Teardrop
By skye
A/N: This is not an episode in the second season. This is sort of a side story when Ken was the Digimon Emperor.
Disclaimer: Digimon do not belong me.
Ken smiled evilly, reclining in his throne. Life was good in the digital world. All the power he wanted, and he was away from those bumbling idiots that were his parents. (Note: Remember that right now Ken is _evil_.) Wormmon crawled over. "Master?" he asked tentatively. "What are your plans for today?" Ken glared at him through his glasses. "Why should I tell you, you pathetic excuse for a Digimon?" he snapped. Wormmon almost looked hurt, but just turned away. Just sitting there, Ken grew bored. Those horrible Digidestined, he thought angrily. Just barging into my world and destroying the control spires and freeing the slaves... "Arrgh!" he yelled and slammed his fist into the arm of his throne. "Wormmon!" he called.
"Yes, master?"
"Call the Airdramon. I'm going out."
"As you wish."
Ken watched him crawl off and smiled a bit wryly. He had a special area in mind to take over.
Run everyone!" Geckomon called from towers. "The Digimon Emperor is coming!" Everyone heard and started to escape. The area, a small town and forest, was normally very quiet and filled with peaceful Digimon, but the Emperor had decided to take over that area because it would give him access to other areas without control spires. Fortunately, most of the Digimon were able to escape or hide.
As Ken entered the area, he was disappointed to find most of the area deserted. Then, in the corner of his eye, he saw something move. He smiled grimly and cracked his whip on the spot. Shrieks of pain erupted as a small group of Floramon was revealed. "Thought you could hide from me?" he said. He raised the whip again and as it was whistling down, something stopped it. "What?!" he yelled as a strange Digimon held the whip. It was a strange Digimon. It looked like a small tiger, with dark blue fur with black stripes. Its tail was long, with a tuft of black fur in the end. The ears were also tufted with black and its eyes were a mellow gold, though now they were glittering with rage. Long silver claws were on each paw, glinting dangerously in the light. A strange charm hung around its neck, glowing faintly. "Run!" it told the Floramon, and they ran for their lives. "Who are you?" Ken yelled, angry that he had lost the Digimon. "How could you release what is rightfully mine?" "My name is Tigremon," it...she answered, coldly. "And those Digimon are not yours, they belong to themselves." "How dare you!" he shrieked. "I am the Digimon Emperor!" He tossed a dark ring at her, hoping the capture her, but the charm around Tigremon's neck glowed bright and the ring shattered into a million pieces.
"What!" Ken yelled in anger. "How did you do that?" "My little secret," the Digimon answered and just stood her ground, waiting. He was furious, how could a pathetic Digimon like this just defy him. He slashed the whip again and it struck her. She winced slightly, but didn't move. He whipped her again and again, marking red welts against dark fur. She didn't make a sound nor move. Just the sight of that infuriated Ken. "Why won't you even defend yourself?" he asked. "That's what makes the game more fun and longer." He then added a sharp spike to the end of the whip. Soon the Digimon was covered in deep wounds and blood. Finally she started shrieking. Ken started to smile in pleasure, but stopped. This shriek was different, it was unearthly, and it was not in pain. It was almost like a melody, going up and down, on and on. Suddenly he clutched his heart and his face softened slightly. The melody had somehow triggered something. It felt like something sharp was stabbing his heart, something being drawn out. But then the feeling disappeared and the cold expression again filled his face.
The shrieking stopped and the whip slashed out again. Gritting her teeth, Tigremon slowly and painfully got up. She glared at Ken, who noticed that instead of rage, pain, or fear, the liquid gold eyes were filled with sadness, pity, and an understanding. "Before you leave, allow me to give you some advice," she croaked slightly in her deep voice. "And what advice would that be?" said Ken haughtily. "How could you be Ken Ichijouji?" she demanded. "You are hardly a human, only a void of darkness that is also known as the Digimon Emperor." "How dare you!" he said, suppressing with much trouble rage that threatened to spill out. "I mean it!" she spat. "How could you be Ken, a young boy that was full of life and happiness?"
Ken froze. Her words have no meaning, his head said. Just capture her and get it over with. But something from inside of him stopped him. His face softened again, and he realized that she was right. But his heart hardened and froze, and his face contorted with rage. "Don't you dare speak to me like that, you pathetic Digimon!" The whip flashed again, but the Digimon didn't notice it. "What about your brother, what about Sam?" she asked, a bit more gently than before. "Would he have wanted you to become the monster you are right now?"
Ken's eyes widened. Memories flashed through his head. Two boys blowing bubbles... Ambulances... A picture with a black ribbon... A black coffin with white roses... His parents crying... People dressed in black... Sam, dead... His face softened and his eyes filled with tears threatening to spill out. "I'm sorry Ken," Tigremon said quietly. "How do you know about all this?" Ken stammered. "I have my ways, I know a lot about you that you don't even know," she answered softly. "But that doesn't matter. What matters is that you should know who you are."
"I already know who I am, I'm Ken..."
"No you are not. You are currently poisoned by evil and corrupted into darkness. Listen, I can help you."
"You really can..."
Suddenly, Ken drew away, his face hardening and his heart turning into stone once more. "I won't believe in any of your stupid advice!" he snarled. "Lies! All of it!" Tigremon sighed deeply, then looked up at him with a firm expression. "If you won't try and change now, then heed my words. Beware of the darkness. Beware of the darkness that threatens to engulf you and this world. Beware, because it will swallow you up." Finally she sighed again, and continued, "Remember my words. Then it may not be too late to save yourself. Good bye." She closed her eyes, and her body started to break apart into many bits of golden light. They flew up, casting their light like fireflies, then disappeared. All that was left was the charm. It glowed a faint pink and Ken saw a picture similar to a rose was on it. Then it flew over to Ken, lying on the ground at his face. Again, Ken's face softened, and a single tear fell from his eye and dropped, sparkling like a star, onto the charm on the ground. It glowed again, and faded. Then Ken's face changed, his eyes hardened. He kicked the charm away and started walking away. Wormmon, who was watching the whole thing, crawled over to the charm and picked it up. He held it close, and followed Ken, clutching the charm tightly.
A/N: I know this story may seem strange and not in order with the tv series but I hope you enjoyed it. Please review!