One day, the eight-year-old Mimi returned from school crying. Her mother was worried and asked her what had happened. The little girl sat next to the older woman in the living room's couch and explained:
"They made me the witch in the school play."
"Weren't you going to be the princess?" The mother asked. "You were so excited about that."
"I found out that the princess only had two lines and spent most of the play under a sleep curse. I complained about that and the other kids told me I was being ungrateful because the princess is said to be the prettiest person in the world." Mimi grumbled. "I said that I didn't want to play a boring character that barely talks; they got angry and made me the witch who cursed the princess and who is killed by the prince in the end."
The woman stayed in silence for a couple of seconds. After that, she asked:
"Why did the witch curse the princess?"
"Because she's evil!"
"Isn't there another explanation?"
"Isn't being evil enough of an explanation?"
"Evil is too subjective." The mother replied. "Many times it's an adjective used to qualify people you don't agree with. It could be the case with the witch in the play."
"How?" Mimi was intrigued.
"Maybe the princess was oppressing the people and the witch cursed her to end her tyranny." The woman theorized. "But the good witch was defeated, so the victorious monarchs made her go down in History as someone evil."
"But that would make the story sad." Mimi spoke, upset. Her mother hugged her and added:
"There are many sad stories in the world but you can't conform to that. It's important to stay true to yourself and to do what you believe to be right, even if everybody else regards you as a witch."
At that time, Mimi did not fully comprehend what her mother was saying.
Chapter 14: Rock Opera
"Sora, are you sure you don't want me to evolve and carry you?" Piyomon asked once again. They had been walking in a slow pace for ten minutes, with Knightmon in their front and Homura behind them.
"Stop worrying. I've told you already that I'm feeling great." Sora said, smiling softly.
"Piyomon has always been keen to worry about others." Palmon explained; she and her partner were walking behind Sora and the bird digimon. "Although I've never seen her as dedicated to anyone as she is to Sora."
"Of course! I love nobody more than Sora!" Piyomon stated, grabbing the older girl's right hand.
"Palmon and the others are not as clingy as Piyomon, though." Mimi commented thoughtlessly.
"I-I'm not clingy! Sora, defend me!" Piyomon said, nervously.
"Don't worry about that, Piyomon. I like you the way you are." Sora attempted to comfort her partner.
"It's nice to hear that." Mimi's voice was full of joy. "You two have come a long way since that fight with Meramon."
"Yeah…" Sora murmured, looking down. "I was really horrible back then…"
"I didn't want to upset you, Sora-san." Mimi explained, embarrassed. "Sorry, I should think more before speaking."
"Don't worry about that, Mimi-chan. I appreciate that you speak your mind." Sora comforted the other.
Takeru frowned after hearing that. He was walking in front of the girls, holding Poyomon in his arms.
"Mimi-san speaking her mind almost got you killed." The boy muttered, coldly.
The younger girl's eyes widened and became more humid.
"She couldn't have anticipated any of that." Sora had a reprehensive tone. She knew that Takeru was in a delicate emotional state but she could no longer allow him to keep acting like that. "What's important is that there were no bad consequences."
"What do you call Mimi-san letting the culprit get away?" Takeru inquired, bitterly. "Isn't that a bad consequence?"
"You call it 'being empathetic.'" Mimi replied in Sora's place. "You call it 'being merciful to someone who was afraid to die!'"
Homura giggled. Then, she said:
"That's a sweet sentiment but you can't be like that to everyone. Sooner or later, you'll run into someone who won't deserve any kindness… someone you'll have to punish."
"Is that what you do?" Mimi questioned in low voice. "How many digimon have you punished?"
Homura took a whole minute to answer:
"Certainly more that could fit in any graveyard."
Mimi stopped walking and turned around to face the adult. The others stopped as well.
"How can you say something horrible like that as if it's no big deal?" The smaller girl nearly shouted. "How many of the digimon you killed have begged for mercy?"
"I punish those who hurt others. If I don't do that, more innocents would suffer and it'd be my responsibility." Homura explained. "Just like it'll be your responsibility if that Picodevimon attacks someone else."
"He wouldn't do that." Mimi retorted. "It was just a regrettable mistake."
"Kid, don't fool yourself like that." The adult advised. "You'll only get hurt."
A beep sound came from the woman's left gauntlet. She explained that a message had arrived and she needed to check it alone. Knightmon pointed his trembling sword in her direction.
"Demon, you've run from justice for too long!" The armored digimon affirmed. "Reveal your true identity and consider yourself under arrest!"
"Oh, please." Homura sighed. "We both know that you are not able to arrest me."
"You've taken uncountable lives!" Knightmon stated. "Even among the good citizens of the Uppertown!"
"Only because the Police has failed to protect the population." Homura's tone was severe. "If I only targeted digimon from the Downtown, I'm sure I'd be regarded as a hero by your corrupt institution."
The woman took a step in his direction while holding firmly her katana on her right hand. The cop took a step back.
"What kind of digimon are you? Why are you helping the chosen children?" The monster insisted with a hesitant voice.
"I don't owe any explanation to the likes of you. But be warned: if something happens to these children in my absence, there will be a lot of blood to be cleaned from the Police station's floor." Homura threatened the police officer. Then, she spoke to the children: "Don't tell anyone anything unnecessary."
After saying that, the warrior ran to her left, entering an alley and quickly vanishing from their sights.
"What do you know about that assailant?" Knightmon inquired the chosen children and their partners.
"We have no idea who she is." Sora hurried to answer. "We've just met that digimon. She had captured a little monster that had attacked me."
Mimi blinked twice. I didn't expect Sora-san to lie so well.
"Okay, then." Knightmon sighed. "But be careful with her. She's extremely dangerous."
"She only harms bad digimon, though." Takeru pointed out. "And she helped Sora-san and the rest of us."
"That doesn't excuse her brutality." Mimi disagreed.
Takeru smirked bitterly, which irritated Mimi.
"What is it?" The younger girl asked.
"Mimi-san, it seems that you're only compassionate towards those who want to take our lives." Takeru stated.
The fourth grader was enraged by the comment and was about to protest but Sora spoke first:
"Takeru-kun, stop that! I know that you're upset but that's no way to talk to other people!"
"Why are you taking her side, Sora-san?" Takeru felt hurt.
"It's not about taking sides, Takeru." Palmon said. "Your behavior is making everybody concerned."
"Takeru, I know how you feel but-" Piyomon attempted to make the smallest child understand but the boy did not give her the chance to finish her sentence:
"You don't know how I feel!" He corrected her, coldly.
What should I do? Sora thought, apprehensively. How can I help him?
"We used to get along well, Takeru-kun." Mimi reminded the boy. "Don't you remember how you supported me when I wanted to give Meramon a chance? You used to be so generous and kind."
Takeru glanced down; Poyomon was looking up to him with a worried expression.
"Nobody can stay forever like that, Mimi-san." The boy retorted as he resumed walking. "We all need to grow up."
The others continued their walk as well, silently.
After five minutes, they noticed that they had arrived in a different part of the city. The streets were clean and the fruit trees planted in the median strips seemed to be healthy and well preserved.
They passed in front of the Coliseum, a huge stadium like building that had a line of digimon at its main entrance, above which there was a placard saying "Music Festival Subscriptions".
The City Hall was located right next to the Coliseum. The white building was a four floors mansion surrounded by a beautiful garden full of colorful flowers. A couple of benches were placed among the exuberant vegetation. The children and the digimon crossed the gate connected to a high metallic fence and quickly crossed the garden. After entering the building, there was no time for them to admire the refined chandelier that illuminated the entrance hall, nor the paintings decorating the walls or the expensive-looking furniture. Knightmon urged them to climb the stairs and enter the first room on the right.
Waiting for them, sitting behind a table covered with papers, in front of a balcony, there was a monster that resembled a giant red frog. The digimon stood up and walked around the table in order to take a closer look at the children. He told Knightmon that he was dismissed and smiled at the kids once they were left alone.
"Good morning. I'm Tonosamageckomon, elected Mayor of Aurora Town." The monster introduced himself. "I recognize a Piyomon, a Palmon and a Poyomon…" He frowned after saying the last name.
"I'm Takenouchi Sora."
"I am Tachikawa Mimi, nice to meet you."
"… Takaishi Takeru…"
"I have to say that I was distressed when I heard that the chosen children had returned to this town." The Mayor admitted. "But I was informed that, not only you were different people from the ones from back then, but also that one of you stopped the Demon from killing a digimon. That was one of the most surprising things I've heard in my entire life."
"Picodevimon attacked Sora-san." Takeru informed him.
"That's what makes that showing of mercy even more splendid!" Tonosamageckomon continued. "A chosen child being merciful to someone who attacked her group! That is such a strong message of hope and acceptance! It's exactly what this city needs!"
"The digimon we've met were afraid of humans. Why?" Palmon asked.
"You don't know?" The Mayor was surprised. "You haven't heard about what happened in this town at the end of the war between the Sanctuary and the Academy?"
"What happened?" Mimi wanted to understand.
Tonosamageckomon took a deep breath and indicated a red sofa next to the left wall of his office. Once the children and their partners had sat on it, the Mayor pulled the armchair from behind his table and put it across from the kids, before sitting on it. Then, he narrated:
"Aurora Town is the oldest city that exists. According to the tradition, the Spirit of the World emerged from where today is Raven's Canyon and created the Digital World. The first digimon were born here and they grew to worship Fate. The Town became bigger as digimon from all around the world started to gather here, believing they would be in touch with the Creator. The Uppertown, the closest place to Raven's Canyon, soon became disputed territory. As the time passed, only the richest could live in that place and it developed into a big cultural and economic center. Those who could not afford to make a living in the Uppertown migrated to its surrounding area: the Downtown. For many centuries, the population from the Downtown was not even acknowledged by the inhabitants of the Uppertown. They didn't have citizenship; they were forbidden to demand things from the City Hall and, after some time, restrictions were imposed to them… the politicians wanted to stop the poor from invading the spaces of the privileged. When Seraphimon came, he continued the segregation policy; according to him, Raven's Canyon was a sacred place that had to be protected from impure digimon… with all the means he judged necessary…"
Tonosamageckomon gulped and his hands trembled a little. Mimi assumed that he had remembered something painful.
"Anyway…" The Mayor continued. "When Seraphimon was defeated by the Queen, she came to this city and radically changed the laws of this place. She established that every inhabitant of Aurora Town, including the ones from the Downtown, was a citizen and had the same rights. The Queen created policies to guarantee that the poor population would have access to the best education and jobs that had been denied to them for so long. She abolished the segregation laws and, suddenly, the folk from the Uppertown had to accept that those they had always seen as inferior digimon were now their equals. You can imagine that the privileged didn't like that. That's what motivated the richest digimon to finance the Academy. And it was the Academy that brought the first chosen children to this world."
The Queen helped the poor population? Takeru was astonished. But that can't be right… she was evil!
"Even when it was evident that the Sanctuary was going to fall, the inhabitants of the Downtown wouldn't abandon the Queen… and they refused to surrender even after her defeat. The chosen children were called here to end the resistance." The Mayor continued.
"Don't tell me… they defeated the folk from the Downtown?" Mimi asked, afraid of the answer.
"Defeated is a kind word…" Tonosamageckomon spoke with sadness. "The night the chosen children attacked… 98% of the population of the Downtown perished."
"It can't be…" Sora was shocked.
Mimi paled, remembering what Tamaki had told them. This is what he was talking about. This is why he's filled with regret and sadness. Then even Tamaki-san… even the holder of purity has done something this awful…
Takeru was even more disturbed. 98%? That number is too high! They couldn't all be villains, could they?
"Those who survived had most of their rights revoked, except the right to vote… you see, they weren't the majority anymore." Tonosamageckomon had a sorrowful voice. "Slowly, new digimon have migrated to the Downtown. Nobody knows how many of them had been there before. The population grew in a slow pace and the memory of that night never faded, no matter how much the Academy and the Uppertown inhabitants tried to paint that massacre as a fair act from the 'saviors of the world.' My folk remembered and resisted until they put one of them in the City Hall."
"Does this mean that you were a supporter of the Queen?" Takeru asked. To the surprise of the girls, he sounded very calm.
"I'm not going to say that she was perfect… she made many mistakes, everybody does. But she was defeated because of the things that she did right. Despite the wishes of the victors, many digimon know the truth." Tonosamageckomon replied.
"Isn't that just your interpretation?" Takeru questioned, anxiously. "The Queen could've been vicious and you all got her motives wrong."
"You really can't accept it, can you?" Mimi asked Takeru. "You can't accept that Devimon was loyal to a Queen who helped many digimon."
Of course Takeru could not accept that. If Devimon had worked for someone righteous that would mean that he possibly was not the complete psychopath the child thought he was. But that could not be right! Devimon had corrupted innocent digimon and made them unable to be reborn. He had attacked a village full of babies, killed Elecmon and nearly murdered the other children. Patamon evolved and sacrificed himself to protect everybody else from the evil Devimon! That Queen killed her own brother! She was the boss of Devimon and Ladydevimon! Because of her, the Digital World and the Human World are in danger! What am I doing? I can't begin to have doubts now! She was as evil as Devimon! I can't deny that, otherwise it would be disrespectful to Angemon.
"Why did you bring us here?" Sora asked the Mayor.
"I want the chosen child who saved the Picodevimon to open the music festival." Tonosamageckomon answered.
"EH?!" All the others were startled to hear that.
"W-what do you want me to do exactly?" Mimi got nervous.
"Let me explain." The Mayor sounded excited. "This afternoon, we'll have the return of the music festival, a tradition from the time of the Queen. It will be transmitted to the entire town! This city has been divided for too long, and lately there has been an increase in the violence. If you talk to the citizens, Mimi, they'll see that they don't have to be bound by the past anymore. You can give them courage and hope to move on. You can bring everybody together!"
Mimi stared at Tonosamageckomon, perplexed. Is he serious? He wants me to talk to the citizens of this town and somehow encourage them? He wants me to say something inspiring that will bring them together? Something that will make them put behind I don't even know how many years of hatred?
"Excuse me, Mayor," Sora spoke, serenely, "I'm sorry for saying this but I don't think we can help you. We are on a mission to find the giant cactus and it's kind of urgent-"
"You're after the giant cactus? The one with a huge flower at its top?" Tonosamageckomon sounded amused. "But that's perfect! The cactus is in the middle of the Coliseum! That's where the music festival will occur!"
"S-seriously?" Sora was in disbelief.
"That's an incredible coincidence!" Palmon exclaimed.
"Coincidences don't exist." An elderly female voice came from the other side of the closed wooden door of the office. "Everything that happens in our lives is part of Fate's plans."
The door was opened and a digimon who looked like a short old lady entered the room, slowly, using a wooden cane for support. Her skin was pale and her gray hair covered her eyes. She wore a green dress with long sleeves and a large pink collar. Piyomon and Palmon looked at her with great interest.
"Tonosamageckomon, I've come to let you know that the arrangements for your speech are ready." She said in a weak voice, turning to the children right after that. "Who are the visitors?"
"I should introduce you. This is Babamon, the vice-Mayor and the sweetest and most supportive digimon I've ever met. Those are the new chosen children. The one with the big pink hat saved a Picodevimon from the Demon and will make the speech in my place." The Mayor said. Babamon's lips trembled for a fraction of a second before she showed the newcomers a bright smile.
"If this young lady is going to be part of the festival, she should sing, don't you think?" Babamon opinionated. "A speech so important is more suited for you, sir, than for a little girl."
Sora disapproved the condescending tone she heard in Babamon's voice but did not say anything about it. Mimi, on the other hand, seemed to be relieved.
"I do like to sing!" The fourth grader spoke cheerfully. "That's something I'm sure I can do!"
"Mimi…" Palmon muttered. Is she doubting her own capability? Haven't I told her already about how strong she is?
"Very well." Tonosamageckomon sounded resigned. "I'll open the festival with the speech and Mimi will sing right after."
"Then we should get ready. Please, follow me." Babamon said, walking towards the door. Mimi and Palmon followed her. Sora and Piyomon were about to do the same but noticed that Takeru did not move from the couch. Poyomon was sitting next to him.
"Takeru-kun, how about we go to the garden and talk?" Sora suggested.
"I don't feel like doing that." Takeru murmured, grabbing Poyomon. "I also don't want to go to help Mimi-san with her presentation."
Sora felt anxious. Do something! Tell him something that will make him feel better! But what can I do?
"Come on, Takeru." Piyomon insisted. "Come with us! It's going to be fun!"
"Mayor!" Takeru called in loud voice. "Is the festival starting any time soon? I could go to the Coliseum already."
"Takeru-kun, I'm not going to let you go there alone!" Sora stated.
"It's okay, Sora-san. I understand that you prefer to be with Mimi-san." Takeru whispered, standing up.
"Babamon should go to our booth in less than 30 minutes, I believe." The Mayor told Takeru. "You could wait for her in the entrance hall."
"Thank you." Takeru said, heading to the door. Sora and Piyomon followed him until the entrance hall, downstairs.
"Takeru-kun!" The girl called him. The boy kept his eyes fixed at the garden beyond the double doors of the entrance hall.
"Sora-san, I've already told you-"
"I know that kind of anger." The girl affirmed. "That righteous feeling that takes you over… that makes you so combative. I might never have suffered the same kind of loss you have but I recognize that anger. And I know that it's just to mask how sad you are."
Sora did not plan to say any of that. The words simply found their way out, as if they were sentient beings reclaiming their freedom. For how long have them been suppressed? At that moment, the fifth grader knew that she would not be able to stop those words.
"It's a crushing sadness so unbearable that makes you want to run away… but you can't. Then you try to disguise it… you try to convince yourself that you're just angry because that feels like you have some control… it feels less like you're being dragged down. But you still are falling into the darkness."
"Sora, what are you…?" Piyomon felt anguished. What is she saying? All this time… has Sora felt like this all this time?
"Sora-san…" Takeru had a pleading tone. "I just want to be alone for now."
"But you're suffering, Takeru-kun, I can't leave you-"
"WHY DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?!" The second grader cried, closing his eyes fiercely. When the girl did not say anything else for almost a minute, the boy opened his eyes again and looked in her direction. In Sora's wide open eyes, a couple of tears formed.
"I'm sorry, Takeru-kun." She murmured, turning around and starting to climb the stairs. "I never intended to hurt you further."
The girl passed by her partner's side without glancing at her, on her way upstairs. The bird digimon could see the heartbroken expression on Sora's face. Then, the monster glared at Takeru.
"You're not alone." Piyomon had a scolding tone. "Poyomon is right there with you. How about you stop acting as if you had lost him forever?"
The youngest child observed the digimon follow her friend to the top of the stairs and disappear from his sight.
"Sora!" Piyomon called the girl walking in her front.
"Maybe it's better to leave Takeru-kun alone." Sora said. "Maybe it was wrong of me to think that I could-"
"What are you hiding from me?" Piyomon demanded to know. "Those things you told Takeru… do you have that kind of sadness in you, Sora?"
The girl stopped walking but did not turn around. The bird digimon stared at her friend's back.
"Why don't you tell me what's wrong, Sora? Why don't you let me get close to you?"
"I'm not sad at all, Piyomon." Sora tried to sound happy. "I was just trying to help Takeru-kun, don't over think about what I said."
She's lying to me. The digimon thought. What do I have to do to make Sora trust me? How can I protect her when she keeps me away?
The nightmare she had in the underground temple resurfaced in her mind. The digimon trembled, remembering the visions she had about the human girl being swallowed by endless darkness.
"Let's help Mimi-chan with her presentation!" Sora spoke, suddenly. "She must've entered one of the doors in this corridor."
Piyomon did not reply. She followed the fifth grader, in silence.
Downstairs, Takeru looked down and met Poyomon's eyes.
What did I do? The boy was lost in thoughts. Why did I yell at Sora-san? She was just trying to help! Everybody is concerned about me… why am I doing this? I don't feel like myself anymore!
"Did I scare you, Poyomon?" The boy questioned as his sight became blurry with tears. "I did, didn't I? I'm scaring everyone… especially myself… I'm sorry. I-I don't know how to deal with this…"
Takeru kneeled on the floor and put Poyomon on his lap. The kid closed his eyes once again but that did not stop the tears from falling. His trembling hands could barely hold his partner.
"It hurts so much… I know that you're here with me and that you're safe now… but still… I'm sorry for being such a cry baby. I don't know what to do... I don't know what to do…"
The child felt his lap get warm and opened his eyes. White light had enveloped his friend. When it ceased, Tokomon was staring at him with tearful eyes.
"Don't cry, Takeru." The small creature pleaded. "Don't you know that I cry when I see you like that?"
"You remember me…" Takeru tried to smile and cry at the same time.
"I would never forget my best friend." Tokomon affirmed. The boy hugged his friend with all his might and love. After that, he rushed upstairs, calling for Sora and Mimi. The fifth grader opened the door at the end of the corridor and Takeru ran into a huge changing room filled with diverse clothes, shoes, wigs, hats and other accessories.
"TOKOMON IS BACK!" Takeru announced. "AND HE REMEMBERS ME!"
"That's great, Takeru-kun!" Sora exclaimed, deeply happy.
Mimi, who was carrying five different dresses at the same time, let the clothes fall on the floor and ran to where Takeru, Sora, Piyomon and Tokomon were. Palmon, who had been by the side of the girl, did the same.
"I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU, TAKERU-KUN!" Mimi shouted as small tears accumulated in her eyes.
"Thank you!" Takeru felt that he could explode with happiness. "Mimi-san, Sora-san… I'm sorry for-"
"It's okay!" Mimi hurried to say, beaming.
"You forgive others too easily, Mimi-san." Takeru commented.
Sora wiped a few tears from her eyes as she watched the other two kids. Piyomon was relieved to see her partner smiling genuinely.
"It's good to see you getting along again!" Sora said. "I know that both of you feel strongly about things. There's nothing wrong with it as long as you respect each other… it's important to try to understand other people…"
"Why don't you understand?" Sora remembered the question she had made to her mother long ago. The same question Takeru had made her a little earlier.
"Is there something wrong?" Piyomon asked, noticing the girl's sudden upset face.
"What? No! Nothing at all!" Sora put a smile on her lips and looked away from the others. Her glance landed on a big oil painting on the left wall. "What's that?" She asked.
"Beautiful…" Mimi said, blushing. The painting showed a woman in red. The upper part of her head resembled a rose.
"That's Rosemon, an ultimate level plant digimon." Palmon explained.
"An ultimate… that's stronger than perfect level, right?" Takeru asked.
"Yes." Piyomon confirmed. "But I wonder why there's a painting of a Rosemon here."
"That's because I'm nostalgic." Babamon told them, coming in their direction carrying what resembled folded white fabric. "I like to admire how I was in my best years."
"You used to be that Rosemon?" Mimi was surprised.
"Does that mean that you are post-ultimate level? Is that a thing?" Sora was curious.
"I'm still an ultimate." Babamon clarified. "Sometimes digimon change when they become really old, without having to go to a superior level."
"How old are you, Babamon?" Takeru asked.
"Young boy, you shouldn't ask that kind of question of women, you know?" Babamon laughed.
"Why not?" Mimi was puzzled.
"What?" The older female digimon did not understand. "Isn't it obvious? After a certain age, women should keep quiet about-"
"But why?" Mimi insisted. "Is there something shameful about getting old? My Mom always says that the older you get, the wiser you become!"
"My Mom says something like that too." Takeru added.
Sora had the impression that Babamon seemed irritated. The older digimon gave Mimi the folded fabric she had been carrying. The younger girl unfolded it and realized it was a long dress with sleeves that could cover her whole arms.
"W-what is this plain looking thing?" Mimi questioned.
"That's what you're going to wear in the festival." Babamon explained with a smile. "A modest dress to highlight-"
"WHAT?" Mimi was not happy. "I don't want to wear this ugly thing! There are so many cute clothes in here!"
"Come on, Mimi-chan, your outfit is not what matters." Sora tried to calm the other down.
"IT MATTERS TO ME!" Mimi stated, startling Sora. "I only wear what I like! I don't want to put on this thing!"
Babamon approached Mimi and caressed the girl's face with her right hand, while sustaining her weight on her cane with the left one.
"You are so beautiful." The digimon said. "It's disgraceful to see the owner of this beauty acting like some spoiled brat."
"Hey!" Palmon did not like what Babamon had said but the older digimon continued:
"I was once a really ugly Palmon but when I became beautiful I made an effort to be worthy of that. I was humble, gracious, polite. I never raised my tone of voice to anyone. I behaved the way it was expected of me, like a lady, and that granted me many wonderful results."
Mimi grabbed Babamon's hand and took it off of her face.
"Did you enjoy yourself by being like that?" The girl asked, seriously. "Or were you just trying to please others?"
"You…" Babamon's lips trembled but she quickly put a smile on her face. "Do you only do things that you like? You need to grow up, kid, and pay respect to what you should become."
"Mimi-chan is fine the way she is." Sora intervened. She could not stand Babamon's line of thought.
"That's right!" Palmon agreed, vehemently. "Mimi is already super cool and strong!"
"She saved us all from a bad digimon once." Takeru recalled. "Mimi-san is brave and kind."
"Thank you, Sora-san, Palmon, Takeru-kun." Mimi was touched by their solidarity.
"It seems that my good intentions are not welcomed." Babamon commented. "Very well, do as you like. In the end, it won't matter, anyway."
"What do you mean by that?" Takeru found the other's words suspicious.
"What? Me?" Babamon giggled, turning her back to the children and walking away. "Nothing at all. Pay no attention to the words of an old lady like me."
After Babamon left the changing room, Mimi said that she wanted to take some fresh air.
"Mimi-san, where are you going?" Takeru asked. "You still need to decide what song you'll sing!"
"We can help you to pick another outfit as well, Mimi-chan." Sora suggested.
"Thanks. I'll be right back." Mimi muttered, leaving the changing room. Palmon followed her.
Mimi went to the garden and sat on a bench facing the Coliseum, about 100 meters away. Unlike the benches in the square, that mobile was clean and well-preserved. It was green painted and had drawings of small flowers decorating it. The bench was large enough for her and Palmon to sit side by side. The scent of the flowers planted around was sweet.
"Mimi, are you upset?" Palmon asked.
The girl took a deep breath. Then, she replied:
"People always praise my looks and beauty but it doesn't feel like they're actually praising me. When they say that, they usually expect something in return… like I should pay them back for having my beauty acknowledged. It's usually a way to make me do what they want. Hardly anyone praises me for speaking what comes to my mind… what people usually tell me is 'you should be quieter; you should be nicer; you should be sweeter'… it's like, for them, what really matters is how I'm seen by others. Just like that Numemon, I've had to deal with other people demanding me to be pleasant my entire life!"
"I'm sorry to hear that, Mimi." Palmon had a sad voice. "I didn't know you resented-"
"I don't resent a thing!" Mimi stated in an upbeat tone that caught the digimon by surprise. "My Mom always says that, when you're born a woman, society will do anything to tear your confidence apart. That's why I decided that I would never let anyone try to mold me!"
Palmon smiled, sadly.
"Mimi, even though you say this, you still don't completely believe in your own words, do you?"
"You noticed that?" The girl gulped.
"I've seen you worried about how the others see you, especially Sora and Jyou. And I have seen you hesitate many times, like when Tonosamageckomon asked you to make the speech."
Mimi frowned.
"I'm… kind of a hypocrite, aren't I?" She lamented. "I might give the impression that I'm super confident when I'm angry but it's not really like that. I want to believe in myself but I can't shake the feeling that I'm not all that capable. When the stakes are too high, I get frightened… I doubt myself… I hate this so much!"
"It's normal to be frightened and to doubt yourself. Especially considering how much you've been through." Palmon attempted to make the other feel better.
"Say, Palmon…" Mimi hesitated. "Do you think I was naive for not letting Picodevimon die?"
The digimon stayed quiet for a few seconds before replying.
"You're kindhearted. I've known that for a while. I think it's an admirable trait but it makes me concerned."
"Concerned?"
"Mimi, do you understand why you and the others were brought to this world?" Palmon had a grave tone. "Do you understand why we were waiting for you?"
Mimi did not reply, so Palmon continued:
"We knew, since we were born, that we would have human partners and that those partners would give us power. We were born to fight."
"That's horrible."
"No, it's not. It's our reason to live. You could call it our destiny. We were waiting for you to give us the power to fight for this world."
"Does that mean that I'll have to kill digimon?" Mimi asked, looking down. "Don't I have a choice?"
"Mimi, I'm very sorry about this." Palmon said, giving her a guilty glance. "I don't believe that you can avoid it."
"I don't want to take anyone's life."
"Even if it's someone like Devimon?"
Mimi remembered how she felt when the diabolical digimon was dying. She remembered thinking that he must have been in pain and that he looked sad. The girl knew that he had done terrible things and that he was going to kill everybody, including her. She knew that Takeru had lost his partner and his innocence because of that digimon. Yet, despite all of that rationalization, Mimi still felt sorry for Devimon. However, she did not think she could ever admit that. Despite desiring to be always true to herself, she was scared about what the others would think of her if they knew that she felt sorry for that monster.
Palmon and Mimi heard a commotion and noticed it was coming from the Coliseum. The girl wanted to take a look at what was happening and Palmon agreed in taking her there, as long as the fourth grader stayed by her side.
When they approached the line at the stadium's entrance, a few digimon murmured among themselves. However, the yells of a digimon who was being attended inside the Coliseum and resembled an orange monkey wearing sunglasses were a lot louder.
"Etemon-sama, please, calm down!" A little gray digimon pleaded with the monkey.
"DON'T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN, YOU FOOL!" The monkey digimon replied. "I HAVE BEEN OFFENDED! MY ARTISTIC SOUL IS TOO WILD TO BE CONTAINED BY THE TYRANICAL RULES SET AGAINST ME!"
"You're required to pay the three dollars fee to enter the festival, like everybody else." A black digimon who looked like a chess pawn (who was taking the subscriptions behind a table) said, annoyed. Etemon was yelling at his face.
"THIS IS AN ABSUUUUUUUUURD!" Etemon roared. "WHAT HAVE WE BECOME? TO HAVE TO SELL OUR TALENTS LIKE MERE THINGS! HOW FAR ARE WE FROM SELLING OUR VERY SOULS?!"
"That's so deep, Etemon-sama!" The little gray digimon had tears in his eyes.
"OF COURSE IT'S DEEP, YOU FOOLISH GAZIMON! DON'T YOU KNOW THAT I'M A GENIUS?" Etemon stated, proudly.
"Excuse me." Mimi said, approaching the subscription table as she searched for something in her bag. She took some money out. "I have some yen, I don't know how to convert them to dollars but… would this be enough to pay for his fee?"
The attendant stretched his hand in her direction, saying "anything to make this guy shut up."
Etemon and Gazimon stared at the girl, incredulously. The other digimon in the line seemed to be surprised as well.
"YOU LISTEN TO ME, YOU BRAT!" Etemon shouted, pointing to Mimi in a dramatic way. "I'M GOING TO TREAT YOU TO SOMETHING NICE TO SHOW YOU MY GRATITUDE!"
He yells even to show his gratitude, Palmon thought, astonished.
After finishing his subscription, Etemon led the human girl, Gazimon and Palmon to the street in front of the Coliseum. In a median strip, there was an apple tree filled with fruits. Gazimon climbed the tree and threw some of the apples to his boss.
"When you promised us a treat I expected something else." The girl sounded disappointed.
"He didn't have money for the fee; we should've anticipated that he wouldn't have money for the food." Palmon sighed.
"Don't be ungrateful, you brats! These are the sweetest apples in the whole town, don't you know?" Etemon complained, stuffing his mouth with two apples at the same time, while sitting on the tree's shade. Gazimon came down and sat by his side. The monkey continued:
"And here I thought you were a good chosen child!"
Mimi frowned.
"I'm sorry for what the first chosen children did." She had an apologetic tone.
"You really are weird." Etemon commented. "Why did you save that Picodevimon?"
"He was scared." She replied, simply.
"But you lot killed Devimon, isn't that right?" Etemon had a serious tone.
Mimi remained silent.
"There was no other choice." Palmon answered in her place.
"Devimon and I were raised like brothers. Mama loved him in spite of everything he did." Etemon stated, getting up from the shade of the tree and taking two steps towards the girl. "I guess that means we're enemies."
"Why?" Mimi questioned, frustrated. "Why do we have to be enemies?"
"Mimi…" Palmon muttered.
"I don't think you're evil, Etemon. Nor Homura-san nor Tamaki-san… not even Ladydevimon or the Queen." The girl was trembling and started to cry. "Isn't all this just a matter of different points of views? Isn't there another way to solve this situation that doesn't involve hurting one another?"
"I wish everybody could think like that." Etemon told her. "Wouldn't life be great if everybody could solve their problems just by talking? Unfortunately, that's not how reality is. In the end, if you guys become a hindrance to my family, I will have to fight you."
Etemon and Gazimon headed back to the Coliseum. Mimi wiped her tears with the back of her right hand. Palmon did not know what to tell her.
"I hate this!" The girl stated. "Why does everybody keep dismissing a peaceful resolution? If only they were willing to listen…"
"They can listen, Mimi." Palmon said, making the girl turn her head in the plant digimon's direction. "Did you forget? Today, you'll be heard by the entire city."
"Palmon…" Mimi was confused. "But you said-"
"I still think that, one day, you'll find yourself in a situation where you'll have no other choice than to fight." The digimon clarified. "But it doesn't have to be today, right? If there's something you think you can do, then you should do it."
"Thank you, Palmon." Mimi smiled brightly.
"I think the Mayor would let you deliver the opening speech. If you want to do that."
"I want to do that." Mimi admitted. "I don't want to let fear stop me when I have something important to say."
The two of them went back to the City Hall.
Someone had been hidden among the upper branches of the apple tree the whole time. Picodevimon observed the human who had saved his life with concern. He had been informed about the rest of the plan by Vamdemon and had gone to the City Hall to talk to his master's accomplice in there. But the plan had been devised considering that the Mayor would be the one to speak first.
That girl… why did she have to mess everything up? Maybe if I speak to Vamdemon-sama… but I doubt he would try to stop the plan now. He'd probably be happy if that human…
The girl's voice echoed in his mind. It was thanks to her… I'm only alive now because of her!
Picodevimon had an idea. He flew to the Coliseum and looked for Etemon there. The bat digimon found him in a corridor, talking to Gazimon about how great his new song was. Picodevimon was hidden in the corner of a corridor that crossed the one where Etemon was. The small monster flapped his wings in a specific rhythm and invoked a group of bats, who formed a circle. Vamdemon was visible at the other side of it.
"VAMDEMON-SAMA!" Picodevimon made sure to speak loudly enough. "It's an emergency! Your plan to blow up the stage during the Mayor's speech has been compromised!"
"What are you talking about?" Vamdemon asked.
"One of the chosen children, a girl with brown hair and pink hat, is going to make the speech in his place! The clock bomb you prepared will kill her instead of Tonosamageckomon!"
"The death of a chosen child is still beneficial to me." Vamdemon retorted.
"But Master, what about the agreement you made with the digimon in this town? The condition for you to get new recruits for your army is the death of the Mayor! If she learns about this change-"
"She doesn't have to know anything!" His master had a wicked smile. "My army is already big enough, I can afford losing this town. What I can't do is lose the opportunity of getting rid of another chosen child!"
"Actually…" Picodevimon sounded nervous. "I was informed that the child I attacked miraculously survived. I-I swear that's not my fault!"
"You incompetent!" The other roared. "You better pray for many deaths in that group of children today if you don't want me to-"
"There will be many deaths, Master! I swear! Please, don't punish me!" Picodevimon begged.
"Don't disappoint me!" Vamdemon hissed. The bats dispersed and the small digimon flew away. I hope that was enough, he thought.
Etemon and Gazimon had heard everything.
"Was Vam-chan trying to kill the Mayor?!" Etemon was alarmed. "And now he'll let the girl who got me into the festival die? We need to warn everybody!"
"Are you sure about that, Etemon-sama?" Gazimon was worried. "The chosen children are your enemies, right?"
Etemon frowned.
"That's true. They were brought to this world to oppose Mama." The perfect level digimon talked in a serious tone. "But if a chosen child dies in the festival, I'm sure a calamity would fall upon Aurora Town once again. Besides, that girl… it'd be a shame if someone with that mentality died."
"Does that mean you're going to save her? That's very noble of you." Gazimon said. "We don't know how many are involved in this conspiracy, if we warned the wrong digimon it would be pointless."
"Then, we must wait until the child arrives." Etemon concluded. "And it's going to be a lot cooler that way!"
Mimi and Palmon decided to go back to the changing room inside the City Hall. There, she found Sora, Piyomon and Takeru debating about two dresses. Each child was holding one. Tokomon was on a fluffy chair close to them and Piyomon was between the kids.
"Sora made a good case for the red sleeveless dress." Piyomon said, in a very serious tone. "But I have to agree with Takeru: the glittered light pink dress is more like Mimi."
"What are you guys doing?" The fourth grader asked, getting closer to them. Palmon followed her.
"We…" Sora was visibly embarrassed. "You seemed upset, so we thought that if we selected some clothes you might like, you'd feel better… maybe…"
Mimi headed to Sora and asked to take a look at the dress she had selected. It was sleeveless, had a cute bow on the waist, had two straps on the shoulders and its bouffant skirt covered its user's knees. Mimi was amazed that something could be so simple and so elegant at the same time.
"Sora-san, you have excellent taste for clothes! This dress is gorgeous!" Mimi's voice was overwhelmed with admiration.
The other girl blushed intensely.
"I-It's no big deal!" Sora stuttered. "I don't actually understand about fashion… i-it's not my thing. I'm more of a sports person."
"Don't be silly, Sora-san." Mimi reprehended the other in a joking tone. "How liking sports would stop you from having good taste? Being good at both things only makes you even more incredible!"
Sora was left speechless. Mimi-chan is so kind.
"I need to work on my speech now and have very little time to do it!" Mimi spoke with urgency.
"Speech? Weren't you going to sing?" Takeru did not understand.
"I changed my mind." Mimi replied, grinning. "I bet the Mayor is going to love the surprise!"
The time for the festival came. The Coliseum was filled with monsters. Tonosamageckomon, Sora, Takeru, Piyomon and Tokomon went to the Mayor's booth, at the highest floor, where Babamon was already sat on a comfortable chair, drinking Champaign. She looked at the Mayor in shock and became visibly agitated, even trying to leave her seat, but the red frog digimon convinced her to stay. At the other side of the grass field, opposite to where the children and their digimon were, a huge stage had been built. It had two iron towers decorated with red balloons at each side and a heavy metallic bar above it, where a line of stadium lights was. In the middle of the field there was the giant cactus that had a pink flower at its top. Around the field, there were eight plasma screens transmitting everything that happened in the area. Reporters and TV cameras were visible everywhere in the Coliseum.
"Etemon-sama!" Gazimon called his boss, getting into the convenience store inside the Coliseum where Etemon had been hiding. "I've seen the girl entering the field!"
"Great! Let's go!" Etemon urged.
The two of them rushed to the corridor that led to the entrance to the field.
Mimi and Palmon climbed the steps that led to the stage; the human was holding a microphone. The girl could see her image in the screens around the field and felt nervous.
"You can do it, Mimi." Palmon encouraged the girl in the red dress, wearing no hat. The fourth grader smiled at her and began her speech.
"I don't know a lot about this city. To be honest, until a few days ago I didn't even know about the existence of digimon." Mimi had a serene tone. "I know that you've suffered a lot in the hands of human beings and digimon. I know that there's a lot of hatred among you and that you think you're beyond the reach of words. But when you refuse to listen to one another, the only possible outcome is brutality. Haven't you suffered enough already? Isn't it time to look for better solutions?"
"GET OFF THE STAGE!" Etemon yelled, running through the grass field and jumping to where Mimi and Palmon were.
"WHO'S THAT?!" Takeru screamed, getting up from his seat while holding Tokomon, in the booth.
"One of the servants of the Queen." Babamon informed. "Etemon!"
"Is he going to attack Mimi-chan?!" Sora had despair in her voice. "Piyomon, evolve!"
Her partner did as she said and Sora climbed on the bird's right foot before Birdramon descended in the field's direction.
"Etemon, what do you want?" Mimi inquired.
Palmon evolved to Togemon and put herself in front of her partner. Is he here to attack her?
"I won't let you lay a finger on Mimi!" Togemon announced.
"I'M TRYING TO SAVE HER LIFE, YOU IDIOT! THERE'S A BOMB UNDER THIS STAGE!" Etemon roared.
Before Mimi could process the information, Togemon grabbed her and jumped off the stage, running away from it. A few seconds later, before Etemon could run, the stage exploded.
Mimi watched in horror as the metallic towers and bar collapsed on Etemon, who screamed as fire spread around him. Birdramon landed next to the fourth grader girl and Sora jumped to the ground.
"Are you alright, Mimi-chan?" The fifth grader asked, concerned.
"Etemon…" Mimi cried. "Etemon saved me…"
"Despite him being our enemy…" Togemon was shocked.
"Enemy? I don't understand!" Sora could not make sense of the situation.
Mimi freed herself from Togemon and ran to the fire.
"WAIT!" Togemon yelled, going after the girl.
He had no reason to help me and yet he did! Despite considering me his enemy… despite saying that my ideas were unrealistic… he… he listened to me…
Green light came out of her digivice, which she had stuck on the bow of the dress, at the same time that the flower at the top of the cactus opened, showing a stone with the drawing of a drop of water with two circles inside. In a flash, the stone shrank and flew in Mimi's direction, being absorbed by the digivice. Togemon could feel a great amount of energy enter her body.
Fighting really isn't the only option! I don't have to kill anyone! There's so much more I can do! There are so many ways I can help others without hurting anyone! Mimi thought as green light left the digivice and enveloped Togemon, behind her.
"TOGEMON SUPER EVOLVES TO… LILYMON!"
A figure that resembled a flower fairy flew past Mimi in great speed, entering the fire. Soon, the metallic structures that had fallen were moved out of the way and the flying digimon emerged from the flames, carrying Etemon in her arms. Lilymon landed in front of Mimi, placing Etemon on the grass. His fur was scorched and his body was bruised but Etemon did not seem too hurt. He was a very resilient monster.
"You saved me…" Etemon sounded astonished, glancing at the digimon and at the girl.
"You saved me first." Mimi said with a big smile and tearful eyes.
"Could someone please explain what just happened?" Sora asked.
"SORA-SAN! MIMI-SAN!" Takeru called them, running in their direction with Tokomon in his arms. They had left the booth right after Sora and took an elevator to the field's level. "I don't understand! Isn't Etemon our enemy? Why did he save Mimi-san? It doesn't make sense!"
"As if I would let something as silly as 'sense' stop me from doing what I want!" Etemon stated, getting up.
"Etemon-sama!" Gazimon called him from the field's entrance. "The Demon will probably come to see what this commotion is about! We should run away, she might misunderstand everything!"
"I surely don't want to deal with that crazy samurai!" Etemon said, waving goodbye at the children as he fled.
"Are we going to see each other again, Etemon?" Mimi questioned. "I'd like to talk to you about many things."
Etemon pondered about what he should say but nothing insightful came to him. So, he improvised:
"One day, our paths might cross again in this crazy concert we call World. But only time can tell whether we'll make a country duet or a rap battle."
"I prefer Rock, though." Mimi informed, smiling.
"I like you, you weirdo." Etemon laughed. He and Gazimon left the field.
"Seriously, is someone going to explain what just happened?" Sora asked again.
"How about you guys have this conversation in my dojo?" Homura's voice came from behind them, suddenly. She was wearing her samurai armor and was in front of a sliding door connected to nowhere. "I took the liberty to pick that girl's original clothes and bag."
"Thank you." Mimi murmured. Homura opened the door and let the three humans and their partners enter. Inside the dojo, Lilymon reverted to Tanemon.
"Mimi, you made me feel so strong!" The small plant digimon said, happily.
"You do that for me too, all the time." Mimi told her friend, with a soft smile.
After Homura closed the sliding door, it vanished from the field.
In the Mayor's private booth, Tonosamageckomon had watched everything, astonished. Babamon observed him with attention.
"This terrorist attack was extremely grave!" The Mayor stated. "But the images of Etemon and the chosen child saving each other must've reached the whole town by now. They have potential to shake the core beliefs of hundreds of digimon! This is fantastic!"
The Mayor rushed to the elevator at the back of the booth and pressed the button on the wall. Babamon positioned herself behind him.
"We must find the responsible for this crime but I'm positive that things will get better now. I can feel that what happened here today will be the first step to a peaceful future!" Tonosamageckomon affirmed. Suddenly, he felt two ivies strangle him. Unable to breathe, he turned around and saw that the ivies came from the female digimon's sleeves.
"It's so frustrating." Babamon said. "I went through a lot of trouble to take my city back from a lowlife like you just to have my plans crumbling down in the last minute. That stupid vampire proved to be useless, now I have to dirty my hands."
The Mayor could not understand what was happening and could not think clearly due the lack of oxygen. Babamon showed him a large smile and added:
"The time of your childish dreams about bringing everybody together and moving on from the past is over. Under my rule, Aurora Town will return to its glory days!"
Tonosamageckomon's body was undone in uncountable particles. Babamon hid her ivies in her sleeves. All those centuries fooling them all, letting everybody underestimate me. Nobody saw me coming. And now they'll all have to look up to me.
Thank you so much for all the amazing reviews.
I want to show the ultimate levels of all the digimon partners, therefore I decided to make almost all of them evolve to perfect level in this arc. I hope you liked the chapter.