It was a peaceful day outside. Birds chirping their songs, squirrels harvesting nuts for the winter ahead. Fish jumping up to grab a bug. All of this looked over a large house where is was anything but peaceful. Mother and daughter were in another argument, and neither was giving way. Both were in the Daughter's room, almost at each other's necks.

"Mother, I really want to learn Karate!" Rika said angrily, trying to make her mom give in.

"No! You can't! You might get hurt!" Said Rumiko, trying to get her daughter out of her decision.

Rika just gave her mom a look that said "You think I care?" "Do you really think that that would discourage me? If you don't help me, I could always ask Henry to teach me, or even Renamon," she added, smirking as she thought about how Renamon's lessons would be. "And I wouldn't expect her to be an easy taskmistress."

This got Rumiko's eyes to bug out. "You wouldn't!" she shouted, almost screamed, at her tomboyish daughter.

"She would," said a deep female voice. Rika calmly turned to the source of the voice, while Rumiko snapped in the direction. Both were looking at Renamon, one with a shocked expression, the other with a calm look.

Recovering a bit from the shock, she asked "Why don't you try something more lady-like, like dancing or singing?"

"Because I don't want to dance and I hate singing!" Rika said forcefully, turning to her mother.

Rumiko noticed her mouth barely agape and closed it, walking out of the room. Rika just glared at her door, not even noticing that Renamon was talking to her, so Renamon repeated what she said.

"I think it would be a good idea if you at least try dancing. And you have a great singing voice,"

Rika looked at Renamon and said "'You won't know if you truly hate it until you try it,' right Renamon?" Renamon just blinked, waiting for Rika to continue. "But what if I don't want to try it!" she was very close to shouting at her partner, glaring at her. "I bet you're in this, too," she gritted out.

"What am I going to do with her?" Rumiko asked her mother. "She doesn't want to dance, she doesn't wear dresses, she plays basketball just to spite me. What am I going to do with her?"

"She's just her own kind of person. You can't force someone to be someone their not." Said Seiko, Rumiko's mom.

"But I want her to be a bit more reserved!" Rumiko shouted.

Seiko smiled as she thought of something. "From what Takato said, she is an excellent singer. Why don't we agree to pay for her lessons if," Seiko stressed as she saw her daughter about to protest. "if she takes Choir."

"But mom!" Rumiko interjected.

"She will be safer with a different Sensei other than Renamon. Don't worry, she'll be fine. I'm sure Renamon will make sure of that."

"B-but…"

"Do you want me to tell her the news? Or do you?"

When her daughter continued to stutter, she just smiled and shook her head, moving to Rika's room.

"Oh, fine! Let her get all scarred up." she said with just a hint of sadness. Seiko just nodded, acknowledging she heard her daughter.

Knock knock.

"It's not locked," said an emotionless voice from the other side of the door.

Opening the door, Seiko saw her granddaughter leaning against a wall, looking a little depressed. She waited for Rika to notice her, which wasn't long. "Grandma," she said softly, then her tone hardened a bit. "What did mother decide? Am I going to be dancing or learning Karate?"

"You'll be taking karate, but on one condition: You sign up for choir." Rika looked hurt, then sighed out in frustration.

"Why!" she yelled at the ceiling.

"It would be a good experience for you," Renamon said. "You certainly have the voice for it," she added, smiling. Rika just closed her eyes, trying to contain her anger.

"Why… me?" she gritted out.

Seiko just shook her head and added "You really should explore all of your talents, not just card playing and sports. True that both of them are good talents, but it wouldn't hurt to develop your other talents. Who knows, you might just like some of your other talents."

"But I hate… singing," Rika gritted, still in a bad mood. Even my grandma seems against me today!

That's only because they love you, said a voice in Rika's head that reminded her of Renamon.

Rika seemed to calm down a little and gritted out "Renamon," she then said civilly to her grandma "Sorry, I guess I'll think about it." Getting up, she said "I'll be going for a little jog." She walked out of the room, with Renamon behind her to keep her safe.

"So what did your mom say?" panted Henry, trying to keep up with Rika.

"Mother didn't say anything: Grandma said I had to take choir in order to take Karate. It's stupid! I don't even know why she's doing it! I don't even know why she decided to do that." Rika responded, panting harder than Henry, though it didn't seem like the run was phasing her.

"Well, you are a good singer."

Rika glared at him and just said "You just have Gogglehead's word on that!"

Henry grinned. "Then why don't you sing for me? Prove 'Gogglehead' a liar."

Rika stopped suddenly, and a furry figure ran slap-bang into her. Surprisingly, neither of them fell.

"Renamon!" she shouted out of habit, glaring at her partner.

Renamon stared back at her, unflinching. "You run fast," was all she said.

"You were catching up to me?" Rika asked mildly surprised. When her partner just nodded, out of breath, she looked over to Henry, surprised to see him still running. "Hey, Brainiac!" she yelled out, hoping to get his attention. He turned around and started running back towards her.

"Took you long enough," she said when he got back to her.

All he said was "Do you know how fast you run when you're angry?"

Rika ignored this comment and said "Why do you want to hear me sing?" She smirked. "Do you want to go on a date tonight?" Henry sighed. "Please. That stupid not dating until fifteen thing is dumb anyways. It's just a year away anyways."

Henry merely sighed again and said "No, it's not that. My dad and someone he works with wants to set me and some girl up on a blind date. Good thing that dad respects my wishes."

"I feel so sorry for you," she said without pity. "Back to my own problems, thank you. What are we going to do about this little problem?"

"You could have Renamon teach you."

Rika looked at him, surprised "Not you?"

Henry got embarrassed. "I don't think I know enough to be your Sensei. I… I think you should talk to my Sensei about karate lessons, assuming that you want to take up singing."

"Why does Rika have to sing to learn karate?" asked a fourth voice.

Renamon, Rika, and Henry looked over and saw Takato and Guilmon looking at them questioningly.

Henry put his life on the line and told him. "Rika's grandma decided that she could take karate if she joins choir."

Takato smiled, either not seeing or noticing Rika's glare. "Well, Rika does have a great singing voice…" He stopped when he heard Rika growl. He took a step back, fearing he was about to get it.

"YOU!" she shouted. "You are the reason why I have to take stupid choir to just be in karate!"

Takato wasn't understanding why he was to blame, but wasn't about to ask.

However, seeing Takato innocent and clueless look only made Rika madder. She pulled up her sleeve, getting ready to deck him, but was stopped by Henry, who just glared at her as if saying "don't you dare."

Relenting, Rika pulled away from Henry's grasp and said "Fine! I'll take stupid choir!" and ran off.

Takato just looked at Rika's quickly retreating form and asked "What's wrong with her?" He looked over to where Renamon was just a second ago, but she had disappeared, probably following her tamer.

"Stupid singing… Stupid Choir…" Rika muttered as she tried to think of something better to do with her time. The first day of school was going smoothly for her so far, but it could change in a moment, as past experience was a lesson to her. It was a few seconds before the tardy bell would ring, and she was already nervous.

"Rika!"

"Jeri?" Rika turned to the source of the voice, a little surprised to see her friend there.

"I'm surprised that you're taking choir." Rika just looked past Jeri, not in the mood to talk.

The bell rang.

Everybody got into a seat, not really caring where they sat as long as it was near a friend.

After the Choir teacher had decided who was Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass (Boys were in the class too) they began to go through the basics. Rika found them boring and was starting to zone out.

"Ms. Nonaka!" Rika's attention instantly went to the teacher. "Please, at least try to do these exercises; they may help you in passing the class."

Rika sighed and said "Sorry Mr. Tucket." The last thing I need is a failing class. She thought bitterly as she picked up where the exercises left off.

Rika rubbed her arm where the Sensei had hit her as she thought of how tough Henry's Sensei was. I didn't even hit him and he's going to get a good bruise on me. I guess it is a good thing that I'm taking karate after all. She walked into her house, still rubbing it, trying to make the pain go away.

"Rika! Are you alright?" A terrified voice called out.

Rika groaned. "I'm fine mom. I just got a little bruise, that's all."

"I knew something like this was going to happen! Let me see it!" her mom ordered as she got her makeup bag out. Rika just sighed.

"I'm fine, mom. I don't care if I have a big, black bruise on my arm." she said flatly.

"But it looks like your boyfriend beat you up!" Rika just sighed in disgust and rolled her eyes. "Don't give me that look, young lady. I know how to look your best."

"What if I don't want to look my best?" Rika replied evenly.

Rumiko just threw her hands up, exasperated. "I'll never understand you," she said weakly.

"Got that right," Rika muttered.

"Rika," Renamon appeared from out of the shadows with an ice bag in her right paw.

"Thanks," Rika said, smiling at her partner as she took the cold package and put it on her bruise. Looking at it, it was just beginning to discolor. Great. It'll still hurt, no matter what I do. She glanced at her mother. Or how it looks.

"I take it that the first day was a little rough," commented Renamon.

Rika just looked at her and said "You could say that. And it didn't help that I snapped at the sensei. Let me just say, he sure can block."

Rika was practicing her Karate (A/N: I don't know what form of Henry has been taught), trying to get her mind off of the upcoming Christmas Choir Presentation. What really sucked was the fact that she, herself, was singing a solo. Why does everyone I know think I have a great voice? I hate singing. I even told my stupid teacher that! And he still gave me that stupid solo part!

"Hi, Rika." Rika looked and saw her friend Henry just looking at her, waiting.

"Jeez, she may be better than you!" said an insubordinate voice that she recognized as the "stuffed" animal on his shoulder, Terriermon.

"Maybe, but I have been learning it since I was five. I still think I could get the better of her." he whispered to his Digimon. His gaze shifted to Rika, and he asked "Nervous?"

"Maybe," was all she said.

"So, do you know why Jeri told us to meet here?" asked Henry.

Rika didn't like that bit of information. "Jeri asked you to come here?" He nodded. "Who else did she ask?"

"I think each of the tamers. Why do you ask?"

Rika's right hand ended up as a fist. "We were supposed to practice here." she said as evenly as she could.

"Hi guys!" yelled another voice

"I am going to get you, Jeri. You know that, don't you?" Rika muttered as she watched Takato running up the stairs of Guilmon's Hideout.

He arrived out of breath, looking at Rika who was looking out the door.

"I hope she didn't invite those two idiots…"

"Wait up! We're coming, too!"

Jeri! I'm going to… ARGH! Jeri came into the hut with Kazu and Kenta. Rika just looked at Jeri and said "There is no way I'm singing with those two in here!"

"Okay, we'll leave." said Kazu as he and Kenta walked out the door.

After making sure they weren't returning, Rika began her solo part, which was What Child is This? The shed added a bit of an echo effect that enhanced the song.

♪What child is this who laid to rest
on Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet
while shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ our king,
whom angels guard and shepherds greet
Haste, haste to bring him laud
the babe, the son of Mary.♪

After finishing, she was shocked when Jeri and Renamon were the only ones who clapped. The others just looked like they saw angels. Finally, Takato was the first to speak. "You'll do well in the Choir Presentation." he gasped out.

Rika could feel herself blushing, but everyone else would probably shrug it off as the cold weather.

"You bet, Gogglehead," responded Rika.

To make this a short story, she and her class sang well. And Rika's solo part got many standing ovations. Her mom was even weeping, saying it was so beautiful. She didn't take another Choir class, unfortunately, but continued with her Karate lessons with Henry's sensei. She even advanced to black-belt before she left for College…