Rika's Appearance in DIGIMON TAMERS (episodes 25-41)
Before landing to the actual DigiWorld, the Tamers come to this world of data inbetween the worlds where it's very bright. Ruki offers her hand to Juri, who can't see well because she's not wearing sunglasses.
Then they fall from this world into the DigiWorld. After the initial shock Hirokazu and Kenta suggest taking a photo together as the first people ever in this world (little do they know about Ryo at this point xD). Ruki still can't quite grasp this whole Tamer spirit ("How stupid.").
The group soon feels down because they don't know what to do next and how they'll ever be able to get back to the Real World. Ruki on the other hand is a person of action, she pushes the gang forward. She uses her binoculars with rocks shaped as antennas and they decide to check it out.
Leomon and Renamon explain about the DigiWorld a bit. They meet Meramon at the fake antennas, fight him at first but then befriend him. When they go to sleep a hoard of Jagamon runs their way and stumbles the poor Meramon to death. It's their first experience of the often brutal DigiWorld.
After burying Meramon they face Jagamon again and Ruki is angry at them for killing him but Renamon calms her, since the sad situatuon has a complete rational explanation.
Ruki is quite harsh to Jagamon ("You're not lying to us are you?!") when they ask them about Culumon and Makuramon.
A Digital stream suddenly runs towards them and they start running away. Hirokazu and Kenta hesitate too long and then run in a wrong direction, stream continues following them. Ruki sees them:
She and Renamon go after the two to save them.
The stream catches Ruki, Renamon, Hirokazu and Kenta and they fall in a deep windy valley where Babamon and Jijimon live. Ruki is upset with Hirokazu and Kenta for falling asleep after landing in the walley, since it was them who are to blame they ended up here. She complains to Renamon how she was against them coming to the DigiWorld in the first place. She wakes them up by kicking Hirokazu in his butt and she tells them to get back to Shinjuku. Renamon tries to calm them:
Renamon gently scolds Ruki for talking to Hirokazu and Kenta that way. Ruki understands that's no way to talk to your friends but she also thinks they deserve to hear it.
The wind starts blowing hard and they fly into Jijimon and Babamon's house. The two Digimon invite them to stay for a feast and bath. Ruki shows her polite and well mannered side that's very similar to Renamon.
They decide to continue their search for Calumon in the morning. Ruki is more inclined than Renamon to leave Hirokazu and Kenta behind, when the two stay at their hosts' house to ask them to become their Digimon partners. When she goes get them anyway, she's pissed at them for fooling around with the two Digimon, while Renamon and her are trying to get them out of the valley. Not even Renamon stops her there, since she's probably thinking the same thing:
They finally fly away from the valley with a selfmade kite.
The rest of the group end up at a Chuchidarumon' village and help them deal with a wild motorcycle. Impmon digivolves to Beelzebumon.
Ruki, Hirokazu and Kenta manage to find the Tamers flag but Takato, Jian and Juri aren't there anymore. Ruki and Renamon go to explore the area on their own and ask Hirokazu and Kenta to wait by the flag in case someone was to come back to it. Which actually happens but the two couldn't wait there and went following Ruki. [omg]
Another stream appears and the two dorks hesitate to run away yet again. They end up in a weird part of the DigiWorld, full of clocks and gears. Ruki is pissed, this time legitimately [I would murder them]:
Ruki's still mad at them but they look around the strange world when they hear a clock ticking. They find a broken clock and Ruki fixes it against Clockmon's and Hagurumon's warning. The working clock stops the gears and wakes up the evil Ultimate leveled Megadramon.
Ruki is confident Kyubimon will defeat it. They fight but Megadramon's too strong. Cyberdramon suddenly appears and defeats it. Ryo joins him and stops Cyberdramon from killing Megadramon.
Ryo appears in a super cool way. When Ruki sees him, she's shocked and baffled at first. When he shakes her hand she stays speechless but she comes to herself (and recognizes him?) when he tells them to be more careful. She's annoyed by him, his looks and self-confidence.
Hirokazu and Kenta recognize Ryo as Ryo Akiyama, the legendary Tamer. Ruki continues being annoyed by him and doesn't flinch when he introduces himself (because she recognized him already?).
Later thes sit by the fire and Hirokazu and Kenta tell Ryo the story of how they got there. Ryo tells them he's been in the Digiworld for ten months now. Ruki's triggered by everything he says and Hirokazu is convinced that she's only upset because she lost a tournament to Ryo.
Ruki snaps at Hirokazu to sort his own house before judging her skills.
Ryo doesn't seem to remember battling her in a tournament and she denies remembering him. She snaps at him too when he tells her he deserved a thank you.
He then asks them if they want to leave this clocky part of DigiWorld with him. Hirokazu is excited but Ruki doesn't want to go anywhere with Ryo and walks away with Kyubimon, convinced she can find another way out. She really can't stand him if she rather leaves their friends than go with Ryo. :D They ignore everything Ryo's trying to tell them and go their own way.
Ryo's baffled by her behaviour:
Takato and the others meet Ryo, Hirokazu and Kenta in a black-n-white part of the DigiWorld.
Meanwhile, Ruki and Renamon are still walking around the clock-world and searching for the exit. Renamon expresses doubts about Ruki's decision to not follow Ryo but Ruki can't even hear his name. She doesn't want to explain to Renamon why she can't stand him either:
The search for Ruki and Culumon continues. Ruki and Renamon are in a forest. DigiGnomes hear Ruki is thirsty and lead her to a lake, while Renamon is getting them something to eat. Sudden giant waves almost drown Ruki but it's Culumon that saves her.
Giant waves come back and the three get flooded back to the desert-like DigiWorld. Friends finally reunite.
Ruki sincerely apologizes for making them worry. Later she suggests it's time to return to the Real World but noone knows how.
Renamon is still struggling to understand her seemingly irational disliking of Ryo.
Beelzebumon finally finds them, Kyubimon is the only one who recognize him as Impmon. Ruki is ready to fight him regardless of who he is, since he just told them he's there to kill them. Meanwhile in the Real World, Hypnos launches Shaggai again to test it but the test goes wrong and the program out of control. They even feel the consequences in the Digiworld in form of a sudden storm. Taomon protects the Tamers from it, Chatsuramon appears, destroys Taomon's safe place and kidnaps Culumon. The storm blows Jian, Terriermon and Takato into a stream.
The storm finally stops when Yamaki successfully turns down Shaggai.
The gang walk around the desert area, worrying about Takato, Jian and Culumon.
Ruki still has moments of snaping at people the moment they annoy her. Renamon helps her stop and take a deep breath before moment of annoyance she could start a fight or hurt someone's feelings. Ruki clearly understands that because she agrees with Renamon and calms down.
They suddenly fall into the sand and end up in a foresty place ruled by Orochimon. They meet Andromon there who's fighting against him. Andromon is hurt by the fight and they decide to treat him back to health. They find a liquor factory in a village, run by Gekomon. Orochimon wants them to make the alcohol because he believes it makes him strong (he's an alcoholic).
Orochimon appears and kidnaps Juri. While being taking away, Juri tells them she'll be fine since she's used to dealing with drunkards since her father owns a restaurant. Poor Juri, this was so random and heartbreaking! >< Orochimon wants her to pour him liquor.
Gekomon help to save Juri by hiding the rest of the group in empty liqour barrels. They defeat Orochimon with the help of Juri's good card choice and Ruki congratulates her friend for the win. Hirokazu becomes Guardromon's Tamer.
Takato and Jian manage to send a message to Yamaki through his communicator. Meanwhile in the Real World, the Wild Bunch gathers the parents of the Tamers to explain about the DigiWorld. Seiko is positive the kids will come back safely.
Yamaki joins them to share the message he got from Takato. He tells Takato all of their families are there with him and Takato and Jian write messages to the families, empersonating their friends because they've been separated. Takato writes in Ruki's name:
Ruki finds out later that he put hearts next to the message too and is angry about it. xD
Takato and Jian meet Shibumi, who explains them a bit about Digimon' existence.
Jian's younger sister ends up in the DigiWorld where she meets Antylamon, the rabbit Deva, who protects her from Makuramon. He becomes her Digimon and de-digivolves to Lopmon.
The group is stil searching for Takato and Jian. Growmon asks Leomon why he became Juri's partner and then Leomon asks Kyubimon the same question. We learn about Renamon's side of story:
Meanwhile, Takato and Jian are attacked by Beelzebumon at the domain of the Four Sovereigns when Beelzebumon. He's too strong for Rapidmon and Takato cries for Guilmon. The others hear his voice coming from a stream and decide to get carried away by it to reach their two friends:
The stream gets them to Takato and Jian, and the fight against Beelzebumon begins. Kyubimon is hurt during the fight and can't evolve. Ruki doesn't know what to do, she knows no card is going to help. Beelzebumon is about to stab Kyubimon with his clawy hands and kill her when Leomon jumps in and he kills him instead.
Filled with rage Takato wishes so bad for MegaloGrowmon to digivolve into his Mega level that he evolves to the dangerous Megidramon, making all of the kids, including Takato, speechless in fear.
Megidramon is a worthy opponent for Beelzebumon but the evolution has its consequences and puts the DigiWorld in danger, the ground starts falling apart.
Ruki doesn't want Kyubimon to fight because she's still injured but she and Rapidmon have to stop the fight because it's destroying the Digiworld. Ruki realizes she can't back away from the fight and lets Kyubimon evolve to her Ultimate level. The two get caught by Beelzebumon's new power he got from loading Makuramon but Ruki and Jian use a card to save them. However, the two Digimon lose their power to Beelzebumon and return to their Rookie level. The new power gives Beelzebumon enough strength to defeat Megidramon.
Juri begs them to stop fighting and is angry at Takato for making Guilmon into a monster like that. Ruki actually tries to calm down Suichon when she starts crying.
Beelzebumon still wants to kill them all and starts walking towards Takato, lifeless Megidramon and Juri. Ruki screams for them to go away to safety. Everyone is screaming for Takato when Beelzebumon shoots at him. Takato asks Guilmon for forgivness and they evolve together to Dukemon.
Ruki notices Takato is nowhere to be seen after the evolution.
Ruki and the rest watch the fight between Beelzebumon and Dukemon, Ruki's holding injured Renamon on her shoulder.
The fight is destroying the DigiWorld. When Dukemon protects Kenta from B's shots, Kenta feels Takato is a part of Dukemon and that he fights together with Guilmon. The rest soon realize it's true when they hear his voice. Dukemon defeats Belzeebumon but lets him live after Juri asks him to spare his life.
Tamers are finally getting to save Culumon who is being captured in Zhuqiaomon's castle. Juri is sitting away from the rest, looking at her dead D-Power and Takato wants to explain why they need to fight this one more battle to free Culumon. Ruki helps him:
I like how consistant they are with Ruki's changed mindset. She doesn't want to fight but knows when she just has to.
The trio, their Digimon and Lopmon go to Zhuqiaomon's castle. Ruki wonders if her family is worried about her and Takato remembers to tell her he sent an email in her name to her mother.
He did, a few of them actually, and can't hide it. She yells at him for it, maintaining her reputation. She still can't stand cute things but has opened enough to her friends to be able to express worry and gratitude for them (although still blushing when doing the latter).
They get to the castle and Digimon feel some bad energy. Jian feels he needs to get Culumon fast to get Suichun home. There's a nice scene where they all acknowledge being a team:
The Digimon evolve to their Ultimate level but are no match for Zhuqiaomon. Rapidmon is in a really bad shape and Jian feels bad he didn't notice anything earlier. The Digimon can't take it anymore, dedigivolves to Terriermon who's determined to continue fighting so that they can all return home. He and Jian evolve to SaintGalgomon together and defeat the Sovereign, or at least it seems like they do.
Zhuqiaomon is not yet defeated and the fight continues. He's too strong and the Tamers just fly around dodging him. Qinglongmon, another Sovereign, stops Zhuqiaomon from killing them. The trio finds out about the true enemy they should all be fighting against together.
They stop fighting and Qinglongmon explains about the new enemy, where it's been hiding and why they took Culumon. Shibumi suddenly appears to tell them about the D-Reaper.
Qinglongmon takes Tamers to where Culumon is captured. Ryo joins them there, since Cyberdramon feels the D-Reaper is the true enemy he must fight. D-Reaper bubbles are showing its powers when they erase everything they come in touch with. Tamers know they have to save Culumon as soon as possible regardless the danger. Ruki and Renamon decide to go deeper into the chasm to explore it.
Ryo starts following them when Ruki almost falls down the cliff and Renamon saves her.
Ruki feels bad about Juri and asks Renamon if she believes they can change faith:
They finally get to Culumon and Renamon saves them from a bubble. The bubble erases Ruki's backpack. Cyberdramon saves them from a second bubble and Ryo pulls them inside a cave. They have to stop the bubbles to be able to return back up. Ryo and Cyberdramon make an obstacle and stop the bubble momentarily. They must now hurry back up before they come through or even explode under the pressure. They're already close to the top when the bubbles come through. One of them destroys the thingy on Ryo's arm.
She ignores Ryo's calls. Renamon is trying to convince her to go back, too.
Ruki is still looking down, completely calm.
D-Reaper destroys the obstacle and the two jump down into the bubbles. Their faith in being able to change the fate by doing something in the present that will affect the future helps them to evolve to Sakuyamon, their Mega level.
Ruki looks really happy inside of Sakuyamon ("It's so warm.") and they're fighting on some kind of a spiritual level (Ruki looks like she's praying), which brings out a side of Ruki she's been hiding behind her tough tomboyish presence.
They fight off the enemy for long enough so that they can escape safely. Ryo is delighted by her and she likes hearing it.
They return to the others and Sakuyamon dedigivolves. Juri breaks her sorrow for the first time and runs to Ruki to hug her.
D-Reaper keeps destroying everything it touches. Culumon returns the light of evolution. Ruki catches him when he falls exhausted and tells him he did a great job. Tamers get a message from Yamaki telling them the ark is finished and they can all go home, their parents have also been notified. They have 40min to find the ark and board it. The four Sovereigns tell them to go and leave the enemy to them.
Qinglong takes them to where they first appeared in the Digiworld. Meanwhile, D-Reaper is trying to get into the Real World and it makes it difficult to send the ark.
Renamon hears Beelzebumon's screams in the distance and catches Impmon's scarf. She wants to bring Impmon with them, although they have less than 30min until their ride comes. She asks Ruki to come with her. The rest of the group isn't too happy to hear they're leaving but they promise to be back in time.
They go search for Impmon and Renamon reveals to Ruki why she needed to it:
They first felt this when they were trying to understand their relationship. It was the need to protect eachother that brought them closer and this need has reached others they care about, even though they might not deserve it at first glance.
They find Impmon, who's injured and filled with regret. Ruki gives him his scarf back and they leave together. The ark appears on time but the connection to the Real World is not stable and they have to go immediately.
Ruki and Renamon are late but the rest don't want to leave before they come back. Ark starts to move, Takato is waiting outside and Ryo volunteers to go search for the two. Ark stops after Guilmon asks it to and everyone boards in time. They're shocked to see Impmon but noone says anything against it. Ruki even apologizes to Hirokazu when he scolds her for being late.
Ruki's sitting next to (D-Reaper-in-disguise-)Juri and comforts her.
Ark gives its best to make it to the Real World. They successfully return to Shinjuku park, where their parents are already waiting for them. Ruki is holding Juri. The reunion with the parents is emotional for most of them.
Takato hears from Reika that nobody came to pick up Juri and decides to accompany her home. Ruki gives her her jacket.
Shinjuku is being evacuated and Tamers have to move away from Tokyo with their families. A few hours later Shinjuku is covered with D-Reaper.