In the beginning, there was nothing, nothing but the endless darkness. It was unclear when the beginning of creation began, but according to legends, a being of pure light and love appeared from within the darkness and created the first two Digital Worlds: Digital Prime, home of the Ancient Digimon, and Witchelny, home of witches, wizards, and other magical inclined Digimon. This being was a mystery even to him. This being did not seem to have a physical form. He wasn't a Digimon, nor a human, nor a Kryptonian, nor an Atlantean, nor one of the other billions of species out there across the multi-verse. No one has ever seen God in person, but it was believed he was an entity, much like Homeostasis.
For several centuries there was peace within these two worlds until a being of great darkness was born: Bagramon. The events that happened next did vary from Digimon to Digimon, but it was believed that Bagramon wanted the power of creation that God wielded. According to the legends, Bagramon attacked Digital Prime, believing God was living somewhere within the planet ruled under ENIAC. The Digimon of that world were no match against the deadly Digimon and certainly would have perished if God and Homeostasis hadn't intervened.
According to the texts, God's powers were said to be destructive as he created a massive explosion. The two Digital Worlds, that were once living within the same dimension, were forever separated. Digital Prime had been sent to the distant past, while Witchelny had been sent to the far future. In the two Digital Worlds place was a new Digital World, ruled under Yggdrasill. But God, as the legends suggested, seemed to have vanished along with Bagramon and in his place were three Digimon that had wielded the ability of creation: Sakuyamon: Miko Mode, Wisemon, and Anubimon.
Demon glared at the blazing sun as his thoughts wandered. The stories on how these three Digimon were created did vary. Piemon, for example, seemed to firmly believe that Homeostasis created these Digimon, along with Yggdrasil and ENIAC, but Demon had his doubts. Homeostasis might be a god, much like Yggdrasill, but it was not all-knowing, nor all-powerful. It did not have the ability to create as those three Digimon did.
However, according to some rumors and mild research, there were a few Digimon that welded these abilities after Sakuyamon: Miko Mode, Wisemon, and Anubimon sacrifice themselves to put an end to Bagramon once and for all. Alphamon was one of them, but no one had seen him in centuries. Demon frowned slightly in thought as he followed Gennai through the vast empty desert of Server.
The Royal Knights, based on what he observed, don't seem to be concerned about their missing leader. In fact, Ulforce V-dramon and Dukemon seemed to be the only once actively trying to search for their lost friend. It was almost funny how Lord Knightmon, the one who had grown up in the same village as Alphamon and was said to be Alphamon's childhood friend, didn't have the slightest worry, nor care for his missing friend. It had gotten to the point that the new members of the Royal Knights and the rest of the Digital World believed Alphamon was merely a myth. But that was far from the truth.
Alphamon was as real as the grains of sand that he walked on. His legacy of being the strongest of the Royal Knights, having survived countless wars and even saved and restored other Digital Worlds, was legendary. Despite how far fetch it sounded, there was strong evidence that he existed and was real. This was why he continued to search for this legendary Digimon in secret. He was what they needed to finally restore peace to this world. But they had to find the other first and rather, he was alive or not was a completely different story altogether. With the way, the higher members of the Royal Knights seemed to be passing the other off as a myth and their attempts to stop anyone from trying to search for Alphamon made him suspicious.
They did something to him. That was a fact that he knew was true, as true as the hatred he felt for those vile knights. The Royal Knight knew where Alphamon was because they had done something horrible to him and were playing it off as nothing. As if Alphamon was nothing but trash. Their actions reminded him far too much of the Four Great Leaders. And he loathed them because of it.
Demon seethed internally as they continued to walk through the endless sand of nothingness. It had been about an hour since Gennai finally decided to show himself to him at almost twelve in the morning. He was very annoyed at the other, but he had let it go, for now, when the other told him of his findings. They believe they might have found Alphamon's secret sanctuary.
This was the only reason Demon was walking in the middle of the desert at one something in the morning. If it weren't for this reason, he probably would have burned the other for forcing him out of the comfort of his room, where he had been napping in front of the fireplace as he always did when his thoughts wander across his tired mind for too long, just to go to a hot desert. But Gennai had been too excited, for he believed the legendary Ouryumon, the one that was said to transform into the all-powerful sword that Alphamon was known for welding in countless glorious battles, resided somewhere within the underground ruins Gennai and his team found.
Demon was intrigued, but he would not allow himself to get his hopes up. Alphamon or Ouryumon might not even be within these walls. But there was something that did catch his interest. There were rumors that whoever wielded the Ouryumon sword has the power to travel through different worlds, different dimensions and to even manipulate time itself. Ouryumon was a powerful weapon indeed, one they had to find before the Holy Alliance did. They could invade other worlds or even undo everything in their favor.
Demon shivered slightly. Although, it went unnoticed under his robes, thankfully. Or so he thought.
There was a sudden shift around them. The air suddenly grew so thin and so tight that his breath caught in his throat as they passed through a powerful force field made from very old magic. Once they got to the other side, Demon took a deep breath, but that was all he did as he took in the beautiful sight around him. From what used to be endless sand was a beautiful and lush forest. Demon couldn't believe it. He had traveled through this desert thousands of times over the centuries and he had never come upon this place. It was breath-taking.
"It's amazing, isn't it, My Lord?" Demon almost couldn't believe his eyes as he gazed at the enormous, ancient Egyptian castle surround by a huge stone wall sitting beautifully within the thriving forest. The castle alone seemed to be built way before his adoptive father's servants of Skull Satamon found him close to death (after he had escaped decades of torture and captivity as a young Tokomon) on a piece of wood that was floating across the Net Ocean. As they walked within the castle walls, that had a striking resemblance to the Citadel of Qaitbay, Demon realized the kingdom had an Egyptian influence with tall statues representing the past leaders, a huge trading market, a courtyard that led to the castle's gardens, and a big field of land for farming. As beautiful as it was, it was also very familiar.
"The Forest Kingdom." The Forest Kingdom was ruled by the beautiful Bastemon, the granddaughter of Anubimon from her dimension. Demon had met the Queen mere weeks before her parents' death (when he had accidentally opened a portal to a different Digital World in another dimension) and again several years after she married her soul mate, a Human. She had been pregnant with her unborn child the last time he visited. "How is this possible?"
"We're not sure," Gennai said as they entered the castle, realizing there were no guards, no staff members, no citizens, not even the Queen and King. It was empty, deserted. "But, we believe this might an exact replica of the Forest Kingdom."
"And?" There was an 'and' somewhere in that sentence as they made their way to the passageway that took them several feet under the castle. The passageway opened up to a huge circular cavern were several huge statues of the old could be seen. Demon looked at the statues, recognizing some of Digimon the statues were made in honor of. Starting with the statues resting against the wall was the ball form of ENIAC, Yggdrasill's avatar form, 7D6, a Puttimon, a Leomon, a Wizarmon, a human-looking girl, a Wormmon, a Duskmon, and twenty other Digimon he did not recognize.
There were four statues in the middle of the spacious cavern. Directly in the center of the room was the statute of Alphamon. Three other statues, forming some sort of a triangle around him, with their hands raised high above their heads and their gaze gazing at something in the distance were Sakuyamon: Miko Mode, Wisemon, and Anubimon.
Demon found himself staring at the stone Royal Knight. The Digimon seemed to be staring down at the ground as his hands folded over the hilt of his sword that was embedded into the ground. There was something odd about this position. He looked at the other statues, noticing they were looking at a certain direction, the walls next to them to be more accurate. The walls in between each statue were beautifully decorated to look almost like a circular door. Writing was seen on these doors, but Demon could not make out what they were. It was a language that had been lost for centuries.
"What is this place?" Demon asked, finally noticing the archaeological team, which consisted of Angewoman, Wizarmon, Angemon, and five Skull Satamon.
"The writing is very old, My Lord," Wizarmon said, who was standing in front of the door next to the Leomon statue. He was holding a very old book in his hands, gazing at it once in a while as he gazed at the inscriptions on the door. "From what I gather, the writing dates back to a language once used by Digital Prime and Ancient Witchelny."
"Can you read it?" Wizarmon had once been a citizen of Witchelny before traveling to their world over a century ago, way before his planet was destroyed. "In time," he said as he closed his book to gaze at him. "For now, I will tell you this, these doors on the walls," he said, "are more or less portals."
"Portals? To where?" Was he serious? There had to be at least over a dozen doors here.
"Other worlds, other dimensions, other realities. Much like our friends from the Forest Kingdom."
The adults were all clustered around the kitchen table, sipping on mugs of coffee that must have gotten lukewarm by now. None of the adults were really talking as they hid behind Mrs. Motomiya's tall leaf plants that stood tall at each end of the archway that opened up to the dining room. Hana Motomiya and Fumiko Sato were sitting on one side of the rectangular table, while Yukio Oikawa, Hiroki Hida, and Chikao Motomiya were seated on the opposite side. There was a deep overbearing tension and sadness in the air, surrounding the adults as they sipped their drinks absently, silently, almost as if they were trying to avoid something.
Osamu silently peaked between two of the large leaves and stared into the room. For as long as he could remember, Osamu had always wished Oikawa had been his father over his often cruel and manipulative father. He was kind and attentive to his dear friend and her offspring. Oikawa was always sad and worried whenever he talked about Osamu's mother. She was getting sicker and sicker every day. Of course, he had a reason to worry. Osamu was worried about her too and he hadn't seen her in months.
But then why did his adoptive father look almost motionless, soulless. His eyes had that dull, vacant look that Osamu had only seen a handful of times when he was deeply troubled about something. The dark blue towel that was looped around his shoulder was a complete contrast to Oikawa's cloud white face. Osamu bit his lip, realizing that his caretaker was so apart from reality that he couldn't comprehend that his hair was still wet from the rain and that his favorite coffee drink was getting cold.
"He hasn't moved at all." Jun was right. His adoptive father hadn't moved a muscle since they spotted the oblivious adults. He hadn't said a word as Hana and Fumiko asked hushed questions about what happened, just staring. For a frightening moment, Osamu would have sworn the man had stopped breathing altogether. At least that was until the other opened his mouth slightly to sigh deeply. Relief flooded the young child, but Osamu did not allow the feeling to last. Something was wrong.
Osamu nervously pushed his glasses back to the bridge of his nose as he looked in the direction of where his father was staring at.
What's that? There was something in the middle of the table, but he couldn't make out what it was other than the fact that it was brown and small. Osamu returned his gaze to his father and noticed his shoulders shaking ever so slightly and red puffy eyes. He's been crying again. The three-year-old looked at his adoptive father in puzzlement, noticing his shoulders were also slumped over in what looked like defeat. And his face… it was so pale and so emotionless. Why?
For as long as he had known Yukio Oikawa, he had spent every waking moment making sure he was safe and loved. Osamu knew Yukio had a very strong bond with his mother. The two got along so much better than his parents did. His biological father was not a kind man. He was reserved and polite in public, but when at home, he was cold and cruel, especially when he drank those green bottles he kept in the pantry under lock and key. When he drank that stuff, he became the monster under his bed, the nightmare to his dreams.
Osamu had always felt safe with Oikawa. He was a kind soul, always willing to offer a smile or a bowl anmitsu whenever he needed his spirits lifted. He truly was the perfect father, one he had secretly wished until the day he was taken from his parents and later adopted by the man so close to his mother.
Whenever Osamu was around him, he was always trying to stay hopeful with a smile on his face. He had promised that one day his mother and brother would be living with them, away from the cruel man. Osamu had been hopeful for their reunion. The last he saw her, she was sick and pregnant with his little brother. They weren't here though, the little boy knew that much. Maybe this tension and his father's current state was due to his mother and brother or maybe the man had run into his biological father. That caused a shiver down his spine. He hoped not. Bad things always happen when they are in the same room.
Osamu tore his gaze away from his father and stared at Jun as he tightened his grip on the small brown teddy bear Hana and Jun had helped him pick out. It was meant to be a present for his little brother when he finally came home.
"I don't see Mama and Ken," he said to the six-year-old. He didn't want to believe that something happened to them. Something bad. "Is… is he on the table?"
"It doesn't look like a baby," she said, frowning as she stared at her parents and the other adults as they fell into an awkward silence when Oikawa refused to reply to their questions and concerns, leaving Hiroki to answer them all. "It looks like a torn brown blanket and a basket." He hugged the bear then. He had remembered seeing a brown blanket in the nursery two months ago. It had been his mother's at one point and his when he was a young baby.
"I can't believe it," Fumiko spoke up as she finally gathered her thoughts on what they had been told. "How could they just allow Ichijouji-san into the hospital, knowing that he would be a danger to his wife and child?"
"He pretended to be me." Osamu's head snapped up back at his father as a cold, frightening chill traveled from his feet to the tip of his nose. No emotions were laced in his words as he spoke, just as no emotions could be seen from his facial expressions and posture. Osamu did not like this cold emptiness that currently engulfed his father's soul. It was frightening. "The nurse that I had spoken to over the last two weeks was not there that evening. A new nurse was there, and the doctor had been called to aid another patient at the time when he sneaked Ken out of the hospital.
He closed his eyes and at that moment, Oikawa could not hold back the tears or the intense emotions of grief, sadness, anger, and pain any longer. "They didn't even notice that he was gone until we got there." Hiroki placed his hand on his childhood friend's shaky shoulder in an attempt to soothe the other's anger. There was a smile on his face, one that was hopeful, unlike the doubtful, hopeless, defeated expression on his father's.
"Don't worry, Yukio, we'll find him."
"Will we?" The man just looked tired as he stared at his friend. "Megumi warned me Ichijouji would try to kill her son. She feared that if she died, he would blame him…" He sighed as he stared at the worn blanket, blankly. "And that's exactly what happened," he whispered. "He did what he said he would do."
"Yukio, you don't know that! Maybe he's had a change of heart." Hiroki tried to reason with his childhood friend, but his words instead set his dear friend off into an angry frenzy.
"How can you possibly say that?" Osamu jumped as Yukio shouted. As his chair fell behind him with a loud thud, the only emotion shown on Oikawa's face was pure anger and disbelief. "Ichijouji's a cruel and manipulative bastard! He never wanted children, nor an independent wife. They were just dead weight to him when they couldn't fit into his perfect little world. Why'd you think he kept abusing Osamu and Megumi?"
Hiroki was silent for a moment as his friend glared and shouted at him. "I understand, Yukio. I really do."
"Understand," he interrupted coldly. His gaze turning as hard as steel. "How can you possibly understand? How can any of you understand anything when none of you listened to me in the first place?"
Jun pulled his trembling body close. Osamu didn't want to hear anymore but he couldn't pull himself away and neither could Jun. The answers they wanted were right there in front of them and the secrets and hidden half-formed truths their parents had been telling were now finally making sense.
As Jun held him close, allowing him to bury his face against her yellow nightshirt, she continued to study the scene that was playing out in front of her. Jun critically studied her parents and the other adults' expressions as she finally put the puzzle pieces together. Her mother and Fumiko were looking at each other in both worry, uncertainty, and what was that — guilt? They were both distressed about the situation, just as they had been over the course of the last nine months. Her father refused to look in Oikawa's general location, preferring to stare at the walls, the floor, his wife, his hands, and finally his now lukewarm coffee.
Hiroki was the only one staring into Oikawa's eyes, the only one taking the brunt of his anger and pain. It was clear to see that Hiroki was being hurt by his friend's words, but he didn't allow it to deter him from his current mission — to help his grieving friend.
"Yukio…"
"Don't," he said. "Don't you dare say you understand! You don't understand anything! None of you bothered to do anything when I told you they were being abused, that Ichijouji was hurting them. All of you thought I was just being jealous!" He chuckled that cold, emotionless laugh that was deep and almost boarding insanity.
"You should have believed me from the start, Hida." Hiroki flinched at both the tone and the glare that was being directed at him. "I am not so petty to hate a man for taking the woman I had loved for 16 years away from me. I am not the jealous type," he uttered lowly, his eyes narrowed, his hands balled into fists. "Oh, but believe me, I do hate him. I hate him for hurting her for all those years. I hate him for abusing Osamu for so long." He closed his eyes for a moment as he took a deep breath. When he opened them again, Jun was surprised by the amount of hatred and pain in his eyes. She had never seen him that angry before. "And I hate you for allowing him to get away with his crimes."
Hiroki took a sudden intake of breath. His eyes were wide in shock and his body was tensed in disbelief. "Yukio, how can you say that?" Fumiko asked. She was pale, very, very pale. It was obvious that she was still upset about what had happened and what was now brewing right in front of her. "Hiroki has only been trying to help you all this time!"
"Help me?" Oikawa laughed, his laugh sounded tired and drained as he turned his gaze to Fumiko. "He only got involved until after Osamu ended up in the hospital last year." Hiroki stood frozen in place as his friend returned his hateful gaze toward him. "You didn't believe me when I told you he was hurting her. You never did."
"That's not true!" Hiroki finally spoke up, but even his words sounded weak and filled with guilt. "You and Megumi-chan are my best friends. She was the closest thing I had to a sister. I loved her…" He took a deep breath before continuing in a slightly higher voice. "I wanted to help. I wanted to help so bad. But I couldn't, Yukio. My hands were tied. Without any sort of physical evidence, I couldn't get a warrant to arrest him or to even search his home. I couldn't do anything that didn't result in him calling his lawyer. Please, you have to believe me."
"I know you couldn't do anything, legally," Oikawa said. "But you could've done more than sitting in that office of yours doing nothing."
Jun placed a hand over Osamu's mouth to keep him silent as Oikawa made his way towards them to leave the dining room. Jun could feel Osamu tears and his small body shaking at the realization that he had lost both his mother and little brother all on the same day.
"Yukio, stop!" Oikawa stopped just at the edge of the archway. It was a miracle he didn't see the two silent children. "It isn't too late! We can still find Ichijouji."
"Why bother?" Oikawa turned slightly to look at him. "It's already too late."
"It's not too late. We still have time to find him. He couldn't have gotten that far in this weather."
Oikawa didn't answer his friend, instead, he turned away from him and walked into the dark hallway and disappeared out of sight. As he walked away, Hiroki called out over and over again after his childhood friend. When his calls fell on deaf's ear, the police officer collapsed on himself and sobbed. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
Jun wasn't sure how long they stayed there, watching the sad scene presented in front of them. But when Fumiko got up from her chair and silently rushed over to his betrothed, whispering words of comfort as she held him close, Jun decided it was time to leave before her parents realize they were not asleep.
"Come on," she whispered as she removed Osamu and herself from their hiding places and into the darkened hallway. An uneasy silence grew between them as they slowly made their way down the dark hallway. The only source of light they had lighting their way were the fake battery operated candles that gently illuminated the hallway.
Those little flame may not be real, but they were beautiful and just as calming as the real thing. Jun looked at the candles for a moment before she turned her gaze down towards her friend. Osamu was still holding the teddy bear as he silently tried to wipe his tears away, but the tears just kept on coming, even if no one could hear his quiet sobs. The Motomiya girl knew she had to help her friend. He had the right to grieve, but it would not be good if he kept everything inside. That gave her an idea. "I think we could make them a shrine."
Osamu tried to look at her through his tear-stained glasses. "A shrine?"
Osamu watched Jun silently as she placed the two candles against the wall. The light gently illuminated around the photograph and the teddy bear that was in between them. His mother was wearing a beautiful blue and green kimono that Oikawa had given her all those years ago for some kind of festival they attended together. According to her, this was taking a month before she got married to that man. She truly seemed far more healthier and happier back than.
"Mom has one of these in her office. I hear her sometimes talking to the photograph of her mother." Osamu listened to her as she rambled into the darkness. "She sometimes says that it makes her feel better when she talks to it. She says she can sometimes feel her mother's peaceful presence."
Osamu took a seat next to Jun on the floor. They had decided to make the shrine in the corner of the bedroom, near the window that was being pelted by rain. His mother had always loved looking out the window and telling him all the different animals that would pass by. "Do you think she will come?"
Jun shrugged as she scratched the back of her head. "I'm not sure, Osamu. She may not come at all, but maybe it will make you feel better talking to her."
Osamu nodded, but as he stared at the shrine, he suddenly felt nervous. What should he say to her? There were so many things he could say, so many things he had wanted to say before her passing, but none of them came out.
"Ichijouji-san…" Osamu looked at Jun to see her eyes closed and her hands clap together in front of her as if she were praying. "I'm sorry for what happened to you. You were a nice and pretty lady. We will miss you. I know you worry about Osamu a lot, but you don't have to." She smiled. "I promise I will watch over him, so please don't worry anymore."
She lowered her hands to her lap and opened her eyes. Osamu didn't know what to say. He truly felt so greatly loved to have such a good friend like Jun. There was a moment of silence that must have stretched for several minutes before she spoke up again. "There's no right or wrong way to talk to her. Just talk to her as if she was here." Osamu nodded as she got up. "Will you be okay by yourself for a few minutes? I'm going to check up on Daisuke."
Osamu gave her a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine, Jun. Thank you." Jun nodded, but Osamu could still tell she was worried about him.
"Alright. I'll be back in a bit. Come find me if you need anything." And with that, Jun disappeared past the door and into the dark hallway. Osamu kept his eyes on the door his friend exited through. The silence soon returned to the small bedroom with nothing but the little lights to keep him company. After hearing the sound of another door opening from somewhere down the hall, Osamu returned his attention to the shrine Jun had made for him.
The little boy was unsure of how he was supposed to feel. His mother was gone, along with all his hopes of rekindling some sort of a relationship with her, and so was his little brother, who had had never gotten to know.
Osamu removed his glasses to wipe at his eyes again. The tears were returning again, yet he did not have the strength to stop them. The pain and sadness were just too strong. He cried. That was all he could do as the minutes ticked by. The pain so very raw and new left a throbbing hole in his chest as he whimpered and called out his mother's name. "Mama…Why? Why did you leave me, Mama? Why?"
He wasn't sure how long he'd sat there crying in front of the shrine, but he only stopped when a hand gently lifted up his face to wipe away the tears that had collected on his cheek. As the tears were wiped away and his glasses returned to their resting place on his face, Osamu stared wide-eyed at the woman kneeling in front of him.
Megumi Ichijouji looked to be in the prime of her adult life. Her skin was glowing that healthy color like in the photo. Her eyes were bright, filled with so much love and compassion. She was finally wearing the beautiful blue and green kimono Oikawa had given her all those years ago. The same one from the photograph.
"My dear child," her voice was as clear as day and her skin was warm to the touch. "Everything will be alright. I promise."
"Mama!" Osamu could not contain his excitement as he threw himself at her, wrapping his arms around her neck in a loving embrace. Osamu could smell the light scent of her jasmine perfume. He could feel the warmth radiating from her body and her warm breath. He could feel her arms wrapping around him as she held him close. She was alive. She was here. So why did his heart hurt so much? "You're alive!"
Megumi held him just as she used to do, filling him with that love and safety that always come from the action, but Osamu could sense she was sad. It was in her body language, the way she held him, the way your breath hitched slightly as she tried to swallow, her tears... "I'm so sorry, Osamu, I couldn't be there for you like I should have. I...I'm sorry. Forgive me."
Her warm body shook slightly as small sobs left her lips. Osamu wanted to cry too with the knowledge that she really was dead. She was a spirit, coming to visit her loved ones. However, Osamu would not allow himself to cry in front of her, nor was he will to allow her to feel sad anymore. "It's okay, Mama. I understand," he said, putting on a brave face. "You're in a better place with auntie?" From what he had been told, his mother's twin sister had died several months before her mother got married. She apparently fell down a flight of stairs after getting into a fight with soon to be brother in law.
"Yes, I've missed her so much," she said. Her eyes were bright with tears as they pulled away slightly and just stared at each other. "I never wanted to leave you and Yukio so soon." She trailed her fingers through his hair.
"We'll be alright, Mama," he told her. "But," he looked at her in uncertainty. "Papa's so sad and angry."
"I know he is," she said, worriedly. "He's loved me since he was Jun's age." She looked at her son lovingly as they sat in front of the shrine. "I love the shrine," she said, "it's perfect. Although," she poised her full lip up slightly in thought as she picked up the teddy bear, "I think I'll give this to your brother. I'm sure he'll love."
His mouth fell open in surprise. "He's alive? He did hurt him?" Osamu refused to call him father. He did not deserve it, not after what he had done to their family.
"He tried," she said as she fixed the little bow on the bear. "Your brother truely has a guardian angel." Her smile was very bright, so bright and loving that it was contagious.
"Really?" Osamu's smile grew. He could feel the hope that had been dwindling mere minutes ago returning full and bright. "Where is he? I want to see him!" Despite only seeing those vague black pictures of him and feeling him kick their mother from time to tome, Osamu felt really close to him, almost as if he had known him his entire life.
"I'm afraid it might be some time before the two of you meet. His new family is not of this world." Megumi held that motherly compassion and love as she picked him up and held him close, kissing him on the forehead gently to drive away the disappointment. "But don't worry, dearly, you two will meet again."
"We will?"
"Yes." Megumi gently placed him on the bottom bunk of Jun's bunk bed. "In eight years from now, digivices from the world your brother resides in now will fall from the sky. But you and Jun must be wary of the Holy Beasts and those that follow. They will not have your best interest at heart."
Osamu frowned at the cryptic message. His mother always had his gift for seeing future events, even if she could never see her own. Her warnings and insight was always something he listened to, especially now. "Holy Beasts? Are they bad?"
"It's hard to say," she said as she tucked him into bed. "They are doing bad things to their kind without considering the consequences of their actions, nor do they feel remorse for their actions. I don't trust them." Osamu nodded, unsure if he should be worried about his brother or not. As if sensing his thought, his mother placed a comforting hands on his cheek. "He is safe where he's at. He will not let him be harmed."
Osamu nodded as laid down, allowing his thoughts and worries to be put as ease for now. As he got comfortable, but unable to sleep, he noticed his mother looking at the picture of herself and Oikawa. "Mama?"
"Yes?"
"You should visit Papa? He needs you right now." Megumi looked torn. She wanted to go to him, but at the same time, she didn't want to leave her son alone. "It's okay, Mama. I'm a big boy and Jun-chan will be back soon. She promised."
After a moment, she nodded, but she did not stop the single tear at leaked from her eyes. "That she did," she finally said after a moment. She took a seat at the edge of the bed, the teddy bear still in her arms. "Osamu, will you do your Mama a favor?"
"Will it make you happy, Mama?" He asked as he sat up.
"Very."
"What is it?"
"Take care of Yukio for me." She gently placed a kiss on his forehead as she tucked him in once again. "Take care of each other. I would be so sad if anything happens to my precious boys."
Osamu nodded enthusiastically. "I promise, Mama. I will always love and care for Papa!"
She smiled at him. "My brave little boy," she said, placing a final kiss on his forehead before removing his glasses so he could go to sleep. "Thank you. Now, go to sleep. I promise to visit from time to time."
As his mind tried to lower him into a dreamless sleep, Osamu found himself asking one more question before she walked through the partly opened door. "Mama, who saved Ken?"
"An angel," she said with a grateful smile. "A beautiful, merciful angel."
Lucemon glanced at the various items Piemon had been so nice to gather for him placed neatly on his desk. Although, it looked like Piemon just grabbed whatever he could find from whatever human store he stole these from and stuffed them into the duffle bags. Much like the outfits, the diapers came in a variety of sizes for the different stages of Ken's life as he matured and grew. Thankfully, Piemon did grab the right size for newborns. There were also diapers for infants and toddlers. Lucemon would need those later.
Lucemon ignored all the small minor items in favor of glancing at the odd machine Piemon had picked up and several books. Lucemon grabbed the manual that came with the machine. The machine was called Cuisinart Baby Food Maker and Bottle Warmer. He flipped through the booklet, reading in wonder of all the recipes he could make for Ken in the coming months. But the best feature, Lucemon realized, was the bottle warmer. At least he wouldn't have to worry about running to the kitchen to warm the bottle for his little charge. That would have gotten annoying really fast.
He turned the page and studied it. Lucemon was silent as he tried to hook up the machine and figure out how to warm the bottle and keep it warm. The bottle hadn't gotten cold yet, but he preferred it being at the right temperature when the baby awoke in a couple of hours.
The machine made a small ding and a strange whistling sound once he placed the bottle in the warming slot, set the desired temperature and closed the lid. The Demon Lord cringed slightly as he turned in his chair. The baby was still sleeping off his meal, thankfully.
"I got to be more careful," he sighed softly under his breath as he rubbed his eyes. It was well after two in the morning. He should really get some sleep. If Ken would be anything like Puttimon, he wouldn't be getting a decent night's sleep in quite a while.
Lucemon closed his eyes for a moment, trying to fight the urge to sleep, before returning his gaze to the items he had laid out on his table. Laying in a neat stack to his right were four books he found in one of the duffle bags Beelzebumon had been so nice to leave in front of his door.
He picked up one of the books and glanced at the title of the beige book. "A Guide for First-Time Parents by Dr. Elana Pearl Ben-Joseph," he read. He lifted up a brow, quizzically. What a particular name? He thought as he opened the book to the first chapter, wondering briefly what the book could possibly inform him of on raising a baby that he didn't already know from raising his brother? He skimmed through the first couple of chapters as the author talked introduced herself, blabbered about the wonders of parenthood and the joy of having a little one, and began laying out a detailed guide and general tips of what a mother should and shouldn't do while in pregnancy.
Lucemon had no interest in learning about human pregnancy, considering Ken was already born, so he skipped those chapters and continued on. As he went from chapter to chapter, it dawned on him that this book had no useful information. Lucemon was already halfway through the book and was about to give up for the night when something caught his attention.
You've gone through pregnancy, labor, and delivery, and now you're ready to go home and begin life with your baby. Once home, though, you might feel like you have no idea what you're doing!
Lucemon stared at the page for a long moment before nodding slightly. This doctor was right. He had no idea what he was doing. When he'd raised his little brother, all those centuries ago, it had all been a guessing game for the most part until Puttimon gained the ability to talk on his own several weeks later, voicing his needs made it a hell of a lot easier.
But Ken was different. He was a human baby. He wouldn't be able to voice his little wants and needs or to even converse in a conversation with him for several years now. He shook his head. Guess he would be seeking out his friends for help a lot more often then.
Lucemon turned the page to the next chapter that read: "Handling a Newborn". The Demon Lord carefully read the first page.
If you haven't spent a lot of time around newborns, their fragility may be intimidating.
Lucemon looked behind him briefly. Ken did look fragile. He knew, like any baby, was not fully developed yet. There was the risk he could get really sick from any illness he may or may not come in direct contact with. And then there was the time the child had been with his human father. The human could have done a number of things to the little one before Lucemon saved from certain death. That worried him.
Here are a few basics to remember:
1) Wash your hands (or use a hand sanitizer) before handling your baby. Newborns don't have a strong immune system yet, so they're at risk for infection. Make sure that everyone who handles your baby has clean hands.
2) Support your baby's head and neck. Cradle the head when carrying your baby and support the head when carrying the baby upright or when you lay your baby down.
3) Never shake your newborn, whether in play or in frustration. Shaking can cause bleeding in the brain and even death. If you need to wake your infant, don't do it by shaking — instead, tickle your baby's feet or blow gently on a cheek.
Lucemon found himself rereading that sentence as his stomach dropped. The human had been shaking the baby in the basket and he couldn't forget all the bruising on his fair skin. It was very possible the human could have been shaking him shortly after his birth, among other things he was not aware of. He did not care for the young ones wellbeing or safety at all. And what if there were unknown injuries that he was not aware of? Swanmon said he was healthy and perfectly fine when she checked him over, but it wouldn't hurt to get a second opinion.
As the Perfect Digimon continued through the book, unaware of the sound of footsteps coming from down the hall, he came across a chapter that talked about sleeping arrangements for a newborn. However, as he read from word to word, line to line, passage to agonizing passage, the panic that started out small in the center of his chest quickly spread out throughout the rest of his body, causing his muscle to tighten, his wings to twitch almost painfully, and to cause the formation of small salty beads of sweat just above his brow to slowly roll down his face.
There was just something wrong about what he was reading. He had slept with his little brother a number of times without incident. He could almost feel the warmth of his small body pressed against his as he, Elecmon, and Swanmon took refuge in a small cavern deep within Demon's Valley when the Digital World that had once been whole and connected began separating into separate islands.
But Puttimon was not Ken. Ken was more fragile and sleeping in the same bed could lead to sudden death. A bone wrenching chill traveled down his spine. He had never heard of SIDS before, but it became all too clear of the dangers a small newborn could face by just sleep with his caretaker. And then he realized what dangers he could inflict upon the small human child without meaning too. The slightest shake could cause him to bleed inside. The slightest touch of a blanket or the warmth of his body could suffocate the poor child.
Lucemon silently placed the book down as his thoughts turned dark. There were a number of things that could put Ken at risk. The weather. A variety of illnesses Ken would not be immune to due to his age. Any future toy and blankets Lucemon had been planning on getting him tomorrow. The Holy Beasts and their allies. And…him.
His month felt sandy and dry as he thought about all the things he could contribute to harming the child without meaning too. It was a frightening image, especially since he was not one to harm an innocent, defenseless child.
Lucemon took a deep breath then and stood up. He didn't want to harm the child. He would do everything in his power to protect him, even if it meant from himself. The Demon Lord shook his head, pushing the dark thoughts away. He would not linger on the what-ifs and whys anymore. He had a baby that depended on him for safety and love now. He would not be on the list of people who had disappointed him, but that did reveal the root of his current problem.
Lucemon had a pretty huge bed, compared to the sizes humans generally slept in. The bed could easily fit a Digimon as big as Demon and Belphemon, so the size of the bed was not an issue. But if sleeping in the same bed was not an option, then where was his little one going to sleep? Lucemon took a quick survey of his bedroom. There were many furniture and other items in his living quarters, but none felt appropriate for a small baby.
Lucemonn frowned deeply as he returned his gaze to the book he had been reading. The book had made it painfully clear not to share a bed with a newborn as it could cause suffocation or death due to the blankets and pillows and other alarming factors. The most appropriate furniture, it recommended, to place a baby for bedtime was a firm crib mattress with a tight-fighting sheet, a portable crib, a bassinet or a play yard. Lucemon didn't own any of those, however.
Lucemon glanced briefly at Ken again, who was still fast asleep. Although, he could have sworn he heard a small little distress noise coming from him. Despite the knowledge that he had been fine five minutes ago, Lucemon still checked anyway. The baby's small chest raised and fell evenly as he slept and his little fingers would move ever so slightly. Overall, he looked fine, minus the bruising that was still visible on the baby's neck, arms, and all over his chest, but Lucemon didn't put much thought into that. Maybe he should have.
With his mind put at ease for the moment, he turned to the next page of the book. The book began talking about other items that could serve as a bed if the first three items were not available. Okay, okay. This was good. He could create a temporary bed for his child.
The first item that was suggested was a draw.
Lucemon gazed at his dresser for a moment and thought. The drawers were pretty big and sturdy, and if he emptied its contents, he was sure it could be made into a suitable bed for the baby and still have plenty of room to move around in. In theory, it would have worked wonderfully. Ken would be safe and not at risk for SIDS. There was just one problem.
Just as he was contemplating on the idea of how to make it into a bed for his child, he was hit with an image of the baby looking around wildly with little tears in his eyes as he looked for Lucemon. He then saw the baby crying the same way when he thought he was being abandoned in the cold, cold rain. Lost and alone. The tears and the sound of the baby crying struck him so hard to the core that he had to grip the desk for support. Lucemon shook his head wildly, forcing the horrible image, and uneasy feeling away.
Bad idea. What were you thinking, idiot? Lucemon hated himself for even considering the idea. The last thing he needed was for Ken to believe he was being abandoned again. With a sigh, he turned the page. The next item suggested was a cardboard box. His right eye twitched.
"You got—to be—kidding me!" He slammed the book shut and slammed it on the table. Whoever thought of this book was a complete and utter moron. Who in the right mind would place a baby in a box or in a dresser drawer?
As soon as Lucemon's voice of frustration left his lips, he immediately clamped it shut. His eyes traveled to the small baby on his bed as he slowly made his way over. Hoping beyond hope that he had not woken the sleeping baby.
Ken made a small little sleepy noise as he kicked his little foot to the left. He held his breath as he watched the baby, but other than the small movement, he remained dead asleep. Lucemon sighed as he rubbed his face. That was a close one, he thought as he silently sat on the edge of the bed as he watched his son sleep off his full tummy.
Watching the small baby sleeping, seeing his chest rising and falling with every breath he took, seemed to ease the panic and overwhelming protectiveness that had been fueling him for the past couple hours. He was alive. Safe. And here with him.
What am I going to do?
What was he going to do indeed? It wasn't like he could just stay awake all day and night, every day until Ken was old enough to sleep in a bed on his own. He was beyond exhausted and he doubted he could last that long without sleep, anyway. A few days, maybe. A week and a half, at most, but not a few months straight, and absolutely not years. He needed to sleep at some point.
Another yawn escaped him as he laid down on his side, his back to the door, and his eyes still on the baby he saved. The pounding of his heart and Ken's soft breathing was all he heard as his thoughts escaped him again once again. Only this time he began to wonder of what the coming years would bring with Ken now living among them. What surprises would he bring into their already hectic lives?
Lucemon remembered seeing several human children playing in huge puddles of water as rain descended from the gray sky throughout the day in one of the local parks. Many of them were chatty and laughing loudly as they played tag with the older kids in the group, while the quieter ones played among themselves, jumping from puddle to puddle without a care in the world.
It had truly warmed his heart to see such innocence, such pure joy within a small child despite being in a world that was filled with so much darkness in every corner. That pure innocence was what Puttimon had… was what Ken has. Lucemon wanted to protect that innocence as best as he could. The Digital World was a dangerous place for a baby so innocent as he to grow up in.
The Dark Area was the safest place for Ken to grow up and learn in, given that the huge landmass was the farthest from the rest of the main islands, being south of File Island and completely surrounded by a protective thick illusion induced fog and endless ocean and sharp rocks that would stretch for miles. Not even Petermon and Capitan Hookmon could find their way through the endless fog without being lead astray, far away from the Dark Area.
Ken would be safe here, yes, but he wouldn't have anyone his age that would understand him. There weren't any children or babies on the island. There were child-level Digimon that were small in size, but they weren't innocent, weren't child-like. They were not suitable to interact with a baby for long periods of time without getting annoyed or slightly physical with the little one.
The Village of Beginnings was a different story, however. There were dozens of babies born every day in the village. Elecmon and Swanmon were excellent caretakers and knew how to care and give adequate attention and love to each and every Digimon in their care. Lucemon knew his dear friends would take excellent care of his child if Lucemon needed them to babysit for him; he still had his duties after all. Ken would certainly enjoy himself being with other babies his age. But there was no way Elecmon and Swanmon could give Ken all the attention and care he desired and needed, while simultaneously caring for the other babies at the village.
The two could care for him when he was slightly older, but right now Ken needed someone to constantly watch him, to constantly care for him, and to make sure he was safe and loved. Lucemon couldn't always be there 24/7 and neither could Beelzebumon and Lilithmon. He had his duties to attend to and so did they. Bringing Ken with him outside of the Dark Area and the Village of Beginnings was not a good idea. The Holy Alliance was still at large and very dangerous, despite their small numbers. They couldn't risk the lives of the Digimon. They had to stop the Four Great Leaders, but he also had to make sure Ken's fragile life was not put at risk.
He had to be smart about this. He had to keep Ken safe while he was away. Beelzebumon and Lilithmon were more than happy to help him, but when they weren't there, who would watch Ken. Demon? Belphemon? No, Demon wasn't the nicest Digimon around. Ken would most likely be terrified of him with his boiling temper and naturally sardonic and indifferent attitude. And Belphemon was asleep for a good part of the day. He was out too.
Lucemon shifted his body so that he was closer to the sleeping baby. He could always arrange for some of his best men to guard the small baby. But who?
Several Digimon came to mind, but his mind was too tired to really process the task. Maybe he should consult with his lieutenant. Mummymon, if given the chance, would rather stay in his in the medical bay, studying all he could or caring for every Digimon that ended up being sent there. This by no ment he wasn't the best fighter. On the contrary, he was one of his best soldiers he had. Mummymon was a decent combat fighter, one he knew would always have his back. But what truly set him apart from the skilled soldiers in his army, was his advance knowledge of medicine and superb tracking skills. His skills had truely got them out of several tough situations in the past.
Maybe he should have Mummymon exam his little charge. The other wouldn't mind, he was sure. He had a lot of time on his hands as they lay low for a while as they waited for Beelzebumon and Demon's hunting party to find the scattered members of the Holy Alliance and planned what to do next. Yes, he would do just that. In the morning, preferably after breakfast.
His thoughts soon wandered again as he closed his eyes. He thought about the group of children again and the Digimon at the Village of Beginnings. They were all so different, each with their own personality and talents. What would Ken be like? Would he be a quiet child, like he had been when he was his age, or would he be loud and energetic, like Beelzebumon? Lucemon had half a mind to laugh at that. The two bonded so quickly, he wouldn't be surprised in the slightest. Although, now that he thought about it, that might be a bad thing. The two could get into all sorts of trouble and mischief.
Well, maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing. At least it would be an indication that Ken loved his new home. But what if he didn't? It wouldn't be hard for Ken to see that he was different from the rest. He would have abilities. He was physically more fragile compared to the average Digimon his age. And then there was the Holy Alliance. He wouldn't put it past them to weave some sort of twisted lie to the child's fragile mind in order to make him feel isolated and alone. That last thought left a very bitter taste in his mouth. He hated himself for even thinking about it, but the Digimon chose to ignore it, for now. Lucemon, no matter what happened, would have to be prepared for the good and the bad. Ken was still very young and had not yet begun showing his personality and strength. He would just have to wait and find out and hope for the best, he supposed. Until then he would just have to give Ken the life he deserved, one he had not been given when he was his age.
Lucemon's lips tilted up a tiny bit as he tiredly traced the small image on the baby's onesie. The outfit felt very soft and warm. He would not accept anything else. Not for someone who had suffered so much in such a short amount of time. Ken deserved everything and Lucemon was going to make sure of that. Starting by making sure the baby was properly fed and loved.
Lucemon's gaze, on its own accord, traveled down the baby's arm to his left hand were a strange mark rested on the baby's palm. The birthmark was a bright red in the shape of a perfect diamond. It wasn't that noticeable unless someone took the time to look at his hand. As he studied the marking, completely oblivious of someone lightly knocking on his door, he couldn't stop the nagging feeling that he was forgetting something, something important. There was something about this mark that pulled the feeling of acceptance and overwhelming grief mixed pain from him, but why…?
Ken made a small noise again as he unconsciously found Lucemon's finger and held onto it with his little fingers. And not for the first time that day since he had found the sweet child, Lucemon found himself falling for the baby just a little bit more.
"Lucemon?" He slowly got up as Lilithmon lightly knocked on his door again. Mindful of the baby, Lucemon silently made his way over to the door. On the other side was Lilithmon, wearing a knee-length light purple, spaghetti strap nightgown with black lace and a full sleeve, knee-length black silk robe.
Lucemon could only stare, something he had not done in a very long time. Even without all the makeup, elegant purple and black dress and golden hairpieces she usually wore to keep her long black hair into a bun during the day, she was, god, drop-dead gorgeous. He could just stare into those blue eyes forever and ever.
The female Digimon's lips lifted up into a soft, almost unsure, smile as she held two steaming mugs of soothing milk and honey in her hands and a book tucked under her arm. Lucemon didn't overlook the steady, intrigue, gaze as she gave him a quick look over, taking in his bare, muscular chest and black sleep pants.
"Is everything alright? I heard you from down the hall." She then peeked over his bare shoulder to glance at the sleeping baby. "Is Ken okay?"
"Yes, yes, everything is fine." Lucemon ran his hand through his blond locks in an attempt to calm his nerves that had yet to subside. "We're fine," he added, hoping the other would buy it. She didn't.
"You don't look fine," she pointed out with a click of her tongue. "In fact, you look more stressed out than a few moments ago. What's wrong, Lucemon?" Lilithmon just stared at him quizzically from the other side of his door, waiting patiently for his response. Several minutes must have come and gone before the Angel of Pride finally gave in with a long tired sigh.
"I just have a lot on my mind," he said, reluctantly. "I can't seem to shut them off."
The female Digimon gave him a tender smile, one that was understanding. "This should help then." She gave him one of the mugs before she entered the room. "Mama always made this for me when I was stressed out and unable to sleep," Lilithmon said as she made her way to the opposite side of the bed. "She always swore her special milk and honey could cure the most troubled of souls."
"Did it?" Lucemon never removed his gaze from the other Digimon as she placed her mug and book on the nightstand, where he usually kept his reading material on.
Lilithmon rarely talked about Lady Valkyrimon. Lady Valkyrimon, from what he heard, had been a very compassionate, outspoken Digimon. If she wasn't caring for the children or elderly Digimon at the Holy Kingdom, she was verbally criticizing her husband and his actions in this war. Lucemon could see why her murder had greatly affected Lilithmon. She had lost a mother at such a young age and a father who grew distant from her with each passing day. It was one of the many reasons why she preferred others to address her as Mistress Lilithmon or Goddess of Darkness, instead of Lady. No one knew who murdered Lady Valkyrimon. They had their suspicions, yes, but it was not enough to numb the deep ache in Lilithmon's soul.
"I don't know; you tell me."
Lucemon silently closed the door as he took a sip out of his mug. The milky texture was sweet and very warm as it traveled down his throat and into the pit of his stomach. The thousands of questions that had been swirling in his head grew distant and far in between with every sip he took.
"I think she may be right," he replied as he took a seat on the left side of the bed. Laying on her side with only her elbow supporting her, Lilithmon only hummed as she ran a finger through the baby's patch of hair.
"There's something you're not telling me." She lifted up a delicate brow at him. "What is it?"
Lucemon tried to suppress a sigh. "We may have a small problem."
"What kind of problem?" Her fingers, as light as a feather, caressed the baby's small cheek.
"Human babies under the age of one year, apparently, can't sleep in the same bed as their parents."
Lilithmon was oblivious to the soft shading of Lilithmon's cheeks and the gentle tugging of her lips that almost seemed pleased. "Why's that?"
"S.I.D.S."
"S.I.D.S?" She repeated. Puzzlement was all over Lilithmon face. She had no idea what that was.
Lucemon shrugged as he got up again and retrieved the loathsome book. "Sudden infant death syndrome." It only took Lucemon showing her the page that had been the cause of his previous outburst and his concern expression for her to fully understand why he was so worried.
"I see," was all she said as she took the book from him and glanced at the book a little bit more before putting it on the nightstand, forgotten and out of mind. "We can't do anything right now. It's late." She sat up carefully and shifted ever so slightly so that her back was resting on the pillows scattered in front of the headboard. "I'll talk to Mastemon in the morning to see what she suggests. She used to be a mother after all. I'm sure she'll know what to do. Don't worry." Lucemon nodded at the other's reassurance, but he couldn't understand how this would solve their current predicament.
"In the meantime, why don't we take turns watching over him. I'll take the first watch watching over the baby until its time for his feeding. I'll wake you up once he's fed, changed, and fast asleep again."
It was a good plan. At least this way, Ken would not be in any sort of harm with one of them up to keep an eye on the baby while the other slept and recharged their batteries. It would be exhausting for the two of them, but once mid-morning came around, they could have Beelzebumon watch over the baby, allowing him and Lilithmon to get some much-needed rest. Lucemon really liked the idea, there was just one problem.
"You don't have to take the first watch. I can do it." Lilithmon would not take no for an answer.
"Nonsense," she said, dismissively, as she picked up the remote to turn off the dimmed lights, leaving only the two nightstand lights on. "You're beyond mentally exhausted as it is. You wouldn't be able to say up a few more hours even if you wanted to." She picked up her book and continued where she had left off. "Get some rest. I have a feeling we won't be sleeping for quite some time."
As much as he hated her logic and as much as he wanted to argue with her, he knew she was right. He was beyond tired and wiped out. He just wanted to sleep the rest of the days away. But he couldn't do that. He had a little one now that demanded his full undivided attention. Still, he hated that she was right.
"Alright." Lucemon would admit defeat for now. Tomorrow was another day. After finishing the rest of the contents of his drink, Lucemon place the mug on his nightstand and laid down on the bed. He silently watched the newborn as he slept and Lilithmon as she read her book. Just as his mind finally turned off, allowing him to finally doze off into slumber, Lilithmon spoke up in a hushed whisper.
"Do you think anyone misses him?" Lucemon probably should have considered this before. He had mentioned to the others what he had witnessed at the viewing tree. But he hadn't, nor did he really care. The events he saw happened months before the baby was born. He had no idea if this Yukio and the woman's other son were still alive. And if they were, where were they now and why hadn't they stopped the other human from taking the child away? The truth was that he had no idea and preferred keeping it that way. Ken was his now, this was his home, and that was the end of that.
But that did not stop the odd feeling of dread and sadness that wanted to return, to force him to the waking world to think and worry some more. "I don't know," was all he said as he joined the baby in dreamless slumber.