Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Rules of Engagement ❯ Reception ( Chapter 4 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Digimon: Rules of Engagement

Chapter 4 - Reception

By Lord Archive

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Saturday - afternoon
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Most of the Chosen and their digimon partners talked and ate while not to
far away in a closed room Taichi was getting formally engaged to Sora and
Hikari to Takeru.

"So, Koushiro, care to tell us what this engagement business is all about?"
Miyako asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Why are they getting engaged? Why all the secrecy? Why did they let you in
on it?"

Koushiro sweat-dropped. "Basically everything, right?"

"Da Bingo!" Miyako chirped.

Everyone stopped talking to hear Koushiro explanation.

"Right." Koushiro sighed. "Well, it's sort of like this. Mrs. Takenouchi
was concerned that Sora was becoming too close to Taichi."

"Thought they were doing the horizontal rumba?" Jun questioned.

Koushiro blushed. "Affirmative. Mrs. Takenouchi talked to Mrs. Yagami about
her suspicions. They decided that it would be best to implement some damage
control in case, well, an accident happened."

Chibimon blinked. "Accident? What kind of an accident?"

"The kind that makes babies," Daisuke replied.

Poramon bounced up and down. "I've heard of accidents breaking eggs, not
laying them."

"Humans don't lay eggs," Miyako corrected. "But that's not what he meant.
He means if Taichi and Sora, um... mate, they might end up having a baby
together before either of them are ready."

"How can they have a baby if they're not ready to reproduce?" Piyomon
asked.

Koushiro cleared his throat to get their attention. "Humans and digimon are
different when it comes to reproduction. Suffice it to say, that for
example, while Hikari is capable of becoming pregnant and baring a child,
she is ill equipped to raise one currently."

Jyou nodded. "In other words, the reason for the engagements is insure that
if either Hikari or Sora become pregnant, they will have a means to support
the child."

Daisuke was making some choking noises, but was ignored.

Miyako tapped the table with her fingers. "Okay, that explains why they did
this in the first place, but how come they kept who Sora and Takeru were
engaged to a secret?"

"That's a bit more complicated. I think this was Ms. Takaishi's plan."
Koushiro paused in thought. "Basically it was to prove if they were in love
with the person they were getting engaged too. By making them think they
were going to be engaged to someone else, they would become happy that they
are getting engaged to their love. Which would serve to reduce any
resentment they would feel about having this choice taken away from them."

"That makes sense, I think." Mimi blinked. "How do you know about all of
this?"

"Well...." Koushiro scratched the back of his head. "I was upgrading Mr.
Yagami's computer when Mrs. Takenouchi talked with Mrs. Yagami and I sort
of over heard them. They let me in on everything so I could help keep
things secret."

Ken smirked. "Oh, yes. Hacking the hotel computer that the Yagami family
was staying at was child's play. If they hadn't let him know, he would've
told all of you and ruined the plan to keep it a secret."

Daisuke hoped out of his seat and grabbed Ken by the collar. "You knew?!
But when I called you this morning-"

Ken interrupted him. "I didn't know that any of this was going on then. If
you had told me sooner, I could've been of some assistance."

Daisuke opened and closed his mouth like a fish. "But why Takeru?! Why not
me?"

Miyako folded her arms. "Face it, Hikari likes Takeru more than she likes
you."

"Says you! She's belongs with me, not him. Besides, Hikari is in no danger
of becoming pregnant anytime soon."

"Neither is Sora. She has only kissed Taichi," Mimi informed him. "But
things like that can change quickly."

"But they're giving Takeru parental consent to be with Hikari!"

"Better to consent to the one they trust, than risk her being with the one
they don't." Jun patted Daisuke on the head. "Better luck next time."

"This isn't right! She should have a choice!"

"If Hikari wants out of getting engaged to Takeru, she will be given the
chance to do so." Koushiro crossed his arms. "However, I suspect she will
agree to be his fiancee."

"I believe that as well." Ken sighed. He pulled out a few white bottles.

Daisuke looked the bottles questioningly. "What are those for?"

Ken smirked sadly. "It's an old tradition for the guys who lose the girl
they love to another to drink themselves to oblivion. So here's to losing."
He took one of the bottles and drank from it.

Miyako's eyes widened. "You're suppose to drink sake with a cup."

"Who cares? To the losers!" Daisuke cheered and took one of the bottles.

"I should probably stop him." Jun tapped her fingers. "But if he comes home
drunk and throws up on Mom's shoes, it'll be his fault."

"How many times do I have to say 'sorry?'" Chibimon asked.

Jun glared at the lizard. "You've got a few thousand more to go."

"Sorry," Chibimon began to say as a mantra.

"That's enough to drive us all to drink," Miyako moaned.

"Tell me about it," Jun whined.

"What is this sake stuff?" Agumon asked. He took and downed a bottle before
anyone could stop him. His eyes widened immensely and a meter long flame
belched out of his mouth. "Whoa! Strong stuff."

Ken slapped Agumon's hand as he reached for another one. "No more for you.
I'd really hate to see what a fire type digimon would do when he's drunk."

"What'ssss drunk?" Agumon slurred slightly.

Ken groaned. "A state of lost self control brought on by alcohol
consumption. And alcohol is VERY flammable."

Piyomon shuddered. "Agumon with LESS self-control? That would be rather
bad."

"Might as well evolve to Skull Greymon. You'd get the same effect," Gomamon
chirped.

"And you're going to let Daisuke drink?" Tailmon questioned.

"Well, there's not much either of those two can do without these." Jyou held
up Daisuke's and Ken's digivice.

"I still say there's no reason you had to take mine." Ken scowled.

"A wounded heart can do many unforgivable things." Mimi bright smile dipped
a little. "Particularly when drunk."

Ken sagged back into his seat. "I... see your point." He chugged the bottle
he was currently nursing.

Mimi blinked. "Was it something I said?"

"You could say that." Miyako sighed.

All of their attention was drawn to the sound of the door opening. Mrs.
Yagami stepped out and bowed to everyone. "May I present to you the future
Takenouchi Taichi and Sora, and the future Yagami Takeru and Hikari."

Everyone just stared. The digimon weren't certain what they should do. The
kids were shocked.

"Takenouchi Taichi? Yagami Takeru?" Miyako questioned.

Taichi scratched the back of his head. "Well, Sora is an only child so she
has to continue her clan name."

Takeru fidgeted. "And I'm a Takaishi only because of Mom's divorce, so it's
not that important for me to continue the family name."

The kids gave a round of congratulations, and the digimon followed suit.

Mimi almost laughed through her smile. "And here I thought I'd be giving
you hints on how to deal with boys, Hikari. I guess I'll have to go to
you."

"Just because she's engaged hardly makes her an authority on that subject,"
Koushiro corrected her.

Mimi pouted. "You just don't get it."

Jyou smiled as he pushed up his glasses. "She was just joking. Besides,
being engaged does offer her more knowledge on that subject."

"Stop fawning over her and DO something about it! She'll only be here for
today." Gomamon called out.

"It's not like that!" Joe's face was flushed.

Mimi pouted. "It's not?"

"I, ah, mean, well, I, it's just...." Jyou gave up trying to explain and
sagged.

Mimi giggled. Gomamon groaned. Everyone else laughed.

Palmon nudged Mimi and whispered, "Why don't you do something?"

Mimi whispered back, "I don't want to encourage him too much. He might want
a steady relationship and I'm not ready for that."

"You've got to stop flirting and get serious at some point."

"I've only just turned fourteen. I've got years to play around."

"What's with Agumon?" Taichi questioned as he watched his digimon partner
swagger a little as he walked.

Daisuke held up his sake battle. "He drank a bottle 'fore we stopped him."

Mrs. Yagami took her attention off the unnerving monsters and looked at
Daisuke. "Why didn't someone stop you?"

"Leave him be. I'll take care of him." Jun turned to Yamato. "I could use
your help." She then leaned toward him and whispered, "My parents are going
out tonight."

A shiver ran up Yamato's spine with the possibility of an evening mostly
alone with Jun. Now if she would just stop teasing and do more than lose
his shirt, he'd be in heaven.

Koushiro half-laughed, half-sighed. "I remember when you dreaded seeing
her."

Yamato shrugged. "What can I say? She grew on me."

"Like a fungus," Daisuke said between drinks.

Jun batted Daisuke on the back of the head while blushing in embarrassment.

"So, Taichi, how's the prospect of becoming Mr. Takenouchi?" Jyou asked.

"Unnerving," Taichi replied.

Sora smiled and placed on a hand on Taichi's arm. "Well, I think it sounds
better than Yagami Sora."

"I don't." Taichi pouted.

"What about you, bro?" Yamato asked.

"I like Takenouchi Taichi a LOT better than Takenouchi Takeru." Takeru
glared slightly at his mother.

"What about you becoming Yagami?"

"Takaishi Hikari or Yagami Takeru?" Takeru shrugged. "Doesn't make much
difference to me."

"I think Yagami Takeru is cute." Hikari giggled.

Ken and Daisuke took long gulps.

Hikari sighed noticing them. "Daisuke, Ken... I'm sorry."

Ken shook his head. "Don't be. There are winners and losers in all things
and I understand why we lost. Daisuke was too persistent, while I started
too late to be a factor. Just be happy."

Hikari nodded. "I'll try."

"T.Y., you better keep her happy or I'll bust ya in da chomps." Daisuke
shook his fist.

"I promise." Takeru blinked. "T.Y.?"

"It'll be your ininitals, ain't it?"

Yamato laughed. "Maybe we should just call you 'Ty' not." He then rubbed
his chin. "Though that might be confusing with Taichi. Guess we'll just
have to call you Ty-chan then."

Hikari's face quirked. "I'm still stuck with a 'Ty,' it'll just be Ty-chan
instead of Taichi."

"Can you PLEASE just keep it as Takeru?" He pleaded.

"What ever you say, Ty-chan." Gomamon grinned.

The laughter, particularly from Hikari and his mother, hardly helped to
keep Takeru from becoming more frustrated. "Why me?"

"Would you rather that I was engaged to Daisuke?" Hikari asked.

Takeru's eyes widened. "NO! I want to be engaged to you. I just want the
teasing to stop."

Taichi patted Takeru on the back. "They're just jealous."

Takeru scowled slightly. "They're not teasing you."

Yamato grinned. "We just haven't had a chance to annoy TT yet."

Taichi sighed. "You can try to be a little more original."

"Give us time. The night is still young, and sake is great for
celebrations!" Jun raised up a cup of sake. "Now let's raise a toast to the
happy couples. Cheers!"