Mimi's POV: The end of another day, I think to myself. It's so beautiful where we camped, by a crystal lake, beautiful lush trees full of delicious mouth watering fruit, and a perfect view of the moon. I didn't think there was a moon in Digiworld, but now I see I was wrong. The fire is so warm, and I'm sure my friends are thinking the same thing.
Matt, Tai, and Joe are eating some of the fruit I told you about, of course Izzy is typing away at his computer, and T.K. and the digimon are asleep near the fire. The atmosphere around the campfire is generally good for us, for all but one.
Sora sits alone, maybe 20 feet away, staring out at the crystal lake, mezmorized by it's beauty, and how the moon's light reflects on it. The look on her eyes is to far away for me to comprehend, but, wait, the look in her eyes has changed to pure sadness. The bruise on her arm is long gone, but the bruise on her soul is there for eternity. And only I know the truth of my best friend's childhood, for it is too horible and sad for the others to be aware of. Not even Tai know's Sora's secret. We are 13 now, but it seems like it just happened yesterday......
~4 years ago ~
I stood outside Sora's apartment door. I rang the bell a couple of seconds ago, and then I heard her footsteps carefully walking towards the door. It opened, and Sora was standing there, in a pair of blue jeans and a gray shirt. She looked around behind me, and then let me in. That was the first time I had been in her house even though we have been friends for about two years. She always says her family is busy, or one of them is sick. I was amazed by her house.
There were flowers everywhere, and the house has a beautiful fragrance of roses and lilies. When I looked to my right, I saw a little girl looking at a picture book. She was Natzumi, Sora's five year old sister. She looked up and smiled at me. "Hello Mimi," she said, "Sora said you were coming." She then went back to concentrating on her book, paying no more attention to us.
I looked back back at Sora, and she beckoned me to follow her to her room. I followed her down a hallway to the back of her house. Sora said her mom was at work, and that she would be home soon. We entered her room, and I sat down on her waterbed. She shared it with Natzumi, and all of Natzumi's things were scattered about, while Sora's were in nice, neat piles. "You shouldn't have come, he'll be home soon," Sora said to me. I assumed she was talking about her father.
"It's alright Sora, what will your father do to me?" I asked. Sora sighed , and then slowly lifted up her shirt sleeve to reveal a bruise the size of a deck of cards. I gasped. It was all blue and purple, and seemed to be raised off her skin. She put her sleeve down. "Sora," I choked out, "where did you get that?" She sat down in a chair near me.
"You wouldn't understand."
I took her hands and said, "Come on Sora, I'm your best friend. Remember when you told me you had a crush on Tai Kamiya? I never told anyone. You can tell me, Sora."
She sighed and said, "My father hit me. He was about to hit Natzumi, and you know I would do anything for my sister, so, to prevent her from getting hurt, I jumped in front of her, and he hit my arm instead!" She started to cry, so I hugged her and rubbed her back. Soon she stopped crying.
We sat there for a few silent moments until her mom called, "Sora! Mimi! Natzumi! Dinner!" We got up and slowly walked to the kitchen. There was just the general conversation at dinner, like "How are you, Mimi?" "Do you like school?" and "How's your baby brother?" The food was great, Mrs. Takenouchi was an awesome cook. Her father never showed.
After supper, we decided that I would sleep on the living room couch, and Sora would sleep on the floor. We changed into our pajamas and had setteled in for the night. Her couch was so comfortable, and soon we were both asleep. I was awoken later that night by the sounds of yelling in the hallway. I looked over the top of the couch and saw a drunk man yelling at Natzumi. That must be her father, I thought to myself. I shook Sora awake." Sora, look," I said. She got up and looked over at the scene in the hallway. She quickly got up and ran over. I don't know why, but I followed her.
She stood in front of Natzumi and yelled, "Stop it Dad!"
Her father got angry, and yelled, "Get away, you little brat!" He slapped Sora so hard, she fell on the ground. Then, with all his might, slammed his fist into Natzumi's face. She slid across the floor, bloody and unconcious. Sora got up and started over to Natzumi, but her father grabbed her arm and twisted it until she cried. He was going to slam his fist into her face, just like he did Natzumi.. I don't know what came over me, but I found myself stepping in the path between the fist and Sora's face. At first I felt a searing pain in my cheek, like a thousand knives cutting it open. Then I felt a ring cut the skin above my eye. The blood rolled down my face. The force was so hard, I fell back onto Sora's lap. Just before I blacked out, I saw Sora's mom run out of her room.
I woke up the next day in a hospital bed. My mom, dad, and baby brother were there. I found out that I had gotten 8 stitches above my right eyebrow where the ring had cut my skin. My mom and dad reassured me that everything was alright. Some time after they left. A few minutes later, the door to my room opened again, and Sora walked in. She walked over to my bedside. "How are you, Mimi?" she asked.
"Fine, so...um... what's happening with your family?" I asked sheepishly.
Sora sighed. "My mom and dad are getting a divorce after my mom saw him hit you. You saved my life Mimi, thank you."
I smiled at the kindness in her voice. "How is Natzumi?" I asked. Sora's face instantly turned to complete sorrow.
She looked away from me "She's dead. The force of the punch was too strong, and her head snapped back. She died this morning." Tears flowed out of her eyes, but she wiped them away. "I gotta go. I'm leaving town. My mom and I are moving to a new part of Japan." I crumbled at this statement. Without another word, she was gone.
And how ironic, after 4 years we are stranded in the same shadow world. I yawned and stood up. The rest of the group is getting ready for bed. "Hey Sora, we're all going to bed, are ya coming?" Tai calls to Sora, but the girl's mind is too far away for her to hear. Tai shrugs and lays down to sleep.
I look back at Sora. Poor Sora, sitting there trying to forget, while I stand here trying to remember. Our only light this evening is the light from the dark side of the moon.
I woke up the next morning when I felt water splash on my face. I woke up with such a start that I knocked the water bucket over next to me, spilling more water. Everyone started laughing at me, especially Gomamon, who was in the water laughing his head off. "Rise and shine, your highness!"
"Ohhhhhh I'm going to kill you, you little digiscum! You wait till you come out of the water!" I yelled at the Digimon. Everybody kept on laughing. I got up and reached for a fruit. Then I looked out on the lake again, and I saw Sora sitting in the same spot as last night. I could only see her back, but I knew she was drawing something in the sand. My heart dropped to my feet.
Poor Sora. She has no one but her mother, and she can't even be with her right now. I picked up my bag and walked over to where Sora was sitting. I could feel the boys eyes on me as I walked over, they were just as confused about this as any of the digimon. There eyes stayed on me as I sat down next to Sora. She looked at me with tears on her eyes, then she hugged me. I hugged her back and looked at the boys. Their faces told their emotions: sadness and guilt. I looked over at Tai, and he had the guiltiest face of all. I shook my head at him, telling him that he had nothing to do with it. Then I lifted Sora's head and we talked for a while.
Then we heard Tai call, "Mimi, Sora, we're leaving!" I got up, and then I helped Sora up. We walked over, with Sora rubbing her eyes the whole way. When we got to the group, Tai smiled at Sora, and I saw Sora give him a forced smile. Then we started up to Infinity Mountain.
"I'm tired," I complained to Tai, "Can't we stop?"
Tai sighed. "Mimi, we stopped 10 minutes ago, and you're still tired?"
I snorted. "Well, some of us need to rest our feet so we don't get BLISTERS!"
Palmon calmed me down. "It's okay, Mimi, we'll stop soon." I don't know what I would do without Palmon. I would be completely lost.
I looked over at Sora and Biyomon. Sora looked just as glum as ever, and I heard Biyomon try and talk to her. "Come on Sora, what's wrong?" Biyomon asked. Sora sighed and looked at the ground.
Biyomon flew over to me. "Mimi, do you know what's bothering Sora? She won't talk to any of us." I don't know what to say.
All I managed to choke out was, "Don't look at me." She flew back over to Sora.
I concentrated on my fingernails until I heard Tai say, " This is a perfect place to camp!" We all started to set up camp. Izzy went fishing, Tai made a fire with Agumon, Matt went to get some fruit, T.K., the digimon, and I started to make beds for everyone, and Joe and Sora went to collect some extra wood. While they were gone, everyone approached me.
"What?" I asked when I saw them staring down at me.
Matt sighed. "Mimi, we know you know what's bothering Sora, so spill it!" The others agreed. Then it was my turn to sigh.
"Look, I don't know what you are talking about." But before they could answer, a huge digimon that looked like an octopus popped out of the ground. It looked like it was half octopus, half lion. I screamed. "Ewww, what is that thing, Palmon?"
Palmon had turned white. "That's Ocotmon, and he's a seriously bad digimon!"
Our digimon were just about to digivolve when Ocotmon called out, "Spirit of the Ocean, Seek and Destroy!" The digimon instatly fell to the ground. Then one of Octomon's tentacles picked up each of them.
"Oh man Agumon! Biyomon!" Tai yelled. Each of us called out the names of our digimon with fear in our voices. Then, in turn, one tentacle grabbed each of us. It held us over its head and laughed.
Joe's POV: Wow, what a nice walk in the forest. I'm surprised I'm not having an allergie attack. It sure would be nicer if Sora wasn't in a slump though. Maybe I should attempt conversation. "So Sora, are you excited about fighting Devimon?I know I'm not."
She sighed. "I guess," she said in a small, faraway voice. Wow, she's really not having a good day. We didn't speak for the rest of the walk back to camp. But we got the biggest shock of our lives when we got back. There were our friends, being held by a vicious octopus type digimon. Doesn't he know I'm allergic to sea food?
I heard Tai call over to Sora, "Sora, use your digivice!" I then saw her drop the wood she was carrying in shock, but then run over to the digimon.
She was about to use her digivice when the monster said, "I know what scares you, Sora."
Sora's POV: I gasped and backed up. He couldn't know I was afraid of my father, could he? I stared at the digimon's face, and then it began to change. It swirled, then changed into the face of my father! I screamed, then put a hand over my mouth. It said it again, only this time louder and happier, "I KNOW WHAT SCARES YOU, SORA!!!!!!" Tai and Matt kept on yelling at me to use my digivice, but I was frozen with fear. The face of my father was on that digimon!
Joe's POV: What could possibly make Sora freeze like that? And what's this about knowing what scares her? I can hear Tai and the others telling her to use her digivice, but she isn't moving. I gotta help. I gathered up all my courage and ran over. I took off my digivice and pointed it in the monster's face. The blinding light shoots out, and it screams, dropping my friends. Then it sinks back into the ground.
Mimi's POV: I get up slowly and look over at Sora. She is kneeling on the ground, crying. I get up and run over to her. I help her up, and she starts to cry into my shoulder, and I hug her and say, "It's ok, it's ok, everything's fine, don't cry."
Unfortunately, Tai and Matt aren't as forgiving as I was. They walk over and spin Sora out of my arms so she is facing them.
Tai's POV: Matt and I walk over to Sora. She is being held by Mimi and is crying, Still, that is no excuse. We were almost killed. Matt starts talking. "What happened Sora? WE could have been killed! Why didn't you use your digivice?" She didn't say anything, just kept on crying. I was fed up now.
"Look. Sora, you almost got us killed! Thank God Joe was there! What happened? Why didn't you use your digivice? I mean, that was irresponsible!"
Now Matt is saying, "Tai come on, go easy on her. Everyone makes mistakes. I'm sorry I yelled at you Sora." I ignored him and continue. Izzy, Joe , T.k. and the digimon are in the backround, watching.
"Well? What do you have to say for your inexcusable behavoir?" Sora was crying harder now.
She turned to Mimi and said, "The face......" Mimi gasped.
"Sora, who's face was it? Was it..." Mimi gasped again when Sora nodded.
"Well? Who was this face," I asked, " was it your father or something?" Bad thing to say. Sora started to wail. She moved away from Mimi and started running away. Mimi chased after her, but came back. She walked up to me, looked me straight in the eye. and slapped me across the face!
Sora's POV: I can't believe Tai said that! Did he know the face was my father? Couldn't know. Oh what a horrible experience. I stumble along this dirt path, tripping over every rock imaginable. Finally I stop. I find myself in front of the lake, but way farther down the bank. I sit down on the bank with my back facing the way I came. I pull my legs up to my chin, rest my arms on them and my head on my arms, and I cry. I cry for my mom, for my friends, and for my sister Natzumi. When this position became uncomfortable, I lay down on my side on the soft bank, and cry some more.
Mimi's POV: I slapped him clear across the face! He needed it. He looked at me, stunned. "What was that for?" he asked.
I snorted. "Like you don't know? How could you bring up such a touchy topic with Sora? And after you yelled at her like that!"
Izzy stepped forward. "What do you mean ' touchy topic'?" Oops. I had said too much. I covered my mouth with my hand. Now everyone was staring at me.
"Oops," I muttered. In the end, I had to spill the beans. I made everyone sit down and then I started. "Well, it happened like this: One night 4 years ago I went over to Sora's to spend the night. When I got to her house, she brought me down to her room, and showed me the bruise she had on her arm. It was the size of a deck of cards! I asked her where she got it, and she said she had been trying to protect her little 5 year old sister Natzumi. Well, we had dinner, and her father never came home. We went to bed in the living room, but were woken up by the sounds of fighting. Sora's father was drunk and he was fighting with Natzumi. Sora and I ran over, and Sora tried to protect Natzumi, telling her father to stop. But he called her a brat and slapped her so hard she fell down. Then, with all of his might, he slammed his fist into Natzumi's face. I was so scared because she slid across the floor, bloody and unconcious."
I could she the anger in Tai''s eyes when I told what happened to Natzumi and Sora, and how he clenched his fists in anger.
I continued." Then Sora got up and tried to get over to Natzumi, but he twisted her arm until she started to cry. He was about to slam his fist into her face, when I stepped in front of Sora and took the blow for her. I woke up in the hospital with 8 stitches above my eye. That's why I have this little scar here," I showed everyone the scar above my eye.
I could see everyone was speechless, especially Tai. "You....saved Sora's life? If you weren't there, she'd be......Wow." Tai said to me.
I continued." Sora came to visit me later that day. She told me her mom and dad weree divorcing and.." I stopped, tears coming to my eyes,"and that Natzumi was dead. The force of the punch was too strong, and her head had snapped, and she had died that morning." The boys gasped." She also told me that her mom and her were moving to a new part of Japan. I never even got to say goodbye."
I took a breath and looked up. Joe was looking at the ground. Matt and T.k. were staring at me, open mouthed, Izzy was shaking his head, and finally Tai was crying.
Tai's POV: I can't believe this is what happened to Sora as a child. I can't believe someone would hurt her like that and kill her only sister. And I can't believe I said those things to her. I stood up. Everyone looked at me as I started down the path Sora had taken.
Before I was out of hearing range I heard Matt say, "What a terrible life to live. My dad is like that too, but to kill his own daughter...."
I started to run I ran for about 5 minutes until I saw Sora. She was laying on the bank with her back facing me. I could hear her crying. I took a deep breath, and then said, "Sora?"
Sora's POV: I heard Tai call my name behind me. I stopped crying. He said, "May I sit down?"
I don't like to be mean to anyone so I said in a rather sad voice, "Sure." He sat down next to me, but I still had my back to him. I heard him sigh. Then he did something I didn't expect. He apologized!
Tai's POV: I sat down next to Sora, who was laying on her side with her back facing me. I sighed, then started to speak. "Sora, I.......Mimi told us about what happened with your father," I heard her gasp, then start to cry, "I had no idea what happened to you as a child, and with your sister Natzumi." I stopped because she had started to sob. I gathered her up into my arms and she cried for a while into my shirt. When she stopped, I continued." I had no idea, and I'm sorry I yelled at you and for the crummy childhood you had."
She looked up at me with those beautiful hazel eyes, full of sadness and greif. But there was a little hope mixed in with all of these emotions and she spoke." I was so scared that night. When he hit Natzumi, I felt so helpless because I was on the floor with a throbbing face. I tried to get to her, but he grabbed my arm and twisted. It hurt so much Tai, it was almost unbearable. I'm glad he's gone, but I think Devimon knows I'm afraid of my father coming back!"
She started to cry again, so I said something to cheer her up. " Hey, no worries. If that does happen, the digimon and I will protect you. After all, we are the digidestined!" She smiled for a moment, then buried her head into my shirt.
We sat there for a long while, until it got dark. Since she had fallen asleep, I picked her up and carried her back to camp. Most of my friends were still awake, excluding Mimi, T.K., and the digimon. The rest of the guys smiled at me as I put her down, even Matt!
Matt's POV: Tai really is one heck of a guy, I gotta say that much. Wonder how he managed to get Sora to sleep? I walked over to him.
"Hey buddy, how's it going?" Tai sighed and faced me.
"Ok, I guess. I was a real jerk wasn't I?" I smiled at him.
"Did you apologize?" I asked. Tai nodded. I saw him look down at Sora with love in his eyes. "Does she think so now?" I asked. Tai didn't answer. Just smiled at me. I put a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, buddy, hey, I'll let you try my harmonica."
No one noticed the shadow in the bushes that watched Tai and Matt walk out to the lake. He whispered to himself, "This sin't over, Sora."
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