Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or anything related to it. I also don't own Creed, or any of their songs.
Rika didn't know why she went to the park that day. It was just a feeling that she had, a feeling that somehow she needed to be there. The park was quiet, for not many people took walks in the chilly autumn weather. Rika pulled her trench coat tighter around herself to keep out the air as she continued on.
She walked through the park, remembering the day several months ago when an incredible adventure had begun. The chance encounter with Goggle-head, Rika's now friendly nickname for Takato, had changed everything. She had found true friends, gotten closer to her mother, and even ended up saving the world. But then, everything had been taken away. As a side effect to using Juggernaut to finish off D-Reaper, the Digimon had been forced to leave the Real World.
The one thing that had given her hope was the thought that, one day they would be together again, but even that was wearing thin. As the storage shed that had served as Guilmon's home came into view, a faint smile appeared briefly on Rika's face. Slowly, she began climbing the stairs that led up to the lair, not really expecting anything. She swung open the gate, still unlocked, and dropped down into the pit in the floor. A strange glow bathed her face as her eyes widened in shock. Cautiously, she crept closer.
******
Inside a cave in the Digital World, a strange yellow lump of fur lay in a corner, lightly moving. Renamon stretched out from her position on the floor where she lay curled, greeting another new day in the digital world. Another day without Rika. It had been a couple of months since she had last seen the Real World and her Tamer.
No, Tamer wasn't the right word to use, not anymore. Rika had become so much more than just that, companion, friend. None of those words quite fit their relationship though. Rika had become her partner, in the truest sense of the word. But now, they were separated, neither knowing if she would see the other again.
Renamon stepped out of the cave, gazing up at the orb of the Real World hanging in the air. Little had changed, the purple Data Streams still projecting from its surface, but whatever it was that allowed travel between the worlds was no longer present. That was the worst part, knowing that the Real World was right there, but that there was no way to get to it.
A sudden flash of light on the orb in the sky caught Renamon's attention, a flash followed by the familiar purple streak of a Data Stream. Something was different about this one, and Renamon leapt off in a flash over towards where it had landed.
******
Rika couldn't believe her eyes. There, in the little tunnel in front of her, glowing brightly, was a portal to the Digital World! She continued on, watching as her hands slowly began to fade out. With a cry of triumph, Rika pushed forward, feeling her body pass through into the other world, and found that she was once again in the strange field of symbols that she had been in on her last trip.
"I can't believe it!" Rika gasped. "I'm back, I'm actually back!"
A strange, yet familiar, trilling reached Rika's ears, and a strange glowing being flew over to hover next to Rika. With a laugh of delight, Rika held out her arm and the DigiGnome landed on it, trilling happily.
"It's good to see you little guys again too," Rika told the creature. "But, say, I don't suppose you know where I can find Renamon?"
The DigiGnome took off again, flying a short distance away. It turned to look back at Rika and trilled loudly. Rika knew that it wanted her to follow, so she did. After traveling a short distance, the Gnome stopped, pointing down with one of its wings. Obligingly, Rika looked down and saw the top of a Data Stream.
"This will take me to Renamon?" Rika said incredulously, to which the Gnome bobbed up and down rapidly, cooing loudly. "Thank you very much," Rika bowed. The Gnome dipped its wings before flying off once again. Rika took a deep breath and leapt, letting herself fall into the beam and once again she felt the familiar sucking sensation as it brought her to the surface.
When she had arrived, she looked around in wonder at the sights. Gone was the dry, barren desert that had greeted her in her last trip to this Digital World. Instead, Rika was amazed with the sheer amount of green. The grass was sparse, but it was tall and healthy. Patches of trees were placed seemingly haphazardly across the surface.
"It's beautiful!" Rika gasped.
"With D-Reaper gone," a voice from behind Rika explained, "The Digital World is free to grow and thrive again."
Rika froze with a small gasp as she recognized the speaker. Slowly, she turned around, any words she might have had stuck in her mouth as the one thing she had wanted for the last couple months was right in front of her, in the shape of Renamon.
"I… don't quite know what to say," Rika said.
"Well," Renamon replied, "Hello, my friend, we meet again."
Rika slowly began to walk closer to Renamon. "It's been a while, where should we begin…"
"Feels like forever." They clasped hands and gazed into each other's eyes for the first time in months.
"Within my heart are memories of perfect love that you gave to me," Rika continued, pulling Renamon towards her.
"Oh, I remember…" Rika's breath gently ruffled the fur on Renamon face as she brought her head in closer.
"'Cause when you are with me,
I'm free… I'm careless… I believe.
Above all the others we'll fly,
This brings tears to my eyes.
My sacrifice."
Rika threw her arms around Renamon and pulled her in close. "Oh, Renamon," Rika said. "When you left, I was afraid that I'd never see you again."
"Me too," Renamon answered. "I was afraid I wouldn't get to tell you how I feel about you."
"But, I wasn't about to let a little thing like D-Reaper keep me from you," Rika said, rubbing the side of Renamon's face with her hand. "We've been through a whole lot worse."
"We've seen our share of ups and downs," Rika continued.
"How quickly life can turn around," Renamon agreed.
"In an instant…"
"It feels so good to reunite," Rika breathed, rubbing her cheek on Renamon's.
Renamon ran her claws through Rika's hair, breathing in the scent. "Within yourself, and within your mind."
"Let's find peace there." Once again, they looked into each other's eyes.
"'Cause when you are with me,
I'm free… I'm careless… I believe.
Above all the others we'll fly,
This brings tears to my eyes.
My sacrifice."
"There's something I've wanted to say to you for the longest time, Rika," Renamon breathed. "But…"
"You don't have to say anything," Rika said, laying a finger across Renamon's lips. "I just want to say hello again."
"Rika…"
For several minutes, they held each other in silence, merely relishing the sensation of being together once again. "I just want to say hello again."
"'Cause when you are with me,
I'm free… I'm careless… I believe.
Above all the others we'll fly,
This brings tears to my eyes.
My sacrifice."
"Come, Rika," Renamon said at last. "Let me show you the true beauty of this world."
Rika nodded, even though all the beauty she could have ever wanted was right there.
Author's note: Italics: individual singing. Bold Italics: Harmony Singing