An update! Yay! I haven't updated due to just laziness. Aren't you glad I'm so honest ... unlike those who lie and say it was writers block -wink-

I hope you all will enjoy this next chapter. I'll be working more on this story and the new one called Unrealized Dreams. Stay tuned at the end of the chapter for a quick scene from the prologue. You'll love the new story. And for Summer to Italy, I wont be working on it for a while. I've written the next few chapters to it, but it will not be posted until later.

Thanks for being so patient with me guys! Here we go:

Chapter five - A friend, a foe, and ... a rabbit?

One ... two ... three! I jumped across the large patch a what looked like swamp tar. I managed to jump to the other side, but, unfortunately, my foot landed right into some of it. Who would have thought that the Digital World would have such a thing? I snarled in disgust as I yanked my half sunken shoe out.

I looked around to see the usual site: dead trees, dead shrubs, dead trees ... did I mention dead trees? The world used to look so lively and peaceful, now it's just a digital disaster. I scratched my head and sighed. If things couldn't have gotten worse, I began to feel hungry. "Things really did change around here," I noted out loud.

I sat down near a tree, that looked like it'd fall if you so much as touched it, and attempted to wipe off my shoe on the ground. "Stupid Akiyama. This is all his fault."

"There you go again, blaming everything on someone else when clearly all the mistakes are your own."

I looked up so fast that a kink formed in my neck. I groaned. "Who are you?"

A sigh drifted through air. "Geeze, Rika, you're a hard one to keep up with." A figure appeared from the trees and stood in front of me. Ryo. He had two large bags slung onto his back and he looked deadly tired.

"Go away." I said, gritting my teeth. "The last thing I need is more guilt on my shoulders."

Ryo dropped the bags and sat down beside me. "You didn't have to leave. We're not mad at you. Not in the least bit. We're just confused. That's all." He spoke calmly.

"Why did you follow me here?" I asked. I began poking at the impossible-to-get-rid-of tar on my shoe. "I wanted to be left alone."

"You could get hurt out here. All we need is for you to wind up like Guilmon." He cringed at his last few words and looked at me apologetically. I didn't reply to him. What was I going to say? Ryo reached into his pocket and pulled out a small survival pocket knife. He grabbed my shoe and began edging the knife into the tar. "The world has changed. It's too dangerous to be out here alone."

"Where is everyone else?" I asked, not feeling the slightest bit concerned where they are.

"On their way," he said. "I left them to get a head start in finding you." He handed the stained shoe back to me and I slipped it on. "I brought your bag."

"So I suppose you expect me to go back, huh?"

Ryo let out another sigh. "No. If I did expect you to go back than I wouldn't have brought your stuff." He ran his hand through his hair. Geeze, it annoys me when he does that. "You're too stubborn to convince to do anything. So ... I've decided to journey with you."

An unlikely story. I frowned. "I don't want you coming with me. Go back to the camp. I can manage alone." He probably just wants to act like the hero. I wont let him have his way. "I don't need anyone." I stood up, grabbed my bag, and left.

"Rika ... don't be a pain. We can figure out what's going on together." He said, catching up to me.

I ignored him and walked through the dense forest of dead trees. Ryo kept my pace and said nothing. I was starting to get irriated. The silence crept the air until I finally spoke. "How did you get the cuts on your face?" I asked, remembering seeing them before I left.

"Aw. Concerned about me?"

"Never."

Ryo laughed and I frowned. Next to Kazu and Kenta, Ryo hit my charts of most annoying person in the world. "You look tired, Akiyama."

"I look as though I am," he said. "I haven't slept since we got here." Three days and no sleep? I almost feel sorry for him. Almost. "It's going to be dark soon. We should set up camp."

I stopped walking and he ran into the back of me. I stumbled forward and turned around. "Great, you can set up camp on the other side of the forest. Or in the water where the current can sweep you away. Whatever floats your tent, as the saying goes."

"Whatever floats your boat, Rika." It was his turn to give me an irrated look. "I'm not leaving your side. If you get hurt out here, I wont have a pumpkin anymore."

I rolled my eyes and looked up at the sky. The gray light started to form in almost an instant pace and the small light of the real world illuminated in the distance. I let out a sigh and looked back at Ryo. "Fine. I'll go look for fire wood."

Ryo dropped his pack and smiled. "Not alone you're not."

XXX

I watched a few sparks flicker in the fire and closed my eyes. The night was peaceful and the air cool. I could feel Ryo glancing at me every couple of moments. The irratating feeling of him even looking at me in the slightest glimpse was enough to drive me insane. After a great yawn, I stood up.

"Going somewhere?" Ryo asked, his eyes still fixed on me.

I shot him a dirty look and replied, "to bed. Am I allowed?"

Ryo sighed and stretched before replying. "Yeah, I suppose we should get some rest."

I snorted, "we should get some rest? You need to keep watch while I get some shut eye." I kicked a piece of tree branch into the fire. "I thought you said the others are on their way."

"They are."

"I don't see them ..."

"They'll find us."

"It's taking them so long to." I turned to head into the tent that Ryo had set up, but froze almost instantly from the sound of bushes rattling. Clearly Ryo heard the noise to for he was on his feet and at my side.

"Who's there?" He asked. Panic rose in his voice, "show yourself."

The bushes gave another rattle and a figure shot out at us. Ryo grabbed me and pulled me down so fast I almost smacked my forehead on the tent peg. He placed his arm over the back of my head.

"Geeze, whadda so scared for?" A mimicking voice teased. "Lil' ol' rabbit gonna eat some humans or something?" The squeaky, but familiar, voice laughed.

I could feel Ryo raise, but his arm still firmly on me. "Terriormon?"

"One of a kind." The rabbit-Digimon mused. "Now ge' off the ground. You're getting all dirty."

Ryo stood up and reached down to help me. I turned towards the voice of Terriormon. The campfire light barely touched him, but his figure still clear. The digital rabbit looked badly worn out; scratches, dirt, and bruises covered his white body. His right ear looked bent with a rip in it, and his little horn looked like it was ready to fall off. What ever damage done to him sure hadn't changed his personality.

"I was in a battle," the Digimon said. "Managed to get away with a pow."

Ryo stiffened. "Who - or what - attacked you and when?"

Terriormon took a deep breath, "I was attacked eariler today. Don't know who or what it was exactly. I was kinda fighting for my life."

I looked at Ryo and I could see he was frowning in concentration. He was probably frowning because it's more then likely the only time he's ever concentrated on anything - I didn't say that though. "Ryo?"

He looked at me from the corner of his eye and gave a small smile, "probably nothing to worry about, Rika. If whatever it was is still learking out here, we'd be a gonner by now."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Terriormon said. "The Digital World is out of place. Anyone - anything - can harm you. It's best to keep an eye on that around you."

I was shocked that Terriormon said something meaningful - even if I didn't quite understand what he meant by it - rather than his usual pitiful jokes that's lame enough to make a grandma boo. I looked at the branch pile next to the small campfire and sighed. "I'm going to grab more wood." Ryo, to my surprise, agreed without wishing to accompany me.

I left the two staring at each other and as I walked a little deeper into the dead forest, I could hear the faint sounds of their discussion. I picked up some sticks that looked usable and wandered back to the camp, grabbing a few more dead branches here and there. I approached with caution, being extra careful not to make noise to frighten them, when I heard them speaking clear as day.

"So, you're sure you don't know what attacked you?" Ryo asked softly.

I held my breath and waited for Terriormon's reply. "I do know what attacked me," he said calmly. He stopped speaking for a moment as if he was listening for movement of someone ready to eavesdrop. I held my breath and didn't move an inch. Finally, he spoke. "And it wasn't a what, but a who." His voice lowered. "It was Rika."

Preview of Unrealized Dreams

No, it's only the day of the dance. Why would I possibly have my costume decided? I so badly wanted to say that to her, but instead I replied, "Yep. It's going to be awesome." Not really. It's sort of lame, but who cares. I certainly don't. "Gah, where is the teacher?" She's late like normal. Well, the days that I'm not late, she is. Unless it is a habit of hers too. I wouldn't know. Nor do I even care. I just want to go in and sit down.

Sabrina came walking over to me and Heather, holding a chocolate milk in one hand, a book by Nora Roberts in the other, and having her binder, which I'm sure is empty, tucked under her arm. Missing in action was Brittany. She's probably outside observing the birds to report back to us that one has feathers missing.

-end of preview-

I hope you stick around to catch the story. As you can tell, it's going to be a comedy and a cross over of all the popular anime series. I've re-written the review several times and can't seem to make up my mind which is the most appealing. Oh well, it'll soon come.

Don't for get to review this chapter. I promise that more will come!