Alright, I have finally decided to update Running... DON'T KILL ME! I know, I know, it's been almost six months... but there's been some really good reasons. I have about twenty plot bunnies running around in my head right now, and at the moment RttOW has been whacking the asses of every other plot bunny around. And it still is- or, it would be if I hadn't decided to cage it- however, I refuse to write any more until I finally read the sixth HP book, otherwise my facts are going to be WRONG. Of course, I shall have to rewrite other parts of the story should something have happened- though I doubt it will, as everyone I've used SHOULD still be alive... should being the keyword.

Alright, back to this. I know, I know, a LONG time, FORGIVE ME! And it's exams... be happy I've even started this. BUT! This will be the first story to be finished... I think. I shall update quickly! I SWEAR I WILL!

...I think...


Kiken groaned as he glared at the red/pink beams tearing up the ground around him. "How the hell do we know which one to jump in?"

Shurri blinked. "Erm... we guess?"

Kiken glared at him. "You've gotta be kidding me. I don't know about you, but I'd much rather jump in the one the Mamothmon did and find this 'Rika' then I would jump in the wrong one and end up in Meramon soup."

Shar coughed. "I doubt we will end up in Meramon soup, regardless of where we go."

Shurri shared a look with Kiken, before he threw a long needle-blade that he had grabbed from just inside the entrance of the Black Caves into the air. Said blade landed point-down in the sand, the hilt pointing forward and slightly off to the right. Shurri grinned. "Alright! We go that way and wait for a stream to grab us!"

As Shurri ran forward and grabbed his blade, Kiken and Shar followed along behind. "Er... shouldn't we be tracking them?" Kiken asked slowly.

Shar shook his head. "You can't track through a data stream- they tear up the area around themselves and completely erase all evidence that was through there. I've never travelled through the streams much- the one time I did it took nearly four months to get back to this level. Shurri has a much better idea on how to travel, since he has been for the last few years."

Kiken frowned at the leaf samurai. "And he relies on a needle-blade to pick his direction?"

Shar glanced at him, picking up his speed slightly to not loose track of the other, younger leaf samurai. "Do you have a better idea?"


Rika grumbled as she threw another pillow at the wall. At first it was okay in the locked room REALLY high up in the palace of the Sovereign.

At first.

However, a couple hours had passed and still nothing from her 'humble' host, nor any of his servants. Then again, that might be a good thing- Zhuqiamon had a definite habit of destroying and devouring anything that he found annoying, especially, "Medaling, self-important human mortals".

Yes, being devoured by a psychotic, giant... bird was not very high on the list of things Rika wanted and needed to do to get back home. But, it would certainly cure her boredom.

Another pillow against the wall- a hand reaching back to grab another, only to find that she had- finally- run out of pillows. Standing up, she walked over to the wall, collected the pillows, threw them onto the bed again, grabbed others, threw them onto the bed, and the others still on the ground eventually made it to the large canopy as well.

This was quickly followed by Rika collapsing onto the pile of pillows, before she began wrenching the fluffy head supports from underneath her and tossing them- once again- at the wall.

"Oi! Stop that! Filthy humans..."

She growled, recognizing the voice of one of the Sovereign's Devas- Mihiramon. "Make me, kitty!"

"Watch your tongue, wench!"

"Don't call me a wench unless you want to get killed- again!"

"You can't do anything without Renamon!"

"You honestly think I willingly came back to this God-forsaken world unprepared? I'm not as stupid as the Gogglehead!"

Mihiramon was suddenly quiet, and Rika grinned in triumph, before the low, growling voice filtered through the door again. "The Crimson Knight is here?"

Rika rolled her eyes. "That's what Yamaki said. Well, before he pushed me into training for a month straight in this giant glass-room-thing, and then forced me through the portal."

"So you didn't come back willingly?" The voice was challenging.

"Do you really think I would let someone like Yamaki push me around like that if I didn't want to?"

Again, silence, before the door opened and the large Tiger-Deva entered, peering around the room. "Human, Master Zhuqiamon has been looking for the Knight. You will come with me and tell our Lord what you know."

"And if bird-brain doesn't want me there at the moment?"

"He will." Mihiramon was so strong in his conviction it made her eyes widen. "The other Sovereigns have been pushing for his safe return as well. Any information will take precedence over anything else."

Rika growled at him. "Fine. But one wrong move..."

Mihiramon smirked. "I'd like to see a human- a human GIRL, none the less- try."

Rika smirked again, standing up and walking over to him, petting his head in a mocking way as she passed. "You forget, kitty- I've been training. And I'm a tamer."

The Tiger Deva didn't say anything to that, and Rika passed unchallenged, turning down the hall, not caring which way she was going- Mihiramon would yell at her if she took a wrong turn.


Were Mamothmon stupid?

...was the sky blue and grass green?

Then again, Kiken quickly reminded himself, since this was the Digital World, that wasn't always the case...

The direction the needle-blade had led them in ended up in their being sucked up within ten minutes into a data stream, and instantly transported to the Highest Level of the World- the Sovereign's level.

Zhuqiamon's level.

Shar and Shurri stood beside him on the red plane, eyeing the castle looming in front of them. The tracks, which they had re-picked up about forty minutes run to the South (approximately), had led straight to the castle, which could only bode ill.

Looping around said castle once, specifically around the large void that separated the castle from the surrounding plane, they decided that said Mamothmon had used the only way to get across- which Shurri had dubiously dubbed 'Bubble Transport'- and, no doubt, one at a time.

Although how they fit into the 'bubble' was enough of a question...

Shurri grinned again, pointing with the needle-blade towards the castle. "Forward ho!"

Shar blanched- as much as a leaf samurai could blanch, anyways. "You aren't going to walk right into the castle and demand to see the Sovereign, are you?"

"And if I am?"

Kiken sighed. "I'll be on cleanup duty."

Shar nodded. "I get all his things."

Shurri sweatdropped. "Hey, come on! I'm not gonna die!"

Kiken sighed, turning his head away slightly as they began following Shurri- again. "That's debatable."

Shurri, however, either ignored him or didn't hear him, and instead began marching to the archway before the void, where Kiken and Shar joined him, waiting for the bubble.

They made it across the void without too much trouble (Kiken and Shar making sure to grab onto the end of Shurri's needle blade to prevent it from popping the bubble), and found a small welcoming party waiting for them- Majiramon, Pandiramon, Sandiramon and Sinduramon all waited expectantly, staring at the two leaf samurai, their eyes trailing to their samurai's human companion- and gasping, backing up in shock, Sandiramon and Sinduramon taking off at once for their Master.

Kiken blinked as he saw Padiramon and Majiramon wince and stare at him, fear in their eyes, obviously ready to defend or strike in a moment's notice.

Shurri blinked, before he laughed, swinging the needle blade around again. "Will you look at that? The Devas are scared of you, Kiken! What did you do to them?"

Kiken furrowed his brows as the dragon and sheep deva stared at him. "I... I don't... remember... I don't remember anything. Not any Devas, or Zhuqiamon... nothing."

Shar whapped Shurri over the head with the younger samurai's blade. "Did you have to remind him?"

"Aw, come on, Shar! The DEVAS are scared of him! What does that say?"

"That you three are to follow us."

Five pairs of eyes turned to see most of the remaining Devas standing there, the only two conspicuously missing being Mihiramon and Indramon.

Antylamon was at Kiken's side in an instant. "Young Takato, how are you?"

Kiken blanched at being touched by a higher-level digimon, the taste and sense of human completely surrounding him- the name completely passing through his mind without meaning.

Shar, however, picked up on it immediately. "Takato? We have been calling him Kiken."

Kiken nodded slowly. "That's all I ever remember being called, anyways."

Antylamon backed off. "Do you... really not remember?"

Kiken shook his head. "Nope. I just know what Shar and Shurri and the Old One have taught me."

The name 'Old One' was common knowledge among the Devas, and as such they did not react to it- Shar and Shurri, however, were about to whap Kiken over the head- well, until they noticed the none of the Devas seem to care about the name, and both slowly relaxed.

Antylamon shook his head. "Well, regardless, come with us, Ta- Kiken." He quickly corrected himself. "The Sovereign awaits your presence."

Kiken frowned as he felt himself being dragged into the middle of the throng of Devas, Shar and Shurri being left to follow behind.

Shurri sighed. "It's always something, ne?"


Rika stared up at Zhuqiamon, the Sovereign towering over her easily. Her eyes, however, were clear of all emotions, as she and the fire-bird had a long, long, long staring competition. Her eyes didn't water, his incapable of doing so, two eyes versus six... and neither were giving up.

Mihiramon stood off to the side, watching with vague amusement as the young female Tamer tried to stare down his master.

It had stared easily enough- he had led Rika into the room, proclaiming to Zhuqiamon that the female had some information about the missing Tamer. Zhuqiamon sent the Mamothmon away- however, they refused to leave, also wondering what she knew.

They were promptly killed, without a second thought.

Rika didn't even flinch.

Instead, she had crossed her arms and leaned off to the side, hip thrusting outward in a provocative gesture that one would never think she would be able to do, being the anti-female, pink and fluffy things that she was.

"Well, bird-brains. Looks like you're looking for the Gogglehead, too?"

Zhuqiamon had not been pleased. "It is Sovereign, Master, or, if you refuse to call me those, human, Zhuqiamon to you. NOT bird-brain or any of your other little nicknames. And show some respect to your leader- Crimson Knight, Tamer, or Takato."

Rika had glared. "He doesn't mind me calling him Gogglehead- if anything, he encourages it with those goggles of his."

"That is no excuse."

"It is to me."

That was how the glaring match started- and neither had backed down since. Mihiramon had almost laughed at the human's insolence, before Sandiramon and Sinduramon had barged into the room, panting and gasping.

"My... Lord..."

"He... has..."

Both Rika and Zhuqiamon's attention had been drawn to the two Devas, before Zhuqiamon nodded and turned to Mihiramon. "Take her back to her rooms, don't let her leave. Sandiramon, Sinduramon, gather the remaining Devas, bring him in. Ike!"

Mihiramon had grabbed Rika, throwing her on his back as he raced back towards her rooms, knowing the tone of voice that the fire-bird used meant trouble. Sandiramon and Sinduramon raced out of the room as well, gathering the remaining Devas from where ever in the castle they might have been.

Rika growled down at the tiger Deva from her perch on his back. "What... is... going on!"

Mihiramon answered with a growl of his own. "He has been found- and is right outside the palace."

Rika blinked- whether in surprise or because of the high winds, who would know. "He? Who's he?"

"Who else would make Zhuqiamon abandon all other duties and such a wonderful staring match?"

"DROP ME!"

Mihiramon skidded to a stop, turning his head around to stare in surprise at the human that he had just realized was on his back. "What?"

Rika, however, had already slid off the tiger Deva's back, and was racing back down the corridor. Mihiramon was after her in a second- but never quite able to catch up. "What do you think you're doing! Zhuqiamon specifically told us to get out of there!"

Rika screamed. "I've had it with that bird-brain! Takato is coming home with me!"

Mihiramon slowed to a stop as Rika tore around the corner, disappearing out of sight, a human saying that should be a proverb coming back to him.

Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn.


Zhuqiamon glared down at the three who stood within the crowd of Devas. Two shurrimon and a human- to be slightly more specific, a Tamer. To be even more specific, the missing Tamer that the Sovereigns had been looking so hard for. To be extremely specific, Takato Matsuda, Tamer of Guilmon, and unofficial leader of the Tamers.

Zhuqiamon growled. "Where have you been?"

Kiken blinked, staring at the giant fire-bird in awe and surprise. "I'm sorry, but... do I know you?"

Zhuqiamon growled, louder this time, and turned on the two Shurrimon. "You two! What is going on here?"

Shar stepped forward. "We found him in the desert level by the Tall Rocks about a month ago. He had lost his memory, and although we know it's rare for a human to be here, we took him in and trained him."

Zhuqiamon had to look impressed. "You can actually stand him?"

Shurri snorted. "Kiken's more annoying than I'll ever be!"

"Which is really saying something, because Shurri here is probably the most disruptive digimon in our village." Shar put in, causing both Kiken and Shurri to round on him.

"HEY!"

"And was he easy to train?"

Shurri smirked, although no one could see it. "Easy? Tell him what to do and give him the materials, and he did it. Other than his... interesting personality, Kiken actually wasn't horrible to train. Of course, there was always meals and duties that he had to preform... then it was annoying."

Zhuqiamon cocked his head in slight interest, staring down at the young Tamer. "Do you have any idea of who you were before, Kiken?"

Getting the gist to be respectful to the Sovereign, Kiken bowed his head slightly. "In all honesty, I don't remember anything. I know I'm male, I'm a human, and apparently something called a 'Tamer', but other than that..." The confusion on his face spoke louder than his words ever could, and Zhuqiamon almost laughed out loud.

The strongest Tamer, who, with more, proper training and his Mode Change could take on Imperialdramon, had no idea of anything in the past! No worries, no memories, no responsibilities... the gears quickly began working.

Zhuqiamon, for good reason, had only ever had digimon servants- not a single human, because they were vile creatures who thought they owned everything they set their sights on.

But here, in front of him, was a human, raised like a digimon and with powers beyond comprehension when paired with his partner. A human that had been disciplined, but still retained a personality, knew his place, did not talk back to his superiors... and was, in all likeliness, a near-completely blank slate. A blank slate that Zhuqiamon had every intention of writing on.

"Ta- Kiken, they called you?" Kiken nodded in slight confusion. "I have been searching for a new servant. Someone who would be able to take down all who would truly oppose me, and prove a worthy adversary in battle. A messenger to humans and digimon alike, a symbol of the Southern Quadrant's power. My Devas are powerful, but are only Ultimates. They do my work where my own wings cannot reach, but even they are limited. A Tamer, however, does not have such limitations.

"Do me the honour of becoming my servant. Additional training will be needed, of course, but I shall provide that for you. You will show respect to my Devas and others of a higher rank than you- those who dare oppose you, regardless of rank, may be taken care of however you would like. You will live here, and, if those two samurai with you would help to increase your own powers or abilities in any way, they may have rest here as well."

Kiken's eyes had widened, and he was on the verge of accepting, but the Old One still appeared in his mind, clear as day. Shar, however, knew what was going through the young one's head.

"Just say yes, Kiken. The Old One will understand. This is a great honour- to reject it would be insulting on many levels to Our Sovereign."

Kiken nodded slowly, before a small grin appeared on his face and he bowed. "Of course, Sovereign."

Zhuqiamon let out an ear-splitting laugh, stopping abruptly as something occurred to him. "It is time for your first test, to see if you are indeed worthy."

It was about that moment that a pair of doors burst open, revealing our favourite- well, my favourite- Digimon Queen, hair slightly a mess from her jaunt down the hall with Mihiramon, and, of course, slightly breathless, though she somehow was able to hide it.

Her eyes quickly scanned the crowd, coming to rest on Kiken, widening slightly at his appearance. She slowly stepped in, eyes trained on Kiken, who frowned at her disrespect for Zhuqiamon.

"Ta... Takato?"

Kiken's eyes widened, before clouding over. He close them slightly, shaking his head, before standing up again. "Who?" There was only truth behind his words, everyone could here it. Rika stopped in her tracks, turning to Zhuqiamon, who was smirking.

"What did you do to him!"

Zhuqiamon shook his head, glaring all the while at the human that dared oppose him. "I did nothing, foolish girl. something happened when he arrived here, and does not remember his past. I have generously offered to take him in, train him properly, make him stronger than ever before."

Rika frowned, as did Kiken, though for different reasons. "So? If he forgets everything, shouldn't he come back to regain all of his memories?"

"Why would you want that? Do you now remember what happened? What he has been the cause of? I can reign in that power, Tamer of Renamon, teach him to use it properly and not just let it lash out whenever it so chooses. Going back to your world would only make him feel pain."

Rika continued to frown, her glare intensifying as something else occurred to her. "You said make him stronger, correct?"

"Are you so deaf that I need to repeat myself?"

Rika ignored that comment. "The strongest Takato ever was was in Crimson Mode."

"I am well aware of that fact, girl."

"Which means Gallantmon... which means biomerging... which means his partner..."

"All of which we are well aware of! What is your point?" Mihiramon growled from the door, eyes narrowing as his gaze rested on Rika.

"To biomerge, you need a connection with your partner (I can't believe I'm saying this...). To forge a new connection would be too painful, take too long. But to keep the old one, Takato has to-"

"Remember something..." Zhuqiamon finished, as 2, 4, 6, 8... er... 12 times 2 plus or minus a few, and then add... er... 36 (I think) eyes turned to Kiken.

Kiken blushed under the gazes. "What? What do I have to remember?"

Rika approached him, violet eyes locked on his own crimson, moving swiftly through the Devas and Shar and Shurri to stand before him. "Takato-"

"Kiken!" Shurri exclaimed in annoyance.

"-do you remember Guilmon?"

Kiken blinked. "Guil...mon... er... nope, not ringing any bells."

"Growlmon?"

"Nope."

"War Growlmon?"

"Still nothing."
"Gallantmon?"

"Nope, but didn't you just mention him?"

Rika growled. "Grani?"

"Er... no, no idea who or what you're talking about. You know, you sounded just like Zhuqiamon when you did that."

Rika frowned, turning to Zhuqiamon. "I'm going to ignore that comment... he's completely forgotten everything!"

Kiken frowned. "Not... really... I remember something about an explosion, and some kind of sadness... and blood, everywhere blood..."

Rika turned slowly around to face him, staring in surprise as a few stray tears trickled down his face, while the male Tamer stood there, uncaring, images purposefully suppressed rising to the surface and clouding his mind.

Zhuqiamon glared at her. "And I suppose that this is what's going to happen every time he remembers something?"

"I'm a Tamer, not a psychiatrist!"

Kiken raised his head slowly. "And you... I remember you... Rika..."

Rika's eyes widened in surprise at that, only growing larger as he reached forward and pulled her into a hug. Her fists clenched, she was definitely about to pound him... until a small puddle of wetness on her shoulder made her stop, his body racking with silent sobs, the horrible images of the attack being replayed again and again and again. His hold on her tightened, trying to grasp something he could relate to, something to bind him to the world of the living.

Fists unclenched. Arms reached up, wrapping around his neck slowly. Eyes closed, suppressing her own images of that gruesome day. And Devas, Samurai and Sovereigns watched as two Tamers, lost and helpless in a world, a destiny, they had been thrust into, found some kind of comfort in each other.


Zhuqiamon flew slowly through the clouds, the Eastern Quadrant almost annoyingly peaceful, reflecting the other Realm that it drew it's energy and stability from. He felt the presence of the other Sovereigns close by, but he refused to join them- not until he could put into words what had happened.

Kiken had- to make it more definite- agreed in a clear, strong voice that he would be the fire-
bird's servant, Rika still in his arms, but on a few conditions. One was that his and Rika's partners would be brought to them immediately. The Second was that Zhuqiamon would allow him, Rika, Shar and Shurri to leave the castle and travel as they so pleased, as long as they had no assignments or missions from the Sovereigns. And the third was that Rika would not be forced to do anything other than what she so wished as long as she stayed with them.

That, of course, brought up the question- would Rika stay? And for how long? She confessed that she had no real way of getting back, having thought someone might have offered her some hints about it upon finding Takato. It also quickly that came out that Rika had no real desire to return- certainly, not at that moment, and not for a while. And if she got to see Renamon...

Zhuqiamon, of course, would not let this opportunity pass. Rika was very anti-human, regardless if she was one or not. At least, she was, much of the time, anti-emotional, unless you count anger, frustration, annoyance, and a desire to destroy whatever had caused such emotions (aka the world) as emotions. He had told her that it would be her job to make sure Takato- Kiken- remembered, but only what he needed to remember to biomerge with his partner.

Besides that, Rika would also partake in the training sessions. Although not becoming anything like a messenger, she would be more like Kiken's... aid. Bodyguard, per say, until the dragon-
Tamer could biomerge with his partner again. And after that... well, they'd see. Kiken was determined to protect her, though. It might be the fact that they had already been close (if getting pounded and joking around was 'close'), it might be that she was a fellow Tamer, a fellow human, in a world of non- and anti-humans, or it might be that she was his last link to his past.

Regardless, Kiken refused to allow anything to happen to her- his voice and his words had said that much at least.

And Rika herself, although her obvious denial about being a psychiatrist, was able to catch that meaning easily enough, and promptly whap Kiken in the head, the Samurai and Devas sweatdropping, Zhuqiamon himself showing no emotion.

A good team, that much was certain. Each powerful in their own rights alone, but together...

Zhuqiamon had sent his Devas to look for their partners, promised them that they would not become prisoners of his castle, and said that Rika's safety was guaranteed. It was almost too easy.

Zhuqiamon grinned, angling his wings to bring him down to his brothers. They would love to hear this.


Indeed, Azulongmon looked very curious at the fire-bird's approach and behaviour as he settled down in his usual spot, eyes alight with mirth. "What is it, brother? Do you have news on young Matsuda?"
Zhuqiamon cackled. "Not just news, I have found him, as well as the Renamon's Tamer!"

Azulongmon's eyes widened in surprise before narrowing. "Why did you not tell us she was missing too?"

Zhuqiamon frowned, his good mood quickly disappearing. "Because, brother, I had no idea she was gone. In fact, it seems that one of their human companions- not one of the Tamers- sent her here to find him, with no way to get back."

Azulongmon relaxed, as Baihumon's tail began slowly twitching. "So, what news on the two?" the great Tiger questioned slowly.

"Matsuda, upon arriving in my Quadrant, lost his memories and has been going by 'Kiken' I believe for the last month. He has no desire, however, to return to the human world, and neither does the female." Zhuqiamon quickly said, seeing Azulongmon's look. "Your counter-part gave your Chosen a decision whether to leave or stay the first time. And now I give mine."

Azulongmon settled back, still worried. "So what will you have them do, brother? We know that you do not just let anyone stay in your Quadrant with your knowledge, especially two humans. Normally, their data would already be a part of you."

Zhuqiamon laughed quickly. "The Knight has chosen to be a servant, the Shamaness an aid and bodyguard to the Knight until he can properly use biomerging again. After that, however, her role is questionable- but Kiken refuses to allow anything to happen to her."

"Do ye have nay idea why?" One of Ebonwumon's heads asked, the other nodding, for once the two agreeing.

Zhuqiamon shrugged- which was basically moving his wings up and down, a very strange motion for him, as was his whole personality that day it seemed. "Maybe devotion, maybe a link, maybe how he felt before he lost his memories, or maybe what drove him to come to my Quadrant in the first place. He seems to remember destruction, explosions, and blood."

Azulongmon frowned. "And what else are you planning to do, brother?"

"Else?"

"You always have more than one reason for doing things, and all always work in your favour."

"A sparing partner, a messenger, a representative of the Southern Quadrant's power to those who presences would demean my own, a suitable apprentice-"

"Apprentice!" Azulongmon gaped, surprised- which, mind you, looked very... strange on a giant dragon.
Zhuqiamon growled. "The Devas are strong, but they cannot evolve. They will always be Ultimates, and I need someone who can reach the Mega level and have little to no weaknesses- hence the female's presence, a data can easily overpower any vaccine- who would be able to actually carry out my wishes and fulfill what needs to be done."

The meeting concluded not long after, all four Sovereigns returning to their own quadrants, each with something to think about.

Azulongmon frowned, remembering Zhuqiamon's words. "...someone... who would be able to actually carry out my wishes and fulfill what needs to be done." Obviously, the fire-bird had a definite point in his words, but it still startled the ancient dragon. Should he be thinking of doing something similar? Obviously, Zhuqiamon's Quadrant was far more vicious, more powerful, but their only major crises were the D-Reaper and Juggernaut- one a fail-safe to destroy anything that had gone beyond it's parameters, a part of the digital world itself, the other a malfunctioning program, created by humans.

Undoubtably, though the Easter Quadrant itself had never suffered from anything too ridiculous, but the Realm of Light it was connected to had gone through more disasters and problems than one could possibly count- not that one would want to.

Baihumon and Ebonwumon, giant Tiger and Turtle that they were, had approximately about the same ideas in their head- Baihumon worrying about the Realm of Spirits, Ebonwumon the effect of his own closed-in-ness on everything and everyone else.

Zhuqiamon, however, left with questions, but these revolved more around his new servants- after all, why should the Sovereign of the most violent Quadrant and therefore Realm known to most creatures worry about the way his Quadrant was not only being run, but how it effected others?


Kiken slowly opened his eyes, gazing at the room he somehow found himself in. Silk and velvet covered his body, plush red and burgundy curtains drawn around his bed that matched his sheets, pillows and quilt. Oranges and yellows of every shade and description decorated said quilt, hangings and room itself, making it look more like the fires of Hell than any kind of accessories inside a bedroom.

Throwing open the curtains, he looked outside the window, eyes taking in the view of the bare plane. He frowned- surely Zhuqiamon did not like to surround himself with such desolation, but then why would be build his castle here...? Of course, the obvious answer was that as this was the highest level of the Southern Quadrant of the Realm of Chaos, it would help his Sovereign-
powers... somehow... it had been specially designed for Zhuqiamon, by Zhuqiamon (or at least his mind) and Kiken found it remarkably strange and slightly funny that this Quadrant looked the way it did.

He put his musings aside to bug Rika with later as he turned away and looked at his supply of clothing. Somehow (Kiken really wasn't sure how, nor did he want to know), a large assortment of clothes had randomly appeared within his chambers during the night, including things he knew he would never wear to things he didn't think he would ever be able to take off.

Choosing some loose, baggy pants and a silk button-down shirt, he slid them on over a few pieces of his armour. One could never be too careful, even if he was in the Sovereign's castle.

Stepping out of his room, now marked, he noticed, with a strange red triangle symbol on a black background, he closed his door and walked down the hallway a bit, stopping at the next door on his left. This, he again noticed, was marked by a white, circular symbol divided in half by a squiggly line, on a navy blue background.

Knocking, he didn't wait for an answer and pushed open the door, eyes slowly taking in the blue decor of the room. Blues, whites, greys and silvers decorated this room, making it seem more like an ice cave. Navy blue hangings surrounded a bed, and he quickly, quietly, moved over to them, slowly drawing them back, expecting to see a peacefully-sleeping Rika...

Only to find two violet orbs almost literally digging into his soul through his eyes, narrowed in an expression of intense anger. "Did you think I was asleep or something, Gogglehead?"

"No, I just... training... morning... breakfast... er... food?" He faltered, suddenly unsure around her. Her eyes had a small spark of surprise that was quickly extinguished, a smirk appearing on her face.

"Training, morning, breakfast and food? That certainly helps."

He frowned. "Will you come on? You're already dressed- Zhuqiamon starts the training today."

"Are you speaking back to me?"

"Eh? Er... well, I-"

He was easily silenced, again, by the look in her eyes, before a fist was slowly raised, fingers extending and snapping together again, an audible cracking being heard.


Mihiramon strolled down the hallways of the Sovereign's castle, enjoying the reprieve he had been given from his Master. However, that reprieve wouldn't last long- along with Antylamon, he was in charge of the two Tamers: training them, feeding them, disciplining them...

POW!

"Ow! Rika!"

"Keep whining Gogglehead, and get your ass out of here, or there's going to be more where that came from!"

A red, gold and blue blur that was definitely the male Tamer, Kiken, streaked out of the ice-
room, yelping as something that looked like a vase hit him in the back, crashing to the floor, but somehow not seriously hurting. Strange laughter came from the room as the female- Rika- poked her head and smirked at the retreating back of Kiken as he turned into his own room, before her eyes caught the Tiger Deva's.

They shared a long look for a moment, before she grinned savagely and shut the door, her footsteps away from the wooden portal soft and delicate- as much of a fighter as she was, she still had a kistune for a partner and a model for a mother- even Mihiramon could barely hear her steps.

He smirked in satisfaction- they certainly didn't need discipline from anyone...


Kiken groaned as he made his way down the hall, brown hair askew and shirt and pants hanging loosely off his frame. That little run-in with Rika had surprised him- he hardly knew her, but it was more like instinct than anything else that made him move and act like that. She was a time-
bomb waiting to go off- and, he realized, more than likely to go off around him.

He sighed, about to turn a corner when a felt a heavy- and familiar- presence crash into him.

"Shurri get off me! You're heavy, dammit!"

The samurai laughed. "Just look at the bright side- you're not sitting on me!"

"The only side I can see from here is your ass! Now, UP!"

Shurri laughed, standing quickly, offering his hand down to the Tamer. Kiken took it quickly- before flipping Shurri over his back towards the wall, causing the samurai to crash into said object and slide down to the floor. Kiken laughed in triumph, smirking in victory.

"Well, if I'm so heavy, then maybe you shouldn't have set yourself up like that."

Shurri had nothing to respond to that- if the swirls in his eyes were any indication, he'd be out for a while. Kiken had no worries about leaving him in the middle of a hallway- it was the Sovereign's castle, and Zhuqiamon had already sworn that Shurri and Shar would have nothing to worry about ("An armour's data is too weak to be of any substantial use to anyone living in my castle, anyways" Had been the excuse the Sovereign had used).

He was about to finally turn the corner, when a hand on his shoulder stopped him. Turning around slightly, he looed wide-eyed at the violet-eyed female Tamer, who had some kind of unrecognizable emotion in her eyes. He frowned, no longer like the lost, confused and timid Tamer he had been earlier.

"What?"

She lowered her hand, eyes clouding over slightly, before looking down at Shurri's still unmoving body. "You're just going to leave him there?"

"It's his own fault. Besides, we always did that in the village."

Rika frowned, turning her gaze back to him, but he had already turned his back, and began walking away. 'Takato... what has happened to you?'

He turned around again, a small smile on his face that was more reminiscent of who she remembered him to be, as he offered her his arm. "Are you coming?"

Walking quickly, she caught up to him, and walked past, grabbing his arm in the process and dragging him along until he got used to her pace. Their strides matched, even and smooth, bringing them closer to the training hall.

Shurri, meanwhile, opened his eyes and smirked as he watched their retreating backs from his position against the wall. "Heh... who woulda thought..."


Alright, yes, again, it's been a while. I actually had this on my website for almost a month before I realized that I hadn't posted it on (and was trying to figure out why I hadn't gotten any reviews for it). For all future chapters and stories, especially during school time, I actually write them ON my site. Then copy-and-paste, and stick 'em on a Word Perfect document, and upload 'em to whenever I get a chance.

And I shall be WORKING now during the summer, so don't expect supper-fast updates like what most people do during these two months. Yes, working. I need money. I spent most of it this year on my essentials. Gah, that wasn't fun. (Twitch)

Oh, we found aff- FINALLY! There's so many good things on there! Admittedly, incest isn't all that good (shudder), but everything on there is R or NC-17! C'mon, how is that NOT good? Death, Murder, Suicide, Torture, Soul-Stealing, occasional rape scenes- which I don't like as much as the others listed- it can be questionable, but I think it's entertaining :)

What? My news doesn't usually say, "Three people murdered". It usually says "Price of gas goes up three cents", which is, in all actuality, much worse for me. Yes, I sound cold-hearted. Yes, I probably sound really strange, weird, psychotic, masochistic, sadistic, and just plain evil.

HOWEVER, I have my reasons. Yes, this has turned into a rant. Yes, I'm being weird now. Yes, it is before noon when I don't have school, and am not working. I have ever reason to be cold-
hearted and strange right now. Don't bug me.

Onto happier notes, we're trying to finish most of Running, if not all of it, by September. Originally, it was to be done by the day that the 6th HP book comes out so that we can happily read that and write RttOW w/o feeling guilty (Secrets is probably getting put on hiatus. Just re-read the first few chapters... I suddenly have the urge to just completely delete it and forget I had ever written it). But, it doesn't seem that will be happening, so until we decide to get off our ass an move a bit faster, you're stuck with this.

Happy reading for whatever you're reading, and if I can say this- UPDATE, ALL YOU WHO HAVE NOT SINCE MARCH! I haven't updated since March, and this thing is a good... er... I dunno how long, but a LONG chapter! Longer than the previous ones! Now, GET TO WORK!