Rika had cried out on the first leap, more in honest surprise than actual fear. Somehow, she knew she was completely safe in Renamon's arms. They had done this before, in the digital world, but it felt so different in the real world, more thrilling somehow. As the wind swept by her, she laughed delightedly as she realized it was almost like flying. "You remember the way, right?" it suddenly occurred to Rika to ask Renamon. The digimon only snorted softly in amusement. "Of course," Renamon said calmly in reply. "I could never forget the place I first met my tamer," she added, her voice filled with emotion. It took only moments for them to reach the town, then they traveled across the rooftops until they dropped almost silently into the courtyard of the house. Renamon looked around her, and Rika had to smile at the joy on the digimon's face. 'Almost like a soldier coming home from the wars,' she thought, and filed the impression away to use later. "Welcome home," Rika said to her happily, as Renamon, almost reluctantly, set her back down on the ground. "Can we... go inside?" Renamon asked tentatively. Rika didn't answer verbally, the teen just took Renamon's hand to draw her inside, pausing only to slip her shoes off. Renamon moved unerringly to Rika's room, looking around with a broad smile. The room looked only a little different, only a new television and stereo reflecting the passage of years. "It's good to be back," Renamon sighed. "There's something I have to show you," Rika said a bit nervously. She quietly led a confused looking Renamon down the short hallway. "The spare bedroom?" Renamon said with a little frown. "Not any more," Rika said, shaking her head. She led Renamon into her office, and walked straight over to the bookcase. She slid down a slim volume, the first one in the row, and passed it over to Renamon. The digimon cradled it in her hands. "The Kitsune and the Huntress" was the title, and the cover painting looked oddly familiar to Renamon. "That's me, isn't it?" Renamon asked Rika softly. She flipped it open, silently reading a few passages to herself. "I wrote it a few months after you were gone," Rika said, "at least, I wrote the first short story about you then. I was missing you so badly," she said softly, "and I wanted to do something to remind me of you." Renamon smiled suddenly, "It's all right, Rika." She saw the author's name and started to chuckle softly as she asked, "Rena Monica?" Rika grinned back at her, "It was the first thing I could think of." The car pulled in out front, both the passenger side doors opening so that Riley and Rika's grandmother could get out. Yamaki opened his door to stand a bit awkwardly by the car, unsure of what exactly to say. "Thank you for the ride," and to Yamaki's honest surprise Rika's Grandmother smiled at him as she added, "and for letting us know so quickly." "You're quite welcome," he answered with a warm smile. Riley added, "If Renamon or your family needs anything, let us know." She looked to Yamaki for confirmation, "I'm sure we'd be glad to help." He nodded his agreement. She nodded in return, walking to her door. She stopped there before going in, and quietly said, "You asked Rika to help your organization deal with virus Digimon. I suspect if you asked her now, she and Renamon might agree." With that, she walked inside. Yamaki stood there with his mouth open, looking rather like he had just won the lottery. He grinned at Riley, "Let's go back and give Daisy the good news." They climbed right back into the car and hurriedly drove off. She walked in smiling, stooping to look in the living room and kitchen for Rika and Renamon. She went down the hallway, pausing in front of Rika's bedroom to listen carefully. Hearing nothing, she peeked inside and felt a bit disappointed when she saw nobody there. Rika looked over at Renamon, an odd look on her face. "There's things I want to say," she said to her a little hesitantly, "but I just can't seem to find the right words." Renamon put the book down, standing up to step over to Rika's side as she said, "You know you can tell me anything, Rika." The young woman blushed redly, shaking her head. "Not this," Rika said softly. "There may be another way," Renamon said softly, holding her hand out to Rika, "we could bio-merge, become one. Our thoughts would be joined." Rika didn't let herself think about it, she just reached out to take that hand, her digivice suddenly in her other hand. "Bio-merge, Digivolution Activate!" she cried, holding the device to her heart. They were engulfed in light as it began. Rika's Grandmother pushed open the door hesitantly, not hearing an answer to her knock, and gasped softly. 'I've never seen this before,' was the thought that ran through her head. Rika seemed to fall into Renamon's body, both of them seemingly dissolving together into one figure. Tall, beautiful, she looked noble and confident, a golden armored figure standing in the simple, ordinary looking office. Sakuyamon's eyes widened, she stiffened a bit, then a slow smile appeared as the realization ran through her. Ran through both of them, really, the single thought of 'I love you.' She heard the sharp intake of breath of Rika's grandmother, and turned to smile to her as reassuringly as possible. "It's all right," Sakuyamon said in that lovely double voice, a mix of both Rika's and Renamon's. "Incredible," her Grandmother said in admiration, walking a small circle around her. She laughed softly, "Are you going to work this into your books as well?" A quiet laugh was the only reply. Another flash of light appeared in the office, and they stood again as two separate figures. Rika held Renamon's hands in her own, looking intently into her eyes. "I said this once before," Rika said softly, "when I lost you. I love you, Renamon." Renamon reached out, gently brushing Rika's hair back. "I heard you," she admitted, "and there were times when those words were all that sustained me. I love you, too." She leaned forward, and digimon and human kissed lingeringly. With a little smile on her face, Rika's Grandmother quietly left the two of them alone. They had obviously forgotten she was there, anyway. She whistled happily as she walked away. 'It may not be easy for them,' she thought, 'but I'm sure about how they feel.' She got out her cell-phone and made a very important phone call to Rika's mother. Under the circumstances, she really needed to know what's going on. "Hi, it's me," she said softly. Giving her a short chance to answer, she said "Renamon's come home." Renamon and Rika came out of the office not long after, a bit red faced. "Grandmother," Rika said softly, "were you still in there when we started..." Her Grandmother just smiled at them broadly, and Rika blushed a bit harder. "We got a bit carried away," Renamon said a bit apologetically. Dinner was an interesting experience for them all. Not only did Rika's mother get to see Renamon again, but they decided to drop a bombshell as well. They said they were engaged... "I think they handled it pretty well," Rika commented to Renamon as they walked together to Rika's room. "Once they got over the surprise," Renamon agreed, smiling fondly at the simple congratulations they had received from them both. They walked in, Rika going over to flop down on her bed. Renamon stopped at the foot of the bed, kneeling like she had so often before. Rika sat up in bed, saying to her softly, "Get up here." Renamon smiled, tentatively climbing up on the bed beside her. "Sorry, old habit," she explained to Rika softly. Rika reached over, gently stroking Renamon's face. "Did you ever wonder why I didn't share a bed with you before, here or when we were in the digital world?" she asked. At Renamon's curious smile she softly said "I was tempted, so much so I wasn't sure if I could have held myself back." "So was I," Renamon admitted, "that's why I didn't ask." They cuddled there a moment, silently, then Renamon drew back. She pulled something from her arm guard, passing it to Rika, "I was given this, before I left the digital world." It was a Digimon game card, Renamon's own in fact, reading underneath "Shapechanging Sorceress." She turned it over in her fingers before asking, "What is it for?" "Swipe it," Renamon said softly in reply. "Renamon, Shapechanging Sorceress, activate!" Rika said softly, swiping the card through her digivice in a single smooth motion. Renamon's body glowed brightly in the deepening twilight, then she almost seemed to dissolve, the pixels of her form moving and changing. They pulled back together, the light fading, and Rika looked at her wide eyed. The blonde haired girl laying beside Rika smiled at her tentatively. White arm guards, and a T-shirt covered her top, while orange pants and white boots were on the bottom. She looked so different, yet when Rika looked into those expressive eyes, she knew it was Renamon beside her. "How do I look?" Renamon asked, her voice the same as it always was. "Beautiful as ever," Rika answered, and Renamon smiled at that. They pulled together for another kiss, then Renamon reached out to turn off the light. Author's Notes: Renamon's human form is based on a fan-art I saw of her a while back, while Renamon's card came from information I got on www.shoujoai.com's forums. Finished at last! I had originally considered doing a series, but got badly blocked writing this section, so it's not very likely I'll continue it. Of course, if enough people ask... I do hope you liked this story, and read my other series.
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