General Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, and I will not be putting this up
again.
Notes:
" " - Speech ' ' - Thought or Italics (meaning accent or emphasis)
Japanese Levels: Child = Rookie Adult = Champion Perfect = Ultimate Ultimate = Mega
Japanese Names: Makino Ruki = Rika Nonaka Lee Jenrya = Henry Wong Matsuda Takato = Takato Matsuki Katou Juri = Jeri Katou Akiyama Ryou = Ryo Shiota Hirokazu = Kazu Shiota Kitagawa Kenta = Kenta Kitagawa Lee Shuichon = Suzie Wong Okaa-san = Mother Otou-san = Father
----------------------------------------------------------
The Shadow Realms: Part I - A New Beginning
----------------------------------------------------------
~ The Tamers are in high school. The threat to the Digital World has long since ended, and they had to leave their Digimon behind because their lives were shortened if they stayed in the real world. The portal to the Digital World has somehow dissipated, and the two worlds are cut off from each other. Everyone is 14 and in some cases nearly 15. Hirokazu, Ryou, Juri, Kenta, Takato, Jenrya and Ruki all go to the local Shinjuku High School. Shuichon is still stuck in elementary, and Ai and Makoto are but a distant memory. ~
It was the first day of school and there was some confusion among the 7th graders and the rest of the mass of students that swarmed into the school, trying to find their assigned lockers and classrooms.
Lee Jenrya, strolling down the hall with his books, watched a couple of 7th grade girls start caterwauling as the monitor yelled at them for knocking him down and shook his head.
'It's that time of the year again, he thought, 'Well, at least this year it won't be like trying to fight your way through an elephant stampede.'
He hadn't changed much since the days of the Digital World, except for the fact that he now wore a dark green vest with a gray shirt underneath, and jeans, and had grown slightly taller and a bit more muscular from constant martial arts training.
He turned the corner and bumped into Katou Juri, who dropped her books in surprise and because of the bumping. Jenrya saw that she had brought her D- Ark when it skidded out from among her books over the floor, buzzing static. She was wearing a pink blouse and a pale blue skirt, and had her auburn hair, which had grown out a bit since their days in the Digital World, in a long braid.
"Oh, I'm sorry," he exclaimed, bending down and retrieving her books for her, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Juri murmured as she accepted her books gratefully, "Hi, Lee-kun. It's pretty confusing in here, isn't it?"
"Always is," Jenrya grinned, "Well, at least this year bringing food on the first day of school was outlawed."
Juri laughed softly.
"Yeah, I still remember that unbelievable mass food fight last year," she replied, then looked at her watch, "Oh, no! If I don't hurry, I'll be late!"
"What do you mean? We've still got a quarter of an hour," Jenrya asked, confused, as he looked at his own watch.
But Juri was already running off down the hall.
"See you!" she waved and disappeared around the other corner.
***
Jenrya walked slowly to his locker, wondering why Juri was in such a hurry this morning. She'd probably bought cream puffs again, and was planning to scoff them before class started, and get her locker combination, as well as finding her classroom and having some time left over to chatter with her friends. Jenrya shook his head. Juri never seemed to be able to organize her time properly.
'Just like she never seems able to really have fun anymore,' Jenrya sighed, a little sadly.
Even though she'd mostly gotten over Leomon's death and her lengthy confinement within the D-Reaper, Juri would never again be the sunny, cheerful girl whose laughter had spilled frequently and who'd gone around sporting a crazy sock puppet kangaroo.
***
Meanwhile, Makino Ruki and Matsuda Takato had bumped into each other on the street and came in the front door in the middle of a heated discussion about who was the strongest, Sakuyamon or Dukemon. Seeing them, Shiota Hirokazu shook his head. They were at it 'again'. Neither of them seemed about to admit that they probably wouldn't see their Digimon again and always acted as though they had a Digimon fight scheduled on the morrow.
Hirokazu sighed. It wasn't easy for any of them, knowing that they'd probably never see their Digimon again. Even though he'd never have admitted it, he really missed Guardromon sometimes, like when he wanted to fly over the city or had to carry some heavy stuff.
As for Takato and Ruki, they were very good friends, even though Ruki scorned Takato and pretended he was the worst Digimon Tamer she'd ever met.
***
Ruki was wearing her usual blue shirt and jeans, and she was still wearing that cardpocket of hers, even though these days she usually didn't play the card game anymore. She was taller and more slender than she had been 4 years ago. She'd softened up in a lot of ways since their Digital World adventure, but almost never showed this to anyone other than the Tamers and her family, which was why the nickname 'Ice Queen' had stayed with her, derivative from the original 'Digimon Queen', dropped when she'd stopped playing the card game in the big competitions. Her hair had also grown out, and she had it in a kind of ponytail, but it was just as tawny, gold- streaked and spiky as ever.
Takato, meanwhile, still had his scruffy hairstyle, and of course the goggles. He was still short and awkward, even for his 14 years, and wore a white shirt with a black eagle on it, and dark blue shorts. Both of them were wearing their D-Arks.
As for Hirokazu, still much too tall and lanky, he wore a black shirt with a logo like the ones on the blue cards on it and a pair of light brown pants that almost went down over his shoes, and he still had his visor, his spiked hair, his gray-blue eyes and his egotistical manner. Even his self- confident grin was still in place.
***
Hirokazu strode over to the two, who were bickering as much as ever.
"Hey, chumley," he said, clapping Takato on the back.
Then he turned to Ruki with a grin, "Nice ta see ya, Digimon Queen."
Ruki glared at him, but Takato thought he saw a brief blush stain her cheeks.
'What the heck?! I must be imagining things,' the gogglehead thought, naive as ever.
" 'Don't' call me that," Ruki snapped, then was sorry that she'd lost her patience over such a trivial matter.
"Hey, cool it, girl, we've still got the whole day to go through, and since we're in the same class, I don't need you looking like a thundercloud," was Hirokazu's cheerful reply.
Ruki merely shot him a Look and stalked off.
***
Hirokazu turned to Takato, who was red in the face and glaring after Ruki.
"Hey, chumley, what's up with you two today?!" he asked in surprise.
Takato frowned.
"She said that it doesn't matter how strong the Digimon is, that it's the Tamer that counts," he fumed, "I'm not that bad at the card game!"
"No, no, of course you're not, Takato," Kitagawa Kenta said soothingly, appearing out of nowhere, as Hirokazu rolled his eyes at this account of Takato vs. Ruki arguments he'd heard at least a million times before.
'Can't they at least find something new to bicker about?' Hirokazu thought, exasperated.
Kenta still had his glasses (though they weren't large and square anymore; they were smaller and rounder), but his face was less round, and his hair wasn't in the mushroom cut anymore. He actually managed to look passable for a once-dork in his light brown shirt and gray pants.
"Hey, Kenta, where'd you come from?!" Hirokazu exclaimed, putting on an expression of mock-surprise.
Kenta adjusted his glasses before replying.
"Well, I was buying some more Digimon cards. I'm gonna beat you someday, Hirokazu," he replied with unusual firmness as he reached into his pocket and drew out a thick stack of Digimon cards, "Tada! Not bad, eh?"
"Hey, what'd you do, go out and raid the store? Several stores, from the look of this lot," Hirokazu muttered as he looked through the mass of cards, then shook his head and chuckled derisively, "Tough luck, chumley."
"What d'you mean?!" Kenta demanded indignantly.
"These're fakes," Hirokazu handed them back to Kenta with another shake of his head, "See you!"
He turned on his heel and disappeared into the crowd.
***
"Oh, man," Kenta hung his head, discouraged.
"Hey, don't look so down, Kenta, why don't you ask Ruki for some coaching?" Takato said, trying to cheer his friend up.
"H-her?!" Kenta fairly squeaked, "Are you crazy, Takato? She'd eat me alive!"
Takato chuckled. Kenta had never quite been able to wrap his mind around the idea that Ruki wasn't a tigress who ate her opponents. At least not anymore.
"Then you'll just have to keep on losing!" he replied before also eclipsing himself.
***
Left alone, Kenta wiped away tears of disappointment and then started out for his locker too. It wouldn't do to cry on the first day of school. On the way there, he met Jenrya.
"Oh, hey, Jenrya," he mumbled uncertainly.
"Hi, Kenta, how's it going?" Jenrya returned the greeting good-naturedly.
"Uh, uh, good," Kenta replied before hurrying off.
Jenrya watched him running toward the corner and then tripping over his own feet before landing on one of the girls. He shook his head again.
'What's with him this morning?'
***
Meanwhile Ryou was surrounded by a gag of girls all vying for his attention in the corridor. It was flattering at first, but by now he was starting to find it tedious, always being surrounded by a chattering, flirting crowd, not one of whom he liked, all making the eyes at him until he thought he'd go bananas.
'They are so stupid,' he thought exasperatedly, 'They must be too brainless to know how to do anything but follow the good-looking guys around.'
Just then Juri flew by. Ryou eyed her with jealous interest. She'd gotten quite a lot prettier over the summer, and that new blouse was rather fetching.
He shook his head to take his mind off of her and, finally freeing himself from the girls with a terse, "Lemme move, girls, I can't breathe," he went to his locker, which was right beside Takato's.
***
Takato came up to his locker and was surprised to find Ryou there. Instantly, the tension in the air between them was palpable. They stood there staring daggers at each other for a moment, then Ryou slammed his locker shut, ignoring the way it drew stares, and stormed off down the hall. Takato shook his head. Ryou had 'still' not forgiven him for being liked by Juri more than him.
* Flashback *
Ryou: Hey, Juri, are you hurt?
Takato: Katou-san, are you okay?
He offered her his hand at the same moment that Ryou offered her his.
Juri: Yes, I'm fine.
She took Takato's hand, and smiled gratefully as he helped her up.
Juri: Whew! Arigato, Takato-kun. You're a really nice guy.
Ryou fumed visibly.
* Flashback ends *
Takato closed his locker and started down the hall. He wondered why Ryou had to fight with him like this. Granted, he didn't like Ryou either, for the older boy had a condescending manner and mocked him subtly every chance he got, but given the chance, he'd have been perfectly willing to be friendly. And Ryou showed off worse than Hirokazu. No wonder Juri didn't like him either. Takato grinned. He was looking forward to seeing her in class.
***
Meanwhile, Hirokazu crashed into Ryou as he came storming around the corner.
"Whoa, what's the hurry, chumley?" Hirokazu asked as he gathered up his books and checked to make sure his D-Ark wasn't damaged.
"Out of my way," Ryou snapped, shoving him aside before continuing.
Hirokazu looked after him with a frown.
'What a loser,' he thought angrily, 'No wonder Juri liked Takato better.'
He looked down at his watch. Two minutes left. He'd better get to class.
***
Ruki was already sitting in class, listening to the mindless chatter of the other students while she kept looking at the door. When Ryou came in, she watched him go to his seat. She didn't like him much. He was always challenging her at the card game. These games usually ended up going on for hours until Ruki tired of it all and called a tie, then walked off.
'I know he wants to win, but does he have to hassle me all the time?!' she thought irritably.
Granted, he was good, but he needn't show off like that. He should challenge somebody else for a change. Like Hirokazu, who at least had fairly decent card game skills. Not like that loser Takato. Ruki frowned at the thought of him.
***
Just then Hirokazu strode into class with his usual I'm-the-best-and- to-heck-with-the-rest demeanor. Ruki gave him a thoughtful scan before he came over and dropped into the seat beside her.
"So, got over this morning yet, Streaker?" he mocked.
She made a half-hearted swipe at him. He chuckled and dodged it with ease. He was always calling her names, just to annoy her. Ruki didn't know why she didn't just send him to hell or bash him to a pulp like the rest of the guys who kept simpering about her looks or mocking her for being the Digimon Queen. He wasn't the same.
Hirokazu was different. He'd always been. Back when she'd first met him, she'd noticed that right away. He projected an air of self-confidence and had a to-heck-with-the-world-I'm-doing-what-I-want manner, but she had a feeling he had something hidden under there. After all, she'd had something to hide during her life as well, so she was a good judge. And she'd been right. Well, in one way or another.
* Flashback *
"Look, I know you're upset, but Andromon's just doing what he thinks is best to help you guys,"
"You've gotta learn to stand up for yourselves, or someone like Orochimon's going to walk all over you!"
"Is this guy like the bravest Digimon or what, fighting Orochimon all by himself!"
"Guardromon, are you okay, buddy? You're not broken again, are you?"
"I've gotta help Takato! But how?"
* Flashback ends *
Ruki nodded thoughtfully. Yes, Hirokazu had something about him. Even though he acted like an idiot most of the time, and was obnoxious, as well as lazy, thoughtless, and a loudmouth, and didn't take things seriously, sometimes... Well, sometimes he actually was a really nice guy and helped them for a change. When you thought about it really hard he actually 'was' worthy of becoming a Tamer. And... There was just something 'about' him.
Ruki shook her head. She'd never understand Hirokazu. Even though he seemed really simple, when you really thought about it he was actually unbelievably complex. Ruki took her mind firmly off of the matter, which she had turned over so many times in her head.
***
She then realized that the class had started and the teacher was asking her a question. Someone whispered the answer to her and she was amazed when she used it and it was the right answer. She scanned the class and realized that Jenrya was sitting right behind her with Takato beside him and Juri beside Takato across the aisle. She sighed, but gave Jenrya a small smile anyway to thank him for his help. He grinned back.
***
"Hey again, Katou-san," Takato smiled at her.
"Hi, Takato-kun," Juri gave a slight smile back, causing Takato to blush.
'I wish I didn't always do that in front of her,' he thought.
"So, looks like Nasukio-san is our teacher again this year. He looks even more like a frog than usual," Takato commented quietly.
Juri laughed and Takato smiled, too, pleased that he'd been able to get a rare laugh out of her.
'I wish she'd laugh like that more often,' he thought sadly, remembering how she'd been before, 'Maybe she should never have gone to the Digital World with us.'
***
As the day wore on, Ryou sat in class, bored out of his mind. Kenta the Nerd No. 1 of the Universe sat beside him, well, at least there was one of the Tamers near him, but he would have preferred it be Juri instead of Kenta. Or maybe even Ruki. At least she had some spirit. And that Hirokazu fella somehow always managed to make him laugh. Granted, Hirokazu could probably make anyone laugh if he wanted to, even Ruki. Ryou sighed enviously. Maybe if he had Hirokazu's natural ability to charm, he might actually have been able to win over Juri.
His jaw tightened with anger. Just thinking of her choosing that scrawny gogglehead brat over himself, the popular, good-looking Ryou, was enough to make him want to smash something. He gave Takato, who was over on the other side of the class with the rest of the Tamers, a thoroughly black look that made Kenta tremble.
***
Just then, Ryou's D-Ark buzzed, and Kenta looked over in alarm. Ruki, Jenrya, Hirokazu and Takato were all startled when their D-Arks acted up as well, Juri looked over curiously and Kenta was sorry he hadn't brought his D-Ark too, but just then a beam of light sped along the floor to him. His D- Ark had actually come to him. They had destroyed the evil that plagued the Digital World and put an end to the abnormal bio-emerging, so what could be happening?
***
~ Hmmm. That ending. This is my first Digimon fanfic, so please review and tell me if it's too long, too short, concentrating too much on trivial matters, descriptions too long, whatever. Oh, and tell me if the title is lousy or not, which I'm sure it is. Thanks for reading! ~
Notes:
" " - Speech ' ' - Thought or Italics (meaning accent or emphasis)
Japanese Levels: Child = Rookie Adult = Champion Perfect = Ultimate Ultimate = Mega
Japanese Names: Makino Ruki = Rika Nonaka Lee Jenrya = Henry Wong Matsuda Takato = Takato Matsuki Katou Juri = Jeri Katou Akiyama Ryou = Ryo Shiota Hirokazu = Kazu Shiota Kitagawa Kenta = Kenta Kitagawa Lee Shuichon = Suzie Wong Okaa-san = Mother Otou-san = Father
----------------------------------------------------------
The Shadow Realms: Part I - A New Beginning
----------------------------------------------------------
~ The Tamers are in high school. The threat to the Digital World has long since ended, and they had to leave their Digimon behind because their lives were shortened if they stayed in the real world. The portal to the Digital World has somehow dissipated, and the two worlds are cut off from each other. Everyone is 14 and in some cases nearly 15. Hirokazu, Ryou, Juri, Kenta, Takato, Jenrya and Ruki all go to the local Shinjuku High School. Shuichon is still stuck in elementary, and Ai and Makoto are but a distant memory. ~
It was the first day of school and there was some confusion among the 7th graders and the rest of the mass of students that swarmed into the school, trying to find their assigned lockers and classrooms.
Lee Jenrya, strolling down the hall with his books, watched a couple of 7th grade girls start caterwauling as the monitor yelled at them for knocking him down and shook his head.
'It's that time of the year again, he thought, 'Well, at least this year it won't be like trying to fight your way through an elephant stampede.'
He hadn't changed much since the days of the Digital World, except for the fact that he now wore a dark green vest with a gray shirt underneath, and jeans, and had grown slightly taller and a bit more muscular from constant martial arts training.
He turned the corner and bumped into Katou Juri, who dropped her books in surprise and because of the bumping. Jenrya saw that she had brought her D- Ark when it skidded out from among her books over the floor, buzzing static. She was wearing a pink blouse and a pale blue skirt, and had her auburn hair, which had grown out a bit since their days in the Digital World, in a long braid.
"Oh, I'm sorry," he exclaimed, bending down and retrieving her books for her, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Juri murmured as she accepted her books gratefully, "Hi, Lee-kun. It's pretty confusing in here, isn't it?"
"Always is," Jenrya grinned, "Well, at least this year bringing food on the first day of school was outlawed."
Juri laughed softly.
"Yeah, I still remember that unbelievable mass food fight last year," she replied, then looked at her watch, "Oh, no! If I don't hurry, I'll be late!"
"What do you mean? We've still got a quarter of an hour," Jenrya asked, confused, as he looked at his own watch.
But Juri was already running off down the hall.
"See you!" she waved and disappeared around the other corner.
***
Jenrya walked slowly to his locker, wondering why Juri was in such a hurry this morning. She'd probably bought cream puffs again, and was planning to scoff them before class started, and get her locker combination, as well as finding her classroom and having some time left over to chatter with her friends. Jenrya shook his head. Juri never seemed to be able to organize her time properly.
'Just like she never seems able to really have fun anymore,' Jenrya sighed, a little sadly.
Even though she'd mostly gotten over Leomon's death and her lengthy confinement within the D-Reaper, Juri would never again be the sunny, cheerful girl whose laughter had spilled frequently and who'd gone around sporting a crazy sock puppet kangaroo.
***
Meanwhile, Makino Ruki and Matsuda Takato had bumped into each other on the street and came in the front door in the middle of a heated discussion about who was the strongest, Sakuyamon or Dukemon. Seeing them, Shiota Hirokazu shook his head. They were at it 'again'. Neither of them seemed about to admit that they probably wouldn't see their Digimon again and always acted as though they had a Digimon fight scheduled on the morrow.
Hirokazu sighed. It wasn't easy for any of them, knowing that they'd probably never see their Digimon again. Even though he'd never have admitted it, he really missed Guardromon sometimes, like when he wanted to fly over the city or had to carry some heavy stuff.
As for Takato and Ruki, they were very good friends, even though Ruki scorned Takato and pretended he was the worst Digimon Tamer she'd ever met.
***
Ruki was wearing her usual blue shirt and jeans, and she was still wearing that cardpocket of hers, even though these days she usually didn't play the card game anymore. She was taller and more slender than she had been 4 years ago. She'd softened up in a lot of ways since their Digital World adventure, but almost never showed this to anyone other than the Tamers and her family, which was why the nickname 'Ice Queen' had stayed with her, derivative from the original 'Digimon Queen', dropped when she'd stopped playing the card game in the big competitions. Her hair had also grown out, and she had it in a kind of ponytail, but it was just as tawny, gold- streaked and spiky as ever.
Takato, meanwhile, still had his scruffy hairstyle, and of course the goggles. He was still short and awkward, even for his 14 years, and wore a white shirt with a black eagle on it, and dark blue shorts. Both of them were wearing their D-Arks.
As for Hirokazu, still much too tall and lanky, he wore a black shirt with a logo like the ones on the blue cards on it and a pair of light brown pants that almost went down over his shoes, and he still had his visor, his spiked hair, his gray-blue eyes and his egotistical manner. Even his self- confident grin was still in place.
***
Hirokazu strode over to the two, who were bickering as much as ever.
"Hey, chumley," he said, clapping Takato on the back.
Then he turned to Ruki with a grin, "Nice ta see ya, Digimon Queen."
Ruki glared at him, but Takato thought he saw a brief blush stain her cheeks.
'What the heck?! I must be imagining things,' the gogglehead thought, naive as ever.
" 'Don't' call me that," Ruki snapped, then was sorry that she'd lost her patience over such a trivial matter.
"Hey, cool it, girl, we've still got the whole day to go through, and since we're in the same class, I don't need you looking like a thundercloud," was Hirokazu's cheerful reply.
Ruki merely shot him a Look and stalked off.
***
Hirokazu turned to Takato, who was red in the face and glaring after Ruki.
"Hey, chumley, what's up with you two today?!" he asked in surprise.
Takato frowned.
"She said that it doesn't matter how strong the Digimon is, that it's the Tamer that counts," he fumed, "I'm not that bad at the card game!"
"No, no, of course you're not, Takato," Kitagawa Kenta said soothingly, appearing out of nowhere, as Hirokazu rolled his eyes at this account of Takato vs. Ruki arguments he'd heard at least a million times before.
'Can't they at least find something new to bicker about?' Hirokazu thought, exasperated.
Kenta still had his glasses (though they weren't large and square anymore; they were smaller and rounder), but his face was less round, and his hair wasn't in the mushroom cut anymore. He actually managed to look passable for a once-dork in his light brown shirt and gray pants.
"Hey, Kenta, where'd you come from?!" Hirokazu exclaimed, putting on an expression of mock-surprise.
Kenta adjusted his glasses before replying.
"Well, I was buying some more Digimon cards. I'm gonna beat you someday, Hirokazu," he replied with unusual firmness as he reached into his pocket and drew out a thick stack of Digimon cards, "Tada! Not bad, eh?"
"Hey, what'd you do, go out and raid the store? Several stores, from the look of this lot," Hirokazu muttered as he looked through the mass of cards, then shook his head and chuckled derisively, "Tough luck, chumley."
"What d'you mean?!" Kenta demanded indignantly.
"These're fakes," Hirokazu handed them back to Kenta with another shake of his head, "See you!"
He turned on his heel and disappeared into the crowd.
***
"Oh, man," Kenta hung his head, discouraged.
"Hey, don't look so down, Kenta, why don't you ask Ruki for some coaching?" Takato said, trying to cheer his friend up.
"H-her?!" Kenta fairly squeaked, "Are you crazy, Takato? She'd eat me alive!"
Takato chuckled. Kenta had never quite been able to wrap his mind around the idea that Ruki wasn't a tigress who ate her opponents. At least not anymore.
"Then you'll just have to keep on losing!" he replied before also eclipsing himself.
***
Left alone, Kenta wiped away tears of disappointment and then started out for his locker too. It wouldn't do to cry on the first day of school. On the way there, he met Jenrya.
"Oh, hey, Jenrya," he mumbled uncertainly.
"Hi, Kenta, how's it going?" Jenrya returned the greeting good-naturedly.
"Uh, uh, good," Kenta replied before hurrying off.
Jenrya watched him running toward the corner and then tripping over his own feet before landing on one of the girls. He shook his head again.
'What's with him this morning?'
***
Meanwhile Ryou was surrounded by a gag of girls all vying for his attention in the corridor. It was flattering at first, but by now he was starting to find it tedious, always being surrounded by a chattering, flirting crowd, not one of whom he liked, all making the eyes at him until he thought he'd go bananas.
'They are so stupid,' he thought exasperatedly, 'They must be too brainless to know how to do anything but follow the good-looking guys around.'
Just then Juri flew by. Ryou eyed her with jealous interest. She'd gotten quite a lot prettier over the summer, and that new blouse was rather fetching.
He shook his head to take his mind off of her and, finally freeing himself from the girls with a terse, "Lemme move, girls, I can't breathe," he went to his locker, which was right beside Takato's.
***
Takato came up to his locker and was surprised to find Ryou there. Instantly, the tension in the air between them was palpable. They stood there staring daggers at each other for a moment, then Ryou slammed his locker shut, ignoring the way it drew stares, and stormed off down the hall. Takato shook his head. Ryou had 'still' not forgiven him for being liked by Juri more than him.
* Flashback *
Ryou: Hey, Juri, are you hurt?
Takato: Katou-san, are you okay?
He offered her his hand at the same moment that Ryou offered her his.
Juri: Yes, I'm fine.
She took Takato's hand, and smiled gratefully as he helped her up.
Juri: Whew! Arigato, Takato-kun. You're a really nice guy.
Ryou fumed visibly.
* Flashback ends *
Takato closed his locker and started down the hall. He wondered why Ryou had to fight with him like this. Granted, he didn't like Ryou either, for the older boy had a condescending manner and mocked him subtly every chance he got, but given the chance, he'd have been perfectly willing to be friendly. And Ryou showed off worse than Hirokazu. No wonder Juri didn't like him either. Takato grinned. He was looking forward to seeing her in class.
***
Meanwhile, Hirokazu crashed into Ryou as he came storming around the corner.
"Whoa, what's the hurry, chumley?" Hirokazu asked as he gathered up his books and checked to make sure his D-Ark wasn't damaged.
"Out of my way," Ryou snapped, shoving him aside before continuing.
Hirokazu looked after him with a frown.
'What a loser,' he thought angrily, 'No wonder Juri liked Takato better.'
He looked down at his watch. Two minutes left. He'd better get to class.
***
Ruki was already sitting in class, listening to the mindless chatter of the other students while she kept looking at the door. When Ryou came in, she watched him go to his seat. She didn't like him much. He was always challenging her at the card game. These games usually ended up going on for hours until Ruki tired of it all and called a tie, then walked off.
'I know he wants to win, but does he have to hassle me all the time?!' she thought irritably.
Granted, he was good, but he needn't show off like that. He should challenge somebody else for a change. Like Hirokazu, who at least had fairly decent card game skills. Not like that loser Takato. Ruki frowned at the thought of him.
***
Just then Hirokazu strode into class with his usual I'm-the-best-and- to-heck-with-the-rest demeanor. Ruki gave him a thoughtful scan before he came over and dropped into the seat beside her.
"So, got over this morning yet, Streaker?" he mocked.
She made a half-hearted swipe at him. He chuckled and dodged it with ease. He was always calling her names, just to annoy her. Ruki didn't know why she didn't just send him to hell or bash him to a pulp like the rest of the guys who kept simpering about her looks or mocking her for being the Digimon Queen. He wasn't the same.
Hirokazu was different. He'd always been. Back when she'd first met him, she'd noticed that right away. He projected an air of self-confidence and had a to-heck-with-the-world-I'm-doing-what-I-want manner, but she had a feeling he had something hidden under there. After all, she'd had something to hide during her life as well, so she was a good judge. And she'd been right. Well, in one way or another.
* Flashback *
"Look, I know you're upset, but Andromon's just doing what he thinks is best to help you guys,"
"You've gotta learn to stand up for yourselves, or someone like Orochimon's going to walk all over you!"
"Is this guy like the bravest Digimon or what, fighting Orochimon all by himself!"
"Guardromon, are you okay, buddy? You're not broken again, are you?"
"I've gotta help Takato! But how?"
* Flashback ends *
Ruki nodded thoughtfully. Yes, Hirokazu had something about him. Even though he acted like an idiot most of the time, and was obnoxious, as well as lazy, thoughtless, and a loudmouth, and didn't take things seriously, sometimes... Well, sometimes he actually was a really nice guy and helped them for a change. When you thought about it really hard he actually 'was' worthy of becoming a Tamer. And... There was just something 'about' him.
Ruki shook her head. She'd never understand Hirokazu. Even though he seemed really simple, when you really thought about it he was actually unbelievably complex. Ruki took her mind firmly off of the matter, which she had turned over so many times in her head.
***
She then realized that the class had started and the teacher was asking her a question. Someone whispered the answer to her and she was amazed when she used it and it was the right answer. She scanned the class and realized that Jenrya was sitting right behind her with Takato beside him and Juri beside Takato across the aisle. She sighed, but gave Jenrya a small smile anyway to thank him for his help. He grinned back.
***
"Hey again, Katou-san," Takato smiled at her.
"Hi, Takato-kun," Juri gave a slight smile back, causing Takato to blush.
'I wish I didn't always do that in front of her,' he thought.
"So, looks like Nasukio-san is our teacher again this year. He looks even more like a frog than usual," Takato commented quietly.
Juri laughed and Takato smiled, too, pleased that he'd been able to get a rare laugh out of her.
'I wish she'd laugh like that more often,' he thought sadly, remembering how she'd been before, 'Maybe she should never have gone to the Digital World with us.'
***
As the day wore on, Ryou sat in class, bored out of his mind. Kenta the Nerd No. 1 of the Universe sat beside him, well, at least there was one of the Tamers near him, but he would have preferred it be Juri instead of Kenta. Or maybe even Ruki. At least she had some spirit. And that Hirokazu fella somehow always managed to make him laugh. Granted, Hirokazu could probably make anyone laugh if he wanted to, even Ruki. Ryou sighed enviously. Maybe if he had Hirokazu's natural ability to charm, he might actually have been able to win over Juri.
His jaw tightened with anger. Just thinking of her choosing that scrawny gogglehead brat over himself, the popular, good-looking Ryou, was enough to make him want to smash something. He gave Takato, who was over on the other side of the class with the rest of the Tamers, a thoroughly black look that made Kenta tremble.
***
Just then, Ryou's D-Ark buzzed, and Kenta looked over in alarm. Ruki, Jenrya, Hirokazu and Takato were all startled when their D-Arks acted up as well, Juri looked over curiously and Kenta was sorry he hadn't brought his D-Ark too, but just then a beam of light sped along the floor to him. His D- Ark had actually come to him. They had destroyed the evil that plagued the Digital World and put an end to the abnormal bio-emerging, so what could be happening?
***
~ Hmmm. That ending. This is my first Digimon fanfic, so please review and tell me if it's too long, too short, concentrating too much on trivial matters, descriptions too long, whatever. Oh, and tell me if the title is lousy or not, which I'm sure it is. Thanks for reading! ~