"It's Just a Little Crush" Story Written by Freedom Fighter Chapter Three Recap: Rika forcefully gets Takato to agree to be her boyfriend. Jeri attempts the calmer, yet slightly more nervous method, only to find out that she's too late. But instead of giving up right there and then, Jeri accepts Rika's undeclared challenge, despite never meeting her rival in person. But as all of this is going on, Henry has his eyes focused on wooing Rika. And now, Kazu and Kenta enter the fray... ****** The first scene of this chapter is based on the events of the episode named "Much Ado About Musyamon." "Juggernaut" and "Grow Mon Grow" are also incorporated into this chapter, with most of the attention on the latter episode. You know, enough is enough. If you don't know the rules by now... Anyway, this time around, I've given you probably the easiest song, even though this is probably a year old already at the very least. The song, not the fic, of course. Enter the fourth chapter of our story. The supporting cast steals the stage this time around! Disclaimer: None of the characters or songs belongs to me, but to their respective creators. And you'll never guess which Tamer is my favorite! Go on! Guess! It's too bad it won't earn you any extra credit for the contest, though. ****** [Begin playing song lyrics, with a band playing and two voices singing -- one badly] She was the one to hold me The night The sky fell down And what was I thinking when The world didn't end Why didn't I know what I know now Would you look at her She looks at me She's got me thinking about her constantly But she don't know how I feel And as she carries on without a doubt I wonder if she's figured out I'm crazy for this girl Right now Face to face All my fears Pushed aside And right now I'm ready to spend the rest of my life With you Would you look at her She looks at me She's got me thinking about her constantly But she don't know how I feel And as she carries on without a doubt I wonder if she's figured out I'm crazy for this girl [End playing song lyrics] ****** Chapter 4 - "Tell Her You Love Her Too" A few nights ago... Kazu and Kenta have just run away from Takato after he had shown them Guilmon for the first time. They were in disbelief over actually seeing a real living, breathing Digimon for the first time. Or maybe they were just trying to regain their grasp over reality, knowing very well that Digimon didn't really exist. They finally stop once they get close to Takato's house/bakery so that they can catch their breath. Breathing heavily, Kazu speaks up first. "Can you believe the nerve of that guy?" "Scaring us like that! Takato's got to learn not to kid around like that." "Yeah!" "But... whatever that thing was, it sure sounded real." "Kenta, stop imagining things!" "Seriously, though! That 'thing' sounded so real! Could Takato be telling the truth?" "You're going to believe that that 'thing' Takato's trying to pass off as a Digimon is real?" "Well, what do you think about it?" "It's got to be some robot he rigged up." "But since when did Takato know how to create robots?" "Well, my theory's better than yours! A real Digimon? Get real!" "Is that all you boys ever talk about?" Kazu and Kenta turn around and spot a purple haired girl in a matching colored dress and white pumps on her feet. She also had a plastic bag full of bread in hand. If not for her hairstyle, the two would have mistaken her for Jeri. But this happens to be Jeri's gal pal and best friend, Nikki. "Oh," Kazu replied unenthusiastically, "it's you, Nikki." "Digimon, digimon, digimon. Sometimes I think you two spend more time playing Digimon than doing your homework." "It's our choice! If we want to play Digimon, then we'll play Digimon!" "Yeah!" Kenta added. "Well," she huffed as she began to walk away from them, "since you two are more focused on playing games than spreading secret rumors, I'll be heading off now." "Secret rumors?" the tall, brown haired boy asked. "What are you talking about?" the blue haired boy with glasses inquired. "Well, it's not really a rumor," Nikki responded, stopping and turning to face the duo. "It's actually pretty obvious if you look at it." "What's pretty obvious?" "Jeri and Takato!" "What about them?" "They're in love! Duh!" Kazu and Kenta begin to laugh hysterically. As if they needed another thing that was unbelievable. But at least this one was funny. "Takato? And Jeri? Those two?" "The doodler and the puppeteer? You can't be serious!" "But I am. Just look at the facts." "What facts?" "Don't you notice how Jeri always looks at Takato longingly just before she says goodbye everyday?" "Not really," answered Kenta. "We're usually already gone by then." "How about how nervously Takato laughs whenever Jeri sticks that puppet of hers in his face?" "I'd laugh like that too if I had something that stupid in my face!" "You take that back!" Nikki retorted. "Jeri's puppet is not stupid!" "That's because you've never been on the receiving end of it. Besides, that puppet must be controlling all of you girls, cause there's no way that Jeri and Takato are an item." "Spoken like a true champion, Kazu." "Sure... a true champion of boys. And that's not saying much." "Hey!" the two boys yelled in protest. "Believe it or not, Jeri and Takato are in love. Jeri would never admit, but the way she keeps talking about him makes me wonder the possibilities." "What are the odds of them being together?" Kazu asked Kenta, elbowing him for a response. "About one in two million, three hundred sixty-five thousand, and seventy five," Kenta mocked. "I say it's pretty safe to say Jeri and Takato aren't together. Besides, what kind of guy would want to be with a girl anyway?" "I expected that answer from you, seeing as how you're both boys." "Hey!" "But, what can I do? Boys don't know anything about love." Nikki walks off, leaving Kazu and Kenta to themselves. "Sometimes I think Nikki's as crazy as Jeri is." "You know how girls are, Kazu. They're all crazy." The two start walking again, continuing on in the direction of their houses. "Kazu?" "What, Kenta?" "Nikki sounded like she was telling the truth." "Oh see, there you go again believing everything you see and hear! That Digimon of Takato's is not real, and Jeri's not in love with him! Get the picture?" "But hear me out, Kazu..." "Hear you out? I've believed too much for one day already." "I swear! Things aren't what they seem!" ====== The weekend had passed shortly thereafter, and after several phone calls and numerous card games, in which Kazu won all of them, Kazu finally believed that Takato and Jeri were a couple. Kazu turned the tables on Kenta, though, still in firm disagreement over whether Takato's Digimon was actually real. They are sitting in class on this bright Monday morning. The class was only half full with students and Miss Asaji had yet to arrive. Jeri was talking with Nikki and the rest of her friends, who glanced at Kazu and Kenta every so often. Finally, Takato entered the room. They start staring at him awkwardly, hoping to get an explanation from him. But that just made Takato all the more nervous. Miss Asaji arrives a few minutes later and starts class, as all of the students take their seats. As she begins to lecture, Kazu and Kenta look over and notice that Takato is daydreaming, as usual. "What do you think?" Kenta whispered to Kazu. "Is he thinking about Jeri?" "Beats me." Kazu then notices Jeri pass a note to one of her friends, who then taps Takato on the shoulder and gives him the note. "Look!" Kazu and Kenta watch as Takato opens the note and glances at it for a second. He then smiles. "I knew it!" Kazu thought. "So, do we confront Takato about it?" Kenta whispered. "No, not yet. Let's see if we can catch them in the act first." At the end of the school day, Kazu and Kenta wait outside patiently for Takato, although neither of them seems happy about confronting him. Shortly thereafter, Takato spots the duo, so he decides to approach them. "Well, look who's here," Kazu remarked snidely. "Don't tell me you two are still sore about yesterday," Takato said. "If you're talking about seeing that monstrosity you call a Digimon, then yes, we're still sore." "He's real, I'm telling ya!" "Sure," Kenta jumped in, "as real as the rumors that you and Jeri are an item!" Takato was taken aback by the accusation. "What rumors? Jeri and I aren't together!" "Speak of the sweetheart," Kazu smirked as he pointed to Kenta and Takato that Jeri was heading towards them. "I thought she had already skipped home," Takato said silently, not wanting Kazu and Kenta to get proof of them as a couple. "Not that I'm saying that we aren't. Then again, she did just ask me to be her boyfriend a few minutes ago. Man, this is all too confusing." "What are you boys doing today?" Jeri asked with that delightful smile of hers. "Are you playing Digimon?" "Digimon is for kids," Kenta replied. "Yeah," came the answer from Kazu. "Besides, it's all just pretend." "But Guilmon is real!" Takato shouted. "Man, you're not scaring anyone with that oversized stuffed dinosaur of yours!" "Guilmon's not a toy," Jeri jumped in, defending Takato, as usual. "We're not into playing Digimon anymore because it's lame." "Well, if you don't like it, you two don't have to play it." "What's wrong with you boys? Sometimes you guys fight even when there's nothing to fight about!" "Hey Kenta," Kazu said, ignoring Jeri's comment, "want to hang over at my place?" "Sure," Kenta responded. "We'll leave Takato with his kiddie games." "It's not a game!" Takato shouted at them as the two boys left. Kazu and Kenta head off to the park to talk briefly about their recent conversation with Takato and Jeri. "Jeri defended him again," Kenta stated, "as usual." "That doesn't count! She's crazy!" "Of course she's crazy! Crazy for Takato!" "You never stop, do you?" "And Takato defends his Digimon as if it is real. I say we should believe him." "I don't know, man. Jeri and Takato together? Maybe. But there's no way that Digimon of his is real." "Are you jealous of Takato being a Tamer?" All of a sudden, the sky starts to turn dark. The two boys look up to the sky as a digital field begins to form. They begin to worry. "Kenta?" "Yeah?" "I'm getting this odd feeling that you're right." "Forget about feelings, Kazu! Let's go check it out!" ====== Elsewhere in the park, Jeri also notices the digital field forming in the sky. "Oh my! What's that?" As the sky turns dark and the wind begins to pick up a little bit, her natural caring instinct begins to come into play. "Takato! It must have something to do with him and Guilmon!" She starts running towards the digital field, knowing that Takato would be there. "Don't worry!" she shouted out. "I'm coming, Takato!" ====== Out of the digital field had come a dangerous Digimon named Mihiramon. This ultimate level Digimon had already succeeded in knocking out Kyubimon and Gargomon, and it looks like Growlmon would be next. Takato, who for some reason was feeling every blow that his Digimon was receiving, had just been revived by Calumon after passing out from it. "Did anyone ever tell you that you talk in your sleep?" Calumon asked the now awake Tamer. "I can't believe you fainted!" Rika teased. "I can't believe it!" Henry thought in disbelief. "I'm a much better Tamer than Takato is. But he just faints and all of a sudden, she's teasing him about it?" "It's time to use the power that brought us here in the first place!" Takato yelled, snapping Henry out of his thoughts. "Are you ready?" Rika was a little hesitant in agreeing. So was Henry, as he was more focused on watching his fellow Tamers for signs of any romantic interaction between the two. "Well, Guilmon and I are going to do it whether you're ready or not!" Henry then notices that a Blue Card has materialized in Takato's hand. "It's a Blue Card!" "We're with you!" Rika shouted as she looked over at Takato, who nodded in reply. "This battle has just begun!" he yelled, as he readied his D-Arc to slash the card. - Begin card slash sequence - Takato takes the Blue Card in one hand and the D-Arc in the other. He raises both hands over his head, crossing them in the process. He then uncrosses them, slashing the card through the D-Arc's reader as it does so. "Digi-modify! Matrix Digivolution activate!" - End card slash sequence - - Begin matrix digivolution sequence - "Growlmon digivolve to... WarGrowlmon!" - End matrix digivolution sequence - In place of the giant dinosaur Digimon known as Growlmon came WarGrowlmon, a giant dinosaur Digimon... wearing heavy plated armor and other high tech items of weaponry. The struggle between the newly evolved WarGrowlmon and their dangerous adversary, Mihiramon, continued for several more minutes as the two Digimon exchanged blows. In the process, Henry and Rika watch with their fallen Digimon as Takato cringes as he feels every blow that WarGrowlmon receives. "I order you," Takato shouted, "as your Tamer, to finish it!" Finally, WarGrowlmon tires Mihiramon out and throws him into the air, finishing the rogue Digimon off with his most powerful attack. "Atomic Blaster!" Mihiramon disappears almost immediately, as WarGrowlmon begins to absorb the fallen Digimon's data. As the battle ends and WarGrowlmon lands on the ground, Kazu, Kenta, and Jeri, who had all been off to the side watching the whole battle, run out to congratulate Takato and the others. "I guess it's true," Kazu said. "Guilmon's real. Real cool, that is!" "Is that really Guilmon?" Jeri asked the boys aloud. "No," Kazu replied, "he digivolved twice. That's his ultimate form, WarGrowlmon." Jeri begins to look around for Takato. Obviously, she wanted to see if he was okay. "Did Takato leave?" "A real Tamer never leaves his Digimon," Kenta states as Takato appears and runs over to hug his Digimon. "I'm happy for Takato," Jeri thought. "If only I could be like him. Then we'd be perfect for each other." "She's looking at Takato!" Kenta told Kazu. "But she only did it after Takato looked at her!" Kazu replied. "Well, you know the old song. When you look at her, she looks at me, and now she's got him thinking about her constantly. Come on! Jeri's on Takato's mind, and you know it!" "Well, you were looking at her too! What makes you think Jeri's got a crush on Takato! For all we know, she could have a crush on you!" "She's not my type! Besides, she'd look better with you." "No way! The only person Jeri deserves to be with is Takato, and that's only because they're both crazy." "So, you agree that they're a couple now?" "Of course I agree! But now, we have to make sure they stay together!" "But why? And wouldn't that be something girls try to do?" "Yeah, but think about it! Once he's preoccupied with pleasing Jeri, he'll start slacking off! And then I'll beat him so many times that he'll be out of cards in a week!" "You always were the conniving one, Kazu." "What can I say? I've got to get attention somehow." ****** Next Chapter: Henry's only chance at getting Rika to notice him is to get her alone. Well, the subway may not exactly be the best place... especially when their Digimon are fighting Sandiramon, the snake deva! Meanwhile, Kazu and Kenta gather the other kids to see Guilmon, in an attempt to get Takato and Jeri to formally admit their status as a couple! Whose plan will succeed? ****** Before anyone asks, Nikki is a real character from the show! I didn't make her up! I used the summaries from Prodigious! to create the scenes from the episodes for this fanfic. And in the summaries for the episodes in which Nikki appears, she is identified by that name. This is despite the fact that to my knowledge, I don't remember her being formally introduced. If you want to see it, I've provided the link: http://cirrus.spaceports.com/~manic/dm/updates.html And yes, still not a full description of the battle scene with the first deva, but that will definitely be covered at the beginning of the next chapter. I promise this time! The fifth chapter is only a day away! Tomorrow, the final song is revealed as well! So don't miss it! Copyright Date: 2/8/02