Only Hope Chapter 23: Epilogue, a digimon fanfic

Was that fast enough for you?

Before I begin, I'd like to thank all of the reviewers who have given me feedback on this story. I will also give some personal shout-outs to the most helpful readers of all.

Adam

Nobody has given me as much feedback and insight on this story as you have. Your messages helped me to stay focused and follow the main plot--and all the subplots--to a logical conclusion. It wouldn't have been the same story without you; it's too bad every writer can't have a friend like you.

RobotMasterDusty

Your emails were very insightful and interesting to read; not sure what you're up to by now, but I miss you.

Birdboy

Your observations in the reviews were always interesting, especially this one: "I'll NEVER get used to thinking of a chosen-child female as having well-defined curves. Once chosen to save both worlds, always an ironing board!" Well, we have finally broken free. Just because the animators refused to let the female characters develop doesn't mean I have. WOO!

Lunarian

Thanks a bunch for your reviews. You were really good at pointing out which parts of the story were and were not canon, and I'd love to hear your opinion on the later chapters.

Sparta's Ghost

A year and a half ago you said, "I'm dissapointed at how many of the Sokeru and Takimi fics are unfinished, and I hope this story won't become like that, lol." Well, rejoice, because this is finally done. Thanks a lot for your input.

Showstopper

Ironic...I was able to restore your faith in Digifics, but wasn't able to finish my own for what seemed like forever. Thanks for reading, and I really liked your commentary.

Mi Querida

Thanks a lot for writing some of the best reviews I've ever received. Let's talk some more; I haven't heard from you in quite a while!

Soradonomi

You were the one who told me you didn't like Brasky. At first I wondered why. Then I realized that a character like him didn't exactly fit into the story. So I started wondering what he was REALLY doing there, and as the story progressed...it turned out he was an evil Digimon in disguise. Basically, I have you to thank for the main villain in this story.

Angel of Faith (Crystal)

Thanks for reviewing! Hope you liked the parts with (Mega)Kokatorimon. He was one of my favorite bad guys in Season 1, even though he only showed up once. Great voice, and really funny. Every time I imagine him saying the lines in this story, I crack up.

And now…enjoy a snapshot of the near future.

EPILOGUE

It came as an explosion of noise; the blare of a guitar, the crashing of drums, and the sustained roar of people who were having the time of their lives. There were hundreds of them, everywhere you looked. This place may have been considered a building at one point, but now it was a massive void of sound. Only the music mattered.

It came from a single source of light, and the four figures beneath it. The entire crowd leaned toward that light, unable to reach it but more than happy to bask in its glow. Between songs, two fans in the front were shouting into each other's ears—one with bobbed reddish hair, a blue tank top, and jean shorts; the other slightly shorter, in a black t-shirt with lengthening blonde hair. His white fishing hat had somehow been lost in the chaos.

"Have there ever been this many people?"

"…What?"

"I said, have there ever been so many people here?"

"Never! Has he ever played like this?"

Matt Ishida himself didn't think so.

He couldn't believe what a high this was. In the last one or two years, The Wolves (they'd finally discarded the "Teenage" label) had been slowing down. They hadn't played as often as they used to, their material got old, and all the players—especially Matt—were losing interest.

But just when it seemed the band was about to go under, now it came roaring back with a vengeance. The songs were all new; some of his friends even contributed to the lyrics. The drummer had finally gotten over his nasty summer head cold. And with Matt's personal life no longer in shambles, he was shredding and attacking the mic like never before. Not just his best friends, but everyone gathered in the gym could tell that he was a new man.

"And I can't bail you out this time," he sang, entering a final chorus.

"If you cared, you shouldn't have crossed the line

You didn't want our help

This time, you'll have to help yourself

…Find yourself…"

"I came up with that part, you know!" Mimi yelled at Izzy. He couldn't hear a word she said. Izzy almost never attended rock concerts, and was still completely bowled over. Beside him Kari was cheering as loud as she could, completely swept away in the moment.

It was crazy, being under the bright lights again. Matt waited for the next song to start, when it finally occurred to him that they'd already gone through their entire set. It came as a disappointment. He wished he could do this all night. But, reluctantly, he leaned back into the mic and said, "All right! All right, we want to thank you guys for coming out, and…"

Immediately the sea of dark, indistinct faces protested, pleading for one more song. Matt glanced down at T.K. and Sora, who were yelling as loud as anyone else. He turned to consult the other Wolves. Dan the perspiring drummer nodded at him; he could handle one more. Anderson and Jonas, on bass and rhythm guitars, shouted their approval. That was all Matt needed; he signaled for one more song. They had already played all of their new ones, so this time the Wolves launched into a cover. It didn't completely match their style and wasn't the kind of thing you'd often hear on the radio, but it was a great closing song nonetheless.

The guitars came in first, buzzing slightly in emotional tones. Another cheer welled up; the fans knew they would be hearing at least one more song tonight. The drums settled into a fateful rhythm, and Matt took hold of the mic. "You probably wish you were anywhere but here," he began."…Remember this now, 'cause it soon will disappear…"

Ken stood mesmerized, holding up the D-Terminal with one hand. This was an unprecedented opportunity. Gennai had finally managed to forge an email link between the real and Digital worlds, and at last they all could speak to their Digimon again on a regular basis. But this experience was so overwhelming that he'd forgotten he was even holding the machine. Every so often Davis had to gently move his hand, to keep the entire band on the screen. The mass of screaming young people was not the only audience tonight.

"Wow!" Biyomon cried, covering her ears. "Is all human music this loud?!"

"They must be sustaining some kind of ear damage," Tentomon agreed.

Agumon didn't mind at all. "C'mon, guys! I think they're doing great!"

Gabumon said nothing. For him, it was enough just to see Matt on the monitor, to know that he was all right. In fact, he was better than all right; he was happy again. The fur-coated Digimon couldn't have wished for anything more.

The visuals may have been slightly fuzzy, and the sound rather tinny over the cheap speakers. But Digimon of all kinds had come to watch, more and more of them gathering around the screen as the concert continued. Elecmon, Meramon, Centarumon, Monochromon, Frigimon, dozens of Yokomon and Numemon, and even Ogremon and Shogungekomon were there.

"Wow," Veemon said in a hushed voice, watching the band with rapt attention. "I don't know if even Davis could do this…"

"Davis sings worse than a Gekomon," Gatomon muttered. "If you want to hear real singing, listen to Matt. Or me."

He blinked. "You mean you can sing?"

"Of course I can sing, bonehead."

"Prove it!"

"Sssshhhh!" said all the Digimon behind them.

"…Okay, I will sometime," Gatomon continued, in an exaggerated whisper. " 'Cause I'm a Digi-kitty. Oh, yeah."

He stared at her; red eyes met blue and they searched each other for an answer.

Oblivious to the "moment" they were having, the other Digimon listened closely to the second chorus.

"Sweet dream…it's all I have…"

The song was reaching new heights, elevating the entire crowd with it. The lights on the stage seemed to shine even brighter, as Matt's clear voice rode the melody with barely contained emotion. Suddenly it slowed down, floating for a short time as everyone caught their breath. Then, without warning, the last segment began; the final piece of their vast, convoluted puzzle was falling into place.

"It's the finest moment that you've ever had…"

Sora wasn't cheering anymore. She could only stand in awe. T.K. stood close beside her, his hand entwined in hers. He couldn't imagine a better person to experience this with.

"...Like a fallen star in the palm of your hand…"

Some of the lights, which had briefly gone out, blazed up again. Mimi listened with her eyes closed and Tai gently held her from behind, as though afraid she might vanish any second. Davis supported Ken's arm to keep the Terminal from moving again. June Motomiya watched near the back, her expression unreadable. No more words came from the Digimon watching; everyone knew this was the end—and, somehow, the beginning.

"A sweet dream…it's all I have

A sweet dream…it's all I've got…"

There was something about warm summer nights like this one that seemed to bring out the best in everybody, and it wasn't just T.K.'s imagination. His mother was finally starting on her novel, reaching outside the realm of journalism. Just that morning, Cody had managed to beat Ken at chess for the first time. (Yolei claimed to be bored out of her mind, but watched just as intently as her friends.) Joe's medical schooling was coming to an abrupt end; he hadn't decided what to do instead, but Tai suggested he become a counselor at a summer camp. And Matt, of course, had just ended an incredible concert.

As for T.K. and Sora, they weren't doing too bad, either.

"So, are you ready?" she asked him as they stepped out into the evening air.

"For what?"

She half-smiled. "You know…school, and—"

"Aw, don't talk about school right now," he smiled, his eyes gleaming in the dark. "Not on a night like this. It's too perfect. Say anything else."

"Er…well, you lost your hat."

He shrugged. "It was worth it. Besides, I've got like ten others at home."

"Always prepared, huh?"

"And having fun, too," T.K. stopped at a bench near Odaiba Park. "It's been way too long."

She sat next to him without thinking. "Same for me. But…there is something else, you know. Something we still have to do. I've been talking to Tai lately, and he agrees."

"Haven't we done enough this summer?"

"Well, yes, we have. But we need to make sure it doesn't end. I don't want to lose this. Not just because of us; because of everybody. What do you think?"

"I think my optimism is finally rubbing off on you. Go on, I'm listening." He put his arm around her shoulders.

Sora looked at her boyfriend earnestly. "Sorry to say it again, but we all go back to school in a few days. Most of us have got college to deal with again, and it's lucky Mimi was even able to come back for this."

"I know."

"You promised we could stay together no matter what. And we will. But what about our friends? I know the real world is staring us right in the face, but we can beat it. We can stay close, all of us. I just know we can. We can do anything."

He took a breath, let it out slowly. "I don't know…"

"It'll be hard, but we'll convince them. Maybe even Mimi. I'm with you, my parents are actually starting to accept me, Matt is doing better than ever; even Ken and Davis are making it work."

"Still can't believe it," T.K. scratched his head. "Neither could anyone else, though. Well...maybe Cody and Izzy. They might've seen it coming. Remember how Yolei almost fainted?"

She laughed out loud. "Yes. But the point is, since all of us got back together...everything's been different. Better, I mean. Should we really just let that go?"

"But Sora, it has to happen like that sometime. That's how it goes for everybody."

"No," she whispered. "Real life doesn't have to go a certain way, T.K. Real life is whatever real people make it out to be. I think maybe that's what we were trying to tell each other. Don't you?"

They couldn't think of much else to say. The moon, veiled in drifting clouds, cast a dull blue glow over their faces as their foreheads touched. A deep calm was passing over them, as it had so many times before. It was a certainty, a deep conviction that they were both exactly where they belonged, and were going to stay there. It was the feeling of a single hope coming to fruition, altering perceptions and changing lives forever.

Matt was right. It was the finest moment they'd ever had.

--THE END

I didn't want this to be a comprehensive ending that covered all the relationships in detail; I believe those things are best left to the imagination. Maybe they'll work out, and maybe they won't. But we know that they haven't changed in the few months since Chapter 22, so they've got a good foundation going. This is how I always wanted to end it, right from the beginning: with Matt's comeback concert. The first lyrics, I came up with myself. The lyrics of the closing song are from "In a Sweet Dream" by Strata, which of course I do not own. Nor do I own Digimon or any of the associated characters. Before I sign off once and for all, here are a few of my own observations about how this story developed. I have finally completed a fitting tribute to my favorite Digimon pairing. I surprised myself by including any other romances in detail, but as it turned out, the story has a strong Daiken subplot. I'd never really tried yaoi before, but I'm pleased with how it turned out. After all the doubt and complications that got in the way, they finally made it.

There were two characters that really went through the wringer in this one: Kari and Matt. In terms of the story, I guess you could say they were both in the wrong place at the wrong time. Both of them came between T.K. and Sora without realizing it (at first). But despite all the pain they had to deal with, their stories ended with silver linings. Not only did Kari get over T.K. and turn her attention to Izzy; she was able to reconcile with Tai. I wasn't intending to go too deep into their complicated relationship, but obviously I did. They've always fascinated me. It drove me nuts that they could completely understand and misunderstand each other at the same time. I just had to make things right between them. As for Matt, it was all downhill for him after the breakup with June. He was headed for a depression until the end of the story, when things turned around for him in a big way.

I also didn't intend for the plot to ever cross from the real world into the Digital World, or for any action to take place, or for Brasky's character to have a purpose. But it happened, and I'm happy it did. Those things added a whole new dimension to the story and really helped some of the Digi-destined settle their issues once and for all.

It's been 19 months, and I've finally finished my first big fanfic. Looking back on it…gees, it's long enough to be a full-fledged novel. Then again, I've always been interested in those. So where do I go from here? I currently have no other active stories, and I'm just searching for the right inspiration. Maybe it'll be Digimon, maybe it'll be something else; heck, maybe it won't even be fanfiction. If you're interested, stick an Author Alert on me as a tracking device of sorts and we'll see what happens. It's been an honor to write for all of you. So until next time, goodbye and good luck.

ONLY HOPE

Sacred Dust

May 5, 2006—January 1, 2008