Perspective: Hikari Yagami
Characters: Hikari Yagami, Takeru Takaishi, Yuuko Yagami, Natsuko Yagami
Summary: What happens when a misunderstanding reunites you with one of your best buddies from a Digimon Adventure and spirals out of control to a point where both your mom and your friend’s mom are now squaring off to battle? Hikari Yagami is about to find out!
Note: I promised myself I could write a couple paragraph story for Takari Week…Sniff* All of you are so inspiring. I’ll make it one day!
They say once something is missing from your heart, you will try to fill it with whatever you can. At least that's what one of the soap operas her Mom had watched had explained, Hikari sitting there in her pale yellow shirt and pink shorts. She held her cheeks by her hands, a sniffle of a tear from her mom to the left and a chortle from her Dad to the right sipping on a beer. She sat in-between them, their wavelengths throwing her off.
She had been trying since that fateful day she had said goodbye to her feline digimon friend Gattomon to come up with a solution to the heartache she felt. She couldn't help but be lost in thought, a slight 'meowing' catching her ear, followed shortly by a few paw swipes.
She glanced down at her cat Miko, eager for attention. Hikari felt a bit guilty having been preoccupied with her and not giving enough love to Miko.
"Sorry," she said picking her up, staring her in the eyes, but imagining her as Tailmon for an instant. She nearly dropped her when she realized it wasn't her, Hikari's eyes leaking.
"Hikari dear, whatever's the matter?" her Mom asked.
"Come on, take a seat and tell us about it," her Dad encouraged pausing the show.
"It's nothing," she sniffed wiping her eyes. She then hurried outside the house, the concerns of her parents echoing after her.
She closed the door and leaned on the railing outside her home staring up at the sky. It was still summer. The sun had slightly less fervent heat, and the trees it seemed had started to give into a hint of lower temperature, but still a nice cool breeze felt reassuring that summer would still be here a little while.
She glanced up at the sky, a deep pain in her chest concealing her sobs. She put one clenched fist over her chest and leaned forward her tears leaking down the side.
A muffled shouting sound echoed in her ear as she dared to open her blurry eyes, a greenish clothed boy yelling and shouting towards her. He seemed panicked as if trying to catch her attention.
She listened, squinting down faintly recognizing a certain boy she had not seen for awhile.
"Wait!" the boy shouted, Hikari listening. "You have so much more to live for! Don't do it!"
Hikari realized her position pushed back against the railing with her arms and hurried down the stairs to see him.
"Takerukun?" she questioned relieved, hurrying her footsteps. The closer she got to him the more she could see his kind face, but firmly embedded in concern and a little chastisement.
"Hikarichan?" he said in amazement also running over towards the railing meeting her halfway from the top of the steps. "I had no idea!"
She noticed he seemed as much out of breath as her, the excitement of seeing him again bringing her to a stand still, both of them panting about ready to keel over.
They both sat down on the stairs, the not so blazing sun warming their faces, but for a brief moment a cloud partially gave them relief.
Hikari wanted to say something to him, but, after they all separated and their brothers sort of escorted them their separate ways it seemed a bit awkward, but around him it was still far more comfortable than inside.
She noticed Takeru glanced down at her downcast face. "Is everything all right Hikarichan?" he asked.
"I'm ok," she said swallowing a bit, wanting to conceal her emotions so she wouldn't embarrass herself being seen crying.
Takeru kicked his shoes up a little bit lightly swaying them against the stair back and forth. "You know," he said, "I've seen too many movies like that. Someone gets really sad and then they jump...and that's that," he said. "It's scary. So when I saw you like that I thought no way am I going to let that happen."
Hikari felt her tears dry up and just stared at Takeru comprehending him. He heard before from the others how much the boy would get scared easily and cry, but would do his best. Now, maybe just a little bit he had...become stronger? Maybe more grown up even though he was still the same boy.
"By the way," he said, "Why were you crying?"
Hikari clammed up upon hearing his concern, but not wanting to be vulnerable.
"Come on," Takeru's voice cooed in a soft glowing voice. "You can tell me," he smiled.
Hikari stared transfixed at his calming presence and found herself relaxing a bit more. She took a deep breath and stared up at the sky, resting her palms on the stair.
"It's so...lonely without her," She said.
Takeru also leaned back resting his head on the back of his hands. "I know what you mean," he said. "I sure miss Patamon. And Yamato won't say anything, but I can tell he really misses Gabumon."
Hikari glanced at the sun still hiding behind the cloud. Maybe Takeru would be able to help her. He seemed like he was ok after everything, though she wasn't quite sure how it might be at home for him.
"How," she hesitated, "How have you made it through these last few months without him?" she asked. "Every day when I wake up I find myself looking for her, but I can never find her."
Takeru lifted himself up and stared ahead, Hikari noticing his eyes firmly focused on the future, the glint of sunlight brightening his eyes into something she couldn't even describe.
"Hikarichan, I know how you feel," he said. He tensed up a bit himself, Hikari curious about his anxiousness. "But, to be honest, I'm...kind of used to it now. It's only because of that I'm still keeping it together."
"You're used to Patamon being gone? Already?" she said, slightly irritated with him, bothered he would say something that insensiti-
"-That's not what I mean," he said frowning looking down at part of an outline of their frames on the staircase. "Sometimes I wonder why I was chosen as the Digidestined with the Crest of Hope. But, when I look back at everything so far I've realized that's all I've had to get me through this far," he said.
"You mean like Myotismon and the Dark Masters?"
He glanced at her, a cheesy grin on his face, but it seemed a bit painful to look at.
"Not exactly," he winced. "It's more like the things I care about the most end up being pulled away from me. Like...My Dad. Yamato. Or Patamon. Or even all of you I met on our adventures in the Digital World," he explained. "And now, once again...Patamon has gone away again."
Hikari listened on, feeling his words as if she herself was experiencing all she had talked about. She placed her hand over her chest again and started to weep looking at him, Takeru with a sad smile on his face, faint tears glistening in the corner of his eyes.
She couldn't help it. Hikari had always been so vulnerable to the emotions of others. Even sometimes she was more impacted by them than her very own. It weirded out some of her classmates, sometimes annoyed her brother, and her parents could only comfort her even though they didn't quite know how.
She closed her eyes embarrassed trying to dry the tears.
"But Hikarichan," Takeru said, "I've learned something very important after all we went through," he said. "All of those goodbyes I've had to say...they weren't goodbyes," he said positively. "They were just...goodbye for now."
Hikari wiped away her tears with her hands, keeping herself together.
"Goodbye for now?" she wondered aloud. "What do you mean for now? We may never...see our partners again," she said trying to keep herself from boiling over with emotion. "So how can-"
"-Hikarichan," Takeru said reaching forward with both hands on her shoulders staring her in the eye, to a point that she couldn't look away. "If we're 'Digidestined' then we are Destined to be with our partners. I just know I'll see Patamon again," he said. "I don't know when or how, but it will happen."
"You just...know?" she asked.
"Mhm," he said. "Like you, Hikarichan"
"I didn't know I would see you today. But I knew one day I would. I just had that feeling. That belief. Maybe it's because we just, I don't know, it's easy to be around you. So that's why-"
"-Takeru!" a stern voice yelled out as an older woman who Hikari had only seen one maybe twice in her life said stepping forward in a black blouse, conspicuous pearls around her neck. She looked so pretty, a fresh coating of lipstick and her short blonde hair flowing down the sides.
Takeru glanced up at her a bit bewildered. "M-mom?" he said a bit on edge.
Her heels clacked as she overshadowed him in frustration. "I went to get ice cream for the two of us and when I turned back you were gone! I was worried you were kidnapped!"
"But Mom," Takeru protested, "I-"
"I don't want to hear another word young man," she said. "I dropped the ice cream as soon as I lost sight of you. I panicked. Do you know how that made me feel? Do you Takeru?"
Takeru lowered his head, his teeth grit in frustration. Hikari noticed his hand clenched trembling, Takeru being verbally shouted down. That kind boy, with his cheerful smile was now….
...Hikari didn't want to intervene, but seeing Takeru like this, the boy whom she had come to respect, she couldn't just stand by and let this happen to him. Even if it was his own mother.
"Wait!" she shouted, Takeru's mom twitching and glancing at her. "D-don't yell at him!"
"I'm sorry," Takeru's Mom said studying her reaction, "I didn't realize that you were here. You were so quiet little girl I thought you just happened to be standing there."
Hikari stared up at the woman intimidating by her, wondering how she could coldly view other people like that-especially people she didn't know.
She swallowed heavily, remembering how brave her brother was and how brave Takeru had been for her too. In that moment, as if Gattomon was there supporting her, nodding her head, ready to go into battle she felt she could be brave too. She had to!
"I'm," she said, a bit afraid, but not wanting Takeru's mom to get her way. "I-I'm not a stranger!" she shouted. "I-I'm T-Takeru's...friend!" she shouted, her voice echoing out the whole apartment complex, even Takeru's a bit taken by surprise.
"You had a friend all the way out here Takeru?" She asked incredulously. "We moved from here awhile ago. Unless- was this one of the other children that was part of saving the world?"
Takeru seemed like he could breathe again, his voice coming back, daring to speak. "Yes, mom," he said. "That's….Hikarichan." he said, Hikari noticing a bright glint in his eye and a smile returning back to his face.
Takeru's mom seemed to study her even more bending down, her hand on her chin till she was almost level with her.
"My apologies for my rudeness," she said, even though her eyes did not appear sorry at all. "I didn't know my son knew where you lived," he said. "He never said anything before about it so it just kind of threw me off."
"But I didn't know," Takeru said speaking back. "I just saw her and-"
"-You ran away?" she snapped back. "You could have been kind enough to wait and introduce ME," she emphasized. "What would our family think if they found out you ran away just because you saw someone you knew, even though you clearly knew to wait for me. It would give the impression you are disobedient," she said. "And I never raised you to be that way. I-"
Hikari felt scared for a moment, Takeru being cornered again. She had just seen in his smile again, she couldn't let that go away! She had to summon her courage once more! Just one more time!"
She gripped her fists lowered her head and shouted. "He thought I was going to jump off the balcony!" she shouted, her voice echoing out 'jump off the balcony' louder than before, Takeru's Mom stunned by her.
Hikari breathed out heavily, her lungs giving out from all the stress of the moment. She glanced up at Takeru's Mom, Takeru concerned for her, but his Mom a bit on edge shocked by the revelation.
All of a sudden the rushing of footsteps and a shadow appeared above her head, Hikari glancing up, her mouth agape as she couldn't believe her mother had jumped off the balcony to the ground like a protagonist in an anime saving the day.
She landed in front of Hikari, her hair fashioned in a bow, an apron around her waste, Hikari at a loss for words how cool her Mom looked. She appeared headstrong, holding herself up against Takeru's mom both intimidating to look at.
It seemed like there would be a showdown, that is, until her Mom turned towards Hikari, tears leaking down her face and weeping into her shirt. "Oh Hikariiiiii!" she sobbed. "I heard your voice through the window and I thought you were so upset you were going to jump and I couldn't help myself! I'm so glad your all right!"
"M-mommy," she said touched by her emotions. It made Hikari start to get worked up a little bit more too.
"W-wow," Takeru said, Hikari noticing how impressed he was by her. "That was so cool! You're like a super hero lady!"
Hikari's mom smiled, let go of Hikari wiping her eye and walked over to Takeru patting his head. "What a nice young man!" she beamed. "I may not look it, but I was kind of a super hero back in my day. I used to be a volleyball champion!"
"Wow, really?" Takeru said enamored, but Hikari noticed his Mom seemed a bit thrown off her by her.
"And who might you just be?" she asked. "This child's mother?"
Hikari's mom seemed to respond to her just the same. "Oh, I certainly am," she said. "And, just who might you be? His Mother, right?"
"Obviously," she said, her eye judging Hikari's mom a bit, her appearance a bit ragged from being in the kitchen. She scoffed tilting her head away from her.
"Is something wrong with the way I look?" Hikari's Mom asked.
"Obviously," she said, her tone annoyed by her. "What a joke. You hear your own child is going to jump off the balcony, and, like the brutish woman you are jump off instead! This goes beyond common sense! Or any decent way to raise a child!"
"Oh?" her mom grinned with her teeth as if excited by her tone. "I think I've raised my daughter quite well," she said rolling up her shirt sleeves. "But maybe if I was seen yelling at my child in the streets like he had committed a felony, I might agree with you."
Both Hikari and Takeru glanced at their parents a bit nervously, Hikari never seeing anything like their interaction. She noticed one of her vein's pulsing as if Takeru's mom would have an aneurysm.
Her eye twitched feverishly. "You have some nerve," she said. "Do you know just who I am? Do you know what kind of influence the Takaishi family has?"
Hikari's mom grinned her eyes fervent with fighting spirit. "No idea and I don't care," she said her hands on her hips. "But I bet I could take you on."
"You what?" she growled her hand clenched like claw raised as if wanting to squeeze the life out of her.
"You heard me. If you want to go, then let's go!" she shouted, Takeru's mom immediately lashing out and smacking her brushing her cheek, her long nails having scratched her.
Both of them stared at each other, shocked, Hikari's mom grinning. "My turn," she said, her hand turning into a fist and then laying her square in the jaw, Takeru's mom glaring at her wondrously as if she had never been struck before.
A bruise welled up on her cheek, Takeru and Hikari both at a loss for words their hands trying to think of ways to calm the situation, but it was useless with their mother's prideful spirit's going at it.
Takeru's mom rubbed her cheek furiously, but she still gave off an intimidating aura. They seemed ready to go at it again for round two, but Hikari with them getting ready to strike each other again if there ever was a time now would be the time to do it.
"Takerukun," Hikari said glancing at him, Takeru immediately glancing back. He looked the same way her as she did at him.
"Hikarichan," he answered back, both of them nodding their heads.
They both ran forward just as their mom's started approaching the other each of them standing in the way of their respective moms.
Hikari closed her eyes shouting stop! Takeru echoing the same words as it felt like the two opposing forces would clash, but instead she felt warmth surround her as she smelled the sweat off her mom wrap around her, her hair following over her.
"Hikari!" She shouted her body bracing for impact. She stayed there for what seemed like an eternity, but, even after all that pressure nothing happened.
Her mom placed her hands on her shoulders and stared at her so tenderly. "Are you ok, Hikari?" she asked, Hikari nodding her head. "I'm ok," she said, relieved that no one had hurt each other seriously.
She turned her head, Takeru's mom also shielding him, a look of concern and worry in her eyes as well. Takeru also seemed cheerful and smiling. The two of them glanced at each other and didn't look away. In fact, Hikari found herself forgetting about her mom for a second and walking over to Takeru both of them standing in front of each other smiling happily, their faces beaming.
The clacking of Takeru's mom's heels caught her attention as she looked at his mom come over in stride, but a bit off, Hikari's mom walking over to them as well.
"I got to say," her mom said, "That was a pretty good smack...for a stuck up snob," she said smiling through her wound.
"Well," Takeru's mom also responded, her lip curved slightly, "You punch quite well...for a barbarian."
The two of them still emitted a fighting spirit, but it seemed a bit more gentle the look in their eyes respectful of each others strengths.
"I don't think I've ever asked anyone this before, but what's your name?" Takeru's mom asked.
They stared at each other some more, Hikari still glad they could prevent the situation from spiraling out of control.
"You know, I think we should apologize to our kids," Yuuko said. "I don't want my Hikari thinking violence is ok."
"A fine idea Yuuko," she said nodding her head.
The two of them exchanged apologies, the conflict finally over, but was it really? The air between them still seemed mutually intense.
"By the way," Yuuko said putting her arm on Takeru's shoulder. "Thank you for watching out for my daughter, Hikari. I'm glad she had you as a friend to watch over her in the Digital World."
Hikari glanced at Takeru's face turning a bit red, a bit frazzled.
"I would never let anything happen to Hikarichan Hikari's' mom!" he exclaimed. "Not even if she jumped!"
Both mothers laughed for a moment, even though the situation was not that funny to Hikari. She couldn't help but giggle with them.
"Oh yes, that's right," Natsuko said, glancing down at Takeru who did not seem so nervous now. "Takeru, I just wanted to say I'm quite proud of you. I know I can be a hard mother sometimes especially after the separation, but this was the first time you stood up to me like this. And you did it for the right reasons. I'm proud of you son."
Takeru looked shocked, but then elated, Hikari not knowing how much more she could smile.
"And I must say," Natsuko said glancing at Hikari, "I'm rather impressed with you too, Hikarichan. It takes courage to shout at someone else's mother like that to protect someone. I know I can be strict with him, but, I would much like it if you could...be my son's friend from now on?"
The look on Natsuko's dignified face softened, Hikari joyful she looked at her that way.
"What are you talking about Mom?" Takeru grinned. "Me and Hikari have already been friends for quite awhile!"
"Oh!" Yuuko said humming to herself.
"You seem so cheerful all of a sudden Yuukosan," Natsuko said.
"It's nothing," Yuuko giggled. "But, I think we should definitely keep in touch," she said. "As the Mothers of the kids who saved the world and all."
"Well, I wouldn't mind," Natsuko said. "Who knows...You might be able to make decent conversation?"
"Decent conversation huh?" Yuuko grinned. "You act all prudish, but I doubt you could hold your own with a bottle."
"A bottle?" she questioned. "You think I, a Takaishi would lose in a drinking brawl, to you Barbarian?" she questioned incredulously.
"Then how about you stop on by and visit for just oooone drink," she challenged.
"Out of the question," Natsuko replied. "For one we have our children present. And two, there is a restaurant I go to that has an excellent selection. Though I'm not quite sure it would be up to your boorish standards," she teased.
"I guess we'll just have to wait and see," Yuuko smiled, both of them laughing confidently in their own strength.
Hikari had lost interest with what they were talking about, both her and Takeru relaxed as if they had just achieved victory against a truly evil Digimon.
"We did it Takerukun!" she said excitedly. "We got them to stop attacking each other!"
"I know! That was great Hikarichan!" he grinned from ear to ear. "Man, you were really something!"
"No, we were really something," Hikari said, not knowing where such confidence had come from. "We make a great team!"
"We make the best team!" Takeru replied back even more energetically. "Thanks, Hikarichan for today," he said calming down. "To be honest I was worried I would never see you again. I mean, I knew I would see you eventually, but I didn't think it would be for a really long time."
Hikari nodded her head. "Me too," she said. "But I know you don't live around here anymore."
"Yeah," Takeru sighed. "I've been moving around with my Mom's work. But, we decided to pay a visit to a relative who lives out here and it was great I could see you, but, at least now that our Mom's are talking we can talk to each other whenever we want!"
"Mhm!" Hikari echoed his sentiment. She felt the intimidating presence from their mothers facing each other behind them again Hikari smiling a bit nervously, but not so fearfully this time.
"Hey, Hikarichan," Takeru whispered into her ear, "Next time we go to the Digital World we should bring our moms. They could beat down even the Dark Masters!"
Hikarichan giggled, a blush appearing on her cheeks, realizing just how comfortable and confident she had become because of him.
The sun had nearly disappeared now, a pleasant soft wind blowing past her Hikari's hair towards him.
She looked at his eyes, dazzled by him. "You were right Takerukun," she said softly. "I know one day I'll see Tailmon again. And I'll see you too. Do you know why?" she asked.
Takeru grinned. "I bet I can say it before you can Hikarichan. On the count of three," he said.
Hikari nodded her head excitedly following his lips as they answered in unison:
"It's not goodbye. It's just goodbye...for now."
