Through the Oddest Circumstance
Disclaimer: I don't own any season of Digimon
Chapter 11: Void
Pairings: Mimato, Takari, Jenruki, Kouzumi, Kouyako, Taiora, mild Takumi, Ryo/OC and Ken/OC
Takari-san: Since I took too long on the last chapter I hope this chapter will be out faster… HOPE… --;; Oh yeah… warning of some violence…
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Sitting cross-legged near the window side, Ken Ichijouji – the death knight of ice turned around when he felt a tap on his shoulder… "What do you want? Woman…?"
The maid looked down on the ground but managed to utter – even in fear of Ken, "Here's your meal…" she quickly left the food on the table of the room and rushed right out.
"You shouldn't be that mean to Shinagami-san Ken," a young boy said as he dipped his finger in his own plate of food.
"Why shouldn't I? She's just a lowly maid, right?" Ken told Iori as he took the plate from the table and began to eat savagely.
"Come on, we're just knights… it's not as if we're royalty. And I remember in the past you were in good terms with her and you never thought of her as that way." Iori replied as he picked up his utensils.
"Whatever… that's a long time ago, I've changed… besides, she's not who she claims to be…" Ken told the young boy fiercely causing his utensils to freeze into solid ice.
Iori let go of the matter right away, changed is an understatement to explain the sudden metamorphosis of Ken – it's as if he's a whole different person, "Ken… about that thing you did at the lake… What was it for?"
"I have my reasons." He said coldly giving Iori a glare shutting the boy up.
Ken turned away and decided to just stare at the outside, at past wish – freedom, he mumbled a word.
It sounded a lot like…
"Shizuyo…"
*******
After Iori's and his meal and after a lost in playing jack-n-poy with Iori, Ken found himself making his way to the kitchen to return the dishes. However, as he was in the middle of this trip he managed to bump up with a certain maid…
A collision…
"Itai…" the maid said as she was pushed far behind.
Ken also on the ground sighed in relief as he saw the dishes have not been tampered with. He stood up and offered a hand to help to this maid who had raven eyes and hair, "Here… let me help you up."
The maid looked up and couldn't believe her eyes, it was one of the knights, and she gulped in fear on what may happen to her when this knight would torture her. She glanced at the man closely; he was young about fourteen if you estimate it, just as old as her. She found herself taking the hand and said a courteous, "Arigato…"
Ken smiled warmly, "It's nothing… umm…?"
"It's Shizuyo Shinagami…" the maid known as Shizuyo bowed again.
"Ah… I see… nice to meet you Shizuyo-san… I'm Ken." Ken smiled
sweetly then remembered of his task to return the dishes, "I better take these
to the kitchens..."
"Iie…! I'll take them there for you, Ken-sama…" Shizuyo said reaching for the dished.
Ken paused then smiled and hid the dishes behind him, "No need for Ken-sama, Ken's fine… and I'll do it… I know you have more important things to do…"
"Dakedo…" Shizuyo mumbled.
"Don't worry about it…" Ken grinned as he gave her a helpful push to the other direction, "See you later…" he said as he scurried to the kitchens.
~~~
"Ano… Ichijouji-sama…? Ichijouji-sama…?" Shizuyo called out seemingly finding the one with the name Ichijouji who was seemingly absent in the room.
"Ah… That's me…" a voice said from behind her giving her a fright causing her to…
"AH!" she screamed as she backed away almost dropping the tray of food she carried but found herself still standing.
A voice murmured in her ear, "Are you alright?"
'That voice… it seems vaguely familiar…' she thought then turned around to find the boy she met a while ago.
"Hey there… I didn't think I'd see you again so early…" the boy greeted with his usual warm smile.
It took a while before what was happening fully registered in her mind… "You're Ichijouji-sama…? The Death Knight of Ice…? The one I'm supposed to serve…?"
Ken nodded, "I am Ken Ichijouji… but what do you mean when you said you're the one who's supposed to serve me?"
"I was assigned to serve you… all death knights have their own servant…" Shizuyo bowed.
"Servant sounds bad… I would rather call it friend." Ken smiled.
Shizuyo smiled too. All this time she thought the one she was going to serve would torture her… but… Ken… he's so kind.
Maybe too kind
~~~
"Ken-kun… your breakfast is here…" Shizuyo entered his room finding him neatly fixing his bed, "Eh…? Ken-kun…? You were the mysterious one who's been fixing your bed…? You should leave that to me…"
"Ah… I don't want to be a burden to you." Ken smiled as he sat down; his food being served by Shizuyo.
"Of course you're not a burden, you're great master…" she was cut off…
"Remember Shizuyo-san, friend." Ken noted as he took a bite of his meal, "Oishi… were you the one who cooked this?" Ken asked pointing to his half-eaten food.
Shizuyo nodded, "Nice to know you like it."
Ken smiled, "It's been a month now… since we met…"
"Hai… serving you is wonderful…" Shizuyo smiled back.
"Having you as a friend is wonderful…" Ken smiled, "But…"
"Nani…? Ken-kun…?" Shizuyo said not noticing the sudden intimacy between the two of them.
"I want to get to know you more… because… because… I think I like you…" Ken admitted sealing the closeness with a kiss – a very short one.
They fell apart both blushing, "Ken… I don't think… I don't think the queen allows this…"
"I don't care… if you… you like me back… then I don't care at all…" Ken managed to say panting – probably of nervousness.
Shizuyo nodded.
"Eh…?" Ken said.
"I think I like you too…" she said in finality then Ken kissed her again.
~~~
"I love Shizuyo… I want to withdraw being a death knight." Ken said, now two years older, to the queen.
Her voice came… "So… this maid made you lose your will to fight…?"
"No… it's just that I want to have a family with her one day and…" he was cut off by a slap on his face.
"I will not allow it! I will not allow any of my soldiers to lose
their will to fight!" the queen shouted, "Guards, bring me this - this maid!"
Shizuyo entered the room as Ken watched fearfully as they had injured her.
The queen seemingly pulled out a sword – a very short one. "Come here… do you love this… this knight…?"
No sound came from Shizuyo but she fiercely nodded.
The queen slashed her causing Ken to shout STOP continuously; the queen ignored him and repeated, "Do you love him?"
Shizuyo still nodded, he raven locks covering her bloody face already.
The queen losing her patience just went straight to the point, "Will you say you love him even if I kill you? Because you know I would."
Shizuyo finally said something, "I LOVE KEN AND THERE'S NOTHING THAT CAN CHANGE THAT!"
Ken watched in fear as the queen raised the weapon ready to slash Shizuyo, not being able to help because of the guards that restrained him. "Please… no…" he whispered pathetically tears streaming down his cheeks.
Thankfully the queen stopped last minute but there was something that happened, she was fully healed.
Shizuyo blinked.
"Shizuyo… Shizuyo! Thank you your majesty!" Ken shouted in happiness.
The queen made a smirk.
"Who are you?" Shizuyo turned to him.
"N-Nani…? You… you don't know me…?" Ken said frantically.
Shizuyo shook her head.
"I'm Ken… You're kidding… right…?" Ken said wishfully.
Shizuyo shook her head, "I don't know anyone named Ken… I better go back to my duties." She said turning around.
"You… you… what have you done to her!?" Ken shouted suddenly his surroundings freezing.
"Yes… now that's what I call a warrior." The queen noted as if not affected by his words and even attack and soon vanished.
Ken glared at her… his usual placid eyes turned furious, "HOW COULD YOU!?"
Ken… was never the same again.
*******
Ken looked up at the sky… it's all too unfair… too unfair… he clenched his fists. No one could replace that Shizuyo… no one…
Not even Shizuyo
And that,
That,
That left a void in his heart…
The frozen remainders of his heart
*******
Tomoki sighed as he ran his pale hand through his walnut brown hair, the fifteen year-old couldn't help but look as Ryo and Megumi laughed and once again teased each. No one residing in this castle knew what a heart was – not even him but Ryo and Megumi… they have something. He maybe forgot it… what a heart is or maybe since he is still a child he couldn't comprehend what it was… The only instance when he even found out he had a heart was so, so long ago… Was it 5 years? Or maybe even six? He probably already forgot… for all he knew… his life began here.
He was nothing as a child; an orphan like many other citizens of the kingdom, his guardian was his brother. He gave a disgusted look at the thought of his brother – that same brother who said he cared for him. Bah, what a lie, just as he got his opportunity to leave he never even thought of his little brother – his ten year-old brother he was supposed to guide and care for.
Tomoki sighed, he tried to push away these thoughts of long ago but it came back to him just as quickly as he tried to push it away. His brother… what happened to him again? Oh yeah, when he joined the kingdom… he took the incentive and just killed him – killed his pathetic excuse for a brother. He sighed; he was probably in shambles when his brother abandoned him but…
But he found a new brother.
He found a brother who could care for him…
Ryo
*******
He gave off a sigh as he covered his face with his cold hands. Tears couldn't stop streaming down his cheeks, the brother he loved – though they had disagreements… He never thought… that his brother would abandon him. Sure, his brother said he was worthless, that he had no backbone and wasn't worthy to be loved… but… he didn't mean that.
Tomoki gave a emotionless laugh even in tears, "Who am I fooling?"
The cold wind of winter blew and he – now the homeless boy he is decided to find a place to stay. He wondered why he still actually wanted to survive – he was ten years old, ignorant of the world, homeless, worthless and unloved but yet it was in every human's nature.
The strong shall live and the weak shall die – the ultimate principle in life… and he would do anything. Anything, to be strong…
He stood up but felt warm firm hands holding him down. He turned around to find a smiling face of a young man three years older than him holding him down.
He put a scarf over the cold neck of Tomoki, "Here… it'll keep you warmer…" the man said slowly sitting down beside Tomoki.
"Why do you care if I am warm?" Tomoki asked him looking up to see clear blue eyes.
The man clicked his tongue, "I just do I guess… maybe it was fate that I met you." The man then shrugged.
"No one's fated to meet someone as pathetic as me…" Tomoki said as he fought the tears that threatened to fall.
"There might be a lot of people who don't understand you… but they'll
see that soon… for sure, a friend of mine told me that." Ryo grinned, "You're
quite brave for a child your age."
Tomoki shook his head, some tears falling in the process, "No… I'm pathetic… I'm unwanted… even my big brother doesn't care… and I was his only family." Tomoki felt sudden comfort when Ryo patted his back…
"What happened? Tell me…" Ryo asked Tomoki.
As Tomoki narrated the story to him he felt something beat… it was probably his heart…
"I see… so that's it…" Ryo said slowly, "If you want… I can be your brother from now on…"
Tomoki looked up, "Really…?"
"Hai, you can stay with me in the castle, I'm a knight there and I'm sure a boy like you is perfect to be a knight." Ryo grinned as he stood up and cleaned the snow from his pants, "So… are you up for it?"
Tomoki nodded enthusiastically.
"Good… little brother…" Ryo smiled as he outstretched a hand for Tomoki to reach out to.
Tomoki took the hand gratefully, he smiled too… after a long time… he smiled.
*******
'Ryo… he was also the one who gave him his sword of dark ice… he was so kind… and Megumi was too… but why do I still feel empty…? No, I wasn't empty when I first arrived… it was two years later… when was that again…? Oh yeah, my first kill – my real brother… no fake brother… Ryo is my real brother…' Tomoki thought slowly.
There was a tap on his shoulder and he was forced to turn around, Ryo was grinning at him, "Hey Tomoki… Megumi and I are going hunting, want to come?"
Tomoki shook his head, "Iie… I'm not in the mood today."
"If you say so… but you're missing a lot…" Ryo shrugged and left, "If you change your mind find us at the forest!"
He then left with Megumi.
'I managed to learn a lot of fighting techniques but… but… I'm still a coward…' Tomoki sighed and looked at Takuya who sat alone in a corner too, he too have lost the meaning to have a heart.
I'm still a coward because I'm still afraid… I'm afraid that Ryo-sama would abandon me too…' he thought as he eyed his most prized possession – the sword given to him by Ryo-sama – his big brother.
Therefore, that leaves a void…
A void in his heart
*Tsuzuku*
Takari-san: An early finish, I hope this was fast enough for you… He, he… by the way the principle Tomoki used, the strong shall live and the weak shall die, is from Samurai X.
Preview: Chapter 12: Remember
Remember me… Koushiro's words to Miyako who had completely forgotten his existence and who she was. Maybe something could cure her… maybe it would but with someone like Ken – I don't think it could happen. Jenrya, after meeting Ryo seemed to have a spat with Ruki… can they make up? Jenruki and Kouyako in the next Chapter ^^ Don't worry Kouzumi fans I will put a Mimato/Takari/Kouzumi part after that.
Takari-san: Oh yeah… don't forget… R/R!