A/N: Well, this is it. This is the final installment to this long-running
Digimon, uh, epic. (Yeah, keep on dreaming, Momiji.) I can't thank you guys
who supported me through your reviews enough! ^_^ You guys are awesome!
COOKIES FOR ALL! Anyway, here's the beginning of the end! R+R, onegai!
EPILOGUE
Three months later had passed since the disappearance of Takeru and the return of Hikari and Taichi to the Real World. Yamato, who had been ready to spring into action, was startled out of his wits when the brother and sister had come flying out of the computer screen at him. Yet the comic relief that usually followed situations such as this was no where to be found (this happened a lot, in case you didn't know.) Hikari was crying softly to herself and was rocking back and forth, arms wrapped tightly around her like she was fending off some evil force. Even Taichi, the possessor of the Crest of Courage, had a distant expression plastered on his pale and worn face.
The events that followed were heinous, and everyone felt like they were at fault in some way or another. Even Daisuke, who always treated Takeru like he was a stain on the floor was upset. When Taichi had been finally able to retell the adventure in the Digital World, Yamato had broken down right there and sobbed, forgetting all dignity whatsoever as the others watched in a stunned silence.
Hikari now sat before the cool concrete of an upright gravestone, kneeling over the empty casket buried deep within the ground. Her lean fingers traced the engraved words listlessly on the stone,
'Here lies Takeru Takaishi-the hope he spread will never be forgotten.'
If there really was a body, she felt as though, in some strange, morbid way, that she would feel better, and more secure. His body probably was nothing but dust now, for the old barn they had taken refuge in had apparently exploded when they had returned to the area. Why or how nobody knew.
Hikari wanted answers. She wanted closure. But most of all, she wanted Takeru back.
How had he managed to use the power of the Crest to save them? When he killed Aya, had he ended up ultimately killing himself, too? Did he suffer? Was it quick? Was Hikari really Yuna? Had Takeru . . . had he loved her in a different way than a sister, or a best friend?
Her thoughts were a jumbled mess. She should have expressed her feelings for him more openly! She'd taken their time together for advantage. The way he had held her when he had caught saved her from plummeting to the ground . . . it had felt right. Life wasn't fair.
"Hikari?"
Trying to keep her face as expressionless as possible, she turned her head slightly. It was Yamato. "Kon-Konnichi'wa."
He sat down beside her. It hurt her to look at him. He bore such a remarkable resemblance to Takeru, which wasn't surprising.
"How're you holding up?" She asked quietly.
Yamato was silent for a moment. "I'm okay." He sure didn't seem so. The expression he wore on his face said a thousand words.
"Oh" was all she said.
"I miss him."
"Me, too."
Hikari glanced over at the man beside her. His eyes were clouded, and Hikari couldn't read the emotions zipping from one side of his face to the other.
"I'm never going to forget him," Yamato began. "But . . . we have to move on."
Hikari blinked at this new revelation. And to her own surprise, she agreed. "You're right."
With a sad smile, he stood. "These are the first steps I'm going to take without the face of my younger brother looming over me. Hikari . . . will you join me?"
Swallowing hard, she took the hand he offered. "H-Hai." A tear escaped down her cheek, and she knew in her heart that it would be the last one she shed over Takeru.
'Good-bye.'
Together, they slowly proceeded out of the graveyard. Though those questions surrounding Takeru would never be answered, they both knew everything would turn out all right.
A/N: There you have it, folks. The real ending to Never Die. I can't believe I killed poor Takeru-chan! ::sniff:: Like I said before, those reviews you guys all gave me really helped me in finishing this. I know I'm not the best authoress out there, although I like to pretend I am at times . . . hehe. So don't read my fics expecting perfection! ::sweatdrop:: Well, ja ne, minna-san!
~Momiji-chan
EPILOGUE
Three months later had passed since the disappearance of Takeru and the return of Hikari and Taichi to the Real World. Yamato, who had been ready to spring into action, was startled out of his wits when the brother and sister had come flying out of the computer screen at him. Yet the comic relief that usually followed situations such as this was no where to be found (this happened a lot, in case you didn't know.) Hikari was crying softly to herself and was rocking back and forth, arms wrapped tightly around her like she was fending off some evil force. Even Taichi, the possessor of the Crest of Courage, had a distant expression plastered on his pale and worn face.
The events that followed were heinous, and everyone felt like they were at fault in some way or another. Even Daisuke, who always treated Takeru like he was a stain on the floor was upset. When Taichi had been finally able to retell the adventure in the Digital World, Yamato had broken down right there and sobbed, forgetting all dignity whatsoever as the others watched in a stunned silence.
Hikari now sat before the cool concrete of an upright gravestone, kneeling over the empty casket buried deep within the ground. Her lean fingers traced the engraved words listlessly on the stone,
'Here lies Takeru Takaishi-the hope he spread will never be forgotten.'
If there really was a body, she felt as though, in some strange, morbid way, that she would feel better, and more secure. His body probably was nothing but dust now, for the old barn they had taken refuge in had apparently exploded when they had returned to the area. Why or how nobody knew.
Hikari wanted answers. She wanted closure. But most of all, she wanted Takeru back.
How had he managed to use the power of the Crest to save them? When he killed Aya, had he ended up ultimately killing himself, too? Did he suffer? Was it quick? Was Hikari really Yuna? Had Takeru . . . had he loved her in a different way than a sister, or a best friend?
Her thoughts were a jumbled mess. She should have expressed her feelings for him more openly! She'd taken their time together for advantage. The way he had held her when he had caught saved her from plummeting to the ground . . . it had felt right. Life wasn't fair.
"Hikari?"
Trying to keep her face as expressionless as possible, she turned her head slightly. It was Yamato. "Kon-Konnichi'wa."
He sat down beside her. It hurt her to look at him. He bore such a remarkable resemblance to Takeru, which wasn't surprising.
"How're you holding up?" She asked quietly.
Yamato was silent for a moment. "I'm okay." He sure didn't seem so. The expression he wore on his face said a thousand words.
"Oh" was all she said.
"I miss him."
"Me, too."
Hikari glanced over at the man beside her. His eyes were clouded, and Hikari couldn't read the emotions zipping from one side of his face to the other.
"I'm never going to forget him," Yamato began. "But . . . we have to move on."
Hikari blinked at this new revelation. And to her own surprise, she agreed. "You're right."
With a sad smile, he stood. "These are the first steps I'm going to take without the face of my younger brother looming over me. Hikari . . . will you join me?"
Swallowing hard, she took the hand he offered. "H-Hai." A tear escaped down her cheek, and she knew in her heart that it would be the last one she shed over Takeru.
'Good-bye.'
Together, they slowly proceeded out of the graveyard. Though those questions surrounding Takeru would never be answered, they both knew everything would turn out all right.
A/N: There you have it, folks. The real ending to Never Die. I can't believe I killed poor Takeru-chan! ::sniff:: Like I said before, those reviews you guys all gave me really helped me in finishing this. I know I'm not the best authoress out there, although I like to pretend I am at times . . . hehe. So don't read my fics expecting perfection! ::sweatdrop:: Well, ja ne, minna-san!
~Momiji-chan