Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Return of D-Reaper ❯ Takato's Discovery ( Chapter 1 )

Return of D-Reaper Takato’s Discovery I do not own Digimon. This takes place after Takato sees the digital world ‘coming back’ at the end of Tamers where he used to hide Guilmon. Takato stared at the digital gate. Was it really open again? “Guilmon?” he mumbled. He sat there and laughed. Maybe he could go back finally. He got up. “Wait until I tell everybody!” On his way home, he remembered all the fun times he had with Guilmon. How he brought him to life with just drawing him. Did he ever think that Guilmon would become real? That he would find him? He could so clearly recall bringing Guilmon home in a box, how excited he was but nervous. How was he going to take care of a digimon of his size? He remembered the pain of nearly losing him that day when he couldn’t find him. He hadn’t even had Guilmon for a full day and already he lost him. But then the joy he felt when he found him and how he used to call him “Takatomon” for the first few weeks. Everything came back fresh in his mind and how ecstatic he was when he could spend times like that with hid digimon again. He could hardly wait. With a laugh, he opened the front door of his home and climbed the stairs to his house. He grabbed the phone and his list of phone numbers. He paused for a minute. Who should he call first? A sickening feeling entered his stomach. What if the digital gate wasn’t really opened? What if it was all an illusion or something? If he had called all his friends and told him about what he saw and come straight to Guilmon’s old hiding spot and they come only to see that there’s nothing there, he could only imagine the pain on their faces. Should he probably call Mr. Yamaki first or Mr. Wong? Would the Monster Makers or Hypnos be able to explain why the gate looked like it was reopening? Takato sighed. What would they say to him? Would they tell him he was just seeing things? But he hoped and longed for it to be true. He didn’t want to take any chances. Maybe he should just call Mr. Wong and ask. But he didn’t feel like getting any theories, he just wanted to go back to the digiworld. He only wanted to be reunited with his digimon. Since he was thinking of Mr. Wong, he phoned Henry first. He waited for the phone to pick up. The person to answer was Mrs. Wong. “Hello, Mrs. Wong,” said Takato. “This is Takato. Is Henry around?” “Why, yes, Takato.” She said. “One moment—Henry—Takato’s on the phone!” “Thanks Mom,” his voice called from the background. Henry brought the phone to his ear. “Hey, Takato.” “Henry, you won’t believe what I just saw!” Takato exclaimed. “What’d you see?” he asked calmly. “I saw—I saw—the digi-gate!” “You saw what?” Henry inquired, falling into his chair. “I know, it sounds crazy,” Takato said, “but I went back to where I kept Guilmon and saw it. I saw the sparkly lights, you know, when the gate opened. It looked like the gate was trying to reopen or something.” “Are you sure?” Henry asked. “Yes, I am very sure!” Takato cried. “You’ve got to come down. I wasn’t sure whether to call the other tamers or Hypnos before I called you. But maybe we have to go and examine it ourselves first.” Henry paused, “did you see anything else down there? A digital field or a digignome?” “No.” He answered. “Come on, let’s go and check it out. Maybe it’s real.” “Okay,” he said hesitantly. Takato was surprised. Didn’t he want to see Terriermon again? “Great!” Takato exclaimed. “Let me talk to my dad first,” Henry said. “That’s fine,” Takato told him. “I can call everybody else. Meet us there at 5:30.” “See ya, Takato,” Henry said and hung up. He hung up and paused for a while. Who could he call next?  Rika?  Kazu? Then he thought of someone. Jeri. If he told her this, he wasn’t sure how she’d act. Still, even with Leomon gone, she’s a tamer. He had to tell her the news. Maybe though she’ll probably never be reunited with Leomon, she had to at least know what he saw. He had to let her know.  Hesitantly, he picked up the receiver and phoned her. After a couple of rings, her father picked up. “Hello?” “Is Jeri home?” “Who’s speaking?” Mr. Katou asked, recognizing the voice of a boy. “It’s Takato,” he replied. “Oh, hello, Takato,” Mr. Katou said. “One minute.” His father handed her the phone. “It’s Takato,” he told her. Smiling, she took the phone. “Hello, Takato,” she said sweetly. “How are you?”
”I’m fine,” he answered. “How are you doing, Jeri?”
”Not bad.” “Jeri, I found something today.” He said. “Remember that place where I kept Guilmon?” “Yes,” she replied. “Well, I found a digital gate there,” he said. “You mean how we got to the digiworld when we went after Calumon?” she inquired. “Yes.” “That’s funny,” she mumbled. “I wonder why it’s reopening.” “I know,” he said. “That’s why we’re meeting down there today. We have to check it out.” “Okay, when?” she asked. He was surprised that she didn’t seem reluctant to come after all that happened. But she didn’t’ really sound excited either. “Today at five thirty.” he answered. “Can you come?” “Yeah, I think so,” she said. “Great,” he said. “See you then.” -- Takato made it at Guilmon’s old hide out fifteen minutes early to check on the gate while waiting everyone else. It looked just the same as it did when he discovered it earlier that afternoon. He took out his D-arc and held it close to the field, checking to see if it activated. But nothing happened. “Hmm, that’s weird,” he mumbled as he looked closely at his D-arc. “Has it quit working?” “Hey Chumley, you in here?” Kazu called. “Yeah,” Takato stood up and turned to see Kazu enter with Kenta. “Hey guys.” “Hope you don’t mind us being early,” said Kenta. “No problem,” Takato smiled. “Wow,” Kazu breathed as he walked toward the digital gate. “You weren’t kidding, Takato! The gate really is opening again!” “This is incredible,” Kento whispered. “Gaurdomon!” Kazu shouted, cupping his mouth. “Can you hear me?” “I don’t think he can hear you, Kazu,” Takato told him and Kazu began digging. “I knew we’d someday go back to the digiworld,” Kazu grunted, puling a handful of earth away from him. “Don’t just stand there, help me!” Takato and Kenta shrugged and got down on their hands and knees, digging along with Kazu. They were digging for a while when they heard a familiar girl’s voice behind them. “What the heck do you idiots think you are doing?” They looked behind them and there stood Rika with her arms folded, her lip curled and eyebrow raised. “Uh, hi, Rika,” Kenta said, standing up and brushing himself up. “We were, uh, well, digging.” “Yeah, isn’t it obvious?” Kazu inquired. “Now get down here and help us.” “I’m not going to start digging,” she muttered. “But Rika, it’s true,” Kenta insisted, “The dig gate’s opening again. Only it’s not big enough yet.” The three boys moved to the side for her to see. Rika brought her arms down and stepped forward. She gasped. “I don’t believe it! But how?” “Maybe some digignomes paid this place a visit,” Ryo said as he walked in. “Or the digiworld may be in danger.” “What makes you think that?” Takato asked nervously. “I learned a few things while being in the digiworld for all that time,” he explained. “Gates just don’t open by themselves. Something had to have caused it. We just have to find out what.” “Hello everybody,” Jeri said sweetly as she walked in. “Hi Jeri,” Takato said. Jeri walked passed Ryo and Rika and peeked at the opening. “Incredible,” she said. “I hope there’s nothing bad happening over there.” “Don’t worry, Jeri,” Takato told her. “I’m sure if there is something, we can stop it.” They stood around for a while, giving their thoughts of what this all could mean and then Henry showed up. “Sorry I’m late,” he said. “I thought you’d be here before everyone else,” Rika muttered. “What did your dad say, Henry?” Takato asked. “That if the gate’s opening again,” he said as he walked over to view it, “that the digiworld must be trying to contact us again.” “But why?” Rika inquired. “It could be a number of reasons,” he explained. “But Dad said that it must mean the digiworld is in trouble.” “Then we have to get over there!” Kazu shouted. “It’s not even opened all the way yet,” Rika said. “How are we supposed to get there?” “We dig!” Kazu groaned. “That’s what I’ve been doing!” “Or we can help make it grow,” Henry suggested. “The monster makers could give us a hand. I don’t think we should be going over there without letting them know first.” “But if our digimon are in trouble then we can’t wait!” Takato shouted. “We have to get there now!” “The monster makers helped us before,” Ryo said, “remember? I agree with Henry. If the digiworld is in trouble, then maybe they can tell how bad it is. That way we can be prepared to bring our digimon food or whatever else they may need.” “But we’d have to hurry,” said Rika. “Where are they?” “My dad’s calling them as we speak,” Henry said. “He told me to come here and see what I can find out and report to him. Tomorrow’s Saturday so we can meet with them tomorrow morning.” Takato seemed hesitant. “Oh, all right. I just hope nothing happens while we’re gone.” He glanced at the gate. “Okay, tomorrow.” “Good luck,” Jeri said. “I’m sure everything will work out.” “Jeri, aren’t you coming?” Takato inquired. “There really isn’t any point in me coming, is there?” she asked with a sad smile. “Jeri, I know you must miss Leomon still and,” Kenta began and she shook her head. “It’s not just that,” she said. “My partner’s gone so I’m not a tamer anymore. I only came today to see if what Takato really said was true but I can’t meet with the monster makers tomorrow. They can’t tell me how my partner is because I already know—I already know what happened to him.” “Jeri,” Takato said softly, “we want you to be there. You’re still part of the team.” “No,” she insisted. “I’m not. I will only get in the way, again. And when you do go to the digiworld, it’s best I stay here. So tell everyone I said hi.” “But Jeri,” Takato started again. “You guys just don’t understand,” she told them. “I can’t go back to the digiworld after what happened. You have no idea what I went through. I am sorry.  Really, really I am. It’s not that I don’t’ want to go, really I do. I liked the digiworld. It was fun but I can’t just go there for the fun.” “Why not?” Kazu demanded. “Kenta and I did and we didn’t have our partners yet.” “It’s not the same, Kazu,” she sighed. “You knew why we were going to the digiworld that time and I’m sure you knew you were going to become tamers. But the reality is that Leomon is gone and he’s not coming back. My partner is dead.” Takato put his hand on her shoulder, “Jeri, please say you’ll come.” “I’m sorry, I can’t.” She started to walk out. “Jeri, come back!” Takato called after her but Jeri just kept on walking. “Leave her alone, Takato!” Rika hissed. “Huh?” he turned around. “You heard her,” Rika said angrily, “she told you why she wouldn’t be coming tomorrow. Just let her go. We have no idea what happened to her when we fought the D-Reaper and we can’t imagine what it must’ve been like. She doesn’t want anything like that to happen again so just leave her alone.” “Don’t you want Jeri to come with us?” Takato inquired. “Only if she wants to,” said Rika, “but she doesn’t and she’s right.  She’s not a Tamer so she doesn’t have to come.  She’s safe here.” “What if Leomon does come back though?” Takato asked. “Or if she gets a new partner?” “I still don’t think she would fight,” Rika said. “She doesn’t know how. She wasn’t a tamer long enough to learn. Now if you’re all done arguing, I’m going now. See you tomorrow.” When Rika left, Henry looked at Takato. “Why didn’t you just tell her?” he asked. “What?” Takato mumbled. “Jeri,” Henry said, “why didn’t you the real reason why you wanted her to come?” “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Takato said. “I think I do,” Kazu grinned, putting an arm around Takato and ruffling his hair. “You’ve got a thing for Jeri, don’t you?” “What? Hey!” Takato gasped. “I never said—that I—that has nothing to do with it!” Ryo smiled, “isn’t it?” “Then why did you want her to come with us?” Henry asked. “You know she doesn’t have a partner anymore and you knew fully well she wouldn’t come.”
”No I didn’t,” Takato said innocently. “Well, I did,” Henry sighed. “Even if it has been a while, Jeri isn’t the same as she was when we entered the digiworld. She doesn’t want to come back. I’m surprised she didn’t try to back out when we came here today.” “Hey, maybe we can find a way to bring back Leomon,” Takato said. “If the digital world really is in trouble then we need all the help we can get.” “But Jeri won’t,” Henry said. “Even if we did. It would take a lot of convincing to get her to come. But if you told her the real reason why you want her to come, then maybe she will.” “But, I,” he mumbled, “I already did.” “Huh?” Kazu gasped. “You mean, you really did confess your feelings to Jeri? What happened? What’d she say?” “Hey, cut it out, Kazu!” Takato muttered. “This has nothing to do with anything, okay? Forget I even said it. Right, Jeri doesn’t want to come. We’ll have to do what we can without her. I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” Trying to hide his embarrassment, Takato stepped out and walked on home, his mind fresh on what just took place. Was it really obvious to everybody how he felt about Jeri? And if they all knew it, then how come Jeri didn’t it? Or did she? He sighed and remembered all what happened with Leomon and Jeri and the D-Reaper. Didn’t Jeri ever once notice how he felt? When he did tell her, how come she didn’t’ say anything? Was she even listening? Maybe the others were right. Maybe Jeri shouldn’t come. If something wrong were to happen she probably would become like that again. As painful as it was for him to admit it, Jeri would have to stay here when they went to the digiworld. But would Takato want to leave Jeri behind? He had to find a way. It was his only option. Somehow, he had to find a way to bring Jeri back to the digiworld. To make her a tamer again. But how? What could he do? Was it already too late? --

Takato took a bath and went to bed. Sleeping that night was not easy for Takato. He kept dreaming about Jeri and the time Leomon died. He had felt so helpless that day He thought that the only way to make justice was to make Beelzemon pay with his life. But instead he made matters worse. He had lost it. He shouldn’t have done that in front everyone, in front of Jeri.

Jeri became an easy victim for the D-Reaper, a perfect host. She really wasn’t the same person after that. Before she even knew about digimon, she was a happy go-lucky, cheerful, smart and innocent girl. She began to change slowly through their adventure. She was heartbroken when she lost Leomon and was depressed when she became abducted by D-Reaper. Though the D-Reaper wasn’t a threat anymore and she was freed, she had a little dark and mysterious side about her. He really couldn’t explain it. Takato was worried about her. What happened to the sweet Jeri he knew and loved? Would she ever come back? If she were to become a tamer again, would she reconsider going to the digiworld with them?

Then he got an idea. He drew his own digimon and he came alive. Maybe he could draw one for Jeri. It was worth a shot. But he didn’t have any ideas in his head at the moment. He lay there for a while, trying to think of the perfect digimon for Jeri. Then he fell asleep.

As he slept, he dreamed about Jeri in the digiworld with them. She had found a yellow speckled digiegg and they were watching over it, waiting for it to hatch. There was a familiar, pretty smile on her face.

“Think it will hatch soon, Takato?” she inquired anxiously.

“Yeah,” he replied as he added more sticks for its nest. “I wonder what kind of digimon is in there.”

“Me too,” she agreed. “I can’t wait to be a tamer again, Takato. You think I’ve got what it takes?”

“Of course, Jeri,” he told her. “I know you do. You deserve another chance to be a tamer again and I bet you’ll be a great tamer once that egg hatches.”

“You really think so?”

“I know so.”

“Thanks, Takato,” she said, beaming.

The egg began to shake and they turned their attention to it.

“It’s going to hatch!” he exclaimed.

The egg cracked around the top and into pieces. Now Jeri held a baby digimon in her hands. It looked like a botamon only it was orange-yellow. Her D-arc beeped.

“Its name is Fire Botamon—I’m a tamer again, Takato!”

Takato woke up with a smile on his face. Now he had an idea for Jeri’s new digimon. He could start with the egg from his dream and its baby form. Jeri could start raising it from the moment it hatches. He threw the covers off him and got up to get dressed. Then he sat at his desk, grabbed his pencils and paper and started drawing the egg he saw in his dream and the egg.

He sat there looking at the picture and he thought of something. How would he be able to make the egg real? He was never able to explain how Guilmon came to life. It just sort of happened. Frowning, he set down his orange colored pencil and leaned back. What if it never came to life? What if Jeri never got another partner? What if she never got another chance to be a digimon tamer? Didn’t she deserve a second chance? Leomon was taken away from her far too soon. Takato heaved a sigh. There had to be a way.

Takato picked up his pencil again and absentmindedly finished coloring, trying to think of some kind of way to make this digimon come to life. He thought of the digignomes and how they granted wishes. But they were in the digiworld. He wrote the name, “FIRE BOTAMON” at the top and looked at the picture. Then he remembered something. He felt so stupid for not thinking about it earlier. Where was he going to this morning?

“Of course,” he said, “the monster makers! Maybe they can do it!” he folded the drawing and put it in his pocket. Grabbing his D-arc and modify cards, he ran down the stairs and set off to meet his friends and the monster makers.  He had to believe this would work.  It was the only way to make Jeri a tamer again.

To Be Continued