Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ To Freedom ❯ Endings ( Chapter 9 )

A/N: The last chapter. Finally. The song for this chapter, and really for the rest of it too, is the late Jeff Buckley's Lover, You Should've Come Over. Thank yous to everyone who has reviewed, and to everyone who hasn't. I hope you've enjoyed it. I have.
Digimon and all it's wonderful characters, do not belong to be. This writing, however, does.

Chapter 9 - Endings

Daisuke laughed.
"What?" he asked. "Marry me?"
Miyako's eyes widened. She spoke quickly.
"I don't mean... it's just, it would keep your parents happy, and I know about Ken, so you could still be with him, and, I..."
Miyako blushed.
"Oh," Daisuke said. He laughed again. "You know, Miyako, for a moment there I thought you were proposing to me."
"Ha hah. Not likely," Miyako said. "Um... will you think about it?"
"I will," Daisuke answered, thoughtfully. "I'm meeting him tonight, so, we could talk about it then. I'm not sure if it would..."
"It's better than just running away."
"I guess. Running away before I get banished."
"Oh Dai," Miyako said. "I'm sure it wouldn't be that bad. And either way, at least you have Ken's love."
"Yes, but I'd like Ken too."
"I know. Just... think about it Dai."
"I will. I already said I would."

Daisuke left early that evening, before the sun fell. He knew he'd arranged to meet Ken later, but he wanted to be there as soon as possible. Ken wouldn't mind him being early.
Although it passed through his mind, the way Ken had been acting, he very well might.
The sun had set by the time Daisuke reached the lake, the water dark, faintly reflecting pink clouds. The water didn't look nearly as dangerous as it was.
Daisuke had seen the swans flying down towards the lake, and now he saw them in human form, lazing on the nearby grass. It was unnerving.
Ken, however, sat hunched up on a rock overlooking the water, dangerously close to the edge. The other swan children would look up at him occasionally, worry in their eyes.
Daisuke skirted the edges of the lake, towards the rock where Ken sat.
"Ken," he called. "I'm sorry.... Ken?"
The boy's blue eyes glared at him from above. Daisuke shivered.
"So now you come," Ken said, his voice cold as the night air.
"Ken?"
Daisuke's voice was nervous. What was wrong?
"I suppose you found yourself some Princess after all. That's okay. It doesn't matter."
"Ken, what are you talking about?"
"Didn't it even worry you when I didn't come?" Ken burst out. "I suppose it didn't. You were quick enough to swear your love for another."
Ken looked back down to the water, and his reflection was darkly distorted. Daisuke was startled.
"I didn't," he said. "Ken..."
"You did!" Ken said back. "You did, I felt it. You promised Daisuke. You promised me."
"Ken, what are you talking about? The only one I've ever sworn my love for is you."
"Liar," Ken said, and his eyes were back on Daisuke, glaring. So were the other swan children, Daisuke could feel their eyes on him. Daisuke stepped back. Suddenly, he was afraid.
"Ken, I didn't!" he yelled. "I wouldn't do that!"
"You could have at least come to see me. You could have at least told me."
"What do you mean? I've seen you every night! Ken, I don't understand what you're talking about." Daisuke knew he was pleading, but he didn't care. He loved Ken!
Suddenly, Ken's eyes gained a far off look. He wasn't glaring at Daisuke anymore; he was staring at something no one else could see.
"Oh god," he said.
He looked at Daisuke.
"He's tricked us."
"Who?"
"Oikawa. Oikawa ... he..." Ken stood up, spun around. Daisuke winced. "Where are you, Oikawa!" The world suddenly went quiet.
Then the silence was broken, by high, cruel laughter."
"Oh, very clever, Ken," Oikawa said, almost purring. His dark figure strode out from the forest. "You finally figured it out. Only, of course, after blamed everything on Daisuke." Again, Oikawa laughed, and Daisuke had the urge to cover his ears. "Some love," Oikawa said.
Ken shrank back on his rock. Too close to the edge, too close.
"You didn't really think you could get away with it, did you?"
Ken looked away.
"Certainly not now your little Daisuke's gone and sworn his love for my Kaiser."
"What?" Daisuke said.
Oikawa's eyes twinkled mockingly.
"Such a naive little boy you are, Daisuke. Didn't you even notice something was wrong? Dear dear, can't even tell little Kenny from my Kaiser." Oikawa clicked his tongue disapprovingly, and shook his head. "How sad."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh, but you do," Oikawa said. "Didn't you feel, in your bones, that something wasn't right? The Kaiser is my son, my creation. I'm not surprised you feel for it. He is very like Ken."
Daisuke stared.
"Well then," said Oikawa. "Come along Ken. No changing what's done."
Ken walked to the opposite end of his rock. Daisuke let out a breath. He looked around, at the other swan children, silent, looking like they wanted to do something, but couldn't.
"No," said Daisuke, suddenly.
"No?"
"No. Ken, you're not just going with that creep, are you."
Ken squeezed his eyes shut, hanging his head as Oikawa laughed.
"He has no choice," Oikawa said. "The spell's still on. I'd get him sooner or later."
"Of course he has a choice!"
"Well, he doesn't. Go away boy. Go marry your Princess, or your Miyako, if you will. Ken will never be free."
"But..."
"Daisuke, Daisuke. You did betray Ken with the Kaiser. He wouldn't choose you even if he did have a choice."
Ken's head snapped up. Oikawa continued.
"Which he doesn't. He's not free. He won't be free until he's dead. It's over, Daisuke. Can't you see that?"
"It's not!" Daisuke yelled.
"Oh?"
"It's never over! I can stop you from taking Ken. We can be together forever. Without you."
Daisuke was breathing heavily, walking towards Oikawa, and Ken.
"What, you going to try and fight me, boy? It won't work. And even if you were to kill me, it won't break the spell."
"You mean the curse. Anyway, I don't need to kill you to break it."
"Really?" Oikawa said, raising his eyebrows amusedly.
"Really," Daisuke said, glaring at Oikawa, and grabbing Ken's hand.
"Dai?" Ken whispered, from far, far away.
"Ken, we're going. Better dead together than alive apart."
For a moment, Ken and Oikawa were frozen. Then Ken nodded.
"Well, come on then," Daisuke said, and they ran, up onto the rock Ken had been sitting on not minutes before.
Oikawa started reacting again, he brought his hands together, mumbling something under his breath.
But it was too late.
They fell over the edge before he, before anyone could do anything. Fell into the water, dark dark water that was as dark as death. And death it was.
They fell into the water, together.
And together, they fell into freedom.