Introduction

When Odaiba gets a new transfer student, the Digidestineds' lives are turned upside down. Ken is spending a term at their school…and he's far from happy about it.

Pushing everyone, including Davis, away from him, Ken treats everyone as insects, and does his best to aggravate people. But when a new friendship is forged after an unforgettable event, a young emperor finds himself choosing between his destiny…and his humanity.

Only when someone reaches out, will the damned be saved…

Chapter Ten; Won't Be Seeing Me

Most people noticed how the Digidestined were extremely subdued at school the next day. How Cody was even less talkative. How Yolei seemed constantly close to tears. How TK and Kari were solemn instead of grinning.

How Davis didn't seem to be there at all.

The day passed in a grey blur, and soon it was time to go home. However, before Davis could leave, Mr. Yakamushi called him over. The others hovered by the door, waiting for him.

"Ah, Davis. A package arrived for you a little while ago." Mr. Yakamushi smiled, handing Davis a small brown box. Davis took it, looking questioningly up at his teacher.

"It's from Ken."

Davis slowly walked to the door, cradling the package in his arms. The group remained silent until they were out in the playground, then formed a ring around Davis as he opened the box. Putting his hand in, he pulled out three things. The first was an ordinary letter. But the other two were much more special.

"His D-3…" Cody breathed, looking at the black device in Davis' hand.

"I guess he really was serious about giving up." Ignoring Yolei, Davis examined the third item. It seemed to be a small pink square with something like a flower engraved on it. It made him think for some reason that it should have gone inside of something…a locket or something.

"TK! It's a crest, just like we used to have!" Kari gasped. Davis looked up.

"You know what it is?" He questioned.

"Yeah…us older Digidestined didn't have Digieggs back then. We wore our crests in small tags around our necks, and the power to Digivolve came from that." TK explained.

"But that would mean…" Yolei's voice trailed away as she stared at the delicate item.

"That Ken was a Digidestined." Cody finished, looking slightly sick. Davis wordlessly opened up the letter, and began to read it, blocking out the sound of his friends' conversation.

Davis,

Or is it Motomiya? I'm not sure if I have the right to call you by your first name anymore. If I ever had it at all. You defeated me well and truly, Davis. And yet you also saved me.

I'm not talking about the river, although I'm exceedingly grateful for your help that night. What I mean is this – without you, I would never have remembered my human side. I would have stayed cold and emotionless forever.

Please understand – I never meant to betray you, or deceive you. I honestly thought that I could keep up my double life. Fighting the Digidestined in the Digital World…and friends with you in the Real World. In the end I realised that I couldn't keep the two lives separate. You were my friends, and I couldn't hurt you.

I'm so sorry for all the pain that I've caused to both you and the digimon. I give you my D-3, so that I can never go back to Digiworld again – I will never allow myself to become the Emperor again.

I have also given you my old crest. I have reason to believe that Kari and TK will probably know what it is. After all, we were all Digidestined at the same time. Yes, that's right. I betrayed everything that I fought for when I was younger, and turned against the very digimon I swore to protect.

I no longer deserve the title of Digidestined – I have become all that I once hated, because I couldn't stand my life as Ken Ichijoji anymore. If you understood anything I told you that night, Davis, then you'll realise what I mean.

I'm not trying to shift the blame from myself – I deserve your hatred. I just want you to understand. Understand how I became a black sheep, and turned into the opposite trait of my crest. Would you believe that it's Kindness? What a joke. I have spent the last year or so torturing innocent digimon, and I have the Crest of Kindness.

There is one last thing that I would like you to do for me, Davis. I know that I don't deserve your help, but I do not ask for myself. I ask for someone very close to me.

Please take care of Wormmon for me. He had no part in my cruel designs – in fact he spent most of the time trying to convince me to stop them. He shouldn't suffer for my mistakes. Tell him that I'm sorry for all the pain that I've caused him, and regret the fact that I shut him out. Tell him that he was the greatest partner ever, despite what I said – and that I'll miss him.

I'm so sorry, Davis. And I apologise to the rest of you too. You showed me nothing but friendship and trust…yet I continued on my path of destruction. I can only hope that you'll remember me not as the cruel Digimon Emperor, but as Ken Ichijoji.

Goodbye, Davis. You won't be seeing me again – in either world.

Ken.

Letting out a choked sob, Davis handed the letter over for the others to read, and sank to his knees. Ken hadn't meant for his life to turn out this way – to find sanctuary in the Digital World, enslaving digimon. Deep down, he was a kind and gentle person. But his experiences of life had driven him to hide behind a mask of arrogance and cruelty.

As Ken had said himself, on that sleepover all those nights ago…he hadn't been able to remember how to be Ken. He'd got lost whilst trying to be someone he wasn't.

>Why did it have to turn out this way? Why!>

That night, Davis was even more down and depressed than before. He couldn't get that letter out of his mind, and had to keep rereading it. What exactly had Ken meant when he'd said that Davis wouldn't be seeing him again – in either world?

"Hey, brat! You friend's on the news!" Jun called from the sitting room. Confused, Davis went to see what she meant. And froze as the news bulletin was read.

Tonight, people are praying for the safety of Ken Ichijoji, famous boy genius of just 12 years old. Ken disappeared from his home sometime today, leaving only this note behind for his parents. 'I'm sorry. I'm so sorry'.

Although teachers and acquaintances alike are puzzling over what could have caused the normally sensible boy to run away, his parents just want him home, safe and sound.

The screen shifted to a shot of Ken's parents. Mrs. Ichijoji was sobbing into her husband's shirt, whilst Mr. Ichijoji spoke to the cameras.

"Come home, Ken. Please. Your mother and I are worried about you, and we just want you back. No one will be angry – just come home."

The view switched back to the studio, the camera focusing in on the newsreader again.

No one is sure of the reason behind the genius' disappearance, but one thing is certain – it's a dark and dangerous world out there. One that isn't safe for young teenagers like Ken.

We'll keep you posted with updates to this story. Next on the news tonight; how one man's sacrifice saved hundreds of lives in a warehouse fire…

Davis stared at the screen, unable to take it in. Ken's gone. He ran away. That's what he meant in his letter. Ken's gone! With a final cry of defeated misery, Davis flopped back onto the couch, staring sightlessly at the ceiling.

>Ken's gone…>

Well there you have it folks! If you want to read chapter 11 (the final one!) and the epilogue, please read and review!