Chapter 4: Truth

"... And we now return to our main story today. Earlier this afternoon, a shopping mall in central Tokyo was attacked by a vicious creature, which authorities are now saying was one of the Digimon which attacked the city six years ago. Nobody was hurt, thanks in part to the intervention of Rika Nonaka, one of the Digimon Tamers that saved the city from the D-Reaper six years ago. In a few minutes we will be speaking to Major Itou, head of the government task force responsible for dealing with this attack, and asking the question: who should be responsible for our safety?"

Rika turned the TV off in disgust. Two hours had passed since the attack at the mall, and the news people had been saying the same things over and over again for the last ninety minutes. Out in the hallway she heard the phone ring for the hundredth time, and her grandmother once again politely explain that neither she nor Rumiko were available for comment.

As soon as they returned to the house, and it was apparent that they weren't in any immediate danger, Rika sent Renamon away on the pretence of looking for any other Digimon. However in reality it was because Rika couldn't bear to face her partner after her nearly disastrous performance in the fight.

What's wrong with me? Rika asked herself, looking down at her shaking hands, me and Renamon faced down much worse than that Allomon before...

Her mind had no answer for her.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she looked down at the business card lying on the coffee table in front of her. It was a simple thing, just three lines of black text on a white card. It read:

Mitsuo Yamaki

Hypnos Network Services

Followed by a telephone number on the third line. Rika remembered Yamaki giving the card to her:

It was about a week after the defeat of the D-Reaper, she and Yamaki were stood alone in Shinjuku park, on the exact spot where Renamon disappeared. Not too far away, Rika could see the fresh patch of concrete that had been Guilmon's home.

"Rika, I'm sorry for your loss..." He began.

"I don't want to talk about it." Rika cut him off.

"Rika..." He hesitated, removing the card from the inside of his suit. "I realise I'm the last person you want to talk to right now, and I understand that. Please take this card, if you ever change your mind and need my help, for anything, call this number and I'll do what I can."

Rika took the card, shoved it into a pocket, and walked away wordlessly.

Rika picked up her mobile phone, which was lying on the table next to the card, and dialled the number. Yamaki answered on the first ring.

"Who is this? How did you get this number?"

"I'm an old friend"

"Who do you work for?"

Rika ignored the question."The Kitsune has a proposition for you, if you're interested, meet me in the cafe in Shinjuku station at eleven AM tomorrow." Rika said, using the name of the Japanese nine-tailed fox spirit.

"What?"

"Don't be late." Rika hung up before he could answer.

I hope I'm doing the right thing... Rika thought.

It was nearly midnight when Renamon finally stumbled back to the Nonaka family home. She leaned heavily against the doorframe, her chest heaving. Her fur was still matted in places, encrusted with dried blood from injuries sustained in the fight with Allomon.

"Renamon!" Rika gasped, rushing to her Partner's side.

"I... Searched... the whole city" Renamon panted "... No... Digimon... Anywhere."

Renamon pushed away from the doorframe and wobbled uneasily on her feet, Rika stepped forward, putting an arm around her partner's shoulder, supporting her. As always, Rika was surprised by the vixen's slight weight. Getting a closer look at her partner's condition, Rika felt a sharp pang of guilt in her chest. I did this to her...

"I'm sorry Renamon," Rika began, "I shouldn't have sent you out again, you needed rest"

"No Rika, you were right to send me out. As Digimon and Tamer it is our duty to ensure the safety of innocents before we tend to ourselves." Renamon's reassurances failed to lift the black mood settled on Rika's heart.

Rika carried Renamon to her room, and gently laid her down on her bed.

"Rika..." Renamon gasped, trying to sit up, "what happened today... Wasn't your fault"

"I know" Rika lied, pushing her back down gently, "Rest now, we can talk later"

Rika turned away from the bed, to find her grandmother standing silently in the doorway. "She'll be fine." Rika whispered, answering the unspoken question, closing the door quietly behind her.

"You really care for her, don't you?" her grandmother asked.

"She's saved my life more times than I can remember, this is the least I can do in return" Rika replied.

"Whatever you choose to do, remember that me and your mother will always be proud of you, Rika"

"Thank you grandmother, have a good night"

"You too, Rika"

Rika returned to the living room and stretched out on the sofa, laying her head on the pillow that her grandmother had helpfully provided. Although, as soon as she laid her head down, she knew that she wouldn't be getting any sleep. Her mind was still playing the events at the Mall over and over again in her head.

For a long time Rika lay there, staring into the shadows hanging from the ceiling, wrestling with her inner demons. Eventually she became aware of another presence watching her. Looking up she saw her grandmother standing in the doorway.

"Can't sleep?" She asked quietly

"Yes" Rika replied, sitting up and rubbing her eyes tiredly.

Seiko entered the room, sitting on the opposite end of the sofa from Rika. "Do you want to talk about it?" She asked gently.

For a long time Rika said nothing, resting her head in her hands.

"It's Renamon" she said eventually, with a sigh "In the fight yesterday, Renamon was pinned, and..." Rika took a deep breath, steadying herself "... I froze up. I was so scared that I was about to lose her again that I couldn't do anything. I couldn't help her. If those government troops hadn't arrived she would have been killed. I've failed her, she should hate me."

"Rika, look at me" Seiko began, "I like to think that I'm a good judge of people and relationships, and I know without a doubt that Renamon doesn't hate you right now." Seiko hesitated, seemingly unsure whether to continue, "I'm not entirely sure what the relationship between you and Renamon is, but the way she looks at you, it's more than just respect for a trusted partner, even one who's saved the other's life. And judging by what I saw in you tonight, you realise this too."

"What are you talking about? Me and Renamon, we're friends, partners. Nothing more."

"Are you sure about that, RIka? How many friends do you know who would go out and search the whole city while seriously injured, just because you asked them to?"

Rika said nothing, trying to wrap her mind around what her grandmother was saying.

"We never realise how much we care about the people closest to us, until they're taken from us, don't let that happen to you, Rika"

Unbidden, Takato's words from the night before echoed in Rika's mind.

"remember not to disregard the people closest to you, sometimes the one you're looking for can be closer than you think"

Slowly, an Idea began to form in Rika's head. "Do you mean that Renamon could be... in love with me?"

Seiko hesitated "I don't know... she definitely cares for you more than either of you are letting on, but I don't know if Digimon are even capable of romantic love with a human"

Rika felt a small pang of disappointment from the bottom of her heart, "She is. I know she is." Rika responded, with more venom than she intended.

"They, I meant they are" Rika corrected herself, awkwardly.

Seiko stifled a yawn, "I'll leave you to get some sleep, I hope that I helped you"

Rika thanked her grandmother and laid her head down again, no closer to solving her problems despite the conversation.

Rika yawned and looked down at her watch, 10:45 AM. Eventually, she'd managed to fall into a light sleep for a couple of hours, although she was woken by the first grey light of dawn seeping through the windows. Looking up, across the busy station platform, Rika spotted Yamaki. He was sitting on a small metal chair outside the coffee shop in his usual dark suit, pretending to read a newspaper. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Rika strode confidently across the platform and slid smoothly into the chair opposite him.

"You're early." She said

"So are you." He responded, calmly folding his newspaper and placing it on the table.

"I trust you know why I'm here?"

Yamaki nodded. "You were hardly subtle yesterday" he said, reaching into the inside of his suit, retrieving a smartphone and placing it on the table. Rika recognised the image on the screen as a picture of her taken just before the fight at the Mall, shot from above. "This video got ten million views overnight" Yamaki explained, reaching over and tapping the phone's screen. The video unfroze and rika heard her voice issue through the phone's tinny speakers.

"Renamon, let's walk all over him. Digi-modify! Power Activate!"

Ugh, Do I really sound like that? I need a new catchphrase...

Rika paused the video. "And your point is?" she asked.

"Major Itou told me that you agreed to stay out of our way, which surprised me, i'll admit. However, we have a problem."

"Do we?" Rika asked tersely

"Yes, we do. Unfortunately after your dramatic entrance yesterday, the public is going to expect that the two of you show up again whenever the digimon attack again, and no matter how successful the Digital Anomaly Response Team is, they're not going to be happy if you and Renamon disappear again."

Rika was silent for a moment, taking in the meaning of Yamaki's words.

"I think we might be able to to come to an agreement, then."

"What kind of agreement?" Yamaki asked.

Rika took a deep breath, This is it. She thought.

"What Major Itou told you is true, Renamon and I have no desire to fight digimon, and are willing to allow DART to ...contain the problem." Rika felt a small pang of guilt at speaking for Renamon without asking her opinion first, but she pushed it away. "So," Rika continued, "We'll do interviews, public appearances, anything you need us to do to ensure public confidence in your team, short of actually fighting Digimon."

Yamaki opened his mouth to speak, but Rika raised her hand, cutting him off.

"However, I want to see a demonstration that DART is actually capable of defeating digimon by themselves before we do anything ."

"That's a reasonable request" Yamaki replied, he was silent for a few seconds, thinking. "Okay, I accept your terms. Keep the phone. I'll call you next time we detect a Digimon incursion."

With that, Yamaki stood up, straightened his suit, picked up the newspaper and walked off, leaving Rika sat alone at the table.

That couldn't have gone much better, Rika thought So why do I feel so bad about it?

It was three days later when Yamaki's phone finally rang. During those three days Rika told no-one, not even Renamon about her arrangement with Hypnos' leader, It hurt Rika to keep secrets from her partner, but she kept repeating her mantra of I'm doing the right thing. Heart pounding in her chest, Rika scrambled out of bed and snatched it up from where it was lying on her bedside table.

"Hello?" she asked breathlessly

"We've detected another portal opening." Yamaki answered "I'm uploading the co-ordinates to the phone, meet us there ASAP."

The line went dead. For a long moment, Rika stood in silence listening to the dial tone and her heart pounding in her ears. Rika took the phone away from her ear and hung up, the phone automatically loading the maps application. Rika threw on some clothes, shoved her deck and digivice into her pockets, Just in case, she told herself, and sprinted out into the night. Memories of the last time she ran out into the night rose in search of a digimon surfaced in Rika's mind, bringing with them the confusing emotions from her conversation with Seiko. Rika pushed them away and focused on the rapid beat of her footfalls.

The first rays of dawn were just starting to break the horizon when Rika arrived on the scene. A group of blacked-out vans were parked in the middle of a crossroads, several dozen people were already milling around, setting up roadblocks and monitoring equipment. Rika approached the barricades, and one of the soldiers waved her through, and lead her to the back of one of the vans, where Yamaki and Major Itou were waiting. Yamaki was still wearing his traditional dark suit, and the Major was in full combat gear, a rifle slung on her shoulder.

"Good morning, Rika" she said.

"Let's skip the pleasantries and get this over with" Rika answered.

"Very well, Rika" Yamaki said, "This is the first time we've managed to locate a portal before it opens." he explained "We've got it's location down to a ten-metre radius, but we can't predict when it will open, it could be in ten minutes, or two hours from now."

"Gotcha." Rika replied, Stalking off to find somewhere quiet to wait.

Rika ended up leant against the wall of a shop, nursing a cup of steaming coffee that a technician had handed to her earlier. Rika took a sip from the coffee then almost choked on it when she felt an icy cold sensation crash down on her shoulder blades. Rika was gripped by a sudden sense of dread, Something's coming! she thought.

Rka opened her mouth to warn the soldiers, but before any sound came out a golden light flared in the middle of the crossroads, a digital field expanding around it, rapidly covering the entire intersection. Rika heard Major Itou shouting orders, and the soldiers took up defensive positions around the glowing portal, among their ranks Rika spotted at least four of the handheld Yuggoth weapons from the battle at the mall. Rika heard a noise behind her, and spun around to see Renamon burst through the wall of the field.

Renamon came skidding to a stop beside her tamer.

"Rika! What are you doing here!?" She asked, her voice a mixture of anger and confusion.

"Renamon..." Rika began, but was interrupted by a shout from Major Itou

"Get ready! Something's coming through!"

The portal began to glow brighter, growing larger and crackling with energy, golden arcs jumping from it to the ground or nearby buildings.

"I can feel it's energy. it's big!" Renamon shouted.

Renamon stepped forwards, dropping into a fighting stance,

"Ready, Rika?"

Rika gently put her hand on the vixen's shoulder. "Not this time Renamon, We'll let Hypnos deal with this one."

The look of hurt and confusion on her partner's face when she looked over her shoulder hit Rika like a hammer blow. "What?!"

"You heard me Renamon, I ..." Rika felt her voice breaking. "I made a deal with Hypnos, we're not going to be fighting any more Digimon"

"Why?" Renamon's voice wavered slightly as she spoke the question, causing a sharp pang of regret in Rika's chest.

"You saw me in the fight the other day Renamon, I nearly got you killed. ... I couldn't go through that again, I'm sorry."

"Rika..." Renamon began, reaching for her tamer.

"No..." Rika snapped, swatting away her partner's paws. She could see that Renamon wasn't going to back down, Rika wracked her brain looking for something to say to convince her partner. but deep in her heart she knew there was only one way that she could ensure Renamon's safety. Tears welling up in her eyes, she began to speak.

"Renamon, I'm no longer fit to be your tamer." She pushed her digivice into Renamon's paws. "Here, take this. Go back to the Digital World, do what you will, just please... stay away from me." When Rika finished, tears were streaming down her cheeks.

For a long moment, Renamon was silent, her face twisted by emotion.

"As you wish... Goodbye Rika"

With that, Renamon vanished into thin air.

What have I done?!

A sound like a thunderclap echoed through the abandoned street. The portal flashed brighter than the sun for an instant, blinding Rika.

Crash.

Rika felt the impact shake the ground, closely followed by the tinkling sound of breaking glass.

Crash.

Another impact shook the ground. Rika heard the rattle of gunfire.

Crash.

A pained scream from split the air. Rika blinked rapidly, desperately trying to clear her vision.

Finally Rika's vision cleared. She looked up and saw a massive metal dinosaur standing in the middle of the intersection, a pair of huge cannons mounted on it's back. A wave of hopelessness struck Rika as she recognised it as Machinedramon, a Mega-level, Machine-type Digimon.

It raised it's head to the sky and emitted a deafening synthesised roar, shattering nearby windows.

WIth a sense of eerie detachment, Rika watched as the DART soldiers rallied and fired their Yuggoth weapons at Machinedramon. The energy blasts dissipating harmlessly against Machinedramon's metal hide.

The monstrous machine digimon let out another ear-splitting roar and slammed it's right hand into the ground, knocking the soldiers off their feet. Rika looked on in horror as it raised one of it's massive feet and brought it down on several soldiers, killing them instantly. Hypnos didn't stand a chance. No weapon on earth, short of a nuclear bomb, could hope to put a dent in Machinedramon's armour. Rika had sent away the only being capable of stopping Machinedramon's rampage out of her own selfishness.

Rika ducked as the torn remains of a car flew over her head, smashing in the side of a shop, breaking her from her reverie. Major Itou's pained voice sounded over the cacophony, "Our weapons can't hurt it! All units fall back! Get out of here!"

Rika looked to the source of the voice, the major was lying on the ground, her leg trapped under the twisted remains of one of the Hypnos vehicles. Despite her injuries, and the hopelessness of her situation she was firing a handgun at Machinedramon's side. A squad of soldiers ran past Rika, heading for the edge of the field. Rika turned to join them, then stopped and looked over her shoulder at the major, lying in the dirt, firing defiantly at the metal monstrosity looming over her. Swearing to herself, Rika turned tail and ran to the major's side.

"Rika!" Major Itou gasped "Get out of here!"

"Not without you" Rika growled, heaving at the twisted metal trapping the major's leg.

Major Itou grunted and tried to pull her leg free.

"It's no use" She growled "Go, while you still can"

"I'm not leaving y-"

They fell silent as Machinedramon's shadow fell over them, it's bulk eclipsing the sun.

Rika felt more than heard Machinedramon's deep growl as it lowered its head, the cannons on it's back beginning to glow with scarlet energy.

So, this is it...

"Rika, It's been an honour" Major Itou whispered.

"The honour's all mine, Major"

... I'm sorry Renamon.

Suddenly, everything seemed to happen at once. A Yellow blur knocked Rika to the side. The remains of the van were tossed aside. Rika felt something grasp her by the scruff of the neck, and suddenly she was flying through the air, A colossal blast of energy obliterating the space she was occupying an instant earlier. Rika's back hit the ground, and she laid there for a moment, eyes closed, waiting for her head to stop spinning. At last, Rika opened her eyes, and looked straight into Renamon's fiery blue eyes.

"Renamon!" Rika gasped "I'm-"

"Later" Renamon growled, pressing Rika's digivice into her hands.

Rika knew instantly what she wanted. Rika clambered to her feet, brushing concrete dust off her clothes.

"Are you ready Renamon?" She asked, an odd formality to her tone.

"Always, Rika"

Heart pounding in her ears, Rika clasped both hands around her digivice and pressed it against her chest.

"Then let's do this. Biomerge activate!"

A warm blue light flared between Rika's hands, consuming her and Renamon.

No matter how many times she experienced it, Rika was sure that she'd never get used to the feeling of merging with her partner. Distantly she was aware of her naked body floating in a dim blue light, but she could also aware of Sakuyamon's body. She could feel Sakuyamon's heart beating in her chest, the air in her lungs, and her fist clenched around her staff. However, the strangest sensation was sharing her mind with Renamon, she could feel her partner's thoughts running like an icy river on the edge of her consciousness.

Renamon's voice echoed in her mind, Remember, I am your partner Rika, no matter what I will never abandon you.

Rika felt a warm, comforting feeling wash over her. It took her a moment to realise that it was Renamon sharing her feelings for her. Rika was completely overwhelmed by the depth of her partner's emotions, if she was in her own body, she was sure tears would be running down her cheeks. Rika took a deep breath of the air through Sakuyamon's lungs and steadied her emotions.

Let's go to work she thought.

The bond between them deepened, their consciousnesses merging until there was no separation between their identities, becoming a single entity.

Taking a combined breath, their unified voice rang out clearly across the digital field.

"Machinedramon! This world is under our protection, and we will not allow you to harm it's inhabitants. Leave now, or we will be forced to destroy you!"

Machinedramon roared defiantly, lowering it's head and charging it's cannons.

Rika felt power surge through their body, and they span their staff around and brought it down on the ground in front of them. "Crystal Sphere!"

A glowing violet orb expanded from the point where the staff made contact with the ground. Machinedramon fired an instant later, it's shot impacting harmlessly against the sphere.

"Very well, you have brought this upon yourself."

Sakuyamon crouched, then leapt high into the air.

"Spirit Strike!"

Three flaming spectral foxes leapt from their body and streaked downwards, impacting with explosive force rivalling that of Machinedramon's cannons.

When the smoke cleared, Machinedramon was visibly injured, it's metal hide was charred, and showers of sparks issued from gashes in it's side. It raised it's left hand and fired an energy blast at Sakuyamon. Sakuyamon rolled to the side in mid-air, easily avoiding the attack. Rika felt the power coursing through their body, and willed it to manifest in the real world.

"Fox Drive!"

Heatless blue flames began to flow over their body. They flipped in mid air and blazed down towards Machinedramon, delivering a devastating kick to the side of it's head. The force of the attack knocked the machine digimon off its feet, sending it to the ground with an almighty crash. Sakuyamon landed nimbly on it's chest.

"And now you will be purified by our light. Twin blades of Beauty" Sakuyamon slashed the air with her staff "... And Truth!" Sakuyamon slashed the air again. Staff blazing with violet light, they brought the tip of it down on Machinedramon's chest. There was a flash of blinding light, and Machinedramon shattered into a sparkling cloud of data that streamed towards the portal, vanishing back to the digital world.

At last the battle was over. Breathing heavily they drifted slowly to the ground, their minds separating until they were only connected by a thin stream of thought. Rika spotted Yamaki and Major Itou coming towards them. Yamaki's suit was crumpled and caked in dust, and the Major was limping heavily, leaning on Yamaki's shoulder.

The major saluted with her free hand. "That was a hell of a fight Sakuyamon... I've never seen anything like that before. I mean, i've watched the news footage... but experiencing it in real life is something else."

Sakuyamon nodded her head, "Thank you"

"No, I should be the one thanking you, If you hadn't intervened when you did, I would have been dead for sure, if there's anything I can do to repay you, please let me know."

"That won't be necessary", They replied "Your words are more than enough."

"That said," Yamaki began "You saved a lot more than just Major Itou's life today, I'm not sure we would have been able to stop that ... thing before it destroyed half the city. So if there's anything at all that Hypnos can do for you, please give me a call and I'll do everything in my power to help you."

Rika looked around the ruined intersection. All around small groups of soldiers were picking themselves up out of the dirt, and converging on the three of them.

"I trust that you can handle things from here?" Rika asked

Yamaki glanced around briefly. "Yes, I think we can" he replied

Rika felt Renamon take over control of their body. "Then we shall take our leave" she replied. Leaping up into the air, and soaring over the buildings without waiting for a response.

Rika tried to read Renamon's thoughts as they flew, but to her surprise she found them blocked off to her.

Even without access to her partner's mind, Rika knew without a doubt that she'd have a lot of explaining to do once they landed.

Author's Notes:

Phew! That sure was a long one, wasn't it? Looking back on the story now, I realise that I could probably have done with having some kind of sub-plot between the end of the last chapter and this one, so that I could spread out all of the plot development that happened here over several chapters. However, that's just semantics at this point, as rectifying the problem would require rewriting large portions of the story, which is not something that i'm prepared to do.

One of the more interesting parts of this chapter to write was the Biomerge sequence, as the show gives us remarkably little to go on for what the experience is like for the tamer. What I ended up with will probably be very familiar to Readers of Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle (Which is a great read btw if you haven't read it.) as I drew on the telepathic bond between the series' protagonists heavily for inspiration.

With this out of the way, we'll be moving onto the final full chapter of this story, where our two protagonists will finally realise, and express their feelings for each-other. Which means that there will be a lovemaking scene, which will be described in explicit detail. So, the rating of this story will be going up to M from the next chapter onwards. I apologize to any of you who were unaware of the plans for this fic and will not be reading the fifth chapter (although, you were warned in the ANs of the first chapter). However, if enough of you make your desire known, I may consider creating a 'clean' version of the chapter and uploading it somewhere for those of you who do not wish to read smut.

And, as always, thank you for reading, and whether you loved or hated the chapter, please leave a review!

~Superbun