Title: Fallen
Rating: PG-13
Couples: Takesuke and Kensuke
Notes: AU. This was posted on my other profile (Kendrah) but the admin took it down because it had explicit scenes in it. Where? I really do wonder!
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or any of the characters.
It was spring already and the birds were flying in V-shaped flocks above the sky, having finally come back after a long winter. Everything was great and all his plans were working out. Walking out of the stuffy school building with his lunch in hand, Takeru was determined to find Daisuke and he had a pretty good idea where to find him.
His amour; his love. From the first time he had seen the feisty red head, he had wanted him. Wanted him with a passion that burned through his heart and soul. Daisuke didn't know this, though. He thought Takeru was going with Hikari and in Daisuke's eyes that was okay, at least they could talk, argue, or fight.
Even that had seemed to go out along with the weather. Daisuke didn't seem to mind him around (or maybe he just didn't care.) They did things together now, as friends. They had actual adult conversations and played video games together, went to the movies, then fought over the ending. He didn't know why Daisuke had changed but he liked it. That was all of a couple months ago.
As of late, he hadn't seen much of Daisuke, which was the reason for searching him out. He seemed so involved with his studies and spent all his free time with Ken, who, as he was told by Hikari, tutored him in math. He had offered to help but Daisuke pointed out that he wasn't much better in the subject either. Not that he minded that he was spending more time with Ken. He had nothing to be jealous about.
He turned the corner and made a bee line for the deserted cherry tree that Daisuke seemed to love. There he sat, so radiantly beautiful it hurt his eyes. He raised his hand to gain the other boys attention when a purple head bobbed into his view.
*What is Ken doing here? Doesn't he go to -- what's the name? -- that smart kid school?* Takeru hid behind a tree, determining to see what Ken was doing visiting _his_ Daisuke. Tutoring him was one thing, this was another.
Takeru watched wide-eyed as Daisuke smiled and got up, closing the space between himself and Ken. Takeru gasped as he saw Ken sweep Daisuke in a passionate kiss.
He turned his back on the couple and allowed his hands to grip into the bark of the tree until it was painful. *Is that why Daisuke has been laying off on me and Hikari?* He looked over his shoulder to see the two cuddling under the cherry tree, the tree that was his and Daisuke's. *Is that why they seem to be spending so much time together?*
Takeru dropped the food and started back towards the school building, not truly knowing what he was doing. The pain in his chest felt like an open puncture wound. *How could this... happen?*
=== === ===
The rest of the day was a fog of hurt confusion for Takeru. Four times he was yelled at for not paying attention, twice he had been asked if he was sick, and he was even told to stand outside his history classroom for the rest of the period. When it came time to go home, he gathered his things half-heartedly, walking down the street at a slow pace.
"Hey! Takeru!" Daisuke called to him, waving his arms in the air.
Takeru groaned. *Just who I want to see.*
"Takeru, I want to talk with you," he said when he caught up, hunched over and gulping for air.
Takeru turned around, holding his arms behind his back and forced a smile. "What is it, Dai-kun?"
Daisuke started to walk, propelling him to follow. "Takeru," he began, looking at the ground in some emotion Takeru couldn't make out. "I want to say I'm sorry."
Takeru frowned slightly. *For what, crushing my heart and ruining all my dreams?*
Daisuke took a deep breath. "I'm sorry for ragging on you and Hikari. It was wrong to think Hikari might like me in that way. I can see now that your perfect for each other." Daisuke stood still, searching Takeru's face for some kind of clue.
Takeru met his gaze, trying to put all sorts of relief and 'I'm glad to hear it', but he couldn't keep his lips curled up in a slight sneer. *The perfect digi couple. Yuck! We'll never be able to get out from under that.* From the time they were children, they were constantly being told how perfect they were with each other. He had always hated it. "What brings this on, Dai-chan? Don't tell me you've given up," he said slowly, schooling his face into a blank look of confusion.
Daisuke seemed to blink once or twice, and Takeru bit his bottom lip, hoping he hadn't said anything to upset the red-head. "I've found the someone I love and I'm happy. I can understand what you feel when I hit on Hikari and I'm sorry. I didn't know."
*You're right, Daisuke. You don't know,* Takeru thought, but said: "Don't worry about it, we're friends after all." He smiled widely. "I have to go, I wish we could walk home together, but ya' know."
Daisuke shrugged. "Thanks. I knew you weren't the type to hold grudges." He jogged off in the other direction.
=== === ===
Takeru sat on his bedroom floor, his back against the door. *How? How? We were perfect together; we're the perfect couple. What's so hard to understand about that. Even Dai-chan should've been able to see it.*
His mind wandered in aimless circles, always coming back to the same spot. *It has to be Ken! It has to be!* Takeru growled at the thought of Ken. *He tricked my Dai-chan with him... braininess. Must have made Dai-chan feel sorry for him. Not like he hadn't stolen nothing before him.* The prep had the nerve to steal what he had been making since the last time he was at the dig world. Then he bounces around saying he is the Kaiser when Takeru was obviously the one who fit the job.
Takeru sighed. Unlike the other children, he had retained the ability to come and go from the digiworld. It was his God given right to be the ruler; it couldn't have been more easy if it were handed to him -- heck, it all but was handed to him. So he and Patamon had set about putting up the control spires. Him, not the flouncy cry baby.
But it didn't matter now. Ken was dethroned and Takeru had started the process of control all over again. He had planned on taking Daisuke with him, making him see that it was his right to be the ruler and letting Daisuke rule along with him. Or at least having Daisuke by his side.
But this time, he'd have to get Daisuke in a more round about way. A little different from his first plan but the end was still the same and that's what counts.
Takeru picked himself off the ground with clenched fists; he was resolved. He pointed to his portable lap top and said "Digiport open!" A beam of light took him and Patamon to where they needed to be.
=== === ===
Takeru grinned a familiar light flickered on his D3; Iori. The youngest and possibly the most annoying member of the second generation. *Maybe this will be fun,* he thought with a grin, hooking the device back to his belt.
"Digi-armor energize Patamon!" Takeru said to his partner who nodded.
Takeru rode Pegasmon high in the sky, using his D3 as a guide to his human partner. *Building sand castles?* he thought with a sneer. *How dare these children come to my land and do such trivial things in it?* He came down low enough for the youngest to see him.
Iori lifted his head to greet Takeru. "Hey!" he called, waving his hands. "Me and Armadimon are just playing in the sand. Wanna join?"
"Not as good as food, but what is?" Armadimon said with a smile.
Takeru pointed to the two. "Pegasmon, you know what to do."
The horse digimon nodded. "Silver Blaze!" A greenish colored beam shot out, causing the pair to dive out of it's the way.
"Takeru! What are you doing?" Iori cried, tears in his eyes.
Takeru sneered. "I want you out of my land before I kill you."
Armadimon sauted forward. "What is wrong with you Pegasmon?"
"Leave before I start aiming.." Pegasmon said calmly.
Iori and Armadimon exchanged looks and ran for the nearest portal.
"That's right! Tell the whole group that I'm the new Kaiser!" Takeru hollered after Iori in a triumph filled tone.
=== === ===
The night was dark and rain sloshed against the window panes of the junior high. Bare tree branches bent and danced in the winds furious howl and not even a cat could be found outside amongst these elements. Lightening struck and lit up the night sky as a group of teens sat on the floor of the computer room, arguing with each other.
"No! He can't be the one! He just can't!" Hikari cried, tempo matching the raging storm.
Iori shook his head sadly. "I know what I saw and I saw him."
"But why would be do that?" Ken asked softly.
Daisuke sighed as he looked from his love to the rest of the group. *He probably thinks it's his fault...* He ran a hand through his messy hair, though it did nothing to tame the spikes. *I can't believe you'd do that, Takeru. Didn't you learn anything from Ken? What is the point of all this?*
"Well? What should we do?" Miyako asked the group, equally depressed. Though she wouldn't admit it, Daisuke knew she had a crush on Takeru and wished he'd seen her the same way she saw him.
"I think we need to find out why he decided to take over where Ken left off," Iori suggested.
"How do we plan on doing that?" Daisuke asked. "Tap him on the shoulder and say 'Hey, heard your the new Kaiser. Care to explain?'"
Hikari drew her knees close to herself. "He is so gentle. I don't know why he'd want to be the Kaiser." She looked at Ken. "He seemed so angry when you were the Kaiser. I don't know why he'd revive that."
"I don't think we can do anything now." Daisuke glanced out the window. "I think we should go home and get a good night sleep for tomorrow. We can kick his butt then."
Ken sighed. "You're probably right. I don't think running around in a dark digiworld is a good idea by any standard. Let's meet here tomorrow.. say tenish?"
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Ken got up. "I'll see you all then," he said as he left.
Daisuke watched Ken go more then a little depressed. He knew the former Kaiser had probably gone off alone, to sulk. Usually Ken would ask him to join him and it hurt to know he wasn't support worthy. Daisuke shook his head, no use getting upset about it. "It seems we have a meeting time," Daisuke said, gathering Chibimon into his arms. "Let's go home before the storm gets any worse."
Miyako gathered her bag up and Poromon flew next to her. "Be careful getting home, everyone."
"I'll walk with you, Miyako," Iori offered, holding Upamon under his left arm. She nodded and they left the room together.
Daisuke waved as they left and turned back to Hikari and walked over to her. "I'm sorry, I wish it wasn't Takeru too," he said. It wasn't much, he knew, but he felt as if he should say something. He knew how close the children of light and hope were.
"What are you talking about?" she growled up at him. "This is all your fault! If you had just left Takeru and me alone, this wouldn't have happened! Get away from me, you disgust me!"
"Hikari --" Tailmon started.
Hikari shook her head vigorously. "It's the truth. It's all his fault and both of you know it!" She stood up, gathering her things. "If you hadn't tried to force Takeru away with your stupid obsession of me, then he'd still be here! If you hadn't..." she stopped, brushing the tears away. Taking a deep breath to control herself, she spared him one last furious glare before leaving.
Daisuke sat down, head in hands. "Is it really my fault? Did I... do this to him?" He sighed and sank further into the ground. "Maybe... maybe it was all the teasing. But he had to know I meant nothing by it. I knew they were together, Chibimon. I even told him I'd leave them alone today!"
Chibimon hopped around him. "Of course you didn't do this to him! You can't believe what she said. She was just upset, like the rest of us."
"But it's true that I was mean to him, always messing up his name and making fun of him. What if I made him feel so unwelcome that he left the group?" Daisuke's hands grasped his hair hard. "What kind of leader am I?"
"Dai-chan..."
He suddenly looked up and made a fist. "I'll go there tonight! I can straighten this out with Takeru alone. Tell him that I didn't mean to push him out... and if not, we can kick his butt, Chibimon."
"Dai-chan, I don't think that's a good idea," Chibimon said, concern permeating through his voice. "What if we get in trouble?"
"We can do it and besides, we can always call the others," he lied for the benefit of Chibimon. If he caused this mess, he'd be damn sure to correct it himself before he included the others. He'd make this up to the others, it was his duty.
"If you really think this is a wise thing to do... I'll follow you anywhere."
Daisuke smiled down at his digimon and held out his arms for the blue fur ball. "Let's go to the digiworld then."
He turned to the only computer still and typed in some coordinates so that they would land in a field. Pointing his digivice at the monitor, he said "Digiport open!"
A light flooded out of the computer, taking a hold of Daisuke and dragging him along with it. The area it left them at was a lot different then the area it had said on screen.
"What the heck happened? Did someone mess with the computer?" He asked aloud, turning around, looking at the new area. He seemed to be in some kind of room with no windows and one wood doorway leading out. It reminded him too much of a dungeon room for comfort.
A clicking sound drew his attention back to the computer and he saw the Digiport go off line. "Huh?" He pointed his digivice back that to port, saying: "Digiport open!" Nothing happened.
"Dai-chan?" asked V-mon worriedly.
Daisuke pulled out his D-Terminal and clicked it open to see if it was working. The terminal was offline as well. "What's going on here? I think the next thing to do is try to leave this place and see if our things work outside."
He walked to the door, pushing against it. It opened with ease, swinging widely on its hinges. He stuck his head out, looking left, then right, and decided to go to the left. Creeping into the hall as silently as they could, both made their way down the hall, constantly check for anyway out.
As the team walked down the hall, they found nothing; no doors, windows, nothing but the cold gray brinks. Ten minutes later, they stood before another big wooden door.
"Should we go in?" V-mon asked.
Daisuke looked around him and sighed. "Do we have a choice? Help me push."
Bracing themselves against the door, they pushed with all their might until the door finally opened into a huge room. The room reminded Daisuke of the ballrooms he had seen in the movies.
"I'm glad to see you've finally joined me, Daisuke," a voice called from the other side of the room.
Daisuke turned sharply to the sound; it was sultry and slow and it wallowed in it's own gratification. "Takeru?" He could hardly believe it. There the child of hope was, dress up in clothes similar to the ones Ken wore when he was the Kaiser, complete with the cape and glasses.
Takeru stood and walked briskly over to him, Patamon sitting on his head. "I've been waiting for you. I knew you'd be stupid enough to come alone and try to talk some sense into me when you learned the truth."
"What do you mean?" *Maybe this wasn't such a good idea...* Daisuke started backwards, trying to ward off Takeru's advancement. He bumped into a wall sooner then he wanted and was held there by Takeru's arms, placed on both his sides.
"Dai-chan," Takeru whispered, dropping his mouth down on top of the frightened boys quivering lips. Daisuke turned his head to block the advance, but a hand crept up and held him firmly in place
"Dai-chan!" V-mon cried, head butting Takeru and effectively knocking him away from his partner.
Takeru crashed into the ground, hard. "Patamon, take care of him for me."
The orange digimon nodded and flew to the throne. He pushed an hidden button and V-mon disappear beneath the floor. The floor reappeared a second later. "Make sure he doesn't escape, Patamon." Takeru got up and brushed his pants off.
Daisuke slide away from him and stomped a little on the spot were V-mon had disappeared. "What did you do to V-mon?" he cried, waving his fist in the air.
"I've done nothing yet. And as long as you do what I tell you to do, nothing will happen to the annoying blue barney," Takeru said.
Daisuke gulped. He didn't want to think of what Takeru had almost done and he hoped that it wasn't want he really wanted. "Well, what do you want then?"
Takeru grinned. "I believe you already know. But allow me to illustrate..."
Daisuke shook his head. "You can't mean that. I thought you loved Hikari."
"Well, Daisuke, I hate to say this but I doubt thinking is your strongest suit." Takeru walked over to Daisuke, cupping his cheek with a gloved hand. "I never wanted her. She was just a pest, easily controlled. But you Daisuke... you're different."
"I... I..." Daisuke tried to think of something to shot back at Takeru but his thought halted when he felt Takeru plant kisses down his neck. And to his horror, he found himself leaning into the caress.
"Yes, I believe we can both have a great... working relationship together. And V-mon will be just fine, as long as you do what I say." He pulled himself off of Daisuke..
Grabbing his hand, Takeru began leading Daisuke out of the chamber. "Dinner will be served soon and I wish to have you situated in our room before then, so let's hurry."
Daisuke's eye brow shot up. "'Ours'?"
"You didn't think I'd reconfigure the network to get you here, just to make you sleep in the hallway?"
Takeru pulled Daisuke's reluctant form through many hall ways until they reached a room at the end of a hall way.
Daisuke pulled out of Takeru's grasp. "Hey, how do I know that V-mon is okay?"
Takeru ranked a hand through his hair. "If you want, I'll allow you to see him when we finish dinner."
Takeru opened the door and pushed Daisuke through the door. "Welcome to your new home, Dai."
=== === ===
The next morning, Hikari was the first to arrive, a whole half hour early. She had decided that night that she was going to apologize to him. She didn't mean what she had said. To be truthful, she was jealous of him to have captured Takeru's love. But she shouldn't have let that speak through her.
Miyako and Iori arrived a bit after Hikari had, chatting about one thing or another. Hikari really didn't care.
"Did Daisuke walk with you?" she asked them.
Iori shook his head. "He called and said he was going to meet Ken at the station. You know how those two have been lately."
A minute after that, Ken and Daisuke walked in, laughing. "And then he pulled me aside and said --" Daisuke stopped his story and waved to the others. "How are you all doing?"
Ken waved shyly as well. "Well, what should we do now?"
Daisuke waved his fist in the air. "I say we kick some Takeru butt!"
Miyako sighed. "Leave it to Daisuke to be violent."
Daisuke glared back at her. "Like you can talk."
Hikari stepped forward, trying to break any impending fight. "Let's not fight, okay?" She turned to Daisuke, pulling him side. "I'm sorry Daisuke. I didn't mean anything I said last night, I was just upset."
Daisuke shook his head, smiled, and patted her shoulder. "No problems. I knew you were just sad about Takeru. Don't worry about it."
She looked down and noticed the ring on his hand. "Daisuke, I didn't know you wore rings."
He looked down at the ring and pulled his hand away. "My beloved gave it to me," he whispered as if it were a shameful secret.
Hikari smiled. "You'll introduce her to us?"
Daisuke nodded slowly, and looked to the ground.
"Come on you two love birds, we have a digiworld to save!" Miyako said, interrupting them.
Hikari sighed. "Well, were should we attack first?"
"I think we should find his base like we did with Ken," Iori piped up.
"Do you think it's possible that he could be using my old base?" Ken asked.
"I have no idea but that seems like a good place to go," Iori said.
"Okay then! Let's kick some Takeru butt!" Daisuke cried.
The others nodded enthusiastically.
"I'll tell the portal where to take us to," Iori said as he began to type in the coordinates.
Ken pointed his digivice to the computer and said "Digiport open!" A light flashed and they were all taken in.
=== === ===
Hikari woke up with a slitting head ache. *Didn't we just go through the portal?* Opening her eyes, she saw that she wasn't the only one there. Everyone but Daisuke was chained to the wall. Pulling against the chains, she sighed frustrated.
"So you're finally awake," Miyako stated flatly.
Hikari, still looking around, asked "What the heck is going on here?"
Iori shook his head dejected. "I don't know and Daisuke isn't with us."
"Did Takeru do something to him?" Hikari asked.
Ken looked over to her. "Why would he?"
Hikari sighed. "Before he left, he confessed that he was in love with Daisuke."
Miyako gasped. "He did? He... I never knew."
The kids looked in the direction of click metal. The door swung open and Takeru walked in heartily. "I see you're all enjoying the accommodations I've set up for you."
Hikari struggled against her bonds. "Takeru, why are you doing this?"
Takeru sneered down at her. "You'd never understand."
"Where is Dai-chan?" Ken asked, fearing the worst.
Takeru's face crack a smug smile. "He is exactly where he belongs: with me."
Ken tried to leap at Takeru, but the bonds held him back. "If you so much as touch a hair on his head, I'll...!"
Takeru walked over to him and slugged him. "You'll do what? Breath on me?"
Ken spit on him and Takeru picked him up by the neck. "You should be lucky that _I_ haven't killed you yet."
"Why?" Ken gritted out. "Because Daisuke loves me? Jealousy doesn't become you, Takeru."
Takeru narrowed his eyes. "Whatever he felt for you is long gone."
Ken tried laughed, but only made a wheezing sound. "You're pathetic."
Takeru laughed and dropped him. "I almost forgot why I came to visit you all." He clicked his fingers and Patamon flew in, carrying a small wooden box. "I think you all will be very useful to me."
"We'll never help the likes of you!" Miyako said, a definite frown set on her face.
"I didn't ask your permission," Takeru said. He opened the box and took out some black rings. "I'm pretty sure you all know how they work. I perfected you design, Ken."
Hikari gasped. "Daisuke had one of those rings on his finger this morning! When did you get him."
"Last night, after you had chewed him out. He thought he could talk reason into me, thought he had made me do this. I wonder who gave him that idea, Hikari." He walked over to her, taking one struggling hand and forcing a ring on it. She slumped over.
The others watched in horror as he came to each one, binding them to him with those little rings.
He came to Ken last, smirking above him. "You would have made a terrible Kaiser."
Ken turned his head away, refusing to look at him.
Takeru kneeled down and grasped Ken's chin with his hand, forcing Ken to look at him. "I thought you might like to know that Dai taste like chocolate. I know you two never went that far. And when he cried my name, I could tell he wasn't thinking about you. In fact, I doubt he has thought about you since we've been together," Takeru purred, slipping a ring on him slowly. Ken slumped over.
Giving them one last glace and a quick order to the guard, he walked off to rejoin his Daisuke. *Who said I couldn't take what I wanted?*
=== === ===
Ken was rudely awoken as a Bakumon came in and shook the kids. Ken mumbled an obscenity and allowed the digimon to unchain them. "The master will see you now," the digimon said before departing.
"He's just leaving us alone, unattended?" Iori asked, puzzled. "That doesn't seem very wise. Is he letting us go?"
Ken shook his head. "I don't know." *He must be up to something.* "Let's get --" Ken stopped when he saw himself walking through the doorway and down the hall with the other kids.
"What's going on?" Miyako cried.
Hikari shook her head but kept quite.
"It has to be the rings!" Ken cried. "We have to get them off." He tugged at the black shiny ring but it wouldn't come off.
Iori sighed. "It's no use. We can't get these off and we seem to be doing somewhere. Might as well let it take us there."
The group fell silent after that. They came across a huge wooden door. Combining their efforts, they succeeded in pushing it open.
"Come to me, slaves," Takeru commanded, his voice resonating off the walls.
They lined of in a straight line before him and knelt.
"Good," he smirked. "You all will be a great help to me. A sole person could never take over the world but with you four and myself, it will become a reality."
"And what happens to Dai-chan?" Ken managed to grit out.
Takeru got up and back handed the boy. "Never talk without my permission. But it's a fair question." He gestured to his side. "Come out, my Dai-chan," he commanded softly.
Ken looked up as Daisuke pattered softly over to him, wrapping his arms around Takeru. "Yes?"
Takeru smiled down at him. "Dai-chan, tell this thing," he indicated to Ken, "who you truly love."
Daisuke turned and looked at Ken. Ken could see the pain in Daisuke's eyes, as if he were asking for forgiveness. "I love you, Take-chan," Daisuke said looking back at Takeru, a strange emotion shining there.
Takeru pulled Daisuke up, kissing him. His hands roamed the red-heads body, while Daisuke stood still, pliant, but ungiving to the kiss.
Ken tried to move, tried with all his soul, but he couldn't move an inch.
When Takeru broke the kiss, he whispered something in Daisuke's ear and looked after him as he left the room.
"Now," Takeru said, smiling. "We have work to do.."
The End
Rating: PG-13
Couples: Takesuke and Kensuke
Notes: AU. This was posted on my other profile (Kendrah) but the admin took it down because it had explicit scenes in it. Where? I really do wonder!
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or any of the characters.
It was spring already and the birds were flying in V-shaped flocks above the sky, having finally come back after a long winter. Everything was great and all his plans were working out. Walking out of the stuffy school building with his lunch in hand, Takeru was determined to find Daisuke and he had a pretty good idea where to find him.
His amour; his love. From the first time he had seen the feisty red head, he had wanted him. Wanted him with a passion that burned through his heart and soul. Daisuke didn't know this, though. He thought Takeru was going with Hikari and in Daisuke's eyes that was okay, at least they could talk, argue, or fight.
Even that had seemed to go out along with the weather. Daisuke didn't seem to mind him around (or maybe he just didn't care.) They did things together now, as friends. They had actual adult conversations and played video games together, went to the movies, then fought over the ending. He didn't know why Daisuke had changed but he liked it. That was all of a couple months ago.
As of late, he hadn't seen much of Daisuke, which was the reason for searching him out. He seemed so involved with his studies and spent all his free time with Ken, who, as he was told by Hikari, tutored him in math. He had offered to help but Daisuke pointed out that he wasn't much better in the subject either. Not that he minded that he was spending more time with Ken. He had nothing to be jealous about.
He turned the corner and made a bee line for the deserted cherry tree that Daisuke seemed to love. There he sat, so radiantly beautiful it hurt his eyes. He raised his hand to gain the other boys attention when a purple head bobbed into his view.
*What is Ken doing here? Doesn't he go to -- what's the name? -- that smart kid school?* Takeru hid behind a tree, determining to see what Ken was doing visiting _his_ Daisuke. Tutoring him was one thing, this was another.
Takeru watched wide-eyed as Daisuke smiled and got up, closing the space between himself and Ken. Takeru gasped as he saw Ken sweep Daisuke in a passionate kiss.
He turned his back on the couple and allowed his hands to grip into the bark of the tree until it was painful. *Is that why Daisuke has been laying off on me and Hikari?* He looked over his shoulder to see the two cuddling under the cherry tree, the tree that was his and Daisuke's. *Is that why they seem to be spending so much time together?*
Takeru dropped the food and started back towards the school building, not truly knowing what he was doing. The pain in his chest felt like an open puncture wound. *How could this... happen?*
=== === ===
The rest of the day was a fog of hurt confusion for Takeru. Four times he was yelled at for not paying attention, twice he had been asked if he was sick, and he was even told to stand outside his history classroom for the rest of the period. When it came time to go home, he gathered his things half-heartedly, walking down the street at a slow pace.
"Hey! Takeru!" Daisuke called to him, waving his arms in the air.
Takeru groaned. *Just who I want to see.*
"Takeru, I want to talk with you," he said when he caught up, hunched over and gulping for air.
Takeru turned around, holding his arms behind his back and forced a smile. "What is it, Dai-kun?"
Daisuke started to walk, propelling him to follow. "Takeru," he began, looking at the ground in some emotion Takeru couldn't make out. "I want to say I'm sorry."
Takeru frowned slightly. *For what, crushing my heart and ruining all my dreams?*
Daisuke took a deep breath. "I'm sorry for ragging on you and Hikari. It was wrong to think Hikari might like me in that way. I can see now that your perfect for each other." Daisuke stood still, searching Takeru's face for some kind of clue.
Takeru met his gaze, trying to put all sorts of relief and 'I'm glad to hear it', but he couldn't keep his lips curled up in a slight sneer. *The perfect digi couple. Yuck! We'll never be able to get out from under that.* From the time they were children, they were constantly being told how perfect they were with each other. He had always hated it. "What brings this on, Dai-chan? Don't tell me you've given up," he said slowly, schooling his face into a blank look of confusion.
Daisuke seemed to blink once or twice, and Takeru bit his bottom lip, hoping he hadn't said anything to upset the red-head. "I've found the someone I love and I'm happy. I can understand what you feel when I hit on Hikari and I'm sorry. I didn't know."
*You're right, Daisuke. You don't know,* Takeru thought, but said: "Don't worry about it, we're friends after all." He smiled widely. "I have to go, I wish we could walk home together, but ya' know."
Daisuke shrugged. "Thanks. I knew you weren't the type to hold grudges." He jogged off in the other direction.
=== === ===
Takeru sat on his bedroom floor, his back against the door. *How? How? We were perfect together; we're the perfect couple. What's so hard to understand about that. Even Dai-chan should've been able to see it.*
His mind wandered in aimless circles, always coming back to the same spot. *It has to be Ken! It has to be!* Takeru growled at the thought of Ken. *He tricked my Dai-chan with him... braininess. Must have made Dai-chan feel sorry for him. Not like he hadn't stolen nothing before him.* The prep had the nerve to steal what he had been making since the last time he was at the dig world. Then he bounces around saying he is the Kaiser when Takeru was obviously the one who fit the job.
Takeru sighed. Unlike the other children, he had retained the ability to come and go from the digiworld. It was his God given right to be the ruler; it couldn't have been more easy if it were handed to him -- heck, it all but was handed to him. So he and Patamon had set about putting up the control spires. Him, not the flouncy cry baby.
But it didn't matter now. Ken was dethroned and Takeru had started the process of control all over again. He had planned on taking Daisuke with him, making him see that it was his right to be the ruler and letting Daisuke rule along with him. Or at least having Daisuke by his side.
But this time, he'd have to get Daisuke in a more round about way. A little different from his first plan but the end was still the same and that's what counts.
Takeru picked himself off the ground with clenched fists; he was resolved. He pointed to his portable lap top and said "Digiport open!" A beam of light took him and Patamon to where they needed to be.
=== === ===
Takeru grinned a familiar light flickered on his D3; Iori. The youngest and possibly the most annoying member of the second generation. *Maybe this will be fun,* he thought with a grin, hooking the device back to his belt.
"Digi-armor energize Patamon!" Takeru said to his partner who nodded.
Takeru rode Pegasmon high in the sky, using his D3 as a guide to his human partner. *Building sand castles?* he thought with a sneer. *How dare these children come to my land and do such trivial things in it?* He came down low enough for the youngest to see him.
Iori lifted his head to greet Takeru. "Hey!" he called, waving his hands. "Me and Armadimon are just playing in the sand. Wanna join?"
"Not as good as food, but what is?" Armadimon said with a smile.
Takeru pointed to the two. "Pegasmon, you know what to do."
The horse digimon nodded. "Silver Blaze!" A greenish colored beam shot out, causing the pair to dive out of it's the way.
"Takeru! What are you doing?" Iori cried, tears in his eyes.
Takeru sneered. "I want you out of my land before I kill you."
Armadimon sauted forward. "What is wrong with you Pegasmon?"
"Leave before I start aiming.." Pegasmon said calmly.
Iori and Armadimon exchanged looks and ran for the nearest portal.
"That's right! Tell the whole group that I'm the new Kaiser!" Takeru hollered after Iori in a triumph filled tone.
=== === ===
The night was dark and rain sloshed against the window panes of the junior high. Bare tree branches bent and danced in the winds furious howl and not even a cat could be found outside amongst these elements. Lightening struck and lit up the night sky as a group of teens sat on the floor of the computer room, arguing with each other.
"No! He can't be the one! He just can't!" Hikari cried, tempo matching the raging storm.
Iori shook his head sadly. "I know what I saw and I saw him."
"But why would be do that?" Ken asked softly.
Daisuke sighed as he looked from his love to the rest of the group. *He probably thinks it's his fault...* He ran a hand through his messy hair, though it did nothing to tame the spikes. *I can't believe you'd do that, Takeru. Didn't you learn anything from Ken? What is the point of all this?*
"Well? What should we do?" Miyako asked the group, equally depressed. Though she wouldn't admit it, Daisuke knew she had a crush on Takeru and wished he'd seen her the same way she saw him.
"I think we need to find out why he decided to take over where Ken left off," Iori suggested.
"How do we plan on doing that?" Daisuke asked. "Tap him on the shoulder and say 'Hey, heard your the new Kaiser. Care to explain?'"
Hikari drew her knees close to herself. "He is so gentle. I don't know why he'd want to be the Kaiser." She looked at Ken. "He seemed so angry when you were the Kaiser. I don't know why he'd revive that."
"I don't think we can do anything now." Daisuke glanced out the window. "I think we should go home and get a good night sleep for tomorrow. We can kick his butt then."
Ken sighed. "You're probably right. I don't think running around in a dark digiworld is a good idea by any standard. Let's meet here tomorrow.. say tenish?"
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Ken got up. "I'll see you all then," he said as he left.
Daisuke watched Ken go more then a little depressed. He knew the former Kaiser had probably gone off alone, to sulk. Usually Ken would ask him to join him and it hurt to know he wasn't support worthy. Daisuke shook his head, no use getting upset about it. "It seems we have a meeting time," Daisuke said, gathering Chibimon into his arms. "Let's go home before the storm gets any worse."
Miyako gathered her bag up and Poromon flew next to her. "Be careful getting home, everyone."
"I'll walk with you, Miyako," Iori offered, holding Upamon under his left arm. She nodded and they left the room together.
Daisuke waved as they left and turned back to Hikari and walked over to her. "I'm sorry, I wish it wasn't Takeru too," he said. It wasn't much, he knew, but he felt as if he should say something. He knew how close the children of light and hope were.
"What are you talking about?" she growled up at him. "This is all your fault! If you had just left Takeru and me alone, this wouldn't have happened! Get away from me, you disgust me!"
"Hikari --" Tailmon started.
Hikari shook her head vigorously. "It's the truth. It's all his fault and both of you know it!" She stood up, gathering her things. "If you hadn't tried to force Takeru away with your stupid obsession of me, then he'd still be here! If you hadn't..." she stopped, brushing the tears away. Taking a deep breath to control herself, she spared him one last furious glare before leaving.
Daisuke sat down, head in hands. "Is it really my fault? Did I... do this to him?" He sighed and sank further into the ground. "Maybe... maybe it was all the teasing. But he had to know I meant nothing by it. I knew they were together, Chibimon. I even told him I'd leave them alone today!"
Chibimon hopped around him. "Of course you didn't do this to him! You can't believe what she said. She was just upset, like the rest of us."
"But it's true that I was mean to him, always messing up his name and making fun of him. What if I made him feel so unwelcome that he left the group?" Daisuke's hands grasped his hair hard. "What kind of leader am I?"
"Dai-chan..."
He suddenly looked up and made a fist. "I'll go there tonight! I can straighten this out with Takeru alone. Tell him that I didn't mean to push him out... and if not, we can kick his butt, Chibimon."
"Dai-chan, I don't think that's a good idea," Chibimon said, concern permeating through his voice. "What if we get in trouble?"
"We can do it and besides, we can always call the others," he lied for the benefit of Chibimon. If he caused this mess, he'd be damn sure to correct it himself before he included the others. He'd make this up to the others, it was his duty.
"If you really think this is a wise thing to do... I'll follow you anywhere."
Daisuke smiled down at his digimon and held out his arms for the blue fur ball. "Let's go to the digiworld then."
He turned to the only computer still and typed in some coordinates so that they would land in a field. Pointing his digivice at the monitor, he said "Digiport open!"
A light flooded out of the computer, taking a hold of Daisuke and dragging him along with it. The area it left them at was a lot different then the area it had said on screen.
"What the heck happened? Did someone mess with the computer?" He asked aloud, turning around, looking at the new area. He seemed to be in some kind of room with no windows and one wood doorway leading out. It reminded him too much of a dungeon room for comfort.
A clicking sound drew his attention back to the computer and he saw the Digiport go off line. "Huh?" He pointed his digivice back that to port, saying: "Digiport open!" Nothing happened.
"Dai-chan?" asked V-mon worriedly.
Daisuke pulled out his D-Terminal and clicked it open to see if it was working. The terminal was offline as well. "What's going on here? I think the next thing to do is try to leave this place and see if our things work outside."
He walked to the door, pushing against it. It opened with ease, swinging widely on its hinges. He stuck his head out, looking left, then right, and decided to go to the left. Creeping into the hall as silently as they could, both made their way down the hall, constantly check for anyway out.
As the team walked down the hall, they found nothing; no doors, windows, nothing but the cold gray brinks. Ten minutes later, they stood before another big wooden door.
"Should we go in?" V-mon asked.
Daisuke looked around him and sighed. "Do we have a choice? Help me push."
Bracing themselves against the door, they pushed with all their might until the door finally opened into a huge room. The room reminded Daisuke of the ballrooms he had seen in the movies.
"I'm glad to see you've finally joined me, Daisuke," a voice called from the other side of the room.
Daisuke turned sharply to the sound; it was sultry and slow and it wallowed in it's own gratification. "Takeru?" He could hardly believe it. There the child of hope was, dress up in clothes similar to the ones Ken wore when he was the Kaiser, complete with the cape and glasses.
Takeru stood and walked briskly over to him, Patamon sitting on his head. "I've been waiting for you. I knew you'd be stupid enough to come alone and try to talk some sense into me when you learned the truth."
"What do you mean?" *Maybe this wasn't such a good idea...* Daisuke started backwards, trying to ward off Takeru's advancement. He bumped into a wall sooner then he wanted and was held there by Takeru's arms, placed on both his sides.
"Dai-chan," Takeru whispered, dropping his mouth down on top of the frightened boys quivering lips. Daisuke turned his head to block the advance, but a hand crept up and held him firmly in place
"Dai-chan!" V-mon cried, head butting Takeru and effectively knocking him away from his partner.
Takeru crashed into the ground, hard. "Patamon, take care of him for me."
The orange digimon nodded and flew to the throne. He pushed an hidden button and V-mon disappear beneath the floor. The floor reappeared a second later. "Make sure he doesn't escape, Patamon." Takeru got up and brushed his pants off.
Daisuke slide away from him and stomped a little on the spot were V-mon had disappeared. "What did you do to V-mon?" he cried, waving his fist in the air.
"I've done nothing yet. And as long as you do what I tell you to do, nothing will happen to the annoying blue barney," Takeru said.
Daisuke gulped. He didn't want to think of what Takeru had almost done and he hoped that it wasn't want he really wanted. "Well, what do you want then?"
Takeru grinned. "I believe you already know. But allow me to illustrate..."
Daisuke shook his head. "You can't mean that. I thought you loved Hikari."
"Well, Daisuke, I hate to say this but I doubt thinking is your strongest suit." Takeru walked over to Daisuke, cupping his cheek with a gloved hand. "I never wanted her. She was just a pest, easily controlled. But you Daisuke... you're different."
"I... I..." Daisuke tried to think of something to shot back at Takeru but his thought halted when he felt Takeru plant kisses down his neck. And to his horror, he found himself leaning into the caress.
"Yes, I believe we can both have a great... working relationship together. And V-mon will be just fine, as long as you do what I say." He pulled himself off of Daisuke..
Grabbing his hand, Takeru began leading Daisuke out of the chamber. "Dinner will be served soon and I wish to have you situated in our room before then, so let's hurry."
Daisuke's eye brow shot up. "'Ours'?"
"You didn't think I'd reconfigure the network to get you here, just to make you sleep in the hallway?"
Takeru pulled Daisuke's reluctant form through many hall ways until they reached a room at the end of a hall way.
Daisuke pulled out of Takeru's grasp. "Hey, how do I know that V-mon is okay?"
Takeru ranked a hand through his hair. "If you want, I'll allow you to see him when we finish dinner."
Takeru opened the door and pushed Daisuke through the door. "Welcome to your new home, Dai."
=== === ===
The next morning, Hikari was the first to arrive, a whole half hour early. She had decided that night that she was going to apologize to him. She didn't mean what she had said. To be truthful, she was jealous of him to have captured Takeru's love. But she shouldn't have let that speak through her.
Miyako and Iori arrived a bit after Hikari had, chatting about one thing or another. Hikari really didn't care.
"Did Daisuke walk with you?" she asked them.
Iori shook his head. "He called and said he was going to meet Ken at the station. You know how those two have been lately."
A minute after that, Ken and Daisuke walked in, laughing. "And then he pulled me aside and said --" Daisuke stopped his story and waved to the others. "How are you all doing?"
Ken waved shyly as well. "Well, what should we do now?"
Daisuke waved his fist in the air. "I say we kick some Takeru butt!"
Miyako sighed. "Leave it to Daisuke to be violent."
Daisuke glared back at her. "Like you can talk."
Hikari stepped forward, trying to break any impending fight. "Let's not fight, okay?" She turned to Daisuke, pulling him side. "I'm sorry Daisuke. I didn't mean anything I said last night, I was just upset."
Daisuke shook his head, smiled, and patted her shoulder. "No problems. I knew you were just sad about Takeru. Don't worry about it."
She looked down and noticed the ring on his hand. "Daisuke, I didn't know you wore rings."
He looked down at the ring and pulled his hand away. "My beloved gave it to me," he whispered as if it were a shameful secret.
Hikari smiled. "You'll introduce her to us?"
Daisuke nodded slowly, and looked to the ground.
"Come on you two love birds, we have a digiworld to save!" Miyako said, interrupting them.
Hikari sighed. "Well, were should we attack first?"
"I think we should find his base like we did with Ken," Iori piped up.
"Do you think it's possible that he could be using my old base?" Ken asked.
"I have no idea but that seems like a good place to go," Iori said.
"Okay then! Let's kick some Takeru butt!" Daisuke cried.
The others nodded enthusiastically.
"I'll tell the portal where to take us to," Iori said as he began to type in the coordinates.
Ken pointed his digivice to the computer and said "Digiport open!" A light flashed and they were all taken in.
=== === ===
Hikari woke up with a slitting head ache. *Didn't we just go through the portal?* Opening her eyes, she saw that she wasn't the only one there. Everyone but Daisuke was chained to the wall. Pulling against the chains, she sighed frustrated.
"So you're finally awake," Miyako stated flatly.
Hikari, still looking around, asked "What the heck is going on here?"
Iori shook his head dejected. "I don't know and Daisuke isn't with us."
"Did Takeru do something to him?" Hikari asked.
Ken looked over to her. "Why would he?"
Hikari sighed. "Before he left, he confessed that he was in love with Daisuke."
Miyako gasped. "He did? He... I never knew."
The kids looked in the direction of click metal. The door swung open and Takeru walked in heartily. "I see you're all enjoying the accommodations I've set up for you."
Hikari struggled against her bonds. "Takeru, why are you doing this?"
Takeru sneered down at her. "You'd never understand."
"Where is Dai-chan?" Ken asked, fearing the worst.
Takeru's face crack a smug smile. "He is exactly where he belongs: with me."
Ken tried to leap at Takeru, but the bonds held him back. "If you so much as touch a hair on his head, I'll...!"
Takeru walked over to him and slugged him. "You'll do what? Breath on me?"
Ken spit on him and Takeru picked him up by the neck. "You should be lucky that _I_ haven't killed you yet."
"Why?" Ken gritted out. "Because Daisuke loves me? Jealousy doesn't become you, Takeru."
Takeru narrowed his eyes. "Whatever he felt for you is long gone."
Ken tried laughed, but only made a wheezing sound. "You're pathetic."
Takeru laughed and dropped him. "I almost forgot why I came to visit you all." He clicked his fingers and Patamon flew in, carrying a small wooden box. "I think you all will be very useful to me."
"We'll never help the likes of you!" Miyako said, a definite frown set on her face.
"I didn't ask your permission," Takeru said. He opened the box and took out some black rings. "I'm pretty sure you all know how they work. I perfected you design, Ken."
Hikari gasped. "Daisuke had one of those rings on his finger this morning! When did you get him."
"Last night, after you had chewed him out. He thought he could talk reason into me, thought he had made me do this. I wonder who gave him that idea, Hikari." He walked over to her, taking one struggling hand and forcing a ring on it. She slumped over.
The others watched in horror as he came to each one, binding them to him with those little rings.
He came to Ken last, smirking above him. "You would have made a terrible Kaiser."
Ken turned his head away, refusing to look at him.
Takeru kneeled down and grasped Ken's chin with his hand, forcing Ken to look at him. "I thought you might like to know that Dai taste like chocolate. I know you two never went that far. And when he cried my name, I could tell he wasn't thinking about you. In fact, I doubt he has thought about you since we've been together," Takeru purred, slipping a ring on him slowly. Ken slumped over.
Giving them one last glace and a quick order to the guard, he walked off to rejoin his Daisuke. *Who said I couldn't take what I wanted?*
=== === ===
Ken was rudely awoken as a Bakumon came in and shook the kids. Ken mumbled an obscenity and allowed the digimon to unchain them. "The master will see you now," the digimon said before departing.
"He's just leaving us alone, unattended?" Iori asked, puzzled. "That doesn't seem very wise. Is he letting us go?"
Ken shook his head. "I don't know." *He must be up to something.* "Let's get --" Ken stopped when he saw himself walking through the doorway and down the hall with the other kids.
"What's going on?" Miyako cried.
Hikari shook her head but kept quite.
"It has to be the rings!" Ken cried. "We have to get them off." He tugged at the black shiny ring but it wouldn't come off.
Iori sighed. "It's no use. We can't get these off and we seem to be doing somewhere. Might as well let it take us there."
The group fell silent after that. They came across a huge wooden door. Combining their efforts, they succeeded in pushing it open.
"Come to me, slaves," Takeru commanded, his voice resonating off the walls.
They lined of in a straight line before him and knelt.
"Good," he smirked. "You all will be a great help to me. A sole person could never take over the world but with you four and myself, it will become a reality."
"And what happens to Dai-chan?" Ken managed to grit out.
Takeru got up and back handed the boy. "Never talk without my permission. But it's a fair question." He gestured to his side. "Come out, my Dai-chan," he commanded softly.
Ken looked up as Daisuke pattered softly over to him, wrapping his arms around Takeru. "Yes?"
Takeru smiled down at him. "Dai-chan, tell this thing," he indicated to Ken, "who you truly love."
Daisuke turned and looked at Ken. Ken could see the pain in Daisuke's eyes, as if he were asking for forgiveness. "I love you, Take-chan," Daisuke said looking back at Takeru, a strange emotion shining there.
Takeru pulled Daisuke up, kissing him. His hands roamed the red-heads body, while Daisuke stood still, pliant, but ungiving to the kiss.
Ken tried to move, tried with all his soul, but he couldn't move an inch.
When Takeru broke the kiss, he whispered something in Daisuke's ear and looked after him as he left the room.
"Now," Takeru said, smiling. "We have work to do.."
The End