Chapter 7:  Hard

            Rika sat curled up in her bed, still sulking.  Tina and Youngdramon entered the room to find her sitting there.

            "So…how did you sleep?"

            Rika buried her face in her pillow and began to sob.

            "…Rika?" Tina asked, surprised that Rika would react this way.

            "Just go away!  …And tell Izzy to assign me to a new room!"

            "Rika, we were only---"

            "If that's your idea of fun---"

            "People in glass houses, Rika:  if your idea of fun is slaughtering virtual people, then---"

            "Just go away and leave me alone!  That's all I want:  to be alone!  Is it too much to ask?"

            Tina began to understand Rika's psyche.  "…I'm starting to understand you, now…  So, you'd like to be alone?"

            "Yes, I would.  …I would like to be alone...now."

            Tina looked at Youngdramon with an expression that clearly said, "Do we take the hint, or return it for a full refund?"

            Rika continued to sob.

            "Listen," Youngdramon said, "It was my idea.  We didn't mean to hurt your feelings, we just---"

            "Go away!  How many times do I have to tell you??!!"

            Youngdramon motioned for them to leave.  "Man.  This is a rough case.  I think it's time to pull out the big guns, but I'd prefer a second opinion."

            "I agree with your opinion.  One question---what are the big guns?"

            "I dunno…I mean, the duct-tape is right up there with shaving cream and underwear-on-the-pole.  I guess the big guns would have to be…" she whispered into Tina's ear.

            "Well, knowing her, that'll kill her or cure her."

******

            Hare jumped out of the dumpster with garbage still clinging to his fur.  "Great," he muttered.  He began running between the family and the cybertooth, making it clear that this was one of those "and-if-not" situations.  What he didn't notice was the object beneath his feet:  the digi-egg of courage.  He tripped over the egg and hit the ground, and felt a surge of energy.  Something weird was happening… "Hare, module-evolve to…Firabbit!"

            He opened his eyes and found that he wasn't the monster he'd remembered being:  he had red, bat-like wings sticking out his back, a pair of rocket thrusters on his feet, and gauntlets on his arms that looked like they held weapons.  "Whoa…I do have a transformation like you guys!"

            "So what're you waiting for?!!  Use it!"

            "Oh…right.  Clinker Beam!"  One of his arms transformed into a cannon and shot out flame at the cybertooth.  The cybertooth took damage.  "Let's see what else this has!  Rocket Kick!"  He used the rockets on his feet to give his kick more speed, and then hit the cybertooth with the thrust.  "Man, that sure beats Dragon kick!"

            "Finish that thing off, already!" Davis shouted, still attending to Veemon's wounds.

            Hare picked the cybertooth up by the tail, lifted it higher up than the roofs of the surrounding buildings, and dropped it.  SMASHO!!  That ended the cybertooth's career.

            Firabbit landed, and the digi-egg of courage flew back in Davis's hands.  "Wow!" Hare shouted with a grin the size of the Amazon River on his face.  "Wait until Ghenki hears about this!"

            Davis scratched his head.  "I thought you Monsters kept the same form when you evolve."

            "I guess this must be an exception.  I mean, I've never heard of module-evolving before."

            "Well, now that you have heard of it…"

            "Yeah…I guess the rules are getting rewritten!"

            "Um…" the father began.  "You were saying something about a safe place?"

            "The nuclear power plant.  We don't know why, but these menace machines won't come within half a kilometer of there."

            The parents looked at each other.  There was some whispering and discussion about this family decision, and then they agreed to come with them.