Hi there! This is for the Digimon Non-Flash Bingo Challenge ( prompt pairing Mizuki/Tagiru) and the 28 Days Challenge as well! This is a pretty simple little story, so I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. If I did, Hunters would have less filler and more plot. And more Flawizarmon :).

Sweeter Yet

"Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy." -Anonymous

"There's something I want to show you," Mizuki says, and before the orange-haired girl can explain Tagiru's jumping aboard. The boy's all starry-eyed and smiling, like he always is when he's excited. Mizuki keeps her laughter down to a quiet giggle as they head out to the ocean.

When they are far enough, Submarinemon submerges and starts heading for the sea floor. Seeing the fish flit by her living dolphin-like vessel had always been a delight to Mizuki, but hearing Tagiru's amazed cries renews the wonder. He constantly points and asks what their names are, or what they're doing, or where they're going. For his endless barrage of questions she has an endless list of answers, because the oceans have always been her passion, even more so than treasures.

They keep going, and arrive at a coral reef. There are more colors here than a bowl of Fruit Loops. At least that's how Tagiru puts it, and Mizuki laughs because it's a silly yet ample description. Both the wildlife and the coral are a multitude of hues and shapes, and there is always something moving. Sometimes it is just a massive fan coral waving gently in the currents. Other times it is a school of silvery fish swimming by, only to suddenly scatter when a tiger shark lunges into their midst. Everyone cries out when a nearby "coral" turns out to be an octopus. It sprays ink all over them as it fled, and as the shock eases they all start to laugh.

As they go past the reef and start to dive deeper, it finally occurs to Tagiru to ask where they're going. Mizuki debates whether to tell Tagiru or not. She settles with telling him to wait and see. Tagiru pouts and tries to sulk. He's never been very good at pretending.

It gets darker and darker, until they can no longer see anything. This doesn't deter Mizuki or Submarinemon, however, and they continue to dive. Barely any modern man-made equipment can even get this far, and Muzuki is proud that her Digimon reaches these depths so easily. There is no hint of crushing water pressure outside, but there is a hint of light far down below. They are almost there.

The lights multiply around them as they sink further. Mizuki explains that these are the marine life of the deepest depths, many of whom give off their own light via bioluminescence. Tagiru asks if they are aliens, because they sure don't look like any other life-form he's seen, including Digimon. Mizuki just smiles and shakes her head.

"You wouldn't have believed me if I hadn't shown you," says Mizuki with a smirk. "So that's why I brought you down here. Most people have only seen these creatures in photographs, but we get to see them in real life. Isn't that amazing?"

"Uh-huh," says Tagiru, as an angler fish drifts by the window. "But I would've believed you, even if I hadn't seen them. I mean, there's Digimon, right?"

Mizuki laughs. "That's true."

They both watch the strange sea-life float around them. It was like they were in middle of the night sky, suspended. Even Tagiru is eventually seduced to silence.

It had been incredible for Mizuki, finding this for the first time, being the first witness to such a world. That alone had been a treasure, a hidden place only she and Submarinemon could reach.

But by bringing Tagiru here, somehow it made everything sweeter yet. This was their world now. Theirs. That word had such a peculiarly pleasing taste to it.

She lays a hand over his, and he gives her a wide-eyed stare. But he doesn't pull away either, even as she leans closer.

IIIIII

Looks like Mizuki and Tagiru found some treasure after all :P

Wasn't sure what I was going to do for this pairing at first. Here's hoping you liked the results! Let me know what you think.