Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Donkey Madness ❯ Forest Interlude ( Chapter 10 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Woo hoo, I've reached the double-digits! ^_^ This chapter is pretty much light-hearted; this is more for characterization than story advancement. You have been warned!
Started: December 14, 2000
Finished: December 19, 2000

Part 10:
Forest Interlude

Lunch was fried and broiled fish for the Digidestined. After the beta danger zone, the small group had found themselves back in the forest where they had spent a whole night under the stars. The fresh air, after the stuffy and morbid graveyard, was a welcome change; Yolei Inoue had promptly shown her joy by hugging and kissing the closest tree. Her action triggered amused chuckles from her friends, and even a slight smile from the Digimon Emperor.
Finding the old campsite had proved to be an easy task for the kids; the cold ashes from the night before were still found in the ring of small stones set up as a campfire. Davis Motomiya and T.K. Takaishi headed for the river to fish while their companions did other things; Yolei Inoue and Cody Hida set up the blankets to sit on and Ken Ichijouji and Kari Kamiya dressed Wormmon's wounds.
The time between lunch and dinner was been spent rather silently, all of the children caught in their own thoughts for the good part of an hour before Davis decided to break the ice by bursting into loud, raucous -- and quite embarrassing -- singing. As the girls and Cody laughed at the boy's act, T.K. and Ken took their turns playfully chiding Davis.
After Davis' comical performance, the kids all took to activities to entertain themselves with. Cody went about building a sling of vines and string to place his new scepter in, disliking carrying the item in his hands. Yolei and Kari took off to the river near their camp, spending their time idly chatting and making use of the soap Kari had packed. Davis, despite what the other Digidestined said, juggled the Red Orb from Makusumon like a soccer ball, receiving disbelieving stares from the others that remained at the camp.

". . . That thing's supposed to be valuable, Davis," T.K. stated, arms crossed as he watched his friend. "If you break it, we'll never find out what it's for. . ."

"Hey, it's not broken yet, right?" replied Davis, grinning as he rolled the ball off his thigh and kicked it into the air with great control. "I think it's pretty durable!" Laughing lightly, the boy kicked the ball right at Ken.

"Are you trying to surprise me?" snorted the Digimon Emperor, trapping the ball easily and juggling it just like Davis had been. "Think fast, slide-tackler!" He spin-kicked the ball right back at the brown-haired Digidestined.

The shorter soccer player trapped the orb with his chest, wincing and rubbing at the impact spot with his good arm as he juggled. "Geez, you don't have to try to kill me, Ken!" he exclaimed, shaking his head.

Ken lowered his glasses enough for Davis to see that he was rolling his eyes. "You didn't cushion the ball correctly, goggle boy." In response, Davis slammed the ball at the "Rocket" and smirked when the taller boy's eyes widened in surprise.

"That thing hurts like a bad habit," Davis grumbled. "Don't ya agree, Ken?"

The other boy glared as he caught his breath. "Oh, yeah . . . like a bad habit," he agreed, rubbing at his chest painfully.

T.K. stepped up to the two boys, looking at them unsympathetically as he picked up the Red Orb. "You guys deserved what you got. This thing isn't supposed to be a toy."

"Just 'cuz we know how to have fun doesn't mean you have to ruin it!" huffed Davis. "Yeesh, T.H., you need to lighten up."

"Lighten up? Well, sorry, Davis, but not everyone can be on a permanent high like you!" T.K. retorted.

Davis' eyes widened in shock at T.K.'s remark. "Permanent high!? You can't talk to your leader like that!"

"Leader?? Since when have you been the leader?"

"Since always, T.A.!"

"It's T.K.! Get it straight, Davis!"

Cody watched the two boys continue to squabble, smiling wryly as Ken stepped away to stand closer to him. ". . . Are they always like this?" the Digimon Emperor queried, watching the two argue mercilessly.

"Always," confirmed Cody. He firmly knotted the final vine of his strap, tugging at it to test its strength. ". . . I don't think their fights actually mean anything; Tai and Matt said they used to fight like this when they were younger."

"The older Digidestined?"

The young Digidestined of Knowledge and Reliability nodded, setting the Golden Scepter down across his lap. "I think it's something that comes with the position of dual-leadership. If that's the case, I'm glad that I'm not a leader."

". . . No kidding." Ken crossed his arms, a brow shooting up as Davis and T.K. stopped arguing to walk up to the two other boys. Both of the arguers had firm, determined looks on their faces. "What is it now?"

"We've decided. . ." T.K. stopped, his serious look not once faltering. "We've decided that you're also a candidate for this whole leadership thing, Ken."

Cody and Ken stared at the blonde in confusion. "What?!"

"You've been leading us around these mazes and that's enough proof for us," Davis explained. He didn't look too thrilled about the thought of fighting Ken for such a position.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Ken frowned as he tried to get over his shock.

"You're part of these arguments too!" Before Ken's eyes, devious grins appeared on both Davis and T.K.'s faces.

"What? No way. . .!" Ken shook his head, finally realizing the two boys' plan. "I'd rather not be--"

"Now, where's the fun in that?" Davis laughed and clapped Ken roughly on the shoulder. "C'mon, Ken! Why not admit it? You're leader material!"

Ken looked at the two Digidestined warily. ". . . Do I even have to?" he queried. "I am the Digimon Emperor."

That was all the two needed to hear. "Being the Digimon Emperor doesn't mean anything!" T.K. waved it off easily. "What other credentials do you have, Ichijouji?"

"What other credentials do I need, T.P.?" Ken smirked as T.K.'s jaw dropped.

"W-- what did you just call me. . .?" T.K. stuttered.

Davis was laughing it up, beating at his thigh as he listened to the two. "Good one, Ken! That sure put him in his place!"

"Actually, I'm quite sad that I had to call him that," Ken said as he glanced at the goggle-wearing boy. "You see, I had to sink to your level to do that!"

It was T.K.'s turn to laugh, Davis grasping for words as his eyes widened in disbelief. As the three older boys launched into an all-out insult-fest, Wormmon crawled from where he had been resting and into Cody's lap. ". . . I don't get it," the digimon murmured, looking up at Cody's bright green eyes. "What are they fighting about?"

"Well, I originally thought it was over the whole leadership position," Cody began, taking his attention off of the arguing boys to look at Ken's digimon, "but I'm not sure anymore. I think it's some sort of acceptance act."

Wormmon stared as the three continued talking, throwing insults every few words. "If that's the case, why don't you argue with them?"

Cody laughed lightly, patting Wormmon's head as he replied. "I think I've already been accepted; I've never been in a position where I was challenged outright." . . . Except when we were trapped looking for the Digimental of Reliability. . . He shook his head, dismissing the bad memory. "Besides, I'm younger; I don't think they want to taint my mind with what they're talking about."

"Cody, that makes as much sense as a Meramon and Frigimon singing opera for Shogungekomon because Numemon are flying overhead."

The nine-year old blinked at the simile. "But . . . that makes no sense, Wormmon."

Wormmon snuggled down in Cody's lap and closed his eyes. "Exactly."

* * * * *

"Okay, let me get this straight. . . You guys argued for two hours!?" Yolei stared at the three embarrassed boys in absolute disbelief. "What the heck was so bad that you had to fight for that long??"

Davis looked at Ken. Ken looked at T.K. T.K. looked at Davis. The brown-haired boy nervously looked at Yolei and Kari. "Uh . . . no?"

Everyone present facefaulted. "That's not an answer!" Yolei shrieked. "Davis, sometimes I really wonder what planet you're from. . ."

"Ohhh, we all know the answer to that one. . ." Ken began to leer as an old joke came to mind.

"Don't even start, Ken!" the violet-haired girl interrupted, crossing her arms. She raised her chin in disgust "Boys are such time-wasters!"

Three pairs of brows shot up at once. "Excuse me?!" T.K. snorted as he held his arms akimbo. "We're not the ones that spent two and a half hours washing our hands down at the river!"

Kari and Yolei sputtered. "We were not just washing our hands," defended Kari, trying to sound calm despite the way the conversation was quickly dissolving into an argument. "We caught fish for dinner, too!"

None of the boys looked impressed by Kari and Yolei's lame gestures to the fish Cody was busy broiling over a fire a few meters away. "You caught three fish," Ken stated flatly. "Davis and T.K. brought back double of that this morning!"

"Triple, actually," piped up Davis. "Geez, what'd you girls do, anyway? Use fishing poles??"

The two girls sweatdropped. ". . . Wasn't that what we were supposed to do?" queried Yolei, suddenly afraid of the answer.

"We made a net and tossed it into the river," T.K. explained. "Kari, I thought I told you about that before we left. . ."

The brunette blushed as everyone present looked at her. "Uh . . . I guess I forgot," she managed weakly.

"Good thing Cody found some edible fruit around here," remarked Ken, brushing a hand through his hair. "We probably would've ended up starving!"

"Stop exaggerating, Ken!" Yolei gave the blue-haired emperor a displeased look. "You're making me feel bad!"

Ken simply laughed, turning away from the group and walking off towards the camp. Yolei let out a frustrated screech, stomping off into the forest muttering things about an "annoying, cute guy" and "unbelievably self-righteous, hot jerk."

Davis scratched his head, glancing at the two departees before speaking to T.K. and Kari. "Those two really have problems," he announced.

"Gee, you think?" T.K. chuckled, a grin appearing as Yolei disappeared from view and Ken made himself comfortable against a tree.

"They don't know they like each other," Kari giggled.

* * * * *

For the second time in years, Ken found himself staring up at the starlit sky from a tree branch. Wormmon lay comfortably in his lap, watching the twinkling little pinpricks against nature's black canvas. "Ken-chan?"

"Hmm?" Ken sounded a bit distracted, his unveiled eyes searching the skies for constellations the Digital World might share with the real world.

"Are you happy?"

The Digimon Emperor lowered his gaze, blinking in surprise at his digimon. "Happy? What are you talking about?"

Wormmon shyly looked away, still trying to get used to the "new" Ken; the "old" Ken would have knocked him around for asking just an inane question. "Well . . . I dunno. You just don't look mad or sad anymore, so . . . are you happy?"

Ken smiled at his digimon's simplistic view of emotions, rubbing between Wormmon's antennae as he replied. "I'm not really sure. . . Everything's been odd the last two days. I swear, my mind's changed more times in the last forty-eight hours than in the last three years. . ."

"Are you glad this all happened?"

"Maybe. I guess. . . I don't know." Ken sighed and leaned back against the tree, looking at the leaves that would have appeared multicolored had they not been shaded by night. "I've come to terms with my feelings about certain things, but I still have warring thoughts over other matters."

". . . Is this about your brother?" queried Wormmon.

Ken closed his eyes at the mentioning of his older brother. ". . . Osamu. . ." A ragged sigh passed his lips. "He haunts me, Wormmon. He won't leave me alone."

The caterpillar blinked. "A ghost?"

"A ghost of the worst kind," confirmed the blue-haired child, eyes shut tightly. "I can't sleep without dreaming about that day . . . that car accident. . . He's punishing me. Osamu's punishing me for wishing his death."

Wormmon shook his head. "I don't think he is," he murmured. When Ken opened his eyes and stared down at him, Wormmon averted his gaze to the stars. "There's a lot of things we digimon believe in. . . One of those things is that ghosts don't haunt as punishment. I'm not sure what ghosts are like in your world, but the ghosts here haunt for a purpose." The digimon nuzzled against his partner's hand as he continued. "I think Osamu wants to be remembered; that's why you can't stop dreaming about him. You're punishing yourself, Ken-chan, by remembering only the bad stuff."

Ken smiled weakly for the digimon, hugging him close. "Maybe you're right, Wormmon." Hopefully you're right. ". . . I'll keep that in mind." Wormmon closed his eyes happily in response, enjoying the attention he was now receiving.

The pleasant silence of the evening didn't last long for the two. "Ken?" a soft voice called down from below.

Both child and digimon looked over the side of the branch, seeing the outline of a figure down below. ". . . Who. . .?" Ken frowned, seeing the gleam of glasses as he moved his head a little. "Yolei?"

"Hey," greeted the girl, the outline of her hand moving in a wave, "you forgot to get a blanket. Kari thought you'd get cold out here, so. . ."

"I really don't see why you Digidestined care so much about me being cold. . ." Ken let out an exasperated sigh and nodded. "All right, hand it over."

Yolei responded by climbing up the tree again, nearly slipping as she reached the top. Out of reflex, Ken shot out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her up to the limb. ". . . Thank you," breathed the girl. In the light of the moon, the Digimon Emperor was able to see that Yolei had removed her helmet and was smiling slightly at him. "You know, I don't see why you're so dead-set on staying in this tree; it's so cold up here!"

"I like my tree," Ken defended lightly, his statement sounding childish.

The Digidestined giggled. "I guess it's a nice tree. . . But you're gonna freeze up here, Ken!"

Ken rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I can take care of myself."

A devious thought crossed Yolei's mind. She grinned and threw the blanket over her and Ken. "Well then, Mr. Emperor, if you can take care of yourself, you won't mind if you take care of me too, hmm?" When she saw the bewildered look on Ken's face, she laughed lightly.

". . . I don't understand you Digidestined," Ken grumbled, silently relenting. Why do I allow myself to be swayed by these people? Yolei laid down on the branch, shutting her eyes to the world around her as Ken glanced down at her. "You're not gonna try to knock me out of the tree again if I turn my back, right?"

Yolei coughed indignantly, opening one eye at the mentioning of the morning incident. "It was an accident!" she sniffed. "You're never gonna let that go, are you?"

Ken shrugged, holding Wormmon to his chest as he laid down as well on the broad limb. "Probably not."

The violet-haired girl feigned disgust, her face softening as Ken shut his eyes. She shifted slightly to see Wormmon, who had cracked one eye open to look at her. "Hey, congrats," she said quietly, giving the digimon a bright smile as she gestured to the way Ken was holding him. Wormmon's eye seemed to smile back and he nodded, snuggling against his partner as he went to sleep.

And the Digidestined of Love and Sincerity sighed happily, pulling a bit of the blanket to her chin and staring up at the stars for a few moments before closing her eyes once again.
Hmm . . . I guess I like this tree, too . . . or maybe it's being close to you, Ken. Because, whenever I'm up here and close to you . . . I can just forget about everything else.
For once in her life, Yolei Inoue fell asleep blushing.




Wasn't that a sweet ending? I love Kenlei. . . ^_^
Wormmon -- . . . Um, I hate to say this, but. . .
Are you hungry? I know you ate dinner and everything already, but I guess we can get a snack. . .
Wormmon -- *bounces up and down* Yaaay!
*giggles* Okay, let's get something to eat. I need to relax a little before the next chapter.
Wormmon -- Why's that?
Well, the next few chapters are gonna be, pretty much, draining. I think you'll understand as I write.
Wormmon -- *stares blankly* Um . . . okay.
Eh heh heh heh. . . *sweatdrops* I just confused my co-muse. . .
Wormmon -- I wish Ken-chan were here! He'd be able to figure out that warped mind of yours!
'Warped mind?!' *feigns shock* Oh, thank you!
Wormmon -- You said you were using the American names for the characters, and yet you called Ken-chan's brother 'Osamu!'
*coughs* I did say that, didn't I. . .? Well, I like the name 'Osamu' more than 'Sam!' 'Sam' sounds too simplistic.
Wormmon -- So does 'Ken.'
Oh, now you're just asking for it, aren't you. . .? I'll tell Ken all about this when he shows up. . .
Wormmon -- *sweatdrops*