Ages: Joe - 20
Tai, Matt, Sora - 17
Mimi, Izzy - 16
T.K, Kari, Davis, Yolei - 14
Cody - 13 **********************************************************************************************
The Dream- In the Beginning
"Hey Sora!" Matt called out as he walked down the steps of the stadium after watching her practice for the last half hour. He'd come straight from band practice after their manager had burst in on their rehersal, delivering some great news.
"Hey Matt!" Sora yelled back, placing her tennis raquet in her bag and wiping her face with a towel.
"Sora, could I have a word with you for a second." her coach asked, to which she nodded and held up a finger to Matt as he was still making his way down to her. Upon reaching the court, he was knocked over by Sora who was grinning from ear to ear and was hugging him tight.
"Guess what Matt?" she asked excitedly.
"Come on Sora, you know I was never good at guessing games." he replied.
"I'm going to the Sydney Olympics!" she yelled as she helped him up and was still hugging him tightly.
A huge smile came over Matt's face as he picked her up and swung her around.
"That's great Sora. I'm sure you'll whip their asses over there." Matt said laughing, "But I've got something to tell you as well."
Sora dropped out of Matt's arms and looked at him intently.
"You are looking at the only international act to be performing at the opening and closing ceremonies of those very Games." Matt declared.
"I'm so glad you're going as well Matt. At least that way I won't be so lonely." Sora told him, the smile not dissapearing from her face.
"I wouldn't dream of it." Matt remarked, "Let's head home and give everyone the good news." and with that they walked together down the streets of Odaiba towards Sora's place. The same journey they had travelled a million times during their years at school, and even now, with everyone busy doing their own thing and achieving their goals, Sora and Matt were still the best of friends. Their friendship had grown to be one that was rivaling T.K and Kari's, although that friendship was now a firm relationship. Despite Davis' attempts at breaking them up.
"How do you think your mum'll take the news?" asked Matt, knowing how protective Sora's mum could get.
"I don't know." Sora replied, the smile now evaporating from her face, "Do you think you could be there when I tell her?"
Matt smiled at her before saying, "I wouldn't have it any other way."
"Do you think you'll need any help with your dad?"
"Nah, he should be pretty cool. Especially when I tell him I've got him tickets there and back." Matt replied, taking them out of his leather jacket.
"I should do something for mum like that." Sora mused before she saw another packet of tickets being waved in front of her face.
"I already took that liberty." Matt told her as he put them in her hand. Sora smiled and hugged him.
"Thanks Matt."
"No problemo."
The rest of the walk passed in relative silence, both enjoying the others company. They walked up the entrance to Sora's place and walked inside, the knot in Sora's stomach starting to tighten. Matt, sensing this, grabbed her hand and gave it a small squeeze. Sora smiled at the gesture and relaxed a bit. At least she had Matt and nothing could take that away from her.
"Mum, I'm home!" Sora called out as she took the keys out of the lock and placed her bag in the laundry.
"Oh, I'm glad your home Sora. I've got some news..." her mother stopped when she saw Sora and Matt standing in the kitchen, holding hands. Both Matt and Sora followed her gaze and saw that they were still holding hands. Blushing slightly, they both let go, Matt muttering his apologies. Mrs Takenouchi smiled at this. Matt wasn't the most 'suitable' choice for her daughter to fall in love with, being in the music industry, but he was a good friend to all of the kids that they hung around with and he had proven his worth to Sora over the years. 'If only Sora would tell him!' she thought exasperated before continuing on with what she was going to say before,
"Tai said for you two to meet him and the others down at the park."
"O.K, thanks mum. We'll see you later then." Sora said as she turned around to walk out the door, but Matt was blocking her path and raised his eyebrows, as if he was telling her to do something.
"Oh, yeah. That's right. I've got to get changed first." and Sora ran off to her room. Matt shook his head, chuckling slightly, sighed and leaned against the door.
"How are you doing Mrs Takenouchi?" Matt asked her politely.
"I'm doing fine Matt. How are you?" she returned and Matt started grinning.
"I'm absolutely fine. My band and I are going to be the only international act in the Sydney Games."
"That's wonderful Matt. I'm sure your father will be very proud of you."
"Yeah, I think he will be." Matt replied, looking in the direction of Sora's room, "Sora also needs to tell you something as well."
"No I don't Matt." Sora told him as she grabbed his arm and lead him out the door. Unfortunately for Sora, Matt held his ground.
"Sora, you may as well tell her." he whispered to her, "'Cause I'm not coming over again for this."
Defeated, Sora sighed before turning to her mother.
"Mum, I've been selected to represent Japan in the next Olympic Games."
"That's wonderful Sora." her mother said as she walked up and hugged her daughter.
"Believe it or not Sora was actually afraid of telling you." Matt said laughing before getting hit in the stomach by Sora.
"Oooww." he complained as he continued laughing, "It's true."
Sora just glared at him before she pulled out the package and handed it to her mother.
"Also Matt got these for you."
Mrs Takenouchi looked at Matt puzzled before opening the brown envelope to reveal airplane tickets to Sydney, tickets to all of Sora's matches and some other events that were at the games.
"Thank you Matt." the older woman said, speechless.
"That's fine. I was getting stuff for Dad and I knew that Sora was going, so...."
"Wait a second buster." Sora interupted him, "How did you know?"
"Your coach told me yesterday when I was waiting for you to get changed." he explained.
"Oooh, I'm going to have to kill that old man." Sora grumbled.
"Well, do you want to find out what Tai and the others wanted or not?" Matt asked as he held the door open.
"Yeah, I'm coming." Sora told him, "I'll be back later Mum."
"See ya Mrs Takenouchi." Matt said before closing the door behind them.
'He is a true friend to them all.' Mrs Takenouchi thought before turning back to the flowers that she was arranging.
*************************
"Hey guys!" Tai yelled as he saw Matt and Sora walking towards them.
"Hey Tai." Matt called back, Sora waving. The rest of the Digidestined were there, seemingly waiting there for them, as Mimi was looking a bit flustered.
"So what did you want to tell us?" Sora asked.
Tai and Davis both started smiling as Davis said, "We've been selected on the Japanese football team for the Olympics."
"I think you mean selected for, not selected on." T.K interupted him.
"Shut Up T.A." Davis yelled back.
"IT's NOT T.A, it's T.K." T.K. shot back.
"Will both of you please stop it?" Kari asked and the two of them shut up immediately.
"Well I'm going there on the national basketball team." T.K told them, everyone congratulating the three.
"Sora's going with the tennis team and I'm going for the entertainment." Matt cut in.
"I'm going with the Equestrian team." Mimi told them and they all looked at her strangely.
"I didn't know you liked horses Mimi." Yolei said, to which Mimi nodded.
"Jim and I've been asked to go for the medical team." Joe said.
"I'm going with Kendo, seeing as though it's being introduced at those Olympics." Cody interupted.
"With me, it's photography for the newspaper." said Kari.
"Yolei and I are going to help with the international network." Izzy told them all.
"Well, it looks as thought everyone's going." Matt commented. Everyone else nodded.
"Do you think we could relay everything to the digiworld Izzy?" Yolei asked, to which Izzy replied,
"I see no reason why we couldn't."
"Why don't we all go out for dinner, Matt's treat." T.K asked, despite Matt's objections.
"Yeah!" everyone exclaimed and walked off to the nearest restaurant, leaving Matt standing there telling them that he wasn't paying before running and catching up to them.
"Don't worry Matt." Sora told him, "At least we're all going to accomplish 'The Dream'"