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Leader of the Lonely Part 2
"MATT WAIT!!!!!!!!!" Sam yelled out, getting up and starting to run after his young cousin. In the process knocking Sarah's leg and waking her up and making Sam fall over. The fall knocked the wind out of him and he struggled onto his elbows as he saw Matt run into the distance, a thick blanket of fog hiding his path.
"Sam, you O.K.?" Sarah asked as she helped him up. Wheezing for a few moments Sam shook his head and bent over in an attempt to gain more oxygen, finally he started to recover and sat back up, noticing that Sora was now up too.
"Where's Matt?" she asked looking Sam in the eyes.
"He... ran.... off." Sam said still trying to regain a normal breathing pattern. Sora immediately stood up and looked around with what looked like worry in her eyes.
"I think.... he heard me *gulp* say I was his cousin." Sam told her, struggling to get to his feet, "I've got to go find him."
Sarah immediately grabbed his arm and said, "You are not going anywhere in that condition. You really knocked the wind out of yourself. Now, the digimon can search around for him."
Her suggestion was met by the enthusiastic nods of the digimon and they immediately flew or walked around, trying to find the holder of the crest of friendship.
"Did you two find anything?" Sam asked Hawkimon and Biyomon as they landed.
"No. The fogs too damn thick." Hawki replied, Biyomon nodding her head.
"You did your best guys, nice try." Sora said as she patted the two on their heads and Sam handed them two plates of food, which they ate hungrily. Sora looked up to see Sam staring out to the forest with his hand covering his mouth, a puzzled and thoughtful expression on his face.
"What's wrong?" Sora asked but didn't receive an answer. She knew by the look on his face not to disturb him so she just went back to scanning the surrounding forest. Suddenly Sam stood up just as Sora saw Gabumon come running into the clearing, the only place where the fog didn't seem to reach.
"He's this way!" Gabumon yelled as he saw Sam running towards him, then had to skid to a halt and run the way he came from, "Doggamon picked up his scent."
"Good one you guys." Sam said as he stared straight ahead, running as fast as his legs could carry him.
Sora got up and attempted to follow them, but by the time she did, they were already out of sight. Sighing, she sat back down and hugged the resting Biyomon. Sarah just sat over the other side of the fire, poking at it with a stick and looked at the young girl who was hugging Biyomon. Her instincts told her that she was in love with Matt, but she knew that she couldn't do anything without proof. Sarah decided it was better just to leave them to it, unless they gave her a reason to pursue with her matchmaking abilities.
"How long do you think they will be?" Sora asked the older girl, who shrugged her shoulders.
"Depends on how far Matt ran."
They just sat in silence that way until they heard a rustling from the bushes. The two remaining digimon stood in front, positioned to attack to in comers when out came Sam carrying an unconscious Matt in his arms, a splint on Matt's right ankle.
"What happened?" Sora asked as she walked up to them.
"Matt tripped on a root or something in there and hurt his ankle. I think he just fainted from the pain, he should be alright." Sam said as he placed Matt on his sleeping bag and crushed up some herbs and clay that Gabumon had brought with them. After making a paste with the herbs and rubbing into Matt's ankle, he then mixed the clay together with water and some other stuff that Sora couldn't recognize, Sam took it over to Matt and started applying it around the splint.
"It might just be sprained but I'm not willing to take that chance." Sam muttered to them after he was finished.
"We should all get some sleep now." Sarah said and they all flopped down onto their beds and gradually fell asleep.
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"Tai, I propose that we abandon our current position in order to SAVE OUR SKINS!" Izzy yelled at their leader, who at the moment was being as stubborn as a mule again, refusing to concede defeat.
"I can't just give up Izzy." Tai yelled back. Joe just shook his head and ran up to Tai,
"Remember the saying he who runs away lives to fight another day?"
"Yeah."
"Well I say we put the theory into practice and get the hell out of here!" Joe yelled and dragged Tai back to where the others were waiting to run for their lives again. Machinedramon just kept blowing the trees around them down, trying to block off any escape routes.
"I want Matt!" T.K said, crying. He was scared, there was no hiding it. At least with Matt around, he knew that the digimon would have to go through Matt before they could get to him. But now there was no one. Kari hugged him, trying to calm him down as well as herself. She was as scared as T.K was but she knew one of them had to be strong at the moment and it looked like T.K wasn't going to be the one. Looking around, she saw Mimi holding onto Izzy's neck, almost choking the poor boy, Joe was actually arguing with Tai and the digimon who had tried to battle against Machinedramon were all knocked out and recovering. WarGreymon was the only one standing and even he was loosing the battle. Soon enough, Machinedramon hit WarGreymon again and the Mega digimon fell backwards, in the process dedigivolved into Koromon.
Tai immediately forgot his fight with Joe and ran over to his digibuddy.
"You did your best Koromon. Don't worry."
"What do we do now?" Mimi screeched as Machinedramon inched closer and closer to them.
"We get away." Tai called out and turned to run but stopped when he saw the trees blocking their path.
"Shit!" Tai muttered under his breath, so T.K and Kari didn't hear him and he looked around for another way. His eyes scanned the area and was annoyed to see Izzy typing away on his computer.
"Damn it Izzy, this is no time to be on that stupid thing." Tai yelled as his blood pressure was about to go out the roof.
">SOS Sam, being attacked. Need help now. Co-ords N 23 56, W 183 34. Over." Izzy typed and managed to press the enter key before Tai grabbed it, turned it off and shoved it in his backpack.
"Hey!" Izzy yelled and was about to argue with Tai when Machinedramon fired a net over them. As the net descended around them, one by one they all disappeared Tai and Koromon being the last.
"Damn you Matt. If you'd have been here none of this would happen." Tai muttered before he too vanished into thin air.
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Matt sat bolt upright in his sleeping bag, sweat dripping off his forehead. Rubbing his face with his hands, he suddenly became aware of a dull ache in his ankle. Looking around him, he saw that he was back at the camp. He was back with his three friends. Moving his head to the sky, Matt saw the sky was a pink colour. He knew that was never a good sign.
"Pink in the morning is a shepherds warning." he muttered before falling back down onto his sleeping bag.
"You O.K. Matt?" Sora's sleepy voice asked from next to him.
"I just had the weirdest dream. I saw Machinedramon attacking the others and then they just disappeared under a net." Matt told her, moving his head to face her.
"Why did you run?" she asked.
"I couldn't stand that Sam had been keeping something from me for 2 months. And something that important." Matt said as he started coughing. Sora immediately scooted around behind him and started rubbing his back.
"Thanks." he said as the fit subsided.
"No problem." Sora replied, smiling. Matt stared into her eyes and searched them. They seemed to be longing for something, something that was in her nature to give and not take. Matt slowly inched his face towards hers, heart beating wildly. This was something that only ever happened in his dreams.
Sora's heart was banging against her chest as she looked into Matt's deep blue eyes. She felt like she could just get lost in his eyes all day, the eyes that seemed to find out everything about her, that she couldn't hide from. Moving her face towards his as well, their faces were now only millimeters away from each other and Sora could feel Matt's warm breath on her. She wondered if this was true, if it was really going to happen after he wishing every night that something would happen and she closed her eyes in anticipation.
Neither of them noticed the brown eyes peeking at them from where Sarah was laying in her sleeping bag. Now she knew they at least liked each other and it was only a few millimeters before they were going to kiss, she could see Biyomon and Gabumon looking at each other with smiles on their faces. Both digimon had known it all along. Then from next to her she could hear Sam doing his famous loud yawn and fell face forward when she saw Matt and Sora immediately pull away, blushing a bright red. It was just too damn close!
"So how did you two sleep last night?" Sam asked as he walked by them to get a bucket of water.
"Not bad." Sora replied and noticed the worried look on Matt's face.
"Nightmare." he just stated and crawled down to the creek to wash his face.
"I think he had a rough night." Sora said to Sam, who was looking at his cousin. Sam turned his head to look at her and nodded before going back to boil the water and cook breakfast. He noticed Hawki looking into his backpack and pulling out his laptop computer.
"Hey Hawki, I told you not to go into that." Sam said as he got up and took the computer from his companion. He was about to put it down when he saw the e-mail light flashing. Confused, Sam sat down and opened up the e-mail account. His face paled when he read the message.
"What's wrong Sam?" Sarah asked as she looked at him.
"The others were being attacked last night." he stated and handed her the laptop. Matt paled as well and Sora just stared at Matt.
"We have to go and find them." Matt said, trying to stand up. Sam immediately went over to him and placed a firm hand on his shoulder.
"You can't exactly walk around on that at the moment."
"Well it wouldn't have happened if you had told me we were cousins before." Matt snapped, knocking Sam's hand off. Sighing, Sam crouched down to look Matt in the face and explained himself,
"The reason I didn't Matt was because I didn't want to see you hurt. As soon as we would have gotten back, your dad would have refused to let us see each other again and I didn't want to have to see you go through that pain. Your dad hates my guts, even though he's never met me. We would have been separated and I didn't want to see your relationship with your dad suffer because of me."
Matt looked up at Sam and saw the truth of it in the young man's eyes.
"I don't care. You are my cousin and my friend, dad's hardly ever home anymore anyway." Matt said and hugged his cousin. Sam smiled and hugged him back.
"At the moment, the most important thing is finding your friends and getting them back." Sam said as he stood up and started packing everything away.
"How long to I have to stay on the floor for?" Matt asked and Sam replied,
"You can start walking on it tomorrow."
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"O.K, here's the spot where they last were." Sam said as they all got off their digimon who then went back to their rookie stage. The place looked like a war zone, the trees were uprooted everywhere and there were large craters of dirt all around. Matt stayed on Garurumon's back and looked around, tears starting to form in his eyes. Suddenly, Matt's vision went black and an image appeared.
The place was dark and musty, probably once a heavily populated city. As the vision went in, Matt could see 6 cages and in each one was a digidestined and their digimon. Matt could see T.K crying his eyes out, calling out Matt's name with Patamon and Kari trying to comfort him.
Matt shook his head and immediately he saw everyone looking at him.
"I had another vision." Matt told them, "They're in a city of some kind. I don't think it can be very far from here."
Hawkimon flew up above the trees and looked around.
"Hey I found one!" he yelled back down and landed, "It's about half a day away. But we can make it there in a quarter if we fly."
"O.K. Sarah, you and Doggamon come on Eagle and Sora, you and Birdramon take Matt and Gabumon." Sam said, to which everyone nodded.
"Let's kick some bad guys ass!" Matt yelled as Birdramon took off, Eagleamon following close behind. They all laughed at Matt's remark and they flew off towards the abandoned city.
"It's too quiet." Sora stated as they all got off the two flying digimon. Sam scanned the area, knowing something was out of place. Matt too looked around and was surprised to find a figure crumpled on the ground near a doorway.
"IZZY?" Matt yelled as Sora ran over to him, Matt hobbling behind.
"What happened Izzy?" Sora asked as she held the younger boy up, seeing the torment in his eyes.
"The others..." he whispered, "There's no way out, they're dying. Tentomon!"
Izzy then passed out, lying limp in Sora's arms. Matt looked at him, then looked at Sora who was looking at the younger boy, tears forming in her eyes.
"He'll be alright Sora." Matt said as Sam took Izzy from her. Sora leapt up and hugged Matt tightly, surprised at first he then hugged her back. It was traumatic that one of their own be treated like this. Sarah looked down at Sam, who was looking over Izzy for injuries.
"For Christ's sake, who would be so evil as to do this?" he muttered and ordered Gabumon and Hawkimon to the forest.
"What's wrong with him?" Sarah asked looking over his shoulder at Izzy.
"From what I can tell he's got several broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder and he's suffering from severe mental and physical torture." Sam said as he bowed his head, seemingly in a prayer for the young boy. When he finished, Sam raised his head to the others, tears in his eyes.
"Who ever did this, we're going to pay them back ten fold for each of your friends. That's a promise."
"You're right there Sam." Matt said as he let go of Sora, "I'm going to pay those bastards back for what they did to Izzy."
Sarah nodded to both of their statements when Sora surprised everyone when she said,
"Those fucking assholes better watch out or they're going to be sent to the seventh circle of Hell!"
Sam's eyes went wide as he thought, 'Man and I thought I had a mouth on me.' then seeing that it was getting dark an idea struck him, as well as Hawkimon dropping the sticks on him.
"I think we'd better get back to the safety of the forest. We've got to be careful transporting Izzy alright?" he said as he stood up and scanned the area.
"Right. Gabumon, you know what to do." Matt said and Gabumon digivolved into Garurumon. Sam and Matt made sure to be careful when they lifted Izzy onto Garurumon's back.
"Let's go wolf man." said Matt as he walked over into the direction of the forest, the other's following him.
"Sora, do you think Izzy will be alright?" Biyomon asked from above her partner.
"I hope so Bi, I hope so."
"Why don't we just go for an all out assault?" Matt demanded after hearing Sam's plan.
"Because we don't have the strength Matt, that's why. If we just went charging in there, guns blazing we could end up like Izzy. You wouldn't want that to happen to Sora now would you?!" Sam declared staring at his cousin. Matt kept his gaze fixed until his feelings got in the way and he looked down at the ground, his eyes eventually making their way over to where Sora was sitting next to Izzy, she and Biyomon talking to his unconscious body.
"No I don't want that to happen. But I don't want you to be the only one that goes in there, I'm coming along as well."
Sam sighed before eventually nodding his head,
"Alright. I probably will need the help, but first sign of danger and you're out of there got it?"
Matt gave a mock salute.
"Yes sir!"
They both laughed as Sam put his arm around Matt,
"Come on cuz, lets get some dinner."
Sarah handed them some fried rice that she had been preparing and walked over to Sora and gave her some as well. Soon all four plus digimon were eating away.
"So what were you two talking about before?" Sarah asked, looking at Sam.
"Nothing, just guy stuff." he replied. Sarah just shook her head and muttered,
"I'm sorry I even asked."
Doggamon's head perked up at this interaction before interrupting saying,
"No you weren't you were..." she trailed off when she saw Sam's warning gaze on her, "You were talking about girls."
At this Sarah looked at them and Sora's head jerked up from her food.
Sam almost shuddered at this attempted cover up and growled between clenched teeth, "That is guy stuff Doggamon."
"So what about girls were you talking about? Don't tell me you were giving the poor boy an education lesson." Sarah said, making Sam almost choke on his rice.
"Pleassee Sarah, I'm nearly 12 years old. Dad gave me THAT talk last year and he's been going on about it. God he's so damn embarrassing, I hope that I'll never have to bring any future girlfriend to my place for fear of him embarrassing me." Matt said shaking his head and placing it in his hands.
"You think you got it bad Matt? Your uncle is ten times worse." Sam told him, shuddering at the thought.
"Well you remember my parents Sam." Sarah told him, "When you first came over for studying for last years exams, my mum was all over you thinking you were the new boyfriend I was telling them about."
"Don't I know it." Sam muttered bitterly then got up as Matt was whispering something to Gabumon and Hawkimon. "I think I'll go for a walk before it's my turn for watch."
Matt stood up after him, "I think I'll go with you if you don't mind."
Sam smiled and shook his head, "Of course I don't mind. Let's go then." and the two and their digimon walked into the forest in the direction of the city.
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"Ice Wolf Cannon!" MetalGarurumon yelled out as he deleted the four guards standing outside what appeared to be an entrance down to a set of stairs. They walked quietly down the stairs, pausing at every little noise (which most of the time was MetalGarurumon's feet on the ground) and down into a long, dark corridor.
"Hey MetalGarurumon, would you light us a torch?" Matt asked and the digimon nodded, using his eye lasers to light the nearest piece of wood on fire.
Joe stirred at the sudden increase in light.
"Close the blinds would you Jim?" he muttered sleepily before waking up and realizing that it wasn't a dream. 'Oh no. Don't tell me they've come to get someone else.' he thought as the light passed the small window in his door. He let out a small sigh of relief and wondered what they had done with Izzy after taking him from their cell about 8 hours ago when a thought dawned on him.
"I hope they didn't kill him." he said out loud quietly, yet the sound echoed throughout the cell. Joe's panic reserves kicked in when he noticed that the light was coming back towards his door.
"Hey Joe, is that you?" he heard Matt's voice ask through the door. Joe let out another sigh of relief which turned into excitement when he realized that it was Matt who was talking.
"Matt?! Is that really you?"
"Yeah, it's me Joe. You alright?" Matt replied.
"I'm O.K but they took Izzy from this cell 8 hours ago and he hasn't returned." Joe told him through the door.
"We found him badly beaten upstairs 4 hours ago and so my cousin patched him up and hopefully he's awake and talking to Sora."
"Cousin? And why isn't Sora here?" Joe asked and could hear Matt sigh.
"I'll explain everything when we get out of here. Now you get out the way of the door."
"Wait a sec Matt. I found that the door is trapped so if you break it down Machinedramon's going to come charging down here." Joe yelled back before MetalGarurumon could do anything.
"Great, now what do we do?" he heard Matt ask and was surprised when another voice said,
"Leave that to me."
Joe was extremely surprised when a minute later, the door clicked open and came face to face with an older Matt.
"Hey Matt, I didn't think you'd grow up that much."
"Joe, that's my cousin Sam." Matt said to the confused boy who was just looking between the two so quickly it was almost giving him a pain in the neck just watching it.
"Oh, well I'm pleased to meet you." Joe said and shook Sam's hand.
"Nice to meet you too Joe, but I think we should save the pleasantries until we're safe. Do you know where the others are?"
Joe nodded his head and pointed to the other doors along the corridor, "They're all in those rooms, two in each."
"Where are your digimon?" Matt asked and Joe just shrug his shoulders.
"Well we may as well save the others and then find the digimon." Sam said and ran to the next door, Joe and Matt following him.
"Hey, who's there?" the three heard Tai's voice call out through the door.
"It's me Tai, we're going to get you out in a sec. Just don't do anything." Matt said, not wanting to meet Machinedramon in this small hall.
"O.K. Just hurry up, Mimi's starting to get a bit freaked out." Tai replied and Matt nodded to Sam to open the door. Joe stood up from his crouching position and ran over to the door containing T.K and Kari saying,
"I know how to crack the locks, you do them, I've got this one."
"Damn, this one's harder than the last. Let's see." Sam muttered as he stuck his tongue out in thought. A few movements revealed that he was closer to the combination as sweat started falling down his face, his thoughts turning to the idea of a fight if Machinedramon found them. The telltale click was heard and Sam pulled the door back, revealing Tai and Mimi holding each other in comfort.
"I want Palmon!" Mimi yelled and two hands quickly clamped over her mouth.
"I know Mimi, but Matt's here now and we'll find them for sure." Tai said as Matt took his hand away, Tai doing the same.
"Matt!" T.K yelled as he ran up to his older brother and jumped into his arms, hugging him as if his life depended on it.
"I'm here T.K, it's going to be alright." Matt said, wiping his brother's tears away. Lifting his head out of Matt's shoulder, T.K saw that the others were out and there was a very tall version of Matt standing next to him. Following T.K's head, he saw what he was looking at.
"T.K, I'd like you to meet our cousin, Sam." Matt said as he let the young boy down.
"Hey T.K." Sam said, waving slightly. At this, T.K jumped up and a surprised Sam barely caught him in his arms.
"This is so cool, I never thought I'd have a cousin. Where have you been? Where do you come from? How..." T.K started with a barrage of questions before Sam interrupted him,
"I'll answer any question you may have T.K, but I think we need to get out of here first. K?" and T.K nodded at this and jumped onto the ground with a huge thump. Everyone looked at him with a questioning look on their faces until the ground vibrated again, this time with more force. Another step was taken and another until the Digidestined could hear a low groan, Matt and Sam caught each other's glance as the others turned around and were frozen in fear. Matt and Sam both turned around as well and their mouth's fell open when they saw what was now in front of them.
:P You guys have got to wait for the next part now! It should be out in a week or two. See ya!