Disclaimer: Digimon, its plots, characters and concepts are not mine. They're belonged to such people as Toei Animation, Bandai and Saban. All are being borrowed and will hopefully be brought back as they were. No profit is being made, so please don't sue. Any quotes from the Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux aren't mine either. The Ghost Roads idea was borrowed from the Buffy Trilogy, The Gatekeeper I think. It's not mine either. Any original characters and this fic are mine.
Ken's screams tore through the air, piercing shrieks that caused Daisuke and Takeru to wince and cringe, as the sounds pounded into their ears. Again and again Ken screamed, clutching the sides of his head with his hands, messing his twilight-hued hair and not even realising it. His eyes were painfully closed, giving his entire expression a look of despair and complete agony. Whimpering cries made their way up from his throat, as tremors wracked his thin frame and added to his vulnerability and his helplessness.
Daisuke could only watch him in shock, hardly able to believe this was still Ken. The change was remarkable, as well as alarming. That this boy had been the Digimon Kaiser, self-proclaimed ruler of the Digital World, had been so cool and self-assured only a few minutes before was staggering, compared with what he was now. A boy, faced with all the cruelty of the things he had done, a boy, faced with a new life that suddenly seemed unnatural and so, so different. It wasn't exactly something he could just slip into.
He and Takeru, to all appearances, seemed frozen for the next few moments, before Daiseus' glares jolted Daisuke out of his trance. He approached the screaming, hysterical boy carefully, not wishing to startle him and make things any worse than they already were. It was at this point that he wished he had once asked Jun what to do with crying girls. Ken was no girl obviously, but that advice might have given him more of an advantage than he had right now. And Jun had always told him he'd need to know what to do when faced with a crying girl one day. He was never going to tell her she'd been right... sort of. He didn't think Ken would appreciate being referred to as a girl.
"Ken," he said quietly, looking down at the boy on the ground. Ken was on his knes, rocking back and gently, tears trailing down his face in a rushing stream. In other circumstances it might have been funny that a boy of Ken's reputation was now on his knees sobbing shamelessly. But it wasn't funny and they all knew that. Ken had just looked up and seen his dead brother above him, as a ghost. Daisuke was pretty sure that if he and Takeru had been faced with the same situation, their reactions would have been much the same. Altogether, it was one messy situation.
Ken didn't give any indication that he had heard Daisuke, and didn't stop in his tears once. Daisuke knew if things had been normal he would have been offended, but he wasn't, for things weren't normal. He didn't think they woud be normal for a long time to come, if ever. "Ken," he said again, his voice louder this time.
Ken appeared to have heard him this time, and for a fleeting moment, red-rimmed sapphire eyes stared up at him, shining and large. Then Ken uttered another plaintive sob and buried his face in his hands again, sobs wracking his thin frame. Daisuke gave Takeru and the two ghosts a desperate look. What was he to do? The ghosts look just as lost as he did (they wouldn't have been able to do much anyway, but that was beside the point), but Takeru was making fierce motions with his hands. Daisuke watched these motions for a few seconds, completely lost, but then it finally hit him that he was supposed to comfort him. He stared down at Ken then, and wondered how he was supposed to comfort him exactly. This time he was the one lost and Takeru knew what he was doing.
With an exasperated sigh and a roll of his eyes, the blonde Keeper of Hope, strode passed Daisuke and knelt beside Ken, for a moment doing nothing except putting a reassuring hand on Ken's shoulder, squeezing slightly. Daisuke and the two ghosts simply watched silently, realising Takeru actually knew what he was doing and he could do it well. Which meant that they watched and kept their mouths shut.
Takeru simply spoke low, comforting nonsense (Daisuke would have bet his entire manga collection, that one of the things he had told Ken was that it was going to be all right. He had to have said it!) to Ken and simply kept him reasonably calm. The blonde seemed quite unaware that he had a very attentive audience watching him. Daisuke took a mental note to later advise his best friend to go into a counselling career.
This worked quite well for a few minutes, but then the last of Ken's control crumbled and he buried his face into Takeru's shirt, sobbing faintly. Takeru froze for a second, and then wrapped his arms around the sobbing boy in a comforting hug, murmuing nonsense to him that was often reserved for crying cases such as these. He simply kept Ken from doing anything stupid. Daisuke looked horrified at the state of Ken. If he hadn't known that Ken really and truly had been the Kaiser once, he would have burst out laughing in disbelief. The last thing the blue-haired boy looked like was a cruel dictator, once intent on world domination.
So lost in his thoughts was he, that he didn't automatically notice that Takeru was signally to him until Daiseus caught his attention and gestured to the blonde. Having finally got Daisuke's attention, Takeru jerked his head, indicating that the redhead was to come over to them. At first Daisuke vigorously shook his head. He wasn't any help in situations like this. He was simply not tactful enough. Takru glared at him and jerked his head again, as Ken continued to sob into his shirt. Then Takeru nouthed the words that sealed the blackmail: "Ken needs you." Bingo. With a soft sigh Daisuke went over to them, kneeling on the other side of Ken and simply looked at the two of them. His expression clearly said, So what do I do now?
Takeru rolled his eyes and gently forced Ken to left his head. A pale, tear-stained face looked up at them, looking so lost Takeru and Daisuke felt their chests ache. "Ken," Takeru told him softly, "We want to help you. But we can't help you if you won't let us."
"Why do you want to help me?" Ken asked in a choked voice thick with tears. "I was your enemy. I did terrible things. I tortured and captured innocent digimon and made them my slaves. I don't deserve your help." He looked heartbroken and miserable. Daisuke found himself thanking every deity he could think of that his own sister was alive and well and most certainly wasn't a ghost. Ken looked a wreak.
Takeru wasn't fazed. "But you helped us," he pointed out. "You saved Daisuke and brought him back to life. You prevented Erik from killing me. We owe you Ken. The least we can do is help you. As for what you did as the Digimon Kaiser... well, only you can forgive yourself for that." Daisuke inwardly applaued Takeru for keeping his voice calm and level as he said that. He knew he wouldn't have been able to do that.
Ken shook his head. "I still don't deserve your help," he insisted. Takeru and Daisuke blinked and looked at each other. It seemed Ken could still be stubborn, even now. They'd find out soon enough if that was a good or bad thing.
Takeru simply sighed and glanced at Daisuke. "Whatever you say Ken," he said at last, rising to his feet and holding out a hand for the blue-haired boy. Ken hesitantly took it and came shakily to his feet, wobbling slightly. Daisuke immediately stepped up to them, giving Ken an encouraging smile. Ken simply looked away and Daisuke fought not to sigh. This was going to take time.
Takeru didn't beat around the bush. "You have to face him eventually Ken," he reminded the fallen genius gently, his cerulean eyes full of sympathy. Daisuke decided Takeru definitely needed to consider counselling as a future career. He just had that knack.
Instantly Ken's eyes filled with hurt and pain and Daisuke swore he could see the walls Ken slammed down around him. "I can't," he whispered, a panicked note entering his voice. "I just can't." The look in Ken's eyes turned to that of wildness, like a scared animal caught in headlights. Daisuke watched him, shocked and fascinated at the same time. "I'm frightened of him," he whispered at last.
Up to this point Daiseus and Osamu had been quiet, watching the events unfolding before them with careful eyes. But it seemed at this Osamu simply couldn't keep quiet. "Ken," he said gently, floating down to them. "You don't have to be frightened of me. I'm still your brother." He smiled reassuringly.
But the reassurance in the smile was lost on Ken. The look in his eyes was still that of a frightened animal. Daisuke didn't know how much more of this he could take. The sight of Ken being like this was tearing him apart inside. "But it doesn't change the fact that you're dead!" he cried, looking heartbroken. "And it was my fault," he added hoarsely, another sob working its way up from his throat.
Daisuke closed his eyes for a moment and remembered Osamu's death, when he had seen it after being hit by that lightning. Ken's screams had been as hysterical then as they had just been now. But he had seen nothing that would hint that it had been Ken's fault that his brother had died. In fact, it had all been Erik's doing. Opening his eyes, he asked quietly, his eyes serious, "Why is it your fault Ken?" Takeru closed his mouth, having been just about to ask the same thing.
Ken looked over at Daisuke, and for the first time since everything had fallen apart, he really looked at him. Watery sapphire-blue eyes searched pained umber ones, answers and questions passing freely between them. Then Ken ducked his head and whispered, "I wished he would disappear. I wished he would just let me alone... and he did. Only... only he wasn't meant to die! It was my fault, my fault!" Ken wrapped his arms around him and shivered, lost in the nostalgia of old, painful memories.
Osamu looked down at his younger brother and shock filled his pale face. "Ken, how can you say that?" he whispered, the shock on his face mirrored in his voice. "That's not true at all! I wasn't paying attention to where I was going and the driver was drunk and... and it was just one big mess." Osamu quickly ducked his head, but still continued. "But it wasn't your fault Ken, it was never your fault. That's the truth."
"He's right Ken," Daisuke said suddenly, causing everyone to look at him. Daisuke fought to keep himself calm and level-headed. He could do this, for Ken he had to do this. "It was Erik. Erik killed your brother and turned you into the Digimon Kaiser." He winced inwardly at the shadow that passed over Ken's face at the mention of that name, but he kept his eyes on the blue orbs, waiting for an answer.
Ken stared at him, a slight frown furrowing into his forehead. "How could Erik have killed my brother Daisuke? Osamu was killed by a car... not by a vampire." Daisuke realised then that it was disbelief in Ken's eyes. He didn't believe him. The hurt followed by this wasn't really that bad, maybe because a little voice in his mind was telling Daisuke that Ken really wasn't acting like himself right then.
Daisuke took a deep breath and started to explain. "When that lightning hit me and sent me unconscious --" At Daiseus' and Osamu's startled looks, he hurriedly said, "It's a long story." That done, he continued. "I saw... events from Erik's life. How he became a vampire, some of the people he killed." He let that sink in for a moment, before continuing again. "I saw Erik sense Osamu from the real world and send his power to him. He corrupted Osamu and constantly did whatever he wanted to do with him. Osamu didn't have a choice in the matters." He turned to look up at Osamu. "Am I right?" The ghost nodded, clear anguish filling his face as he remembered the memories himself.
"But then... eventually Osamu was no more use to him anymore. And that was when he sent him out onto the road and kept his mind occupied so much that he forgot to look where he was going. And that was when the car came." Daisuke paused, shifting awkwardly from foot to foot. Silence stretched, until Osamu finally spoke up.
"He's telling the truth Ken. That was what happened... that was how I died." Osamu glared at the ground, obviously damning Erik to hell. "It wasn't your fault at all."
"I see," Ken said slowly, but his expression was still troubled. He didn't look at any of them.
"Then he moved onto you Ken." Startled, the blue-haired boy jerked his head up to look at Daisuke. "He corrupted you and changed you into the Digimon Kaiser. He convinced you that it had been your fault Osamu did and you became the Kaiser to take all the pain you felt inside out on something." While on the outside Daisuke looked calm and collected, inside he was a rushing mass of nerves as he awaited Ken's reaction.
Ken didn't speak for several moments. His eyes grew dim and misty as he recalled memories that now pained him, for he had lived the outcome of them. Then he hung his head and his curtain of twilight-coloured hair became a shield. "You're right Daisuke," he whispered. "Erik whispered to me and told me it had been my fault Osamu died, because of the words I'd said. He told me the only way to get rid of the pain was to cause some myself." Tears filled Ken's eyes again. "But he was wrong!"
Takeru, who had been watching this silently for the last few minutes, stepped up beside Ken and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder again. When the boy turned and looked at him in surprise, Takeru smiled gently at him, clear azure eyes looking straight at him. "I think you and Osamu need to talk," the Keeper of Hope told Ken. "You have many things to sort out and talk about and it wouldn't be easy with us around, as they're probably very personal." Takeru turned and gripped Daisuke by the arm. "We'll be nearby if you need us," he told the brothers, one alive and one dead.
"Daiseus," Daisuke murmured to him. The dead warrior looked at him patiently. "Keep an eye on them, make sure nothing bad happens again." Daiseus nodded and Takeru started to drag Daisuke away, but suddenly the redhead dug in his heels and nearly sent Takeru toppling onto the grass. "Hold on," the Keeper of Courage and Friendship declared, causing everyone to look at him in surprise. "One question before we go." Osamu and Ken looked at each other, before looking at Daisuke, confusion mirrored on both of their faces.
"You," Daisuke began, pointing at Daiseus, who blinked, "and you." At this he pointed at Osamu, who also blinked, wondering what on Earth Daisuke was going on about. "When Daiseus first came to me in the Ghost Roads, you didn't like him at all Osamu. And yet now you too are like good friends." Daisuke crossed his arms and glared at the two ghosts. "So what gives?"
For a moment neither of them responded. And then both of the ghosts were laughing, making the three humans stare at them in surprise and confusion. Osamu was the first to recover. "I know Daiseus well, possibly because it was Erik who killed us both. Naturally, we're both slightly bitter as a result of this and we're often cold to each other sometimes. It passes quickly. It's usually just scorn for the other because we both fell into the same trap involving Erik." Osamu smiled at Daiseus. "Isn't that correct?" The warrior nodded, a smile on his own lips.
Daisuke stared up at them both, looking at them as if they'd just sprouted more heads. "Oh," he said at last. Takeru groaned in frustration, grabbing Daisuke by the collar and dragging him away. They dimly heard him muttering about how insane he was to be best friends with this boy.
Ken never fully told anyone what he and his brother talked about, but he looked like a large weight had been lifted from his shoulders when they came back to him later. In short all of the guilt and anger about his brother had been lifted from him. But there were still shadows in his eyes, and they knew the guilt over what he had done as the Digimon Kaiser was far from gone. It would be the Digidestined who would have to help him with that, and it would take time. The difficulty was going to be tripled as they first had to convince the others that Ken was now changed. They weren't going to be thrilled with Ken joining them, but Takeru and Daisuke were determined to help him. But that is for later.
While the discussion between Ken and Osamu is not going to be shown in depth, apart from the telling that it all worked out happily for the two brothers, the discussion between Daisuke and Takeru is going to be shown, for they had much to sort out and talk through. The silence was at first awkward, due to the fact that Takeru found himself remembering that Daisuke had found Ken on top of him in a most suggestive manner, and Daisuke was still afraid that Takeru was going to kiss him. It was incredibly nerve-wreaking, as you could understand.
Then Daisuke said quietly, staring down at his hands in fascination, "I know you and Ken weren't doing anything when I walked in on you two. I just... I jumped onto conclusions because I was in a rotten mood, thanks to Erik's influence on me." The moment this apology and explanation left his lips, Daisuke stared down at the ground as if his life depended on it.
Takeru didn't reply immediately, also looking anywhere except at Daisuke. Then he answered, "I burst in on Ken and lunged at him." The blonde hung his head in shame, a faint colour spreading across his face. "I was just so mad and angry because you'd chosen Ken over me. I couldn't see that you'd never liked me as anything more than a friend." A bitter smile twisted Takeru's lips. "I was an idiot."
Daisuke didn't know what to say. Then he grinned suddenly, part of his old humour returning. "Actually you were a jealous idiot," he corrected. Takeru groaned and punched Daisuke lightly in the shoulder. While they laughed for a while, Daisuke's expression eventually sobered. "Actually I was the idiot. I was so oblivious, I should have seen something was wrong with you! I should have seen I was the cause of it!" Daisuke grimaced, furious with himself and his foolishness.
"Hey," Takeru chided him gently. "I should have been more careful and had better control over my emotions. Plus I shouldn't have followed Yamato or Hikari's advice and told you how I felt in the first place." He frowned and then jumped upon Daisuke's squawk of outrage.
"You told them?!" he yelled, looking at Takeru like he'd just announced he was going to move to Europe and dye his hair neon green. "How could you tell them?!" He groaned and burrowed his face in his hands, embarrassed beyond belief.
Takeru sighed and rolled his eyes, not very impressed with Daisuke's dramatic display. "Calm down Daisuke," he told him sternly. "Besides I didn't tell them. They knew already. Unlike you, they weren't as oblivious to how I acted towards you."
"Oh." Daisuke blinked and as was trademark to him, recovered immediately. "Okay then." He started to fidget then, as he didn't know what to say next. He couldn't really think of anything to say. Apparently Takeru could however.
Taking a deep breath, the blonde muttered. "Besides... I can't come between you and Ken again. I'd be making a huge mistake if I did."
For a few moments, Daisuke thought he'd heard wrong. Had Takeru just said he couldn't come between them again? Had he just said it was a mistake? The redhead gawked at his friend, hardly able to believe his ears. "Oh..." It was the only thing he could think of to say.
Takeru laughed then and he brushed Daisuke's cheek for a moment. "I saw what you two did when you burned Erik. It was almost like you two created a supernova. If you could do that together... then I'm simply not in the picture anymore." A flicker of sadness passed over his face. "Not that I ever was."
"Don't say that!" Daisuke cried, grabbing Takeru's wrist and forcing him to look into his eyes. "You are my best friend, that's never going to change!" When Takeru didn't reply, Daisuke gripped his wrist so tightly the blonde jerked in pain and surprise. "Is it?!" Daisuke asked, not bothering to hide the desperation in his eyes. He couldn't lose Takeru now, not after everything that had happened.
For a long time they simply stared into each other's eyes, trying to find answers to questions they weren't sure they wanted to be answered. And then Takeru sighed heavily and looked away. "I still like you Daisuke," he murmured softly. Daisuke looked at him in surprise, even though he'd already known that. You just didn't stop liking people in one minute. What was surprising was that Takeru had admitted it so openly. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't. It's going to hurt to see you with him." He didn't have to clarify who 'him' was -- they both knew.
"Of course it will," Daisuke replied quietly. Takeru blinked. "As vain as it sounds, I'd have been offended if you'd suddenly stopped liking me." Takeru groaned, and Daisuke laughed.
"I wouldn't have expected anything more of you," Takeru admitted, smiling slightly, but the sadness hadn't left his eyes yet.
Daisuke squeezed his wrist in reassurance. "But I know how strong you are. You'll get over it, eventually. It'll take time, but you will. I know it."
Takeru only shrugged. "I'll have to, won't I? I'll only look stupid still pining after you." The bitterness in his voice alarmed Daisuke, who wished things didn't have to be so complicated. Nor did he want to upset Takeru anymore than he already was. And he was fairly upset.
"I'm sorry," Daisuke whispered, suddenly realising all the guilt he had inside himself because of what he'd done to his best friend. If only he'd seen it sooner.
"So am I," Takeru replied wearily, rubbing his face hard, as if he could wipe away all his problems.
"This isn't fully sorted out, is it?" the redhead asked suddenly, after a depressed silence.
"Nope," Takeru agreed, shaking his head. "It's far from sorted. But we've made a breakthrough and that's good enough for the moment. I guess we'll have to start off again when we get back home and things have returned to slight normality."
"We're going to have to stick up for Ken as well, when the others find out what's happened." Daisuke made a face, realising all the work that was ahead of them. "They're not exactly going to welcome Ken with open arms as a digidestined. We're going to be the only ones on his side right now."
Takeru sighed as well, realising all the work ahead of them as well. "You're right. But Ken's changed now and we're just going to have to show everyone else that. It's obvious he was very different before he became the Digimon Kaiser. He got the Crest of Kindness after all."
Daisuke nodded. "Yep." Then he stopped, listening intently. "Do you hear anything?"
Takeru also stopped, listening. After a few seconds, he said, "No. I hear nothing."
"Is that a good thing?" Daisuke asked, not bothering to hide the worried expression on his face. "I mean, at least Ken's not screaming anymore, but..." He let his voice trail off, exchanging concerned looks with Takeru.
Takeru stood up. "I think we better go and check up on them." Daisuke immediately bounced to his feet and the two hurried back to where they had left Ken and the two ghosts.
What they saw when they arrived, made them both relieved and amused. Ken was sitting cross-legged on the ground, staring up at Osamu was floating above him. They were talking in low voices -- the reason Daisuke and Takeru hadn't been able to hear anything from where they were. Daiseus was watching them nearby, and the bored expression on his face was priceless. Daisuke grinned and Takeru bit back a laugh as they walked forward.
Osamu was the first of the brothers to notice him. His pale face lit up in a broad grin. "Daisuke! I was just saying goodbye to Ken."
"What?!" Daisuke stared up at the ghost, absolutely flabbergasted. "Why?! Where are you going?"
Daiseus floated over to them. "Daisuke, we're technically dead. We can't reside in the land of the living, even in the Digital World. We have to go back." His face was serious and they all knew he was telling the truth.
Whether this was the truth or not, Daisuke's face was still dismayed. "You mean you're going back to the Ghost Roads?" The thought of Daiseus and Osamu spending the rest of time in those depressing roads and that world of greyness was not a cheerful one.
But Osamu was shaking his head and Daiseus was smiling. "No Daisuke," the warrior said. "Erik killed us and it was because of our unwillingness to forgive ourselves, for making the mistake of getting involved with him that prevented us from moving on. But Erik is dead and we are finally able to forgive ourselves." Osamu's smile was broad now. "You helped us Daisuke and for that we thank you."
Daisuke stared up at them, his brown eyes wide. "Oh." It seemed to be the only thing he could say right then. "I see. Well..." Then a silence descended upon them, but it wasn't tense nor was it comfortable. With a sigh, the leader of the Digidestined stepped forward. "Well, I guess this is goodbye then." He fought to keep his voice from cracking. "I'm going to miss you two."
"A remarkable thing to say, considering we met you when you were almost dead," Daiseus remarked dryly. Then he smiled at the redhead and winked at him. "Although I have to admit, meeting you was an experience Daisuke." A fierce blush spreading across his face, Daisuke realised suddenly that Daiseus liked members of his own sex.
"It's a pity you're dead," he said quickly and Daiseus raised an eyebrow at him. "You should have got with Takeru!" Osamu and Ken burst out laughing, while Daiseus stared at Daisuke and then at a fiercely blushing Takeru. The blonde in question looked about ready to die, or hit Daisuke, whichever came first.
"I think this is where we go," Osamu said wisely. Looking down at his brother, Osamu smiled, looking typically like an older brother. "I never thought I'd get the chance to talk to you again Ken, and tell you all the things I should have told you years ago." Ken smiled up at him, his own eyes watering.
"I'm glad too," the once-Kaiser replied softly, and gave his brother a trembling smile. "I'll never forget you Osamu."
"I should think not!" Osamu replied sternly and then winked at him. Turning his gaze to Daisuke, the ghost said, "And I have you to thank for letting me see Ken again. If not for you helping Ken to kill Erik, Daiseus and I would have been unable to come here." He paused and then continued slowly. "And we apologise for letting that lightning strike you. It was a mistake on our part."
Daisuke spluttered, completely outraged. "You let that lightning hit me?!" Ken and Takeru started laughing and didn't bother hiding it.
"And thank you as well Takeru." The blonde looked up, startled that Osamu was addressing him. "Thank you for helping my brother when he was slightly... irrational." Takeru nodded, his eyes wide. "It was a pleasure meeting you." Another nod.
"It was a pleasure meeting you too," Takeru finally managed to say, after getting his voice back. Daisuke made a mental note to use that against him later.
The light didn't come immediately, as they had expected it to. Instead it came very gradually, creeping up on them. The moment it touched Daiseus and Osamu however, it erupted into a light that vaguely resembled a supernova. The three humans had to haul their arms up in front of their eyes, their eyesight unable to deal with something that bright. It grew brighter and brighter, filling the Digital World with amazing light. Daisuke wondered later if he had actually heard a humming noise or not. Watching the brightness for a single moment, before his eyes protested wildly and he had to cover them again, the redhead swore he saw wings arch from Daiseus and Osamu. But then the light was gone, so suddenly it was like a candle being snuffed out. Daisuke and the others put down their arms again, blinking as sun spots darted across their vision from the sudden change from brightness back to darkness once more. Or a rapidly lightening twilight.
Moments later, the sun spilled over the horizon and a new day dawned in the Digital World. A day that might have never come if they hadn't done their job and destroyed Erik. Daisuke smiled as he looked over at Ken and Takeru, who were watching the approaching dawn. It was a day of new beginnings.