Chapter Eight: A New Face

It was a quiet afternoon in the park, the perfect break after the chaos of their recent battle with Kuwagamon. Alex, Brady, and David sat under a tree with their Digimon, chatting and recovering from their latest adventure.

"You know," David said, lying on the grass and staring up at the sky, "if this keeps up, we're going to need a vacation."

Brady laughed. "A vacation from being Tamers? Not happening. Besides, you'd miss Renamon bossing you around."

Renamon raised an eyebrow but said nothing, her usual calm demeanor intact.

Alex leaned against the tree, tossing a pebble in his hand. "You guys ever think about how… weird this all is? One day, we're normal kids, and now we're fighting Digimon and saving the city."

"Normal's overrated," Brady said with a grin. "Besides, you're the son of Takato. You were never gonna be 'normal.'"

Before Alex could respond, he heard a familiar voice call out his name.

"Alex!"

He turned to see Kari walking toward them, her long dark hair swaying as she jogged closer. She was carrying a small bag and had that playful smile he knew so well.

"Kari?" Alex stood up, a little surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to find you," Kari said, stopping in front of him. "You've been so busy lately. I wanted to make sure you weren't, you know, fighting aliens or something."

David raised an eyebrow. "Close enough."

Kari gave him a curious look before noticing the Digimon. Her eyes widened. "Oh, my gosh… are those…?"

"Digimon," Alex said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah. Uh… surprise?"

Guillaumon waved enthusiastically. "Hi! I'm Guillaumon! Alex's partner!"

Kari blinked, then broke into a smile. "Okay, that's the coolest thing I've ever seen." She crouched down to get a better look at Guillaumon. "So, you're Alex's partner? Does that mean you fight with him?"

"Yup!" Guillaumon said proudly. "We're a great team!"

Kari stood up, her excitement still shining. "You've been keeping this a secret from me, Alex?"

"It's… complicated," Alex said, glancing at Brady and David for help.

Brady stepped in, grinning. "Hey, I'm Brady, and this is Terriormon. We're part of the team too."

"And I'm David," David added, motioning to Renamon, who nodded politely. "This is Renamon."

Kari gave them a warm smile. "It's nice to meet you all. So, what exactly is this team of yours?"

Alex hesitated, then decided to tell her the truth. "We're Tamers. We've been fighting Digimon that come through portals into our world. It's… kind of a long story."

Kari tilted her head, her expression thoughtful. "So, you're risking your life to protect the city? And you didn't think to tell me?"

"I didn't want you to worry," Alex said quickly.

Kari crossed her arms, giving him a look. "Alex, I'm your girlfriend. Worrying about you is kind of part of the job."

Brady nudged David, whispering, "She's got a point."

David smirked. "She's fierce. I like her."

Kari turned to the group, her determination clear. "Well, if Alex is part of this, I want to help too."

Alex blinked. "What? No, Kari, it's dangerous."

"And you think I'm just going to sit at home while you're out here fighting giant monsters?" Kari shot back. "Forget it. I'm in."

Renamon stepped forward, her voice calm but firm. "This isn't a decision to take lightly. The world of Digimon is unpredictable and dangerous."

"I can handle it," Kari said confidently. "Besides, if Alex can do it, so can I."

Alex sighed, knowing he wouldn't win this argument. "Fine. But you have to promise to listen to me and stay safe."

Kari grinned. "Deal."

Brady leaned over to Alex, whispering, "You're in so much trouble if she gets a Digimon."

Alex groaned. "Don't even joke about that."

As the group settled back down, now with Kari in the mix, the team felt a little different—but in a good way. Alex couldn't help but feel both nervous and proud that Kari wanted to stand by his side.

Little did they know, her arrival was just the beginning of a new chapter in their adventure.