Me: Hey you all, just want to say, I'm not going to be this very long with
this one because I want to get my next in-training story out.
Rika: That's nice and all, but just get on with your story before I rip your eyes out.
Me: Getting a little antsy again are we?
Rika: No, I just want you to get this over, so I can see what happens to Gogglehead and myself.
Me (Rolling): Right.
Shadows of the Past:
Chapter 3: Deeper into the shadows
Rena stared at the future father of her tamer for a quick second slightly startled by the question, before her own mischievous smile blossomed on her face. "Sure, it been a while since my last fight, but I most warn you, I can be a real fox when I fight."
Matt's mischievous smile turned into a cocky grin as he took off his training jacket," Oh really, but you will soon learn why my family had earn that title of shadow fight."
The young boy threw his jacket onto the porch and the two fighters proceeded to the center of the lawn. They faced each other and bowed before getting into their stance. The fighters stand stall as statues as their eyes pierced each other, looking for any sigh of weakness in their form.
A light breeze picked up, lifting Rena's hair to the right and ripping through her like tissue. She shivered slightly as she wished she had her thick fur to protect her. But Matt seemed to not even notice the wind or he just didn't care about the cold.
Wow is that focus or what? Rena wondered to herself as she noticed Matt's stern face. He here is, standing out in the cold winter, his arms bare, his clothes are thin and this wind want to make me hug my jacket tight, but he's just standing there like there's nothing wrong.
The two continued their staring match, but Matt was starting to get impatient. Rena could tell this by the way he was fidgeting and by how the way his eyes were getting restless. Finally Matt's patience ran out and he charged.
Rena had expected Matt to do this, jumped out of the way, but her feet got caught on each other and she came crushing down to the ground on her side. Matt's fist landed an inch besides Rena's face and lift a fist-sized hole in the ground. Rena got back to her feet and looked at the hole in surprise and shock.
"I thought you could fight?" an icy voice asked. Rena looked up and saw an ice over face that could put Rika to shame.
"Well I'm a bit rusty because I haven't fought anyone in a few mouths," Rena replied nervously and rubbed the back of her head.
Matt stared down Rena with an icy suspicious glare. The fox turned human couldn't help but feel small under that glare. She didn't know if it was because of these human emotions she had now or if it was just because she knew that this man could beat her within an inch or her life. But whatever it was, this man was more scarily then his daughter.
Matt continued to stare down his sparring partner for a second before sighing. The icy look on his face soften slightly as he said," Okay I will go a little easier on you, until you get back into the game."
Rena nodded and hesitantly took up her fighting stance. Matt also took up his stance, but it was looser then before. The two got back into their staring contest and Rena began sweating bullets.
Okay Renamon don't get worked up. Sure he's stronger then you and you're not completely familiar with this human body yet. But it nothing to worry about, you have the experiences and that have to count for something don't it? Rena felt silly coaching herself like that, but at the moment it was the only thing keeping her from screaming like a actually girl.
Rena saw Matt starting to get impatient again and decided to attack first this time. She ran at Matt and threw a punch. But she was slower then she thought was and her punch was sluggish w and so all Matt needed to do with stepped back and Rena missed. She lost her balance because of the missed and was about to fall float on her face, when Matt gracefully pushed her and she regain her footing. Rena looked at Matt confusingly and she saw something in his eyes that resemble pity.
Matt allowed Rena to get a few inches away from him and waited in a complete relax state. Rena stared at her opponent hesitantly as she gulp down a big lop that formed in the base of her throat. She charged again, only this time it was more hesitantly then before. She tried a kick this time, only to lose her balance again. Rena was going to fall when Matt grabbed her leg by the ankle and helped her regain her balance. She looked in his eyes again and again she saw pity reflect in them.
Matt stared into Rena's blue nervous eyes for a minute before jumping to the porch in one graceful jump and took a set on the steps. He leaned back and put his arm up as he closed his eyes. Rena study his figure, knowing full well that Matt wasn't going to take her to seriously.
I guess it's true what they say about the apple never falling far from the tree, Rena thought as her anger start to raise a bit. She remember all the times she trained as Renamon and how Rika would sit just like her father was now, but there was one big difference between the future father and daughter. Rika would keep her eyes open, piercing at Renamon, sending her a massage that always say "get stronger." But Matt seemed to be napping at the moment.
Rena stared at the male clone of her tamer, feeling a little unappreciated. So Matt, like his daughter don't think I'm good enough huh? Well I'm will show him, Rena thought determinedly.
The fox turned human took up her fighting stance and began training herself with her human body. Matt creaked open his left eye and watched with half of his attention at Rena's training.
Rena threw a punch and ended up on her butt, but she was determined not to give in and got back up. She tried a kick this time, but it ended with the same results. Instead of just getting up, Rena tried to jump to her feet. She managed to get up, but instantly tripped and fell back to the ground, knocking the wind out of her. Rena gave up after that and just lay there, catching her breathe while trying to figure out what she was doing wrong.
What? What I am doing wrong? Rena asked herself angrily. I had fought many in my day with less trouble then this, so why can't I fight in this human body?
"Needs some pointer?" a voice asked gently. Rena looked over at Matt and saw he was now giving her his full attention.
Rena slightly nodded and Matt said," well first of all you're feet at too lose when you threw something, so naturally you'll fall float on your butt every time. What do you think you have a tail or something?" Matt added his dry humor to his last sentence.
Rena looked up at the night sky and began taking in everything Matt just told her. But it was the joke he made at the end that really seemed to stick with Rena.
That's it! Rena shot into a sitting position. When I used to fight as Renamon I used my tail as a balancing rod and my claws on my feet were always dug into the ground a bit, but I don't have these anymore, so I need to be more careful until I have fully master this body.
Rena rose to her feet again slowly and then got into her stance, making sure to paint her feet firmly on the ground.
Now this is be good, Matt thought as a grin starting to form.
Rena stay still for a few seconds, making sure her feet were painted right and when she was sure of herself, she threw her right hand in sharp uppercut. She followed that up was a fierce kick behind her. She then did half of a spin kick and then went for Matt's famous jab/backhand move. She jumped forward, wanting to do a flip kick, but she lost her balance and fill onto her stomach.
Rena started to get up when Matt said from the porch," It the same thing with the jumping and running. You over do them and you'll always going to do a bully flop to the ground."
Rena stood up and wanted to slap herself, but held back on doing it. Again it's because I'm so use to having a tail to help balance me.
Rena looked at the porch where her opponent was sitting calmly, watching her like a hawk. She crouched slightly and took off in a nice clear sprit. She ran at Matt and the boy watched without fear as she drew closer to him. When she was about a foot apart from Matt, Rena jumped into the air and touch down on the roof. She looked over her shoulder, slightly surprised that she was able to make it all the way to the roof.
"Guess I still got some of the ol' Renamon in me," the fox turned human mattered to herself.
She felt the wind change direction and looked forward and wasn't the bit surprised when she saw Matt standing there, with his arms across his chest, looking a little smug.
"Now that you that you gotten the basic again, let get back to the action," Matt said calmly and took up his stance.
Rena didn't fail to notice the eagerness that was hidden deep in his voice or did she missed it in his eyes either. She took up her stance and Matt was on her immediately. He threw a punch and Rena easily ducked it. She was about to punch him in the gut, when he jumped into the air. Got off guard, Rena watched as Matt melted into the shadows of the night. Rena search for him, but couldn't fine him and she started to panic a little.
Calm down Renamon you know he can mark his very being, Rena couched herself. So the best thing to do is relax and let the wind guide me.
Rena relaxed completely and closed her eyes. She listened to the wind as sit whispered around her. She listened as it flew down her in a swirling path. She felt the wind to her right suddenly parted and ducked just as a gust of wind came rushed her head. She threw her elbow out and surprisingly connected with something. Rena opened her eyes to see her elbow imbedded in Matt's stomach. The young man was frozen in pain for a second, before shrugging it off and jumped back.
"How did you know I was coming in from the right?" Matt asked calmly as he lightly rubbed his stomach.
"I felt the wind," Rena answered casually, but with a serious look on her face.
"You felt the wind?" Matt sounded curious and doubtful at the same time. Rena nodded and that only added to the boy confusion. How could she feel the wind? My grandfather always said that it takes years of training to even begin sensing the wind, let along actually feeling it. So how can this strange girl in front of my do it so easily?
Rena used the time Matt was thinking everything over to sneak up and tried to sucker punch him. Matt had sense the in-coming blow at the last second and ducked. He lunged forward and wrapped his arms around Rena's waist.
"Now I think it's time you experienced a move that has been on my family for generations. The shadow crusher!" Matt easily lifted Rena over his head and jumped off the roof. Rena become worried when she thought she was going to be slammed into the ground, but to her surprise Matt rebounded off the ground and then slammed her into the ground.
Rena couched as she slowly set up. She looked at the boy before her, his eyes blazing with a fury that not even his so to be daughter had. Rena got to her feet very slowly so she could catch her second wind and studied her opponent.
Even in his relax state, Matt always seemed to have his guard up, just like Rika, but he seemed more untouchable then his soon to be daughter. Matt was like a wall of the toughest steel, while his daughter was along the same line, but at the same time different all together.
I must remember to write these family genes down when I got the time, Rena thought to herself.
Matt was also studying his opponent just as Rena was doing to him. To him the girl before him was like a flower. She was beautiful when she walked, yet even dangerous when it came to fighting. She has a soft comforting voice but had a firm hand; Matt had learned that that hard way.
Whoever this girl really is, she is a good fighter, Matt thought.
The two fighters stood completely relaxed as they continue to study one another. After two more minutes of staring, they took up their fighting stances, but they still didn't make any kind of moves. Finally Matt made the first move by fading into the shadows.
Like that's going to work, Rena was starting to get a little smug and she closed her eyes again as she listened to wind. Surprisingly it was very quite this time and it concerned Rena. Strange why can't I hear the- oof!
Rena's eye snapped opened because Matt had pulled a fast one fading back in when Rena had closed her eye and drove his fist into her gut. Matt had a smug grin on his face from the sneak attack he just pulled, but that quickly vanished when Rena despite all the pain she was in wrapped her arms around Matt's arm and tossed him over her head. Matt twisted a moment before hitting, freeing his arm and landing on all fours.
Matt flipped backwards and rebounded off the ground. He went for Rena with a punch all ready for her, but the former fox saw the attack and ducked just as Matt soar over her. She punched Matt right in the chest and he fell towards the ground. Matt managed to catch himself by bouncing off of his hands and landed with his back to Rena.
"You know I never seen a girl quit like you before Rena," Matt committed without looking at her. "You strong and gracefully, once you get going."
Rena ignored the joke at the end of Matt's sentence as she slowly got to her feet. She looked at her host with a slightly startle look on her face. She was remembering what Rumiko had said about her husband friend, but she quickly stop that thought.
I can't but that Rena, Rumiko talked about, can I?
"Hmm?" Matt looked to his right and then sigh. He turn to Rena was disappointed in his eyes and said causally," Well Rena looks likes we're call this a draw. But tomorrow morning I would like to finish this."
"Huh?" Rena raised a questioning eyebrow and then looked in the direction Matt was just looking in a second ago. She saw the sun starting to rise over the horizon and look at Matt more confused then ever. "So the sun is rising, that means nothing."
"It means that it close to six in the morning and I need to get ready for school," Matt said in a float voice.
"Oh," Rena simply said as she and Matt walked to the porch.
Matt picked up his uniform jacket and looked at Rena with a casually smile," I'm sorry but it can get pretty boring around here during the day."
"Actually was planning on going to school," Rena said casually.
"How?" Matt asked as he raised a questioning eyebrow.
Rena shrugged and said off handedly," I'll fine a way."
Matt gave Rena that suspicious look that he would pass onto his future daughter, before shrugging it off and turning toward the door. "Well I'll guess you'll want the tub first."
Rena stopped dead in her tracks and looked at the boy before her, a light blush forming on her cheeks. "W-What did you just say?"
"Would you like to take a shower before me?" Matt asked casually. "Because I know girls don't like smelling like an ox."
Rena stared at Matt for a few more moment as her blush deepened and spread across her entire face. She was so embarrassed that all logical thought vanished from her head. She looked down at her human body and then felt her hair. Matt had watched Rena strange behavior was about to ask her what was wrong, when she ran passed the shadow fighter with blinding speed.
Matt looked at the door as he swing closed for a second in slight confusion before sighing and muttering," I'll never understand women."
(...)
Rena had run all the way to her room, grabbed Rika gently and ran to the bathroom without slowing her pace. She gently shook Rika until she woke up.
The cursed tamer moaned slightly and looked up at her partner with sleepy eyes. "Renamon what's the big idea waking me up so early?" she asked in a sleepy voice.
"Will I need you help with something Rika," Rena replied in a nervous voice.
"Will what is it so I can go back to bed?" Rika asked still half sleep.
"Well I um, that is I need, um, well what I want to ask is," Rena for some reason couldn't bring herself to say what needed to be said and that annoyed Rika.
"Renamon will you just spill it so I can go back to bed," Rika said in a hash tone.
"I need help with washing myself!" Rena replied in a quick, hash whisper.
"Oh," It took a moment for Rika's sleep clouded mind to process what was just said and then snapped into full consciousness. Ohhhhhh."
Rena nodded hastily and said quickly," Yeah, now could you help me?"
Rika nodded once and then sniff the air. "Well for starter get rid of that suit, it smells worse then your fur when wet."
Rena simply nodded and set Rika on the bathroom counter. She then undressed and threw the dirty clothes into a nearby heaper.
"Okay now what?" Rena asked her partner. The fox turned human was feeling awkward standing there in her naked human body and couldn't fight the blush that appeared on her cheeks.
"Okay now in the shower are two handles, one for cold water and the other for hot water," Rika informed Rena.
"Even I know that one Rika," Rena said in dry sarcasm.
"But you'll want to get water just right so you don't freeze your skin off or boil it either," Rika said, getting a little edgy.
Rena just nodded again and set to work. She got the water just right and stepped in. Rika then began instructed her digimon partner turned human and Rena followed them thoroughly. She took a quick shower and then wrapped a tower around herself just as Rika told her too. She then quickly picked up Rika and hurried out of the bathroom in fear of Matt seeing her. Unbeknown to the pair of time travelers, a pair of wise old red eyes watched the two, with a slight curiousness to them
(Later)
Matt and Rena was now heading toward Matt's school with the shadow fighter in the lead. Matt was wearing a nary blue school uniform, while Rena was wearing her usually clothes. But at the moment clothes were the last thing that was on the fox turn human's mind. She was currently trying to think up an excuse to enroll in Matt's school. But she was having trouble trying to come up with a good one that might actually work and it was starting to work on the former digimon's last nerve
"Hey Rena, you in there?" Matt asked in a light tone.
"Huh?" Rena looked to her right, where Matt was and saw a slight concern on his face. "What was that?"
"I was just wondering what was with the zoned out look on your face?" Matt asked with a casually shrug.
"I was just wondering how I'm going to enroll in school," Rena replied calmly.
"Don't you have an kind of kin around here?" Matt asked a suspicious stare under his casually eyes.
Rena saw the look and said calmly," As far as I know none of my family live around here."
"Oh," Matt simply said and looked toward the sky. For the longest time, the two walked in a silence, each minding their own business. Finally after five minutes of silence, Matt look at Rena from the corner of his right eye. "Mind my asking, why do you want to go to school anyways? I mean you're a drafter after all."
Rena was prepared for that question and said calmly," Just because I'm a drafter doesn't mean I don't want to learn"
Matt looked at Rena with a suspicious look in his eyes and in turn Rena looked at him with an icy stare. The two stopped walking and now were just trying to win another one of their staring contest. Matt was trying to find the truth hidden beneath Rena's eyes, but the icy glare was preventing him from doing so.
Matt grew tiring of staring into Rena's eye and sigh," If you're really that determined about school then I'll help?"
"How?" Rena asked, titling her head slightly to the right in a suspicious way.
Matt slightly grinned and said in a sly tone," Oh trust me I have my ways."
That tone made Rena slightly more suspicious and curious at the same time. But Matt decided this time to go silent and resume his walking. Rena stare at Matt's back suspiciously for a few ore seconds before she hurried up to catch him.
They reached Matt's school about five minutes later and entered the grounds. Many kids of different ages were doing verse things, like talking to their friends, catching up their homework or just doing nothing. But once Matt and Rena entered, everyone instantly stopped what they were doing and look in they direction. Most if the kids Matt's age were giving him hateful glares, while the younger one was looking fearful at him.
Matt just simply put his right hand in his pocket and sling his school bag over his left shoulder. He and Rena began walking and the former fox took in the different looks the other kids were giving Matt.
Not even Rika was able to generate this kind of turn out, Rena thought in awe.
The two entered the building and went straight for the main office. Matt went up to a skinny black haired woman with think black frame glasses. She was currently working on filing a few things and didn't notice the two kids when they enter.
"I'm here to see Miss Fukamachi," Matt said simply.
The woman jerked her head up at the sound of Matt's voice and Rena saw the fear grow in her eyes.
"Y-Y-Yes, Mister Smith," the woman voice was low, timid and creaking big time.
She pressed the button on her intercom and quickly spoke into it. The girl nodded a second later and Matt walked in like the principal office like he own it. Rena followed close behind, feeling a little confused and surprised by all she just witness.
Now this is starting to get a little weird even for a time traveling digimon like myself, Rena thought as she stepped into the room.
It was just a normal principal office with everything someone would expect to see in a principal office. And sitting in the disk at the center was a think black haired woman in a matching business suit, looking over a group of papers on her desk. When Matt and Rena entered she looked up fearfully at the shadow fighter for a split second before regaining her composer.
"Mister Smith what can I do for you?" Miss Fukamachi asked with a clearly forced smile.
Matt jerked his head in Rena's direction and said simply," This is Rena Kemiya; she's my cousin from out of town. She will be staying with me and my grandmother for a while and she want to attended school."
Cousin? Rena thought as she looked at Matt with a cocked eyebrow.
The principal and the shadow fighter stared at each other for a second. Matt was giving the principal a hidden message through his stare, one that went unnoticed by the fox turned human. After a few more seconds, the principal calmly nodded and took out a paper.
"Okay so what is your height and weight so we can get you fitted for you uniform," the principal said calmly, writing something on the paper on her desk.
Um," Rena couldn't answer the question because she didn't know how tall she was in her human body and began nervously sweating as she tried to come up with an answer.
Matt must have seen her friend sweating bullets because he moved in front of Rena and look her dead center in her crystal blue eyes. He turned towards the principal and said calmly," she just as tall as yours truly and I'll bet she pretty slim too."
The principal nodded without taking her eyes off of her work.
"And I want her to have the same classes as myself," Matt said calmly, looking out of the corner of his eyes with a slightly suspicious look in his eyes.
Rena had seen the look and her cheeks puffed out slightly in anger. Why don't you just say, you'll like to keep an eye on me at all hours of the day? She thought sarcastically.
The principal nodded again and finished up the last of the paperwork. She then held out the paper and Rena took it.
"This will act as you're temporarily schelme, your normal one should arrive in the mail in a few days and we should have you uniform by the end of the day," the principal informed Rena.
The fox turned human nodded and pocketed the piece of paper. She left the office followed closely by Matt.
"Is my debt paid?" the principal asked quietly before Matt left.
The shadow fighter stopped dead in his tracks and looked at the woman with a gentle smile," I wouldn't have held you to it anyways." He then left, leaving one relieved principal behind.
Matt stepped into the hall and was meant with Rena.
"Hey what kept you?" she asked curiously.
Matt shrugged and said casually," Miss Funimka and I were just chatting."
Rena looked at Matt suspiciously for a quick second before shrugging it off and saying," Well lead me to our home room class."
Matt nodded once and took the lead with Rena following closely. As the two made they're where to class, Rena couldn't help but notice all the stares that the other students were giving Matt and herself. Most were angry or icy stared, directed at Matt, but some were looking at Rena in either confusion or puzzlement.
Rena could tell what some of those stare meant by secretly watching Rika when she at her school, but she couldn't figure out why everyone was looking at her and it slightly annoyed her.
It like they never seen a girl before, She thought annoyingly.
The pair reached homeroom B and they entered. The classroom was alive with kids talking to each other, but once the fighting pair stepped in, everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at Matt angrily. The shadow fighter ignored the stares as he made his way to his desk, which just happens to be right in the middle of the classroom. As luck would have it there was a spare desk to Matt's right and Rena took it.
The teacher, a middle age man with graying jet black hair stood up and address the class in a firm teacher-like voice," Well class as you all can see we have a new student joining us. So why don't you stand up and tell us about yourself."
Rena stood up and addressed the class in a calm manner," I'm Rena Kemiya and I'm a distant relative of Matt here."
The entire class gasped as their anger turn to surprise. They look between the blonde and the black haired boy at her side in disbelief.
"What?" Matt asked casually, lifting his hand up in meld confusion. "Can't a guy have family?"
Rena smiled down at her newly named cousin before addressing the class again," As for what I did, I was a sorta of drafter, wondering from family members before I ended up with Matt."
The class looked at the two like they were crazy or something. Rena could tell that the entire class wanted to ask her a load of questions and the former fox didn't know if she could answer them all at once. But luck was with the time traveling digimon as the morning announcement began, drawing the class attention away from her.
Rena sigh and then looked over at Matt, a suspicion appearing in her eyes. All of these humans here seem either afraid or mad at Matt, but why?
(...)
The day has been a real eye opener for Rena. Everywhere they went, people where either angry with Matt, afraid of him or trying to pick fights. Matt had turned the one who wanted to fight with one saying," I'm not fighting you plain and simple."
But what still got under Rena's skin was the fact that others were giving her weird looks. She had learned that news can travel fast around a school and every student probably knew of her relation with the shadow fighter. Some students had even came up to Rena and asked how it like living with Smith? But Rena just ignored these questions and acted if nothing was the matter.
It was now P.E. class and Matt was waiting by the girl's locker room door for Rena. He was wearing the standard gym uniform, which was a blue running pant with a white t-shirt with a blue and white strip on each sleeve. Rena emerged from the locker room after everyone else was already outside, looking embarrassed beyond belief.
"Hey what kept ya?" Matt asked causally.
"Oh, I was kept from getting dressed because others kept asking me things," Rena lied as a seeable blush appeared for some reason. In reality Rena felt odd undressing in front of tones of human girls, so she had found a nice dark spot to undress and then she wait until all of the others were out before changing.
Matt gave a suspicious look, meaning he didn't fully believe the fox turned human. Rena couldn't help but sweat because that stare reminded her so much of Rika. After a moment Matt stopped his staring and looked away.
"Well we better be going before we anything important," he said casually.
"Okay," Rena said lightly, but was looking suspiciously at Matt's back.
The two hurried out and join they classmates as the class was going over the day plan"...okay class today we're going to do the mile and let see if we can get through this without any types of accidents like last time."
Rena leaned in closed to her "cousin" and whispered," What does, he mean by accidents?"
"Last time I ran on the track mystery holes appeared in my way," Matt whispered back.
"How did that happen? Rena asked curiously.
"Don't really know, but it didn't matter, I still finish in record time," a small hint of pride crept into Matt's voice towards the end of the sentence.
Rena raised an eyebrow at Matt show of emotion as she mental logged in this newfound information. She gave the shadow fighter one last curious glance before turning her attention back to the teacher.
"Okay for safely reason the principal is making me have you run two at a time, so when I call your name get in position and take off when I blow my whistler," the teacher said and called the first two runners.
Surprisingly enough Matt and Rena were two out of the four that was running last, which suited Matt just fine. But Rena was a little suspicious about a group of kids that were grouped together. She walked by them earlier she thought she heard something about "getting back at Smith" but she wasn't curtain.
The shadow fighter and the former digital monster got into position and waited for the whistler to sound. The teacher lifted the shiny gray object to his mouth and blow into it hard, causing a piercing sound to rip through the air. Matt and Rena took off at the sound of the whistler and were blazing across the track like a comet. Rena was able to keep up with Matt, which was amazing because Matt was a very fast runner when he put his mind to it. Matt notice that the fox turned human was able to keep up with him and grinned to himself. He looked forward and pumped up his seed a bit, but Rena saw this and just increased her speed to keep up with her tamer's father.
Since the track the two were running on wasn't big enough for a whole mile, they needed to run around the track four times to count as one mile. Matt and Rena ran past their shocked classmates in record time. But the group of kids that Rena had heard earlier wasn't so easily moved by the girl speed and decided it was time to put their plan into action.
The leader of the group, a kid was black spiked hair walked up to the teacher, limping on his right leg. "Umm teach, I think I have a creep in my leg and I forget these exercises to help relax it."
The teacher looked suspicious of the kid and then turned back to the track to see Matt and Rena completing their second lap. He sighs and looked back at the spike haired teen.
"Okay now follow me," then the teacher beginning showing the kid some stretches with the kid following closed behind.
But as the spike haired kid was keeping the teacher business, his friends quickly take same of the hurdles and place them right in the path of the two fighters. Matt saw the things in his way and grinned cockily. He picked up his speed again and went straight for the hurdles. Rena was slightly startled by her tamer's father's actions, but decided to keep up with him anyways and picked up her speed until they were dead ever. The entire class watch in surprised as the two just onto the first hurdle and skipped across them gracefully. They touch down and finish they last lap in record time, leaving the entire class, shock and speechless, but the kids who set up the prank wasn't all that thrilled. They leader joined his friends and sulked as Matt and Rena walked by them.
"What was that about?" Rena asked as she and Matt took a set on one of the branches used for games.
"Oh just some runner who hate to be shown up," Matt said causally, while looking to the right from the corner of his eyes.
Rena looked very closely at her "cousin" and notice great anger hidden deep within these violet orbs of his. Curious Rena followed his look and saw he was looking at the group of kids that just tried to mess them up. Looking back at her tamer's future father, she noticed a few other things that clearly showed the boy's anger. His left hand was clenching and unclenching into a fist and was slightly trembling.
Matt continued to secretly glare at the kids for a minute, before looking away and sighing quickly. "Well since it nearly the end of class, I'm going send it beating the stuffy out of these training dummies." He got up and went over to where the training dummies were kept.
Rena watched as Matt began beating up on the dummies, his attack mirroring his anger. She watched as Matt delivered a devastating spun kick to one of the dummies head, nearing taking it clears off.
I think I'm finally starting to understand Matthew Smith and again I am reminded of that old saying, like father, like daughter, Rena thought as she got up and joined her friend at the dummies.
(After school)
Broken windows, messy streets and the lowlife of the city hiding around every corner. That what people would call a bad neighborhood and the shadow fighter and fox turn human were currently walking in. Rena was a little jumpy because she had seen what kind of people live in these streets from her days as Renamon and it made her feel really uncomfortable walking there exposed like that. Matt on the other hand seemed totally relaxed and mallow, but if someone would too look closely in his eye, they would see an eagerness buried deep down.
"Matt what are we doing here?" Rena asked calmly, her eyes were nervous darting around, looking for anything that might try and jump them from the shadows.
"I just feel like coming this way to calm me down after school," Matt said casually, but his eyes were also scanning the area.
"But couldn't you do that on the normal walk?" Rena asked, a hint of panic entering her voice as she thought she saw something moved from the shadows.
"This place is just as good," Matt answered with his casually shrug.
"How punk I thought I told you never to show you stupid face around my turf again," a loud annoying voice called out from an alley that two just happened to be passing by.
The two stopped and looked into the shadows of the alley just as three huge guy stand out of the alley. The one who called to Matt was obviously the leader of the group and was wearing a dirty leather jacket with a picture of a thunderbolt striking again a green splatter. He also wore a cut up muscle shirt under the jacket and a pair of black jeans with a chain hanging from the right pocket. He stomped his hiking boots against the ground as he walked up to Matt. He ran his hand across his shoved head and stopped just as he reached a tattoo of the same mark that's on his jacket.
The guy to the shoved man right wore the same jacket as his friend, only the sleeves were tore off and the man wasn't wearing a shirt, showing to the world his red skull tattoo. He wore black jeans that were cut off from the knees down and wearing wore out high-tops. His black hair was greasy and a compete mess. He banged his club into his gloved right hand.
The final guy also wore a leather jacket, but the left sleeve was tore off and he wore a arm guard. On his forearm was a X shaped tattoo. His red hair is long and tired in a ponytail that rested on his right shoulder. He also was shirtless, but bandages covered his stomach. He wore black jeans like his friends, only the knees were blown out and he wore combat boots. He griped his chain tightly as his bright green eyes pierced through Matt's figure.
"I thought I told you never to show your face around the thunder splat hood again?" the shove man asked angrily and shoved Matt hard.
"Hey I go where I want too," Matt said casually and then looked at the redhead. "So red how's the arm feeling, still isn't sore from the last time?"
Last time? Matt had meat these gangsters before, Rena looked at Matt with questioning eyes.
"Let me break you arm and then you'll know how it feel punk," Red spitted angrily in Matt's direction.
"Yeah, I warned you punk what would happen if you come around here again," the greasy hair one said.
Matt suddenly grinned and his eyes seemed to be saying," Bring it on."
(...)
Rika: What's with the whole track thing?
Me: That's how the track was back at my school.
Rika: And the whole going by two things.
Me (Shrugging): Just something I felt like adding to make things twisty.
Rika: But that's not how things are done.
Me: I know, but I needed something so these kids could spring their trip.
Rika: One last thing.... WHAT'S WITH THAT MATTHEW SMITH GUY?
Me: Hey he's your father and that's how I make things more interesting.
Rika: That's nice and all, but just get on with your story before I rip your eyes out.
Me: Getting a little antsy again are we?
Rika: No, I just want you to get this over, so I can see what happens to Gogglehead and myself.
Me (Rolling): Right.
Shadows of the Past:
Chapter 3: Deeper into the shadows
Rena stared at the future father of her tamer for a quick second slightly startled by the question, before her own mischievous smile blossomed on her face. "Sure, it been a while since my last fight, but I most warn you, I can be a real fox when I fight."
Matt's mischievous smile turned into a cocky grin as he took off his training jacket," Oh really, but you will soon learn why my family had earn that title of shadow fight."
The young boy threw his jacket onto the porch and the two fighters proceeded to the center of the lawn. They faced each other and bowed before getting into their stance. The fighters stand stall as statues as their eyes pierced each other, looking for any sigh of weakness in their form.
A light breeze picked up, lifting Rena's hair to the right and ripping through her like tissue. She shivered slightly as she wished she had her thick fur to protect her. But Matt seemed to not even notice the wind or he just didn't care about the cold.
Wow is that focus or what? Rena wondered to herself as she noticed Matt's stern face. He here is, standing out in the cold winter, his arms bare, his clothes are thin and this wind want to make me hug my jacket tight, but he's just standing there like there's nothing wrong.
The two continued their staring match, but Matt was starting to get impatient. Rena could tell this by the way he was fidgeting and by how the way his eyes were getting restless. Finally Matt's patience ran out and he charged.
Rena had expected Matt to do this, jumped out of the way, but her feet got caught on each other and she came crushing down to the ground on her side. Matt's fist landed an inch besides Rena's face and lift a fist-sized hole in the ground. Rena got back to her feet and looked at the hole in surprise and shock.
"I thought you could fight?" an icy voice asked. Rena looked up and saw an ice over face that could put Rika to shame.
"Well I'm a bit rusty because I haven't fought anyone in a few mouths," Rena replied nervously and rubbed the back of her head.
Matt stared down Rena with an icy suspicious glare. The fox turned human couldn't help but feel small under that glare. She didn't know if it was because of these human emotions she had now or if it was just because she knew that this man could beat her within an inch or her life. But whatever it was, this man was more scarily then his daughter.
Matt continued to stare down his sparring partner for a second before sighing. The icy look on his face soften slightly as he said," Okay I will go a little easier on you, until you get back into the game."
Rena nodded and hesitantly took up her fighting stance. Matt also took up his stance, but it was looser then before. The two got back into their staring contest and Rena began sweating bullets.
Okay Renamon don't get worked up. Sure he's stronger then you and you're not completely familiar with this human body yet. But it nothing to worry about, you have the experiences and that have to count for something don't it? Rena felt silly coaching herself like that, but at the moment it was the only thing keeping her from screaming like a actually girl.
Rena saw Matt starting to get impatient again and decided to attack first this time. She ran at Matt and threw a punch. But she was slower then she thought was and her punch was sluggish w and so all Matt needed to do with stepped back and Rena missed. She lost her balance because of the missed and was about to fall float on her face, when Matt gracefully pushed her and she regain her footing. Rena looked at Matt confusingly and she saw something in his eyes that resemble pity.
Matt allowed Rena to get a few inches away from him and waited in a complete relax state. Rena stared at her opponent hesitantly as she gulp down a big lop that formed in the base of her throat. She charged again, only this time it was more hesitantly then before. She tried a kick this time, only to lose her balance again. Rena was going to fall when Matt grabbed her leg by the ankle and helped her regain her balance. She looked in his eyes again and again she saw pity reflect in them.
Matt stared into Rena's blue nervous eyes for a minute before jumping to the porch in one graceful jump and took a set on the steps. He leaned back and put his arm up as he closed his eyes. Rena study his figure, knowing full well that Matt wasn't going to take her to seriously.
I guess it's true what they say about the apple never falling far from the tree, Rena thought as her anger start to raise a bit. She remember all the times she trained as Renamon and how Rika would sit just like her father was now, but there was one big difference between the future father and daughter. Rika would keep her eyes open, piercing at Renamon, sending her a massage that always say "get stronger." But Matt seemed to be napping at the moment.
Rena stared at the male clone of her tamer, feeling a little unappreciated. So Matt, like his daughter don't think I'm good enough huh? Well I'm will show him, Rena thought determinedly.
The fox turned human took up her fighting stance and began training herself with her human body. Matt creaked open his left eye and watched with half of his attention at Rena's training.
Rena threw a punch and ended up on her butt, but she was determined not to give in and got back up. She tried a kick this time, but it ended with the same results. Instead of just getting up, Rena tried to jump to her feet. She managed to get up, but instantly tripped and fell back to the ground, knocking the wind out of her. Rena gave up after that and just lay there, catching her breathe while trying to figure out what she was doing wrong.
What? What I am doing wrong? Rena asked herself angrily. I had fought many in my day with less trouble then this, so why can't I fight in this human body?
"Needs some pointer?" a voice asked gently. Rena looked over at Matt and saw he was now giving her his full attention.
Rena slightly nodded and Matt said," well first of all you're feet at too lose when you threw something, so naturally you'll fall float on your butt every time. What do you think you have a tail or something?" Matt added his dry humor to his last sentence.
Rena looked up at the night sky and began taking in everything Matt just told her. But it was the joke he made at the end that really seemed to stick with Rena.
That's it! Rena shot into a sitting position. When I used to fight as Renamon I used my tail as a balancing rod and my claws on my feet were always dug into the ground a bit, but I don't have these anymore, so I need to be more careful until I have fully master this body.
Rena rose to her feet again slowly and then got into her stance, making sure to paint her feet firmly on the ground.
Now this is be good, Matt thought as a grin starting to form.
Rena stay still for a few seconds, making sure her feet were painted right and when she was sure of herself, she threw her right hand in sharp uppercut. She followed that up was a fierce kick behind her. She then did half of a spin kick and then went for Matt's famous jab/backhand move. She jumped forward, wanting to do a flip kick, but she lost her balance and fill onto her stomach.
Rena started to get up when Matt said from the porch," It the same thing with the jumping and running. You over do them and you'll always going to do a bully flop to the ground."
Rena stood up and wanted to slap herself, but held back on doing it. Again it's because I'm so use to having a tail to help balance me.
Rena looked at the porch where her opponent was sitting calmly, watching her like a hawk. She crouched slightly and took off in a nice clear sprit. She ran at Matt and the boy watched without fear as she drew closer to him. When she was about a foot apart from Matt, Rena jumped into the air and touch down on the roof. She looked over her shoulder, slightly surprised that she was able to make it all the way to the roof.
"Guess I still got some of the ol' Renamon in me," the fox turned human mattered to herself.
She felt the wind change direction and looked forward and wasn't the bit surprised when she saw Matt standing there, with his arms across his chest, looking a little smug.
"Now that you that you gotten the basic again, let get back to the action," Matt said calmly and took up his stance.
Rena didn't fail to notice the eagerness that was hidden deep in his voice or did she missed it in his eyes either. She took up her stance and Matt was on her immediately. He threw a punch and Rena easily ducked it. She was about to punch him in the gut, when he jumped into the air. Got off guard, Rena watched as Matt melted into the shadows of the night. Rena search for him, but couldn't fine him and she started to panic a little.
Calm down Renamon you know he can mark his very being, Rena couched herself. So the best thing to do is relax and let the wind guide me.
Rena relaxed completely and closed her eyes. She listened to the wind as sit whispered around her. She listened as it flew down her in a swirling path. She felt the wind to her right suddenly parted and ducked just as a gust of wind came rushed her head. She threw her elbow out and surprisingly connected with something. Rena opened her eyes to see her elbow imbedded in Matt's stomach. The young man was frozen in pain for a second, before shrugging it off and jumped back.
"How did you know I was coming in from the right?" Matt asked calmly as he lightly rubbed his stomach.
"I felt the wind," Rena answered casually, but with a serious look on her face.
"You felt the wind?" Matt sounded curious and doubtful at the same time. Rena nodded and that only added to the boy confusion. How could she feel the wind? My grandfather always said that it takes years of training to even begin sensing the wind, let along actually feeling it. So how can this strange girl in front of my do it so easily?
Rena used the time Matt was thinking everything over to sneak up and tried to sucker punch him. Matt had sense the in-coming blow at the last second and ducked. He lunged forward and wrapped his arms around Rena's waist.
"Now I think it's time you experienced a move that has been on my family for generations. The shadow crusher!" Matt easily lifted Rena over his head and jumped off the roof. Rena become worried when she thought she was going to be slammed into the ground, but to her surprise Matt rebounded off the ground and then slammed her into the ground.
Rena couched as she slowly set up. She looked at the boy before her, his eyes blazing with a fury that not even his so to be daughter had. Rena got to her feet very slowly so she could catch her second wind and studied her opponent.
Even in his relax state, Matt always seemed to have his guard up, just like Rika, but he seemed more untouchable then his soon to be daughter. Matt was like a wall of the toughest steel, while his daughter was along the same line, but at the same time different all together.
I must remember to write these family genes down when I got the time, Rena thought to herself.
Matt was also studying his opponent just as Rena was doing to him. To him the girl before him was like a flower. She was beautiful when she walked, yet even dangerous when it came to fighting. She has a soft comforting voice but had a firm hand; Matt had learned that that hard way.
Whoever this girl really is, she is a good fighter, Matt thought.
The two fighters stood completely relaxed as they continue to study one another. After two more minutes of staring, they took up their fighting stances, but they still didn't make any kind of moves. Finally Matt made the first move by fading into the shadows.
Like that's going to work, Rena was starting to get a little smug and she closed her eyes again as she listened to wind. Surprisingly it was very quite this time and it concerned Rena. Strange why can't I hear the- oof!
Rena's eye snapped opened because Matt had pulled a fast one fading back in when Rena had closed her eye and drove his fist into her gut. Matt had a smug grin on his face from the sneak attack he just pulled, but that quickly vanished when Rena despite all the pain she was in wrapped her arms around Matt's arm and tossed him over her head. Matt twisted a moment before hitting, freeing his arm and landing on all fours.
Matt flipped backwards and rebounded off the ground. He went for Rena with a punch all ready for her, but the former fox saw the attack and ducked just as Matt soar over her. She punched Matt right in the chest and he fell towards the ground. Matt managed to catch himself by bouncing off of his hands and landed with his back to Rena.
"You know I never seen a girl quit like you before Rena," Matt committed without looking at her. "You strong and gracefully, once you get going."
Rena ignored the joke at the end of Matt's sentence as she slowly got to her feet. She looked at her host with a slightly startle look on her face. She was remembering what Rumiko had said about her husband friend, but she quickly stop that thought.
I can't but that Rena, Rumiko talked about, can I?
"Hmm?" Matt looked to his right and then sigh. He turn to Rena was disappointed in his eyes and said causally," Well Rena looks likes we're call this a draw. But tomorrow morning I would like to finish this."
"Huh?" Rena raised a questioning eyebrow and then looked in the direction Matt was just looking in a second ago. She saw the sun starting to rise over the horizon and look at Matt more confused then ever. "So the sun is rising, that means nothing."
"It means that it close to six in the morning and I need to get ready for school," Matt said in a float voice.
"Oh," Rena simply said as she and Matt walked to the porch.
Matt picked up his uniform jacket and looked at Rena with a casually smile," I'm sorry but it can get pretty boring around here during the day."
"Actually was planning on going to school," Rena said casually.
"How?" Matt asked as he raised a questioning eyebrow.
Rena shrugged and said off handedly," I'll fine a way."
Matt gave Rena that suspicious look that he would pass onto his future daughter, before shrugging it off and turning toward the door. "Well I'll guess you'll want the tub first."
Rena stopped dead in her tracks and looked at the boy before her, a light blush forming on her cheeks. "W-What did you just say?"
"Would you like to take a shower before me?" Matt asked casually. "Because I know girls don't like smelling like an ox."
Rena stared at Matt for a few more moment as her blush deepened and spread across her entire face. She was so embarrassed that all logical thought vanished from her head. She looked down at her human body and then felt her hair. Matt had watched Rena strange behavior was about to ask her what was wrong, when she ran passed the shadow fighter with blinding speed.
Matt looked at the door as he swing closed for a second in slight confusion before sighing and muttering," I'll never understand women."
(...)
Rena had run all the way to her room, grabbed Rika gently and ran to the bathroom without slowing her pace. She gently shook Rika until she woke up.
The cursed tamer moaned slightly and looked up at her partner with sleepy eyes. "Renamon what's the big idea waking me up so early?" she asked in a sleepy voice.
"Will I need you help with something Rika," Rena replied in a nervous voice.
"Will what is it so I can go back to bed?" Rika asked still half sleep.
"Well I um, that is I need, um, well what I want to ask is," Rena for some reason couldn't bring herself to say what needed to be said and that annoyed Rika.
"Renamon will you just spill it so I can go back to bed," Rika said in a hash tone.
"I need help with washing myself!" Rena replied in a quick, hash whisper.
"Oh," It took a moment for Rika's sleep clouded mind to process what was just said and then snapped into full consciousness. Ohhhhhh."
Rena nodded hastily and said quickly," Yeah, now could you help me?"
Rika nodded once and then sniff the air. "Well for starter get rid of that suit, it smells worse then your fur when wet."
Rena simply nodded and set Rika on the bathroom counter. She then undressed and threw the dirty clothes into a nearby heaper.
"Okay now what?" Rena asked her partner. The fox turned human was feeling awkward standing there in her naked human body and couldn't fight the blush that appeared on her cheeks.
"Okay now in the shower are two handles, one for cold water and the other for hot water," Rika informed Rena.
"Even I know that one Rika," Rena said in dry sarcasm.
"But you'll want to get water just right so you don't freeze your skin off or boil it either," Rika said, getting a little edgy.
Rena just nodded again and set to work. She got the water just right and stepped in. Rika then began instructed her digimon partner turned human and Rena followed them thoroughly. She took a quick shower and then wrapped a tower around herself just as Rika told her too. She then quickly picked up Rika and hurried out of the bathroom in fear of Matt seeing her. Unbeknown to the pair of time travelers, a pair of wise old red eyes watched the two, with a slight curiousness to them
(Later)
Matt and Rena was now heading toward Matt's school with the shadow fighter in the lead. Matt was wearing a nary blue school uniform, while Rena was wearing her usually clothes. But at the moment clothes were the last thing that was on the fox turn human's mind. She was currently trying to think up an excuse to enroll in Matt's school. But she was having trouble trying to come up with a good one that might actually work and it was starting to work on the former digimon's last nerve
"Hey Rena, you in there?" Matt asked in a light tone.
"Huh?" Rena looked to her right, where Matt was and saw a slight concern on his face. "What was that?"
"I was just wondering what was with the zoned out look on your face?" Matt asked with a casually shrug.
"I was just wondering how I'm going to enroll in school," Rena replied calmly.
"Don't you have an kind of kin around here?" Matt asked a suspicious stare under his casually eyes.
Rena saw the look and said calmly," As far as I know none of my family live around here."
"Oh," Matt simply said and looked toward the sky. For the longest time, the two walked in a silence, each minding their own business. Finally after five minutes of silence, Matt look at Rena from the corner of his right eye. "Mind my asking, why do you want to go to school anyways? I mean you're a drafter after all."
Rena was prepared for that question and said calmly," Just because I'm a drafter doesn't mean I don't want to learn"
Matt looked at Rena with a suspicious look in his eyes and in turn Rena looked at him with an icy stare. The two stopped walking and now were just trying to win another one of their staring contest. Matt was trying to find the truth hidden beneath Rena's eyes, but the icy glare was preventing him from doing so.
Matt grew tiring of staring into Rena's eye and sigh," If you're really that determined about school then I'll help?"
"How?" Rena asked, titling her head slightly to the right in a suspicious way.
Matt slightly grinned and said in a sly tone," Oh trust me I have my ways."
That tone made Rena slightly more suspicious and curious at the same time. But Matt decided this time to go silent and resume his walking. Rena stare at Matt's back suspiciously for a few ore seconds before she hurried up to catch him.
They reached Matt's school about five minutes later and entered the grounds. Many kids of different ages were doing verse things, like talking to their friends, catching up their homework or just doing nothing. But once Matt and Rena entered, everyone instantly stopped what they were doing and look in they direction. Most if the kids Matt's age were giving him hateful glares, while the younger one was looking fearful at him.
Matt just simply put his right hand in his pocket and sling his school bag over his left shoulder. He and Rena began walking and the former fox took in the different looks the other kids were giving Matt.
Not even Rika was able to generate this kind of turn out, Rena thought in awe.
The two entered the building and went straight for the main office. Matt went up to a skinny black haired woman with think black frame glasses. She was currently working on filing a few things and didn't notice the two kids when they enter.
"I'm here to see Miss Fukamachi," Matt said simply.
The woman jerked her head up at the sound of Matt's voice and Rena saw the fear grow in her eyes.
"Y-Y-Yes, Mister Smith," the woman voice was low, timid and creaking big time.
She pressed the button on her intercom and quickly spoke into it. The girl nodded a second later and Matt walked in like the principal office like he own it. Rena followed close behind, feeling a little confused and surprised by all she just witness.
Now this is starting to get a little weird even for a time traveling digimon like myself, Rena thought as she stepped into the room.
It was just a normal principal office with everything someone would expect to see in a principal office. And sitting in the disk at the center was a think black haired woman in a matching business suit, looking over a group of papers on her desk. When Matt and Rena entered she looked up fearfully at the shadow fighter for a split second before regaining her composer.
"Mister Smith what can I do for you?" Miss Fukamachi asked with a clearly forced smile.
Matt jerked his head in Rena's direction and said simply," This is Rena Kemiya; she's my cousin from out of town. She will be staying with me and my grandmother for a while and she want to attended school."
Cousin? Rena thought as she looked at Matt with a cocked eyebrow.
The principal and the shadow fighter stared at each other for a second. Matt was giving the principal a hidden message through his stare, one that went unnoticed by the fox turned human. After a few more seconds, the principal calmly nodded and took out a paper.
"Okay so what is your height and weight so we can get you fitted for you uniform," the principal said calmly, writing something on the paper on her desk.
Um," Rena couldn't answer the question because she didn't know how tall she was in her human body and began nervously sweating as she tried to come up with an answer.
Matt must have seen her friend sweating bullets because he moved in front of Rena and look her dead center in her crystal blue eyes. He turned towards the principal and said calmly," she just as tall as yours truly and I'll bet she pretty slim too."
The principal nodded without taking her eyes off of her work.
"And I want her to have the same classes as myself," Matt said calmly, looking out of the corner of his eyes with a slightly suspicious look in his eyes.
Rena had seen the look and her cheeks puffed out slightly in anger. Why don't you just say, you'll like to keep an eye on me at all hours of the day? She thought sarcastically.
The principal nodded again and finished up the last of the paperwork. She then held out the paper and Rena took it.
"This will act as you're temporarily schelme, your normal one should arrive in the mail in a few days and we should have you uniform by the end of the day," the principal informed Rena.
The fox turned human nodded and pocketed the piece of paper. She left the office followed closely by Matt.
"Is my debt paid?" the principal asked quietly before Matt left.
The shadow fighter stopped dead in his tracks and looked at the woman with a gentle smile," I wouldn't have held you to it anyways." He then left, leaving one relieved principal behind.
Matt stepped into the hall and was meant with Rena.
"Hey what kept you?" she asked curiously.
Matt shrugged and said casually," Miss Funimka and I were just chatting."
Rena looked at Matt suspiciously for a quick second before shrugging it off and saying," Well lead me to our home room class."
Matt nodded once and took the lead with Rena following closely. As the two made they're where to class, Rena couldn't help but notice all the stares that the other students were giving Matt and herself. Most were angry or icy stared, directed at Matt, but some were looking at Rena in either confusion or puzzlement.
Rena could tell what some of those stare meant by secretly watching Rika when she at her school, but she couldn't figure out why everyone was looking at her and it slightly annoyed her.
It like they never seen a girl before, She thought annoyingly.
The pair reached homeroom B and they entered. The classroom was alive with kids talking to each other, but once the fighting pair stepped in, everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at Matt angrily. The shadow fighter ignored the stares as he made his way to his desk, which just happens to be right in the middle of the classroom. As luck would have it there was a spare desk to Matt's right and Rena took it.
The teacher, a middle age man with graying jet black hair stood up and address the class in a firm teacher-like voice," Well class as you all can see we have a new student joining us. So why don't you stand up and tell us about yourself."
Rena stood up and addressed the class in a calm manner," I'm Rena Kemiya and I'm a distant relative of Matt here."
The entire class gasped as their anger turn to surprise. They look between the blonde and the black haired boy at her side in disbelief.
"What?" Matt asked casually, lifting his hand up in meld confusion. "Can't a guy have family?"
Rena smiled down at her newly named cousin before addressing the class again," As for what I did, I was a sorta of drafter, wondering from family members before I ended up with Matt."
The class looked at the two like they were crazy or something. Rena could tell that the entire class wanted to ask her a load of questions and the former fox didn't know if she could answer them all at once. But luck was with the time traveling digimon as the morning announcement began, drawing the class attention away from her.
Rena sigh and then looked over at Matt, a suspicion appearing in her eyes. All of these humans here seem either afraid or mad at Matt, but why?
(...)
The day has been a real eye opener for Rena. Everywhere they went, people where either angry with Matt, afraid of him or trying to pick fights. Matt had turned the one who wanted to fight with one saying," I'm not fighting you plain and simple."
But what still got under Rena's skin was the fact that others were giving her weird looks. She had learned that news can travel fast around a school and every student probably knew of her relation with the shadow fighter. Some students had even came up to Rena and asked how it like living with Smith? But Rena just ignored these questions and acted if nothing was the matter.
It was now P.E. class and Matt was waiting by the girl's locker room door for Rena. He was wearing the standard gym uniform, which was a blue running pant with a white t-shirt with a blue and white strip on each sleeve. Rena emerged from the locker room after everyone else was already outside, looking embarrassed beyond belief.
"Hey what kept ya?" Matt asked causally.
"Oh, I was kept from getting dressed because others kept asking me things," Rena lied as a seeable blush appeared for some reason. In reality Rena felt odd undressing in front of tones of human girls, so she had found a nice dark spot to undress and then she wait until all of the others were out before changing.
Matt gave a suspicious look, meaning he didn't fully believe the fox turned human. Rena couldn't help but sweat because that stare reminded her so much of Rika. After a moment Matt stopped his staring and looked away.
"Well we better be going before we anything important," he said casually.
"Okay," Rena said lightly, but was looking suspiciously at Matt's back.
The two hurried out and join they classmates as the class was going over the day plan"...okay class today we're going to do the mile and let see if we can get through this without any types of accidents like last time."
Rena leaned in closed to her "cousin" and whispered," What does, he mean by accidents?"
"Last time I ran on the track mystery holes appeared in my way," Matt whispered back.
"How did that happen? Rena asked curiously.
"Don't really know, but it didn't matter, I still finish in record time," a small hint of pride crept into Matt's voice towards the end of the sentence.
Rena raised an eyebrow at Matt show of emotion as she mental logged in this newfound information. She gave the shadow fighter one last curious glance before turning her attention back to the teacher.
"Okay for safely reason the principal is making me have you run two at a time, so when I call your name get in position and take off when I blow my whistler," the teacher said and called the first two runners.
Surprisingly enough Matt and Rena were two out of the four that was running last, which suited Matt just fine. But Rena was a little suspicious about a group of kids that were grouped together. She walked by them earlier she thought she heard something about "getting back at Smith" but she wasn't curtain.
The shadow fighter and the former digital monster got into position and waited for the whistler to sound. The teacher lifted the shiny gray object to his mouth and blow into it hard, causing a piercing sound to rip through the air. Matt and Rena took off at the sound of the whistler and were blazing across the track like a comet. Rena was able to keep up with Matt, which was amazing because Matt was a very fast runner when he put his mind to it. Matt notice that the fox turned human was able to keep up with him and grinned to himself. He looked forward and pumped up his seed a bit, but Rena saw this and just increased her speed to keep up with her tamer's father.
Since the track the two were running on wasn't big enough for a whole mile, they needed to run around the track four times to count as one mile. Matt and Rena ran past their shocked classmates in record time. But the group of kids that Rena had heard earlier wasn't so easily moved by the girl speed and decided it was time to put their plan into action.
The leader of the group, a kid was black spiked hair walked up to the teacher, limping on his right leg. "Umm teach, I think I have a creep in my leg and I forget these exercises to help relax it."
The teacher looked suspicious of the kid and then turned back to the track to see Matt and Rena completing their second lap. He sighs and looked back at the spike haired teen.
"Okay now follow me," then the teacher beginning showing the kid some stretches with the kid following closed behind.
But as the spike haired kid was keeping the teacher business, his friends quickly take same of the hurdles and place them right in the path of the two fighters. Matt saw the things in his way and grinned cockily. He picked up his speed again and went straight for the hurdles. Rena was slightly startled by her tamer's father's actions, but decided to keep up with him anyways and picked up her speed until they were dead ever. The entire class watch in surprised as the two just onto the first hurdle and skipped across them gracefully. They touch down and finish they last lap in record time, leaving the entire class, shock and speechless, but the kids who set up the prank wasn't all that thrilled. They leader joined his friends and sulked as Matt and Rena walked by them.
"What was that about?" Rena asked as she and Matt took a set on one of the branches used for games.
"Oh just some runner who hate to be shown up," Matt said causally, while looking to the right from the corner of his eyes.
Rena looked very closely at her "cousin" and notice great anger hidden deep within these violet orbs of his. Curious Rena followed his look and saw he was looking at the group of kids that just tried to mess them up. Looking back at her tamer's future father, she noticed a few other things that clearly showed the boy's anger. His left hand was clenching and unclenching into a fist and was slightly trembling.
Matt continued to secretly glare at the kids for a minute, before looking away and sighing quickly. "Well since it nearly the end of class, I'm going send it beating the stuffy out of these training dummies." He got up and went over to where the training dummies were kept.
Rena watched as Matt began beating up on the dummies, his attack mirroring his anger. She watched as Matt delivered a devastating spun kick to one of the dummies head, nearing taking it clears off.
I think I'm finally starting to understand Matthew Smith and again I am reminded of that old saying, like father, like daughter, Rena thought as she got up and joined her friend at the dummies.
(After school)
Broken windows, messy streets and the lowlife of the city hiding around every corner. That what people would call a bad neighborhood and the shadow fighter and fox turn human were currently walking in. Rena was a little jumpy because she had seen what kind of people live in these streets from her days as Renamon and it made her feel really uncomfortable walking there exposed like that. Matt on the other hand seemed totally relaxed and mallow, but if someone would too look closely in his eye, they would see an eagerness buried deep down.
"Matt what are we doing here?" Rena asked calmly, her eyes were nervous darting around, looking for anything that might try and jump them from the shadows.
"I just feel like coming this way to calm me down after school," Matt said casually, but his eyes were also scanning the area.
"But couldn't you do that on the normal walk?" Rena asked, a hint of panic entering her voice as she thought she saw something moved from the shadows.
"This place is just as good," Matt answered with his casually shrug.
"How punk I thought I told you never to show you stupid face around my turf again," a loud annoying voice called out from an alley that two just happened to be passing by.
The two stopped and looked into the shadows of the alley just as three huge guy stand out of the alley. The one who called to Matt was obviously the leader of the group and was wearing a dirty leather jacket with a picture of a thunderbolt striking again a green splatter. He also wore a cut up muscle shirt under the jacket and a pair of black jeans with a chain hanging from the right pocket. He stomped his hiking boots against the ground as he walked up to Matt. He ran his hand across his shoved head and stopped just as he reached a tattoo of the same mark that's on his jacket.
The guy to the shoved man right wore the same jacket as his friend, only the sleeves were tore off and the man wasn't wearing a shirt, showing to the world his red skull tattoo. He wore black jeans that were cut off from the knees down and wearing wore out high-tops. His black hair was greasy and a compete mess. He banged his club into his gloved right hand.
The final guy also wore a leather jacket, but the left sleeve was tore off and he wore a arm guard. On his forearm was a X shaped tattoo. His red hair is long and tired in a ponytail that rested on his right shoulder. He also was shirtless, but bandages covered his stomach. He wore black jeans like his friends, only the knees were blown out and he wore combat boots. He griped his chain tightly as his bright green eyes pierced through Matt's figure.
"I thought I told you never to show your face around the thunder splat hood again?" the shove man asked angrily and shoved Matt hard.
"Hey I go where I want too," Matt said casually and then looked at the redhead. "So red how's the arm feeling, still isn't sore from the last time?"
Last time? Matt had meat these gangsters before, Rena looked at Matt with questioning eyes.
"Let me break you arm and then you'll know how it feel punk," Red spitted angrily in Matt's direction.
"Yeah, I warned you punk what would happen if you come around here again," the greasy hair one said.
Matt suddenly grinned and his eyes seemed to be saying," Bring it on."
(...)
Rika: What's with the whole track thing?
Me: That's how the track was back at my school.
Rika: And the whole going by two things.
Me (Shrugging): Just something I felt like adding to make things twisty.
Rika: But that's not how things are done.
Me: I know, but I needed something so these kids could spring their trip.
Rika: One last thing.... WHAT'S WITH THAT MATTHEW SMITH GUY?
Me: Hey he's your father and that's how I make things more interesting.