And here we are again... this story really should've been out a bit sooner but I got distracted with some things. Story of my fanfic writing life.

So anyways, this story will serve as bridging the gap between my renditions of .tri and Kizuna that will serve to tie up a few loose ends that needed to be dealt with.

Also, the entire story will take place from Taichi's perspective and since this is mostly a total original idea from me... I hope you all like it.

Prologue

"Every man on that transport died. Harry wasn't there to save them, because you weren't there to save Harry!" – Clarence, It's a Wonderful Life

Ryokamisanroku Camping Ground, Saitama, Japan. December 31st, 2016. 1337 Hours.

"Still any sign of him?" Jou asked me as I was watching the road from on the hill. I shook my head.

"Nope. I swear, it's the story of my life sometimes, having to wait on him with some things." I chuckled. "I told him he should've just stayed out here last night."

"I think Ren-chan had something to do with that." Jou shook his head. "I still really can't believe how much things have changed in such a short time."

"No kidding, we're all getting married, settling down, having kids. I tell you what, Jou-san, really didn't look that way a few times."

Jou gave a small chuckle.

"You? Settle down? Please Mr. World Cup." He teased.

"Okay, okay." I laughed as I kept watching. "Still, can't help but be worried sometimes. I mean, I just talked to him over phone a few hours ago, but you never know what can happen."

"Still worried he's going to suddenly vanish or something?" Jou raised an eyebrow.

"You guys still don't believe me, do you?"

"It's not like we don't believe you, after all the stuff we've been through. It's just, well, you're the only one who experienced it."

I sighed.

"Yeah, I know, I know, I'm telling you, it was the honest truth. You put me on a lie detector or read my mind, it's not something I'd make up. It's too complicated to be something for me to make up."

"That's true." Jou teased me.

I know I'm not crazy; I know what I experienced first hand. I know what the reason behind it all was. Just don't really have any proof aside from my word. Which is fairly trustworthy but the others still take it with a grain of salt.

It didn't seem any different at first, I'll tell you. More or less, things had been fairly quiet ever since that summer of 2005. We had the occasional incursion from the Digital World over the next year or so. Nothing major, just some wild Digimon that got caught in a weakened dimensional barrier and somehow slipped into our world.

Essentially, we became unappointed clean up squads of making sure to corral the Digimon and keep them from causing too much damage until we could heard them back home. And it wasn't just Tokyo or Japan; Digimon crossings were happening on an uncommon rate around the world. At least the rest of the global Digidestined were helping.

Digidestined. Always felt a bit weird saying after some time. We certainly weren't Chosen Children anymore in a way; a few of us were already starting to drink! The only one that still could've been considered a child was Iori by the time we graduated and he finally was 13.

Nothing much had changed for us in that time period if I can recall. Jou graduated at the end of the 2005-2006 school year and headed on for collage. The rest of us beneath him, myself, Ross, Sora, Yamato, Meiko, and Osamu, we still had another year left but we got through it.

Graduation day felt almost like a blur. It was your typical ceremony, one of the valedictorians gave a speech for us. It was some kid we really didn't know, and Osamu still was going to high school in Tamachi while Meiko finished countryside; the odds were and proven to be correct the next year with Koushiro doing it for our school when he and Mimi graduated the next year.

But my memory was still pretty fuzzy that afternoon. I clearly had a better memory of what happened that evening and certainly what would come that next morning.

And to think it started off so calmly…

Odaiba District, Minato Ward, Tokyo, Japan. March 19th, 2007. 1821 Hours.

"Cheers!" I held my bottle up high as us graduates celebrated in one of Odaiba's bars. Of course, none of us were still old enough to drink alcohol so they let us in to drink some coke bottles at least. It was myself, my loving girlfriend in Sora, Osamu, Yamato, Meiko, Ross and Mimi.

Meanwhile, while we clanged our glasses together, the Digimon had to be left behind. Considering how curious they could get at times, it was best to keep them out of the bar. Uncomfortable experiment we discovered, but apparently a Child Level can't hold their alcohol. Just luck Agumon didn't end up burning down the entire apartment building that night he got into Dad's drinks.

"Really envy you all; graduating while I still have another year left." Mimi sighed as Sora squeezed her hand.

"Relax, Mimi-chan, it'll be over fairly quick. You'll see." Sora assured her.

"Surprised you didn't bring Jun along, Osamu-kun." Meiko said.

"Well, mostly it was busy with something else with a few of her close friends." Osamu admitted.

"Sorry you feel a bit left out on the girlfriend front." Yamato smirked as he took a sip of his drink.

"I still really can't believe this day has come. I mean, you knew it was coming for a while but now…" I admitted.

"Oh, you mean all of us starting to part ways? Look man, I wouldn't worry too much about it." Yamato told me. "I mean, in this day and age, we're all pretty well connected with each other. Hard to fall out."

"Unless say- nevermind. Dumb joke I was about to make." Ross stifled his tongue.

"You're learning." Mimi smirked as he rolled his eyes.

"Any ideas on a date for you two?" Sora asked them as I motioned for Ross to follow me. I kinda wanted to talk to him privately, especially with what was going to happen.

"Mostly hoping for next summer for the wedding. Don't know where yet, but not too long after I graduate would be perfect." I heard Mimi explain. Ross and I walked outside towards the nearby Rainbow Bridge Observation deck. You could see the Odaiba Statue of Liberty over to the right of us, the FujiTV building behind us the Rainbow Bridge out front along with the rest of the city.

"Think they could still see us?" He asked me as he looked back towards the bar.

"Yeah, I think it'll be fine. If there's an issue, they can yell or call for us." I sighed. "It's only been a couple of days since class is over and here you are… leaving on the red-eye."

Ross would be leaving in a few hours for the airport. He'd been preparing it for months now but by tomorrow morning, he'd be on a flight to the states before heading for boot camp in the Corps.

"Hard to believe it's here. And it'll be hard to believe that I won't share a bed with Mimi for quite some time." He chuckled.

Once those two mostly had solidified their relationship, Ross was spending most nights sleeping at the Tachikawa's in Mimi's room with her. The two obviously were making sure Ross didn't get tossed out by trying anything funny with her; even though they already had done it. It was quite obvious to our group even when they tried to hide it.

"Well, it's 13 weeks in either San Diego or South Carolina. Then after that it's pretty much all of July back here until heading back for Annapolis in the fall." Ross said, crazy son of a gun really had his training and all well planned out. And it was pretty good faith he would be accepted at the Academy. Good grades and all as well as hopefully great results in training.

"You should get in easy. And training should be a breeze after everything we've been through." I chuckled.

"Isn't that the truth." Ross did the same before he sighed. "Look, you'll, Guilmon will be alright-"

"He'll be fine. He's with your Dad right now, he can always stay with Mimi-chan and Palmon, or at our place. It's only a few months, we're not saying goodbye as long as we have at times." I reminded him. He nodded.

"Yeah, yeah, you're right." He said as we kept looking forward.

"Just keep in mind, Mamoru-chan, I'm gonna make sure your flight's landed and we still keep in touch." I teased him.

"Taichi, after everything we've been through, maybe teasing about Sailor Galaxia attacking my flight isn't the right thing to joke about?"

"Yeah, bad joke." I apologized. "Wait, what was the one you were going to say?"

"That our friendship would have a falling out if one of us like slept with our wives or girlfriends. That goes for like all of us Digidestined." He explained.

"Oh, yeah, I agree, that was a bad joke too."

Yagami Residence, Odaiba District, Minato Ward, Tokyo, Japan. March 20th, 2007. 0726 Hours.

I yawned as I started to wake up, glancing over to see my clock reading that it was already seven in the morning. I'm just glad I wasn't drinking alcohol the night before or I might have had to wake up with a rough hangover but I needed to slow down for a few moments.

"Taichi." I heard Agumon's voice before turning to see him sitting right next to me; as if he was watching me sleep.

"Uh, have you been there all night?" I asked him. He shook his head.

"No, past few minutes. Something's wrong with Hikari." He told me as I stood straight up. Hikari? Wrong? That is never a good sign. I quickly got myself dressed and walked into the living room where Hikari was looking straight out past the window, way out into the bay.

"Hikari, what's wrong?" I asked her.

"It's calling…" She said in a haunting tone.

"What's calling?" I asked her. My heart sank upon her next response.

"The ocean."

Did I say at some point we've not heard the last of Dagomon?

I certainly hope you'll love what comes next of this three act show I've got in mind. See you all in a bit for the next part.

"Push the button, Frank."