Fated: Part Sixteen

A New Day Has Come

Where it was dark now there's light

Where there was pain now there's joy

Where there was weakness, I found my strength

All in the eyes of a boy

-Celine Dion, 'A New Day Has Come'



"The building is going to explode...."

His words hit Rika like a ton of bricks; her eyes, dull and red from tears, snapped toward the man. What... what did he say?! "Explode...?" rasped she, shuddering instantly. That... that couldn't be! N-no! Not yet! He had to be exaggerating or something! Outside, the rainbow-colored light flickered-- almost as if something was wrong with the source of power.... She felt a wave of fear rush down her spine. Why wasn't it sucking the digimon up yet? What was taking so long? Was... was something wrong...? But that would mean...! The redhead, no longer able to stand the confusion within her own mind, snapped up and shrieked, "What the hell?!"

Henry glanced to his father, salty tears stinging his eyes. This... this wasn't right-- none of it! Sure... at first, they had put faith in his father's idea-- even though they didn't agree with it. But none of them believed that this.... This wasn't supposed to happen! And now... now.... He didn't know what to do.... Why did he feel so... so lost, right then? It was like everything was in front of him, but hidden from his view. Confused? Think of it as having your eyes closed. You know that there are things out there, but you can't see them. That was how he felt.

God... lately, he'd been so confused and helpless. It made him hate himself... for feeling that way at a time like this. But... he still knew when to retreat-- even if it wasn't what his heart was telling him to do. Takato was currently risking his life for everyone-- not just his friends. So... if one of them were to die... the boy's sacrifice would have been for naught. Shaking his head weakly, the blue haired boy pulled Jeri toward him and pretty much carried her out of the door; he left Terriermon behind, knowing that saying goodbye would be the hardest thing for either of them to do....

"C'mon, Kazu... we've gotta get out of here...." With much reluctancy, Kenta let go of MarineAngemon and tapped his friend on the shoulder. He... he didn't want to leave, either.... 'I... hate this...,' he stated silently, grinding his teeth so as not to scream. Nothing seemed fair anymore.... The boy sniffed and hung his head low, hoping the glare from his glasses would hide his tears. Why did it have to end like this? Wasn't there something they could do... that would end this on a happier note...? Why... why did it have to end with everyone in tears?

"......" Life sucked sometimes.... Letting out one more sob (and attempting to give Guardromon a full-fledged hug-- to no avail), Kazu sulked away. One of the things he enjoyed in life was going to be destroyed... and he couldn't do anything about it. Why? Because he wasn't strong enough-- that's why. He hid under his visor and attempted to wipe away the salty droplets that were now streaming powerfully down his face. Dang... never thought the truth would hurt so much.... You see... he, like everyone else, felt so pathetically weak. And that was why life 'sucked' so much. When you're weak... you are nothing, and you can do nothing.

That... is the true way of life.

"Come-- let's go."

All of the digimon turned to face the fox-like creature, their faces expressing signs of confoundment. O-kay. What, exactly, was she suggesting they do? Guilmon took a small, nervous step forward, ignoring the grumbling of his tummy. "Go where? We can't exactly do anything... can we?"

"I agree with dino-mon on this one. If ya hadn't noticed, our time alive is running rather thin," Terriermon retorted sourly, hugging his left ear like it was his only friend. Well... technically, the closest thing he'd had to a friend walked out of the door only a few moments ago. He was alone now.... Sure, there were all the other digimon, but... STILL! Henry was gone.... He understood why Henry had to go... but... why didn't he at least...? It hurt so, so much... knowing that he left without saying.... Oh, well...! I-it didn't really matter, eh? The bunny digimon chuckled and smirked. "Perhaps it's better this way...."

Was it not obvious? "We shall...," announced she, "go after Zhuqiaomon." Faster than one could blink, Renamon disappeared; of course, she instantly reappeared, but beside the 'abandoned' Guardromon and MarineAngemon. 'We have to do this... even though we won't last much longer in this world,' she thought, glancing out the window. She couldn't let that creature get away with hurting Rika. Her friend was being poked and prodded in the heart in too many places right now. After a moment's passing, the digimon added: "We may not win, but at least we would have tried...."

A creature, finally deciding to speak its mind, stepped out from the shadows. "I... shall go, too."

"Cyber...dramon?" Ryo stared in shock as his partner walked over to the group of digimon. Geeze... this had been a really strange day... well, night and day-- full of so many surprises! The digimon wasn't even going nuts over the stronger opponent that had suddenly appeared before them! That was what astounded the boy. Maybe... maybe Cyberdramon understood what was going on... and knew better than to fight against the inevitable. Then perhaps he knew of his fate...? With a sad smile, the 'Legendary Tamer' nodded and turned away.

"Okay... question?"

"Yes, Terriermon?"

"How are we gonna get over there?!"

Gee... that was a good one.... It pretty much stumped everybody! Their minds twisted and turned for a suitable answer: jump; run; try to fly. Each was... well, not very good. I mean, only a few could get there that way. What about the others? If they tried to follow, they'd surely die-- way too soon for their liking, if you ask me! Just when they thought that all was lost... small "pu!" sounds could be heard (it sounded like it was coming from... behind them), and the digimon found themselves trapped inside blue, heart-shaped bubbles. W-what the heck? Who...? Was it safe... or an attack? Cautiously, they turned and saw....

MarineAngemon waved and giggled. "Whee!" it cried, floating about the digimon joyously. Giggles erupted from the little digimon as it twirled and bounced through the air. Play! It just wanted to help out its friends to they play! The creature flew out the window, turned and nodded for them to follow.

As carefully as they could, each digimon began to float-- yes, it was strange to them as well!-- out of the broken window; they bobbed in the air, neither sinking nor gaining altitude. Amazing! So, then... they did have a way! Even though it was a little unorthodox.... Now, they just had to get to their enemy before they were sucked into that void!

So... they were going to spend the remaining moments of their meaningless lives trying to destroy an enemy who was much too powerful-- even if they all fought together? Didn't they care... about death...? He shook his head in realization. No... it didn't matter to them. Why? Because of the dream waves and everything, the digimon would still....

Mr. Wong decided to think about the creatures' strange choice after everything was over, and he was home once more. Besides, he'd been away from home far too long.... It scared him slightly-- what if his family decided to hate him...? Did... did Henry...? It was possible.... But... how could one grow to hate his own parents? The man coughed, interrupting his own bitter thoughts. Later-- think later!

He turned, checking to make sure everyone had escaped. If so, then-- wait! Wha... what?! That girl... why was she...? Rika was still there, silent and frozen to the very spot she had been standing in before; her violet eyes blankly watched her friend go off to fight an inevitable battle. There was a boy-- Ryo-- shaking her shoulders gently, attempting to wake her from her trance. Fear filled the blue haired man's mind and decided to wreak havoc upon him. Why... why hadn't they left yet?! "Hurry up and leave!" he hissed, quickly running over to the two. His aged shoulders could bare one death... but not three! "We have to get out-- NOW!"

"I know," Ryo explained quickly, "that! It's just... Rika won't move!"

First... first her father left her. Then her mother betrayed her.... After that... her father hurt the one she cared about. Then her father died... and Renamon had gone off to die as well.... Now... now Takato was going to die. Too many deaths.... The girl shuddered suddenly and closed her sullen eyes. Death and pain and heartache-- they seemed to make up most of her life.... She couldn't take it anymore. Everything... why did bad things always happen to her?! "I... I won't leave...."

WHAT?! Raged he, "What are you saying? You have to!" Janyu glanced about the room for a moment, wishing that, somehow, this was all just his damn imagination-- that he was actually daydreaming and that none of this was real. But... figments such as his weren't so finely detailed....

"We have to go-- now!" he ordered; the girl just turned her head. Snip, snap! There went his last thread of patience! They didn't have that much time left! Every second they dawdled put them one step closer to a fiery end! She could be an annoyance later, he decided. Right then... he was not going to put up with her attitude! The man snatched the redhead by her shoulders and started to drag her toward the door. Why were the children these days so stubborn?! They acted like they had nothing to worry about! And yet... there were times when he wished he were a mere child once more... so that he wouldn't have to think about the 'big picture' called life. He motioned for Ryo to go ahead.

No... Takato was still in there...! She... she didn't want to leave him-- not when he still had something to tell her! She wanted to be there when he kept his promise! She wanted to hear what he had to say! Her heart pounded fiercely against her chest as she fought back her tears. Oh... God.... She wanted to be by his side at that very moment! "NO!" she cried, trying to break free of Mr. Wong's grasp; he merely scooped her up, flung her over his shoulder and jogged out of the room. The redhead let out a frustrated shriek. This wasn't fair! Fresh tears escaped their ducts as she pounded soundly against the man's back, wishing she were stronger-- strong enough to get away from him. Rika felt so scared and helpless and angry just then.... Her cry echoed throughout the hallways:

"NO! TAKATO! He's... HE'S STILL IN THERE!! Oh... oh, God-- we can't let him DIE!! PLEASE! Don't... DON'T!"

~*~

Why her...? Why was she burdened with such things...? It wasn't like she deserved to be punished...! With a soft sigh, Lopmon looked over at the snoring child. At least then, while asleep, she looked innocent.... Heck, even sweet! The digimon laughed, knowing that as soon as the girl awoke, the peacefulness would shatter and all would be hectic once more. That was one lesson she'd learned the hard way.

Flash... flash....

Something was wrong-- she could sense it deep within the pit of her stomach. The sky was acting funny. What was that strange, blinking light? Some sort of sign? The digimon shook her head quickly at the thought, ears flapping about. No, that wasn't it. But... what was it, then? And why was it that, every time the weird rainbow light shined, she felt as though her energy was being taken from her...? It was as if she were... slowly dying, or something....

"Heh... that thought doesn't help," the chocolate-colored bunny digimon muttered, laughing nervously. Bad things weren't something you should think of. Why? Well... they had a tendency of coming true! And it her rather disturbing idea became reality.... She shuddered instantly, glancing at the multicolored light with slight fear in her round eyes. You could say... that she was quite the pessimist sometimes. ...okay, so she was a pessimist almost every second of the day-- so sue her!

"SUSIE?!"

She blinked, snapping from her current state of mind. Wha...? Who was that?! Lopmon carefully peeked around the corner, wondering faintly if the voice was calling to the snoring child beside her... or someone else. Panic set in. Th-there could be a whole herd of people named Susie-- she didn't know! Ahh! It might even be a trap! Oh, that would be awful! Even though she was unsure of why someone would be after the girl, it still frightened her. Poor Lopmon wasn't strong enough to take on a lot of the digimon wandering about! Pushing aside the alarming ideas, she took a good look at the owner of the voice; at that moment... she knew that it wasn't some type of trick.

It... was the girl's mother.

Well, then.... Her work there was finished, eh...? The bunny scoffed bitterly, sliding her gaze away from the newcomer. No longer needed... that's what she was now. Open up a bottle of lotion, use it daily, then throw away the empty container when you're done, right? She shrugged. Oh, well. That's life! With a small grunt, the creature carefully pushed the young human out of the little alley and onto the street. 'Now... all the mother has to do is look this way...,' Lopmon reported to herself. Not that she cared, mind you.

"AH! S-Susie?" The footsteps quickened; the breathing of the speaker became raspy. "My baby!"

So, then... her part in the child's life was over-- done with. A part well played, I suppose. Lopmon turned away and began to trudge down the dark and damp alley. Well, good riddance...! Who needed something that always bawled and sobbed and whined?! Definitely NOT her! Pah!

And yet... the girl, although annoying at times, had become quite special to her. Susie had become her first-- and possibly only... friend. Lopmon smiled weakly in remembrance... then felt another rough tug at her soul. What... was...? That feeling-- what in the world was going on?! The light overhead suddenly shined brightly, illuminating her once gloomy walkway; and the bunny digimon suddenly felt weak... deathly weak. Looking down... she noticed that her body had begun to fade away....

A smirk somehow found its way to her chocolate flavored face. How sad... her life was over before it had nearly begun. Fate really loved to toy with Time, didn't she...? Stupid Fate.... Chuckling weakly, the digimon managed to say one last thing... before she disappeared entirely:

"You're safe, now, Susie.... Take care."

~*~

"Weeooo! Weeeooo! Weeooo!"

"Bwahaha! You'll never catch us, coppers!!"

Now, this was what he called a game! Heck, yeah! Full of thrill and adventure and excitement! More or less, this was a whole lot better than stuffing one's face and talking about meaningless things! Impmon let out a hysterical, high-pitched howl, snatched Mako by the collar of his baggy play-shirt (whilst nearly choking the poor boy) and ducked behind one of the beds. Sniggers erupted from him instantly. Ahh... nuthin' like a good game of cops and robbers! The digimon cleared his throat and glanced at the kid seriously. "You still got it?" he asked, voice no higher than a whisper.

Mako nodded shakily, attempting to ignore the nerve-wracking chill running up and down his spine at that very moment. This was actually a little scary...! Well, okay... MORE than a little scary! It was downright frightening! It was just that it felt so gosh darn real to the young boy! What if he actually did go to jail?! A shudder exploded from within him. He didn't want that! Momma and Pappa would call him a bad boy! That would be awful! But... it was just a game, right? So... no harm done... right? Patting the odd lump in his sweatshirt and nodding reassuringly, he peeked over the side of the bed. Ooh, no! "Ai's coming...!" he squeaked. They were going to get caught!

This was no time to run around like a chicken with its head cut off! The purple digimon didn't even stop to think up a plan; he just smashed the boy onto the lavishly carpeted ground and hissed, "Time to crawl!" And so... they literally began to crawl under the bed.

"Come out with your hands behind your heads, you... you bad robbers!" Umm, yeah.... That was the best she could come up with. Ears red in embarrassment, the girl attempted to redeem her stature by saying something rather witty; in the end... she realized that she just couldn't think of anything good enough. Oh, for Pete's sake-- she was only a little kid! She wasn't THAT smart yet!

Ai groaned inwardly, miffed at the whole game thus far. She had wanted to be a robber! Of course, when they were choosing parts, she never said anything-- not even when Impmon told her that she could be the police officer. In fact, she had acted as though she actually wanted to be a policewoman all along! But... she was lying, after all. To her, robbers had all the fun! Cops were cool, sure, but the people who stole 'priceless' items got to have a real adventure! Think of all the things she could see if she became...! No-- bad! Shaking her head fiercely at the somewhat naughty thoughts that had somehow popped into her delicate mind, the child clambered onto the bed; and, with a chuckle, started to jump. It was just like a trampoline! Almost, at least....

Ow...! Not fair! Ai had found their hiding spot! They had to get out before she squished them! "Impmon!" Mako cried, wincing slightly as his head hit the floor due to a certain person's persistent bounces. "We... ow-- we have t-to give up...!" That seriously hurt! Wasn't she going to just... oh, I don't know, 'play' jump? Why did she do it for real?! Wasn't that against the rules or something? It had to be!

"Never!" Impmon spat with a scowl. The kid could give himself up, but he would NOT! He wasn't that type of creature-- not in the least! His pride was the only thing he really had...! Besides, it was his game... and he didn't plan on going down so easily! The purple digimon watched Mako crawl out in pure disgust; once again, he was alone. 'Stupid, weak humans....'But, as he berated humans in every way possible, he began to realize just how painful those pounces were becoming....

An intense wave of pain surged throughout the digimon's body at that instant, leaving him drained and clammy and nervous. What was...? Oh, God... w-was something wrong? He deflected that thought almost immediately , telling himself to stay focused and calm. Heh... like that was possible now. Taking a deep breath, Impmon closed his eyes and tried to relax. Nothing was wrong... right? "Too much food," he stated out loud, hoping that little could-be fact would keep him away from the lingering truth.... But... as hard as he wished it to be, the food was not the problem.

He opened his eyes carefully; at that moment, he knew something was wrong. What... what the...? Impmon stared at his now-transparent hand shakily, and an emotion that had never met his eyes before shined in those green emeralds like it had been there his whole life: fear. For once in his life... he was afraid. His mouth opened, and he just wanted to scream and bawl and curse... but he couldn't do it. There was no point in lying to himself, was there...? He knew exactly what was going on-- no doubt about it. He was fading. Soon, he'd....

A forced and sour chuckle escaped his lips. So, then.... This was it, eh? With a groan, he rolled out from under the bed and sat up, ignoring the little kids' protests. If so, he had to leave before it happened! They didn't have to see him go. ...okay! So maybe he didn't want them to see him disappear.... "Life sucks, kiddos...," he muttered as he ripped off the play clothes he'd been wearing (ya know... in order to 'look' and 'feel' the part).

"Impmon, what're you--"

"You're leaving... huh?"

The digimon coughed. Dang... she hit the nail on the head, didn't she? 'Stupid girl...,' his mind grumbled while he snorted aloud. Ai was so freakin' smart at times-- not that Mako wasn't, but.... Ignoring her penetrating fisheye, he jumped up to the windowsill (whilst almost missing it completely, mind you). Memories... they sucked, too. Although Impmon would never admit it, back when he'd first spotted the children, he was actually more curious than hungry. Yeah, hunger was just a silly little excuse he had used to get to know Mako and Ai. But, of course, he had to play though guy.... Opening the window, Impmon scoffed loudly and, while attempting to hold back his tears, rasped:

"It's been real, you guys. Try not to kill each other, alright? Well... man, I hate sippy-sappy crap...." A glance down told him he'd better get a move on. With a soft laugh, the purple creature hopped out the window; his body was already beginning to fade away, so he had to cut his goodbye speech short. 'Why me...?' Why did he have to leave now? And he, being the stubborn donkey that he was, didn't even.... Hell, like it mattered! They'd... they'd probably forget about him in a couple of years! Yeah... but, even so.... He stopped fighting the inevitable, and finally managed to say what he wanted before it was too late....

"See ya...."

~*~

There was only one word they could use to describe the scene before them: hell. Nothing but death and chaos as far as the eye could see. The only bit of hope one could grasp at that moment was that a new day would soon begin; however, the reddish purple light in the distance did not ease the hearts of the weary children. At that moment, another light, more colorful and much more important, had their full attention. This rainbow-colored light was currently being emitted from the building they had recently exited. Both hope and despair filled their souls as a sudden realization occurred:

The digimon would be gone soon....

As their thoughts became mangled within their own minds, a shrill shriek erupted from within the building. It was close... which meant that the screamer had to be near the exit. Heads fell; eyes shifted to things less painful. Everyone knew exactly who it was and why they had screamed... but nothing was said. They didn't know what to say....

Henry closed his eyes tightly at the sound of the cry, holding back the tears of anger and rage and sadness. He knew what was going on... and didn't like it at all. As the shouts and cries came closer, the blue haired boy found himself clutching his stomach. God... he felt sick. It wasn't as though it was his fault, and yet....

Coughing lightly, he turned away from the doorway-- toward the rising sun-- and tried to ignore everything around him. Poor boy-- he needed some space to think! A scowl formed on Henry's lips as soon as the thoughts poured into his head. Some plan! In order to rid themselves of creatures who were never supposed to live... they had to sacrifice the life of a person... a friend.

Why did it have to be like this...? Just a few days ago, the worst thing on her mind was whether she had passed her math test or not! Jeri had been confused from the very start, yes, but now her head was straining to find the hidden answers that she just couldn't see. A sigh escaped her lips as she realized how unimportant her role in this game was. To the world-- and this stupid 'plan'-- she was nothing but an ant-- a small, insignificant ant that could be squished and forgotten. Oh, how she longed to somehow transform into a great lion, one that is strong and brave.... Sort of like... Leomon. The girl let out a weak sob of pain and fell into the arms of the person closest to her: Henry. All she wanted at that moment was a little comfort... and maybe he was feeling as miserable about everything as she.

Kazu and Kenta slumped forward and stared silently at their feet in shame. For once, they were at a loss for words...! Shocking, eh? But really... what, exactly, could they say that wouldn't just make everyone feel worse? The two, feeling out of place, glanced around solemnly as their friends held onto each other; a deep pit soundlessly appeared within their stomachs... greedily feeding off of their own guilt and sadness. This... was wrong.

The next few moments seem to pass by so slowly... until Ryo came bursting through the exit with a serious look plastered (forced is more like it) upon his face. His narrowed eyes, however, held a story that told of his true thoughts and feelings-- not that he'd express them at a time like this. "Get back!" he advised sharply, hands motioning to the broken and depressed group. Their blank looks told him that he had to explain further. Walking past them hurriedly, he stated, "When this thing blows, the fragments are gonna fall straight down!" Well, now... that got their attention! Ryo stopped at a spot he believed to be far enough away from the danger. He didn't want anyone else to.... No-- he couldn't think of that right then. Besides, now was not the time to mourn; they weren't in the clear just yet! It would not be over until the digimon disappeared and the building blew up! ...not that he wanted either to happen.

The children shuffled their feet reluctantly as they followed Ryo. Although each one wished that they were the one up in that building, they also knew that Takato was doing so that they wouldn't die.... In the distance, they could hear the faint cries and shouts of the creatures as they were being taken away....

Suddenly: "Let me go, dammit! I CAN'T LEAVE HIM!"

Mr. Wong, wobbling slightly due to a struggling Rika, exited the glowing building and hurriedly made his way over to the small group. Yeah... he was having a few difficulties. ...okay, so maybe I put it a little too lightly. The redhead, beating against his back ferociously, screamed and swung her feet all around, nearly kicking the poor man in the face a couple of times! Boy, was she ticked! He didn't understand it at all! This was all for a boy who claimed to 'love' her (although she herself didn't know)! He shook his head-- partially out of confusion and partially attempting to dodge her foot. They were just kids-- she'd find someone else!

Right...? Right?!

Once reunited with the others, Janyu dumped the redhead on the ground; he made sure that she didn't run off, too. Maybe he was being a little cruel, but at the moment... he didn't really care. "I want everyone to stay close-- it will be over shortly!" he announced. With a tired groan, he brought a hand up to rub his forehead. God... he did not like the looks they were giving him! It wasn't his fault! Why were they blaming him?! Sighing, the man glanced around for Yamaki. They had to discuss what would be said to the press.

It wasn't fair.... It wasn't fair! Why were they doing this to her? It was as if her life were cursed and everyone was out to make it even more miserable! Rika's widened eyes darted about, from the people surrounding her, to the flickering rainbow light... to the building where Renamon had gone to fight the powerful enemy. "Renamon...," she rasped, voice hoarse and weak. This couldn't be...! They were still up there-- still fighting that huge phoenix digimon! But... but soon they would all be gone... gone from her life forever, like everything else she ever cared for.... "No...."

What was she...? The blue haired boy followed her withered gaze... and let out a choked gasp. 'Terriermon!' his brain screamed. What the heck?! They hadn't been taken away yet?! But... why? They were the closest digimon to the building-- they should've been the first ones to vanish! With eyes too dry to cry, he watched the one-sided battle brew on. He knew that the small band of creatures had no way of winning against such a power... yet prayed that they somehow would.

Wait! What was...? They were-- "No!" Rika ran forward with her hand stretched out, until her feet made contact with some misplaced rubble. She tumbled to the ground, tears sploshing down her pale face. It was finally happening.... They were disappearing! Renamon... was leaving her! Oh, God, she felt so weak! But... there was nothing she could do, was there...? "Goodbye...," she whispered as she found the strength to stand, hoping that the wind would somehow find a way to carry it up to the fox's sensitive ears.

At that instant... she was truly alone....

God.... How she hated it... that pitiful feeling that hung in the pit of her stomach and made her feel like a weak, insignificant wimp. Well, that's what she was now, huh? A bitter laugh escaped her lips as she stared at the starry sky with angst brewing in her eyes. Not that long ago, her best asset was her loneliness.... But now... now, it was different. She had met someone-- someone who had, miraculously, become quite dear to her....

Her violet orbs widened instantly; more salty drops formed, making her curse to herself. It was true.... Why... why hadn't she noticed before? Goggle-head was more than just 'quite dear to her.' Rika let out a quiet sob as the realization hit her: he... Takato was--

KA-BOOOM!!!

No...! She snapped her head toward the building that, just a few seconds ago, seemed to be shining brightly. That shine no longer existed; in its place... was a crumbling building and a tower of smoke. But... he was still in there-- Takato was still sleeping! Rika gagged slightly and tried to tell herself it was merely a dream. "This... this isn't real...!" she stammered, though her face proved that she didn't believe it. Why wasn't it a dream...? A bad dream that would leave her relieved when she awoke?!

As the pieces of rubble fell to the ground below... reality came crashing down-- hard.

This was no dream.... Takato really was in that building... and it really did explode! Rika's legs wobbled unsteadily as a pain stronger than anything she'd ever felt before flooded into her heart... her soul. The redhead couldn't find the strength to scream-- couldn't find the strength to run off with rage.... All she could do was stand there... and stare.

So... was that it...? Just... just like that...? He was gone... just like that? NO! That couldn't be! Damn him...! He hadn't kept his promise! That stupid idiot goggle-head had lied to her! Why make promises when you know you can't keep them?! Rika clenched her teeth and jammed her eyes shut in silent anger. Damn... damn... damn...! Why did he... why did he leave her...? And now everyone was going to pity her-- she hated pity! There was no way she would be able to face them! God, how was she going to--

What was...? Something soft and... and warm pressed against the corner of her mouth.... Her eyes fluttered open. It felt so nice... and left a tiny tingling sensation as it moved away. Now, she could find out what was behind her! The confused girl spun around. What she saw next... made her want to crumple into a heap of sobs and tears.

There he stood, hair unkempt and flying all about; his crimson eyes glistened in the light of the sun. The redhead stared at him as if he were something precious... yet breakable. Was it... was he real? Or was this some cruel type of trick that her mind was playing on her...? Once again, tears began to fall down her face. God, how she wanted to... wanted to.... "Takato...?" she finally managed to ask, voice no higher than a whisper.

The boy ignored the urged 'hip-hip-hooray' coming from behind him; it was nice to know that those two goofballs had missed him... but it didn't matter much at that moment. Right then, all he cared about... was Rika. 'Here goes nothing!' With a weak chuckle, Takato nodded and raised a hand to the girl's cheek. Tears.... She was crying... for him.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, rubbing her face with his right hand gently. He hated seeing her cry-- even though she looked beautiful when she did.... Now, he would tell her that fact, but... she'd probably kill him. A smile formed at that thought, and he slowly studied her tear stained face. Yup... beautiful. His thumb trailed down to the corner of her mouth-- the same spot he had kissed just a few moments ago. He continued:

"I didn't mean to.... It just sorta... happened."

Didn't mean to what? What had he...? Wait-- did he... did he do what she thought he did? If so... if so.... Rika leaned into his cupped hand and relaxed. For the first time in a while... she felt safe-- happy. It was like there was nothing else in the world that mattered. Gathering her courage, she moved closer to the goggle-boy. Okay... maybe she could do it...! Reaching a hand out toward the back of his neck, she asked, "Will you?"

Fighting to hold back the major blush attempting to explode onto his face, Takato tried to make sense of what she had said. The boy's mind was swimming with confusion. Did she say, 'Will you?' What... what did that mean? Why on Earth...? He started: "Rika... what do you...?" That's when he noticed it-- the look her eyes. The eyes that usually held back all emotion; the ones that never seemed to smile, cry, or anything. Those same purple orbs... were currently erupting with emotion. And who, by chance, were those feelings for? Why... a certain goggle-headed boy, of course!

Geeze... she had to say it?! Why did he have to make it so mach harder? The girl took in a deep breath. Now or never.... "Will you...," she repeated, adding more to the plea this time around, "...kiss me?"

A smile crept onto Takato's tired face as he stared deeply into the eyes of the girl he loved. It was true...! His ears hadn't been playing tricks! Then... did that mean she cared for him? Oh-- wait! He still had something very important to tell her! I bet you all know what that is! He leaned forward, bringing her cupped face closer to him. "I love you...."

A smile pervaded upon her face as she chuckled and closed her eyes, allowing herself to be lulled closer. "I was wondering when I'd hear those words...," she remarked as her lips met his. A tingle even stronger than the one she had felt earlier flew throughout her entire body; it sent chills down her spine-- good chills, mind you. So... this was a kiss, eh? Wasn't as bad as she'd thought. In fact, Rika had only one way of describing this new feeling washing over her as she and Takato shared that well-deserved kiss:

Heaven.

~*~

"WOO-HOO!"

"Go, Chumly! You 'da MAN!"

Kazu and Kenta, both quite annoying at the time, acted pretty much like cheerleaders at a football field (minus the field and players and fans). They hooted and hollered, knowing that it would be a while before those two snapped back into reality. Yeah... they were happy. Well, who wouldn't be? Takato probably would've died... but, he didn't! It was time to celebrate!

Okay, they were thrilled-- so sue me!

"Thank God Takato's alright, eh?" Kazu asked once they were hoarse from their unnoticed yelps of joy. Ahh... this was great! Life was slowing going back to normal! How sweet was that?!

Kenta nodded, stretching in an attempt to un-stiffen his poor back. It didn't really help much. He wiggled his toes and bent his knees; they, too, felt crappy. Dang-- he was sore! Maybe it was because he'd done nothing but walk for the past few hours...? With a yawn, he finally added, "Thank God, indeed!"

The two stood there for a moment, thinking (shocker, shocker!). Soon enough, though, boredom crept upon them like a silent, deadly disease; and they decided that it was time to do something else-- something entertaining. Ever the curious ones, Kazu and Kenta scampered off in hopes of finding a victim for one of their sinister plots. Mischief WAS one of their attributes, after all.... One that the two seemed to enjoy quite a lot.

A-ha! There! Spotting their targets, Kazu nudged his counterpart and sniggered; Kenta seemed to understand the plan and chortled along with him. Yes... they had an idea. What, exactly... even I don't know!

Meanwhile, Henry (who hadn't noticed the arrival of the devious duo) snuck a quick peek at Jeri before turning his gaze back to the sunrise. It was over-- done. Everything was finished; the big mess of a 'plan' had finally been drawn to a close. And yet... why did he feel so ashamed? A look of longing appeared on the boy's face as he watched the clouds begin their morning dance. After all that hell they'd gone through... he was sad. I mean... how would you feel? How would you feel if one of your dreams came to life... and died right before you could fully grasp it...? The blue haired boy chuckled bitterly and crossed his arms. He'd been trying to forget about that part... about Terriermon. Then again... who could forget about that rascal?

Jeri must have been thinking about that same subject. "So...," she started with a bemused stare, "it's over... isn't it?" Mr. Leomon... cute little Terriermon... calm and cool Renamon... everyone.... GONE. Tears threatened to spill onto her face; she attempted to hold them back. It... it wasn't fair! Why? Why'd they have to go? She wanted them to come back! 'But... but they HAD to leave...,' her mind stated gently, hoping to convince the grieving girl. Alas... it didn't quite work. Jeri was still having difficulties with the fact that her friends were gone. Of course, she knew that they had to go-- she wasn't stupid! It was just... it was just that she hated seeing the people in her life die! She hated not being able to seem them ever again! Like... her real mother: gone....

Forever....

God... she was being so spoiled. Since when... was she this spoiled? How long...? It was strange. Never before... she'd never acted so spoiled before. 'I've never lost so many friends so fast, either....' No longer caring about the tears, the anger, or the sadness, Jeri turned to the boy beside her. With a cracked voice, she sobbed, "I miss them already!"

"Me, too...," he answered truthfully. Really, it sorta surprised him. Not much, but still.... He didn't think this event affected Jeri as much as she just expressed. Perhaps... he didn't know her as well as he'd originally thought.... No! He shook his head slightly and offered the girl his hand; with a weak grin, she took it and happily stared into his eyes. It was as if she looked up to him.... Man! How... how could he care so much about a girl, and think that he didn't know her? That was just... stupid.

While the 'lovebirds' were enjoying their small moment of peace... they were unable to notice the two 'shadow-like' objects creeping toward them stealthily. Suppressed laughter and chortles came from the creatures (c'mon-- you know who they are!) as they made their way to their 'prey.' Each one chose a side, slid up behind the boy and girl, raised a hand, and....

"Now!" Kazu hissed in a soft, suppressed whisper. Kenta nodded and helped play out the plan. Henry and Jeri didn't have any time to react! Within seconds, their heads were smashed together-- not too hard, mind you! Ha-hah!! What a great plan! Kazu, stumbling back with a haughty laugh, realized that he was glad he'd thought of it. I mean, really! How often could they embarrass two friends at once?! It was such a great deal! Both boys bounced back to see what would transpire; they tried not to laugh at their friends' surprised faces (to no avail). Ahh, how they loved success!

Wha... what?! Henry snapped his eyes open... and found himself staring into Jeri's own. Still in shock, the boy attempted to figure out who had yelled and hit him... until he realized WHAT, exactly, had happened! He... his mouth... and Jeri's.... They were... they.... 'I'm kissing Jeri?!' his mind roared. Oh, man! This was wrong-- totally wrong! He never wanted it to happen like this!! The blue haired boy glowed a deep red, but he was rather reluctant to pull away and run.... This was, after all, something he had dreamed of... right?

Oh... my God.... Jeri stood completely still; an intense dose of confusion and shock had been poured into her body. Her first... her first kiss...! And it was with... Henry...? Well... it wasn't as though she'd never thought of the idea, but.... Well, why did it have to happen like this?! It should've happened in a romantic way, with the stars and the right mood-- not some kind of joke! Confusion filled her eyes when she noticed the boy blink a few times. Hrm... it seemed that he couldn't move from his position, either. Yeah... they were in QUITE the predicament, eh? Within her head, thoughts raced along a course at speeds that even racers wouldn't dare drive! Why couldn't she move?! Why wouldn't HE move?! Why... why did it feel so right...?

After a few moments of pure, dumbfounded looks and confounded thoughts, the two sprung apart forcefully-- a little too forceful if you ask me! Both took in deep breaths and glanced around; they looked like little lost bunnies with no place left to go. So cute! Seconds after parting, they caught sight of the wrongdoers. Of course... it was Kazu and Kenta! They must've plotted that! Ooh...! Anger raged within them as deathly ideas popped into their minds.

But... wait. If they had planned that out, then.... Oh, geeze! That meant that those two idiots knew how they felt about each other...! Were they THAT readable? Heh... I guess so. As if forgetting what had happened, they glanced at one another and laughed. After a moment, though, the memory came rushing back. Their eyes instantly darted toward something 'much more interesting.' Henry stared at a large, grey rock; Jeri found a busted telephone booth quite amusing. And, of course, they both wore a fancy blush on their cheeks!

Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dumb merely laughed their butts off. Who cared it they'd be killed tomorrow for it? The looks on Henry and Jeri's faces were well worth it!

~*~

This was it.... Everything... everything he had worked on-- gone. Janyu took one final glance at the crumbling building before turning toward the children. He smirked weakly. All who had been forced to help on the digimon project had already fled. Then again... why would they stay? They had been locked up for all that time, kept from their families.... At least he had been able to see his son... though he did not think Henry would talk to him for a while-- not after the rash choices he'd made....

Henry wouldn't be so cruel as to hold a grudge forever... would he?

So caught up in his own thoughts, the man did not notice a shadowed figure approach him. The shadow, calm and silent, reached a hand out. With much accuracy, it grasped Janyu's shoulder firmly. He jumped, obviously a nervous wreck, and the owner of the hand laughed, stating:

"Calm down, Wong. It's over."

That voice.... Janyu turned and sighed. "You know... I'm not so sure, Yamaki.... Every day, something new is created and introduced to the world. Sometimes it is a success... and sometimes it goes wrong. If it doesn't work, the creator takes it and tries to fix the mistakes-- no matter how big they are...." Feeling the need to pause, the blue haired man turned his gaze to the rising sun. A new day had started... a new day to a new part of his life.... Such nonsense... heh-- why did he always think of such nonsense? He let a sad, aged smile fade onto his face. Right then... it felt like he had lived his life all the way to its end.... He just... felt so old.

"I just... I don't think that we can fix the mistakes we've made... not this time," Janyu whispered.

"Pessimist," Yamaki murmured, shoving his hands into his pockets; laughing at the secret he held, the man absentmindedly poked at a solitary rock lying on the ground. It was so strange. He was able to see the dirty ground and the cloudy sky again.... Finally losing interest in the stone, he looked back up at his old friend. Was that... what he looked like as well? Tired and dull... like an old man...? No... it was just the stress. After a few nights of sleep everyone would be back to normal. "You'll never get anywhere if you think like that," he added after a few minutes of silence.

Janyu shrugged and closed his eyes in thought. He didn't understand why Yamaki was so calm.... Someone had died... in order to save their world. Didn't that upset him at least a little...? Huh...? Oh, yeah. A question he had almost forgotten about suddenly flew into his thoughts during his 'meditation.' He turned to the now-silent man beside him with a look of confusion planted onto his face. "I've been wondering... where were you all this time...? I thought that you had left the building before us, and yet you've only just appeared...! What were you doing?"

Heh... so he finally decided to ask? Hmm... might as well tell him! "I...," he started with a grin, "was merely trying to 'fix' some of our mess." With that said, Yamaki slid off his shades and trailed his blue eyes out to the children; once he fixed his gaze on a certain spot, a chuckle escaped his lips. The blue haired man adjusted his glasses and attempted to see what his friend found so amusing. What he saw, though... shocked him.

"You mean you...?!"

~*~

Bright lights from every direction; snaps surrounded them!

"Can either of you tell us what, exactly, happened here?!"

What the...?! Takato and Rika flung apart at the sudden outburst; both were breathing heavily (for obvious reasons) and bright red from the ears down! Who in the...? Oh, great... reporters! What on Earth could those people possibly want?! Duh... they were reporters-- that's all there was to it. Man, he really loathed people who prodded in someone else's life. The boy sighed and turned away. "No comment," he muttered. Didn't they care about the feelings of innocent people? Another 'duh.' Well... more like a 'Hell, no!' but you get the idea.

What were THEY doing there?! A small growl formed in her throat; Takato laughed nervously. What gave them the right to go barging in on her 'special moment' like that? Glaring at the various people with cameras and lights and microphones, Rika leaned into Takato's arms and groaned. Reporters... she'd dealt with them before-- after a major card game.... Let's just say... she didn't really 'like' them. The girl waved her hand rudely, as if to dismiss them, and muttered, "Go talk to someone else-- I ain't in the mood to deal with you...."

Geeze, what rude children! Didn't most kids enjoy being on tv? Why, if her children were that mouthy, she'd have them shipped off to military school in an instant! Perhaps she could find out who their parents were and tell them about it! Of course, she'd have to juice it up a little, but.... The reporter, miffed, opened her mouth--

"Hey!! We'll tell you what happened!"

"Yeah-- come hear how WE saved the world!"

Without much thought, the reporters ran off after the 'big' scoop, thus leaving the two children alone once more. Not that they cared, mind you-- they were quite used to being alone togther. Heck... they didn't even care if Kazu and Kenta took all of the fame and glory! To them... it was better just to spend their time together-- I mean, they'd been through a lot! If you think about it, they barely spent any time together these past few days.

Takato sighed again and sat down on the rocky ground. It felt good... to rest. The 'sleep' he'd gotten in the building drained him more than anything! God, was he ti-red! He'd probably sleep for about a week! With a light chuckle, he wrapped his arm around Rika as she sat beside him. At least... at least he was happy....

How could she have gone so long... without that feeling? Love... she now felt as though she would die if it were ever taken from her. Such a good feeling.... But... argh! Those reporters!! They'd made her so mad! And they.... Crap! They took pictures, didn't they?! Then... then... everyone at her school would see! They... they would....

Oh, screw it. She'd just threaten them all when she went back. Heh. It felt good... even though it was sorta wrong. Too bad she'd promised a certain goggle-head that she wouldn't fight anymore, or she'd be doing that, too.... Resting her head on Takato's shoulder, she yawned and murmured, "I love you...."

"I know...."

Rika smiled and closed her eyes. It was true.... She fell in love with a boy who had claimed that he had seen her in a dream. Heh-- she was his 'Dream Girl.' Crazy, huh? To think... it went from a good friendship... to love. And-- wait a sec.... "Um... Goggle-head?"

The brown haired boy stretched slightly, hoping it would wake him up; it didn't. Resting his cheek on the top of her head, he decided to answer: "Hmm?"

"You're still my best friend... right?"

Wha...? Where would she get the idea that he wasn't? What was wrong with her? "Of course!" he answered, confused at why she would ask something like that. A lot of couples were best friends-- even his parents!

"But--" the redhead paused and glanced away embarrassedly before continuing "--can best friends... kiss and stuff...?" Curse it! She hadn't meant for that question to come out so... so scared-sounding and weak, but.... Well, come on! She just couldn't help it!

Chuckling to himself, Takato held the girl closer and smiled. Why, after all they'd been through together, did she still surprise him at times...? With a light kiss to her forehead, he whispered:

"Heh... of course, Rika.... Of course."

~*~

A/N: Konnichiwa, minnachan! It's been... what, over a year? *laughs dryly* Yeah... I'm sorry. It's just... I've had some problems. Friends aren't always what they seem, flamers can be harsh at times, and old computers die easily. Heh... I don't really want to talk about it-- not right now, at least. Perhaps in an e-mail....

Anyway...! Well, 'Fated' is pretty much done! All I have left is the epilogue, which should be done within a few days. If you have a song that fits this story, tell me! I need songs for the epilogue!!! Ummm.... Tell me what you think of this chapter, too! I don't seem to like it... but, there are some parts that really worked out well.

'School Day Blues' is still in the works-- go read it if you're into some comedy! Also, I am starting a new story called 'The Darkness Within.' It's going to have a darker plot, and it IS a Rukato! Woo! I can't wait to start writing that one! And I am thinking of writing an AU for Frontier (sorta like this was an AU for Tamers). I dunno what it'll be about yet, let alone if it will have a certain coupling. *thinks* My sis likes Takumi... so I might use that-- tell me what you guys would read! I just started my Inuyasha story, 'The Heart's Battle,' so go read it and tell me what you think! (You don't need to know a lot about Inuyasha to read it-- it's an AU.) If you've played Kingdom Hearts, wait for the prologue of my story 'Fragments.' It should be out soon. Also, a Rukato Christmas story is up! Read it!!!! Shaman King fan? Wait for my one-shot called 'One Thousand Words!'

Anyway, I hope to stay on more often-- thus, I am planning on working on more stories. If you like an older story of mine and wish for it to be finished... TELL ME! I will then beat my brain up until I think of a way to work on it again! *smiles* I love reviews... I love them lots. Give me reviews, and I shall give you chappies! *sniffs*-Angel-Chan (Ruki and Takato pop up, holding a sign that reads: Review for the love of Rukato!)