a season for respite
Henry touched Ryo's sleeve. "You really got to love that place."
"In a way." Ryo twined his fingers with Henry's, his eyes unusually distant. "It was lonely and unfeeling, at times. And constantly holding Cyberdramon back was pretty draining. But I'm kind of its protector."
Something in his pensive gaze piqued Henry's curiousity. Not I acted as its protector. Ryo had said I am its protector. "You're... supposed to be? Or you chose to be?"
Ryo pushed his plate away, scooting his chair closer. "Jen, you watched the TV shows, didn't you?"
"A little. Mostly I got into the games."
There was a flash in Ryo's eyes. Wild hope? Fear? "Do you remember much about them?"
"Not really. It was a long time ago, and I haven't played them in a long time. Where are you going with this, Ryo?"
"... do you believe in destiny?"
~~~
It was the last thing Henry expected to hear. "Destiny? I guess... in a way. I don't think people are destined to be good or evil. But I do think we've all got a certain path to walk. How we do it is up to us." A hundred thoughts raced through his mind, and were put to rest as he waited for Ryo to explain.
Ryo's hand was very warm, and starting to moisten. But the blue eyes that looked up at Henry were anything but nervous. "The place where I'm from, digimon are different. They are destined to have a human partner."
"It's kind of like us, isn't it? There was something Shibumi, I mean, Mizuno-san said. Maybe I was created for Terriermon instead of the other way around." Henry stopped. His hand gripped Ryo's tight, his grey eyes widening. "What do you mean, 'where you're from'?"
Ryo took a deep breath. "This'll sound like a bad movie, but I'm not from this dimension."
"You... but... you have digimon where you are?" It was something to latch on to. It was something that made sense. Nothing else was.
"Yeah, there were digimon there. In fact, they had them in games, just like here. And I got sucked into one. At least, that's what Gennai told me. I don't really remember."
Henry was up like a shot. The rolling chair he was on bumped the table and slid across the floor. "You're crazy! Gennai's not real!" Henry shook his head, turning away. Great, I just insulted him. That hadn't even made any sense; just a few months ago, digimon hadn't been real.
Yet there was no trace of hurt in Ryo's voice. "No, he's not. Not in this world. He's just a character, here."
Henry stared at the floor. "So... what does that make you?"
"Same person I always was. Akiyama Ryo, legendary digimon tamer. There's just a lot more legend behind it than what's commonly known." Hesitantly, Ryo rose and stood close to Henry. "When I first got here, I found there was this memory block about events of the television shows and the games. Even on the Internet, where there are pictures of me when I was ten or eleven." My age. This is crazy! "No one seems to be able to connect it back to me. I haven't even changed my name, if what these websites and Gennai said are true."
Henry tried to clear his breathing again. Ryo was a warm, silent presence at his back. Henry really wasn't sure why he was so bothered by the news. He'd heard stranger rumors about the 'legendary tamer'. By now it had to be par for the course. And there was no reason for Ryo to lie about this. "You don't remember either?"
"Not really." Ryo pulled at his hand, and Henry let him take it. "I remember people and digimon, sort of. Enough to know what Gennai said wasn't a false memory. I don't remember my real parents or my home, though I do know it's in Sapporo.
That sent pangs through Henry's heart. He turned and wrapped his arms around Ryo. "But not this Sapporo?"
"I, uh, actually don't know. I'm not sure if this is the same place where I started. Even then, I've been gone so long and aged so little, my parents probably think I'm dead."
Henry found his rhythm again, pressed close to Ryo. The room fell silent except for their breaths. Belatedly Henry realized that Ryo made the silences comfortable; he waited until Henry's thoughts were gathered and he was ready to speak. In the field, in a fight, Ryo always had something to say. It was one of those strange concessions which seemed out of place for the rambunctious young man.
As for Henry's thoughts, they were in a jumble. How could a boy grow up without a family? Without memories of his family? Did he belong in their universe? If he didn't, why was he here? And will he stay?
"Destiny's not just a word to you, is it."
Ryo relaxed. Henry hadn't noticed how tense and expectant he'd been till then. "It's the reason for my existence, Jen. You know, even in the world I'm from, I don't have a real digimon partner. Cyberdramon is... close to it, but not quite. I only have what I do, and that's to protect the digital world."
Henry looked up at him. "Is that why you were able to biomerge, even without Dobermon's gift? And how you found your way to the digital world?"
"... I think so. Cyberdramon actually remembers a lot more than me, so we figured all that out together. It doesn't bother me anymore when I take exception to reality."
"Are you?" Henry sat down again, pulling his feet up.
"Am I what?" After a moment, Ryo hopped up on the conference table and pushed Henry's chair over so he could be closer.
"Are you an exception to reality?" Do you belong here? Tell me you do. Tell me you'll stay. We promised each other.
Ryo's hand was tousling his hair again. He liked to play with it a lot. "Reality's a shifty thing. I mean, look at Guilmon. Takato dreamed him up and some wish gnomes made him real. Who knows, maybe we're all a game or a show or a book someplace. I don't think it's for us to know. You just have to make do with the destiny you have." He sighed as Henry leaned his head on his lap. "Mine happens to be more fluid than most. But that doesn't matter. Wherever I was, I made it my home. And I'm here now."
Here to fight. Again. Nerves of steel indeed, your soul must be armor plated by now. At least I was able to change my destiny. I did not want to become a killer. But that's the path you are on. That must be so lonely. Henry slowly unfolded his legs, curling an arm around Ryo's dangling ankle. His eyes were lidding when he said, "You like to touch my hair."
Ryo paused. It almost seemed like he'd been caught at something, though he'd been attracted to Henry's spiky mop from the start. "Yeah, Jen."
Henry tilted his head and looked at him sidewise. "What is it?"
To his surprise, the older boy blushed. "Uh, well, I didn't forget everyone I met in the other dimensions."
"Tell me."
Ryo sighed. "There's not much to tell. I was friends with this boy and his little brother. They were both really smart, and they were into games as much as I am. I think... but I'm not sure... that I was in love with him. And, well," he smiled wryly. "He had the biggest mess of indigo hair. It was spiky and it stuck up all over the place. Don't worry, yours is much nicer."
Henry laughed softly.
"It's kinda sad, though... I think the boy died. I don't remember what happened, but I know it was a terrible, sudden thing. It feels like a hammerblow to my chest, when I think about him." Ryo gazed down at the grey eyes now looking up with deep compassion. "It kinda itches at me that I can't remember his name. I know it begins with an 'O'... Otaru, Osamu, Osano, something like that. But I do remember his little brother-- Ken. Just the sweetest little guy. I remember that he saved my life somehow, at his expense. But I never did find out what happened to him. I think I had to leave again."
Slowly Henry pulled himself up. Leaning on the table, he pressed close to Ryo, his brow creased, the line of his mouth quite serious. "You're not going to leave again, are you?"
Ryo met his gaze evenly. "I can't promise that. But I'll only leave if I know I can get back. And whatever happens, I won't forget you."
"Hai. Of course." Henry kissed his lips. "Because we're coming back from this battle."
"Yes, we are," Ryo said firmly. He slid off the table and they pressed close to each other, Ryo taller and broad-shouldered, Henry thin and sinewy. "There's a time for everything. We'll have our time for peace, I promise you, Jen."
"We'd better. I want you to know what it's like to not to fight all the time."
Ryo hugged him tight. "I had a few months when I first got to this world, y'know."
"But we weren't together, then." Henry pulled back a little to look at Ryo. "...hey. Wait a minute. Ryo, how old are you exactly?"
"Ah... I'm not exactly sure?" He said sheepishly.
Henry nudged him and tried to look annoyed. "I do remember something about the TV show and how the passage of time's not the same. I thought you said you were fourteen!"
Ryo scratched his head. "Physically I am fourteen. But it's probably a little more than that, subjectively. Maa, don't be mad, Jen."
Henry shook his head, chuckling. "I'm not. Just wondering if you make robbing the cradle a habit."
"Hey, that's not fair," Ryo laughed.
When childhood ends... the inevitable betrayal.
