Disclaimer:
I am aware that fan fiction is a violation of copyright even thought I am not making money out of it (I learned this on the last day of my English class last semester). So that's why fan fictions have disclaimers. I DO NOT OWN DIGIMON, Toei Animation does, but I don't.
Author's Note(s):
I want to thank every reader for reading this fic. For the readers who review, I want to thank you for reviewing, you're reviews mean a lot to me. Now on with the story.
Giving it a Chance
Chapter 7: A Little Push
Rika yawned. She was still sitting on the same spot next to the tree, thinking about what just happened between her and Henry a few minutes ago. Rika yawned again and decided to call it a night. She got up, wiped some dry mud off of her pajamas, and headed towards camp to sleep. Rika was unaware that two other tamers were eavesdropping on her conversation with Henry behind a bush a couple feet away. Actually, they weren't able to hear anything because they were quit a distance away from where Henry and Rika where earlier, but they did witness what happened. Jeri and Takato were in the woods stargazing until they heard Rika scream out Henry's name. Thinking that something was wrong, Jeri and Takato ran towards the direction Rika's voice came from. When they got there, they just saw Henry and Rika talking to each other. Curious to why they were up, Takato and Jeri continued to watch them and witness the whole innocent intimate moment between the two.
"Do you think they'll get together?" asked Jeri as soon as she saw Rika head back to camp and disappear into the woods.
"I can see them being with each other, but I think they'll have a difficult time starting it," replied Takato.
"Why is that?" asked Jeri.
"Henry is passive. He waits for things to happen to him, so he'll wait for Rika to make the move and start the relationship. However, Rika doesn't like to tell her feelings to anyone, so it's unlikely she'll make the first move. They both need a little push," responded Takato, who was sitting with his legs crossed to the left of Jeri.
"They make a cute couple. Their different, but they also share a lot of things in common. They oversee each other's differences and accepted each other for who they are. Also, their differences compliment each other. I guess that's where the saying, opposites attract comes from."
"Have you heard the saying that curiosity killed the cat?" asked Renamon, who startled Takato and Jeri as she all of a sudden, appeared next to them.
"How do you do that?" said Takato, gasping for air to help him calm down from the shock he got from Renamon's sudden appearance.
"Renamon, did you see what just happened between Henry and Rika?" asked Jeri.
"No, I gave them some privacy like the two of you should have done. Rika and Henry don't spy on you two, so the both of you should give them the same respect. If Rika finds out you two were spying on her and Henry, Rika will try to drown both of you in the creek," said Renamon.
"Momantai, I don't think she would drown them," said Terriermon as he walked through the bushes to get to where Takato, Jeri, and Renamon where. Terriermon gave what he just said another thought, "Well... at least she wouldn't drown Jeri."
"Did you see what happen Terriermon?" asked Jeri.
"I was sleeping earlier, but I woke up all of a sudden when I felt Henry was in some sort of danger. As I made my way through the woods, Renamon appeared and grabbed me. So I wasn't able to see what happen. Renamon, next time you grab me, please don't press your hand over my mouth so hard," said Terriermon.
"I had too. You have a big mouth that's hard to shut," replied Renamon.
"Why did I have a feeling that Henry was in danger?" asked Terriermon.
"Henry fell out of the tree, but he's fine," said Renamon.
"So you were watching them too?" Takato asked Renamon.
"When I heard Rika scream I check up on them. When I saw that everything was ok, I gave them their privacy."
"What do you two think about Rika and Henry's relationship?" Jeri asked Renamon and Terriermon
"They have a strong friendship. When they're out with each other, sometimes silence falls between them and they're comfortable with it. Most people are uncomfortable with silence. Like the saying goes, true friendship comes when silence between two people is comfortable," commented Renamon.
"And one of the best places to find true love is in a true friendship," Terriermon added.
"Can you see them together?" Jeri continued.
"Rika and Henry have respect, trust, understanding, patience, and care greatly for each other. That's everything needed in that type of relationship. I can see them together, but it'll take them a lot of courage to start the relationship."
"If Rika gave Ryo a chance, then she'll have no problem giving Henry one," stated Takato.
"Rika didn't care about the outcome of her relationship with Ryo when they went to the dance. With Henry, she's concern and cares greatly about the outcome. We shouldn't be talking about this. It's between the two of them and I think they want it to remain that way, or at least talk to them about it," said Renamon right before she disappeared.
"I better go too before Henry finds out I'm not in the tent. He'll get worried, then he'll send out the army to find me," remarked Terriermon as he started to head back to camp.
"Good night Terriermon," said Takato and Jeri in unison.
"Good night you guys. Don't stay up too late making out," teased Terriermon.
Jeri and Takato both laughed at Terriermon's comment and waited for Terriermon to disappear into the woods.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" said Jeri once Terriermon was gone.
"When I was creating Guilmon I should have given him the ability to appear and disappear like Renamon?"
"No, we should talk to Rika and Henry about this tomorrow," said Jeri as she giggled at Takato's remark.
"Ok, you talk to Rika bout it, and I'll talk to Henry," responded Takato.
----------
"Why does camp have to be so far away from the restrooms," complained Terriermon.
"Why are you complaining? You're not the one that's doing all the walking," replied Henry, walking back to the campsite from the restroom, carrying a bag in his hands that had everything he needed to get ready for the day.
"I just want to get to the campsite as soon as possible so I can have breakfast," whined Terriermon who was on Henry's shoulder.
"Momantai why don't you. We're almost there. I don't think breakfast would be ready when we get there considering the fact that Takato just started cooking when we left."
"Did you forget your shampoo at home?" asked Terriermon.
"No, why do you ask?"
"Cause your wet hair smells like your sisters hair," said Terriermon as he smelled Henry's wet hair.
Henry blushed. "I just picked up the wrong shampoo from the bag," Henry lied.
"But you two brought your own separate bags," said Terriermon.
"I went into the wrong bag."
"How can you do that? Suzie's bag is pink and yours is black. It's hard to get those two bags confuse with each other."
"I couldn't find my shampoo ok? Can you stop talking," said Henry, hoping Terriermon would stop questioning him because he didn't want to tell him the real reason why he used his sister's shampoo.
"Suuuuure," said Terriermon.
"Are you implying something?" questioned Henry.
"I think you used your sister's shampoo because it reminds you of someone else who uses the same shampoo," said Terriermon, knowing that Rika uses the same shampoo.
Henry stopped walking and turned his head to look at Terriermon, "Where were you when I got back to the tent last night?"
"I would tell you, but you told me to stop talking," teased Terriermon as he jumped off of Henry's shoulder and started to run towards camp knowing his answer would annoy Henry.
"And you decided to listen to me when I need an answer from you. I'm not going to let you get away that easily," Henry screamed at Terriermon as he ran after the rabbit like digimon.
Terriermon made it to the campsite with Henry just a few feet behind him. Terriermon ran up to the picnic table where Kenta and Kazu were playing the digimon card game. Ryo was standing at the foot of the table watching them play and giving them a few pointers. Guilmon, Guardromon, Marineangemon, and Monodramon where also around the same picnic table watching Kenta and Kazu battle. Terriermon jumped onto the seat of the table next to Guilmon. Terriermon knew he was safe where he was because he knew Henry wouldn't want to bring up the topic in front of everyone else.
Henry ran up to the same picnic table. He wanted to pull Terriermon from the table so he can question him, but he knew if he did, Terriermon would make a scene about it.
"Who's winning?" asked Henry.
"Kenta, but het's only winning because Ryo is helping him more then he's helping me," said Kazu, kind of annoyed that Kenta was beating him for the first time.
"I'm not giving him more help. I'm helping the both of you equally, it's just Kenta is being lucky with his cards," corrected Ryo.
Henry walked away from that table, and over to the barbeque pit a couple of feet away where Takato was cooking breakfast.
"You wanted your eggs scrambled, right?" asked Takato as he saw Henry approach him.
"Right," answered Henry.
"Sleep well last night?" asked Takato as he cracked open an egg into a large mixing bowl.
"Yes I did. How about you?"
Takato cracked open another egg into the large bowl, "Same as you."
Takato looked around and decided it was the perfect time to talk to Henry about last night. Takato started to beat the eggs with a whisk and tried to think of a way to bring up the topic with Henry, but he couldn't think of one. So he decided just to be straightforward with Henry.
"How's your relationship with Rika?" asked Takato.
Henry just looked at Takato, wondering why Takato was asking him that question. "We're just friends. Why do you ask?"
Takato poured the egg from the bowl into pan that was on the barbeque pit. Once the eggs hit the pan, the egg started to sizzle, "Jeri and I saw what happened last night."
Henry turned around to see if anyone heard what Takato said. No body else heard what Takato said because they where too far away to hear anything, and they were all focus on Kazu and Kenta's game. Plus the sizzling from the egg was drowning out Henry and Takato's conversation.
"You two were watching us?" asked Henry.
"Jeri and I were in the woods when we heard Rika screamed. We went to check if anything was wrong, and then we saw what happened. When are you going to give the relationship a chance?" asked Takato.
"I don't know. Not any time soon," answered Henry.
"Remember how you felt when Rika asked Ryo to the dance in our last meeting. What happens if Rika runs into someone and she falls in love with him, and they start a relationship before you're able to give the relationship a chance? You'll be depressed and you'll get mad at yourself for not taking your own advice again. You'll have to give it a chance sooner or later, so why can't it be anytime now?" said Takato as he flipped over the egg in the pan with a spatula.
"First of all, I can't see Rika just falling in love with anyone all of sudden. Rika doesn't trust people right away. Second, I don't know if she's ready for that type of a relationship," said Henry.
"I think she's ready after what I saw last night," said Takato.
"You only SAW what happened. If you heard our conversation, you can tell she's not ready," said Henry.
"Actions speak louder then words," said Takato.
Henry stayed quiet and thought about what Takato just said. Takato knew from Henry's silence that he got him with that proverb.
Takato took the scrambled egg off of the pan and laid it on a plate where the other fried eggs he cooked earlier were. Takato turned to face where everyone else was. " Breakfast is ready! Guilmon, can you call everyone else?"
----------
"Marco!" screamed Suzie with her eyes shut.
"Polo!" replied Calumon, Lopmon, Suzie, and Rika in a load voice as they swam away from Suzie.
Suzie turned around with her arms stretched out in front of her to tag whoever was the one that said Polo behind her. Jeri giggled as she swam away because Suzie barely missed tagging her. Suzie forced herself forward in the water to tag Jeri because she knew Jeri was near by her giggles. Suzie tagged Jeri and opened her eyes as Jeri closed her eyes.
"Marco!" screamed Jeri.
Renamon was watching Jeri, Rika, Suzie, Calumon, and Lopmon play Marco Polo in the creek from a branch of a tree next to the bank. Renamon heard something coming through the woods and reverted her attention to the direction where the sound was coming from.
"Are you going swimming?" asked Renamon when she saw it was Guilmon.
Guilmon looked up into the tree where Renamon is, "No, Takatomon just wanted me to tell everyone breakfast is ready."
"Ok, I'll tell them," replied Renamon.
Guilmon headed back to the campsite.
Renamon jumped down from the branch and walked up to the creek. "Breakfast is ready," said Renamon.
"Ok, you go ahead Renamon," said Rika.
Renamon disappeared.
"Finally, breakfast is ready! Last one there is a rotten egg!" screamed Calumon.
Suzie, Lopmon, and Calumon ran out of the creek.
"Suzie, dry off first! You might catch a cold if you don't!" screamed Jeri.
Suzie got her towel and just wrapped it around herself, and ran after the two digimon.
Jeri looked around and notice she was now alone with Rika. 'Now would be the perfect time to talk to Rika,' Jeri thought to herself.
"Rika can I talk to you about something?" asked Jeri.
Rika looked at Jeri, "Sure."
Rika followed Jeri out of the creek and towards the bush where they laid their towels on earlier. Both Jeri and Rika got their towels and started to pat themselves dry.
"I've been wondering for awhile. Why didn't anything happen between you and Ryo?" Jeri started.
"For the one hundredth time, he's not my type," said Rika, sick and tired of answering that question.
"I don't think that's the real reason," Jeri said shyly.
"And what do you think is the real reason?" asked Rika, interested in what Jeri had to say.
"We're best friends?" asked Jeri.
"Yes we are," answered Rika.
"Best friends tell each other what's on their minds, right?"
"Right."
"And best friends always respects each other's opinions even thought they don't agree with it. They don't get mad at each other for what they think, they discuss it about it."
"Just tell me already. I won't get mad at you," said Rika, getting impatient with Jeri.
"I think nothing happened between you and Ryo because your heart wasn't available to him. It never was," said Jeri as she looked at Rika for a reaction.
"And who do you think has my quote unquote heart?" asked Rika.
"Henry."
Rika paused what she was doing because she was surprised that Jeri figured it out. "Henry. If Henry did have my heart, why didn't I ask him to the dance instead of Ryo then?" asked Rika, trying to lead Jeri away from the truth.
"To show everyone that there's nothing between the two of you."
"That is the reason why I asked Ryo to the dance, but where did you get the idea about Henry?" asked Rika, wondering how Jeri figured it out.
"Takato and I saw what happen last night," confessed Jeri.
Rika just looked at Jeri in shock, "You guys were spying on us!?'
"Takato and I were in the woods when we heard you scream. We thought something was wrong, so we went to check on you, and we saw what happened. You said you weren't going to get mad at me," said Jeri.
"I'm not mad at you. I didn't mean to scream at you, I was just surprised," explained Rika.
"What's going on between you two?" asked Jeri.
"Nothing is going on between us," replied Rika.
"Sometimes nothing means something," said Jeri.
Jeri's reply got Rika.
Rika sighed. "Ok, there's something," Rika finally admitted.
"Awww," said Jeri with a grin.
"Please don't do that. Henry and I are just friends."
"Friends that have something between them," stated Jeri, her grin now a smile.
"Henry and I talked this mourning like nothing happen last night, so yes, we're just friends," reasoned Rika.
'Takato is right. Henry is waiting for her to make the next move,' Jeri thought to herself. "Did you tell him how you feel about him?" asked Jeri.
Rika looked away from Jeri and didn't answer.
"I'll take that as a no. What's stopping you? I know it's hard, but you already know he likes you, so that should make it a little bit easier."
Rika thought about Jeri's last question.
"There's just something that I need to get over," Rika whispered out.
Jeri rested her hand on Rika's shoulder, "Whatever it is, don't let it keep you down."
Rika looked Jeri in the eyes, "I know."
"Let's go get some breakfast," said Jeri as she wrappped her towel around her body
Rika and Jeri headed back to camp. Once Rika and Jeri got to the campsite they both went into their individual tents to change. Once changed Rika, she got out of her tent and went to the picnic area of the campsite where everyone was eating. Kenta and Kazu were eating while they continued to play the card game with their digimon sitting next to them. Ryo was eating at the same table and continued to watch Kenta and Kazu with his digimon sitting next to him as well. Rika walked pass the picnic table where a dripping wet Suzie and Lopmon where sitting on one side, and Henry, Terriermon, and Renamon where eating on the other side. Rika got to the picnic table where Calumon, Guilmon, and Takato where eating. Rika notice Jeri wasn't around and knew she was still changing. Rika walked up right next to Takato.
"Takato, can I talk to you for a minute," said Rika as she grabbed Takato by his right upper arm with her left hand.
Without giving Takato a chance to answer, Rika just dragged Takato off of his seat and into the woods. Once Rika felt like they were far enough so nobody can hear them, she stopped walking and looked at Takato who had a freaked out expression on his face.
"I'm guessing Jeri already told you that we saw what happen last night," said Takato.
"Yes she did."
"And your mad that we were spying on you," Takato continued.
"It's rude to spy on people," replied Rika.
"It's just... we heard you scream while we were in the woods, and we thought something was wrong. So we went to check and we just saw you two talk-"
"Well, you should have stop watching us when you saw that there was nothing wrong happening," Rika testily interrupted Takato in the middle of his sentence.
"But... umm..." Takato couldn't think of a good reason to be watching Henry and Rika last night and lowered his head in defeat, "you have a point. Ok you can hit me now." Takato shut his eyes tight, and got ready for Rika to hit him.
"I'm not going to hit you Takato. Just answer one question for me," said Rika.
Takato raised his head and look at Rika confused, "umm... ok."
Rika was quiet for a moment and thought about how to ask Takato what was on her mind, "How did you find the courage to tell Jeri your feelings for her?"
Takato was surprised that Rika asked him that. Takato took a few seconds to gather his thoughts, "I gathered up the courage over time. The thought that she might be gone one day, and I never getting to tell her how I truly feel for her pushed me to tell her. When you think about it, it's better to let someone know how you truly feel for them then never telling them at all. At first I was scared that she might not feel the same way for me, but I rather get turned down then go on with life wondering if only and regretting not making the move. She did have the same feelings for me, but if she didn't, I wasn't going to let it keep me down. That and I kept on reminding myself about the ti-" Takato stopped himself from continuing his sentence when he realize what he was about to say.
"The time?" question Rika.
"The time... umm... It's breakfast time. We should head back to camp and eat. I'm starving, and I still need to pack up all my things before we leave at noon ha ha," said Takato with a nervous laugh.
"Not so fast," said Rika grabbing Takato by his upper arm again which stopped him from getting away, "Finish what you were saying first."
Takato turned around to face Rika. "Remember how ADR-01 was disguise as Jeri?" said Takato hesitantly.
"Yes?" said Rika, wondering where Takato was going with the question.
"When I brought ADR-01 to Jeri's house from our return home from the digital world, I... kind of told it my feelings for Jeri because I thought it was Jeri," said Takato as he scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment.
"You what!?! To the ADR-01!" said Rika with amusement.
"Go ahead and make fun of me for confessing my feelings for Jeri to the ADR-01 because I thought it was Jeri," said Takato in a down tone.
"Don't say that... It was a simple mistake. We all thought it was Jeri. If we knew in the first place that is wasn't Jeri, then we would have left it in the digital world. It takes a lot of courage to confess your feelings, and it must have taken a lot more to do it a second time," responded Rika softly.
"Thanks Rika," said Takato.
"Don't thank me Takato. Thank Jeri for being your girlfriend because if she weren't, I would beat you up right now for spying on me last night," said Rika.
Takato knew Rika was being sarcastic to cover up the nice things she said to him.
Takato's stomach grumbled.
"Let's go and eeat breakfast now," said Rika
~