Legend of the Digimon Queen

Intro: Gomenasai this took so long to get out, school's a nightmare, no time for writing. Tsk tsk. Anyway, do I have you all boggled? Good! This time around the question you've all been asking is looming, is Ruki friend or foe? And is Takato way over his head in falling in love with the Digimon Queen?

BlackGatomon: Yay!! Candy! Arigatou!!!

   Ummm… arigatou for pointing out that Ruki isn't frail Mr. Right, but it's a fanfiction, sorry for the inconvenience but I do have a good reason!! I promise!! R+R!

Italics- Thoughts, memories Bold-Actions, important stuff

Disclaimer: Don't own digimon, not even my partner (pathetic no?)!

                                                           

                                                            ****Chapter 3****

    Everything hurts…

     Everything was hot and utterly uncomfortable, pain seemed to flow through every vein in Ruki's body. She winced, which felt like a thousand needles raining down on her. Whatever she was lying on was soft, and something cool and wet was frequently touching her forehead…

   She didn't want to move for fear of sending the needles shooting through her body. But curiosity got the better of her, and she could hear voices, and not her mom or grandmother's… or even Renamon's. Where am I?

  Slowly she attempted to open an eye, managing to do it without the pain. It took a minute for her vision to clear, and once it did she realized she wasn't at home at all or the hospital either. The door to the room was in the corner, and someone had just been through it, speaking in a low voice to another person. Daylight filtered into the room from the window and sliding glass door to her right, and the red framed bed she was on was blue and up against the left wall. Across the room stood a desk, which was cluttered with papers and digimon cards, a wastebasket near full next to it. A closet hung ajar next to the desk and the floor was littered slightly with clothes and more digimon cards.

    She was obviously on a bunk bed, she was too far up and near the ceiling for it to be a regular bed. Slowly she moved her fingers, testing the waters. Ever so slowly she pulled herself up to a sitting position, and found to her surprise she wasn't in her old clothes either, instead she was in someone's blue pajamas. She looked frantically about the room and found her clothes and hair band folded neatly on a toy box next to the bed. Gently she reached up to touch her red hair and found that it wasn't even in its usual spiked ponytail. What's going on?  She sighed and carefully got off the bed, the pain washing away with the morning light.

   "You're awake," said a voice behind her. Ruki whirled around in surprise to see Takato standing in the doorway, a wet washcloth in one hand. He smiled serenely barely able to keep himself from hugging her. "You should get back in bed, you need rest."

  "Where's Renamon?"

 "I'm right here," Renamon materialized beside her. "Takato was gracious enough to bring you here for recovery, you fainted."

    Renamon had called him Takato instead of 'Gogglehead'… he has gained her trust, usually she only calls people by the names I give them… Ruki nodded and got back in bed. Takato handed over the washcloth. "Put that on your head, it'll keep you cool. We phoned your parents, they should be here soon to pick you up."

  Ruki watched the boy turned and walk toward the door. Right before he came to the door she spoke. "Arigatou…"

  Takato turned to her and smiled, only this time his smile was different. Ruki couldn't quite place his expression, and then suddenly it hit her. It was love.

                                                ******************

     "I don't know Takato…" Lee rubbed the back of his neck. "I'd be careful, if there's anything we've learned from trusting mysterious individuals it's that they usually turn evil…"

  Takato had just informed Lee on the recent events that had occurred. He was very worried by now about his sweet Ruki, who he had found serene and much nicer than he had expected. Lee had pondered these events for quite some time.

  "She'll never be our antagonist," Takato blurted out. Guilmon walked along beside Takato, turning the conversation over in his head. Ruki was quite the character.

   Terriermon waved his hand. "Momentai Takato! She's probably just got some health condition…"

  "But I'm worried," said Takato, suddenly troubled. "She won't tell me anything about her sudden 'pain attacks'. I'm scared for her, I'm afraid the next time she faints she'll die…"

   "Isn't it odd," said Lee. "That she's very cold yet she's so frail? I still think we have the evil who's been driving us off the wall."

    "Maybe…" said Takato, but he was not convinced. "But I still think she's on our side…"

  Lee shook his head. "I hope you're not over your head in this one Takato… love is very dangerous when it comes to Digimon."

  "Why do you think she's the enemy?!"

  "I'm just saying that there is evidence that could point that she's the enemy," shrugged Lee. "I don't know. But I can't seem to see her as anything but the enemy, I mean think about it, she's so frail, she might need energy and is feeding off the digimon data or something, or maybe she's possessed by a digimon. Think about it Takato, there is reasonable doubt."

  Takato stomped his foot. "I'm telling you, she's not the enemy! She can't be! She's too frail and sweet to do anything of the sort!"

  "You're just saying that because you love her Takato," said Lee calmly. "Think about it Takato, what if she's seducing you?"
  "She'd never do that!! I'm the only friend she's ever had in the world!! If you two don't believe me that she's innocent, why I'll-I'll prove it to you!!!" And with that, Takato stormed off, Guilmon following behind him.

  Lee rubbed his temples. "I don't know Takato, I just don't know…"

   "He really likes her Lee," said Terriermon, staring after Takato. "And reasoning with a love sick boy is beyond anyone's ability…"

   "I'll show him…" muttered Takato as he cursed under his breath, storming through the slick city streets. But as he calmed down, he suddenly began to see Lee's point, something was definitely wrong with Ruki.

  At this point in time Guilmon spoke. "Takato… I believe you."

  "Nani?"

  "I believe that Ruki isn't the enemy," said Guilmon, smiling. "I've been thinking it over a lot, and I know how much you trust her. Ruki would never betray you, she likes you too much, although she won't admit it. I can see it in her eyes."

   Takato softened as he stared at his digimon. Of course Guilmon believed him, he was always the only one who ever believed him when things went horribly wrong. But somehow this time it truly comforted him. "Arigatou boy," he said softly, patting the digimon's head. Guilmon giggled softly.

  "…she likes you too much, although she won't admit it…"  These words bounced around Takato's head as he walked like a ping pong ball that was hit way too hard. Every wall it slammed hard, it had impact on him. Was it possible that he had coaxed Ruki into loving him back?

                                                ****************

    Ruki lie underneath her covers, shivering in a sea of pain. Renamon came to her side suddenly and quietly. "Ruki…"

  Ruki sighed, trying to stop the pain raging through her body. It was like something wanted to emerge from her body, something big. But she couldn't let it, she didn't know if it was friend or foe, she didn't want whatever it was to hurt Takato.

  She blinked. Takato…Renamon gently stroked her hair, trying to ease her into a painless slumber. "Hang in there Ruki…"

   "It hurts…"

  "I know."

 "Do you know why?"
  "If I could I would tell you," said Renamon softly. "But I know as well as you do we both don't."

  Ruki cringed as a thousand needles shattered in her legs. She wailed softly, and as suddenly as it had come, it stopped. She relaxed, her tense muscles slowly relaxing into their normal position. I wonder… how long my body will last… I know I have a purpose, the reason I was born here, but I can't remember…

  Renamon smiled. "It stopped…" Ruki sat up slowly and shakily went to the window. She studied the glittering city lights, the townhouses blazing with little fireflies. She sighed and leaned her head against the window. She was confused, odd feelings shifted through her and crawled through her body leaving a trail of wonderful feelings behind it. But why?

   Renamon was a few feet behind her. Taking a step forward she said, "Ruki, I think you're in love…"

   "No I'm not," she said, certain of herself, without taking her eyes from the warm lights. They reminded her, of his eyes, warm with red and orange and yellow. She longed for those eyes, his embrace when she felt no one would ever come to her.

  "Ruki… you're hiding."

    "Hiding what?" Ruki turned, finally breaking her lock on the lights. "What's wrong?"

  "Ruki you're not supposed to love…"

 "I can't love, you and I both know I can't feel love or regret," said Ruki slowly, remembering. She had come from the Digital World with a purpose, and whoever had sent her here told her she could never love or regret, and if she learned how to by some miraculous way terrible, terrible things would happen.

   Renamon stared in silence, afraid Ruki might die if she as so as murmured the words: But you do love him.

  Ruki cringed. "Another wild one… we better take care of it…"

  "You sure you can?"

  Ruki righted herself and got a firm footing. "Hai."

        "Ahahaha!" screeched Lady Devimon proudly, batting her wings to drive all the debris at them. Takato and Lee stood, bracing themselves as this new Digimon attempted to destroy everything in sight. "I have not come for you Tamers, I have come for something else. But since you are so willing to fight I might as well kill you so you won't turn into a pest!"

   "Guilmon!!" cried Takato, bringing up his D-arc. "Matrix Digivolution activate!"

 Guilmon matrix digivolve to…

 WarGrowlmon!!!

Terriermon matrix digivolve to…

Rapidmon!

   LadyDevimon grinned. "Ooh I'm so scared, an over stuffed rabbit and huge red dinosaur! Whatever shall I do? Darkness Wave!"

   "Oh yea you pesky little bat girl hypocrite?!" cried Rapidmon. "Eat bullets! Rapid Fire!!!"

    LadyDevimon was caught in the downpour of bullets but not defeated. "Black Wing!"

    "Oh yea well I-!" Rapidmon was thrown over backward and sent right into a wall. "Rapidmon!!" Lee gasped in horror and ran over to his digimon's side. "Are you alright?"
  "I'm just fine," said Rapdimon, wincing. "Momentai Lee."

    LadyDevimon took this distraction to her advantage, swooping down and snatching up Takato. She held him high above her, red claws threatening to wrench his neck apart. "Well it looks like it's just me and you little gogglehead…"

   Takato tried to scream, but nothing came out. Struggling he tried to escape her clutches, which didn't work at all. LadyDevimon seemed to be waiting for something, a smug grin upon her face, her eyes fixed on the city streets.

   WarGrowlmon growled. "Leave my tamer alone!! Atomic Blaster!!!" LadyDevimon merely dodged it, and WarGrowlmon hurled himself at her, which in this case was a very stupid thing to do. LadyDevimon shot him with a BlackWing right in the chest and he fell back to earth, dedigivolving and hitting the ground with an earsplitting crack.

  "Guilmon! No!!"
  Guilmon lie lifeless on the ground, bleeding. His figure was slightly beginning to fade away. Takato gasped and started to cry. "Guilmon…"

   Lee looked up and roused Rapidmon. "Rapidmon get up! We have to help!" And quickly he was struck down also, LadyDevimon struck him with her long red claws, causing him to faint. "Lee!!"

   LadyDevimon refocused now on her hostage. "Nothing can save you my dear, there is no one left…" She slowly began to squeeze the life out of him, licking her lips. "Master will be pleased…"

  "Put him down!!"

     LadtDevimon's head snapped around to see the new intruder. Ruki stood on the ground, staring with a fiery gaze at her opponent. "Put him down, and no one gets hurt…"

  "Ha! Makino Ruki!" shrieked LadyDevimon with laughter. "You dare to challenge me? Darkness Wave!!"

  The attack sped at incredible speed toward her head, and Takato shut his eyes. Oh god this is it… Ruki only tilted her head, and the attack erupted behind her, not even fazing her. Lady Devimon hung in the air in shock. "You… you…"

  "Hai, me," said Ruki slowly. "And Renamon." Renamon leapt onto the scene and Ruki said her famous words, "Walk all over her."

   Renamon grinned slyly and took to the air as Ruki whipped out her D-arc. She slashed the card right as Renamon did a flip. LadyDevimon and Takato watched in silence as this took place. "Matrix Digivolution activate!!"

Renamon matrix digivolve to…

Taomon!

"Talisman of Light!" Taomon whipped out her long wooden staff and slashed it at the evil digimon, knocking her square in the chest. LadyDevimon released her grip on Takato, who fell a few feet into the air before Taomon caught him. "That was amazing!"
  "Thank me later," said Taomon, dodging the barrage of black wings LadyDevimon had sent out. Taomon set him down beside Lee and the two defeated digimon, and in an instant took off. Ruki stood in front of them. "You guys alright?"
  Lee looked up. "Ruki?"

    Ruki grinned. "In the flesh."

  'Thousand Cards!!!" screamed Taomon, hurling hundreds of little red cards at LadyDevimon, who dodged them all. Ruki's eyes narrowed. "Play time's over LadyDevimon… Digimodify! Ghoulmon activate!!"

   Taomon's eyes went viral and red. "Death Arrow!!!" She cried, shooting the dark attack right at LadyDevimon. LadyDevimon grunted as it struck her in the chest, her data slowly disintegrating. She turned her head feebly toward Ruki and muttered, "Black Wing…"

The attack came right at Ruki, but something very strange happened. Ruki's eyes narrowed, her vision blurred and her eyes turned red. Right before the attack struck, her arms shot out in front of her, and rebounded the attack right back at LadyDevimon.        LadyDevimon wailed in pain and cursed, "My Master will come after you Makino Ruki! He knows where you are hiding now! Long live the Darkness!!!"

   With that, she died, and her data was absorbed by Taomon. Taomon dedigivolved, and Ruki sunk to her knees, breathing heavily. Slowly, she raised her hand and somehow healed Takato, Lee, Guilmon, and Terriermon. Takato and Lee stared at her in shock.

     Takato rose slowly, and shakily walked over to her. She was shaking uncontrollably, as if trying to fight something… something that wanted desperately to come out. His hand reached out to her, to rest on her vibrant red hair. "Ruki… I…" I can't bear to see her like this…

   "Don't touch me!" She said harshly, the warning glare in her eyes again. Takato froze as she slowly rose to her feet, clutching her chest. Something was on her back… a nub of white feathers.

  And as suddenly as those feathers appeared, they disappeared, and Takato wondered if he had seen them at all. Ruki turned to the two boys. "I don't want either of you to come anywhere near me ever again!"

   She stalked off, leaving them very amazed and at the same time, very confused.

                                                            *************

  Dun, dun, dun, dun! Next chapter we learn what's up with Ruki, so stay tuned! R+R!

 BlackGatomon: And don't forget to bring me candy! Please?