I seem to have a habit of writing more slice-of-life moments than just sticking to anything general. I don't know, guess I just like writing dialogue, so I can't help myself. As I said before, my biggest challenge for this story is keeping characters in character, as it appears I'm combining both original and English dub personalities... which is weird. So even if the Digimon are fine, it's the humans I'm more worried about. So here's to hoping I did Tai and Kari okay.
Enjoy!
Chapter Two: Welcomed Reunion
"It can't be..."
The wind came to a gentle stop, which went unnoticed to Gatomon while she tried to comprehend what she was seeing. Back still facing her, the Digimon looked himself over, stretching out an arm and flexing his fingers, and twirling the staff in a full circle where sparks of blue electricity came to life. Then lowering it, he turned his body towards her, locking gazes. Her heart threatening to squeeze out its life, the feline shakily propped herself over the edge of the two worlds, and held out her arms to aid in her balance. Timidly, she began her approach, refusing to break eye-contact from the familiar sea of green.
"No... I don't understand..."
The growing conflicted emotions fought for her utmost attention. With one step she was joyous, the next she became terrified, and then furious. It was a vicious cycle.
"There's no way," she continued to whisper, eyes stinging from budding tears. "You're... you're..."
He, too, made his advances, his long strides almost smooth like he was walking on air. She could sense the newfound, enigmatic energy he was emitting even before she could get a good grasp of her current situation. The more he neared, the faster and harder her heart beat against her breast, and her lungs and voice threatened to give out on her.
"Proof... I need proof..." Vainly trying to steady her arm, she reached out, only to jerk it back and freeze when he mimicked her movements. "NO!" she suddenly shouted, her fear taking hold of her. "You're dead! I-It's just going to go through me!"
Unaffected by her abruptness, Wizardmon came upon her, and released his staff to take her by the left paw, his green irises twinkling. "I am long overdue on my debt, my dear Gatomon."
She could no longer hold back. Gatomon grasped tighter as she threw herself into his chest to cry, still shaking her head. "W-Wizardmon... you big dope!"
He laid his hand on her head, his gentle laughs rolling through her. "Let it all out, Gatomon. I'm here for you."
And she did, starting by pounding her fist on him as she cried harder, sobbing on her words. "Jerk! Y... You jerk!"
"Kari, how come you're not eating?"
Almost forcibly, the addressed brunette gave a small smile at the young man before her. "You worry too much, T.K.," she said, then ate a small piece of sausage.
Davis then cut in before T.K. could open his mouth again, holding out his paper bag. "I can trade you my lunch, if it'll make you feel better," he offered, a hopeful grin on his face.
His young dragon Digimon pouted, leaning over him in a vain attempt to reach it. "Hey, my share's in there!" DemiVeemon whined, stubs for hands flailing.
Quickly glancing inside, Davis' face blanked out. "You ate over half of my lunch!"
"Keep it down, our voices carry," Yolei warned, her glasses gleaming over when she pushed them up her nose. Poromon only stared in disregard on her lap, nibbling at his portion.
"You're too kind, Davis," Kari told him, her smile unchanged.
T.K. slightly rolled his eyes, shaking his head in amusement. "You're too nice, Kari," he interjected as a joke. Patamon agreed with a nod where he perched on his shoulder.
"Hey, kindness is a virtue!" Davis piped up, puffing out his chest and pounding his fist to it. "I worked real hard to be as kind and caring as I am now." He then bopped DemiVeemon on the head before he could rummage through the bag.
A breeze kicked up across the rooftop, and with a hand raised to hold back a lock of hair, Kari Kamiya turned her head. She focused her umber gaze past the fence and over the school grounds toward the edge of the city, squinting from the gleam of the spherical Fuji TV observatory. Her cheerful mask relaxed on her face as she became lost to her thoughts.
Her friends immediately took notice, giving each other wary glances. It hadn't been the first time she was looking out to where the apartments were. "Are you sure you're okay?" T.K. quietly inquired, combing back his bangs.
Dropping her eyes, still in a far-away look, she sighed. "I'm just a little worried, is all."
"Hey, cheer up," the bespectacled girl encouraged, beaming. "I'm sure whatever Gatomon has will pass through her system soon."
"It's not just that she's sick."
"She can take care of herself," the blonde boy stated, handing his Digimon another sandwich. "It's not like she'll get up and wander."
A shadow fell across her face. "Well..."
The group slowly leaned in with bated breath. "She leaves the apartment?" Patamon spoke, his ears drooping.
Kari nodded once. "Since Dad's on a business trip, and Mom doesn't check up on her regularly, we don't know when she does it. But it's obvious because she tracks in dirt and complains about the heat."
"Does she ever say where she goes?" Yolei questioned, arms tightening around a now-flailing Poromon.
"Not really. Seems to be a different place each and every time, though."
"What kind of sickness causes people to get up and wander?" Davis noted, visibly puzzled. "What if it's just a regular cold, but it affects Digimon differently?"
"Good question." T.K. sat back to fold his arms. "Our colds and viruses do differ from that of the DigiWorld."
"She's been having fever dreams," Kari added in a mutter.
The lavender-locked girl scrunched her nose. "Ew, that can't be good."
"She's insisted otherwise, but I think those dreams in particular have been...," the brunette paused for a moment to find a word, "...off."
Davis mimicked his best friend and rival's posture. "Well, duh, that's the point of fever dreams," he spouted out. "They're bothersome, they make no sense, and when you wake up, you're just in a daze for a while. And hungry."
"Your experience is different, Davis," Yolei said in a flat tone.
Shaking her head, Kari gripped her bento. "That's not it..."
Much to the auburn-haired boy's disapproval, T.K. leaned in to pat the girl on the hand. "Don't worry about it right now, Kari," he assured her, giving a nod and smile. "I'm sure Gatomon will get better soon."
In response, Kari mirrored his expression and looked at her friends. "Sure... let's hope."
"Hey, can I pat your hand, too, Kari?" Davis asked in a near plea. Though everyone else rolled their eyes and groaned, they were also unsurprised when she allowed him to as well.
"Sorry for calling you names, Wizardmon."
"It's fine. Although you've got quite a vocabulary."
Neither of them had kept track of time, their thoughts too preoccupied ever since the reunion. Sitting side-by-side on top of the canyon, the two Digimon were content in gazing up at the sky, although they would lock eyes when addressing one-another. Even after her cry and all of the hugs her strength would allow, Gatomon was still finding it hard to believe she was in the presence of her best friend again, talking and just playing catch-up. She made the effort to hide it from him, but she was very anxious the encounter was all a dream, and she was passed out at home, or even in the Digital World. He may have been as physical as can be, yet what was raising a flag in her mind was just how little he had changed.
Not that she had expected Wizardmon to change in death, although it made her wonder if that was because she had grown. There were six years' worth of memories she had made without him, and she didn't feel her attempts to close that gap were working. He may have been interested in her life up to that point, even so, she didn't feel that was the "catching up" she had in mind.
Unsure where else to go from there, the cat made an awkward change of topic she was still confused about. "You... didn't wish to be here, did you?"
He shook his head, not the least surprised or fazed by her question. "I agreed with you at the station." His response still made her heart leap into her throat despite it being very much like him to say. "You see, the concept of time is meaningless when you're dead, it just passes you by if you so much as reflect on it. However, it felt like an eternity to the point of madness that I no longer wanted to be there. It was like a godsend when you came by and told me to go, as that was one of my worries holding me back. And yet..." His voice cutting off, Wizardmon sighed and shrugged.
"You couldn't cross over," Gatomon quietly finished for him.
"It was as if I was rejected over and over again."
She frowned, watching his crestfallen expression as he skimmed a finger along the staff. Because of his cowl, it was subtle, albeit she knew him well-enough to catch it. "Could it be it's because you're not of the human world?"
He lifted his eyes in thought. "Perhaps."
A suspicious question shortly nipped at her the moment her paw bumped into Kari's D-Terminal, and she couldn't help leaning in. "Hey, how'd you know about the World of Dreams?"
He then teasingly averted his gaze, a thumb to his chin. It was a gesture she was both displeased and relieved to see.
"Wizardmon, if you don't know, just say you don't know," she said in as deadpanned a tone as she could muster.
"I don't know."
His blunt reply nearly made her laugh. "Don't lie, you know something!"
"I read your mind."
"How can you read minds as a ghost?" she immediately shot it down.
"I picked it up from your conversations." He was quick as always. She had always been told he could read her like a book despite her constantly waving it off. Whatever the reason may be, even if it was one trait of being a magician, it was like he knew the right words to say.
His statement did bring her to pause and think on it otherwise. "Did we talk about it out loud over the years?" she curiously wondered.
With a smile in his eyes, Wizardmon added, "Or did I learn of it through a possessed Oikawa?"
She had almost forgotten about the man, yet it only brought out more questions. As much as she was having fun bouncing off of him, Gatomon was starting to feel a headache coming on. "You could've just said 'I'm magic', and I would've left it alone."
"No, you wouldn't."
She could only groan, briefly massaging her temple. "So how'd you get here, anyway?" she purposefully changed topics, ending their game.
After having his fill in teasing her, the mage shifted to rest an arm on his knee. "Digivices are nifty gadgets. They can store data, did you know that?"
Gatomon's ears flicked. "Oh, really? I knew the D-Terminal can store digi-eggs, but... wait..." The feline put a paw to her mouth in thought, quickly thinking back to the television station. "I didn't have either of Kari's D-3 or D-Terminal on me," she muttered, giving him a suspicious glance.
Wizardmon sheepishly looked away, rubbing at his neck. "Please don't take this the wrong way, Gatomon," he began apologizing, "but I ended up... sharing space with you for a bit."
An abrupt, uncomfortable silence fell upon them. Gatomon started to wonder if she would've thought about something else had he now brought attention to his awkward wording, though the implications were making her squirm. Thinking back on any of the possible opportunities while at Fuji TV, she steadily came to the realization her walk back home wasn't as coincidental as she had thought. It didn't make her feel any less uneasy at the idea her best friend had pseudo-possessed her, however.
"...you were inside me?" she whispered out, fighting back a shiver when she said it.
He was modest in locking eyes with her. "I was a ghost, even if you couldn't see me. As it turns out, if both parties will it, a ghost can inhabit a body."
His hurried explanation still didn't calm the flush Gatomon could feel rise to her face. She contemplated using her ears to hide behind, if they were large enough to do so.
"Are you alright, by the way?" he asked in worry, his voice slightly cracking.
Her eyes darted back-and-forth nervously. "Wh-What makes you say that?"
"When you came by earlier, you looked pale, and now your face is red." He leaned in some, a movement that made her jump a little. "How long have you been ill?"
She then remembered her sickness. "Since the start of this week—it came out of nowhere, too. It's been awful. I'm dizzy all the time, I have a fever that won't go down, and..."
Gatomon paused the moment a familiar scene flashed in her mind, beginning to drift into a daze the more she lingered on it. She could feel her blood run cold, getting closer to remembering how it felt then to be held protectively in his arms, trying to forget all of that day. In the present, he was close enough that she could return to that moment of bliss, yet remained hesitant, not wanting to ruin the mood for such an intimate gesture.
He just returned, she could sense her mind chastise. Making such a selfish request was inappropriate, and she knew it.
"...and I've been having dreams," she reluctantly finished, a flutter in her stomach.
If Wizardmon had caught on, he didn't express it. "What kind of dreams?"
"Memories." She cautiously glanced up at him, watching his irises soften. "They were too real to be fever dreams like Kari said."
The longer he stared, the more Gatomon shivered and repeatedly avoided his gaze. "Have you dreamed of the past prior to this?" he queried.
Six years was too long of a memory archive to go through and see if she had. She wouldn't have doubted it otherwise, even if she continually had dreamed of the past every day. "From what I can remember, I have, but it wasn't like this. When it came to this week, it was almost like with every dream I had, the worse I got."
Wizardmon slowly nodded, rubbing his chin through his cowl. "Fascinating..."
Her look hardened; why did he have to find her so intriguing today? "You wouldn't happen to know anything about it?" she threw out a guess.
"I do not."
It figured. He may be smart, but it wasn't like he knew everything. "It's still weird either way you look at it."
He shrugged as he used his staff to stand up and dusted himself off. "Well, since you're not feeling well, no use in us staying."
Agreeing, Gatomon grabbed Kari's devices and got to her feet. "Say, I didn't see any old electronics lying around when I got here."
"What do you need one for?"
"That's usually how we go back and forth. I just have to point the D-3 at it, and it'll take us home."
Looking around, Wizardmon just scratched his head and Gatomon raised her brows. "How did you get here, then?" he asked.
"Uh... I just came here."
"You just need one, right?" With a snap of his fingers, the wizard produced in a puff of light a small, old model television set.
Smiling, the feline gestured for him to put it down, and she held the D-3 to the screen. "Gotta get in range, Wizardmon, or it'll miss you."
He crouched beside her just as static came to life. Turning the dial a few times until the computer room appeared, she pushed a button on the digivice and a glow surrounded them. They were pulled in together, and like during her arrival, Gatomon felt her body begin to turn more physical. It was a sensation she was used to, though she couldn't help wondering what Wizardmon thought of it as he studied his surroundings.
The first sound that reached her ears when they landed was Miko's yowl, and the cat ran out of the room. Her scowl was brief until she looked up at her friend, who was scanning the room in intrigue. "Welcome home, Wizardmon," she greeted him, spreading out her arms.
A puzzled look was in his eyes. "It's not much, but at least these living quarters are bigger than back in Myotismon's castle."
She had spoken too soon. "It's just the computer room. C'mere." Waving her paw, she led him out into the front room where she could just see Miko's tail twitching behind the couch. "Kari and Tai live here with their parents. Their rooms are over there."
Wizardmon appeared more pleased. "Much better, but I had expected it to be bigger."
"I'm not gonna bother," she grumbled, crossing the apartment for Kari's room. She took one last look at the silent digivice and D-Terminal before returning them to the desk.
"Oh, is this the Kamiya pet?"
"Uh oh..." Gatomon quickly back-tracked to where the mage was standing, staring at an arched Miko. "Um, Wizardmon, just come sit over here for now. Miko's not used to sudden company. And, er... she's been acting up since I left."
He complied, still casting his eyes about the place. "Do all humans live in these buildings, I wonder?"
"Uh, I think in this district they do." When he took his hat off at the table, she offered, "You hungry?"
As if on cue, a loud growl came from his direction. They stared at each other in near-surprise before he eased up with a chuckle. "Now that you mention it, I actually am."
Smiling as well, she went to the refrigerator. "I think there's still some leftovers from last night that I can heat up if you like."
"It honestly doesn't matter," he replied, still beaming as he laid his staff against the counter. "Anything sounds good at this point."
Shrugging in agreement, Gatomon noticed upon opening it there were a few items added she didn't recall seeing from last night. Then she remembered Yuuko from however-long-ago, and her countenance began to fall at the thought. She couldn't have been at Fuji TV for that long, so the woman had to have returned when she was in the Digital World. It made her wonder if she had looked in Kari's room to check up on her, or if she just left on another errand without a thought. Glancing over at the countertop to find the water and medicine were still there, it only further pricked at her mind.
"I knew it," she grumbled. "She doesn't care..."
"Is something wrong, Gatomon?"
Shaking her head, she pulled out plastic-wrapped sandwiches, briefly remembering they were Kari and Tai's lunches before shrugging it off. Joining the sage at the table, she unwrapped the food and split it between them only to sit back to watch. Wizardmon gawked at the sandwiches for an uncomfortable long period, a subtle crease in his brow as he loosened his cowl for it to hang around his neck, revealing his stitched frown. When he reached for a sandwich, his hand was noticeably shaking.
"What's the matter, Wizardmon?" Gatomon asked, suddenly worried.
He glanced up at her, shoulders tense. "It's nothing." He hesitated for another moment. "I suppose I just have forgotten what it's like to have food."
Her ears lowered, staring at her share. "I can't imagine how that must feel..."
Lifting her gaze up, she found his small smile emitted warmth, like it was magic. "It'll be okay, Gatomon," he quietly assured her. "Give me a few days, and I'll bounce right back."
His positive response brought her out of doubt. "You always were resilient," she recalled, lips curled in a teasing smirk.
They snickered in unison, and Wizardmon was able to bite on his first morsel in years. In her own encouraging way, Gatomon started to eat as well, fighting back more tears of joy when his face lightened up. "Ah... what do you know? Human food is no different from that in the Digital World."
Remembering the drinks, she excused herself to get them. "Except it's leagues ahead of what we had at Myotismon's castle," she corrected after swallowing, shaking a claw at him.
He ducked his head to laugh. "I'm eating, Gatomon. Don't remind me," he chastised between breaths.
Before long, it was as though Wizardmon had always been there as they joked and resumed their walk down memory lane. Gatomon took quick notice of his improved complexion, but chose not to bring it up, wanting to soak it in the more they talked. Freedom during their time in the Digital World was rare, so they never had a light-hearted, free conversation much like in their present state. Her friend had always acted self-conscious about his emotions even in private, so never had she dreamed he had such a personality behind his cloak. It could be because they were alone in the house, or the dread of Myotismon's influence was far behind them.
Whatever was the reason, she came to like this sudden change, finding it a breath of fresh air from earlier. Wizardmon was still Wizardmon, of course, but now more out-going, and even charismatic with his words. The way his voice rose and fell on just the right notes captivated her enough she found herself not speaking as much. And she didn't mind at all.
Then she blinked and realized they were just staring at each other, Wizardmon perched on his arm like she. His smile broadened the moment she became flustered. "What was on your mind there, Gatomon?" he inquired, a hint of a tease in his tone.
"Er... stuff," she could only mumble out, nervously averting her eyes.
He hummed in interest. "You looked like you were into it. Mind giving me a hint?"
Just when she opened her mouth to express her refusal in telling him, her ears perked up from the front door creaking open. "I'm home!" called in the voice of Tai Kamiya, bringing her eyes to widen and look at the clock.
Swerving nervously off the chair, Gatomon hopped onto the countertop closest to the entrance as Wizardmon hastened on his collar and knocked over his hat in the process. Just when he ducked to grab it, the young man strolled around the corner, bag swung over his shoulder. "Welcome home, Tai!" she greeted, trying to calm her trembling. "You're early!"
"Hey, you're looking better!" he noted with a grin, setting down package before ruffling her fur. She gave a small pout and gentle swipe, watching him walk around into the small kitchen. "You doing okay?"
"Yeah, just slept all day." She did a double-take over her shoulder when her friend sat back up, dusting off his hat.
"Good, good." Tai searched inside the cupboards to pull out a snack, then brought a finger to his lips turning with a wink. "Don't tell Mom I skimped out on lunch again. Hey, Wizardmon."
The two Champion Digimon were speechless as the former leader opened the fridge to pop open the milk carton to drink out of. He swallowed down two gulps before he choked on his drink with wide eyes, whipping his head around. His face blanched the moment he met the sorcerer's gaze.
"W-Wizardmon?!" he sharply gasped, hands trembling when he set the carton down by the sink.
Wizardmon gave a nod. "Welcome back, Tai Kamiya." Gatomon only nervously laughed, tapping her claws together.
Tai pointed back and forth between the two, even briefly at the dishes still on the table, before snagging at his wild hair. "Oh, the heat's getting to me," he groaned out, quickly downing another gulp, neglecting his milk mustache. "I'm seeing things already."
"Um... maybe you need to lie down," she suggested, standing up to gesture to the couch. "It's been a long day."
He shot a bemused glance her way, then walked over. "Gatomon, can we talk?"
Her ears lowering, she looked to Wizardmon for guidance, although he only shrugged, just at much of a loss as she. Lips a thin line, she nodded and jumped down, walking into the nearest room with Tai. He nearly swung the door shut when he crouched to her level.
"What's the deal here, Gatomon?" he inquired in a demanding tone. "What's going on?"
"I... um... I'm just as confused as you are, Tai," she carefully started out, rubbing under her nose to signal Tai to clean himself, which he caught onto. "I went to the World of Dreams, and—"
He nearly fell back. "Huh?! I thought that was closed off after the fight with MaloMyotismon!"
"No, it's still open. You just... kinda have to know where to step in."
While Tai had a brain under all of that hair, it was clear he was trying to make sense of it. "What did you do?" his voice lowered, almost to an accusatory level.
Taking a breath, she looked him square in the eyes. "I... accidentally took his data there in the hopes I could get him to pass on. His ghost didn't belong here, and I wanted him to have peace. That was all I wanted, I didn't expect him to come back like he did. I mean... yeah, maybe he would've reconfigured at some point, and he'd be at Primary Village instead. But it's like he just bypassed the egg and other stages. And I don't know why."
It didn't look like Tai was buying it. "How do I know you didn't befriend another Wizardmon in the DigiWorld and invited him here?"
She couldn't blame him for not believing her, but it was almost insulting he thought she was being a trickster. "He said your name."
"You could've told him that."
"It's not like you and I are that close, Tai. I'd have gushed on more about Kari than about you."
He lifted a finger to counter it, but then dropped his hand. "Touché. But that doesn't prove this is the same Wizardmon who died years ago."
Gatomon's insides grew cold when he said that word. "Well then, I won't prove it to you. I'll let Wizardmon do the talking."
Curtly nodding, Tai stood up and exited the room first. She hurried after him to jump into the nearest chair while he slipped into another, staring across at Wizardmon. He sat up straighter as though to make himself look more imposing. "Alright, Gatomon and I have had a long talk."
"I could tell."
"Being a smart-aleck, eh? Alright then, try this out for size." He swept an arm over the table to clear space, and leaned over it with lowered brows. "Guess my age."
The feline felt the want to smack him that very moment.
It was hard to tell if Wizardmon had caught on, even though he was strangely at attention. "You are three years older than Kari, although I never caught her age."
Tai narrowed his eyes. "How'd you know about my sister?"
"Good grief," Gatomon grumbled to herself behind her glove, vainly trying to keep from being upset.
"I was the one who delivered Gatomon, and the tag and crest to her." His fluid response was followed by an all-knowing gleam in his eye, a look Tai didn't seem to notice.
"How did a normal Digimon like you learn about the crests?" the young man demanded, pointing a finger at him. "Where were you on the morn of the first of August, 1999, when seven children entered the Digital World?"
"What kind of question is that?" she hissed through her claws, near-incredulous.
"I do not know what this 'August' is," Wizardmon answered, expression unchanged.
Gatomon jumped when Tai slapped the tabletop with his palm. "Ah ha! Only a true Digimon would say that!"
Her fur still on end, she shot daggers in his direction. "What the hell was the point of all this?!"
Smirking, the boy cheekily winked. "All I know is he's a Wizardmon, but not the Wizardmon."
She came close to dropping face-first on the table in her frustration. "This is going nowhere. Why can't you be serious about this, Tai? Why don't you believe me?"
"Ah, I don't blame Tai for not believing I am the same one from 1999," Wizardmon relented, waving a hand. "I only did entrust to him Kari's digivice, but never talked to him after that. He was distrusting then, too, and I understand completely. He didn't know then his sister was the eighth child Myotismon had searched for, but he still came to her protection like a good older brother should." He met Tai's intrigued gaze. "You were a brash, but still level-headed young man with the fate of two worlds on your shoulders. Even with the evil vanquished, you still can't trust everyone who enters your life, and my sacrifice still wouldn't have made a difference in that regard. But to see you in the group of DigiDestined who came to remember me was an honor."
The two were in reverent awe, faces softening as his words sank in. Tai leaned back with folded arms and in thought, while Gatomon couldn't help but smile, still in amazement.
The mage then gestured with a nod. "I see you gave up those goggles. But you still need a haircut."
Suddenly, the DigiDestined let out a laugh and threw his hands behind his head. "I'm convinced. You had me worried there for a moment, Gatomon."
"Oh, so now you believe me?!" she snapped, eyes sharpened and fangs bared.
Wizardmon shook his head in amusement. "You haven't changed a bit, Tai Kamiya."
Grinning mischievously, Tai clasped his hands and sat forward. "So, the World of Dreams brought you back, eh?"
"So it seems."
Gatomon sunk down in the chair, massaging her temples. "Uuugh, my head hurts..."
She gasped when the door opened, and Kari called in, "I'm home!"
"Oh, she's back already? Hey, Kari, you won't believe this!" Tai immediately greeted, throwing his head back for a look, a big grin on his face.
Oh no, I forgot! "No-no-no-Kari-wait!" the white cat squeaked out, hurriedly running over after purposefully smacking him with her tail.
The girl blinked, frozen in the middle of pulling her shoes off. "Are you okay, Gatomon?" she inquired. "Shouldn't you be resting?"
Waving her paws around, she nervously chuckled. "U-Um... is it okay if we talk outside very quick?"
Kari frowned, putting her hands on her hips. "What did you do?" she jumped to an accusation.
Like brother, like sister, Gatomon found herself comparing. Taking in a quick deep breath, she met her confused, but disappointed stare. "Erm... can you promise not to freak out, or faint, or whatnot?"
"Why?"
Beyond the counter came the scrape of a chair, and the Digimon tensed up, finding herself not ready for what was coming. Keeping her gaze on her partner the moment his presence came up, she watched the girl drop everything, from her bag to her jaw, as her eyes widened in shock. Tears welled up, her hands covered her mouth, her head shook in near-disbelief—it was exactly as Gatomon predicted. When she stepped forward, it was clunky, and she had to ballast herself on the wall.
"Y-You... it's you?"
The feline averted her gaze in shame once Wizardmon laid a hand on her shoulder. "You're looking well, Kari Kamiya."
A sob ripped out of her throat, and she stumbled in to throw her arms around him, even giving her Digimon a surprise squeeze. "Oh my God, it is!" she cried out, then smiled down at her partner. "Gatomon...! I'm so happy for you!"
Her self-doubts melted away when she returned the hug, struggling to hold back tears.
Until Yuuko came home, the reunion mainly consisted of Wizardmon asking the children about what had happened three years prior, starting from his appearing to give his warning. Gatomon couldn't figure out how he was able to be so invested in their story (which was somewhat cluttered), though she convinced herself it was because they were the DigiDestined. While disheartened the tags and crests were no longer tangible, he was allowed to analyze their digivices, a feat she figured would last all night if he was given the chance.
Wizardmon's visit was yet revealed to Mrs. Kamiya for a number of factors, mainly him being a Digimon and an unprepared visitor. He at least was understanding and seemed fairly content to have time to himself for study, although Gatomon was against the idea. Tai and Kari, in the meantime, found it an opportunity to learn more about their devices.
"Has the concept of the digivice been around even before we went to the DigiWorld?" Kari asked after dinner, staring at her device when it was returned to her.
"In correspondence with the legend of the DigiDestined, yes." He gently smiled down at his friend as she looked through his notes, visibly puzzled. "Although I don't recall anything of digivices changing design, I must say, it's an interesting parallel to digivolution."
"Mine and T.K.'s changed when we found our digi-eggs."
"The one in the D-Terminal?"
Kari nodded. "It was for Armor Digivolution. We hadn't thought much of it then, but perhaps they changed to better accommodate the new evolution."
"Fascinating."
Gatomon didn't think it was, but she kept her mouth shut as she handed the notes to Tai (whose face then fell at the written digicode).
"Can all Digimon be affected by the digivice?"
"In theory, yes," Wizardmon said. "If it's a source of unlimited energy, it may have long-lasting effects to those with no partners. It may even allow for digivolution in a shorter amount of time."
"So wait, it's technically not needed, then?" Tai spoke up, looking at Gatomon when he did. "If Gatomon could naturally digivolve to her current stage without the need of a digivice, then so can Agumon?"
She slightly pouted, not wanting to be in the spotlight. "I think we can agree my case was an exception."
"Regardless, it's true," the mage responded, raising a brow. "Unless Agumon is exposed to a similar environment, his will take longer due to the amount of energy it takes to maintain a stage. It's why higher-leveled Digimon are harder to come by."
"Well, looks like we discovered why Agumon eats so much," the young man joked, which earned him a roll of the eyes from his sister.
A quiet rap at the door alerted Wizardmon to step behind it (even though Gatomon had pointed at the curtains), and Yuuko poked her head in. "You sure are talkative tonight," she observed, casting her eyes about. "The bath's ready for you, Kari."
"Thanks, Mom. I'll just be a minute."
"And Tai, why aren't you studying? Don't you have mock exams coming up?"
He ran a hand through his hair as he stood up to exit the room. "I already had them," he said, face serious.
"You look confident for someone who's always at soccer club," Yuuko stated banteringly. Smiling at her daughter, she shot another glance around the room before closing the door.
Sighing, Kari got up and headed for the balcony door. "It's clear out tonight. Want to stargaze later, Gatomon? Wizardmon?"
The two Digimon took a look outside, though only Gatomon nodded at her. "I'd like to."
The girl moved to leave, but then knelt down to feel her forehead and ears. "Hmm... I think you should still take some medicine before bed," she quietly suggested.
Feeling her cheeks, the feline frowned. "Still that bad, huh?"
"Not really." With a nod for them to go ahead, she watched them step out, noticing Gatomon had a light skip to her before she hopped onto the wall. Shrugging it off, Kari set her D-3 on her desk, then eyed her D-Terminal. "I got a message?" she mused, flipping the cover.
Looking at her inbox, she did a double-take. While Davis' newest message was unopened, there were two blanks beneath his name. Brows knitting in suspicion, she clicked on them, and went back-and-forth in confusion.
"Is this digicode?"
With the moon positioned somewhere behind the apartment building, and the city lights in a soft glow, the cluster of stars winked down with little disruption. There was little wind, the voices of crickets carried over in its place for warmth. Gatomon swayed her tail in time to the tune, a tranquil resonance emitting from her ring.
"I've never noticed how similar, yet so different the night sky is to ours."
She flicked an ear turning to gaze up at her friend. He was glued to the sky, carefully searching in what she recognized as a method of memorizing. Quietly resounding in her throat, she turned her attention to the cityscape. "Yeah, it takes a while," she breathed out, a smile twitching on her lips. "It's much better back in the DigiWorld, if you ask me."
"Do the humans have constellations?"
"They do, but I only know of the Little and Big Dippers."
Wizardmon chuckled. "Interesting names."
She cracked a smirk as well, then cast her eyes to the stars for a scan. "Let's see... they're over there." She pointed a claw between the two constellations, looking over. "Do you see them?"
"What do they look like?"
"Ladles."
He laughed some more. "Of course."
"One of them has what they call the North Star," she stated, "but I can't remember which one."
"Let me guess: it's exactly north?"
Gatomon shook in mirth, then sighed. "They say it'll lead you home if you ever get lost."
She shrunk back a little when Wizardmon leaned in, his cheek nearly touching hers. "Sounds like a reliable star," he whispered, his eyes twinkling in enrapture.
Wrinkling her nose and tilting her head opposite of his, she returned her gaze to the constellations. "I wish I had one when I first hatched..."
She felt a gasp die in her throat the moment he rubbed her ear, shivering at his touch. "Of course you did, Gatomon," he said, voice still quiet. "You just couldn't find her, because you didn't know where to look."
Her eyes scrunched shut, Gatomon rapidly shook her head to throw him off, her fur puffing up around her neck. Clearing her throat and smoothing down her ear, she muttered, "I guess."
She could sense his smile when he pulled away. "I'm glad the stars in your life have become bright. Even if one dims, others are there in its place."
A sudden jolt in her heart brought Gatomon to swerve for him just as he jumped to levitate. "Ah—hold on!"
He turned to her, brows raised. "Yes?"
Out of anxiety, she dropped her eyes and ears. "Um... I-I... I don't know how to say this," she mumbled, trying to quickly think of how to piece words together.
Wizardmon floated down to her level, but kept his distance. "No need to force yourself," he said, his tone gentle. "I'm not going anywhere if you need to think on it."
The feline fought down a shudder when she met his gaze. "No, erm..."
Even with the mechanical drone of the city, it was as though silence fell upon them. The light of the apartments should have been distracting, yet they shone just right on his face, bringing out a more physical appearance to his already-mystical presence. It was still troublesome for her to comprehend what had happened that afternoon, at how a single moment led to the two presently chatting on a balcony and not seem out of place. It wasn't like anything grandiose had happened that brought them together that day when all they did was talk. There was no fighting evil, no searching, no misconceptions of any kind. It was just as if he had always been there.
If anything, because of how smoothly things came and went, it was more like a dream. And like all dreams, it had to come to an end, although she hoped for there to be closure this time.
"Wizardmon... I never got to tell you, but... erm..." Gatomon glanced away for a moment, still hesitant. "Six years ago... I want to thank you for all you did. You made it possible for... um, well, who knows if I would've learned Kari was my partner on my own. Who knows if she and everyone else would've lived long enough for that to happen, or..." Shaking her head to toss such "what-if" thoughts away, she lifted her eyes for an attentive stare as if it was the last time she could see him. "You didn't have to. You were under no obligation to fight my battles, yet there you were. Because of you, I remembered my purpose and found courage to stand up to Myotismon. I got to break free, and live... I'm living a future I never knew I could have."
In a daring move, the feline Digimon reached out for him, not bothering to steady her trembling. When he returned the gesture, his fingers rested between the claws and gently squeezed. The pressure of his hand through their gloves was a sensation she couldn't recall ever feeling, yet missed dearly. It was oddly comforting.
Rocking it to-and-fro, she gave a small smile. "So... thank you, Wizardmon."
A twinkle in his eye, Wizardmon repositioned his hand just as he bowed in. It was only for a moment, and though he was shielded behind his hat and the cowl was still in place, Gatomon felt the contours of his lips lay on the back of her paw before it was released. She touched the spot when he straightened up, and began to slowly ascend.
"Tell Kari not to wait for me," he said, a smile in his voice.
"Where are you off to?"
"Out for a night on the town." Wizardmon winked. "I've been stuck in the same place for six years. I need some fresh air, and tonight's perfect for such an occasion."
Gatomon gaped up at him before her lips pursed and brows furrowed. "You're gonna get caught. People aren't used to Digimon yet."
He then gestured to himself, turning every which way and even shaking his staff. "Have you forgotten I'm a master of disguise?"
"I haven't forgotten you're full of it."
Shaking his head as he laughed, the magician flew off north where the bipedal feline watched him vanish into the night, though not before throwing his cloak around himself. Sighing through her nose, Gatomon returned to staring at the stars, steadily losing herself in a daze.