This is for Skuag, who has always taken the time to review my stories and leave wonderful comments. She asked for a story between Sora and Hikari where Sora only likes vanilla ice cream and Hikari tries to get her to try something else. Things have been a bit stressful recently and I ended up in a bit of a writing slump, so apologies if parts seems rushed.

Ice Cream War

"Are you sure this is all right?" Hikari asked as she and Sora walked along the street, their partners staying still in their arms.

"Of course!" Sora insisted. "You won your photography competition, didn't you? I'd say that's a reason to celebrate."

There was an ice cream parlour that Hikari loved to visit, but was it too expensive to make regular trips on her own. Sora had offered to take her the moment she heard Hikari had won the whole competition.

"Can we have some ice cream too?" Piyomon asked, clearly excited.

Tailmon glanced up at Hikari expectantly, but Hikari looked towards Sora for guidance.

"Of course! Just make sure not to cause a scene."

"OK!" both digimon cheerfully agreed.

A bell chimed as they stepped into the shop. It was small with maybe enough tables for about twenty people. Sora and Hikari walked up to the counter where all the different flavoured ice cream was laid out in front of them behind a sloping glass counter.

"Can I help you?"

"I would like the triple scoop sundae and a single scoop of green tea flavoured ice cream, please."

While the server had turned to get Hikari and Tailmon's orders, Piyomon leaned up to Sora.

"I want strawberry."

Sora nodded to indicate she had heard and scanned through the flavours. Slowly she began to frown.

"Don't you have any vanilla?"

"I'm afraid not at the moment," the server said apologetically. She looked nervous. "Was there anything else you were interested in?"

She must have seen Sora's disappointed look because the server apologised again. "We ran out unexpectedly and unfortunately our next shipment isn't due until Monday."

Sora forced a smile onto her face.

"I'll just have a scoop of strawberry ice cream then, please."

The four settled down in one of the corner booths with Hikari and Sora hiding the digimon from the server's line of sight. Hikari tucked into her ice cream eagerly, unable to keep the smile from her face after she put the first spoonful in her mouth.

"Are you sure you don't want any, Sora?" Piyomon asked in concern, holding her spoon out for Sora to take.

Sora shook her head. "No, I'm fine, thank you. I only like vanilla."

"How can you only like vanilla?" Hikari exclaimed, jumping up and resting her hands on the table to stabilise her as she leaned towards Sora. "There are so many flavours!" She pushed back from the table, standing straight in a thinking pose. "Maybe we haven't found the right one yet."

Sora laughed nervously, noticing that the server and a few other patrons were staring. Drawing attention to themselves was probably not a wise idea.

"Believe me, I've tried every flavour I've come across and the only one I really like is vanilla. It's not that I can't eat any other flavours, but I don't enjoy it as much."

Hikari slowly sat down again, deep in thought. Reassured, the other customers went back to their ice cream.

"Caramel?"

"Too sweet."

"Mint Chocolate Chip?"

"I don't like the combination of mint and chocolate."

"Coffee."

"Too bitter."

Hikari let out a sigh, clearly giving up with that line of questioning. Sora was obviously not going to change her mind.

"What kind of sweets do you like, then?"

Sora sat back, taking her time to think through her answer. "I like cooked things more… cakes, puddings, tarts; that sort of thing."

Hikari ate another bite of her ice cream, savouring the mixture of flavours. "So if I want to treat you, I should take you to a French-style bakery."

They continued to sit and chat together, moving away from sweets and catching up on each other's lives. Slowly the other patrons left one-by-one until Sora, Hikari, Tailmon and Piyomon were the last ones left. The sun was beginning to set and the girls were about to stand to leave when the bell attached to the entrance chimed.

Out of the corner of her eye, Sora saw the server tense. She glanced towards the new patron and nearly gasped in shock.

A goburimon closed the door softly and pulled out his club, walking slowly towards the server, who stood behind the counter paralysed in fear. He looked around with a grin, clearly not noticing the girls.

"Where's my ice cream?"

"W…we don't have a…any vanilla l…left," she stuttered, clearly terrified of the creature in front of her.

"But you've got chocolate, right?" he asked, smacking the club into his free hand in a threatening manner. "I'll have that."

"Please, I'm already in trouble with my boss."

"I could just destroy the shop if you'd prefer."

The server girl backed away with a chocked sob. As he stepped forward, the girls finally made their presence known.

"That's enough!"

Tailmon and Piyomon jumped in between the goburimon and the server. The girl gasped, pushing herself as far away from the digimon as possible without taking her eyes off them.

"You're the one who destroyed Sora's dreams of enjoying vanilla ice cream!"

"I won't let you ruin Hikari's afternoon."

Sora and Hikari spluttered protests; after all, they were more interested in protecting the server girl than continuing to enjoy an afternoon eating ice cream.

The goburimon looked nervous, but soon regained his composure.

"Out of my way or I'll destroy this whole shop!"

"You aren't touching anything. Magical Fire!" Piyomon shouted.

Her fire attack hit, sending the goburimon skidding backwards as he shielded his face from the worst of the flames. He looked up towards the Chosen's digimon and growled.

"Neko Punch!"

Tailmon followed up quickly, her attack sending him crashing back into one of the walls, his club skidding after him. The digimon slumped down, breathing heavily.

At first, it seemed as if the goburimon had been knocked unconscious. However, slowly, he lifted his head and reached out to grab his club, pushing himself back up onto his feet by leaning on his weapon.

Tailmon and Piyomon prepared themselves, but both knew this battle was already over. It was more a matter of limiting the damage done to the shop and surrounding area. The goburimon stared at the two other digimon, his breath ragged from fatigue.

"That's enough."

Everyone stopped to look at the server girl who had stepped out from behind the counter and in between the digimon. She faced the goburimon, standing firm despite her hands shaking from fear.

"My boss nearly fired me because of your actions." She took a breath and her hands steadied. "Why did you do it?"

"I wanted some ice cream," he replied, sounding defiant.

"Then you should pay for it like everyone else! Just because you want something doesn't mean you can just take it. Someone always has to pay for those kind of actions even if it's not you."

"But I can't get any money. It's not like any human will offer me a job."

Hikari stepped forward. "It's not safe for you to be here."

His head snapped up and he glared at Hikari. "Your tailmon gets to stay here. Why can't I? What gives your digimon any more right to stay in this world than me?"

Tailmon hissed, ready to resume their fight. "I don't threaten people."

"What if he stayed with me?" the girl asked sounding a little unsure.

Sora and Hikari looked at her, almost horrified by her proposition. The goburimon was equally surprised, his mouth open in a way that was almost comical.

"You'd let me stay?"

"Don't get me wrong," she said, her voice firm. "I expect you to do something to earn your place and to pay me back for the ice cream you stole."

The goburimon shut his mouth and nodded fervently. "If you let me stay here, I'll do that and more."

Sora and Hikari looked between each other, not quite sure what to do at the rapid turn of events. Sora walked over to the server girl's side.

"Are you sure about this? He's not harmless."

"I know, but if he's sincere then I want to give him a chance to repay me for the trouble he caused."

By the time the girls left the shop it was already dark. They waved back to the woman with Goburimon standing beside her.

"She knows to call us if there's any trouble," Sora reassured her.

Hikari nodded with a smile. "I hope it works out for them."

Carrying their digimon, the girls walked home.

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