Lookie, lookie! Katmon did another Kekari! Bet you all didn’t think I could! Hah hah! Well, I can! *sticks her tounge out*
Okay! I’m better now! I told you all I don’t only do Yaoi/Yuri fics/poems! (Although, that certian subject popped up in there once or twice! ^_^”) I’m gonna start making the titles match two of the crests. The titles don’t always mean what couples are shown, thats just the way I’m gonna start each story, okay!
Disclaimer: Who hates doing this?! Me!! Okay! I do not own Digimon! Get over it! Those bunch of idiots do! If I owned it... uh... It would have been very different! Don’t sue! This is just for fun! ^_^”
Note:
Words that are in *these things* are thoughts.
Words that are in “these things” are being said out loud.
Words that are in italic are intensified.
Words that are in bold are intensified. (Usually being shouted!)
Words that are underlined are usually names of things.
On to the fic!
______________________________________________________________________________
Reliability & Knowledge
______________________________________________________________________________
Ken was sitting on the hospital bed, fiddling with his computer, which his parents had brought him a few days ago, when the door creeked open. He jerked his head up in surprise. When he saw it was me, his face softened. “Konnichi wa, Hikari. How are you?”
“Fine. You?” I came over and sat on the edge of his bed.
He put down his computer and looked at his arm, the reason he was in the hospital. “Better, but I wish I was healed and I could sleep in my own bed for once.” He clenched his fist in anger as he thought about what had happened. I didn’t say anything. He looked up at me. “I want to go to the DigiWorld.”
That wasn’t surprising. I wanted him to come too, but he was hurt. “Ken, you remember what Jou said, no DigiWorld until you’re completely healed. You aren’t yet. You need to stay here.”
He looked up at me with those sad eyes of his. “But I miss Wormmon. And, you were gonna go. If you come with me it won’t be as bad. Right?”
“I’m not sure...” I said quietly.
“Let him come. We can use his computer and the doctors won’t come in to check on him anytime soon, because you’re in here. Anyway, between both him and Wormmon I’m going nuts.” Gatomon commented, climbing out of my bag.
I sighed. *She’s right, and I want him to come too. If the others are there they won’t really care that much. Plus, it’ll be good for him to get out of this hospital. If I don’t take him, he’ll go on his own. If we’re there with him we can bring him back if something happens.* I looked at the two. “Alright. But we’re coming back here after that.” I told them sternly.
Ken yelped in joy. Gatomon sighed. I couldn’t help but smile. Ken picked up his laptop and turned it back on. He got out his D-3 and put it to the screen. I put mine next to his. “Digi Port open!” We shouted and were sucked in.
~:~
I hadn’t been to the DigiWorld for weeks now. The doctors wouldn’t let me out of the hospital, and Jou had insisted on no DigiWorld until I was out. I’m glad Gatomon had sided with me and Hikari had given in to the two of us.
The place looked so different. I remember ruling this area. A spire had used to stand on the hill we were standing on. I had put it there. I noticed little bits of it, a reminder of what I had done. I picked up a shard and crushed it into smaller pieces.
“KEN!!” Came a voice I hadn’t heard in forever.
I looked up to see a little green worm-like bug Digimon coming over to us. “Wormmon!” I cried out in joy, leaning down to hug my Digimon. The Digimon that I had been so mean to, but had always stayed by my side. Had he been there when... No. That’s in the past. I’m gonna forget about it.
“Hey! Hikari! Ken!” Daisuke’s voice floated over to us. I bit my lip.*I shouldn’t be here. Me being here is gonna get Hikari in trouble.* The other four Digidestined came running over.
“Are you out of the hospital, Ken?” Iori asked. I knew he didn’t trust me.
“Nai. I got Hikari to let me come with her.” I said quietly.
“Hikari! You know Jou said he’s not supposed to come yet!” Miyako half shouted.
I looked up at her angrily. I opened my mouth to say something when Hikari spoke. “I know. I know. I brought him so he could see Wormmon. Anyway, he could’ve come anytime he wanted, but he didn’t. He had both his computer and D-3 with him. Plus, he is doing better, and I wouldn’t want to be stuck in that hospital room all the time by myself.”
“Well... I guess. As long as you behave yourself. Got it, Ken?” Takeru put in. The others were behind him on this one, I could tell. I nodded. “Good. Let’s go do something, then!”
“What is the closest thing to here that’s fun to go to?” Hikari asked.
“Err...” Miyako trailed off in thought. The others did too.
“There’s a Pumpkinmon village near here.” I put in.
“Oh, yeah! That’s right! They’re cool! Come on, let’s go!” Daisuke said and started running in the wrong direction.
The others laughed. I smiled. I had watched Daisuke do the same thing many times, and it never seemed to amaze me how stupid he could be. We all started walking the right way, no one saying anything to Daisuke. “Hey! Wait for me!” He cried, running towards us. The others laughed again.
When we got to the village I saw that the Pumpkinmon had been working on it. I stayed to the back of the group as a party of Pumpkinmon came over. “Hello, Digidestined. Come to help more?”
“Why not? It would be something to do. Everyone agree?” Daisuke asked, turning to us. Everyone nodded. I wasn’t sure. I knew that these Digimon wouldn’t trust me. I had been the Digimon Kaiser, after all.
Hikari looked at me. “Ken, you wanna help too?” She asked. I nodded.
The Pumpkinmon in the front looked at me. “You were the Digimon Kaiser, weren’t you?”
“Hai,” I said, looking at my feet.
“Since the Digidestined trust you, we’ll give you a chance. Plus, you really look sorry about what you did.” The Pumpkinmon said. I looked up in happy surprise. I heard the others laugh and Hikari put an arm around my shoulders.
As soon as we started I could tell that the Pumpkinmon working with us didn’t trust me in the least. I decided to stay as far away from them as I could.
We were painting one of the houses in orange, the normal color for a Pumpkinmon village, when I first started to get tired. My arm started bothering me, but I didn’t say anything, I was having fun and didn’t want to stop. It was nice to help others fix things. Wormmon and I were talking when I dropped my paintbrush.
Unfortunatly, it splatered another Pumpkinmon, and he decided I had meant to do it. “You baka! Look what you did! You meant to do that!”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t do it on purpose. The brush slipped. I’ll be more careful next time.” I apologized to him and bent down to pick up my brush.
The Pumpkinmon must have really hated me, because he kicked my arm while I was trying to pick up my brush. I screamed out in pain, because he had kick my arm where the slash was. The scab over it broke and some blood came out. I sat down to try and stop the blood when the Pumpkinmon kicked me again, it my side.
I guess he wanted to make me mad to get me in trouble. I decided to try and control my temper and ignored him. Then he kicked my arm again and more blood gushed out. I had had enough. “Chikusho! Stop kicking me!” I yelled at him, no longer able to control my temper.
“Ken. Ken, let it go. Let’s get back to work. Please. I don’t want you in trouble.” Wormmon tried.
I didn’t listen to him. I backed the Pumpkinmon back to the edge of the platform we were on, glaring at him the whole time. We had reached the edge when someone grabbed my shoulder and twirled me around. I looked at the person, ready to kill someone.
It was Hikari, and she was looking at me with those sad eyes of hers. I saw Wormmon and the others behind her. “Ken, calm down. It’s okay. Everything is gonna be okay.” She whispered to me and I lost it.
~:~
He fell into my arms, crying. I heard some of the Pumpkinmon around us mumble in surprise. I guess they never expected to see the Digimon Kaiser lose it and start crying. But he was only human, and had changed, a lot, from the monster that had tried to rule the DigiWorld. I was proud of him, and worried. He had done his best to control his temper when the Pumpkinmon beat on him, but that Pumpkinmon had just gone too far. I probably would have done the same thing in that situation.
The Pumpkinmon that had done the beating inched past us and ran into the Pumpkinmon in charge of this village. “What were you thinking?! He was trying to help, and you decide to beat on him! What do you have to say for yourself?!” I heard the Pumpkinmon chief yell.
“I-I-I-I...” The other Pumpkinmon stuttered, trying to come up with an excuse.
“It was my fault.” Ken called from my arms. “I splattered paint on him. He had a right to be mad at me.” Ken pulled away from me and walked over to the two. I turned to watch, amazed.
“Is that what happened?” The chief asked looking at the two of them.
Ken nodded, trying to have the blame placed on him. The other Pumkinmon though, looked like he had other ideas. “Hai. But, I got a little out of control. He apologized for it and I beat on him. I guess I was remembering when you were the Digimon Kaiser and wasn’t thinking about the fact that you had changed. I’m sorry.” He finished, turning to Ken.
Ken smiled, something he rarely did. “I guess we were both at fault then.”
“Hai. Forgiven?” The little Pumpkinmon asked.
“Hai. Forgiven.” Ken replied and the two shook hands. I couldn’t help but smile at them. Ken had just made a real friend in the DigiWorld that used to be an enemy. I was proud of him.
Then I realized that his arm was still bleeding slightly. I walked over to him got a closer look. He scrunched his face in pain when I moved his arm. “Are you gonna make me go home now?” He asked, frowning.
I looked at the others. “If you take a break you can stay.” Takeru said. Ken grinned. “Might as well let you stay, Jou’s gonna give us a nice long lecture as it is, and nobody wants to take you back right now anyway.”
Daisuke scrunched his face and stole Miyako’s glasses. Then he put them on. “Hikari, I’m surprised at you. I told you not to take him to the DigiWorld until they let him out of the hospital, and you did anyway. Then, the rest of you let him stay, and put him to work, no less. What were you thinking?!” Daisuke said, trying to act like Jou. We were all laughing as he turned back to Miyako and handed her her glasses. “How can you see with these things?!” He asked her.
We only laughed harder. Then Ken went and surprised us all by laughing himself. I hadn’t heard him laugh in forever. The others had never heard him laugh before, so you can guess their reaction. They stared at him and he blushed.
“You have a great laugh, Ken. You oughta use it more often.” Miyako told him. Saying the same thing I was thinking.
Ken blushed some more. “Thanks, Miyako.” He mumbled, which only made us laugh more.
It felt good to laugh with everyone again.
~:~
I was sitting off to the side, out of the way of the workers, resting. I watched the Pumpkinmon walk about, working, playing, talking, or bringing the workers food. Wormmon was sitting next to me. He said he was gonna watch me. It wasn’t happening though. He had his eyes closed and was sleeping in the sun, me petting him softly.
A female Pumpkinmon walked over to me and sat down. “Konnichi wa,” She said.
I looked over at her. “Konnichi wa.” I said back.
She looked up at me. “I wanted to thank you.”
“Why?”
“Because you stood up for my husband. The Pumpkinmon who tried to get you in trouble.”
“Well, I did splash paint on him.”
“Yes, I know that. But he has had more paint than that splashed on him had hadn’t given it a second thought. If you had been anyone else, they would have fought back when blamed for the accident. Then, when he kicked you, most would have lost their temper and done horrible damage. He was smaller than you, so you had the advantage. Then, when he was blamed, most would have let him get the punishment. Yet, you didn’t, and you used to be the Digimon Kaiser. Why?”
“I didn’t want to ruin the peace you all have here. And I’m trying to make people and Digimon alike see that I’m not the Digimon Kaiser anymore. Anyway, I could use more friends.” I told her, and looked down at my feet.
“You have the friendship of all the Digidestined, what more could you want. After all, us Digimon are worthless and stupid. Right?” She said, her voice harsh.
“I was wrong to ever say that. It was a miscalculation, and stupid. I’m sorry. I realize now that both human and Digimon are equal, whether we look and act alike or not.” I told her sadly.
She put her hand on my shoulder and I looked up into her eyes. “You’ll always have our family’s friendship, Ken. Arigato.” She turned and walked back to her home, leaving me speechless.
“It looks like you’ve made a bunch of new friends.” The chief of the village said from behind me.
I turned around to look at him. “And I only meant to come so I could see Wormmon. Why did she thank me?” I asked him.
He came over and sat down next to me. “Her son was killed in one of your raids. They both blamed you for his death. They both flipped when I let you in the village, and it was only made worse when you were put on the same team as her husband. She expected something bad to happen, so she kept an eye on you. She was watching the whole argument, and the way it ended. She wanted to see if that was just a flaw, the way you had acted. Appearantly you said the right thing, because she has forgiven you for her son’s death.”
“Which raid, and how did he die?” I asked, shocked by that response.
“The second one on this village. He had been one of the ones who had...”
“Run up to meet my troops. Oh, God. Was he the one at the head of the group?” I asked, turning to him.
“Hai. He was. He was the one that suggested that we fight back.” He told me.
I turned away. “Than they had a right to blame me. I was the one who killed him.” I told the chief. I was mad at myself, and horrified at the same time. The image of that raid came back to me. Then I saw the blood gushing out of my arm when I tried to kill myself. I put my head in my hands, crying softly.
I felt his gloved hand on my shoulder. “Why are you crying, Ken?” He asked me.
I looked up at him. “Because, I can’t believe I did that, and hadn’t felt any sorrow or anything of the sort when I killed all those Digimon. I-I-I... I felt glee. I laughed. I-I still wish I had succeded in killing myself. And yet, I’m glad I hadn’t, because now at least one family of Digimon that had lost a member doesn’t hate me as much.” I watched him as he absorbed this information.
“I think, that many wished you had succeded in killing yourself, and some wish to kill you themselves. But I know that there are some that are glad that you didn’t, that family, for instance. If you had died they would have never stopped mourning for their son, but you reashured them, and now, maybe, they’ll start joining in on village things again. I must get back to work, and you have a visitor, their daughter. Good luck, Ken.” He got up and left.
I looked up and saw he was right, a little Pumpkinmon was coming towards me, a doll in one hand, something else in the other. “Konnichi wa.” I called to her.She looked at me. I recognized anger, hatred, and fear in her eyes. *She seems so young. Too young to be feeling those things toward anyone.* I thought sadly.
“You’re the montser who killed my brother. Why? Why did you kill him and break our family apart like that?” She asked me at a distance.
“Because I’m an akuma in diguise. A hakujo na akunin, if you want.” I told her.
“People don’t do that unless they’re hurt. Or that’s what my brother used to say. Were you hurt?” She asked, stepping toward me.
“Hai. I lost my brother, years ago. But that’s not an excuse for what I did. I had lost my brother years ago, you just lost yours, and you didn’t go around trying to kill people. At least, not that I know of. Did try something while I was gone or something?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Well, I did steal a cookie...” She said, grinning.
“Well, tell you what, I won’t tell your mom, if you forgive me.” I told her.
She thought about it for a minute, then ran over and hopped in my lap, which I had left exposed. “Okay, but you can’t tell my mom I stole the cookie.”
“Okay, I won’t, I swear.”
She looked up at me. “How did your brother die?”
“I ran out into the street and he ran after me. A car ran into him.” I felt a tear on my cheek.
She reached up and wiped it away. “Then we have something in common. We both lost our big brothers. All I have left of my brother is this.” She held up the item in her hand. It was a pair of dog tags, like people in our world wore when they were in the armed forces. “The chief gave ‘em to me after we found him. What do you have to remember your brother by?”
“Only his memory.” I told her. The raid played through my mind again and I remembered a glint in the sun that came from the boy’s neck, the dog tags. Then I remembered something else.
~*Flashback*~
“You’ll never win, Kaiser!” The boy yelled at me as I stood over him. His voice going with his spirit.
“And why is that?”
“Because the good guys always win!” He shouted and threw something at me. I grabbed the thing and tossed it in a pocket.
~*End Flashback*~
“I think I have something that once belonged to your brother. It’s not with me, but if one of my friends will come with me, I can get it for you.” The item was at my base.
“Why her?” She asked as I stood up and woke Wormmon.
I turned to her, Wormmon on my shoulder. “Because, she’ll understand.” She nodded and we went to look for Hikari, a faint shimmer in the wind followed us, but neither of us knew it.
~:~
Nefertimon and I were helping carry things. We had just delivered a few boards of wood when I caught sight of Ken and Wormmon. They were running towards us with a little Pumpkinmon child. Ken was waving his arm, trying to catch my attention. “Let’s go see what they’re up to.” I told Nefertimon. She flew down to the ground and I hopped off. “What’s wrong, Ken?” I asked.
“Hikari, can you take us to the base? I left something there.” He said. The girl nodded.
“Your parents won’t be very happy if you leave, sweetheart.” I told her.
“The item is hers, Hikari.” Ken cut in.
I looked at him in surprise. I saw determination in his eyes, and something else, the need to make something right that was made wrong. “But your parents...” I tried again. I knew that very few trusted Ken, and didn’t want anyone else mad at him.
“They trust, Ken. My dad got in the fight with him. My mom told me to talk to him. Please take us. Ken said you’d understand.”
“Understand what?” I asked, looking up at my boyfriend.
He sighed. “The item belonged to her brother, whom I killed. Before he died he threw the thing at me and I kept it, putting it in my base after. I don’t know what it was, just that it’s hers now.” He told me. He begged me to take them with his eyes. I looked at the girl. She seemed shocked, I guess she hadn’t heard the whole story before either.
I looked back at Ken. “Nefertimon can’t carry all of us, Ken. Two is her limit.”
Ken looked at Wormmon, who was sitting on his shoulder. “Wanna see what you digivolve to?” He asked the Digimon. Wormmon nodded and Ken put him down. We stepped back. “Go for it.” Ken said quietly, holding his D-3 out.
“Wormmon, Digivolve to... Stingmon!” Wormmon finally digivolved. He looked great, and he could fly.
Ken looked at me. “Problem solved. Who do you want to ride with?” He asked the Pumpkinmon child.
“I wanna ride the angel.” She said. I grinned.
Ken shrugged. “Okay. Then let’s go.” He looked over at Stingmon. Stingmon came over and grabbed Ken around the waist. As the two got airborne I helped the girl onto Nefertimon and got on myself. Then we joined the other two in the air. “You know the way to the base right?” Ken asked me, a mysterious smile pulling at his lips.
“Hai. Why, did you forget?”
He laughed. “Me, forget where my base is? Funny! The reason I asked was because I didn’t want you to get lost when we zoom away.”
“Are you saying you’re faster than us?”
“Hai. What else would I be saying?” He said and they took off.
“Ichijouj, you’re gonna get it this time!” I yelled after him. The Pumpkinmon girl laughed behind me as Nefertimon worked to catch up.
I smiled at the stunt Ken had pulled. Of couse he would beat us. Nefertimon was carrying more wieght. On the way the girl and I talked.
“How long have you known Ken?” She asked me.
“Err... Since I was about nine. I met him at the park one day. I was really lonely ‘cause I didn’t have Gatomon around. It had been a year since we went to the DigiWorld and he and his brother walked into the park. We got to know each other pretty well and became great friends. Osamu died later that year and Ken moved. We didn’t see each other again until he became the Digimon Kaiser.”
“Oh. Do you like him or something?”
“Hai.”
“Cool. Wish I had a boyfriend.”
“Your time will come, trust me.”
“I do trust you. If I didn’t trust you I would have been riding with Ken.”
“Good point.” The base came in to view. “There it is.”
“It has an evil feel about it.” She said, shivering slightly. I could tell she was afriad.
“Hai.” I probably would have been afraid the first time I had come here too, if I hadn’t been so upset. We landed at the enterance and got off Nefertimon, who de-digivolved.
Wormmon came sampering up to us. “This way. He’s looking for it in his room.” Wormmon told us and led us through the base.
The Pumpkinmon girl was holding on to my arm, obiviously scared. I knew Digimon were more sensative to evil than humans. Gatomon had her ears and tail on end, not a thing got past her when she was this alert. “Look at Gatomon. She won’t let anything happen to any of us.” I told the girl. She relaxed some, but continued to hold my hand.
When we got to Ken, in his old room, the one we shared while I was staying here, he had piles of junk everywhere. I saw a whistle like the one I had when we came to the DigiWorld the first time. I had given it to Gatomon when we had left, and I hadn’t heard anything about it since then. I bent down and picked it up, grinning. “I didn’t know you had so much shit, Ken.” I called out to him and put the whistle.
He looked up at us. “Neither did I. This place was a lot cleaner before.” He explained to the girl at my arm. Then he turned back to the pile he was sorting through. “I know it’s in here somewhere...” He grumbled.
I looked around at the piles of stuff that I had never known were in here. Ken was pretty good at keeping things orginized, but when he was trying to find something that hadn’t been important when he had put it away, it took his forever.
“Ahah!” Ken called from behind a pile of junk. He looked up, something in his hand, and stared at the barrier between him and us. He backed up some and looked up at us. “You’re gonna wanna move, trust me.” He told us. I pulled the girl out of the way, the other two Digimon following us.
Ken took a running leap over the pile and managed to land on his butt on our side. We laughed and I took a picture of him. He looked up at me from position on the ground. “My camera.” He insisted.
“Wonder what the others will think when I show them this?” I asked aloud. The Pumpkinmon girl burst out laughing.
Ken growled and got part-way off the ground. “You wouldn’t.” He told me.
I grinned mischivisly. “Osoraku...” I trailed off. He jumped up and ran at me. I shreeched and ran away. I turned to where I had just been standing. Ken was grinning evily. The Pumpkinmon girl was still laughing. The Digimon had joined her. Ken ran at me again and I ran to the only safe, clean space I could get to, a corner. I was trapped, and Ken knew it. “Not fair. This place is a mess.” I screeched.
He grinned. “Think you can get past me?” He asked me, moving aside slightly.
I looked past him. *What’s he up to? Well, he’ll get me anyway. Might as well try.* I ran forward and he grabbed me, wrapping me in a hug. *Darn! I knew it!*
“Give me the camera and I’ll let you go.” He told me.
“Ken, we have a child in here with us.” I reminded him.
He looked over at the group of giggling Digimon. “So we do. How old are you again?” He asked her, not letting me go.
“Nine.” She replied.
“See, she can watch.” He told me.
“You have something that belongs to her.” I pointed out.
“I know. But you have a picture I want, and you’re not going anywhere till I get it.”
“Ken...” I tried quietly.
“Give it, Hikari.”
“But, Ken...” I tried again.
“How are you gonna explain a hickey to your parents?” He asked me in my ear. Then bent down and kissed my neck.
“Ichijouji Ken!” I screeched and struggled to get out of his grasp. I knew my parents would kill me, and he would put it in the most open place so I couldn’t hide it. I knew him.
He looked up. “That’s my name, don’t wear it out. Give me the camera and I’ll let you go, unharmmed.” He leaned back down to my neck.
“Stop! Take it! I’m not getting in trouble over a picture!” I yell to him, giving in. I pulled off the camera and handed it to him.
He grinned as he took it. “I’ll have my fun later than.” He told me and placed a kiss on my lips. Then he let me go. I smiled as he hung the camera around his neck.
The Digimon were still giggling when we got to them. “Hee-he got the camera, Hikari.” The Pumpkinmon girl told me.
I groaned. “I know.” I stuck my tounge out at him and he smiled.
Then he got serious and handed the girl the item we had come from. It looked like a little notebook. She opened it and looked sadly at the first page. Then looked up at us. “It’s in digi-code.” She said sadly.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“I can’t read it!” She cried.
“But I thought all Digimon learned digi-code.” I said, surprised.
“Nai. Around Myotsimon’s time, Digimon stopped teaching it to their children because those who knew it ended up in Myotismon’s troops. After you all defeted him there weren’t enough who remembered it to teach it to others.” Gatomon explained.
“Don’t you know it, Gatomon?” I asked my Digimon.
“Nai, I wasn’t one of the ones who learned it. Not everyone did, even before Myotismon’s time.”
“Wormmon?”
“Sorry. I was too busy looking for Ken. Plus, there wasn’t anyone who knew it.” I sighed.
“I know it.” Ken whispered.
“You do?!” We yelled in surprise.
“Hai, I had to, to read things that were written in it, as the Digimon Kaiser. The Digimon who taught it to me died, but I learned it.” He whispered.
“Can you read this then?” The girl asked.
Ken shook his head, a tear crept down his cheek.
“Why not, Ken?” I asked him.
“Because I don’t want to use that knowledge. Not after the way I got it.” He turned away and sat on the bed. Wormmon scampered over to him.
I turned to Gatomon. “Would any of the others know it?”
“Nai. They were to young when they met the others to have learned it. As for Veemon, Hawkmon, and Armadillomon, they are gonna be like Wormmon.”
“So, digi-code is like a lost language?”
“Hai. Myotismon came about and took it from us, in his own fashion.”
“Unless someone in your village knows it...” The Pumpkinmon girl shook her head.
“Then Ken is our last hope. I’m gonna go see if I can get through to him.” I said and walked over to the bed. Wormmon scampered back to the others as I sat down. “Ken, why won’t you read the notebook? It would mean the world to that Digimon. It would really make a difference if you read it to her.”
“I can’t. I shouldn’t have said anything.” He said, not looking up.
“Ken, I’ll do anything for you if you read it for her.”
“Nai.”
“Ken-chan...”
“Nai.”
“Ken, please...”
“So take it.”
“You’re immpossible!”
He looked up at me. He had been crying again. His next words scared me to death.
~:~
“Where is my knife?” I asked.
Her eyes went wide and her face paled. “Ken, you-you can’t be serious.” She said softly, her voice shaking.
“I can and I am.” I got off my bed and ran to my kitchen, knowing they would follow. Thoughts of the raid and the Digimon teaching me how to read digi-code racing through my head. Me rewarding the Digimon by killing it made me cry harder, and race faster. I was racing against memories. Memories that refused to leave me alone.
I got to the kitchen and pulled out drawers, searching for a knife. I caught sight of my hands, blood of others all over them, still. There was no way to clean them, except killing myself. *I shouldn’t have said a thing about that stupid notebook. I never should have tried to learn digi-code.* I found a knife. *It will all be over in a few seconds.* I thought.
“KEN! Drop the knife! Please!” I turned around. Hikari stood before the door, Wormmon, Gatomon, and the Pumpkinmon behind her. Each had tears in their eyes.
“Why?” I asked, unsure. I didn’t want to make Hikari cry.
“Because I’ll die if I lose you again.” She said.
“I-I-I...”
“Please don’t do this, Ken. I love you. If you love me you’ll put the knife down. Do you still love me?”
“I-I... Hai. I love you. But I’m not putting down the knife. You’re not stoping me this time, Yagami Hikari!”
“KEN! Put down the damn knife before I come in there and knife you!” Daisuke yelled from the door. Miyako, Iori, Takeru, and their Digimon stood behind him.
“I can’t! I won’t!”
“Ken, you can, and you must! We won’t let you do this!” Taichi yelled as he and the rest of the Digidestined ran up.
“Nai! You can’t stop me!” I shouted.
As someone took the knife from my hand I realized I had forgotten about Hikari. She put the knife on the counter, out of my reach, and looked me in the eye. “Don’t you ever do that again, Ichijouji Ken. You scared the shit out of me.” She ordered softly, tears still falling down her face.
I felt myself begin to cry and sat down on the floor of my kitchen, nodding my head slowly. Hikari knelt down next to me and gave me a hug. I heard a few sighs.
Then a little voice came out of nowhere. “Will somebody read this for me?”
“What’s wrong with it?” Koushiro asked.
“It’s written in digi-code.” The little Pumpkinmon replied.
“Can’t help you there. Do any of the Digimon know how to read it?”
I looked at the floor as Hikari spoke. “Nai. Only one person here does.” I could feel the group’s eyes on me.
The little Pumpkinmon came over and stood before me. “Please read it for me, Ken. I don’t know anyone else who can help, and I think both our brothers want you to.”
I couldn’t help but look up at her. “Osamu?” I whispered, hope filling my voice. She nodded. I sighed. “I guess I can read it for you.”
“Hurray!” She shouted.
“On one condition.”
“Uh,oh. What?”
I turned to Hikari. “Someone promised to do anything for me if I read it.”
Hikari turned a bright shade of pink that went well with her outfit. “That was a one time thing.” She said as the others laughed.
I popped up the camera and took a picture of her, then hid it. “Now will you do anythingfor me?” I asked innocently.
“You said I could have my camera back.”
“That was a one time thing. Anyway, I didn’t delete that picture yet.”
“You...”
“Watch your language.”
“You give me the camera, we both delete the pictures, and I’ll do anything you want, if you read the notebook, out loud.”
“Okay. I’m deleting my picture first though.”
“You’re no fun.”
“Arigato.” I deleted the picture of me on my butt and looked at the one of her. “You looked so cute too.” I whined.
“You made a deal.” She said, putting out her hand.
“I want a copy.”
“You promised.”
“I want a copy.”
“What would you do with it?”
“Put it on my computer.”
“What else?”
“Send it to everyone I know.”
“Ichijouji Ken!” She screeched and jumped on me, reaching for the camera.
“You two! There’s a kid in here!” Taichi yelled from the door, trying to get us to stop westling for the camera.
“She’s old enough to watch!” I yelled from my position on the floor. “Kuso!” I shouted as Hikari got the camera. I didn’t get to her in time to save the picture. I cornered her. “I still get to make you do anything I want.” I reminded her.
“After you read the notebook, out loud.”
“Fine. But you’re mine later.”
“After you’re out of the hospital.” Jou called out. We glared at him. I saw Daisuke out of the corner of my eye. He had Miyako’s glasses on again and was pretending to lecture us. I couldn’t help it, I burst out laughing again. The others looked to see what I was laughing at and joined me. Even Jou laughed. It was funny.
I felt a tug at my leg and looked down at the Digimon holding the notebook up to me. We sat down, against the wall, and I opened the notebook to the first page. I saw the others sit down to listen too.I looked at the odd writing for a few seconds, trying to ajust to it. Then I started.
“Mom and dad said I could go to Gennai’s house today. He told me to bring ink and paper, to write something down. As one of the few who could read digi-code, I was overjoyed that he choose me. My job is to write down a prophesy. I don’t understand it, but here it goes.
‘Only three will ever read this prophesy.
The past few weeks flew through my mind as I looked up at the faces around me.
“Did anyone understand that?” Miyako called out. I smiled as the others got in to a disagreement over the words. Hikari, Gatomon, and Wormmon stayed quiet.
“Do you know, Ken?” The Pumpkinmon girl asked.
“Hai, as do three others here. Maybe not totally, but the prophesy said they will.” I whispered to her.
She nodded. “You can keep the notebook. It will do me little good. I can’t understand it or read it. You can do both.”
“Arigato.” I told her as a voice floated over from the doorway.
“Is this a private party, or can anyone join in?”
“Mimi!” Someone called out.
*Sincerity. Wonder, where is her friend?* I thought right before the older girl introduced a friend from America, Michael, who was a Digidestined too. I watched as Sora drooled over him.
“So, what were you all discusing?” Michael asked.
The others looked at me. “This notebook.” I said, holding it up.
“Can I see?”
“Sure.” I handed him the book.
“Wow! Digi-code! And you can read this?” The boy asked.
“Hai. I learned how from an older Digimon before it died.” I told him, leaving out way he died.
He gave me back to notebook. “Wish I could read digi-code.” He said wishfully.
“Ken’s just special.” The Pumpkinmon said.
“Mimi looked up at me in a mixture of anger and surprise. “Ken! As in the Digimon Kaiser?”
“Hai.” I replied dryly. I had half expected something like this.
“You! You’re the one! You hurt the village Palamon was protecting.” Mimi accused, pointing a finger at me.
I got up and pushed past her. “Watch who you point your fingers at in my base. Come on, Wormmon. I need to get back.” I said and left the room, Wormmon following.
Then I stopped and looked back in. I pointed at Hikari. “And you still owe me. I’ll get you later.” I told her, letting her know I hadn’t forgotten about the promise she had made. Then Wormmon and I went to the nearest T.V. and went back to the hospital room.
I closed my computer, put it and the notebook away, and snuggled into the bed, Wormmon next to me. I soon fell asleep.
~:~
Mimi turned to me. “What did he mean by that? What have I missed this time?”
I sighed and got up. “Ask one of the others. Come on, Pumpkinmon, I’ll take you home.” I said. The Pumpkinmon joined me and we left, Gatomon following us.
We got outside and I had Gatomon digivolve. We got on Nefertimon and flew back to the Pumpkinmon village. *Mimi sure did get worked up over nothing this time. Those days are over, Ken being the Digimon Kaiser. Maybe it’s a big deal for her, but Ken changed. If he hadn’t, why were we all sitting around listening to him read us a book in his base? Mimi can still be kinda stupid sometimes.* I thought to myself.
The village came into view. I saw a group of Pumpkinmon waiting for us. When we landed the little Pumpkinmon’s parents ran over and hugged her. “Oh, Pumpie! We were so worried! Where were you?”
Pumpie, for that was her nickname, I had found out, turned to me. “I was with Ken and Hikari. Ken had something that Pimp had lost the day he died. It was a little notebook. Ken gave it to me, but the writing was in digi-code and only Ken knew how to read it. He didn’t want to at first, but I persuaded him to, with Hikari’s help, and he read what it said, but it made no sense to me, or any of the other Digidestined, they were all there. Ken understood it and could read it, so I let him have it.”
“Oh. Where is Ken?” Pumpie’s mother asked.
“He went home. He was tired, and Mimi came. Those two don’t get along too well.” I explained.
Pumpie giggled. “Nai, they don’t. Mimi accused him of doing something as the Digimon Kaiser and Ken told her to watch who she pointed her fingers at in his base. Then he left.”
“His base?!” Her parents cried out in fear.
Pumpie looked up at them. “Hai. What’s wrong?”
“That’s the bad place. That’s where he kept his slaves. That’s where he whipped ‘em, killed ‘em even. Bad place. You all need to destroy it.” Her mother said in a frightened whisper.
Pumpie frowned. “Ken wouldn’t do that. Would he?” Pumpie turned to me, fear in her eyes. I remembered how she acted when we first got there, scared to death.
“Not anymore.” I told her.
“But he did?” She asked.
“Hai.” I replied softly.
“Did he when you lived there, Hikari?” She asked.
I looked up in surprise. “Nai! I made him let most of the Digimon go!”
“Then why did he still have such a big army?” Pumpie’s mother asked.
“Those were my friends that wanted to stay on the same side I was on. They weren’t slaves, they were there by choice. He didn’t raid villages with that group, did he?” I asked them, angry that they would doubt him.
“Well, no. Not exactally.”
“All he did with them was argue with the Digidestined.” I said, glad that the arguement was going my way.
“And you let him do that?! You let him fight your friends?!” Pumpie’s father said, unbelieving.
“You think I wanted to fight my friends? You think I enjoyed being on Ken’s side, wondering who would die in each battle? You think I could control him?” I returned.
“Did you ever tell him to stop?” Pumpie’s father asked.
“Nai.” I had to admit.
“Why were you even on his side?” Pumpie’s mother asked, her voice softer, kinder.
“Because, all my friends wanted me to do was apologize to my brother. My brother had told me he never wanted to see or hear from me again. Ken was the only one that wasn’t ordering me to do anything. He was the only person who wasn’t yelling at me.” I said. Those events flashed by in my thoughts. I felt like crying again, just like when they had happened.
“Then you rejoined the Digidestined. Why?” Her mother continued.
“Because Taichi came out and apologized for what had happened, making me feel like apologizing as well. My friends weren’t expecting me to do anything anymore, so I felt better rejoining them.” I explained. Then Ken, lying on the ground, his knife next to him, his arm bleeding, flashed through my thoughts. “And almost lost Ken.” I whispered. I felt a tear in my eye as I saw Ken, standing there, knife in hand, about to do worse damage than I could have handled, and colapsed in to sobs on the ground.
Gatomon came over to me and sat in my lap. Pumpie and her parents came over. Her mother’s face was sad. “I’m sorry, Hikari. It wasn’t kind of us to push you like that.” She said, her voice lined with sorrow.
“Nai. It’s okay. I did it to myself. I was remembering what Ken did earlier.” I explained.
“What?” Pumpie’s father asked.
“”He- he- he...” I burst in to sobs again.
Pumpie looked at her parents in sorrow. “Ken tried to kill himself again. Hikari was the one that took the knife out of his hand. It was all over that stupid notebook!” Pumpie finished angrily.
I looked up at her. “Nai. It was more than that. I saw it in his eyes. He had been thinking about how he had gained the notebook and the knowledge to read it. He still regrets his past, and he always will, nothing will change that. He’s changed a lot from when he was the Digimon Kaiser, though, whether he thinks so or not. It’s just, why does he keep on thinking he needs to kill himself because of his past?” I said quietly, and burst in to tears again.
“He blames him self for a lot, Hikari. He’s the only one who can change that, but I think that you may be able to help him on that road. His road of recovery is longer than even Jou sees, and I’m not sure he’ll ever reach the end. But I do know, that he has friends who will help him reach it, and that’s what counts.” The chief said.
I gave him a smile. “Arigato. I needed that.” I told him and got up. “I need to get home. Maybe, when Ken get’s out of the hospital, I’ll bring him by. Okay?” I said to Pumpie, who looked really sad.
“Okay. I guess. But I don’t have anything to remember you by.” She said.
I sighed, putting my hand in my pocket. I felt something and pulled it out. It was the little whistle I had picked up at Ken’s base. “Here, take this. I used to wear one just like it the first time I came to the DigiWorld. I don’t know what Gatomon did with that one, but this one looks like it.”
“I still don’t have anything to remember Ken by.”
“Well, then. You must not have noticed when I picked that up from all his junk in his base.”
“You mean his piles of shit?” Pumpie asked. Her mother gasped.
I grinned. “Hai. His piles of shit. Just, don’t say that around your parents, okay.” She nodded. I turned to Gatomon and had her digivolve, then got on. “Good-bye!” I called as we flew up into to the sky.
As we flew in the direction of the nearest T.V. I thought about what the chief had said. “I’ll always be here for you, Ken. We all will.” I said to the sky. Nefertimon nodded. We turned to the sunset and smiled. *I love you, Ichijouji Ken.* I thought, as the T.V., and home, came in to view.
____________________________________________________________________________
Okay! That one got a little out of hand! (I don’t know why I made Ken suicidal again! He still wasn’t supposed to be! *Grrr...* ^_^”) And it was longer than I meant it to be. (If you didn’t get the prophesy, don’t worry. It will be explained it the next story!)
I know, this so doesn’t follow the storyline for 02! Eheheh... ^_^” So kill me! (Not literally! ^_^”)
Okay! All e-mail for this story is to go to [email protected] Mrs. Ichijouji and Green have decided they don’t like this certain story, so aren’t taking mail for it! Don’t send any to them ‘bout this one!
Until next time!
“MEOW!!”
Bye!
By Katmon =^.^= Ichijouji
Yet five will understand.
The first shall recite it to the second.
The second shall write it down.
The third and last shall read it aloud
To many sitting ‘round.
‘The first is keeper of all
In the Digital Realm
The one who will help
The ‘Destined many again.
‘The second is a lonely Pumpkinmon
Who lead a battle to death.
He shall die by the hand of the third
And give him this gift.
‘The third is keeper of Kindness,
Love of Light, though found in dark.
Blood of second shall help him
In understanding the need.
‘When Kindness and Light unite,
Courage and Friendship will fall.
They raise again
And Light is home
Yet Kindness sees the blood on his hands.
‘Reliability gives orders
That are not to be followed.
And Knowledge knows not all.
‘Light will clam
Kindness, with his bloody hands.
Hope shines in blood’s heart
And on Kindness’ face.
‘Sincerity comes with other
Whom with in Love falls.
‘Only three can read this rhyme
Keeper, Pumpkinmon, and Kindness.
Only five will understand
One, three, worm, Light, and cat.’”
Katmon =^.^=
/\ /\
^ ^
= o =