Artistic Differences

By theladyknight

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon!

A/N: There are a couple of scene changes in here, but I prepare you in advance. Thanks to everyone for all the reviews! Read, review, and enjoy this chapter!

Sapphire Dragons: Yes, definitely an impressive vocabulary. I'm glad you decided to read the fic and that you like it…thank you!

Inu-kag-4evr: Glad you like it!

Placid Snowflake: Wait till the parents get even more involved…

Ms. Unknown: Heh, there's some more suspense in this chapter…I think…

Crazyamzy: I don't think Tai would bother Mimi too much…it might be the other way around…j/k

Scorpion05: There are some new plans this chapter!

Yume-dream: I'd be afraid of what theme song Tai would come up with…

Inconnu: Yeah the Tai/Mimi marriage thing kind of shocked me too when I wrote it…oh well, works for the plot and definitely adds a little humor. As promised, the matchmakers come up with some more, um, interesting plans.

Blondie121147: There are more make out sessions in store…

Yama-sama: The earth as we know it is doomed if an army of little Tai and Mimi's came into existence…

Chapter 11: Matchmakers Part 2

-Kari's Room-

"Ladies, we have to figure out what we are going to do!" Kari exclaimed. "The ball is next week and we have yet to set Sora and Matt up. I don't want to see Sora with anyone but Matt, and I'm sure you others agree with me."

The group of females, Queen Toshiko, Nancy Ishida, Mimi, and Kari were all holding a meeting in secret, finalizing their biggest plan for getting the two together. Things were getting pretty urgent around the castle. The ball was in exactly one week and the matchmakers were running out of time.

It's not like they hadn't been trying. There was the sneak attack plan, the get-them-both-into-the-kitchen-and-lock-them-in plan, and countless others. However for some unknown reason, at least to these matchmakers, their plans never triumphed.

The queen stood up and began to pace back and forth. "What we need is a foolproof plan with absolutely no flaws."

"I agree." Mimi answered. "There has got to be something that will work! We haven't tried everything."

Nancy Ishida sat quietly on the bed. She hadn't said anything at all during the whole emergency meeting Kari had called. If only there was a natural way to get them with each other that only required us to give them a little push…"Hey! I've got it!" she exclaimed. "Before the ball, shouldn't the princess and her future husband know a thing or two about ballroom dancing?"

The Queen's face lit up. "That's perfect, Nancy! We can have everybody go through some dancing lessons and end up pairing the two up. What a great idea!"

Kari let out a sigh of relief. "Finally a plan that sounds like it'll work."

Mimi nodded. "I'll say. Now how and when are we going to put the plan into motion…"

-T.K.'s Room-

"All right, troops! It's the moment we've been waiting for. We must find a way to get Matt and Sora together before the ball!" Tai shouted.

"Who elected him the leader?" King Haruhiko whispered to Malcolm Ishida.

"I think he himself did."

The King rolled his eyes. "Oh joy."

While the women were planning dancing lessons a few rooms down the hall, the male matchmakers were working in T.K.'s room. After being excluded from the original group of matchmakers, T.K. and Tai had gone to the King and Chief Artist in a last attempt.

Both men were open to the idea and, like their wives, got a kick out of the whole thing. For the past week they too had been setting plan after plan in motion to get Matt and Sora together. Their plans had mostly consisted of food, sports, food, locking them together without food, food again…well with Tai in charge what else could be expected?

T.K. sighed. How did Tai get in charge of this? Some of his ideas have been stupid, but every now and then he's had a good one. If only he could come up with a real winner. We only have a week!

"Tai, have you come up with anything yet?" The King asked.

Tai shook his head. "I don't know what we can do. We've tried just about everything I can think of."

T.K. looked out the window, and the idea came to him. "Horseback riding. My brother absolutely loved to go riding when we were younger. We can all go and then separate off into groups. It should work fine!"

Malcolm smiled. "That does sound like a good plan."

"I concur!" Tai exclaimed. "And we'll name it plan MAPS."

"MAPS?" King Haruhiko questioned. "Pray tell what does MAPS stand for?"

Tai grinned. "Now that's the trickery of it. M stands for Matt, A for artist, P for Princess, and S for Sora! Clever, no?"

The King held a hand to his head. Has anyone taught him how an acronym works? "If you say so, Tai."

"So T.K.," Malcolm responded. "What's the plan…"

-Sora's Room-

Sora lay on her bed, hands intertwined with the blond artist next to her. She and Matt had finally completed her room and had spent the last two hours talking and kissing.

"Do you think they're up to something?" Sora whispered, enjoying the calmness and serenity surrounding the two.

Matt placed a gentle kiss on her lips. "It seems so. And it seems everyone is involved in it." He responded just as quietly, his hot breath tickling her skin.

"If mother and father are involved in this, do you think maybe our relationship would be accepted by others?"

The blond slowly kissed her again before responding, "I hope that's the way it works." We've never talked about our future before…we've been so grounded in the present. I don't want to be with anyone but you, Princess. "Your father gave me his dagger back at my birthday party and said something about it being passed on through generations to the future king."

"Father likes you a lot. He would have no problem with the two of us being together, at least I think so…" The Princess whispered in his ear as her lips traveled to his neck and she kissed his skin.

Matt let out a sigh and brought his lips down to her hand, kissing it and then trailing kisses up her arm. Sora stopped her kissing to look Matt in the eye. Slowly their lips met again and the passion between them grew faster and faster. Sora wrapped her arms around Matt and pulled him down on top of her. Matt brushed his tongue against her lips, and she gladly let it in. Deeper and deeper the kissing grew and Sora reached her hands for the buttons on Matt's shirt. Matt slowed his kisses down as the first button gave way. Softer and softer the kisses became until they suddenly ended.

Sora groaned. "Why are you stopping?"

The blond chuckled as he sat her up and gave her kiss on the forehead. "I don't want to do something we'll regret."

"I would never regret anything with you." Sora murmured, leaning over and kissing his neck.

Matt smiled. "That's not what I meant. What would happen if you ended up with child?"

"That's something we'd handle together." She answered back, emphasizing the last word. "Do you think we have a future together?" She paused, letting him answer the question, not asking the one she wanted to know, though.

"I hope there is a way for us to have a future together. I care for you more than anyone else in this world."

"And I care for you, Matt, more than you will ever imagine." Sora responded. The princess paused before speaking finally gathering her courage. "If the others allow it, are we going to be together?" Please say yes. Please Matt…

Matt opened his mouth to answer but was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Matt! Sora!" Tai's loud voice called out before he barged in.

The princess and artist both sat up quickly hoping Tai would be oblivious to Matt's slightly unbuttoned shirt. "What's up, Tai?"

"Hey guys!" Another voice shouted, revealing Kari with both groups of matchmakers following close behind.

Nancy and Malcolm walked into the room and gasped. "Matt, the room looks wonderful! What a masterpiece! This is by far the best you've ever done."

"Thanks." He replied modestly. "I had a lot of help though."

"Yes," Queen Toshiko answered, "Sora, it seems you have a some talent in this field too. I think your room is the best in the castle."

Sora gave her mother a warm smile. "Thanks, mother. But I think all the rooms look outstanding. It's them we have to thank for it all." The princess replied gesturing to Matt, T.K., and their parents.

"That we do." The king answered.

"So what brings you all here?" Matt asked curiously. Let me guess, they're plotting something again. But they don't know that we know that they know that we know that they know…what the hell am I going on about? I sound like Tai!

Why does Matt look so confused? Aw, he looks hot when he's confused…okay stupid statement, he always looks hot. I'd better ask him about that. "Yeah. Is there something we need to know about?" Sora asked.

Kari and T.K. both nodded in unison. "We have plans for this afternoon." The two looked at each other. "You have plans? No, we have plans! WHAT?"

The group of females faced the males. "What do you mean you guys have plans, we have plans!" Mimi raised her voice.

"No way, girlfriend, I mean…fiancé. We have plans for this afternoon." Tai retorted.

Matt looked at Sora. "This is getting interesting. I wonder how long it takes them to remember we're here."

"This is like a play. How funny would it be to see something like this over and over again whenever we wanted to in the future?"

"Maybe someone will invent something like that."

Sora smiled. "I'll talk to my friend Izzy about that. He's a genius. Maybe he'll take care of it."

"I do wish we had something to eat though…"

Queen Toshiko faced her husband. "Dear, we are going to have ballroom dancing lessons before the ball. I believe Sora needs to brush up her dancing skills." She trailed off, trying to signal the real reason for the lessons.

The King however was sticking intently to the male's plan. "No dear, I thought we agreed everyone would spend this afternoon in the outdoors, horseback riding."

"Horseback riding?" Nancy answered, joining their conversation. "I explicitly remember Queen Toshiko telling me we would be ballroom dancing today."

Malcolm walked over upon hearing his wife's comment. "You must have been mistaken honey, because the King told me three days ago we would be horseback riding this afternoon." He said, winking noticeably.

Tai, T.K., Kari, and Mimi too were locked in an argument.

"You couldn't come up with something better than ballroom dancing?" Tai exclaimed. "Yeah, that's how I want to spend my afternoon. T.K., would you do me the honor of dancing?" he asked in his fake feminine voice and bowing to the younger boy

"Of course, Tai." T.K. answered, and the two hooked hands and spun around in a circle. "You guys think that'll work?" T.K. bluntly responded as he and Tai stopped.

"It's better than horseback riding!" Hikari countered. "You think horseback riding is the perfect plan?"

Mimi nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah. And anyway who would want to spend all day riding stinky smelly animals that poop all over the place. Disgusting!"

Tai rolled his eyes. "Mimi, you are wrong. Horseback riding is much more sensible than ballroom dancing."

"No it's not!"

"Yes it is!"

"No!"

"Yes!" T.K. and Tai answered.

Kari and Mimi put their hands on their hips. "No!"…

"Nancy and I have been planning this for a good two and half weeks." The Queen stated victoriously.

The King shook his head. "Well Malcolm and I have been planning this for the past three weeks."

"No you haven't!"

"Yes we have!"

"No you haven't!"

"Yes!" The two women both responded…

Sora and Matt both sat on the bed, rolling with laughter. "This has got to be one of the funniest things I have ever seen. And I hang out with Tai!" Sora exclaimed, wiping tears away from her eyes.

"You said it." Matt laughed. "Do you think they have any idea how stupid they sound?"

"Probably not. I can't believe even the parents are arguing."

"Must be a hereditary trait."

Sora shook her head. "I think so. Now if we just could get the Kamiyas and Tachikawas in here too. Man, this is so hilarious."

Matt smirked at her. "Wanna get out of here?"

"Definitely." Sora responded. She looked up at the door. "We just got to find a way to sneak out of here without them noticing.

Getting down on the floor and on his knees, Matt winked up at her. "I think I just found a way."

Sora laughed. "If this works…well, I'm going to give you one heck of a reward."

Matt gave her a sly smile. "Well then, let's go!" Sora dropped to her knees, and the two began to crawl slowly toward the entrance.

"I feel like a criminal!" Sora whispered to Matt. The blond bit his lip to keep from snickering as they slowly made their way to the crowd.

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Look out, there's Tai's foot!" Sora whispered loudly as Matt just managed to avoid hitting it.

"Would have been good payback." Matt responded rolling his eyes. "Mimi's purse at eleven o'clock." Sora ducked her head down to avoid the object Mimi was dangerously swinging back and forth.

The door was in sight. Just a few more feet and we'll be there…oh no! Matt watched as his and Sora's parents moved right in front of the door. The artist looked up and was surprised to find they hadn't noticed the two on the ground. The parents were paying so much attention to their debate and miraculously had not noticed the two trying to sneak away.

Sora mouthed the word, split, to Matt as she crawled around the women and he crawled around the men. Please, please, please let us get out of here! I have one splitting headache from all this yelling. It's so obvious both sides are lying yet they seem to have forgotten Matt and I.

Matt crept around his father and the man he hoped would be his future father-in-law. Almost there, almost there. Matt reached the door at the same time his secret love did and they both quietly pushed it open and crawled out as fast as they could, lightly shutting the door behind them.

-Stables-

The two ran as fast as their legs could carry them down the stairs, out the door, and to the stables where they could be alone. "Free at last!" Sora exclaimed as they both pushed the doors open and shut them quickly. Matt picked her up and spun her around. "My God, that was so annoying! I wonder how long it'll take them to notice we're not there?" She laughed, wrapping her arms tightly around him and loving the feeling.

"The longer the better!" Matt murmured between the barrage of kisses he had begun. "Didn't you say something about a reward?"

"That I did." Sora responded kissing his lips as he pinned her up against a pile of hay. Once again the two began making out, now not caring about the consequences should things get a little more, um…intense. Sora reached for his shirt again and was halfway through taking it off when a loud noise startled her.

"Huh." They pulled apart, Matt frantically trying to put his shirt back on. Sora began laughing. "It's just a bird!" A large sparrow glared at them before ruffling its feathers and swarming the stable.

Matt chuckled at their luck. "Maybe we should go somewhere else."

"That would probably be a good idea." Sora responded walking over to her horse. "I'll ride Phoenix and you can ride Ash." She said pointing to the two horses. "Forest?" she suggested.

"Works for me." Matt responded opening the stable doors before mounting the horse…

-Sora's Room-

"No!" Mimi and Kari yelled.

Tai and T.K. both sighed. "Yes!"

"No!"

"For the millionth time," Tai began, "the answer is no!"

T.K. hit himself on the head. I should have known this was coming. Mimi and Kari smiled triumphantly. "If you say so Tai! I knew horseback riding was a stupid idea!" Mimi replied sweetly.

Tai looked confused for a moment then what he had said sunk in. "Why did I say that? Hey Matt…" he began looking over at the bed. "Hey, where'd Matt and Sora go?"

Tai's voice carried through the other argument, and everyone stopped talking. "What?" Nancy responded. "Hey, where did they go?"

"They were here just a minute ago." T.K. replied.

"Yeah." King Haruhiko answered. "There's no way they could have slipped by without us noticing."

A loud whinny came from outside. The group rushed to the window to see Matt and Sora both on horses, riding off towards the forest.

"Ha!" Tai exclaimed loudly. "I told you horseback riding would work." He stuck out his tongue. "Boys rule, girls drool."

The King, Malcolm, and T.K. all sweat dropped and stepped behind Tai. "Uh, you probably shouldn't have said that." King Haruhiko snickered.

"We're right behind you buddy." T.K. answered.

"Good luck." Malcolm added.

Tai noticed the looks on the faces of the girls and began to get scared. "Yeah, I'm going to go catch up with Matt and Sora. Talk to you guys later!" He bolted out the door.

"Let's get him!" Mimi shouted and the girls, after yelling out a battle cry, sprinted out the door as fast as they could after the bushy-haired teen.

T.K. laughed and called down the hall. "Run, Tai, run!"

Looking at the two Ishidas, the King laughed. "Come on, I don't want to miss this for the world…"

-Sora and Matt-

The princess and artist rode in a comfortable silence through the thick forest, trying to find a secluded spot they could be alone at. I have to tell her how I really feel. I can't hide it anymore. I don't care what the others say.

Seeing a small, open patch of land underneath a tree, Matt motioned for her to follow him. He helped her off her horse and they tied Phoenix and Ash up to a nearby tree. The artist took the princess's hand and led her to the spot, motioning for her to sit on his lap. "Sora, there's something I need to tell you."

"What?" she answered, wrapping her arms around him.

You can do it. Be strong. Go on, Matt, tell her…"Sora, I…look out!" He yelled as arrows began flying through the air. Matt rolled her over so he was covering her as the arrows flew around them.

Sora's heart beat quicker and quicker until the attack stopped. "What do you think it is?" she asked a little afraid.

"I don't know." Matt responded, wrapping his arms around her, not letting her stand by herself. "If someone wants to get you then they're going to have to go through me."

Sora blushed. "Matt…"

He kissed her forehead in reply. "No buts…let's get back to the castle. We'd better tell your father what we saw."

Matt and Sora slowly walked over to their horses, basically with Matt carrying the princess not wanting anything to happen to her. As they reached the clearing, the two gasped, and Matt set her down.

Lying on the ground next to their horses was a person with a small pool of blood surrounding them. The princess and artist walked hand and hand over to see who it was. Matt slowly kicked the body over to reveal a face and gasped the second he saw it…

A/N: You know the drill, review and let me know what you think!