~~ Ain’t It Funny? ~~

The dance was obviously a hit; more than two hundred kids from various school districts had attended that night. Luckily, they were all located inside the largest room in the entire city: the Youth Convention Center. Decorations adorned every inch, various themes coming together to combine one large, exquisite display. The lights were dimmed down low, with variously colored spotlights shining around room. The four large speakers on each corner of the room projected to every last student. Bright decoration colored the windows and walls, while shimmering drop-down ornaments hung from the ceiling above. There were three DJ’s to organize the sound system, as well as keep control. But none of this mattered to the kids, varying primarily in ages from nine to fourteen, as they took to the dance floors with friends and companions alike.

After that hideous boar had rampaged through much of the district not more than a few weeks ago, followed by another series of attacks days later by something no one ever found the cause of (or if they had, that information was never released to the public), a few adults of the community had gotten together and thought of the idea to ease the tension developing among some of the youth, especially those of whom has lost half their school building amidst all the debris. It was the teachers who had suggested an international theme, more as a way to sneak a few schooling opportunities about different cultures than for the children’s benefit. That idea soon went down the drain, however, as soon as the music started.

The average statistic in the large room equaled approximately sixty students to one teacher. Even the Tamers were there, though they had opted to leave the digimon at home so as not to create any confusion or fear in their fellow classmates, since no one but the Tamers knew the digimon had returned. One of the highlights of the evening was little Suzi, whom Jenrya had brought along with him at her incessant pleading (and promise to nix the Miss P.P. treatment for two weeks), as she danced clumsily on the floor with her older brother to a form of music called “Swing.” Not a face in the room lacked a smile, or even grin, at the sight of the two.

“C’mon, Jenwy! You’we gowing too swow!” She managed to shout as he spun her around. With a grin, he twirled the petite four year old faster and faster, until… “Too Fawst! Too Fawst!” He managed to catch the little girl as she topped over from dizziness. Various cries of Aww and How cute! Erupted from the crowd as she stood up and latched onto his leg, receiving a brotherly hug in the process, the two of them laughing heartily.

Ryo sat off to the side, hidden slightly in the shadows. His return to the real world after so long had been nothing short of a wonder; he’d almost forgotten what it was like to socialize in a crowd…not that he’d done so quite to this extent before. His reigning title for so long had most guys—and a few girls—glare at him in envy, others worship his every move, while the more feminine girls swooned over his presence because of his looks and subconscious charm. All in all, it was rather annoying…and quite embarrassing in regards to most of those girls.

His gaze focused on a young red head towards the left of the room, evoking a smile from the boy. She stood leaning against the wall, arms folded in a position almost mirroring Ryo’s, as she watched most of her friends out on the floor. Not that long ago, it would have been a shock for her to even show up at an event like this, but something inside Ruki had definitely changed. Ryo could tell the instant he had met up with her and the others back in the digiworld. Her cold heart had melted away into the empathetic person who stood before him now. He felt drawn to her somehow. She was definitely different from any girl he had ever known before.

It seemed to be like the perfect thing for you and me
It's so ironic you're what I had pictured you to be

Ryo could remember the first time he had met the girl known as Makino Ruki. It had been the Digimon card game championships a few years ago, back when icy death glares reigned her expressions. That was a rough time for him to remember as well. He, Ryo, hadn’t been very sociable himself, mostly fed up with his parents—his dad, in particular. First impressions ruled over his judgment on people for the longest time, and Ruki was no exception:

“Hey, my name’s Ryo. Good luck in the game.”

“Luck has nothing to do with it. What matters in the game is purely skill, knowledge, and determination.”

Yes, that had been her “introduction” to the tall brunette. Even then, he knew she was no ordinary girl…but no tomboy, either, as odd as it may sound. Her determination stirred something deep inside Ryo, and he knew that he had to beat her. Which he did. What he hadn’t expected was the reaction he received from her, one that leading in her seemingly years of hatred, even disgust, towards him. First of shock…then disbelief…then anger. But there was also a trace of something else…

Sadness.

But there are facts in our lives we can never change
Just tell me that you understand and you feel the same

He wondered why she was just standing there, all alone. A smile played at her lips as she stared into the crowd before her, and curiosity got the best of Ryo. His eyes followed hers all the way out onto the dance floor, where they came across Juri and Takato. The music had changed drastically to a much slower melody, and the soon-to-be-couple were shyly swaying together with the music. No doubt in anyone’s mind that the two were the best of friends, more so now than ever. Since the whole kidnapping, cloning, J-Reaper, Mother D-Reaper, etc. fiasco, she rarely strayed from either his side or that of any other friends’.

Hearing a sniffled laughter from Ruki, he led his gaze past the dance floor, over to Kazu and Kenta…and blinked. Somehow, Guardramon had managed to sneak halfway through the door of the building, doing some sort of mock-dance that looked more like he was short circuiting, and they were desperately trying to push him away to no avail. Groaning, he slapped his forehead.

“Those two always were a nuisance…” they mumbled simultaneously. Ryo gave a quick glance in surprise over at Ruki’s direction, meeting eyes with her for a brief moment before she turned away.

This perfect romance that I've created in my mind
I'd live a thousand lives each one with you right by my side

The Digimon Queen. He recalled many having called her that since their return. Apparently, she got the title she was longing for after all…when he wasn’t around, that was. Ryo had to admit, unknowingly watching her with intent, it suited her well. A thought ran through his mind. He had reigned just a couple years before. She reigned now….

“So if you’re the Digimon Queen,” he wondered under his breath with a warm smile, “does that make me your King?” He liked the sound of that…more than he may have wanted to admit to himself. The smile turned to curiosity as he watched Jenrya, carrying an extremely dizzy Suzi, walk over to where the red-haired girl was standing. Ruki smiled at the two serenely.

“Tired already, are we now?”

“Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa…why is thuh woom spinning so qwickwy? Somebowy teww it to stowp, pwease!” Suzi replied

“You’re the one who told me to keep going faster.” Jenrya smiled, placing the little girl down on the seat, turning to the older of the two. “That answer your question?”

“Are you sure you should have brought her along, Jen?” Ruki continued on, “I mean…isn’t she a little young?”

Jenrya just shrugged. “I doubt it. Give her five minutes, and she’ll be dancing circles around everyone here…” he turned a grin on her. “…literally.”

But yet we find ourselves in a less than perfect circumstance
And so it seems like we'll never have the chance

Ryo watched as Ruki gave a small laugh. He thought to himself just how pretty the girl was when she did…even if it was mostly just for Jenrya. He couldn’t help but notice the friendship that had formed between them. He was almost…

Finding himself caught up in the moment, he abruptly shook his head to rid the thought.

… almost jealous…

The brunette saw Juri walk over at that very moment, dragging the navy-haired boy away—quite literally, in fact—and back towards the floor. Takato arrived moments later on the opposite side of Suzi, scratching his head in confusion. He looked at Ruki, who replied with a shrug.

“Come on, Jen…you haven’t danced with anyone but Suzi all night, and I want to see ALL my friends have a good time.” He heard Juri call out, giving a glance back at Ruki.

The older girl sighed. “For the last time…no, Juri. I’m happy just standing right here where I am.” Something about that last sentence told Ryo that was his cue. Gathering up as much courage as he thought he’d need, the boy started walking towards a befuddled Takato and now-distant Ruki.

Ain't it funny how some feelings you just can't deny
And you can't move on even though you try
Ain't it strange when your feeling things you shouldn't feel
Oh, I wish this could be real
Ain't it funny how a moment could just change your life
And you don't want to face what's wrong or right
Ain't it strange how fate can play a part in the story of your heart…

* * *

Ruki watched happily as her two best friends shared the second half of a slow dance…she believed the teachers had called it an American Waltz, or something to that extent. Surrounding them were various couples that had formed in the weeks past, some even before then, holding each other close. One would almost assume them to be a couple as well, but the way they mocked the dance was all too clear a sign they were just having fun. A slow twirl, and Juri’s arms were crossed over her front, held back by Jenrya. She tried to untangle them, but his grip was too strong for her. Giggling, she squiggled and squirmed her way free only to give the boy a friendly hug seconds later, the two of them laughing all the meanwhile.

A part of Ruki almost wished she was out there, dancing with someone who cared for her as deep. But the other half held back, stronger than its opposition, and clinging to the one thing her mind wouldn’t ignore.

Memories.

Sometimes I think that a true love can never be
I just believe that somehow it wasn't meant for me

Little Suzi stood up abruptly, pouting. Apparently, her second wind had come full-force. The only trouble was that her brother wasn’t around. With an evil grin (at least, as evil as a four year old could look), she hopped over to the goggle-wearing brunette and put on her cutest face.

“Angwy boy, wowld you dawnce with meew?” Sticking out her lower lip for emphasis, she tilted her head to the side in question. With a grin, Takato picked up his best friend’s little sister and agreed. The instant they were on the floor, Ruki watched as the little girl stood on Takato’s shoes in order to dance right. She couldn’t help but giggle briefly before another sigh escaped her lips.

Growing up, Ruki had few friends other than her grandmother. Her mother was constantly off at some photo shoot, party, or other things associated with her modeling career. She obviously never had the time to raise a daughter…or the knowledge, unfortunately. It was no surprise, then, that Ruki’s grandmother had raised her almost all alone. She had attended some of the finest school her mother could find for her as soon as she was old enough…currently, she resided in one of the top all-girls private school in the country…but, of course, she never fit in.

That’s what drew her to the card game. She never could stand most of the dolls or dress-up clothes the other girls used for amusement. It was boring and dull. But, one day, a new game came out, a card game aimed at more along the lines of little boys. And they made that well known to her the first time she ever asked to play.

“What’cha got there? Can I play?”

“Get lost! This isn’t for girls like you. Go play with your dollies or something.”

Furious at the old stereotype, Ruki vowed to learn this new card game and prove she was no wimp. Every match she played was full of determination, and the urge to get stronger. Loosing was unacceptable; weakness was even worse. Heavy research and practice into each and every piece of the deck soon brought her to the championships of Japan. It was there she met her greatest challenge ever: Ryo.

The moment she saw him, something in her mind was set off. In her eyes, he had everything she didn’t. She immediately associated his looks and personality with a happy life, one she never had. And when he beat her…. Victory was just one more thing that he possessed over her.

Life can be cruel in a way that I can't explain
And I don't think that I could face it all again

It was no secret that Ruki had never met her father, that he had run out on her mom the moment he found out of her pregnancy. When she was younger, the red head was forced to watch all the other kids with their fathers, laughing and playing happily while all she ever did was continue to ask the one question neither her mother nor grandmother could ever answer:

“Where’s Daddy?”

She loved her father when she was younger, even if the girl had never met him before. But when she got older…a sorrowful hatred of the man replaced any love she might possibly have had left. Over time, it grew into a fear, one that continued on to the countless number of times she risked loosing Renamon, her first true friend…. Fear. Fear she would loose someone close to her again. She had already lost one person she loved…and was afraid to loose another.

Not that she would ever admit of, of course.

“Hey there, Wildcat. What’s a pretty girl like you standing here all by your lonesome self?” With a groan of frustration, she closed her eyes briefly.

“What do you want, Ryo?”

The tall dark-haired boy gave a wiry grin as he took a step back and bowed faintly. “Well, I just couldn’t let you get shown up by a four-year-old, now could I? Even Suzi’s managed to find a dance partner by now.” He indicated towards Takato, who was giving a look over at Jenrya and Ruki, both of which (in turn) were trying their hardest not to crack up as they danced.

She was about to respond to his ever-witty attitude, when the tension in the air suddenly shifted. Ryo dropped his façade all together, giving the girl a sincere expression. “Okay, but seriously, Ruki…you’re been standing here all night while everyone else is having fun. Nothing’s the matter, is it?”

I barely know you but somehow I know what you're about
A deeper love I've found in you and I no longer doubt
You've touched my heart and it altered every plan I've made

Inwardly sighing, Ruki managed to keep her tough outer shell as she answered, “Not that it’s any of your business, but I’m perfectly fine.” Her eyes strayed back to the quartet of dancing Tamers, not going unnoticed by Ryo. With a glint in his eye, he held out a hand to the girl, receiving an odd stare in response.

“If I call correctly, you still owe me for the double-life-saving issue, Miss Makino.”

She raised an eyebrow. “…and?”

“Would you do me the honor of this next dance?” She wasn’t quite sure what to say. As resistant as Ruki was to the aurora of charm encircling the boy, the thought unexpectedly sounded quite appealing to her. Pondering her answer for no longer than a brief moment, she was just about to refuse…when she made the mistake of staring his straight in his eyes. If she had been able to move, she would have done a double take.

There was something in the young brunette’s eyes she had never noticed before, something almost comforting. In that instant, Ruki couldn’t even remember why she was always so hostile towards him, giving an accepting smile.

“Fine. One dance, and we’re even.”

And now I feel that I don't have to be afraid

Nearly beaming with happiness, Ryo took her by the hand, gently leading her too the floor.

“I can walk on my own, you know.” Any pleads she might have made went unnoticed by the boy as they headed towards the floor just as the last song was ending.

Ain't it funny how some feelings you just can't deny
And you can't move on even though you try

“Psst…hey, Jen. What do you say we switch partners?” Takato whispered to his best friend when he and his ‘partner’ were close enough, “Your sister’s a lot heavier than she looks!”

Trying his best not to laugh, Jenrya managed as serious an expression as possible. “Gee, I don’t know. We’re having a lot of fun over here. What do you think, Juri?” he asked, turning his attention to the girl in front of him.

“I don’t mind.” She replied, giving him a slight wink. As the two of them separated, Takato managed to pry Suzi off of his leg. He was just about to join Juri, when…

“What do you say, Suzi, would you like to dance?” Juri bent down to see eye-level with the shorter girl, smiling.

The tiny brunette gave a huge grin. “Awight, Juwi!” Giggling, she lifted her arms upward, allowing the taller girl to pick her up.

Takato just stood there for a moment, blinking in confusion at what just happened. “Why do I get the feeling I was just showed up by a four-year-old?” He questioned, more to himself than anyone else. Jenrya could just barely contain himself when something caught his attention. Noticing his friend was still fixed on the two dancing girls, he tapped Takato on the shoulder. Not getting a response, he tapped a little harder the second time.

“No, I’m not dancing with you.” Takato replied as he turned around, before noticing the navy-haired boy staring at something else. He followed his gaze, nearly falling over at what he spotted the object of Jenrya’s interest. “…Ruki and Ryo?! Now there’s something you don’t see everyday.”

Ain't it strange when your feeling things you shouldn't feel
Oh, I wish this could be real

Juri’s curiosity was aroused when she heard someone mention Ruki’s name. With a bouncing Suzi in her arms, she headed back over to the boys…pausing in her tracks when she saw the couple in question. Despite the pleadings from her little bundle to keep moving, the girl couldn’t help by smile happily for her friend. She watched them as Ryo pulled the shorter redhead out to the center of the room, noticing the way they looked at one another in the dim lighting, with a sparkle in their eyes…

…whether or not they noticed it themselves.

Ain't it funny how a moment could just change your life
And you don't want to face what's wrong or right

The music tempo changed drastically in the next instant, switching to a quick-beated salsa. All around them, various other couples attempted to forge their own twisted version of the Hispanic dance, most without much success. Taking their sweet time to get ready, Ryo gave a few practice twirls on his dancing partner, managing to evoke a small giggle from her.

Ain't it strange how fate can play a part in the story of your heart

“You never told me you knew how to salsa dance.” She commented, untwisting her arms with a quick spin.

The brunette simply shrugged. “You never asked.”

“Ever the modest one.”

Ryo looked down at the feisty girl merely an arms length away from him. It never dawned on him before, but the two of them were a lot alike. They each faced problems with family, both held the title of Digimon champions (okay, so technically Ruki was reigning champ…details, details…), and both of them knew what it was like to be alone. ‘Emotions are a weakness’ was a motto both held by for so long.

As Ruki mentally counted out the opening steps in her mind, Ryo gave a smile. If emotions were a weakness, they might as well go down together.

I locked away my heart but you just set it free
Emotions I felt held me back from what my life should be

She tried insulting him. She tried ignoring him (kami knows how well that method worked). She even tried running away. But every moment she looked over her shoulder, Ryo always managed to be right behind her. For the longest time, she considered him a nuisance. Just another pretty boy with an ego the size of Japan. But then, he started…well… growing on her, she guessed. His ‘heroic’ antics were mostly, if not always, for the benefit of others, while all attempts at trying to charm the young girl had vanished, once it was realized that nothing like that would work on her.

Ruki had to admit, take away first impressions, and Ryo was definitely up on her list. He obviously knew how to carry himself, he was smart, honest, caring, witty…good-looking…

I pushed you far away and yet you stayed with me

Her body stiffened at the thought, closing her eyes. Oh, no…don’t tell me that! No! But the instant she opened them again, staring straight into his, she knew it was true.

She, the Ice Queen, was falling for Ryo Akiyama… hard.

I guess this means that you and me were meant to be

“Ready?” He whispered into her ear. Before she even realized it, Ruki was nodding her head and in starting position. She did manage to snap out of it long enough to whisper one last comment:

“Oh, Ryo?”

“Hmm?”

“Try to dip me, and I guarantee you won’t be doing any future dancing for a good, long time.”

A pause, as Ryo considered whether or not it would actually be worth it, then: “…noted.” Giving Ruki a twirl, they began to dance in amazingly perfect sync.

Ain't it funny how some feelings you just can't deny

They started out with a basic four-step pattern, back and forth almost as if in competition with one another. His hand almost cautiously held her waist, while she wrapped her arm tightly around his neck. A quick jerk to the left, Ryo let go with one hand and Ruki gave a few quick spins, finding herself directly behind Ryo. They remained in step, back-to-back until the next count, when they both turned 180 degrees to face each other again.

And you can't move on even though you try

A Latin variation of the grapevine followed, both of them heading to their right until they were a full two arms’ length apart. Combining a twist, three-step and bend a few times, Ruki followed with a double time spin, landing her in Ryo’s arms for a moment, before pulling away to an extend.

Ain't it strange when your feeling things you shouldn't feel

Ryo gave a smirk as they paused briefly. “Miss Makino, where did you learn to move like that?”

Her reply came with a mirrored smirk of her own, “With a mother like mine, dragging me to all those events when I was younger…” She shrugged. “I kinda picked it up.” And to catch him off guard, Ruki gave him a spin before continuing on. The brunette just barely managed to catch his balance, not to mention guard, before retaliating with a spin on Ruki’s behalf. Unfortunately for him, she had expected it and executed the steps with complete accuracy.

“Showoff.” She answered with a smug look.

Oh, I wish this could be real

Just barely managing to contain their laughter, the two continued dancing on. Every step, spin, twirl, bend, and even pause was a model of perfection…one would almost think they practiced the routine, despite the randomness. As the seconds ticked by, they each became more and more seriously involved in the movement, almost hypnotized by the dance. It just felt so…right.

Ain't it funny how a moment could just change your life

Within a minute, Suzi had managed to encircle the entire room with her dancing. Twice. In the middle of her third time around, her four-year-old curiosity got the better of her when she noticed a large group of people gathering around one area of the room. Various murmurs about a ‘king’ and ‘queen’ were quickly spreading among the crowd, pointing to two rapidly-moving figures amidst the center of it all.

Using the fact that her tiny body was no taller than most of their waists, diminutive Suzi managed to squeeze her way through the forest of legs, eager to find out what everybody was talking about. She imagined a prince and princess like those in the storybooks her brother used to tell her, but then wondered what such fancy people like that would be doing here. But as she got closer, she hear the conversations a little better, only succeeding in confusing the little girl even more.

‘What’s a Digimon king and queen?’ she wondered, an image of Terriermon and Lopmon dressed up in royalty clothes coming to mind. Her attention span reached its maximum with the new idea popping into her head, and she made a quick about-face, heading towards the back of the room where her backpack (and notepad) was. She happily muttered something about a “King and Queen PrettyPants”

And you don't want to face what's wrong or right

The music, as most salsas do, came to an abrupt finish. Ruki found herself tight in Ryo’s embrace, her back leaning against his chest, his arms crossed over her shoulders. Their hands were both clasped, set just touching her abdomen, and his head was resting slightly on the girl’s left shoulder. A perfect fit, given their minor height difference.

Applause erupted from the on-viewers at the magnificent performance the two had just given, though neither were paying much attention. Feeling slightly tired from all the exercise, Ruki slowly leaned back into Ryo’s hold. She closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying the sounds of praise for a skill of hers other than the usual Digimon card game.

A new song came on, soon dissolving the crowd back to their previous locations. It was obviously Japanese in origin, but had a tempo even slower than the waltz played earlier. Ryo looked up and saw other couples coming together, arms around one another and swaying to the music. He smiled when the realization that Ruki had yet to move from his own hold.

“Ruki…dance with me?” He whispered into the girl’s ear, thinking for a moment she had fallen asleep from the lack of response.

But then…“Do I have to move?” It came out almost at a whisper, like she was just drifting off as it was. The brunette gave a sheepish grin at the hint of stubbornness in her voice.

“Not if you don’t want to.”

“Fine…. But just one more dance. And don’t push you’re luck, either.” Ryo could tell she meant to sound slightly threatening, but it had come out much more serenely than Ruki would probably have liked it to. She had yet to turn around, leaning her head against his chest, so he couldn’t see the content look upon her face as he tightened his grip faintly, leading her into a gentle rock in tune to the music

Ain't it strange how fate can play a part in the story of your heart….

* * *

Outside the grounds, and up a tree, a rather odd-looking group gathered amongst a few of the stronger branches in order to look in through the high windows of the building. A groan came from the fox-like creatures, as well as the two dog-rabbits, at the sight of their metal comrade unable to resist an attempt in joining the crowd.

“I’ll tell you, I don’t know what’s worse…his subtlety or his dancing.” The cream-colored dog rabbit commented.

“Terriermon!” His companion scolded, placing a hand on her¹ hips.

“Sorry.”

Atop one of the higher branches, the red dinosaur happily jumped up and down in place, holding to the trunk of the tree for support, at the sight of his Tamer. “Takatomon dancing with Juri! Takatomon dancing with Juri!” On his head, a youthful white ball of fluff was mimicking the dance movements inside as best as possible. This only succeeded in making him dizzy, which he made clear right away in his childish voice.

“Whoa-whoa-whoa…Suzi was right; everybody spins too fast!” Falling off his ‘dance floor’, he was luckily caught by Terriermon and company.

“Hey, Lopmon!” The cream colored of the two turned to his friend with a mock bow, “Would you care to dance?”

She responded with a bow of her own, and the two began salsa dancing to the music projecting through the open window, though not very well. After a spontaneous twirl on Lopmon’s part, Terriermon was accidentally thrown into Renamon’s back, reflex causing her to strike the assailant aside with her tail. Of course, since they were up a tree, there was only one way for him to go…down.

Everybody peered over the edge simultaneously only to find him laying dizzily on his back about nine feet below; hands, feet, and ears spread out wide. “You okay, Terriermon?” Lopmon questioned, trying her best not to giggle.

Terriermon responded with a slight groan. “I’m afraid I’ve got bad new for ‘ya, Loppy…”

“What?”

“I think I’m falling for Renamon!” As he tried to sit up, acorns managed to retaliate at his head for the bad joke, knocking him down again.

Ignoring the display, Renamon chose to remain silent, focusing her attention back toward the inside, where the music was beginning to slow down. Giving a faint smile in happiness for her Tamer , she watched as the young girl danced contently in the arms of Ryo.

~OWARU~
_____________________________________________________________

* (1)- I just wanted to mention that I still think Lopmon was a boy in the Japanese version, but it made a lot more sense to leave ‘her’ Americanized (or whatever) in order for that scene to work. I doubt anyone really cares, but I figured I’d just let ya know.