Chapter 6

Yesterday morning, Ken had awoken with pride in knowing that he was a genius and great athlete, but after going over it in his head, his first memory had come to him: He knew it wasn't true. He wasn't a genius, and he wasn't really athletic.

Davis Motamiya had explained something about the "Dark Spore". But what was it? All Davis said was that it enhanced him temporarily. But was there more to it than that? What was the Dark Spore really supposed to be? Was it an experiment? Was he nothing more than just a pawn for someone's research?

Those questions and more raced through Ken's head that day as he tried to figure out the Dark Spore. He recalled nothing about it, and it wasn't familiar to him at all. Yet Davis had described it as "like a program" and he said it was the source of a change in him. It made him an angry person, Davis told him, causing him to be isolated from the rest of the world…

Had he really been angry in the past?

Ken didn't know. Anything before awakening on the ship after his accident was a blur to him. His past was gone, utterly erased from his memory.

He sighed heavily, his own thoughts becoming too much for him. Shutting his eyes, he laid back in his bed.

There were too many unanswered questions, and it confused him terribly. His head ached from all the thinking, leaving him in a state of mental exhaustion, and even so, the thoughts didn't leave him.

So, so many questions left unanswered…

He went shopping with his parents later that day. Though he tried to have fun with it and concentrate on what he was doing, his mind kept wandering off.

"Honey, reach over there and grab me some rice, would you?"

'I wonder just what Davis meant? 'Like a program'? And if I really was so angry in the past, why? And why would I have isolated myself? Surely…'

"Ken, dear, did you hear me?"

'…the Dark Spore alone couldn't have caused that. The explanation Davis gave me almost seems unreal. It wasn't enough. He didn't make it clear. I need more!'

"The rice, Ken!"

His mother's sharp tone brought the boy back to reality. "Sorry," he mumbled as he finally reached over and picked up some rice as he'd been ordered.

"You really ought to pay more attention," Mrs. Ichijouji said.

"I'm trying to," Ken insisted. "It's just that there's so much on my mind!"

"It's alright, Kenny."

Later, when they were through, Ken's parents stood in a long line, waiting to purchase their things. Ken, however, stood back and alone, waiting impatiently for them.

Sighing with disgust, he leaned against the wall. All he wanted to do was go home. That way, he could escape from all the noisy busyness of the shop and get away from all those people! Then he could search for answers.

A girl suddenly caught his eye: Long, lavender hair, tall and thin with glasses…

The picture popped into his mind. There was TK Takaishi to the very left, with an arm around Kari Kamiya, Cody Hida to the far right, Davis Motamiya in the middle, and Ken himself next to Davis, and hanging onto his arm…

Yolei Inoue.

It had to be her. She looked just like the girl in the picture. He glanced over at his parents- still waiting in line, with a long time yet to go- and then slowly slipped away. The girl had been absent for the get-together before and he had yet to speak with her. This was his chance.

He popped up behind her, tapping her shoulder, and she whirled around, a bit startled.

"Yolei…?" he questioned hopefully.

In an instant, the girl's arms were around him, embracing him.

"Ken!" she exclaimed. "It's so good to see you! It's been a while!"

No response.

Yolei looked up at him, smiling cheerfully. Her smile faded, though, when she noticed the seriousness in Ken's expression. He wore a stern look, and eyed her cautiously. She let go of him, and suddenly recalled what Davis had told her about Ken's accident and his getting amnesia. "Oh, I'm sorry," she apologized. "I forgot! You don't know anything! Or, you don't remember anything, to be better put. But really, I guess it doesn't matter. They both kinda mean the same thing, so…" Her voice trailed off. She watched Ken, whose expression hadn't changed.

"Yolei," Ken said the name to himself, wondering about her.

"Bingo!" Yolei exclaimed. "Yolei Inoue!" She grinned. Then it hit her. "Hey," she said, "I thought you'd forgotten everything, so how come you know my name?"

"Davis Motamiya told me," Ken answered.

"And how were you able to recognize me?"

"I have a picture," Ken explained. "I realized that you're the girl that's…" He paused for a second, then went on, "…clinging onto me."

Yolei laughed nervously. "Oh yeah," she said, "I remember that picture."

"It's nice to finally meet you," Ken said, a smile finally coming to his lips.

Seeing Ken smile, Yolei couldn't help but smile herself. "I suppose it is!" Then she bowed. "Listen, I'm really sorry I wasn't able to make it to the meeting the other day."

Ken just looked at her, his blue eyes meeting her brown behind those glasses of hers. "It's-" -he broke his eye contact with her- "-alright."

"I don't know, somehow the fact that you have amnesia slipped my mind when I saw you. Sorry if I offended you. But, anyway, I think it's just terrible. I really feel for you."

Ken simply nodded.

"Ken?"

"Hmm?"

"Look at me."

He looked up, but it was impossible to truly meet her eyes.

"What's the matter?" Yolei questioned.

Something about eye contact was hard, he wasn't sure why. "I…" he started, but no words followed.

"Yolei!" someone called.

The girl glanced over her shoulder.

"C'mon, Yolei! We gotta get going!"

Yolei turned back to Ken, frowning. "That's my sister calling for me," she told him. "I've got to go."

"Goodbye, I guess."

Yolei put her arms around him in a tight hug. "You're worried, I can tell," she whispered. "Don't be. It's all gonna turn out ok, you'll see." With that, she let go of him, smiling.

A hug was just what he needed, and the words were very uplifting. "Thanks," he said gratefully.

"Talk to ya later Ken!" Yolei exclaimed. "Buh bye!"

Ken waved to her. "Bye," he muttered, almost hating to see her go. Their time together had been so short.

She left, but not without turning around when she was a few feet away to tell him goodbye one last time and give him a quick wink.

Perhaps, having finally met the girl, he now had something else to contemplate.