Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ For They Shall Be Filled ❯ A New Education and Some Rather Merited Awkwardness ( Chapter 13 )

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For They Shall Be Filled

The future is only a reaction to the past.

By: Vain 5/31/2001-1/26/2002

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I do not own Digimon, Ichijouji Ken, the Digidestined, or the Digital World, nor am I making any money off of this. Kazunori, Sanghee, the Golden Triangle, the Revelationas Arch, all its OC's and original concepts all belong to me.

Please DO NOT use or "borrow" them without my written permission.

Special Thanks goes to Herongale and the Guardian for betaing and thank you's are extended to everyone who reviewed on FF.net, especially Athena, ShinniJekka, KA, Pan-chan, Crew of the Clow, Mink, and Soulfull Ishida.

Because of the FF.net situation, this story will be posted here gradually. The entire fic and its sequel can be found here: http://www.fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=91738

Thank you and please read and review.

~ Vain

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~And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.

But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

-Matthew 24: 12 and 13

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Chapter Thirteen

A New Education and Some Rather Merited Awkwardness

TK walked slowly with his head down frowning as Patamon buzzed around chattering about something or another. Davis and Kari. Davis and Kari. Davis and Kari . . . When is she going to stop playing with him? It's not nice . . . Davis and Kari. Davis and Kari. Davis and Ken. Davis and Ken . . . Whoa! Now where did that come from?!

He abruptly stopped and Patamon flew into his head. "Ouch! TK! What is it? What's wrong?"

"Hmm? Oh, I don't know. Nothing, I guess."

"Nothing?" The little cream and orange colored digimon rubbed his head and pouted. "It sure didn't feel like nothing."

"I'm sorry, pal. I'm just distracted by stuff."

"Like what?"

The Child of Hope sighed. "Kari and Davis."

"I thought that you and Kari decided to just be friends."

"Well, we did, but sometimes I just get the feeling that she's only playing with Davis; and that she's using me to do it. I just think that that's . . . I don't know; shady, I guess. I mean it's just not right."

"Hmph." Patamon frowned in a digimon sort of way and then fluttered into his partner's arms. "Well, then, why don't you talk to her about it? You two are best friends, so why don't you just say something about it?"

"I don't know. I just . . . It's none of my business, I suppose. And plus there's . . . other stuff."

"Oh," Patamon pressed his little paws against TK's chest and looked up into his partner's face innocently, "you mean like Ken?"

TK paled and then blushed and then paled beneath his blush. "Oh, I-I . . . There's no-I didn't . . . It . . . How did . . .?"

Patamon giggled. "You talk in your sleep. So what's up with Ken?"

" . . . I wish I knew. It's funny. I feel . . . connected to him. Like with Kari, but it's a little different. Kari says she feels the same thing."

The digimon furrowed his brow as he stared up at his partner in concern. "Could it be his Crest?"

"Kindness? I don't know," the boy shrugged moodily. "Maybe."

"Then why don't you go talk to him?"

"Because, well-well, he's-he's Ken. That's not the kind of person that you just talk to. I don't know; it's just complicated."

"Why? You can go talk to him right now, in fact."

"Huh?" TK looked around in confusion but saw only trees and grass. "What are you talking about, Patamon?"

Patamon closed his eyes and tilted his head back. "I can smell them. He and Wormmon are just beyond that grove of trees." He used his right wing to point towards a stand of trees not far off.

"Are you sure?"

"Hey, the nose knows. Or would you rather trust that dinky little thing attached to your head? Come on!"

"Hey, wait up!" TK yelped as his partner took wing towards the trees. "Patamon, slow down!"

"Hurry up!"

"Patamon, wait u-"

TK stopped and screeched to a halt when he cleared the trees. Sitting Indian-style in the grass was Ken Ichijouji. The former tyrant sat totally still in his typical gray pants and a black short sleeve shirt. His eyes were closed and his head was bowed over his partner who lay asleep in his lap. They both appeared to be exhausted. Wormmon shifted in Ken's embrace and the pale boy's eyes fluttered. For an instant it looked as though the pair would awaken, but exhaustion won out and they were still once again.

Patamon was circling the air four feet above them. He grinned broadly at his partner as he escaped the brush and asked in a loud whisper, "Aren't they just so cute when they're asleep?"

TK briefly wondered what Ken's reaction would be to being called "cute" and quickly decided that it wouldn't be worth getting the crap beat out of him to find out.

On cue, the former Emperor's eyes fluttered once more and then opened all the way. He blinked rapidly for a moment and then half turned to gaze at TK with empty gemstone eyes. The blond boy felt a chill go through him as he stared into the blank depths of Ken's eyes. It was almost as though he was staring directly into the other boy's soul-and all he could see was utter emptiness. It frightened him.

Ken's voice sounded dead. "You lost?"

"Me?" TK felt suddenly confused and off-balance. "No . . . er . . . I . . ."

"Articulate as ever, Digidestined."

TK winced. "Sorry. I guess I'm just not quite with it today."

Ken regarded him coolly for a moment, expressionless mask back on his face. "It's alright."

"I'm T.K."

"I know."

" . . ."

"So is T.K. your full name?"

The blond looked down at Ken in surprise. The young genius still kept his back to him and his shoulders remained defensively stiff. "No, it's, um, Takeru."

"Takeru . . . That's a nice name."

The taller boy sat down next to Ken and felt Patamon settle on his head. He stared out over the field and tried to ignore the feeling of those sapphire eyes boring into him. He regarded the scenery with detached interest and took in the torn grass and Ken's bloodied shirt lying a few yards to the side. Apparently, there had been a fight here not too long ago.

TK slid his eyes over to the other boy. " . . . So . . . how're you feeling?"

"Like shit."

"Oh. Um . . . so what have you been up to?"

"School. Soccer. Interviews. Stuff."

" . . ."

The silence stretched on for an uncomfortable eternity and TK began to squirm. Finally, he could take it no longer. "Look, I can leave if you want me to."

"No . . . I . . ." Ken trailed off uncertainly. Then he bowed his head and shook it, allowing his fantastic indigo hair to fall down, hiding his expression. "No, you don't have to. I . . . I am an idiot sometimes. I'm still learning, you see."

TK was silent as he watched the pale boy's internal struggle with something that he wasn't sure he wanted to imagine. Abruptly he smiled; Ken was a lot like Matt in some ways. They could be very good friends. "It's okay, you know. I mean to screw up. Even I've done it on occasion." TK cleared his throat loudly and began to study the grass. "I'm sorry, by the way."

Ken blinked. "For what? Kicking my ass?"

"Um . . . yeah. What I did at your base-I was out of line back there."

"Hmph," a pale hand waved away the comment. "I deserve worse."

"Still, it wasn't right."

A slight half-smile tugged on the other's face. "Right? You're odd, Takeru."

TK felt a thrill at hearing his given name emerge from Ken's mouth and he ducked his head to hide his blush. "There was a fight?"

" . . . Yes. Wormmon's exhausted."

"Are you feeling alright?"

"As well as I ever am."

Suddenly Patamon fluttered his wings loudly, startling them both. "The others! We're late!"

Ken looked down at his digivice and then stood, careful not to disturb his slumbering partner. He cursed in irritation. "I fell asleep!"

TK also stood. "Hey, it's not your fault. Relax. I doubt that the others will care. C'mon; let's not keep them waiting any longer."

Ken turned around and looked at the other boy suspiciously. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

"I don't know. I guess I kinda get the impression that you're not used to it." TK watched as Ken's blue-violet eyes blinked rapidly, unable to discern what emotions the pale boy was experiencing.

Ken shook his head again in an attempt to organize his thoughts. "We should go."

"Yeah . . ."

Patamon flew overhead and watched the two boys as they made their way back to the village in silence. Maybe he'd talk to Wormmon after the virus digimon woke up and ate. Perhaps the two of them could figure out what to do with their humans; after all, if it wasn't for their digimon, humans would no doubt fall apart at the seams. The little vaccine wondered absently how humans without partners managed. No matter, though, he had his hands full enough with just his child. He couldn't handle another one-no digimon could.

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