Title: Servants of Shadows
Characters: 02 Chosen Children, Piemon||Romance: N/A
Word Count: 500||Status: One-shot
Genre: Angst||Rated: PG
Challenge: Diversity Writing, A57, 500 word drabble; Digimon Flash Bingo, 209, abuse
Notes: This is sort of my take on where the 02 kids are in Tri. At least one flavor of it.
Summary: Piemon's servants know that he holds all power over them. Piemon thoroughly enjoys having all power over those who might've been his enemies before Alphamon gave him an unexpected gift.
"Well, well, has today been productive for everyone?" Piemon drifted in, looking from one of them to the other. All four stood up as soon as he spoke, rigid to attention. He waved one hand at them . "There's no need to be that formal, we're all friends here, aren't we?"
In near unison, the four former Chosen relaxed to whatever extent they could. It wasn't much of one. All of their attention slid from each other to Piemon and back again, ready for the slightest hint of anger on his part, or weakness on their own.
They could not be weak. They could never be weak again. Weak got them in here. Weak would not get them out.
Piemon turned to observe Miyako thoughtfully. "Well, since no one wants to speak up, I'll have to choose someone to start tonight's report." He waved a hand at her this time. "What have you learned?"
Miyako didn't hesitate. "It's just as you thought, my lord." If there was a hint of reluctance to give him that title, she didn't show it. "There's at least one Gennai clone who has fallen to … who isn't using his usual methods." One had to be careful how one phrased things with Piemon. He could and did take offense at such small words.
"I see." Piemon patted her on the shoulder. "And is there any sign of those others?" Now he turned to Iori, whose task it was to watch the gates between the Digital World and the Human World.
"I haven't seen any yet, my lord." Iori's voice held no more reluctance than Miyako's. "But they're probably going to come sooner or later."
"Of course, of course." Piemon gave him an approving pat as well before he turned to Ken, a hint of a smile now on his lips. "I know already how well your lessons have been going."
Ken's shoulders showed only the faintest hint of tension, but as with the others, there wasn't a trace of reluctance in his answer. "We live to please you, my lord."
"That you do, that you do," Piemon agreed. Then he turned towards Daisuke. "Yours have progressed well also. You two will be my blades when the Chosen finally make their return. I expect you to make me proud."
Both Ken and Daisuke stood up as tall as possible. "We will, my lord," the two spoke in perfect unison. Piemon nodded in approval.
"You've earned your food tonight. The very best."
He did not miss the glee in their eyes at that. He'd cultivated it: they knew their standard of living depended on how they pleased him. He decided they'd earned one more reward. "Tomorrow you will have one hour to spend with your partners. Use it well."
None of them cheered, not with their voices. But the joy he saw made it all the better. His domination of them would not falter. He controlled them absolutely.
Someone had to do it. Who better than he?
The End
Notes: In essence, after Alphamon defeated them as shown in the first part of Tri, they were taken by a revived Piemon. It took time for the time difference between Earth the Digital World to resort itself out after the reboot, so they've experienced seven years whereas a much shorter period of time (I think it was actually said to be a week?) passed for the human world. So they've been living with Piemon for seven years and have grown up...physically, at least. And you shouldn't be surprised that in my version of Tri, the epilogue isn't applicable for a variety of reasons.
I may develop this more into a full on non-drabble, but that rather depends on how Tri's last two movies go and how my taste for this AU goes.
