Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Sunrise Reflections ❯ Sunrise Reflections ( Chapter 2 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Sunrise Reflections


Sunlight poured in through the swaying blinds, creating alternating images of light and dark as they danced across the room. The low hum of the central air was the only sound that could be heard, easily drowning out the rhythmic breathing of the rooms lone occupant. Time passed, and the dancing imaged flowed like water over the wall until finally coming to rest upon the headboard of the full-sized bed.

It was the jarring sound of a door slamming that finally broke through the slumber of the sleeping teen and guided him back to reality. With bleary eyes and mental faculties clouded by exhaustion, the Tamer shifted under the soft covers trying to find a haven against the unwanted daylight.

It was only as he turned over that the protested squeak of a mattress spring spurred the young man enough to realize that something was wrong.

/Very/ wrong.

The sheets that surrounded him were not supposed to be there, nor were the soft pajamas that covered his body. Instead of air from the ceiling vent moving the blinds, it was supposed to be the early morning breeze shaping his hair to fit its whims. There should be moss and dirt under him as the morning chill was chased off his bare body-not by synthetics of mans' technology-but by the fur-covered form of his friend...his lover. He wasn't supposed to be here.

He wasn't supposed to be alone.

"Renamon...?" came Henry's voice as he called out, but stark silence was the only reply.

Stirring from within the covers, Henry ignored the worry building in his gut and staggered out of bed to his feet. Rubbing his eyes to clear the sleep from them, he glanced around the room hoping...praying...that some clue would present itself to explain why he was here and alone.

Something that would tell why he was not with his love Renamon

But with each passing glance it became all-to-clear there /were/ no clues to find. The room was as it should be. /He/ was as he should be. There was no trace of the Digimon; not even a single bit of fur left in the spot beside his upon the bed.

Sinking down into a chair, Henry's logical mind nudged him towards the only reasonable conclusion: it had been a dream; another beautiful but intangible fantasy, so like the ones that had plagued the love-struck young man since that fateful kiss in the park months ago.

"No...please no. Not again.." whispered the Tamer as he put his head in his hands. **It couldn't have been a dream! It was so real! I can't..I can't believe that...that we didn't...**

Unable to bear the thought of having his greatest moment be nothing but hormonal fantasy, the Tamer grabbed the closest thing, his D-Arc, and flung the device in anger. Bouncing off the bed at a sharp angle, the green-trimmed Digivice landed somewhere across the room buried among piles of computer printouts.

"It was supposed to be real! It was...it was supposed to be special!" seethed the teen as he felt the anger at himself welling up inside; anger at mistaking a few minutes of physical release for something as special as /that/. **It felt /so/ real!** thought the teen as he easily remembered Renamon coming by, stealing a few moments from patrol of the city for herself. Even now he recalled the feel of her kiss upon his lips, the back of her un-gloved paw gliding down his cheek. But it seemed everything after that: the surprise moonlight picnic she had packed, the walk in the park, the gentle touches and caresses that had led to so much more; all of these were but false memories.

Nothing more than a young man's fantasy.

It was only then a hint of motion caught Henry's eye as a sheet of paper fluttered to the floor beside him. In anger he nearly shredded the innocent document, but a moments clarity upon seeing his name wrote in unfamiliar handwriting peaked his curiosity. Slowly unfolding the letter that had apparently been neatly tucked under his D-Arc, the young man studied the document.

Glancing at it, he was now sure it wasn't his writing at all. Each letter was individually crafted and separate from the next, the words seemingly drafted by someone not use to pencil and paper. However, judging by the neatness present, it was clear that the author took care to carefully convey each word. Then, at the very bottom, his heart skipped a full beat when a large 'R' became the signature. Like a flash, his eyes flew to the top of the paper and he began to read in earnest .

'My Dearest Henry-There are no words to express the sorrow that I feel at this moment. After what we shared, not being there now as you wake feels like a great injustice. It is my deepest wish to be there, but the risks we face still exists. Those who would not understand before most certainly will not understand now. My heart aches to be close to you, yet in daylight we can not take such chances. For now, even a glimpse of you is enough to last me until I see you again. It must suffice, for I have no other choice.
It was almost daybreak when I woke in the park and realized the trouble you would be in were you not home when your parents rose, and I could not let that happen. The clothes you wore at under the bed, dirty but safely hidden from sight. The basket was not so lucky as it sadly did not survive our night together.
It is past dawn, dear Henry, and I must go. But remember my love-while I will always possess an untamed soul, it was you who tamed my heart. Farewell.'

Reading the letter once more, Henry stood after a moments reflection and gently folded the letter, slipping it into a nearby sock drawer. His anger evaporating like the morning dew, the teen smiled as he walked over and raised the blinds. Sunlight poured in, causing him to blink as his eyes adjusted to the glare. A shadow passed over the window and was gone, yet there was nothing present to cause such occurrence. Henry simply smiled, knowing all-too-well what...or rather who...the shadow belonged to and his heart soared with relief. Looking out onto the city, the Tamer felt as if he was seeing the world with new eyes. Yesterday the view had felt intimidating and vast; as if life was waiting for him to leave his sanctuary and attack with all its concerns. But now, facing the new day, he felt he could conquer the world. .

The weight that had threatened to engulf his heart vanished as the young man realized his most special of dreams-of finally being with the Digimon he loved-happened as he remembered.

With a light bounce in his step and a new song in his soul, Henry walked over and picked up his D-Arc, brushing it off almost apologetically. Slipping the device back on top the small dresser, the young man opened his bedroom door and walked out into the hallway. With his goal the kitchen, his stomach took the opportunity to remind him to recharge after the energy expenditures of the night before.

But as he entered the dining room, something new gave him cause to worry. Instead of the normal weekend hustle and bustle of his mother cooking breakfast and Suzie playing with Lopmon and Terriermon there was only his father present, quietly sitting at the dining room table.
"Uhm..dad...? Where's mom and Suzi..."

"Sit down Henry."

Blinking, the young man was taken aback by the command. Gone was his fathers' normal tone of warmth and understanding, in its wake were only neutral tones that sent shivers down his spine. Slowly, the Tamer sank down into a chair facing his dad, unsure what was to happen next.

Janyu sat there quietly for a long moment before finally fixing his son with hard look.

"Henry, we need to talk."

Light and dark merged, then separated, as Renamon easily shadow-teleported across the distance between Henry's apartment complex and her home with Rika. A glance at the morning sky proved she was running behind as her desire catch a glimpse of Henry put her behind schedule for being home when her Tamer left for her weekly checkup at Dr. Mizuno's. **She's probably worried sick by now...** thought the Digimon. **I don't want to lie to Rika, but what do I tell her when she asks where I have been?** As the Digimon tried to find an answer her conscience could live with, her mind soon started to wonder towards more pleasant avenues of thought.

Realizing that daydreaming and dimensional shifting was a risky combination at best, the Digimon phased back into reality and stood upon a sturdy oak branch, resting for a moment to collect her thoughts before continuing. It was only then, as her mind began to clear, did she realize where her daydreaming had carried her.

A wry smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as the fox gracefully leapt the dozen or so feet to the ground and land without a sound. With a light tread, she walked over to the sea of soft moss that had, hours ago, been her resting place with Henry.

Closing her eyes, she deeply inhaled the fresh morning air, her keen sense of smell easily picking out the various aromas. But among the fragrant pine and earthy bark was a scent that startled her with its lingering intensity; a scent that would forever be a part of her most private dreams.

Henry's.

A flood of memories rushed through her mind as the Digimon relished them nearly as much as the event that created them in the first place. Letting her minds eye wonder, Renamon could almost once more feel the gentle caresses upon her fur; the feel of his lips to hers; the soft shudder he made as her paw finally explored what had been kept hidden for so long; the feel of...

A powerful shudder passed through Renamon as the moonlight memory of that fateful moment nearly overwhelmed her, almost succeeding in urging her back to Henry's room to recapture what was shared hours before.

Almost.

But despite how wonderful such thoughts were to entertain, Renamon knew that the risks of indulging in them were simply unacceptable; Henry's parents were still unaware of what was going on, just like Rika and her family was still blissfully in the dark.

The Digimon wanted to keep it that way for as long as possible; they simply would not understand the love between a human and a being of data such as herself. Even now, to this very day, she still was amazed at how simply it all started.

With a final calming breath, the Digimon gracefully leapt back up into the branches and, amidst a blur of yellow and black, was gone leaving behind the small clearing that had changed her life and heart forever.

While Renamon savored the early morning sun, not far away in the opposite direction, darkness prevailed as the drawn blinds blocked every beam of light that tried to enter the bedroom. Then, somewhere in that darkness, a whimper escaped pursed lips as a rush of agony ran through her young body. Over and over, small fingers lanced upwards into her yet-to-blossom womanhood, each time more painful than the last. Bitter tears trickled down her face as the hurt continued to grow as she was urged on by a dark need for punishment.

But, despite her best efforts, pleasure began to accompany the pain as ecstasy slowly replaced agony. Moments later, on the edge of release, the fingers slipped from her private place robbing her body of the climax she longed to experience. Shivering, the former Tamer fell to her side and onto the soft bedcovers as she clutched the stuffed lion close. Sobbing into the soft fur, a muttered apology escaped into the emptiness around her.

"I'm sorry Leomon..." the voice stammered, knowing she deserved a much greater punishment for thinking about him in such a manner. "I'll make sure to never dream about you like that again. I promise...' she pledged to her long-absent partner.

The tears continued to flow until an empty, dreamless sleep overtook Jeri and the young woman became lost in a sea of blackness. Only after long minutes had passed did a small, white creature emerged from the darkness underneath her bed. Phasing through the wall and out into the sun-drenched sky, the Digi-Gome used the same small portal as before, sliding through the gateway and back to the Digital World.

A rush of morning breeze greeted Renamon as she materialized in Rika's back yard, her reflection shimmering in the Koi pond as she walked by. Almost gliding over the small stone path and up the wooden stairs, the Digimon paused only to open the door.

The house was too quiet for Renamon's liking. Even this early on a Saturday morning, there should be some hustle and bustle from the dwelling; either Rika's mother talking with her agent about the next modeling shoot or her Grandmother chatting with her bridge club via the Internet.

"Is that you Renamon...?" came the voice from the direction of the kitchen.

Blinking, the Digimon walked over and looked inside to find Rika's grandmother hard at work on making a most impressive breakfast feast. The smell of several of her favorite Earth foods teased her sense of smell as her stomach grumbled at having been neglected for such a long time.

Ignoring the rumblings of her belly for now, the Digimon walked in and nodded. "It is Ms...." she began, pausing as she still was having trouble catching herself..."grandmother...".

With a smile Seiko nodded in approval. For months since the Digimon's return to the real world, she had been trying to get Renamon to call her 'grandmother' as she was as close to Rika's sister as possible under the circumstances.

"I thought so Renamon. Good morning!" beamed Seiko she peeked in the oven to see if the bread was ready. "Out for an early morning run...?" she asked, frowning as she lowered the heat so as to not burn her biscuits.

"It was such a beautiful morning I decided to take the long way home..." replied the fox, able to live with that explanation as it was the truth...partially. Leaving out /where/ she was taking the long way home /from/ was another matter altogether. "I assume Rika went to Doctor Mizuno's already...?" she inquired, trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice by being much too late to go with her partner.
"They left about 2 hours ago. Rumiko wanted to run some errands and pick up the latest fashion magazines so she would have something to do while Rika was being examined." explained Seiko as the warm biscuits emerged from the oven, the scent of fresh bread filling the small room.

"I see...". was the only reply as the Digimon was torn between worrying if Rika was still fairing well with her pregnancy or if her partner was upset that she had not been home in time as promised.

Seiko turned, and blinked as Renamon seemed lost in thought. But is was not the look of contemplation upon the fox's face, but rather it was the glimmer in the Digimon's eyes that startled her for the longest moment.

In all the time she had known about the existence of Digimon, a part of her felt there was very little left that could happen to surprise her. Yet, there in Renamon's gaze was the same look she herself had seen both in Rumiko's eyes so many years ago and in her granddaughters' only just a few months prior. It was now clear that-regardless from being from another dimension- Renamon had more in common now with her partner and friend than the pair could have ever guess. At that moment, the answer to the concerns Rika had voice that very morning became crystal clear.

Easing back into motion Seiko set the bread down on the table before sliding the butter and toppings over to the Digimon. "Please feel free to begin Renamon; don't wait for me. Besides, after such nice run I am sure you are hungry...".

About to protest (although more out of politeness and habit than not actually being hungry-which she was) the woman beat her to the punch. "And I won't take 'no' for an answer!" she playfully teased the Digimon before pouring a glass of cold milk for her newest grandchild.

Unwilling to offend and unable to silence the rumblings in her gut, Renamon let an impossibly brief smile show before diving in, her energy levels dipping lower as a result of all that had happened.

Smiling as Renamon enjoyed the food, Seiko went back and finished several other favorites she knew the Digimon liked. One by one, the dishes were offered to the fox and each time a protest was about to rise up Seiko flashed the same maternal grin as before.

It all too clear that Renamon was expected to eat until she bust. With a slight nod the Digimon accepted defeat and proceeded to enjoy the rest of the meal without denying a single serving placed before her.

Seiko simply sat down now and sipped some coffee, watching Renamon enjoy her meal. But, unknown to the Digimon, the grandmother was doing more than simply taking a well-earned break. She took in every bit of detail possible about the late arriving Digimon, and with each piece of evidence gathered she was sure her instincts were right once more. .
Finally reaching the point where another bite would cause her explode like a D-Reaper agent hit by Gallantmon's Shield of the Just, Renamon politely pushed away the final bit of food. Sighing in contentment, her energy reserves slowly began to rise.

Without a word Seiko gathered the dishes and placed them in the sink to soak, flashing another smile as the Digimon had started to help with the rest of the plates. With a shake of her head, Renamon sat back down and let her host finish cleaning the table.

"Thank you grandmother...".

"Of course Renamon! It would be a sad day when a grandchild of mine can't look forward to being stuffed until she can't walk when at /my/ table!" she teased, laughing slightly at the look on the fox's face.

A small laugh escaped Renamon's lips as she felt herself relaxing. Warm and full with extremely pleasant dreams to look forward to, the Digimon slowly stood. "If it is okay, I would like to take a nap until Rika returns...".

Nodding, the woman agreered. "Of course Renamon!.." she began, then paused, if there was something else she wanted to say.

Catching that moment of hesitation, the Digimon gave Seiko a curious look. "Is there something wrong grandmother...?"

Knowing that there would not be a better time to voice her concerns, Seiko politely asked "Renamon...do you have a moment?"

Ignoring the cold shiver as it ran down her spine, Renamon nodded and slipped back into her chair.

Taking a calming breath, Seiko sat back down and faced her daughters' protector with a gentle smile. "Renamon...we need to talk...".

As the morning sun rose higher in the sky, darkness still surrounded Jeri. In the time since waking up, the former Tamer had only made it to the edge of the bed. Still clad in her simple nightgown, she tightly clutched a small picture of her and Leomon, taken the night before she and the others had left for the Digital World to save Calumon. In it the pair smiling-well, /she/ was smiling; Leomon still had that same tight expression that would make an enemy army think twice about attacking. But, unseen by most, the Digimon's eyes had a sparkle of happiness that had not existed there for a some time.

Another mixed wave of happiness and misery swept over Jeri as the days that followed replayed in her mind. Late at night, she could still hear the death roar of Leomon as Beezlemon impaled the lion. The warrior's last breath still filled her ears as her partner vanished into a stream of data particles never to be seen again.

"Oh...God...Leomon...I miss you so much!" quietly sobbed the young woman as memories of his presence filled her. His politeness at moving the rocks in Guilmon's tunnel for her; his honest explanation to her father why she had to go to the Digital World in the first place. But slowly her mind began to drift into deeper, more personal times as she recalled that moment days ago when she called out Leomon's name; her private time in the bath having turned into an exercise in pleasure.

Shaking her head in disgust, Jeri mentally berated herself for thinking about Leomon in a such a horrible way. Remembering her promise, the teen closed her eyes and began to punish herself again in the only fitting way she knew.

Agony lanced through her tender body as she had yet to recover from the time before, so now each intimate caress was twice as painful. Wincing as the pain grew, the young Tamer prayed that wherever Leomon was now, he would forgive her for thinking about him in such a way.

It was at that moment Jeri finally realized how pathetic she truly was; how could she even /think/ that someone as brave and noble as Leomon could love such a worthless Tamer as herself?
The bitter tears began to fall once more.

Elsewhere, admist the clouds and sky of the Digital World, Azulongmon watched in hopeful anticipation as a small DigiGnome approached. But as the small being relayed the information it had observed in the real world, the Sovereign's heart grew heavy.

"Thank you, my little friend..." rumbled the voice of the Dragon Digimon as the ruler of the land below him looked around. The Digital World was still recovering from the massive battle against the D-Reaper and, even after all the work that had been done to repair the damage, the landscape was still horribly scarred and broken.

Just like the heart and soul of the young Tamer.

It was then, at that moment, the honorable Digimon realized he could no longer stand by and let fate run its painful course.

/Something/ had to be done, and now.

Turning back to the small DigiGnome, the Dragon's voice again echoed across the heavens. "My friend..." he began, knowing that once said he could not turn back..."go gather your fellows and return to the Real World. You have one more mission to perform."

The small creature looked at the huge Dragon quizzically.

"Bring Impmon to me."

With a nod and a chattering giggle, the small DigiGnome was off to carry out its mission.

There, in the silence of the sky, the Dragon watched as events he had longed wish to avoid were reluctantly set into motion. "It is time..." mummered the Digimon to himself as he flew off , knowing there was much to do and little time to do it in.

Fate would not look kindly upon his plan, but by this point he truly did not care.

He had a soul to save.

(To Be Continued...)

Authors Notes
**********
1) Hello! Welcome to 'Sunrise Reflections', the sequel to 'Moonlight Passions.' If you've read my other stories I appreciate you keeping up with me despite the fact of my rather long times in between posting and if you are new to my little corner of the world let me welcome you right now! This story has an 'R' rating more so because of where it came from "Moonlight Passions' and where it is going (see next note) rather than what is going on in this part.

2) With this sequel my 'universe' is splitting up into three branches (with a HUGE tip of the hat to Lord Archive for coming up with this idea!). They are going to be following the timeline below:

* 'Rage of the Heart" leads to 'Moonlight Passions' ( as 'MP' happens about 5 months after 'RotH').

* 'Moonlight Passions' leads directly to 'Sunrise Reflections' as 'SR' is the morning after 'MP'.

*'Sunrise Reflections' will lead to the three different story branches I mentioned earlier

A) The events that led to Rika's pregnancy and the events in 'Rage of the Heart' will be told in Takato and Rika's story 'The Cave of Wonders' (tentative title)

B) How Henry and Renamon fell in love (the months between the end of Tamers and 'Moonlight' as well as what happens after 'Sunrise') will be told in their story 'Untamed Love' (tentative title)

C) Jeri's story will be told in a story created (hopefully) for the November Media Miner challenge in "Final Redemption" (tentative title)

3) Another huge tip o'the hat to Chris at the Digimon Encyclopedia for having taken the time to spell out REALLY long Digimon names so I wouldn't have too! ;) Thanks Chris!

4) Again, thanks to everyone for reading my work! I hope to keep you entertained for some time to come!

FortressMaximus