AN: This is for DigitalAnimeFox's Mimato or Kouyako contest. It's a Mimato/Yami story (who would have guessed with me ^_~). I borrowed a tiny idea from a part in Fushigi Yugi and the opening theme lyrics to Vision of Escflowne. Enjoy. And please ignore it if I have a few grammar or spelling mistakes.^^;;
Ishida Yamato sat quietly under a large oak tree in the City Park. The summer sunshine poked it way through the green leaves warming the ground on which he sat. He could hear the sounds of people jogging up and down the sidewalks. He could hear the giggles and laughs of children all around. Birds chirp and sang their melody. And so it seemed that not a single living thing had a care in this world.
Yamato wonder how much of this was an illusion. Surely someone out there in that sea of smiling faces was a tear on the verge of being cried. Angry words on the tip of someone tongue. Doubts filling someone mind.
Perhaps it was the child with the ice cream cone or the women with her dog. The man with the cell phone or the teenager in the wheel chair. He wondered which one of them went on pretending like him.
Memories from long ago dance in his mind. Happier days mingled with the sadder ones until he couldn't sort them apart. It was always like this when the day finally came each year.
The day craved and sit in stone for him to relive over and over. Haunting his every thought. His mothers hugs and kisses. The tears from her blue eyes and the cries from Takeru. The final farewell hug between his mother and father. The feel of his father's hand as he took Yamato's hand. The last images he saw of his mother and brother before they were out of view. The burning in his eyes before he realized he was crying and how his father trembled as he hugged Yamato telling him everything would be fine.
This day was the anniversary of the day his family truly ceased to exist. True his mother and Takeru were now only a few blocks from his own apartment complex but that still didn't make up for the days, months, and years in between the day they left and now.
No matter how close they were and how often he could see them it didn't erase the heart ache of waking in the middle of the night frightened and your mother wasn't there to comfort you until fell back to sleep. Not being there to help teach your brother how to ride his first bike or how to swim. Memories that should have been made but never were. Something he should have but didn't. Things like that just couldn't be made up for.
Yamato ran a hand through his blond hair then reached into his pocket. He brought his harmonic to his lips and began playing a familiar tune. A song from one of those few happy memories from his childhood. The melody of the lullaby his mother used to sing and even then all he could remember was the melody.
~**~
Tachikawa Mimi handed the merchant her money not caring how many yens the figure in her hand cost. Price had never really matter much to the young teen anyway. Money to her was nothing. If you couldn't spend it on things you wanted what was the purpose of having it in the first place?
With a satisfied smile Mimi walked away from the merchant's wooden cart. The light from the sun sparkled down from the heaven and bounced off Mimi's long mahogany hair and newly purchased item.
The brightly, elaborated figure was now hers. Much to her delight. Mimi had been told it was one of a kind. Something she highly doubted but the thought didn't cross her mind twice.
She smiled as she ran her fingers across the smooth china surface. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. A male and female figure stood side by side. The female was turned side ways and had her face resting on the male figure. While his face was loving pressed against hers. They both wore traditional kimonos. The female's kimono was painted a deep indigo and the male's a rich forest green. Each person had only one arm showing and both figures hand meet in the middle. Together they both formed one figure, a love doll.
Mimi liked the thought of a love doll. The very sound of it seemed magical and romantic. Almost like the scent of a rose given to you by a lover. Or the stars twinkling in the midnight velvet sky.
It was days like this she was glad she had chosen to stay in Odaiba with the Takenouchi Sora and her mother while the schools in the distract were off for summer vacation instead of sailing with Michael and his family. She had been tempted too, though.
The thoughts of the wind blowing through her hair and nothing around but the beauty of God's oceans all around. She could picture dolphin racing them through the splashing waves and the sun shinning down on the deck where she laid. She would have but she couldn't.
Things had gotten complicated between her friendship with Michael. People were expecting more from it and pushed her towards it. Michael was adored and worshiped by her parents even though he never even tried. They loved him and figured she should too.
She did love him but only as a friend. He was always there for here when she needed him or wanted him and even when she didn't. But people didn't seem to get the fact that they only wanted to be friends. The were voted the perfect couple at school. Everyone pushed them both for something more out of their friendship.
Like all the bonds of friendship she had made in Japan over the years Michael's was one she couldn't do without. Even she could tell the situation was making the boy nervous and uncomfortable . So she decided against sailing around the Bahamas with him and his family.
Although Mimi wasn't sure what she do once the month was over and her friends were back in school. She would still have several weeks of vacation left and spending them in Tokyo without her friends just seemed rather silly. Which was kind ironic seeing how she turned down a day at the mall with Miyako for time by herself. But Mimi supposed when she did return to America she could always fly down to Colorado to visit Wallace, another digi-destine from the USA.
Mimi left the market place and headed towards the park in which she had played in with her parents and friends during her childhood. Many unforgettable memories had been made there. From jumping rope to breaking an arm. She practically had done it all here.
Mimi walked along the sidewalks admiring the flowers in bloom. As she did such her ears fount a melody she heard before pouring into the other sounds all around her. The teen followed the sound until she fount Yamato playing his harmonic under an old oak tree.
~**~
Yamato closed his eyes. He could smell the sweet smell of fresh cut grass. That and homemade cookies baking had always been his favorite smell as a kid. He tried to remember things from his childhood that were actually pleasant. He played his mother song over and over. Hoping to recall the lyrics to the almost forgotten lullaby. Something he fount impossible.
'Damn it' He cursed in his mind.
"Yama-san?" A feminine voice called out.
Yamato opened his eyes and fount Mimi not a few feet away from where he sat.
"Hello Mimi-Chan." Yamato greeted placing his harmonic back in his jean pockets.
"Can I join you?" Mimi asked the blond.
"Suit yourself." He replied.
Mimi smoothed out her skirt and sat down beside the older teen. The tree offered her shade something she was thankful for. The summer heat had begun to get to her and she wasn't in any hurry to return back to Sora's apartment where no doubly her mother would put Mimi to work.
For this time Yamato remand silent and sat still. He blue eyes looked out towards a five year old chasing after some dog then his eyes wonder to Mimi who was once again fixated with her love doll.
"Aren't you too old for dolls?" Yamato teased with a smirk on his face hoping to push aside his problems for now.
"This doll is special, Yama-san." Mimi said in her defense.
"Would you care to enlighten me with why it's so special?" Yamato continue to tease.
Mimi on her part ignored Yamato teasing. A smile formed on her face and her eyes began to sparkle with happiness. Trying her best to act like Koushiro when he explained things to the others.
"This is a love doll." Mimi explained.
"Legend has it if a girl writes the name of the boy she in love with on the boy's side and her name on the girl's, then buries the doll in the ground when no one is looking their love will be eternal." Mimi stated recalling every word the merchant told her.
Yamato stared at the smiling girl as she went into her silly superstition. As ridiculous as it was Mimi actually believed it all. He could tell my the way her chestnut eyes were glowing as she spoke and by the sincere tone in her voice that she actually consider it to be true.
"Isn't it all just so magical that a doll could bring you eternal love?" Mimi asked Yamato breaking him away from his thought.
"You actually believe it don't you?" He asked.
"I suppose apart of me wants to believe it but the logical part of me tells me other wise." Mimi answered with a sigh.
"But the thought of eternal love that will never fade is a nice thought." Mimi stated.
At this remark Yamato rolled his eyes. Something he hadn't done in awhile. Or at least not to Mimi. Before he knew what he was doing he had already comment on her statement.
"There is no such thing as love matter less one that never fades."
Mimi blinked several times, disbelieving what she had just heard. It seemed impossible for someone not to believe in love. Even though this was Yamato he did after all have family and friends. Then he sat there saying there was no such thing as love or one that never fades.
"You can't mean what you said!" Mimi exclaimed.
"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't believe it now would I?" Yamato responded seeing there was no way to avoid it.
"How can you not believe in love?" Mimi whispered.
"Aren't you kinda young to believe in love right now anyway?" Yamato questioned.
"For your information I'm not!" Mimi answered crossly.
"Really then why don't you explain to me what love is then?"
Mimi bit her bottom lip. It seemed the old and withdrawn Yamato was back for a visit. The Yamato she couldn't stand. Deep down she knew he wasn't like this. He hadn't been for several years. After their adventures in the digital world he had begun to let his true color shine through. And to think love was something he mocked and joked about was something that hurt Mimi.
"You can't really explain love is Yama, it something that you feel." She informed him.
"Such a generic answer I was hoping for something more." Yamato alleged with his azure eyes staring at Mimi.
"Love is real. But no one is able to explain what love is because it's a feeling not a thing! When you're in love the sun always shinning and your always smiling. When your with that person all your doubts and sorrows faded away. When their arms are around you two are the only two people on Earth and nothing else seems important. Your body always tingles and you feel like you can fly. Suddenly all your dreams seem possible and the stars aren't so far away. You want time to stop where the moments you spend together will last forever. That person is on your mind when you wake and they're the last thing you think of before you fall asleep. They're in your dreams. You pray for them. You feel the need to keep them from all harm and when all else fails you'd give up your life for them. They're your hopes and your wishes. You need them. You want them always. Whither their family, a friend or your lover." Mimi blurted out hoping some how to make him understand that he was wrong.
"That was a beautiful speech Mimi-chan. That's one of the reason why you have the crest of purity because you're able to believe in things like that. People like yourself are the ones that achieve true happiness in this world because they always carry with them the gift of innocents through out their life. They wish on stars and throw starfish back in the ocean. They hope and pray for others when those people can't do it their selves. Like Takeru and Hikari you shine because you believe everything in this world is about rainbow and blowing bubbles. You take the time to dream. That what separates you from people like me. You allow yourself to believe in love that lasts forever." Yamato informed the younger girl.
After which he pulled out his harmonic and began playing the same tune he had been before Mimi had arrived. During this time Mimi placed the love doll back in her pocket and stood up. It was clear now. Yamato was afraid of love. Afraid of being hurt. He reflected all his views on love back towards his parent's relationship like any normal child. But unlike Mimi who saw nothing but love and joy, Yamato saw heartache and pain. For this tears began to roll down Mimi' checks as she hated herself from making him having to think back.
Mimi back was turn towards Yamato as the salty tears roll down her chin to the ground below. Hoping he wouldn't see her cry. She didn't want him to feel as if he had brought this upon her when in reality it had been herself. She should have known better then say such things. She have known that he had been playing his harmonic when she arrived to escape what ever was troubling him like he had when she first meet him. And now he played the same tune he'd been playing before. But there was something about the song she wondered about.
"Yamato ,do you known what the words are to the song your playing?" Mimi asked suddenly still not facing him.
"So there is words to it after all." Yamato said more to himself then her.
"I didn't think you did."
"And I suppose you do?" Yamato asked.
Mimi simply nodded. Yamato could tell she was crying by the way that her voice was trembling. He also knew he had been the cause of all this in some way or another. Or so he thought. Something he hoped to fix.
"Fine then I play my harmonic and you sing." Yamato suggested.
He watched Mimi dry her eyes with her arm and turned back around with a smile on her face. He took this as his turn to begin. Mimi soon followed.
"So is everyone this lonely when their in love?"
"They embrace the pain that's deeper then the shadows?"
"It's all to make us shine, I just know it."
"I love you, I love you"
"I glance at you with my heart"
"I believe in you, I believe in you"
"Even on the coldest of nights"
"I call out to you with my tears"
"But I don't need any promises"
"That's the precious strength you've given me"
Once Mimi had ended Yamato put his harmonic away once more and looked over towards her.
"You have a nice voice." Yamato told Mimi
"Thank you." Mimi said blushing a bit at the complement.
"You sound almost just like her." Yamato mumbled.
"Like whom?" Mimi asked
"My mother, she use to sing that to Takeru and me when we were little before the divorcé ." Yamato explained.
"Yama, I'm listening." Mimi told him placing her hand on his hand.
From there Yamato poured everything out to Mimi. About his parents divorcé. How it felt to be separated from Takeru. His father always being at work. Choosing between parents. Playing his or her towels. Feeling unloved. The lack of happy memories. How alone he always felt and even now how he covered it with a smile. His band. His thoughts on being a digi-destine and the digital world. Whatever came to mind he told her. Why he wasn't sure. Maybe it had been about time he let some one hear him out.
They sat there until late in the evening and the sun had begun to sit. Mimi laid beside him looking up at the sky. The once blue sky was now bright oranges, pinks, and purples. All in which swirled together here and there.
"It's beautiful isn't it?" Mimi asked her voice a mixture of awe and joy.
"I suppose but I always preferred sunrises to sunsets." Yamato replied.
"Why?" Mimi asked suddenly curious.
"Sunsets no matter how bright and colorful they are their always the closing while a sunrise comes into this world just as equally beautiful but is the beginning instead of the end." Yamato explained and after words felt silly for doing such but Mimi continued to smile.
"You don't want this day to end, I figure you'd be tired of me by now." Mimi teased.
"You don't bore me that easy unless there's a credit card in your hand and a mall near by." Yamato joked and they both laughed.
"I suppose I should be going though." Mimi told Yamato sitting up with the slightest hint of sadness in her voice.
"But before I go Yama, I need to ask you something." Mimi said to Yamato.
"Shoot"
"Do you believe me now?" Mimi asked.
"If you're asking if I believe in love now I'm not sure yet." Yamato informed.
Mimi sighed and Yamato soon joined her joined her in sitting up. Mimi turned towards the boy looking him over. 'I'm going to be here forever' Mimi thought to herself.
"Why not?" Mimi asked once more.
"Why, well I guess that just because I haven't had the chance to kiss you yet." Yamato replied.
Mimi stood dumbfound for a moment before she chocked out "What?!!" Before she could say anything else Yamato lean in and kissed her and Mimi fount herself kissing Ishida Yamato as the sun went sun in Odaiba.
From that moment Yamato decided to make new memories and move on instead of lingering in the past. And Mimi decided going home could wait. Not to mention the fact she hadn't bought that love doll just to look at any longer.
~**~
*Author Notes*
Disclaimers: I do not own Digimon, Fushigi Yugi, or Escflowne. They belong to people that make a killing off people like myself with their movies, manga, and toys. They also have the tendency to put people together that don't belong together! :9
AN: It's 2:33 Am as I write this. I'm actually done. After five billion story ideas I actually write one I like. Yea! Hope you like it DigitalAnimeFox as well as you people that read it. Thanks so much! I love you guys.
