Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ The Other Side of the Mirror ❯ Descent of an Old world ( Chapter 3 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

By: Sugah

<center>~The Other Side of the Mirror~

~Part 3~</center>

Daisuke fell on his butt, and with the thunder of the falls, he couldn't hear himself swearing. He forgot about the soaked state of his clothing, and the way his shoes were squeaking. Hell, he even forgot about his goggles as he sat there, sprawled out inelegantly and feeling like a kid on a sugar rush.

The Kaizer was in the bushes.

~omigodwhatdoido ?~ was the thought that ricocheted off his mental walls, and ran straight into the quiet whisper of ~He's hurt…~

~You sure he's really there?~ a more rational part of him scorned. He looked over where Veemon was waiting patiently, and met his curious gaze.

"What's under there?" the small blue dragon asked, trusting and excited with the prospect of a 'discovery.'

Wordlessly, Daisuke shook his head, and stared at the screening foliage, and motioned him closer. "Veemon…whatever you do, don't tell anyone…" he warned, whispering directly into the unseen ear to make himself heard, hands reaching for the thick whip-cord branches.

"Why not?"

Daisuke carefully lifted up the overhanging mess of branches, swallowing hard against the shadowed sight of a slim pale arm, and nearly fell backwards again as the face came back into view, glancing quickly at Veemon to make sure the Digimon kept silent. This time, though the Kaizer was unconscious, it was defiantly him, with the shredded remains of that ugly blue jumper, and the unmistakable hair.

Even wet, the hair was spiked into clumps. And he was hurt.

"Dais'ke! That's the Kaizer!" His voice surprisingly discernable, Veemon crawled forward, his red eyes filled with shock and stared at Daisuke with a faint sense of betrayal.

"I can't leave him here!" Daisuke whispered against the howling of the falls. ~He's hurt! Should we help? Should I help?~

"But he's the Kaizer!"

"I know that!" Daisuke scrubbed a hand through his mess of hair, scowled and glared at the pale bruised face. A fading yellow-green color dotted the ridge of bone on one cheek, and a faint trickle of blood was blooming hesitantly under the nose. Even the arm was marked with several dark bruises.

~I can't leave him here,~ he realized suddenly. ~Those Tyranomon threw him off the cliff! I know they did!~

And somewhat softly, he thought, ~And…there's something…~ "Veemon…it doesn't matter. He's hurt…and something feels funny. Like the air's stale or something."

Almost reflexively, he glanced behind him, where the now-empty portal waited. A stab of mixed relief and hurt swelled; once again, the team had left him behind.

But did he really want them to see just whom he had found? They might get a little…overzealous in their attempt to protect the digital world. They might wind up hurting him, and Daisuke wasn't sure that this pale wet creature with the bruised face was the Kaizer anymore.

~Something attacked him…so maybe something took his place, and now he's just like us, a kid.~

~Maybe…~

~Maybe you're grabbing at straws and you'll end up with a psychotic kid with social disorders,~ another part of him replied.

"Come on," he yelled over the roar. "Let's get him out of the water!" He leaned forward, grasping the limp forearms with equally damp gloves, and pulled. The torso moved fractionally, then as Daisuke leaned back farther, scraped against the mixture of rock and muck with a grating rasp of protest.

As he was struggling with the heavy form, Veemon watched him with a carefully calculating gaze. To Veemon, Daisuke was willing to risk it all to help someone that needed it, regardless of the identity. Daisuke was a true friend. Veemon knew this for sure, but something inside lifted to see him in action.

Besides, Daisuke couldn't ever do anything wrong!

So helping the Kaizer, even if the human smelled odd, was the "right thing to do," and Daisuke wasn't surprised to feel strong wiry blue arms move alongside his and curl carefully around the shoulders.

Daisuke tumbled back onto his bottom as the body came free suddenly, landing just as heavily on the redhead, wetness spreading on his drying clothes as the water-soaked body sprawled bonelessly. "Gah, what'd he eat for breakfast, rocks?"

He stared at the unconscious and dripping boy, noting that there were more bruises noticeable through the tears in the back of the once-blue uniform, and saw something else move.

Clinging tightly to the meaty part of the Kaizer's thigh was Wormmon, his eyes squeezed shut against the world. The small form was shaking slightly with the strain, and apparently the Digimon had no problems about holding his breath if he had been underwater for that last five minutes.

"Oh, hey…" Daisuke said softly, awed at the display of the bond between the two. "Hey…Wormmon?" Hesitant fingers reached out, touching cool flesh, but the Digimon didn't respond.

Sighing, Daisuke pushed the boy off, wondering not for the first time just who the Kaizer was, and why he had decided to rule the Digital world. And why, if he was right, had his own forces thrown him off a cliff? ~Confusing,~ his mind stated, and Daisuke nodded in absent response to himself.

~Have to get him out of here,~ he acknowledged, and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ~But where?~

~He won't have anywhere to go, unless I offer a place to stay…~

Doubtfully, he looked back down at the Kaizer, and felt his discomfort rise. Maybe saving him was a bad idea-

Something huge crashed into the water, and Daisuke instinctively yelped, the sound lost in the noise already existing, and ducked from the resounding spray of water. Heart pounding, he slowly peeked up when he figured it was safe enough, and saw the remains of a log sinking in the mad-shifting water, and cursed.

~Damn Tyranomon saw us!~

A split second later, a second log fell. ~Or is it the third?~ he thought while it crashed into the ground and shattered into splinters and cordwood-sized chunks. Veemon was crying out, his face sheltered, and Daisuke found himself diving over the Kaizer as yet another log ricocheted off of the nearest tree and bounced over his head.

~Damn those things could take someone's eye out!~

They didn't make it as far as his eyes, or anywhere near him, but the single screen portal did get in the way, shattering upon the impact as the last chunk of timber smashed home.

Without hesitation Daisuke pulled forth his digivice, and prayed that he wouldn't need to be heard to get Veemon to digivolve. "Raidramon!" he cried, silent against the massive bellowing of the falls, unable to raise his head to see if the transformation had occurred.

Another broken tree slammed into the ground, this time too close for comfort, and Daisuke squeezed his eyes shut as he envisioned the next one smashing him flat-

~I don't even like pancakes,~ he wailed silently…

A cold nose nudged him, and the warm red eyes of Raidramon peered out at him, bright with worry and haste. Daisuke smiled and reflexively hugged the massive black-armored head. A second later he scrambled to envelop his arms around the slim body, levering it upwards to drape across the back. A second later, he vaulted up, and gathered the limp Kaizer into his arms, making sure that Wormmon was still attached before he tapped the flanks with his heels, signaling to the black Digimon and leaned forward.

Then they were off, bounding across the thick forest spread, darting between trees with a speed that was terrifying and at the same time thrilling. Wind tears burned at his face, and he almost reflexively yanked the goggles down over his eyes to protect them. His arm tightened around the middle of the Kaizer, and Daisuke cradled the head close, keeping the whipping leaves and branches away from the face. They were safe, now.

Behind them, a dull roar, faded from distance, sounded out.

~…Daisuke…~

//strange hands…a surprised face…//

~His name is Daisuke…~

//the feel of a warm hand on his shoulder, the faint sound of a voice//

~The boy with the sable eyes…~

//the look of surprised but not hurtful brown eyes…warm and caring eyes…//

~The Chosen Child…~

His eyes slowly opened, seemingly as sore as the rest of his body, and took a slow journey around the small space he occupied. Firelight on the walls, the sounds of night reaching his ears…

It was nightfall, and he was safe. Safe from him…and safe from the DarkTyrannomon. Without realizing it, Ken breathed a faint sigh of thanks, and opened his eyes completely to observe the rest of the room. A small fire burned merrily near the entrance of what appeared to be a small earthy cave. Ken looked up, seeing a few wispy roots of plants or trees, and prayed that it wouldn't cave in.

The savior, the Chosen Child, Motomiya Daisuke from his previous research, was sitting slackly against the wall, sound asleep and curled up into a small ball wearing only a white tee and his khaki shorts for protection against the cold.

Ken wondered idly what happened to his flame jacket, because it was a nice jacket, even if it was odd, and simply watched the boy doze. This boy had saved him…

Saved him even though he had desired to destroy all of the Chosen when he had been the Kaizer.

~When I was whole,~ he thought sadly, feeling a pang of horror at just what happened. Even though he had been through physical and mental stress, he seemed to be thinking clearer, even if his body was protesting the extreme use.

Things certainly felt better, because the constant anger he had felt seemed to have dissipated since the…split. The spiky bluenette took a moment to analyze himself and discovered several things. The first, which we shall say had least purpose, it seemed, but the most value, was that the pain inside of him had vanished. The pain that appeared whenever he had thought of Osamu, and himself, and the way he was unhappy.

In a small way, he realized, the pain had been too much of an influence in him. An unnatural influence.

The second value he uncovered was that along with the pain, he felt surprisingly…whole, yet empty. He felt clean. New.

~Purged,~ was the word his mind brought up, and Ken agreed that it was so. He had been 'cleaned' of everything wrong, everything evil and black inside that had festered for several years.

~And it left me with a twin…it left me with him…~

Ken shuddered faintly, still far from fully conscious, and thought that if he had been this pure inside, even as the brother of Osamu, what had happened to him to make his other half this poisoned? And why, if it had been an outside influence, why hadn't he turned completely into that mad destructive child he witnessed in the base?

It hadn't been the car accident, of that he was certain.

Something else…

The memory of those few grieving days after Osamu's death was hazy, and shot with an overlaying image of repelling pain. But a faint something tickled the edge of his mind, and he felt an echo of a flash of light…Then it was gone as elusively as it had appeared.

Something had happened. But his memory after being separated from his other was full of jagged holes and loops. He wondered, then, if the Kaizer had the same gaps in his head, and if that was why he was mad now…if he had ever been sane.

~There's a lot I can't remember,~ he thought with a subtle twist of sorrow. ~Like the way Osamu smiled, or my first day of school. My birthday parties. Friends. Family….too much…~

~Too much of me gone…~

His hands clenched slowly into fists, and his body tensed as he curled slightly, gritting his teeth and struggling to make a sound. ~What else did he do to me, if I can't speak? If I can't even make a sound?~

~What else am I missing?~

"Hey…are you feeling better?"

Ken started suddenly at the deep rumble above him, pushing up to lean on his forearms and stared at the looming black and blue wolf that had suddenly appeared. It watched him with a frank piercing gaze, telling him that it was only for Daisuke that he was still alive.

"Did you hear me?"

Ken nodded slowly, and just as carefully shifted his legs around. Belatedly he realized that a particular flame jacket was wrapped around his shoulders; it had slipped a little as he sat up straight. Ken blinked in surprise, and fingered the material. ~His jacket…~ he thought in soft awe. ~I don't understand…~

A quick glance showed him the Daisuke still slept, and at the moment was snoring slightly. Raidramon, the dark Digimon was called, was still watching him with a shrewd air. Once again, he nodded to him, and pulled the jacket up over his shoulders.

Raidramon seemed to frown. "I don't know what happened to you, but you better start explaining, because if this is a trap…"

Numbly, Ken shook his head, feeling a strong sense of frustration, and shrugged. How would he 'explain' this? With a single finger he slashed his throat, and covered his mouth. ~Can't you see I can't speak?~

The Digimon cocked his head. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"He can't talk…" a soft voice replied, and Ken looked down to see Wormmon curled up into a tiny green ball at his side. Sad blue eyes met his, and the green worm uncurled as Ken picked him up, nodding to Raidramon, and cuddled his partner close.

Raidramon didn't reply for a long time. "I don't understand…"

"He took Ken's voice…" A note of anger touched the Digimon's voice, and Ken stifled a pleased and wry smile, idly stroking the smooth skin to ward away the recurring thoughts of a wicked laugh and cruel hands.

"He who?"

Ken looked up slowly to see a sleepy and yawning Daisuke stretching his arms over his head. For some reason, his eyes glanced downward to peek at the exposed belly, and felt a warm flush of heat center on his face.

"The Kaizer," Wormmon merely said, oblivious to the glances Ken was trying to keep diverted from the strangely alluring redhead. "The Kaizer did all of this…"

"Dude…" Daisuke gave Raidramon an incredulous glance. "You're the Kaizer."

Shaking his head, Ken merely looked away.

"O~kay…Um…This makes no sense…"

"It's true," Wormmon replied in a soft steely voice. It was the first time he had begun to respond in his new 'protect' mode. "The Kaizer…when he was Ken, he wasn't himself. So he divided what was good in him, and what was bad, and now there's two. One Ken, one Kaizer."

"You've got to be kidding." Daisuke scrubbed a hand through his hair and peered with suspicion at the pair as they sat curled up near the fire. "If this is a trap…"

Ken shook his head slowly, carefully, suddenly aware of the multiple aches and shouting pain across his body. ~No…and thanks,~ he said, even though it was silent. ~No matter what, I'm grateful.~

"Hmm…" Frowning, Daisuke bounced to his feet and over to where Ken sat, leaning down with a scowl. "You better not be trying to trick me…"

Wormmon glared at the boy, even though Ken's reassuring hand kept him from speaking. Ken merely looked up briefly, shaken by the sudden effect the nearness had on him, and smiled a tiny smile, waving his other hand in a "pshaw" manner.

"You swear it's not a trick?"

Without hesitation Ken offered his hand, bruised and scratched though it was.

Daisuke nodded in a businesslike manner, and reached out with his own. As the leather grazed his skin, warm to the touch, Ken wondered why the boy trusted him, and if he did, where that would lead them.

For today was a new world, now, as the former Kaizer shook hands with the former enemy, and sealed his fate.

Far away from the tiny cave and hidden somewhere in the mountains, a fortress echoed with the furious screams of an insane rage.