Okay readers, change of perspective here. Haven't talked about this kid in a while, so hope you enjoy!

The Prodigy's Mask

It was lonely, and the arrogant voice that permeated his mind didn't make him feel any less alone. He wished for friends. He wished for light. But the darkness wouldn't leave. This voice wouldn't leave him alone. It wouldn't stop talking. He couldn't ignore it. It was coming back for good wasn't it?

The murmuring eventually did stop. Ken took a breath of relief as he sat in the cold corner of his prison. He shuddered, feeling the presence of evil nearby. A second voice, this time coming from outside his mind, gave a low, menacing chuckle. If there was one being that spoke to him in dreams more than the Emperor, it was this creature.

Daemon. He was alone with Daemon.

This evil digimon had come after him before, with the sole intention of using his Dark Spore. No one really knew what Daemon's plans were, but that was fine for all Ken cared. It wasn't as if anyone wanted anything to do with him, except creatures of evil like Devimon. As long as the evil digimon didn't get his hands on the spore, they wouldn't have to know.

But Daemon did have his hands on it. There was only time standing between the evil digimon and the Dark Spore. Ken could only wait and fear. That second voice echoing in the halls told him his time was up.

The darkness in the room lifted just enough for him to see the shape of Daemon standing nearby. Despite the dim light, the presence of evil in the room was as strong and stifling as ever. Ken shifted uncomfortably as the mega proceeded to stare him down. He knew Daemon was savouring the moment of power he was in, and even though Ken hated to make the digimon feel good about himself, he couldn't suppress another shiver.

Daemon spoke first. "What do you think about this?"

Ken tried to think of the most defiant answer he could give. When it came out, he couldn't help but think it was weak. "I think you're wasting your time."

"Is that so? You don't like it?"

"It's not my idea of paradise."

Daemon huffed softly and stepped closer. Ken winced and backed away. The mega's presence was becoming painful. He noted how the discomfort centred around the base of his neck. "What are you doing?"

The digimon paused in his approach. "What do you think?"

Still trying to keep a stubborn atmosphere, Ken only replied. "I asked you first."

He wasn't used to being so bold; that was Davis' job. And apparently Daemon wasn't used to receiving answers like that. Perhaps Ken had been too daring, especially when he was sent sprawling against the wall from a slap to the face. Daemon had only backhanded him, but Ken was completely dazed, and struggled to regain his bearings. The blow wasn't the only thing that hurt. Daemon's sudden proximity caused a bolt of pain to shoot down his back. The sharp sting remained there as Daemon hovered over him. The mega's voice came to his ears.

"Have you figured it out yet?"

Ken grunted as his neck continued to burn, but managed to force the word out. "The spore?"

Daemon chuckled and backed away, bringing relief to a small extent. "Very good. At least you've retained that level of perception. But you know that's not all."

"No," Ken said, regaining his voice. He sat up. "I don't know what you want to do with it."

"I think you do."

"I know I don't."

Daemon folded his arms and took a frustrated posture, using much exaggeration in his movements to emphasize his point. "It's true, Ichijouji. Listen to yourself. You know."

"There's nothing to listen to!"

You lie.

Ken couldn't help but gasp outwardly. Daemon smiled at him with glowing eyes, but didn't speak. He left the boy to his mental argument.

I'm the one you should be listening to. You wouldn't dare shrug me off!

The boy closed his eyes, trying to will the Emperor's voice away. If he gave any leeway, if he let the voice talk too long, he knew it would be harder to be rid of. Ken tried to continue a conversation with Daemon in a desperate attempt to ignore the Emperor.

"You never answered me. What are you planning?"

Daemon replied shortly. "I don't give my plans to my enemies."

You know what they are anyway.

It may have been true. Since the first time he heard the arrogance of the voice, he knew what the darkness was planning for him next. He just didn't want it to be true. He wanted to hear something else. He longed for the others. Davis' boisterousness. TK's optimism. Kari's gentleness. Cody's intellect. Yolei's honesty. He wished to be a part of them again, to end the lonely detachment.

It's a bit late for that. You know you have nothing to do with them.

He did. He knew he did. He had something they could identify with. He had his place. Ken closed his eyes tighter. He was only being lied to. The Emperor may call him the liar all he wanted, but Ken knew the truth. He had his place. It was…it was what?

It's about time you stopped fooling yourself.

"I'm not fooling." Ken said aloud without even realizing it, much to Daemon's silent amusement. The distressed boy had nearly forgotten about the evil mega standing in the same room as him. Daemon relished such internal turmoil. It was what he needed to reactivate the spore.

Ken meanwhile, was struggling hard. His mind was fading, slow enough for him to realize it was happening, though only passively. He was trying hard to focus. Had he forgotten?

It wasn't real in the first place. Just a fool's way of making himself feel as if he belonged.

He didn't buy it. "The others. TK. Davis. They showed me that I could be free from the darkness."

Daemon decided it was his time to speak. "And what gives those boys a say?"

Ken looked at the evil digimon with tired eyes. "What?"

"Those boys you mentioned. The Children of Miracles and Hope. They are the embodiment of optimism. And the problem with that? They only look at what is bright and happy, and don't give any thought about the dark side of things."

They only see you for your calm and gentle façade. Everything else doesn't matter, as long as you fight with them. Show them your true personality, and they'll turn against you without hesitation.

"It's not true," Ken said weakly. He was mentally battling two powerful forces of darkness at once, and he knew he was losing. He was losing sight of what had kept him going for so long after leaving the Digimon Emperor behind. Haunting images of tortured digimon played before him for several moments. He couldn't seem to make himself think of anything else.

And then Daemon played the trump card. "It's too late. The Child of Hope has already seen."

Ken looked at him blankly.

"The boy is injured, is he not? You had your chance to save him, and you passed it up."

The raven-haired boy hung his head. He didn't trust Daemon, but his mind was getting too foggy for him to clearly remember. He recollected the image of TK with his bloody shirt and wounded chest. His friend was on the brink of exhaustion, and yet, Ken remembered he had just left. TK was helpless, and he didn't hesitate to leave. Ken had a nagging thought in the back of his head that told him that wasn't what happened. But what really went on there? He didn't know. He was too spent to try and figure out.

You were never meant to help others, only to command them. They're here to do what you want.

Ken raised his head. Then what about Daemon? Would Daemon submit to him?

The mega stepped forward once more, causing the boy to cower and clamp his hands on his neck in pain. Daemon offered a hand to help Ken from his corner, but was refused. It didn't matter. The evil digimon stayed his hand, waiting. The time was soon. The boy's groans were becoming weaker, each gasp having less fight in it. The light in his eyes was fading.

At long last, the boy fell completely silent and looked up at the mega with a slightly confused look. Daemon smiled when he saw the boy's eyes. Success at last.

"Welcome back."

The evil digimon's hand was still outstretched, but the boy shot to his feet without taking it."What do you want?"

"It's time to get to work." Daemon lowered his arm.

The raven-haired boy folded his arms indignantly. "The Digibrats again?"

"Yes."

"What do you have this time?"

"Something much bigger," Daemon replied casually as he led the boy out of the small room and into the corridors of the black fortress. "Something that will make your spirals seem like little black gears."

"Spit it out already," the boy muttered irritably.

Daemon spun around and clutched the boy by the throat, but took care not to squeeze, as much as he longed to do so. There was only rebellion in the kid's eyes. No fear. The boy took a tight hold of Daemon's hand and pulled it free. The mega let him. The more the boy thought he was in control the better. Ego fed the Dark Spore. They continued on in silence, and soon reached an inner chamber where Daemon always retreated to in order to draw up plans of destruction. He had spent most of his time in this cellar after the Ichijouji boy banished him here in the Dark World.

And now that boy was under control of the darkness. At least this had gone in his favour. Several of the other kids were being quite persistent in their quests. The Child of Friendship was as resilient as ever towards the powers of darkness, and Love was turning out to be hard to control. His plan had only been to toy around with them, but if they refused, he wouldn't hesitate to kill them on the spot. The others he wasn't interested in. It was only the Children of Hope and Kindness that he wanted. Light was to be left to that fool Dragomon.

Daemon finally found what he had been waiting to show the Digimon Emperor. It was another dark tool of possession, though this one was more like a sleeve or arm brace. He presented it proudly to the boy. "A Dark Sheath, my friend. You will have fun with this toy."

The Emperor folded his arms in a usual sign of contempt. "I'll have to see it in action to believe it."

"As you wish," Daemon replied simply and let the boy out of the fortress. In this part of the Dark World, the Shades were rampant, wandering helplessly in their endless slavery to the evil digimon. Daemon sent off the Sheath, and the two watched the black device soar over to one of the unlucky creatures. The Dark Sheath clamped down on the Shade's arm and immediately the being croaked and groaned with intensified agony. Its eyes glowed red as it fell to the ground, and its body seemed to turn into liquid shadow.

The Emperor huffed. "And we are to fight with that?"

"The process is only halfway done," Daemon replied. "Name the digimon you wish this creature to take form of."

The boy paused in thought, and then, "SaberLeomon."

Daemon hummed with approval, and the two continued to watch the tortured Shade. Darkness fell out of the atmosphere around them and covered the being, filling it with black shadow. The form of the lion took shape, and the black faded into a grey, virus-tainted version of SaberLeomon. The Emperor smiled.

"Impressive, but I'm not concerned about controlling mega digimon. The question is can they even fight after being forced into submission?"

Daemon replied by shouting an order to no one in particular. Again, dark shadows appeared as if from nowhere and formed into an imposing mob of Shades. They charged SaberLeomon, and the pseudo-digimon lunged forward in reply. The result wasn't unlike BlackWarGreymon cutting through a herd of Mammothmon. Within moments, all that was left of the Shades was dispersing smoke.

The boy smiled again. "Where are those kids? They are going to love this."

Reviews always welcome!

Will be working on more soon...

PS: For those who are wondering, I might as well say that Tai and the rest of the guys are still in the Digi/Real worlds trying to find a way through. Thought you should probably know that now instead of waiting until the last chapter or so to find out.