A/N: I've never planned for this fanfic to turn out THIS way, but I got this idea while playing 'Chrono Cross'. If you're a CC fan, you might see some resemblance regarding the storyline. I really think that this will be a really long story.
Of Roses and Bayonets
Chapter VIII: In the Garden Sleeps a Princess
~ Omniscient POV ~
Tai Kamiya didn't waste any more time as he stormed out of the palace, running breathlessly out in the enormous garden on the top of Infinity Mountain. He didn't even bother to wait for his friends. He'd forgot about them as he suddenly halted as he found himself in the middle of a deserted garden. He eyed the plants, the flowers, and the silent waters in the pond. And there was still no sign of her. He'd hoped that he would find her here.
Shaking his head, he slowly approached the placid pond and bent down to look at his reflection in the water. He wasn't very sure of what he was currently feeling. He didn't even know why he'd felt this strange bond with Mimi. He'd only known her for one day, and yet he felt as though he knew her since forever. Standing up, he suddenly gazed down at his golden ring in which he had been wearing for a long time, long, long time… He could not even remember clearly the first time he'd got it.
And then his eyes averted to his crest. The Crest of Courage. He still couldn't understand its purpose. And he still didn't understand why he got it. But that didn't matter now. He still had a friend to find. He knew that she had to be here somewhere! Somewhere… in the garden.
"Mimi!" he shouted, making his way deeper into the garden. "Mimi!"
*****
~ Mimi ~
"Mimi. It's time for you to disappear in this world. You have done your part. And now you're mine."
She smiles, her eyes sparkling in madness, in amusement. There is definitely joy and satisfaction in her hazel brown eyes as she stares at the levitating figure. She let her mahogany hair dance in the air as she floats next to Mimi. In her right hand, she holds a dagger. In her other hand, she holds another crest shaped just like a single teardrop. The girl tightens her grip onto the crest and stares at it. Unlike Tai's and Matt's crests, her crest is colored in black. Black. It does not even glow.
Pink petals floated beside Princess Mimi as she was peacefully being carried by red light. She looked like she was dead, but she knew that she was trapped in a sleep. The girl approaches the sleeping Mimi and glares as she took notice of the golden necklace she wears around her neck. She slowly slides the necklace off her neck and stares at it in disgust.
Shaking her head, the girl spoke once again. "You still kept this?" she shakes her head and snorts. "Tai did not love me. He left me in the Digital World. Don't you remember that, me?" the evil Mimi shakes her head and laughs. "But you have to accept that, Meems. Accept the fact that he left you. He left me. He left us."
Dark Mimi holds the golden necklace and looks at the other Mimi, sleeping so soundly. Her dagger in her hand, she smiles as she raised it high in the air aiming for her…
*****
~ Omniscient POV ~
"Mimi! Answer me!" Tai shouted again and again. He had been running around the garden but he could not find her at all. He had been wondering around this enormous garden for hours. And still no answer. He stopped and panted. Wherever she was, he was gonna find her, no matter what.
"Tai! Over here!" he recognized the voice as Gabumon's.
Tai quickly spotted him over on the other side of a bush. Gabumon gestured for him to come over. He ran like mad, finding his way through those thick bushes. On the other side, he had no time to admire the beauty of what appeared like a secret garden. In the middle of this flower palace was a fountain. In the middle of it laid a sleeping princess. Mimi. Beside her was Matt, who was shaking her to wake her, but to no avail.
"Mimi!" Tai ran over to her.
Mimi looked pale. Her lips purple. And she looked like she was already dead. She was laying there and her eyes were tightly shut like they were never opened before. There was no sign of life from her. Tai quickly noticed the concerned look in Matt's face. But he quickly turned to the sleeping Mimi. He shook her but Mimi didn't move a muscle.
"Mimi!" Tai cried.
Matt just shook his head. "It's no use, Tai. She's… leaving us."
"What?!" Tai yelled in rage. He shot him a scowl. "How dare you say something like that?!"
"Don't you think I've tried waking her? It's useless, Tai. She's… dying!" Matt shot back.
"But she can't be! I-I mean she was just here with us!! She was so… full of life!" Tai's eyes welled up in tears. He couldn't believe this was happening! A moment ago, he and Mimi were just talking, teasing each other. They were… holding each other. He was comforting her. But as he looked at Matt, he also noticed the pain in his expression… and the water in his eyes. "Matt? You all right?"
Matt quickly turned away and stared at Mimi. "Yes. But let's keep our mind on Mimi."
"Mimi! Please answer me!" Tai shook her once again. Then one thing suddenly caught his attention as he noticed the absence of Mimi's golden necklace. His jaw dropped and shook his head. "What the…"
"What?" Matt asked.
Tai held Mimi closer in his arms. "Her necklace. It's gone."
Matt blinked. "So? She probably just left it back in the castle."
Tai quickly shook his head stubbornly. "She never takes that necklace off. She would never…"
"Why wouldn't she?"
Tai couldn't find an answer for that. "Because… she…" his voice trailed off. Somehow he just knew that. He just knew that Mimi had never taken that necklace off since she'd first got it. He looked down at Mimi again. He blinked as he noticed that she was being surrounded by red light.
"What the hell?!" Tai exclaimed as he stood up, watching in awe as Mimi floated above the air being carried by this fainted red light.
"Gabumon!" Matt shouted over to his digimon. "Come on! Do something! Digi-volve!"
"Yes!" Gabumon agreed. Matt took out his digivice but there was no response.
Matt furiously threw it down to the ground. "Fuck this! ARGH!"
Gabumon walked up to Matt. "I-I'm sorry, Matt."
"Whatever. Tai, what now?"
"Mimi! Don't go!" Tai yelled as he tried grabbing onto the floating Mimi in the midst of the air. "Mimi!"
"Tai!" Matt yelled as he grabbed hold of his arm.
The wind suddenly blew harder and harder until they were no longer able to catch their own breath. Matt tightened his hold onto Tai's hands. Tai held onto Mimi's immobile hand. Gabumon was holding onto Matt.
"We've got to do something, Matt!" Gabumon yelled.
Matt could barely hear him. The only thing audible to him was the sound of the angry wind.
"Where are Palmon and Agumon?! You can't digivolve right!" Matt responded.
"Y-Your Crest, Matt!" Tai suddenly yelled at him.
"Huh?!" Matt shot back.
"Where the hell's your crest! Dammit, Matt! Take it out! Mimi's disappearing!" Tai ordered him.
Matt looked up and noticed that Tai was indeed right. He could clearly see what was happening as he witnessed Mimi's body slowly fading into ashes. He couldn't even believe what he was seeing. It was like she was being digitally erased. What is Mimi anyway? Yamato could not understand. But he quickly fumbled for his crest. He wasn't sure why Tai had asked him to take it out, but there was nothing else he could do. Matt decided that he would do anything he could just to save Mimi. Anything. Anything for her. Anything for his friends.
With that, as he held his crest, it suddenly flashed. Blue light suddenly surrounded them. He could hear screams from his friends. It was too bright already that his eyes could not even handle the light. So he shut his eyes until everything was dark.
******
~ Matt (First POV) ~
Here I was again. In this… world. In this dimension not known. Sitting on chair, my eyes wandered around the deserted room. It was a very familiar room. I was sure I had been here before. The walls were painted gray. The carpet was red. And there was no door at all. But there was one tiny window where I could see the sky. I had been here. I knew it. This was the exact same place… but somehow the feel of it was different. I was alone. There was no voice that would talk to me. No voice that would ask for my help.
I stood up. Successful. The first time I was here, I'd fell. I grabbed the chair and placed it against the wall. I stood on it and looked out the window.
It was misty below. Gray clouds surrounded below and I had no idea what was exactly down there. Where was I? This was definitely not a dream this time. Was I really here? Physically? Mentally? Did the crest finally work? I fumbled for my crest and found it inside my pocket. I stared at its beautiful patterns inscribed in it. Questions popped up in my head. Why did I become the bearer of this crest? Why Friendship, first of all? Why? Why me?
Still clutching onto my crest, I rose to my feet and banged my fist on the gray wall. "Mimi! Tai! Gabumon! Where are you?!" I yelled. I felt like a sitting-duck. Here… trapped in this empty room in the middle of the sky and couldn't do anything. There must be something that I can do! Something useful.
I walked back again in the middle of the room. I knew I had to make this crest glow again. But how? I wasn't even sure how I'd made my crest glow in the first place.
"Huh?" I looked up again at the window. And then turned my eyes across the room where there was no door. Slowly, I walked toward the wall. Somehow, that wall had this different feeling to it. I held up my hand to touch it and was amazed as my hand went right through it. Of course! This was a fake wall! Without hesitating, I quickly stepped out of this empty room.
*****
~ Tai ~
It was almost as if I was back here again. This same dark place. Everything was pitch black. Black and darkness surrounding me… can't my dream come up with anything new? This was no dream though. I knew that this was definitely real. Somehow, it just felt real. I'm awake. I'm alive. I'm… stuck in darkness.
"Hello Tai." A voice spoke from behind me.
I turned around and found a boy around sixteen years of age with brown hair standing in front of me. He looked so calm as he gave me a small grin and walked forward. I had seen this boy somewhere before but my mind just could not remember.
"Hey kid! What are you doing here sneaking up on me?! Huh?!" I demanded.
The boy just laughed at my remark, which took me by surprise. He then stopped and gave me a look. The boy had this huge brown hair, just like mine. He, too, was wearing goggles on his forehead. Somehow… this boy just looked so familiar.
"Tai, remember me?" he asked. "Don't you?"
I blinked. "Who are you?"
"Spare me the shock, but I'm you. I'm you, Tai…"
My mouth gape open, but the boy spoke again, leaving me no choice but to stay quiet.
"I told you. Leave that surprise reaction for later. Right now, you'd rather get out of here, right?"
"B-But--!" I stuttered. I was just so full of questions and yet this boy…
"It's hard to explain. It's hard to believe." Little Tai told me. He took a step forward. "But I must briefly tell you, so please don't interrupt me. I was once summoned to the Digiworld. It happened two years ago. Me, Mimi, and my friend Izzy got detention. We were in soccer together. We were stuck in the computer lab until something came out of the computer." He pointed to the digivice I was holding. "That was what came out of that very day. We then got sucked into the computer and found ourselves here. They said that we were brought here to accomplish our mission. Unfortunately, one of our team members, Mimi turned her back on us and stayed in the Digiworld. Her Crest of Sincerity was taken away by Mistress Blossoms. She wanted to stay here, so we'd no choice but to leave her. On our last day here, Izzy and I begged for her to come home with us, but she wouldn't. She said she was tired of us. She said she'd rather stay in the castle and be a princess instead of staying in the real world. I even gave her a necklace as a reminder of our love. Once our mission was accomplished, me and Izzy headed back to the real world, with Mistress Blossoms erasing our memories of this world. I, Tai Kamiya, am that memory that was taken away from you by Mistress Blossoms."
I was too stunned to say a word, and I just stood there with my mouth open. All that was happening… He meant to tell me that Mimi and I were once lovers…? Was that it? I used to be a digidestined too? Me, Mimi, and Izzy? I remembered Izzy. Back home, he too was also part of my soccer team, and he was also the president of the computer club. I wasn't very close to him and I shook my head, shocked at the same time that Izzy Izumi was once a part of this team. But where was he now?
"This will be all over with once that weapon is destroyed," Little Tai said, ignoring the expression I wore in my face. "Your memory was converted into a digital information, thus I was created. I am your memory. But once Mimi is saved and once she accepts to be the bearer of the Crest of Sincerity, I will be merged with you. You and I will become one just like before."
"I… I… I don't know what to say! Tai!" I exclaimed.
He looked around the dark area. "You must be wondering where you are. Well… this is simply a place where they store your memories. Tai… this is your place. It's a void of nothingness. You got here by the power of Matt's crest. This place only exists because of Dark Mimi."
"Dark Mimi?!" I echoed.
"Yes," he nodded. "When Mimi turned her back on us, Mistress Blossoms released that dark side of Mimi, splitting her into two. She couldn't possibly reach the sincere side of Mimi without having to split her into two. She was actually turned into a digital information during the process. Dark Mimi and Princess Mimi must be merged, but the cursed bayonet is making that impossible."
"Why the hell would you wanna merge Princess Mimi with Dark Mimi?!" I asked.
"Because Dark Mimi is Princess Mimi's memories. Dark Mimi remembers how exactly she was punished by Mistress Blossoms. She remembers every detail of that… She remembers you…" he lowered his gaze, shaking his head. "When Mistress Blossoms divided her, Princess Mimi didn't lose her memories. But her memories eventually disappeared because of the bayonet. It's too painful to say. But Dark Mimi is slowly becoming more vicious as we speak. And it is because of that cursed weapon!"
"But what about Mimi?! What's the weapon got to do with her?!"
Little Tai looked into my eyes. "Mimi did have her memories. But because of Dark Mimi's anger, the cursed bayonet is sucking up every single information out of Princess Mimi. The cursed bayonet is still sucking up her memories as we speak." He lowered his gaze once more. "The cursed bayonet is sucking her out. It's sucking out her life, collecting her data just to make Dark Mimi powerful. Dark Mimi will kill Princess Mimi, Tai. And I'm sure she's doing that now."
I didn't speak for a moment, trying to digest what Little Tai had just said. Now it was all beginning to make sense. I had to destroy that weapon! I had to destroy it before it's too late!
"So where do I find this Holy Sword?!" I asked him.
"It's in the hands of the Guardian of Love." He answered. "We don't know where she resides. But I know that Mistress Blossoms might be able to tell you more about her."
"Great! I'll do just that!"
"Wait."
"Huh? What is it?"
Little Tai took a step toward me. "You must save Princess Mimi first. You must get to the lake immediately!"
I scratched my head. "Oh right! But… I don't know how the hell to get out of this place!"
"It's easy. Just call out Matt's name and you will be taken to his current location."
I blinked. "That's it?"
He nodded. "Yes. And remember, Tai. Do not hurt Dark Mimi even if she attempts to hurt you. She is still Mimi Tachikawa."
*****
~ Omniscient POV ~
In Dreams…
Dark Mimi stared at the blood, dripping from the blade of her dagger. Wickedly, she smiled inspite of herself. Princess Mimi was still floating helplessly, blood dripping from her neck. Dark Mimi laughed.
"Now Mimi… how do you enjoy your death? I'm doing this slowly just to show you how much I truly love you. You must thank me for letting you live longer. A-hahahahah!" she laughed and laughed, her maniacal laughter brought Princess Mimi to finally open her eyes.
Dark Mimi stopped her laughter suddenly as she noticed a pair of hazel eyes staring back at her in horror. "Oh? So you're awake? Still not dead? A-haha! How… tragic." She held up her dagger, blood tricked down from its sharp blade. "Look at this delicious blood. How… fascinating. Who would've thought that there's still some human flesh left in that digital body of yours!"
Princess Mimi gasped as she put a hand on her neck. She felt her blood and tears welled up in her eyes as she saw the red liquid at the palm of her hand. Dark Mimi then held up her golden necklace. "Remember this, sweet Mimi? The necklace that Tai gave you before he left you? Before he left you? And you still love him! HA! How utterly disgusting." She spat and rolled her eyes. "You're the most pathetic creature on the planet, Mimi. You and your boyfriend Tai!" Dark Mimi shook her head. "But you really don't deserve him. You've been cheating on him. You've got your eyes on Yamato as well!"
Princess Mimi opened her mouth to say something, with her mouth moving, no sound came out of her mouth. Dark Mimi smiled and laughed. "What's the matter huh? Cat got your tongue? Did you lose your voice? Oh I'm sorry!" she held up again the blooded dagger. "Did I do that to you? I have accidentally deleted your voice function! Am I ever so sorry I can't speak with you today! A-HAHA!"
Mimi opened her mouth but it was useless. Her voice was gone. Gone. Erased. Deleted. How could the other her do this to her? How could she? She began to float in the air again. The pink petals surrounded her as if they were protecting her and guiding her. She mouthed the sentence 'Get me out of here!'.
"Mimi, you know as well as I do that you love those two men," Dark Mimi shook her head. "Don't deny it. I'm you. I know it as well as you do."
Mimi shook her head, still in disbelief that this was happening. This was exactly what she'd been afraid of. She was afraid of this coming, afraid of her own death. Now her death was finally here. Matt and Tai were too late to save her! There was nothing else she could do but listen to Dark Mimi's speech. She just wished that she were able to speak again. She wished she were able to say something. She wanted to sing to Yamato and Tai one last time before she dies. She wanted to say those words before she dies…
Sorry I never told you
All I wanted to say
And now it's too late to hold you
Tears sprang up in her brown eyes. She didn't bother holding them as she let her tears stream down her cheeks. She wanted to die now. Now that her voice was gone, what was the use of living now? Her voice… her song… she would not even live to say those three little words? What was she supposed to do now? Let this witch kill her? It seemed like there was not much of a choice.
'Cause you've flown away
So far away
"That's enough Dark Mimi!" a voice yelled out from behind them.
Both Mimi's turned to look. On the ground stood a very furious Tai Kamiya. Beside him were Matt Ishida and his digimon, Gabumon.
"Oh!" Dark Mimi exclaimed. "You're just in time to join our party, Tai. Care to help me?"
"We're taking our princess with us!" Matt yelled at her.
"That's right, Matt!" Tai agreed and then quickly turned his gaze to Mimi. "Mimi! Are you okay?"
Mimi avoided his gaze. But she just stared at the lake below her.
"The hell have you done with Mimi, Mimi?!" Tai yelled in anger at Dark Mimi.
Dark Mimi quickly showed him her dagger. "Oh… just a little test before the real thing, ya know."
Mimi looked at Tai and shook her head.
"Mimi!" Tai cried. He then turned to look at Matt and Gabumon. "Matt…"
Matt quickly nodded his head and then turned toward Gabumon. "Alright Gabumon. Digivolve without the digivice."
"B-But Matt…"
"Do it!" Matt demanded as he held onto his crest. It glowed in his hands. "Do it for Mimi, Gabumon!"
Gabumon suddenly felt the power of the Crest of Friendship and he was surrounded by blue light. In an instant, he was transformed into Garurumon and then into WereGarurumon.
"Quick! Rescue Mimi!" Matt ordered.
WereGarurumon quickly obeyed as he leapt into the air and took Mimi in his arms. The wolf digimon landed on the ground, still holding Mimi with him. Matt and Tai quickly ran to them.
"Mimi!" Matt cried as he took her from WereGarurumon's arms. "Are you OK?"
She didn't answer but cried in relief as she threw herself into Matt's arms, sobbing. Matt smiled and stroked her hair. "Ssh… it's OK now. Tai and I are here for you…"
"A-hahaha!"
They all turned their attention back at the owner of that laugh.
Dark Mimi floated in front of them. "Oh Mimi… Mimi… Mimi… I really pity these two guys risking their lives for one lousy forgotten data. I really feel sorry for them."
"What'd you say?!" Tai yelled.
"Don't listen to her, Tai! She's just bull-shitting!" Matt told him.
"Look closely at yourself, Ishida-san," Dark Mimi stated. "Have you ever questioned why you were sent to this place?"
"My purpose here is to protect Mimi, that's all!" Matt shot back.
"A-haha! Your silly tantrum is rather amusing! Don't you think that it's kinda low thinking that you were only sent here to cancel the deletion of a forgotten data. I'll tell you something, Ishida-san, Mimi Tachikawa is nothing but a piece of digital information! And her memories and her life is constantly being sucked out of the cursed weapon! With that weapon powerful, I get more powers to kill her quicker! Once I do, I, too, will disappear," Dark Mimi then turned her attention to Tai. "And what about you Tai?" she quickly showed him the golden necklace. "What the fuck is the purpose of this useless necklace?! Don't you go feed me with your fuck because I won't have it!"
Matt quickly turned to Tai in shock. He felt Mimi's hold tightened.
"You're Mimi," Tai said. "The Mimi that Mistress Blossoms punished. You were the one who left us, who turned your back from us. You didn't want to be the bearer of that crest. You disobeyed being the princess of sincerity, and because of that you were punished. Thus you were stuck in this dimension."
Dark Mimi's mouth was open, shocked, stunned, and horrified at his words. She then laughed even more. "There is no use for me in this world. Only that cursed bayonet will destroy the guardians of the Digiworld. Don't you know that Mistress Blossoms is using you two? Don't you know that she's using you to destroy that cursed bayonet just so she would continue on living? Don't you know that that weapon has the power to destroy her?"
"What?!" Tai exclaimed.
"Don't believe her Tai!" Matt told him.
"Oh? I see that she hasn't told you yet." Dark Mimi replied. "Think about it. Why else would Mistress Blossoms summon you back to the Digiworld after two years? It's because she is threatened, and she's using you now so she can live."
"You're full of shit!" Matt yelled angrily. "Don't give me that crap after what you just did to Mimi!"
Mimi pulled away from Matt and started mouthing something.
"Mimi? What's the matter?" Tai asked.
Dark Mimi shook her head. "Her voice has been deleted, unfortunately. But it's good that it's making the bayonet more powerful. More energy is being delivered to that cursed weapon now as we speak."
"H-How dare you?! How could you do that?! Don't you know that you will die if you keep on re-charging that evil weapon?!" Tai shouted.
Dark Mimi slowly floated higher in the air. "I'd rather die right now." Those were her last words before she disappeared.
There was total silence for a while until Mimi burst into soft sobs.
"Oh Mimi…" Tai said as he offered her his arms. Mimi threw herself into his arms. How she would she could thank him for saving her. Even though her voice was gone, at least she was still living. "It's all right. Just keep crying…"
Matt stood up and turned to his digimon, now changed into Gabumon. He sat next to him and turned to look as Tai comforted Mimi. He felt his heart go numb as he watched the two. They made such a perfect couple. Matt gritted his teeth. He wasn't sure what this feeling was, but he just couldn't bear watching them any longer. Taking out his harmonica, he stared at it for the longest time, wondering when he will ever get to play her a song.
He then remembered about Mimi's voice. When will she ever get them back? But he silently vowed to himself that he will get Mimi's voice back no matter what. That was what he was going to do before he goes home. Home… Home… It had been a while.
"Gabumon?" Matt whispered.
"What is it, Matt?" he asked.
"I… can't wait 'till everything's over… I miss home…" he told him.
"Don't worry. Once Mimi's safe, everything will go back to normal again." Gabumon assured him.
Matt didn't say anything more as he thought for a while. He wasn't sure if everything will ever go back to the way they were. Ever since he'd met Mimi Tachikawa, his life had changed. After what Tai had told him about meeting his lost memory, he could not even believe it. So now he knew that he and Mimi had a past together. But what about him and Mimi? Will he have a future with her now? He turned back to Tai and Mimi again, still absorbed with one another. Matt then brought his attention back to the Crest of Friendship. Now all was left was to find a way back to the castle and get out of this dream dimension.
****
to be continued…
DISCLAIMER: The song is not mine. It's by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men called 'One Sweet Day'.