-------------------------------
Shi-chan: This fic is drawing to a close...
-------------------------------
In Your Shoes
Part 6
~By Shimegami-chan
Warnings: Kenyako...
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Now is as good a time to mention it as any. I'll be going to camp on Sunday coming (July 1) and I won't be back for seven weeks. I'll have computer access, but just how much of it I'm not sure. Fanfics will be written in rough draft when I get free time, but whether or not they get typed soon is iffy. Also, the closure of 'Sadness Colored Sandglass,' 'Switch,' and 'Cool World,' plus the 'I,' series, will be taking precedent. I have three separate one-shots in mind that need work also. So don't expect me around ff.net for the next two weeks (or so), but expect a rush of new stories around the third week of August. Thanks for your time, minna-san, and have a safe and enjoyable summer.
This last chapter of 'In Your Shoes,' is a pretty big deal to me--this story was a lot of fun to write, and hopefully just as enjoyable to read. This goes out to Sarah, Zippo, Ami-chan, and Andrew--thanks for being there for me, you guys. Sarah, have a safe trip. Love you all.~Shi
Plug. 'Sandglass.' (I'm getting lazy.)
We took a roundabout way
Face to face
I feel like we've finally met each other
Your form
Reflected my heart
"Nothing." Miyako looked at her D-3 sadly. "It hasn't been opening for us these past few days."
The blocks are still on the gates. Dammit, Ken! Ken hopped onto the stool and typed madly, trying to bring down the barriers he had placed on the port, without much success. They could only be removed using Ken's D-3, Miyako's wasn't powerful enough to do it. He called up the familiar programs, weakening them as much as he could from his position.
That's strange. Ken tapped a pincer absently on the keyboard. D-3 or not, the Digital World should be accesible through this computer. I don't understand... "I think I've managed to weaken them. Try it again, will you please, Miya-chan?"
"Since when do you not call me Miyako-san, Wormmon?" the lavender-haired girl teased.
Since I fell in love with you. Ken just blushed.
Miyako held up the device again. "Digital Gate, open!"
There was an ear-splitting silence for a few long moments until the computer began to glow. "Wormmon! You did it!" She grabbed Poromon and hugged him tightly.
No...it took too long. Ken braced himself for the short journey. But if I didn't open the gate, then who did?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A blast of light erupted from the computer as Wormmon's Dark D-3 reacted with the port, the overriding power of the stronger device forcing the gate to open.
"I did it!" he whispered in shock.
"Ken! You did it!" Daisuke crowed.
Before Takeru or the others could react, they were pulled through the computer and deposited in the Digital World.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
When Ken awakened, he was staring at the soft blue sky of the Digital World. We made it.
He lay like that for several minutes, not even moving to check on Miyako and Poromon. He felt strangely refreshed and calm. "It's beautiful," he whispered to himself, watching a cloud hang overhead. "It's...real. Not a program. Not a game that I could lose, at any time. A real, tangible, eternal place. How...poetic." Ken really wasn't sure what he was saying any more, but the scent of the flowers all around him intoxicated him, and the blue sky captivated his eyes. He tipped his head back, throwing his arms out to rest on the grass to lie spread-eagle. The sun warmed his blood and darkened his flesh. He drank it all in like a starving man.
It took a stray lock of indigo hair moved by the breeze across his face to bring Ken to the realization that he was back in his own body. Wormmon had to be the one who opened the port! The former Digimon Kaiser shot to his feet, scanning the field for his insectoid partner.
A few feet away, Miyako was stirring, Hawkmon beside her. Ken hurried to her side. "Hey! Are you okay?"
She opened her eyes with a gasp, Hawkmon taking up a defensive stance. "D-Digimon Kaiser!"
Ken's mouth dropped open in shock. That's right...she'd never believe that it was me all along... He reached up to gingerly touch his hair, the purple spikes sharp and unyielding. "I..."
Miyako clenched her fists. "All right, Ken. Let's do this!"
"Miayko-san!" Hawkmon scolded. "That's dangerous! You can't get in a fist-fight with him!"
"I have better things to do." The harsh words came out colder than he had expected. Like finding Wormmon. He turned and ran, gritting his teeth. It couldn't have worked. She's Chosen. She's Purity. I can't taint her with, with... He stared at him hands, pulling off the leather gloves in disgust. ...with this!
He sprinted until he came to a river, not hesitating before diving in and swimming across. "I'll get to the base," he assured himself aloud, "and find him with the monitors. He's got to be here somewhere..." The very idea of returning to the dank and dark control room made him ill. He stumbled up the river bank on the other side, dripping wet, hair slicked back and hanging limp as it did in the real world. As he ran through the underbrush, releasing his cape as it became snagged in a branch, his Dark D-3 began to beep.
I'm close to a group of Chosen! But how did they get here? Masaka...They're in the base! They came through my port! Realization dawned on him. Wormmon!
Suddenly no longer tired, Ken poured on the speed and ran for the base, not even noticing a lone purple dot on his tracker following close behind.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Wormmon took note of his new surroundings and body right away, as did the other Chosen. "We're in the Kaiser's base!" Daisuke yelped.
"Of course, you used Ken-chan's D-3." Wormmon scanned the hard floor, thankful for his sharp eyes back, but unable to locate the device.
Takeru assisted Hikari in getting to her feet. "This is an incredible opportunity." he noted, staring at the complex computer system.
"Oh, no! Please don't do that!" Wormmon pleaded, looking imploringly at Daisuke. "You got into the Digital World! That's what you wanted, right? Please don't touch Ken-chan's things!"
Takeru stared at the green Digimon. "Where's Ichijouji-kun, anyway? Didn't he come with us?"
"No! He wants to be in the real world!" Wormmon said. It was a half-truth, at least. "If he's not interfering, then please don't touch anything! I would have to protect Ken-chan's computers, and I don't want to hurt anyone!"
"If we do anything, Wormmon will take the fall," Hikari pointed out gently. "And Ichijouji-kun did help us get through the gate, right? We owe him that much, if he isn't causing trouble any more."
"Fine." Iori sighed. "But I'm going to knock down some Dark Towers while I'm here...if that's not too mean of me?" he questioned sarcastically.
Takeru rolled his eyes and started as his D-3 emitted a soft beep. "Someone's coming...Miyako's here! In the Digital World!"
"Great!" Daisuke grinned, checking his own device. "She must be tracking us, she's coming straight here."
Wormmon sighed and fidgeted, nervously checking a few of the computer monitors. If I'm here, then where's Ken-chan?
He was afraid he didn't want to know the answer.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ken keyed in his personal code and dashed into the base, taking the familiar hallways at a soccer sprint. With any luck Wormmon was in the control room...doing what? Guarding it? Ken realized that he didn't really care if the Chosen trashed it at that point. It's not my home anymore. I'm going back to the real world!
He rounded a spiral staircase and barreled into the control room, stopping just inside the room, unable to believe his eyes. Wormmon stood in the center of the room, talking earnestly with Motomiya's V-mon partner. Motomiya himself, along with three other Chosen, sat calmly in the corner tinkering with their D-Terminals. "Wormmon!"
"Ken-chan!" His partner's expression was unreadable. Apprehension? Joy?
Ken didn't care. He ran to the green Digimon's side and dropped to his knees on the floor, hugging the caterpillar to his chest. "I'm so gald you're okay! I've been worried!"
"You have?" Delight sparkled in Wormmon's baby blue eyes. "Ken-chan...you look so different!"
Ken smiled at the little insect. "Do I?" He was clad only in his blue-white jumpsuit, still-wet hair clinging to his cheeks.
"I meant you." His partner inspected the violet eyes that he'd been wearing for the past week. "You're back to your old self."
"All thanks to you, my friend." He held Wormmon tightly, ignoring the stares of the wary Chosen watching him. "All thanks to you."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Epilogue.
Someday we'll fly in the sky
I can fly for you
Kick away cowardice and weakness
The future you dreamed of, the future I dreamed of
You're not alone
Don't give up
I will always
Protect you...
"Ken."
The former Digimon Kaiser froze at the sound of her voice. "M-Miya-chan."
"It's true, isn't it? That wasn't Wormmon at all that I took care of. It was you all along."
Ken gulped, all his resolve streaming away from him like a river. "H-Hai, Miyako-san."
Miyako seemed to note the formality, crossing her arms over her chest. "Daisuke tells me that you're going back to the real world, and you're never going to be the Kaiser again." She eyed Ken's tight jumpsuit and boots, D-3 hooked at his belt. His hair was combed flat--Ken wondered what it would take to get a change of outfit when he came to the Digital World.
If he ever came to the Digital World again, that was.
Ken gulped and nodded.
"Why?"
"Because..." Ken didn't want to admit that she had been the one to open his eyes. "I realized...that it wasn't a game...and I shouldn't be treating it like one. I almost lost Wormmon. I won't let it happen again, so help me."
Miyako blinked in surprise. "You've really had a change of heart, haven't you?" It wasn't a question. "Why did you lie to me, Ken-kun?"
"I was...a little afraid," Ken admitted, eyes downcast. "I needed information and help, and you were there. I was injured. Wormmon was injured."
"Did I help?" she asked quietly.
"Of course!" Ken couldn't hide the surprise on his face. "I wouldn't have found him without you. I wanted to thank you for taking care of me, Miyako-...chan."
"Was it all a lie?"
Ken couldn't read the mysterious lavender-haired girl at all. "Was what a lie?"
"Your personality. The way you acted. When you...told me that I was pretty, when you thanked me for getting you ice cream. When we talked about you and the Kaiser."
"No," Ken admitted honestly. "By then, I had realized, I--" he cut himself short.
"What?" Miyako's expression continued to be stone-still.
"I--" Ken faltered, scanning the room for an escape. Miyako blocked the only door inadvertantly. He swallowed. "I liked you."
"'Liked?' Past tense? How so? Thought I was nice? Thought I was a sucker?"
Biting his lip, Ken stood before her, tilting his chin up. "Like this." He brought a hand to her cheek and met her lips with his own in a gentle kiss. Her eyes widened, but she didn't pull away.
It lasted only a few seconds, but left Ken feeling euphoric. I did it. I found courage without hurting anyone.
Miyako blushed deeply. "Oh. Like that."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Wormmon watched quietly from the control room monitor; Daisuke, Takeru and V-mon fighting among themselves to catch a glimpse of Miyako and her would-be crush. "Go, Miyako!" Daisuke cheered as she and Ken kissed.
Hikari laughed. "This is like a soap opera." Iori rolled his eyes.
Wormmon's gaze was still focused intently on his human partner. I told you everyone could be happy again, Ken-chan. I guess it wasn't so bad being you at all.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Miyako smiled shyly. "If it makes you feel better, Ken-kun...I think I like you too."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Walking a mile in someone elses shoes, the whole world becomes visible.
For you, I'd walk to the ends of the earth.
~owari
----------------------------------
Shi-chan: Like? Hate? Too abrupt? Too short? Not enough Kenyako? Too much Kenyako? Your comments are greatly appreciated! Put them in the box, please!
Seki: I can't beleive it's finally over!
Shi-chan: Me either. Thanks to those people who reviewed and gave me your thoughts, especially Athena, Ashna, and Sera Teraseki. Stayed with me right through the end, and I couldn't have done it without everyone's support.
Ken: *makes a pouty face* Yes, there will be another Kenyako coming...after 'Sandglass' is over with, with any luck.
Duo: *grin* Or whenever she feels like it.
Shi-chan: Ja matta ne, minna-san! Have a good summer!