Ch2 you tackled me
Rika stood in front of the gate to guilmons hideout while the others were together setting up the picnic. Kazu was playing cards with Kenta while Henry helped Jeri distribute snacks. Suzy ran around playing Tag with all the digimon. Rika let out a deep breath maybe Henry was wrong she thought after all Takato had been actively avoiding her for more than a week maybe it was too late for their friendship. The gate to the hideout swung out narrowly missing Rika as a red blur scrambled down the stairs exclaiming Takatomon. Rika looks down the steps to see Takato on the ground with Guilmon on top nuzzling him him. "I missed you Takatomon."
Rika still found it hard to express her emotions but she was annoyed he had taken his time okay she might have been a little happy to see him although she would never admit it.
"Sorry I haven't been around boy." His eyes finally focus in on Rika and a look crosses his face that Rika hasn't ever seen before. "Hey"
"Hey" responded Rika "I thought that you might not come today."
"Oh I was busy, I had to take a few extra shifts at the bakery to make sure we had more than enough Guilmon bread for today." Upon hearing the words of Guilmon bread the red dino left to join the other digimon. Rika felt Renamons presence fade away as she too went to grab a piece. The Gogglehead picked himself up dusting himself off. We should join the others before the digimon finish everything off.
They walked in silence Rika was trying her best to broach the subject of their last discussion when Takato turned around "Wait uh" he pressed his index fingers against one another pausing for a long moment in an attempt to organize his thoughts. Rika felt a sense of relief at his display of Googlehead nature maybe things between them would be okay. "Rika I'm sorry I haven't been open to talking this past week. The last time we talked you gave me a lot of things to think about and I've come to a few realizations over the last couple of days. The thing is get down!"
Rika felt the wind get knocked out of her as the gogglehead tackled her to the ground barely registering the attack that had flown through right where she had been standing earlier. A digital mist explodes enveloping the park. Rika could feel Takatos heart racing "Rika are you okay?"
It took her a moment to process what just happened before roughly saying "yes"
The Gogglehead scrambles to his feet
Renamon appears at "Rika side Are you okay?"
"Yeah"
"Guilmon lets go Biomerge activate"
Guilmon Biomerge to Gallantmon
"Rapidfire" Rockets slam into one of the Snimon shattering the creature.
"Justice Kick" another Snimon burst into data "Are you alright princess?"
"Say that again Ryo and ther Snimon won't be the only digimon to get their butt kicked today. Renamon ready". Rika held out her digivice it beeped a few times before it enveloped the pair in light a moment later and in their place stood Sakuyamon.
"How many are there?" Asked the priestess digimon.
"A lot" yelled Rapidmon weaving around the giant insectoids occasionally firing off another round of rapid fire.
"They seem to be focusing their attacks on Kazu and Kenta" shouted Henry clinging to the back of the mechanical Rabbit.
"They must be focusing on the weak link in the group quipped Rika Ryo go help your fan club."
"We got it handled" snapped Kazu as Guardomon fired out another guardian barrage. Kenta and stood with Jeri and Suzy inside of marineangemons heart shaped barrier while Antylamon struck down anything that came within arm's length Beelzemon unloaded berenjena on those who attempted to attack from above.
"This is definitely not a normal bio-emergence could it be an attack?" Henry asked aloud
"Glad you are thinking about the details but could you I don't know help me here." Gallantmon had been swarmed by a second group of Snimon striking down one or two with Gram he was so overwhelmed he felt like he was using a fly swatter to fight a bee hive.
"Help's coming googlehead" shouted Sakuyamon "spirit strike" four energy foxes flew to his aid destroying enough of the Snimon allowing him to join the safety of the group "there are too many."
"What do you want why are you attacking us?" shouted Rika in frustration
The attack cut off as the swarm of Snimon encircled the Tamers then spoke as one "we seek the light of the sun."
"You're already outside" quipped Rapidmon
"No, it is a child" they buzzed
"Why" asked Takato
"We must extinguish it."
Everyone locked eyes with one another something in the digital world was out to kill someone
"Not happening" shouted Gallantmon
"Then fall" spoke the Snimon as one
A barrage of twin sickles flew in from all directions "Amethyst Mandala" the attacks slammed into the Barrier that enclosed the Tamers.
"Do something quick guys" shouted Sakuyamon "it won't hold for long at the rate they are attacking."
"Suzy do you have the card?"
"But Henry it's dangerous."
"Sometimes you have to be a gogglehead about things whatever you got just use it shrieked Rika."
"You heard her it's our only chance Suzy."
"Digimodify MagnaAngemons gate of destiny activate."
Antylamon created the gate above the group She groaned and struggled with the attack moving slowly "I did it shouted the digimon upon completing the attack" her form seem to glitch out and she reverted back to Lopmon.
"Everybody hold on and link your arms together as Marineangemon enveloped the group in one of his hearts.
Everything went silent, insane thought Rika as the Gate opened and began sucking digimon into its vacuum like a black hole. A few Snimon fired off attacks that grazed the gate causing no real damage before being sucked inside. Even inside the bubble cowering they could feel the pull of the gate Rike felt like her arms were going to snap off until finally the attack had absorbed the last of the Snimon shutting itself and bursting into data.
"Are, are we alive asked Kazu."
"Yeah everyone okay replied Henry.
"Suzy when did you get that card?" Asked Ryo
"Last week, I'm glad to have it, not so glad that I actually had to use it."
Rika took in the park or more like the ruins, parts of the grass had been burned away, trees were nothing but broken limbs Guilmon's shed was the only thing standing and even then the Snimon had left their mark. The shed no longer had a roof and the stairs were nothing more than concrete rubble.
Off in the distance the sound of sirens filled the air.
"So then something in the digital world is after someone in the Real world said Henry"
"Yeah" replied "Ryo the light of the Sun, I wonder who it is and why they're after a Human?"
"Yamaki is going to want to know about this" sighed Henry
Something tells me he knows retorted Rika
Military vehicles fill the streets around the park a helicopter shines it light upon the group before landing. A blond pale man stepped out of the chopper.
"Things aren't looking good there is a lot of strange activity in the digital world and I had to reactivate yugoth to reduce the number of digimon that were crossing over. Yamaki raised his hand to his ear activating his ear piece Riley update."
"Yugoth is running at 75% capacity and has managed to stop more digimon from crossing over."
"Good, update me if anything changes. Now this Bio-emergence was different than usual is there anything you can tell me that can explain why?"
Line break
Yamaki was flicking his lighter in frustration "So this was an actual coordinated strike in search of a human target described as the light of the sun this is not good, not good at all. Henry contact your father have him gather the monster makers' maybe they can find out what has changed in the digital world". The blond pale man flicked his lighter open one more he sighed "everyone listen closely, I am sorry to say this kids but my higher up have activated the digital defense protocols. Since the weakest point between the two worlds is the park the self-defense force will be stationed here until further notice. Ryo and Takato you will be on active standby for the first twelve hours Rika and Henry will take over the remaining twelve. The remaining tamers will be called in on an as needed basis."
"We aren't soldiers" snapped Rika
Yamaki shut his lighter "You aren't and I am sorry but right now you children are our best and only defense against any future attacks. These are the conditions you all agreed to upon the return of your partners.
"You ass-"
"Rika calm down" Henry put his hand on her shoulder stopping her from thrashing Yamaki "he's right we need to coordinate a defense in the short term. He crouched down seemingly picking up pieces of a broken Frisbee "there's too much we don't know right now."
"Henry you're a-" there scribbled in the dirt were the words play along "ah right I hate to admit it but we'll let the adults take the lead for now."
"Thank you Henry glad to see Rika can listen to reason, I have vehicles ready to take you all home Takato Ryo when you are ready I need you to join me at Hypnos for now."
All the Tamers feeling exhausted due to the days' events moved to leave Rika managed to catch Takato returning from the water fountain. "Hey Goggles what is it you had a realization about? Takato looked around as if struggling to find the right words.
He smiled a bittersweet grin "oh it's just you're right I can be a coward."
Great why is it I seem to hurt the people that care the most. "Gogglehead th-
Takato it's time to go.
Sorry Rika that's Yamaki I have to go.
Rika watched the boy go frustrated with herself.
Line Break
Rika made it home just as the sun began to dip below the Horizon She opened the gate and found the rare sight of her mother in the garden stretching out on a yoga mat with a small stereo playing tranquil music. "Hello Rika glad to see you home safe."
"Hi, mom"
Rumiko watched her daughter stomp into the house returning with a bottle of water sitting on the rock that sat at the edge of the pond. "Have you managed to talk to Takato?"
"Yeah" said Rika curtly "We didn't get to talk much though there was a Bio-emergence and we had to focus on dealing with that."
Rumiko changed poses balancing on one foot like an Olympic figure skater. "I think the two of you are a good influence on one another I'm sorry to hear you two are fighting."
"Mom we're not fighting although I think I pulled a gogglehead I wish I'd known his mindset was infectious now I'm overthinking things."
Rumiko smiled "I am glad to see you care but are you sure you are not infatuated with Takato?"
"Mom it's not like that, anyways he likes Jeri."
"So does that mean you do like him?"
"I don't at least not like that"
"Ok just making sure dear," Rumiko ended her stretches and grabbed her towel lying next to the stereo.
"I still need to say sorry to Takato though probably the next time we all meet while we try and figure out why those digimon are after this light of the Sun person."
Rumiko froze remembering Rika as a child before her husband had left them how he would call her his little sun beam. Rumiko laughed to herself it was just a coincidence right?