Partner no more?
Part V
by Christian "Sid" Lang
"Renamon."
She lifts her head when she hears Ruki's voice.
Ruki!
Renamon's eyes instantly focus on the young girl.
It takes her some moments to realize that they are in a canyon area.
The Digimon is distantly reminded of images of the Grand Canyon.
While Renamon is standing on stable ground, her Tamer is not that safe.
Ruki is standing on a bridge. It starts at the edge near Renamon and ends somewhere in the distance.
The bridge is ridiculously narrow and has no handrails.
One false step and...
Renamon gulps.
Then she notices the perfectly calm expression on Ruki's face.
No fear. No anger. No... nothing.
Without saying another word, Ruki lifts her D-Arc, holding it at an arm's length next to her.
Slowly, Renamon moves towards Ruki.
But after she has made her first step, she notices the bridge crumbling.
A worried glance at Ruki is left unanswered.
The Tamer simply stares at the Digimon. Then her expression changes to a smile.
Then, she throws her D-Arc into the canyon beneath her.
"I hate you." the Tamer tells her Digimon.
Before she even realizes it, Renamon is running.
"Ruki! Please don't!" she shouts at the girl.
The bridge now crumbles at an alarming rate.
I have to save her. Even if she doesn't understand. I have-
Although Renamon is running at top speed now, Ruki doesn't seem to get closer.
The crumling bridge is still too far away.
And before the worried Digimon can think of something better, the bridge collapses.
Renamon stumbles, bruising her knees badly. But she doesn't care.
Her eyes are fixed on the spot Ruki had been standing at.
She has seen the smiling face of her Tamer as Ruki had fallen down.
"Renamon..." her voice echoes from the canyon walls.
To Renamon it sounds as if the earth itself mocks the Digimon.
Screaming, Renamon wakes up.
Two days have passed since the fatal incident.
Accident. an inner voice corrects her.
But the voice is lying. Trying to make her feel better.
Renamon knows what has happened.
She blinks in the darkness surrounding her.
"The dream again?" a male voice asks.
The voice of the only being on this planet who understands her.
"I'm sorry, Daniel." Renamon whispers, wiping the sweat out of her fur.
"You don't have to apologize. I just wished I could do something."
"I'll... I'll get over it." she lies.
"Oh. You will, Renamon. I know you will." Daniel whispers.
Renamon isn't the only one who wakes up screaming that night.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Ruki Makino has managed to escape the darkness around her and finds herself...
...in another dark space.
But this time, it's different. She can feel it.
And that's the whole point. She can _feel_ it.
"You all right?" a male voice asks.
Since her eyes aren't adepted to the darkness around her, she cannot see the man.
Slowly, she calms down and starts to do a quick check.
OK. I'm sitting. In a bed. Since we have sleeping mats at home, I'm not there.
Where could I be? Hospital? Must be. Then this must be a male nurse. Or a doctor.
Satisfied with that explanation, Ruki continues her check.
What about me? I must have fallen five, six meters.
As if on cue, she can feel the pain working its way through to her brain.
She groans and sinks into the pillows again.
"Yeah, thought so." the man next to her comments.
I feel as if every bone in my body is broken. But I'm not even bandaged.
As the pain slowly drops to a reasonable level, she can feel a hand on her shoulder.
"I'll get you something to eat. You must be starving." the man tells her.
After giving the matter some thought, Ruki realizes that she is indeed hungry.
Must be late at night. Still, somebody has waited for me to wake up.
Either my condition is really bad or this hospital is really good.
Ruki closes her eyes for some seconds.
Thus she doesn't see the 'nurse' leave the room.
She doesn't see his height. His head. His fur. His claws.
Or the happy, but tired expression on his face.
It doesn't take Sanjay very long to prepare a quick soup.
He doesn't want to leave Ruki too long. Besides, midnight isn't really the best time for a large meal.
The wolf shakes his head to fight the tiredness as he is heading upstairs again.
Lady Kioko had prepared a guest room on the first floor.
She hadn't asked any questions about Ruki. Still, he had told her the whole story.
As he approaches the closed door to Ruki's room, he allows himself a big yawn.
And without thinking about it, he opens the door and switches the light on.
Kioko's room isn't far away from Ruki's room.
That way, the elderly lady has heard her 'guest' wake up.
Thank God. she thinks as she is getting dressed.
She has heard Sanjay leave the room. Maybe to get some food.
Seconds ago, she has heard him return.
"HELP!" somebody suddenly shouts.
She recognizes the voice as Ruki's.
Being slightly worried, Kioko storms out of her room.
The first thing she sees is Sanjay.
The big humanoid wolf is standing in the door-frame to Ruki's room.
His eyes are widened in shock, his ears are lying flatly on his head, and he is frowning.
It doesn't take Kioko long to find out what had happened.
Still staring into the room, Sanjay stumbles backwards as the screams become even more terrified.
Carefully, Kioko pulls Sanjay out of the door-frame and out of sight of the girl.
"I-I-I didn't want- I just-" Sanjay tries to explain.
"Shhhh. I know. I know. You wanted the best." she calms him down, taking the soup bowl out of his hands.
The wolf sighs and goes downstairs again.
Kioko sighs, too, feeling pity for Sanjay.
Then she carefully enters Ruki's room... only to find it empty.
She frowns as she still feels her presence in the room.
The lady first puts the bowl of soup onto the nightstand.
Then, following a hunch, she gets down onto her knees and takes a look under the bed.
She frowns when she sees the small shivering ball there.
"Ruki?" she quietly asks.
The shivering slowly stops.
"Is.. Is it gone?" the girl asks, her voice almost failing her.
"Yes, it... he is gone." Kioko answers.
Avoiding sudden movements, Kioko helps Ruki back onto the bed.
It takes Ruki a while to calm down again.
She had recognized the woman quickly as Lady Kioko.
Most people in the neighbourhood know her and her little shop.
Ruki also remembers that she has heard the lady's name not long ago.
She accepts a handkerchief Kioko hands her and wipes away the tears.
"How are you?" Kioko asks her.
"My whole body aches." Ruki slowly answers.
For the first time this evening, Kioko smiles.
"Do you remember what has happened?" she suddenly asks with a serious expression.
I wish I wouldn't. I wish I could forget this evening.
Ruki just nods.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Kioko asks next, startling Ruki.
"Talk? About what? How I fell off that roof?" Ruki asks back, feeling nervous.
Make something up. Come on!
"No. I know what happened. Sanjay told me."
Hearing that, Ruki's thoughts come to an instant halt.
Sanjay told her. Sanjay saw it? Sanjay?
Ruki's eyes widen when she realizes why that name sounds familiar.
Renamon mentioned that the wolf-creature called Sanjay is helping Lady Kioko out!
"This... this... creature was... Sanjay?" she finally asks.
"That's right. So Renamon told you about him?"
"You know Renamon?" Ruki almost shouts at the lady.
Kioko just sighs and hands her the soup bowl.
"Well then. You eat and I do the talking for a while, OK?" she offers.
Eagerly, Ruki grabs the bowl and starts to eat.
"Lee has been here some days ago. He asked Sanjay to have an eye on you.
Sanjay accepted after he had been told what had happened between you and Renamon."
"But how did Lee know about this?" Ruki asks after quickly swallowing some noodles.
"He had talked to Renamon earlier."
"Lee is as good as dead." Ruki whispers.
"Actually, _you_ would be dead now if it hadn't been for Lee.
Sanjay has followed you two days ago. He told me that you had been almost dead after the fall.
Now, I don't know much about how his strange powers work. But they did.
Has Renamon told you about that part? Yes? Good. Sanjay instantly stabilized you.
But it seems that humans are more fragile than Digimon, so he didn't risk to use his full potential.
He brought you here since your condition was still critical."
Ruki has stopped eating.
Days ago, she would have called the elderly lady crazy.
But somehow she trusts her.
Her body hurts, but she hasn't seen any kind of bruise yet.
There aren't even hints of scars or something like that.
"Well, Sanjay has spent the following days restoring your health slowly.
He only allowed himself short naps and stayed here the whole time."
Kioko lets the words sink in.
"Poor guy really is tired, I assure you.
And although he would never admit it: He has been really worried about your condition.
Normally humans aren't on his top priority list. But he made an exception for you.
Even when you were out of the worst, he refused to bring you to a hospital."
Ruki frowns and finishes her noodles.
When she is done, Kioko takes the bowl and stands up.
Lost in thought, Ruki doesn't even notice her leaving.
Daniel wanders through the kitchen, cursing under his breath.
This digimon is really getting on my nerves! he tells himself angrily.
He hasn't slept normally for days now.
Every time I try to sleep for an hour, she starts screaming and weeping again!
I thought this Digimon was stronger than the others.
If I had known that this one is such a crybaby, I wouldn't have made this plan!
He admits to himself that the death of that girl had had quite an impact on Renamon.
Still, this has to come to an end.
It's a pity that they vanish after being killed, her fur would have looked good as a carpet.
He shrugs.
Can't win them all, so who cares if I end this little play tonight?
Silently, he opens a hidden cabinet and takes out his katana.
Part V
by Christian "Sid" Lang
"Renamon."
She lifts her head when she hears Ruki's voice.
Ruki!
Renamon's eyes instantly focus on the young girl.
It takes her some moments to realize that they are in a canyon area.
The Digimon is distantly reminded of images of the Grand Canyon.
While Renamon is standing on stable ground, her Tamer is not that safe.
Ruki is standing on a bridge. It starts at the edge near Renamon and ends somewhere in the distance.
The bridge is ridiculously narrow and has no handrails.
One false step and...
Renamon gulps.
Then she notices the perfectly calm expression on Ruki's face.
No fear. No anger. No... nothing.
Without saying another word, Ruki lifts her D-Arc, holding it at an arm's length next to her.
Slowly, Renamon moves towards Ruki.
But after she has made her first step, she notices the bridge crumbling.
A worried glance at Ruki is left unanswered.
The Tamer simply stares at the Digimon. Then her expression changes to a smile.
Then, she throws her D-Arc into the canyon beneath her.
"I hate you." the Tamer tells her Digimon.
Before she even realizes it, Renamon is running.
"Ruki! Please don't!" she shouts at the girl.
The bridge now crumbles at an alarming rate.
I have to save her. Even if she doesn't understand. I have-
Although Renamon is running at top speed now, Ruki doesn't seem to get closer.
The crumling bridge is still too far away.
And before the worried Digimon can think of something better, the bridge collapses.
Renamon stumbles, bruising her knees badly. But she doesn't care.
Her eyes are fixed on the spot Ruki had been standing at.
She has seen the smiling face of her Tamer as Ruki had fallen down.
"Renamon..." her voice echoes from the canyon walls.
To Renamon it sounds as if the earth itself mocks the Digimon.
Screaming, Renamon wakes up.
Two days have passed since the fatal incident.
Accident. an inner voice corrects her.
But the voice is lying. Trying to make her feel better.
Renamon knows what has happened.
She blinks in the darkness surrounding her.
"The dream again?" a male voice asks.
The voice of the only being on this planet who understands her.
"I'm sorry, Daniel." Renamon whispers, wiping the sweat out of her fur.
"You don't have to apologize. I just wished I could do something."
"I'll... I'll get over it." she lies.
"Oh. You will, Renamon. I know you will." Daniel whispers.
Renamon isn't the only one who wakes up screaming that night.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Ruki Makino has managed to escape the darkness around her and finds herself...
...in another dark space.
But this time, it's different. She can feel it.
And that's the whole point. She can _feel_ it.
"You all right?" a male voice asks.
Since her eyes aren't adepted to the darkness around her, she cannot see the man.
Slowly, she calms down and starts to do a quick check.
OK. I'm sitting. In a bed. Since we have sleeping mats at home, I'm not there.
Where could I be? Hospital? Must be. Then this must be a male nurse. Or a doctor.
Satisfied with that explanation, Ruki continues her check.
What about me? I must have fallen five, six meters.
As if on cue, she can feel the pain working its way through to her brain.
She groans and sinks into the pillows again.
"Yeah, thought so." the man next to her comments.
I feel as if every bone in my body is broken. But I'm not even bandaged.
As the pain slowly drops to a reasonable level, she can feel a hand on her shoulder.
"I'll get you something to eat. You must be starving." the man tells her.
After giving the matter some thought, Ruki realizes that she is indeed hungry.
Must be late at night. Still, somebody has waited for me to wake up.
Either my condition is really bad or this hospital is really good.
Ruki closes her eyes for some seconds.
Thus she doesn't see the 'nurse' leave the room.
She doesn't see his height. His head. His fur. His claws.
Or the happy, but tired expression on his face.
It doesn't take Sanjay very long to prepare a quick soup.
He doesn't want to leave Ruki too long. Besides, midnight isn't really the best time for a large meal.
The wolf shakes his head to fight the tiredness as he is heading upstairs again.
Lady Kioko had prepared a guest room on the first floor.
She hadn't asked any questions about Ruki. Still, he had told her the whole story.
As he approaches the closed door to Ruki's room, he allows himself a big yawn.
And without thinking about it, he opens the door and switches the light on.
Kioko's room isn't far away from Ruki's room.
That way, the elderly lady has heard her 'guest' wake up.
Thank God. she thinks as she is getting dressed.
She has heard Sanjay leave the room. Maybe to get some food.
Seconds ago, she has heard him return.
"HELP!" somebody suddenly shouts.
She recognizes the voice as Ruki's.
Being slightly worried, Kioko storms out of her room.
The first thing she sees is Sanjay.
The big humanoid wolf is standing in the door-frame to Ruki's room.
His eyes are widened in shock, his ears are lying flatly on his head, and he is frowning.
It doesn't take Kioko long to find out what had happened.
Still staring into the room, Sanjay stumbles backwards as the screams become even more terrified.
Carefully, Kioko pulls Sanjay out of the door-frame and out of sight of the girl.
"I-I-I didn't want- I just-" Sanjay tries to explain.
"Shhhh. I know. I know. You wanted the best." she calms him down, taking the soup bowl out of his hands.
The wolf sighs and goes downstairs again.
Kioko sighs, too, feeling pity for Sanjay.
Then she carefully enters Ruki's room... only to find it empty.
She frowns as she still feels her presence in the room.
The lady first puts the bowl of soup onto the nightstand.
Then, following a hunch, she gets down onto her knees and takes a look under the bed.
She frowns when she sees the small shivering ball there.
"Ruki?" she quietly asks.
The shivering slowly stops.
"Is.. Is it gone?" the girl asks, her voice almost failing her.
"Yes, it... he is gone." Kioko answers.
Avoiding sudden movements, Kioko helps Ruki back onto the bed.
It takes Ruki a while to calm down again.
She had recognized the woman quickly as Lady Kioko.
Most people in the neighbourhood know her and her little shop.
Ruki also remembers that she has heard the lady's name not long ago.
She accepts a handkerchief Kioko hands her and wipes away the tears.
"How are you?" Kioko asks her.
"My whole body aches." Ruki slowly answers.
For the first time this evening, Kioko smiles.
"Do you remember what has happened?" she suddenly asks with a serious expression.
I wish I wouldn't. I wish I could forget this evening.
Ruki just nods.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Kioko asks next, startling Ruki.
"Talk? About what? How I fell off that roof?" Ruki asks back, feeling nervous.
Make something up. Come on!
"No. I know what happened. Sanjay told me."
Hearing that, Ruki's thoughts come to an instant halt.
Sanjay told her. Sanjay saw it? Sanjay?
Ruki's eyes widen when she realizes why that name sounds familiar.
Renamon mentioned that the wolf-creature called Sanjay is helping Lady Kioko out!
"This... this... creature was... Sanjay?" she finally asks.
"That's right. So Renamon told you about him?"
"You know Renamon?" Ruki almost shouts at the lady.
Kioko just sighs and hands her the soup bowl.
"Well then. You eat and I do the talking for a while, OK?" she offers.
Eagerly, Ruki grabs the bowl and starts to eat.
"Lee has been here some days ago. He asked Sanjay to have an eye on you.
Sanjay accepted after he had been told what had happened between you and Renamon."
"But how did Lee know about this?" Ruki asks after quickly swallowing some noodles.
"He had talked to Renamon earlier."
"Lee is as good as dead." Ruki whispers.
"Actually, _you_ would be dead now if it hadn't been for Lee.
Sanjay has followed you two days ago. He told me that you had been almost dead after the fall.
Now, I don't know much about how his strange powers work. But they did.
Has Renamon told you about that part? Yes? Good. Sanjay instantly stabilized you.
But it seems that humans are more fragile than Digimon, so he didn't risk to use his full potential.
He brought you here since your condition was still critical."
Ruki has stopped eating.
Days ago, she would have called the elderly lady crazy.
But somehow she trusts her.
Her body hurts, but she hasn't seen any kind of bruise yet.
There aren't even hints of scars or something like that.
"Well, Sanjay has spent the following days restoring your health slowly.
He only allowed himself short naps and stayed here the whole time."
Kioko lets the words sink in.
"Poor guy really is tired, I assure you.
And although he would never admit it: He has been really worried about your condition.
Normally humans aren't on his top priority list. But he made an exception for you.
Even when you were out of the worst, he refused to bring you to a hospital."
Ruki frowns and finishes her noodles.
When she is done, Kioko takes the bowl and stands up.
Lost in thought, Ruki doesn't even notice her leaving.
Daniel wanders through the kitchen, cursing under his breath.
This digimon is really getting on my nerves! he tells himself angrily.
He hasn't slept normally for days now.
Every time I try to sleep for an hour, she starts screaming and weeping again!
I thought this Digimon was stronger than the others.
If I had known that this one is such a crybaby, I wouldn't have made this plan!
He admits to himself that the death of that girl had had quite an impact on Renamon.
Still, this has to come to an end.
It's a pity that they vanish after being killed, her fur would have looked good as a carpet.
He shrugs.
Can't win them all, so who cares if I end this little play tonight?
Silently, he opens a hidden cabinet and takes out his katana.