Series: Buds & Blossoms||Story Title: Flower of Life
Characters: Mimi, Hikari|Pairing: Mimi x Hikari/Hikari x Mimi
Chapters: 3-5||Words: 1,093||Total: 3,206
Genre: Drama, Romance||Rated: G
Prompt: Digimon Femslash Week, day #1, flowers
Notes: For the purpose of this story, this is set a few years after the defeat of BelialVamdemon and doesn't acknowledge anything that happened after that.
Summary: Hikari's life hangs in the balance and Mimi rushes to find the antidote, which grows in a territory ruled by the Queen of the Flowers. And Rosemon is not one to hand over her possessions lightly.


Mimi's thoughts tumbled and crashed over one another. She didn't have time for this. Hikari was dying and Rosemon wanted to ask for a price! She started to shake her head.

"There's nothing I could give you that would mean nearly as much as Hikari's life does. There's nothing anyone could give you that would be worth that much!" Her fingers clenched into her palms tighter and tighter.

Rosemon tilted her head. "And why is that? What is so special about her that her life is so precious to you?" She raised a finger before Mimi could keep talking. "Don't say that all life is precious. I have seen many humans whose lives aren't worth a grain of sand or a drop of water. But most of all, what makes her life so precious to you that it outstrips all the value of the world?"

She's my friend! That was the first thing that Mimi considered. But the words never made it to her lips. Nor did the truth that came after that: I love her.

She did care a lot of Hikari. She wanted to ask her out, to see if she'd be willing to give a relationship a trip. She wasn't even certain if Hikari wanted to date women at all. The subject just hadn't come up, and Hikari hadn't even had a romantic date.

She did know that. Sora kept her informed. Sora knew very well what was on Mimi's mind. Sometimes she thought Miyako did too, at least from the way Miyako watched her whenever they were all together.

Then another thought came and this one she spoke.

"Because of what could happen and what did happen. Because I made a mistake and Hikari shouldn't have to suffer and die because of my mistake. Because I like her and I want to see if she likes me. Because even if she doesn't, I want her to be happy, and she can't be happy if she's dead."

Rosemon smiled. "Are you certain of that? Have you ever been dead? Do you know what lies beyond it for humans?"

Mimi could feel Lilymon's arms holding her firm and strong. There was also an odd sort of tremble there as well. She glanced to be sure her partner was all right, and Lilymon smiled back at her, nodding in encouragement.

Then she looked back at Rosemon. "Maybe she might be. But I know that I wouldn't be and I'm not the only one. There are so many people who would have a huge hole in their lives without her, and I'm one of them. That's not something that I want. I don't want to put anyone through that. Not now, and not ever."

Rosemon tapped her finger. "Well, those are very nice words, and I'm sure that you feel them very deeply."

Mimi hadn't felt anything this deeply in her entire life, not that she could remember. She was the Child of Purity, of being true to herself no matter what, and now she raised her head up high.

"Of course I do. Because they're true." She could feel tears pricking at her eyes and let them fall. What did a few tears matter, when it came to Hikari's life? If they would help, she would cry for the rest of her life.

One of them fell onto Lilymon's arm where it supported Mimi. A heartbeat later, Lilymon cried out, a sound of surprise and confusion, and started to drop downward, Mimi still in her arms.

"Lilymon? What's wrong?" Mimi's voice broke off before she could say anything beyond that. A rich pale rose aura wrapped around Lilymon, who'd also begun to spin.

She's evolving! The idea of evolution wasn't a new one, not for them, but none of them had evolved like this before.

Another set of arms wrapped around Mimi and pulled her to safety. As much as Lilymon would've wanted to, she couldn't keep hold of Mimi while this was going on.

Rosemon pulled back, Mimi gripping onto her, and the two of them watched in stunned silence.

She was almost entirely the mirror image of the Rosemon who stood there before her, at least in general shape. But where the rose that formed the first Rosemon's head shone bright red, Mimi's partner's petals now gleamed pale as the moon, just as her outfit was, but with highlights of orange on the edges. It wasn't a sight Mimi had ever seen before, and she loved it right away.

"Bright Rosemon!" The new Rosemon declared as she finished, looking at herself. "That's who I am. Bright Rosemon!"

Mimi's eyes lit up with joy, her concern over Hikari moving back just a half pace. There wasn't much else that could've distracted her right now anyway.

"You're beautiful!" She could hardly wait for Hikari to see her partner now. If it were possible…

She twisted around to look up at Rosemon. "Is it good enough for you yet?"

Rosemon eyed Bright Rosemon, her expression distant, and Mimi could feel her heart sinking. Then the other nodded.

"You speak the utter truth. Your words and the emotions bound to them were strong enough and true enough to evolve your partner. What more could I ask for?"

Mimi suspected not asking for anything at all would've been just fine, but she wasn't going to say it out loud, not right now, anyway.

Rosemon raised up one hand and held it palm outward. From over the horizon there came a small item, zooming through the air until it landed in her palm. She turned it toward Mimi.

"This is the Lifeblossom. It alone can cure your friend."

"Thank you!" Mimi could not have said that enough times if the world itself depended on it. She reached for it, gathering it close to her heart. She'd never seen a flower quite so fair before – unless it was Bright Rosemon.

Now Rosemon touched her shoulder. "Come and visit me when she is well again: both of you. I would meet this person whose light is so strong."

"You got it!" Mimi declared, wiping her eyes, and trying hard to get herself under control. "We have to go now..."

"I know." Rosemon turned toward Bright Rosemon. "I would like to see you again as well, sister. I feel we could learn much from one another."

Bright Rosemon grinned at her. "I'll see you soon!"

She gathered Mimi back into her arms, made certain that she and the flower were both safe, and sailed back the way they'd come.

To Be Continued

Notes: Honestly, I changed what Mimi's Rosemon looked like just so they wouldn't be identical. And roses come in more colors than red, after all! The slightly altered name is also just so they're not perfect mirror images.