18Beautiful
By: ~Kari~
Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon
Authors Notes: Guys… I know the people are out of character. That's how they are supposed to be. The townspeople are supposed to be jerky. It would ruin the story if they weren't! It's based on a movie called "Johnny Lingo" that makes me laugh SO hard that my stomach hurts! "Mahona you ugly!" lol sorry! Anyway… on with the story!
"Mother, tell me that story, please?" the 5 year old boy begged.
"Ben, you've heard it so many times! Why do you want to hear it again?" the woman asked as she cradled her son in her arms.
"It's my favorite story!" he grinned.
"Is Ben still begging for the story?" a man asked as he entered the child's bedroom and sat down on the bed, next to his wife. "Why don't you tell it to him again? I always love to hear this story." He smiled.
The woman kissed her husband on the cheek and smiled showing that she gave in.
"Alright, long ago on the island Hawaii, when men were still thought of as superiors, lived a man by the name of Takeru…"
"My brother is coming today, Mimi!" Yamato said rushing into the hut.
"Takeru? Oh… I will prepare a feast for him! Duck, yes duck will do fine!" said the woman her eyes glittered. She loved it when her brother in-law came. He would tell of his travels on the sea and of all the good trades he made. For you see, Takeru was known on all the islands for trading. He was the best of the best at bargaining.
"Why is Takeru coming today?" Miyako asked, carrying a basket of fruit on her head.
"To bargain, I'm sure of it!" Izzy replied.
"Ah, but do you know what he is bargaining for?" Cody asked running up, a wide grin on his face.
The two shook their heads.
"Why a wife!" he said, erupting in laughter.
"And why is that so funny?" Miyako asked sending a small glare to the young boy.
"Not just any wife! I heard that he…" Cody quieted down a looked around. "I heard that he's bargaining for Hikari as his wife!" he said. All three burst into laughter.
"Hikari? The one who is pale as the moon? Who looks as if she doesn't eat? Hideous Hikari?!" Izzy asked, laughing again.
"The very one!" Cody replied.
Sora met up with her good friend Mimi near the lake to wash their families clothing.
"I'm making duck for my brother in-law tonight! The one that we had been saving for a special occasion!" said Mimi.
"Your brother in-law is a very foolish man! Have you not heard why he comes this time?" Sora asked.
"No, I thought he came to bargain as usual and to visit with his favorite sister!" Mimi said.
"How naïve you are! He does come to bargain, but for a wife this time. And whom should he choose? None other than Hikari! My sister in-law!" Sora said matter of factly.
Mimi shook her head. "Foolish indeed! Why, marry hideous Hikari just to save himself some cows? I mean, that must be what he's trying to do! Unless he's blind!"
Taichi sighed frustrated, as his wife massaged his shoulders.
"I don't know what Takeru is doing. Is he trying to make a fool of me? Hikari? Why did he choose her? I'm going to have to be the one to bargain with him since father passed on." He said.
"Oh, don't worry. You will do fine." Sora said quietly.
There was a crashing sound from upstairs and a small sob.
"That girl…" Tai muttered. "Hikari come down here! What will Takeru think if his bride is not here for the bargaining?!" he heard cries from upstairs. "Hikari you ugly!"
As everyone gathered outside the Kamiya hut Hikari found a nice hiding place in the trees to listen.
"Hello Takeru!" Tai said, shaking hands with the man.
"Hello Tai. Shall we have a seat?" he asked.
The crowd that had gathered around was having giggle fits.
The two men sat down, Tai had a nervous expression on his face.
"What do you ask for Hikari?" Takeru asked.
There was a long pause. Murmurs went through the crowd.
"If he asks for 2 cows, Takeru will settle for one. If he asks for one cow Takeru will settle for the tail and horns." Miyako said silently to Izzy.
"I'm a 5 cow wife myself!" Sora said with pride.
"Oh? My husband paid 6 cows for me!" Mimi grinned.
Sora looked perturbed but turned back to the bargaining.
"She is only worth one two-legged cow!" Cody said laughing.
After much deliberation Tai finally came to his conclusion.
"Three cows" he said.
The crowd erupted in laughter. Takeru put his hand up to silence them.
"Three cows? You ask three cows of me for Hikari's hand? No it will not due. I will come in the morning with 8 cows. Nothing more, nothing less." He said.
The crowd gasped.
"8 cows?!" Hikari gasped to herself.
"8 cows Takeru?!" Yamato asked his brother.
"Yes."
"What were you thinking? The whole town was there." He said.
"Good! Then they will know that Takeru paid 8 cows for Hikari as no one else has ever done." He smiled and sat down in front of his duck.
"So that's it…" Yamato said. "Takeru you are vain…" he chuckled.
"Hikari! Come out and meet your future husband when he comes! It's the least you can do! He is giving 8 cows! For, for… you!" Tai said.
"He does not love me. He mocks me! They all mock me! He will not come…" she said, sulking.
"Look!" Taichi said pointing off in the distance. "A cow!"
Hikari came out with her hopes up just to let them fall. "It is a stray!" she cried.
Further up on the ridge Taichi could see a line of cows making their way down to the hut, with Takeru at the end.
"You see! He does not mock you! I am a rich man!" Taichi yelled.
Hikari ran out of the hut to see the cows. She was amazed.
The townspeople laughed and danced together during the wedding festivities of that night.
A few town boys came up behind the newly weds and began taunting Hikari.
"Takeru traded the worst of his life! Got himself an ugly wife! Hideous Hikari! Hideous Hikari!"
"Get out of here!" Takeru yelled. Hikari sobbed in her hands.
He took her and led her to the boat, they were going to sail to many of the islands for a honeymoon. Very few saw them leave in the dark of the night.
Many months later Mimi was sitting in her hut rocking her first baby girl to sleep when Cody rushed in.
"I saw a light flicker in Takeru's hut late last night! They must be home!" he said.
"Shhhhhh. Go find Yamato and tell him." She whispered.
Cody did as he was told. Yamato was very intrigued. He himself went out to Takeru's hut to see the new couple. When he arrived he was in for a shock.
Taichi left the hut screaming after.
"You conned me, Takeru! She's worth 10 cows! 10!" he screamed.
Yamato entered the hut silently, slightly amused at Taichi.
"Hikari." Takeru called. "You're new brother in-law is here to see you!"
"Oh how nice of him to stop by." She said as she stepped out from behind a curtain with a wide smile on her face. Yamato was face to face with a raving beauty.
"Hello Yamato! How nice to see you again! Tell Mimi I say hello!" she said.
"Nice to see you… I will" he murmured.
"Hikari has to go get some water now." Takeru said. "Will you excuse her?"
"Sure."
When Hikari was out of earshot Yamato turned to his brother.
"She's a beauty." He said, stunned.
Takeru nodded. "I have loved Hikari since I was a child."
Yamato smiled. "I under estimated you, brother! I thought you paid 8 cows for Hikari so you would be known for it." He shook his head.
"How would you feel? A girl in a town who thinks you are ugly, being bargained off for a 2-legged cow or 1 cow? You would feel horrible about yourself, you would almost want to die! I paid for her what she was worth. Above the ordinary. She is a spectacular woman, if only she had been brought up knowing she was beautiful then she would have always had the confidence she has now and she always would have been happy and cheery." Takeru finished.
Hikari walked back to the two with a pail of water in her hand.
"What are you two smiling about?" she asked.
"Nothing." Takeru said, taking her in his arms and hugging her.
"So you see, Ben, she became beautiful because she was treated beautifully. Always… ALWAYS treat everyone beautifully." His mother finished.
"I love that story, Mommy." Ben said.
"Me too!" said her husband.
The woman smiled as she and her husband got up and tucked the boy in bed. His eyelids were drooping.
She followed her husband out the room and turned off the light.
"Me three." She whispered as she closed the door.
What did you think? I actually loved this one. : ) I hope you listened to the story. Always treat others as if they are beautiful.
Please do not flame. R & R.
~Kari~
