Haruka: Blah. Here's Chapter 12. I can't believe I haven't updated for ten months. Plenty of reasons why this took a long time to get up but I'll explain later.
Chapter 12: Heaven or Hell
"Do we really have to use the bottle?" Kazu complained. "Can't we just draw names from a hat?" Kenta asked. "Why? So you can have someone to blame if you get stuck in hell?" Rika replied. "Exactly!" the duo chorused. Everyone else just sweat dropped. By now, they were able to figure out the two boys' way of thinking.
"Fine, fine. Let's let them have their way for once, Rika," Jeri decided, leaving the room to get a few sheets of paper and a pen. Returning, she ripped one sheet of paper into eight pieces. "Oh, wait a second. Is Suzie playing?" Henry poked his head into his and his sister's shared room, "Nope." She proceeded to write their names on the slips of uneven papers.
"What are the other sheets for?" Rika asked, motioning to the pieces by Jeri's foot. "Well, there's no way we'll let Ryo win the argument. It has to be either 'heaven' or 'hell.' So while we're on the subject, the modified rules of the game. If your name is picked, you're in there with the other person who's picked, obviously. If you refuse and, or, chicken out, everyone else will be given the right to torture you for the rest of the vacation or longer. If you end up with someone of the same gender...uh...too bad." The normally pleasant girl smirked at her last remark, then continued her explanation.
"And after whatever happens in the closet, you have to write 'heaven' or 'hell' on a piece of scrap, honestly. Then fold that up and put it in the plastic cup which I haven't gotten yet." "Why a cup?" Kenta asked. Everyone sighed, including Kazu, dismissing the question and allowing Jeri to continue.
"Oh, also, you can end up going more than once. That should be it, right? I'll go get that cup...someone get a hat or basket or something...another pen would be nice, too...Ah, and when writing your opinion, go to the corner or something because the point is to keep it anonymous and we can sort of read the motions." "Won't you be able to figure out whose is who by their handwriting?" Rika wondered, stating the obvious. "Renamon can count it then," Jeri decided happily. "...Why Renamon?" "Because she can keep quiet. You should know that; you're her tamer."
"Gah, let's just get this over with already," Rika groaned. "Okay, okay, okay. We're ready. Who wants to do the picking?" Jeri asked. "Why don't you? You already have the hat in your hands," the redhead suggested. "'Kay."
"And the first name is..." Jeri unfolded the slip of paper and smirked, "Haha, well aren't you the lucky one, Rika?" Rika glared at her friend, "You rigged it, didn't you?" "Why would I? If I did, you'd kill me." There was silence. "She has a point..." Takato said slowly. "Just pick the second name already." Jeri did as she was told, "Oh crap."
(A/N: And I could end it right there xP...but I won't.)
The girl began to adjust her watch, setting the timer for seven minutes. Guilmon cocked his head to the side curiously, looking over Jeri's shoulder. "Um, Takato, Henry, shove Rika in the closet, please." Jeri then turned to Alice and whispered in the blonde's ear. She only nodded in response. Standing up, the girl dragged one of the remaining males up and shoved him in the closet with Rika, shutting the door behind him. "Try not to get killed, Kazu," Henry advised as Jeri started the timer.
(A/N: YOU THOUGHT IT WAS RYO, DIDN'T YOU?)
"Kazu?!?!?" Rika shrieked, hearing Henry's last remark before she was deprived of light. The poor boy in the closet was currently hiding in the corner and plugging his ears, trying not to go deaf. Catching her breath, the girl sat down on the floor, "This is going to be a long seven minutes, isn't it?" Kazu said nothing. "ANSWER ME DAMMIT!" Everyone who was not locked in a dark and small closet raised an eyebrow at the sound.
"Yes..." he mumbled. Rika pulled out her cell and looked at the time, the device illuminating the room for a few moments. "Ugh, there's still over six minutes left. Help pass the time, would you." The last was said more as a statement than a request or question.
"So...um...do you like Ryo?" he tried. Rika glared at him and although he couldn't see it, he could feel the mood in the atmosphere drop. The girl's fist connected with the wall, barely missing Kazu's head, though that hadn't been what she intended. The other Tamers thanked god that they weren't in Kazu's place while wondering what he could've said that made Rika so angry. Of all questions he could've asked, he just had to pick that one. The common sense portion of his brain was probably injured and currently dysfunctional.
"I take that as a 'no.'" "What about you, then? Like anyone? Suzie? Alice?" "What the hell? I'm not a pedofile! Henry would kill me either way, anyway. I can't like Jeri even if I wanted to because of Takato and I got over you after I met you. So if I liked anyone, you probably wouldn't know who she is. It doesn't matter, really." Rika disregarded his comment about her, knowing fully that his crush on her was only because she'd been the Digimon Queen. "What about Kenta then?" she smirked. "I'M NOT GAY EITHER!"
"They're not doing anything," Henry stated plainly, "And Kazu's still alive."
"Would you call this 'heaven' or 'hell?' Because this is rather amusing," Rika commented. "Of course I would put 'hell.' You're killing me here!" "Oh, and liking Suzie wouldn't make you a pedofile. Last I checked, she wasn't twenty years younger than you."
(A/N: I forgot how old I made her...eh...let's just say she's like...seven or eight...so six year difference isn't that bad :D.)
"Okay, time's up," Jeri got up and opened the door, "Go write down 'heaven' or 'hell' while I pick the next pair. Glad to see you're not dead or crippled, Kazu."
True to his word, Kazu scribbled 'hell' across the slip, crumpled it up, and tossed it in the cup. Rika, deciding that she didn't get the maximum amount of amusement out of the situation also wrote the same.
"Kenta...and..." Jeri winced, "Me." Takato shot a warning glare at his friend who gulped. "Lady Luck's not with us today, is she?" Ryo said, laughing. "All right, in you go...and give me your watch," Rika said, shoving the two in and closing the door.
"Blah, another boring pair," Alice whined, pulling a manga out of her bag. She flipped to where her bookmark was and began to read. Rika glanced at the cover, "I'm still ahead of you." "Yeah, I know. Haven't had time lately," she said before resuming.
"Seven minutes isn't that long. We'll survive. Kazu did so there's no doubt about it," Jeri said, rather optimistically. "Wake me up when it's time then," Kenta requested, trying to fall asleep.
(A/N: Are you bored yet? Because I am xD. It'll get better...I hope. Doing this makes it more realistic because seriously, getting exactly who you want the first time isn't likely. I should actually start drawing names out of a hat...think of the possibilities!)
"How much time is left?" Takato asked. "Four minutes and twenty-six seconds..." Rika replied, reading the watch, "Twenty-five, twenty-four, twenty-three..." "Gah, stop that. It makes it feel even longer," the boy groaned.
"So I was wrong. Let's go watch TV or something," Terriermon said, jumping off Guilmon's head and walking into the living room.
"Jealous?" Rika asked, poking Takato for his attention. "No! Of course not...what's there to be jealous of? I trust Jeri..." "Heh. That's good to know," she replied, smiling for once.
"Ri-ka-! I'm bo-red," Ryo whined, resting his head on her shoulder. Rika sighed, "Grow up, Akiyama." "Stop paying so much attention to Takato. Have you been cheating on me?" he continued to whine...before bursting out in laughter. She pushed his head, removing it from her shoulder. Deciding to entertain herself and play along, she replied, "Yeah. And Jeri's not depressed and crying because she hasn't found out yet." "Uh..eh...heh...Rika...don't do that. It's scary," Takato said, waving his arms in front of her. Ryo pouted and tried to force tears out...which wasn't exactly hard, mind you, considering how hard he was laughing. Of course, that meant that his puppy dog face failed since it's sort of hard to laugh out loud while pouting.
Rika moved in front of Takato as if she were going to kiss him, causing Ryo to stop laughing. "Okay. THAT is going too far," he said, walking over and pulling the girl away from Takato. Alice looked up from her book. "Now Ryo's the jealous one," she commented before continuing to read.
"Psh. As if. Overreact much? Honestly, Ryo," Rika sighed.
"Oh, yeah. Are the seven minutes up yet?" Takato asked.
"Um," Rika mumbled, looking down at the wristwatch, "Whoops. It's already been ten."
"But it didn't beep yet..."
"It probably did, but Akiyama here makes so much noise, it's no wonder we didn't hear it."
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" Ryo whined.
"It means that you're noisy."
"Oh...HEY! I AM NOT NOISY!"
"There. I've proved my point."
"You tricked me," Ryo pouted.
"Did I? Oh, Takato, you might want to get Jeri out before they run out of air in there."
"What?!?" the goggle-headed boy rushed to the closet door and opened it. Jeri looked up and blinked, shielding her eyes with her hand from the bright light. Kenta stood up and walked out, ducking under Takato's arm as it was still holding the door.
"Are you okay?"
"Sure...why? It's just a closet, Takato, and closets can't hurt people."
"Oh, well, of course. I know that. I mean, it's just an ordinary closet...which can't hurt people."
-In an alternate universe...
"AHHHH. TAKATO! COME SAVE ME! THE CLOSET'S TRYING TO EAT ME!"
"Don't worry, Jeri. I'm coming!"
...okay. That was lame. Back to reality...er...the Tamers' dimension now.-
Rika walked over to the closet and shoved Takato in, closing the door behind him, and causing the boy to fall on Jeri. "Have fun in there, you two. Things should get a bit more interesting now."
Takato blinked, trying to adjust to the lack of light.
I'm going to kill her later...oh, but wait, this is a good thing...I didn't have to rely on luck...I'll end up dead anyway if I try to kill Rika...because...it's Rika...and she's evil...
"Um...Takato...sorry to interrupt your inner dispute, but could you get off? You're sort of heavy..."
"Oh, uh, sorry about that," he replied, before pushing himself up off the ground.
They retreated to separate corners of the closet, blushing madly.
"So...when do you think they'll let us out?" Jeri asked, eager for a conversation. After all, she hadn't talked to anyone for the past ten minutes; Kenta had taken a little nap.
"In seven minutes, I guess. That's how the game goes, anyway."
"Yeah...probably."
Awkward silence.
"So..."
"So..."
"You know I care about you...a lot...right, Jeri?"
"Yeah..."
"So...um...will you go out with me?"
"Oh...I'm sorry, Takato, but I'm already going out with Kazu..."
"..."
"..."
"NOOOOOO!"
"Um...Takato? What's wrong?" Jeri asked as she shook the boy gently to wake him up. He didn't stir.
"OH MY GOD. HE'S DEAD!" She stood up and attempted to open the closet door, shaking the door knob furiously, but her efforts were in vain. She passed out after that.
--
"This is so much more fun than sitting around doing nothing," Rika declared as she made her fighter send a kick at Alice's.
"I know right," the blonde girl replied as she sent a punch at Rika.
"Takato and Jeri should join us. They're really missing out," Rika said as she continued playing the video game.
"Speaking of which, where are those two anyway?" Alice responded, not really giving much thought to the question...or her answer.
There was a long, long silence.
"Oh, crap."
Haruka: Ahahas, so that was stupid, but at least I updated! Yeah, so reason for lack of updates...no time, no motivation, and writer's block just about sums it all up. Yup. Well, there was plenty of motivation from the reviews, and every single time someone reviewed I'd try to update a little bit...what? I SWEAR. I did, honestly. I'd type a paragraph or half a page or so and then stop again. Ever the procrastinator. Yeah, so I have no idea where the story is going to go now. Stupid plotless thing. Feel free to give me some ideas!