~Reflection~ Disclaimer:  I don't own Digimon.  Tra la la la la. A/N: Short chapter alert.  And no, it's not my muses' fault this time.  It just seemed like a good place to cut it off before the climax of the story.  Enjoy, though. M/N (Muse’s Note): Gwen: I’m seriously starting to think school’s warped Gaia’s mind, so pardon her for anything she’s been writing lately. (G: You’re just sore ‘cuz the readers agreed with me and not you!)  *turns to G* Quiet you philistine! *turns back to the readers while G ponders what a philistine is* By the way, those of you who were peeved by that last cliffhanger are sure going to hate us for this one! *runs as torches and pitchforks are thrown at her* *** Chapter 13 The dark-haired boy's indigo irises dilated, and his eyes widened in shock.  Had he heard her correctly?  Did she just confess that she loved him? He instantly let go of the near dead girl, who fell into a crumpled heap onto the ground. "You--you love me?" Ken's voice choked out from the regally dressed boy. Hope returned to her scarlet eyes, and Yolei weakly gazed up at him through cracked glasses.  Smiling feebly, she nodded her head and coughed. The boy's irises shrank.  "Ken, don't listen to her.  She's desperate and will say anything to save her life, even lie to you." "No! You're the liar," Yolei gasped out, trying to prop herself up with her arms.  "I've loved Ken ever since I've known him, and I would never lie to him." The Emperor snorted. "How can you be so sure you truly love him?  How can we be sure you even have genuine feelings for him?  For all we know, you've probably had a schoolgirl crush on him for his brains or his athletic abilities ever since you laid eyes on him, just like all his other fawning fan girls.  That's it, isn't it?  You don't love the real him!" He beamed down at her triumphantly. Yolei sighed and looked down guiltily.  "You're right about one thing," she stated quietly.  "I did become one of his shallow fan girls the moment I had first heard about him." "Hah!  So the truth comes out.  Listen well, Ken.” "I admit I was just another flirtatious fan of his--once."  Yolei was gaining her strength back, slowly but surely, and she was now able to sit up and look him more fully in the eye.  "But ever since I've gotten to know the real him, the kind and caring person behind the genius and all the glory, I've realized that I love Ken more for him than I ever have about anything else." "You really think that he is kind and caring?  That's a good one.  Even Ken doesn't believe that he's a kind-hearted person deep down inside."  Apparently having regained control, the Emperor reached down and picked the lavender-haired girl up by the collar of her blouse.  He leaned his face in close to hers before continuing,  "Tell us, Yolei, if he really is such a goody-goody, why did he still torture and kill digimon as the Emperor even when he saw how much they were suffering?  You would think that he would have some compassion towards anything, real or not, that was in agony if he truly were the person you think he is." Though wincing from the pain caused by the sudden movement of her body, Yolei did her best to put on a determined face and readily defended the boy she loved, "Ken thought that this whole thing was a game, that what he did in the Digital World couldn't possibly have any real consequences.  He's only human, just like the rest of us.  I know that if I were playing a war game on my computer I wouldn't give a second thought to shooting down the virtual characters I was playing against because that's how you win the game.  But now that Ken's realized what he's done, he's atoned for it by saving the world he had caused so much misery.  That's how I know how kind he is--not by the mistakes he's made but how he's made up for them."        One moment, the imperially dressed boy's eyes were narrowed at her, and the next, his eyes softened.  However, his irises still flickered back and forth between being icy and small and being shining and wide.  Within seconds, his bitter scowl transformed into a mouth hanging open in confusion.  It seemed like there was a struggle going on inside of him, and both sides were equally matched. As if by a will of its own, the Emperor's hand let go of Yolei, and his legs forced him to back away from her.  Once again Yolei fell hard to the ground.  Her entire body aching and out of breath from that last speech of hers, she could do nothing but helplessly watch the tormented boy grip his head in both hands as Ken continued to fight for control of his body.  She imagined that the battle he fought internally was overwhelming because he fell to one knee and began to howl in pain.  The girl wanted to do something, anything, but she didn't know what she could do, and even if she did, she wouldn't be able to help in her condition. Finally, after it seemed as if his lungs would burst from all his screaming, the panting boy fell forward onto his hands, and the shaky voice of Ken gasped out, "Y-you really think so, Yo-Yolei?" From the same mouth immediately came a frantic dissent from his dark side.  "No, it's another of her lies.  Don't listen to her." The Emperor screamed and clutched at his head as the Digidestined of Kindness struggled for control within him.  Seconds later, his yells of pain subsided, and Ken's voice broke through.  "But you just told me to listen to her a few minutes ago."  A small smile crept over the pale boy's visage.  "Maybe for once I should do as you say." Yolei's smudged face brightened.  "Yeah!  Take that, Emperor.  Come on, Ken, show this guy what you're made of.  I believe in you!" The black gloves disappeared from Ken's hands.  Strengthened by the words of the one he loved, Ken chided his dark side. "It seems to me the only liar around here is you.  You're the one who's desperate and would say anything to save his life.  You're the one who measures my worth by my brains and athletic abilities." The gold-trimmed cape on Ken's back disintegrated into bits of data.  "I've had enough of your mind games.  It's about time I put you away!"  By now, Ken's entire Emperor ensemble had vanished, and all that remained was a familiar gray-clad figure crouched on the ground.  "Woo hoo, you did it, Ken!  You’ve won!” Yolei cheered, trying to stand up but falling back to the ground. “No…” Ken mumbled quietly, more like to himself than to the celebrating girl. “He’s still inside of me…he’s still fighting for control…and now he’s mad.” Yolei’s elated smile instantly disappeared.  “Don’t give up, Ken!” she encouraged him.  “You can defeat this guy, just like you did before--I know you can!  Kill him once and for all.” Ken looked up and frowned.  "Kill him…?  But I…but he’s--" "Come on, Ken, you can finish him off,” said Yolei, oblivious as to why he was so hesitant.  “This guy’s a monster that doesn’t deserve to live.  He’s been a threat to us and the Digital World more times than I can count.  Destroy him and make sure he can never come back to plague this world again; I know you have the power to end his reign of terror for good." The boy remained silent for some time, pondering Yolei’s words.  Finally, Ken lowered his head.  "You're right; I can…" The Digidestined of Kindness slowly rose to his feet and solemnly backed away in the direction of the cliff he had been standing on minutes before.  Suddenly he gripped his head in both hands once again. "Hah, him destroy me?!  That's a bunch of rubbish," came the Emperor's voice from the boy, much to Yolei's surprise. "I'm a permanent part of him; he can never be rid of me!  The only way he could ever destroy me would be if he…wait a minute!" The boy's pupils shrank in horror as a wave of realization washed over him. "No, he wouldn't!  He wouldn't dare!" Ken now turned and forced his body to run, hurriedly increasing the distance between him and Yolei. "Ken…?" the weary girl asked warily, not liking the direction in which he was heading.  Giving it her best effort, she managed to stand on a pair of shaky legs and took a tiny step forward. "Oh yes, I would," Ken hissed between clenched teeth to himself.  By now he had reached the farthest end of the cliff and was peering down into the abyss.  "The only way I can guarantee that you'll be destroyed and never come back…" Ken looked over his shoulder at Yolei through large, tear-filled eyes. "…is to kill myself," he finished gravely. The glasses-wearing girl's eyes went wide, and she immediately began to stumble as fast as she could over to the resolute boy.  "What?  No…" It was barely a whisper, but soon it turned into a despairing cry.  "No.  No!  Ken, that’s not what I meant.  You can't!  Please, you don't have to do it.  You can't let it end like this!  I won't let you.  I wouldn't be able to live without you—I-I love you too much!" "And I you." Putting everything she had left in her and more into her panicky sprint, Yolei tried to close the gap between her and the self-sacrificing boy, but it was no use. She would never be able to reach him in time. He faced forward again, staring his dismal fate right in the eye.  "That's why I can't risk putting you or anyone else in danger.  I'm sorry, Yolei, but as long as I'm alive, so is the Emperor inside me." A single shimmering tear trickled down his face. "Farewell, my love.  Until we meet again." With that, Ken jumped as far out from the cliff as he could, making sure he fell into the heart of the eternal blackness. "No! NOOOOO!" his internal tormentor screamed desperately. "KEEEEEEEENNNNN!!!"  Yolei shrieked, as well, unsteadily running up the cliff and watching as the light of her life faded into the darkness. Without letting up her pace, and without giving a second thought to what she was doing, Yolei launched herself from the edge of the precipice and followed after him. Soon she, too, disappeared into the void, her cries mingling with the wailing winds blowing through the canyon. And once again, all was still in Digital World. *** Ken: *screams* You made me suicidal!!!  You're no different from the rest of them.  I’m out of here! *runs away* Gaia: Wait, Ken, it's just a fanfic. *runs after him* A FANFIC!  It isn't real…! Gwen:  Well that set my work back a few weeks. G: Gah, we killed Kenny!  *giggles*  I've always wanted to say that! Gwen: Is that all you can think about? Yourself? G: *thinks for a second and then nods* Yeah, pretty much. Gwen: *slaps forehead* Why do I put up with such incompetence? G: *leans head on Gwen's shoulder* (mockingly sweet) Because you really care? *bats eyelashes* Gwen: o_O;;; I'd better go and get my patient now.  *dashes off, letting G fall to the floor* G: OW! *rubs bruised head*  What'd I say?