Yay! Chapter 4 a comin! Thank you all for the reviews and the support. I'm so glad you still like me. Just a little note, I sort of have the mind-set of an animator, so scenes may jump around and cut quick, so I'm really sorry if it's confusing. I'll do my best to fix it.
Life goes on, so now we jump to the future. Again, I don't own Digimon, so yeah. And again, I suck at fight scenes. And also, thoughts and memories are in italics.
Always With Me
Chapter 4: 30 Years Later
-The ultimate sacrifice was carried out that fateful night. Though now that her spirit was relieved of the terrible burden that weighed her down, we all must now carry that burden which only she could have controlled, and we must carry it within our own hearts: something that we are not accustomed to. No one else could possibly have the heart that Sora once had. She was the ultimate bearer of all that was lovely and pure: the bearer of pure love and emotion. But all that was lost with her as the entire world had seen the madness. As I watched with my young eyes the terrors and the heartbreak, I truly knew that my innocent childhood, along with all those others, was over.-
"Wow," Takato muttered in awe.
"Hey Takato!" Kazu exclaimed. "Quit reading that crap and make your move so that I can beat you!"
"We were playing!?" Takato exclaimed in surprise.
"Duh Louie, duffous. I've been waiting for you to play your card for the past hour," Kazu teased.
"You're over-exaggerating Kazu," Kenta said. "You've only been waiting for ten minutes."
"What's all the ruckus boys?" a man on the pathway asked them.
"Oh, hi Mr. Kamiya," Takato greeted. "We're just playing cards."
"Digimon, eh?" Tai said as he looked closer at the game. "Mind if I play a hand?"
"You? Play digimon?" Kazu asked trying to hold in a chuckle.
"I don't think it's the game for you, Mr. Kamiya," Takato explained, a little amused himself. "It's kinda complicated."
"You never know," Tai answered. "I might get the hang of it." He set down his briefcase and kneeled on one side of the game mat.
"You're on," Kazu agreed with a devious smile. The hands were chosen and the strategies were formulated. Kazu watched Tai move the cards around in his hand. He smiled evilly. This'll be too easy, he thought to himself. No one over the age of twenty knows anything about Digimon, well except for otaku.
"I'll lay this Agumon down and digivolve him into a Greymon," Tai explained.
Too easy! Kazu chuckled to himself. "That's pretty good for a first move, but I'll advance this little guy into the mega: Machinedramon," Kazu replied, arrogantly explaining his move.
"So he's stronger?" Tai replied. "Well then. Maybe if I lay down this Metalgreymon, and oh, this digivice card can make him into Wargreymon, who has a higher attack; thus, I sliced you like an onion," Tai finished, snapping his fingers.
"WHAT!!" Kazu exclaimed in shock.
"Well, thanks for the entertainment boys, but I should be going now. I'll see you boys around," Tai said as he stood up. He picked up his briefcase and walked down the park pathway. If only it was that easy, Tai thought to himself. He let out a heavy sigh. Kazu stared in disbelief at the cards. He stared with his jaw dropped to the ground. Takato and Kenta laughed hysterically at his foolishness.
"How! How could he have known!" Kazu cried.
"Come on Kazu! You've been staring at those cards for almost an hour!" Takato laughed out.
"Dude! You were beat by a forty year old!" Kenta also laughed.
---
Takato and his friends were modern kids just like every other kid. But only one thing set them apart from all their other classmates: they had real digimon friends. They had also been to the Digital World, the ruined parts, however. Thirty years time and a long and hard battle with the dreaded D-Reaper had contributed much change to both worlds. Both worlds were growing harsher all the time. But the worlds were always cared for by each generation of Digidestined. Takato and his friends turned out to be great protectors, as the previous Digidestined had seen. Now adults, the seven lived quiet lives while watching the new children with great interest. Ever since their run in with the D-Reaper and all the other wonders of the Digital World and digimon, Takato gained a new respect and a new interest in his lifetime obsession with digimon. He found an autobiographical book about all of the adventures of the eight Digidestined in the Digital World. He read it everywhere he went. He would even sneak it into school and read it during the lessons in secret.
---
"Takato. Takato!"
"Huh? What?" Takato asked as he was drawn away from his book.
"So where are you today?" his teacher asked.
"I'm sorry Ms. Takaisha. I was just reading ahead in our textbooks," he fibbed, chuckling nervously. She walked up to his desk.
"Takato, if you're reading another comic book, then so help me…" She grabbed the book from behind the textbook and read the cover. "Well," she sighed, "at least you're reading." She placed the book back onto his desk and went back to the front of the room. Takato's heart slowed down to normal and he gave a sigh of relief.
---
"How can you read that crap?" Kazu asked. "It's nothing but bull plop. The Digital World isn't a wondrous place with 'lush' forests and 'exotic' beaches. It's a dry, barren, crazy wasteland with lots of crazy stuff!"
"We'll maybe at one time it was nice," Takato whined.
"Oh and I love this one! The Titanic?" Kazu pointed out.
"It's the Digititanic," Takato corrected.
"Whatever. Either way, it sounds like a cheesy love-crap story."
"Well, that's basically kinda what it is," Takato admitted.
"Bull plop. Go sell it to Warner Brothers."
"Well if you don't know," Henry cut in, "this is an autobiography of accounts told by one of the members of the Digidestined. Here, look." He took the book from Takato and fanned through the pages. "The writer, Takaisha Takeru, was originally the younger of the group. And then this section is on the leader, Kamiya Taichi."
"Kamiya?" Takato asked.
"Hey, look at this section," Kenta pointed out. "It has two dates in parenthesis:
Takenouchi Sora
(1989-2002)."
"It says here that her final battle was fought here in Tokyo, where she died destroying the evil digimon at the age of thirteen." Henry explained.
"How sad," Kenta said.
Tai Kamiya? Takato thought to himself. Could he be Mr. Kamiya? Of course! Who else would know how an Agumon works? "I gotta go!" Takato snatched the book and ran away. "I'll see you guys later!" he shouted as he left.
---
Takato ran and ran, but he never even stopped to figure out exactly where he was going. At one point, he passed by the city cemetery. He came to a sudden halt. Inside, he noticed Tai kneeling in front of a large headstone. He watched him curiously, wondering what he could have been doing there. He finally ran around to the side towards the front gate. Tai sat there, staring at the new bouquet of flowers. He remembered the painful duty of being a pallbearer and the sadness he felt as he watched his whole world disappear into the earth. It was too difficult for him to realize that the beautiful, radiant young girl from thirty years ago was now nothing but dust in a box. Old tears began to choke his eyes. He tried not to let it take control of him. Takato slowly crept up to his side.
"Hello Mr. Kamiya," he said softly.
"Takato!" Tai exclaimed in surprise. "What are you doing here?" Takato slowly kneeled next to him.
"Is this a friend of yours?" he asked sympathetically.
"Yes," Tai answered solemnly. "She died nearly thirty years ago."
"Who was she?" Takato asked. Tai noticed the book that Takato carried with him. He took it from him and fanned through the pages. He finally stopped and pressed the book against the headstone. Both read the same thing: Takenouchi Sora (1989-2002). "It's her," Takato gasped. "Then you… you must be the leader, Kamiya Taichi."
"I was the leader, a long time ago."
"I can't believe it, the Digidestined do exist."
"Each and every one of us. Well, except for Sora," Tai explained, his tone becoming solemn once again.
"Do you miss her?" Takato asked sympathetically.
"I do," Tai answered. "I wish that we could have done something different: something that might have saved her life. She gave so much for us that night, and I wonder if she had done the right thing." Tai stared ahead into space. He then gave a slight smile. "But when I see you kids playing and laughing and enjoying your lives, I know that she did the right thing." Takato smiled softly; impressed at how brave she was. Tai's smile lessened. "The only thing is I never even told her how much I loved her." There was a silence between them for a moment. A soft breeze whisked by them. "Come on, let's get you home before it gets too dark," Tai said as he stood up. He and Takato walked together through the streets; Takato asked him many questions. They finally arrived to the bakery shop where Takato and his family worked and lived.
---
"Hey dad!" Takato greeted his father as he ran inside.
"Takato, where have you been?" his dad replied. "You're lucky your mother isn't home right now. Now go on and finish your homework."
"Okay," Takato sighed at the mention of his homework. He and Tai watched him head up the stairs into his room.
"That's a good kid you got there," Tai said. "Very curious about the world, too."
"You have any kids?" Takato's father asked.
"Nah, I never married," Tai answered, shaking his head. "That's why I like the neighborhood kids so much. It makes me happy to know that they're happy."
"Sometimes those kids scare me," Takato's fathered said, "with their digimon and all. It reminds me of when I was a kid." Tai's heart suddenly jumped.
"You had a digimon?" he asked.
"No. I don't know if you would remember, but it was about thirty years ago when we were young. We were coming home from a school trip when we were attacked by digimon. It was scarier than hell. But then those kids came and saved us, especially that one girl. I wish I could thank her." Tai gave him a smile and put a hand on his shoulder.
"You don't have to thank her. She did what was right." He froze as his mind went back to that night.
-------------------------
The leader boy stood staring down at the white sheet that hid her body.
"I wish I could thank her," he whimpered as he stood next to the leader boy. He looked down at him; a deep pain was set in his eyes. He put his hand on his shoulder.
"You don't have to thank her. She did what was right."
------------------------------
He came out of his trance, looking the stranger in the eyes. Those were the same pained eyes from those thirty years ago.
"It's you. You're him." Tai nodded in response. "I remember," he said again, looking down at the counter. "I remember how you kissed her goodbye. You loved her."
"And that's why I never married," Tai finished. "Yes. I loved her very much. I'm amazed you still remember that."
"I don't think any of us could forget."
---
Tai left the shop alone. Little did he know, he was being watched, intently.
---
"I knew it was him," Yamaki told himself. He sat on his couch in front of the television. "One can never forget a personality like that." He pressed a button on his remote control. The videotape began to replay the news report of that fateful night. As he watched, Yamaki could still remember the terror and the fear. He could still feel the intense heat. He could still hear her sing. "Then again, one can never forget a night like that." His thoughts were interrupted when his cell phone began to ring.
---
"I can't believe it," Tai muttered to himself as he walked through the dark, lonely street. "Had Sora never sacrificed her life, then those kids would have never survived, then Takato and his friends would have never existed." He looked up at the night sky. "Sora you were right… what the hell is that!" A glowing green mist hung above the city.
"Excuse me sir," a voice greeted. Tai jumped in surprise. He looked in the direction in which the voice came from. A man with blond hair and dark glasses stood nearby. He wore a black coat. "If you would come with me. I'm in need of your assistance."
---
"Why am I here?" Tai demanded. "What do you need from me?"
"You are at Hypnos, formerly a station to detect and destroy rogue digimon, but now we merely detect digimon."
"You destroy digimon!?" Tai exclaimed angrily.
"I understand your distress, but let me assure you that has all changed." Yamaki explained.
"Yes. The D-Reaper incident," Tai growled. "So why am I here?"
"Yamaki, we better hurry. This thing is growing," Riley reported.
"Can someone give me a damn minute!" Tai shouted.
"Mr. Kamiya, we need your expertise," Yamaki explained. "There are digimon coming through: big digimon."
---
"Guillmon? What is it boy?" Takato asked as he sat up in his bed. Guillmon stared out the window, growling. "Digimon," he muttered. "Big digimon."
---
"Oh my lord! Look at that!" an employee shouted. Large digimon appeared on the view screen.
"Oh my God, it's the Dark Masters!" Tai gasped. "But they look different, like zombies." Tai gasped again. He saw the horror of horrors. "She…she's still alive?" There was the larger than life lion digimon.
"You've fought her before," Yamaki said.
"How do you know this!?" Tai demanded. "How do you know me!?"
"I hope you're ready for this," Yamaki said. He took a remote control out of his pocket and pressed a button. Tai sank to his knees in sheer terror. He watched as he held the deathly Sora in his arms: as he cried out in grief.
"Turn it off!" he cried. "How can you do this to me!?" Yamaki pressed another button. The frame paused on the group of children.
"Do you see that child with the blonde hair?"
"Oh my God, you were there too?"
"Your friend's death is what made me want this position in the first place. I wanted vengeance on all digimon, but I learned much from the kids."
"Sir!" Riley shouted. "The kids are out there! And they're fighting the monsters!"
"What!?"
---
"Digimodify!" shouted the kids. Their cards swiped through their digivices, giving their digimon more power.
---
Tai remained mourning on the floor. He held his head in his hands, sobbing.
"Tai, I'm sorry that it had to be this way, but you have to help," Yamaki urged.
"Sora! Why is this happening!?" Tai cried.
"Tai!" shouted a familiar voice.
"A-Agumon?" The little dinosaur ran into his arms. Tai hugged him tightly.
"I do believe this is your digimon," Yamaki said.
"What are you doing here?" Tai asked.
"I've come to stop the evil. You and me."
"I…I don't know," Tai stuttered.
"That doesn't sound like you," Agumon nagged.
"What do you think Sora would have done at a time like this? See, the others are out there too." Tai looked up at the screen. He saw Matt and TK and Kari, Joe, Mimi, and Izzy.
"You're right," he said as he dried his eyes. "Let's go!"
---
"Ms. Takaisha, what are you doing here?" Takato asked. Suddenly, a woman angel flew overhead.
"Heaven's Charm!" she shouted, releasing a light that sliced through the opponents.
"Are you a…a…" Takato stuttered in surprise.
"I'm Tai's sister, and the author of your book is my husband."
"And look, there's Dr. Kido!" Kenta said.
"I don't like him much," Kazu said. "He gives me shots."
"And isn't that rock star, Ishida Yamato?" His music rocks!" Rika exclaimed.
"You kids better get out of here!" Matt ordered.
"No way!" Takato retaliated. "We're Digimon Tamers and we have as much right to fight as you do! We're a team!"
"And that's how we'll face it!" Tai added.
"Tai! Where have you been buddy?"" Matt asked.
"I'm ready to fight," Tai sneered. "I'm ready to fight for my home, my friends, the kids, and I especially wanther to pay for whatshe did to Sora!"
"And we're with you! Every step of the way!" Takato proudly declared. Tai gave him a smile, then turned toward the threat.
"I wonder why the Dark Masters are here, and why they're so different," Izzy pondered.
"I know," Takato said. "You guys defeated them just before your final battle with Apocolamon."
"You have done your reading," TK chuckled.
"Don't encourage him," Rika groaned.
"Whatever is happening, they're doing major damage to the city, and lots of it," Taomon explained.
"We have to stop them!" Kari exclaimed.
"Let's do it!" The digimon leaped into action, but the Masters were immortal, and powerful. The digimon fell to the broken street in agony. The Masters continued with their destruction, leaving the stunned digimon behind them.
"This isn't good," Kazu whimpered.
"What?" Tai muttered. He saw Deathhatemon. She was sitting, and watching. "She's not doing anything, she's just watching." Tai stepped in her direction. One step and then another.
"Tai, what are you doing?" Matt asked in distress.
"I'm going to destroy her once and for all," Tai growled.
"Are you crazy?" Matt exclaimed.
"Tai! Please don't!" Kari begged. "She'll kill you!"
"Yeah, you remember what happened to Sora," Joe added.
"I don't care," Tai growled. "I'm stopping this once and for all."
Tai snuck out of the group and carefully picked his way through the debris around and behind Deathhatemon. Picking up a wooden splint, he crept up behind her, coming closer within striking distance. He lifted the splint into the air, ready to strike, when suddenly he got a face full of paw as Deathhatemon slapped him down. Tai drowsily turned over and stared face to face deep into her fiery eyes.
"Well look who it is," she sneered. "Thought you could kill me that easily?" Tai tried to inch away, but she followed his every move. Her hot breath condensed on his flesh. The rotted smell of her breath made his eyes water.
"Why are you here?" Tai stuttered. "What do you want?"
"Ha!" she laughed. "You know very well what I want! I want you, Digidestined, to pay for the grievances that you've caused me. I want you to writhe in the flames of Hell, just as I am damned to do."
"What do you need you're goons for if you know that you're powerful enough alone?" She glared at him with an amused grin.
"Masters," she demanded. They immediately responded. "Return to the inferno," she ordered, "and await my further instruction." With that, they vanished into a fog of smoke. "Such nice slaves they've become for me," she chuckled. "It appears that I am the master now." Her eyes then again burned with a lethal hate: Tai's reflection deep in the writhing flames in her eyes. "I will now snuff out your pathetic life," she snarled, lifting her paw high into the air, "and send you to join your precious girlfriend who you so long for!" She roared as her paw reached its maximum height. Tai squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for his death. A burning pain shot through Deathhatemon's body, stopping her short from administering a quick death.
"You want to mess with someone, then mess with me," Growlmon growled.
"You treacherous, over-grown dinosaur!" Deathhatemon snarled.
"Don't you dare harm him!" Takato shouted.
"Foolish children!" she roared. "You cannot stop me! I am Hell!" She cackled hysterically, growing larger. The structure fires around her fed her evil. The Digidestined stood in horrified awe.
"We have to keep trying!" Taomon shouted. The digimon leaped at her. Deathhatemon released a shattering roar, throwing the digimon to the street. They dedigivolved.
"No!" Henry shouted in distress.
"Oh man! We're toast!" Kazu cried.
"How can we stop her?" Matt grunted in frustration. Tai stared at her, at the evil deity she had become.
"We can't even get close to her," Gatomon whimpered, pained and exhausted. Tai's body trembled in fear, tears choked his eyes and cold sweat ran down his cheeks.
"This can't happen again," he shuddered. Every muscle suddenly tightened in his body. He forced his body to stop trembling. "No! I won't be afraid! I won't show fear!"
"That's right!" Matt replied.
"We shouldn't be afraid!" Kari said.
"We're a team!" TK declared.
"And it will always be that way!" Izzy added.
"And we'll fight on!" Mimi chimed.
"Together, until the very end!" Joe finished.
"And we'll all join you, because we're a part of this, too!" Takato declared.
"Right!" the others added. Tai smiled at his team.
"Sora gave her life for us thirty years ago and I'm not about to let that sacrifice go to waste now!" Tai shouted. "Deathhatemon! This ends now!"
Powerful beams of light shot from all digivices. They pierced Deathhatemon's body. Deathhatemon still laughed evilly, unmoved by the burst of power. The Digidestined pushed hard to strengthen their weapons. Sweat ran down Tai's cheek. He was growing tired. All seemed to be lost. He then felt warmth next to his body. He noticed an extra beam of light shooting toward Deathhatemon. He looked to his side to see what he hadn't seen for thirty years. Sora's determined, crimson eyes met his. In them, he could see the determination to bring an end to the evil. She gave him a smile. He smiled back, then looked back toward Deathhatemon. Her laughs turned into pained roars. The power of the Digidestined was overwhelming her and crushing her. Her body burst into raging flames and disappeared all together.
The group lowered their digivices, staring in disbelief at the destruction. Tai noticed he now held two digivices in his hands. He looked around, but Sora was gone. He slowly knelt in the middle of the broken street, staring at the two digivices. The new one was beeping in the rhythm of a heartbeat. Soft tears came to Tai's eyes. He smiled. The others gathered around him.
"I can't believe it," Tai said in a shaky voice. "After all this time, she was right. She never left me; she never left us." The others smiled softly. Tai closed his hands around the two digivices. "Her heart never left mine."
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But wait, one more chapter to come. It'll be a bit shorter, but its more of an epilogue. So stay tuned. And please R&R on THE SUBJECT OF THE STORY!