Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Mating Season ❯ Challenges ( Chapter 16 )

A/N: A good four months, a whole bunch of blocks, and some stress, and now I present, Chapter 16…

Chapter 16: Challenges

Tuesday Morning

Takato woke up early this morning. He looked at his clock alarm, `Man, at least this time, I woke up on time…' Takato stretched and started to get ready for school, `unlike yesterday. I can't believe I was late for the first day of school!' He looked down at his goggles, `looks like all those times going to the Digital World is over. With Renamon and Juri being pregnant, there's probably no time to do anything anymore.' The brown-haired boy sighed as he exited his room to the lower level of the apartment. "Good morning mom," Takato greeted his mother.

"You actually woke up today," his mother smirked, "you got a lot of catching up to do at school. You better not fall behind in your studies Takato!"

"Mom, it's the first day of school!" Takato said to his mother, a little annoyed, "The most I probably missed is finding out who my teachers are, and it's not hard to find out," he said. "Besides, there isn't any real work on the first day."

"That's still falling behind," his mother turned, "I better not see any bad grades…"

"I'm leaving now! Bye Mom, love you!" Takato grabbed a bread roll and ran out of the bakery before his mother could even finish her sentence. "Phew," Takato breathed a sigh of relief; "hope school goes by fast today. I hate it when the day drags on." He started on his way to the school, but then started thinking about Ruki, `I haven't seen or heard from her in a while,' Takato thought, `no phone calls, no sudden urges for sex…' Takato stopped for a moment to think about what he just said, and then shook off his own thoughts. He faced up again and started to walk towards school. `I hope she's okay…" Takato thought slightly worried now.

~*~

On the edge of a Digital desert, several brick and mud huts stood conquering the wind blowing against them. Still hiding from the villainous Pharaoh Anubimon, the group of humans and digimon laid low in an abandoned village. The blazing desert sun slowly started to rise again to blast down upon the small, quaint, arid village now inhabited by life. It was dawn, but was still very dark outside. The group of mixed species could actually call this blank village "sanctuary" for the time being, for they must keep one of their own safe, and all of them knew it.

The most concerned of the group, Jenrya Lee, kept his eyes open although drowsiness grasped his body and mind. The blue-haired, half-Chinese young teenager sat in silence during the early morning as he watched his different-species mate quietly slumber in a curled up position. His eyes, although heavy, kept open. `Just one more day,' Jenrya thought as he sat in the quiet darkness by his lover, `One more day, and I'm going to be a father. A father.' He continued to think to himself. His eyes slowly started to close as a person's hand fell gently on his shoulder.

"Jen," Jenrya's father quietly whispered, "have you gotten any sleep at all?"

Lee turned his head and looked up at his father and smiled, "No, not really. I haven't gotten much sleep ever since we got to the Digital World."

"Get some sleep," Janyuu said to his son quietly, "It's already morning."

"I can't," his son said quietly as he turned back to the sleeping fox digimon, "every time I close my eyes, I get the feeling Renamon would be in trouble and my eyes won't shut." He rubbed his forehead with his left hand, and then rubbed his eyes to try to break out of his own drowsiness, "Dad, how was it?"

"How was what?" Janyuu took a seat beside his son.

"You know," Jenrya kept his eyes locked on Renamon, "raising me and being a father."

Janyuu smiled, "It took a lot of strength and determination, I'll tell you that. Sometimes, I actually didn't want to do it to tell the truth. But I wouldn't give up and even now I'm still challenged to raise you."

"Were you ever scared," Jenrya asked, "like when mom was pregnant with me or Jaarin? Or even Rinchei?"

"Of course I was scared," Janyuu answered his son's questions, "not just me, but your mother and even your grandparents. They still thought we were too young to have children, even though we thought we were ready and old enough. We felt that we were ready." Jenrya turned to his father once again, "but after all, its pure human children we're talking about. "But that doesn't matter, Jen, if you feel you're ready to be a father, then I support you 100 percent, but this is completely you and Renamon's decision, no one else's."

"I am," Jenrya nodded, "but what if I find out I'm not ready? What if I fail and our son becomes something I can't handle?"

"Jen, the only way to get though this is to overcome it," Janyuu told his son, "face it head on. You are still young and you have a whole life ahead of you, this is just another challenge in the way of life that you, Renamon, and all of us must overcome. Kids who get pregnant this young might not have the strength to carry the huge responsibility of parenting, but you, Juri, and even Alice all proved you have the responsibility and strength to raise your children."

Jenrya listened closely, but still had doubts in his mind, "I don't know…."

"Think about it son," Janyuu got up and looked outside towards the sun, "and try to get some sleep today." The elder blue-haired man walked out of the hut. Jenrya looked down at his lover and future bearer of his son. He moved closer to the slumbering fox digimon and gently ran his hand through Renamon's soft fur, making the ears of the sleeping vulpine twitch slightly. Jenrya smiled softly, lie beside her, and slowly fell asleep. "I will not be afraid; I will raise this child, our child."

~*~

Hirokazu stared at the board in utter boredom; the only thoughts running through his mind are those of how bored he really was. `Man, this has to be the most bored I have ever been in my life. I can't believe how Bo…r…e…d….' The brown-haired Shiota boy slowly dropped his head, eyes heavy. He finally rested his head in his arms, falling asleep in the middle of class. The sleeping Hirokazu caught the attention of the teacher at the front and the large man walked up to Shiota's desk and tapped him on the shoulder. Hirokazu shot up, "huh?"

"Mr. Shiota," Hirokazu turned to the much taller, and larger, teacher said firmly, "it's only the second day of school and this is the second time you have gotten in trouble. What do you have to say for those actions?"

"Umm," Shiota blinked his eyes a few times to wake himself up, breathed into his hand, and sniffed, "Got any breath fresheners? I got morning breath." Muffled giggles sounded throughout the classroom. The brooding teacher pushed his glasses higher on the bridge of his nose and folded his arms. The silent laughs quickly ended.

"I expected this from you Shiota," the teacher spoke, "prove me wrong, but right now, stand outside."

"But…" The dark-haired teacher interrupted Hirokazu once again and pointed towards the door. Hirokazu looked in the general direction and sighed, "Fine." Hirokazu stood outside to serve his punishment.

The dark-haired teacher stared at the door for a moment, `Shiota, you seem different from the rest of the troublemakers I've worked with.' He polished his glasses again, walked to the front of the room, and started teaching again.

~*~

Yuko impatiently sat in the living room both she and Kenshin rented out. Many thoughts raced through her mind, jumbled up in a web of countless positive and negative thoughts. Some thoughts were about Ryo, some about his lover Juri Katou, and some about his child, `One day before this child is born, my grandchild.' Yuko thought. She looked over to the closed bedroom door, where Juri slept, `Why am I so nervous?' she looked down at her shaky hands, `everything will be okay. The child will come healthy.' A sound of a door creaking reached the ears of Akiyama's foster mother and she quickly turned to face the door. A slightly sleepy Juri Katou walked out, "Good morning, Mrs. Akiyama."

"Good morning dear," Yuko smiled as she walked closer to Katou, "are you feeling okay? No sickness or anything?"

"Nope," Juri said cheerfully, "no sickness, I think I'm past that stage."

"That's good," Yuko placed her hands on her shoulders, "I would like to talk to you for a moment." Juri nodded and sat beside the foster mother on a couch. "I'd just like to talk to you from one mother to a future mother. I know both you and Ryo have been waiting for this day for a very long time, and I see you two are ready for this child. I would like to just be the first to say congratulations."

Juri smiled, "wow, thank you Mrs. Akiyama…" Her smile quickly faded away and her head slowly looked down to the ground. Yuko quickly noticed the sudden change of face.

"What's wrong dear?" the foster mother asked.

"I'm worried about how Keishinko will grow up," Juri looked up at Yuko again, "she'll be different from other children. I don't know what she'll go through being half-digimon, like in school."

"Keishinko will grow up fine," Yuko reassured, "if she's anything like her mother, she'll face those challenges head on and show her strong will of determination." Juri smiled and hugged the foster mother.

"Thank you." Juri said softly; Yuko replied with a silent smile. Katou released the hug and Yuko walked off to take care of some chores.

Juri sat quietly by herself, thinking about the conversation she just had, `Strong will of determination,' the future mother thought, `like a lion.'

~*~

Shibumi sat quietly in the slightly lighted mud hut, staring into his computer screen aimlessly at millions of lines of data and numbers, baffled by the mere imperfection that created the high percentage of the pessimistic outcome. At this rate, the highly anticipated births of the hybrids are to be shattered by a simple problem that even Shibumi couldn't figure out. `The answer is so simple, yet highly complex and merely impossible,' Shibumi thought as he rubbed his eyes, `without the factor of death.' Shibumi typed in even more data that he had hypothesized may have brought a simple solution that wouldn't bring any deaths, but was unsuccessful once again. He slammed his fists on the dirt beside him, mumbling incoherent swears he hadn't muttered in so many years.

"Still working like a dog," a voice spoke from behind. Shibumi turned around to see his long time friend and co-worker Janyuu Lee standing, "ay Mizuno Goro?"

"You haven't called me by that name since we first met Janyuu," Shibumi wearily said, followed by a tired-sounding chuckle, "why the sudden change in what you call me?"

"You know," Lee walked closer to his friend, "we all need a little change in our lives. You and I both proved that even the most subtle of changes could bring along a whole evolution."

Mizuno chuckled again, "I think we both learned that the hard way."

"If you call your children trying the save the world from a killer deletion program with monsters of data we created as a game the "hard way," then I would agree." Janyuu joked as he took a seat by the laboring Shibumi "Mizuno." "Have you found a way to avoid the ill-fated omen of my grandson and the rest of the hybrids?"

"Not yet," Shibumi typed more into his computer, "but I feel I am getting closer and closer with every failed attempt." He completed his series and clicked. An error message popped up again. Shibumi pounded the ground in frustration. "Apparently that will not work either; we shall try another method…." Mizuno tried another method, but again no avail.

"We have to find a way to prevent the children from dying," Janyuu looked at the computer screen, "they can't lose their lives five minutes after they're born. They just can't."

Shibumi sighed, "Tao, may I ask you a question?" Janyuu nodded, "when all of us were working on the Digimon project how many years ago, did you have any doubts in your mind about the project?"

"Of course," Janyuu answered, "doubts about if we would be successful, if the game would be great, if we got our funds cut for the project. You should know, you were the most determined to complete the project out of all of us. You were like the "Wild" in "Wild Bunch.""

"I know," Shibumi smiled at the comment made about him. His face quickly became solemn, "but even I had doubts when we were on the project."

"Oh? Like what? You seemed to have full confidence in the project." Janyuu was now intrigued that even Shibumi doubted the Digimon project.

"All inventors, philosophers, scholars have always had a slight doubt about their incredible discoveries, even if they say they don't have doubts," Shibumi said, "I know it was originally created as a video game, but to me it seems that something was amiss when we were working on it. I really can't find out what seemed wrong at the time, but while working on the current problem, I think I know now what that doubt in my mind was."

"What was it?" Janyuu asked.

"This," he pointed at the sky, the ground, and all around him, "all of this."

"I don't understand." Janyuu said confused by what his friend was telling him.

"The Digital World, the Digimon," Shibumi placed his hand on his chin, "I was afraid that we were playing God. It's a video game, I know, but we're sitting here in our own creation.

"Well, the rest of us never had a doubt like that in our mind. We all thought all of this would be just a video game," Janyuu continued, "We never expected them to become full fledged living organisms."

"Then it must have just been me then," Shibumi told his friend, "I guess I was the only one with that feeling."

"That's incredible," Janyuu said astounded by what his friend has just told him, "You're telling me you seemed to know that they might be living beings years before the children got their partners?"

"Call me crazy," Shibumi looked at his colleague, "but yes. That's why I never contacted any of you for that long. I thought you would all consider me crazy."

"Too late for that," Janyuu laughed, "but look at us now. We're living in their world."

"I suppose," Shibumi looked down at his computer again then turning to Lee again, "I didn't want to tell you this, but I suppose it's the best time." Janyuu just nodded, "I believe that your son will be the first one to start an evolution in Digimon history."

"Wow," Janyuu smirked, "my son. Saving the world and starting an evolution, a little hard to swallow if you ask me."

"Wouldn't blame you," Shibumi smirked, "Now let's get back to work on this solution to the birth. We wouldn't want to be blamed for a halt in evolution." Janyuu nodded and the two programmers got back to work on a solution.

~*~

The bell sounded, ending the first class of the day. Takato, Ryo, Kenta, Hirokazu, and Karen all met in the same spot in front of a drinking fountain with not many people around.

"Hey Takato, where were you yesterday?" Kenta asked.

"I woke up late," Takato rubbed his eyes, "and then after school, I had to go home immediately to serve out my punishment."

"Sucker," Hirokazu laughed, "never knew you ever came late to school."

"Yeah, well there's a first for everything," Takato quipped, "doesn't matter, it was the first day of school. I just had to pick up my classes and that was it." Takato looked over to Karen, "have we met before?"

"Oh, forgot you weren't here," Kenta walked between Takato and Karen, "Takato, this is Karen. She's a digimon tamer too."

"Nice to meet you," Takato smiled and shook her hand, "so, whose your digimon?"

"Devidramon," Karen said.

"Whoa," Takato was surprised at first, but quickly got over it, "that's cool. How'd you two meet?"

"He came crashing through my window, and I nursed him back to health," Karen told the story about her and Devidramon. She went through the entire story, including the part about how they became lovers.

"Oh, that reminds me," Takato turned to Ryo, "how's Juri?"

"She's doing well," Ryo smiled, "I think we're both ready for her."

"Tomorrow's the big day," Takato told Ryo, "I'll be the first to congratulate you."

"Thanks, but how did you know its tomorrow?" Ryo asked.

"Word spreads quickly," Takato smirked, "but that doesn't matter. What matters is that the baby will be born healthy."

"Who's giving birth, Ryo?" Karen asked, "Your mother?"

"No," Ryo shook his head, "my girlfriend."

"Your girlfriend is giving birth tomorrow? You're going to be a father already?" Karen asked loudly. A couple of students nearby turned to look at the group strangely. Ryo looked at them embarrassed and waved sheepishly. The other group of students turned around again. The rest of the group snickered.

"Yes," Ryo said quietly, "and lease, don't say it so loud. I'm trying to keep it on a really low profile."

"Sorry," Karen sweat dropped, "is it a boy or a girl?"

"Girl," he answered, hesitation hinted in the Legendary Tamer's answer, "digimon hybrid."

"What?" Karen asked, surprised, "Digimon hybrid?"

"You see, my girlfriend had," Ryo tried to think of a word that wouldn't bring so much attention towards them, "relations with her digimon, but her digimon was deleted in battle."

"That's new," Karen said, and then smiled, "well, congratulations."

"Thanks," he replied, still embarrassed by the conversation because of the volume of it, but he accepted the congratulations nonetheless. Just then, the bell rang, signaling the end of the break and the beginning of the next class. The group sighed as they bid farewell to each other and made their way to their classes.

~*~

Sagittarimon stood up, chest high as guard of the little village the group has taken as sanctuary with Puttimon on his shoulder. They looked out for their schizophrenic master, hoping his evil side wouldn't come looking for them. Sagittarimon turned to the little cupid digimon, "you don't think the Master is really evil."

"He told us," Puttimon spoke, "he was taken by will by that human just for his powers."

"Are all humans that evil then?" Sagittarimon asked.

"No," the cupid digimon answered, "you've seen Master Rena's human lover. He is kind to her and to other digimon such as us. That is why we must protect them, and Master Rena."

"But Master Anubimon said he was really never fond of humans in the first place." Sagittarimon pointed out.

"That was the Master's decisions," Puttimon said, "but he has changed to accept them as equals. Although he still slightly dislikes them, and I believe that's what his evil side has taken advantage of."

"Interesting," the giant centaur-like digimon thought. He looked down at his quiver of arrows, "I swear, by the ChronDigizoid arrows I wield, that you Master will be rescued from the evil grips of the evil human." Puttimon watched his colleague as he made the pledge.

`We shall see,' Puttimon thought, `but what will become of us without the Master?'

~*~

Both Jenrya and Renamon woke up about the same time, finding each other by one another. Lee was the first one to rise to his feet, followed by Renamon. As the couple emerged from the small hut in which they slept, Ruki and Terriermon greeted them.

"Mo-men-tai!" Terriermon hopped up on Lee's shoulders, "about time you wake up."

Ruki walked up to Renamon, "are you feeling okay?" Renamon gave a silent nod.

`Have you two seen my dad?" Jenrya looked around.

"I think he went into there," Ruki pointed to the left of them to another mud hut. Jenrya walked closer to the mud hut, hoping he could talk to his dad some more about him being a father. He walked in to see both his father and Shibumi huddled around a computer, "Dad?" Jenrya said. Janyuu and Shibumi quickly shut the laptop and turned around quickly.

"Y…yeah, what is it Jen?" Janyuu quickly said. Jenrya could that there was something his father and Shibumi was hiding from Jenrya.

"Are you hiding something from me?" Jenrya asked.

"No, son," Janyuu said, slightly nervously, "what's wrong?"

Jenrya hinted that there was something wrong, but he decided to drop it, "Um, dad, I've been thinking about what you told me this morning and I believe that I'll be ready to become a father."

"That's good Jen," Janyuu patted his son on the back, "that's good you came to a solid decision. I knew that you would make the right decision no matter what."

"I'm going to go outside to see how Renamon is doing," Jenrya said, "I just wanted to tell you that." Janyuu nodded as Jenrya walked outside. `They are hiding something,' Jenrya thought as he walked outside into the heat, `and I think its something they don't want me to find out about.' He leaned against the wall right beside the door and carefully moved his head closer to the doorway in an attempt to listen to the conversation. He stood perfectly still.

"That was close," Janyuu sighed quietly, "he almost found out."

"Yes," Shibumi opened the laptop again, "but I don't understand why you don't just tell him in the first place. I think he's mature enough to face this challenge." Jenrya leaned closer to the doorway to hear what his father would say next.

"I don't know," Janyuu took a seat by Shibumi, "he may, but it might devastate him. This is the time in a boy's life where they start to hate us parents, and I don't want him to start thinking I'm lying because of his son's birth. Besides, he wouldn't believe me."

"Jenrya is different from other teenagers though," Shibumi turned his head from the computer screen to Janyuu, "he has learned so many things and how to deal with them that I believe will make him strong enough to accept the harsh truth."

`Harsh truth?' Jenrya thought as he listened to the two programmers, `what harsh truth?'

Janyuu wiped the sweat off his forehead. He now had a decision that can either devastate his son or not. Janyuu and Shibumi sat in silence as Jenrya waited secretly at the doorway to hear what this "harsh truth" was. Shibumi went to work on his computer again as the elder Lee sat quietly, pondering the painful choice he had to make. Jenrya started to ease off the doorway, trying to figure out what his father and Shibumi were discussing. `This has to be bad,' the youthful Lee thought, `harsh truth? What would be so bad that…' Jenrya stood in the sun, and suddenly a thought of what his father may have been talking about passed his mind, `No,' Jenrya thought, slightly fearing that what he may have been thinking was actually true, `could it be that there are problems with the children?' A chill ran through Jenrya's body, a chill that only brought uncertainty. `No, this can't happen. I have to be wrong,' Jenrya clenched his fist half in anger, half in fear. Jenrya was about to rush in on his father and Shibumi, but suddenly he realized someone was behind him. He quickly jerked his whole body to see Renamon standing silently in front of him. Renamon immediately noticed something troubled the father of her child.

"R…Renamon," Jenrya stuttered silently.

"What's wrong Jenrya," Renamon asked.

"Nothing," Jenrya regained his composure, but nervousness could still be heard slightly in his voice, "I just had to ask my father something, but I'll just ask him later."

Renamon's eyes sharpened and Jenrya knew that Renamon's eyes sharpened only when she knew someone was lying or something was wrong. Ironically, there WAS something wrong and Jenrya WAS lying. Lee stared nervously back at Renamon, but lost his composure. In disappointment, his head tilted toward the ground and his eyes closed. Tears slowly started to form as he sighed. "Renamon, I have to tell you something." Jenrya solemnly said.

"Jen," Janyuu spoke from behind, "what's wrong?" Jenrya turned around and faced his father; his eyes welled up with future tears. He tilted his head again and shook it slowly.

"Please dad," Jenrya softly and solemnly whispered, "Please tell me it's not true." Janyuu looked at Shibumi, and both programmers immediately realized what Jenrya was talking about. Janyuu walked up to his son and placed his hands on his shoulders.

"I'm sorry son," Janyuu whispered, "I should have told you sooner."

~*~

The school bell chimed and echoed through the quiet halls of the two-story school. Immediately, the halls flooded with eager teenagers trying to rush out of the school as quickly as they could. The most noticeable of these rushing teenagers was a brown-haired boy with spiked up hair that looked and acted more mature than any normal student. He pushed aside his peers hoping he could get out of school as fast as he could to get home to his pregnant girlfriend, "excuse me, pardon, excuse…" he quickly said while pushing through the sea of students. `Man, I hope Juri's okay,' Ryo thought as he struggled to free himself from the mass of students, `just one more day.' Akiyama smiled at the thought that he was going to be a father soon. He finally cleared the large mass of students, and was ready to sprint home, but stopped by Takato and the others.

"Hey Ryo," Takato waved his hand to try to get Ryo's attention. Ryo walked over to Takato.

"You probably knew this already, but I'll tell you anyway. Juri wants all of us to come over to their house tonight." Takato said. The dinner party was new to Ryo

"No I didn't know that," Ryo thought aloud, "Okay, I'll see you there tonight!" Roy then ran off towards his temporary home. `Just one more day until my life changes, for the better.'

~*~

Ryo and Juri, accompanied by both Yuko and Kenshin Akiyama walked up the steps of the Katou home. All four of them looked up at the large estate, "Why do you think my father would invite everyone to my house? I can understand if it were just us, but all of my friends too?" Juri asked Ryo.

"I really don't know," Ryo looked towards the door, "but it's probably for the best. I trust your dad. He probably has his reasons." Ryo then looked at Juri and smiled. Juri returned the smile.

"Come on kids," Kenshin placed his hand on both of their shoulders as the group of four walked up the steps to the door. They rang the doorbell and after a few seconds, the door opened, and Shizue Katou, Juri's stepmother, greeted the group.

"Hello," Shizue warmly greeted, along with a smile, "Come in, come in. I think everyone is here now."

The four walked into the now crowded living room. All of the tamers that were actually in the Real World were there. Takato, Kenta, Hirokazu, and Karen, all with their respective elders sat in the living room, waiting for this "meeting" to start. All in the room noticed the four walks in, and immediately they started to greet them, congratulating them, giving them blessings, and other such words of advice. The couple accepted every single word given by everyone. The doorbell rang again, and then Mayumi Lee entered the room.

"Hello everyone," Mayumi greeted the group.

"Where's Jenrya?" Ryo was the first to ask.

Mayumi's smile slowly became a slight frown, "he went to the Digital World to find Janyuu and Renamon." With the mention of Renamon missing, the room gasped. Immediately, the talk quickly became about Renamon missing. "Don't worry everyone, I have faith in Jen. He probably found both of them by now."

"That's good," Juri smiled slightly in relief, "I hope Renamon's baby will be born healthy as well."

Jack leaned over to Karen, "hey, Karen, what are all of them talking about?" Karen realized that Jack had no idea about Digimon or the pregnancies that three of the Tamers had. She had no problem understanding it because Kenta explained it to her, but she was wondering how she would explain it to her brother. Also, how would she explain about Devidramon?

"Um, well you see," Karen turned to her older brother, "ever hear of those Digimon on T.V a while back?" Jack nodded, "well, all of us in here learned how to live with them. They're all Tamers, and we all have a digimon." Karen hoped Jack would accept those facts.

Jack sat quietly in thought for a moment, "So, you're saying that those things that almost destroyed the world are with your friends as lovers?" Karen nodded. Slowly, each of the Tamers and their respective guardians turned their attention towards the conversation. The brown haired older brother looked around to see that he and younger sister was now the center of attention. "I'm sorry, but I don't really know what's going on here."

Mayumi stood up and walked over to the new elder in the group. She smiled, "it must be overwhelming to find out your sister has a monster as her friend, but do not be alarmed. All of us in here learned to accept the fact that our children have Digimon as friends, and some as lovers, and it is a hard fact to swallow. But you must understand, Jack, that all of the children in this room, including your sister is maturing faster than any normal teenager."

Jack looked at his sister for a moment. A brotherly smile crept along the legal guardian's face, "I knew you were special compared to others. I mean that in a good way. Karen, I see that you are a Digimon Tamer now, and I can accept that." Jack nodded. Karen jumped up and hugged her brother, "Thank you." Jack smiled, `besides, maybe it can take her mind away from our past, our parents…" The dark-haired older sibling shook off his thoughts and turned his attention towards the others once again.

"Dinner's ready," Shizue Katou politely interrupted the conversations going on in the large room. The room immediately emptied into the main dining room, where a feast of food lay on the table. The group of children gawked at the amount of food. The parents simply smiled. "Everyone, take a seat and help yourselves to the food." Shizue smiled politely. Each Tamer took their seats, but before they were about to start to eat, Tadashi Katou entered the room. Everyone turned his or her attention the Katou patriarch. He walked slowly to the head chair, but before he sat down, he looked around and gave a warm, friendly smile.

"Hello," Tadashi said, in a friendly tone, "tomorrow will be a big day. Tonight, we will celebrate ahead of time. Everyone, eat."

The environment of the dining room turned from tense back to joyful. Everyone expected something different from Tadashi-san, but was pleasantly surprised by his sudden change in attitude. With the tension gone, the guests immediately started to eat. Each guest had their own thoughts running through their heads as the others started conversations.

Alice sat silently, thinking about what was going to transcend tomorrow, `I hope she'll be born healthy,' Alice took a bite out of her food, `my first child. Dobermon and my child.' Rob looked over to his granddaughter and noticed her small smile. He couldn't help smiling also.

Takato glanced at his parents every now and then, `Hope they don't find out about me and Ruki,' He looked around, `and hopefully Ruki is okay.' Takato took a drink of juice and returned to monitoring the room.

Juri was sitting right beside Ryo. Katou leaned over to Akiyama, "can you believe this. I thought it would never work out and now, here, my father is throwing a party for our child."

"Kind of hard to believe, but here we are." Ryo smiled, and quickly kissed Juri. Both groups of parents caught the slight sign of affection and just smiled at it.

`My Juri,' Tadashi thought, `she's growing up so fast…'

Karen turned to her brother, "good food isn't it?" Jack nodded, "are you okay about this whole digimon thing?"

Jack turned to his little sister, "Yeah, it's alright. We went through this already, trust me, it's completely okay with me." He got back to eating.

Karen hesitated for a moment, "Um, can I tell you something else?" Jack nodded.

"What would you say if I love a digimon?" Karen asked hesitantly. Jack almost choked at the phrase, but was able to evade it.

"Well, I'd be surprised;" Jack wiped his mouth with his napkin, "Are you really?" The short-brown-haired girl nodded. The older brother sighed, "I have no complaints. If you love him, or it, then you love him. I can't do anything about it."

Karen kept staring at her brother, `that was too easy; he must be holding something back..................'

---

After dinner, the group gathered in the main living room, where Tadashi stood in front, "I would just like to say thank you all for coming tonight. Tonight and especially tomorrow, mean a lot to my little girl as well as the others that are expecting. I realized over these few days that my daughter, and the others, is special, and that their children will be special as well. I just know it." He looked around the room for one last time and raised his glass to the air, "to our children, and the ones to be born. You truly showed all of us the truth and the path."

~*~

Jenrya sat in the dark corner. He didn't know what to do anymore. His optimism was almost completely gone, and most of his heart filled with lies and sadness. `Why,' he thought solemnly, `why our child.' He eyes filled with tears again, `for the past months, Renamon and I prepared for this. We faced all these challenges, all the trials, and all the intolerance for my parents, to find out it's all a lie! It's a damn lie that was never meant to be! Our child…' Janyuu sneaked into the small dark building.

"Jen," he asked quietly, "are you okay?"

"Why dad," Jenrya repeated what he kept repeating in his mind, "why me and Renamon's child? Our son?"

Janyuu didn't know what to say. He was full of fatherly advice, but now he had none. What can he do? He had no power over any of these events. "Sometimes, Jenrya, things don't go our way. We were all looking forward to your son as well as the other's children. I'm sorry son. But there's hope, we still have a chance." Jenrya remained silent.

Just then, Shibumi ran into the room.

"Jenrya, Tao, there may be a way to save the child." Shibumi exclaimed. Jenrya shot to his feet quickly.

"How?" Jenrya ran up to Shibumi, "how can we save my son?"

"It's a complicated process," Shibumi said, "but…"

"No, we have to start now." Jenrya was full of life and hope again. He raced out of the building to find Renamon.

"What is this process?" Janyuu asked Shibumi.

"Like I said, it's complicated," Shibumi took his goatee within his thumb and index finger, "and I'm sorry to say it, but it's almost impossible."

Janyuu sighed, "Still we have to try." Shibumi nodded.

"Follow me," Shibumi lead him outside, "it's going to require something very hard to get."

---

Jenrya ran towards the end of the small village, tears flowing from his face. They weren't tears of sadness anymore, but tears of relief. He finally found Renamon standing on top close to the end of the village. "Renamon!" Jenrya yelled with excitement, "Our child will survive!"

Renamon turned and found Jenrya immediately in her arms. "There is a way! Our son will be born."

Renamon smiled, "thank the gods." The Tao fox nuzzled her nose into the blue hair of her lover, tears now forming in her eyes. "But, Jenrya, something worries me." She looked towards her outer shoulder, "He's here."

Jenrya looked up, "let him be for the time being. We will have our child, healthy, and alive. Forget about him." Renamon turned down towards Jenrya and nodded. She lowered her head, and kissed the blue-haired soon-to-be father. The two stood there in silence, still in that position, not wanting to let go.

---

Pharaoh Anubimon stood atop the cliff that led down to the small village. He watched as Renamon and Jenrya spoke, then they hugged each other, and finally kissing each other.

"Well what do you think of that," Pharaoh Anubimon spoke to his inner self.

I don't care, as long as Rena is happy, I shall live without guilt, with or without her heart.

"Don't give me that bullshit," Pharaoh Anubimon said, "you know you completely despise that Jenrya boy."

Look, stay away from them!

"Let's have a little fun shall we?" Pharaoh Anubimon smirked evilly. He was about to jump down the cliff, but was suddenly stopped from within.

You will not attack them! Even if it takes every single piece of data I have, I will stop you!

"You don't know what your doing!" Pharaoh Anubimon yelled at himself, "You know damn well that you want to kill that kid who took Renamon away from you!" The true Anubimon kept silent as he desperately tried to take control of the body once again. Finally, he took over again.

"I don't know how much more my mind can take," Anubimon thought to himself, "before he completely takes over. Rest well tonight Rena, I shall make sure I won't attack."

It's just a matter of time, little Anubi, until l control you for good! It's just a matter of time until I do and kill those kids!

(End of Tuesday)

~*~*~

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I worked hard on it. One thing I would like to mention, as Mating Season reaches its three-year "birthday." I would like to thank everyone who has helped me with the progress to the story, as well as all the people who read the story. It's slowly coming to an end. Everyone be patient, and all your waiting will be worth it. Please R&R! BTW, this will be the last e-mail update I will send because the list is kinda huge and hard to maintain. Just check every now and then to see if it's updated. Thanks again to everyone.

---Dexstrosity the LdOFDestruction