Hello and welcome to Chapter 7, I must say I did intend for it to be out yesterday but with other engagements keeping me busy I wasn't able to uphold such an idea. As you'll find out in the chapter, the past few episodes have been skipped due to Kouki being absent from school during their events. I still don't own Digimon, but I hope you'll read, favorite, follow and review all the same.


Chapter 7:

Ken's secret


Kouki took a deep breath as he stared at the obstacle which lay before him. Its shadow lingered over a vast space, only adding emphasis to the intimidating fate which may before the chosen Digidestined. Mist rolled in through the nearby beach, damping the rays of the rising sun overhead as the mist slowly evaporated. However, no matter how dreaded the sight before him was, Kouki knew there was no escaping his destiny, however much he feared the day ahead.

Returning to school after a week of absence was no small feat after all.

It wasn't the actual school part he was dreading his return to per say. Rather, he hadn't alerted the other Digidestined to his sudden disappearance nor had he the nerve to answer their phone calls or texts. And he wasn't exactly looking forward to explaining to them where he had been. During the past week he'd hated the overwhelming thoughts concerning how his disappearance disadvantaged the group. Of course, he'd know it'd only be a matter of time before he let the team down. And so he had, even without meaning to.

It's okay Kouki, they'll understand if you tell them, Shimon comforted from inside his school bag. The ice and light Digimon had spent her week pent up in his apartment, unable to make it to the school or spend time with her friends. The energetic fox Digimon had been left to her own devices. While Kouki knew his partner meant well with her encouragement, he was well aware of her frustration with him over leaving her for the week. The in training couldn't wait to meet back up with her friends.

Right, let's get you up to the computer lab, Kouki replied, stepping into the school.

The halls were still empty and after dropping Shimon off in the computer lab, Kouki dropped his finished assignment off with his homeroom teacher. Afterward, Kouki completed the quiz he'd missed under the supervision of a teacher. Fully caught up on his school work, the Digidestined of Dreams spent the rest of the morning in his classroom, doodling on a spare piece of notebook paper.

His fellow students began to filter into the classroom slowly. As it was almost time for the first bell to ring, Davis entered the classroom enthusiastically discussing something with TK and Kari. Upon looking up, the three made eye contact with Kouki, but didn't share the expression of surprise or anger he had expected them to.

Class began before the four could talk, and a dreary day of reading and writing began.

Shimon huffed, annoyed as her fellow Digimon filled her in on the adventures she'd missed. The past week had been hard on Kouki, she'd felt his emotion strain as if it were her own, but her partner's reluctance to tell his friends about the past week's events aggravated her. She wished Kouki was not blinded by their past experiences so much so that it hindered his current friendships. The limits he set for himself were nothing short of a fruitless action that yielded little benefits for the pair.

"So why were you gone for so long?" Gatomon ventured as the other in training Digimon ended their story. "Kari was worried when Kouki vanished without a word and didn't answer his phone."

The group's attention had shifted to the little fox Digimon who's ears flattened at the sudden change in the Digimon's usual cheery attitude.

"I can't tell you," Shimon confessed unable to look the cat Digimon in the eyes. Her evident lack of ebullience was enough for the other Digimon not to push the matter further, each beginning their own conversations amongst each other. They only quieted themselves as the door to the computer lab opened.

As the younger Digimon engaged themselves in listening to the class that had entered the computer lab, Shimon turned to Gatomon and Patamon. "Can I speak to you two?" she asked tentatively. At Patamon's nod, Shimon continued, hoping Kouki would forgive her surreptitious behavior later.

"I know who the Digimon Emperor is."

After talking to a teacher about the events of the past week, Kouki made his way to the computer lab, stumbling across a rather strange sight as he entered.

"Give me your hand," Yolei ordered Davis, holding her hand out to him, her right eye twitching as she intently stared at Davis hand.

"Why?" Davis questioned, obviously started by the sudden request.

A fire ignited itself in Yolei's eyes, "I'll tell you why! Because I said so!"

Davis flinched at the girl's harshness but lifted his hand up all the same. The goggle head looked uneasy, almost like he expected Yolei to rip his hand off.

"Since you shook hands with Ken if I shake hands with you it'll almost be the same!" Yolei mumbled, staring darkly at her leader's hand.

Kouki's expression darkened drastically at the mention of the genius. He had heard there was a soccer game between Ken's school and their school, but the fact his friends had been exposed to their nemesis without even knowing it. Well, it only made Kouki feel worse about informing them on the identity of their enemy.

And who's fault do you think that is?

"Kouki!" Shimon jumped into his arms, her fur was standing on end like she was alert. She clung tightly to him, as if they hadn't seen each other for years rather than hours. Her ruffled state was enough to distract him from the earlier thought.

"Hey, Shimon," he greeted, securing his hold on her so she didn't fall to the ground.

"Oh hey, Kouki," Davis greeted, turning to his friend with a grin, "You wouldn't believe all the stuff you missed while you gone! We destroyed all these Spires and an old Digidestined, Mimi, came over from America. And then another one of the first Digidestined, Joe, helped us out. Of course, it's not like we needed that much help, right Demiveemon?"

Kouki openly stared at Davis, dumbstruck. He'd expected a lot of things, but for the others to pretend nothing had happened? Why weren't they mad? Even he was mad for missing a week and ignoring the other's attempts to contact him.

"I can't believe it!"

The group turned in alarm at their youngest's exclamation as he elaborated, "There's a Control Spire!"

"What's it doing there?" Kari asked with a frown.

"Control Spire-ing as usual," Gatomon joked, her voice sounding unusually tense.

"It must have been built over night," Cody reasoned.

"So just where is it located?" TK asked.

"I'm not sure this map doesn't list the points of interest."

"That's the Forbidden Valley of No Return!" Upamon supplied.

"Why do bad guys always name things like that?" Kari sighed.

"Even if this place was call the Valley of Bunnies and Duckies it still has a Control Spire and that means it isn't good," Cody said.

"Well let's get going, I doubt the spire will destroy itself," Kouki said taking out his Digivice. The others agreed, and they were off.


"Wow, this valley sure looks forbidden alright," Kari commented, looking across the vast space which lay before the group of Digidestined. The deserted area stretched out as far as the eye could see, without any signs of life.

"This place could use a few ducks and bunnies," Saemon mumbled. The ice Digimon never did well in the heat, but she seemed strange. Kouki couldn't put his finger on it, and noted to talk to her about it once they were away from prying eyes. The last thing he needed was for the others to have another reason why they couldn't depend on him and Saemon.

But can you really depend on them?

Abruptly, Kouki felt the sandy ground wrench away from his feet. He watched shock filter across the others face, felt his mouth open—to scream, to shout, to apologize for doing them wrong—and heard Saemon yelp before he tumbled downwards through the dark pit as sand filled in around him.

It wasn't supposed to be this dark.

"Kouki? Are you hurt?"

"Saemon? Are you here? Where are you?" Kouki instantly whimpered, searching blindly in the dark space for his Digimon before he felt her soft fur under his fingertips. It was just like before, he couldn't believe it, he thought the darkness he'd once been imprisoned in was unparalleled. Had he been aware that he would have so easily landed in this situation, he doubted he would have had the nerve to return to the Digiworld today.

Saemon nuzzled her partner's hand, letting herself be lifted into his arms as she too felt fear arise from the familiar darkness. They had gone through it together, fighting their way out of the darkness and hoping to never return. Both partners were scarred from their experience, their wounds reopening in the face of desperation.

"It's dark Kouki," Saemon sniffled. The human of the duo could feel his partner shudder against his chest, clinging as if she was afraid she would never find him if they were to separate even an inch. "But the others are looking for us, they'll find us, right?"

"Of course, they'll find us," Kouki comforted, biting back the part of him that didn't believe the others would look for them, "Here, let me get out my phone, then we'll have some light." Kouki shifted his partner's weight into one arm as he dug through his pocket. With the slight of a hand, he flipped on the flashlight, allowing for the single beam of light to pierce into the dark expanse.

"We should start by looking for a way out. Do you think you could fly us back up if you armor Digivolved?"

Saemon looked up, as if she could see the ceiling of their dark prison with a thoughtful hum. "I don't know how far it is. And if the Digimon Emperor is around I don't think I could fight another Digimon carrying you."

"I don't-!"

Their discussion was interrupted as a scream echoed throughout their small cavern. Their source of light was immediately to the new occupant of the small space. "Yolei?"

"Kouki! We've been looking everywhere for you!" the purple haired girl jumped to her feet. Due to the girl's rather excitable nature, Kouki had tried to minimize their interaction. But if the girl was stuck with him now, there wasn't a better time to bond.

"You disappeared rather suddenly, we were all concerned. It seems the Digimon Emperor wants to separate us," Hawkmon added, always the logical side to his emotion based partner.

"So, everyone else still together?" Saemon inquired.

"As far as we know. For now, our goal should be getting out of here. Should we armor Digivolve, we may be able to fly out of this cave or there might be an exit further in," Hawkmon purposed.

"I think we should try to find an exit first. And look around, someone else could have gotten trapped down here as well. Do you have a flashlight on your phone, Yolei?" Kouki questioned.

"Ah, right!" Yolei flipped her phone out of her pocket, doubling their light in an instant. The quartet began to make their way through the cave. Before long they stumbled across three searching lights, shining towards them in a split second.

"Whose there?"

"Kari? It's Yolei, and Kouki," Yolei yelled back. The group of Digidestined met up in the middle, their joyful reunion interrupted by the realization of their lack of numbers.

"Could Davis be on his own?" Kari asked worriedly.

"No way, we would have heard him by now," TK joked, trying to ease the tension, "He might still be on the surface. We should try getting back up there and then look for him."

"I should be able to dig us out of here as Digmon. Cody, would you-?"

"Wait! Before we go back up there, I think there's something you should know," Kouki interjected, surprising even himself at his sudden change in attitude. But surrounded by his companions, the area around them lit by the small number of flashlights, Kouki felt his strength swell despite the awkward timing.

"Go on," Saemon encouraged, sensing her partner's hesitation.

"I know who the Digimon Emperor is. I've... I've known for a while now, but I didn't know how to tell you all," Kouki started, swallowing as his mouth went dry, "I also hoped it wasn't true, you know. But I think, I know Ken Ichijouji is the Digimon Emperor. I understand if you're all mad at me, I shouldn't have hidden this for so long…" The Digidestined of Dreams turned his eyes downward, focusing on the hard-packed dirt they stood on.

"We aren't mad at you."

Kouki's eyes shot up in surprise, zeroing in on the cat Digimon who had spoken up.

"I think I understand what you mean. And you have your reasons for not telling us sooner. I don't think we would have even been able to do anything if we knew that earlier," Gatomon elaborated.

"I would have never expected Ken to be the Digimon Emperor," Yolei threw in with disappointment masking her features, "He was so perfect too."

"The fact that you told us now speaks volumes about you, Kouki," Hawkmon added.

"I think we should get out of here before we read further into this. Let's armor Digivolved!"

"I can't believe you pulled that trick on me!" Davis yelled. Their leader had evidently not been trapped in the cave like the rest of them, instead the goggle head had been invested in a battle of his own with the Digimon Emperor. Rejoined now, the armor Digimon faced the Bakemon as Shisoumon and Veemon were left with Deltamon and the Digimon Emperor.

"Let's get him Veemon!" Shisoumon growled.

"It'll be my pleasure!" Veemon said. "Digiarmor energize!"

The duo of armor Digimon friends charged towards the Deltamon, as Davis clawed his way towards the Digimon Emperor. Kouki watched in fascination as Davis jumped Ken with little hesitation. Interlocked in a sad display of a fist fight—there was the reason Davis played soccer and not basketball—they tumbled down the hill amid their wrestling.

"You're a kid, just like us!" Davis shouted as they came to a stop at the bottom of the hill.

"I think not! Deltamon! Triplex Force!" Ken ordered, pointed at Davis as he pushed himself up and away from the leader of the Digidestined. "Say goodbye."

"Shisoumon, the Dark Ring!" Kouki cried as his Digimon soared above him. With a quick attack, Shisoumon broke the Deltamon's Dark Ring, the rest of the team finishing their fight with the Bakemon and destroying the Control Spire.

"They did it!" Kouki yelled to Davis as Deltamon stopped its attack, confused by its sudden freedom.

"They sure did!" Davis whooped gleefully, seemingly forgetting the presence of his enemy.

Kouki joined his friend with their armored partners, facing Ken without the aid of his mind controlled Digimon.

"No. No! What went wrong with my master plan was invincible!" Ken raged, "I can't believe the same person made me look like a fool twice in two days."

"What do you mean twice?" Davis asked, momentarily astounded by his wording, "Hey how'd you get that bruise on your leg? Wait, are you? You couldn't possibly be!"

"So, Kouki did not tell you? Well I could and I am. I am Ken Ichijouji!" With that, Ken took off his glasses adding a rather dramatic flare to his great reveal.

"Ken? The Digimon Emperor?" Davis asked, mystified by the sudden development.

"The one and only. Late, Davis, my worthy adversary," Ken chuckled darkly. A winged Digimon soared by, stirring up the sand and lowering their visibility. Once the sand cleared, Ken was gone.

Davis watched their nemesis fly away before turning to his friend, looking rather put down, "You knew?"