Hi All! I'm back! And it's only been a bit over a month. Well, more than a bit. Still. A bit about this story: This is a Ken and Wormmon centric companion to A Fading Hope as such it has spoilers of A Fading Hope. I'm also tweaking cannon a touch. In this timeline, Ken introduces his parents to Leafmon/ Wormmon in episode 23, when he remembers them/ who he is/ etc, rather than later in the series.
another note: I'll be going back and fixing the timeline in Fading hope, as Ken was missing for "several months" according to episode 23, so my " six weeks" thing doesn't work. Oops!
This chapter is set a few days before the first chapter of A Fading Hope.
That said, away we go!
Disclaimer: Digimon is not mine, I do not own theses characters.
Sunshine streamed, catching in dust motes as Ken Ichijouji tightened a screw and stepped back to admire his handiwork.
"It looks great, Ken."Wormmon stared up at the roller coster, letting go of the net he'd been dragging, full of metal pipes.
"I still can't believe he's strong enough to move all that." Ken thought.
When the two had first come to the abandoned amusement park, it had been thick with debris and more than one ride had been rusted away. Salvaging parts from his various bases, the former Digimon Emperor and his partner had spent the last several afternoons fixing what they could. the teacup ride was too badly damaged, but the roller coster had just needed a portion of tracks repaired, and some wires fixed, and Wormmon had taken to scouring the rust off of metal like a Duckmon took to water. it had been long, thirsty work, but worth it.
"Thanks, Wormmon. Do you think it'll run? And... do you think anyone will ever ride it?" he eyed the four massive control spires in the area. "Even after we tear them down..."
Wormmon hugged Ken's left shoe.
"Ken, if you fixed it I know it'll run. And as soon as we destroy the spires, this place will be overrun with happy digimon. It'll be wonderful, you'll see."
Ken smiled, but thought, "No, I won't see. After it's fixed, we'll find some place else to help. Rebuild something else. No one will come if I'm here. And why would they? I've brought nothing but evil to this place." His smile faltered, and Wormmon hugged his shoe tighter.
"Let's go destroy some towers, Ken, that'll make you feel better." Ken nodded, picking up one of the un-needed metal poles. Wormmon's attacks alone couldn't bring down one of the tall, dark control spires, but together, though it took time, they could bring the buildings down. It was back breaking work, hammering away at the outer shell of the spire to access a control panel to delete it, but the easier way, using the master computer in his base, was lost to them. The base was still out there, somewhere, but Ken didn't want anything to do with it, couldn't go near the desert, not again.
Ken didn't mind- the ache in his arms, his sweat soaked shirt, meant he was working, really working. Atoning might have been the word for it, but no. Atoners had some chance, some hope of redemption. Forgiveness. Neither were or ever would be Ken' stayed awake, tossing and turning at night, thinking- "I can't repay what I've done, but if I don't repay anyway, I'll never be able to breathe, never be able to-" he didn't know what. But maybe, if he tore down every spire, rebuilt every village or city he had forced his slaves to destroy, maybe if he tried, he'd be able to look at himself and not see a monster. Wormmon already looked at him, not his past, loved him unconditionally, but Ken wasn't sure he'd ever be able to. If no one else could ever forgive what he'd done, and no one ever would, how could he forgive himself? He couldn't, simple as that. He'd just have to keep helping, do all he could to rebuild, and maybe... someday... no.
They came to the edge of forest, and ahead loomed the spire. Wormmon stopped suddenly. "Ken, wait. I have a bad feeling about this."
"The Digimon Emperor would have sneered and kicked him for that. How could I have been so cruel?" Ken thought, angry at himself. He crouched beside his partner, his friend, and watched. Were digimon in the area? He'd checked his cameras, and had seen a small Snowbotamon village not too far away, but from his records, they rarely came this far East. And the Digidestined were all the way on the other side of the Digital World, or they had been before he'd left... surely they were working still. "What if they found me?" True, the other humans in the Digital World hadn't tried to hurt him, after Wormmon's sacrifice, after he was helpless and alone and pathetic. But he'd hurt them, he'd almost killed them, time and time again. It had been shock that had stayed their hands, or else that they were above his good could come of crossing their paths.
Ken peered around a tree and saw the base of the spire- and a figure. Not one of the Digidestined, she was tall, dressed in red and purple, with long white hair. "She looks familiar." Ken hissed to Wormmon, who shrugged as well as a Silkworm type digimon could shrug. they watched as the woman drew out a hair and thrust it into the spire- she said something that sounded like "Spirit Needle"-
"Is she a digimon?" Ken asked Wormmon, who shrugged again, then watched in wide eyed horror as the spire shimmered and melted away to form a digimon. It was taller than Ken's father, it had to be seven feet tall, vaguely human shaped but its arms were longer, and its face was just eyes, as red as the plume on its helm. It wore armor that looked to be part of its flesh in places. In one hand it held a red and silver sword, in the other a round shield.
"That's a Digimon, Turionmon. They aren't supposed to be real, though, not anymore." Wormmon said quietly. "They all went away, were deleted in a terrible battle and chose not to be reborn, or so the legends say. They were terribly violent, though, especially with their Shield Bash and Steel Strike attacks."
Ken winced, then held up a finger. The white haired woman- digimon?- was speaking, but they were still too far away, and Ken couldn't hear what she said- he caught one word. "Destroy." She pointed deeper into the woods, then vanished. Turionmon began to walk in the direction she'd pointed to.
"Wormmon, the village is over there." Ken got to his feet, fingers wrapped around the metal pole. " We have to stop it- she- it- it's going to destroy the Snowbotamon."
Wormmon looked around. "What should we do, Ken, you're the genius, not me."
Ken snorted at that, but thought quickly. "Get to the village, try to get everyone to hide. See if then know which of the- the Digidestined's digimon is nearby- the older ones, that keep guard posts.. They're strong, and- maybe there are some stronger digimon close by. If we're lucky."
"What about you?" Wormmon looked up at his friend. Ken held up the staff. "I'll distract him. Now go."
"I can't leave you!"
"You can't fight him, Wormmon."
"I'm sorry I'm so use-"
"That's not it at all, I just don't want you to get hurt, I can't lose you again. I'll be fine, now go, hurry!"
Wormmon went as quickly as his legs would take him, and Ken darted from the trees.
"Hey, you! Turionmon! Hey! Pick on someone your own size!" " Or, closer, anyway." He held up his pipe, then swung it through the air, but the digimon didn't turn from its course, just continued through the trees.
Ken took off at a run, quickly overtaking the Romanesque digimon and reaching a small clearing in its path. There he braced himself, tried to get his breathing under control, and faced the slowly advancing Turionmon. Again he lifted the metal pole, holding it as he might a sword- not that he'd held a sword, real or fake, in five years. "Stupid. You should have kept fencing, but noooo, soccer had more glory." "Hey, I was talking to you! Leave the Snowbotamon alone!"
Turionmon did not respond, but seeing Ken's "sword", stopped and brought up his own. Without a moment's pause, he dove at Ken, who blocked, then struck out- the pole collided with the metal armor of Turion's forearm and reverberated, jarring the boy's hand. Ken almost dropped the pole, but hung on. Turionmon lunged, driving Ken back; Ken managed to block the blow but had to leap backwards to avoid being hurt. He drove his pipe at Turionmon's bare shoulder.
"You don't have to do what she said. How can I free you? Please, let me help you!" Ken yelled as Turionmon growled, "Shield Bash."
The digimon's shield began to glow, then a burst of energy in the shape of the shield flew at Ken, knocking him to the ground. Covered in dirt and leave, Ken struggled to his feet- Turionmon was advancing, murder gleaming in his eyes. Just in time Ken swung his makeshift sword- the two weapons collided with a resounding clatter. He was breathing hard, and with his free hand brushed hair from his eyes. The Digimon wasn't wearing a dark ring- but maybe it didn't have to have one, to be controlled, if it was made from a control spire- but how had that woman made a digimon anyway? "I would have known if my spires...if the spires could become Digimon. I made them."
More light flared from around the shield, this time Ken dodged backwards and left, and again the shield glowed.
"No! You can't destroy the village!" Ken stepped forward but Turionmon was ready, swinging his sword in wide arcs, driving the boy back, through the trees, towards the Snowbotamon village.
Closer, closer, until they were only a few yards from the first small hut. No small digimon were in sight, Ken was glad to notice. He just Hoped Wormmon was able to find help. "Just leave! Leave them all alone!" Ken tried again.
Turionmon did not say anything, just continued his attack. Ken tripped backwards, narrowly avoiding the point of the sword, and slammed into a thick tree trunk. Dazed, he dropped his metal pole. He dove for it, but Turionmon was upon him, sword raised. Ken closed his eyes.
"KEN!" That was Wormmon, who threw himself at the larger digimon. " Sticky Web!" Strands of thick webbing covered Turionmon's sword, and as Wormmon fell back, it was wrenched from his hand. Turionmon didn't seem to notice, still focused on Ken. He reached out, metal and flesh fingers closing around Ken's throat as the boy thrashed. "Ken!"
At his waist, his Digivice began to glow. Light, a brilliant golden-white, surged, surrounding the little digimon, who began to grow.
Wormmon Digivolve to...Stringmon!
"Spiking Strike!" he cried, and Turionmon released Ken, focusing on the new threat. Light pulsed from his shield, but the insect warrior dodged it, pale purple light poured from his green knuckles in a solid beam, and when it connected with Turionmon, the warrior digimon shone black, then vanished, turned to dust.
Ken stared in shock and something like horror as Stingmon glowed again, then became Wormmon once more, panting slightly. "Ken, are you ok?'
"Thanks to you," Ken coughed, rubbing his neck. " How did you do that?'
Wormmon shook his head. "I don't know. You were in trouble, I had to do something, and suddenly, I could."
Ken nodded, hugging his digimon.
Before he could say what he was thinking, Wormmon spoke softly. "He.. Turionmon. You're worried, that I...killed him."
Ken nodded. "I know you had too, but..."
Wormmon snuggled into his partner's chest. "I don't think he was a real digimon- you saw, he was one of the spires. But- Ken- if he wants to come back, he can. We all can. The worst digimon's data is purified, so evil can't return if they're deleted fully, but digimon like him, or..."
"You."
"Or me, we can come back, if we want to."
"Why didn't you go ...on? To- do digimon have heaven?" Ken asked, finally getting his breath back.
Wormmon shrugged. "I couldn't leave you. You're my best friend."
Ken hugged the little digimon. "Thank you. Thank you for saving me, and for coming back."
A small digimon behind them cheeped, "Oh, Thank you, thank you, you saved us, you saved our lives!"
Ken turned, and the group of Snowbotamon shrank back, seeing his face. Whispers ran among them- "It's him!" "Hide the children!" "We're all children!" "Run away!" Ken looked down, filled with shame. Holding Wormmon, he took off back through the trees at a run. It wasn't until he reached one of the small TVs. Unclipping his digivice from his belt, he opened a portal and landed with a thump on his bedroom floor.
"Ken, is that you?" came his mother's voice.
"Yeah!"
"I'm glad you're back, I have a new recipe for crab croquets I want you and Wormmon to try."
Ken looked at Wormmon and managed a small smile. It still hurt his heart, the mistrust and hatred- the fear in the snowbotamon's eyes. He understood it- he didn't blame them, but still.
He was glad, at least, that his mother and father were ok with him leaving every afternoon for the Digital world. he hadn't told them about what he'd done, he didn't think he could take their disappointment in him. He knew, from conversations spied upon, that most of the digidestined's parents were either in the dark or less than happy with their children's involvement in the other world, with 'monsters.' "At least Mom and Wormmon get along."
He had been worried, introducing Leafmon to his parents, but his mother had been so happy that he had a friend that she had taken to the digimon ( and his willingness to try any recipe she tried) instantly.
"Ken?" Wormmon said softly, moving towards the door. "It'll get better. They won't always... you know."
"Yes, they will. They should." Ken thought, but said nothing.
Dinner was quiet and as usual, delicious. Ken's mother had even set a place for Wormmon beside Ken, though the digimon had to sit on the table itself to reach his plate.
"Ken?" Wormmon said softly from the pillow. "Will you promise me something?"
"What?"
"Someday, let's go back to the amusement park, and ride the ferris wheel, or the roller coaster, or something. You deserve-"
"No, I don't. You saw the Snowbotamon. They were terrified of me. I can't go near there. We'll find some other empty place to rebuild. Move on, rebuild, destroy my stupid spires. And anyway, I don't deserve-"
"Ken, don't. You are the kindest, most gentle-"
Ken laughed.
"I'm serious. You don't see it, but- someday. When you've done enough. Will you go back?"
"I can never do enough."
"Ken, please."
Ken turned in bed to face his digimon. "Maybe. No promises, but maybe."
"Good enough for me. G'night, Ken."
"Goodnight, Wormmon."
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