DISCLAIMER: I do not own Digimon, but I do own the plot, and DRAGOON.

Digimon Continuity

Quest for the Digimon

Chapter 3

Ryo's Spying?

:. Real World - Japan, Tokyo, Shinjuku

01:26 PM JST

"All right, Takato." Yamaki continued to lead the way back to the Tokyo Metropolitan Towers, or better known to Takato as Hypnos Towers.

Takato felt extremely uncomfortable about this, such that he was sure it was written all over his face. Still, he sincerely hoped that he was doing the right thing. He was never one to keep secrets from his friends, that included Guilmon. No matter how hard I try, I'm not able to keep secrets. Even worse, I actually want to reveal this 'secret'. Takato felt the sudden urge to reach for his phone and call Henry. However, he resisted the impulse, reasoning with himself. I just listen to what Yamaki and Henry's dad have got to say, then I'll decide...Besides, Yamaki has my phone, so I can't do anything about it. He had no doubt Yamaki would be triumphant in a fight for the electronic object.

They were passing through the streets now, the twin towers dead ahead.

:. Real World - Japan, Tokyo, Shinjuku
Nonaka Residence

01:24 PM JST

Ryo was about to set to work when he heard a voice.

Definitely not Rika's...

It took a few seconds before his brain finally clicked. That voice... sweet, caring... Jeri. He finally concluded. God. I'm starting to sound like Takato on a love faze. Must be all the influence... That Takato, still as influential as ever...Great, now my vocabulary is degrading. Note: Don't stay around Takato for too long...Speaking of which...

Ryo pressed his ear to the door, hoping to listen in on the conversation.

"Rika, come on." Jeri's voice said. "Come out for some fresh air, even a walk will do you good."

"Jeri, please stop it. I'd rather have Akiyama doing that so that I can at least wack him for it."

Gee, so much for trying to help her, Jeri's only been here once and she's already inside. Me, I become the instrument for her frustrations. Thanks a whole lot, Rika. Ryo thought.

"I...just...want to know how the others are doing." Rika said cautiously.

Ryo practically felt Jeri freeze up.

After a few uncomfortable minutes, Jeri finally spoke.

"Why...didn't you just ask Ryo?" She whispered so softly that he had to strain his ears to hear her.

"What!? No one in their right mind would ask Akiyama anything! Besides, he's not even in the same school, I doubt he even knows the teacher's name!"

"Rika, that just shows how much you don't know."

"Wh-what are you talking about?"

Jeri took a deep breath, in preparation for perhaps a long explanation.

"Rika, Ryo is in the same school as us..."

"What?! You're joking right? How can Akiyama be in the same elementary school? He's 14 for god's sake!"

"Rika, hear me out. Ryo is not only in the same school, but he is also in the same class as us as well..."

Jeri drifted off. Another few seconds of silence passed. Ryo began to wander what was wrong when the answer came in a fit of suppressed giggles. That's not right, why would Jeri be laughing at a time like this. This is supposed to be serious. He started shaking his head, thinking the situation was entirely hopeless.

Wait... he listened again. The laughter had gotten louder and louder when Ryo finally realized. That's...That's not Jeri, it's... Rika.

Rika's laughter kept on going louder and louder. He was awed and confused by it. Awed that Rika could laugh so... beautifully, confused at why she was laughing at all.

His ears picked up Jeri's voice again, as confused as he was.

"Did...I say something wrong?"

He didn't blame her for being cautious. If Rika for any reason laughed like this at all, either she had gone insane, or hell had just frozen over. Neither would be appealing. State this to a mad or a normal Rika for that matter would definitely earn you a spot there.

Her laughter slowly died down, as if she was enjoying every bit of it. Finally Ryo heard a deep breath being taken, and Rika finally spoke.

"No..." She giggled... like an actual normal girl. "...it's not you. Can you believe it, Ryo is 14 and he is still in Grade 4!"

The boy in question's heart sank. This was something that Rika would use on him for ages ahead.

"Oh," was all Jeri had to say.

"But you can't blame him, he was in the Digital World for months." Ryo was suddenly grateful for a friend like her.

"Months Jeri, months, not years," was Rika's sarcastic reply to that statement.

"But according to..." Jeri continued to let linger, that statement no doubt her next statement would give Rika more leverage against him. He felt gratefulness surge through him again, happy she didn't reveal the whole truth...yet.

"But what Jeri, he may rock at Taming and the game, but what does that matter if there is no Digimon to tame and..." They finally hit the topic of the Digimon's return to the Digital World, and the source of Rika's current attitude.

Luckily, Jeri had enough tact to veer away from the subject and back to the main purpose of the conversation.

"See, that is why you shouldn't stay cropped up in here all the time, Rika"

Ryo could hear the relief in her voice when she answered. "Stop it Jeri, there's is no way I'm going anywhere."

"Come on, Rika. You know..."

"Just stop Jeri...please. I asked you here so that I have someone to talk to other than Akiyama all the time..."

Oh great, so she was invited?! Just great...I am just the topic of conversation. And she doesn't even talk to me.

"Speaking of which, he should be here by now... in fact..."

Ryo tensed and slowly eased away from the door, only to find his leg numb. Great. Of all the times to choose to sit on my leg, I had to pick now... of all d...

Ryo stopped thinking. Because at that moment, the door slid open forcefully, revealing a smirking Rika. Oh crap. He tried to back away, instead falling painfully and disgracefully on his butt.

"Well, well, well. Look what the Akiyama's stupidity dragged in, an Akiyama on his butt."

"Ahm...Hello?"

"No Akiyama, not hello. But... WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE TRYING TO DO?!"

"Ahm...Nothing." he said as innocently as he could.

"If I didn't know better, I would say you were trying to spy on me. Then again, with a brain like yours, I doubt you even know what spying is."

He was so shocked by the sudden turn of events that he could no come up with a comeback.

"Ahmmmmm..." he continued dumbly.

"Dumbstruck, are we? Fits the brain."

That's it! That was the last stra...

At that exact moment, Ryo's phone rang.

Not much in this chapter, just trying to build the foundations for the main story.

If you don't like this chapter, don't blame me. This chapter explains a few things though. One, I am using the Japanese version, but the dub names. Two, Ryo is stuck in Grade 4 (ten year old education for those who don't know) not because of the DigiWorld incident, but something else as well. It will prove important in later chapters.

Please review, it helps to motivate me.