Chapter 2: Subconscious Walk
They say that when you share something to another person, like feelings for someone, it would usually take the weight off of your shoulders. However, when Joe told TK about Mimi being his first kiss, it had the opposite effect. Before meeting with Joe, TK had dreams of his past when he was a young lad. Mimi would rise from her makeshift bed and sleepwalk over to TK, only to snuggle alongside him. It turned out that those dreams were not dreams. Visions, described by Joe, told TK that Mimi had been so close to him, even Yolei couldn't make sense of the situation. TK was distraught. His first kiss was at least four years old, and it wasn't who he believed would be a worthy candidate. "Why?" he gasped. "Why her?" Joe knew that it was quite a surprise for TK to take.
"It is pretty difficult to believe," Joe murmured. "But keep in mind that I did possess the Crest of Reliability, so you know that I'm speaking the truth." It was tough, and he didn't want to accept the fact that Mimi was his first smooch.
"I don't understand. How could Mimi be my first kiss?" To Joe, it was a deeper. "I mean, I would've expected her to be with you or Matt or Izzy, not me." A lot deeper, and he was willing to let TK know the details.
"Listen, if finding out that Mimi was your first kiss, then the whole story, though honest, will be rather devastating." There was a story behind TK's first kiss? Guess it was more than Mimi seeing TK and planting one lip-to-lip, the end. As if things weren't already tough for TK, someone else wanted in on this mysterious peck.
"What's this about a story that's devastating?" wondered a girl. TK and Joe turned to a brunette girl wearing a beige beret, white sleeveless shirt with a flower imprint, and a pink skirt. Both boys knew her, sound and body.
"Oh, hey, Kari," TK welcomed. "What are you doing here?" Kari found a chair by TK, and sat down.
"I was going shopping for new clothes, when I saw the two of you, and got curious. So, what's today's topic?" TK was too much of a good friend to Kari, he bit his lip about the issue of Mimi. Joe wasn't so quiet about it.
"I was going to talk about Mimi's interest in TK," Joe unveiled. Kari grew interested with this, but TK felt the jig was up.
"Mimi?" Joe nodded.
"This was before we knew of our purpose of being Digidestined, less knew you were one, yourself. Heck, it started at the camp before anything big were to happen." So, here came a flashback of TK's first kiss...and Kari's heart ready to join the Titanic. But before that, a waitress stopped by their table.
"Can I get you anything?" she asked. The three wanted to make their orders.
"Yeah, a tall mocha, please," Joe ordered.
"Oolong tea for me, please," Kari placed.
"Carmel iced coffee, thanks," TK suggested. The waitress jotted down the orders.
"I'll have them ready in five," she advised before leaving. Now, what about that flashback?
(Flashback/Joe's View)
It started when we all arrived at camp...well, everyone but Kari. You were sick when the camping trip took place. We did get to meet each other, including Sora, Izzy, Tai...but when Mimi saw you, TK, and Matt, she realized that you two were brothers...from the outside, at least. However, during camp activities, Mimi noticed that Matt was showing quite some distance from you. That was when she believed that she needed to step in. In other words, TK, you and Mimi became fast friends. She would tell me later on, she acted like a big sister to you from the start. Before that mysterious snowstorm hit the campsite, it looked like the two of you were inseparable, more than you and Matt. When we entered the Digital World for the first time, Matt acted the big brother part, but Mimi still wanted to stay close to you. That's when, during the second week together, she began to suffer a mild case of insomnia, which led to somnambulism, or the simpler term, sleepwalking.
(TK's View)
So, Joe, what you're saying is, Mimi's care for me made her rather overprotected?
(Joe's view)
Well, that was the initial thought. The ones who saw Mimi's bizarre behavior were Agumon, Biyomon and Palmon. They'd keep me informed on what Mimi did those nights. I was, to say the mildest, shocked about Mimi going after you like that. I had to verify what exactly was going through Mimi's head. So, one night, I volunteered to guard watch. When I saw nothing out of the ordinary, I thought that the Digimon were joking, so I tried to sneak in a few snores, when I heard Mimi muttering your name. That woke me and made me look in your direction. That's when I saw her giving you your first kiss.
(Kari's view)
Oh my gosh! Mimi kissed TK, while he was sleeping?
(Joe's view)
That's right. I was flabbergasted, not believing that Mimi would choose someone younger than herself to kiss, other than probably Izzy, but it was a surprise that I wouldn't forget. Later on, after we acquired you and Gatomon, Kari, and split apart, did Palmon confront me and Mimi about her habits. With the evidence verbally strewn, Mimi told me about her moments with TK and told me about her disorder. That was when she dropped the bombshell: she wanted you to be her little brother. Needless to say, surprise was my only reaction.
(End Flashback)
TK was expressing the same thing. All this time, Mimi had been treating him like a big sister. "This is...all so sudden..." Not even Kari wanted to believe the tale. TK couldn't help but feel remorse to Kari with this new information. "I'm very, very sorry, Kari. I bet you and Davis may be together." Davis? Kari didn't really look like the name was good.
"Oh, please," she jealously snorted. "I'd rather go out with Ken or Michael or even Willis. I wouldn't go out with Davis, even if he is the last boy on Earth or the Digital World." Oh, this author had already found a good match with Kari, but that's not important right now. Joe laughed at how Davis had to be feeling if he had heard that. He got himself straight, before readdressing the issue.
"So, TK," he barked. "Now that you've heard the truth, and that your dreams relapsed around her, do you have any options?" TK thought about it. What did he want to do?
"TK, if you want to see Mimi, it's okay. I won't be angry about it. I promise." Given her word, TK wanted to get his mind on track. Seeing Mimi may resolve his state of mind.
"All right," he voiced. "I've decided. I want to go to America and talk to her." So, he wanted to go and see Mimi about his dreams and see her true feelings. There was something else, which would explain him turning to Kari. "If it's okay with Tai and yourself, would you like to join me?" Kari smiled, saying that she would be happy to join TK in traveling to see Mimi.
"Absolutely," she accepted. "It's a Digidestined in New York, and I bet she'd be happy to see you." Satisfied, TK wanted to get ready for the upcoming trip. That night, TK was getting luggages stuffed, while Patamon watched with interest to understand his plans.
"Thanks to that talk with Joe, my head's clearer than water." Patamon was glad to see TK acting more of himself, but wondered about his plans.
"It's actually great that you want to talk to Mimi about the past," he praised.
"I know, doesn't it?" Finally done packing, TK decided to get to sleep, but a beep caused him to look at a silver hand-held device. "My D-terminal. Wonder if Kari's telling me about Tai's reaction?" He opened his D-terminal, which had an e-mail from Kari.
"TK-TAI'S GIVING ME THE OK. MEET YOU AT THE AIRPORT IN THE MORNING!-KARI"
"Guess we'll be seeing Kari and Gatomon, tomorrow," he announced. Patamon got joyous from the news. With all things pointing upward, TK relaxed and fell asleep. The next morning, TK and Patamon waited inside the airport...one, for the flight to New York and two, For Kari and this Gatomon. They wouldn't be waiting long. Kari came by, with a white cat, wearing yellow claw gloves and a ring on its tail...and drinks. "Kari, Gatomon, you made it." She giggled as she handed a cup to TK.
"I thought the flight was at 7:40, until Tai told me that it was departing at 9:00," she confessed a mistake. No big deal. They had time.
"Yeah, I should have let you know on that part." Gatomon was intrigued that TK was going through with seeing Mimi about the reoccurring dreams.
"I'm surprise that Mimi had feelings for you," the cat purred. "Then again, how Joe described the situation, it makes some sense. I felt the same way being on the tail end of Wizardmon's care." TK knew about Gatomon's past, since he was told of it. Suddenly...
"Flight 865, Pacific Air flight Tokyo International Airport to John F. Kennedy Airport in Albany, New York, United States of America, boarding at Gate 17," an announcing system echoed. Their flight had arrived.
"That's our cue," Patamon believed. "Although, it would've been quicker with the Digital World." It would've? Really?
"Patamon, first, we would get in, close the terminal from that spot and wait for who knows how long before the terminal to Mimi's home would open," Kari sighed. So, it would've been a hit or miss. Either way, the four got to the gate and boarded the plane. America, they were coming...
TO BE CONTINUED...
