Disclaimer: I don't repeated, I just don't own

Chapter 2

Problems Arise

"Took you long enough!" Muttered the cat, who's paws were slung over Rhane's shoulders was dangling on the girls back. "I've been waiting there forever!"

"And, who are you?" Rhane asked pompously.

"I'm BlackGatomon, some people call me Talimon" Said the cat, who then swung o stand in front of Rhane. Rhane and Kari both studied her. She was a black mirror to Kari's Gatomon, who stood hissing. Her tail-ring was silver, and her claw gloves were blue with red, rather than yellow and Orange. And the tuffs and bands on her fur were a violate shade, rather than purple.

"Traitor!" cried Gatomon, streaking towards Talimon, "Lightning Claw!" She raced to punch Talimon.

"Lightning Kick!" countered Talimon, lashing out with incredible speed to kick Gatmon back into Kari's Legs.

"I'm Fine" said the white feline, "I'd be better if SHE wasn't here though" She shook her tail in Talimon's direction.

"Its not like I ASKED for you to be here!" The black cat shot back.

"Girls, girls!" chided Rhane, "Calm down, its not like you'll see each other much."

"Yes, they will" Said Tai solemnly, "Now you're responsible for what happens here. If three more Digi-Eggs appeared, there must be trouble."

"But what do I have to do with this?" Rhane asked, confused.

"Everything. You were chosen to be one of us" Sora said quietly. "Now, lets go home and try to get some things sorted out" Rhane nodded dumbly and allowed Matt to lead her from the cave, oblivious to Sora's jealous glare.

"Can you help me Matt?" Rhane asked, "I'm so confused, and I'm scared."

"I'll help you all I can" Matt told her, slinging an arm around her shoulders. "All I can."

"You Ok Sora?" Tai asked from ahead of them.

"Just fine" Sora told him sounding the exact opposite, as she stepped up to the television and held out her Digivice. Tai and Mimi followed her, then the rest of the Digi-destined, finally, only Matt and Rhane were left, with Gaubumon and Talimon.

"Hey" said Matt, "You want to meet me for dinner tonight? I'll give you a tour of the city, and maybe help you with this digi-destined thing" he gave her a warm smile.

"I'd like that" Rhane told him, blushing.

"Great, how about I swing by around seven?" He said with a smile.

"That would be great" She blushed, "Now how do I get out of here?"

"Hold your D-3 up to the TV and let I pull you through" He told her, "You go first."

"Here it goes" Rhane took a deep breath and followed his instructions, moments later; she reappeared in the real world, in the school computer lab. "Rough ride?" she asked, smiling at the pile of teens strewn on the floor, limbs jumbled, whom she had landed gracefully upon. Rhane stood up hurriedly, not wanting Matt to fall on top of her.

After gracelessly untangling their bodies from one another, the Digi-Destined headed their separate ways.

"What took you so long coming back?" Mimi asked curiously, "Did you get lost?"

"In Matt's eyes" Sora said under her breath.

"For your information Sora" she practically spat the name, "NO. Matt and I were just talking. He invited me to dinner tonight and then to show me the town" Rhane smiled smugly.

"I can show you around" Sora informed her.

"But Matt offered, and it would be so rude to refuse" Rhane gave a girlish giggle and batted her eyelashes sweetly.

"When's he coming around?" Mimi asked her.

"He said around seven" was Rhane's reply.

"Well, it's 5:30 now" Mimi informed her, "And there's Sora's place" She pointed at the house with a warm glow emitting.

"Good" Rhane heaved a sigh of relief, "I'm going to need all the time I can to get ready for tonight… I need a shower REALLY badly" She rushed ahead of the two girls and opened the door to the house, greeting her aunt as she headed for the shower in her room.

After washing, drying and straitening her hair, Rhane went to her recently-unpacked suitcase and shoved it under her bed, then headed for the closet where her clothes were hung up, to figure and outfit for that night. Her final decision was a high-necked halter that tied with a bead choker 'round her neck, and was tight, ending just above her navel, and gathered slightly just below her chest. With it, she chose a thin, khaki-material pleated mini skirt in a dark shade of cream, and a pair of brown lace-up high heels. Her finishing touches were her makeup, which included a sugar-cream and a dark bronze eye shadow duo, brown eyeliner, brown-black mascara and a pink gloss for her lips. With her last ten minutes before Matt was set to arrive, Rhane painted two clear coats on her nails, to give them a 'perfect' finish.

When the bell rang, Rhane jumped in surprise, disturbing Talimon's nap. "Coming" She called as she rushed to the door, fixing her hair roughly as she was in motion. "Hi" She called, slightly breathless, opening the door for Matt.

"You look…" he struggled to find the words, "amazing" was his final choice.

"Thanks" She giggled and blushed, "Should we get going?" When he nodded his agreement, she turned and called into the house, "Goodbye! I'll be back late!" and followed Matt to the street. "Where are we going?" she asked, walking beside him.

"One of my favorite places" He gave her a sly smile. A quarter of an hour later, they turned up outside a cute, candle lit restaurant.

"Welcome, to 'The Rose'" said a gentleman at the door, "Do you have reservations?"

Matt nodded, "Ishida, for two." Rhane blushed. Thinking, Rhane determined that had the man been speaking English, his accent would have been slightly French.

"It's so adorable!" Rhane admired aloud, regarding the dark red plush atmosphere with reverence. She noted each table had a single candle to light it and an assortment of roses in a vase. The host lead them to a shadowed booth closer to the back, where it was much more private.

"If I'd known you were taking me somewhere so fancy, I would have dressed up" she informed him in a sweet mannerism. "I thought dinner was just going to be quick bite to eat… a stroll around central Tokyo…"

"I wanted to surprise you" Matt told her.

"I'm surprised, very surprised" She sighed, placed her elbows on the table, linked her fingers and then rested her chin upon them. "So" She said, "Who is this 'Matt Ishida' I spend so much time with?" she inquired.

"No one special" He told her nonchalantly, "I'm in high school, same year as Sora, I'm lead singer and guitarist in my band, 'Teenage Wolves'" He took a breath as Rhane's eyes lit up with interest. "Um… I've got a younger brother, but you've already met him," To Rhane's quizzical look, he informed her, "TK. There's not much else… I live with my dad, TK's with our mom… And Gaubumon and I have been partners for over three years, since the first group of us were sent to the Digital World."

"Wow… That's amazing" Rhane breathed, then remembered something, "Matt, is there something between you and Sora?" she asked cautiously.

"No, why?" He blinked his liars sign.

"Because she's my cousin, and all this… It seems really to special. I cant do anything to Sora, were blood" Rhane said, letting her head sink, "She looked so mad when I said you were showing me the town, that and jealous."

"Sora and I use to be together, but I couldn't live with the guilt. Tai is my best friend, and he'd do anything for her. Stop water, catch the moon… I couldn't ruin by best friends life, not over a girl" he sighed, "We broke up about three months ago, she must still be sore over it. I'm sorry if this is uncomfortable Rhane, I can take you back home if you want, for get this whole thing ever happened."

"No" Rhane assured him, "Sora will have to learn to live with it, and I'm having a good time."

Matt was about to reply when the waiter arrived. Matt ordered a steak dinner with a coke, and Rhane had a chicken Caesar salad, a glass of diet coke and one of water.

"But, tell me about yourself" Matt prompted her.

"Me? I'm just your average New Yorker" Rhane winked, "I eat, drink and breath pollution on a day to day basis in the heart of Shopping America. I met Mimi two years ago, just after she moved. We bumped into each other shopping." Rhane giggled, "I've had a fairly normal life. Mom is a corporate lawyer; daddy's a surgeon, so money was never a problem. It's just Mom, Daddy and Me, and now Talimon I guess." She smiled at him as there food arrived, and thanked the waiter.

"It looks so good!" She said in near amazement.

"It tastes even better" Matt teased her as they both tucked in to eat.

After supper, Matt took Rhane for a stroll around town, stopping at a quaint ice cream parlor for desert, where they both got ice cream cones and then continued their tour. Matt was pointing out bits and pieces of his home town, while Rhane walked with him in a daze.

"Lets sit" Matt offered as they came to a park lit by soft, romantic bulbs.

Rhane obliged and sat as indicated beside him. "It's all so beautiful" She breathed for the hundredth time that day. "The lights, the scenes…"

"You?" Matt offered and Rhane blushed. "Sorry" he apologized, "Its not…"

"Don't be sorry" Rhane said, putting a hand gently on his arm. "Please don't be sorry."

They sat in silence a few moments, before Rhane grew uncomfortable. "So those things I picked up today."

"The Digi-Eggs?" Matt asked.

"Yeah, them" she waved off the name, "What do they do?"

"Well, they aren't used much now, but they help your digimon digivolve and become more powerful. TK and the others used them when Ken, the Digimon emperor, tried to control the land and used his Dark Towers to prohibit digivolution through normal means. It was the only way they could get more power and fight." Matt explained patiently, "Each egg has a different crest on it, and each crest is compatible with each digimon partner. But the crests are from about four years ago, when Tai, Sora, Mimi, Joe, Izzy, TK and myself first went to the digital world. We used the crests for our partners to digivolve to their ultimate level. Then Kari found her crest, and became the eighth child. And last September, when Davis, Cody and Yolie went, they each got two Digi-Eggs, each representing a different crest."
"But that means there were still two crests. And what about Ken? You said he was like, the bad guy?" Rhane looks stricken.

"Yeah. TK and Kari only got one Digi-Egg each, but they kept their old crests." Matt started before he was interrupted again.

"What were the crests?" Rhane wanted to know.

"I had Friendship. Tai's was Courage, Mimi got Sincerity and Sora received Love. Then Izzy got knowledge and Joe found Reliability. TK's is hope and Kari's is light. Ken was a digidestined, but he followed a dark path for a time, eventually, the new crew convinced him to fight the good fight and he switched sides. Then, he found the Digi-Egg of Kindness."

"What Digi-Eggs did the others find?" Rhane pressed.

"Davis found Courage, then Friendship. Yolie got Love and Sincerity and Cody" Matt was cut off.

"Has Knowledge and Reliability?" Rhane offered.

"Right" Matt smiled and slung an arm around her shoulders, causing the blush gracing her cheeks to deepen. "But you… I've never seen your crests before."

Rhane leaned her head on his shoulder, half-aware of her actions. "Will you help me?" She wanted to know, "help me figure out what they are and how to use them?'

"Yeah," Matt told her gently, wrapping his other arm around her in a gentle embrace, "I will."

Although Rhane felt her face flush with joy at his touch, at his kindness, she knew she must pull away, but though she hated the thought, she knew it bled truth. "Now!" She insisted, pulling away abruptly, "Why not now?"

"'Why not now' what?" Matt asked.

"Lets go there – to the Digital world!" Rhane was nearly bouncing for joy, "We can look around, see what we can figure. Maybe discover what the symbols on the eggs are!" the excitement was livid in her voice.

"What about Talimon? Shouldn't we go back and get her? You cant go around the digital world unprotected, and to figure out the eggs we may need her." Matt asked, the, sorrowfully, he mused, "But going back would cause questions to arise, And Sora would want to come. And I don't want that" His eyes were downcast.

"Don't want Sora to come? Why ever not?" Rhane teased, longing to hear the words from his own lips, the words that had been teasing her in silence all night.

"Because, this is our night" Rhane's ace fell at his words. " How should I put this?" he thought aloud, "I'm… like a kid who doesn't want to share his favorite toy. I want to have you to myself – at least for tonight." Rhane's face flared. Maybe he was a romantic after all.

"The… that's so sweet!" Rhane cooed, lost in her own fantasy world.

"But what's it matter?" Matt heaved a sigh. "Were stuck here, in real time, and a real place, unless we want to be disturbed in the Digital world by either your cousin, or by Mimi .I'll have to show you some other time." Matt allowed his head to fall to his chest.

"But that's the glory of it" Rhane smiled, "We don't have to go back there" she lifted up her large purse. "Because we have a stow-away" She smiled mischievously as she placed the bag on the bench between them. "Talimon, I know your in there" She warned as she opened the bag, revealing a very grumpy black-and-purple cat.

"It's stuffy in there" complained the feline, climbing out.

"Hello to you too" Said Matt, stretching out over the bench, "You've got your D-3?"

"Right here" Rhane pulled it from her bag.

"Than what are we waiting for?" Matt offered her a hand up, which she accepted gratefully, stumbling purposefully into his chest as she stood. "Lets go." He took her hand and led her towards the school.

To Rhane's disappointment, it only took ten minutes to reach the school. And to deepen her sorrow, there was a light shining from the computer room.

"Darn" Matt said, under his breath, "They must be here."

"Oh well" Rhane tried to cheer him up, "We'll just avoid them" she put a smile on her face though her heart was falling. She was looking forward to a nice, quiet visit to the digital world, not one which was to be interrupted by a group of children, chosen or not.

"Are you sure?" Matt questioned, suddenly uneasy, "I mean, maybe we should come back some other time…" he trailed of.

"They're probably just trying to figure out what the 'latest' evil is" she mocked. "We'll be fine, lets go." Turning to the screen, she held her D-3 high and cried, "DIGI-PORT, OPEN!" and she allowed herself to be digitized through it. Moments after she had arrived, she heard Matt come through behind her.

"I knew you wouldn't leave me to fend for my self" Rhane teased, "Lets go explore" She smiled, happy as a kid in a candy store, and bolted in one direction, forcing Matt to follow her.

"Wait up Rhane!" called Matt, stumbling into a clearing, and nearly into the very girl he chased. "What's wrong?" he could she that she was shaking from head to toe, rooted to the spot. He looked up from behind her and saw devastation. The younger group of Digidestines stood, faces set hard, as they cheered their partners on. Their partners, their friends… They looked ragged and worn, and there were only three.

"What happened to the others?" Rhane asked Matt.

"Huh?" he said, startled, "others?"

"There are only three digimon, three are missing" She told him, matter-of-factly.

"No" Matt shook his head, "They're all there."

"What do you take me for? Blind?" Rhane wants to know.

"They DNA digivolved, they merged. It's a powerful transformation." He tells her, remembering that this is the first time she's heard many of these tales.

"I… I want to help them" She says quietly. "I don't like just standing here. But I'm useless" Tears are falling from her eyes, "I can't do anything."

"Yes you can. You've got Talimon" She can feel him smile behind her as he rests his hands comfortingly on her shoulders.

"Well?" Comes a voice from below Rhane's shoulder, startling her, "Are we going to do this or not?"

Rhane nods confidently, than blushes. "What do I do?"

"The eggs" Talimon says, "Get the one that was like a cone, and teal." She seemed to be in a trance

Rhane nodded her understanding and flipped through her D-Terminal. "Got it"

"Now" instructs an alien voice, "feel your hurt, your rage and your sorrow."

Rhane looked around and saw a cat-woman digimon, like an Egyptian picture.

"Who are you?" She wanted to know

"I am Bastemon" says the being. "I am to be your guide to these trials. To help your friends you must activate the egg" she fades into the background, but Rhane can still feel her presence.

She feels it, all the sorrow she has over being unable to help, the rage she feels towards her cousin and the hurt of a pining heart

"To activate the digivolution, you must command it with, 'Digi Armor Energize'" came Bastemon's voice

"DIGI ARMOR ENERGIZE!" Rhane calls with all the emotions coursing through her veins.

"Talimon, Armor Digivolve to…" Comes the voce she knows as she is enveloped in silver light, "Gryphmon!" comes a rumbling female voice, "Midnight's Storm!"

Where Talimon had stood was now a larger creature who's front was that of an eagle, and whose back resembled a lion. She was a Gryphon, a marvelous, dark grey gryphon with thick black and silver armor.

"Who is that?" She asks apprehensively, pointing at the creature they are about to battle

"I AM CelestScorpiomon!" roared the beast, "A star bound scorpion with an iron will. My Star Stinger attack has a tendency to knock my opponents out" his voice is comanding, but Rhane pays no attention. By now the other chosen children have turned to stare at her.

"And Im Rhane" She said, "Prepare to meet your maker" her last words came out as a hiss "Gryphmon! Go!" she commanded, as though she was a veterane, not a first-timer. She prayed the monster would not see her through her façade.

"TEMPEST STRIKER!" cried her partner, honing in for the attack, as she struck the creature head on, sending it careening backwards. "TYPHOONS FLAME!" she attacked, thistime with wings ablaze, she slashed CelestScorpiomon acrose his boastful body, setting part of him ablaze.

"Care to let us in on the fun?" came two voices from one humaniode creature

"Be my guest" growled Gryphmon

"STATIC FORCE!" Attacks Silphymon.

"Star veil" the words come in a hused whisper, but are imensly powerful, for, before the static attack reaches him, CelestScorpiomon had vanished.

"ok, weird much?" Rhane said with a sigh, "what was that all about?'

"Thanks for your help Rhane" Kari said with slight frost in her voice, "Im sure we could have hanndeled it

"Didn't seem to be going to well when I came in" Rhane retorted rudely

"Kari!" demanded Davis, "Whats wrong with you? Rhane as a really big help!" turnog to Rhane, he said, "Thanks so much! You should come in with us some time"

"Whatever" Rhane's eyes were slits and she glared at Kari. "Gryphmon? Matt? Lets bounce" Rhane walked deeper into the forest, away from everyone, in need of seclusion.

"Are you ok Rhane?" Matt asked gently

"Im fine" She hissed, but her voice was breaking, "Just fine" her last words came out a sobb and she sunk to her knees, tears falling from her face

"Don't cry" chidied Talimon, "You'll make your mascara run"

"Where did you hear about Mascara?" Rhane giggled at the though

"Mimi" was the digimon's simplistic reply.

"That would make sence." Said Matt, sinking beside Rhane and wraping his arms around her comfortingly, "Its ok to cry Rhane, never foret that. Cry all you pain out, help it mend your heart" he soothed her, letting her dampen his shirt with her tears.

"All I wanted to do was help" Rahe sobbed, "why was she so cold?" she refered to the usualy kind Kari, the one who had been concerned for her when Talimon lept from the black light.

"we'll find out, but first, why don't we try to find that other Digimon, what was her name? Bastemon?" Matt asked, Rhane nodded in reply and stood beside him.

"I can feel her" Talimon said, "She just ahead of us!"

With those words, the group rushed forward into the unknown untill they reached a shadowed clearing, decorated with a mystic's tent.

"That must be her's" Said Matt, eyeing the gold coin hangings.

"Lets go" Rhane had dried her tars and walked boldly forward.

"Welcom young ones" a voice shifted through the trees, "Come in" it was mysterious, and as the Digi destined approached the tent, they were choked with havily inenced air.

"Bastemon?" Rhane called, sudenly nervous

"I am here" the digimon emerged from the shadowed door way, face veil fluttering in the soft summer breeze. Now that Rhane got a good look at her, she saw exact details of her figure. She was a tall digimon, with a vulptuious woman's figure, covered in soft chestnut coloured fur. Her had long braided red hair which was held with a diamoned adorned hair tie. Her cat-eras were large and black, her face veil a lavender gauze and her head was adorned with a gold tiara with an amethyst in the center. Her arms were covered with black sleeves and decorated with bracelets, opening to clawd hands scattered with rings. Her on her upper body, she wore a red corset style top that cut off above her belly. On her legs, she wor parachute-style pants with a leopard print that tappered below her knees to fim cuffs. Finaly, she sprouted two black tails, bolt which held gold bangels.

"Please" Rhane asked, apprehensive, "can you help us?"

"All things will be mended in time young one" Came her reply, as she shifted the gauze door-hangings.

Rhane stepped forward into the tent, followed closely by Talimon and Matt. The air was misty with incense, and stifling hot. "Please" coughed Matt, "can we open a window?"

"No" was their hostess's curt reply, as she sat at a table set with a crystal ball, tarot cards and sticks of incense. "Rhane" her voice was faint, "Sit"

Rhane obliged and Bastemon's eyes seemed to role back on her head "A time for Darkness and Truth shall arise, before the celestial are defeated. Though twelve you know, thirteen there are. When all seems lost, crystals will shine, and the time for the thrice-armored shall come. Beware the snake, for he is most powerful. Beware…" her voice trialed off and she slunk into a coma-state. As Rhane began to rise, Bastemon awakened again, "To save what need be saved, thirteen must become celestials, but stars may become dark. Beware." She fainted again, and this time, when Rhane rose, their hostess did not awake.

XanglequeenX I hope you got the email I sent as a reply to to your question, for everyones information, there arnt really any perminetnt pairings, but some should be made cleaer in this chapter.

JyouraKoumi Thnx… I think ;

Whatsiee thanks!