Lookie! I finally completed another chapter! Many thanks for the reviews!
Mute: Well done, go and post it when everybody's gone and lost interest…
Me: Yeah, well "destiny's been a bad girl" as Jeri once said and she stole away someone really close to me for good, so I really wasn't in the mood to do anything really for the past three weeks or so, so there!
Mute:…She doesn't own Digimon someone else's destiny is in charge of that…
Me:…Yeah…and I know that a few people might wanna know what is up with that girl at the end of this chapter but I assure you she does have a purpose and will not muck up anything…err…hopefully…
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A gentle wind was dancing through the air. So timid it could be classified as a breeze. It stepped gracefully over the rooftops and caressed the mop of brown hair lining a certain tamer's scalp.
Takato sighed gratefully as he felt the refreshing sensation of moving air hit his head with the same force as a butterfly's wings. It was moments like these that made him feel at peace with the world. Maybe if he could get Renamon to experience the same things he felt she would…loosen up a bit and not worry so much about him. She was like a shadow around him ever since the Devimon encounter two nights ago. Understandable but still…
"Renamon?"
The air rippled and sighed as a new presence broke through the breeze and stood by his side on the balcony.
"Yes? Is something wrong? Why aren't you at school?"
"…It's Saturday…"
"…Oh…homework?"
Takato waved a hand in a dismissive gesture as though fending off an irritating insect.
"Oh, there's plenty of time for that!"
Renamon raised a slender eyebrow regally, correctly translating her tamer's remark as I'll-leave-it-to-the-last-minute-then-panic.
"Why don't we go inside and do it together?"
Takato gazed up at her dubiously.
"Wouldn't that be cheating?"
A smirk flowed over the kitsune's cheekbones.
"According to the school rules you cheat by copying another pupil's work and so forth. They don't mention anything about a Digimon helping…"
"Well okay then! But not just yet!"
Renamon instantly adopted a sterner tone of voice and folded her arms.
"And why not may I ask?"
"I like feeling the breeze on my face…"
The Digimon observed the human in a perplexed manner.
"It's really cool and it makes you feel…well…I dunno…nice I guess. I want to share that with you. Please?"
Renamon stared silently at the hand that was being offered to her. Giving her the chance to experience another simple joy that seemed to thrill her partner. Her eyesight travelled further along his arm and met his warm brown eyes. Much to her annoyance she found herself melting under their pleading gaze.
"Alright…but not for too long!"
Takato's face lit up with a strong radiance of happiness at this simple prospect. Causing Renamon to smile in spite of herself.
Fur met skin as Renamon was pulled down to his level. Boy and Digimon sat in sunshine as the female gave permission for the wind to ruffle her golden fur.
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The park was abounding with the activity of the life including the many delicate eco-systems that thrived under human noses never to be noticed. The laughter of children bounced off trees and other natural objects as they in immersed themselves in the pastime of 'play.'
No one noticed a faint white vapour sneak over an inhabited section of the park or the digital life form in it come into being and raise it's head, red eyes glowing in it's skull like live coals. A deep moan of hunger echoed in its exposed throat. It was time to feed…
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Renamon closed her eyes, inhaling the sweet breeze deeply. Takato was right, this sensation was…heavenly. Yes, pure, untainted heaven. She couldn't think of a better way to put it if she tried!
Her eyelids slowly rose unveiling the dreamy look that now inhabited those icy blue depths. Her gaze drifted over to the young boy beside her and noticed that he was enjoying this pleasant experience just as much as she was; his head tilted right back so that the air could dance on the vulnerable skin covering his throat. For a moment she briefly wondered what it would be like to do the same thing as the wind only with her tongue tasting the supple flesh…before her eyes widened at an alarming rate.
It was lucky for her that Takato's eyes were clenched shut tightly, savouring the moment, so he did not notice the rosy hue that crossed her cheeks.
'I did not just think that about my tamer, I did not just think that about my tamer…' her mind chanted desperately to itself.
Her limber body leapt onto the roof in a flash, muscles taut and face tense. Her back was straight against the timid wind as though defying it and turning her back on these new found feelings with contempt. Yet the breeze was persistent coaxing her to turn around and look her now baffled tamer in the eyes.
"Renamon?"
Renamon flinched at the puzzled and slightly hurt tone in his voice. Her posture slouched a little visibly weakening but her will was strong and scolded her body for letting her down. She refused to turn around knowing that if she did so, her will would instantly be lost in the two whirlpools of chocolate behind her. Her eyes closed in an attempt to steady her nerves.
"I'm going Takato."
And with that statement hanging in the air she was snapped up into the wind allowing her brain to transport her somewhere, anywhere from the boy and the pit of confusion he just opened within her.
Takato stared at the now empty space of air that Renamon had inhabited just a few seconds ago. His gaze drifted down to his slack palms resting on the iron railings.
"What did I do wrong this time?" he questioned the air earnestly, his bafflement echoing in the silence.
The wind didn't answer.
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"Arf! Arf! Are you alright?"
Rika shook her head to free her vision from several strands of hair that had incontinently flopped over her eyes. She then glared up into the unblinking eyes of a cloth puppet in the shape of a cartoonish dog face.
The puppet opened its mouth only to receive a mouthful of Rika's fist. The puppet stifled a yelp and withdrew quickly to look into puzzled brown eyes.
"Why's that girl being so mean?" the girl asked the animal on her hand, seemingly captivated by the fact it was a lot friendlier than the glaring girl on the ground before her.
The puppet shook its head sadly.
"Maybe she's upset!" it chirped in a squeaky voice.
Rika watched bemused as the girl's lips moved along in time to the puppet's high-pitched voice.
"You are…strange…" she stated finally.
The gentle-looking girl now wore a look of bafflement as well as the puppet on her hand as she gazed down at the bristling female tamer. But the relatively clueless expression on her face suddenly morphed into one of horror and the puppet-free hand rose up to point at something standing a few yards behind the tree Rika was sprawled against.
With a feeling of caution nestling in her stomach, Rika's head snapped round the circumference of the tree trunk to see her partner standing there looking thoroughly annoyed.
"Did you knock my tamer into that tree!" he demanded, his always unnerving gaze thundering into a trembling brown one.
The puppeteer squeaked but didn't move, frozen to the spot with fear, one ghostly-pale hand clutching her puppet in a vice-like grip.
"No! She didn't hurt me! It was my fault!"
Rika's young voice cracked through the air, scattering sound waves and carrying authority as she scrambled to her feet.
"I err…kinda walked into a tree…I shut my eyes while I was walking along 'cos I thought it would let me hear my walkman better…"
The expression on Icedevimon's face was unreadable though if you had a microscope you may have been able to see his lips twitching slightly.
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"So you see that's what happened…I don't understand it Henry! What did I do wrong?" Takato's voice garbled over the phone.
Henry sighed, holding the receiver away from his ear until Takato's panic attack was over. Yet there was a frown covering his forehead as he was fond of Takato; the boy helped him relax and he was one of the few friends Henry possessed. And friendship was something very precious to Henry Wong.
"Listen Takato, I don't think you did anything. It sounds to me like there was something else on her mind and she didn't want you to worry about it."
From his eavesdropping position Terriermon face faulted.
There was silence over the phone.
"Takato?"
There was more silence over the phone.
"Takato! Are you there?"
"I DON'T BELIEVE IT! SHE PROMISED ME NO MORE SECRETS!"
Henry's grey eyes widened as he remembered Takato was still having trust issues with his Digimon.
"Nice one Henry…" muttered Terriermon.
"Shut up!" hissed the tamer before realising what he had said, "no, I didn't mean you Takato!"
Terriermon shook his head sadly before returning to his task of 'correcting' Henry's maths homework.
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Renamon roamed through the treetops of the park, her eyes restless, darting everywhere and not missing a single shadow. Beneath her fur her spirit was quaking with uncertainty and her digital pulse quickened as her claws scrabbled against the toughened bark of an old oak.
Chest heaving, Renamon forced her body to halt in the lower boughs of a beech tree. There she let her emotions drift away and her mind process the current upheaval her heart was going through.
"Doggie!"
The icy blue marbles bore downwards only to meet with rich brown ones. Like Takato's…only the owner was a lot younger and a female at that.
"Doggie!" laughed the girl her petit arms reaching up to Renamon.
The Digimon's first impulse was to flee; then the muscles relaxed at the realisation that the human was too young to be taken seriously if she reported the yellow 'doggie' in a tree. Besides it was clear from the gleeful smile spreading over the little girl's lips that this human meant no harm.
"Hello there", stated Renamon coolly, raising her paw in greeting.
The child stumbled backwards in shock, mouth slightly agape. This lasted only for a few seconds before the youngster clasped her hands together in sheer delight at this magical encounter. Excitement now highlighted her features.
"Hey! You can talk! Wow! I've never met a talking animal before!"
Renamon smothered the twinge of annoyance she felt at being called an animal before proceeding to twist through the air to land beside the young girl. She fell to her knees and gazed at the child for a while, studying the wonderment in her small companion's eyes.
"What is your name child?"
The girl gasped as the kitsune's paw found her shoulder and coated it in a smooth and gentle grip.
"It's Keiko…"
"Keiko? That's a pretty name!"
The little girl's cheeks became slightly flushed and her feet brushed against the earth in embarrassment, stirring up dust in miniature tornados.
But the next second even bigger spirals of dust were created as Renamon's ebony claws swiped across the ground in fear and alarm. Her back straightened as she stared into gleaming rubies of malice.
Keiko let out a shriek.
"It's a monster!"
"So hungry…" the large figure rumbled. It took a step towards the pair, the eyes fixed on Keiko.
Renamon leapt into action straight away, the familiar battle fury circulating her body. Her arms came up then separated again in two swift movements.
"Diamond storm!"
Flying like bullets, the jewels struck their target…and rioted off sounding like unexploded shells striking an air raid shelter. Though they could have been flower petals for all the good they had done.
With a bellow, a large claw flew forward, Renamon only barely dodging it in mid-air. It didn't really matter, Renamon wasn't aiming to win. She had known right from the start that he was too strong for her to handle by herself. The trouble was she had the safety of a young human to consider.
"Keiko! Run!"
The small brunette needed no further prompting. Eyes wide with terror she took off exiting through the shadows.
Renamon returned her attention to the losing battle. If none of the tamers arrived soon, she would be history. But in her mind's eye, her deletion would be worth it if it ensured the well being of an innocent child.
The vixen let out a passionate snarl and soared up, towards her enemy's forelimb.
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"Will you stop following me around!"
The brown eyed girl backed away from the angry purple eyed one.
"I'm s-sorry…"
"Yes, very, very sorry!" the puppet agreed, "but Jeri's never seen someone with a guardian angel before!"
"He's not an angel, he's a Digimon…"muttered Rika through gritted teeth.
Brown eyes widened.
"Oh grow up!" snapped Rika yanking off the puppet and hurtling it towards the ground.
Yet even the mighty Digimon queen felt something inside her shiver when the other girl's eyes began to brim with tears. Not liking this feeling one bit, Rika then proceeded to stop down on the puppet's face with the heel of her trainer.
It's owner gave a strangled gasp and Icedevimon felt it was time to intervene.
"Rika! That's enough!"
Though she said nothing, Rika silently agreed as the puppeteer bent down to retrieve her fallen 'friend'. The brown eyes were downcast now and trembling as much as Rika's guilt was searing. Without a word Rika turned and began to stomp away.
Unfortunately Icedevimon had plenty to say.
"Rika! I understand you found that girl to be annoying, even I found her a bit too…what's the word…perky? But that attack on her was unprovoked, you hurt her emotionally, wounded her deeply, because of what? Because she looked up to you, respected you, admired you? Or was it because you couldn't drive her away with your coldness? Did you fear her smile? Did you think it would disarm you?"
His partner halted. When she spoke he had to strain hard in order to catch her words.
"How come you can always read me like I'm a book, Snowman?"
She spun round and marched back to Jeri.
"Hey kid!"
The girl looked up from her kneeling position, cradling her puppet protectively. Her eyes looked apprehensive and fearful.
Rika halted above her.
"I'm sorry…" she said softly.
The corners of the smaller girl's mouth twisted upwards slightly.
"That's okay…it is kinda babyish to play with a puppet anyway…"
"No…the puppet's fine…everyone has something special right? I've got my Digimon and…"
"I've got my puppet!" finished Jeri smiling fully now.
The faint arm entered the puppet once again and the hand forced the head up and down roughly in agreement.
Rika's hand closed round the puppet and the thin wrist within. Her fingers stroked the fabric with graceful curves, noting with some surprise that the material was similar to that dress her mother had made for her. A genuine smile slide onto her face.
"Wow…you look pretty when you smile! I wish I could be like you!" said Jeri with admiration.
Rika smirked.
"Trust me kiddo…you don't…what's you're name anyway?" she asked causally.
"Jeri! My puppet told you earlier remember silly!" came the amiable giggle.
Rika grimaced.
"Oh yeah…"
"What's your-"
"-Rika!" the female tamer cut in quickly.
Icedevimon watched the exchange curiously, realising that a strong friendship had been formed in front of him. He found the whole process fascinating; what strange customs these humans had to be sure! Once again he was invaded by the warm sense of contentment he got when his tamer was happy. Though he was currently feeling a little left out as the two girls seemed to have forgotten him, so intent they were in their strange conversation. At least he was until he caught Jeri's eyes glance at him with an impressed look shining in their depths. It looked like he had found an admirer in this new friend. Something his arrogance welcomed whole-heartily. He was dragged out of his thoughts by his eyes which alerted him to three new presences. He smirked.
"We have company my dear!" he called softly.
The girl in question raised her head not noticing the grin that spread over Jeri's face as she recognised two of her school fellows.
"Have you guys seen Renamon?"
"No, Takato I have not!" scowled Rika, "What is it with you two anyway? You always seem to get separated!"
"Help!"
A small girl burst through the shadows into the sunlight.
"You have to help! The doggie's gonna get eaten! First the monster tried to eat me then the doggie saved me and now she needs help!"
The three tamers exchanged glances.
"Monster?"
The little girl nodded earnestly.
"Yeah! The big, yellow doggie's in trouble. Even though she threw big shiny stones at it!"
Takato paled as he questioned, "big shiny rocks? You mean like diamonds?
"Yeah, like mummy's necklace!"
Takato sprinted down the pathway through the trees, sticky palms layered with sweat and lungs breathless.
"Renamon!"
"Guess Takato's got a few more brain cells than I gave him credit for!" chuckled Henry as he followed his friend, anxiety starting to bite him inside.
"He won't have any brain cells left, if we don't stop him doing something stupid!" yelled Rika hotly giving chase.
Henry cocked an eyebrow in amusement.
"Aw…you do care Rika…"
He was suddenly fixed in the headlights of a furious purple glare.
Jeri watched the three humans accompanied by two Digimon fade out of view. She felt the lifeless button eyes of her puppet on her. Looking at it she attempted to make it sit up straight and solemn like Icedevimon. The head lolled over onto one side comically representing a dead fish.
"…I've got my puppet", she murmured.
"You should still go though. The true power comes from within and that what makes the tamers Digimon so strong. Trouble is they have yet to realise it…nether the less having a Digimon does not make them any more special than you are. You could be just the person to help them learn this…"
Jeri turned to face the little girl who suddenly spoke in a voice that did not match her years. The expression on that young face had aged magnificently and Jeri had the distinct impression that she was talking to a higher being.
"Who are you?"
Keiko smiled warmly at the trembling girl.
"Go in peace…and help your friends…"
Jeri nodded dumbly and started after the others. She didn't look back.
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Things were going far from perfect on the grassy battlefield.
Gargomon and Icedevimon were being swatted around like flies by huge hands that belonged to the Skullgreymon occupying a lot of the floor space. Even Henry and Rika's card-swiping actions didn't seem to aid the two champions.
Renamon lay to the side utterly exhausted and being tended to by her tamer, who had succeeded in winding himself up into a state.
"This is all my fault!"
"Oh really Takato? Elaborate!"
"Well I should have trusted you more. Otherwise you would have told me what was bothering you earlier instead of running off…I'm sorry for not being a good friend…"
Renamon's insides gave an unpleasant twist knowing there was no way she could tell him the truth now.
With an enraged roar Skullgreymon launched himself forwards his jaws aiming clumsily towards Rika threatening to divide her into many messy pieces. It seemed he had grown tired of waiting for his dinner.
"Hey leave her alone! You…you…err…whatever you are!"
A young hand fastened around a musty, rotten branch, lying discarded among the grass and gravel. The hand brought it up then they both came down heavily onto a ebony bone in front of them. The sound of branch meeting bone resounded throughout the clearing and all the tamers and their Digimon stared on in awe.
Skullgreymon turned around slowly to face his 'attacker', letting out a menacing growl as he did so.
Jeri froze up, the branch falling out of her loosened grip. She took a step back. Then another.
"Uh-oh!" squealed the puppet.
Jeri yanked the puppet up to her face crossly.
"Shush!" she hissed sounding very un-Jeri-like.
"Jeri hang on!" yelled Takato, frantically motioning for her to run away.
Rika whirled round, eyes burning in their sockets.
"You know this wacko!"
Takato looked at her sadly.
"That's Jeri, she's in my class. She's not a wacko; she's really nice…why are you always like this Rika? You only see the worst in people, not the best!"
Rika snorted.
"Optimist…I hate optimists…"
A scream pierced through their conversation as Jeri was literally swept off her feet by dusty claws curving round her mid section. The terrified girl gave a spasm of horror as she was stared at by unforgiving eyes.
What happened next startled everybody. A beam of highly concentrated light bore directly into the monster making him scream in pain. The light thundered into him forcing his 'fake' atoms to dispense and fade away.
Jeri fell….but was saved by the actions of a speedy Gargomon who ran directly beneath her.
Everyone's head twisted towards the machine that had destroyed the ultimate Digimon. A group of people milled around it looking uncomfortable. Except for one.
A man armed with black sunglasses stared at the odd group before him ignoring the discomfort of his workforce. He raised his silver lighter up to his face and gave a single click.
At once the workers dived forwards and Takato was driven backwards by a mass of stronger, adult bodies. Just as rapidly the people around him disappeared and he was left gasping. He whirled around to see Renamon bound with some kind of grey cord and struggling with what was left of her strength.
Icedevimon and Gargomon found themselves in the middle of a pleading brown gaze. Gargomon immediately sprung into action, setting down Jeri and racing after Renamon and her capturers. Icedevimon paused, growling mentally, feeling appalled at the fact that pity was once more stirring in his heart. These emotions of his were getting worse and once again he hated the lack of control he had over them. With a sigh, he gave Takato a curt nod and glided towards the black-clad men.
Yamaki's tight smile became even more thin-lipped. His lighter clicked again and the machine started to glow ready to open fire on the two Digimon streaming towards it.
Gargomon stopped dead in his tracks being smart enough to know there was no way he could get his bulky form out of the way in time. He lowered his gun-armed arms in a sign of peaceful surrender. Meanwhile Icedevimon hovered overhead wondering if he was fast enough to out manoeuvre the machine's aim.
Yamaki noticed his indecision and his sunglasses shone with a sinister glint. Those shiny surfaces seemed to glare right through the icy Digimon directly in front of them.
"Give me one reason not too…" he hissed in a menacing tone gesturing towards Renamon so no one would be in any doubt into what he was referring to.
"Icedevimon stop! We can't risk it!"
The demon turned his head to gaze to in the direction of his tamer's voice to see her and Henry restraining a violently struggling Takato. Her violet orbs pleaded with him and he read the worry within them clearly; concern for his welfare. Confusion rose in him for a split-second before he dampened it with the respect he held for her.
"NO!"
But all Takato could do was watch from his prison of locked arms as he thrashed around violently, watching those monsters drag away his best friend to God-knows-where. Tears blurred his vision until the arms released him and he fell to the ground clenching tufts of grass as though they were lifelines keeping his soul afloat. And all he could see, long after they had vanished, was a pair of icy blue eyes displaying pure terror.
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Renamon regained consciousness and quickly realised she was no longer outside. In fact she was in a lab of some kind…in a large transparent, vertical cylinder…one that represented a test tube…
Coldness crawled in her stomach at the thought of her being an experiment and there was no hesitation as she performed a diamond storm attack on the wall of her prison. Her? An experiment? That she couldn't allow…she had to get home…get back to Takato…
She growled when her fury inspirited attack didn't even create a dent in the smooth wall and launched herself towards it, figuring that maybe a physical assault would work better.
Her reward was a bout of fresh pain.
"Curses!" she hissed, cradling her abused nose in a velvety-soft paw.
She glared hostilely at the glass surrounding her, which seemed to smirk whenever the laboratory lights caught the curved surface.
"Why don't these kind of things happen to Icedevimon?"
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"She's already saved my life twice…now it's my turn to save hers…" trailed off Takato, his eyes stained with the same scarlet that dominated the sky against the sun.
"Ha! I win! My Digimon only had to save my life once!" shrieked Rika, wildly gesturing towards Takato and spoiling the tense emotional moment.
"And I've never had to be saved by Terriermon…so I guess I get the gold medal then!" Henry stated dryly giving Rika an I-don't think-you're-being-very-sensitive glare.
A concerned look settled over Jeri's face as a wave of compassion swept through her heart. The puppet slipped off her fingers and slid into her pocket. The hand then reached up and curved around Takato's left shoulder in a reassuring motion.
"Don't worry Takato, I'm sure you'll get her back", she said quietly.
Meanwhile from behind a tree Keiko observed them all with a knowing smile, a sleeping Calumon wrapped up firmly in her arms. Her gaze lingered on the red triangle on his forehead, still glowing after helping Gargomon reach his champion level.
The girl who was not a girl turned on her heel and swiftly walked away.