Hello, everyone! Thank you for your patience! Apologies for the delay in this announcement:
We are happy to announce that the dates for Taichi Yagami Week 2024 will be July 7th to July 13th!
This year, we're mixing things up. The prompts follow a theme - "Ft. The Chosen"! Therefore, all of the prompts center around Taichi's friends, the other Chosen Children!
As such, the prompts will be as follows:
July 7th: Taichi & Yamato
July 8th: Taichi & Sora
July 9th: Taichi & Jou
July 10th: Taichi & Takeru
July 11th: Taichi & Mimi
July 12th: Taichi & Koushiro
July 13th: Taichi & Hikari
Since the votes were split on the month & the theme for prompts, I used random generator methods to decide the timing and theme for the event. Regardless of month, most votes wanted the second week of whichever month!
A note: I will be away during the week of the event, and as of right now, I am rather unsure about my access to Internet. Theoretically, I should be fine to reblog entries during a certain time each day, but I will not know for a while. It is entirely possible I will need to recruit someone to help manage the blog while I'm away. Stay tuned for that announcement!
Thank you all for your patience and your excitement!
After having completed strenuous and highly-anticipated peace negotiations, the UN have granted Taichi six months of much-needed holidays. He spends the first month lounging at beautiful beaches but then his need for activity kicks in and he decides to tag along with his friends in their every-day-jobs.
Happy Odaiba Day!
This fic is inpired by this year's prompts from @taichiyagamiweek. I didn't get around to write for the event so I thought, why not post it on our national holiday😄
I hope you enjoy the story and thank you all so much for being part of this awesome fandom.
Taichi Yagami Week day 7: Taichi & Hikari @taichiyagamiweek
Hikari was there when Takeru was helping Taichi. She cried as she helped him move to a more safer place where Jou and Yamato would look after him. She hugged him and whispered ‘thank goodness you’re ok’ before she told him that she was going to make sure that she keeps them safe. He told her to stay with uphim. Stay safe. She’s still not fully recovered. She’s his baby sister he has to protect her. But she went anyway and was sealed into her crest. Taichi will never forgive himself. How can he ever go back home when he promised to protect her?
Taichi Yagami Week day 6: Taichi & Koushiro @taichiyagamiweek
An extension in the au with Koushiro helping Jou as he tends to Taichi. Koushiro is stressed and ends up getting upset with Taichi, asking once again why he didn’t let him fight. He’s determined. He wants to fight this time. He tells Taichi he’s going to borrow his courage for a while and rushes ahead. Moments later, he too is sealed away. When Taichi picks up his crest, he wonders if maybe Koushiro took his courage along with him.
Taichi Yagami Week day 5: Taichi & Mimi @taichiyagamiweek
Mimi scolded taichi when they met again for trying to fight on his own and tearfully turned to Piemon, angered beyond belief. Taichi begged her to stay behind and not fight. She’s just had enough of the guy hurting so many innocents and he almost took Taichi away. She gives it all she has before being sealed away and Taichi is left to pick up her crest alongside the others. He promises her he’ll take care of things and stop him so everyone can be safe.
Taichi Yagami Week day 4: Taichi & Takeru @taichiyagamiweek
In this au, Takeru helped Yamato settle taichi down and told him not to move. He cried and was scared of how hurt Taichi was and worried until Sora yelled some sense into him. Takchi just wanted to be strong for takeru so he didn’t get scared. Taichi remembers takeru telling him to have faith in them. That they’re there and will help to win against Piemon. He was one of the first to get sealed away and Taichi is certain Yamato hates him because he can’t forgive himself either.
Alright here's a short bonus for @taichiyagamiweek. I didn't need to do this. But I wanted to cap off my rants. And also not end with Kari's because it was depressing.
Doing a meta for each character helped teach me more about how the group functions as a whole. I started by reusing a rant for Tai and Matt. But as I progressed, I realized the real theme of my newer meta is the role each character plays and how with even one missing, two worlds would have fallen.
Joe, Izzy, Matt, and Sora play their own unique active role. While Izzy and Matt's roles are obvious on paper, they have their nuances. Joe and Sora faded into the background over time, but we're a huge part of Adventure, with Sora in particular being the "secret sauce" ofvthe group. Mimi, TK, and Kari are more passive, but give the group a strong emotional center.
Tai's leadership role is useless without a team to lead. It takes time, but he learns how to prioritize each of their strengths. It's obvious when he learns what courage is, but the depth of his interactions with his friends takes a little more digging to fully appreciate.
My favorite meta was Sora's day and Kari's day. The former inspired me to make a meta focused exclusively on Sora, which I will get around to someday (it'll be a long one, maybe more than one part). I wish I could've done more for Mimi and TK, but eh. Live and learn.
I want to thank @taichiyagamiweek for hosting this event and @seventeenlovesthree for their awesome contributions to the week. And everyone who participated or liked/reblogged the metas. It was fun to participate in a fan week even with my awful sense of time. I look forward to next year!
@taichiyagamiweek, thank you so much for hosting the event of 2024! I had a blast trying out something new this time; I absolutely adore my little dolls and was happy to use them to recreate some of my favourite scenes involving Taichi interacting with all the other original Chosen Children. Taichi himself is incredibly important to me, so I enjoyed shedding some light on his relationships with the others - and I really hope that everyone else had fun participating, looking at and reading the entries as well!
Taichi Week is officially over! Thank you everyone for another great year of content celebrating Taichi! A big thanks to everyone who participated, as well as everyone who shared the content everyone worked so hard on.
If you're running late on some prompts, feel free to continue tagging this blog or using the official tags! I will reblog anything that comes my way. (It appears that many were surprised that the event was even happening, so major apologies in that regard 😭🙇♀️)
Thank you again to everyone! This has been a great week, and I can't wait to see what the future has in store!
Here is a masterlist of the works I contributed to the 2024 iteration of Taichi Yagami Week, hosted by myself over at @taichiyagamiweek . Thank you to everyone who participated, as well as everyone who liked and shared my content!
Word Count: 625
Prompt: & Hikari
A/N: Does it need to be said how much I love this sibling relationship? Hikari and Taichi started it all, didn't they? And I think in some ways, it would be these two to end it all, were it ever to come to that. (I doubt it would... unless?) I really think Digimon created something special when they created Taichi and Hikari. And so I'm glad to have this as my last drabble for the week. Thank you all for reading!
@taichiyagamiweek
Taichi had always been the one to take care of Hikari. It was the way of the older brother, he liked to say, that the older one should always be looking out for the younger one. But after it happened, Hikari was the one to take care of him. He couldn't count how many nights he fell asleep with his head on her shoulder, waking up to her sitting beside his bed, dozing with Tailmon in her lap. How many nights she'd brought him takeout, whether it was Daisuke's ramen, a pastry, or just a canned soda she'd gotten from a vending machine. While all of his friends were there for him, and always would be, it was Hikari who maintained a constant presence, placing her hand gently on his arm whenever the tears made a reappearance.
"You'll look after Daisuke and the others, won't you?" Taichi asked for the thousandth time, his head tilted back and leaning against the wall.
"I never thought I'd see the day you'd become a mother," Hikari mused, taking a sip from the soda he'd refused for himself. "Of course I will. Not for your sake, though. For theirs." She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "You know just as well as I do that we can take care of ourselves."
He sighed. "I know. I'm just worried. What if you all don't have enough time left?"
"We'll cross that bridge when we get there. For now, we just have to trust in our partners, right?" She petted the space between Tailmon's ears, a gentle smile upon her face. Taichi had always loved that smile on her; more than anything, it had always calmed him when he felt like he was in the middle of a raging sea of chaos. Crest of Light indeed. She had always been his lighthouse.
Hikari continued, "Besides, you have plenty of wonderful memories with Agumon, don't you?" She pointed to the picture hanging on his wall, or rather the array of pictures. The one from their first adventure, a few candids of him with separate groupings of the others, and one of him and Agumon. "Don't let go of those, big brother. I think he'd be very sad if you did."
"You're right." Taichi opened the drawer beside his bed, staring down at the rusted Digivice nestled inside. He couldn't throw it away—what use would it be there? But he couldn't look at it either. Save for moments like these, when all he could do was remember. Remember how happy he'd always been whenever he had Agumon. Remember how happy Agumon had always been. Remember the way his claws felt in his hand. They had never quite been able to hold hands like some of the others could do with their partners. But they never had to. Their bond was stronger than that.
"Tailmon," Taichi finally said, looking over at the cat Digimon, who flicked an ear in acknowledgment. "I think she loves you."
While Hikari laughed, Tailmon seemed to smirk. "I know that. I love her, too. More than anything." Lifting her head, Tailmon's expression softened as Hikari kissed her forehead. They emanated a light Taichi could only imagine the rest of them had done, once upon a time.
But instead of sadness, all he felt was relief that Hikari would have more chances to make memories with her partner. While he'd tried his best to fill the others with the hope that they, too, would have the chance again, he couldn't hide his fear from Hikari. Just as she could never hide her light.
Her light gave him the courage to live up to the optimism that someday, somehow, he and Agumon would find each other again.
@taichiyagamiweek Day 7, July 13th 2024: Taichi & Hikari
Taichi and Hikari have always had a very close and loving sibling relationship ever since they were toddlers, with Taichi being the (sometimes overly) protective big brother and Hikari being the very attached (and sometimes overly dependent) little sister - it's a pattern that is deeply intertwined in their character arcs and development and thus endlessly interesting to witness. Taichi has to overcome his guilt towards her and, even if his protectiveness never fully disappears, grows aware of how capable and strong-willed she can be. Hikari, on the other hand, needs to learn to speak up and make decisions for her own sake without relying too much on others, Taichi in particular - and through the years, they get better at it, finding ways not to idealize the other too much and breaking through codependent tendencies. Nevertheless, they are incredibly proud and supportive of each other, can share lighthearted and teasing moments - and are also getting more comfortable calling each other out if they disagree or have issues with the other's behaviour. As adults, they may struggle a little to stay in touch regularly, but if it comes down to it, they will always, without a shred of doubt, move mountains for one another.
This is for Kari's day of @taichiyagamiweek! Hold on to your butts.
(TW for child abuse/neglect, depression)
All this week, I talked about how each character relates to Tai and the group. I can't do that easily with Kari. Coming in late and being dubbed "the special one" means she doesn't develop until 02, so she has more group dynamics with the new cast than the old. So this is more about Tai, and what being Kari's brother has made him.
I've ranted about My Sister's Keeper before. I'm not going to beat the "it's not his fault, he was a kid" dead horse again. I want to talk about an overarching problem which goes all the way back to the pilot.
Tai- age 7- is expected to cook and care for Kari when his parents are gone. He is the only one who understands her whistle language. He's a good big brother! But he's also a child. So when he thinks/behaves like a child and it results in Kari getting sick, suddenly he's a monster.
He can't fail her again. He cannot.
Now, I'm not sure how much of this is Japanese culture. Something similar happened in Ponyo with much younger kids. The eldest boy in the house is the man of the house, regardless of age. I cannot speak to cultural differences. All I can do is analyze fictional characters.
Growing up raising Kari has resulted in the following behaviors with Tai by the time Adventure rolls around-
He is more responsible than he first appears, especially with Kari.
He is still a child, and often behaves immaturely.
He has been trained to blame himself for every failure.
This is a risky plate to bring to the Digital World's table. Without Sora to ground him, Matt to challenge him, Izzy to move him past hesitation, the others simply believing in him, Tai could have crashed and burned. At Devimon's mansion (he should have seen the trap). After SkullGreymon (he tried to protect them all...only he could do it...). It's very doubtful he would have made it past My Sister's Keeper if not for Izzy and TK. Without them, he could easily have broken down, and become vulnerable to a trigger happy Machinedramon...
This all comes to a head way too late. Kari was a last-minute addition, so unlike Sora and her mother or Matt and his family, Tai barely has time to resolve his issues. He confesses to Izzy, sure. But there's no "aha moment". His childhood raising another child combined with leading an army of child soldiers has prepped him for a life where even the smallest failure is the end of the world. How can he be blamed for hesitating in tri.?
And the worst part is Kari doesn't see it. Tai's the perfect big brother, who she aspires to become. She loves him no matter what, even as he lies awake at night believing the opposite.
...This is a sad note to end the week on. So I published a day early so I can do a bonus meta for the whole group on the last day. Doing these metas made me realize how important each character is- even some I tend to overlook.
I'm back on track for @taichiyagamiweek. This time it's Izzy's day!
What can I say that @seventeenlovesthree hasn't already said (along with their cute plushies!). These two bring out the best in each other. Tai helps Izzy open up, while Izzy gets him through moments of hesitation. There would be a lot of dead kids in Adventure if not for these two. Tai holds the group together, Izzy does important backup work with his computer, and the group thrives.
And the cool thing is- unlike Sora- these two continue to interact into adulthood. Perhaps Izzy survived being phased out to the same degree as some others due to his relevant computing skills. Good thing, too. The Adventure timeline is at its best when everyone participates. The more of these I complete, the more I know this to be true.
In tri onwards, Izzy's business becomes an HQ of sorts. An anchor. A home base that the first generation didn't't have the first time around. That alone is a huge boon. The boy who started out cutting off the world becomes- in his own way- the center that unites everyone.
I'm really stumped this week because seventeenlovesthree did so well. So I'll conclude by asking you to check out their post too!
Word Count: 547
Prompt: & Koushiro
A/N: As the years go on I find something new to love about the relationship between Taichi and Koushiro. Romantic or not, these two have a lot of potential stored in them, and I don't think I completely did it justice. Continuing on with my personal theme of pain for myself, this one nearly did a huge number on me. I hope Koushiro and Taichi would have liked it.
@taichiyagamiweek
The office looked empty without Tentomon buzzing around. It filled Taichi with a certain unease that somehow hadn't been following him in every other instance of this. Maybe because of the specific way Koushiro and Tentomon complemented each other, a singular unit of technology and science that functioned better together than they did alone. Taichi had always considered them one person, at least subconsciously.
Before Koushiro could begin whatever conversation he intended on having, Taichi bowed low, practically bending in half. "I'm so sorry."
He could hear the gears whirring in Koushiro's brain, hear the way he blinked once, then twice, then a third and fourth time, trying to process the reason for the apology. Finally, the younger boy said, "Why are you apologizing?"
Straightening up, Taichi tried not to meet his friend's gaze, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "We sped up the process, didn't we? And now you're alone."
Koushiro didn't answer at first, turning away and walking over to the window of his office. Taichi's brain inserted the image of Tentomon buzzing beside him, chattering away while Koushiro smiled that soft smile of his. The more he witnessed these cruel separations, the broken hearts left behind by a decision that was never theirs to make, the more Taichi's heart hurt. Whereas he felt the emptiness Agumon had left behind, he felt the hole beside his friends. It hurt so much to see what the Digital World had wrought upon them.
Lightly, Koushiro touched the window with the pads of his fingers, sighing. "There was bound to be something like Eosmon," he pointed out. "That's the way of our two worlds. Something is always at stake, always threatening the status quo. This was no different." He looked over his shoulder and smiled. "Do you regret any of it?"
The man who used to be a boy with goggles shook his head, grinning wryly. "Never. I'll never regret it."
"Neither will the rest of us." Koushiro turned fully to face him, backlit by the setting sun. "We had one last battle together, all eight of us. Including Sora." His mouth twitched; when he had become aware of what happened to Sora, he had been stricken, and Taichi wondered if perhaps Koushiro shouldered the guilt for not knowing what had afflicted their friend earlier than even Yamato or he. "All we can do now is watch over those who still have their partners and hope we'll find a way to see them again."
"If anyone can find the way, it's you, Koushiro. You were always the greatest of us that way." Taichi fingered the goggles in his pocket, his mind supplying memories of all the times Koushiro had literally and figuratively saved their butts, even when he was not directly involved in the fight at hand. "I'd say you're at the height of your potential."
"Aren't all of us? This isn't the end, Taichi." Koushiro placed his hand over his heart. "As long as our hearts are beating, I know we'll find a way."
Smiling widely, Taichi made his way over to his friend and held out his fist. Koushiro formed a fist with his own hand and bumped it lightly against Taichi's. A promise made between those who had always shouldered more than was fair.
@taichiyagamiweek Day 6, July 12th 2024: Taichi & Koushirou
If you're familiar with my preferences, you know that Taichi and Koushirou's relationship is my absolute favourite topic to talk about. They're your typical "brawns/brains" combination at first glance, the courageous protagonist and his knowledgable right-hand-man, who support each other through thick and thin and drive the plot forward - but to me, it has always been deeper than that. They're constantly enabling and complementing each other in their strengths and weaknesses - without Taichi's encouragement, Koushirou would not have gone to Summer Camp to eventually become a lot more confident in his abilities and usefulness; and without Koushirou's input, Taichi would have been stuck at various points, unable to save Sora or to solve the card riddle to get them all back home. There is a sense of loyalty between them that persists through the years - so them getting together to stop a rampaging Digimon from causing havoc on the net or their high commitment to parent support the 02 kids are no accidental feats. Neither is the fact that Koushirou continues to create distortion-tracking devices in the shape of goggles specifically. And even though there seem to be periods of increased physical distance between them, they won't stop getting in touch, believing in and trusting each other in times of emergency, even as the years go by. It's no surprise to me that their careers end up being the ones most intertwined with Digital World affairs - and I'm convinced that these two best friends won't stop having each other's backs through it all.
