A/N: I will freely admit that I know nothing about coding or computer programming of any kind. Just not much of a technical person, I'm afraid. That said, I did my best with my research, and, additionally, looked for anything from the 2005-2006 era so I could at least get that much right, if nothing else. Much of it came from university level courses, which, to me, struck me as a little underdeveloped for someone like Henry, who has probably been doing some kind of coding for much of his life.
On the topic of modeling pay and pay in general, the minimum wage in Japan during the time of 2005 was something like 600-700 yen an hour or so, depending on region. Model payment is a bit more complicated and seems to vary from agency to agency, but appear to be generally paid 'per job', with the amount varying from type of work, clientele, location, and experience/popularity in particular being big determinations. From what I can tell, if the base-pay of the average model were converted to hourly wages, it'd still be higher than what Takato would be getting here.
This arc has been quite informative about the fashion industry and modeling. Definitely a lot more complex and interesting than I initially thought.
Apologies for the lateness of this chapter. Respiratory infections suck.
Thanks goes to the color of television for proofreading.
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.
Seeing Red
Chapter: 27
Amidst the concrete towers of Shinjuku, a small, dark-furred digimon wearing red gloves and a neckerchief, landed atop a rooftop. Pigeons fluttered into the air, startled. The digimon gave them a slight frown, silently disparaging them for being surprised.
"Sheesh. You think you guys have never seen a digimon before," he said while watching the pigeons settling back down. They cooed to one another and went back to their business. They might as well be oblivious to his presence. Impmon hmphed and looked down at the streets below. He felt the presence of a familiar digimon nearby. One he had been looking for. He quickly found him, hanging off his human partner's shoulder as he was wont to do. Smirking, he leapt down. Landing in front of Henry and Terriermon, he smirked.
"Hey, guys!" he greeted.
"Impmon?" Henry lifted an eyebrow in surprise at the digimon's presence. "What are you doing here?"
"What?" Impmon put on an annoyed face before planting his hands on his hips. "I can't stop by to see what the loser club is up to? It's been a while."
"That's what you say," Terriermon giggled. Impmon shrugged.
"Yeah, okay. You got me. My partners are shopping with their grandma for school supplies and there are some department stores I'm not allowed in anymore. Plus, I'm bored. I was hoping you might be into providing me with some entertainment, Helicopter Head."
Terriermon scrunched his eyes up. "What am I? Some kind of game for you to take out and play with whenever you feel like it?"
"That's what his kid sister does with you ain't it?" Impmon grinned. "Besides, I'm just asking. It's not like you have to. I can always go bother Pineapplehead or Fox-Face."
"Whatever you're going to do, can you decide it while I'm walking?" Henry asked. Stepping around Impmon, he resumed his trek. Impmon quickly fell into place beside him.
"Ahhh… The whole cram-school thing still going, hah? If you want, I can give you a ride."
"Ohhh!" Terriermon's ears shot up in excitement at the prospect. "Come on, Henry! Can we?"
"No."
"What? I got my license!" Impmon declared proudly. Reaching into his scarf, he produced a card displaying his face. Henry shook his head, still amazed that the diminutive digimon had managed the feat. Granted, it required some help from Hypnos – in large part for safety reasons as Impmon's Mega form's motorbike was a unique situation when it came to Japan's roadways – but it still baffled him all the same.
"I'm almost there anyway," Henry replied. Terriermon pouted.
"You'll have to forgive Henry. Ever since Renamon kissed him, he hasn't been any fun."
"Terriermon!" Henry snapped angrily at his partner while Impmon's eyes went wide like saucers.
"Momentai! You know he'll just get it out of Guilmon later."
"Wait! You whaaa…?!" Impmon shook his head, utterly shocked at this news. "Renamon k-k-k-kissed him?!"
"Yeah," Terriermon continued, as if the topic were boring to him. "She wanted to experience some human stuff so she could help out Rika. She finally got together with Takatomon and thought it might be a good idea."
Impmon made a choking sound. Even them?! When did this happen?!
"Hold on, Rabbit Stew!" Impmon said, trying to recover himself. "We're definitely catching up now! Sheesh! I've been gone for just a month and this stuff happens? What else haven't I been told?"
"Takato and Rika made a digi-egg together just by being in a relationship."
"Terriermon…" Henry groaned.
"Momentai! He's going to find out anyway and he doesn't even have to interrogate Guilmon. Everyone else found out because they had to have their digivices fixed."
Impmon struggled to keep his jaw from hitting the ground.
"Uh, okay," he began, attempting to reform his thoughts. "Wow. This is a lot to take in."
"You want me to use small words for you?"
"I'm pretty sure you just did, pally." He frowned up at Henry. "How come you guys didn't call me about any of this? I mean, okay, I get not talking to me about Fox-Face, but Takato and Rika hooking up after all this time? And making a digi-egg together?" He glanced at Terriermon. "Did they scan it through a digivice like what happened with Pineapple Head or…?"
"Nope, but close. Seems their digivices got closer the second they got closer. Lots of digital canoodling went on between them and bam! Digi-egg!"
"Sorry for not contacting you," Henry said, hoping to close that portion of the conversation off before Terriermon continued. "I can't speak for the others, but it certainly was an oversight on my part."
"Ehhh… Don't worry about it. It's not like I'm easy to get a hold of. What's done is done." Impmon folded his arms behind his head. "I've got a lot to think about with this. So, what's going on with that digi-egg now?"
Before Henry or Terriermon could answer, a voice called out from across the street. All turned to find a dark-haired girl flagging them down. Impmon lifted an eyebrow curiously, taking in the girl's urgent posture.
"Who's that? Henry get a girlfriend now too?"
"According to Renamon, she wishes." Terriermon giggled. "Her name's Yua."
Henry frowned hesitantly, uncertain whether he ought to wait for her to cross or not. Deciding it would be rude to not do so, he halted and waited for traffic to come to a stop. Once it did, Yua hurried to join the trio. Her blue eyes flickered between the two digimon, and upon lighting upon Impmon, her brow furrowed studiously. Impmon felt his skin prickle, feeling like a threat being weighed and planned against.
That's…different, he thought. It was the rare human who didn't respond to his presence with terror, curiosity, or even disgust. Here instead he got the feeling of some kind of fighter. He brushed the sense aside as unimportant. Chou Sensei carried himself similarly after all, as did Henry and even, to some extent, Rika.
Maybe she takes martial arts too.
"Henry," Yua greeted the boy, who nodded in turn.
"Yua."
"Boooring." Terriermon rolled his eyes at his partner's behavior. "You're just intent on being boring, aren't you? Say something more? Like, I don't know. "Hi, Yua. How are you today? I like what you did with your hair.""
Yua's hand went up to her hair. Once long, it had now been cut short, save for the sides, where strands came down thick, hiding her ears. A faint blush touched her cheeks, but her blue eyes didn't change. They continued to look at Henry and Terriermon with their chilly, penetrating stare. Even with her obvious crush, Impmon felt she looked at the other teen the same way she did with him; like she was going over all the ways to take him apart if she had to.
"Well?" Terriermon pressed. "What do you think of her new look?"
"Don't harass him," Yua scolded. "Anyway, I saw you and thought we might as well walk the rest of the way together. Maybe quiz each other too, if you don't mind. We have an exam today after all."
"Um, sure," Henry agreed, and the two fell into step beside one another. It didn't sound like a bad idea, and aside from Terriermon's teasing and Renamon's assertions about the girl's feelings for him, he had no objections to her presence. Unlike most boys in their class, he didn't find her piercing gaze the least bit unsettling. Thinking back on it, perhaps that was why she took such a shine to him?
That's if Renamon is right about her having a crush on me, he reminded himself. He felt little reason to doubt the kitsune. It remained a long-standing belief that Renamon was never wrong.
Would it really be so wrong to consider acknowledging her feelings? he found himself wondering. Yua was smart and something about her demeanor felt familiar to him, akin to an old friend. Nor did she pressure him in anything despite holding her feelings for him.
I just don't want her to feel like she's a replacement, Henry thought, thinking of Renamon and her Reina form. I still need to work that out before I can even move forward about anything. Should I talk to Renamon again? Or would that be a bad idea?
He glanced at Yua and realized he nearly missed her talking to him.
"…I wrote up samples for a program that deletes duplicate entries." Taking out a tablet, she passed it to Henry for examination. "Twenty integer numbers. Pretty basic, but what do you think?"
Henry took the tablet and then proceeded to go over Yua's samples. He felt himself relax a little. In spite of himself, he found it much more comforting to discuss Yua's exercise than to compliment her appearance. The program itself wasn't particularly notable, but it struck him as strangely graceful in its design. Smiling, he expressed such sentiments to Yua, who then blushed ever so slightly under the compliment.
Behind them, Impmon tuned them out. He didn't understand any of the coding or programming they were talking about, and since it didn't involve running around or yelling and throwing fire, it didn't interest him.
How did Helicopter Head become Henry's partner in the first place? It's not like they have the same interests. I mean, sure they read books together, and play computer games, but I don't think he and Einstein are on the same wavelength with everything. Fox Face and Pineapple Head have more in common with their partners than these two. I…huh?"
Movement from a nearby window caught his attention. Turning up, he saw a swirl of glittering data surrounding what looked like a golden, fox tail.
Fox Face? he thought. Even as he watched, the tail began to fade, starting from the tip. His eyes traced its vanishing all the way to where Henry and Yua strode. Impmon's green eyes blinked in startlement and looked over at the two teens, who continued on as normal and without a single sign of a tail in sight. Terriermon, still on Henry's shoulder, didn't react or give any indication that he noticed anything out of the ordinary.
I don't sense any other digimon. Impmon narrowed his eyes. Was I just seeing things? Or is there something else going on here?
He didn't know for sure, but it struck him that the day's festivities would have to be put on hold.
###
Takato arrived at Amandala in record time. Guilmon stood beside him, testing the air with his nose.
"This looks like it's the place," Takato said. It seemed obvious, with the sign standing so prominently above the main entrance, but nerves made him want to say something. Guilmon nodded in agreement.
"Smells it too," the dinosaur said. "I smell Rika, Renamon, and Rika's mom here."
"Definitely the place then." Takato started forward and quickly entered into the lobby. Guilmon followed after him, his golden eyes looking about curiously. Sure enough, he drew plenty of eyes.
"Another one?" Takato heard one of passersby mention in a hushed voice.
Well, I think that completely settles things in favor of Guilmon's nose, he thought while approaching the receptionist's desk, their only obstacle. Well, here goes nothing.
"Uh, hello?"
The receptionist, a beautiful young woman with long, dark hair, looked up at him. She began to smile in greeting, and then froze upon spotting Guilmon. The crimson dinosaur waved politely at her.
"Hi!" he chirped. "We're friends with Rika and her mom."
The receptionist visibly twitched at the digimon.
"Rumiko Nonaka," Takato clarified. "She said to meet her here." He glanced around and saw three young women kneeling down in front of Guilmon. One of them, with dark hair tied into twin-tails, knelt down in front of Guilmon, smiling.
"Well, aren't you just the cutest little dinosaur? What's your name sugarbun?"
"I'm Guilmon. What's your name?"
"Oh my God! It talked! It's so cute!" squealed one of her companions, and within short order the Rookie found himself being instantly cooed over.
"That is so weird! Talking usually makes people sound so dumb! But this one is so cute!"
"Totally! Totally cute! Like, totally, totally, absolutely!"
"Ouch!" Guilmon jerked in surprise as the three women began to poke and prod at him. "Don't be so grabby! Takato! Help!"
"What is it called?" one of the three girls asked, looking up at Takato with shining eyes.
"Uh, well, he said he's Guilmon," Takato supplied. Carefully, he reached out and pulled his partner back from their groping hands. "And he'd like to have some breathing room."
One of the three women, tall and thin with dark hair, gave Takato a put-out look. "We weren't hurting him. You're totally anti-cute."
"What do you mean?" asked one of the other girls, this one shorter and with lighter hair. "He's a total cutie! What's your name?"
"Ah… Already taken," Takato laughed nervously, holding up his hands in a warding gesture. "Very taken."
"That's so unfair," she pouted, but she didn't press further. Not wanting to encourage further conversation, Takato looked over his shoulder at the receptionist. "Ah, could you let Rumiko know I'm here?"
"Rumiko?" chimed in the third woman, this one heavier set with light hair tied into pigtails. "You mean Makino? Why would she want to see you?"
"I'm afraid that's not your business," spoke up a firm, glacial voice, backed by the sound of clacking heels. All heads turned to find a woman wearing glasses and a simple black sweater approaching them, a dossier under one arm. The three dolled up women cowered at the sight of her.
"Aoichi!" they exclaimed together in a manner that reminded Takato of the hive-mind D-Reaper drones. The three women scattered immediately though, allowing Takato to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Thanks," he said to Aoichi.
"Don't mention it. The 'Three Sisters' can be a bit much, even for us." She then cocked her head to one side, becoming suddenly attentive in a way that left Takato with the sense she placed him under a microscope for close study.
"Um, so, I'm Takato…" he began awkwardly. "Rumiko told me to come here."
"Yes, I know. Unfortunately, Rumiko has some things to take care of, so she couldn't meet you. I, however, have things arranged for you." She passed a hand over her mouth in contemplation. "At least she's right about the photo not doing you justice. Your hair is a little messy, but I imagine you would clean up quite well with a little work."
"That's good," said Guilmon. He then turned to Takato questioningly. "That is good, right?"
"I…think so? I mean, it doesn't sound like I'll make anything horrible."
"Does this mean Takato's going to be a model?"
"Yes and no," Aoichi replied to the dinosaur. "This is a unique situation and Rumiko insists on this being kept secret from Rika until she's finished with her shoots."
"Because it's a surprise," Guilmon nodded. He raised a claw to his snout. "Shhh!"
"Er, yes." Aoichi pulled a sheet of paper from her folder. "Anyway, for legal reasons, I'm to give you this. It outlines our expectations of you and our responsibilities to you while you're 'working' with us. We can go over the use of any photography later, but we are paying you. As you're still a minor and not even an actual model, it won't be much, but Rumiko negotiated an amount that you might find pleasing."
Takato blinked, taken aback by Rumiko's involvement. He certainly didn't expect her to do that.
"I-I guess I'll have to thank her when I see her."
"Does that mean we'll be making Rumiko-Bread then?" Guilmon asked.
At that, Aoichi arched an eyebrow. "Rumiko-Bread?" she asked, genuinely curious.
"Oh, it's a thing my parents and I do," Takato replied. "We run a bakery and one of our tops items is…"
"Guilmon Bread!" Guilmon exclaimed, throwing his arms into the air excitedly. "A loaf of bread, shaped like my head!"
"Yeah, that."
"It's cinnamon flavored with peanut butter filling. Ohhh… Takatomon, I'm getting hungry just thinking about it!"
"But you already ate!"
"So? What's your point?"
"Anyway." Looking a bit flustered, Aoichi adjusted her glasses and then handed Takato the document. "Read carefully and completely. Ask questions regarding anything you don't understand. I prefer no later headaches."
Takato nodded gravely and did as ordered. It looked pretty straight forward, owing in large part to his unique situation and Rumiko's influence. He didn't know anything about how models were paid, but the 2000 yen an hour offer was already more than anything he saw working at the bakery.
Like, three times more! Takato thought, feeling a bit dizzy. I could get Rika something really nice if I work long enough. Maybe treat her to something for a change instead of her always treating me. Something that'll take her mind off the digi-egg we made together.
"H-How long will I be working?" he blurted out. He blushed immediately with embarrassment. "Sorry! I didn't mean to say that! I just…"
"It's alright," Aoichi said. "In answer to your question, let's leave that aside for now. Are you satisfied with everything?"
"Sure!" Takato nodded exuberantly. "Absolutely!"
"Then come with me and let's get you ready."
###
Mouse-brown-haired Aimi gazed at Takato in confusion while her taller companion, Anju, sat him down in a chair. The mirror reflecting her expression suggested the kind of panic a person feels when they know something is being taken away from them.
"Um… Aoichi?" she asked, turning toward the towering woman whilst pointing at Takato indicatively.
"His name is Takato Matsuki," Aoichi explained. "He is here at Rumiko's request. And ours." She placed special emphasis on this, suggesting she wanted no arguments. "He's a surprise for Rika."
Aimi gave a squeaking sound that sounded almost like an ick. Anju gave a warm, pleasant chuckle and drew a bib over Takato's chest.
"Would I be right to assume you're her boyfriend?" she asked.
"Y-Yeah," Takato nodded. A part of him felt uncertain about admitting to it, knowing full well Rika's discomfort with sharing such private information with others. But there didn't seem to be any point to denying it after the beach.
Anju glanced over at Guilmon, who currently kept out of the way so far, watching with rapt fascination for what the women were going to do to Takato. Her eyes hung on the hazard sign emblazoned on his belly before returning to Takato.
"And you must also be her knight in shining armor as well," she continued. "I heard from Rumiko that you saved her life a few years back."
"Saved Rika's life?" Aimi jerked back to attention.
"Uh-huh!" Guilmon nodded quickly, stepping in for his blushing partner. "Rika was falling off Locomon and Takato was there to catch her! Then he called her an idiot for telling him to let go of her because she was scared he would go down with her."
"Ah, geez. Guilmon…" He clenched his fists together as he became lost in the memory. The wind sweeping over him as Guilmon desperately clung to his waist to keep him from going over the edge. Rika's weight on his arm and her desperate pleas to drop her. Tension rose up in him and he felt his heart beat a little faster, and he began to think of all the times they had been together – and how easily they almost didn't because of that day.
"I just…didn't want to lose her," he said softly. Sensing his tension, Anju took hold of him by the chin and drew his attention up to her.
"You didn't," she grinned. "And we're glad you were there for her." She looked up at her companion. "Aren't we, Aimi?"
"Ick…!" Aimi looked at Takato's hair with clenched fists. She looked over at Aoichi. "I'm going to miss Rika's next hair change."
"That won't be an issue. I've already assigned your replacement. I require your miracles here."
Aimi looked back over at Takato. Her lips were pressed together, plainly resigned to her fate. Takato guessed that she really enjoyed working Rika's hair.
"Sorry," he said to her. Aimi sighed. With a shake of her head, she went over to Takato. She then proceeded to pluck at his hair, touching it quickly with her fingertips and swiftly retracting them. She cringed.
"Aimi!" Anju berated. "Be polite!"
"What-What kind of conditioner do you use for your hair?" Aimi asked.
"Uh… I just use regular shampoo," Takato replied.
Aimi suppressed a yelp.
"Do-Do you at least use lukewarm water when you wash your hair?"
"I use hot water. Why, is lukewarm better?"
Aimi covered her eyes at that. Anju placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"He's still her boyfriend," she said with a smile. Aimi nodded behind her palms.
"Right. Right." Sniffing, she retracted her hands and looked at the messy mop on Takato's head. She punched her fists at empty air. "All right, Mr. Boyfriend! Get ready, because we're going to make you look magnificent!"
###
"Take your hand off my hip."
"Sorry." Ryo's hand left her waist apologetically. "Is the shoulder better?"
"No. I'd rather you not touch me at all in fact."
In front of them, the photographer heaved a heavy sigh. Rika, in turn, gave him a pointed glare.
"I know what you're going to say," she said. "That doesn't mean I want his hands on me like that."
"Can you at least smile?" the photographer asked, sounding exhausted. She couldn't blame him. She knew the job and that nothing here reflected anything real. Shameless flirting and teasing aside, she also knew Ryo wasn't the sort to touch her inappropriately. Yet she was making things difficult for everyone involved.
"I hate smiling when I don't feel happy," Rika replied anyway. The cameraman's shoulders sagged.
"If it helps," began Ryo, "you can pretend that I'm Takato."
Rika's eyes snapped over to the Legendary Tamer. His perfect blue eyes, as always, betrayed nothing. Did he know? Did Kazu tell him about her and Takato's relationship? It felt silly trying to keep it private at this point, but at the same time she didn't like the idea of him knowing either.
Why? a part of her wondered. No answer could be found. Only a stubborn desire to keep Ryo at arm's length regarding her private life.
"I don't want to pretend either," she said defiantly. "I'd rather he actually be here."
"You want him to be here with you wearing a wedding outfit?" A grin spread across his face. "Sounds like you want to marry him."
Rika's eyes went wide as crimson flooded her face. She hastily looked away. Not because Ryo annoyed her, but he certainly struck a nerve.
Where is our relationship going to end up? she wondered, thoughts of the digi-egg they created flitting through her mind. What did it mean for them? Her hand rose to her stomach and the potential future it might one day bring. A future that digi-egg might be waiting on.
Ryo saw the storm of thought going on behind her violet eyes. Guessing she needed some time to sort herself out, he signaled to the photographer that they needed a break. The cameraman let out a relieved sigh and wandered off to take a bathroom break.
"You know, I bet he'd look pretty good wearing a suit," Ryo continued. "I'm kind of partial to blue, but black might be a better fit for him."
Rika's hand retracted from her belly and she looked up at Ryo with a raised eyebrow. "What are you going on about this time?" she asked.
"Just his looks." Ryo smoothed back his hair. "What if he had a look like this? Maybe a bit of a cowlick at the front? I bet he'd make a lot of hearts race."
Rika narrowed her eyes at Ryo, clearly disliking that idea. Jeri had been one thing, but someone else? Especially someone she didn't know? Rika clenched her fists tightly.
"Maybe he should try growing a beard too," Ryo continued, sensing Rika only needed one more push. "I bet he'd look great with one. It'd give him a real mature glow."
"You're starting to sound like you're in love with him!"
"What's the matter, Wild Cat?" Ryo grinned. "Afraid I might take him from you?"
Rika sputtered, for once at a loss for words. All thoughts of the digi-egg and its potential future fled her mind. Forcing herself to rally, she glowered at Ryo.
"I know for a fact you wouldn't stand a chance!" she growled. Her hands clenched into tight fists. Ryo's grin widened.
"Is that so?"
"Stop playing around with me! You know the two of us are together! Stop trying to drag the confession out of me!"
"Wouldn't dream of it actually." Ryo laughed and then bowed politely to her. "And I didn't actually know you two finally hooked up. I guess I should say congratulations?"
"You didn't…? Kazu didn't tell you?!" Rika stammered, again embarrassed and angry at having been taken unawares again. "Then what was all this…" She gesticulated about in agitation. "…this thing you were doing?! And what do you mean finally?!"
"You've been pretty obvious for years now," Ryo shrugged. "As for everything else, I was hoping to get you to smile for the camera at least. I figured getting you to imagine Takato in a wedding suit was a good way." His expression sobered. "Seems like you've got a lot on your mind. Everything fine between you two?"
"Everything's fine!" Rika snapped and quickly looked away. "Things are just complicated."
Ryo glanced over at Renamon for some kind of clue. The Rookie's expression betrayed nothing.
Guess I should have expected that.
"Well, he's always had a way of making things complicated, even when he doesn't mean to."
"It's not even about anything he's done!" Rika growled. "It's more…" Again, her hand rose to her stomach. Seeing this, Ryo arched an eyebrow.
Is she carrying…? No. Ryo shook his head mentally. Rika had been clear whatever cobwebs hung in her mind it hadn't been something Takato himself did.
"It's more about the future," Ryo said softly. "Starting to realize you're both going to be adults soon. That would complicate things, huh?"
Rika glared daggers at him. "I hate how you act like you have all the answers."
"Oh, I don't. But you're the sort of person who would worry about that kind of thing. Takato too, of course, but you'll let it eat you up. You tend to miss what's in front of you when you do that."
Rika blinked at that. She felt a flash of anger, but found it tempered by the truth in his words. She had been that way with Renamon in the early months of their partnership. She behaved similarly about her own feelings regarding Takato and, of course, it had even been how Ryo defeated her in their tournament match all those years ago.
Once again, she felt the desire to have Takato with her. Taking a deep breath, she centered herself and tried to blow away all her frustrations.
"You're right," she admitted reluctantly. She grimaced at doing so, but she knew from experience hearing the admission with her own ears yielded better results than allowing things to fester. "I'm sorry. I'll try to do better. I will do better. But you're still going to have a rough time making me smile for the camera."
"Give me a chance," Ryo said, blue eyes dancing with mischief. "Remember that time Takato accidently beat me in a card match?"
In spite of herself, Rika felt her lips twitch and begin to curve upward. "Only Gogglehead could pull something like that off without meaning to."
"I see a smile," Ryo pointed out. Immediately, Rika went stoneface.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she said, turning away from the Legendary Tamer. She folded her arms together in defiance of Ryo's humorous mood.
"I believe I saw it as well," Renamon said from the side.
"Renamon! Whose side are you on?"
"Yours, as always," the kitsune replied. "But you still smiled. I didn't think it appropriate to pretend otherwise. You're always so beautiful whenever you smile. Even Takato thinks so, and he would tell you so."
Rika felt heat flood her face, but she didn't deny the truth in her partner's words.
I'm just…acting like a brat, aren't I? Closing her eyes, she again drew in a deep breath to steady herself. Smiling. She hated doing so when she didn't feel genuinely happy.
I agreed to take this job for Mama. That means I've got to take responsibility for it. I can't just let myself get wrapped up in how I don't want to be here.
From out of the corner of her eye, she saw the cameraman returning. She thought of Takato's arms wrapped around her, holding her in his warm embrace. She imagined his scent – bread and other baked goods. She remembered the feel of his hair in her fingers. His goofy smile.
Her own smile returned, and it felt genuine enough for her.
"All right," she said. "Let's get this over with. But still no touching."
"I'm fine with that," Ryo said amiably. He then turned to the photographer. "Okay, we're good to go."
"About time," the cameraman muttered under his breath.
###
Impmon stood on the tree branch overlooking Henry's classroom. His emerald eyes focused like a laser in the direction of Yua, but presently she did nothing but type away on her computer like all the other students gathered there. Behind him, Terriermon shifted restlessly.
"I'm bored."
"Tough luck, Helicopter Head."
Terriermon wrapped his long ears around an overhanging branch and lifted himself up. Folding his arms together, he then proceeded to turn himself upside down.
"Is she doing anything bad yet?"
"No." He glanced over his shoulder at the long-eared rabbit digimon. "And you're sure she's human?"
They went back and forth like this since parting ways with Henry and Yua. Impmon couldn't bring himself to believe that his eyes were simply playing tricks on him and after briefly interrogating Terriermon, settled on keeping an eye on things. Terriermon, for his part, responded by being bored and annoying.
"I haven't sensed anything about her and I still don't. I'm not sure Henry noticed she was a living human being until Renamon pointed out her attraction to him though."
"Not sure if that means anything. No one noticed when the D-Reaper replaced Jeri."
"So far all she's done is be horny for Henry. I don't think the fate of the world is at stake here. Not unless you think the world is endangered by someone wanting a little mattress dancing."
"It might just be your partner who is in trouble, peewee!" Impmon snapped. "Didja ever think of that?"
"Momentai! Don't you think if she were a problem she'd have made her move before now? You're kind of letting this get to you a bit, aren't you?"
"I just don't want a repeat of what happened to Jeri, okay, Pineapple Head? Nothing wrong with wanting a little proof!" Clenching a fist, Impmon continued to watch Yua. "Maybe it was just my eyes playing tricks on me because you said Henry and Fox Face k-k-ki…" He clenched his eyes shut. With a groan, he pressed a finger against his forehead. "I can't even say it out loud. It's so crazy sounding."
Terriermon giggled. "I kind of like the idea that I broke your brain by telling you that."
Impmon turned back at Terriermon. "You might not think that if I end up going crazy and decide I want to load your data like I did in the bad old days." Impmon held Terriermon's gaze for a moment before turning back to Yua. "Sorry. Guess I'm just getting stressed out over this."
Terriermon began swinging himself with his ears like a swing set.
"Momentai! You've got a point and plenty of reasons to be worried. We do tend to attract all kinds of weird things and it wouldn't be the first time we've had a digimon stalker." He tapped a paw against his chin. "It's still pretty weird. I'm not sensing anything digital about her."
"Neither am I," Impmon admitted. "So, what's going on with me?"
"You mean besides you being you?"
Impmon flashed Terriermon a sharp glare.
"Momentai! I was just offering a guess. But you do have a habit of complicating things."
"My conscience sure has a way of making things more complicated," Impmon muttered under his breath.
"I didn't hear that. What'd you say?"
"With ears like that, how could you… Never mind!" Folding his arms together, he leaned back in his spot. "Looks like it's going to be a long day."
"Maybe we can play 'I spy'?" Terriermon suggested. Impmon groaned.
###
Rika felt drained. Even with Ryo's helping her through the photo shoot, the day dragged. The only differences she noted were the outfits she got stuffed into. She didn't know which she disliked more, the dresses or the kimonos. Both made walking difficult, but currently kimonos were in the lead due to the wataboshi – the bridal hood – and the traditional style her hair got piled into. Aimi's absence – called away to another job – became noticeable as her replacement was less gentle with her hair.
I just want this done and over with, she thought while Sora helped her slip into yet another dress. Unlike previous ones, the skirt hugged her more closely, following her natural shape without any flares around the waist. Her shoulders were again bare and because of that she couldn't help but feel a little chilly in the airconditioned room. Her arms were sheathed in long gloves that reached past her elbows, and were embroidered with flowery shapes against a semi-translucent background. Her neckline was of the 'sweetheart' variety, heart-shaped and dipping down the center of her breasts, but subdued just enough so as to reveal no cleavage.
"There you go," Sora beamed while angling Rika at the mirror so she could see herself. "Aren't you a sight?"
"Looks a lot like the last dozen getups," Rika grumbled. She glanced over at Renamon. The digimon's blue eyes swam with appreciation and admiration. Blushing, Rika hung her head so she wouldn't have to see her reflection. "I guess I look good though," she added.
"You are beautiful," Sora insisted.
"Quite beautiful," Renamon agreed with a nod of her head. Rika felt the blush on her face burn hot on her cheeks now.
There came a knock at the door. It creaked open and Aoichi poked her head in.
"She's ready to go," Sora said. Aoichi nodded.
"There's been a last-minute change of partners," she reported. Feeling a flash of annoyance, Rika raised an eyebrow at this. She already didn't like this. For all her frustrations regarding Ryo, she found him greatly preferable over a complete stranger.
This is what the job is, she reminded herself. She shrugged, attempting to appear nonchalant about the whole affair. "As long as he keeps his hands to himself."
"Hm," Aoichi said noncommittally. Renamon's ears twitched at that. "If you will follow me."
Rika and Renamon did just that. Rika voiced no complaints, but inwardly, she tried to imagine what sort of person they were pairing her with and what reasons Ryo had for bailing at a time like this.
It couldn't be because of a Wild One, she thought, coming into view of the backdrop where she would greet her latest 'partner.' Renamon would have told me. Well, whatever. It's not like I need his help to deal with a stupid photoshoot. I…
Rika felt her breath catch in her throat just then and her eyes widened in shock. For half a second, she wondered if she had fallen asleep on her feet from the long day of standing around in front of flashing cameras and hot lights. Perhaps even hallucinating from dehydration. The figure waving at her couldn't possibly be…
"Takato?" she said aloud. The boy grinned sheepishly at her.
"I know you don't like surprises, but, well… Surprise."
Her eyes roamed over Takato, taking in the sharp, black wedding suit he wore before stopping at his hair. It had been combed back and obviously had been gelled, blow-dried, or made use of some kind of sticky clay. Or even a hairspray. Rika wasn't sure which. Only that it likely took 30 minutes or more to prepare.
"What are you doing here?" Rika asked. Lifting up her skirt so as to not step on it, she sped past Aoichi. Her heart was banging away rapidly in her chest. Takato… Takato wasn't just cute now. He looked downright handsome! The hair and the suit… He might as well be someone straight out of the movies!
There's got to be a law against him looking this good, she thought, unable to pull her eyes away from his face.
"W-Well, your mom called and said she wanted to do something special for you since, you know." He gestured at her and then paused, suddenly realizing what she wore. Crimson began to rise in his cheeks and he fumbled for words. "Wow. You look… Rika, you're just…"
Rika smirked, massively enjoying the effect she had on him. Coming to a halt in front of him, she folded her arms together triumphantly.
"You sure have a way with words," she teased.
"S-Sorry. I just…" His blush deepened. "You're so…" His eyes lost themselves on her and his voice softened. "…pretty." He snapped out of his stupor just then and stiffened with alarm. "I-I mean beautiful! You're…"
"I'll take your pretty," Rika grinned. While Takato undoubtedly wanted to convey how attractive she looked to him just now, she felt his first take to be his most honest one and far superior. To some, a word like 'pretty' might sound like he undersold her appearance – not being as strong as 'beautiful' – but she knew better. The verbal fumbling; the soft, almost quiet way he spoke. The distant look in his eyes while gazing at her. He was reaching for something that, in this particular moment, he couldn't properly say with words. In such a state, his version of 'pretty' described something far grander than the layman's 'beautiful' ever could. To her ears, she heard him describing the sight of heaven.
Her smile softened. Reaching out, she brushed a finger against his cheek. "I'm glad you're here."
Takato reached up and took her hand into his own.
"Bad day?" he asked. Rika chuckled.
"The worst. But it's getting better." She tilted her head to one side just then, frowning at Takato's hair. While it made him look handsome, something about it ultimately didn't sit well with her. Her hands went to his hair and, after a moment's hesitation, set about ruffling it back into disorder.
"H-Hey! Rika…! What are you…?"
"You don't look right," she replied sternly. "You're not Gogglehead when you look like this. You're too much like Ryo and I want my Gogglehead." The stylist's work swiftly disappeared under Rika's fingers and within short order, Takato – her Takato – returned to view. Smiling, Rika leaned forward and caught Takato's lips in her own. Her heart soared at the contact and she reflexively deepened the kiss. She barely heard the sound of camera shutters working in the background, capturing their intimate moment. After what felt like an eternity, she withdrew.
"Much better," she said, leaning Takato's forehead against her own. Again, the sound of the camera, but she barely noticed.
"Wow…" Takato breathed, and she could feel the heat of his blush through the gloves. "I, ah, guess you really liked the surprise, huh?"
"As far as surprises go, it's a good one," Rika grinned. With great reluctance, she turned toward the gathered crowd. The cameraman was adjusting his equipment and Aoichi stood behind him, arms folded together. She had an eyebrow raised curiously and looked quite interested in the scene between the two Tamers.
"So, he's my partner for this?"
"I'm hoping you don't reject him," Aoichi said. "Your mother and I went through a lot of trouble to make this happen. It'll be quite the headache if you do."
"Not a chance." Smirking again, Rika turned back toward Takato. Takato smiled back.
"I've got your back," he said, massaging her fingers through her gloves. "No matter what happens, I promise."
Rika felt her cheeks heating up. It almost sounded like Takato gave her a marriage vow. Not to be outdone however, she said, "Me too. No matter what life throws at us. Doesn't matter if it's a digimon or a photoshoot, I promise I'll have your back."
"Awww… Isn't that nice?" came Guilmon's nasally voice from off to the side. "Are you going to take a picture of that Mr. Camera person?"
The man smiled uncertainly at the dinosaur. "Ah, if you two are ready," he began, hastily focusing on the two teens.
"Um, what do I do?" Takato asked. Her grip around Takato's hands tightening, she drew back and turned about.
"I'll help walk you through it," she said. "Pretend you're getting married to me and act natural." She brought his hands down to her waist and wrapped them about her. She looked over her shoulder at him with a playful smirk. "What's the first thing you would do here?"
She watched as Takato's thoughts sped behind his red eyes. She saw the uncertainty in them, weighing no doubt a large number of things he would do in such a situation against the backdrop of what might be acceptable for a photoshoot. Impatiently, she tapped a finger against his wrist.
Hurry up, her finger said.
Making up his mind, Takato knelt slightly, one hand dropping down to behind Rika's legs while the other shifted to her back. She felt him grip her calf with surprising strength while the other braced itself.
"What are you…?" Rika began, only to be interrupted by her own surprised squawk as Takato abruptly lifted her into his arms. Aoichi's eyebrows rose in surprise.
"Takato!" Rika exclaimed while the teen staggered slightly, his balance briefly upset by the addition of Rika's weight. He quickly righted himself and gave an embarrassed laugh.
"W-Well, you said to do the first thing that came to mind. I've kind of wanted to do this."
Rika looped an arm behind Takato's neck and quickly connected it with her free hand. Blushing brightly, she giggled.
"We're supposed to be showing off the dress, Gogglehead!" she said. The cameraman, for his part, didn't appear to mind, and was already firing away, taking shot after shot of Takato holding her bridal style. Aoichi's hand covered her mouth. Whether to hide a smile or because she was thinking, she didn't know. More, Rika found she didn't care. "Fine," she continued. "But if you drop me, we're having words later."
She felt Takato's grip on her tighten at that. "Wouldn't ever dream of it," he said in a surprisingly mature and deeply determined voice. It didn't take much for her to realize he remembered another time where he held her life in his hands.
"I wouldn't dream of it either," she said. "Ever." Using her arms, she pulled herself up to him and kissed him. Holding her tight to him, he returned the gesture.
Renamon watched the two lovers with a small smile on her face. It felt good to see her partner find a silver lining in today after all her stressing over the photoshoot and Ryo and just cut loose, even if just a little bit. She glanced over at Aoichi, curious a little about her thoughts. She doubted Takato and Rika's kissing would be appropriate material for the magazine, but she seemed to be allowing it for the time being.
Seeming to sense this as well, the two teens eventually ceased and began to get more serious with their job. Rika, as promised, began to walk Takato through the process of the photoshoot and how to best show off their outfits, which were the point to begin with. They began with several generic poses to get Takato used to things, and this was followed by bright flashes of light. Takato gasped, startled, but Rika was in familiar territory and already helping him.
The work progressed, and the pair acclimated together. Guilmon, carrying Takato's clothes and digivice, wandered over to her and sat down beside her.
"I thought Rika didn't like photoshoots, but she sure looks like she's having lots of fun," the dinosaur observed.
"Sometimes, it's about who you're with," Renamon replied. She placed a massive paw atop Guilmon's head and began to stroke it gently. Guilmon lifted his snout, eyes rolling up in bliss. "Many things can be endured when the company is appropriate."
"Yeah…"
The sound of clicks and beeps caught Renamon's attention just then. Reaching into her armguard, she produced Rika's digivice. The screen glowed bright and it appeared to be working on something. Renamon tilted her head to one side as Guilmon produced Takato's digivice and showed it too was doing the same thing.
"What's going on, Renamon?" the crimson dinosaur asked.
###
"Report!" Yamaki asked upon entering the control room. In the air, Tally and Riley's chairs swiveled about, focusing on one screen in particular that showed the digi-egg created by Takato and Rika's digivices. Rings of code surrounded it and it shone brightly.
"There's a sudden germination energy pattern developing inside the digi-egg," Riley reported, continuing to type away on her panel. "It began building a few minutes ago."
"A digi-core has formed within the digi-egg," Tally supplied. "It may be preparing to hatch."
"How did this happen?" Yamaki asked. "I thought the digi-egg was degrading?"
Neither woman had an answer for him. Taking out his cellphone, Yamaki dialed Rika's phone number. He doubted she would be happy, but she needed to be informed about this latest development.
Just as the cellphone picked up, the screen suddenly flashed with light. It died down almost immediately, leaving behind a cloud of broken eggshells.
"The digi-egg…" Riley breathed in amazement. "It hatched!"
Yamaki flicked his lighter open with a sharp click as he looked about. The digimon didn't appear on any of their screens. Which meant it wasn't on any of their sensors. Not good. "Locate the digimon!" he ordered.
"Is something the matter?" came Renamon's voice from the cellphone. Yamaki didn't bother to ask why the Rookie answered instead of Rika.
"Assemble everyone and get them down here. The situation with the digi-egg has had a development."
15