Impmon is so toast when Rika gets a hold of him. But it was so worth it. I got a few good reviews implying that you also enjoyed the prank. So, thanks to Agrotera Thanatos, Kirai-Ninja, and Naphtali Phoenix for reviewing to the last chapter. And thanks to all of you who read but forget (you do just forget, right?) to hit the review button. I'm sure you'll remember to review this time, won't you?
Now, here is another chapter for your viewing pleasure. Please enjoy. And to start off, boys and girls are completely different creatures. While the boys feel some pity for poor Davis, the girls feel Rika's reaction towards both him and Impmon was completely justified.
"Is she always like that?" asked Tai, amazed at what just happened.
Henry shook his head, "She's actually mellowed out quite a bit since we first met her. Things have just been rough lately."
Davis was off the floor now, but his eyes were locked on Rika. The red-haired girl looked slightly calmer, her hands no longer formed into fists by her sides. Her fiery temper cooling just as quickly as it erupted now that her revenge against one of her targets was complete, but her glances towards the sliding door indicated that Impmon wouldn't get away unscathed permanently.
"I just don't think leaving the pair together long would be smart," the dark-haired tamer continued. "She can still hold a grudge and Davis seems a little afraid of her now."
"With reason," mumbled Agumon. "She creamed him."
Terriermon shrugged, "Rika is Rika. Even without Renamon, she can take care of herself. And she doesn't tolerate stupidity well."
"Which would make me wonder how you've survived this long," grinned Henry.
"Henry," the rabbit groaned.
"Momentai, Terriermon," laughed the boy.
"Okay… That was weird," muttered Takato at the reversal of the usual exchange.
"Why did Impmon try to get me killed?" Davis asked, coming over to the group.
Takato shook his head, "He got bored, I guess. It's just how he is. How'd he get you to…"
The Digidestined blushed, "He was giving me some advice. He said that if I wanted to get a girl's attention, I should try to make her jealous."
"So he suggested you approach Rika while Kari watched," realized Takato. Noticing the other Goggle-head's surprise at the identification of the girl, he explained simply, "Television show."
Terriermon chuckled, "Sorry, but he got you good. If it makes you feel better, Rika's going to kill him."
Tai shook his head, "That digimon really is trouble, isn't it?"
"You should have seen him in the past," boasted the rabbit digimon. "This is nothing to what else he's done."
"Are you boys standing around gossiping about me?" asked Rika suddenly, her voice dangerous calm. The girl stood near Jeri, Renamon, Kari, Gatomon, Destiny, and the twins. The girls had been whispering in that infuriating way that meant no good for any males that approached. The kind of talk that boiled down to the idea that men were jerks and nothing else mattered. In between the two groups were Ken, Minomon, T.K., Patamon, Izzy, Tentomon, and Guilmon. Those trapped between Rika and those she was asking felt nervous about their current position, as if they were in the line of fire. "Because I wouldn't suggest that considering I'm still here."
"We wouldn't do that," assured Takato worriedly. "We're just... talking about… bread?"
"Bread?" asked Rika, raising an eyebrow.
"Yay, bread!" Guilmon cheered.
"Yes, bread," the goggle-wearing tamer continued frantically, trying to keep the red-head from growing angry again. "We were… discussing if there was… anywhere nearby that I could get some bread for Guilmon."
She stared for a moment, unable to formulate an answer to Takato's random excuse. Finally, she sighed. "Goggle-head…" She glared as three heads snapped to attention. "Our Goggle-head!"
"I now call this meeting of the Goggle-heads to order," snickered Terriermon. "First order of business: get a better sense of style."
"Save it," she ordered the digimon. Then, she turned her attention back to her fellow tamer. "Goggle-head, you are pathetic at excuses. I'm surprised you hid Guilmon as long as you did. I have no problem adding you to my 'revenge list' with Impmon if you keep this up."
"Please don't be mad at Impmon," Ai asked, her young voice full of concern. "He wasn't trying to be mean. He was just playing a joke."
Mako added, "You wouldn't do what Terriermon said and kill him, would you?"
The pair's eyes were so pleading and upset, everyone in the room took pity on the youngest children. Even Terriermon looked a little guilty that he had inadvertently planted the idea in their heads. He actually like young kids; that was why he put up with Suzie's treatment of him for so long.
Rika shook her head, "I wouldn't really hurt him. But I will get my revenge."
"So you won't hurt him, but I, who is just as much a victim as you are, get beaten for a mistake," complained Davis, before he realized he was drawing the last person's attention he wanted.
"You're a Goggle-head," she explained. "You guys survive anything. Get over it."
This is the point where Mrs. Kamiya, mother to Tai and Kari, opened the front door. The woman entered the room, stopped, and stared at the thirteen children and nine digimon crowded inside. Her gaze traveled to where Leomon sat on the balcony. Finally, she smiled.
"I didn't know you two were having friends over," the mother informed her children. "I could have had some spinach cookies ready."
All the children and most of the digimon visibly gagged at her words. Guilmon grinned and walked over to the parent.
"That sounds yummy!" he informed her.
Mrs. Kamiya, used to the presence of digimon by now, patted his head, "Well, aren't you sweet. No one ever appreciates my recipes."
"I like food. Especially Guilmon Bread because its shaped like my head," confided the red reptile.
"Should I ask?" muttered Tai.
"Not really," Terriermon answered.
Chuckling still, a purple shape jumped across the rooftops with ease. Though he was in another reality and the streets were strange to him, he had plenty of practice navigating through the upper parts of the city. For him, ledges and phone lines were highways. Normally, he preferred to be on the highest level at all times, but some of these buildings were too much taller than those bordering them that he was forced to go around or move along window ledges. But Impmon was enjoying himself.
Not only did he get to pull off the ultimate prank against the Ice Queen and survived (for now…), he had a whole new city for fresh targets. He could run anywhere he felt like, completely free. Nothing could stop him. No one could hold him back.
The purple rookie paused, considering that last thought. It reminded him of the old days. Back when he felt relying on anyone, partner or even friend, would be stupid and pathetic. That he didn't need anyone, especially humans. He saw his own tamers, Ai and Mako, as a hinderance, trouble, and even a painful emotional drain. Those days were gone, but his desire for freedom and occasional solitude remained. Even if his independent streak remained, his former illusions of his twins holding him back or not being worth the effort to be with were banished.
"Wow, that's weird," he muttered. "I end up somewhere completely new and it gives me flashbacks. Where's the logic in that?"
The digital creature kept glancing towards the streets in case he might find an unsupervised food cart or another item of interest. As he passed some kind of computer store, with various pieces of expensive-looking equipment on display in the windows, a large crowd of men and women stood outside with signs. Impmon, even after all the trouble his illiteracy had caused him in the past, still didn't have the ability to translate the various scribbles into understanding. But from their expressions, he didn't think they were here for the newest video game. The rookie paused to study the gathering.
"Protect our world, protect our children," shouted a brown-haired woman with moon-shaped glasses.
"Real life, not artificial," cried another woman, waving a sign with writing and a picture of a computer, a red line slashed across the image.
A man in a green cap picked up a rock and tossed it at the store, yelling, "Digital monsters! We don't want them here."
Another joined him, picking up a stone. This guy, holding another sign with a really creepy picture of something, likely supposed to be a digimon, with huge claws, teeth, and red eyes. The writing underneath was probably something equally as stupid as what the humans were yelling.
"Stupid technology made those things," he announced, throwing the rock and cracking the window. "Focus on fixing this problem, you jerk."
An angry person, likely the owner, stepped out of the building. His face was red with anger and his blond hair barely covered his head, no matter how he combed it. Opening his mouth, his deep voice boomed over the chants and cries.
"I've already called the police about your actions. And just so you know, I did not create digimon personally, nor did my business. What's more, I cannot do anything about them one way or another. You're wasting your time here."
"You like those things, don't you?" accused the woman with a sign from earlier. "You sympathize with those abominations. Even a geek like you should know data isn't real life."
He glared at her, "Madam, if you have a problem with digimon, talk to the government or someone who can do something about it. I have nothing to do with them and have no intention of getting involved. Now, get off my property or wait for the police to remove you forcibly. Your choice."
The crowd began to disperse, leaving the four talkative members facing the balding man. All five of them remained locked in their hateful stare. Finally, the glasses-wearing woman shook her head.
"Those monsters are a threat to our children, our homes, and our lives. Let's see how long you can ignore the danger."
With that, she and her protest buddies parted ways and left behind an angry shopkeeper and a furious Impmon. From his perch above, he was growling in frustration. As much as these idiots deserved a Badda Boom to the head, it would do more harm than good. He attacking them would "prove" that digimon were a threat to the public and that action needs to be taken against the "abominations." How moronic can these humans be? Judging all digimon by the actions of one or two…
Yikes, flashback again. Didn't he do the same sort of thing in his view of humans? Ugh, this reality really stinks if all it was going to do is drag up his past memories. He took a deep breath, extinguishing the small flames he had formed on his fingertips in his rage against the thick-headed idiots.
No wonder Hairball, his "girlfriend," and their partners reacted so strongly to his joke. If he tried it on one of these nut-jobs, there would have been some real problems for the digimon. And they would have had to deal with it, even after he went home.
"Wow, Renamon would be impressed," he mused. "I'm actually considering the consequences of my actions. Before I do something crazy and nearly die or mess everything up. Better be careful or I'll end up like Braniac."
He leapt to the neighboring rooftop and then the next. Neon signs began to glow as sunset faded into twilight. Shadows lengthened and lights came on to fight the coming darkness. The purple rookie stepped lightly upon thick wires strung between more distant buildings. The city at night always held appeal for him and calmed him slightly. Glancing through various windows as he went, he could sometimes spot children getting ready for bed, reminding him of his tamers and that not all humans are as bad as some.
As he left the residential and small business section of the city, tall buildings occupied by suit-wearing adults replaced the apartments and stores. Instead of trying to climb to the top of these huge structures, he took advantage of the ledges and balconies that wrapped around some of them. About to head back to the Hairball's home, he landed on the ledge of the tenth floor of an ordinary-looking building.
Impmon paused; an odd, light buzzing sensation had started when he landed. It was faint and vaguely unpleasant. He almost subconsciously wanted to go away, but he never did what he was told, even if it was some strange feeling that was telling him. He reached up towards the next ledge, leaping to grab it. The buzzing increased in power and unpleasantness as he climbed up to the eleventh floor.
The digital being continued his climb, his stubbornness and curiosity forcing him onwards even as the sensation tried to discourage him. As he climbed higher (ensuring that he kept out of direct view of the windows), the unpleasantness turned to mild pain. The buzzing hurt, almost stinging under his skin. He frowned at the sensation. Common sense and survival instinct screamed that going towards something causing him pain was five kinds of stupid, but it also meant that something or someone didn't want him to go there. It meant they were hiding something important. And possibly dangerous for them all eventually, including his twins. Great, now he sounded like some kind of paranoid loser.
As soon as he touched the ledge of the seventeenth floor, the digimon yanked his hand back and nearly fell off the building entirely. The stinging, buzzing sensation had intensified strongly and a familiar tingling had joined in when his fingertips brushed against the stone. That was a bad tingling and it scared him enough to make him react without thought. Luckily, breaking that connection quickly was what he needed most. He stared as his hand flickered and wavered for a moment, trying to come apart entirely. His hand was on the brink of dissolving into data, simply form that brief contact. If he hadn't remembered what dissolving felt like, it could have been worse.
It took several minutes, but his hand stabilized to its more usual appearance. It still felt odd, a little numb and hard to move, but Impmon felt reassured that whatever he had encountered didn't cause any permanent damage. Carefully, he began his trek across the city, taking his time and considering his discoveries.
To summarize his evening, Impmon sarcastically muttered, "This reality stinks. Crazy loonatics with signs and freaky buildings of doom. Can't wait until we find out how chaotic the digital world is."
Something had encountered the program. It only lasted for a second, but it worked. The moment had pulled energy out of the digimon, trying to take so much that it could no longer keep its body together. And it would have worked if it lasted longer. It was a work of art, fulfilling his intent so far and had great potential for the future.
Guardian was his work. The human woman may claim that it was hers, and he did base it off her idea. But he altered her programming just enough to make it work. He also inserted his "personal touch" to the program. Oh, what a day it had been when he found her. While some may see it as a failure, because it was also the day of one of his defeats, but he had left a legacy that even now was coming to fruition. While the human, Tamiko Mizutani, worked on Guardian and turning it into the perfect weapon, he would work from his end to ensure that a war would start. Human versus digimon. Both groups would destroy the other.
His "savior" had arrived and was serving his purpose perfectly. Though he appreciated being saved after his last encounter with those Digidestined, he still hated dealing with his current "ally." As long as things kept going according to plan, it didn't matter in the end.
He heard his companion ask if he needed any help. How pathetic. True, once he had been helpless and was rescued by the being before him. But now, he was powerful again and they were working on separate parts of the plan. His part was secret to his companion, but his "ally" was trusting of him. Fool.
He glanced over and answered, "No, I do not. Do not interfere."
Mystery enemy!!! Finally. It took a while to get this far because I have a lot of set-up to do and getting the timelines to match. Still, I think it is going well. Now, I request your guesses on the identity of the mystery enemy. I want to know who you think it is. I will accept all guesses, no matter how strange. (Rainbow35, you cannot guess that MarineAngemon is evil again! That's just too strange for me) I would love to know your ideas. Thanks again.