Disclaimer: The stories portrayed in the comic are not part of official Digimon Canon, but the comic series will be considered as part the Official Digimon Battle Web Comic series.

Digimon Tamers: New Level.

Chapter 1: Rika's Birthday.

A dream, which starts so peacefully and relaxing and ends with a tragedy. That dream started to chase her a week ago and now it strikes again.

For Rika Nonaka nightmares were a regular thing after what she have been through there was nothing what could scare her, this is how she thought until this very day.

In her dream she was seeing the person from her past, a childhood friend that meant a lot to her. His face was looking at her smiling and in the same moment his face changed into a bloody mess right in front of her eyes.

"AAAAAA!" her scream broke the silence in her room, she was in the cold sweat shivering not because of the AC but because of the dream she was seeing whole week.

She looked at her room; nothing had changed in those years of her being a tamer, except that she had turned into a fine young lady and after her last birthday then Takato had saved her from an evil Digimon. She started to have feelings towards that goggle headed boy.

"Is everything alright Rika?" Rika looked back and saw her partner Renamon looking at her, Renamon's eye color looked so relaxing and calm from the moon light. "Yeah I am fine it's just that..." "that nightmare again?" Renamon interfered. "Yes it's bothering me again" Rika signed she did not expected her Renamon to understand, but instead she camed closer and sat by her bed and looked at Rika's eyes.

"Then I first meet you Rika I was worried that I won't satisfy you as a tamer and I was also worried that you may get seriously wounded and those thought were giving me those nightmares until you meat Takato and his friends and then I felt much better knowing that there will be someone who would keep you safe."

Rika was amused, she knowed that Renamon cared about her being safe but that much was amazing. "Wow, thank you Renamon." Renamon smiled "Sleep tight Rika tomorrow is your birthday, and I don't think that your friends would like to see you sleep walking." Rika smiled to herself "Thank you Renamon, good night." "Good night Rika." And in the same moment she disappeared into the night and the dream had completely taken Rika into her little fantasy land.

Morning

The thing that woke Rika up was not an alarm, but her own digivice, she looked at the watch on the wall it was 11:20 a.m. she checked her digivice, she expected to see a data about a wild Digimon that could appear in the in the city.

But instead that was a message for her, she never knew that you could send and receive messages with a digivice. "Probably Takato or Henry sends it to me." She thought to herself. But instead a message was a voice mail; she expected to hear the voices of her friends, but instead it was cold and manly voice "Rika Nonaka come to the central park at 12:00 a.m. or your friends will suffer as well as you will."

The message ended, Rika was terrified it was not a prank but a serious threat to her and her friends. She dressed up in hurry, busting out from her room and running towards the exit "Bye grandma, I will be late!" "But Rika!" her grandma tried to tell me something, but she was too late Rika was already outside getting her bike and riding away from home.

There were many thoughts going through Rika's head while she was riding towards the park, "Who could it be? Maybe it's really is a birthday prank? But then that voice was neither Takato's nor Henry's."

She looked at the road; the park was only few meters away. "Oh well, I will take care of this problem on my own besides I have Renamon on my side there is nothing to worry about." She went to the place where they used to hide Guilmon, she did not expected to see anybody there but suddenly she heard a voice "Rika!" she turned back to see Takato rushing towards her. He stopped right in front of her and hugged "I was worried that something might have happened to you." He whispered "I know." She replied "I was also worried about you guys."

Takato Matsuki have also changed, he became a much better men and a tamer he also stopped being a cry baby. "Guys, we have to first solve this problem and then you can go all romantic and stuff besides I have date with Jeri and I don't want to be late."

Henry Wong have not changed except now he were going out with Jeri and that's all what have changed in him. "Fine let's get it over with, who have sended those strange messages?"

Takato had looked over everybody no one seemed to know anything until they heard someone's laugh, they turned back to see two Justimons standing behind them and laughing. One on the left was pitch black and other one was fully pink, "Who are you?" Takato shouted.

Before replying both of them looked at Rika, "We are your doom, unless Rika will recognize us or at least me." Pointed the black one at himself, Henry tried to scan those two but his digivice couldn't find any data on those two strange creatures. "Yo guys we have a problem, I cannot get a scan of those two so…" "We must Biomerge into our mega levels!" Takato interfered. "Yeah." Rika nodded, they raised their digivices shouting "BIOMERGE!"

"Oh no you won't!" shouted the black one and the black digivice have appeared, "Digi-modify! Frozen Evolution activated!" And in the same moment the digivices of the tamers have frozen and Biomerge have failed. "What the heck?" Tamers were confused, "Why didn't our Biomerge worked?" "Let me explain." The black one has broken the silence.

"The effect of my card "Frozen Evolution" prevents my opponents from using any digivolution cards and in your case it has also cancelled out your Biomerge so now you must fight in your rookie forms."

Rika looked at her Renamon she was confused as much as she was, but she was ready to fight and so was Rika. She looked at those creatures and smiled, compared to what they have faced those two were nothing. "Let's go Renamon! Digi-modify Hyper Speed activated!" She sliced the card through her digivice and in the same her Digimon have disappeared, "Predictable." said the black one.

Renamon tried to attack him from the back, but instead the black one appeared behind her and pushed her into ground. "Is that all you've got?" asked the black one. "Here take this!" Takato shouted and Guilmon rushed towards the black one, "Pyro Sphere!" shouted Guilmon and fired them at the black one, but instead dodging them he collect them in his hand "I think this is yours, here have it back!" and then he throwed them back at Guilmon sending him in K.O.

Terriermon tried using his "Terrier Tornado!" on the pink one, but she has attacked Terriermon then he was spinning and used him as a small drill to place him into the ground. Both Guilmon and Terriermon were trapped in the ground; Renamon was the only Digimon remaining, but she was barely breathing "Rika, give me strength!" Rika had no choice but to agree with her, she picked a card and sliced it through her digivice shouting "Digi-modify! Power activated!" Renamon in a desperate attempt rushed at those two creatures, but the black digivice have again appeared on the black one's hand and he sliced a card also "Digi-modify! Shadow Chains activated!" and in the same moment the chains have camed out from earth, chaining Rika's Renamon and pulling her to the ground.

All three of their Digimon were now pulled into the ground; their tamers were in confusion and now were completely defenseless against those two strange Digimons, the black one looked at them "So this is the power of the tamers?" he sounded sooo disappointed, the pink one looked at him and said "I told you it was a bad idea, let's just get it over with." The black one nodded "Rika Nonaka, will ask you one question." And both of them rushed towards Rika, she closed her eyes and was ready for pain she expected questions like: How you want us to kill you? Or something like how you want us to slice you?

But in the next moment she could feel their presents right in front of her "Rika Nonaka…" the black one started, Rika was already shivering in fear "Which one of our presents you want to open first?" Rika opened her eyes and instead of a blade she saw both of them kneeling right in front of her holding two boxes: one of them was black and other one was pink.

Rika was completely shocked and confused; the black one looked at her and asked "Wait, didn't you recognize me?" he also now looked shocked, Rika was trying to figure him out: No it was not Ryo or Kazu nor Kenta, then could it be? He looked at her "Fine." He said "Maybe this will help you Rika rika." That nick name only one person have called her like that and it was him a boy from her nightmares, in the meantime the black one was removing his helmet and then Rika heard the clicking from his helmet and it opened.

The one who was standing in front of her with the helmet had pure black hair and blue eyes, "Yes it's him." Rika with tears rushed towards him, she hugged him and squeezed him through her tears she said "I missed you so much." He hugged her also and said "I am sorry, you've grown up" And for the moment there was a pure silence between them, "Hate to ruin the moment, but Rika who is he?" Takato had broken the silence, Rika have putted away her tears and introduced him "This is Sergey, he is my childhood and those are…" "I know all of them so you don't have to introduce them to me." Sergey interfered; Rika looked confused "From where?" "You guys are famous, because you have saved both worlds from the D-reaper and most of you even have fan clubs." Tamers were shocked they had fan clubs?

"A little helps, please." Terriermon asked "Oh yeah, Rena please help them and get rid from the armor." Sergey asked the pink one, tamers expected to see someone new Digimon but from the armor camed out a Renamon and a really beautiful one.

The armor had changed into a card and appeared in Sergey's hand, after some time Digimons were pulled out and unchained. Sergey's Renamon looked at Rika's and asked "Now what do you have to say?" Rika's Renamon sighed and replied "Thank you, big sister."

Everyone except Sergey were shocked to hear that, "But didn't Renamon told us that Digimon don't split into genders?" Rika asked, after hearing that Sergey and his Renamon exploded with laugh. After few minutes they stopped laughing and looked at them, "Of course Digimons have a gender, how do you think they would reproduce?" Sergey asked, "Oh, they probably think that we reproduce by merging data and creating new species? Like in that movie we watched last week." Sergey's Renamon joked.

Tamers took some time to figure out genders of their Digimons and then asked Rika's Renamon "Why did you lie to us?" "I will tell why." Sergey's Renamon answered instead of her sister "Because she got dump by her boyfriend and made up this crazy story." "Well there were other reasons, but your mother told me not to tell anyone about this." Rika was amused "You know Renamon's mother?" He looked at her and smiled "Of course I know her; it was the first place we visited in the Digital World. And why won't you open your presents and I will remove my armor."

Rika have completely forgotten about the presents, Sergey simple pressed some buttons on his digivice and his armor entered the digivice and turned into a card. He was wearing dark blue jeans and a black t-shirt; Rika noticed the scars on his hands "Are those the scars from that accident?" she asked herself in her mind. "Rika, open your presents." Sergey's voice woke her up; the first box she opened was the black one, inside she found a card "Tamer's Armor: Angel Mode" Was spelt on a card, Rika looked at Sergey "Is that?" "Yup, it's like mine." He showed his card to Rika, it was also a "Tamer's Armor" but it was "Justice Mode." "What's the difference between Justice and Angel's mode? Takato asked. Sergey looked at him and answered "Justice Mode requires a lot of physical and mental strength to control it, on the other hand Angels Mode does not have such requirements, but it requires for the mind of the user to be pure." "Pure?" "Yes, then you wear it your mind must not have any evil or cruel thoughts in order for it to work properly."

Rika was pleased with Sergey's gift and she opened the pink one, inside she found two identical night dresses "Okay." She said "Why two?" "Because one is for you and one is for my sister." Answered Sergey's Renamon, "But she never wears any cloths." Rika replied. "Well once she could put it one for her sister." "Rena please stop it." Sergey asked her "Why do you call her Rena?" Rika asked "Because it is her name." Sergey replied. "Her name?" "Yes, she wanted to be a unique Renamon so we named her, made a passport for her, she also goes to school with me and also most of our luggage is her clothing." Everybody was confused until Rena had showed her passport to them and they read her passport out loud:

Name: Rena

Family name: Chsherba

Gender: Female

Nationality: Kazakhstan

Age: Does not required

DOB: Does not required

Tamers were really astonished by both of them "My passport please." And Rena took her passport back and putted in her glove, "Any more questions?" But there was no response "Good, now Sergey go and get our luggage." Sergey simply went behind the bushes and after few minutes returned with four gigantic suit cases, "Three of them are Rena's." "So where are you going to stay?" Rika asked, "First we have to get to your house then we will see." "Why to my house?" "Because it's your birthday, we have to make you a party." He looked at Takato and Henry and passed them a bill "Both of you go and pick up my order from the shop, I already payed so I want you guys to pick it up and bring it to Rika's house."

Henry stared at the bill for a minute then asked "You want us to pick the food you ordered from the gourmet shop in the next district? "Yup, and I expect it to be an HQ since it is a gourmet shop and a pretty expensive one." "Sure we will do it, come one Guilmon." "Okay Takatomon." "We will be back soon." Henry and Takato left with their Digimons, Sergey and Rika were left together.

Sergey took the cases and asked Rika "Can you please show me the way because I have forgotten it." "Sure, you can use my bike if you need it." "That would be great." They walked in silence while their Renamon's were chatting behind their backs. Then they reaches Rika's bike Sergey connected his bags to the bike and sat in front and Rika sat in the back. Sergey drived the bike following Rika's directions, until suddenly Rika have putted her hands around his waist and putted her head on his back

"It's been a long time since I have held someone like this." Sergey smiled "Why won't you hug your boyfriend?" Rika blushed "Takato is not my boyfriend, he is my friend and he is not like you." "Yup, I am the one who knows you properly and I never dreamed to come back here." "Please don't tell me that you are going to leave again." "Heck no, I am staying here to study and live probably for a long time."

After those words Rika holded him even tighter and for the moment she let herself to lose control over her emotions and kissed him in his cheek, it was her first time kissing someone like this. "Do I deserve it?" "Yes you do deserve it more than anyone in this world." They reached Rika's house in no time, in the door passage Rika's grandma was waiting for them "Well, look who is here." "Hi miss Nonaka! It's good to see you again." "Well did your surprise worked?" Rika's grandma asked Sergey. "What surprise?" Rika asked "Yes it worked; I think Rika did really believed that I was an evil Digimon." "Wait that was a surprise?" Rika asked, Sergey silently nodded there was a silence between them for a few minutes until "Oh by the way Sergey, your mother called she told me that the workers need some extra time to finish your family house and she have asked to let you stay with for a week or two until your house is finished."

Rika had felt on her knees and started to laugh "And what was your answer grandma?" "Well I thought it would nice for both of to stay together for a while so I said yes." In the same moment Rika have jumped on hugged her grandmother "Oh thank you, thank you, thank you grandma!" For the first time she saw her granddaughter being so happy about someone staying in their house, after those words Rika pulled Sergey to show him around the house. She was happy to see her granddaughter smiling so much. It felt like something have exploded inside Rika, she was so happy and exited so she could barely control herself and her emotions.

She showed everything: the guest room, living room, and kitchen even the bathrooms. Sergey was simply exited about staying with Rika and her family for a while. She was asking him a lot of question about his country and his life for the past years and about the fan clubs.

"How do my fans look like?" "Well they try having the some hair style like yours and wearing the same clothes as you do and they also try to talk like you." "And what about Takato's and Henry's fans?" "Same thing but creepier then yours." Rika wanted to talk more to him, but instead Rena had appeared in front of them and asked Sergey to follow her.

"Okay Rika then we will be ready we will call you." "Okay." She turned back and walked to her room waiting for them, "Okay, I have sometime maybe I should impress him. Yes this evening he will look only at me." She thought.

For the first time in her live she were searching for make-up and dress to wear tonight. In her mind there were thousand questions about what wear and which make-up should she put on. "Man, I need some new clothing." She looked through her cabinet and didn't anything suitable to wear for the evening and then she remembered Rena's gift.

She rushed to get it from the box, the dress was in the color of gold and it perfectly fitted on Rika. "Yes it perfect, now for some make-up." Unfortunately she didn't find any cosmetics in her room, so she had sneaked into her mother's room in order to find some.

She walked silently through the corridors, in corridor there were a smell of something burning; she already wanted to see the surprise, but she still was not ready to come out. While she was putting on the make-up she heard her grandma calling her "Rika! Everything is ready, you can come out!" "Coming!" She looked at the mirror, she was impressed with herself.

She also has putted on the shoes on a high plate and now she looked little bit taller. She walked towards the courtyard, because it was her first time wearing that kind of clothes and shoes, she were tripling after each step and finally.

She reached the courtyard where everybody was waiting for her, Takato and Henry where near the grill passing the meat to Sergey and he was frying it. Renamons were making balloons and setting up some sound systems, nobody even noticed her until she stepped outside and everybody noticed her.

Everybody was in shock seeing her wearing that, boys were standing with their mouths open. Sergey was standing there looking at her, she was pleased she did what wanted "So what do you think?" she wanted to make a step forward but instead she tripled again and was falling towards the ground until something have captured her. She expected that Renamon have captured her, but then she looked up she saw Sergey holding her and putting her on her feat. "Are you okay?" he asked, "How did he cover that distance in such a short time?" she asked herself in her mind, "Are you okay?"He repeated the question. "Yeah, I am okay." She looked him in the eyes and saw that he was impressed with her.

"Don't want to ruin the moment, but Sergey the meat burning." Rena pulled Sergey away from Rika and he rushed towards the grill. Rena looked at Rika "You look good for a human girl, but stay away from Sergey he is mine!" She looked with the anger at Rika, until Sergey have called her"Oh Rena can you get me some dishes, please?" "Of course Sergey, mark my words Rika he is mine." Then silently she walked away from Rika towards the kitchen, "Okay, that was weird." She thought, "Rika come here the meat is ready!" She nodded and walked towards the grill.

The smell of meat was toying with her she couldn't get enough of it. She came towards Sergey; he was already holding a dish and eating the meat "Want some?" he asked, "Sure." He took a plate and putted three different meats and putted a sauce on the other side.

She took a fork and tried the first one: it was red and so juicy; it literally melted on her tongue and the taste was full of herbs and grasses like only yesterday that meat was collected. "Wow, what is that?" "That's beef marinated in the special sauce and cooked well on the real haloxylon coal." "Wow Sergey, you really know how to cook." Takato commented, "Yeah for the first time in my life I have tasted a meat like that and what are the other two?" Henry asked, "Well the light one is chicken and the one Terriermon eating is a rabbit."

After hearing that Terriermon chocked and Henry rushed to help him, "I am joking, it's pork regular pork." Terriermon was barely breathing "From all the enemies we faced, I was almost killed by a human joke." "Well there is a first time for everything." said Rika's Renamon while taking a new portion of meat, for an hour or more the gang was eating and joking about their adventures.

"Why a sound system stays here and there is no music?" Takato asked. "Well it's a good idea Takato; I could play something on my guitar. What do you want me to play Rika?" He asked, she took sometime before answering "Well, I didn't hear you talking or singing or Russian, so something on Russian would be great!" "Okay!" Sergey went towards the sound system and picked up an acoustic guitar and connected the plugs "Now everybody please seat in a circle and I will start." Everybody including Rena sat in a circle and waited for Sergey to start and he started.

At first the melody went slow and he started to sing:

"Я три года в общаге.

Я в ней ем и в ней сплю.

Я дружу в ней с друзьями

И с девчонкой мучу."

But then the melody became faster and hit the strings harder

"Могут выселить, гады.

Комендант у нас - зверь.

Каждый день то засада,

То потеря потерь.

Шняга шняжная - жизнь общажная.

Безпонтовая, но кайфовая.

Ууууу.

Жизнь общажная, алкогольная.

Так-то шняжная, но прикольная.

Ууууу."

He played the same melody and then played the one from the beginning and continued to sing.

"Мы едем здесь пельмени

С маинезом и без

Восновном с маинезом

Но бывает и без

А учеба достала, задолбала в конец

Как сказала бы Рена"

And both of them song

"Это полный пипец!"

"Шняга шняжная - жизнь общажная.

Безпонтовая, но кайфовая.

Ууууу.

Жизнь общажная так-то шняжная, но прикольная"

And he went for the solo

"УУУУУУУУУУУУУУУУУУУУУУУУУУУУУУУ"

Takato and Guilmon couldn't hold themselves and tried to sing along

"UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU"

Three song like that until Sergey finished playing the song.

"So what do you think?" He asked. "I loved it!" Takato shouted "Maybe I didn't understand the lyrics but the melody is awesome!" "Yeah, I like it. What are going to play next?" Rika asked, Sergey closed his eyes and started to think, until an idea came to his head "Maybe I should play and you will sing, what you think Rika?"

Everybody stood in silence for Rika to answer, remembering her last birthday they excepted her to refuse but her answer was "I will do it." "Good girl, but I am choosing a song." Sergey stood up and putted his acoustic guitar away and took an electric one and switched it on and started to play a melody, "No, not that one." Rika interfered, "Sorry already started can't quit until in finished." Sergey continued to play and Rika started to sing

"I see you standing close to me
you smile without a care
but even when you're here
I want with you my heart to stay"

Everybody was astonished even her grandmother, she was waiting for her daughter to come back (Rika's mother) and heard the voice of her granddaughter and came outside to see what is happening. Sergey continued to play and Rika continued to sing.

"My happiness and circumstance
can also bring me pain
I try to understand
but it feels like nothing seems to change"

Sergey played the melody softly and seemed to enjoy Rika's voice.

"When fallen rain starts glistening
I'll see the rainbow shimmering
and now, you offer out your hand
and everything is clear to me"

And in the same moment he started to play harder and faster.

"All because you're here with me,
All because you help me see,
All because the world was made for us to meet, it's destiny
I understand
There's a reason here in my heart
And maybe they call this love
Even if the sky should fall
I will never run 'cause you can see me through it all
And now I can find it in your gentle gaze
All the meaning building up this happiness
When I turn to watch you smiling"

Sergey replayed the melody and Rika seemed to enjoy singing.

"Though words can be so comforting
I don't know what to say
I wish that I could speak
and tell you what I feel today

As days go by and seasons change,
it seems that nothing stays the same
but still, we can't regret the past
'Cause memories have all been made"

And again the melody has regained its speed.

"Everything you said to me,
everything that I believe
every little thing has brought us close together, can't you see?
I understand, there's a reason here in my heart
And maybe they call this love
Doesn't matter what they say
Have a little faith, tomorrow can be found today
And tears aren't the answer 'cause we'll be okay
Take my hand and you can reach this happiness
When we walk this path together"

Then Rika stopped singing, Sergey went for the solo the sweat have appeared on his forehead and then the melody became slow and calm.

"Through the sadness
Through the sorrow
Through the teardrops, the hurt, and the pain
Take a little time, I believe you'll find our world can change
I think that's why they call it love

All because you're here with me,
All because you help me see,
All because the world was made for us to meet, it's destiny
I understand
There's a reason here in my heart
And maybe they call this love
Even if the sky should fall
I will never run 'cause you can see me through it all
And now I can find it in your gentle gaze
All the meaning building up this happiness
When I turn to watch you smiling"

Sergey continued to play the melody for the few minutes while Rika stayed close to him. Rika remembered that they used to sit like this and look at the stars together then they were kids, Sergey stopped playing and the whole backyard exploded with claps.

Rika looked around and saw all of her friends clapping and also her mother and grandmother. "Mom?" Rika called her mother "Then did you come?" Her mother looked at her and replied "I came just in time to her you singing, I never knew that you could still sing."

After few moments she noticed the clothes that Rika wore, "My god, Rika." Rika expected to hear something nasty about her clothes, but instead her mother camed closer to her and hugged "I've never expected that you would wear girly outfit ever again." "Did everybody already forget that I existed?" Sergey called out, Rika's mother finally noticed him "So you must be a bandit that forced Rika to wear those clothes?" Rika's mom joked.

"Well, that dress is actually is Rena's gift and mine was a "Tamers Armor", so anybody wants some extra meat?" Everybody nodded and Sergey returned to the grill, after few minutes the meat was ready and Sergey served a meat and sauce for everybody everything was going okay until Rika's mother noticed the second Renamon.

"Rika, who's Renamon, is that?" and she pointed at Rena, "That's Rena, Sergey's partner." Rika answered and returned to her meat, after few minutes her mother asked her again "And why do you call her "Rena"?" Rika looked at her mother and answered "Because it's her name and she also has a passport." And after that Rika's mother started to bomb her with questions and Rika took a long time to explain everything to her mother and after all the explanations her mother made a conclusion.

"So your Renamon is Rena's little sister and your Renamon have also made up that story that Digimon have no gender right?" "Yes." Rika breathed out and finished her meat, "More please." She looked at Sergey; he was talking with Henry and Takato and was also showing then his deck with all of his rarest and strongest cards.

"More meat please!" Rika shouted and Sergey noticed her and took her plate and rushed towards the grill, "Rika why didn't you ever tell us about Sergey?" Henry asked, "Yeah, with all the cards he has we could beat Devas and D-reaper in no time with his cards." Said Takato, Rika looked at them and said "I will tell you why." "Maybe I should?" Sergey camed back with a plate full of meat and gave it to Rika.

"Everybody who wants to listen to this story come closer." Everybody including Digimon and Rika's mother and grandmother moved closer to Sergey and he began "It all happened five years ago." And a flashback started.

Five years ago.

We see Rika and her parents, Rika dressed into a pink dress holding her parents hands and then we saw Sergey coming with his parents we cannot see the faces of their parents, but then they introduce they leave kids together in the courtyard. Rika were looking at him "What a strange boy, he didn't even tell me his name."

She came closer to him and said "Hi." He looked at her and tried to say something but failed, "Can't you speak?" she asked him "I am still be learning Japanese, so I can barely talk and understand you." He barely said that phrase and then again started to look somewhere else, "Okay." She thought "But I still don't know his name." She again looked at him and asked him again "What's your name?" he looked at her and it looked he understand her "Sergey." He said, Rika looked confused "What is Sergey?" she asked, he looked at her and barely answered "Me, my name is Sergey." Rika giggled "You have a funny name." he looked sad "It's not funny; it's a normal Russian name." "Oh, I understand you are from Russia?" "No, I am from Kazakhstan." He answered; it was a first time Rika saw somebody from Kazakhstan (But he looked more like Russian). "So this why his Japanese is so bad." She thought.

"And what is your name?" he asked, "My name is Rika, Rika." She repeated her name several times so he would memorize it "Nice to meet you Rika rika." And he smiled, "My name is just Rika." "Just Rika?" he asked. She signed "You know what, call me Rika rika because I like it." And that was the day they meet each other.

Flash back ends, back in present.

Everybody were still sitting around Sergey and waiting for him to speak. "So this is how I meet Rika." He said it and looked at Rika. "So what happened next?" Henry asked, "I can tell what was happening next." Rika's mother took a deep breath and started to tell the next part of the story. "After we meet Sergey and his parents, I started to have problems with my husband, we started to fight every day, but Sergey's parents were always on my side."

Flash back started, 5 years ago.

We see Rika's house, Rika is crying in a courtyard and we can hear arguments from the house. And we also see Sergey coming closer towards Rika. "What happened Rika rika?" he asked, she looked at him and answered through her tears "My mommy and daddy are fighting again and your parents are also there." Sergey sat beside her and putted his hand on her shoulder; she shivered and looked him in the eyes "Everything is going to alright." He said and looked at her and noticed some plastic rectangle case.

"What's that?" he asked, Rika took that case and opened it and took some cards from there. Sergey looked at them and asked "Are those the Digimon cards?" he asked, Rika nodded "Wow! Wait I have some in my pocket." He putted his hand in his pocket and started to search for the cards, after few minutes he shouted "Found them!"

He pulled them out from his pocket and showed them to Rika, she looked at them one of them was called "Frozen Evolution" and another one was called "Shadow Chains". "Where did you get these from?" she asked him, he looked at her and said "I found them while me and my mom were in a park." "I've never seen those cards before, they are a very rare, do know how to play the game?" he shaked his head, "Well them I will teach you."

2 months later.

Rika's parents have divorced and now Rika lived with her mother and grandma, Sergey's parents were helping them as much as they could. Rika was spending most of her playing with Sergey; his Japanese have improved and he now could speak and write like a pure Japanese person. "Now, Digi-modify "DNA Digivolution" activated, I fuse my MetalGarurumon and WarGreymon in order to create Omnimon! Now Omnimon attack Rika's Piedmon and destroy him!" And in their imagination Omnimon fought Piedmon and won. "Yes! I win again!" shouted Sergey, Rika looked disappointed "How could I lose to you five times in a row?" "Well, let me check your deck." Rika handled him her deck, he started to look through it "Aha, I see a problem!" "So what's the problem with my deck?" she asked. Sergey looked at her and answered.

"All of your cards only increase the power of your Digimon; they don't increase their neither speed nor defense and leave them defenseless against you opponent's card effect." "So what should I do?" she asked him, "We would have to get you some new cards. Let's go!" "Okay, but I will tell my grandma first." "Sure, I will wait you here." Rika rushed to her grandma, she was in the kitchen washing dishes, and then Rika rushed in.

"Grandma, I and Sergey wanna go to the shop and buy me some new cards so can I have some money, please?" her grandma smiled "Okay, but I want both of you to be careful then crossing the road." "Okay grandma!" Rika took the money and rushed towards the exit "Kids those days." She smiled to herself and continued to wash the dishes.

Rika took Sergey and they went towards the shop. Then they were going back, then suddenly a truck camed from nowhere, Rika was busy looking at her new cards and did not notice the truck but Sergey did and pushed Rika from its way and got hit instead.

Flash back ended, back in the present.

Everybody was shocked by such tragedy; nobody was daring to say a word. Takato took all his bravery and asked "And what happened to Sergey after?" Rika's mother wanted to say something, but Sergey interfered "Miss Rumiko, can I finish the story?" she nodded.

Sergey took a deep breath and started, "After the accident I was hospitalized and I had a lot of surgeries, doctors literally rebuilded my bones from the scratch but they couldn't fix my leg muscles to move so my legs were paralyzed and my family had to move back to Kazakhstan for my rehabilitation. " "But how can you walk now if your legs were paralyzed?" Takato asked.

Everybody looked angrily at him "I am getting close towards it, now where did I stop? Oh yeah I remember, and then we moved back to Kazakhstan I couldn't make any new friends because I was in a wheeled chair. I even couldn't go to school, but my parents hired tutors who studied with me and most of the time I spend alone in the garden until that day."

Sergey have created suspense and then continued "It was an ordinary day, I was riding through the garden on my wheeled chair, and suddenly I heard someone crying for help. I went in that direction, and then I reached that place where I saw someone stuck in the grape wines. Were you calling out for help?" "Yes" the voice from above was calling out to me.

So I took all the strength I had and climbed up until I saw what was calling for help, I thought that I am insane because I saw a humanoid fox stuck in the wines. But it didn't stop me; I tore up the wines and freed that fox and then the wines under me tore and I have fall on the ground, but something has catched me. Then I looked up I saw that fox holding me.

"Can you walk?" she asked, I shaked my head and pointed towards my chair. She carried me towards it and seated. "Who are you?" I asked, she looked at me and replied "My name is Renamon and I am a Digimon." "A Digimon?" I asked, "Yes, now human do you need help to get home?"

I nodded and she started to push my chair towards my house, we kept the silence on until we reached my house and suddenly she collapsed, only then I noticed that she was bleeding. I picked her up and carried her towards my room where I disinfected and putted some bandages on her wound; she was sleeping for three days until she woke up I was sitting right beside her, then she woke up she was confused and curios to know where she was.

Her first words were "Where I am human?" "You are at my house, don't worry you are safe now." She tried to stand up but failed and I fixed her blanket "You have to rest the wound is still bleeds but if won't make any quick moves it will heal in no time." She looked at me and asked "Why do you care about me?" I answered that question in a very sad tone "Because you are the only person I have met except the teachers and doctors, besides you are wounded and I am taking care of you."

She looked at me and her eyes I could see that feel sorry for me, "You don't have any friends?" she asked me "How can I have any friends if the only place I can go to is the garden outside? And all of my old friends have forgotten about me." After hearing that she putted her hand on my shoulder and said "I can be your friend." I nodded and said "Thank you, we will be great friends."

Then I started to spend all of my free time with her, lately my parents found out about her. I thought that they would force me to get rid from her but they didn't mind, after some time we figured out that she was a girl and named her Rena. This is how I and Rena met, after sometime our bound become so strong that she developed some sort of attack called a "Tsubusa Wave".

Then she would concentrate all of her emotions she could or create a wave that can cure or a wave that may destroy everything in its way. So this is how she cured me and then I became her tamer and we went to a digital world to visit her mother and now I am here!"

Sergey have finished his story and breathed out, everybody was glad, because that story had a happy ending. The evening continued with jokes and funny stories from their adventures in the digital world, somewhere between 00:00 and 00:30 a.m.

Sergey called Rena and they left to get some more plates, Rika was curious about what Sergey have planned because there were enough plates for everyone and why did he took Rena with him? After few minutes the light in the house switched off.

"What happened?" shouted Rika's mother and after few moments they saw some light coming towards them. "It could be a trap!" shouted Takato and in the same moment the Tamers prepared their digivices and were ready for battle, but instead of an attack or a battle cry they heard someone singing "Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday Dear Rika! Happy Birthday to you!"

And behind the light they saw Sergey and Rena pushing it towards them and singing the "Happy Birthday!" song and then they could close them they saw that the light was coming from candles on the cake. "Happy Birthday Rika! And this is just a little present from my parents." Said Sergey then the cake was already in front of Rika, "Happy Birthday Rika!" was spelt on a cake with golden letters and on the top of the cake was a statue of a Sakuyamon.

"Is the statue made from the real gold?" Takato asked, Sergey looked at him and answered "Well that sort of sugar is called golden and you can say that it's made from the golden sugar, oh by the way you can also eat it. Now Rika make a wish and blow the candles!"

In her mind Rika wished that Sergey would stay with her for some time and with that thought she blew the candles, everybody applauded and Sergey started to cut the cake and Rena passed the plates and brought a pot with tea and for the rest of the evening they were drinking tea and eating the cake.

At 01:00 a.m. everybody started to leave until only Rika and Sergey with Rika's mother and grandmother were left in the courtyard. "Okay let's start cleaning up!" suggested Rika's mom "Well since I am a guest, I and Rena can clean up while you could help us with our luggage." "I can help you." Rika looked him in the eyes and expected him to say yes but he simply putted his hand on her forehead and smiled.

"Rika, it's still your birthday and birthday girls never clean after their party, besides I don't want you to overwork." Rika blushed nobody except him have ever talked to her like that. Then he simply turned his back and started to pick up the dishes, she wanted to help him but her mother putted her hand on her shoulder and whispered.

"He won't accept your help, but if you help him with his luggage he will appreciate it." And her mother winked, Rika understood what her mother meant and followed her. In living room they found Sergey's and Rena's luggage: there were 5 suitcases four of them had a letter "R" on them and only one had a letter "S" on it. "I think R means Rena and S Sergey aren't I am right Rika?" Her mother asked, Rika nodded "Maybe we should put the Rena's entire luggage in the guest room and Sergey's into your room, what you think Rika?" "Yes, lets... What?" she shouted.

"Well he could also sleep this night with you." Rika was shocked by her mother's ideas, after few minutes they carried Rena's luggage into the guest room and Sergey's luggage into Rika's room.

After an hour Sergey and Rena finished cleaning up the courtyard and washed all the dishes, Sergey found Rika near the bathroom in her pajama brushing her teeth then she noticed him she finished brushing her teeth "Man I need a shower." He said "No I need it first." Rena answered back. "Fine lady's first. And by the way Rika where is my bag?" "It's in my room and Rena's is in the guest room." Sergey smiled again and left, after few moments him camed back with a shampoo, two towels and two pajamas.

"What's that for?" Rika asked "Well it's our favorite shampoo which causes your hair to freeze and my and Rena's towels and pajamas." And in the same moment Rena took the shampoo and the pink towel and pajama and entered the shower and closed the door. Rika looked at Sergey and asked him "Why Rena does use the shower and wears a pajama?" he looked at her and answered.

"She wants to look more like a human girl and less like Digimon and my parents like it; she even will go to school with me." Rika was interested in listening everything about Rena and after all the explanations, Rena have camed out from the shower wearing her pink pajama.

"The shower felt great and thank you Rika for letting me use it." She bowed to her and then turned to Sergey and kissed him in a check "Good night, my little tamer." Sergey hugged her and said "Good night Rena."

After that he went to the shower and Rika headed to her room, she prepared her bed and noticed that in corner was prepared a sleeping bag and after a few minutes Sergey entered the room and lay in his bag.

"Good night Rika, thank you for letting me stay in your room." She looked at him and softly replied "No it's thank you for coming and for the birthday party." He smiled and Rika switched off the light and the dreams have carried her in her dreamland, and this time in her dream then the truck was heading towards Sergey he simply activated his armor and slashed the truck in two, then simply removed his helmet and looked at her. He smiled and said "See, and you there worry about me. Now nothing can split us again." And whole night Rika was seeing dreams only about him.