Me: Okay, people-I don't own Digimon, or "Weathered," by Creed. ! Man, am I pumped up!

Takato: Yeah, pumped up, sure-WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY RIKA?!!

Me: Chill-it wasn't my doing, it was Dracula. Besides, I got to hear "Moon Fighter" on Friday-even though it was in Japanese-and it rocked! I also heard "Across the Tears" and "3 Primary Colors," but I personally preferred the first two. Wish me luck, people.

Terriermon: For what?

Me: This week, I walk down a perilous path of deceit and peril, boldly going where no man has gone before...

Terriermon: You mean space, or the Digital World?

Me: (groans) I mean, I'm about to go through my Finals week today! Knowing the school system like I do, I'll probably have already gone through one test and have to go through another one today! The next three are on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Terriermon: Oh. Good luck! Hope you don't bomb 'em!

Henry: Terriermon!

Takato: I'll wish you good luck when Rika's safely in my arms again!

Me: That's not gonna happen anytime soon, but there'll still be some Rukato moments ahead.

Takato: How-Rika's a vampire!

Me: (grins) You'll see, my young muse-you'll see.

Takato: Oh, boy...







Digimon Tamers: Tamers V.S. Dracula

Chapter V-Rika's chance at Redemption







"Pain is temporary; pride is forever." -Anonymous







After being forced to retreat after a timely defeat at Dracula's hands, Takato broke down the following morning and since Rika wasn't there at the time, it fell to Jeri to pick up the pieces of his shattered heart. Once that had been done, the Tamers tried to set up a battle plan to enter the castle and save Rika. For some reason, the minute they tried to carry it out, Takato ended up feeling a surge of pain and agony beforehand. When they did end up getting to the castle, Rika ended up sporting a new face, complete with glowing red eyes and fangs! Can Takato figure out a way to save her and take down the Dark Prince? Let's hope he can!







With widened eyes, Takato watched as Rika suddenly lunged at him, fangs bared directly at his neck and eyes glowing as red as her hair. On instinct, Takato bent his back and waited until she was above him before grabbing her by the waist and sending her flying toward the ground!

"Wise move, Gogglehead." Rika hissed, her tone of voice dripping with sarcasm and saccharinity. Behind him, Dracula clapped very slowly while stepping out onto the castle steps, the sun having set completely, making way for the moon and stars to appear.

"Thanks-I didn't expect much of an applause for that move, but-"

"Takato, look out!" Jeri screamed from behind Dracula as Rika had jumped back up and prepared another attack. Smirking, Takato quickly grabbed a Modify card and swiped it!

"Digimodify! Sword of Courage, activate!!"

Instantly, Takato held the astounding brilliance of a familiar weapon in his right hand, the scabbard in his left.

"Rika, I'm so sorry." Takato murmured sadly before lashing out at his undead bride-to-be with bolts of red and blue electricity sparking from the hilt that sent Rika back down to the ground.

"When'd you guys get here?" Guilmon asked as Henry and the others appeared next to Jeri.

"Seems like Fang face doesn't have much when it comes to security measures, so we just snuck in right under his nose." Terriermon briefly explained.

"Guys, stop Dracula! I've got Rika!" Takato gasped while keeping Rika at bay.

"You heard him-let's go!" Kazu yelled out confidently.

"Fist of the Beast King!!"

"Guardian Barrage!!"

"Kahuna Waves!!"

"Terrier Tornado!!"

"Blazing Ice!!"

"Desolation Claw!!"

"Diamond Storm!!"

"This is for what you did to Takatomon and Rika! PyroSphere!!"

"Yeah-go team, go! Give 'em a left, give 'em a right-fight, fight, fight with all your might!" Calumon cheered from behind Guilmon as the attacks rang true and struck the Dark Prince from all sides. Surprisingly enough, he wasn't defeated!

"Amazing! All those attacks, and he isn't even scratched?" Kenta gasped.

"You newcomers have no idea of how far my powers range up to, do you?" Dracula grinned as he floated up in the air before chanting a spell in Latin.

"Henry, guys, I think it's time for you to break out the firepower and make us Digivolve!" Terriermon exclaimed worriedly.







I lie awake on a long, dark night-I can't seem to tame my mind!

Slings and arrows are killing me inside

Maybe I can't accept the life that's mine

No!

Maybe I can't accept the life that's mine...

Simple living is my desperate cry; been trading love with indifference, yeah, it suits me just fine

I try to hold on but I'm calloused to the bone

Maybe that's why I feel alone-yeah, maybe that's why I feel so alone...









As the other Tamers were busy trying to handle Dracula, Takato and Rika were busy with their own battle from far above the castle walls. Both of them had taken to the sky in an attempt to distract the other. One would say that they could still read each other's minds despite the fact that Rika was one of the undead and Takato wasn't.

"Please, Rika! I know you're still in there somewhere. Don't make me destroy you!" Takato pleaded, sheathing his sword at that second and concentrating on remaining afloat.

"Aren't you listening? Your girlfriend is dead! You 'Tamers' are all gonna join her in the pit of eternal despair. Maybe, just maybe, there's a little bit of her in here."

Narrowing his eyes, Takato cautiously moved forward, trying to see within Rika's blazing own red eyes.

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm saying that a piece of Rika could still be inside me. Are you willing to find out, Takato?"

Takato gulped quietly as his cheeks started growing hot. The one thing about Rika that he could never resist was the risks she took. He remembered that before his clone had sent him forward in time to that apocalyptic future that, as Sakuyamon, Rika had attempted to take a risk and kiss him while he was in his own Mega form of Gallantmon. Unfortunately, thanks to Daemon, that hadn't happened.

"You're just trying to trick me, to let my guard down. It's not gonna work!" Takato insisted bravely while fumbling for his sword.

"Why would I try to trick the one person who, on more than one occasion, has proven that he loves me and would do anything to make sure that I'm safe? Come on, Gogglehead...let's take that risk together."

Practically helpless, Takato unconsciously closed his eyes as Rika headed towards him and closed her own eyes. Her lips pressed themselves onto his and the two of them wrapped their arms around each other tightly. Moaning quietly, Rika pulled away from Takato's lips and started working her way down. Pulling his arm back, Takato reached into his pocket for a bottle and waited until Rika bared her fangs and was mere inches from his neck...







Chorus: 'Cause me, I'm rusted and weathered, barely holding together

I'm covered with skin that peels, and it just won't heal!

I'm rusted and weathered, barely holding together

I'm covered with skin that peels, and it just won't heal...!

No! It just won't heal, no, no...







Grunting, Takato uncorked the tiny bottle and splashed the holy water directly onto Rika's face! She shrieked in agony and anger as she felt her skin blistering up.

"Sorry, sweetie. Your kiss is still as sweet as sugar, but I just can't help but wonder if it hasn't been tainted with." Takato said mockingly while pulling his sword out again.

"You'll pay for this!"

"I already have paid-I brought you here instead of Florida, where the sun practically shines all day, or even Los Angeles. Even New York would be better than here." Takato admitted to himself as he flew back toward the others. They'd managed to keep Dracula at bay, but thanks to that same spell, they were dodging black balls of pure evil energy.

"About time you got here! Did you destroy the demon Rika?" Terriermon yelled out.

"Terriermon!?" Henry spat out angrily.

"It's not like we can save her, is it?"

"Just get out of here now! I've got a plan, and it involves Rika. I can't believe I remember this!"

Seeing the cross he'd dropped when he had to send Rika to the ground earlier, Takato leaned down and picked it up, getting in between the vampire and the Tamers.

"Why don't you just give up? The Digimon Queen is mine, and mine alone! You cannot have her back."

Making sure that the others, with the exception of Renamon and Guilmon, had left, Takato held the Prince of Darkness at bay while flying back up into the air. "She was never yours in the first place! I'm gonna get her back-you just watch me!"

At that moment, Rika entered in, seeing Takato in front of the castle doors with the cross in his hand. Not one to miss an opportunity like this, she revealed her fangs once more before swooping toward her prey!









The sun shines and I can't avoid the light-I think I'm holding on to life too tight!

Ashes to ashes, and dust to dust

Sometimes I feel like giving up, yeah!

I said, sometimes I feel like giving up!







"You just watch and see-I'll bring Rika back from the undead, or wherever you sent her soul to, and we'll take you down together!" Takato declared defiantly. In response, Dracula chuckled quietly.

"And how do you intend to do that when both you and her are part of my new elite army of Tamer vampires?"

Takato didn't even have to turn-he listened for when he knew Rika would be directly behind him, then lashed out with the cross, striking Rika squarely on the head and knocking her out! Calm as a cucumber, Takato picked up Rika and slung her over his shoulders as he eyed his golden Digivice and Modify cards.

"Digimodify! Digivolution, activate!"

"Guilmon Digivolve to...GROWLMON!!!"

"Digimodify! Hyper Wings, activate!"

Takato and Renamon quickly boarded the Champion Digimon as he took to the skies with a pair of white wings on his back. Dracula shrieked his rage into the night at that moment, unable to pass by the cross Takato had left in his wake.

"Where are we going, Takato? Are we going to join up with the others?"

Eyeing Renamon with a look that showed torment and pain, Takato replied while pulling out Rika's Modify cards and Digivice, "Not yet. I've got to have a one-on-one thing with Rika. I'm not gonna try anything with her, since she is unconscious, and she's proven that she's willing to go the distance in more than one way. Oh-while the others were giving 'fang face' the slip, Ryo slipped me her things. There was this cave near the other side of the Alps. Guilmon pointed it out to me when I dragged him here before. I could hear him, but I couldn't say anything. Here we are."

As Growlmon descended at the opening to the cave, he deDigivolved into Guilmon and his wings disappeared from view. Takato carried Rika's prostrate form inside the cave, using a flashlight from his bag to see inside of it, which was pitch-dark. Once he'd gone a considerable distance from the opening, Takato gingerly placed Rika down on the ground and pulled out another cross and some rope. He put the cross in between himself and Rika, then walked over to Rika with the rope and poured something onto the rope before tying Rika's hands together with it. After he was done, he quickly got behind the cross and then pulled out some firewood and called for Guilmon and Renamon.







Chorus: 'Cause me, I'm rusted and weathered, barely holding together

I'm covered with skin that peels, and it just won't heal!

I'm rusted and weathered, barely holding together

I'm covered with skin that peels, and it just won't heal...!

It just won't heal, no...

The day reminds me of you, the night hides your truth

The earth is a voice speaking to you

Take all this pride and leave it behind, 'cause one day it ends, one day we die...

Believe what you will, that is your right, but I choose to win, I choose to fight-to fight!







Rika groaned as she finally started waking up around 10:00 at night, feeling the blisters slowly fade away on her face.

"Good evening. Have a pleasant sleep?"

Hissing angrily, Rika bolted to her feet and saw Takato, Guilmon and Renamon in front of her, and behind a cross!

"Are you three cowardly enough that you have to resort to kidnapping and hiding behind crosses? I thought I taught you better than that, Renamon!"

Holding out Rika's Digivice and Modify cards, Renamon spoke calmly. "You're not Rika, not anymore. So, if I were you, I'd listen, and listen carefully to what Takato has to say. It could make a difference on whether I stake you where you stand or not."

"Please! These knots aren't even tied properly. I'll be free in a few-"

Rika cried out in pain as she felt the holy water trickle down her hands and blisters appear on her wrists. Takato grinned sadistically while sitting back down.

"Not as dumb as I would look, huh, Rika? I figured you would pull that, so I poured an entire bottle of holy water onto the ropes before tying you up. Now, you and I can chat. And since you can't move, at all, I might add, we can start."

Rika decided she would play along with Takato's game, at least until her strength came back to her. "Start what?"

"The process of restoring your soul, Rika." Takato held out the ring in front of Rika's eyes to see, its beauty even more astonishing in the crackling fires below.







Chorus: 'Cause me, I'm rusted and weathered, barely holding together

I'm covered with skin that peels, and it just won't heal!

I'm rusted and weathered, barely holding together

I'm covered with skin that peels, and it just won't...

Covered with skin that peels, and it just won't...

Covered with skin that peels, and it just won't heal...! (song fades out; ends on a chord)







"What makes you think you're gonna accomplish anything? You haven't told me anything I don't remember from before."

"Maybe not, but I will strike a chord sometime, and when I do, you'll come back to me, Rika...I promise!"

I hope Takato can bring Rika back on his own before Dracula hunts him down! Find out what happens next time on Digimon: Digital Monsters!