I don't own digimon.

Characters: Joe/Homeostasis

Universe: Tri

Notes: What started as a short dabble taking place during movie 3 became a series of interactions spanning post-02 to the theoretical end of Tri. That actually proud of how it turned out, even if did have a bit of development hell.

Chapter 59

Joe's Girlfriend

Joe Kido was used to weird.

While not listed in the 'job description', it was heavily implied after the fact. Of course, that still didn't make all the strange happenings that occurred on these sorts of journeys any less confusing or understandable.

"Hello, Kari Kamiya."

"Uh hi?" the digidestined greeted as he attempted to search for the mysterious intruder, only to focus in on a still sleeping Gomamon. Currently, the seal otter thing was currently cuddling up in the dog bed he had recently bought him. "What's your name?"

"I am Homeostasis, the balancer of the two worlds." the voice explained, only for a ghostly figure to stick it's head out of his stomach. "Wait, you're not her."

Joe made a glance down towards the head, trying to not freak out over having some person's head in his chest. Of course, Gomamon chose to continue sleeping amid all of this.

"Uh… Is there a female body that wouldn't mind me possessing them?" Homeostasis inquired, only for Joe to glance down at her.

"Um… There might be my mom nearby." Joe explained and watched Homeostasis fly out of his body and right into the door. "Let me get that for you."

He got from his bed and walked over to the door, pulling it open in the process. Homeostasis rushed right through, banging against the walls as she dashed through the apartment. A few minutes, Joe's mother came rushing in. She looked all glazed over, as if she had a bit too much drink in the kitchen but at the same time was somehow managing to hold it all together.

"I have returned." Homeostasis announced as she made her way back into Joe's room. "I promise to put her back where I found her, of course."

"Okay…" Joe answered and got back up from his bed, only to sit down in his chair. "Would you mind if I ask you some questions?"
Homeostasis gave the digidestined a sigh, only to follow it up with a deep breath.

"I guess." she whispered and made a glance to the right.

"What do you think of the digidestined as a whole?"

Silence fell upon both parties, with neither quite willing to make an effort at breaking through and having a conversation.

"You people are unpredictable things. You work hard for futile goals in this constant battle, all to have it taken away for the greater good." Homeostasis answered and got a deep breath from Joe.

"So we're just disposable to you?" Joe answered and focused on his currently possesed mom. "What happens when a threat so big that it requires digidestined around the world? Then what?"

Homeostasis gave him a stare, possibly unsure of how to answer.

"At the moment, you are just a standing army in the face of any potential threat that could potentially pop up in the wake of MaloMyotismon's defeat."

"As in what exactly?"

He got no answer, with Homeostasis choosing to giggle instead.

"Such things are meaningless in your heads." Homeostasis responded as it moved Joe's mom towards the hall. "For the moment, you should savor the time before it slips away once again."

Joe then got up from his chair and sighed.

"May I ask one more question?" Joe shouted and watched his guest turn around.

"I guess." Homeostasis remarked, following it up with a deep breath.

"Can we trust you?" Joe remarked. "Considering how you answered my first question, after all."

"That is your decision."

With that, Homeostasis exited the room and deposited Joe's mom back where she found her.

The next day, Gomamon had to go back to the digital world. When they gathered afterwards, they had found only eight of them instead of twelve. Yet, they had given it no thought and moved on with their lives.

Fast forward about two years and everything seemed to change once again. But at the same time, things felt like they were returning to where they were before. But it was he who had changed. He had allowed his studies to absorb him and was paying the price now.

"Why hello there, Joe Kido"

Once again, the two were face-to-face. This time, it was a brown haired girl around his age.

"It's been awhile, Homeostasis." he answered and let out a chuckle, only to get a confused look from the deity. "If I didn't know better, I would believe you were hunting me down."

"Who is to say I wasn't?" the deity remarked and followed it up with a giggle. "I had heard you were down in the dumps."

"Yeah…" Joe whispered and took a deep breath, as if all his joy had just disappeared. "I just don't know anymore if I can keep everyone together in a time like this."

"You can't keep the group together if you watch from afar." Homeostasis remarked and shook the digidestined "Together you stand, away they fall. Is that clear?"
"Yes Homeostasis." Joe answered and cracked a smile. "I'm guessing I get one question in return though?"

"Of course."

"Why go with a brunette, I always thought you would be more of a blonde." Joe remarked and watched the deity give a confused glance

"Just something about them seems to gravitate them towards me." Homeostasis responded, blowing a kiss afterwards and watched Joe make his way towards his friends.

He saw her everywhere after that, from the halls of his cram school to the catwalk that connected the apartments.

Their next meeting wasn't that long after, just hours after the 'reboot' occurred.

"Are you happy?" Joe snarled as they met near his apartment. "I realize you didn't expect any of us to give up our partners willingly, but…"

He didn't even attempt to complete his sentence, finding himself ready to just break down and cry.
"They are reconfigurable bits of zero and ones that are partially sentient. Their lifespans are theoretically infinite, your interactions a nonexistent whisper in their memories." Homeostasis answered and watched Joe take a deep breath. "Is there something wrong with that?"

"If what you're saying is true, then a digimon retains their memory without any sort of degradation." Joe responded. "They should still be able to recall their time with humans. Even if they die. They just need a refresh... That's it."

Homeostasis gave the digidestined a confused glance, curious about his revelation.

"You do realize that such actions could result in the inbalan-"

"Did it ever occur to you how many digimon have bonded with humans? And you've just gone and wiped all their accomplishments and memories from them. What happens when the time comes that a foe requires more than the eight of us shows up?"

Homeostasis seemed to follow her friend's thinking as shock seemed to fill her. Somehow, he had managed to get something through to her. If anything, it would give the world a slight advantage going forward.

What followed, was a group meeting where the digidestined had put their heads together and managed to come up with a plan. Which was to force a gate open using Kari and TK's D3's in the spot where the reboot had happened. Somehow, they managed to do it without either Maki or Daigo knowing… or possibly caring.

The digital world was in a state similar to how they left it on their first adventure. Just in a higher definition and without those stupid black bars. It was here they had a run-in with an unknown angel digimon and were scattered all about, with Joe finding himself alone within the bakemon temple. Well, scratch the 'alone' part. Since it appeared that a certain brunette had decided to give him a visit.

"I'm guessing you have no hard feelings about our last chat?" Joe inquired, only to notice a young pink haired girl wearing a white rabbit klobuk with a matching uniform. "Who's your friend?"
"That's a sistermon." Homeostasis explained. "This particular one is Blanc."

"Hi Blanc." Joe greeted and watched Blanc cower behind his girlfriend. "It's alright. I won't hurt you."

Blanc let out a cautious sigh and poked her head out to the side.

"She's one of Jesmon's bitches." Homeostasis explained and got a slap from Blanc. "What? You and your sister are pretty much that without being called it."

She got a second slap for that answer.

"Do you mind me asking you something?" Joe finally remarked and watched his girlfriend give a nod. "Who were the group of chosen that came before us?"
Silence fell upon Homeostasis.

"I don't know." she finally answered as she followed it up with a deep breath. "No information found."

Joe gave a shrug, only to give her a pat on the back.

"It was worth a shot." the digidestined answered and watched Homeostasis sigh. "Is there anything you want to know of me?"
Homeostasis gave him a confused glance, taking him in.

"What are your plans for the future?"

Joe stared down towards the ground, debating what exactly to tell her. With everything that had happened in the past couple months, thoughts of what he would do after this had fallen to the side of his life.

"Possibly something related to animals." he finally answered and returned his attention back to Homeostasis. "How about you?"

"I was planning on looking into the development of phones."

"Why phones?"

"Because that's where the future lies, of course!" Homeostasis shouted as Blanc decided to cower behind Joe. "Sorry. I guess I got a little excited."

With that, a portal opened up.

"I believe this is goodbye." Homeostasis remarked and watched Joe make his way over. "Though, I doubt our next meeting will come sooner rather than later."

"Of course." Joe answered, giving her a wave as he stepped on through. In his head he said a prayer, wishing for one last meeting. And for a time, she seemed to elude his presence. Yet, her efforts could still be seen. Usually in the form of the occasional sandwich bag placed in some out of place location

Their next meeting came when the dust had settled from their final battle and everyone had gone home. There were no deities now, only human and digimons.

"Joe, are you alright." Gomamon asked.

"No." Joe whispered and stared up towards his digivice. In a way, it was like chasing after a black cat. Try as you might, the cat is going to get away most of the time. Yet, it's the one time that you do catch it that somehow makes it all worth it. But as luck would have it, a holographic message appeared.

Do you wish to see her again?

[Yes] - [No]

Without any hesitation, he pressed on 'Yes' and watched the world spin about, only for it all to go black.

When his vision finally did return to him, he found himself not in his room, but in an unknown dimension.

"There you are!" a voice called out as a familiar deity ran up. "I knew you would come!"

They then embraced, pushing everything around them out of the way for that single moment. Afterwards, they would get down to business...