The Best Way To Ride
"Come on, Mimi! It's not that bad now, is it?" Matt asked.
"Mmph...Maybe not..." Mimi answered with a hint of nervousness in her voice.
"Now just place your foot over here and throw your other foot over the saddle."
Mimi whimpered softly as she placed her foot in the stirrup. Matt smiled and helped her mount
the horse to her seat behind him.
How did I get myself into this mess, thought Mimi as she struggled to maintain her balance. She
finally got on the saddle behind Matt and sighed. "Now you better hold on, unless you wanna
fall down." In a second her arms were around his waist, holding on to dear life.
"Uhh..ahem...Mimi? I think that's a bit...uh...too tight..."
"Sorry..." Mimi loosened her grip on Matt. Matt pulled on the reins slightly and the horse started
to trot in a slow, steady pace. The movement of the horse's trotting was making her sleepy.
She couldn't help but lay her head on Matt's back and smile, remembering how she got into
such a situation.
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After defeating the Dark Masters the digidestined returned back home. As soon as the
digidestined returned they were bombarded with questions. "Are you okay? Did you get hurt?
What happened? Are we safe? Did we win?" All the digidestined sweat dropped as more
questions were thrown at them. "What does it look like? Why were you guys chosen? What
happened to the monsters? Are they gone?" So many questions, so little answers. The
digidestined's parent arrived at the scene in the nick of time. "You guys have to get out of
here!" yelled out Sora's mom over all the questions that were asked. "The van is parked over
there!" yelled Matt's father. Everyone else nodded and followed him quickly to the van.
"Our homes are not safe from the media," said Matt's father, at the same time watching the
road as he drove. "My brother owns a stable not far from here. Maybe we can ask him if the
kids could stay there for a while." The noise of murmur could be heard in van as the parents
talk it over with their kids.
"It sounds cool, Mom!" said Sora, smiling at her mother. "If the others agree then I guess it's
okay for you to go too," replied her mom.
"I find the idea quite interesting. What do say mom, dad? Can I go?" Izzy's parents looked at
each other and nodded. "Sure, son. But you better be careful!"
"Of course, mom! Thanks!"
"Can we go!?" asked both Kari and Tai in unison. Their parents smiled and nodded. Kari
hugged her mom while Tai hugged his dad.
Mimi wasn't too sure about the whole deal. She didn't like horses much and was pretty much
afraid of them. Mimi scrunched up her nose in disgust as she remembered how those places
always smell. "Well, what about you, darling?"
"Huh?" Mimi looked at her dad as he smiled at her. "Don't you wanna go with all your little
friends?"
"Well, uh..." Mimi looked around at the others. They had all made up their minds and decided to
go, even Joe. Mimi looked at Matt in the front seat with TK. He was looking out the window with
a half-smile on his face. He seemed a bit happy to be going. Mimi brightened up and made her
decision. "Okay, I'll go."
Matt's father pulled over at a large ranch. "Wow," Mimi said as she looked at her surroundings.
She'd never been to a stable, much less seen one up close, besides in pictures. A tall brown
haired man came out and stood in front of a house's door. "Well, well, well. What do we have
here?" Matt's father smiled and went to his side. The man slapped Matt's father on the back
causing him to cringe slightly. "What bring you here, bro.?"
Matt's father cleared his throat and spoke. "Do you mind if these kids stay at your place for a
few days?"
"Why? Oh! You mean these kids are them-uhh..."
"Digidestined," implied Izzy. "Yeah! I knew that! You kids can stay here. You can call me Jake.
Uhh...how many kids are there exactly?"
"Eight. And two of them are my kids," said Matt's father proudly. "You mean little TK and
Matt!?" yelled out Jake surprised. "Hey, where is Matt anyway?" he added. Everyone looked
around and noticed he really was gone. "Ah, no worry. He's probably at the stable. He loved to
ride," said Jake as he nudged Matt's father's side. "Why don't ya'll come on in and settle
down," said Jake friendly as he waved at the kids to come.
After a while, Matt was still gone but Jake insisted there was nothing to worry about. The
parents eventually had to leave because of work and other things.
Izzy and Joe were playing chess in the living room with Izzy creaming Joe. Tai watched on the
grueling battle, sometimes calling out an order making everyone yell at him. TK, Kari, and Sora
were looking around the place. Mimi sat alone on the porch wondering were Matt could be. She
then saw the stable. Mimi's curiosity got the best of her. She got up and walked over to the
stable.
Mimi stepped into the stable and looked around. Besides the smell, the place looked rather
clean. She walked past many breeds of horses. There was one though, that caught her
attention the most.
She carefully made her way toward a brown coated horse with a white line from its forehead to
the tip of it's snout. The horse snorted and made Mimi jump a bit but she stubbornly continued
to approached the horse. She smiled as she looked at the horse in its compartment.
The Arabian horse had a lean, fine body. It stood about 58 to 60 in high at the withers. The
horse's legs were well-muscled with broad joints, and its feet were small but tough. The horse
softly neighed and stepped a bit closer to Mimi. She reached out her hand to touch its snout. "I
wouldn't touch that horse if I were you." Mimi gasped and turned around to see who had
spoken to her. "Matt! What are you doing here?" He didn't say anything but just walked up to
the horse. She looked at Matt a bit puzzled at his reactions. He had a lost look in his eyes as
he stared at the horse. "Matt?" Nothing. Matt sighed and walked away from the horse and
Mimi. Mimi just looked at him as he left wondering what was wrong.
I'm not gonna take it, Mimi thought. He's gonna answer me or else. "Wait up, Matt!"
Matt stopped and turned to face her. Mimi was about to speak but froze as she saw a tear
forming at the corner of his eye. He sighed and turned to leave. Mimi bit her lower lip and
reluctantly grabbed his arm. "Matt, is something...wrong?" Matt pulled his arm out of her grip.
"Nothing's wrong..." he mumbled as he walked out of the stable.
Mimi watched sadly as he walked away from her. She turned to look at the horse remembering
his words. Why can't I touch it?, she thought. She took in a deep breath and ran to Matt.
"Stop right there!" Matt turned to her, a cold look in his eyes. Mimi became a bit nervous and
started to step away. Matt noticed this and his eyes softened. "Do you wanna ride him?"
"Huh?"
"Do you wanna ride the horse?" Mimi just stood there. He suddenly went from a sad mood to a
cheery one? Matt? She just stood there, shocked. "Well?" Mimi shrugged. She really didn't
know what to say. Matt went over to the stable and dragged Mimi with him. He readied the
horse he had warned her not to touch. Mimi watched him and he adjusted the saddle's straps
on the horse. He was finally done. He easily got up on it and grinned at her. "Come on, Mimi!
It's not that bad now is it?" he asked.
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"Mimi?" Mimi opened one eye, then the other. She lifted her head of Matt's back and yawned.
"Huh? Oh, sorry, Matt?"
"It's okay. Let me help you down." Matt easily jumped off the horse and smiled at her
encouragingly. Mimi sighed and moved her feet to be on one side which was were Matt was.
He held out his right hand. Mimi blushed and took hold of it. She jumped down and landed
perfectly. "Thanks, Matt."
"No problem..." Matt patted the horse, his smile fading slightly. I wonder why he's acting like
this?, thought Mimi a bit concerned.
"Kari! TK! Get back here this instant!!" someone yelled out as they entered the chicken coop.
Matt and Mimi looked at each other and shrugged. "Should we head back now?" Mimi looked at
him and nodded.
As they walked back, Mimi couldn't help but ask something. "Matt?"
"Yeah?"
"Why....why do you act like...like you hate this place?" Matt stopped walking and Mimi
immediately regretted asking. He closed his eyes. "It's not that I hate it here. It's just that this
place brings back so many bad memories..." Matt looked down at the floor, sadness in his eyes.
"That horse. It's the reason why my parents...why they got divorced..." Mimi wanted to comfort
him. He seemed so hurt remembering this. "I'm sorry..." was all she offered. Matt wiped his
eyes with the back of his hand. "Don't be," he replied coldly and continued walking.
Mimi got a bit mad. She was trying to help him but he would turn away. She then frowned
remembering how much pain it must be to remember such a thing. "But...how?"
"What's it to you?"
"Yamato Ishida! Stop acting like such a snob and answer me!"
"Me acting like a snob? Listen up, Princess Mimi. Just mind your own business and stay out of
my life!" He then ran back to the house as fast as he could, never looking back. Mimi lowered
her head. What have I done...
She slowly walked back to the house thinking of what he had said, Just mind your own business
and stay out of my life! "Oh, Matt," she whispered, tears forming at the corner of her eyes.
"Why do you act so cold.."
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