Chapter 11

The tension between everyone didn't lessen any in the slightest. Ken and Yolei could only see each other when they were by themselves, when Cody was around, he couldn't. Ken always walked away, he head down low, ashamed. He took what Cody said about him making problems seriously and he didn't dare look at any of them, save for Yolei, in the face.

'What I am going to do?' he was thinking to himself. He sat on his bed in his bedroom, holding Wormmon in his lap, who was half-asleep. The only thing that was keeping the little critter up was that he knew Ken was distressed.

Wormmon looked up at his partner with worry. '

"ken?" he asked. Ken didn't reply. "Ken?" asked Wormmon, only this time slightly louder. He couldn't yell, a). because he didn't want to, and b.)

ken's parent's may hear him and attract attention.

Ken finally looked down and asked, "What?"

"Are you okay? I know you're stressed. I've always been able to tell, even when you were the emperor. It's your eyes that give you away. That's why you wore those silly sunglasses."

"Yeah, well, now I don't have them to hide behind, so now what do I do?" asked Ken. Wormmon shook his head. He nuzzled his head against Ken's arm.

"You don't have to hide Ken. Just tell them how you feel. If they really are your friends, they'll help you feel better. Or at least Yolei will" said the worm. Ken nodded and smiled at the thought.

Tonight was their one-month anniversary and there wasn't anything that was going to get in his way of showing her a good time. Even if it meant he had to swallow all his emotions. He would do it for her. But Yolei wasn't available until around 5:00, because she had to work in her dad's store, and it was only 11:00 on a Saturday. He sighed, and laid back on his pillow.

Wormmon hopped onto his stomach and curled up into a ball, ready for sleep.

"Hey!" teased Ken. "Who exactly told you that I was your official pillow?"

"I did" yawned Wormmon. Ken laughed at this and scratched behind Wormmon's antennas.

"Well then, sleep away" said Ken, yawning himself. "Hmm. Now you're making me sleepy!"

"Sorry" mumbled the worm.

"It's alright. I suppose a nap wouldn't hurt" sighed Ken, closing his eyes. He rubbed Wormmon's back and when he fell asleep, his hand slid down and landed on one of Wormmon's many pinchers.

Wormmon, who was sleeping, woke up with a start at this, and panicked a little. He looked down to see Ken's hand next to him. He looked up at Ken to see that he had fallen asleep.

He shivered as an image of Ken as the Kaiser flashed through his mind.

He remembered that memory very well. The day Ken hurt his right front pincher.

Flashback

Wormmon gulped as he walked into the dark chamber. Ken was at his control module, sneering at the screens as he typed with great speed.

He was working on his "project" again.

'Whatever that is' thought Wormmon.

He bravely crawled his way over next to Ken's chair and looked up at him. Ken was too busy with his work to even notice the digimon sitting they're staring at him. 'Why won't he ever pay any attention to me?'

Wormmon just sat there, content that he was in Ken's presence without being hit or yelled at. He closed his eyes and thought about the little boy he used to love. The boy who used to come to the digital world to play with him. Cuddle and hug him. And make promises to him, that he would always come back.

Wormmon's peace was interrupted by a loud grumbling sound coming from his stomach. It had been days since Ken let him eat. Usually he would just go to the kitchens and get something, but now that Ken was living in the digital world permanently, that was not an option. He blushed and looked up at Ken, frightened.

Ken froze. For several minutes he sat there, listening. Wormmon's stomach growled again and Ken finally moved. He turned his head to look down at the little critter, his face full of distaste.

"Quiet Worm! Or I'll get out my whip!" Ken threatened. Wormmon cringed at the thought.

"I-I-I'm s-sorry K-Ken, I-" stuttered Wormmon.

Ken whipped out his whip from what seemed to be nowhere and before Wormmon could react, he whipped him. "Don't call me KEN!"

Wormmon moaned in pain. The whip had hit his front right pincher, making it bleed. Ken saw this.

"Oh boo hoo" he sneered. "What's the matter? Did I hurt you? I'm so sorry." His voice was dripped heavily with sarcasm.

Wormmon just whimpered as Ken continued to sneer at him. "What a worthless bug you are. You can't even do anything right. You're a terrible partner. I'm disgraced to even know you."

Wormmon's stomach grumbled again.

"Would you stop doing that?" demanded Ken.

"I-I c-can't help it. I'm s-starving" whimpered Wormmon.

Ken didn't say anything at this. He only turned back to his screens and started typing, ignoring the digimon completely.

Wormmon sighed with relief. he wasn't going to be whipped again. Wormmon was about to leave when, "Wormmon!" Ken called. "Before you go. I have something for you."

Wormmon perked up at this thought. 'What could Ken possibly have for me?' he wondered. He walked slowly up to Ken, his pincher in spasms.

"Y-Yes?" asked Wormmon.

Crack!

Ken smiled as he looked at his whip. "The perfect tool to punish unwanted pests."

"Hahahahahahahaha!"

Ken laughed like a maniac for several moments, then fell silent, typing again.

End Flashback

Wormmon shivered one last time, and then flinched when a hand touched him on the head. Wormmon looked at Ken to see that he was still asleep, but he was slowly petting him. His hands as gentle as gentle could get. He smiled. This wasn't the Kaiser. This was his Ken-Chan. The boy he once loved.

Wormmon smiled when he remembered the first time he had ever met Ken.

Flashback

Bored, lonely, and friendless, Wormmon walked through the small forest that was next to the Digi Dessert. He was lonely, had no friends and yet was happy. he knew he was waiting for something. Anything, and he would find his friend.

Wormmon continued walking when there was a great flash in the air. Wormmon looked up only to be crushed under a body.

The body lay still for a moment and then got up. Wormmon heard a gasp before he opened his eyes and someone asked him, "Who are you?"

He opened his eyes to see a human.

'A Digidestined!' though the worm. Every digimon knew about the great digidestined. And when Wormmon saw the black device in his hand, he knew he was right.

He bowed and introduced himself. "I'm Wormmon. A digimon."

"Digimon?" asked the little boy. he didn't look any older than eight.

Wormmon nodded. "What's your name?"

"Kenneth. But please call me Ken. I like it better" was the reply.

Wormmon nodded, taking it all in. "So your name is Kenneth, but you want me to call you Ken? Why?"

Ken nodded. "Ken is short for Kenneth, and I said I like it better."

Wormmon nodded. "Well it's a pleasure to meet you Ken. I'm a your digimon partner."

"So does that mean you'll be friends with me?" asked Ken timidly.

"Of course! We're inseparable!" cried Wormmon. Ken laughed at this and picked up the little critter.

"Wormmon" he mumbled, giving him a tight hug.

Wormmon was celebrating inside. He had finally found his friend. A boy with short blue hair and a kind smile. Ken was so gentle and lonely, just like him.

End Flashback

Wormmon smiled and crawled up to Ken's chest and curled up to fall asleep. His Ken-Chan.