“I don’t think that this was a good idea,” Ken muttered as Daisuke swerved the boat in an attempt to cut Takeru off. “Stop that! You’re going to make us capsize or something!”
“Don’t be such a worrywart!” Daisuke shot back, turning to face Ken and sticking out his tongue.
“Keep your eyes in front of you already!” Ken snapped. Daisuke giggled and dutifully turned his head.
Ken sighed and mentally cursed summer and the spirit of competition. And Taichi. Yes, Taichi definitely had to pay for telling Takeru that there was a class on boat operation being held at the aquatic center on the coast. And, of course, after Takeru had signed up Daisuke had to sign up too, just to show that he could beat Takeru at something. And then they had both done well in the class and were given temporary licenses to operate small sailboats. So naturally they had each rented a boat and decided to race. Hikari and Miyako were currently trying to avoid drowning on Takeru’s boat. Iori had decided to stay on shore to watch the Digimon. Ken was on Daisuke’s boat and was beginning to seriously fear for his life.
“Why did I agree to do this again?” Ken wondered aloud.
“Because I’m not allowed to do this by myself,” Daisuke shouted back. “And you’re my best friend so you said you’d come with me!”
“That was a rhetorical question!” Ken replied, shouting to be heard above the wind. The sails strained and the boat sped up as Ken mused that they had picked the perfect day for a race. It was blowing hard enough to keep the boats moving at a pretty good pace, and so far the waves were only marginally bothersome. The sky was a little darker than Ken might have liked, but nothing very ominous.
A wave appeared out of nowhere and splashed Ken, soaking his clothes. Ken sighed, mournfully touching a piece of his salt-dampened hair. This was not as much fun as Daisuke had said it would be. He was wet, he was cold, and he was certain that they were going to run into something whenever the opportunity presented itself. He glanced down at the D-3 still attached to his belt and hoped that a little water wouldn’t harm it too much. The others had forgotten to take theirs off too, so he figured that if anything happened to them at least they’d all be in the same boat.
That was an awful pun, Ken mused, leaning back and fiddling with the straps of his life jacket. Next time he was staying with Iori on dry land.
“Eat our waves, Daisuke!” Miyako called from Takeru’s boat as they began to move ahead. Daisuke squawked with rage.
“We’ll see who eats it!” he declared and tried to speed up. Ken groaned and covered his head with his hands.
I am not seasick, I am not seasick, I am not seasick...
“Ken? Are you okay? You look....seasick,” Daisuke said with concern. Ken glared at him and would have spoken, but then a particularly violent gust of wind blew by and the boat swerved dangerously. Ken, huddled on the floor, slid across the boat and banged his shoulder on the opposite side.
“You had to race,” Ken muttered, rubbing his injured shoulder.
“Don’t be so annoyed, Ken! This is fun!” Daisuke threw back his head and laughed. Ken sweatdropped and lowered his head into his hands, trying to calm his stomach.
A cold wind blew by and Ken shivered. Glancing up, he noticed that the sky had rapidly become rather dark.
“Ano....Daisuke? Do you know--are we nearing the island yet?” The group had chosen one of the small islands off the coast for a finish line.
“You wanna give up already?” Daisuke asked, looking a little annoyed.
“No. It’s just...doesn’t the sky look a little dark to you? It looks like a storm’s brewing, and fast.”
“It’s just a few clouds!” Daisuke waved a hand airily. “Nothing to worry about.”
He had barely finished his sentence when a bright bolt of lightning split the sky off in the distance, accompanied moments later by a blast of thunder. A second later, it began to rain, even as the wind picked up.
“Nothing to worry about, he says!” Ken yelled back at Daisuke.
“Daisuke!” The two turned to look at the other boat, which Takeru was trying to maneuver closer to theirs. Miyako was yelling across the expanse. “We have to get to dry land!”
“Duh!” Daisuke called back. “But we’re nowhere near the island, and we’re too far out to go back the way we came!”
“There are probably a few smaller islands around here!” Takeru got his boat as close to Daisuke’s as he dared, not wanting the two to collide. “We can stop there and wait out the storm!”
“Right!” Daisuke turned to Ken, who was clutching the side of the boat with white hands, and gave him a shaky smile. “Don’t worry, Ken. We’ll be okay.”
“Y-yeah...” Ken swallowed hard and closed his eyes. I’m ready to go home now.
“Daisuke, look out!” Hikari’s panicked scream caused Daisuke to turn his face away from Ken and back to the water in front of him. His eyes widened as he saw a huge wave appear from seemingly out of nowhere, bearing down upon the small boat. The wind and the waves had moved Takeru’s boat out of its way, but Daisuke was steering right into it.
“Oh shit--” Daisuke muttered as the wave washed over him. The water filled his mouth and forced him to close his eyes. He could hear, distantly, the screams of the girls and the splintering of wood. Somewhere around him he heard Ken cry out, and then he found himself completely submerged for one terrifying moment before the lifejacket carried him to the surface.
From the other boat, the girls leaned dangerously out, trying to see their friends through the sudden rain and waves.
“Do you see them?” Takeru called to them.
“I don’t!” Hikari’s voice was breathless with worry. “Wait! I think--it’s Daisuke!”
Daisuke’s head broke the surface. He greedily gasped in air, already shaking slightly from the cold water. He looked around and stared dumbly at the scattered remains of his boat, then glanced over at Takeru’s boat.
“Stay there, Daisuke,” Takeru ordered. “I’ll try to get closer so we can haul you in.”
“But--where’s Ken?” Daisuke continued to scan the water. “Ken! Ken, where are you?”
There was no answer. Impulsively, Daisuke tried to dive back under the water, but the life jacket wouldn’t allow him. Ignoring Takeru’s shout to stay where he was, Daisuke swam into the midst of his wrecked boat, searching for any sign of his friend.
“Ken!” he yelled again, barely able to even hear himself over the storm. “Damn it, Ken, answer me!”
He suddenly caught sight of something not far off. Daisuke swam closer and finally caught sight of Ken. The other boy was clinging to a splintered piece of wood, his hands and face white. There was a deep cut across his forehead and his eyes had a dazed, glassy look.
“Oh shit!” Daisuke battled against the waves, trying to reach his obviously injured friend.
“Hang on, Daisuke, we’re--” Takeru’s yell was suddenly cut off by the sound of splintering wood. Daisuke whirled just in time to see a wave slam into Takeru’s boat, fragmenting it. The occupants disappeared beneath the waves.
“Takeru! Hikari! Miyako!” Daisuke called even as he continued to try to make his way towards Ken. A wave suddenly propelled him forward quite unexpectedly, and he found himself floating just inches from Ken.
“Ken!” Daisuke quickly spanned the distance between them and put an arm around Ken’s shoulders. Ken was shivering violently, and he seemed to be only barely aware that Daisuke was there.
“S-so c-c-cold....” Ken whispered through chattering teeth.
“Y-yeah, I know.” Daisuke wrapped his wet arms around Ken in a futile attempt to warm him up, despite the fact that Daisuke himself was also wet and shivering.
“D-Daisuke...” Ken gulped and sagged slightly in Daisuke grip. Then his head snapped up and his eyes grew wide. “No--no, no--no--”
“Wh--” Daisuke’s words were choked off another huge wave washed over him, dragging him under despite the life vest. He struggled uselessly, trying to reach the surface. Ken was jarred roughly from his grip, floating away with the water. Daisuke tried to call for him, but his mouth was full of water, and his vision was beginning to get fuzzy...
The last thing Daisuke remembered before consciousness left him was a soft bluish light eminating from somewhere....somewhere very nearby....
Iori sat by the window of the small abandoned beachside restaurant, staring out at the storm. Upamon sat in his lap, and Chibimon, Poromon, and Minomon rested on the table in front of him. Patamon was perched atop his head, and Tailmon prowled at his feet. Across the empty restaurant sat Yamato, resting his elbows on the old counter. Taichi was pacing restlessly in front of him.
“They probably reached the island by now, right? Right?” Taichi murmured.
“They had to.” Yamato gazed towards Iori’s window. “I don’t get this storm. It was fine a little while ago.”
“I shouldn’t have let her go!” Taichi exploded. “I shouldn’t have even let them have this stupid race, it’s dangerous--”
“Calm down, Taichi,” Yamato soothed. “We have to believe they’re all right.”
“How can you tell me to calm down?” Taichi fretted. “Hikari could be in trouble! Aren’t you even worried about Takeru?”
A quick spasm of pain flashed across Yamato’s face and was quickly suppressed. It wouldn’t help things to lose his composure, he knew. There would be time for that later, when they knew more things for certain. Right now, he had to be the calm one. He had to stop Taichi from freaking out. And then there was Iori as well, awaiting word from his friends.
I have to be the mature one here, Yamato thought, even as his heart clenched in fear. I have to believe that Takeru’s all right. For my sanity if nothing else.
“I’m worried about them all. But going insane won’t help things.” He sighed. “All we can do is wait, Taichi.”
“I know.” Taichi collapsed into a chair next to him and lowered his head into his arms. “I don’t like it, but I know.”
“What’s wrong, Iori?” Upamon glanced up at his quiet friend.
“Shh, Upamon. There’s a storm, and we don’t know how the others are, if they’re still out there...” Iori turned his face back to the window. Outside the storm raged.
Minna....be safe.
“Mmm....” Daisuke felt awful. His head was pounding and his throat was dry. He struggled for a moment and then managed to open his eyes. “Wh-where the heck am I?”
He was lying in the sand, water lapping at his ankles. Daisuke pulled himself into a sitting position, putting a hand to his aching head. He pulled it back a moment later, realizing that his gloves had fallen off somewhere, and his hands were covered in blood and small cuts.
“Wait a minute, Daisuke,” he told himself firmly. “Try to sort things out logically. That’s what Ken always tells you to do.” He swallowed, remembering. Ken...where’s he now? “Don’t think about that yet. Okay, what do I remember? We were on a boat, a storm hit. I fell into the water, and so did Ken, and then Takeru’s boat got smashed and him and the girls fell in too. And then I got Ken, but a wave hit us and I--I guess I passed out. And then I woke up here.” He looked around, seeing only sand and trees. “So...where’s here?”
Silence answered him. He sat for a few moments, pondering what to do, then nodded to himself.
“I’ve gotta see if I can find someone--anyone. Help, the others, anyone...” He dragged himself to his feet, and was promptly overcome with a wave of dizziness and had to sit back down. Gathering up his strength, he tried again and was pleased to find himself able to stand.
“Now, gotta walk.” One foot in front of the other, yes, it was working. Pleased with himself, Daisuke made his way along the shoreline. He had just dragged himself over a fallen log when he noticed a figure sprawled out in the sand a ways in front of him. He stumbled over and saw with surprise that it was Hikari.
“Please be alive,” Daisuke murmured as he knelt down beside her. Like him, she looked bruised and cut but otherwise unhurt. He shook her gently. “C’mon, Hikari. Wake up.”
She didn’t respond, and Daisuke shook her harder.
“C’mon, wake up! Please? Wake up, c’mon!” Daisuke was aware that his voice was starting to sound borderline hysterical, but he couldn’t help it. He was scared, he was worried, he wanted to go home, and right now things weren’t looking very good.
“D-Daisuke?” Hikari’s eyes opened reluctantly and Daisuke breathed a sigh of relief. With his help she managed to sit up. “Ugh...where are we?” She looked around. “Where’s everyone else?”
“I don’t know.” Daisuke shook his head. “I just woke up here and started walking. You’re the first person I saw.” He lowered his eyes. “H-hey, Hikari? You don’t think that--well, that they--that they could be....you know, do you? I-I mean....dead?”
“No!” Hikari said emphatically, then took a deep breath. “We can’t think that, Daisuke. You and I made it to safety, so--so maybe they did, too. We’ll just have to find them.”
“R-right.” Daisuke nodded. “Can you stand?”
“Yeah, I think so.” With Daisuke’s help, Hikari got to her feet. “All right. Come on.”
The two walked for what seemed to Daisuke to be hours. They hadn’t seen any of their friends or, for that manner, any humans at all.
“It feels strange here,” Hikari said softly. She shuddered. “I don’t think we should be here.”
“Yeah,” Daisuke agreed. “But how’re we supposed to get home with the boats all smashed up?”
“They’ll be looking for us,” Hikari reminded him. “Iori, Yamato and my brother were waiting back at the beach, remember? When we don’t show up, they’ll go looking.”
“I hope they find us soon, then,” Daisuke said. “Because I really wanna go home. But not until we find the others,” he added.
“Did you hear that?” Hikari signaled for him to be quiet. Daisuke promptly shut his mouth and listened. He could hear the faint rustling of bushes, the sound coming nearer by the moment.
“Let’s go see what it is,” Daisuke decided, striding forward. Hikari followed carefully behind. They were getting closer to the sound every moment. Suddenly, three familiar figures emerged from the foliage.
Takeru was in the lead. He had lost his hat and his clothes were torn. He had a large bruise on one side of his face and was holding his wrist as if it pained him. Just behind him was Miyako, who was sporting cracked glasses and several bruises, most prominently one down the side of her leg. She was also supporting Ken, who wasn’t looking too good. The gash on his forehead was now surrounded by purplish blue bruising, and his skin was far too pale.
“Hikari! Daisuke!” Takeru hurried forward to meet them. “Are you two okay?”
“A little banged up, but okay,” Daisuke reported. “What about you guys?”
“I think my wrist’s broken,” Takeru said, nodding to his limp right wrist. “Other than that, I’m all right. Miyako’s okay, just bruised like everyone else. It looks like Ken’s leg is broken, and I think he got hit on the head by something. He’s acting a little...off. I think he might need a doctor.”
“Something we don’t have right now,” Daisuke said gravely. He walked carefully over to where Miyako stood with Ken. “Hey, Ken? How do you feel?”
Ken raised his head halfway and gave Daisuke a rather sickly smile.
“You’re all wet,” he said, his voice fuzzy and distant. “All...wet.”
“Y-yeah,” Daisuke replied. He put a hand to Ken’s forehead and glanced back at the others. “I think he’s got a fever.”
“I know,” Takeru said grimly.
“We need to find a place where he can rest,” Miyako said. “We were looking for a good spot when we ran into you guys.”