Reverting back to his human form, Izael walked over to his fellow Light Beings, where he hid his smirk, looking upon his allies as he questioned. "I thought you weren't supposed to interfere with the mortals?"
"We aren't allowed to interfere on their worlds, we are between them here." The female corrected, before adding in a tone that would make one feel like she was narrowing her eyes at them. "But you knew that already."
Izael only smirked in reply, having known he had to force his kin to act in one way or another as he and the other Light Beings watched the last of the fragments scatter across the multiverse, to be reborn again and live out new lives.
"This was too close, Ahriman was almost back to full strength and we did nothing." Another of the Light Beings then remarked, having hated like Izael how indifferent their kind had been towards all of this.
"And yet, Izael's faith in the Ascended paid off." Another added as they all looked at the ten Ascended, who were chatting amongst themselves, along with Shadowknight, who was happily chatting with V-Force and Dawnbringer while the bound forms of Stryker and Dark Hawk were thrashing behind them, while the older TK was talking with SaviourVeedramon and Lightbringer Ophanimon, reminiscing about their fight with the Dark Queen and how everything led to this event.
"There are still those who disagree with us interfering, but their numbers are smaller now, Izael. You can come home."A third Light Beings then said, the comment causing a smile to appear on Izael's face.
"I will, one day, when I am sure the threat has passed." He replied, adding with a serious tone. "The Dark Ones were drained of their power, it will be a very long time before they can attempt to interfere in the Ascendeds' lives again."
"And most likely Ahriman's betrayal will run deep within them." The female Light Being said in reply, knowing that the Dark Ones will think twice about trying to revive Ahriman after he turned on them.
Nodding to the Light Beings and their words, Izael turned and walked towards the Ascended, for it was time for them all to return home.
Seeing Izael approaching, Shadowknight and the older TK moved to the side, leaving the ten Ascended facing the Light Being as he said with a smile. "I am glad to see the light of my old friends in each of you, and knowing that their sense of justice, friendship and love lives on in each of you."
Holding out his hand, four light portals appeared behind LightforceVeedramon, HiMastemon, SaviourVeedramon, Lightbringer Ophanimon, V-Force, Dawnbringer, their prisoners, Knight Davis, Priestess Kari and their beasial allies.
"May you all have a safe journey home and have peace." Izael told the group, causing a few to nod as HiMatemon turned to look at the others.
"It was nice meeting you all, but we really need to go." She said as she looked at LightforceVeedramon, adding in a serious tone. "We left Daichi with my brother for too long."
"You know Tai just wants to be a good uncle, right?" LightforceVeedramon asked with a continued kindness in his tone, only for HiMastemon to say back. "Last time he gave him so much sugar we couldn't put him to bed for hours, I am not having another sleepless night, now come on!"
Sighing, LightforceVeedramon nodded a farewell to his counterparts as he and HiMastemon entered their portal, which closed right behind them, leaving the rest to blink as they processed what they just heard.
"Wait, they have a kid already?!" Lightbringer Ophanimon yelled in shock, before grabbing SaviourVeedramon by his arm as she started to pull him towards their portal, where the Digimon of Miracles commented. "Well that's changed the honeymoon plans..."
SaviourVeedramon gave one final wave to the other Ascended before he was pulled through the portal, which closed right behind him and Lightbringer Ophanimon, those remaining sweat dropping at the scene.
"It's good to see that there are versions of us out there that are still heroes." V-Force then said as he gave a nod to those remaining, before he and Dawnbringer grabbed Stryker and Dark Hawk by their restraints and brought them through their portal, returning to their world and their duties.
"Live with honour." Knight Davis declared, directing his goodbyes to AscendedVeedramon and AscendedOphanimon with a respectful bow, before Priestess Kari added with a sweet and sincere smile. "And always walk in the light."
The pair then entered their portal with their dragon and sphinx, leaving only AscendedVeedramon and AscendedOphanimon, as well as those with them, remaining.
"Henry?" BlackTerriermon asked from his partner's embrace as he looked up at him, seeing the solemn look on his face as Henry pointed out. "We can't go home, there's nothing left for us there."
The black rabbit-like Digimon couldn't help but sigh as well, remembering the Dark King informing the pair that the D-Reaper had destroyed their world without anyone to protect it, leaving both Tamer and Digimon with nowhere to go.
"You two can come stay with me for a while, if you want." Shadowknight offered as he approached the pair, getting their attention as the alternate Takato added with a small smile. "I know what it's like to lose a home, to lose everything, and it would be nice to have a Henry I can talk with again, one I can call a friend."
Looking at this alternate version of Takato, the other Henry couldn't help but smile, seeing more of his old friend in this one then ChaosGallantmon, and nodded his head in reply.
Raising his hand, Shadowknight concentrated as a dark portal opened, before he looked at Henry and BlackTerriermon as he began to say. "I do have to warn you, I am staying with a version of Jeri that is..."
Before he could finish, a female figure emerged from the portal, crossed her arms and looked at Shadowknight with an annoyed look as she all but yelled. "Where the fuck have you been?! You could have at least messaged me!"
Save for Izael and Shadowknight, everyone else watching widened their eyes seeing this different version of Jeri, where the Takato and Jeri in the Digital World both blushed at her appearance, seeing this Jeri with raven hair instead of brown, while wearing a black ensemble, with a dark vest and a spiked collar, showing off both her figure and plenty of skin as the top was left open, revealing her slender body and the dark purple gem necklace she wore around her neck, while black silk gloves covered her hands, passing her elbows and thigh high black boots covering her feet.
This Jeri Katou, or Psychonis as she was known as in the hero's world, continued to wait for Shadowknight's reply, who kept a calm look on his face as he explained. "I had to come finish what I started with the Dark King. It's over now, but I have a few friends that will be staying with us for a while."
Psychonis looked at Henry, who reminded her of a certain tai chi hero, where she began to say. "He looks like..."
"We'll discuss that later." Shadowknight cut in, watching Psychonis' eyes then wander down and look at BlackTerriermon.
"And this is BlackTerriermon, a Digimon, like I told you about." Shadowknight then continued as Psychonis walked over and bent down so that she was eye level with BlackTerriermon, while Henry did his best not to look down her cleavage.
"So this is a Digimon?" The alternate Jeri asked as she looked at BlackTerriermon, who blinked a few times, not exactly sure what was going on or how to act in such a situation, partly due to fearing this Jeri a little.
In the next moment, however, the black rabbit-like Digimon found himself scooped out of Henry's arms and pulled into a tight hug as Psychonis squealed. "Oh my God! He's so adorable!"
"Henry! She's crushing me!" BlackTerriermon cried out, expressing a further fear and panic as he tried to stretch his hand towards his partner for assistance, his eyes tearing as images of Suzie playing dress up with him came to mind as Psychonis turned and walked back through the portal with him in hand, talking about dressing him up and how she's feed him, causing the alternate Henry and Takato to sweatdrop.
"She's..." Henry began to say, only for Shadowknight to cut in and finish. "Yeah..."
Looking at his other allies, Shadowknight gave them a nod in farewell, before he and Henry entered the portal, which closed behind them.
Looking at the older TK, Izael then held out his hand, causing another light portal to open up behind him, where he said to the blond. "This will return you to your dimension and timeline."
Turning around to face it, AscendedVeedramon and AscendedOphanimon noticed the hesitation in the older TK, who laughed lightly as he commented. "I've spent over nine years fighting this evil, trying to avenge what had happened to my world, my friends and my family. Now... now I don't know what to do with myself..."
"Live." AscendedVeedramon said, causing the blond to turn to him, where the Ascended Digimon of Miracles continued with his usual care and confidence. "Live in their memory, help rebuild what was lost, and keep going in their memories."
Nodding to AscendedVeedramon and AscendedOphanimon, the older TK gave a rare smile, about to enter the portal, before looking back and commenting. "Oh, please tell my younger version to grow a spine and take Catherine on a date. She won't bite."
Back in the DATS command room, both TK and Catherine blushed at TK's older version's words, watching as he entered the portal, which closed right behind him.
Seeing the rest of their allies gone, AscendedVeedramon and AscendedOphanimon turned to Izael, where the Ascended Digimon of Light said sincerely. "Thank you, for all that you've done for us... all of us."
"My pleasure." Izael replied, holding out his hand as a light portal not only opened behind the pair, but within the DATS command room, where he added with a smirk. "And don't think you've seen the last of me. Who knows, I might pop in every now and then to check on you."
Smiling, the Ascended Digimon turned and entered the portal, reverting back to Davis, Kari and their partners once they passed through, the portal closing behind them as their friends rushed to them, bombarding them with cheers, questions and expressions of happiness and relief, while Davis and Kari looked at one another and smiled, happy that things were going back to some normalcy.
-Weeks later-
With time, effort and teamwork, Primary City was slowly rebuilt, with the humans, Digimon and Appmon returning to the city and the Digital World, life resuming after they paid tribute to those whose lives were lost during the conflict against the darkness.
With the help of two Ascended and their powers, the Digital World itself healed from the dark invasion, with everyone praising and cheering for the pair.
Likewise, their friends had also learned from the experience, having seen their dark counterparts, seeing the paths they could have taken, and learned from their differences in order to make their lives better.
Sora, for instance, no longer let things worry her as they did before, knowing how easily things can disappear forever, and now enjoyed her life without fear, finally having the date with Tai she so eagerly wanted, while Agumon and Biyomon spent more time together, though they had secretly spied on the pair in doing so, happy for their partners and for being there to see it.
Meanwhile, Henry and Azumi found themselves in for a surprise when Terriermon led them to a room that was decorated for a romantic date, while Pulsemon quickly put the table, chairs, and everything else together before their eyes.
Though both blushed at the action, Henry took the first step and took Azumi's hand, where the pair sat down for their meal and happily chatted with one another, getting to know one another better, while not only did their partners spy on them, but as did Suzie and Lopmon.
Sometime later and in the midst of another night, Davis and Kari sat alone on the top of DATS tower, watching the stars and enjoying each other's company, each looking forward to the bright future they could have together.
Meanwhile, within LightforceVeedramon and HiMastemon's world, Davis had returned home, looking down and smiling as a barely one year old boy, with his looks but his mother's eyes and hair colour, crawled to him, holding up his hand and making a happy sound to see his father home.
Smiling back, Davis picked up Daichi and held his son as Kari gave and gave him a kiss, while nearby, Veemon and Gatomon watched the familiar blue shaded Digi-Egg they had received move and twitch with Daichi's happy sounds and actions, leaving the two to smile at what good partners the two would be.
Within SaviourVeedramon and Lightbringer Ophanimon's world, another kind of celebration was going on, with Davis and Kari facing one another at the altar for their wedding, both smiling happily at one another as their partners, friends and family happily cheered for the pair, both happy the darkness that had plagued their lives had passed, and that they could enjoy a future together.
In the heroes' world, V-Force and Dawnbringer joined their fellow heroes as they fought a newly formed villain team, who was trying to replace the defunct Dark Legion, but turned out to be nothing more than pushovers.
As they battled, Davis and Kari thought back to their battle, fighting alongside their counterparts from other worlds, and allowed that knowledge that there were versions of them fighting the same fight to push them forward, to continue to fight every day to make a better world for all.
Finally, in the Fantasy World, Davis, wearing normal clothing, brought a fair stack of wood back to the small cabin he and Kari called home, his dragon and her sphinx resting outside together, while Kari came out to greet him, giving him a light kiss as they reentered the cabin, both happy for their life of tranquility and solitude together.
As the Ascended continued with their lives, each knew, should the darkness return, that they would stand together to drive it back, for each other, for their homes and for the futures yet to come.
The End
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Author's note: And that's a wrap, thanks to all for liking and reviewing this story and those connected to it. Perhaps one day I will return to this line of stories.
For the time being, I will be taking a break from writing as I help my Co-writer with his stories.
Thank you all again and enjoy the stories to come.