Ken Ichijouchi was certainly a genius by anyone's standards, but there were some things that surprised even people of Ken's intelligence.

Namely, Ken could never have guessed that a certain friend from soccer would catch up with him, get down on his knees, clutch the bottom of Ken's coat, and beg him to help them defeat the evil conqueror of another world.

At first Ken laughed, but when the boy's friends surrounded him, all asking for his assistance, he realized Davis was actually serious. He still hadn't ruled out that it was some kind of prank or scheme, but the strange talking creatures that verified the story made this whole thing impossibly hard to ignore.

And then came the day that Ken met with Davis and the others in the computer lab of an ordinary prep school, and was actually somehow absorbed into a computer. How fascinating. This totally changed a lot of his most basic assumptions, and he would have to majorly adjust his priors on a score of subjects.

Regardless, now that he knew the digital world was actually real, he thought it more reasonable to believe the story that Davis and the others told him about this place. The digimon were a marvel all their own, and the landscape would require further study too, when possible. Of course if there was a madman on the loose, Ken knew what his priorities had to be.

"Alright," he said to the others, "Give me all the details you know about his forces, his patterns, the terrain we're looking at, and what our resources are." Ken cracked his knuckles with a smirk toward Davis, "If he's half the threat you say he is, you were right to bring me in for an operation like this. That Digimon Emperor will wish he never set foot into this world by the time I'm through with him."

"Woah, slow down, there," said T.K. "We want his surrender, not his head on a platter."

"Quite," said Ken, making notes. "I think before I can make any meaningful strategic decisions, I'll need to see exactly what we're up against, too."

"That won't be a problem," Yolei pointed between a couple of peaks at an Airdramon heading their way, "We're never here for long before that jerk finds us and tries to push us around."

Ken had been told that the digimon could be controlled using something called a Dark Ring or a Dark Spiral, and that was how the Emperor had been conquering everything. He wasn't sure how it worked, but he had a theory, and if he was right he might be able to render the technology useless.

"Everyone, get ready, we've got company," Kari said, nodding to Yolei, "Ken, keep hidden, and Cody and Armadillomon, you stay close in case he's discovered."

Ken quietly slid through the branches of a thick, fernlike bush until he was completely hidden.

The Digimon Emperor, arms crossed, whip at his side, hovered ever closer. The digimon he rode was controlled by a black ring fastened around its neck, eyes gleaming with virulent red.

"Oh, look, it's the digi-dumbos," he glowered, "Come to interrupt my business again? When will you learn."

Ken struggled to see the Emperor through the plant when something tugged at his leg. "Ken? … Ken is it really you?" said the little green bug-thing. It looked at him like he was its mother or something.

"You're a digimon, aren't you" ken whispered. He knew he should keep quiet, but his curiosity got the better of him, "How do you know my name?"

"Because Ken," said the creature, "I'm YOUR digimon. I'm Wormmon."

"Worm-mon..." Ken repeated, lost in the thought. So he had a digimon, too? He should be watching the battle, but he had a hard time seeing anything through the thick branches, and moving them to get a better view would be risky. Ken could hear raised voices, he wasn't sure whose. He didn't like having to stay on the sidelines, but it only made sense that the Digidestined would want to keep their trump card hidden.

"Wormmon, what do you know about the Digimon Emperor?"

"I know that hiding from him is a very sensible idea," said the little 'mon, "He tends to enjoy hurting people a good deal more than I'm comfortable with."

Ken nodded a little, "What are his weaknesses? Can you tell me any?"

"He's as arrogant as they come," Wormmon scoffed, "As well as being needlessly cruel, he struts about like he's better than everyone and that other people aren't even fit to lick his boots."

"Good," said Ken, "Overconfidence. I can work with that. Anything else?"

"Don't underestimate this guy, Ken," said Wormmon, shaking, "He really is very smart. Just because he has blind spots around his ego doesn't mean we should go and put ourselves in harm's way."

"Of course. We won't make our real move until I have a safe, solid plan to work with."

Wormmon seemed reassured by that, "Glad to hear it, Ken. I just met you, and if I lost you now, I don't know what I'd do with myself."

Ken couldn't understand it, but he actually felt something for this pudgy little larva made of 0s and 1s, and the digimon obviously felt something for him, too. Wormmon seemed to be a sensible creature. He might make a good research assistant here in the digital world, once they could make it safe again.

"Look out!" the digimon shouted, pulling Ken from the bush just as a blast of fiery breath turned it into a pile of cinders.

"Stay behind me!" Yelled Cody, "Digmon will try to keep Tyrannamon away."

Ken's stumbled back at the sight of the fire-breathing dinosaur before them, kept at bay by what looked like a giant yellow insect. He had been told that the creatures could evolve, but this wasn't what he had envisioned the little armored thing might turn into.

There were other digimon battling too. The Chosen were trying their best to defend their position, but the Emperor had numbers on his side for this fight. If Ken had access to a computer right now, he thought, he might try disabling the control of the rings and spirals. As it was, even with a digimon of his own, things didn't look good.

And then everything clicked together perfectly in his mind, and he knew exactly what the best move would be in this situation.

Ken raised his arms, took off his shirt, and waived it right at the Digimon Emperor. "We surrender."

Even Wormmon looked surprised at that move. Ken had hoped his own digimon might understand his strategy, but apparently it didn't work that way.

Cody shot Ken a glare, "Are you serious!?"

"Hmm, how interesting, someone smart for a change," the Emperor quipped, guiding Airdramon to the spot where Ken and Wormmon stood.

As the Emperor came clearly into view, Ken's calm expression became one of shock.

"No! It can't be you!" Ken shouted, clenching his fists, "We thought you were dead!"

"What's going on, Ken, I thought we were surrendering?" Wormmon asked, "Generally in my experience, shouting isn't a very effective method of surrender."

"Sam!"

The Digimon Emperor looked down at his younger brother, "Ken. What are you doing here in my domain? Shouldn't you be at home with your parents?"