Digimon: American Digidestined

Chapter 8: The Past is Freeing, but it Hurts

Ashley and Kaleb were doing a grocery run for their mom. Just so happens they were shopping at Yolei's family's convenience store. "Oh hey guy's!" Yolei greeted from behind the counter, as it was her turn to watch the store.
"Oh so this is your family's store? It's amazing how you always have a job here, it's... convenient?" Ashley said.
"Not really. Once I move out, I have to earn a job just like everyone else." Yolei shrugged. "It's fine though, better than them making me work here my whole life."
"That's true." Kaleb nodded. "We'll be back we need to look for stuff... and let's all of us meet when your shift is done."
"That sounds good. Let's all get together in front of the school!" Yolei smiled brightly, not knowing the two siblings were going to tell them something.
-
"Hey guys sorry we're late!" TK said as he and Kari got there. "Matt made me help him wash the dishes."
"He also roped Tai into doing it to, and he asked if I wanted to help to." Kari explained.
"How many people does it take to do dishes?" Ashley raised an eyebrow at them.
"My brother and our dad are barely home so dishes piled up, and ended up taking over the kitchen counters." TK sighed.
"Reminds me when we made a surprise visit to Shanon's place." Kaleb shivered.
Ashley paled, "Please... don't remind me."
"Hey are you ok? You went pale." Davis said as he poked her.
Ashley's cheeks went from pale to flushed red. "I-I'm fine!" She exclaimed. "But um..." she looked down at her feet. "We need to tell you all something, we thought it was time to tell you guys."
"Let's head to the park and talk there, so we can all sit and talk." Cody said, noting that Ashley was nervous and Kaleb was slightly antsy.
"That's a great idea!" Kaleb said, and started to walk off.
"Where are you going, you don't know where the park they're talking about is!" Ashley yelled.
"Right." Kaleb sped back to the others. "So why don't you guys lead the way."
Ashley giggled. "Right let's get going!" Yolei shouted.
-
"Right so... how should we explain?" Kaleb questioned.
"I guess we could start with me." Ashley said, as she removed her purple jacket. On her right shoulder was a scar.
"Woah, how'd you get that scar?" Davis questioned.
"When I got separated from the rest of our group." Ashley stated.

<<flash back>>

"Kaleb! Michael! Tammy! Hello!? Where are you guys!?!?" Ashley held as she was lost in a forest, with Elecmon.
"Labramon! Betamon! Kunemon! Can anyone here us!?!?" Elecmon called out, trying to find their friends.
"Oh? What's this? Did you lose your friends." A menacing voice said.
"Who's there!?" Ashley yelled, Elecmon getting into a defensive position.
"I am SkullSatamon, and you will do my bidding!" The voice had revealed themselves.
"No, I will not." Ashley growled.
"Well you don't have a choice human!" A light shone from Skullsatamon's staff. Ashley's eyes dulled and her face showed no emotion. "There now you are going to help me destroy your friends."
"Yes master." Ashley said monotonously.
"But Ashley you wouldn't ever think of betraying your friends!" Elecmon stated. "Don't do it, please Ashley."
"No use, she's mine now." Skullsatamon cackled. "Now then let's go find your friends."
-
"I had no control over my actions." Ashley cried. "I attacked them."
"If it wasn't for the fact that he told her to attack her friends, Kaleb wouldn't have been able to stop her." Tsunomon said. "I wish I was able to stop her, but she... forced digivolved me."
TK's eyes widened. "So just like that time with Tai and Agumon." He said.
"I wish I could've helped." Paomon sighed. "But at that time I was out of energy for helping Trailmon win the Trailmon Race."
"..." Kaleb stared down at his lap unmoving.
'Oh no' Ashley thought as she saw her brother's shoulders shaking.
"Kaleb, are you ok?" Yolei asked him.
He didn't answer. Ashley was trying to call someone frantically. "C'mon pick up!" Ashley started muttering in English. They barely understood it, as they're all learning English. "Ah! Tammy I know it's late but you need to calm him down!" Ashley then put her arms around her brother to help calm him down and held her phone to his ear. "It's Tammy." She whispered softly into his ear.
Shakily he took the phone from her grasp and lead against a tree. He was talking to Tammy, in shaky English, trying to calm down.
"I'm worried, that's the worse I've seen him." Paomon said.
"What just happened?" Davis asked.
"Was that... a relapse?" Kari asked.
"Yea, a relapse." Ashley's eyes started to tear up. "He always has, um relapses of when he saw... Tammy almost getting killed. He blames himself. We've been trying, but no luck."
"Who is Tammy?" Cody asked curiously.
"Tammy has been our friend since we were little. Kaleb is especially close to her. She always so... persistent. Tammy... has always gotten us to continue on and keep trying. I kept faith. Kaleb's always so truthful and we never could keep anything hidden from him. Then there were the others." Ashley sighed. "Kaleb... reason I wanted to tell you my... troubles first is so he wouldn't relapse. I just wonder what set it off."
"Well what usually sets it off?" Kari asks.
"Well... Skullsatamon, probably, a beach, and... that." Ashley pointed to a picture of an octopus. "He never told me why, and Paomon, well he doesn't remember."
"Hey it's been awhile since we've all been together!" Pain on stated in defense.
"It's also been awhile since you last used your brain." Tsunomon sighed.
"Hey!" Paomon shouted.
"Ashley!" Kaleb beckoned her over.
"I should see what he wants." Ashley got up and went to sit next to Kaleb under the tree. "So... what did Tammy say?"
"She thinks I need help, but who do I go to for help?" Kaleb sighed. "No one knows about the Digital World, psychiatrists will think I'm crazy."
"Then... why not a digital psychiatrist! We can travel to the Digital World as we please now." Ashley stated. "Their must be a sort of Digimon psychiatrist!"
"You for get that Digimon don't know what death is. They there actually die, remember?"
"Heh I forgot about that part." Ashley smiled sheepishly. "Maybe... they might know?" Ashley was referring to the Digidestined who were right infront of her. "Won't hurt to ask, right?"
"Yea..."
"Also you're sitting next to TK."
"Ok."
They sat down with the group again, Kaleb's back to the octopus now. "Do you guys know how we can help Kaleb with his PTSD?" Ashley went straight to the point.
"No, but there is Joe!" Davis stated.
"Davis, Joe is studying to be a doctor that heals people, not a doctor for mental health." Cody sighed.
"Hm... Joe, as in Joe Kido?" Kaleb asked.
"Yea, why?" Yolei tilted her head.
"Joe Kido is a pen pal I had around 2 to 6 years ago." Kaleb explained. "One day I suddenly lost all contact with him."
"Hm... well it's hard to contact Joe nowadays, he's always studying now so he can get into a good med school." TK said.
"Hey it's getting kind of dark out. We should all go home." Kari said, noticing that the sun was setting.
"Yeah, and let's go to the Digital World tomorrow!" Yolei said. "Well gotta go Poromon is waiting for me."
"So are Upamon and Patamon." Cody said.
"See you guys tomorrow than." TK, Yolei and Cody left together, since they live in the same building.
"Well see you around!" Davis waved as he too left for home.
"We should get going too." Kaleb said.
"Agreed!" Ashley smiled.
"Are you guys coming over for dinner?" Kari asked.
"No, our mom is making a traditional American meal!" Ashley beamed. "I just can't wait for dinner." The girls laughed, and Kaleb smiled.
-
"We're home!" Kaleb and Ashley chorused, as they entered their apartment.
"Alright! Dinner is almost ready!" Their mom called from the kitchen. They went into their room to put their stuff away.
Suddenly a phone rang. Not just any phone. An old one that hasn't worked for years.
"Kaleb..." Ashley muttered when she heard the familiar ringing.
"Got it." Kaleb said, shifting through some stuff in there draws in their desk. "Here it is!" He exclaimed as he answered an old green flip phone, putting it on speaker.
"How are you?" Ashley glared at the phone, talking in English.
"Surprised? You should be, been awhile since I've called." A boy sighed from the phone. "You can stop glaring at the phone ya know."
"I don't know what you're talking about." She huffed.
"So why are you calling?" Kaleb said, also in English, wanting to get down to business.
"Party pooper." The boy grumbled. "Let's just talk more!"
"Enough games Aaron!" Ashley's glare hardened.
"Fine let's get down to business then." A raven haired boy smirked as he looked over the streets from the windows of his hotel.
-
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Ooo I love a mysterious person that just makes people's blood boil! It good for character development and such. That's the end of this chapter. Now, why is Ashley so angry at this guy? Why is he calling? Am I ever going to stop with the questions? Who knows! Wait I do!