40A/N- So to start, thank you all for your wonderful reviews! I enjoyed reading them and loved the feedback. You all make it a pleasure to write.
Ishari- This is actually an answer to the review you left on my other fic, but since you're reading this one and I'm not updating the other one anytime soon, I'll respond here. Yes, I know Ryo is from the Adventure 01/02 World orignally, but he he was sent to this one after his fight with Milleniumon. I've never actually played the game so I don't know exactly goes, but he is here now. His original existance in that world will actually have a major influence on the events of this fic and Digimon: Digivolution Saga. In fact, Adventure 01/02 elements will make their first appearance in this very chapter. Enjoy!
Well everyone, I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Things are about to get interesting.
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon and am about to take on a quarter-million in college debts, so please don't sue me!
Luv ya,
PoliticalBlonde
Ch.4 A One-On-One Date
"Rika! Wait up!"
Rika turned around, grocery bag in hand, to see her brunette friend, Jeri Katou, scrambling towards her through the throngs of people in West Shinjuku Park. The girl wore her usual green dress, but her sock puppet, a famous companion during her pre-Digimon days, had long been discarded to make room for a gold bracelet from Takato. Rika smiled at her friend and adjusted the bag in her hand, careful not to squish the bread.
"Hey Jeri. What do-"
"Is it true?" Jeri gasped, skidding to a halt before Rika. Her eyes were a mix of excitement and curious disbelief.
Rika's violet eyes narrowed curiously, "I don't know what you're talking about Jeri."
The female Tamer took one last deep breath before standing erect and looking sheepish. "Don't be mad at me, Rika, if it isn't true, but I was out shopping with Takato when we decided to get lunch at that Pizzeria Kazu works at. He said he saw you earlier this week and that you and Ryo were…" She trailed off embarrassed, "…that you…" Jeri fiddled with her bracelet before continuing in a whisper, "…that you and Ryo are engaged."
Rika was dangerously still, poised on the verge of finding and killing a certain visor wearing idiot. Taking a moment to count down from ten in her head, Rika finally responded to her fretting friend's question. "He did, did he? Clearly he doesn't know how to keep his trap shut."
"So it's true?" Jeri concluded with a dropped jaw, "I always knew you and Ryo had a thing for each other. I've been telling Takato you two would get together eventually, but he was insistent I was crazy. Wait until I tell him it is true. This is just brilliant! Oh, Rika, I'm so glad for you!" Jeri laughed and gave the angered red-head an impromptu and highly enthusiastic hug.
Rika grimaced, pushing the girl off lightly, "Look Jeri, I am engaged to Akiyama, but it isn't anything romantic like you're thinking. I don't even like him." Jeri's hazel eyes met hers in confusion. Rika sighed. "Come on, let's go find a bench. This could take a while." Jeri nodded and the two girls took a seat in a nearby bench under the shade of a gnarled tree.
"So why are you two engaged if you don't even like him?"
"Let's just say that our engagement was arranged by outside forces. On my part, my mother thinks I'm a lost cause. She doesn't seem to think I'll ever be able to find an honorable guy on my own so she set me up with Ryo. She believes his name is great and will bring the Nonaka line honor. I can't believe she is so old fashioned."
"She never struck me as the type to care about honor. She's always seemed so in touch with modern times."
"She is with the exception of my dad. My entire line on my father's side has undergone arranged marriages. She seems to think she is supporting his final wishes."
"Well, that's horrible. Relationships should be built on love not tradition. Now I know Ryo likes you, but I could never see him supporting this or forcing this. He likes your independence entirely too much to tie you down."
"He didn't force me to do this. As crazy as it sounds, when I found out his father's reasoning, I wanted to. His father is dying of a brain tumor and he doesn't want Ryo to be left alone as an orphan with no family and no funds. Apparently I come with a hefty dowry."
"Oh my gosh! Is Ryo ok? Losing a parent is a hard thing."
"Yeah it is. I think Ryo is coping with it, he hasn't really mentioned it since he was told. His father just came out with it in front of all of us and I've never seen Ryo so mournful. He was trying so hard not to cry and to find ways to save his father. He couldn't bring himself to recognize the tragic truth. I felt so much like I was intruding. Ryo, as annoying and cocky as he is, is strong and it was surreal to see him standing there in tears as if the world had come to an end. I don't know what happened, but the next thing I knew, I was consenting to the marriage."
Jeri smiled knowingly while Rika bit her lip confused. "I still can't put my finger on why I said I'd give it a try. I guess, for once, I was seeing Ryo instead of Hero-Boy."
"And you couldn't stand to see Ryo in so much pain," Jeri inserted in a whisper.
Rika jerked her head to face the girl, "Now, wait a moment, I didn't say that. I said I-"
"Don't know what happened, but you and I both know what you meant. Face it Rika, you may not like the Digimon King, but you definitely have feelings for one Ryo Akiyama."
Rika shook her head toying with the idea, a funny feeling settling in her stomach. "If you were anyone else, I'd knock you out for even suggesting something like that."
"Well, I'm sure you'll make up for it by doing something extremely horrible to Kazu," Jeri countered with an uncharacteristic smirk.
"You've been hanging around me entirely too much."
"Perhaps, but you'll be seeing me even more now. I'm not going to let you deal with this alone. This is tough and you need a friend."
"I can take care of this myself," Rika responded indignantly.
"Rika, we've conquered the Devas and D-Reaper together, I think it has become clear that even you need some help sometimes. I mean, have you guys even had a first date?"
"No, but his Birthday-"
"Is not a date. You two need a one-on-one date and soon."
"A one-on-one date with Akiyama? I couldn't survive," Rika groaned, "He'd just act stupidly cocky and I'd knock him upside the head."
"Well, you're just going to have to get over that. You can't be beating up on him when you two are married."
"I suppose not," Rika sighed, "What do you propose I do about this oh-so-important date?"
Jeri's eyes brightened tenfold. "I think I have the perfect idea. Do you have plans tonight?"
"No, why?"
"We need to call Ryo."
DIGIMON
Rika scowled as she glanced down at the skirt Jeri had forced her into. It was blue and came down to her knees. Rika wore a white shirt with it and while she had to admit it didn't look bad or feel too entirely itchy, it still made her feel incredibly awkward. So did the purse, but there was no way she was letting Akiyama pay. Rika was independent and the idea of relying on Akiyama was not a subject she even wanted to think about.
Rika sighed and banged the back of her head on the same bench she and Jeri had occupied earlier. This was going to be a long night and Hero-Boy was already late.
"Rika!"
Rika turned her head slowly towards the source of the sound. Ryo Akiyama was rushing toward her in some slacks and a nice black shirt. His hair was gelled up into the famous Hero-Boy do. Rika had to admit he didn't look bad except for the hideous things he carried in his hands.
"You brought me flowers? Since when was I a flower girl?" Rika grumbled crossing her arms over her shirt.
"Just trying to be nice. What bet did you lose to end up in a skirt?" Ryo laughed taking in Rika's feminine outfit.
"None Hero-Boy. It was Jeri's suggestion and her skirt," Rika retorted fiercely. She had argued with Jeri for what seemed like hours to not force her to wear the skirt, but the perky brunette had insisted she looked gorgeous. Hero-Boy clearly didn't share the same sentiments as he was already making fun of her.
Ryo smiled lightly and held the flowers out. "Peace offering Wildcat. I don't think I've ever seen you in a skirt."
Rika sneered and snatched the flowers from his hand, "You are aware that just because I don't wear a skirt on a regular basis doesn't mean I can't. I used to wear them all the time when I was a kid. I just grew up and realized how uncomfortable these stupid things are." Take deep breaths, take deep breaths. A good fiancé doesn't give her partner a bloody nose.
"Chill Rika. I didn't mean to upset you; I just wasn't expecting you to be in a skirt. You do look nice though."
Nice? I'm defying all natural instinct and wearing a flipping skirt. The idiot could at least come up with a better adjective than nice. "You're an idiot Akiyama. What am I going to do with these flowers now? I'm not exactly carrying around a vase." Her grip was tight and she could feel many of the flowers crushing in her hand.
"Geez, you're welcome for the flowers. I wasn't exactly planning on getting them, but I passed a florist on the way here and thought they'd be a nice touch."
"Yes lovely, except for the fact that they'll be crushed before the end of the fist hour."
"Can you just cut the, I'm too tough to like flowers, act? A simple thanks wouldn't kill you."
Rika gritted her teeth, "Thanks."
Ryo smiled, his blue eyes bright in the dark night. "See, that wasn't too hard. Now let me see those flowers before you crush them all." He gingerly removed the flowers from Rika's crushing grip and removed one, holding it up to his nose and briefly inhaling. "Seems like the only one you didn't crush was the rose. I suppose it had a bit more fight than the rest of the arrangement. Kind of like you Pumpkin." He smiled brightly and tossed the remaining flowers over his shoulder before snapping the stem on the rose.
Stepping in front of her Ryo gestured toward her ponytail. "Do you mind if I?"
Rika rolled her eyes. "Just hurry it up. This entire affair is getting way too sappy for me."
Ryo laughed and fumbled with her ponytail attempting to get the flower to stay. "I know what you mean. If anyone would have told me a week ago that I'd be putting a rose in your ponytail I'd have keeled over from laughing. This is so surreal. There," Ryo said stepping back to admire the flower in her ponytail, "It suits you."
"Hardly," Rika retorted dryly. "So did Jeri tell you what we're supposed to be doing because she didn't tell me anything while she was forcing this outfit onto me?"
"No, she just told me to meet you here. I was so surprised that we were having a date that I forgot to ask."
Rika exhaled sharply in annoyance. "Great, so we haven't a plan. Any ideas Hero-Boy? As you heard from my mother, I'm not exactly schooled in how to go about a date."
"Well," Ryo started while sliding his hands into his pockets, "what should two smartly dressed teens do for their first date? We could start with grabbing a bite to eat somewhere. I haven't eaten since breakfast and I'm starved. Does that sound good to you?"
"Sure, just as long as it isn't pizza. I'd hate to have to kill someone on my first date."
"How about noodles? I know where there is this great spicy noodle cart on the other side of the park. It is awesome."
"Noodles sound good. Let's go."
DIGIMON
Rika couldn't help but produce a small smile as Ryo shoveled down his noodles. She had never seen anyone eat that much in one sitting. She looked down at her own spicy beef noodles and spun a wad of them around her fork before taking a bite. They were delicious. Chewing slowly Rika let her mind wander. The evening wasn't actually that bad. She was having fun with Ryo and getting lots of awesome blackmail.
Ryo had told her some stories of some of the Digimon he had met during his time in the Digital World and had included one story where, not too unlike the show, he had eaten at a diner owned by Digitamamon. He and Monodramon had eaten tons of noodles and had no money to pay for them so the two had been forced to work for almost three weeks making dishes for the other Digimon that happened by. He had even been forced to wear a frilly apron, but he had gotten the job done. The image of Ryo in an apron was rather entertaining.
Rika swallowed and dipped her fork down for another bite when something shifted in the air. It had gotten suddenly cold and Rika couldn't help but shiver. Ryo stopped wolfing down his noodles and wiped his mouth. His face was serious as he set the bowl down on the bench beside him. Rika did the same.
"What is going on?" Rika hissed, her breath misting in the air before her.
"I don't know, but I think it's time we left," Ryo answered forming his own breathy cloud. "Something tells me this isn't-"
Rika gasped suddenly as the stars in the sky went gray and the green leaves shriveled and fell to the ground in a mass. It was like the life was being sucked out of the surrounding nature. Rika tentatively reached her finger up to feel the rose on her head, but the moment her finger brushed it, it exploded into grey powder.
Ryo jumped up beside her, alarmed. "We need to get out of here now!"
Rika moved to jump up beside him, but found her self unable to move. Icy grey tendrils were slowly creeping up her arms and locking them painfully in place as they constricted around her thin arms. Rika's violet eyes were wild as she attempted to turn her gaze to Ryo, but the Legendary Tamer was no where to be seen in the now present grey mist. Rika's heart thumped painfully in her chest. The creeping tendrils had now reached her neck and she could fee them snaking lazily further.
Rika opened her mouth and let out a horrified scream as she struggled against her inky bombs. "Help, Ryo! Ryo! Renamon! Rena-mumph!" Rika spluttered as her mouth suddenly filled with salty grey water. Rika coughed violently and swallowed more of the water as the bench she was sitting on faded beneath her and the dark tendrils began to pull her under. "Renamon! Rena-" Rika's scream was silenced as her head dipped beneath the wave line. She kicked frantically, but the tentacles only pulled faster and deeper. Tears and salt water stung her violet eyes as the world went black. It was cold, so very cold, so very-
"Rika!"
The red headed girl moaned, a series of bubbles rushing from her mouth, a picture of Renamon forming behind her eyelids.
"Rika!"
She could hear the digital fox's voice as she was jerked deeper. Her lungs burned and dots swam before her closed eyelids in a dizzying chaos. She wasn't thinking straight. Suddenly Rika felt a hand on her arm, tugging in the opposite direction of the tentacles. Someone was frantically kicking at them beside her. Blow after blow was aimed at them and Rika was vaguely aware of coil after coil slipping away. Strong arms reached under her arms and she was suddenly propelled upward. Rika gasped and sputtered as she broke the surface, her vision creeping back into focus with each lungful of air.
"Rika! Rika, wake up!"
The red headed Tamer moaned and wearily forced her eyes open. Frantic blue eyes met confused violet ones. She could see trees and a lamp post over Ryo's shoulder. The light it expended stood in stark contrast to the hazy grey of her skin. Her skin tingled and she shivered as her clothes stuck to her like a second skin.
"Ryo," Rika whispered hoarsely, "What happened?"
Ryo brushed a sopping strand of hair off her face with a week smile. He too was soaked to the bone. His usually gelled hair clung to his head. He was breathing fast. "I was hoping you could tell me, Wildcat. One minute we're eating noodles and the next moment its freezing and you're fading."
"Fading?" Rika queried as she shakily pushed herself up into a sitting position. She was still lightheaded and confused, and the mention of fading wasn't making things any clearer.
Ryo slid a hand behind her back and pulled her up into a worried embrace. Rika didn't push him away. "Yeah, fading, I was yelling at you to leave and you were just sitting there. Next thing I know, you're fading. It was like watching bad television and when I grabbed you, you became, well, solid again. And now we're both sopping."
"Ryo," Rika muttered dully, her chin resting on his shoulder. "I was in the ocean and there was something trying to pull me under. I couldn't get away and I couldn't breath. I think I almost…I think I almost died."
DIGIMON
Ryo shoved his hands deeper into his pockets as he turned away from Rika's front door. Her Grandmother and Mother had been surprised to see the two back so early and sopping wet. Ryo had lied about them falling into the fountain after being nearly run over by a moped. Rumiko had gasped dramatically and broke into a rant about how the two could have been killed. Rika had rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, pushing past her mother with a muttered, "We're fine."
Fine, Ryo knew Rika was far from fine. Her near death experience involving the ocean had really shaken her up. His heart had been pounding in his chest when she had admitted to her near death experience. She was shivering and her violet eyes were glazed and wide. It was a Rika he'd never seen before. She was always calm and poised, but whatever she had encountered had visibly shaken her. The two had sat there, drenched in salty water for almost an hour and not once had Rika untangled herself from his embrace. Ryo had been unsure what to do. He didn't mean to, but a part of him felt as if he had been taking advantage of her dazed state. This idea had led him to finally suggest heading home. Rika hadn't spoken a word and merely nodded. It was scary.
Ryo sighed as he reached the end of her walkway and briefly snuck a glance over his shoulder at her house. You'll be ok Rika. I promise; whatever this ocean is, I'm not letting it get you.
A/N- So how did you like that? Things are about to get a whole lot more interesting for our favorite couple and the rest of the Tamers with the revelation of this dark entity. If you thought it was familiar, you were right. If you don't understand how it is possible please scroll back up and check out my response to Ishari.
Thanks for reading and please drop a review! I'll update as soon as I can!
Luv ya,
PoliticalBlonde