-Flashback-

Sitting on the centre swing in the park of Shinjuku was a lonely girl, dressed in a white hat and white mini dress with a small bag, who was feeling quite solemn for something bad had happened to her.

And as she remained seated, holding a handful of Digimon Cards, a previous gift she had gotten for her last birthday, some of the other pre school girls were not far from her as they spoke secretly, talking about her.

"Isn't that the model girl, Rika Nonaka?" One of the girls asked, getting nods from her friends, with a second saying in reply. "Yeah, the one who lost her father?"

"Isn't she pathetic?" The third asked with a bitterness in her voice, making sure her words were overheard by Rika, who just ignored them, though inside, their words only made her feel worse as she was so saddened by the loss of her father.

However, Rika broke from her sadness, feeling some confusion when she felt a pair of hands on her back, which started to pushed her on the swing, making the young redhead place her right hand on the chain and turn her head, where she saw a small boy with a white shirt, white hat and blue shorts, smiling as he continued to push her on the swing.

"Swings are meant for swinging, not sitting sad on. I just wanna play with you." The boy said with a cheerful tone and smile as he continued to push Rika.

From the boy's words and his actions, Rika was surprised that somebody was talking to her, and more so that they were trying to make her happy.

"Who are you? Why are you talking to me?" Rika asked in confusion.

"My name is Takato. And I would just like to know you." Takato replied with a smile, leaving Rika silent, still confused as to finding herself conversing with another student, but was also glad somebody actually being nice to her.

"You're Rika, right?" Takato then asked, continuing to push her.

While Rika only nodded, Takato smiled and said. "You look like you need a friend to play with you. Why not me? I would gladly play with you."

His words reached Rika, making her smile a little as he continued to push her.

Rika was enjoying Takato was pushing her in the swing that she forgot she was still holding her Digimon Cards, which then started to slip out of her grip and fell to the floor.

"Here. Let me get those." Takato offered, placing his hands on Rika's back, ceasing her swinging, before getting down and began to pick up the Cards, his kindness continued to make Rika smile.

"Cool. I didn't know that you play Digimon Cards." Takato said, looking at the various selection of Cards Rika had obtained, before getting to his feet and handing them back to her.

"If you like, you can come back to my place. I have plenty of Digimon Cards that I would love to trade with you." The brunette then offered, continuing to smile and show his kindness, making Rika smile back and nod.

"Let's go." She said, getting off the swing and followed Takato , unaware that their encounter would lead to a beautiful friendship.

-End flashback-

As the years went on, Takato and Rika grew closer as friends, sharing their love of Digimon, having sleepovers, even dressing as Tai Kamiya and Sora Takenouchi for Halloween.

And while Takato's other friends, Kazu Shioda and Kenta Kitagawa were fans of Digimon as well, both teased Takato a little when he showed up at the park one day, wearing a pair of goggles, regretting their joking when they learnt they were a gift from Rika, who didn't get along with the pair.

But being Takato's friend, Rika would suppress her desire to take a shot at the duo, though she would get a kick out of making them both quiver from her glares.

But other than Rika, Takato also had another girl as his friend, Jeri Katou, who was always sweet and kind to her friends, which Rika liked and respected, causing them to get close, with Rika introducing Jeri to the world of Digimon and teaching her how to play the card game.

Not only were Takato and Rika happy they had become friends, so too had their parents, namely Rika's mother, Rumiko Nonaka, who saw Takato as nothing but a positive influence for her daughter, which gave her the decision to take Rika out of her private school and enroll her in the same school and class as the brunette.

Currently, another school day had finished, however, Takato and Rika had stayed back in order to finish off the Digimon match they had set up halfway through Miss. Asaji's lesson, practising for the upcoming tournament Rika had signed up for, whil Takato had missed the deadline to enter, but was still happy to cheer her on and do what he could to help.

He even spent some of the money he would get from his parents for assisting them in their bakery on some Digimon Cards he believed would be perfect for Rika's deck.

Finishing their game, with Takato emerging as the victor, both gathered their Cards, Rika spoke up.

"Tomorrow is the big tournament. Will you be there to watch?" She asked as she looked at Takato, who smiled and said in reply. "Of course I will be there to cheer you on. When it comes to Digimon, you can always count me in."

"Speaking of Digimon..." Rika began to say, trailing off a little, unsure if she should tell Takato.

But after he placed his hand on her shoulder and stared into her eyes, Rika continued, knowing she could trust him.

"Would you mind if you came back to my place? There is something I want to show you, but you must promise to keep it a secret." Rika said in a serious tone.

And as curiosity got the better of him, Takato nodded.

"You can trust me. Whatever it is, I promise to keep to myself. Cross my heart and hope Myotismon bites me." He said, joking a little, though Rika knew she could put her trust in his promise, even if it contained a silly pun.

"Alright then. Follow me." Rika then said as she picked up her backpacks and headed off, with Takato following Rika, getting quite curious as to the secret she wanted to share with him.

-Sometime later-

Finally arriving at the Nonaka's residence as Takato and Rika entered the garden section of her home, Rika made her presence known.

"Mum, I'm home." She called, causing Rumiko to enter and approach the pair, smiling to see her daughter and Takato.

"Hello sweetie. It's good to have you home." Rumiko said, embracing her daughter, showing they too had gotten close as mother and daughter.

"And it's good to see you as well, Takato." She then said, always happy to see the brunette.

"Thank you, Miss. Matsuki." Takato replied, his kindness made Rumiko smile and say. "Please, call me Rumiko."

"Sorry to interrupt, but there was something I really need to show Takato in my room." Rika suddenly said, which made Rumiko nod in understanding.

"Of course." She replied, turning and taking her leave. "Have a good time, and remember, you are always welcome to come over."

As Rumiko headed off, Rika sighed a little.

"Sorry about that. You know how mothers can be." Rika said, embarrassed.

"It's alright." Takato replied, before remembering why he had been called to Rika's in the first place as he entered her bedroom and asked. "So what did you want to show me?"

From Takato's question, Rika then said. "You can come out now."

And with that said, something landed before them, taking Takato's breath away as a yellow furred fox-like creature appeared, which had a white stomach and a pair ee-sized breasts and had a set of purple coloured gloves.

As the creature rose, it smiled at Rika, who smiled back, while Takato now realized why Rika didn't tell him her secret back at school and why he had to see it to believe it.

Rika had an actual Digimon in her home.

"You called for me?" The Digimon asked, making Rika nod as she then made introductions. "This is my friend, Takato Matsuki. Takato, this is my Digimon guardian and my partner, Renamon."

"Whoa. A real Digimon? This is unbelievable." Takato said, amazed to see a Digimon in real life, it was like a dream come true for him.

"It is nice to finally meet you, Takato." Renamon then said, before smiling and adding. "Rika has told me all about you."

"It's nice to meet you as well." Takato replied, continuing to show his kindness, however, he had to ask. "But there is something I have to know. How did you get here?"

"I was brought to this world to find a Tamer, a human that would become my partner and make me stronger." Renamon replied.

"And for whatever reason, I was chosen." Rika added, not completely sure why Renamon wound up with her, but she wasn't complaining.

"That's cool you have a Digimon." Takato commented, before saying with absolute seriousness. "You can count on me to keep this secret a secret."

"Thank you." Rika replied with a smile, knowing it was right to place her trust in her best friend, while Renamon also smiled, not just from the bond that her Tamer and the brunette shared, but also the vixen Digimon sensed the relationship between Takato and Rika could eventually wind up as something beyond just friends.

"And since you showed me something secret, I think it's only fair I do the same." Takato said as he took off his backpack and withdrew a notepad, showing to Rika and Renamon a drawing of a red dinosaur-like Digimon.

"I've been working on making my own Digimon, but was a little shy of showing it." Takato confessed.

"What do you think?" He then asked, wanting Rika and Renamon's honest feedback.

"You drew that?" Rika asked, smiling as she then commented. "It looks pretty good."

In agreement with Rika, Renamon nodded, before suggesting. "You should consider taking other creative after school activities to further improve your talents."

"I'll consider it." Takato replied, glad that both his friend and a Digimon approved of his Digimon design.

Curious, Rika then asked. "So does this new Digimon have a name?"

"I have been trying to think of one, but that's where I get a little stuck." Takato confessed, admitting his weakness in his artistic skills, remembering some of the rejected names he thought to call his Digimon, including Supermon, MegaDinomon and UltraFlameBlastermon.

"How about Guilmon?" Renamon suggested, which Takato and Rika both liked.

"Guilmon it is." Takato said with a smile as he reached back into his backpack, putting away his notepad and withdrawing his scanner, but was left in awe to see it had changed, turning into a Digivice, which caused him to question, amazed. "I have a Digivice?"

"It's known as a D-Power." Rika informed, smiling as she withdrew and displayed her own D-Power, which had blue trimmings around it compared to Takato's red trimmed one.

Looking at his D-Power, Takato asked. "Do you think I'll find my own Digimon?"

"I'm sure of it." Rika replied, smiling as she then stated. "And you'll be just as great a Digimon master, like Tai or Davis."

From Rika's words, Takato smiled, both looking forward to the day Takato would find his Digimon, but neither were aware that in doing so, it would lead to many changes in their everyday lives.