Chapter 25: To Die For
"If I had a flower for every time I thought of you… I could walk through my garden forever."
- Alfred Tennyson
-Faction 3: The Ballroom-
Silence. That's what happened as the group watched Sam and Sora put out the remaining darkness that plagued the faction. Mimi would say what happened next happened in slow motion.
Myotismon screamed, running down the stairs of the ballroom as Lillian stood in shock. Everyone seemed to stop breathing. The sounds were muffled by the surprise of the assassins sacrificing themselves wihtout even knowing if it would work out in everyone else's favor. Myotismon grabbed the assassins, shaking them and cursing them as a dark fog began to fill the room.
Tai could hear his heartbeat in his ears, Kari shaking his shoulders as she yelled at him to get up. "We have to run! The fog is taking everything. Tai!" Tai slowly got to his feet, grabbing Yamato and dragging him to his feet next to him. The group ran, pushing through the door. Mimi looked back just in time to see fog engulf Lillian, her figure disappearing as the fog reached Sora and Sam, Myotismon already gone.
The doors were baracaded. "The doors! They're stuck," Izzy said, pushing hard against the handle. Tai shook his head, pushing his whole body against the door next to Izzy. They gave up, turning to face everyone else. "I-I'm not sure what's happening, guy," Tai said.
Kari gave him a weak smile, "We tried, right? Maybe this is what was supposed to happen…" She huddled into Takeru. Mimi nodded, gripping Yamato's arm as she smiled, "yeah… Sora ended the darkness…" She wiped a small tear, "for us."
Izzy nodded, clapping Joe and Tai on the shoulders. The group huddled together, "Guys? No matter what happens," Tai said, "just know I'm happy we got to come together again. Even if it was for just a few days…" The freinds exchanged soft smiles, no dry eyes were among them.
The fog approached them, clawing it's way across the dark tile. "'Till next time…" Joe whispered. Izzy squeezed his shoulder, closing his eyes as the fog engulfed them.
-Faction 2: Tai's Apartmemt-
Tai woke up quickly, his body bolting out of his bed. He felt his heart beating in his chest, sweat dripping down his forhead. What… What happened… He looked around the room, recognizing it as his old apartment from five years ago… "What the…" A knock was hear coming from his door.
He stood slowly, grimacing at the pain that shot through his thigh as he applied pressure to his leg. A cut from a dagger. Tai scratched his head, splashing water on his face as the knock on his door became more and more impatient. "Taichi!" Kari's voice yelled from the other side.
"Coming! Jeez…" He opened the door. Kari pushed past him, Takeru following and flashing Tai a quick smile. "Guys what's…" Mimi hurried in, dragging Yamato. Joe and Izzy filed in after. "… going on…" Tai finished, looking over his friends as they found places to sit in his living room.
They all sat in silence, exchanging looks of curiosity. "I'm just going to say it," Mimi said, a soft pink dress hugged her body, "everyone else was there right? I didn't dream that Myotismon somehow split out world into factions and we're somehow back in faction 2 living regular lives?" Izzy rubbed his chin, "yeah… It happened that's for sure. Yamato still has that cut on his arm and thigh to prove that we were there."
Yamatp reflexively rubbed his arm. "I feel like I'm in that movie Freaky Friday," Kari muttered under her breath, "Except I didn't switch bodies with my mom, I switched worlds…" Takeru chuckled. "That's one way to put it," he kissed her cheek softly, resulting in a blush from Kari and a protective glare from Tai.
"Any idea what could have happened?" Yamato asked, leaning back on Taichi's brown couch, a couch he had spent many nights passed out drunk on. Joe shook his head, "I'm still trying to wrap my mind around it."
Izzy cleared his throat, "I'm… I'm guessing when the last of the darkness was destroyed, Myotismon had nothing else to hold the factions he created together… They must have collapsed when Sora…" silence fell over everyone.
"Do you think she…" Mimi whispered. Kari looked to the ground, "I haven't heard anything from her…" Joe spoke up, "Yeah. I went by her 'would-be' apartment before meeting up with you guys and no one seemed to be around… But I didn't talk. I wasn't prepared to not have an answer…"
Tai sighed, rubbing his face, "Let's discuss this later…" Kari agreed, "Yes. Abilities. Have you guys tried them since you woke up?" Mimi shook her head, clearing her throat as she focused onher hand. "Mimi you know you don't have to focus so-" "Sh!" She shushed Yamato, smirking as a flame formed in her palm. "Well well. Guess we got to keep them."
Yamato stretched, rolling his shoulders as ice began to form in the water glass on the table. The glass crackled, resulting in Tai angrily picking it up. "Hey! Easy there." Yamato chuckled apologetically. A magazine flipped open behind Joe, causing him to jump. "Sorry Joe. Had to see if I was left out or not," Takeru shrugged.
"I already tried jumping," Izzy said, shaking his head, "no luck. I guess… The other factions are gone?" Tai pondered his point, "Or as far as we know anyway." Tai looked around at the group, happy to see everyone as normal as they were before the reckoning. But a piece was missing. Sora. Would he ever see her again? No… She did what she ahd to do…
"Not to be that person," Mimi said, "but can we please go get some actual food?" This made Tai chuckle, Mimi wanting food. The one way to her heart and her true happiness. "That's sounds like my type of celebration," Kari said, standing to leave.
-Sunday's Cafe-
"And that's why faction 1 was the WORST faction. Like, white marble with red roses? Tacky," Mimi said, stuffing her face with crisp leaves of romaine lettuce. Kari laughed, "Oh. The dirt and cold stone of faction 3 wasn't terrible enough for you?" Mimi rolled her eyes, "you have a point. Absolutely hurrendous.
The friends had made their way down to their favorite diner, happy to see that the diner was still around. I guess much never really changed in this faction… This faction… Tai was lost in thought, maybe Sora is stuck in the other factions… Or… "Tai… Tai!" He looked up, meeting the eyes of everyone else at the table. "O-Oh yeah. Faction 1… Tacky…" He chuckled nervously.
"Are you okay?" Yamato asked, sipping the last of his water from his glass. "Meh. I think I've been worse," Tai said, trying his best to hide his concerns and worries. Yamato gave him a look, making sure Tai knew they would talk later.
"Refill on your waters?" A waiter asked, standing at the edge of the table. "Yeah thank…" Izzy blinked, looking the waiter up and down. Dark red hair… Green eyes… His nametag said… "Sam?!" Izzy said. The waiter raised an eyebrow, "I knew I was popular among the men, but…" Sam's words got quieter as he allowed himself to look at the rest of the table occupants.
"Oh… My… God…" His mouth hung open, "you guys are… Here?" Tai spoke next, "you're alive? But we watched… We saw…" Sam shook his head, quieting him, "Trust me. I was extrememly surprised when I woke up here today." Sam pulled a chair over from a side table, making his own space between Izzy and Tai. "Anyway, back to me. When Sora and I stabbed each other, to put it lightly, I could have sworn we were dead. The darkness of my mark turned a stark white the second my knife sank into her chest…" He blinked at the memory, "then the fog came and… And I woke up here. Back in my old apartment. My mother owns this cafe and she said nothing has changed much since I've been gone." He chuckled, "she assumed I ran off with a big strong man… Part of me wishes she was right."
Mimi breathed in, "You mean… You lived?" Sam nodded, motioning to his body, "I'm here aren't I?" Mimi rolled her eyes, "Yeah, but does that mean Sora could have made it too?" Sam shrugged, "I don't know. I was hoping she'd find me or we'd run into each other… But no luck so far." Sam looked just as hurt as Tai. "You know, it's hard to come back to easier times. I don't have to kill anymore, but that doesn't erase the memories of what I have done…" Tai nudged him, "Hey… You practically saved this world by sacrificing yourself. Don't be too hard on yourself."
Sam smiled slightly, "Yeah… I'm gonna get back to work. Ummm…" he pulled out a pen and paper, scribbling his name and number on it before passing it to Tai, "here's my contact info if you find anything… Or need some late night company," he winked, "Kidding. Kidding." Sam walked off, giving the group a weak smile before returning to work.
"Small world…" Joe said, finishing his pastry before wiping his lip. "Yeah… I'm gonna head back to my place. I'm tired," Tai said, standing to leave. Kari watched her brother walk out slowly, a frown on her lips.
"He'll be okay," Yamato said, "he always comes around."
-The Library-
Izzy ran his fingers across the spines of the history books, flipping them open to see if he could find any information on the multiple factions. He knew faction 2 was the closest to what life had been like before the reckoning, but people had to notice that it had its differences.
Nothing… Maybe they got rid of them and have tried to burry the black fog under ashes. He reached for the last book. On the shelf, his fingers brushing someone else's. "O-Oh! Sorry," said a females voice. Izzy turned to give her a smile, doing a double take as he recognized the woman next to him.
"C-Celina?" The woman blinked slowly. Her brown hair was tied up in a messy bun, a large pair of reading glasses rested on her nose. She looked confused, please remember me… Izzy sighed, "Sorry, you looked like someone I know…" The woman smiled, his favorite shape on her lips.
"Don't be silly," she said, "you and I both know meeting each other in a library after the factions ended is the most us thing. Star crossed lovers," she motioned with her hands like she was presenting a title, "never supposed to meet again, meet in a library most likely looking for the same thing…" She leaned against the shelf, "my heart is so happy that you found me, Izzy."
His lips pulled into a big smile, his arms pulling her against his body as his lips found hers. "I was scared you'd forget me," she said playfully. "Nah… You're unforgettable," Izzy said. Celina rolled her eyes, "that is the cheesiest shit I've ever heard."
Izzy blushed, laughing at her. She nibbled on her lip, "but I liked it." Izzy rested his forhead on hers, closing his eyes as he savored the moment. "So… Are you going to invite me over, or…" She gave him a sly smile. "Celina… Buy me dinner first…" She stuck her tongue out at him, hitting him with the book she had in her hand.
-Tai's Apartment-
Tai pulled the key out to his apartment, unlocking his front door. He was doing his best, really, to try and not replay the scene of Sam and Sora dying in his mind. He was relieved that Sam had somehow made it, but the one person he didn't want to lose again seemed to be lost.
Opening his door, Tai brushed his fingers through his hair and rubbed his eyes. I just need sleep… Sleep it off you know? He was giving himself a pep talk, but a few tears still escaped down his cheeks.
"What's wrong with you?" A voice said from his small kitchen. Tai turned slowly, grabbing an umbrella that was by his door. Just in case, he turned. Leaning on the edge of his table was Sora. She was wearing dark jeans with an oversized sweater. Her hair was up in a loose ponytail. Effortless. The Sora he remembered before the reckoning.
The two stared at each other in silence. "… Sooo what's wrong with you?" She asked again, leaning back on the table. Tai blinked, walking slowly towards her. "Did you… You're here?" Sora nodded her head, "Can we not talk about that? Like ever?" Tai smirked at that, "but.." "But I'm here, and that's all that matters. You're welcome, for only dying once over those five years by the way."
He cracked a smile, the space between them smaller. "How did you get in here, Sora?" She shrugged, smirking at him, "the faction may be no more, but I was once the best at sneaking around…" She chuckled, "and you left your door unlocked." She laughed, his favorite sound. He closed his eyes, letting the bells of her laughter rest in his ears, happy he was able to hear it again.
He shook his head at her jokes, cupping her cheek in the palm of his hand. "Remind me to keep it unlocked more often," he said before pressing his lips to her's softly. Sora pulled away, "Do you think now I could find out why those girls thought you were good enough to kill for?" She smirked.
Tai raised an eyebrow, blushing as the memory of his promise played in his mind. "U-Um I mean yes. Absolutely. Sure. Why no-" "Tai," Sora said, giving him an annoyed look. "Right," Tai nodded, kissing her lips once again.
*Author's Note* Okay, so. Now is where I would end this story, but like I mentioned in the last note, I miiiiight start a separate story with side stories in this world that took place during the five years and after? Maybe before? Opnions yes I needs them :) Thank you all so much for staying with me through this journey. Maybe one day I'll expand it into more and give you guys more of the romance I had originally planned. (Mimato and Taiora and whatnot). Happy readings :)