Chapter 12: You've Always Been Like This
At Mimi's reminder, the children's eyes drifted toward their own Digimon partners. A wave of uneasy relief washed over them as they recalled how these strange, little creatures had thrown themselves in front of Kuwagamon, shielding them without a moment's hesitation.
Of course, not every partnership was a perfect fit just yet.
Sora, for instance, was having a bit of trouble.
"Sora~ I'll definitely protect you~!" Piyomon chirped, clinging to her arm with the unabashed affection of a toddler.
"Ahaha..." Sora managed a slightly awkward smile, patting the bird-like Digimon's head. If Piyomon weren't so obviously not human, Sora might have mistaken the feeling for suddenly having a child. It was a jarring contrast to the fierce creature that had battled Kuwagamon just moments before.
Joe, ever the pragmatist, was also voicing his concerns, eyeing his own partner with a healthy dose of skepticism. "This little guy is supposed to protect me?"
"Who are you calling a little guy?" Gomamon retorted, fins bristling with indignation. "Joe, are you looking down on me?"
"No, I didn't mean that—"
"Good! In that case, I'll just have to show you my special move, 'Marching Fishes'!"
With a dramatic flourish, Gomamon waved a small flipper. In a bizarre and wonderful display, a school of brightly colored, almost tropical-looking fish materialized from the dense forest air, swimming through the space between the trees as if it were water.
"What?!" Joe stared, his jaw slack with astonishment. "This is Gomamon's special move?"
Gomamon puffed out his chest, lifting his head proudly. "How about it? Impressive, right?"
"...I can't really tell," Joe admitted after his initial shock wore off, his natural skepticism returning in full force.
Gomamon deflated, clearly displeased. Before he could protest, however, Mizuki stepped in with a calm reminder. "Joe, you shouldn't underestimate Gomamon's skill."
He held up a single finger, a thoughtful look on his face. "'Marching Fishes'—the ability to summon and control fish—might seem weak in terms of raw attack power, but it can be incredibly useful in specific situations."
Mizuki continued, "For example, when Kuwagamon attacked you all on the cliff. If I hadn't arrived, you probably would have been forced to jump to escape, right? In that scenario, Gomamon's Marching Fishes could have created a cushion or a way down."
He paused, letting the idea sink in. "And that's not all. If Gomamon can control these fish, and they can appear even here, far from any water, they could be used for reconnaissance or to harass an enemy, creating a vital distraction."
As soon as Mizuki finished, the quick-witted Koushiro chimed in, adding his own thoughts on the potential applications. Hearing his abilities analyzed and praised, Gomamon, who had been feeling a bit unsure of himself, instantly puffed his chest out again. He didn't forget to shoot a smug glance at Joe.
"Look at me~" his expression seemed to say.
"Alright, alright, I get it. You're amazing, Gomamon," Joe sighed, scooping up the proud little Digimon. "Forgive me, okay?"
But even as he held his partner, his initial confusion resurfaced. "By the way, there's no water anywhere around here. So where did those fish even come from?"
"How should I know~?" Gomamon replied, looking just as confused as Joe.
"Maybe they're from another dimension or something?" Koushiro guessed from the side, adjusting his glasses. "After all, we're already in another world. It stands to reason that the physics here would be different."
"Is that so?" Joe and Gomamon said in unison. They both looked from Mizuki to Koushiro, a shared, unspoken awe for the two 'smart guys' of their group settling over them.
As the other children continued to get acquainted with their partners, Tai suddenly remembered something important. He turned to Mizuki, his expression serious.
"Um, Mizuki, you said all of us DigiDestined have a Digivice and a partner, right?"
He gestured toward his younger sister. "Then why is Kari still alone? She has a Digivice, too."
Tai's question immediately drew everyone's attention to the small, quiet girl. In response to her brother's worried gaze, Kari just shook her head gently, her expression conveying that she didn't really mind. For her, as long as she was with her brother, nothing else mattered.
"About Kari's partner, Tai..." Mizuki began, recalling the original story's plot. He gave a somewhat helpless shrug. "Is it possible... that the entity who brought us here accidentally lost Kari's partner along the way?"
"Huh? Lost?!" Tai's voice rose in disbelief and anger. "What kind of idiot does that?" The thought of his sister's safety being compromised made his blood boil. "They're completely unreliable!"
He dragged us all to this dangerous place without a word of explanation, and then they go and lose my sister's partner? If it weren't for Mizuki, we'd all be in serious trouble right now, wouldn't we?
The thought echoed silently through the minds of every child present. Even Yamato, who had been watching Mizuki with suspicion, found his wariness softening. Comparison truly put things in perspective; compared to Mizuki, the mysterious being who had summoned them wasn't even fit to carry his shoes.
After all, it was Mizuki who had saved them in the nick of time. It was Mizuki who had been patiently guiding them, a group of clueless and frightened kids, ever since.
Feeling the weight of their grateful gazes, Mizuki was momentarily taken aback. Guessing what they were all thinking, he couldn't help but shake his head.
"Actually, I'm not as good as you think."
His words surprised them. "What do you mean?"
"The reason I'm helping you," he stated plainly, "is because I have something to gain from it, too."
"Something to gain?"
"That's right." Mizuki's eyes softened as he looked at the silent woman standing beside him. "It's about my friend, LadyDevimon."
He didn't hide a thing, laying the truth out for them to see. "She suffered severe injuries in a past battle. To fully heal her, she needs a massive amount of data."
"And your Digivices," he explained, "happen to be a source for that data. Just a little while ago, the light that scattered from your devices when your partners evolved was collected by BlackGatomon. That data was enough to stabilize LadyDevimon's condition and allow her to return to her Ultimate-level strength."
He met their eyes directly. "So, rather than saying I'm helping you, it's more accurate to say I'm repaying a kindness."
"Mizu..."
A flicker of guilt crossed LadyDevimon's features as she looked at Mizuki's profile. It was all my fault, she thought. If I hadn't been so careless back then, Devimon never would have had the chance to ambush me. Now, because of me, Mizu has to rely on the strength of others.
Clearly... I was the one who met him first. Yet I'm the one who's always being taken care of by him... The thought caused her to subconsciously clench her fists, her knuckles turning white.
Suddenly, a gentle warmth covered her hand.
She looked down to see that Mizuki had taken her fist into his own hand. He was looking at her, his eyes filled with a soft, unwavering understanding.
"..."
Yes... that was the look. The one she knew so well.
'Always so gentle.''Always silently taking care of me.''Understanding me... cherishing me...'
That's why I want to help you even more. More than anything.
As the thought solidified in her heart, LadyDevimon relaxed her fist and, in turn, took his hand, her slender fingers intertwining tightly with his.
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