Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon, nor do I own When the World's Not Ending, by Smartalec121 or any of their associated works.
Off the Beaten Path
Chapter: 39/ Shadows in the Dark
Coronamon stood on a rooftop overlooking the Shinjuku government building. Red lights gleamed from the antennae like eyes. She shuddered at the sight. Something about the building felt like a powerful digimon in its own right.
"I have to report about Calumon," she murmured, steeling her courage. The Renamon had told her to come here after all, and hadn't attacked when they had the opportunity. Surely, she didn't have any ulterior motive beyond everyone's safety.
It occurred to her however, that she had no idea who to speak to. Buildings were full of people, but she didn't know any of them, nor did she know how humans organized themselves. In the digital world, when digimon congregated into a community, it tended to be led by the strongest one, such as Beelzemon, as her case had been. Where humans were concerned, the lines were not so obviously clear cut. She worried how they might react if she dropped down to ask.
Humans are often frightened of digimon, she reminded herself. And Masahiko wanted me to stay hidden.
She couldn't remain hidden if it meant helping Calumon and protecting other digimon in the city. She would have to chance asking and being noticed.
Don't be mad at me, Masahiko, she thought. Swallowing nervously, Coronamon made her way down to the streets – slowly, so as to not startle anyone. Upon reaching the ground, she took stock of the traffic. Vehicles came and went in accordance to the colors of the lights.
Makes sense, she nodded, admiring the city's orderly structure. If everyone just went as they pleased, people would end up getting hurt.
Further observation indicated that there lay a spot in the street where humans were allowed to cross once the traffic lights prevented vehicles from moving. Scampering on over, she joined the crowd. She winced at the surprised and startled sounds she made.
"Sorry," she said. "I'm not hear to hurt anyone. I just want to deliver a message to the building."
It did her no good however. People drew back in panic. Some even screamed.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" she exclaimed. Fearful, she glanced at the lights. They were still green. "Please, don't be scared! I just need to see someone from that building!"
"I can help you with that."
Coronamon turned toward the voice to find a blond-haired, blue-eyed girl approaching her, a bag in one hand labeled after the bakery she first visited with Calumon. Her expression had a flat, empty appearance, but a glint of curiosity could be gleaned in her gaze.
"Hello," the girl said. "I am Alice McCoy. I work for Hypnos. We help the Tamers."
"Um…" Coronamon licked her lips nervously. "Do you know a-a Renamon, by chance?"
"I do," Alice replied, arching an eyebrow. "She is partnered to one of the Tamers."
"S-She told me to come here and report anything that might be related to an IceBeelzemon. My friend Calumon is missing. I think he might have been deleted by them."
At this, Alice's eyebrows rose. "You know Calumon?"
The sound of a whistle broke across the air. Whirling about, Coronamon saw a pair of humans dressed in some kind of blue uniform running in her direction. Fearful that they might be coming to take her prisoner, Coronamon dashed away.
"Wait!" Alice exclaimed. "Hold on!"
Coronamon didn't listen. She couldn't take the chance that she might be locked away from Masahiko. Leaping, she latched hold of the building she scaled down from and began to climb it. Before too long, she left her pursuers far behind. Bounding from one rooftop to the next, she tried to put the encounter out of her mind.
I reported it like I was asked. Now, I have to do my part in finding Calumon.
She suppressed a wince. If she could even find him at all to begin with. If Calumon had indeed fallen victim to the IceBeelzemon, neither she nor Masahiko would ever see him again.
Doing her best to ignore such thoughts for now, she reached out with her senses, hoping to prove those fears wrong.
She traversed the city for some time afterward, and without luck. With the sun starting to set, Coronamon knew she had to return to Masahiko. Undoubtedly, he would be worrying himself sick about her now. He didn't say anything, but Calumon's absence hurt him. She didn't dare stoke such fears on her end.
"I'm on my way home, Masahiko," she said. "Just be patient."
###
Masahiko tried not to pay too much attention to the clock since coming home and not finding Coronamon waiting for him. He tried not to think about Calumon either, but thoughts about him intruded with every minute that passed and Coronamon still did not appear.
She left me too, he thought despairingly. He turned the page of his manga, trying to distract himself. However, his eyes found themselves pulled to a familiar, light-orange sock-puppet, crammed like a bookmark between various coloring books and scraps of paper.
"Masahiko's feeling sad because he misses Coronamon and Calumon," he thought in the voice of his departed sister. "Rrruf!"
"I do not!" he hissed at the sock-puppet. He sat there for a moment, shifting in his seat uncomfortably. "Who needs them anyway?" he muttered. He glared at the manga in his hands. No longer interested in its contents, he closed it up. He flopped down on his side, but he couldn't keep Coronamon or Calumon out of his thoughts. Where were they?!
A gentle tapping on his bedroom window caught his attention. He shot up, breath caught in his throat. Did he dare…?
"Masahiko?" came Coronamon's voice from outside the window. "I'm home. I'm sorry I'm so late!"
"Coronamon!" Gasping with delight and relief, he raced over to his window and yanked it open. The Rookie climbed inside, panting heavily.
"Where were you?!" Masahiko demanded before seeing how exhausted she was. "Are you alright? Do you need water?"
Coronamon's breathing eased a little bit at his concern. She smiled.
"I'm fine," she said, and then pressed herself into his arms. "I'm sorry for worrying you. I was out trying to find Calumon. I-I couldn't find him."
Masahiko squeezed the Rookie close to him.
"D-Don't be out so late, next time," was all he could manage. They stayed like that for a while. Masahiko felt Coronamon's heat suffuse into his body, gradually chasing away all his fears and concerns.
Outside, unnoticed, a pair of red eyes burned angrily at them.
###
Himiko repressed the urge to massage her forehead. Across from her stood Alice McCoy, the latest in a string of news bearers for the day.
First that business with Takato and now this. Himiko found herself wondering whether she should buy something for her headache later. Preferably alcohol, she thought sarcastically, but quickly dismissed the thought. She had a job to do. Composing herself, she returned her attention to Alice.
"All right," Himiko began carefully. "Why should we trust the word of some random digimon? And why is this Calumon creature important?"
"He's a friend of the Tamers. Is that not good enough?"
"I'd like a better reason than sentimentality, young lady." Himiko frowned. "And lose the attitude. I'm not Yamaki. I don't have his tolerance for antics."
"Understood," Alice nodded, her expression unmoved. "If the Tamers believe their friend is in danger, they will search for him instead of IceBeelzemon. This could potentially distract them and even put them in danger."
"All right. What do you suggest we do?"
"I'd like to suggest retuning Hypnos' sensors to search for his data," Alice replied. Himiko blinked.
"Why should I devote resources to locating him when we have an IceBeelzemon running around? If I remember right, a digimon loads the data of the digimon they delete and merges it with their own. Searching for it would be pointless."
"Calumon's data is unique," Alice stated. "He was originally formed from the digivolution algorithm that my grandfather and his friends made for the digimon. Even absorbed, it should leave a recognizable trace we can detect. If IceBeelzemon has actually deleted and absorbed Calumon's data, then we can find him using that."
Himiko steepled her hands together. "You make a compelling argument," she admitted. She considered the girl thoughtfully. Although Alice was young and technically an 'intern,' she had built up strong credibility, both at Hypnos and among the Tamers. "Very well. Make your adjustments."
Nodding, Alice turned and left the office. Himiko watched her go for a moment before pressing her fingers against her forehead again. She would have to tell the Tamers about this. She didn't want to do that now – not until there was some confirmation about this Calumon's fate – but it would happen. None of them would like hearing about their friend's potential fate.
A stiff drink is sounding like a really good idea right now…
###
Night claimed Shinjuku and Masahiko woke up needing to pee.
Whimpering softly, he closed his eyes in the hopes he could just ignore the painful calling of his bladder until morning. Unfortunately, he knew that such aspirations were useless. His bladder banged hard from inside his body, demanding to let out its contents. He shifted, hoping to find a position that would make things easier, but it remained fruitless.
"Masahiko?" came the voice of Coronamon, floating up from the darkness. "Are you alright?"
"I need to use the bathroom," Masahiko murmured. His face flushed in humiliation. Throwing back the covers, he carefully crawled out of his bed.
"Do you need me to come with you?" Coronamon asked. A warm, orange glow began to emanate from the Rookie, pushing back the shadows of the night. Masahiko felt a wave of relief at the sight of his room's familiar contents. It only made his embarrassment worse however.
"I-I'm fine," he stammered out. "I'm not scared."
Truth be told, nighttime terrified him. Shapes that were once well known to him became unfamiliar and took on monstrous forms. Clothing wracks and lamps became clawed monsters and skeletons reaching out to snag hold of him. Chairs were lions and coiled dragons waiting to pounce and devour him. A part of him wanted so very much to ask Coronamon to accompany him, but at the same time he couldn't bring himself to ask her. He didn't have quite enough of a grasp on the feelings about the matter, but he feared that she would laugh at him for such a childish concern as the dark.
So, he slipped out the door and closed it behind him, cutting him off from Coronamon's glow. The night embraced him and he shivered.
"It's okay," he whispered to himself. "There's nothing to be scared of. There's no such thing as monsters."
Except, he knew that wasn't true. There were digimon after all, and while some of them were nice like Coronamon, there were plenty others who were more like monsters than anything he read about in his horror story collections. In the dark, he would have no more warning than the red light from their eyes before they lunged at him.
Creeping carefully down the hall, he felt his way along, taking it inch by inch so as to not trip or stub his toes. The wall provided a certain comfort as well. Something solid and real that he could hang on to. Here, at least, was a direction where a monster couldn't get at him.
When it suddenly vanished from his touch, he gasped in panic.
"No! Nononono…!" he whispered, feeling frantically about. He ran smack into a corner and fell back on his butt. "Owww…"
Despite the pain, the impact hadn't been for nothing. He remembered now. The wall didn't disappear. Rather, it opened into the next room. That familiarity settled his nerves once more and he cursed himself for freaking out so easily. He lived here after all. He should know every inch and nook and cranny of this place. All he needed to do was keep a cool head.
The pain from his bladder flared, reminding him of his need. Hurriedly, he clambered back to his feet. Feeling about once more in the dark, he found the entrance to the next room and quickly decided his next move. If he continued on, hugging the wall as he did, it would take him longer to get to the bathroom. He would have to brave the darkness without its comfort bracing him. Gulping, he released his grip on the wall and stepped into the shadows.
Nighttime, already a heavy blanket upon his vision, became like a wall over his eyes. Feeling adrift in a great void, he groped about, disoriented by the lack of anything to hold onto except the floor beneath his feet and the chill air.
Suddenly a large hand grabbed hold of him by the arm with vicelike strength. Looking up, he saw glowing, blood red eyes staring down at him. Masahiko screamed. His voice came out loud and shrill, no longer caring how he looked or sounded. A monster! A monster in the dark! He flailed violently, desperately trying to escape, but it held firm with an icy grip.
"Coronamonnn!" he howled, tears bursting from his eyes. The red eyes shifted, becoming angry, but it released him, sending him smashing to the floor. He scurried away, and as he did so he felt something loosen in his stomach and warm urine began to stain his pants. Light filled the hall behind him and Coronamon barreled into the room like a cannonball, her body glowing brightly. She looked about, and quickly found the boy sobbing on the floor.
"Masahiko!" she shouted. Quickly, she raced over to him, her light banishing shadows. Upstairs, the sounds of his mother and stepfather could be heard, roused by his cries.
"M-Monster!" Masahiko said as Coronamon wrapped her arms about him protectively. "There's a monster here!"
"Monster?" Coronamon quickly looked about, but found nothing but the room and all its usual contents. They were alone.
Yet… Coronamon frowned. The air tasted different from before. Colder. An iciness that went deeper than any winter she knew in the digital world. Her thoughts went back to the still missing Calumon and the Renamon's report of an IceBeelzemon in the real world. She didn't like thinking about that, and the idea of such a creature being here, stalking Masahiko,deeply unsettled her.
Where are you? she thought while sweeping her eyes about for any sign of the digimon. Are you really here?
The only answer she received was Masahiko's frightened sobbing and the sound of feet thumping down the hall toward them.
"It's okay," she said, hugging Masahiko close to her. "It's okay. I'm here. I'll protect you."
Masahiko's eyes shot open at that. She'll protect him? At once, he became conscious that he wet himself. Shame welled up in him and he began to struggle.
"Masahiko? What…?" Coronamon began before the boy pushed her away. She cocked an eyebrow, surprised and hurt by this unexpected behavior. Masahiko looked away, feeling a different kind of shame. One he didn't have a name for.
"H-Hide," he stammered out. The sound of feet came closer, and Coronamon, finally recognizing them, scampered away, her light winking out of existence a second later. Masahiko wiped his eyes.
Why did I shove her? She was just trying to help.
He had little time to consider such thoughts as his mother and stepfather entered the room. With an effort, he forced himself to his feet so he could face them with some measure of dignity.
###
IceBeelzemon emerged from cold mists outside of Masahiko's home. His fangs clenched together in anger as he thought about the Coronamon.
She is weak, yet she interferes with my work. I can't take him as long as she remains. The hold she has over his heart will keep him too warm. My cold will never be able to completely make him mine as long as her heat remains.
Not for the first time did he wonder about how fate conspired to get in his way. First the Digimon Queen prevented him from destroying Takato, and now this runt of a digimon as well?
It's too much, he raged inwardly. It is just too much! This shouldn't be happening!
He felt more and more that things were slipping away from him and that all his plans were going awry just as they were starting to come to fruition. After the spore of the D-Reaper died, the knight should have followed in her steps! How strange that such a small change could derail his efforts so much.
I am not finished yet, he thought. I will have the data of the Tamers' digimon, and then nothing will be able to stop me. But first, I will have this child, and to do that I need to remove Coronamon. I have waited this long to get what I desire. I can wait still longer. She will be alone soon enough, and then my work will begin again without interference.
A cruel smile graced IceBeelzemon's features before he faded from view.
###
Rika set her bowl of miso soup down on the dining room table with a dull clink. Her parents looked up at her briefly before returning to their breakfasts. Rika pulled back her chair and wordlessly slipped into it. Then she clapped her hands together.
"Thanks for the food," she murmured.
The silence – broken only by the clinks of chopsticks and the chewing of food – held a weight to it that Rika found to be almost suffocating. Though this wasn't the case this time, it reminded her of the worst days between her parents whenever they had an argument and she felt her hackles rise in expectation. The reason for the tension in the atmosphere needed no explanation and no further clues than the empty chair at the table.
Grandma… Rika's grip on her chopsticks grew tight.
Rumiko glanced to the side where Renamon sat on the floor with a small tray of food in front of her. She quietly and elegantly picked away at her meal. Not a single bit of food fell from her chopsticks, nor did she slurp or eat loudly. Her back remained straight and she did not lean in to catch anything that might be dangling. Despite the rather servitude look, she appeared rather queenly. She might as well have been providing an example for them on how to eat properly.
"I know it's rude to bring this up again," Rumiko began, "but you are welcome to join us at the table."
"No, I can't," the vulpine digimon said apologetically, holding up a paw. Just as before, she offered no reasons for maintaining her distance. Looking at her, Rika pressed her lips together, unsure what to make of this behavior. On one hand, she gave the impression of a servant in relation to her master – something she supposed made sense given her partner's previous occupation. On the other hand, given recent events about her grandmother and later her being struck in the fight with Takato's attacker, it left her with the feeling that Renamon considered herself unworthy of being with them.
My Other-Me's relationship with her partner looked different from this, she thought, going over what she remembered from that alternate reality. There hadn't been much to go on, to be fair, but she picked up on enough to know they were fairly close, a bit different from how things stood between herself and her own version of Renamon.
Digivolving to Mega is the next step. I think we're doing okay, but are we really?
Something else to add to the pile of questions and concerns she held since starting this journey.
"Are you guys visiting the hospital today?" she asked her parents. Her grandmother originally should have been discharged by now, but complications rose up regarding her head injury, necessitating a longer stay.
"Yes," her mother replied. "I'm cutting my photoshoots short today to go there."
"Same," her father added. He noticeably winced reflexively. No doubt leaving work early cost him something with his coworkers or perhaps promised more work down the road. "Are you going to be 'training' after school today?"
Rika hesitated before answering, "I am."
She glanced back and forth between her parents. Her mother didn't say anything, but the way she pursed her lips suggested she wasn't happy about that. Her father simply nodded.
"Good luck," he said. "We might not be home when you get back, so don't worry if you don't see us."
Rika swallowed, feeling uncertain about her decision, but she knew she didn't have the luxury of time on her side. Sooner or later, they would fight IceBeelzemon again, and she needed to be prepared for it.
I've got to find a way to get Renamon back to the Mega level again. Her fingers curled into her palm, thinking once more of her grandmother, lying on the ground in a growing pool of her own blood.
Once more, her thoughts turned to how to do that. Digivolving was something that not even the Tamers really understood. Their creators, the Monster Makers, had developed the algorithm that enabled digivolution, but the digital world transformed how it operated. The man named Gorou Mizuno, discussed its relationship to the bond between a digimon and their human partner.
Renamon and I are partners now, but can we really say we're close? Can we even do what Takato and Guilmon do? Is Other-Me and her partner even capable of that biomerging stuff? It didn't seem possible, given how much of a brat she was, but then she saw very little of that world.
Anxiety crept into her heart. She hurriedly finished up her breakfast.
"Going for another run," she said, slipping away from the table. Renamon, clapping her paws together, bowed to the girl's parents.
"Thank you," she said before disappearing after her partner.
Rumiko watched Rika as she raced off. Once she disappeared around the corner, the mask she wore fell away and she dropped her chopsticks into her bowl.
"This is insane," she said under her breath, pressing her hands against her eyes. "I want to support her, but this is insane."
Her husband's hand touched hers. Wordlessly, she allowed him to draw her fingers into his grasp.
"I'm sorry," she said softly, and for a wonder intertwined her fingers with his. She looked at his surprise and pressed her lips together tightly. Had things really been so bad between them that he didn't expect her to apologize for anything?
"It's alright," he said awkwardly, giving her hand a soft squeeze.
Rumiko squeezed his hand back, but she found it difficult to take comfort in his words. She could feel the distance between them, as vast as a canyon.
Could they really support one another in order to support their daughter?
###
Rika kept her run short, and before too long she was on her way to school. She half-regretted going for the second jog as her legs felt stiff and irritated with her.
Got to get stronger, she thought, keeping the image of her grandmother firmly in her mind. I need to get as strong as I can as quick as I can. I can't be holding anyone back!
Renamon phase into view by her side, an umbrella in hand.
"It's going to rain today," she said, holding it out for her to take. Rika nodded in gratitude.
"Thanks," she said, accepting the umbrella. "You know, I probably don't say this enough, but you do a good job looking out for me."
At that, shame colored Renamon's face.
"I fear that I fall short of that," she said, looking away. Rika found herself becoming aware of the bruise on her face. Her family said very little about it – at least in so far as where Renamon was concerned – but she could see why Renamon would hold herself as a failure in protecting her. She made a speech about how she would never let harm come to their daughter and then precisely that happened.
"You're better than you think," Rika insisted. "If anything, I'm not sure I'm doing a good job as a Tamer."
"It would seem we both harbor similar concerns about ourselves."
"At least that's something we're in sync about," Rika said sarcastically. "Maybe if we're lucky, it'll help us biomerge."
"I'm curious. Why do you feel this way?"
Rika's grip tightened about her bag's strap.
"Because of what happened to Grandma. And…maybe because of her."
Renamon, sensing the emphasis on the word, needed no elaboration. The shadow cast by her partner's alternate counterpart was quite long.
"She has more experience," Renamon reminded.
"I know. I hate that."
Renamon tilted her head to one side curiously.
"Sometimes, you are difficult to understand."
"Sorry." Rika looked at her partner apologetically. "I'll try harder. I just wish there was a roadmap or something I could use."
"I believe the other Tamers are useful in that regard."
Rika pressed her lips together. "I guess I just hoped I'd be able to figure it out on my own. And I don't want to bother Gogglehead. Between him being hurt and whatever it is I feel for him, he's got enough going on already."
Renamon couldn't disagree. Takato's injuries, while far from life threatening, were serious enough to ensure his absence from today's training. Rika's own feelings for him – or what she believed she should feel for him – further complicated their relationship.
"And Dinoboy's kind of a unique case anyway," Rika further elaborated. "Takato drew him, and from what he's told me, it made their connection stronger from the very start. We might need something different. That is…if you want to, I mean."
Rika's brow knotted up in uncertainty as she looked at the kitsune.
"I see no reason why I shouldn't," Renamon replied. "You may be difficult to understand, but I have found that I like you as my partner. You care about others and you're much stronger than you appear to be on the surface." She allowed a small smile to grace her features. "I knew that the second you punched Gaiomon."
"So…you're okay with me?"
"Of course. Our partnership will take time to strengthen and grow, but I don't think there's anyone else I'd rather be with. I almost feel that we were meant to be together. And from what you saw, we would have been much sooner, had things turned out differently."
"I…see." Rika frowned, not sure how she felt about that. She didn't like the idea of destiny; that things were decided ahead of time. But she couldn't deny the coincidence that her partner was the same as her counterpart, and their partnership resulted from the choice of a modify card from one angry girl in another reality. It almost felt that the universe was pushing them to be together. Or, perhaps instead, had been waiting for the right circumstances.
I'm not the same person as her, Rika reminded herself. Maybe it really had something to do with wanting to make that choice. Really wanting and not just sometimes thinking about it once in a while like a stupid daydream.
She thought about her counterpart, wondering what it was that made her want to be a Tamer so bad. Anger and discomfort with her feelings and shortcomings had been prominent and obvious to her right from the beginning, and there stood the absence of her father as well. Perhaps there were other reasons, but being that those stood out the most, Rika found herself pitying the Other-Rika. Only a little though, knowing that as she resented such sentiments herself, it stood to reason her doppelganger would as well.
Renamon continued to openly escort Rika to her school and left only upon her entering through the main gate. Ignoring fellow students who gawked at the shocking sight, Rika continued on to her class. There, she found Kayoko and Toshiko by the window. Toshiko looked quite pleased with herself while Kayoko examined a pink, plushie version of MarineAngemon.
"What's this all about?" Rika asked upon drawing up to her two friends.
"A while back Kayoko said I should make one of Kenta's partner and, well, here we are!" Toshiko beamed.
"It's almost disturbing how good she is at this," Kayoko said. She turned the plushie around for Rika to see. "Seriously. It's like it came off the card or something."
Leaning forward, Rika gave the plush fairy a quick once over. True to word, the toy was almost a one-for-one copy of MarineAngemon, right down to the happy smile he nearly always wore. The only noticeable difference of note being the Holy Ring around the Mega's neck contained not a trace of gold or metal, which she couldn't fault her friend for.
"Disturbingly cute," Rika said.
"Thanks, Toshi. You made Rika say the word. The world's doomed now. Do we get a tombstone that reads, 'slain by a Leg Queen?'"
"Don't say that," Toshiko whined.
"Take it as a compliment," Rika said. "It's not every day that someone can end the world with a cute toy." She tilted her head to one side contemplatively. "I hate to ask, but do you think you could do a pair of me and Renamon?"
"Sure!" Toshiko chirped excitedly. "When I make one of you, should I do it with your uniform or just regular clothes?"
"Regular clothes."
"Bonding with your digimon?" Kayoko asked. Pulling back a chair, Rika shrugged off her bag.
"Just trying to make her feel like she's a friend, I guess. I'm still adapting and I'm not sure what to do. The other Tamers treat their digimon like close friends, which seems like a good idea. Except, you know. They're friends you toss into danger, and I'm not really sure if I like that. Seems too convenient."
"Rather be in there mixing it up?" Kayoko asked. Rika felt the weight of her friend's gaze on her.
"If I could do what Takato does with his partner, sure, but I don't know if I can do that."
Toshiko's phone made a clicking noise as it took Rika's picture. The fiery-haired girl turned toward her.
"Sorry. Taking notes. Which hairstyle do you think would be best?"
"This one's fine, I guess," Rika shrugged. Kayoko poked at her pineapple look.
"Can't really go wrong with it. It makes you look kind of cool."
"Probably why Other-Me went with it. Too bad IceBeelzemon won't be intimidated by it."
Kayoko noted the tension in Rika's voice as she spoke. "How do Gogglehead and Dinoboy do that…what did you call that thing they do where they become a giant knight?"
"Biomerge," Rika replied. "He said in the digital world he made a wish."
"You made a lot of wishes to get where you are now," Toshiko pointed out, looking over her photo of Rika.
"Yeah, but it sounds like it was a bit more complicated than that. Like, the two had to be understand each other on some level and be in sync, I guess. He didn't sound too sure about it. He just knows that at a certain point, he feels what Guilmon feels and vice versa and that it was something that started when Guilmon digivolved to Ultimate. I don't remember anything like that when I got Renamon to digivolve to Ultimate."
"If it's an issue about being in sync with one another, maybe you should try dancing," Kayoko suggested. "You know, like we do sometimes?"
"Dancing," Rika said flatly.
"Why not? There's a lot of choreography involved and you have to practice pretty hard to get your timing down. When you're in a group, you need to trust the other person to get their part right and help them when they're coming up short."
Rika took a moment to turn the idea around in her mind. It didn't sound like a bad idea the more she thought about it. The only issue would be how Renamon felt about it. Would she see it as some pointless exercise? Would she resent being forced to do it because of how Rika felt?
She doesn't have the same motivations that I do. Again, the image of her grandmother flashed through her mind, but with it came an underlying fear that she was using Renamon as a convenient weapon to use for her own desires. Rika frowned, thinking of Kayoko's bokken. Did she really want to think of Renamon as something like that?
Takato said something about doing that to Guilmon once. What would happen to her if I made her into some kind of monster just to take down IceBeelzemon?
"Hey, Nonaka." Kayoko poked at her cheek. "What are you worrying about in there? Come on. Talk to us. We're here to help too."
Her face pinching, Rika went back and forth between her two friends.
"I think that's what I'm afraid of," she admitted. Kayoko and Toshiko both raised an eyebrow. They exchanged a look that made Rika think they were talking without using words.
"Nonaka, I wouldn't have jumped in to help you and your boyfriend if you weren't my friend."
Rika went rigid at that. "He's not my boyfriend!"
"I know." Kayoko grinned. "I'm just trying to wind you up. Seriously, what's eating you?" She leaned forward, her smile vanishing. "Class is about to start, so let's get something about how you're really feeling and get started on fixing whatever's on your mind."
Rika narrowed her eyes. "I've got a lot on my mind."
"Yeah, but there's one thread tying it all together. We've been down this road before."
"Kayoko, don't make her mad…"
"She already is. I'm just giving her the chance to vent." She fixed Rika with a hard look and Rika returned it. She felt the fire within her and knew Kayoko would continue to provoke her until she erupted if that's what it took to get things out in the open.
"I am angry, okay?!" Rika said, taking care to restrain herself. "I'm angry and I'm scared about what I'll do to Renamon! She says she's my partner and she wants to be with me, but I don't even know why! I just know it's something I want, but that's what scares me because right now I want to make IceBeelzemon hurt for what he did to Takato and Grandma!"
Rika panted a little at the outburst. Shame flooded her face, but she held the gazes of her two friends. Toshiko looked uncertainly back and forth between the two. She rarely did well with public outbursts and preferred avoiding them if she could help it. Kayoko on the other hand was her polar opposite, preferring to draw out negative emotions into the open where they could be confronted.
Kayoko's eyes flickered to the side. Following her gaze, she spotted their teacher entering the room. Class was about to start.
"Let's table this conversation for later," Kayoko said. "Do you have time after your training?"
"I…" Rika hesitated. "Yeah, sure."
"Drop by my place then. Bring Fluffy Tail. We'll have a nice chat." Kayoko turned to Toshiko. "You come too. You need reference pictures, right?"
"Ah… Yeah, okay?" Toshiko frowned just then and tapped out a message. Rolling her eyes, Kayoko took out her phone before it even buzzed.
"What'd she say?" Rika asked. Kayoko laughed.
"I got scolded. No biggie." She grinned at Toshiko. "One of these days, I'm going to get you to use that sort of language out loud."
"Please don't," Toshiko whimpered behind her phone. Laughing, Kayoko pinched her cheek.
Collecting their things, the three of them parted ways to their respective seats. Rika felt oddly alone now, even though she knew that wasn't the case. School just had that effect on her, and without her two friends there, she had just herself and her thoughts now.
Thoughts about how she would make IceBeelzemon pay.
She clenched her fists, willing the clock to move faster so she could get out of here and back to business, however futile it might be until they found some sign of their opponent. At least, she would be doing something.
It's going to be a long day, she thought.
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