Princess Diaries

Chapter 6:

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon and I think I don't have the artistic talent that makes Mimi and Yamato so beautiful…oh and the other characters too…I guess…

"Pains of love are far more sweeter than all the pleasures there are…"

"Sensei, how is my daughter doing?" Queen Naome anxiously asked, her hands clasped together tightly, her blue eyes filled with heavy worry. Yamashita Taro M.D. took off his golden-rimmed glasses and wiped the lenses clean with a kerchief he took out from his jacket pocket. Naome had seen this gesture from doctors of different medical movies and cheesy soap operas where the doctor stalls telling the family and friends of the victim that he or she (the main character) has a fatal disease by cleaning his eyeglasses.

Naome agitatedly gnawed on her lower lip, keeping her worry-filled eyes trained on the handsome and young doctor. Could this twenty-something looking doctor be as competent and as good as his fellow doctors say he is? By the looks of him, Naome was having second thoughts.

Doctor Taro slipped his glasses back on and gravely gazed at the uneasy queen.

"Well, Tachikawa-sama, it is very strange because physically, Mimi-hime seems very healthy and she seems capable of doing normal things like going to school, malls and playing sports but," the young doctor paused, letting his words hang in the air. "The princess really is very unwell and though she might look fine and fit, she really isn't. The disease has spread throughout her body and I'm afraid there really is no cure."

Queen Naome wailed at the doctor's words and tears streamed down her face and her blue eyes were wide with utter dismay. She covered her mouth with her hands to keep from whimpering and her knees felt weak.

Darien, who had been looming largely behind the queen, helped her sit down on one of the benches outside the hospital room Mimi was in. The queen looked incredibly pale and her mascara was ruined by the despair that fell from her eyes.

"Are you all right, Naome-sama?" Darien asked in a muted voice and externally, he looked passive and unfeeling but inside, he was troubled as well by the doctor's news.

Naome shook her head and pressed her face into the palms of her hands and sobbed loudly, crying out Mimi's name over and over again. A few nurses came over to console the near-hysterical queen since Darien didn't seem to comfort her at all. Doctor Taro stood back and watched the queen with pity and something that looked like guilt.

"But we are still searching for a cure, your highness," Dr. Taro reassured over the nurses shoulders, trying to sound confident though inwardly, he knew that the hope of finding a cure was as likely as dinosaurs roaming the earth, alive and rampaging.

While Queen Naome wept her misery, a nurse came out of the examination room with panicked look on her white face.

"Doctor! Doctor! The patient has just gone into a coma!" the nurse hurriedly reported, her brown eyes clearly alarmed.

Taro nodded and quickly signaled a few more nurses to follow him as he ran inside the examination room. The queen got wind of what was happening and stood up, hysterical.

"WHAT? What is happening to my DAUGHTER?! MIMI?! MIMI?!" The queen yelled hysterically, trying to get in the room but the door was locked. She tried looking through the small window to see what was happening while simultaneously pounding against the wooden surface of the door. Two nurses tried to hold her back but she fought and kicked and screamed. Darien grabbed her arms and kept her away from the door while she shrieked for her husband, her daughter and for many more people they didn't know.

One of the nurses, a pretty brunette who had been giving Darien the eye earlier, quickly ran to the medical room to get the drug that relaxes you and went back to the five other nurses trying to console the frenzied Queen. The brunette nurse tapped the plastic to let the drug mix well and tried to drug Queen Naome into calmness. The monarch struggled against Darien's tight grip around her in vain and the nurse quickly gave the Queen a long dose of the drug.

Soon, Naome's frantic thrashing was slower and lethargic as the drug took quick effect in soothing tense nerves, making her sleepy. Darien brought the Queen to the one of the empty hospital bedrooms, lead by the brunette nurse. The other nurses had gone back to their posts and duties.

Darien placed the sleeping Queen on the clean, white bed. Her face was smudged with mascara and tears and even in a dreamless slumber, her eyebrows were still furrowed and a frown upturned her mouth. Clearly, Queen Naome still worried about her daughter, even in unconsciousness. Darien felt a strange emotion in his chest when he thought of the little princess Mimi, dying slowly on them everyday.

No. The doctors would find a cure. They will. The king and queen are paying too much for them not to find a cure.

It was weird. Darien was reassuring himself and he never did that. He was supposed to be a cold-hearted, indifferent bodyguard whose only duty and purpose is to protect his charge.

Banishing the semi-emotional thoughts from his usually brooding mind, Darien turned to the squirming nurse. "I will need to call the King and inform him of the situation. Please take care of the Queen as of the moment." He pierced her with his serious glare. "And don't leave her side no matter what. Even if you get paged."

Darien left.

The nurse let out the breath she'd been holding and slumped on the chair by the bed. She didn't mind babysitting a drugged Queen. She was a Queen. A real, genuine, honest-to-goodness Queen of a lovely, powerful country. And mother to a beautiful daughter with a limited time left on Earth. Ayako felt pity for the family.

But she couldn't help feeling not pity for Darien.

But a strange mix of fear and excitement.

He was a very big, very intimidating persona and had a major role in the Princess's life, by guarding it. Not to mention he was mysterious, cold and unreachable. The kind of man every woman dreams of changing. Like the ones in those soppy, historical romances in Ayako's closet in her apartment.

(Ooooh, will romance spring between them? I won't tell you! Do you even care?)

Mimi was floating.

Her body was relaxed and her mind was comfortable. She felt like she was flying on air…or maybe she really was floating.

Mimi tried to open her eyes but found out she couldn't. Panic surged in her as she attempted to pry her eyes open. But they wouldn't.

"What's happening?" Mimi heard her own worried voice, felt her lips move and was relieved to know she wasn't completely paralyzed.

She guessed it was only her eyes that didn't move. Mimi tried to move her legs, arms, shoulders, feet but found out they were immobile as well. Mimi sighed. She felt the breath of air escape her parted lips.

But Mimi could still feel with her skin, if it was exposed, felt only coldness in which she can't even shiver. And Mimi felt with every part of her body. Was she naked on top of being comatose?!

Mimi tried to thrash around but she really couldn't move. Grr…

If Mimi was actually not floating in mid air in the middle of nothing – in space, maybe? Would that make sense? – and is in fact lying on a hospital bed somewhere in the nude with people around…Mimi couldn't even bear to imagine it. She hated being naked in front if someone, even her mother – but Mimi's father approves of her conservative nature to keep her clothes on.

Then it hit her. She suddenly remembered the past few hour's events.

She came home, smiling and happy but a little weirder by her first day in school and her disappointing but interesting conversation with Yamato Ishida, lead singer of her favorite band of all time. He turned out to be a cold, unfeeling individual who was only moderately nice when around old friends and totally unwilling to meet and trust new ones.

Still cute though, Mimi absentmindedly though. She then shook herself out of her sudden intervention of thoughts and tried to remember what happened after coming home.

Had an afternoon snack…Mimi delved into her mind…check.

Met mom, told her a quick recount of the day's events, then bumped into Darien on the way to bedroom…Mimi searched her memory…check…ooh, if I remember correctly, it hurt.

Went to bedroom…uh…changed clothes…Mimi couldn't move her eyebrows into a furrow so she frowned instead. Strange, my mind is suddenly blank after that…must have slept…but wouldn't I remember that too?

Mimi really felt like she was floating. Everything was contentedly silent around her. In silences like these, one could usually hear the soft whisper of the breeze but it was all quiet. No breeze. So if there was no breeze, how will Mimi live? She needs oxygen to breathe in and live on. For that matter, how will Mimi even breathe in air, if there was air around her, if her chest didn't rise and fall with every breath she took in through her mouth? She couldn't very well take in breaths even if her mouth was open but her chest wouldn't rise and fall. And will she not freeze to death because she's so cold?

But there she was, breathing nonexistent air, her mouth taking in nonsexist oxygen with her body – including her chest – as still as her statue, and probably freezing her naked arse off (A/N: ass is too vulgar a word for me) but still existing just fine.

"What now?"

The question seemed silly since all Mimi could do was talk and move her lips while the rest of her remained inert.

…then out of nowhere, in the vast blackness and emptiness that surrounded Mimi – she can only guess everything is dark because her eyes are closed and when your eyes are closed, everything is dark – came a low and faint voice…saying something incoherent…but getting louder and clearer. Mimi strained to hear the words.

"Mmmmmmmhhhmmmme? Mmmmmmmhhhmmmme? Aaaayyyywwwwkkkeee? Mmmmmmmhhhmmmme?" the soft voice mumbled inarticulately.

Huh?

Then it became clearer. "Mimmmmm-himmmmme? Mimmmmm-himmmmme? Aaaaaryyyyooouwkkkkeee?"

Sounded vaguely like 'Mimi-hime? Mimi-hime? Are you awake?'

"Oh."

Someone was asking her if she was awake. Was she even sleeping?

Well, maybe Mimi was awake. "Uh…yeah…"

But what came out, instead of coherent words, was a thick-sounding gurgle.

"What's happening? Hello? Who's there? Why do I hear gurgles?" Gurgle. Gurgle. Gurgle.

Dr. Taro checked Mimi's pulse, grasping her limp wrist gently in his big hands. He felt a soft but weak jump beneath his thumb and sighed in relief. Mimi was only unconscious. But still, it can have dangerous implications. If Mimi was in a coma, there was a chance that she would or would not wake up. Also, it could worsen her already dire condition, the body defenseless against whatever sickness invaded her body with the lack of physical activity, healthy of course. Like yoga or Tai chi.

"How long has she been out?" Doctor Taro asked the blond nurse beside him who was taking notes.

The nurse looked at the other nurses then glanced at her wristwatch. "Approximately 20 minutes, sensei."

Dr. Taro frowned. "Too early to gauge if this is permanent or not. Let's pump her with some vitamins."

The nurses exchanged strange looks and then scurried outside to get the vitamins.

Then, out of the corner of his eyes, Dr. Taro saw a quick flash of movement on Mimi's face. Her lips quickly formed a word but Taro wasn't sure if he was imagining it or not. He had to find a cure somehow, because if he let the princess die then his career will positively die. Besides, he felt sympathy towards the young, seventeen-year-old girl barely into her prime. She had a lot of talent and potential, Dr. Taro knew from reading the papers and watching the news, and wouldn't be able to make herself something if she died at an adolescent age.

"Mimi-hime? Mimi-hime? Are you awake?" He leaned forward cautiously, intently checking for signs of consciousness. But her eyes were still lightly closed and she seemed as still as before. Funny, he could have sworn he saw her lips move…

It must have been his imagination. He felt weary all of a sudden. The young doctor hadn't slept for four days straight, only stealing quick naps here and there. But you wouldn't know that by looking at him. On the surface, he seemed as handsome and as alert as someone who had had a sound sleep.

As Dr. Taro was about to turn away, a sound emanated from Mimi's throat, soft but unmistakable. Immediately, the doctor was by her side, examining her pale, calm face for any signs of movement.

"Mimi-hime? Mimi-hime? Are you awake?" He asked again.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, Mimi first opened her lips to utter so softly, "W-Water…I need, want w-water…o-onegai…"

"Nurse! The princess wants water!" The nurse nodded and scurried out of the room. "And tell her Royal Highness that her daughter is awake too!" Dr. Taro called over his shoulder before the door could close.

"It's okay…You're going to be okay." Taro held Mimi's wrist once more and checked her steady but decidedly stronger pulse. He was clearly relieved and it only showed on his face because no one else was there to witness it. Mimi's long lashes fluttered open, revealing dazed and unfocused light amber eyes.

The nurse returned with a glass of water, trailed by two other nurses and Naome and Darien. The queen right away fussed over her daughter, cooing and bustling, helping her up to a sitting position. The doctor told one of the nurses something in a low voice unheard by the other occupants and the nurse nodded, leaving the room. Darien stood on guard by the doorway but behind his dark glasses, his eyes were relieved and glad.

Mimi drank the water in one deep gulp, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

She looked at her mother with confused eyes. "What happened? I-I don't remember anything that happened after I got home. Did I…"

Naome hugged Mimi hard, tears trickling down her cheeks. Mimi, surprised, hugged her mother back. "Mom?"

"You had an attack, honey. Darien found you unconscious but writhing around on your bed a few hours ago; your face was one of agony." The Queen chocked back a sob and gripped her tighter. Mimi's eyes blurred with tears because she couldn't remember anything. "We brought you here in Tokyo Hospital and called Dr. Taro. H-He's the talented doctor that will try to find a c-cure. Oh Mimi-chan! I was so scared, I thought you were going to die!"

Dr. Taro looked uncomfortable amidst all the emotion showing from mother and daughter. The dark-haired doctor wasn't cold-hearted but he also wasn't used to so much feelings.

Mimi met Dr. Taro's eyes over her mother's light brown hair. "Am I going to die?" Her voice, though calm, couldn't suppress the soft tremor going through it, a testimony of the hidden fear.

A solemn sigh. "I'll try everything in my power to save you, Mimi-hime but nothing is a guarantee. All I can advise you is," he suddenly paused, hesitant. "My advise for you is to live life as normally as possible and not exert so much pressure and strength. Keep your heart pressure-free and composed. Today was your first time in a coma, yes? If you go into another coma attack, there's no telling how long you'll be cataleptic. We should be cautious, for now."

Mimi nodded but really didn't hear much of what the doctor said. All she heard was... "I'll try everything in my power to save you" Not really a guarantee that they will find a cure but merely a reassurance that he will try his best. Mimi knew the truth though. She closed her eyes and refused to cry, despite the tears leaking down her clenched eyes.

I will die…

Bad, bad, bad, bad!

Just review! It wasn't good, I know but I just had to get it out of my system. I'll tell you one thing: this story might or might not have a fairy-tale ending…depends on the readers actually. Do you want Mimi to live or die, leaving poor Yamato-chan heartbroken or happy?