Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far! This might be a bit of a boring chapter, but I thought they needed a bit of time to plan for the enemy before more action comes in. Thanks to Shizuku Tsukihama 749 for betareading this chapter.
Chapter 3: Planning
When Takato returned, Henry was on the computer trying to learn more about the enemy, Rika and Renamon were discussing Biomerging, and Terriermon was listening. However, what the bunny-Digimon said when he finally spoke up left nearly everyone incredulous.
"We won't be Biomerging this time!"
"Terriermon, what are you talking about? We're strongest when we fight together!" Henry was completely thrown for a loop. Terriermon glanced down at the floor before jumping up on Henry's head.
"Henry, I may be careless sometimes, but you know I care a lot about your safety, right?" Terriermon asked quietly, looking down into his partner's eyes. Henry was startled by the amount of emotion in his beady orbs.
"Of course I do, Terriermon," the child was smiling, laughing happily-nervously for a moment before turning serious again, "but where is this coming from?"
Terriermon sighed. "I don't know who's after me, but I do know this is going to be dangerous. When we Biomerge, it's a risk to your safety, too. I don't want you to get hurt, Henry, even if it means more danger for me in the long run."
Henry was stunned into silence, for once unable to find words suitable for a response. It wasn't from shock about how seriously Terriermon was taking this, but from the fact that he didn't seem to care he was willingly putting himself in the line of fire.
"Terriermon...I..." Henry stutter-whispered, closing his eyes tightly for a moment before shaking his head carefully and opening them.
"Terriermon…it means a lot that you want to keep me safe, but I'm not going to let you fight alone. I know you're worried, but come on, we've faced worse. Besides, you said it yourself, Digimon and humans are stronger when they work together." He smiled lovingly, reaching up to scratch behind his partner's ears. "You always protect me from danger. Let MegaGargomon be your protection this time, if only to remind you that you're never alone and to tell the evil Digimon that if he wants to hurt you, he'll have to go through both of us!" Henry said firmly, and Terriermon stared at his partner prior to beaming.
It was just like his Tamer. Once he made up his mind, he never relented unless otherwise convinced another course of action was the right thing to do. But the white Digimon could feel this case was a little different.
"Thanks, Henry. Looks like I should take my own advice and momentai, huh?"
"Sure. Anyway, you know a small-fry like you couldn't take on the bad guys without me," Henry teased, and Terriermon pouted slightly, moving to perch on the back of the computer-chair.
"Henry, I think that qualifies as rude!" the Digimon chided, and the boy chuckled.
Takato smiled at the scene before clearing his throat.
"Sorry to interrupt, guys, but did we find anything on our mystery-enemy?" Takato asked his best friend. Henry nodded.
"It's not much, but it's enough to get us started. Hang on," Henry told him, swiveling in the chair to face the computer and using the mouse to scroll down on the page.
For several moments, he read to himself, and it was only when he got to the last part that the others were clued in. The second he started reading his face turned snow-white and his shoulders filled with tension.
Takato noticed this and frowned. He looked up, and his eyes met Rika's equally-worried eyes. Both original Tamers stepped forward, each laying a hand on one of Henry's shoulders.
"Henry, what is it? What's wrong?" the Gogglehead asked, watching his best friend anxiously.
When Henry didn't respond, Rika gave Takato a look and he nodded, moving away halfway against his better judgment. The girl spun the chair around and grabbed the purple-eyed boy roughly by the shoulders.
"Would you snap out of it already? What did you see that made you freeze up like this?" Rika demanded. Swallowing thickly, he parted his quivering lips.
"That creature...he wants to corrupt Terriermon's data...and get him to do something horrible... And—and after that...he wants to destroy the data altogether... H-how could anyone...?"
Too shaken to speak anymore, he lapsed into silence. Rika frowned and closed her eyes tightly, huffing and dropping her head. Then, lifting it, she faced the others.
"What happens from here on out stays between us, got it?" she warned. The rest immediately nodded, except Ryo who tensed and averted his eyes.
Rika knelt down, wrapping her arms around Henry.
"Nobody is going to take Terriermon away, not if we can help it." She cracked a smile. "Have some faith in someone other than yourself for once. The three of us—you, Takato, and me: we're an unbreakable team. We've seen each other at our best and our worst.
You helped Renamon and I understand what being partners was all about. When we first met, you hugged Terriermon and told me that Digimon weren't our slaves or our pets, but our friends… A-and to be honest, I was jealous. I was jealous that you had such a close bond with your Digimon, when the only relationship Renamon and I had back then was to make each other stronger." A hint of color seeped into his cheeks, and a little of the tension left his shoulders. But that didn't keep the surprise away. Rika had been jealous…? Of him…? "Henry, you taught me the meaning of friendship. You helped me open my heart.
"Most importantly, both of you have proved time and time again how strong your love is. Now show that idiot out there that he can't break that bond no matter how hard he tries!"
Her grip on him had never loosened, her gaze never wavering. Henry kept his sideways gaze on her beautiful face for a long moment before wrapping his own arms around her.
He smiled minutely and realised it felt nice, holding her like this—! Wait! What was he thinking? This was Rika he was talking about! She would probably kick his butt for having these thoughts about her!
He squeezed her a little tighter. Whispering quietly so only she could hear: "Rika...thank you for always being here."
The girl could feel the heat creeping up her face now as she became conscious of the fact that she enjoyed the feeling of holding him in her arms. This thought made her cheeks flush further, and she pulled back to stand as discreetly-quickly as she could. Keeping her face downcast to hide her blush, she cleared her throat softly.
"Yeah, well….what are friends for?" she replied, somewhat evadingly. Terriermon hopped up on his Tamer's head.
"Momentai, Henry! I'll be fine as long as we're together! And you're right: MegaGargomon does make me feel like I'm not alone!"
At this, Henry smiled. His purple eyes flicking to Rika, he beamed gratefully. This time, he glimpsed her cherry-red face.