"I suppose you are all ready to go?" the king asked.
Sora, Kairi, Kari and Gatomon turned around to face him and nodded. Mickey nodded back, then he looked at Kairi.
"Kairi...is this really what you want?"
Kairi looked from the boy she, um... really, really liked to the girl who shared so much more with her than just a name similarity and who had become her friend in such a short time.
'No,' she told herself. 'I'm never gonna let Sora go by himself again. I'm going with him this time.' She then sighed and looked at Kari and her Digimon partner. 'But... I also want to go with Kari. Not only has she become my friend, there's just... something... about her. There has got to be a reason why she is so similar to me. And I know that I could never ask her to go without her partner Digimon. So...'
She looked back at the king. "Yes," she simply said. The king nodded and understood. "Very well," he sighed. "Then I guess I'll just go by myself, then..."
"Bark! Bark!"
Mickey chuckled as his four-legged friend ran around him in circles. "I'm sorry, Pluto! I mean, it's just gonna be the two of us, buddy!
All right," he said. "I guess I'm off then. Sora... you know the Highwind like the back of your hand, so it's just common sense that the four of you will use her. And remember: Always trust in the power of your Keyblade and the friendship within your hearts."
Sora nodded. "Don't you worry, your majesty! I'm gonna keep an eye on the girls."
Three pairs of eyes suddenly glared at him. "And just what do you mean by that, mister?" Kairi asked dangerously.
"H-hey, I didn't mean it like that," Sora stuttered and raised his hands in defense. "I just thought, well... you're not as used to battle as I am, so..."
"We've been in more battles than you would imagine," Gatomon sighed.
"And I'll be fine too," Kairi grumbled. "I practiced, remember? And I watched you fight the Heartless when I was a passenger of your heart. So I know one or two things about fighting!"
Of course, Kari didn't really understand the last part her new friend said. 'I really have to ask them about everything that happened to them some time,' she told herself.
Mickey chuckled. "Well, good to see that you all get on with each other. Well, good luck to you! And remember to stay in contact with me when aboard the Gummi Ship. And don't worry, Kari... I'll call you as soon as I find one of your friends!"
The king and his loyal dog boarded the Hilda Garde, and shortly after, the bluish-white Gummi Ship dropped out of the hangar just like the Ragnarok did previously.
Sora stretched his arms. "Guess we better head out as well, eh?" He grinned at Kari and Gatomon. "So, first time for you to fly in a Gummi Ship, right? Just wait until you see the inside... it's pretty awesome."
Kari smiled. "Well, what are we waiting for?"
But just as they were going to enter the Highwind, someone came running down the stairs to the Gummi Ship Hangar and shouted: "Sora! Wait up!"
The spiky-haired boy turned around and to his surprise, saw his friend, the female hero from the Land of Dragons, Fa Mulan, running up to him.
"Mulan?" he wondered. "You're still here?"
The Chinese girl nodded as she came to a stop in front of him. "Yes, Shang and I have been staying for the night, and we'll take the next Gummi Ship that brings us back home. I heard about your journey and came to give you a farewell present." She raised the small, wooden cage that she held in her right hand, looking similar to a bird cage, but much smaller. In it, a tiny insect with long feelers and cute eyes was sitting. It chirped at Sora.
"This is Cri-Kee! In my home country, crickets bring good luck. So I want you to take him along with you. I suppose you could use a lucky charm like him."
She handed him the small cage and Sora looked at Cri-Kee. The cute little guy smiled back at him.
"Thanks, but... is he okay with this?"
As if he wanted to assure Sora that he couldn't think of anything more exciting than to join his quest, the cricket jumped up and down in his cage and chirped enthusiastically.
Mulan laughed. "Well, ever since I told him about you, he wanted to meet you. And I can tell you... there's more to the little guy than meets the eye. I'm sure he will be of some help. And he can take care of himself, so don't worry!"
Sora grinned. "Well, it's not like I would have bad experience with crickets... Okay then, welcome aboard, Cri-Kee!"
----
Heartmon hopped around the town of Radiant Garden in excitement. "Home, I'm back home! Yay! Yippee!"
Aerith and Leon couldn't help but smile as they saw how glad the little Digimon was to be back home.
Heartmon then looked at the castle, which was still pretty much one big construction site.
"Why does Daddy's house look so funny?" he asked.
Leon smirked. "Well, we are rebuilding it a little bit, Heartmon. Don't worry, it will look much better once we're finished."
Heartmon blinked, then he grinned. "Can you also build a playground next to my room? That would be so cool!"
He then looked around the market place in confusion. "Hey, why didn't Daddy come to see us? Is he busy with his work again?"
Leon gulped. This was the moment he had dreaded. He exchanged a worried look with Aerith and Cid, then he cleared his throat.
"Heartmon, I'm sorry, but..."
"Hey!" a loud voice interrupted his speech. "Nice to see you made it back!" And then Yuffie came running towards them, waving.
She grinned. "Merlin and I were already making bets how late you would be. Just what took you so long, slowpokes?"
Aerith smiled at her. "Yuffie... you won't believe who came home with us." And she gestured at Heartmon.
Yuffie looked at him, blinked and then gasped. "You... can you be..."
Heartmon laughed as he jumped forward and hugged her legs. "Yuffie-chan! I'm back home!" He then looked up at her stunned expression and giggled. "So, you've 'grown up' too, right? Most be cool to be so big!"
A few seconds later, a big grin slowly appeared on the female ninja's face. She scooped the little guy up from the ground and twirled him around. "HEARTMON!" she shouted. "It's you! You're back!" She then cuddled him as if he was some stuffed animal. "Oh boy oh boy, I missed you so much!"
"Urk..." Heartmon moaned. "Yuffie-chan... I like you too, you know, but... I need some air... you know?"
"Oh! Sorry about that," she sheepishly said and put him back down to the ground. "Man! What a surprise! To see you again, of all people!"
She looked at her friends. "Where did you meet him? How? When?"
Leon sighed. "Well, it's a long story, Yuffie..."
"What's with the racket?" Merlin suddenly spoke up as he appeared out of nowhere, in a puff of sparkling smoke. "Did something happen?"
Yuffie smiled. "Merlin, look here! This is Heartmon, our childhood friend! He once lived here in Radiant Garden as well."
"Oh, really?" he asked. "Well, he must be glad to be back, I suppose."
Heartmon nodded with a big smile. "Who are you, gramps? Are you a friend of Yuffie?"
"Well, yes, I am," the old magician chuckled. "And a friend of Leon and Aerith as well. As for Cid..." He threw the engineer a glance. "Well, have to think about that part for a while..."
"Why you old coot..." Cid mumbled under his breath.
"And do you know Daddy as well?" Heartmon asked. "He lives in that big house over there!" And he pointed at the castle.
Merlin looked at the castle in confusion and then looked at Leon with raised eyebrows.
"Ansem," Leon whispered almost inaudibly.
Merlin understood right away. Oh boy, did he feel sorry for the little fella...
"My boy..." he sighed. I'm afraid your father isn't with us anymore... he's gone." And he petted the Digimon's head compassionately.
Silence.
"...gone?" Heartmon finally asked in a small voice. "Awww... when will he come back?"
When no one answered, he looked from one face to another. "He will come back, will he?"
Aerith knelt down next to her little friend. "I'm sorry, Heartmon..." she whispered. "I don't think he will come back..."
Heartmon began sobbing as he and the young woman embraced each other. "But... why? Doesn't he like us anymore?"
"That's not it," Yuffie tried explaining as she knelt down next to him as well. "That's just... well, that's how things are. Sometimes, people just leave and don't come back... even if they or their friends and family would like to."
Heartmon then cried for a while into Aerith's arms, while she soothingly stroked his back.
He looked up at her with teary eyes, then at Yuffie, Leon and Cid. "But you... you won't leave as well, will you?"
Aerith smiled. "No, of course not! We will stay with you, always! I promise..."
Heartmon nodded. While he was sad that he couldn't see his Daddy anymore, he was happy that at least he was with his friends again.
"Poor little guy..." a worried voice spoke up from Merlin's shoulder. "Isn't there anything we could do to help him?"
Leon, Aerith and Cid looked up in surprise. "Huh?" Cid wondered. "Now where did that come from?"
"Oh, excuse me," Merlin said. "In all the confusion, I totally forgot to introduce you. A-hem... My friends, I would like you to meet our newest cohabitant... Miss Gadget Hackwrench!"
The blonde, jumpsuit-wearing mouse that was sitting on the magician's shoulder smiled shyly. "Please, just call me Gadget!"
See other episodes by Shritistrang
(Posted Sun, 04 Feb 2007 12:49)
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