"Card-Slash!" she yelled, as the green card sparked through Ruki's Digivice. "Heavy Metal!"

Only a few feet away, Renamon growled. The guttural snarl told Ruki her partner approved of the transformation. The yellow fox's left paw dissolved and in its place, a heavy steel piston hovered at the end of her arm. Ruki watched, with grim resolve, as Renamon lowered the new appendage against the eye of the rogue Parasimon. The young girl felt no hesitation or regret.

Ruki still felt the pain of her capture. When the Parasite Digimon attacked and rendered her subservient. The knowledge she had injured her partner, the mighty Renamon, and nearly killed Takato, cut deep. Even though her rational side knew she was acting under the control of the malevolent Digimon, late in the night, when sleep eluded her, spikes of shame plagued her mind.

As Renamon fired the weapon and the steel plunger penetrated the ugly purple enemy, the last notes of her song faded from her mind. Overwhelmed by the damage inflicted by Renamon's blow, the tentacles that encircled the yellow fox shattered into harmless data. Renamon strolled casually through the brightly coloured mist, created by the Parasimon's evaporation, as her paw transformed back to three-fingered normality. Ruki allowed a smile as her friend approached. "Not loading the data, huh."

"You know I don't need to," replied the fox with her usual detached tone. "I have you."

A nod and a grunt was an adequate response. Ruki turned to leave the deserted warehouse when Renamon spoke again. "There may be others. We should scan."

Ruki paused mid-step. "No. That was the last. No others escaped our defence of the city."

"How do you know?"

The Digimon Tamer snapped her Digivice to her belt. Her defences rose and she clipped her voice. "The song is gone."

The girl could feel her partner behind her shoulder. She dared not look around, lest the fox see the sadness in her eyes. The tall Digimon's warmth radiated to her. "Your beautiful song?"

Anger flooded her senses. Ruki wheeled around and blasted her words across the fox. "My song! Not yours or anyone else's. Those creatures forced it from me. I can't trust anyone, not you or Takato."

Renamon's wide eyes exposed her surprise at the outburst. "No. Of course not, Ruki. No one said anything about taking your song from you.... Takato?"

As the red mist cleared from her vision, Ruki realised she said too much. Turning, she fast paced out of the warehouse service door. "Whatever. The stupid song is gone. The stupid Parasimon are gone. It's past time we were gone."

Behind, the familiar swoosh of Renamon teleporting reassured the young girl the conversation was finished.

~---~

Ruki stared at the ceiling. The darkness of her bedroom and the silence of the night did little to calm her mind. She thought about the horrible reality she faced when she awoke next to the speeding train.

Awaking to find she had caused her friends so much danger.

Awakening to find her very life hung on the bravery of one little boy.

Awaking to discover her song, wrenched out of her subconscious by the invasive control of the evil parasite Digimon, plagued her thoughts constantly.

With the last of the Parasimon gone, the song was silent. Yet, she could not stop thinking about awakening to find Takato gripping her. She remembered his determination to save her. The look of... what? He seemed ready to die for her. Is that the sacrifice friends normally offer for each other? Or was there something deeper?

Ruki kept her voice to a whisper. "Renamon."

In a dark corner of her room, beside the wardrobe, the yellow fox materialised in the shadows. "Yes, Ruki."

"Come here. I... I want to talk."

The normally emotionless fox did not hide her surprise. "Talk?"

"Yeah. You know. Talk."

Renamon glided across and sat next to the futon. Ruki sat up and crossed her legs on the soft mattress. "I apologise for what I said this afternoon. I know you didn't mean anything bad."

"It's a sensitive subject. It's alright."

"Mnnn," agreed Ruki. "I just wanted you to know, I--. We've been through too much; you didn't deserve what I said."

"We're partners. I understand."

"You do?"

"Always."

"Renamon... I... I don't have anyone. That is, I have something strange, and I don't know..."

Even in the shadows of night, Renamon's electric blue eyes reflected in the moonlight. To most, her gaze engendered fear, but Ruki could see past Renamon's intimidating persona. She could feel the loyalty of the fox surrounding her. Her senses tingled with the Digimon's friendship and bravery. Her connection to her partner was tangible. Ruki and Renamon understood each other in a way that only those who have physically merged could hope to achieve. To the young girl, Renamon's stare radiated warmth and care.

"Ruki?"

"Do you think Takato likes me?"

"Very much."

"How much?"

"Hmm... What are you asking, Ruki?"

"I've got new feelings, Renamon. I don't know. I've been thinking about Takato a lot."

The fox's eyes widened. "Takato? You... feel for him?"

Ruki felt a wave of panic at her partner's surprise. "As a friend, yeah. Of course. That's normal, isn't it?"

"Yes. Perfectly."

"It's just, he... he didn't give up on me. I told him to let me go, when I was hanging from the side of Locomon. But he wouldn't. Then..., after..., he bio-merged into Dukemon..., to save me."

"Takato is a brave and loyal fighter."

"Yeah. I know. I just wondered if he felt more than friendship."

"I... I don't know, Ruki. Human love is... hard for me to understand. I know how I feel for you, my partner. But I don't think it's the same as how two humans can feel for each other."

"I'm not saying I love him or anything. Of course."

"Of course."

"That would be stupid."

"Hmmm..."

"I just wondered if he was getting any ideas. That's all. So I can stop him. You know, before it becomes a problem."

The fox gave a non-committal grunt and seemed to sense the conversation was at an end. She stood and glided back to her position by the wardrobe.

Ruki resettled under her doona. As she felt the mist of fatigue swirling around her consciousness, she reiterated her point. "It's just in case he's got ideas. You do understand, Renamon?"

The yellow fox faded from view as she whispered her final message for the night. "Always."