Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ The Shepherd ❯ Chapter 3

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The Shepherd.

A Digimon-Sailormoon "what-if" crossover-fiction.

DISCLAIMER:

The The Digimon, the Digidestined, The Sailorsenshi and
their families (except for Kelly, Selena, Agamemnon, and Penelope ) are not
my property! They never were, and never will be.

The Digimon, the Digidestined, and their families are the property of
their creator, Miyoshi Houso, Toei Animation (in Japan), and Haim Saban
(in the USA).

The Sailorsenshi, their friends, and families are the Property of their
creator, Naoko Takeuchi, Kadansha Publishing and Toei Animation (in Japan),
and DiC (in USA) and CWI (in Canada).

NOTES:

Here are the "givens" in the actual Anime. In "Digimon",
Izumi Koushirou ("Izzy" in the English dubbing) is orphaned and adopted.
And in "Sailormoon", the parents of Mizuno Ami ("Amy" in the dubbing)
are divorced, and Ami lives with her mother.

I don't know if "Ayumi" is the actual name of Ami's mother
in Sailormoon or not, or if she's even named, but that's the name I've seen
in a previous fan-fic. So, that's her name, here !

In this chapter, I introduce "my sister, Selena" (the reason for the
story-rating).. based on my co-writer on a few stories,

Also, in this chapter.. I decided to honor my granfather, Odell Dawson
(1913-1994), a veteran of the Pacific Theater in World War 2.

SPECIAL NOTE:

Most of us, including me, reading this are not old enough to
remember Sam Cooke (1935-1963), or the song "A Change is Gonna Come" (1964)
written and sung by Sam, and released after his death. But, if you've ever seen
the Spike Lee movie, "Malcolm X", you might remember hearing the song.

shepherdshepherdshepherdshepherdshepherdshepherdshepherdshepherd

Kelly's P.O.V.

Soon, we are at Usagi-chan's house. I felt a bit nervous. How do you thank
someone for being there for your child when she walked through Hell ? I try to
straighten-up my appearance as I walk up to the Tsukino's door.

Ami opened the door for Usagi.

The house looked a bit tidy.. and, probably, a bit small. I took a
summary-glance around. I could see pictures. My guess is they are of Usagi's
family. A few of the pictures show a close family, and for that I am grateful!
My daughter had someone close who knows what a family meant, unlike Ayumi. Then
I hear voices from the back of the house, and a soft padding coming downstairs.

"Konnichi-wa, Usagi-chan! Konnichi-wa, Ami-chan! You are back from the meeting
so soon?"

I quickly turned toward the stairs where the soft voice seemed to come from- to
see the only thing there was a cat!

"Oops! Err.. ahhh.. gomen! I mean.. mrrrrrrrrrrooooooow?"

I look at Ami, Ryu, and Usagi: Did that cat just talk?

"It is alright, Luna!" Usagi went to pet the tensing cat. "This is Ami-chan's
father!"

"Ami-chan's father?" The cat spoke in that same female voice that I'd heard on
the stairs.

Well. it's official! The cat's out of the bag! In more ways than one!

"Usagi! Ami! You are home! How were the girls?" A young boy came up and bowed,
followed by two older people. I can only guess them to be Usagi's brother and
parents. "Ah! Who is this gentleman?"

"Shingo-kun?" Ami bowed towards the speaker. "Tsukino-sama? Ikuko-haha? I would
like to introduce my honorable father. Kelly Graham!"

I saw three pairs of eyes light up. From their reactions, you might have thought
I was the King of the World, and not a lowly disk-jockey!

"We have heard about you, Graham-sama!" Mr. Tsukino bows.

"All good reports, I pray!" I bow in return.

"They have been VERY good reports, indeed! Come! The meal is ready!"

"Do not worry, Graham-sama!" Mrs. Tsukino bowed. "There will be enough!"

I just bowed in thanks, then glanced toward Ryu-kun. Obviously, the Tsukinos
were warned. I must find some way to repay their kindness to my daughter and I!

After supper, Usagi, Ami, Ryu, and I told the Tsukinos about our adventures
today, and I was asked about my life in America. Usagi's parents and brother
were very interested in me, what I did and thought and how I spent my time!
'What is this?' I thought. 'Are the Taukinos adopting me?'

After the interrogation, we moved to the backroom, where we spend the rest of
the evening playing blackjack and going over my letters to Ami, and then talking
about me and my daughter's artistic abilities.

Then Ami pulled out a tape-player and a few cassettes. I get lost in memories.

From a cassette labeled "September 10, 2000":

"This is Kelly P. om Station KNLV, and today.. I hope my friends out there
listening this morning will allow me this indulgence.. today is the birthday of
a very-important person to me. My daughter, Ami Katherine Graham. My Katarzina
is 13 years old today. I.. wish.. we were together right now.

But that's impossible. However, we will be back together.. one day. Until then,
Katarzina, just remember the words of Brother Sam Cooke. A change IS gonna
come!"

I was born by the river in a little tent,
and just like the river, I been a-runnin' every-since.
It's been a long time, a long time comin', but I know-
A change is gonna come. Oh, yes it will!

It's been too hard living, but I'm afraid to die,
Cause I don't know what's up there beyond the sky.
It's been a long time, a long time comin', but I know-
A change is gonna come. Oh, yes it will!

I go to the movie, and I go Downtown,
somebody keeps tellin' me 'Don't hang around.'
It's been a long time, a long time comin', but I know-
A change is gonna come. Oh, yes it will!

Then I go to my brother,
and I say, 'Brother, Help me please?'
But he winds up knockin' me
back down on my knees! Lord!

There been times when I thought I couldn't last for long,
But now I think I'm able to carry on.
It's been a long time, a long time comin', but I know-
A change is gonna come. Oh, yes it will!

Again, I find myself wrapped up in my daughter's arms, as she holds on to me for
dear life! As I look down and reassuring stroke my Blue Angel's hair, I find
myself repeating the refrain to the song:

"It's been a long time, a long time comin', but I know-
A change is gonna come. Oh, yes it will!"

My eyes move from my daughter to her paintings. I repeat again how alive the
paitings look. The colors seem to be the same ones I use most- a blending of
blues and greens, mostly- the cool colors, the colors of life to me! Some of the
paintings seem a bit terbulent, a bit chaotic. Paiting must then be a release
for my Katarzina. Most as anything artistic is for me.

Ayumi? What in the Hell have you done?

Before I knew it, the twilight was about to surrender to night, and I had to
leave for the jinja where I had left my bags. I got up and thanked Tsukino
Kenji-chichi and Tsukino Ikuko-haha for taking such good care of my Katarzina.

Then, the Tsukinos asked where I was staying. When I said
was staying at the Hikawa Jinja, the Tsukinos looked a bit disappointed.

"Can you not stay here?" Kenji asked.
"I could," I replied, "but my luggage is still at the jinja! And, I would hate
to be a burden to you!" I bow respectfully.

"You would not be a burden, Graham-sama!" Kenji said quickly. "But you are
right, it is too late to move you now! But, we will move you here tomorrow!"

How could I refuse?

So, bidding Goodnight to my daughter and her saviours, I make my way back to the
Hikawa Jinja.

There, I wind up talking with the Miko, who is a friend of Usagi's and Ami's.

We talk after a tea-ceremony is performed.

"So, you have come to take Ami-chan away?"

Damn! Hino Rei does not believe in idle words!

But, then, neither do I.

"If my daughter wishes to return home with me. And if the authorities here allow
it. She is, after all, an American-citizen by birth!"

"Hai." Rei answers. "She is also Japanese."

"Her Mother is Japanese." I correct the Miko. "A mother, I may add, who no
longer wants her!"

"And what of you?" Hino-chan asks.

"I would not have flown halfway-around the Pacific if I did not want my
children, Rei-chan. ALL of them! If you are worried about the Sailorsenshi, then
speak to Ami! I want her back with me, but I will not make her break promises
and friendships! I believe in keeping my word, for it is my bond!
And, I will not make my daughter beak her's."

"Hai." The Miko sips her tea slowly, as if lost in thought. "Do you love her?
Ayumi-chan?"

Now, it is my turn to think. "When I told the preacher that I took Ayumi for
better or worse, I meant every word of it! Do I still love her? Hai! If I
didn't, what she did would not hurt so much. Can I forgive her and take her
back? Only if my children can forgive her! As much as I was hurt, they have been
hurt much more! Especially Ami. Being her friend, you would kow that."

The Miko takes the tea-service, bows, and withdraws from the room.

"Arigatou, Graham-sama!", she smiles.

"Arigatou, Rei-chan!"

I drift off to sleep.

I wake up in the predawn hours ready for the day to come! At least, I hope I'm
ready for the day to come. Since I seriously doubt anyone is up at this hour, I
decide that I will take a walk around the grounds of the Jinja. I slip on my
clothes, make my way outside, and start my walk. There in something strangely
relaxing about the pre-dawn hours! If I were back home, I'd be watching the sun
come up over the Frenchmen Mountains and Nellis Airforce Base, sitting with
a cup of coffee. Actually, right about now I'd be getting ready for work!

Anyway, I start to walk, and try to get my brain in gear for the days to come
and their coming battles.

Battles? Now, what made me think like that?

I get back to the room while the grey of dawn gives way to the first color
of morning, and I see Rei-chan at the door with tea and a bit of breakfast.

"Ohayo, Rei-chan!"

"Ohayo, Graham-sama! I brought you some breakfast!"

"Domo arigatou, Rei-chan! It looks delicious!"

"I knew you would probably have breakfast with Ami, but I needed to talk with
you. I was doing a fire-reading earlier this morning, and I saw troubling scene
for today! You will have to fight."

DAMN! That was just what I needed to hear!

"Fighting was the last thing I wanted to do here."

"Hai. I saw a spirit guarding you- shy and non-offensive, but ever-guarding! It
looked like that of an old sailor! The uniform seemed to be American, World War
2."

"Hai." I smile slightly. "That would be my grandfather! He was fighting in the
Pacific in World War 2, U.S. Navy Transport. But, from everything he said and
didn't say about his life, you wouldn't have taken him for a fighter! At least,
I do not think he liked to fight."

"Hai, and I feel that same spirit in you. Be careful."

"Hai." I bow. "Arigatou, Rei-chan!"

All of a sudden, the miko's old grandfather came up to us.

"Ohayo, Graham-sama!"

"Ohayo, Hino-sama!"

"Kelly-sama? Were you expecting any guests?"

"Iie. Why?"

"There is someone here asking for you."

"Me?"

"Hai. She's a pretty one too."

"OJIISAN!!" Rei swung at the old man who was running away.

In spite of myself, I let out a little gigggle.

"Do not worry yourself, Rei-chan!"

"She's out front!" The old man yelled from outside.

The miko and I looked at each other in confusion. I shrugged my shoulders and
went outside. When I got in front, the last person in the world I would've
expected to see was standing there.

"AMANDA SELENE GRAHAM!"

"Ohayo Niisan!"

"What are YOU doing here?!"

"Can't a girl visit her brother?"

"Not without a good reason..."

"Anyways! Where's my little Ami?"

"Selene!!" I said through gritted teeth.

"Nani?"

"Why are you here!?"

"I'm visiting my niisan! Is that so bad?"

"Bull! Why are you here?!"

"Where's Ami?"

"Selene! Stop ignoring me!!"

I can suddenly tell why Rei sensed I'd have to fight.

"Huh?"

"I swear... I'm going to ask you one more time and I WANT AN ANSWER! WHY ARE YOU
IN JAPAN!? And don't say visiting my brother!"

"Ummmmmmm... can I use a life line?"

"Selene!"

"Ok! Ok! I'm here to kick Ayumi's ass. There! Are ya happy now!?"

"Iyaa. I wanted to spent the least amount of time I could get away with in
Japan! I wanted to get my children and get home, not dig you out from underneath
some Japanese prison cell! But that is unimportant, now! How do you know what's
going on?"

"Well, you kinda asked me to turn the lights on at night and water your
plants... So I was on your computer and I read an e-mail of yours by accident
and now I'm here having a 'vacation' which my boss almost didn't give me!" My
little sister Selene paused for some breath, "So! Where's my little Ami-tenshi?"

"She's at a friend's home." Rei responded. "May I ask who are you?"

"Rei-chan, this is my Imouto, Amanda Selene. We are sousei."

"Ohayo, Selene-san."

"Ohayo, Rei-chan!" My sister smiles.

"Can you please excuse us Rei-chan? I need to have a LONG talk with my Imouto,
here."

"Hai. If you need me, I'll be sweeping leaves."

"Ok." We watching the miko leave, "Now you! Come we must talk! I know HOW you
got to Tokyo, but how did you track me down to the Hikawa shrine? Ryo's letter
did not mention this pace, and Tokyo is BIG!!"

"Well..", Amanda admitted, "I had some help, there!"

"From who?"

"From me, my friend! From me!"

I would have swore I felt my heart stop. The last time I heard that voice was
over 20 years ago! I'm afraid to look down to where the voice came from- afraid
I will find I've been hearing things. But, then, I force myself to look.

"Wizardmon?"

"Hai, Kelly. I am here."

"Kelly? Who.. what.. is this 'Wizardmon'?"

I try to answer my sister as best I can.. which, in this case, will sound like a
weak case! Amanda and I have always been close. That is why she followed me out
to Nevada, and why she stuck by me after Ayumi and I divorced. But, well, there
are things you can't even tell your closest kin!

Things like.. the Digital-World.

I found out about the Digital World in College. In fact, that is how Ayumi and I
met! We both were sweept into that mysterious world, and were both expected to
fight for its freedom! And, we both made.. and lost.. friends there. We even
left parts of ourselves there.

"Wizardmon was my partner, Amanda, in the Digital-World!"

"The WHAT??"

"Perhaps we's best find a place to rest, Kelly!" Wizardmon suggested. "This may
take some time!"

"Come!" I replied. "I will try to explain while we walk to the Tsukinos! They
have been watching over Ami since she left the hospital! And, they are expecting
me for breakfast! We can talk and walk at the same time. I think."

I grab my travel-bag, backpack, and sleeping bag. Then, I stop to thank the Hinos.

"Arigatou nissai! You have been most-hospitable, but Tsukino Kenji-san has invited me
to stay in their house! So, I must take my leave of you, now." I bow to Rei and
her Ojiisan.

Soon, Amanda, Wizardmon, and I are hiking through Tokyo.

"Well," Amanda said impatiently, "I am waiting!"

"It all started when Ayumi and I were in college!" I sighed in rememberence of a
place a big part of me had tried hard to forget, "We, somehow, found ourselves
transported to this place called the Digital-World, along with five other
people! We each found we had a digital partner, and were told it was our destiny
to save that world! Some destiny. We left two of our human-friends buried in the
Digital-World, we were seperated from our degital-friends. And, those of us who
managed to come back have managed to screw up our lives royally!! The Digital-
World is where Ayumi and I somehow managed to fall in love, when we were
thrown together by the Fates so often that, it started to seem like we had alot in
common. And we DID, dammit! But, it seems, that couldn't help us when the few
things we didn't have in common tore us apart!"

Selene was silent for a while. "You said you had to bury some of the others in
this Digital-World?"

"Yes. After that last battle, two of our friends lay dead.. a young man and a
lady. They had said their lives were hard and weren't really worth living before
they went to the Digital-World, but they didn't deserve that kind of death. No
one does! At least, they were with friends when they died, and were buried
together. Anyway, after that battle, we were told the Digital-World was freed
of the evil infecting it. But, we were too traumatized to celebrate. Our dead-friends'
partners disappeared. We were told that, without our partners, the Digimon had
no real reason for being, so.. they just left to wander around, forever empty.
Those of us who were left were left empty, too! We were not allowed to grieve,
not allowed to ask 'why', we were just sent home. We barely even had time to say
'goodbye' to our Digimon! Except for one boy, Gennai, who decided to stay in exile
in the Digital-World. He said, being an orphan, he didn't really have anything to go
back to. It was all so damned unfair! Well, after the rest of us came back, I
tried to stay in touch with them. None of us had happy lives. I guess, being a
Digital-Warrior has a high price to pay."

"Hai." Wizardmon's eyes shown with a bit of sadness. "The price has lessened in
recent times, but the hurt and sadness are still part and parcel of the
Digital-life! Friends are still to be treasured, for you can loose them easily.
Partnerships are not so precarious, although outside hurts can still effect
them! Ask Mimi and Koushirou when we see them!"

So.. Mimi and Koushirou were unfortunate enough to become Digi-Destined, too? I
have to wonder if Ayumi knew about this! If she did, she obviously didn't care!
My guess is Ryu knew of this, and, probably, so does Katarzina. I'll have to ask
her after breakfast.

Soon, we are at the Tsukino's! All discussion about my old-life and thoughts of
Ayumi must stop for now. I start trying to make myself presentable again.

"Amanda Selene? Be on your best behaviour! Remember, we're not in Vegas! We are
guests here! Wizardmon? I don't THINK I have to warn you to behave yourself!"

"I'll mind myself!" My sister pouts. "Why are you being so uptight, anyway?
You'd think we were paying a visit to Royalty, or something!?"

In the back in us, I hear Wizardmon softly chuckle. Obviously, the Wizardmon
knows!

And I grin slightly.

If you only knew, Selene...

shepherdshepherdshepherdshepherdshepherdshepherdshepherdshepherd