Purity Draws Courage
A/N: Hi hi~ I'm so glad you are choosing to read my story! This is a little prequel to The Darkness of Light. It isn't important to the story as you can read either story without needing the other. This is just a short Taimi fic that explains how Taichi and Mimi became a couple.
Golden rays of sunlight washed over Odaiba as children ran all over celebrated the beginning of winter holiday. Despite the abundant sunshine, this did not warm the air around the city. Many forecasters had predicted a winter storm moving towards the area, but it was rare for such blizzards to hit the city this early into the winter season.
At the gate to Odaiba Junior High a girl wearing the standard dark green uniform awaited her friends. Her russet hair blew in the gentle breeze as she shivered at the temperature. She pulled her cream sweater tighter around her body, hoping by having it firmer against her figure would create more warmth. She watched as children flooded from the school finishing their extracurricular activities. The teen herself was no apart of any activities; nothing really seemed to peak her interest.
"Mimi-chan!" A slender girl called sprinting from the building instantly catching sight of her friend waiting at the gate. The girl was also wearing the standard green uniform with knee high socks. The ginger haired teen waved before stopping at the gate.
"Sora-san~" Mimi smiled happily to her friend. She knew that the girl had just gotten out of gardening club and could tell her uniform looked slightly dirty as a result. Her eyes softened as she thought about just how much the gardening club meant to Sora and her relationship with her mother. Mimi had long talks with Sora about the status of her friend's family relationship. Following their adventures in the digimon world it appeared as though much had changed in the older girl's life.
"You haven't been waiting by yourself too long have you?" Sora asked on concern hating the thought of keeping her friend waiting.
Shaking her head slightly, Mimi smiled. "Some of the girls in my class just left. Hopefully the boys show up soon."
Relief flooded over Sora as she felt excitement for their upcoming trip with their friends. "I saw Taichi just finishing up and Yamato-kun shouldn't be too far behind."
"This weekend is going to be so much fun, this reunion is just what we need~" The russet haired girl practically sang as her caramel eyes glistened in excitement.
For the past 4 months or so the group that had once called themselves the chosen children had talked about going away somewhere for a weekend of fun. Getting permission from their parents was surprisingly easier than they had first thought it would be. Perhaps it had to do with the fact that the children had traveled a completely different world by themselves that convinced their parents to allow them to go on the trip. Of course they did persist that the children have an adult accompany them. Luckily for them, Yamato's father had no problem chaperoning the children on their skiing expedition.
"Sora! Mimi-chan!" A tall bushy chocolate haired teen shouted as he casually jogged over to the two females. "Yo." He greeted with a goofy grin upon his face.
"Hello Taichi-san~" Mimi greeted in return as a faint blush crossed her cheeks. Thinking of spending a whole weekend with the boy caused her heart rate to increase slightly and she felt her cheeks heating up in response. It was a wonder how no one had caught on to the fact the russet haired girl had slowly fallen for the proclaimed leader.
"Are you excited for this weekend?" The boy questioned already assuming their answer.
"Definitely!" Both girls responded in unison causing them to burst out in giggles.
"Great let our adventure continue!"
Gathering the group and their items was not as difficult as one would assume doing so would be. In fact, after school it was quiet easy for the children to gather their belongings and meet Yamato, Takeru, and their father the television station. The group had decided this would be the most convenient place for them to gather. Hiroaki had rented a large shuttle bus for the weekend to transport the children and their belongings easier. He finished smoking a cigarette as his eyes turned to the beaming children. "Are we ready?" He questioned genuinely to the children.
"Yes!" was the unanimous response from the children.
Letting out a soft chuckle, the man got into the driver seat of the van and waited for the children to all pile in after him. One by one the children found their place in the van and buckled their seat belts. Chatter and laughter filled the vehicle as the children discussed plans for the weekend. Yamato jumped into the passenger seat of the van and looked over to his father. "That's everyone Tousan. I think we can go."
Hiroaki nodded his head at his son as he switched the vehicle into gear and the group was off.
Several hours had passed since the group had arrived at the winter resort. Luckily they children had been able to save enough of their allowances to afford a section of the resort to reserve completely and totally for their group. Quite a bit of the money came from Mimi which had surprised the group. They knew she got a hefty allowance from her parents, but they were more surprised that the girl had not turned around and spent all of her money on clothes or accessories. Her contribution rounded out to about 75,000 yen which was the equivalent of over 600 US dollars. 'I was saving for a rainy day,' had been the girl's response when you friends looked at her wide eyed in astonishment.
Upon reaching the resort, many of the children had split off into different groups to go explore the area. Yamato, Sora, Takeru, and Hikari went off to explore the hot springs. Koushiro and Jyou were engaged in an epic chess tournament. Mimi had wanted to explore some woods that were around the resort. She had heard some of the scenery was good to view and she figured it seemed like a good time to do so. Taichi didn't want the girl to go off on her own so he volunteered to go with her. He didn't mind nature and spending time with Mimi always made him happy. It wasn't something he had ever admitted to anyone before, but he had a soft spot for the younger girl.
"Hey hey, Taichi-san!" The girl shouted in excitement tugging on his arm. "Look! A flower is still in bloom this late in the season!" She was amazed to see a pink wild flower still in bloom despite the cold temperatures.
Seeing the girl's excitement caused a warm smile to find the bushy haired teen's face. He loved the innocence that she exhibited over the simplest of things. Mimi always found things to marvel at and truly appeared to appreciate what was around her. It was that sense of purity that Taichi felt drew him to her. She was honestly one of the most, if not the most, positive girl he knew. Sure she had her moments where she appeared ditzy and selfish, but behind all of that he saw the pure heart of the russet haired girl. "That's cool Mimi-chan."
Letting out a soft giggle her bright caramel eyes looked to him. "Do you think we'll find more?"
Taichi shrugged his shoulders not really sure what she was expecting to find. "I have no idea. I guess we could keep looking though."
"Really? You'd go looking with me?" She brightened hearing him saying 'we'. Mimi loved spending time with the older teen. Ever since their adventures in the digimon world she had looked up to him. He always had the best interest of those around him in mind. Sure there had been times when his intentions hurt the group, but she knew that no one was perfect and accepted that. Perhaps that was part of the reason she was drawn to the boy. He never let those hiccups get him down and he continued to trek forward.
Several hours had past and the sun had begun to fade over the horizon. Along with the fading sun, clouds overtook the sky. Looking to the darkened sky, Taichi realized that he and Mimi had wandered pretty far away from the resort. "Mimi-chan, it's getting late. We should probably head back."
The girl had been spinning around carelessly as she paused to look to the older teen. She didn't really want her time with the boy to end just yet. Sure they would still be able to hang out back at the resort, but the other children would be there; not exactly the perfect environment for exploring or even admitting her feelings for the older teen. In fact, Mimi really wanted to tell Taichi her feelings for him at some point this weekend. Perhaps if she were lucky, he'd return those same feelings.
Suddenly out of nowhere it was as though the sky opened up on the teens. A raging blizzard created whiteout conditions even deep within the forest. Mimi screamed not being able to see anything in front of her. A comforting hand took her own as she was able to focus on the leader of the chosen standing beside her. "Don't worry Mimi-chan, I won't let go until we find shelter." He smiled softly to the girl which instantly alleviated her fear. She nodded slowly putting her full trust in the older teen.
The two began backtracking through the woods, but it was getting too difficult to see. If they weren't able to find someplace warm to stay soon, Taichi was afraid they'd freeze to death over night in the blizzard conditions. That was when the boy spotted a cabin and dragged Mimi in it's direction.
"A cabin all the way out here?" The teen questioned looking to the boy.
"Hopefully someone is home and willing to let us in." He replied as he knocked on the door. Inside the cabin looked abandoned and he wondered if anyone would answer their call. Trying once more, the boy knocked on the door, but received no answer. Deciding to just try the door, Taichi was surprised to feel the handle twist under his pressure. The door was unlocked!
Mimi and Taichi walked into the cabin quickly and closed the door behind them to escape the brutal wind and snow. The younger girl attempted to find a light switch to turn on some lights, but it didn't appear as though the cabin was built with electricity. Taichi chewed his lip in contemplation before he found a fire place. Luckily it looked as if the wood was well stocked and matches were conveniently located beside the fireplace. Within moments he had a fire blazing that little up the petite little cabin.
The cabin appeared to be used as some sort of getaway as there were no personal belongings to be seen. Maybe it was an extension of the resort. Taichi looked around and noticed there were some cans of ravioli and a pot. They could use this to make dinner for themselves! Mimi noticed Taichi's gaze and smiled. It wasn't as though she personally cared for canned dinners, but it was better than some of the stuff they ate in the digimon world and was better than going hungry.
Grabbing the pot, Mimi began setting up her cooking station over the fire. One day the young teen aspired to be a world-renowned chef. Of course she had a long way to go before even coming close to that accomplishment, but hey everyone had to start somewhere, why not cooking for your crush over a fire in the middle of a blizzard?
After dinner the teens sat beside the fire wondering when the storm would let up. For now it had appeared as though they would be stuck in the cabin. Luckily there was a double bed with plenty of blankets so staying warm didn't appear to be a concern.
"Hey Mimi-chan." The boy broke the silence as he looked to the beautiful girl sitting beside him.
Mimi had her arms wrapped around her legs and her caramel eyes had been entranced by the dancing flames of the warm fire. At the mention of her name, she turned her attention to the boy sitting beside her. In a funny way it had appeared as though she had gotten her wish. The girl had wanted to be able to spend more time with Taichi and she was getting just that. "Yes Taichi-san?" The girl questioned curiously wondering what was on the boy's mind. Maybe he felt awkward being alone with her in a cabin like this. Millions of thoughts began to run through her mind as she felt her stomach tighten up.
"Are you comfortable? Don't worry, I'm sure the storm will pass by the morning and we'll be able to go back and find the others." Taichi assured her as his warm chocolate eyes looked to her.
Feeling a pang of courage, Mimi decided to scoot closer to the boy and catch his attention. His eyes looked to hers as she smiled warmly. Nothing could make her want to leave this moment. "Everything is perfect Taichi-san, I'm so glad you are here with me." She stated to him.
Taichi perked up slightly at the girl's words. He hadn't been expecting her to be fine with the situation at hand. Normally she was more of the type of girl who would have wanted to be safe within a resort where there were hot springs and people that were willing to pamper you. "Really?" He stated taken aback by her response.
The heart within Mimi's chest began to pound so hard and so fast she was certain the boy across from her would be able to hear it. She felt a warm blush overtake her cheeks as she looked to the ground shyly. "I-I have had a crush on you for quite some time." She began saying trying to gather the courage inside her to announce her feelings for the boy. "In the digimon world you were always so passionate about what we were doing. Your protection of all of us and the way you looked after your sister. It was really hard not to fall for you. I saw the way you genuinely cared about what was going on around you. I guess… I guess that's when I realized I really loved everything about you. Even those times when you messed up, I became more and more involved in seeing how you handled yourself…" The girl admitted as she paused not sure she had the courage to really say anything more.
Hearing the girl's confession brought so much joy to Taichi he wasn't sure what he was going to do with it all. He studied her physical actions noting the way her fists clenched and her breathing quickened. He saw the faint glow of a blush reaching her cheeks. Taichi felt butterflies within his stomach as his own nerves tightened within his stomach. There was so much he had wanted to share with the girl in front of him. All the things he had observed of her kindness and purity back in the digimon world. That passion she demonstrated by wishing to stop the fighting and preserve the life of innocent creatures within the world. Her willingness to help even if it was something she did not want to do. The boy thought of all those thoughts and feelings as he closed the space between them. Gently he allowed his thumb to tilt the girl's face to look at his own. His index finger secured her chin as he slowly inched his way until his lips met her own.
Mimi's eyes widened in shock as she felt the soft velvety lips of Taichi touch her own. Never in a million years would she have envisioned this moment. Closing her eyes in reaction the girl increased the kiss pushing herself against the boy all of that pent up desire yearning to be released. The teens kissed for a good amount of time before they slowly broke the kiss and backed away to gaze into one another's eyes. Both children's cheeks were flushed from both shyness and the heat of the moment.
"I have wanted to do that for I don't even know how long." Taichi was the first to break the silence as he gently took Mimi's hand within his own.
The blush upon Mimi's cheeks deepened as she looked to the boy beside her. "Really?"
Smiling softly he brought himself to kiss the girl once more, this time with more passion behind his action. As he pulled back his warm eyes looked to the girl. "Mimi-chan, you are one of the most pure-hearted, kindest girls I have ever known. You have no problem sharing your emotions and are pure through and though. I never had to guess what was going on and being around her seemed to brighten the atmosphere. I have liked you probably since we were on our adventure in the digimon world."
This information took Mimi by surprise as she looked to the boy in front of her. There were so many times in the digimon world that she had been selfish and burdensome to the team. Hearing that the leader had admired her personality was just so shocking to her that the girl wasn't completely sure how to respond.
From the look on the girl's face, Taichi knew he had taken her by surprise. He smiled softly as he brushed a strand of her russet hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear gently. This earned a blush from the girl as she looked to the boy. Taichi placed a soft kiss upon her cheek before pulling back once more. "After Agumon turned into SkullGreymon, I felt like such a failure. Not only had I failed our group, but I let poor Koromon down."
Remembering back to their walk in the dessert, the girl remembered that moment so perfectly. Taichi looked absolutely devastated as they walked. "You were so crushed." Mimi said softly as she took Taichi's hands within her own. Her caramel eyes looked to him. "Taichi-san, no matter how regretful you feel, there's nothing you can do about it now. You've got to keep your spirits up for Koromon's sake, too!" Mimi quoted herself as she smiled warmly remembering the words she had spoken all those years ago.
Both teens giggled for a moment as they then reminisced over all of the different adventures they had in the digimon world. Before too long they both fell asleep on the floor cuddled up against one another.
Morning came rather quickly upon the teenagers as they both awoke to a dark cabin as the fire had long burned out. The storm outside had passed and it the visibility had expanded in the forest. Taichi offered for Mimi to take his hand as he stood up and wished to help her as well. The girl smiled at his kindness and took his hand within her own. "Thank you for looking out for me Taichi-san." Mimi thanked as she thought about how he had offered to come out exploring the forest with her.
Smiling, the boy shook his head. "Don't mention it Mimi-chan. I am really glad we got to spend this time together and open up to one another."
Nodding her head in agreement Mimi smiled brightly. Never had she thought this was where the teens would end up, but she wasn't complaining one bit. It would definitely be a trip she would never forget.
A/N: I hope you liked this short mini arc. Feel free to leave me reviews and check out the story The Darkness of Light!