Part 2 - Of Takato and Rika
I surveyed the scene before me. Small, cramped and dirty.
"Takato, I think you've heard this before. You're moving. Now."
He looked at me.
"Rika?"
I poked my finger into his chest.
"From Henry, remember? I think I've got room for you at the place I found."
His face was beet red in an instant.
"Uh… ba… ga…"
I rolled my eyes.
Idiot.
"Not in my bed, you gogglehead, in my place. I have a sofa bed you can sleep on."
"Oh."
He heaved a sigh of relief as the blood slowly drained from his face. He smiled at me and walked, walking out a minute later with a suitcase. I raised an eyebrow at the quick packing job. He scratched the back of his nervously.
"This was only supposed to be temporary. The rest of my stuff is at Ken's still."
"Well, at least you've got some sense."
"Well, where did you stay until you found your place?"
"A hotel Goggles, a hotel."
"Oh."
I chuckled.
Takato's cute when he's sheepish…
I rolled my eyes at the girly thought. At least yesterday's melee had proven to me that I wasn't going soft. The fact that my fist flying for Davis's face was instinctive had proved that only Takato evoke these kinds of thoughts. Takato informed them he was checking out, and was subsequently informed that his check for that month was non-refundable, and we continued down the street from to my apartment.
"So, Goggles, what was the 'mission' the sovereigns sent you on?"
"Hmm? Oh, that. Eh. A couple of digimon went missing and they wanted me to find them…"
I cut him off.
"WHAT? The so-called 'urgent' mission was for you to go off and play babysitter?"
He frowned.
"You've got to learn to listen to the entire story Rika. These two weren't just any digimon."
"Oh, what were they?"
"Calumon."
What in the…
"Calumon?! You mean there's more than one of the fluffy pests?"
"Yeah, one for each quadrant. The know where the southern quadrant one went to, that was BlackGuilmon, but two more just vanished a couple of days ago, they're really baffled."
"Oh. You found them, I take it?"
He sighed.
"Nope. Not a clue."
"Then why, prey tell, are you so calm?"
"Because the sovereigns told me to come home. It's obviously not as important anymore."
"What could be that important?! The little things can make other digimon digivolve regardless of experience!"
Another sigh.
"I don't know. I admit it has me a little worried, but there's not much I can do at this point. Besides, they said not to worry, so I won't."
I sighed this time.
"You think the sovereigns know where they are?"
"Probably. They usually tell me this stuff, but Zhuqiamon's probably being his big old nasty self again."
I nodded, and he smiled.
"So, how much farther?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tai was rubbing his jaw from the bruise that one of the girls, I didn't know who, had given him the other day. We had come by Takato and Rika's place to pick him up, and there was a sudden crashing inside.
"What the…"
Sounds of struggle continued and I knocked.
"Hello? Anybody home?"
The sounds of struggle had ceased now, and there was a groaning noise from inside. I reached out my hand to knock again, and the door opened. I pulled my hand back. From what Tai and the others had said, I didn't want my hand anywhere near her person. She started forward, and we took a step back. She chuckled.
"I'm heading out to get something to eat. When Takato recovers, tell him to get a new lamp on his way home."
And with that, she walked off like nothing was wrong.
"Izzy, what do you think is going on?"
I frowned a bit. Nothing came to mind.
"I'm not sure Tai, I guess we'll just have to go in and check it out."
He nodded and the two of us entered. In the living room we found Takato by the couch, his shirt ripped in several places, lying in a pool of shattered glass, obviously the remains of the lamp.
He looked at us groggily, like he couldn't figure out where he was. Tai looked at me worriedly.
"Did she hit him with the lamp Izzy?"
"Maybe… I wish Joe were here. He could tell us."
"Well, we should pick him up at least…"
"Probably. Put him on the couch, and I'll go get a broom and start sweeping this up."
"Right."
Takato made a gurgling sound as Tai picked him up. Drool was running down his cheek.
Yep, definitely pretty out of it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You did what?"
I blushed. Out of all of Takato's friends, Yolie was the one I got along with the best. She understood my need to take out my frustration physically.
This meant she was the only person I could have this kind of conversation with.
"I just… attacked him."
"What brought this on?"
"Oh, he was being his usual, Goggleheaded self, and the next thing I knew, there was this… urge…"
Yolie chuckled.
"I think I've had that urge from time to time as well."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Takato was coming around now. Tai looked at him and held up some fingers.
"Takato, how many fingers am I holding up?"
"…Rika…"
He blinked.
"Takato, what's today?"
"…Rika…"
Tai grabbed Takato by the shoulders and started shaking him.
"Snap out of it Takato!"
"Tai, I think you're doing more harm than good here…"
He grumbled and put Takato down. I kneeled down next to the couch.
"What happened Takato?"
He blinked.
"I'm not really sure… One moment I was just finishing folding up the sofa bed like Rika asked the next…"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"… and the next thing I know, I just… jumped at him."
Yolie's eyes sparkled mischievously.
"Wow… that's… just, wow. It just came over you all of a sudden huh?"
"Yeah, I couldn't help myself."
She started laughing. I narrowed my eyes, and she held up her hands in supplication.
"Sorry, sorry, it's just so funny thinking about it. So… how did he handle it?"
I grinned. It was pretty funny after all.
"Not very well."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Out of the blue, she just… jumped on me. I went backwards, my arms flailing, and I knocked over the lamp before I fell on the floor."
My eyes widened.
"Geeze…"
"I know, I don't know what came over her. Because then she… she…"
Tai's eyes were like ice.
"Did she hit you?"
Takato shook his head slowly.
"Nu-uh. She… kissed me…"
We anime dropped.
"WHAT?!"
There was a grin forming on Takato's face.
"She kissed me. She jumped on me, knocked me down and shoved her tongue down my throat…"
Tai frowned.
"Then what happened to your shirt?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"… and then I ripped his shirt."
Yolie's eyes went as wide as saucers.
"Clean off?!"
I blushed.
"No! Just… a little. My hands… I couldn't quite seem to figure out where I wanted them, so they were moving, grabbing, and the next thing I know there's this tearing noise…"
Yolie smiled a little wistfully.
"I know that feeling. Of course I didn't jump on Ken, I just kinda ran up… but still…"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And a year passed.
Tai and Sora are just as strong together as they ever were. Despite Tai's begging, Sora still won't move in with him. It's kinds funny watching him beg.
TK and Kari seem to be all over each other every time Tai's back is turned. They've had a couple of close calls, and I'm pretty sure Tai isn't so busy mooning over Sora that he'll keep missing it for much longer.
Izzy seems deliriously happy right now, and watches Mimi's every move like it's a dream he might wake up from. Mimi, on the other hand, absolutely glows from all the attention he gives her. Her restaurant is going strong, and if I can't find a new job soon I'll probably have to beg her for one. Izzy works as a freelance IT man, and is doing pretty well. He also seems to take odd jobs on commission.
Matt and Jun got married over the summer, and both seem so happy they could burst. Matt only groans lightly when she takes his sports car out for a spin. Matt's band, is, surprisingly, still together, and he conned Izzy into helping him set up his newest sound system as the old one died rather suddenly in one of Jun's accidents. Matt says he'd prefer not to talk about exactly what happened, and the look on his face when he says it convinces us not to press.
Davis is so continually happy that we'd have him tested for drugs if we didn't know the cause was Jun moving out. Davis can't seem to keep a relationship going despite his best efforts. No matter how many times he gets shot down though, he always picks himself back up. It's fascinating really. His spirit seems unbreakable.
Joe and Carmela seem to be getting back on track, which is great considering the rocky patch it went through. They seem to do well enough, though the relationship has recently progressed beyond shy looks during dinner dates according to Gomamon, who was promptly muffled by a blushing Joe. Carmela is okay, but I don't see enough of either of them to really know what's going on on that side of town.
Cody finally finished high school, and we held a big bash for him. He's happy enough in his own, quite way, but I think the party just wasn't his style. Armadillomon still seems a little closed up even after a few years, but as per Cody's request, we give him space and don't ask why.
Yolie seems to be just as much of an emotional whirlwind as she's always been, and Ken, instead of struggling to catch up as one might expect, seems instead to be caught up in it but not affected by it, like the eye of a hurricane.
The news from the southern quadrant is heartening. Henry and Jeri are still together, though I am something of a taboo subject still. Henry has gone off to work for his father as a programmer, while Jeri is content to wait tables in a local diner.
Impmon and his tamers are doing fine, though Mako tends to be something of a troublemaker, frequently dragging his friend Doroon along for the ride along with both his sister and Susie. Guilmon's Shed, as I'm told it's called now, is a favorite hang out spot, if only because Jeri won't go there, and Henry only rarely goes out of respect for her.
Ryo, Alice, Kazu, and Kenta are still missing in action. When pressed, Azulongmon says that they're fine and not to worry about it. If they needed my help he'd call me, and to kindly keep my nose out of it as 'the world, digital or otherwise, does not revolve around you.' I backed off at that point.
And Rika and I? Well, after the lamp incident, I've learned that for Rika, aggression is not something only applied to a battlefield, and that her competitive spirit is not confined to the digimon card game. I shudder to think about the things she and Yolie must talk about. A part of me almost prays Yolie and Ken never 'cross the line'. I don't know if I would survive.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I sighed.
Rika would never admit it, but she did miss her mom.
I really should pay my respects too.
Part of me really didn't want to go back, but I had to face up to what I did. From what Henry had told me, it was like I had reopened a wound, and it continued to fester under the surface. Any mention of me, and Jeri flew to pieces.
Maybe confronting her face-to-face is what she needs…
I owed that to both of them.
Okay that's it. We're going back.
I called all the Digidestined the next day. If we were taking a trip back home, there was no reason not let them tag along this time. I think Davis put it best.
"ROAD TRIP!"
I surveyed the scene before me. Small, cramped and dirty.
"Takato, I think you've heard this before. You're moving. Now."
He looked at me.
"Rika?"
I poked my finger into his chest.
"From Henry, remember? I think I've got room for you at the place I found."
His face was beet red in an instant.
"Uh… ba… ga…"
I rolled my eyes.
Idiot.
"Not in my bed, you gogglehead, in my place. I have a sofa bed you can sleep on."
"Oh."
He heaved a sigh of relief as the blood slowly drained from his face. He smiled at me and walked, walking out a minute later with a suitcase. I raised an eyebrow at the quick packing job. He scratched the back of his nervously.
"This was only supposed to be temporary. The rest of my stuff is at Ken's still."
"Well, at least you've got some sense."
"Well, where did you stay until you found your place?"
"A hotel Goggles, a hotel."
"Oh."
I chuckled.
Takato's cute when he's sheepish…
I rolled my eyes at the girly thought. At least yesterday's melee had proven to me that I wasn't going soft. The fact that my fist flying for Davis's face was instinctive had proved that only Takato evoke these kinds of thoughts. Takato informed them he was checking out, and was subsequently informed that his check for that month was non-refundable, and we continued down the street from to my apartment.
"So, Goggles, what was the 'mission' the sovereigns sent you on?"
"Hmm? Oh, that. Eh. A couple of digimon went missing and they wanted me to find them…"
I cut him off.
"WHAT? The so-called 'urgent' mission was for you to go off and play babysitter?"
He frowned.
"You've got to learn to listen to the entire story Rika. These two weren't just any digimon."
"Oh, what were they?"
"Calumon."
What in the…
"Calumon?! You mean there's more than one of the fluffy pests?"
"Yeah, one for each quadrant. The know where the southern quadrant one went to, that was BlackGuilmon, but two more just vanished a couple of days ago, they're really baffled."
"Oh. You found them, I take it?"
He sighed.
"Nope. Not a clue."
"Then why, prey tell, are you so calm?"
"Because the sovereigns told me to come home. It's obviously not as important anymore."
"What could be that important?! The little things can make other digimon digivolve regardless of experience!"
Another sigh.
"I don't know. I admit it has me a little worried, but there's not much I can do at this point. Besides, they said not to worry, so I won't."
I sighed this time.
"You think the sovereigns know where they are?"
"Probably. They usually tell me this stuff, but Zhuqiamon's probably being his big old nasty self again."
I nodded, and he smiled.
"So, how much farther?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tai was rubbing his jaw from the bruise that one of the girls, I didn't know who, had given him the other day. We had come by Takato and Rika's place to pick him up, and there was a sudden crashing inside.
"What the…"
Sounds of struggle continued and I knocked.
"Hello? Anybody home?"
The sounds of struggle had ceased now, and there was a groaning noise from inside. I reached out my hand to knock again, and the door opened. I pulled my hand back. From what Tai and the others had said, I didn't want my hand anywhere near her person. She started forward, and we took a step back. She chuckled.
"I'm heading out to get something to eat. When Takato recovers, tell him to get a new lamp on his way home."
And with that, she walked off like nothing was wrong.
"Izzy, what do you think is going on?"
I frowned a bit. Nothing came to mind.
"I'm not sure Tai, I guess we'll just have to go in and check it out."
He nodded and the two of us entered. In the living room we found Takato by the couch, his shirt ripped in several places, lying in a pool of shattered glass, obviously the remains of the lamp.
He looked at us groggily, like he couldn't figure out where he was. Tai looked at me worriedly.
"Did she hit him with the lamp Izzy?"
"Maybe… I wish Joe were here. He could tell us."
"Well, we should pick him up at least…"
"Probably. Put him on the couch, and I'll go get a broom and start sweeping this up."
"Right."
Takato made a gurgling sound as Tai picked him up. Drool was running down his cheek.
Yep, definitely pretty out of it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You did what?"
I blushed. Out of all of Takato's friends, Yolie was the one I got along with the best. She understood my need to take out my frustration physically.
This meant she was the only person I could have this kind of conversation with.
"I just… attacked him."
"What brought this on?"
"Oh, he was being his usual, Goggleheaded self, and the next thing I knew, there was this… urge…"
Yolie chuckled.
"I think I've had that urge from time to time as well."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Takato was coming around now. Tai looked at him and held up some fingers.
"Takato, how many fingers am I holding up?"
"…Rika…"
He blinked.
"Takato, what's today?"
"…Rika…"
Tai grabbed Takato by the shoulders and started shaking him.
"Snap out of it Takato!"
"Tai, I think you're doing more harm than good here…"
He grumbled and put Takato down. I kneeled down next to the couch.
"What happened Takato?"
He blinked.
"I'm not really sure… One moment I was just finishing folding up the sofa bed like Rika asked the next…"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"… and the next thing I know, I just… jumped at him."
Yolie's eyes sparkled mischievously.
"Wow… that's… just, wow. It just came over you all of a sudden huh?"
"Yeah, I couldn't help myself."
She started laughing. I narrowed my eyes, and she held up her hands in supplication.
"Sorry, sorry, it's just so funny thinking about it. So… how did he handle it?"
I grinned. It was pretty funny after all.
"Not very well."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Out of the blue, she just… jumped on me. I went backwards, my arms flailing, and I knocked over the lamp before I fell on the floor."
My eyes widened.
"Geeze…"
"I know, I don't know what came over her. Because then she… she…"
Tai's eyes were like ice.
"Did she hit you?"
Takato shook his head slowly.
"Nu-uh. She… kissed me…"
We anime dropped.
"WHAT?!"
There was a grin forming on Takato's face.
"She kissed me. She jumped on me, knocked me down and shoved her tongue down my throat…"
Tai frowned.
"Then what happened to your shirt?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"… and then I ripped his shirt."
Yolie's eyes went as wide as saucers.
"Clean off?!"
I blushed.
"No! Just… a little. My hands… I couldn't quite seem to figure out where I wanted them, so they were moving, grabbing, and the next thing I know there's this tearing noise…"
Yolie smiled a little wistfully.
"I know that feeling. Of course I didn't jump on Ken, I just kinda ran up… but still…"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And a year passed.
Tai and Sora are just as strong together as they ever were. Despite Tai's begging, Sora still won't move in with him. It's kinds funny watching him beg.
TK and Kari seem to be all over each other every time Tai's back is turned. They've had a couple of close calls, and I'm pretty sure Tai isn't so busy mooning over Sora that he'll keep missing it for much longer.
Izzy seems deliriously happy right now, and watches Mimi's every move like it's a dream he might wake up from. Mimi, on the other hand, absolutely glows from all the attention he gives her. Her restaurant is going strong, and if I can't find a new job soon I'll probably have to beg her for one. Izzy works as a freelance IT man, and is doing pretty well. He also seems to take odd jobs on commission.
Matt and Jun got married over the summer, and both seem so happy they could burst. Matt only groans lightly when she takes his sports car out for a spin. Matt's band, is, surprisingly, still together, and he conned Izzy into helping him set up his newest sound system as the old one died rather suddenly in one of Jun's accidents. Matt says he'd prefer not to talk about exactly what happened, and the look on his face when he says it convinces us not to press.
Davis is so continually happy that we'd have him tested for drugs if we didn't know the cause was Jun moving out. Davis can't seem to keep a relationship going despite his best efforts. No matter how many times he gets shot down though, he always picks himself back up. It's fascinating really. His spirit seems unbreakable.
Joe and Carmela seem to be getting back on track, which is great considering the rocky patch it went through. They seem to do well enough, though the relationship has recently progressed beyond shy looks during dinner dates according to Gomamon, who was promptly muffled by a blushing Joe. Carmela is okay, but I don't see enough of either of them to really know what's going on on that side of town.
Cody finally finished high school, and we held a big bash for him. He's happy enough in his own, quite way, but I think the party just wasn't his style. Armadillomon still seems a little closed up even after a few years, but as per Cody's request, we give him space and don't ask why.
Yolie seems to be just as much of an emotional whirlwind as she's always been, and Ken, instead of struggling to catch up as one might expect, seems instead to be caught up in it but not affected by it, like the eye of a hurricane.
The news from the southern quadrant is heartening. Henry and Jeri are still together, though I am something of a taboo subject still. Henry has gone off to work for his father as a programmer, while Jeri is content to wait tables in a local diner.
Impmon and his tamers are doing fine, though Mako tends to be something of a troublemaker, frequently dragging his friend Doroon along for the ride along with both his sister and Susie. Guilmon's Shed, as I'm told it's called now, is a favorite hang out spot, if only because Jeri won't go there, and Henry only rarely goes out of respect for her.
Ryo, Alice, Kazu, and Kenta are still missing in action. When pressed, Azulongmon says that they're fine and not to worry about it. If they needed my help he'd call me, and to kindly keep my nose out of it as 'the world, digital or otherwise, does not revolve around you.' I backed off at that point.
And Rika and I? Well, after the lamp incident, I've learned that for Rika, aggression is not something only applied to a battlefield, and that her competitive spirit is not confined to the digimon card game. I shudder to think about the things she and Yolie must talk about. A part of me almost prays Yolie and Ken never 'cross the line'. I don't know if I would survive.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I sighed.
Rika would never admit it, but she did miss her mom.
I really should pay my respects too.
Part of me really didn't want to go back, but I had to face up to what I did. From what Henry had told me, it was like I had reopened a wound, and it continued to fester under the surface. Any mention of me, and Jeri flew to pieces.
Maybe confronting her face-to-face is what she needs…
I owed that to both of them.
Okay that's it. We're going back.
I called all the Digidestined the next day. If we were taking a trip back home, there was no reason not let them tag along this time. I think Davis put it best.
"ROAD TRIP!"