"This is pathetic, goggle-head!"

Chapter 1: Shadows of Impending Infatuation

By: Flamegaruru

Hey, there, Rukato fans! Welcome to chapter one of my Rukato sequel! I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving. Disclaimer: I don't own anything of Digimon, or any of the characters mentioned. The only thing I own is the plot. Besides, if I owned Digimon, I wouldn't be writing this; I would have made it come true!

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The teenage girl blinked her violet eyes as she looked into the mirror. A frown appeared as she readjusted her ponytail of reddish brown hair. Two long strands of her hair from behind her bangs carefully outlined her beautiful features. Stepping back a little, she looked at her full body in the mirror and smoothed out her gray school uniform. Taking one last look in the mirror, the girl rolled her eyes. What have I become? Pretty? Ugh. All this over a guy. Who is just my friend! She tightly shut her eyes as a small blush crept up her cheeks. A glance down to her watch told her that it was a quarter after three. I am so going to be late, she fervently thought as she rushed out of the bathroom, leaving her private school.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Scene change ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Hmmmm…muss up the hair here, smooth it there, and voila! The teenager burst into a grin. Totally perfect! His chocolate brown hair was strewn all over the place, giving it somewhat of a handsome look. Amber eyes stared back at him through the mirror as he took a few deep breaths to calm down his rapidly beating heart. Calm down. It's just a girl. Just a girl you've had a crush on since you were ten. No big deal. Nope. Not at all. He brushed some lint off his brown uniform. While looking to see if there was anymore lint, the gleam of his watch caught his eye. It read three twenty. I am so going to be late! He thought as he tore out of the boy's bathroom and to the park. (A/N: Great minds think alike!)

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The park ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Rika Nonaka drummed her fingers impatiently against her book-bag underneath the shade of a large oak tree. Where is that loopy goggle-head? She looked at her watch. 3:29. She sighed. He'd better not be late.

Takato Matsuki stopped dead in his tracks. There she was, sitting under a tree. A little nursery rhyme played in his head. Takato and Rika, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S…Takato scrunched his eyes shut. And now the piece de resistance…he thought and slipped his trademark goggles over his head.

" Hey, Rika," Takato casually sat next to her.

" Cutting time a little close, goggle-boy," Rika raised an eyebrow.

" Is that concern I detect in your voice?" Takato raised his brows.

" Absolutely not!" Rika defensively replied and turned away from him.

" I'll take that as a yes," snickered Takato and her reached forward and tickled her ribs.

" AAAAAAAAAA!!" Rika yelped. She glared at Takato. " I wouldn't do that, goggle-head."

" And why ever not?" grinned Takato.

" You don't want to mess with me," a smirk covered Rika's face.

" That's right. You're the Digimon Queen. I should know better," Takato replied.

" Yes, you should," Rika said as she tickled his stomach.

" Hey! Cut that out!" Takato cried.

" No way! And 'hey' is for horses, not silly goggle-heads like you."

Takato's sides started to ache from laughing so hard. Now was a time to think quickly. Fat chance of that, he sarcastically thought. Then, he saw the perfect retaliation…

" What do you think you're doing?" Rika's pupils contracted, for Takato pulled her ponytail out.

" Come and get it!" Takato taunted.

Rika grinned evilly as she raced after Takato through the park. I can't believe I'm acting like this. Having fun and flirting…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Momentary leave to Jenrya's, I mean Henry's place ~~~~~~~~~

Sixteen year old Henry Wong thoughtfully chewed his pencil as he pondered over his Trig homework. Suddenly, a mini-Terriermon GIF image came dancing across his computer screen, merrily waving a letter. A perplexed Henry frowned as he clicked on Terriermon. This is strange…

Terriermon's face popped up on the screen and frantically cried out a message. " Henry! Trouble…captured…evil Digimon…"

" Terriermon!" Henry cried as the bunny Digimon's message ceased.

I've got to find Takato and Rika…he thought as he grabbed his D-Arc and tore out of his home.

*************** Yes! Rukato flirting shall now resume! ************************

Takato panted heavily as he hid behind a tree. Where is she? He thought when the air was knocked out of him and he started to roll on the grass. What the heck? He opened his eyes to see his attacker…

" Rika! Get off!" Takato grumped as Rika pinned him.

" Not until you give me back my ponytail holder!" Rika growled.

" But I think you look pretty with your hair down." As soon as the words left his mouth, Takato knew he'd slipped. Blast! I didn't mean to say that! A blush empowered his face.

Rika felt her face grow hot. Did he just call me pretty? She thanked herself for being in a position so that Takato could not see her blush. Grabbing her hair holder, Rika got off Takato.

Takato stood up. I hope she isn't upset.

Rika looked at Takato. His face was like that of a sad puppy. Her heart started to melt. Gosh, I'm getting so weak. Oh well. I had better show him that everything's okay…With that thought, Rika grinned and snapped Takato's goggles, smacking back onto his head. His eyes lit up.

" That ought to teach you to mess with the Queen," Rika turned with a dignified air.

A strange impulse overtook Takato and he gave her jumper cables.

" Takato!" Rika was about to reprimand him as she held his arms to stop him from doing it again, but like Takato, a weird impulse stopped her.

" You are a Queen," Takato whispered. " Of my heart."

Rika unconsciously leaned back into Takato as she slowly looked up at him. " Did you mean what you said earlier, about me being pretty?"

Takato just stared into her violet eyes. He leaned down as she tilted her head up ever so slightly. Takato was centimeters away from her face. Breathing in her scent deeply, he inwardly sighed. Their lips parted…

" Takato! Rika!" Henry yelled.

Rika and Takato broke out of their trance, simultaneously letting go of each other.

" What is it, Henry?" Takato inquired, hoping that the incessant pounding in his chest would stop.

" Yeah, what's wrong?" Rika backed up Takato, her blood pumping faster, not slowing down.

" The Digimon are in trouble!"

" How?" Rika asked, her thoughts now focused on Renamon.

" Terriermon sent me a message saying they were in danger," Henry paused. " What kind of danger I don't know," he admitted.

" Well," Takato said as he readjusted his goggles. " They're our friends and I for one can't stand to have them in trouble, so let's go get them!"

" Goggles has a point. The only thing is, how are we gong to get into the Digital World?" Rika asked.

" Well I think that we can get to the Digiworld by going through the Digital gate Phantomon opened six years ago," Henry stated.

" The only problem is, where's the gate?" Takato said.

" It was between two large oak trees near the cave you two where trapped in, remember? Let's go!"

Takato looked at Rika. " You actually agreed with something I said?"

Rika looked up at him. " For a change.

" So you haven't agreed with me before?" Takato towered over her.

" How come you're six inches taller than I am?"

" Because I eat my Wheaties."

" Har har," Rika rolled her eyes.

" Would you two stop flirting? I found the gate!" Henry hollered.

Takato and Rika blushed and rushed over to Henry.

" All right. Let's hold up our D-Arcs and hope for the best," Henry said.

The trio held up their D-Arcs as Henry suggested. A rainbow of colors appeared before them as their D-Arcs emitted a radiant beam of light. Takato pulled down his goggles as his friends whipped out their sunglasses.

" I thought you guys didn't have you shades anymore," Takato looked at them in wonder.

" You never know when you might need them, and besides, you still wear your goggles, so I wouldn't be talking," Rika said.

" Here goes nothing," Henry murmured as they were sucked into the digital world.

Takato felt as though his whole body was being twisted and distorted in every which way. The pain excruciating. Just when he thought he couldn't bear the pain anymore, he fell onto solid ground.

" We're here, but where are the Digimon?" Henry wondered out loud as everyone stood up.

" That is not a good question to ask out loud," Rika said.

Takato furrowed his eyebrows. A faint buzzing was coming from someplace, but he couldn't quite put his finger on the origin. It stopped. He warily looked around. It's too quiet…he thought when he hear it…

" Twin sickles!" A loud crack echoed throughout the plains.

" Rika! Look out!" Takato cried as he lunged for her. He grabbed her and pulled her out of the way as a tree came crashing down right where they were standing moments earlier.

" Thanks, goggle-head."

" Snimon, champion level Digimon. His Twin Sickles attack would make mowing the lawn a lot quicker," Henry said as Snimon flew over them.

Rika scanned the surrounding area. Where are our partners? A disfigured bush caught her eye. She quickly ran over to it and removed some of the branches.

" Henry! Come here!" Rika cried.

" What about me?" Takato inquired.

" You're the leader, the guy with goggles. We need some time, so distract Snimon. The job comes with the goggles. Anyway, you don't want Snimon to slice and dice us, do you?" was Rika's quick reply.

I just ~had~ to wear the goggles, Takato ruefully thought as he put his hands over his head, protecting himself.

While Takato ~distracted~ Snimon, Rika and Henry had their own problems to contend with.

" Terriermon!" Henry's eyes glistened as he looked through the bars of a metal cage containing his friend.

" Don't forget me!" Calumon smiled.

" Yeah, couldn't forget you," Rika answered distractedly, her eyes moving across the Digital terrain. Renamon, where are you?

" Hello? Cute blue-haired guy calling Rika," Henry waved his tan hand in front of his friend's face.

" Huh? Sorry. I was just thinking about…"

" Renamon," Henry softly said and wrapped his arms around Rika.

Takato stole a glance towards his friends as Snimon turned around for another aerial attack. His pupils contracted as he saw Henry's arm around Rika. A flare burned in his chest. I'm not jealous, I'm not jealous, I'm not jealous, I'm not jealous…Besides, there's nothing to be jealous of, right?

" Thanks, Henry," Rika gave a rare smile.

" You're welcome. Now let's see how we can get Terriermon and Calumon free." Henry scratched at his chin in a thinking gesture. " Try a bunny blast," Henry suggested to his partner.

" Don't you think I tried that already?" Terriermon sarcastically replied. " The cage wouldn't budge. The lock needs to be picked open."

" Maybe if we…Rika! What do you think you're doing?" Henry gasped in shock.

" Ooof. What does it look like I'm doing?" Rika sarcastically replied as she picked up the cage. " I'm going to open the cage."

" You can't throw it against a tree!" Henry exclaimed.

" I thought we wanted to get them out."

" Not like that!" Henry sighed as Rika rolled her eyes and reluctantly set the cage down.

They stood there pondering for a few moments when Rika started digging through her backpack.

" Aha," Rika triumphantly stated as she produced a nail file.

" Where'd you get that?" henry wondered as Rika began picking the lock.

" My mother. She has this stupid idea in her head that I'm going to be a model like her someday, so I must be prepared in case I break a nail," Rika yet again rolled her eyes.

" Now, Terriermon, don't go getting into trouble anymore. I had to stop doing my math homework to come and rescue you," Henry kidded as Terriermon jumped on his head, free of the cage.

" Momentai, Henry."

" Eskimo kisses!" Calumon enthusiastically cried as he leapt into Rika's arms and nuzzled against her face.

" Calumon! Why do you always do that?"

" Because I like you!" He snuggled some more. Rika sighed.

Henry snickered. " Looks like someone is infatuated with you."

" Ugh," Rika rolled her eyes some more as Calumon cuddled under her chin. She looked over to see how Takato was doing…

Takato was looking angrily at the ground. What was Henry thinking? I suppose Rika would like him better anyway. I'm not that strong or smart…

" Twin sickles!"

Takato looked up to find Snimon, but searing pain shot through his body as the attacks connected with his sides. He thought he heard Rika cry his name, but he slipped out of consciousness before he had a chance to think about it.

" Takato!" Rika did cry out his name as she dropped Calumon and ran to Takato.

Henry looked up. Snimon was preparing for another attack. " Terriermon!"

" Aye aye, Mon captain!" Terriermon yelled as he ran out into the field.

Henry whipped out his D-Arc and a card. " Digi-modify! Digivolution activate!"

" Terriermon digivolve to…" Terriermon's small form stretched, skewed and expanded as his old data dissipated to make room for the new data. " Gargomon!"

" Gargo laser!" Gargomon cried as tiny laser blasts pelted onto Snimon.

Calumon's triangle stopped glowing. He looked sorrowfully at Rika. I wish that I could help…

" Takato?" Rika gently shook his shoulders. The edges of her eyes began to water, slightly blurring her vision. " Hurry up, goggle-head! You've got to wake up!" Her voice started to crack with emotion.

I thought I promised myself a long time ago that I'd never care about someone like this again. With all the pain and anger that came with love, I thought it made me weak. Now, I'm not so sure…Takato! Please be all right! Rika hung her head over Takato. Her body started to heave with muffled sobs.

Calumon's ears reduced to a minute size. Come on, Rika; you can do this…

Henry sadly looked over at his friends. " Gargomon! Time to finish this! Digi-modify! Power activate!"

Gargomon started to glow a greenish color as he leapt into the air towards Snimon. "Bunny pummel!" Gargomon socked Snimon across the snout.

" Aaaaaaarrrgggghhh!" Snimon cried as his data dissolved into thin air.

Calumon stared at Rika. Only you can bring him back.

Rika felt so confused and utterly helpless. Come on, goggle-head…she shut her eyes as a warm liquid flowed down her face, dripping onto Takato.

Calumon's eyes widened as his triangle emitted a faint glow. Rika's digivice blinked a brilliant gold for several seconds, then stopped. All right, Rika!

Takato's nose wrinkled as something warm dripped on his face. " What happened?" He groggily asked as he propped himself onto his elbows, body a little sore from Snimon's attack.

" Takato?" Rika stared in disbelief.

" That would be me."

" I thought you were going to die!" Rika threw her arms around his neck.

" What ever happened to Miss ' I show no emotion'?" Takato teased, smiling while feeling Rika's warmth.

" She's taken a temporary vacation. Besides," she leaned back so they were face to face. " It's not like I'm going to kiss you or anything."

I wouldn't mind that…Takato nit his lip from rapping out that comment.

" What a Kodak moment!" Henry gushed as Rika let go of Takato, a reddish hue hugging her cheeks.

" I'm glad you're okay Takato. Which reminds me, how come you were hit dead on with Snimon's attack and here you are with no injuries?" Henry furrowed his brows.

" I don't know," Takato admitted.

" We'd better get back to Earth!" Calumon changed the subject and jumped into Rika's arms. Rika rolled her eyes.

" Awwwww…how cute!" Takato grinned.

Rika gave him the evil eye.

Henry nudged Takato in the ribs with his elbow. " Looks like you've got some competition."

" What are you talking about Henry? What's there to compete about?" Takato nervously scratched his head.

" A rug can lie better than you, goggle-head," Rika smirked.

" What is that supposed to mean?" Takato frowned.

" Come on, you two lovebirds. Let's go home," Henry smiled and ran to the Digital gate, a de-digivolved Terriermon right behind him.

" Lovebirds?" Rika and Takato cried.

" Hurry up; you can elope later!"

" That's it!" Rika turned pink while Takato's face burned brighter than Calumon's triangle.

Rika and Takato tore after Henry, Takato denying Henry's statements, Rika making threats.

In the now darkened forest, a set of fuschia eyes followed the Tamers as they returned to Earth. A pair of gleaming fangs curled around his lips as a sinister laugh bellowed from his throat. Soon, Princess, you will be mine…

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How's that for an ominous villain? Don't worry about what Calumon was thinking; that will be answered in later chapters. Thank you everyone who reviewed! You're all the BEST! If I didn't make things clear in the chapter, all three of the Tamers are sixteen, and Takato is taller than Rika. No, I'm not being sexist, having the girl being the shortest; it's just that I wanted it that way. No flames and please R/R! Thank the snow for it was that which canceled school, allowing me to type this up earlier! No flames, please.

The Integrity of Devotion- Chapter Two of " This is Pathetic, goggle-head!"

Coming, December 2001

~Flamegaruru~