Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership of any Digimon characters.

Chapter 1

Rika Nonaka was a simple girl. She went to school, she went home, and not much else. She was also one of the digimon tamers who had saved Tokyo from a scary red blob, but she gave it little thought: remembering old fights can only be exciting for so long before you find yourself wishing you could get into a new one.

Her teacher continues to mumble on about Meiji or Meijin or some other historical person she couldn't care less about. Her eyes glaze over and she glances at the clock at the side of the room: Five minutes until class ends; five minutes till the weekend.

The sound of two girls giggling and whispering behind her soon causes a scowl to form on her face and she turns to gaze out the window. She doesn't see her, but she knows her partner, a kitsune-like digimon called Renamon, must be out there somewhere.

Maybe in the tree: She tends to hide there a lot. Then again, she spends time on the school roof too…

Are you looking for me, Rika? A voice asks in her thoughts.

No. Guessing where you are is just more interesting than…

"Ms. Nonaka, are you paying attention?" the teacher at the front of the room asks, drawing the red-haired girl from her thoughts. "If you were, then tell me how Emperor Meiji returned to power over the Tokugawa Shogunate."

Rika squints, trying to conjure an answer, but nothing comes to her and she merely scowls and looks away, muttering loud enough for the teacher to hear, "Don't know and don't care."

"Well if that's going to be your attitude, I see detention in your future," the teacher responds. The school bell suddenly chimes and all the students stand and grab their books.

"Be sure to read chapters twelve and thirteen before Monday," the teacher shouts over the bustling crowd of girls. Rika stands, pulling her school bag over her shoulder, and makes her way towards the door.

"Ms. Nonaka, a word," the teacher states before she can leave. Rika huffs but walks over to her teacher's desk.

"Being as it's the weekend, and I can tell you want to get out of here, I'm going to forego detention… this time." Rika keeps silent, merely arching a brow in surprise.

"In the future, please keep your head in the lesson where it belongs. If any more monsters attack the city, I will let you deal with it, but other than that, I want your undivided attention. You are still my student and still a young woman, after all."

"Thanks. Anything else?" Rika asks, trying to hide some of the sarcasm she would normally put into that statement. The teacher sighs and turns his head, gesturing with his hand that she is free to go.

Rika turns abruptly and walks out of the classroom, down the hall, and towards the school's doors. As she exits the school, she enters the school's front yard, seeing her classmates standing around, texting, and gossiping. She maintains the frown on her face as she walks past, overhearing some of them talking about the dance over the weekend:

"Oh…my…goodness… You got that cute German guy from Shinjuku Junior High to go with you?!" one of them exclaims.

"Yea, I know!" the other girl states in giddy fashion. "I mean, how lucky am I? Günter Klein is my date to the dance this Sunday!" The girls all scream and clap in excitement. "He's so exotic!" a third one adds.

"I've got Tomoshi Ishikawa to come with me. He's so dreamy…"

"Not as dreamy as my date!" the second one insists. "I'm going with Yamato Chiba from Yamabuki High."

"No way! You got a high school freshman!?" a fourth asks. Rika rolls her eyes as she passes, moving swiftly towards the gate that leads out to main street. As she approaches she suddenly hears, "Wait Rika!"

Rolling her eyes, she turns around and arches a brow as the four girls run up to her. "Who are you going with to the dance?"

"I'm not going to that stupid dance, " Rika responds simply before attempting to turn and leave.

"Not going?!" The first girl shouts with shock. "You can't just not go!"

"Maybe she doesn't have a date!" the third says, putting her palm up to her mouth, as if to symbolize surprise.

"Like, no way. You're the daughter of a model! Boys should be crawling over each other for the chance to go with you," the fourth chimes in.

"Seriously though, you gotta go to the dance!" the second adds.

"Not. Interested," Rika announces in the coldest voice she can muster.

"Well what else are you going to do?" the first asks. "Are you really going to just spend all weekend playing with digimon cards?"

"Or hanging with those undesirables?" a fourth adds with an inward laugh. "Come on, Rika. You should hang with the in-crowd more!"

"What I'm doing is none of your business!" Rika answers the girl harshly.

"Oh yea, she's totally planning on hanging out with those kids from Yobodashi Middle School," the second adds with a laugh of her own.

"Well let's be fair," the third one chimes in. "Some of them are cute. I'd definitely go if that Ryo boy asked me." Rika buries her face in her palm, Renamon soon phasing in behind her. Each of the girls jumps in fright, lets out a squeal, and runs off.

"Is something wrong, Rika?" Renamon asks. "Were those girls bothering you?"

"Yea, you couldn't do that sooner?" Rika asks in her typical demanding tone of voice. Renamon's facial expression doesn't change and she gives no reply, allowing Rika to begin walking before following in her footsteps.

"Let's just get home so I can get out of this stupid uniform and meet the others in the park," Rika grumbles out as she marches up the street. "I don't intend to wear this dress for one more minute than I have to." She makes a quick turn into an alleyway, marching along until she exits on the other side and approaches an ornate wall with a large door. Pressing on it, the door opens and she enters a lush green courtyard.

As she closes the gate behind her, Renamon phases in next to her once more and asks, "What were those girls talking about that had you so annoyed, Rika?"

"It's nothing… Just some stupid dance this weekend," Rika responds as she approaches a traditional Japanese structure and follows along the hall to reach a sliding door to her room. She quickly pulls off her school uniform and changes into her traditional taming gear; a white t-shirt with light blue sleeves and a dark blue heart on the front as well as simple jeans with a belt wrapped around her left leg. She attaches her card pouch and d-ark to the belt on her waist and returns outside, where Renamon waits.

"A dance?" Renamon asks, as if perplexed by the term.

"Yea, you know," Rika responds, deciding to entertain her partner's curiosity. "You go with other people and move in rhythm with music. You can do it by yourself, with a group, or with a single partner."

"I see," Renamon responds simply, her tail flicking with amusement behind her.

"Come on," Rika commands. "I want to see if I actually beat Gogglehead and Braniac to the park today." She runs off, Renamon phasing in and out behind her.

"Throw it again Takato!" a red saurian creature named Guilmon cheers with glee as he returns a ball to his human friend. Takato takes it from him and tosses again, saying, "Alright, go get it, boy!"

Guilmon surges after it, easily snatching it again before bringing it back."

"No fair!" A long-eared bunny-like creature grumbles. "I have little legs!"

"I wanna catch the ball too!" a small white digimon with large, shrinkable ears pipes up in agreement. "Guilmon's hogging it!" The boy named Takato puts a hand to the back of his head in embarrassment. "Sorry about that, Calumon. This next one I throw will be just between you and Terriermon, ok?"

"Ha! I'm gonna get that one!" the rabbit-like digimon claims.

"Play nice, Terriermon," a blue haired boy sitting off to the side says. "I will, I will Henry. Momentai, will ya?" Guilmon returns the ball to Takato, who pats him on the snout and says, "Ok boy. Don't run after this one. We're going to let one of them get it." He winds back and tosses, both Terriermon and Calumon zipping after it. By expanding his ears and gliding, Calumon easily reaches the ball first, jumping up and down with joy while holding it up.

"Yea! I got it! Hooray for me! Yay, Calumon!" the little creampuff digimon cheers.

"Aww nuts. Lost to a creampuff," Terriermon grumbles, crossing his little paws in front of his chest.

"You're losing you're edge, Helicopter-Head." A purple, impish-like creature hops down from a branch above, placing his red-gloved hands on his hips.

"Hiya, Impmon. Did you come to play too?" Guilmon asks.

"Hah! Me play with you mooks! Well, I guess since I'm here, I can show you all how it's done…"

"Ohhh! Can Impmon be on my team?" Calumon asks, running back up to the others with the ball.

"Calumon, there aren't any teams in fetch," a young girl sitting near Henry interjects with a mild laugh.

"But we could have teams, Jeri," Calumon asserts, shrinking his ears down to make his big eyes more prominent. "We could play a game with me and Impmon against Guilmon and Terriermon."

"What would we play if not fetch?" Guilmon asks with a cock of the head.

"Well, there's lots of games to play, boy," Takato interjects. "You could make up a game if you wanted."

"Yay! I'm great at making up games!" Calumon cheers while jumping from foot to foot with excitement. "Aww nuts, we're letting the creampuff make up rules for a game?" Impmon says with an exasperated look.

The four digimon run off with the ball and Takato walks over and takes a seat beside Henry and Jeri, letting out a deep breath.

"They sure keep you on your toes, don't they?" Henry prods, to which Takato gives a nod. "Tell me about it. I'll never understand where they get all the energy."

"Yea, they're a handful. Especially Calumon," Jeri adds with a giggle. "Luckily, Masahiko satisfies most of his desire to play."

They sit silently for a while, nothing but the sound of birds chirping reaching their ears. "It's a really nice day, isn't it?" Takato asks, breaking the silence.

"You bet," Henry answers, leaning back in the grass. "And for once, you don't have detention."

"Yea, but Kazu and Kenta do," Takato replies. "I told them to stop shooting spitballs at Miki and Ayaka, but of course they didn't listen."

"Yea, Mr. Montoshi isn't nearly as patient as Ms. Asaji was. He was really mad when one of them hit the board," Jeri adds with a laugh. "They'll probably be writing those apologies until their hands fall off."

As the digimon play, Guilmon suddenly stops, turning his head towards the right and testing the air with his nostrils. Impmon quickly swipes the ball from his claw and tosses it to Calumon, but the red saurian seems to pay it no heed.

"What are you doing, Guilmon?" Terriermon groans. "You lost the ball!"

"I smell a digimon!" Guilmon announces before bolting off in the direction he had been sniffing. "Hey wait!" Terriermon yells after him. "Don't you need Takatomon if you're going after a digimon?"

"Eh, ba-boom. Go get the humans. I'll baby-sit Pineapple-Head," Impmon commands before hopping off after the red saurian, Calumon tossing his ball aside and gliding after him.

Terriermon dashes over to Henry, Takato, and Jeri, shouting, "Come on, slowpokes! We got a digimon emerging!" Takato and Henry jump up from their relaxed positions. "A digimon? Now?" Henry asks.

"Guilmon and Impmon are already after it! Come on! I want to get some of the action!"

Rika passes swiftly through he crowded streets, Renamon jumping across lampposts above her. Her headphones block out almost all the noise around her and she crosses the street when the signal finally turns.

As she reaches the street corner to turn and head to the park, she pauses, feeling a strange warmth coming from an alley to her right. She pulls her earphones out as Renamon appears next to her. "Do you feel something coming from over there, Renamon?" she asks. The kitusne squints into the darkness before replying, "I feel warm, but I don't see or sense any digimon."

"I think we should check it out," Rika states plainly before beginning to waltz off in the direction of the alley, not waiting for an agreement or confirmation from her partner.

As she enters the alley, she pulls out her d-ark, activating its compass function. The red arrow spins and spins but doesn't seem to pick up any signals. Rika squints however, soon realizing that, though the arrow had not stopped moving, it was moving only in a confined area, swinging back and forth in the general direction of diagonally forward-left.

She walks forward up the alley and takes a sharp left and sure enough discovers the billowing fog of a digital field. "Ah ha!" Rika exclaims with a smirk while pulling on her sunglasses. "Finally, we get some action!" She bolts into the fog, Renamon darting in after her.

Renamon appears next to her partner as she removes her sunglasses and glances around the area. "There doesn't seem to be a digimon in here, Rika," Renamon points out.

"Well there has to be," Rika responds decisively. "Digital fields don't just pop up for no reason. It means a digimon bio-emerged." They both continue to glance around for a few moments before Renamon suggests, "Perhaps it is looking for a partner and we are scaring it."

Rika lets out a "pfft," blowing a bang from in front of her eye and replies, "Fine… Hey, come out! We're not going to hurt you. If you're looking for a partner, then just come out."

"Oh no. Not looking. I believe I have found my partner…" Rika and Renamon both turn to where they think the voice had come from. It chuckles before saying, "I'm over here… Behind you." Rika suddenly feels a warmth behind her and turns, at last noticing a tall knight in a red cloth-like outfit, covered in areas by silver armor. He also wears a purple tabard, a wizard-like hat, and flowing purple cape. In his hand, he holds a flaming sword and in the other, a crystalline ball, swirling with purple smoke.

"Yes. You're perfect, Digimon Queen." Rika jumps back and Renamon places herself between the two of them. The knight seems to chuckle at the sight: "Well, if it isn't a little lost fox."

"Sorry, she's taken," Renamon states calmly, though with a suggestion of threat. The knight only laughs again. "And she thinks she can intimidate me. All the more entertaining."

"I don't know who you think you are, but Renamon is my partner and I'm not open to trading," Rika warns.

"No?" the knight asks, as if confused. "You believe this lowly creature to be more worthy than I in serving you? Perhaps you'll permit me a duel, then?

"All right. You asked for it," Renamon states with a smirk before jumping back and spreading her arms. "Diamond Storm!" Sharp shards of light form and fly forth, pelting against the knight, who seems entirely unfazed, a smile of amusement resting on his face.

Says he's Mistymon, an ultimate level mystic knight digimon. He's a virus type who combines his magical capabilities with his expertise in combat and bests his foes using his Core Dart and Blast Fire attacks. "Virus type. So we're already at a disadvantage. Renamon, time to digivolve!"

"Ready when you are, Rika," the kitsune replies.

"Digi-Modify! Matrix Digivolution activate!"

Matrix Digivolution…

Renamon digivolve to… Kyubimon!

Kyubimon digivolve to… Taomon!

"Ah, another magician, I see," Mistymon utters amusedly as Taomon touches down. "All the more interesting if this is to be a magical duel."

"How about a little trick to start things off? Thousand Spells!" Taomon shoots several cards from her sleeve, but Mistymon easily jumps aside to avoid the attack.

"Blast Fire!" Flames spout from his blade and he sends a wave of it towards his opponent.

"Talisman Spell!" Taomon quickly raises a shield to defend herself, the flames licking at the spell but failing to dispel or penetrate it. Unfortunately, as the flames clear, Taomon realizes that Mistymon had not intended to strike her with that attack. The knight was already in the air, falling toward her, blade cocked back and ready to strike.

"Core Dart!" Mistymon is engulfed and flames and accelerates downward, like a bullet, easily breaking through the shield and tackling Taomon. He steps aside, allowing his opponent to return to her feet. "Let's go another round, shall we?" he taunts.

"Digi-Modify! Hyper-speed activate!" Rika pulls a card through her d-ark and Taomon smirks before zipping away, faster than the blink of an eye. Mistymon begins to loom around, but doesn't notice as Taomon materializes behind him. "Talisman of Light!" Pulling a paintbrush from within her sleeve, Taomon draws a kanji, which shoots forward, pounding Mistymon in the back and forcing him forward. He laughs as he returns to his feet, pointing at her with his blade. "Looks like someone is forgetting the rules of chivalry."

"Chivalry this! Digi-Modify! Power activate!"

"Thousand Spells!" Mistymon quickly pulls his cloak around him, allowing the cards to pelt at him and fall away. "Blast Fire!"

"Digi-Modify! Defense chip activate!"

"Talisman Spell!" Taomon raises her shield, easily defending herself from the attack. Anticipating her foe's next move, she turns, pulling out her paintbrush and locking it with Mistymon's blade, just as he swings down. In a swift motion however, he disengages and disarms his foe, sending the paintbrush falling back to earth before swinging with his flaming blade at his now exposed opponent.

Taomon tries to jump back, but is still caught by the blade's tip, and she collapses to one knee as she lands, gripping at the wound.

"Hang on, Taomon! Digi-Modify! Recharge activate!" Refreshed, Taomon stands in defiance of Mistymon once more, ready to resume the fight.

"Alright! Time for a new tactic! Digi…"

"I think we've had enough of that, my Queen," Mistymon mutters aloud, holding his orb forward. Rika's d-ark vanishes from her grip and appears within Mistymon's orb. Now, where were we, Taomon?"

"Give that back! Talisman of Light!" Mistymon swings his blade, easily deflecting the attack.

"Blast Fire!" Taomon dodges to the side before tossing her "Thousand Spells!" attack. Once again, Mistymon stands idle, allowing the cards to slam harmlessly into him. "Not so tough without the Digimon Queen to back you up. You are truly a waste of her talents," he taunts while bearing his sword up once again. "What do you say we finish this little dance? Blast Fire!"

"Talisman Spell!" Taomon raises her shield to guard against the attack, the flames once again licking at it but failing to overcome it. As the flames dissipate, she again turns, intent on parrying Mistymon once again. This time, however, Mistymon did not attempt to outflank her and instead charges forth just as she turns. "Core Dart!"

"Taomon! Look out!" Rika yells. Taomon turns just in time to avoid being impaled and attempts to jump aside. She still takes the brunt of the attack, however, and rolls off to the side, soon dedigivolving back to a clearly beaten Renamon.

"She is an admirable fighter, but as you can see, I am far superior," Mistymon croons as he approaches Rika, insuring he stays between her and Renamon.

"Stay away from me!" Rika demands, but Mistymon seems to pay no heed, waltzing right up to her and grabbing her arm. "Think of how strong we could be together. I want to be stronger and only you can make it so. Tame me!"

Rika struggles to escape his hold but his grip is firm and he begins to pull her along. "Come now. You will find I am a far superior part…" He suddenly releases his hold on Rika as he is shoved aside, the form of Guilmon tumbling after him before jumping back up, body crouched and eyes constricted in preparation for battle.

"Another one?" Mistymon grumbles as he regains his footing. Guilmon growls lightly, his pupils still locked on the knight. "You shouldn't hurt my friends! It's not very nice!"

"And what will you do about…?"

"Bada Boom!" Mistymon turns a bored expression as a tiny flame singes and dissipates on his shoulder pad. Impmon leaps down from the roof above them and lands atop Guilmon's back. "So you did this to Fox-face? Didn't anyone teach you how to treat a lady, you pointy eared freak?"

"Two rookies. I'm all a-quiver!" he taunts, holding his sword in front of him.

"Actually, it's a rookie and a mega!" Impmon warp digivolve to… Beelzemon!

"A Demon Lord: How very interesting," Mistymon coos with a smirk.

"How's this for interesting? Double Impact!"

"Pyro Sphere!"

Mistymon dodges aside, avoiding the attacks remarkably easily. "Two against one. Hardly a chivalrous fight. Can't we dance one at a time?"

"You're mine, bub! Darkness Claw!" Beelzemon dives for the knight, who simply swings his sword out in front of him: "Blast Fire!" Beelzemon swipes through the flames, soon finding his target had disappeared. "What the…"

"Core Dart!" Mistymon slams into Beelzemon's back, piercing deep, right where his tail enters his back. Beelzemon turns and swipes with his claws, but Mistymon jumps back to avoid the blow, pulling his blade with him.

"Pyro Sphere!" Guilmon fires another sphere, which hits Mistymon in the back, drawing an irked look from the knight.

"Double Impact! Beelzemon fires and Mistymon moves aside, allowing the bullet to fly in Guilmon's direction. Guilmon jumps and swings one of his claws: "Rock Breaker!" Miraculously, his timing is perfect, and he breaks the bullet just before it could impact with either him, or one of the girls behind him.

"Terrier Tornado!" A tiny green twister blows into Mistymon, doing little more than causing his cape to billow, as Henry, Takato, Jeri, and Calumon arrive behind him.

"I made it just in time to get some action! Hit me up, Henry!"

"Digi Modify! Matrix Digivolution activate!"

Matrix Digivolution…

Terriermon digivolve to… Gargomon!

Gargomon digivolve to… Rapidmon!

"Perhaps another time tamers…" Mistymon mutters before pulling his cloak around himself.

"Oh no you don't! Rapid Fire!" Rapidmon fires, his missiles striking the ground where Mistymon stands. As the smoke clears however, it is clear that the knight had vanished.

"Aww, no fun!" Rapidmon whines as he touches down, allowing himself to dedigivolve immediately.

"Rika, are you all right?" Takato asks, running up to her as she helps Renamon to her feet. "I'm fine, Gogglehead, but if you hadn't noticed, Renamon might not be."

"Oh…" Takato answers, mentally berating himself for his lack of attention to context. "I might have a recharge card on me…"

"It doesn't matter…" Rika groans out with annoyance. "He took my digivice…"

"He what?" Henry shouts in surprise. "How'd he get it?"

"I don't know!" Rika shouts at the boy. "He teleported it out of my hand or something!"

"Don't worry, Rika. We'll get it back," Jeri assures. Rika clenches her fists at her side and takes a heavy breath to keep herself from taking her frustration out on the girl before nodding.

Beelzemon dedigivolves back to Impmon before saying, "Ordinarily I'd offer to track down that mook, but I gotta get back home to Ai and Mako before they start worrying about me."

"We can go looking for him tomorrow," Henry suggests. "I'll talk to my dad and see if I can get a hold of Mr. Yamaki to help us track him down."

"That sounds like a good idea," Jeri says with a smile. "Meet in the park tomorrow morning?" Rika crosses her arms and turns her face away, but moves her head in a nodding fashion to show her agreement to the terms.

"Great. I'll tell Kazu and Kenta so that they know," Jeri adds before waving goodbye. She runs off down the alleyway, Calumon zooming after her.

"Are you sure you're ok, Rika?" Takato asks, cocking his head.

"Are your goggles on too tight that your brain isn't processing what I said?" Rika responds harshly. "I'm fine!"

"Calm down, Rika. We're just worried about you," Henry says in Takato's defense.

"Yea, momentai already!" Terriermon shouts cheerfully. "We'll get your digivice back from that guy."

"Whatever," is Rika's response as she pivots. "Come on Renamon. I guess we're going home." Renamon limps off after her tamer, both Guilmon and Takato watching as they go.

"You gonna head home Takato?" Henry asks as he too turns to leave. Takato continues to stare in the direction Rika had gone before looking at Henry and raising a brow. "Did you say something Henry?"

"Uh oh. Daydream alert!" Terriermon quips from Henry's shoulder. "I asked if you were heading home," Henry states once more while raking his knuckles over his partner's head.

"What if that digimon attacks Renamon again, Takatomon?" Guilmon asks, looking at his tamer for reassurance.

Takato again looks back in the direction Rika had gone. "It did look like Renamon was hurt pretty badly... I think I'm going to make sure Rika get's back home before I head back myself."

"Well, alright. I'll see you tomorrow then," Henry says with a nod before walking away, Terriermon throwing a knowing look at Takato. As they disappear down the alley, Guilmon and Takato run off in the direction Rika and Renamon had gone.