Epilogue

Gatomon rested happily outside her home in the Digital World, eyes closed and tail swaying to and fro rhythmically. The breeze that ran through blew her ears back a tiny bit, and the last pale rays of sun sent sparkles dancing across her golden tail ring. She lay back on the lakeshore, curled up, as cats do, in a ball. She was dreaming, not quite asleep, but also not awake. That was, until she heard laughter, and the sound of footsteps approaching. Stirring, she woke up, disoriented for a moment. And what had she been dreaming about? She finally opened one clear blue eye to see a small green cat-like Digimon and one large-eyed hamster Digimon with corked ears.

A smile stretched slowly across Gatomon's face. "Hey, kids. What're you doing?"

The greenish cat, her son, reminded her of her past everytime she saw him. After all, it had been awhile since she was Nyaromon, though she had many memories of it. She'd been Nyaromon when she'd been waiting and waiting. She remembered the days in the woods and wilderness, learning how to survive on her own. And, of course, she'd left Primary Village as Nyaromon.

"Mommy, it's dinnertime, Daddy says!" said Tokomon, her daughter. "We're hungry!"

Her other child brought her back as well. Tokomon had once been a Poyomon, after all. And… she still remembered her childhood best friend. She tried not to think of him, because every time she did, she felt a deep sadness in her. She had stayed around Primary Village once she was Nyaromon, and had seen most of the Digimon leaving it and going on further. But she'd never seen Poyomon, or heard his voice. So she'd finally had to move on, because she knew she had a destiny.

She remembered her days with Myotismon, as Salamon and Gatomon. Then she had met Kari, and everything had changed for her. She had finally found her destiny. Fighting alongside her human partner, she had helped change the world, and she had finally accomplished what she always wanted in her dream – to have more light.

But even after all that, and after she'd fallen in love with Patamon, she still remembered her promise to Poyomon. They had said they'd see each other again, and now Gatomon was worried they'd both changed so much that neither would recognize each other anymore. That was, if they ever even saw each other, which she had the sinking feeling they wouldn't.

"We're hungry!" Nyaromon cried, jolting her out of her trance.

Gatomon frowned and got up, brushing grass off her white coat. "Sorry, I guess I fell asleep earlier." She followed her two bouncing children back to their house happily.

Inside, Patamon was waiting. "There you are!" he said happily at seeing Gatomon.

She smiled back, a little sad after thinking of Poyomon. "Yeah," she said.

Patamon's smile faded a tiny bit. After all, he could always tell what Gatomon was feeling. "Why don't you two eat?" he suggested. "We'll be outside, okay?"

Gatomon smiled a tiny bit. She always felt better when she talked to Patamon about her thoughts. Of course, she'd never told him about Poyomon – she wasn't sure why. Well, in a way she was. She had realized later that she'd been in love with him. But they were so little that she hadn't thought of those kinds of things yet. It only occurred later, when she was Salamon, that she couldn't get him off her mind, and she realized. Maybe it was only puppy love, or kitty love in her case. But whatever it was, she would always have a small space in her heart reserved for him, and she felt too guilty about that to tell Patamon. After all, the rest of her heart was for him and their children.

Outside, the sun was disappearing behind the trees. Gatomon and Patamon sat right near their house. They watched the sunset for a few minutes before Patamon spoke up.

"Gato, I know there's something you've been hiding from me," Patamon said, but not in an accusing way.

"What? What would I be hiding from you?" She was surprised.

"I don't know, but you've always been hiding it. I can tell when it's on your mind… I wish you'd tell me what it was."

Gatomon looked down. "I should have told you," she said quietly. "I mean, I don't know why I didn't before. I mean – I just thought you might be jealous, and I already feel guilty, and it didn't seem like it was important –"

"You don't have to tell me now," he said. "Only if you want to. It's just… I want to know."

She nodded. "I know. I want to tell you, too. When we fell in love, we promised each other we'd share everything. And I didn't want to hide this from you." She sighed. "I just… well… back when I was at Primary Village…" She couldn't seem to get past this.

He looked at her, surprised. "What?" he asked.

She couldn't look at him. "Why does that surprise you?"

He shook his head. "No, nevermind. I was just… Keep going…"

She bit her lip. "Well… I was SnowBotamon, you know. That was my Baby form."

Patamon nodded. "Same with Nyaromon," he said, referring to his son. "Wait… Gato…"

"Yes?"

"It's just… I have a story about my days as a Baby, too."

Gatomon was relieved to be holding off her tale as long as she could. "Will you tell me?"

He nodded. "Back when I was a Baby, I… fell in love," he said.

Gatomon couldn't breathe for a second. He had fallen in love? What was that supposed to mean? Did that mean he was still in love with whoever it was?

"With who?" she managed to ask. How could he do this to her? A voice in the back of her head reminded her she was in somewhat the same predicament, and a wave of guilt washed over her. She couldn't hold this against him or she'd be a hypocrite. And she hated hypocrites. But she realized now how much she wanted to be angry at him.

"Her name was… Yuki-chan," Patamon said.

If his first statement had made her stop breathing, this one nearly made her heart stop. Had she just imagined him saying that? But no, how could anyone else have said her old name in the same perfect voice? She realized her paws were shaking the tiniest bit.

This was how she'd felt when he'd first confessed his feelings to her. It was something she'd never dared hope for, something she thought was far too impossible. She'd never even entertained the thought that Patamon had once been Poyomon, her Poyomon. But hadn't Patamon been the one to teach her to never give up hope, that nothing was impossible?

Patamon, for once in his life, misunderstood her expression. The corners of his mouth drooped down, along with his eyes. It was as if his heart was being broken like he thought hers was. But that wasn't how she felt at all. She couldn't speak, she was so happy. Patamon was Poyomon! Poyomon was Patamon! They weren't different, weren't two conflicting loves. They were one and the same.

"I'm so sorry, Gato," Patamon said, sorrow inflicting his voice. "I had to tell you. You were about to tell me your secret, and I had to tell you mine."

"No," Gatomon said. "No, no…" She couldn't seem to say anything else.

"Gato, please don't be sad. It was a long time ago. I love you now." She recognized the look on his face. It was the same look Poyomon had had when he'd been sad. Why hadn't she noticed it earlier?

She lifted her tail and slowly wrapped it around him. He looked confused. "Gato?"

Giving him a hug, she grinned. "Pata," she said. "My secret is that I was in love when I was a Baby too." Before he could react, she added, "To a Poyomon who called me Yuki-chan."

He looked as amazed as she'd felt earlier. "Wh-what?"

"I was SnowBotamon. You were my best friend," she said, smiling even broader.

"That's… that's…" Patamon now seemed to be at a loss for words like she'd been. "…Incredible," he stammered.

She looked at him, smiling. "It is, isn't it?"

He slowly grinned. "Yuki-chan!"

She held him close. "I love you, Poyo-chan. I guess… I've loved you all these years."

"I was scared I'd never see you again! Oh, Yuki-chan… I love you too!" His ears fluttered in happiness.

Meanwhile, a Nyaromon and Tokomon watched them from their door.

"Ew, Mommy and Daddy are gross," Nyaromon said.

"I hope neither of us ever grow up!" Tokomon cried, making a disgusted face.

Gatomon and Patamon turned to see them. Both were smiling from ear to ear.

"Oh, I don't know, Toko," Gatomon said happily. "Take it from me. Sometimes you just have to grow up."

Whew, okay. xD Adventures in Primary Village is now done. I hoped you liked the last chapter, and of course the whole story. Please review!