"It is hard to be content to creep when one feels the impulse to soar." -Helen Keller

"Dreams are born in the heart and mind and only there can they ever die, for while the difficult takes time, the impossible just takes a little longer." -I Forgot Who (Great quote, though!)

By: KelseyML
"Lookit all the stars, Onii-chan!" T.K. whispered, pointing.

The sky looked quite beautiful without any evil Digimon swooping through it. The last few days had been cloudy, but now it seemed all threats of uncomfortably wet rain (Matt could just hear Mimi saying, "I don't like rain, it's too wet." as he thought this.) had disappeared, giving Joe one less reason to worry. Although he still managed to find about a million other things.

Matt smiled down at T.K., whose innocence and optimism never ceased to amaze him. He wondered, as he often did, if he could protect T.K. enough to keep those same things alive. Early experiences had taught him that the world was a harsh place, and most people were too jaded and cynical to care about anything but themselves. His expression changed as old memories surfaced.

T.K. looked at Matt, noticing the difference. Matt looked sad like that sometimes, especially when he was sitting and thinking. To lighten the mood he asked, "How many stars are there, Matt? I guess ten!"

*That* brought a smile to Matt's face. "There's a lot more than ten, T.K."

"Twenty?"

"Millions. Stars are always being born and dying, just like people, so no one knows just how many there are."

"When I grow up, I'm going to find out," said T.K. decisively, adding to the list of what he wanted to do when he was bigger. Be just like Matt, stay up until midnight, watch that movie called Scream Matt had absolutely forbidden him to watch until he was older, and learn to tie his shoes were some of the items on it.

Matt and T.K. continued to watch the stars twinkle in the velvety sky, listening to the hushed whisper of the wind through the trees.

"Look T.K., a shooting star!"

"Make a wish!"

Matt closed his eyes and wished: I'd like to be understood by someone, a person I could talk to about anything. T.K.'s great, but I can't tell him everything.

"Don't tell anybody what you wished, or it won't come true," said T.K. solemnly.

"If it does come true."

"It will, Matt."

T.K. never knew how right he was.

"This is getting boring, Onii-chan," complained T.K.

"We'll go home for lunch soon, little guy," Matt promised.

They were down by the pier, still looking for the eighth Digidestined, with no luck so far. Suddenly, their Digivices started beeping.

"It must be the eighth child!" cried T.K.

For some odd reason, *two* blinking dots were shown.

"Is there a ninth child?" asked Patamon in confusion.

"I don't know."

T.K. wandered over to where a group of children were playing, watching enviously. They could have fun while he was stuck looking for a kid!

Matt and Gabumon were so intent on the puzzle that they didn't notice the water oddly bubbling, or the strange mermaid-looking Digimon that appeared. A column of water rose noiselessly next to the evil Digimon who, upon recognizing the Digidestined, was preparing to destroy them. Smirking, she sent the water crashing towards them.

Matt wasn't quite sure what had just happened. One minute he was examining his Digivice, the next he felt something crash into him. He opened his eyes, trying to figure out what was going on. A girl lay next to him (shaddup, all hentais!), clutching his arms. Looking around, he realized she had tackled him out of the way of what looked like freak tidal wave.

"Matt! What's going on? What are you *doing*?"

Matt and the girl blinked a few times, realized what it must look like, and blushed (Author's Note: Just try picturing this in your mind. Matt blushing at a girl looks kawaii, once you get over the fact that they're laying next to each other. ^_~). Matt stood up.

"Absolutely nothing, Tai!" Why is my crest reacting? Is it reacting to her? Matt wondered as he felt it pulse faintly with energy.

The others ran down, having miraculously appeared. The girl sat up, crossed her arms, and glanced behind her. The mermaid Digimon was gone.

"MATT!" cried T.K., tackling him with a hug. "What happened? Are you okay? Did she save you?"

"Yeah, she did save me. What's your name, by the way?"

"Senjo Sumire. Most people call me Lavender. Call me Lavvy or Lav and die." (For all non Japanese-speakers, she's introducing herself the Japanese way, last name first. Her name means Violet Fairy. Just wait, you'll see that her name symbolizes something. ^_~)

Lavender was tall, blonde, turquoise-eyed, and wearing combat boots. Her expression was not, to say the least, very friendly.

"Who's your little brother, Matt?"

"T.K. How do you know my name?"

"Call it magic. And the fact that T.K. yelled your name was a clue," she responded dryly.

"Oh yeah." Matt looked down at his shoes, not quite knowing how to take this girl.

"Hey Matt, who's your new friend?" asked Tai.

"You may call me Lavender and I am *not* his friend."

"Nice to meet you, too."

"No offense, Matt. I just don't really know you."

"Um, yeah. No offense."

"What's going ON?"

A new girl ran over to them. She looked exactly like Lavender, except for her clothes and expression. Looking at the Digimon, she suddenly burst into loud, exaggerated tears.

"There are monsters EVERYWHERE!"

"Wow. They look so alike, it'll be hard to tell them apart," commented Tai.

"Oh, I think we could manage it," Matt said sarcastically, looking from the wailing girl to the quiet, frowning one. (Sorry to Tai fans. I'm making him the dense one in this fic. ^_^)

Lavender sighed, turning away from the little group, and Matt's eyes. She frowned, remembering her previous words. I am *not* his friend, her brain mocked her. So why do you feel so ashamed for saying that and being your usual unfriendly self? Do you want to be his friend? Lavender closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. Shut *up*, she told her brain fiercely. Lavender sat by the water and winced at the pain in her head. Another day, another headache. She squinted. She usually loved to be by the water, but this water was beginning to fill her with dread.

Burning... Burning… The water is burning…

Lavender's fingers went automatically to her temples as she screamed in pain and horror.

The reaction happened instantaneously. They all ran to the screaming girl with the pale, drawn face. Matt wondered why she was clutching her head. That one scream ended, and she collapsed to the ground. The other kids that had been playing nearby ran over.

"Don't pay attention to that crazy girl."

"Yeah. She's a witch."

"She says she sees things."

"They should burn her at the stake."

"Mama says she went queer in the head when something happened to her parents."

"How can you say that?" asked T.K. in disbelief. "How can you say such mean things?"

"Because she's a witch. Maybe you are too. You're hanging out with her, after all."

T.K.'s eyes filled with tears. Lavender, in his young eyes, was a hero! She had saved Onii-chan, and now these kids were calling everyone names!

"Leave my little brother alone!" said Matt angrily.

The kids left, feeling satisfied about their warning of the "crazy witch girl". The others turned back to Lavender, wondering.

"I am *not* crazy."

Matt's eyes widened. She had just heard the whole thing, all those nasty, hateful things said about her. And she wasn't showing the hurt?

"Maybe they're right," commented her sister, having stopped wailing.

Lavender's neutral expression gave a bit, her face becoming sad and a bit lonely. Matt frowned.

"Sisters fight sometimes," Lavender said, dropping her eyes.

"You're her SISTER and you didn't stick up for her?" Matt asked in total disbelief. "How selfish are you?"

"Very selfish. You have no idea," Lavender whispered, so quietly Matt barely heard it.

"I am not selfish! I didn't stick up for her because she really does say she sees things! I think it's crazy, too! Even Lavender does, sometimes! She wonders if her visions of the future are just hallucinations, and-"

"Enough, Tara!" Lavender looked at the ground, as if surprised by her outburst. "Enough is enough," she finished quietly.

Tara's mouth shut, although she was pouting.

"We need to get away from the water," Lavender said calmly.

"Why?"

"Mizumon is coming back."

"Who?"

"The evil Digimon that wants all of the Digidestined dead. She earlier tried to kill Matt. The only reason she is delaying is because she must report to Myotismon."

"You will tell us about how you know all this, right?"

"If you're lucky."

"What about all the other kids playing by the water?"

Lavender smiled.

"Let them see what happens when you don't listen to the 'witch girl'."

"You're not serious, are you?" T.K. asked.

"No. They'll be all right."

They walked away from the dock, trying to look nonchalant.

"I don't see it," said Tai after several moments.

"Mizumon is there. Move away," said Lavender.

Tai took out his mini-telescope, completely ignoring Lavender. He scanned the water, not seeing anything. Lavender's expression became pain-wracked as another headache came on.

"Get a move on it, Tai," she forced out through gritted teeth.

"But if it's there I'll be able to see it!"

Made less tolerant by the headache, Lavender lost her temper. She grabbed Tai by the shirt, shook him a couple of times, and yelled, "You idiot! Mizumon is extremely powerful and will kill you, given the chance! Get a clue!"

The water began to broil and bubble again as Mizumon rose to the surface.

"RUN!"

"Hide behind the boxes!"

"Boom Bubble!"

"Patamon, come back!"

"Poison Ivy!"

The Digimon's attacks were of no avail, however. Mizumon just shrugged them off.

"Water Surge!"

The blast of water knocked all of the Digimon away.

"Biyomon digivolve to… Birdramon!"

"Gabumon digivolve to… Garurumon!"

"Meteor Wing!"

"Howling Blaster!"

With a snort of contempt, Mizumon calmly blocked all of their attacks. It was clear that this was no ordinary Digimon.

"Somebody needs to digivolve!" cried T.K.

"But none of us are in direct danger!" cried Sora.

"I'll do it!"

"No you will not, Tai!"

Lavender frowned, thinking. I learned in my vision what their crests are. Perhaps I could amplify one of them… The Crest of Friendship! Now I know what I have to do!

"Matt, give me your hands." (Author's Note: Ooh, I'd dearly love to say this. To quote the funniest Digimon page I've found, "Mmmmmm............. Yama." :9 If you don't know who my fave character is by now, what are you ON? o_O)

"What?"

"Just do it!"

Lavender held Matt's hands up in front of her and concentrated. "I'm sorry…" she said softly.

"For what?"

"For being so unfriendly," she said, looking down and turning pink. She wasn't used to apologizing to people.

Matt smiled. "It's okay. I'm not exactly the most open person."

Several points of sea green light gathered around the Crest of Friendship.

"Garurumon digivolve to… Weregarurumon!" (Cue the "Hey Digimon!" music. ^_^)

In an impressive show of power, Weregarurumon blasted Mizumon to kingdom come.

"YEAH! All right, Weregarurumon!"

Lavender scratched her head. "You know Matt, you are going to explain absolutely EVERYTHING to me."

Far beneath the surface of the water, a pair of eyes that looked like Mizumon's gleamed.

"The Missing Two," it whispered. "Myotismon will not like that."

Wasn't that a lovely beginning? ^_^ In my description I hinted at things to come in later episodes. Foreshadowing is so fun........... Anyways, I promise longer and more descriptive episodes will come! I have BIG plans for my characters. ::maniacal laughter::

As always, send any comments, CONSTRUCTIVE criticism, suggestions, flames, death threats, and marriage proposals to senjomiko_chan@hotmail.com. ^_^

(Now I'll give you my BIG old disclaimer. The Digimon characters, concepts, and the inescapable holiday specials, candies, designer jeans, sneakers, notebooks, spin-offs, small 100-page novels summarizing the episodes, doorknobs (yes, DOORKNOBS), and (until they do this we're stuck persuading our sewing teachers to make these) Digimon plushie dolls, all belong to Toei and Bandai and Fox Kids and whoever else owns them. However, all new characters, the plot, and Lavender's "Boots of Doom" are MINE.)