Watch Who You Trust

Part 2

Sam Ichijouji looked at his brother angrily. He had been trying for so long to keep Ken away from the Digital World. He had told Ken not to touch the Digivice, so that he couldn't accidentally be pulled into the Digital World. He had been trying to protect Ken, trying to protect him from the future that had been prophesied, and this was how he was repaid. Ken had used the Digivice, even though he had been told not to touch it, to go to the Digital World. And he knew that this wasn't the first time.

Sam took a deep breath, trying to calm his temper. It didn't work. He rushed over to Ken, yanked the Digivice from his hand, and slapped him as hard as he could across the face. "What were you thinking! Do you know who would have been blamed if you had been hurt? It would have been me! I was trying to protect you, and how do you repay me? You disobey one of the few rules that I set down for you!"

Ken stared up at his brother in horror. He slowly put his hand up to his stinging cheek, as the tears started pouring down his face. "I HATE YOU!!! I WISH THAT YOU WOULD JUST DISAPPEAR!!!" He screamed that out as loudly as he could, before he dashed out of the room.

After Ken ran from the room, Sam collapsed into a chair. Why had he slapped his brother? He knew that Ken didn't know why he had reacted like he did. He only wanted to keep him safe. "I know that you don't mean that, Kenny-boy," he whispered softly. "You just don't understand why I was so mad. I love you, little brother, that's why I was so mad."

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The next morning the two of them were supposed to meet their parents at the bus station. As they walked out the door of the apartment building, Sam tried to grab Ken's hand. Ken just pulled away, though. "I still hate you," he said angrily. Sam just shook his head and kept walking.

Neither of them noticed the young boy standing nearby, talking to the driver of a large, clunky car. The boy pointed to them, and then pulled out a wad of money and shoved it into the driver's hand. Then he turned and walked away, trying to ease his conscience.

After a few minutes, they reached the crosswalk. The bus station was right across the street. The bus wouldn't be there for about half an hour, though. Sam sighed and then tried again to make up with his brother. "Come on Kenny-boy, why don't we wait on this side of the street for awhile? We can watch for the bus, and go across when it gets here."

Ken actually thought that was a pretty good idea. He couldn't let Sam think that, though. He shook his head no and pointed to the crowded bus station, on the other side of the street. "Let's wait over there."

Sam sighed, and grabbed Ken's hand. They had enough time to cross the street before the light changed, if Ken would just hurry up. They were halfway across the street when Ken pulled away. He hurried to the other side, wanting to show Sam that he still hadn't forgiven him. When he got to the other side he turned around. Sam was almost across, and he didn't look very happy. Ken gulped when he saw the expression on Sam's face. He looked very mad.

Sam never noticed the car barreling towards him. He had his eyes set on his brother, who was only a few feet away from him. All he knew was that he felt something hit him. Hard. He felt himself fly through the air and land on the ground. Suddenly, everything started to go black. As the world started to fade before him, he noticed a familiar face standing in the crowd. "Ken... Don't trust Ryo. Please little brother, don't trust Ryo. I love you, Kenny-boy. I love you. Never forget that..." he whispered softly as the blackness completely overcame him.

One person heard those words. A young boy, about Sam's age, with short brown hair and an angelic face. Ryo stood there, watching the scene with a pained expression on his face. "It is done," he whispered.

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Ken stared in shock at his older brother. Something was wrong, he could tell. Why wasn't his brother moving? Ken suddenly became aware of all the people crowding around. Tears were running from his eyes as he rushed forward, crying out his brother's name. "Sam! SAM! Onii-san, don't leave me! Please, onii-san, don't leave me!"

Ken didn't notice all of the people staring at him, or the police officer who pulled him, sobbing, off Sam's lifeless body. He didn't notice his parents, who stepped off of their bus to be greeted with the site of their oldest son, dead. He didn't notice the young, brown-haired boy standing nearby. He didn't notice anything.

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Ryo stared at the scene in front of him in sorrow. He wanted to go up and hold Ken close to him and to tell him that everything would be alright. He wanted to tell him what his brother's last words had been. He wanted to show him that he, Ryo, was there. But he couldn't. He had to follow the plan, so Ryo just stood there, without emotion. He slowly turned away, and walked back towards a nearby alley. He was supposed to leave the rest of the money for the driver of the car there. A few tears rolled down his face as he turned away from the scene before him.

The next two days passed in a flash. Everything was a blur to Ken. There were flowers, people crying, nervous glances... Nothing more. He barely even noticed Sam's funeral. All he saw was his brother, laying so still in a coffin. That was wrong, Sam was never still.

He knew that people stared at him. All the faces blurred together, though. The only face he remembered was that of a tall, pale man. He just stood out in his mind, for some reason.

His parents barely even knew that he was alive. After the funeral, they would be gone all day, leaving him with friends and neighbors, while they would go somewhere private and grieve. Ken knew that no one cared about him, but at the time, he really didn't care.

A week after the accident, he remembered his promise to Ryo. "He knew that Sam would die. He knew," Ken muttered softly to himself. "That was why he wanted to make sure that I would come, no matter what." He sat in thought for a few moments, wondering if he should go. He was about to decide not to when he remembered Wormmon. He wanted to see Wormmon, to talk to him about this. He would go.

When another week had passed, Ken was able to convince his parents that they didn't have to leave him with a neighbor. Actually, it wasn't very hard. He didn't even think that they noticed his question. As soon as they had left, Ken went carefully pulled out the Digivice. 'Sam's Digivice, not mine,' he thought to himself. He slowly held out his hand towards the computer. Tears started streaming down his face as he was pulled into the Digital World.

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Ryo looked up expectantly when he felt Ken pick up the Digivice. He wasn't very surprised to see the tears pouring down Ken's face either. Wormmon, on the other hand, was very surprised. He rushed towards Ken and jumped into his arms. "What's wrong Ken? Why are you sad?"

Ken looked at Ryo with confusion and pain in his eyes. He didn't answer Wormmon, but asked Ryo a question. "You knew, didn't you? You knew that Sam would die? Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you warn me? Why?"

Ryo took a shaky breath before answering. 'Yeah, I knew that your brother would be killed. I can't answer anything else though. I'm sorry Kenny-boy. I truly am sorry."

Ken walked up to him, with the tears still streaming down his face. He carefully set Wormmon down. "You can't answer any more of my questions? Are you sure about that? And don't call me Kenny-boy. Only Sam can call me Kenny-boy. Only Sam..." He pulled back his fist, and then, shaking, he plowed it straight into Ryo's face.