I don't own digimon.

Character: Meiko Mochizuki

Universe: Tri

Notes:

The third and possibly final part of Meiko having slightly better coping skills. Enjoy.

Chapter 82

Laid to rest

Sometimes, the end just doesn't seem worth all the work you put in to get there.

In the case of Meiko Mochizuki, any possible satisfaction or joy of their victory over Ordinemon and the Mysterious Man just seemed hollow. Sure, the world had been saved and no longer going to fuse with the digital world. But, the steps they had to take meant giving up something greater - her friend and partner.

"This is goodbye." she had whispered at the train station, giving the digidestined that had helped her one last wave. While the digidestined had wanted to stay longer, there were things that she needed to do and a place to visit. "I'll try and check in once I'm back in Tattori."

"Of course!" Mimi shouted, at least making an attempt at being accommodating. While Meiko appreciated the effort, it didn't change things. If anything, it served as a reminder. Which were something that she would've preferred to do without.

Carefully, she stepped onto the train and gave a wave. They waved back with smiles on their faces as their partners did something similar. Part of her wanted to change her wave to a middle finger, but resisted the urge. That would have been far too harsh.

As the train headed off, the figures waving quickly grew smaller and smaller. Eventually, they were nothing more than tiny dots in the countryside. Which just seemed to fill her head with thoughts. A lot of them were questions.

But out of all of them, one in particular seemed to trump all of them. It was of a single word, the basis for many a question.

Why.

Why was the memories of all the digimon stored within Meicoomon? Why was Meicoomon destined to be essentially a ticking time bomb? And most of all, what had her father gotten into in the first place?

She took a deep breath, letting her gaze focus on the scenery outside. While all of it seemed to blend together, it helped ease her mind a tiny bit. She could use that in what felt like an endless of unanswered questions and loose strings.

Soon, Tattori would come into view and she could just focus on her art. Maybe take some time to clear her head and start the next chapter of her life.

But a single, unintentional glance at her digivice pulled her back in. It was an accident, a lapse in focus. But it's effects were quite clear.

"Meiko Mochizuki?"

She looked up, finding herself staring down a brunette girl. Her newfound guest looked almost zombified, the possible result of a certain force trying to have their way and talk.

"Yes?" Meiko inquired and watched them sit down. "If this isn't an apology, get up and be on your way."

That remark got her a sigh. Not that the person could truly understand all that was going on within her. Of the sleepless nights after that battle, her head filled with images of Ordinemon in the worse possible way.

"I do not comprehend." they announced in return. But, Meiko took a deep breath.

"Let's see Homeostasis…" she started, taking a deep breath. "You gave me what was essentially a bomb, for starters."

"I have no clue what you're talking about."

That got another sigh.

"The whole Meicoomon holding all the digimon memories thing?!" Meiko continued, each word seeming to grow a bit louder. "Or have you forgotten that too?"

Homeostasis does not answer. Instead, it let their focus be on the digivice. For all they cared, this was somehow the greatest part of this mess. Not, the digidestined, not the digimon and the those silly things called 'bonds'? You could throw those out the window in the regards of her. That stuff was just baggage in the face of balance.

"I get that you're trying to keep the balance and stuff, but you have to be clearer in that regard." Meiko continued, shooing the gaze of her audience back over. "You can't just expect kids to follow your orders with nothing in return."

"That is where you are wrong, Meiko Mochizuki." Homeostasis countered. "I have done this countless times, the latest of which reaching its end quite quickly. Quite great when one can get rid of an adversary with getting your hands dirty."

She got another glance. Not that really changed her mood. Meiko returned to her drawing, leaving just silence.

"Is that it? I thought you wanted an apology from me?"

But Meiko doesn't give her any attention. No, she just continued with her sketch. It was more calming than shouting at the brick wall in humanoid form that seeked to 'mend' just one of the possibly countless burnt bridges that resulted to the digidestined and their international counterparts.

"Hello? Why aren't you talking to me?"

Still no answer. Meiko switched pencils, ready to color in the details and make any corrections.

"Fine then." Homeostasis muttered and made her exit. This left the former digidestined with a bit of peace. Though, she would've preferred it without the initial interruption.

Eventually, the train came to a stop. The station for Tattori awaited just outside.

"Here goes nothing." she thought as her feet touched the concrete of the platform. "I'm back."

Tattori seemed mostly the same since she had last left it. Quiet, serene, free of technology.

After making sure to grab her luggage, she made her way back home. Or at least, to her old home. Not that she really counted it as one now. It was more of a museum to her parents and their passing.

"I'm home!"

But there was no answer. Not there would be. So she makes her way around back, coming upon a pair of graves.

"Mom, dad, it's done." she whispered and got down on her hands, digging into the dirt in between the two. "Mei-chan is in a better place now."

Once the hole was big enough, she dumped her digivice inside. She tried to hold back the tears as she piled the dirt back in, but that was delaying the inevitable. She let the tears fall down. It was the least she could do in this moment.

"Thank you, Mei-chan." she whispered and cracked a smile. "For both the good and the bad.

With that, Meiko Mochizuki headed inside.

Notes:

If the new digimon project does include Meiko for some reason, I will come back to this 'series'.

The only other major thing of note is that I now have a . If you like my work and want to support, it's just a buck.