Two

Los Angeles was hot, which didn't really come as any surprise to the DigiDestined because anyone that had watched American television knew this. But knowing something and actually experiencing it were two completely differently things, and as they stepped out of the air-conditioned comfort of LAX the heat hit them like a physical blow. Sweat immediately began to form on their brows as they stood outside the passenger terminal, laden down with bags and suitcases, and hands were quick to reach for bottles of water.

Perhaps the only saving grace was the fact the six of them had ventured across deserts before, in the Digital World, so they had at least some experience with high temperatures.

Davis was the first to move off, donning a pair of cheap aviator sunglasses he had just bought in duty free, striding towards the nearest taxi rank that had a cab big enough to carry all six of them, plus their luggage. Yolei hurried after him with Ken close behind, her boyfriend diligently carrying her bags, and then it was Cody.

'Of course he's not bothered by the flight or the heat,' TK said, offering a slight chuckle at the energy their leader retained.

Kari laughed as well and slipped her fingers between TK's, and the young couple moved off after their friends. The six of them had come to LA for a long overdue celebration of their victories against the various monsters that had threatened the peace of their world these past few years, and because they had all completed high school. For the next two weeks, it would be nothing but fun, sun and sand.

They loaded their luggage into the cab and the driver took off, joining the mass of cars and buses moving around LAX with tens of thousands of other tourists with practised ease. Inside of ten minutes they were away from the airport and speeding towards their hotel, a modest affair near the endless beaches of California that had agreed to give them four rooms at a discounted price after Michael's father, a Hollywood movie star, agreed to shoot parts of his next film there if they did.

From there, it was a simple enough process to check in and get their room keys before heading up to their rooms, each offering stunning views of the ocean that would offer up equally beautiful sunsets, and unpacking everything they had brought with them to hang up. Then, it was time to plan their next move.

'I think today we should take it easy,' Yolei said once they'd all met up in the cool lobby, claiming a corner of the room for themselves. 'Maybe even have a nap. We're all going to be so jet lagged, it's not even funny.'

'But it's only one in the afternoon,' Davis said, pointing to a nearby clock.

'Which means our bodies think it's five in the morning,' Ken said with a yawn. 'We crossed a few time zones coming here, remember? And not all of us managed to get to sleep on the plane.'

'I know,' Davis said. 'But it's still the middle of the day. We can't just spend it sleeping!'

'You can't, maybe,' Yolei said with a grumble. 'But some sleep right now sounds like a good thing.'

Which could be said for most of them, actually. Everyone seemed more listless than usual, talking lowly and moving lethargically, with the exception being Davis. True, he had bags under his eyes like everyone else but he still seemed as energetic as ever, perched on the armrest of the couch rather than lounging back against soft cushions like the rest of the group, his foot tapping a random beat against the marble floor of the lobby. Kari figured he had downed some coffee whilst he was unpacking in the hopes of staying awake until late evening, forcing his body to adapt to a new sleep cycle whilst they were here in California, and the caffeine was buoying him up enough to overcome whatever fatigue he might have.

She toyed with the idea of drinking some coffee as well, to perk herself up, but Yolei's idea of a nap was more appealing. The bed in her room looked so soft and inviting she could hardly resist its allure, and with the waves of the Pacific drifting in through the open window it would be just perfect. Besides, she was sharing a room with TK and it probably wouldn't take much convincing to get him to join her, not that they'd do anything other than sleep. Though they'd been in a relationship for the better part of a year now, they had yet to take that next great leap and consummate it.

That being said, they had an unspoken agreement to remedy that. It was why they were sharing a room together. When they'd actually get to that part was a mystery to both of them, but they knew it would be before they went home.

Davis let out an annoyed sigh and looked to Ken for support, but his friend gave a soft shake of the head to signal where his allegiances lay in this particular fight. He might have once been the Digimon Emperor but Yolei was a real force to be reckoned with, and going against her wishes was a dangerous game to play. That, and he and Yolei had taken their relationship one step further so her suggestion of retiring to their room for a nap probably wasn't all she had in mind.

Kari allowed a tired smile to creep onto her face as she thought forward to the day she and TK were like that, both of them shaking their heads when Davis asked if they were going to make a start on their vacation right away, as did Cody.

'Great,' Davis said with a hint of annoyance. 'Party of one it is.'

'It'll only be for a few hours,' Kari said, noting the pout on his face at being forced to explore the hotel alone. 'Not everyone is as energetic as you.'

His expression abated somewhat and he gave a resigned nod, accepting the temporary solitude, and everyone agreed they'd meet up once they'd woken up, either back here in the lobby or out on the beach to enjoy what remained of the day's summer sun.