A/N: So this is the end of the fic! Wow, it took a bit longer than anticipated. It's finished now, though. A bit of a different ending, but we'll work through it! Thanks to everybody who supported this fic (or didn't, whichever!). This is for the prompt-meaningless! Thanks and please leave a review if you feel so inclined at the end!

20. The Importance of Living

"Ren is probably going to kill me."

Yuu would have rolled his eyes at Tagiru's attempt at a joke, but now just picked at his shirt. Tagiru scratched the back of his head. Nene-san had asked him to keep an eye on Yuu while they figured out how to get to the Digital World (supposedly Dorulumon's way through was one-way, who knew?), and he'd been around the Amano siblings enough to know she didn't say that without it being an expression of her trusting him or threatening his life.

Looking at Yuu's face, so closed-off and unhappy, it made him feel like he'd throw up. Again. He looked away, and berated himself for it. Tagiru clenched his fists and loosened them in the same minute. "Can I punch you?"

Yuu was quiet for a moment, then he shrugged. "I won't stop you."

"Well, I'd like it if you tried."

Finally, Yuu reacted. He sighed. "Tagiru-"

"No." Tagiru thought he might have whined that, but his head was starting to throb. He was going to have Cutemon take a look at it when they got to the Digital World, cause there were still no people around. "Taiki-san didn't do that so you could sit on your butt and look depressed."

"He did it because he has less self-preservation than a squirrel with steroids."

"That... that image doesn't make any sense." Yuu snorted, and Tagiru took that as another tiny victory. "Yuu, we're gonna find them. If only because Akari-san and Zenjirou-san wouldn't have let them go if we couldn't. Then we can punch both of them in the face for being stupid and not letting me join in!" He said this last part with the stomp of one foot, ire now rising to the surface. "Stupid Ryouma... he always has to steal the show, doesn't he?!"

Yuu tried not to smile and failed. "That's because only you're allowed to have the spotlight. The rest of us have to steal it."

"Are you calling me an attention-hog?"

"You said it, not me."

Nene chuckled as she caught the tail end of this. "Well, one problem is solved, I suppose." And so many to go...

When they got to the Digital World, they would just have to begin solving them. Hopefully, Kiriha-kun's brain had managed to rewire itself from wide-spread destruction.

Well, she could hope anyway.

Akari managed a laugh, but her face turned to a serious frown a second later. "He's an idiot," she finally said.

Nene hummed her agreement.

"But he's our idiot," she continued.

"So he'll manage to come back, bring Ryouma-kun with safe and sound, and help us wrap up the dirty work."

"Right."

Nene paused. "Bottling up all of that anger isn't healthy, Akari-kun."

"... Speak for yourself," Akari muttered, face red. "You haven't been around him as long as I have."

"I count myself lucky for that."

They both smiled as Zenjirou turned back to them. "We're live," he said, grinning to himself.

Akari sweatdropped. "We really can't let you and Wisemon be in the same room."

Zenjirou pretended to be offended by that as the Gate opened.

Shoutmon peered through the gate. "So, are ya comin'? Or what? We gotta get movin' before Wisemon decides he's allowed to be on this side of the portal."

Somehow, hearing the red dragon sound so at ease made everything seem a whole lot better.

A/N: Well, that's the end of Pile on the Floor. Thanks for all of your support in everything that's gone on. Please tune in the end of this year/start of next year for the sequel: Promised Rainfall! The summary should be up on the lists sometime around September. Thanks again, you guys!