Words of the Soul

Mimi stood under the steaming water letting it wash over her silken skin as if it could wash away the memory of his touch. She ran her fingers through long chestnut waves, spreading it with her fingers the slicking it back until it appeared straight. What will Sora think? She wondered, guiltily thinking of her best friend. And what about Mamma and Daddy! She felt the hot prick of tears behind her eyes and let them fall freely, knowing it would only hurt worse if she suppressed them. What will they think of me? Oh my God! I shouldn't have let him; I should have left. If I'd never asked him to stay! Her thoughts were interrupted by the gentle creak of the door and she stepped back to see who it was, feeling herself stiffen then grow cold.

Matt stood with the door wide open his eyes unusually large in a face gone suddenly pale and slack jawed. Mimi stood rigid, to shocked to even think of covering herself. After seconds that felt like years, Mimi finally found her voice.

"Get out! Shut the door! Shut the door!" Matt seemed to shake off his own astonishment and turned to shut and lock the door, then looked back at her with his eyes a slightly darker shade, becoming a bottomless void of cerulean. Mimi, finally thinking about her nudeness, attempted to cover her entire body with two hands.

"No! Get out and shut the door!" Matt smiled crookedly and stepped towards her where she stood in the shower of their guesthouse, making it clear that he had no intention of leaving. Scared, Mimi tried to find a comfort zone against the cold marble of the curved wall. "Matt would you please leave?" She asked, her voice wobbling barely above pleading. "Please! You…I…You can't just come in here!" She finished shrilly, seeing the possessive way he looked her over.

"You've been getting distant." He said conversationally as if she wasn't standing naked in the shower for him to observe as he pleased. Mimi didn't answer but moved her arms to try and conceal her chest while crossing her legs. Matt's brow creased in irritation.

"Would you stop that! I'm not going to do anything, I just came in here to talk to you!"

"Why…why are you looking at me like that then?" She demanded, squirming on her feet under his appraising gaze.

"I'd forgotten how beautiful you were..."

"Well, now I know it's love!" She interrupted sarcastically.

"Mimi please, I'm being serious."

"So am I Matt! We can't…can't do this, we're only children!"

"Not here we're not! Look at yourself in the mirror Mimi, you're in an adult's body! We all are!"

"But I don't want to be Matt." She choked, tears filling her eyes and spilling over to blend with the water on her face. "I don't want to be" She sank to her knees and leaned back under the water where it fell like rain around her.

Matt, heedless of his blue satin vest, closed the distance between them with two long strides and knelt beside her; hesitantly taking her into his arms. To her distress, she found herself relaxing.

"I'm sorry Mimi." He murmured lovingly into her wet hair, rocking her back and forth against his chest as though she were a child.

"For w-what?"

"For doing this to you. If it bothers you so much I wont talk about it anymore; what ever you want, Mimi, I'll do it." Swallowing a sob that stuck in her throat, Mimi snaked her arms around him and hugged him back, feeling something in herself break and knowing it was lost irretrievably.

*****

Hikari sat against a tree, hugging herself to fend off a chill that came from within herself. Taichi, was staring into the flames, a self-satisfied smile turning up the corners of his lips. A shiver coursed through her and her fingers dug gouges in the tender flesh of her arm. What's wrong with him? Hikari asked herself, her gaze leaving Taichi and searching for his Digimon. Agumon was lying along by a rock, far from the flames and looking so vulnerable that it brought tears to her eyes.

"Hikari?" The voice was timid and shaky in a way she'd never heard before. She turned to see Gatomon in the shadows beside her tree.

"Gatomon, what's wrong?" She asked, concern lacing her voice as she released her grip on her arms to reach a hand out to touch her friend, but when she realized the distance was to great she let it fall back at her side. "What's wrong?"

Gatomon shifted her gaze from Hikari's face to the ground and absently kicked a small pebble away from her. When she looked back up, there were tears floating in her blue eyes.

"Oh Hikari!" Gatomon ran forward and threw her furry arms around Hikari's neck. "I'm sorry I haven't been much help. I don't deserve to be your friend!"

"What are you talking about? Of course you deserve to be my friend! Gatomon, what's wrong?" Gatomon sniffled and Hikari was surprised to learn that she'd been crying.

"Your brother, Hikari, I'm sorry I didn't help you, but I was scared."

"He's not my brother!" She exploded, a thought blossoming in her mind. "Why were you afraid of him? He couldn't hurt you, you're a Digimon!" Anger coiled in her stomach. She hadn't thought of it before Gatomon pointed it out, but all the time that they'd been following Taichi, no one, not since that first day; had even attempted to stand up to him. That scared her. She'd been scared before, but thinking about the submissiveness of the group, the people she had believed would protect her should her brother decide to distribute something more than blows and threats sent shivers through her that threatened to send her into convulsions.

"I don't know Hikari, I just… Something holds me back." She lowered her voice as if afraid that Taichi would here them and Hikari had to strain to hear her. "I don't think… he's human any more."

*** Chapters to Come ***

Spark of Life

Journey into Darkness

Abduction of Beauty

Face off with Flowers

The Clash of Power

A Feast of Evil

Dance of the Fearless

A Time for Friendship

Good-byes Can Last Forever