Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ War Diaries: Adventures Zero-Three ❯ Reception ( Chapter 13 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

War Diaries

Entry 13 - Reception

By Lord Archive


Digimon and most characters in this series belong to Toei Animation Inc., Saban Entertainment, Fox Kids and others. They are used without consent.

This is the edited PG-13 version of the Diaries Reception Entry.

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Koushiro fidgeted as Ayashi looked at him while riding the subway to the television station. He tried to figure out what to tell her about his 'after-school job,' but didn't know how to approach it. Most people learned who a Chosen was pretty much by accident of seeing them with their digimon partner. However, he wanted to break it to her before she actually saw one today.

"So when are you going to tell me about your job?" Ayashi asked.

Koushiro pulled at the collar of his school uniform. "Um, I can't quite tell you here. It's not something I can talk about in public."

"Why not? Do you work for the Yakuza? Are you part of the Izumi clan of ninja assassins?" Ayashi questioned.

"Huh? No. No. It's nothing like that. Well, not really anyway. Why did you think that?" Koushiro nervously questioned.

"Well, it's just those strange emails you had that other day, and I heard once that one of the ninja clans was Izumi," Ayashi explained.

"I don't know anything about that if my clan does have ninja in it," Koushiro said.

Ayashi shrugged.

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"Geez, we're too freakin' early," Bobby complained, leaning against the wall outside the Fuji Television station.

"Oh, be quiet," Lisa sniped. "We wanted to make sure we were here on time."

"On time is four in the afternoon, Tuesday. It's now nine in the evening on Monday. We've got hours to go," Bobby said irritably.

Hank growled. "No, it's one o'clock. You've just been asleep for over sixteen hours, and I cruelly set your watch back."

"You did?!" Bobby went to adjust his watch. "Why the hell did you do that?"

Lisa rolled her eyes. "What an idiot."

"Yeah, but you like him anyway," Jessica observed.

"Don't encourage her," Rick growled.

"There's nothing you can do about it. Love is blind." Jessica glanced at Hank. "Very blind."

"That's helpful," Lisa griped.

"Hey, guys, what's that?" Bobby pointed as the air started to shimmer nearby.

"Didn't the Odaiba Chosen mention something about portals opening like that?" Lisa questioned.

"This isn't good. We don't have our digimon." Hank looked around for something that might help them.

A flash of light erupted from the air. When the Oklahoma group blinked their eyes clear, they could see seven teenagers about their age standing in a circle each carrying a different type of sword that was held out before themselves. Almost as one they seemed to sheathe their swords, the blades disappearing only leaving what looked like a digivice where they had put away their weapons. In the center of the circle were eight digimon.

Jessica relaxed. "It's just the London group."

"How come we don't get neat things like those swords?" Bobby questioned, while trying to 'unsheathe' a sword from his digivice.

"Because we've never had to fight digimon personally, they have," Hank said curtly.

"Oh, right." Bobby nodded. "Wouldn't be too much of a problem for me."

"You'd just get yourself killed," Lisa pointed out.

"So?" Bobby questioned as if that wasn't a problem.

Hank stepped toward the other group. "Hello, I'm Hank of the Oklahoma team."

"Ah, yes, the hypocrite," replied a young man with a smirk. He was sixteen and had groomed blond hair and a decent build but nothing compared to Hank. "I'm Chuck of the London group," the boy continued. "And this fellow is Plotmon."

"Hi!" the puppy digimon chirped.

"I'm not being a hypocrite if I fully admit that I'm just as stupid as Takeru and Hikari," Hank returned.

"And believe me, he's pretty damn stupid when he wants to be," Jessica said with a joking tone.

"Hey," Hank growled slightly. "As you can guess, this is Jessica."

"Sorry about having what should've been a private argument getting all over the message board," Jessica apologized.

"Don't worry about it. It was an interesting read," a short, slender looking fifteen-year-old girl with long brown hair and a bit too modest of a chest size said friendly. "Nice to meet you. I'm Teresa."

A young man with untamed brown hair and was about the same age as Teresa. He motioned toward her. "Yes, and love, here, would have attacked me the same way if I had flamed Takeru like that. I'm Henry."

Teresa blushed. "Don't say that."

Henry suddenly felt extreme pain in his shin. He started hoping on foot and looked down and saw that Teresa's female Tapirmon, which was the English name for pygmy-elephant-like Bakumon, had punched him.

"What did I say about embarrassing her?" Tapirmon asked.

"Sorry, Tapirmon," Henry apologized.

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing too!" Tapirmon huffed.

"Aw, leave him be. You know he would never hurt her," said a black and white furred version of Patamon. He then turned to the Oklahoma group. "Greetings, Tsukaimon is my name."

Lisa giggled. "I'm Lisa, that's my over-protective brother, Rick. And he's the master of embarrassing others, Bobby."

"I don't do that," Bobby said defensively, but then asked, "Do I?"

Despite the looks of being almost six feet, black haired, and muscular appearance; the guy who stepped forward was only fifteen. "Hi, I'm George, and this is my digimon, Kokuwamon," the burly teen said almost musically.

The metallic insect digimon waved.

Lisa blinked. "You've got a nice voice."

"Thanks, I hope to be a musician." George smiled.

"Yo." Waved a scrawny teen of fourteen clad in black leather and chains. His hair was a purple mohawk. "I'm Frederick, and this chap is Goblimon."

"How's things?" Goblimon asked.

"They're nicer than they appears. I assure you." A white and blue clad wizard digimon bowed to them. "I'm Sorcerymon. It's a pleasure to meet you." The modest breasts and feminine voice clearly indicating that this Sorcerymon was in fact female.

"I'm Melissa." A girl of fourteen bowed shyly. Her short dark brown hair was cut in bowl shape and her chest was slightly larger than Teresa despite being younger. "And this is Modoki Betamon."

"Hi!" the female aquatic digimon greeted.

"Hiya, folks. Numemon's my name," the green slug digimon greeted. "This is William, but he doesn't talk much."

"Hi," William said sluggishly. He was maybe eleven years old and had blondish-brown hair that was in need of being washed.

"So, why are you fellows waiting out here?" Chuck asked.

"They won't let us in until they're done cleaning the room from the last group to reserve it, and for Koushiro to show up with the guest list," Hank explained.

"Ah." Chuck nodded.

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

"Ayashi, what do you think about digimon?" Koushiro asked.

Ayashi shrugged as the pair approached the Fuji Television Station. "They're a menace, I suppose. I mean there's been all those battles with them, and that police officer that died."

Koushiro flinched and looked away. "You do know there are good digimon and evil ones, right?"

Ayashi nodded. "I guess so. We'd probably be better if they stayed in their own world, though."

"What if that's difficult because their dimension is in the process of being born from ours?" Koushiro questioned.

Ayashi blinked. "Huh? Can you run that by me again?"

Koushiro sighed and explained slowly, "Let's suppose that all the data that gets lost in the internet doesn't simply disappear but gets collected somewhere. That mass of information continues to grow at extreme rates due to the usage of the internet. Now once that information hits a certain critical mass, it somehow ended up making another dimension. At least that's the current theory."

Ayashi blinked. "You're saying all these digimon are creations of the internet's backwash?"

Koushiro chuckled nervously. "Basically. Though Professor Takenouchi believes that the Spirit Plane also has had an effect on the Digital World's creation as well."

"Where did you get that line of bull?" Ayashi questioned disbelievingly.

"Actually..." Koushiro fidgeted. "I'm the one to come up with that theory, since it's part of my after-school job."

"And just how would you get any of the information you'd need to make that assumption?" Ayashi asked skeptically.

Koushiro looked away, his nervousness and fear rather clear in his voice. "Well, I've been to the Digital World and know how I can get there when I want to. Also, I've got the email addresses of all the people paired with digimon that are known to exist. Plus, I'm the head moderator of a message board that allows them to communicate with all the other Chosen and Digi-destined."

Ayashi stared at Koushiro like he was from another planet. "You expect me to believe that?"

Koushiro swallowed hard. "The reason I told you that I had to explain my 'job' was because there's no way you wouldn't have found out today. Since among the guest list for the reception includes hundreds of digimon."

Ayashi blinked. "You're kidding me, right?"

"Are you Koushiro?" someone chirped in English.

Koushiro looked around and then down at the ground. He attempted to reply in English, "Ah, yes, Plotmon. Me Koushiro."

"Yay!" The weird puppy cheered, jumping into the air. "It's him! He's here!"

"You are a digimon?" Ayashi questioned in English.

Plotmon looked at her and nodded. "Of course."

"How did you know he was Koushiro?" Ayashi asked.

"Simple, he has the smells of digimon and computer stores on him," Plotmon answered.

Ayashi paused for a second to make sure she understood him. "Ah, okay. Thank you."

Koushiro smiled sheepishly, and asked in Japanese, "Convinced now?"

"Yeah. I just didn't think you'd be involved in this," Ayashi replied unsteadily.

"I'm very much involved in the Digital World," Koushiro said. "I might not be 'on the field' much any more, but I'm one of the key support personnel of all those partnered with a digimon."

"You've fought in battles like the one that occurred here last week?" Ayashi questioned nervously.

Koushiro nodded. "Yes. That was actually one of the few battles I've fought in years."

"But weren't digimon killed in that?" Ayashi asked.

"Yeah." Koushiro turned away again. "And it was when I confirmed information that those digimon weren't from the Digital World but yet another dimension that the order to kill them all was given."

"Did you kill?" Ayashi's eyes were wide.

"Yes." Koushiro slouched. "Two Gazimon and two Hangyomon were killed by my partner, Kabuterimon. He wouldn't have been able to do it if I hadn't allowed him to."

"Were there other times you killed?" Ayashi's entire body shook slightly.

"Quite a few times, I'm afraid. I got caught up in a war, and needed to do my part," Koushiro said with pain in his voice.

Ayashi had a blank expression on her face.

"Come on. I've got to set up a portal for some of the guests to arrive." Koushiro guided her into the television station.

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Koushiro led Ayashi along with the Oklahoma and London teams into the main studio of Fuji Television Station.

"How did Takaishi get this place for the reception?" Rick questioned as he looked around the three story tall room with a football field area for floor space.

"Takeru's father, Mr. Ishida, works here and the room wasn't reserved for filming after two o'clock," Koushiro explained and then blinked. "You weren't speaking Japanese just now, were you?"

Rick shook his head. "No. I thought you were speaking English."

"Um, Koushiro, who's Ben Kenobi there?" Ayashi pointed at a young man with brown hair wearing robes.

"Just a minute. Need to adjust the Digital Barrier for the room," the man called out. He then stood up and grinned triumphantly as he patted some strange box hooked up to the audio system in the room. "Good to see this device is working." He glanced over the kids and explained, "I was able to rig a universal translator. Not only will it allow everyone to communicate, but we'll sound like we're speaking roughly the same dialect. Plus the modified Digital Barrier I set up will allow people to be visible from anyone looking into the room, but digimon won't."

"That's great. I didn't think you were coming, Gennai." Koushiro paused. "You are Gennai, right?"

"That's what the label on my clone tank said." Gennai smirked.

Ayashi blinked. "You mean you are Obi-Wan?"

"More like Gennai-two, since old Gennai-one had been aged and needed his form rejuvinated and I was the lucky one to get his knowledge downloaded into. Though that's enough Star Wars." The clone pointed at a few stacks of folded tables. "Since you guys are early, mind helping setting up the tables?"

The London group and Hank immediately went to the task.

"How do you know about Star Wars?" Lisa asked.

"All work and no play makes Gennai a dull boy," he joked. "I spend some time on Earth and have caught a few films."

"This'll go quicker if we had our digimon to help," Jessica pointed out.

Koushiro nodded and went to a table that had been set up already. He pulled out his modified laptop and began typing. He then paused and looked up. "Does anyone have a D-3?" Izumi asked.

Members from both teams shook their heads.

"Ah, knew I forgot something. Koushiro hold your digivice to the computer screen with the Digital Portal program running," Gennai informed him.

Ayashi watched as Koushiro pulled out a silvery hand held device and placed it against his computer screen. Suddenly light flashed and Koushiro was gone. She stared blankly. "Where did he go?!"

"He'll be back in a second," Gennai assured her.

Ayashi waited for a minute before the light flashed again. Koushiro stood there looking a differently shaped maroon device with silver trim that was in his hand. A large ladybug like insect hovered in the air next to him. She rushed over to him and asked, "What happened?"

Koushiro looked at her and explained calmly, "I went into the Digital World and my digivice converted to a D-3. Also, I picked up my partner, Tentomon."

"Hello, Ayashi." Tentomon waved. "I've heard a lot about you."

Ayashi blinked. "I thought you said your partner was Katerimon."

"My next evolution form is KaBUterimon," Tentomon corrected.

"Ah...." Ayashi felt unsteady on her feet.

"You haven't had to deal with digimon before, have you?" Plotmon asked.

"Um, yes." Ayashi fidgeted. "How did you know?"

"You're acting like how Chuck's mother acted when she found out about me," Plotmon explained. "Most digimon are friendly, and all the ones you see today should be like that."

"Why don't you sit down, miss," Chuck suggested, pointing at a table that had just been set up. "Plots can answer any questions you might have, since Koushiro will be busy."

Ayashi nodded, went over to the table and plopped down into a chair.

Plotmon scampered over and hopped into the chair next to her. "So, what do you want to know about?"


"Koushiro, try to get the rest of your old team to go through a portal today. When they do, they'll have their digivices converted as well," Gennai explained.

Koushiro nodded. "Sure. But why are we getting our digivices changed?"

"Let's just hope this precautionary measure isn't truly needed," Gennai said seriously.

Koushiro nodded and went back to work. "Got a fix on your digimon," he called out to the Oklahoma team. He grinned as he pulled out his new toy. "Digi-port Open!"

Light flashed and Kokuwamon, Alraumon, Piyomon, Pico Devimon, and Elecmon appeared.

"Piyomon!" Bobby cried out in joy, hugging the pink bird.

"Bobby... need to... breathe...." Piyomon wheezed in a masculine voice.

"Same old Bobby," Alraumon commented.

Lisa giggled and nodded. "It's nice to see you."

"Hey Rick, where's the party?" Pico Devimon asked.

"Doesn't start for a couple hours," Rick replied.

"Then why are we here?" Pico Devimon asked, annoyed.

"Simple." Rick smirked as he pulled out one of the old-styled digivices. "We got drafted to help set up the reception."

Pico Devimon shimmered form and grew into a human like figure standing about as tall as Rick. The light faded to reveal Wizardmon. "You know you could've asked first," the digimon grumbled.

"The more help we get, the sooner the job gets done," Hank pointed out. "Feel like getting some work in Kokuwamon?"

"Sure thing." The mechanical insect digimon glowed and changed into a two meter tall brown robot called Guardromon. "This mission will easily be accomplished."

George's Kokuwamon looked up at Guardromon, and commented, "I can be bigger."

"Why don't you?" George grabbed hold of his digivice attached to the back of his shirt collar and the device changed into a giant two-handed sword measuring over six feet as he made the action of unsheathing it. The digivice screen was now on the hand guard which flared.

"Kokuwamon evolve!" A pillar of light formed and when it subsided a giant red insect stood in his place. "Kuwagamon!"

Jessica looked at her digimon with concern. "Elecmon, are you all right?"

Elecmon shook her head weakly.

Koushiro noticed something and exchanged worried glances with Gennai.

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A strange creature that looked like a brain with tentacles and a pair of eyes held an odd device. "With this I should be able to find a Chosen." He adjusted the controls until two flashing dots appeared on it. He opted for the closer of the two locations.

"It wouldn't do to alert anyone of my presence," he said aloud seeking cover as he approached the building where the signal was coming from.

The digimon scurried past a desk, hoping he hadn't been seen.

"Are we filming 'Mars Attacks' today?" asked the college intern at the desk.

The security guard next to him shook his head. "Probably for Ishida's 'costume party.'"

"Awfully realistic costume."

The creature literally patted himself on the back for not being noticed. He only had to make it down this hall.

He looked at his device blinking away strongly. He grinned as his plan was coming into fruition. He carefully opened the door to peak inside to make sure the Chosen didn't have a digimon with him. He smiled seeing nothing more than large numbers of humans sitting around talking.

Flinging open the doors, the digimon rushed in with a gun poised to fire. "Conquest of the two worlds are mine! Hand over the Chosen and no... one... gets... hurt?!" The digimon's mouth hung open as the room had several dozen digimon in it, each disturbingly close to a child. He looked at his device and adjusted the control and it lit up like a Christmas tree. He laughed nervously and dropped his gun. "You can take a joke right?"

"Vadermon?!" Koushiro cried out in shock.

Tentomon fought the urge to evolve since he was too close to people and would end up hurting them.

William of the London group walked up to the Vadermon. "What would you do if we sent you back to the Digital World?"

"Live there peacefully until I'm reconfigured?" Vadermon attempted to answer firmly.

"He's lying. Hose him." William walked off.

"How are we supposed to take on a Perfection digimon?" Bobby asked.

"Simple, double team him," Chuck replied grabbed his digivice at his belt and pulled out a broad sword, holding it above his head. "Plotmon, go!"

Vadermon quickly picked up his gun trying to figure a way out of this.

The puppy digimon scurried over to the vacant area in front of Vadermon. "Plotmon evolve!" the child digimon called out. A pillar of light reached to the ceiling and when it faded over three meters tall rock stood there in human-like form. "Golemon!"

"Golemon super-evolve!" The rock digimon stretched out his arms and pieces of full plate armor formed in the air around him. The armor slammed onto the digimon until he was completely covered for head to toe. Pulling out a broad sword, he sliced through the air. "Knightmon!"

Vadermon barely caught something to his left.

"Dark Lizamon super-evolve!" The black furred creature with metallic mask jumped into the air, curling up into a ball. Digital wire frame formed, encasing the digimon in an egg. With feet and arms breaking free of the now off-white shell, a feminine cry of "Digitamamon!" echoed in the room.

Before Vadermon could train his gun on a target, the female Digitamamon glared at him and hissed, "Nightmare Syndrome!" A blackness came from her eyes and pulled the Vadermon into it. When it subsided, the alien digimon shook on the floor.

Knightmon walked up and swung his sword, slicing Vadermon's brain in half before he could recover. His body broke up into component data.

The Knightmon shimmered and shrank into Plotmon, while Digitamamon became Teresa's Tapirmon.

Despite Teresa's light form and less than five foot height, she effortless moved her giant claymore and sheathed it, changing the six foot bludgeoning sword into a digivice attached to strap on the back of her dress.

"W-why did they kill him?" Ayashi questioned in shock.

"Better them than me again," Tentomon commented.

"Vadermon aren't exactly nice digimon," Koushiro said shakily.

"Sorry you had to see that," Plotmon apologized.

"Why did you do it?" Ayashi demanded.

Chuck picked up his digimon and answered, "I'm afraid you'll just have to take our word on it when we say that if William says that a digimon needs to go, that we have to kill it."

"I'm supposed to just accept that?" Ayashi returned.

Chuck looked over at the youngest London member, and explained, "William is a special kid, much like his sister was. He seemed to have gained her ability to see the inner worth of people and digimon when she died."

"Are you sure that he's not out for revenge?" Ayashi questioned.

"William never fought a Vadermon before. Now if Koushiro ordered the kill, then revenge could be a motive," Chuck replied.

Ayashi turned and looked at her date. "Why would you want revenge on Vadermon?"

Koushiro sighed. "I tried to avoid killing when I first went to the Digital World, but it was a Vadermon that first pushed me to the point where I had to kill or be killed."

"And well, we're still here," Tentomon added sheepishly.

"Then that couldn't have been the same one," Ayashi commented.

"Actually, I'm sure he's not. He didn't act the same, but it could've been since digimon are usually reincarnated after they die, with some of their memories of their past life as well," Koushiro explained.

Ayashi blinked in confusion.


"Now that bit of excitement is out of the way, Ishida has started transmitting," Gennai called out loudly to quiet everyone. "The wedding is about to begin." With that a large view screen lit up to display a church with Takeru standing next to Patamon in front of an altar. A moment later the wedding march started playing and the wedding ceremony had begun.

Ayashi was even more dumbfounded now. The couple couldn't be over fourteen. Not only that, but the wedding was apparently a double one with two digimon also tying the knot. She asked, "Why are they getting married?"

Koushiro laughed nervously. "Let's just say their love went a WEE bit too far."

Ayashi blinked several times. "She's pregnant?!"

Koushiro nodded sheepishly.

"And the digimon?" Ayashi asked.

"Tailmon laid an egg half her size," Koushiro replied.

Ayashi looked sick. "Ack!"


"William, are you all right?" Sorcerymon asked.

"Yeah, Sis, I'm fine." William huffed. "Just watch the wedding."

"But...." Sorcerymon started to reply, but gave up with a heavy sigh as William glared at her. She walked away and sat down heavily next to Goblimon.

"You all right, luv?" Goblimon asked.

"I'm fine. It's William that I'm worried about," Sorcerymon replied.

"There's not much you can do," Goblimon returned. "Just let him be."

Sorcerymon held her hand to her chest. "How can I when part of his sister is in me?"

"I know, luv. I know." Goblimon sighed. "If you weren't then we might have...."

Sorcerymon shook her head. "Susan's feelings for Frederick and mine for you only had gone so far. Without both of us, nothing more can become of our feelings."

"Yeah, it wouldn't be fair to Frederick." Goblimon looked away. "We don't have to go over this road again. Things went bad, and nothing can change that now. Just try to remember that there's as much Susan in you as there is Frederick in me. Part of you died with Susan, but you have to move on with your life. You shouldn't try to replace her, but find out who you are now without her."

Sorcerymon leaned back in her chair. "I was Susan's digimon partner. It was the energy from her dying breath that allows me to remain at this level and caused us to merge and go to ultimate. My life was hers. I've asked myself countless times since her death what am I now, and I still can only answer Susan's digimon."

Goblimon placed a hand on Sorcerymon's shoulder and looked at her with serious eyes. "Try to be impulsive again. Do something for no other reason than wanting to do it and be damned with the consequences. You used to love playing harmless practical jokes and doing things to keep our spirits up when we were down. Try to grasp onto that because that was you, not Susan."

"I... I don't know if I can anymore," Sorcerymon replied uncertainly.

"Just try." Goblimon forced a smile. "For me?"

Sorcerymon nodded slowly. "I'll try."

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

Hank knocked at a side door to the studio which was usually used as a storage room. "Hey, Jessica, they're about to exchange vows."

Jessica looked up from her Elecmon, who was shivering, and replied, "I think we need some help."

"What's wrong?" Hank's Kokuwamon asked.

Elecmon scowled. "Sparkling Thunder!"

Kokuwamon screamed as he went flying from the electrical attack.

Hank stepped back. "I'll... go get some help."

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

Jyou was trying hard not to laugh at Genki interviewing Ikkakumon. The tabloid reporter was asking some very stupid questions.

"Do most digimon want to take over the Earth?" Genki asked.

Ikkakumon was tempted to blast the creep. This was the fourth time the tabloid reporter asked pretty much the same damn question in the past hour. Attempting to keep his tone joking, the walrus digimon replied, "Of course not. There are a couple bad apples that get a kick out of world domination, but the same can be said about humans. Most of us just want to live..." Ikkakumon paused and called out dramatically, "...in pursuit of love and peace!"

Genki raised an eyebrow. "Have you seen 'Trigun?'"

Ikkakumon laughed a little sheepishly. "A friend of mine introduced it to me."

"You're rather well versed in human culture?" Genki noted, and not for the first time.

"Of course. I have a few human friends," Ikkakumon answered.

"Mind telling me who any of them are?" Genki pressed, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

Ikkakumon rolled his eyes, wondering if the guy would ask any new questions. "Why does it matter?"

"Just curious," Genki replied, leaning closer.

"You know what happened to the curious cat digimon?" Ikkakumon questioned with a smirk.

"He died?" Genki guessed with slight nervousness.

"Nope. She got knocked up by a gerbil digimon," Ikkakumon joked. His head rocked forward after being hit on the head, again, by Palmon's vine attack.

"He's not a gerbil, and that wasn't funny." Palmon huffed.

Jyou certainly thought it was. Fortunately his personal daily planner and e-mail pad gave him a helpful distraction when it started beeping. He pulled it out and read a message he found to be rather funny in an ironic sense.

Jyou grabbed his stuff and ran for the Church. He needed transportation and fast. He let out a slight sigh of relief noting the ceremony had just finished.

It didn't escape Ikkakumon's notice that Jyou had left. He waited for his energy level to drop, but while it lowered, he didn't lose enough to force de-evolution. He planned to bring that up the next time he saw his partner or Koushiro. At least he didn't devolve just after Jyou left, since that would've raised questions from Genki that he didn't want to answer.

"You seem distracted just now," Genki noted.

"Just sensed another digimon, nothing major," Ikkakumon replied seemingly unconcerned.

"Oh?" Genki looked around.

Ikkakumon noticed Aquillamon with Jyou and Miyako riding him shortly after they had taken flight, but didn't point it out to Genki until they were some distance from the Church and it was hard to discern who was riding the digimon. "See? There he is." The walrus digimon motioned the direction with his horn.

Genki nodded as that bird was way too big to be anything else, and someone was riding it. Finding out who one of those kids are would make for an even better story. All he had to do was find the digimon and his rider. Genki grinned. "Sorry to cut this short, but I've got something to do. Bye."

"Short?" Ikkakumon questioned after Genki left.

"What was with smelly man?" Solarmon asked.

"Someone that's too curious for his own good," Ikkakumon replied.

"I was a good boy, right?" Solarmon chirped.

Palmon nodded. "Yes, very good."

"So I can see Takeru, right?" Solarmon grinned happily.

Palmon blinked in confusion. "Why..." She stopped as she noticed Ikkakumon attempting to sneak away. She glared at him. "What did you say to him?"

Ikkakumon sputtered trying to reply. "I, ah, well, promised him that if he was good, he could see Takeru."

Palmon scowled. "Why did you do that?"

"Well... um... ah...." Ikkakumon fidgeted nervously.

"I can't see Takeru?" Solarmon whined.

Palmon sighed and sagged. She then tried to stand straight and smile, but it was obviously faked. "Of course you'll get to see Takeru. However, you can't play any games with him."

Solarmon rotated his gear-like head ninety-degrees. "Why can't Takeru play?"

"Because today is a very special day for him and will be too bust to play," Palmon explained.

"Oh." Solarmon pouted. "Why is it a special day for him?"

Palmon paused. "I'll tell you on the way to seeing him."

Ikkakumon suddenly devolved to Gomamon. He blinked. "How did that happen now?"

Palmon looked over at the Church and her plant-like lips tightened, noticing the limousine for the newlyweds was gone. She guessed, "I think Hikari or Takeru was somehow sustaining you, since they just left."

"Maybe." Gomamon shrugged. "Well, we'd better get over there and find ourselves a ride to the reception."

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

"Why did you tell the driver to take the scenic route?" Mr. Yagami questioned with an annoyed tone.

Brandon, Michael's father, grinned. "They aren't needed to be at the reception soon, right?"

Mr. Yagami nodded. "Yes, but-"

Brandon raised up a finger. "Those two kids have been through a lot today and are probably tired. A nice hour-long drive will give them a chance to take a nap and recoup while all of us get to the reception."

Mrs. Yagami place her hand on her husbands arm and said, "That's very wise thinking. I can't thank you enough for renting that limousine." She bowed.

Brandon laughed. "I didn't rent it. I own it. I have to show up in style when I do a public appearance in Japan." He then thumbed a couple buses in the parking lot. "Those I rented."

Mrs. Yagami blinked. "How...?"

Michael walked up to Mrs. Yagami and bowed politely. "Here's another gift from my father to your family."

Mr. and Mrs. Yagami looked at the signed 'The Scarab Mummy' trilogy DVD set, particularly the man on the cover. After comparing the picture and the man posing in front of them, their chorused intellectual reply was, "Huh? You're...."

"Stinking rich." Brandon grinned and asked innocently, "If I can't spend my money, what use is it?"

Mr. and Mrs. Yagami blinked in unison. "Ah, sure."

Ishida walked over. "We'd better get over to the reception. We can use my van and get there quicker."

Yamato stood near the van, noticing who was probably going to ride in it. While between the Yagami family, his dad, his mother, the Takenouchi girls, and two digimon would make it cramped enough. However, being in the same car as his mother and his father was not something Yamato wanted to go through if they started fighting. "Gabumon and I will use the bus," Yamato called out before leaving.

"We can make enough room, son," Natsuko noted.

"Don't worry about it," Yamato replied before getting out of earshot range.

Mrs. Takenouchi sat in the back seat, and Sora, Taichi and Agumon filled it out. The middle seats had Mr. and Mrs. Yagami, with Piyomon sitting on the floor next to the sliding door. Ms. Takaishi took the passenger seat, while her ex-husband got in driver's seat and they all drove off.

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

Koushiro noticed the arrival of the Yagami family, Takenouchi girls, and Takeru's parents. The other guests would be arriving soon.

Koushiro's laptop started beeping, signaling someone was requesting a portal to join the party. He smiled seeing who it was. "I was wondering when Akiyama would be showing up and it looks like he's bringing friends." Izumi looked up and called out, "Taichi! Sora!"

The pair came over, followed by their digimon, and Taichi asked, "What's up?"

"Akiyama is requesting a portal, but he needs some help first," Koushiro explained. "If you would press your digivices to the portal, you'll be able to get to him."

"Won't we need a D-3 to open it?" Sora asked.

"Nope." Koushiro raised a maroon D-3 with silver trim. "You'll be getting D-3s by doing this."

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

A young boy of ten or eleven with messy brown hair and goggles looked up as Mega Dramon hovered in the air above him. This digimon had been trying to hunt him down and kill him since he stepped foot into this Digital World.

"You won't hurt him," growled Greymon. He had met the boy some time ago and acted as his protector. This Mega Dramon wasn't the only thing the boy had needed protection from, but that digimon was by far the most dangerous and persistent of them.

"Pointless dramatic drivel," Mega Dramon stated coldly. "I will do as I want. Genocide Attack!" A series of missiles launched from the flying dragon's metallic clawed hands.

Greymon took a missile that was aimed for the boy and collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

"No! Greymon!" The boy wished he had some means to stop this evil digimon once and for all.

"TAKATO!" a high pitched cry echoed through the air.

"Guilmon?!" Takato looked at the red raptor digimon rushing toward him, and found himself on the receiving end of an overly-affectionate hug from the puppy-like dinosaur.

Mega Dramon snarled. "That digimon has Culumon's scent as well. Tell me where he is!"

"Somewhere safe from you," Takato retorted.

Guilmon growled at the flying digimon.

A black haired youth, Akiyama Ryo, rushed toward them. "You know if you get lost, you're supposed to stay in one place. It took me forever to find you."

"Ah, now isn't the time." Takato tried to place where he had seen this guy before. He didn't look like anyone he knew.

"Of course. Can you evolve him?" Ryo asked pointing at Guilmon.

Takato shook his head. "I lost the cards I needed to do that. Otherwise I'd need Culumon's help and he's in my home dimension."

"That's not much help since you're in the wrong dimension to begin with," Ryo commented.

"Wrong dimension?" Mega Dramon grinned. "That was all I wanted to know. Now I can finish you. Genocide Attack!"

Ryo took a step back as the missiles advanced on them. There had to be a way out of this.

Takato clenched his eyes shut. He didn't want to die, but without Culumon or his evolution cards there didn't seem to be a way to win, even with Guilmon.

Guilmon wanted to protect his friends. He wasn't about to lose Takato again after finding him.

Ryo's digivice flared and shot a white beam of light at Takato's D-Arc, causing it to shine brightly.

Guilmon grinned feeling his energy surge. "Guilmon evolve!" Red wire frames formed an egg like shape around the child digimon. It grew quickly to be over two-stories tall. The wire frame broke away and the five meter tall raptor digimon with horns sticking out of his elbows, who cried out, "Growmon!"

Growmon opened his mouth wide. "Exhaust Flame!" The white beam of his fiery breath destroyed the oncoming missiles. The attack continued on, but faded away before it could reach the Mega Dramon.

Takato looked over at Ryo and noticed the digivice on his belt wasn't a D-Arc but looked EXACTLY the same as the old digivices used in 'Digimon Adventures' first season cartoon. How the heck did he get one of those?

"You can't hope to win. I can attack you, but you can't hit me," Mega Dramon observed as he moved higher into the air before launching another attack.

"That's what you think." Takato pulled out one of the few cards he had managed to save. "Card Slash!" Takato raised his D-Arc over his head swiped a card through it. "White Wings!"

Six enormous white wings sprouted from Growmon's back. The gigantic raptor digimon shot straight up into the air as Mega Dramon's attack exploded around him.

Mega Dramon was caught completely by surprised at this turn of events. How could a Chosen do that? He launched another volley of missiles.

"Exhaust Flame!" Growmon cried out, sending forth white hot flames that pierced through the oncoming attack and blasting a hole through the Perfection digimon.

"How can this be?" Mega Dramon questioned as he began to delete. "No adult digimon can be that power...." He didn't get to finish as his body completely faded away.

"We did it!" Takato cheered.

Growmon landed and the wings faded away. "Yay! We did it!" He danced a little bit before shrinking back into Guilmon. "Huh?" The raptor looked at himself. "I'm small again."

Takato scratched his head. "Wonder why you reverted back so soon? Usually it takes at least a few hours for you to go back from adult form."

Ryo became very concerned about this kid's power. Not only had he gotten an adult to single handily take out a perfection digimon, but was able to give him wings by using a playing card. Now they were surprised that Guilmon's evolution only lasted the battle. The kid might be more powerful than Takeru and Hikari. Thinking of which, Ryo looked at his watch. "The reception should start soon."

"What was that?" Takato asked.

Ryo smiled. "How'd you like to meet some friends of mine? They should be able to help you get home." He motioned toward the wounded digimon. "And help Greymon as well."

"Really?" Takato questioned.

"Really." Ryo nodded.

"That would be great!" Takato cheered. "Oh, by the way, I'm Matsuda Takato."

"Akiyama Ryo, at your service." Ryo removed his backpack so he could pull out his laptop computer.

Takato blinked. "Akiyama Ryo? You're joking, right?"

"No. That is what my birth certificate says," Ryo replied. "Why? You've heard of me?"

Takato shook his head. "Well, not you. Where I'm from there's a couple video games starring a Digimon Tamer that looks like you named Akiyama Ryo."

Ryo shrugged. He activated his computer to get a fix on the closest portal. While a computer can be used to enter the Digital World, getting out you usually needed a television portal. He frowned noticing that while it was close, it was too far for them bring their big orange friend. He then mentioned, "I'll give a call for help so we can bring Greymon with us."

Takato nodded and went to check on Greymon, to see if he was all right.

Ryo watched as Takato and Guilmon tended to Greymon and got reacquainted in the process.

It wasn't long before Guilmon's head shot up and scanned the area looking for trouble. His gazed fixed in the direction of the portal as Birdramon came flying towards them. The giant firebird landed and Taichi, Sora, and Agumon climbed off her.

"Hi. It's been a while." Taichi commented, walking over to Ryo.

"At least I didn't have to save your butt this time," Ryo joked.

"And how long are you going to remind us about Millenniummon?" Taichi jokingly growled.

"Don't forget I helped," Agumon commented.

"That time anyway," Ryo commented. "How's Ken doing? Haven't heard much from him since Millenniummon went after me for a rematch."

Taichi was about to reply, but changed his mind. "Best to ask him yourself."

Ryo raised an eyebrow. "I'll be sure to do that."

Takato stared. That boy looked like Taichi and even had an Agumon with him, but it couldn't possibly be him. Then again, the girl was how he imagined Sora to look like if she was a real person, and had Birdramon with her. Them talking about Millenniummon and Ken only added evidence to the impossibility before him.

Sora looked over the Greymon. She frowned wishing the big guy was a Chosen digimon and could revert to child stage so he could heal quicker. Luckily his wounds weren't life threatening, as far as she could tell. She then glanced over at Takato and asked, "So you're the Chosen from another dimension, Takato?"

"Ah, yeah." Takato nodded. She even sounded like Sora. "Actually, I'm called a Tamer."

"Well, pleased to meet you Takato." Sora bowed slightly. "I'm Sora."

Takato blinked. "No... way...." he breathed and then somehow forgot to inhale.

"Huh?" Sora questioned.

"This can't be THAT dimension," Takato said mostly to himself.

"What dimension would that be?" Sora questioned.

Takato pointed. "Is he Yagami Taichi?"

Sora nodded. "Yes. How did you know that?"

Takato laughed, not sure how else to react. "I'm in a cartoon!"

"Cartoon?" Guilmon asked. "You don't look like a drawing."

Takato shook his head. "Before I made you, there was a cartoon series on TV called 'Digimon Adventures.'" He pointed to Sora and Taichi. "And those two were in it!"

Sora blinked. "Really?"

"Ah, huh." Takato nodded. "They showed how you first went to the Digital World, fought the Dark Masters, and defeated Apocalymon. The second season they had Hikari and Takeru work with Daisuke, Miyako and Iori to first stop Ken from being the Kaiser and then go against Oikawa. That season didn't do so well and they ended the series."

Sora shrugged. "I guess anything is possible with dimensional travel."

"Just tell me one thing, why did you marry Yamato?" Takato asked.

Sora stared at the boy as if he grew a second head. "Marry Yamato?!"

Takato nodded. "The epilogue showed you with Yamato and two kids, and Ken and Miyako married with three kids."

Sora shook her head. "I don't see how that's going to happen. I'm not really Yamato's type."

"You're not?" Takato questioned and then his eyes widened. "Don't tell me he loves Taichi?!"

Sora stared in shock. "How...?"

"Damn, those Taito fans were right. Taichi and Yamato are lovers," Takato said in amazement.

Taichi had been walking toward them, and crashed to the ground head first when he heard that. "What have you been telling him?" Taichi demanded.

"Nothing!" Sora defended. "He's from a dimension where we're a cartoon series." She turned back to Takato. "And no, they aren't lovers. Taichi is engaged to me."

"Really?" Takato asked.

Sora held up her ring.

Takato noticed the crest symbols engraved on it. "I always thought Taichi deserved you more. It hurt seeing his expression when you gave Yamato those Christmas cookies."

Sora flinched. "That had been a mistake, but I learned from it."

Taichi blinked. "He knows about that? What else do you know?"

"Everything! Well... almost everything. The epilogue has to be wrong if Sora and Yamato don't end up together," Takato smiled as a hopeful thought came to him. "Are Hikari and Daisuke a couple then?"

Taichi shook his head not sure what to make of this. "Nope. Hikari is with Takeru."

"Which reminds me, we'd better hurry back to their wedding reception," Sora commented. "Jyou should be able to help Greymon."

"They got married?" Takato pouted. "Darn. Juri was right." He then blinked. "Hey, how old are you?"

"Fifteen," Taichi replied.

Takato's mouth dropped. "Hikari got married at twelve?!"

Sora shook her head. "No, she got married at thirteen."

"Why did she get married that young?" Takato asked bewildered.

"Because there's a bun in the oven," Ryo joked.

The baker's son blinked and his eyes widened realizing what he meant. "Damn. No wonder they screwed over the ending by making Taichi an ambassador to the Digital World and Yamato an astronaut married to Sora. There's no way they would've shown us this!"

Sora tried to imagine Taichi as an ambassador, and turned away from her fiance when she couldn't help but giggle at the thought.

Taichi looked at the kid strangely. He wasn't sure if he should believe the kid, but it didn't really matter. The kid did know some things he shouldn't, but Yamato as an astronaut sounded too far fetched-- even if his friend was a space case. Taichi shook his head clear of thoughts and held out his new orange and silver D-3 and said, "Let's see how well this new toy works."

"Agumon warp evolve!" Golden light shot up into the air as Agumon briefly became Greymon and then Metal Greymon before solidifying into orange-scaled humanoid form with gold, silver and red armor covering most of his body. "War Greymon!"

"Wow!" Takato was in sheer awe. "That's cooler than in the anime."

War Greymon carefully picked up the Greymon, but it was a little awkward since the Greymon was actually a bit bigger in mass than War Greymon. Everyone else then got onto Birdramon and flew toward the portal.

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

Kensuke's mouth dropped when he entered the main studio with all the other guests to the Takaishi wedding reception. He knew there were other Chosen, but not this many. The room was almost a fifty-fifty split between the two races. The humans barely edged out over the digimon, mostly because of the adults present. "Have you ever seen anything like this?" he asked.

Yukimi, his date and an old friend of Hikari's, shook her head. "Nope, but I haven't seen many digimon."

"Just those at Hikari's slumber party?" Kensuke asked.

Yukimi nodded. "Yeah."

"I haven't seen anything like this either," Catherine commented. "I don't think this many Chosen have ever gathered in one place before."

Daisuke had been following closely behind her. He blinked. "You speak Japanese?"

Mr. Takaishi was with Catherine and looked at Daisuke strangely. "She was speaking French, just as I am now."

A loud speaker kicked in and Gennai's face appeared on a large view screen. "Welcome, welcome everyone to the Takaishi wedding reception. I'll be your host, Rockin' Gennai!" He put on some stylish shades that looked straight out of the 'Matrix' movie.

Gennai continued, "I've got a universal translator working for everyone in this room, so you'll hear everyone speak in the same language and even roughly the same accent as you. So, get out there and mingle!

"Also, I will be providing you all with videos and music from around the world! We'll start things off with 'Walking the Edge' written by our own Ishida Yamato and performed by his band, the Teenaged Wolves!"

Mr. Takaishi blinked and then shrugged. "Okay, I guess she was speaking in Japanese to you."

Catherine didn't pay them much mind as she waved and called out, "Joan, Paul! Great to see you guys made it." She dropped the gift money she had been instructed to give as an appropriate wedding present to the newlyweds at a large basket near the doors before going to her friends.

"Hey, you missed it, Catherine. Two of the Londoners went to Perfection level and took out a really stupid Vadermon," Paul, a young French teen with jet black hair, told her.

Catherine pouted. "Why'd they do that?"

"Apparently they knew the Vadermon was evil." Joan shrugged. "Didn't make too much sense to me when they talked about William seeing the digimon's inner worth, or something like that." She noticed one of her stray short brown hairs on her blue dress and quickly brushed it off.

"He has some special power?" Catherine asked.

Joan rolled her eyes. "Doubt it. It'd be like saying he was some kind of mutant, and is not exactly human instead of just some kid lucky enough to have a digimon."


"That's Gennai?" Yume asked.

Iori nodded. "Uh, yeah. Didn't expect him to be the DJ."

"I thought he'd be older," Yume commented.

"Didn't you read through the disc Koushiro gave you yet? That Gennai is a clone of a much older Gennai, and has all the memories of the older Gennai," Sayuri admonished.

"Oh. He's still not what I expected," Yume returned.

Mimi smiled. "Actually, he's acting more like he did when he was old Gennai. Excuse me, but I've got to find Jyou." She turned and walked away.

"Yeah, go search for your boyfriend," Steve commented while looking around. "Where's the food?"

"Food?" Steve's Gabumon perked up. "Lead the way!"

Little Maria sighed. "It's over there." She pointed at a row of tables with guests already filling up plates.

Steve rushed over while the rest of the New York team followed him. He shrugged at the large amounts of deli and health foods, he still made a heaping plate.

"Wait a second?!" Gabumon called out. "Where's the cake?!"

"Uh, yeah. Where is the cake?" Steve questioned.

"Maybe they're bringing it in later," Maria guessed.

Maria's Patamon pouted. "It better."

"Who said there would be cake?" Lou asked. "Remember this is Japan. They do have different customs."

Koushiro's Tentomon looked up from the plate he was making. "Actually, there's no cake because Mrs. Yagami was the one to order the food. She's a bit of a health food nut."

Steve and his Gabumon stared in horror and chorused, "No cake?!"

Tentomon shrugged. "Sorry."


Yamato was rather happy that Gennai had taken over duties as entertainer. His band was supposed to be playing, but as far as Yamato could tell, only Akira had shown up, making that point moot. He would've had to do what Gennai was doing until the others showed up. Which would've been a real hassle considering he hadn't prepared to be a disc jockey. He should've known Takeshi would be late getting here with the equipment.

Yamato looked around to see who was at the reception. He noticed that Taichi and Sora weren't here, but his parents were. He doubted those two would sneak off this early. He went over to Koushiro and asked, "Hey, have you seen Taichi?"

Koushiro nodded. "They're helping Akiyama and his new friends get to the reception. Seems the lost Chosen got a Greymon hurt, and they're bringing him here to get Jyou to look at him.

Gabumon, of course, had followed Yamato, and he asked, "Where is Jyou, anyway?"

"Helping the Oklahoma group's Elecmon," Koushiro replied.

Yamato raised an eyebrow. "Helping with what?"

"Now that... is a secret!" Koushiro grinned, waving a finger.

Yamato shrugged. "Whatever."

Koushiro sighed, guessing Yamato didn't know about 'The Slayers.' Truthfully, he hadn't known much about it until recently. After learning that Ayashi was a fan of the series, he looked for and found some episodes that were 'kindly' placed on the net. Not exactly the legitimate way to obtain them, but it worked.

Koushiro glanced at the clock and noted Taichi had been gone for over fifteen minutes. He looked up. "Yamato, why don't you check on them?"

"Okay," Yamato replied almost offhandedly.

"Just place your Digivice to the screen. Your digivice will convert to a D-3 and you'll get to where they are." Koushiro smirked.

"Sure." Yamato pulled out his digivice and placed it to the laptop screen. With a flash of light, Yamato and Gabumon were gone.

A dark skinned, short black haired Digi-destined from Egypt named Hesire rubbed his chin and asked, "Is your team having all your digivices converted?"

Koushiro nodded. "Yes."

Hesire frowned. "I wish you luck then. When my team had ours converted, Anubimon returned and evolved. That was not a pleasant fight as he struck both the Digital World and Cairo."

Koushiro sighed. "I know. This is a precautionary measure, for now anyway. We might get called back into service, we might not. Depends on how things happen from here."

Hesire nodded gravely. "As much as fate guides our hand, the future is still clouded by the winds of change."

"Unfortunately." Koushiro shrugged helplessly. He then glanced down noting an email popped up warning him that Taichi and everyone were returning in one large port. He moved away from his computer, calling out, "Back away!"

Bright white light flashed from the monitor causing some to look away from the intensity. When it subsided, War Greymon set down the wounded Greymon carefully with Taichi and the others standing to the side of them.

War Greymon devolved to Agumon, who called out, "Is there a doctor in the house?"

"I'm the one who's supposed to have the bad jokes," Tentomon quipped.

"And I thought the London group was grandstanding before," Hesire commented, staring at Agumon.

Taichi and the others stared as Jyou rushed over with his suit jacket smoking and his hair standing on end.

Jyou asked, "What's the problem?"

"He got hit by a missile from Mega Dramon's Genocide Attack," Takato explained. "Are you all right?"

Jyou nodded and began to examine the injury.

"How's the Elecmon?" Koushiro asked.

Jyou forced a smile. "The operation was a success, but it was painful all around."

Mimi walked up behind him, frowning. "After you get done operating on him, I'll have to operate on you, Jyou. Your hair looks like Taichi's."

"What's with the hair comments?" Taichi asked.

"Well, the 'I don't care' look only goes so far," Sora pointed out. "It wouldn't have hurt you to get a haircut."

"Yes, it would." Taichi pouted.

Sora rolled her eyes.

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

"Yo, Ken!" Ryo called out.

"Ah, Ryo. Hi," Ken greeted nervously.

"It's been awhile. So, how have things been?" Ryo asked.

"Well, fine now...." Ken turned away. "You?"

"Never better." Ryo ruffled Ken's hair and added, "Thanks for taking that Dark Seed for me."

Ken grimaced. "Please don't remind me."

"Now Ken, you've got to put what the seed forced you to do behind you. It wasn't your fault. I'd say it was a good thing you became the Kaiser instead of me. Could you imagine what _I_ would've done?" Ryo shook his head. "The thought still gives me nightmares what might've happened if you hadn't pushed me out of the way."

Ken paled. While he had been kind and gentle before the Dark Seed, Ryo wasn't nearly as innocent. Ryo-Kaiser would've been a lot worse than he had been.

Ryo decided to change topics. "Any good girls out there?"

Ken shrugged in response. "I'm not exactly looking at the moment."

"Why not?" Ryo asked.

"I did something stupid with my friend's sister," Ken replied.

"Knocked her up?" Ryo questioned.

"I hope not!" Ken shook his head. "I kind of slept with her before she left for college."

Ryo whistled. "So, you like older girls, huh?"

Ken shrugged weakly.

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

Sorcerymon twirled her drink trying to think of what to do. She half-smiled and half-frowned when her gaze fell upon V-mon. The poor guy looked so dejected. She remembered her friend's words about doing something impulsive to cheer someone up, and that fellow certainly looked like he needed some help. She downed her drink and then tossed her cup behind herself, which landed in the trash can.

V-mon blinked as a Sorcerymon came up to him and seemingly pulled out an English penny from his ear.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Sorcerymon asked.

V-mon blushed. "Um, ugh, I... ah... don't think you want to know that."

Sorcerymon place her hand on her hip. "Oh, really? Why not?"

"It's, um, well... kind of... private," V-mon stammered.

Sorcerymon couldn't help but think of how cute and innocent V-mon looked. She snapped her fingers and a small rain cloud appeared over V-mon. "Well, you're being a real rain on this party. Cheer up!"

"Hey!" V-mon pouted while getting wet.

"Sorry." Sorcerymon waved the cloud away. "There's no reason to be upset. That is unless you loved one of the brides."

V-mon turned away.

"Ah! So, you liked Tailmon, right?" Sorcerymon smiled.

"Well, yeah. I did. Nothing can become of my feelings now," V-mon groused.

"You should try to move on," Sorcerymon suggested, and then flinched at her own words.

"With who?" V-mon asked. "Tailmon has Patamon now. Piyomon and Palmon are out of the question as well, if I had cared to go after them. "

Sorcerymon nodded, realizing that this was the Odaiba V-mon. On the power scale of things, the digimon before her had an insane combat potential. He was capable of evolving two stages above her and most partnered digimon haven't seen the perfection stage, let alone ultimate like she has. She paused to think of how to reply to V-mon. "You have access to the Digital World, right?"

V-mon nodded. "Yeah. With Daisuke's help."

"Why not have your partner send you to the Digital World? Get some time to yourself and see if you can find a digimon you might be interested in," Sorcerymon suggested.

"I guess." V-mon looked over the female sorcery digimon. "Who's your partner?"

Sorcerymon grimaced. "My partner was Susan of the London group."

V-mon looked over the people at the people at the reception. "Who?"

Sorcerymon closed her eyes. "The one that died."

V-mon paled. "Ah, sorry. I, ah, um...." He wanted to kick himself. He knew a member of the London group had died, but intentionally never learned all the details of it. All he knew was that a Londoner had died in battle against the third resurrection of the London group's most evil foe and had done something to help them win the battle in the process. He was afraid that Daisuke might die in one of their battles, and didn't want to know what could happen.

Sorcerymon forced a smile. "It's all right. It has been months since she died."

"I'm still sorry." V-mon looked down. "I didn't learn about that 'cause I didn't want to know what happened if a Chosen died."

Sorcerymon nodded. "I understand. I might've done the same thing in your place."

V-mon fidgeted. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Sorcerymon shook her head.

"Why don't I get us some drinks and then we can talk about something besides our problems?" V-mon asked with a forced smile.

Sorcerymon returned his smile. "I'd like that."

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

A limousine pulling up to the Fuji Television Station in Odaiba was not a rare occurrence. However, a young girl in a wedding dress bolting out of the limousine and running straight to the women's bathroom in the station's lobby wasn't something that had happened before. Considering everything else that has happened at the television station, few were phased at seeing this.

Takeru sighed as he got out of the limousine. He pulled out a baby carriage and unfolded it.

"Be careful," Tailmon warned.

Takeru nodded as he picked up the cat digimon's egg and placed it inside the carriage. Tailmon immediately hopped into the carriage as well. Patamon then flew over, perched on top of the carriage's sun-cover and looked inside, sharing a smile with his new wife.

Takeru placed a blanket in the back of the carriage before pushing the cart into the station and over to the bathroom Hikari had rushed into. They waited a few minutes before she exited, dabbing a wet cloth on to one of her sleeves.

"You okay?" Takeru questioned.

"I'm fine," Hikari replied. "Just messed up my wedding dress a little." She sighed, seeing only a faint trace of her vomit staining the dress. "At least I didn't get sick at the wedding."

Takeru nodded. "Let's hope morning sickness passes soon."

Hikari forced a smile. "If I'm like Mom, I've got another two months of this."

Takeru shook his head. "We'd better get up to our reception."

Hikari agreed and took the carriage to the main studio. Takeru opened the main doors and the room immediately quieted down and a music video that was playing was cut short. The screen now showed the newlyweds and applause ripped through the room, congratulating them.

Koushiro handed Takeru a microphone.

When the applause died down, Gennai's voice echoed through the room, "Perhaps the newlyweds would like to share their thoughts with us?"

Takeru laughed nervously. "I don't know what to say...."

Hikari took the microphone. "Thank you, everyone, for sharing this happy day with us."

Patamon gulped as the microphone was pointed at him. "Um, yeah. Thanks for coming...."

Tailmon smirked as it was her turn. "This is one of the happiest days of my life, and I'm overwhelmed that you're all here to share it. Just one thing I have to say, though: don't be eager to follow our example. Laying an egg HURTS!"

Takato, like many of the others present, laughed at first from Tailmon's comment, but then noticed the size of the egg in comparison to the cat digimon and cringed.

Gennai's face appeared on the screen. "Now, Hank Thomas has something he'd like to say to Takeru and Hikari."

The room went quite again as everyone waited to hear just what would come out of Hank's mouth.

Hank took the microphone from Gennai and said, "I'd like to congratulate Takeru for doing the right thing and getting married to Hikari. And Hikari, hold on to him. Any kid that takes the responsibility for his actions like Takeru has is a rarity."

Some of those present cheered in agreement.

Hank nodded. "Now I know a lot of you think that I'm a hypocrite. That's not true. I'm an opinionated idiot. What Takeru and Hikari did was stupid, and what I've done with Jessica is equally stupid. And I'm not one to back down from a statement I've made."

Jessica palmed her head. He wouldn't....

Koushiro grinned as he pressed a button to change image on the view screen.

With a bulge suggesting nine months of pregnancy, the doctored image of Hank left the two hundred plus gathered in stunned surprise.

Jessica was equally stupefied. She was afraid he was going to put up her picture. When the room broke out into hysterical laughter, she couldn't help but to join them. Recently almost everything Hank seemed to do caused her to be upset, but it was moments like this that she loved him the most. When he let down his macho arrogant pride and let people see him for who he was, not the soldier-in-training or the son of General Thomas, but Hank.

Hank took it all with a bemused look. He knew he deserved this. When you do something stupid, you have to pay for it. He waited for people to stop laughing their asses off before waving for Jessica to join him. Putting his arm around her, he continued, "As some of you might have guessed by the image... yeah... Jessica and I really are as stupid as Takeru and Hikari. When I made my comments about on the message board that led to Jessica making the 'Flame Hank' topic, she had just learned she was pregnant and overreacted."

Jessica smacked Hank in the chest, but he was pleased to note it was a playful tap.

Hank smirked. "As of yesterday, Jessica became Mrs. Thomas. We're now on our honeymoon." He looked over at the other newlyweds. "Sorry, guys, but we got married first."

"Actually, we've been legally married since Hikari's birthday last week," Takeru explained using the microphone.

Hank was about to say something but shut his mouth.

Jessica took the microphone. "I'd like to apologize to everyone here, especially Takeru and Hikari. What happened with the message board shouldn't have happened. I wasn't myself at the time."

"Believe me, I understand," Hikari replied, taking back the microphone. "I don't think Takeru and I should hog all the attention. This wedding reception should also be for you two."

"Um, really, this is for you...." Jessica blushed nervously.

Gennai grinned holding another microphone. "Everyone, give a round of applause for Mr. and Mrs. Thomas."

The room exploded with the sounds of hands clapping.

The screen changed to show Gennai's face. "There's something else you guys might want to see." He opened a door that was behind him.

The camera trained on Jessica's Elecmon hugging an off-white and yellow egg, while Hank's Kokuwamon was rubbing her shoulders.

"We have yet another family to congratulate," Gennai said tenderly. "But let's leave them to their privacy for now." With that, he left the room and closed the door. "With Hank's 'apology' out of the way, it's now time to open the dance floor. Newlyweds, that includes Hank and Jessica, the first dance is yours."

Tailmon waved over Sora's Piyomon. "Guard my egg."

Piyomon nodded and flew over. "Of course."

Takeru blinked and whined, "Do I have to dance?"

"If I have to, YOU have to," Patamon called out as he was now being dragged away by Tailmon.

Hikari looked mildly irritated as she led her new husband to the dance floor.

The soft melody of the music floated through the air as the singer sang of eternal love that knew no end. Hank held Jessica tightly as they swayed with the music. Tailmon and Patamon also moved with the song, though it looked rather awkward for Patamon to be standing on two feet. As for Takeru, he was copying what Hank was doing. He had never danced before and didn't know how.

Hikari sighed as Takeru slowly figured out how he was supposed to dance. She knew what she was doing from having attended family wedding receptions. The thought struck her, wondering how her grandfather would react to learning about the marriage and not being invited. To not get the chance to dance with her at her own wedding. While she didn't know him as well as she'd like considering he lived over in Izumo, he should have been part of this.

"Hikari, are you okay?" Takeru questioned noticing Hikari looked to be on the verge of tears.

Hikari nodded. "Just thinking about some guests we should've invited, but couldn't."

Takeru closed his eyes. "I know. I would've liked Grandma Ishida to come here, even if she is a bit senile."

"We'll have to make it up to them," Hikari suggested.

Takeru smiled. "Of course."

The first song ended and the second one began. The newlyweds stayed on the dance floor as couples started to join them.

Piyomon sighed as Tailmon continued to dance with Patamon. Until the cat digimon finished dancing, she would have to guard the egg. She wanted to get a few dances in with Agumon.

Much to V-mon's chagrin, Sorcerymon decided to drag him to the dance floor.

While Jyou's suit coat was still singed from helping Elecmon laying an egg, his hair was now matted down with an excessive amount of gel. He tried not to think about his appearance as he danced with Mimi held tightly in his arms.


Koushiro looked over at Ayashi, who turned her head away sharply. After the wedding began she moved off into a corner and had refused to talk to anyone, including him. Izumi was afraid that she would react like this, and had no clue how to approach her now.

Koushiro glanced over at Iori, who was flanked by Sayuri and Yume. At least he's not the only one with romantic troubles.

"Iori, want to dance?" Sayuri asked.

Iori shrugged and found himself pulled out of the chair he was sitting in.

Yume huffed as she folded her arms. "Why couldn't the reception be in the Digital World? Then I'd be the one Iori gets to dance with."

Koushiro sighed. "Well, some of the guests wouldn't be able to come if we held it there."

Yume pouted, unable to look away as Iori and Sayuri began to dance a bit too closely for her tastes.

Koushiro smirked as he got an idea.


Mrs. Yagami shook her head at the sight of all these kids dancing together. It was only the second dance, and almost everyone was dancing. She remembered her high school dances. How awkward she had felt and how afraid she had been to approach the guy she liked. She didn't get the sense of awkwardness from some of the kids, like her son with Sora. They went straight to the dance floor as if it was expected of them. Others did appear at least somewhat unsure of themselves, but courageously went to the one they liked and asked for a dance. She wasn't about to comment on the digimon dancing with other digimon since she barely knew anything about them. However, what really got her were two girls that were dancing together, as well as some boy with a female digimon. Mrs. Yagami knew people had... different tastes, but she had never seen a gathering like this where people willingly showed unusual preferences. Starting an adult relationship took a certain amount of courage, and she was afraid these kids had too much courage for their own good, like her own children.


Gennai switched to a Japanese techno song after the third slow-dance song to get the boys a chance to get away from the girls that roped them into a dance, or vice versa. Most of the kids deemed the song too hard to dance to and left the dance floor.


Takeru had left the dance floor with his wife when he heard a familiar voice chirp, "Congratulations!" He jumped away, fists clenched.

Angemon blinked and looked down, trying to figure out how he just evolved like that.

All attention was immediately upon Takeru and Angemon. Either wondering why Patamon had evolved, or to admire the angle digimon flying in wondrous splendor. Some girls, digimon and human, moaned as they remembered that Angemon was already taken.

Solarmon turned his head ninety degrees. "What's wrong?"

Palmon and Gomamon rushed over, both nervously laughing.

"Don't mind our adopted son. He's a good boy," Palmon asserted.

"Yeah. He's perfectly friendly." Gomamon forced a grin.

"Tell me he's not...." Takeru trailed off seeing his wife nod. "That's Pinnochimon?"

"Yes, but Palmon and Gomamon have been raising him. He's not the Dark Master we knew," Hikari explained.

"Dark Master?" William questioned, overhearing them. He looked closely at the child vaccine digimon. He then glanced over at the adoptive parents and warned, "Don't screw up."

"He has a chance of being good?" Takeru asked.

"All child digimon do, just some are more prone to evil than most. He's borderline," William explained.

Angemon devolved back to Patamon. "Dealing with Solarmon will take getting used to."

"No kidding." Takeru shook his head.

"You don't like me?" Solarmon asked innocently. "Didn't you like playing games?"

"Not when my life was at stake," Takeru replied shortly.

"It was?" Solarmon blinked. "Sorry."

Takeru stared as Solarmon hovered away, with his parents following closely behind.

"It'll be all right," Hikari assured him.


Iori was a little worried at the way Yume was smiling. He thought that she might've been jealous of him having a dance, well two dances, with Sayuri. Actually, he'd prefer it if she was jealous, but she seemed to be plotting something.

When Gennai announced the next four songs would be slow dances, Yume looked over at Iori and asked, "Will you dance with me?"

"I would, but how can we dance?" Iori asked a little nervously.

"Easy." Yume smiled brightly and turned her wheelchair and held out her D-3. "Digiport open!"

Light flashed from the laptop Koushiro was holding and the two disappeared. "Have fun, you two," Izumi chirped. He placed his laptop on a nearby table and let the gate remain open.


Yume laughed a bit as she untangled herself from Iori. "Thought you knew how to come through a portal standing," she commented.

Iori shrugged weakly. "That's when I'm prepared to go through the gate."

Yume brushed some dirt off her dress as she stood up. "Can I have my dance now?"

Iori nodded and stepped toward her. He placed his arms around her waist and she responded by wrapping her arms around him and resting her head on his shoulder. Hida blushed from their closeness, but didn't stop her. They moved with the music that came over the open television portal.


Kensuke stared at the laptop, seeing his sister dance too damned close to that boy. However, he couldn't deny how happy she looked, and she was dancing. Her wheelchair left forgotten and she was moving with her own two feet.

"Are you crying?" Yukimi asked.

"Huh? Of course not." Kensuke turned to his date. "Come on, let's dance."

Yukimi giggled as she brushed a tear from his cheek. "You want to know something? I like boys who can cry when they're happy."


Sayuri's eye twitched slightly seeing how close Yume and Iori were dancing. It had taken all of her courage just to dance close enough to Iori that she could've rested her head on his chest if she had wanted to. Yume was more hugging him than dancing. How can that girl just do that?

Mimi shook her head seeing how jealous Sayuri was getting. She felt sorry for Hida, knowing his troubles were only beginning. Speaking of troubles, why wasn't Koushiro dancing with his date? Tachikawa looked over at the boy in question and asked, "Where's Ayashi? I want to meet her."

Koushiro gave her a sad look. "She's having problems dealing with all this."

Mimi pouted. "You want me to talk to her?"

"Could you?" Koushiro asked with a hint of hope.

"No problem. Just tell Jyou what's going on when he gets back from the bathroom." Mimi smiled cheerfully. "Now who is she?"

"That's her in the corner." Koushiro pointed.

Mimi smirked seeing the rather attractive and well-endowed girl. "No wonder you never paid attention to me. You're a breast boy."

Koushiro blushed and stammered.

Mimi patted him on the head. "Don't worry. It'll be our secret."

Koushiro stood impotently as Mimi went off to talk to his girlfriend.

Ayashi noticed the conversation and frowned as the rather cute girl, disgustingly cute in that pink bride's maid dress, came over to her.

"Hello, Ayashi, I'm Mimi," she greeted.

"I have no desire to talk to one of Koushiro's ex-girlfriends," Ayashi sniped.

Mimi almost laughed. "Good thing he never noticed that I was interested in him when we were younger then."

"Doesn't matter," Ayashi snapped.

Mimi shook her head. "Of course it doesn't. If it did, you would've left already. You're just trying to understand."

"Understand what?" Ayashi glared. "That not only are digimon more common than I thought, but that Koushiro is wrapped up into it? That he's a killer?"

Mimi sighed. "I've known Koushiro since we both first became Chosen, and he has only killed when he has to. None of us, well... most of us don't go out searching for opponents to kill. I won't lie that there have been a few kids who didn't understand what their role as a Chosen was and killed for little reason other than the digimon appeared to be an enemy. However, Koushiro wasn't like that. He hasn't killed all that many digimon."

"How many has Koushiro killed?" Ayashi demanded.

Mimi paused. "Not sure. About a dozen, maybe twenty counting his last battle. Then again his role was mostly on the information end of things."

"How many have you killed?" Ayashi asked.

Mimi looked away. "Two."

"How come you've got so many less than he does?" Ayashi questioned.

Mimi sagged. "Because I avoided killing at all costs, including the safety of others and myself. Friends died because I wouldn't kill when I had to. I still can't bring myself to kill when it's necessary, only after there's absolutely no option left and everyone has been hurt." Tachikawa sighed as she sat down.

Ayashi frowned. "This is all too much."

Mimi forced a smile. "You should try living it. I was ten when I got dragged into the Digital World. Everything was different. It was like being in one of those 'Myst' like games where there were things in places that made no sense. The most I had been away from home was summer camp, and there was always adult supervision. Then BAM, I'm in another dimension with no one to rely on but other kids that were my own age and our digimon friends. I didn't know how to cope with everything. We spent almost a year in the Digital World before returning home for a couple days and then going back for a couple more months. During all that time in the Digital World, only minutes passed on Earth and our bodies didn't age."

"You mean Koushiro is really fifteen?" Ayashi asked.

Mimi nodded. "You could say that. During that time our goal was survival, which meant in many instances having to defeat and kill digimon lords who wanted us dead because we had the power to stop them. Since then my old group has become more of mentors to the newer Chosen, showing and teaching them things, and only rarely getting directly involved ourselves."

"Can you explain those two?" Ayashi pointed at Takeru and Hikari.

"The Chosen of Light and Hope, perhaps the strongest two of all of us," Mimi explained. "They were also part of my original group, though Hikari didn't get involved until the second time we went to the Digital World. They've always been close to each other, and had to rely on each other. You have no idea how hard it was for me when I overheard Hikari talking to Takeru about how to deal with having killed someone. They were both eight, and shouldn't have had to know about that."

Ayashi hung her head as she tried to comprehend not only killing someone, but to be responsible for someone's death at eight years old. She would rather think about the question she wanted answered. "How did they start having sex though? I mean, I've only really gotten interested in that in the past year, and I'm not ready to do anything with anyone."

"I'm not sure I can answer that. They are both more mature than they should be, even including the time from the Digital World to their ages. They both have seen or learned of things of a sexual nature before they were ready for that." Mimi shrugged. "However, I do know they were more ready for the relationship they have than some others I could name."

Ayashi looked away. "Are digimon different from us?"

"If you mean, are they just data or are some strange non-sentient creatures, no. Digimon are living and thinking creatures. They are as prone to make mistakes as any human. The only difference is that they aren't of this world, they are known to be reborn after they die, and have the ability to evolve instead of age," Mimi explained. "Digimon can love, hate, be happy or sad. They can even mate and have children of their own."

Ayashi sighed as she gazed over the sea of humans and their digimon partners.

Mimi sat back in her chair. "Do you know that Koushiro loves you?"

Ayashi stared at Mimi in shock. "Wha?!"

"Koushiro loves you," Mimi said seriously. "You're more important to him than his computers. I had to throw a crying fit to get him to look at me, Miyako had to screw him, but you can get his attention by merely being in the room."

Ayashi laughed. "There are times I can't get him away from his computer."

Mimi shook her head. "You don't understand. We NEVER got him away from his computer, no matter what he was working on. When he has ignored you, he was probably dealing with something really important, like Digital World related work."

Ayashi opened and closed her mouth several times.

In the background, the slow song that was playing had ended. The view screen showed a hallway lighting up and someone came over the speakers. "We are the best kept secret in the universe." Tommy Lee Jones began to walk down the now lit hallway. "Our mission is to monitor extraterrestrial activity on Earth. We are the best, last, and only line of defense. We work in secret, we exist in shadow...," Jones said as he made it to the front of the hallway.

Will Smith walked in from the side of the screen and added, "And we dress in black." With that the two men in black put on sunglasses and kicked toward the camera as the 'Men in Black' music video began to play.

Mimi smiled brightly. "This is perfect." She grabbed Ayashi's hand. "The best way to deal with a problem is to submerge yourself into it." With that she rushed over to Koushiro and dragged him and his supposed date to the dance floor. "Just follow what they do when it gets to the dance portion. It's kind of like line dancing."

"I'm in!" Steve chirped, seemingly appearing from nowhere followed by his Gabumon.

"This'll be cool. Come on, Lisa," Bobby dragged the girl with him.

Soon the dance floor was filled with humans and digimon, some having no clue about this dance.

With some strange alien jumping down next to Will Smith in the video, Mimi called out, "This is it!"

When Will Smith put on his shades, Takato and Daisuke, who were next to each other, followed suit with their goggles. Some of those who had some form of eye-wear also copied the video.

~"Just bounce with me. Just bounce with me. Just bounce with me."~

Guilmon's head bounced along with the song, as did the now awake injured Greymon.

When the song asked to 'slide with me' some guy slid into a Lopmon's ear and accidentally tripped and fell on top of the little digimon, causing the Renamon next to them, and several others, to burst out laughing at the fallen pair.

Takato was practically in heaven dancing next to Daisuke like this, but hearing a Renamon laugh was like being hit by cold water. Ruki's Renamon wouldn't have laughed like that. Or wear a black skirt and a white shirt for that matter. For some reason Takato suspected Ruki would be rather upset if her Renamon developed a fashion sense like the one here apparently has.

Ayashi felt intimidated being surrounded by all these alien creatures. She focused on the video and tried to follow along, however she couldn't quite ignore that Koushiro was obviously paying more attention to her than the video. She turned away and blushed, remembering what Mimi had said. The faces she saw when she looked away all had one thing in common they were smiling. She suspected many of them had histories like Mimi and Koushiro, and yet they were smiling.

The song ended and Gennai called out, "Grab a special someone, it's time again to slooooow dance."

Mimi smiled as Ayashi started dancing with Koushiro, and then went to grab her own date.

"Are you all right?" Koushiro asked.

"I'm fine. Just confused," Ayashi replied, holding Izumi tightly.

Koushiro sighed. "I'm sorry. It's never been easy learning about this."

"I can understand that," Ayashi agreed. "I don't know how to deal with any of it."

"You'll have to figure that out yourself. I had no choice but to accept this as reality, but if you can't... I'll understand." Koushiro looked away.

Ayashi forced a smile. "For your sake, I'll try. Just... no promises."

"I understand." Koushiro closed his eyes, and just enjoyed the moment of holding this girl in his arms as they danced.

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

Grandpa Hida strolled into the Studio, carrying his kendo gear in a duffel bag as he had just come from teaching a class. His son would've just loved to have seen this, people of every nationality each with a digimon and getting along and having fun.

Grandpa Hida walked over to the table Yume and Iori were at, and put his bag down. "Hello."

"Hi, Grandpa," Iori greeted.

"Hi!" Yume chirped. She was particularly happy since some Chinese boy had gotten Sayuri to dance with him. That boy's Syakomon also was trying to dance with Psychemon, but a clam was obviously not a good dance partner. Now Armadimon and Bakumon were actually doing a decent jump of dancing.

"How was class?" Iori asked.

Hida sighed. "Fine, but Shiro is still not understanding what it is that our school teaches. I'm afraid he might use his skills to bully others."

"Some things must be learned the hard way," Iori replied.

Hida laughed. "Might as well call you 'sensei.'"

Iori blushed slightly. "Grandpa, you're still the master."

"Yes, but for how long?" Hida questioned. "A victor between us in full battle is no longer assured. Soon I will have no hope of winning."

Yume blinked. "You're that good in kendo?"

Iori slouched. "Kind of...."

Henry of the London group walked up and asked, "You know the way of the sword?"

Iori nodded. "Yes."

"How about a little match?" Henry grabbed his digivice that was attached to his belt and it morphed into his long sword. He gripped the blade and called out, "Practice." The metallic sheen flashed brightly and then the sword took on the look of oak.

Iori shrugged. "It would be interesting fighting against a different style." He looked at the two practice swords sticking out his grandfather's bag. "Grandfather, may I borrow your bokken?"

Grandpa Hida smiled and nodded. "Yes."

Iori pulled out the bokken from the bag. While he would've preferred using his grandfather's shinnai, a bamboo sword wouldn't likely hold up to the Londoner's oak wood sword. The bokken, being made of solid wood, had a better chance to survive the match.

"Tsukaimon, ask Gennai to give us the dance floor to fight on," Henry ordered.

"Sure thing," Tsukaimon replied. The dark furred version of Patamon took flight with his flapping ears.

When the current song ended, Gennai appeared on the screen. "Everyone clear the dance floor. A battle royal is about to ensue. Henry Miller has challenged Iori Hida to contest of sword fighting." Once the floor was cleared, Iori and Henry took to opposite sides and did a quick warm up. "Fighters ready?" Gennai asked, and was answered with a nod. "Then let 'Mortal Kombat' begin. FIGHT!" With that, the techno version of the 'Mortal Kombat' movie theme began to play.

Grandpa Hida raised an eyebrow.

Henry moved first. He boldly charged forward, bringing his sword down on top the younger boy, only he wasn't there anymore. Iori had side-stepped the attack and swung at Henry's back, only for the Londoner to block it.

"You're fast," Henry commented.

"And you're strong," Iori returned.

They pushed their wooden swords against each other and the sprung away. Each of them took a moment to size up his opponent.

Henry had the advantages of strength and reach, Iori surmised. He wondered if his own speed and strength could compensate for that. This may very well rely purely on the knowledge of the art.

Iori took to the offensive, delivering multiple over-head strikes in hopes of weakening his opponent. Henry was pressed backwards despite blocking all the blows. The strength on the kid was unreal, almost unnatural.

Iori broke away, sensing it was doing more to tire himself out than effect his opponent. He struck at Henry's mid-section only to be blocked by the Londoner's attack.

"Something's not right here," Plotmon chirped.

Chuck nodded. "Our swords have enhanced our fighting abilities, but Iori is fighting on an even footing with Henry."

Teresa bit her knuckle. "It's not even. Henry is going to lose."

"Huh?" Chuck questioned. "How can you be sure?"

"Simple. Henry spent only a year learning formal sword fighting, while Iori's swordmanship shows years of training," William explained.

Not that anyone without any skill in martial combat could tell. It looked to them as if Henry had the advantage. Being much larger, they felt it was only a matter of time that the smaller boy would be overpowered.

Still, the battle looked like a dance. A deadly one if the swords had been real. The pair would attack, dodge, block or parry with fluid grace, each movement flowing into the next. At times they seemed to blur as they moved.

Iori twisted away from an overhead slash and bringing his bokken tightly to his chest. Then he thrusted his weapon, striking the Londoner in the shoulder.

Henry tumbled to the ground, holding his shoulder defensively. "Damn, ya got me."

"Are you all right?" Iori asked, holding out his hand.

Henry nodded. "I've had worse." He grabbed Iori's hand, accepting the help to stand up.

"And the winner is Iori Hida!" Gennai called out.

Applause erupted from the room, and Iori blushed.

Henry went over to his friends, and plopped down next to Teresa. "So much for my pride," he said bitterly.

"How's your shoulder?" Teresa asked with concern.

"Just bruised," Henry replied, but then yelped when Teresa poked it.

"Why did you challenge him?" Chuck asked.

"Overheard him talking to his grandfather and learned that Iori is a master in kendo. Just wanted to see how I measured up." Henry sighed.

"You need much more training, grasshopper," Chuck joked.


"That was amazing, Iori-sama!" Yume chirped.

"Certainly was, sempai," Sayuri added.

Iori blushed and scratched the back of his head.

"Yes, but I see I have been lax in training you to deal with other sword styles, though I don't know if Henry had a style," Grandpa Hida commented.

"What do you mean?" Yume asked. "He won."

"I didn't exploit openings that I should have," Iori explained. "I could've ended the fight much sooner, but was having trouble seeing where I should've attacked."

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

Hikari stared blankly as she watched Takeru's mother get into a fight with his father. She heard words of hatred spoken by two people who were once so deeply in love they had two children. Her hand moved to cover her mouth as tears started to pool at her eyes. Was this her future? Would she fall out of love with Takeru as his parents had? Would she end up divorced? She ran out of the studio, unable to see any more of Takeru's family at the moment.

Hikari stopped as she reached the observation floor. She stared out the window overlooking the island of Odaiba. Without prompting, she remembered the first time she was here. It seemed like lifetimes ago, but only four and half years, a third of her life, had passed. It was here that Vamdemon was going to kill her. It was here that she had killed for the first time. It was here that she first met Takeru.

Well, this wasn't exactly where all that occurred. The battle against Vamdemon destroyed the entire television station. The observation ball was used to help destroy Venom Vamdemon. Still, when it was rebuilt, they had used most of the original blueprints.

Hikari sighed. She felt old. Much older than thirteen. She was a warrior with no compunction about killing, married and pregnant. Even among the Chosen, only one fifteen year old girl could claim something similar and she had only been a Digi-Destined for two years.

"Oh, God... or Qinglongmon... will Takeru and I always be in love?" Hikari slouched getting no answer.

"Love is fleeting. Power is absolute."

Hikari spun around and saw Noriko holding a Punimon.

Noriko smiled darkly. "Dagomon isn't done with you yet... especially since you're pregnant."

"What?!" Hikari stood up, but could only stare as Noriko stepped backwards and somehow disappeared.

Hikari looked around desperately as she tried to find Noriko, but saw no trace of her. She rushed off, knowing she had to tell the others.

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

"Why so glum?" Ryo asked.

Takato sighed. "It's just seeing that Renamon reminded me about my friends. They could be in trouble. The digimon that sent me here might've hurt them."

Ryo nodded. "I see. Well, let's see if Gennai has any idea on how to send you back."

Takato brightened. "Yeah! He must know of a way."

Guilmon shrugged and followed Takato to see Gennai.

Gennai noticed them coming over and put on a long slow dance. "So this is the anomaly," he commented looking at Takato and Guilmon.

"Anomaly?" Takato asked.

"You are different from everyone here, and your digimon's parameters are almost unreadable," Gennai explained.

Takato nodded. "Well, I am from a different dimension and I did kind of make Guilmon."

Gennai blinked. "You made him?"

Takato nodded. "Yeah. I drew him in a note pad and my D-Arc scanned it in." He held up his digivice.

Gennai placed his hand on the device. "Interesting, evolution is hampered a little but has other things to compensate for it."

Ryo raised an eyebrow at that.

"Do you know how to send me home?" Takato asked.

Gennai shook his head. "Sorry, but your dimension lies outside of my influence. Though some of the Chosen should be able to help you. Just hold on for this song to end."

Takato nodded.

"We go home?" Guilmon asked.

Takato placed his hand on Guilmon's head. "Yeah, we're finally going home."

The song ended and Gennai's face appeared on the view screen again. "Everyone, may I have your attention? The dimensionally displaced Chosen that Ryo was searching for is here. He needs to find a means back to his home dimension. If you know of anything of dimensional travel beyond just getting to the Digital World, please come see me." He then started up collection of videos.

A guy with green hair played with some device in his hands as he approached. "I might be able to..." The device sparked and crackled before it exploded covering the guy with black soot. "Never mind." He turned around and left.

Koushiro shook his head as he approached Gennai. Ken, Taichi and a few foreign kids came forward as well.

Takeru looked around for Hikari. He smiled when he saw her coming through the studio doors, but was dismayed that she seemed upset. He went over to her. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." Hikari tried to get her thoughts straight on what to tell Takeru about Noriko. She decided not to worry him. They were safe at the moment, after all.

Takeru nodded. "If you say so. Mind helping the lost Chosen getting back to his dimension?"

Hikari shrugged. "I can try."

The pair approached and heard a few suggestions on dimensional travel, but the result would either be random or to a known dimension, like Dagomon's Ocean. None that would get Takato and Guilmon to his dimension with any amount of certainty.

"I know of a way," Tailmon called out to get their attention. "When Hikari got pulled into Dagomon's Ocean, the strong feelings that she had for Takeru, Patamon, and myself, and our strong feelings for her opened the portal for us to help her."

Takato scratched the back of his neck. "I already know about that, and tried to do just that. But no matter how much I wanted to see them, it wouldn't work."

"Maybe you didn't have enough energy to do it," Koushiro surmised. "If we share some of our energy, the portal might open."

Gennai nodded. "It's worth a shot."

Takato took off his D-Arc and held it out.

Those gathered moved out of the way of where he was pointing. They all drew out their digivices and pointed them at Takato.

Takato thought about his friends, about how much he missed them. He had been gone for so long, and was afraid that they might have been hurt or killed. He shook his head and concentrated harder on his friends. The protective and cautious Lee with the childish Terriermon; Ruki and Renamon were just plain too serious, but he knew that there was a soft side to them as well; Hirokazu always ready with a snappy reply and nervous Kenta; and Juri was once a shy girl, but now one of the bravest people he knew along with her noble Leomon.

Light shot forth from the Chosen's digivices and collected at Takato's D-Arc. A light began to form in front of the Tamer, soon it was a large amorphous cloud. Sounds of fighting echoed from it.

Takato's eyes widened as he heard their voices.

"Leomon, watch out!" Juri yelled.

"Rapidmon, protect Culumon!" Lee called out.

Gennai froze in shock. "Culumon?!"

"Where the hell is Takato?" Ruki snapped.

"Too far away to help you. DIE!"

Takato recognized that voice. It was the same digimon that had sent him here. "They're in trouble! Guilmon!" Without another word, Takato pulled down his goggles and lunged into the cloud.

Guilmon's eyes took an animalistic look as he charged after his partner.

"I hope they'll be all right," Hikari said as the portal began to close.

"What's a Culumon?" Koushiro asked Gennai.

"An evolution-type digimon. Highly powerful when with other digimon." Gennai sighed. "There hasn't been one recorded on our Digital World since the Dark Masters first came to power."

"Why's that?" Ryo asked.

"They were hunted to extinction. They would be a threat if their powers were combined with a Chosen," Gennai explained.

"They were fun to play with," Solarmon chirped, and then pouted. "Though Mugen Dramon saw them only as target practice."

"Don't mind him." Palmon laughed nervously. "Come on, son."

Sora paled.

Taichi pointed. "Ugh, um, he's not...."

Takeru sighed. "He was." He then looked over at Gennai. "Haven't any Culumon been reborn since then?"

"For some reason, no they haven't," Gennai answered. He was kind of thankful that the portal closed. There was no telling what that other Digital World had in it. There were some extinct digimon that were better off left extinct.

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

The hour was getting late in the day. Many of those present were getting very tired, especially the foreign children who would normally be asleep during the reception.

Gennai's smiling face once again appeared on the view screen. "It is now the time that all you single girls have been waiting for: the throwing of the bouquet! All you human girls get onto the dance floor. Digimon will get their chance as well later."

Ms. Takaishi felt like a giant surrounded by teenaged girls. She was the only single woman at the reception.

Hikari turned her back to the girls. "If you want to stay single, you better not catch this." With a mighty heave, Hikari sent the bouquet flying.

"Let's get ready to RUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMBLEEEEEEEEEE!!!" Bobby cried out at the top of his lungs.

Lisa cast a quick glare at him, which unfortunately left her unprepared as the bouquet came flying toward her. She was smashed to the ground as a wave of girls fought to get into position to catch the flowers.

Sora reached out and grabbed onto the head of a rose, but the rest of the bouquet was knocked away. Mimi and four other girls each nabbed part of it and pulled. In an explosion of rose petals and baby's breath flowers, the bouquet met its end.

Everyone sweated nervously at the sight.

"Does this mean I win?" Sora held the intact rose in her hand.

Taichi pulled nervously at his collar.

Lisa glared. "Happy?"

"I didn't mean that literally," Bobby said in shock.

"Well, that was interesting," Gennai commented. "Now it's the turn of you single human guys, as it's time to throw the garter."

Takeru blinked. "The garter?"

Hikari already was sitting down at a chair facing the mob of boys. She motioned for Takeru to come over. "Haven't been to many weddings, have you?" she asked.

Takeru shook his head.

Hikari stretched out her leg. "It's really simple, you have to take off my garter with your teeth. Then you shoot it like a rubber band at them."

Takeru scratched the back of his neck. "If you say so."

Hikari nodded.

Takeru nervously did as she had told him. He lifted up the skirt of wedding dress and heard cat calls from some of the guys.

"Just keep going," Hikari told him.

Takeru could guess that Hikari was blushing. He certainly was beet red with what was going on. He gathered his courage as he moved up along his wife's outstretched leg. He let his lips tell him where the garter was, leaving butterfly kisses up along her leg. After a moment of searching, he finally found what he was looking for. He carefully bit onto the garter and pulled it down, letting go when he got to her ankle. He took off her shoe before pulling off the garter the rest of the way with his hands.

"All right, guys. Get ready." Takeru pulled back on the garter and shot it clean over the entire mass of boys.

Girls shrieked as they got out of the way of the guys rushing to get it. Taichi grabbed at it along with a foreign kid, but Henry slid between them and held the garter triumphantly. "Teresa, I got it! Guess we're next." The Londoner grinned.

Teresa blushed deeply while her Tapirmon looked upset.

Jyou sighed and noticed a baby's breath flower that hadn't been stepped on. He picked it up and walked over to Mimi, placing it into her hair. "It'll be your turn someday," he told her.

Mimi smiled and nodded at him.

"Unlucky in battle, but lucky in love. Henry Miller has the garter. Now you female digimon hoping for a mate, come on down. It's your turn," Gennai called out.

Tailmon walked out in front of the gathered female digimon. She took the bouquet with her tail and rocketed it above the digimon.

A few of them took flight, hoping to intercept it.

Sorcerymon raised her wand. A bolt of energy shot out of it, grabbing the bouquet and drawing it to her hands.

"That's cheating," an Otamamon commented.

Sorcerymon shrugged. "Then so would be flying. Better luck next time." She turned and winked at V-mon. "It's your turn."

V-mon's mouth went dry as he tried to reply, but had no idea what to say.

"Well, no rules against using powers, so Sorcerymon has Tailmon's bouquet. Now since Tailmon doesn't have a garter belt to throw, we'll use Patamon's bow-tie to throw to the eager male digimon looking for a mate."

Patamon shrugged as he moved in front of the group of male digimon that was now gathered. Tailmon helped him remove the bow-tie and placed it in his mouth. He inhaled and sent it flying with, "Air Shot!"

The bow-tie went flying. The mass of male digimon surged after the bow-tie. V-mon knocked away the male Piyomon and Hawkmon, desperate to get the bow-tie only to have it snatched in the air by Solarmon's teeth.

Solarmon proudly brought the bow-tie to his adoptive parents. "I got it!"


An image of Hikari and Takeru, along with Tailmon, Patamon and the egg in the baby carriage, was displayed on the view screen.

"It's time for Hikari and I to begin our honeymoon, as short as it is," Takeru said. "Thank you all for attending, and I hope this isn't the last time we can all gather like this. It was great getting to know some of you when our lives weren't on the line."

"Thank you for coming," Hikari added. "I wish you all luck, happiness, and love."

"Yeah. Good luck in finding the love of your life." Tailmon placed her paw on her husband's head. "Though do take your time."

Patamon blushed. "Thanks and hope to see you all again."

Takeru turned toward Koushiro and his laptop. "Digiport open!"

A bright light flashed and the two newlywed couples disappeared, along with the carriage and egg.

Koushiro quickly rerouted all traffic away from that area of the Digital World. It wasn't long before a line of people came to him to go back home.


"I guess this is goodbye, huh?" V-mon slouched.

"It doesn't have to be." Sorcerymon tapped him on the head with Tailmon's bouquet. "There's always the Digital World. I spend most of my time there." She pulled out a piece of paper with some numbers and an email address written on it. "Have Daisuke open a portal to there. That is where my home is."

V-mon looked at the paper. "Ah, sure. Is there any specific time you'd like to meet?"

"Well, when do you have some free time?" Sorcerymon asked.

"Pretty much all the time. Daisuke is usually at school or with a girl. We don't do much adventuring anymore," V-mon replied.

Sorcerymon shrugged. "Why don't we figure out when to have a date later? I'm not sure how this time zone stuff between us works."

V-mon nodded. "Okay."

Sorcerymon leaned down and kissed him on the lips. "If you want to drop by unannounced, that'll be okay. Bye!" She waved as she walked over to the London group preparing to leave.

V-mon mechanically waved back as his other hand went to his lips. After the London group teleported away, the blue lizard came to his senses and turned around.


"Hey, Koushiro. We're going to hold onto our digimon while we're in town. Don't want to get caught by any trouble without them," Hank informed him.

Koushiro nodded. "I understand. It probably wouldn't be a good idea to move Elecmon or her egg any time soon. Just try to keep out of sight with them. We don't want any of them being the source of trouble."

"Of course." Hank nodded. "We'll contact you when we're ready to send them back."

"Right. See you." Koushiro waved, thankful that he had one less portal to open tonight.

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

"Everything went perfectly," Mrs. Yagami commented as she watched a group of kids gather to use one of the buses that Michael's dad had rented.

Mr. Yagami nodded. "Especially since we didn't plan half of this."

"Well, you didn't plan on it, but others did," Gennai commented as he walked up to them.

"What do you mean by that?" Mrs. Yagami asked.

"A few of my friends and I are not without our own resources. Hikari and Takeru are special kids, and we wanted today to be special for them. Giving no means of transportation to the visiting kids could've caused some problems," Gennai explained. "Besides, since not all of the members of Yamato's band showed up, someone had to play at being the entertainer."

"Things did seem a bit too convenient at times," Mr. Yagami commented.

Gennai smirked. "When one of your friends is a certified god, you learn that things rarely are truly convenient. Anyway, I leave the rest to you, as I'm overdue to return to the Digital World. Goodbye." With that, Gennai vanished.

Mr. Yagami shook his head. "What ever happened to having a normal life?"

"I seem to remember a certain young man promising me a world of surprises," Mrs. Yagami said with smirk. "Somehow I don't think this is what you meant."

"You got that right." Mr. Yagami sagged. "Time to get these kids to the bus."

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

"Goodbye, Mimi." Jyou held her hands tightly as they stood at the lobby of Tokyo Metro Airport.

"I'll see you again this weekend. Remember our date?" Mimi smiled. She held up her new lime-green digivice that Koushiro had helped her get.

Jyou nodded, his hand going to his own new gun-metal and white colored D-3. "I'll still miss you."

"And I'll miss you. These past couple weeks were more than I had ever expected. I would love you for them alone," Mimi recalled fondly.

Jyou nodded. "I love you, too."

Mimi leaned forward and kissed him.

"Mimi!" Jyou blushed.

"Oh, hush. I'm an American girl and PDA is allowed." Mimi pulled her hands free and poked Jyou in the nose. "See you Saturday!"

Jyou blinked. "PDA?"

"Public displays of affection," Mimi answered with a smirk and then gave him a quick hug. "Goodbye, lover."

"Oh, Mimi. Bye. See you soon." Jyou waved as he watched Mimi grab her bags and rushed over to check in on her flight. After the crowds had swallowed her up, he turned away and left for home.

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

The room was quite as almost everyone had left. The lights were dimmed and Koushiro sat at his laptop closing another portal. "Is that everyone?"

"Still one more," Tentomon replied pointed into the shadows.

A girl stepped forward.

"You're still here?" Koushiro questioned in surprise as he put his laptop in his backpack.

Ayashi nodded. "Well, I did come with you, so it's only right that I leave with you."

Koushiro smiled at her. "I'm glad you stayed."

"I'm still not sure about any of this, but I can't forget what Mimi told me," Ayashi said nervously.

Koushiro raised an eyebrow. "What was that?"

Ayashi blushed. "I can't tell you." She then sighed. "If we do have a relationship, Koushiro, I want to know more about digimon."

Koushiro chuckled a little. "I am the one to ask about that."

"Do you think I could see the Digital World?" Ayashi asked.

Koushiro sighed. "I don't know. I'd rather you didn't."

"Why not?" Ayashi demanded.

"Because if you do cross over, you would become a Chosen and would have to fight, kill, and hate like I have," Koushiro said sadly. "If there was a way to prevent that, I would've brought you there a long time ago."

"I see." Ayashi lowered her head. "I still want to learn more about it."

"How about coming over to my house this weekend? It'll take a while to explain this," Koushiro suggested.

Ayashi nodded. "I'd like that."

Koushiro smiled while glancing at Tentomon. "Like to learn what it's like to fly?"

"Fly?" Ayashi questioned.

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

A night guard at the television station stared as he saw a giant blue insect fly away holding two smiling and laughing kids in his arms.

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

Author's Notes:

Well, some of you asked for longer parts. Hope this satisfies. ^^;

Thanks for reading this. And thanks to my pre-readers, especially Ajere for grammar help and Jeremy Mullin for grammar help and adding a few pages from his suggestions.


How come XXXXXXXX wedding tradition wasn't observed?
Japanese weddings that follow the Western traditions tend to have selected parts from what they've been based off of. One Japanese tradition that I know of didn't quite fit, opening the celebration sake. This acts much like cutting the cake, but signifies more than the bar is open.

Gift Money:
Guests at a wedding reception are only supposed to give gifts of cash, and the newlyweds in turn use a portion of that money to send out thank you cards or even presents for the guests.

Foreign Digimon Names:
Why aren't I consistent in using the renamed digimon for western digimon? I am consistent, just not in using all the renaming of digimon, but in how I use them.

It comes down to looking at how a digimon was named. Tapir and Baku mean the same thing, just one is American in origin and the other Japanese. However, with Pico Devimon, pico is used in metric measurements, an European creation, not Japanese so it stays 'pico.' Piyomon verses Biyomon is simply the American version making it more 'American.' If the US named for Piyomon was Chirpmon, then I would've used the US name since that's what the Japanese name means. As for Steve's Yuki Duramon verses Frigimon, well the Japanese name makes little sense for an American Digi-destined. However, it would also be too confusing for me to rename the digimon more correctly as Snow Bearmon. Some I can't change since there are no way to translate it correctly, such as Monzaemon was named after a person.


Izumi Clan of ninja:
There actually IS an Izumi clan of ninja. Whether or not Koushiro is part of that is purely fanfiction fodder.

Akiyama Ryo:
The star of three video games-- Anode Cathode Tamers, Tag Tamers and D-1 Tamers. In the first, he teamed up with Agumon to save Taichi and the others from Millenniummon. In the second one, Millenniummon returned to face Ryo, who got help from little Ken, Wormmon, and Daisuke's V-mon (who doesn't remember it). The third game also has V-mon as his partner. (If anyone has a full synopsis of these games, PLEASE let me know. archive@mich.com)

Takato:
The events of episode 23 happened a bit differently. For those who have seen parts of that episode, you can guess who sent Takato and Guilmon to another dimension. The one that wanted Culumon. So this may change how this Takato will react to events in episode 29, however, this Takato isn't from the exact same timeline as the television series, but one very similar. If you don't know what I'm talking about, sorry, but I won't spoil Digimon Tamers.

Sorcerymon and Susan:
Coming eventually, War Diaries Movie 1 will cover the events of Susan's death.

The New York group:
Sorry about not using much of them. However, I will be using them in War Diaries. The main scene I had planned for them was removed from this entry, to keep focus on certain events. I was going to add a 'seventh' member to the New York team, but that will be held off until they have a full episode of War Diaries mostly to themselves.

Why Iori Hida instead of Hida Iori?
Well, everything is translated into a language one understands best. Seeing as this is being read in English, Iori's name was listed per the English order, personal name first.

The Unnamed Characters:
A few of the unnamed children a couple referenced digimon, are from Digital Diaries: Adventures 2003. A series that is being written as to be part of the Diaries timeline made by Shaun Garin. So if you want to know what's going on in other parts of the Diaries dimension, I suggest you read that.


Reply to reviews:

MixedDeath*DIGIVOLUTION - American = Catholic... Huh?
If you got the impression I was making all American kids Catholic, sorry that wasn't my intent at all. The only thing I stated about is that the vast majority of private schools are Catholic run and that a son of a major movie star probably wouldn't go to a public school, meaning Michael goes to a private Catholic school based on odds. Does that have to be the case? No. It's just a lot more likely for him to be at a Catholic run private school than not for him not to be at one. Keeping the New York team together, much like the majority of the Odaiba team, the entire New York team also attends the same private Catholic elementary/junior high school (grades K-8). FYI, religions for the New York team: Michael and Maria are Catholic, Steve is Catholic only because of his parents-- he's looking for his own answers, Sam is sort of Catholic only because of the school, Lou follows the Native American beliefs of his tribe, and Mimi is Shinto mostly. Oklahoma group doesn't have any devout Catholics of any type.