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The doorbell rang and Kotone rushed to answer it. She opened the door and someone held out a little Australian Shepherd puppy with a red bow around it’s neck.

“Merry Christmas Kotone!” Henri said with a grin, lowering the puppy. Dink was behind him, a sack of presents slung over his shoulder. Wyat, Harry, and their partners stood beside Dink. Nonna was pulling her siblings up the driveway with Bloopmon running circles around them. Selene and Bone were carrying their pups, walking ahead of Duane, Charta, and Nonna.

Kotone felt tears in her eyes and she hugged Henri. “Thank you Henri!”

She smiled at him and he gave her the puppy.

“It’s a girl, though. What are you going to name her?” Henri asked as Dink and his brothers walked in.

“Heroine.” Kotone said, raising the puppy up.

“Whose the cute little girl?”

Kotone turned and saw Shichiro behind her. He and Hitomi were the first to arrive.

Kotone held up Heroine. “Henri got her for me! And on such a short notice too-”

“Nah, he bought her months ago. Though he couldn’t get her until last Monday and Mom and Dad picked her up.” Wyat explained. “Watch her, she likes to chew.”

“I wasn’t talking about the dog, silly.” Shichiro said with a grin. He kissed Kotone’s cheek.

“Ok you two, cut it out.” Hitomi said, pushing them down on to the couch.

“Says the girl who was just caught making out with Brandon.” Shichiro retorted.

“Henri!”

Jia ran to Henri and hugged him.

Wyat and Harry snickered.

Selene and Bone set the pups down in a corner that Kotone had set up just for them.

“These humans…” Bone said, looking around. “They’re so…”

“I know what you mean. Not a single guard.” Selene said, looking around the living room.

“You people really need to get out more.” Henri laughed.

xxxx

Soon the entire team was at there. Kira and Ashley brought some Christmas music and ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ was on when Henri grabbed a chair and stood up on it.

“Ok guys-guys-GUYS! Duane cane you turn it down? Thanks, dude. Now,” Henri said. “first I want to say we have a lot to be celebrating today, besides Jesus’s birthday. Selene and Bone’s pups were born last night-er-this morning-”

Everyone clapped and cheered. Bone and Selene smiled at each other.

“-the Four Horsemen, Myotismon, and Br-Daemon were defeated this morning-”

“WOOT!”

“-we gained two new friends-”

Everyone grinned at Duane and Charta.

“-and we finally got our Kotone back.” Henri finished, grinning at Kotone.

Kotone blushed and Henri pulled her up on to the chair, then jumped down.

“Henri! What do you want me to do?!”

Henri grinned and turned to Duane who turned the music back up. ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’ was just starting.

“Oh no! Henri I am not-”

“Come on, Kotone! Just sing!” Sarah urged.

Kotone sighed they cheered.

“Rockin’ around the Christmas tree

At the Christmas part hop

Mistletoe hung where you can see

Ev’ry couple tries to stop.”

Henri grabbed Jia and the two started dancing. Kotone grinned and kept singing.

“Rockin’ around the Christmas tree

Let the Christmas spirit ring

Later we’ll have some pumpkin pie and do some caroling.”

Now all the couples were dancing. Dink twirled Chibi in the air and Dark dipped Baste, who laughed. Kotone smiled.

“You will get a sentimental feeling

When you hear

Voices singing ‘Let’s be jolly!’

Deck the halls with boughs of holly!”

Bloopmon held out his hands, wanting Nonna to dance with him. Nonna laughed, bent down a bit, and the two started dancing. Really they were just spinning in a circle and laughing.

“Rockin’ around the Christmas tree

Have a happy holiday

Everyone dancing’ merrily

In the new old fashioned way.”

“Humans…” Selene said, watching them dance. She nuzzled one of her pups and Bone nuzzled her.

“I find it nice. Let the human pups have their fu-”

Heroine jumped on to Bone, knocking him over with surprising strength. She wagged her little tail and barked. Bone laughed.

“You will get a sentimental feeling

When you hear

Voices singing ‘Let’s be jolly!’

Deck the halls with boughs of ho-”

Shichiro grabbed Kotone and pulled her off of the chair. The track continued to play with the regular singer.

“Rockin’ around the Christmas tree

At the Christmas party hop

Mistletoe hung where you can see

Ev’ry couple tries to stop.”

Henri kissed Jia.

“Eeeeewwww!” Bloopmon cried.

Nonna giggled and kissed Bloopmon’s forehead and he grinned.

“Rockin’ around the Christmas tree

Have a happy holiday

Ev’ry one dancing’ merrily

In the

New

Old

Fashioned

Waaaaaaaaaaaay!”

“Merry Christmas!” Nonna cried as Duane lifted her up on to his shoulders.

xxxx

“Ok, this one is for… Kira… Sarah… Henri… Dink… Dink you need to learn to catch better! Chibi… Wyat… Kitsunemon… Kit… Shichiro… Shich, you can’t catch either! Catch Kotone! See she can! Dark…”

Once Brandon had gotten all the gifts passed out they each found a spot in the living room and began opening their presents. Everyone was happy with their gifts and they went around the room and thanked everyone.

“Kotone.”

Kotone was gathering up wrapping paper when Henri gestured for her to follow her into the kitchen. Kotone set the paper in a neat pile and hurried into the kitchen.

“Yeah?” Kotone asked.

“I went to see AncientGreymon earlier. He told me to wrap this and give to you.” Henri said, handing her a present. “Open it, you’ll like it.”

Kotone nodded and carefully took off the wrapping paper. She lifted up a thick book and looked at it. It was read with the words My Journal were sewn on to the cover with golden thread.

“Open it.” Henri urged.

Kotone did and looked at the inside. The first page was covered with doodles such as flowers, a boy, and a Kudamon. At the very top in neat cursive hand writing was:

Property of Carina G. Barton

“Henri…” Kotone gasped. “This is… Mother’s… how did AncientGreymon…”

Henri shrugged. “I guess he’ll tell you tonight when we visit him.”

xxxx

Later they went to the Digital World and were greeted at the temple by Q.

“Ah! Finally! AncientGreymon is waiting in the library.” he said, leading them in.

xxxx

AncientGreymon had the library decorated and presents under a large tree. He smiled as the entered.

“Henri! We’ve been waiting!” AncientGreymon said. “Merry Christmas, digidestined.”

“Merry Christmas.”

“Well go on. I have a feeling you’ll like your presents.” AncientGreymon said.

When they were finished everyone went towards the kitchen to help prepare dinner. Kotone hung back so she could walk with AncientGreymon.

“AncientGreymon… how did you get my mother’s journal? Not that I’m not thrilled, I’m very grateful! But how did you…”

AncientGreymon smiled. “Digidestined have left many of their stories in my library so the next generation can learn form their mistakes. Your mother left that there right before she and her teammates departed from the Digital World. I remember her very little because the other Ancients wiped my memory before I met Henri… but…”

“What?”

“I do remember her enough to say that you are just like her.” AncientGreymon said with a smile. “I know it must be hard for you… but I’m sure she loved you very much.”

Kotone nodded and followed AncientGreymon to the kitchen, imagining her mother would be waiting for her at home.

xxxx

“Night guys! Merry Christmas!” Kira called as she, Ashley, Dark, Baste, and Leo left through one of the portals. The only ones remaining were Brandon, Kotone, Henri, Wyat, Harry, and their partners.

“I guess we better head home.” Brandon said.

“Bye guys.” Henri yelled as Brandon opened a portal.

xxxx

Years later Ace William Rex swung on a rope, let go, and splashed into the calm river.

“Ace!” Jade yelled. Jade and her partner Floramon were sunbathing, trying to keep dry.

“Oh live a little!” Ace laughed.

“DRACOMON AWAY!”

Dracomon swung on the rope just like Ace had done and fell into the water… landing on Ace. Nikki, Sarah’s daughter, laughed along with her partner, a female Dorumon.

“Dracomon you big blue idiot!” Ace gasped, surfacing.

Chihiro smiled. She was dangling her feet in the water, her blond hair down. Her partner, a Salmon called Sugar, sat beside her.

“BOMBS AWAY!”

“Oh boy…” Chihiro sighed.

Hiroaki and Kyo, Chihiro’s older brothers who were twins, ran past and jumped into the water with their partners.

“Men…” Chihiro and Jade both sighed. The boys resembled their father just as much as Chihiro resembled their mother.

“Oh come on!” Kyo’s partner, a Tsukaimon, said.

“Yeah! Guys just wanna have fun!” Hiroaki’s partner, a Patamon called Yuki, said while he floated on his back.

“Your getting yourselves confused with girls.” Nessa said with a smirk. Her partner, Dink and Chibi’s son, Venkmon was already in the water swimming.

“You girls are no fun.” Alexander said. His partner, a Wizardmon, nodded in agreement.

“Why do we bother?” Sugar asked with a sigh.

“Remember, your family.” Henri told the children and he and the others walked over.

“No we’re not. The only ones related are me, Chihiro, Kyo, and Hiroaki. And Nessa and Nikki are related to each other. Plus Luke and Tarah.” Harumi replied. Raisunemon nodded.

“Well you might as well be.” Brandon, Harumi’s father, said.

“Where are the others?” Kyo asked, climbing out. “I thought Aunt Kira and Aunt Ashley were coming.”

“Something came up.” Sarah explained.

“Mom, why am I forced to hang out with him?” Harumi asked, pointing to Ace.

“Hey! It’s not exactly my idea of a vacation when I have to look at you!”

“Ace-”

“Harumi-”

Suddenly Ace and Harumi flew up out of the water and levitated above the river.

“Aunt Kotone! Put us down!” Harumi yelled. “You know I don’t like heights!”

“I’m not going to let you fall. Now, apologize.” Kotone said.

“I love it when Mom does this.” Kyo said with a smirk.

A lot has changed since me and my friends formed the DA Digidestined. We’ve all grown up and taken on very successful careers and we all have children.

“Come on Kotone, let ‘em down. They haven’t apologized to each other once in their ten years of life…” Hitomi said with a sigh.

Brandon and Hitomi went on to be married. They had Harumi who is the same age as my son, Ace. Brandon stayed in the army and became a captain.

“Your right.” Kotone said with a sigh. She lowered Harumi and Ace back down into the water and shook her head.

“You tried your best.” Shichiro said with a grin.

Shichiro and Kotone married after they got out of college, big surprise there. Shichiro became an artist and Kotone raises and breeds race horses. I still haven’t been able to talk her out of it, those things are devils. They had the twins a year after Jia and I had Jade. Then they had Chihiro about the time we had Ace. I think she inherited Kotone’s abilities, though since Kotone refuses to pass on the Necklace of Arella (for obvious reasons) we can’t know for sure.

“Why do they always fight?” Sarah asked with a sigh.

“Oh who knows.” Doru said shrugging.

Sarah became a novelist and married a digidestined guy named Kevin. They had Nikki about three years before we had Ace.

“Oh well. Who wants lunch?” Manda asked.

Faster than you could say ultimate Jell-O, the children were running towards the picnic tables.

“Ok then.” Chibi said.

Manda went on to own an Italian restaurant. She married right before she got out of college and had Nessa soon after Jade was born.

“They eat more than Dink!” Taylor laughed.

“They’re growing digidestined and digimon.” Gradimon said.

“That eat like wolves.” Taylor finished.

Taylor became a doctor and married. It wasn’t too long before he and his wife had Alexander, who inherited Taylor’s abilities.

“Ace don’t gorge yourself! God!” Henri said, rushing over. “Not even Dink can stuff that entire sandwich in his mouth-”

“I can to! Wanna watch?”

Dink and Chibi got married and had a kid, Venkmon. Dink and Chibi live with me and they go over to see Manda every other day. Venkmon became Nessa’s partner and even though they argue, they love each other a lot.

“Mom! There’s no raw meat!” Raisunemon told his mother.

“I know, I packed you a ham sandwich.” Kitsunemon said, giving him his sandwich. “Even you, the pickiest eater in both worlds, has to like it.”

Rai and Kitsunemon got married as well and had Raisunemon. They live with Kotone and Shichiro and visit Brandon and Hitomi pretty much every day. Raisunemon became Harumi’s partner and you couldn’t have made a better match in Heaven.

“Dad! Jade won’t quit bugging me!” Ace whined.

“Baby!” Jade snapped.

“Pig!”

“Demon!”

“Devil!”

Henri sighed and shook his head.

And that leaves me. I teach in the fields of paleontology. Jia and I got married shortly after the ordeal with the Four Horsemen. Though she died right after giving birth to Ace, which left me heart broken. Sid, who never married, helped me pick up the pieces and eventually we got married. So here we are, all these years later watching our children gorge themselves.

What they don’t know is, their journey is just beginning.

XXXX