Before the Flame Burns Out

Bad and Good Days

Takuya Kanbara was many things. He was a big brother. A friend. A teammate. A son. He was the Legendary Warrior of Flame for crying out loud. He liked being in the Digital World. No one knew him at all. No one knew the things he did. But most of all, Takuya felt like he mattered for once.

All his life Takuya never really felt he fit in. Only those small moments when he actually got along with his brother, or when he hung out with the few friends he grew up with. Takuya didn't feel like he belonged. Then he went to the Digital World and everything changed. He felt like he belonged. Felt like he had a purpose. He never actually wanted to leave the Digital World. The Digital World was safe, at least in his opinion it was safe. But then it was over, too soon in his opinion. His only sense of belonging is when he meets up with his fellow warriors.

Then there was going back to school. Takuya hated going to school and he had a very good reason for it. If the Digital World was Takuya's safe haven, then school was the exact opposite. School was hell.

"Well well well is that Yaya I see?" a painstakingly familiar voice made Takuya shudder. Takuya was by all means athletic, yet he doesn't join any of the sports teams, preferring to just play around with his friends. Four years ago, before going to the Digital World, the guy who called out to Takuya, found out a secret about Takuya that barely anyone actually knew about. He's been bullying him since. After a year of it, Takuya found himself becoming more isolated, hiding his own pain from his friends. "Listen you better wait outside when school is over. You know what will happen if you don't." Takuya gulped.

He hated school. He felt so powerless compared to when he was traveling in the Digital World. In the Digital World he forgot about his real world problems, the ones that didn't affect him now that he wasn't in the real world. But now he was in the real world. He was powerless now, he couldn't feel Agunimon anymore. All he could do was endure and hide the pain he was going through.

That day he walked home with a new bruise on his arm. Then the familiar voice called out to him. "Hey Takky! Takuya!" He turned around to see his long life friend, Takato Matsuki. The two used to have play dates together when they were in diapers. They used to do everything together. That is until three years ago, Takato kept disappearing and was stressed out. Soon enough their two mutual friends started to retreat into their own world. Takuya found this to be the perfect time to just drift away. He didn't want them involved in his problems. Now Takato was running towards him, he seemed worried.

"I saw you walk by. Are you okay?" Takato asked. "I mean we haven't talked for awhile and when I saw you I realized it's been a really really long time. So I thought I should catch you. See what's going on because you know we haven't talked. And now I'm rambling."

"M'fine Taka. Just got a lot on my mind." Takuya dismissed him. "I gotta go home now, maybe we'll catch up later." And then he walked away, leaving Takato standing there, dumbfounded.

A few weeks later, Takuya received a startling surprise. "Alright class we have a new student joining us today."

"Hello I'm Kouichi Kimura. It's nice to meet you." The raven haired boy bowed before taking a seat. Right next to Takuya.

"You didn't tell me you were going to be going to school here." Takuya whispered hissed to Kouichi, hoping that a certain someone wasn't watching.

"I thought it'd be a nice surprise." Kouichi responded back with a smile, how frowned at seeing Takuya's worried face. Something was wrong.

It was lunchtime and Takuya sighed. He might as well get Kouichi acquainted with Takato, Kazu, and Kenta. This was going to awkward. It's been awhile. He led Kouichi out and to the room he knew that Takato, Kazu, and Kenta were. Every year, the three somehow end up in the same class, it was almost funny. Almost.