SPOILERS!!!!

FRAGMENTS/END OF TSURU HIGH TIMELINE!!!!

Everything copyright 2002 Sameshima Shuzumi.
Except for the Tamers, their 'mon, and concepts. 
=========

The black object in his hand was something Henry hadn't seen in years.

Grimly, Janyuu closed his fist over the D-arc.  "I found it in your room.  I assume it's yours."

Jenrya crossed the room in a heartbeat.  He put his hands on the device.  "It's not mine."

"But... why did it emerge here?  For us to find it?"

Jen forced himself not to look at Ryo. "Maybe my room's a weak spot in reality, since Terriermon bio-emerged from there.  Here, you try."

As Ryo took the device, Janyuu frowned at the table.  "How do you know it's not yours?"

"I just do.  Besides, it's not green."

"Don't think this is mine either."  Ryo gave it back to Jen.  

"Really?"  Jen exchanged looks with his lover.  So it wasn't time for him to go.  Yet.

"We have to find out who it belongs to."

"Wait a minute!  Where are you going?  That should be turned in to Hypnos."

Jenrya was pushing Ryo towards the door, the D-arc firmly in his grasp.  Ryo almost looked apologetic.  Jenrya turned to his father, gesturing to Ryo to keep moving.  "Dad. What will they do with it?  Take it apart?  Trust us."

~~~~~
we have to think about this... my dad and his friends didn't know but we do.  what if something bigger and badder than the D-Reaper is waiting on the other side?

we may not even be able to biomerge
~~~~~

Jen closed his eyes, and spoke into the headset.  "Terriermon... Terriermon, can you hear me?  It's me, Jen..."

~~//~~

...

Terriermon stopped.  "You guys!  I hear Henry!"

Guilmon drooped.  "That isn't funny, Terriermon."

"No, I do, I do!  Hush!"  His ears unfurled like antennae.

"I'm with Pineapple Head, that ain't funny, Shortstuff."  

Renamon's eyes widened.  "It's a patrol.  Get down."

Terriermon grudgingly flopped on the ground, his ears still in the air.

"Oh, they're gonna spot your ears," Guilmon fretted quietly.

"Would you all shut up?"

Renamon frowned.  The patrol was getting closer.  And Terriermon's ears were light against the dark background.  "Terriermon, come here."

"No! I can almost---!"  The fox digimon grabbed him and they both disappeared.  Guilmon's ears pricked up, then flattened.  The patrol was getting closer.  Culumon quivered under the dinosaur digimon's paw.  Impmon rolled a hiding spot a little closer to the path, in case he had to digivolve to Beelzemon in a hurry.

Finally the patrol passed their pile of rocks.  Impmon held up a red-gloved thumbs up.  Guilmon sniffed the air cautiously.  "I think they're gone.  But Renamon and Terriermon are gone too."

In answer, there was a gust of wind behind them as Cyberdramon emerged out of stealth mode.  Impmon fell over, a fireball balanced on his fingertip.  "Wouldja <i>warn</i> us when you do that, ya freak show!"

Cyberdramon opened his arms to reveal Renamon, who was raising Terriermon up.  "Hush."

They fell silent, except for the soundless opening and closing of Culumon's ears.  Terriermon's eyes were shut in concentration.

"...okay, already, I hear ya!  He's just saying if I can hear him or not.  Jen!  Jen, knock it off!  Oh nuts, I don't think he can hear me."

"Keep listening," Renamon said patiently.

"He's... oh. Oh... OH..!"

"What, what is it, what did Henry say, Terriermon?"  Guilmon hopping from paw to paw.

Terriermon opened his eyes, a triumphant gleam in his eyes. "Juggernaut."

"Is he out of his teeny tiny mind?!  Juggernaut?  The digi vacuum cleaner?!  You've got to be f--!"

Culumon muffled Impmon.  "Hushie shushie, maybe there's more to it."

"Oop, now it's changing.  Now he's saying, hmmm... best Juggernaut?  No!  Test Juggernaut.  See? Henry's smart. We gotta make sure it works first."

"Okkaay, how do we do that?"

Terriermon spread out again, his tiny paws reaching out as though he were embracing the air.  Or the friend who wasn't there.  "Dang it, Jen, enunciate!  Ah.  Layers.  Layers?  What does *that* mean?"

Culumon was hopping around excitedly.  "A layer cake? A layer test?"

Renamon's ears rose.  "That may be it.  Testing through the layers..."

Terriermon waved his paws.  "Wait!  Oh... he says they all miss us, and they haven't forgotten us."

Guilmon moaned. "Awww, Takatomon..."

"Moumantai."

"How can we moumantai at a time like--!"

"No, that's what he said, Gimpy.  'Moumantai.'"  Terriermon strained for a few moments, almost squiruming out of Renamon's grasp.  "Aww!  I think that was it."

Renamon hopped out of her perch.  Cyberdramon never failed to make her fur stand on end.  "I think I know what he meant."

"What did he mean, what did he mean!"  This from Terriermon, who was dancing a jig with Culumon.  Sovereigns above, it was <i>grand</i> to hear Jen's voice again, deeper and louder but still his Jenrya, at last!

"I think he means we should test the Juggernaut program between the layers of the Digital World.  So if something goes wrong here, we'll know how to deal with it when we cross over into the Real World."

Impmon shook his head, puffing sulfurous fireballs nervously.  "Ya mean, test it here till we go <i>splat</i>!  Is that the plan now?  I thought we was gonna raid the wish gnome place and spring Lopmon out and collect those two meatheads from the wind valley!  Not that either has a lesser chance'a smearing our data in the dirt."

Guilmon looked from one 'mon to the other.  "I don't get it.  Where are we gonna get a Jugganut?  I thought that belonged to the scary yellow-haired human."

Terriermon hopped up and glomped Guilmon.  "Silly!  Juggernaut's inside of <i>me</i>!  Jen's dad put it in me, remember?"  And it was also going to be a hit-and-miss process to activate it.  Terriermon wasn't saying how much Jen had mentioned the world 'risk.'

"Yeah... it's what sucked us all here in the first place."

Renamon gently tail-flicked Impmon.  "It saved both the worlds from destruction.  The humans had no choice."  <i>Though I do want to rip them limb from limb for making Ruki hurt like that. She probably wouldn't allow it, though. </i> 

"So what are we waiting for!  Let's find a good place and try it!"

"No."  Everyone turned to Renamon.  "As much as I want to see Ruki again, we have to remember what Juggernaut does.  It rips holes between the fabric of our world and the real world.  As far as we know, the humans have barricaded their side, and the Sovereigns have sealed up our side.  Do we really want to chance bringing both worlds to the brink again?"

"Aw, c'mon Rena!"  Terriermon stomped his paw.  "What's it gonna be, stay here and get our tushies cooked by everyone and their 'mon's uncle, or get back to our Tamers again?"

"Tamers, Tamers!" cried Guilmon.

"Aw, what the heck... this place is turnin' into a real drag.  The Creampuff and I can't even wander around without me digivolvin' into Beelzemon."  <i>And Ai and Mako must be big kids by now!  I missed all those years with 'em. </i>

"You'll take me too?"  Culumon said.  "'Cause I really wanna see Juri and Ruki again."

"Of course we'll take you, Culu!"  Terriermon giggled.  "So, what about you, Rena?  Coming with us?"

Renamon's tail waved.  "I suppose," she said dryly, "I should stick around to make sure you all don't get run over by a herd of Jagamon."

Behind them, Cyberdramon listened silently.  <i>Juggernaut</i>.

Deep inside, something else heard.
~~~~~
~~~~~
Ruki turned to see Jenrya clutching Terriermon, his form almost exactly like the last time they'd embraced.  The little digimon was wrapped tight against a much larger Lee, his head bowed over Terriermon's fur an achingly familiar sight.  The portal's light caught on his tear tracks.

"Momantai," came the familiar voice, and Lee looked up, lips parted, not blinking when the folded ears rose to wipe his cheeks.  "You're not a kid anymore, Jen."

Ruki shifted, and the light flashed over Terriermon's beady eyes and she saw --  "You're <i>not</i> a kid.  What's it gonna be?"

He wasn't trying to comfort Jenrya.  That beady eyed gleam held a fighting fire.

Lee's shoulder's straightened.  And she knew what the answer was going to be.

"No!"  Ruki surged forward, only to be caught by Renamon.  "Jen, don't!"  Takato and the others looked up, needing a few precious moments to understand.

The portal was closing.  "Shao.  You're in charge of yourself now.  Lopmon, you watch out for her, okay?"

"Jen-nii...?"

"Lee-kun."  It was Takato.  One hand was on Guilmon's claw, the other on Juri's hand.  "Till next time, right?"

Takato understood.  In his eyes was an unspoken blessing.  On his lips, 'good luck.'  Ruki buried herself on Renamon's soft fur, almost not wanting to see, not wanting to show anyone she was crying.

Renamon nudged her forward.  Takato was going to him, embracing him.  Fifteen seconds.  Ruki stumbled towards them and hugged them with all her might.

But she let go.

"I'll find some way," whispered Lee.  "The three of us started this together."

Terriermon leaped from his shoulder into a fray of waiting digimon.  "Bye Rena'!  Bye 'Gimpy'! Bye, 'Clunker'!  Bye 'Poohpooh!'  Bye Culuculu!"

"Take care."  "Break a paw, short stuff!"  "Oh, we shall miss you both!  Good luck!"  "Soolaroo!"  "Culu!  Byyye!"

"Tamers forever," Takato said, holding their hands together.

"Forever."  Ruki found herself saying, and she kissed Lee on the cheek.  

"Bye Chocobutt!"

Shakily Lopmon laughed, and saluted.  "Be careful, Green Bean."  He held Shuichon tight.

"And save me some bread, Guilmon!"

Guilmon sniffed gigantically and nodded.

One last hug from Shuichon as Terriermon reboarded.  "I love you, Shao.  Tell mom and dad I love them."

Terriermon secured his perch and waved with his ear.  "We'll be back in no time!"

Lee looked back one last time.  There was a similar light in his eyes.  For some reason, he was laughing.  "See you later!" he cried, as he took a running start and disappeared into the fading portal.