DISCLAIMER: I don't own Digimon, but I do own the OCs introduced in this story and later stories (except where stated).

Expect the whole 'Ryder in Mari's bedroom' thing to be explained in Chapter 25.


CHAPTER 24

His Feather


Somewhere

Ryder opened his eyes again, once the new location came into view, gasping in surprise at what he saw.

"So, is…is this home?" Ryder asked, glancing around at the bedroom he had ended up in, one familiar from so many years of childhood and adolescence. It looked all too familiar, but at the same time, his experiences of these visions had taught him that nothing was ever that simple here. "Hmm…" he pondered, turning and carefully opening the door, glancing through at the familiar hallway, and walking along it, tapping the wall to check it was actually real. His hands met matter; this was definitely more than just a simple vision. He turned, entering another room and coming to a window, his gaze passing out over the garden, and the inky blackness beyond. It was a confusing sight.

He frowned, looking around at the blackness leading away in all directions. Where the colour and shapes of the garden ended, as well as where the house ended, the darkness begun, albeit lacking the colourful stars and being foggy around the edges. It was as if this house and garden were floating within the darkness.

"Well…that's not normal…what, hasn't my mind got enough RAM to include all of this?" he noted to himself, sighing and turning, walking back into the hallway and looking along to the rest of the house. "Mum? Dad?" he called, frowning when he failed to receive a reply. He listened for a short while, anxious to hear whether he would receive a response or not, before deciding to call for another familiar to him. "MiniDonmon?" he called, shaking his head after a period of inactivity. Usually, MiniDonmon would've turned up by now, unless of course his parents were nearby. Which of course, they weren't, since he'd been unable to get their attention by shouting.

He walked back into his bedroom, pausing as he glanced around at the bed, the computer, and the window, the blackness leading away from it still. He pinched his arm, noting the continuing lack of pain, a clear sign that he was still in a dream world. He fell backwards onto his bed; it felt soft and comforting, as well as giving him a now rare sense of familiarity. He wondered whether he would ever see the real thing again, as he ran his hand along the soft mattress, creasing it only slightly.

'Hopeful thoughts…' he thought morosely about his wishes to see the bed's real equivalent, as he settled down on the chair by his PC. He switched it on, frowning at how quickly it took, perception of time clearly not existing in this world. He glanced to the time, first looking to his non-existent D-Vice out of habit, before looking to the clock in the corner, flicking from one seemingly-arbitrary time to another, even displaying impossible times and letters at some points. There was no pattern to them; it was definitely a dream, albeit a highly realistic one. He logged into the internet, going to a familiar website.

Nothing happened. A frown crept across his face, as he attempted to browse to the page again.

Nothing. Did the website just cease to exist or something? He repeatedly pressed the button, before sighing, falling back into his chair as the 404 error continued. It was a shame, he'd hoped that in his dreams he could at least do some realistic things, but nothing seemed to work like that.

'Stupid imagination…' he thought, before his ears noted a noise from downstairs, which he soon recognised as the sound of the front door to the house opening. He stood up in alarm upon hearing a voice, one which he thought was currently absent from the house.

"Oh…hello…" the female voice greeted, as Ryder moved along the hallway quietly and carefully.

"Hello Mrs Stevens…" greeted another female voice, as saddened as the first. "Can I…?" she began, sorrow not once leaving her voice.

"Go ahead" Ryder's mother answered sadly, as Ryder looked down from the upstairs hallway at the front door, keeping himself slightly hidden behind one of the walls. The girl nodded, smiling sadly and heading up the stairs after Ryder's mother gestured. Ryder noticing the girl's unusual attire. She was dressed in an all-black dress, contrasting with her blonde hair, the only item that remained in its normal colour. Why was she wearing all-black clothes? Considering it, why was his mother doing the same? What was going on?

Once they reached the upstairs hallway, Lunamon leapt off the girls shoulder, beginning to follow her partner. The rabbit kept her distance from the visibly saddened blonde, trying to be as tactful and careful as she could in order to avoid hurting the girl's feelings with any unintentional taboos. Ryder dodged to the side out of instinct as she headed down the upstairs hallway towards his room, although doubting that he needed to. He didn't seem to have been noticed by her anyway, and she walked straight past him without even a second glance. Did he really not exist? But why wasn't he falling through the floor, or able to fly? To boot, why was he able to turn on the computer? This broke a lot of rules of invisibility, and intangibility. Then again, it did seem to be a dream, so anything could be possible.

Upon reaching the closed bedroom door, Ivy turned round to face Lunamon, who looked up to her Tamer, a look of concern and care mixed in with her curiosity. A voiceless message ran between them as Lunamon nodded, stopping in the hallway. Ivy stepped forward, opening the door and stepping through, closing it afterwards, as Lunamon and Ryder's mother looked at each other sadly. Ryder frowned, before stepping through his bedroom door, pausing only afterwards to question what he had done. He had somehow just stepped through an object that earlier on he had been able to touch. Something very strange was going on here.

"Huh?" Ivy noted. "Why's his PC on?" she added, Ryder raising an eyebrow. Maybe he had some level of influence on this world, in terms of being tangible and existent, even if not actually visible. Then again, what's to say this wasn't just a dream? Why were there going to be rules in this world?

She frowned, kneeling down beside the computer and switching it off. She glanced to her D-Vice, noting the lack of any Digital signals nearby, other than her partner on the other side of the door. She pondered about the computer, before deciding that Ryder's mother must have turned it on. She turned and stood up, sitting on his bed gently. She began to look around the room. It wasn't large, but it wasn't small either. She tried to picture Ryder living in this particular room, sighing at the thought.

"I really would've liked to see this place before you…you know…" she noted out loud, hoping that no-one had their ears to the door. From what she'd seen of Ryder's mother, she knew that she wasn't that kind of person, and she knew for a fact that her partner wouldn't try listening in.

'Huh? Is she talking to me?' Ryder pondered, looking curiously at the girl from where he stood in the centre of the room. She looked uncomfortable at talking out loud, even with the fact she was not within earshot of anyone.

"I mean…I don't think you actually died but…I don't know if you're ever coming back…" she added, frowning sadly as she continued to talk to her imaginary version of him, only Ryder noting the irony that she was actually talking to the real him. "Maybe…maybe it'd have been better if I never found out about your true feelings…I mean…I know your…our friends were simply trying to be helpful…but…now I just have to live in not knowing what happened to you…"

She looked around, looking straight through him. Ryder felt her gaze, her eyes seemingly locking onto his at one point, before she frowned, shaking her head. Ryder cocked his head, could she see him or not? What was going on? Did he like, slightly exist or something?

"Still…what's done is done…" she noted. "We…we haven't seen him again yet…it could only be days and…we're going to have to find out how to defeat him…Arkadimon must be stopped…we're all fighting in your name now…I'm the group's new leader…I watched the show and researched everything in order to figure out what to do…maybe we'll reach mega level then or something…maybe you already have, wherever you are…good for you anyway if you have…"

She looked sorrowfully around, frowning as the comfort faded again, paranoia about someone listening settling in once again.

"We…we subdued him again…because he came back…ultimate level still…we help him back because Lunamon digivolved to her ultimate form, Crescemon…and after that, all the others have reached their ultimate forms…but…he still escaped again once we thought we had won…and I know he'll be back to attack again…and we'll be ready, you can trust me on that…"

She looked to the floor, frowning further as she shook her head at herself, as if correcting or dismissing something.

"I came to return something…" she noted, finally getting to the point of her being there.

She reached into her pocket, pulling out a curious item as Ryder raised an eyebrow. It was a feather, like a bird's feather, albeit slightly larger than the average bird's feather. It wasn't a natural colour though (except maybe for a parrot), with red and orange patterns running along it, a beautiful fiery colour. Ryder looked oddly at the item, as she carefully placed it on the desk, pausing as she did so to explain what it was to 'him'.

"I found it on the floor…it was the only other time I came here…I'm surprised that no-one else noticed it…I didn't tell anyone…but…I felt guilty…I mean, what if it were the key to you returning? Anyway…I brought it back…I hope that's okay?" she asked, her eyes looking close to where his were.

She frowned quickly, shaking her head as if in disbelief at herself.

"I really should avoid talking to myself…I'm taking on your habits…" she said, chuckling slightly. "Anyway…I'll always remember you…maybe one day I'll figure out why…you can keep this feather…I'll…I'll find something else to remember you by…" she noted, glancing around at the room and the objects within it, before stopping herself. "No…that'd be stealing…but…anyway…I guess this…I guess this is goodbye…" she said.

Ryder stepped forward, ready to pull her into an embrace, before seeing his hand go straight through her. He frowned, glancing at his hand as the 'reality' of the situation dawned on him once again. He looked to his side, to the feather on the desk, as the girl looked to the floor. Ryder smiled weakly, an idea occurring to him. He picked up the feather, dropping it carefully from a point out of Ivy's view. It floated down gently towards her hands, landing on them as she glanced up, unknowing that she was looking straight into his eyes. He smiled bravely, forgetting once again that he didn't exist, or at least not directly. Ivy smiled.

"I guess this means I should keep this…thanks…well…at least I think it was you…you always did seem slightly strange, after all…" she said, smiling at the memories that flooded through her of Tamership, of partnership, of being trapped in the Digital World as a group. "Well…goodbye…" she said, standing up, and walking to the door. Ryder followed, near to wanting to put his arms around her, before an image of Mari flashed through his mind and he paused.

'What am I doing?' he asked himself, looking at his hands. 'No wonder Mari is so irritated by all this…' he added upon contemplating his girlfriend. He noticed his mother, father and Ivy, along with Lunamon, standing below by the door. He looked down at them, cocking his head at what they were doing.

"Ready to go?" Lunamon asked, stroking Ivy's hair with one of her ears. Ivy frowned, nodding, as she followed his parents through the door into the outside.

Ryder stepped forward to follow, suddenly noticing his surroundings change. He stopped in surprise, looking around and quickly recognising where he was, as everything about what was going on back at home finally clicked into place. The reason Ivy was upset, the reason they were all wearing black, the reason they had left as a group.

"A cemetery?" he asked, noticing lines of headstones running off in directions. Apart from a small group nearby, all wearing black, the place was deserted. He walked towards them, quickening into a run, before pausing at the sight. There was no casket, there wouldn't be, there was no body. Birdsong sounded around those sitting on a series of seats overlooking one particular headstone. A reverend stood facing them, finishing his reading.

It was his funeral.

"Even with his shortened life, he managed to touch all our hearts and minds. May he forever be remembered in our eyes as in the eyes of God" the man said, some of the audience nodding.

'Great…why am I having a Christian funeral? I'm not even remotely religious. Meh, who am I kidding, I'm a ghost watching my own funeral, as well as being an Angel and knowing a real God…couldn't get more religious…'

Ivy stood up, attracting Ryder's attention as he turned to face the audience. The other three of his fellow Tamers, plus partners, alongside her, sat alongside. As well as that, the audience featured relatives and friends. Ivy walked forward, Ryder's attention drawn to her.

"Um…thank you all for coming…" she said nervously. "I'm Ivy and…I guess…I was Ryder's love interest…well…I didn't find out until after he…left us…but…well, all I can really say is that I'm going to miss him…we all are…I hope he's still alive, it'd be great to hear his voice even, but this mystery just continues to run deep, and the chances of his returning shrink daily…so, we are here to remember him in his life, at least with us…"

Ivy frowned sadly, turning to the headstone, Ryder following her gaze as he noticed engraving on it, before looking back to Ivy as she continued talking.

"Goodbye Ryder…" she said. Ryder stepped forwards, once again trying to take her into his arms, before feeling nothing, and once again feeling regret at himself for what he had done. How could he allow himself to forget the girl he had back in his new home? Ryder shook his head, trying to dismiss any thoughts about Ivy, as he turned, crouching down to look at the headstone.

Ryder Stevens

1993-

Partner, Lover, Friend

May we never forget him, wherever he may be.

Please come home, or rest in peace.

Ryder frowned, noting the surrealism of the whole situation. He was dead, and he was attending his own funeral, albeit as a ghost.

He glanced up to Ivy, noting the red and orange feather clutched in her hand. She smiled bravely, looking to the audience, despite the small tears gathering in her eyes. She had lost not only a friend and fellow Tamer, but someone that she might have once had a future with.

"I chose the wording…" she noted, almost as if telling him personally. Ryder nodded, glancing to the wording and noting the absence of a death date. He smiled bravely himself; so long as she hoped for his return, she could be happy.

If only he could be.

Ryder stood again, walking across to Ivy and reaching for her hand.

He looked on in alarm as his hand grabbed matter, glowing periodically in the process. Ivy looked to him; horror in her eyes at seeing someone she thought was dead. Ryder noticed the absence of a reaction from the observers nearby. Could Ivy see him? Was she the only one who could see him? What did this mean? And how on earth was he going to explain this?

"Ryder?" she asked speechlessly, looking to him with a mix of shock and longing.

"I can't stay…" he noted in response, before secretly cursing himself at answering in such a tactless and blunt way. She frowned, looking to him sadly. She glanced across and noted that time had seemingly stopped, or at least slowed to a gradual crawl. Her gaze deviated to the headstone. Ryder felt the as the girl's hand grasped his tightly, she trying to grab a hold on him along with her sense of reality. She looked over him, cocking her head in questioning.

"Where are you?" she asked, looking up to his eyes.

"A world away from here…" he answered, frowning.

"Oh…" she replied, contemplating what he meant. "Is it heaven?"

"No…it's…it's just another world…" he replied, shaking his head.

"The Digital World?" she asked, Ryder getting the feeling she wanted him to be reachable, to be possible to rescue.

Ryder shook his head, saddened by being unable to fulfil the girl's hopes. If only he were in the Digital World, it'd make things so much simpler. "No…it's another universe entirely…"

"I see…" she replied, sadly as the conversation paused.

Eyes glanced down, before meeting once again, brown orbs meeting brown orbs as they stared at each other for a short while Ryder suddenly felt his head tilt to the right, almost as if disconnected from his own body's actions. She doing likewise as they drew closer, and closer, and closer.

'Mari…will…kill…me…' he thought, before shrugging in his mind and continuing forward into a kiss, lasting a few seconds as Ryder questioned how on earth he would explain all of this. He decided that Mari was better off not knowing. They soon pulled away from each other, looking to each other's eyes for what to do now. She clasped his hand again, gripping him to reality.

"How long do you have?" she asked, Ryder feeling morose at the deep sadness this girl was pouring out to him, with no him having no way of truly comforting her. He could never say that everything would be okay; he had no idea about anything any more. These visions had thrown him completely for a loop. And he wasn't going to lie, not in what could be their final encounter with each other.

"No idea…I'm not even sure what's going on now…last real thing I remember was being knocked out by a Mammothmon…so…I think I'm unconscious now. I've seen a few things in these dreams…my life in this world, my life in that world, and you guys…I…I gave you that feather earlier…I…I moved it…" he said, pressing the feather to her hand. She nodded gradually as realisation swept across her, further surprise filling her features, although it was limited by the fact that she was already surprised enough.

"Thanks…" she replied after a while. He nodded, looking around, frowning at how uncomfortable the situation had become, and pooling his thoughts. He silently swallowed a lump in his throat before looking back to her.

"Look…there's something I want you to do…" he asked.

"What is it? I'll do anything!" she said, her voice slightly desperate. She clearly hoped that he'd tell her how to recover him from wherever he had ended up.

"Forget me…" he answered. She looked at him in further surprise, cocking her head in confusion. What had he just said? She must have heard him wrong.

"Huh?"

"Please…I may never come back, and I don't want to ruin your life by doing that. Okay, maybe I don't want you to forget me but…please…live a wonderful life without me…find someone, fall in love and grow old and happy together…fight battles in my name and lead the Tamers to victory…just be fantastic in everything you do…okay?" he answered, her listening intently to his every word, and he noticing every single reaction, every sadness, every slight nod of agreement and thankfulness. She ended up frowning, pulling him close in an embrace, as he kissed her on the lips again. Yeah, this was definitely something that he wasn't going to tell Mari about. It could've been a dream anyway, although…it did seem too real. Maybe he was manifesting back home, or maybe he was in Ivy's imagin…

"Can you do the same?" she asked, looking back into his eyes again, he now taking his turn to cock his head as he was blindsided by the question during his musings. "Find someone in your universe, and be happy yourself" she clarified.

Ryder nodded in agreement, smiling to reassure her. "Okay…I will…" he told her. 'I think I already have…' he mentally added. She smiled, nodding happily. It was not a joyful happiness, but a sorrowful happiness, at the prospect of another being happy, but never seeing them again.

"Thanks…" she said quietly, not sure if it was what she wanted or not. She decided to change the subject, as she felt the feather now gripped between their clasped hands. "Do you know what the feather is?"

"No, no idea…sorry…" he answered, truly stumped by this one. Had it appeared when he vanished? He frowned, looking down.

She smiled to reassure him this time around. "Don't worry…I'm sure one of us will one day figure it out…" she said, raising his gaze to her eyes.

"Yeah…" he answered sadly, the prospect of never being able to tell the other concerning him.

She frowned, as he suddenly faded, before returning to normal. "You're leaving now, aren't you?" she asked forlornly, knowing that this truly was the end.

He frowned, nodding, before the pair moved their lips together, and shared a final kiss. He pulled away gradually, gazing continually into her eyes once again, for the last time.

"Goodbye" she said sadly, holding his hand as tight as possible.

"Never say goodbye…" he corrected, smiling. "Just say, see you later…" he added.

She nodded in response, understanding why he didn't want them to think this was definitely the final time. "See you later…" she replied.

"See you later…" he echoed.

Ryder suddenly felt himself and his consciousness in this reality fade. A thought passed through his consciousness just before he left completely. He looked up to her, he now almost completely see-through, and said some words that would puzzle her for some time.

"The coordinates are twenty-nine repeated nine times…" he said, fading to nothing as she looked into the air where he once stood.

Those watching frowned at the girl, seemingly saddened by a surfacing memory of the boy, as time resumed. The girl looked on, a look of confusion on her face. She pressed the fact he had told her into memory, it had to be important.

She clutched the feather tightly as she turned to face them.

Somehow, nothing felt as bad about his death anymore.

'Thanks…' she thought.

TO BE CONTINUED…


Really didn't expect to draw this out into a whole chapter, but I did, and I couldn't be happier with the way it turned out. A nice emotional chapter, focusing entirely on the Mari/Ryder/Ivy triangle, along with a glimpse of Ryder's universe. The exact science of how it all worked will be explained in due course, but for now, the emotions are far more interesting to me. Please review.

Next time…

Will Mari ever find out? Will Ryder ever wake up? Will Ryder ever get home? What is Ryder doing in Mari's room?

Find out in 'His Goggles', Chapter Twenty-Five of Dimensions Book Five: Demons.