(A/N)January: Thanks SOOOOO much to my reviewers and those who added me to their story alerts/faves :3 that totally made my day :D
Etheron: Get on with it…
January: Rightee-oo…
So here's the next chappie of "A Vengeful Digimon". If you've noticed a change in the title, you're totally right! I had to change it from "AN Vengeful Digimon" to "A Vengeful Digimon" when I noticed the mistake.
Etheron: Idiot…
January: I wish I'd come up with a better title, though..
So in this chapter, there'll be more Ryuki, and they'll get to the digital world.
BTW, I'm using the American ages and names, incase you haven't noticed. The Japanese ones just get me really, REALLY confused..
xX.X.Xx
This photo shoot was just getting worse and worse for Rika Nonaka.
The photographer had made them do individual poses at first, saying stupid things to Rika like "Work it, girl!" And "Smile pretty for the camera, Sweetie Pie!", which caused Ryo to snicker from his place at the refreshment table.
Then came the inevitable. Somehow, Rika just KNEW it was going to happen.
"Well, we have some great shots so far, darlings" said the camera man. "BUT.. we don't have any shots of you two together!" He shooed the two photo shoot-ees (A/N: I made that word up..) back towards the set.
Rika just stood there with her arms crossed, doing her usual Ice Queen look. Ryo smiled cheerily. The Photographer snapped a few pictures.
Now don't think that's what Rika thought was the worst part. No, the photographer just COULDN'T be satisfied with the two of them in the picture. He just HAD to have something more, didn't he?
"Well, that's pretty good work, you two. We've almost got what we need." He chirped. One word stood out for Rika: "ALMOST".
"What do you mean by 'ALMOST'?" She demanded.
"Welll… do you think we could take a few shots of you two being more.. intimate?" the photographer asked innocently.
Both Ryo and Rika gave him blank stares. Ryo was the first to speak.
"What do you mean by 'INTIMATE'?" he asked. Rika feared the worst. There was no way, NO WAY she was going to do anything like-
"Well… I dunno, maybe you two could act more like a… like a couple" the photographer was still using that utterly innocent, 'Just-a-suggestion' tone of voice. Rika knew there was no getting out of this now. She'd been to photo shoots before, and she knew full well that no matter how much they sounded like they were simply asking you opinion, they were going to get their way. Finally, she burst.
"WE'RE NOT A COUPLE!" she shouted angrily.
The photographer shrugged. "I know that.. but… it'd be very good for our sales, if we had a story like that"
Rika glared. "No. No way. Never."
"Okayy.. fine…" the photographer sighed. "I guess we'll just have to use that picture of that gamer kid who beat the new video game in 24 hours as our cover page story.. we might be able to fit your article in around the end, though… since it's not going to be such an eye-grabber…"
Rika glared at the photographer. 'Damn him!' she thought. 'Resorting to blackmail, just to get me to.. to act like I'm going out Hero-boy, and to paste it all over the media.'
She shook her head no. "Think I care? Think again. If that's all you want, then I'm leaving." She turned towards the studio doors, and was taking a step to leave when she felt a hand grab her wrist.
"Rika, you can't!" Ryo cried dramatically. "This article means so much to me! I'd be totally shattered if I gave up the front page to a gamer!"
'Ryo's a good actor..' Rika thought. 'This is DEFINETLY not fair.' If it wasn't for the twinkle in the blue-eyed boys eyes, or the quick wink he gave her, she would've totally believed him. And probably broken down laughing.
"That's right!" the photographer completely bought the acting, and whether what Ryo was saying mattered or not to him, he used it as a lifeline. This article was going to make him big bucks.
"C'mon, Rika!" Ryo whispered. "I'll treat you to lunch later!"
Rika was caving. But she couldn't help wondering why he was doing this. What was in it for him?
"Only if you explain this later," she whispered back.
"Done." he confirmed, still whispering.
"Okay, fine. I'll take a few pictures with Ryo." Rika said, glaring icily at the photographer. "But if any rumours start about us being a couple, I'll sue you for all you've got."
'Fine by me..' the photographer thought. 'By the time I sell this shot, I'll be so rich you could sue me a dozen times over!'
"So, umm.. what exactly do you want us to do?" Ryo asked, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.
"Well.. if you could just put your arms around Mrs. Nonaka's waist…"
Rika glared at the photographer, then at Ryo. (A/N: this girl does A LOT of glaring) Ryo slipped his arms around her waist, and pulled her closer to him. "Lunch. Whatever you want." he reminded her.
And so Rika put up with the pictures, and even cooperated so far as to put a hand on Ryo's shoulder. She didn't want to admit it, but his strong arms were comforting. She didn't even notice herself relaxing into his embrace.
'This is actually kinda.. nice..' she thought. Then she stopped herself. 'No, nothing that involves Ryo Akiyama is nice. I did not just think that. But.. I do feel kinda.. calm and even a bit happy… this feels so… just so right.' Then she mentally smacked herself. 'Rika Nonaka, there is no way you're allowed to fall for Akiyama. It'd all turn bad, and anyways, as if you have a chance.'
xX.X.Xx
"There are always new evil digimon in the digital world, Alice. The sovereigns can handle them." Henry said calmly.
"That's the thing though," Alice replied, her fingers dancing across the keyboard. "The sovereigns know this digimon is there, but they don't know WHERE it is, and so far no matter how many other digimon see it, they can't seem to locate it. Also, they think it might have an actual tamer."
"A tamer? But wouldn't we know if another human accessed the digital world?"
"Hypnos hasn't really detected anything. But then again, they can't exactly follow everything that happens in the digital world, can they?"
"I guess not.. do they have any idea what level this digimon's at?"
"So far, they think it's at around an ultimate level. So if there is a tamer, he or she hasn't biomerged. Yet."
Henry looked thoughtful. "Well, if the sovereigns think it's dangerous, maybe Suzie, Ai and Mako should stay out of the digital world till this gets cleared up." He wrapped his arms around Alice's waist again. "Speaking of the digital world…" he said coyly. "Takato's planning another camping trip with the tamers, and I was wondering if you wanted to come too. You could really meet everyone, and we could tell them about, well, us."
Alice leaned into his embrace. "I dunno, Henry.. the last time I was in the digital world was when Dobermon was still… here." Her eyes were sad. Henry nuzzled her neck.
"I know you still really miss him, but.. maybe this could be fun. I know I wouldn't have any fun if I was stuck there without you, thinking about you all alone…"
Alice smiled slightly. "I guess I could.. but what if the other tamers don't want me there?"
Henry gave her a reassuring smile. "They'll be happy to have someone along for the trip. Espescially Jeri, since her and Rika are the only girls."
"Then I'll come. I guess I do need something to do…"
"Great." Henry said happily, before kissing her sweetly.
xX.X.Xx
Takato and Jeri were up in Takato's room packing for the camping trip.
"Do you think I'll need a jacket?" Takato asked while rummaging through his closet.
"Hmm.. well, you never know in the digital world." Jeri replied from her position on his bed.
The two had been dating since a few months after the D-Reaper incident. They were practically inseparable. Takato added a jacket to his knapsack.
Just then, his phone rang. His parents had let him get his own phone line, since his calls with Jeri had always been tying up the bakery phone.
"Hello? Takato speaking."
"Hello Takato. This is Yamaki." A voice spoke through the receiver.
"Hi Yamaki. Is this about our trip to the digital world?" Takato asked, hoping nothing had happened to cancel their trip.
"Yes, I guess it is."
Takato's heart sank. "Oh.. what's happened?"
"Well, our sources have detected another evil digimon.." Yamaki explained pretty much everything that Alice had told Henry.
"That shouldn't be too much of a problem," Takato said confidently. "We can handle it, no sweat!"
"Well, I guess you could, since you did take down the D-Reaper.. but if anything goes wrong, you're all coming right back here. We're responsible to you, and we don't want anything bad happening."
"Great. So the trip's still on for tomorrow?"
"Well actually, I was thinking that since we have a good connection up and running right now, we could maybe leave in a few hours?"
"A few hours? Okay, sounds good. I'm pretty sure that Rika's photo shoot-thing is done by now," Takato replied, checking his watch. "I'll just call the others, and we'll be over by 5, okay?"
"Great. See you then" Yamaki hung up.
Takato turned to Jeri. "Well, it seems we're needed in the digital world again."
xX.X.Xx
All the tamers, minus Ryo and Rika were assembled at Takato's house. He had called them there to explain about the new digimon and about them needing to get to the digital world.
"I just can't get a hold of Rika or Ryo." He told them. Does anyone know where they'd be?"
"Hmm.. maybe Rika was hungry after her photo shoot. Knowing her, she'd probably have gone to her favourite restaurant for something to eat." Henry replied. "As for Ryo, I have no idea."
"Okay then.." Takato said, thinking. "Well, Jeri and I will go find Rika, and the rest of you should get home and pack."
xX.X.Xx
Rika was sitting at a table in her favourite restaurant. Ryo was sitting across from her. He'd promised her lunch, and she intended to make him keep that promise. He'd also promised to explain what he was thinking at the photo shoot.
"So, Akiyama," Rika said after she'd ordered. "Explain to me what was going on in that messed-up head of yours at the photo shoot, like you said you would."
Ryo looked at his food. 'Why's he doing that?' Rika thought. 'Wait.. why's he blushing?? He does look sorta cute when he blushes.. sorta.. No! Stop thinking those thoughts! YOU ARE NOT FALLING FOR AKIYAMA!' Then she realized that Ryo was looking at her.
"Rika… I.. well.. I guess why I did that was cuz I…" Ryo started. But then Rika heard someone shouting her name.
"Rika! Rika, over here!" the person who was shouting was Jeri, who Rika saw across the street with Takato.
"What's Jeri doing here?" She wondered aloud. 'and why did she have to come right when he was about to tell me something that seemed important??'
Jeri ran over, pulling Takato with her by the hand. "Rika! I'm glad we found you. Oh! And Ryo's here too!" Then her expression changed. "Were you two on a date??" she asked slyly.
"NO! Anyways, it's a long story. What are you doing here?" Rika said, turning a slight shade of pink at the mention of the word "Date".
"Well, Yamaki called and told us that there's a new digimon on the loose in the digital world.." Jeri started.
Takato glanced at his watch. "We'll explain on the way to Hypnos. We have to be there in 30 minutes! I hope you two are packed!" he said, glancing at Ryo and Rika. "We can stop by your houses on the way there."
xX.X.Xx
The golden-braided girl looked towards the sky. "Well, Kitsumon, I think we're even more lost than we originally were."
A tall, foxlike and winged digimon stood beside her. "This can't be good…" she said, noticing a flock of ragged, black digimon coming towards them.
"Awwww… we just finished with another pack of those Mortitiamon… not AGAIN.." the girl whined. "When will the help come?"
(A/N: Well, here's the first chapter!
Btw, would someone do me a favour and explain to me what a muse is? I can't seem to figure it out…
Etheron: Please review:D