Dragon Lady: Here we go. The second chapter. ^_^
Ken: The second chapter to a new fic instead of a fifth chapter to an older fic that needs to be finished…dl…sometimes I really don't understand the way your brain functions. -_-;;; Your form of logic is just so totally twisted that its mind boggling.
Dragon Lady: ^^;; What can I say? I'm gifted. ^_~
Ken: Oh brother.
Dragon Lady: Okay, okay. So anyways…I wanted to have this chapter up along with one…but I didn't quite get it finished before Star Wars Episode 1 came on, and I wanted to watch with the rest of my family. ^_~ I am a complete sci-fi / fantasy fan, so yes I would stop work on a perfectly good chapter in order to watch a movie coming on television that I own anyway…^^;;
Ken: Uh huh…Ya know…I bet dl gets lost in her own mind sometimes…
Dragon Lady: ^^;;; No I don't!!!! Honest!
Ken: This from a girl who likes to stare at walls…
Dragon Lady: Its relaxing? It really is! I don't have to think and…^^;;
Ken: Okay…I'll stop telling you about dl's pathetic hobbies, because then you might actually be tempted to run, and our intention is to get you to read the fic.
Dragon Lady: Yeah! Yeah! Read! And leave a nice little review? *looks hopeful* ^_~
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Dangerous Game
By: DigimonDragonLady
The store was incredibly dusty, and looked like it hadn't been touched in quite some time. Ken walked close to his mother, looking around him cautiously. It was so quiet that it was unnerving. He thought he must have jumped two feet into the air when a voice behind them rang out.
"Can I do something for you customers?"
Ken whirled around, and was relieved to see that his mother looked startled too. She smiled. "Oh no…we were just looking. We've never noticed your shop before, and we were curious…"
"Not many people do notice us," the old man smiled mysteriously at Ken. "Its getting very rare to see anyone in here."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Ken's mother said politely, but Ken could tell she was feeling very nervous herself.
"Not a problem at all," the man replied. He looked around. "Sadly there's not much here that would be of interest to a young man such as your son…" he brightened. "Though I might have a few things in the back room that might be. Would you like me to take him there?"
Ken swallowed. His mother gave him a weak smile. "I'm sure Ken would enjoy that, wouldn't you dear? Though I don't think we'll be here very long…"
The old man took him by the arm and began leading him deep into the store, towards the back. "Oh I'm sure that it won't take long," he returned. "We'll just go have a look now won't we?"
He took Ken to the back where an older woman was sitting behind the counter, reading a large book of some sort. "Here's our five o'clock," the man informed her.
She peered at Ken intently and the nervous feeling spread. "Good, good," she murmured. "Ichijouji Ken, of course, am I right?" she asked.
"Y-Yes," he agreed.
"Well that's good. You're right on schedule."
"I- I am?" he asked unsurely.
"You are," she nodded, pulling out an enormous pocket watch that once opened became a large model of the planets along with several clock faces that seemed to be measuring time, temperature, rainfall and several other things. Ken stared at it in open amazement, until she closed the lid and shoved it back into her pocket, but the lady didn't seem to notice his astonishment.
"Its been a long time since we've had a call from the Lady herself," the woman noted, aloud, no longer focusing on Ken. "Its nice to be needed again."
"Always good to hear from her," the man commented.
Ken stared at them. "Are you talking about the guardian?" he asked curiously. "You work for her?"
"Sometimes," the man affirmed. "Always have been interested in old valuable merchandise," he winked. "Something my sister got me interested in. She died a long time ago of course, or I'm sure she'd love to be right here helping the Lady."
He took Ken by the shoulders and steered him past the counter, opening a door that was behind it. "Now you don't really have time for idle chit-chat. You've got places to be, and people to meet! Great adventures await you I'm sure! What I wouldn't give to go back to those days myself." He gave him a push through the open door. "So in you get. Enjoy yourself, open your mind further than its gone yet! And mind you pick out the first item that really catches your eye. Not just something you like, but what your gut tells you is important. That's the way it works!"
Ken blinked as the door was shut behind him. "What a strange old man," he murmured. He looked at the rows of long shelves set up. "Well…might as well look around. I guess this is where my "destiny" begins."
He picked a row to start at and stared in wonder at the objects that filled the shelves. It was unbelievable! There were spell books, and bottles of every size claiming to be glory, or fame, there was a bridle of gold and studded with jewels with a book accompanying it explaining how to tame Pegasus. There was a small flute with a warning label that stated "to be used only on RATS in a small German town". He marveled at globes that could pin point a persons exact place on earth by just being asked. There was weaponry as well, a sword emblazoned with the words Excalibur.
As he wondered around a corner to examine the objects that lay on the next set of shelves he collide with someone and they both dropped to the ground. Ken scrambled to his feet along with the person that he'd run into, and he stammered out a hasty apology.
"Don't worry about it," a boy with burgundy spiked hair and deep brown eyes assured him with a laugh. "It was as much my fault as it was yours. I didn't even know anybody else was back here…" He held out his hand, which Ken shook. "The name's Daisuke Motomiya."
"Ken Ichijouji," Ken replied.
"Nice to meet you Ken," the boy he now knew as Daisuke smiled. "Isn't this place incredible? I've never seen anything like it, and I've been around magic for a lot of my life…"
Ken agreed with a small nod. "Do you even know what you're doing here?" Daisuke asked. "Because I honestly have no idea."
"No," Ken admitted softly. "It was sort of…unexpected I suppose…"
"Yeah. It was for me too. Except for the fact that I had the strangest dream the other night…" Daisuke shrugged. "It was kind of weird to tell you the truth. Some lady telling me that I had a destiny and all that. I thought it was because I'd stayed up late having a Star Wars movie marathon…" he laughed, and Ken smiled.
"That…sounds kind of like a dream I had…" he told him softly, but he didn't say anything more.
"How much of this place have you seen Ken?" Daisuke asked in excitement.
"Not that much," Ken told him.
"Oh you have to see all of it! There just isn't words to describe…Come on," he hooked an arm around Ken's. "I'll show ya," he offered. "There's books on just about everything, and even a pair of wings made out of this wax stuff…Its so cool!"
"Okay," Ken agreed with a small blush. Usually he liked to keep to himself, but he didn't mind Daisuke's company now…It was…nice. Not to feel so alone. And now that he remembered his brother like Katrina had said he would…he felt so very much alone. Daisuke's presence was comforting.
So he allowed himself to be dragged down aisles of the fascinating things. Crystal balls and magic wands and staffs. Broomsticks and carpets for flight, lamps and bottles promising the buyer three wishes. All manners of items spelled for invisibility…slippers and rings and cloaks and things. Daisuke kept a running commentary on what he thought of every item as they looked.
"You remember what the old man told you?" Daisuke asked Ken. "About finding that really important thing?"
Ken nodded.
"Do you know what yours is going to be? Have you seen it yet?"
Ken shook his head. "No, I haven't. And I'm starting to think that I might not ever find anything…" he sighed. "How am I supposed to know?" he asked. "What if…what if all of this is really some enormous mistake and I'm not even supposed to be here?"
Daisuke considered him for a moment. "I thought about that," he said, startling Ken. Daisuke? Who seemed so sure of himself had the same doubts as Ken? "I mean…I don't have any magic of my own…the only thing I can do is tell when its around me…" he admitted somewhat sheepishly.
"Me too," Ken told him.
"Really?" Daisuke frowned. "I thought you'd have some kind of powerful magic of your own…"
"No," Ken sighed again. "I don't understand what this shop of stuff is supposed to do for me if I don't have magic. How would I use a crystal ball if I can't do magic?"
"Maybe…that's why only a certain thing is supposed to really speak to us," Daisuke shrugged. "Besides, who wants to spend all day staring into a boring old crystal anyway? There's got to be more exciting things to do."
Ken smiled. Here he was just having met Daisuke and already he felt as if he'd been around him all of his life. Ken felt that he could make him feel better about anything at all. Maybe he could even forget about Osamu when he was around him.
"Yeah…I guess you're right," he agreed.
"Lets keep looking," Daisuke pressed. "There's got to be something here that belongs to us!"
Then…Ken's head turned, and it was as if there was a spot light shinning on it. He stopped where he was and starred long and hard at the object before him. Daisuke too had stopped. "That's it, isn't it?" Daisuke asked. "I guess we've each found what we came here for…"
They both walked forward and took an item off the shelf. Ken held in his hands a rather large egg that looked as if it were made out of gray cement but felt warm to the touch. Daisuke had a small bottle of green crystal with some type of liquid inside. They both looked at each other.
"It feels…right, doesn't it?" Ken asked.
"Yeah…yeah it does," Daisuke nodded his agreement.
"I'm not even sure what exactly I'm holding…" Ken laughed quietly. "I'm sure this card will tell me…but it feels special."
"Uh huh. Same here."
The next instant they were both standing at the door that they had entered. The man that had lead them in opened it and looked at them both, nodding his approval as he noticed the things they were carrying. "I see you've both found what you came for. Just in time to."
He ushered them out and closed the door behind them. Daisuke and Ken blinked. "I believe your mother's looking for you," the man told Ken with a smile.
"But what about these…don't we have to pay for--"
Ken's question was cut off by the arrival of his mother, and he could see the shop keeper, Mr. Lann? Shaking his head at him. "Ken dear…there you are. Did you enjoy yourself? We've stayed here just a little too long…We should be going now."
Ken stared at her, his original question forgotten. A little too long? It had felt as if he had been in the back room for hours! He looked down at his watch which told him that it was only about ten after five. Ten minutes? He'd been back there for ten minutes? That couldn't be right! He looked at Daisuke, who looked back at him and shrugged. Then the shop owner caught his eye and winked at him. Ken blinked.
"Ken? Were you listening to me?"
Ken nodded. "Yes." He looked to Daisuke and suddenly remembered his manners. "This is Daisuke Motomiya, mother."
"Hello," she smiled at him. "Are you a friend of Ken's? I don't get to meet many people Ken knows…"
"No Mrs. Ichijouji, I'm not a friend…yet. We just met. But I'd like to be." Daisuke smiled at Ken, who smiled back.
"Just a minute mom," Ken told her. "I'll be right there."
"Sure Ken." His mother turned and started towards the door, and Daisuke and Ken followed her slowly. Keeping back to where she couldn't hear their conversation, but knew they were following.
Daisuke pulled a scrap piece of paper out of his pocket, and then with a pen, quickly scribbled down a number. He pressed it into Ken's hands. "You can reach me there," he told him, and then paused, as if uncertain. "I meant what I said Ken…I'd like to be your friend."
"I- I'd like that too," Ken blushed slightly.
Daisuke smiled as if in relief. "Great." They had reached the door, and stood for a moment, drawing out what time they had left to talk right that moment. Ken could see his mother standing a few feet away, glancing around and pretending not to notice them, he smiled slightly at this. Daisuke coughed to cover an awkward silence; Ken could tell that he liked to keep a conversation going when he could.
"Yeah…about that phone number…you can reach me there, but it might take awhile for you to actually get through…the phone line's usually busy."
Ken smiled. "Do you have an older brother or sister then?"
Something, some emotion, deep and infinitely sad, crossed Daisuke's face, but it was gone in a second and Ken barely had time to register its presence. "No," he shook his head. "But my house is like a social center for the church and neighborhood," he rolled his eyes. "My grandmother must run the biggest gossip ring in town," he shrugged and grinned. "Someone's always calling, just dieing to say something."
Ken laughed at that. He glanced at his mother again. "I guess I'll talk to you later then…"
"Yeah," Daisuke nodded.
The three of them, Ken, Daisuke, and Ken's mother, walked out the door together where the two boys parted company reluctantly in the front of the shop. "Bye Ken!" Daisuke waved at him as they left, and Ken waved back.
Ken's mother seemed very happy, Ken could tell she was thrilled to see him with a friend. And so close to someone he'd just met too. Of course Ken was sure that he and Daisuke had been in that back room for at least an hour, maybe more.
"Goodness Ken," she commented happily. "If you hadn't said that you two just met I would have sworn that you'd been life long friends. You just seem to go together so well. Will you be seeing him again?"
Ken nodded. "A lot, I think," he said thoughtfully.
It was just then that Ken's mother noticed the egg that he was carrying. "Ken, what on earth is that?" she asked, pointing to it curiously.
"I um…I'm not completely sure that I know mom," Ken answered semi truthfully. "The shop owner gave it to me. I don't know why…"
"He certainly was a strange man…" she shook her head, and they continued down the streets.
* * *
The sun was just beginning to set as Ken and his mother walked back towards their apartment. They had finished their days errands and were returning home to make dinner. As Ken wandered along his thoughts dwelled on all the strange occurrences, the egg that he carried, as well as on Daisuke. His mind was so preoccupied that he failed to notice the familiar lone figure standing on a hill in the cemetery they were passing by. And he would have been most surprised to know that if he tried returning to the Lann Antique store the only thing that he would find was a burned out shell where it had once stood; for it had reverted to its former state a few minutes after they left it.
The figure on the hill turned her head to look towards Ken for a moment, and a small smile played over her lips. Then a pair of graves once more caught her eye, one in particular. She knelt down and laid a single red rose before the tombstone.
She tentatively reached out a trembling hand and ran the very tips of her fingers lightly down the smooth stone front, and over the name engraved upon it. It read, Sean N. Lann. "Thank you Sean," she whispered. "I pray that now, Ken will find his way, and I thank you for your help."
She hesitated, looking as if she had something she really wanted to say, but wasn't sure. She rushed on regardless. "I miss you Sean. Very much. I'm sorry I had to leave you. I wasn't a very good sister to you, was I? Taking off like that…I'm sorry Sean, so very sorry. And if you see Jarrett…wherever you are now…tell him…just tell him sorry too."
She rose slowly and forced herself to turn away from the grave after taking just one last look. Then she disappeared, fading out completely. The rose that she had lain down upon the grave quivered and then withered and wilted in a matter of seconds, turning a shriveled and crumbling black; before completely dissolving when the wind picked up and swept its remainders away.
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Dragon Lady: *sighs* All right…all right. I've been warned not to gloat about my new found talent for cliff hangers. ^_~
Ken: Yeah…and I bet some people are plotting murder for your not finishing Magical Game before starting this…
Dragon Lady: ^^;;; *whines* But can't I gloat just a little? *laughs* Kidding! Just kidding.
Ken: *sighs* How on Earth did I get stuck with this girl for my authoress…-_-;;;
Dragon Lady: You were just lucky Ken-chan! ^_^
Ken: *glances at dl*
Dragon Lady: ^_^
Ken: *groans and begins to bang head against computer desk*
Dragon Lady: ^^;;; I'm not really *that* bad…am I? Yes? No? Want me to shut up? Review please!!!! ^_^
Ken: *continues banging head*
Dragon Lady: Ken if you don't stop that you're going to seriously hurt yourself…
