Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ A Royal Romance ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )

Royal Romance

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters that I am writing about. I don't really know who does but I assume that they belong to someone in Japan.

AN this started out to be a short story, but it seems that I just can't write short stories. kinda sad isn't it, but oh well. unlike my other fiction this one has different text in it. just so that you know the Italics is for when they are typing on the internet

I just can't believe that she is gone, Rika thought as she sat on a hill side in the park. It had been two weeks since they had destroyed the Dee-reaper and all of the Digimon had been sucked back into their own world. Henry still hasn't forgiven his dad for not telling him about what would happen to the Digimon and no one in the group thought that he would or they would any time soon. The hurt was just too fresh.

Rika lay back on hill and looked at the sky. She wondered how Renamon was doing and if she was with any of the other's Digimon. Rika wanted her Digimon to be happy. Even if that meant that she had to be unhappy. All of a sudden a shadow fell upon her. She glanced to her side and saw that Ryo was standing over top of her.

"What are you doing here?" Rika asked as she sat up.

"It's a public place I can be here if I want," was Ryo's simple reply.

"That's not what I meant and you know it." Rika said.

"Maybe I do and maybe I don't." Ryo said trying to get her angry.

Rika was not in the mood to play his games right now. "What do you want? Sure this is a public place and all but you don't just go over to someone with out wanting to say something."

"Maybe I do and maybe I don't." Ryo said again taunting her.

"Damn it Ryo. Why are you here bothering me!?! Don't you have anything better to do? All I want is a bloody straight answer!" Rika shouted.

Ryo was taken aback by her reaction. Sure he had wanted her to get agitated but he didn't want her to get really mad at him. "I'm sorry if I made you angry. I wasn't really trying to. I just came over here to see what you were up to. You looked so lonesome and forlorn a couple of minutes ago."

Rika took a breath. She could tell that he really was sorry and now she was sorry that she had snapped at him. "I'm sorry that I snapped at you. I just don't like it when people play those kind of mind games on me. As to what I am up to, I'm just thinking about stuff…… Hey how would you know how I looked a while ago?" Rika demanded.

"Uhhh…" Ryo started to blush. "I saw you from a ways away. You just looked like you had lost your best friend."

"I feel like I did." Rika said looking down.

"What do you mean?" Ryo asked as he sat down.

"Well, not right now at least. I was thinking about Renamon and all of the other Digimon." Rika confided in him. "When Renamon left, when they all left there was emptiness in side me that I could not explain. At first I thought that as time went on it would get better but it seems that as time goes on it gets worse. I'm not sure how much more I can stand."

Ryo studied her closely for a minute in silence. As he looked at her he noticed that a single tear made its way down her cheek. She seemed so strong. So untouchable. How could it be that this would affect her so totally? Sure they all missed their Digimon. Even he missed Cyberdromon, but there was nothing that he could do to see him again. And he knew that Cyberdromon was quite capable of taking care of himself.

"It was that way with me too, Rika." Ryo said soothingly. "I think that it was that way for us all. Hey at least you know that your partner is alive. Think how hard it was for Jeri to have held Leomon in her arms as he died. But she got through it and so will you. So will we all."

"She got through it but she had Takato there beside her all the way. She had us all. Everyone was there to help her. Who's here to help me?" Rika questioned. "I know that it sounds petty, and I know that everyone has their own problems but I would still like for there to be someone that I could talk to and to count on to be there for me.

"I shouldn't be bothering you with my problems. Thank you for listening. But I think that I should be going. I got things to do and I have bothered you for longer than need be." Rika said standing up. "Thanks again for listening to me."

Ryo also stood up. "Any time you need to talk, you can count on me to listen." Ryo said.

"That's a sweet offer. But I don't think that I'll be taking you up on it any time soon. Later." Rika said smiling, as she walked away.

Ryo stood there thinking as she walked away. She was always putting a strong front towards the world. She just didn't want to get hurt. Ryo's offer was sincere he wanted her to be able to talk to him and to trust him. He wasn't sure when he had started to like the girl that everyone called the 'Digimon Queen' all that he knew was that he liked her. A lot. And it hurt him to see her so down and depressed. Right now all he wanted to do was to find someway to get Rika to smile again. Her smile is so beautiful, that is when you were fortunate enough to see it. She hardly ever smiled but when she did her smile was enough to light up a room. He thought anyway.

Ryo gazed around the park. There were a few younger kids playing on the playground equipment. A couple that looked like they were in their mid-twenties, strolled lazily along a path holding hands. Other than that all Ryo saw was the little pond and everything that was usually in the park.

Ryo sat down again. He was at a loss as to know what to do about his feelings towards Rika. Takato seemed like the most likely person to ask about it, since he was the only one that Ryo knew his age that actually had a girlfriend. But Ryo was leerier about asking Takato. It was common knowledge among the Tamers that Takato had had a crush on Rika when they had first met. Ryo didn't know how Takato felt about her now that he and Jeri were going out. Ryo assumed that Rika and Takato were only friends but looks can be deceiving. Look at him. He was supposed to be Rika's friend too, but he wanted to go out with her. What am I thinking, Ryo thought. Takato is more than happy in his relationship with Jeri. He wouldn't jeopardize that by still having a crush on Rika.

"Hey Ryo! Are you in there?" someone asked as they passed their hand in front of his face.

Ryo sat back startled. He had not heard or seen anyone come up. Looking up at the person, he saw that the person that he had been debating on whether or not to confess his feelings about Rika too was standing above him.

"Oh. Hi Takato. I'm sorry, I was thinking about something." Ryo said.

"You must have been thinking about it pretty hard, because I called you like five times and you didn't even respond." Takato told Ryo as he plopped himself down on the grass beside him.

"Yeah I was. So what are you doing here?" Ryo asked.

"Actually I was thinking about getting everyone together and doing something. I mean all of the Tamers haven't been together since the final battle and I think that we should do something to get over everything." Takato explained.

"That's a good idea." Ryo said. "So what did you have in mind?"

"I haven't really thought about that. I guess that we would have to get suggestions and then decide what to do. You got have something that everyone would like to do."

"What about Suzie?"

"I've already talked to Henry about that. He said he would talk to his mom who said that she was too young to be really interested in doing anything that the rest of us would like to do. So Suzie won't be involved." Takato explained.

"That is good." Ryo said. "Not that I am trying to be mean or anything but I think that everyone will have a better time without having to watch out for a little kid."

"I know what you meant and Henry does too. He was actually happy - like the rest of us will be - when he found out that she wasn't aloud to do any thing with us. I didn't think that he would be too happy that I had actually thought to involve Suzie in this.

"As it stands everyone has agreed to come except you and Rika. But I haven't been able to find Rika to tell her. I had come here in order to find her because her grandmother had said that she had come here. It's kind of funny. I come here to find her and I whined up finding you." Takato told Ryo.

"Well if you had gotten here about ten minutes earlier you would have found her and me here." Ryo said before he could stop himself.

"What you and her were here?" Takato asked with a sly evil smile.

"That's not what I meant." Ryo protested. "She was here and I had come over to talk to her. But then she said that she had stuff to do and she left."

"Chill out Ryo. I wasn't going to say anything about it. But the way that you went on the defensive one might think that you have something to hide." Takato said. Then continued with, "You don't have anything to hide, do you?"

"No I don't. We didn't do anything but talk." Ryo said nervously.

"That is not entirely what I meant. And I think that you know that, too. What is going on between the two of you?" Takato wanted to know.

"Nothing is going on between us." Ryo said. "We are just friends."

"Yeah but there is something more to this isn't there?"

"What do you mean?" Ryo wondered.

"You can't fool me that easily Ryo. I know, or at least have a good hunch, that you like Rika." Takato stated. Then he hurried on before Takato could say anything. "You don't have to be so up tight about it around me at least. I know what it is like to like someone and not want her or anyone else to know about it. It isn't easy to do or an easy way to live. But you can tell me."

(AN really corny I know but I couldn't think of any other way for Takato to try and get Ryo to open up.)

Ryo looked at Takato wirily, not knowing if he could trust Takato enough with his biggest secret. But then again it wouldn't really be telling him that much since Takato had already guessed that he did like Rika. It would only be confirming what he already knew.

Ryo looked down at the ground. "Your right, Takato. I do like Rika and I don't really know how to tell her. Besides I don't know if she likes me and I don't really want to take the chance of destroying the friendship that we do have. Right now I am just at my wits end about knowing what to do."

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. But you know, you do have to tell her about it sometime or else you might as well just get over her. Not that I want you to get over her, I think that the two of you would make a very nice couple." Takato told his friend.

"But how the hell do you tell if a girl likes you or not? I really don't want to mess this up."

"Well with Jeri it was kind of easy to tell. When ever I paid the girl a compliment she blushed and went sort of starry eyed. And I did the same, but I also blushed just about every time that she talked to me." Takato told his friend.

"Rika isn't anything like that. She isn't one to be swept off of her feet by some guy giving her a compliment. If it was the wrong compliment she would be more likely to kick him in the face." Ryo laughed.

"That is true enough." Takato laughed with him. "She must just have other ways to tell a guy that she does like them. Some little thing to show that she isn't as unapproachable as she seems. It's your job to figure them out. That is the only way that the two of you will get together. Unless of course, she figures out that you like her and she decides to do something about it herself. That would tell you for sure that she likes you."

"Yeah, I suppose that is true enough." Ryo said.

"Hey why don't you use our little get together as a way to try and tell her how you feel. It would be the perfect opportunity. We could just find a way that the two of you were left alone together." Takato said brightening to the idea.

"How would you do that?" Ryo asked.

"Have something that you have to do in partners." Takato said simply.

"That would work except for one thing. There are an uneven number of people in our group." Ryo told him.

"Well we could work that out. I'm sure that we could make one group of the with the rest of them. We just have to be careful about how we go about it so that we don't rouse anyone's suspicions. It has to seem like it is all perfectly natural." Takato explained, not in the least dissuaded.

"It might work but what if Rika decides not to come. Then we would really be stuck for what to do." Ryo stated. "Hey when did you become my advice counselor on this matter?"

"When you confirmed what I thought to be true. I hope that you don't mind to much. But I do want to see the two of you together. So if you can't think of any way for the two of you to be together then I will just have to find a way and make it happen." Takato said.

"Thanks, for everything. I'm glad that you at least half way under stand what I am going through. It would be bad if you didn't." Ryo said.

"Any way, I'm going to go home and call Rika's house. And if she isn't there I guess that I'll just have to leave a message for her to call me back. As soon as I know what exactly is going on then I'll call you and we can figure out what to do about you and Rika." Takato said getting to his feet.

"Thanks again for everything, Takato. I'll talk to you later then." Ryo said staying on the ground.

"Sure," Takato said as he walked away.

"Bye." Ryo called after him.

That didn't go as bad as I thought it would, Ryo thought as he watched Takato walk across the park on his way home. Ryo hadn't thought that Takato would be nearly so understanding let alone so helpful. With any luck he and Rika would be going out soon. Yeah right. Nothing would happen if he didn't start talking to her more. He had made a good start by offering to listen to Rika when ever she needed to talk. Hell after that she had even called him sweet and gave him a smile. May be there was something there that he could build on. It was worth a try any ways. Maybe instead of coming up with an idea with Takato tonight I could call Rika and find out what she said.

Ryo stood up and started to walk towards home. On the way he was thinking about some things to say to Rika. He had never really had trouble talking to her before but he had never been thing that he had to impressing her before. What the hell am I thinking, Ryo thought, why am I all of a sudden so worried about what I am supposed to say to her. I never did before and this is all just silly. I shouldn't be worried about being something that I am not, if I can't get her to like me as I am I'm not going to worry about getting her to like me at all.

No one was home, when Ryo walked into is house. Noticing that the phone was flashing indicating that a call had been missed. Ryo walked over to the phone and punched in the password that allowed you to get the messages that people left you. He stood there listening to the recording tell him that he had two new messages. The first one was from his mother saying that she wasn't going to be home from work until late that night as she was going to be going out on a date. (AN in the series there is no really talk about Ryo's parents so I am just going to make it up cause it suits my story. And if there is someone out there that does know please e-mail me so that I know for the next time that I write a story about this couple.) The second was from Takato saying that he had talked to Rika and that she was going to meet up with everyone. He also asked Ryo to call him so that they could start to work up a plan.

Ryo deleted the messages then hung up the phone. Takato had called him about ten minutes before he had gotten home. It would be to early to call Rika and ask her if she was going to the get together, so he went to the fridge to get a snack. Not wanting to watch T.V. Ryo grabbed the portable phone and headed up stairs to his room. Once he got there, He went on his computer and logged onto the web. He signed in his MSN messenger and went to the official Digimon site to check out the latest ratings. As usual he was the highest ranked player with Rika only a few points behind. Before they had become friends she had been trying to get past him in the ratings so that she would be number one. But now that they had become friends again there was no real need for either one of them to try and be number one. The only time that they might fight, they had agreed, was if someone came up in standings and tried to take their titles away from them. But so far no one had even attempted it.

Ryo had been online for about five minutes when a little window popped up saying that 'Digi Queen' had just signed in. With a smile Ryo thought that he wouldn't have to call her after all. Then he typed:

'hey there digi queen. what's new?'

'nothing much how bout you?'

'notta. I checked out the standing but no one is even near us.'

'that's not new. how close is the nearest one?'

'he's about thirty points from you but he hasn't moved in a long time.'

'oh you must be talking about that wizard. he hasn't been fighting for a long time. i am beginning to wonder it he is going to fighting any more or not. but then again we haven't been fighting for a long time too so people could be wondering if we had dropped off the face of the planet too.'

'they won't be thinking that but they might be wondering why neither of us are fighting any more.'

'why is that?'

'because the site that i check the standings on only has the players on that have played in the past three months. so we're going to have to fight at least once every four months (officially) so that people know that we are still around. how does that sound to you?'

'do we have to battle each other or can we battle others?'

'what are you scared to battle the digi king?'

'no i just want to get some points so that i might be able to beat you in the standings.'

'sure you do.'

'i do. hey you know maybe we should give our selves different names. i mean with those it makes us sound to much like we are a couple.'

'is that a bad thing?'

There was a pause of about three minutes before,

'what are you saying?'

'nothing if you don't want me to.'

Again there was a pause that lasted a while. In the end it was the phone that ended it. Ryo reached over and picked up the phone that was on his bed side table with out even taking his eyes off the screen. With a quick glance at the phone to make sure that he pressed the right button he turned on the phone and said hello.

"What were you saying? That last comment made absolutely no sense and if I hadn't phoned you, you would have just been elusive about it so start talking. And you had better give me a straight answer." came the voice of a very irritated Rika.

"I was saying just what I typed. Is it a bad thing if people think that we are a couple?" Ryo replied.

"Yes it is a bad thing because we are not a couple." Rika paused a moment. Ryo thought that he had heard disappointment in her voice when she said that. "It is just totally dishonest."

"I can see your point," Ryo said as he typed 'how do you feel about making it honest?' and then sent it to her.

"I'm gla…" Rika trailed off.

Ryo assumed that she had got his last message.

"Are you serious?" Rika said who was not totally believing that anyone would want her for their girlfriend.

"Do you think that I would have said it if I hadn't meant it?" Ryo asked.

"No I don't think that you would have." Rika said the disbelief very evident in her voice.

"So then why did you ask me if you already knew the answer?"

"Because I didn't really believe that it could be possible." she said simply.

"Fine but what is your answer?"

Rika was silent but he thought that he heard the clicking of her keyboard in the back ground. A minute later his messenger beeped, when he pulled it up he saw, 'of course i'd like to make it honest.'

"I guess that we are officially going out now." Ryo commented.

"Yeah, we are." Rika replied.

"When do you want tell everyone?" Ryo asked.

"Are you going to that get together of Takato's?"

"Yeah I knew about it before you did." Ryo explained sounding kinda sheepish.

"What is it?" Rika asked knowing that Ryo was hiding something from her.

"Well…you see…Takaot kinda knows that I like you. He ran into me when I was sitting in the park after you left. Takato happened to ask and I let it slip that I liked you. I told him that I didn't want any to know and he decided that he was going to sorta set us up. But he doesn't have to that now." Ryo explained.

"How exactly was he going to set us up?" Rika asked.

"We were going to do partner activities, and he was going to make it so that the two of us were going to be partners." Ryo told her.

"May be we should just go along with that plan." Rika suggested. "That way no one will know until we tell them."

"I have a better idea. Why don't I call Takatio and tell him that I have done some thinking and have decided to take care of things my own way. But still say that we should do what ever with partners." Ryo told her. "And at that get together I will take care of things all you have to do is play along. All right?"

"You can count on me." Rika assured him.

"Rika can you get off the phone so that I can make an important call?" someone shouted in the back ground.

"I got to go. My mom needs the phone. I'll call you later on tonight so that you can tell me what Takato says." Rika told him.

"All right. Talk to you later." Ryo said.

"Later." was Rika's reply before she hung up the phone.

AN so how do you like it? huh? tell me, k? this chapter may make it seem like i could write short stories but i always add in little things that make me write more things. but any way you got better things to do than read my author's notes so i'll end it now. later.