Protector
For a long time Rika was sure that IceDevimon's lair was what hell looked like.
She had been wrong.
Oh, had she ever been wrong. Hell was not a place, an icy pit of despair and violence. It was a sound. It was the grating, high pitched whine of prepubescent boys who couldn't rub two brain cells together if their lives depended on it.
"Are we there yet?"
"Aw, Kazu, I was gunna ask that!"
"Shut up, Kenta! I'm tired and hungry and I have sand in places I didn't think was possible for sand to be in!"
"Yeah, and I don't? In fact, I think it's even worse for me, I think I have windburn."
"Man, you are such a baby."
"I am not!"
"Are too!"
"Am not!"
I… I don't know how much more I can handle. Rika Nonaka's eyebrow twitched, a nervous tic throbbing in the vein above it. She had the haggard expression of someone far beyond her years. Beside her strode her partner, Renamon, a faint gleam of wry amusement in her pale blue eyes.
"You can't possibly be enjoying this," Rika muttered.
"Of course not." Renamon's response was as cool and blasé as ever, with a touch of imagined mockery. Rika couldn't help but envy her unaffected poise as they trekked through the desolate wasteland of the Digital World, where sand and Data Streams swirled about them, one almost as common as the other.
"Hey, Rika, you think Kenta's a wimp, right?" Kazu asked, seeking affirmation from an unbiased third party.
"Hey!"
"I think." Rika was proud of how even-tempered she sounded. "The two of you are both morons."
"There, see?" Kazu shot Kenta vindictive smirk. Then he blinked. "Hey, wait a minute!"
"Yeah, you don't need to be so mean," Kenta said. The boy then took off his glasses and began to furiously polish them. Rika rolled her eyes and turned her back on the two biggest nuisances she'd ever had to put up with in her young life. If there was one thing Rika couldn't stand, it was incompetence, and Kazu and Kenta were incompetence personified.
They make Takato look like a genius in comparison. Seriously, what did I do to deserve being saddled with these losers? Taking a deep breath, Rika attempted to stem the flow of negativity. Kenta and Kazu were scared and responding in the only way they knew how. She wasn't being fair. The tip of Renamon's tail briefly brushed Rika's shoulder, simultaneously and nonverbally expressing pride, pleasure, and encouragement. Relaxing at her partner's touch, Rika shot Renamon a small smile of thanks.
"Hey, Kenta, do you think it's possible to eat sand?"
"Uh, I don't know? I mean, you can eat grass, so why not?"
"You can't eat grass! Can you?"
"I have."
"Whoa. How did it taste?"
"Not bad. I tried to eat a stick once too."
"Awesome."
"Will you two shut up?" Unable to handle the inane conversation any longer, Rika rounded on the idiotic duo. Renamon sighed and looked away. Both seemed surprised at first, and then Kazu scowled.
"Well, sorry for talking about things that don't interest you, miss I-refuse-to-chat-because-you're-all-so-beneath-me. " Kazu had a determined expression on his face, legs spread apart as though in preparation of a painful blow.
"You were talking about dirt. You were literally talking about dirt." Rika's amethyst eyes were incandescent with purple fire.
"That's not true. We were talking about sand and grass and stuff," Kenta said, a 'duh, are you dumb?' expression adorning his features.
"Yeah! That's totally different!" Kazu said with a triumphant smirk. Before Rika could recover from how utterly stupid Kazu and Kenta were to summon up an appropriately scathing retort, Renamon cut in.
"Darkness will be falling soon. I'll scout ahead to find shelter." Distracted, all three humans turned to the bipedal fox.
"What? But what if some angry Digimon attacks?" Kazu's cocky grin morphed into an almost comical expression of fear.
"Y-yeah, we're toast without you, Renamon," Kenta stuttered, reflexively stepping closer to Kazu.
"Maybe your many charms will convince a Digimon to become your partner," Rika said with acidic sweetness. Inwardly, though, she was equally as nervous as the boys at the thought of being out in the open and unprotected.
I am never far. Soothed by Renamon's mental touch, Rika relaxed. The fox Digimon turned and phased out of existence.
"Hey, maybe Rika's right! We're totally charming and stuff! I bet I could charm the pants off a, uh, a WereGarurumon!" Kazu brightened as he contemplated the possibilities.
"No fair! I want a WereGarurumon!" Kenta complained.
"Yeah, well, too bad. WereGarurumon is mine, I claimed him." Kazu stuck out his tongue, playfully pushing Kenta away. Then he gagged. "Ugh, gross, sand in my mouth."
"Serves you right." Kenta laughed and managed to duck the incoming punch.
They are such... boys are dumb. It's official. I'm living the rest of my life as a nun or something. At the same time, Rika couldn't help but envy the easy-going camaraderie between the two. As much as their constant bickering annoyed Rika, a small part of her couldn't help but notice the undeniable bond of friendship they had. Somehow Rika doubted she would ever be able to act that way toward any of her friends; even Jeri. Although maybe that was a good thing. Rika had to resist the urge to strangle the duo as Kazu successfully landed a hit on Kenta, who responded by whining in earnest.
Darkness fell.
No matter how many times that happens I'll never get used to it. Rika shivered as Kazu and Kenta fell silent, offering a brief, yet glorious, respite.
"Renamon?" Rika said uncertainly. The Digital World seemed one hundred times more terrifying at night with her partner gone.
"Yes, Rika?" Renamon appeared directly behind Kenta and Kazu. The two boys shrieked and grabbed each other in their terror. Rika jumped a bit as well, although the sight of Kenta and Kazu practically peeing their pants was more than worth it.
"So brave," she commented dryly. Kazu turned red and shoved Kenta away.
"Whatever, I wasn't expecting it," he huffed. Rika rolled her eyes and looked back at Renamon, who seemed a little too smug.
"So much for not enjoying yourself. Did you find anything?" Rika crossed her arms.
"Yes. A small cave. It isn't far. Follow me." Renamon beckoned the trio with a twitch of her tail before turning away. The walk to shelter was short and blissfully quiet as Kenta and Kazu were both sulking over their recent scare. The cave was small and its back was against the wind. It was surprisingly clean and well kept, with a relatively smooth floor that would make it easier to sleep.
"This is amazing, Renamon, how did you find something so perfect?" Rika asked.
"It was not uninhabited. I had to do some spring cleaning," Renamon said indifferently. Rika eyed her partner, alarmed and concerned. Renamon noticed and did that strange not-smile of hers. "They were rookies, no match for my prowess."
"Wait, what if the Digimon you defeated were our partners?" The alarming idea brought Kazu out of his funk.
"Well, guess that means you can go home now," Rika told him. Kazu glowered.
"Very funny. You know we couldn't get back, even if we wanted to. Which we don't."
"Yeah," Kenta chimed in, ever the eloquent speaker. Rika rolled her eyes and counted to ten. Soon they were all settled in the cave, with Renamon standing guard at the entrance.
"If you get scared, Rika, I'm available for a cuddle," Kazu said with a lewd smirk.
"Shut up, Kazu." Rika's face twisted in disgust. But the visor-wearing boy didn't hear her, having already passed out next to a softly snoring Kenta.
I can't believe they're asleep. Rika was astounded. I guess being terminally stupid takes a lot of effort. Try as she might, Rika could not emulate the two boys' ability to sleep on a dime. The ground was lumpy and hard and Rika was constantly shifting to try and get comfortable. After what felt like a lifetime she finally gave up and got up to join Renamon in her vigil. Her partner glanced briefly at Rika in acknowledgement before returning her gaze to the dark horizon. The two were silent for a long time.
"Do you think the others are okay?" Rika finally asked.
"They are far safer than we are," Renamon said after a moment. Rika had to agree with this. "Rika. If it comes down to it, I want you to know that I will save you before I save Kenta and Kazu."
"What?" The idea was alarming. Rika rounded on her partner. "Renamon, how could you say that?"
"I don't like thinking about it either. But worst case scenario -"
"No," Rika said firmly. Renamon regarded her, vixen expression containing what could best be described as surprise.
"No?"
"That's not going to happen, Renamon. I want you to save all of us or none of us. No matter what." Rika crossed her arms and stared defiantly into the distance. She hated arguing with Renamon, but she wasn't going to budge on this issue.
"... It doesn't always work that way, Rika. Not in the Real World. Especially not here." The gentleness of Renamon's tone was what hurt Rika the most. Rika dropped her gaze.
"I know that, Renamon. I know that. It's just..." She trailed off, brimming with emotion. "I'm all they have. Kenta and Kazu don't have their buddy-buddy Gogglehead to look out for them, or Henry the Perfect to reign them in. They don't have partners to keep them safe, and who knows if they ever will? Just me, Renamon. Me." Rika sighed and closed her eyes, rubbing her fingers against her temples. "I don't protect people, Renamon. I'm the Digimon Queen. I'm a fighter. The best defense is an all-out offensive. That's always been my motto."
Although I'm starting to wish it wasn't.
"And now here I am, expected to watch the backs of two of the most clueless guys on the face of the planet. I don't even like them, Renamon. But I have to protect them, because if I don't... who will? Who else will help them in this place -" this horribly brave new world, "- while we're separated from the others? That's why, I want you to promise that... you'll try, at least. To keep them safe."
I can't abandon them. I know what it's like to be left behind, to be betrayed. To look someone you trusted in the eye and watch him leave you to your fate.
It was quiet for a long time after that. Renamon considered Rika.
You've changed so much and yet so little.
"I promise I will try. Just remember, Rika, you're not in this alone. I will always be there for you. You can be a protector, as long as I am by your side. And perhaps, one day, even when I am not."
"Maybe." Rika's melancholic expression didn't change. "Thanks, Renamon."
"You're welcome, Rika. You should try to get some sleep."
"What about you?" Sometimes Rika wished Renamon would look out for her own personal, selfish gain. It made it so much harder when Rika remembered how cruel she'd once been to her partner.
"I will be fine. I can stand much more than any human. Even you." There was no rebuke Renamon's tone, merely simple fact. Rika closed her eyes and sighed. She was rather tired, after all.
"Fine. But just this once." Rika yawned and trudged back into the cave. Glancing over her shoulder, she briefly admired Renamon framed in the unnatural green aura of earth. It reminded her of that time, so long ago, when she'd finally realized how incredible Renamon truly was. Pushing aside a stab of homesickness, Rika slid back down to the ground.
"Rika?" It was Kenta, the outline of his glasses reflected in the faint light. Rika jumped slightly and wondered how much he'd heard.
"What." It came out gruffer than she'd intended.
"Thanks." The glasses disappeared and were followed shortly by the gentle snoring that had been missing for an unknown amount of time. Rika said nothing, just sighed and curled up into a ball.
When she finally fell asleep, she dreamed of a beautiful, mysterious woman framed by the moon and the colors of the wind.
Author's Note: Yo. This is my first story and my first one-shot on the site. It actually came out a heck of a lot better than I was expecting, in all honesty. I originally planned it to end on a lighthearted note, but… guess the tone just kinda got away from me. I've always found Rika to be ridiculously complex and interesting, which is another factor. Anyway, for those of you who are curious and want to place a time, this occurs somewhere after the stuff with Jijimon and Babamon, and before they get sucked into another plane to meet Ryo. Thanks for reading and please take the time to review with your thoughts if at all possible.