Chapter Thirty-one- The End of a Dream
The digidestined and their digimon gathered around a TV set near the park later that day. They had had a wonderful time at the amusement park that fun filled day, but were now depressed. It was time to go back home. Sometimes, it seemed like the digital world was their real home, as if they all belonged there together.
"Well, is everyone ready?" Tai said. The sun was setting and a few faint stars could be seen. The group nodded in unison.
"Well, it's time to go then."
Tai stepped to the side and allowed Yolei to hold up her Digivice.
"I wish I hadn't drawn the short straw an gotten stuck doing this. I don't think anyone wants to leave." she thought.
"Digi-port open," Yolei said, but not as enthusiastically as usual.
The Digi-port on the screen appeared, and the red button on it changed to green. In an instant, the thirteen children were sucked into the TV screen and vanished.
A few seconds later, in the school's computer room, the same thirteen children tumbled out of a computer and onto the floor. As they all stood up from the heap they were in, they began to realize something was terribly wrong.
"Hey, where are our Digimon!?" Davis shouted. It was true, none of their Digimon where there, not even the in-training forms that usually came back with the younger Digidestined.
"I had a feeling this would happen," Izzy said solemnly. "They're in the digital world. We aren't needed there anymore, because the Digital world is safe."
"I think we all sort of knew this was going to happen," Tai sighed and sat down in a desk chair. "That's why nobody wanted to go back."
"We'll go back again someday, won't we?" Cody asked Izzy.
"We'll probably be called back the next time the digital world is in danger, but there's no way of knowing how long that will be."
"We could all be grown up by then..." Ken said.
"We never even got a chance to say goodbye!" Jesi choked out, and began crying. Ken held her to him and she sobbed into his shirt.
"Why can't we just open the digi-port again!?" Yolei said, holding her D-3 up to the screen. Nothing happened.
"It's no use," Izzy said softly. "The digi-ports are all closed, there's nothing we can do."
"We'll see them again someday," Kari said, but everyone knew she was just as devastated as they all were.
"I guess we better head home," Tai said. The all walked out of the school in silence and went their separate ways down the street. Jesi walked Ken to the subway station and waited with him while he bought his ticket back to Tamachi.
"I'll see you tomorrow Ken," she said.
Ken only nodded and got on his subway car as it pulled up to the platform. Jesi sighed and slowly made her way home.
The next day, the doorbell rang at the Ichijouji's apartment. Mrs. Ichijouji opened the door the see Jesi standing outside.
"Hello Jesi, it's so nice too see you! Ken is in his room reading right now."
"Thank you Mrs. Ichijouji." Jesi bowed politely, and Ken's mother noticed a small tear rolling down her cheek. Jesi walked by her and into Ken's bedroom.
"Oh dear," Ken's mother brought a hand up to her chin. "I wonder what could be wrong?"
Jesi closed the bedroom door behind her and Ken hopped down off his bed. He gave her a big hug, but Jesi slipped out of his arms.
Ken was very confused. She sat down in his desk chair and started sobbing.
"Jesi, what's wrong? Are you still upset about our Digimon?"
"Ken," she seemed to be afraid to speak
He kneeled down on the floor next to her and looked at the face, waiting for a response.
"Ken," Jesi took a deep breath and wiped her eyes with her hand. "My family is moving again. We're going back to California where we used to live before we came here."
"What!?" Ken stood up, completely in shock.
"I'm sorry...."
Ken felt like a knife had been stabbed through his heart, as is his entire world was coming down around him. He clenched in hand in a fist so hard his arm started shaking. He exploded into a fit of tears and collapsed on the floor.
Jesi quickly kneeled down beside him. "They told me as soon as I got home last night. I would have called you then, but I was too upset."
"This isn't fair," Jesi heard Ken say. He was leaning over and his hair hid his face from view. "Why is this happening to me? You and Wormmon filled up the empty space that's been inside me since Sam died, and now I'll never see either of you again!" His voice got louder as he spoke.
"Ken, we'll see each other again, and I'll write to you of course. I promise to come and visit whenever I can!"
"How often will that be, once a year? Once every five years?" Ken slammed his fists against the floor. "Why do I lose everyone I love!?" Ken was crying uncontrollably now. Jesi wrapped her arms around him and pulled his body up until he was facing her.
"You think this doesn't hurt me too!? I would rather be with you than do anything else," Jesi was also crying now. Ken leaned against her and they held each other tightly, as if some unknown force was about to rip them apart at any second.
A few days later, all the Digidestined were gathered at the train station to wish Jesi goodbye. They all stood on the platform together, except one. Ken wasn't there.
"Don't worry Jesi, he'll be here soon," Yolei said and set a hand on Jesi's shoulder.
"I hope so, my train leaves in ten minutes." Jesi sighed and looked around at all the wonderful friends she had made since moving to Japan.
"I'm going to miss all of you so much." Jesi proceeded in saying farewell to each person and giving them a hug goodbye.
"Sora, you've been a great friend. Who would I have talked to in girls gym class without you?" Jesi hugged Sora.
"We're all going to miss you so much. First Mimi had to move away and now you." Sora swallowed back tears and let go of Jesi. "Take care."
"Joe, I probably would have died in the digital world if it wasn't for your help. And who knows what might have happened to Kari if it hadn't been for a great doctor like you around."
"Only three years of high school and eight years of medical school left to go and it'll be official!" Joe said.
"Yolei, I'm going to miss you a lot too. I might never have even been to the digital world if you hadn't helped convince the others to let me go. And you've been so much fun to hang out with."
"Oh Jesi, don't make me cry," Yolei sniffed back a tear. "My glasses will fog up."
"Cody, you're so young, but always so sensible and serious. I sometimes wish I had a little brother like you to take care of."
"Have a good time in America," Cody said. Jesi bent down and gave him a hug.
"Davis, you're always around to brighten everyone's day when they're feeling down. I don't think I'll ever meet anyone who can cheer me up like you do." Jesi hugged Davis and gave him a little kiss on the cheek.
"Just call me the blue bird of happiness!" Davis said.
"More like the Goggle head of happiness," TK said. Jesi stepped over to TK and Kari.
"You two have been so kind to me. You're both wonderful friends. I'm not sure how I'm going to get by without you." Jesi gave Kari a huge hug and TK a huge kiss.
"We're going to miss you so much Jesi," Kari said.
"Here," TK took off his hat and handed it to Jesi. "Take this with you to remember me by."
"You're giving me your hat? Oh TK, you don't have too."
"Don't worry, he has six more like it at home," Cody said. Everyone laughed a little and Jesi put the hat in her suitcase.
She sighed and turned to Matt and Tai. "Life is going to be very hard without you guys around," she said softly. "Where would I have been at school without you two to defend me from those bullies? I hope you are very happy together." She gave each of them a heartfelt kiss and hug goodbye.
"No problem," Matt said.
"Don't worry, we'll all see you again someday!" Tai smiled.
Then, last but not least, Jesi walked over to Izzy, who stood away from the group and seemed to be inspecting his shoes.
"Izzy,"
Izzy looked up at her, remembering how hard it was to say goodbye to Tentomon in the trolley car three years ago, and how he had let his emotions get the best of him then.
"Izzy, I'm going to miss you most of all. You're my best friend, you're like a brother to me. No one has ever showed me such kindness, I mean, you even fought for me! It's been great going to school with you everyday and living next-door to you all this time."
"I'm going to miss you too Jesi, and..."
"Yes Izzy?"
"I love you. Besides Tentomon, you're the best friend I've ever had."
"I love you too Izzy," her voice was kind of a whisper, and she wrapped her arms around him. She let her silent teardrops fall onto Izzy's jacket. Saying goodbye to the other Digidestined was the hardest thing she had ever done, but what about Ken? He still hadn't arrived, and people were starting to board the train.
Ken ran down the street a few blocks away from the train station. He was running so hard he could barely breathe. As Ken's feet pounded the pavement he remembered the scene that had occurred at his apartment just a short while before.
"Ken, Jesi's train to the airport leaves in little while, you should hurry up and go or you might miss saying goodbye." Ken mother said while she stood at the counter chopping vegetables.
Ken sat slumped over the kitchen table. "I'm not going," he said without even looking up.
"What? Why not?"
"I don't want to say goodbye to her...."
"Ken," his mother sat down at the table next to him. "Ken I know it's hard saying goodbye to someone you love, but if you don't do it you might regret it someday."
He was going to regret it. "I'm so stupid, why did I wait until the last minute? Now I'm going to be late and I'll never get to say goodbye..." Ken thought as he raced down the street. He was almost there, but it was too late.
When Ken arrived at the train station the doors were closing and the train was starting to lurch forward.
"Ken!" Yolei yelled when she saw him walking through the doors. "Where were you?"
"I'm too late!" Ken cried as tears began flowing down his cheeks. He pushed through the others and stopped at the edge of the platform. The train was picking up speed and the last car was moving by.
"Jesi!" Ken screamed at the train. The one of the windows of the car opened and Jesi leaned out.
"Ken!" she leaned out the window as far as she could and reached her hand out to him. He tried to touch it, but the train was moving away too fast.
"Jesi, I'm so sorry!" Ken called to her.
"I forgive you Ken!" the train began moving out of the station and away from Ken. Jesi reached into her hair and pulled the red ribbon out of it. She tossed it out the window and it flew backwards. Ken reached out and caught it.
"So you never forget me!" she yelled.
"Jesi..." Ken's voice was high and squeaky from crying.
"I love you!" Jesi's hand was still reaching out the window for him.
"I love you too, more than anything," Ken could barely even speak anymore. His pupils shrunk as the train sped out of sight, and Ken collapsed onto the platform in a sobbing heap. After every day spent together for months, he had lost not only his digimon but his best friend too. He felt so empty inside, and his heart ached. His very soul was hurting. The happiness he had finally found was gone, maybe never to return.
