Chapter 1
December 20, 2017
“Papa!”
“Yuki! Yuki!”
Ken smiled as he glanced down at his two boys as they played on the kitchen floor. Now that Kouji was one, the little boy just couldn’t stay out of trouble. He always wanted to be with his father, showing him how far he could walk without help and just about how many blocks and two cars he could pick up with his tiny fingers. It was cute when Yukimi Botamon joined in, starting a laughing fit between the two.
The two boys were currently building some sort of tower with colorful blocks and Kouji’s toy cars. Although, Ken couldn’t make heads or tails where the front of the tower began and where it ended.
“Oh, that’s a nice tower. Where’s the door?” The two blinked as they looked at the tower, realizing there was no gap for the door or the windows. It was just a mishmash structure of blocks.
“Papa. Papa?”
“Yuki. Yuki.”
And then they tore down the tower to start over. Ken laughed, shaking his head as he scooped rice, salmon, and mashed sweet potato on three plates and some sliced apples, bananas, and mangos in a light sauce for dessert into three small bowls. Ken placed everything on a tray and glanced down once again and, not for the first time, longed to see three instead of two.
Ken felt a tightness in his chest, knowing that he will never have the chance to raise Kouichi. Kouichi was gone, his small body never recovered from the blazing apartment he never should have been in. The pain flared up again, but he pushed it aside. He could not allow himself to grieve yet. Kouji and Yukimi Botamon needed him.
“Come along. Dinners ready.” The two were quick to follow after him. Once everything was on the table, Ken picked up Kouji and placed him in his high chair, followed by picking up Yukimi Botamon and placing him in front of his bowl of food. Just as Ken took his own seat, the doorbell rang.
Who would be coming this late?
Ken rested a hand on his side, a flicker of fear entered his eyes. No one has forgotten the invasion of Vamdemon, Yggdrasill’s warriors, and Meicrackmon. There were still many people afraid, including the government. There were many Anti-Digimon groups out there across the world. Despite the Digimon not stepping foot in the Human World for many years now, there were those who wanted the Digital World eradicated. But that would never happen as long as the Chosen banded together to fight for a world they were chosen to protect.
They were stronger together and protected each other even against their own government. It was because of them, the true protectors of the Digital World that they couldn’t gain access to the other world, but that didn’t stop the harassment. It was one thing to be betrayed by his own partner for refusing to give government officials any information about the Digital World — it was such a relief that he didn’t have to deal with that jerk anymore — but it was something completely different for someone to try to break into his own home.
Ken desperately wanted to leave after what happened last week, but he didn’t have the money to cancel his lease early. He was stuck here for another four years.
Ken silently got up, noticing his boys’ wide frightened eyes. They were all still shaken up about the week prior.
“Yuki, protect Kouji.” The small Digimon bounced across the table, positioning himself on Kouji’s feeding table. His little beaded eyes traveled around in front of him as he looked for a potential threat.
Ken slowly made his way over to the door, his pistol, which he always kept on him now, raised. The five chains Ken had on the door, shook slightly as someone knocked loudly on the door. Ken stiffened. No...was someone trying to break in again? Maybe he should call Daisuke. He should still be at the restaurant. Or maybe Noriko. They were partners now ever since Satsuma got transferred to their sister location of Kanagawa for throwing him in jail and allowing unauthorized government officials to interrogate him for hours without getting proper permission. Ken had never been more grateful to Iori than he had been on that day.
“Godfather, open up! It’s me, Masaru!” Ken blinked as he felt the tension fall off his shoulders. He looked through the peephole and was surprised to see Masaru and his father, Suguru Daimon, right outside his door. What were they doing here?
“Suguru, what are you doing here?” Ken removed the chains to open the door.
“Sayuri’s mad at me.” He held a duffle bag in his hand, a sheepish smile on his features. “Mind if we crash here for a few days.”
“Yes, yes. Come in.” He gestured them inside, but not before looking out the door, weapon still in hand. There was a comforting hand on his shoulder.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I should have called first.” Ken let out the breath he had been holding and closed the door, placing the chains back in place.
“It’s fine.” Ken gave a weak smile. “I’m still a bit on edge I guess.”
“Understandable. After everything that’s happened, I would be on edge too.”
Ken smiled softly at his friend. “Godfather?” Masaru tugged the edge of his dress pants. “I’m hungry.”
Ken’s smile was big and bright. “You two came just in time then. I just finished cooking. Why don’t you join Kouji and Yukimi Botamon at the table, Masaru? And I’ll go fix up two more plates.”
“Okay!” Masaru ran to the dining room, while the two fathers walked at a much slower pace.
“What was it this time?” This had to be the third time this month Sayuri had kicked him out.
He sighed. “She doesn’t like that I’m going to the expedition Sunday.”
“She right.” Suguru’s face fell. He had been hoping Ken would take his side. “You should be here with your wife on Christmas Eve, not trespassing on another world you have no business being in.”
“But Kenji and Misuzu’s son is there!”
“And whose fault was that?!” Ken had stopped walking then to glare angrily at his friend. “I’ve warned you time and time again not to force a portal open. The barriers were already weakened, no thanks to Yggdrasill and Gennai’s dark counterpart. But now portals from the unstable Digital World are opening up all over Japan!”
Ken tried to remain calm. There was no point in getting the kids worked up. But it was easier said than done. The anger just kept on coming. “Don’t you know how hard it is to locate those portals before anyone gets caught in it? Koushiro and Miyako are working around the clock to close the portals you set off before the government officials or those Anti-Digimon groups get wind of it!”
Suguru nodded slowly. He was aware. He had gotten to know all the Chosen very well in the five years he had known Ken. Ken and the others had told them of their adventures, both the good and the bad. Despite the pain and suffering they had all went through, they still loved that world and their Digimon friends.
Suguru wanted to see that world for himself. He wanted to talk to them, to study them, to learn from them. He wanted to befriend them, just as Ken had long ago. He wanted to experience the joy and happiness his friend had with his Digimon family.
Of course, his desire to enter the Digital World was further brought forth through the pain and sadness the others felt towards their partners. The Digimon were calling out to them; they were in danger. Suguru knew Ken and the rest of the Chosen wanted to go to the Digital World, but they had no way of getting there. The gates were closed and the barriers were far too unstable for his dear friend to open a portal himself.
He had only wanted to help. He hadn’t meant to get the others involved, nor cause problems for his best friend, the one who befriended him when no one else would. He had to make this right.
“I’m sorry. I had only wanted to help.” Ken sighed.
“You should have come to me the moment you realized why people were going missing. You didn’t need to get the Noguchis and Kurata involved.” Not that he didn’t trust Kenji and Misuzu Noguchi. They were very nice people. In fact, Kenji was one of the Dark Seed Chosen and a good friend. They talked quite regularly. He was the only reason Ken was aware of what his dear friend had been doing behind his back. And Kurata… Ken wasn’t sure how he felt about him. He was a fellow genius. They talked frequently at the science and TED conventions, but there was something off about him, something he could not place. “Digimon affairs should only be handled by myself, Daisuke, or one of the other Chosen.”
“I know,” he said. “I shouldn’t have gone behind your back, but you and the others have so much going on right now. I thought that if I could open up a gate, then maybe I could help get you guys to the Digital World to help your partners.” He shook his head, not noticing Ken’s harsh gaze softening. “I’m an idiot. I shouldn’t have allowed my ambitions to get the best of me. Ikuto’s disappearance was my fault. I have to bring him home. It’s the least I can do.”
Ken frowned slightly at him, but said nothing as they made the short distance to the dining room, where the children were waiting for them. Masaru was pouting at a laughing Kouji as Yukimi Botamon bounced on the four-year-old’s head, causing tiny ice sickles to cling to his hair. Ken smiled softly as he and Suguru walked to the kitchen, leaving Masaru in charge of entertaining the two babies for the moment.
“I don’t understand it.”
“Don’t understand what?” Ken grabbed two plates and began piling food on them.
“Yukimi Botamon. He’s never like that with me.”
“Don’t feel bad. He’s like that with the others. I’m the only one he’s really comfortable with since we found him. And as for Masaru,” Ken handed Suguru his plate of food, “he’s here so often that Yukimi Botamon has no choice but to warm up to him.”
Suguru’s confusion soon turned knowing. “In other words, you forced them to get along, if the little guy doesn’t want his dessert taken away from him again or get another timeout.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Daimon. Yukimi Botamon might be twelve, but he still just a baby. I treat him the same way I treat Kouji.”
Suguru simply shrugged, deciding not to question Ken’s parenting skills in regards to a Digimon. He was the more experienced of the two after all.
“Come on. This food is making me hungry.”
Suguru glanced at him, worried. He was skipping meals just to get to his second job again. “Ken working two jobs isn’t good for you. You’re going to burn out one of these days.”
Ken didn’t say anything for a moment. He just stood there, staring at the plate of food in his hands as they stood in the middle of the kitchen.
“I need the money, Suguru. I love my job. It’s everything I ever wanted, but I don’t make nearly enough to feed three mouths and a mountain of bills on one income. It was fine when it was just me and Kimura, but not know.” Ken was clearly stressed out. He didn’t want his best friend working himself to death. There had to be a solution to this problem. Ken could always live with him and Sayuri, once she talked to him again. They had a guest room and Ken and his sons could stay there until he was able to sort everything out. That was something to ponder over. “It’s just temporary,” or at least that’s what Ken kept telling himself, “just until I have enough money saved up to leave this place. I really can’t stand living here. Too many bad memories.”
Suguru didn’t argue, but still kept a close eye on his friend as they returned to the table. “Alright children. That’s enough.” Yukimi Botamon had accidentality iced up a small section of Masaru’s shirt. The little Digimon was looking up at him with big round eyes, tears slowly forming.
Ken put the plate down and lifted Yukimi Botamon into his warm embrace. “He didn’t mean it, Godfather, honest! He slipped off my head when I moved. I caught him and well…”
“I know,” Ken reassured. “He’s just an excited little baby, aren’t you?” The Digimon smiled brightly at him.
“Yuki!” That brought a smile to all their faces as Ken put Yukimi Botamon in front of his plate once more to Ken’s left. He and Masaru took the remaining seats across from the Chosen of Kindness. They all ate in silence, for the most part, enjoying each other’s company and talking about random stuff. Masaru had kept asking questions about Ken’s time in the Digital World. What was it like to be within a world with monsters? When did he first meet his partner? How many did he have? Who was the first bad guy he fought? Were the Digimon nice? And so on and so on. Ken had been more than happy to remanence about the past, especially on parts that Takeru excluded from his first three novels.
As the hours went by, with the day slowly dwindling to the blackest of night, Suguru found himself alone in the quiet apartment. The children were all sound asleep in Kouji’s bedroom except for Yukimi Botamon. The little guy preferred to sleep in Ken’s bedroom for some reason he could not understand, no matter how many times Ken tried to explain it to him.
Suguru was currently sitting on Ken’s decent-sized brown sofa, watching the news as he waited for his friend to return with some extra blankets and pillows after tucking the boys in. There was really no news on about any more portals opening up across the country, just the usual boring politics and the death of a small child. Whatever Izumi and Inoue were doing to keep everything quiet was working, but how long could they keep this up?
“You’re thinking too much again.” Ken placed the bedding next to him, his eyes lingering on the tv with a frown. “I really wish they would stop talking about her like that. The family is already grieving enough.” Ken took the remote and changed the channel to some kind of Disney Christmas movie. Suguru barely paid any attention to it as Ken took a seat next to him. He had brought out a familiar-looking box.
“Thanks for lending us your digivice. We really learned a lot from it.” Ken returned a yellow-orange and black rectangular digivice to him. Suguru held the familiar device in his hands. The digivice’s screen lit to life once more. A strange energy sensation coursed throughout his body, one he had only felt four and a half years ago when this device and two others came out of Ken’s laptop back when they had still been dorming at Tokyo University.
“Yeah, no prob. Did you guys find anything out?” Izumi had it for four years. He had hoped the geniuses had found something out by now.
Ken nodded. “Yeah. The digivice had a lot of coding in Digimoji to sort through, so it took quite a bit of time.” Ken pointed to his digivice. “Yours we’re calling the Digivice Burst. It has a lot more features, then the other two Digivice iC. Based on what we already know of the iC, Beelzebumon gave me awhile back, they have the capability of storing information about a Digimon, maps, and has a rather impressive tracking feature. Ours can hold an infinite number of Digimon for traveling or healing, while the other two have a restriction of two and don’t really have the healing feature.”
“Wow.”
“I know right. Anyway, the digivices use energy to evolve a Digimon, but these devices somehow makes the energy take on a physical form if the emotion is pure enough.” Suguru ran his hand through his hair, a bit perplexed. “These new models do seem to lack a communication feature. I’m giving you this D-Terminal, so you can still stay in contact with us.” Ken removed the D-Terminal from the box and gave it to him, followed by two other items from the box: a purple-gray digivice and a small rectangular pendant. “I want you to take these with you.”
“Is this the prototype you and Montgomery-san were talking about for a — what where you guys calling it again?”
Ken blinked. “Digital Accident Tactics Squad.”
Suguru scrunched up his nose at that. “That’s quite a mouthful, Ken.” His fingers drummed his lap as he thought. “How about D.A.T.S.? Has a nice ring to it and far easier to remember, don’t you think?”
“D.A.T.S.,” the word rolled off his tongue as he tested out the name. Slowly, very slowly he nodded. “Yeah, I see where you’re coming from. It does have a nice ring to it.” Ken smiled at him. “I’ll run this by Koushiro tomorrow afternoon at the meeting.” He paused for a moment before adding, “You’re more than welcome to come. You’re one of us.”
“I’ll think about it.” He? A Chosen? He wasn’t too sure. He had always been the nerdy kid down the block. He had no friends throughout his childhood, spending most of his time locked away in his bedroom, reading every science textbook he could find. Ken had genuinely been his only real friend when he entered college and as time went on he had gotten more in the form of the other Chosen. He had always dreamed of being one of them, but he knew that was a dream he would never reach.
He wasn’t a hero. He couldn’t save lives as Ken could. He couldn’t decrypt impossible coding of a foreign language like Izumi and Inoue could. He couldn’t even be a good husband and father. He was sure Sayuri’s patience was nearing the breaking point. He was certain one day he would come home and she would be gone, her wedding ring lying abandoned on the table and his children gone.
“You know a digivice, no matter the model, only responds to its owner.” Ken smiled at him, knowingly. “It was always yours, Suguru. One day you will meet your partner and he or she will trust you, cherish you, and embrace you with all your wonderful faults and quirks, just as I do.”
“You’re just saying that.”
“No, I’m not. I believe in you, Suguru. I always have. I wouldn’t trust you with my secrets that only Daisuke knows about if I didn’t.”
Suguru looked down where Ken had rested his hand over his, giving it a small reassuring squeeze. Ken trusted him. He believed in him. He couldn’t let him down. He owed him that much, right?
“How far along are you guys?”
The comfort of Ken’s hand was gone as he went to retrieve the glass of water he left on the coffee table. “Wallace-san and some of the other American Chosen are still getting all the licensing in order, but once that’s done we should have our first organization up and running in about a year.”
“That’s a long time.”
“The year goes pretty fast,” Ken commented lightly. “If all goes smoothly in American, we can then expand to other countries where the other Chosen are. It will be a lot easier to protect the Digimon from the government and those Anti-Digimon groups with our organizations in place.”
Suguru nodded as he held the second digivice and the pendant in his hands. “Why are you given me these?”
“It might be nothing, but I believe one of the individuals going with you to the Digital World is a Tamer.”
“Really, who?”
He shrugged. “I can’t be certain, Suguru, and don’t take my word for it, but it could belong to either Kenji-san’s son or his wife.”
“Are you sure?”
“No,” he sighed, “just a feeling.” It was not unusual for Ken to have those feelings. He and Yagami were the most intuitive in the group and they were generally 95.99% right most of the time. Ken didn’t like to talk about it, but Suguru had a feeling it was due to Ken being the King of the Digital World. “Don’t take my word for it. If the digivice reacts to her touch, it’s hers. Regardless, I have a bad feeling you might need it.”
Suguru nodded, taking Ken’s concern to heart. He gently traced the strange foreign language on the small pendant Ken gave him.
“I don’t think I have to remind you to be careful out there. I don’t know what type of environment Yggdrasill created and I don’t particularly like that Yushima, Satsuma, and Kurata are going with you. They have no business being there.”
“It was a package deal,” he explained. “Yushima promised Satsuma will be on his best behavior.” And well, he couldn’t go anywhere without his assistant. “He doesn’t want any more problems with you and the others. He truly is sorry,” he added the last part, unsure how Ken would react to Satsuma’s unspoken apology.
“If Satsuma was truly sorry, he would have said so himself,” Ken mumbled under his breath, but said nothing more on the subject. An uncomfortable silence filled the air, forcing Suguru to change the subject. “Is this Digimoji?”
“Yeah,” Ken nodded, glad for the change of topic, “I inscribed a protective spell that Barbamon taught me awhile back. You will most likely run into one of the Royal Knights, Dark Gennai, or even Yggdrasill. I hope you don’t, but if you do this pendant will protect you from all Digimon and magical attacks. And,” he added, “if, god forbid, you do run into trouble you can’t handle, find one of the Olympos XII and show them the pendant. They will help you.”
“Thank you.” Suguru tucked the pendant under his shirt, where he kept his sterling silver dog tag necklace. “I promise I’ll be careful.”
The Chosen sighed, his eyes turning to the tv that was now showing A Christmas Carol. “Why doesn’t that reassure me?”
