Me: Before we get started on this latest chapter of "Tamers V.S. Dracula," I'd like to thank basically everybody who offered their support during my crisis-I'd name you all, but-
Terriermon: He would, but it's not like he can remember every author's name online!
Me, Henry: Terriermon!
Me: (sighs) Anyway, ignoring the lop-eared bunny, thanks for your support and this chapter is dedicated to Daneel Rush, since he ended up giving me a suggestion on how I can continue with this story. I don't own Digimon, or Linkin Park's "Points Of Authority."
Terriermon: What about me? I was there, too!
Rika: Sure-you also said I would go ballistic and...some other stuff, too!
Me: Okay, okay. What happened to Takato?
Rika: He's throwing a fit because his cousin stated that the puppet girl-
Henry: Hey!
Rika: -is his first love!
Me: True, I remember that, but first loves don't always necessarily mean they'd get together. That's how I see this situation unfolding, since there will be plenty of Rukato in the 6th Tamers movie. So, thanks again and onward to the story!
Takato: Has Rika come by yet?
Rika: Right here-and we need to talk. (cracks knuckles)
Takato: (grins weakly) Oh, boy...
Digimon Tamers: Tamers V.S. Dracula
Chapter XIV-Tainted with Darkness
"We can't afford to...you know...lose anyone else." -Rika Nonaka, "D-Reaper's Feast"
Out of the frying pan and into the fire! Takato ended up having a dream concerning himself, the
other Tamers and Dracula, but when he went to Rika to talk about it, she shut him out. Angered
that she wouldn't help him out, Takato closed her off as well, which turned out to be a mistake
on both of their parts when he and Guilmon were ambushed by Dracula at the park! They fought
valiantly, but the vampire had a little surprise waiting-he could use all of Renamon's attacks,
from Rookie to Mega! Then, the Prince of Darkness captured Takato and drank his blood, just
seconds before Rika vanquished him. Now, Rika's feeling incredibly guilty for shutting him out
earlier. I hope Takato wakes up real soon before things get even worse than they are now.
Rika was impatiently waiting in the waiting area with Renamon and Calumon for news of Takato's condition. Guilmon had headed back to the bakery to inform Takato's parents of what had happened. Not only was Rika's conscience eating away at her, but a feeling of hatred was bubbling up within her as well.
"How could he do this? Did he think I wouldn't find him? We're practically connected, and that stupid vampire thinks he can just hide Takato like a bag of garbage!" Rika fumed to herself, pacing back and forth in the waiting room (which was empty, save for the three of them).
"Rika, the way you're acting right now-it won't help out in the long run. After we've gotten word on Takato's condition, you can act." Renamon advised.
"Yeah-you just gotta relax and think happy thoughts." Calumon added.
After staring at her partner and Calumon for a few minutes, Rika turned back towards the door, where she'd been forced to wait at while Takato had been taken into surgery.
"Fine. Calming down-or thinking happy thoughts-won't help out that vampire if Takato doesn't pull through this."
"Rika?"
Containing a scathing response, Rika turned around again and was glad she'd held her tongue, because behind her was Guilmon, Takato's parents, Henry, Jeri, Terriermon and Leomon.
"How is he? Is he hurt?"
Eyeing Mrs. Matsuki, and seeing the worry in her eyes caused Rika's own violet eyes to brim with unshed tears before responding. "No, but they've kept him in there ever since I got here, and they won't tell me anything!"
"Momentai! Takato's gone through stuff a lot worse than this, so he'll be okay." Terriermon said, a tiny grin on his face. "By the way, what kind of 'stuff' did he go through? Did you beat him up or something-?"
At that second, Rika stopped pacing, stepped forward twice and grabbed Terriermon by the neck, pulling him off of Henry's shoulder and effectively cutting off his breathing.
"You listen to me, you lop-eared, wise-cracking rabbit: I would rather die at the hands of the D-Reaper a hundred times before even thinking of hurting Takato! If I were you, I'd think twice about saying stuff like that in front of me."
"Rika, let him go!" Henry demanded, placing a hand onto her shoulder. Instantly, Rika's gaze was focused on him, and Henry nearly flinched in shock after seeing the harshness in her eyes.
"You're lucky Takato's hurt." Rika muttered before dropping the Rookie Digimon to the ground. At that moment, Henry bent down and picked Terriermon up, worriedly checking for any bruises or injuries.
"Terriermon, are you okay?"
"Yeah..." The Rookie Digimon coughed twice before continuing on. "...but, not even when Rika didn't care for us did I see what I saw in her eyes right then."
"I know what you mean. It's like with happened when Leomon died back in the Digital World, or when Rika broke up with Takato because of their link."
"Gee, maybe Takato and Rika are more alike than they would care to admit." Terriermon noted
grimly.
(Forfeit the game before somebody else takes you out of the frame and puts your name to shame
Cover up your face; you can't run the race-the pace is too fast, you just won't last!)
"Ms. Nonaka...? Are you all here to see Takato?" Everyone looked up to see the receptionist who'd greeted Rika earlier in the day.
"Yeah, they are." Rika replied, bracing herself for the bad news. "So, how is he?"
"Physically, he's fine. We had to do a blood transfusion to replace the loss of blood he seems to have gained, but he's resting comfortably and you can see him now, if you like-"
At that statement, almost everyone moved forward, so the receptionist held up four fingers while continuing on.
"-but only four at a time."
After everyone staring at each other for a few moments, Takato's parents, Rika and Jeri went in. Personally, if it were Rika's choice, she would've preferred having Guilmon go in place of Jeri. A few minutes later, they reached Takato's room, where his clothes,goggles, wristbands and other odds and ends-Digivice and Modify cards included-on a chair.
"Takato, who could have done this to you, sweetie?"
While waiting for Takato's parents, Jeri and Rika had their own conversation-this time, if she hadn't nearly strangled him to death, Rika would've preferred Terriermon instead of Jeri, even if they'd become good friends during their stay in the Digital World.
"So, what happened to him?"
"I'll give you three guesses, and they all begin and end with the word 'vampire.'"
Stifling a gasp, Jeri instead clutched her hand to her rapidly beating heart. "You're saying that Dracula did this to Takato? But, why didn't Henry tell me?"
"Who knows? He probably didn't want to worry you or get you in a situation where you might lose Leomon again."
"Probably." Jeri admitted calmly. As the two of them focused their attention on the hospital bed that Takato was laying on, tears came to their eyes, but for very different reasons.
"What kind of a friend am I? If I'd just stayed over with Henry yesterday, I probably could've saved Takato from this! He doesn't deserve to be like this."
"Dracula's coming back, that much is known. When he does, I'll be ready!" At that silent
statement, Rika started glowing a very faint color of darkish blue, so faint that no one noticed it
at all.
You love the way I look at you-while taking pleasure in the awful things you put me through
You take away, if I give in
My life, my pride is broken!
Nobody had noticed this, but when Rika had originally taken Dracula out earlier, the sun reappeared, but now it was getting very close to nighttime. Choosing to disobey her mother's wishes to get home as fast as possible, Rika remained by Takato's bedside, clutching his goggles in one hand and his Digivice in the other. Henry and the others had come in and talked as quickly as they could, mostly because they didn't want to enrage Rika again.
"I swear, Takato-I won't let Dracula destroy us with any attack he might learn from Guilmon!"
"Can you actually live up to that, Rika? As I recall, you either need your knight in shining goggles or yours truly to get you out of jams." (A/N: That's for Flamegaruru, or Rei!)
Glaring at the doorway, Rika gently placed the Digivice and goggles back onto the chair before getting up and finding herself staring at Ryo.
"Who said you could come, Ryo? I don't remember inviting you here in the first place!"
"Kazu called while he was over here, and Henry called him and Kenta when he got home."
"And when did those two deadbeats show up? I've been here the entire day, just about."
"According to Kenta, they got here when you were talking to your mother, and that was quite a while ago."
"Whatever. So, why are you here, anyway?" Rika hissed angrily.
"Look, Takato and I haven't been the best of friends, I know that. You've got your own reasons for hating me-starting a fight with Gallantmon, for one. Beating you at the card game, for another. And, for also being a superior Tamer-"
"I don't think so!" In a heartbeat, Rika had jumped over the bed and grabbed Ryo by the neck, her body glowing a dark color of blue. "There's no possible way you could be superior. You didn't acheive the Mega level before any of us-as I recall, it was Takato, Henry, Jeri, me and then you. Technically, Takato's the superior Tamer."
"Whoa, Rika...what's wrong with you? I haven't ever seen you this angry, not even when I saved you back in the Digital World."
Huffing, Rika released Ryo's hold and turned to see the sun setting. "Nothing's wrong with me. The only one who would know that is still sleeping comfortably. Renamon? Let's go!"
Almost immediately, Renamon appeared before the two of them. Rika walked forward and opened the window up.
"If you want to make yourself useful, close the window once we're gone. Ryo..." As Renamon picked her up, Rika stared the Legendary Tamer down before grabbing her Digivice and a Modify card. "...if anything happens to Takato while I'm gone, and you're still here, there will be hell to pay."
Eyeing the card in her hand, Rika swiped it through with barely a glance.
"Digimodify! Digivolution, activate!"
Digivolution!
"Renamon Digivolve to...KYUBIMON!!!"
The second Rika and Kyubimon jumped out of the window, Ryo ran to it and yelled after her. "Rikaaaaaa! What's going on with you?"
At that minute, Ryo heard a tiny groan from behind him, so he turned around, only to see Takato
finally waking up!
Chorus: You like to think you're never wrong...(You live what you learn)
You have to act like you're someone...(You live what you learn)
You want someone to hurt like you...(You live what you learn)
You want to share what you've been through! (You live what you learn...learn...learn...learn...)
"R...Rika...?"
Takato opened his eyes, and instead of the caring eyes of his girlfriend, he saw Ryo, staring out at the opened window that he was just now closing.
"What are you doing here? And where's Rika?"
"You know, I would expect that from the Tamer in question, but not from you."
Not fully recovered from the blood transfusion, Takato simply glared at Ryo while replying. "I don't think you understand-she and I, we've apparently taken on each other's traits. Even though I can't do anything, I'm sure I could find the strength to choke you. Where. Did. She. Go?!"
Takato was struggling to remain propped on his elbows as long as he could-or at least until they gave out on him.
"Honestly-I don't know. She jumped out that window, and apparently, she and Renamon have hightailed it to who knows where." Ryo briefly explained.
Groaning, Takato dropped onto his back, already figuring out where Rika was going to go. "Look, Ryo, can you do me a favor? Call Henry and Jeri. Have them find Rika as fast as they can, and as soon as possible." Takato advised, keeping his face a mask.
"Okay, but I don't see what for." A few seconds later, Ryo was gone. Gritting his teeth, Takato took in a lungful of air, then screamed out the name of the only one-other than Rika-that would hear him:
"GUILMOOOOOOOOOOOOON!!!!"
You love the things I say I'll do-the way I'll hurt myself again just to get back at you
You take away when I give in
My life, my pride is broken!
With eyes dilated in the same manner Guilmon's eyes would normally be, Rika rode on top of Kyubimon towards where she figured Dracula would be, if he'd had time to regenerate himself beforehand.
"Rika, are we going to hunt down the vampire?"
Keeping her face upward, practically ignoring her partner, Rika responded, "You bet. And when
we do find him, take him out, and get rid of that dust! It's almost like loading up data."
With an evil smile, Dracula, the legendary Prince of Darkness, stretched his arms before hunting down his latest meal in Shinjuku Park. Dining on the leader of the Tamers, however limited it had been, had truly given him a power boost. And, even after he'd reformed himself and drank some pig's blood-which was only when the situation called for it-he was even more stronger than before.
"Now, all I have to do is hunt down the final original Tamer and drink his blood. Then, I will be able to counteract every single one of the Tamers' attacks with even their weakest ones-the Rookies'-and they'll feel the burn!"
"I don't think so, pal! Kyubimon-get 'em!"
"Dragon Wheel!!"
WHAM!! Dracula grunted in surprise as, for once, he'd been caught off guard. Rika had leaped off of her partner's back and the Champion Digimon had done the rest.
"Hmm...this is truly an unexpected surprise, my dear. I hadn't expected you to show up until the leader had died."
"That's not gonna happen! Not while I'm around." Rika retorted defiantly, standing her ground against the vampire.
"I can read your mind, you know. A part of you has always wondered what would happen if you'd just battled your soul mate's partner to the death. I can show you-you would lose! PyroSphere!!"
BLAM!! Kyubimon screamed in agony as she was blasted roughly to the ground! Rika grunted in surprise and amazement as she felt the ferocity of that attack.
"Don't take this lying down from that jerk! He may be a legend, but we've beaten him before; we can beat him again. Get up, Kyubimon!" Rika demanded angrily, her eyes still dilated in that same manner.
Somewhat amazed, Kyubimon managed to get back up, but not without staring into Rika's eyes. "Rika...what's wrong with you? You've never acted like this before, not even when we first teamed up with the others."
"That's easy-she's allowing her hatred of me to fully overtake her, and now I can give her a reason for it to go overboard. PyroBlaster!!" Laughing, Dracula lobbed an even bigger burst of fire from his palm and aimed it at Kyubimon. Without even looking, Rika plucked a card and swiped it, unaware that it had changed into a Blue card until nearly the split second when the attack would've hit her partner.
"Digimodify! Matrix Digivolution, activate!"
Matrix Digivolution!
"Kyubimon Matrix Digivolve to...TAOMON!!!"
"Talisman Spell-uhhh!!"
"Ahhhhhh!!!!" Rika cried out as she felt the fierceness of that attack, since it had pierced Taomon's shield before it had even completely formed around her!
"That's it! Taomon-walk all over him!!"
Chorus: You like to think you're never wrong...(You live what you learn)
You have to act like you're someone...(You live what you learn)
You want someone to hurt like you...(You live what you learn)
You want to share what you've been through! (You live what you learn...)
"Henry, what's the big emergency?" Jeri panted as Leomon came running up with her on his back.
"We've got big problems. Rika seems to have vanished from the hospital without a trace, according to Takato, she's probably looking for Dracula."
"Lookin' for who?"
Confused, the Tamers and their Digimon looked up to see Impmon, a perplexed look on his face.
"For Dracula. Why? 'Cause as Beelzemon, you actually ran into him?" Terriermon asked cynically.
"Very funny. With the exception of Pineapple head, probably every Digimon's heard of Dracula. He doesn't drink blood from us like he would humans, mostly 'cause we don't bleed like you humans do-no offense, for once. He learns our attacks by taking our data, and makes even the weakest attack seem like a Mega Digimon himself launched it."
"We got a preview of that during that eclipse earlier." As they ran, Henry quickly explained to Impmon what had happened to Rika and how Dracula had learned all of Renamon's attacks.
"Brutal. And you're saying he did the same to Pineapple head's partner? That means we're in even more trouble now than we were before. I'm just lucky I left Ai and Mako home for once. They've been helping me out with looking after home while you guys were gone, but they were too tired out to help me tonight, so I told 'em to take it easy. Speaking of which..."
A second later, Beelzemon: Blast Mode was soaring through the sky alongside the two Tamers and their partners.
"Hey, wait for me! I wanna help!" Calumon cried out while flying as fast as he could behind them.
"I'm gonna regret this. Hey, cream puff-grab on!" Beelzemon waited until Calumon got close
enough, then as he took hold of his jacket, flew at an incredible speed. The others were barely
able to keep up with him!
"Takato? Your parents are here, and they wanted to see how you were...oh, boy. What am I
gonna tell them about this, and will he get even more punished than I did? Probably."
(Forfeit the game before somebody else takes you out of the frame-puts your name to shame
Cover up your face-you can't run the race; the pace is too fast, you just won't last!)
(Forfeit the game before somebody else takes you out of the frame-puts your name to shame
Cover up your face-you can't run the race; the pace is too fast, you just won't last!)
"Talisman of Light!!" Taomon's ultimate attack soared gracefully towards Dracula, but the vampire rose one hand and responded, "Crystal Sphere!!" Seconds later, the attack was repelled!
"These stupid cards are useless! Taomon, it's time to show him what we're really made of! Time to Biomerge!" Rika growled while pulling out her Digivice. Unbeknownst to her, tiny cracks had already started to form on the glass screen, just like with Takato's, although that had just exploded into bits of data since they had been in the Digital World.
"Let me show you a true attack from an Ultimate Digimon: Atomic Blaster!!"
Taomon barely kept herself from screaming as the attack seemed to strike every weakened point of her body. Rika, on the other hand, took her pain and fueled it as a vessel for her rage.
"You can't lose against this guy-you're supposed to be stronger than him! Do it, Taomon-let's Biomerge and show him what we're all about!" Rika had gritted her teeth out of spite and that dark bluish color around her body had glowed even more fiercely than before!
"Rika...don't do this..." Taomon insisted, struggling to keep herself from deDigivolving.
"Taomon, we're not gonna beat him if you don't listen to me!"
"I'm afraid you won't get that pleasure. Now, which attack should I use next? Ah, I know. This one, you should recognize really easily: Amethyst Beam!!"
Time seemed to move in slow motion at that instant. The attack grew in power before it was
blasted into the air, aimed directly at Taomon. Rika was frozen, paralyzed to do anything about
it. The vampire laughed evilly as he imagined the downfall of the Tamers from this one blow,
and then...
Chorus: You like to think you're never wrong...(You live what you learn)
You have to act like you're someone...(You live what you learn)
You want someone to hurt like you...(You live what you learn)
You want to share what you've been through...(You live what you learn)
You like to think you're never wrong...(Forfeit the game; you live what you learn)
You have to act like you're someone...(Forfeit the game; you live what you learn)
You want someone to hurt like you...(Forfeit the game; you live what you learn)
You want to share what you've been through! (You live what you learn...learn...learn...learn...)
(Final chords; song ends abruptly)
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!" Rika forced herself to look up and saw Gallantmon: Crimson Mode flying in as fast as possible and within seconds, had taken the hit meant for Taomon! Time returned to normal as both Takato and Guilmon screamed in agony and pain before striking the ground, reverted from their Crimson Mode of Gallantmon.
"T...Takato? TAKATO!!" Rika was able to snap out of her haze of darkness and, despite the pain that radiated throughout her body, managed to run towards her boyfriend.
"Gogglehead, what are you doing out here? You're not strong enough to-"
WHAP! With tears streaming down his face, Takato actually slapped Rika across the cheek, even knowing what it meant for him. As both Tamers glared at each other, the vampire chose this moment to slip out, unnoticed.
"You'd better have a real good reason for hitting me, otherwise-"
"How about saving my girlfriend from the path to self-destruction?! Rika, Guilmon and I saw you from over a mile away-what were you thinking? This is exactly what I did before I forced Guilmon to Digivolve into Megidramon and ChaosGallantmon."
In amazement, Rika sat there, dumbfounded, as Takato continued on with his mini-tirade.
"I had to go through all that guilt and pain, even though I'd teamed up with my clone, because I'd turned Guilmon into a monster. Then, the second time, I thought you were dead. I don't want that to happen to you..."
Takato dropped his head onto his knees and started crying softly as Rika eyed her Digivice, which now looked completely normal, though she'd never noticed the changes before; she leaned forward and hugged Takato gently.
"I can't let someone as courageous, cunning and committed to this relationship as you get tainted by evil...I won't..."
"I'm sorry, Takato...I just wanted revenge, and I didn't even care how I got it-I just wanted to beat Dracula for good..."
"Takato! You have some explaining to do, young man!"
"Rika Nonaka! You are in serious trouble, young lady!"
Both Takato and Rika flinched in surprise as not only did Henry, Jeri and the other Digimon come running in, but also Takato's parents-and Rika's mother!
"Well, this is a pretty impressive way to spend the evening-stopping your girlfriend from creating another evil Digimon and getting the 3rd degree from my parents and your mother. That fills up my dance slot."
At least Rika's safe, thanks to Takato. But, what happens if Dracula does get to Henry and drains him of his blood? Find out next time on Digimon: Digital Monsters!
