Disclaimer: Same as before. The only one who's mine is Kagami (and since he's being Ken right now, I guess that only makes him half mine.)
Author's Notes: Whoa, people actually liked that first part! Cool. Here's the second part (didn't take me as long as I thought it would to write, either.)
o6-13-01 edit: Just fixed a little html mistake. I'm neurotic that way.
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"Calm down, Wormmon," Daisuke tried to soothe the anxious Digimon. Wormmon could not be comforted, however. Daisuke had finally returned home from a shopping trip with his family to find Ken's e-mail. Immediately, he and V-mon had gone to meet him in the Digital World, only to find a hysterical Wormmon waiting for them with a tale of how Ken had been sucked into the dark world again.
"B-but Ken-chan might be hurt," sniffled Wormmon. "I can't calm down. He might need me and I'm not there."
"That's not your fault, though," V-mon spoke up.
"I should have held on tighter," Wormmon berated himself. "Now Ken-chan's g-g-gone. What if I don't get him back this time?"
"Don't talk like that," Daisuke said, though there was a nervous edge to his voice. "We'll find some way to save Ken, I'm sure."
"Save me from what?" The three whirled to see a familiar figure walking up to them, hands in his pockets, an amused smile on his face.
"Ken-chan!" Wormmon was on him in a second, wiggling happily. Kagami smiled brightly at the little Digimon and hugged him.
"Geez, Ken, you scared us!" Daisuke walked up to them, and Kagami's smile grew wider. "What happened?"
"Nothing." Kagami shrugged. "I am fine, so you don't need to worry anymore."
"What do you mean, nothing happened?" Daisuke repeated in disbelief. "You got sucked into the world of darkness, how can you say that nothing happened!?"
"Nothing of importance." Kagami reached forward and took Daisuke's hand, stroking it softly. Daisuke froze and looked at him oddly. "Don't get so upset, my... friend. I'm okay now, so what does it matter what transpired in the world of darkness?"
"I--I--" Daisuke stuttered, not sure what to do. Kagami continued to stroke his hand lightly. Daisuke snapped out of his stupor and pulled away. "What's with you? You're acting kinda...weird. Are you sure you're okay?" He pulled off one glove, then put a hand on Kagami's forehead. Almost immediately, he pulled it back. "Yow! You're freezing cold, did you know that?"
"Really? I feel fine." Kagami shrugged again. "It is nothing to concern yourself over, Daisuke. It's getting late, I believe that Wormmon and I should head home." He bowed to Daisuke and V-mon, collected the little green Digimon, and headed for the nearest TV set.
"Ken? Wait up!" Daisuke grabbed Kagami by the arm. "What happened? You're not acting like yourself."
"That's ridiculous, Daisuke." Kagami ran a hand along Daisuke's cheek. "Who else would I be acting like? Now, I really need to get going. Goodbye." With that, he disappeared through the TV, leaving Daisuke and V-mon standing in the Digital World, alone and extremely confused.
"That was weird," V-mon commented. "He isn't usually that touchy-feely, is he, Daisuke?"
"No..." Daisuke pressed his hand to his cheek where Kagami had touched him. The other boy's hands had been freezing cold as well. He stared at the TV for a few moments, then shook his head. "C'mon, V-mon. We'd better head home, too. We're meeting the others here tomorrow anyway, so I can see if Ken's acting normal again. Maybe he's just in shock or something. I mean, he said that nothing happened to him, after all."
But even as he raised his D-3, Daisuke couldn't help but think that whatever had happened in the world of darkness, it was most certainly not 'nothing.'
~~~~
Emptiness. Nothingness.
Ken floated silently underneath the waters of the mirror lake. Slowly, his eyes opened. He stared vacantly up at the water as his mind began to work sluggishly.
Who am I? he thought. I can't recall.
Strangely, these thoughts did not worry him. He felt as if he could not worry, as if he were almost indifferent to the fact that he had no memories. Curiously, he swam towards the surface, only to encounter a strange barrier between him and the outside, as if he was trapped beneath a layer of ice. This, too, did not worry him. He sunk back to the center of the lake. Idly, his mind pointed out the fact that he was able to breathe easily underneath the water. This he counted as an interesting new fact, and paused to take stock of what he could recall.
I don't recall...anything, he realized. Ken glanced down at himself, wondering at the curious gray uniform he appeared to be wearing. Everything about himself seemed new and different. I don't remember myself. What am I? Who am I?
From somewhere at the bottom of the lake, he received a reply that managed to slice through his veil of indifference and pierce his heart with icy terror.
You, little one, are nothing. Nothing at all.
~~~~
"Ken! Dinner!" Kagami and Minomon emerged from the computer just a second before Mrs. Ichijouji opened the door to Ken's room. "Ken, sweetie, are you okay? You look a little ragged."
Kagami set Minomon down on the desk, where the Digimon lay still on his side, playing stuffed animal. Kagami brushed one hand through his hair, smoothing it out, then stood and walked over to Mrs. Ichijouji, taking her hand.
"I'm fine, Mama," he said with a gentle smile. "Thank you very much for coming to get me for dinner. I quite appreciate it."
"Oh, it was nothing honey." Mrs. Ichijouji smiled, obviously pleased at her 'son's reaction. "But are you sure you're all right? Your hands are like ice!"
"I'm fine." Kagami deftly slipped his hand out of hers. "Perfectly fine. We should go eat before the food gets cold."
"You're right, dear. Come along." Mrs. Ichijouji turned and headed towards the dining room. Kagami followed dutifully behind her, humming a soft, happy tune.
All through dinner, Kagami was quiet and pleasant. He answered any questions directed towards him with ease, silently reveling in his new life. Once dinner was over, he turned to Mrs. Ichijouji and gave her a grateful smile.
"That was a delicious meal. Thank you very much for taking the time to make it."
"Oh, it was nothing, dear. But are you sure you're feeling okay?" Mrs. Ichijouji gave him a worried look. "You're acting a little strangely."
"It's nothing," Kagami told her. "Perhaps I'm just tired. Would it be all right if I retired to my room for the evening?"
"Of course, dear. I hope you feel better in the morning."
"I'm certain that I will."
"Ken-chan!" Minomon floated over to Kagami as he entered the room.
"Hello, Minomon." Kagami offered the little Digimon some food he had smuggled from the table. "Is this enough for you?" Minomon nodded, his mouth full.
Kagami seemed pleased at the reaction. He turned away from Minomon, and his eyes suddenly locked on the picture of Osamu sitting nearby. Curiously, he walked over to it, staring intently at the photograph.
"Ken-chan? Is something wrong?" Minomon asked around a mouth full of food.
"Oh.....it's nothing. I was just looking at this." He ran a hand along the smooth glass covering. "This is....Osamu, yes?" He didn't wait for the reply. Kagami's eyes softened as he whispered so quietly that Minomon couldn't even hear him, "Such a painful memory. I do not like this one. He never mentioned this feeling. My chest hurts, yet I do not know why. How curious."
"Ken-chan? Are you sure you're okay?" Minomon gave him an odd look and Kagami set the picture down. He turned to face the Digimon with a smile plastered on his face.
"As I said, it is nothing to be concerned about. I'll take a nap now. I want to be perfectly rested for tomorrow when we go to see Dai-chan and the others."
Minomon swallowed and gave him a curious look.
"Dai-chan? You've never called him that before," he pointed out.
"Haven't I?" Kagami shrugged. "My mistake. He really is a very good friend, you know. I think I will like being with him."
"What do you mean?"
"Never mind." Kagami waved a hand airily. "If you can't figure it out yourself, there's no point in me bothering to explain it."
"But Ken-chan--"
"Are you going to let me sleep, Minomon?" Kagami glared at the little creature, and Minomon wilted.
"I'll be quiet." The in-training watched his partner for a few more moments, then floated down to sleep under the bed, trying to understand the odd change that seemed to have come over his friend.
What if the dark ocean got him? Minomon thought fearfully. What if--what if I've lost him again because I didn't hold on tight enough? He glanced up at the silhouette of Ken atop the bed.
"I don't know what's happened, Ken-chan," he whispered. "But I won't let the darkness have you again. Not this time." With that vow, he closed his eyes and tried to get some sleep.
~~~
"What do you mean, I'm nothing?" Ken turned slowly in the water, trying to identify who had spoken. "I--I'm not nothing!"
But who am I? he thought. I don't understand; what's happening?
You are nothing. A mere reflection of something that once was, but is no more. You are nothing, and you are mine.
As Ken watched in growing horror, a giant snake made all of shining liquid wormed its way up from the depths of the lake. Its cerulean eyes pierced him like a lance as its body coiled sinuously around him. Where the water touched him, it tore into him, shredding his shirt and causing several long, shallow cuts to appear across his back and chest. The blood hung in the water, filling Ken with a feeling of nausea and foreboding.
"Stop it!" He fought uselessly against the tight coils, trying to free himself. The snake smiled a death's head grin and let him go, watching in amusement as he fled towards the surface of the lake, only to be repulsed by the barrier.
Now do you see? There is no escape. Surrender yourself to me, little one. I feel yet some dregs of memory around you. Surrender your mind and body, allow me to devour you, and your essence will remain here forever, perpetual and never-ending. This is my gift, if only you give yourself to me.
"I--I won't!" Ken beat uselessly against the barrier. "Please, let me go!"
It is useless to struggle. It serves only to prolong your pain. I do not wish to hurt you. The snake curled around Ken again, looking him full in the face. Think. Without your memories, you are left with only an empty soul. I wish to free you. Look.....you bleed. Its watery tongue touched one of Ken's raw wounds, and he winced in pain. Give up this resistance, and you will be allowed to sleep in peace. Do you not want peace?
"Not like this!" Ken argued. "I may not remember anything, but I'm still alive! I'm still a--a whatever it is I am! Just because I'm without memories doesn't mean that I don't live!"
So you say. The snake let him go, moving gracefully through the water above him as it regarded him with amusement, much in the way a cat might watch a trapped mouse. But to live is more than breathing. If you have nothing inside you but emptiness, then there is no life. You are alone and lost. You are nothing.
"I'm not nothing!" Ken repeated, tears of frustration coming to his eyes. "I'm not! I'm--I'm--"
Yes? The glittering ocean eyes bore into him. Ken closed his eyes, trying to find the answer. It was brushing against the edges of his mind, a soft whisper of the past that hung just out of reach. He stretched for it, mental fingertips touching lightly against it....
And then the elusive memory swung completely out of reach, leaving Ken floating limply in the water with no answer to give.
"I don't know," he finally said in a small, broken whisper.
That is as it should be. The water snake wrapped around him again, gently, its coils caressing him like the touch of a lover as it purred in his ear. As it should be.
Ken felt the rough scales brush against his skin, opening new wounds and blossoming red across his smooth pale skin. The thought of surrender hung in his mind along with the snake's unspoken question. But when he opened his mouth, the words wouldn't come out. Another memory alighted briefly inside him, like a dove upon a windowsill.
"Daisuke," he whispered into the oppressive silence. "Please...help me."
---
Hee hee....I'm so mean to poor Ken-chan. I won't leave him hanging for long, I
promise....eh, better not promise. Part three will be done, uh, whenever I get around
to writing it. Read, review, etc., etc.
