The pair left, heading back the way they came. Several minutes of silence passed before Ren spoke up.
"Tamer, are you alright?"
The tamer stopped to look back at his digimon.
"Hmm? Yeah, just... kids can be real brats sometimes, huh?"
"It is my fault. You were protecting me from a fight and that child insulted your honour as a tamer because of it."
"My honour? Yeah right, what honour, Ren?"
"You deserve to be respected as a tamer."
The tamer gave a dismissive wave of his hand.
"Oh, please. I've been a tamer for all of a day. Little brats like that are never gonna give you respect. It's just the way they are. And honestly, I couldn't give a shit what that bed-wetting pipsqueak thinks of me. You don't want to fight. I don't want you to fight. End of story."
"But I would fight for you, Tamer."
"I'm sure you would Ren. But you don't want to. And I definitely don't want you fighting that monster. You saw how it was behaving. That kid just let it loose. Like, be honest... you reckon you would've stood a chance?"
Ren's ears pinned back and he looked away timidly, seemingly wanting to avoid the question.
"Well..."
"You said you're a rookie, Ren. That monster is a champion level, and a ridiculously strong one. It turned that Flamedramon into a punching bag. I don't want that happening to you."
"But I feel guilty. You are making all these accommodations for me, and I cannot fulfil the single purpose a digimon has. I am just a pet."
"You're not a pet, Ren, so don't even think about saying that. Remember what we said about self-loathing?"
"I was not-"
"Yes you were."
"I..."
The digimon's gaze fell to the ground in defeat. The tamer let out a long sigh.
"Look, let's be smart. There's no point getting into a fight that you know you're gonna lose."
"But if I do not fight, what use am I to you?"
"Argh..."
The tamer threw his arms up in frustration.
"...you don't need to be useful, Ren! You're allowed to just exist."
"But as your partner I need to-"
"Alright, stop. You're just spitting nonsense again. Actually think about this, ok? How would it help if you had gotten into a fight and ended up like that Flamedramon?"
"Well, it..."
The digimon faltered.
"It wouldn't, would it? I'd look like a rubbish tamer, and you'd be getting carried out on a stretcher."
"I... I..."
Ren couldn't come up with a further retort. A defeated look crossed his face as he realised how pointless a fight would have been.
"Look, I'm sorry to put you through this, Ren... especially since we've only known each other for such a short time. I guess it goes back to those... teachings. I just don't like that you've been brainwashed into believing all that nonsense about fighting. It's like you just go along with it without really thinking about it."
He gave another sigh.
"...answer me honestly. Do you truly think digimon are just dumb programs designed to fight?"
"Digimon are-"
"And don't just recite some crap. Actually think about it. Do you believe what you're about to say?"
"I… well…"
"Are you just some dumb program, Ren?"
"That... that is what I was always taught. But you keep trying to convince me otherwise. I do not know what to believe, Tamer."
"Good."
"Good?"
"Yes, good. It means you're not just regurgitating nonsense. Now, can I give you a little hint to help figure it out for yourself?"
"Yes, please."
"Pizza."
Ren's whole demeanour changed at the mention of the magic P-word, eyes widening and ears perking.
The tamer gave a satisfied grin.
"...see? I don't think you're just some program, Ren. You have all these emotions and desires, you just haven't been given the chance to figure them out properly. You've always been told you're not allowed to feel those things, so you've tried to repress them. Does that sound right?"
The digimon thought about what he was taught back in the digital world. What his tamer was saying slowly began fitting with his experiences.
"I suppose that... does make some sense, Tamer."
"Alright. I think that's a good step. I know this is like flipping everything upside down, but I think it will work out better for both of us later on."
"Will this... help me to be a better partner?"
"No, just... don't even worry about that, Ren. Just focus on feeling a bit more positive about yourself for now, ok?"
A thought struck the tamer as he said that.
"...actually, yes. If you could be a bit more positive about yourself, I'd like that... so that would make you a better partner, right?"
"...or does that make me a manipulative bastard?"
"You would be happier if I was more positive?"
"Of course. And also if you didn't think about the whole fighting thing. Being my partner… it's not going to be some epic adventure filled with battles. Really, it's just nice to have a bit of company. Perhaps… you can just be happy with being a friend, rather than feeling like you need to be a fighter."
"A friend?"
"Yeah, a friend. I'd like a friend, wouldn't you?"
"That would be... nice."
"Good. You gonna be a bit more positive?"
"I will try, Tamer. And I appreciate your guidance."
"No worries. And I'm sorry you had to see that back in the park. It's not normally like that."
"I understand. And... you are right. It would have been a poor decision to fight."
"Yeah. But you got pretty fired up for someone who hates battles."
"I do not know exactly what came over me, Tamer. I just felt... I needed to defend you."
"Well, I appreciate it, as long as you know you don't have to fight... even if I would've liked to see you wipe that smug look off the brat's face."
"I think I would have enjoyed that too. Maybe if I digivolve I could..."
"I don't know, Ren. That still involves fighting."
The tamer thought for a moment before continuing.
"...out of curiosity, what would you digivolve into?"
"My next form would be Kyubimon."
"Hmm, haven't heard of that one."
He pulled out his phone and started searching.
"...Q..."
He stared blankly for a moment.
"...uh, how do you spell Kyubimon?"
"K-y-u-b-i-m-o-n."
"Ok, wouldn't have got that."
He typed it into the Google image search.
"Oh, cool. This little fox thing with nine tails?"
He showed the first picture to Ren.
"Yes, that is correct. However, I would not be... little."
"Uh... how not little are we talking? Like... German Shepherd size? Great Dane?"
"I would likely still be at eye level with you, Tamer... possibly taller."
The tamer imagined staring eye to eye with the fox in the image. He held his hand up, as if measuring an imaginary Kyubimon's height.
"Holy shit... that big? Damn, you'd be like the size of a horse."
A funny thought crossed the tamer's mind and he let out a chuckle.
Ren tilted his head in confusion at the tamer's laughter.
"What is amusing you, Tamer?"
"Oh, just thinking... imagining the looks from everyone seeing me riding around on a giant fox digimon."
"You would... want to ride me?"
"No, I'm just kidding, Ren. I wouldn't do that to you."
"Oh. It would be possible if you needed to."
The tamer was caught off guard as he realised Ren was serious.
"But... wouldn't that be degrading for you? Getting treated like... an animal."
"I would happily do it to assist you, Tamer."
"Jeez, ok. Anyway, it's all just hypothetical since you're not a Kyubimon."
The tamer thought Ren almost looked disappointed as he spoke that last sentence.
"Does he wish he was a Kyubimon, now?"
"...anyway, let's try to lighten up a bit. You know, my mum always says I need to find a partner to settle down with. Don't think this is quite what she meant though."
"She would have been referring to a romantic partnership, correct?"
"Yeah. She worries I'll be single the rest of my life."
"Unfortunately, I do not think I will qualify as a suitable partner..."
Ren paused briefly and a small smile appeared on the digimon's face before he continued.
"...we do not even share a bed, Tamer."
The tamer scowled at the Digimon before replying.
"Don't be getting ideas, Ren."