A/N: I'm feeling kind of blue as I write this author note, because I really really liked this series! And everybody gasp because it's the first story I've ever finished without having it be a piece of crap! Well, that's kind of debateable, but yknow ^^; If you didn't like it why would you still be reading this on chapter 3? The song of this fic is "I Will Buy You a New Life" by Everclear.
Somewhere along the line Mimi's grandmother disappeared. You can make her move away, die, vanish, I don't care, lol. Just she's not here. o.O
Constructive critisism is really my friend. I love it, seriously ^^ Right Emily? ^^ PLEASE REVIEW! I'm also contactable at jump4@joymail.com, sunshine ba ba (AIM), 71018292 (ICQ), and joy_fishy@hotmail.com for MSN!
Although tabloids may inform you otherwise, I don't own digimon.
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The gentle voice that talks to you
Won't talk forever
It's a night for passion
But the morning means goodbye
-Ace of Base "All That She Wants"
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The next days flew by in a blur. I skipped school, and Mimi and I would go out for walks, to the park, the mall, anywhere. As long as we could be together. Nobody I knew knew her, because she had lived on the other side of the city. So I was with her every minute; I still couldn't believe she was real, and I thought she was going to disappear any second, along with all the light that had been brought back to my life.
One day we were walking by the pond in Kyoto's park, when Mimi let go of my hand, and darted away. I froze, but then relaxed as I saw her run up to a swingset. She kicked off her sandals, and pushed off with her bare feet, leaving little prints in the sand. I grinned, sauntered over, and began to push her. She giggled as the swing pumped closer and closer to the sky, the wind rushing through her hair and making it billow out. Underneath, I stood, watching her, wishing this moment would never end.
Suddenly, one hand slipped, and Mimi slipped, twisting and falling off the seat. I leapt to catch her, but kept going, so she landed on top of me in the sand while I scuffed to a stop. Her hair was touseled from the wind, the sun's rays shining down from behind her, I finally realized she was really back. So right there underneath the swings, I swept her into a passionate kiss, tasting the realness of her. She returned it gladly and we stayed there a while, oblivious to the gawking passerbyers.
Later, we went to the shorefront, and walked barefoot in the sand. You could see the two pairs of prints tracing a path. A few waves ventured up higher, and swept them away, leaving the sand without an imprint.
Since it was April, it was a little chilly and the beach was deserted. She sat in my lap on a pier and we watched a lone seagull fly off towards the horizon, and then disappear into the crimson sunset in silence, knowing that just being was feeling.
I nudged her head with mine. "Mimi?"
"...Hmm?..." she looked up at me.
"I love you."
"I already knew that, but I love you too, Matt." she murmured, snuggling closer to me.
By now the sun had left, and darkness was setting in. I picked her up and carried her a while until she demanded to be put down so she could check out an outfit in the window display of a shop. Some things just never change, and I'm glad.
We sauntered through the dark.
"Matt...have you heard from TK lately?"
"Nope." I turned my head slightly away. She placed a finger underneath my chin and turned me back to face her.
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay. As long as I have you."
"No, it's not. Why don't you call him?"
"If he isn't, I'm not going to either."
"Men." she mumbled under her breath. "What if he's waiting for you to call, like you're waiting for him?"
"Then that's just too darn bad."
"Aw...come on ookami-chan..."
"Fine, fine, I'll call him tomorrow." I conceded.
We had reached my doorway.
"You call him now." she added pleading puppy eyes, and I rolled my own. She knew she was going to win, just like she always did.
"Fine..."
I picked the portable phone up from it's cradle, dialed the number, rehearsing my speech. As the phone rang on the other hand, I prayed he would be there, and I dreaded that he would. What do you say to your brother you haven't heard from in months? "Hey bro, I know I haven't talked to you at all and you didn't send me a birthday card, but anyway, what's up?"
"Hello, Takashi residence. We're not in right now, but if you would like a message, please wait for the beep."
I dropped the phone back. Mimi cocked her head at me.
"Not home."
"Oh..." it was an "oh" of sympathy, not pity. She hadn't been able to contact her grandmother either. She leaned her head on my shoulder and closed her eyes.
I didn't want her to be unhappy. Me either, for that matter.
I kissed her eyelids. "Night, Mimi." I murmured before falling drifting into sleep myself.
The next morning I cracked my eyes open; judging by where the sun was in the sky, it was mid-morning. I turned my head to find that Mimi wasn't there. I stood up, shaking my head a little as it spun. I felt two hands clap over eyes.
"Guess whoooo?"
I smiled. "The most beautiful girl in the world."
I covered her hands with my own, marveling that they were so slender and delicate when they belonged to the strongest person I knew.
Mimi kissed the nape of my neck. "Want to go to the bridge?"
I had almost forgotten about the bridge, waiting silently. Apocalymon's memory still shrouded the place in unease for me. I didn't trust him. But this is the first time I'll be back with Mimi.
"If you want to, I do."
I could tell she was smiling. "Okay, then."
I rode my dad's bike while she rode mine. The whirring and clicking of the wheels and chains were the only noises we heard riding into the woods. The sun shone through the trees, making speckled patterns on the grass. We got off, and sat on the bridge.
"Mi, do you remember when we first came here?" I needed to reassure myself that everything was okay, nothing was going to happen.
"Of course, how could I forget?"
I rolled up my pant legs, and waded into the water, feeling it lap against the side of my legs.
"Come on!"
"Nooo way! It's like 10 degrees in there!"
"Well, fine. At least help me up!"
Mimi leaned a bit and extended her hand to help me up. I grabbed it, and grinned. I could see realization dawning in her eyes, but it was too late, I yanked her in with a humungous splash. She blinked a few times, and then swept a wave of water at me, dousing whatever parts of me weren't already wet. I splashed her back, and soon we were have an all-out waterfight.
Finally, we both tired, and hauled ourselves onto the bridge, letting the sun dry us while we lay there.
"That one is definitely a bird." I commented.
"Biyomon!" Mimi chirped.
I chuckled, and pointed at another cloud. "So what's that, Gabumon?"
"Weregarurumon, actually!" Mimi giggled
I searched the sky.
"How about that one?" I gestured with a sweep of one arm.
"Hm...what was that cute little digimon again?"
"The Numemon?"
She removed an arm from behind her head and smacked my forehead.
"Don't remind me of those crap-throwing stalkers again! OH! It was the Gekomon! It looks like a Gekomon! See, the french horn-y thing, the toungue..." (A/N: RP!)
"Horny thing?" I couldn't keep a straight face.
"Oh, shut up!"
"Make me!"
"Okay." she rolled over to face me and drew me into a kiss.
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There was a full moon in the pitch black sky when I was jolted awake by a bird flying outside the window, casting a fleeting shadow on my face. Next to me, Mimi stirred and shifted back into sleep. I closed my eyes ready to sleep again, when the bird swooped across again. Kind of strange, because in Kyoto's busy streets, there aren't any birds except in the park, or secluded clumps of forest.
I got up to close the shades. The stupid tassels weren't triggering the curtains. While I fumbled with the strings, I saw a shadow flit and perch on a tree. Probably that idiotic bird.
Suddenly, it swooped straight at me. I thought it was going to crash into the window, but it hovered outside. I could see it was in the shape of a bird that looked like a dove, but was as black as the night outside. I leaned in to peer at it, but hurled myself back as it suddenly exploded, twisting and distorting itself, feathers flying everywhere, revealing a shadowly silhouette framed in the moonlight.
"Apocalymon." I hissed, while my heart twisted inside my chest.
He gestured that I was to open the window.
I glanced over my shoulder at Mimi, still asleep.
"No. Later." I mouthed through the glass. Whatever he had to say could wait.
Apocalymon's lips curled into a sneer. "No. NOW." he mimed.
I shook my head firmly.
He shrugged, and then flew away blending into the night sky.
I rubbed my temples as I leaned against the wall, and slowly slid down into a sitting position. I hadn't really expected him to listen to me. Why was he giving up so easily?
SMASH! The sound of shattering class erupted into the room. For a fraction of a second, the shards of glass hung in the air, like dancers in a icy ballet, before falling to the ground.
Mimi shot up, and turned to face us. Her eyes bugged out seeing Apocalymon standing in the glass.
"You." she glared at him.
"Matt?" she turned to me with question marks in her eyes.
Apocalymon shifted his gaze from Mimi to me.
"You made me a promise, Friendship."
"What promise?!" Mimi demanded.
"He said he would give me anything." stated Apocalymon, his bloodshot eyes still fixated on me. "Now he has to keep his end of the bargain."
"HE DOESN'T OWE YOU ANYTHING!" she screamed. Her eyes, still on me, asked "Right?"
I didn't move, and I saw the light behind Mimi's eyes churn before holding strong again.
Apocalymon raised at eyebrow at me. I wanted to rip it off. After I got Mimi back, after everything was going alright, everything was fine, everything was perfect, how dare he come and destroy everything? And what the hell did he mean I said I would give him anything?
"And I quote, 'I'd give you anything if you could bring her back, but you can't.'"
Oh. I remember.
Mimi was still staring at me with shimmering eyes. I slowly nodded, and she seemed to shrink a little.
"I thought you were good now." I addressed Apocalymon.
"I am."
"What do you want?" I was amazed at how cold I sounded. Judging from the look on Mimi's face, so was she.
He remained unfazed. "You."
Right there my act fell away. I knew that he was going to win. I knew that if he wanted to take me now, he would, and there wasn't crap I could do about it. Apocalymon wanted something, he got it, except for that time in the Digiworld. But that's when I was young, innocent, and we had a team. Now there's nothing but Mimi's tears, forming a silver puddle on the floor.
"I'm not going to come back, am I?"
"Not the way you consider coming back."
I closed my eyes for a few seconds. When I opened them, I could hear my voice shaking and my hands trembling.
"Take me instead!" Mimi pitifully pleaded. "If you're gone, I have nothing left to live for, you have TK, your parents, your life, Matt! You can't leave them all!"
Apocalymon considered. "It's your choice, Friendship. All I need is one of you to willingly come with me."
Mimi knew what I was going to say, and clung to me, like holding onto me would prevent the inevitable.
"Take me."
It wan't a physical pain I felt, as I was slowly ripped away. As I slowly disappeared, got configured into data, I felt a frantic calm, I couldn't do anything about it, and I knew it was coming. I didn't know what Apocalymon was going to do. I didn't care. The image of Mimi's tearstained face, the feel of her hold while I held her, and the sad, searing sweetness of our last kiss was what I cared about. And then everything disappeared.
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Okay, I know I could've done better. A LOT better. But if I think about something for too long, I kill it in my brain, so I wanted to finish it before I abandoned it! I don't think this is going to make anybody cry, but I teared a little bit writing the end. But then again, I'm imagining I'm Matt, for purposes of this story. Besides, I'm a hopeless sap ^^;
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They say
Taking a stroll down memory lane
What a waste of time
They don't know what love is
As sure as the moon follows the sun
tracing a cosmic trail across the sky
I'll follow you until eternity's done
Like dark follows light
Like night follows day.
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Please, review! It makes me a lot happier, seriously, and everybody's been so good about it for the first two chapters!