Me: Okay, first things first: One, I don't own Digimon, nor do I own "Future" from Megchan's site-pretty awesome lyrics there! Two, I've been under pressure to reapply for my classes, so that's why I've been preoccupied as of late.

Takato: Hey, that's something we can all understand! Right?

Rika: I doubt that, since neither of us are in college and with the exception of our infamous author over here, we don't know anybody from college.

Me: Thanks-that's something I really felt like hearing right about now.

Digimon Tamers: Tamer V.S. Tamer

Chapter III-Takato's (Uncertain) Future

"I didn't know it was a crime; I did not know it at the time!" –Tim Taylor, Home Improvement

"This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning…" –Winston Churchill: 1874-1965

Takato Matsuki groaned as he was awakened from his peaceful dreams by a voice that sounded so familiar to him, but dripped with heavy sarcasm.

"Sounds just like her, but I know she's changed from the girl I met quite some time ago." Takato thought to himself as "Rika" came up to him with a look of disgust.

"I have no idea what my goody-good twin sees in you. It must be something amazing for her to yell out that threat last night."

Flashback

"You won't get away! Wherever you go, I'll find you and teach you guys a lesson if you don't give him BACK!"

End flashback

That gave Takato a glimmer of hope, a chance that Rika could actually like him under her tough facade.

"Where's Guilmon? What have you done to him?" Takato demanded heatedly as he forced himself up on his feet.

"He's alright-for the moment. I think Terriermon and Renamon are busy rough-housing with him right about now." A second later, Guilmon came in, being dragged in by "Rika's" partner. Once she dropped him, she turned and left.

"Guilmon! Are you okay?" Takato asked worriedly as he bent down and struggled to help him up.

"I think so. Takato, do you have anything to eat?"

"Pathetic. And our gogglehead thought you'd be a worthier opponent. At least, you put up a good fight the night before, but without you to lead them, we'll have your friends here before long."

Takato groaned sadly as he tried to think positively about his situation.

"What could be so positive about being trapped by clones who look exactly like you and your closest friends? No matter what, I've got to be confident that Rika and Henry will figure out a way to get me out of here."

The things I longed for are still just dreams; when I turn around, there's always a voice calling me

Wavering intensely in my heart, I might still make it after all

I lift up my face and try believing in myself once more

"Come on, Henry! We've gotta go before Susie wants me to play with her, and Rika's waiting for us outside!" Terriermon insisted as he peeked through the windows to see Rika, impatiently tapping her foot against her bike. The sun was rising at a pretty decent hour, around 5:55 A.M. Yet Rika wasn't in the mood to observe the sunrise.

"At least the light will give us a guide on where to go in order to find Takato." Rika thought to herself, a worried look on her face that quickly changed to impatience as Henry and Terriermon finally appeared.

"Where have you two been? Renamon, Calumon and I've been waiting since 5:45 out here!" Rika griped angrily as she gripped her D-Power tightly.

"It takes me some time to get ready and even more time to come up with a decent lie to tell Takato's parents." Henry explained, struggling to hold in his anger. It wouldn't do Takato any good for both him and Rika to be fighting.

"What did you tell them?"

"That he felt like jogging and fell asleep near my building." At that instant, Rika's D-Power glowed, beeped and pointed in the direction of the rising sun.

"He's this way! I can feel it." Rika declared as she gazed at her D-Power.

"You don't have to feel anything-just follow the bouncing arrow." Calumon laughed calmly at his little joke. Rika rolled her eyes as she started forward toward the east.

The future I must walk is illuminated by the light that guides me

Courage is born, in my hands

The future I must walk, a new future ahead of where I pointed, I'll go there soon to the future

I must walk, overflowing with light

Takato opened his bloodshot eyes to see his clone pushing a plate of food near him and Guilmon.

"Wouldn't want either of you guys to pass out during our big battle due to starvation, would we?"

"No, we wouldn't. You wouldn't happen to know where we are, would you?" Takato asked calmly. Chuckling, "Takato" decided to humor him.

"Since you and Guilmon aren't going to live past either tomorrow or today, why not? We're in a basement under an abandoned building near Tokyo. No possible way your pals could find us here."

Takato's eyes narrowed as he hungrily wolfed down the food and eyed his clone with a look of determination. "You shouldn't underestimate the Tamers! We always find a way out of any situation, no matter how hopeless it seems. And, if you even think about insulting Rika, I'll make you regret you were ever created." A second later, Takato groaned in pain and fell back as his clone punched him, hard, on the face.

"You'd dare to threaten me? Out of the two of us, I'm the stronger one! That tomboy who you have feelings for wouldn't last 1 minute against me and Guilmon."

Takato hid his anger well, and knew he'd cried himself a river beforehand, which meant he was free of tears. With excruciating pain, Takato took in a breath and kept hope alive that Rika and Henry would find him soon.

All the tears I've cried, the wind that dried them was so cold, I closed my eyes

Even if I get lost in an unknown place, there must be a way out! I take a breath and try opening my heart once more

"Renamon?" As her Digimon partner appeared by her side, Rika took notice that Henry, Terriermon and Calumon were giving her space so she could talk privately with her friend.

"Yes, Rika?"

"I'm not sure what I feel for Takato. When I first met him, I thought he was just a weak-minded gogglehead. Then, I figured he was in love with me since I did catch him hanging around my place. Next, I thought he just wanted to be my friend, but now I'm not sure what I feel toward him." Rika explained, just going right to the point when speaking to Renamon.

"Maybe you're just now realizing that people can change, but it takes time to adjust to the change, like the way you and I work together and the way you've attempted to hide your newly discovered feelings about Takato from him." Renamon replied.

"Maybe. Hey-the signal's stopped! That means he's in-" Rika looked up, as did Renamon, Terriermon, Henry and Calumon to see…

"An old abandoned warehouse? Come on! Our clones wouldn't be that naïve as to hide Takato in here, would they?" Rika asked in shock.

"Probably. They wouldn't expect us to think of looking for Takato in a place like this." Henry added.

"Momentai, Henry." Terriermon suggested with ease.

"This is no time to be thinking about Momentai! Takato could be in real trouble." Henry said irritably.

"All right! Sorry, I was just trying to lighten the mood here."

"It's okay, Terriermon. I know you were just trying to help us out."

"Whatever. Let's get in there and find Takato!" Rika demanded, feeling energy coarse through her entire body. Not choosing to look behind her, Rika hadn't noticed that Henry and Terriermon had vanished.

The future I must travel

For the first time in my life, I realized people can change at any time

The future I must travel, a new future ahead of where I was looking, I'll go there soon

To the future I must travel, overflowing with strength

"It's time! Obviously, we did underestimate the tenacity in which you Tamers used to your advantage. They're here, but by the time they think to check the basement stairs, you and Guilmon will both be dead. Let's go!" "Rika" advised as she hoisted Takato up onto his feet. Guilmon growled with anger as he prepared to attack Rika's clone.

"Don't do it, boy. She's twice as dangerous as the real Rika! Since I know you did eat-" Takato looked down next to his plate to see nothing, because Guilmon had eaten up his food in three settings!

"-You won't have to worry about Digivolving. We can do this!" Takato felt pure energy flowing through his body during that time.

"Yeah, right. Just try to win against us."

"I won't have to…I will." Takato and Guilmon both felt determined and confident in their abilities.

The future I must walk is illuminated by the light that guides me

Courage is born, in my hands

The future I must walk, a new future ahead of where I pointed, I'll go there soon to the future

I must walk, overflowing with light…

Takato soon found himself facing his clone, which, incidentally, was in the same room he'd been in earlier!

"Are you guys telling me we're gonna fight right under my friends' noses? You can't be serious!" Takato insisted.

"We are. And, just to make sure you and I aren't interrupted, my friends are going to take on your friends. And your friend Henry's gone, so that just leaves Rika to battle above us. If you're ready, let's go!"

As if things couldn't get any worse! Henry's vanished without a trace, Rika's bound to be ambushed again by her clone, and Takato's future is looking mighty dim right about now! Can the Tamers figure out a way to outsmart their clones? Find out next time on Digimon: Digital Monsters!