Digital Balance (Sweet and Amanda)

[SweetSerenade]

It'd been ten years since their adventures as children, since they had saved the digital world. Ten years since that day, and some of them had changed a lot, some more than others. Tai, was one of those that had changed more than others. In high school, he had finally gotten the courage to ask Sora out, and now they had been together since their freshman year. They were in their twenties now, and he was on a local soccer team - and he had been with the woman of his life for almost seven or eight years now. Yes, they'd been smart and waited till after high school to start up anything really crazy, but they were settled and happy with each other. Hell, he was even getting ready to propose to her.

He had been texting with Yamato, Mat, for weeks about it. His buddy had said they could use his homecoming concert as the perfect place to pop the question on Sora. Tai had even gone out of his way to save up a ridiculous amount of money, so he was sure he could go on his quest for the perfect ring. Perfect ring he had found, and he was glad he had saved up. It wasn't the most expensive in the shop, but it was definitely not a cheap ring either. A thin white gold engagement band, with a heart cut pink diamond, surrounded in soft blue round cut diamonds, with etchings of feathers all across the white gold band. He had even gotten an inscription on the inside that said 'I love you'. It was cheesy, and silly, but he found himself constantly sneaking peeks at it when she wasn't looking. Mostly because he was so proud of himself. The stones were very big, but they were of a high clarity, and nearly flawless. Like the woman he loved.

Right now, he was waiting outside of a store - because Mimi had insisted on taking all of them to get outfitted in her newest fashions. He felt pretty dapper actually, wearing the nice outfit she had made for him. A simple pair of pants, with more pockets and chains then he would have imagined, with a tight fitting shirt that had a nice vest over it. His hand slid down to where he kept the ring for Sora because right beside it was where he still carried his digivice. He didn't know why, but he felt kind of good about carrying it on him at all times.

His eyes slid over to Mei, the woman that Kari and TK had brought with them. She was their friend, at least that's what his sister said, and they felt a need to bring her along. Tai didn't really mind, as he vaguely remembered her from high school. He remembered her cat more, her service animal, a rather large domestic feline that she had on a harness everywhere she went. He remembered that in High School she had been allowed a service animal because she was prone to panic attacks, something related to her father who was killed in war. He thought it was pretty cool that she had been allowed that, and believed whatever made someone feel better was important. Though... sometimes that feline of hers reminded him of Gatomon, and he missed Agumon all the more because of it. "So, Mei right... why didn't you let Mimi dress you up?" He asked as he watched the woman with her feline.

Mei had not been prepared to be asked to go to such an event, when TK and Kari had asked her she had been almost tempted to tell them no thank you. But she had let them drag her with them, and Nyamon had stayed very close nearby. This month was always a harder one for her, as it was in close relation to when her father was killed in combat so many years ago. Sometimes she still woke up with nightmares from the video that someone in his unit had sent them. Sometimes she had nightmares that she herself had been killed in such a way. A shiver raced up and down her spine as her hand slipped into her pocket where she felt the Digivice that was always close at hand.

Her green eyes focused on the distance, watching the streets as she waited for everyone else to come out from getting dressed up. As soon as that was done they were all supposed to go to the Concert, to sit in the special seating that had been arranged by Yamato, for the entire group. Yamato, shit, her heart pounded with that thought. A flush filling her as she remembered that sweet High School crush of hers. The way that man made her young heart, and her current heart, pound with a drumming tempo that drove her insane. She reached down to stroke her fingers across her digimon's head, Nyamon instinctively leaning into rub her head against Mei's hand. It was a soothing action, the unity the two of them had. The best of friends, the truest friend each other would ever have.

She was dress simply, a loose fitting white dress shirt, tucked into black slacks. A simple pair of black ballet styled flats, and her long dark hair pulled back by a ribbon. Tied off and just left to hang. Her eyes were her fathers, while her hair and coloration were more her mothers. She was of a slim build, petite and tinier than everyone else in the group. Large expressive eyes that seemed to hide more than they showed. She wasn't built as well as someone like Mimi, but she was built well enough. A slim frame that was womanly, when she wore clothing that showed it off, and a pretty face that could be even prettier if she was to smile more often.

Her head turned as Tai spoke to her, and she gave him a wry smile. "I'm not really part of the group, Tai... I'm just here because TK and Kari convinced me to come. I don't feel it's right to have Mimi dress me up, besides... I can't afford clothes like that on a Teacher's Assistant salary, I would be horrified if I ruined any of them." She said with a small chuckle, her eyes turning back to the crowds. Something was coming, something was rising. It was a strange feeling, like something coming in the distance that she didn't understand.

[Amandashow]

A weekend in Harajuku's trendy fashion ward meant bustling streets and overcrowded shops. Mimi's boutique no exception, both inside and out, a steady stream of customers was funneling in and out through the thrown open double doors like an assembly line. Sora stepped out a moment later, blinking in the afternoon sun with her arms hugging a shopping bag to her middle. Unlike most of the patrons coming and going, their hands overflowing with new clothes, hers contained a folded stack of the outfit she had arrived in before Mimi insisted they change. It was certainly flashier than she was used to but then again, being a t-shirt and jeans sort of girl most anything besides felt a little gaudy to her.

The pants were dark and rod low on her hips, much lower than she was comfortable with it seemed as her fingers had a nervous habit of tracing around to the back of the belt line to check for an exposed butt crack. A series of zippers ran in a Helter-skelter pattern down the legs, like silver gashes in the fabric. Of course they served no practical purpose and unzipping any of them revealed no additional pockets.   

Making a mental note never to bend over in these, the shirt was only barely long enough to cover her middle. It was a sleeveless affair, made of the same material and radical zipper-centric design, a clear match for her trousers. After stealing a quick look at all the surrounding faces she turned to Tai and voiced her concerns, "I don't know about these pants." She had said something to Mimi while in the dressing room, peeking over the stall to gaze down apprehensively at her designer friend.

"The pants are too tight," she had explained.

"They're supposed to be tight!"

"No but these are tight, tight. Like, no room for underwear tight. Barely even room for ME tight."

Mimi had waved her off, too cheery that her designs would be making a special appearance at the biggest concert of the year (if not the decade) for a little snafu of modesty to get her down.

"Well they weren't designed with bloomers in mind," Mimi had teased, good naturedly sticking her tongue out at her. "Besides, commando is all the rage now."

She doubted Tai would mind the look though and she turned on the spot to give the group a look at Mimi's latest creation. It left little to the imagination; more like someone had spray painted her lower half in a glossy black finish.

"So this is the cutting edge of fashion?" she wondered aloud, tugging down on her shirt and up on her pants. The only thing that stood out was her worn out running sneakers and backwards facing Yomiuri Giants baseball cap. The metallic shell of her Digivise winked in the sunlight from its place, clipped onto the bill of the hat. Like Tai there was just something comforting about having it on her person, like a keepsake or the most precious of heirlooms. They offset the outfit just enough to make it appear casual, devil may care even and a softening of the look was definitely welcome. Otherwise, someone is going to offer me a five hundred thousand bill and ask how far this would get him, she mused. She made a mental note to hang onto the clothes and maybe surprise Tai with a little escort/client roleplay some time.

Sora glanced around anew, as if just remember. "Hey, did Yamato ever show up?"

The blank, sheepish looks all around confirmed her worst fear and before Tai could offer any weak excuse for his longtime friend, she held up a hand to silence him.

"He said he would be here! He promised!" Scowling, she unzipped her front pocket and struggled to produce her cellphone from the constricted confines of the pants. Pinching the device between thumb and forefinger, she tried to wiggle it free like a particularly problematic UFO claw catcher to no avail. "Tai," she whined, rolling her head back on her shoulders. "My pants ate my phone. Can you text Yamato again and remind him what the definition of a promise is?"


Across the city, Yamato roused from sleep, as if having his name evoked from so far away was the internal alarm clock he required. No, that wasn't entirely accurate. It was more likely Sora's growing agitation with his tardiness that likely would have done it. Her motherly ire would certainly earn him a stern talking too when he did appear and when he reached for the iPhone on the nightstand, his fears were confirmed.

"Great," he murmured, starring at the flood of incoming messages stacked in his inbox. Worse, he had forgotten to plug the thing into the charger the night before. "Double great."

Lying on his back in the dingy light of his apartment, he held the phone sideways and hastily replied to the latest message from Tai, inquiring about his whereabouts. "Sorry, manager had us swamped all morning. Couldn't get away but I'll see you guys at the show tonight," he wrote. A lie yes, a lame excuse yes, but his anti-social behavior had taken a turn for the worst and he was shunning all human contact whenever possible. Even his little brother, TK could hardly get more than a few words out of him at a time until even his messages and calls were screened.

"Aww, your parents are renewing their vows?"

Well, shunning almost all human contact.

Yamato scrubbed his face with the palms of his hands, dutifully ignoring the question and set to connecting his phone to the cable.

"That's so sweet. My parents got divorced years ago. When I was thirteen. They can't stand each other. Even evoking the others name in their presents is enough to start a fight."

Yamato nodded his head absently, groping around the side of the bed and nightstand, shaking each of the tall aluminum cans scattered around until he heard a telltale sloshing. A quick swallow of warm Red Bull unstuck his tongue from the roof of his mouth and he could finally reply. "Where did you find that?" Not bothering with such trivial pleasantries such as 'good morning'. It wouldn't be apt, anyway, since the time revealed it was well after noon.
The girl was seated on the foot of his large, king sized bed, wearing one of his band's t-shirts (the Teen-age Wolves) and nothing else. Her length of black hair was still tussled from sleep and she was sitting with her legs crossed at the knee. In her hands was a glossy invitation card, opened like a book.
"It was in the trash," she confessed with no hint of guilt or wrongdoing in her voice. "Oh...this was months ago. How was it?"

Yamato remained silent, worrying the now empty can over in his hands, struggling to remember this woman's name. Has she even told him? Had he bothered to ask? The prickling of the beginnings of a headache was threatening to make rational thought difficult. Not to mention the girl was a knock out, particularly sexy in her outfit that left her pale lower half exposed. He unabashedly eyed her exposed backside, his cock mirroring his interest with a twinge of excitement.

He sat up at last, the sheets falling away from his naked chest and revealing the light cords of muscle playing knotted through his slender, hairless frame. He touched a hand to her rosy cheek and pressed his mouth hungrily against hers, kissing her fiercely. She tasted like alcohol, stale cigarettes and bad choices that felt oh so right.

His arms easily carried her over and settled the girl in his lap, tugging down his boxer shorts to his thighs, finding her wet and wanton between the legs. She gasped aloud when he entered her and all at once the offending card was forgotten.

He took it gently from her hands and let it fall away, fanning open to the attached photograph inside showing his parents, now on the far side of middle-age, smiling up almost approvingly. Their hands were clasped together securely, as if determined that this time, they would not let one another go.
Yamato staggered into the bathroom some time later, the girl wallowing in after blow on the bed behind him, still trying to catch her breath. He splashed cold water against his feverish brow, wondering if a shower would be in order. He snapped the medicine cabinet closed and studied his appearance closely. He was thinner than the last time he had beheld his visage in this environment. The change had been so gradual on the road he hardly had noticed. Now back in familiar surroundings, the evidence that life on the road had taken its toll was plain to see.

His fingers kneaded the flesh of his abdomen, his ribs, and pectoral muscles gingerly as if inspecting them for pain. The leaping carp tattoo on his breast still felt a little raw, more to do with poor care than any lasting discomfort. Nevertheless, it was a vibrant collogue of reds, whites and blues, done in an old-fashioned woodcutting style. His second tattoo was of a wolf's head he had done while traveling in North America. It was exquisitely detailed and a sharp contrast to the more artistic fish on his chest. The wolf was snarling savagely, jaws agape to reveal a row of yellowed teeth. A series of markings accompanied the image; slashes of brush-stroke characters that were supposed to be the hiragana for 'strength' but the artist had flubbed the instructions and written them backwards. As drunk as he had been that night, he wondered again if he had not just written them that way in the first place. The last body art adorned his right forearm, his brother's name stenciled out in both English and Japanese letters.

Yamato spied the woman in the reflection, watching him from bed with a pillow hugged tightly below her bare breasts. He pretended not to notice and dry swallowed the two capsules rolling around in the palm of his hand to stall the worst of the headache.

"Listen," he called after bending down to swallow a few handfuls of faucet water. "I have to get ready for the show tonight..." He let the statement hang in the air between them, hoping that she would catch the meaning without further goading.

"I was hoping to make you breakfast," she replied back, pursing her lips together anxiously, tugging the pillow tighter still. "You look like you could use a good, home cooked meal."

Yamato cringed at that, having little to do with her offer and everything to do with what had passed as breakfast for him as of late. At the start of the tour, it had been a cup of instant noodles with maybe an egg thrown in for good measure. By the end, it had dissolved into a swallow of whiskey and a cigarette. Her look of disappointment sent a pang of guilt down into his gut and he almost took her up on the offer as a result. Almost. Yamato wasn't a monster but he certainly had his share of omnipresent demons.

"Maybe we can get together sometime," he offered, placating. "I really need to get ready. I'll call you."

The woman, whoever she was, nodded her head slowly, picking at a loose thread in the pillowcase. "Yeah...maybe..."
"Yeah..."

The air was palpable now; the sounds of traffic outside seemed to amplify tenfold. A neighbor's television was droning somewhere far off, clashing with the sound of a thunderous car horn. An airplane flew low overhead, the whoosh of wind rattling the bedroom window moments before the things massive shadow passed by. A mile of carpeted floor seemed to stretch from Yamato's bare feet to the foot of the bed where she was nestled and suddenly he realized that there was nothing left to say. Miserably, he turned on the shower head and ducked beneath the scalding spray. The hot water felt good on his skin and he scrubbed at his body vigorously until he was pink and raw from it, treating the shower as if it were an act of penance.
When he emerged a few minutes later in a cloud of steam she was gone.

He wrapped himself in a towel and padded around the large apartment, searching for anything she may have left to give him a clue as to whom she was. But he found nothing, no note or hastily written message on the whiteboard at his refrigerator. Just empty rooms quickly filling up with useless relics of rampant consumerism and bad memories.

[SweetSerenade]

Tai's eyes slid over Sora's frame, finding a thrill of approval racing through him. This was the closest to 'sexy' his girlfriend had ever let herself wear, at least not since he convinced her into that lingerie that was still back at their shared apartment. A small grin played across his face, as he ruffled his hand through his hair. Sora looked absolutely gorgeous, and the painted on look was good for her. She has such a slim well kept frame, with the wiry muscle from all of her sports work. "You look wonderful." He commented with a laugh as he scratched the back of his head. He let his gaze slide over towards the others for a moment, the looks on their faces.

The feeling of all, no not all of them together. Sora started talking about how Yamato wasn't there, but Tai knew that something was wrong. It wasn't right, that all of them weren't here for this. But he shot a text to Yamato as he was asked. "It was his manager." He said as he looked up. "Apparently the manager had them busy for awhile." He said as he shoved his phone deep into his pocket and turned his attention back to his girlfriend. "Mimi has some amazing style, it's pretty cool." He said with a grin as he stepped over to Sora and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek.

They had been together long enough that PDA didn't bother them, they did small things, small touches, small looks, all ways to remind each other how they felt. His eyes slid over the group, as he realized Mimi had dressed everyone except Mei. "So how about we all head over to the Event Venue? The Concert Hall is about to be filled with a bunch of screaming hormone riddled people... So we should probably get there before hand and pick up our VIP backstage passes." Tai said as he thrust his hand into the air.

It was funny, because their group that had once been eight digidestined, had blossomed into a larger group. Mimi had her boyfriend with her, and Izzi and Joe both had their girlfriends, TK and Kari were a couple... and he and Sora were one. So a group that was eight had blossomed into eleven, twelve if you counted the quiet dark haired woman that seemed to float at the back of the group.

With that Tai started walking from the store towards the vehicles everyone had come in. This way they could all travel over to the Event Venue.

Mei was quiet as she watched the others, a spark of jealousy in her eyes as she watched the way that the people around her seemed to completely outshine her. She could never look as good as that, she never could. She chewed on the inside of her cheek as her green eyes scanned the crowd of people. She knew most of them, by name at least, though she didn't know them personally. She hadn't been able to get to know any of them personally, though TK and Kari really did try.

The woman shifted down to pick up her feline, hauling Nyamon in her arms. She hummed softly as she started to walk behind Tai. The good news was she had been picked up by Tai and Sora, since Kari had convinced her big brother to drive them to the place where Mimi wanted them to all get dressed. But Mei, sweet little Mei, had still stayed out on the edges of it all. She had eyed some of the clothes rather hungrily, but knew that someone like her could never be part of that kind of group.

"Mmmhmm, get the passes and enjoy the show." Mei said softly as she followed after TK and Kari, both of which were chatting up a storm and were shortly behind Tai and Sora. Mei didn't mind following up in the back, even as they started to load up into the car. "So, as so far as the event... what are they like?" She asked as she noticed the shocked look on Tai's face. "What? I've never been at a concert...." She admitted as her cheeks broke out with a giant blush.

[Amandashow]

Sora shook her head disapprovingly at the relayed excuse, rocking back on her heels to rest her back against the glass window display of Mimi's show. Behind her head, someone had taped up a flier advertising the concert. In big flashy lettering it hailed the return of The Teen-Age Wolves after successfully conquering the world. To drive the point home, the advertisement sported a group shot of the entire band sans instruments, standing atop the globe with the white and red banner of Japan firmly planted in Antarctica despite it being the only continent left untouched by their world tour. 

She folded her arms loosely over her middle, brooding. "Typical," she sighed. It hadn't always been like this; in fact up until Yamato went globe hopping, he had been the opposite and rather dependable. In fact, his appearance had never been in question in those days. One could always count on Yamato showing up for Tai's soccer matches and helping Sora cheer for the Giants or escorting T.K. around on his college interviews. As much as she disliked the 'new' Yamato, she knew that Tai and T.K. suffered the hardest. He and Tai were the best of friends, near inseparable since their Digidestined days, much to her annoyance back then but it was plain he missed his wayward companion.

Sora, like many others in the group, had assumed his anti-social behavior stemmed from rocketing to fame too early, too fast. How may twenty-something's go on globe-spanning concert tours? Never once did the coincidence of the wedding popping up around the same time enter her mind.
Despite her souring mood, Sora couldn't help but smile at Tai's compliment and glanced over at him. "Yeah?" She asked sardonically. "I can't imagine why you'd think THAT!" The way Tai scratched at his messy shock of hair reminded her all at once of much younger days. A nostalgic memory flooded back. Their first day at summer camp and spying that boy wearing floppy brown shorts and spiky hair behind a pair of circular shaped goggles. Where does it all go? She wondered before the very grown up Tai offered her a peck on the cheek and reminding her that it doesn't go anywhere. It only gets better.

Sora nodded at the idea of getting a head start on the journey. Already it would no doubt be packed with fans waiting to get into the venue or trying to scalp last minute tickets or simply hanging out in the parking lot in hopes of hearing the tunes filtering out from the hall. Like animals boarding the Ark, they filed into the cars two by two without even realizing and subconsciously left Mei to pull up the rear alone. As she climbed into the passenger seat next to Tai, she felt a guilty for not bothering to at least try and find a date for the poor girl and perhaps sedate any awkward feelings she may harbor of being the odd man out. Then again, given the modest way she was dressed and how she had dutifully refused Mimi's offer of a makeover (no easy task, mind you) Sora doubted the proposal would have been taken up.

The revelation that Mei had never attended a show before was unsurprising. After all, she was so shy they could hardly picture her bouncing around in the middle of a mosh pit or crowd surfing. The idea made Sora have to work at stifling a chuckle. "Well...," she started, looking to her boyfriend for help with the explanation. Her pants were sliding dangerously far down her butt sitting down, making her have to sort of half sit, half stand in the seat. The last thing she needed was for these things to split down the back and put on a show of her own. "It's really loud and crowded. Like Tai said, screaming hormone-riddled people losing their minds and dancing to music." She laughed disarmingly, not wanting to frighten the shy woman. "But we'll be backstage so it won't be anything to worry about. We'll have the best seats in the house!"

Though Yamato had insisted on taking the train, his manager insisted on picking up in style. After relenting, Matt dressed in loose-fitting button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and a pair of black jeans, meeting a black stretch limo at the curb of his building. Yoshi Masahara was poking his head up out of the sun roof, his bad comb-over blowing sideways in the wind. As always, Yoshi had a cellphone pressed to his right ear but he tore it away long enough to call out to his client, "Yamato-san! Your chariot awaits!"

A moment later they were speeding along the highway toward the venue hall, in this case the sold out Budokan Hall, famously played by the Beatles way back in 1966. A grand place to wrap up a grueling yet rewarding year or so Yoshi said. Yamato rode most of the way in silence with his Wayfarer sunglasses shielding his eyes as he starred out at the expanse of Tokyo bay. Yoshi was speaking rapidly into his cell, alternating between English and Japanese as he was passed around from person to person, never missing a beat. It was impressive for while Yamato's English had improved immensely on tour, Yoshi's had always been flawless. It was just another display of his manager's determination and spirit, leaving his merits as a dedicated workhorse unquestionable.

He was a portly man of fifty years, dressed in his finest Armani suit and red silk tie, shoes polished to mirror sheen. He had a nervous habit of stabbing his little pink, adorned with a fat diamond ring, into the nose of his large glasses to keep them from slipping down. At last, his conversation ended and he slapped the phone shut, stowing it quickly in the waist pocket of his coat. "Yamato, baby, how are you? You need anything?" He didn't wait for a reply, perhaps sensing (accurately) he wouldn't get one. "Listen, I got good news. Hollywood wants to do a movie with you. That's right, Hollywood." He grinned all the wider when his client looked over, interest peaked. "They're sending over this script and the part is to die for! It's about...well, you! You'd be playing yourself, a rock n roll god among mortals who gets captured by aliens, see? You're taken to their homework where a b-e-a-utiful princess falls in love with you and thinks you're the answer to some sort of prophecy. So to defeat this evil galactic empire, you have this massive concert and battle the evil alien king that looks like a giant killer tomato."

Yamato appraised Yoshi from behind his sunglasses, his expression unreadable.

"It's a slam dunk," Yoshi continued excitedly despite his clients clear lack of enthusiasm. "A real Hollywood production, budgeted in the one hundred mills. You're playing the hero! C'mon!"

Yamato turned his attention back at the window, still trying to recall that girl's name. "I'm no hero," he replied hoarsely before adding, hesitantly. "Never was."

"Don't be sour," Yoshi goaded, trying to remain upbeat but the cracks in the armor were starting to show. "You'll change your mind once you've seen the script for yourself. Hey, I know what'll cheer you up." Yoshi moved to the minibar set into one side of their ride, the glasses rattling noisily in their holders. "You want a drink? Course you do." He was already pouring. "Hey, what's that?" Yoshi's eyes narrowed suspiciously at Yamato as he handed the tumbler over.

The youth glanced down to find the old Digivise in his hand, blinking at it in surprise. He wore it on a chain around his neck like a pendant but at some point he had gathered it up in his fist and raised it to his lips, suckling at one of the hard corners.

"Hey, that's one of those whatchamacallits," Yoshi snapped his fingers, trying to remember. "A Tama...Tama...Tamagachi! Yeah, that's it! Or wait, is it a Pokeman? It might be a Pokeman. Hey, which is it?"

Yamato accepted the glass but didn't drink it, nestling it instead between his legs and unable to tear his eyes away from the old relic. "Its...nothing."

[SweetSerenade]

Mei found herself looking out of the window as she was put in the seat behind Tai. This gave Sora the chance, and ability to be able to talk to her. Her head turned a little, green eyes locking on Sora as the other woman spoke to her. She found herself tugging on a strand of hair as Nyamon stretched out over the small area behind the back seats. The Digimon was getting a nice patch of sun, and soon enough a loud rumbling purr filled the car. "So, it's basically a place where people go to get pumped up... and then go off with whoever they meet?" Mei asked as her head cocked to the side. Those green eyes locked on Sora's eyes, their depths clear and uninhibited - almost like a perfect emerald hue.

She pursed her lips for a moment, her eyes sliding over the other female. "We will be backstage, so it isn't as crowded?" She asked as her head cocked to the side, and she reached back to idly stroke a hand down Nyamon's back while Sora talked. "That makes things easier... I just feel... a bit nervous. Admittedly. I'm not used to concerts, or even hanging out with large groups of people." She said as her eyes slid over to the two 18 year olds that were being rather lovey dovey. That was the folly of youth, forgetting where you were and who you were traveling with. Though they weren't kissing it was obvious from the way they looked at each other... that the two 18 year olds were planning on something else as soon as they were back home.

She continued to idly pull on her hair, and then looked out the window. Realizing that the lights and sounds of the city had changed for her. When she was younger she loved this place, but then she had gone to the states for awhile. She came back for High School, but with her father dead... she just didn't have it in her to really live. The Doctors said it had something to do with her PTSD, had something to do with what she had seen. She scrubbed her hand over her face again, her head shaking a little as she pressed her forehead to the window. She knew that she probably wouldn't be remembered after this, why should she? She was never part of any group. Though she knew what Sora and the others had been, she knew. They had no idea that she was one of them, or should have been.

Her hand floated to her pocket as her fingers wrapped around the black and white digivice buried in the depth of her pocket. Part of her started to crave something she hadn't done in awhile, she wanted a cigarette and badly. It was a strange thing, that most military or their family members ended up smoking. But in the reality of it all, Mei just wanted a smoke so she could settle herself before seeing Yamato again. Before seeing Matt and his band tearing up a stage. She had been happy with CDS, and listening on the radio. She had never thought she was going to one of their concerts, never in her entire life, and definitely not as a backstage pass. "I can see the lights of the Concert Venue."

Tai was actually quiet as everyone started to settle in. His eyes gliding over to his girlfriend periodically as he made sure she was ok. He was actually smarter than some would give him credit for, given the fact that he had been the team leader during their younger years. He was remembering those adventures more and more, and he found a smile on his face as he focused on those memories. His mind floated with them, all of those fun and sad memories, as he drove. Though he was focused on his memories, he was actually quieter so he could focus on the road better. It was one thing he had learned, the hard way, that he had better be a safe driver. There wasn't a chance in hell that he was going to risk his girlfriend to a car wreck.

But he was paying attention to their conversation too, and cringing at the way his younger sister was looking at his best friends younger brother. Well everyone had seen TK and Kari happening as a couple, for awhile, but he was glad that they hadn't decided to take the plunge. The only reason he knew she hadn't was because she hadn't asked him for any condoms. Which was something he made her promise she would do if she needed them. Though she could technically buy them herself, it could get back to their parents and then there would be trouble. Kari was his baby sister, but he was glad it was Yamato's baby brother.

He pulled into the parking lot, pausing to wave to the people that occupied the two other cars. Their group was pretty large, the poor door guard for the backstage. He found the parking spot that was reserved for their group, and the other cars found their spots. He climbed out and leaned against his car and pulled out his phone. Yo! Bro, come out and get us. We need our passes anyways, and everyone's out here and wants to see you. Come say sorry to Sora at least, we don't want the 'big plan' to be ruined now do we? he texted to his best friend as he stopped to look around at the group. If it gets you out here faster, I should tell you there is a really cute single woman out here, but be nice she's your younger brothers TA for school.

With that final text sent Tai reached into the glove compartment of his car and pulled out a battered pair of familiar old friends. "We are all together again... so why not?" He said as a few of the others gave him questioning looks. He slipped the goggles on, and for the first time in a long time he felt like he really was partially his old self again. The one that traveled to a Digital world, saved both worlds with his friends, and then ended up with the woman of his dreams. "What do you think Sora, just like old times?" He said with that same goofy and cheesy grin on his face.

[Amandashow]

Just as they had surmised, the arena was already packed with crowds of fans and more were still pouring in. The ride had been a rather pleasant if not a little overlong thanks to the rush hour traffic but Sora was glad to out of the van for other reasons entirely. Stretching her legs awkwardly out first, she hastily groped at her butt to ensure none of the seams or obscene zippers had split open during the trip. She breathed a sigh of relief when she found the seat still intact and her butt crack hidden. Thankfully, they would be standing for the rest of the venture. She spied T.K. and Kari still nestled together in the back seat, seemingly oblivious to the fact that they had arrived. She shook her head at the duo but could not blame them too harshly for the infatuation. After all, she and Tai had been that way once, maybe even a little worse if memory served. Her eyes drifted to her boyfriend, arching a curious eyebrow at the sight of him stretched across the seats and rummaging around in the glove compartment of the vehicle.

Her heart leapt at the sight of the goggles atop his head once more, rooting her on the spot for a beat as if she had seen a ghost. The ghost of an old friend come back to pay them all a very welcome visit. She would like to have played it off, calling him a dork or a hoarder for hanging onto those things for so long but she knew her goofy grin would immediately betray her. "Now all I need is my old pink hat," she teased. Before she could talk herself out of it, Sora rounded the car and stood up on tip-toe her hands clasped behind her back girlishly and gave her boyfriend, both past and present, a gentle kiss on the lips.

The text came in a beat later, sending Yamato's phone jittering in the pocket of his jeans. He fished it free and studied the message. Tai, the gang, they had arrived and all at once an overwhelming feeling of anxiety threatened to constrict the life out of his heart. He was seated in a semi-circle with the rest of his bandmates as a parade of Mimi's aides and designers ushered in a dozen racks of clothes, each customer fitted to a different Teen-Aged Wolf for their show that evening.

Yoshi was prattling on and on into the phone again, pacing a trench in the middle of the room. When the conversation would get too heavy he always made sure to glance over at the curious eavesdroppers and offer a friendly wave to show that nothing was the matter, just business as usual. It was of little concern. For far more pressing matters hung before them.

Yamato lowered his sunglasses down to the tip of his nose and studied the ensemble being unhooked and shown to each of them in turn. Shifting his eyes to the rest of the group, the mutual feeling of horror he felt was being mirrored all around. The pants were heavy leather and would be so tight that he reasoned he would need the two aide's holding the garment open while he jumped into the legs to get into. They came with matching pairs of black boots, adorned with chains and zippers crisscrossing down the sides, not unlike Sora's. The shirt was long sleeved and fishnet with cuts in the fabric strategically placed around the arms and torso.

"Well, what do you think?" They asked, smiling as if the answer of approval had already been given.

"I think it's a good thing that I didn't wear underwear today," Yamato replied, still eyeing the leather.

The assistant chuckled, misunderstanding the jest. "Commando IS all the rage now."

The eyes of the band drifted back and forth between their front man and the designer, secretly willing him to say what everyone was thinking. Thankfully, he obliged, pointedly.

"I think we're going to melt in those things." A murmur of agreement from his band mates, backup vocals to his lead. "Under those hot lights? We'll pass out. Not to mention having to peel those outfits off after."

"Baby, baby, you know as well as I do YOU won't be peeling those pants off tonight," Yoshi thundered, joining the conversation with all the grace of a bulldozer. He smiled good naturedly and rushed over the take the hanger in his hands, ushering the garments over to Yamato as if a closer look would sway him. "Look, your friend Mimi sent these over with her heart set on your guys wearing it. You wouldn't want to...disappoint her would you?" His sincerity was a show of course, playing to Yamato's guilt. Yoshi's chief concern was fulfilling a contract agreement with a high end fashion designer which dictated the Teen-Age Wolves would be seen live in concert, wearing her designs. The fact they were old friends was just a happy coincidence that provided more ammo to use in persuading his wayward charge. "C'mon, Yamato-baby. What do you say?"

"I think," Yamato began slowly, rose from his chair. A hush fell over those gathered and the room collectively waited for his final say that would resolve the matter indefinitely. He looked at them all in turn, eyes drifting from Yoshi to the designers and aide's to the engineers still setting up for the show and finally settling on his band. "I need a smoke."

With that, he snatched up the ring of plastic backstage passes from the makeup table and headed outside. He replied to Tai's text next, hammering out the reply with one thumb tapping against the touch panel. It was horribly misspelled as a result but the gist was clear enough. "On my way. Meet me at the back entrance. Easy to spot one with all the buses around it." 

[SweetSerenade]

Tai was quite happy to take that kiss from his girlfriend, his hands landing on her waist as he held her for a moment. He opened his eyes for a moment to flash a knowing look to Mimi - who was already holding a designer bag. Now one would think that inside that bag was something from her shop, but instead it contained some items of great importance. Her old cowboy hat, and Sora's old Pink hat. She may have cleaned it up a little, and did a bit of stitching to reinforce it, but in essence each of them had something that related to that first adventure. At least the digidestined did, the non digidestined had no idea what was going on that way, and Sora was kept out of the loop too.

Tai pulled back from the kiss and grinned as his phone set up a quick buzzing pattern in his pocket. "Well looks like Yamato wants to meet us." He said as he slipped his thumb across the screen and then motioned to everyone."Alright! So, he wants us to head towards the back door. So come on everyone!" Tai said cheerfully as he waved his arm over his head and then motioned for everyone to follow him over to where he could see the buses parked outside of the back entrance. He had a bounce in his step, and had even threaded his fingers with Sora's.

The moment he saw his buddy he was waving. "Yamato!" He called out as he let go of Sora's hand to pull Matt into a fierce hug. "Buddy! You're back, and we are glad to have you!" He said as he playfully punched the blonds shoulder. "So some new faces! Joe's girl is Sayaka, and Izzi's is Yume... And the guy with Mimi is .. was it Serge? I think it's Serge... someone she met in America... and of course you know the rest of us... and the dark haired lady with green eyes is Mei. " Tai said as he patted Yamato on the back. "The groups all back together, with a few additions."

Mei was quiet as she pulled Nyamon from her place in the back of the car, attaching the harness for the feline digimon. Nyamon didn't mind, because she knew it was in relation to the laws of the human world. She even let Mei slip her into her service animal vest, so that she could easily be identified for who she was, and what she was. Though in reality Nyamon was no mere simple animal, she had passed all the tests needed to be considered a 'service animal' at the very least. She pushed her hair back again, humming as she walked behind the group, once again bringing up the rear.

Green eyes scanned everything, everyone, and every possible situation around her. She was searching, yearning almost, for that forbidden fruit of nicotine. She really was craving a smoke something fierce, given her nervousness. She hadn't brought any of her meds with her, stupidly of course, to help with settling her nerves, so a cigarette would have to do. Now if only she could find a goddamn cigarette. Suddenly Tai was bursting out into joy and laughter, and punching... and touching... and Mei stood dumbfounded in the very back.

She had no idea that people really acted like this with each other, not that she had a real chance to see much friendships first hand. She was pretty much a loner, and standing towards the back gave her an outsiders perspective looking in. But suddenly Tai had introduced her and her eyes suddenly pivoted over to Tai and Yamato. Her eyes locked on Yamato's and she felt something break inside of her. That tiny little crush she had as a child, the one she thought had left her when he left the country, came roaring back from the depths of her young heart.

Her breath was sucked in quickly, green eyes locked on his blue eyes, and then her cheeks broke out with a blush that was brighter than the shade of red that most Band Groupies wore on their lips. Her eyes instantly broke away from his as she looked away. She held Nyamon's leash in her hand as she crossed her arms and stayed towards the back. Better to let everyone else have their fun and talk to each other.

[Amandashow]

Yamato stepped out into the afternoon sun and winced from a combination of dazzling sun and immense heat. He slipped the sunglasses up higher on the bridge of his nose and scanned the tarmac for any familiar faces. Spying none just yet, he stepped heavily down the loading ramp and tug around in his shirt pocket for his pack of cigarettes. The list of vices grows ever longer, he mused sticking a long white stick between his lips before rooting around for a lighter. His habit of just one or two after a good meal or good fuck or stiff drink had spiraled out of control in the last few months of the tour. Soon he went from enjoying half a pack per day to one full box before capping off at around two. And just try finding this brand in the America's, he shuddered not wanting to linger on being stuck in Brazil and jonesing for a Lucky 7 but only having sickening clover cigarettes available. He made Yoshi swear to keep a few emergency cartons available going forward and so far, despite all their manager's flaws, he always kept his word.

He found a half empty book of matches in the back pocket of his jeans bearing the name of some strip joint from Argentina on the cover in neat cursive that he could not read. A silhouette of a nude woman danced in the corner, one leg looped around a pole, frozen forever in the same tantalizing pose. She plucked one of the loose sticks free and struck it against the heel of his boot. What was that girls name, he wondered again, chasing the tip of his cigarette with the flame. He was fairly sure it had started with an A but had absolutely no evidence to support this theory besides a hazy memory. The face floating in and out of his alcohol addled mind, introducing herself could have belonged to any random girl in his life and he had only tacked her face onto the body because of....

He frowned behind the sunglasses. Guilt? Yes, that was certainly present but there was something else there lingering just below the surface. A sense of desperation, something screaming in his mind that badly wanted the mystery solved. Perhaps, he settled rather chillingly. To prove that I'm not as far gone as I think...

Before he could brood on it further, he was being pulled into a tight bear hug. It caught him so off guard that he nearly dropped his cigarette. "H-hey! Tai, jeez!" He returned the embrace fiercely, laughing at how easily they had managed to sneak up on him. He clapped his friend on the back and all at once, the feelings of apprehension evaporated. A great burden lifted from his shoulders, an almost physical weight that allowed Yamato to stand a little straighter. God, how he had missed this feeling! The familiar faces flooded all around him, bringing back a tidal wave of memories of grand adventures, laughter and simpler times. He had found a comradery with his bandmates and the road crew, even with his manager Yoshi to an extent. But those relationships all compared to Tai and Sora and the gang. They were more closer than friends, more comfortable than his own family they were....

Sora stepped up next, making a big show of planting her hands on her hips and giving Yamato a once over. "Well, look at you!" she smirked. "Big bad rock star, so hot he's literally on fire." She waved a hand at the cloud of smoke trailing after the youth like Pigpen from the Peanuts. When Tai stepped away and loosened his grip she went in next, giving him an easier hug but with just as much warmth. "We missed you," she breathed into his chest. The shirt made him look a little more filled out and she was genuinely surprised and concerned to find him so thin underneath.

"I see Mimi got her designer claws into you all too," Yamato joked, gently pulling away from the familiar embrace before she managed to feel his growing erection between them. It wouldn't do to grope the fiancé to be before Tai managed to pop the question, after all.

He nodded to everyone in turn as they were introduced and handed out their correlating pass. "Don't lose these," he cautioned. "If you're caught without it, you'll be escorted out and once I'm on stage, I can't exactly go bail you out." The cigarette jittered between his lips as he spoke but nearly fell away entirely when he got to Mei.

Had he seen her before? He dimly remembered her but only fleetingly and usually in the background of his minds eye like set dressing. Always lingering the back of scenes playing out in his mind but could he be certain it was the same girl? Yes, the cat clinched it. Mei was never too far from her trusty service animal but he couldn't recall outright what it was for. Seizures? Asthma? Something. It was certainly a queer looking animal that much was certainly. Its eyes shown a kind of...intelligence that belonged on a different sort of animal. It was somehow familiar to the youth but again, he couldn't quite place it.
"Mei?" he asked again, wanting to be certain this time and handed over the plastic card and lanyard. So this is the girl Tai was talking about....not too shabby, bro. "I'm glad you came," he crooned, relaxing easily into his casually demeanor that came complete with a lop-sided grin that had a way of giving the impression it was hers and hers alone despite countless women being seduced under its sway. It was a smile that whispered secret, sweet nothings in total silence and innocently made promises that were anything but.

[SweetSerenade]

Tai felt like everything was right, he had his best bro back. He stepped back as Matt was hugged by Sora, and he had the worlds biggest smile on his face as he watched his best mate start traveling around through their old group. Matt was passing out passes, and Tai was about to do backflips he was so happy. The only thing that could make this moment any better was if their digimon magically showed up. That would be a treat and a half, but wouldn't actually happen. He still had that goofy grin on his face, even as he moved away from the smoke stream that seemed to follow Matt, but he didnt' mind. He didn't care what vices his buddy had, so long as he has his buddy back.

"Yeah, Mimi got her into an outfit..."He mused as Matt continued walking and talking to everyone. He turned his attention to Sora, his eyes alight with mirth and joy at the fact that the old gang was all together again. He swept Sora up around the waist, and then spun with her before setting her down. "This is so awesome, and we can all go out for dinner and drinks after... or something. Anything to keep hanging out!" Tai said as he grinned at all his friends. He could see the mirrored smiles, and the way that everything was falling into place.

Everyone was happy, everyone was feeling like they belonged again. At least as far as Tai could tell from looking over all of his friends. So many had partners now, and that was great. He hoped someday they could all share the stories with everyone in the group, of their adventures together. Of what someday their children might encounter if they were really lucky. He imagined his children, with Sora, and what sort of adventures they might go on. Yes, he was a younger guy, but he already had the ring in his pocket, and imagining children wasn't too far off. Sora was a beautiful woman, and the children would be more than talented.

Then Tai stopped as he noticed Matt approaching Mei, and he nudged his girlfriend in the side a little. "Sora, think she's going to fall for it?" He asked in a low whisper. Oh he wasn't an idiot, he'd seen Yamato use that on girls in High School.

Mei was watching it all, like an outsider looking in on a family Christmas gathering. Her green eyes misted for a moment as she continued to chew the inside of her cheek. Nyamon pressed firmly, tightly, against her leg as she stroked the felines ears and tried to allow herself a chance to just relax. Her arms stayed crossed under her breasts, and she still had that flush on her cheeks as she looked away into the distance. Yamato was smoking, and she could practically taste the sensation of her having one of his cigarettes. How she craved sweet nicotine so badly.

But the green eyed woman was startled and disarmed as Yamato stood before her, holding out her lanyard. She was surprised, rather much so, as she reached out to take it, her eyes darting to the side. She remembered that look from High School, had dreams through her adult life about someday getting that look. But now that she had it, all it did was cause a flipflop in her stomach. It was because some part of her sensed it wasn't real, it wasn't a real smile - it wasn't actually meant for her. It was just... it was an act.

"Thank you, Yamato-san..." She said politely as she gave a slight bow with her hands pressed over her thighs now. "If I could please ask your forgiveness, but may I please have one of your cigarettes?" She whispered softly as she kept her head bowed down. She wasn't willing to look at him, for some reason, it was probably because she was nervous around him. Probably because in this group of people, all with some sort of history with each other, she realized that she would never fit in. She wasn't starstruck by him, like some females might be, instead she recognized that someone like her would never really have a place in his life.

[Amandashow]

Sora had always heard tale of Yamato's famous woman wooing ways but this was the first chance she had to see it in action for herself. The way Tai described it, it was something of a cross between mysticism and advanced mathematics. A balancing act that threatened to burst over into an art form and everyone else was just swept up its mysterious wake. Sora nudged Tai right back, leaning in to stage whisper. "Oh, is this the look? Is he giving her the look? Should I shield my eyes before I fall in love with him too?" She pressed the back of her hand into her forehead and swooned into Tai theatrically. "Oh, I think I'm getting a little weak in the knees!" She draped her arms heavily around her boyfriend, giving her him weight. As much as she was teasing, Sora had to admit that Yamato was a handsome fellow. Now after having spent so many years with Tai, she couldn't fathom sharing so much of herself with anyone else but there had been a time when they were much younger when she had entertained the thought. Reflecting on it, she would write the entire crush off as a phase and nothing more. A confused period in her young, preteen life long before Tai won her heart where she had fleetingly pondered the notion of a date with Yamato.

Now though, all that ire and resentment from before had disappeared, leaving Sora pleased to see their old friend again and that sentiment seemed to be infectious. Tai was obviously thrilled, practically dancing on the spot like a boy half his age. She had never seen him so happy to see someone and felt equal parts amusement and jealousy at the emotional display. "Calm down, Tai!" she laughed, trying to tackle her boyfriend back to earth before he floated off into orbit. The way he was behaving, one could be forgiven in thinking that Yamato had gone to war or into deep space rather than out of the country!

Yamato was oblivious to much of their antics, eyes locked in on Mei like laser guided cruise missiles and zeroing in fast. A part of him felt sorry for the girl. It wasn't even fair! Mei was obviously a flustered mess before he even addressed her, noting the flush of her cheeks and the way her arms were crossed over her chest. No doubt in an effort to hide the visible points of her nipples and fighting the urge to touch them herself. He had seen that look countless times before on hundreds of women. Shy little things, so meek and tender and nervous....until you peeled their clothes off to reveal the caged tigress within!

Look at her, he thought, his grin widening to flash teeth. She can't even look me in the eye. His mind raced with questions. What did her mouth taste like? Where her lips as soft as they looked? Was she a quiet moaner or a banshee screamer? Did she like the lights on or off? Was she a playful puppy or rough and tumble wolf? His own arousal peaked, mirroring Mei's, no doubt, his cock twitching impatiently like a starved man getting his first glimpse of real food in days.   

He shook one of his Lucky 7's from the pack and offered it forward, filter first. "What do you think? Are you gonna hang after the show? Maybe I could buy you a drink?" He offered coolly and started to reach for the matches in his hip pocket but decided against it at the last minute. Instead, he leaned in close as if he meant to kiss her but stopped just short. He touched the tip of his cherry red cigarette to hers, setting it ablaze. "There ya go," his breath came away in a grey cloud. "You shouldn't smoke these, by the way. They're bad for you, that's why only bad people use them." He chuckled at his own joke. "People like me."

[SweetSerenade]

"Yeah that's the look... it usually causes women to melt and fall to his whim." Tai said as he reached out to playfully catch his 'feinting' girlfriend. His eyes dance with amusement and mirth as he looked down at her. She was being theatrical but it was what they all needed. It was actually a good idea, to have a break like this. All of them doing their various things, some of them in college - some of them traveling away constantly - some of them famous fashion designers. Having a moment just to be people again, and stand around with each other, was a good thing. He was so glad everyone could make it to this moment, to this moment when his best friend was going to help him propose to his girl.

Something huge, grand, something that took a lot of thought and consideration. It wasn't the type of proposal Sora would expect from him, and he wanted it to mean something. He really got to know her on their journey together as kids, and all of their friends from that time were there to help them learn, so that meant everyone that helped him discover who he was happened to be all in one place. Sora mentioned he needed to calm down, and he laughed scratching the back of his head. "I've just missed him, Sora... it's been almost a year since I saw him. I mean we did fly out into that one town in the US to see him perform... but that was a long time ago. We didn't even see him for the holidays!" He chimed up as he started to play with the strap of his goggles and gave Sora that friendly cheesy grin.

He blinked though as he was watching Yamato, and cringed a little at how extreme his buddy was going. Yamato never used to be this... much of a horndog. It was obvious he was going over the top for the green eyed woman. He let his gaze slide to his own beautiful partner, looping his hand around her waist and standing there. "So Yamato... what have you been up to?"

Mei was drawn on a tightrope of nervousness as Yamato seemed to float through silence. Her green eyes were trapped now, locked on those blue eyes of his. Those eyes that had a quality to them that had mesmerized so many women around them. He was a charmer, that was for sure. He had charmed so many women, that must was obvious. But she wouldn't get herself trapped by him, not like the others. He pulled out a pack of lucky 7s, and extended a smoke to her. She took the filter between her fingers and raised it to her lips.

He was talking to her, about after the show and she found herself blinking. "I was just gonna go home and sleep..." She admitted as she found confusion filling her. But it spiked higher when she stood there, nearly losing the smoke, as he leaned in and lit the cigarette with his own. "Wha... " She murmured, that confusion filling her eyes and crossing her features as she reached up to grab the smoke after taking a long drag. She exhaled, focusing her mind on what he had said. "I prefer Lucky Strikes, I'm a military brat... those were my father's brand..." She mused as she rolled the smoke around her mouth. "Lucky 7s aren't bad, but they are nothing compared to the smoke that is my first cigarette... " She mused as she looked at the cherry of the cigarette.

Staring at the cherry meant she wasn't looking at him, instead she was getting slowly wreathed by the smoke from the burning tobacco. "I... honestly never planned on going out drinking, It's ah... not really my thing."

[Amandashow]

It felt good to cut loose and just be silly kids again, even if this particular group of children were in their early twenties. This was the first chance the entire gang had been together since high school and the realization gave Sora a small pang of melancholy. Here and there they managed to get three and four and five people together, but never all eight at once since returning to the real world. It almost seemed as if they had all scattered to the four winds as soon as the opportunity arouse. That might happen to normal friends under normal circumstances in a normal world but they were the original Digidestined! Shouldn't that count for something? Mimi bouncing back and forth to America, Yamato and his almost constant touring schedule, T.K. and Kari shopping around for colleges, plus she and Tai's hectic work schedules all served to make those times seem further and further away. It was almost like their adventures in the digital world happened to different people entirely, phantoms in her memory.

"You can't see it," Sora confided, leaning in to again make a show of sharing private information. "But that completely oblivious look on Mei's face is hiding just how toootally into Matt she is." She nodded, solemnly. "Definitely a puddle in her panties right now." Speaking of panties, she needed to cool it falling all over Tai and roughhousing. Not for any reasons pertaining to modesty but those bothersome pants kept threatening to slip down her hips. Cradled into Tai's side they were showing more than enough public bone and she had to snag them by the sides and wiggle her legs to get them back up again.

Yamato snapped the cigarette between his index and middle finger, inspecting the stub of the filter before casually flicking it to the pavement and mashing it flat with the toe of his boot. Go home and sleep? He thought, chuckling to himself. Not very likely! She was playing hard to get and that suited him fine. Seduction was a dance after all, a series of elegant steps that bordered on ritual that must be observed first. Every animal on earth had some form of courtship and this was just the opening act, the overture to the performance.

"C'mon, don't break my heart," he teased, rocking back and even clutched a hand over his breast, as if desperate to hold the shattering fragments together. "Besides nobody goes to bars to drink anymore. They go for barely edible food and the unique cast of characters filling out the fringes of the place. Practically part of the foundation some of these folks, and always good for a laugh." He fished another cigarette from the pack but didn't light it right away. Instead, he slid it behind his ear. "Maybe you'll change your mind after the show?" His cell chimed on his hip, bellowing out the roar of the Tyrannosaurus from Jurassic Park. "Excuse me."

He stepped away to press the phone to his ear. "Yoshi, your timing couldn't be worse."

"Yamato, babycakes, what's the deal? Your leaving me holding the bag here and I got a phalanx of Mimi's designers and dressers and aide's breathing down my neck about the outfits. So what's it gonna be? Yay or Nay?"

"Yay," he sighed, glancing over his shoulder at Mei.

"Fantastic! Yamato, you're doing the right thing, baby. Now get your tushie back in here so we squeeze it into these pants. Doll, the chickies are gonna love you! The custodial service is gonna be moping the floors up for days."

"That's a horrible visual you just gave me there, Yoshi."

"It's what I do, Yamato. I get the mind stimulated and keep all the flak off your backs so the Teen-Age Wolves can do what they do best."

Yamato thumbed at his nose before offering cynically, "Sell out?"

"Exactly!" Yoshi elated misreading the remark entirely. His voice came across so loudly Yamato had to jerk the phone away from his ear, the speaker crackling. "They sell out one of the biggest venues in the country. Get in here, another call coming in, get in here!"

The receiver went dead in Yamato's ear. Yoshi wasn't much for pleasantries like 'goodbyes'. He stowed the phone back into his jeans and wandered back over to the crowd who was watching him curiously. "Okay, guys," he called, tossing his arms out wide. He pointed both fingers, like duel pistols, up the loading ramp and the loading bay door that lead back stage. "It's showtime!"

[SweetSerenade]

Mei was absolutely baffled at the way that Yamato was acting with her, never in all her time had she thought she would gain the attention or affection of Yamato. Much less him trying to woo her. She frowned as she took another drag of the smoke, watching him with wary eyes. He was putting on a show, that's all it was. He was so used to women that he charmed and got his way with, and he didn't realize that some women wanted more than just a good fuck. Whatever that was like, she wasn't quite so sure herself. With a small puff of the smoke she felt Nyamon's paw patting her knee. She reached down to scoop up the feline who stretched out her body and let herself rest on Mei's chest.

"You can survive your heart being broken." The women whispered softly, rather plainly as she held her digimon to her chest and then dropped the smoke to put it out. "I just... I never really went out partying, and wouldn't have the faintest clue." She admitted as she startled a little from the sound of his phone going off. She realized how forgettable she was the moment he started focusing on his phone and she stepped away blending into the crowd of his friends. Letting herself hide, even though she was the only dark haired woman in the lot.

When he motioned for them to head backstage. She followed after silently, quietly, green eyes expressively holding that which her mouth would never say. Can't you tell, Yamato? That I've liked you for so long? Can't you tell that I see more than the Teen-Wolf band leader? Can't you tell? Or am I that ... easy to misunderstand, to forget. She whispered to herself mentally as she followed after the crowd.

"I can totally see what you mean, Sora..." Tai said as he eyed his Girlfriend with her little wiggle fest to keep her pants adjusted. "I like that outfit on you." He mused aloud as he watched the scene unfolding. "She just majorly shut him down though, not sure he's used to getting shut down." he said with a laugh as he looped his arm in his girlfriends. He watched his best friend answer his phone and then looked at the rest of the group. "you heard him! Let's get inside!" He said as he moved his arm with a motion and started to laugh. his eyes dancing with Mirth.

They walked into the backstage and Mimi all but vanished as she made sure her people were dispersing the outfits properly. Everyone else waited in their special VIP seating off to the side of the main stage curtain. A perfect view, without having to worry about standing unless they needed to. Tai took his own seat, stretching out his legs and waiting. They had to wait for the music to pound, and the bodies to move. In the middle of the set was when Yamato was going to call them.

He even caught that slimy man he remembered as the manager of the Teen-Wolves, and just turned his attention to the stage. He didn't even realize that the tiny dark haired woman was just standing off towards the back, not sitting anywhere or with anyone. Why would she? She was the only single person in the group. But Tai, wasn't thinking about her, or anything else, he was thinking about the ring that was sitting in his pocket.

While Mei watched, she stood at the back, Nyamon curled up by her feet as she stood with her arms crossed under her breasts. She rocked back and forth on her feet as she tried to tame the excitement that was pounding in her chest. Though she seemed impassive in her facial expressions, her eyes danced with the truth. But even now, she watched from the outside, and felt the stab of loneliness.

[Amandashow]

Yamato broke away from the group almost immediately. As soon as they stepped through the dozens of curtains and doors that lead to the backstage area of the venue, he apologizes profusely for having to rush off....only to do so a moment later. He looked forlornly back at them, searching for Mei who seemed to be straggling far behind the rest of the group. He fleetingly wondered what had happened to cause her such duress that she would willingly withdrawal from the group. It did not even seem to be a conscious effort, her excluding herself came as second nature. Waiting for him in ambush were Yoshi and gaggle of local reporters who immediately set to shoving microphones and recorders into his face. He didn't have to answer any of the questions they peppered him with, since Yoshi was already waving their arms aside. "My client has no comment right now. He's a very busy artist with an earth shattering performance to see to!" He ushered Yamato hurriedly into the dressing room and shut the door firmly at his back. Turning back to the gathered news crews, he straightened his lapels and licked at the palm of his hand. "But I will be more than happy to answer any and all your burning questions!" He smoothed the wet hand over his comb over and adjusted his glasses again, jabbing the pinky into the spectacles and pushing them up the bridge of his nose.

Inside the private dressing room, a score of hands immediately set to grabbing at Yamato's clothes and hair, simultaneously undressing him, applying makeup and leading him to a chair. He couldn't help but feel like the cadaver in a laboratory experiment. The bright lights burning overhead, the plastic gloved hands meticulously groping over his form, the whir of various instruments, created an unsettling atmosphere. It was hardly his first experience but it never failed to be an uncomfortable and disorienting mess. 

"Do we cover up the tattoos?" someone hovering over his left shoulder wondered aloud.

"Yeah, they're a little unsettling. Is that a rabid dog?"

Yoshi's voice thundered over the din of artists. When did he get in? "No, the tattoos tested very well with our focus group. They stay. No shirt. Just the pants and do something with his hair."

Yamato turned left then right, inspecting the pants around his thin frame. They did look pretty cool, he had to admit and without a shirt, they drew attention to his long, tight torso. His pubic area below his abdominal muscles dove into a V shape that's point vanished into the tops of his pants, an arrow giving all the direction she would need. That Mei would need, he mused, mind wandering back to that shy, dark haired girl.

Yoshi clapped him on the bare shoulder, raising up on his toes to peek over his shoulder and at the reflection in the mirror. "Hey, Yamato, you might wanna go into the bathroom and take care of that before going out on stage. You'll give your poor sweet grandmother a heart attack."

He followed his manager's gaze down the front of his trousers where his large and visible erection strained against the leather front. The pants were so tight, it almost looked like he was wearing a soft, velvety condom. Yoshi clapped him again, good-naturedly before making for the door. "Do what you gotta do, babycakes. I'll see you in the other side where we're all rich!" He backed out of the dressing room, massaging his thumb and forefingers together greedily.

Sora found herself, along with the others, leaping aside as an army of stage hands marched forth, holding a massive rock over their shoulders. What is THAT for? She wondered, watching them go past like a couple of water bearers sans the buckets. They were shown to their seats just off to the side of the stage and they really were the best seats in the house. The amphitheater stretched out before them and for the first time, they could appreciate just how large the building was. The floor felt miles long, open air with hundreds of heads already bobbing about like buoys caught in rough seas.

Beyond them were rows upon rows of theater seats, set in a semi-circle around the stage, stretching from the floor to ceiling. Enormous screens filled every corner of the Hall, projecting music videos at the moment but soon would come alive with close up footage of the concert as it goes on. Just because they could only afford seats in the nosebleed section, didn't mean they had to be deprived of seeing the firm outline of Yamato's buttocks, right?

Yoshi stepped into view and immediately set his eyes on the cute Japanese girl, the one with the cat who appeared to be alone. Checking to see if his combover was still in place, he sauntered over, pretending to be absorbed in another scintillating phone conversation and 'accidentally' grazed her shoulder with his.

"Beggin' your pardon," he said sheepishly. "Hey, you're one of Yamato's gang? We got you the passes for and everything. On this is such an honor, he talks about you all so highly!" He thrust his beefy hand forward, stowing his cellphone away into his waistcoat pocket. "I'm Yoshi Masahara, Yamato-san's manager and personal assistant. It's an absolute pleasure to meet all of you." He raised her hand to his livery lips and planted a moist kiss on the back of Mei's knuckles. "Can I get you all anything? Anything at all?"

[SweetSerenade]

Tai enjoyed his seat, wrapping his arm around Sora's shoulder and idly stroking his fingers through her hair. He liked touching her, mostly because there was times when they couldn't even see each other. It made him sad when he was away from her, and he wanted to be closer to her whenever they were near again. He was lost in the sensations of the start of the event, realizing that his friend really was someone very famous. "Wow... he's really hit the big times." He whispered as he stroked a finger across the shell of Sora's ear.

He leaned in a little, placing a chaste kiss on her ear, and leaning in so he could whisper. "I love you, Sora... you know that? I'm so glad we could get together for this event." He whispered as he pulled back and just let his head rest against the side of hers, that goofy smile on his face. He felt like a kid again, at least in the aspect of all his friends together. The excitement was building and he realized that soon enough the event would be starting.

Mei was a little started when the man brushed into her, she bowed her head respectfully. "Apologies... I did not realize anyone was so close." She said politely as she bowed. Getting a chuckle from the man that was holding her hand and kissing it. She felt a bit of bile rise in her throat, but all of her training had taught her to be respectful to those in a higher station than you. "Oh no, I am quite alright." She said cheerfully.

Yoshi released her hand that sleezy smile on his face as he motioned to one of the stage hands. "One of our finest drinks for the small lady!" He said as he motioned to the stage hand, who took off like a bat out of hell rushing back with the glass of whiskey on ice. "Here, imported from Scotland - it's one of Yamato's favorites." he said as he reached out with the glass,  only to trip while moving over to her, spilling the drink all over her. "Oh damn! I'm sorry, here let me help you with that!" He said as he started to tug at the bottom of the girls dress shirt. "I can get you one of Yamato's from back stage, if you want."

Mei gave a small squick, Nyamon hissing as her hackles rose. The digimon hated that she couldn't talk around humans, not without revealing what she was. Mei was struggling to keep the Manager from pulling off her dress shirt, but soon enough the shirt was off and she saw that raw interest all over the mans face. But instead of finding a woman without a shirt, or just a bra, he found a woman wearing a black tank top. Her eyes snapped with green fire as she crossed her arms under her chest, further boosting the rather naturally perky breasts up. "I don't need Yamato's shirt, and I don't need a drink." She snapped feeling annoyed from what the manager was doing.

It was like he was trying to whore her out or something, trying to promise her things she didn't even want.

[Amandashow]

In any other social environment, the sight of someone's hard-on threatening to peek out of the top of their pants would have been something of a faux-pas. In the rock and roll world, however, nobody seemed to spare it a second glance. A stage hand rushed inside with all the hurried grace of a herd of elephants and made a b-line for the minibar. Yamato watched his reflection curiously as he sloppily poured a whiskey on the rocks. A pretty stiff drink, he noted but before much more thought could be expanded, the hand was rushing out with the glass held aloft like an Olympic sprinter bearing the torch. He retreated to the bathroom, not bothering to lock or even shut the door behind him and unclasp the line row of buttons at the fly of his pants. Peeling the flaps aside his large erection sprang free, almost comically so.

He produced his phone with the intent of looking up some quick pics or maybe a video when Mei drifted into his thoughts again. Figuring to do what his mother had always insisted and use the power of his imagination, Yamato stuffed the device back into his pocket and took his penis in hand. He closed his eyes and let his mind's eye come alive with Mei, first wearing the outfit he had seen outside but slowly stripped the layers away. He envisioned her taking him in into her mouth, swallowing his swollen head eagerly. He could almost feel her tongue playing along his shaft as she accepted his length. She stroked himself eagerly, reaching out to the wall for balance. His heart rate accelerated in kind and he gaped aloud, short of breath. "M-Mei," he murmured. His knees weakened beneath his weight and he slumped slightly before the porcelain throne. The orgasm was more intense than he expected, a shocking burst of energy as if his very life essence was attempting to escape through his dick. He came in spurts and starts, thick ropes of seed coating the open bowl. At last he was spent and slumped down the floor, fighting to catch his breath with his penis still half erect and dribbling seed through his fingers. Imagine what the real thing would be like, he thought dreamily.

Yoshi starred hungrily at Mei's exposed torso only slightly disappointed that she wasn't standing before him topless now.  The only thing that could have spoiled this moment for him of course did and he threw a tight frown down at her feline companion. "Shoo! Scat!" he hissed back, wiggling a sensible loafer shoe at the Digimon. Remembering himself, he forced a smile back to Mei trying to play the scene off. "You're uh pet doesn't seem to like me very much but that's okay. I grow on people." He omitted the part where most would compare him to various species of fungi but that hardly mattered and why bore her with the details? The poor girl has been through enough! He would the shirt into his hands, crumbling it into a tight ball, resisting the near overwhelming urge to sniff at it.

"C'mon, pussycat. Don't be like that! I said I was sorry! Come with me and we'll get you something nice to wear for the show, yes?" He reached out to her with stubby fingers, scrabbling at her arm.  "Yamato left his button up shirt back stage, would you like that? It's no trouble, he won't mind at all." Yoshi licked at his lips keenly, eyes magnified to saucers behind his large lenses.

"What if I do mind, Yoshi?"

Yoshi's sweaty face twisted into a knot of confusion and started to turn around to see who had addressed him when he was seized up by the collar of his suit jacket and lifted up from the floor. Behind him, Yamato had him by the scruff of his neck like a mongrel dog, shaking his head in disgust.

"Y-Yamato-san!" Yoshi squeaked, reaching into his suit pocket to produce a handkerchief. "I was just talking about you! Sh-shouldn't you be warming up? B-big show, you know? Your friend here suffered an unfortunately accident and I was just-."

"Offering to give her one of my shirts?" He interrupted, lifting Yoshi higher, forcing his manager onto tip-toe.

"Sh-she spilled her drink, you see?" He dabbed the cloth at his feverish lip and offered Mei's crumpled shirt forward as if it were the smoking gun. "See? See? I was just being a good person!"

Yamato sneered down at the little man before releasing him. Yoshi crumbled to his rear, cowering with both hands thrown over his bald dome. "Yamato-san, be reasonable now!"

But he wasn't listening. Wiping his hands down the legs of his leather pants, he stepped between Mei and his sleazy manager, crouching down low so that he was nose to nose with the man. "Let me get something crystal clear," he snarled.

"Anything! Anything, Yamato, baby!"

"Hands off the girl," he snapped, jerking a thumb into his bare chest. He snatched up Mei's shirt from Yoshi's trembling fingers. "If anyone is undressing or dressing her, it's me."

Yoshi nodded quickly over and over again, wiping his hands at his sweaty face and tugging at his tie as if the thing had come alive and was threatening to constrict the life out of him. As purple as his face had become, it didn't seem that far off. "Of course! Yamato-san, I would NEVER even dream of-of being so forward with a girl if I had know...if I had know..." He trailed off, limbs held uselessly at his side. What hadn't he known?

Yamato righted himself and moved behind Mei, wrapping an arm possessively around one bare shoulder, his fingers trailed down to breast. He starred daggers down at Yoshi, forcing him to look away or else turn to stone under such a harsh gaze. "She's mine, got that? So hands off?" He flexed his fingers over the fabric of her sports bra, grazing at the subtle rise of her nipples just below. What he found there was staggering and he glanced down at the girl, more than a head shorter than he, in astonishment. He had more than enough experiencing groping a woman's chest to know a ring when he felt one  but to certain he brushed it again. Yes, it was unmistakable. Well, he thought, eyebrow arching so high it nearly vanished below his long hair. What do you know about that?

[SweetSerenade]

Mei was in absolute shock at the scene she saw behind the stage manager, her eyes widening and a flush covering her cheeks as her lips pursed in confusion. There was Yamato, standing in nothing but one of Mimi's pant ideas, and there was no shirt. Just his lean frame, and those tattoos. There was the sculpted definition of his chest, for her eyes to feast upon, and she felt a thrill she hadn't understood in all her life. She cleared her throat, the blush getting worse as she watched Yamato assaulting his manager.

"No, Yamato... really it's ok." She said as she stopped, the confusion written on her face as she felt Nyamon slinking back. She wasn't sure where the digimon was going, but she knew there was trouble when Nyamon left her side. But she wasn't sure what was going on, all she knew was that her service animal had suddenly left. More so, there was a bad situation going on because of her. Her heart beating rapidly as she heard his words.

If anyone will be undressing or dressing her, it's me.

Her mouth went dry and her world began to spin as she took in a sharp intake of breath. Her eyes widening further as she watched the manager start stumbling over his words. Her body shaking just a little as Yamato sidled up beside her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. That's when she stopped, going stock still as her eyes began to widen further. Her breath caught in her throat as she felt his hand brush against her chest, almost cupping her breast from above and toying with her nipple. Surely it was an accident, and she found herself shaking in shock as a thrill of arousal shot through her and straight between her legs. But as soon as she thought it was an accident... he squeeze again, and called her his. "I... Yamato, don't you need to be on stage?" She asked as she tried to distract things from herself. There was a concert to be held, a concert that she felt so out of place at.

She shifted to the side a little, avoiding the gaze of everyone that was now watching, leaning in close to him to avoid being heard. "I'm not yours, I am not a thing for you to own. Don't touch me like I mean something to you." She whispered in a low harsh hiss.

Tai was brought to his senses as he heard the commotion going on. "What in the... hell." He said as he stood up and turned around to watch Yamato going after his own manager. "Note to self... Yamato can be scary." He said as he crossed his arms over his chest and frowned. The brunette was not shocked in any way that the sleezey manager had tried to do something to Mei. His eyes glanced over her frame for a moment, but not without noticing the way that Yamato quite obviously touched her.

He heard the words, and connected the dots. Mei was probably going to get angry at Yamato, but Tai saw that his friend had done whatever was needed to protect someone else from being used. That was an admirable trait for the blond that carried the crest of friendship. "Hey Sora, mind if I stand near you and give Mei my seat... I don't want her standing back there anymore, and definitely not with sleeze ball nearby." Tai asked as he hooked his thumb back towards the scene. Actually he was pretty surprised that Sora hadn't already vaulted over the chairs to deck the manager.

She had always been the more tomboy of all of them, and had never had any issues with striking those that deserved it. For the Crest of Love... she sure knew when to be a horrible bitch. But he loved her for it, honestly he really did. She was an amazing woman that he wouldn't have any other way.

[Amandashow]

Sora had been so engrossed in the pageantry of it all that she had hardly noticed the commotion playing out behind her. in fact, everyone but Tai was presently starring forward and watching as the crowds slowly funneled into their seats and places on the floor, jockeying for the best spot. Besides that, she was still wrestling with the best way to seat with the pants threatening to slip down and ended up with another half-sitting posture that stretched her legs out before her. just make yourself right at home, she chuckled nervously tugging her shirt down in back. It wouldn't do to give T.K. and Kari an eyeful though she doubted they were paying much attention to her. Every so often she caught a hint of a little giggle from Kari, followed by a hushed warning for T.K. to stop but her tone said that the girl wanted anything but.

The stage was in its final preparations and the mics were undoing a final sound check. The bands instruments were already being laid out for the performers, tuned to perfection and ready to play. She spied Yamato's bass standing erect before the mic, a customer made Fender guitar with the band's name airbrushed into the body's glossy finish.

"Huh?" She turned in her seat and followed Tai's gaze behind the group. The rest followed suit and Sora did a visible double take and what she saw. Yoshi whimpering on the floor, crawling on all fours toward his client with his head bowed in humble prostration. Before the man was Yamato, shirtless with his lean body gleaming in the bright stage lights with Mei wrapped up tightly to his side. It looked like the cover of a trash romance novel, the only thing missing was the raised broad sword.

Tai was wrong about Sora though. True, she would never hesitate to help a friend and possessed a fiery temper typically reserved for Irish stereotypes but the scene unfolding before her had stunned the girl to silence. Her mouth fell open and she was on her feet before she even realized it. "What is going on back there?" She shouted, some of that temper flaring up to set her eyes alight.

Yoshi scurried off and Yamato watched him go, wondering what sort of crunch this particular insect would make underfoot. He turned inwardly toward Mei, still keeping her close, and looked concernedly into her eyes. Green, he thought. My new favorite color. A guy could lose himself in these eyes...either in love or in flames but lost all the same. "You okay?" It was the first genuine gesture he had shown the girl...naturally he was shunned and sent reeling away in confusing. "But...I....?"

"Three minutes! That is THREE minutes to show time, folks! Everyone take your places! Yamato-san, this means you!"

Damn, of all the rotten timing. He shot Mei a wounded (and very, very confused) look before turning and heading out on stage to thunderous applause that threatened to tear the foundation out from beneath them all and sent the coliseum sinking into the earth. 

"Good idea!" Sora shouted to Tai over the din. "We shouldn't have left her alone! What were we thinking?!"

[SweetSerenade]

Mei noticed the strange look on Yamato's face, and for a moment she held a stark pang of guilt. Only for a moment. In her mind she reminded herself that she was just a phase, and that she wasn't anything to him. She wasn't a real thing for him, she was just a game. Just another thing for him to catch and use. Just another fling, another thing. She looked around for Nyamon, and just stood there as the stage burst around her. She lost herself for a moment, realizing that she really was out of her element. She wanted to retreat, find somewhere to hide. She didn't even know what she was going to say. "Break a leg." She whispered as Yamato had to leave for the stage.

How could she be so stupid? What if his interest had been real, what if he had actually thought she was different? Or was that just part of his new easier to win game, did she really want to just be another conquest. She was deep in thought as Tai waved his arm towards her, and she noticed that Sora had been shouting before. She shook her head, putting on that smile that didn't reach her eyes and wandered over to where Tai was.

"You need to take my seat, I'll stand near Sora - don't worry." He said as he motioned to his chair and reached down to squeeze his girlfriends hand. A bright smile on the mans face, the start of the show, and the pulsing of the lights and music. Had that been a strange look on his best friends face? He wasn't sure, but he was sure there was something that was going to change that day. His other hand slipped down into his pocket where he continued to worry his fingers over the stones of the ring that he was going to present to the woman he loved. Even Mimi was bouncing with excitement still holding that bag in her hands.

"The musics nice..." He commented during a lull between songs. Getting a few nods from his friends. Everyone was pumped, happy and full of life... and then he realized that there was a strange feeling in the back of his head... almost like a wave washing towards the front of his mind. He just took it as nervousness over his soon to be proposal to his girlfriend, hopefully his future wife. He drew in a sharp breath, and then turned his eyes towards the stage. Soon, soon it would be the  middle of the set and soon Yamato would do something that would frustrate the hell out of his manager.

No one but the Digidestined knew what they were going to do, because Tai had wanted it that secret. Hell he hadn't told Sora, because that would ruin the surprise. He waited for Yamato to look over and then gave his old friend a thumbs up to symbolize he was ready.

[Amandashow]

Yamato was assaulted dazzling lights the moment he swept the curtain aside. The house reached a deafening crescendo halting him in mid-stride. He slowly turned his head from left to right, taking in the sight of a packed house as if for the first time. No matter how many times he saw it, Yamato couldn't get used to it. All these people, gathered here on their feet, for him? A wave of guilt flooded through him like an icy river, slumped his shoulders and fumbling his fingers stupidly as he reached for the neck of his guitar. Did he really deserve them? His mind flashed back to the nameless beauty that shared his bed just hours ago. She had worshiped him just the same and had gone to bed that night with a God. What awoke the next morning was a miserable man, overcome by drink and the coveting of women. He had let her down, killed her deity, what made him think he could keep fooling them forever? He turned to stare back at the curtain, almost able to see Mei shining through it with an angelic light. Maybe the girl was right...I had no right...

He curled his fingers around the instrument and lifted it from the cradle. Tossing the strap over his shoulders, he checked the volume knobs and settings before stepping up to the mic, pressing his lips seductively into the head. "Hello," he purred, lowering his brow until his hair fell in a blonde wave over his eyes. The crowd went wild. He wet his lips, "You know who I am...." The audience roared their acknowledgement. "I know who you are...so let's have some fun!" One cue, the drummer rapped hard on his cymbal, counting off the start of their first song. The bass and guitar thundered up in unison, opening the concert with their newest single. "She Wolf!" Yamato shouted into the mic. "She-wolf came around, one winter to my town! She hid her fangs so well, no presence of a tail!" His fingers flew up the fretboard, the stage vibrating beneath his stomping feet. The lyrics of the tune echoed back at him, amplified by thousands of voices. "She-Wolf, she made me feel, Dimensions so unreal! She-Wolf had open eyes, She-Wolf gave wily sighs!" The image of the nameless woman and Mei flooded his mind all at once, driving the lyrics from his memory. Thankfully, his fingers knew the song by heart and kept moving while the rest of him turned to stone.

The guitarist shimmied over, pressing his back to Yamato and shouted, "What's wrong?!" The mic didn't pick up the question. The crowd was simply too loud.

"I forgot the words," he confessed.

"Bummer!"

Luckily the audience saved him and he stalled by dancing around the stage with his bass guitar as an impromptu partner until the words returned to him. He found the mic again and crooned out the rest of the set without an issue.

Before long his body was glistening in a sheet of sweat, his fingertaps taped up to keep from bleeding and blistering. His voice took a harsher edge after so many numbers but as the last wound down, Yamato swelled with a renewed spirit. His second wind came from the subtle signal given from Tai just off stage. A little thumbs up and his good buddy had girdled his loins. It was now or never.

Yamato loosened his grip on the guitar and let it hang down at his hip, spent. "I have a very special treat for you all," he panted into the mic, the sound system echoing his breathless promise. "But to...really pull it off...I got to ask some good friends to join me out here on stage...." Yoshi was going to pull his comb over right out of his scalp, Yamato grinned. "Would my Digidestined friends come on out?" He motioned off stage and stepped away from the mic, starting off a fresh torrent of wild applause. 

On cue, the lights dimmed and a spotlight came alive, stage left, the only part of the entire building illuminated. Countless cellphone screens brightened up the gloom like the shining eyes of a great monsters lurking from the shadows. A stage crew was busily rolling out a red carpet center stage.