Phase 14. In My Daughter's Eyes

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

Puppetmon: Like we don't know that. You're not the boss of me, you ass!

Scarpath21: Somebody remove this jerk for me...

T.K.: Gladly *cracks his knuckles ominously*


-That Night, 2:00AM, in T.K's room-

CRE-EAK!

"Couldn't sleep?" T.K chuckled and sat up on his bed as the door squeaked open slightly. Upon hearing his voice it swung fully, revealing Kari grinning sheepishly at being caught peeking.

"No less than you, it seems." She said as she walked over to sit besie him. They became still like that for awhile, seeking comfort in each others' prescence and receiving it in gratefulness.

It was these little things in life that deepened their understanding and love for each other.

"Nervous?" Kari asked rather abruptly after five minutes.

"Yeah, do you want to know why?"

"Enlighten me."

T.K suddenly held her head in his hands and whispered into her ears: "I want it to be perfect for you."

Giggling softly, she kissed him and replied: "Don't be; unlike other times, you don't have any say in how they arrange the wedding." She didn't mention her own fear for crowds and all

because she didn't see the need; all her fears were nothing in front of the Hope that was a part of her love.

Hope that empowered her light and drew strength from it.

"Maybe, but I can still hope," T.K grinned, as if he had read her thoughts. Then, after pausing to listen to her tinkling laughter, he added: "Strange, I get frightened with crowds swarming

all over the wedding hall, but I find myself hoping that many Digimon would come."

Kari blinked, pondering on what he said. Now that she gave a thought to it, she herself had no qualms about Digimon coming to the wedding. What would the wedding be without their

DigiDestined friends, or even dear Crusadermon?

"So do I; why do you think that is?" She asked him, who seemed thoughtful for awhile.

"I think," he began slowly. "It's because the bond we've made with our friend Digimon are so strong compared to our human bonds, despite the relatively short time spent on them, that

we're beginning to feel more like Digimon ourselves. Isn't that what we've told our partners? 'Now we are one'?"

"That makes sense," Kari replied. "After all, we are more or less one with our partners by now. I'm almost used to being a part of Ophanimon, wielding her spear and shield as if it was my

arms that I was swinging, my wings that I was flapping."

"Do you remember Scarpath telling us that because our world was melded into the Digital World, eventually the humans will evolve to be similar like Digimon?" T.K asked softly. "Well,

maybe it's already beginning. Maybe we're the first of our kind to truly become part-Digimon."

The two DigiDestined (not children or even teens anymore) seeped back into silence once again, reflecting on their own words and, obviously, the upcoming wedding.


-Next Morning 9:00AM, the Bride's Room-

"Since when is the bride blindfolded during the entire wedding?" Kari complained as she felt Sora's heavy-but-skilled hand pulling through her hair. She could also feel Mimi, Yolei, Jeri and

even Rika's mother (who had retired from her model job but was still fond of fashionable stuff) ready her for the wedding, softly applying mascara and powder to her face and neatly

arranging her dress; Kari had declared her wedding dress to be the same one that she had worn when T.K had proposed to her, and so had her fiance.

"Since she appointed us to be her bridesmaids," declared Rosemon, who was putting a pretty necklace with the Crest of Light engraved on it around her neck. "And not during the entire

wedding, remember; we will take it off as soon as your hands are in T.K's."

"Okay... but then what is Ophanimon doing on Mount Infinity fully evolved?" Kari asked. Each DigiDestined's bond with their partner had been enhanced to a degree that they were

capable of knowing when their partner Digivolved without their help (they had achieved the feat through time and experience, obviously), even if they were miles apart. And right now

Kari could feel the power flowing through Ophanimon as she stood still on the summit of Mount Infinity, where there shouldn't be any danger at all that would compel Gatomon to

Digivolve, much less into her Mega form.

"Didn't we tell you that the wedding will be held on the summit?" Yolei said in mock surprise. "She's there to greet you with Seraphimon. No questions; you'll know everything soon

enough." Apparanty noticing Kari's worried expression she added: "Don't worry, Kari. Everything will go smooth. You can trust the crowd not to bother you."

"That's what you said before your own wedding with Ken."

"Yeah, and I'm not taking it back."

Kari was about to givbe her friend a smart retort when she heard the door swing open, and Sora exclaimed: "Not allowed, Tai! Scam, and don't think we'll make you allowances just

because you're her brother - "

She heard her brother speak in an abashed tone: "Sorry Sora, but - "

"No buts, OUT." Mimi cut him off sharply, and Kari heard the scraping of th floor as the Bearer of Purity tried (in vain) to push Tai out of the door. "There is absolutely no way we're gonna

be letting Y choromosomes in this room until - "

"I'm sorry, Mimi. I just have something to tell both my children." A new, very familiar voice rang in Kari's ears.

"Dad?" She said in surprise as she tried to remove her blindfold, only to be supressed by Yolei's firm but gentle hands.

"What's so important that you had to drag me all the way here?" Tai's voice was gruff with wariness, a tone he usually took when he sensed something amiss.

"Tai, Kari..." began awkwardly, as if uncertain of how to put his thoughts through words. "Kari... I deeply regret having to tell you this, but I... I don't think I am the person who

should be walking you down the aisle today."

"WHAT?" Tai's yell cut ahead of Kari's soon followed by everyone else's. "But of course you are! Who else is qualified to give her away? Why do you say that?"

"Clam down, son." Mr. Kamiya spoke softly. "I'm saying this because I've realized that there is a person who has more right to give her away than I do."

"Which is?" Tai fumed. A short pause, and then:

"You, Tai." His father's voice spoke. "You walk her down the aisle."

Kari felt herself going stiff with shock, and she inferred from the following silence that the others in the room weren't faring any better.

"Why?" Tai asked eventually, his tone colored with neutrality.

"You took care of her more - and better - than I ever did, son." His father replied. "You looked after her for years - years, not even days or months - during the time you were in the Digital

World, and all those times I was never even aware that my children were growing up into such fine people you are now..." Mr. Kamiya's voice cracked as he spoke, and Kari detected the

faintest trace of tears in his voice.

"Oh, dad!" she cried, rushing over to her father and throwing her arms over him without even bothering to take the blindfold off. He held his daughter against him for awhile, as if

unwilling to let her go; and in a way he was, as he was putting her entirely into someone else's care.

"There, there," he murmured, patting her back as he released her. "You don't want to ruin your pretty dress. T.K's waiting for you."

He turned to Tai and said: "Now don't refuse, son. Consider it my appreciation for being a good family to her when I couldn't."

"I... all right," Tai managed to croak out, touched as well.

Kari sighed and returned to her seat, allowing the girls to start grooming her again. But before Tai and their dad could even leave the room, they were interrupted by the sound of the

piano ringing from a nearby room. "What's that?" She asked.

"Your mother is playing a song for you," Mrs. Nonaka (Rika's mother) told her softly. Kari heard Tai gasp in surprise; they never knew their mother had any musical talents, although they

had seen her on the piano before. However, the voice that was singing the tearjerking song was nothing short of that of an expert.

In my daughter's eyes, I am a hero

I am strong and wise, and I know no fear

But the truth is plain to see, she was sent to rescue me

I see who I wanna be in my daughter's eyes

In my daughter's eyes, everyone is equal

Darkness turns to light, and the world is at peace

This miracle god gave to me gives me strength when I'm weak

I find reason to believe in my daughter's eyes

A teardrop welled behind Kari's blindfold. She could hear nothing but her mother's voice, but whether it was because everyone else was silent or her attention was fixed on Mrs. Kamiya

she wasn't sure. No, she wasn't even thinking about it.

And once she wraps her hand around my finger

Oh it puts a smile in my heart

Everything becomes a little clearer

I realize what life is all about

It's hanging on when your heart has had enough

It's giving more when you feel like giving up

I've seen the light that's in my daughter's eyes

Tears welled up behind Kari's blindfold, threatening to leave two visible marks on it. She felt the love of her mother reach out to her, especially now that she was drifting away.

In my daughter's eyes I can see the future

A refelction of who I am and what we'll be

And though she'll grow and someday leave, maybe raise a family

When I'm gone I hope you'll see how happy she made me

Oh I'll be there, in my daughter's eyes

Kari staggered to her feet as the song ended; the girls realized what was coming immediately, and quickly rushed over to support her. Slowly but surely, Kari felt their hands assist her as

she walked into the piano room, where she quickly felt her mother's fond embrace, and returned it fiercely.

"Our baby has all grown up," Mrs. Kamiya announced tearfully to her husband and son, who murmured agreement.

Suddenly, Kari caugt a faint trace of music ring from far away. The sound was oddly familiar, but she couldn't put a finger on when she had heard it.

"What's that music?" She wondered.

"That's your music, Kari." Rosemon said as she wrapped her arms around Kari and lifted her up.

"Hey!"

"The wedding will be held on the summit of Mount Infinity," Jeri told her softly. "Rosemon will carry you there to T.K."

"Well then, we should go as well." Tai said, audibly shrugging.

"Biyomon, are you ready?" Sora asked her partner.

"More than ever," came the reply.


-Mount Infinity Summit-

T.K, also blindfolded, perked his ears up as the music reached his ears from far above - heaven, possibly? He remembered the mystic song that rang out from heaven when WarGreymon

and MetalGarurumon first merged into Omnimon, more than a decade ago. Izzy had called the song 'Requiem', but to him it was anything but a 'Mass for the dead'. It was a

praise for all living creatures, those who carried hope and found light within themselves despite the shadow that lurked in every corner. This was a sacred music.

"There she comes," Matt whispered beside him. Not that T.K needed his brother to tell him, because he could already feel her presence as he registered the shafts of light that suddenly

flitered through the blindfold. Her mere approach rid the sky of clouds as the world hailed the Bearer of Light. She was a beacon of good to all that lived, even nature itself.

"Why did you have to blindfold me through this?" T.K complained quietly.

"'Cause if you see the size of the crowd all around us right now, you'd throw up of faint straightaway," chuckled the Bearer of Friendship, causing T.K to gulp. "We just want to rid you of

unessesary discomfort, okay?"

"OK, thanks," T.K murmured grudgingly.

"No problem, your blindfold will be off as soon as you two hold hands."

The Requiem was going through the choir stage, and suddenly T.K was aware of two sets of feet walking slowly towards him. His heart began pounding madly; how long had he waited

for this enchanted moment? For eons and eons, it seemed to him.

"Tai's walking her down the aisle," Matt said in mild surprise. T.K raised his eyebrows beneath his blindfold, but his surprise was no greater than his brothers; Tai very much had the right

to give her away as much as Kari's parents did.

Step by step, thump by thump, the sound of Kari's footsteps and T.K's heartbeat increased matchingly as their distance shortened. Just when the Bearer of Hope felt as if his heartbeat

was getting so loud that it looked ready to burst, he heard - and felt - the love and light of his life stop in front of him.

Struggling to shake off the stiffness, he slowly raised his hand, which was quickly greeted by Kari's and Tai's. Then Tai's hand slowly withdrew, leaving the couple to be bound together,

for eternity if they wished. Instinctively he raised his other hand and took hers in it. He slowly lowered his head, and was pleased to have it meet hers halfway down. They then breathed

deeply in each others' scents, and was glad to find it filled with happiness.

"We'll take your blindfolds off now," said Matt beside him.

"See for yourselves, and you'll know that both of you are a hell of a pair of paranoids." Tai chuckled.

T.K breathed a deep breath. This was it, the one thing they've been dreading but must go through to attain greater joy.

"Okay," he and Kari said simultaneously.

The second part of the Requiem ended, smoothly carrying out into the third.


To be continued, so R&R! And no flames please;;