Powers of Crests

by Debbie Dai-chan

The Digidestined are seeking the true meanings of their crests.

4. Essence of Earth

~*~ My special Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon: Digital Monsters. If I do, I will make this saga a MOVIE! And it won't be butchered like the Digimon Movie. Pity. Criticism will be loved and flames will be hated. ~*~

Powers of Crests Saga:

Part Four: Essence of Earth

By Debbie (Dai-chan) *^_^*

A leaf tickled at her nose. Her senses abruptly woke, and she sneezed, sending the leaf flying up in the air. She opened her eyes and saw that colorful leaves covered her. Shreds of sunlight winked at her through the spaces between the rainbow-colored leaves. She sat up on her knees, brushing off leaves from her pink dress and golden-brown hair. Her surroundings seemed the same - thick, colorful trees, pleasant nature sounds, and drifting leaves from high branches. Only one thing was different. She was alone.

"Where am I? Hello?" Mimi murmured. She took her hat, which was by her feet, shook it free from the leaves, and putted it on, shielding her eyes from the sunlight. Mimi gazed around her right and left, seeing for any familiar glimpses of her friends. She noticed a small bump in the leaves, beginning to stir. It must be Palmon.

She crawled to her and helped her brushing off leaves. "Palmon, are you all right?" Mimi asked, concerned. Palmon smiled her crooked, but sweet grin, her emerald eyes glittering. Mimi smiled back in relief. Palmon was very close to her, and she would be quite lost if something wrong happens to Palmon.

Mimi looked up at the sounds of dry crunches on leaves, coming closer. "Mimi? Palmon?" came a feminine voice. She saw Sora shuffling through the jungle toward them with Biyomon flying ahead.

"Oh, Sora!" Overjoyed to see her, Mimi stood and ran after for Sora. She embraced her tightly.

Sora returned the hug, smiling. "I'm here. It's all right." Mimi let go of her and saw the concern on Sora's serious face. "But we must find our friends as soon as we can."

"But now?" Mimi said. "This place doesn't look familiar to me."

"You are right." Sora also scanned around, taking in the surroundings. "I remember Myotismon attacking us. Then Tai and Joe glowing . . ." She stopped, her amber eyes meeting her hazel eyes.

"Where are they?" Biyomon spoke out the girls' thoughts.

"Where are you?" Palmon shouted, cupping her plantlike hands around her mouth.

Sora and Mimi also called out for a moment, and then Mimi saw the two boys with their Digimon coming toward them through the jungle, brushing off leaves. At first glance, Mimi knew the boys would never be the same as before. They were different now. Taichi, with his eyes of fire and that strand of red hair, seemed now secure and deliberate than before, no longer impatient. Jyou, with his strange, meditative voice and the lock of pale blue, was more composed and judicious. For a reason, their unfamiliar personalities frightened her a bit.

Mimi moved closer to Sora, whispering, "They scare me, Sora."

Sora genially patted on her arm, whispering back, "I know, Mimi." She took a deep breath and stepped forward to the approaching boys. "What had happened?"

Taichi seemed to hesitate for an instant before spoke, "We tried to protect you all with our powers from Myotismon, but . . ." He stopped, glancing sidelong upward to Jyou.

Jyou's dusky eyes were peculiarly wistful. "Our powers are too weak."

They sounded like they were . . . humiliated. Mimi could see the confusion on Sora's face. She admitted that she was confused, too, and she gazed perplexedly at the boys. Sora gave out a small sigh. "Well, let us hope they escaped from Myotismon." She turned to Taichi, rich concern in her eyes. "How is your chest?"

Taichi unconsciously touched his chest and raised his eyebrows in surprise. He took several deep breaths to make his chest expand. His red eyes sparkled a bit with marvel. "The pain is gone."

Mimi wondered at that. She didn't know what had happened to Taichi, Sora, Kimika, and Takeru when Phyrimon separated them. Maybe Taichi's chest somehow hurt when he got his power. Mimi gazed at the brown-haired boy with puzzlement.

Agumon's voice brought the group's attention to him. "We need to find a way to search for our friends."

"How?" expressed Mimi with anxiety. "This place is not familiar. How could we find them if we don't know where are we?" She didn't mean to be cynical, but it was true. They were hopelessly lost.

Biyomon volunteered, "I will fly up there and take a look over the forest." She flapped her wings and soared up through an opening in the tall trees.

Mimi watched the pink parrot disappearing in the sky, and then sat down on the leaves. She became depressed; she began to lose hope that they would ever find their friends again. She was overjoyed to see them back together, but thanks to that creepy Digimon, Myotismon, they were separated once again. She wondered if the friends were supposed to be separated for a particular reason she wished to know.

She tucked her hands behind her knees, looking up at Sora as she spoke to the boys. "You guys, you have to promise us, don't try to use your powers. It might be too hazardous to risk your lives to use them. Promise us?"

Taichi again glanced to Jyou, who nodded once with a faint smile on his lips. Sighing, Taichi turned to Sora and agreed with her. Mimi saw Sora tightened her lips a bit. She didn't look satisfied at Taichi's hesitation, but she nodded, sealing the agreement.

Mimi gazed up and saw Biyomon hovering downward to the group. She landed by Sora and shrugged her wings regretfully. "The forest is everywhere. I couldn't see anything else, Sora."

Sora sighed regretfully and nodded understandingly. She seemed to ponder for a moment, looking anxious. Then Mimi saw Sora smiling with new hope. "We can use our Digivices."

Mimi made no move toward her Digivice on the shoulder strap of her pouch, since the rest already got a hold on their Digivices. Mimi watched her friends fidgeting with the Digivices, each kid with a different reaction to them. Jyou gazed at his Digivice with speculation, an arched eyebrow as he studied it. Taichi, the same old Taichi, frowned at his Digivice, grumbling under his breath. For a moment, Mimi thought she saw Taichi's red eyes blazed brighter, like a provoked campfire. Sora sighed, as always, as she checked her Digivice, her eyes growing sadder. Mimi guessed, by their reactions, that the Digivices weren't working.

Mimi was nearly startled by a strange nudge inside her body. She didn't understand, but somehow, she perceived a heartbeat unlike hers - actually four heartbeats, all different at their beats within her chest. They were not in her mind - she didn't imagine them up. The heartbeats were there for a purpose. It was like the heartbeats were tugging on her, urging her. She felt that the heartbeats came from far east, at her left.

She stood and faced east, cocking her head. She tried to listen to the four heartbeats with her psyche, not her ears. She felt her friends were watching her.

"What's the matter, Mimi?" she heard Jyou saying with light concern.

"I . . . sense something. I don't know what it is." Mimi closed her eyes, trying to focus on the four heartbeats. Somehow, she can recognize the heartbeats as easily she can recognize her own voice. The beats were very familiar. Three of the heartbeats seemed masculine while the other one was feminine. One was very young, cheerful and blithe, as the second one was very eager, beating the fastest. The third one was distinct, soft and loyal as the last one was gentle and sympathetic.

Mimi popped her eyes open in awe. "My goodness, I can feel them! I can feel our friends' essences!" Her friends were gaping at her in astonishment. Mimi suddenly was delighted and excited. "Oh! Could it be my power?"

"If so, it would be an awesome power," Sora said, grinning. Then she became concerned. "But, Mimi, you have to be careful."

"Oh, of course, Sora! I will be fine!" Ecstasy burst in her chest nearly drowning the beats of the four essences. Mimi was so excited to be able to find her friends. She began to run eastward, where the essences were, excitement blinding her senses except her new power. Suddenly, vines wrapped around her waist, stopping her in her tracks. Looking back, she saw that Palmon was using her Poison Ivy to hold on her. The others were unmoving.

"Calm down, Mimi," Sora said serenely, but firmly. She used her characteristic gesture - hands on hips, her eyes hooded. "We are not in a hurry. The others will be all right."

Mimi inhaled deeply, trying to calm herself down. "Right." But she was still thrilled, both about her power and capability to find her friends. Within her chest, she could feel the essences beating with a powerful life.

***

The group walked all afternoon, following Mimi with her trusting power. The essences were not getting close, so that would mean the friends were pretty far to them to find in one day. Mimi was so focused by the essences as she led her friends eastward. The reason she only can sense four essences, not eight, as she thoughts, was that she realized that the Digimon must have the same essence as their human partners. Yamato and Gabumon have the same loyal essence as Takeru and Patamon have the cheerful essence. Same thing for Kimika with Iyumon, and Koushiro with Tentomon. It was like that they share a heartbeat, living the same.

The three male essences were unchanged, but she noticed that the female essence, which she recognized as Kimika's, was altered into a deeper empathic and understanding heartbeat. She almost could see Kimika's essence in her mind; the image was the very exact as the Crest of Empathy's image - a rainbow with a spiral at an end. Only it had a single ray of light among the edges of the spiral. Mimi guessed that Kimika already found her power.

They stopped for the night, deciding to sleep for tomorrow. At that instant, Mimi sensed a fifth essence among the four essences, so strong that its beats drowned down the other beats. The fifth was not familiar, but it was masculine, and it seemed that it was sleeping. The essence was so tempting that Mimi couldn't stop thinking about it as she went to sleep. She slept for a short time. The essence kept her fully awake, and she wanted to find that essence.

Sitting up, Mimi stayed quiet, listening to the essence pulsating with a strange life. She wanted to find that essence, but she thought it was best to go alone. It would be easier for her, and faster, too. Palmon was peacefully sleeping near, and Mimi carefully stood up, not to wake her. All her friends were also snoozing near, weary from the walk. She tiptoed toward eastward, where she could feel the essence pulsating strongly. She was at the edge of the clearing when a voice stopped her.

"Where are you going, Mimi?" Jyou asked from behind her, his voice quiet.

Mimi forgot Jyou was keeping first watch. She turned around, hiding her hands behind her back, looking girlishly as she met the tall boy's gaze. His Digimon, Gomamon was laying near the fire, resting his head on his flippers, his pale golden-green eyes on them. The eyes of Jyou and Gomamon were remarkably the very same, wistful and observant.

"Uh, I couldn't sleep," Mimi nearly stammered under the wistful gaze. She stood straighter, smiling slightly. "I just want to be alone for a while, okay?"

Jyou smiled and nodded. "Be careful," he whispered before turned to walk to his Digimon. He had an amazing grace that seemed so like movements of water, silent and smooth. Staring at his almost beautiful walk, Mimi realized that she was blushing hotly at his effective voice and grace, and she quickly turned around, rubbing her cheeks. She ducked under the jungle and gazed back through branches to find Jyou talking with Gomamon.

It was absurd. She was acting all over again like a foolish, blushing girl. He'd never like a self-centered girl like her. She admitted she has a small crush on him, but she would never admit it out loud. She always liked to joke, tease to him, but inside, she was awkward, shy. Why, oh why was that he has a pleasant personality that she would do anything to make herself noticed?! It was so silly of her. Sighing, Mimi turned her thoughts from Jyou to the pulsating essence.

Stepping over low scrubs, Mimi followed the essence, its beats growing stronger by the minute. She won't allow herself getting too excited, and she kept her eagerness under control until she stepped in another sizable clearing. The essence was the strongest here. Puzzled, Mimi gazed around the clearing. Yes, the essence was here - she could feel it pulsating almost thunderous in her chest, like it was drumming in her ears. But no one was here. She walked right into the center, where the essence was - underground. Suddenly, Mimi sensed the essence yawning, like it was waking.

She stepped back, seeing a part of the ground falling apart, as if a plant struggling to grow. She was right. A gigantic plant sprouted from the ground, all wrapped with vast, silky leaves, growing higher and higher until its top nearly reached to the treetops. The plant began to blossom, peeling off leaves until it looked like it was wearing a robe made of those leaves. The plant had a head - a human-like face buried beneath a leafy hood. It opened its wide eyes, all deep green, unblinkingly. Mimi recognized that it must be a kind of Digimon.

The plant Digimon gazed down to the girl and beamed. His voice was pleased. "Hmm, I am honored to see a magnificent lady waking me." He bowed deeply, gracefully. "Greetings, Guide."

Mimi nearly giggled at his bow. "Oh, I'm not a guide or anything like that."

The Digimon drifted lower until he was a few feet taller than her. "But, oh, you are the Guide."

Mimi cocked her head. "Why am I?"

"Well, only the Guide can sense my essence, since I am nearly impossible to be found." A hand made entirely of vines reached out, one vine finger pointing to the crest on her chest, not touching. "Besides, you have the Crest of Sincerity."

Mimi looked down to her crest. The tag was polished brass with a green crest tucked under a glass screen. A small image of an outlined teardrop, with two circles of smaller sizes within, was carved on the crest. Simple yet symbolic. She fingered her crest and sighed. "Sometimes, I think I ain't worthy to the Crest of Sincerity."

The Digimon widened his eyes as wide as he could and clasped his vine hand over his chest in a show of shock. "By the roots of mine! The Guide, not worthy." He shook his head, not believing.

Mimi smiled at his actions. "What is your name, sir?"

The Digimon again drifted lower until his green eyes met her hazel eyes at her height. "Oh, you needn't call me sir. Vinamon is my name, your humble servant."

Mimi blinked. "Servant? You mean you will do anything I command?" Vinamon nodded.

Inwardly, Mimi smiled sly. Imagine! A servant for life will do everything she says! She will definitely enjoy it. Then she remembered something. She remembered that she had tricked two Digimon - Otamamon and Gekomon - to serve her, lying to them that she would sing for them later. She remembered Taichi and Jyou risked their lives to find her, trying to get her back, but she rejected them, not believing their words. Then Sora came in her dream to remind how important she was to the kids and to her crest.

Mimi sighed, shaking her head. "No, it's not right for you to be my servant."

Vinamon was puzzled. "Why?"

"I have learned that thinking first about friends are more valuable than thinking only of myself. Caring and honesty are valuable."

Vinamon simply smiled. He curled around her, true to his name, careful not to touch her as if was too humbled to touch a highly honored lady. Mimi felt his essence warming her, filing her every fiber with affection. He spoke, "That's why I vowed to serve only the Guide of Sincerity." He turned to face eastward, cocking his head. "You are traveling with seven of your friends?"

Mimi nodded, then stopped. "How do you know?"

Vinamon grinned heartily. "I can hear the sincerity in your voice." He again gazed eastward. "You are trying to search for your other friends, the other Digidestined."

Mimi looked down, frowning. "Yeah, but the essence I was sensing is yours, not the others'. Some friend I am."

"And the Master and Reconciler are with you."

"Yes," Mimi looked up, nodding. "They are Tai and Joe."

Vinamon echoed her nod, quietly watching eastward. She thought she saw the slightest grimace passing over his plant-like face, but he smiled warmly. He uncurled from her, again standing before her. "Why won't you go and get your friends here? I believe I might have a way to aid you to search for your friends."

"You do?" Mimi beamed, clapping her hands together. "Oh, that is so great!"

"But it must be a secret between us." Mimi gazed at him perplexingly. She saw two rosy spots in each of Vinamon's cheeks, feeling a heavy meekness in his essence. He continued, "It's better if I'm not being mentioned to your friends. I am timid, you know."

"But do you promise to take us to our friends?" Mimi wanted to be sure.

Vinamon bowed his head. "I do promise. You have nothing to fear."

Mimi smiled with sweet satisfaction. "Sleep well, Vinamon."

"Farewell, Guide."

Mimi turned to leave the clearing. She could sense Vinamon's essence softening down until it seemed as far as the other four essences, but she knew he was near. She arrived to the campfire, still smiling, until she saw Jyou standing and walking toward her. She stopped in her tracks, unconsciously hiding her hands behind her back girlishly.

"Mimi, do you have any idea how long have you been gone?" Jyou demanded. He didn't sound angry, but he was sounding truly worried. His eyes were rich with concern, gazing down to her.

"Was I?" Mimi grinned bashfully at him. "I am sorry, Joe. I was pondering for a while that I didn't notice."

"I was really worried about you, Mimi," he said softly.

Mimi blinked in wonder at the tall boy. "You were?"

Jyou flickered his eyes away for a moment, seemed to hesitate before gazed back to her. Mimi couldn't sense his essence - it must be blocked, perhaps by his power. "What did you ponder about?"

Mimi fidgeted with her fingers before answered, "Oh, I think I might have a way to find our friends."

She felt the wistful eyes of the Reconciler, not Jyou, studying her, searching through her for truth that she felt shivers running up her back. It was not unpleasant. Jyou smiled warmly and touched her shoulder, giving her a caring pat. "Good night, Mimi," he whispered in her ear before he went to sit by the fire with a sleeping Gomamon.

Mimi blushed deeply, murmuring, "You, too, Joe." She hasted to her sleeping Palmon's side and went back to sleep. Jyou's calm touch on her shoulder was still there when she drifted into sleep.

***

The group kept walking all morning, following Mimi, trusting her power. Mimi weren't used to being a leader, but she found it pleasing and helpful. Perhaps it was why she called the Guide. She does enjoy guiding people. Not actually leading, but simply showing the way. She can sense the distinct four essences, softly pulsating within her chest, along with the intense essence, beating strongly. Mimi could sense Vinamon moving near somewhere, leading her toward her missing friends. He kept in the shadows from the rest, very shy, she could tell from his essence. She and her friends walked in silence until they stopped by a faint rustling at their far left.

"What was that?" Taichi cautioned, instinctively stepping in front of Sora in order to protect her. Sora looked slightly alarmed, shifting closer to him. Jyou also stepped in front of Mimi, a cautious push on her arm to move her back.

Mimi smiled reassuringly to her friends, moving around Jyou. "Don't worry. He is a friend."

Jyou held on her arm, still pulling her behind him. "Who is this?"

The rustlings were getting closer, and soon, a Digimon in leafy robes sprouted from behind the trees' shadows, a faint smile touching his lip-less mouth. He kept a distance from the kids, still drifting near the shadows. "Greetings. My name is Vinamon."

"Are you following us?" Palmon said warily, her emerald eyes narrowed.

"No, I am not following you. I am leading you."

"Leading us?" Sora repeated, puzzled.

Vinamon nodded, smiling warmly toward Mimi. His essence warmed her again with affection. "The Guide came to me last night, and I offered my humble help to her and you all to find your other friends."

"Mimi?" Jyou gazed to Mimi with his dusky eyes. He seemed a bit bewildered and . . . hurt. He said softly, "You told me you were only pondering."

Mimi quickly answered, "Vinamon told me to keep himself as a secret. He is shy." She felt Vinamon shifting closer to her, drifting behind her, heavy modesty in his essence. Her friends watched her with puzzlement, watched Vinamon with distrust.

Agumon crossed his thick arms, his green eyes as hard as his human, Taichi's. "Are you really leading us, Vinamon? I thought Mimi is leading us."

"I am," Mimi said. "I sensed four essences in the east, the essences of our friends. They are so far. Vinamon is only helping me."

"How could you believe that he tells the truth?" Taichi said, his red eyes nearly blazing.

"I would not be a loyal servant to the Guide if I lie to her," Vinamon said humbly. Mimi sensed that he was hurt inside. "I would never lie to her."

"It's not right," Palmon muttered, shaking her head. She turned to Mimi, looking unusually distrustful. "How could you know if he's not an evil Digimon who leads you the wrong way?"

Mimi felt deep shame growing in Vinamon's essence and looked up to him. He bowed his head, closing his eyes in humiliation. He appeared hunched, disgraced.

She felt anger bursting in her essence, and she whirled around to her friends, scowling. "Hey, buzz off! Vinamon is not harming you, but only helping you. How could you criticize him like that? You don't even know him. I thought you want to find our friends."

"We do, Mimi," Sora said gently.

"Then let Vinamon help!" Mimi's anger nearly stressed in her chest until she sensed her essence going red with fury. She struggled to keep it down. "I am the only one here who can find our friends. If you don't want Vinamon to help, then I won't help you, either. I will find our friends all by myself, with Vinamon's help, of course."

Mimi turned on her heel and stomped into the jungle. She felt Vinamon following after her, comfort warming his essence. She could hear Jyou's calls of her name. Although he sounded a bit sorrowful, she chose to ignore him. Even though she could feel a bit of the essences from her friends, they vanished beneath her wrath.

The other four essences that came from east barely floated over her wrath. She followed after them, muttering under her breath unpleasantly. Why would her own friends reject Vinamon's help? Who cares if he is a Digimon? Just because he is a Digimon, it didn't mean he have to be evil. He helped her searching for the others. He would never harm her or her friends. He said so.

Mimi suddenly stopped in her tracks. She couldn't sense the four essences anymore. They were vanished in an instant.

"What's wrong, Guide?" asked Vinamon, wavering near.

Mimi turned to him, now worried. "The essences are gone."

Vinamon seemed surprised and turned eastward, cocking his head to listen. A light frown passed over his face, and then his eyes narrowed. He turned to her, saying, "Perhaps we are too far to sense them."

Mimi wasn't sure. Perhaps she let her anger smother the beats of the essences. She took deep breaths, easing down her wrath, and tried again. Nothing. She suddenly felt weary, leaning against a tree.

Vinamon's essence was covered with concern as he gazed at her. "I think you need a rest. You might have used too much of your power."

Mimi slid down into a sitting position. Her hat fell back, hanging by its drawstring around her neck. She pulled her knees to her chest and tucked her hands behind her knees. She remembered she used this gesture often when she was depressed or tired. Vinamon drifted lower, as if was going to sit by her, but didn't.

Mimi glanced upward to him. "Do you think we will find them?"

Vinamon gently smiled. "You, Guide. Only you can find them."

"Only I can find them," Mimi quietly repeated. Sighing, she leaned her head back against the trunk, bringing her hazel eyes to the sky. "Maybe I shouldn't leave my friends. They would get lost without me."

"Are you thinking about them?" Mimi felt a light contempt in Vinamon's essence as he spoke. "They don't believe you."

Mimi eyed to Vinamon warily. "Are you trying to make me forget?"

Vinamon spoke back eloquently. "I am reminding you. After all your help to your friends, they rejected you." His green eyes were hooded. "Not very good friends, if you ask me."

Mimi grew sad. Vinamon didn't really know the truth. Her friends were very dear to her. They were really her first true friends, who saw the sincere, devout girl behind the self-centered, air-headed ditz. They were the ones who helped her discover herself, along with the help of Crest of Sincerity. She closed her eyes, tried not to shed tears.

She heard Vinamon saying, "Why won't you rest for a while? I will get some food for you. It's not good for the Guide to be fragile and feeble."

She felt Vinamon's essence fading as he left her in search for food. She felt utterly bare without Vinamon's essence and the four essences. She felt tired from using too much of her power, but most of all, she felt greatly empty. Even though she was popular, well known back home, now she never felt so lonely. She was lonely without her friends. She missed every one of them, missed their support, encouragement, and love.

As quick as her heart beat, three new essences pulsated within her chest. She opened her eyes, sitting up, silently listening to them. They were not the four essences she was following after, but they were familiar. They were the essences of Taichi, Jyou, and Sora. They were grieved, sorrowed.

"Why is my power guiding me to them?" Mimi murmured, mystified. She stood up and headed westward, toward her friends. The essences were unwavering, and she was able to follow them without any trouble. It took her only a few moments, and she stopped just before the edge of a clearing. She could hear a humming of a small stream, and also sensed the three essences nearly, richly saddened, with a bit of bitter rage.

Mimi still felt guilty about leaving her friends, and she knelt by several bushes, hiding herself. Peeking through the bush branches, Mimi saw her friends sitting by the stream, gazing at Vinamon, who looked regretful. Mimi was perplexed, since she could not sense his essence. And what is Vinamon doing with them?

Jyou was standing, shaking his head violently, arms crossed. "I couldn't believe this."

"Who knows she is like that?" murmured Sora, her amber eyes lowered to the ground.

"But she is not like that!" Palmon exclaimed, looking almost fiercely, her emerald eyes glaring around at the friends.

"Who knows, Palmon?" said Biyomon by her side. Her sapphire eyes were as soft as her partner's. "Even you know that. You are bonded to her."

Palmon lost her fierce expression, her eyes going troubled. "Yeah, but . . ." She lowered her head.

Taichi was surprisingly sad, also sitting by Sora. His fire eyes were like dying ashes with a little life in them. "Mimi, lying to us."

Mimi was startled. Just what was going here? She didn't lie about anything to her friends. Looking up, Mimi saw Vinamon nodding in agreement to her friends. Her hazel eyes narrowed in doubt. What was Vinamon telling them about me?

Vinamon's voice was rich with regret. "I tried to tell her that friends come first, but she won't listen. She only cares about herself.

Mimi frowned in confusion.

Jyou glared heedfully at the Digimon with his dusky eyes, arms still crossed firmly, looking every inch as the Reconciler. "Where is she? Why did you leave her?" Mimi's heart warmed at the boy's defense for her.

Vinamon bowed his head, looking saddened. "She doesn't want me to help her. She ordered me to leave."

This's going too far! Mimi stood, making loud rustling sounds as she stepped out of the bushes. "I didn't order you to leave!" Her friends looked up at the sounds, and their eyes suddenly clouded with some emotion, Mimi couldn't tell what. Palmon averted her head away from her as Taichi, Agumon, Sora, and Biyomon lowered their eyes, can't look up to her in some way. Jyou looked somehow enraged as Gomamon glanced at her warily.

Vinamon shrugged, his eyes hooded. "It's true, Guide. You left your friends, never think once about them."

"I do think about them!" Mimi yelled, and then fell in silence. Again, she felt her friends' essence fading from her chest like the others, as if they were rejecting her.

Vinamon shook his head. "You see? She is lying."

Sora stood, her sad amber eyes on Mimi. "Why, Mimi? Why did you lie to us?"

"I didn't lie to you!" Mimi didn't understand about this 'lying', but she knew she would never hurt one of her friends. They were all she had. "You have to believe me!"

Her friends stood, their eyes narrowed with disbelief and distrust. What did she do to lose them? Why is that happening? Urging to take them back, Mimi stepped forward. Suddenly, vines shot from the ground and wrapped around her ankles, binding her firmly to the ground. Mimi grunted as she struggled to pull her feet away.

"Come, friends. Let us leave her." she heard Vinamon saying. Mimi gazed up to see her friends turning away and walking by the stream, away from her. No one looked back, not even her bonded Digimon. Vinamon let them pass by him, and then he took up the back of the line. He did look back, however, as he drifted behind them. He had a scornful sneer on his face, his deep green eyes burning with venom.

"No! No!" Mimi cried out. He was going to hurt her friends! And she was helpless. She struggled to move, and fell down on her face, her ankles bound by unbreakable vines. She sat up, pulling on vines, ignoring the small thorns biting through her peach-colored gloves into her smooth skin. She looked back. Vinamon stopped moving, and he was raising his hand, which were now five trembling vines. He was going to strike them! Mimi strained to pull free from the vines, and then remembered she had a pocketknife in her bag. She took it out and sliced through the vines. Once free, Mimi turned around.

"Look out!" she screamed as she began to run after the group. Involuntarily, Mimi threw the pocketknife, the blade out, toward Vinamon. The knife impaled in his back, through the plant skin and flesh.

Vinamon screeched in sudden pain, his vine hands clawing at his back. Her friends turned in an instant, shocked at what happened. Mimi's mind was on nothing but her friends' safety. All she wanted was to take them somewhere safe from that lying Digimon. She ran past Vinamon, not seeing his recovery.

Suddenly, vines slapped right on her right side, sending shreds of stinging pain through her body. A vine also smacked across her face, receiving a red-hot slice of ache. The vines hit her so sudden that she fell right to the ground, clutching her side, groaning softly. She heard the yells of her friends, running footsteps, and gentle touches on her. She sensed the three essences coming back, pulsating heavily with concern.

"Don't believe her, friends!" Vinamon hissed, hovering highly, looking menacingly. "She is using you!"

Mimi sat up with the support of Jyou. The pain was hurting so agonizingly that she had difficulty to breathe. But she glared back with outrage at the Digimon. "Liar! I shouldn't have believed you!"

Vinamon was now calm, gazing back to her with taunting disdain. Several dense vines sprouted in front of him, wavering with threatening peril. Vinamon sneered. "Well, Guide, you have failed your friends. You are worthless to your crest!"

"No!" Mimi snapped. She struggled to stand steadily, along with the help of Jyou, his arm around her waist. She heard her friends' Digimon growling, preparing to digivolve in order to attack Vinamon. She held them back with a gesture of her hand. Her energy was swiftly draining. She didn't understand how, but she knew she has to do something. She silently glared at Vinamon.

Slowly, placidly, a soft, humble aura of pale green glowed from her crest, and soon, it surrounded her. It silently waved away from her body, like a silky cloak flapping by a breeze. Her essence warmed every inch of her soul, but she was losing her strength rapidly. She had to act fast.

Vinamon growled faintly, his eyes blazing at her unexpected power. "You are guiding your friends not to each other, but to doom!" The vines curled perilously, and they lurched after the friends with alarmingly speed.

Essence of Earth, Mimi silently guided her power. A portion of the green aura jumped from her to the approaching vines, surrounding them. The vines suddenly trembled, as if were struggling off an unforeseen force, then lurched backward toward Vinamon. Vinamon shrieked as the vines bundled around him from roots to head, binding him around until none of any evidence of the Digimon peeked through the thick vines. The pile of tangled vines hanged in deathly silence.

The green aura dissolved. Her strength gone, Mimi collapsed in Jyou's arms, her mind going black.

***

The three essences were near when she woke. Laying still, she listened to them. Two of them were faint, passive, so that would mean Taichi and Sora were sleeping. The balanced essence of Jyou was beating softly; he was awake. It must be night. How long have she been out? She opened her eyes, and saw that she was right. White, dim stars tinkled down to her from several openings between treetops. She lolled her head to one side and saw Palmon dozing near, looking quiet and genially.

Mimi sat up, scanning around. They were at the stream, but no tangled vines were near. Her friends were snoozing near, also looking peacefully. Jyou and Gomamon were gone, somewhere near. She can feel the essence they were sharing. Mimi had to see what happened to her since she found her power. Did she change, like the others?

Mimi stood noiselessly, careful not to disturb Palmon. She tiptoed over to the stream and knelt by the bank. She looked down to her reflection. Yes, she was changed, but barely. She had a faint red graze across her right cheek where Vinamon slapped her. Not worse, as she thought. And, just like Taichi and Jyou, she had a thin, long tress of pale green among her honey-colored hair. Surprisingly, the green tress mingled nicely with her hair. She stared down to her reflection for a while, and then she sensed Jyou's essence coming closer, intense. She didn't look up when Jyou knelt by her.

"How do you feel?" he said softly, as soft as his voice can get. He was calm, as he already knew her fate.

However, Mimi was very confused about herself. Finding her power was not that amazed as she thought it would be. She shook her head in answer at Jyou's question. "I don't know."

"Different?" Mimi nodded slowly. "Look behind you, Mimi."

Mimi gazed at him warily, wondering if he was joking. Jyou gently smiled, his eyes wistful. He gestured to behind her with a jerk of his head.

Mimi turned around and gaped. A long, extended path of tiny white and golden blossoms stretched from her spot by Palmon to where she was now kneeling. In her essence, she knew she made it. She can make plants grow, like she was the sun and water. "I did that?" she asked Jyou, who nodded. "It's a strange power."

"And it's all yours, Mimi."

Is that why she was called the Guide? Silently, she pressed an index finger on the ground and removed it. In its wake, a bloom sprouted, following her finger. It was not yet blossoming; its simple, soft pink petals were still budded. It was sleeping.

Mimi smiled. I am the Guide.

To be continued . . .