For They Shall Be Filled
By:
Vain (Vainglorious696)
__________________________________________________________
Osamu: Votes
for couples are no longer being accepted as of 7/23/2001. Diaken won, but for the sake of everyone,
this fic will essentially be non-coupled. Although Vain is not beyond tossing out a few hints for the sequel . . .
Ken: You do know that that's not a word, right?
Osamu: Sequel?
Ken: Non-coupled.
Osamu: Hey which one of us is the genius?! Anyway, thank you everyone who voted and
reviewed especially Soulfull Ishida, DigimonDragonLady, many thanks to GSYH,
Mink (who Vain LOVES), Dreamersday, ShiniJekka, and Athena (Vain said that
there was a mention of oatmeal cookies at some point in time?????).
Ken: *sigh* Just
so you know, there may be a sequel to this in the work (if you want it) and
Vain already has a Kenkeru/Taken in mind. A Kensuke/Diaken (actually, an authorized sequel to another
story) may be coming along depending on what Phoenix of the Blood Red Mars says
about it after it's written. And all
the next fics will be using Japanese names. …You know guys, I'm kind of starting to feel like a slut.
Wormmon: I still respect you, Ken-chan.
Osamu: Where's the Kaiser?
Ken: I left him
alone with Vain. Why?
Osamu: Alone?
Ken: Sinister and Remy were there. . . . That's a bad thing, isn't it?
Wormmon: Ummm . . . Read and Review please.
"*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
~For by your words you will be justified,
and by your words you will be condemned.
-Matthew
12: 37
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Part
Fourteen
"Kari!"
The younger Yagami
looked away from Gennai in surprise. "Hey, look, everybody. It's
TK! And he's got Ken!"
The other
Digidestined turned away from Gennai to where the two children and their
digimon were coming towards them through the village. TK was in the lead followed by a rather grouchy looking Ken. Patamon fluttered in his usual place over
TK's head, sometimes widening his circle to include Ken. As for the boy genius, he was walking with
his head down and his hair in his face. Wormmon slept gently cradled in his arms. Oddly enough, the violet-haired boy was without his ever-present
Tamachi jacket and wore instead a black short-sleeved tee shirt. The stark contrast in colors made the gray
lines of his pants appear less severe and enhanced the natural paleness of his
skin. All in all, the effect produced
was rather flattering. The slight scowl
on his face, however, was not.
Kari left the
others behind and half ran, half walked to meet the two boys. She came to a stop shortly in front of them
and smiled at TK in greeting. Her
friend gave her a smile and she then turned her attention to Ken. She smiled at him in spite of her internal
wince at the sight of the dark smudges beneath his eyes. "Hey, Ken."
The other boy
dipped his head in greeting. "Yagami."
Kari's brown eyes
flicked to TK, silently pleading for privacy. He smiled his understanding and waved to his partner. "C'mon Patamon."
Ken's brows
contracted slightly as he watched TK walk away. The he turned back to Kari, a hidden fire flashing in his
eyes. "You wanted to talk to me for a
reason. What is it?"
Kari swallowed
hard. Suddenly this didn't seem like
such a good idea. "How are you doing?"
Ken narrowed his
eyes. "The others are waiting,
Yagamiya." He went past her and began
to walk away.
"How have you been
sleeping, Ken?"
He stopped, back
stiffening.
"I said: how have
you been sleeping?"
He lowered his
head and turned slightly to face her. "What does it matter to you?"
"I've been
dreaming, Ken."
He took a step
towards her, suddenly angry. "And what
of it?! I don't care, Yagami! You called me here for a reason and I
seriously doubt that it was so you could be cryptic and play head games with
me. Why? What's happening?"
"I've been
dreaming about you, Ken. You and
. . ." She trailed off and looked away,
afraid.
He looked at her
intently. When he spoke his voice was a
whisper. "The Black Ocean."
Kari nodded
miserably. "Yes. Am I in your dreams, Ken?"
"I . . . I don't
know."
His admission made
her look as though she was going to cry. "Why not?"
"I can't remember
them." He pursed his lips pensively and
scowled at the ground. Wormmon shifted
and his blue eyes fluttered open.
The little virus
twisted in his human's arms and stretched, opening his mandible wide as he
yawned. He blinked sleepily. "Ken? What's going on?"
The boy genius
smiled at his partner. "It's nothing,
my friend." He knelt and released
Wormmon gently to the ground. "Go wait
with the others; we'll be along shortly."
The digimon eyed
his partner for a moment before doing as he was told. Ken straightened and caught Kari's questioning look.
"He worries," the
pale boy explained with a shrug.
"How did you know
the dreams were of the Dark Ocean?" Kari asked in response.
"Because they're
more than dreams, aren't they?"
The Child of Light
looked away guiltily and Ken smirked in triumph.
"I don't know,"
Kari said softly. "I had hoped they
weren't, but I think . . . Yes, they're real."
"Hmph. So, what am I doing in these dreams of
yours?"
"I—Gennai's here,
Ken. We're all in great danger."
"Gennai?" Ken
blinked in confusion at the sudden change in subject. "Who's Gennai?" The boy
then shook his head and glared at her coldly, frustrated by her evasion. "And what does that have to do with me?"
"You're in danger,
too. These dreams—I think they're
warnings. I—"
"Hey, Kari!"
Davis's voice sliced through the air. "Will you two hurry it up? Gennai's running out of time!"
Ken looked at her
and smiled unpleasantly. "They're
calling for you, Child of the Light."
She glared at him,
angry at the shields he put up around himself and angry with herself for not
knowing the right things to say to him. She grabbed his wrist in a surprisingly firm grip. "C'mon," she ordered, dragging him
forward. "There're some things you need
to hear."
**************
Cody frowned as
Kari came forward, hauling Ken along behind her. The Tamachi born genius looked slightly amused, as though it was
beyond conception that someone would manhandle him in such a fashion.
Figures, thought the Child of Reliability and
Knowledge with a dark and troubled expression on his face.
Ken came to an
abrupt halt as he looked at Gennai, his eyes narrowing in a fashion that the
Digidestined recognized as dangerous due to prior experience. Kari was caught off guard by the sudden
action and stumbled forward slightly, almost falling.
"Hello, Ken,"
Gennai said in a soft voice.
The pale boy
glared at him hatefully. Gennai didn't
appear to notice. "It's been a long
time."
". . . Not long enough!"
Ken spat with venom in his voice.
The other children
were shocked by the vehement hatred in the former tyrant's tone. Images of the Emperor flashed through their
minds and their digimon rose to stand defensively before their children. Wormmon heaved a sigh that seemed to come
from the ground and his antennae drooped. He puttered his way over to stand at his partner's feet.
"Ken," he begged
urgently, "Please . . ."
The boy ignored
him, never taking his eyes off of Gennai.
For his part, the
traveler regarded Ken with similar intensity, but his eyes showed sadness
instead of rage. He sighed
heavily. "Fair enough. That's really no less than I deserve, I
suppose, but now there are other things to worry about."
"Oh?" asked Ken
haughtily, flicking indigo hair from his eyes. "And why should I trust you?"
"Because you don't
really have much choice."
"There are always
choices, old man. Or is it Gennai
now? I hear that's what you call
yourself these days."
"Still so angry
Ken? I don't pretend to deserve your
forgiveness or understanding, but at least listen to what I have to say."
"And what do you
have to say that could interest me, oh Great and All Knowing Wise One?"
Gennai's head
jerked up and for an instant the Digidestined thought he would strike the
dark-haired boy. "Now you're just not
being fair, Ken. Granted, errors were
made—"
"Errors?" the boy
exploded. "Errors?! You got him killed! You got them killed. That is NOT going to happen to me!"
"There are worse things
than death, Little Boy Emperor, as you well know. You've meted out enough suffering to understand that!" snapped
Gennai in reply, losing his temper at last. "You should know that better than anybody. Ryou taught you better. So did Osamu." Ken flinched
visibly at the names, pain dancing across his porcelain features. "I knew that this wouldn't be easy on you,
Ken. And maybe it shouldn't be."
The boy went so
pale that Cody imagined he could almost see the genius's veins pulsing blue
beneath his skin. "How dare you judge
me! What gives you the right!? Who gave you the right to just come waltzing
back into our lives?"
"You already know
the answer to that question, Ken."
Abruptly, a loud
quavering voice interrupted the arguing pair. "Stop it now!"
All eyes snapped
to the ground to find a quivering Wormmon standing between Ken and Gennai. The small virus turned his brilliant eyes to
Ken's darkened violet ones and the expression on his face was enough to break
even the hardest of hearts. "It's not
right, Ken-chan. To argue like this . .
. It's not right."
Ken stiffened and
his angry eyes were immediately replaced by an expressionless mask. Gennai flushed slightly and began to study
the ground intently. Silence came
crashing to the ground and the air seemed to thicken.
Davis broke the
stillness with his usual tact. "Man,
you two must really hate each other's guts!"
Yolei's eyes
widened behind her thick glasses and Kari paled. TK blushed and began to rapidly shake his head in disbelief. Cody felt his cheeks flush what was
undoubtedly a lovely dusky red as Davis looked from face to face in
confusion. "What?" he demanded
innocently. "What'd I do?"
Ken looked at him
in surprise for a moment and blinked rapidly. His temper was already severely irritated and the last things on his
mind were Crests and Traits. Without
thinking, he immediately voiced the first thought that popped into his
head. "You have got to be the simplest
person that I have ever met in my life."
Davis flushed and
instantly threw out his chest like a peacock, pride wounded. "Oh, yeah? Well, I beat you, didn't I? What
does that say about you then, Ichijouji?"
For the third time
that day, Ken stiffened in angry surprise and felt his temper begin to slip out
of control. Fortunately, being a
conqueror, absolute dictator, and famous genius had its advantages, and some of
them were having an iron will and the ability to bend his emotions to serve
that will. Therefore, instead of
reaching for the whip that he still carried safely hidden in his bag, he simply
gave Davis one of the infamous "Ichijouji Stares of Death" that he had mastered
so long ago. The expression, while not
actually doing anything, somehow managed to transmit exactly what he was
thinking to Davis Motomiya's brain and this consisted of many colorful and
rather horrific images of Davis's painful demise. The goggle-boy shied back like a startled horse and raised his
hands defensively.
"Stop it, you
two," snapped Kari, instantly recalling sanity to the gathering. "We are not here to fight. Haven't you had enough of fighting
yet?" This last bit was directed at
Ken.
The "Rocket"
stared at her expressionlessly for a moment then turned his flat blue-purple
eyes to Gennai who was regarding the entire situation with a sinking
heart. If Ken was aware of the emotions
running through the traveler, he gave no indications of it and instead, for the
third time that day posed the question which no one had yet answered. "You're here for a reason, are you
not?" He continued without waiting for
Gennai's reply. "Well, then, what do
you want?"
Gennai looked into
Ken's intense eyes and frowned slightly. The Guardian Beasts are wrong! This is not the right way to go about this. This will not save the Children . . . This will not save the once
Emperor. He sighed sadly and gently
bit the tip of his tongue. It must
be done, though. He had to do his
duty regardless of his misgivings. Regardless of his feelings.
"Please," he began
softly, "sit down, all of you."
"Davis," protested
Veemon, "Will this take long? I'm
hungry!"
"Pipe down,"
retorted Patamon from TK's hat.
"I think you
better stay. This sounds like it'll be
important," Davis said with a sigh of defeat.
"I think Davis is
right," Kari offered a smile in condolence.
Wormmon turned his
large blue eyes to her curiously. "Is
this why you called Ken here?"
Amber colored eyes
blinked. "What?"
The virus pulled
himself up to stand of his six back legs, front four extended in
explanation. "You called Ken-chan and I
here, remember? Did you just want him
to hear what Gennai had to say?"
"No; I wanted to
talk about the Dark Ocean." The Child
of Light turned to Gennai in confusion. "How did you know we'd be here, Gennai?"
"I've been
watching you since you arrived in the Digital World at the behest of the
so-called Powers That Be. Did you say
you were here to discuss the Dark Ocean?"
Ken's mouth
twitched upwards to a smirk. "Yeah,
it's a real hot conversation piece. What do you think, Gennai?" He
made the name sound like a curse.
A small muscle in
Gennai's cheek jumped, but he remained calm. "Sit down and maybe I'll tell you."
There was a
whisper of movement as they all settled themselves. Veemon and Davis were already seated, as were Yolei, Cody, and
their respective Digimon. Gennai
settled himself comfortably on a wicker chair. Kari gently picked up Gatomon from the chair she'd been warming and held
the digimon in her lap. TK sat on the
table with Patamon happily seated on his head. Wormmon settled himself contentedly in Ken's lap as the dark-eyed boy
sat in a chair as far from the others as possible without actually detaching
himself from the group. While his
features were totally blank, suspicion clouded his eyes and leaked out into his
body language.
Gennai could tell
that Ken had no intention of playing along with him on this. Perfect, the traveler thought in
disgust. He waited until they were
comfortable before beginning his tale. "Earlier today I met with the Guardians of the Digital World. They informed me that the inter-dimensional
barriers were weakening and it will soon be possible for certain creatures to
travel between worlds . . . and to remain away from their own."
Cody frowned in
confusion. "What do you mean? Are you saying that our world is in danger?"
"Your world, the
Digital World, all worlds. There are
certain beings in who are attempting to take advantage of this situation. For the majority of them, their efforts will
be in vain. However, there is one creature
that can and will succeed if given the opportunity. He is your enemy now."
Ken tilted his
head to the side, mind hard at work. Gennai's words stirred something buried deep within him . . . something
familiar. "Who is he?"
"He has no name
and his form has not been seen in either of our worlds since the original
Digidestined banished him to the world he has corrupted and now rules."
"You mean Tai and
the others?" asked Davis.
"No," replied the
traveler. "The group in which you two,"
here he nodded towards Kari and TK, "and your brothers traveled is a different
group of Chosen Children, not the first. The first group of Children—the bearers of the original nine Crests—were
the ones to banish him and seal him from the Digital World and your own. Now, though, time and the growing darkness
in both worlds have helped him erode the bonds keeping him in place. He blames the two worlds for his
punishment—and the Digidestined for his torment." Gennai stopped and closed his eyes briefly in pain. "The Dark One is mad. His mind has been twisted by his power and
ambitions. And both have grown since
his exile."
"This world,"
asked Kari in a hesitant voice, "the one to where he's trapped . . . What world
is it?"
Gennai turned to
her and was silent for a moment. "An
accident. It is called the Dark World
or the Dark Dimension, although originally it was neither. The plane where he now resides was
originally a bridge that physically linked the Digital World and your own world
. . . kind of like the center square of an intersection: it didn't really
belong to either world. Because it was
a place of power, this area was deemed best to isolate him and his followers
there, nearly two hundred digimon and one human, and cut that part of the
worlds away. This is why the only ways to access the Digital or Real Worlds are
through a computer, Digivice, or to carry a part of the essence of Digital
World within you."
A dark frown
dashed across Ken's face before being swallowed once more by his typical
mask. To carry a part of the Digital
World within you . . .?
"The Internet and
the lines of electronic communication remain between the two worlds, tethering
the one to the other. The bridge itself
now floats in the form of an island surrounded by water, just out of synch with
the worlds. It is known to you, I
believe, as the Dark Ocean."
Kari paled and TK
bit his lower lip. Ken remained
expressionless. "So what does any of
this have to do with us?"
"You—all of
you—must be protected. The Dark
Undersea Master, as he is called by his servants, knows of you and recognizes
you as his only real obstacles to his return to both worlds."
"And why precisely
must we halt his return?"
Everyone's head
snapped away from Gennai to stare at Ken in shock.
"Have you lost it?"
demanded Yolei, too appalled to be angry. "This guy is bad news—"
"I am merely
questioning the wisdom of leaping before we look," said Ken in a voice that
would have been a hiss if he hadn't sounded so cold. "Or are you still tampering with things that you do not
understand? If there is a battle
coming, it will not be the same as fighting me." He turned his eyes to Kari. "It will not even be the same as fighting the Dark Masters. This . . . this could mean something else
entirely."
Kari shivered as
her dream came back in a vivid flash. "This could mean nothing or everything. It all depends on what Kenny-boy wants to do. Or what you and the other Digidestined allow him to do . . . Will
you permit him to do what is necessary?"
Gennai interrupted
the two before Yolei could come up with a retort that she considered
Ken-worthy. "He wants to break you,"
the de-aged man said softly. "He wants
to destroy you and bring you to him—to his darkness. It seems as though you are doing a pretty fair job of
yourselves."
The children all
hung their heads in shame. Except Ken
Ichijouji, that is. "You never answered
my question. Why should we fight your battle
for you?"
This time Gennai
refused to back down before that unforgiving gaze. "Because you are all the Digidestined. Because the Dark Undersea Master will destroy you no matter what
you do. Because there is no one else
who can."
TK shook himself
out of his stupor. Ken had said leaping
before "we" look . . . The blond turned
to Gennai. "What about the Guardians?"
The older man
shook his head. "They can't even help
save themselves. They are locked away
beyond both worlds and cannot intervene directly in the affair of any world
save the one where they now reside."
Cody frowned. That just doesn't add up. "Why are they locked away?"
"I would tell you
if I knew myself."
The small boy
blinked, startled by the traveler's response.
Davis, who had
been silent for far too long (at least for him), frowned as something rather
disturbing occurred to him. He sounded
strangely serious putting his concern for the team ahead of everything
else. "What did you mean when you said
he'd take us into his darkness or something?"
The small soccer
player watched in wry amusement as Gennai looked startled that he had caught
that bit if information and inwardly smiled to himself. So Gennai hadn't thought that he was paying
attention, huh? A flicker caught his
eye and Davis turned slightly to see Ken watching him, his eyes glittering with
. . . approval? Respect? Davis wasn't sure, but he felt relieved that
the former despot was no longer angry with him for putting his foot in his
mouth. One way or the other, Ken,
you'll see that we're right. You will
join us and accept our friendship . . . and our forgiveness. No matter what.
Gennai's voice
stirred him from his thoughts. "In his
mind, you are much more valuable alive and fighting for him than you are
dead." Well, amended the
traveler silently, at least three of you are, anyway. "However, if he cannot turn you to darkness
through some means or another, he will destroy you."
Davis did not like
the sound of that at all. "But you can
help us right?" he asked nervously. "I
mean if this guy's so powerful, you'll help protect us from this darkness,
right?"
Ken felt the edge
of is lip twitch in an attempt to sneer and firmly schooled his features. He had already caused enough problems among
the Digidestined today by not keeping a tight rein on his darker impulses; there
was no need to go out of his way to inflict further damage.
Gennai remained
oblivious to the genius's struggle with his "other side." His voice held a hint of a smile as he
offered comfort to the leader of the new Digidestined Children. "Actually, yes. The Guardians sent me here to inform you that you are to receive
the Blessing of the Light."
"You hear that,
Kari?" Davis cut him off eagerly. "You
get to bless me!"
Kari blushed,
smiled thinly and shifted uncomfortably. She looked over to TK for help, but her best friend was watching Ken
with a deep frown of concern on his face. The Child of Light wondered if he was paying any attention to Gennai at
all.
Gennai chuckled
faintly at Motomiya's enthusiasm. Ah,
to be young and in love . . . "I'm
afraid that it's not from Kari, though, Davis."
"Oh." For a moment the boy looked
crestfallen. Then he brightened a bit
as he thought of something that would offer him solace. "But it will still work, right?"
"Of course," the
other said, still smiling.
"So what's the
catch?" asked Ken, his smooth voice cut through the relaxed atmosphere like a
knife.
Gennai's smile
faded as he turned to face the living and very dangerous reminder of his
failure as the boy's cold violet eyes tore through him. "Catch?"
A nasty smirk slid
onto Ken's face. "Oh come now, Gennai,"
he chided, enjoying his former mentor's discomfort. "You and your precious Guardians never give anything away for free."
The older man
sighed and prayed for the strength to survive the eternal and implacable wrath
of Ken Ichijouji while simultaneously cursing both the boy's quick wits and his
own stupidity. "You must be
tested. Should you pass, you will be
granted the Blessing. It will shield
your souls from darkness and protect your digimon from being corrupted as
well."
"And if we fail?"
". . . Then you
are not worthy."
Yolei looked from
Gennai to Ken and then back to Gennai again. "What's on this test?"
The guardian of
the Digidestined shook his head. "It was
not given to me to know."
Silence descended
once more over the Digidestined as they absorbed all that had just been
said. Somewhere in town, they could
hear digimon laughing and playing. The
village digimon had given them a wide berth since Gennai's appearance. Even time itself, it seemed, held its breath
as the Children each decided on his or her own course of action.
Davis stood
abruptly. "So, when do we leave?"
Gennai looked from
face to face, eyes resting briefly on Ken who sat apart from the others. "Is this what you all want? Understand what you're saying, children: you
could die. There are worlds resting on
your shoulders."
"Hey" said Davis
with a slight frown, "don't you believe in us? We're the Digidestined; impossible is on the resume!"
"I'm with you,"
declared Yolei, also standing. "After
all, it is our destiny and everything, right?" She extended her hand. "All for
one."
Davis smiled and
put his hand on top of hers. "And one
for all."
Cody's small hand
joined the little stack. "Well,
somebody's got to keep you two out of trouble."
Kari stood and
placed her hand on theirs. "Just
another day in paradise, right TK?"
The blond grinned
at his best friend and placed his hand atop hers. "Right."
Suddenly five
gazes shifted to Ken Ichijouji. The boy
remained seated and regarded them all the way someone looks at insects that
they're debating on squashing. TK
watched the violet-eyed boy with apprehension and Davis felt a stab of
fear. Kari felt both emotions, but they
weren't because of Ken; rather, it was because of the figure she saw standing
behind him and leaning down to whisper something in his left ear. It was Osamu Ichijouji.
Something
disturbed the smooth expressionless mask of Ken's face, but slid away before it
could be identified and settled into his depthless eyes. Finally the pale boy shrugged as though
losing an argument with himself and stood. Behind him, Kari saw Osamu straighten wearing a small sad smile. Ken strode over to the waiting Digidestined
and raised his arm. Then he
hesitated. He turned and addressed
Gennai wearing a slight frown. "Don't
think that this is for you, old man. This is merely a means to my own ends."
Gennai
nodded. He hadn't really expected
anything less.
Ken's hand settled
on TK's with a light and steady pressure. The Child of Hope looked at him with a gentle smile of welcome. Ken looked away, feeling suddenly confused
by the warmth that smile sent through him. He didn't feel the slight flush in his cheeks. Kari watched the exchange in puzzlement for a moment and then
offered Ken a smile of her own, although this one was filled with a
self-satisfaction that the boy couldn't quite place.
"Welcome to the
team, Ken," Davis declared wearing a patented Davis grin.
In spite of himself,
Ken felt a small smile blossom on his own lips as Davis placed a weathered hand
atop his. "Thank you."
The Children all
stood there for a long moment basking in their combined strength and Ken took
the opportunity to study his new "leader." Davis's eyes were chocolate brown and shone with life and
confidence. He looked like he could
take on the world at that moment. He
looked like he could win. Ken had never
been face with such innocence before—such naivety.
Gods, they were
all going to die.
Then Ken's smile
broadened to a full-blown smirk. A
memory stirred within him. Sam had been watching Star Wars one day in the
living room and Ken remembered something one of the characters had said: "Who's
more foolish: the fool, or the fool who follows the fool?"
Ah, what the
hell. . . This might even be fun . . . Besides, what have I got to lose; I'm
already dead.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Votes for
couples are no longer being accepted as of 7/23/2001. Diaken won, but for the sake of everyone, this fic will
essentially be non-coupled.
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