Chapter 2 - Life Goes On

After the emotional moment, all of us simply sitting on the ground while looking at each other. Dorulumon looks around the room as Ballistamon adjusting the eggs on the bed.

"So, this is a human world." Dorulumon mutters before looking at me. "Your room is quite messy."

"Ehehehe..." I could only sheepishly chuckles. "I always stuck on finishing my homework and study to improve my grades at college, so I always forget doing most of my chores. I even forgot to eat."

"You idiot!" I yelped as Dorulumon bonked my head with his drill tail. "Meals aren't something you can casually neglect! It provides calories for humans to work!"

"Sorry, sorry." I said while rubbing my head.

"Even till this day, you still too lax as a king, Aniki." Starmon points out.

"Uh, Starmon, I'm no longer a king." I said, causing the trio to blink.

"Huh!?" They all yell at me.

"I mean, the Digital World was destroyed. It's basically means I'm no longer its king since it's gone now." I said as the trio sigh.

"Shoutmon, you know that being a king is more than just their territory." Dorulumon said.

"I know, it was the better excuses." I mutter the last part. But given the reaction they made, it's obvious that they heard that.

"Shoutmon..." I sigh before looking at them.

"You know me, Dorulumon. I never want to be a king." I said as Ballistamon approach me.

"But, you accept the role back then." He points out as I frowns.

"Well, I take it back." I said. "I don't have what it takes to be a king."

"That isn't true." Dorulumon said.

"Is it? Just look at those!" I said while gesturing at the pile of eggs. "Those are the lives I was suppose to protect as a king! Because of me, they end up like this! All the hard works they did just to digi-volve, all the strength they get over time, all the lives they have gone through, gone in an instant!"

"You can't blame this failure on your own, my king." Dorulumon stated.

"I can't even protect my son!" I yell, shutting them up. "My sons perish into nothing but data right in front of my eyes! Now, they're reborn as eggs, starting from scratches, or worse, they didn't get to reborn! And it's all my fault!"

SLAP!!!!

I wince in pain as I held my cheek before looking back at Dorulumon. I unconsciously steps back.

"I know....what it feels to not be able to protect what I love.....you're not the only one who lose someone at that war." I remember now.....Cutemon, the digimon Dorulumon unintentionally adopts as his little brother. "I get it.....but, do you think they want us to wallow ourself in self pity? Do you think they want us to continue to blame ourselves?"

".....no..." He's right. If he was here now, he'll be trying to get me to stop being sad or else he'll cry. "....I'm sorry....."

".....no, I'm sorry. I should at least try to be less aggressive...." Dorulumon said.

"Nah....I rather hear a word from someone shouting so it can go through my thick skull." Both of us chuckles softly at my attempt to joke. "Thanks...."

"...everyone agrees that they won't blame you even if they died...." I look at him in shock. "We know we might not make it..it is a war, after all....we know that you will be too focused on keeping us safe if we're too nervous.....we know you're too softhearted to let us die....so, we keep a bravado.....so you can trust us with our enemies.....so you can focus on beating our enemies....."

"...you guys are cruel...." I said while wiping the tears that escaping my eyes. To think they all did such things...

"So, Shoutmon, please....stop blaming yourself." I stare at Ballistamon who looks apologetic. I sigh before pull them back into a hug.

"Please.....never do that again....." I mutter.

"Yeah..." I keep hugging them for a while as I feel Dorulumon starts to shift uncomfortable. I let go of him as he cough awkwardly. "I forgot how much you love to hug us."

"S-sorry." If it wasn't for my red scales, my blushes will be visible for them to see.

"No, don't be. It's just your trait." Ballistamon stated as Starmon nodded in agreement.

"Uh, wait. What time is it?" I mutter before turning to see the time. I widen my eyes before rushing into the bathroom and turns back into human. "Shit, I'm late!"

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"Late? Late for what?" Dorulumon asked before looking at the time, which says 9:51 AM.

"Well, college maybe?" Ballistamon said unsurely. "He did say to us multiple times that he's not a king, but a mere college student."

"Oh, right....I forgot how many times his majesty won't stop saying that. I thought he was just trying to humble himself." Dorulumon mutters.

"Then, why specifically says 'a mere college student'? He could say he's a mere 'commoner'." At that, Dorulumon didn't have a response. Suddenly the door opens, and reveals to be a curly black haired teen, around his early 20s, comes out of the door in a rush. He gets out of the room and locks it.

"...so, that's how Shoutmon looks when he's human." Ballistamon said as Starmon nodded.

"He looks.....so average." Dorulumon said in disbelief. "Is that why he always so humble? Is he very conscious towards his looks? Is that why he choose to remain as Shoutmon, never try to change into human despite the Digi-Vice have the built-in function of turning into one?"

"...I think you're overthink the whole situation too much, Dorulumon." Ballistamon said in deadpan manner. "You're so overdid it that it sounds like you're insulting him."

"Gakh!!!" Dorulumon flinch in shock before going to a corner and sulking. "Forgive me, milord. I have insult you terribly. I don't have any excuse, please punish me."

"Now, you made it sound like you're into punishment." Ballistamon deadpan at Dorulumon as Starmon laugh.

To be continued