Inner Demons
Chapter Three
By Crow Skywalker and Elora
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Disclaimer – Feh...don't own, never will...what more can I say? :P
Author's Notes
Crow – Took me longer than I thought with this chapter..mainly because I've had a headache all week ^^; Anyway, its done...and its kind of a cliff hanger kinda thing, which will never be told of until the end D *laughs evilly* Hope you enjoy the chapter :P
Elora – Nothing to say, really. I'm bored. I wish I had more writing to dooo XDD abcdefghijjlmnopqrstuvwxyz1234567890!!!!
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The Digidestined watched as Daisuke struggled with himself, not knowing who to believe and who not to. Surely he would choose them, right? Good always conquered evil, it had been proven many times. Little did they know that it went both ways, and they were about to be proven wrong.
As Daisuke reached out for Archnemon's hand, everyone gasped. How could Daisuke betray them like that? Hadn't they been there for him, protected him? Wasn't that enough? Maybe it wasn't. They all witnessed as Daisuke stood, still holding on to the enemy's hand. He seemed reluctant to let go, as if he would float away. Maybe it was the only hope he had left.
As realization sank into their hearts, they witnessed first hand what they had done to Daisuke. They had ignored, criticized, and hurt him more than anyone ever could. Maybe if they had each gave him a chance, things could have been different. They had only seen the outside of Daisuke, not really caring what he was like inside. The things they had said and done had scarred him. Scarred him for life.
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Hikari meant light, didn't it? I didn't deserve the name, it was obvious now. How could I have caused so much pain without even realizing it? Was I that blind? Maybe I was. I knew that I had been mean and unfair to Daisuke, but I just didn't know how much it had hurt him. It was only now that I was feeling the guiltiness in my heart. I should have gave him a chance, to get to know the real Daisuke, but I hadn't. And I was as much to blame as the others.
At the time, it had been fun to lead on two guys. They were willing to do anything for me, especially Daisuke. But Daisuke had tried too hard to impress me, which in the end, had gotten annoying. And as he continued his best to get my attention, I felt myself grow further from him and into Takeru's arms. Maybe if I had explained it all to Daisuke, tried to get him to understand...but it was too late. Way too late.
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You think that I would have learned friendship from my brother, Yamato, first-hand. He had been the original Digidestined of Friendship, and had gone through a lot to realize just how important friends are. I had been by his side, the whole time, and had witnessed what he had gone through. To some, Friendship wasn't an easy thing, and it wasn't easy for Daisuke either. In a way, when I found out that he was the new keeper of Friendship, I had stifled a laugh. Daisuke? Friendship? No way! Then again, I was probably mad because he would never replace my brother as the beholder of Friendship. Nobody deserved it more than my brother, who I soon realized wouldn't be joining us on our new journey. And who happened to receive it? My rival, Daisuke.Friendship had always come easy to me. I met a person, and they immediately loved my attitude. I've always been open, and a good listener too. I have so many friends I can't even count them all. Its sometimes hard for me to look at people who have no friends, and see just why they don't. Friendship is such an easy thing. But then again, only if the other person is open also...or there's just no conversation. Then again, maybe I don't know the meaning after all...
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I've always been the talkative and outgoing one. I know that many people love it when others are such talkers or have such style. But then again, there are others, the quiet ones usually, who envy these people, and hate them because of it. Because of that, many of my kind stay away from the quiet types, or just try to be friendly the best they can. Of course, once you get to know Iori, he's a lot different.I remember when I first met Iori - he was the quietest person I had ever met. He would sit away from the others, in a quiet little place of his own. It always amazed me how someone could be so concealed like that. How could one go without talking or laughing? So, I had made it my goal to be his friend. It had taken a long time, and I had quiet a lot of barriers to get through, but I managed to get through. I was the first person that he opened up to. Taking him under my wing, I had taught him the finer things in life – such as friends, movies, food, music – and he was soon what he is now. Although he's still a bit quiet, it's a lot better than he used to be.
Daisuke might have been the same, but never showed it. I found myself shunning him, like I had never done before. I had always given people a chance, but for some reason, I just couldn't do it this time. If only I had been there, helped him into the world...things might have been different.
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Reliability? I can't say much about that. Was I really reliable? There must have been a time that Daisuke had depended on me, and I had let him down. But I suppose I did that more than one time. I knew that when the others turned on him, that he would look to me as if I was his only hope. But hope was in Takeru's category, not mine. Miyako had taught me to go with the flow, follow her and the others, so I tried my best.
I've always been the one to believe in people, no matter how they looked or act. People are equal – they all have their own abilities, hobbies, likes and dislikes – and a heart. A heart is what makes the person. They may be different on the outside, but inside they're the same as you and me. They feel, hurt, and have emotions, whether it be good or bad.
Lies. Something else I've always believed in. Lies are usually always bad, and hurt the people around you. In this case, it was both me and Daisuke. Maybe I shouldn't have listened to Miyako, and had been myself. My grandfather once made me promise that I would never lie...I guess that I broke that promise.
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I knew that I would be affected the most. It was like he had blamed it all on me, throwing down his goggles and everything. Me? Be the leader? After everything I had done being the Kaizer? No. I couldn't. Not after everything Daisuke had done for me. I could never replace Daisuke. Nobody could, and the others knew this as well.The others. I had seen the things they had done, said or not done at all. Deep down, I knew that I should have been there for Daisuke. But I wasn't the type to stand up, and I had been both quiet and unsure of what I should or should have said around both him and the others. I was still getting over the fact that I was once the Digimon Kaizer, who had destroyed and tortured many souls that hadn't deserved it.
I had tried my best to get through to Daisuke, being the only one who would talk to him since the others wouldn't. I guess that wasn't the only reason that I wanted to be Daisuke's friend, but he was too cold by now for me to get through. The others had warped him, and for that, I despised them. How could they not see the potential in him? Accept him for who he was? At least to me, he was someone special. Someone who I cared about – and loved. Yes, Love. I never thought I would ever find that emotion, especially with another boy. Everyone always thought that I would grow up, marry some nurse or someone who made millions, have children, and live happily ever after. But that wasn't the way that I wanted it, and I never had. My heart belonged completely and utterly to Daisuke, and always would, no matter what.
I snapped out of my thoughts to come face to face to reality. My Dai-chan...being taken away by pure darkness. The darkness that had once taken over my mind and body, controlling what I did and thought. That darkness would surely kill him – or worse – drive him insane.
"Daisuke...no..NO!" I felt the words slowly leave my lips, at first a quiet whisper.
Nobody was going to harm my Daisuke...not anymore. She had no right to corrupt his mind like that and tell lies. Lies? Were they really lies? No. I knew that it was all true. She had told him, even if it had hurt him like nothing else. For that, I wanted to hurt her, make her feel the pain that he was suffering, and what I was suffering right now. She had turned him against the others – and me.
"You're the leader now!"My heart ached as those four words echoed through my mind. How could he think like that? I cared about Daisuke..I would never hurt him! No matter what, I wouldn't take his place. I would follow no one else but Daisuke. Little did he know that he was in for more pain and suffering. She would use his body for her own power hungry purposes, and throw him out like trash. Couldn't he see that?! She was trying to unlock his inner...his inner..No, I can't think of it. It was what had made me become the Kaizer, so cold and alone.
I painfully slid to my knees, thinking of all the horrible things that she could, and probably would do to Daisuke. This was the first acceptance – love – that he had ever felt, and Archnemon could use it to get him to do anything she wanted.
I felt myself trembling, my first clenching the green grass beneath me. Daisuke...I cared about him too much, I couldn't let him get hurt like this, it's all my fault..if only I could have stopped him!
"Daisuke, I—" I started. "I—I—" I couldn't get any further. A fresh flow of tears drowned out from my eyes.
"Ken, don't cry, we'll get Daisuke back." Hikari asked, putting her hand on my shoulder.
"Daisuke, I—" I repeated. "I, I—I love—" But I never finished, my voice too low for even me to hear.
Looking up through teary eyes, I realized that Daisuke was nowhere to be found. Archnemon and Mummymon had taken him from me. Would I ever see him again?
I felt the trembling again, and I looked up even higher at and concerned Hikari. I knew what was going through her mind, why is he taking this so hard?
But I wasn't going to tell her. Hell, I wasn't even going to tell Daisuke himself, but the unexpected turn of events had certainly changed my mind quickly. It was now that I wished I had told him before. If I had told him, and he had known that at least someone out there, even if he didn't return the feelings, loved him.
"W...what are we going to do?" I asked, trying to get my voice to work right again.
Takeru stepped up beside her, looking from me, to Hikari, and to his feet. "Maybe Gennai can help us.."
"G..Gennai?" I had no clue to who that was.
Takeru nodded, looking at me. "I don't know if he's still around because I haven't seen him since our..our very first trip to the Digital World..but he may be of help to us."
Miyako stepped up beside Takeru, a curious look on her face. "Gennai? Never heard of him. Is he our age?" She questioned, then stars flickered in her eyes. "Is he cute?"
I glared up at her. How could she think of guys at such a time like this? Daisuke was in trouble and it was obvious that she was interested in other things.
Takeru sweatdropped, looking over at her. "If you think old guys are cute.."
She immediately gagged, backing away. "Never mind!"
"Do you even remember where he lives?" Asked Hikari, looking at Takeru hopefully.
He nodded, taking out his D-3 and looking at it. "It isn't all that far from here."
"Great!" Chipped in Iori, looking up at the others. "At this rate, I can be home in time for mom's supper!"
I don't know how I had expected them to act after all this. I at least expected them to be sorry for what they had all done to him, but things were back to normal. I guess that I should have been happy they were actually going to go look for Daisuke, but the things they were talking about still bothered me. Supper? And just what was Daisuke supposed to eat? Only God knows where he was! He could be being tortured at this very moment..and there was nothing that I could do. I sure hoped that this Gennai person would be able to help us.
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I had seen this moment coming. The Digidestined would fail in battle, only to have their leader taken away from them. Only he could see what was to come, and he was not able to tell his friends where Daisuke was, or how to save him. They would have to find out on their own, their mind and will guiding them. Only then would they be able to find Daisuke – but only one could truly free him.
A knock sounded on my old wooden door, and I opened to find the Digidestined standing in front of me, just as I had foretold.
"Gennai?" Asked the blonde boy, whom I recognized to be Takeru, the child of Hope. He had grown a lot since I had last seen him. He had merely been a small child, younger than the rest had been. He was now grown, and the only childly reminder that it was still him was the small Digimon perched on his hat, curiously looking at me.
I moved to the side, letting them in. "Come in, my friends. We have a lot to discuss."
As they all filed in, I scanned the new faces. I hadn't seen the new Digidestined before, so this was quiet new for me. But as the last one passed, I recognized the purple hair. The Kaizer... was the first thought that came to my head, but I shook it off. I knew that he had changed and was now part of them, part of him, but he was yet to realize that yet.
Closing the door behind me, I faced them. They were all glancing at each other nervously, not sure of what to do or ask.
"I suppose you're all here about Daisuke," I started, getting their attention, "But you know that I can only tell you so much."
They nodded, understanding.
A flash of what was to come made its way through my mind, and I shook it away absently. "You shouldn't of taken Daisuke for granted.." I said softly, talking to myself more than I was them.
Hikari stepped forward. "What do you mean?"
"Daisuke is more than what he seems..."
*Giggles evilly* Like the ending? :P Anyway, what's going to happen to Dai? What did Gennai mean by "Daisuke is more than what he seems"? Will Ken ever get to confess his secret to Dai? Who knows? :P