Digimon, Digital Arena: A Champion Returns
The symbol appeared on the television screen first, the Digimon egg on a open field. It cracked open dramatically, computer generated animated figures spilling out onto the field, the various creatures and humanoids scattering before lining up to do battle once again.
The scene shifted to the real life arena, roaring crowds of teens ad adults filling the stands as they watched the lit up battle field far below them. The announcer's voice boomed out from the control room, "Welcome young and old, Digimon and trainer, to the latest season of Digimon Arena!"
Standing beside the arena in the area set aside for trainers the redheaded girl tried to tune our everything around her, instead focusing all of her attention on her digivice. The palm sized electronic module was plugged into her laptop computer, and she typed away intently, simple sunglasses hiding her green eyes. Finally she disconnected the cord, winding up into the computer before standing up, stretching out calmly.
Rika Nonaka pressed a small switch on the side of the digivice even as she softly said, "How are you, Renamon?"
Flaring to life from the curved screen a small holographic image appeared, barely a foot tall, standing with a relaxed sort of capability. The fox was humanoid, a tall and lean female who was garbed only with simple bracers and leggings, her triangular head oddly expressive as she gazed up at Rika calmly. "I'm fine, Rika," Renamon answered warmly. She tilted her head to the side, "How does the competition look this time?"
"Strictly second raters," Rika answered with a wry smile, "but we were expecting that."
"I won't underestimate them," Renamon answered gravely, "I want to win this for you."
Rika smiled faintly, "Thanks."
On the screens at home the announcer was running through a short explanation of Digimon Arena. "Using the latest in holographic imaging Digimon and their tamers fight side by side against their foes in a variety of virtual environments, striving for the championship." Cheerfully he continued, "We've got a great crowd of tamers today, and we're looking forward to a hell of a fight!"
The image on the screen shifted, a cocky black haired young man showing up on the screen. "Rio has become a local champion with his vampire-Digimon, Mysotismon," he explained. Scenes of the black, almost vampire like humanoid tearing through Digimon appeared, destroying them before absorbing all of their data.
"Takato had become something of a menace," a brown haired boy appeared on screen, over-large goggles on this head, "using effective card-play along with his Digimon Growlmon to rise through the ranks of community battles." A dramatic pause, "But how his skills will fare on the regional levels remain to be seen."
Rika snorted. "Card-play," she shook her head, "from what I've seen he has just collected as many powerful offensive cards as possible and swipes them like mad."
"Then I'll enjoy defeating him," Renamon said simply.
Rika paused a second, smiling at hearing that unexpected response. A Digimon was programmed and created by it's tamer, some buying premade designs and modifying them while more ambitious users built their Digimon from the ground up. Rika fell into that second category, but unlike most she hadn't built entirely for combat capability... she had built Renamon a personality, too. Combined with the randomizing element of data absorption from other Digimon it caused Renamon to evolve, developing in ways that Rika still found surprising,
Rika tuned out the other introductions, instead looked up to where a Arena official was walking over to where she stood. Her long brown hair fell past her shoulders as she smiled tentatively and asked, "Miss Nonaka?"
"Riley," Rika read off the nametag the woman was wearing.
"It's good to meet you," Riley nodded shyly. She hesitated, "I know you're a past Digimon champion, but..."
"I haven't competed in several years." Rika said crisply, "I'll have to work my way up through the ranks just like any newcomer."
"Thank you for being so understanding," Riley smiled warmly.
"I don't like it," Rika said frankly, "but I'll manage."
"A champion like Rika shouldn't have to wait," Renamon agreed.
"How cute," Riley squealed as she bent over to gaze at the Renamon hologram, "you even gave her interactive personality upgrades."
Renamon met Riley's gaze disapprovingly, "Do not condescend to me, madam."
Riley jerked back in surprise, her expression shocked. Rika had to fight back a smile, "I'll be ready when they call on me."
"You'll be in one of the first matches," Riley was still looking rather warily at Renamon, "they'll give a short bio before you go on."
"Lovely," Rika sighed.
The other tamers looked at Rika with a degree of caution, but that really didn't bother her much. Back in her competitive days she had been nearly ruthless in her tactics, even using mindgames to help unnerve her opponents. Apparently her reputation preceded her.
Rika sat down, watching a match on the nearby viewscreen. Apparently some kid named Davis was fighting with a Vemon, but he was getting slaughtered. The v-headbutt wasn't that bad of an attack, but you had to get into close range to actually use it. All the Goblinmon he was fighting had to do was keep his distance and fire goblin punches and the fight was pretty much over.
"Poor Davis," the light brown haired girl beside her murmured, looking on as Vemon got pummled. She looked over at Rika, "What would you do?"
"Use a speed or armor digi-modify card," Rika answered promptly. "Speed if he's farther away and needs to close the distance, armor if he's already near enough to strike."
"I agree," she nodded. She smiled at Rika and offered her had, "My name is Hikaru."
"Nice to meet you Hikaru," Rika noted the catlike Digimon on Hikaru's digivice and smiled, "I see you have Gatomon."
"Hi," the cat waved, her white gloves shiny clean.
Hikaru peered at Renamon then looked apologetically at Rika, "I hate to say it but I don't think I've seen that Digimon before."
"That's because I created her from scratch," Rika confessed, "meet Renamon."
"It's an honor," Renamon bowed her head, a slight smile teasing her lips.
There was a booming sound, and both looked up to see Davis' Vemon be destroyed. "Wonder who's up next," Hikaru murmured.
"Three years ago undefeated Digimon champion Rika Nonaka walked away from the arena, and for a long time we thought she might never return," the announcer declared grandly. "But now Rika has returned to the arena, with both a new Digimon and a new attitude! Let's welcome back the Goddess of Victory, Rika Nonaka!"
"Oh GOD," Rika moaned at the overdone introduction.
"Good luck," Hikaru waved as Rika headed up to the arena itself.
"I don't need luck," Rika answered, "but thanks."
"Are you ready, Rika?" Renamon asked as Rika detached her digivice, hooking it in to the arena projectors. In a moment a full-sized Renamon appeared on the area floor, well over six feet tall and full of strength and vitality.
"More than ready," Rika answered.
Across from them Takato plugged in his own digivice, his dinosaur like Digimon Growlmon materializing. Rika's digivice finished it's basic scan in seconds, information on the Digimon they faced appearing on the screen. Data scrolled by, information on what Growlmon was, the capabilities that came with his basic configurations.
"No modifications," Renamon noted, "barely advanced in level too."
"I bet we can take him in less than a minute," Rika smirked.
"Digimon, ready?" the announcer asked. There was a moment's pause, "Go!"
"Attack, Renamon," Rika commanded.
With unearthly speed Renamon was gone, racing across the floor right to where Growlmon stood. She leapt up, hand-paws in front of her then cried, "Diamond Storm!" In barely a moment Growlmon looked like a pin-cushion, diamond-like shards imbedded in him, then he simply was gone, dissolving into data pixels.
There was a moment of shocked silence, then the crowd roared it's approval.
"I won the battle for you, Rika," Renamon said simply.
"We'll get to the championships together, Renamon," Rika vowed, "that I promise."
End.
This was originally going to be a direct crossover with Angelic Layer, but I decided to just use elements of it instead. The idea of Digimon being holograms seemed fun, so I went with that. This may also be one of the few mini-fics I've written with almost no shoujo-ai in it... I do plan to add a bit more to this, too
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