A/N: Hey, I finally posted something new! I thought it'd be a great way to start off the New Year. My apologies for taking a long time. But now I know not to take such a long break for hiatuses because you'll lose motivation. Well I wanted to write new stories and I didn't want to leave this series hanging so I decided to finish this series.
-I don't own Digimon or anything related to it.
-Italicized words indicate character's thoughts.
-I do not mean to make fun of any group here, I respect everyone, so please don't think I have a particular negative view towards certain social groups.
-This is non-canonical of course.
-Read and Review please, thanks!
Chapter 4: Mimi
The walls were pink; the curtains were pink; the computer, the lamp, the chair…all pink. For Mimi, too much of a good thing was, well a good thing. The pompous pretty princess entered her pink abode. She looked around room feeling well content. Satisfied with her room she gave a big smile.
"I absolutely love my room! It's so wonderful." Mimi waltzed into her room and slowly sat in front her dresser mirror. She turned her head from side to side admiring her newly dyed pink hair.
"Oh mirror mirror on the wall, who's the fairest one of all?" Mimi let out a chuckle at her own statement. It was something that only Mimi could find funny.
The light from outside shone in brightly throughout Mimi's princess palace. Beeps and honk created a cacophony outside but Mimi ignored it all. She was in her own little world.
Mimi sat in front of her mirror contemplating among other things, how to look tomorrow.
"This is so difficult. What should I wear? I need something to match my beautiful pink hair!...Oh that's right," Mimi giggled at her realization.
"We wear uniforms, how could I forget." Mimi's smile quickly turned to a frown.
"We wear uniforms! Hmpf! How am I supposed to match my hair with those yucky green clothes?"
Mimi sifted through her drawers to look for any accessories to make her wardrobe better. Drawers flew open, brushes, combs, hairpins; anything not bolted down flew through the air as Mimi rummaged for what she was looking for. Finally she stopped and smiled as she found what she needed.
"Perfect."
-Matt relaxed on the bench placing his hands behind his head. Tai was next to him dribbling a soccer ball.
"Why are you still dribbling that soccer ball Tai? As far as I can see, there's no soccer net around." Matt spoke. Tai stopped dribbling and placed his right foot on top of the ball.
"You know Matt, you're just jealous of my amazing skills. Admit it, you're amazed." Tai smirked.
Matt sat up looking apologetic. "You know Tai, I am amazed…amazed that you never shutup." Matt chuckled at his joke while Tai began gritting his teeth.
"You know Tai, Matt's right." Both Tai and Matt turned their head to see Sora walking up to them. Her tennis bag was slung over her shoulder.
Matt folded his arms in agreement. "Thank you Sora."
"Oh just shutup Matt." Tai interjected.
Matt stood up quickly ready to fight Tai. Sora quickly intervened and stepped in between them keeping them a bay.
"Why do you two always have to be at each others throats? When will you two just grow up?" The two boys eased up still staring each other down. Sora sat down on the bench as she continued to speak.
"I thought you two would have settled your differences by now. It's like you two didn't learned anything from that whole Digiworld experience. I know you two have differences, but can't you just set them aside? I mean-" Sora stopped her rant as she saw that the two boys weren't paying attention to her.
"Are you two listening to me?!" Sora questioned.
The two boys answered in unison, "Mimi…" Both of their mouths were a gaped. They had a dazed-daydreaming look upon their face as they awed at Mimi.
It was as if it was the coronation of "princess" Mimi. Mimi pompously strolled towards the school. She drew attention from the bystanders. Murmurs and comments began surfacing from the gathering crowd.
Both Matt and Tai couldn't take their eyes off the spectacle. The sun's light beamed onto Mimi. To the guys, it was like the heaven's rays shined on Mimi. She seemed to gleam in the light; her hair flowing in the winds soft breeze. It was as if Mimi walked in slow motion. For Tai and Matt, it a sight to behold. Sora had her arms crossed, head tilted to the side still not being able to believe what she was seeing. Mimi strolled up to the three.
"Well? What do you think?" Mimi twirled around showing off her hair. She brushed her hands through her hair as she waited for a response. The three still looked at her, Matt and Tai awed while Sora shocked. After a brief moment of silence, Mimi frowned and placed her arms akimbo.
"Well, aren't you guys going to say anything?" Mimi questioned.
Sora was the first to speak, "Well Mimi, its…um…how do I put this?...It's different." Sora forced a smile as she continued to look at Mimi's hair.
"Different?! That's all you have to say!? What about you Tai, what do you think of my hair?"
Tai sat dumbfounded still with a glazed look. Mimi called his name again trying to get a response.
"Tai?"
"Wow Mimi….your…your. hot....Er, I mean! Your hairstyle is hot..uh I mean that it looks great and yeah, it looks really really good, and yeah is it me or is it really hot out here, and why do I keep on talking really? Heh, I mean I'm not nervous or embarrassed or something like, that because you know, people talk like this when they are…and wow, I'm rambling. Well!! Would u look at the time, gotta go!"
Tai quickly grabbed his backpack and jetted towards the school building. Mimi and Sora shook their heads in disbelief.
"You know, for a boy who has a big head, he doesn't have much in there." Sora said.
Matt nodded in agreement. "Well Mimi, if you want my opinion, I think that you look great. Considering that pink is your forte and everything."
"I know, don't I just look lovely? I thought, what better to fit me than pink?" Mimi combed through her hair with her fingers.
A school bell rang from the school building. Students began picking up their bags and started heading towards the building.
"Well princess, I think it time we head to class." Sora chimed in.
Mimi and Sora shuffled into the classroom behind several other students. As Mimi looked for a seat to sit in, students took notice of her new appearance. Sora looked uneasy, but she looked at Mimi who was unfazed; she had the same bubbly smile on her face. Both of them found a seat near the front. Soon after, three other girls sat behind them.
The teacher began writing on the chalkboard only to be interrupted by whispers and giggles behind him. He turned around to find it was the three girls behind Mimi.
"Excuse me! Girls, I do not appreciate students interrupting class my class. So you will you all please stop your talking and pay attention."
One of the girls, Paula, gave a sarcastic reply, "Oh sorry Mr. Pada. I was obviously distracted." As she finished her sentence she looked at Mimi. The girls next to her sneered at her remark. Sora turned around to say something.
"Wow Paula, what's your problem?" Before she could say something, the teacher spoke up.
"Girls! Save it for after class, now please, pay attention!"
Mimi slowly turned her head around giving Paula a deathly glare. Paula responded with a snobbish look of her own. If tension was visible, it would appear as lightning between the two girls glares.
As Mimi and Sora walked out of the class, they were met by Paula and her two friends.
"Well well, if it isn't the bubblegum fairy princess herself. Like seriously Mimi, this has to be your worse idea yet, but then again, you never did have any fashion sense." Paula's friends snickered at her comment. Sora jumped in quickly.
"Why do you have to be such a …"
"Sora. It's ok, it's obvious she's just jealous of my originality and creativeness." Mimi interrupted.
Paula let out a snide smile. "Oh Mimi, you may have your so called 'creativity', but when it comes to originality, you're just like any other bimbo out there. Sure you may have, somewhat of a cute style, but other than that, you have no substance. You're just like a primp poodle, nice to look at, but nothing more than that. You see, not only am I, of course gorgeous, but I'm just smarter than you, and more sophisticated. Looking cute is all you have Mimi, you aren't athletic or smart."
"You make it seem like you're the best Paula. Do I have to remind you that you're only #2 singles in tennis." Sora retorted.
"Number two only because I sprained by ankle last season. But this season, I'm taking your number one spot Sora. It's no contest at all. Well Mimi, I'll leave you to contemplate your future as a talent-less bimbo." Paula and her friends laughed as they began walking down the hall. Mimi clenched her fists at her side in fit of rage.
"Hmpf!!, That girl knows how to push my buttons! She's so mean! She's meaner than…than…a person who's mean! Ahh! And she thinks she's prettier than me? I'm more gorgeous, I'm just more prettier! I am! I am!" By the end of her rant, Mimi had already drawn in attention from students around her. Sora tried to ease Mimi and she took her by the arm.
"It's ok Mimi, lets just get to class."
Even by lunchtime, Mimi was still seething anger. She and Sora found a seat next to Izzy and Matt.
"Wow Mimi, your hair looks quite outstanding." Izzy complemented as she sat down. Mimi quickly replied back.
"Oh just be quiet Izzy!"
Izzy and Matt were surprised at Mimi's outburst.
"Whoa Mimi, what's wrong?"
"What's wrong? Paula! That's what's wrong. She definitely isn't cuter than me. Out of all the people, I certainly should have more fashion sense than she does. Me! Me! Me!"
Mimi pounded her fist on the table with each word. She shot up out of her seat and began elevating her voice again which garnered attention from others around the lunchroom. Sora quickly tried to calm Mimi down again. She placed her hands on Mimi's shoulders and slowly tried to guide Mimi back down into her seat.
"Okay Mimi, that's enough, you're making a scene." Sora gave out a nervous laugh as people looked on.
"Sheesh Mimi, I've always known you were vain, but don't you think you're taking this too far?" Matt chimed in. Izzy quickly made a move to cover Matt's mouth with his hand.
"Matt! Watch what you say. It may not appear to be so, but Mimi is quite capable of destructive anger. Her hurting you isn't a probability, it's a certainty!" Matt, still holding Izzy's arms at a distance, tried to say his piece.
"Oh please Izzy. Mimi knows all this worrying is foolish."
"Wow guys, I can't believe you're acting this way. Mimi has a problem, and as her friends, we should be trying to help her instead of fighting amongst each other." The two boys stopped and all three looked at Mimi who was looking down at the table deep in thought. Sora placed her hand on Mimi's shoulder.
"Mimi, are you ok?" Sora asked. To Mimi, Sora's words echoed in her ears, each successive time diminishing in sound. In fact, Sora's words never registered with Mimi, as Mimi mind was busy contemplating.
Foolish! Me? They don't know how important looks are! If I'm not the cutest, then who am I? I'd be just a simple girl with no adorning attribute. I mean, everyone knows Izzy is the smart one; Sora the caring one; Tai the big haired boy whose hair you just want to cut every time you see him! Without my looks, who am I!?
Mimi heard snapping noises near her face. As she looked around, she found that the snapping came from Matt's fingers.
"Mimi…hello? You there?" Matt continued to snap his fingers to get Mimi's attention. Mimi focused on her hands resting on the table top. She shifted her fingers as she answered.
"Can I ask you guys a question…and I want you to be honest." Her friends answered in a collective yes. "What am I like to you guys? Like…what do you think of me?"
Sora answered first, trying to formulate the right words. "Well Mimi, you're a great friend and someone who is caring and always there for her friends."
Matt followed up on Sara's response, "Yeah, and you're also fashion minded I guess. Come to think of it, you're also quite the girly girl. Maybe even vain sometimes."
"As harsh as those qualities are, I must concur with Matt on this." Izzy replied. Mimi looked around at the three faces looking back at her. Each face telling a different story.
"But…I mean I'm sure I could be more than that right?" She asked quizzically.
"Well, then you really wouldn't be the Mimi we've all come to know, you know?" Matt bluntly replied. Sora furrowed her brow and slowly turned her head towards Matt.
"Seriously Matt? I think you've been spending too much time with that big headed idiot Tai. If Mimi wants to try something, then she should."
"I guess change is inevitable. But if you think about human personality Sora, it's more or less stable and unchanging throughout the course of one's life." Izzy interjected. Matt agreed with Izzy's comment, "Yeah Sora, I was only thinking logically. How often does one change their personality? It isn't too often at all. I'm sure you'd agree with us Mimi, right?" The three looked over to an empty seat. Through the course of their converstation, they didn't notice Mimi leave. She left through the cafeteria doors towards the hallway.
Sometimes boys just make me so mad! The nerve of Matt and Izzy thinking I can't change. They think they know the real me?! Well they don't. I'm sure there's more to me than looks…right? There has to be something….Ooo, I was having such a great day until Paula ruined it. Hmpf!
An irate Mimi stormed down the hall, her steaming with emotion, only motivated to prove everyone wrong. In a small corner of her mind though, uncertainty presided. She wasn't quite sure what she was trying to prove, that if she was really being true to herself. But it was a fleeting thought as she remembered all the comments she remembered that day. For Mimi, something had to change. She was determined to prove others wrong.
That night, Mimi sat in her room frustrated. Her ostentatiously pink room was all too glaring now. Every pink thing she owned was fuel for her desire to change. She leaned on her pink desk. Out of the corner of her eye, a small glint caught her attention. Hanging there from a shelf was her digivice. She looked at it with wonder again and reached out to look at it. Holding it in her hands, she started to remember the adventures she had in the digiworld. For a moment, her frown was turned into a slight smile as she recalled those events. It didn't last long however as she remembered her crest. Suddenly, reality hit her and she started to brood again.
Crest of sincerity? What is that even supposed to mean? I mean, I'm honest aren't I? I try to be myself whenever I can. All I'm doing now is just changing who myself is… Ooo, why was I given this crest?! I don't even know who to be now.
Mimi became even more frustrated, she placed her digivice in her desk drawer, and slammed the drawer shut.
"And just stay there! I'm going to be whoever I want to be whether you like it or not!" Mimi yelled at the digivice in the drawer. To anyone else, it would be an awkward thing to berate inanimate objects, but for Mimi, it was therapeutic.
She plopped back into her seat and surveyed her room, contemplating what to change first. Her previous favorite pink curtains caught her eye first. She got up from her chair and marched over to the curtains and began to tug on it to take it off.
"Matt thinks I can't change…" She let out as she continued to pull down on the curtain.
"Well, we'll just see about that." Mimi grunted a bit as she had trouble pulling the curtain down, finally she put all her strength into it and ripped the curtain down. At first she stood stunned at her action. In her hands, she cradled the curtains she had kept for so long, a symbol of her naivety. But she only remembered her day, and she clenched the curtains in her hands, and she was back on her changing ways.
"Hmpf. Pink curtains? How could I be so childish." Mimi let out a condescending chuckle. She flung down the curtains and held her arms akimbo, figuring out what to do next.
I can't go with pink…but what other color then?
Mimi looked around, but found no solace as almost everything in her room was pink. But she looked back at her curtain-less window, out at the darkness of the night. Suddenly she was inspired.
The next week was the start of Mimi's new self. This day however, the morning wasn't greeted with a sun's warm rays, but instead was masked behind looming grey clouds.
Sora sat under a tree, her tennis bag lying next to her feet. Matt and Tai conversed next to her.
"Anyone see Mimi at all lately? I called her to hang out with us over the weekend, but no answer." Matt asked the group.
"Well Matt, it might have to do with you being mean to her. Ever think about that?" Sora replied back. Matt shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Don't even start that again Sora. I told Mimi what she needed to hear. I don't know why she feels the need to change?"
Tai interjected with his own thoughts, "You know, maybe all those chemicals she put in her hair got like, soaked into her head or something. So it made her think crazy." Both Matt and Sora gave Tai a cold disdainful stare.
"What? It's possible. And if Mimi wants to change her look a little, we'll then good for her. Just as long as she doesn't look like that emo-ish chick over there." Tai pointed over at a lone girl walking towards them. She wore a black hoodie and had jet black hair part of it covering part of her face, big dark sunglasses, and piercing in her lips and nose.
"Great job Tai, now she's coming over here." Matt let out as he avoided looking at the girl. Tai didn't get the cue as he continued with his joking ways.
"I don't know why she has to cover her self with that hoodie and sunglasses? There's no sun to melt her." Tai laughed at his own joke, but he was alone in his enjoyment, as Matt nudged him to stop.
"Hey, watch out or else she'll sink her vampire teeth into your neck." Tai joked. He imitated being a vampire as he chose Sora as his victim. "Get off me Tai!" Sora yelled as Tai got close. She shoved him off the ledge they were sitting on. Tai crashed hard onto the ground grunting out an ouch. He laid there on the ground sprawled out. But he quickly recovered and looked up at the girl he was just moments ago making fun of.
"So…" She started, "What do you think?"
The three looked at the girl with confused looks, and in unison uttered the same thing, "Mimi?" The girl finally smiled as she took off her glasses. Underneath the dark shades was indeed Mimi.
"Of course. Who else did you think I was?"
"Mimi…I know you said you were changing, but don't you think you're taking this too far?" Matt questioned.
"Mimi? Oh please, I've abandoned that girlish name. Just call me Morgan now." Mimi replied nonchalantly. The shocked looks on the groups faces continued. Tai got up quickly, still staring at Mimi.
"Are those piercing real?" Tai asked inquisitively.
"What? These?" Mimi pulled off the piercing on her lip and nose. The three winced and gasped loudly in reaction to Mimi's actions. "Haha, guys, relax, they're not real, but I think they really add to my whole new look."
"Well why'd you choose emo as your look? If you ask me, I thought you looked great with your pink hair-" Before Tai could finish, Mimi grabbed his shirt and started to berate him.
"Ofcourse you would Tai Kamiya! That's what you and everyone else thinks! We'll too bad Tai, this is who I am now, so you better like it!" Tai tried to avoid Mimi's furious rant, but couldn't as she clenched his shirt.
"Well uh, ok there Mimi, can…you let go of my shirt now? I'm not into that freaky stuff." Tai nervously let out. Mimi, enraged, pushed him, and Tai yet again met the ground, grunting out another ouch.
"It's not just enough to change my looks. I'm changing everything, including my attitude. And I don't care what anyone things, even Paula." Mimi asserted.
"Well, speak of the devil…" Matt spoke under his breath as he looked behind Mimi. Mimi cringed as from behind her, she heard a familiar yet repulsive voice.
"Oh…my…Mimi, is that you?" The voice condescendingly questioned. Mimi sighed noticeably and turned around to face Paula in the middle of her two friends.
"Well at least your outfit matches your loser personality now." Paula and her friends chuckled at Mimi's expense. Mimi began to steam with anger.
"You think you're so much better than everyone else, we'll I'm sorry, but you're not. I'm tired of your dumb comments and you know what else…" Mimi stopped for a moment as she tried to formulate what to say next. It wasn't long before she saw the tennis bag Paula was carrying. "…I bet I could beat you in tennis." She said slowly at first, but afterwards appeared confident in her statement. Paula and her friends had a smug look about their face.
"Mimi playing a sport? That'll be the day." Paula arrogantly replied.
"Oh yeah, well from what I hear from Sora, you aren't that great at all. But if you're so confident then what you so scared of?" Sora got up quickly and tried to restrain Mimi from saying more. But Mimi stood firm. Paula walked up closer to Mimi staring her down with her haughty eyes.
"You know what Mimi, I'll take that so called challenge. Oh, and you can bet I'll savor every moment of me embarrassing you on the tennis court making you look like the fool you really are." Paula said in a cold threatening tone. She turned and started to leave with her friends, but not before waving and smiling at Matt, who sat dumbfounded by the whole scene. He managed to wave back at her, but stop short as he caught Mimi's deathly glare at him. Immediately he put down his hand and looked away.
"Man, she makes Myotismon look like an innocent kitten." Tai said breaking the silence.
Sora turned back to Mimi placing her hands on her shoulders. "Mimi, what do you think you're doing? You don't know one thing about playing tennis?!"
"Well not yet, but you're going to teach me." She said in her cheerful tone. Sora looked unsurely back at Mimi. "Mimi, what are you trying to prove with this? This isn't who you are."
Mimi brushed away Sora's hands and turned around. "Well this is who I am now, not afraid of anything." She exclaimed with an air of confidence.
"So then you're not afraid of that snake next to your feet." Tai pointed out. Immediately Mimi looked down at her feet and panicked.
"Where, where?!" She let out a screech as Tai sat back laughing.
"Tai! You're not helping!" Sora yelled back at him. She turned her attention back to Mimi who stood there furious and arms folded.
"You all don't understand. This is just who I am now, and I'm sticking with it." She turned around and started to walk to the front doors. She stopped short however and turned her head to the side. "Well Sora? Are you going to help me?" She asked in a more desperate tone. She turned around and looked at Sora. Sora felt boxed in as she looked at Mimi.
"Well Mimi…I guess, so I guess we can start later."
Mimi nodded in agreement and smirked feeling confident again. She turned around and marched off.
The three watched her walk away. "Can you believe that?" Matt questioned in a pitiful tone. "Yeah I know." Tai answered him while still looking at Mimi. "She still looks cute even in that emo look." Tai continued after a brief silence. Sora and Matt sighed heavily and started to walk away from Tai.
Mimi met Sora later that day on the courts. Sora was already on the courts waiting for Mimi. When she saw her, she walked over and handed Mimi one of her racquets.
"Here you go Mimi, you can borrow this tennis racquet. It's good for a beginner." Mimi slowly took the racquet and held it in her two hands. She looked down at the racquet with a look of uncertainty.
"You okay Mimi?" Sora asked her.
"Oh, of course I am, just some mental preparation." She replied back at Sora.
"Well then I guess we'll warm up first. Um, I'll stand on this side and you stand over there on the other side and we'll just hit balls back and forth." Mimi nodded and skipped off towards the other side. When she got to the other sided, she waited for Sora to hit a ball to her. Sora lightly hit a ball bouncing short enough on the other side for Mimi to hit. Mimi prepared to hit the ball back. With a determined face, she swung hard at the ball. But she misjudged it and she ended up twirling around instead of coming in contact with the ball. When she regained her balance she looked around frantically for the ball.
"Did I hit it?!" She asked excitedly. "Um, sorry Mimi, but…um, you kinda missed it, but not by much!" Sora replied. Mimi let out a cry of frustration. Sora quickly tried to console her. "Don't worry Mimi, it's just warmup, here, I'll hit you another one."
"Fine." Mimi reluctantly replied.
Sora again hit a ball to her, perfectly in place for Mimi to hit. Mimi swung goofily at the ball but she hit it. However, the ball buried itself into the net this time. Mimi jumped up with joy,
"Yay! I hit it! How many points is that?"
"Uh well, Mimi, I'm happy that you hit it, but you don't actually get points for that, in fact, the other person would get the point." Sora tried to explain in a soft tone. Mimi's jubilant smile turned to a disappointed frown.
"But I thought you get points for getting the ball into the net?" Mimi asked.
"That's basketball. Here, you just lose the point if you hit into the net." Sora replied to her. Mimi became frustrated again. She stomped her foot on the ground and folded her arms. Sora walked to the net and again tried to calm her down.
"Can't give up now Mimi. You know what, we'll just try again. You know what they say, practice makes perfect." Mimi consoled her calmly. Her tranquil tone seemed to work as Mimi was willing to try again. But it was going to be a long practice session for the both of them.
Balls littered the court, most of them on Mimi's side. It had been a frustrating and unproductive practice as Mimi was unchanged. The two girls sat against the fence taking a break. Sora looked to her left at Mimi who looked disappointed. She wasn't the same cheerful Mimi she's always known.
"I think you did great today Mimi." Sora said to Mimi trying to comfort her.
"Oh Sora, who are we kidding, I was stinky out there. I'm just no good at this." Mimi admitted.
"I'm just trying to understand why you're going through with this Mimi?"
"Because Sora, I'm tired of being made fun of because of the things I do." Sora took Mimi's hand and cupped in between her two hands.
"Mimi, you're being too hard on yourself. You are whoever you are and you should never be ashamed of that. Mimi you're a great person. You're kind, loving and most of all you're honest and sincere. You always knew who you are. I just don't know why lately you've been trying to change such a wonderful thing?" Mimi smiled a bit amid her sniffling, she wiped a tear from her eye.
"I don't know Sora, I've just been trying to find myself I guess."
"Well Mimi, I could describe to you how I think I see you, but in the end only you can figure out who you really are. You'll just have to think hard about that. But I know you find out."
"Yea I guess." Mimi replied in a less then convinced tone.
"Come on, let's go, I think we both had enough tennis for today." Sora got up and helped Mimi to her feet. The two picked up the balls and picked up their things and left.
Mimi found herself staring at the ceiling of her room again. She reclined in her chair looking around a very different room. She had exchanged pink for black, and the most of things were black now, save for the pink walls which was still a reminder of her past self.
Find myself? Honesty? Sincerity? All this thinking just makes my head ache. Why can't it be so much easier!
Mimi got up from her chair and threw herself onto her bed, which was now covered with black sheets and pillows. She lay on her stomach and buried her face in the pillow as she let out a frustrating scream. Mimi turned and lay on her back and continued staring at the ceiling.
Maybe Sora was right. I'm just thinking too much about this. Maybe I should just be whoever I am…I think, oh I don't know…
Mimi turned her head to the side and saw an old picture of her and the other digidestines back when they were at the camp, the camp where they first entered the digiworld. Mimi picked up the picture frame and held it in front of her. She looked at the grinning faces and goofy smiles, but everyone in it looked like they were having fun.
Look at us, so goofy and innocent. We all looked so cute, including me of course. Oh, how I loved that cowgirl hat. In fact I loved those times. We didn't care what others thought, but we were always there for each other, and we were just who we were.
Mimi sat up and smiled as she continued to look at the picture. She felt more at peace and happier reminiscing. Mimi sighed heavily as she felt partly that she had let herself down.
I was so much more happier when I was just being who I really was.
She got up from her bed and sat back onto her chair and looked into her mirror. In it she saw a broken down sadden shell of a girl who she barely knew. She looked at the frame and then back at the mirror, comparing herself. She stared again at the mirror realizing how foolish she'd been. Just seeing herself in the mirror made her realize what she needed to do.
"Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's been the biggest fool of them all?" She sighed heavily again and sat back into her chair.
The day of the anticipated match finally came. Paula was already warming up on the tennis court, her friends cheering her own behind the fence on her side. Sora paced back and forth in front of Tai, Izzy and Matt sitting on the bench.
"You think she chickened out?" Tai asked breaking the nervous silence.
"No way, she's going to be here!" Sora snapped at Tai. At that moment she heard a voice coming from behind her.
"Well Sora, looks like Mimi's a no show. I'd expect that from her." Sora turned around to find Paula in all her haughtiness.
"She's going to be here Paula, make sure of it." Sora confidently replied.
"What I'm sure of is that Mimi isn't going to show up-"
"I wouldn't be so sure." A sweet familiar voice replied. All of them turned to see Mimi dressed ready to play. Sora turned back to see a disappointed Paula.
"See Paula, I told you she'd show up. And she's been practicing a lot and she's prime and ready, isn't that right Mimi?"
"No." Mimi promptly replied. Her unexpected response prompted a surprised look from her friends and smirk from Paula. "Just as I thought, too scared to face me. I'm glad you finally came to your senses." Paula said. Sora went up closer to Mimi to make sure she heard correctly. "But Mimi…" She started to say, but was stopped short by Mimi gesturing her to pause.
"It's okay Sora," Mimi said calmly. She turned her attention from Sora to Paula. "I'm not going to face you to prove who's better or not. I don't need a silly game to know. What you think shouldn't matter to me. What matters is what I think of myself. And as long as I'm true to myself, I'll always be the best I can be. I just needed a friend to make me realize that." Mimi looked at Sora and smiled. Sora touched by Mimi's gratitude smiled back, even trying to hold back a tear. Paula rolled her eyes and smirked.
"Isn't that just sweet." She said condescendingly. "But all I heard from you is that 'I'm Mimi and I'm too much of a loser to face you'." Paula let out an arrogant chuckle and strode back to her side. Mimi and friends practically ignored her and they surrounded to congratulate Mimi.
"Way to go Mimi. I must say I'm proud of you." Matt commented.
"Oh please Matt, not like you helped any. In fact none of you helped." Sora replied.
Tai inputted his thoughts, "So wait, no match? Not even one point? I came here to see grudge match!"
"Did you not just hear her moving speech? She said she wasn't going to play." Matt responded to him.
"Well…" Mimi started to say, "I wasn't going to play to prove anything, but I guess I could just try to play for fun. Wouldn't hurt to try something new?" The other's were briefly surprised by her decision, but eventually accepted it. Sora handed Mimi a tennis racquet and Mimi walked onto the court.
"Hey Paula!" She called out. "Maybe I will play a game." Paula's friends scoffed at Mimi's challenge, but Paula accepted it as she was eager to make a fool out of Mimi. Without saying a word, she grabbed a tennis ball and walked to the baseline on her side.
"Because I'm such a great person, I'll serve it soft to start out." Paula said mockingly. Mimi didn't reply. She concentrated on hitting the ball. Paula dropped the ball and served underhand, and feeling confident she dropped her tennis racquet and waited to see how Mimi would try to hit the ball. Mimi focused in on the ball. All she wanted to do was hit the ball as hard as she could. She imagined the ball being Paula's face and as soon as the ball got near enough, Mimi took a large swing, putting all her effort into the shot. She let out a grunt as her racquet made contact with the ball. Even though her tennis stroke was awkward, she managed to hit the ball with enough speed to catch Paula off guard. The ball whizzed past the net and towards Paula. She noticed that the ball was moving quick, but was too late to react. The spinning tennis ball smacked her square on the nose making her drop her racquet. She dropped to the ground, holding her painful nose. Her two friends rushed out to help her up.
Mimi stood on the end feeling some satisfaction. The others rushed out Mimi's unique victory.
"Yeah! How does that feel Paula?" Tai taunted to the other side. Sora wasn't quite happy that Paula got injured, but some part of her felt glad she did. Paula continued to hold her nose, steaming with anger.
"Mimi! Mimi! Mimi!" She shouted with anger. She walked off with her friends leaving Mimi and the others to enjoy the moment.
Mimi entered her room, noting how much darker it was. She couldn't believe that at one point she enjoyed being in such a dim room. Her first plan of action was to remove the black curtains. She walked over and without hesitation pulled down the curtains. After the curtains fell, light flooded her room, bouncing off the pink walls making the room brighter. Mimi stood there, enjoying the moment. The brightness of her smile matched the brightly lit room now.
"Much better." She said happily. Mimi looked around her room and noticed her old cowgirl hat hanging in her closet. She went over and held it in her hands. The feel of it brought back fond memories. She slowly placed it on her head, and walked in front of the mirror. Seeing a familiar joyful face, she smiled, happy to see the person she always knew, once again.