The Digital Record: Takari Tributized

They can just be friends. That's acceptable. The problem is as they get older they seem to be growing closer and closer. They treat each other differently. They literally go out of the way for each other.

And I get how 'best friends' do that but eventually that closeness has to grow some distance. You have your careers, and will have to give way to romantic interests. But maybe they just haven't gotten that far yet? But if that's the case it's got to stop sometime, right?

Takeru treats his friends equally except Hikari. You can see a certain distance between him, Hikari, and the others. Like their mannerisms. It's practically intimate.

Like they are so used to and comfortable with each other they have a natural gravitas that directs them towards each other like magnets,

That's what drives us crazy. That's why we are so hung up on it. It has so much foundation to it we are invested to see if it goes anywhere.

If Takeru and Hikari treated each other like their other friends I could concede and just hang the towel. But I am convinced there is still more to this relationship however it may be defined.

I just can't define it. And them trauma bonding as well makes it seem like it would be impossible for them to just come apart.

So I hope you can see the dilemma that the Takari ship actually is in. We just want closure. You could say well you have the 02 epilogue case closed!

Well! But then you get Tri. But then you get Kizuna. But then you get 02 the Beginning. And when you tie that in to all of the other parts of Digimon Adventure you can see just why we are determined to see it through to the end-because the way it's scripted isn't seeming to little bit little make them go their separate ways.

So if it's not going in the direction the epilogue tells us it will it begs the question, if not now when they are in college then WHEN?

Hopefully we get our answer, but we are hoping they stay together. We'll just have to wait and see with bated breath.

Taichi once said 'what's a few raindrops between friends?'

I now activate my face down card and counter with 'What's a few feathers among angels?''

So as they say birds of a feather flock together... but they're angels...and different wings...and-

-Just look at the picture and it will make all the sense in the world. I keep coming back to it. It's the last time I have seen them since the 02: the Beginning movie and of course it's them drawn to each other.

Not to their DNA Digivolving partners but to each other. I feel like I'm losing my mind shouting on the rooftops.

When this movie comes out this closeness is established. It's curious to see just when that closeness will fade. If anything will become of it at all.

To that I spread the breadcrumbs before us all and wait to see where they lead. I'm hoping against hope but I have more than enough breadcrumbs to get me till that day.

Still the dream.

Where we are now.

So close you can feel the heat from their hands nearly touching. And yet...so far.

Just one more movie. Make one more. Finish me off already!

I see light but it's an illusion.

I feel hope when all my senses tell me to give up.

And yet the end has not come.

The Digital Record: Nightmare Masquerade

It's been a year in a half since I started this project. Despite wanting to just go straight for the grand finale I realized I had to do this. I had to build up to Digimon Tri to explain how we arrive to the Main Novel Series.

The story itself is an investigation into why people are mysteriously vanishing at Hikari's school with ties to Hikari's past about her being 'the girl that was possessed', the influence of the Dark Ocean, and the malevolent forces that want to make sure Hikari Yagami never leaves the Dark Ocean again.

It's main focus is Hikari Yagami of course with those around her but zeroes in more on just how much closer her and Takeru have become as we can see in Digimon Tri.

It's on archiveofourown.com or fanfiction.net if you wish to read it under user AtsoraAsayoma.

Maybe they will give you sagely constructive criticism.

Maybe they will be angry at you and demand a fee for bursting their expectations bubble like when you break down a door.

Maybe they will compliment you with praise and likes like being given rupees or a heart piece.

You just never know- and that's what's so exciting when you actually find someone in this barren wasteland filled with monsters, fairies, and treasures; foraging ever forward with an unyielding spirit.

But do not despair. A03 sends you off with a welcome message like that first cave where the old man tells you as if knowing everything that's you're going to face in the future:

''It's dangerous to go alone. Take this."

Crazy to think about writing and stories and fanfiction. This line although I did not recognize it at the time from the anime starts the same way although it's when they are all in middle school.

I didn't think about it at the time. It's pretty neat when you can look back on something like that and point a finger and be like 'Oh! That's kind of how I got my idea!'

When the side characters ship is more dynamic than the actual main character ship.

The whole not a date thing between Takeru and Hikari is invalid now.

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Yes, I'll explain.

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No, this will not be some far out theory.

Ok, so it's like this.

As a heads up I will be Avoiding all flowery language like I am prone to say

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Yes, I do like to hear myself talk so if I do talk flowery and self aggrandize myself you can make that conclusion yourself and grill and chastise me after.

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(sigh) yes I am aware you have the barbecue on standby.

ANYWAYS

When it comes to Takeru and Hikari they first established the whole 'not a date' line in 02 in the episode ghost of a chance.

As watchers we picked up they have this vibe together and it was all nice and smiles until Daisuke brought up the idea of it being a date.

Maybe they are just late bloomers but they were both smiling and a bit embarrassed by it. Not a date. We promise. Insert explanation. Come with us! Ok, fair.

After this event. When they get older into high school I noticed a bit of a change. The Digidestined get together for the school festival and go off on their own way.

Not with his friends but with each other they are clearly seen but interact with the other Digidestined. They interact.

Yamato's concert. Other events.

Even into the cafe where Takeru says three implying Koushirou who was waiting for them? But they all met up except Takeru and Hikari who stayed together that whole event. But we see how they imply group dynamic. This avoids suspicion of a 'date'.

Moving on. In Kizuna Takeru has his infamous line basically saying Oh I forgot to eat breakfast who wants to join me? Yamato and Taichi pass and let them babysit their Digimon while they go to class. Attempted group dynamic this time.

So then we now get to the next movie-when they are older after 02 the beginning And we get some context from this scene:

Based off of Audio story two from Digimon Kizuna the context is they come up with some farfetched ideasat a restaurant to troll Ken and Wormmon over dinner and drinks.

Pause.

Yes. Stomp on it hard. Get whiplash. Pull over. Do not let this be swept under the rug.

This is the deviation.

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Yes I did break this all down into context for this one scene.

So before you turn the grill on hear me out. These two, the whole just really close friends who at no point have ever dated decide to have food and drinks before another friend shows up.

Ah, so there is the group dynamic by association for the meet up.

But what happens before the meet up establishes the date. So let's recap and make some inferences here.

We can infer Takeru picked her up for the ahem, meeting based on the movie and how she is 'familiar' with his driving habits and is not surprised by his recklessness. She also curiously enough is the only person with shotgun privileges. Make of that what you will.

So they show up, order a meal, order alcoholic drinks and get a bit tipsy and silly while coming up with a story to explain some of the other Digidestined's involvement. But it's not a date. Oh no. Absolutely not. (Keep in mind you don't find out about that part about the date after the story is nearly over).

Yeah, no.

I can't let it slide.

The amount of closeness one has to finish another's story without giving it away and making it believable demonstrates how close a bond they really have.

And here's the point to all of this.

Takeru and Hikari don't even need to go on a date.

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Why?

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Put the stabbing fork away already. They know each other so well they don't even need to go on a date.

And the whole point of an 'incremental' relationship drives home that point.

Blink and you'll miss it. Take notice and think about it and you'll wonder about a few things about what their relationship is.

Most of us are either like this: (Taichii or Sora's perspective).

When you see just where they started to where they are now you can choose to be cynical or optimistic about just what their relationship is.

But we can't define it unfortunately. Whatever they have together they are so close it's not something you could define in a friendship or a romantic sense- yet you can say it's intimate-whatever that entails.

They are traumatized comrades from a Digimon War, they are soulful companions, and they are definitely closer to each other than I daresay anyone else with the exception of their siblings.

The whole purpose of a date is to get to know someone personally and as you open up to them intimately.

The only thing these two would get out of a date that they don't already know about each other is physical affection.

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All right. I've said my piece. I'll just drench myself in barbecue sauce first.

I'll leave it to Sora to sum up how I feel about all of this: