This was going to be a digiblog. Then I went to check for World Cup scores, and right there on the front page of ESPN... St. Louis pitcher Darryl Kile found dead in his hotel room in Chicago. Father of three. 33 years old. Tony LaRussa walked out to the Cubs dugout just after 2pm CT today to convey the news, just before the game was supposed to start. There's no word yet from the medical examiner, but homicide detectives say it looks like Kile died in his sleep.
Kile pitched the Cardinals into first place in the National League Central on Tuesday night, the same night longtime broadcaster Jack Buck died at 77 after a long illness.
[...]
"I couldn't believe it and I still don't believe it,'' said Cubs manager Don Baylor, who managed Kile in Colorado. "DK was a very special player. He was always the perfect teammate to all the guys who played with him.''
[...]
Shortly after the game was supposed to start at 2:20 p.m., La Russa came out of the dugout and walked across the field to meet with Cubs general manager Andy MacPhail and Cubs player representative Joe Girardi. Then all the Cubs came out of the dugout and got behind Girardi.
Speaking in front of the dugout on a microphone, Girardi told the crowd there had been a "tragedy in the Cardinals' family'' and asked fans for their prayers.
It *is* a family. And it's a dark time for them, and all St. Louisans.
This may sound silly to those of you with no interest in sports, or who don't live in sports oriented towns. St. Louis' life and breath is sports, and baseball is the first love. You don't hear about inflated egos on the club level. Players who get traded off to other clubs remember their days in St. Louis fondly, remember their friendships for a long time. Players like Mark McGwire are glad to take less money to play in St. Louis because the fans love them and the organization is solid. Like almost all sports players who pass by St. Louis, it's a given that there will be charity and public works, outreach to the communities, involvement even when their homes are on the coasts on the off-season.
Darryl Kile was no different. Hardworking, upstanding guy. A team leader. Went from being the worst in the league to pitching a team into the playoffs. Remembered fondly by everyone who knew him. None of whom can believe he's gone, taken away so quickly.
And Jack Buck. Man, am I out of the loop. He was Mr. Baseball. His sons and daughters followed him into the profession. He's been announcing Cardinals games since before most of you were born.
Coincidentally, Rich Barklage, the traffic reporter for the metro area, died on the way to his car just a few days ago too. His brother, Allen Barklage, was the previous traffic copter guy, and he was killed in a crash several years ago.
I guess I'll always be a St. Louisan at heart. It's a sad, sad day for the city.
Friday, June 21, 2002
1:36 AM lost earring post. room disaster area. heirloom. no idea when fuck you all I hate this
Reading Weiss fic... thanks for the e-mail Lacey, verrah helpful. ^^
Stain by Annegwish (cute author name)
Delight at how his body shudders at the blow, knowing it hurts him and liking it because I want him and wanting him hurts me. When he hurts, I hurt, our pain will magnify until it devours him and then I shall eat him and become whole.
I will destroy you, I will consume you ... I am the snake in your heart and you were foolish to invite me in ...
Mwahaha. Do you want coffee with your evil today?
(( low pressure system moving past... need to finish up or even start all the digific today because I think it's snuffling out as I sit here ))
Wednesday, June 19, 2002
11:54 AM bunny attack part... many updated 12:40pm
high school bunny. onwards.
(( the virginal talk is on the home computer and it's well on its way to being fleshed completely. soon! ))
(( the booootiful picture of Ryo and Lee's first time is also sitting at home. probably another few weeks of work on it, but OH. so so hot. my best yet, I am very proud of it. ))
~~~
"Jen? You... don't have any regrets, do you?"
"No. Of course not." A tentative smile. "I'm not just saying that, y'know."
Ryo wound his arms around him, his breath on his neck. Lee closed his eyes. If only it could be like this always. "We were really young, even with everything we went through. I was just thinking maybe it would've been easier growing up without all the extra stuff."
"It was worth it. And I knew, when we met... You're right, we were really young." Lee's voice was soft and distant. "But I saw you, and I just thought how lonely your life had to be. I was alone by choice. I didn't want to hurt people by getting too close. Before Terriermon, I didn't think I needed anyone that much."
"Still... that's some pretty big thinking for ten years old. Sometimes I can't believe you've stuck around."
"I can't believe you were at all interested in me, back then."
"You were always pretty mature. Stuck to the background till you were needed, and when you were, you delivered. Always around. Like the wind or the rocks or the trees. And of all of them, you were the only one who really understood. I didn't even have to explain."
Lee turned his head. "Everyone else looked at you and saw a hero..."
"You saw a soldier." Ryo hugged him closer. "With what little I remember, there's just not a time in my life when I was dealing with Cyberdramon. With you... it was the first time I could stop, and have a little slice of peace." His smile curved against Lee's skin.
~~~//~~~
Ryo straightened. "Jen. Look at me. Promise me you won't come with me."
Gray eyes met blue, and they held the same pain. "Promise me you won't go."
They were silent.
"...I have to go. If Cyberdramon appears, or worse yet, Millenniumon, I'm destined to fight him. If I don't go, some other kid might get called, and what then?"
"Yeah." Lee nestled next to him, long fingers feeling the muscles beneath his shirt.
"The other thing is that... there's something Millenniumon said to me. He said as long as we were both alive, we would continue to fight each other. So if it ever gets down to the wire, the only way out would be to kill myself."
"Ryo! You... you wouldn't do that..." Lee couldn't look at him.
"I've thought about it. It never seemed right, and it never will. But just in case, I don't ever, ever want you to see that." Ryo kissed his brow. "Of course, the alternative is continuing to fight him. And knowing Mille, it's just a matter of time."
Lee sighed. "If it happens, and there's time, I'll make the choice myself. And you can't talk me out of it."
Ryo nodded solemnly. "Fair enough." He brushed his hand through Lee's hair. It was a comfort gesture for them both. "Hey... I don't want this to come between us now, okay?"
"Oh! No, no. We'll deal with it when it comes." Lee turned and claimed a kiss. "In the meantime... let's enjoy this peace of ours, hm?"
Yuck. Not exactly as I envisioned it. Taking a break to let the other bunnies get in line. The last one will be a major major SPOILER... or not. It depends on if I can get the canon to dovetail and if it's a suitable "major" plot for the high school arc, or it belongs in a separate fic. Another fic! These aren't bunnies, they're amoeba-bunnies. Keep stopping back, I will add more.
Back to the fray!
"Would you get the door, dear?"
"Man, who could it be at this hour? Takato! Can you go see who it is?"
Mrs. Matsuda snorted. "Maybe it's Yamaki-san, with his bags packed."
Takato hopped down the stairs, skidding on his socks at the bottom. "Coming!"
"Don't joke about that, honey. That guy may have saved the world, but he's still a little creepy. You know he picks raisins out of the cinnamon buns?"
"Why doesn't he get the regular cinnamon buns?"
"I don't know, he's just weird."
Takato shook his head. "Look who's ta--- Ruki. Hi."
"Hey, Takato, who is it? Oh, hello Ruki. What can we do for you? Let her inside, son."
He would if she would step inside. "What are you doing here so late, Ruki? Is, uh, there something the matter?"
She blinked at him, and at his father. "Ah. I just needed... some bread."
"Oh sure! Can't fight those late night cravings, huh? Let me get some of this morning's, we had a nice batch of toasted rye that's great for snacks..."
With that, Ruki walked past Takato to the stairs. He scratched his head and got some milk too. "Dad... girls don't get any easier to figure out, do they?"
"I'm afraid not, son. Here you go. That should be enough! It's nice to know she likes our bread so much. Maybe they aren't feeding her right in that high school of hers."
"Yeaaah, must be, Dad." Takato scurried up with his load of food. Man, he really was gonna get lumpy with all the bread he ate, day and night. Maybe he was making up for Guilmon's share. Great, another way to feel guilty. "Hey. Got your bread."
Ruki gave him a very familiar look, one which Lee and Takato had dubbed the 'what are you, a slug?' look. "Thanks, Takato."
"So... what's up?"
She frowned, ripping her bread loaf in two. "Has Lee ever talked to you about Ryo? Like, in detail?"
Well. That was different. "It depends on how much detail you mean. Most of the time I just know their schedule. And whether it was a good date or a bad date. But he doesn't really talk about Ryo, y'know, that way. Not since just after they got interested, way back then."
"Way back then. Right." Ruki chewed the bread furiously. Takato took a bun for himself, out of nervousness. He was much taller than her, and his muscles had filled out a little in the past four years, but Makino Ruki was still deadly intimidating. "Takato."
"Yeah?"
"If I tell you something, you promise not to tell anyone else?"
Aaah. Now they were getting somewhere. He'd had a few of these talks with Hirokazu; surely it wasn't as harebrained as one of his best friends' schemes, Ruki was too levelheaded for that. "Sure. Not even Juri."
"Okay." She was silent again, looking around the room. Takato blinked as she meandered to the far wall... where his goggles hung. She didn't touch them, though he could tell she noticed the lack of dust. Her hands floated over their battered lenses. "Were you really into the Digimon video games?"
Takato was beyond confused. This wasn't a new thing for him, fortunately. "I never did get a system. Most of the time I borrowed Lee's. But he never plays that game where Terriermon came from. And frankly there are much cooler games than the Digimon RPGs. Then, y'know, after the war, the companies wanted to license it again, but the government forbade it. Actually, it was forbidden all over the world, because of the quarantine."
"But you were into the TV show, right?"
Before he knew it, Takato was babbling on about all 145 episodes, the dozen story arcs therein, and the five movies. And to his surprise, Ruki was listening. "...I even made this illustrated episode guide when I was eight---"
"Do you still have it?" she perked.
Takato hopped off his bed, and rooted around in the junkpile under the bed. "...aha! Wow. This survived my mom's cleaning brigades. Although she did stop snooping, after."
Ruki nodded. After. As long as their digimon were locked away from them, they would always measure time in 'before' and 'after'.
"Ah, be careful, it's kinda old. And I'm not sure how long it's been crammed under there..." Gingerly she took the tome. It was a stapled pile of notebook paper, computer paper, and a few multiplication worksheets, lovingly inscribed in crayon and marker. She wasn't surprised that there were only eight colors.
Takato watched her sit on his floor and page through the dubious 'book'. "Weren't you going to tell me something, Ruki?"
"Takato! Phone!"
"Oi, it's Juri. Ah. Be right back!"
Ruki kept turning pages. Every episode was detailed in large multicolored letters; many words were capitalized for emphasis. While Takato's handwriting was atrocious, the pictures weren't bad. And the story was great. She found herself quite absorbed by the Digimon Kaizer's story.
He had thought it was all a game. Ruki felt for him.
"No! I am not meeting with her secretly! Juri! She just showed up! You can ask her. ...Juri... I know it's late, but you know Ruki is out at all hours. No, I'm not out with her at all hours, that's not what I-- She's one of your best friends! But, but..."
Ruki shook her head at Mimi. She was scarily like her mother.
"I dunno, she wants to talk about something. I can't, I promised to keep it a secret. No, I don't think it's serious. Okay. You did? Cool, I'd like to see! Awright. Tomorrow afternoon? Okay. Ah... yeah Iloveyoutoo."
Ruki was trying not to laugh. Really.
Ack. That's all I've got in me. There's so much more but I'm getting a headache from looking at this screen. I need to eat and get studying for the other quiz. *sigh* Onwards.
Tuesday, June 18, 2002
7:44 AM it's not just sports It's the world. People riot in the streets over this. They cry, they laugh, they sing and dance with total strangers. It is the root of nationalism, a bigger (temporary) widowmaker than war. This is not the glamour and ceremony of the Olympics. This is a bunch of guys, a ball, and hours to kill. Bravery, wits, strategy, human will, and if you're lucky, your entire country cheers you on.
It's not all about terrorism, yo. The world is happier than it looks on the evening news.
Alas, Nippon Kaze was dampened by rain and a good corner kick. The French coach cried. But it took their minds off the recession, and weren't the boys cute?
In the wee hours of our morning:
England meets Brazil, June 21.
Senegal meets Turkey, June 22.
Germany meets USA, June 21.
Spain meets the winner of the Korea-Italy game, June 22. Italy is currently one goal ahead.
The Koreans are newcomers to the level. And so are the Americans. Is it any wonder? We keep losing so no one here cares. But no more. This is serious stuff. To the rest of the world, this is a boggling fluke. May the best squad win!
And I have to scoot!
Monday, June 17, 2002
5:07 PM so vain... you probably think this song is about you World Cup Soccer.
Nippon style.
'If (Hidetoshi) Nakata and (Shinji) Ono start worrying about their hair and winking at each other when they are supposed to be taking a free kick, then we could be in trouble,' [Japan coach Philippe Troussier] said.
Is it any wonder that we love to do this yaoi thing with bishounen?
2:26 PM feed the bunnies. tuppence a bag. tuppence. tuppence. tuppence a bag. updated 4:00pm
Didn't I mention I always win? No test today. Is on Wednesday. Excused from the map quiz tonight. The withdrawal from the third class is permanent, but it's two credits and as long as I keep clean for the next two years, I'm cool.
I'm so lucky I should be shot. With cream custard. ^^; I'm so morbidly funny.
So now to the serious work of feeding the bunny. I should have brought the notes with me! Damn it.
Shusu Digimon Theatre presents: the Tamers. In High School. Because Rika and Henry can't stop yapping in my brain.
"Okay, Ruki, two degrees to the right!"
Look at him! He's so cute. And smart, he redid the entire soundboard in five minutes when Hashikawa changed the staging.
"How about now?"
"Looks good! Pull the second red switch on that round rotating light... no, to your left, stage right."
"Okay, I think I got it. Tell me if it's crooked."
Oh, and his shoulders. Did you see them? He looks so thin from afar but he must work out. He's so cool. Have you heard him laugh yet?
"Lee! I can't see behind me. Is that cable gonna get me?"
"No, you're fine. Easy does it, Ruki."
"Easy does it! You're the one sitting in the control booth. I'm the one risking my neck here!"
"Haven't heard that one before."
We should tell him that Hashikawa's going to change the staging again in a day. If not the next hour. By the way, who's that girl he got to help? Oh, they're both Tamers. No kidding! *The* Tamers? Yes, *the* Tamers. I hear they're going out. She doesn't talk to anyone else but him.
A coughing fit broke out in the control booth.
"Hey Lee, are you dying down there? Because you'd better tell me where to angle this light!"
"I'm fine, and thirty degrees down."
"Gotcha."
~~~
Lee loosened his tie, leaning on the railing in front of Tsuru High School. He was toying with the idea of calling Yamabuki High to see if Hirokazu would pick up. There was a payphone where he and his gang-of-the-moment hung out. 'Kazu always made sure to answer it with a new obscenity every time. He hoped Ruki would hurry up. Nerima was on the same subway line as their home station. Still, on a day like today Shinjuku seemed very far away.
"Oi. Those stupid gits. I wish they'd stop bugging me!"
"The clown-girls again?" Ruki had gained a fervently unwanted fan club within the first days of school. Even the upperclassmen followed her everywhere, trying to find out where she got everything from her shoes to her hair tie. Ruki had sworn a painful death on anyone who touched the hair tie; it was the same one she'd biomerged with five years ago. Somehow it always ended up right back in her hand, no matter how dire the battle. A little gift from Renamon, he supposed.
"Worse! This pack of boys! They won't stop following me around."
Lee slung his bag over his shoulder. His growth spurt was still in full swing, and the addition of aikido to his regular tai chi classes had molded him into a graceful, strong young man. He was only beginning to get the sense that the entire school was forming battlelines around him as much as Ruki. It would have shocked him to know just how many fanclubs had sprung up around him, and how many people he'd offended without even meeting. Less surprising to him was Ruki's popularity. Besides her modeling mother, Ruki herself was a force to be reckoned with. Her hair was still put up in its tomboyish style, not much different from when he'd first met her. To her dismay, her good genes were also supplying her with curves and radiant skin and long lashes. All well and good until her sharp tongue cut you down and her blazing lavender eyes vaporized you into the sidewalk.
Lee sighed. Ruki was not adjusting to co-ed life very well. All that glaring just made her more mysterious, and more desireable.
"What's wrong with you?" She said bluntly.
He frowned, fishing out his green shades as they walked to the station. "Ryo wanted to come over tonight, but I may have to bow out."
"Toriyama's little group project, huh?"
"Yeah, I bit off more than I can chew. Now I have to finish the last section or none of them will do it."
"I told you to delegate it. I mean, they can color with *crayons* can't they?"
"Yeah, yeah, you told me so. I just wish I could see him more often, now that he's finally living in the same prefecture, much less the same city."
Ruki shook her head. "Hopeless." There was sympathy in her eyes, though. She liked hanging out with Ryo too, and her homework load wasn't much better. Even before they'd entered the same highly competitive high school (while the other Tamers went to Shinjuku Yamabuki), she'd sat through all the ups and downs of their long distance relationship. Now Ryo was finally off Kyuushu and Lee was too busy to see him.
"So what were those idiots babbling about? You sounded like you'd swallowed a frog."
"Aah..." Lee slashed his subway pass. That gesture never failed to disorient him, and Ruki always pretended not to notice.
"Oh, c'mon. Spill, or I'll kick your ass." An empty threat given Lee's greater strength, but she could make life pretty unbearable if she wanted.
"You won't like it..."
"Lee!"
He sighed. "They said we were a couple."
Ruki nearly dropped her subway card. Lee towed her towards the already packed waiting area. "Are all theater geeks on *drugs*?! Lee, I told you not to hang with them."
"Ruki, they weren't theatre geeks. And by the way, since I'm working on this production, that makes me a theatre geek. Which makes you a theatre geek's helper."
"Shut up. I was doing you a favor since that lazy butt Ichiro ducked out on you. Agh! I hate school. How did they cram such an asinine idea into their chicken-sized brains!"
"Well, let's see. We arrive at school together. We talk every day after math. We eat together in the cafeteria. We study together in the library. And then we leave for home together. What else are they supposed to think?"
"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard."
Their train arrived. They took a moment to fit themselves into a niche, Lee leaning on a bulkhead while Ruki got a seat in front of him. "Well, that's high school for you."
"So what do we do about it? Stop talking to each other, ever? Honestly, it's not like we pass little love notes." Ruki made a face, which Lee laughed at.
"Actually, I had a better idea."
"What?"
"You want to get rid of your fanclub, right?"
Ruki narrowed her eyes. "Wait a minute. Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?"
"Maybe instead of quashing the rumor, we can fan the flames a little..."
Ruki glowered at him. "You have got to be kidding. I am not going to go along with this."
"The rumor's going to continue whether you like it or not. The question is, do you want it with the herd of drooling boys, or without?"
Ruki was fidgeting now. "No way! You just want to trick me into acting like some dumb, fawning girlfriend."
Lee's lips quirked, but his head bent down towards Ruki's. "Actually, I'd rather that people not catch on that Ryo is more than a friend."
"Oh c'mon, Jen. It's not that bad, is it?" Ruki seemed unconvinced of her own words.
Lee took a breath. It was bad enough their fame as Tamers made them universal targets. Attaching the kernel of truth that he was gay and dating a boy four years his senior was going to make the rumor mill unstoppable. "I can fight a few of them at a time. But I can't watch my back every moment of the day. I'd rather go to school to *learn*, y'know?"
Ruki leaned back, considering. "I sure wish it were easier for you and Perfect Boy."
"Ruki, we live in Japan. Although I imagine it's not much easier elsewhere." Lee sighed. "I'm sure this'll all die down in a few weeks. And if you get tired of it, you can have a public, messy break up."
"You really are a theatre geek. I mean, what are we supposed to do? Make eyes at each other?" She sat up. "Tell me we are not going to act like Juri and Takato."
"No!" Lee laughed, nudging her back in the seat.
"This is not going to work." This seemed to be her final objection on the matter.
"Ruki. I know where you live, your phone number, your beeper number, your favorite food, color, t-shirt, band, and I bet I can rattle off at least a hundred of your turn-offs. Now tell me, truthfully, that you don't know the same amount of information about me."
She knocked her head on the window in exasperation. "Fine! I do. But don't expect me to learn the color of your underwear or something."
Lee coughed.
"... it's black, isn't it."
He looked faintly horrified.
So did Ruki. "*Why* do I know that?"
"You didn't compare notes with Ryo, did you?"
"Ewww! No, we have better things to talk about." Ruki smirked up at him. "You know, I can just see Takato having a fit while we talk about your underwear."
"Takato has a fit about everything," Lee said, mirroring the same fond look in her eyes. Their leader still held together their motley group, just as kooky as ever and just as awestruck by the world around him. He was going to make a great artist.
"I can't believe it's been five years." Since we saved the world, since we lost our digimon, since we were last innocent-- They both paused. "He and Juri are still together, and you and Ryo..."
"Takato and Juri need each other too much to stop. After all they went through, they can't not be together, y'know? They make each other who they are, they hold on to each other's dreams. Besides, Takato's the type who'd marry his first love."
"You really think so?" They rose as the train pulled into the massive Shinjuku station. They'd perfected their polite jostling technique, Lee gently pushing people's shoulders, Ruki more forcefully elbowing their sides in his shadow. "You really thought about this, didn't you? Back then, when we were ten years old, you saw it." She shook her head. "How about you and Ryo, hm? You have any plans?"
"Ryo and I are a little more pragmatic about things. We take it one day at a time."
"What, no blueprint for a seaside condo? Or a little mountain hut in Yamanashi, all hooked up to a satellite?"
Lee raised his brows at Ruki, not sure if she was teasing. "A couple of things. For one, I'd like to stay with Ryo as long as he's around..."
Ruki stopped walking. "What?"
He blinked at her.
"What do you mean, as long as he's around? He's not dying, is he, and didn't tell anyone?" Ruki was only half-joking. She was damnably good at catching people's slips like that.
Lee stared at her, unbuttoning his jacket with one hand, the other balancing the strap of his school bag. "I thought he'd have told you by now."
"Jen..."
Lee shrugged. As if it were a perfectly normal topic, he said, "Ryo's not from around here."
Ruki was sharp. She could be impulsive but she was also a quick thinker and an excellent strategist. Lee didn't need to look at her shifting expressions to know she'd gotten it. "He's from the Digital World?"
"Well, kind of."
"What do you mean, kind of! Ch', did he hatch from a digitama or something?"
Lee shook his head. "He's not a digimon. He is from the Digital World, but not the one we know."
Ruki ran and planted herself in his path, arms crossed, legs apart. Lee regarded the aggressive display with equanimity. She wanted proof. And, as usual, Ryo had neglected to tell her important information about himself. The gods knew why the older boy persisted in protecting his 'ojousan.' Ruki didn't need protecting.
"I need an Internet connection to show you. Would your grandmother mind borrowing hers?"
"Why can't we go to your place? You've got enough stuff to run Hypnos."
"Your place is closer."
Ruki saw right through it. "You just want to make sure I get home safe. Hmf. Starting the charade early?"
Lee held up his palms. "Fine, fine. Do you want to see the proof, or not?"
Going to go eat something now to recharge my memory cells. I'll be posting to the same entry, so be sure to reload. The conversation was a lot snappier before. Would you believe, I sat down with the morning coffee and just started rattling it off?
I love talking to myself. ^^
~~~ Preview ~~~
"That's where the other plan comes in. I said there were two." He ticked it off on his fingers. "Get out of high school with good grades, go to Tokyo University, maybe spend a summer in Palo Alto or Berkely or M.I.T. where Dad's friend Babel is, then come back here and get a job with Hypnos. And program a way back."
The room seemed to fall away around Ruki. "You'd really..."
"In the world where Ryo originated, humans and digimon don't just find each other. They're destined to find each other. Every digimon is waiting for a human, and every human is fated to have a partner digimon. They belong together." Lee took a deep breath. "That's partly why Takato was so broken up by Guilmon leaving. He grew up watching the show, and in the show, digimon are with you when you're born, and they don't leave until the day you die."
Ruki nodded weakly. Her joints, her muscles wouldn't work. Renamon.
"Maybe it's not supposed to work that way in this world. But I think it should. We saved the world with the power of belief. And it just feels right that I belong to Terriermon and he belongs to me, that you and Renamon are made for each other." Lee shook his head. "I don't care how many laws forbid it. I'm going to get us back."
"Oh... Jen." Ruki covered her mouth. She was trembling, feeling terribly powerful and helpless at the same time. It was not unlike giving herself over to the clean blue light of biomerge. "Y-you're *cracked*."
Lee smiled softly at her. "Yeah."
Ruki swallowed. "Go for it."
Sunday, June 16, 2002
5:56 PM bunnies! it must be the bunnies! In no order, no reason, no nothing. Very yaoi, ne?
Have you taught him any kata yet?
Lee-san, I have no intention of taking advantage of Jen.
Shao, come here, I wanna tell you something. You know that Ryo-kun and I aren't sleeping together, right?
Jen-nii!
I overheard you on the phone with your friends, Shuichon.
I dont want my little sister to think dating means not waiting.
Was it his imagination or did a burst of air push out from Ryo's palms?
It's my fault, Mama. Rin must think I've pushed him away. And I have, a little.
We can't yet... because... Jen. I've thought about you... and what I want to do... I mean... all I want to do is take you, hard.
....
Yeah. We're not ready for that, huh? Neither of us.
No... not yet...
You too, huh?
Ruki... I thought I was teaching you so you wouldn't get into trouble.
Well, trouble got into me. You're bleeding, by the way.
Give me that phone! Akiyama! You idiot, why'd you send that e-mail?
*sigh*
*crooks elbow*
*.......glower*
Do you remember that Terriermon toy I used to have?
Lee... in all this time, I still don't understand girls.
Don't worry. Guys aren't much better.
...Jen! It's two a.m., what's--
It's Rika's grandmother. Something's wrong, and she's in the hospital.
Here, warm up the car. I'll be down in five minutes.
Thanks, dad.
You're lying! You just want to make me feel better!
But it's the truth! You can ask dad.
You think you're so tough, "Ree". Think all your fame will hide your konketsu ass?
You're setting her up with Kenta? .... You have warned both of them, haven't you? Had them sign disclaimers, maybe?
You're kidding me!! I'm the *slut* now?
Ruki, I'm sure it's not that bad...
Does everyone around here have brains the size of mustard seeds?!
Well... I got this letter from Ai and Mako. They're starting fourth grade, and they were supposed to send letters to an influential person in their life.
You know, I never wanted an older brother, or any brother before. But you two will always be my niisans. And just as stubborn and frustrating as real brothers.
Hey, anytime, 'jousan.
Ne, Ruki, what about Takato?
What, Takato? He'll always be someone's younger brother!
Hey!
But he'll always be our goggle boy, huh? Our leader, no matter what, even after all this time.
That's right!
Yup, he sure is.
*smooch*
Aww...
Oi, look at us. How pathetic, we're like our own little family.... *sighs* except we're not complete anymore. I guess Renamon will never get to say goodbye to her, and she thought she was pretty cool. I mean, coming from Renamon, that's high praise.
Oooh, I think she likes you!
Oh brother. As long as she doesn't start a fan club.
Heh. I've got news for you, Lee...
*groan*
We've been going out for how long now? And you'll be in college. Maybe we should, you know?
You're so much smarter and better than me, why do you have to make us all look bad!
Okay. Ah, take care, Ruki. *dials*
...hey.
I love you.
*sighs* I love you too.
So, what do we do now?
Let's go out! I'm sick of this place.
You sure, Ruki?
What, I've been in the hospital and the shrine and doing homework for days! I want out. Mom'll be okay for a while, her cousins are here and the boyfriend's here.
Okay, how about we go to the fairgrounds? It's a weeknight, and there won't be too many people there.
Excellent idea, Juri. Well, move it or lose it! I'm outta here.
You know, you're not a bad date, Lee-kun.
Thanks. It's not like I get a lot of practice.
But don't you...?
What, us? We sit around and play video games all night. The closest thing we have to a date is ordering takeout from the sushi place.
*Boys*.
Moumantai, okay?
.... oh and that's the other stupid thing! When will your dad finish his stupid project so we can go see them!! It's been three *years*! I... sh'matta. Lee? I miss them so much.
I do too. I'm sorry.
For what? For knowing they're not going to let us go this time? That's what it is, isn't it? The government's not going to allow it.
...yes. Dad's never said as much... but I think that's it. As long as they have Takato's hideout quarantined, there may be no way in that the new Hypnos doesn't see... and stop.
B-but, Ruki-senpai, your boyfriend would beat us up!
My boyfriend!? ...oh. Yeah. My "boyfriend". Well... I'm sure he wouldn't mind.
Wha-aat?
Okay. Now push out your breath as you strike.
Ha! Hah!
Good, keep your head up and you'll be more balanced.
You don't just tell a guy that, Ruki. He'll follow you around forever.
Well I didn't know that! It's not like there were a whole lot of boys to shove around at my old school.
Heh, yeah, you just had me and Takato.
You should take college seriously, Ryo.
What, so I can get enough points to be some nice little salaryman in a few years? You know where I'd rather be.
What if they can't open it up again? What then?
What're you talking about? Losing all the digital portals? That's never gonna---
You guys. What are you talking about? Of course they'll be able to stabilize it, right?
Ryo. Can I talk to you?
Hey, dude, talk to him here, what's all this about the Digital World being closed for business!
Oh, Takato.
Ryo. Look at me! Were you going to say it wasn't going to be a problem for us? Or just not a problem for you?
.....
It's still in your power, isn't it. You can still leave.
Leave? What are they talking about?
But I'd never leave you, you know that.
You've got the option to go there. What if we don't?
Will someone please drop us a clue here!
Why don't you answer him, Ryo? Not man enough to admit it to us?
~60K of graphics :: Koani by
Alice in Wonderland :: Scorpion by Ushikai Background and buttons by Triple Orbit Graphics ~ Sadly it's no longer at its former website.
