Hitchhiker

"What have I done?" moaned a distraught Digimon Emperor. Tears poured out of the pre-teen's eyes.

The Digidestined could do nothing but stand around the boy and lower their heads with grief for him.

Davis, being the kind person he is, took a few steps forward, startling the others and Ken.

He knelt down next to the indigo haired boy and rubbed his back gently, making Ken flinch. By this point, his Digimon Emperor attire had disappeared and he was back into his gray Tamachi uniform.

Davis blushed a bit. Ever since Ken had walked into his life, his crush for Kari Kamiya vanished, and after weeks of debating, he finally admitted to himself that he had a crush on ken instead, slowly accepting that he was...different...and liked guys.

He gulped. But he had to swallow those feelings, for he knew ken would flee and never wish to see him again if he ever found out.

"Ken? Are you going to be okay?" he asked slowly.

Ken shivered from his tears and sadness wracked his thin body.

"No..."

Everyone's eyes went downcast at these words.

"You know Ken..." spoke TK. "You could always start over..."

Kari nodded, Gatomon in her arms. "That's right Ken. You can."

Ken shook his head, still sobbing. "No...He's gone...Wormmon is gone. I've done so many terrible things...I can't go back..."

Davis was startled at this. He shifted his position in the sand. The sun was beating down on them and dust was getting into everyone's eyes.

Davis didn't care, what he cared about was Ken. What did he mean?

"Ken...What are you talking about?" he asked stiffly, trying to look ken in the eyes.

Ken looked up, tears streaming down his face. He sat up in a sitting position, still holding Davis' gaze. "I can't go back Davis..." He looked at his own hands, finding the Crest of Kindness in one of them. He handed it to Davis.

Davis just continued to stare at ken, confused. "It was great meeting all of you" Ken continued, looking up at all the others. "But...the next time you see me...you won't recognize me..."

Ken stood at this, Davis in hot pursuit. "Don't leave us Ken" begged Davis, grabbing Ken's hand. Davis' heart broke when Ken freed himself from his grip, gave one last smile, and left the digital world.

Panting, Davis rang the doorbell. He had to be here. He just had to be...

The door opened. A very distraught Mrs. Ichijouji opened up the door. Her eyes widened when she saw Davis.

"Are you one of Ken's friends?" she asked, her voice filled with tears. The atmosphere around them was very depressing, even for a happy sunny day as today. Davis could tell something was terribly wrong.

"Yes, is Ken home?" asked Davis, his heart pounding in his chest.

Tears came to Mrs. Ichijouji's eyes. "No. He-he ran away! Haven't you heard the news! He was home for an hour and then he disappeared again!"

Davis could feel his heart tear in two. Ken was gone...

He had to find him! He looked up at Mrs. Ichijouji determinedly.

"Don't worry Mrs. Ichijouji. I'll find him. Even if it kills me" he vowed. Mrs. Ichijouji cried and hugged Davis tightly. She just didn't know just how serious Davis was.

A week went by...Then two...then three...then a month went by...still no word from ken. Davis searched everywhere. Two and half months after Ken went missing, Davis went to Kyoto. There...he saw someone familiar...

Davis was walking down past the ice cream shop when someone bumped into him by accident.

"Sorry!" whispered the boy in panic. He wore a hooded black jacket and hid behind the hood and his hair.

Davis perked up at the voice. he turned to the boy who spoke and grabbed him by the shoulder, making the thin boy turn around.

He knew that voice. He loved the sound of it...He would never forget it...Ken's.

"ken...is that you?" he asked, trying to take off the hood.

The boy was panicking. "Ken? I don't know any Ken!" said the boy, struggling to get away. His hood fell and Davis was able to see his face.

Ken's face.

"ken!" cried Davis. Davis bolted for ken, who loosened out of Davis' grip and ran, Davis at his heels.

"ken! Please! Come back!" cried Davis in despair. Ken was too fast for him. He wasn't nicknamed "the rocket" for nothing.

Gone.

Ken was gone again. Lost in the sea of people. Davis wept for hours. The only thing he could do was call home and let the police know Ken was spotted in Kyoto...

Mae Kounji was a middle-aged woman with short curly red hair. She was a baker, and had a love for cooking. She owned her own store and had many friends, but there was just one thing that was missing in her life.

She was unable to have children, to her and her husband's dismay. That was the one thing she had always wanted to be besides a baker.

A mother.

She loved children with all her heart, so when she found the young blue haired boy knocked out on the alley in one of the worst parts of the city, she couldn't help but take the boy in...and give him a home.

She carried him home with her and warmed him up, attending to his wounds. Ken slowly woke, his head filled with blurred memories. He then remembered who he was and what he was trying to do. Get away...

He shifted under the covers he was under and looked about his surroundings, taking everything in. He seemed to be in a small a crowded apartment. Warm bakery fumes filled the air. Ken sniffed. Cinnamon!

The room seemed to filled with reds and oranges. Quilts and home-made things.

The sound of someone coming up creaky stairs could be heard from his left. Scared, Ken hid beneath the covers.

"Are you awake son?" asked a kind loving voice. Ken came out from under the covers. The couch he was on was rolled out into a bed, taking up most of the apartment's space. By the looks of it, everything was in one room, save for the bathroom.

Mae looked in from the stairway that led to the bakery and smiled.

"Hello son" she greeted when she saw Ken awake. Ken smiled as he shifted nervously in his place. "There's no need to be afraid. I'm a friend. I don't bite." She laughed lightly. ken tried to smile, but couldn't, he was too scared.

"What's your name?" she asked softly.

"Ke-" Ken stopped abruptly. He couldn't use his old name...They would find him. They had to have heard his name before. He's famous for Pete's sake. He's all over the news. He had to think of a new name. Mae raised her eyebrows when Ken didn't finish.

"Yes?" she asked patiently.

"...L-Lennie...Yeah...Lennie..." whispered Ken. Mae smiled.

"Well Lennie, I'm Mae Kounji. Pleasure to meet you son. Do you have any parents? They must be awfully worried about you. I found you knocked out in the alley way." she explained. She watched as Ken visibly shivered at the word 'parents'.

She frowned. Oh...That was it...

"I..." he had to lie, he had no other choice. He couldn't go back. "I...don't have any...They past away..."

Mae nodded slowly, and to her utter grief, Ken began to cry. She slowly walked up to the couch/bed and sat next to him, gingerly putting her arms around Ken's thin shoulders and hugging him.

Ken greeted the hug and kindness greedily. He laid his head on Mae's shoulder and cried heavily, soaking Mae's sweater. She didn't mind. In fact, she was quite thrilled. God had finally given her what she wanted...a son...