Chapter 11
There were a few reasons why Ken usually hated taking the bus. One, they were normally crowded and the passengers squeezed against each other so tightly, there was little breathing room. Two, having so many travellers cramped up together in the vehicle meant there was little ventilation. Thirdly, it was because of a traumatic experience he had the misfortune to endure one day that left him mentally scarred. He had sworn off that form of public transport unless he wanted to get bodily squashed against sweaty passengers AND have someone break wind into his face.
Of course, that was some time ago, when they were back where he… Anyway, he was adamant not to take the bus and opted for his parents to drive him.
Today however, was an exception. Tamachi Primary School had booked a school bus solely for its players. There was ample space and even with the reserve players, there were available seats. Of course, Ken had opted for the spot in front whereas the rest of the team scatter across the midsection and the rear seats. Most of them paired up, but Ken sat solo. That didn't stop his team members from trying to make conversation, at least those who sat nearby. However, most of them were trying to get some sort of advice about learning. Be it soccer, schoolwork, music, judo and whatnot, most of the dialogue consisted of questions about how to improve themselves or how it felt to be the best at something. After a while it got exhausting to make a conscious effort in answering the meaningless questions and he asked for some alone time. They happily agreed and started talking among themselves cheerfully.
Ken breathed a sigh of relief and rested his head on the window glass, observing the scenery flashing past his eyes. The seats were comfortable and clean for a change, and the air conditioners were functioning perfectly. If the buses were all like this then he wouldn't have a problem. Perhaps he should give it another try. After all, this world's buses may yet be better. He took out his novel from his bag and started reading from where he had left off.
He heard a loud yawn over the constant chattering that came from behind and his eyes flickered towards the person whose offensive noise had permeated his ears. Sitting alone in the row of seats directly opposite Ken's was Alex Ray, with his usual bored expression. A handsome blond transfer student from Europe, Alex was known for his quick ability to learn any skill and be good at it. At such, he had gotten himself the nickname 'Super Al' or 'Genius Al' and had been the topic of gossip for some time. However, the polite smile and mild manner was ditched when he found that there wasn't a challenge to anything he was introduced to at school, replaced by a dignified arrogance that radiated from him. He challenged everybody to everything and beat them. Girls admired him from afar whereas boys bristled whenever his name came up, calling him 'Weird Al' because of his attitude.
Of course, there was one person he had yet to surpass, which was Ichijouji Ken himself. Wherever he went, he was overshadowed by the young prodigy. Alex was a skilful and adept person, but he was no genius. Whatever Ken did, he was a step behind. That day after the exam results were put up, Ken had stood at the back of the crowd, his keen eyes spotting his name in first place, followed by Alex's. The blond boy had made a 'tch' sound and glared at Ken before walking off. Ken had watched him go with an emotionless stare. The two boys didn't have the best relationship either, but being on the same soccer team had forced them to work together, begrudgingly.
"So boring, we're going to completely blow those Odaiba fishes out of the water. Why did we even bother with this practise match anyway?" he said, not so loud as to attract the attention of the talking teachers in charge but enough for Ken to take notice.
"Never underestimate your opponents, Ray. You haven't even fought them yet," Ken scolded, not taking his eyes off his book.
A snort. "No need to. I heard they didn't even make it to the semi-finals last year. Besides, with you on the team, they don't even stand a chance. Isn't that right, oh great The Rocket Ichijouji?" The reply dripped with sarcasm, its tone mocking. Ken merely glared silently at him. You shouldn't underestimate Davis, he thought, he may not be the best but he could still sometimes keep up with me and his brother. Satisfied that he would not be getting a reply from Ichijouji, Alex's mouth curled into a cruel grin for a second. He folded his hands and placed them behind his head.
"I have always wondered, Ichijouji, how you managed to be the top at everything. You're not just a genius academically, you have a good physique and you excel at physical activities too. You aren't exactly a jack of all trades, best at none sort of person either."
It was Ken's turn to smirk. He answered coolly, "Everything has its secret techniques for mastering. A genius understands them faster than most people. Given I have great kinaesthetic awareness, was there any doubt that I could learn simple things like soccer and judo quickly? All it took was some studying."
"Is that so… Well, I won't be second best forever, Ichijouji. I don't believe anyone at all can be the best at everything, except me. I will prove that I can be a better player than you, sooner or later," Then he put on headphones and blasted rock music into his ears, his head bobbing to the beat.
Ken could only shake his head in disgust and regret. Alex's chaotic attitude was a pain. He could be charming enough to get what he wanted, but he could treat those who in his opinion didn't deserve his respect like dirt. Most people only saw the solitary, cool kid with skills but in Ken's case he had witnessed the vicious, competitive side to him.
"I don't like this guy, he gets on my nerves." Suddenly Nauticus was sitting next to Ken, arms folded and legs crossed. The robotic sounds that had layered his voice last time were thankfully absent and his voice was a melodious deep one, clear and concise pronunciation despite the smooth black mask that covered his face. Gone was the black armour, in its place was an Armani suit and a striped indigo tie. His purple and red eyes glowered at Alex. Ken took in the wardrobe change with a raised eyebrow, impressed by his choice of adornments.
"Do you always just appear in other people's heads like this?"
A chuckle came from behind the mask. "Not always, but I am bonded to you in a very special way, we share a connection like no other. Besides, it's just plain fun to mess with you. What could I do with that guy? Pop into his mind and threaten him? 'If you don't stop acting like a little brat I will rip your head off your shoulders, mwahahaha.' Nah, too corny."
"He's just a kid, he will learn humility in time."
Nauticus snorted. "Trust me, he will. The hard way. I have seen people like him before, they're all the same. Having certain abilities that give them the edge over others and becoming cocky, then taking the hard fall when they realise they're not all infallible after all. In fact, I knew a person like him once, but that's a story for another time. I must point out the humour and irony in you saying that kids would grow up, as if you're not one."
Giving a shrug, Ken replied, "Geniuses mature faster than others. Our mental capacity far exceeds the rest of the population. It just takes us less time to obtain and retain information or reach a certain point of maturity."
Nauticus rubbed the chin of his mask. "Not quite, actually. It depends on the upbringing and the surrounding environment too. For instance, if you were brought up in a family that only worships achievement and neglects emotional growth, I highly doubt you'd be talking like this. I knew a child prodigy who grew up with genius brother. They loved each other as did their parents, who supported them in doing whatever they wanted. His parents never ever took glory and pushed him and his brother to be famous, instead they let them grow up healthily, teaching them humility and respect for those who couldn't catch up to their level. They grew up together and became successful people, helping to change the world in their own unique ways.
"On the other hand, I know another young boy whose parents were so engrossed in basking in the fame of his brother's success that they neglected him, until he jealously wished that his brother would leave the family. Surely enough, the brother died and the family was torn apart. But did the parents realise their mistake? No, they continued to take credit for the little brother's talent whose abilities showed in absence of the older sibling. In the end, the young boy became egotistical, uncaring and developed a superiority complex towards others. Shows how important parents are in shaping the future of their children, and in a sense, the future of the world."
The stories told by Nauticus had triggered something, striking a chord in Ken's head. He remembered blowing bubbles with Osamu, Osamu teaching him how to do his homework, the horrible accident and the funeral, him carrying Osamu's picture as he walked on mournfully. He shut his eyes and let the images and feelings flow in his head. The existing ones insisted that Ken was there to witness his brother's death. The new memories fought for dominance, constantly resisting and showing him evidence that Osamu was alive. He saw an older Osamu meeting Motomiya Daisuke.
"Davis, this is my brother Sam. Sam, this is my friend that I have telling you about."
"Hello, Sam. My name is Davis Kamiya."
"Nice to meet you, Davis. Ken has told me a lot about you."
Ken's eyes shot open. "Davis?"
Nauticus turned towards him and blinked. "Sorry, what?"
The teachers burst out laughing at their jokes and the players at the back sang merrily. Ken lowered his voice and said, "I remember his real name now. His name is Davis Kamiya, not Daisuke Motomiya. And my brother is alive, but his name is… Sam? This doesn't make any sense. How is Sam completely identical to Osamu?"
Nauticus gave Ken a baleful look. Ken felt like the dichromic eyes were staring into his soul, judging him and deciding the sentence. He struggled to keep his eyes locked with the man's. "I could show you everything. You will regain everything you have forgotten. Is that what you want?" the masked man asked quietly in a tone that wasn't decipherable.
Ken hesistated, then he nodded slowly. "Yes, what's there to lose?"
Nauticus let out a low chuckle. "There will be hell to pay later." he said and placed his index finger on Ken's forehead. Ken thought he saw a strange glint shine through Nauticus' eyes but it was quickly overwritten by the floodgates that opened, unleashing a torrent of unlocked true memories into Ken's head, so much that the fake implanted memories got washed away, leaving traces and blurred images.
"Check mate. You lose, Davis!" The brown haired boy groaned. Sam smiled and clapped.
"Hey Davis, check this out!" Ken kicked the ball at the precise angle he calculated, causing it to bounce off the pillar and into the basket at the other side. Davis have him an incredulous look mixed with awe and disbelief.
He, Davis and Sam were laughing hysterically at the science puns in the movie.
"No, we listen to Project DMM and that's final." Davis held out a CD with the words 'Project DMM's The Essential Collection' printed on the cover. He was around eight years old and wearing blue pyjamas.
"Nope, we're going to listen to Beethoven," Ken insisted, raising his own 9Symphonies disc.
"But the last time you came for a sleepover we listened to that, it's not fair," Davis protested.
"Last time was Mozart, this time we go with Beethoven. We'll play Project DMM after that, okay?"
"No, you always say that. This time we're going with mine first."
"Nuh uh, Beethoven."
"Project DMM."
"Nope."
"Yeah."
"No."
"Yes."
"NO!"
"YES!"
The door to Davis' room opened and Mr Kamiya peeked inside with an annoyed expression. "Boys," he scolded, "keep it down will you? It is night time already and you'll disturb the neighbours."
"But dad, Ken insists that we listen to Beethoven! It's so boooooring," Davis protested a pout.
Mr Kamiya chuckled and said, "It's not every day that Ken comes over for a sleepover. Be nice to your guests, will you Davis? Ken just wants to share his favourite type of music, so why not try and enjoy it? Then next time when you go over to Ken's place you can show him why you like your type of music. Now, be good and don't sleep too late. Goodnight." He closed the door and left the two boys alone in the room again.
Davis folded his arms stubbornly and glared at Ken. Finally he relented and said, "Alright, we'll listen to Beethoven but only this once."
The young prodigy laughed softly at his triumph. "Good choice, Kamiya. Trust me, you'll like it."
Ken older incarnation faced him. "You have a mission, will you accept it?"
He was in Ken's room. Not his own, but that of the other world's Ichijouji that he and his older counterpart had just arrived to. Ichijouji lay face down on the floor, unconscious from the memory wipe.
Ken from the future held up the Modifier and said, "Good luck, I'm counting on you." A flash burst from the device and everything went black.
Ken gasped for breath, face as white as sheets. He pressed his back against the side of the bus, digesting what he had just seen. All of his lost memories had returned. "Wow, I once beat Davis in a sausage eating contest," was the first thing that came out of his mouth, his eye twitching.
Nauticus snorted. "Good for you. That guy must have been a weak eater."
Ken's composure returned and he noted, "What was it about hell to pay just now?"
Nauticus grinned wickedly behind his mask. "Oh did I mention that out loud? Hehe, for your information, your memories were under lockdown was so that this timeline would move linearly to what Davis and your older counterpart had planned. They saw how the future would be if you and Davis did what your counterparts in this world would have done. That was why your memories were replaced and you were swapped in.
Truthfully, the exchange actually didn't affect you, it was Davis who was the key card. But of course, Ken of the future saw fit to replace the cruel Kaiser with a more compassionate one… That's how you fit in, to reduce the suffering of the Digimon and you, oh gallant one agreed to it. Unfortunately, the plan backfired when you began regaining your memories. Now that you know everything, I'd bet a fortune that you wouldn't conscious hurt others like the original Kaiser would. You probably won't even make the choices you should have and would have made if you stayed ignorant.
Ken stared at him in horror. "You don't mean…"
"Yep, exactly. In short, congratulations, you may have yet just ruined the future of this world!" Nauticus completed cheerfully, maniacally grinning behind his mask. In a blink of an eye, he was gone and at the same moment the teachers called, "Alright boys, we're here!"
The Sunday morning was sunny, but it wasn't scorching. The sun shone its warm rays through the thin wispy clouds that floated by, carried by the gentle push of the breeze. The clear waters of the river nearby sparkled as the wave ripples on the surface. Birds soared freely in the sky, chirping as they flew past above the heads of a red shirt team of elementary students, warming up on the grassy field below.
The football field of Odaiba Elementary was located directly opposite the school. There was a sports ground within the compounds too but the grass field lay across the street. It was preferable compared to the hard concrete inside, for the soft grass and soil cushioned a fall, reducing bruises and injuries to minor scrapes. The Odaiba team had arrived early for some last minute practise and they were pumped up, anticipating their opponent's arrival with adrenaline pumping through their veins. Neither of them would admit that, but the thought of facing Ichijouji Ken on the opposing team scared them just as much as it excited them. Davis however, felt differently than his teammates. The trepidation of losing to Ken had evaporated and he only cared about having a private discussion with the Kaiser's alter ego.
"Remember, boys. This is just a practise match. You don't have to get too competitive with Tamachi. I want you all to learn from them and give them a run for their money. Got that clear?" Coach Tagado announced to the team. He got a collected response of "Yes, Coach!" from them.
There were quite a few spectators at the stands. Some of the players had their friends and family members come and see them play. Ryuuga's older brother was there to give support, so were Sai's younger sisters. Gen and Mura's older sister was a high school model and a heartthrob for the boys but she couldn't make it that day. Then there was an Ichijouji fangirl mob who eagerly awaited the arrival of their idol, swooning and discussing how cool and smart the boy was. They sat on the row above that of the Chosen Children, which consisted of Takeru, Hikari, Iori, Miyako and Taichi.
"Those fangirls are so annoying. All they do is scream Ken-kun's name and act childishly. Can't they sit quietly and properly greet Ken-kun when he arrives? They're making a lot of noise and they don't even know what they're talking about," Miyako grumbled, holding Poromon on her lap.
Iori blinked at her and asked, "Aren't you a fangirl of Ichijouji-san as well?"
Miyako huffed and retorted in a dignified voice, "I am not like them. I know clearly what shade of purple his eyes are and my goodness, how silky and soft his hair is. Oh I can guess what type of conditioner he uses… So soft, I want to touch it and caress it so badly… Then there's his lean physique, oh my…" her tone shifted into something more girly and she smiled dreamily into space, all while tugging Poromon's wings unconsciously in opposite directions. Iori didn't know what to think. He just hoped Poromon would be fine.
"Neh, Iori… Why hasn't Daisuke started playing yet dagyaa? We've been waiting for a while already gyaa?" Upamon was beginning to get restless.
"Hush, Upamon. You're not supposed to talk. We all agreed that you'd be allowed to come if you act as stuffed toys," he reminded, "Daisuke-san isn't playing yet because his opponent has arrived yet. It's like Kendo, you can't play with just one side."
Upamon looked at the group of players. "But there are so many of them. Why can't Daisuke just pick one to become his opponent and start dagyaa?" That question caused the two spectators in front of Iori to turn back and look at Iori questioningly. The boy apologized, "Sorry, my friend isn't that clear with football," and they turned back towards the field. Iori frowned at his partner.
"I told you not to speak out in public, Upamon. You're going to get us into trouble," he reprimanded softly. He then explained, "All those people down there are Daisuke-san's teammates. They work together to score shots into that goal," he pointed at a post, "while protecting their own from their opponents," he pointed to the other one. "One team wears shirts of the same colour to differentiate themselves from the opposing team. Do you understand now?" he finished. Upamon's mouth turned into a big round circle and he nodded. "Good, now stay quiet and wait."
Davis had left Chibimon in the care of Hikari. The blue Digimon sat on the girl's lap and watched his partner jog on the spot. It was his first time seeing people play soccer, given how Davis had always left him at home or left him with the others when he went for practise. From what Davis had explained, it was two groups of ten chasing after a ball and another one at each of the cage like things to protect the ball from entering. The game hadn't started yet and like Upamon, Chibimon was getting fidgety at the non-activity. He then noticed the absence of two friends. "Where are Patamon and Tailmon? I don't see them anywhere."
Takeru smiled at him. "Don't worry, they're off somewhere to get a better view. If I'm not mistaken, they're one of those trees, that one right… there." He pointed at one of the trees that stood between the field and river.
"Hey Tailmon, I think Takeru is pointing at our tree."
Tailmon paused her grooming and padded over the edge of the branch she was on. Patamon had somehow managed to balance his chubby little body on the network of thin twigs above her. Not that it mattered, because he could always flap his wings and maintain altitude should the wooden extensions collapse. She and Patamon peeked out of the leaves. Sure enough, the blond boy from across the field had indeed raised an arm and his index finger was aimed directly at them. He waved and the two Digimon stuck their heads back in, sharing a look.
"Wow, he really does know where we are. I don't believe it at all," she exclaimed, astonished.
Patamon grinned widely. "What did I say, Takeru is a psychic. He always knows where I am and where we've been. Now you owe me that apple lollipop like we bet on."
"Yep, there they are." Takeru said, satisfied. He waved as two small faces, one orange and the other white, appeared among the leaves and vanished just as quickly.
"How did you know they were there?" Hikari asked, surprised that her friend had managed to pinpoint the location of their partners so quickly. Takeru shrugged.
"I'm just really observant. Patamon likes to wriggle a lot and I happened to spot the leaves shifting at that moment."
Hikari giggled. There was a cacophony of girly squeals as a bus rolled up to the stands. Miyako turned her head to find the fangirl mob scrambling to get up. They stood by the side eagerly as the bus pulled to a halt. The doors opened and the players filed out of the transport. The girls waited eagerly for Ken to step out.
"I can see him! He's there!" Someone shouted. Sure enough, the boy genius stepped out the bus and was greeted by a screaming mob of female fans, all eager to obtain his autograph or shake hands with him. He was overwhelmed and didn't really know how to respond except to smile and promise to attend to them later. The teachers followed behind and warded the crowd back, clearing a path for the players to reach the field.
"Oh my God, I finally get to see him in person," Miyako drawled, squeezing Poromon so tightly between her palms that he looked like he was going to suffocate. His eyes bulged and were bloodshot from the pressure. "I think I'm going to faint…"
Iori looked at the girl unsurely. "Erm Miyako, Poromon looks like HE is going to faint." He pointed at the pink ball of feathers who looked positively purple. Miyako realised what she was doing to her partner subconsciously and loosened her grip.
"Oh my God, Poromon! I'm so sorry, I didn't realise," she apologized. Poromon took deep breaths and flapped his wings lightly to let her know that he was alright now.
Ken and his team walked down to their station, radiating an air of confidence. The Odaiba Elementary players watched them with trepidation, all hype and spirit dampened as they witnessed the arrival of their much stronger foes. They were facing the jaws of a tiger and they knew it, with Ken being the metaphorical razor sharp fangs that were about to shred them apart.
Ryuuga commented, "That's him, the star player of Tamachi Boys F.C., Ichijouji Ken. He's really here." Sai bit his lip in anticipation.
"Daisuke, come over here for a second," Taichi called from the stands. He had gotten up and was standing on the stairway next to Takeru. Davis saw Ken eyeing the Chosen Children from his place but the young genius looked away when he realising Davis was watching him. Ken warmed up, not giving them any more attention.
Davis jogged over to Taichi. The older boy put his hands in his pockets and said in a serious tone, "I know you're going up against the champs and facing Ichijouji is no easy task, but I want you give it all you've got. It's like Coach said, forget winning or losing, and take them head on. Hopefully you remember some of the tricks I taught you. Got that?"
Takeru smiled and raised his fist. "Daisuke-kun, give them your best shot. Show the champs that Odaiba Primary School is not to be messed with!"
Hikari nodded proudly as well. "That's right, do your best!" Chibimon didn't speak up but he winked at his partner to let him know that he supported him.
Iori gave his own wishes as well, "Good luck, Daisuke-kun. You'll do fine."
Miyako however was caught up in her daydreaming about Ken. "Oh, Ken-kun… look at that body shape of his… Oh…" she swooned before she realised she was being watched by everyone. "What? Good luck, Daisuke-kun. Do your best, blah blah blah, now can you please move out of the way? You're blocking my perfect view of Ken-kun." Everybody sweat-dropped and Iori scooted as far away from her as possible, leaning against Hikari. Davis rolled his eyes.
Taichi laughed softly. "Well, the field is yours, Daisuke. Make us proud."
Davis nodded. "Yes… brother." He turned and walked down towards his team.
The brown haired senior blinked and the words registers in his brain. He looked at Takeru and Hikari blankly and asked, "Did Daisuke just call me 'brother'?"
Hikari smiled and said, "It's no wonder. Daisuke-kun does look up to you very much, I bet he imagines you're his brother." Takeru agreed to that as well.
Taichi gazed at the field as the players took their positions. While it came as a surprise, he couldn't help but swell with pride as he watched his successor get ready to play.
Having another younger one to look after isn't bad, he thought.
Good luck, Daisuke!
Davis stood in front of Ken, both at left Midfielder positions. Brown eyes met purple, both boys staring each other down like wolves waiting to lash out. Davis was an inch or two shorter than Ken. He clenched and unclenched his fists, trying to shake off the anxiety whereas Ken's face was an emotionless mask. The referee placed the ball in the centre of the field. To Davis' surprise, Taichi had been wrong and Tamachi wasn't going with 2-5-3, instead choosing to mirror Odaiba's 4-3-3. The new formation made Odaiba panic slightly because they hadn't expected it. There was a golden haired boy on the right, shifting restlessly on his spot and growling menacingly. He looked like a caged animal, which scared Odaiba Elementary School's other Midfielder, Nima.
"We're going to have a talk after this is over. You're going to give me some answers," Davis said bluntly.
Ken curled his lips into a small smile. He looked a paler than his magazine pictures did. "You should concentrate on the match first, Motomiya. That should be your priority now." The referee blew the whistle and the match began. Tamachi's Centre Midfielder took the ball and Ken drifted past Davis at an alarming speed. The centre playmaker called Ken's name and passed it to the midfielder.
The brunet hurried after Ken, desperately trying to catch up. Ichijouji wove through Odaiba's defences without much difficulty. When he was in penalty zone, he made a curved pass to the centre forward Striker. It was a move the opposing elementary school players had not expected, for they were so prepared to defend against Ichijouji they hadn't paid much attention to the other striker who shot and scored a goal. The score was now 1-0 in favour of Tamachi.
That guy is fast, Davis thought. Shaking his head to relieve himself of the shock, he resumed his position at the left wing. The match began again and this time Odaiba managed to get the ball first. Grinning, Davis rushed forward to accept the pass and he dribbled it towards the goal. A wingback came at him, attempting to steal the ball. Using his body language to feint left, the defender took the bait and he lunged to the right, passing the defender.
He celebrated his success at performing the move internally and pushed forward. Taichi would be proud, he thought in triumph. Then he didn't noticed another defender coming at him. He hurriedly tried to pass it to a nearby teammate but Ken suddenly sped through between them and snagged the ball, doubling back towards Odaiba's goal. It was so abrupt that nobody had time to react.
Davis cursed and ran after Ken. He tried to close the distance between them but it was too late. The ball sailed into the net, giving Tamachi another goal. Breathing heavily, he wiped the sweat on his brow.
This was going to be a very one sided game.
Taichi bit his thumb, shaking his head worriedly. "This isn't going well for Daisuke. Four nil, and Odaiba is nowhere near tying the scores. That level Tamachi is playing at… they're not elementary school level. Ichijouji has the moves of a youth league all-star."
"You're right… his moves are different from our team's," Hikari said softly.
"Our players are trying everything that I taught… It's not going to be enough. Even I can't play as well as Ichijouji yet," Taichi groused.
Miyako cooed and cuddled Poromon roughly. "Nice play, Ken-kun! Go for it!"
Iori looked at her exasperatedly. "Miyako-san, we're supposed to be rooting for Daisuke-kun," he said.
"But Daisuke-kun is nowhere as cool as Ken-kun is. Look at him go, and he scores! Another point scored by Ichijouji Ken-kun!"
Takeru had a serious look on his face. He folded on arm across his chest and rested his other elbow on it, rubbing his chin in thought. "He sees the whole field of play. He knows where his opponents are and how to get past them. His team is also trained to support him and that other blond kid, who managed to score one out of the five goals so far."
Hikari looked at her friend in surprise. "Do you know soccer, Takeru?" The Chosen Child of Hope shook his head in response.
"No, but it's similar to basketball. Ichijouji can predict where his opponents will be and he knows what the best technique would be," he commented as the game started again. Moments later, Ken did a helicopter move on Gen, stepped over and pushed to the right when he came up against a defender and made a high pass to the centre forward, who head-butted the ball towards the goal. Ryuuga lunged to the side and blocked it, sending the ball out of the field.
"Ken-kun is the coolest, no one can top that!"
"Miyako-san…"
Davis bent over with his hands on his knees. It was the last 5 minutes of the second half and his team was losing at nil nine. The boy was out of breath and the game was about to start again. Ken stood opposite him, also breathing heavily but not as short-winded as Davis was.
"What's the matter, Motomiya? Feeling a little tired?" the raven haired male taunted. Davis merely glare at him and took deep breaths.
Ken laughed and resumed his goading, "For the record, you were never able to beat me before. What makes you think this time will be different? You're not going to stop me from scoring a final point in this match."
Davis gritted his teeth. We'll see about that, he thought.
The whistle blew and the final five minutes started their countdown. Ken went for the ball but was blocked by Davis. He feinted right but Davis didn't fall for it. Every step he made was cut off by his mahogany haired opponent. The ball came sailing towards Ken but Davis knocked it away. Several attempts to get the ball to Ichijouji were dispatched by the shorter boy. The Odaiba Elementary players seemed to catch on to what Davis was doing for they focused on diverting the ball elsewhere, anywhere but near Ichijouji.
He's blocking me, Ken realised. Davis is trying his best to stop me from scoring again. But he had one more ace card up his sleeve…
"I know what you're trying to do, Motomiya. Trust me, you won't succeed," Ken snarled as he finally managed to throw Davis off. He ran towards the ball with Davis close on his tail. Yamaguchi, the right wingback spotted an opportunity to sneak the ball between the legs of his Odaiba opponent and Ken finally got possession of the ball. He cross stepped over the ball and hooked it overhead to dodge Davis' sweep. The genius ran ahead, Davis struggling to keep up.
All I need is a final chance, Davis told himself. His stamina was fading rapidly and if he didn't end it soon, Ken would score again. "Sai, Mura, Nima! Slow him down!" His teammates responded by assuming the defensive formation Sora had suggested. Sure enough, Ken stopped in his tracks and had to search for an opening. There were twenty seconds left and the player who was close enough to score was…
"Alex, take the win!" Ken hollered and curved the pass to his teammate. The blond boy grinned and charged towards victory. However, a leg shot out of nowhere and knocked the ball outside. The shoes caught Alex's shin and left a scrape, causing the player to tumble forth into the grass. The whistle blew again, signalling the end of the match. The time was 11.25 am and Tamachi had won by 9-0.
Alex sat up and rubbed his shin, wincing in pain. It was red and raw, but luckily it was nothing more than a flesh wound. He looked at the cause of his misfortune and found Davis lying on the grass as well. The boy had found a burst of speed and made a last ditch attempt to save the game. The sliding tackle wasn't a foul, but Alex's mood sure was. He limped over to Davis and grabbed his collar. Both teams were startled by the action and started towards them.
"You…" Alex spat, furious that his glory had been taken from him. Davis looked fearfully at the boy with golden hair. "You ruined my victory," he growled at the fallen boy. A hand clamped roughly over his shoulder and Alex looked back to see Ken with a dark look on his face.
"Alex…" the raven haired genius warned. Alex Ray took the cue and released his grip on Davis' red jersey. He jerked away Ken's grip, glaring murderously at Davis before storming off towards the place where his team gathered. Ken shook his head in disgust and offered Davis a hand. The boy blinked and accepted it, allowing Ken to pull him to his feet.
"That was a really great save. The sliding tackle was flawless," Ken complimented, this time with a genuine smile on his face. "I couldn't score a tenth though, but it's alright. You really have improved since we last played."
Davis raised an eyebrow. "Yes, I suppose," he replied, "When was it that we last played soccer together?"
Ken looked confused, then realisation hit him. "Oh, right. I guess I'm a little ahead of myself."
Yamaguchi called, "Hey, Ichijouji-kun! Coach says it's about time we prepared to head home."
"Tell Coach I'm not going back by bus with you all. My parents will come and pick me up," Ken responded. Yamaguchi seemed a bit disappointed by that so Ken elaborated. "I know you all want to celebrate our little victory, but it seems that I," he glanced at Davis, "have some catching up to do with an old friend. How about gathering at the Tamachi's park later this evening, after some rest? Inform the others to each bring some food and drinks." Yamaguchi lit up at the suggestion and agreed enthusiastically.
"That'll do. Thanks, Ichijouji-kun! I'll see you later!" He rushed back to tell the group excitedly.
Ken smiled and addressed Davis. He patted the shorter boy on the shoulder and said, "Shall we?"
A/N: A very fast paced chapter indeed. I hope I did the soccer match enough justice. I initially planned for more details and soccer formations, both teams trying various tactics and such but this chapter had already broken the 6k word count so I decided to shorten it. Besides, my knowledge of the beautiful game is not enough to fully produce an in-detail depiction of the match.
Alex Ray is based off that typical arrogant rival from anime, who doesn't really respect the protagonist.
Nauticus… Oh my God this character is chaos. He's a wild card. He appeared to want to help before but now he just did something that might cause serious repercussions. Just who is this guy?
Now that Ken has his full memories back, things will definitely get interesting. I hinted before that he remembers some things, but not all. Question for you readers. Do you think Ken should reveal his identity around the same time as the series did? The episode this chapter was based on was split into four-five parts to give way to additional scenes, so I estimate the part where Ken revealed his identity in the Digital World comes around 2-3 chapters later. If he DOES reveal his identity, this story will go in one direction and if he DOESN'T, it'll go another way. Both paths are fine, but what do YOU READERS prefer?
Leave me a review to tell me what you thought of this chapter. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed.
