10.
"Yo."
He said it in that voice that Ken knew from his days of past dropping grades, where you were trying so hard to be cool and collected and not intimidated at all but you failed miserably. But he had to give him credit, his voice didn't waver at all. Ken for his part, did not waver either, setting his jaw much like his father had taught him by example. Only his voice was much quieter.
"Hi," he said because what do you say to your former kidnapper who looked a lot better today? What do you say in this world where most of the population doesn't even remember?
Arata swallows, visibly. "Okay, so uh, you may not remember but I was a real jerk to you, and I wanted to apologize."
"More like we made him apologize." Takumi had been somehow right behind him and Ken hadn't noticed.
Ken took a minute, clutching Wormmon, harder than he usually did but the caterpillar never cared. "You remember? All of it?" He wasn't insane all over again?
Arata nearly fell over. "Oh thank fuck."
"Now's not the time for that, Arata."
Ken felt the laughter nearly bubble over into madness, into pain, or hysteria. Or all three. It wouldn't surprise him. "What's going on?"
Takumi helped the much taller Arata to his feet. "Let's start at the beginning, all right? This will take a while."
"I've got all day." He'd better. He would make time if he had to to get some answers.