They Couldn't Forgive
Rain, pounding in its steady rhythm, poured down on the gathering of people here in the cemetery. Among them, five kids who are crying. Just like all the rest of us. But unlike them, those children aren't crying for the one who's gone.
They cry for themselves. They cry selfish tears, grief only for the innocence they lost. For the seemingly unbearable burden they had to bear.
They have no idea the pain they've caused. Not to me, and most importantly, to him. The so-called protectors of the Digital World did the unthinkable, that crossed them over the line.
They couldn't forgive. How simple it sounds. But how hurtful the meaning. How I wish to scream it in their faces, demand to know what right they thought they had to play god.
He wanted to be forgiven! He didn't want to continue on his own dark path, down into the ice of cruelty and the stone of unfeeling. He fought his way back to the light. You knew that.
But you still couldn't forgive.
You, Cody, the responsible, knowing child. The one who favored justice and honor. What honor was there in that horrible act? How reliable was it to turn away so you wouldn't see him crying?
You, Yolei, the sincere, honest caring one. The one who promised to give the benefit of the doubt. How much compassion was in that face carved of stone when he cried out for help? How sincere are these tears you now shed?
TK, the hope, the caring. What hope is there now for one who is gone? What shining light of tomorrow told you that he should not see today?
Kari, you dare, you DARE to call yourself Light! Good! Truth! Mercy! Don't lie, I saw that heartless look in your eyes as he fell, saw as you turned away from his pleading cries. Saw as you walked away, all of you.
Davis, leader, friend, courageous one! He'd asked for friendship, he'd never wanted to be alone again after all his time in the dark. He'd wanted to be with the ones he was meant with, not alone! Courage, what courage did you have when you couldn't even tell them not to do it! Hypocrite!
He'd saved your lives. Begged for another chance. Gone through so much to come back to your side.
And you still could not forgive.
As all those hate-filled blows struck him down, as he fell to the ground, when he reached for you, still pleading, still crying, you turned away.
Hypocrites. All of you, hypocrites! HYPOCRITES!
And there's me.
I've been through much as well. But to you I'm just another person in this crowd, nothing important. Nothing special.
I'm one of you.
It sickens my heart to know that.
Here you are, crying as if you mourn, saying you were his friend, that you're sorry he's gone. Hiding your Digimon in your bags or under your coats. Hiding the very things that ended his life, at your bidding.
I can see your face now, my friend. It still holds the pain of betrayal. They couldn't hide the pain, hide the wounds you caused.
I.....I still have the paper. The paper I found in your hand. I think I know what it means now. They won't understand, even if I show it to them. But I know what you meant now. And I understand.
I know what you did as the Emperor. I know what happened, I know it all.
And you have my forgiveness. I want you to know that.
Wormmon once said this...
Goodbye, Ken.
~@~
The funeral was over, and even the boy's parents had gone home. But to some people's puzzlement, one person remained.
The Digidestined had paid him no mind. He was just another school friend, they assumed. Now it was time to go home for them, time to spend with their siblings and Digimon.
How wrong they were about that one boy. That one boy with reddish-brown hair, tanned skin, and dark brown eyes.
The boy stood in front of the new headstone. Just stood there, staring, wind whipping at his hair and coat. The rain had stopped quite a while back, leaving the air chill. He didn't care.
In his deep pocket, a bulge began to squirm again. Out of it popped the head of a small blue and white creature with dark red eyes. He looked at his human, concern etched on his cute face. But he didn't speak. If he needed this time, he would have it. He deserved this much.
"I'm in here somewhere to, you know." The boy finally said. The Digimon cocked his head curiously.
"Huh? But you're not dead, you're right here." He protested. The boy smiled weakly.
"Ryo Himeno is buried here. Ryan Barker is the one standing here." He said somewhat brutally. Then, without warning, he slammed his fist down on the headstone. He collapsed, leaning on the stone for support. His body wracked with the sobs he'd repressed through the entire funeral.
"They took everything from me!" he hissed through gritted teeth "My family, my home, my name! And now the ones who are supposed to be on my side killed my best friend..."
Ryan fell silent, still sobbing. Chibimon climbed out of his pocket and onto his shoulder, hugging his neck the best he could.
After minutes that seemed like hours passed, he pushed himself away from the headstone. One hand wiped away the tears still on his face, and the other pulled a sheet of crumpled paper from his pocket. Curious and startled, Chibimon looked down at the paper, looking at the words that Ryan read. And in a dawn, he understood just why that paper meant so much.
~Shape of My Heart~
By the Backstreet Boys
~Baby
Please try
To forgive me
Stay here
Don't put out the glow
Hold me now
Don't bother
If every minute it makes me weaker
You can save me
From the man I've become
Looking back on the things I'd done
I was trying to be someone
I played my part
It kept you in the dark
Now let me show you the shape of my heart
Sadness is beautiful
Loneliness is tragical
So help me
I can't win this war
Touch me now
Don't bother
If every second it makes me weaker
You can save me
From the man I've become.
Looking back on the things I'd done
I was trying to be someone
I played my part
It kept you in the dark
Now let me show you the shape of my heart
I hear with my confession
Got nothing to hide no more
I don't know where to start
But to show you the shape of my heart
I'm looking back on things I'd done
I was trying to be someone
Played my part
It kept you in the dark
Now let me show you the shape of my heart
Show you the shape of my heart.~
"He meant it. All those words....it might as well have been him saying them." Ryan whispered, stuffing the paper back in his pocket. Chibimon nodded.
He stood up, not bothering to brush himself off. Gently, he placed his hand on the headstone.
"I don't care what they thought.. but I believed you. Goodbye Ken. You were my best friend...I hope you remember that...."
He then slowly removed his hand, and walked away, no longer caring about the tears that poured down his face.
On top of the headstone a stray flower landed, petals skittering along the stone. A pink flower, just like the Crest of Kindness.
~@~
~Newspaper headline the next day~
TWELVE MYSTERIOUS DEATHS BAFFLE ALL
Early this morning news came that twelve youths in Odaiba have been found mysteriously dead, without any clue as to why. No one can determine the cuase of death, it is as if they just had their lives snuffed out. The children include Taichi and Hikari Kamiya, Yamato Ishida, Sora Takenouchi, Koushiro Izumi, Mimi Tachikawa (visiting from the USA), Joe Kido, Takeru Takaishi, Davis Motimiya, Yolei Inoue, Cody Hida, and Ryan Barker (also visiting from the USA). Police reports state that there is nothing in common that a killer could find in all of them, and they are now investigating.......
~@~
United we stand, apart we are blown like leaves in the wind.
A/N: This is the most depressing story I've ever written........Ugh. Hope you liked it. R&R!
Rain, pounding in its steady rhythm, poured down on the gathering of people here in the cemetery. Among them, five kids who are crying. Just like all the rest of us. But unlike them, those children aren't crying for the one who's gone.
They cry for themselves. They cry selfish tears, grief only for the innocence they lost. For the seemingly unbearable burden they had to bear.
They have no idea the pain they've caused. Not to me, and most importantly, to him. The so-called protectors of the Digital World did the unthinkable, that crossed them over the line.
They couldn't forgive. How simple it sounds. But how hurtful the meaning. How I wish to scream it in their faces, demand to know what right they thought they had to play god.
He wanted to be forgiven! He didn't want to continue on his own dark path, down into the ice of cruelty and the stone of unfeeling. He fought his way back to the light. You knew that.
But you still couldn't forgive.
You, Cody, the responsible, knowing child. The one who favored justice and honor. What honor was there in that horrible act? How reliable was it to turn away so you wouldn't see him crying?
You, Yolei, the sincere, honest caring one. The one who promised to give the benefit of the doubt. How much compassion was in that face carved of stone when he cried out for help? How sincere are these tears you now shed?
TK, the hope, the caring. What hope is there now for one who is gone? What shining light of tomorrow told you that he should not see today?
Kari, you dare, you DARE to call yourself Light! Good! Truth! Mercy! Don't lie, I saw that heartless look in your eyes as he fell, saw as you turned away from his pleading cries. Saw as you walked away, all of you.
Davis, leader, friend, courageous one! He'd asked for friendship, he'd never wanted to be alone again after all his time in the dark. He'd wanted to be with the ones he was meant with, not alone! Courage, what courage did you have when you couldn't even tell them not to do it! Hypocrite!
He'd saved your lives. Begged for another chance. Gone through so much to come back to your side.
And you still could not forgive.
As all those hate-filled blows struck him down, as he fell to the ground, when he reached for you, still pleading, still crying, you turned away.
Hypocrites. All of you, hypocrites! HYPOCRITES!
And there's me.
I've been through much as well. But to you I'm just another person in this crowd, nothing important. Nothing special.
I'm one of you.
It sickens my heart to know that.
Here you are, crying as if you mourn, saying you were his friend, that you're sorry he's gone. Hiding your Digimon in your bags or under your coats. Hiding the very things that ended his life, at your bidding.
I can see your face now, my friend. It still holds the pain of betrayal. They couldn't hide the pain, hide the wounds you caused.
I.....I still have the paper. The paper I found in your hand. I think I know what it means now. They won't understand, even if I show it to them. But I know what you meant now. And I understand.
I know what you did as the Emperor. I know what happened, I know it all.
And you have my forgiveness. I want you to know that.
Wormmon once said this...
Goodbye, Ken.
~@~
The funeral was over, and even the boy's parents had gone home. But to some people's puzzlement, one person remained.
The Digidestined had paid him no mind. He was just another school friend, they assumed. Now it was time to go home for them, time to spend with their siblings and Digimon.
How wrong they were about that one boy. That one boy with reddish-brown hair, tanned skin, and dark brown eyes.
The boy stood in front of the new headstone. Just stood there, staring, wind whipping at his hair and coat. The rain had stopped quite a while back, leaving the air chill. He didn't care.
In his deep pocket, a bulge began to squirm again. Out of it popped the head of a small blue and white creature with dark red eyes. He looked at his human, concern etched on his cute face. But he didn't speak. If he needed this time, he would have it. He deserved this much.
"I'm in here somewhere to, you know." The boy finally said. The Digimon cocked his head curiously.
"Huh? But you're not dead, you're right here." He protested. The boy smiled weakly.
"Ryo Himeno is buried here. Ryan Barker is the one standing here." He said somewhat brutally. Then, without warning, he slammed his fist down on the headstone. He collapsed, leaning on the stone for support. His body wracked with the sobs he'd repressed through the entire funeral.
"They took everything from me!" he hissed through gritted teeth "My family, my home, my name! And now the ones who are supposed to be on my side killed my best friend..."
Ryan fell silent, still sobbing. Chibimon climbed out of his pocket and onto his shoulder, hugging his neck the best he could.
After minutes that seemed like hours passed, he pushed himself away from the headstone. One hand wiped away the tears still on his face, and the other pulled a sheet of crumpled paper from his pocket. Curious and startled, Chibimon looked down at the paper, looking at the words that Ryan read. And in a dawn, he understood just why that paper meant so much.
~Shape of My Heart~
By the Backstreet Boys
~Baby
Please try
To forgive me
Stay here
Don't put out the glow
Hold me now
Don't bother
If every minute it makes me weaker
You can save me
From the man I've become
Looking back on the things I'd done
I was trying to be someone
I played my part
It kept you in the dark
Now let me show you the shape of my heart
Sadness is beautiful
Loneliness is tragical
So help me
I can't win this war
Touch me now
Don't bother
If every second it makes me weaker
You can save me
From the man I've become.
Looking back on the things I'd done
I was trying to be someone
I played my part
It kept you in the dark
Now let me show you the shape of my heart
I hear with my confession
Got nothing to hide no more
I don't know where to start
But to show you the shape of my heart
I'm looking back on things I'd done
I was trying to be someone
Played my part
It kept you in the dark
Now let me show you the shape of my heart
Show you the shape of my heart.~
"He meant it. All those words....it might as well have been him saying them." Ryan whispered, stuffing the paper back in his pocket. Chibimon nodded.
He stood up, not bothering to brush himself off. Gently, he placed his hand on the headstone.
"I don't care what they thought.. but I believed you. Goodbye Ken. You were my best friend...I hope you remember that...."
He then slowly removed his hand, and walked away, no longer caring about the tears that poured down his face.
On top of the headstone a stray flower landed, petals skittering along the stone. A pink flower, just like the Crest of Kindness.
~@~
~Newspaper headline the next day~
TWELVE MYSTERIOUS DEATHS BAFFLE ALL
Early this morning news came that twelve youths in Odaiba have been found mysteriously dead, without any clue as to why. No one can determine the cuase of death, it is as if they just had their lives snuffed out. The children include Taichi and Hikari Kamiya, Yamato Ishida, Sora Takenouchi, Koushiro Izumi, Mimi Tachikawa (visiting from the USA), Joe Kido, Takeru Takaishi, Davis Motimiya, Yolei Inoue, Cody Hida, and Ryan Barker (also visiting from the USA). Police reports state that there is nothing in common that a killer could find in all of them, and they are now investigating.......
~@~
United we stand, apart we are blown like leaves in the wind.
A/N: This is the most depressing story I've ever written........Ugh. Hope you liked it. R&R!