from behind her.

"Fina-" she replied as she turned around. "Oh! Tsuyoikou Sensei!"

"Hey," he said as he joined up with her. "Mind if I join you for a little bit?"

She shook her head as she continued down the hallway.

"So, why are you still here? Isn't JV season over?" Shireika asked as she stopped at her locker.

"Last minute call for a substitute again," he replied as he leaned against the lockers next to Shireika's.

"Right."

"They reassured me that I wouldn't ever need to come back in again."

"They always need subs."

"And I won't be able to, and they won't be able to contact me either."

Shireika looked away from her locker up at Kousei.

"I'm moving to a new apartment, one in a building that my dad's corporation owns. It'll be closer to work." He fished through his pocket for something. "I got a job with my dad's corporation. You know, he's Tsuyoikou Takeshi. Haven't you heard of him?" He pulled out a small card from his pocket. "The Tsuyoikou Takeshi of Tsuyoikou Corporation?"

"The real estate tycoon?"

"Yes. Didn't you recognize the last name?"

"Well, vaguely, but I didn't think you were his son. There are other Ishidas out in Japan too, you know."

"Point made."

"So, why are you telling me all of this?"

"Always to the point, aren't you?"

"Funny. I've been asked that before, and not by you." Shireika grabbed her gym bag and closed her locker.

"Here," Kousei said as he handed her a card. It was a new business card with his name written in bold gold lettering and various other important business contact information. "On the back are my address, phone and email."

Shireika took the card and flipped it between her fingers.

"Okay," she said, but she wasn't moving to put it away somewhere.

"It's so you can let me know when the rest of your soccer games are and when you start playing tennis in the spring. I'll come to the games."

"So, you can look up the skirts of my teammates?" Shireika asked as she dug into her messenger bag and tucked the card away. She grinned. "Whatever, okay. I got to head out to lunch. So, good luck with the new job. Maybe I'll see you later." She began to walk away, but Kousei caught her by the arm.

"Call me if you need someone to talk to," he said in a serious tone. "I mean it."

***

Hanshin hurled his bag over his shoulder as he left the study hall room. Another hour wasted in that stupid room. He could use that hour to practice with the boys. He could use it to do something that he actually wanted to do: preferably music. He stormed down the hallway to grab his lunch and Koumamon from his locker.

"Hey, Hanshin," Ami called as she passed by him. "Tonight as always?"

"We'll see," he replied as he winked at her.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Like I said, we'll see." He returned his attention to the hallway ahead of him, and his eyes caught sight of Kousei and Shireika standing and talking together by her locker.

If there was one thing he knew he was better at than Shireika, it was knowing when someone was flirting. She had to be somewhat clueless, even with Tegiwa. Hanshin knew that Tegiwa had always admired Shireika, despite how long they had known each other. And from what he could tell, this Tsuyoikou Sensei found Shireika interesting, beyond just her intelligence as a student. Shireika was too good for Kousei. Besides, he was a teacher, even though he had just graduated from college. Whatever. Kousei should be here to pick up girls, especially the top student of the entire academy.

Why couldn't Tegiwa have the damn guts to ask Shireika out? She could nag Tegiwa instead of Hanshin, and that would have be greatly appreciated. Actually, anyone would do, but not Kousei. It just wasn't right that he was a teacher and a coach here at Tokyo Academy while she was still a student. If he were still at Todai, then maybe it wouldn't be so bad, but he was out of college. She was still in high school. No, something wasn't right.

***

Hanarei stood up at her desk once the bell went off. She had to do it slower than usual as she still felt slightly stiff in different parts of her body from the fight. Most of the marks were gone too. She was able to lie to her dad about "who" she fought with but the fact that she was in a fight was unavoidable. "I'll have to sneak out of the house now for the next key," she said to herself. Punishment was a strict curfew and very limited use of certain things at home until her parents saw fit.

She picked up her bag and walked through the classroom door. Soon after, she spotted something (actually, someone) and she could feel her energy replenish itself. "Yuki!!" she half-shouted.

The boy turned around and noticed Hanarei. "Oh, hey there," he said with a friendly wave. Hanarei seemed to have dashed next to him in the blink of an eye. "Feeling any better?"

"Yep ^_^ ," she said in an unusual-than-normal chipper voice.

"That must have been a bad fall down those stairs." She had lied to him about why there were marks on her.

"I'm just clumsy sometimes." She moved closer to him in a flirtious way in hope he would comfort her some more. But, as usual, he didn't catch the message. 'I will not stoop to Naoko's level to get his attention,' she thought.

***

Shouki walked out of his classroom. He still looked depressed but not as much as he did back at the fight last week. When Yuu dropped him off, Shouki went straight to his room and sat there for who knows how long. His parents were concerned about him as always but didn't know what could have happened to him. Narumi had given such occiasions the nickname "A Hikaru meltdown." Nowadays Shouki was close to normal.

Shouki was walking along the hallway when someone called him from behind. "Shouki?" said a soft voice. He turned around to spot Kinoha, Kumiko, and Mika standing together. Kinoha looked concerned about something. "Are you alright?" she said again in a soft voice. "You just seemed really quiet and depressed this past week."

'More so than usual,' both Kumiko and Mika thought.

Shouki turned away slightly so he wasn't staring at any of them in the eye. "It's been a hard week," he mumbled.

Kinoha seemed to know how to interpret that. "Oh, something about your sister, Hikaru I mean?"

"Yeah. But I don't want to talk about it very much."

"I understand." Kinoha bowed.

Shouki nodded his head in thanks. "I have to get going. I have a meeting I need to be at. Take care." He turned and walked away from Kinoha and her friends.

"Bye Shouki." Kinoha stared at Shouki's back as he walked away, her face in a sad, dreamy state.

That moment for her was soon interupted by a pat on the back from Kumiko. "Way to go Kinoha!" she congratulated her friend. "Even if you don't have the guts or the chest to talk to Shouki without shaking like crazy, you still have the fact you're one of the few who knows why he's always like that."

"Well, he's just...."

"We know, we know," Mika interupted. "Still, with all the girls I've seen him with lately, you at least have something that'll keep you close to him. I doubt the others really know the whole story."

"Yeah..., I guess so."

***

Yuu smiled to Enma as she got out of the car. "Anytime," she replied before the door shut. She waited a few minutes to make sure her brother came to the door, and then with a small wave, she took off again.

She found Shouki's house just fine, and as the car set down she hopped out to help him out of the car, in case he needed it. She even followed him a little ways to the door to make sure he could get in okay. It was just instinctive; she couldn't leave him, knowing the state he was in, unless she was sure he'd be alright. He was a friend, she had to look out for him.

Once she was sure he'd get in fine, she said her good nights and turned to head back to the car. Then she paused and turned back around, about to say something, but he was already gone. She stood for a moment, then got into the car and flew away.

After she keyed in for home, she rested her head on the unnecessary steering wheel and stared out the window. She had wanted to talk to him, to let him know that she knew something of what he felt, but she hadn't been able speak to him during the whole ride. Why not? It had already been six years... And by the sound of it, that person had been Shouki's older sister. He'd probably known her all his life. To lose her after all that... compared to just a few months...

Maybe that's why he could be sad all the time, and she couldn't. But no... she had been sad like that too, once. Then she'd decided that it wasn't fair to anyone to live like that. Not to her friends, not to her, and above all... not to Yoh.

She turned her head over on the wheel and saw Kamomemon curled up in the passenger's seat, fast asleep. She smiled and reached over to rub the messy feathers on his head. He was bigger now, but still, 'Kamomemon' was quite a mouthful for a little guy like that. She looked at the clawed arms he was resting his head on. They were webbed, like a duck's... Hmm. Kamo. That was good name for him.

"It's been a long day, Kamo" she said to the sleeping digimon. He stirred only slightly. It really had been a long day... but somehow, right then, she was happy just to be sitting there with her partner.

'Because unless you keep finding ways to be happy, you can't really live at all'

***

Yuu wandered down the halls after class heading to lunch, and was surprised to spot Shouki behind a group of girls. She hurried up towards him, hoping to catch him alone and talk about the meeting, but he had turned to look away from the girl he was talking to and didn't see her walk up. What Yuu did catch, however, were snippets of the conversation. As Shouki continued down the hall, she hesitantly approuched the girl he had been speaking to.

"Excuse me," she asked, "I don't mean to pry but, was Hikaru... Houzuru-san's sister?"

***

Enma winced. "Kodomojimita-san?" someone said, apparently close to her face. She opened one eye, before frowning.

"Miyoki." she said stiffly. The other girl frowned, before straightening.

"It just...looked like you fell asleep." Miyoki leaned on the desk in front of Enma's, watching the red-head.

Enma grabbed her bag, mindful of Mitikomomon, before getting up. She pulled her books off of her desk, before looking at the slightly taller girl. "Well?" Enma asked.

"I was just...eh...wondering." Miyoki started. Enma rolled her eyes.

"What?" She demanded, somewhat harsher than she meant.

"Why don't you hang out with us anymore?" she finally blurted. Enma shrugged.

"Ask Kaze." She said bluntly, before starting away. Miyoki or not, Enma had things to do, and she really didn't need to be bothered.

"Who was that?" Mitikomomon asked from inside of her bag.

"No one." Enma muttered, looking in the bag to see her digimon. "Leave it alone, okay?"

"What's a Kaze?" The digimon asked.

Enma felt a blood vessel or two pop. "It's...nothing." She said, sounding a little more determined than she felt. She rounded a corner and looked up in time to not walk into someone's back. "Shouki?" she asked. Then she came around, to make sure she had the right person. When she was certain she did, she smiled at him. "Hey, Shouki!" she said brightly. She winced, feeling slightly bad about being so callous to the boy when he had broken down. At least she had the courtesy to not bring it up now. Instead, she let out a meek "How are you?"

***

“Oh dear, he’s still like that, is he?” Naoko glimpsed Shouki as he wandered away from a small crowd with the metaphorical rain cloud over his head. She knew she must find a way to shake him from this dull reverie and since of failure. “His actual sister would not be as hard on him as her memory has been. Memories can be so unyielding. She’d have been proud of him, the stupid git.”

She noted Ami hanging around Hanshin, and she felt a touch of glee that he was ignorin her. Then, she saw Shreika [sic] with the hunk of a coach and put two and two together. Shame on a teacher for making such an obvious play on a student right here in the hall.

***

Tegiwa had finally managed to get his things together on the fifth try. His mind was scattered even more than usual since he had broke up with Mariko. He had actually planned on putting things on hold for a bit, but Mariko had had different ideas. She called him selfish and weak because he was buckling in to Shireika’s pressure, and he needed to run his own life.

Things had turned nasty from there. He didn’t wan to remember the details of the exchange. He said some things that shocked himself. And, he could hear Naoko laughing her head off in the background.

He stopped at the doorway when he saw Kousei-sensei speaking to Shireika again. Did this guy not give up? Wasn’t he supposed to be gone from the school already? Tegiwa’s black mood turned a shade darker. He’d report the guy for harassment, but Shireika hardly looked harassed. In fact, it had been a while since he had seen her smile like that.

“Hey, Shireika. I’m ready, now.” He said after the coach had left. “I get the idea that coach has a few boundary issues he needs to work on.”

***

Tomeo had come to his locker down from Shireika's, about half-way through the conversation between her and Kousei-sensai. Feeling modest, he tried his best not to overhear any of the conversation and focused on getting his books into his locker, minding his own business. But with the conversation going on only a few feet away, it was hard for him to ignore the voices.

The coach, now more than ever, seemed obviously more interested in Shireika. The yellow rose he had seen Shireika holding at the soccer field came to mind... were the two connected? Not any of his concern, Tomeo reminded himself, and brought himself to shut the locker door and continue zipping up his bag.

By this time Kousei had already left, and he glanced over to where Shireika and now Tegiwa were now standing, and decided to go join them to see how they were doing. After all, he had been complaining to himself that he had felt distant from them, and that was partially his fault. Slinging his bag over his shoulder, he stepped over to them. "Hey guys. Um... sorry if I'm interrupting anything, but I just wanted to see how you guys were doing. So, how are you both?" he asked.

***

"Boundary issues?" Shireika asked after Kousei had left. "He was just called in at the last minute to sub again. Not his fault that they can't find someone else, and he was available. Besides, we're just friends. That's all." She softened when she noticed Tegiwa's darkened mood. "I'm sorry. I know you're still hurting about Mariko. Once all of this madness if over, it'll be easier and safer. Even she must understand that. Neither you wants to, but now is not the time for it." She turned to Tomeo who had just joined them. "Things are as they are. We're doing better, I hope." She glanced over at Tegiwa and shrugged. She began to walk out to the courtyard. "So, notice anything with the others lately?"

She hoped the others had been keeping an eye on the others for the past week and hoped someone had something to tell them about the others. She had told Tomeo to keep a very watchful eye on Naoko, as much as he hated her. From what she remembered from last week, Naoko had been a bit out of hand, and dealing with her was quite the challenge. At least, he wasn't being forced to actually talk or interact with her.

Still, Hanshin hadn't done anything like he had last time. No going to strange places. Nothing. Either they weren't planning to get another key fragment, or they were getting good at avoiding getting spied on.

***

Hanshin watched Shireika abandon Kousei in the hallway and followed the former coach out the doors.

"Tsuyoikou Sensei, what's with that?" Hanshin asked as he tried to catch up with the coach.

Kousei turned around and looked at Hanshin confusedly.

"I've seen you around. What is with you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Kousei replied.

"Why are you stalking my sister?"

"Stalking? I'm just being friendly."

"Friendly, right."

"Honestly."

"And the "here's my address, phone number, and email" stunt?"

"We're friends, Hanshin. That is all."

"Bullshit."

"Suit yourself, Hanshin, but remember, your sister is your sister. She is who she is, and she makes her own choices."

"As she always did," Hanshin mumbled.

"If you don't like her talking to me, bring it up with her. If she doesn't want to talk to me, that's her choice. Anyway, I have a train to catch. It was nice to work here." He smiled as he turned away from Hanshin.

"Punk," Hanshin grumbled as he headed back into the school to find the others for another weekly group meeting. He walked through the courtyard, to the table where he and those who supported him gathered last week.

On Sunday, he had received a message from the Watcher, telling him that the House of Sincerity was protecting the next key fragment they would search for. He knew Enma was the child of sincerity and that the crest ran through her family for generations, so he had put her up for the job to do a little research and come up with a reasonable plan. He hoped that she was successful. He was not in the mood for bad news, especially after dealing with Kousei. That guy needed to get a life. Hitting on high school girls. The sicko.

***

Enma checked her watch, before rubbing her forehead. "We're late," she said generally, before looking at Shouki. "I'm going on ahead, okay?" She said, before running down the hallway as best she could with the large bruise still on her side. She barrelled through the doors that led to the courtyard, and stopped to pull out a manella envelope. She scanned the courtyard, before slowly going over to where Hanshin was, her side now stinging from the exertion.

When she reached him, she slammed the envelope down in front of him to wake him up from his little dream world. She sat down across from him, and pointed to the envelope. "My mom should change the password on her computer more often, it was a breeze for me to hack into with my brother's help." She smirked, leaning against the palm of her hand. "And you won't believe where my mother's put the key - what house, er, apartment, I mean, she's not as dumb as I like to believe and didn't put the specifics down - it's sneaky and rather...mean, given my mother." she waved a hand at Hanshin, signalling that he could open up the envelope. Then she tilted her head, already getting bored. Mitikomomon must have been rubbing off on her.

***

"I can't believe that Matsumoto bitch!" Asayake growled, tugging at her combination lock, "I hate student shrinks; Subaru-san never told me she was going on maternity leave! She never even told me she was pregnant!" She gave her locker a swift kick when it refused to open, trying her lock again. Rogishimon was peering out of a hole in her backpack, staring at her.

"What's maturnatee leaf?" She asked, curious.

"It's what you get when you have a job, but have a new baby to take care of, or will soon, or something like that," Muttered the redhead, stuffing her books into her locker when it finally decided to comply, "It means she's gonna have a baby, and she needs time off of work to take care of it."

"Oh." The little bird cooed, watching as Asayake stuffed her books in her locker and pulled out a few she needed for homework. She thought of something, however, and peeped absent-mindedly. "Asayake?"

"Yes?"

"Why is that bad?"

"It's not bad," She chuckled, closing her locker and heading off in search of familiar faces, "It's just inconvenient. Subaru-san is my psycologist usually, so when she left, Lookit-Me-I'm-Dumb-And-I-Think-I-Know-You Matsumoto Arisu took over her position for a while. I don't really like her much."

"I could tell." Rogishimon mumbled, rolling her eyes; she was glad Asayake couldn't see that. She spotted a few people clustering, however, and fidgeted in an excited fashion. "'Sayake, look there!"

"Uhn?" She smiled as she spotted Shireika and Tegiwa, with Tomeo joining them, a little ways away. She made her own way over to the three of them, and half-smiled. "Hey, you three. Anyone have anything to, er... Report?"

***

Hanarei kept talking to Yuki and trying to flirt with him but to no success. Still, that never stopped Hanarei from trying again later as she always did. Then something strange happened. "Is your bag moving?" Yuki pointed out.

Hanarei stared at her bag for a moment before stopping it. "Ehe, sorry about that, I had my mini-comp on viberate. I must have just received an email or something." Hanarei knew that Himotomon, who de-digivolved earlier this week, was the cause of the movement. She must have being trying to signal that there was a meeting they needed to go to. "I'm sorry Yuki but I need to take care of something important."

"Okay then. I hope you feel better soon." Yuki waved goodbye as Hanarei walked away in search of Shireika and the others.

When there was no one else around, Hanarei opened her bag and gave Himotomon the worst case of evil eye in all of history. "Why did you do that?" she hissed through her teeth.

"We have that meeting to go to and you would have stood there all day talking to Yuki unless I did something."

"I would have prefered the first option and used it as an excuse for being late." It was too late now so Hanarei simply searched for the others. She approached Shireika and company the moment she spotted them. "Wow, looks like I'm the last one to join in this time."

***

Shouki was off in his own little world again when Enma came up beside him. He was about to answer her but she ran off before he could say anything. Kirimon popped his cat nose out of Shouki's bag. "I see you haven't landed on planet Earth yet," said Kirimon. Shouki wasn't paying too much attention and replied with saying, "Hmm?" "My point exactly," Kirimon added. "C'mon, we have a meeting with Hanshin and the rest."

"Right," said Shouki. It didn't take him long to get to where Hanshin and Enma were. He figured he must have followed the same path Enma did. A part of him wanted to say sorry for the way he acted during the fight last week but he thought it would have been best not to bring it up at the moment. "So, um, the key? Yea, so we know where the next key is?" There was a hint of uneasiness in his voice. He was trying his best to pull it together though.

***

Kinoha was taken by surprise of Yuu as she appeared before her. Her face going slightly red from the question. However, it was Kumiko who first reacted and broke the awkward moment.

"Hey, you're one of those girls I've seen with Shouki," she said.

Mika now stepped forward. "Don't tell me you're interested in Shouki as well or something?" Kinoha blushed some more at those words. Mika noticed this and turned to her. "It isn't much of a secret with you, you know?"

Kinoha now stepped forward a little closer to Yuu. Kumiko and Mika noticed the look in her eye and knew what she was about to do. "No, don't tell her," Kumiko softly hissed. "Remember, only you really know about this whole thing. Don't tell it to competition."

Kinoha didn't pay attention and answered Yuu's question. "Yes," Kinoha answered quietly, "Hikaru is, um, was Shouki's sister." Kumiko and Mika slapped their foreheads at the same time, both of them thinking Kinoha no longer had the upper hand they thought she had. "She died awhile ago and was buried at my family's shrine which is how I first met him. But I'm not sure if he would like it if I said anything else about it without him knowing."

"Splendid idea." Kumiko came around, placed one hand one Kinoha's stomach and another over her mouth. She decided to drag her friend away before revealing anything else. "Mika, EP 4," she mumbled.

Mika understood the code. "What?!" she called to some made-up person behind them. "You need some help? Sure I'll help you. What? You need a few more people. I'll bring my friends. Let's go you two." Mika and Kumiko quickly dragged Kinoha away from the scene. "Nice talking to you," Mika called back to Yuu before they disappeared around the first corner.

***

Naoko slipped quietly into seat beside Hanshin. “We need to /not/ group together this time. We can all read each other on the digivices maps, so our movements ain’t secret. But, we know something more about the key now; we know what a fragment looks like and we know it’s hidden on Enma’s turf. I suppose Enma could search for it on her own without arousing suspicions; however, I think it would be nice to lead Shireika’s group of nosy nobodies on a merry chase just be keep them occupied. And, Hanshin, I don’t think any of us should waste much time fighting, especially with your sister. She’s playing for keeps like a fanatic.”

“Oh, yes, I am in a fabulous mood. Twig-boy dropped my sister, so know I can find her a real man. Maybe, a few of them. Hehehe.”

***

Tegiwa felt a little of the pressure on him let up when Shireika spoke kindly to him. She was not trying to be a bitch. She just wanted to look after him. Of, course the cold looks he had gotten from her before, and those he received from Mariko meant it would take him a long time to clean up this mess. If …he decided he wanted to.

“I just meant I think coach Kousei thinks of you more as a friend than as his student. And, that kind of thing can lead to trouble for him.”

Tegiwa thought a moment. “I bet they don’t know where the next bit is… Just my guesss.”

***

"Well, he doesn't work here anymore, so technically, he's not my teacher here," she said. "Anyway, Hanshin has been doing his usual stuff. Practicing with the band, writing music, and of course, getting himself laid." She rolled her eyes. "Either they don't know where to look next, or they have found a way to avoid us. We're going to have to continue to keep a close eye on them." She looked around the group. She pointed at each person at the table. "Tomeo, keep watching Naoko. Please. Hanarei, keep those eyes on Enma. Asayake, Yuu's all yours. Tegiwa, watch Shouki. I've got Hanshin taken care of. Unless, any of you want to switch. We can work something out."

***

Hanshin took the envelope and opened it up, pulling out its contents. There were journal entries, and Enma had highlighted part of them. He read through the yellow-colored sections carefully as he heard the others gathering around him.

"Your sister's place?" Hanshin asked as he handed out the maps. "Well, it's on your street, Enma. If you search, they probably won't notice." He looked over at Naoko. "We can lead most of them off if we want, but Shireika's smart. She'll make sure each of us is covered, so no one gets missed. Remember last week. She and Tegiwa were following some of us to the Itoh residence, while Tomeo, Asayake and Hanarei went to the Chikusa place. She'll probably still fight tooth and nail for that key fragment. The rest of us can go to another location, and hopefully, it'll keep the attention away. However, I'd like someone to provide backup for Enma just in case." This wasn't an easy decision to make at all.

***

Yuu blushed slightly in embarrassment at the other girl's comment and quickly waved her hands. "Oh, no! I'm not interested like that, I mean, we're friends, and he's been kind of down lately, and I was just worried, that's all" she explained, a little flustered. She paused to listen to Kinoha's reply.

"Ah, I see..." She felt guilty now for asking about such a personal matter behind Shouki's back. Nevertheless, she was about to thank the girl when the three of them ran off to help someone with something.

Just then, Yuu remembered about the meeting and checked her watch. She was late. She quickly ran down to the courtyard and found the group's table. "I'm sorry for being late" she apologized as she sat down, panting. She took one of the maps Hanshin handed out and listened to him as she looked it over. She wasn't really sure what part she'd be best to play in all this.

***

"Great," Hanarei drawled out sarcastically after Shireika gave out targets. "I'm sure Enma would be happy to see me again."

"Um, Hanarei?" said Himotomon. "I was wondering if maybe...." She knew this wasn't going to sound like a good idea but she was worried about her partner. "I was thinking maybe you shouldn't try to fight this time."

"What?! Why not?!"

"After what happened after the last battle, I don't want to see you in another one of those moods you were in where you started to twitch and scream." Hanarei once again gave her partner the evil eye. "It was only an idea."

"I'll place it on my things-do-to list. It's right between starting the next social revolution and swimming through the Atlantic Ocean with rocks in my pockets." She turned back to Shireika. "Yeah, I'll take care of Enma again. Shouldn't be much of a problem. She didn't seem to notice where I hid last time I spied on her."

***

Shouki picked up one of the papers Enma passed out to the group and studied it. At least this time they knew the area where the next piece was.

"Yeah, I would like to not encounter your sister again. No offense," he quickly added to Hanshin. "I just don't want there to be another fight. I don't want anyone to get hurt."

"I'm sorry Shouki, but such a thing is hard to do in this game," said Kirimon. "If you don't fight, the other team is going to walk all over you." He paused for a second as thoughts of the last battle came to mind. "Like when you stood up to Shireika, in a way, that was fighting. Fighting with words, true, but not a physical sort of thing."

Shouki nodded as he listened to his partner. A part of him felt that Kirimon's words were true but wasn't completely sure about it. "Well," Shouki studied the paper once more, "I'm okay with whatever you guys want me to do; be a red-herring or body guard. Kirimon seemed like a good fighter last time but I also wouldn't mind staying away from the battle field."

***

"Watching Naoko was like watching Hanshin, basically." Tomeo replied to Shireika, fielding her question from earlier. "You would know how it is. Except when that Ami girl is around, she just can't get enough of your brother - and when she can't get him, yeah, any other boy for that matter." It was true now that he had grown to hate Naoko, especially after the stunt she had pulled in the confrontation for the last fragment. At least the others didn't have to deal with someone who was so sexually flamboyant, but he couldn't ask anyone to do so in any way. Besides, Parumon seemed to be out for Seidomon - or Suzumon's - blood, whatever level the digimon was at now.

"Okay, listen, I'll continue to watch Naoko." he said, reasoning with Shireika. "But I swear, if she comes onto me again... let's just say if I have any problems, I'll switch. We'll have to be on our toes now, more than ever - they're one step ahead of us with that key fragment. Unless I'm mistaken, none of us have heard anything further from the Watcher, so I'm guessing now he could only be making limited contact with Hanshin's group. I' m guessing that's how will know where the next fragment is, and knowing that we'll be after them, they'll probably try to trick us by throwing us on a wild goose chase or sending us into a trap. Who knows when they'll be making their next move, but as long as we can keep tabs on where they are at all times, we'll be ready for them for sure." Naoko thought she was so smart. Well, soon he and Parumon would make her think otherwise.

***

Enma twirled a piece of hair around her finger lazily as she watched everyone look at the paper she had printed out. "Well, it would make more sense for someone who lives closer to me to be my 'body guard'," she grimaced at the term, "and someone who's in my grade, since giving me 'extra help' is less suspicious if, say, Hanshin randomly showed up on my street."

She frowned as she thought it over. "Red herring would be good, but me going within ten feet of my sister's front door is still slightly suspicious." She sighed. "At least she has classes at night." She rubbed her forehead, before turning to Yuu. "I think you're the closest to me, so you should be my guard." She looked at Hanshin. "Unless you object, of course."

***

“Tomeo, I’ll take Naoko for you if you want, but –really—you need to learn to ignore her. She acts worse when you insult her or talk down to her. The more you act superior around her the raunchier she gets. It’s like she wants to live down to your expectations, or perhaps, she wants to prove you are really turned on by the sort of thing you deride her for. It’s an attention thing. Just ignore her.”

Tegiwa looked back and forth between Tomeo and Shireika. “Yeah, I’ll cover Shouki until Tomeo gets fed up with Naoko. Then, I’ll trade if he wants. Naoko is easy to follow, since every thing she does is scheduled and routine.”

Naoko brought so much crap upon herself. She was rarely vulgar around Hanshin or himself. He could almost categorize his time with her as pleasant. She seemed to take rejection very personally though. Rejection and dating her sister.

“We need to pay more attention to who is doing what. They most likely won’t clump together in one or two places this next time for our convenience.”

***

“Enma. See if you can figure a reason to be in your sister’s neighborhood for a few days in a row. That way you can establish a routine, perhaps, spot the idiot Shireika will have following you.”

Naoko was feeling vaguely tired. “No, Shireika isn’t stupid. I just don’t want any one of us to be the focus of her Holy wrath, or of Hanrei’s either. I’m not sincerely worried about the others since they aren’t fanatical freaks. We shouldn’t tangle with people who would probably kill us over a key bit. Enma, if you get confronted by either of those nutjobs, flee…don’t fight. It’s not worth it. “

She felt Shireika might be the type who would run over someone with a car should they possess a fragment. Shireika seemed convinced that her brother was a threat to the world now. “I hate not being the bad guys….” She mumbled.

***

"Shireika's just doing what she think is right," Hanshin said with a sigh, "and, unfortunately, we're on the opposite side of her. She's always been like that you know." He knew he was defending his sister to a group of people who disliked her, perhaps hated her, but he couldn't deny that she was unusally driven about this. Still, he couldn't sit there and listen to them rant about her like that. She certainly wasn't crazy, but when she was determined, she wouldn't let anything come in her way. "Enma, that's fine. The rest of us, why don't we meet up at the park near that club we're playing at tonight? It'll be easy for me to get there after the concert. It'll throw Shireika and crew off for sure." He looked towards Enma. "Plan to go for that key around 10 PM, and take your time. We're not the main feature this week, so we'll be done around that time." He got up from his place at the table. He had had enough of listening to them talk about his sister like this. Or, maybe, it was listening to Naoko talk so harshly about Shireika.

He knew that Shireika was certainly a bit fanatical about keeping this key away from him, and he somewhat understood why. He knew she didn't trust him with anything. He also knew her personality. No one stood in her way, and no one kept her from doing what she wanted. And, of course, she would do anything to keep him from doing anything wrong or stupid. That was who she was.

"Well, is that it?" he asked as he looked at the others. "Enma? Yuu? You guys know what to do?"

***

Shireika looked over at Tegiwa. What was he thinking? She knew better than to let this happen. She knew what could possibly happen with Tegiwa following Naoko around again.

"Tomeo, call me if you have problems with Naoko," she said. "Hanshin and Naoko are likely to be near each other, so the switch will be easy." She paused. "You call you whomever you want to take over for you." She smiled at Tomeo before she addressed the others. "If anything happens tonight, stick with the person you're following. We can't lose sight on any of them. All right?"

***

Yuu felt a little unsure about Enma's suggestion for a moment, but quickly decided that it made good sense. Hanshin was a grade older, of course, and Naoko would probably want to stick with him. And Shouki certainly didn't need to be put in that kind of situation again. Besides, she did live the closest.

"I'm alright with being Enma's guard," she said, and nodded to Hanshin to show she knew what to do. She hoped she did, at least.

Turning to Enma, she asked "When should I head over to your place? It should probably be a while before 10, so we have time to plan."

***

"I'm starting to wonder how Enma is doing after that fight we had," said Hanarei.

Himotomon looked up at her partner in surprise. "Hanarei, are you actually worried about someone else?"

"No, I'm just curious about how bad I hurt her," she said with a smile. "If any one needs me to 'take care' of their target, I'm more than willing to do so." Himotomon glared up at her partner as though mentally reminder her of what the digimon said earlier about not wanting her to fight. "Anyway," Hanarei continued, "if they do decide to split up or something, we'll do what you suggested and just follow our target. One of them will have to find the key eventually, right?"

***

"So... I'm going with Naoko and Hanshin again?" Shouki asked just to make sure. The thought of what happened last time with Naoko and Hanshin entered his mind but he quickly tried to forget it. They weren't going into someone else's house for all he knew. They were just going to be bait. Shouki held up his bag with Kirimon in it. "Do either of you want Kirimon with you?" he asked Enma and Yuu. "He seemed to like fighting and I thought he might be helpful."

"I'm only helpful if you're around me," Kirimon replied. "Without you around, I can't digivolve and get any stronger. I would just be this."

"Oh, well, it was just an idea."

"No problem. At least you're starting to use your head and not break down over it. Sorry about that," Kirimon added when he saw Shouki's face go slightly slack.

***

Enma nodded to Hanshin, before turning to Shouki. "Thanks for the offer, though." She said, mildly politely. Out of most of the male population, Shouki was one of the nicer guys she had met - he kind of reminded her of a more timid version of her brother - and she really didn't want to see him worked up again.

Her smile faded as she turned to Yuu, and she started writing down quick notes on a piece of paper, as her brain focused on what to do. "Alright, you should probably come over for dinner - my best friend, Kaze, used to, so it's not like you'd be imposing - around six-thirty. My siblings and parents will be there, so we'll know where Nushi and my mother will be. Kou's not a problem...actually, I'm sure he'd be willing to help us if he was asked, and my dad usually goes to the hospital after dinner, so he won't have to be worried about." She thought about it. "If you come over then, there'd also be the factor of you...you've only lived here a few weeks now, right? I told my brother about you driving me to his house, so it could be like a thank-you from my family - that's what you can tell your family, if you want - and...I guess that's about it." She started to get up, wincing.

"Oh, one more thing," Enma said. "I told my parents that I got the bruise and scratches by some guy who was trying to mug me, and even if they didn't believe me at first, Kou backed me up until they bought it, so...I'd appreciate it if you left Hanarei out of it. If my mom finds out, she'll tell Hanarei's dad, then we're both in over our heads." She thought it over. "I did, however, tell her that you happened to drive down that street and your headlights scared the guy off, and you took me to my brother's house, so...just play along, okay? My mom's not that bad, but she likes to ask the question 'and how does that make you feel' a lot." She started away, slowly. "I'll talk to you later, if you need anything else, call me!"

She saluted Yuu, before starting back into the building. "Where are we going?" Mitikomomon asked.

"To find mom and tell her Yuu's coming over."

***

Asayake listened to the exchange, a small vein in her temple throbbing every time someone mentioned Naoko's name; it was rare for her to feel so much contempt for a person she hardly knew, but Naoko's laid-back views on sex seemed to bug a part of her she'd rather leave alone. Perhaps it was that she practically threw herself at the majority of the male population, legs spread; or maybe it was just because she reminded Asayake of someone she'd like to leave forgotten, but Naoko was the only person she knew who could make her blood boil with rage simply by opening her mouth.

"I'll tail Yuu again, then. I just hope she's not afraid of me or something; we got off to a pretty fucked start last week, but I'm hoping she won't hold too much of that against me." Tossing one of her braids over her shoulder, Asayake sniffed. "I'll borrow papa's moped if she goes on the move; it'll be easier to trail her with, since hover-mopeds are pretty common, and it goes pretty good if need be."

***

Hanshin had come up with a brilliant plan. Naoko smiled appreciatively up at him; he was their leader for many reasons, but conviction of act and good judgment topped the list. “Girls, let me know if you need anything special in preparation for tonight. I’ll be at the club well ahead of the show preparing for it. I’ll do my best to get a hold of whatever you might need.”

She stood and joined Hanshin. “I’m sorry I couldn’t get Wild Stallions top billing, but things seem to be working out in our favor. And, I’m sorry I was a bit tough on your sister. I don’t want to hate her. But, she know’s she is right and that we are wrong. That gives her license to hurt us. That Naoko shaped smudge on Tegiwa’s living room wall is testament to that. Honestly, I don’t want to denigrate her. But, she’s not playing a game. Our people have to understand that or they will be hurt. She thinks we are going to end the world. Basically.”

Naoko, picked up her things and adjusted her ring. “I’ll make sure the band’s things are ready to be set up for the show tonight. I’ll have to help the guys with anything they need and run to the music store or hardware shop for anything that might have gone broken or missing. You know how to reach me if you need anything! Bye, all. See you at the concert.” She trotted away in her rather conservative (by her personal standards) uniform; she couldn’t wait to change at the club for tonight.

***

Tegiwa could read Shireika’s mind. “Sorry, but I’m the only one around here that doesn’t seem to have an aneurysm in her presence. I had to volunteer. But, really, just ignoring her works well so you should be fine Tomeo.” He looked back a Shireika and added, “I’m not likely to get mixed up with her again. I can handle myself.”

***

"Bring your digimon partner. Shireika is likely to start up a fight with anyone who she believes is out of line," Hanshin said. "Her line." He looked at Yuu, Enma, and Shouki. "Look, if you don't her in your face, don't worry. I can keep her occupied, and so can Naoko. She's rough, especially when she's pissed." He shook his head. "So, everything settled then?"

***

"Right," Shireika said to Hanarei. "If one of them finds it, let me know."

"And then?" Hanarei asked.

"Get it away from them, and call for help. Once the fragment is found, we all should follow it." She looked at the others. "Whatever we do, we have to make sure that they don't get that key fragment. They already have one, and if they get this one, they've got half. We have to keep it away from them because if they eventually get that key fragment, our world and the universe could be in trouble. Anything could happen with the existence of the entire key, and it could be disastrous." She took her lunch from the table and took a bite eat. "I hate to sound so negative, but that key cannot be put back together. A power like that. There is a reason why it was broken up, and we probably should keep it that way, don't you think?"

***

"Yeah, like your uncle said Shireika, the power the key seals used to belong to an evil entity. And an evil power doesn't just get cleansed and allow itself to be used by anyone, not even Hanshin, although he thinks he's immune." Tomeo said, nodding in sincere agreement. "And thanks for the offer about Naoko, Shireika-san; but I'm not about to give her over to become someone else's problem, just to prove her right that I'm solving my problems by running from her. Besides, Parumon said she's got payback on Seidomon's hide. By the way, she wanted me to tell you that she's really sorry for losing the last fragment; the poor thing respects you and thinks it's all her fault. She's at home now, training herself like mad in my pool to make up for it."

He shook his head and gave a faint smile before he changed the subject. "So, figuring that if they get this piece they'll have half, that means there's four fragments, right? I thought there would be more somehow... alright, so we do whatever means necessary to obtain the fragment and keep it from them, just like last time. I understand that I have to protect the fragment and call for help, but now I know what this involves, I'm not going to be doing any fighting. Parumon can do that, she loves that stuff, but I don't want anyone to get hurt even if they are doing the wrong thing... not even if it's Naoko. Her life's not worth it, no-one's is. I think we should all agree on that and let the digimon do the fighting for us." He looked between everybody, giving Hanarei the longest stare. He hoped she could change her violent tendencies, for she really did seem like a nice girl otherwise. When he looked at Asayake, on the other hand... he wasn't sure. He just hoped whatever had happened between her and Yuu wouldn't take place again.

He then looked at Tegiwa and nodded, smiling wider. "Okay. I can see how that's true. Thanks for the advice, Tegiwa, I appreciate it. Thank you." He reminded himself that Naoko had gotten to him last time, and that had caused him to lose focus on going after the key fragment. He wouldn't let that happen a second time, so he was going to take Tegiwa' advice and flat-out ignore Naoko's taunts at him. The fragment was the important thing and it's fate was too importnat to gamble over a petty squabble over diferences.

Suddenly, he stopped to think about something Tegiwa had just finished saying. "Wait a minute... 'mixed up with her again'?" He shot Tegiwa a sceptical look, and suddenly his offer of taking Naoko off his hands became obviously clear. "In what way did you... oh, god, don't tell me she got mixed up with you in the way I think she did, Tegiwa-san?" he asked in a disappointed tone of voice. It was entirely off the subject they were discussing, but he felt like he had to know if Tegiwa had been sleeping with the enemy, even more so since he himself was the one going to be handling Naoko. He wouldn't be handing her off to Tegiwa if she had already nailed him, that was for sure. Tegiwa was his friend, and he wasn't about to let him become tempted to be used in that way. Again.

***

Tegiwa sighed. “Yeah, I know….I got a nice lecture from Shireika…but, it’s nothing to worry too much about right now. Besides, once we get at least one key part we’ll end Hanshin’s little plan. Then, perhaps we can all go back to being digidestines and friends. We won’t all be enemies forever, even if we don’t all get along. Don’t waste too much time hating the other side, Tomeo. Once Hashin’s stopped cold I think we may learn what is up with the real threat. We guardians are always guardians.”

Damn, why did they have to start with such negative feelings toward each other. Hanshin was still Shireika’s brother and his friend. Okay, friend might be a stretch for Hanshin these days. He was close to both even if he didn’t approve of Hansin’s life choices. Shireika didn’t hate her brother; she loved him enough to cream him before letting him do something stupid. He didn’t hate Naoko either. She was icky at times but she had her own good points. If she’d lose the superslut act, he wouldn’t mind being around her for more than 5 minutes.

“Yeah, I understand. Tail Shouki. Not a problem. Let’s make this the last time. My bosses aren’t too forgiving, folks.”

***

“Yeah, Seidomon seems to do well in a fight. And, Shireika gets so pissed off by the fact I draw breath that she can’t see straight. So, none of you will have to worry about her, and I move fast enough not to get hit often in a fight. I just wish I was better at dealing damage sometimes.

“Hanshin, I got your back.” Naoko put her arm around his waist and pressed her cheek to his side.

“So, we let Kirimon digivolve and handle the others. Okay. I’ll just hang out and keep a eye open in case someone goes after Hanshin or the key fragment. I’ll… I’ll try to do better this time.” Shouki’s voice faltered at the end. Confidence was still at level suck.

Naoko gave him a warm smile. “I don’t think last time was so bad. I know you’ll do your best.” He was going to keep beating himself up, wasn’t he? He was so sad. It almost made him seem cuter when he sulked, but he never seemed to recover from it.

Back