Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ One Step Forward, Two Steps Back ❯ Chapter One: Genius & Freaky Bits ( Chapter 1 )

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Herme: Hey there! Want a disclaimer? Read the Nonsensual Dialogue then, cuz I ain't saying it all again!

Tommy: Evil.

 

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One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

by Herme

 

Capítulo Uno: Genius & Freaky Bits

 

“A friend is someone who thinks you're a good egg even though you're slightly cracked.”

—Unknown

 

 

Without warning, something pounced.

 

Ken startled and nearly dropped his book from his hand.

 

Indeed, had the predator not had his prey completely within his grasp, Ken might have hit the ceiling with fright. But this prowler most certainly knew how to keep hold of his victims: he had a gift for holding locks. A real professional. Ken knew this as he felt the arms tighten around him. Warm breath tickled over the neckline of his school uniform, soft lips pressed close to his bare skin. His heart pounding, his breath coming short, Ken waited for the crushing blow.

 

“SO, YOU'RE STILL COMING TO MY HOUSE AFTER SCHOOL, RIGHT?”

 

Ken's eyes widened as the question tore straight through him, the Library, and everyone else occupying it.

 

“Huh? Huh? Huh?” his captor continued thoughtlessly, as Ken desperately tried to look as apologetic as humanely possible as the librarian glared at him and the oblivious kid behind him.

 

“Daisuke!” Ken whispered furiously, finally managing to get a word in edge-wise. “Be quiet! This is The Library, for goodness' sake!”

 

“Oh, sorry,” Daisuke said, marginally quieter as he slid into the empty seat beside Ken. “I just wanted to make sure. My mom's left us tons of snacks and stuff, and money for pizza, and the Jun-kaijuu is gonna be gone all weekend as well, I've just been informed.”

 

Ken hastily packed up his books as the looks from his fellow Library-goers bored into himself and his loud-mouthed companion, and he wondered (not for the first time) why he couldn't have warranted a best friend who knew how to whisper. Was his karma that bad? His acts as Digimon Emperor so unforgivable? Posing the question in mind, Ken shot a look heaven-way and resisted the urge to throw his arms up appealingly. Aloud, instead, he asked, “You're parents are still in Osaka?”

 

“Yeah, they won't be back until next Thursday,” Daisuke rattled, following Ken out of the Library, “but they said they're having loads of fun, and that they were bringing me back something good!”

 

Ken smiled at Daisuke's goofy grinning face. “That's good. What did you say about your sister?”

 

“The Monster?” Daisuke grinned as Ken frowned slightly. Ken was never one for making fun of other people, not even those who deserved it. “Jun decided she's gonna go out with some of her friends, all of a sudden like. Told me this morning, said she didn't want to be around me or my—well, I won't dirty your ears by repeating it, but it wasn't real nice, if you think *I'm* being mean. But, she's gonna be gone, so we can do whatever we want, all night long!”

 

Ken smiled again. “Should I bring anything?”

 

“Nah,” Daisuke told him. “I already said my mom's left tons of snacks, and we got dinner covered. Besides, what more can two guys need?”

 

“Two? What happened to Takeru? And Iori?”

 

“Let's sit down,” Daisuke said, motioning to two empty seats at a table in the Common Area. “Grab it before someone else does.”

 

Moving from elementary to junior high school to high school taught all the Digi-Destined just two things: no matter how bad the Digi-Destined days might have been at times, they were much better than the drollness of their lessons, and also that everything was so crowded you could hardly breathe. Ken was reminded of the latter when he was accidentally elbowed by the girl behind him. He smiled as he accepted the apology and was only vaguely aware that Daisuke had begun to speak again.

 

“…with his brother.”

 

Ken looked back at Daisuke. “Sorry, what?”

 

“Geez, Ken! If you're gonna ask questions you could at least be nice enough to listen when I talk!”

 

**I've been listening to you talk for years now: you never stop!** Ken thought to himself, but aloud he merely said, “I'm sorry. Say it again?”

 

“I said, Iori had to fill in for his grandfather's kendo class last minute, and Takeru went with his brother this weekend.”

 

“What are they doing?”

 

Daisuke pulled a bag of chips from his backpack and offered some to Ken before continuing. “Yamato's looking at apartments, and Takeru went with him, since they're gonna be living together.”

 

“Really?” Ken said, munching some of the chips. “I didn't know that. That's great, they're really close. Yamato's going to be graduating soon, isn't he?”

 

“Yeah. Taichi, too. All of the Originals are. Oh, except Jyou, he graduated some time ago, didn't he?”

 

Ken grinned. “Almost at the cost of his health, but yes.”

 

Daisuke laughed. “That's for sure! He's too high-strung. You gotta know when to relax!” To emphasize his point, Daisuke sprawled himself out over the tabletop.

 

Ken smiled, somewhat cheesily, at the older students who stared at them. After a moment, his own smile got to him and he began to laugh out loud, causing Daisuke to look up at him.

 

“What's so funny? I was being serious!”

 

“I know! No, that's not what I meant, don't get mad. I mean, I know you were serious but I'm laughing at something else.”

 

“What?”

 

Ken shook his head. “Never you mind. So, are we going to just meet at your house?”

 

“That was the original plan,” Daisuke replied, moving back to a sitting position. “Do you have anything to do right after school?”

 

“No, how about you?”

 

“Nope. Practice was cancelled today, due to the weather.”

 

“A little rain never hurt anyone.”

 

Daisuke gave Ken a look. “You ever run in the mud, genius?”

 

Ken gave Daisuke a look back. “Not that I can remember, but point taken. Though I don't see why it would affect the grass.”

 

Daisuke's face turned red as he worked up a passionate speech. “You have no idea, do you? It gets soft and squishy, and if it's raining during a game there's, like, *zero* visibility. Your stupid cleats stick into the grass and sink, and a lot of guys have twisted their ankles on the uneven ground! It's not cool when you're running for the goal and find your foot sinking into a mud hole you couldn't even see. We can't afford to lose our players like that, we don't have that many back-up players as it is, and the players we got are too good to give up. But they aren't that good,” Daisuke slowed down. “If, say, *you'd* consider—”

 

“I already told you,” Ken cut in smoothly. “I don't play anymore. After the whole *incident* the skills just never came back to me the way the genius did.”

 

Daisuke grinned. “If I didn't know better, I'd say you were being modest *and* smug at the same time.”

 

Ken managed to look sheepish and smirk. “Maybe a little.”

 

Daisuke laughed. “Well, since neither of us is doing anything afterwards, how about we meet in front of the school, then? We can walk over to my house from here.”

 

“I don't have my clothes…or my toothbrush—”

 

“Aww, c'mon, Ken! You can borrow some of my clothes for tomorrow, you're only a bit smaller than me, and one night without brushing your teeth ain't gonna kill you!”

 

Ken didn't answer right away. Actually, he was about four inches shorter than Daisuke (he wasn't sure if his growth spurt was on its way or if it had just skipped him altogether), and definitely more slender as his muscles weren't as toned as Daisuke's due to his leaving soccer. He also didn't mention the fact that while not brushing one's teeth wouldn't in fact kill you, it was by no definition pleasant.

 

“I don't have anything to sleep in either,” he added.

 

“Sleep in?” Daisuke gave him an evil grin. “Sleep naked!”

 

“I'm afraid that's out of the question,” Ken said as he felt his cheeks unforgivably redden as the girls behind him began to giggle.

 

“I'll loan you something, alright? So…” Daisuke drew out the word. “Are we?”

 

Ken clicked his tongue. “Fine. Sure.”

 

“Great!” Daisuke boomed, startling the people around him, including Ken.

 

**I don't think I'll ever get used to his boldness,** Ken thought fondly. **Keeps me on my toes, anyways.**

 

“So, let's meet by the front gate, `kay? I'll be waiting for you.”

 

Ken looked up at him. “What about Literature?”

 

“I won't be attending that class today. Hey, hey! I got a legitimate reason! I'm going to be helping Coach with some paperwork crap, so I'm sure I'll be let out a bit early. I'll just say I have to get back to my last class and just head out to the gate instead.”

 

Ken didn't quite approve. “Don't you think you might get in trouble?

 

“Nah.”

 

Ken narrowed his eyes. “Speaking of which, this isn't your lunch period.”

 

Daisuke stopped grinning. “How d'you know?”

 

Now Ken rolled his eyes. “Daisuke, it's been half a year since we started school, I think I accurately recall your not being here for *any* of my lunches before. Plus, I happen to know you're supposed to be in math right now. Don't you have a quiz today?”

 

“Damn, okay: yes, I have math…but I never told you about the quiz! How do you know that?”

 

Ken gave a grin worthy of the Emperor. “I hacked into the school's files. Where the teachers keep their curriculums. I remembered who you said your teachers were and looked them up.”

 

“You've been hanging out with Koushiro way too much. Plus, stop using your little detective skills on me!”

 

“I'm not using them on *you*!”

 

“Oh yeah?”

 

“Yes…I'm using them on everyone.”

 

“You're really creepy sometimes,” Daisuke said, struggling to smother a smile. “Sometimes I think there's still a bit of Emperor in you.”

 

Years after the incident, and years of prolonged exposure to Daisuke “Foot-in-Mouth” Motomiya, Ken was no longer sensitive to reminders of his past, so he didn't even bat an eye. In fact, Ken thought it was largely in part thanks to Daisuke that he could even face the truth of his past and move on.

 

“Maybe just a little,” Ken said, feigning arrogance. “But only the good parts.”

 

“Genius and freaky bits,” Daisuke supplied. “Good stuff, good stuff.”

 

“Whatever,” Ken said as the bell signifying the end of the lunch period rang. Standing up, he gave Daisuke a smile. “You'd better get back to class, or else. If you get in trouble now—”

 

“Simmer down, milord,” Daisuke said. “I'll see you after school. Don't forget: the front gate!”

 

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A/N: I have two best friends…neither know how to whisper. Poor Ken, I feel ya. I hope you enjoyed the first chapter, and I look forward to seeing you in chapter 2! Upcoming: Chapter 2: Operation: Here's Mud In Your Eye.

 

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