Chapter 54: The Forest of Voices

Even though Bob's death had caused Patty a trauma, she still managed to maintain her optimistic and childlike nature. She was outside playing football with her friends. "Patty, get it!" Vera shouted. Patty leaped in the air, and caught the ball. "Yes!" Moshi exclaimed. "Nothing is too hard for Patty the Master Goalie!" "Well, I don't know about that..." Patty muttered and blushed a little. "Maybe I'd do best as a cheerleader." Everyone laughed a little, and Patty passed the ball to Vera. "It's 2-1, and we're winning." Moshi stated. "Just you wait, we'll make at least three more goals!" Neko boasted. "Ha! As long as we have Patty as our goalie, you don't have a chance!" Vera replied, and kicked the ball. Wendy headbutted the ball to Neko. "Thanks, Wendy!" Neko said, and kicked the ball high into the air. Neko jumped right in front of Moshi, and headbutted the ball at the goal. "Aa!" Patty yelled, and tried to block the ball, but was too late. "Oh yeah!" DeeDee shouted. "Now it's 2-2!" "No worries, guys." Vera said. "We'll win this match!"

Neko placed the ball on the ground. "Okay, here goes!" He said, and kicked the ball. However, Neko slipped, and accidentally kicked the ball too hard. "Oops..." He said when he noticed that the ball was flying far away. "I'll go get it!" Neko said, and ran at the direction of the ball. "Neko, wait!" Patty shouted, and everyone else ran after Neko. Soon, Neko came across the football. "There you are..." He muttered, and grabbed the football. However, as soon as he raised his head, he spotted a figure nearby. On a closer look, Neko spotted that it was a BlackGatomon. "Uuh... Hello." Neko said quietly, however, the BlackGatomon didn't reply. It turned around, and ran deeper into the forest. Neko ran after it, and soon spotted something odd about the woods: The trees were hollow, and contained many holes and cracks in them. "W-where am I..." Neko wondered. He spotted the BlackGatomon again, and saw another one. Neko felt this strange connection when he looked at the BlackGatomon. Then, it hit him. "Mom?" He asked quietly. "Dad?"

"NEE-KOO!" Patty shouted. "ARE YOU HERE?" "OVER HERE!" Neko replied. Soon, everyone gathered at the place where Neko was standing. "There you are..." Patty muttered. "What are you looking at?" DeeDee asked. "Don't you see?" Neko asked, and pointed at the two BlackGatomon. "Err, what are we supposed to see?" Wendy asked. "My parents!" Neko replied. "They're standing right there!" "What?" Everyone exclaimed. Patty took a closer look, but didn't see anything. "Umm, Neko, are you alright?" She asked a little concernedly. "I'm completely fine." Neko replied. "Hmm?" Moshi wondered, and turned his head. He saw a red Kabuterimon, and a light green and light blue Motimon. "A!" He screamed. "What's wrong, Moshi?" DeeDee asked. "I... I think I saw my... My mother and brothers..." Moshi muttered. "What?" DeeDee asked, and looked around. "I don't see anything..." "Mom? Is it really you?" Neko asked. One of the BlackGatomon nodded. "M... Mom..." "Who are they talking to?" Wendy asked. "I dunno..." Vera replied. "Dad..." Neko started crying a little, and he approached the figures.

"Wait." Neko's mom said, and Neko stopped dead on his tracks. "You can not touch us. We are not real." "B-but you're here, right?" Neko asked. "Doesn't that mean you're real?" "No. We may be here, but we are mere ghosts." Neko's mom replied. She smiled a little at the confused Neko. "Neko, you've grown up a lot." She stated. "We... We wished we could have been there for you." Neko's dad said. "I've been missing you every day." Neko muttered. "Neko, who are you talking to?" Wendy asked. "Mom, Dad, why they can't see or hear you?" Neko asked his parents. "This is the Forest of Voices." Neko's mom explained. "Voices?" Neko asked. "Yes. We are the ghosts of those you hold dear." Neko's dad stated. "Only you can see or hear us." "I understand." Neko sighed. "But it is still great to see you." A little ahead, Moshi was crying. "Mother..." He sobbed. "Now, don't cry Moshi." The ghost of Moshi's mom comforted him. "My brothers... I've missed you so much..." Moshi said quietly. "It's a pity we never had chance to play with you." Umushi's ghost said, and looked sorry. "It... It is good to see you." Moshi sobbed.

"Who ARE you talking to?" DeeDee asked. "They... They are ghosts of our loved ones." Neko explained. "Only Moshi and I can see those we care about that have died." "So does that mean..." Patty started, and looked around. She spotted the ghost of "BOB!" She yelled, and ran at Bob's ghost. "Oh Bob..." She cried, and tried to stroke Bob, but her hand went straight through his 'body'. "I didn't want you to leave... I liked you." She whispered. "This is unfair, how come they can see the ghosts and we can't?" DeeDee asked irritatedly. "DeeDee, please." Wendy started. "Let's leave them alone for a moment." "Good idea." Vera said, and she and Wendy left. DeeDee hesitated at first, but then followed the two. "How have you been doing after we had died?" Neko's mom asked her son. "We'd like to hear your story too, Moshi." Gamushi's ghost stated. Neko and Moshi told their parents and siblings about their adventures, while Patty played with Bob's ghost. They chatted the whole evening, until they had to go home. "It... It was good to see you." Moshi said. "Take care, my son." Mona's ghost said, and 'hugged' Moshi. "Bye, brothers." Moshi said. "Bye, Moshi!" Umushi's and Gamushi's ghost replied.

"Take care, little fella." Patty said to Bob, and stood up. "Come on Neko, let's go home." "No." Neko replied. "I don't want to go home." "Neko, it's getting dark and-" "I want to stay with my parents!" Neko insisted. "Neko, please just go." Neko's dad said quietly. "I want to be with you..." Neko muttered. "I hadn't seen you ever since I was a baby, and-" "Neko, we are nothing but ghosts." Neko's mom stated. "No-one else can see us. Would you rather stay here with us, or be with your friends?" "I..." Neko started, and looked at Patty. He sighed a little. "Couldn't... Couldn't I stay here just for tonight? Please?" Neko asked his parents. "Well... I guess that wouldn't hurt." His dad said, and Neko smiled. "Well, I'll come back here tomorrow." Patty stated. "Good night, Neko." "Good night, Sweetcheeks." Neko replied, and gave her a kiss. "And... I don't know if you can hear me, but... Good night, Neko's parents." She added before taking off. "She seems to be a nice girl." Neko's mom said. "I know. I love her." Neko replied. "Well, good night, Mom. Good night, Dad." "Good night, Neko." His parents said. Neko's mom gave him a 'kiss' before he fell asleep, and sighed. "He's our son..." She muttered, and watched the sleeping Neko. "Yup." Neko's dad replied. "He is... Special."

Patty woke up late in the morning, and climbed downstairs. "Good morning, sleepy head." Patamon greeted her. "What time it is?" Patty asked, and yawned "It's 10:35 in the morning." Gatomon replied. "Sorry, we had quite a busy day yesterday..." Patty stated, and rubbed her eyes. "I played with Bob the whole day." "Err, Patty?" Patamon said, and looked at Gatomon worriedly. "You know that Bob's dead, right?" "Yeah, but it was his ghost." Patty replied, and drank some juice. "We encountered this strange forest, where Neko saw his parents and Moshi found his mom and brothers-" "The Forest of Voices?" Gatomon asked shockedly. Patamon and Patty stared at her for a while, until Patty eventually said "Y-yes, something like that." "Gatomon, you turned pale." Patamon said. "Are you okay?" "I-I'm fine." Gatomon replied. "Patty, can you take me there?" "S... Sure." Patty replied. "But why do you want to go there, Mama?" "I've been looking for that place for so long." Gatomon replied. "Please, Patty." "Alright. If it's so important to you." Patty said and smiled. "Thank you, Patty." Gatomon replied, and looked excited.

"Let's see... It was somewhere around here." Patty stated, and looked around. "How exactly did you find it?" Gatomon asked. "Well, we were playing football, when Neko accidentally kicked the ball too hard and..." Patty explained. "It flew... Somewhere over... There!" She pointed at the direction. "Thanks, Patty." Gatomon said. "I'll come with you." Patty said when Gatomon started to going towards the direction. "Neko's over there, too." "H-has Neko died?" Gatomon asked worriedly. "Naah, he just saw his parents over there, and wanted to spent that night with them." Patty replied. However, after a while of walking, they accidentally found out of the forest. "Huh?" Patty wondered. "Are you sure this was the right way, Patty?" Gatomon asked her. "I-it was, at least yesterday..." Patty muttered. "Does the forest change it's location, Mama?" "I, I dunno..." Gatomon replied. "Well, there's one way to find out where it is." Patty stated, and gathered air. "NEE-KOO!" She yelled. "WHERE ARE YOOU?" "Over here!" A loud voice replied from a distance. "This way, Mama!" Patty said, and rushed to the direction where the voice came from.

"Hiya, Neko!" Patty greeted her friend, and hugged him. "Hi." Neko replied. "How did you end up over here? I thought that the forest was that way..." Patty wondered. "Mom said that it randomly changes it's location." Neko explained. "That's why no-one has usually found it." "That includes me." Gatomon said. "Oh, hello Ms Gatomon." Neko greeted her. "Hi. So you found your parents?" Gatomon asked, and Neko nodded. Gatomon took a deep breath. "Come out!" She yelled I want to see you!" "Who she's talking to?" Neko asked Patty, who just shrugged. "Please old friend, it has been so long..." Gatomon muttered. "Mom, who's she talking to?" Neko asked his mom, who was standing right next to him. "I'm not sure." Neko's mom replied. "Please... I've been looking for a way to meet you again. I want to... To... Apologize." Gatomon said. "What for?" A soft voice asked behind her. "Is it you?" Gatomon wondered, and turned around. "Yes." The voice replied. "But why do you want to apologize?" "You... You died because of me." Gatomon replied. "You think so?" The voice asked again, and showed itself. "I... It really is you..." Gatomon muttered, and a tear dropped from her eye. "W... Wizardmon..."

Wizardmon's ghost smiled. "It's good to see you again." He said, and smiled. "Oh, who are these kids?" He asked, and looked at Patty and Neko. "Umm, Patty's my daughter." Gatomon replied. "So you have children?" Wizardmon asked, and Gatomon nodded. "Yes. A second one is coming soon." She stated. "Well, looks like you've got a good life." Wizardmon said. "But why do you think that it was because of you that I died?" "W-well..." Gatomon started, but was cut by Wizardmon. "Was it you or Myotismon that used Grizzly Wing?" Wizardmon asked. "M-Myotismon..." Gatomon muttered. "There you go." Wizardmon said and smiled. "Who are you talking to, Mama?" Patty asked. "An old friend of mine." Gatomon explained. "I'm actually glad that you're here, Gatomon." Wizardmon stated. "Other than seeing you, I must also... Warn you." "Warn me about what?" Gatomon asked. Wizardmon turned around, and sighed. "There's a new enemy coming." He said. "A really strong one. You need to be prepared, it's coming soon." "W-who is it?" Gatomon asked. "Sorry, I can't give you any clearer details." Wizardmon said. "But... Be on guard."

"Okay. I'll give everyone the message." Gatomon said and nodded. "Thank you." Wizardmon said. The forest started shaking all of a sudden. "W-what's going on?" Neko wondered. "The forest is changing it's location!" Wizardmon exclaimed. "Gatomon, you need to get out of here." "B-but-" Gatomon started. "Eeeek!" Patty screamed. "Patty, let's get going!" Neko yelled. "Gatomon, if you stay here, you're gonna die." Wizardmon stated. "I... I understand." Gatomon said nad nodded. "Goodbye, Wizardmon." "See you in the afterlife." Wizardmon farewelled her, and sighed a little as Gatomon left. "Goodbye." He thought, and the Forest of Voices disappeared in a huge flash of light. "MAMAA!" Patty screamed. "She'll be fine." Neko stated. Soon, they heard footsteps, and saw Gatomon coming. "Mama, you okay?" Patty asked. "Y... Yeah." She replied, and turned around: The forest had disappeared. "What did he say to you?" Neko asked. "A... A new enemy is coming." Gatomon stated. "We need to be careful." She stared at Neko for a while. "What?" Neko asked. "Nothing. Let's go home." Gatomon said, and the kids nodded. However, Gatomon looked a little worried. "If Neko was over there when the Forest disappeared the first time..." She thought. "How did he survive?"