Why Sing Alone?
Takato has heard Rika sing, but she closed herself off about her old memories. So he decides to open her heart up with his own. Takes place after Runaway Locomon.
"Rika?" Takato called.
Rika was sitting on her porch looking at the sky by herself during her party.
"Rika…" Takato started, walking towards her.
Suddenly, Renamon appeared in front of him.
"Renamon!" Takato said quickly.
"Rika wants to be alone, Takato." Renamon said. "Please leave."
"I…can't." Takato said. "I'm worried for her."
"You must leave Takato." Renamon replied sharply.
When Takato didn't budge, Renamon sighed.
"If you don't move, I'll move you." Renamon said threateningly.
"GUILMON!" Takato yelled.
Guilmon suddenly bounded into the porch and sat next to him, staring intently at Renamon.
Renamon gasped. He's never this serious…
"Please Renamon." Takato said, voice strengthening. "I don't want to fight you."
"Let him through, Renamon." Rika's voice called.
Renamon stepped aside for Takato.
"Guilmon, go back to the party, I'll be fine." He said.
"Are you sure Takatomon?" Guilmon asked innocently.
Takato smiled and patted him on the head.
"I'm sure, now go on." He said.
Guilmon gave a nod and stalked away.
When Takato turned, Renamon had disappeared.
He then took a sitting position near Rika.
"Hey Rika." Takato said."
Rika grunted and didn't look at him.
"How are you feeling?" Takato asked.
Rika said nothing.
"That's alright, you don't need to answer that." He said.
God, this conversation is too one-sided…Takato thought.
Takato looked and saw that night had completely fallen, a full moon shining in the sky.
"You sang very well today, despite that fact you were trying to kill me." Takato gestured comically.
Rika suddenly snapped her head towards Takato; before he knew it, her hand was near his throat.
"If you tell ANYONE what happened on the train, I will kill you!" Rika said with fury.
Takato suddenly grew very frustrated.
"Rika!" Takato exclaimed. "What has gotten into you! I didn't mean to make you angry!"
"I don't care!" Rika yelled back. "No one should have had to hear that!"
Takato suddenly stood up, knocking her hand back.
"And why's that Rika!" Takato said, his voice rising. "You think just because you haven't had the best life you can just shut the rest of us out! I came here to help you, not insult you!"
"Why did you come here Gogglehead!" Rika shot back. "Do you pity me? Well guess what, I DON'T NEED PITY!"
"I KNOW THAT!" Takato roared. "IT'S BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT YOU!"
Suddenly, Rika grew quiet.
"What?" Rika asked. "You what?"
"You heard me." Takato said, still fuming.
Rika stood up and walked to the pond.
"I…" Rika stammered, anger suddenly gone. "Don't know what to say…"
Takato saw a tear drop into the pond, creating a ripple.
"God damn it!" Rika yelled swiping at the pond, causing a splash. "Why am I always so WEAK!"
She fell to her knees, more tears beginning to flow out of her eyes.
"You're not weak, Rika." Takato said firmly.
"The only other man who said that to me…Is no longer here." Rika sputtered.
Takato gasped, and knelt next to Rika.
"You mean your father?" he asked.
Rika hugged her knees, still silently crying.
"You know…" Takato started. "You're not the only one who lost someone."
Rika looked at him.
"What…?" Rika asked.
Takato stood up, and looked at the sky.
"Years ago, I had a cousin who lived in America." Takato started. "His name was Zach. He wrote to me millions of times about how I need to go there and visit him one of these days. We wrote to each other a lot. Talking about life, school, people, a bunch of things. He sent me CDs especially, of music from America, which I loved.
Rika listened as Takato went on.
"Then one day, when I was 10, he sent me a letter saying that his parents had gotten him a ticket to spend the summer with me here." He said. "I was so overjoyed. I kept pestering my parents with how many hours, minutes, and seconds until he got here."
Takato chuckled a little at the memory, but then grew serious.
"Then, when he finally came here…things went wrong." Takato said, voice shaking.
"W-what?" Rika stammered. "How?"
"Well…" Takato started. "Remember those CDs of American music he sent me?"
"Yes…" Rika answered uneasily. "What about them?"
"I used to sing with that music." Takato said.
"What!" Rika exclaimed. "You used to sing?"
"'Used to' is the key word." Takato said unhappily. "When he came here, he was the only one who knew that I sang. Not even my parents knew."
Right…Rika thought. I bet he can't even sing, maybe in the shower. Ha.
"One day, we were walking towards the beach, when some guy in a mask came up to us. He wanted us to give him our money. I was ready to comply, but Zach refused. He told me to run, and I did. When I was running, I turned, and saw the assailant pull out a gun…"
No…Rika thought.
"…and shoot him." Takato finished.
"No!" Rika said, horrified.
"Yeah." He replied. "Point-blank, and it nearly destroyed me. In fact, I probably wouldn't have been the same had it not been for meeting Guilmon, and everyone else I met, including you, Rika.
Rika reddened. But then thought of something.
Wait a minute. She thought. He's had this bad memory of him all this time, and he was able to get so strong?
Her memories flashed back to all the adventures they had, with Renamon, Leomon's death, The D-Reaper, Jeri, Locomon…
He lived through all of that, with that bad memory inside him, and he still persevered? Incredible.
"But what does this have to do with your singing…Takato?" Rika asked.
"I stopped singing after that." He answered. "I couldn't bear the memory of that day, but I eventually got over it. From time to time, I sing to myself to keep going."
"What really brought me back, was hearing you sing, Rika." Takato said.
"M-me?" Rika stuttered.
"Yeah." Takato said, blushing. "You sang beautifully, now it's my turn."
"?" Rika wondered.
Takato turned towards the moonlight, began to sing.
Well, it's not far down to paradise, at least it's not for me
And if the wind is right you can sail away and find tranquility
Oh, the canvas can do miracles, just you wait and see.
Believe me.
Rika's eyes widened. He's singing…Amazingly!
It's not far to never-never land, no reason to pretend
And if the wind is right you can find the joy of innocence again
Oh, the canvas can do miracles, just you wait and see.
Believe me.
Rika was stunned at what she heard. He really can sing!
Sailing takes me away to where I've always heard it could be
Just a dream and the wind to carry me
And soon I will be free
"He's been hiding this from everyone ever since that bad memory…She thought. "Now I know what he means."
Fantasy, it gets the best of me
When I'm sailing
All caught up in the reverie, every word is a symphony
Won't you believe me?
Takato stopped singing, and turned to Rika.
"Rika…I love you."
Rika gasped. He…loves me?
Rika closed her eyes. Do I love him back?
She thought back to her memories. Takato saving her from falling to her death in Locomon, Takato standing in front of his friends, fighting the hardest, strongest determination, his words of encouragement…
He's also cute…Rika thought embarrassingly. I never really noticed…But he's everything I want to be. Where would I be without him…
Rika walked up to Takato, and wrapped her arms around him.
"Takato…I love you too."
Takato beamed.
"Why sing alone, Rika?" Takato asked.
Rika looked at him, slowly closed her eyes and started leaning towards Takato…
Takato, taken aback for a moment, did the same. Their faces leaned in closer…closer…
Their lips touched; enclosed each other in a long, loving kiss.
After an unnamable amount of time, they broke the kiss.
Rika rested her head on Takato's chest.
"Please Takato…Rika said softly. "Don't leave me…"
Tears began to flow down her face again.
Tears soon began to flow from Takato's face as well.
"Never, Rika." He said. "I will never leave you no matter what happens. I will always be here for you."
Rika looked up at Takato, eyes shining.
"Thank…you…Takato…" Rika said softly.
They enclosed their lips in another, more passionate kiss.
No matter what happens…Takato thought. I will never leave your side Rika…I love you too much for you to get away.
Takato…Rika thought. I never thought I'd feel this way again…Feeling wanted, loved, embraced, and cared for. Thank you, for bringing my heart back…
And that brings an end to this story. And by the way, the song is called "Sailing" by Christopher Cross. This was an idea that I've had for a long time, and wanted to write about it. Now I can fill out that quota completed. Do you like it? Hate it? Something in between? Review!