Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon, nor do I own When the World's Not Ending, by Smartalec121 or any of their associated works.
Off the Beaten Path
Chapter: 50/ A Dream of Moonlight
The door opened to the Wong's residence and Mayumi ran towards Suzie as she and Lopmon entered the apartment. Dropping down in front of her daughter, she crushed the girl to her in a powerful hug.
"I'm so glad you're safe!" she said, tears brimming in her eyes. Pulling back, she looked Suzie over with the well-trained eye that came with years of nursing innumerable scraped knees and illnesses. Suzie bore a sullen, yet oddly introspective look. When Mayumi saw her eyes turn up at her, they fixated on her as if looking at someone she hadn't seen in a long time.
"M-Mom?"
"Are-Are you alright?" Mayumi's eyes flickered up at Janyu, who began to take off his jacket. "Janyu, is she alright?"
"I-I'm fine," Suzie answered, quickly shaking off her odd look. "I'm a little tired. It's late and Lop and I had a rough day."
Janyu placed a hand on Suzie's shoulder. "Why don't you go to your room. Mayumi. I need to talk to you."
"Ah…" Mayumi cast a worried glance at Suzie. Lopmon bowed politely to her.
"I'll keep an eye on her," the former Deva said in answer to her concerns. Mayumi felt a bit better for that. For all the complications Lopmon brought to Suzie's life, her steadfast loyalty and desire to protect her could be counted on with utter certainty. Sometimes, Mayumi found herself feeling jealous of the digimon's capabilities and her protective role in her daughter's life.
"O-Okay," Mayumi nodded. Then, after getting back up, she stepped to the side. Suzie kicked off her shoes and, with exhaustion plain in her step, made her way through the main dining area and in the direction of her bedroom. Once she disappeared around the corner, Janyu gestured to the dining room table. Reluctantly, Mayumi tore her eyes away from the hallway and followed her husband.
###
Suzie padded silently down the hall, the hushed voices of her parents' conversation following her.
"Thanks for covering for me, Lop."
"You're welcome," Lopmon replied. "But don't you think you should have told your father what happened?"
Suzie shook her head. "And give him something else to worry about? He's got enough on his mind already with me getting possessed and Jian…"
Her mouth twisted, not wanting to say the word 'dead.' Stopping in front of one of the doors, she gazed at it.
"Suzie?" Lopmon asked, looking up at her questioningly. Not because Suzie wasn't pausing in front of her room, but rather that she stood at Henry's room. Suzie placed a hand on the doorknob.
"I… Just a peek, Lop."
She pushed the door open and then stepped into the entrance. Shadows drowned the room. Feeling around, she found the light switch and flicked it on. The lights flickered on with their usual familiar buzzing, revealing her brother's former room and all his things in it. Computers of various makes and types lay cluttered to one side with another seated on a desk by the made-up bed. The air held a strange, stale taste to it. Of course, Suzie remembered, no one breathed in here regularly for quite some time.
"Just a peek," she repeated, moving between the computers and the bed. It looked just as she remembered it, but a different nostalgia filtered through her mind. Henry's eyes looked through her own now, and as she panned around, she found herself remembering things she knew she shouldn't. Things only Henry would know. Her eyes fell on the bed, and she saw Terriermon there, breathing a sigh of relief as she, at seven, vacated the room without crushing him as was her usual wont.
"By the way, that qualified as rude."
Suzie smiled in spite of herself. Well, it's not like I can blame him. The Princess Pretty Pants treatment should probably count as crimes against digimon.
Her eyes then fell once more on the computer seated on his desk, old and out of date now. She closed her eyes, and saw Henry's hands typing on the keyboard, writing an email to their father, letting him know he and Takato were heading to the digital world. She felt the anxiety and uncertainty he had then. Thoughts and feelings about fighting, how he wished to avoid it but knew he couldn't.
"I'll never make you fight again."
The sudden feeling of loathing hit her like a fist and Suzie wavered in place, trying to understand the memory and what it meant. Terriermon had bio-emerged into the real world for the first time; emerged from the digimon game their father bought Henry for Christmas. Fragments of Henry's thoughts flashed swiftly through her mind as she saw it all. The game changing and not operating the way it should have. Gorillamon running out of control, acting like he had a mind completely independent of the game. Terriermon struggling to survive against him, and then digivolving to Gargomon! The tides turned, only for Henry to realize with sudden horror how Gargomon became no different from Gorillamon.
"You're just like all the rest of them. I have no idea who you even are anymore. What have I done?"
Suzie clutched at the sides of her suddenly pounding head and she sat down hard on the bed. More memories. A loud, wet snap, and a boy screaming. She knew it before the picture even became clear to her. The boy her brother hurt in the months before Terriermon even entered their lives.
"It's all my fault."
"It's not your fault!" Suzie choked out through clenched teeth.
"Suzie… Suzie!"
Lopmon's tiny fingers grabbed hold of Suzie's cheeks and pinched them hard. Gasping in surprise, the girl gave a start.
"L-Lop! What…?!"
"Sorry," Lopmon apologized. "You looked like you were… I-I don't know!" She hastily looked about them. "I think we should leave this room now."
Suzie took a shaky breath. "Y-Yeah. You're right. Sorry for worrying you."
Quickly getting up from the bed, she followed Lopmon to the door. She paused to turn off the light, but before she did, she looked over her shoulder, taking in the sight of the room once more. So familiar. More than it should have been. So much so, it felt almost alien. Her skin prickled, and she remembered the conversation with Chou Sensei about how her brother haunted her.
Who knew it would turn out like this? she thought before clicking off the light, dousing the room once more in darkness.
###
"There you go," Takehiro said, brushing a hand along the futon laid out on the floor of Takato's room. "You're all set."
"Thanks, Dad," Takato replied, smiling wanly at the man. Guilmon, approaching, gave the futon a good sniff. Once finished, he beamed happily, giving it his approval.
"Thank you everyone!" he said to both of Takato's parents. Mie stood in the doorway. She looked exhausted, but more at ease since she brought the pair of them home.
"Oh, Guilmon…" she said. Approaching them, she drew Takato into a hug – gently, so as to not upset his injured arm – for what had to be the hundredth time since uniting with him at the hospital. "Now," she began to her son, "you'll remember to wake us up if you need anything, right?"
"Yeah," Takato nodded.
"That means even if you need to use the bathroom."
"Mom!"
"Don't 'Mom' me, mister!" Mie pressed, an urgent tone in her voice. "The doctor said to use that arm as little as possible for the next week, and I know you'll forget otherwise. Or think you can get away with it just this 'one time.' Guilmon, be sure to remind him."
"Yes, Mom."
"Hey! Guilmon!"
"Sorry, but she's the boss."
"At least one of you is sensible." Licking her thumb, she proceeded to wipe her son's face, causing him to squirm in her grasp. "Honestly, Takato. Show at least a little concern for yourself for once." Hearing her voice shake, Takato ceased his struggles.
"I'm…sorry, Mom," he said, lowering his eyes. "I don't mean to make you worried."
"Come on, Mie," Takehiro said, placing a hand on his wife's shoulder. "Give him a little bit of space, okay?"
Mie looked up at her husband and then back at Takato. She hugged the boy again, briefly, and then drew back to give Guilmon's snout a friendly pat.
"And you too," she said, gesturing to his arm. "If you need anything, let us know."
"Can I have some bread with peanut butter filling?"
Mie made a face at that, but couldn't stop the smile from touching the corners of her lips. "Tomorrow. You've had four already."
"Ohhh…"
"None of that. You'll give yourself food nightmares again if you eat too much."
"Mmm… Okay." Guilmon plopped himself down on the futon, pouting. But he didn't argue further. Mie, he knew, was quite correct, and like Takato, he needed a restful night for once. And he didn't want another visit from the angry Breadmon trying to eat him in his dreams.
"Goodnight, son," Takehiro said, ruffling Takato's hair. Takato bid both his parents goodnight in return and, drawing back the futon, slipped into it. Takehiro clicked off the bedroom light and with that both he and Mie closed the door behind them. At the soft sound of their retreating footsteps, Takato plopped down on the pillow and breathed a heavy sigh. Outside the bedroom window, the glow of the city lights, at least some of them anyway, twinkled like earthbound stars. Night now fully embraced them and for the first time Takato realized just how tired he felt from the day's exertions.
"It's been quite a day, hasn't it, Takato?" Guilmon asked, as if reading his mind.
"Yeah," Takato nodded. He winced, feeling the aches in his body, both dull and sharp.
Suzie packs quite the punch, he added mentally, massaging where she had stabbed him. It felt odd, knowing she had done so but having no real injury to speak of concerning it. Only a web of electric scarring showed any visible sign that she had done so at all. "Thanks, by the way."
"For what?"
"For…you know." Takato shifted, feeling embarrassed. "I haven't been a very good partner to you lately. I think I forgot what that means."
Guilmon laid his head down next to him. His big, golden eyes were full of love and forgiveness for him. "You only wanted to make sure I wouldn't get hurt."
Takato squeezed his eyes shut. "I didn't want to see you die." Reopening them, he found that they had become damp. "S-Sorry. I thought-I thought I was done with the waterworks today."
"You're not. You've been holding it in for a long time. It'll take a while to get it all out. It's okay, Takato. We still have tomorrow. Lots of tomorrows. We'll get back on track. And we have more friends to help us now."
"Y-Yeah." Takato sniffed. "I just wish…"
"I know. But you have to be a good partner for Rika too. And Masahiko, if he wants."
Takato hitched a heavy breath at the mention of both names. Masahiko's especially.
"He could have died because I wasn't there for him."
"He didn't. He had friends looking out for him. And a partner."
Takato said nothing. Drowsiness stole over him, causing him to sink toward unconsciousness. He knew Guilmon was right and that, in his guilt, he continued to miss the point of his partner's words. Not in the way that mattered. He understood the meaning, but deep down, in the part of him where he blamed himself for not being good enough or strong enough to stop all the ill fortunes and deaths that came their way, he failed to take Guilmon's words to heart.
It would take time, if he did at all in the end, before he could accept that he couldn't carry the weight of the whole world on his own shoulders.
Sleep fell over him, but it didn't quite claim him the way it normally would. He floated in nothingness, and the memory of Rika's singing followed him there, providing comfort.
"She has such a beautiful voice," came a familiar voice from the darkness. Opening his eyes, he rose up in the futon – Guilmon somehow absent – and found Jeri sitting next to him, a small smile on her face. Lifting her hand, she intwined her fingers in his hair, caressing his strands lovingly.
"Jeri…" Takato whispered, eyes growing wide. "J-Jeri!"
"Hello, Takato," she greeted before pulling him into a powerful hug. "Oh, how I've missed you so much!"
"I've missed-I… Oh, Jeri!" He clutched her tightly to him. He felt her in his grasp. Heard her beating heart. She felt so real! "Jeri… I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
Jeri made a hushing sound and continued to run her hand through his hair. "It's okay. None of it's your fault."
"But-But you wouldn't have been hurt if it wasn't for me! Leomon… The D-Reaper!"
"It's not your fault." Jeri drew back and fixed him with a stern look. "I wanted to be a Tamer, remember? I wanted to go with you to the digital world." Her hand traced down to his cheek, caressing it. "Sometimes, things happen that we can't control."
"But I let you down at the end. I didn't see what you were going through when I should have!"
Jeri's eyes softened while she continued to caress his cheek.
"I know this will be hard for you to understand," Jeri said regretfully, "but I didn't want you to know. I thought I was protecting you and everyone else by doing that. I know it was wrong, but that was how I felt back then. I never liked letting people know how I really feel."
"But-But why?" Takato asked. "You know I…"
Jeri silenced him by pressing a finger to his lips.
"I know. That's why I've always liked you."
She withdrew her finger, and Takato asked, "So, why?"
Jeri looked away.
"You know why," she said softly. "You said so to Guilmon."
Takato fell silent at that. Jeri's hand returned to his cheek. Her thumb traced along the lines of his cheekbone lovingly. Her amber eyes returned to his. They gazed at one another, moments ticking by like eternity.
"Jeri? At the battle today…" Takato remembered the crowd of ghostly figures gathered before them following Tsuruhimon's victory over IceBeelzemon. "Were you…?"
"I have to go soon," she interrupted. "I didn't want to leave until I talked to you. An old friend will be visiting soon. Promise me, when you see him. Tell him… Tell him…"
"Tell him what, Jeri?"
Pressing her lips together, Jeri leaned forward and whispered into his ear. He stiffened in surprise and looked at her in surprise. She giggled.
"I know. But that's just how I feel after everything that's happened. And I know how he feels now. He's sorry about what happened. Would you tell him for me? Please?"
"I…" Takato felt anger seethe inside him, but Jeri's eyes beckoned him. "I will," he said finally, swallowing the anguished lump in his throat.
"Thank you," she said, leaning her forehead against his. "Thank you so very much."
Takato swallowed again. "Jeri, you're one of the bravest people I've ever known. And the nicest."
She giggled at that, but said nothing. From the window, moonlight crept toward them. Jeri looked at it for a moment before turning back to Takato.
"Before I go, there's something I've wanted to do since you rescued me from the D-Reaper. And, I think, even before then." Leaning in, Jeri's lips graced Takato's for the briefest of moments. Takato gasped in surprise, but instinctually he reached up to embrace her. However, Jeri's hand came up, stopping him. Pulling back, she gave him a smile that was at once sad and happy. "Goodbye, Takato," she said, moonlight beginning to wash over her, causing her to glow and become transparent. "Have a good life. The best life."
Jeri faded from view, and Takato found himself awake in his room. His actual room, with Guilmon sleeping soundly next to him, undisturbed by his dreaming. Tears slid down Takato's cheeks and he trembled.
"Goodbye, Jeri," he whispered. "And…sweet dreams."
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