The 2nd Digi-Phase

Chapter 4: Phasing Out

"WHAT!?!?!?" yelled Joe so loud you could probley hear it in the Real World, "What do you mean by, you can't be my Digimon anymore?"
"Exactly what it sounds like I'm saying." replied Gomamon calmly.
"But, I don't understand. Why?" asked Joe.
"Joe, how long is it before you become a doctor?" asked Gomamon.
"Uh, in about a year but what does that have to do with-" started Joe but Gomamon cut him off, "See? You're an adult. You're going to have a job and you won't have time for me or the Digital World anymore."
"Of course, I'll have time! Every doctor gets breaks." said Joe.
"But you don't understand! The Digital World isn't always having everything happen in the most convenient time! What if you have a patient and we need you in the Digital World at the same time? Who are you going to help first, the patient or us?" demanded Gomamon.
"Gomamon...."
"I'm going on to my next Digi-Phase and I wouldn't be able to stop it, even if I tried. I'm not fighting it because I know I can't stop it, it would just be a big waste of energy." said Gomamon letting himself slide out of Joe's arms and he flopped over to Megumi, "Megumi's my Digidestined now."
"Huh? I'm all confused." said Megumi, "I'm not even sure if I'm a real Digidestined."
"Of course, you are. If you have a Digivice then you'll know you're a Digidestined. Show her your Digivice Joe." said Gomamon.
Joe pulled out his Digivice and showed it to Megumi, "This is what a Digivice looks like."
"Oh! You mean this?" asked Megumi pulling out a Digivice exactly like the older Digidestineds' Digivices. Then, the strangest thing happened, Joe's and Megumi's Digivices began to glow. A bright sea-green light-beam shot from the small screen on Joe's Digivice and right into the screen of Megumi's Digivice.
"Wh-what's happening?" asked Megumi as her Digivice began to change it's shape. It began to curve into a D-3 shape but there was something that they've never seen before; out of the top came out what looked like some strands of Gomamon's red hair. The color of her D-3 was now a sea-greenish color.
"Okay, what just happened?" asked Tai as the Digivices stoped glowing.
"I'm now Megumi's Digimon partner." replied Gomamon jumping into her arms. Gomamon was smiling up at Megumi and she was smiling back. Gomamon was a great friend and Gomamon knew he'd love to have her as his 2nd phase Digidestined. Joe wasn't as happy as they were, though, "Oh...Gomamon...."
"Did you say something Joe?" asked Gomamon turning back.
"Oh, no. I didn't say anything." said Joe softly. Gomamon turned back to Megumi, he didn't even seem to notice the sadness in Joe's eyes.
'I can't belive Gomamon would do something like this to Joe.' thought Sora, 'Gomamon used to care so much about what Joe was feeling. I remember him even ask me and Biyomon to act like he was the leader so he would keep his pride up. Gomamon doesn't even seem to care at all!'
"Well," said Joe, "I've got to get home. I have some homework I need to finish." Joe turned and started to leave. Gomamon now heard the sandness in his voice and turned his head.
"What's wrong with Joe?" asked Gomamon, "Doesn't he still want to be a doctor?"
"Of course, he does." said Izzy, "But that's a really sad excuse, considering that we're on Spring break. We don't get homework on breaks like these."
"But then, why is he so sad?" asked Gomamon.
"Don't you understand, Gomamon?" asked Palmon, "You didn't even pay any attension to Joe, well, maybe a little, but you don't seem to care about him anymore."
"But, I-" started Gomamon but Biyomon cut him off, "You were too busy thinking about Megumi. I'm not saying that she isn't important, but Joe is still your 1st Digi-Phase Digidestined! When I get my next Digidestined, I'm still going to care about Sora!"
"That wasn't very nice." stated Patamon.
"But, I was just so excited about my next phase, I guess I wasn't thinking about Joe's feelings." wispered Gomamon sadly.
"Oh, come on, Gomamon. Let's go see you're first Digidestined. I haven't been properly introduced yet." said Megumi begining to walk towards the direction Joe had been walking.
"I think we should let the three of them do this themselves." said T.K. watching Megumi walk off with Gomamon in her arms.
"But, we still don't really know this girl. All we know is her name is Megumi and she is Gomamon's new Digidestined partner." said Cody.
"She seems sweet." said Kari.
"Let's just hope she's always that way." wispered Yolei.
"I don't want you to be another Digidestined's Digimon." said Izzy, "But, If that's the way it has to be then... I guess...."
"You don't have to worry about me changing soon, Izzy. I don't think I'm going to change for a while." said Tentomon, "Gomamon knew he was going to change soon and he's been looking so down and broken, but he seems to have cheered up ever since Megumi came along. I think he was really sad about losing Joe but was really depressed when he couldn't find his new Digidestined."
"Tentomon's right. Gomamon just got caught up in his emotions and just forgot to say good-bye." said Gatomon, "He really did miss Joe."
"He must've been really depressed." said Ken.
"He was depressed." said Wormmon, "We just need to give him time to make it up to Joe."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

'I thought Gomamon missed me! He doesn't even care about me anymore!' thought Joe as the tears streamed down his cheeks. He was sitting on a rock in the forest somewhere and he didn't really care if he was lost or not. 'Gomamon is... was my best friend. Doesn't he even care a little?'
"Hey, Joe!" yelled the voice of Gomamon behind him.
"Gomamon?" said Joe slowly turning around. Gomamon and that Megumi girl were running towards him. Megumi stopped a few feet behind him but Gomamon continuted towards Joe until he was sitting next to him.
"Joe, I'm sorry." said Gomamon.
"What are you sorry about?" asked Joe.
"I... well, I... it's hard for me to say. I didn't mean to make you feel left out. I care about you a lot, I've just been feeling strange." said replied Gomamon, "I've been feeling depressed for months and I think the reason of that was because I was going on to my next Digi-Phase. I didn't really want to be another Digidestined's Digimon but inside me, it was like it was a natural thing that I had to do. I couldn't stop it and I didn't really want to. Megumi is a really nice Digidestined and I love the way it sounds when someone says I'm her Digimon."
"I understand." said Joe.
"No! You don't. You should be happy for me. You're getting older and so am I. Life hasn't always gone our way. It was all that pressure that made me want to hurry up and change, I didn't really want you to think I still wasn't your friend. I still care about you a lot, Joe."
"You're right, Gomamon." said Joe starting to understand, "It doesn't matter what we do, things happen that we don't always feel needs to happen. You may be going on to a new Digidestined, that doesn't mean we won't still be friends."
"I just don't understand...." said Megumi.
"What don't you understand?" asked Joe turning towards her.
"I thought Gomamon said that, when you become a Digidestined you are assigned a Digimon partner that is your own." answered Megumi looking down at her new Digivice, "I don't think we're completely sure about this whole 'Digi-Phase' thing."
"Maybe we aren't." said Gomamon, "But, we have to go on like this until we do understand." Then Gomamon turned to Joe and said, "Joe, I have one more question for you."
"What is it, Gomamon?" asked Joe.
"Were you crying just now?" asked Gomamon in a teasing voice.
"No. I just had something in my eye." said Joe wipeing his right eye.
"Yeah, sure. Whatever you say, Joe." said Gomamon rolling his eyes, "Come on, let's go back to the other Digidestined. Megumi still hasn't introduced herself to everyone and she still doesn't know anyone else yet."
"So all thoes other people are Digidestined?" asked Megumi sounding surprised.
"Yes. All of them are the Digidestined from Japan but there are many around the world too." replied Joe.
"Wow! There must be millions of Digidestined!" said Megumi happily, "I'm going to make so many new friends!"

To be continued....