Wow. I'm back again, with another story for your reading pleasure. Standard disclaimers apply. Enjoy!

Finding Me Again

According to the theory of Alternate Universes, there was originally only one universe. As time went on, however, it branched out into many, so that now there are billions. Why did it happen, though? The answer is quite simple. In every situation, there are a variety of possible outcomes, but only one can actually come about. The other possibilities don't just go away, though. Another universe branches off to account for the unused possibilities. As it happens, therefore, a universe can spring from something as simple as a coin toss or from something much bigger. Some universes may be quite similar to ours, having branched off more recently, but others may be unrecognizably different.

The following story deals with the creation of an alternate universe, beginning at a pivotal point during the first season of Digimon.

* * * *

Prologue

"SORAAA!" Tai screamed, rushing forward as fast as was humanly possible. He could see her falling toward the pitch darkness as though each second was a hundred years. If there had been room for anything else in his mind, he would have cursed Datamon, but who could think about that now?

"Help me, Tai!" Sora yelled, her arms reaching desperately for something - anything! - to hold on to. What she found was Tai.

"Don't worry. I won't let go," he assured her.

Fate had other ideas, though. Sora's hand slowly slipped from inside her red glove. They both willed it not to happen, but who can stop fate? In reality, it took less than a second, but for them it was an eternity that they had no control over.

Her hand, almost unbearably slowly, escaped his grasp, and she plunged into the empty darkness. Tai was left with nothing to show for his efforts but a single, red glove.

"SORAAA.!" his voice trembled with pain as tears fell across his cheeks unnoticed. She was gone.

That's when he changed. The eyes that normally shone a gentle, impish brown now glowed with orange fire as he spat out a single word angrily. "Datamon."

* * * * * * *



Chapter 1: A New Beginning

"Where am I?"

"The spirit realm, dearie."

"How did I get here?"

"Same way all of us do, hon. Ya died."

"Oh." A pause. "How?"

"Don't remember anything, do ya, girlie? Not even yer name?"

"No."

"Well, that don't matter much. Ya won't be here very long. Boss' got a job fer ya."

"Oh." Another pause. "How do you know?"

"I make it my business to know what all's going down in this 'ere place. Best make yerself comfortable, hon. Boss ain't known fer 'is promptness."

So, she waited. And waited. It may have been only a few minutes, it might have been a few years. Not that it really mattered to her. She had all the spare time she would ever need. Eternity.

So, she waited. While she waited, she learned. The talkative spirit she first met turned out to be true to her word. She learned that the Boss kept watch over all the living worlds. The Boss occasionally gave spirits that had done important things during their living time jobs to do.

"I did something important?"

"Mebee, girlie. Mebee. Boss coulda jus' taken a shine to ya, though. Does that sometimes."

Most of the time, the jobs involved going to a living world. Watching over it; being a guardian. The Boss was very busy. He didn't have time to watch every world all the time. Usually, he just got a spirit to look after each world for him. The Boss would only take over when something was terribly wrong, and the spirit couldn't fix it. That didn't happen often, though. The Boss chose his spirits well.

"Do you guard a world?"

"Yep."

"Really? Which one?"

"This one, o'course! Why else would I hang 'round 'ere, dearie?"

Spirits that were chosen were also given special privileges. They were allowed to keep their bodies. It was really a very sensible thing to grant, because spirits cannot survive on their own in living worlds. The spirits were also allowed to use their minds at their full capacity. This gave them several new talents, telekinesis being one. All this was granted, and the only condition was that they not reveal themselves to the living inhabitants of the world. It was a fair trade-off, most thought.

"I'll get my body back, then?"

"What makes ya think ya lost it in the first place?"

"I still have my body?"

"Yep. Yer's was an int'resting death, 's I recall."

Then he called. It was strange. Blinding light parted the darkness that had surrounded her. Suddenly, she could she. Two doors were directly in front of her. They were delicately engraved with leaves, flowers, and words in a language she couldn't understand. Walking towards the doors, they opened for her, exposing more white light.

"Come no further."

She stopped. Bowing, she lifted her head, but could see nothing, save the same light.

"I have watched you. You did well in your life, young one. You should be proud," the voice boomed all around her. It was impossible to tell which direction it was coming from.

"Thank you," she bowed again. "But. what did I do?"

"'Tis of no importance. What is, however, is that I have chosen you to guard one of the newer worlds. It hasn't been around for a great deal of time, but already it is in need of help. I think you'd be well suited to the task. Effective immediately. You'd best be off, young one."

"Yes, but, would you tell me something first?"

"Yes, young one?"

"What is my name? Please, tell me. It is very important to me," she pleaded.

The voice took on a tired tone. "Very well. It suits you, it really does. You were named for the sky. You are Sora."

* * * * * * * *

Years later.

~ ~ ~ ~

"Dearie, what a pleasant surprise! What're ya doing' 'ere?" the old spirit cried happily. "Bin right lonely withou' ya!"

"It's good to see you, too," Sora smiled. "But, I didn't actually come to talk. I need to see the Boss." Her expression turned grave. "Things are not going well in my world."

"Ahh, ya poor dear. 'S always 'ard when that 'appens. Ya go right ahead and see 'im now; there's a good girl. Boss'll be able ta do sumthin'."

* * * * * * * * * *

"What is it, young one?"

"Well, you see, sir," she bowed her head, frightened of how he would react, "I don't think I've done a very good job. Guarding my world, I mean. Evil has set in. I- I can do nothing," she began to sob. The Boss had trusted her, and she had let him down so quickly.

"Hush, young one," Sora felt pressure on her shaking shoulder, although she could still see no more than lights like those from a billion camera flashes. "No spirit could stand against such forces of evil."

She looked up, surprised. "You knew?"

The voice spoke kindly, "Were you not told that I know all? I have watched all worlds since the beginning of there existence, and shall continue to watch, until the end of it all." Sora looked up in awe. She had been under the impression that the Boss was simply another spirit. Now, she understood that he was so much more than that. "Do not let the evil times overly trouble you, young one. Though this world has not many more years than you do, I have sent saviours before. I shall do so again. They shall crush the evil where it stands!"

"But." Sora was a bit apprehensive, "if they weren't able to stop it before, how can you be sure they will now?"

"Separated, they can do but little, for it is from each other that their strength is drawn. Circumstances led to their downfall. However, that shall not happen now. I leave it in your hands to see that they are kept together. By any means necessary."

"Even."

"Yes," he answered quickly, somehow knowing what she had meant to say.

"I shall do my best, sir." She bowed her head again. Then she was gone.

"Yes. I believe bringing back the Chosen Children will work. After all, they failed last time only because they were separated. Now that she will be watching over them, nothing can go wrong. Unless. no. She can't remember. It could be too dangerous for all of them. Perhaps I should contact an old friend."

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Well, how was it? C'mon, be honest. Questions? Comments? E-mail me at kitcat_46@hotmail.com. Reviews would be much appreciated! ( Toodles!