Chapter II

"Osamu…Osamu where the hell are you??"

Takeru kept muttering under his breath as he walked quickly along the sidewalk, not even caring that he bumped into several people along the way. A few of them turned around and started shouting nonentities. The blond only continued weaving in and out through the pedestrians as if in his own world. In truth it was like he was in his own world. He had just found Osamu's name and picture online a few days ago. Normally he would have tried to find him sooner, but his parents and Yamato kept him. He never imagined he would actually grow sick of them in just a few days.

"Hey watch it, punk!"

After one particularly hard crash into a man's shoulder, Takeru found himself pinned up against the wall of a building staring up at into a pair of angry eyes. A sense of exasperation shot through him before being replaced with renewed vigor as he pushed the grip away, throwing a dangerous glare at the older man.

"Hey, you should watch where you're going too, mister," he remarked quietly, moving away quickly. The man couldn't even utter a response before Takeru broke into a trot heading straight towards the address listed on the webpage. He prayed that Ken was still Osamu's brother in this world.

A large apartment building came into view and the blond glanced up at it in fascination. It looked almost exactly like the old one where Ken lived in. Tall, faded grey with clean windows…it was simple compared to his building. He sighed deeply and tried to recollect his breath. Then, without falter, he headed into the building, glancing at the list of names near the door. He saw Ichijouji and pressed the bell. Then he watched the door in silence.

The sound of the buzzer cut in the silence and Takeru bounded forward instantly, pushing the door with so much strength, it bumped hard against the wall behind it. The blond took no notice and headed to the stairs. His destination was the sixth floor. Why did they have to live so high up??

"Takeru, why do I feel like the annoying older brother who has nothing to do but pester his younger brother in going out with him??"

"Yamato…I just have some things I have to do, that's all."

"You just came back, Takeru."

"I have some unfinished things to deal with??"

The conversation with Yamato ran through his head clearly. Once again, he had cancelled out on his older brother. Yamato was probably beginning to suspect something, but didn't question him thank goodness. He smiled to himself. Yamato never showed so much attention towards him since he was a child. But then again he had a lot to make up for those long four years.

Finally he reached the last step and swung the door open to enter a long hallway of apartments. He walked around before finding the Ichijouji's. Hesitating, he pressed the button on the side of the door nervously. This was the moment. If Ken didn't live there, he didn't know what else to do. Perhaps look for the others.

The door swung open suddenly and Takeru found himself blinking in surprise at a woman shorter than himself with kind brown eyes. He narrowed his eyes at the sight of her.

Ken's mother…

The woman blinked and looked up at Takeru in wonder.

"Yes?? Are you one of Osamu's friends??" she asked in a sweet tone. Takeru almost laughed. It was nice to see someone still the same after the whole incident. He cleared his throat.

"Um, no, but I was wondering if…if Ken is here??" he asked in a tone so pathetic, he nearly slapped his forehead. Ken's mother looked at him in puzzlement and he felt a fear run through him.

He's not here, he's not here… Oh God…

She turned around suddenly. "Ken, dear!! Someone's here for you!!" she called, before turning around to look at Takeru with a smile. "I rarely see any visitors of Ken. What is your name, dear?" she asked.

Takeru blinked and thrust his hand out reflexively. "Ishida Takeru, pleased to meet you," he said in a well-practiced tone. How many times did he do this with the doctors in psychotherapy?? Though, she took it well and invited him in before leaving him alone in the hallway. He glanced at the neat row of shoes lined up on a mat on the floor before moving his gaze to the clock and then the walls. It was lined up exactly like Ken's old apartment. The only difference was that it was in a different location.

The sound of scuffling feet broke his attention away from the pictures on the wall. He saw Ken turn the corner before freezing, a look of pure confusion sprawled all over on his face. Takeru smiled weakly. The boy still looked exactly the same with his neat violet hair and amethyst-colored eyes. He stared at Takeru strangely and cautiously.

"Who are you?" he inquired in a tone Takeru knew too well. It was how Ken greeted strangers all the time. He was feeling so happy that he broke into a smile, which only puzzled Ken even further. Takeru moved closer towards him, a look of pure seriousness on his face.

"I don't know how to explain this," he began, looking at the floor. Ken would probably think he was insane. Maybe this was all just a big mistake.

Just do it, just do it!!

He raised his head to look at Ken in the eye. The boy just stared strangely back at him.

"Ken…I know this may sound insane but you and I were extremely close friends even if you don't remember it. And we and our other friends you don't remember were part of a parallel world, or Digital World, and believe or not we were sort of like the guardians of that world. Then four years ago against a fight with Pathogen, our…um, enemy, we were separated and brought back here to the real world where he erased all of your memories."

Takeru cringed slightly at the look of horrified shock displayed on Ken's face. He knew the idea sounded completely illogical to one like Ken. He was a boy of straight facts and was never into the whole fantasy and possibility of something unreal. Even when they were in the Digital World, he was the one who took the longest to adjust to the idea of being a guardian of another world almost completely alike from theirs; only they were the only humans. The other creatures were dragons, demons, sprites, et cetera. He stared at the boy's pale face and tried to put out all of his feelings into his eyes. It was something he hadn't done in a long time. Back then in the hospital, it was best to be cold and unemotional.

"I'm telling you the truth, Ken. Look in your right palm. Even though now it doesn't bear the crest of Kindness, it will if you hold it up to the light of the moon at night. Haven't you ever done it before??" Takeru asked, praying this wasn't all in vain. Ken just stared at him stoically for a few moments before lowering his gaze to match the floor. He raised his right hand to his face slowly, staring at it intently before snapping a sharp look at Takeru.

"You…no one knows about that," he stuttered, looking at Takeru astonishingly. The blond only sighed in relief. At least his theory proved correct. He himself had discovered his crest once while in his stay at the ward. It was about two years ago when he was wandering around in the empty hallways at night. The guard had forgotten to lock his door so he decided to venture out. The doctors never let them out except in the early morning and afternoon. He didn't even have windows in his room, so it was heaven breathing in the fresh air after being imprisoned in a room.

While on his walk, he discovered a garden outside blowing in the sweet and gentle breeze. It was during that day he felt most inadequate and the most depressed he ever felt. Unbeknownst to him, the crescent moon began to appear behind shifting clouds and the light shone down on his hand softly. The crest of Hope was brought to life and it was then that he received his second wind. From that day on he forced his feelings down and acted like the perfect little boy, which finally enabled him to escape the horrific sanctuary to where he was now.

Takeru narrowed his eyes slightly at the memory and looked at Ken, a bittersweet smile on his face. "I know because I have one, too. Mine is the crest of Hope," he explained, pulling up his sleeve to show the mark. It was light and barely detectable, but because of Takeru remembrance of the past, it shone. Ken looked at his own palm in wonder.

"But…yours I can see. Why is it I can't see mine now??" he asked, looking at Takeru in confusion. Part of him was screaming at him for asking the question. He should be studying, not talking to some crazed stranger. But something about the blond made him feel more secure and comforted than he had in years.

Takeru looked at him seriously. "Because you don't remember," he answered quickly, lowering his arm. He glanced around sharply before looking at Ken again. "Mind if we go to your room? It's a lot bigger and safer than out here in the hall," he said. Ken blinked in surprise.

"I guess so. It's this-" he began before Takeru brushed past him, heading in the exact direction of Ken's room. The dark-haired boy looked back at him in shock. Perhaps the boy did know something he didn't.

Shaking his head, he followed quickly and closed the door to his room quietly. Takeru was already sitting in front of the computer, toying with it amusedly. Ken frowned slightly before Takeru suddenly looked at him.

"Look, I can't explain everything, but know this. There were twelve of us altogether in the Digital World. All of us were sent back except one, which would be Motomiya Daisuke," he explained, his eyes narrowing. Ken nodded in surprise.

The blond continued as unmoving as before.

"Nobody remembers each other now. Pathogen did that on purpose and everyone lives in a different area. What I need from you is your knowledge of the city and computer to help me locate them so we can go back to find and retrieve Daisuke. Then maybe we can hole down Pathogen's sorry ass once and for all," remarked Takeru, an angry look coming across his face. Daisuke had been in the Digital World for four years. He was probably not even the same person. In fact, there was a strong possibility that he was under Pathogen's control. He shuddered at the thought.

Ken stared at Takeru in shock.

This guy's insane. What the hell is the Digital World and who is Motomiya Daisuke?? I can't trust him! But there's just something about him that… No, no, I can't let him deceive me!!

"You expect me to believe that??" started Ken coldly. Takeru froze as he watched the boy before him continue. "Look, just tell me exactly who you are and what you want otherwise you're going," he muttered with vigor.

Takeru sighed deeply. This would prove to be more challenging than he thought.

"Ken, you know who I am. Just search deep inside of yourself. I know Pathogen couldn't have possibly wiped out everything. Our bond was too strong for that to happen. I am Ishida Takeru, your best friend," he started slowly and calmly. When Ken remained his cold gaze on him, he frowned.

"Listen to me! Your favorite game is Tetris and you hate crowds and love computers. You have a scar near your scalp from an accident on the monkey bars when you were six. You like listening to classical music and hate your mother's cooking though you never say so out of respect and appreciation for her efforts. You love Osamu and look up to him, but you feel empowered by his presence and the attention he gets sometimes!" he exclaimed, smirking in satisfaction at the astonished look on Ken's face. "Need more??" he added, arching an eyebrow.

Inner turmoil was exactly what Ken was going through. His mind was screaming at him, half believing him, half not. How did Takeru know about the issue with Osamu?? He never told anyone at all. It was the same with his mother's cooking. He gazed into Takeru's eyes, searching for any indication of untrustworthiness. When he didn't, he looked down at his palm again. He also knew about the strange sign on his hand. All he ever thought of it was that he was dreaming since it always showed up at night or he was just hallucinating. But then the blond had one, too. And he couldn't ignore the nagging feeling in his heart telling him to trust him. Finally he dropped his hand in defeat. He looked up at Takeru cautiously. For now he would go along with what he said.

"Let's get started then," he murmured faintly, waving to the computer. Takeru stood up and slapped his hand across Ken's back affectionately.

"I see your doubt, Ken. You could never hide anything from me. Trust me…it'll be worth it in the end," he replied reassuringly. And there was something in his tone that sounded so innocent, so hopeful, that Ken couldn't help but smile back.

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TBC