Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon...but I would like to

Three hours had passed and Onee-chan, Sis, Renamon and I were on our way to the school to get me registered for classes. Of course Sis had to be in her human form which mildly bothered her as she just starting to get used to being a Renamon. She had learned how to use her Diamond Storm and Power Paw attacks well and while not extremely powerful yet with more practice they would be. Flight lessons were didn't go quite as well, I suppose being able to fly without having wings is a little unnerving at first…not that I would know. However when the planned hour was up she had at least managed to get the basics down and she could always practice later. Despite the fact that we were walking the press kept a large distance from us, guess that's to be expected since I crushed one of their cameras like an aluminum can earlier. When we got to the school we ran into Henry and Terriermon, who were also being followed by members of the press who scatter when they saw me.

"Should I even ask?" Henry said to me

"Brother crushed one of their cameras earlier when they wouldn't leave us alone." Sis said

"Rika, aren't you an only child?"

"Sort of," she hesitated "Later Sis, we can tell him later." I said putting a hand on her shoulder

Henry just shook it off and followed us inside the school with the press trailing a good thirty feet behind him. The building was huge but I guess that's to be expected of Japanese high school or any high school for that matter. We went into the main office and began the process of registering me for the school and classes, despite it being almost time for school year to begin a substantial sum of money in the right place can work wonders. I was registered at the school and put in all the right classes in a matter of minutes; I would be sharing a homeroom with the other Tamers. I would have Sis in most of my classes and the few that I didn't I had one of the other Tamers, I was glad to see that in addition to homeroom we also shared our last as well, hooray for Personal Fitness. As we made our way back outside everyone, with exception of Henry, began feeling the prickling on the backs of our necks indicating the formation of a digital field. The press immediately backed up about ten feet farther from where we were and Henry's cell phone rang.

"Yeah we know that a Digimon is bioemerging because the field is right in front of us…Rika? She's right here with me…I'll ask her. Hey Rika did you leave your cell at home." Sis nodded she was to focused on the field to do anything else "She said yes…Mega? Are you sure? Alright, alright, we'll be careful."

When the outline of the Mega in question finally appeared I groaned. "Crusadermon, what are you doing here? Are your feelings for me so strong that ya'll didn't get the message when I pummeled Magnamon. I have no intention of returning."

She gave a shill girly laugh "It's only because we sent Magnmon that you said no, Omnimon thought I might have better luck. I really hope you don't make me have to harm that pretty face of yours to get you to cooperate. But if I have to I will, I just hope that whatever has happened to you can be reversed."

She stepped through what little was left of the fog and grimaced. "If it's not then I'll be very upset."

"Then you're really gonna hate this." I put my arms out to my sides and shifted to my Alt-form, and since the press was there I decided to be a bit…showy. I let my right arm become encased in ice before bent my elbow and brought it forward shattering the ice to reveal the brassard beneath. My left arm mimicked my right except it became the color of stone and when I brought it forward glowing cracks appeared all over it. My wings shot out in much the same manner as when Greymon becomes MetalGreymon. As my mask formed my feet became black and hoof like while my shirt became brown fur. I quickly pulled my mask down, as long as I had one body it functioned a means of protection. This got a frustrated snarl out of her. I felt bad about what I was about to do.

"Look what you've done to yourself, while as a human you weren't really cute it was still better than the way you look now! But, since you've taken on a more battle ready appearance I suppose I have no choice but to fight you." she went into a fighting stance

"Everyone stay back, Sis, no matter how bad it looks do not interfere. Onee-chan if I get beaten I'm counting on you to finish this." They all nodded in response.

"Sis? So you're a human with a family. I may be a Royal Knight but I'm not above hitting low to get what I want."

She lunged forward grasping for Sis but all she got was air as Sis phased out. Crusadermon's brief moment of shock was all the opening I needed. I took flight, ripping apart the ground I had been standing on as I did so, I flew past her and grabbed a hold of one of her sash blades. I flew straight up breaking the sound barrier. After a good 500 feet of vertical flight I spun and threw her into the air, before she started falling she managed to recover. She couldn't fly but since she was dropping straight at me so it didn't really matter. She closed the gap quickly and brought her shield forward to hit me. Acting on instinct I put my hands together and felt pressure beginning to build up.

"Have you forgotten? My armor is made from Chrome Digizoid. You won't be able to scratch it!"

I brought my hands forward and opened them "Shatter Blast." I said instinctively. It wasn't until the reporters let me see the news footage afterwards that I would realize what happened. From my perspective all I saw was Crusadermon's shield and part of her armor well…shatter, from whatever it was I had done. I knew I wasn't strong enough to delete her but it seems my hit had been strong enough to make her digivolve back into her Kotemon form which had rink instead of blue on its armor. What the cameras showed was looked like a very violent but directed shockwave hitting her. I managed to catch her about a hundred feet off the ground luckily she was unconscious, well for me anyway. When I landed I handed her to Onee-chan and realized that my hands really hurt, for something as strong as that a little pain was a great price. The price left quickly since they had gathered some great footage for later, I changed out of my Alt-form and was immediately embraced in tight hug from Sis.

"I'm so glad you're alright Brother. What you did was pretty cool." She said releasing me from the bone crushing hug

"Is this the same Rika that we've been getting pushed around by for the past five years? Terriermon asked

"Terriermon!"
"Momentai, Henry considering how she's acting I think it's a legitimate question."

"Since the press is gone I guess we can fill him in on the details, but first both of you have to swear you won't tell anyone about it." The both muttered in agreement "Sis is now a Gatekeeper like me, and Gatekeepers form a family of brothers and sisters. The first of the Gatekeepers to discover their powers is the eldest sibling. Sis and I discovered our powers at about the same time so we're more like twins."

"Does she have an Alt-form to?"

"Yes I do but I'll show that to you when I show and tell everyone else on Monday."

"In the meantime what do we do with her?" Sis indicated Kotemon

"We keep her. She'll talk given enough time and with the right…incentive." I said as I felt Kudamon appear around my neck

We parted ways at the school gate Henry going home and us heading off for a snack. We were sitting in an expensive restaurant when Kotemon began to wake up. We didn't really pay any attention to her, except to make sure that she didn't try to run away. Not that that was hard with Kudamon and I separate, she was practically smothering me but I'd have to deal with it. I managed to convince her to eat something because I knew she would be hungry. Sure enough she ended up eating almost as much food as me, and I was feeding to mouths. When we finally left it was 1:30 in the afternoon, I quickly ducked into an alley and Kudamon and I went back to having one body and I changed into Kudamon and Kotemon proceeded to stick to me like glue.

"You realize you're trembling right?" I said and well because she was

"Y-yeah, it's just…" she hesitated "this place is so strange, I'm a little scared by all of it."

Behind me I heard Sis talking to Onee-chan "What's with Brother, are they together or something?"

"No, but Kotemon has always been in love with Oto-chan. He used to act like a little boy afraid of those…what are they called again?"
"I think the word you're looking for is 'cooties'" I said smirking

"Well since you're actually willing to let me get close to you now, I guess what you did isn't all bad."

Kotemon said resting her head on my shoulder. I could feel myself blushing under my fur, thank God for the fur. We made idle conversation as we walked around the city occasionally running into other Digimon Tamers. We showed Kotemon important sites like Hypnos and Shinjuku Park, better known as The Park. It took a few hours before I got around to asking it but I finally did.

"Hey Kotemon?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you…do you want to stay here, in the Real World…with us?"

"You don't have to answer right away. Take your time, but if you want to…" I trailed off; it was obvious to anyone that I was really asking if she wanted to stay with me.
"Yes, I think that would be for the best. I did't plan on ever really return to The Guardians, not as I am, and if I ever did become Crusadermon again I wouldon't." She said holding my arm tighter "Things have changed so much since you left. Being there doesn't feel right anymore."

I wrapped my tail around her "It's alright; if you're going to be staying here then we need to get you registered in the Hypnos databanks so you don't have any trouble with Tamers trying to fight you."

We made our way back to the Hypnos building through the park, I heard people whispering as we went past them. I just tuned them out, they were unimportant right now. I knew that what Kotemon had for me was more than a crush; it was true love and knew that I felt the same way about her. Whether these were feelings were originally mine or Kudamon's didn't matter, because I loved her and I knew she loved me. We went inside the Hypnos building and Sis led us straight to the elevator which we took to one of the upper floors. We the office of one Mitsuo Yamaki, the director of operations for Hypnos, The Tamers were on good terms with Yamaki and he was always willing to do them a favor or two if they asked. When we entered his office he was typing away at his computer, probably finishing a report or something, but he looked up when he heard the door close.

"Ah Ms. Nonaka good it's good to see you again." He said getting up and walking over to shake Sis's hand. "I see you've brought some friends with you. Let me guess they need registering and you want me to expedite the process?"

"That's right. This is Dianamon, Kotemon, and Alex."

"Alex huh, since when do Digimon have names?"

"It's a long story, I'll tell you about it after we get everything squared away."

"Fair enough, and Rika what do you mean by registering yourself." "You'll find out soon enough."

He shrugged it off for now and pressed the intercom button on his phone "Riley can you send Calumon in here with a portable Registration unit?"

There was a pause "He's on his way in, he's also bringing you the latest statistics and he insisted on bringing you a snack." "A snack really?" he said dejectedly

Then the door flew open and Calumon flew inside carrying a large tray "Yes a snack. You play so much that you forget to eat sometimes, and if you don't eat you'll be too tired to play." He said simply

"You know I'm still surprised we're able to keep you here at all."

"There's always lots of fun stuff to do here!"
"Besides didn't you say it was better for everyone's morale if someone who's always fun and happy is around?" Sis asked

"That's beside the point, I would've thought by now that he'd have left to go find another place to play."

"And miss out on all the fun and free snacks? No way!" Calumon said munching on a sweet roll.

I examined the registration unit closely, it looked a lot like the scanner those J.A.V.A members had used on me. "Let me explain how this device works." Yamaki said picking it up "Fundamentally all Digimon of the same species share the same source code. That's why they can be identified by a D-Power or similar simple scan device. What this does is a deeper scan which identifies pieces of coding unique to the individual and then records them in the database. This allows us to keep track of their whereabouts and when they are coming or going from the Digital World. The process is very simple you just stand still for about a minute while I scan you and then you're done. So who's going first?"

I volunteered and after convincing Kotemon to let go for a little Yamaki began scanning me. I proceeded to fill him in on most of the stuff that had happened so far as he scanned me, Onee-chan, and Kotemon. When I got to the part about Sis becoming a Gatekeeper she took over. When she finished getting him up to date I noticed that he looked very skeptical. So to prove it to the nonbeliever Sis and I both change right in front of him. Sis and I broke down laughing at the look on his face, it was just too much, I so wish we had a camera to capture it. He then proceeded to scan Sis so the systems wouldn't get confused, I heard him muttering something about there always being a new change or something.

"So do you want me to make this information public for you?"

"No, we're just going to tell the other Tamers on Monday." I said quickly

"I see." He said slowly "Well if there's anything else you need help with later then just let me know."

"We will."

With that taken care of we left Hypnos and went back to Sis's house. When we got there Kotemon was introduced to Seiko who seemed happy to have the large mansion filling with people. I could tell that she instantly knew how Kotemon and I felt about each other but fortunately she didn't say anything about it. I could also tell that Kotemon was confused as to why Seiko was being so nice to her after all she hadn't done anything to deserve her kindness. It took me a few minutes but I finally managed to think up a good way of explaining it to her.

"Ms Seiko is Sis's grandmother and people who make Sis happy are always welcomed by her. This is where I've been staying since I got to Shinjuku and where you'll be staying now as well." "Okay."

I looked at the clock and saw that it was almost four. We sat around for the next two hours and talked about everything that had happened over the course of the day because none of us really felt like going back out to do anything. After dinner we all relaxed in the family room, Sis was lounging around in her Alt-form enjoying its enhanced senses by listening to music from her CD player. Renamon and Onee-chan were talking about something or other in hushed voices. It was around 7 o'clock and I was about to go to bed when Kotemon tugged on my sleeve.

"Umm…there's…there's something I need to talk to you about." I gave her an odd look "It's not about that!"She quickly said "It's about The Guardians. When Omnimon sent me out he said…he said to bring you back or keep you occupied for as long as possible. I don't really know what he meant but when I was leaving I also heard him say something about people crossing The Gate and Daemon. Even if he Omnimon hadn't sent me out to get you whatever I did would have been my last mission before I left on my own to try and be with you."

I nodded remembering my conversation with Hikari in the Dark World. "Don't worry about it. Whatever it is, we'll deal with it when the time comes. Now why don't you get some sleep?"
"Weren't you going"
"I was but not now. I need some time alone to think about this new…development."

She simply shook her head and muttered something about men and being macho. I rolled my eyes as headed for the front door, I made sure to tell Onee-chan that I was going out for some…"air". She told me to be careful and not stay out to late or she'd skin me alive, a threat I knew full well she could carry out. Once I was outside I was hit with a sudden urge, an urge not to be in my human or Atl-form. I tried being Kudamon but that didn't seem to work either. I thought for a moment before reaching deep down for a power I literally hadn't used in years and let it wash over me. I knew what I had become and quickly left the house, I didn't want to draw any spirits there whether human or otherwise.

I had heard of Daemon before from Onee-chan, all she had told me about him was that he had great and terrible power. I later on I learned that he had strangely vanished from the Digital World but thought nothing of it. I could not for the life of me figure out what sort of connection he had to The Gate. The news about people crossing through The Gate was somewhat more troubling to me. If the Digidestined were indeed travelling through The Gate then there had to be a reason. After walking around for over an hour I realized nobody was panicking, then I remembered that in this form people can only see me if I let them. I was glad that no one could see me; a giant black dog that looks worried would probably freak people out, especially one like me that uses crosswalks.

"Penny for your thoughts." I looked around for the source of the voice and saw a man dressed in a blue martial arts outfit amongst the crowd of people looking at me from the corner of his eye. I did a the canine equivalent of a "who me" expression and received a short but affirmative nod.

"You're either gifted, a spirit, or unlucky if you can see me like this."

He shrugged "Who knows, but you are very far from home aren't you."

"In a manner of speaking."
"To me it's plain to see that you consider where ever your friends are to be home. Why don't we take a walk?"

I shrugged as best as I could and indicated for him to lead on. To me it was strange almost surreal to be following around a complete stranger whilst appearing as a Cù Sìth. We slowly made our way to a dojo and went inside where he was greeted by his wife, how surprised me by saying hello to me as well. We went into the main room and I lay down while he sat down and his wife brought us some tea. He sipped his whilst I lay there thinking, I could always get up and leave…but maybe…maybe this man could help me.

"I don't know what to do." I paused for a few moments "Very soon I may have to fight against some very good people. If I don't fight I'll be dragged back to where I was before and I don't want to go back. I've made that clear already, I told them when I left and I told them again after they sent someone to get me. Then they sent someone I love and who loves me to try and bring me back. I had to fight her, but she forgave me. She said she didn't want to go back and that she had been planning on leaving. The she told me that…people who probably shouldn't be coming here are and that a powerful evil is stirring again. Even with all that I still don't know what those good people want me for." I sighed "I doubt any of this makes sense to you but, I'm grateful that you listened." I started to get up but he motioned for me to stay as he finished his tea.

"It seems that all of this stems from the fact that you really don't know if these 'good' people are actually good and why they need you around. You should ask them why they need you and why you have to return to whatever this 'place' is that you don't wish to return to."

"I would like to thank you again for listening." I felt my power receding as my body became human again. That was the main problem with being a Cù Sìth I couldn't control when I would change back. Fortunately for me the man didn't seem too surprised by it. I picked the cup of tea that had been set out for me earlier and quickly drank. I thanked him and turned to leave.

"Tell Henry that his Sensei says hello would you?"
"Sure thing…Sensei."
I shifted to my Alt-form and took off for home not even bothering to try and be stealthy. I fly straight over the main roads and I could hear people yelling about me. Kudamon separated out from me and road in between my wings as we fly. I caught a quick glimpse of one of the jumbotrons displaying live news feed complete with the time. I fly closer so I could read it and noticed that the subject of the live camera broadcast was me that's when I saw the time.

"10:30…"
"Hey didn't we leave around 7?" I flew away with all haste being careful not go supersonic "Onee-chan's gonna kill us."
"She-she wouldn't really would she?"
"I guess we'll find out."

I knew ditching the news crews while flying just under the speed of sound would be easy. That is if I didn't have to worry about hit buildings, birds, helicopters…well anything tall or airborne. It took almost twenty minutes for me to shake off all but one luckily I managed to "talk" them into leaving. I finally made it back and I was not looking forward to go inside, let alone hearing what everyone thought about me being so out in the open. Kudamon turned into light and vanished into my body so I could be him and hopefully slid all the way to my room unnoticed. Let's just say the hope died in the foyer where Ms Rumiko was waiting for us with a kitchen knife in hand and looking furious…my guess, Renamon was no longer the object of her hatred. I was.

She chased me out of the foyer and into the yard trying to grab a hold of me. Apparently Onee-chan had gone to bed already and I knew Kotemon, Sis, and Renamon were already asleep. I shifted back into a human and Kudamon separated from me going in a different direction. We were hoping to confuse her so at least one of us could make inside and wake someone or something. It didn't work to well; she went after Kudamon who isn't nearly as fast as an angry human. I quickly pulled out my wallet and D-Power as I pulled out Bro's Digivolution card.

"DigiModify…Digivolution Activate!"

"Kudamon Digivolve to!...Reppamon!"

"That's enough of this I won't let you chase him or I around until the ass crack of dawn!" I said

"Protecting him from you will be easy, you have a knife but I have a sword." Reppamon said brandishing his tail.

"You took her from me! You turned her into that-that THING!"
"We didn't do anything! She probably would have changed on her own in another year or two anyway. How do think she would feel if her change happened like mine? Huh? When I changed for the first time it wasn't into a Digimon, hell I didn't even meet Kudamon until about a month ago. No it was into a mythological creature. A Cù Sìth, a Fairy Dog. When it happened to me I was in a foreign country, I was on vacation, and I was completely alone! I had no one to help me cope with it. I was seeing and talking to spirits meaning both dead people and other supernatural entities. And unlike Sis I still don't have control over that form, I can only use it when it wants me to and I only change back when it forces me to. Is that what you would have preferred her change to be like?"

"She-I…but…" I could tell by looking at her that she knew, and I mean really knew, that she had crossed the line with me.
"Sis is lucky her only Alt-form is based on her Digimon partner. Someone she was so close to that she considered her to be her mother. As a direct result of Sis's Alt-form being based on Renamon she now can call her mother and have it feel right. When Kudamon was merged with me, my mother abandoned me. She didn't know about what had happened to me fours ago but I'm sure if she did she would have abandoned me sooner. My advice to you MS RUMIKO is that you take some time off of work and go on vacation somewhere; I hear Hawaii is nice year round so you could start there. Now I'm going inside to get some sleep because it's almost 11 o'clock and I don't want Onee-chan to kill me for not getting any sleep."

Reppamon turned into light as he merged with me and I went inside still feeling a little angry. I raided the fridge for a quick snack as I made my way to my room. I shook of my shoes and slipped on a pair of gym shorts and a large t-shirt. I looked at my scar covered right arm and sighed, I really shouldn't have blown up at Ms Rumiko but enough was enough. I climbed under the covers of my futon and realized just how tired I was as I quickly began falling asleep. Tomorrow was another day, hopefully I might get some answers, and hopefully my day wouldn't be as busy.

Hope ya'll liked it

Later ^^;