Intro: Oh my, the last chapter! I'm excited! I can finally, finally truly finish a story! Well, I don't actually no what would happen if a student missed the high school entrance exams, so I'm just making it up. Same for the seasons…I dunno if Japan and America have autumn at the same time, although I'm assuming they do. And when they're in Japan, the Chosen Children use their Japanese names.
Across America
Epilogue
"Okay, okay, I've only got a little more!" Takeru hurriedly slurped up the remaining ice cream on his cone.
"And I thought guys were supposed to be the fast eaters?" sighed Hikari. "Come on, slowpoke, you'll just have to eat it as you walk."
The two set off briskly, but slowed down almost immediately. "Well, I guess there's nothing wrong with taking advantage of this lovely autumn weather, is there?" Takeru said extravagantly. "And with an ice cream cone and beautiful girl to share it with, it's the perfect day!"
The two held hands as they traveled into the view of the large apartment complex that the Yagami family lived in. Takeru crunched into his cone as Hikari smiled at his young look. Though it had been so many years, they were finally together. And yet…the smiled faded from her face. Somehow, she just couldn't be completely happy. "I miss them," she said suddenly. "I miss Ken, Iori, Jess, and Cara." And I'll keep missing them, she added silently.
Takeru studied her for a second before replying, "I miss them too. We all do."
"I know…it's not the same without them…"
"No it isn't," he agreed. "They're not here in Japan, and we are. Of course we miss them, but we'll still see each other a lot. We'll still be a group."
"Are we?" Hikari asked sadly. "We're not the same. We're all different now."
Takeru sighed. She just didn't seem to understand. "Hikari…of course we're not the same. Of course we're still really different from each other, like we always have been."
"It just…doesn't feel the same to me."
"Look up," Takeru instructed. "See those leaves?" A small smile appeared on Hikari's face. The sight of the almost glowing red and gold leaves was too beautiful not to enjoy. "Well, over in America, all of our friends are seeing those and knowing that we're seeing them too."
"How?" she asked stupidly.
"Because they'll know. Because we're that close."
Now Hikari sighed. "I guess." Maybe our gap will close in time. The two shared an uncomfortable silence as they entered the huge building. "Umm…well, it's been quite a busy past few months!"
Takeru agreed. It hadn't been easy, since they weren't in high school yet in Japan, and the high school entrance exams had been so hard. He groaned aloud as he remembered all the hours spent cramming and panicking. This beautiful Sunday felt so incredibly welcome…
But Hikari was thinking farther back than that. Back to the start of summer…how long ago it seemed! All the worry, sadness, and waiting had just drained away, though not completely. And the end…
* * *
"What? You're staying!?"
Cody nodded. "I'm sorry, but I can't leave anymore."
Davis grinned. "Ho ho, must be that Korinn I heard about!" When the smaller boy flushed, Davis knew he had hit home.
"Well, yeah, that's part of it," he admitted, "but I have a home back in Kansas, and a family."
"But what about your family back in Japan?" asked Kari worriedly. "They haven't waited four years for nothing, have they?"
"No, of course not. I'm going to visit them as often as I can, and I'm going to visit them when you all go back. I already talked to my family, and well…they weren't particularly happy, but they were really understanding…" Cody rushed, "and and, if it turns out that it just doesn't work, my family here will understand if I go back…"
"No, no, I think it would be better if you stayed," said Ken. "Although…is that selfish of me? Because I wanted to stay too. Except my parents will be moving here."
Kari looked aghast. "But…but…separate our group again? Be apart?" Suddenly she blinked. "What am I saying? Of course you should stay here, this is where your hearts belong!" she shook her head incredulously. "What was I thinking? I'm the one being selfish!"
"Nah, I understood how you feel Kari," agreed Davis. "Man, I'll really miss you guys though!"
"I think we're all a little selfish when it comes to love," said Cara. "Heheh, if Ken wasn't going to stay here, I might have had to chain him in the basement!" Everyone laughed at that, with the exception of Ken, who turned bright red, and after a moment, so did Cara. "Did I just say that? Well, I meant it!"
"But you could have told us you were staying before the day before we leave!" scolded Kari. "Give us more time to spend together!"
"It's not like we're vanishing again."
"I know…it's just…"
"Hey, I wouldn't worry about missing their company!" said TK, winking. "Not when you've got me!"
"Haha, I think this boy here got more arrogant living alone in Chicago!" laughed Davis.
"I'm not arrogant! Take that back, you goggle boy!"
"Do you see any goggles on me? No!"
Everyone sweatdropped. "Well, I guess some people stop arguing over time, and some argue more," sighed Tai.
"Hey, we still argued sometimes!" Matt exclaimed.
"I think this final meeting has gone downhill," Yolei sighed. "Boys!"
"And you're in love with one of them," Mimi reminded. "And oh, by the way, my family is moving back to Odaiba."
* * *
"Thank you so much!" Kari sobbed, throwing herself one last time into the arms of her adoptive mother and father. They hugged her tightly in turn, their daughter for the past four years.
"Why don't you come with us?" asked Michael. "Dad could fly!"
"Sorry, son, but I've got some work to do, besides, if you drag out your leaving, you'll see your poor father cry a bucket full."
Kari laughed weakly at that. Michael's mother smiled warmly at her. "Come on, honey, don't cry, we'll see you soon, I promise. But I'll tell you one thing now," her voice dropped to a whisper. "You're the best daughter ever! I love you so much, Kari."
Kari cried even harder at her touching words. "Thanks so much, Mom," she managed to whisper back. "Thank you for everything."
Everyone kept a respectful silence for Kari and her family as they said goodbye. However, Michael finally said, "I'm sorry Kari, but it's time to leave."
The girl nodded. "I know, I heard." After giving her parents one last hug, she joined the others to board the airplane. Michael, Jess, and Cara were coming with them, and of course Cody, Ken, were going to visit with them as well.
The flight was long and subdued, each child and young adult carrying his or her own thoughts. However, the reunion with old friends and family was anything but subdued. The parents had made a huge sign reading WELCOME BACK TO ODAIBA (in Japanese, of course), and smiles and happy tears were all around. The best scene Hikari remembered though, was when Yamato and Takeru were reunited with their remarried parents. Takeru had once confided in her that that was his deepest wish, and it had come true.
* * *
Kari sighed again. Even with all the happiness going around, she still missed her old friends in America. Takeru heard her sigh. "Hey, cheer up, Hikari, we'll see them all soon, I'm sure."
"I know," she smiled. "I'll just be unhappy while we don't."
The two entered the Yagami apartment, where a meeting was being held, but it was more of just a hang-out. There was nothing really to discuss, anyhow. Taichi and Sora sat on his bunk, his arm around her. Yamato and Mimi were in a similar position, sitting next to them but on the ground. Daisuke and Miyako, like Takeru and Hikari, simply held hands, also sitting on the ground. Jou shared the desk seat with Emma. Strangely, the only person now absent was Koushiro.
"Where's Koushiro-san?" Takeru asked. "He's never late!"
Taichi shrugged. "Maybe something came up?"
Takeru and his "partner" sat themselves on her bunk above the others. Everyone started chatting away, except for Hikari, still lost in her thoughts. Where is Koushiro-san anyway? What if something happened? What if he…what, what am I thinking? There I go again, Hikari you are really losing it. She shook her head. Her thoughts were becoming so unrealistic! I'm just worried, that's all. Anybody could be after what happened four years ago. But the happy atmosphere around proved her wrong. She sighed again. Why me? Why am I the only one that's worried? Why…why am I the only one that doesn't understand?! They all do, I can see that they do. They miss our friends too, but why am I the only one that's feeling it? I know what Takeru said earlier, about being really close and knowing each other, but there's a barrier between us now! We can chat like old friends, but we're all so different now! Well, not completely, and I don't think I've changed, but…She looked carefully at all her friends. Takeru, a little more withdrawn and quiet. Oniichan, even more responsible and careful. Sora-san, even more grown-up, but more happy now. Yamato-san, more open and cheerful. Mimi-san, more calm and wise. Jou-san, more at ease with himself and happier. Daisuke-kun, more mature and grown-up, and Miyako, more quiet and not as happy as before. And of course all the others had changed...Not me, not me, still the same old worrywart as before. But I could always understand! Frustration mounted, as she thought, I want to figure this out! I don't want to be the only one who can't feel the bond that everyone else can! There's a bond, I can feel it, but there's a gap too! And then she blinked. Hikari, you are such a baka! Of course, that was it! All this time spent moping and feeling disconnected, all for nothing! Yes, she was sort of disconnected, they all were. But we're still a group, we're still one, like Takeru said. Because we're the Chosen Children, we share an unbreakable bond. Even thought there's a gap, we can bridge it. And if we can't, oh well. We're still one in heart, us here and across the world.
Takeru smiled at her. "Figured it out, right?"
"But how…?"
"Because we're that close. Because we're the Chosen Children, we're all pieces of the same heart."
"Well, if you put it so poetically…"
Yup, no matter how pretty he says it, he's right. I must have just been on something or something. And I thought I was perceptive! We'll always be one, we'll always conquer all.
Just then Koushiro burst through the door, his old Pineapple laptop in hand. "Everybody!" he gasped. "I just…got a message…from Gennai! He says that there's a new enemy in the Digital World! I contacted the other children, we gotta go!"
There were gasps all around, but Hikari simply smiled, and Takeru squeezed her hand. No, it won't matter if there's a new, powerful enemy, or whatever else gets in our way. I won't be afraid, and I won't be weak, nothing will destroy us. Because this time, we'll face it together.
"Shall we go?"
Wow, I finished it. I hope the end wasn't too disappointing or strange or boring, I hope everyone enjoyed my fanfic. Yup, it's definitely over. But I planned other fics that I hope will be enjoyable. Here are summaries, I guess. Not sure which one I'm gonna do next.
Digimon/Card Captor Sakura crossover: After Sakura moves to Odaiba because of her father's job transfer (of course there is a way for Tomoyo, Syaoran, and Yukito to come along), her Sakura Cards start to disappear! She tracks them down after being sucked into the school's computer and finds…her new friends with strange creatures called digimon?? What does Demon want with the Sakura Cards? What is going on with this Digital World? Can Sakura and Co. help the Chosen Children defeat Demon? What are the Children going to think about this? (Hehe, sounds kinda strange…)
Ranma ½ fic: A day at the beach turns disastrous when Ranma is pulled into deep water and almost drowned, and of course, while drifting in the ocean, a storm pops up. After washing up to the shore of an island with no hot water, Ranma remembers nothing about herself, family, and friends. When Ranma meets the Tendos again after a year, what will Akane say, especially when it seems Ranma may be in love with someone else? And who was the person who almost drowned her in the first place? For once, a new possible fiancee is caused not by their fathers, but by the Tendo's mom! (Sounds even stranger, ne?)
And last, perhaps a fic about Neopets, or more specifically, my Neopets and their adventures in Neopia. Don't know what Neopets is? Click the button below to check it out!
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Yes, I know I suck at writing summaries, so I'm sorry. And again, I hope you enjoyed "Across America" and enjoy any fics of mine you might read in the future. Thank you!