The next morning Rika woke up to the scent of flowers. Opening her eyes, she discovered a bouquet on the pillow next to her. Tucked inside the stems was a pink piece of paper, folded neatly. Sitting up on the pad, Rika opened the paper and read it.
"For you," was all it said, "signed Your Golden Valentine."
Shaking her head, Rika got up and tossed the flowers onto the table, the note along with it. She got dressed and headed into the kitchen, flowers clutched in her fist. Her mother, Mikino, and her grandmother, Rumiko, were already there, fixing breakfast when she arrived. Angrily she tossed the flowers and the note onto the table.
"What's this?" her mother said, peering at the flowers curiously.
"Nice try, Mom," Rika said, walking out of the room towards the front door.
"What about breakfast?" her grandmother called after her.
"I'm not hungry," Rika said, grabbing her coat and walking out the door. It was just like her mother, she thought, to try something like that. The effort changed nothing, however. Valentine's Day was just one more painful reminder that she was different.
Back in the kitchen, her grandmother picked up the note and read it. She chuckled softly to herself and shook her head.
"What does it say?" Mikino asked, trying to read the note over her mother's shoulder.
"Shouldn't you know?" Rumiko replied, handing the note to her daughter. "You're the one who gave it to her. What did you hope to accomplish, anyway?"
Rika's mother glanced at the note and held up her hands. "Innocent as charged. I thought about it, but I know she'd never believe it."
Rika's grandmother was taken aback, both by the news and the fact that her daughter knew that such a trick wouldn't work. "But, if you didn't give it to her, that means..."
"That my little girl has a secret admirer," Mikino said proudly. Maybe he could set my daughter straight, she thought.
******
The city streets did nothing for Rika's mood, as all around her were decorations for the big day. Everywhere she looked, all she could see was red and pink, in store windows and hanging from light poles. As she passed one such display, she yanked off a paper heart and angrily shredded it to bits. Above her, Renamon walked along a power line, keeping a close watch. If Rika noticed anything, she didn't show it.
Rika had never really liked Valentine's Day, but she never knew exactly why. Until recently, that is. Lately, she realized that everything the day stood for went against what she felt inside. Everything she had been raised to believe, everything she thought was unalterable truth, was quickly and suddenly reduced to scraps smaller than those she had torn the paper heart into. All because of what she felt inside.
Rika's thoughts turned to the bouquet she had been given earlier. It was just like her mother, trying something like that. She wondered what her mother had hoped to accomplish. It didn't make sense, unless... unless the flowers weren't a trick by her mother. Which meant that someone had really given her flowers. The only question left to ask was who her `Golden Valentine' was.
Her train of thought was interrupted when she bumped into Henry. Looking around, Rika realized that her wandering had taken her into the park.
"Oh, hi Rika," Henry said, noticing the wetness around Rika's eyes. "Is something wrong?"
Rika turned her head away quickly, rubbing at her eyes. "No, I'm fine. Must be something in the air."
"You look like you've been crying," Henry said, reaching a hand out to Rika. "If something's wrong, it would really help to talk about it."
"I said I'm fine," Rika snapped, and Henry pulled back his hand. Rika shook her head, rubbing her eyes some more. "I'm sorry, I've just been on edge lately. I don't suppose `Golden Valentine' means anything to you?"
Rika watched Henry carefully for some outward sign, but he gave none.
"Umm, no, never heard it before. Why?"
He was either telling the truth or he was the best liar Rika had ever seen. Knowing Henry, Rika believed the former. It wasn't him.
"It's nothing," Rika lied. She needed to find out who it was. Maybe then, when she found out who her secret admirer was, he would help her become normal. "Henry, what does Valentine's Day mean to you?"
"Well," Henry began, thinking over the question, "I guess it means a chance to tell a girl that you like them. Or a guy," he added, gesturing at Rika.
Rika laughed once, a short barking sound. He was right the first time, Rika sneered to herself.
"Thanks for trying," Rika grumbled, walking away from Henry.
Henry watched as Rika retreated into the distance. "Happy Valentine's Day Rika!" he called to her back. He barely caught Rika's response.
"Ha!"
******
Rika arrived back at her house later in the night, pushing past her mother at the front door.
"Young lady, where have you been?" Rika's mother asked as Rika kept on going towards her room.
"Out," was all that Rika said.
"What kind of answer is that?" her mother wondered, hands on her hips. She shook her head at her daughter's behavior.
"Now dear," Rika's grandmother said, "Can't you tell something's bothering her?"
"I don't see why," Mikino said. "I never got anything as nice as those flowers when I was young. She should be happy a boy likes her."
"Honey..."
"She should be happy," Mikino said again, putting an emphasis on `should'.
"You don't understand your own daughter," Rumiko said.
"What's there to understand?" Mikino asked angrily. "I just want a normal daughter! What's so wrong with that?"
"That's not who she is. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that," Rumiko told her daughter, trying her best to keep calm. She headed off to her granddaughter's room. "I'm going to go talk to her."
"If it doesn't get better soon, I'm going to have to take her out of that girl's school," Mikino said to herself.
Rika was sitting on her bed, her head in her hands, sobbing, when her grandmother knocked outside her door.
"Is it all right if I come in, honey?" Rumiko asked. When Rika didn't protest, she stepped into the room. As she entered, Rika looked up. She was hugging the flowers to her chest.
Rumiko sat next to Rika, and she laid her head on her grandmother's shoulder.
"They're beautiful flowers," Rika's grandmother said.
"I hate `em," Rika sneered, flinging the flowers away.
"Why, because you don't know who they're from?" Rumiko asked, picking the flowers back up.
"No, because I know who they're not from," Rika told her grandmother.
"Oh? And how do you know she didn't give them to you?" Rumiko asked slyly.
"Because she..." Rika started, stopping once she realized her grandmother's trick. She quickly looked away, avoiding looking into Rumiko's eyes.
Rika's grandmother smiled and got up to leave. "I'll leave you with this. No matter what your mother may think or say, I support you one hundred percent."
As Rumiko closed the door behind her, she could just hear her granddaughter speak.
"Thank you, Grandma."
Rika's grandmother smiled fondly as she headed towards her own room. Outside Rika's window another face smiled, this one sadly. Once more, Renamon vanished into the night, her last words lingering in the air.
"Good night, my Valentine."
******
The next day held another surprise for Rika. Lying on the pillow next to her was a single red rose, a letter taped to it. Written on the front of the letter, in a plain hand, were the words `From your Golden Valentine'. Rika quickly opened the envelope and removed the note inside.
"For my Valentine: Know that my heart beats for you alone. Accept this rose, though its beauty pales in comparison to your own. Accept my love, for it shines brighter than the sun. Know that you are in my thoughts always, and that it is my fervent wish that I will be in yours."
"What have you got there?" Renamon asked, appearing inside the room. Rika quickly shoved the letter under her pillow. Knowing that Renamon cared for her, Rika didn't want Renamon seeing the letter. She also didn't want to destroy it; as much as her heart fought against it, her head was glad that a boy was in love with her.
"It's nothing," Rika said. "What are you doing here, anyway?" She regretted the harsh sound of her words, but she told herself it was better than the alternative.
"It's beautiful out there," Renamon said, gesturing out the window. The sun was shining and the birds were singing. It was the kind of day she would love to spend outdoors with Rika.
`It's beautiful in here too,' Rika wanted to say; watching the way the sunlight glittered off of Renamon's fur. She struggled not to remember just how soft and warm Renamon's fur felt, told herself that she shouldn't think those sorts of things. Instead, she said, "I guess so."
As Rika got out of bed, Renamon crossed over to the table. The flowers from the previous day were back in their vase. Renamon, smiling, picked one up and sniffed it gently. She had always loved the smell of these wildflowers. "If there's something bothering you, Rika, you know I'm always here for you."
"What do you know about Valentine's Day?" Rika asked, turning to face Renamon. The fox digimon was still studying the flowers, and Rika continued to get dressed.
"Can't say I know very much about it," Renamon said, picking her words carefully. `Honestly, can't say I know.' It seemed to satisfy Rika though.
"Didn't think so," Rika sighed. Renamon's back was still to her, and she quickly grabbed the letter and put it in her pocket. Good, she thought, Renamon hadn't seen that.
Renamon chuckled silently. Good, she thought, Rika liked the letter. She had tried not to be too flowery with it, but she understood that it was fairly typical for Valentine's Day. It didn't change one very important fact though: She had meant every word. "I don't know about you, but I'm going to spend some time training in the park. I hope to see you there."
"I don't know," Rika whispered. "I just don't know."
******
With a sigh, Renamon disappeared from Rika's room and made her way over to the secluded spot in the park she often used to train. That was when she did some of her best thinking. Renamon began her usual training regimen, executing intricate series of punches and kicks, aiming at imaginary foes. As instinct took over the physical motions, her mind was free to wander and drift.
The call was a strong one, calling her towards the one she only knew by the human name `The Digimon Queen.' The power was incredible; the pure raw potential this human possessed was unique. As such, Digimon clamored over each other, boasting their superior strength, hoping `The Digimon Queen' would choose one of them. But she knew better than they did; she knew that this one was meant for her. It was destiny that they should meet, Rika and Renamon.
Opponent after opponent fell to the power of their teamwork, Rookies, Champions, Armors, none could stand up to them. And yet, it didn't seem to satisfy the young human. She kept pushing Renamon farther, spurring her onto greater deeds. Renamon was eager to please, desiring nothing more than to make her Tamer proud. Fighting was her life, and this was as good as it got.
One day, though, her world was turned upside down. The little boy and his pet lizard had such a different bond. They had such amazing power; Renamon could sense it during their fight when the lizard stood up to the full might of her attack. They had incredible power, and yet they possessed this utter innocence. There was one factor above all others that intrigued Renamon the most. The boy cared for his partner, something Rika knew nothing of. Though everything told her that she should ditch the dispassionate human, something stopped her.
Rika saw such compassion as a weakness, never realizing that it was the reason why the others were able to digivolve. Digivolution became all that mattered to Rika, digivolution and the leap in strength that came with it. Rika had thought she could force it, thought that the pure strength of her desire would cause it to happen. It wasn't until Dokugumon showed up that everything changed. The spider was too powerful, even for their formidable teamwork. And then, disaster nearly struck. The spider unleashed a blast of venom straight at Rika, but Renamon took the attack, nearly succumbing to the poison. It was then that, for the first time, Rika truly cared about Renamon, and Renamon was finally able to digivolve.
It didn't last. Despite everything, Rika continued to see Renamon as nothing more than data, a tool for strength. And yet, even then something kept Renamon from leaving. That something brought her back to save Rika from Ice Devimon, despite her harsh words. It had all come to a head when Harpymon appeared. Renamon was powerful, she knew it, and she likely could have defeated the thing without any assistance. But the thrill of victory was hollow without Rika and Harpymon was far from finished. The bird creature launched one more attack, catching Renamon by surprise, and then tried to stomp Renamon out of existence. Renamon's survival was in doubt but for Rika. Picking up the only weapon close at hand, a sharp stick, Rika attacked Harpymon, stabbing the foul creature in the back. It was at that moment, when Harpymon was seconds away from striking Rika down, that Renamon realized what that something was that kept her by Rika's side.
Love, an emotion Renamon was wholly unfamiliar with it. She was a warrior through and through, and fighting left little time for emotions, certainly not ones so detrimental to concentration as love. She had never expected to feel it, let alone towards one such as Rika. Now the problem was how to express that to Rika, which brought up another emotion, fear. How would Rika respond to her confession of love? What if she didn't feel the same way?
Renamon finished off her last imaginary foe with a thrust through the chest. She held the position, panting for breath, sweat glistening on her fur. Slowly Renamon straightened, her breath returning to her in ragged gasps.
Rika sat in silence, watching Renamon train, marveling at the interplay of muscles in Renamon's sleek body and enjoying the fluid grace with which Renamon flew through the motions. She shook her head to clear her mind of such thoughts, they weren't right, and once again she pulled out the letter. Reading through it, she smiled sadly. Rika got up and walked away from Renamon, letter neatly folded in her pocket.. She cared enough not to want to hurt her partner, but the letter was the only thing promising her a normal life.
"I'm sorry, Renamon."
******
And then, the day was there at last, Valentine's Day. On Rika's pillow in the morning was one more red rose, another note attached to it. Her Golden Valentine wanted them to meet. Mikino was ecstatic, she was sure the boy would be cute, and even if he wasn't he was at least a boy. Strangely, Rumiko was smiling too, a curious `I know something you don't know' smile.
******
"Well, hello," Rika's grandmother said, "Renamon, isn't it?"
Renamon bowed her head respectfully and knelt in front of Rumiko. "I need to speak with you."
"About Rika. You love her." Renamon nodded. "You're the one who sent the flowers." Renamon nodded again. "And you're afraid I won't approve."
"I love Rika very much, and above all else I desire to make her happy."
"And you do, more so than I ever could have hoped."
******
The time was set, ten o'clock PM; the place was set, on a cliff overlooking the city. The night was clear, the city's lights were bright, and the full moon hung high in the sky. Everything was perfect. It was like a scene from a movie, a young man and a young woman in a romantic encounter on Valentine's Day.
"Don't stay out too late," Rika's mother told her, a smile on her face. "Not past midnight. I'm dying to meet him."
"Yeah, Mom, sure," Rika sighed, walking out the door. The night air was chilly, and Rika pulled her trench coat tighter around her body. She made her way through the nighttime streets over to the cliff where she and her Golden Valentine were supposed to meet. She didn't know exactly what would happen, but a boy liking her gave her hope. That was what she hated the most.
Rika soon found herself at the arranged meeting spot. Watching her watch, she watched the appointed hour arrive, and pass. She sighed, wondering if this guy was ever going to show up.
"Hello, Rika."
Rika turned around with a start and saw that the source of the voice was Renamon.
"Renamon! What are you doing here?" Rika asked frantically. She didn't want her partner to know what was going on.
"Actually," Renamon said, looking out over the city with her back to Rika. She took a deep breath to try and control her nervousness. For all the battles and opponents she had fought, these next few words were the hardest thing she had done. She turned around and looked at Rika. "I'm meeting somebody here."
It was then that Rika noticed how Renamon's fur shone golden in the moonlight. "You..." Rika began, her voice starting to break. "You're the one who sent the flowers and letters."
"Yes, it was me," Renamon confirmed. "I've wanted to tell you how I feel about you for a while now, and it seemed like Valentine's Day was as good a time as any." She noticed Rika looking down and away. She was afraid that this would happen. "But you don't feel the same way."
"No!" Rika said quickly. "No," she said again, softer. "It's not that, it's just, well..."
"What's wrong, Rika?" Renamon asked, placing her hands on Rika's shoulders. "Whatever it is, you know you can tell me."
Rika looked up into Renamon's eyes, but quickly looked away. "I guess..." she started, "I'm... scared, Renamon."
"Scared? Of what?"
"Of the way I feel about you. Because of what I am and what you are."
"Is it because I'm a Digimon?"
"No, that's not it at all," Rika said. She turned around in Renamon's grip, and she could feel the warmth of Renamon's body as the fox Digimon moved in closer. "All my life, I've been taught to believe one thing, that somewhere out there is a guy I'm destined to fall in love with. I've been told that the main goal in life for me was to grow up, meet a man, fall in love with him, marry him, and raise a family. Everything in life was merely a means to that end. And now, everything I was supposed to feel towards that one man, I felt about someone else. You, Renamon."
"Why does that scare you?" Renamon asked, puzzled.
"It's because we're both female. I shouldn't be in love with another girl, it's not normal. It goes against nature!" Rika said, tears starting down her face. Renamon pulled her closer.
"I don't know anything about human nature," Renamon said, hugging Rika's shoulders, and laying her head beside Rika's, "but I can tell you one thing. I'm a little scared too. What I feel towards you, I've never felt about anything in my life, let alone a young human girl."
"Renamon..."
"I don't pretend to understand love," Renamon continued, "It's still basically a foreign emotion to me. But I do know one thing. When I look into your eyes, I know that all I want to do is be with you. For as long as I've known you, I've never seen you let fear stop you from doing anything."
Renamon turned Rika around, and, holding Rika's head in her hands, she stared into Rika's eyes. "Don't let it stop you now."
"Renamon, I..." Rika started, trying to look away. Her eyes refused to move from Renamon's.
"Rika, I love you."
"And I... I love you too," Rika said, her voice dropping to a whisper. Renamon dropped her face down to Rika's, and their heads twisted. Rika allowed herself to be pulled in, and for the first time, their lips met. For the two lovers, the kiss seemed to last for a lifetime, and while it lasted, nothing else in the world mattered. When they finally pulled away, Rika snuggled closer to Renamon's warm fur.
"Happy Valentine's Day, Renamon."
"Happy Valentine's Day."
Their arms around each other, Rika and Renamon looked out over the city, full moon bright in the clear night sky. Rika lay her head on Renamon's shoulder.
"My Mom's gonna freak..."
"For you," was all it said, "signed Your Golden Valentine."
Shaking her head, Rika got up and tossed the flowers onto the table, the note along with it. She got dressed and headed into the kitchen, flowers clutched in her fist. Her mother, Mikino, and her grandmother, Rumiko, were already there, fixing breakfast when she arrived. Angrily she tossed the flowers and the note onto the table.
"What's this?" her mother said, peering at the flowers curiously.
"Nice try, Mom," Rika said, walking out of the room towards the front door.
"What about breakfast?" her grandmother called after her.
"I'm not hungry," Rika said, grabbing her coat and walking out the door. It was just like her mother, she thought, to try something like that. The effort changed nothing, however. Valentine's Day was just one more painful reminder that she was different.
Back in the kitchen, her grandmother picked up the note and read it. She chuckled softly to herself and shook her head.
"What does it say?" Mikino asked, trying to read the note over her mother's shoulder.
"Shouldn't you know?" Rumiko replied, handing the note to her daughter. "You're the one who gave it to her. What did you hope to accomplish, anyway?"
Rika's mother glanced at the note and held up her hands. "Innocent as charged. I thought about it, but I know she'd never believe it."
Rika's grandmother was taken aback, both by the news and the fact that her daughter knew that such a trick wouldn't work. "But, if you didn't give it to her, that means..."
"That my little girl has a secret admirer," Mikino said proudly. Maybe he could set my daughter straight, she thought.
******
The city streets did nothing for Rika's mood, as all around her were decorations for the big day. Everywhere she looked, all she could see was red and pink, in store windows and hanging from light poles. As she passed one such display, she yanked off a paper heart and angrily shredded it to bits. Above her, Renamon walked along a power line, keeping a close watch. If Rika noticed anything, she didn't show it.
Rika had never really liked Valentine's Day, but she never knew exactly why. Until recently, that is. Lately, she realized that everything the day stood for went against what she felt inside. Everything she had been raised to believe, everything she thought was unalterable truth, was quickly and suddenly reduced to scraps smaller than those she had torn the paper heart into. All because of what she felt inside.
Rika's thoughts turned to the bouquet she had been given earlier. It was just like her mother, trying something like that. She wondered what her mother had hoped to accomplish. It didn't make sense, unless... unless the flowers weren't a trick by her mother. Which meant that someone had really given her flowers. The only question left to ask was who her `Golden Valentine' was.
Her train of thought was interrupted when she bumped into Henry. Looking around, Rika realized that her wandering had taken her into the park.
"Oh, hi Rika," Henry said, noticing the wetness around Rika's eyes. "Is something wrong?"
Rika turned her head away quickly, rubbing at her eyes. "No, I'm fine. Must be something in the air."
"You look like you've been crying," Henry said, reaching a hand out to Rika. "If something's wrong, it would really help to talk about it."
"I said I'm fine," Rika snapped, and Henry pulled back his hand. Rika shook her head, rubbing her eyes some more. "I'm sorry, I've just been on edge lately. I don't suppose `Golden Valentine' means anything to you?"
Rika watched Henry carefully for some outward sign, but he gave none.
"Umm, no, never heard it before. Why?"
He was either telling the truth or he was the best liar Rika had ever seen. Knowing Henry, Rika believed the former. It wasn't him.
"It's nothing," Rika lied. She needed to find out who it was. Maybe then, when she found out who her secret admirer was, he would help her become normal. "Henry, what does Valentine's Day mean to you?"
"Well," Henry began, thinking over the question, "I guess it means a chance to tell a girl that you like them. Or a guy," he added, gesturing at Rika.
Rika laughed once, a short barking sound. He was right the first time, Rika sneered to herself.
"Thanks for trying," Rika grumbled, walking away from Henry.
Henry watched as Rika retreated into the distance. "Happy Valentine's Day Rika!" he called to her back. He barely caught Rika's response.
"Ha!"
******
Rika arrived back at her house later in the night, pushing past her mother at the front door.
"Young lady, where have you been?" Rika's mother asked as Rika kept on going towards her room.
"Out," was all that Rika said.
"What kind of answer is that?" her mother wondered, hands on her hips. She shook her head at her daughter's behavior.
"Now dear," Rika's grandmother said, "Can't you tell something's bothering her?"
"I don't see why," Mikino said. "I never got anything as nice as those flowers when I was young. She should be happy a boy likes her."
"Honey..."
"She should be happy," Mikino said again, putting an emphasis on `should'.
"You don't understand your own daughter," Rumiko said.
"What's there to understand?" Mikino asked angrily. "I just want a normal daughter! What's so wrong with that?"
"That's not who she is. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that," Rumiko told her daughter, trying her best to keep calm. She headed off to her granddaughter's room. "I'm going to go talk to her."
"If it doesn't get better soon, I'm going to have to take her out of that girl's school," Mikino said to herself.
Rika was sitting on her bed, her head in her hands, sobbing, when her grandmother knocked outside her door.
"Is it all right if I come in, honey?" Rumiko asked. When Rika didn't protest, she stepped into the room. As she entered, Rika looked up. She was hugging the flowers to her chest.
Rumiko sat next to Rika, and she laid her head on her grandmother's shoulder.
"They're beautiful flowers," Rika's grandmother said.
"I hate `em," Rika sneered, flinging the flowers away.
"Why, because you don't know who they're from?" Rumiko asked, picking the flowers back up.
"No, because I know who they're not from," Rika told her grandmother.
"Oh? And how do you know she didn't give them to you?" Rumiko asked slyly.
"Because she..." Rika started, stopping once she realized her grandmother's trick. She quickly looked away, avoiding looking into Rumiko's eyes.
Rika's grandmother smiled and got up to leave. "I'll leave you with this. No matter what your mother may think or say, I support you one hundred percent."
As Rumiko closed the door behind her, she could just hear her granddaughter speak.
"Thank you, Grandma."
Rika's grandmother smiled fondly as she headed towards her own room. Outside Rika's window another face smiled, this one sadly. Once more, Renamon vanished into the night, her last words lingering in the air.
"Good night, my Valentine."
******
The next day held another surprise for Rika. Lying on the pillow next to her was a single red rose, a letter taped to it. Written on the front of the letter, in a plain hand, were the words `From your Golden Valentine'. Rika quickly opened the envelope and removed the note inside.
"For my Valentine: Know that my heart beats for you alone. Accept this rose, though its beauty pales in comparison to your own. Accept my love, for it shines brighter than the sun. Know that you are in my thoughts always, and that it is my fervent wish that I will be in yours."
"What have you got there?" Renamon asked, appearing inside the room. Rika quickly shoved the letter under her pillow. Knowing that Renamon cared for her, Rika didn't want Renamon seeing the letter. She also didn't want to destroy it; as much as her heart fought against it, her head was glad that a boy was in love with her.
"It's nothing," Rika said. "What are you doing here, anyway?" She regretted the harsh sound of her words, but she told herself it was better than the alternative.
"It's beautiful out there," Renamon said, gesturing out the window. The sun was shining and the birds were singing. It was the kind of day she would love to spend outdoors with Rika.
`It's beautiful in here too,' Rika wanted to say; watching the way the sunlight glittered off of Renamon's fur. She struggled not to remember just how soft and warm Renamon's fur felt, told herself that she shouldn't think those sorts of things. Instead, she said, "I guess so."
As Rika got out of bed, Renamon crossed over to the table. The flowers from the previous day were back in their vase. Renamon, smiling, picked one up and sniffed it gently. She had always loved the smell of these wildflowers. "If there's something bothering you, Rika, you know I'm always here for you."
"What do you know about Valentine's Day?" Rika asked, turning to face Renamon. The fox digimon was still studying the flowers, and Rika continued to get dressed.
"Can't say I know very much about it," Renamon said, picking her words carefully. `Honestly, can't say I know.' It seemed to satisfy Rika though.
"Didn't think so," Rika sighed. Renamon's back was still to her, and she quickly grabbed the letter and put it in her pocket. Good, she thought, Renamon hadn't seen that.
Renamon chuckled silently. Good, she thought, Rika liked the letter. She had tried not to be too flowery with it, but she understood that it was fairly typical for Valentine's Day. It didn't change one very important fact though: She had meant every word. "I don't know about you, but I'm going to spend some time training in the park. I hope to see you there."
"I don't know," Rika whispered. "I just don't know."
******
With a sigh, Renamon disappeared from Rika's room and made her way over to the secluded spot in the park she often used to train. That was when she did some of her best thinking. Renamon began her usual training regimen, executing intricate series of punches and kicks, aiming at imaginary foes. As instinct took over the physical motions, her mind was free to wander and drift.
The call was a strong one, calling her towards the one she only knew by the human name `The Digimon Queen.' The power was incredible; the pure raw potential this human possessed was unique. As such, Digimon clamored over each other, boasting their superior strength, hoping `The Digimon Queen' would choose one of them. But she knew better than they did; she knew that this one was meant for her. It was destiny that they should meet, Rika and Renamon.
Opponent after opponent fell to the power of their teamwork, Rookies, Champions, Armors, none could stand up to them. And yet, it didn't seem to satisfy the young human. She kept pushing Renamon farther, spurring her onto greater deeds. Renamon was eager to please, desiring nothing more than to make her Tamer proud. Fighting was her life, and this was as good as it got.
One day, though, her world was turned upside down. The little boy and his pet lizard had such a different bond. They had such amazing power; Renamon could sense it during their fight when the lizard stood up to the full might of her attack. They had incredible power, and yet they possessed this utter innocence. There was one factor above all others that intrigued Renamon the most. The boy cared for his partner, something Rika knew nothing of. Though everything told her that she should ditch the dispassionate human, something stopped her.
Rika saw such compassion as a weakness, never realizing that it was the reason why the others were able to digivolve. Digivolution became all that mattered to Rika, digivolution and the leap in strength that came with it. Rika had thought she could force it, thought that the pure strength of her desire would cause it to happen. It wasn't until Dokugumon showed up that everything changed. The spider was too powerful, even for their formidable teamwork. And then, disaster nearly struck. The spider unleashed a blast of venom straight at Rika, but Renamon took the attack, nearly succumbing to the poison. It was then that, for the first time, Rika truly cared about Renamon, and Renamon was finally able to digivolve.
It didn't last. Despite everything, Rika continued to see Renamon as nothing more than data, a tool for strength. And yet, even then something kept Renamon from leaving. That something brought her back to save Rika from Ice Devimon, despite her harsh words. It had all come to a head when Harpymon appeared. Renamon was powerful, she knew it, and she likely could have defeated the thing without any assistance. But the thrill of victory was hollow without Rika and Harpymon was far from finished. The bird creature launched one more attack, catching Renamon by surprise, and then tried to stomp Renamon out of existence. Renamon's survival was in doubt but for Rika. Picking up the only weapon close at hand, a sharp stick, Rika attacked Harpymon, stabbing the foul creature in the back. It was at that moment, when Harpymon was seconds away from striking Rika down, that Renamon realized what that something was that kept her by Rika's side.
Love, an emotion Renamon was wholly unfamiliar with it. She was a warrior through and through, and fighting left little time for emotions, certainly not ones so detrimental to concentration as love. She had never expected to feel it, let alone towards one such as Rika. Now the problem was how to express that to Rika, which brought up another emotion, fear. How would Rika respond to her confession of love? What if she didn't feel the same way?
Renamon finished off her last imaginary foe with a thrust through the chest. She held the position, panting for breath, sweat glistening on her fur. Slowly Renamon straightened, her breath returning to her in ragged gasps.
Rika sat in silence, watching Renamon train, marveling at the interplay of muscles in Renamon's sleek body and enjoying the fluid grace with which Renamon flew through the motions. She shook her head to clear her mind of such thoughts, they weren't right, and once again she pulled out the letter. Reading through it, she smiled sadly. Rika got up and walked away from Renamon, letter neatly folded in her pocket.. She cared enough not to want to hurt her partner, but the letter was the only thing promising her a normal life.
"I'm sorry, Renamon."
******
And then, the day was there at last, Valentine's Day. On Rika's pillow in the morning was one more red rose, another note attached to it. Her Golden Valentine wanted them to meet. Mikino was ecstatic, she was sure the boy would be cute, and even if he wasn't he was at least a boy. Strangely, Rumiko was smiling too, a curious `I know something you don't know' smile.
******
"Well, hello," Rika's grandmother said, "Renamon, isn't it?"
Renamon bowed her head respectfully and knelt in front of Rumiko. "I need to speak with you."
"About Rika. You love her." Renamon nodded. "You're the one who sent the flowers." Renamon nodded again. "And you're afraid I won't approve."
"I love Rika very much, and above all else I desire to make her happy."
"And you do, more so than I ever could have hoped."
******
The time was set, ten o'clock PM; the place was set, on a cliff overlooking the city. The night was clear, the city's lights were bright, and the full moon hung high in the sky. Everything was perfect. It was like a scene from a movie, a young man and a young woman in a romantic encounter on Valentine's Day.
"Don't stay out too late," Rika's mother told her, a smile on her face. "Not past midnight. I'm dying to meet him."
"Yeah, Mom, sure," Rika sighed, walking out the door. The night air was chilly, and Rika pulled her trench coat tighter around her body. She made her way through the nighttime streets over to the cliff where she and her Golden Valentine were supposed to meet. She didn't know exactly what would happen, but a boy liking her gave her hope. That was what she hated the most.
Rika soon found herself at the arranged meeting spot. Watching her watch, she watched the appointed hour arrive, and pass. She sighed, wondering if this guy was ever going to show up.
"Hello, Rika."
Rika turned around with a start and saw that the source of the voice was Renamon.
"Renamon! What are you doing here?" Rika asked frantically. She didn't want her partner to know what was going on.
"Actually," Renamon said, looking out over the city with her back to Rika. She took a deep breath to try and control her nervousness. For all the battles and opponents she had fought, these next few words were the hardest thing she had done. She turned around and looked at Rika. "I'm meeting somebody here."
It was then that Rika noticed how Renamon's fur shone golden in the moonlight. "You..." Rika began, her voice starting to break. "You're the one who sent the flowers and letters."
"Yes, it was me," Renamon confirmed. "I've wanted to tell you how I feel about you for a while now, and it seemed like Valentine's Day was as good a time as any." She noticed Rika looking down and away. She was afraid that this would happen. "But you don't feel the same way."
"No!" Rika said quickly. "No," she said again, softer. "It's not that, it's just, well..."
"What's wrong, Rika?" Renamon asked, placing her hands on Rika's shoulders. "Whatever it is, you know you can tell me."
Rika looked up into Renamon's eyes, but quickly looked away. "I guess..." she started, "I'm... scared, Renamon."
"Scared? Of what?"
"Of the way I feel about you. Because of what I am and what you are."
"Is it because I'm a Digimon?"
"No, that's not it at all," Rika said. She turned around in Renamon's grip, and she could feel the warmth of Renamon's body as the fox Digimon moved in closer. "All my life, I've been taught to believe one thing, that somewhere out there is a guy I'm destined to fall in love with. I've been told that the main goal in life for me was to grow up, meet a man, fall in love with him, marry him, and raise a family. Everything in life was merely a means to that end. And now, everything I was supposed to feel towards that one man, I felt about someone else. You, Renamon."
"Why does that scare you?" Renamon asked, puzzled.
"It's because we're both female. I shouldn't be in love with another girl, it's not normal. It goes against nature!" Rika said, tears starting down her face. Renamon pulled her closer.
"I don't know anything about human nature," Renamon said, hugging Rika's shoulders, and laying her head beside Rika's, "but I can tell you one thing. I'm a little scared too. What I feel towards you, I've never felt about anything in my life, let alone a young human girl."
"Renamon..."
"I don't pretend to understand love," Renamon continued, "It's still basically a foreign emotion to me. But I do know one thing. When I look into your eyes, I know that all I want to do is be with you. For as long as I've known you, I've never seen you let fear stop you from doing anything."
Renamon turned Rika around, and, holding Rika's head in her hands, she stared into Rika's eyes. "Don't let it stop you now."
"Renamon, I..." Rika started, trying to look away. Her eyes refused to move from Renamon's.
"Rika, I love you."
"And I... I love you too," Rika said, her voice dropping to a whisper. Renamon dropped her face down to Rika's, and their heads twisted. Rika allowed herself to be pulled in, and for the first time, their lips met. For the two lovers, the kiss seemed to last for a lifetime, and while it lasted, nothing else in the world mattered. When they finally pulled away, Rika snuggled closer to Renamon's warm fur.
"Happy Valentine's Day, Renamon."
"Happy Valentine's Day."
Their arms around each other, Rika and Renamon looked out over the city, full moon bright in the clear night sky. Rika lay her head on Renamon's shoulder.
"My Mom's gonna freak..."