This is the absolute final chapter. Thanks to all of you that read and reviewed. I write about whatever inspires me so I may write another TaJeri soon.
Pettisville is a real place. That's even its name. Most everything about the town is fact.
Chapter 4
Jeri had moved to a town much smaller than West Shinjuku. It was quite a change to Jeri and her entire family after the hustle and bustle of the big town they had just left.
The little town, named Pettisville, had about 600 people living in it. There were no stop lights, only a couple sets of stop signs, a lot of yield signs and train tracks were pretty much all the town had, except the few shops. There were about 2000 kids in K-12 attending the same school. When she'd graduate there'd be about 40 people in her class. Next to the school was a graveyard. Their new house was on the other side of that and down the street a little.
At first Jeri and Takato e-mailed each other twice a day at least, but couldn't really call each other more than twice a year or so. But over the next five years they were lucky to get e-mail from the other twice a month.
It was Jeri's 15th birthday when she finally had enough money to buy a plane ticket to Japan. She had been saving her money because her parents couldn't really afford it. That night at about 7:00 she called Takato's house.
"Hello?" Came a groggy voice.
"Takato?" Jeri asked.
"Yep. Who is this?" Takato asked.
"It's me, Jeri." She said. "I have some great news!"
"Hey Jeri what's up?"
"I'm going to be coming to Japan this next week. That's when I get out of school for the summer."
"Really? That's cool. When you get here stop by Guilmon's hutch. He's missed having you around."
"He has? What about you? Have you been missing me?"
"Yeah. I guess so. Listen, I've got to split or I'll be late for school."
"Oh that's right its morning over there."
"Yep. See ya."
The phone clicked off.
She was so happy that he missed her. She looked at the picture he'd drawn before she left and smiled.
On the plane ride over she was so nervous that he wouldn't recognize her, especially since she'd cut her hair really short and got highlights. She kept hold of the picture in her hands and wondered how much he'd changed. She'd find out soon because her plane was landing in Japan.
She was staying with her aunt that still lived in West Shinjuku. She dropped her bags off and headed off to the park.
On her way there she looked at how the city had changed in half a decade. Soon she reached the cement hutch of Guilmon's. Standing around outside were four guys, a girl and three digimon.
Guilmon smelled her before he saw her.
"Smells like Jeri." She heard him say.
She was now face to face with the friends she'd left five years ago, but they looked different.
"Jeri, we've missed you." Said Rika, who'd had grown her hair out and had a ponytail with the hair from her head. She dressed less tomboyish now.
"You're in time for my band's first concert." Kazu boasted. He hadn't changed much. The only difference was that he had an earring and his hair was tipped with black.
"Hey, Jeri." Kenta said. His hair was at least shoulder length.
"Nice to see you again." Henry added. He hadn't changed much; mostly he was a lot taller.
"I like your hair." Takato smiled. He'd cut his hair. It was shorter on the sides and spiked up on top. He still wore those goggles.
The digimon hadn't changed at all.
"Jeri!" Called Guilmon as he ran up to her and hugged her.
"Hello!" Calumon said alighting on her head and looking down at her.
"Welcome back." Renamon said.
"Glad you're back. Now we should all momentai."
They spent the afternoon talking and catching up, but as the sun set they all left one by one. Soon it was just Takato, Jeri and Guilmon left.
"So how long are you staying for?" Takato asked.
"For the whole summer. I'm staying with my aunt." She answered.
Guilmon yawned. "I'm going to bed. Good night." He said as he wearily walked into his hutch.
"Good night." They said in unison.
"We should go too." Takato said.
"Yeah. I guess so." Jeri said.
Neither of them moved. A star shot through the air. Jeri smiled.
"Takato." She said softly.
"Hmm?" He asked.
"I still have that picture you gave me before I left."
"You do? I draw much better now. Why did you keep it?"
"To remind me of you. Remember when we told each other we liked each other?"
"Yeah."
"Do you still like me?"
Takato didn't answer for a second.
"Not like I used to." He finally answered.
"What do you mean?"
"When you said that you were coming back I was afraid. I don't know why. Maybe that you didn't like me anymore." He paused. "But when I saw you, I thought that I must have been dreaming because you were so beautiful. Like an angel. I wasn't afraid anymore then." He said thinking he sounded foolish.
"Oh Takato." She whispered, and almost crying. "You're so sweet."
A shadow moved nearby. Suddenly it ran out and grabbed Jeri.
"Jeri!" He called out as the digimon ran with her in its possession.
Guilmon, upon hearing the noise, came out of his hutch.
"What's going on?" He asked.
"A digimon took Jeri. It looked like a brown dragon with a couple dozen eyes, but its body was in an egg that looked like Digitamamon's shell." Takato described franticly. "I'll call the others. We might need help."
As they started in the general direction Takato had seen it go, he took out his cell phone and dialed Rika's number. Her grandmother answered.
"Is Rika there?"
"No."
"Well could you have her find Takato when she gets home?"
"Okay."
"Bye."
The phone clicked off.
"Rika wasn't home." He told Guilmon who was trying to sniff the other digimon out.
He then dialed Henry's number. A girl answered.
"Hewo?"
"Is Henry there?"
"Henwe? No. He went to the stowr wif my mom."
"Okay, thanks Suzy. When he gets back tell him to find me, Takato."
"Otay.
The phone clicked.
"He's not home either." Takato said. He was getting worried now.
"There he is." Guilmon said.
That was the digimon that took her. Takato looked at his D-Power for information.
"Devitamamon*. A Mutant type digimon, Mega level, and of the Data variety. His attack is Black Claw.
"Takato." Jeri called to him from Devitamamon's clutches.
"Digimodify! Digivolution activate!" Takato slashed the digivolution card and Guilmon became Growlmon.
"Be careful! Don't hit Jeri!"
"Dragon Slash!" He called as he attacked, making sure not to hit Jeri.
"I need to help her!" Takato thought.
The next card he pulled out was the Blue card.
Calumon ventured by.
"Digimodify! Matrix Digivolution!" He slashed the Blue card
"Crystal Matrix Digivolution Activate!" Said Calumon.
Growlmon became WarGrowlmon.
"Atomic Blaster!" WarGrowlmon attacked.
Devitamamon dropped Jeri, and retaliated with a "Black Claw!"
Takato ran to her side. At that moment Rika and Henry showed up with Taomon and Rapidmon.
Together the three Ultimate digimon took care of Devitamamon.
The sun was rising, and its rays were dancing onto the bed on which Jeri lied. She blinked her eyes open.
"You're finally awake." Rika said.
"Where am I?" Jeri asked.
"Your aunt's house. We've all been worried about you, especially Takato. You were out for two days, and Takato wouldn't leave. We had to drag him out when he finally fell asleep."
"What happened?"
"A digimon, Devitamamon, grabbed you. Takato went after him. He saved your life. If he hadn't caught you when the digimon dropped you, you probably wouldn't have lived." Rika explained.
"Where is Takato?"
"He's right outside the door."
Jeri got up and went to get Takato. He'd fallen asleep in a chair. She barely touched his arm and he jumped awake.
"Jeri. You're okay." He smiled.
"Thanks to you. Rika told me everything." Jeri said then leaned over and kissed Takato on the lips.
He turned bright red.
She whispered in his ear, "I love you, Takato."
He turned an even brighter red.
"I love you too." He whispered back to her, and returned the kiss she'd given to him.
That summer they were never apart except when they had to go home and sleep. When the summer ended Jeri got back on a plane to America. Takato had promised to come visit her over Christmas vacation.
Before she left she said goodbye to everyone again. Takato handed her a picture. It was of both of them holding hands. It looked almost professionally done. At the bottom it said: Takato Matsuda and Jeri Katou forever.
She smiled at Takato and kissed him one more time before boarding the plane.
She was sad to leave again, but she knew she'd see him in four months. Then she could show all of her friends what a hotty her Japanese boyfriend was.
The End
~~~~~
*Devitamamon is a real digimon. You can find its info on the D-Terminal or the Digimon Dictionary (comes on the CD that's with a D-Power toy).
