Renamon perched on the largest limb of a weather-scarred oak. As she stood a pair of ningen caught her eye. She watched as a man and woman embraced one another. She sighed and slouched against the trunk of the oak.
'Why do I do this to myself? Every single time mating season rolls around I start looking for someone, go after anyone, and end up with Rika tying me up to make sure I end up with no one.'
"RENAMON!" A girl of thirteen with scarlet hair tied back in a short ponytail called from the base of the tree. It startled Rena so that she nearly fell. This puzzled the girl until she spied the young couple across the way.
"Don't tell me. Mating season again?"
Renamon didn't answer.
"So, how long until it starts?" "About three days-a week at most"
"You're staying at my house this time."
"What do you mean?"
"YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!!" Several joggers stopped to stare at a lone girl standing beside a large oak tree seemingly yelling at no one in particular. An instant later many of them found speed thought only possible for a runaway locomon as that sweet looking girl gave a glare of such rage and daring that it is believed that to this day a feeling of dread washes over any who stand too close to that tree.
"And I thought I was intimidating."
"Just take me back to the house."
"As you wish."
A few silent moments later they were lounging in Rika's bedroom. Rika lay atop her futon her pillow covering her head, while Renamon sat with her legs crossed and her back against the far wall.
A small device attached the trainer's waist issued a loud beeping noise and started to glow. Rena was on her feet before the girl had even reached for it. In fact, she wasn't reaching for it at all.
"Rika?…Aren't you going to-"
"No. You may as well sit down. As far as we're concerned, for the next week there is no world outside this house."
"What!?"
The girl sat up slowly, scooting back so she could rest against the wall.
"Three months ago you neglected to tell me it was time. Much to my surprise when in the middle of a fight you start making passes instead of throwing punches!"
"He seemed interested, and he was an angemon!"
"You forget! There was also a myotismon, three versions of ogremon!"
"But-"
"I'm not done! That's day one! You managed to get away and it took all of us searching everywhere we could think of to find you! You're lucky that poor guy you grabbed was too drunk to do anything or you'd be breastfeeding right now! Then when Takato found you, it was all he and Guilmon could do to keep you off of them!"
"Well what am I supposed to do?! It's not exactly pleasant to stay strapped to your bed every night! And another thing, what's with the muzzle? Is there some real reason or are you just trying to shut me up?"
Rika turned her head away. "You moan in your sleep. Loudly. Would you rather Grandma hear it and have her up?" "No, I'd rather be able to get up and walk around!"
And it was then that she smelled the tears. It was rare that Rika cried. There was only one time that she could remember. The last had been a year ago when she had gotten the call about her mother. Her plane had gone down in the pacific. There were no survivors. She had shed only a few tears then. Now they flowed freely.
"Do you think I like doing this?! Do you think I like seeing you toss and turn. I hate it when go into to heat! Its like you're someone else! Sometimes you don't even hear my voice when I'm right in from of you! You go after anyone to try and finish it, and I couldn't call myself your friend if I didn't stop you! Don't you understand?! I would do anything if it meant you didn't have to go through that!"
In half a heartbeat Renamon had closed the gap between them and embraced her. She held her close and kissed her head. The tears that Rika cried now flowed down Renamon's coat.
