Authors Notes: Sorry for taking so long to post the next chapter. I haven't got as much time to write and type up my stories, with school. Thank you to everyone has read and reviewed, it is appreciated very, very much. I hope this chapter is all right. I apologise for the poor spelling and grammar.
Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. It is owned by Toei animation. Please do not sue.
Shadows from the past: Chapter three
Slowly Yamato opened his eyes. His head hurt pretty badly, and everything around him seemed so blurry and dysfunctional. Suddenly he heard a voice. A voice in which, he completely despised.
"Well…well…well… Looks like my little guest had finally awakened. "
Anger spread through Yamato's body in a painful eruption.
"I'm very glad you are here, even though some unnecessary persuasion was needed. But through-"
The older boy groaned loudly in anger. Quickly he attempted to stand up, but he felt so exhausted and weak. He felt back down onto his knees. The Kaiser laughed at his failure.
"Awwww…What's the matter? Can't stand up without those other annoying brats around?" Yamato stared back, his face turning red in anger. "You're so pathetic, like meaningless little insect. I should just stand on you right now."
"Stop with the crap! Why the hell did you bring me here?!"
He smiled back deviously and slowly approached him. "Why, I merely wish to have a chat with you, Yamato."
"Yeah right, KEN."
The Kaiser stared back, outraged. Quickly he reached for his whip and violently slashed Yamato's face with it. Yamato cried in pain, covering the mark with his hand.
"Don't you dare call me that again, you little worm!"
Yamato's look of pain changed to that of satisfaction. "You call me pathetic when you're the one who can't even face being called by his true name?" He snorted. "If something like that frightens you, the how the hell are you supposed to make others fear you?"
In utter rage, Ken slapped his whip continuously against Yamato's back, once again making the blonde yell in pain. Yamato fell on to his stomach, and casually Ken stopped the brutal beating. His breathing was heavy, his eyes over shone with fear and resentment.
After a few moments Yamato pushed himself up and despite the pain he was still grinning at the Kaiser. "Is that the best you've got, Ken? Am I here just for you to whip around for your own sick pleasures, or did you really bring me here to talk?"
The Kaiser's eyes soon changed back into the confident glare he always wore. Again he beard his evil grin at Yamato. "Whipping you around all night does sound extremely tempting, but unfortunately I brought you here for a more worthy cause. Too bad I suppose. Torturing Digimon does have its high points, but it does tend to get boring after awhile. I've never tortured a human before. I could use the practice. I imagine it would be a highly pleasurable experience, but right now I have another matter to discuss with you."
Turning away, he walked towards his throne taking pride in each step he took. He sat down and turned his attention back to the blond. "Now I believe you have some information which I would like to require from you."
Yamato snorted. "And what makes you think I would tell you?"
"Oh you well. You well, especially if you want me to spare your pitiful life."
With all his strength, Yamato got up, the blood leaking from his wounded flesh. He glared at Ken with pure disgust. "I know almost everyone in this reality is frightened of you. And still even the Digimon who are not, still dare not to stand up to you. But believe me, I am different. I will not cower before you, and what ever it takes, I will never let you destroy this world. You've already caused enough trouble and deserve to pay."
The Kaiser chuckled at his little speech. "Brave aren't we, Ishida-san?"
"You're a sick little bastard! You think you're superior to everybody else that you're better than every Digimon and human, but really all you're worth is shit! You only care about yourself. Everything you do is all for you! Humans are greedy and cruel creatures, but you're way beyond that, Ken. You shouldn't even be considered as a human!"
Ken's smile departed. "You know that everything you just said, are all compliments to me?"
"Like I said, you and Osamu are nothing alike…"
Pain throbbed through his heart at the mentioning of his brother's name. "Shut up…" he spoke in almost a whisper.
Yamato turned away from him. "You look so much like him, you know. Yet you are so different."
"Just what are you trying to say?!" Ken yelled angrily.
"So I suppose the reason you brought me here is to fine out how I know about him..." Yamato's voice was soft, it was a hurtful subject, but he wanted to show Ken how different he was from Osamu. Perhaps then, he would have a chance. "How I know about your true identity? How I know about your brother?"
"You -you knew him?"
He nodded and turned to face him. "It all happened so along ago. But I remember so clearly. I was only eight at the time. My parents had just gotten a divorce and I found myself all alone in the world. I didn't have any friends. But that changed. It changed when I met him…."
***********************************************
A young golden hair boy sat alone. Slowly he swung back and forward on the rusty swing, crying miserably. None of the other children took any notice, all except one boy.
"Takeru, I miss you…" Suddenly he felt a hand touch his shoulder. He turned around to find a boy about a year older than him standing there smiling. His eyes were dark, but strangely the blond boy felt warmth and security by gazing into them.
"Don't cry." He spoke softly.
The younger boy wiped his tears away and turned away from the older boy. "Go away, I want to be left alone."
The other boy giggled slightly. "No you don't. That's why you're crying aren't you? Because you don't wish to be alone?"
"What would you know?! I bet you are never alone!"
The boy nodded, frowning slightly. "You're right. I am rarely alone, but that doesn't mean I don't ever feel what you feel." The other child stared up at him in confusion.
"I am Ichijoji Osamu. Please to meet you." He stuck out his other hand for the younger boy to shake. He stared at it, slightly confused, but took it anyway.
"I'm Ishida Yamato." Suddenly his gaze moved from the boy's hand to his face. He stared hard, after blinking a few times. A look of confusion again wavered upon his features. "You look very familiar. I think I've seen you somewhere before."
Osamu nodded. "Probably."
"I saw you on television! You're that genius!"
"Yes unfortunately." He replied dully.
Yamato grunted and climbed off the swing. "What would you know about being lonely? You are surrounded by people all of the time. You can't know what it feels like to be by yourself."
"Loneliness can't be measured by how many people surround you. Everyday I am crowded by reporters, people admiring me for my intelligence. But that doesn't mean they really care about me. A true friend is hard to find. You never can tell the difference between a true friend an enemy."
"What do you mean?"
"Well friends may turn their backs on you, and perhaps you'll find that one day, an enemy will help you."
Yamato stared back. He was confused by the older boy's words, but decided not to mention anything. "So even though you're surrounded by lots of people, you can still feel all alone?"
Osamu nodded, smiling back at him. "Yes."
Yamato frowned and took a seat back on the swing. "I hate being alone. My family is falling apart." Small droplets of tears began to from in his eyes. "I wish everything was back to normal…"
"Just because you're not together right now, doesn't mean they don't love you."
"I'm not sure about that? Does your parents care about you?" he asked curiously.
Osamu's smile, faded. "I'm not sure. Sometimes I only think they love me because of my brain. I'd give anything to be normal."
Yamato chuckled slightly. "So I guess being smart isn't all it's cracked up to be."
Suddenly Osamu's smile returned, and quickly he took hold of Yamato's hand. "I have an idea. How about we be friends?"
For the first time in so long, the blond boy smiled. "You-you really want to be my friend?"
"Of course."
"That would be great!"
Osamu giggled. "Now we'll never be lonely again."
"Right!" cried Yamato with great enthusiasm.
"Friends forever?"
"Friends forever!"
Their ever-lasting friendship was sealed with a handshake. A friendship that would never end…
************************************
"Your brother was a good friend, the best friend I ever had. I may have other friends now, but Osamu could understand me better than anybody else in the world. He was the one that taught me the true meaning of friendship, what friendship really means. Whenever I felt depressed and just wanted to burst into tears, he was always there. He was there every time I needed him, until…" Tears began to run down Yamato's cheeks. He whimpered softly, unable to hold them back. "Until…he died…"
Ken stared at the blue eyed boy. How did he know all of this? Fear piled upon his heart, remembering the day of his brother's death. It was a day that would haunt him forever. "Osamu…"
"When he died, nothing made sense anymore. Friendship seemed so worthless, and life so meaningless. My only true friend had left me. I was alone. Alone, to suffer the consequences of loneliness and depression once again. After that I kept to myself. I was afraid. Afraid that I would loose someone else I cared for. Someone I loved, but…but…" Yamato stopped. He had said too much already. How could he trust the supposably prince of darkness?
There was along silence, and in that time, Ken longed so desperately to cry. He wanted to shed a few tears over his dear brother's death, but he couldn't. He couldn't let the enemy see him cry. He wasn't weak. Suddenly for a few short seconds, something strange came over him. It was as if this boy wasn't his enemy at all. Not the enemy he had being fighting for dominance over the Digital world, but a friend. A friend that felt the same way he did…
"So I guess you'd probably want to know how I discovered that you are the Kaiser?"
Ken immediately awoke from his thoughts. "Yes…please…" He stopped for a moment. "I mean… Of course you better tell me!"
Yamato grunted and walked further back from him.
Did I just say please? He was shocked. Please was a word he hadn't spoken in years. He hated the word. Please was a word all those pathetic insects said when asking for something politely. But he didn't ask, he demanded, and if he didn't get what he wanted, there would be hell to pay.
He gazed back up as Yamato began to continue.
"Just before he had died, Osamu had told me something. He told me that he had received a strange device through his computer. At that time I had never been to the Digital world before, or even heard of it, so I had no idea what it was. He told me that it was dangerous, very dangerous." He stopped and ran his fingers along one of the cuts Ken had given him. He licked the blood from his finger, and turned back to Ken. "I was at the funeral too, you know."
"I never seen you there. " Ken replied nervously.
"I didn't want to be seen. After his death, I just wanted to be alone. I admit I did feel sorry for you. You were such an innocent little kid back then, but look what you've changed into."
Ken remained silent, his memories beginning to eat away at him. Trying to shake those thoughts away, he tried his best to act like his usual evil self. "Don't feel sorry for me, Chosen. Look at all I have. I have an enormous base, thousands of pathetic slaves at my mercy, and soon I shall finally be in control of the entire Digital world."
Yamato sighed. "You still don't get it, do you?"
Ken grunted.
"I really didn't think a sweet kid like you would turn out to be such a monster. But I guess I was wrong."
"Exactly." replied Ken, trying to pose an evil grin.
"I thought that after I and the other Chosen had defeated the dark masters, the Digital world would be safe once and for all. But again I was wrong. Once again the Digital world was in peril, and it was all because of you. We fought against you many times without knowing who the hell you really were. Constantly trying to figure out your true identity. The very moment I heard your voice it reminded me of your brother. I was annoyed that I could even think such a thing, so decided to just put such thoughts aside, but then again it sounds a lot easier than it really is."
"One night I got home from band practice and turned one the tv. The News was on, not something I'm usually interested in, but something caught my eye. The 'so-called genius Ichijoji Ken' was missing. He had been for a couple of months and-"
"Would you stop referring to me like some person in story! I know who I am goddamnit!"
Yamato snorted again. Okay he wasn't the most known person for his patience, but Ken was really beginning to get on his nerves.
"Well when I discovered you were missing, I automatically put two and two together. The strange device, your disappearance, the familiarity of the Kaisers voice, they all linked together. The Kaiser was my best friend's brother. Osamu told me that the strange device that had came out of his computer was dangerous, and as usual, he was right. All that destruction and pain from one little gadget, but then again maybe it was all caused by the cold hearted spoiled little brat that stole it."
"I didn't steal it, you worm!"
"Then why do you have it?" asked Yamato, managing to keep his cool.
Ken remained silent. He didn't steal it. It's not like you can really steal something from a dead person. It wasn't like he was going to need it again. Tightly he gripped his fists together, angry at the blond boy's words. Was all of this really true?"
"Well now you know the whole story. " Yamato replied quietly.
Ken gazed upwards. "So what you're saying is that Osamu knew something bad was going to happen before he…."
The older boy nodded, slowly.
Ken let his head drop, wanting to look at him no longer. Everything was so confusing. So many emotions were circling around his mind. All the emotions and feelings he had tried so hard to stop were yet again returning to haunt him. And no matter how hard he tried to make them go away, this time he couldn't shield his mind from them.
"Osamu…"
His brother's name repeated over and over in his mind. Osamu was standing there laughing at him, taunting him. Why couldn't they just leave him alone? "Osamu!" The dark haired boy burst into tears, collapsing on to the floor. "Osamu, why did you have…have to…leave…me."
Yamato frowned. A wave up sympathy rose within him. Even if the Kaiser was his worst enemy and was supposed to despise him, he still couldn't help sorry for the younger boy. He bit his lip, struggling in his mind of what to do. Should he walk away, or help him?
My trait lies within Friendship. Does that mean I have to help him? I mean he's caused so much pain to innocent Digimon, destroyed probably thousands of lives. I should probably be laughing right now, but how can I? How can I, when he is crying about the death of my best friend?
Slowly he approached Ken, nervously. "Hey Ken? I just want to let you know that I know how you feel, and I'm sorry for bring it up, but you were the one that asked me about this stuff. I know that facing such memories is difficult. Osamu was a great person and we shouldn't forget him. But don't you think he would be upset if he saw you crying like this?"
Ken gazed up at the older boy. A thousand thoughts swirled through his mind, but none could come to part with his lips. This boy was right, Osamu wouldn't want him to cry. But he couldn't help it. Everything was so confusing. It hurt too much to think about it. He wished desperately that all those feelings would just go away.
"You know, Osamu would have wanted us to be happy, that's why I promised myself, after his death, I wouldn't cry. It sounds hard not to, I know, but all you have to do is think of all those good memories you both shared." Yamato gave Ken a smile.
Slowly Ken wiped his tears away. "I guess you're right."
Suddenly Ken's lips curved to form a small smile. Yamato blinked in surprise. This was the first time he had ever seen the Kaiser smile. Not in the cruel, horrible way he usually did, but the way he had when he was a small innocent child. Yamato gazed deep into his eyes. Those beautiful indigo eyes looked so much like Osamu's. Just looking at Ken reminded him so much of his best friend. Although Ken was horribly evil, those eyes brought a feeling of security and warmth.
Osamu….
Ken kneeled up slightly, his eyes looking downwards from Yamato's blue eyes. "Isn't it strange. We are so different, yet we share deep emotional feelings towards the same person. Osamu meant so much to me. He too, was my only friend, and when he died, I felt my whole world fall apart. My heart shattered into a million pieces and I found myself once again alone. It seemed my whole world was based upon loneliness, trapped in solitude for the rest of my existence. But things seemed to change. I went to the Digital world were I met Wormmon. I was happy, but again things changed. My intelligence rose, and for the first time I felt powerful. I had a new-found sense of dignity and for once I was in control."
Suddenly Ken stopped, realising he had yet again told the enemy far too much. Strangely he felt his cheeks turn a slight shade of pink. What was happening? Why was he telling all of this to the blond boy? Why the hell was he discussing all of his most inner-turmoil secrets? None of this made sense… It was like somehow he was surrendering information to the enemy. But it didn't feel this way. Everything was so confusing. He wanted to keep on talking. He wanted to tell the blond boy everything, everything that had happened to him. All the emotions that he had kept bottled up for so long were now re-emerging to the surface. If he didn't get them out soon, he felt that he would explode.
He looked back up of the blond, who stared back at his curiously. He was finally lost for words. "I…I…."
For the first time in minutes, Yamato began to speak. "I know you're confused about thing right now, but what you're doing is wrong. Osamu wouldn't have wanted this. I know he wouldn't. You're better than this Ken. Don't let your own confusion bring you down like this." He knelt down beside him, and gently placed his hand on Ken's shoulder. "I know we've had our differences in the past, but I can help you. "
Ken's eyes filled with tears. "I-I can't stop. Don't you understand? This is my destiny…"
"Who said that?" He asked softly.
"I-I…I don't know!"
"Well if you keep on believing that, there's really no hope for you at all. Do you really want to live like this? Alone and with out friends…You hated that didn't you? You got lonely when Osamu got all the attention, all the attention you wanted. Now that you've got it, is it really worth all this? Blocking yourself from the outside world, running away from home. That won't get you friends."
"But my slaves-"
"Your slaves aren't your friends. You can't just order someone to be your friend. The world doesn't work that way or at least it doesn't in everybody else's reality. You are the one controlling them, basically they have to do what you say. That's not what a true friend is. When I first met Osamu, he told me that no mater how many people you're surrounded by, you can still feel all alone. Loneliness can't be measured by how many people you're with, only can it be measured by your real friends."
Yamato tilted his head and gave a small smile. "I didn't really understand that much when Osamu first told me, but now it all makes sense."
"My world made sense when Osamu was around, but now that he's gone, nothing makes sense anymore. Everything's so confusing. I…I wish that he had never left me."
"Same here. You're not alone, I felt the same way. But as his friend, I will help you."
"Hel-help me?"
"Yes. I know you're confused, but together we can get through Osamu's death, and move on. Maybe we can…Well I can't believe I'm saying this, but maybe we could even become friends.
"Friends?" Ken was stunned. Why would his enemy wish to become friends with him? They had been fighting for years, and now he wanted to become friends? "I-I don't…know."
Yamato gently took Ken's other hand. "It's strange I know, but I can help you. I can help you change. We can help each other."
His breath caught tightly in his chest as the blond boy moved closer to him. His emotions to this boy, they were…strange. They were not normal for someone of his power. Not even he had felt such emotions before. But in away, it felt nice… the older boy looked so beautiful. His pale skin, his dark blue eyes… Just everything about him made his body tense up.
Yamato moved closer, as did Ken. He stopped, feeling Yamato's cool soothing breath upon his skin. Suddenly both of their lip lips locked together in a soft passionate kiss. Tightly he wrapped his arms around his brother's friend, and Yamato did the same. Yamato brushed his hand through the Kaisers long spikey, yet soft hair. But he knew he wasn't kissing the Kaiser, he was kissing Ken. Perhaps neither.
A wondrous feeling caught in Ken's heart, and he knew that he never wanted to let go of the soft warm body in his arms. He wanted to stay like this forever. He never wanted to let go. But yet, their lips departed, and Ken soon found himself in the cold, terrible reaches of reality.
It took Yamato a few seconds to realise what had just happened. He blinked, and slowly took his head away from Ken's. "Ke-Ken…"
Ken's pale complexion grew even whiter as he quickly backed away from the other boy. "I…i…." No, that never happened. It couldn't have happened. But it did. He had just kissed the light. He had surrendered all his powers of darkness to the light. He had kissed someone he hardly even knew, just because of the things he had said. But worst of all, he had kissed the enemy…
"Get the hell away from me!" Instantly Ken rose, and backed away.
"Ken wait!" cried Yamato, not really surprised by Ken's reaction.
"Get out of here! You think you can just come in here and try to change me by using meaningless words, and trapping me in a disgusting kiss?!" shouted Ken at the top of his lungs.
"Ken don't you understand that I'm only trying to help!"
"Help me?! Help me?! You're just trying to trick me, that's all! How stupid to you really think I am?!"
"Ken, stop! Just calm down and think for a minute."
"I told you never to call me that goddamn name! I am the Digimon Kaiser, the prince of darkness! Call me that again and I swear to god, I will fucking kill you!" Instantly he went for his whip and whacked Yamato's shoulder with full force throwing him across the floor. He cried out in pain and he landed upon the floor, his shoulder gushing with blood.
The Kaiser stared in disgust. He was pathetic, he should just destroy him right now. Look how he whimpered in pain. He was weak. He was useless. There was no reason why such a worthless creature should live.
Yamato grasped tightly on to his wounded shoulder, gasping for breath. Weakly he raised his head to look at the Kaiser. "I…I'm not trying to trick you. I told you all I want to do is help. What you're doing is wrong and I just want to make sure-"
"Make sure, what?! That your precious little Digital world is safe once and for all?! Well don't count on it! The powers of darkness have been given to me to aid me on my way to victory, the destruction of all the Digital world! If you really think you know me, then you'll know I am not pretending. The powers I have now, are a gift, and I do not attend to waste them. It is my destiny to rule over the Digital world!"
Yamato coughed. He felt so weak, and his plans to save Ken had failed miserably. "Would Osamu really want this? You and I both know the answer, Digimon Kaiser." He added a horrible distaste when pronouncing the Digimon Kaiser. The very mention of those two words made him want to scream.
"I don't really give a damn what my brother would have wanted! He'd dead, buried six feet under the ground! He may have been the genius of the family, but look who's rising now! While worms are probably still decaying through his putrid flesh, I have risen to lengths that no human has before! Osamu's soul could be burning in hell right now for all I care!"
Anger raged through Yamato's body. Those eyes… Those cruel and uncaring eyes…. They weren't like Osamu's…
"You fucking bastard! How dare you say that about Osamu! Osamu was one of the kindest people I ever knew! You'll never be half of what he was! He was everything you are not…."
The Kaiser gritted his teeth tightly together and fiercely attack Yamato, pinning him to the ground. "I am everything Osamu was!"
Yamato groaned, and tried his best to free himself of the Kaisers grasp. It was true that he himself was three years older than the Kaiser, but Ken was incredibly strong. The Kaiser viciously spat on his face, mocking him for everything he was worth. And to the Kaiser he was worth nothing.
"Say I am better than Osamu!"
"Fuck you!"
"Tell me I'm better!" The Kaiser shouted again, almost at the top of his lungs. When Yamato didn't respond he grabbed the older boy and violently shoved him back on the floor. "I said tell me, you little worm."
Yamato snorted and stopped struggling to get free. "Osamu was a better person. You aren't even a person. You are a monster. If you weren't Osamu's little brother, I would have kicked your sorry little ass by now." Yamato stated, slowly.
The Kaiser took a deep breath, releasing his anger. "It's not very smart to threaten one, when they have you pinned to the ground. In this position I could do anything I wanted with you." He smiled, casting an evil grin upon his trapped enemy. "If you know what I mean, that is."
"You sick son of a bitch."
The dark haired boy gave a small laugh. "Watch what you say, that's Osamu's mother you're talking about too, you know."
The blond boy growled in frustration, still struggling to free himself. Ken sighed. "You're pathetic."
"Maybe I am, but at least I don't go around trying to kill everything that stands in my path. Wanting to rule over an entire world, willing to do anything to make that wish come true, that truly is pathetic."
Slowly the Kaiser ran his finger along Yamato's forehead. "You may call it pathetic, but I call it smart. You and I both know that my intelligence is at a much higher and advanced stage than yours and anyone else's for that matter. I have the capabilities to destroy this little world if I wished to do so."
"Okay then if you're such a threat, then why haven't you succeeded in your goal?"
"You could say that I'm merely binding my time."
"No I say, that you're weak, and will never be able to take over the Digital world."
The Kaiser sighed. "Fine, fine, believe in what ever you want, but soon, very soon, you and your little friends will all die."
"Who says there'll even be a next time!" The blond boy yelled angrily.
"Oh, so the chosen children have finally given up? You are the ones that are weak, all of you. Just because you destroyed some pathetic little Digimon years ago, you think you can do anything. Will let me tell you something, I am no little Digimon, I am advanced human. I am the most powerful opponent you pathetic little chosen children have ever faced. All of you are meaningless, pitiable worms, and soon I will make you regret your destinies."
"Just what do you mean?!" Yamato demanded.
Ken's cold, uncaring eyes looked straight through Yamato, piercing through his skin like daggers. Slowly he got off the older boy and walked to his throne. Turning away, he spoke in a quiet voice. "Every single creature that exists has a destiny, a chosen fate in which they must uphold. And there are many paths we must take to rage victorious. But not all destinies will succeed, just like yours…."
Slowly he circled around Yamato, who still lay on the floor. "Your destiny is to protect the Digital world from harm, to uphold the peace whilst I myself cause havoc and destruction upon this sad little world until I have complete and utter control. In customary terms I have been given the powers of darkness, you the light. These sources are both enemies. So basically only one of our destinies can prevail. So Yamato, which one?"
"Do you really need to ask such a question. The light always wins against the forces of darkness. This time is no different from the other times we fought against evil forces that threatened to destroy the Digital world."
The Kaiser snickered, mockingly. "Yes, but you are forgetting one thing. There is a difference, I am no Digimon, I am human. The most powerful human ever created for that matter. I am not like those pathetic little Digimon you have fought against in the past. I am much more than that, and you know it."
"You're no human! You're a fucking monster!"
"Fine, then a monster I am. Humans are weak and worthless. Their lives are meaningless and their very existence sickens me. You should have just left them all to die…."
"Well unlike you, I have a heart!"
"Then it will destroy you…."
Anger raged within Yamato, as he found himself no longer able to take anymore of the Kaisers cold-blooded comments. He got up and rushed across the room, despite the pain he still held, ready to attack Ken. But the moment he drew near, he found himself transported back to his own dark room were he had first came from….
