Digimon belongs to Toei! It's not mine!

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Shi-chan: *pokes all her readers* If you like this story, I suggest you read my other Digimon serial, 'In Your Shoes.' Yes, this is a shameless plug, and I just posted chapter 2. ^_^
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Sadness-Colored Sandglass
Part 11
~By Shimegami-chan
Music: "Tobira," (Acoustic version--Yamato)

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is an extra-short chapter, I apologize in advance. It was written out along with chapter 12 in my math book, and I couldn't find a good place to split them. Also, it's 4:30 a.m. More soon.

Warnings: Shounen-ai; it's Kensuke, Kekaizer, Daikaizer, Taito, Takari, yeah, I love having a kazillion pairings in my fics...





//Ken...Ken...//

The first thing he felt was cold.

"Otoutochan. Wake up!"

Groaning loudly, Ken sat up, freezing snow melting under the palms of his hands. "Osamu-niisan?"

"I'm here for you, brother." The spiky-haired child extended a hand to Ken, and the latter accepted gratefully. Osamu's fingers felt warm and comforting in Ken's grip.

Shaking in relief and wonder, Ken touched his limp dark-blue hair and his face in turn, glad to be himself again, feeling it brush against his ears and not missig the light weight of the Kaizer's tinted glasses. He was back in his grey Tamachi uniform, and Osamu wore casual clothes. "What happened?"

"The only person who can help you is yourself." Osamu stated simply. "You've atoned for your sins, little brother. Do not punish yourself any furthur."

"But, Osamu-niisan...!" Ken protested, gripping the hand more tightly. "Punish myself? What are you talking about?"

"Your sadness will be the color of the sandglass..."


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Life, Ichijouji Ken had decided, had never been so depressing until now.

The dreams had been haunting him for a while: he would meet his brother, and Osamu would warn him to save himself before it was too late. But try as he might, he couldn't escape. He had been living in the digital world for over a week now, never seeing anyone but the former Digimon Kaizer, passing his time watching the monitors that tracked his imposter as he moved through the real world. He witnessed every moment that the Kaizer spent with Daisuke, praying Daisuke would sense that it wasn't really him; falling furthur and furthur into despair when Daisuke didn't.

"Face it, Ichijouji," he sighed to himself. "He plays you as well as you do." Trouble was, that worried Ken greatly. He and the Kaizer had essentially switched identities--didn't that mean that the Kaizer had as much potential to be good and kind as he had to be destructive? Choosing between the tortures he had endured in the past week and death, death was looking pretty good. But Ken had to admit to himself that he didn't want to die.

He'd be damned if he submitted to his other self now. "He can't have me. He can't control me..." Ken whispered to himself. The purple-haired boy toyed with the idea of going along with the Kaizer to save himself and his friends. //If I die, what will happen to the others? What will happen to Daisuke and Miyako and Wormmon?// Maybe playing along would be the best plan. It seemed like the only option for now. "It seems you've got me in the perfect position, Ken," he laughed, not even realizing that he had called his enemy by his own given name. "If I don't help you take over the kingdom I lost, then you'll kill me. What's the differnce? I've done it once before. I was defeated once before, and maybe I'll be defeated again. You're the goody-two-shoes now, Ken--if you want to be, me, then you'll be me. But you've got to act like me. Talk like me, walk like me, be the little angel I became when I received my Crest. You can't wield my power unless you're pure of heart. Can you hear me, Ken? You're Ken Ichijouji, the idol you fell in love with the image of. You think you're in love with me, don't you? You may have loved me when I was the angel, but what do you think now that I'm you?

"I'm not getting out of here, Ken, unless I go with your plan. So I'll do it. Of course...I'm not the same Ken-chan you captured a week ago. If I'll never be myself again, then I'm damn well gonna be you." He crossed his arms with a malicious grin, already formulating a plan to keep his double's hands off Daisuke--and himself.

//After all...no one dominates the Digimon Kaizer.//






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Shi-chan: That was terribly short, I know. I'm sorry. More very very soon, already written, just didn't want to ruin the imapact of that last line. I filled it out as best I could.
Ken: Next chapter, an appearance by Nancy, and the final couple makes its entrance!