Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.
A/N: A bit of a longer chapter, (and a bit confusing at some points), but it does explain a lot if you read it carefully. The next chapter will lead into Sam again. Also, I won't be able to update next week with my work schedule, but I will hopefully update again the week after.
Following the Footsteps of Destiny
Chapter 159: The Truth Within the Truth
Ken Ichijouji
Odaiba, Japan, Earth
Ken listened to Dai's story in shocked silence, almost unable to believe some of the things he was hearing. Clearly, a lot had happened in the Digital World that afternoon, and almost all of Dai's information made him feel as if he might have been better off not knowing the truth after all, especially when it came to his son.
Sam must have been pulled into the World of Darkness. There's just no way around it. No other explanation makes sense, and if I'm right then that means Sam is allowing the darkness to enter his heart. He's going to end up suffering just like I did, and if that happens it'll be all my fault...
"Sam, how could you give up so easily? You're stronger than that, I know you are," Yolei murmured sadly, shaking her head and resting her cheek against the top of Nao's head. "It's strange, but even though I had a feeling something like this was going to happen eventually, I couldn't help hoping that things would somehow work out all right, but...I guess I was wrong..."
"No, Yolei, you're not wrong at all," Takara said firmly, crossing her arms and giving the lavender-haired Digidestined a defiant look. "It might take a little while, but if we just give Sam some time to come to terms with the truth, he'll eventually find his way back to us again. Don't give up yet! If you do, Sam might never find a way to be happy again."
"The same is true for you, Ken. If you give up on Sam now, he may never be able to fogive you," Mickey said softly, his amber eyes growing dark and serious.
Ken winced at the older twin's words, the truth of what Mickey was saying causing a fist to clench around his heart, but despite the sting of such a harsh observation, he nodded his head in agreement. "I know, Mickey. I haven't given up, not yet. Even if tonight Sam decides he can no longer call me his father, I will never stop believing in him. No matter how he feels about me, it doesn't change the fact that he will always be my son. If I lose faith in him now, then I don't have the right to call myself his father. If I give up now, then I don't deserve to have someone like him for a son."
"Oh, Ken," Yolei whispered, burying her face in her hands to hide the tears threatening to slip free from beneath the lenses of her glasses.
Leaning back on his hands, Matty lifted his chin and gazed thoughtfully at the ceiling. The younger twin looked surprisingly serious, and yet despite his solemn expression, there was a slight smile on his face. "You're right, Ken. If you can't have faith in other people, then you have no business asking them for their forgiveness. If you can't believe in yourself, then how do you expect others to believe in you? Everything we do, every decision we make, is based upon how we feel about each other, which means if we lose faith, we lose...everything."
Ken stared at the younger twin in astonishment, but it was Mickey's expression that had truly captured his attention. Normally Matty wasn't usually so philosophical, so to hear something so meaningful come flying out of the younger twin's mouth had clearly caught Mickey off guard. Blinking in surprise, the older twin stared at his brother, and without warning he suddenly leaned over and smacked Matty hard on the back of the head.
"Ouch!" the younger twin shouted, rubbing the back of his skull and sending his brother a dirty look. "What was that for?"
Mickey's cheeks turned pink and he beamed at the younger twin. "You're so stupid, Matty! Just when I think I understand you, you have to go and say something that changes everything. I...I guess I could learn a few things from you."
"You're the stupid one, Mickey. Just because you don't believe in me doesn't mean I've changed how I feel about you."
Mickey's lower lip trembled and he nodded slowly. "But...I don't deserve it. What you said was true."
"Maybe it's true for both of us. That's what happens when you lose sight of who you are..."
Both twins fell silent and Ken exchanged a nervous look with Yolei. There was obviously something going on between the two brothers, but at the moment he figured it was probably best not to mention it. Unfortunately, Miya didn't seem to feel the same way because she suddenly looked up and frowned at the twins."What's up with you two?"
"Oh nothing," Dai snorted, before either twin could answer. "They're just being real idiots right now. Don't worry, we'll deal with them after we deal with Sam."
Both twins turned bright red and frowned suspiciously at the goggle-headed leader, but instead of replying, both of them merely lowered their heads and proceeded to gaze uncertainly at their feet.
Deciding now was probably a good time to change the subject, Ken turned his attention to Dai, but not before taking a quick look at his daughter. That was the first time Miya had spoken since responding to Takara's questions and concern earlier, and the fact that she had been unusually quiet while listening to Dai's story made him feel slightly nervous. He wanted desperately to know what she was thinking, but at the same time he was afraid to find out exactly what was going on in her mind at the moment.
Whatever she's thinking about can't be good. Why else would someone who's normally so talkative have lost their ability to speak?
It was a depressing thought, but right now he didn't have time to dwell on his uneasiness concerning his daughter's thoughts. There were still too many other things he needed to understand first and a lot of his so far unanswered questions centered around what had happened in the Digital World that afternoon. "So...DarkAngelicmon was the one who told Sam the truth."
Ryoko let out a deep sigh and pressed his cheek against Iramon's soft fur. "Sam didn't actually tell us who told him, and DarkAngelicmon never actually admitted he was the one who told Sam, but there's no one else who could have let that information slip to your son. Although we can't prove it, we're sure DarkAngelicmon was the only digimon Sam encountered this afternoon. On top of that, it had to have been a digimon because you know none of your friends would have told him your secret. I never told him either, obviously, and none of my friends knew the truth until after Sam had already entered the forest."
"Takara, Matty, Dovemon, and Celestimon didn't even know until after we met up with Tai's group again," Palelymon mumbled.
"But why?" Yolei wailed. "Why would he tell Sam?"
"That's what we don't understand, but he must have had his reasons for doing it," Dai insisted.
"Anyone have any ideas?" DemiEmbermon asked hesitantly.
"I have an idea, but...I doubt any of you will believe me," Mickey mumbled, gazing meekly at his hands.
"That's not true! You know I'll believe you," Palelymon said shyly, beaming at his partner. "What is it, Mickey? You can tell us."
Mickey bit his lip, and blushing slightly he shrugged his shoulders, his attitude making it seem as if he felt his thoughts were of little importance. "None of you were close enough to clearly see the look in his eyes when he lifted me into the air, but I could see what was hiding beneath the surface of his anger. I know I can't prove it, but something about the look on his face makes me think he didn't really want to tell Sam the truth about the Emperor. Earlier, I said it looked as if DarkAngelicmon didn't give Sam a choice to hide from the truth, but now I'm starting to think...maybe...maybe it was the other way around. Maybe Sam didn't give DarkAngelicmon a choice. Perhaps there was a reason why he had to tell Sam the truth. That must be why he blurted out Ken's secret, even though he didn't really want to."
"Are you serious?" Matty shouted in disbelief. "Mickey, have you forgotten already? DarkAngelicmon already tried once before to tell Sam the truth. Why in the Digiworld would he suddenly decide to change his mind now after spending so much time trying to torture Sam?"
"I'm not sure, but I think it might have something to do with the Spirit Chips. Perhaps DarkAngelicmon felt telling Sam the truth wouldn't be in either of their best interests."
"Well, that's certainly true," Ryoko murmured, scratching his golden head. "DarkAngelicmon has hinted several times that if we let ourselves become corrupted by darkness, we won't be able to get our hands on our Spirit Chips, nor will we be able to help each other find our Spirit Chips. That's pretty much what he was saying to you, Mickey."
"You mean when...when he yelled at me earlier this afternoon?"
"Yes, exactly, and I'm sure he believes the same thing about Sam. DarkAngelicmon obviously believes that if Sam lets himself become corrupted by darkness then he won't be able to release his Spirit Chip from the seal created by his D-Coder. Also, if he allows himself to give in to evil, he may not want to help us anymore, and without his help, the rest of us might not be able to overcome the dangers that will most likely threaten the whole team when we go to find the rest of our Spirit Chips."
"So, in other words, Sam's actions could jeopardize our chances of finding any of the Spirit Chips, not just his own," Dai said seriously.
"Correct. To put it simply, I think DarkAngelicmon believed telling Sam the truth about the Emperor would cause him to become corrupted by darkness, which would jeopardize everything the Ruler of Darkness is trying so hard to achieve. An evil Sam could ruin their chances of stealing all of the Spirit Chips, and without the Spirit Chips, the crests and the D-Coders will also be useless to them. All their plans rest on the powers of the Spirit Chips. Only...if what Mickey said is true, then that could be the very reason why DarkAngelicmon decided to change his mind about not telling Sam the truth concerning the Emperor's true identity. Remember, when DarkAngelicmon first tried to tell Sam about Ken, he knew a lot about the Spirit Chips, but he didn't know everything. Because of Gennai, he knew we would need the crests and he suspected we would need our parents, but some of the more finer details he still had yet to discover. What Gennai told us this afternoon changed all of that. Now, like us, he knows almost everything, and as a result I believe it forced him to change his plans a little. It looks as if he came to the conclusion that Gennai's information meant he needed to keep the truth about the Emperor a secret, but perhaps Sam somehow made DarkAngelicmon realize that instead of discovering the truth, he had actually misinterpreted Gennai's information, which would explain why he would change his mind and tell Sam the truth at the last minute."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Matty demanded. "How about talking in a language I understand?"
Mickey frowned and slowly shook his head. "I don't know what Ryoko means, but like I said before, when it comes to blurting out the truth about the Emperor, I don't think Sam gave DarkAngelicmon any other choice. Something must have happened to make him angry enough to jeopardize his own plans."
Or so it would seem...
"You've really changed your mind, haven't you," Matty said quietly, gazing calmly into his brother's amber eyes.
"Yes, I'm sure of it now. It was Sam who didn't give DarkAngelicmon a choice to keep the truth hidden, not the other way around."
"Mickey, do you really think it was that simple?" Ryoko asked hesitantly. "Do you really think DarkAngelicmon blurted out the truth just because he might have been angry? Did you forget your own words already?"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"I...it's nothing. Forget it."
"By attempting to keep the truth a secret, DarkAngelicmon was trying to help Sam," Palelymon said shyly. "I know that's hard to believe, and it's also kind of hard to explain, but I know I'm right. What do you think, Ken?"
Ken gazed quietly at his hands for a moment, and narrowing his eyes in concentration, he slowly shook his head. "I'm not...sure. I understand why he didn't hurt Sam, or try to kill him, since he's already made it pretty clear he needs the six of you to get his hands on the Spirit Chips, but that doesn't explain why he didn't try to kidnap Sam to use him as bait in his quest to steal the Spirit Chip on Infinity Mountain. Even if DarkAngelicmon didn't want to use my son as bait, he still could have taken Sam directly to the Ruler of Darkness and kept him prisoner until it came time to find his Spirit Chip, but instead he let him walk away. Although, after what Ryoko said only moments ago, I suppose keeping Sam captive could have jeopardized the rest of your chances to get the other Spirit Chips, but still...according to Jestermon and Spritemon, they were acting as DarkAngelicmon's spies, and like Ryoko said, thanks to them, DarkAngelicmon now knows all about your conversation with Gennai and your plans to reach the top of Infinity Mountain. He knows everything and yet he still let Sam go free."
"Well, we don't actually know if he let Sam go without a fight," Iramon said calmly.
"That's true. Maybe he did try to capture Sam, but because of our D-Coders, his plan failed," Dai muttered to himself. "When it comes to DarkAngelicmon, we can't really be certain of anything."
"I don't believe that," Mickey said quietly, shaking his head in denial. "I can't really explain why I feel so sure, but I know I'm right. He definitely let Sam go free, but unfortunately not without a price."
Before anyone could even attempt to disagree, Ken nodded slowly and gave the older twin a weak smile. "I agree with you, Mickey, but...well, like you, I don't have an answer for why he would do such a thing, and nothing we've said so far, except for Ryoko's suspicions, explains why he dropped his guard and allowed himself to tell Sam the truth about the Emperor. He tried once before, but Luciamon stopped him before he could do more than spark Sam's interest. Then, if what you say is true, he changed his mind only to end up blurting out what he had decided to keep hidden after all, despite the risk of jeopardizing his plans and the original mission given to him by the Ruler of Darkness. A mission I believe he still must carry out, along with capturing Lucemon. There must be a reason."
"I thought that was obvious," Matty snorted, rolling his eyes. "DarkAngelicmon has been trying to get to all of us since right from the very beginning. I bet he wants Sam to end up in the World of Darkness permanently. Of course, he won't allow that to happen until after he gets his hands on Sam's Spirit Chip, but once he does, he won't care what happens to our friend. In DarkAngelicmon's eyes, having Sam lose his heart to the darkness would just be a fitting end to the Emperor's sad tale."
Ken winced at the younger twin's words, and yet despite Matty's harsh tone, there had been no hostility in his voice when he had mentioned the Emperor.
Does that mean he doesn't feel the same way as Sam about the Digimon Emperor? Does that mean he doesn't think I no longer deserve to call myself a Digidestined?
"DarkAngelicmon wants nothing more than to completely destroy Sam, I'm sure of it," Matty insisted.
"At least, on the surface that appears to be the case," Ryoko murmured, sitting back on his hands and gazing thoughtfully at the ceiling.
Almost immediately, Matty's amber eyes narrowed into a frown, and Ken watched the younger twin give his cousin a suspicious look. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing, only...like I said earlier, I think perhaps DarkAngelicmon's priorities may have changed several times since he first found out about the Spirit Chips. I also believe what Mickey said earlier is the truth. I really think DarkAngelicmon did change his mind about revealing the Emperor's true identity, and yet despite his resolve not to say anything, he was unable to prevent himself from telling Sam exactly what he wanted to hear, which makes it look as if DarkAngelicmon's priorities may have changed even since deciding to keep the truth a secret. On the surface, it seems he blurted out the truth in anger, but I don't believe that. I think Sam somehow must have finally made him realize the true key to not only getting the Spirit Chips, but also the true key to using them, as well. Of course, he would never have allowed Sam, or anyone else for that matter, to see the internal conflict raging within his mind, but..."
Sitting up straight in his seat, Ken lifted his head and stared at Ryoko in astonishment. "I knew it! So...you see it, too?"
Ryoko smiled and nodded his head. "When DarkAngelicmon confronted Mickey, I could tell his entire way of thinking had changed dramatically. I believe he finally sees what he has been missing this whole time."
"Which would be what?" Matty snorted. "What is it you two are hiding?"
"I honestly think DarkAngelicmon did what he felt was best for Sam. Like Mickey said, at first, after hearing Gennai's information, I believe he wanted to keep Ken's past a secret because he thought it would jeopardize Sam's chances of receiving a Spirit Chip, but something has changed since then. I don't have any proof, but just before we joined Mickey at the edge of the forest, Sam somehow managed to convince DarkAngelicmon that instead of hurting him, revealing the truth about the Emperor would somehow protect him from something else that could potentially be much more dangerous than the Emperor's past. It's almost as if he realized his original plan to tell Sam the truth about the Emperor would, in fact, be a more effective way of getting his hands on Sam's Spirit Chip."
"How do you figure that?" Dai asked curiously.
"Because I finally realize what DarkAngelicmon is only now just beginning to understand. Maybe, instead of hiding from the truth, Sam needs to get over his fears concerning the Emperor to even have a chance of acquiring his Spirit Chip, but whether or not that's true, it doesn't change how I feel. I can't really explain it, but to automatically assume DarkAngelicmon was trying to hurt Sam, risking his own plans for the Digital World in the process, just doesn't sit right with me. Remember, we still don't know what really happened in the forest this afternoon."
"Ryoko, I...you're right. I can't believe I didn't see it!" Mickey said happily, smiling at his cousin "That explains what I was trying to say earlier, even though I didn't realize it at the time.Your theory could be the reason why DarkAngelicmon felt his only choice was to tell Sam the truth. Somehow Sam must have made him realize what was really important and because of that he had no other choice but to reveal Ken's secret."
Throwing up his hands in exasperation, Matty let out a loud groan and shook his head in defeat. "You two are completely hopeless, you know that?"
"Look who's talking," Ryoko snorted. "I just don't think it's smart to underestimate your enemies. When it comes to DarkAngelicmon, we need to be prepared for anything. He's a very complex digimon and so is his way of thinking. To ignore the hidden meaning behind much of what he says would be stupid and foolish. One wrong move in response to his actions and we could end up making a huge mistake."
"Are you calling me stupid?" Matty asked, frowning suspiciously at his cousin.
"No, Matty, I'm saying you assume too much. You have to look at everything with an open mind. If you don't, you could end up missing something incredibly important."
"So, in other words, you're calling me stupid."
"Blissfully ignorant would be a more accurate term, I think," Ryoko replied, smiling slightly. "You only believe what you want to believe. It must be nice to feel so sure..."
If that is in fact how Matty really feels!
Judging from the uncertain look on the younger twin's face, Ken was quite sure Matty didn't really know what to believe, especially when it came to DarkAngelicmon. If anything, the younger twin was struggling to choose between what he really wanted to believe was the truth and what he felt he had to believe concerning the mystery that was DarkAngelicmon. Although he was unlikely to admit it any time soon, Matty appeared no more sure about what was really going on with the fallen angel than Mickey was, but unlike the older twin, Matty was a much better actor. "You may not agree, Matty, but Ryoko is right about one thing. The Spirit Chips are a lot like the crests, and although Gennai didn't say it in so many words, like the crests, I think to obtain the Spirit Chips and in order for them to work properly, you're all going to have to believe in yourselves and also in the power that rests within your Spirit Chips. A power that defines who you are. I can't be certain, but I believe if Sam continues to dwell on the Emperor's past... no, on my past, then I doubt he'll be able to believe in himself and I doubt he'll be able to believe in the power that represents his greatest strength either. If that happens, I'm almost certain his Spirit Chip won't work, and not only that, but I don't think his D-Coder will be able to break the second seal surrounding his Spirit Chip either. That means he won't even be able to get his hands on it, let alone make it work. If Sam can't obtain his Spirit Chip or control its power, then that will mean big trouble for DarkAngelicmon and you know as well as I do that a useless Spirit Chip would throw a huge wrench into DarkAngelicmon's plans."
"What's your point?" Iramon asked bluntly.
"I agree with Ryoko and Mickey. Perhaps Sam's actions in the forest today somehow caused DarkAngelicmon to come to the same conclusion. If that's true then that would explain why he would tell Sam the truth about the Emperor, assuming Mickey's theory is correct."
"The look in his eyes," Mickey whispered. "He didn't want to tell Sam the truth because he didn't want to cause him any pain, but when he realized the truth deep down, he knew he didn't have a choice. He did it to help Sam."
"I believe Mickey is right," Minomon said quietly.
Ken gently stroked his partner's head and lifted his chin to gaze thoughtfully at the ceiling. "I don't know exactly how DarkAngelicmon plans to use the Spirit Chips, but if his priorities really have changed, thanks to Sam, then what I'm about to tell you now will make a lot of sense. If we assume DarkAngelicmon didn't want to tell my son the truth, only to end up changing his mind at the last minute as a result of Sam's actions today, then I believe he may have finally come to the same conclusions as I have about the Spirit Chips."
"You mean...you have your own theory about the Spirit Chips?" Fluttermon asked eagerly.
"Yes, and I believe DarkAngelicmon blurted out the truth because somehow Sam forced him to come up with the same theory."
"Care to explain this intriguing theory to us?" Dai asked dryly, smiling in amusement.
"It's simple really, in order for the Spirit Chips to be of any use to anyone, including DarkAngelicmon, they have to be in good working condition, which means Sam must not give in to the darkness in his heart. At least, not yet. That part will come later. Once Sam has learned how to use his Spirit Chip, and to control its power, then that is where I believe DarkAngelicmon will finally be able to put his real plans into action. I believe it's only after Sam has bonded with his Spirit Chip that DarkAngelicmon will be able to use its power to his advantage."
"But...but the Spirit Chip that belongs to Sam won't respond to anyone else. How could DarkAngelicmon possibly find a way to use it?" Takara asked curiously.
Ken rested his head against the back of the couch and he gave the female Digidestined a bitter smile. "By using Sam. I believe the only way a crest can truly become evil is if the person it belongs to allows them self to become a victim of the Powers of Darkness. The same must be true for the Spirit Chips. If Sam becomes fully corrupted by the darkness, then his Spirit Chip will also become a tool of darkness. No one can really make you become evil. If you choose to stray from the light then ultimately that is your decision, and no one else's. You don't have to listen to those who try to manipulate you, but in cases like what happened with me, often our hearts are weak and instead of turning away from the darkness, we choose to do what is easy instead of what is right."
"But...but the Emperor thing wasn't all your fault, right?" Miya suddenly blurted out, her light brown eyes beginning to sparkle with unexpected tears. "I mean, we don't know the whole story, but Oikawa had a lot to do with it, and MaloMyotismon."
Ken turned to face his daughter, and reaching out he gently placed his hand on her shoulder. "Maybe it wasn't all my fault, but that doesn't change what I did. I still have to take responsibility for my actions. The reason the Powers of Darkness are so fearsome is because they don't follow a standard set of rules. If Sam's Spirit Chip or any of the other Spirit Chips become a tool of darkness then I'm afraid DarkAngelicmon will somehow find a way to use their power."
"How?" DemiEmbermon demanded. "The Spirit Chips won't respond to anyone except the humans who can use their power. We've said it several times already."
"Isn't it obvious? If you lose your heart to the darkness and your Spirit Chip becomes a true tool for evil, then I think it's pretty safe to say you will no longer have control over its power. If that's true, then any evil digimon could potentially find a way to bend its power to their will. When your parents first found their crests, some of them had trouble getting the things to work, and there was one incident where...where one of the crests didn't work exactly as it should have. In fact, even after your parents were able to harness the power of their crests, there were still cases where one of them would lose sight of who they were, and when that would happen, whoever it was that had lost their ability to believe in themselves and their friends would no longer be able to get their crest to work. It happened to your father, Ryoko, when T.K. was captured by Puppetmon. Matt lost sight of what was really important, and as a result his crest would not glow for him when he needed Gabumon to digivolve."
"He forgot about the importance of friendship," Ryoko said sadly, shaking his head. "I know all about that. It was one of the things my dad told me last night when I figured out the truth about you."
Ken bowed his head and let out a soft sigh. "Thankfully none of your parents ever gave themselves up completely to the darkness, so their crests never gained enough negative energy to become powerful tools of darkness, but that's not the case with me. If Oikawa or MaloMyotismon had gotten hold of my crest, or more accurately its energy when I was the Emperor, I'm sure they could have found a way to use its dormant power for evil. At the time, the Crest of Kindness, which was being rebuilt within the golden Digiegg of Miracles, had merely been used as a power source for my base, but if I had tried to harness its power while I was the Emperor, it most likely would have ended up being corrupted by darkness. In a way, it already was, which was why it needed to be rebuilt in the first place, but thanks to the Digiegg of Miracles, which I'm sure Veemon mentioned to you, my crest remained safe. If Tai and the others had ever lost their hearts completely to the darkness, like I did, then the same would be true for them, but luckily our enemies never really tried to take that approach. Well, DemiDevimon and I suppose Apoclaymon did, in a way, but they never succeeded. If we lose sight of ourselves, the crests and Spirit Chips won't work, but if we push hard enough, we could potentially break through that barrier, which would allow us to use their powers for evil. To do so would cause us to lose control of our power and that could possibly give our enemies a chance to use our power to their advantage. If you turn your back on your Spirit Chip then the darkness will feed off its power. If that happens, it won't matter who has your Spirit Chip. Whether you have it or whether DarkAngelicmon manages to steal it won't make any difference anymore. Either way your powers could still be controlled by the very darkness itself and those who know how to wield it effectively."
"So, in other words, you think DarkAngelicmon only blurted out the truth to Sam because he realized that his original plan would be a more effective way of corrupting Sam's Spirit Chip? You think he only helped Sam because he wants to use his Spirit Chip for evil?" Mickey asked, looking disappointed.
"Only if you're right about DarkAngelicmon wanting to hide the truth," Matty reminded the older twin. "If you're wrong, then that means his decision to tell Sam the truth never really changed to begin with. Well, sort of."
Looking up in surprise, Ken quickly shook his head and gave Mickey a warm smile. "Well, like I said before, if Sam can't let go of his anger and doubt, even if the seal created by three of the crests is broken, I believe he still won't be able to break the second seal. And even if he did manage to get past that barrier, which is highly unlikely, I doubt he would be able to get his Spirit Chip to work. Both of these things could potentially cause a huge set back in DarkAngelicmon's plans, whatever they might be, since we still don't really know exactly what those plans are, which would explain why he would want to help Sam."
"But...does he believe what we believe? That's the real question here," Ryoko interrupted, frowning slightly.
"Maybe he didn't at first, but I have a feeling he does now, and I'm sure it's because of Sam's actions in the forest, whatever they may have been. DarkAngelicmon can't get his hands on Sam's Spirit Chip if Sam himself can't even get it. And in order to get it, Sam's heart must be pure. Also, on top of everything I've said before, I'm sure in order for DarkAngelicmon to gain complete control over Sam's Spirit Chip and to be able to use it for true evil, Sam will have to have at least some idea of how to use it himself, whether for good or for evil, though I think if Sam can harness its true power, the power of light, before losing his heart to the darkness, then that will make his Spirit Chip an even stronger tool of evil. If Mickey read DarkAngelicmon's expression correctly, which I believe he did, then perhaps that explains why DarkAngelicmon decided to abandon his plan of keeping my past a secret. You've heard DarkAngelicmon talk about the crests and the Spirit Chips. He keeps telling us they can become corrupted, just like our hearts can be tainted by the Powers of Darkness. I believe using the Spirit Chips for evil has been his main objective right from the very beginning. Clearly, the Ruler of Darkness must think the power of the Spirit Chips will somehow help him in his plan to rule the Digital World. If you think about it, DarkAngelicmon's original plans haven't changed at all, but thanks to Sam, I believe his priorities and the way he plans to reach his ultimate goal have changed considerably."
"You believe he finally sees what you've suspected all along," Goldmon said softly.
"DarkAngelicmon is finally beginning to believe what Ryoko figured out all on his own," Iramon murmured.
"If there's one good thing that came out of the Digital World today, it's the fact that I believe Sam may have given DarkAngelicmon something to think about."
"I'll say," Dai snorted.
"Same here," Ryoko muttered.
"It's hard to believe, but what you guys have said makes a lot of sense. If DarkAngelicmon really has started to think like you two do, then that would explain why it now looks as if he's waiting for precisely the right moment to...persuade Sam to follow the path of darkness," Dai sighed. "The stronger the light, the deeper the darkness, and if we take what Mickey said into consideration, then that would explain why it appears DarkAngelicmon has decided to wait for Sam's Spirit Chip to reach its full potential before making his move. Besides, when it comes right down to it, in order to digivolve our hearts must work together in harmony, and if Sam can't forgive the Digimon Emperor, then there's no way that can happen."
"I have to agree with Dai. Everything we've said so far makes so much sense, it's scary," Takara moaned.
Ken nodded in agreement and reached around Miya to give Takara's shoulder a sympathetic squeeze. "All of this I know in my heart, and I really think DarkAngelicmon finally understands the truth. Sam has opened his eyes, I'm sure of it."
"But...what is the truth?" Miya asked hesitantly.
"Revealing the truth about the Emperor will not cause Sam to become a victim of the Powers of Darkness. Quite the opposite, actually. I believe the secrets of my past will help Sam discover the true power of his Spirit Chip."
Miya stared at him for a moment, and biting her lower lip she slowly moved closer to him and gently rested her head against his shoulder. "I see. So if Sam can forgive you..."
"Then perhaps DarkAngelicmon's suspicions are correct. That is, if he has come to the same conclusion about the Spirit Chips as both Ryoko and I have. On the surface it seems he only wants to help Sam for his own benefit, but like Mickey, I just find that a little too easy to believe. As Ryoko stated earlier, DarkAngelicmon is a very complex digimon, and I doubt he would ever make his true intentions that blatantly obvious. Then there's the issue with what happened in the forest. If he truly is an evil digimon then how was he able to use Angelicmon's attack? That doesn't make any sense to me."
"Not that again!" Matty groaned. "How many times do I have to say it? It could have been a trick to fool us."
"But the light was so warm! It wasn't fake!" Palelymon protested from Mickey's arms.
"What do you believe, Ken?" Dai asked slowly, his deep brown eyes growing dark and serious.
"I believe deep down DarkAngelicmon has known all along what was best for Sam, and unlike me he chose to do the right thing when it counted instead of contenting himself with taking the easy path."
"Ken?" Yolei asked anxiously.
Letting out a deep sigh, Ken rested his chin in his hands and turned to gaze solemnly at Dai. "I agree with Ryoko. I really believe DarkAngelicmon wants to help Sam, not himself."
"Me too!" Mickey said happily, nodding his head vigorously in agreement.
"Of course you would," Matty sighed.
"What about you, Yolei?" Iramon asked.
"I think I have to agree with Ken. I don't know why, but I just have this feeling that there's more to DarkAngelicmon than what we've seen so far. After what happened with Ken, I've learned not to judge people or digimon so quickly. Things are never as black and white as we like to think they are."
"I agree with Mommy and Daddy," Nao said shyly, nestling his small cheek against Yolei's shoulder.
"Miya, what do you think?" Takara asked hesitantly.
Miya smiled slightly and shrugged her shoulders. "Honestly, I don't know what to believe right now. Maybe it'll be best if I just wait to decide until after I've had a chance to go over everything that's happened today. I mean, I'm still trying to get over the fact that I could have been a Digidestined."
My daughter, a Digidestined. I almost forgot...
"DarkAngelicmon didn't hurt you, Mickey, did he?" Yolei asked sharply, her eyes searching the older twin's body for any sign of an injury.
"No, I'm fine, but...his words really scared me. Where did he get this idea that I hate him? It just doesn't make any sense to me."
Could Sam have something to do with DarkAngelicmon's anger towards Mickey?
Ken was sure that was probably the case, but instead of voicing his opinion out loud, he merely shrugged his shoulders and turned his attention to Ryoko instead. The last thing he wanted to do was cause Mickey even more pain. "Ryoko, I...I'm sorry about Sam. It must have been hard for you to hear him say such terrible things to your face, especially since you were trying so hard to help him. It's my fault, and I..."
"No, it's not your fault. You didn't make Sam hate me."
"But..."
"I'll be okay," Ryoko whispered, avoiding his eyes. "If there's one thing I've learned today it's to never let your fear get in the way of what's really important."
"That's it?" Dai snorted, rolling his eyes.
Ryoko blushed and quickly ducked his head to hide the embarrassed look on his face. "No, I...you can't give up on your friends either, even if you think they'll never forgive you. Just because Sam hates me it doesn't mean I can give up on him."
"He doesn't hate you," Yolei said bluntly. "When I get my hands on that boy..."
"I guess only time will tell. Hey, Ken? You're not mad at my dad, are you? He didn't actually tell me your secret. I just kind of..uh..."
Wait, he thinks I'm angry at Matt?
Frowning slightly, Ken quickly shook his head and gave the golden-haired Digidestined a reassuring look. "I'm not mad at your father. The only person I'm angry with is myself."
I want to hate DarkAngelicmon so much for telling my son the truth, but...I can't. How can I hate him for doing what I've wanted to do right from the very beginning? Sam...it's my fault you ended up in the World of Darkness. If anything had happened to you...
"Dad?" Miya asked hesitantly, reaching out and placing her trembling hand on his arm. "Will you tell me your story now? I want to hear it from you. I need to hear it from you..."
"Please, Daddy?" Nao asked hopefully.
I left Sam all alone in the World of Darkness. What if this isn't the end? What if...what if he ends up back there again? If that happens, and there's no one there to save him next time, he might never come back...
Taking a deep breath, Ken turned his attention to the children sitting on the floor in front of him, and twisting his hands together he managed a nervous smile. Despite everything they had just talked about, Dai and the others still weren't looking at him like he was the enemy, and although he still didn't understand quite how they felt about him yet, their lack of hostility made him feel slightly more optimistic. "Well, I don't really know how to begin, but I guess it all started before my brother died, right around the time when my Digivice first came out of the computer, or maybe the root of the problem was really even before then..."