//------------------------------//
// 9- Sibling Rivalry 
// Story: The Fox and the Filly 
// by FrostTheWolf 
//------------------------------//


The Fox and the Filly- Sibling Rivalry




Mountainside Cabin (Snowy Peaks)

        “I must say, this cabin of yours is rather cozy in here,” Celestia complimented Rena and the others as the Princess took a seat on a cushion in the living room. It had to take around ten to fifteen minutes in order to be able to explain to everyone that she wanted to talk to them… and most of them were open minded on the subject. ‘Most’ being the optimal word in this case because Leona decided to bolt for the safety of her own room instead of actually being disciplined and coming out to talk with Celestia. “Reminds me of the homes in the Crystal Empire to a degree.”

        “Wait… That’s seriously a thing-?” Lyall asked, before being elbowed by Rena as the strabimon turned towards her. “Oww… What gives, sis?”

        “Show her some respect…” Rena deadpanned, before they both heard the alicorn speak up a little bit.

        “Excuse me for interrupting your conversation, but you two are siblings?” Celestia asked, sounding a bit surprised by what she had just heard from both of the digimon. Shortly before Rena turned to face the princess as she sat on the floor.

        “Yeah, we are. Lyall here is my younger brother while I’m the oldest of the two. We only managed to reunite with one another a few weeks ago, and even that in itself was something I thought would never happen. Then again, I never thought I would have the privilege to meet Twilight’s own mentor and the ruler of Equestria.” The renamon replied back to her as Spike poured them both a glass of tea. Rena going as far as to add a bit of sugar and some milk to hers before drinking it.

        “Well, I’m flattered… though, I only watch over my subjects during the day,” The alicorn replied back. To which had Rena seem a little bit surprised before the alicorn took a sip of her tea. “My sister watches over my subjects in the evening. My student and fellow princess, Twilight, watches over the ponies in Ponyville while also helping to solve friendship problems across Equestria and my niece, Cadence, watches over the subjects of the crystal empire in the north.”

        “Um… are you forgetting that one guy who used my sister as a equine shield?” Sweetie Belle asked, only leading to Celestia letting out a deep sigh.

        “If you’re referring to my nephew Blueblood… well, there is a reason why we had to limit the authority of his royal decrees in Canterlot,” The Princess sighed as she set down her teacup using her levitation magic before she continued to speak. “If you all happened to come there, he would think of your partners as ‘alien races’ who would not understand anglo-saxon laws, seeing that along the moral grounds for treating you as inferior and wanting for you to never come back to Canterlot again.”

        All that did though, was cause a different kind of response from Lyall. “Wow… Alien races who would not understand anglo-saxon laws? I find that condescending… and my sister and I are both british,” The Strabimon stated. “Back where we are from, our ancestors basically invented condescending.”

        A brick chose this moment to fly through the broken window and hit Lyall in the head. Causing him to scratch the back of it in pain, before realizing that it had a note. One that his partner, Button Mash, happen to read first. “A gift for always being so condescending… Heart symbol… from Leona,” The colt read, before looking back at his partner, while Rena was trying to resist the urge to facepaw herself. “What does she mean by that?”

        “You probably don’t want to know…” Rena sighed for a moment, before looking back at Twilight and Celestia. “So, out of curiosity… How much do you two know?”

        “Quite a lot…” Twilight cleared her throat. “First off, Rarity told me a small bit about you and Sweetie Belle beforehand… Though, for the rest of it, I just used a mind reading spell on Spike when he was having a snack.”

        “I knew it!! I knew that Sapphire Sundae was too good to be true!” The baby dragon declared, which… really didn't settle very well with the rest of them.

        “Anyways… I found a lot of the information to seem rather surprising. I mean, part of what I got from Spike was about how you are know as Digimon, they come from a universe in our own world called the Digital World and also some Digimon can form partnerships with some ponies that are known as tamers…” Though, even though she was saying all of this the best she could… there seemed to be something along the lines of confusion with every word that she said. Before the Alicorn asked a simple question. “Is… all of this true?”

        “The whole subject of Digimon and the Digital World in it’s entirely is a rather complex subject… but for the parts that you said. Yes, that is true,” Rena nodded her head in response. “Yet, there can also be structures that were created within the Digital World that also exist in the real world. Such as this Cabin here, which Leona made…”

        “Was that the person who wasn’t able to meet us today?” Celestia herself asked, causing the renamon to nod her head. However, what she heard the princess of the sun say next really surprised Rena personally. “I see… I was really hoping to meet her.” Of course… That was one thing that sounded like it would be a disaster in the making if it were to happen, given how Leona has a HUGE distaste for both Twilight and Celestia.

        “Yeah… Leona might think otherwise,” She replied, before beginning to explain why. “From the world she once lived in, she remembered her Twilight wanting to try and experiment with her like a mad scientist and since her strength rivals that of you… well… did rival that of you, she would see you more as somepony who automatically thinks she is a threat than just someone who wants to be left alone.”

        “Hunh… I see,” Celestia replied. “I’m sure it was just a misunderstanding…”

        Of course… all that did was cause a brick from the wall to fall into Rena’s lap. And just like the last one, it had a note from Leona herself that stated that it was far from a simple misunderstanding. Only leading to Rena sighing for a moment as she looked back at the `princesses.

        This was definitely going to be a long conversation.



Everfree

        Shortly after making her escape from the cottage, Leona immediately dashed off towards the Everfree. More specifically, the temporary residence of her daughter, Lea, and the hive she had. Lea was… a rather unique case to put it specifically. For she was half digimon-half changeling and when she changed forms, she turned into the form of a TigerVespamon while her other hive members turned into Waspmon.

        Though, her daughter did not entirely expect for her mother to show up randomly out of the blue.

        “Lea! Hide me! Quick!” Leona gasped as she barged in on her daughter, who stared at her in shock having just been instructing three of her newly hatched half changelings.

        “Mother? What's wrong?” Lea asked, the yellow queen letting the hatchlings scurry away with a swish of her tentacle like tail. “You look like you saw an alicorn.”

        “I did! One minute me and Rena were cuddling and the next thing I know I hear Twilight and Celestia are knocking on my door!” Was Leona’s panicked reply. 

        “Wait, what? How did they find your cabin though? Also… what's this about that Renamon you were flirting with~?” Lea asked sounding concerned before becoming suspicious and looming over her mother like a shark that just smelled blood.

        “Er… Hehehe, about that~” Leona said while turning pink as she finally slowed down and registered where this conversation was going. “It's not wh-”

        “It sounds to me VERY much what it sounds like~” Lea purred as Leona began to sweat a fountain.

        “I'm not going to be able to escape or get you to stop pestering me till I tell you what happened last night aren't I?” Leona asked, a look of sheer embarrassment and terror on her face.

        “Nope~”



Much Later…

        It took about a short while in order to explain the situation in it’s entirety to that of Princess Celestia. But after explaining how that they were coming here in order to be able to not just get stronger, but make sure that when Sangloupmon attacks that he does not harm any other ponies, the sun princess was… alright with that. Though, Rena did ask to make sure that besides them, nopony else was to know about this. Because the less ponies who knew about what was going on, the better.

        Now though, both Celestia and Twilight left, Lyall and the others were training downstairs in Leona’s colosseum while Rena herself was just enjoying some tea in the living room. Wondering when exactly Leona was to come back.

        Suddenly Rena heard the front door open as the window that broke when Leona jumped through it began to repair itself. Turning around, she thought that Leona was back, given the window was now being repaired. “Welcome back, Leona.”

        “H-hey Rena…” Leona said, her face bright pink as she was held in Lea’s yellow levitation field, said half changeling right next to her. 

        “Hello again Rena~” Lea said with a cheeky smile. “Or would you prefer me to start calling you mother as well~?”

        That… just had Rena look back at her with a confused look on her face. “What… exactly happened while you were gone, Leona? Celestia and Twilight only wanted to be informed about what was going on so they wouldn’t interfere with anything else and then you started to dive through windows like a mad-mon saying ‘You’ll never take me alive!’.”

        “Because they will never take me alive!” Leona declared, before becoming meek again as she said “As for what happened… my daughter here mayyy have interrogated me for starting my explanation for being in her hive the way I did…” in response to Rena’s question.

        “I beginning to think, just on that alone… that your ‘may’ means absolutely…” Rena deadpanned,earning a chuckle from Lea. “So, what exactly did you tell her?”

        “Everything~” Lea purred, making Leona become almost as pink as that night in embarrassment.

        “Dear Sovereigns… Well, I guess that makes it official,” Rena replied back as she looked back at Lea, scratching the back of her head before facing the half changeling directly. “Yes. Leona and I are a couple… Leona was complaining about the fact that I don’t spend enough time with her unlike Sweetie Belle, so I took some time to spend with her last night and… well, I think you know exactly what happened next.”

        “Yup~” Lea giggled before commenting as she looked towards her mother, “Seems some things never change despite one’s age or power~”

        “Leaaaaaa!” Leona whined in protest, causing her daughter’s grin to become almost predatory in amusement. Something that caught Rena by surprise for a moment, before smiling a bit as she looked back at them.

        “So… Would the three of us be considered a family now? Or what are we exactly? Because I think Leona hates the idea of having Lyall be your uncle.” Rena told Lea, just as they both looked back at the Coronamon and expected her to say something.

         Leona made a move to comment but was interrupted by a hoof appearing in her mouth as Lea said, “Oh, don't worry~ I have that covered~” her eyes becoming slits as her grin threatened to split her face in half.

        “Um… Covered how?” Rena asked her, before taking a quick look to Leona and becoming a bit worried. Mostly because the words ‘murder horrifically’ were written all over Lea’s face right now based on her facial expression.

        “You will see~ Mother?” Lea purred turning to Leona.

        “Wait, right now!? But but but…” Leona sputtered as her eyes began to turn into swirls.

        “Technically, they’re downstairs training right now,” Rena told them. “Lyall wanted to make sure that Guilmon had some kind of combat experience just in case Sangloupmon showed up at our door anytime soon. Sweetie, Spike, Button and Applebloom are down there too.”

        “... This will be even more entertaining then~” Lea smirked before her form shifted, becoming that of a yellow unicorn mare as tall as Celestia with a black mane and tail. “Shall we?” She then said with a smirk as she grabbed Rena with her magic as well and made for the elevator.

        “Um… I was going to say yes. You didn’t need to do that.” Rena insisted, feeling a little bit uncomfortable in the magical grip she was in. 

        “True, but do you really want to wait on that elevator car?” Lea asked as Leona gave Rena an apologetic glance. The renamon herself… was not sure what she was getting herself into… or for that matter, what Lea was planning to do. Either way though, the fox digimon had a feeling that this was going to make her a bit uneasy after all of this. “Ready? No? Oh well~” Lea said as the elevator opened to reveal its shaft to be empty, followed moments later by Lea dropping Leona directly out of her levitation field and directly into the empty elevator.

        “When raising you… what, did, I, do, Wroooooooooooong!” Leona said as she fell down the shaft, her voice echoing up. Rena’s heart skipped a beat when Leona was dropped, thinking that she was really going to hurt herself once she reached the bottom.

        “I hope you don't mind, but calling both you and mom mom will be confusing, anything else you want me to call you instead?” Lea asked sweetly as she turned to face Rena, whom she placed on her back.

        “N-not that I can think of, really… Rena is fine.” The Renamon replied back, a little unsure about what was going to happen next.

        “If that's what you want then, Rena.” Lea replied with a smile, before it turned into a smirk as she dived into the elevator with Rena sitting on her back and hanging on for dear life. To Rena, this almost felt like she was plunging to her untimely demise… or basically the premise of skydiving without a parachute as she continued to hold on to Lea as they fell down.

        Almost as suddenly as it began, Rena went from feeling like she was free falling on back of a horse to almost as if she was levitating and then followed moments later by softly impacting Lea’s back like a sack of potatoes landing on a balance bar. “And we're here~ now wasn't that much faster?” Lea asked as the renamon, just as soon as the vertigo passed for the fox like digimon.

        “ …… And just when I thought the princesses were the only things stopping by today,” The sound of Lyall sighing to himself was heard, just as Rena and Leona looked up to see him with all three of their tamers. “Where were you Leona? We were just finishing up a combat training session with Guilmon just now.”

        “She was with me, uncle~ Can’t a mother go visit her daughter from time to time~?” Lea suddenly said as she stepped out of the elevator shaft and let Rena off as Leona walked behind them, averting her gaze as she brushed herself off from the landing.

        Lyall himself… seemed more confused than anything at first… before looking at Leona as she was gripping onto Rena’s leg before letting out a deep sigh. “Wait… Uncle?” He said, before turning his gaze to the Coronamon. “What in the name of the Sovereigns is going on? I’m too young to be even considered that…”

        “Lyall, calm down please,” Rena urged him to try and calm down a bit. “Leona and I are… well… going further into a relationship and now, you’re meeting her daughter, Lea.”

        “Oh wow……” The Strabimon replied, looking rather stunned for a moment. “Are you-?”

        “I'm not adopted.” Lea added in, dropping the metaphorical anvil on him and the tamers.

        “I wasn’t going to ask that.” Lyall insisted, trying to not avert his gaze. “I was trying to ask if you were a digimon… Since, according to what my sister said about this place, only digimon and those who are tamers can be here.”

        “Well I am Leona’s biological daughter, of course I can make it down here. Half digimon fit into that list as well kiddo.” Lea said with a cheeky grin.

        “Hunh… well, I did not know that, my apologies.” The Strabimon told her sincerely. “Still though… It seems weird with you calling me ‘Uncle’. I’m only like… sixteen last I checked.”

        “And last I checked im now in my sixties, so indeed you should feel weird~” Lea chuckled, a teasing grin plastered across her face. Which, caught Lyall off guard as he looked back at Leona and Rena. But did not dare to ask the question on his mind.

        Instead though, Rena did that for him. “Wait… if you’re in your sixties… then how old is Leona? I mean… I’m only twenty one since my brother is five years younger than me.” She said, before looking at Leona with an uncomfortable gaze.

        Leona shifts as she looks anywhere but at the other digimon in the room as she slowly turns pink. “U-um… over 100?” She said shyly.

        “Hunh… I honestly thought you would be younger. You don’t look a day over eighty,” Rena chuckled, rubbing Leona’s head playfully as she went pink even more.

        “Hey! What's that supposed to mean!?” Leona pouted as she stared at Rena. “Plus, im actually young compared to this world’s sovereigns, unless you want me to use my age against you two?” She then added in both complaint and warning.

        “No no, it’s supposed to be a compliment,” Rena insisted. “Geez, I try to say one nice thing and now you’re taking it like a threat.”

        “Then at least say thirty, I know full well you two still think in human terms unlike me so I feel like your calling me a grandma… even if I am technically am one… despite the fact that age doesn't mean much to us as digimon.” Leona rambled, pouting more that she is being misunderstood.

        All Rena did was just decide to pick up Leona by her fur and hold onto her for. “If you excuse me, I think Leona needs to cool off for a moment-”

        “One thing first…” Lyall told them. “Earlier, I was working with Sweetie Belle and the others to try and get them ready for the next time that they have to fight a digimon and I got some good news.” The Strabimon himself took a deep breath, before looking back at both of them. “I think Spike and Sweetie Belle can be able to digivolve you two to your champion forms now.”

        “Hehehe, about that…” Leona said with a nervous expression. “Actually, nevermind. Hey Lea, why don't you teach Lyall how you really use a energy sword~?” She then said, changing topic and causing Lea to give Lyall a look like a lion sizing up a mouse.

        “I dont think thats a good idea mom, after all I don't want to hurt your new brother in law.” Lea said in concern before teasing, making Leona groan and wonder once again where she went wrong with raising the half digimon.

        “I would have to agree… besides, I would need Button with me in order to be able to digivolve right now and they’re upstairs.” Lyall said, scratching the back of his head now. “That and also, I’m still a bit sore after Leona had the cabin throw a brick at my head.”

        “You deserved it.” Leona quipped, causing Lea to shrug and lift all three of them in her magic.

        “So who wants to go upstairs the fast way~” Lea then asked.

        “Um… is the ‘fast way’ a violation of safety hazards?” Lyall gulped, not wanting to know what she meant by that… and worrying that he might throw up what he just ate a little while ago if she did toss them up there.

        “Lyall, do you like roller coasters?” Leona asked before turning to Lea. “Can me and Rena be left down here for a bit… for, reasons?” She then added with a blush.

        “I didn't know it was spring.” Lea teased causing Leona to become bright pink in embarrassment. “Sure i'll leave you two down here.” Lyall looked back at Leona and Rena with a raised eyebrow… before the two of them were set down and he was yanked upward with Lea at extremely fast speeds. It might have been true that he liked roller coasters… but this was MUCH different.

        Yet, as Rena was watching her brother getting yanked upward through the elevator shaft, she had one question for Leona. “So, what did you want to show me, Leona?”

        “Um, have I shown you around my rebuilt temple?” Leona said, seeming like she was dodging the subject with how much she was blushing and averting her eyes as she talked. “I have never had someone to give me opinions on its design.”

        “Well, I believe you have shown me around just the other day and I do like a lot of things…” Rena replied back, letting Leona follow her before coming up on one particular room. “Though, I think there’s one place that you really was for us to be in right now… am I right?”

        As Leona looked at the bedroom door she became completely pink, realising what Rena was getting at as she started to sputter. “I-I-I... um… uh… Meep?” 

        “I’ll just take that as as yes then.” Rena smiled.



Upstairs

        “So Lea… Can I ask you something?” Lyall asked Lea as they stood outside the cabin. It had been a few minutes since they originally came back up to the main floor of the cabin, but it was also during that time that Lea and Lyall decided to step outside and leave Sweetie Belle and the others be, while Spike was showing off and pretending to use his digimodify cards like he was actually in a battle. “How experienced are you when it comes to combat?”

        “Hmm, I would say I am quite experienced.” Lea said offhandedly, unable to think of an appropriate example to compare herself to. “Why do you ask?”

        “Well… the reason why Leona and the rest of us came out here was because we were trying to get stronger…” Lyall explained at first, before beginning to inform her of some more details. “There was a champion level digimon named Sangloupmon who not only attacked Sweetie Belle’s sister, Rarity… but also murdered her mother a long time ago. And the first time we tried to fight her left Rena in really bad shape. I know that it’s been some time since then… but I’m a little unsure if we’re ready to fight against a champion digimon right now.”

        “I'm going to be blunt here, but how much experience do you two even have fighting other digimon?” Lea asked. “Or even fighting in general?”

        “Well, my sister’s had another partner before me and I believe they’ve fought before… me though? Button’s the only partner I have right now.” He admitted to her. “Though, before ending up as digimon, both Rena and I took martial arts lessons and such. Not sure how that applies here, but… The point is, I don’t want to feel like we’re going to go into a fight unprepared, so I thought you would be able to give us some advice on the matter.”

        “Hmm…” Lea Hummed as she tapped her chin with a hoof. “I think I can do something to help, after all your pretty much family now.” She then said with a smirk.

        “Um… What exactly did you have in mind?” He asked, shortly before he heard the sliding door open as Rena soon stepped out.

        “There you guys are. Leona just decided to pass out and fall asleep, so I came to see how you guys were doing,” Rena said, before looking at both of them. “You two getting along now?”

        “Oh really now? She did, did she?” Lea asked as she slowly faced towards Rena with her smirk as if she had expected her and had her expression prepared just for the renamon. “And I was about to say, you two are going to spar as I give pointers.”

        “Wait… you mean Lyall and I?” Rena asked, looking back at her brother before he decided to speak.

        “I was asking Lea for some advice on combat because I wanted to see if she had any pointers for handling a champion level digimon like Sangloupmon,” He said, before cracking his knuckles and jumping over a guard railing. “Though, if I were to be honest with you… I am curious to see which one of us would win in a fight.”

        Now it was Rena’s turn to borrow a line that Lea said just a few moments ago. “Oh really now? You sound quite confident in yourself.”

        “Well, before we were digimon, both you and I did compete at a lot of things,” Lyall replied back. “Video games, races, impersonations of the royal family in england…”

        “And on the last one, you failed at trying to say ‘Yas, queen!’ so bad that I felt ashamed of my heritage for one day…” Rena deadpanned.

        “Ooh, burn.” Lea giggled.

        “Right, but I did beat you at some things…”

        “That’s because I let you win at those… you know, so you can enjoy the glory as well.” Rena smirked. Leaving Lyall baffled for a moment at hearing his sister tell him that.

        “… Say what, now?”

        Lea suddenly burst out laughing as she fell on her side, her tail thrashing about like a mad snake. “Ahahaha! Oh, you two are HILARIOUS! And Rena, I now understand what my mom saw in you, your totally her type!” 

        “Why thanks for the compliment,” The renamon told her in response, before looking at her brother. “So… let’s get this started… But before we do,” That was when Rena looked back at her brother and asked something. “What’s that thing on your face?”

        That… had Lyall look a bit confused, raising an eyebrow before speaking. “My face? What do you mean-?”

        “My FIST!” Immediately, Rena charged at Lyall and struck him directly in the face with a clenched fist. Sending Lyall tumbling backward through the snow before he got back up on his feet and charged back. Attacking with a series of feral swipes and kicks to counter Rena’s own attacks as he was doing what he could to try and get some kind of advantage.

        However, Rena stayed calm and collective as she blocked and countered each one of Lyall’s attacks. Waiting for him to make a mistake and provide an opening that she could be able to capitalize on. Of course, that opportunity came when Lyall jumped in the air to perform his ‘Licht Bein’ attack in the form of a somersault kick. But Rena herself not only evaded the attacked, but grabbed Lyall a few seconds later and hit him with ‘Power Paw’ in order to send him into a nearby tree. All to the Strabimon’s shock and surprise because he did not think that his sister was this experienced in a fight.

        But the current battle right now was seen as rather amusing and entertaining to Lea. But what she found to be more amusing was that Rena was even going as far as to use moves that a normal renamon would not have. Including making a crystalline staff in order to try and rush Lyall into a corner, even though one of the Strabimon’s attacks broke the staff into pieces. Yet, that gamble was all it needed for Rena to close the gap.

        Though… this was when Lyall began to fight back. And came at her swinging. “Darkness HAND!”

        “Wha-?” Rena said, before a claw of shadows grabbed at Rena’s face and threw her into the snow before yanking her back at Lyall. Who followed that up with a barrage of attacks that were not just normal punches and kicks, but also his other moves.

        Still… in Lea’s mind, despite this comeback though, Rena clearly seemed to outclass her brother in many categories. And she had no problem telling them that out loud. “While this is amusing to watch, it's obvious that your on the losing end Lyall. Actually you were at a disadvantage from the start, but the best way to learn is from your failures so I insisted on you two sparring anyway.” She said despite how it looked like the fight might be moving in his direction.

        “Gee, thanks for the advice…” Lyall sarcastically groaned. Only to watch his sister grin for a moment as he looked back at her. “Uh… Rena? What are you doing?”

        “Well… Lea just gave me an idea… I haven’t used this ability in a long time, but Lea had me thinking… what better sparring partner than yourself?” With that, she placed both of her paws together as some of the snow kicked up around her, shortly before speaking one word.

        “Kohenkyo.”

        “Kohen-what?” Lyall asked, before some of that same snow was blasted in his face. However, when he saw his sister charging at him through the snow… he was completely surprised to find himself blocking an attack… from another Strabimon. “What the-!?”

        “Oh this is going to be good~” Lea singsonged before muttering “Wish I had some popcorn.”

        It was when she said that… and while Lyall was caught off guard that his opponent knocked him to the ground with an overhead kick. Immediately sending his face into the snow, before being knocked upward in a roundhouse kick. “What’s the matter, Lyall? Can’t keep up the fight?”

        “H-how the hell are you-?” Lyall coughed for a moment, before finishing his sentence. “How the hell are you able to do that?”

        “Oh? You really want for me to spoil it for you?” She asked him. Though, the deadpan expression from her brother caused her to let out a deep sigh. “Ugh, fine… This is one of my own attacks called Kohenkyo. It’s not exactly an attack in the form you think it would be, but it’s more of an attack in order to trick an opponent. Copying their physical appearance and going as far as to re-cover the skin and/or texture of their body. I could even mimic Leona if I were to fake her out, but that would be cruel?”

        “But why do something like that now?” Lyall then asked.

        “Well… the best way for you to improve on your skills is to learn from your own mistakes…” Rena replied, still in her disguise before attacking Lyall again. “And the best way to do something like that is for you to fight yourself since I would be mimicking your own fighting style.”

        “Very interesting, you certainly catch on faster than your brother. Though your still a bit slow when it comes to my mother’s lessons but we can fix that with time.” Lea chuckled in comment to Rena’s statement.

        “I’m really not so focused on winning right now as I am to fixing my brother’s flawed fighting technique,” Rena then stated, before looking back at Lea. “I prefer a bout where the opponents are a similar playing field.”

        “Flawed!? Are you freaking kidding me?!” Lyall snapped.

        “It seems your fighting style itself is flawed as well, after all what's the first rule of fighting?” Lea sighed.

        “Don’t talk about fight club?” Rena asked, before snickering. “I’m joking… as you were saying.”

        “It's never underestimate your opponent. Lyall if you would~” Lea said before smirking. Of course, when Lyall did charge at Rena, she was able to dodge a leaping kick… but not when that kick whirled around and knocked her to the ground after hitting her in the back of the head. Though, it was after that when Lyall did the most stupidest thing and boasted about it afterwards. Leading to Rena countering him with a flurry of kicks and a punch so strong that it sent him flying directly into the cottage.

        And into the living room where Sweetie Belle and the others were. Before hearing the sound of sizzling as Rena turned to Lea. “And that… is the sound of my brother’s ego burning in the fireplace…”

        “AGH!!! PUT IT OUT!!!” They heard Lyall shout before they watched him try to put out his burning fur by rolling around in the snow as it were an emergency.

        “Hahaha, as I said Lyall you were fated to lose from the start.” Lea laughed at the burning digimon rolling around in the snow. “And as for you, let this be a reminder that no matter how strong or weak your opponent is that they can always pose a threat. This time it was a kick in a friendly spar against your brother, but next time you might not be so lucky and you will have more than just your own life in your paws.” She then said to Rena in a serious tone.

        “I understand that… and I thank you for the advice. It’s very helpful.”

        “So long as you remember it thats what counts. Don't learn everything the hard way like my mother, you have two experienced war veterans here to coach you after all.” Lea said with a kind and somewhat aged looking smile. “Now, who wants smores!” She called out loud enough for the fillies, Button and Spike hear her.

        “Did somepony say smores!?” They heard Sweetie Belle and Button Mash say almost simultaneously.

        “I’m hungry! Let’s do it!!” They heard Spike say now. “I’ll grab the chocolate and graham crackers!”

        “I’ll get the marshmallows!!” Applebloom shouted. “Oh and Guilmon wants one too!”

        Lea giggled as she walked over to the fillies and drake. “Alright then, i'll set up the fire pit and get some marshmallow roasting sticks so everyone meet back here in five minutes.” She told them with a wink as she proceeded to start melting the snow with her magic around a pit made of large rocks that was completely covered by the snow until now.

        As for Lyall… well… “This… is not over, Rena.”

        “Oh, I’m sure we’ll have more bouts like that in the future, Lyall,” She said with a grin as she turned back into her original appearance. “But hey… at least you’re not fighting Leona right now…”

        “Yeah, but with her, we were doing it as an exercise to see if Spike and the others were prepared. You and I did it to see who was stronger… and I have to admit, our battle was quite the workout.” He replied back.

        “It helped you burn some calories, didn’t it?” Rena teased.

        “…… That’s not funny, sis.” The Strabimon groaned. 

        “To you it isn’t… to me, it’s a perfect way to mess with you.” She giggled, messing around with her brother’s head for a minute before turning towards where Lea was along with Sweetie Belle and her friends. “Of course, I do hope you were able to learn a few things from fighting me. Including how you can improve your technique for any future times we encounter hostile digimon.”

        “Well, when it comes to that, I’m not sure… would you be up for some more practice on a later date?” He asked her. To which, all Rena did was give him a smile and pat him on the back.

        “Sure, I believe we can do that.” The renamon told him, just as she looked back at Lea and noticed that they were beginning to roast marshmallows now.

        “Glad to see my new uncle isn't a spoil sport, now get over here before the fillies take all the marshmallows! I'm not going to save any for you if you don't get them yourself!” Lea called back to them with a chuckle at their antics, ten marshmallow sticks in her magic roasting marshmallows over the now lit bonfire. Which lead to both Lyall and Rena running over to join her and the kids so they would not miss out on having smores while they had the chance.

        “We’re here now,” Rena nodded her head, before taking one of the sticks lying to the side and beginning to roast a marshmallow on it. “This reminds me of the days when Lyall and I were able to actually have treats like these… Smores were always our favorite.”

        “Agreed. It combined three favorite things. Graham crackers, chocolate and marshmallows-” Just as Lyall got his stick though, that was when his marshmallow exploded in a ball of flame before it just fell to the ground. “ …… Okay, that’s a first. That did not happen back home.”

        Lea just snickered at Lyall’s misfortune as she ate one of her perfectly golden roasted marshmallows, making the rest into smores. “Oh dear, did someone forget how to roast marshmallows? Or are they possibly cursed to burn them on contact~?” 

        “More likely rusty.” Rena chuckled. “We haven’t done this in a long while.” As Rena said that, Lyall was fortunate enough to get a second marshmallow roasted enough without having it be burned to a crisp as he breathed out a sigh of relief and asked for some chocolate and graham crackers to put it on.

        “Oh Spi-ike~” They suddenly heard Leona call from inside the cabin.

        That… had the dragon turn to Rena and the others before looking back towards where Leona was. “Um… Leona? Are you okay?”

        Leona just smiled as one of her eyes twitched, the flames coming off her forehead and tail looking particularly grumpy. “Do you remember possibly playing around with my digivice as if it was a toy~?”

        “Um… that was because we were all trying to see who would come up with the coolest ‘digivolution pose’... why?”

        “... Do I possibly look like a toy to you?” Leona suddenly asked. “Because A digivice is not a toy.”

        “N-no! W-why would I-”

“Leona, I think you’re just hungry…” Rena interjected. “Would you like to have some smores with us?”

        “In a bit, I need to have a chat like I told you I would with this kid for ACCIDENTALLY DIGIVOLVING ME and causing the incident when we were having one on one time…” Leona said as Lea suddenly began backing away to the farthest side of the fire pit. 

        “Leona, we have kids here… let’s not talk about it out here in the open where everyone can hear you.” Rena insisted, before she motioned her head over to where her partner was. Who was sitting right next to a rather nervous dragon.

        “Um… why does she look like an angry Twilight?” Sweetie Belle asked, recalling what happened all the way back during the ‘want it, need it’ incident.

        “Rena, I think we should just sacrifice the dragon to the lecture demon and pray for his survival.” Lea chuckled nervously.

        “It’s not necessary. Besides, if anything, this was just an accident…” She said, before looking at Spike. “Spike, in the future, can you not play with your digivice?” All the dragon did was nod furiously, scared at what would happen if he accidently invoked Leona’s wrath by saying the wrong thing. “See? Not so hard now, is it?”

        Leona gave Spike a long hard stare before seeming to visibly deflate into a pout. “I'll let you off the hook this time because Rena asked me to, but there will be no second warning got it kid? I don't like having a piece of my very being used to show off.” She then said as Lea stared in shock looking back and forth between the three of them.

        “See? That wasn’t so hard now, was it?” Rena giggled. “Now, would you like a smore? Lea went out of the way to set this whole thing up.”

        Leona merely nodded in agreement as she sat next to Rena on one of the rocks making up the fire pit ring and proceeded to nibble on a smore that Rena had taken a bite out of with a tinge of pink appearing on her face. “I'm going to eat this one then, any objections?”

        “Nope. Go on ahead.” The renamon told her.

        “Rena, are you a miracle worker or something?” Lea asked. “Because no one has ever snapped my mother out of her lecture mode like that before…”

        “Nah… I just believe in doing what’s right. And I don’t think you should scold someone for something they did on accident,” Rena replied back. “I’m not sure what the term is for that one.”

        “So you know how to throw me into the building’s fireplace, but don’t know what to call something like that?” Lyall asked, sounding rather surprised. “That’s… just like you.”

        “Oh knock it off, Lyall.”

        After eating her last smore Lea suddenly looked up at the position of the sun in the sky and said “Well look at the time, I must be going but it's been nice seeing you again Rena, mother. And it's really been fun meeting you uncle, as well as the young tamers.” All while standing and using her magic to brush herself off.

        That just left Lyall sighing deeply as he looked back at Rena and Leona. “I’m not going to hear the end of this whole ‘uncle’ thing, now am I?”

        “Nope.” Leona said, feigning disinterest.

        “Well, at least I know what I’m getting myself into now.” The Strabimon admitted as he got up and looked back at Lea. “Hope to see you again soon, Lea. It was a pleasure meeting you.”

        “Thank you, but becoming part of our family is not what you think it is~. You may think you know what your getting yourself into, but you really don't.” Lea giggled as she started trotting towards the forest edge nearby. “Now if you excuse me, my hive must be having a total meltdown from how long I have been gone~” She then said before vanishing in a flash of dark golden magic.

        “…… Good to know.” Rena then said, before looking at Leona. “Would you like another smore, Leona?”

        “Yes pwease.” She said while still chewing the previous one and reaching out like a child for the next one from Rena, her large eyes becoming like those of a puppy. Rena just giggled as she prepared another for her, before letting Leona devour it effortlessly… and also causing a bit of a mess.

        “Well, even though this is fun and all, we should probably head in soon,” Lyall told her as the winds began to pick up. “I’ll stay behind and put out the fire. The rest of you can get inside before it gets cold out here.”

        “I hate weather.” Leona grunted, glaring at the clouds and completely ignoring the chocolate and marshmallow on her paws and face. “I'll go put more wood in the heater.” She then leaped off her rock and after giving Rena a quick hug around her leg she scurries around the back of the cabin.

        “And… I’m going to need to clean this up, because Leona hugged me with messy paws,” Rena deadpanned before walking through the doors of the cabin once again. “Well, today’s definitely been one interesting day so far.”

        Yet… as Lyall was finishing up with the fire pit outside and making sure to put everything away before closing its doors… the Strabimon did not notice the presence of another digimon out in the storm.

        The one that they were preparing to face once more. Sangloupmon. “Soon… I will finish what I started.”




End Chapter 9