Digimon: Conquering Middle Ground
Episode 9:
"Lost, Part 2"
By: Shmeilia Rockie
A/N: Okay, time to put credit where credit is due...This epi was inspired by the final episode of Sailormoon Stars, okee? I didn't understand a word of it, of course, 'cause it was pure non-subtitled Japanese. That's for the best, though, or it might've influenced me more. :P And remember, as much as I wish, I dun't own Digimon. 'Kay? Good, I'm glad everyone's clear on that. *Smiles good-naturedly* This is probably the shortest episode I've written yet.
The Digital World glittered in the afternoon light with a beauty unmatched on Earth, yet the three Megadigidestined hardly saw it. The urgency of their mission outweighed any urge to take it in.
"Anything?"
Cody removed his helmet to let his brain get some oxygen. It didn't help. He sighed, "No. I should have known."
TK and Kari exchanged worried glances behind his back.
"Please don't do that. I'm not quite out of ideas yet. Come on, let's pay a visit to the FS."
Kari wrinkled her nose, "The FS?"
"Freedom Spirits." TK steered her after Cody, no longer doubting his powers. If he could know about a look, everything should have been in working order. So why was the younger boy struggling with nothing but his own intuition? It didn't make any sense.
"This is a test," Cody told them as they started down the path. "The Powers know what they're doing, and I trust them to trust me. Even if that does sound bad. Ken must have had a similar test and failed; that's why he reverted."
"How close are we to the FS?" Kari asked as the path meandered into a dense forest. She clutched the sleeve of TK's shirt subcounciously, though she knew nothing would leap out at her.
"The castle is just beyond this forest. 'Bout ten minutes."
"Good." TK put his arm around Kari to calm her saking.
* * * *
"Something is wrong." No sooner had they emerged from the woods had Michael and Willis floated down to meet them. "Tell us what happened."
"We felt the disturbance, but could not figure out what it was."
Cody sighed, his hopes of getting guidance from the two completely dashed. "Ken, uh, went evil...I get the feeling he's possessed."
The two Freedom Spirits exchanged worried looks.
Kari held out her hands as if in surrender, her voice unsteady with frustration. "But how is that possible? I mean, I thought the Key was..."
Michael lifted an eyebrow. "Perfect? None of us is perfect, Light. You should know that by now."
She drew her hands back, looking as though she'd been slapped.
Willis studied his staff intensely. "The Key's essence left Ken. He's fallen from grace, if you will. Now another must take his place, someone who has been possessed and come back to the light. Someone who knows exactly what Ken is going through."
"You mean Davis, don't you?" TK said without even a trace of bitterness. He'd finally completely forgiven Davis. "But how? Davis is possessed too-."
"Against his will." Cody added.
"Exactly. He didn't accept the demons, therefore his strength is worthy of temperarily recieving the Key power. I will go to him now."
Michael nodded, and Willis disappeared in a flash of light. Michael turned to the Megadigidestined, looking slightly worried. "The castle defences weaken without any one of us, so please stay until he returns."
Cody's face scrunched up in confusion. "Why exactly is the castle important?"
"It's a symbol of the Powers' superiority over Keesma. Nothing more, nothing less."
"Oh, I get it now. Thanks for clearing that up."
Michael smiled. "No problem."
The wind blew and the three kids shuffled their feet around in bordem. Finally, TK asked, "You don't get much action around here, do you?"
Silence.
Michael laughed whole-heartedly, as if that were a hilarious joke. "No, not really!"
* * * *
Tai: And now for the shortest commercial Shmeilia ever wrote...
Matt's sitting at the table with a cup of hot coffee in his hand (which he's not drinking). He's staring off into space. Tyler pours himself a cup and sits down opposite of Matt. "This stuff smells good!" He drinks some.
A moment passes. Matt says in a dead-sounding voice, "Yeah, it's the new Sealey blend-"
Tyler passes out and begins snoring.
Matt stares at him face down on the table for thirty seconds, then silently, calmly gets up and pours his coffee down the kitchen sink.
Tai's voice: That's why they don't make coffee!
* * * *
Davis floated in a vast, dark emptiness. He felt them leaching away his precious energy, replacing it with deadly poison. Raidramon was gone; Ken had taken him. Davis wouldn't last much longer, but he held on with the hope that his friends would come to his rescue. But it was so cold...The flame of his crest would soon go out...
Just when he had thought all hope was lost, Yolei's voice floated to him from the surface of the void. She gave him strength, in the form of a warm, rosy light that had long since gone out. Still the strength remained. He had friends who wouldn't let him leave. They wouldn't let the darkness consume him...That thought alone kept the boy going.
"Davis, be strong..." A voice whispered.
Like a dream or a bad movie segment, a pinpoint of light broke the darkness by Davis's ear. Davis rolled over and squinted at it, too dazed to recognize it as the source of the reassuring voice. He'd known the darkness for so long...What was the holy presence?
It sparkled as it spoke. "Do not be afraid. I come in the name of the almighty Powers."
"I'm not afraid..." He breathed. Instinctively, he held out his hands to the light. It traveled down his fingertips all the way to his toes, leaving him drapped in his Megadigidestined armor. An energy unlike anything he'd perviously experienced washed over him.
He blinked, and found himself in Light Castle's jeweled main chamber. Oddly, he noted, his armor remained although normally it went away inside the castle. Startled, he looked around. "What's going on? What am I doing here?"
"Davis," the same voice he'd heard in the darkness called softly behind him with urgency.
He whirled around. "Willis? What-"
Willis silenced him with a wave of his hand. "There's no time, Friend. Something unexpected has happened."
Davis squinted at him. "This has to do with Ken, doesn't it? He wasn't supposed to get all freaky like that."
"Ken is no longer the Key. The Powers gave him a test and he failed, willingly giving it up."
"NO! I don't beleive it!"
"The demon you know as the Digimon Emperor, the Dark Digidestined essence called Ambition, managed to creep back into Ken's heart. He's lost and confused, much as you were when Keesma had you in her grasp. You need to rescue him, just as he saved you in your time of need. Will you accept the responsiblity?"
"How can I defeat him? I'm not strong enough to-"
Willis gave him a threatening look. "The Powers will it, Davis. They chose you to be the replacement Key until Ken decides to ask for forgiveness."
"Me? The Key?" Davis shrunk away from Willis. "I-I...I can't! I'm not worthy! I'm the one that did this to Ken. It's all my fault. They should be punishing me, not..." His voice trailed off. Maybe that was punishment. Ken always said he hated being the Key because it messed up his view of the world. Made things too black and white.
"You are worthy, wether you realize it or not. Now stop running away and accept this like a Megadigidestined."
Davis froze. Ken needed him. Raidramon needed him. It was the only way...
He drew in a deep breath and straightened into a more confedent posture, though he didn't feel at all confedent. The Powers knew what they were doing. And so much was riding on him... He couldn't keep running from responsibility. Not like he ran from Ken- look where that got him. "Fine, Willis. Lay it on me."
"That's more like it." Willis held his staff like some kind of energy weapon and hit Davis with an incredible white light.
The blast knocked him back into his body with a jerk.
Yolei leaned over him and smiled, tears forming in her brown eyes. She laughed. "He's awake!"
"'Bout time you three woke up, I was beginning to wonder if I needed post auditions for new minions..." The DE also leaned over Davis. He frowned. "You're not my minions!"
Davis sat up and backed away from the boy, a smile forming on his lips. "That's right, and you're not Ken. So GET OUT OF HIS BODY!"
The DE blew a raspberry. "Fat chance, Davis. I don't know how you managed to come back, but you'll dearly wish you hadn't!" In a nanosecond, he grabbed his whip and flicked it at Davis.
Time slowed down, the world went grey. He easily grabbed the whip and tore it free of the demon's grasp. "Come back to me, Ken. Don't let this thing rule you."
"You're wasting your breath, Davis. Ken's gone. I'm the Digimon Emperor once more."
Davis looked at Yolei, who was frozen with worry convineintly right by the front door. "Get out of here Yolei. This is going to get really ugly. RUN!"
No one needed to tell her twice. She scampered out, realizing she could be of no help in there. Out into the hallway and down the stairs she ran, wondering where she could Morph Digivolve without fear of hurting any innocent bistanders.
"Oh, no you don't, girl!" The Emperor followed her out into the street before he caught up to her. "Where do you think you're going?"
She smiled as Davis also exited the building. "Here's just fine...MORPH-"
*Smack* A flying kick introduced her to the wall, knocking her out cold.
The DE turned back to Davis. "Now, where were we? Oh yes, this is the part where I destroy you!" He leaped at the other boy. Before he landed, Davis sprouted wings and easily flew out of his way. "Hey, you can't do that! Only the Key can- Oh crap..."
Davis hadn't completely transformed into the Key, but floated in his street clothes about ten feet above the Emperor. He held out his hands, tears of compassion glittering in his soft brown eyes. "I'm sorry, Ken..."The area lit up with pure white light, paralyzing the Digimon Emperor. "I didn't mean to lead you astray...You must understand that..."
"No! You meant every word of it! I know you did!"
"Well, yes, I did. But I realize now how much I hurt you, and I am truely sorry. Forgive me, Ken. Let me help you."
"I don't need your help! I haven't felt this good in years."
"Please..." The tears spilled over Davis's eyes. When they impacted with the concrete below, the world changed. He looked around a white chamber, suddenly himself once again. Something in the back of his mind told him he was inside of Ken's soul.
Some distance away was the only piece of furniture, a throne in which sat his best friend. Ken twirlled a set of golden keys on his finger, a twisted smile on his face. Behind him were two cages, containing a miserable Veemon and Wormmon. "Well, look who it is... I wondered if you would ever come."
"Ken, you're possessed."
"No duh," He hopped down and tossed the keys into the air. He caught them behind his back, then stuck them in his pocket. "And I have you to thank for it."
"Why did you let it-"
"I have nothing else to live for, Davis. I wasn't joking when I said you were the only thing keeping me going. Don't you understand that?"
Davis's voice caught in his throat. "I'm so sorry...I-"
"I don't want you to feel pity, I want you to feel pain!" Ken stepped on his foot and kicked him in the gut, sending him flying. He laughed evilly. "Oh, I haven't felt this good in a long time, you know that?"
"That's what you keep claiming, Ken," Davis choked out, rolling over. For the first time in a very long time he felt absolutely no fear. "But somehow I don't believe it."
Ken kneeled close to Davis and whispered, "I'm free now. No more Key responiblity. The only person I need to worry about is me."
"You're not free. You're not even in control of your actions anymore. The demon is."
His eyes glazed over. "I never thought of it that way..." He looked distantly at Davis, reality finally setting in. "I'm not in control, am I?"
Davis stood up. "Were you when you were the Emperor before?"
"Not at all..." Ken sat down hard, tears forming in his eyes. "Why can't I ever be in control of my own *blasted* life? Why is it always something else..."
"That's not always a bad thing. The Powers know what they're doing. If they try you, it's only because you'll grow from it."
Ken looked helplessly up at him.
Davis held out his hand. "Let me help you."
Trembling, Ken grabbed his hand.
Back in reality, the DE had also taken Key-Davis's hand. His eyes went wide. The world seemed to hold it's breath. A glow surrounded Davis and traveld down his arm to consume the other boy. "No. NOOOO!" The DE's clothes shattered, leaving only the real Ken standing there, stunned.
Davis floated back to the ground, his wings disappeared. They stared at each other in silence for a solid minute before Ken collapsed, sobbing into Davis's arms. "What have I done?"
Davis wrapped his arms around the other boy. "You had a moment of weakness. But that's okay. Everything is forgiven."
"But I was the Key! I thought that made me immune!"
"You should know better than that! You're only human. You didn't earn the right to be the Key by being holy and perfect. It's a gift. A privlige."
This made Ken cry even harder for what he lost. Through the tears, he repeated, "What have I done?" He clutched Davis's shirt. "How could I? One small mistake and everything just..." His voice trailed off.
"Let it go, Ken."
Ken searched his best friend's carmel-colored eyes for a moment before letting go of his shirt and stepping back. He sighed heavily, feeling incredibly drained. A moment passed in silence before he spoke. "You're right. I must let it go. That was my lesson, wasn't it?" Davis nodded fiantly, with an encouraging smile. "I got careless. Just because I was the Key didn't make me self-suficient, I understand that now. I just wish that lesson wasn't so painful. I almost did something incredibly BAD. I'm sorry." He fell to his knees, eyes cast to the sky. "I'm sorry, you hear me?! Forgive me, please!"
"They already have, Ken! I told you that before. Although they appreciate you asking for forgiveness. Now, I have something for you." Davis held out his hand, and Ken's mind snapped back to the events in the white room. Shaking, he took the hand. "I'm not supposed to be the Key."
He stared blankly at the boy. "But I've fallen from grace. I don't deserve-" Davis silenced him with a killer look. "Okay, okay, fine! I give! If the Powers will it, so be it!"
Davis smiled with complete satisfaction. (Remember with the Key power the world is just black and white, on and off...) "And I blieve you have something of mine too."
"Huh?" Ken blinked, then blushed and rubbed his neck. "Oh yeah... Veemon."
Davis produced a golden chain out of thin air. "As soon as the power transfer is complete, reseal me. Otherwise, I'll quickly be overwhelmed."
He looked helplessly at the chain links, reluctantly accepting them. "But can't I take the opportunity to heal you for good?"
"No," Davis mouthed, feeling a distant agony. The Dark Digidestined still lived inside him. "I'm meant to suffer. It's the will of the Powers...I am a better person than I was before, despite my condition. No, I'm better because of my condition. And your time as the Emperor greatly improved who you are. You said so yourself. Remember?"
Ken chuckled sadly. "I do. Now, let's do this."
They clasped hands, and Davis felt the energy flow out of him. His heart ached to feel it leave, but he knew it was for the best. And in it's wake came the presence he hadn't realized he missed so much: Raidramon. The minds began bubbling up once again, making him crumple to the ground. Ken wrapped the chain around Davis's neck and sealed it off, causing the minds to retreat to a more comfortable level.
Ken sat down next to Davis and sighed. "I forgot how draining it is to be possessed."
"You're telling me?"
The two boys looked at each other for a moment and cracked up with exhausted laughter.
Yolei also sat down next to them and readjusted her glasses. "Hey, can you two knock it off? My head is killing me!"
Ken stopped laughing immediately. "I am SO sorry, Yolei. I-"
"Don't worry about it. You were possessed. I understand."
Silence.
"He IS gone for good this time, right?"
"Yes!" Davis answered so quickly, Yolei flinched. "He should be, anyway."
Ken tugged at the sleeves of his sweater. "Yeah, well, that's what we thought last time..."
"Hey, I hate to change the subject," Yolei pipped up, before Ken could go all broody. "But where the heck are Cody, TK and Kari?"
*In the Digital World*
Cody, TK, and Kari sat around a campfire, singing "Row, row, row your boat" in the round as Willis came back to his post.
Michael looked like he would rip the other boy's throat out. "Where in the universe have you been?! I't been DAYS!"
Willis sighed heavily. "I found Davis okay, but kinda...got lost coming back."
"You got lost?"
"Yeah! You try navigating the astrial plane by yourself and see if you don't loose your way!"
Michael smacked his forehead, then turned to the Megadigis. "You may go home now, thank you for your patience."
"FINALLY!"
A/N: Ah, and finally indeed. Oy, I'm glad I finally finished this episode. Next up: CMG/Paradise the Movie Part 1: American Digidestined! It's Tyler's first adventure with Tigermon, ain't that exciting?
Episode 9:
"Lost, Part 2"
By: Shmeilia Rockie
A/N: Okay, time to put credit where credit is due...This epi was inspired by the final episode of Sailormoon Stars, okee? I didn't understand a word of it, of course, 'cause it was pure non-subtitled Japanese. That's for the best, though, or it might've influenced me more. :P And remember, as much as I wish, I dun't own Digimon. 'Kay? Good, I'm glad everyone's clear on that. *Smiles good-naturedly* This is probably the shortest episode I've written yet.
The Digital World glittered in the afternoon light with a beauty unmatched on Earth, yet the three Megadigidestined hardly saw it. The urgency of their mission outweighed any urge to take it in.
"Anything?"
Cody removed his helmet to let his brain get some oxygen. It didn't help. He sighed, "No. I should have known."
TK and Kari exchanged worried glances behind his back.
"Please don't do that. I'm not quite out of ideas yet. Come on, let's pay a visit to the FS."
Kari wrinkled her nose, "The FS?"
"Freedom Spirits." TK steered her after Cody, no longer doubting his powers. If he could know about a look, everything should have been in working order. So why was the younger boy struggling with nothing but his own intuition? It didn't make any sense.
"This is a test," Cody told them as they started down the path. "The Powers know what they're doing, and I trust them to trust me. Even if that does sound bad. Ken must have had a similar test and failed; that's why he reverted."
"How close are we to the FS?" Kari asked as the path meandered into a dense forest. She clutched the sleeve of TK's shirt subcounciously, though she knew nothing would leap out at her.
"The castle is just beyond this forest. 'Bout ten minutes."
"Good." TK put his arm around Kari to calm her saking.
* * * *
"Something is wrong." No sooner had they emerged from the woods had Michael and Willis floated down to meet them. "Tell us what happened."
"We felt the disturbance, but could not figure out what it was."
Cody sighed, his hopes of getting guidance from the two completely dashed. "Ken, uh, went evil...I get the feeling he's possessed."
The two Freedom Spirits exchanged worried looks.
Kari held out her hands as if in surrender, her voice unsteady with frustration. "But how is that possible? I mean, I thought the Key was..."
Michael lifted an eyebrow. "Perfect? None of us is perfect, Light. You should know that by now."
She drew her hands back, looking as though she'd been slapped.
Willis studied his staff intensely. "The Key's essence left Ken. He's fallen from grace, if you will. Now another must take his place, someone who has been possessed and come back to the light. Someone who knows exactly what Ken is going through."
"You mean Davis, don't you?" TK said without even a trace of bitterness. He'd finally completely forgiven Davis. "But how? Davis is possessed too-."
"Against his will." Cody added.
"Exactly. He didn't accept the demons, therefore his strength is worthy of temperarily recieving the Key power. I will go to him now."
Michael nodded, and Willis disappeared in a flash of light. Michael turned to the Megadigidestined, looking slightly worried. "The castle defences weaken without any one of us, so please stay until he returns."
Cody's face scrunched up in confusion. "Why exactly is the castle important?"
"It's a symbol of the Powers' superiority over Keesma. Nothing more, nothing less."
"Oh, I get it now. Thanks for clearing that up."
Michael smiled. "No problem."
The wind blew and the three kids shuffled their feet around in bordem. Finally, TK asked, "You don't get much action around here, do you?"
Silence.
Michael laughed whole-heartedly, as if that were a hilarious joke. "No, not really!"
* * * *
Tai: And now for the shortest commercial Shmeilia ever wrote...
Matt's sitting at the table with a cup of hot coffee in his hand (which he's not drinking). He's staring off into space. Tyler pours himself a cup and sits down opposite of Matt. "This stuff smells good!" He drinks some.
A moment passes. Matt says in a dead-sounding voice, "Yeah, it's the new Sealey blend-"
Tyler passes out and begins snoring.
Matt stares at him face down on the table for thirty seconds, then silently, calmly gets up and pours his coffee down the kitchen sink.
Tai's voice: That's why they don't make coffee!
* * * *
Davis floated in a vast, dark emptiness. He felt them leaching away his precious energy, replacing it with deadly poison. Raidramon was gone; Ken had taken him. Davis wouldn't last much longer, but he held on with the hope that his friends would come to his rescue. But it was so cold...The flame of his crest would soon go out...
Just when he had thought all hope was lost, Yolei's voice floated to him from the surface of the void. She gave him strength, in the form of a warm, rosy light that had long since gone out. Still the strength remained. He had friends who wouldn't let him leave. They wouldn't let the darkness consume him...That thought alone kept the boy going.
"Davis, be strong..." A voice whispered.
Like a dream or a bad movie segment, a pinpoint of light broke the darkness by Davis's ear. Davis rolled over and squinted at it, too dazed to recognize it as the source of the reassuring voice. He'd known the darkness for so long...What was the holy presence?
It sparkled as it spoke. "Do not be afraid. I come in the name of the almighty Powers."
"I'm not afraid..." He breathed. Instinctively, he held out his hands to the light. It traveled down his fingertips all the way to his toes, leaving him drapped in his Megadigidestined armor. An energy unlike anything he'd perviously experienced washed over him.
He blinked, and found himself in Light Castle's jeweled main chamber. Oddly, he noted, his armor remained although normally it went away inside the castle. Startled, he looked around. "What's going on? What am I doing here?"
"Davis," the same voice he'd heard in the darkness called softly behind him with urgency.
He whirled around. "Willis? What-"
Willis silenced him with a wave of his hand. "There's no time, Friend. Something unexpected has happened."
Davis squinted at him. "This has to do with Ken, doesn't it? He wasn't supposed to get all freaky like that."
"Ken is no longer the Key. The Powers gave him a test and he failed, willingly giving it up."
"NO! I don't beleive it!"
"The demon you know as the Digimon Emperor, the Dark Digidestined essence called Ambition, managed to creep back into Ken's heart. He's lost and confused, much as you were when Keesma had you in her grasp. You need to rescue him, just as he saved you in your time of need. Will you accept the responsiblity?"
"How can I defeat him? I'm not strong enough to-"
Willis gave him a threatening look. "The Powers will it, Davis. They chose you to be the replacement Key until Ken decides to ask for forgiveness."
"Me? The Key?" Davis shrunk away from Willis. "I-I...I can't! I'm not worthy! I'm the one that did this to Ken. It's all my fault. They should be punishing me, not..." His voice trailed off. Maybe that was punishment. Ken always said he hated being the Key because it messed up his view of the world. Made things too black and white.
"You are worthy, wether you realize it or not. Now stop running away and accept this like a Megadigidestined."
Davis froze. Ken needed him. Raidramon needed him. It was the only way...
He drew in a deep breath and straightened into a more confedent posture, though he didn't feel at all confedent. The Powers knew what they were doing. And so much was riding on him... He couldn't keep running from responsibility. Not like he ran from Ken- look where that got him. "Fine, Willis. Lay it on me."
"That's more like it." Willis held his staff like some kind of energy weapon and hit Davis with an incredible white light.
The blast knocked him back into his body with a jerk.
Yolei leaned over him and smiled, tears forming in her brown eyes. She laughed. "He's awake!"
"'Bout time you three woke up, I was beginning to wonder if I needed post auditions for new minions..." The DE also leaned over Davis. He frowned. "You're not my minions!"
Davis sat up and backed away from the boy, a smile forming on his lips. "That's right, and you're not Ken. So GET OUT OF HIS BODY!"
The DE blew a raspberry. "Fat chance, Davis. I don't know how you managed to come back, but you'll dearly wish you hadn't!" In a nanosecond, he grabbed his whip and flicked it at Davis.
Time slowed down, the world went grey. He easily grabbed the whip and tore it free of the demon's grasp. "Come back to me, Ken. Don't let this thing rule you."
"You're wasting your breath, Davis. Ken's gone. I'm the Digimon Emperor once more."
Davis looked at Yolei, who was frozen with worry convineintly right by the front door. "Get out of here Yolei. This is going to get really ugly. RUN!"
No one needed to tell her twice. She scampered out, realizing she could be of no help in there. Out into the hallway and down the stairs she ran, wondering where she could Morph Digivolve without fear of hurting any innocent bistanders.
"Oh, no you don't, girl!" The Emperor followed her out into the street before he caught up to her. "Where do you think you're going?"
She smiled as Davis also exited the building. "Here's just fine...MORPH-"
*Smack* A flying kick introduced her to the wall, knocking her out cold.
The DE turned back to Davis. "Now, where were we? Oh yes, this is the part where I destroy you!" He leaped at the other boy. Before he landed, Davis sprouted wings and easily flew out of his way. "Hey, you can't do that! Only the Key can- Oh crap..."
Davis hadn't completely transformed into the Key, but floated in his street clothes about ten feet above the Emperor. He held out his hands, tears of compassion glittering in his soft brown eyes. "I'm sorry, Ken..."The area lit up with pure white light, paralyzing the Digimon Emperor. "I didn't mean to lead you astray...You must understand that..."
"No! You meant every word of it! I know you did!"
"Well, yes, I did. But I realize now how much I hurt you, and I am truely sorry. Forgive me, Ken. Let me help you."
"I don't need your help! I haven't felt this good in years."
"Please..." The tears spilled over Davis's eyes. When they impacted with the concrete below, the world changed. He looked around a white chamber, suddenly himself once again. Something in the back of his mind told him he was inside of Ken's soul.
Some distance away was the only piece of furniture, a throne in which sat his best friend. Ken twirlled a set of golden keys on his finger, a twisted smile on his face. Behind him were two cages, containing a miserable Veemon and Wormmon. "Well, look who it is... I wondered if you would ever come."
"Ken, you're possessed."
"No duh," He hopped down and tossed the keys into the air. He caught them behind his back, then stuck them in his pocket. "And I have you to thank for it."
"Why did you let it-"
"I have nothing else to live for, Davis. I wasn't joking when I said you were the only thing keeping me going. Don't you understand that?"
Davis's voice caught in his throat. "I'm so sorry...I-"
"I don't want you to feel pity, I want you to feel pain!" Ken stepped on his foot and kicked him in the gut, sending him flying. He laughed evilly. "Oh, I haven't felt this good in a long time, you know that?"
"That's what you keep claiming, Ken," Davis choked out, rolling over. For the first time in a very long time he felt absolutely no fear. "But somehow I don't believe it."
Ken kneeled close to Davis and whispered, "I'm free now. No more Key responiblity. The only person I need to worry about is me."
"You're not free. You're not even in control of your actions anymore. The demon is."
His eyes glazed over. "I never thought of it that way..." He looked distantly at Davis, reality finally setting in. "I'm not in control, am I?"
Davis stood up. "Were you when you were the Emperor before?"
"Not at all..." Ken sat down hard, tears forming in his eyes. "Why can't I ever be in control of my own *blasted* life? Why is it always something else..."
"That's not always a bad thing. The Powers know what they're doing. If they try you, it's only because you'll grow from it."
Ken looked helplessly up at him.
Davis held out his hand. "Let me help you."
Trembling, Ken grabbed his hand.
Back in reality, the DE had also taken Key-Davis's hand. His eyes went wide. The world seemed to hold it's breath. A glow surrounded Davis and traveld down his arm to consume the other boy. "No. NOOOO!" The DE's clothes shattered, leaving only the real Ken standing there, stunned.
Davis floated back to the ground, his wings disappeared. They stared at each other in silence for a solid minute before Ken collapsed, sobbing into Davis's arms. "What have I done?"
Davis wrapped his arms around the other boy. "You had a moment of weakness. But that's okay. Everything is forgiven."
"But I was the Key! I thought that made me immune!"
"You should know better than that! You're only human. You didn't earn the right to be the Key by being holy and perfect. It's a gift. A privlige."
This made Ken cry even harder for what he lost. Through the tears, he repeated, "What have I done?" He clutched Davis's shirt. "How could I? One small mistake and everything just..." His voice trailed off.
"Let it go, Ken."
Ken searched his best friend's carmel-colored eyes for a moment before letting go of his shirt and stepping back. He sighed heavily, feeling incredibly drained. A moment passed in silence before he spoke. "You're right. I must let it go. That was my lesson, wasn't it?" Davis nodded fiantly, with an encouraging smile. "I got careless. Just because I was the Key didn't make me self-suficient, I understand that now. I just wish that lesson wasn't so painful. I almost did something incredibly BAD. I'm sorry." He fell to his knees, eyes cast to the sky. "I'm sorry, you hear me?! Forgive me, please!"
"They already have, Ken! I told you that before. Although they appreciate you asking for forgiveness. Now, I have something for you." Davis held out his hand, and Ken's mind snapped back to the events in the white room. Shaking, he took the hand. "I'm not supposed to be the Key."
He stared blankly at the boy. "But I've fallen from grace. I don't deserve-" Davis silenced him with a killer look. "Okay, okay, fine! I give! If the Powers will it, so be it!"
Davis smiled with complete satisfaction. (Remember with the Key power the world is just black and white, on and off...) "And I blieve you have something of mine too."
"Huh?" Ken blinked, then blushed and rubbed his neck. "Oh yeah... Veemon."
Davis produced a golden chain out of thin air. "As soon as the power transfer is complete, reseal me. Otherwise, I'll quickly be overwhelmed."
He looked helplessly at the chain links, reluctantly accepting them. "But can't I take the opportunity to heal you for good?"
"No," Davis mouthed, feeling a distant agony. The Dark Digidestined still lived inside him. "I'm meant to suffer. It's the will of the Powers...I am a better person than I was before, despite my condition. No, I'm better because of my condition. And your time as the Emperor greatly improved who you are. You said so yourself. Remember?"
Ken chuckled sadly. "I do. Now, let's do this."
They clasped hands, and Davis felt the energy flow out of him. His heart ached to feel it leave, but he knew it was for the best. And in it's wake came the presence he hadn't realized he missed so much: Raidramon. The minds began bubbling up once again, making him crumple to the ground. Ken wrapped the chain around Davis's neck and sealed it off, causing the minds to retreat to a more comfortable level.
Ken sat down next to Davis and sighed. "I forgot how draining it is to be possessed."
"You're telling me?"
The two boys looked at each other for a moment and cracked up with exhausted laughter.
Yolei also sat down next to them and readjusted her glasses. "Hey, can you two knock it off? My head is killing me!"
Ken stopped laughing immediately. "I am SO sorry, Yolei. I-"
"Don't worry about it. You were possessed. I understand."
Silence.
"He IS gone for good this time, right?"
"Yes!" Davis answered so quickly, Yolei flinched. "He should be, anyway."
Ken tugged at the sleeves of his sweater. "Yeah, well, that's what we thought last time..."
"Hey, I hate to change the subject," Yolei pipped up, before Ken could go all broody. "But where the heck are Cody, TK and Kari?"
*In the Digital World*
Cody, TK, and Kari sat around a campfire, singing "Row, row, row your boat" in the round as Willis came back to his post.
Michael looked like he would rip the other boy's throat out. "Where in the universe have you been?! I't been DAYS!"
Willis sighed heavily. "I found Davis okay, but kinda...got lost coming back."
"You got lost?"
"Yeah! You try navigating the astrial plane by yourself and see if you don't loose your way!"
Michael smacked his forehead, then turned to the Megadigis. "You may go home now, thank you for your patience."
"FINALLY!"
A/N: Ah, and finally indeed. Oy, I'm glad I finally finished this episode. Next up: CMG/Paradise the Movie Part 1: American Digidestined! It's Tyler's first adventure with Tigermon, ain't that exciting?