Chapter 3 :

Just One Of "Those" Days

He knew he shouldn't have been sitting there crying, remembering his painful memories. Daisuke had only remembered a few since he 'woke up' from his long 'sleep' two weeks ago, but the explanation V-Mon gave him that morning really tipped things over the edge. He could see, in his head, the day he met his current 'friends', when he fought with his old ones, and when they all finally agreed to split up. The world no longer had a need for some "superhero team of kids with Digimon", as Iori put it.

Daisuke finally stood up. His pant-legs were covered in slimy sewer grime, from when he was kneeling down, and a crack in the ceiling had been dripping dirty water on him for the few seconds he was sobbing. He brushed himself off, fighting back some sniffles as he did. Daisuke crept onwards, holding his makeshift flashlight in his right hand and keeping his balance with his left hand whenever he went over a particularly wet area of the path.

"I gotta pick a place far away from where I came in. If I go up somewhere close by I'm sure that monster will find me," said Daisuke aloud, scanning the area as he walked. Sometimes there would be a ladder leading up to the surface, and he'd have to fight the urge to go up. It was rather creepy down there, and every few minutes he thought he heard sounds behind him.

"But who would be down here besides me, haha?" thought the boy, trying to bolster himself.

He eventually found himself facing a dilemma; the 'road' split into three directions now. He wished he had some sort of sewer map so he could tell which district he'd wind up in, but decidedly just went with the right path. After all, that was the direction Odaiba was in when he had jumped down the hole in the first place.

*SNAP SNAP SNAP*

Daisuke nearly jumped out of his coat when he heard the very clear and frightening noise behind him. It was clear to him what beast was making the noise despite not being able to see it even when he shone the light towards the source of the snapping. It was definitely a sewer crocodile, and it was definitely getting closer. Now, most people say sewer crocs are just myths, but after today Daisuke would know better.

There was no time for Daisuke to second guess himself, and he chose the closest ladder he could find to climb up on. It was either get eaten alive down there or hunted down outside. There was no argument as to which was the cleaner death, and at least on the surface he had a chance. Gripping the rusty metal with sweaty palms the boy hastily clambered up the bars. The croc was hissing and groaning below, having closed their distance in no time. Her oh-so wanted meal was currently out of reach.

Unfortunately for Daisuke, he could not lift the sewer hatch no matter how hard he pushed. He punched it as hard as he could, and screamed for help. The witty reptilian pursuer below was a very good jumper, and it didn't take long for her to be snapping at Daisuke's heels. Now the boy was really frantic.

"Dammit! I don't wanna die in a sewer! Come on, if there's anyone out there, help me!"

By some stroke of luck, there was. The hatch slowly opened, and Daisuke scurried up. The mysterious Good Samaritan was now gone, leaving Daisuke with the task of closing up the opening before the croc got the last laugh.

Finally having escaped, the stunned boy fell against the side of a building and breathed a sigh of relief. Something caught his eye as he relaxed.

Perched atop a building on the other side of the street was none other than Stingmon; whether or not this was Ken's Stingmon wasn't known to Daisuke at the time (since Digimon had become an acceptable part of human society, is was now normal for anyone to see 3-4 different Stingmons a week). Too tired and too comfortable being silent and seated, Daisuke merely smiled at his saviour. This continued for another ten minutes until Stingmon flew away.

I wonder if that was Ken's Stingmon...

Daisuke picked himself off the ground and nodded to no one.

Even if it isn't, I might as well follow him. He's gotta have a Tamer, and any human with a Digimon is better company than that monster from before!

Once again Daisuke found himself walking on his two tired legs, this time down a foreboding alleyway. It smelled of something putrid, as alleys usually do. Daisuke covered his nose as he walked past what was giving off the foul odour; a massive pile of rotting meat was sitting out in the open. Something with such a smell would surely attract the giant monster from before, so Daisuke wasted no time in picking up the pace.

He knew which direction Stingmon had flown in, though he wasn't quite sure where he would have landed. Perhaps into a building, or into another alley. Daisuke was once again on an open street, and figured his enemy wasn't far off. He could only pick out a few people moving, and all of them looked in a hurry. Daisuke ran down another alley, this one sporting a much nicer smell.

Daisuke turned a few more corners and ran through a couple more alleys until finally he came to a street he recognized.

If I follow this road for another four or five minutes it'll bring me to the Rainbow Bridge...but what if the monster is still following me?

The monster could easily see him running down a barren road, and even if there were more sewer hatches, Daisuke could feel that he wouldn't be able to open any of them in time. He was far more tired than one would think, and was just about to give up altogether.

A Stingmon suddenly appeared in the corner of Daisuke's eye, although his stay was only temporary. He quickly flew away, out from the window of a rather spooky looking building; the Sabo-Nenji apartment complex, closed down five years ago due to structural damage, and now used primarily as a hangout by gangs and the homeless. Daisuke wasn't a particularly well-educated boy, so he didn't know this.

That Stingmon's Tamer must be in there somewhere, and if it's Ken that's even better. But, if it is Ken...

Daisuke shook his thought away. He jogged down two streets before he reached the building's dilapidated entrance, and stepped inside. It was dank and eerie, and ill will was its guest of honour. In one corner of this first floor a large bottle of alcohol sat next to a passed out man, and in the adjacent corner was a burning drum. Huddled around it were three men, all obviously inhabitants of the complex. One of them coughed, and pointed at the intruder.

"Oi, you shouldn't be in here kid. Ifen 'he' sees ya, you're toast."

"Who's 'he' "?

"Eh, he's some kid—but don't be thinkin' whatch yer thinking! He might be a kid but he's got a whole wack of other kids following him, and some super strong Digimon. Apparently he used to be a Chosen Child or something—"

"I knew it! It is Ken! He's up on the top floor right?"

The man cleared his throat rather loudly, "Yep, err, 'e is...but yer not going up are ya? He usually doesn't take kindly to random visitors this time-a-day."

Daisuke smiled, "It's okay, we're friends...at least, we used to be. We're still acquaintances I guess."

"Heh, I didn't think he'd have any friends. Guy like him, pretty cruel when he wants to be. Even those close to 'im now are more afraid of 'im than they are anything else."

"What, Ken? Cruel? You're insane! Ken's pretty much the nicest kid I know—anyway, I don't have time to talk with you! I gotta go find him!"

***Four Sets of Stairs Later...***

"This must be the room..." whispered Daisuke as he peered around a door into a spacious room. It was quite bare. There were six or seven busted-up chairs in a circle, a run-down television set on a cardboard box (sporting rabbit ears) and a messy rug lying between it all. The four windows of the room, all without any glass, were no longer rectangular but rather crooked and misshapen. One of them had collapsed in on itself.

Watching attentively from one of the windows was a teenager. He wore a bulky, black jacket, loose jeans and sleek white runners. He had black hair like Ken's, but his was rough and spaced at the ends. Daisuke proceeded into the room, making not even one sound (an amazing feat for Daisuke; he'd have to reward himself later).

"I keep telling you what I think of your 'plan'. Here to try and change my mind again?"

Daisuke froze. Ken turned around, revealing a handgun in his left hand. He pointed it at the intruder. Both boys' mouths dropped.

"M-Motomiya..."

"Holy c-crap Ken, p-put that down, dude! It's me!"

"I...I..." he hesitated, and lowered the firearm, stumbling backwards like a drunk until he hit the wall. He felt his back press against it, and fell down. He slowly raised his head, and sneered at Daisuke.

"It's 'you'? And who are you to me anymore? I didn't say you could come here."

Daisuke felt uneasy. He was feeling many other emotions that stemmed from Ken, but the uneasiness ruled them all. It was like there was a third force in the room; it was not physical, and yet at the same time it had a substance to it. Daisuke could only stare at his former friend as the once kind boy revealed the extent of his change.

"Well? Are you some sort of mentally-challenged kid? Answer me!"

Before Daisuke could pull a reply out of his confused mumbling, Stingmon flew in from a window next to the television. Ken's partner's arrival sent him into a frenzy. He rose up.

"Stingmon! You fool! Why are you here AGAIN? Are you a simpleton? Are you brain-dead?"

"Hey, don't talk to Stingmon like that Ken! He's your best friend! What's gotten into you?" Ken turned and snarled. Stingmon addressed Daisuke in a soft voice.

"Hello, Motomiya. It's...it's good to see you again after so long—"

Ken snapped, "SHUT UP! Did I say you could talk to him?"

"I apologize, Master. You see, I-I sensed you were in danger, so that's why I came back this time—"

"Well I'm not, as you can clearly see. The only thing here putting me in any sort of danger is this little brat; putting me in danger of becoming a dimwit by his being here!"

Daisuke took a step back. Dimwit. How could Ichijouji Ken, the Child of Kindness, say something so insulting to his friend? To anyone, for that matter? He wondered how long he had been treating Stingmon that way, and if he had been treating others the same.

Stingmon nodded, "I understand Ken, sir." The buggy Champion flew away. "Wait Stingmon!" called Daisuke, drawing back his former-friend's attention. The deranged boy wore such a disgusting look of malice on his face that just by seeing it Daisuke felt like he could be sick.

"Seriously Ken, what the hell is your freaking problem? Was Takeru's death THAT hard on you, or is there something else?"

The now-insane boy raised the firearm and pointed it directly at Daisuke's forehead, ignoring the asked question.

"I'm through having to be in your useless presence, worm..."

"W-whoa, w-wait K-Ken...let's talk—" uttered Daisuke. Ken pulled the trigger slowly, relishing the fear he was inflicting on his target, and the hammer of the gun slowly moved backwards.

*CRASH*

The roof and walls of the room were viciously and suddenly strewn apart like toy bricks and flew all around the duo. Ken's arm was hit by a chunk of concrete, and the bullet that left the chamber of the gun missed Daisuke's temple by five millimetres, instead skimming his ear. There was no time for either child to react as more debris was quick to arrive.

An incredibly large rock belted Daisuke in his abdomen; his narrowing pupils and strained groaning testaments to the pain it caused him. He tripped on a stone as he faltered and fell over, hitting his head and blurring his vision. Ken's situation wasn't much better, with a few of the biggest pieces having formed a hefty deterrence on top of him. Only a bent arm and a leg could be seen poking out from under the pile of material.

A dizzy Daisuke surveyed the area from his downed position, the movement of his head and eyes being stunted now on account of the fall. He looked to his left, then to his right, and to his left again. Finally, something sinister emerged directly above him. At this point all he could make out was two narrow slits; piercing eyes that even a blind man could discern.

"Get up. Judgement has come, and I will not allow you to feel its wrath while you sit and wallow in your pitiful malady."

Daisuke pushed through knives just to hoist himself up, his arms shaking uncontrollably as he barely held his body up. His vision was beginning to clear up. Now he could make out a large ridge on a medium-size head, and a solid frame of a creature with long, gangly arms. The voice continued.

"You have been found guilty of two crimes against the Masters of the Digital World. I would explain each to you in full detail but time is not a luxury I have at the moment, so I'll put it simply..."

Gangly legs supporting a bulky upper-body came into picture, as did a nose-less face with a straight mouth and emotionless expression.

"...due to your leadership role in the criminal organization known as the 'Chosen Children' and the murdering of a Demon Corps member, you will be punished immediately, at my discretion, in lieu of a proper trial."

Pink, purple, grey... these colours swirled around Daisuke's mind now. He lost all strength, and fell back down. He felt his hair soak up some sort of liquid, probably his own blood.

"I, Ykanmon, high magistrate of His Lordship Daemon's court, with consent to do as I please in the matter of this case's verdict, have the utmost pleasure in condemning you..."

While the rest of his body failed him, Daisuke's eyes worked as best as they ever had, and the boy finally realized who was lumbering above him. It was the Digimon who had attacked him and the ramen cart owner before.

"...Motomiya Daisuke, to death."

Preview – Chapter 4 : How is it possible? Two hours ago, V-Mon was being dragged into some strange portal, probably just as scared as Daisuke was, and now he comes back, out of nowhere, as XV-Mon. And WHOA is he ever stronger. But is he strong enough to beat Ykanmon? Stingmon's there to help, but even the two of them might not have what it takes...