Chapter 3

So it begins. What an exciting time! It was that same park they had always come to as kids.

Although they all lived in the same part of Japan with the kids now young adults each seeking his or her own future meant far less time for things like this. It made this day a most special one.

Renamon sat back against a nearby tree observing Guilmon, Terriermon, Monodramon and Marinangemon play. They were still young in mind and heart and watching them was a wholesome little breath of fresh air.

Sitting not far from her was the rest of the little digital family. It was a chatty group of mostly humans and all very happy to have a full day with each other.

Their conversations mainly revolved around their daily lives, struggles in education, and what their plans for the future were. Little Shaochung, the youngest of the group, would discuss things teens tended to. No matter how old she got, she maintained her childhood hobby she had dressing up her partner Lopmon in a large variation of dresses. Her older brother partially regretted bringing her but she had at least started to mature into a well behaved child and being among all the digimon made the young girl very happy.

Sitting among the crowd of mostly humans there were three Digimon. The first was the previously mentioned Lopmon, the kind and calm bunny who through all the suffering her partner's dress up games caused still genuinely cared for the girl. She sat next to her still eating while every so often observing the Digimon at play. The second was Guardromon, the large brown machine digimon and Hirokazu's partner. He could hardly indulge in all the food, but it didn't matter. He simply enjoyed the time and watching his partner get excited from all his stories of travelling to card game tournaments around Japan and meeting friends.

The third and most unexpected of all was Impmon. While his two partners had to be away with family Impmon chose to come to their gathering. To the surprise of all he even managed to contribute food to the picnic as well. It most consisted of cheap snack foods that he may or may not have extorted from a bully classmate of his two parters, Ai and Mako. He also may or may not have initially done to protect them from said bully. The two worlds may never know for sure.

He was still rough and tough on the outside, but the dark violet little demon digimon meant well and his presence was very welcomed by the others, even Juri surprisingly. She was a girl he still had a hard time even looking at but she welcomed him with open arms like she did with the others.

Juri was a girl still marked by his sin many years later but had found the strength to move on and even consider him a friend. Not one among them envied suffering the loss she went through all those years ago. However they all admired her great strength to move on with her life.

Leomon would have been proud.

Then there were the last two human's, Takato's loyal friend Kenta and the Ryo, the oldest of the group. Even years later Renamon could still feel some kind of tension between Ryo and Ruki from their brief attempt at relationship many years ago. Renamon would have thought with the passing of time would have made it easier let it go but they, or at least Ruki, still maintained a negative aura between them. Renamon carried no ill will toward the human boy, she almost pitied him. It could not be more different than what went on between Juri and Takato. There was still some pain they two managed to make up and stay friends.

Renamon signed.

Just as Renamon was about to nod off she heard foot steps and a familiar scent touch her nose. Without even opening her eyes she identified it as Jianliang "Jenrya" Lee, Terriermon's partner.

Eyes finally open she looked at the blue-haired young man as he sat down next to her.

"Hey Renamon."

"Hello."

"I noticed you were by yourself and figured I'd come chat with you. Are you alright today?"

"I am quite alright, Lee-san. Thank you for asking."

"You sure?"

Renamon blinked curious over his choice of words.

"Yes, why would I not be?"

"Dunno. You look kind of rough today. No offence. I only just noticed that after coming over here"

"Oh...I"

Jenrya cut in to offer her some kind words.

"I just came over here to so you did a great job cooking, especially that onigiri. Man! Good stuff! Anyway I hope you are okay. It's not my business but if something's wrong and you need help just ask. I mean you got Ruki and all and its hard to imagine someone tough as you needing help, but ya know, I'm here too. So are the others. We're friends after all."

"Friends..."

The young half-Chinese man was as kind as ever all these years later. People like him were few in numbers and she admired his kind spirit.

"Hmm. Thank you, Lee-san."

"Hey, just call me Jen..."

"Hey Jenrya stop flirting with Renamon and come and play with us!"

"Wait, what!?"

Jenrya and Renamon looked to see Terriermon and Lopmon not far from them with a football.

"Come on we need one more person for a team since Lopmon decided to join.

"Actually he pulled me in I never agreed to..."

Lopmon's attempt to speak was cut off by an eager Terriermon.

"Come on, pleaseeeeeee!"

Jenrya laughed but also felt uneasy by the proposal.

"I mean I would but I can't play ball all that well. Maybe you can ask Impmon."

Impmon was quick to speak on the matter.

"Oh no I want no part of this!"

Terriermon, completely ignoring Impmon, smiled. "That's great idea! Hey Guilmon! Impmon is in!"

An excited Guilmon, Monodramon, and Marineangemon would gather around an unfortunate Impmon to drag him away with them.

"Hey waitaminute! I said I didn't wanna play hey!"

He yelled as he was carried away while the humans laughed.

"I wanna play too!" Said Shaochung who ran off into the field with the Digimon with Terreirmon dragging Lopmon away not far behind her.

Impmon objected to every second of it, but deep down appreciated how accepted he finally was by the other Digimon.

Jenrya observed the whole thing and sighed.

"Well now the teams are uneven again, but they'll figure it out."

Renamon chimed in. "Agreed. Though they have matured little, watching them always has a strange and soothing vibe to it. So full of life, so full of bliss..."

"Yeah they kinda do don't they, Renamon?"

Jenrya looked back at Renamon to see her in deep thought over something. He mistook this as a frown and responded as he usually did to such things.

"Hey, you alright? Did I say something wrong?"

Renamon quickly snapped out of her thoughts and looked back at him.

"No I was just thinking, why?"

"Oh, uh, my bad. You kinda of frowned a bit after I spoke and wanted to make sure I didn't say anything bad."

"Oh, apologies."

Renamon felt odd. She didn't think her expression to be any more unusual than her default. Though smiling on her face was not particularly common and the two of them only saw each other's faces every so often. So perhaps her usual "resting bitch face" as Ruki called it would be perceived as sadness by others.

"I am quite alright, Lee-san. We don't speak to each other too often, but you are a kind person. Today I am reminded of what a good friend you are and I appreciate it."

"Heh, well, I do try."

"You do far more than try. Genuinely kind souls like you are rare."

"Haha, Renamon, you're making me blush."

Jenrya did blush a hint. Renamon was never one to beat around the bush and tended to be blunt and honest. Hearing such kind words coming from a mouth like that made them feel all the more authentic. They stirred warm feelings inside Jenrya's chest and face.

Seeing the little reddish tints on his cheeks gave Renamon one of those rare smiles of hers.

It was a happy little causal conversation both would remember for years to come.

Later Jenrya lifted himself up with the intent on returning to the other humans.

"Well I'm gonna see what they are doing."

"Sure."

"Why don't you come join the others too, Renamon?"

"Perhaps in time I will.

"Whatever you say, Renamon."

Jenrya ways and walks back to the crowd before a call from her voice stops him.

"One more thing."

Jenrya looks back to face Renamon again. "Yeah, what's up?"

"You are quite a pleasant breath of fresh air. Lets chat again sometime soon, fine by you?"

"Oh, well yeah. Sounds great! Next Thursday is my day off, but you can visit anytime you want if I'm around. Oh wait, do you remember where I live?"

"I do. I patrol the city often at my leisure and I am quite familiar with the locations of everyone's homes."

"Oh alright, cool."

As Jenrya returned to the others Renamon could not stop smiling. He had proven a true friend and no matter how unexpected their conversation was it really made her day a great part of their gathering. She still thought about it weeks later.