A/N: I have changed my story from what I had originally planned, but I
think that this still is a good switch. Mostly everything is the same, so
there shouldn't be any significant differences.
*****************
"Jeri I'm very sorry. Could you ever forgive me?" Rika questioned, tears in her eyes.
Jeri remembered those last five words that Rika just used which were the same two years ago, when Impmon asked her for forgiveness.
*Flashback*
"Jeri," Impmon started, "What I mean to say is.could you ever forgive me?"
Jeri was hesitant, but smiled. "Of course, Impmon."
*End Flashback*
It was so easy for Jeri to forgive someone, especially someone like Impmon. He did kill Leomon, after all. but she had to change. She had to prove that she was not easy just to ask for forgiveness.
Jeri had to start somewhere. She gathered up all of her courage to make this situation the one.
"Rika," she started, "I don't think I can forgive you. You did try to kill me." Her eyes began to get watery. "I'm sorry."
Rika wouldn't let Jeri finish. "Ok," she cried. "I understand. I don't deserve to be your friend, nor Takato's, nor do I even deserve to live." She ran out of the room, her tears falling on the ground, as she escaped through the hallway.
Jeri looked at the door, which was opened, and then looked down. "Rika, please understand."
**************
Ryo walked down the street leading to the Shinjuku Hospital. He had yet to give her a get-well card, but he remembered. He hummed to himself as he approached the big building. Then he saw a smallish figure run out of the hospital.
Ryo looked at the figure who was fast approaching him. The figure, now identified as a girl in his eyes, ran right past him. He looked at her eyes, and it showed tears, not tears of happiness, as he saw her frown. He also noticed the strawberry hair-
"Rika? Rika!" He shouted, but she did not turn around.
Ryo thought for a moment. 'Where is she going? Probably home. I'd better go follow her.' He looked back at his get-well card. "First things first."
Ryo ran over to the service desk, then to the elevator going up to the third floor.
"Move up, damn you, move up!" He yelled to the inanimate object. The elevator made a ding as he ran out and took a sharp left and to the door on the right.
"Jeri."
"Ryo?"
"Sorry, sweetie, but I am in a bit of a hurry. Get well soon and I'll see you later!" He smiled as he handed her the card." He ran out as quickly as he ran in.
"Ryo," Jeri sighed. She then smiled.
***************
Ryo ran all the way to Rika's house, positive that she would go there after noticing her expression. He did know her very well.
He stopped and took a deep breath, then hid as Rika stepped out, calmed down a little bit in his eyes, but she still with a frown on her face.
And she had a knife.
'What the hell is she going to do with that?' Ryo pondered. Then he paused. 'No.' He discreetly followed Rika, who walked out of her house, and out of the neighborhood, heading toward the park. Not a moment afterward, he soon edged toward the park.
Rika entered the park, followed closely by Ryo, who still followed her without her being alerted.
***************
Rika walked to the direct middle of the park, and surprisingly, no one was there. 'This is the best spot,' she said to herself. She didn't notice Ryo, however, who hid behind a bush nearby.
She took out a piece of paper and a pen. She started to scribble on it.
I caused my friends sorrow, I caused you guys despair, So now I plan to leave you, Because this life is not fair.
-Rika Nonaka, February 14, 1988--September 26, 2003
She folded up the paper and put it in her pocket. She took one last thorough search to see if anyone was looking, then pulled the knife out of her jacket. It was a moderately sized knife, with about eight inches in length and an inch and a half in width.
"This is for the best," she said to herself. She heard a rustle in the nearby bushes, but she paid it no heed. She was already here. Her breakup with Takato, his willingness not to even see her face, and her friendship ending with Jeri, has added up. She could not take the stress anymore.
"Sorry Takato. Sorry Jeri." She held the knife up and thrusted the knife toward her chest.
***************
Ryo looked at Rika pull the knife out of her jacket. 'What the hell is she doing?!' Without thinking and with his friend's life on the balance, he quickly jumped out of the bushes and ran towards her.
"Sorry Takato. Sorry Jeri." He heard her say. She made a motion, sending the knife to go right through her chest. Ryo dove right in and pulled her, feeling good about his deed. But his job wasn't quite done yet.
The knife missed her chest, but it penetrated her side. "Uhh!" Rika exclaimed, the sharp knife piercing right through her left chest. Ryo grabbed the knife right from her hands and threw it as far as he could into the brush.
Rika, meanwhile, lost her balance and fell backward, but Ryo was right there to catch her before she hit the ground. Rika, at this time, still did not know who her "savior" was. She landed right into his arms, with her back to the ground. Her eyes were closed, as she did not want to see what was going on-at least yet. Her head fell back and she fainted.
***************
"Rika."
Huh?
"Rika."
"Who the hell is that?"
"What are you doing?"
"Doing what?"
"Attempting suicide."
*************** Rika woke up, with a major headache. "Oww," she said to herself, coming to her senses. "Where am I?" She got up from a sleeping bag, and walked around.
The girl approached a mirror and checked herself out.
"What the heck am I wearing?"
The mirror revealed a strawberry-haired girl with a shirt at least two sizes over her regular shirts, and her lower body sported a pair of basketball shorts that was also much too big for her. Remembering what had happened earlier, she lifted up the left side of her shirt, revealing a bandaged-up section by her top left rib. There was a light stain of blood on those bandages. She looked for a clock and found one.
11:30 p.m.
She shook her head in bewilderment. Next, she looked for a light switch somewhere. She located it near an exit and flipped it up. The whole room lit up.
Looking around, Rika concluded she was in a living room. But who's? She knew it wasn't hers; this one had a fireplace, while her room lacked one. She looked at the pictures located on top of the fireplace.
There was a picture of Cyberdramon.
"Don't tell me."
"Rika? Are you awake?" A voice from upstairs called. Rika knew immediately who it was.
"What the hell are you doing, Akiyama?"
Ryo appeared out of the shadows and smiled. "Saving your life, it seems. Seems to be my specialty. That's what, the third time?" Ryo asked.
Rika ignored him. "Was that you talking to me?"
Ryo nodded. He walked downstairs and over to Rika. "How are you feeling?"
Rika sneered, but then lightened up. "I guess I'm okay." she started.
"Here, let me see the wound-"
Rika grabbed on to "her" shirt. "No way are you going to touch me, Ryo, nonetheless look under my shirt," she demanded.
"Hey," Ryo responded. "Who was it that got you into those clothes?"
Rika thought for a minute as to what he might be saying, then she immediately turned red. "Ryo Akiyama," she started, " I swear to God, if you did anything to my body."
"Calm down," Ryo said, his hands making a "relax" gesture. "I did nothing but change your clothes. Now I just need to see if you are healing properly.
Rika grumbled, but then slightly lifted up her shirt, just enough so Ryo could examine her wound. 'Ryo better not be looking at more than he needs to.'
He slowly opened up the bandages. "Hmm," he started, "You seem to be healing just fine." He stitched the gash back up, letting Rika make a sigh of relief.
"You lost a lot of blood. What is up with you?"
"It's none of your business," she replied.
"Umm, yeah it is my business, because I care about you," Ryo answered.
"You don't care about me! You just toy with me like you do with all of your other ladies."
"Whoa, whoa." Ryo paused. "What do you mean, toy with you?"
"You call me names like sweetheart and cutie. It makes me uncomfortable."
"I call you that because you are my friend. What difference was it that Takato called you names like that?"
Rika stopped for a second. 'Friend? Ha, he deems me friend by calling me those names. He has a point, though. I let Takato call me that, it should be perfectly okay for Ryo to call me that. He'll have to try harder, though. Ryo Akiyama will find out that Rika Nonaka is not so easy to convince.'
Ryo held out his hand. "So can we just acknowledge each other as friends and start over?"
Rika didn't want to show her vulnerability, at least not just yet. "I'm going to bed," she said, walking over to the sleeping bag and getting in. Within seconds, she was fast asleep.
Ryo couldn't help but smile. "Good night, pumpkin." he said, going back upstairs.
******************
A/N: Wow, what a chapter. Maybe Rika will unwind and accept Ryo as her friend. Or not. And what's going on with Takato, Henry, and especially Kenta and Kazu? Where have they been? Anyway, to find out what happens, keep watching!
Till next time.
*****************
"Jeri I'm very sorry. Could you ever forgive me?" Rika questioned, tears in her eyes.
Jeri remembered those last five words that Rika just used which were the same two years ago, when Impmon asked her for forgiveness.
*Flashback*
"Jeri," Impmon started, "What I mean to say is.could you ever forgive me?"
Jeri was hesitant, but smiled. "Of course, Impmon."
*End Flashback*
It was so easy for Jeri to forgive someone, especially someone like Impmon. He did kill Leomon, after all. but she had to change. She had to prove that she was not easy just to ask for forgiveness.
Jeri had to start somewhere. She gathered up all of her courage to make this situation the one.
"Rika," she started, "I don't think I can forgive you. You did try to kill me." Her eyes began to get watery. "I'm sorry."
Rika wouldn't let Jeri finish. "Ok," she cried. "I understand. I don't deserve to be your friend, nor Takato's, nor do I even deserve to live." She ran out of the room, her tears falling on the ground, as she escaped through the hallway.
Jeri looked at the door, which was opened, and then looked down. "Rika, please understand."
**************
Ryo walked down the street leading to the Shinjuku Hospital. He had yet to give her a get-well card, but he remembered. He hummed to himself as he approached the big building. Then he saw a smallish figure run out of the hospital.
Ryo looked at the figure who was fast approaching him. The figure, now identified as a girl in his eyes, ran right past him. He looked at her eyes, and it showed tears, not tears of happiness, as he saw her frown. He also noticed the strawberry hair-
"Rika? Rika!" He shouted, but she did not turn around.
Ryo thought for a moment. 'Where is she going? Probably home. I'd better go follow her.' He looked back at his get-well card. "First things first."
Ryo ran over to the service desk, then to the elevator going up to the third floor.
"Move up, damn you, move up!" He yelled to the inanimate object. The elevator made a ding as he ran out and took a sharp left and to the door on the right.
"Jeri."
"Ryo?"
"Sorry, sweetie, but I am in a bit of a hurry. Get well soon and I'll see you later!" He smiled as he handed her the card." He ran out as quickly as he ran in.
"Ryo," Jeri sighed. She then smiled.
***************
Ryo ran all the way to Rika's house, positive that she would go there after noticing her expression. He did know her very well.
He stopped and took a deep breath, then hid as Rika stepped out, calmed down a little bit in his eyes, but she still with a frown on her face.
And she had a knife.
'What the hell is she going to do with that?' Ryo pondered. Then he paused. 'No.' He discreetly followed Rika, who walked out of her house, and out of the neighborhood, heading toward the park. Not a moment afterward, he soon edged toward the park.
Rika entered the park, followed closely by Ryo, who still followed her without her being alerted.
***************
Rika walked to the direct middle of the park, and surprisingly, no one was there. 'This is the best spot,' she said to herself. She didn't notice Ryo, however, who hid behind a bush nearby.
She took out a piece of paper and a pen. She started to scribble on it.
I caused my friends sorrow, I caused you guys despair, So now I plan to leave you, Because this life is not fair.
-Rika Nonaka, February 14, 1988--September 26, 2003
She folded up the paper and put it in her pocket. She took one last thorough search to see if anyone was looking, then pulled the knife out of her jacket. It was a moderately sized knife, with about eight inches in length and an inch and a half in width.
"This is for the best," she said to herself. She heard a rustle in the nearby bushes, but she paid it no heed. She was already here. Her breakup with Takato, his willingness not to even see her face, and her friendship ending with Jeri, has added up. She could not take the stress anymore.
"Sorry Takato. Sorry Jeri." She held the knife up and thrusted the knife toward her chest.
***************
Ryo looked at Rika pull the knife out of her jacket. 'What the hell is she doing?!' Without thinking and with his friend's life on the balance, he quickly jumped out of the bushes and ran towards her.
"Sorry Takato. Sorry Jeri." He heard her say. She made a motion, sending the knife to go right through her chest. Ryo dove right in and pulled her, feeling good about his deed. But his job wasn't quite done yet.
The knife missed her chest, but it penetrated her side. "Uhh!" Rika exclaimed, the sharp knife piercing right through her left chest. Ryo grabbed the knife right from her hands and threw it as far as he could into the brush.
Rika, meanwhile, lost her balance and fell backward, but Ryo was right there to catch her before she hit the ground. Rika, at this time, still did not know who her "savior" was. She landed right into his arms, with her back to the ground. Her eyes were closed, as she did not want to see what was going on-at least yet. Her head fell back and she fainted.
***************
"Rika."
Huh?
"Rika."
"Who the hell is that?"
"What are you doing?"
"Doing what?"
"Attempting suicide."
*************** Rika woke up, with a major headache. "Oww," she said to herself, coming to her senses. "Where am I?" She got up from a sleeping bag, and walked around.
The girl approached a mirror and checked herself out.
"What the heck am I wearing?"
The mirror revealed a strawberry-haired girl with a shirt at least two sizes over her regular shirts, and her lower body sported a pair of basketball shorts that was also much too big for her. Remembering what had happened earlier, she lifted up the left side of her shirt, revealing a bandaged-up section by her top left rib. There was a light stain of blood on those bandages. She looked for a clock and found one.
11:30 p.m.
She shook her head in bewilderment. Next, she looked for a light switch somewhere. She located it near an exit and flipped it up. The whole room lit up.
Looking around, Rika concluded she was in a living room. But who's? She knew it wasn't hers; this one had a fireplace, while her room lacked one. She looked at the pictures located on top of the fireplace.
There was a picture of Cyberdramon.
"Don't tell me."
"Rika? Are you awake?" A voice from upstairs called. Rika knew immediately who it was.
"What the hell are you doing, Akiyama?"
Ryo appeared out of the shadows and smiled. "Saving your life, it seems. Seems to be my specialty. That's what, the third time?" Ryo asked.
Rika ignored him. "Was that you talking to me?"
Ryo nodded. He walked downstairs and over to Rika. "How are you feeling?"
Rika sneered, but then lightened up. "I guess I'm okay." she started.
"Here, let me see the wound-"
Rika grabbed on to "her" shirt. "No way are you going to touch me, Ryo, nonetheless look under my shirt," she demanded.
"Hey," Ryo responded. "Who was it that got you into those clothes?"
Rika thought for a minute as to what he might be saying, then she immediately turned red. "Ryo Akiyama," she started, " I swear to God, if you did anything to my body."
"Calm down," Ryo said, his hands making a "relax" gesture. "I did nothing but change your clothes. Now I just need to see if you are healing properly.
Rika grumbled, but then slightly lifted up her shirt, just enough so Ryo could examine her wound. 'Ryo better not be looking at more than he needs to.'
He slowly opened up the bandages. "Hmm," he started, "You seem to be healing just fine." He stitched the gash back up, letting Rika make a sigh of relief.
"You lost a lot of blood. What is up with you?"
"It's none of your business," she replied.
"Umm, yeah it is my business, because I care about you," Ryo answered.
"You don't care about me! You just toy with me like you do with all of your other ladies."
"Whoa, whoa." Ryo paused. "What do you mean, toy with you?"
"You call me names like sweetheart and cutie. It makes me uncomfortable."
"I call you that because you are my friend. What difference was it that Takato called you names like that?"
Rika stopped for a second. 'Friend? Ha, he deems me friend by calling me those names. He has a point, though. I let Takato call me that, it should be perfectly okay for Ryo to call me that. He'll have to try harder, though. Ryo Akiyama will find out that Rika Nonaka is not so easy to convince.'
Ryo held out his hand. "So can we just acknowledge each other as friends and start over?"
Rika didn't want to show her vulnerability, at least not just yet. "I'm going to bed," she said, walking over to the sleeping bag and getting in. Within seconds, she was fast asleep.
Ryo couldn't help but smile. "Good night, pumpkin." he said, going back upstairs.
******************
A/N: Wow, what a chapter. Maybe Rika will unwind and accept Ryo as her friend. Or not. And what's going on with Takato, Henry, and especially Kenta and Kazu? Where have they been? Anyway, to find out what happens, keep watching!
Till next time.
