“Koneko, I don’t know if you can hear me, but I want you to know that I love you.  You are everything to me.  I don’t know if--” 
   “Davis?” 
   Davis jumped up, startled.  He thought maybe he was hearing things.  He searched Koneko’s face for some sign that she had just now spoken to him.  But she was just as still and pale as she had been for days now.  Davis felt his hopes plummet and felt the tears welling up in his eyes.  He took up her hand and stroked her cheek with his other hand. 
   “Koneko,” he began, his voice breaking, a tear sliding down his cheek, “why did this have to happen to you?  You are so beautiful and sweet and kind.  You could never hurt anyone, it’s not right...” he stopped, as more and more tears streamed down his face. 
   “I’m sorry Davis,” a small voice said behind him. 
   “I know you are Winter.” 
   “I tried to protect her.  She’s important to me too.” 
   Davis tried to smile at the small girl through his tears, but couldn’t do it.  His heart was shattering into a million pieces.                “Davis?” 
   Davis whirled around to look back at Koneko.  This time he knew that he wasn’t imagining things.  Koneko’s eyes were open.  Davis thought his heart would burst, he was so relieved. 
   “Koneko! Oh my god! I can’t believe it! You’re--” 
   “Davis...stop...I need to tell you...” she whispered weakly, her every word sounding as though it were being ripped from the depths of her soul. 
   Davis’ heart sank as the truth hit him. The tears began to fall again, as he clutched at her hand in despair. 
   “Please Koneko,” he begged, “Stay with me...please...” 
   She smiled, a weak, sad smile.  “I’m sorry Davis.  This is what must be.  I will see you again.  Remember me...” she trailed off as her body began to glow a brilliant ocean blue.  The light became more and more intense, and then faded away. 
   “Koneko?” Davis asked in alarm, checking for a pulse, or breathing.  Finding none, he gathered her limp body into his arms and began rocking back and forth with her, waves of despair and sobs racking his body and soul.  Still holding her hand, he felt something slide into his own.  Through his tears and despair, he recognized a tag and a crest.  He slowly laid her back onto the bed, his mind numb.  He hardly noticed the doctors scrambling in, trying to revive the girl.  He sank into his chair in the corner of the room, feeling his world shatter apart. 
   “It is the crest of Loyalty, Davis.  It was Koneko’s gift to you,” Winter told him, crawling up onto his lap and trying to soothe him.  Davis hugged the little girl close to him, trying to ease some of the overwhelming pain coursing through him.  He was sobbing now, great heaving sobs.  But the pain wouldn’t lessen.  Winter hung onto him just as tightly, a few tears of her own sliding down her face. 
   Gatomon is wrong.  We are alone.  Koneko wasn’t supposed to die, the little girl thought bitterly.

   “What about Koneko?” The Watcher had asked, his eyes shadowing. 
   “She is necessary sacrifice,” the little girl had answered with surprising coldness. 
   The Watcher’s eyes hardened with anger.  “When will the sacrifice become too much, Winter?” 
   “For the greater good, sacrifices must be made.” 
   “The greater good?  This isn’t even about that,” now it was The Watcher’s turn to glare. 
   “Yes.  Yes it is.” 


    “No.  It’s not.  Not anymore.  The time for secrecy has ended.  This is over.  Now,” Winter shuddered, muttering to herself, remembering that cold conversation she had had with the Watcher.  She had thought that she could distance herself from this.  That she could do only as Destiny bid her, and not have to feel the consequences of her actions.  But something had changed when Koneko died.  Winter had not been expecting the girl to sacrifice herself in order to create the crest for Davis.  She had not even thought the girl would be powerful enough to do such a thing.  What’s wrong with me?  Why don’t I know what’s happening? 
   “Why did you leave me??!” she screamed in anguish at the sky.    

---

   “Davis?”  Kari said quietly, kneeling next him.  He was still sitting in the chair in the corner of Koneko’s hospital room.  She lay on the bed, under a blanket, the doctor’s having given up hope on her.  Kari’s eyes were swollen and red, and her face was streaked with tears.  Davis looked up at her numbly, not even able to speak for the lump in his throat.  He collapsed into her arms, and she sat on the floor rocking him like a child.  T.K. knelt behind Kari, stroking her hair, tears streaming down his face. 
   Tai and Sora stood in the doorway, shocked and hurt and confused.  They hadn’t been as close to Koneko, but they felt the loss as much as anyone. 
   “Davis,” Kari whispered,, “we have to go.  Please Davis.” 
   He just nodded up at her mutely, numbly.  T.K. went around to his other side and helped Kari to lift him.  Just as they stood up, they heard something clink to the floor.  Kari stooped to pick it up.  Davis’ eyes filled with fresh tears as he looked at the crest and tag in her hands. 
   “It was her gift,” he whispered, his voice cracking. 
   “We have to carry on, Davis.  We have a destiny to meet,” T.K. said quietly, gently. 
   Davis nodded, and the five of them slowly left the room, their worlds shattered into a million pieces, along with their hearts.  Nothing would ever be the same again. 
   In the hall, Gatomon waited for them. 
   “The time for secrets is over.  We will meet in the park, and we will explain everything.” she said, her own voice cracking.  I wish I could make this easier for you Kari, for all of you.    

---

   “Hello Glynna-vyre. Mishka.” 
   The two acknowledged the girl who walked into the circle.  She was far less confused than the last time.  Her eyes were so sad though.  She walked like someone with a heavy heart. 
   “I’m sorry you had to go through that,” Glynna said to her, “I’m sorry that any of us do,” she continued, shaking her head.  Mishka stood behing her, his hands on her shoulders. 
   “It is time...” the girl said again, just as she had when her mind had touched with theirs during the last spell. 
   “The chosen ones and the dreamers will come soon,” Glynna agreed.  “The change is beginning.  It is time for you to learn the magic.” 
   “But I’m not the same as you,” the girl replied uncertainly. 
   “It doesn’t matter.  You will need to know the magic, Destiny is not counting on that,” Glynn smiled a malicious grin. 
   “The Watcher is coming,” Mishka said suddenly. 
   The three of them looked to where the Watcher was now entering the garden.  The girl’s eyes became wide, as she saw the old wise man for the first time. Power emanated from his entire being. 
   He would make Destiny a worthy foe, Mishka thought to himself. 
   “The final crest has been recieved,” the Watcher said quietly, looking at the girl, “the change is now inevitable.  It is now up to us to make sure that the change does not become corrupt.” 
   The three nodded.  The girl walked to the pond and kneeled beside it, her eyes filling with tears.  Mishka stepped behind the girl and placed a hand on the back of her head. 
   “Vides, Videt, Video, omnes et nihil non sed amore et dolores sumus,” he chanted. 
   The pond flashed to life and the girl’s eyes widened when a face became visible in the water.  She started to cry. 
   “Oh Davis, I’m so sorry.  I do love you.  Be happy...” she sobbed, looking at the boy in the water, clutching a tag and crest to his heart, tears streaming down his face.  His mouth formed one word.  Her name. 
   “Koneko...”

---

End of Chapter 10
at the risk of repeating myself....PLEASE let me know what you think
takarigato@lycos.com

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