Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon, it's owned by Bandai

Chapter 3: sincere hearts

Takato hadn't slept at all. It wasn't worry like when they had gone to rescue Calumon or when he fought the D-Reaper. This time it was excitement. Going to the digital was still a necessity like the last time but unlike before they weren't going to be attacked every five minutes. 'This might be like a real adventure' the brown haired boy thought as he sluggishly got ready and went to school.

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Across town at a private all girls school a certain red head also had a lot on her mind about the coming trip. Foremost what had happened earlier that morning. If it wasn't bad enough that she caused a misunderstanding by keeping her mouth shut probably making Shin think that she had planned the Q&A session to do something horrible to him with his answers later but the things he had said about Takato had started to sink in and she was finding her thoughts drawn to Takato whenever she'd lose focus, which admittedly was rather often during her classes as most of the teachers were boring or in certain cases completely off topic.

'Honestly how did we get from math to deforestation?' she thought as her mind turned back to the task of restoring Leomon.

'Ok assuming we have all the Tamers minus Ryo and Susie with Shin that brings us up to six. The number of megas would be five not counting Marine Angemon and assuming that Shin and his partner can bio merge and that Beelzemon comes along as well. Five fighters to get across the digital world and six when. No if we have to enter the dark area. We should be good to go…that's assuming we don't have to split up of course. If that happens then knowing Takato' Rika's eyes widened as her face became crimson. 'Did I just call gogglehead Takato? Stupid Shin he'll pay for putting these thoughts in my head!' she thought growling slightly.

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Shin and BT had left intending to just wait out the next few hours away from the other tamers who he was convinced now knew about his family issues and his choice of personal hero. 'Henry might ignore it but Kazu and Kenta would probably make fun of me and I'm certain Rika will. Takato…he might get weird and avoid me or worse protect me as if I'm some kind of kid…this sucks' the boy's thoughts might have continued in such a way if a loud voice hadn't snapped him back to reality. "hey kid you shouldn't be skipping school"

Shin looked up to find a police officer addressing him. "I'm not" the blue eyed boy protested.

"Yeah right. Where do you live kid?" the officer asked annoyed.

Shin shrugged not really knowing how to answer the question. In the end however the cop took him to Takato's school to ask them if any of the teachers knew him.

This would have been just fine as no one knew Shin. Except that while waiting for the cop to finish talking to miss Asagi Takato called out to him and then of course the officer started asking a good number more questions, while the incidents involving Digimon weren't exactly secret hey weren't public knowledge either so Takato just blurted out a lie about Shin being his cousin from out of town, at first the cop didn't want to believe it but then Kazu piped up. "How you been Kai?" he asked giving the black haired tamer his way out.

Shin spun around and vented his current frustrations in one go "My name is Shinjiro Hirokazu ya moron! Kai is from Okinawa, I'm from Osaka! Get it right stupid!"

At this outburst everyone in the class except the tamers actually believed the tall boy was Takato's cousin. Then he turned back on the officer to cement the idea in the cop's brain so that he might leave. "And you! I told you that I wasn't skipping. I don't attend this school. I came here on my break and I'm supposed to be running errands for my aunt and uncle today!"

The officer looked from the kids in the class to Shin and then to Miss Asagi, content that the loud boy wasn't lying he apologised and made his way out of the school.

Shin sighed and not wanting to break character spoke up. "I'll see you back at your place Takato." He smiled at the magenta eyed tamer and turned to leave when miss Asagi stopped him. "I think your aunt and uncle will be alright with you staying here for the moment, you owe me as much for interrupting my class"

Shin sighed again taking an empty seat at the back of class. "Alright…"

Class resumed quickly with little interruption after Shinjiro's introduction except for a small clamour after the assignment for the day was given.

'Maybe Rika didn't tell them after all…I mean why would she? She might have been mad about my teasing but she isn't vindictive…I guess I'll fix this whole thing when I see her later…I wonder. What Renamon was really trying to ask me?' Shin's thoughts were so focused he failed to notice the class had ended. That is until a creature which BT had nicknamed Feltmon invaded the boy's personal with a loud woof.

"Augh!" The blue eyed boy exclaimed falling backward and landing on the floor hard which produced a fit of giggles from his bunny partner. "See! Feltmon, level super mega, Feltmon's attacks are war cry and confusion and Feltmon can mode change to Jerimon." The little dog bunny exclaimed bursting into another round of giggling.

"Very funny you little gremlin maybe I should ask Henry if Susie wants another guest to keep Terriermon company during Tea" Shin remarked picking himself off the floor.

BT flashed a look of horror to his partner "You wouldn't do that to me. I'm awesome!"

Shin grinned. Getting all puffed up was BT's way of asking for Shin to assure him of his claims. Basically asking if he was loved, Shin found his partner's insecurities rather endearing "Yeah of course you are" The blue eyed tamer stated as he rubbed the black bunny's head.

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Rika and Renamon had been waiting for over twenty minutes in front of Guilmon's hut. Of course waiting implies that she made it to the park from across town "Alright Renamon I'll go get them. Kazu probably got detention…that idiot. Stay here with Guilmon" Rika stated hurrying toward the school.

When Rika arrived she found the group being given the once over by Yamaki in person along with a number of the tamers parents though Rika's grand mother and Takato's parents understandably weren't in the small swarm. Currently Yamaki almost seemed to be pulling his hair out dealing with Shin.

"All I'm saying is give us chance to check if the portal is still stable" the black suited man exclaimed.

"Oh sure that's a great idea. Just let you poke and prod the thing to your heart content until YOU say it's safe. Sorry but I don't buy that solution, this is more important then you think and even if you want them to wait I won't. I'm leaving now, you can try to stop me but you'll need more then a bunch of thugs in suits" Shin snapped back as he turned to leave.

"You really think you can do this on your own?" the blonde man shot back.

"I had intended to do it that way in the first place" Shin stated flatly as he whipped out a pair of shades from his pocket and put the red rims on his face. "After all if that chump Ryo can beat a god I should have no problem rescuing a king." Shinjiro had a grin from ear to ear which BT mimicked while resisting the urge to giggle at his tamer's bluff.

"What a load kid" Beelzemon stated as he touched down behind the group. "That might work with humans but I know better. Only reason you wanna go alone is cause youse don't want ta hurt nobody else, it's fine ta think that way kid but what about Jeri? How do you think she'd feel if you got killed trying ta save Leomon huh?" the mega biker asked giving the blue eyed tamer a hard stare.

Shin was stunned. He honestly hadn't considered the idea of losing much less dying when something so important was his task, luckily BT chose that moment to intervene "I said it before and I'll say it again. I NEVER LOSE and every job I take is without failure. Shin won't die as long as I'm around" the dog bunny proclaimed giving a hard look to everyone around daring them to challenge him.

"There you have it. Right from the dog bunny's mouth" Shin stated confidently secretly thankful that his partner chose to help him save face.

Rika saw that Takato was trying to gather his wits for one of those off the hip ideas that would fix everything like he normally did. 'sheesh gogglehead you can fight a world destroying monster like the D-reaper without a second thought but a bunch of adults have you tongue tied?' the red head thought making her presence known by walking up behind Takato and Jeri and throwing an arm around each causing Takato to turn a slight shade of red when he noticed it was her though Rika didn't notice it as she was too busy addressing the crowd of concerned parents.

Scanning the crowd more closely she found that it was made up of Henry's father, both Jeri's mother and father and Kazu's mother. "Alright so what exactly is everyone's problem? We have a job to do; it's no different then the last time with Calumon"

"Well minus the devas or the D-reaper" Kenta piped up.

"That may be so but it's still dangerous and if the portal closes there won't be a way for you to get back" Janyuu stated.

"Yeah unless you count the fact that Ryo comes and goes from the digital world from a portal that isn't the one we're planning on using" Shin countered.

"Then why aren't you going to use that one?" Yamaki asked flicking his lighter closed.

"Ryo has it locked up so Digimon can't come and go freely; he isn't home so no keys no go, that also means he's there in the digital world which just gives us a bigger chance of success" Shin lied having no idea where the legendary tamer was or if he really used another portal.

Yamaki and Janyuu both paused having no way to directly object, Janyuu didn't really want to anyhow as he knew that Henry could take care of himself but Yamaki insisted he be there to explain the facts so that Henry might convince them not to go.

After a moment Jeri's father spoke up. "You're sure you can keep Jeri safe?" the older man asked.

"Now that much I can guarantee Mr. Kato. Between Gallantmon, Sakuyamon, Mega Gargomon and Beelzemon we have the power of a grand army but aside from that I have my own bag of tricks, Kazu and Kenta to back me up and then Ryo when we find him. Plus since Zhuqiaomon stopped freaking out about humans he can help us as well. I promise you that your daughter will come to no harm while with us" Shin's reply was sincere as he looked at the man.

Mr Kato nodded. "Alright. Since that is the case then I have no objections. Stay safe Jeri"

Jeri nodded happily "Of course daddy"

"Well do any of the rest of you want to object?" Shin asked.

The other adults shook there heads. "No but when Janyuu told me that the tamers were planning this I had a new version of the messenger I gave them last time" Yamaki stated handing Takato the new device as he answered the blue eyed tamer.

'He's actually a bigger jerk ass in person. And here I thought that wasn't possible' Shin thought giving a shrug. "Well what about it fearless leader? Shall we get going?" Shinjiro asked cracking a smile having seen the boy's face when Rika got a hold of him.

"Ah yeah right. lets go everybody!" Takato replied shaking off the weird feeling he had when Rika grabbed him. 'What was that feeling just now' Takato wondered thoughtfully as the tamers proceeded to the park both Henry and Shinjiro noting that Rika had yet to let go of Takato.

End of chapter 3…to be continued

Author's note: first I'd like to thank ofdarknesschaos for the first review of this story. second I'd like to know how I'm doing with the story from those reading it. If there is anything you'd like to see ETC.