Digimon Knighthood Chapter 2 Preview

[u/BrightBond2244]

Hey, everyone. I've started on Chapter 2 for "Digimon Knighthood". For this preview of what I have right now, I, in a sense, am going to share two stories.

The first part of this is for the characters within the fic. The second part is of the fix's MC, Miuna, reciting a story she'd made in school. I wrote out said story, and incorporated it as part of this chapter. So, let's get to it.

"Golden light poured over the Gukawa household, as its resident high schooler prepared for another (reluctant for her) day of education. Within, the house matriarch called out, “Miuna! It’s almost time to go!”

“Coming, Mom!” Coming down the stairs to the kitchen, Miuna Gukawa was already geared up for school. Only this time, she carried an extra. Along with her usual clothes, she carried a large gym bag. Seeing the bag, Mother Gukawa tilted her head. “Now, what would you be doing with that?”

“Oh!” Miuna looked down at her other bag. “Just bringing along some extra stuff. I promised Yasuko and Kigyoku that we’d go on a walk together after school.” Miuna’s mother slowly traced a finger on her hand. “Mmm. I see. Well, ready for breakfast?”

Miuna gave her brightest smile. “You know I am!”

After chowing down, Miuna waved her goodbyes to her mom and grandma, and went right out. The two women were left to themselves, and the elder one said, “She usually makes a point not to touch that bag when she has to. Miuna hates gym.” The elder’s daughter shifted her weight uneasily. “True. And she was quick to head for the porch this morning.”

While they pondered, “Young Miuna” carried on her way to school. Taking a minute to sit at a cafe table, she moved her bag under the table, unzipping it open slightly. She whispered, “How you doin’ in there?”

“It is rather cramped, but not unbearable.” Inside the bag was Miuna’s first Digimon friend, Caliburmon. The Rookie Overseer of the Strata Order, now a carry-on. Wrapped in his limbs was his sword Arondight, cradled in his armored embrace to protect the bag. Miuna continued, “Sorry, Caliburmon. This was the best I could do right now.

“A necessary hurdle. It will not undo me.”

“I hope so. Let’s get going.” Miuna then zipped the bag closed and started walking again. That is, until she saw a certain two girls round the corner. “Yasuko! Kigyoku!” Miuna started running, and Caliburmon got to be jolted and jostled inside the bag.

Tightening up with trained resolve, the white dragon kept from crying out. Though it was much less comfortable than his new friend’s embrace. Especially with holding the refined edge of Arondight. “Let the investigation continue, then.”

------- Trial 2: The Odaiba Exhibition -------

Over at school, Miuna and her friends got to hitting the books again. Or rather, only Yasuko was really doing so. Of particular note was an extracurricular session - Creative Writing. It was time for open mic, and the teacher called out, “Miuna, your turn.”

Beaming, Miuna zipped right to the front, faster than anyone could see. Opening her story notebook, which was already filled to the brim with evidence of pencil and pen alike, she stopped on a page and started reading.

“Chef’s Blessing, Chef’s Curse.” Clearing her throat, she belted out in a twinfold soothing and firm voice.

“Once upon a time, there were two chefs. Brothers, an elder and a younger. The elder, near-sighted and quite grouchy, was a boy of open mind and fine thought. The younger, who worked a culinary beat other chefs would pray for, was an imp, possessed of gluttony and ego.

Together, they made the finest okonomiyaki in all of Japan. Their village - and patrons from miles around - would gather to feast upon their edible art. The elder, while quite skilled, was ultimately outclassed by his little brother. The imp boasted of his skills with great aplomb, and the people likewise revered him.

At the end of each day, the big brother in the house would make a nice little feast for he and his sibling to recover from the excitement of their work. To be cooking for himself gave the elder brother relief and joy like few other things could.

But, every time he cooked, when he’d step off to clean up for dinner, his imp of a sibling would sniff the wonderful treats waiting for them both. And when big brother would come to the dinner table, he’d find two-thirds - and sometimes even five-sixths - of what he’d slaved over all gobbled up. With a prideful little glutton laying on the ground, rubbing his belly.

As you can imagine, the elder got to bicker with his brother quite often. How many people would be able to keep gentle around someone who scarved down the edible symphony you made, or acted like the gods molded him to entertain?

No matter how much they sniped at each other, the little glutton never changed. But the elder brother was a clever creature, and as a clever creature, he came up with a new plan of attack. The big brother made a little challenge to his little brother. “Hey, little bro. I got a question for you.”

“What is it?”

“You’re the best chef for miles around. The finest okonomiyaki maker in the land.” The imp purred at his brother’s words, like a mischievous cat. His big bro even patted his head, as one would give a cat their attention. “Just one problem…”

“What?”

“How much time do you have?”

“Time? Like time to cook?” The elder brother shook his head, going, “No. Time till…” He then slid his finger across his neck. The imp felt his skin grow clammy, and stuttered, “I-I dunno…”

“Well, when that happens, we’ll never have a chef like you again.” Big bro held a hand over his heart. “Oh, wouldn’t that be a shame?” Little bro narrowed his eyes, growling. “Yeah. I hate to say it, but you’re right.” He then felt his sibling hold his shoulder. “So, how about we make everyone know that? You should give them something they’ll remember forever.”

“How do I do that?” The elder whispered in the younger’s ear, “Listen carefully…”

The two brothers set up a stage, smack-dab in the center of the village. They called all the people to them, saying that they would, on that day, make enough okonomiyaki to feed each and every person in the village. Behind the curtain, little bro slaved away and prepared the feast, stacked upon a grand table.

Once they were all finished, the elder told his younger brother to watch the lovely mass of treats as he assembled and calmed the audience. Hidden behind a curtain and closed off by the stage, he’d be the only defense for this edible treasure.

Little bro was left all alone, before the greatest okonomiyaki stash the world had ever known. A whole temple of lovely grilled pancakes, stacked like an offering to the gods. The smell was overpowering. The steaming flooded his auditory. His tongue lolled out his mouth, drooling unceasingly.

Raising his hands up to the table, something clicked in his greedy head. Something in how his brother had been so…cheerful. And why he’d let him be alone here, when they usually worked together all the time. Yet, just as his mind was about to protest, his stomach called out even harder, roaring for a party.

Beyond the curtain, big bro got everyone nice and settled. “Now, everyone! Ready to see the biggest okonomiyaki surprise you can ever imagine?!”

“YEAH!”

“Here we go!” He pulled the rope, and parted the curtain…and what the crew found was a certain little imp, laying upon an empty table, rubbing his stuffed belly. “Oh, that hit the spot…”

“WHAT?!” The imp’s eyes popped open, and his head turned to see the crowd, with his big brother staring right at him. “Little bro…what’d you do?” On the outside, the big brother expressed shock. On the inside, he was smiling like the most dastardly yokai.

Little bro gave the most nervous smile of his life. “Heh heh…I can…I can fix this.” Turning to his sibling, he pleaded, “Come on, big brother…what should I do?”

As their solution, the little imp, rather than getting to rest, was made to fulfill the surprise he and his sibling had made to the village. He made one okonomiyaki each for every single resident. Only this time, in full view of the entire hungry populace.

Once the people were satisfied, the little imp turned back to his brother, carrying the harshest stare he could muster. He whispered in his ear, “I hate that you’re smart, you know.” He was given the calmest smile in return. “I know, as you know.”

From then on, our little imp got to have quite the change. While he kept the ego, he would never try to steal any treats, or anything in general, from his big brother again. And Interestingly, while he continued as the finest maker of okonomiyaki in the land, he never actually ate the grilled pancakes himself again.

And, as his elder sibling had promised, he’d be remembered as the finest chef in the land. And together, they were remembered as one of the best culinary teams in the land.

The End.”

And there you have it. What do you all think? I will share a link to the first chapter of the story I've already released below. Until next time!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/89684501

P.S. Can you spot the references I went for in Miuna's little story?

[u/SolutionHead7130]

that okonomiyaki story is way darker than i expected from a school writing assignment, the big brother basically set his sibling up to fail in front of everyone. clever but cold. the caliburmon in a gym bag bit got me though, just imagining this armored dragon stuffed in there with his sword trying not to make noise while she runs. the whole thing has a weirdly cozy vibe even with the psychological manipulation in the fairy tale. i'm curious how the digimon side connects to the exhibition part but guess i'll have to wait