Okay so this one is for the prompt 'dark' and is written for the One Ship Boot Camp because the world needs more Ken/Kari and there isn't enough of it in the world.
It had been four years since the defeat of MaloMyotismon and things had been going relatively well for the DigiDestined. The younger group was all hanging out in the park in the evening and were deciding to head over to Davis's place to have a small sleepover as it was the weekend and the group hadn't hung out in awhile. No one thought that darkness would try to shatter this peace now that things were going so perfectly.
"Come on TB, I'll definitely beat you this time in the video games!" Davis challenged his friend.
T.K. rolled his eyes playfully. "You say that, but you always lose unless Ken teams up with you and that's cause Ken is an incredible strategist."
"Ken is amazing at video games!" Yolei agreed gleefully and Kari giggled a bit at her best friend. She knew her friend had a fan-girl crush on Ken for the most part and sometimes almost felt bad about it because it clearly seemed Ken wasn't planning to start a relationship with her anytime soon. However, she didn't know how to break this news to Yolei. She could vaguely hear Davis retorting and the bickering between Davis, Yolei and T.K. going on, but her mind was growing foggy and she could barely hear anyone or anything.
"You can't resist me this time, Child of Light," A venomous voice hissed in Kari's ear. The hairs on her arm to stood up and for a moment, she couldn't catch her breath. It felt as if someone had sucked the oxygen out of her. Instinctively, she turned around without warning, knocking Yolei over in the process, distracting her and the others from the argument.
"Kari! What is it?" Yolei asked gingerly. Judging by the expression on her face, Kari could tell that Yolei probably thought she was going crazy and her eyes were dancing in concern.
Kari stared at Yolei. "Didn't you hear that?" That voice was as clear as day. TK turned to look at her, his expression almost knowing yet scared. Yolei tapped her hand on her chin, blinked her eyes a few times, and sighed.
She shrugged her shoulders then shook her head. "Hear what?" Yolei replied, perplexed. "Kari, are you alright? You don't look so good…"
"Kari, is it them?" T.K. deferred, placing his hands on her shoulders. "The Dark Ocean?"
Everyone froze in place. Kari felt as if they'd been suspended in time, and she'd been the accursed one to watch it all happen. She could hear a few gasp and whispers. They've all heard of the Dark Ocean but only she and Ken really knew that feeling of darkness. They felt it. Felt it trying to overwhelm them.
"Child of Light, Child of Kindness, you both are made to expand and feed the power of darkness!" The voice hissed again.
Kari shivered and through the corner of her eye saw Ken grow pale, guessing he had heard it too this time. Who was it? Was it the same Undersea Master from before? The same who wanted her to be his bride? The Scubamon said that he would find her one day, and that day could be now, she realized. Even so, if that was the case, what would they want from Ken?
"Oi Ken, whatever you're hearing don't listen to it man!" Davis said, snapping Kari out of her thoughts and looking to their goggle-headed leader who was shaking Ken desperately. "We're with you! You're not alone anymore!"
She didn't have long to dwell. Kari could feel the darkness surrounding her. The other's voices were beginning to fade out, and all she could see were waves. It's closing in on me. T.K. and Yolei were screaming; what they were saying were a mystery - just shadowed figures, pleading in the darkness. The Dark Ocean will win this time. I can't fight it by myself. I'm not strong like Tai. Please... somebody, help me!
Silence! Nothing but screaming silence and dark waves. The hair on her arms stood up as the frigid air reached her skin; it was the same as before. She was alone and this time, she was sure, no one would come and save her.
Tears fought against her will, daring to come out. I have to be strong... I have to... a surge of warmth overcame her. A hand full of love reached out into the darkness. Yolei was reaching for her hand. Kari extended her hand until she finally managed to grab her best friend's hand, holding tight and not letting go. For a split second, Kari blinked, wondering if her best friend would be able to pull her out. It seemed Yolei didn't need to as right then, another pair of arms wrapped around her, slightly unfamiliar yet warm.
"Kari," Ken's voice was quiet but firm. "I know you're scared of the darkness. I'd be lying if I said it didn't scare me. I'm scared too, scared the darkness will take me away from everything I've tried so hard to earn Davis and all my other friends. A-and you as well. You told me the darkness couldn't keep us trapped if there was someone out there waiting for us. If someone wanted us to come back, the darkness couldn't harm us. Remember?"
Kari did remember those words. She had said them to Ken herself when her, Yolei and Ken had been dragged to the Dark Ocean. But that was different! She was scared. She didn't want to be dragged to the Dark Ocean and forced to be the Queen of Darkness. Her eyes watered as she wished her brother Tai was there. He had always protected her. No one else understood.
"I do... I-I understand," Ken interjected, as if reading her thoughts. "Better than you know. I know what it's like to feel scared and alone. To feel like there's no one to pull you out of the darkness, because someone wants to hurt you."
Kari's eyes locked with Ken's and at that moment, she knew. She knew he understood better than anyone else what it was like to be trapped by the darkness, feeling like no one could help you. He knew fear better than anyone there.
The voice hissed, a static of dark purple aura surrounding Kari. She screamed and felt herself involuntarily shiver, and her lips trembled. I can't cry. I gotta be strong. I have to be strong enough to save myself. Ken's right. I can't give up now. The darkness hung over her but Ken pulled her closer and she heard him cringe at the power of darkness. It seemed to cut through them both it seemed. Would it drag both her and Ken to the Dark Ocean because Ken was trying to help her fight it?
She felt two hands grasp each of hers and looked up to see T.K. and Yolei by her side.
"Ken's right, Kari," T.K. said firmly. "It's like I said. Tai isn't the only one you can rely on, we're all here for you." His confidence gave Kari strength. It was the belief he always had in her and always would. He wasn't her best friend for nothing, after all. He understood her fear too, despite having not gone through it. He was there too. Ken had been right. She definitely wasn't alone.
Yolei had taken Kari's free hand, squeezing it as well. "T.K.'s right. You and Ken aren't alone. Both of you have all of us here. I made a promise to you, Kari. I'm not going to let you go that easily. If the darkness wants to take you, they'll have to get through me first."
Davis's placed a hand on Ken's shoulder and smiled. "Y'know, I'm right behind you, buddy. Kari was right you know. The darkness won't hurt you as long as we keep wanting you to come back to us. And we always will. As long as we all have each other, nothing can hurt us."
Cody moved beside them as well and nodded in agreement. "We're in this together, you two."
The purple aura vanished and Kari buried her head in Ken's shoulder, relishing in his warmth for a moment. He fought his own fear of the darkness to protect her and had reminded her that yes, they really were all in it together. None of them were alone. Being in Ken's arms was like having a soft light bathing over the two of them, a light that would block out even a single ray of darkness. If Kari could use one word to describe it, she would use the term security.
"Thank you," Kari whispered, so only Ken could hear. "For making me realize I'm not really alone."
Ken smiled a little, slightly red-faced. He hadn't realized how close they were until now.. "I just reminded you. You knew it in your heart all along. But you're welcome. Wormmon saw the light in me even when I didn't see it myself. I just don't want to lose anyone else to the darkness."
Kari held back a giggle at Ken's embarrassment but smiled. "Thank you…" She flushed as she realized she had been looking into Ken's beautiful eyes for too long and tore her gaze away to move it to the others.
Gazing into his eyes, she'd never realized how enticing those violaceous cerulean eyes had been. She took in every sad detail that coloured his optics, memorized the shape and crudely enjoyed seeing her reflection in his eyes. It took her a moment to realize that she'd been staring for much too long; blushing, she tore her gawking eyes away from him and looked to the others.
"Thank you," she said to her friends.
Davis winked. "You know we're always here for you guys. Although it seems you two are pretty much enough for one another."
"Davis!" both Ken and Kari said blushing.
Yolei frowned a little bit but didn't comment while TK laughed a bit before yanking on Davis's ear.
"Leave them be, you're killing the moment," TK chided and Davis huffed.
"You're no fun," Davis said pouting.