Disclaimer: Digimon is a franchise owned jointly by Toei Animation and Bandai, and conceptualized by Akiyoshi Hongo. Doctor Who is a property owned by the British Broadcasting Company created by Sydney Newman. The concept of The Tamer: A Digimon Adventure is a fan fiction idea created by me. The Life Of Kari Kamiya is a fanfiction property that extends off that story and belongs to me also. Please support the official properties.
Author's Notes: Happy New Year's guys. Just posting a supplementary story to help bridge the last chapter of the Tamerverse and the next. Enjoy!
The Life of Kari Kamiya
Graduation Day
Kari stepped down from the stage after being handed her degree, making her way with the rest of her class back to their seats. This was the most exciting moment of her life. She had now graduated university. All she had to do now was enjoy her last summer break as a student and pass her teaching license exam. She looked up into the stands and saw her parents sitting there, along with Sora, Sora's boyfriend Matt, his younger brother TK, and her ex-boyfriend turned best friend Davis. The pride she felt was overwhelming.
Once all the graduates were seated, she heard the university president say, "Graduating class, you may now bring your tassels to the other side of your caps. Congratulations on completing your education!"
As soon as her tassel was turned, she joined all the other students in throwing their caps into the air and cheering. Once they were dismissed, Kari made her way outside where she met with her family and friends outside. Her parents both hugged her together, her dad saying, "Congratulations. I'm so proud of you sweetheart."
"My daughter, the teacher," her mom added, growing teary eyed at the thought, "You'll be so great at it."
"Thanks mom, dad," she beamed excitedly, before turning to Sora and Matt. She hadn't seen Sora in a long time and was happy she was able to make it. The first thing she did upon seeing the older girl was wrap her arms around her, "SORA! YOU MADE IT!"
"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Sora answered. Kari pulled away and turned to Matt, nodding with a smile. The last time she saw him, he had a full head of hair. Now it was shaved completely bald which gave him a more rugged look that suited him - although she still had to do a double take every time she saw him, "It's good to see you too, Matt. How's the military treating you?"
"I really hate it," Matt frowned, "But forget about me. Congratulations."
"Thanks," Kari nodded. Then she noticed TK and Davis just behind Matt. Time had been good to both of them. TK had grown out his hair and taken to parting it in the middle, giving him a young and inquisitive look. Davis had grown leaner and more muscular from pushing around his noodle cart for last few years, as well as more tan spending all day in the hot sun. Kari's face lit up in a way she didn't realize upon seeing them and hugged them both, "It's so good to see you guys! Thanks for coming!"
"Of course, Kari," Davis answered happily, "Do you have a school lined up?"
"Yeah, I applied to be a teacher in a small school in Shinjuku," Kari answered, "How's the ramen cart?"
"Expanded and I got two restaurants now," Davis answered, "But I still work the cart, every day. Got to make these muscles nice for my fiancée."
"Fiancée?" Kari blinked, surprised by that small tidbit of news, "You're engaged? Since when? Why didn't you bring her?"
"You only had the six tickets and she said she understood she couldn't come to this. Besides, we trust each other," Davis answered sheepishly, "And she says she's going to join us later on."
Now it was TK's turn to chime in, "It always amazes me to see you guys so amicable. I mean, exes normally don't get along with each other but you two are really something."
"So how come you didn't graduate yet, TK?" Davis asked curiously, knowing that they all graduated high school at the same time. He should've been walking the graduation stage too. Instead, he was sitting it out. TK scratched the back of his head, "I got busy with my internship and fell behind in one of my classes so now I don't have the credits I need to graduate. But my internship said they'd be happy to let me continue coming in and helping out. But we can talk about that later, let's go out to celebrate."
"Finally!" a small voice whined from her mom's purse, and Gatomon poked her head out, "This purse is cramped and I can't breathe! Let's go somewhere private already!"
Kari scooped her partner out of the purse to hug her, "Okay, Gatomon. But you forgot that cats can't talk."
Gatomon didn't answer, instead purring busily as Kari stroked her back as she purred.
At that point, Matt cleared his throat, "Before that, I um…wanted to give you your graduation gift."
He reached into his pocket and produced a pair of tickets - tickets for a concert with his band's name on it. Kari blinked as she saw it, "Your band is playing? But I thought you were serving? When did your band find time to book a concert?"
Matt embarrassedly answered, "My unit commander found out who I was and it turns out he's a big fan. So he gave me a month on leave on the condition that I get the guys together for a new concert. Which we're doing. It's not a big venue since we're not officially back together but you will want those to come in and see us."
Kari felt her heart jump. She hated to admit it, but it took her until after Matt's band stopped playing to actually properly enjoy their music. And it made it even worse to know they weren't playing any more because it took her so long. Still, it was enough just to hear that they'd be playing one more time and she jumped up excitedly, "I can't wait! When is it?"
"Tomorrow night," Matt nodded happily.
…
Kari went to the venue with Sora, Davis, and TK. Matt provided them with VIP tickets so they would get to be up close on the stage and see Matt performing in front of them. Although he said it was a small venue, what he really meant was that they would be performing in a small theatre. And the theatre was crowded with people all trying to get in to see the band perform for the first time in a while. Kari was so excited after getting the tickets that she couldn't bare to wait any longer to see them perform.
And it wasn't hard to smuggle their digimon in either since Matt spoke with security about his friends bringing dolls to the concert. Gatomon, Veemon, Patamon, Gabumon, and Biyomon would have to sit in their laps, but they'd get to see them up close and personal.
They didn't have to wait long as the lights suddenly dimmed and a soft, evil laugh echoed around them. Kari jumped at first, until the laughter died down and Matt's voice came on at a whisper.
"Feel good."
Then the lights came on as his band was on stage. The bassist and drummer were playing melodically while the keys went along softly. Matt was the only one not playing, instead slinging his guitar behind his back while quietly singing along to the repeated melody from his band mates.
"Feel good.
Feel good.
Feel good."
The drummer and bassist hit their notes hard and Matt began the song proper,
"City's breaking down on a camel's back.
They just have to go 'cause they don't know wack.
So all you fill the streets it's appealing to see.
You won't get out the county, 'cause you're bad and free.
You've got a new horizon it's ephemeral style.
A melancholy town where we never smile.
And all I wanna hear is the message beep.
My dreams, they've gotta kiss me 'cause I don't get sleep, no."
The bassist played out the last few notes and a silence followed until the keys began. Then Matt continued,
"Windmill, windmill for the land.
Turn forever hand in hand,
Take it all in on your stride.
It is sinking, falling down.
Love forever, love is free
Let's turn forever, you and me
Windmill, windmill for the land
Is everybody in?"
Then Matt went silent as the keyboardist ran up to replace Matt with his microphone. This was the signature part of any song his band did - to switch styles of music with the same melody. And somehow, his band always made it work.
"Laughing gas these hazmats, fast cats,
Lining them up like ass cracks,
Ladies, ponies at the track
It's my chocolate attack.
Shit, I'm stepping in the heart of this here
Care Bear rappin' it harder this year
Watch me as I gravitate
Hahahahahahaa.
Yo, we gonna go ghost town,
This motown,
With your sound
You're in the blink
Gonna bite the dust
Can't fight with us
With your sound
You kill the INC.
So don't stop, get it, get it
Until you jet ahead.
Yo, watch the way I navigate
Hahahahahhaa!"
The bassist and drummer continued while the keyboardist retreated away, laughing manically in a way that made him sound almost evil. Once he stopped laughing, he began playing on his keys a soft melody that fit in with the rest of the song. Then Matt adjusted his guitar, taking a few seconds to make sure it was ready before playing his part - a small, melancholic piece that juxtaposed the rest of the song just long enough to give the song a small glimmer of tranquility before he sang his part again,
"Windmill, windmill for the land.
Turn forever hand in hand
Take it all in on your stride
It is sinking, falling down
Love forever, love is free
Let's turn forever, you and me
Windmill, windmill for the land
Is everybody in?"
The keyboardist stepped away from his keyboard again to rap out his next verse,
"Don't stop, shit it, get it
We are your captains in it
Steady,
Watch me navigate,
Ahahahahahhaa.
Don't stop, shit it, get it
We are your captains in it
Steady,
Watch me navigate
Ahahahahahhaa!"
He began his long echoing laugh again over Matt as he sang his last few lines.
"Feel good.
Feel good.
Feel good.
Feel good.
Feel good."
The song faded out with Matt, leaving only the lingering laughter of the keyboardist. The crowd cheered excitedly. It took a moment, but Kari understood this song better once she understood how his band performed. Whenever Matt and the keyboardist sang together, it was to make a point. Two sides arguing for different things. And in this song, they were fighting each other. Matt's part of the song seemed optimistic and hopeful in spite of a grim reality. But the keyboardist's lines were trimmed, dismissing everything wrong and promising a false peace, as if to say live with it because it won't change anyway. It was definitely the kind of song Matt would help make, especially after he and Tamer never got along.
Thinking on that made her freeze. She hadn't spared the Tamer a thought in a long time. Now that she had, she realized that she hadn't seen him in a very long time. And she had no idea when he would appear again. It hadn't bothered her at the time, especially since he promised he'd come back some day. She was just unsure when that day would be. It'd be nice to see him again, but she no longer missed him the way she used to. And yet, she couldn't help the empty feeling her chest as the thought came to mind.
Then Matt's band began their next song. A slower piece that was completely different. As soon as it began, an image was projected onto the screen behind the band - it looked like it was meant for a music video but the song was new, there was no way she had seen this before. As the video played, it showed children playing in an open field. Then Matt began his words,
"Summer don't know me no more,
Eager man, that's all!
Summer don't know me,
Just let me loathe in myself.
'Cause I do know, Lord,
From you that just died, yeah."
As the video played behind them, the camera slowly began to focus on two kids. An older brother and a younger sister, who were probably no more than eight. Then the camera zoomed in the boy's eye, zooming back out to show him alone in the world. Kari blinked as she saw the video play, the boy running for his life as he was chased by monsters across a dark landscape, all while the monsters fought each other.
"I saw that day,
Lost my mind,
Lord, I'll find,
Maybe in time,
You'll want to be mine."
The music video switched to showing the child hiding from the monsters behind the ruined remains of a tree, taking shelter from the conflict. After a second, the child peeked out from their hiding spot to see the fighting happen - the destruction the the monsters wrought on the world and each other. As it showed it all, Matt continued to sing,
"Don't stop the buck when it comes
It's the dawn, you'll see.
Money won't get there,
Ten years passed tonight,
You'll flee.
If you do that,
I'll resolve,
To find you."
The camera zoomed in again on the child's eye again, then zoomed back out to show an older boy. A child soldier fighting back against both the monsters. But with each monster he stopped, it became harder to tell him apart from the monsters.
"I saw that day.
Lost my mind.
Lord, I'll find.
Maybe in time,
You'll want to be mine."
The camera panned skyward towards the clouds and smoke, then focusing on the sun. When it focused back downward, it showed the children playing in the field. All while, Matt continued to sing.
"I saw that day,
Lost my mind.
Lord, I'll find,
Maybe in time,
You'll want to be mine.
Maybe in time,
You'll want to be mine.
Maybe in time,
You'll want to be mine."
The video ended with the younger sister noticing the older brother was gone, while the other children continued to play unabated. It was then that Kari realized something. There were tears streaming from her eyes and onto her cheeks. She wiped them away quickly before any one could notice. She hadn't thought about her brother in a long time. Why did Matt play that song?
However, Gatomon noticed. And she asked at a whisper, "Are you okay, Kari?"
"Yeah," her voice shook as she answered.
...
After the concert, everyone headed backstage to see Matt and his band. They were chatting animatedly and toweling the sweat off their faces, relaxing after performing for the first time in a long while. As soon as he saw them, Matt abandoned his band mates and came over, "Hey, I'll catch you guys later. Sora!"
He ran to her first, giving her a long and loving kiss. Kari had to avert her eyes because of how long it carried out, but Gatomon didn't take her eyes off them. When he finally broke away, Sora pointed out, "You still got it babe."
"Thanks for noticing," Matt winked, then turned to Kari, "I hope you enjoyed your graduation gift Kari."
"I...I did," she nodded hesitantly. Matt sensed her answer and was about to explain when Davis spoke up, "What was with the song about her brother, man?"
Crap, they had noticed.
"I thought she would appreciate it," Matt offered sheepishly, realizing his present to her might've been a poor choice, "I mean we haven't really talked about it in a while and the last time we saw him was a long time ago. So I thought…y'know, she might enjoy a tribute song to him."
"So you made a song about him becoming a monster?" TK asked, "And what was up with the digimon?"
Before Matt could try to defend himself, a loud commotion behind him distracted their attention. Security was dragging a small boy out of a clothing rack while he argued with them, "Let me go! Let me go!"
The security guard grumbled, "Come on kid. You can't just sneak back stage. What's your name?"
"Ta…ka…I don't know," the kid answered, sounding confused but still continuing to struggle to escape. Security just rolled his eyes and kept dragging the kid along. The whole time, the child fought back until Matt called out to them, "Hey! What's going on?"
The security guard looked up at them and explained, "We found this kid wandering around back stage but he ran off before we could catch him. We just found him hiding in one of the clothing racks. I'll-"
Before he could get another word in, the kid sank his teeth into the guard's arm and the guard yelped, "OW! What the hell!?"
The kid used the chance to run, looking over his shoulder at the guard and running head long first into Kari since he wasn't looking where he was going. He may have just been a kid, but the look on his face said it all. He was scared out of his mind - and likely a run away guessing by the ill fitting and ragged clothing he had on.
Gatomon pretended to be a normal house cat and hissed at the boy who massaged his head and looked up at Kari. She knelt down to look at him at his level, "Hey there, what's your name?"
The look he gave back was one of confusion, and his silence spoke volumes. Either he didn't know the answer, or didn't want to tell her. And why should he? This only proved that he was a run away. And likely from an abusive family if she had to guess from his over sized and messy clothing. There was something familiar about it, but she couldn't quite place her finger on it. Still, it was important to at least put him at ease and she offered him a hand, "I'm Kari. It's really nice to meet you. And it'd be nice to know your name."
"Ta…Ta…" he paused, scratching his head. And she frowned. He really didn't know. Which made her wonder what kind of abuse he'd escaped from that his own name escaped him. It was hard to guess his age too, but he did seem scrawny for his size. She patted him, "Don't worry. We're not going to be mad. Why don't you come with me and we'll get you some help."
"Oh, I'm not worried," he seemed to have suddenly found his voice, taking Kari aback. He added, "See, the thing is..."
He paused scratching his head, "It's all...new...everything...and it's...different. The steering's off and...everything's calibrating."
"Well, that's good. I think," Kari nodded nervously, unsure how to interpret anything he'd said. But it was important that she keep him calm. If he panicked, he might run off again. She gestured at Davis to go call for the police while she helped the boy up. All the while, he added, "But that's okay. That just means getting to try everything again for the first time. It's just going to...um...to take a while to get used to."
He seemed more relaxed now, and she overheard TK add from behind her, "She really is good with kids, huh?"
"That's why she wanted to be a teacher!" Gatomon said, breaking her cat act. That alone took the boy off guard, his eyes grew and fixated on the cat with his mouth hanging open in stunned silence. Gatomon cursed her mistake, and Kari was about to try to explain only to watch the boy pass out in front of them. She would have too if she saw something that wasn't supposed to talk start talking. Thankfully, Kari caught the boy before he hit the floor.
By that point, the security had finally caught up and relieved her of him - promising to keep an eye on the boy until the police came to take him away. She frowned, watching them carry the boy away while wondering why he seemed so familiar.