As far as Ruki was concerned, this whole thing was a terrible idea.
Juri hadn't said no to them of course, but did Juri ever say no? No, not really. She joked about it but she never was able to resist goggleboy's high enthusiasm towards helping people and the earnest guilt she'd had shoved in her eyes. Not that Takato was wrong to feel that way either, she supposed. It was just… weird. It was almost like how her mom was with her… or something. Or it had been anyway. Now she was just… her mother, which was its own unique kind of entertaining hell.
It was very uncanny to see Matsuki Takato running through Shibuya like a very determined old cartoon road runner. This wasn't Shinjuku, which he knew like the back of his hand. This was a part of Tokyo that she knew he and his terrible sense of direction could get lost in even with a map. If she didn't see the glint of his goggles in the summer sun, she'd lose him too and that was the last thing any of them needed.
But still, she kept apace. It wasn't hard, Takato did not have the speed of a runner. She didn't alert him to it of course, because that would be weird and she wasn't weird! Ryo was weird, Takato was weird, Hirokazu and Kenta were weird! Ruki? No, she was normal. She made sense.
"Do you still see him, Renamon?" she asked, voice low even for the crowd. It didn't matter. According to Renamon, she would always be able to hea3r Ruki's voice no matter how far apart they were. Sappy, but once in a while that would be fine.
"Of course, Ruki. He's not too far away now. And neither is his target."
Target. Ruki couldn't help but smile a little at that. Before, digimon had been targets, opponents, ways to achieve a high score. Now they were… at least living creatures. She was never going to go all "see the good in everyone" like everyone else did. That was mush. "What is he chasing after anyway?"
"At first glance, it appears to be a Tailmon." Renamon's voice came from over a lamp post now, sounding as serene as ever. "Which seems wholly uninterested. Perhaps he should have brought Guilmon after all."
"Imagine fitting Guilmon onto a train though." Takato would get arrested from the second Guilmon's tail touched somebody and that just wasn't going to happen. His mother would murder all of them without asking questions.
"That is a good point." Renamon flitted out of sight once more, leaving Ruki weaving through the crowd. For a moment, she almost wished for headphones.
Almost.
She still didn't call out to him, because he probably wouldn't hear anyway. But it was starting to get ridiculous. How far was he going to chase this dumb cat?
"He's turning down the street two blocks ahead, Ruki."
"Got it." Come on gogglehead, I'm getting leg cramps.
…
Takato would never admit to having tunnel vision, but he did so have it and in turn so did Guilmon. Hence why he had left Guilmon behind. It would have been awkward to have them both chasing a digimon through Shibuya. It'd be like he was picking a fight or something. And it wouldn't! He just wanted to ask it a question, why was it fleeing so much?
Did… did he have a reputation? No! No it couldn't be! What could he have a reputation for? He wasn't Ruki!
Maybe it's that saving the world thing.
Takato was not going to think about that, thanks.
The white cat burst to the side, darting once and for all to stand on a trash can, then leap towards a pipe to climb. Takato turned after it and-
Thwap.
"Ouch!" Takato stumbled back from who he had first hit right into-
"Takato." Utter disappointment.
Takato looked up and managed a sheepish smile that did not contain quite the terror bubbling in his stomach.
"Ehe… hi Ruki." Then his eyes widened. "Ruki! What are you doing here?"
"Stopping you from doing something stupid." Ruki shoved him gently back to his feet. "Come on, let's head back before your mom thinks we got kidnapped… again."
"But..." Takato paused for a moment, staring from red into violet. Ruki watched those eyes, watched that familiar gleam enter them. That was the look he got when he decided something, and she had to stop that.
"Juri won't want you cracking your head chasing the cat, Takato." There had to be other reasons to tell him now but she was blanking on every single one, especially in front of a likely very confused stranger. "We can't change what happened or cover it up or anything like that."
The gleam faded, replaced with that indecisive rawness that followed him in class even over a year after becoming a literal giant knight. "I know… But Kato-san… Juri's my friend. I can't just..."
"Why don't we ask her if she wants another cat, Takato?" Ruki trusted him to let her look away at the blonde girl who hadn't moved, hadn't stumbled away muttering or anything. Which was a little suspicious. That said, Takato came first. "Maybe we oughta try a dog… or a lizard. Something different."
Realization dawned on his face and he flushed. It would be cute if it wasn't Takato, who looked now like a blushing puppy. That was just… weird. "Yeah! Yeah you're right! Let's go do that!" The gleam was back in his eyes again. "Sorry ma'am," he told the girl before turning tail and heading back the way they had come from.
Ruki made a face. I think I know how Jen feels. Renamon chuckled out loud, the sound lost in the wind. Ruki made another apologetic gesture and went after him. This was going to be a long day. Takato owed her dinner.
As they disappeared, Orimoto Izumi shook her head with laughter. "Well, that was a fun way to end lunch. You okay, Ofanimon?"
"Quite," muttered the cat, landing on the trash can once more. "He was a persistent one."
"You just get all the attention."
Tailmon let out a snort of laughter. "Perhaps."
Izumi scooped up her former ally and kept walking. "Eh, who knows? Maybe we can explain it next time we see them."
"One chase around your human city was quite enough, thank you."
"It'll grow on you."
Tailmon doubted this of course, but Izumi had been right before.
A/N: For sailorv-ness with the Secret Santamon 2018! I hope you like it!