First Encounter

Courage's Heart

Right after Tai was treated with pain medication to help him along the path of recovery, he was still feeling awful.

"You've sweated quite a bit. I'll wipe you off."

The digimon took the clean towel and swipe the forehead carefully.

"Better?" Tai lowered his head a little before nodding his head. "Here, drink this."

Tai can't recall since when he had a herb tea to help him through his sickness. The distinct herb tea served in front of him had sour smells but also subtly calming effect on him.

He always wanted to enjoy drinks like this, better than a bitter taste medicine which reminded him of his sickness every single time he took a sip.

Psychemon took a moment before asking what he had on his mind.

"If you don't mind me asking, when did you first discover your sickness?"

"... that was—"

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"What can you do for our son, Susumu? Do something. He's yours too, don't just stand there!"

"Look, the doctor had said that he can't live before the end of his middle school year. There's nothing I can do about it."

"I don't care! Please find a way to save our son, Susumu!"

The tone in her voice made her husband teared up and hugging her to calm the sadness resides in her heart. It pained him too that he can't help but to sit beside her without shedding a tear and giving her shoulder she can lean on.

"Shh. He'll hear you." Her sobbing toned down and he continued. "Yuko, Tai will be okay, the hospital can provide more than enough for our son. We only have to trust them."

Tai heard them through the almost-thick wall in his room. Even though he was connected to something to live for one more day, he could hear them so clearly that he cried inside.

A sob came out of his throat.

A trickle of wet tear run down my face, I was never so alone in the depth of my pain.

To prove his foreboding question inside his mind, coming from his parents, he noticed a large amount of therapy, unusual for a child his age, and applying different kind which only reduced his pain into numbness. The results was as good as it gets, it didn't work on him. At times he'd be completely numbed for days and there's always excrutiating pain on his back which were heightened to unbelievable extremes.

He was starting to notice the numbness, followed by dizziness around his head. He can't even say words without slurring. It seemed that was going to become a normal thing for him now.

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"..." Psychemon lowered down his head, don't know what to answer to the boy.

"After I was finally discharged from the hospital, I heard from the nurse whispering outside there, she said I had a small chance of recovery. Probably in a year or two, I will not be here anymore."

The light tone has a small tinge of despair. What kind of life he lead that drove him to be in this so much despair. Psychemon felt pity for the young boy. He wondered why Gennai didn't tell the other digimon about this matter, only care for the prophecy which earned the anger from the digimon who was huffing and crossed his arms across his chest.

"Oh, right. I forgot to ask you, Psychemon. Did you know the prophecy that Gennai was talking about? I-I'm kinda left the house before he got the chance to tell me."

Tai went red as he explained. Psychemon heard bits about what happen and let it go whilst he tell the prophecy in detail.

Children born as humans shall faced their destiny. To repel the darkness, true power shall be awaken and defeat the darkness which will end the suffering in the digital world.

A boy surrounded with misfortune shall conquer his fear and a door to the new world where true peace exist will open.

Psychemon finished and his horn twitched slightly signaling he took a breath. The puzzle pieces spread by Gennai was simple but confusing with no information on the humans whatsoever.

Tai, absorbing new information from the digimon, put his index finger around his chin. He can grasp what the prophecy meant, judging by his situation and he was sure that the others will too because of his outburst.

Now, the question is...

"What will I do?"

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A/N : You know, it's not like I've recovered but I've been better, really. So, here it is, wish me well enough to write this chapter and ending it nicely.