Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ The Shuffle ❯ One Week Later ( Chapter 16 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Lord Archive 
Even as clues to solve their problem start to run thin, the Chosen press on hoping to come up with the answers they seek.
Anime/Manga: Digimon Fan Fiction | Genre(s): / Hentai / Sci-fi / Romance / Adventure | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 07.20.2012 | Pages: 7 | Words: 6.9K | Visits: 837 | Status: Completed
Even as clues to solve their problem start to run thin, the Chosen press on hoping to come up with the answers they seek.
Anime/Manga: Digimon Fan Fiction | Genre(s): / Hentai / Sci-fi / Romance / Adventure | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 07.20.2012 | Pages: 7 | Words: 6.9K | Visits: 837 | Status: Completed
The Shuffle
Chapter Sixteen - One Week Later
Digimon belongs to Toei Animation and Akiyoshi Hongo. They are used without permission or the intent of profit.
--
Excerpt from Takeru's Journal:
One week after Piemon's defeat came the message from Koushiro we all dreaded:
'All current leads to discover a method of switching bodies have been exhausted. While there are a few myths to be explored, it is unlikely they will provide a method any time soon. I suggest you do what you can to be ready when school starts next week.'
For those of us in the wrong body, this initially felt like a death sentence with the possibility of parole.
--
Iori groaned in annoyance at his scouting group which comprised of kids from different teams. His group was well suited for the jungle they were in with a xenobiologist and a girl who was born and lived in the Amazon rain forest, unfortunately they were finding each other more interesting than the forest they were in.
"I've even got to see a jaguar. She's such a beautiful cat," Juana, a true native Brazilian, recalled fondly.
"Fascinating," replied James, a scrawny blond haired boy replied. "Biggest felines we see in Oklahoma are street cats. The rats are sometimes bigger than they are. I wish Dad had taken a job in Brazil. It has to be better than being at the military's beck and call."
"Aren't you a ranking officer in the military?" Juana questioned.
"Not by choice. I'd rather be a researcher than the United States's token 'Digital Soldier,'" James replied bitterly. "I want to discover life, not destroy it."
"That is a noble sentiment," Juana praised.
"Will you two stop flirting?" Iori grumbled.
They both started to blush.
"Sorry Iori, er, I mean Daisuke," Juana apologized.
James had been about to deny everything, and became even more tongue tied with the girl's lack of denial.
Their digimon snickered at James's reaction.
Iori huffed. "Either is fine. I'm probably going to be stuck as Iori for a while."
"We are making progress," V-mon pointed out reassuringly.
"Oh, yes, we got to read the story of how Baihumon was sealed away on that temple wall. The only reason we're devoting this much effort into it is that he might know how to find Xuanwumon." Iori shook his head. "Even having an idea of how he was sealed, we still don't know the where or what we need to do to release him."
"Every journey begins with a single step. It will take time, yet progress can only be obtained with effort," Juana's Armadimon assured him.
"This journey started with a card being stuck to my forehead," Iori shot back. "I'm certainly not going to give up on freeing Baihumon even if I'm changed back. I just really hate the idea I might have to sit in school for an extra three years."
"I wouldn't mind it. I'd certainly take three more years of school over being a girl." James then paused. "No offense, Juana. Nothing wrong with being a girl. I just don't want to be one. Just as you likely wouldn't want to turned into a boy."
"You can get used to being a girl, three more years of torture is something I can do without," Iori shot back. He spotted a television that was embedded into a tree. "I'm going home. Digiport open!" He then found himself face first on Sora's bedroom floor with V-mon landing on top of him.
"Any luck?" Taichi questioned, helping the younger boy to his feet.
"Baihumon was trapped into a gem which was then shattered and the pieces scattered. We don't even have a clue as to where a single shard of the gem is. There wasn't one at the temple we explored," Iori reported grumpily. "What about you?"
"Zhuqiaomon's priest told us, and I quote, 'You have no business in our god's affairs. When he is ready, he shall awake and purge the Digital World of the human taint,'" Sora mocked bitterly. "And from what we've found, that is a common belief in Zhuqiaomon's religion. Even if Zhuqioamon knew how to free Xuanwumon, it seems doubtful he'd tell us even if we did wake him."
"At least you found something out," Daisuke added. "We got nothing." He motioned toward himself, Takeru, Patamon and Armadimon.
Sora folded her arms. "Well we've done all we can for today. Daisuke relay what you learned about the gem shards to the other teams. Someone from another team may have come across a shard."
"If James can get away from flirting with his new girlfriend, he should have that information up tonight," V-mon joked.
With a round of good-byes, Daisuke, Iori and Takeru left with their digimon.
"Aren't you going to leave too?" Sora asked the remaining boy.
Taichi leaned against the door. "This was my room first and we really need to talk."
Sora frowned, with the main exit blocked the window looked like a good option.
--
"See you've started without us," Takashi commented as he arrived for practice.
Yamato looked up from stringing his guitar. "The whole body switch is still causing issues."
"Not that I can tell," Akari mentioned.
"I'm putting too much thought into it. It's not flowing as it should," Yamato explained.
"Considering what has happened, it'd be hard not to be distracted with thoughts," Yutaka added. "How are things with getting your girlfriend back?"
"No luck at all." Yamato sighed. "There's still hope, but realistically we're looking at months at the earliest."
"So what?" Takashi asked. "You can still make her your boyfriend. You've been good friends with Taichi all your life. It's not 'strange' for you two to hang out. What you two do in the bedroom is your business."
"Considering the shit we got after that tabloid accused Yamato of being gay, we gotta keep our image clean," Yutaka voiced.
"Thankfully Ken and I aren't exactly close friends. We're not going to be hanging around each other often to support that tabloid's bullshit. It certainly wouldn't help the situation if I spent time with another guy. I'd be better off having a girl around me," Yamato added.
Takashi folded his arms. "If you need a girlfriend, why not Taichi? You love him and he's a girl. Win win."
Yamato glared at him. "Oh, sure. How about I cut your balls off and make you my girlfriend?"
"Not funny," Takashi snapped.
"Neither is suggesting I date a girl who was born a guy," Yamato shot back "With you it'd be less confusing than trying to be with someone who is both my best pal and the girl I've slept with. It's not easy to separate the two of them now."
"And what are you going to do in the mean time? Wait for your girlfriend to be cured? You just said it could be months," Takashi pressed.
"Why not? It's not like Taichi or Sora will start dating someone. They'll be at the front of the line when the cure is found. And then I'll have Sora back," Yamato insisted.
--
"Look, there's no point in avoiding the issue," Taichi pointed out strongly. "I know you love me."
Sora looked away. "And you're in love with Yamato. I don't want to interfere in that"
Taichi frowned. "Yeah, well, Piemon did that for you."
"When we're cured you can go back to him," Sora asserted. "I won't get in the way."
"It's not so easy." Taichi approached the girl. "I still love you, too. I only started to date Yamato because I thought you didn't love me the way I loved you."
Sora glared at him. "I know you love him more. I've got your memories now, including when you lost your virginity."
"Maybe I did love him more when the switch happened. He was my boyfriend and lover, yet you were still my best friend," Taichi pointed out.
"He still should be," Sora shot back.
"So you want to make that tabloid that pissed off Yamato true? To have him plow my ass for you to remember when we change back," Taichi retorted.
Sora looked sick. "No. I mean when we get cured."
"Taichi, we have to face facts, we might not be switching back any time soon. We know the method exists with Xaunwumon but we have no information on how to free him," the boy spat out.
"And chances are that when Baihumon's gem shards show up, they'll be in the hands of new Chosen as their evolution tools and it'd be a year of adventure for them before there would be a chance to free him. And he might not even know how to free Xaunwumon," Sora reluctantly added.
"If it's fated a team would free Xuanwumon, their adventure would also take about a year," Taichi affirmed.
Sora sagged. "We can hope it's one of the newer teams, but we'd still be looking at months."
Taichi nodded. "That's months of me living with your memories of your love for me."
"And me with your love for Yamato," Sora returned.
"And my love for you as well," Taichi pressed.
"And what do you suggest?" Sora snapped.
"I can't date Yamato like this." Taichi motioned toward his body. "I doubt you want to pick up where we left off."
Sora shook her head. "Of course not. I'm not the one who loves him that way."
Taichi sat down on the bed next to the girl. "I know it's not what you wanted. That Yamato will be hurt... but now that we know about the mistakes we both made... perhaps we can try to be a couple now."
Sora blinked. "You mean now?!"
Taichi shrugged. "Why not?"
Sora paused in thought. She then shrugged and kissed the boy soundly on the lips, startling him in the process. When she went to pull away, he didn't let her as he deepened the kiss. When it finally ended, she commented, "Not as weird as I thought that would be."
Taichi could only nod.
"I know this will sound stupid, but it might help us in more ways than one." Sora couldn't stop the blush on her face. "Maybe... to see if we can be a couple like this... to get used to being like this... we should have sex."
"You're right, that does sound stupid," Taichi admitted.
Sora looked away. "But it'd be nice to remember sex with someone other than Yamato. He's a good friend and your brain likes thinking of him in ways I don't like."
"I know that all to well. He really is like a brother to you. For a time I thought your feelings for me were the same. That I was another sister to you. I know differently now," Taichi admitted.
Sora hadn't been told 'no.' She grabbed the boy into another kiss. This person was someone she loved, even if he was wearing her real face.
After a minute of exchanging saliva and touching the girl, Taichi pulled away. "You're going to have to touch me."
Sora looked down. "I know..."
"You've got to let yourself go. Otherwise you won't enjoy it," Taichi insisted.
"Easier said than done. The idea of touching a guy, even myself, is a bit... gay to me," Sora admitted.
Taichi pouted. "I know that very well. You think I'm any more comfortable touching a girl?"
"Could've fooled me," Sora shot back.
Taichi sighed. "I was thinking of this as if I was you. Doing the stuff I KNOW you wanted to do to me."
Sora tilted her head. "I guess that might work. Embracing being you."
"As you said, it might help us deal with being in these bodies," Taichi pointed out.
Sora leaned back in for another kiss, this time tentatively reaching out and began to fondle the boy's rear.
"Let yourself go," Taichi whispered. "Don't think about it, just do it." With no other warning the boy's hand disappeared into her pants, his fingers touching her directly.
Sora gasped at the sensation. It was more of a jolt to her being than the few times she had given in and explored this body. She squirmed as he continued to touch her, feel her. Not to be outdone, though still a step behind, she pulled off his shirt and began to caress and kiss the harden physique she once had.
There was no protests as Sora's lower clothes fell to the ground, soon to be joined by the remainder of his clothes. The girl rubbed his throbbing hot penis. She could not remember it being so large, but she gave her thoughts no heed, especially the mental note of Yamato being bigger.
Truly both had let go as their carnal dance continued. The was no thoughts as his manhood penetrated the girl, just pure instinct. They kissed and touched each other full well knowing what made the other person feel good. Their hips crashed together repeatedly, every so often pausing to shift position only to resume at a faster pace.
Sora held on to the boy for dear life as pleasure filled her entire being. "Oh... oh... oh, Taichi..."
"Soooora..." the boy returned as he filled the girl with cum.
As their frantic actions gave way to heavy panting the girl blinked. "Did we just call out our own names?"
Taichi nodded slowly.
"Maybe that really will help me be you," Sora surmised. She gave the boy a quick kiss. "Better hurry up and go. Your... My mother will be home soon."
Taichi kissed the girl on the forehead. "She's our mother now."
Sora didn't move as she watched the boy getting dressed, still absorbing everything she had just done with him. She had finally made love to her crush. Sure the circumstances were a mess, her crush was in her real body, but what they just did... "I love you," she finally said.
"I know." Taichi smirked. "If we never get cured, I promise to still bring you back to the Yagami clan."
Sora pitched a pillow at him. "And be your demure housewife, spitting out babies? Not going to happen!"
"Demure? No. Stay at home housewife? Not likely." Taichi poked the girl. "The one woman I'd spend the rest of my life with? Definitely Having my babies?" He touched her between her legs, coating his fingers in cum. "Who knows, you may have already started."
Sora pushed him. "Not funny."
Taichi laughed as he darted out of the room before the girl could find something worse than a pillow to throw at him.
The girl looked down. It wasn't funny... but it might end up being true. Slowly she pulled herself free from her bed and put her clothes back on. She looked into the mirror and fixed up her appearance. "Mommy Taichi," she voiced and then shuddered, though not with as much dread as she thought there should be. Sure the concept scared her, but anyone would be scared of that. She then pouted knowing that the part of her that was the real Sora secretly wanted a baby, so now part of her wanted that too. And that desire was why using protection had never come up all the times the real Sora had slept with Yamato.
--
Takeru paused in his trek home. "Hikari, what happened to your hand?"
Hikari had noticed him and tried to hide her bandaged wrist and hand from him. "I kind of slid down a cliff..."
"You went to the Digital World?" Armadimon observed.
Hikari only nodded in response.
Armadimon looked around. "Where's Tailmon?"
"She... had plans when she got back," Hikari failed to explain.
"What were you doing in the Digital World?" Takeru asked firmly.
Hikari pouted and looked away. "Just because I've been cured doesn't mean I don't want to get my brother back or help the rest of you."
"Why did you say anything? You didn't go alone did you?" Takeru demanded.
Hikari frowned, finding the need to remind herself that this was really Iori. "Of course I didn't go alone. I was with Jyou, Ken and Mimi."
Takeru merely looked at her, Iori's stubbornness shining through.
Hikari looked down. "I didn't say anything as it hurt each time Taichi or Sora would ask me if I found out anything and I had to tell them I didn't. I won't give up until everyone is put back into their real bodies."
"I see." Takeru nodded. "How is Mimi?"
"She's desperate to atone for what she did at the maze. She's even more determined to find out how to fix things than you are," Hikari answered.
"I can certainly understand that. It's hard to forgive oneself when no one else condemns your actions," Takeru replied.
Hikari glanced at the boy. "Why are you taking the long way home?"
"Just wanted a chance to think," Takeru answered.
"Think about what?" Hikari pressed.
Takeru looked away. "It's not something I'd want the others to know about."
Hikari leaned forward. "You may not truly be Takeru, but you know by now that when either of us needed to talk, we knew the other would never repeat what we said."
Takeru folded his arms. "Yes, I do. I'll be keeping your secret about the Dark Ocean for now, but if that dimension tries to threaten any one, especially a girl, I'm going to warn everyone about it."
Hikari frowned, wishing the boy's faulty memories would've kept that bit of information away from Iori. "Jyou told me the same thing. Yet baring getting switched again, you know I keep my secrets."
"All to well." Takeru sighed. "It's... being Takeru is troublesome. I'm still having trouble remembering things. I've continued writing in his journals."
"And?" Hikari pushed.
"Besides that... being Takeru... isn't that bad. I could live with this. May have issues with my grades considering how hard it is for me to study now, but that's about it." Takeru looked away. "If it takes years to find a cure... going back to being Iori may be as unsettling as it was to become Takeru in the first place."
Hikari nodded slowly. "I see... That would definitely upset the others... maybe not Takeru, but Daisuke certainly wouldn't like it."
Takeru looked at the girl with a determined face. "Hikari, you should start getting into practice of calling us by our other names now. For all intents and purposes, I'm Takeru now, and it'd cause trouble if you started to call me 'Iori' and Daisuke 'Takeru' at school."
"Yeah. I can see the point of that... I just don't want to give up on hope," Hikari admitted. "The answer is out there, we just have to find it."
"I appreciate the thought. And thank you for still going out and helping us." Takeru bowed slightly. "We may beat this soon, yet it is prudent to plan for the worst."
Hikari let out an odd giggle. She watched as Takeru and Armadimon continued their trek home. In a way she was thankful at how much Iori shined through in their talk, yet she still felt stabbed in her chest. That wasn't Takeru. He wasn't her best friend. She may have hope, but it could be years before she could look upon that face and know that no matter what she said to him, no one would hear it repeated.
--
"Why haven't you gone back yet?" Mimi questioned.
"I could ask you the same question," Ken returned.
"We're not going to find anything more today, are we?" Mimi questioned as she looked over the broken and disjointed land that was the Digital World's version of Alaska.
"Probably not. Especially not after Jyou and Gomamon left. They might've been able to find something underwater. We're just looking at barren lands. There's nothing for kilometers around."
"It might be best to go home now," Palmon suggested.
"What if there's a clue we're over looking?" Mimi returned.
"Where could we be missing a clue?" Wormmon wondered.
Ken looked the girl straight in the eyes. "Why are you so insistent in finding a cure?"
"The whole situation was wrong. We can't let it continue," Mimi answered firmly.
"Are you sure it's not to prove what you did was right?" Ken returned.
"What?!" Mimi screeched.
"If, even after doing everything possible, a cure is not found days or even weeks later, you would more be justified in killing that Garbamon," Ken insinuated.
Mimi slapped him as hard as she could. "How can you say that?"
"It was the seed's fault. Oikawa lied to me, manipulated me. I didn't know it the Digital World was real." Ken looked away. "Believe me, I know what it means to justify your actions."
"I know that all to well! I was you!" Mimi screamed at him. "I'm still having YOUR nightmares!"
Ken paused for a second before drawing the girl into a hug. She did not offer any protest. She began to sob uncontrollably. "Whether it was 'wrong' or 'right,' you did what you had to do."
Mimi hugged him tighter. "I could've done something. I should've found another way. What I did wasn't right. I was scared. I was hurt. It had to end. If I couldn't get cured..."
"You may have found the strength I lacked and ended it all with your own hands," Ken finished for her. "When I fought the Evil Tower Ookuwamon, I wanted it to kill me. Because I lacked the courage to do it myself."
Mimi pushed him away. "Don't talk that way!"
"But you know all to well it's the truth," Ken told her. "The burden was too much to carry. If not for Daisuke and the others, I would be dead now. I would not have gotten the chance to forgive myself and learn to live again. I will never forget what I've done, and I will do everything I can to pay for my crimes, but I do not have to live without joy and happiness."
Mimi pouted at him through her tears. "You have not forgiven yourself. I still feel your guilt."
"My guilt will always be there," Ken agreed. "However, it no longer imprisons me. I have moved beyond my depression and allowed myself to be happy." He held out his hand. "I know that the guilt of killing that Garbamon will always stay with you, but let me help you forgive yourself."
"And deal with the nightmares," Palmon added.
Ken nodded. "Certainly."
Mimi's hand shook as she slowly reached out and grabbed Ken's hand.
--
Hikari found herself wandering. She wasn't exactly sure what she was going to tell her 'new brother' about her hand. If she had at least gotten something, anything, useful to tell him she'd have an easier time of it. Her injury was largely for nothing.
She glanced up and saw she was near the Motomiya home. While Takeru would certainly ask about her hand, her failure to help would not be as bothersome to him.
Hikari made her way up to the apartment and knocked, which was quickly opened by Daisuke. "Hello!" she greeted with a smile.
Daisuke couldn't help but grin at her. "What brings you here?" He then blinked. "What happened to your hand?"
"Hurt it sliding down a cliff," Hikari replied.
Daisuke frowned at her. "You went out to find a cure for us."
Hikari merely nodded.
Daisuke let her in. "Guess you're trying to delay letting Taichi and Sora you're still searching as well."
"I hate seeing their disappointed faces when I tell them I learned nothing." Hikari held up her hand. "This isn't going to make it easier. They'll probably tell me NOT to keep searching."
Daisuke folded his arms. "I'd be telling you that, but I know you won't listen. If it was just for me I'd certainly try, but with the situation your brother is in, nothing short of two broken legs will stop you."
Hikari giggled a little. "Wish I could deny that..." she looked around. "Where is everyone?"
"Patamon ran off with Tailmon, Dad's at work, Mom's out shopping, and Jun's on a date," Daisuke rattled off.
"Ah." Hikari shifted uneasily.
Daisuke tilted his head. "Is something else bothering you?"
Hikari paused and then shook her head. "Nothing really."
Daisuke grabbed her by the hands. "You're not going any where until you tell me what's really bothering you." He then dragged her into his bedroom for additional privacy in case someone came home sooner than expected.
--
It was a tentative, exploratory kiss. The contact was not brief, but it was not deep either.
Pulling away, Koushiro looked at the girl shyly. "You didn't feel anything in that, did you?"
"No." Miyako shook her head. "You?"
"No," Koushiro affirmed. "This might be different if we had actually dated before the switch. I mean I do like you, but after BEING you, it's...."
"Awkward. Almost incestuous," Miyako finished for him. "I'm more grossed out by the idea of kissing my brother, but it still feels like I'm kissing family."
Koushiro nodded. "What are we going to do?"
"I don't know. We'll have to come up with something to make our parents drop this engagement nonsense. I'm not ready to be married," Miyako replied.
"But how? I can fix a computer in my sleep, but this? I don't have the first clue how to get our parents to change their mind," Koushiro admitted.
"First off, date other people. Maybe even going so far as getting caught sleeping with someone," Miyako suggested. "I don't want to whore myself around, but I may have to make myself dirty to your parents that they don't want me married to you."
Koushiro nodded slowly. "That could work. I'm sure you won't have any issue picking up a boyfriend or three. I don't know if I'd be so lucky finding a girl willing to date me."
Miyako poked the boy's nose. "You were a girl for two weeks. You got to see first hand how we think. Use that experience to figure out what attracts a girl's interest and use it."
--
"Is something bothering you?" Kasumi asked.
Jyou looked up from his food with a frown. "I don't think I should've left before Mimi."
Kasumi pouted at the mention of her boyfriend's former crush. "Why would that be an issue?"
"Mimi has been... hurt. The switch was worse for her than perhaps anyone else. She's always been very much against killing and she was in the body of a guy who was controlled and manipulated into killing thousands, some in cruel and sadistic manners," Jyou reluctantly explained. "To get her real body back, she did something I don't think she'll ever forgive herself for. She intentionally killed someone... without the aid of a digimon."
Kasumi blinked. "Ouch. That would be reason enough to be late for our date."
Jyou nodded slowly. "Unfortunately I had to leave for another reason. Hikari hurt her hand and needed to treat it back at my home. Ken promised to stay and watch Mimi, but he was the one Mimi had turned into."
Kasumi's eyebrows scrunched up in thought. "That's just too complicated. You really make me understand that 'may you live an interesting life' truly is a curse."
Jyou laughed a little. "You're not kidding."
Kasumi smirked. "I suppose there's a little Hikari still left in you."
Jyou looked at her confused. "What do you mean by that?"
"You're rubbing my leg with you foot," Kasumi pointed out.
"Sorry." Jyou nervously laughed. "It's just..."
"Don't stop," Kasumi demanded. "And 'it's just' what?"
Jyou sighed. "I'm not sure I should say anything."
"Is it about someone else or just you?" Kasumi questioned.
"Just me. Well mostly just me," Jyou admitted.
"Then spill it. I promise not to get angry," Kasumi promised.
"I doubt that." Jyou looked away. "Ever since I got back... I've wanted to take you to a Love Motel."
Kasumi leaned forward placing her chin onto her hand. When he failed to say anything more, she prompted, "Why?"
"It's hard to explain. You don't know what it's like to have your gender swapped. Just being a girl, experiencing things a girl does... it makes me want to do something to prove I'm a man." Jyou clenched his fist. "And being with you would upset my mother. She wanted me to stay a girl, to be the daughter she always wanted. And it's not her going overboard trying to enjoy the experience that has me upset at her... It's what she said about you."
Kasumi frowned. "What did she say?"
"You're a girl to sleep with, not marry," Jyou told her. "Not sleeping with you, trying to make this a real relationship that lasts would upset her more than, well, making love to you."
"You're mom needs to get out of the nineteenth century," Kasumi spat. "And it's not like you're nobility. You should be free to be anything and marry who ever you want."
"If things really were simple enough to allow that. We do have to respect our parents, even if they're wrong." Jyou then grabbed her by the hand. "And there are some things I will fight them for. I may have agreed to study to be a doctor like they wanted, but I won't push you aside because mother doesn't think you'd make a suitable wife."
Kasumi smiled and stood up. "Let's go."
Jyou blinked. "Huh?"
Kasumi leaned in to whisper in his ear, "I can be both a girl you sleep with AND plan to marry."
"What about... 'accidents?'" Jyou nervously chirped.
"Condoms were invented for a reason," Kasumi teased, pulling her boyfriend out of the restaurant.
--
Hikari pouted at the cards in her hand. She knew this tactic very well. Takeru had used games as a method to talk while playing. Normally it would've been a racing video game or a silly combat one. With her wrist injured it became playing cards while sitting on his bed, but the goal was the same, even if her opponent was unusually silent.
Daisuke tried to focus, which was proving very hard for him and it had little to do with lack of attention span. Hikari was alone with him in his room and they should remain undisturbed for at least an hour. He should be trying to think about how to talk to her about was really bothering her, not dwell on how cute she was.
"It's your turn," Hikari pointed out.
"Oh, right." Daisuke quickly drew a card.
Hikari tilted her head. "Should I be asking what's bothering you?"
Daisuke laughed nervously. "Well, nothing's really bothering me."
Hikari set her cards down and leaned closer. "I seem to remember saying something like that and you insist there's I'm holding something back."
"Hikari... you try to keep your burdens to yourself. You don't want to hurt others even though you've got people who love you wanting to help. I think it'd be easier to pull Tokomon's teeth with my bare hands than get you to say what's bothering you," Daisuke returned.
Hikari frowned. "You love me?"
"That's a ridiculous thing to ask. As Takeru, you're my best friend. As Daisuke, I've got the biggest crush on you. I'd say I have a double dose of it." Daisuke folded his arms. "That's ignoring that all your friends love you. Ken, Iori and Miyako might not be looking to date you, but you're still their beloved friend."
Hikari looked away.
"What is it this time?" Daisuke demanded.
"My problem right now lies in the secrets we learned because of the switches. If not for talking about my issues with becoming a straight boy, I wouldn't have learned... Miyako wouldn't mine dating me," Hikari reluctantly admitted. "How can I talk to you, tell you important secrets other people have that trouble me now when you might be cured in a month and then Daisuke would learn those secrets as well," Hikari defended.
Daisuke folded his arms. "Hadn't thought of that. The switch has caused us all to learn secrets that shouldn't be known." He then looked at Hikari closely. "Miyako LIKES you?"
Hikari nodded slowly. "I hope the issues she's having with Koushiro doesn't push her to try anything. Even though I know what it's like to kiss a girl thanks to Jyou, I'm not interested in girls. It made the switch very disorientating for me."
"I don't even want to imagine what it'd be like." Daisuke shuddered. "To suddenly find guys attractive would be... ew..."
Hikari nodded, finally getting around to drawing her next card. Truth was she did want to talk about how Iori was fine being Takeru, about the issues of her brother switching with Sora, what it's like to be so aroused it hurts. How do you talk about such things when the secret can't be kept once everyone was finally cured. It could be days, it might be years, but the cure would eventually come.
Daisuke drew his card and didn't like it. "Your turn."
"I know we all hope for a quick solution, even though one hasn't come yet, what do think would happen if it takes years?" Hikari wondered as she drew her card.
"I might not be so quick to change back. Sure, Daisuke hates the idea of going back three years of school, but if it takes years even he might prefer to remain Iori." Daisuke frowned. "Hate to say this, but Sora and Taichi might not immediately jump at the chance either."
"The initial adjustment was the biggest issue, and learning the other person's secrets," Hikari admitted. "I never did get use to being Jyou... eventually I would have." She pouted. "If I hadn't been cured and it took years, I might not have been willing, especially if I had picked up a girlfriend by then."
"I'm home," Mrs. Motomiya called out. "Can I get some help with the groceries."
Hikari and Daisuke jumped from the bed and rushed to help.
"Oh, Hikari, you came to visit?" Mrs. Motomiya questioned.
"I just needed someone to talk to and avoid being home for a bit." Hikari waved her injured hand. "Just delaying the inevitable of explaining this."
Mrs. Motomiya nodded. "He didn't try to do anything with you, did he?"
Daisuke blushed. "Mom?!"
Hikari's face turned red as well. "No."
Mrs. Motomiya shook her head. "If he had really been my son, he would've tried or been in pain from restraining himself."
Daisuke couldn't seem to even form any words and turned away angrily.
"You shouldn't say such things," Hikari chastised in a meek tone. She knew all to well the pain of arousal and had tried to avoid thinking about the situation with the boy who had already admitted to having a 'double douse' of love for her.
–
Coming Soon:
Chapter 17 - Of Lessons and Learning
School has started up once again as the Chosen continue to learn how to deal with their situations.
Chapter Sixteen - One Week Later
Digimon belongs to Toei Animation and Akiyoshi Hongo. They are used without permission or the intent of profit.
--
Excerpt from Takeru's Journal:
One week after Piemon's defeat came the message from Koushiro we all dreaded:
'All current leads to discover a method of switching bodies have been exhausted. While there are a few myths to be explored, it is unlikely they will provide a method any time soon. I suggest you do what you can to be ready when school starts next week.'
For those of us in the wrong body, this initially felt like a death sentence with the possibility of parole.
--
Iori groaned in annoyance at his scouting group which comprised of kids from different teams. His group was well suited for the jungle they were in with a xenobiologist and a girl who was born and lived in the Amazon rain forest, unfortunately they were finding each other more interesting than the forest they were in.
"I've even got to see a jaguar. She's such a beautiful cat," Juana, a true native Brazilian, recalled fondly.
"Fascinating," replied James, a scrawny blond haired boy replied. "Biggest felines we see in Oklahoma are street cats. The rats are sometimes bigger than they are. I wish Dad had taken a job in Brazil. It has to be better than being at the military's beck and call."
"Aren't you a ranking officer in the military?" Juana questioned.
"Not by choice. I'd rather be a researcher than the United States's token 'Digital Soldier,'" James replied bitterly. "I want to discover life, not destroy it."
"That is a noble sentiment," Juana praised.
"Will you two stop flirting?" Iori grumbled.
They both started to blush.
"Sorry Iori, er, I mean Daisuke," Juana apologized.
James had been about to deny everything, and became even more tongue tied with the girl's lack of denial.
Their digimon snickered at James's reaction.
Iori huffed. "Either is fine. I'm probably going to be stuck as Iori for a while."
"We are making progress," V-mon pointed out reassuringly.
"Oh, yes, we got to read the story of how Baihumon was sealed away on that temple wall. The only reason we're devoting this much effort into it is that he might know how to find Xuanwumon." Iori shook his head. "Even having an idea of how he was sealed, we still don't know the where or what we need to do to release him."
"Every journey begins with a single step. It will take time, yet progress can only be obtained with effort," Juana's Armadimon assured him.
"This journey started with a card being stuck to my forehead," Iori shot back. "I'm certainly not going to give up on freeing Baihumon even if I'm changed back. I just really hate the idea I might have to sit in school for an extra three years."
"I wouldn't mind it. I'd certainly take three more years of school over being a girl." James then paused. "No offense, Juana. Nothing wrong with being a girl. I just don't want to be one. Just as you likely wouldn't want to turned into a boy."
"You can get used to being a girl, three more years of torture is something I can do without," Iori shot back. He spotted a television that was embedded into a tree. "I'm going home. Digiport open!" He then found himself face first on Sora's bedroom floor with V-mon landing on top of him.
"Any luck?" Taichi questioned, helping the younger boy to his feet.
"Baihumon was trapped into a gem which was then shattered and the pieces scattered. We don't even have a clue as to where a single shard of the gem is. There wasn't one at the temple we explored," Iori reported grumpily. "What about you?"
"Zhuqiaomon's priest told us, and I quote, 'You have no business in our god's affairs. When he is ready, he shall awake and purge the Digital World of the human taint,'" Sora mocked bitterly. "And from what we've found, that is a common belief in Zhuqiaomon's religion. Even if Zhuqioamon knew how to free Xuanwumon, it seems doubtful he'd tell us even if we did wake him."
"At least you found something out," Daisuke added. "We got nothing." He motioned toward himself, Takeru, Patamon and Armadimon.
Sora folded her arms. "Well we've done all we can for today. Daisuke relay what you learned about the gem shards to the other teams. Someone from another team may have come across a shard."
"If James can get away from flirting with his new girlfriend, he should have that information up tonight," V-mon joked.
With a round of good-byes, Daisuke, Iori and Takeru left with their digimon.
"Aren't you going to leave too?" Sora asked the remaining boy.
Taichi leaned against the door. "This was my room first and we really need to talk."
Sora frowned, with the main exit blocked the window looked like a good option.
--
"See you've started without us," Takashi commented as he arrived for practice.
Yamato looked up from stringing his guitar. "The whole body switch is still causing issues."
"Not that I can tell," Akari mentioned.
"I'm putting too much thought into it. It's not flowing as it should," Yamato explained.
"Considering what has happened, it'd be hard not to be distracted with thoughts," Yutaka added. "How are things with getting your girlfriend back?"
"No luck at all." Yamato sighed. "There's still hope, but realistically we're looking at months at the earliest."
"So what?" Takashi asked. "You can still make her your boyfriend. You've been good friends with Taichi all your life. It's not 'strange' for you two to hang out. What you two do in the bedroom is your business."
"Considering the shit we got after that tabloid accused Yamato of being gay, we gotta keep our image clean," Yutaka voiced.
"Thankfully Ken and I aren't exactly close friends. We're not going to be hanging around each other often to support that tabloid's bullshit. It certainly wouldn't help the situation if I spent time with another guy. I'd be better off having a girl around me," Yamato added.
Takashi folded his arms. "If you need a girlfriend, why not Taichi? You love him and he's a girl. Win win."
Yamato glared at him. "Oh, sure. How about I cut your balls off and make you my girlfriend?"
"Not funny," Takashi snapped.
"Neither is suggesting I date a girl who was born a guy," Yamato shot back "With you it'd be less confusing than trying to be with someone who is both my best pal and the girl I've slept with. It's not easy to separate the two of them now."
"And what are you going to do in the mean time? Wait for your girlfriend to be cured? You just said it could be months," Takashi pressed.
"Why not? It's not like Taichi or Sora will start dating someone. They'll be at the front of the line when the cure is found. And then I'll have Sora back," Yamato insisted.
--
"Look, there's no point in avoiding the issue," Taichi pointed out strongly. "I know you love me."
Sora looked away. "And you're in love with Yamato. I don't want to interfere in that"
Taichi frowned. "Yeah, well, Piemon did that for you."
"When we're cured you can go back to him," Sora asserted. "I won't get in the way."
"It's not so easy." Taichi approached the girl. "I still love you, too. I only started to date Yamato because I thought you didn't love me the way I loved you."
Sora glared at him. "I know you love him more. I've got your memories now, including when you lost your virginity."
"Maybe I did love him more when the switch happened. He was my boyfriend and lover, yet you were still my best friend," Taichi pointed out.
"He still should be," Sora shot back.
"So you want to make that tabloid that pissed off Yamato true? To have him plow my ass for you to remember when we change back," Taichi retorted.
Sora looked sick. "No. I mean when we get cured."
"Taichi, we have to face facts, we might not be switching back any time soon. We know the method exists with Xaunwumon but we have no information on how to free him," the boy spat out.
"And chances are that when Baihumon's gem shards show up, they'll be in the hands of new Chosen as their evolution tools and it'd be a year of adventure for them before there would be a chance to free him. And he might not even know how to free Xaunwumon," Sora reluctantly added.
"If it's fated a team would free Xuanwumon, their adventure would also take about a year," Taichi affirmed.
Sora sagged. "We can hope it's one of the newer teams, but we'd still be looking at months."
Taichi nodded. "That's months of me living with your memories of your love for me."
"And me with your love for Yamato," Sora returned.
"And my love for you as well," Taichi pressed.
"And what do you suggest?" Sora snapped.
"I can't date Yamato like this." Taichi motioned toward his body. "I doubt you want to pick up where we left off."
Sora shook her head. "Of course not. I'm not the one who loves him that way."
Taichi sat down on the bed next to the girl. "I know it's not what you wanted. That Yamato will be hurt... but now that we know about the mistakes we both made... perhaps we can try to be a couple now."
Sora blinked. "You mean now?!"
Taichi shrugged. "Why not?"
Sora paused in thought. She then shrugged and kissed the boy soundly on the lips, startling him in the process. When she went to pull away, he didn't let her as he deepened the kiss. When it finally ended, she commented, "Not as weird as I thought that would be."
Taichi could only nod.
"I know this will sound stupid, but it might help us in more ways than one." Sora couldn't stop the blush on her face. "Maybe... to see if we can be a couple like this... to get used to being like this... we should have sex."
"You're right, that does sound stupid," Taichi admitted.
Sora looked away. "But it'd be nice to remember sex with someone other than Yamato. He's a good friend and your brain likes thinking of him in ways I don't like."
"I know that all to well. He really is like a brother to you. For a time I thought your feelings for me were the same. That I was another sister to you. I know differently now," Taichi admitted.
Sora hadn't been told 'no.' She grabbed the boy into another kiss. This person was someone she loved, even if he was wearing her real face.
After a minute of exchanging saliva and touching the girl, Taichi pulled away. "You're going to have to touch me."
Sora looked down. "I know..."
"You've got to let yourself go. Otherwise you won't enjoy it," Taichi insisted.
"Easier said than done. The idea of touching a guy, even myself, is a bit... gay to me," Sora admitted.
Taichi pouted. "I know that very well. You think I'm any more comfortable touching a girl?"
"Could've fooled me," Sora shot back.
Taichi sighed. "I was thinking of this as if I was you. Doing the stuff I KNOW you wanted to do to me."
Sora tilted her head. "I guess that might work. Embracing being you."
"As you said, it might help us deal with being in these bodies," Taichi pointed out.
Sora leaned back in for another kiss, this time tentatively reaching out and began to fondle the boy's rear.
"Let yourself go," Taichi whispered. "Don't think about it, just do it." With no other warning the boy's hand disappeared into her pants, his fingers touching her directly.
Sora gasped at the sensation. It was more of a jolt to her being than the few times she had given in and explored this body. She squirmed as he continued to touch her, feel her. Not to be outdone, though still a step behind, she pulled off his shirt and began to caress and kiss the harden physique she once had.
There was no protests as Sora's lower clothes fell to the ground, soon to be joined by the remainder of his clothes. The girl rubbed his throbbing hot penis. She could not remember it being so large, but she gave her thoughts no heed, especially the mental note of Yamato being bigger.
Truly both had let go as their carnal dance continued. The was no thoughts as his manhood penetrated the girl, just pure instinct. They kissed and touched each other full well knowing what made the other person feel good. Their hips crashed together repeatedly, every so often pausing to shift position only to resume at a faster pace.
Sora held on to the boy for dear life as pleasure filled her entire being. "Oh... oh... oh, Taichi..."
"Soooora..." the boy returned as he filled the girl with cum.
As their frantic actions gave way to heavy panting the girl blinked. "Did we just call out our own names?"
Taichi nodded slowly.
"Maybe that really will help me be you," Sora surmised. She gave the boy a quick kiss. "Better hurry up and go. Your... My mother will be home soon."
Taichi kissed the girl on the forehead. "She's our mother now."
Sora didn't move as she watched the boy getting dressed, still absorbing everything she had just done with him. She had finally made love to her crush. Sure the circumstances were a mess, her crush was in her real body, but what they just did... "I love you," she finally said.
"I know." Taichi smirked. "If we never get cured, I promise to still bring you back to the Yagami clan."
Sora pitched a pillow at him. "And be your demure housewife, spitting out babies? Not going to happen!"
"Demure? No. Stay at home housewife? Not likely." Taichi poked the girl. "The one woman I'd spend the rest of my life with? Definitely Having my babies?" He touched her between her legs, coating his fingers in cum. "Who knows, you may have already started."
Sora pushed him. "Not funny."
Taichi laughed as he darted out of the room before the girl could find something worse than a pillow to throw at him.
The girl looked down. It wasn't funny... but it might end up being true. Slowly she pulled herself free from her bed and put her clothes back on. She looked into the mirror and fixed up her appearance. "Mommy Taichi," she voiced and then shuddered, though not with as much dread as she thought there should be. Sure the concept scared her, but anyone would be scared of that. She then pouted knowing that the part of her that was the real Sora secretly wanted a baby, so now part of her wanted that too. And that desire was why using protection had never come up all the times the real Sora had slept with Yamato.
--
Takeru paused in his trek home. "Hikari, what happened to your hand?"
Hikari had noticed him and tried to hide her bandaged wrist and hand from him. "I kind of slid down a cliff..."
"You went to the Digital World?" Armadimon observed.
Hikari only nodded in response.
Armadimon looked around. "Where's Tailmon?"
"She... had plans when she got back," Hikari failed to explain.
"What were you doing in the Digital World?" Takeru asked firmly.
Hikari pouted and looked away. "Just because I've been cured doesn't mean I don't want to get my brother back or help the rest of you."
"Why did you say anything? You didn't go alone did you?" Takeru demanded.
Hikari frowned, finding the need to remind herself that this was really Iori. "Of course I didn't go alone. I was with Jyou, Ken and Mimi."
Takeru merely looked at her, Iori's stubbornness shining through.
Hikari looked down. "I didn't say anything as it hurt each time Taichi or Sora would ask me if I found out anything and I had to tell them I didn't. I won't give up until everyone is put back into their real bodies."
"I see." Takeru nodded. "How is Mimi?"
"She's desperate to atone for what she did at the maze. She's even more determined to find out how to fix things than you are," Hikari answered.
"I can certainly understand that. It's hard to forgive oneself when no one else condemns your actions," Takeru replied.
Hikari glanced at the boy. "Why are you taking the long way home?"
"Just wanted a chance to think," Takeru answered.
"Think about what?" Hikari pressed.
Takeru looked away. "It's not something I'd want the others to know about."
Hikari leaned forward. "You may not truly be Takeru, but you know by now that when either of us needed to talk, we knew the other would never repeat what we said."
Takeru folded his arms. "Yes, I do. I'll be keeping your secret about the Dark Ocean for now, but if that dimension tries to threaten any one, especially a girl, I'm going to warn everyone about it."
Hikari frowned, wishing the boy's faulty memories would've kept that bit of information away from Iori. "Jyou told me the same thing. Yet baring getting switched again, you know I keep my secrets."
"All to well." Takeru sighed. "It's... being Takeru is troublesome. I'm still having trouble remembering things. I've continued writing in his journals."
"And?" Hikari pushed.
"Besides that... being Takeru... isn't that bad. I could live with this. May have issues with my grades considering how hard it is for me to study now, but that's about it." Takeru looked away. "If it takes years to find a cure... going back to being Iori may be as unsettling as it was to become Takeru in the first place."
Hikari nodded slowly. "I see... That would definitely upset the others... maybe not Takeru, but Daisuke certainly wouldn't like it."
Takeru looked at the girl with a determined face. "Hikari, you should start getting into practice of calling us by our other names now. For all intents and purposes, I'm Takeru now, and it'd cause trouble if you started to call me 'Iori' and Daisuke 'Takeru' at school."
"Yeah. I can see the point of that... I just don't want to give up on hope," Hikari admitted. "The answer is out there, we just have to find it."
"I appreciate the thought. And thank you for still going out and helping us." Takeru bowed slightly. "We may beat this soon, yet it is prudent to plan for the worst."
Hikari let out an odd giggle. She watched as Takeru and Armadimon continued their trek home. In a way she was thankful at how much Iori shined through in their talk, yet she still felt stabbed in her chest. That wasn't Takeru. He wasn't her best friend. She may have hope, but it could be years before she could look upon that face and know that no matter what she said to him, no one would hear it repeated.
--
"Why haven't you gone back yet?" Mimi questioned.
"I could ask you the same question," Ken returned.
"We're not going to find anything more today, are we?" Mimi questioned as she looked over the broken and disjointed land that was the Digital World's version of Alaska.
"Probably not. Especially not after Jyou and Gomamon left. They might've been able to find something underwater. We're just looking at barren lands. There's nothing for kilometers around."
"It might be best to go home now," Palmon suggested.
"What if there's a clue we're over looking?" Mimi returned.
"Where could we be missing a clue?" Wormmon wondered.
Ken looked the girl straight in the eyes. "Why are you so insistent in finding a cure?"
"The whole situation was wrong. We can't let it continue," Mimi answered firmly.
"Are you sure it's not to prove what you did was right?" Ken returned.
"What?!" Mimi screeched.
"If, even after doing everything possible, a cure is not found days or even weeks later, you would more be justified in killing that Garbamon," Ken insinuated.
Mimi slapped him as hard as she could. "How can you say that?"
"It was the seed's fault. Oikawa lied to me, manipulated me. I didn't know it the Digital World was real." Ken looked away. "Believe me, I know what it means to justify your actions."
"I know that all to well! I was you!" Mimi screamed at him. "I'm still having YOUR nightmares!"
Ken paused for a second before drawing the girl into a hug. She did not offer any protest. She began to sob uncontrollably. "Whether it was 'wrong' or 'right,' you did what you had to do."
Mimi hugged him tighter. "I could've done something. I should've found another way. What I did wasn't right. I was scared. I was hurt. It had to end. If I couldn't get cured..."
"You may have found the strength I lacked and ended it all with your own hands," Ken finished for her. "When I fought the Evil Tower Ookuwamon, I wanted it to kill me. Because I lacked the courage to do it myself."
Mimi pushed him away. "Don't talk that way!"
"But you know all to well it's the truth," Ken told her. "The burden was too much to carry. If not for Daisuke and the others, I would be dead now. I would not have gotten the chance to forgive myself and learn to live again. I will never forget what I've done, and I will do everything I can to pay for my crimes, but I do not have to live without joy and happiness."
Mimi pouted at him through her tears. "You have not forgiven yourself. I still feel your guilt."
"My guilt will always be there," Ken agreed. "However, it no longer imprisons me. I have moved beyond my depression and allowed myself to be happy." He held out his hand. "I know that the guilt of killing that Garbamon will always stay with you, but let me help you forgive yourself."
"And deal with the nightmares," Palmon added.
Ken nodded. "Certainly."
Mimi's hand shook as she slowly reached out and grabbed Ken's hand.
--
Hikari found herself wandering. She wasn't exactly sure what she was going to tell her 'new brother' about her hand. If she had at least gotten something, anything, useful to tell him she'd have an easier time of it. Her injury was largely for nothing.
She glanced up and saw she was near the Motomiya home. While Takeru would certainly ask about her hand, her failure to help would not be as bothersome to him.
Hikari made her way up to the apartment and knocked, which was quickly opened by Daisuke. "Hello!" she greeted with a smile.
Daisuke couldn't help but grin at her. "What brings you here?" He then blinked. "What happened to your hand?"
"Hurt it sliding down a cliff," Hikari replied.
Daisuke frowned at her. "You went out to find a cure for us."
Hikari merely nodded.
Daisuke let her in. "Guess you're trying to delay letting Taichi and Sora you're still searching as well."
"I hate seeing their disappointed faces when I tell them I learned nothing." Hikari held up her hand. "This isn't going to make it easier. They'll probably tell me NOT to keep searching."
Daisuke folded his arms. "I'd be telling you that, but I know you won't listen. If it was just for me I'd certainly try, but with the situation your brother is in, nothing short of two broken legs will stop you."
Hikari giggled a little. "Wish I could deny that..." she looked around. "Where is everyone?"
"Patamon ran off with Tailmon, Dad's at work, Mom's out shopping, and Jun's on a date," Daisuke rattled off.
"Ah." Hikari shifted uneasily.
Daisuke tilted his head. "Is something else bothering you?"
Hikari paused and then shook her head. "Nothing really."
Daisuke grabbed her by the hands. "You're not going any where until you tell me what's really bothering you." He then dragged her into his bedroom for additional privacy in case someone came home sooner than expected.
--
It was a tentative, exploratory kiss. The contact was not brief, but it was not deep either.
Pulling away, Koushiro looked at the girl shyly. "You didn't feel anything in that, did you?"
"No." Miyako shook her head. "You?"
"No," Koushiro affirmed. "This might be different if we had actually dated before the switch. I mean I do like you, but after BEING you, it's...."
"Awkward. Almost incestuous," Miyako finished for him. "I'm more grossed out by the idea of kissing my brother, but it still feels like I'm kissing family."
Koushiro nodded. "What are we going to do?"
"I don't know. We'll have to come up with something to make our parents drop this engagement nonsense. I'm not ready to be married," Miyako replied.
"But how? I can fix a computer in my sleep, but this? I don't have the first clue how to get our parents to change their mind," Koushiro admitted.
"First off, date other people. Maybe even going so far as getting caught sleeping with someone," Miyako suggested. "I don't want to whore myself around, but I may have to make myself dirty to your parents that they don't want me married to you."
Koushiro nodded slowly. "That could work. I'm sure you won't have any issue picking up a boyfriend or three. I don't know if I'd be so lucky finding a girl willing to date me."
Miyako poked the boy's nose. "You were a girl for two weeks. You got to see first hand how we think. Use that experience to figure out what attracts a girl's interest and use it."
--
"Is something bothering you?" Kasumi asked.
Jyou looked up from his food with a frown. "I don't think I should've left before Mimi."
Kasumi pouted at the mention of her boyfriend's former crush. "Why would that be an issue?"
"Mimi has been... hurt. The switch was worse for her than perhaps anyone else. She's always been very much against killing and she was in the body of a guy who was controlled and manipulated into killing thousands, some in cruel and sadistic manners," Jyou reluctantly explained. "To get her real body back, she did something I don't think she'll ever forgive herself for. She intentionally killed someone... without the aid of a digimon."
Kasumi blinked. "Ouch. That would be reason enough to be late for our date."
Jyou nodded slowly. "Unfortunately I had to leave for another reason. Hikari hurt her hand and needed to treat it back at my home. Ken promised to stay and watch Mimi, but he was the one Mimi had turned into."
Kasumi's eyebrows scrunched up in thought. "That's just too complicated. You really make me understand that 'may you live an interesting life' truly is a curse."
Jyou laughed a little. "You're not kidding."
Kasumi smirked. "I suppose there's a little Hikari still left in you."
Jyou looked at her confused. "What do you mean by that?"
"You're rubbing my leg with you foot," Kasumi pointed out.
"Sorry." Jyou nervously laughed. "It's just..."
"Don't stop," Kasumi demanded. "And 'it's just' what?"
Jyou sighed. "I'm not sure I should say anything."
"Is it about someone else or just you?" Kasumi questioned.
"Just me. Well mostly just me," Jyou admitted.
"Then spill it. I promise not to get angry," Kasumi promised.
"I doubt that." Jyou looked away. "Ever since I got back... I've wanted to take you to a Love Motel."
Kasumi leaned forward placing her chin onto her hand. When he failed to say anything more, she prompted, "Why?"
"It's hard to explain. You don't know what it's like to have your gender swapped. Just being a girl, experiencing things a girl does... it makes me want to do something to prove I'm a man." Jyou clenched his fist. "And being with you would upset my mother. She wanted me to stay a girl, to be the daughter she always wanted. And it's not her going overboard trying to enjoy the experience that has me upset at her... It's what she said about you."
Kasumi frowned. "What did she say?"
"You're a girl to sleep with, not marry," Jyou told her. "Not sleeping with you, trying to make this a real relationship that lasts would upset her more than, well, making love to you."
"You're mom needs to get out of the nineteenth century," Kasumi spat. "And it's not like you're nobility. You should be free to be anything and marry who ever you want."
"If things really were simple enough to allow that. We do have to respect our parents, even if they're wrong." Jyou then grabbed her by the hand. "And there are some things I will fight them for. I may have agreed to study to be a doctor like they wanted, but I won't push you aside because mother doesn't think you'd make a suitable wife."
Kasumi smiled and stood up. "Let's go."
Jyou blinked. "Huh?"
Kasumi leaned in to whisper in his ear, "I can be both a girl you sleep with AND plan to marry."
"What about... 'accidents?'" Jyou nervously chirped.
"Condoms were invented for a reason," Kasumi teased, pulling her boyfriend out of the restaurant.
--
Hikari pouted at the cards in her hand. She knew this tactic very well. Takeru had used games as a method to talk while playing. Normally it would've been a racing video game or a silly combat one. With her wrist injured it became playing cards while sitting on his bed, but the goal was the same, even if her opponent was unusually silent.
Daisuke tried to focus, which was proving very hard for him and it had little to do with lack of attention span. Hikari was alone with him in his room and they should remain undisturbed for at least an hour. He should be trying to think about how to talk to her about was really bothering her, not dwell on how cute she was.
"It's your turn," Hikari pointed out.
"Oh, right." Daisuke quickly drew a card.
Hikari tilted her head. "Should I be asking what's bothering you?"
Daisuke laughed nervously. "Well, nothing's really bothering me."
Hikari set her cards down and leaned closer. "I seem to remember saying something like that and you insist there's I'm holding something back."
"Hikari... you try to keep your burdens to yourself. You don't want to hurt others even though you've got people who love you wanting to help. I think it'd be easier to pull Tokomon's teeth with my bare hands than get you to say what's bothering you," Daisuke returned.
Hikari frowned. "You love me?"
"That's a ridiculous thing to ask. As Takeru, you're my best friend. As Daisuke, I've got the biggest crush on you. I'd say I have a double dose of it." Daisuke folded his arms. "That's ignoring that all your friends love you. Ken, Iori and Miyako might not be looking to date you, but you're still their beloved friend."
Hikari looked away.
"What is it this time?" Daisuke demanded.
"My problem right now lies in the secrets we learned because of the switches. If not for talking about my issues with becoming a straight boy, I wouldn't have learned... Miyako wouldn't mine dating me," Hikari reluctantly admitted. "How can I talk to you, tell you important secrets other people have that trouble me now when you might be cured in a month and then Daisuke would learn those secrets as well," Hikari defended.
Daisuke folded his arms. "Hadn't thought of that. The switch has caused us all to learn secrets that shouldn't be known." He then looked at Hikari closely. "Miyako LIKES you?"
Hikari nodded slowly. "I hope the issues she's having with Koushiro doesn't push her to try anything. Even though I know what it's like to kiss a girl thanks to Jyou, I'm not interested in girls. It made the switch very disorientating for me."
"I don't even want to imagine what it'd be like." Daisuke shuddered. "To suddenly find guys attractive would be... ew..."
Hikari nodded, finally getting around to drawing her next card. Truth was she did want to talk about how Iori was fine being Takeru, about the issues of her brother switching with Sora, what it's like to be so aroused it hurts. How do you talk about such things when the secret can't be kept once everyone was finally cured. It could be days, it might be years, but the cure would eventually come.
Daisuke drew his card and didn't like it. "Your turn."
"I know we all hope for a quick solution, even though one hasn't come yet, what do think would happen if it takes years?" Hikari wondered as she drew her card.
"I might not be so quick to change back. Sure, Daisuke hates the idea of going back three years of school, but if it takes years even he might prefer to remain Iori." Daisuke frowned. "Hate to say this, but Sora and Taichi might not immediately jump at the chance either."
"The initial adjustment was the biggest issue, and learning the other person's secrets," Hikari admitted. "I never did get use to being Jyou... eventually I would have." She pouted. "If I hadn't been cured and it took years, I might not have been willing, especially if I had picked up a girlfriend by then."
"I'm home," Mrs. Motomiya called out. "Can I get some help with the groceries."
Hikari and Daisuke jumped from the bed and rushed to help.
"Oh, Hikari, you came to visit?" Mrs. Motomiya questioned.
"I just needed someone to talk to and avoid being home for a bit." Hikari waved her injured hand. "Just delaying the inevitable of explaining this."
Mrs. Motomiya nodded. "He didn't try to do anything with you, did he?"
Daisuke blushed. "Mom?!"
Hikari's face turned red as well. "No."
Mrs. Motomiya shook her head. "If he had really been my son, he would've tried or been in pain from restraining himself."
Daisuke couldn't seem to even form any words and turned away angrily.
"You shouldn't say such things," Hikari chastised in a meek tone. She knew all to well the pain of arousal and had tried to avoid thinking about the situation with the boy who had already admitted to having a 'double douse' of love for her.
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Coming Soon:
Chapter 17 - Of Lessons and Learning
School has started up once again as the Chosen continue to learn how to deal with their situations.