Disclaimer:
The following is a non-profit fan-written story. Digimon and its characters are not owned by me, it's owned by Akiyoshi Hongo, Toei Animation, and Bandai/Namco. Support the official release.
Author's Note:
Yep, folks, me again. It's been, what, 2 years? The Keena fanfic is not dead yet, as I still have writer's block issues about it, but I am sort of back in the fanfiction game, and I might just do more of these now that I finally graduated college. It's been…a rather interesting two years. Had a kidney stone attack, requiring a bit of surgery, Hurricane Maria struck here…it's been a bit rough for me, but now I want to tackle something that made me angry as a kid; Tamers killing off Leomon, causing Jeri to suffer a lot for the rest of the show without even as much as having much of a redemption. I figured to make something…different about this, and hopefully I don't make too many people angry about it. So for now, let's squash this thing that has bothered me for a long while (I've done…lots of angry rants about it on Twitter), so I can at least feel okay about trying to make a character I liked on the show have quite the redemption, even if it's sort of a "what if" thing, too. Be nice and careful on the reviews if you want to criticize, alright?
Chapter 1: Let Down & Hanging Around
"Life can suck. It really can. If there's one thing I learned about stepping into the Digital World, is that…sometimes there always has to be one victim. It's weird, isn't it? I know Leomon has told me that I have a lion heart, but being hijacked, possessed, and pretty much being a damsel is…not right. And yet I still forgave Impmon. That's how selfless I can be, but…I can even be…selfish on that regard because…I wanted to be alongside my friends, join alongside them, just do all that Digi-modifying, I mean…I collected lots of those cards, didn't I? I admit…it's selfish to want a second chance, but at the very least, things would go a lot more smoother wouldn't it?"
A sighing sound is heard.
"That might have sounded a little too cynical. It feels like I'm hiding more, don't I?"
Jeri Katou was having a bit of a strange dream here as she was in a bed similar to therapists, as she's speaking to…herself, the difference being that she's wearing doctor-appropriate clothes and glasses.
"Sometimes, it's okay to be frustrated about something that either doesn't go your way, or something along the lines of that it feels like you got cut off.", the therapist Jeri responded.
"Yeah, it's…really that awkward. Then again, I'm speaking to myself right now.", the real Jeri responded back.
Said therapist then actually chuckled, "Okay, okay, it feels like you're being a little meta; let's just go back to the matter at hand. Ahem…I know you taught yourself that you can make your own destiny after all that, so…you still hold true on that subject?"
The actual Jeri then thinks for a bit and sighs. "I did make my own destiny, but it got cut off. Rika has told me that sometimes you gotta say "screw destiny", and I…think I've been feeling like I've been more…rebellious lately."
"But at the very least, you're not feeling depressed and down, right?", the therapist Jeri said.
"No…but I do feel like I want to be in some sort of action movie to get rid of said frustration…", Jeri then responded. "Like the ones that Rika would show me to try to cheer me up and to say that I'm still strong."
Suddenly, a fantasy sequence happens, as Jeri beats up people about to go against her at a diner…then gleefully taking some popcorn.
"Wait, wait…", the therapist Jeri interrupts the whole sequence "Rika's actually letting you watch violent action movies?"
"Well, she really likes them, especially those American-made ones. Actually, it kinda works." Jeri responded, as she actually seemed relaxed from imagining herself like that.
The therapist Jeri reacts a bit disapprovingly, "Tsk, tsk, tsk...I don't think so. I mean, you look too…non-threatening. And besides, it could make you want to react suddenly like you want to punch me—"
Jeri tries to deck right at her own therapist…causing her to wake up from the dream.
"No, you—", she realizes that she woke up, as her whole room is all dark, still being nighttime. She stays still for a few seconds before turning over and slams her face right on the pillow, letting out a muffled scream, wanting to let a bit more frustration out before sighing and turning back face up.
"I'm trying to move on, Leomon…but…I wish I just did a little more than what happened. I'll…just have to accept a bit of disappointment on my life.", she softly talks to herself, "As for you, Mom…I'm okay…just that…maybe it's just early puberty or something…", she went back to sleep, and luckily for her, she went back dreaming…but it was a lot more different this time as she's seen floating around in a rather dark place, until…
"Jeriiiiii. Jeeeeeeriiiiiiiii. Wait…I probably shouldn't sound as if I'm a spooky ghost.", a rather familiar, cute voice is heard.
"Hm?", Jeri opens her eyes in her dream, and she also sees a familiar face; none other than Calumon.
"Heeeeeeeeey!", he waves at her. Jeri responds by surprisingly just turning around.
"Uh…hey, it's me, good 'ol Calumon! I mean—"
"I know…I…guess I'm still dealing with issues. I should be at last a little relieved seeing you, but you probably should have seen my dreams before this.", Jeri responded.
"Actually, I did.", Calumon again responded happily. This actually got Jeri to look at him again.
"Wait, what?!"
"Ah, now that I got your attention; I know you're having issues with your own therapists, in fact…I think it almost always ends the same way. Kinda funny, really."
Cue a rather humorous pout from Jeri, "Maybe I just need a punching bag…"
"Maaaaybe not, but if it helps, I'm not just here to say hi, well, I'm also here for this!", he then gives a nice little hug to Jeri.
Jeri gladly takes the hug again, "Calumon…I'm…I'm sorry about all that. I dunno why I've been acting like a bit of a grump lately…well, more like in my dreams, but at least real life is well…as well as I can be.", Jeri replied.
"Well, juuuuust your luck, Jeri! You just won the possibility just trying everything all over again! I'm not even kidding!"
And suddenly Jeri gets lost at what Calumon says, but instead just goes with it almost suddenly as well, "Try…what again?"
Calumon takes a deep breath, "Okay…so…I know you're still…off from that Digital World adventure but honestly, a good girl like you just…really didn't deserve to go through that. So, while we're still in our world, I figured I could make quite the contact, and whaddaya know, I got to contact these little guys to join me.
Some familiar glowing fairies would appear around the both of them as Jeri notices that they do look a little bit familiar, "Wait…I think I've seen them…" Jeri says.
Calumon nods and responds, "I made my own wish to go into your dreams…and you see, the Digignomes were willing to have use up a lot of the power to make you, well…retry back to when you and your friends came here. I'll guarantee that you won't have any sort of misery. Look…even I know you've been troubled over and over, the whole D-Reaper stuff, the fact that you could do nothing about this, it's…it's…", he then starts sniffing and even crying, "I did this for you, you know? You didn't deserve it…you didn't!"
"Calumon…Calumon!" she hugs him tighter to try to snap him out of it, "Calumon…you…didn't need to go that far…or at least also overdramatize that.", Jeri responded as she's caught in a bit of crossroads.
"I honestly can't tell if I should stay this way or just go…but if that's all it takes to probably fix something again…but wait…what if this is all a trick? I know Calumon went all this way on my dreams, for goodness sakes…! I can't just say no.", the brunette thought.
"Maybe…I carried so much happiness that it's no wonder I'm crying like a faucet right now…", Calumon responded, trying his best to use his small hands to dry his tears.
"I…I…", Jeri struggled to respond as Calumon looks on. A visible gulp was heard as she sighs once more. "I'll do it. I…I want to try it all over again. Just, please…I don't want to see Leomon die again."
Calumon then reacts in a nice surprise, "Well…also…if you want, you can go all the way, you might even wish your Mom back to life!"
Jeri suddenly yells out, "No! I…I really don't. That honestly wouldn't be respectful. I know my Dad is struggling and all, but…he's just trying his best. Sometimes, life can throw such a nasty curveball on you, but too much and well…it can just drown you in. It's why the D-Reaper got me. I got too vulnerable…and as for Impmon, Beelzemon…I just hope I don't do anything nasty…" she said, still torn on how to handle on this.
"Well…there is a catch. You won't remember this wish, or anything for that matter. You're literally thrown in time back to just the day before you and your friends went to the Digital World. Oh, and, well…there might be other cosm—cosmet—how do you say that word?" Calumon cutely struggled to say a certain word.
"Cosmetic?", Jeri added.
"Yeah, that! Either that or quite a lot. I guess dumping all this on you has made us feel woozy.", he giggles.
Jeri then pats his head, "You know…maybe in another lifetime, we'd be quite a team. But yeah…I think I'd like to try all this again. Even if I don't remember it…I'll…I'll hope that at the very least I'll be an asset!"
"Wow, you really are worthy! Even the digignomes agree!", Calumon giggles as the Digimones flash brightly on and off.
"Okay, this is getting a little too cheesy, even for me.", Jeri replied back.
"Alrighty, you heard her, guys! It's time to work your magic! You don't even need to wish for it. They know well ahead about it!",
"Yes…I hope it doesn't get bumpy this time. I won't lose…I won't lose…I won't lose!", she confidently screams as the Digignomes start their work, as they shoot out beams of light right at Jeri.
"By the way, they don't hurt. They're nice enough that way." Calumon said, although Jeri can be seen with dizzy eyes as this happens
"Gooooood tooooo knoooooow!", Jeri responded, sounding in a dizzying way.
After suddenly letting a gasp, her body is pretty much sent through memories of what she went through. From when the D-Reaper took her over, and Leomon's passing, and when she first saw him.
"I know it seems desperate…even if I won't remember it…hope this won't haunt me much, and if it does…I'll likely be ready for the challenge. You don't die…you won't die!"
She screams once more as suddenly, she's indeed sent back, looking at a picture of her mother while holding orange juice, the day before they went to the Digital World, with her memory wiped clean as she suddenly coughs a bit, taking a deep breath, "That cough sure packed a bit of a punch…and it felt really weird…", she shakes her head as she then utters softly, as was outside of her brother's room, then going inside. She sees her sock puppet in her brother's arms. "So that's where you went…"
She takes it, sticking her arm with the puppet out of the window, letting out a "Woof!", then sticking her body out to see Leomon, who was sitting nearby on a roof. As soon she sees him, she suddenly feels a bit of pain on her stomach, "Geez…talk about butterflies on my stomach…unless that's some sort of warning sign…", then taking a deep breath, back to being a bit cheerful, "Hi, I brought you some juice! Sure, it's a little odd to drink orange juice in the nighttime, but it's the best I can do.", she says, putting the glass with juice down on the windowsill.
"You really are too kind.", the lion Digimon responded.
"Oh, I know.", the brunette replied, smiling ever so elegantly.
"You did take a while to appear again."
"Oh, just butterflies in my stomach. I mean, considering tomorrow and all. Happens to everyone."
"If you say so." He takes the glass and sniffs it, causing Jeri to respond with a laugh, "Go on, it's good for you. It's got Omega 3 which…I dunno what it means, maybe something to do with the heart. Maybe for your muscles, too."
"I think my muscles are fine enough, but I'll be cautious regardless.", he proceeds to drink it as she sits on the terrace with him.
"Leomon, what's the Digital World really like? I'm guessing it involves lots of techy stuff?"
"Hm…you sure you want to go?"
"Well, of course I want to, I hardly ever get the chance to travel. And well…I've wanted to try to be brave, too. I mean…not too brave, mind you.", she chuckles nervously.
"Well, it's beautiful but it's dangerous. I might also add that it can be surreal in some places."
"Oh I don't care about danger, as long as you're there with me. I just hope I live up to being your partner. I mean…I know I'm not exactly the most exercisable person out of all of us… "
"What do you mean by that?"
"Sometimes…I think I'm not good enough."
"Huh?"
Her hands were gripping on her Digivice, as they're visibly seen shaking. He holds his hand up a bit before putting it down. "You're such a little thing, but...you have a lion's heart."
A bit of a pause happens as it seems Jeri doesn't respond, instead thinking deeply, "Why…does it feel like I just shut down hearing that?"
"Jeri? Perhaps that might have been a bit too mighty of a way to say that.", the lion Digimon responded.
Jeri sighs, "I…guess. I don't want to say that it's cheesy…more like it feels like I'm weighting a lot just from hearing that."
"I don't exactly know what you mean by "cheesy"."
"Don't worry, it's a human saying. Thing is, we're quite great with each other already. Oh, wait, there is one thing I have to admit."
"And that is?"
"Well, first…gosh, it looked like I was heavily crushing on you when I first saw you. I feel so gross now. Bleh."
"I have to confess, it was indeed strange and—"
Jeri then hides her face with her hands, "Yep…I really looked awkward. Geez, I feel embarrassed…"
"No need. You got a little hyped, is all. I'm pretty sure Takato would act a little too happy, too."
"Yeah…just wanted to let that out. And finally, another thing…can you teach me how you can stand on a rainbow like when we first met?"
And now it was Leomon's turn to pause for a bit, although this time due to how absurd it sounded. After a couple of seconds, Jeri suddenly laughs, "Seriously, how did I not laugh seeing you somehow stand on a rainbow?"
Leomon actually lets out a smile, amused at realizing that "Well, it seems your sense of humor is alright as well."
"Well, having my puppet sort of count on that. Maybe I should practice using the water gargling trick eventually. Anyways…now that we got the giggles over with and settled, there's one favor I have to ask…"
END OF CHAPTER