Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ The Shepherd ❯ Chapter 9

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The Shepherd

A Digimon-Sailormoon "what-if" crossover-fiction.

DISCLAIMER:

The The Digimon, the Digidestined, The Sailorsenshi and their
families (except for Kelly, Selena, Agamemnon, and Penelope )
are not my property! They never were, and never will be.

The Digimon, the Digidestined, and their families are the property
of their creator, Miyoshi Houso, Toei Animation (in Japan), and
Haim Saban (in the USA).

The Sailorsenshi, their friends, and families are the Property of
their creator, Naoko Takeuchi, Kadansha Publishing and Toei
Animation (in Japan), and DiC (in USA) and CWI (in Canada).

NOTES:

Here are the "givens" in the actual Anime. In "Digimon",
Izumi Koushirou ("Izzy" in the English dubbing) is orphaned and adopted.
And in "Sailormoon", the parents of Mizuno Ami ("Amy" in the dubbing)
are divorced, and Ami lives with her mother.

I don't know if "Ayumi" is the actual name of Ami's mother
in Sailormoon or not, or if she's even named, but that's the name I've seen
in a previous fan-fic. So, that's her name, here !

"The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia" was a song first recorded by Vicky
Lawrence, of the "Carol Burnett Show", in the mid-1970s, and re-recorded by
Reba McEntyre about 2000.

ADMIRAL YAMAMOTO:

Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, the planner of the December 7,
1941 surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, was ambushed by an attack of American
P-38s in the Solomon Islands on APRIL 18, 1943.

shepherdshepherdshepherdshepherdshepherdshepherdshepherdshepherd

Selena's P.O.V.

I couldn't believe my luck! I get back to Juuban, and who should I spot?
No one but Mizuno Ayumi, herself ! I smile. I know I promised Kelly I wouldn't
hurt her, but.. If she hurt herself trying to get away from me- it is her fault!

'Bitch? Your ass is mine tonight!'

I followed "Dr. Demento" around Juuban for about an hour, wondering if she knew
where she was.. much less where she was going! After a while, she managed to
find a bar.

This could actually be fun! I smile. And, inside of me, I heard the rest of the
world scream in horror!

I step inside. I've seen better rat-traps in the Mojave outside Las Vegas! I was
surprised the animals here didn't choke on the cigarette- and cigar-smoke. And,
the smell of Scotch on the air makes me think I'm on my side of the Pacific..
for a couple of seconds.

Then I saw it.. a jukebox. And an idea formed in my mind- a deliciously
wicked idea!! 'Now, if this thing only held that perfect song...'

It did!

And, it played:

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"He was on his way home from Candletop,
been two weeks gone so he thought he's stop
at Webb's and have him a drink
before he when home to her."

"Andy Wollow said 'Hello',
And he said, 'Hi, what's you doin'?'
Wo said, 'Sit down. I got sown bad news,
it's gonna hurt.'"

"He said. 'I'm your best friend,
and you know that's right,
but your young bride ain't home tonight!
Since you've been gone, she's been seeing that Ames' boy, Seth.'"

"Well, he got mad and he saw red,
and Andy said, 'Boy! don't you lose your head!
'Cause, to tell you the truth,
I been a-with her myself!'"

"That's the night that the light's went out in Georgia!
That's the night that they hung an innocent man!
Well, don't trust you soul to no backwoods-Southern lawyer,
because the judge and the town got bloodstains on his hands!"

vlrmvlrmmvlrmvlrmvlrmvlrmmvlrmvlrmvlrmvlrmmvlrmvlrmvlrmvlrmm

Ayumi seems to be fidgeting.. a little nervous? Good! Kelly isn't the
only one who's good a picking songs! Stage one is complete.. now,
for stage two.

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"Well, Andy got scared and left the bar,
walkin' on home 'cause he didn't live far.
You see, Andy didn't have many friends,
and he just lost him one."

"My brother thought his wife must've left town,
so he went home and finally found
the only thing Papa left him,
and that was a gun."

"So he went off to Andy's house,
slippin' through the backwoods, quiet as a mouse,
came upon some tracks
too small for Andy to make.

He looked through the screen at the back-porch door,
and he saw Andy laying on the floor,
in a puddle of blood,
and he started to shake!"

"Well, the Georgia Patrol was a-makin' the rounds,
so he fired a shot, just to flag him down,
And a big-bellied Sheriff grabbed his gun
and said, 'Why's you do it?"

Well, the judge said 'Guilty!' in a make-believe trial,
then slapped the Sheriiff on the back with a smile,
and said, 'Supper's waitin' at home,
and I gotta get to it!'"

"That's the night that the light's went out in Georgia!
That's the night that they hung an innocent man!
Well, don't trust you soul to no backwoods-Southern lawyer,
because the judge and the town got bloodstains on his hands!"

vlrmvlrmmvlrmvlrmvlrmvlrmmvlrmvlrmvlrmvlrmmvlrmvlrmvlrmvlrmm

I paid for the Scotch at the bar, then politely refused the waiter's
offer to deliver the drink. But, I did pay the man to keep away
from the scene-of-the-crime for the next ten minutes! The hentai
gave me a funny look. But, I didn't care what he thought.
My thoughts were all on one idiot-doctor!

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"Well, they hung my brother before I could say
the tracks he saw while one his way to Andy's house and back that night were mine.
And his cheatin' wife had never left town, and that's one body that'll never be found!
See, his little-sister don't miss when she aims her gun."

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I placed the Scotch at her table.
"I hope you enjoy it, Ayumi! Drink's on me."
I think Dr. Mizuno tried to jump out of her skin!
Two seconds later, she was out the door of the bar.

vlrmvlrmmvlrmvlrmvlrmvlrmmvlrmvlrmvlrmvlrmmvlrmvlrmvlrmvlrmm

"That's the night that the light's went out in Georgia!
That's the night that they hung an innocent man!
Well, don't trust you soul to no backwoods-Southern lawyer,
because the judge and the town got bloodstains on his hands!"

vlrmvlrmmvlrmvlrmvlrmvlrmmvlrmvlrmvlrmvlrmmvlrmvlrmvlrmvlrmm

I drink down the Scotch. Can't let good whiskey- not to mention money-
go to waste! Can I? I smile. Life is good!

Another second, and I'm following my ex-sister-in-law, again. I wasn't
gonna let her get too far ahead. Then, Kelly shows up.

"Hey, Bro! What are you doing back in town so early?"

Kelly's P.O.V.

Ayumi never even looked around at me as she ran off into the night.

And she was screaming out Selena's name. And, the words "Youkai"
and "Kaijuu" seemed to follow.

Well? Amanda tends to have that effect on people at first meeting.
And, at the second. And, sometimes, the third.

"Pico?" I spoke low and through gritted teeth, "Shadow Ayumi. Don't show
yourself to her. She is not inclined to acknowledge a few truths right now.
Just.. make sure she get home all right."

"As you request, Daimyo!" The bat-digimon said... then flew off.

I slowly sucked in some fresh-air, then turned my attention to Selena:

"WHAT were you doing here?"

"Having a drink," Salena smiled, "with a friend!"

"You, expect me to buy that piece of property, Salty? One! You drink
like Mom does.. and she's the closest thing to a tea-totaler we HAVE in our
bloodlines. Two! You've not had one good thing to say about Ayumi since
she left me to come back to Japan!"

"Things can change!" Salina slurred. "And don't call me 'SALTY'!!"

Well, at least, she DID tell the truth about drinking!

"Not in this family!" I growled. "NOT in under 48 hours!"

That is one good things about the Grahams and Dawsons. Our fundamental feelings
and attitudes- our SELVES- don't cange that fast! Sure, hey may change over
time, but it take LOTS of time!

I grabbed Selena and threw her butt across my lap! I just hoped no Hentai was
around to enjoy what was going to happen next.

SWAT!

SWAT!

SWAT!

SWAT!

I much as I actually hated doing this, my sister had needed a good ass-
whuppin' for years!! I was just glad Izumi Suon wasn't here to witness this. It
was bad enough having to agree with him about my imouto's behavoir! Having to
admit it in front of him would have been unbearable!!

After turning my palm red on the seat of Salena's pants, I turned to
my children:

"For the next 36 hours,I'm ordering a curfew! I don't wish to see ANY
Senshi or Digi-Destined.. or sisters.. ANYWHERE around me or Ayumi for the
next day and a half! Is that UNDERSTOOD?!"

Everybody around me nodded an affirmative. I had my doubts of it getting
through. But it had to be said.. not that it would work! Especially when my
previous orders- to another grown-up- hadn't been carried out. She and her
daughter were still here, but I was too tired to argue about it.

"Michiko?", I asked wearily, "Can you drive us all to the Tsukino-house?
And, I need a favor. Onegai? I need to talk to my ex-wife on my own... to
try to get my children back to America... so, can you and Sora see that I
am left alone? Usagi-Sama? I need to ask the same of you. The last thing
Ayumi needs to see is a Senshi!"

"And YOU, Selena-imouto!" I turned manacingly to my sister. "Ayumi-Season
has ENDED for the next 48 hours! Comprende, mi amiga?"

"Si, Senor." Selena eeped. Fortunately, my sister knows when to push me..
and, when not to!

After introducing Sora and Michiko to the Tsukinos, and Usagi filling
Ikkuko and Kenji, and Shingo, in on what happened, We said "Sayonara" to the
Takenouchis and we all turned in for the night. Odell roomed with Shingo,
the girls shared a room, and Selena and I were up in the attick!

I said my prayers and went to sleep. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.
the next morning, after seeing Odell and Anne off to the busses for
Odaiba and school, and shadowing Katarzina and Usagi to Juuban High School,
I prepared to meet Ayumi. Having a Pre-cogniscent as your daughter's boyfriend
does come in handy! I was pretty sure where and when Ayumi would be that day,
so.. I just sat and waited.

I felt like one of the P-38s that shot down Admiral Yamamoto.

As I sat down to enjoy a near-by tea-house, and settled my nerves, I
contemplated the day. The one thing I hated was that we would be so near the
sea-cliffs. I wasn't sure what Ayumi would do when confronted by me..
especially after her run-in with Selena last night!

'At a BAR??' I wondered nervously. 'When did Ayumi develope a taste for
ALCHOHOL??'

Soon, it was about time for me to diappear, so I exited the teahouse and
walked through their garden, and then found a spot somewhere down the coastal
road to watch for Ayumi.

That's when I saw Ayumi, a little sooner than I actually expected, but..
who was I to argue! This seemed to actually work with my habit of being early!

Good point: I didn't have to wait to get this done and over with.

Bad point: We seemed to be drawing a crowd.

I guess that neither Sora nor Michiko, nor Usagi and Kat, were able to
keep the others back!

Well.. maybe they can be a barricade?

I got a bit closer as I watched Ayumi leave the tea-house and move to the
cliffs.

That's when I saw her, standing with Tsukino Ikukko. Dammit! I loved the
woman since we first talked.. but Queen Serenity was throwing the BIGGEST
Monkey Wrench of all time into these gears!! I raced to get within earshot
of everyone.. before Ayumi did something stupid!

"Forget that I am a Goddess, Graham Ayumi-Sama! Right now as one mother
to another.. I'm begging you! Think of what you have done.. of what you
are about to do!"

Big mistake, Your Majesty!

That's when I saw Usagi and Kat. DAMN, how I wish they weren't here! And, I was
willing to bet, Anne and Odell are here, too.

"LEAVE ME!!" Ayumi screamed. "You have NO AUTHORITY over me! Neither do
CHILDREN!! Or, children's PLAYTHINGS!! What I do is MY concern.. no one
else's!"

I sighed. My ex-wife has ranted and raved, and hurt others,long enough!

"I could have warned you, Serenity-Sama!" I called out above the winds
and waves below. "If my wife had forsaken Gods and Goddesses long ago, why
should she start listening to them now? Even one who shows herself to be
VERY real?!"

"SO!" Ayumi spun toward me. "You are here, too! To torment me, I guess.
As your Imouto did last night?"

I looked straight at my ex-wife with my best poker-face.

"I am here to take my children home, to give them what they cannot find
here."

"Then take them!" Ayumi spat out. "Kaijuu!"

At that moment, it took all my inner-strength not to slap that woman
down.

"That, unfortunately, I cannot do! Not by myself. You have to relenquish
your rights and responsibilities to me.. im writing.. so I can gain some
footing with your government."

"Good!" Ayumi reached into her jacket and pulled out a letter. "I was
wondering how I could get this to you without dealing with you! I guess I
have to deal with you anyway! I realize, now, what a mistake I made bringing
them here.. with me.. back home! Hai. Well.. it is a mistake easily rectified,
at all levels."

She, then, started running toward the cliffs!

I couldn't let her end her life, especially in front of our children,
so.. I did the one thing I swore never to do:

"Alright, then.. GO! Save face! Just like the rest of your kind
When something is not how it should be.. run AWAY from it. If you can't hide
it. Break it.. KILL IT! Or yourself! But NEVER admit you were wrong! No, that
is.. surrender! Good Japanese NEVER surrender! Mizuno-chichiue never
surrendered!"

That stopped Ayumi! As I figured- and hoped- it would. I had to call her
down, by calling down her father. Ayumi never told me why she left Japan. I
had to find that out myself. And the reason why Ayumi came back. And use it
against her.

"Ayumi can run, then.. can jump.. can die! But.. will not find peace!
You will NEVER find anything that way.. but loneliness. And pain. So, GO!
End your life!!"

My ex-wife then carefully backed away from the cliffs- a terrified look on her
face- and ran back to Tokyo! And I sighed.

Sayonara, Ayumi-chan...

shepherdshepherdshepherdshepherdshepherdshepherdshepherdshepherd