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Hikari was tired, to say the least. Being in a place filled with so much darkness had really drained her energy, especially since she was the Chosen of Light. She had so many questions left unanswered: What was that place? How did they bring her there without opening a gate? Who was their king at the bottom of the ocean? Was the Digimon Emperor behind all of this? Did he create this world? No, or did he gain his power of darkness from this world? How did Takeru and Gatomon find her?
Hikari lay in her bed, images of a monochrome world filled her mind. The ocean… it was so dark it felt like it could swallow her and suck the light out of her, like anything else that had been unfortunate enough to fall in.
“What’s wrong, Hikari?” Gatomon noted the uneasiness coming off her partner. She’d been worried for Hikari for awhile now, and when she just disappeared into thin air like that… she was just grateful they managed to find her before she got hurt.
“Nothing, Gatomon. I was just…” Hikari trailed off as she shook the thoughts of that dark world from her head.
“Always Taichi… You’re always depending on him! You can’t do that!”
Takeru’s words from before the incident rang in her ears. She’s been too vulnerable. That must be how they got to her. She had to be stronger!
But even then…
“Gatomon… how did you and Takeru find me? In...that world?” Hikari remembered calling out for the both of them as helplessness washed over her… and yet her hope, her light, never failed to come through. Her heart fluttered at the thought of a certain blonde who was always there for her, always protecting her, despite wanting her to be strong for herself too.
“A portal opened up for us, Hikari. We saw you reaching out for us and next thing you know, Takeru was jumping off the cliff hoping to reach you. Patamon and I followed him, but that boy sure is crazy when he wants to be…” Gatomon gave the whole process before they found Hikari a thought. She recalled the young boy’s determination to find Hikari, how he had no actual clue as to where she was other than that it was an ocean and not the digital world they were used to going to, how he didn’t know where she had ended up yet he just had to find her, even if it meant potentially calling out to an empty beach and a vast ocean till his lungs gave out. Somehow, somehow , his feelings had reached Hikari, despite being in a different world…
“Hikari, you called out for us, didn’t you? You called out for me, I felt it, but you called for Takeru too?” Gatomon asked, and as Hikari nodded, she couldn’t help but feel her theory was right after all.
“Takeru was really worried about you, y'know? Couldn’t stop calling out for you on that empty beach. He knew you weren’t in this world with us, but he called out to you anyway. He was so worried, yet so determined to find you. He told me and Patamon that he had to find you. He’s always been the calm one, but for you, to find you, he became so desperate, like he had to find you even if it were the last thing he did...” Gatomon let those words sink in for Hikari. Tears gleamed in Hikari’s eyes. Oh,Takeru… I’m sorry I worried you…
The only person who noticed how off she was at school, the only person to see her flickering between the real world and that world, the only person to come running after her, looking for her after she left the classroom for the nurse’s office.
“He really cares about you, Hikari. I believe his feelings for you were what allowed him to answer your call, what allowed us to travel to that other world to save you. You’re really lucky to have him.” Hikari smiled as a warm fuzzy feeling washed over her. Yes, I am.
Just then, there was a knock at the door, followed by Taichi entering the room. “Takeru’s looking for you.”
Hikari was more than happy to answer the call from the one who’s been on her mind, and if Taichi noticed an unusual gleam as she picked up the phone, he didn’t say anything.
In another part of Odaiba, a certain blonde couldn’t seem to shake off the day's events, neither was he able to suppress and ignore his feelings for a certain brunette any longer.
He guessed that he’d always known, especially seeing her after so many years of being apart since their last adventure ended, that she had a special place in his heart. No, even when they were in second grade and trying to stop the 4 dark masters, he seemed to have some sort of a protective instinct when it came to her. But after the events of today, he was sure his feelings for her were much more significant than he’d acknowledged them to be.
“Takeru, you really like Hikari, don’t you?” Patamon asked him. Ah, the digimon were always quick to catch onto these kinds of things, especially Patamon and Gatomon. Gatomon probably knows by now then.
“Yeah...I guess I do, huh?” Takeru chuckled.
“Hikari...” Takeru started as he walked her home. No way was he letting her out of his sight after what had just happened. Hikari turned to look at him, encouraging him to go on. “I didn’t mean what I said earlier in school… I’m sorry I got angry, I just...” Takeru stopped in his tracks, hands balled into fists trembling by his side as he fought back the tears that threatened to spill out. Hikari stopped walking and turned to face him.
“You’re strong, Hikari. Really strong. I just get really worried about you, yknow? Sometimes I wonder what if I’m not there in time to save you? What if you get taken by the darkness and I can’t bring you back? I can’t lose you…” He stepped forward, and took her into a tight-hug, holding on to her as if she would disappear again.
“You don’t always have to rely on your brother, I’m here too, you can rely on me as well…” For a moment, she didn’t respond. He thought he’d messed up, did or said something wrong. But as he felt a pair of arms wrap around his torso, all his worries went out the window, he knew they were going to be okay. They stayed like that for a while, enjoying the warmth of the embrace.
“Patamon… what should I do…?” What if she didn’t feel the same way? What if she finds out and I lose her?
“Don’t worry too much about it, Takeru. The two of you will be fine, trust me.” Patamon turned to look at his partner, who was deep in thought. “Why don’t you give her a call?” Patamon flew over and picked up the phone by the drawers.p to pass back to Takeru. “She’ll be really glad to hear from you.”
Takeru blushed, “You think so?” as he started dialing the number of the Yagami residence. Unsurprisingly, the older Yagami was the one who picked up. He asked for the phone to be passed to Hikari.
“Hello?” Takeru started glowing almost immediately.
“H-hey…” He stuttered. What was he going to say? “I uhm…”
“I just wanted to tell you that, if you ever have any more dark, unsettling thoughts, or if you start thinking about… that world again just… feel free to talk to me, okay? You’re never a burden to me, and you never will be. I want to share your problems from now on…” Takeru held his breath as he waited for her to answer, and after a long moment, her giggle chimed through his ears.
“Thank you, Takeru.”
That night, a certain blonde and brunette went to bed, hearts full and relieved for the first time in awhile.