Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or its characters, they belong to Toei and their creators. I also do not own CardCaptors or its characters, they rightfully belongs to CLAMP. As well, I don't own the songs "Nume no Naka e" (the ending theme for KareKano). As well, Scott is Globie's original character that I am just borrowing for the purpose of this fic.
Author's Notes: This is probably long overdue... but I remembered that Globie was griping about me basing a fic on someone else's works and not his. So, to a great friend, sorry this is a bit late, but I hope that you like it nonetheless. For those of you who've read Globie's "Varsity Blues" series, please read "Under the Mistletoe" for Cody and you'll get this. Actually, read the whole series if you're really open minded. Now, onto the fic!
Cody tapped the microphone that was attached to his headset and looked down at the clipboard in his hands. "Can we get a sound check here, please Yolei? Izzy, test out the connection between the computer and the projector. Also, make sure that the picture size fits the screen, we want everyone to see what we have planned for the opening."
"Watch it everyone! Coming through!" cried Davis as he carted one of the scenery props through the backstage area. "Hey Cody, watch your toes! Wouldn't want me to get fired, eh?"
He quickly stifled a laugh and shot Davis a serious look. "C'mon. Stop playing around. We need to keep everything moving along smoothly if we're going to get ready for next week!"
Scott lugged by a sandbag and looked down on the small boy taking the responsibility of the festival. "Relax Cody, we do have a week."
"I know, but I want this to be the best! I mean, it's the first time I've really gotten involved with school activities. Let's not forget, there are other schools participating in the festival and Odaiba is hosting it! I really want to make a good impression."
"Ah... I see. Your first time as a stage manager and everything's going fine. No worries." He hoisted the load in his arms and walked off.
"Cody, you're such a wonderful stage manager. Thank you for helping out with the upcoming spring drama-fest," praised one of the school drama teachers.
The youngest of the new Digidestined bowed his head in humility. "It's no trouble at all Ms. Yukina. I'm just doing my part."
Ms. Yukina shook her head slightly and she surveyed the work with him. She then noticed the activity eventually dying down. "Cody, it's getting late. Ready to go?"
"Actually, I think I'll stay behind a little longer. Just clean up a little and do some last minute checks. Don't worry, Yolei and Izzy were able to teach me some technical things and you do know I have my contacts with the AV club."
Ms. Yukina smiled, but was a little worried for him. "Are you sure you want to stay behind?"
"Positive."
"Well, good night Cody, and I'm sure I'll see you here nice and early."
"You can count on it ma'am!"
Cody was left in the darkened stage room as the auditorium lights outside were slowly turned off. He made his way around the dressing rooms and the catwalks, and waved good night to a few leaving actors and technicians.
The last area he had to check was the dimly lit stage. He stood in the centre of it and looked out into the empty seats that filled the auditorium.
The room sloped down towards him, and it was filled left and right and up and down with seats. Of course, there was the eventual break due to an aisle and in the middle of the auditorium was a large booth for the visual and sound specs. That was usually where the director was stationed with his/her team, to make sure that things were running smoothly from the audience's point of view and to dispatch problems that to those backstage so that they could handle them.
He noticed someone had left their bag on the edge of the aisle nearest the director's booth.
"I should get that to the lost and found," he told himself. He jumped off the stage and made his way quietly and slowly to the bag.
As he neared the bag, he thought he heard something coming from the director's booth. Soft clicks, rustles, and mutters told Cody that someone was working with the equipment. He shook his head at the thought of some trouble maker sabotaging the booth. He was still holding the bag. He slung it over his shoulder and kept a tight grip on it, ready to use it. But he hoped that he didn't have to.
The bag slung loosely down Cody's shoulder as he was surprised by the intruder he had caught. "Madison? What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be in Tomoeda. Did you transfer here?"
The sapphire eyed girl looked up at her old friend with wide eyes. "Cody! I didn't expect to see you here!"
"Madison, I'm asking, why are you here?"
The girl looked down at the mess around her. She was down on the floor of the booth, right under the sound mixing table. Her trusty camcorder sat by her side as she was entangled in a web of wires. She blushed. "I'm here to check out the visual tech specs here on behalf of my school."
Cody blinked. "But, but, but we're not supposed to have any other school representatives and volunteers until... today!" He groaned and took off his headset and placed it on the tech's table.
Madison looked at her old friend with admiration. "Cody, don't get so worked up over not remembering what day today is."
"I'm sorry Madison. It's just that... I overlooked you."
She reassured him with her trademark smile and neatly set herself to cleaning up the mess she made while explaining things to him. "Don't be. I saw how hard you were working all the way over here. I must confess; I'm impressed Cody Hida."
"Shouldn't... shouldn't you be going home now? Or at least hang out with Sakura..."
"Mom barely notices that I'm gone, but I did let her know that I'm just helping out with the school, and Sakura's probably off with Li. I should be asking the same thing about you."
"I was just checking up. That's all."
Madison looked around the darkened and empty auditorium. She smiled like the Cheshire Cat.
"What?"
"We have the whole place to ourselves."
"And...?"
She finished cleaning up and got to her feet. She clapped her hands together. "I thought we could have some fun!"
"Madison... this is hardly the time or the place for any kind of fooling around."
"Not like that. I mean, hasn't there been anything you wanted to do in the school when no one's around?"
"Really, Madison, that wouldn't be right..."
Her expression of mischief changed to one that was bordering sadness. "Cody, learn to have some fun once in a while. I remember talking with your friends during the Christmas party, and they told me how reluctant you were about the invitation."
He frowned a little bit. "Just to prove that I'm not some stick in the mud... there is something I've wanted to do. Come with me, and uh... here's your bag." He handed his old friend back her bag and motioned her to follow him.
Madison was intrigued. What happened to the serious and reserved boy she knew? Adolescence was doing wonders for him.
While they were walking towards the stage, Cody turned his head back to her. "Just don't tell anyone about this," and he winked at her.
Then again, maybe there was the rare time when one did let go to indulge a little bit.
Cody rested both arms on the stage floor, then pushed off, climbing back onto it. He reached his hand out to help her up, which she happily accepted.
The two of them made their way to the curtain to the left of the stage. Carefully, Cody drew it back and allowed Madison to go through first, then he slipped behind it. The two were in the backstage area, and it seemed as if he was looking for something. There it was.
One of the carts that Davis left lying around when he was transporting the props.
Cody immediately grasped the handlebars and started to push it towards the doors, which were still closed. Helping him out, Madison ran ahead of him and opened the doors for him, allowing him to get through. When he was in the clear, she followed after him. She continued to follow him until they reached the school's office and announcement room.
Madison looked at him as he just stood there, right outside the office, with the prop cart. "This is the big thing you wanted to do? Displace school property?"
"Get on it," said Cody.
Madison didn't hesitate and sat on the flat surface while Cody made his way behind her and placed his hands on the cart's handlebar.
"Shall I take you on a special Odaiba High night tour?"
"Why, yes!"
"Welcome to Odabia High. As you can see, we are at the main office, where the principle, vice principle, and secretaries reside. Inside we have the school PA system which allows the students to receive the messages they need to hear everyday and when someone's mom is at the front desk to pick them up or drop off their lunch."
An idea popped inside Madison's head. She got off the cart and ran into the office, finding the PA system. Setting her bag on it, she opened it up and rummaged through it, until she found what she was looking for. She smiled as she did her work. Grabbing her bag with one hand and holding onto her camcorder with the other, she returned to her seat on the supposed "tram". "You may begin."
A little bit unsure of what she just did, Cody began to push the cart. He noticed how Madison kept her head straight and looked out only through her camcorder. What was she up to?
His question was soon answered when music began to filter through the school's PA system. It filled the halls as he pushed her on by. The start was with an electric guitar, playing a poppish melody.
"Some music to help with the tour," she replied without even looking up or behind or away.
Lightly pitched female vocals were then heard:
"Sagashi mono wa nan desu ka?
Mitsuke nikui mono desu ka?
Kaban no naka mo tsukue no naka mo
Sagashite keredo mitsukarenai no ni
Mada mada saga suki desu ka?
Sore yori boku to odorimasen ka?
Yume no naka e yume no naka e
Itte mitai to omoimasen ka?
Oo, oo, oo...
Oo, oo oo..."
Translated, that was: "What are you searching for? Is it something hard to find? You search in your bag and in your desk, but you can't find it. Do you still have the energy to look? Rather than that would you dance with me? Into the dream into the dream, will you come with me?"
The two continued the tour in silence, just letting the music guide them. It seemed that Madison had obviously found an extended version of this song, for the musical portions between verses were conveniently lengthened to accommodate their tour.
The second verse had come on, and Cody readily picked up the pace, hoping to wrap up the tour by the end of the song. Still, he didn't voice his concern, he kept pushing.
Just when it was reaching the hook for the second verse, the part asking about going into the dream, he noticed that was when the music picked up a little before entering the "oo"s. He had just made a turn and found himself in the long hallway that aligned with one of the school's outside courts.
Grinning, he started to run down the hall, faster and faster, as the clattering of the wheels got louder and louder. He pushed off and set both feet on the edge of the cart as the two were barreling down the hall. The air rushed past their ears and hair and the clattering of the wheels threatened to break them from the cart and send them crashing.
Cody maneuvered the cart, leaning hard to one side and letting them go into a spin. Then he leaned hard to the other side to avoid colliding into a wall. With the wall coming closer and closer to them, his leg shot out and pushed off against the wall, straightening their course.
He looked down on his only passenger, who was still calmly looking through the camcorder's eye. Not a squeal of delight or a protest that he nearly killed her.
He still kept up the newfound fast pace, pulling no more stunts, and kept going through the school with Madison.
Just as the music for "Yume no Naka e" was winding down, he once again placed his feet on the cart and let it drift down another long hallway, slowing down with the music until the wall was fast approaching them. And just when it seemed they were going to bump into it...
The music ended and Cody placed his foot on the tiled floor, acting as a brake. They stopped silently and not a single word was said between them for a while.
"And here we are, at the stage room. This ends our tour."
"And that's the end of my footage." Madison got up from her perch and put her camera back in her bag. She was about to make her way to the nearest exit when Cody stopped her.
"Wait! Your uh... music, I mean, CD."
She flashed him another smile. "Keep it." She began to walk away again.
"Wait! You'll- It's late. Why don't you let me walk with you to the the train station? Just... just wait for me."
His only reply was a slight and graceful nod of her head.
With that assurance, he took off running.
Madison stood there, looking at his retreating back as he disappeared down the darkened hall. And her eyes were fixed there, looking out, waiting for him.
Quick and beating footsteps that faded off into the dark were getting louder a few minutes later as she patiently anticipated his return.
The light from the streetlamps outside filtered through the little windows on the doors, and as the footsteps got louder, she saw him coming back, with his hand waving something in the air.
"I can't forget this," he huffed as he held the CD in his hand.
"And your bag?" she asked.
This time, she waited again for him as he entered the stage room and retrieved his bag.
"Thanks," Cody said as he stepped out. He held out his arm to her.
She gladly accepted. "Aren't you the gentleman?"
With a gallant trod, the two exited the school and out onto the sidewalk. "Grandfather always told me to act like a gentleman around beautiful girls."
"I never knew you considered me to be a beautiful girl." She smiled widely and glanced up at her escort. She was about to tag on something, but she quickly changed it when she pointed ahead and squealed, "Oh look! Ice cream!"
"Are you sure we should? It's getting late, and... I don't have any money on me."
"Don't worry about it. I'll pay, and instead of taking the train, I'll call my bodyguards to give both of us a ride home, hm? What do you say?"
"I... I guess so. Thanks."
"You should just learn to loosen up. Like you did back there at the school."
Taking a cue, he jokingly tugged on his arm, which was still looped with hers. That caused her to get jerked even closer to him. "We can walk in here and pretend we're a couple. Is this loose enough for you?"
A little surprised, she blushed and gave a small, "Mmm," in reply.
And so that was how the two entered the shop, and they sat opposite each other in a secluded table in the corner.
While they waited and thought of what they wanted, Madison quickly made the call for a ride.
At their order, the two played couple and shared a soda float, which they quickly set to polishing off.
Taking her lips off the straw, Madison tried to make conversation with her old friend. "So, tell me, what other exploits do you share with your grandpa?"
He rolled his eyes up, trying to think of something to keep her entertained. He didn't think of it as a chore, it was nice to actually talk to her about little nothings that happened in his life. "Uh, well, I just got this haircut..." Embarrassed, he ran a hand through the cropped do on his head, which was so unlike the helmeted bowl cut he usually had. "They took off so much... But grandfather said, 'It's better to have a little bit of hair than none at all!' and he showed me his bald head."
"I think it makes you look handsome and stylish, just like those upperclassmen. Cody-sempai." She giggled at the sound of the name coupled with the honourific.
"You're the fashion expert. If you like it, then I guess I should keep it. It makes me look older and more mature, like a true upperclassman."
"You're too serious. You look older, mature, stylish, fun, and handsome at once. Anything but serious."
"Ah... thanks. I like talking nonsense with you. With my friend's it's just about school and Digidestined stuff. We don't really talk about 'Hey! How was your day? How's your family life going? What do you like?'"
"I know. It's fun talking like that with you. We have so much in common that we just seem to hide from everyone else. But it's not like I don't like hanging around with them!"
"Yeah. Just having a different friend for a different occasion is... nice."
The two looked at each other, something going unsaid between them. Both of them slowly moved forward to take another nervous sip, and their eyes just lingered on the other's lips though they themselves did not notice. Their aim was higher than the straws, and they moved together to close the gap between their faces for a-
"Hey you two!" with the slam of a soccer ball on the table stopped the two short.
Cody and Madison looked up to see Davis, just fresh from practice. He looked down at them, the one glass and two straws, and realization clicked.
"Oh... smooth moves Cody, very smooth," commented Davis with a smile. "Hey! Cody's got a girlfriend!"
A furious blush heated the boy's cheeks. "I-I- we, I mean..."
Yolei came over to the table and dragged the supposed leader away by the ear. "Why don't you leave him alone? Sorry Cody, sorry Madison. Don't mind us."
The two were alone again, and Cody was trying to apologize for the intrusion and for himself. "I-I, oh, I'm so sorry about them. And I'm really sorry that we were- you know, without the, uh..."
"It's okay. But if we weren't interrupted, would you rather that we have kissed or not kissed?"
Shocked out of tripping over his words, their eyes met again. They needed to think about the question, and another nervous sip was in order. A little too preoccupied with their thoughts, they met in the middle over the half finished soda and shared a sweet and chaste kiss.
He finally came up with his answer. "I'd rather that we did kiss." He mimicked one of her soft smiles. "It's much more fun."
The two laughed and continued to delight in each other's company until it was time for them to part ways.
The End
Additional Author's Notes: I'm sure you KareKano fans will recognize the tie that the end theme has with Cody and Madison's tour of the school. For those of you that don't, the ending credits for KareKano involve the song "Yume no Naka e" while you're taking a tour of a school. This year at Animethon 8 (an anime festival), someone attempted to imitate that style with a digital camcorder, a cart, and a video editor program. End result, "Yume no Naka e" music video in honour of Animethon 8. Another KareKano tie in here is the drama teacher, Ms. Yukina, named after the main female character of the series. If she's so good at putting up a front for everyone, she should be able to pass it on, right? Hope you readers enjoyed this tie-in piece with Globie's "Varsity Blues" chapter 6, and be sure to check out his series.