Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

One World Away From Darkness

Chapter 13: The Crest Of Hope

Ken Ichijouji

"Where am I?" He glanced around the forest, uncertain of his whereabouts. It was dead silent and the darkness around him was suffocating.

"Haven't you figured that out yet?"

Crying out, he whipped around at the sudden voice and spotted a dark figure standing just behind him.

"Who are you?" His voice came out as a high pitched squeak of fear.

The figure stepped out of the shadows, and his heart stopped. He was staring at himself.

His counterpart smiled coldly and fixed him with a hungry gaze. "Haven't you figured that all out? I am you. I am your dark side, and this is the inner recess of your mind where your dark thoughts still live and thrive. You try to hide it, you try to hide me, but I can never be erased."

"You lie!" It came out as a choked gasp, and he stumbled backwards until he felt his back press up against a tree. There was nowhere left to go. He was trapped.

"Join me," his darker side whispered, stretching out a hand towards him. "Let us be whole again once more."

The blood drained from his face, and his own heart started to beat so loud that he could barely hear the other speak.

"I won't!" he shouted, pointing a shaky finger at the dark image of himself that stood in front of him. "I won't be like you!"

"You already are." The other Ken smiled brightly at him, but the light never reached his counterpart's cold, violet eyes. "We are one. You can't escape from me. See?"

His counterpart raised a pair of sunglasses and held them high in the sky where the moon's pale rays reflected off their shiny black surface. He knew those shades. They were the shades of the Digimon Emperor.

"Stay away from me!" he screamed, tears starting to slide down his face.

"Never." The other Ken's eyes narrowed into dark slits of hatred.

He started to edge around the tree but his counterpart, the Digimon Emperor, reached out and grabbed him by the wrist.

He could feel those cold pale fingers digging into his skin, and he let out a yelp of pain.

The Emperor shoved him against the tree and pinned his shoulder's back so he could not break free. No matter how much he struggled, he could not get loose.

Those eyes, his own eyes, stared back at him with malicious intent. They looked almost pitch black compared to the normal dark blue he could remember so well.

"Join us," the Emperor whispered, that pale face inches away from his own. "Join us, and we will make our master proud."

Ken noticed movement over the Emperor's shoulder and gasped in horror. Those creepy black shadows were sliding out of the trees towards him, their dangerous red eyes fixed on his face. There were over a hundred of them, and they were staring at him as if they had just found something very tasty to eat.

"Stop," he whispered, sagging against the tree and clutching the back of his neck. It felt like it was on fire and the pain began to travel down his spine making it difficult to stand. The edges of his vision blurred and a faint haze of darkness began to swim across his eyes.

"You are mine," the Emperor whispered.

A sudden light from the trees froze both of them in their tracks.

"What? What is that?" he whispered, a sense of awe and peace settling over him. He shook his head to clear his vision, and surprisingly the darkness began to fade away. The light was beautiful. It was a soft glimmer just inside the trees, and it was growing stronger. He could feel the warmth of the light's blinding rays even with the distance that stood between himself and the glow.

The Emperor's face filled with fury. "Not you again," his counterpart snarled, turning to gaze hatefully at the bright glow. "Go away! Don't you realize by now that you can't save him? He's mine, you hear me? Mine!"

The light only seemed to grow stronger in response. Taking strength from the warm rays, he wrenched himself free of the Emperor and raced towards the bright glow.

"What are you doing?" the Emperor snapped, making a grab for him.

He dodged his counterpart's hand and skidded to a stop in front of the strange apparition that had just stepped out of the trees.

"Don't listen to him," a voice from within the light said softly. "Your path is what you choose to make it. You're not the Emperor anymore. You're free. You must fight, Ken. Have hope, because without it, there is nothing left to fight with. Without hope, there is nothing to save you from a horrible fate. You have to believe in yourself. If you don't, the darkness can still claim you, and I know that's not what you want. Remember, Ken. Wherever there's light-"

"You'll always find darkness," Ken finished in a whisper. He had heard that somewhere once before, but where?

"That's right, Ken," the voice replied. "You have the light inside, but you have to keep it burning. I know you can do it. I believe in you."

Silent tears rolled down his cheeks, and he stretched out a hand towards the light. "Really? You do?" he whispered.

"Let me help you," the voice, a very familar voice, replied.

The glow grew brighter, and he felt a warm hand take his arm.

"You have two paths," the voice whispered. "You can choose the road to darkness, or you can follow the path of darkness to the light at the end of the tunnel. A life of shadow, or a spirit filled with never-ending sunshine. Only you can choose, Ken."

"No!" screamed the Emperor from somewhere behind him.

Ken ignored him, his gaze locked on the figure surrounded by light.

The figure pulled him closer, as if trying to shield him from the wrath of the Emperor, and the pain in his neck faded away.

Ken found himself staring into a pair of familar sparkling blue eyes and smiled. "Then I choose light."

Ken woke with a start, gasping for breath, and quickly rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He glanced frantically around the room, desperately trying to figure out where he was, and that's when he remembered. He was in T.K.'s bedroom sleeping over.

He let out a soft groan and attempted to untangle himself from the blankets without waking his blond friend. Slowly he sat up and brushed tangled strands of raven hair out of his eyes.

What a weird dream. He frowned thoughtfully at the ceiling and rested his chin in his hand. Parts of the dream had grown fuzzy, but he could not forget that bright golden light. Who could it have been?

A soft sound interrupted his thoughts, and he looked down. T.K.'s eyes were flitting restlessly beneath his eyelids, his golden lashes fluttering.

"T.K.? Hey, are you okay?" He reached out and gently touched his friend's arm. Immediately T.K. went still and his face relaxed into a pleasant expression.

Ken hesitated and finally settled back against the pillow beside his blond friend. T.K. shifted, moving closer to him, and he could feel the heat of the other's body. He had not even realized that he was shivering until the goosebumps had started to fade away.

He smiled and let his eyes fall closed, but another sound immediately made him open them again.

"T.K.?" He rolled over and gazed at his friend, but T.K. was still asleep. Something's not right. He quickly sat up and gazed around the room again. At first nothing appeared to be out of the ordinary. Then he noticed something extremely odd. The shadows in the corners of the room were moving. Not only were they moving, but they were snaking across the ground straight towards him.

Letting out a yelp, he scrambled backwards against the headboard. "No, not here!" he whispered, horrified. "Not now! Please not now!"

Either the shadows did not here him, or they chose to ignore him because they continued to slither towards the bed.

He glanced wildly around the room searching for an escape route. How am I going to protect myself, and what about T.K.? What if they try to get him too?

The dark shadows reached the end of the bed and their hands started to climb their way upwards. Slowly they formed into dark shapes with red beady eyes that were glaring hatefully at him.

"Go away!" he hissed, his eyes wide with fear.

"You wouldn't join us," one of the dark shapes whispered. "As punishment, we will now take something of yours in payment. A compromise, if you will."

To Ken's complete horror, the dark shape began to reach for T.K.. One of those shadow's arms slipped beneath the blanket and siezed T.K.'s ankle. Slowly the dark form began to drag his friend off the bed.

"No! Let him go!" he shrieked, feeling a panic deeper than anything he had ever felt for himself. He lunged forward and grabbed T.K. by the leg, trying to pull it away, but the dark ones were stronger. The blanket slipped off and T.K. began to slide over the edge of the bed, blissfully unaware of the danger he was in.

"Oh no you don't!" Ken wrapped his fingers around T.K.'s wrist and began to tug. It was nothing short of a miracle that T.K. was still asleep. He must be a very deep sleeper.

"If you defy the darkness, then you must pay the price," another dark shape whispered

"Stop!" He realized that he was sobbing, but he did not give up. "Why do you want him? He's done nothing to you!"

"He's becoming a nuisance!" the first dark shadow snapped"Besides, you dared to defy our master and therefore you must pay. What better way to fulfill a debt then by taking something that is important to you? Maybe it will finally teach you that you cannot escape the darkness without consequences."

With another hard yank, T.K.'s foot came free. He immediately dragged his friend back against the headboard and wrapped a protective arm around him. He stared defiantly at the creatures, daring them to try again, but the shadows merely stood there watching him.

"We asked you nicely, but you would not listen," one of them finally whispered.

"What do you mean T.K.'s becoming a nuisance?" He huddled next to T.K. taking comfort from his friend's presence close beside him.

"The Child of Hope comes with us," a shadow spat, ignoring his question. "Your friend belongs to us now."

"No way!" Ken gasped, his voice trembling. "T.K.'s not like you so leave him alone!"

T.K's eyes fluttered and the blond mumbled something.

"It's okay," he whispered, gently patting his friend's back and turning to glare at the shadows. "I won't let them take you."

"He must. If you will not come then the Child of Hope has to take your place. We will not leave until one of you comes with."

"You're lying!" he shouted. All the dark shapes shook their heads.

"Why did you come here? Why do you want to torment me? I'm not like you anymore!"

The creatures did not answer. They continued to stand there watching, and Ken felt a heavy weight settle on his heart. The creatures were not bluffing. They were not going to stop tormenting him, and now T.K., until he gave in to their demands.

Ken felt a wave of terrible defeat wash over himself. "So, it's me or T.K.," he whispered.

The dark shape closest to him nodded. "If you do not come then we will not rest until the Child of Hope is ours. It is your choice. Who's it going to be?"

Ken gazed down at T.K. who's face was peaceful. His friend looked like a sleeping angel. T.K. seemed so innocent and defenceless against the darkness surrounding them. What could they possibly want with T.K.? Have they been tormenting him all this time too, and I haven't even noticed? He has been acting strange lately. The thought horrified him so much that he almost threw up his supper. They can't! T.K. isn't like me! The darkness isn't suppose to bother him! He knew what he had to do. "Take me," he whispered, placing a hand on T.K.'s shoulder who lay on his side facing towards him. "I'm the one you really want. T.K. doesn't deserve this. Besides, the others need him more than they need me. There's no way I'm just going to hand him over to you. T.K.'s my friend. I could never betray him like that."

"Smart choice. Come, Emperor. The darkness is waiting." The one who appeared to be their leader laughed and held out a shadowy hand.

Ken nodded. He felt empty inside. T.K. would never know how much his friendship meant to him. Despite that, he knew he was making the right decision. Feeling terror like nothing he had ever felt before, he gently let go of T.K.'s wrist, which he had not realized that he had been holding, and slowly held out his other hand to the creature of darkness.

A sudden flash of light lit up the room and blinded him. Ken gasped in disbelief as T.K. disappeared in a luminescent glow. He could feel it's warmth surrounding him, seeping into his body and driving away the darkness. The shadows shrieked and stumbled backwards in a tangle of dark bodies. Then, as quick as it had come, it was gone again.

Ken stared around the room in stunned silence. The shadows had disappeared but the presence of the light lingered on and left his skin tingling at it's touch. It reminded him of the light from his dream.

"What happened?" he whispered and turned to stare at T.K. in awe. T.K. rolled onto his back and let out a soft sigh.

That's when Ken noticed the faint glow beneath T.K.'s white shirt. He hesitated and finally crawled over to the blond's side gazing at him with curiosity. Slowly, with gentle fingers, he touched the golden chain around his friend's neck. Could it be?

He glanced quickly at all four corners of the room, reassuring himself that the shadows remained lifeless, and slowly slipped his hand into the collar of T.K.'s shirt. His hand closed around the warm surface of the small object, and he pulled out the Crest of Hope. It's shiny surface was glowing brightly with a soft yellow light.

"It was you!" he gasped. "You made the darkness disappear! But...how?"

Naturally T.K. did not answer.

He pulled out his own Crest of Kindness, which he wore on a chain identical to the one T.K. wore, but unlike T.K.'s crest, his remained inactive.

Somehow, in some way, T.K. had completely obliterated the darkness around them without even breaking a sweat. Forget that. He wasn't even awake!

He held tightly to his friend's crest as if it was the only thing standing between him and the darkness that was threatening to consume him. In a way, it was the only thing.

Suddenly, without warning, his friend's eyes popped open and T.K. stared directly at him; at him holding the crest in his hand.

Ken was so startled that he jumped and nearly fell off the bed. He hastily let go of T.K.'s crest, knowing already that it was too late, and T.K. grabbed his wrist stopping him.

His heart filled with dread, and he gazed at T.K. in horror. He knows beyond a shadow of a doubt. There's no more hiding now. Our friendship is over. The realization of what was to come sent icy needles stabbing into his soul. He jerked his arm free from T.K.'s grip and tumbled off the bed. He scrambled to his feet, the tears already starting to slide down his cheeks, and made a break for the door as fast as his legs would carry him. Somehow T.K. had managed to untangle himself from the sheets, and he felt the blond grab him by the back of the shirt stopping him in his tracks.

"Stop," he whispered. He tried to wriggle free, pieces of his soul crumbling to dust, and ended up knocking them both to the floor. A grunt of pain escaped his mouth as T.K. landed on top of him. He opened his eyes and found T.K. gazing at him with an expression that he had never seen before. Gone was that serene expression of indifference. His friend's blue gaze was burning with so much emotion that it defied the laws of physics.

"Ken," T.K. whispered, his voice hoarse and his face pale. "I think it's time you and I had a talk."