Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ The Outcast ❯ Goodbye ( Chapter 5 )

The Outcast

Chapter 5: Goodbye

by Silver

*All-too-standard-disclaimer: I don't own any aspect of Digimon (creatures, characters, storyline, etc). If I did, this story would have aired after 02! So there!*

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"When I find myself fading, I close my eyes and realize my friends are my energy."
-Anon

The sky was so dark that she wondered if she had actually opened her eyes. It was only until she waved her hand, now colored in gray hues, in front of her face that she knew she was awake. The ground was cold and slimy. She could feel some sort of gel clinging to the back of her clothing. Dampness crept all over her skin and her hair was matted to her face. She brushed chocolate strands away from her eyes and peered around.

The first surprise was that she was back in her high school uniform. She never thought she'd be wearing it again. But that surprise paled to the sight that surrounded her. Tall buildings thrust up from the ground at odd angles. One tilted so far towards the ground it looked as if it would fall over. Another tower actually grew out from a stone monument. A large stone ball teetered on the point of a cone. Everything was dark shades of black and gray, and trimmed with green slime. She shivered. There was an eerie darkness about this place. A hideous presence reached out from every stone and black puddle.

"Where the hell are we?" She spun around at the sound of a voice behind her. Several tall boys in school uniforms shook their heads and peered around nervously as they stood up. They looked familiar, but her mind was clouded and she couldn't place the faces.

Then one of the boys looked at her. He was handsome with dark black hair and piercing eyes. M-Mu…Muri? Yes. His name was Muri. She remembered being terrified of him at one point, yet now he seemed just as afraid as she was.

A loud plop echoed off the oddly structured buildings, followed by a loud thud. plop…Plop… *THUD*…*THUD*… Plop…*THUD*… PLOP… The sounds grew ever closer with clear determination. Sometimes the plopping sounds came before the loud thud, which sounded like a footstep; other times, they came afterwards, or never at all. There didn't seem to be any pattern. It was as if something were dripping as it approached.

She staggered back away from the sound, or was she moving towards it? The ground rose and fell in jagged sections with no level plane. The buildings made it hard to determine which was really up. She felt even more disoriented as the sound grew closer, the echo concealing its direction. The… thing that was approaching seemed to drain the energy out of her.

"AAAAHHHHHHH!" A shriek from one of the boys grabbed her attention. One of Muri's associates was surrounded by a swarm of toad-like creatures. They were tall and lean with round heads and webbed feet. Their bodies seemed to be a sea of rippling darkness with pale eyes gazing out from blank faces. There were no mouths, no noses, no ears, just those soulless eyes.

Suddenly, they were all around her; climbing out of nooks and crannies, wobbling towards them on weak legs. Despite their terrifying appearance, there was an odd frailty about them. She was sure she'd seen them before, but it was so hard to remember.

"Get away from me!" One of Muri's friends turned to run toward her.

The creatures saw him moving towards her. "Protect the Queen!" They flung themselves forward, falling upon the running man like a tidal wave. The man screamed and kicked to break away, but the creatures pulled him into the swarm of darkness gathering around the buildings. His screams cut off abruptly as he vanished from sight.

The others could only stand paralyzed by horror as their companion vanished. The girl was even more shocked by her new title. Queen? Did she know these creatures? Were they her people? No. Something was wrong with that line of thought. A feeling of revulsion sprung up in the pit of her belly as she even considered the idea. It was then that she noticed the light fading around her.

There was no sun or moon to be seen, nor any stars, yet the darkness deepened by several shades. PLOP. A gob of frigged green gel landed on her shoulder. She jumped in shock and swept it off, then turned to look up. She screamed as she gazed up at a moving black mountain with fiery eyes leering down at her.

It was monstrous. Standing as tall and the buildings surrounding it, the creature seemed to ooze the green gel that covered the landscape from pours concealed in its abysmal body. Although it's body was the shade of midnight, its form suggested that it was wearing a large beaded necklace of some kind. Its head was large and oval shaped with tentacles wiggling around its upper lip. Two bat-like wings sprung out from a muscular body that stood on tree-trunk legs. Neither the legs nor the arms appeared human in design. They instead looked like even more tentacles wrapped around one another to form a limb. The creature's left arm sprouted five tentacles, forming a makeshift fist, the other was a hooked tentacle that wiggled greedily as the creature gazed at her.

"Remove the others." This creature's voice was deep and resonating. Even though she could not see the creature's lips moving, she could feel his voice tremble throughout the city.

"HA HA HA! Ah-ah-HA HA!" One of the Muri's friends began to laugh hysterically as he gaze up at the abomination. He spun and flung himself almost gleefully at the other creatures, which now seemed far less terrifying. He continued to laugh as he was pulled out of sight.

Muri's last remaining friend chose to scream in sheer terror and ran for what seemed like an opening. But there, in the darkness between two lopsided buildings, was a swarm of more toad-like monsters. They greeted him with open claws, and dragged him away before he had a chance to turn and run.

And then there were two. She looked at Muri, wondering if he'd go mad and start laughing, or simply turn and run. He chose the latter. Muri sprinted at another weak point in the creatures' ranks, but, instead of plowing through them, he veered towards an elevated patch of land and leaped over their heads onto an inverted window frame.

"Catch him!" The mountain's roar was deafening. The creatures slithered, crawled, climbed, and jumped after Muri. Each creature seemed to labor with every bit of movement they made.

The girl, now alone, looked back up at the black mountain. Terror clenched around her heart and she fought hard to maintain control of her mind, which screamed out as it tried to comprehend the bizarre monstrosity before her.

"Child of Light," the creature purred, "you have returned. Your reputation precedes you." The… thing reached for her with its larger tentacle arm. The remaining smaller monsters moved in closer to block her path.

"No…" She took a step back. "No!" The monster's darkness covered her field of vision. "NO! Keep away from me!"

"Kari!"

Kari Kamiya sat bolt upright, her face drenched in sweat and her heart racing. For a moment, she glanced around the room, trying to figure out where she was. It was a dimly lit room with white tiles and a chill air. The cool breeze caressed her burning skin as she glanced at the people next to her. Her mother, Izzy, and Mr. Takenouchi were all looking at her with concerned eyes.

"Kari? Are you alright?"

Kari blinked, "I-I'm fine. What happened?"

Izzy said, "You… um… had a relapse. You started to glow and then passed out." Kari sensed that he had omitted something, but that suspicion faded as she tried to gain a sense of her surroundings. They were still in the lab where she'd been tested. She was laid out on a bed near some equipment. A damp blanket covered her body. It was only then that she realized how much she'd been sweating. It was as if she'd experienced something so terrifying that her mind had blotted the memory out. She felt strangely numb as her heart slowed its beating.

Mrs. Kamiya said, "Kari, you were screaming in your sleep. Something about 'keeping away from you.' Do you remember what you dreamed about?"

"A… dream?" Kari looked down at the sheets for a moment. "No. I don't remember what I was dreaming about."

"Do you feel weak?"

"No. I'm fine."

Mr. Takenouchi asked, "Kari, can you get up? It's getting close to… the time."

Mrs. Kamiya looked at him sternly, "How can you ask about that at a time like this?"

Mr. Takenouchi sighed, "I don't have a choice. The camera crews are setting up and an audience is gathering. We can't back out now. It would look suspicious."

Time? Cameras? Audience? Gatomon. Now she remembered. She had to send Gatomon back to the Digital World. "How long was I asleep?"

"Three hours." Mr. Takenouchi gently took her hand. "Kari, I'm sorry, but we can't delay this any more. I pushed the time back as far as I could when I learned you'd fallen ill, but if we delay this much longer, it will look as if we're stalling for something to happen. There's enough time for me to go and get Gatomon, then meet you on the steps of the capital."

"The capital?" Mrs. Kamiya blinked, "We have to perform this show and tell routine in front of the capital?"

Mr. Takenouchi nodded. He looked exhausted. "They wouldn't allow it anywhere else. They want to make a powerful statement that the government is in control of this situation. They threatened to withdraw protection if we did this anywhere else."

Kari nodded. "I… I can do it." She suddenly remembered her earlier outburst. "I'm sorry, everyone. I didn't mean to-"

Izzy cut her off. "It's okay. We know what a hard time this is for you. Don't worry about it."

Kari thanked Izzy with a smile and looked up at Mr. Takenouchi, "Can I go with you to get Gatomon?"

Mr. Takenouchi sighed, a clear sign he wished he didn't have to answer. "You can't. An anti-Digimon group is rallying across the street from your apartment. They came almost immediately after hearing the news. I imagine G.O.D. set this up. The police are dispersing most of the crowd, but they're concerned about rioting. It's too dangerous for you to go there. I'll retrieve Gatomon and you'll be escorted to the capital. Police will protect you every step of the way."

"So… I can't even go home?"

"I'm afraid not. You'll have to go to the safe house right after the 'ceremony.'"

Mrs. Kamiya said, "Don't worry, Kari. Your father and I will go back over there tomorrow and we'll pick up all our things and bring them to the new house. You don't have to worry about anything." Her arrusance rang hollow with doubt.

Kari nodded wearily. Please, just make this all go away! "Okay… okay. I'll do it."

Mr. Takenouchi's shoulders relaxed. "Thank you for understanding, Kari. I won't be long. Get some rest. Izzy will escort you out to a waiting car. He'll ride with all of you to the capital. I'll be there ahead of you." There was a strong note of shame in his voice.

* * * * * * * *

Somehow, the path to the Kamiya residence seemed longer than usual. Or maybe it was the weight of losing a friend that slowed him down. Either way, it felt like ages since Davis has left home and headed for his friend's house. He knew that Kari would probably still be at Mr. Takenouchi's lab, but he wanted to greet her when she returned home.

Now that Veemon was gone, he didn't have anyone he could use as an emotional crutch, and that was fine by him. He had to be strong to endure all of this, for both Kari's sake and his own. Relying on another person, human or Digimon, wouldn't help matters. But he missed Veemon terribly.

People passed by him like waves in a vast ocean, their idle conversation as rythmic as waves beating up against the shore. For a moment, Davis envied the people around him for their simplistic lives. They weren't Digidestined, they didn't have to deal with the issues arising. They were the audience. They could react to events, but didn't have to endure the full emotional weight that came with each revelation. Davis would have given just about anything for that sort of detachment.

But then he shook his head. Wishing for good things wouldn't get him anywhere. He didn't want to be detached froom helping his friends. He was committed 100%; and that was final.

Turning the corner, Davis expected to see Kari's apartment in the same state he'd seen it for over ten years: quiet, peaceful, unobtrusive. He really needed to stop having such high expectations. The apartment complex in front of him was anything but quiet or peaceful, and it stuck out like a sore thumb.

A mob of angry protestors had amassed near the ground floor. Police in riot gear threatened with batons and pressed people back with large shields. The mob held up signs that read "Digimon go home!" "Death to the freaks!" "God hates Digimon!" and other nonsense. Sometimes, the stupidity of humans made Davis want to become a Digimon himself. Surly Digimon didn't hate diversity as much as humans did.

Or did they? Standing there, looking at ignorant and angry mob, Davis couldn't help but wonder if Digimon divided themselves into categories like humans did. Digimon could be divided among lines like vaccine/data/virus, or flyers/swimmers/land-dwellers, or they could be segregated based on their evolution levels. Anyone could divide Digimon into opposing groups. The thought made Davis shiver. I guess even Digimon can act stupid. He certainly hoped that wasn't the case, though. Dividing up a society into opposing clusters didn't accomplish anything; it only made things worse. Davis was beginning to realize that more and more.

He watched the crowd from the corner, not daring to get any closer. People were now throwing bottles and small rocks, trying to provoke the police. Davis wondered how long it would be before the police called for backup and began to arrest the whole group.

The immediate problem was how to get to Kari's apartment. There was no way the protestors would let him through, and the police wouldn't believe him when he told them he was Kari's friend. Davis knew he wasn't the brightest light bulb in the box, but he knew a hopeless situation when he saw it. True, he often attacked hopeless situations anyway, but this was one instance when fistfights wouldn't solve anything.

He was about to see if he could sneak around the back when a white car came around the corner with a familiar face at the wheel. "Mr. Takenouchi!" Davis waved his arms frantically.

Mr. Takenouchi spotted Davis and pulled over to the corner. He reached over and opened the door. "Get in! Quick!" Davis did as order. The car skidded away from the curb almost before Davis could close the door. Mr. Takenouchi said, "Sorry about the rush, but we're short on time. I also didn't want any protestors to see my face while picking you up. I imagine I'm pretty unpopular with this crowd."

Davis nodded, "I don't think this group likes anyone that much. Where's Kari?"

"She's safe back at the research center where I work. I came to pick up Gatomon and Mr. Kamiya before the meeting."

"Meeting?"

Mr. Takenouchi sighed, "Sorry, I keep forgetting that you haven't heard the latest news. The local officials want to make a public demonstration of Kari sending Gatomon back to the Digital World. They're hoping it will show that the government is looking out for the public's interest and increase public support for certain individuals. Kari's going to have to move into a safe house. There's too great a risk here."

"WHAT?" Davis jaw fell. "How am I supposed to see Kari if she's locked up? And what gives those stuffed shirts the right to decide where Kari sends Gatomon back to the Digital World?"

Mr. Takenouchi replied, "The truth is that the officials can do almost anything they please. They have the power."

For a moment, Mr. Takenouchi looked far older than his years. "Davis, you've spent a good portion of your life fighting against evil Digimon who sought power, right?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Were they wrong to seek power? Or was it their use of power that made them evil? Didn't you yourself need great power to defeat them?"

Davis replied hesitantly, "I just stuck with my friends. I don't have that much power."

"That's where you're wrong. You and all the Digidestined have power. Be it the power of friendship or the physical power of your Digimon, you all have some kind of strength that you use to your advantage."

Davis shifted uncomfortably. "What are you getting at?"

"What I'm getting at is this: it's not enough to simply wish for good things to happen. You have to find a way to make them happen. It's true that power can corrupt, and that the evil Digimon you've faced in the past were tainted by the terrible power they possessed, but power by itself is neutral, and it takes many forms. It's the user's intent on what to do with that power that establishes them as good or evil." Mr. Takenouchi patted a thick packet of papers resting between the driver and passenger's seats. "Take Digimon research, for example. The country that has the most information on Digimon has an edge over the rest, and whoever supplies that information has power over the government."

Davis blinked, "Power over the government?"

Mr. Takenouchi nodded, "Not control, mind you, but a strong influence. Governments aren't nearly as selfless as we'd like them to be. Their primary concern is their own security, and perhaps the welfare of their wealthier populace. The only way to guarantee governmental support for lesser causes is for someone to have a bargaining chip. If you have control of a resource that a government needs, then you have power. I've used my own power, the Digimon research, as a bargaining chip to gain protection for the Kamiyas. This packet is the first of several exclusive reports I promised to give to the Japanese government in exchange for protection for Kari and her family.

"But, even with all this research to bargain with, it's still not enough. I wanted to protect Kari and her family completely. I wanted to make it so that they could stay in their home and live their lives as close to normal as possible. But I failed. They have to move to a safehouse. I had neither the strength nor the means to make things work." He looked over at Davis with total seriousness in his eyes. "Find a way to make things work, Davis. Gain power so you can help other people. And be on guard against abusing that power for your own personal needs. If you can do that, you'll be a much better man than I."

Davis nodded absently. He wasn't sure he could do what Mr. Takenouchi described. "Um… where are we going?"

Mr. Takenouchi smiled, obviously aware of Davis' change in subject. "We're heading to the back entrance of the apartment complex. The police secured the rear entrance from protestors. It'll be much safer for us to enter and leave through there. We'll also use the back entrance to move the Kamiya's possessions from the apartment to the safehouse. I guess all we can do is hope for the best. This is taking a terrible strain on Kari." Mr. Takenouchi told Davis about Kari's glowing fit.

"Oh man…" Davis starred down at his feet while Mr. Takenouchi pulled up to a security check in. The police reviewed his papers and, after some hassling over Davis' presence, Mr. Takenouchi was allowed to pull in.

"I have to go get Gatomon and Mr. Kamiya. It'd be easier if you waited here."

Davis nodded, "Okay." It was then that he noticed a cellular phone lying beside the packet of Digimon information. "Mr. Takenouchi, does the safehouse Kari's gonna live in have a phone line?"

Mr. Takenouchi blinked, "Um, yes. It's a secure phone line, though. You have to enter a ten-digit password to get through."

"Could I have the number and password? And can I use your cell phone to make some long-distance calls?"

For a moment, it looked as if the elder man would have a heart attack. But then, a smile spread its way across his face. "Ahh. I understand. Glad to see you're taking my advice to heart." He reached into his briefcase and pulled out a sheet of paper. Handing it to Davis, he said, "Try to keep the calls short. I'm not made of money, you know."

Davis nodded, "I will. Thanks."

* * * * * * * *

The gentle rocking of the car did nothing to sooth Kari's emotions. She was sitting in the back seat, next to her mother and Izzy. Her head was pressed against the mirrored window. It was an odd feeling to be able to see the people outside while knowing she herself could not be seen. It made her feel like a spy.

She couldn't help but wonder if the safehouse she was going to live in would be wired. Would people be spying on her as well? I might still be just a test subject in a fancy cage. The thought made her stomach sink. She would have normally been sad at the notion of never seeing her friends in the outside world again, but, then again, she didn't have any friends to see. Kay was still terrified of her, and none of her other friends would want to see her after hearing Hitoshi Ikari's speech. The only people who would understand would be the Digidestined, and most of them were too far away. She doubted Davis, Ken, or Cody would be able to visit her at all.

It was then that Kari realized that Tai must have heard the news by now. He'd be furious that she hadn't called him. She wanted to believe that she'd kept it a secret so as not to interfere with his studies. Tai had decided he wanted to be the first ambassador to the Digital World; which made sense, given that he was the leader of the elder Digidestined. But the truth was that Kari hadn't contacted him because she was scared. It wasn't that she was scared of Tai, but rather, she was afraid of admitting the situation was out of control. In her mind, calling for Tai would be the same as hitting a panic button, because she usually called on Tai or TK when she needed saving.

The guard in the front seat, who had just finished speaking on a cell phone, said, "We'll be arriving at the capital soon. We'll enter the parking garage and meet Dr. Takenouchi inside, then proceed to the ceremony." Kari recoiled at his choice of words. It made the whole terrible event sound so planned and organized.

"Thanks." Izzy was short with his gratuity, but it didn't seem to bother the guards.

This is it. Kari mentally sighed. Today had taken forever. It was a day to be gotten through. No enjoyment, no relief, nothing. Kari could see the same void in the expressions of the people assembling. There were television crews, spectators, and a few anti-Digimon protestors.

To Kari's surprise, there were some pro-Digimon advocates standing near the stage. They held up signs saying "Equality among species," "Digimon are our dreams," "Digimon Forever," and a few other positive messages. Kari felt a slight bloom of hope well up in her body from seeing those messages. At least some people were willing to resist Hitoshi Ikari's words.

The car pulled around to the underground parking lot. Just as with the research building, security was tight. Kari and the others exited the car, and security escorted them to the main level. Stranding just inside the Capital's main entrance was Mr. Takenouchi, Gatomon, Mr. Kamiya, and, to Kari's great surprise, Davis.

"Davis?" The disbelief in Izzy's voice mirrored Kari's own. How did he always manage to show up just when things were looking bad for her? Having Izzy and Davis nearby provided a small sense or encouragement. The very presence of her two friends served as a reminder that Kari wasn't completely alone.

Davis smiled, "I bumped into Mr. Takenouchi on the way to Kari's apartment. He gave me a lift over here." He fell silent as Gatomon ran up to Kari.

"Hi Kari." She sounded excited, but there was an undertone of sadness in her voice. They both knew that this would be the last meeting they'd have for a while.

Kari leaned down and scooped her partner up in a hug. "Hi." She could feel her body trembling as she looked at Mr. Takenouchi. "How much time do we have?"

Mr. Takenouchi said, "One of the Prime Minister's delegates is going to give a short speech on Digimon and how this is merely a precaution in the interest of the public. It'll only take about half an hour at the most. I'm afraid you two will have to sit next to him as proof of the government's actions."

Kari nodded, "I see. That doesn't give us a lot of time."

"No. I'm sorry."

Kari shook her head. "It's alright, Mr. Takenouchi. You've done so much for us already. Thank you." She was trying to be nice, but those words really did hold meaning for Kari. She had thought that Mr. Takenouchi's primary concern had been human-Digimon relations, but standing amongst friends and family, she realized that he was just as concerned about her personal safety. Like it or not, this was necessary, but that didn't make it easy.

Kari looked back at Gatomon. "Gatomon, I will see you again someday. I promise."

Gatomon nodded, causing droplets of water to land on Kari's arms, "You're right. We'll be together again. I can't wait."

"Me neither. But, try to have fun in the Digital World."

Gatomon nodded, "'Kay. You too." Kari nodded as well, though she doubted either of them felt so confident.

Mr. Takenouchi said, "We need to go outside now. The speech will start in just a few minutes."
Kari set Gatomon down and wiped her eyes. "Alright. We're ready."

* * * * * * * *

"There are so many unknown variables with Digimon," the speaker droned on, "but it is easy to lose perspective and objectivity in these matters. Some would blame Digimon for a cloudy day, others say they are part of a conspiracy to take over the world. These baseless rumors and accusations can be overcome, however, through the government's research and testing of Digimon influence upon humans." The way he spoke, it made it sound as if Kari had spent the day in a government facility rather than Mr. Takenouchi's lab. One look at the audience showed that they were eating up almost every word.

"This latest development is but a link in a chain of events leading us to the ultimate truth on whether or not humans and Digimon can coexist. We are not exiling this Digimon." He gestured to Gatomon. "No, we are merely testing a theory. The actions we take in the future will be based upon the results of this test."

Test. Nothing but a test in the greater interest of human-Digimon relations. A "link in a chain of events leading to an ultimate truth." He made it sound good, but it was clear that he didn't really care. This was just a cloud of hot air and boasts.

"And now, we will embark on this new development together. Ms. Kamiya will send her Digimon back to the Digital World and will be taken to a classified location for protection and observation." Just like a bird in a cage.

Kari and Gatomon stood up. An aid brought a laptop over and held it in front of them. Kari had opened the portal before the start of the ceremony. Everyone agreed that it wouldn't be a good idea for everyone to see Kari use her D3. While the Digidestined had sent Digimon back to their world many times in the past, few people could actually make a positive identification.

"Goodbye, Gatomon." Kari ran her fingers gently across her partner's ear. "See you again."

The light from the portal reach out for Gatomon, "Bye, Kari." Gatomon's face became a blurred shadow as the light pulled her away and she vanished into the computer. The portal blinked red to show it was closed and the aid snapped the laptop shut.

The speaker said, "This concludes this public announcement." What should have been a final comment became a signal for questions. Reporters began shouting over one another, trying to pry answers out of Kari or one of the delegates.

"Sir? Can you offer any information as to the facilities this girl will stay in?"

"How does it feel now that your Digimon is not here?"

"What are your opinions of the Guardians Opposing Digimon and the actions the government has taken?"

"Miss, a statement? Please?"

Kari kept her eyes focused on her feet as Mr. Takenouchi placed his arm around her shoulders and guided her back inside. Izzy and Davis were waiting inside with solemn expressions. Davis reached out and gently took her hand in his while he walked beside her.

"Don't worry, Kari. This is only for a little bit." Great, now Davis was giving off false assurances as well.

There was a long moment of silence as they kept walking. Then, Davis spoke again, "I'll see you tomorrow. I'll stop by for a visit. Promise."

"How?" Kari asked in an empty voice. "Even I don't know where I'll live now."
Davis gave a hollow smile, "I know where. Mr. Takenouchi gave me the address."

Mr. Kamiya, who walked beside his wife and daughter, said, "That's great! Davis can keep you company while your mother and I gather our things back home."

Davis thumped his fist off his chest. "Yeah. Leave it to me. We'll have some fun tomorrow. Promise." Kari didn't believe him for an instant. She remained silent as their footsteps resounded down the empty hallway.

* * * * * * * *

The light of the portal faded, but all she saw was darkness. She absolutely refused to open her eyes right away. She knew that once she saw the world around her, she'd break down. This had been the first time in over seven years she'd gone to the Digital World without her partner. The very notion petrified her. It had been hard enough to say goodbye after the defeat of the Dark Masters, and that had been with Agumon and the others nearby for support. Now she was all alone, again.

Okay… count to ten.

One.

Everyone's back on Earth, you're on your own.

Two.

But that's okay.

Three.

At least you didn't show your fear to Kari.

Four.

Things would be much worse if she knew how scared you were.

Five.

Terrified, really.

Six.

So terrified you can't even open your eyes.

Seven.

Terrified of the silence.

Eight.

Terrified of sleeping in the dirt, just like before.

Nine.

Terrified of being alone.

Ten.

She opened her eyes.

The beauty of the Digital World surrounded Gatomon in all its splendor. Birds chirped peacefully and the cool summer breeze wafted through the treetops. Directional signs jutted out of every tree trunk in comedic chaos. Off on the horizon, a lake shimmered like a diamond. This was her home. This was where she'd spent more than half her life. This was the Digital World.

Oh, how she hated it.

It wasn't the world itself she hated, it was the memories. She hated the solitude. Hated the idea that this world that had only shown her cruelty and loneliness sine the day she'd hatched from her digiegg.

Gatomon's life had never been easy. While Agumon and the others had grown up happy and content on File Island, she'd struggled to survive every day of her life. She'd met plenty of Digimon, but none of them had wanted to stay with her. None of them had cared. They'd all just worried about themselves, too self-centered to think about anyone else. Her only true friend had been Wizardmon, a Digimon just as lonely as she was. His love for her had been so great that he'd died to protect her; something she wouldn't have expected from any other Digimon.

Aside from Wizardmon, the only person who'd ever given her the time of day had been Kari, and from the day they'd met Gatomon had felt the need to never leave her side. Gatomon considered herself more loyal to Kari than to the Digital World itself. Yes, this was her home, and she had a few friends here, but her reason for fighting was to fulfill Kari's dreams, not defend this world that had been so harsh to her.

It had been hard to say goodbye to Kari after they'd just met, but Agumon and the others had helped her cope. Still, even with their help, this world felt empty and lonely without her partner. It held no happiness, no dreams. Her life, her home, was on Earth by Kari's side.

She took a deep breath and let it out steadily. No point in dwelling on this. The best thing to do was the get moving. Keep moving, just like when she'd wandered around as a Salamon.

Maybe she'd go visit Andromon in Full Metal City.

After wandering around for who knows how long.

Eat at Digitamamon's dinner.

After starving for several weeks and crawling half-dead through a desert.

Then go spit on MaloMyotismon's grave.

Small payback after all those beatings and scars he gave you.

She could feel the reservoir of tears welling up inside of her. She'd only cried four times in her life. Once, when Myotismon had first beaten her. Again when Myotismon had thrown Wizardmon into the Odaiba bay. Her tears had stung the most when Wizardmon had died. And finally when she saw Wizardmon's ghost three years later. Crying wasn't easy for her. To survive as she had, one needed to give up the luxury of tears and face the harshness with a cold heart. It was either that, or break.

But she couldn't be cold anymore. Kari had given her a purpose, a life, and love. She couldn't just go back to being the distant, cold Gatomon who'd survived the Digital World.

Gatomon sunk to her knees and pressed her paws to the ground. Tears fell from her closed eyes as she tried to block out the world around her. "I CAN'T!" I can't face it again! I don't like this world! I don't want to stay here! I want to go home!" The tears pour out of her face, uncontrolled.

"Gatomon!" Her head jerked up at the sound of her name. A bright blue bundle of energy came bouncing up towards her.

"Veemon?"

"Hi!" He landed right in front of her with a big smile on his face. "Great to see ya again! Haven't seen you since that pizza party last week. Digital World feels kinda strange without Davis and the others round, huh? Well, don't worry about that. We'll have so much fun that the time'll fly right by and we'll be back with Davis and Kari before you can say "DNA digivolve." He offered her his hand. "C'mon. Let's go see what's new around this dump."

Gatomon could only stare with soaked eyes. "W-what are you doing here? If you're here then-"

A note of sadness crept into Veemon's smile. "Davis and I thought it'd be best if I took some time here and kept you company. Davis is gonna try to do the same for Kari."

Gatomon quickly brushed the tears away from her eyes in embarrassment. Veemon had never seen this side of her. What was he doing here? Didn't he realize that he'd given up something important? Something Gatomon would have killed to have? Why was he making such a sacrifice for her? What had she done to deserve it? In her shocked anger, she snapped, "Don't you realize that you can't go back?!"
Veemon winced slightly, but quickly recovered. Gatomon knew this was the side of her he'd seen the most. "Yeah, but that's okay. We'll just take some time out, okay?"

Gatomon stood up without taking Veemon's hand. She'd had been relatively close to the Digidestined Digimon, especially Agumon, Patamon, and Hawkmon, but she'd always kept a part of herself hidden from them. She didn't feel so close to them that she could bear her true feelings. Only Kari and Wizardmon could bring out her innermost secrets without fear or resistance. But now both of them were gone. Veemon was the only friendly face for her. Even though he wasn't her first choice for a companion in the Digital World, the fact was she needed him, or she'd lose her mind.

But what where they supposed to do? Wander around aimlessly? Eat till they grew fat? Play soccer day in and day out? No. That wasn't her style. She wasn't the type to just goof off. She needed a purpose.

Gatomon looked past Veemon to the world that had been so cold to her. There were Digimon out there who refused to accept her surrogate home, Earth. They refused humans and saw them as evil. If Gatomon couldn't be there for Kari, then she'd do her best to fulfill Kari's dream of Digimon and human's living together peacefully. She nodded, her mind made up.

"Thanks for the offer, Veemon, but I'm not here to play."

Veemon blinked, "Um… you're not?"

Gatomon said, "No. I'm not. I'm going to speak to as many Digimon as I can about the real world and how great it is. I'm going to speed things up here so Azulongmon will decide to open the portals again and let us go home. I'm going to make Digimon want to go to Earth." She stepped past Veemon and marched forward. "You coming?"

Veemon had an uncertain look on his face, but he nodded energetically. "You bet!" Gatomon was already several steps away.

With Veemon scrambling behind her, Gatomon continued to stride towards her new goal, her hopes fixed on the future.

* * * * * * * *

After saying goodbye to Davis and Izzy, the Kamiyas piled into a car with Dr. Takenouchi, who drove them down long and crowded streets towards the suburbs. Kari had no idea what to expect from this "safehouse." In her mind she imagined a barren white block of a house with bars on every window and security guards at the front gate. It was cold, uncaring, and foreboding. Kari shivered at the thought of living in a house like that.

What truly scared her in all of this was that she had to give up her life as she knew it. She couldn't go where she pleased, or see any of her friends. Her world was slowly diminishing into a tiny cage. This same fear applied to the Dark Ocean. The creatures that lived there wanted Kari to stay with them for all eternity. To give up her life as she knew it and serve their needs. She didn't want to disappear, she didn't want to lose her place. She wanted to stay where she was, with her friends and family. Unfortunately, the world seemed to deny her that one simple request every time.

The car rounded a corner, turning onto a very pleasant looking street. It surprised Kari that they weren't farther away from the city. She expected the house to be in the middle of nowhere. "Is this the place?"

Mr. Takenouchi smiled and nodded, "Yes. The safehouse is at the end of the block."

"Here?"

"That's right. What better place to hide than right under the public's nose."

Mrs. Kamiya arched an eyebrow, "Why do I get the feeling there's a condition to all of this?'

Mr. Takenouchi sighed, "I see you've noticed the pattern so far… Yes, there are conditions. Kari can't leave the house. If anything, the less time she spends outside, the better. She can go in the yard, but not beyond the front gate. There's too great a risk that people will recognize her. Susumu, you and Yuuko can go outside, although we've set up phone lines, Internet, and a fax line so that you can telecommute to work if you'd like."

Kari nodded. "But what about the neighbors? Won't they notice us?"

"That's not really a problem. The two houses on either side of your new home are staffed by security guards. There will always be at least four guards within hearing range. Most of the other people on the block are too busy to notice anything else. This area was chosen because upper-class citizens live here, and they keep very busy hours. A Monochromon could stomp down the street, and they'd barely look up from their paperwork."

The car pulled up to the sidewalk, and Mr. Takenouchi shut off the engine. Everyone piled out and looked at their new home. "Here we are." The house in front of them was anything but what Kari expected. It was a two-story house with windows letting in sunlight at every possible opportunity. The roof was covered in red shingle, and the siding was a light beige color. Bright green bushes and flowers grew along the edge of the white metal fence that politely discouraged unwelcome company. There was a large tree in the yard with branches reaching up towards one of the windows. The entire residence looked as if it had been plucked out from a dream home magazine.

"This is our house?" Kari's jaw fell.

Mr. Takenouchi allowed himself a self-satisfying smile. "I chose this house myself. I thought you might like it."

"Thank you, Mr. Takenouchi." Kari gave a polite bow.

Mr. Takenouchi said, "We'd best get inside before people notice us." The Kamiyas grabbed some overnight bags that Mr. Kamiya had packed earlier, and entered the building.

The inside of the house was less cheery. The walls were barren and white. A fold up table and a set of chairs were set up in an otherwise empty family room. A wooden table and a hanging set of cabinets divided the dinning room from the kitchen.

Kari ran upstairs to see the rest of the house. There was a bathroom and two bedrooms. One was slightly larger than the other, which meant that was where her parents would sleep. Kari was just fine with that. The room she would sleep in overlooked the backyard, and beyond that, the city skyline. The outside tree's branches ended just short of Kari's bedroom window.

Despite the unpleasant circumstances, Kari had to admit she liked this new house. It wasn't all that inviting right now, but it would probably be better once the Kamiyas set up their belongings.

"Kari!" Mrs. Kamiya called from downstairs. "Please come down. You have a message."

"Message?" Kari came downstairs and looked at her parents. There was a phone lying on the temporary table, and its message light was blinking.

Mr. Kamiya said, "Haruhiko says that the message is for you. He didn't say how he knew."

Kari frowned. She walked over to the phone and hit the message button. Mr. Takenouchi told her the password number was 786-456-7672. It took Kari a moment to realize that the letters spelled out Mr. Takenouchi's wife, Sumiko, and Sora. Kari keyed in the number while Mr. Takenouchi discussed matters with her parents.

The voice recording came on. "Hi, everyone, it's Tai." Kari felt her heart sink. "I hope everything's… well, I hope you like the new house. I'm talking to all my professors up here. I'm going to come home very soon, I just have to work out some study requirements. Kari, I'll be there in no time. Just hang in there!" There was no anger or resentment in his voice. No outrage at being left out. All Kari heard was the sound of a concerned older brother who was on his way to help.

She reached to place the phone back down when the line pinged. "Next message:" Kari blinked in surprise. "Hi, Kari."

Kari's eyes widened in shock, "TK?" The phone was back up to her ear even before she'd finished the name.

"I heard about what happened. I'm so sorry. If there's anything I can do, just give me a call. I'll keep my cell phone with my 24 hours. Don't hesitate to call anytime. My Mom and I are working out travel plans. I'm heading back to Odaiba as soon as I can. Please hold on, Kari. I can't wait to see you again." Kari could feel her body trembling. How had TK gotten this number? Even Kari didn't know the phone number.

"Next Message:" Another? "Hey, Kari!" Yolei's cheery voice came on the line. "I just wanted to let you know that I'll be seeing you in just a few weeks. Schools kinda harsh, especially with all these chauvinist teachers, but I'm working on clearing my schedule so I can see you soon. Talk to you later!" Kari smiled. Over the years, Yolei had decided that almost every man on Earth, except Ken, was a pig.

Kari waited to see if there were any more messages. There were five unheard messages. Each one from a Digidestined.

Sora and Matt called in unison. Sora said, "Hello, Kari. I'm so, so sorry to hear about what's happening."

Matt added, "Sora and I will be down as soon as we can, and I know TK is doing the same thing."

Sora finished, "We'll be there soon, so don't despair. We'll get through this together."

Cody was next. "Hello, Kari. I have to say that everything that's happened to you and your family is totally unfair and unjust. I hope to come by and visit you. Mr. Takenouchi is going to help clear me through security, so I will see you soon. Until then, goodbye."

Ken followed, "Kari, I'm going to see about coming over in the next few weeks. The paperwork for this sort of thing is a little monotonous, but Mr. Takenouchi can help speed things up. I'll be over as soon as I can."

Joe was next, "Hi, Kari, everyone. I hope this message finds you all in good health. I'm really, really sorry about what's going on. I'm going to try and come down very soon, but med school isn't easy to get around. Still, some things are more important than school, so I'm going to make sure I see you soon. Talk to you all later!"

Although the next speaker didn't identify herself, Kari knew it was Mimi. "Oh wow! The line's busy. Guess Davis really spread the word fast." Kari's eyes widened. Davis had called everyone and given out her number? Mimi continued, "Anyway, hi Kari! I'm nagging my parents to buy me some tickets. I'm on my way back to Japan so don't you worry your pretty head! We'll all be back together in no time. Well, gotta get to it. Byyye!" With that, the messages ended.

Kari set the phone down and stood there with a flurry of emotions running through her. Her friends, all her friends, were thinking of her and were on their way to help. None of them were angry about being kept in the dark, and none of them accused her or chided her. All they wanted to do was help. For the first time in what seemed like forever, Kari felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe things would work out.

Kari turned back to her family and Mr. Takenouchi. "That was Tai, and everyone else. I-I think Davis called them and told them how to reach me."

Mr. Takenouchi nodded. "Yes. Davis called them from my cell phone." He grumbled, "I can't wait to see my long-distance bill."

Kari knew she should have been angry with Davis for calling everyone without her permission. She hadn't wanted to disrupt everyone else's lives with her problem. But, she was happy. She could feel the love and support of her friends, even when they were so far away; and none of them would have known where to call if not for Davis. "Would you please thank Davis for me?"

Mr. Takenouchi nodded, "He asked to come over tomorrow when we bring you things. You can thank him in person, if you like." Kari nodded an affirmative.

With that, Mr. Takenouchi bade the family goodnight and left them to get ready for sleep. Beds had already been setup, although they weren't nearly as nice as the ones at home. Kari nestled into her sheets and lay her head down on the pillow. The ceiling above was unfamiliar and foreign, but this would be home for a while. She'd have to endure.

At least she knew her friends were on their way.

* * * * * * * *

Kari woke up late the next morning. The sun already glared down from high overhead. Her parents had let her sleep in apparently. Kari glanced outside the window. The day was sunny and cheerful, although it was clear that fall would soon set in. Kari hoped it wouldn't be too cold a winter.

Voices could be heard as Kari descended the steps.

"That was very nice of you, Davis."

"Naw. I just called our friends. They did the rest."

"Such modesty. Are you sure you're feeling well?"

"Ha ha." The latter remark was dripping with sarcasm.

Kari entered the family room to see her parents, Davis, and Mr. Takenouchi talking around the temporary table. Several large boxes were already strewn around the room.

Mrs. Kamiya's face brightened upon seeing her daughter. "Good morning, Kari."

"Good morning, everyone." Kari smiled.

Davis stood up, "This is a great house, Kari. I wish my family had a place like this."

Kari shrugged, slightly embarrassed. It hadn't occurred to her that this was the first time she'd lived in an actual house rather than an apartment. Some people would be jealous. "It is nice."

That comment seemed to have a very relaxing effect on Mr. Takenouchi. "I'm glad you like it. I was worried it wouldn't suit your tastes."

Mr. Kamiya said, "Now that Kari's up, why don't we finish bringing in all our stuff."

"Our stuff?"

"Yes. A moving van brought all our belongings over from our apartment. Mr. Takenouchi had everything cleared away last night so no one would interfere."

"That's great!" Kari turned towards the door.

"Kari, you don't have to help. Neither does Davis." Mr. Kamiya motioned her to sit down."

Kari frowned, "But what are we supposed to do in the meantime?"

Davis grinned and lifted a large folder onto the desk. Kari sat down with a bewildered expression. Davis explained, "The principle gave me this as a make-up set of work for school. They don't want me going back there, but they didn't cut me completely loose."

Kari sighed, "Lucky you."

Davis nodded solemnly. "I know. It's not fair to you. But, I was thinking… I'm not doing too well in school and I could use some help. And since the principle never said I couldn't get some help on this work, I was wondering if you'd like to work together on it?"

Mrs. Kamiya said, "I think that's a great idea!"

Mr. Kamiya nodded, "It'd be great practice for your teaching career, Kari. After all, if you can get Davis to learn this stuff, you can teach anyone."

"HEY!" Davis grimaced.

Kari laughed, "I'd love to help Davis." She knew that he was really helping her finish her high school education.

Mr. Takenouchi clapped his hands. "Well then, I guess we should finish unloading the truck and let you two study." The three adults went outside and Davis spread out the first set of reading assignments. There were papers for algebra, history, kanji, and English.

"Which one do you want to start with?" Asked Kari.

"Truthfully? None." Davis grinned.

Kari rolled her eyes playfully. "This is going to be a challenge." She would enjoy every minute of it.

--------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------

Things seem to be looking up for Kari, but there's still the matter of the Dark Ocean. Next chapter is coming soon!

Author's Note: Well, I hope that was less depressing than some of my other chapters. I want to promise everyone that this story will have a happy ending. I don't like angst stories. So, I will use my winter break to hopefully churn out a few more chapters at a greater pace.

In the meantime, let me wish all of you a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year!