Alter Ego
* * *
Part I: Ascension
* * *
Disclaimer: The characters used in this story are not the property of the author. They belong to several large companies whom the author does not know the name of. The writing of this story is not for profit, nor is it meant to infringe on copyrights of the creators.
Hello, it's me again. I've actually written this part in Rome, because, as you know, inspiration can come anywhere, anytime. Anyway, here is Part 1, which will 'start' the saga. A note: all parts will begin with a dream sequence, usually Ken's POV unless I deem differently. Also, if you refuse to read a story that puts Jun in good light, don't continue.
* * *
Another minor note: Jyou and Sora in here are 20, Taichi, Yamato, Koushiro, and Mimi are 19, Jun is 18, Ken and Miyako are 17, Takeru, Daisuke, and Hikari are 16, and Iori is 14 years old.
* * *
\\The wasteland stretched for miles in every direction, with only a few dying trees growing in the desert. No animals moved in the half-light, and the shaded sun glowed with a black light.
'I know this place,' Ken thought, walking forward towards his goal (but what? There's nothing here!), hidden deeper in the hellish land. And then, he sensed movement, and a shadow stepped into his vision.
"Welcome, Ken-chan," he hissed, raising a hand. "I've missed you."
'Ken-chan? Who is this?' Ken stepped forward, trying to make out a form, a face (does he even *have* a face?), to see who this was.
"I'm disappointed in you, Ken-chan. You could have been the greatest. And now, because of your weakness, everything has been lost. You see? Nothing exists here, not Light, not Hope, not Friendship, nor Love. There is no Courage or Knowledge, no Purity, and no Faith. There is only me...and you. Only Kindness is left, and I shall crush it." He raised an arm, and Ken heard the sickening crack of a whip, and a searing pain through his entire chest-//
"Ken? Ken? Are you all right?" Ken lashed out with an arm, fending off the whip's hard lashes, and then, he was being held down, someone was shouting at him-
"Mama-san?" His eyes opened, and he found himself looking into his mother's eyes. "Gomen, I was having a nightmare..." She smiled at him, and pulled him into a light hug.
"That's all right. Your friend Daisuke called earlier; he wants you to meet him in the park in a little while. Noon, he said."
"But it's eleven-thirty now!"
* * *
César Mendez was a brilliant engineer; he had designed over a dozen patented items used in the medical field, and had even been involved in government contracts with names like, "Instantaneous Translocation Mechanics," and, "Physical Magnitude Alterations." He was a reserved man, very liberal, and unquestionably one of the great geniuses of our century. But all this changed when his best friend, a professional football player, raised in César's household after a tragic accident, received life-threatening injuries during a game, and died in the hospital. He became more withdrawn, eccentric, and prone to mood swings. It was during this early period that he developed his neuronic whip. Inspired by Isaac Asimov's references to a weapon that caused pain by stimulating nerves, he created an energy whip that could slice through nerves like a hot knife through butter, leaving the victim a nervous wreck. His roommate, Julienne Maxis, after discovering this weaponry, disposed of it and tried talking sense into him. He was feeling betrayed, hurt, and alone. And so when his dreams were haunted by a powerful ally speaking of a world where a genius like himself could be all-powerful, he was lost to temptation...
* * *
Daisuke sat on the park bench, looking at his watch. 12:07. Ken was late. Maybe he wasn't coming. But that wasn't possible! Ken would always make time for Daisuke; but maybe he suspected...?
"No; only Hikari seemed to know, and she's...well, she's Hikari. He can't suspect how I feel-"
"Hi, Daisuke!" Daisuke jerked his head up, and nearly fell off the bench.
"Ken! Don't do that! I was thinking." Ken smiled warmly.
"I won't bother asking what cosmological force actually managed to make you think for once. So, why'd you drag me out of bed at this ungodly hour? And if you tell me that the reason you did this was to tell me that Hikari finally agreed to go out with you, I'm going to kill you." Daisuke shook his head, smiling.
"No, nothing quite so mundane as that." Ken arched one eyebrow.
"Mundane?"
"I've been trying to put that Word-a-Day calendar to use!" Daisuke protested, trying to glare with his brown eyes. Ken's violet eyes glowed with amusement as he walked carefully around Daisuke.
"You *look* like the same Daisuke, but I've heard aliens can clone people," he muttered. Daisuke blushed, and backed away from the peering gaze.
"Ken, about why I called you down here-" he began.
"Let me guess: you're madly in love with me, and want to elope and move to America," Ken quipped. Daisuke's eyes widened, and he backed up a step. "No, wait, Daisuke, I was only joking-"
"You were only joking...That's why I called you here. I wanted to say that I cared for you...a lot, but if you joke about it like that, than I don't see how you could ever imagine us together. I'm sorry, Ken, for doing this to you, but I-I have to go." Daisuke turned, and ran from the park, not caring that tears were leaking from his cheek.
* * *
"So, let's see...Taichi is a womanizer, you say. When's the longest he's been in a relationship?"
"A year, but that was with Sora, and they broke up when she realized she was a lesbian." Jun smiled, and tapped a pen on a pad of paper.
"So, only serious relationship was with his best friend. Got it."
"Jun, how do I know that this test is reliable? I mean, it sounds like a lot of psychobabble to me." Jun cradled the phone between her chin a neck before responding to Yamato.
"Yama-kun, let me say something. I know a lot about guys. I have never had any sort of relationship with them, but I am most likely the one woman on this planet who understands men. It's a skill that I've acquired by years of rejection, and it helps a lot. So, I believe that I can use the information you give me to determine whether or not Taichi is interested in you." There was a slam, and Jun caught the sight of the tear-streaked face of Daisuke. "However, I have to go now. Daisuke looks like his meeting in the park didn't go too well. Ja!" Jun hung up the phone, and then hurried to Daisuke's room. Knocking on the door, she opened it and walked in. Daisuke was laying on his bed, his face buried in his pillow, and his freaky stuffed animal thing comforting him.
"It's gonna be okay, Daisuke-oops." Daisuke sat up, and stared at Jun. His eyes, bleary and wet, still managed to appear panicked.
"Listen, Daisuke, I've known about that thing for a while, and although I'd like an explanation someday, I know now is not the time. So, care to talk about it?" Daisuke, understanding what she meant, shook his head.
"It's personal," he mumbled, and flopped back onto his bed.
"Let me guess: guy trouble?" At Daisuke's mouth dropping open, she smiled. "I'm not clueless, Dai-chan. So, tell me about him." Daisuke buried his head in his pillow again.
"It's not a guy; it's Hikari." Jun shook her head.
"Hikari's rejected you before, Daisuke. You've never been like this before. So spill, unless you want me to tell Mom and Dad about this whatever-you-call-it."
"Digimon," Daisuke said sulkily. "And I'll tell you. It's Ichijouji Ken. I tried to tell him how I felt, and he-he-" A fresh wave of tears left him sobbing into the pillow.
"What? Did he say he hated you? Did he reject you?"
"He was-laughing-at the concept-of me-liking-h-him." Jun inhaled sharply.
"Daisuke, how do you know that he meant that he didn't like you?"
"Because he didn't seem to care when I told him that I'd called him there to tell him how I-I-felt. Because he was mocking the idea of me liking him. B-"
"Daisuke, if you're uncomfortable talking about something very serious to you, what do you do?" Daisuke risked a glance at his sister.
"I-I make a joke about it..."
"Exactly. Maybe Ken feels the same way about you. Maybe he's nervous about the way he feels, and so he made a joke about it in order to keep him from worrying. He may be just as hurt as you are, Dai-chan. So, why don't you call him up and find out?" She handed the phone to Daisuke, and left the room, scooping up the little blue-Digimon-from the floor.
"Hey! Put me down!"
"Daisuke needs some privacy."
"Help! Daisuke! HELP!"
* * *
'Why did I come here? What do I have to gain?'
...Everything...
'What? Who are you?'
...You don't remember? You should...
Ken stared at the forest before him. It was one of the many pathways into the world of Darkness. And when he came here, the voices spoke to him.
...This is your last chance, Ichijouji. There are others who want this more...
"I don't need to listen to you to be happy. I can find happiness on my own."
...And yet...
'And yet, I can't even hold onto friendship long enough to be happy.'
...Yes...
...Will you join me?...
...Think of the good times...
Ken reached out a hand, touched the beginning of the forest, and walked forward, lured to the shores of the Dark Ocean...
...Come back to me...
"Ken! Phone for you!" Ken started, hitting his head on the top of his desk. Had it been a dream? A nightmare? Or had he traveled back...there? "Ken! It's your friend Daisuke!" Daisuke? Ken lunged for the phone.
"Got it!" He then held the receiver to his ear. "Moshi moshi?"
"Hi, Ken..." Ken heard the hurt and uncertainty in the other boy's voice.
"Listen, Dai-kun,"
"Gomen nasai." "Gomen nasai."
"What do *you* have to be sorry for?"
"What do *you* have to be sorry for?"
"I-I'm sorry for running off like that. I was nervous, and I overreacted. But I just thought, when you joked like that-"
"Daisuke, I should have known better. I just-I thought that making a joke would help you get through whatever you wanted to say. I honestly didn't think that you were going to say-that." There was a pause.
"So, Ken, are we still friends?"
"I really don't think it would be a good idea," Ken began. Daisuke, hearing these words, understood exactly what it meant to have a broken heart. "Daisuke? I-I don't think we should be friends, because...I want to be more."
"Don't joke with me, Ken. I-If you don't feel the same way, be honest."
"I am. I wish I could show you. But I'll have to make do with words. Motimoya Daisuke, would you like to go out with me?"
"Hey! I was going to ask *you* out!" Daisuke protested. Ken smirked, knowing that it would come across in his voice.
"Well, it looks like we know who the 'woman'is in this relationship."
"Ken-chan!"
"Ken-chan?" Ken asked, amused. He could almost hear Daisuke blush.
"I-I mean, if you don't mind that I call you that," he stammered.
"Oh, I don't mind at all. So how does Friday sound?"
"Nani? I-wh-oh! It should be fine. And *I'll* pick you up at 7." Daisuke sounded positively smug.
"Sure," Ken answered with a chuckle. "I'll see you then." Outside his room, Mrs. Ichijouji was beaming. Ken had a boyfriend! Maybe this was just what he needed; another person to love. She nearly skipped down the hall to share the news with her husband.
* * *
There are a million different worlds known to us, and in each one, there is some concept of religion. All hold some concept of the good, the active, the light, and of evil, passive, dark. It is generally accepted that the good is represented overwhelmingly by love. But if that is the case, what is evil? Evil is not hate, because love and hate tread much too fine a line. The opposite of love, therefore, is evil. And what would this be? Fear. Creatures of fear inspire hatred, repulsion, and acquisitiveness. All base emotions are rooted ultimately in fear. So what happens when one loses the capacity to love, so he can only fear? This is what produces evil. Evil cannot love, cannot cherish, can only fear. Just as it is said, 'never curse the darkness, but light a candle,' to fight fear, you must not attack, hate, or fear it, but embrace it, love it, and cover it with light.
* * *
The Chicago Sun-Times
Local Woman Vanishes; No Ransom Asked
by Linda Digeneff
Local woman Julienne Maxis disappeared approximately one week ago. The disappearance was reported by her roommate César Mendez. Only yesterday, a letter arrived at her apartment, only conveying that the woman was safe. There have been no ransom requests for the return of this daughter of North Carolina billionaire Mark S. Maxis, and no hints as to when or if she will return.
* * *
Ken walked from his room, in a much more cheerful mood than the one in which he had entered his room. He stopped, seeing his parents sitting on the couch, waiting for him.
"Mama-san? What's going on?" She smiled, and looked at his eyes.
"Ken, I didn't really mean to, but I overheard you talking to your friend Daisuke." Ken backed towards his room, his muscles tensing.
"How much did you hear?"
"Pretty much all of what you said. But Ken!" she added, trying to get him to stay where he was. "Ken, your father and I want only what's best for you, and, well, we think this boy is what's best for you. He's your best friends, and frankly, the only person able to cheer you up when you get into your moods. So, if you really want this-" Ken nodded vigorously. "Then, your father and I wish you the best of luck."
"And you tell that Motimoya kid that if he breaks your heart, I'll break him!" Ken laughed a little, and then bowed to his parents.
"Arigatou Papa, Mama-san. I-can I go to the park? I'll be back for dinner."
"All right," Mrs. Ichijouji said happily, reveling in her son's radiant attitude.
* * *
"TK, you're dripping chocolate sauce," Hikari noted absently. The blond sitting across from her grabbed a napkin and wiped his chin. "You know, I did say I loved you like a brother, but I didn't mean you needed to act like Taichi." Takeru grinned at Hikari before returning to devouring his sundae.
"If you're going to be all mean, I can leave," he pointed out. "After all, you don't need me around here when you let the cat out of the bag, or rather, closet." Hikari leaned back, smiling smugly.
"But if you leave, I'll show Daisuke those negatives of you and Ken in that-ahem-compromising position." Takeru blushed, and leaned over the table.
"You wouldn't!" Hikari only grinned enigmatically.
"And you do know how territorial Daisuke gets over his crushes..." Takeru sat back in his own seat, glaring at the brunette opposite him.
"I've known Daisuke for five years, and I have not yet gotten into hand-to-hand combat with him. In the interests of preserving this record, I will stay. But only because of that." Hikari giggled at this attempt at preserving dignity.
"Hey, Kari-kun!" The two turned their heads to see the purple-haired girl hurrying towards their table. Hikari raised her hand and waved at her.
"You don't know how much this means to me, TK." He smiled knowingly.
"Maybe I do." Miyako, having approached them rapidly, slid into the seat next to Takeru.
"Hi, you two. What is it you wanted to talk to me about?" Takeru grinned at Hikari, and pushed Miyako aside.
"Actually, it's just Hikari, and I have to go to the men's room." In just a few moments, he had fled to the back of the restaurant. Hikari glared after him, and smiled devilishly.
"I wasn't lying about those negatives, Take-chan..."
"Hikari?"
"Huh?" Hikari turned her head quickly, and her anger melted. "I-oh, I'm sorry. Takeru just promised to stick around for this, and he's chickened out." Miyako nodded, her eyes radiating a familiar ache that always lingered when Hikari talked about Takeru so familiarly.
"Oh." Hikari, realizing what she'd done, shook her head.
"But we don't really need him here. Miyako, I called you here to tell you something very important..."
"Let me guess; Takeru asked you out?" Hikari smiled at the bitterness hanging in the girl's voice.
"Why don't you just tell me what's wrong, Miyako?" While asking, she applied the tone that never failed to get her what she wanted. Miyako, responding to the charm in the question, responded without thinking.
"I hate seeing the two of you together because I want to be with you!" Her face turned beet-red, and she slammed her hands over her mouth. "Oh god-I didn't mean-"
"Yes you did. I don't share my brother's boldness, Miya-chan, nor Mimi's bluntness. I had to get you to admit this first. I like you, too...a lot. So, if it wouldn't be too much of a bother, would you like to go to the movies with me on Friday?" Miyako's mouth dropped open.
"Are you joking?! No-I know you wouldn't do that...oh god, this is a dream come true, I-I don't know what to say!"
"How about 'yes'?" Hikari's smile was warm, caring. Miyako almost jumped across the table, grabbing Hikari's hands in her own.
"Yes!" Suddenly, she was shoved further into the booth.
"Well, I'm back. I'll guess things went well?" Hikari shot daggers at Takeru, before turning her eyes back to Miyako.
"Be glad I was bluffing about those pictures, Takeru. They got over-exposed."
"So, shall I guess that you're no longer free for a night of passion at my place on Friday?" Miyako, the closest to him, slammed her foot onto his instep. "YEOW!"
"Thanks, Miya-chan."
"It was nothing...Hika-chan."
* * *
'Where am I?' That was all Julienne could focus on. The room was dark, and she was tied to a chair. She knew she had been kidnapped, possibly drugged. What she had thought she'd seen-it was preposterous! Suddenly, there was a c;anging, and a square of light appeared.
"Is she well?" That voice-so familiar!
"Yes, Master." That other voice, it reminded her of something she'd heard once, a distinctive voice...The door swung open, and Julienne stared at a terrifying figure. A man, about six feet tall, clothed in blue silk, with gold highlights here and there. A long cloak, and black boots. At his side, he held a long whip. His hair, recently dyed, was blue-black, and spiked dangerously. He wore sunglasses engraved with the oddest symbol-
"Julienne Maxis. A lovely woman, wouldn't you say, Pulveramon?"
"Yes, Master." The man smiled, glittering canines visible through his lips.
"So, Julienne, I have a question. Do you know a man named Izumi Koushiro?" She shook her head. "Well, you'll have to find him. Julienne, when I return you to the real world, you are to travel to Japan, and find that man. And tell him this: I HAVE DEALT WITH GENNAI, AND YOU CAN NEVER RETURN. He will know what it means, and if he asks who sent you, only tell him: CÆSAR REMEMBERS, AND DOES NOT FORGIVE." Julienne felt as if the words were branded into her mind, and held a significance she could not grasp. The man whirled, and spoke to her other captor. "Pulveramon, return her to her world." There was a scuttling, and the distinctive voice responded,
"But Master, aren't you forgetting something?"
"Perseverance will not rise. She is lonely and hurt. She poses no threeat to me." Julienne tried to remember these words, but when she awoke in her room later, all she could think of were the orders given and the words burned into her brain. She did not notice that César was gone from the apartment, that she shoved aside police tape to leave. She had to get to Japan.
* * *
Gatomon was having a nightmare. She was twitching and crying out in her sleep, catching Miko's attention. The cat curiously sniffed at the panicked creature, who suddenly snapped awake. Miko skittered away. That cat-that-spoke-like-a-person scared her.
"There's something wrong! There's something terribly wrong in the Digiworld!" Gatomon made a quick leap, and was out the fire escape, seeking out Hikari.
* * *
...Look at what we've done...
"It wasn't me; just you!"
...You let me in...
"I was confused! Get out!"
...I gave him back to you...
"It's a construct; it's not real!"
...Stop fighting...The battle is over...
"As long as I can fight, I will fight you!"
...The last one said that...he gave up in the end...
"But you were driven out."
...It does not matter...Half of my dream is complete...
"You will not succeed."
...Because I am evil? Perhaps...But I tell you, I will not fail...
"What does that mean?"
...If I can't have what I want...No one can...
* * *
Well, I hope that was intriguing, interesting, or whatever. It's bound to get more interesting, especially if you haven't picked up on the whole title allusion. But it definately will get more interesting, and I will apologize in advance for more...unpleasant events in later parts.
* * *
Part I: Ascension
* * *
Disclaimer: The characters used in this story are not the property of the author. They belong to several large companies whom the author does not know the name of. The writing of this story is not for profit, nor is it meant to infringe on copyrights of the creators.
Hello, it's me again. I've actually written this part in Rome, because, as you know, inspiration can come anywhere, anytime. Anyway, here is Part 1, which will 'start' the saga. A note: all parts will begin with a dream sequence, usually Ken's POV unless I deem differently. Also, if you refuse to read a story that puts Jun in good light, don't continue.
* * *
Another minor note: Jyou and Sora in here are 20, Taichi, Yamato, Koushiro, and Mimi are 19, Jun is 18, Ken and Miyako are 17, Takeru, Daisuke, and Hikari are 16, and Iori is 14 years old.
* * *
\\The wasteland stretched for miles in every direction, with only a few dying trees growing in the desert. No animals moved in the half-light, and the shaded sun glowed with a black light.
'I know this place,' Ken thought, walking forward towards his goal (but what? There's nothing here!), hidden deeper in the hellish land. And then, he sensed movement, and a shadow stepped into his vision.
"Welcome, Ken-chan," he hissed, raising a hand. "I've missed you."
'Ken-chan? Who is this?' Ken stepped forward, trying to make out a form, a face (does he even *have* a face?), to see who this was.
"I'm disappointed in you, Ken-chan. You could have been the greatest. And now, because of your weakness, everything has been lost. You see? Nothing exists here, not Light, not Hope, not Friendship, nor Love. There is no Courage or Knowledge, no Purity, and no Faith. There is only me...and you. Only Kindness is left, and I shall crush it." He raised an arm, and Ken heard the sickening crack of a whip, and a searing pain through his entire chest-//
"Ken? Ken? Are you all right?" Ken lashed out with an arm, fending off the whip's hard lashes, and then, he was being held down, someone was shouting at him-
"Mama-san?" His eyes opened, and he found himself looking into his mother's eyes. "Gomen, I was having a nightmare..." She smiled at him, and pulled him into a light hug.
"That's all right. Your friend Daisuke called earlier; he wants you to meet him in the park in a little while. Noon, he said."
"But it's eleven-thirty now!"
* * *
César Mendez was a brilliant engineer; he had designed over a dozen patented items used in the medical field, and had even been involved in government contracts with names like, "Instantaneous Translocation Mechanics," and, "Physical Magnitude Alterations." He was a reserved man, very liberal, and unquestionably one of the great geniuses of our century. But all this changed when his best friend, a professional football player, raised in César's household after a tragic accident, received life-threatening injuries during a game, and died in the hospital. He became more withdrawn, eccentric, and prone to mood swings. It was during this early period that he developed his neuronic whip. Inspired by Isaac Asimov's references to a weapon that caused pain by stimulating nerves, he created an energy whip that could slice through nerves like a hot knife through butter, leaving the victim a nervous wreck. His roommate, Julienne Maxis, after discovering this weaponry, disposed of it and tried talking sense into him. He was feeling betrayed, hurt, and alone. And so when his dreams were haunted by a powerful ally speaking of a world where a genius like himself could be all-powerful, he was lost to temptation...
* * *
Daisuke sat on the park bench, looking at his watch. 12:07. Ken was late. Maybe he wasn't coming. But that wasn't possible! Ken would always make time for Daisuke; but maybe he suspected...?
"No; only Hikari seemed to know, and she's...well, she's Hikari. He can't suspect how I feel-"
"Hi, Daisuke!" Daisuke jerked his head up, and nearly fell off the bench.
"Ken! Don't do that! I was thinking." Ken smiled warmly.
"I won't bother asking what cosmological force actually managed to make you think for once. So, why'd you drag me out of bed at this ungodly hour? And if you tell me that the reason you did this was to tell me that Hikari finally agreed to go out with you, I'm going to kill you." Daisuke shook his head, smiling.
"No, nothing quite so mundane as that." Ken arched one eyebrow.
"Mundane?"
"I've been trying to put that Word-a-Day calendar to use!" Daisuke protested, trying to glare with his brown eyes. Ken's violet eyes glowed with amusement as he walked carefully around Daisuke.
"You *look* like the same Daisuke, but I've heard aliens can clone people," he muttered. Daisuke blushed, and backed away from the peering gaze.
"Ken, about why I called you down here-" he began.
"Let me guess: you're madly in love with me, and want to elope and move to America," Ken quipped. Daisuke's eyes widened, and he backed up a step. "No, wait, Daisuke, I was only joking-"
"You were only joking...That's why I called you here. I wanted to say that I cared for you...a lot, but if you joke about it like that, than I don't see how you could ever imagine us together. I'm sorry, Ken, for doing this to you, but I-I have to go." Daisuke turned, and ran from the park, not caring that tears were leaking from his cheek.
* * *
"So, let's see...Taichi is a womanizer, you say. When's the longest he's been in a relationship?"
"A year, but that was with Sora, and they broke up when she realized she was a lesbian." Jun smiled, and tapped a pen on a pad of paper.
"So, only serious relationship was with his best friend. Got it."
"Jun, how do I know that this test is reliable? I mean, it sounds like a lot of psychobabble to me." Jun cradled the phone between her chin a neck before responding to Yamato.
"Yama-kun, let me say something. I know a lot about guys. I have never had any sort of relationship with them, but I am most likely the one woman on this planet who understands men. It's a skill that I've acquired by years of rejection, and it helps a lot. So, I believe that I can use the information you give me to determine whether or not Taichi is interested in you." There was a slam, and Jun caught the sight of the tear-streaked face of Daisuke. "However, I have to go now. Daisuke looks like his meeting in the park didn't go too well. Ja!" Jun hung up the phone, and then hurried to Daisuke's room. Knocking on the door, she opened it and walked in. Daisuke was laying on his bed, his face buried in his pillow, and his freaky stuffed animal thing comforting him.
"It's gonna be okay, Daisuke-oops." Daisuke sat up, and stared at Jun. His eyes, bleary and wet, still managed to appear panicked.
"Listen, Daisuke, I've known about that thing for a while, and although I'd like an explanation someday, I know now is not the time. So, care to talk about it?" Daisuke, understanding what she meant, shook his head.
"It's personal," he mumbled, and flopped back onto his bed.
"Let me guess: guy trouble?" At Daisuke's mouth dropping open, she smiled. "I'm not clueless, Dai-chan. So, tell me about him." Daisuke buried his head in his pillow again.
"It's not a guy; it's Hikari." Jun shook her head.
"Hikari's rejected you before, Daisuke. You've never been like this before. So spill, unless you want me to tell Mom and Dad about this whatever-you-call-it."
"Digimon," Daisuke said sulkily. "And I'll tell you. It's Ichijouji Ken. I tried to tell him how I felt, and he-he-" A fresh wave of tears left him sobbing into the pillow.
"What? Did he say he hated you? Did he reject you?"
"He was-laughing-at the concept-of me-liking-h-him." Jun inhaled sharply.
"Daisuke, how do you know that he meant that he didn't like you?"
"Because he didn't seem to care when I told him that I'd called him there to tell him how I-I-felt. Because he was mocking the idea of me liking him. B-"
"Daisuke, if you're uncomfortable talking about something very serious to you, what do you do?" Daisuke risked a glance at his sister.
"I-I make a joke about it..."
"Exactly. Maybe Ken feels the same way about you. Maybe he's nervous about the way he feels, and so he made a joke about it in order to keep him from worrying. He may be just as hurt as you are, Dai-chan. So, why don't you call him up and find out?" She handed the phone to Daisuke, and left the room, scooping up the little blue-Digimon-from the floor.
"Hey! Put me down!"
"Daisuke needs some privacy."
"Help! Daisuke! HELP!"
* * *
'Why did I come here? What do I have to gain?'
...Everything...
'What? Who are you?'
...You don't remember? You should...
Ken stared at the forest before him. It was one of the many pathways into the world of Darkness. And when he came here, the voices spoke to him.
...This is your last chance, Ichijouji. There are others who want this more...
"I don't need to listen to you to be happy. I can find happiness on my own."
...And yet...
'And yet, I can't even hold onto friendship long enough to be happy.'
...Yes...
...Will you join me?...
...Think of the good times...
Ken reached out a hand, touched the beginning of the forest, and walked forward, lured to the shores of the Dark Ocean...
...Come back to me...
"Ken! Phone for you!" Ken started, hitting his head on the top of his desk. Had it been a dream? A nightmare? Or had he traveled back...there? "Ken! It's your friend Daisuke!" Daisuke? Ken lunged for the phone.
"Got it!" He then held the receiver to his ear. "Moshi moshi?"
"Hi, Ken..." Ken heard the hurt and uncertainty in the other boy's voice.
"Listen, Dai-kun,"
"Gomen nasai." "Gomen nasai."
"What do *you* have to be sorry for?"
"What do *you* have to be sorry for?"
"I-I'm sorry for running off like that. I was nervous, and I overreacted. But I just thought, when you joked like that-"
"Daisuke, I should have known better. I just-I thought that making a joke would help you get through whatever you wanted to say. I honestly didn't think that you were going to say-that." There was a pause.
"So, Ken, are we still friends?"
"I really don't think it would be a good idea," Ken began. Daisuke, hearing these words, understood exactly what it meant to have a broken heart. "Daisuke? I-I don't think we should be friends, because...I want to be more."
"Don't joke with me, Ken. I-If you don't feel the same way, be honest."
"I am. I wish I could show you. But I'll have to make do with words. Motimoya Daisuke, would you like to go out with me?"
"Hey! I was going to ask *you* out!" Daisuke protested. Ken smirked, knowing that it would come across in his voice.
"Well, it looks like we know who the 'woman'is in this relationship."
"Ken-chan!"
"Ken-chan?" Ken asked, amused. He could almost hear Daisuke blush.
"I-I mean, if you don't mind that I call you that," he stammered.
"Oh, I don't mind at all. So how does Friday sound?"
"Nani? I-wh-oh! It should be fine. And *I'll* pick you up at 7." Daisuke sounded positively smug.
"Sure," Ken answered with a chuckle. "I'll see you then." Outside his room, Mrs. Ichijouji was beaming. Ken had a boyfriend! Maybe this was just what he needed; another person to love. She nearly skipped down the hall to share the news with her husband.
* * *
There are a million different worlds known to us, and in each one, there is some concept of religion. All hold some concept of the good, the active, the light, and of evil, passive, dark. It is generally accepted that the good is represented overwhelmingly by love. But if that is the case, what is evil? Evil is not hate, because love and hate tread much too fine a line. The opposite of love, therefore, is evil. And what would this be? Fear. Creatures of fear inspire hatred, repulsion, and acquisitiveness. All base emotions are rooted ultimately in fear. So what happens when one loses the capacity to love, so he can only fear? This is what produces evil. Evil cannot love, cannot cherish, can only fear. Just as it is said, 'never curse the darkness, but light a candle,' to fight fear, you must not attack, hate, or fear it, but embrace it, love it, and cover it with light.
* * *
The Chicago Sun-Times
Local Woman Vanishes; No Ransom Asked
by Linda Digeneff
Local woman Julienne Maxis disappeared approximately one week ago. The disappearance was reported by her roommate César Mendez. Only yesterday, a letter arrived at her apartment, only conveying that the woman was safe. There have been no ransom requests for the return of this daughter of North Carolina billionaire Mark S. Maxis, and no hints as to when or if she will return.
* * *
Ken walked from his room, in a much more cheerful mood than the one in which he had entered his room. He stopped, seeing his parents sitting on the couch, waiting for him.
"Mama-san? What's going on?" She smiled, and looked at his eyes.
"Ken, I didn't really mean to, but I overheard you talking to your friend Daisuke." Ken backed towards his room, his muscles tensing.
"How much did you hear?"
"Pretty much all of what you said. But Ken!" she added, trying to get him to stay where he was. "Ken, your father and I want only what's best for you, and, well, we think this boy is what's best for you. He's your best friends, and frankly, the only person able to cheer you up when you get into your moods. So, if you really want this-" Ken nodded vigorously. "Then, your father and I wish you the best of luck."
"And you tell that Motimoya kid that if he breaks your heart, I'll break him!" Ken laughed a little, and then bowed to his parents.
"Arigatou Papa, Mama-san. I-can I go to the park? I'll be back for dinner."
"All right," Mrs. Ichijouji said happily, reveling in her son's radiant attitude.
* * *
"TK, you're dripping chocolate sauce," Hikari noted absently. The blond sitting across from her grabbed a napkin and wiped his chin. "You know, I did say I loved you like a brother, but I didn't mean you needed to act like Taichi." Takeru grinned at Hikari before returning to devouring his sundae.
"If you're going to be all mean, I can leave," he pointed out. "After all, you don't need me around here when you let the cat out of the bag, or rather, closet." Hikari leaned back, smiling smugly.
"But if you leave, I'll show Daisuke those negatives of you and Ken in that-ahem-compromising position." Takeru blushed, and leaned over the table.
"You wouldn't!" Hikari only grinned enigmatically.
"And you do know how territorial Daisuke gets over his crushes..." Takeru sat back in his own seat, glaring at the brunette opposite him.
"I've known Daisuke for five years, and I have not yet gotten into hand-to-hand combat with him. In the interests of preserving this record, I will stay. But only because of that." Hikari giggled at this attempt at preserving dignity.
"Hey, Kari-kun!" The two turned their heads to see the purple-haired girl hurrying towards their table. Hikari raised her hand and waved at her.
"You don't know how much this means to me, TK." He smiled knowingly.
"Maybe I do." Miyako, having approached them rapidly, slid into the seat next to Takeru.
"Hi, you two. What is it you wanted to talk to me about?" Takeru grinned at Hikari, and pushed Miyako aside.
"Actually, it's just Hikari, and I have to go to the men's room." In just a few moments, he had fled to the back of the restaurant. Hikari glared after him, and smiled devilishly.
"I wasn't lying about those negatives, Take-chan..."
"Hikari?"
"Huh?" Hikari turned her head quickly, and her anger melted. "I-oh, I'm sorry. Takeru just promised to stick around for this, and he's chickened out." Miyako nodded, her eyes radiating a familiar ache that always lingered when Hikari talked about Takeru so familiarly.
"Oh." Hikari, realizing what she'd done, shook her head.
"But we don't really need him here. Miyako, I called you here to tell you something very important..."
"Let me guess; Takeru asked you out?" Hikari smiled at the bitterness hanging in the girl's voice.
"Why don't you just tell me what's wrong, Miyako?" While asking, she applied the tone that never failed to get her what she wanted. Miyako, responding to the charm in the question, responded without thinking.
"I hate seeing the two of you together because I want to be with you!" Her face turned beet-red, and she slammed her hands over her mouth. "Oh god-I didn't mean-"
"Yes you did. I don't share my brother's boldness, Miya-chan, nor Mimi's bluntness. I had to get you to admit this first. I like you, too...a lot. So, if it wouldn't be too much of a bother, would you like to go to the movies with me on Friday?" Miyako's mouth dropped open.
"Are you joking?! No-I know you wouldn't do that...oh god, this is a dream come true, I-I don't know what to say!"
"How about 'yes'?" Hikari's smile was warm, caring. Miyako almost jumped across the table, grabbing Hikari's hands in her own.
"Yes!" Suddenly, she was shoved further into the booth.
"Well, I'm back. I'll guess things went well?" Hikari shot daggers at Takeru, before turning her eyes back to Miyako.
"Be glad I was bluffing about those pictures, Takeru. They got over-exposed."
"So, shall I guess that you're no longer free for a night of passion at my place on Friday?" Miyako, the closest to him, slammed her foot onto his instep. "YEOW!"
"Thanks, Miya-chan."
"It was nothing...Hika-chan."
* * *
'Where am I?' That was all Julienne could focus on. The room was dark, and she was tied to a chair. She knew she had been kidnapped, possibly drugged. What she had thought she'd seen-it was preposterous! Suddenly, there was a c;anging, and a square of light appeared.
"Is she well?" That voice-so familiar!
"Yes, Master." That other voice, it reminded her of something she'd heard once, a distinctive voice...The door swung open, and Julienne stared at a terrifying figure. A man, about six feet tall, clothed in blue silk, with gold highlights here and there. A long cloak, and black boots. At his side, he held a long whip. His hair, recently dyed, was blue-black, and spiked dangerously. He wore sunglasses engraved with the oddest symbol-
"Julienne Maxis. A lovely woman, wouldn't you say, Pulveramon?"
"Yes, Master." The man smiled, glittering canines visible through his lips.
"So, Julienne, I have a question. Do you know a man named Izumi Koushiro?" She shook her head. "Well, you'll have to find him. Julienne, when I return you to the real world, you are to travel to Japan, and find that man. And tell him this: I HAVE DEALT WITH GENNAI, AND YOU CAN NEVER RETURN. He will know what it means, and if he asks who sent you, only tell him: CÆSAR REMEMBERS, AND DOES NOT FORGIVE." Julienne felt as if the words were branded into her mind, and held a significance she could not grasp. The man whirled, and spoke to her other captor. "Pulveramon, return her to her world." There was a scuttling, and the distinctive voice responded,
"But Master, aren't you forgetting something?"
"Perseverance will not rise. She is lonely and hurt. She poses no threeat to me." Julienne tried to remember these words, but when she awoke in her room later, all she could think of were the orders given and the words burned into her brain. She did not notice that César was gone from the apartment, that she shoved aside police tape to leave. She had to get to Japan.
* * *
Gatomon was having a nightmare. She was twitching and crying out in her sleep, catching Miko's attention. The cat curiously sniffed at the panicked creature, who suddenly snapped awake. Miko skittered away. That cat-that-spoke-like-a-person scared her.
"There's something wrong! There's something terribly wrong in the Digiworld!" Gatomon made a quick leap, and was out the fire escape, seeking out Hikari.
* * *
...Look at what we've done...
"It wasn't me; just you!"
...You let me in...
"I was confused! Get out!"
...I gave him back to you...
"It's a construct; it's not real!"
...Stop fighting...The battle is over...
"As long as I can fight, I will fight you!"
...The last one said that...he gave up in the end...
"But you were driven out."
...It does not matter...Half of my dream is complete...
"You will not succeed."
...Because I am evil? Perhaps...But I tell you, I will not fail...
"What does that mean?"
...If I can't have what I want...No one can...
* * *
Well, I hope that was intriguing, interesting, or whatever. It's bound to get more interesting, especially if you haven't picked up on the whole title allusion. But it definately will get more interesting, and I will apologize in advance for more...unpleasant events in later parts.