Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. I only own the original characters as well as the plot contained herein.

Chapter 5: day two, a little closer

The group had woken somewhere near ten though it was hard to tell in the digital world since for some reason everyone's watches had given out and stopped working. "Ok so maybe I'm off base here but this kinda seems like a trap" Kazu commented as he shook his wrist futilely trying to get his watch to work.

"Don't stupid Kazu it's just a coincidence, besides my cell doesn't work here either you wanna call that an evil plot?" Rika snapped.

"Kazu is right. Question is who and why…rather then if…" Shin said to himself not realizing that he had spoken aloud. "Of course even with my knowledge I mean Apocalymon is strong enough but Omnimon has him held up so he's out and Devimon would but doesn't have near the power…plus he's dead…" Shin stopped in his tracks turning a very pale shade as his eyes widened.

The tamers had heard him and stopped to hear what he had to say and were now curious of the blue eyed tamers negative reaction. "Well if you have an idea why don't you tell us about it" Jeri started snapping Shinjiro back to reality.

"Er what? Oh I guess I was thinking aloud again…well uh I just thought that millenniummon could be behind this…but it's kinda silly cause Ryo beat him and then he got merged with Monodramon so there's no way it could be him" Shin voiced cracked and he paused and looked to the ground before continuing. "Well unless Ryo got killed or something" his statement ended with a deep frown crossing his face. The blue eyed boy may not have been a fan of the legendary tamer but certainly didn't want to see him dead.

"Mr Perfect can take care of himself, I'm not worried" Rika interjected before Kazu or Kenta could go into fan boy mode.

"geez. Queen to knight four or put the king in check one or the other but pick one because you'll be disqualified. matches have rules you know" BT giggled confusing everyone save for Henry, Rika and his own tamer, the last of whom chuckled.

"Stupid rabbitmon!" Rika huffed and started back on the journey.

The group quick reformed and continued the journey with Shin in the back silently working on the problem at hand. Henry and Terriermon slowed up to match his pace and the blue haired tamer piped up bring his own question to light. "Who's millenniummon?"

Shin turned and looked at Henry oddly and then blinked remembering who he was taking to you "god damn it. Ok lets see if I can explain this right…um Millenniummon is a dark digital god like Megidramon. However unlike Megidramon who reigns over the forces of chaos millenniummon is pure evil and has power over time, space and dimensions…Ryo eventual defeated him with the help of Veemon who somehow avoided capture, the two freed the original seven…er eight Digidestined and sealed millenniummon with the help of the sovereign. Later he got free again and Ryo obtained Monodramon from ENIAC in order to defeat zeed millenniummon and…no wait that's wrong but then…guys we have a big problem!"

The group turned to face him awaiting Shin to explain. Shin licked his lips taking a breath. "Ok so Ryo defeated millenniummon in each one of his forms but he originally existed in the universe of the first TV season but over the course of events he came here to this one. It wouldn't be such a big deal except Ryo is a direct analog to millenniummon, neither can die if the other still lives and both exist in every universe at the same time. Ryo in the real world and millenniummon in the digital one. This means that if he came from one universe to another then the Ryo that was here would have to be killed or replaced; in that case the displaced Ryo could be called forth by millenniummon to fight alongside him and with the Ryo from this universe being stuck in limbo or wherever I'm sure he'd help millenniummon get and try and get revenge for never being able to be a tamer or something like that…I think were screwed guys" Shinjiro sighed heavily frowning as his eyes seemed to lose their light.

An arm came to rest on his shoulder and looking up the boy found Justimon looking at him. "good theory but you missed that when Monodramon became one with millenniummon he and I stopped being everywhere. By your speech you come from another reality with a digital world just like ENIAC told me about when I received Monodramon." The fused warrior stated splitting into Ryo and cyberdramon. "you already know who I am so who are you?"

Rika twitched, Kazu and Kenta lit up and Shin seemed to regain his colour. "Shinjiro Atsuki Mihama. I'm not a fan but I'm glad to be wrong" the blue eyed tamer stated looking at the so called legend.

Ryo looked around at the group spotting Kazu and Kenta and groaning inwardly. "Good. Now would someone tell what you're all doing back here?" the brown haired boy asked eying Takato and Rika.

"We've come back to get Leomon back" Rika answered flatly.

"huh? How? I thought his data had been absorbed" Ryo asked slightly confused.

"Ask Shin dere" Beelzemon stated pointing back to Shinjiro.

Shin shrugged. "Fine here's the short version. Our resident demon has half the data and Jeri's Digivice has the other. We just need to get to primary village in the east quadrant to unite all the data. Before you go leaping away mister legend I'd like to remind you that those people won't recognise you if you're Justimon because they have no clue what bio merging is and we aren't likely to run into any one of them any how"

The group looked on confused, Ryo twitched "Yeah ok fine but if they start something then I'm gone…I'm not dealing with their bull spit"

"Deal. Alright well at least we're better of then we were a minute ago" Shin stated leaving the group with questions as he and Ryo took point with Lopmon.

Rika made a mental note to ask the idiot and Shin about it later finding herself at the rear of the group alongside Takato. Glancing over she turned red slightly as she found he was glancing at her, when he realized he'd been caught his eyes darted away and he started to whistle slightly as if to cover it up. 'cute Takato and just how is whistling going to make me think you weren't looking?' Rika thought blinking for a second afterward 'wait did I just use the word cute? Gogglehead is not cute, just look at him. His hair is a mess, he's awkward, clumsy, he can't focus for more then a minute and to top it all off he always has that stupid grin plaster on his face' Rika's train of thought derailed rather quickly as she noticed Takato was looking at her with a slight frown.

"What's the matter gogglehead?" Rika asked cocking an eye brow.

"Uh you didn't answer when a asked before. Is something wrong Rika?" Takato replied sheepishly.

Rika turned a slight pink. "N-nothing just thinking…anyway what was your first question?"

"uh well I…I sort of have this weird feeling that we might have to split up and if I'm right about it would you mind coming along with me?" Takato asked again.

Rika blinked in surprise. "Uh why me?" she asked dumb founded.

Takato was caught off guard and scrambled to find an excuse. "Uh well because we can't Digivolve past champion and while Growlmon is powerful he's also slow and awkward and I thought Kyubimon could balance it out…plus with Ryo here I feel out of place"

'kinda like you Takato' she thought smiling subconsciously his remark. "Sure gogglehead just don't be too slow or we'll leave you behind"

"Don't worry Rika you can't get rid of me that easily" Takato replied smiling back.

"Don't I know it" she stated absently with a laugh causing Takato to begin laughing. After awhile their laughter died away and they continued silently watching the horizon both think about what would happen if they really had to split up.

End of chapter 5 to be continued.