From The Twisted Mind Of A Brotha Pro. Presents:


Digimon Tamers Halloween Special: Curse of The GingerBreadMon

Chapter 1: The Missing Digimon


(A/N: The black Digignome I'm thinking about calling Digitrolls, they were once Digignomes that got corrupted from a super-virus. While Digignomes make wishes reality, Digitrolls create nightmares. This fiendish one has preyed upon the digital brothers and created something far worse then what they both dreamed. At the end of the Prologue, Renamon got caught in the storm and toughed it out till things calmed down. On her way home, she sensed a digimon nearby, only to be ambushed... )


West Shinjuku Streets, Early-Mid Thursday Morning


"Thank you for our business!" Isamu, along with Ghidomon next to him gave a slight bow to the deli shop owner, who smiled at the youth and his blue dinosaur partner. He patted Ghidomon on the head and handed him two thick slices of sausage, one for him and the other of course for Guilmon. Ghidomon let out a triumphant yell, turning towards his brother waiting in the back of the bright orange 1972 Portercab, Takato behind the wheel.

"Alright, that's pretty much half the deliveries already bro! I'm glad it's a light load this morning, perhaps we'll get to make it to school early for once." Takato said as Isamu and Ghidomon jumped into the small truck.

"Yeah, and we got sausage too!" Guilmon added in high spirits as Ghidomon handed him his share of the meat, which he gobbled up instantly.

"You said it boy, let's hurry on up, it's you and me this time to bring the goods!"

Every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday mornings, Takato and Isamu would make early morning deliveries. The old small truck had been a gift from a grateful old man the brothers saved from a rampaging digimon once. He himself once owned a delivery service, but with old age and better delivery services out there, the man just couldn't keep up. He was glad his reliable truck was still in use, having taken good care of the vehicle, and the boys did as well. Takehiro, the boy's father had made sure they took great care of the truck, even learning basic mechanics. At first Takato and Isamu were only allowed to go out with their partners remaining behind at the request of Yoshie, but after a little urging, and creative thought from Isamu, the digimon brothers were allowed to come along, but with one stipulation; Takato and Isamu had to wear uniforms. They wore coveralls and caps with the Matsuki Bakery etched onto into the fabric with white thread. Takato wore red, while Isamu blue, to match the color of their digimon partners, and of course they both work their trademark goggles upon their head.

It became quite a normal sight in the morning for morning commuters to see a small orange delivery truck with two dinosaurs in the back, one with wings, waving at people and cars. Once Takato had the idea of Guilmon and Ghidomon tossing out flyers to people as they drove by, but they ended up getting ticketed for littering, so instead they would only pass them out or stick them on parked cars whenever they made a stop to make a delivery.

"Well that's pretty much it, just one more stop." Isamu said looking at the clipboard in his hands.

"That's good, where to now?"

Isamu smiled, looking over at Takato who was concentrating on the road, "Your Dreamgirl's house."

Takato nearly lost control of the truck, swerving a little on the road, the two digimon brothers in the back who had been sticking their heads out the sides, nearly fell out.

"Gwah! Don't call her that! Geez, why did I even open up my big mouth and mention that to you?"

"*laughing* Well it's true after all, and last night you did mumble her name in your sleep. From the sound of it, you were having a nice dream about her too. It was the one where she was a fox-girl wasn't it? Like in the picture you drew?"

"No! It was nothing like that ok! That was one dream, ONE!"

"Which is it? One dream about Rika, or just one dream about her as that fox-girl hybrid?"

"Grrrr, drop it Isamu now! Actually since we are on the subject of dream girls, when are you going to ask out Suzie hhmm?"

That shut Isamu up, his face turning red, looking out the window, Takato let out triumphant laugh as they approached a stoplight waiting for it to change. Just before the light changed, Isamu spoke, "She was a fox-girl again wasn't she?"

"GWAAAHHH!"


Nonaka Residence


Leaning up against front of her gate, dressed in a private school uniform, Rika Nonaka stood there with her arms crossed, her face a mixture of anger and worry. Renamon hadn't came home last night, even if she had gotten caught up in that storm, she would still have made it back. Something just didn't feel right to the teenage redhead. If she didn't have three important tests today, Rika would have skipped school to go out looking for her partner, but she couldn't…Hopefully, this was nothing, and that Renamon just ended up falling asleep wherever she decided to take shelter from the rain. Rika couldn't fool herself though. The sound of a beeping horn, snapped her out of her thoughts as a familiar looking orange truck with Guilmon and Ghidomon waving at her pulled up. Inside the cab Takato was slapping Ismau's hand away from the horn, earning a small smile from her.

"Well if this isn't a sight, the infamous Goggle Brothers, and in such spiffy looking uniforms."

"Heh-heh, hey Rika, your up early. Usually you are asleep or just about waking up." Takato exited the truck with a wirily smile on his face, rubbing the back of his head.

"Yeah, well I have a reason for being up. Renamon didn't come home last night."

"What? Are you sure she just didn't get caught in the storm and just slept somewhere?"

"That did cross my mind, but I don't know. This just doesn't feel right."

"Renamon is missing?" Guilmon approached, holding a box in his hand, the Nonaka's order of baked bread and buns. He didn't like the idea of one of his friends going missing, especially with the nightmare from last night still fresh in his mind. In it, all his friends had been captured by a horrible cookie monster, something he hadn't told anybody yet.

"I don't know Guilmon, that's why I'm up. I was going to ask if perhaps you guys could help me go look for her, just for a bit."

"Um…well I guess. You were our last stop, and we have a bit of time. And even I would hate to think the worst about Renamon."

"And we'll give you a lift to school too!" Isamu called out from the cab of the truck, Rika giving him a look, then back to Takato.

"Great…let me put this inside, and actually you can drop me off a block away from school" taking the box from Guilmon heading to the gate before turning back around, "Better yet, make it two blocks."

When Rika disappeared through the gate, Takato glared at Isamu, who only gave him thumbs up, the older brother let out a sigh.

"Takato, what's wrong? Don't you want to help Rika out? I want to find Renamon, I hope she's ok." Guilmon nudged up against his partner, who scratched the back of his head.

"Of course I want to help boy, it's not that. Just, the pains of growing up I guess…"

"Puberty huh? Tell me about it."

"Yeah, wait huh?" Takato looked at his partner with a quizzical glance.


Area Around Nonaka's Home


"Ok, me and Guilmon will check a few blocks down this way and meet up with you guys in ten minutes. Call me if you find her." Takato said as Rika and Isamu, along with Ghidomon exited the truck, opting for splitting up to cover more ground.

"Gotcha, same thing with you, if you spot her." Rika nodded back, "And thanks Takato…"

"Come on, what are friends for right?" he gave the redhead a smile, before tapping on the roof of the truck, "Ok Guilmon, let's go track us down a fox!"

With that, the truck lurched forward, heading down the street leaving the two teens and dino digimon on the sidewalk. Already Ghidomon had his snout to the ground, trying to catch a whiff of the yellow fox's scent. For a while Rika and Isamu stood there in an awkward silence between them, there usually was whenever the two were alone, Rika most of the time starting conversations.

"So, let's see if Dino-Boy Jr has a good of sense of smell as his older brother." Rika watched as the blue digimon started moving, heading in the direction Takato and Guilmon just went, Rika and Isamu in tow.

"I almost expected you to actually ride with Takato, I figured you two would want some alone time or something." Isamu blurted out after a few more moments of uncomfortable silence, following Ghidomon around a corner and to the entrance of an alleyway. Rika stopped just short of the entrance turning to face the younger teenager.

"And just what do you mean by that?" she demanded, giving him a hard look. She crossed her arms, stomping her left foot when Isamu didn't respond fast enough, "I'm waiting."

"Ah…well, nothing. I meant nothing by it at all, just a slip of the tongue that's all. Heh, heh…I mean things have been pretty awkward between the two of you since well, last Christmas you know."

Rika's anger flared, but her cheeks still reddened, "That was just because of that stupid mistletoe and that stupid Christmas tradition!"

"Dunno, from what I saw, you were pretty into…"

Rika had him by the collar, giving him the icy stare the Former Digimon Queen* was known for, "Finish that sentence and we'll be ending up looking for two missing persons, one lost fox, and a long-haired GoggleHead, only the latter may end up in pieces. Got it?"

Isamu only nodded in agreement, the redhead letting him go, storming down the alleyway after Ghidomon. Isamu followed, after letting out a huge sigh. Ghidomon hadn't gotten far actually. He only had ventured a few feet, sniffing around the wet ground and behind boxes and containers.

"Any sign of her dinoboy?"

"No Rika, it's pretty hard really with it still wet. And I'm smelling some awful stuff here too, ugh!"

"Great, this might have just been a waste of time…but still." Rika muttered to herself, stopping when she felt Isamu coming up from behind, she made a face and looked back at Ghidomon still searching the area with his nose.

Isamu wanted to speak, but seeing how she was still angry at him, he kept his mouth shut, following in tow behind the redhead and his digimon.

"…So has he said anything about me? Since then?" she asked, not turning to face the other teen, who now looked at her with a dumbfounded look.

"Uh, well nothing I could say…or it's not what said, but…"

"But what?" this time she did turn to face him, "Now I know there is something you aren't tell me Isamu. Spill it! What has been Takato saying, or what has he been doing? Something perverted?"

"No! Nothing like that! Well I don't think so."

"Then what?"

"Look I thought we were out here trying to find Renamon, not forcing me to spill secrets about my brother!" Isamu shot back, but then backed off.

"Don't remind me! I'm trying to keep my mind off the whole situation!"

"Well thinking about what Takato may or may not have said about you isn't going to make thing's better! And I'm not talking, I think I've said plenty!"

"Hmph, that's ok, I know someone else who can give me the information. Hey Ghidomon!"

Isamu's eyes widened as Rika caught up to his partner, placing her hand on the back of his head patting it.

"Ghidomon, do Takato and Isamu talk about me?" Rika asked in a caring tone, scratching the back of his ears, the dinosaur making a purring like sound, nuzzling into the redhead.

"Um…sometimes."

"That so? Like what?"

"Well earlier I heard them, talking…"

"Ghidomon!" Isamu yelled out, staring at his partner, "Don't say anything!"

"Huh? But why?"

Rika didn't give Isamu a chance to respond, she grabbed Ghidmon by his head turning it to face her, "Ghidomon, we are friends aren't we?"

"Uh-huh."

"Good, and you would never want to hurt my feelings would you?"

"Terriermon says you're a tough cookie and can take it though."

A vein throbbed on Rika's forehead, making a mental note to knot a certain loud-mouth bunny's ears to a pole, she forced a smile, "Terriermon doesn't know what he is talking about…I have feelings, and right now I feel hurt. Takato and Isamu are saying bad things about me aren't they?"

"Ghidomon, I'm warning you! Don't answer her! I'm your partner not her!"

Ghidomon looked at Isamu and Rika with a worried expression, Isamu was his tamer, but Rika was his friend also, and she felt like bad things were being said behind her back; he didn't know what to do. The redhead knew what to do though, having suddenly remembered something about Guilmon, and wondering if it rang true for his brother. She ran her hand down his back just above where his tail connected, and started to scratch. Instantly a look of euphoria ran across Ghidomon's face as Rika stimulated the bundle of nerves on the dinosaur that sent him into "Cute Puppy Mode" as Jeri called it. Rika looked over at Isamu and saw the look of defeat in his eyes as Ghidomon started to coo, getting to the ground on his belly, stretching, sighing and moaning. One could easily turn the blue dino into putty if one knew just where to scratch, as Rika did.

"See? Now doesn't that feel good?" she continued to scratch the area on his back, reaching up and scratching Ghidomon's right ear, sending him into overdrive, "Now Ghidomon, be a good dinosaur and tell me everything."

"A-ah-ah-ah! Oh-h-h, I-I can't…" Ghidomon tried his best to resist, but it wasn't working.

"Yes you can, go on, tell me. What has been Takato saying?"

"Oh-oh! He hasn't said anything bad about you. He's only been having dreams about you again."

"Wait dreams about me? Again!?" she stopped, Ghidomon letting out a groan of disappointment when she did.

"Yeah, he's had a few about you, nothing like that first one though. I think this last dream was you as a fox-girl or something, he's had that one a few times, even drew a picture. It's pretty too."

Rika remained silent, getting to her feet with her hands to her sides in balled fists, "Isamu…" the only word she uttered in an icy tone, her whole body starting to shake with rage, she turned and gave the boy a death stare, suddenly the air around him seemed to get colder as she came closer to him, popping her knuckles.

"Now, Rika…look, they are just silly dreams, You really are over-reacting here…" Isamu backed up, tripped and landing into a puddle of water.

"Try not to bleed on my uniform if you would, I'll deal with your perverted brother after I'm done with you."

"I've found her!" Ghidomon said suddenly, while on the ground he had finally caught a whiff of the missing digimon, "She went down this way!" getting to his feet, he was off down the alley.

"Grrr…We aren't done." Rika hissed out, giving chase.

"Oh man Takato is not going to like this one bit…"

Rika called out to Ghidomon to slow down, but he didn't stop, while Guilmon tended to be slow and winded after running, Ghidomon was the opposite, actually enjoying a good run. The redhead almost lost him a few times as he ducked around a corner and jumped some boxes. Finally he stopped, Rika herself almost crashing into him as they arrived at a dead-end, but somebody else was already there. Men and women dressed in dark-grey jumpsuits were busy about the area with equipment taking samples and readings, standing in the center of it all stood a woman with long light-brown hair, dressed in a black suit and wearing sunglasses. She turned to Rika and Ghidomon giving them a slight smile before removing her glasses; Riley, once Chief Operator at Hypnos, she now had risen to the rank of Second in Command.

"Well I shouldn't be surprised to see any Tamers, I am surprised to see you two here. Where's Renamon and Iasmu?" as if to answer her question, Isamu appeared in wet overalls, looking around at the Hypnos agents and then at Riley, "Well that answers part of my question."

"Hi Mrs. Mitsuo" Rika said with her arms folded, "What's Hypnos doing out here? Not picking up the slack of the garbage collection are you?"

"Hardly, and please, just call me Riley. There was a bio-emergence last night, we had a hard time pinpointing it with that storm from last night, which is unusual. We narrowed it down to this city block, whatever appeared was pretty powerful. What about you? Did you detect a digimon appearing last night?"

"No, that's not why we are here…Renamon didn't come home last night. I think something happened to her."

"And you think that whatever happened to her, might also had to do with that bio-emergence?"

"I'm not sure, Takato and Isamu agreed to help me look for her, Ghidomon tracked her scent to this spot." Rika and Riley looked at Ghidomon who resumed sniffing the area, moving past Hypnos agents, apologizing when he bumped into someone. Finally he stopped at an impact point in one of the walls.

"She was here last night, along with something else…" Ghidomon looked over to Rika who approached, looking at the hole and rumble.

"She must have got into a fight with whatever that digimon was. Can you tell if she chased it off or…" Rika didn't want to think about the worst for her partner.

"I'm not sure…I'm not smelling another digimon. Actually, I smell…cookies."

"Cookies?"

"Yeah…" Ghidomon's voice trailed off as fear started to creep up his back, the nightmare from last night coming back to the front of his mind, "gingerbread…"


To Be Continued…


(A/N: So I placed a little hint of some RikaXTakato in there, I'm not going to touch into too much, but since I'm a Rukato fan, I can't help but have something in there. I had always pictured that as Takato got older he would end up helping more out with the family business, specifically driving a small little truck and making deliveries. It was a concept I got from FLCL, two of the main character's friends later on the in the series drive around in a small truck. I didn't originally go with a
Portercab, I thought one of those 3-wheeled cars would be better, but the Portercab just has that look that fits well with Takato, the perfect vehicle for a GoggleHead to be cruising around in. Ok not much "scary" stuff happened in this chapter, but the next one! R&R)