Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ The Shuffle ❯ Surprising Discoveries ( Chapter 18 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Lord Archive 
Things come to light that none of the Chosen had expected.
Anime/Manga: Digimon Fan Fiction | Genre(s): / Hentai / Sci-fi / Romance / Adventure | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 08.03.2012 | Pages: 7 | Words: 6.5K | Visits: 708 | Status: Completed
Things come to light that none of the Chosen had expected.
Anime/Manga: Digimon Fan Fiction | Genre(s): / Hentai / Sci-fi / Romance / Adventure | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 08.03.2012 | Pages: 7 | Words: 6.5K | Visits: 708 | Status: Completed
The Shuffle
Chapter Eighteen - Surprising Discoveries
By: Lord Archive
Digimon belongs to Toei Animation and Akiyoshi Hongo. They are used without permission or the intent of profit.
--
Takeru's Journal:
Weeks had become months and the method of switching bodies still had yet to be found. Those of us in the wrong bodies continued to live in the other's lives, trying to adapt and live with the differences as best we could, with varied amounts of success.
--
Miyako jumped up and approached a boy her class. "Kotaru-kun, I've got tickets to a concert this weekend. Care to join me?"
The boy frowned at her. "Aren't you engaged to Izumi?"
"That's a misunderstanding I'm hoping to correct," Miyako replied.
"You're not engaged to him?" Kotaru asked.
"Only as far as our parents are concerned. I have no intention of marrying him," Miyako insisted.
"Sorry, Inoue," Kotaru apologized. "I'm not about to take someone else's girl. Especially from the president of the computer club. I hear they hack computers for fun. Hate to see what he'd do to my computer if I upset him."
"Koushiro has no intention of marrying me either. He's been dating a girl in his class," Miyako explained.
Kotaru frowned at her. "I hear it's just tutoring sessions, not dates."
Miyako pouted. "How do you hear all of this?"
Kotaru grinned sheepishly. "My sister runs the school newspaper. There's not a secret that goes on in this school that she doesn't know about and she certainly makes sure I know all about it too."
"I doubt that when she's got some things wrong," Miyako muttered under her breathe as the boy walked away. "Even beating boys over the head, I still can't get someone to help me 'cheat.'"
"I'd be willing!"
Miyako looked down at a boy with pimples all over his face and unwashed hair. "I'll get back to you on that," she failed to promise. After all, if she did start going all the way with guys, her parents may end up engaging her to one of them. She wasn't about to risk that with a guy who seemed to take a shower once a week, if even that.
--
Sora looked into the mirror at she fixed her hair.
"Another date with Yagami?" Daichi, a girl from her class, asked.
"Not sure you'd call it a date. We're just going to be hanging out," Sora replied.
"Ishida certainly seemed to take it well that you dumped him," Daichi commented.
Sora pouted. "You might think that, but you don't know him. He's using his music to deal with it."
"Whatever." Daichi started to ruffle through her purse. "Sometimes I really hate being a girl. Having these damn cramps every month is a bitch." The girl pulled a pad out. "Do you get cramps too?"
Taichi looked blankly at the girl. "...Sometimes..."
"I get them every damn time," Daichi spat out like she had just cursed. She then retreated into a stall.
Sora bolted out of the bathroom. Spotting Taichi, she grabbed him by the arm and dragged him to a secluded part of the school. "How irregular were you?"
Sora blinked in confusion. "Huh?"
"Your periods, how often do you have them?" Sora repeated.
"You should know that. Once every four to five weeks," Taichi told her.
"I haven't had one," Sora told him on the verge of hysterics.
"You missed the last one?" Taichi asked in a worried tone.
"No! _I_ have not had one, at all," Sora stressed.
Taichi frowned. "Look, periods aren't something you can plan on happening. The switch might've been enough of a shock to make you skip a couple."
"Daisuke and Jyou both got to experience having a period," Sora retorted.
"Have you been sick?" Taichi asked.
Sora shook her head. "No."
"Then you really shouldn't have anything to worry about," Taichi insisted.
Sora frowned. "Maybe, but we should check just to make sure.
--
Iori wheeled Yume down the street, with Sayuri skipping along behind him. As they rounded a corner, the handles ripped away from his hands as Yume took off, pushing hard on the wheels.
Takeru looked up from from a bench. "Hello, Togashi."
"Hi, Takeru!" Yume chirped. "And I've told you before to call me 'Yume.' How was school?"
"It went fine. I got a perfect score on a history quiz," Takeru told her. "How was yours?"
"It was great!" Yume said with a smile.
Takeru nodded. "Um, I was wondering if you were busy Saturday?"
"Yes! I'll go to the concert with you!" Yume happily squeaked out.
"Huh?" Takeru blinked.
"Sorry." Yume blushed. "Iori already asked Sayuri. I thought you..."
"It's okay. I was asking you." Takeru then looked over at Iori. "You asked Wataru out?"
"Yep!" Sayuri answered for him.
Iori shrugged. "Figure I'd use the extra ticket I got, and I may as well enjoy myself."
Takeru raised an eyebrow. "I hope you don't mean to enjoy yourself too much."
Sayuri folded her arms. "I'd hardly let him do THAT."
"Really, you may have pubs now, but I still don't," Iori groused.
Yume blushed deeply.
"Sorry," Takeru apologized.
"Yeah, well, who knows in a few years, whether as Iori or Daisuke where we'll be," the younger boy replied. "I can't live by thinking, 'maybe tomorrow I'll be cured.' If I'm going to be Iori, I may as well live this life."
Takeru smiled and nodded.
--
Koushiro guided his guest into his home and looked around before finding a note from his mother about taking care of some errands. "Looks like Mom won't be home for a little while. Guess surprising her will have to wait."
"You haven't told your parents you've been having study dates with me?" Ayashi questioned as she followed behind the boy.
"I figured that if I told Mom I was tutoring a girl, she'd object and make me stop, and if I told her right away I was dating someone else she'd see it as another attempt to end the engagement and not believe it," Koushiro explained.
"Ah. Good idea. Now that you've been tutoring me for a while now, any feelings we had would be gradual," Ayashi surmised.
"Exactly," Koushiro confirmed.
"Well, may as well get started." Ayashi grabbed him by the hand and went over to the couch for them to study on.
Ayashi had never had an easy time with mathematics. The various equations just never made any sense to her. Words were easier to relate to and understand, even English came fairly easy to her. Algebra was just a big pain in the ass for her to figure out, even with his help.
Koushiro was grateful to work with Ayashi. Thanks to working with computers he had certainly been exposed to English, but with the girl's help he was slowly becoming fluent in the language. They would start their sessions with mathematics as she really needed more help with that. Suddenly, without warning the girl grabbed him, pulling him into a kiss. She did not let him question it as she held him tightly.
"Koushiro!"
The boy jumped free of Ayashi's grasp and stared at his mother.
"Who is this girl?" Mrs. Izumi demanded.
The girl stood up and bowed with seeming nervousness. "Ah, hello, Izumi-san. I'm Tenkawa Ayashi. Kou-chan has been tutoring me."
Mrs. Izumi's eye twitched. "Koushiro, what is the meaning of this? What about Miyako?"
"Ah, Mother..." Koushiro trailed off.
Ayashi folded her arms. "What about her? She's been trying to date every guy at school."
"Tenkawa, I'm afraid this has nothing to do with you. Please leave," Mrs. Izumi pleaded.
Ayashi grabbed Koushiro into a hug. "It has everything to do with me now. As of last Saturday, we're lovers."
Koushiro and his mother both made incomprehensible sounds.
"Inoue never wanted him. What little she did with him was just exploring stuff with a friend. I truly love him," Ayashi proclaimed.
Mrs. Izumi glared at the girl. "Do you even really know him?"
"He's the Chosen Child of Knowledge who let his natural curiosity to get the better of him, especially when he was in Miyako's body. And Tentomon is the cutest thing ever!" Ayashi retorted.
"Koushiro, what do you have to say about this?" Mrs. Izumi demanded.
"I, er, well, that is..." Koushiro shook his head. "Mother, you don't know what it's like being someone else. I know things about Miyako that makes me feel like she's a sister..."
"Then would you care to explain why Sora and Taichi are dating?" Mrs. Izumi shot back.
"I'm not either of them. They loved each other before the switch, I only saw Miyako as a friend. So what if she gave me a few 'benefits?' We didn't go as far as you think we did. Yes, I've seen her naked and touched her body, that was it. I never had sex with her," Koushiro insisted. "We've tried to be a couple. After being cured, we kissed and felt nothing. She compared it to being with her brother."
"And what about her?" Mrs. Izumi pushed.
"I really do like her. I want to know learn everything about her," Koushiro pledged.
"Tenkawa, I really must ask you to leave now. I'm have much to deal with," Mrs. Izumi told her.
"I'll walk you home," Koushiro volunteered. He was surprised to note his mother offered no protest. He kept biting his tongue. A block away from his home he finally asked, "Why did you say we were lovers?"
Ayashi smirked at him. "You got in trouble because you're parents thought you slept with Miyako. With another girl willing to contest Miyako's claim, it should at least make them less willing to enforce their stupidity."
"I guess..." Koushiro looked away uncertainly.
"You really do look like a girl sometimes," Ayashi commented.
Koushiro looked confused. "What do you mean by that?"
"That look you just had. I've seen girls have it all the time, wondering if the boy really likes her, or is just pretending," Ayashi explained. "I'll tell you if you tell me?"
Koushiro pouted. "It has been all pretend so far, but what I told my mother is true. I really do want to learn everything about you and I do like you."
Ayashi smiled and gave him a brief kiss. "I like you, too."
--
Sora shambled out of the bathroom. As the boy looked up at her, she decked him hard enough to knock him off her couch.
"What?" Taichi rubbed his cheek as he sat up.
"Damn you." Sora slugged him again and continued to punch him. Her strikes became lighter as her tears intensified. "You jerk. You stupid jerk."
Taichi grabbed her into a hug. "It was positive?" he asked emotionlessly and was answered with a nod. "Oh, geez..."
"What if... what if Yamato is the father?" Sora questioned through her sobs.
"Look, we're going to have to see a doctor. We should be able to learn when you got pregnant that way," Taichi advised.
Sora slammed a fist into his back. "Don't you mean when YOU got this body pregnant. _I_ might not have been involved."
"Hit me all you want," Taichi told her. "I won't leave you."
"You better not. This is all YOUR fault!" Sora clutched onto him tighter.
--
"I'm home," Miyako called out, entering her apartment.
"We've got to talk," Mrs. Inoue told her.
Miyako pouted. What was it this time? She entered into kitchen. "Yes, Mom?"
"What are your feelings for Koushiro?" Mrs. Inoue asked seriously.
"NOW you ask?" Miyako snapped. "He's a friend. That's all he's even been, just a friend."
"Even though you gave him some benefits?" Mrs. Inoue accused.
Miyako folded her arms. "Yes, we did some things, but I'm still a virgin. We never went all the way. I wasn't about to pass up a chance to masturbate as a guy, and knew his curiosity would've done the same."
Mrs. Inoue scowled. "And have you really been trying to date other guys?"
Miyako reluctantly nodded. "Being around Koushiro feels like being around my brother now. He knows things about me even you don't know. We've gotten too close. I wanted to find a boyfriend in hopes you'd drop this nonsense."
"You haven't whored yourself, have you?" Mrs. Inoue demanded.
Miyako glared. "Doesn't 'I'm still a virgin' mean anything? All the kids at school somehow learned about this engagement nonsense and won't even go on a date with me. Well, the ones I'd be willing to date, anyway."
Mrs. Inoue grimaced. "Well, it would seem Koushiro has seen to do that. He's been screwing some girl he's been tutoring."
"Really?" Miyako chirped. "Good for him."
"You're not upset by that?" Mrs. Inoue asked.
"Not at all. I don't love him as anything more than a friend. If he can land a girl like her, I'm all for it," Miyako defended.
Mrs. Inoue looked intently at the girl. "You know who she is?"
"Sure, long black hair and the biggest tits in Junior High," Miyako replied. "Any guy, well straight guy, would be happy with her."
Mrs. Inoue frowned deeply. "I hope you're telling the truth. I won't be forcing you to marry Koushiro."
"Yes!" Miyako cheered.
"You're grounded for the next six months. No concert, no television, nothing," Mrs. Inoue intoned.
"I can live with that," Miyako happily bounced toward her room.
--
Hikari opened her bedroom door. Her eyes went wide and then slammed the door shut.
"What's wrong?" Daisuke asked.
"Occupied," Hikari replied.
"Taichi and Sora?" Daisuke guessed.
"Tailmon and Patamon," Hikari corrected.
"Ah." Daisuke laughed nervously. He then hugged the girl from behind. "Might explain why I really want to jump you right now."
Hikari tilted her head back to look up at his face. "You always want to 'jump me.'"
"Because you're too cute." Daisuke leaned down and kissed her. He then jumped when he heard the door open.
"Won't that get confusing when you switch back?" Mrs. Yagami asked.
Hikari pouted.
"Not sure I will change back," Daisuke replied.
"What about the others?" Mrs. Yagami asked.
"Taichi and Sora still want to switch back, but for the guys, they've gotten used to being who they are," Hikari explained.
"It doesn't hurt we've all picked up girlfriends." Daisuke lifted Hikari up, causing the girl to squeak.
"Don't you want to return to your real homes?" Mrs. Yagami asked.
"I still visit Mom every week. She'll never stop being my mother. I just have another one with Motomiya-san," Daisuke explained. "Just as Takeru has made sure to visit the Hida family and has kept up with kendo lessons."
Mrs. Yagami shrugged. "Weeks ago you would've said Iori, now you referred to him by your real name."
"It's less confusing when we stick with who we are now," Daisuke replied.
"I guess." Mrs. Yagami then looked at the kids. "The other two also have girlfriends?"
"Yes, when did that happen?" Hikari asked.
Daisuke smirked. "Got a text from Takeru a little bit ago. Seems Iori had a pair of girls going for his attention before. And after Iori had asked Sayuri out to the concert, Takeru asked Yume."
"I think Yamato forgot to tell them what the other ticket was for," Hikari commented.
"Still, best to be careful, you may find yourselves switched back eventually and that could cause problems," Mrs. Yagami warned.
Hikari giggled nervously. "Yeah, that would make every confusing..." The most likely problem from her and Daisuke now would be if she got pregnant.
--
"Why do you keep coming back to this area?" Ken wondered.
Mimi frowned at him. "The closest information we have on Xuanwumon tells of an explosion that wasn't an explosion and a gigantic thunderclap without lightning that came from 'Digital Alaska.' There were no digimon involved in that blast that have emerged."
"There's no guarantee that Xuanwumon was involved in that," Ken pointed out.
"But if he did disappear here, it'd explain why no one knows how he was sealed," Palmon defended. "Because the ones that would are also gone."
"And think about what was described," Mimi pressed. "What could've caused it?"
"Are you thinking that the entire area got swept into another dimension or even formed it's own sub-dimension, literally taking everything in the area?" Ken wondered.
"Exactly, which likely looked like an explosion of light that itself did no damage. However what followed would've been a massive vacuum. In trying to fill the sudden void, everything around it would've been sucked in and when the air met at the center... BAM!" Mimi clapped her hands together.
"The mother of all thunderclaps," Wormmon finished.
Ken frowned, knowing she got the idea from tapping into the residual part of him that was the Kaiser. "That would be a reasonable hypothesis. But what would you suggest we do to prove if that is the case?"
"We've had Jyou explore the waters and we've looked over the land, but there's something we haven't checked yet." Mimi whipped out her digivice and pointed it at her partner.
"Palmon evolve to..." A pillar of light enshrouded her. "Togemon." The pillar did not fade. "Togemon super-evolve to..." As the light vanished, a humanoid woman stood there seemingly clothed in a pink flower. "Lillymon!"
"I want to get a bird's eye view of the area," Mimi ordered.
"Anything you say," Lillymon agreed. She hugged her partner from behind and used the large green leaves on her back as wings to make her fly.
Ken followed suit turning Wormmon into a giant humanoid insect, Stingmon, and flew after the girls. Higher and higher they went and was beginning to doubt they would find anything this time.
"Stop!" Mimi suddenly called out.
Stingmon stopped next to Lillymon. "Oh, my..."
Ken pulled out a digital camera. "Looks like you really were on to something."
"Is this entire region Xuanwumon?" Lillymon wondered seeing a massive outline of a two headed gargantuan turtle beneath her. Even a kilometer in the air they could not make out entire body.
"I believe we can be certain this is where he disappeared," Ken replied. "But I'm not sure if the outline is him, or an after image."
"You see the Digital writing around him, don't you?" Mimi questioned.
"Yes, which is why I feel it's more an after image. I'll have to talk to the others, but that looks to be a dimensional seal, like you surmised, rather than a personal seal like the one used on Qinglongmon," Ken explained.
Mimi began to cry. "We finally did it. We found another answer. There really was another way."
"There's still no way we can be sure that we can do anything about this. The seal is unlike anything I've seen before," Ken told her. "We are finally a step closer, but it may still take time."
Mimi shook her head. "I know I did what I had to. That I could not live being you this long. But at least now I know there was something else we could've done. There was another solution. Next time, I may be able to find it sooner without anyone having to die."
Ken nodded. "I've got to get this information to Koushiro."
--
Gennai was sitting on a large cushioned chair. While most of his injuries inflicted by Piemon had faded, their presence still persisted. "I believe you're not going to like what I have to say."
"No quick means to free Xuanwumon," Sora groused.
"I'm afraid so, because the seal you showed me is Xuanwumon's," Gennai informed. "While Piemon and Mugen Dramon were giving Qinglongmon a royal headache that eventually resulted in the digital god being sealed, Xuanwumon was busy elsewhere with something he insisted was a bigger threat. A war of light verses dark that had grown out of control. Xuanwumon had pleaded for help from the other gods but each of them were facing Apocalymon's heralds at the time. I'm afraid beyond Xuanwumon's contention of there being a dozen ultimate digimon involved plus a Perfect whose power supposedly rivaled that of his own, Qinglongmon knows nothing more. He had been sealed away before Xuanwumon activated his own seal."
Koushiro frowned. "Seeing as the god, himself, invoked the seal, it's safe to say he dragged those thirteen powerful digimon and their armies into another dimension."
"Would there be a way to free Xuanwumon?" Taichi questioned.
"Not without unleashing the rest of the digimon in that seal," Gennai replied. "And we can not be sure how time works for them. It could be only minutes since the seal was placed, or it could be centuries. Either case, Xuanwumon has not yet seen it prudent to break the seal."
"Koushiro has already started to work with the other brains to find a method of contacting Xuanwumon, or at least view what's going on in that sub-dimension," Tentomon added.
"I wouldn't get your hopes up just yet, but we might have something in a couple weeks." Koushiro sighed. "Or it may take years."
"At least we have something to work with," Agumon tried to cheer.
"Better than nothing," Sora muttered.
Koushiro didn't question the girl's attitude. This could barely count as good news as the worst case scenario now meant they could have to leave Xuanwumon sealed forever, meaning no cure. He sighed. "I'll debrief the whole team at the concert and hopefully have a better idea of where we really stand. In the meantime, I'm off to check out the seal myself."
Taichi watched as Koushiro and Tentomon went through a doorway at Gennai's room that flashed brightly and the pair was gone. "We've got something else to ask you."
"Would it have something to do with there being three Chosen still in this room?" Gennai asked.
Sora pouted. "So, you're saying the baby inside me already has a destiny?"
"Destiny is something people make, and is not predetermined. It may not be yours alone to mold, as there are others who have meddled in your lives, but there's no telling what life may hold for your child. The incident that brought you to our attention could've just as easily happened in New York City. It may not have been just anywhere, but it did not necessarily have to be you," Gennai told them. "The child within you has a potential to do wondrous things. I take it you are questioning whether you should keep this child."
"Yeah," Sora admitted. "Is it possible that you could tell me who the father is?"
"You're uncertain?" Gennai questioned with a touch of surprise.
"Could be his," Sora pointed at Taichi. "Or it could be Yamato's from before the switch."
"Whether this child of love is also courage, friendship or both is beyond my ability to tell. Today is the first time I've detected the presence and I doubt the child within was conceived less than a week ago," Gennai said with a forced grin.
"Some help you are," Sora sniped bitterly. "But what does it mean when a Chosen gets pregnant?"
Gennai let out a sigh. "You are asking questions I can not begin to answer. You are the first. There may be a digimon already set to bond with your baby upon birth, or it may not happen until the child is ten. I cannot even say for certain what an abortion will do. If the baby has an intended digimon already, that digimon may cease to exist."
"So you don't even know if any child I might have would be partnered to her baby?" Piyomon wondered.
"Sorry," Gennai apologized.
"But it wouldn't hurt to try," Agumon commented.
Piyomon slapped him with her wing. "I still haven't decided."
Agumon pouted.
Sora looked away. "I wish you could've at least told me if it was safe or not. Ending this might mean nothing or it could mean everything. It doesn't make it any easier. How am I supposed to decide when I know nothing?"
Taichi put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You've got that appointment set up for next week and they'll hopefully be able to answer some of them."
Sora laughed bitterly. "Like if I was even there."
--
"Look, I'm sorry I didn't explain anything," Yamato apologized to most of his fellow Chosen.
Takeru frowned. "This isn't something we can just decide. Even if the media can't print our names, they can still keep approaching us."
Taichi folded his arms. "And if you thought the tabloids were annoying before, this will put it to a whole new level."
"I know that," Yamato agreed. "But what this means for my band is everything."
"If you want to blame someone, blame me," announced a man in a business suit. "I'm Ishida's agent, Hiroshima Hitochi, and this whole concert was my idea, including not going into too much information." He then walked up to Yagami and shook his hand. "And I want to personally thank you for your part in stopping Diablomon."
Taichi laughed nervously. "You're welcome."
Sora pouted. "This is rather ill timed. We've got situations going on that can really mess with things."
"I understand that you may be reluctant to have your lives put on public display, but the reality is that it's not your personal lives people will be interested in, but in your adventures," Hitochi tried to assure them.
Jyou shook his head. "Our adventures are part of our personal lives. The decisions we've made in battles are ones we've made. The choice of using lethal force is a personal one and regardless how you paint it, we will be judged for when we did and when we did not kill. Beyond that, you're asking to involve are families as I seriously doubt the media would only pursue us."
"You guys at least are getting a choice in this," Hikari intoned. "But there's no point Yamato, Taichi, Takeru, Daisuke, Ken and myself to hide this."
"What do you mean by that?" Iori questioned.
Koushiro stepped forward. "Because their images were exposed during the Armageddemon incident. I've tried to suppress them with Gennai's help, but once on the Internet, always on the Internet. It's a wonder why they haven't been approached before this, eventually it would have happened."
Sora rubbed her forehead. "Still doesn't help with what's going on. I've got a problem that I sure as hell don't want the world to know about. The fact 'my' exposure was only as Yamato's girlfriend won't help protect me."
"What sort of problem?" Hitochi asked. "If I know about it, I may be able to cover it up."
"Sorry, Yamato, I wanted to tell you this personally once I learned more about it." Sora sighed, but then looked deadly serious. "I'm pregnant, but I don't know when. It could be Yamato's or it could be Taichi's."
"PREGNANT?!" and "TAICHI'S?!" was chorused by many of those present.
"Are you planning to keep it?" Yamato asked in shock.
"I don't know. I already know this baby will have the power to be a Chosen, but there's no telling what ending it would do. Hopefully I'll at least know who the father is when I see a doctor this week," Sora informed them.
"If it's mine, you're more likely to have an abortion, aren't you?" Yamato accused.
"Gee, I wonder why _I_ would have an issue with that," Sora failed to explain with Yamato's agent present.
"Is there some problem I should know about?" Hitochi questioned. "With that tabloid nonsense, I was hoping to put you on stage to help dispel that."
"It's not something I will explain," Sora snapped at him. "It's a very private issue that is not his fault. If it helps Yamato, I can manage kissing him and even explain a little of the love triangle we're in. I won't say a word about being pregnant. If I have an abortion, no one needs to know."
Hitochi frowned. "Even potentially being a father would help Yamato, but I certainly understand you wanting to keep this quiet."
Tailmon's long tail flicked irritably. "Whatever decision you make, you've got to make it quickly, or you won't have all your partners here in time."
"It may not hurt to have a public face for us to put forward," Daisuke pointed out. "We can test the waters with those of us Armageddemon exposed and leave the rest to decide after seeing what happens to us."
Jyou's date, Kasumi, stepped forward. "Can I second that part? I don't have a say about that other stuff, but if Jyou steps forward it'd bring attention to me and I don't even have a digimon."
Ayashi placed her hand on Sayuri's shoulders. "It doesn't hurt that all of those present who can still keep it a secret brought girlfriends."
"I didn't bring a date," Mimi pointed out. She then turned to Hitochi. "I can't have any pictures taken of me here. I'm not exactly in the country legally."
"I don't mind people knowing I'm dating a hero!" Yume chirped.
"The age gap may be more of an issue," Hikari noted.
"So those of you that people saw at the Armageddemon battle plus Sora to reveal themselves?" Hitochi asked hopefully.
The Chosen looked at each other and nodded.
"It's agreeable," Ken voiced for the group. "And by stepping forward as a fellow Chosen, it would take more away from the tabloid's accusations."
--
The auditorium dimmed while stage lights illuminated the stage. The curtain peeled back to reveal a giant striped wolf with Ishida riding the creature's back.
The audience gasped at the sight. Many of them were nervous at seeing the monster.
Yamato leapt off Garurumon's back. "Hello, Odaiba!" he cried out. "I'd like you all to meet a good friend of mine."
Garurumon shimmered and shrank to a fur coat wearing lizard. "Hello everyone! I'm Yamato's partner, Gabumon."
A screen descended behind Yamato and an image of himself and Taichi standing on Omegamon's shoulders was then displayed on it. "There has been some speculation in the past whether that was really me." He smiled sheepishly. "It was."
"Don't expect to see the big guy," Taichi called out as he walked on the stage.
"That takes too much energy," Agumon added as he followed his partner.
"And certainly don't believe the tabloids," Ken added as he too walked onto the stage, holding Wormmon in his arms. "The last concert was canceled due to trouble of the Digital World variety. Yamato was merely helping me with it."
Sora moved up behind Taichi and Yamato, putting her arms around both. "If anyone knows how he swings, it's me. And while I'm no longer dating Yamato, it has everything to do with finding out that my first love and best friend really does love me. It certainly has nothing to with that garbage tabloid. We've all been close for a very long time."
"Some of you may think I took Sora from him, but the reality is more..." Taichi trailed off, uncertain how to phrase what to say.
"...I was borrowing her," Yamato finished.
Hikari walked forward holding hands with both Takeru and Daisuke. "Our adventures have done much to mature us ahead of our times, yet that does not help us when it comes to our hearts. Not long ago I was uncertain which of these boys I liked more. While I have made a choice for now, things may yet change for me as well."
"Now there's a reason I've come forward as a Chosen," Yamato announced. "Today I am closing a chapter of my life. The Teenage Wolves are no more."
The audience gasped, booed and cried out in shock.
Yamato smirked. "We are now 'Wolves of the Hunt!'" The curtain finally parted, revealing an electric sign with the new name. "Keeping my connection to digimon and the Digital World would soon be impossible as this coming spring you'll find our newest CD in your local music stores across all of Japan!"
"And now let's rock this place, digital style," V-mon cheered.
The audience erupted in cheers and shouts as the concert began. The movie screen alternating between showing what was going on stage with Yamato singing, the band playing or the Chosen and their digimon dancing along, or showing images of Diablomon and Armageddemon battles.
Chapter Eighteen - Surprising Discoveries
By: Lord Archive
Digimon belongs to Toei Animation and Akiyoshi Hongo. They are used without permission or the intent of profit.
--
Takeru's Journal:
Weeks had become months and the method of switching bodies still had yet to be found. Those of us in the wrong bodies continued to live in the other's lives, trying to adapt and live with the differences as best we could, with varied amounts of success.
--
Miyako jumped up and approached a boy her class. "Kotaru-kun, I've got tickets to a concert this weekend. Care to join me?"
The boy frowned at her. "Aren't you engaged to Izumi?"
"That's a misunderstanding I'm hoping to correct," Miyako replied.
"You're not engaged to him?" Kotaru asked.
"Only as far as our parents are concerned. I have no intention of marrying him," Miyako insisted.
"Sorry, Inoue," Kotaru apologized. "I'm not about to take someone else's girl. Especially from the president of the computer club. I hear they hack computers for fun. Hate to see what he'd do to my computer if I upset him."
"Koushiro has no intention of marrying me either. He's been dating a girl in his class," Miyako explained.
Kotaru frowned at her. "I hear it's just tutoring sessions, not dates."
Miyako pouted. "How do you hear all of this?"
Kotaru grinned sheepishly. "My sister runs the school newspaper. There's not a secret that goes on in this school that she doesn't know about and she certainly makes sure I know all about it too."
"I doubt that when she's got some things wrong," Miyako muttered under her breathe as the boy walked away. "Even beating boys over the head, I still can't get someone to help me 'cheat.'"
"I'd be willing!"
Miyako looked down at a boy with pimples all over his face and unwashed hair. "I'll get back to you on that," she failed to promise. After all, if she did start going all the way with guys, her parents may end up engaging her to one of them. She wasn't about to risk that with a guy who seemed to take a shower once a week, if even that.
--
Sora looked into the mirror at she fixed her hair.
"Another date with Yagami?" Daichi, a girl from her class, asked.
"Not sure you'd call it a date. We're just going to be hanging out," Sora replied.
"Ishida certainly seemed to take it well that you dumped him," Daichi commented.
Sora pouted. "You might think that, but you don't know him. He's using his music to deal with it."
"Whatever." Daichi started to ruffle through her purse. "Sometimes I really hate being a girl. Having these damn cramps every month is a bitch." The girl pulled a pad out. "Do you get cramps too?"
Taichi looked blankly at the girl. "...Sometimes..."
"I get them every damn time," Daichi spat out like she had just cursed. She then retreated into a stall.
Sora bolted out of the bathroom. Spotting Taichi, she grabbed him by the arm and dragged him to a secluded part of the school. "How irregular were you?"
Sora blinked in confusion. "Huh?"
"Your periods, how often do you have them?" Sora repeated.
"You should know that. Once every four to five weeks," Taichi told her.
"I haven't had one," Sora told him on the verge of hysterics.
"You missed the last one?" Taichi asked in a worried tone.
"No! _I_ have not had one, at all," Sora stressed.
Taichi frowned. "Look, periods aren't something you can plan on happening. The switch might've been enough of a shock to make you skip a couple."
"Daisuke and Jyou both got to experience having a period," Sora retorted.
"Have you been sick?" Taichi asked.
Sora shook her head. "No."
"Then you really shouldn't have anything to worry about," Taichi insisted.
Sora frowned. "Maybe, but we should check just to make sure.
--
Iori wheeled Yume down the street, with Sayuri skipping along behind him. As they rounded a corner, the handles ripped away from his hands as Yume took off, pushing hard on the wheels.
Takeru looked up from from a bench. "Hello, Togashi."
"Hi, Takeru!" Yume chirped. "And I've told you before to call me 'Yume.' How was school?"
"It went fine. I got a perfect score on a history quiz," Takeru told her. "How was yours?"
"It was great!" Yume said with a smile.
Takeru nodded. "Um, I was wondering if you were busy Saturday?"
"Yes! I'll go to the concert with you!" Yume happily squeaked out.
"Huh?" Takeru blinked.
"Sorry." Yume blushed. "Iori already asked Sayuri. I thought you..."
"It's okay. I was asking you." Takeru then looked over at Iori. "You asked Wataru out?"
"Yep!" Sayuri answered for him.
Iori shrugged. "Figure I'd use the extra ticket I got, and I may as well enjoy myself."
Takeru raised an eyebrow. "I hope you don't mean to enjoy yourself too much."
Sayuri folded her arms. "I'd hardly let him do THAT."
"Really, you may have pubs now, but I still don't," Iori groused.
Yume blushed deeply.
"Sorry," Takeru apologized.
"Yeah, well, who knows in a few years, whether as Iori or Daisuke where we'll be," the younger boy replied. "I can't live by thinking, 'maybe tomorrow I'll be cured.' If I'm going to be Iori, I may as well live this life."
Takeru smiled and nodded.
--
Koushiro guided his guest into his home and looked around before finding a note from his mother about taking care of some errands. "Looks like Mom won't be home for a little while. Guess surprising her will have to wait."
"You haven't told your parents you've been having study dates with me?" Ayashi questioned as she followed behind the boy.
"I figured that if I told Mom I was tutoring a girl, she'd object and make me stop, and if I told her right away I was dating someone else she'd see it as another attempt to end the engagement and not believe it," Koushiro explained.
"Ah. Good idea. Now that you've been tutoring me for a while now, any feelings we had would be gradual," Ayashi surmised.
"Exactly," Koushiro confirmed.
"Well, may as well get started." Ayashi grabbed him by the hand and went over to the couch for them to study on.
Ayashi had never had an easy time with mathematics. The various equations just never made any sense to her. Words were easier to relate to and understand, even English came fairly easy to her. Algebra was just a big pain in the ass for her to figure out, even with his help.
Koushiro was grateful to work with Ayashi. Thanks to working with computers he had certainly been exposed to English, but with the girl's help he was slowly becoming fluent in the language. They would start their sessions with mathematics as she really needed more help with that. Suddenly, without warning the girl grabbed him, pulling him into a kiss. She did not let him question it as she held him tightly.
"Koushiro!"
The boy jumped free of Ayashi's grasp and stared at his mother.
"Who is this girl?" Mrs. Izumi demanded.
The girl stood up and bowed with seeming nervousness. "Ah, hello, Izumi-san. I'm Tenkawa Ayashi. Kou-chan has been tutoring me."
Mrs. Izumi's eye twitched. "Koushiro, what is the meaning of this? What about Miyako?"
"Ah, Mother..." Koushiro trailed off.
Ayashi folded her arms. "What about her? She's been trying to date every guy at school."
"Tenkawa, I'm afraid this has nothing to do with you. Please leave," Mrs. Izumi pleaded.
Ayashi grabbed Koushiro into a hug. "It has everything to do with me now. As of last Saturday, we're lovers."
Koushiro and his mother both made incomprehensible sounds.
"Inoue never wanted him. What little she did with him was just exploring stuff with a friend. I truly love him," Ayashi proclaimed.
Mrs. Izumi glared at the girl. "Do you even really know him?"
"He's the Chosen Child of Knowledge who let his natural curiosity to get the better of him, especially when he was in Miyako's body. And Tentomon is the cutest thing ever!" Ayashi retorted.
"Koushiro, what do you have to say about this?" Mrs. Izumi demanded.
"I, er, well, that is..." Koushiro shook his head. "Mother, you don't know what it's like being someone else. I know things about Miyako that makes me feel like she's a sister..."
"Then would you care to explain why Sora and Taichi are dating?" Mrs. Izumi shot back.
"I'm not either of them. They loved each other before the switch, I only saw Miyako as a friend. So what if she gave me a few 'benefits?' We didn't go as far as you think we did. Yes, I've seen her naked and touched her body, that was it. I never had sex with her," Koushiro insisted. "We've tried to be a couple. After being cured, we kissed and felt nothing. She compared it to being with her brother."
"And what about her?" Mrs. Izumi pushed.
"I really do like her. I want to know learn everything about her," Koushiro pledged.
"Tenkawa, I really must ask you to leave now. I'm have much to deal with," Mrs. Izumi told her.
"I'll walk you home," Koushiro volunteered. He was surprised to note his mother offered no protest. He kept biting his tongue. A block away from his home he finally asked, "Why did you say we were lovers?"
Ayashi smirked at him. "You got in trouble because you're parents thought you slept with Miyako. With another girl willing to contest Miyako's claim, it should at least make them less willing to enforce their stupidity."
"I guess..." Koushiro looked away uncertainly.
"You really do look like a girl sometimes," Ayashi commented.
Koushiro looked confused. "What do you mean by that?"
"That look you just had. I've seen girls have it all the time, wondering if the boy really likes her, or is just pretending," Ayashi explained. "I'll tell you if you tell me?"
Koushiro pouted. "It has been all pretend so far, but what I told my mother is true. I really do want to learn everything about you and I do like you."
Ayashi smiled and gave him a brief kiss. "I like you, too."
--
Sora shambled out of the bathroom. As the boy looked up at her, she decked him hard enough to knock him off her couch.
"What?" Taichi rubbed his cheek as he sat up.
"Damn you." Sora slugged him again and continued to punch him. Her strikes became lighter as her tears intensified. "You jerk. You stupid jerk."
Taichi grabbed her into a hug. "It was positive?" he asked emotionlessly and was answered with a nod. "Oh, geez..."
"What if... what if Yamato is the father?" Sora questioned through her sobs.
"Look, we're going to have to see a doctor. We should be able to learn when you got pregnant that way," Taichi advised.
Sora slammed a fist into his back. "Don't you mean when YOU got this body pregnant. _I_ might not have been involved."
"Hit me all you want," Taichi told her. "I won't leave you."
"You better not. This is all YOUR fault!" Sora clutched onto him tighter.
--
"I'm home," Miyako called out, entering her apartment.
"We've got to talk," Mrs. Inoue told her.
Miyako pouted. What was it this time? She entered into kitchen. "Yes, Mom?"
"What are your feelings for Koushiro?" Mrs. Inoue asked seriously.
"NOW you ask?" Miyako snapped. "He's a friend. That's all he's even been, just a friend."
"Even though you gave him some benefits?" Mrs. Inoue accused.
Miyako folded her arms. "Yes, we did some things, but I'm still a virgin. We never went all the way. I wasn't about to pass up a chance to masturbate as a guy, and knew his curiosity would've done the same."
Mrs. Inoue scowled. "And have you really been trying to date other guys?"
Miyako reluctantly nodded. "Being around Koushiro feels like being around my brother now. He knows things about me even you don't know. We've gotten too close. I wanted to find a boyfriend in hopes you'd drop this nonsense."
"You haven't whored yourself, have you?" Mrs. Inoue demanded.
Miyako glared. "Doesn't 'I'm still a virgin' mean anything? All the kids at school somehow learned about this engagement nonsense and won't even go on a date with me. Well, the ones I'd be willing to date, anyway."
Mrs. Inoue grimaced. "Well, it would seem Koushiro has seen to do that. He's been screwing some girl he's been tutoring."
"Really?" Miyako chirped. "Good for him."
"You're not upset by that?" Mrs. Inoue asked.
"Not at all. I don't love him as anything more than a friend. If he can land a girl like her, I'm all for it," Miyako defended.
Mrs. Inoue looked intently at the girl. "You know who she is?"
"Sure, long black hair and the biggest tits in Junior High," Miyako replied. "Any guy, well straight guy, would be happy with her."
Mrs. Inoue frowned deeply. "I hope you're telling the truth. I won't be forcing you to marry Koushiro."
"Yes!" Miyako cheered.
"You're grounded for the next six months. No concert, no television, nothing," Mrs. Inoue intoned.
"I can live with that," Miyako happily bounced toward her room.
--
Hikari opened her bedroom door. Her eyes went wide and then slammed the door shut.
"What's wrong?" Daisuke asked.
"Occupied," Hikari replied.
"Taichi and Sora?" Daisuke guessed.
"Tailmon and Patamon," Hikari corrected.
"Ah." Daisuke laughed nervously. He then hugged the girl from behind. "Might explain why I really want to jump you right now."
Hikari tilted her head back to look up at his face. "You always want to 'jump me.'"
"Because you're too cute." Daisuke leaned down and kissed her. He then jumped when he heard the door open.
"Won't that get confusing when you switch back?" Mrs. Yagami asked.
Hikari pouted.
"Not sure I will change back," Daisuke replied.
"What about the others?" Mrs. Yagami asked.
"Taichi and Sora still want to switch back, but for the guys, they've gotten used to being who they are," Hikari explained.
"It doesn't hurt we've all picked up girlfriends." Daisuke lifted Hikari up, causing the girl to squeak.
"Don't you want to return to your real homes?" Mrs. Yagami asked.
"I still visit Mom every week. She'll never stop being my mother. I just have another one with Motomiya-san," Daisuke explained. "Just as Takeru has made sure to visit the Hida family and has kept up with kendo lessons."
Mrs. Yagami shrugged. "Weeks ago you would've said Iori, now you referred to him by your real name."
"It's less confusing when we stick with who we are now," Daisuke replied.
"I guess." Mrs. Yagami then looked at the kids. "The other two also have girlfriends?"
"Yes, when did that happen?" Hikari asked.
Daisuke smirked. "Got a text from Takeru a little bit ago. Seems Iori had a pair of girls going for his attention before. And after Iori had asked Sayuri out to the concert, Takeru asked Yume."
"I think Yamato forgot to tell them what the other ticket was for," Hikari commented.
"Still, best to be careful, you may find yourselves switched back eventually and that could cause problems," Mrs. Yagami warned.
Hikari giggled nervously. "Yeah, that would make every confusing..." The most likely problem from her and Daisuke now would be if she got pregnant.
--
"Why do you keep coming back to this area?" Ken wondered.
Mimi frowned at him. "The closest information we have on Xuanwumon tells of an explosion that wasn't an explosion and a gigantic thunderclap without lightning that came from 'Digital Alaska.' There were no digimon involved in that blast that have emerged."
"There's no guarantee that Xuanwumon was involved in that," Ken pointed out.
"But if he did disappear here, it'd explain why no one knows how he was sealed," Palmon defended. "Because the ones that would are also gone."
"And think about what was described," Mimi pressed. "What could've caused it?"
"Are you thinking that the entire area got swept into another dimension or even formed it's own sub-dimension, literally taking everything in the area?" Ken wondered.
"Exactly, which likely looked like an explosion of light that itself did no damage. However what followed would've been a massive vacuum. In trying to fill the sudden void, everything around it would've been sucked in and when the air met at the center... BAM!" Mimi clapped her hands together.
"The mother of all thunderclaps," Wormmon finished.
Ken frowned, knowing she got the idea from tapping into the residual part of him that was the Kaiser. "That would be a reasonable hypothesis. But what would you suggest we do to prove if that is the case?"
"We've had Jyou explore the waters and we've looked over the land, but there's something we haven't checked yet." Mimi whipped out her digivice and pointed it at her partner.
"Palmon evolve to..." A pillar of light enshrouded her. "Togemon." The pillar did not fade. "Togemon super-evolve to..." As the light vanished, a humanoid woman stood there seemingly clothed in a pink flower. "Lillymon!"
"I want to get a bird's eye view of the area," Mimi ordered.
"Anything you say," Lillymon agreed. She hugged her partner from behind and used the large green leaves on her back as wings to make her fly.
Ken followed suit turning Wormmon into a giant humanoid insect, Stingmon, and flew after the girls. Higher and higher they went and was beginning to doubt they would find anything this time.
"Stop!" Mimi suddenly called out.
Stingmon stopped next to Lillymon. "Oh, my..."
Ken pulled out a digital camera. "Looks like you really were on to something."
"Is this entire region Xuanwumon?" Lillymon wondered seeing a massive outline of a two headed gargantuan turtle beneath her. Even a kilometer in the air they could not make out entire body.
"I believe we can be certain this is where he disappeared," Ken replied. "But I'm not sure if the outline is him, or an after image."
"You see the Digital writing around him, don't you?" Mimi questioned.
"Yes, which is why I feel it's more an after image. I'll have to talk to the others, but that looks to be a dimensional seal, like you surmised, rather than a personal seal like the one used on Qinglongmon," Ken explained.
Mimi began to cry. "We finally did it. We found another answer. There really was another way."
"There's still no way we can be sure that we can do anything about this. The seal is unlike anything I've seen before," Ken told her. "We are finally a step closer, but it may still take time."
Mimi shook her head. "I know I did what I had to. That I could not live being you this long. But at least now I know there was something else we could've done. There was another solution. Next time, I may be able to find it sooner without anyone having to die."
Ken nodded. "I've got to get this information to Koushiro."
--
Gennai was sitting on a large cushioned chair. While most of his injuries inflicted by Piemon had faded, their presence still persisted. "I believe you're not going to like what I have to say."
"No quick means to free Xuanwumon," Sora groused.
"I'm afraid so, because the seal you showed me is Xuanwumon's," Gennai informed. "While Piemon and Mugen Dramon were giving Qinglongmon a royal headache that eventually resulted in the digital god being sealed, Xuanwumon was busy elsewhere with something he insisted was a bigger threat. A war of light verses dark that had grown out of control. Xuanwumon had pleaded for help from the other gods but each of them were facing Apocalymon's heralds at the time. I'm afraid beyond Xuanwumon's contention of there being a dozen ultimate digimon involved plus a Perfect whose power supposedly rivaled that of his own, Qinglongmon knows nothing more. He had been sealed away before Xuanwumon activated his own seal."
Koushiro frowned. "Seeing as the god, himself, invoked the seal, it's safe to say he dragged those thirteen powerful digimon and their armies into another dimension."
"Would there be a way to free Xuanwumon?" Taichi questioned.
"Not without unleashing the rest of the digimon in that seal," Gennai replied. "And we can not be sure how time works for them. It could be only minutes since the seal was placed, or it could be centuries. Either case, Xuanwumon has not yet seen it prudent to break the seal."
"Koushiro has already started to work with the other brains to find a method of contacting Xuanwumon, or at least view what's going on in that sub-dimension," Tentomon added.
"I wouldn't get your hopes up just yet, but we might have something in a couple weeks." Koushiro sighed. "Or it may take years."
"At least we have something to work with," Agumon tried to cheer.
"Better than nothing," Sora muttered.
Koushiro didn't question the girl's attitude. This could barely count as good news as the worst case scenario now meant they could have to leave Xuanwumon sealed forever, meaning no cure. He sighed. "I'll debrief the whole team at the concert and hopefully have a better idea of where we really stand. In the meantime, I'm off to check out the seal myself."
Taichi watched as Koushiro and Tentomon went through a doorway at Gennai's room that flashed brightly and the pair was gone. "We've got something else to ask you."
"Would it have something to do with there being three Chosen still in this room?" Gennai asked.
Sora pouted. "So, you're saying the baby inside me already has a destiny?"
"Destiny is something people make, and is not predetermined. It may not be yours alone to mold, as there are others who have meddled in your lives, but there's no telling what life may hold for your child. The incident that brought you to our attention could've just as easily happened in New York City. It may not have been just anywhere, but it did not necessarily have to be you," Gennai told them. "The child within you has a potential to do wondrous things. I take it you are questioning whether you should keep this child."
"Yeah," Sora admitted. "Is it possible that you could tell me who the father is?"
"You're uncertain?" Gennai questioned with a touch of surprise.
"Could be his," Sora pointed at Taichi. "Or it could be Yamato's from before the switch."
"Whether this child of love is also courage, friendship or both is beyond my ability to tell. Today is the first time I've detected the presence and I doubt the child within was conceived less than a week ago," Gennai said with a forced grin.
"Some help you are," Sora sniped bitterly. "But what does it mean when a Chosen gets pregnant?"
Gennai let out a sigh. "You are asking questions I can not begin to answer. You are the first. There may be a digimon already set to bond with your baby upon birth, or it may not happen until the child is ten. I cannot even say for certain what an abortion will do. If the baby has an intended digimon already, that digimon may cease to exist."
"So you don't even know if any child I might have would be partnered to her baby?" Piyomon wondered.
"Sorry," Gennai apologized.
"But it wouldn't hurt to try," Agumon commented.
Piyomon slapped him with her wing. "I still haven't decided."
Agumon pouted.
Sora looked away. "I wish you could've at least told me if it was safe or not. Ending this might mean nothing or it could mean everything. It doesn't make it any easier. How am I supposed to decide when I know nothing?"
Taichi put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You've got that appointment set up for next week and they'll hopefully be able to answer some of them."
Sora laughed bitterly. "Like if I was even there."
--
"Look, I'm sorry I didn't explain anything," Yamato apologized to most of his fellow Chosen.
Takeru frowned. "This isn't something we can just decide. Even if the media can't print our names, they can still keep approaching us."
Taichi folded his arms. "And if you thought the tabloids were annoying before, this will put it to a whole new level."
"I know that," Yamato agreed. "But what this means for my band is everything."
"If you want to blame someone, blame me," announced a man in a business suit. "I'm Ishida's agent, Hiroshima Hitochi, and this whole concert was my idea, including not going into too much information." He then walked up to Yagami and shook his hand. "And I want to personally thank you for your part in stopping Diablomon."
Taichi laughed nervously. "You're welcome."
Sora pouted. "This is rather ill timed. We've got situations going on that can really mess with things."
"I understand that you may be reluctant to have your lives put on public display, but the reality is that it's not your personal lives people will be interested in, but in your adventures," Hitochi tried to assure them.
Jyou shook his head. "Our adventures are part of our personal lives. The decisions we've made in battles are ones we've made. The choice of using lethal force is a personal one and regardless how you paint it, we will be judged for when we did and when we did not kill. Beyond that, you're asking to involve are families as I seriously doubt the media would only pursue us."
"You guys at least are getting a choice in this," Hikari intoned. "But there's no point Yamato, Taichi, Takeru, Daisuke, Ken and myself to hide this."
"What do you mean by that?" Iori questioned.
Koushiro stepped forward. "Because their images were exposed during the Armageddemon incident. I've tried to suppress them with Gennai's help, but once on the Internet, always on the Internet. It's a wonder why they haven't been approached before this, eventually it would have happened."
Sora rubbed her forehead. "Still doesn't help with what's going on. I've got a problem that I sure as hell don't want the world to know about. The fact 'my' exposure was only as Yamato's girlfriend won't help protect me."
"What sort of problem?" Hitochi asked. "If I know about it, I may be able to cover it up."
"Sorry, Yamato, I wanted to tell you this personally once I learned more about it." Sora sighed, but then looked deadly serious. "I'm pregnant, but I don't know when. It could be Yamato's or it could be Taichi's."
"PREGNANT?!" and "TAICHI'S?!" was chorused by many of those present.
"Are you planning to keep it?" Yamato asked in shock.
"I don't know. I already know this baby will have the power to be a Chosen, but there's no telling what ending it would do. Hopefully I'll at least know who the father is when I see a doctor this week," Sora informed them.
"If it's mine, you're more likely to have an abortion, aren't you?" Yamato accused.
"Gee, I wonder why _I_ would have an issue with that," Sora failed to explain with Yamato's agent present.
"Is there some problem I should know about?" Hitochi questioned. "With that tabloid nonsense, I was hoping to put you on stage to help dispel that."
"It's not something I will explain," Sora snapped at him. "It's a very private issue that is not his fault. If it helps Yamato, I can manage kissing him and even explain a little of the love triangle we're in. I won't say a word about being pregnant. If I have an abortion, no one needs to know."
Hitochi frowned. "Even potentially being a father would help Yamato, but I certainly understand you wanting to keep this quiet."
Tailmon's long tail flicked irritably. "Whatever decision you make, you've got to make it quickly, or you won't have all your partners here in time."
"It may not hurt to have a public face for us to put forward," Daisuke pointed out. "We can test the waters with those of us Armageddemon exposed and leave the rest to decide after seeing what happens to us."
Jyou's date, Kasumi, stepped forward. "Can I second that part? I don't have a say about that other stuff, but if Jyou steps forward it'd bring attention to me and I don't even have a digimon."
Ayashi placed her hand on Sayuri's shoulders. "It doesn't hurt that all of those present who can still keep it a secret brought girlfriends."
"I didn't bring a date," Mimi pointed out. She then turned to Hitochi. "I can't have any pictures taken of me here. I'm not exactly in the country legally."
"I don't mind people knowing I'm dating a hero!" Yume chirped.
"The age gap may be more of an issue," Hikari noted.
"So those of you that people saw at the Armageddemon battle plus Sora to reveal themselves?" Hitochi asked hopefully.
The Chosen looked at each other and nodded.
"It's agreeable," Ken voiced for the group. "And by stepping forward as a fellow Chosen, it would take more away from the tabloid's accusations."
--
The auditorium dimmed while stage lights illuminated the stage. The curtain peeled back to reveal a giant striped wolf with Ishida riding the creature's back.
The audience gasped at the sight. Many of them were nervous at seeing the monster.
Yamato leapt off Garurumon's back. "Hello, Odaiba!" he cried out. "I'd like you all to meet a good friend of mine."
Garurumon shimmered and shrank to a fur coat wearing lizard. "Hello everyone! I'm Yamato's partner, Gabumon."
A screen descended behind Yamato and an image of himself and Taichi standing on Omegamon's shoulders was then displayed on it. "There has been some speculation in the past whether that was really me." He smiled sheepishly. "It was."
"Don't expect to see the big guy," Taichi called out as he walked on the stage.
"That takes too much energy," Agumon added as he followed his partner.
"And certainly don't believe the tabloids," Ken added as he too walked onto the stage, holding Wormmon in his arms. "The last concert was canceled due to trouble of the Digital World variety. Yamato was merely helping me with it."
Sora moved up behind Taichi and Yamato, putting her arms around both. "If anyone knows how he swings, it's me. And while I'm no longer dating Yamato, it has everything to do with finding out that my first love and best friend really does love me. It certainly has nothing to with that garbage tabloid. We've all been close for a very long time."
"Some of you may think I took Sora from him, but the reality is more..." Taichi trailed off, uncertain how to phrase what to say.
"...I was borrowing her," Yamato finished.
Hikari walked forward holding hands with both Takeru and Daisuke. "Our adventures have done much to mature us ahead of our times, yet that does not help us when it comes to our hearts. Not long ago I was uncertain which of these boys I liked more. While I have made a choice for now, things may yet change for me as well."
"Now there's a reason I've come forward as a Chosen," Yamato announced. "Today I am closing a chapter of my life. The Teenage Wolves are no more."
The audience gasped, booed and cried out in shock.
Yamato smirked. "We are now 'Wolves of the Hunt!'" The curtain finally parted, revealing an electric sign with the new name. "Keeping my connection to digimon and the Digital World would soon be impossible as this coming spring you'll find our newest CD in your local music stores across all of Japan!"
"And now let's rock this place, digital style," V-mon cheered.
The audience erupted in cheers and shouts as the concert began. The movie screen alternating between showing what was going on stage with Yamato singing, the band playing or the Chosen and their digimon dancing along, or showing images of Diablomon and Armageddemon battles.