I became instantly paralyzed with fear, my respiration rate increasing dramatically. Rubymon, who was sitting beside me acting like a witch's black cat, got up quickly and hissed at him, her back arching. Ken just glared at her for a split second, a terrifying scowl visible on his face.

Then, it happened. He made sure none of the other digidestined were watching as he kicked Rubymon against the wall, knocking her out cold, and grabbed me, clapping a hand over my mouth so I couldn't scream or call out for help. Then, he proceeded to drag me out of the building through an exit door behind the curtain beside me.

As soon as we were outside, he let me go, except that he still had a hand over my mouth, his other hand clamped tightly on my arm, and he slammed me against the wall. He used his own body weight to pin me against the wall. He let go of my arm, his other hand still on my mouth, and brought one finger to his lips and shushed me, glaring at me menacingly the entire time.

"Well, hello, Crystal. Did you miss me? 'Cause I know I missed torturing you. Now, I'll take my hand away from your mouth, but you've got to promise me that you won't scream. If you do, there's gonna be trouble. Understand?" He shook me ever so slightly to emphasize his point. I tried to struggle against him, but found that he was too strong for me. He simply held me in place, sneering down at me maliciously.

After about 30 seconds of struggling, I finally got tired and calmed down, unable to fight against him anymore. At noticing this, Ken simply laughed cruelly, still glaring down at me. "Really, Crystal, I would've expected better from you. Better be careful, dear. After this whole act of defiance against me, you're starting to make me think that you need me to teach you your place all over again. You don't want me to have to do that, now do you?" That being said, all I could do was to stare up at Ken like a deer in headlights, completely terrified. I shook my head, praying that he might have mercy on me.

"No? Oh, what a good girl you're being now that I'm a fatal threat to you again." He slowly took his hand away from my mouth, watching my actions carefully for any signs that I might act against him again. I didn't. I was too afraid to do anything against him at the moment. It wouldn't have been a wise choice if I had, I assure you. "Now, come on. We're gonna calmly walk to my place and go back to the Digital World through my computer. And you are not going to fight against me on the way there. Got it?" I nodded then. "Good. Now, come with me."

And with that, he started to drag me away, holding me at the wrist. On the way to Ken's place, we passed by a couple of people who knew me and waved to me, greeting me on the street. I just tried to act as normal as possible and acknowledge them back, trying to work a smile onto my face. It didn't really work to well. One of my friends that I passed gave me a concerned look as Ken and I passed her by.

Soon, we were at the front door of Ken's apartment. Ken opened the door and pushed me in. "Mom," he called as soon as he had closed the door, "I'm home!" There was no reply. "Mom?" he called out again. Again, nothing.

He turned to me then, a please smirk playing on his face. "It seems as if no one is home. Perfect," he snickered at me. "Oh, and just to let you know…Now, feel free to fight and struggle against me all you want. It won't do you much good, but if it'll make you feel better, than go ahead and scream and kick and hit as much as your little heart desires."

That's when he started to drag me towards his room. But, I didn't go without a fight! As he tried to force me to go with him, I screamed at him. I tried to stomp on his feet. I dug my nails into his arm. I even bit him, which, if you wanna know the truth, did make him let me go. But my little taste of freedom didn't last too long.

I made a run for the door, only to find out that it was locked when I got there. I was so panicked that I fumbled with trying to unlock the door. Just as I got the lock undone and opened the door about an inch, a strong hand connected with the door, slamming it shut again and the another arm wrap around my waist, pulling me back the other way.

"I have to admit, little girl, that was a pretty nice try. But not quite good enough, I'm afraid." I struggled against him fiercely once again. "Oh come, come now. Let's get back to the Digital World. You want to see Wormmon again, don't you? No sense it keeping him waiting. Let's go, dear."

And so, he dragged me into his room and shut the door, locking it so I couldn't get out. Then, he opened up the Digiportal, and before I knew it, we were in the familiar surroundings I knew so well as the dungeon of Ken's base. We stopped when we were in front of one of the cells. Ken made me face him then. At first, I couldn't find my voice, but I finally did a couple of seconds later.

"K-Ken, I—" I began stammering, only to be cut off by Ken shushing me, his finger pressed against my lips. Oh, what I wouldn't have given at the moment, just to get him away from me. But sadly, I don't think that was an option for now. Although, just to make myself feel even the slightest bit better, I bit the finger he idiotically put to close to my face. Ken pulled his hand back and gave a slight gasp of pain.

I felt satisfied with what I'd just done, that is, until he drew back his hand and slapped me hard across the face, causing me to fall to the floor. I tried to get over the shock of the slap as he pulled me to my feet, but it was hard considering how frightened I was at that point. "Why you little brat!"

"Ken, please—"

"No, no, Crystal. You lost the privilege of calling me by that name when you ran off and disobeyed me in such a way." Suddenly, his arrogant and cruel smirk completely disappeared, replaced by a look of pure anger and spite. "From now on, you will address me as Master. Is that clear?"

Ken squeezed my shoulders painfully, causing me to wince in pain. Tears started to well in my eyes as my fear grew increasingly by the second. I tried to speak, but my voice caught in my throat. I shook my head slowly in disbelief, unable to fully comprehend what was going on, the tears about ready to fall. I tried to speak again, and only managed to utter a weak, "Please—", before Ken interfered by shaking me violently, slamming my back against the bars of the cell. As soon as the cold steel bars smashed into my back, I let out an anguished cry of pain and the tears that had been stinging my eyes finally fell.

"Stop crying and answer me, little runt! I said, 'Is that clear!'" He slammed me against the bars once more.

Seeing no way around the command and how dangerous it would've been to refuse, I lowered my head in defeat. "Yes," I replied in a submissive tone, only to be slapped again by Ken and have his hand wrap around my throat.

"Yes what?"

"Yes, M-Master," I whispered, trembling, my eyes closed, having to force the last word out as a result of the sheer humiliation and defeat that I felt, my cheeks burning. Plus, there was still that part of me who wanted to resist him, but right now, was fighting a loosing battle.

'What the hell am I ever going to do? Ken's gonna end up killing me; I know it! If I don't get away, sooner or later, I'm gonna die!' I thought to myself as Ken chuckled, obviously satisfied at having finally regained control over my every move for the most part. Oh, how I hated him for the situation I was in, but there was nothing I could about it at the moment. I'd surely loose if I fought against him again.

"Good girl," he said to my in an oily voice that sent shivers up and down my spine. At seeing me shiver, a sinister smile spread across Ken's face. "Now then," he continued, starting to push me backwards into the cell, "I suggest that you get used to this cell. It's gonna be your new home until the day you die. Oh, but don't you worry now." Ken all of a sudden shoved me backwards into the cell with such force that I crashed into the wall of the cell, crying out in pain, and slid down to the ground.

I lifted my head up just in time to see Ken slam the cell door shut practically in my face, seeing as how small the cell was. "I won't keep you awaiting death for too long." He let out another deep, malicious chuckle as he left the dungeon, the door leading to the rest of the base making a huge crash as it shut, blocking out the majority of the light in the room, except for the small amount of light still emitting from the tiny barred window at the end of the cell opposite the bars and the door.

I slowly got up, every bone in my body aching from the impact when I hit the wall, and turned so that I was staring out the small window of the cell, looking out into the last-remaining remnants of a star-glittered night sky and a full moon, almost completely covered by clouds by then.

I put my hands on the bars and let out a dispirited sigh, staring out into the darkness I'd been afraid of for as long as I could remember but now longed to escape into with sorrowful eyes. "How am I ever gonna survive this?" I choked out before I started to cry again, lowering my gloomy gaze to the floor and then closing my eyes altogether. Then, I lowered myself into a corner of the cell, hugged my knees tightly to my chest, sunk my face into my knees and wept while the light pitter-patter sound reached my ears as it began to rain just outside the cell.

'What am I ever going to do?' …

………………………………………………………………………………………………

A/N: (Sniffling) Well, there you have it. Chapter 19 is done.

Digimon Emperor: (Does happy dance) Yes! I'm winning, I'm winning, I'm winning, I'm—Ow! (Rubs new bump the size of a baseball on head and look at what just smashed into it.)

(Smiles evilly)

Digimon Emperor: (Gives Diva'sDream an incredibly irritated look)

(Laughing) Hey, I was right! It does leave a bump on your head the size of Texas when you get hit by a dictionary!

Digimon Emperor: (Pulling out whip) Why you evil little—! (Gets hit with "War and Peace" and is knocked unconscious)

(Stares at Digimon Emperor) Yay! Another makeover time! Excuse me while I go get my make-up kit again. (Walks away)

Diehard-Ken-Fans-Who-Probably-Hate-Me-By-Now: No! (Tries to kill me through the computer again)

(Searching for make-up kit) Oh, and chapter 20 is coming soon. Be patient—the story is starting to draw to a close! Buh-bye people!