First Kiss - Chapter 4

Ruki felt her stomach churn as she entered the foyer of the rebuilt Hypnos building. Although she would never admit it, having her mother along was a comfort. The formal and cold conference room did little to help her nerves.

Mitsuo entered and bowed to the two females. He moved across to a white cupboard in the corner and asked, "Would you like some tea?"

Ruki could only think of one thing. "How's Renamon?"

The scientist waved the girls to sit. Joining them, he removed his glasses. Ruki could see the dark lines around his eyes, guessing there had been little sleep for the technical genius. "It's been difficult. We almost lost her, when she awoke briefly."

Ruki's mom interrupted, "She's been awake? That's good isn't it?"

"Not really," interjected Janyu as he entered the conference room. "She tried to throttle Mitsuo."

Ruki felt a flood of panic. "What did you do to her?"

Janyu waved his hand dismissively. "No. Nothing. Don't worry. She used up a lot of energy repressing her state, so she could get out a message. Believe it or not, despite everything that's happening to her, she was only worried about you. She asked to make sure you were happy. Have you had a fight with her, or something?"

"No! Of course not. We've never been closer."

Ruki's defensiveness surrounding her relationship with Renamon blinded her to the clue in Janyu's explanation. The young girl gasped in shock as her mother asked the question she should have sensed. "You said, 'her state'. Does that mean you understand what's causing her so much pain?"

Mitsuo nodded. "Yes. Her biological makeup is undergoing changes. This is an unfortunate side effect of her original program evolving."

Janyu took over. "Digimon were created with everything we thought they needed to survive. A sense of right and wrong, self preservation, the ability to problem solve and communicate.... Their internal programs write new code as they evolve, each type of Digimon will mutate in its own way. In Renamon's case, her code is based on the make-up of a vixen. A fox."

Mitsuo continued. "Unfortunately, as Renamon is based on a fox, she is sensitive and her structure is attuned to fox traits. As she has evolved and, I think, due to her close link to her tamer, something has activated her fox based primal urges."

Ruki frowned, not understanding at all. "What does all that mean?"

The scientists exchanged a look. "Renamon is in heat. Her body is telling her that she needs to mate," blurted out Janyu.

Mitsuo ignored the shocked expression of his female audience and continued. "She can't, and never will be able to mate. She doesn't have the equipment, as it were. But, the instinct has been awoken and her physical lack of ability to deal with it is tearing her apart. We don't yet understand why."

Ruki's head spun with the ramifications of this revelation. Could her desire have caused this? Could her selfishness endanger her partner? Her mother again asked the questions. "Why is this hurting her so? I'd understand if she felt moody, but she was in real agony."

Mitsuo dropped his voice with sorrow. "She still is. We can stop her data from dissipating, but we can't stop what's happening to her. It's part of her very nature and makeup. A primal baseline glitch. You need to understand, Renamon's real world structure is an energy cyclone. She holds so much complex data and commands so much power... it takes an amazing amount of strength just to hold form in the real world. She draws strength to control these evolutional glitches from her relationship with Ruki. Ruki is vital for her survival, but something is actively interfering with this emotional connection. We don't understand what, yet."

The young girl shook her head. "We've had arguments, we even split up at one time, but Renamon never got sick before."

Janyu explained. "We know. But the connection between Tamer and Digimon is deeper than transient emotions and short term arguments. It exists, like this instinct that is doing so much damage, at a subconscious level. Even if you argue and fight, the link between you should remain strong. But it's failing, and she is suffering because she can't regulate her own biology."

Ruki's mom asked the question of Janyu, Ruki could not. "This link you're talking about is being attacked, what if it breaks completely?"

"Then Renamon will die."

~---~

"Ruki, are you awake?"

The sound of Takato's voice broke through the haze of sleep. Ruki awoke and stared at her purple pillow. Taking a moment to realise where she was, the young girl sat upright and smoothed out the indentation on Renamon's sleeve.

"Of course I am!" she snapped. She took in the sight of her Digimon, as the fox continued to labour every breath. "Stupid Gogglehead."

Takato ignored the insult and pulled across a chair. "It's been a whole day and two nights. No change?"

Ruki shook her head. "She woke up for a few seconds on the first night, while I was at home talking to you. But nothing since."

"Gee ... I'm sorry Ruki. I ... I don't know what to say."

"What are you doing here, anyway?"

"Well, she's my friend as well. I'm your friend too, aren't I?"

Ruki checked herself, and softened her voice. "Yes. Yes, you are. I'm sorry. I'm just worried, you know."

Takato reached across and took her hand. The moment their fingers touched, it was like a cleansing wave of relief across her soul. He clasped her with a firm grip, and she felt her heart flutter. She craved every word as he spoke. "I know. It's alright. Your friends haven't forgotten you. You and Renamon are very special to us. Ruki, you're special to me."

She felt tears of joy at his words. Before she could annunciate it, Renamon twitched and cried out. From across the room, a bearded technician yelled a warning. "She's fighting back, just got a huge power surge!"

Renamon's eyes opened and the deep blue orbs focused on the two tamers sitting at her side. "Ruki ...," she mumbled. The strain and pain of her effort made her voice barely recognizable.

"Oh, Renamon! I'm here. What can I do? Tell me how to help you."

The bearded technician loomed over the fox. "Renamon, it's Shibumi. Something from the digital plane is interfering with your bioelectric link to your tamer. Can you tell us what?"

"Virus ... mutated. Being used by evil Digimon ...," Renamon squirmed with the effort to speak. "Ruki needs to be happy."

"Oh, Renamon! How can I be happy when you're in so much pain?"

The fox cried out, as another spasm tore at her. "Not that sort ... It's coming ... Argg!" The fox's eyes dimmed and misted over. She twitched and her expression reflected the agony that racked her body.

Ruki turned tear filled eyes to the new attendant. "Shibumi, help her!"

Shibumi put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We're doing everything we can. The energy source that's blocking her connection with you is within the digital plane, it's emanating from everywhere. That's why it's so hard to pinpoint and study."

Takato voiced the quandary that plagued Renamon's plea. "She said Ruki had to be happy. But how can she be, when Renamon's so sick? It's impossible."

Shibumi nodded. "Renamon needs her Tamer's power. Ruki, what makes you happy? What do you love doing?"

Ruki felt lost. "Fighting, I suppose. Renamon and me, we're the same. We love to fight and win."

As she spoke, both Takato's and her own Digivice lit up. Riley's voice interrupted from the PA system. "Multiple wild ones detected. Bio-emergence imminent. Mitsuo to Hypnos control immediately."

Takato stood. "I've got to go."

Ruki could only nod and hang her head. Without Renamon, she felt impotent and useless. Takato's next statement added confusion. "Come fight with me."

"What good can I do? Renamon's not going anywhere."

"Not Renamon. You. Come help me. We'll fight together."

"I can't leave Renamon."

Takato took her hand and Ruki stood. "We'll fight together, for Renamon."

Ruki found the strength to smile. "Ok. We'll fight for her. Stupid Gogglehead."

~---~

"It's about time," Jen yelled as Takato and Ruki ran into the Digital Field.

"Sorry, the parks a long way from Hypnos," replied Takato.

"Takato! I got here quick as I could," Guilmon gushed, as he ran up to hug his Tamer.

"It's like you've been apart for days," Terriermon chastised. "It's only been a few hours!"

"How's Renamon?" Jen asked.

"No change," Takato explained.

"She won't be here," Ruki added.

"I think we could do with her help, with this one," observed Terriermon.

Ruki lifted her glasses from her eyes and stared up at the flying golden bird above them. "Eaglemon," announced Jen as he read from his Digivice. "A Cyborg Digimon. That metal casing makes him almost impervious to physical attacks."

"Well, hopefully he'll stay up there, and we can stay down here!" suggested Terriermon.

As Ruki watched the huge armoured bird circling above them, she wondered aloud. "Eaglemon's job is to monitor outsiders who enter the Digital World. What's he doing here in the real world?"

Just then, an owl alighted onto a tree branch and spoke to the group. "All hail the mighty chicken that drinks from the light of man!"

Takato and Jen looked at each other and groaned. "Oh, no! Not again."

The sky bubbled and Sinduramon joined Eaglemon. The steel rooster Digimon fell from the sky and landed with a huge crash. It let out a piercing shriek, causing the three Tamers and their two Digimon to recoil.

"I thought you two already defeated the chicken?" exclaimed Ruki.

"So did I!" replied Jen. "His data must have returned to the digital plane and re-emerged. He was tough to defeat the first time."

"Worship the all-mighty chicken, preparing the way for the one true leader!" squawked the owl.

"One true leader? Who, Colonel Sanders?" joked Takato.

The sky warped again; this time a huge blue sphere materialised. Its surface glowed with ever changing electric luminance. Lighting arced across its exterior. The sphere hovered in mid air, an affront to gravity.

"Okay, now it's three against two. This isn't looking good ...," muttered Jen.