A/N: I would like to thank all the people who emailed me to continue this series, especially to this girl named Katrina. Katrina, thanks for the nice message in your email. You probably don't remember b/c it was too long. I would also like to mention something. I just proofread this entire series and found a lot and I mean A LOT of grammar and spelling mistakes. For example, I keep saying "crane" instead of "cane". Somehow typing an extra "R" is kind of a hobby for me. And I'm really sorry about these errors. When I feel like it, I will go back and edit them for you guys, b/c I know you all deserve better! BTW, I'm really not sure how long this series will be, but I know that there's gonna be "at least" 10 chapters to it. But the story is really just starting… More love triangle!! Since I so suck at writing in first person, you won't find anything here written in 1st POV. There are still probably a lot of grammar/spelling mistakes here too… but this was the best I could do. I'm not a really good writer, but I hope that you like the story line though. I'm also sorry that it took me a while to continue… but I really want to finish this, and now I'm rushing… Hopefully, the ending will turn out as intended.
Dedication: I would like to dedicate this part to Liete. Thank you for your support! Check out her fics and her site!
Of Roses and Bayonets
By MB
Part VI: Forever
~ Omniscient POV ~
"Mimi, what are you talking about?" Tai asked, his eyes full of questions. He placed both his hands on either side of Mimi's shoulders. He shook her body to try to wake Mimi who had been staring at Tai blankly. "Mimi! Wake up!"
"Tai…" her voice was a whisper.
Tai placed his right hand over her forehand. "You're so cold! I've got to get you inside right away!" He got up to his feet and gently helped Mimi up. Tai took off his robe and put it on Mimi just anything to keep her warm.
"Tai… don't leave… please…" Mimi sputtered. She had no idea why she just said that, but somehow as Tai held her like that, she felt safe and sound. It felt so right, too right. The last time she felt like this was… when was it anyways?
Tai put his arms around her tighter. "I'm right here. I won't leave…" he replied. Something, some voice, was telling him to protect her. Well, if my dream told me to help her, then I will… he thought. Tai led her back inside and the two walked down the empty corridor. He stole a quick glance at her. Mimi. Just when did I hear that name? I feel like I know this girl… but I don't remember how…he sighed and concentrated on walking. There was this familiar tingling sensation overwhelming him once again.
"Agumon!" Tai called out as they passed by his bedroom.
A yellow mini dinosaur appeared. "Tai, what happened?" he asked.
"Where are Matt and Gabumon and Palmon?" Tai asked his digimon. "Mimi's not feeling that good…"
At the mention of Palmon's name, Mimi quickly jumped up. "I-I'm fine!" she exclaimed, holding onto Tai's arm tightly. "Don't bother waking them up! I'm okay!"
Tai raised an eyebrow. It was almost like she was hiding something from her own digimon, but why? "Are you sure you're all right?"
She nodded. "I just couldn't sleep… I couldn't stop thinking about tomorrow."
"It's gonna be a long day tomorrow. You should go back to bed," Tai told her. Even though he still had lots of other questions he wanted to ask, he wanted Mimi to sleep right away. She still looked pale and sick.
"But Tai…" Mimi tightened her grip onto Tai. "You… you won't leave me… right?"
I don't want to leave you…Tai thought to himself. But I have to sleep too, you know. He looked over to her and couldn't hide his grin. "Mimi… did you ever…" his voice trailed off and he gave his digimon a look. It took Agumon a long time to get the point before he left them alone. "Mimi… I've been having these weird dreams that I want to talk to you about."
At the mention of the word dream, Mimi let go of Tai's arm. "D-dreams?" she said it in a nervous tone.
Tai eyed her. "Yes. They felt very real. But the weird thing is, you were in it. All this time when I was unconscious, I've been dreaming all about you all along."
No way! So then that's why he was calling out for my name! He was dreaming about me… Mimi lowered her gaze in disappointment. So that was it… He was just dreaming.
"Tai, did you dream about Mistress Blossoms?" Mimi asked him.
"Huh?" Tai paused to think. "Hmm… the Guardian of Sincerity, right?"
"Tell me, Tai," Mimi took a step forward to him. "Did she ever mention anything about me?"
Tai thought for a moment, looking up the ceiling as he began to gather all his thoughts. "I can't remember my dream clearly, but… I know for sure that you were there with me. You were begging me for help."
Mimi looked away from Tai's gaze. "No way…" she hushed.
"I don't understand the meaning of this," Tai said, shaking his head. "But I think the Guardian of Sincerity could help us. What do you think?"
She opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. Mimi turned away from him, thinking about Mistress Blossoms again. Having the same air to breathe as her was bad enough… but then. "Tai… I-I have to tell you something… something you should know about me…"
"What it is?" he asked.
She turned around. "Well… I-I guess it's about my memories--"
"Tai? Mimi?"
Mimi stopped and looked at Matt who had interrupted her. She then slowly turned away from both of them. "I'm okay now…" she whispered at no one in particular.
"What's going on?" Matt asked.
Tai ignored him for he still looked concerned. "Are you sure?" he asked Mimi.
She nodded and began walking. Feeling as though she was still being watched, she turned around to Tai's and Matt's direction. Blushing, she took a deep breath and said, "Thanks Tai… for the talk…" she said in a gentle tone.
Tai's face flamed red, obviously embarrassed. He opened his mouth but nothing came out. He scratched his head. "Er… uh… n-no problem, Mimi! I-I was glad to talk…" Although it had been a weird talk, she really did feel much better than ever.
Mimi giggled and then turned to Matt. "Don't worry about me, Matt… I'm okay now."
Matt had his eyes closed as he listened to his own music that he was playing on his harmonica. He was glad that Tai was back, his only best friend, his friend that he had trusted. He was relieved to have him back to his normal self again. He continued playing, but he could feel Tai's presence as he stood behind him. They were out on the balcony, getting some fresh air. Tai was probably waiting for him to get to bed. Even though Matt was already tired, he really did not feel like sleeping so early right now. He and Tai still had a lot of catching up to do. Matt felt as though he hadn't told Tai everything yet, and he had to admit that he kind of felt guilty for that. He hadn't told him anything about his dreams either, nor did he plan on doing so. He was afraid of what Tai would think.
But he couldn't help but feel guilty as well. He and Tai and always been honest with each other, but now it was like he was keeping a big secret from him. He was not sure why he didn't want Tai to know about his dreams, but he felt safer just keeping it. It was perhaps true that he had grown a little distant from him ever since today, since he woke up, since he met Mimi.
"You're still awake, Matt…" Tai whispered from behind him.
Matt put his harmonica down on his lap but he didn't turn to him. "I told you that I'm not tired yet."
"But you risked your life just to find the cure for me. Thank you…"
Matt chuckled. "R-right… it was Princess Mimi who saved you. You should thank her. Not me."
They didn't speak for a moment but Matt just sat there. Tai just stood there. None of them dared to break the silence surrounding them.
"Matt, I mean it, thank you for saving my life," Tai repeated in a low voice. "You've always been my best friend. Sure there have been times where we don't agree on things, but I know that nothing can ever come between our friendship."
Matt said nothing but he looked up at the sky. He didn't say anything for a while. But he reluctantly opened his mouth to say something… "Yeah… nothing can ever come between our friendship, Tai, nothing."
Tai then sat next to Matt. "Friends forever?"
He didn't say anything for a while but he grabbed Tai's hand and squeezed it. "Forever…" Matt answered. But somehow he felt as though his heart did not agree.
~ Matt ~
Matt holds the pink rose in his hand and stares at it for the longest time. He let its sweet aroma surround the darkness, which he is at. He does not even bother to look around. He knows that there was nothing around. He is just in an empty space. Black space. Trapped in a void of darkness.
He is sitting on nothing, surrounding by nothingness. Where he is at now, he has no idea, but he knew a while ago that he is once again trapped in this dream world. He is kind of getting used to being here now. And the fact that he is looking forward to having these dreams really scares him now.
Matt suddenly looks up as he hears some muffled laughter from a distance. There he sees two shadows walking to his direction. The two figures are Tai and Mimi. He sees them so clearly now… for the first time in the dream world.
"Matt?" Mimi looks at him, her eyes shining.
Matt stands up, but he is not looking at her. His eyes are fixed on his very own best friend, Tai. He is having a hard time reading his expression as he turn to stare at him as well. Tai and Matt look gaze upon each other… Brown eyes to blue eyes… both of them frozen on the spot.
His blue eyes suddenly avert towards Mimi. He notices her hand is holding onto Tai's gloved hand as well. He turns away from them, eyes on the black ground. You win Tai… You win…he whispers inside his head.
~ Tai ~
Her face appears before him now… like she no longer wants to hide. Mimi's hazel eyes remain fixed on his coffee-shaded brown eyes. The two of them are standing in the middle of a flower field, the exact same spot in his previous dream. He looks around for the bed of roses that he saw once, but found none. He gently feels Mimi's gentle touch as she takes his hand in her own.
"Let's talk, Tai… let's talk…" her voice is echoing throughout the field of flowers.
Tai just nods his head at her, but she puts this warm smile on her face as she leads him away from his spot.
"I want to show you something…" she says.
Tai does not reply, but he watches in awe, as once again thousands of pink-colored rose petals appear floating in the air. His mouth falls open as he stares at the flying roses. This red coloration of bright light surrounds every petal hovering above. In the middle of the petals, just surrounding them, lay a girl, resembling Mimi. The girl's eyes are shut closed as she levitates above the petals. She is wearing a white night gown that seems to be transparent for Tai has no trouble seeing her pair of long legs.
"Mimi!" he calls out.
He turns to look at the Mimi next to him, only to stumble backwards. The Mimi with him… Blood trails down, rolling down to her cheeks, a dagger in her hand. Tai stands up and moves away from Mimi.
"Mimi! What are you doing?!"
She holds the dagger tighter in her hand, ignoring Tai's remark. Mimi then looks at the other Mimi. To Tai's surprise, Mimi throws the dagger to her…
In a second, Tai is blinded by red-colored liquid.
~ Omniscient POV ~
"Mimi, are you ready?" Palmon asked her. It was that next day again… and Palmon knew that Mimi had not slept that well. If she had, it was probably for a few hours.
Mimi turned to her digimon and lowered her gaze on the floor again. "Palmon, I'm not sure if seeing the guardian is a good idea…"
"But Mimi…"
"I mean, what does she want from me?"
Palmon walked up to her. "Look, Mimi, I know this must be very hard for you. But you have to think… Mistress Blossoms did what she did for your own good…"
"Yeah… by separating me from the people I loved the most… yeah, that was the best she could do…"
There was a knock on the door. Palmon and Mimi both looked up as the door opened, and Matt peeked in. "Good morning, princess, are you ready?"
"I'll meet you guys downstairs…" Palmon told them.
Mimi slightly blushed at his remark. She had not expected Matt to call her "princess". She rose to her feet and followed Matt out to the corridor. As they were walking, Mimi was rather speechless. She just couldn't start a conversation now… especially on what had happened last night.
"Y-you know, Matt…" Mimi finally said. "Uh… you still have not played me a song…"
"Oh! Oh, yeah… yeah, right… I promise I will once this is all over with…" he said nervously. He pocketed his hands in his pockets. Matt could feel that there was a wall there now, that just got built, and it was making him a nervous wreck.
They reached the stairs and walked down below. Their footsteps were the only sound they heard. "Oh, I-I think we may have to actually use our own digimon to get to the guardian's palace." Matt told her.
"Uh… great!" Mimi exclaimed. She suddenly halted to a stop when she remembered something. "By the way, where's Tai?"
"He is at the courtyard with Agumon," he replied.
"Will you excuse me then?" Mimi asked as she motioned to leave.
"Uh, sure! N-no problem!" Matt answered, watching her leave.
"What's on your mind, Tai?" Agumon asked.
Tai leaned against the huge tree and stared at the water fountain ahead of them. His last dream was a rather nasty one, and that was the last thing that he wanted to think about. As much as he wanted to get rid of that thought, however, he just could not stop thinking about it.
"Just stuff…" Tai muttered, his eyes never leaving the fountain.
"Stuff? What kind of stuff?"
"You know—typical stuff…" he replied lazily.
"Typical stuff? Just what is typical to you?"
"Well, by that I meant, guy stuff…"
"Ohh… guy stuff…" Agumon echoed. "Can you give an example?"
Tai sighed. "Well, you know guy stuff—meaning girls."
Agumon looked intrigued. "Ohh—girls… how many girls?"
Tai rolled his eyes and turned to his innocent little digimon. "You're hopeless, Agu…"
"Do you always think about girls, Tai?" Agumon asked. "Is there anyone that you like?"
Tai smiled at the question. "Well, there's this one girl that I really liked back home—"
"Back home? At the human world?"
"Yes."
"Do you miss her?"
"Of course… I mean, yes, I really miss her. She was actually on the same soccer team as I was when we were in junior high. But now she's part of the tennis club in my school—" Tai stopped mid-sentence as he heard some footsteps. He turned to look and saw Mimi. She quickly smiled at him, but Tai only turned away.
"Tai…" Mimi whispered as she approached him. "You alright?"
"Sure…" he answered without turning to her.
"Did you have a good sleep?" she asked.
Tai shivered at the question. He wished that he had not asked her that. Ever since Kuwagamon had attacked him, he had been dreaming lately about her. "I wish…" he replied.
Mimi nervously clutched onto her gold necklace when she heard Tai's answer. "T-Tai…"
He forced himself to look at the girl and something immediately caught his attention. Tai frowned and just stared, petrified at the same time, as he looked at the necklace Mimi was holding.
"Where'd you get that?" Tai asked.
She lowered her gaze and looked at the necklace. "This? Oh… I don't know. All I know is that—this necklace was given by someone who once loved me."
"I-I see…" Tai replied with a nod. "Your boyfriend?"
She blushed and quickly shook her head. "No. Nothing like that…" her voice trailed off and then she forced a smile. "But he was a lot like you, Tai… he was just like you."
"What are you staring at, Matt?" Gabumon asked.
Matt quickly covered the window with the red curtain and turned to him. "Nothing. I was just checking if Tai's okay…"
He walked away from the window and sat down on a nearby couch. "Gabumon, Mimi is really special, isn't she?"
Gabumon looked at Matt for a moment and said, "I don't know. Go ask Tai…"
Matt rolled his eyes and got up. "Forget it. I'm gonna go talk to Palmon."
He left the room but suddenly halted to stop as he walked pass the dining room. Matt recalled the time when the Guardian of Sincerity had once told them that she would appear whenever he plays a song at her painting. He slowly approached the painting of Mistress Blossoms.
Matt stared at the painting, particularly he was staring at the guardian's staff. He blinked when he saw the ornament on the top of the staff changing into another color. He quickly backed away from the painting, shaking his head in disbelief.
"What's the matter?" a Gekomon who was passing by asked him.
He looked at the digimon. Only one word came out of his mouth. "Nothing." Matt answered, his eyes still on the painting.
== end of chapter 6 ==
A/N: I know this is a short chapter. I'm sorry, but I'm really rushing this fanfic. I really just want to finish this story. Anyway, please review. I want to know what you guys think of this story so far. =) Thanks!