The Second Chance

By
Sarnokh

"O Fortune, like the moon
You are changeable,
Ever waxing an waning.
Fate is against me,
In health and virtue,
Driven on and weighted down,
Always enslaved.
Since Fate strikes down the strong man,
Everyone weep with me!"

From: Carmina Burana
By Carl Orff

It was a cold January morning, when Iori awoke from his sleep. It was the same dream, that had haunted him for many years. The memory of his long gone travels into the DigiWorld, when he was with his friends, the other Digidestinied. In the end they had believed, that evil was destroyed, that the DigiWorld was saved and free. He remembered their great party the first and second Digidestinied had made after their final triumph. But even there Iori had felt the shadows. It wasn't the truth. They had lost.
He walked into the kitchen and brewed some tea, as he did every morning. There was nothing to do. But wait! He remembered… This was the 50th anniversary of their first entry into the DigiWorld. Fifty long years ago, when he was still a young boy, he had first entered this new world. It was a world of miracles and wonder, and though he and his friends were in constant struggle first against Ken, the Digimon Kaiser, then against evil Digimon, it was the best time of his life. And that was one of the problems. The years following seemed empty and shallow to him. He had done, what all grown-ups was supposed to do: learn a job and become successful. He had chosen the path of reason and sincerity. For Iori this had meant to follow the call of science. He had studied the DigiWorld with public support in the University, where he was employed. There he had been Professor Iori Hida! But shortly after he began to research the DigiWorld, their old Digimon - Partners started to fade away, stricken from some mysterious malady. The weaker and younger Digimon waned away first, then the more powerful followed. Heavy storms blew over the lands and dark clouds gathered, seemingly swallowing the DigiWorld. Then, when all the Digimon had passed away, the landscape started to wither, too. After ten years of hopeless fighting the DigiWorld finally collapsed and was no more. No one ever found out what happened, and their where no more Digidestinied. The circle was broken, as Iori's friends had soon lost contact. Of cause Iori, TK, Davis, Miyako, Hikari and Ken had sworn to be friends for all eternity. But that eternity was over after several months. It seemed, that they had nothing more to say to each other, and so their ways parted. They had been unable to support the formation of new Digidestinied, and so the DigiWorld was without heroes and saviours.
A week ago Iori had got an Email from Tai. Taichi was an old man now, too. But he had followed his road, had made a difficult decision and went for it. Tai had lived all his life with his one and only love, Yamato. But now this was over, too. Tai had written in his Mail, that Yamato had died recently, and Tai wanted to gather some of the old friends. This meeting should take place today.

When Iori entered the café, he looked around and in an instant he spied Tai out, even though he hadn't seen him for nearly 30 years. Tai still had much hair - for his age. It was completely white, but still seemingly hard to tame. Deep shadows of sorrow hung in Tai's face. And others where with him, too. Iori approached the table and greeted Tai. There was a glimpse of a smile on Tai's face.
"Welcome, old friend! Good to have you here with us!", Tai's weak voice croaked. Tai introduced the others. "Here, if you don't mind; these are TK, Mimi and Miyako." Iori shook their hand, and they all greeted him friendly.
'That where all left?' Iori mused in his mind.
Mimi must have guessed his thoughts. "We where unable to find the others.", she said to Iori. "We don't even know if they are still alive. We have lost contact too long ago."
"Um, I am very sorry for Yamato's death!", Iori said to Tai. He knew how much they had loved each other, but the decision to go for it was hard for both. Tai had disappointed Sora, who had always hoped to gain Tai's love, and Yamato's father was furious and broke any contact with his son, when he outed himself. But Yamato and Tai had spent a lifetime together, against all odds.
They told about their memories in the DigiWorld, the good times only, and renewed their friendship. But all of them felt empty. The DigiWorld was no more.
Suddenly Miyako turned away from cheerful tales. "But to this day I have asked myself, why the DigiWorld had to die. What went wrong?" The question hung heavy in the air.
Remarkably it was Tai to answer. "There was something I learned from Yamato. Through all the years we where Digidestinied and throughout the time we were in the DigiWorld, I had believed it was our goal as well as our destiny to fight against evil creatures. And we gave this believe to our followers. But Yamato later always used to say, that the true enemy we had to fight against was the evil within ourselves. Not to give up hope, to follow the path of our hearts, not backing away because of fear from the consequences. To be led by love, truth and courage alone. This was the true conquest, the real struggle - to make yourself free of common morals and follow the call of your heart, whatever that path would mean." Tai gazed out of the window and watched the falling snow. His mind seemed to be far away. "Now I know, that he was right."

Later, when the meeting was over, Iori and Miyako silently walked together. Their steps crunched in the snow as they walked side by side. They had to go slowly, as Miyako had grown week on her feet lately.
Iori tried to focus on a question, that was haunting him for ages. "Miyako, do you know what happened to the others? I haven't met any of them for decades."
Miyako sighed. "Neither have I. But I received some Mails from time to time, and I kept an eye for our old friends. You know that TK and Hikari married. They lived together for about four years, then they divorced. They didn't have any children. TK rarely speaks to anyone now, and he never told any of us what happened. He has stayed alone ever since. I was surprised to meet him here; but you have seen yourself: he his just a shadow of his former self. I have heard that Daisuke moved to Europe. He wanted to leave his old life behind and forget. What became of him is not known to me. And Ken…" Miyako stopped. Iori knew how much she was fond of Ken. She was the first in their group to understand Ken, and for a while they spent much of their time together. "He was possessed by his research of the DigiWorld. When the plague broke out that decimated the Digimon, he had no time for me. He searched for a way to save the DigiWorld, but with all his genius he failed to find a answer. And then there was the accident. When most of the Digimon where dead, he finally succeeded to gain entrance into the DigiWorld. He never returned. I think he died together with the DigiWorld."
Iori looked at Miyako with shock, but her gaze was calm. It seemed that she had found peace in her age. But there was still a great sorrow within her. "Don't you want to come to a cup of tea or coffee, Iori?", she asked. "I didn't have any visitors for quite a time."
Iori smiled. "Yes, certainly."
Later they sat in Miyako's apartment. She still had much of Ken's old belongings. Pictures of him from the time they had spent together were standing on a desk. Iori contracted the muscles of his fists. Something was working in his mind since he had awoken this morning. And the many pieces he had gathered over all the years finally seemed to form to a picture. But why should he now trust his thoughts? He had failed to save the DigiWorld long ago. There was nothing to do, now. But somehow his meeting with the old friends had relightened a fire within him. The search for understanding. Understanding, which was something entirely different than knowledge. It is like the difference between knowledge and wisdom. Miyako continued to relate the researches Ken had made in all the years, but Iori had listened only with one ear. But suddenly he was alert.
"What did you say, how did he open the gate into the DigiWorld?", Iori asked.
Miyako seemed worried. "I had to activate my Digivice, and we used their combined powers to force a gateway into the DigiWorld."
Suddenly Iori had an idea. It struck him like lightning, and he sprung from his chair as he would still be the young boy he once was. "Miyako! We must go to my old laboratory on the University Campus. I am certain, my old devices will still be there. There is a thing I must try!"
Miyako gazed at Iori as if he had lost his mind. "What do you mean?"
"Please, Miyako! It may be to late for us. But there is still hope for others." He walked to the door. "And take your Digivice with you, we will need it."

*************************************

Ken felt the storm upon him. The horizon had never been so close than now. Much of the DigiWorld had disintegrated. He had travelled this once beautiful land up and down for an answer. Shortly before Wormmon died, he had given Ken his last advice.
"Ken!", Wormmon's weak voice whispered. "Ken! I can't stay any longer. I am loosing myself."
Tears had welled in Ken's eyes. "No! Wormmon! You must stay with me. I can't return home, and all the other Digimon - Partners are gone. Don't leave me alone!"
Wormmon sighed. "I… can't prevent… it. Ken… You must listen. You are the most smart guy I have met, but there is something else that is of importance. Evil has many ways. To give up your dreams is one of it." Wormmon coughed heavily. "Create a bridge! A bridge to restore what is lost." And with a last effort of strength Wormmon gazed into Ken's eyes. "There…is…no…Time!" And then Wormmon disappeared forever.
This memory had haunted him, and he had pondered this words again and again. But Ken had failed to find the answer. He look around. This small valley now was all that remained of the DigiWorld, and within a few hours, it would be swallowed by the blackness of the storm as well. And now he finally had understood what Wormmon meant. He understood what had caused the plague and the storm. It was our fault, he thought. And now there is only hope, that someone would find the bridge he would create. He would be that bridge. When he felt the dark storm upon him a great weight seemed to fall from him. Love, truth and courage. He understood everything, now. He thought of the only person he had ever loved, and that he had never told it. But there was hope. Perhaps. And with the greatest effort of his life, he ran towards the borders of reality and with one loud cry from the depths of his torn soul the plunged and dived into the silent darkness of the Void.

*************************************

TK stared into his computer terminal. This just didn't make any sense, he pondered. He tried to find any sense out of this, but it was in vain. The gate to the DigiWorld had closed a week ago, and none of his friends was able to enter the DigiWorld now. They had gotten Emails from the Digimon, that they were weakened by an illness. And now yesterday the storms had begun. He had tried to enter the DigiWorld again and again, but it had always failed.
He stared at the map of the DigiWorld and thought of his friends. One month ago the great party had been, and TK had a bad feeling about it. As ever he came with Hikari. Hikari! He never was certain what to tell her and how to behave. She shared his thoughts and feelings, and they where able to understand each other without words. And he knew the voices of reason and responsibility. He would not be like his brother, who always had rebelled against rules and regulations, and who finally had broken all contact with their father. It was a heated dispute between Yamato and his father. Father had called his brother a pervert, and shouted that he was no longer his son. Father started to call TK 'my only son', and Takeru knew what that meant. Yamato had left the home and moved to Tai. Now they had moved in a small apartment, with the support of Tai's parents, who where much more understanding. They where not very pleased that their son Taichi was in love with Yamato, but finally they supported their son against all odds. Tai and Yama went to a gay youth group and found a new life, but as a result they where shunned by most of their old friends. Sora, who had hoped for Tai all the years, was of cause smitten, and had ceased any contact. Jyou and Koushiro were quite worried and failed to understand them. It was only Mimi who had tried to hold the group together. And there were Hikari and him, TK thought.
They where now the paragons of the Digidestinied. And like the first group, TK's present group was about to split, too. Daisuke had some quarrel with Iori and planned to study in Europe at the next term, and he had already found the support of his parents to do so.

Suddenly his Digivice came to life, as if been activated by some invisible hand. The Digivice hadn't been working properly for nearly a week. He quickly grabbed it and all of a sudden, the computer screen flickered. "What the heck?", TK shouted. He slammed at the monitor, but the map disappeared and a face formed in the screen. It was a very old man, weak and withered by time. He gazed at TK with an urgent demand, and somehow looked familiar.
"TK? Takeru! Can you see me? Do you listen? TK?", the old man shouted.
TK did not know if this was a dream. How did this old man appear on his screen? Then an old woman with long, grey hair appeared on the screen. "There, Iori! I can see him… TK!", she shouted, too.
Takeru gaped at the screen. "What, who are you? What do you do in my computer? Is this a virus attack?"
"TK, wait! Be calm, we are friends of you!", the woman said urgently. TK didn't remember having friends of that age.
The old man continued: "TK. Please just listen for a moment. The existence of the DigiWorld depends upon it! We know of the plague and the storms that have appeared there, and we can help you." Now TK was alert. How did they know?
"There are many things, that will be strange to you, TK.", the old man said. "But you are our only hope now. If you fail to listen, the DigiWorld will be destroyed and our cause will fail. We have just this one chance to speak to you, and soon our time is over."
"Speak, and I will listen. But who are you?", TK asked.
"This will be hard to accept, but all depends upon it. I am Iori. Yes, your old friend Iori, and this is Miyako. It has been 50 years since we went into the DigiWorld for us, and we saw our beloved DigiWorld wither and die. The plague you must have seen will kill all the Digimon, and the storm will swallow the world within the next ten years. And there is nothing of the usual fighting that will stop this."
TK looked at the old couple. Yes, there was a great similarity between Iori, Miyako and these two.
"Listen!", the woman said. "We can proof this." And then Miyako and Iori related some incidents in the DigiWorld, only they could have known.
"All right! I believe you.", TK finally said. "But what can we do."
"We can do no more.", Iori said. "But you can do this. It is no evil in the DigiWorld, that consumes it, but a darkness in your world, our world - the earth that has caused this disaster. For many years Ken and I researched this problem, looking for some enemy or dark force. But we where wrong. The false path was chosen. The path of denial."
TK was worried. "Denial? What are you talking about?"
Now Miyako stepped forward. "It is not a darkness outside you all have to conquer, but a darkness within. Many of us have not allowed ourselves to be, what we are and what we want to be. We clung to ideals, the world of the grown-ups had given us and never questioned them. We never understood the meaning of the crests truly. Love, truth, courage, hope… You know them. We followed this virtues in the DigiWorld, but failed to do so in our lives in earth."
"Why do you think, that always children where chosen as Digidestinied?", Iori asked. "We never questioned this, as we should have done. Don't you think that grown-ups would have been much more appropriate to fight against evil Digimon? The answer is, that we where chosen in that young age, because we hadn't the prejudice and weren't closed-minded like many elder people. But finally we followed them; we strived to be like them and never thought, if there was another way. A way of the heart. TK! I have wasted my life following sincerity and self-control; I wanted to become a famous and known scientist, admired because of his ability and genius. But that was wrong. The world has won over our ideal! But you still can remain to be young, and stand for your feelings."
"I don't know, what you mean!", TK stated fiercely. His cheeks were red with anger. "But we must grow up, we must be responsible persons and build a life!"
Iori sighed. "Yes. But you can make you own kind of happiness, you don't have to follow the path most others are walking. Have courage to face the truth. The truth of love, Takeru." TK saw the old man weeping, now. "TK, we have all spent a life of lies and loneliness, because none of us dared to be, what he is! Don't make this failure! Only this can save the DigiWorld."
TK shook his head. Touched in his heart he did not know what to say for a time. "Even if I would follow your advise, what does this have to do with the DigiWorld? Why should following your advise help me?"
It was Miyako who answered, as Iori looked down, holding his hands before his crying eyes. "The plague as well as the storm are the result of you giving up yourself. Not you alone, TK, but all of the Digidestinied! You are up to build your life on a lie, and in that way the light within you will die. Your hope will die, your love will die. And as you give up dreaming, hope and honesty you deny yourself. You stop living all the Digimon stand for! You start to follow reason instead of love, control instead of spontaneity, sobriety instead of your natural cheerfulness. Keep the child you still have within you alive! Only then, the DigiWorld will survive. You must tell what is hidden deep within your heart, even though you fear it."
Now TK felt tears welling in his eyes. "Then all is lost! I just can't do this! I can not!"
"You must!", Iori cried, still weeping, too. "You must be true! And please tell Daisuke and me to do the same. We knew better in our the days in the DigiWorld. But we lost the chance! Tell him all about this! And please tell my younger self!", Iori implored.
Takeru shut his eyes. How could he do this? Would he have the strength to do this?
"Takeru!", Miyako demanded. "Ken sacrificed his life to forge this bridge over time itself! His sacrifice must not be in vain! If you believe us, you can still change things. Then this arc of time will cease to exist, and you get a second chance. But if you fail to believe us, and more believe in yourself, all will be lost forever, and the DigiWorld will be no more than a story."
"Okay!", TK stated. "Tell me what I must know and I will try my best."
So Iori and Miyako told him everything.

TK's eyes were red from the weeping, so sad was the story of Iori and Miyako. How could that happen? How could we waste our life in such an way? And how could he hope to keep his way in a world where kindness, love and honesty were seldom, and to go the way of love meant to be open to the attack of many?
"Go to Yamato!", Miyako said. "He is the only one who knows the truth. He could have helped you, but all of us refused to listen to him, because he showed what we and you missed to do! Love, truth and courage, TK. Ponder this well, old friend!"
And with that Iori and Miyako were gone.

TK didn't know how long he stared at the empty screen of his computer. It seemed like hours, but in fact it was only for 15 minutes. Then he knew where to begin. 'Start with yourself, TK', he said to himself. Then he shut down the computer, pulled on his cloths and went to Yamato and Tai, hoping that they would be there.

*********************************

"Tai! Do you want one or two cups of coffee?", Yamato cried from the kitchen.
"Rmpf!", Tai groaned. "Better make two!", he called from the bedroom. Ugh! Taichi felt so tired. It was a long night and they had returned quite late, so they had slept into noon. He slowly rose from the large double-bed and rubbed his eyes. Slowly he went into the bathroom and gazed into the mirror. 'Oh my Gawd!', Tai thought to himself. 'My hair looks like I had touched a high voltage fence!' He combed his hair until it looked like usual. For Tai this seemed like a great difference, but most people tended to see no difference between his combed and uncombed hair. But Yamato loved his hair exactly in this way, and there really was no way to tame his mane.
Tai stepped into the kitchen, where Yamato was preparing the 'breakfast'. The wonderful smell und fresh toast was in the air, and the coffee machine was audibly working.
"Mornin' Yama", Tai said with sleepy eyes and kissed Yamato on his cheeks.
"Good morning! It is half past two! I thought you never would wake up.", Yamato placed the butter on the table. "Hey, come here!", He grabbed Tai and they held and kissed each other.
"Better brush your teeth!", Yamato joked grinning, kissing his beloved again.
"You suddenly prefer the taste of toothpaste?", Tai answered. "I would do, but coffee always tastes ugly after I brushed my teeth."
They sat down and Yama filled their cups with coffee. Then he juggled with the hot toast and placed them unto the dishes. They had just eaten their first toast when the doorbell rung.
"Who might this be?", Yama asked. "Do you expect visit?"
"No." Tai shook his head. "Please take a look. You are dressed - I am still in my Pyjama."
Yamato went to the door and opened. Before him stood his brother TK. He had obviously wept. His eyes were red. "What happened! TK, come in!", Yamato urged.
After Yamato had closed the door, his brother fell in his arms and started to weep again. Yamato hadn't held his younger brother for quite a time, and he remembered the many years he had tried to protect him as their parents didn't have much time for them.
Tai appeared and looked. He wanted to leave the brothers alone, but TK stepped back. "Tai, please. You…, you must not go!" TK stammered.
"Come on then. Let's go in the living room and take seat, all right?", Yamato asked.

After Takeru related Yamato and Tai everything he had experienced in his conversation with Iori and Miyako, they all fell silent.
Yamato and Tai exchanged glances, and Tai nodded in understanding.
"TK.", Yama started. "So what has made you weep? What do you have to do now?"
"Yama… I… I… I just can't go to Hikari and father and tell them, not to speak of Ken! Father will explode. I will destroy all his dreams. He always dreamed of grandchildren, and since you moved to Tai I had to bear all his dreams! I just can't go to father and tell him… that…"
Yamato held his brother's head and looked in eyes. "That what, TK?"
Tears ran from TK's eyes. "That… that I love Ken!"
Tai rose his eyebrows. He wanted to say 'Well, you are some kind of family!', but just in time he bit on his tongue, fearing TK might understand this wrong. His way of talking first and thinking later had caused many quarrels between Yama and him in the past, before they had told the truth about their feelings.
"And besides father, what will Hikari say? She believed that I love her! But now she will never want to see me, even so I really want to keep our friendship. And.. and Ken! He seems to like Miyako, but Miyako - I mean the old Miyako told me, that I should tell Ken the truth! Now I'm so worried. What can I do."
"Takeru!", Tai began. "I can't judge if what you said about the DigiWorld is true. I see that there is something wrong with the Digimon. But you must built your life on the truth! I really know how hard it is to step forward and tell others something, that usually is shunned and mocked. But there is no other way." He looked into Yamato's eyes and smiled. "But Yama's love has made me happier than all laughter or hatred can cause me pain. Perhaps I should tell you what happened several years ago."
Yamato nodded approvingly, and so Tai started to tell TK his story.

****************************************

Tai's Story:
It was in the cool evening, when we sat at the sea and Yamato played the harmonica, as he had so many time before while we were on the great island. It had always touched my heart, but I used to think it was the wonderful music. Only then the idea came to me, that it may have been the player. I pushed that thought away. But when I was alone, awake in the nights, that impression haunted me, even so I tried to focus on something else.
Over time I was surprised to find myself gazing at Yamato frequently. Was it because he questioned me whenever possible? Did I see him as a rival? Yes, a rival he was! And each time he questioned me I felt hurt. But hurt as a leader? No, I shouldn't follow these thoughts! And I succeeded to ignore them for a very long time, while they still grew within. They where like a poison to me. The longer I suppressed them, the more aggressive I reacted to his comments, as they forced me to be confronted with my emotions. I liked him much. Yes! He could be my friend!
Some time later, when I had one of the night watches, I wandered around our campsite. The other were all in deep slumber, when Yamato caught up to me.
"Tai!" His voice was definitely annoyed and angry. "I want to talk to you. Today you have questioned all my suggestions again!"
I stopped and turned to him, so he continued: "When I said that this clearing looked odd, you called me a coward, but a short time later we where attacked. I have tried to ignore your bad attitude towards me, but…" I couldn't help myself but laugh. He really didn't ignore anything of that! But I didn't see that he really grew mad about this. He boxed into my stomach, and I was grasping for air. Without losing much time, I jumped upon him and we were rolling over the ground. I am a bit stronger than Yamato, but he was quick. After some struggle I finally had him under me.
"How can you dare to attack me! Are you mad!", I cried to him. He struggled to get free, and started to shout insults to me, but I kept him in my grip. All of a sudden I realised, that something in my pants had really grown. Damn! I jumped up as if stung by a poisonous beast. I looked at him in shock, and his eyes grew small. I whirled around and ran as fast as I could away into the forest. I ran as long as my breath lasted.
In the following days Yamato and I didn't change a word. I tried to prevent looking at him, being alone with him or even near him. Of cause the others saw that I was somehow strange, but they just put it to some recent debate. Yamato didn't try to speak to me, and I hoped he would forget about that. We fought against some enemies, which distracted me from this, too.
Then one day, Agumon came to me. "Tai. I see that something is bothering you. The other know this as well, and they asked me what happened. But nobody seems to know. Have you had another strife with Yama?" I gazed into the distance. What was I supposed to say? What was really wrong with me? There was a realisation just at the horizon of my mind, but I refused to let it reach me. There was nothing. It was just nothing! But instead of this, the realisation had slipped past my brain right into my mouth. "I love Yamato!"
Oops! He held my hands before my mouth. What have I said? This was just ridiculous! Yamato was an annoying little brat! With beautiful eyes, another voice within added. What? There was a debate going on within me. Then I saw Agumon looking calmly at me. "But don't we all love each other!" He smiled and hugged me.
"Oh… yes… of cause we do!" What was I doing? I was lying to him. Now it was known to me. There was no doubt. But it was just some phase, something passing over time. I felt as if a dark black fist tried to grab my heart. No! The muscles of my face tightened. I didn't want that to pass! But what would he say to this? Yamato was always so strong and cool. He hate me and laugh at me. I would die of shame and a broken heart. And our friends? They would think of me being a freak, a pervert! And wasn't I?
"No, Agumon. I don't like Yama as all of you do. But I am not ready to tell that to anyone." I just couldn't continue.
Agumon smiled again. "That is okay, Tai. No way of love can be wrong! Just take your time." Then he sat at my side and fell into sleep.

On the next day I approached Yamato when he had fallen behind the others. "Yamato, there is something…"
"Yama! Yama! I have hurt my foot on that stone!" TK came crying to his elder brother, and Yamato's attention was elsewhere.
"Okay, it can wait.", I stammered. I doubt he had heard it at all, completely focussed on TK.

Then I planed more carefully. In the following night, I waited for Yamato's night watch. I had no idea what to tell him. I just had to talk to him.
When I reached him, he sat at the river bend, gazing into the flowing water with a sinister expression. Damn! He was in bad mood. I tried to retreat, but my foot broke a small twig and made a loud noise in the night. Yamato jumped up and turned to me.
"So. Now you are spying at me!", he shouted angry. "What is it this time?"
I felt like nailed to the ground, unable to turn or to run away. I had thought of this so may times before; I would approach him and tell him the truth, and all would be good.
"Do you lack the courage to turn around, oh almighty leader!", he mocked me. "You really think of yourself as a leader, don't you? Oh yes, and what kind of a leader! Have you ever noticed that no one really listens to you. But you always have to go ahead, leading us into god knows what dangers, without ever thinking." He continued to blame me, and I still couldn't turn or move or say anything. I felt his hate and anger pouring over me. The I felt tears welling in my eye.
No! Not this, not before him! I wouldn't act like a child weeping because of some stupid accusation, crying like a little girl. I fought and lost. Tears flew over my cheeks and as the dam was broken they flowed in a never ending rush.
Suddenly Yamato fell silent. "Tai? Tai, you are shaking!", he called worried. But then his anger returned. "Preparing to knock me down again, as you always do, when you are out of words!"
A sigh of whimpering escaped my mouth and I had to hold my eyes.
Then suddenly Yamato ran toward me and looked at me. I tried to hide my tears, but he saw me weeping. His eyes widened with shock and something else I couldn't interpret.
"Tai!" Yamato started to shake. I could see his hand tremble. "Tai, I thought… I mean… Tai, what is the matter?"
At this moment I couldn't stop myself and fell into his arms and I wept like I hadn't done since I was a little child. I sobbed and wetted his shirt and neither of us was able to say a word. After several minutes my tears drowned. Yamato pushed my face upwards and looked into my reddened eyes. His blue eyes where full of passion and sorrow. I knew that I always wanted to see that face smiling at me, that I wanted to hold him close to me for all eternity and that I would be empty and dead without him. So I moved closer to him and kissed him with all the passion, fear, hope, love and desire I had hidden all the many weeks. When our lips parted, he stared at me. Everything within me cried to run. Run far away and hide in the darkest cave! Run, and never see into this bright eyes! But I seemed frozen. Then all of a sudden the sun rose. No. Yamato's mouth began to form into a mild smile, his eyes softened and tears ran out of his eyes, now. But this time it were tears of joy. Then we kissed again, and held each other for what seemed like an eternity. No one was willing to end this moment.
The we finally stepped apart, still holding our hands. But our happiness was broken, when Yamato turned around and looked away. He gazed to the ground, and I felt worried. What was wrong now?
"Tai… Tai, I am not really good with words. I mean with words of… of love." He breathed sharply. "I don't have to tell you what I feel, but what will happen now?"
I stepped towards him and laid my hand upon his shoulder. "Yama! I love you. Do you hear me! It doesn't matter what will happen, if you are just with me. Just love me, too, and I will face all difficulties for us, even if they would be limitless!"
I stepped around him and we held each other. "I love you, too, Tai!", Yama said. "But I am not yet ready to cope with what the others will say. Please, Tai, let us keep this a secret for now. Let's just behave to the others as before. I promise we can consider a way to tell them, once we are at home, okay?" He smiled to me and I agreed. So we kept our love a secret as long as we were in the DigiWorld.

*****************************************

"After we had returned home, Tai and me told our friends.", Yamato said to his brother, who had listened to Tai's tale. "Mimi was really enjoyed to see two boys in love, but Koushiro and Jyou where quite disturbed. They never asked us anything or spoke about this. But for Sora it was a real blow. She had grown fond of Tai, and now all her hopes were dead. Mimi continues to calm her, but to this day we talk only in case of the DigiWorld."
"But I don't want Hikari stop talking to me. She is a good friend!", TK said. He drank some juice. "And Ken! He has closed himself to me. Since the day we first met in school, our relationship was difficult. And in our days in the DigiWorld he didn't talk much to me."
"What would you do, seeing him together with a girl?", Yamato asked.
Takeru gazed into his glass. This was the parting of ways, and soon there was no return. "But…, but if I try I may loose Hikari and Ken! And you are old enough to life together. I don't have this option! What am I supposed to do, if everyone shuns me, because I am… I mean…"
"Gay." Tai said firmly. "Don't fear a word."
TK nodded. "And all my dreams of children and family will be over if I accept this feelings."
"But you can be what you are. Only in this way you will be happy.", Tai mentioned. "And besides: perhaps you can adopt children, if you really like to raise some."
TK had to grin at the thought of raising many little kids together with Ken. "But I will decide who is the mother!", TK joked and all three boys laughed.

********************************************

So, this was the great day, TK pondered. Since the morning he had felt more than nervous. He rang at Hikari's door. At first he thought of talking to Ken at first; if Ken wasn't interested in him at all, he didn't have to tell to Hikari right now. But he rejected this idea instantly. That wouldn't be fair! She had to know that he would never love her the way she hoped.
Then the door opened and Hikari smiled as she saw TK. "Welcome TK, I am happy to see you." She must have seen something, as her smile faded. She raised an eyebrow. "Well, come in!"
Hikari led Takeru into the kitchen, where a cool lemonade was prepared. "It is nice that you wanted to see me. But you look worried, TK. What is the matter? Is something wrong?"
TK sighed. He had hoped to have some light conversation before getting to the point. "You always now how I feel.", he began. "And because of that what I must tell you, no - what I want to tell you - will be even more painful to you. But there is no other way." He avoided looking into her face.
Hikari's voice was calm. "TK. Nothing you can ever say or do can really make me think bad of you. Whatever it is, I will be at your side, I promise."
TK felt a lump in his throat. This will not be easy. He took a breath and begun. "Hikari. You must know, that in all I did, all I told you and all I showed you, I have acted just because I truly like you. But we where children, when we first met. We where very young, and the destiny of the DigiWorld connected our fates. I…, I mean you really mean much to me. But…, but I am not ten years old anymore, and with time some people realise other things, too."
Hikari laid her hand upon Takeru's, and a fire of shame burnt under his skin. "TK, I know you more than you think. I really, really hoped that this day would never come. I feel good about you, too." She paused am moment, and then she added: "But you want to tell me, that you don't love me." She eyed him, and TK was unable to say a word. He gaped at Hikari. "So. It is the truth, isn't it?"
Finally TK nodded. "I am sorry, Hikari. I like you so much."
Takeru expected an outburst, tears, insults or despise. But suddenly the unexpected happened. Hikari smiled. And she held TK's hand firmly. "Takeru. I like you much. Perhaps I even love you. But because of that I want to see you happy. We will be friends, if you want it. And to have you by my side in enough for me."
TK couldn't believe this. He understood that Hikari had grown much more than he had thought. "And there is another one…"
"Ken.", she said and grinned as she saw his face. TK showed the most foolish expression Hikari had seen, so she was forced to laugh against her will. "Sorry, TK. You are such a good soul. You have found the courage to tell me now, and don't fake me your love until it is too late. For that I am grateful to you."
Grateful! Takeru couldn't believe his ears! "I break your heart, and you are grateful! I feel like a swine!", he bellowed.
"Don't do!" Hikari shook her head. "No one can command or forbid love. It grows wherever it wants. I will be very sad, because you are such a good young man. I hope Ken knows what is offered to him."
"Wait!", TK intervened. "How did you know about my feeling for Ken? I didn't meet him quite often in our adventures!"
"Because you always stayed with your 'Soul sister' - me! But remember the days at school when you couldn't look away from him. We were both very young, but I have a good memory and maybe I saw more than you. You took great care of me, but you always acted like an older brother as if you where Tai! And I didn't miss the guilty expression on your face, whenever you were too nice to me. As if you feared not being true to me."
"You seem to know me better than I do!", TK wondered. "I am sorry that I was such a fool for a long time."
Hikari nodded. "Forgiven, brother, if I am allowed to call you that. But there is more you must know. Have you spoken to Ken already and are you planning to do so?"
"I will speak to Ken as soon as possible."
"Okay Takeru. You must know this, although it will not be easy for you to hear. You must believe me, that I can accept that fact that we will never marry. But I consider you my best friend still." Her expression grew serious. "I know this because Miyako told me this some months ago. You know that she understood Ken the very best after the ceased to be the Digimon Kaiser. She wanted support him to overcome his guilt and shame. But she found out, that there was something else. Ken suffered much because of his older brothers death, and doubted every word and offering of friendship. That is, until he met you at school! So the good news is, that he really loved you and perhaps he loves you still. The bad news is, that something within him blamed you to be the reason that he became the Digimon Kaiser. You retreated and so he felt entirely lost. Having no reason to be friendly anymore he started to advance toward hatred."
Takeru felt his heart break as he listened to Hikari. All was his fault. His fear and rejection had caused Ken to become one of the most evil person the DigiWorld had ever known. How could he live with that knowledge, how could he even dare to approach Ken now? TK felt like falling into a endless black sea.
Hikari saw this, jumped off and went to TK. She grabbed his shoulders and shook him heavily. "Takeru! Takeru, you can not change the past, and Ken is responsible for his own actions as everyone! You must not blame yourself! You were very too young to judge the possible results of your behaviour. If you can reach his heart, all can be healed! Have hope and trust in all the good within you and Ken! Only with hope and trust we all can live on.
"Thank you so much! You are a great friend, and I really would share my life with you if I could!" TK said.
"Well, then do it as a friend:" She smiled.
TK felt so weak and small. "But how can I approach him now?"
Hikari considered. "Hm, Miyako told me that he has enclosed himself to study the plague the DigiWorld has befallen. That is a really bad thing, but I don't know what to do, either."
"Well, that is something I know of!", TK shouted, and as Hikari looked puzzled at him, TK related the whole story of the old selves of Iori and Miyako appearing through a time-bridge crossing the DigiWorld.
"Wow! Now that is a story, if I ever heard one!", Hikari finally expressed. "But it makes sense. If we follow morals instead of our heart we deny what the DigiWorld ideals represented. I never would have believed that such things might influence the DigiWorld in such a direct way. But you said there is something Iori wanted you to change? What was that?"
"I will tell you later, okay? Let's just make a plan to talk to Ken." TK smiled. "Sorry! Can't think of anything else now."
"Perhaps the whole story would be the best way. He is very headstrong and guided more by brain than by heart.", Hikari mused.
TK's eyes widened with joy, that he suddenly he shook his head. "No Hikari. I don't want him to tell me he likes me just because he wants to save the DigiWorld. That just wouldn't be right."
"Then we will go to Miyako and ask her. She will not like it, but she never believed that Ken could love her the way a man should love a woman. So, shall we go?" Hikari stood in the door and waited for Takeru.

*****************************************

"Ken? Ken, are you again sitting at the computer terminal? Just make a break and tell me of your progress?", Miyako said.
Kens sapphire eyes looked at her sternly. Miyako knew this expression too well. Again he blamed himself for this. Against all she said to Ken, he never truly stopped thinking that he was guilty of the plague and the storms. He argued that it must be some remnant of his dark reign as the Digimon Kaiser. Then his eyes softened and a thin smile showed in his face. He was just beautiful to behold, Miyako thought. Have discipline, she exhorted to herself! You must do a favour to a friend and help him close a circle that was broken many years ago. In the afternoon Hikari had visited her and related all about the facts the old Iori and Miyako had told as well as TK's confession. Even so it was a sad truth to hear, she was proud that she herself had succeeded to break the barriers of time. Beyond all other things Miyako knew what duty demanded. She knew that Ken once had loved Takeru, and that TK's reject had changed him. Now was the time for healing!
"Come on, Ken! I have prepared a small meal. After some food you will work much better after a rest. And I want to share your knowledge."
Suddenly Ken felt how tired he was. A little break wouldn't be that bad. "Okay, Miyako. But just for a short time!" Ken dragged himself into the living room, where tea and some cakes where ready. He fell into the seat and gazed upon the table. "There are three cups! What does that mean?"
"Oh, perhaps a friend of mine will come later, and you don't want him to drink from your used cup?", Miyako questioned.
"Oh. Of cause not. Do as you please." Ken was entirely busy thinking of the cause of the plague the Digimon had befallen. Miyako succeeded in fishing some details out of Ken, but he had gained nothing.
"Perhaps the reason has nothing to do with anything you consider.", Miyako asked carefully. "Why don't you ask any of the other Digidestinied? Together we may find a solution. You know in the DigiWorld we have succeeded against the greatest enemies only together."
"This is different!", Ken spat angry. And he calmed himself instantly. "Sorry. I didn't meant to be rude. But here is no evil Digimon and no other enemy. It is no matter of strength, but intelligence."
Miyako sighed. "Perhaps it is more a question of wisdom?"
"Wisdom, Intelligence, Genius… Isn't that all the same?"
"You may ask that yourself! I think you know better. But you waste your time blaming yourself and who-knows-whom for becoming that thrice accursed Digimon Kaiser." This time Miyako was furious. "Ken, you must leave the past behind!"
Ken shook his had and a sad expression filled his features. "I am sorry again, but the past can not be changed. You never get a second chance to do the right thing. I must learn to life with my shame."
Miyako slapped his cheeks with her flat hand and a red spot showed on Ken's face, as she did before, when Ken was overwhelmed by self-pity. "STOP THAT! There is a life to live! Only there you will find the answers." Her rage destroyed all her good plans. "And there is someone who loves you, despite all your faults and has taken the courage to let you know! Now there you have to deal with something!"
Ken looked astonished. "Err, I am sorry. I like you, too - very much. But I must focus…"
He didn't have the chance to say anything more. "You idiot!", Miyako interrupted him. "You don't love me! But there is some else who wanted to see you." Ken made a worried expression. "TK!", Miyako cried. "Takeru Takaishi!"
Blushing, with deeply purple cheeks, Takeru came out of the kitchen. "I really had hoped you would make this easier…", TK whispered and looked to the ground.
Ken just gaped at this turn of events. "What does that mean? What kind of game are you playing here? I really don't have any wish to see Takeru!"
TK's heart sank. Everything within him wanted to turn away and run. He could go and leave Ken forever. But he forced himself to remain calm. "Ken, please! Just listen to me this last time. If you don't want to see me after we talked, I will accept it and never bother you, I promise."
Ken made a grim face and crossed his arms before his breast. "All right. Speak up!"
"Ken, first let me apologise that I turned away when you just wanted to have a friend at school. I will feel guilty for the rest of my life for that. I know that you became the Digimon Kaiser because I was so cruel to you. I followed the judgement of others instead of allowing myself to look at you without prejudice. I thought you were just a freak and blamed you for putting weird ideas into my mind. This is a shame I can never make undone, so I wish by heart that I would have behaved in another way. I have shunned you when you tried to be our friend in the DigiWorld, but I completely ignored you. I…. Look… I just can't tell you how sorry I feel." TK had no more words and then he felt his eyes fill with water. "Ken. I always loved everything about you. I love the way you moved, your dark hair waved into the wind, the way you smiled and looked sincere; but most of all I loved your strength. You never backed away from any peril. Again and again you wanted to sacrifice your life to save the DigiWorld. But I would have died if you ever would have harmed yourself!"
Ken watched TK's outburst with widened eyes. And then he felt like an age-old wound, that he never believed to be able to heal, begun to close. "So we have hurt ourselves just because of a simple error." Ken looked sadly to the ground. "I thought myself having such a superior intellect, I thought everything could be solved with knowledge. But this is wrong." Ken rose and moved towards TK. "If Miyako takes such an effort to bring us together, TK, then it must be a good idea." Takeru didn't know what to say. "I am tired of sadness and insults, of grief and self-pity." Ken stopped right in front of TK. "But I just can not see you weep because of my folly! That is just too much. I…" Ken stopped. Then he looked TK deeply in his eyes. "Let's just give us a new try." And then he pressed his warm lips on Takeru's. Their tongues probed within each others mouths and two bodies held each other for many minutes. Now it was Miyako's turn to cry. She was happy to behold this. A broken destiny had been healed. Of cause Miyako felt the pain loosing her hope for Ken; but something true had been restored, and she knew that no loss could be so great to as to see to people finding each other, that destiny has chosen to share love.
"But there is one more thing to do, Hikari!", Miyako silently whispered.

************************************

"Yamato, Hikari! This is likely the most ridiculous story I have ever heard in all my life!" Daisuke Motomiya was upset. Yamato and Hikari had appeared just a few hours before he had to leave to take his flight, that would carry him to Europe. He had never been there, but he could speak English quite good and even some words of German. He would leave behind this land he had called home for such a long time, and thus leave the place that reminded him of a heart that was broken two times.
"Daisuke!"; Hikari implored. "You are our leader! You just can't leave us now. The DigiWorld needs us, the Digimon need you!"
"Your leader!", Daisuke mocked. "You never really respected me as a leader, Hikari. TK and you always did, what you wanted to do. You thought me the most childish in our group! I can not stand to hear such things any longer. I may not be as bright a Miyako or Iori, but I will not believe such a nonsense. I should force myself to love to save the DigiWorld! And of all people within our so-called group I would at least love Iori! He's truly a geek. Save your crude ideas for someone more foolish than me, even if you may not believe that you can find such one!"
"Daisuke!" Yamato said sharply. "It is now that you act like a child. If you where ever foolish it is today. First, you should be aware what you throw away. Can you truly tell yourself that this is the truth? Iori himself has told us, that you approached him once, hugged and caressed him, and that he called you a pervert and ran away. And second: what kind of leader would run away from any obstacle? Just face it the way Tai always did. He gave you the Goggles. Don't dishonour them now!"
"And who has told you that story? Iori? Then he is lying! In deny that I have ever done such a thing!", Daisuke shouted. His cheeks grew red like fire. "Such lies are just one more reason to go!"
"Daisuke! Please listen to us. And don't let yourself be driven by anger!", Hikari said. She looked directly in his eyes, and he looked away in shame. "Don't fly now. Just give yourself another chance. Iori was just fearful and didn't know what to do. You know well how conservative he was raised. Any kind of relationship with another boy would be sinful to the people that raised him. It is very hard to look behind the morals of your parents! And what do you know of a broken heart!" Hikari's anger grew as she continued to speak to Daisuke. "Miyako and me would have a reason to act like you; but what could we gain with that? We would make our friends unhappy. And all for what? They would never love us, regardless! But now we will be free to find a love that is based on truth! I haven't heard the young Iori, but the old Iori told us how much he regretted to have you sent away like that. Why can't you talk to him just one more time?"
Daisuke had listened, but he had closed himself to her words. Hikari would just say anything to get her mind. She always had done so. I will not play the fool another time just to give them a reason to laugh about my stupidity, he pondered. He felt as if the world slipped away. It was a good feeling, as the pain of a broken heart ceased with it. Two times he was in love, and both times all hope was lost. Lost? No, he had lost the first time because of lack of persistence. Yamato had just told him, that TK and Ken had confessed their love. What a farce! So TK wasn't interested in girls at all; and the girl Daisuke always had seen as a competitor now told him what to do! How many sleepless nights, how many tears wept for Takeru who seemed to be in love with Hikari. And all his attempts to gain Hikari's attention just to take her away from the one he truly had loved. And then, when time seemed to heal his wounds, he learned to love another. It was against his will, and Iori wasn't such an attractive boy, he tried to convince himself. But the gentleness as well as the smile had caused Daisuke to love Iori Hida. But when he thought Iori had given him signs to try an approach, all went wrong. Daisuke had been so wrong. Iori was furious and called him the worst words he had ever heard. Never Daisuke expected the gentle youth to say such things.
"No!", Daisuke staid. "Whatever you say will never change my mind. You may think you know me. But I tell you, that you don't. You have no right to make other peoples destiny, and this is all I have to say to you. No go!" Then he grabbed the Goggles from his desk and handed them to Yamato. "Give them back to Tai. He is the only leader of the Digidestinied… if they speak to him again, that is!"
Neither Yamato nor Hikari could say anything to such obvious rudeness and hatred. Without another word they left.
In another world a Digimon died of the plague.

***************************************

"Ladies and Gentlemen!", a voice croaked though a microphone. "This is the call for flight 5671 to London. Please enter the gangway to get on board. The flight will start in 20 minutes.
Daisuke sighed. Of cause he hadn't believed that anyone would really come to say a final goodbye. But a part within him wished that someone would. Nonsense! Just leave that old life behind. In a few hours my new life will begin, and I will never hear anything of Digimon, Digivices and the DigiWorld at all! Then he finally could forget.
A dense rain covered the whole landscape now, as if the sky was weeping. Daisuke hoped that the airplane wouldn't be forced to delay his start. He hated to wait much longer. And so he rose from his seat, grabbed his backpack and walked towards the exit.
"Daisuke! Davis! Hold on!" A familiar voice echoed through the airport. Daisuke saw Iori running through he hallway. It seemed to him as if the time froze or slowed down. Now, there he came. Iori had succeeded reaching Daisuke before his plane was leaving. Swinging in his hands Iori held something familiar: the Goggles.
Daisuke stopped, unsure what to do. Soon his plane would leave, and this conversation would certainly be not quite pleasant. Had Iori come to accuse him once again? Couldn't he allow him to forget?
Iori came to a halt just before Daisuke. He was panting heavily. "Dai…, Daisuke…here…take this." He waved the Goggles before Daisuke's eye. "They all say, we all say… that you must be our leader! Only with your help we can do something against the plague, so please return to us!"
Daisuke couldn't believe this. What kind of joke was this? Could they not leave him by? "Who is this 'we'?", he asked doubtful.
"All of us! Takeru, Hikari, Yolei, Ken and myself. We are sorry if you thought us rude and disrespecting you. We didn't know that our jokes hurt you so much. Please! Not just for us, but for the Digimon. We can help them only together! We can't just let them die, we can't, Daisuke!"
Daisuke stared at Iori and didn't make a move. He grabbed the Goggles and looked at them, as if he would see them for the first time.
"Please!", Iori begged. "We want you back!"
"We?", Daisuke asked, looking suspiciously at Iori. "And what about you?"
"I already told you.", the smaller boy said.
Daisuke looked directly into Iori's eyes. He still saw this great gentleness. But they where just hiding disgust and intolerance, he was certain.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, the actual London flight will go in 15 minutes, please come to the check-in.", the microphones shouted.
Iori's face suddenly was twisted with pain and sorrow. "Daisuke! I wrote you a letter quite a time ago. But I never had the courage to give it to you. If you must go, just give me your word to read it!" He was fishing a small folded paper from his pants.
Daisuke didn't know what to do. His plane was leaving soon, but he felt that this was the last opportunity to give a path another chance. He breathed deeply, grabbed the letter und unfolded it.

Iori's letter to Daisuke read:
"Dear Daisuke,

please don't tear this letter apart and hear me; then you may as well cut it into pieces and leave. First let me tell you, how very sorry I am because of what I said. It was the worst thing I ever did to any of my friends. You know, there is no excuse to what I said. I was raised in a very traditional environment, and I clung to that values very much, as they gave me strength. But when I became a part of our group of Digidestinied, I was so proud to have such good friends. I was a very lonely boy in the years before.
I always respected you as our leader; but your behaviour with TK and Hikari worried me deeply. First I just thought, that you were envious of TK and that you wanted Hikari for yourself, but when you opened your heart to me, I understood that it was TK you did love. I felt so hurt and just a second-best. And so I spat all the evil words I had knew to you. I realised that this was perhaps the most terrible mistake of my life. It is hard work to build a friendship, but one small moment is enough to destroy. In the many days I saw you sad, many times I wanted to hold your hand, hug you and cheer you up, but I didn't allow this to me. I was taught not to show tenderness to other boys. The truth is, that it was just your presence that I was longing for.
Beside our battles against evil Digimon, we had to learn to overcome the darkness within ourselves, and sadly I have poured at lot of my own darkness upon you. But my heart wanted to do something else. It wanted to hold you and never let you go.

Always loving you
Iori"

Daisuke gazed at the letter. He couldn't believe it. But finally it was as if a cold wall of ice begun to melt and a smile showed on his face. Iori grabbed Daisuke's Hands, and so they stood in the hallway of the airport for many minutes, looking into each others eyes. Then Iori pressed a shy kiss on Daisuke's lips and they held each other until the plane to London was gone.

**********************************

In a small valley in the DigiWorld, three pale shadows gathered. The small valley was surrounded by thick darkness. Heavy lightning was emerging from the darkness of the Void.
"There. It is done.", said the old Iori.
"Now the quest can continue again.", the old Miyako added.
Then a third old person stepped forward. "Yes. Perhaps they will make it better."
Iori shook his head. "No, Ken. They are we."
And suddenly from the east the sun rose and the darkness was pushed away.
Beyond the small Valley the endless sight of the healed DigiWorld spread.
Three pale Shadows waned in the sun and where finally gone.
This future was no more.

********************************

It was their next anniversary, and all the Digidestinied met in their place in the park. There were Tai and his beloved Yamato, both the seniors of the group. There were Jyou, Koushiro, Mimi and Sora, and on the other side there where Miyako and Hikari, TK holding hands with Ken and in the same fashion Daisuke and Iori. TK and Ken as well as Daisuke and Iori recently had given a party for the first anniversary of their relationships.
"Now, little brother. It seems that you are quite happy.", Yamato asked.
TK moved his cap, as Patamon was sitting upon it. He smiled that golden smile of light. "Yes, Yama. All feels to be so right. I am so glad you helped me."
Yamato laughed. "That seems to be a lifetime job: being older brother for you. But I like it, TK."
Tai stepped to them. "Say, TK, is it true that Jyou finally managed to ask Mimi if she would go with him? I always thought, straight people would have the easy way!" TK, Yamato and Tai laughed.
"Hey, what is the matter?", Koushiro asked. "What is so funny?"
But TK, Yamato and Tai just kept laughing.
"Oh just ignore the little girls!", Ken mocked them friendly.
"Sometime you have to loose something to know its value.", Yamato said to Tai, as the others were celebrating together.
"Maybe. But I hope that there are people who don't need to learn it that way. Love, truth and courage. Simple and yet difficult.", Tai added.
Yamato grinned. "You always must have the last word, oh most powerful leader!"
"Yes!", Tai answered him. And holding their hands they returned to their friends.

"They rebuke us for being in love?
Never let this make you feel sorrow:
Criticism has no power here.
That may count for other matters:
No moral nor reproach can put to shame
Any kind of love!"

J.W. von Goethe