Chapter 13: Ghost of a Chance
Jun:
Jun was there again, on that stage, preforming for an endless sea of fans.
"Fallen for Youuuu! Fallen for Youuuu!
My soul is yours and your body is mine!"
The crowd roared in approval. "Go Teenage Wolves. Go Matt! We love you! Matt! Matt! Matt!"
And of course, the loudest cheer of all came from a familiar red-haired body among them.
"I love you! Jun! Jun! Jun!"
She began to step off the stage toward that voice, but as she did, the chant transformed into "Beep! Beep! Beep!"
With that the alarm clock woke her up. She was disappointed for the end of the dream... but only for a little bit.
"That's not really a dream at this point. Is it?"
To say she had enjoyed the concert the other day... that would have been the understatement of the century. As amazing as it felt to be adored by the fans at the school, it was nothing compared to what she had felt on the stage. She had never dreamed of being loved like that.
"Go Matt." She said to herself. "Go me!"
Of course, there was one part of the dream still missing from her reality. As she did every morning now, she went straight to her new phone and pulled up her text messages. As usual there were none from Matt... however there was a close second.
"Matt, you were awesome last night... in more ways that one! I can't wait to go out again."
It was from Akira. She had seen it yesterday, but even today it still reminded her of the other great experience of the concert night. The sixth date of her life, and her fourth with him, had been the best she'd ever had. The former girl moaned thinking about it. The only thing that could have made it better was she had been with Matt then instead. Somehow though, she felt a lot less a lot less impatient waiting for that.
"Life is good." She thought.
She looked around her new room. It had been the guest room before she had moved in. The former girl took her change of clothes out of the suitcase, as she had done every morning since moving in with TK. Her new dresser had a clean load of laundry in it now, but there were still a few outfits left packed she would transfer after the next load. She had never cared much for decorum, and living with Mr. Ishaida had started to make her care even less... Unfortunately, that made it very annoying when the former Ms. Takaishi took over his body and his house.
"Aw well, I'm not in her house anymore," Jun chuckled. "...wait, I am!"
She went on to remove her pajamas. Doing so, the former girl really missed her mirror. Mrs. Ishaida had not arranged to move many of the things from Matt's house over. All her stuff was here already, after all, and both of the former divorcees still ostensibly hoped that their reunion was temporary. Some of the trappings of Matt's old room had made it to the new house, but the full body mirror proved far too bulky and fragile for her new father to consider transporting, much to the new son's complaints. Over the second month of the switch a lot of the magic of changing had begun to become mundane, but with that great enhancer taken away, well, nothing better makes the heart grow fonder. For now, she was limited to the bathroom mirror and her own eyes. For what it was worth, she had come to appreciate that much a lot more.
Eventually she was clothed. Stepping into the hallway, Jun saw a peculiar sight. TK was peering his parents' room.
"Bro?" She said approaching him.
He shushed her, and pointed inside.
"Matt... I think you were right." He whispered. "Look!"
The room, formerly Ms. Takashi's and then her husband's in her body, was where both parents had slept since their reunion. They had never laid in the same bed, however. For the first few days, Mr. Ishiada had slept in a blow up bed pulled from storage. To keep up to appearance of chivalry, the former husband, now the wife, had later begun to sleep in the true bed. Today, that had changed again. They weren't in each other's arms, as a proper couple should be, in fact, they had their backs turned on one another with a clear distance between them, but they were in the same bed. Their marriage was already being remade.
Jun looked back at her new brother. The look on his face was ecstatic. He clearly having the same thoughts she was. She could not see her own face, but it must have looked almost as overjoyed. They embraced each other right there.
They hurried off into the living room, far from their parents' ears.
"You really were right!" TK repeated. "They're really getting back together!"
"Of course they are." Jun agreed. "Love always conquers everything."
"It's like that song of yours." He said. "Lovers Reunited."
Jun nodded and began singing it.
"After years apart, we are together again.
We left of our own foolishness, and suffered for it.
Now we will never again know that pain."
Her brother applauded her. Jun had suspected that song had been inspired by the Ishaidas' divorce. It seems TK thought the same. Both brothers had the same dream they would come back together. Now that was a reality.
"Matt can only love me now."
She had texted her beloved the wonderful news several times. As usual, he hadn't responded, but it was inevitable he'd find out, one way or another, and then it was inevitable he'd embrace her like TK had. That was what she looked forward to now more than anything.
"That was amazing, Matt!" Her brother said as she finished. "Sing it again."
She happily obliged him. He joined in for most of the song.
"Davis never would have done this with me." Jun thought.
It was true. The only reaction she could remember him giving to her singing was was a demand to "be quiet" or "shut up." It was nice to actually have a brother that appreciated her for once.
"Thanks, little bro." She said finishing.
"You're welcome, and thank you!" He replied. Then he started singing it too. That same song, and this time it was Jun that joined in.
"He's not as good a singer as I am." She thought "But yeah, he's better than Davis."
They moved on to other songs after that, most of the love songs the Teenage Wolves had produced.
"He's the best brother ever!"
Unfortunately, their jubilation was cut short by the sound of a digimon.
"Morning TK, Morning Matt."
"Morning Patamon." The brother replied.
"Um, morning." Jun had gotten a lot more used to Patamon in the days since she moved in with TK, though every now and again he did... startle his partner's new brother. Ending a moment like this did not help.
"You guys seem happy." the digimon said. "Happy Odaiba Day to you too."
"Do I go along with that or try to explain?" Jun thought.
When the human partner chuckled she decided on just going with it.
"You too." TK said, and then glanced over at the clock. "Actually, I now that you mention it, I probably ought to get going soon. I was going to meet up with the other younger kids for that."
Jun knew, at this point, what Odaiba Memorial Day was. TK had mentioned an "anniversary" coming up multiple times now, and Davis had reported similar mentions from Tai. Initially, neither of them knew what the anniversary was for, but her brother was quickly able to confirm it was for when digidestined first went to the digital world. He also told her that Tai planed for each age group of digidestined to meet up on that day, then for the two groups to later come together. Jun... did not appreciate this, but with even that Mimi girl in America coming the new blond couldn't imagine she'd find an excuse not to attend.
"I guess it will be nice to see her again." She had thought.
"I can give you a ride, you know." The former girl said.
"Really?" TK replied.
"Of course, what are big brothers for?"
The former girl did not think she would have made that offer for Davis. She did not know if she loved her new brother quite like she loved her old one yet, though, like as he was to Matt, she felt she had come to love him quickly. Either way, she was positive she liked her new brother a lot more.
That being said, she also knew she had a bit of a selfish motive here too.
"Won't that make you late for the meetup with Tai and the others?" He asked
"It's totally worth it for you." She answered.
"I... couldn't accept that. I wouldn't want to make you late." He replied. "Um, would you be okay with dropping me off a bit early?'
Reluctantly, Jun responded "Yes... I'll do that... for you."
Somehow, it still felt worth it.
TK stuffed Patamon into his book bag and they were off. Neither of them could imagine waking up their parents to say goodbye, and given they knew what today was, they decided that they didn't have to. It was one of the nicest rides Jun could ever remember; she and her brother continued to sing songs all the way there. Sadly, all good things seemed to have to come to an end, and eventually, they arrived at the park, and Jun had to let her brother out of the car. He seemed to be the first to arrive, none of the other digidestined being in eyesight.
"Thanks for the ride, Matt." TK said happily.
"Please, call me 'Big Brother'"
"Of course. Thank you, big brother."
"You're welcome, little bro... see you later."
"See you then."
With that, they were forced to part.
A few minutes later, Jun arrived at the airport. The older kids were to meet Mimi here. That was something she was looking forward to. Hopefully, she would be able to interact more with her than Tai... Walking up to the terminal, however, she found him present and not her.
"Hey Matt!" Sora said. "Looks like Mimi's flight got delayed."
"Just my luck." Jun thought. Neither she nor Tai spoke, but from the look on his face he was thinking something similar.
Jun had never appreciated Davis's idol worship, or, consequently, the object of that worship. It was obvious her brother liked him more than he did her, and the former girl almost got the impression he might love his idol more too. That thought had been in background of her mind whenever she saw Tai before the switch. Now it was in the foreground.
"Why did he have to fall for his sister!?"
Jun could not complain about Davis becoming the one he loved; she could only approve of it. Still... that her brother was now biologically his sibling instead of hers...
"You know better." She told herself. "You know for a fact a sibling bond is more than blood. Your... date proved it."
Thinking back on that episode was never fun, but it did provide its own sort of comfort in this situation. Blood or not, she was still Davis's sibling and Tai wasn't.
"Even if that brat treats him like one!" She thought. "Besides, now that I'm living with TK, two can play at that game!"
This was, ironically, not the only way that date had helped her in interacting with Tai. More precisely, it helped her avoid him. Before the date, the older leader had approached her many times at school wanting to chat, and she was forced to pretend she enjoyed it. Now... Jun did not know what Davis had said to Tai about the date, but vibe the older boy seemed to be sending toward Jun was "Screw you for breaking my sister's heart!" She couldn't complain. If he was avoiding her, it made it much easier for her to avoid him.
The two stared angrily at each other for several moments then.
"Uh, you okay guys?" Izzy asked
"Yeah, I'm fine." Tai said.
"Same."
The tension somewhat diffused by that, Jun took a good look at the people there. She had not known Sora or Izzy at all before the switch. Like pre-date Tai, however, they were eager to chat with her in Matt's body, and unlike with Tai, she was okay with doing it. In way, they both kind of remind her of that Yolie girl, and by extension Monoe. She couldn't see either of them capturing her best friend's place in her heart, despite how little she saw of her now, but she did think that she was beginning to bond with them. There was another boy with them here, besides Tai, seeming slightly older. Jun didn't know him anything like how she had come to know Sora or Izzy. Still... he did seem a bit familiar.
"He was in one of my old classes, wasn't he?" his former classmate thought. "What was his name? Jo...nouchi? Yeah, I think that's right..."
Knowing this friend-group he probably had a nickname though...
"Hey Sora. Hey Izzy" She said. "Hey… Jo?"
"Hey Matt." He replied.
"Looks like I guessed right!"
The group made small talk for several minutes after that, Jun and Tai doing there best to avoid addressing each other the whole time.
Eventually, that was interrupted by the arrival of a plane.
"Flight 497" Izzy said. "I think that is Mimi's!"
Sure enough, he was right, and the last digidestined was quick to join them.
"Mimi!" Izzy shouted as she stepped into the terminal. "Welcome home!"
The rest of the digidestined echoed his greeting, Jun, she felt, loudest of all.
"Great to see you guys again." Mimi replied. "How've you been?"
"Between school and digimon stuff, very busy." The same boy replied.
"Tell me about it." Jo added.
"You guys are eggheads." Sora joked. "But yeah, I feel that way too. You're lucky, Mimi, to have an ocean between you and all this trouble."
Those words resonated with Jun for several seconds after they were said. Hard as it was on the digidestined, their newest member did not think they had it as hard as she did with her lingering fear of digimon and lack of experience with their... trouble. She brushed the thoughts aside quickly, though. She needed it to get over her fear, and, of course, she never would have gotten her wedding rings an ocean away from Ken.
"Maybe I should have given Michael the ring and had the best of both worlds!" She joked to herself.
"My parents sure think so." Mimi said. "I swear my dad got that job in America just to get me away from the monsters. I say he watches to much Godzilla. It is great to be back here with you guys."
"It's great to have you back." Tai said.
"Absolutely." Jun added. "For once he actually said something right."
That had also been intended as a joke... though maybe the delivery had been less than jovial. Either way its target seemed not to appreciate it. He didn't reprimand the would be joker, but he did send a nasty scowl her way.
The expat seemed to notice this.
"I see you two are still at it." She said. "I ought to be mad, but it is kind of nostalgic."
Some of the other digidestined chuckled bitterly.
"For a while they weren't." Sora lamented.
"Yeah," Izzy contributed. "They were bros most of the time you've been gone. I don't know what happened this last month or two."
"It's... complicated." Jun said. It was the biggest understatement she recalled ever making.
Tai groaned. "I'm sure it is."
"What does that mean?" the red haired girl asked.
"Um..." Tai hesitated to say it.
"Yeah, what does that mean?" Mimi replied. "Don't leave us hanging."
He sighed. "I guess I have to tell you, don't I. Matt... took my sister out on a date last month. I don't know what happened but it was obvious Kari had been crying when she came home. She wouldn't talk to me about anything all night."
As much as she avoided talking with Tai in normal circumstances, doing so then would have been the last thing she wanted to do.
"She still won't talk to me about the date, even now!" He continued
Jun had not known what Davis was or was not saying to him on that front. For her part, if TK knew about the date and asked her questions about it, she would have come up with excuses not to answer him too. She had been kind of worried the brat, as much as he worshiped Tai, would sing to him, but it looked like he was at least not quite that diluted.
"Good to know." She thought.
The rest of the group was surprised by the revelation.
"Matt and Kari?" Izzy puzzled. "That's... interesting."
"Kinda weird." Jo said "What about the age difference?"
"What about it?" Mimi put in. "It's only a number. If they loved each other, more power to them."
"Still, it sounds like things were less than lovey dovey." Sora said in a tone Jun couldn't make sense of. "What happened on that date?"
"I..." The dater began. "Let's just say it didn't work out."
Sora looked slightly relieved by those words. Mimi seemed to want to hear more, though; she was about to say something before Tai broke in.
"Look at the time." He said pointing to a clock on the wall synced to Japanese time. "We need to get going to meet up with the younger kids.
The new blonde might have guessed he was trying to end the conversation, but the clock did back him up; Mimi's delay had cost them a lot of chat time. It could still be argued if her new rival was seizing an opportunity, even if he hadn't created one, but Jun did not care. She wanted the conversation ended too.
Reluctantly Mimi seemed to yield.
"Alright," she said. "Who am I riding with?"
Jun volunteered. So did Tai and Jo. Jun knew Sora and Izzy did not have cars, so that must have meant everyone had one wanted the honor.
Before they could fight over it, Sora chimed in. "You should come with us in Joe's car. Izzy will be there too, so that's half the group you can chat with."
"I can't argue with that." Mimi said "Sound like a bit much for my trip to the hotel after this, though. I wouldn't want to trouble you guys."
That left that trip between Jun and Tai.
"I can't let him have it."
The romantic had never really had a rival before, but now that she'd inherited one from Matt, she knew she was really getting into it.
As if sensing that thought, Mimi looked back and forth between them a few times. Finally, she fixed her gaze on Jun, and for a moment the former girl felt the thrill of victory.
Then she said "Matt, I'll go with you if you tell me all about your date with Kari."
"On second thought, Tai can have this round."
Despite Mimi's absence, the drive back to the park was still a pleasant experience for Jun.
It was one she hadn't known before the switch. Her parents' hesitation to buy a cell phone for her could only have been greater for something as expensive as a car. The freedom that gave her now was hard not to appreciate, even if Tokyo's insane traffic meant it wasn't always practical. She was happy upon arrival... despite her mixed feelings of the event.
Regrouping with the other digidestined, she headed out toward the center of the park. She tried to make small talk with Mimi on the way there, but this was complicated by Tai's attempts to do the same and their lack of desire to speak with each other.
"Come now boys," the pink haired girl teased. "There's no need to fight over me."
Jo chuckled at that joke, though he seemed to be the only one to find it amusing.
Before long the younger kids came into view... most of them anyway. Jun saw both her brothers there as, well as Yolie and the small boy she had eventually learned was named Cody. Kari however, was absent, not that the others saw it that way.
"That's right, Kari," TK said to Davis "you weren't with us for the first trip to the digital world, were you?"
"Um, right. I wasn't." He said. "I wouldn't know anything about that."
"Um, guys, I think the older kids are here." Cody said. He pointed toward the other group.
"Mimi!" Yolie shouted upon seeing the other girl. She ran up and embarrassed her. "Great to see you again!"
"Great to see you again too." She replied.
"Welcome back, big brother." Davis said. Of course, it was directed at Tai.
"Hey, sis." He replied.
Jun walked up to TK and hugged him passionately. "Hey, little bro." She said.
The younger blond returned the hug and said "Hey, big brother."
The former girl glanced over at the new. She could see the look of confusion for in his eyes that was quickly be replaced by anger and jealousy.
"All acording to plan." Jun thought. As much as she had come to despise Tai for this sort of reason, she could only imagine how it would have felt for Davis in this case, given he already hated TK. "Payback is a bitch."
The group made small talk for a bit after that. Quickly, however, Davis designed to cut in.
"Wasn't there something you wanted to tell everyone, Tai?'
All eyes went to the leader then.
"Here it comes." Jun thought. She had expect him to get straight to this issue.
"Well, yes." He answered. He turned to her new brother.
"TK," Tai asked, "Do you remember 4 years ago, when the old group chose to make me their leader?"
"Of course, we were coming home from the digital world, and, well, doing so involved a perilous decision we needed someone to make. We all agreed, that someone had to be you."
"Gag me." His new rival thought.
"That's right." He replied. "That day was, 4 years ago today... well, by real world standards anyhow. For that reason, I decided today was the perfect day for the new group to make a similar choice."
The blond boy puzzled at that for a minute.
"Are you saying you want us to choose a new leader? What about Davis?"
Yolie snorted. "What about him." She waved around everywhere as if to point out "he" wasn't there.
"Yeah, I dislike that too" The older leader said, taking her meaning. "But yes, that is what I was getting at. I know I installed Davis as the junior leader, but, well, I think that is a decision you guys need to affirm. I've gotten some... less than glorious feedback on his leadership. It seems several of you would rather see Kari with the goggles"
TK was visibly shocked by this. It looked like most of the older digidestined were too, all but Tai and herself. Obviously Tai knew about it, but it seems they did not. Jun... had to know about it, as much as Davis had bragged to his sister about it. It wasn't the first time he'd annoyed her, and she made that much clear to him. She would never admit it, but it did make her kind of proud of him. He'd never inspired both emotions in her before at the same time.
"Can we do that, when Davis isn't here to defend his claim?" TK asked "Did we even tell him about it?"
Her new rival sighed. "I did tell him about it... last night at the party."
"Party?" Mimi asked.
"Wait," Yolie put in "was that what THAT was all about?"
It was obvious what "THAT" was referring to. No one at the table knew the context, Tai had not returned to tell them before the party ended, but they all had heard Kari wailing through the door.
Tai sighed. "Well... yeah."
The nerdy girl then burst out laughing.
"Really," Sora asked. "Davis cried like that when you told him he couldn't be leader anymore?"
There was no response, but the facial expression the arbiter let slip though told them that is how it had been.
"Wow," Cody said. "What a baby."
The real Davis made a smug smile. "I know, right?"
Jun had to have more sympathy for her than anyone else there. The former girl couldn't imagine how it must have felt to lose her menarche like that. Still, she had to agree with the sentiment most of the group seemed to share. That reaction... was kind of pathetic.
"Besides," she thought "she'll be the happy one in a few years anyway."
Momentous as the first one was, the absence of periods was another perk Jun had come to appreciate about the male body.
"Welcome to womanhood, Davis."
Tai seemed to be the only other digidestined to empathize with his perceived protege. Perhaps to shift the discussion way from this, he went on. "At any rate, I wanted you guys with D3's to vote on a leader. It can be Davis, Kari, or anyone else."
"I vote for Kari." Yolie interjected, wasting no time.
"I vote for Kari as well." Cody said.
"I vote for me." the new Kari added.
With that, everyone's eyes turned toward TK. He paused for several moments as if wondering what to do.
"I..." he eventually stuttered. "I.. abstain."
Davis rolled his eyes at his rival's indecision. "Whatever, it's not like it matters at this point."
"That... is correct." Tai said. "Congratulations sis! All of the votes cast were for you."
"You go gogglegirl!" Yolie praised. "Where are the goggles anyway?"
"I..." Tai stuttered at bit at first too. "I, probably should have taken them from Davis when I took him home, but... I couldn't do it. It felt like.. well, kicking a sad dog when it was down. Either way, I didn't know for sure he was going to lose the election yet anyway."
Knowing how Kari's crying was perceived, Jun couldn't imagine the vote going any other way. Tai must have been able to guess that perception then too, but it seemed he chose to doubt it.
"Does that mean I don't get the goggles?" Davis pouted.
"Of course you get the googles." The older leader responded. "I was thinking we could have an inauguration on the 3rd."
"The day Kari defeated Myotismon?" Izzy asked. "That sounds appropriate to me."
"Indeed." Tai responeded. "It was also the day she and TK gave Matt and myself the power to warp digivole and defeat VenomMyotismon. I couldn't think of a better day to give her the goggles and formally make her leader."
"I couldn't agree more." Jo added. "Congratulations Kari!"
"Congrats Leader-Elect!" Yolie chanted. Most of the others repeated that chant, including Jun.
"Congrats, brother." she thought.
Gatomon:
"Davis! It's 2 o'clock. Get up."
Kari just laid there, ignoring the Motomiyas, just like she had the previous two hours.
"Davis, what's wrong?" His dad pleaded.
Kari just growned, badly pretending to still be asleep. For what it was worth, she really was until just a second ago.
"Please, Davis, you're scaring me!" came his mother.
The parents made pleads like that to their perceived son for several minutes. These were as fruitless as the first few. Kari just ignored them, trying her hardest to go back to sleep in spite of their interruption. In the end her new parents just seemed to give up and left the room, leaving the door open to easily see said son anyway.
Of course, this was bad news for Gatomon.
The digimon had been making similar pleas to Kari ever since she returned from the party at her old house. Whatever happened there had clearly scared her, the depressed girl replying to her partner no more than to the Motomiyas. Nonetheless, the former cat had to continue her appeal.
"You're scaring me to Kari, please get up!" She said, though the human, as usual, ignored her.
Finally, she added. "Could you at least get up and close the door? I don't want to be stuck under here."
Davis's mom had left the door open the previous two hours as well, confining the unknown digimon beneath the bed. Gatomon did not complain then, because she was much more concerned about her partner and did not want to be selfish. As long as this had dragged on, though, she reluctantly gave into temptation.
"Ugh," Kari grunted. "Fine."
To the former cat's amazement, she then got up and closed the door.
Gatomon scurried out from under the bed, awestruck. "I... thank you."
"You're... welcome." Kari seemed to force out.
Despite getting up, she did not stay up, instantly climbing back into the bed when the door was closed.
"Does that count as progress anyway?" Gatomon thought. Either way, it wasn't enough.
"Kari, please tell me what's wrong." She begged.
It wasn't the first time the digimon had asked that of her partner, but now she hoped against it would she would actually answer this time.
"She's come this far, hasn't she?"
The human turned to her. She stared at her for a few moments as if deciding whether or not she would answer. In the end, she must finally have decided it was worth doing... though in a very... unexpected way.
"Partner," she began. "what would you do if I died?"
"What?"
"I... I know you're free to move around in the digital world; it's coming to Earth that makes you need to hide under the bed. If I weren't around, you wouldn't have any reason to do that."
"Oh my god." The digimon thought. "This can't be happening!"
"Kari please, don't even think that! Don't EVER think that." She said. "I... if you died... I... don't know how I'd live anymore!"
"You'd live freer." the human answered. "You would be able to live like you did after I left the digital world, like the original Veemon did that first night after he met Davis. I can only imagine you'd be happier."
"I'd be miserable. Kari, this is madness! Where is this coming from?"
"I already told you, if wasn't here, there would be no reason for you to come to Earth and be stuck under the bed."
"If it means being without you, that would be empty. I would be empty. You're my partner and I love you. Please, please don't talk about this!"
The look of contempt Kari gave her partner then... it was like nothing Gatomon had ever seen.
"Of course you don't understand." She said. "I didn't understand either."
That was the last thing she said to her. The former cat pleaded again and again trying to dissuade her from this, but she just laid there silently, lost in her own misery.
"This can't be happening!"
Eventually a knock came at the door.
"Kari, what's wrong?"
It was Matt. Only he would call her that, and only when no one else was in earshot.
As expected, however, Kari ignored him.
"Matt, um, come in?" Gatomon said for her.
She didn't know if he could help her, but somebody had to, and the new dragon was her wit's end.
With the digimon's approval, he stepped into the room.
"Kari, please, what happened last night?" He begged.
The expression on Kari's face could only say "ugh, again?" She did not, of course, actually say anything.
"It was Davis wasn't it? What did he do to you?"
Again there was silence.
Matt sighed. He turned to the new cat. "I don't suppose you've had any luck, either?"
"I... I kind of wish I hadn't." She said, explaining to him what had just happened was one of the hardest things he ever did.
All Matt could say in response was "Kari, why? Why would you even think that?".
"Because I'm worthless." She answered. "You're all better off without me, just like Tai."
Her partner and sibling just stared at her for several moments, mouths agape.
"Wha.. what are you talking about?" Matt finally asked. "What happened?"
"It doesn't matter." Kari said. "Nothing matters. Please, just leave me alone."
That response seemed to be all Kari had in her. Matt and Gatomon both made several attempts to reach out to her again, but she ignored them. They were back to square one... only now they worried even more.
TK:
"Bon appetite!" Matt exclaimed.
'Thanks a lot, big brother."
"Yes, thank you son." Mom added.
"Thanks, Matt." Patamon chimed in.
"You're all welcome."
It had always mostly been mom that prepared food she and TK ate. Lately, though, there had been a pretty noticeable drop in meal quality. The son was to polite to mention it, but when the family reunited dad and Matt had begun doing most of the cooking instead. Today dad was working late, so that left the older brother to handle it… and he was handling it very well, even by the high standards he's set since his return. Right now he was carving a stuffed turkey.
"This is delicious," TK said when he took his first bite. "Where did you learn to cook like this?"
"Truth be told just had a video chat with grandpa." Matt replied. "I was feeling turkey, and I wanted to add a certain Je Ne Sais Quoi, if you know what I mean. Turns out Frenchmen don't eat turkey much, but they make a big exception for Christmas. I know it's summer, but somehow Dinde de Noel seemed fitting anyway. It's not like it isn't our own little holiday season right now."
"True." TK said.
"Still," he had to inquire "You asked grandpa for a turkey recipe? That seems like a bit much."
"Well, amoung other things." His brother clarified. "What can I say? I've been… wanting to be more in touch with my heritage lately. He's been happy to help me with that. I've, um.. brushed up on a lot of French vocabulary with him, and, of course, his is the nation of the world's finest chefs. We're part French ourselves. Why shouldn't we inherit some of that too?"
"I can't argue with that." The Christian agreed. "It's funny, mom used to say something similar to that about cooking. Didn't you, mom?"
"Um, yes." She said "We've um, got to live up that French heritage."
"That's the spirit!" Matt chimed in. "You should have a chat with him too sometime."
"That would be… interesting." Mom answered.
"How's grandpa doing anyway?" TK asked.
"He's looking great! Especially for someone as old as he is, he has all his hair and everything." The older brother winked. "Did you know, men actually get the genes for loosing or keeping hair in old age from their mother's side of the family?"
"I did not know that." he replied, his mom shaking her head as well.
"Well, I'd say that's good evidence we'll still be good looking 60 years from now too. I don't know about you, but I like the thought of that."
Somehow, TK did too.
"I like the thought of being a MangaAngemon again." Patamon said. "I hope that happens." TK laughed.
Mom was the first to finish dinner.
"I guess I really do have a woman's appetite." She said, slightly sad sounding.
"Um… you okay mom?" Her youngest son asked.
"I.. I'm fine." She responded. "You guys keep eating. I'll go ahead and clean up the kitchen."
"Thank you, mother." Matt said.
"You're welcome."
The small digimon was finished shortly there after and flew off.
While the brothers were finishing up, dad came in… he was not looking very good when he did. "Stressed" did not begin to describe how he staggered in. "Exhausted" came closer, but it didn't quite seem to hit the mark either.
"Hey, dad." TK greeted "Um… is everything okay?"
"It isn't." He responded. "Can I eat some of that turkey. I'm starving."
"Of course, father." the maker of the turkey said.
He just pulled off a drumstick and sat down.
"Seriously, dad, what's wrong?" his younger son asked.
"I really don't know." He replied. "I… you know I've been having problems at work lately, but today… it was like nothing I've ever seen."
"Should I get mom?" TK asked.
"No. Your… mother has been a godsend lately, but this… I don't think she can help with it. I don't know that I believe anyone can. I..." he paused for a moment. "I think the studio is haunted."
"Haunted really?" Matt just laughed. "Come on dad, that's crazy."
"Maybe it is crazy." Mr Ishida agreed. "Heck, maybe I'm crazy. It would explain a lot..." he paused "It really would explain a lot, but if I am crazy, it seems like half the people at the office are too. We're all seeing it… that strange shadow everywhere, both in real life and on the screens."
"A shadow?" The older son questioned, obviously still not convinced.
"It never does the same thing twice, not even on the recordings."
"That… is odd..." Matt conceded.
For a few seconds the room was silent.
Well, that wasn't quite accurate. In the quiet, TK could pick out a faint sound from in front of his father, where he had laid down his coat.
"Is that what I think it is?" He asked himself. "No, it couldn't be."
Still, he was curious. He reached out his hand where the sound came from, into the coat pocked, and pulled out an MP3 player. Putting it ear bud up to his ear, he heard it clearly.
"Ave Maria, gratia plena, dominus tecum,"
It was a Catholic hymn being song from the machine of his Buddhist father.
"I… is this Ave Maria?" He asked.
"Yeah… it is." Dad paused for a moment then, seemingly thinking of what to say. "I… um… your mother showed it to me. She said she found it comforting, and, um, in all the was happening I decided to give it a try."
"That..." TK did not know what to say to that. "That's a surprise." That did not begin to cover it. He wasn't old enough when his parents split up to remember to many details… but it seemed like religion played a fairly big part of it…
"I need all the comfort I can get, right about now." He continued. "I… I'm sure, um... Amaterasu will understand."
TK still did not know what to make of it. His brother seemed a lot more sure.
"You're listening to mom's music? Awesome!" He put in. "That's super romantic!"
Matt:
"Hey Davis," Tai's voice said through the phone's answering machine. "It's Tai. Listen. Um, that thing we talked about, about the goggles, I need to talk to you about it again. The group discussed it the other day, and we think Kari should have them. Please call me back when you get the message. We really missed you these last couple days."
Matt was playing that message again. It wasn't the only one Tai had left over the young August, or even the first, but it was the most direct. Most of the messages had just asked for "Davis" to call him back and didn't say anything about why. By now most of the digidestined knew that was the sort of call that pertained to digimon matters the caller didn't want your parents hearing about. This one though... it seemed designed to tell "Davis" exactly what the call was about in a way only he would understand. Only to a digidestined would the symbolism of goggles be apparent. At this house, however, that label applied to more people than Tai knew.
"Or it used to apply, anyhow."
Overshadowed as it was by seeing his new brother's misery, Matt had been more than a little sad for himself not to be able to attend the anniversary of their first trip to the digital world. It was one more thing to add to the list of things Jun had stolen from him. Of course, today being what it was, Davis had done the same sort of thing to Kari, and that call made it seem like he had taken it at least one step further...
He sighed. Figuring this out he decided to try to comfort her again. Given the results of his previous attempts, though he wasn't optimistic. Would this extra bit of knowledge help? He had to try it either way. If there was any chance, even a ghost of a chance, he had to try.
The former musician went up to her door and knocked. "Kari, please open the door."
As expected she was silent on the other side. For what it was worth, a familiar, if less than optimal, response came from Gatomon.
"Come in." She said.
Matt sighed. Stepping inside, the scene was basically the same as it had been the last two days. Kari was lying on her bed staring at the ceiling. If she noticed he had come in, she did not show it.
"Hey, Matt," her partner said. "Please close the door behind you."
He complied, and she crawled back out from under the bed.
"Is she still... talking about dying?" He asked
"It's still the only thing she does talk about." Gatomon lamented.
Somehow, that did get Kari to speak.
"You don't understand; you're a digimon." She said. "You keep the same body when you are reborn, and most of the time you get to keep your memories. Humans don't. If I died... maybe I'd get to be a girl again in my next life... or at least a less stupid boy. I'd be fine with that. Being a boy again wouldn't be so bad if I couldn't remember being a girl... if I couldn't remember this life... if I couldn't remember loosing it already."
"Kari, please stop this." Matt begged. "Even if you couldn't remember, we would. I would."
"I'm not worth remembering."
"You know better than that." Matt said. "Don't you remember what today is? Today is the day you killed Myotismon. Today is the day you gave Tai the power to kill half the Dark Masters."
Kari laughed bitterly. "What does any of that matter now? I lost that power a long time ago. We all did, when we gave up the power of the Crests." She laughed again. "It might as well have been in another life."
"You're wrong." The former blonde replied. "That power lives on in the digieggs."
"I don't have that either." The former girl answered. "Kari does."
"Wha... what are you talking about? You are Kari."
"I used to be. Now I'm just... Davis."
"Ka.. Kari, partner, you can't mean that." Gatomon pleaded.
Matt was more direct. "Don't you say that. Don't ever say that!"
"But it's true. I'm not Kari anymore. She is Kari, and she's better at it than I ever was."
"What are talking about?"
"Tai likes her better than he did me. She's his perfect sister. She easily does everything I struggle to do."
"Tai does not get to define who you are!" His rival boomed. "You do that. You are Kari."
Kari shook her head. "She defined who we are with the rings."
"This... is worse than I thought."
"What about me?" He asked. "If you're Davis, is your partner Veemon? Am I Jun?"
"You... um... I..." Kari stuttered. At first it sounded like she was about to say some elaboration on "yes", but she stopped herself. Had Matt's reaction stopped her or had she done it herself. Seeing her stop, "Jun" could feel his face move into a calmer position. What had it looked like before? Having held his previous expression for such a short moment, the former boy could not be certain what it looked like. He did know he had been thinking "Don't you dare say I'm Jun!" With everyone else calling him that, perhaps it shouldn't have bothered him as much as it did. Still, it loose the one other human being that said otherwise...
"Kari, listen to me." He said. "Two days ago... it was the day I became a digidestined. I... all this year I couldn't wait to relive that, let alone to see TK again, maybe even Gabumon and Mimi. In this body... I can't do that. None of our friends will recognize me for who I am. None of them will speak of anything digimon related with me. They don't see me as a digidestined anymore. Heck, they don't even see me as their friend! But you... you're not like that, not as... not in Davis. You're still a digidestined. You're still their friend. And you're invited to celebrate with them, for things you did along with them, even if they don't know it. I... I envy you for that."
"Ju... Ma..." the former girl mumbled a bit before saying anything coherent. "I'm sorry."
"Kari, I know what happened with the goggles." She cringed at the sound of that word, but he kept going. "Tai's been leaving messages about it for days now. I... wish you would fight it. I wish you would go out an contest an election you weren't there to compete in. Who am I kidding, though?"
It was obvious at this point trying to convince her would be futile. Really, the compromise Matt was about to try next seemed almost as unlikely to work; but he felt compelled to do it, both for Kari's sack, and, to a large extent, for his own.
"If you won't do that, would you at least go out and celebrate the 3rd? I... I'm sorry but seeing your locking yourself away in here is infuriating to me."
Hoping against hope, he continued "I've already told you I can't do that for myself. Would... would you please do that for me?"
He laughed internally after spitting out the words. What a farce it all was! Here he was being selfish amidst his new sibling's pain. He felt more than a little bit guilty then...
Kari though, looking at her Matt could not understand what was going on in her mind. She looked disgusted, whether at him or herself he couldn't say. In a strange way she also looked... sympathetic? It was almost like she was sad for him as well as for herself. Most of all she looked... reflective?
After several moments of silence she finally said something "Alright."
"Wha... what?"
This time it was Matt that stuttered in response. Had he heard that right?
She hesitated a bit more, but she went on to say "I... I'll go out today. I'll celebrate in your place."
"I..." He was speechless.
"Oh my god Kari! Thank you!" It was Gatomon that said that. She was plainly ecstatic. She leapt from the floor, as if to jump up and hug her partner, though the body of a DemiVeemon couldn't make the jump.
This spurred Matt. If his sibling were willing to celebrate in his place, why couldn't he in Gatomon's? It wasn't as though he didn't want it for himself either, and, after what had just happened, maybe that was worth an investment too. He ran over and embraced her.
"Thank you. Thank you so much."
"I... you're welcome." She said. "Um... would you please leave me alone after that?"
The former boy did not know if "that" referred to what had just happened or to anniversary she had agreed to attend. It didn't matter. If nothing else, he had to oblige the former. The latter... he we would at fist, but, well, she didn't say for how long.
Davis:
"Congratulations Kari!"
It wasn't the first time another digidestined had complimented Davis since her election; it wasn't even the first time today. Still, it felt great as ever.
"Thank you, Sora." She replied.
The older girl had been the latest to arrive here, outside the TV Station. It was to be the site of their leader's restoration. The place where the original Kari had defeated Myotismon, there could be no better place in the group's eye for her to be crowned. In the new Kari's eye, there was no better place to enshrine her new identity. Having thought on it before, she had realized that on this day four years ago, the same day as the old Kari's triumph, had also been day of her old family's imprisonment by the Bakemon. Davis knew which event she'd rather associate with the day, and this coronation would now doubt solidify that. It could only be the thing she would associate this day with in years to come, along with the victory that had given it its date. That victory would be hers then, along with her body and her title. Everything else would be left with Kari.
She had dreamed of the event the night before, of her new brother placing the goggles on her head like a queen's crown. She had experienced that before, back as a he, on his first day as a digidestined. He was new to the group then, however, and didn't fully appreciate just what he had gotten. Now as a she, the soon to be restored leader could only reveal in it. To lead the vanguard of a global organization on at least two continents against what she now knew was the prodigy he had looked up to for so long... that was hard not to appreciate. Even without that new knowledge, she could think of no better way to display her rightful place as Tai's sibling and heir. It could only be her own greatest victory, the greatest honor and joy she would ever have.
Of course, that glorious crowning couldn't happen without her crown.
"Where is Davis, anyway?" the original Davis asked. "Does he still have the goggles?"
By now the soon to be former leader was one of few digidestined not to show up yet for the coronation, and it couldn't go on without him. Still wearing the googles, Kari had what was technically the most important part. Somehow, the thought of the former girl acknowledging that Davis had replaced him as leader also felt almost like him acknowledging she had replaced him as Kari and as Tai's rightful new sister. That was her dream at least. She couldn't help but guess it also channeled some of the energy from wanting TK to submit to him as leader back when he was a him... not that that didn't still appeal as a her.
"Beats me." Yolie said. "He's probably not showing up to this anymore than he did the election. We're better off proceeding without him once Matt and TK get here."
"But I want my crown." Davis whined internally. Turning the thought into words she was sure to say "goggles" instead of "crown" and continued "Can I get them if Davis doesn't bring them here?"
"Yolie is right." Cody opined. "I don't see Davis just showing up at this point. Has anyone heard from him at all since the party?"
No one indicated that they had.
"I'm positive Davis will come." Tai said. "I do have that much faith in him. Rough as things have been lately, he's still been a great member of the team."
"But what if he doesn't show up?" The original Davis asked. She was less sure of Kari than his idol was of him.
"And that's why I deserve to be his sister." She thought.
"If he doesn't show up, I'll go get the goggles from him." her brother conceded. That pleased her.
"Matt" and TK arrived shortly there after. Other than Kari, they were the last to arrive.
"Hey guys." TK said.
Several in the group responded in kind. Davis was not among them.
"What, no congrats?" She thought.
She did not say it, but the look she was giving him must have.
"Um, congratulations, Kari." Her rival murmured.
"That's better." It wasn't intended to be spoken aloud, but from the look TK gave back, it must have been.
"Huh, that's new." Mimi said. "I knew your brothers were still going at it, but I didn't think it would ever spread to you two; if anything you used to be all lovey dovey."
"What?" TK asked.
Tai just glared at Jun.
"Maybe she realized he wasn't worth 'settling' for."
"What?" the Christian repeated.
Mimi just laughed. Most of the other older digidestined just sighed.
"I'm with TK here." Yolie said. "What are you guys talking about?"
Davis could tell by their reactions that one of her brothers had let the date slip to the other older digidestined.
"Thanks a lot Jun!"
Intellectually she knew Tai was a more likely candidate, but she chose to blame her former sister.
"Ugh, might as well let the cat all the way out of the bag." She thought.
"I... had a date with... Matt a few weeks ago." She admitted.
"Well, well, well," Yolie yet again congratulated. "Great catch Kari!"
The former boy groaned internally.
"That's... odd." Cody said. "Isn't he, like, 4 years older than you?"
"Eh, it's only a number." the nerdy girl countered. "I wonder if this means me and Micheal might work out after-all!"
"We DIDN'T work out." Davis interjected. "We... really didn't."
"I will second that." Jun added. "We really, really didn't."
Yolie looked disappointed by that, and Cody slightly relieved. TK... was very obviously deeply in thought and not reacting to the world around him. Had he even heard the talk about the date?
"Lovey dovey" he mouthed. "Is that true?"
Davis could practically see him rethinking his entire history with Kari in his mind.
"Really?" Davis question in her own mind. "Did he really not notice Kari liked him? That's... amazing. And they said I was the stupid one!"
"Huh," Sora puzzled. "I've seen over-protective big brothers badgering their little sisters' boyfriends before, but I've never seen a little brother hate on his older brother's girlfriend."
"It seems to me more like the little sister has been hating on her ex's little brother." Cody corrected.
"It's... complicated." Jun said. For once, Davis had to agree with him.
"I suppose it is at least as good an explanation as any for the change in 'Kari's' relationship with TK." She thought. Awkward as this conversation had been, it at least made for convenient lemonade. She still wanted to get away from the lemons, though...
"Look guys, Davis coming!" Izzy said, pointing his finger.
Looking where he pointed, the true Davis could see him approaching, Kari, in her old body.
"The timing couldn't be better." She thought. "Time for the main event."
It was clear Kari did not want to come here. It almost looked like he was struggling to walk toward them, and several times when a digidestined tried to make eye-contact with him, he looked away. Still, despite no doubt knowing he would loose his crown, he was coming. Davis was mildly impressed with his sportsmanship.
"Took him long enough." Yolie said, not sharing the thought.
The former boy played along, "I know right." she turned to say to her. As he looked back at Kari, however, it seemed… darker?
"Why is it cloudy all of a sudden?" Jun asked.
Davis looked up. Sure enough, the sunny sky that had been there a few seconds ago was replaced by a sheet of dark gray clouds. She was taken aback by the suddenness of it.
"Please don't tell me it's about to rain on my coronation!" The soon to be restored leader screamed inside. "Hopefully it will blow away as quickly as as it came.
Before she could think anything else, a bolt of lighting struck the studio, covering it in sparks, and a deafening clap of thunder filled the air.
The group gasped. "Something is not right here." Davis found herself saying.
She turned back toward her old body. The bookbag on its back was squiring violently.
"Gatomon must be in there." The former boy thought. "I guess the world's loudest thunder clap must have been even scarier if you couldn't see the lightning. How would you even know what it was?"
Regardless, he wasn't the only one scared.
"Dad!" TK blurted out, apparently snapped back to reality by the sound of thunder. "Dad is in there!"
Jun put his hand on her shoulder.
"Don't worry." He said. "I am here for you."
Davis scowled at that.
"When did you ever do that for me when I was scared?"
It had begun to feel like her old rivalry was him was dying down. The longer she'd been the new Kari, the less she cared about his relationship with the old one. Today however... with how Jun had been treating him these last few days it felt like their rivalry was hotter than ever.
She did not have time to dwell on it long before the building's staff came running out. Cries of "It's the ghost!" and "It's after us!" came from them.
"We should be going too." Mimi said. "I… I don't like the look of this."
"No!" TK cried out. "Not until we see my father is safe."
The group looked for him among the outgoing stream. As far as Davis could tell, no one saw Mr. Ishida running out with his employees, but everyone seemed to notice the one person running in the opposite direction.
"Da… Davis!?" Tai shouted "What are you doing?"
If Kari heard that plea, he did not respond. He just kept running into the studio. Even more strangely, he was holding his bookbag out in front of him, its zipper partly undone.
"We have to go after him." Davis immediately blurted out. "We can't have him hurting herself in there."
It was true. It was even genuine on her part. She wasn't callous enough to want Kari hurt for no reason. She also didn't want him getting away with her crown. She wasn't sure which of those things she was more concerned about, though she was sure it didn't matter.
The group ran after him. Despite starting in the lead Davis quickly fell toward their rear, only Yolie and Cody remaining behind her.
"Damnit! I'm still not fit enough in this body!"
She had always been a faster runner than TK back when she was a guy. For him to surpass her now was another offense to their renewed rivalry.
"At least I'm ahead of Yolie."
She had no rivalry with the nerdy girl, but being the fastest among girls her age counted for something, right? Heck, if she recalled correctly Yolie had been a faster runner than Kari back when he had this body. That had to mean training with the girls' soccer team was paying off. She was already improving her new form! That much did please her.
"Even more evidence that I deserve this body more!"
Between Kari's head start and the fitness he'd inherited with his new body, the group wasn't able to catch up to him by the time he reached his apparent destination. As the other digidestined entered that room, Kari was in the center, letting Gatomon out of his bag.
"It's the ghost!"
This time it was one of the digidestined that had made it here before Davis that yelled that. Looking up, she knew what they meant. A humanoid shadow was flying in circles across the ceiling at incredible speed.
Veemon charged in front of them, seemingly emboldened by the power of the ring.
"Don't worry everyone!" She said. "I'll take out the ghost!" The other digimon stayed in their partner's bookbags.
But before anyone else could react, Gatomon called out "Wait!"
"I'm here." he continued, this time looking up toward the shadow. "What do you want, Wizardmon?"
At the sound of that name several loud gasps rang out in tandem from the older digidestined, baring Jun of course. TK shared in the reaction. That Davis and Jun did not concerned her.
"Am I supposed to know what that name means?" She worried.
This time it was the shadow that beat the group to a reaction. At the same ungodly speed it had been circling the ceiling, it flew down the wall and then across the floor. Then a ghostly figure began rising from the shadow.
"Gatomon," It said looking at the DemiVeemon in front of it, "It is good to see you again."
Another collective gasp came out from the digidestined, this time including the younger kids and Jun.
"Wha… what's on." The former boy practically screamed inside her head. "What is that thing? Does… does it… know?"
Maybe she was mistaken. Veemon was also in front of the ghost. Maybe it was addressing her? Davis could only follow its eyes to the old Gatomon, however, the one in her partner's former body.
"I… I don't belive it." Kari almost whispered. "She… my partner said it was you… I had to hope it… but..."
"Who is that guy?" Cody asked. "Why did he call DemiVeemon Gatomon?"
"I… I wasn't mistaken." Davis thought horrified. "How… how is this happening!?"
For what it was worth, Gatomon seemed to be wondering the same thing.
"I… it's great to see you too, old friend." He said. "How… did you know it was me?"
"I don't have time to explain." It answered. "Listen carefully, I have a lot to tell you and not enough time for that either."
"This… this can't be happening."
It was all Davis could think. It… was she really being exposed by a ghost?
"Run."
That was her fight or flight instinct cutting in. Normally Davis would have chosen fight every time, but now… It was a scene out of a horror movie. She had never feared those before, sans the ones about ghosts following captivity by the Bakemon, that memory coming back when her coronation should have been... This… this was worse than that. Despite their resemblance to ghosts, that wasn't really what the Bakemon were. This… this thing before her now could only be the real deal. It wasn't even a movie, it was right there before her, and with what it was saying, it couldn't have been more terrifying if it foretold the end of the world.
"Lightning Paw!" Veemon cried out. Choosing fight instead of flight, she charged the ghost with that attack, but she just passed through him and the attack struck the floor behind it.
The attacked ghost just ignored Veemon and continued speaking. "Instead of being returned to what he once was, the one wrapped in darkness has drawn another into the shadows. With that boon, your enemy has become to powerful to defeat with even the power of the Golden Radiance."
"His true self..." former cat puzzled. "I don't understand. Are you saying someone else corrupted Davis?"
"Davis?" Sora puzzled. "What are you talking about? Isn't the Digimon Emperor our enemy?"
"Your true enemy is a much greater darkness than Davis or the Digimon Emperor, and the chain of corruption does not end there. The power of the Golden Radiance is still necessary, but it is not enough. To defeat the one wrapped in darkness, you must free the power of the Harmonious Beasts."
It paused for a moment and then said. "That is all I have time to say. I must go now".
"Wa.. Wizardmon!" Gatomon cried out. He reached out his stubby arm as if to try to touch the ghost. It responded in kind, reaching out an ethereal hand to grab his, but said hand just passed through the solid arm.
"I am sorry." It said, then it began flying backwards out the window. Gatomon tried to run after it, but tripped on his stubby DemiVeemon legs.
"Hurry." Was the last thing the ghost said before it disappeared from view.
Silence filled the room for several seconds after that. Most of the group had dumbfounded expressions on their faces, seemingly trying to process what had just happened, Davis included. Even though she knew at least why the ghost had referred to "DemiVeemon" as "Gatomon" not knowing who or what it was still boggled her mind. Surely the others were even more confused than she was. There had to be a way to exploit that. Surely she could get them to believe it had just spewed out nonsense…. And yet try as she might, she could not think of a way to to that.
Eventually Patamon broke the silence. His head pocking out of TK's bookbag, he turned it toward Veemon and began to speak.
"You aren't Gatomon, are you? Not the one we know anyway. Why would you attack Wizardmon if you were our Gatomon?"
"I..." Veemon began. "Of course I attacked him. He was threatening poor DemiVeemon here. Obviously all that crap about an enemy corrupting people was just meant to scare us. It's what ghosts do."
"But, it's Wizardmon." Mimi said. "You… you know him. You were his best friend. He died protecting you."
"He doesn't know Wizardmon, because he's not Gatomon." The first bearer of that name said. "He's not even a Gatomon at all. He's Veemon. I'm the Gatomon you know, and he stole my body."
"This can't be freaking happening!" Was all Davis could think.
"That's crazy." Jun said. "How could anyone have stolen your body?"
"The same way you stole Matt's, Jun!" The digimon replied. "With that cursed ring on your finger, and the one on his tail."
"Wha… you're Jun?" Joe exclaimed. "You stole Matt's body?"
"Wait," Sora butted in before he could react. "What about Davis? Is… did Wizardmon say he was our enemy?"
"Yes, because he's the ring leader of all of this." The former cat said. He turned to her, toward his partner's old body. "Isn't that right, Davis?
"I… I..." She couldn't respond.
She wasn't the only one speechless at the event. The look on Tai's face… The former boy did not know how to begin to describe the it. He had never been this pale before, and he was trembling all over.
Izzy turned to address her old body. "Is… is this true?"
The former girl feel to her knees then. He didn't answer the question, not directly, but his reaction could only have been a giant "YES!". He burst out crying and said. "I.. is this really happening? I… could I really be getting my life back?"
Everyone's eyes locked on Davis then.
"Whatever you did, Davis, undo it now!" It was TK that said that, her old rival. "Undo it now, or else!"
"TK, brother," Jun answered. "Su… surely you don't believe something this crazy." He stepped toward him.
"Don't come any closer to me, Jun!" The younger blond roared back. "And don't you dare call me that! Give my real brother his body back right now!"
"It's the ring on her finger." Gatomon said. "Take the ring and you can use it to switch us back."
"You give me that ring now!" He lunged at Jun, grabbing for the ring, but the former girl dodged out of the way.
"Never!" He said. "I'll never give up my wedding ring! None of you understand. Matt wants this as much as I do. We're soul mates."
"Liar!" Gatomon yelled. "I live with Matt now because of what you did. He's as disgusted by this as we are."
"You're the liar, monster!" was the response "You want this too. You just can't handle not being able to read anymore!"
"I said give me the ring!" TK interjected. It looked like he was going to charge him again for a second, but instead he just pulled out his D3.
"Digi-armor energize!"
His digimon flew out from the bookbag glowing.
"Patamon armor digivolve to Pegasusmon, Flying Hope!"
It was the winged horse that charged Jun then. The former girl screamed as he approached, falling onto his back.
"Lightning Paw!"
Veemon leaped at winged horse, striking him from the side just before he would have made contact with Jun. This knocked the larger digimon off course, and he crashed into the wall.
"You… you were going to kill me." Jun gasped, horror all over his face and voice. It was obviously his fear of digimon talking. His sibling could only imagine the what that charge must have been like for the recovering digiphobe. And from the look in both TK's and Pegusmon's eyes... Davis almost believed they wanted to kill him too.
Matt's words from long ago echoed in his mind "Just wait Jun. I promised that you would suffer. I promised that you would wish you were never born. I keep my promises." All she could think in response was "NO!"
Flight still felt like the best option. Toward the back of the group, Davis almost thought she could turn around and make a break for it the way they had come in, but that would be stupid. Jun could not follow her; he was in front of most of the group and would have to run through them. She couldn't abandon him, and even if she could bring herself to do that, she knew most of the group was faster than her anyway. Even if they didn't notice her leave, Yolie and Cody would. All they'd have to do was yell "He's getting away!" And the older digidestined would run after her. Right now they were dumbfounded by what was happening, but Davis could only imagine her running would spring them to attention.
She looked around the room. Jumping out the window was obviously a no go, but the former boy did see a better option. On the side of the room was a desk with a computer.
"The digital world!" She realized, hope swelling inside her. "With that thing we can escape to the digital world!"
She ran toward it. Most of the group was still looking forward at Jun, but Yolie noticed her.
"Where do you think you're going!?" She tried to grapple her former leader, but like her brother with TK, Davis successfully dodged. Before most of the group could turn around, she was behind the computer.
"Digiport open!"
The portal opened. Davis did not know what area it opened to; she didn't have time to look. Anywhere had to be better than here.
"Jun, let's go!"
He did not need to be told twice. On his feet in a flash, the former sister began running for the computer.
"Pegususmon! Don't let them escape!" TK yelled
His partner flew up into the air, obviously aiming an attack on them.
"Star Show..." Before the winged horse could finish speaking, he bashed into the ceiling. The room, large as it was, was to small to take full advantage of flight.
"Lightning Paw!"
Veemon leapt at the winged horse with an attack of her own. A small body like hers was far better suited for close-corners combat. Slightly stunned already by his crash against the ceiling, the armor digimon could not dodge and was once again sent flying sideways into a wall. This time he did not look to be getting up.
With that, Veemon had their would be captors cornered. If a Gatomon with a tail ring could punch out a Tyrannosaurus, what were a bunch of human kids?
"Upamon digivolve to, Armadillomon." "Poromon digivolve to, Hawkmon."
Of course, it wouldn't last long. Yolie and Cody had already drawn their D3's.
"And now, I leave." Davis thought, and with that she was through the portal.
On the other side of the digiport, the former boy found herself in a clearing in a rainforest. True to that name, it was down pouring all around.
Jun emerged from the portal as his sister turned back to look at it. Veemon came through a second later.
"It worked!" She exclaimed in her mind. "We made it."
"No!" Gatomon could be heard through the TV's speaker, the room they had just come from still visible on its screen. "We can't let them get away! Go after them!"
There was still one step left. Conveniently, Davis did not need to explain it. Veemon already had the idea. The both had the same inspiration.
"Tail whip!" she yelled. Leaping up into the air she came down ring first on the television. The tube instantly shattered into a million pieces. The sounds of the real world were silenced. It was like that time, just before the first switch, when the robot digimon had destroyed the gate and trapped Kari in the digital world. Now he was trapped on Earth, this area sealed off the real world. They had won. And yet…
Free of that immediate danger, she finally had a chance to contemplate what had just happen. They had won the battle… but they had lost the war. Everything they had gained from the switch… was gone. They had woken up this morning on top of the world… and now the world was crashing down around them.
She fell to the ground, in a fetal position. "Oh my god!" She yelled "This can't be happening!"