Digimon: After the Adventures End
Chapter 3: The Legend

Some distance away, Mimi saw a large creature with frayed wings. It scared her for a moment - might this be another evil Digimon? She looked harder and saw a human figure floating next to it - a partner, perhaps. She decided to approach them and investigate.

"Hello there," she called out when she was closer. "Who are you?"

"Akiyama Ryo," answered the boy. "And you?"

"Tachikawa Mimi," she said, coming closer.

"I'm her partner, Palmon," added Palmon.

"What?" said Ryo. "I thought only kids got Digimon partners."

"I was a kid when we met," said Mimi.

Ryo's Digimon growled threateningly. "No, Cyberdramon!" Ryo commanded. "Control yourself. They're not our enemies."

"Why does he want to attack us?" Palmon asked.

"He has a wild streak," said Ryo. "He gets it from Millenniumon."

"Millenniumon?" said Mimi. "Who's that?"

"It's a long story."

"Tell us, please. We'd like to hear it."

"All right. It started when I was little. I was visiting my friend, Ichijouji Ken -"

"Wait. You know Ken?"

"Yes. Do you?"

"Yes. He's part of the second group of Chosen Children from our city. He used to be the evil Digimon Kaizer until we helped him see that Digimon are living things."

"Oh, my. Poor Ken . . . Anyway, he and I saw the battle that took place between Diablomon and Omegamon - did you see it?"

"No. Some of my friends saw it, though, and they told me all about it."

"Ah. Well, after the battle, Ken and I were taken to the Digital World, where he met Wormmon and I met V-mon. We stayed there for a while, and our Digimon eventually became Paildramon and defeated Millenniumon. At the end of the battle, I sealed his spirit into a crystal that later became Moon=Millenniumon. However, before it was sealed, a fragment of it came flying right at me. Ken pushed me out of the way and took it in the back of the neck."

"The Dark Seed! We always wondered where it came from."

"Was that how he became evil?"

"Yes, it was."

"I . . . why did I let him do that? Why wasn't it me?"

"Ken saved you from it. He was a true friend."

"Yes. Moving on . . . I went home after that, but I went back later to participate in - and win - the D-1 Tournament, which was really training to prepare me to battle Moon=Millenniumon."

"Did you still have Veemon?"

"No. A whole lot of different Digimon fought that battle, but none of them were my true partner. I didn't get a true partner until much later. During that battle, Moon=Millenniumon told me that he and I were shadow and light and couldn't exist without each other. Then he caused an explosion that sent me to the primitive Digital World of 1946 and made lose most of my memories. That was when I first met Monodramon, the Child form of Cyberdramon. He took me to see Eniyaku-sama, the computer that got the whole Digital World reality started. The computer allowed me to travel through space and time and regain my lost memories. One of the people I met on those travels was Daisuke, V-mon's true partner."

"Oh! I know him, too. What did he think of you?"

"He was jealous of me for having V-mon first."

"Oh. So did you see Millenniumon again?"

"Yes, and that was the climactic moment. Millenniumon finally revealed that he was my true partner. Monodramon didn't believe it, but Millenniumon forced a Jogress evolution between them, which formed an egg that hatched and became Cyberdramon here. That's why he's this way."

"Wow. Amazing. But how come none of the other Chosen Children were ever called in to help you?"

"I don't know. I think I just had a separate destiny from theirs. And that wasn't the last amazing thing that happened to me. I came here not long after the egg hatched. When my Digimon reached his Perfect form, we were taken to this weird, dark room with a lot of papers in it, and a lot of people standing around. There was a man in the middle of it all, and he looked at me and smiled. Suddenly, there was another me standing on the other side of the room, along with another Cyberdramon. Then we were sent back here, and we've been here ever since."

"Hmm . . ." said Mimi. "I think I know what happened there."

"You do? What?"

"That man's name is Chiaki Konaka, and you were in his mind. I've had the same experience with my own seiyuu and good friend, Maeda Ai."

"What on earth was I doing in some guy's mind?"

"Chiaki-san was the director responsible for everything that happened to the children called the Digimon Tamers. He chose to include a copy of you in the new season."

"New season? What do you mean?"

"Well, as older Chosen like me know, the world we belong to was grown from the creative powers of people from the world where Chiaki-san is. For two years of that world's time, the people there watched me and the others from our world as we had our adventures with Digimon."

"Even me?"

"Maybe. I'm not sure. Anyway, a year ago all of us were cast into this limbo and Chiaki-san's company decided to start again with a new world and new heroes called Digimon Tamers. That other you is one of them."

"Wow. So what's it like for them?"

"They have Digimon partners like us, but their D-Ark Digivices allow them to use Digimon game cards to give their partners more power. They ultimately defeated an out-of-control program called D-Reaper. I know all this because I was with Maeda-san when she recorded her share of the music for the season. We've been singing together for three years, so my presence is felt in both worlds."

"Mine is, too, if there's a copy of me running around. I wonder if he's here now."

"He must be. The company wouldn't want him back."

"Aw, too bad."

Cyberdramon sniffed the still air. "Others are nearby," he growled, and began flying away.

Ryo, Mimi, and Palmon followed. They came upon a group consisting of a woman, a young girl, and two Digimon.

"Weak little things," said Cyberdramon.

"Hikari-chan!" exclaimed Mimi. "It's great to see you!"

"You too, Mimi," said Hikari. "Who's this?"

"This is Akiyama Ryo. He's an old friend of Ken's, and his partner is Cyberdramon. Ryo, this is one of my teammates, Yagami Hikari, and Tailmon."

"Pleased to meet you," said Ryo.

"Likewise," said Hikari. "Mimi, meet Katou Juri. Culumon isn't hers, they just know each other."

"Hello," said Juri.

"Hi, culu!" said Culumon. "Isn't it fun to meet new friends?"

"It sure is," said Hikari.


Disclaimer: All Digimon characters belong to Hongo Akiyoshi, Toei Animation, Bandai, and Sensation Animation. No money is being made off this; I write because it's fun. :-)