A SOCCER STORY

Chapter 1—Play Ball!

All of the Digimon had gathered on the soccer field. There were six Digimon on each team. Patamon and Veemon were the team captains. Patamon had Gabumon, Tentomon, Gatomon, Armadillomon, and Wormmon. Veemon had Agumon, Biyomon, Palmon, Gomamon, and Hawkmon.

"All right, Patamon. I'll kick first." Said Veemon.

"Fine with me, Veemon."

"Play ball!" Shouted Gatomon.

Veemon kicked the ball around Wormmon. Tentomon tried to steal it from him, but Veemon got around him. Gabumon and Armadillomon double teamed him. Veemon kicked the ball, which went straight up into the air and bounced on Armadillomon's back. Gabumon took control of the ball. Palmon and Biyomon blocked Gabumon, but Gabumon kicked it to Gatomon who took it to the goal.

"Nice one, Gatomon!" shouted Patamon.

Patamon kicked the ball off to the other team. Agumon took control of the ball. He tried the same maneuver Veemon did before. He passed the ball to Gomamon who passed to Hawkmon, who sent it flying in the air. It was a few feet from the goal when Agumon kicked it straight in the net.

"Yeah! Way to go, Agumon!" Said Veemon.

"Okay. Break time, everyone!" Patamon yelled.

"Break? I just got started!" Said Veemon.

"Fine, no water for you, Veemon."

"WHA—? Fine. Break time it is." Veemon decided.

After a quick break, the Digimon went back to the field. Armadillomon took the ball this time. He rolled it off his shell and kicked it to Wormmon, who did a short pass to Tentomon, passed it to Patamon, who kicked the ball in the air. When it landed, it was next to Gatomon, who kicked it high and it landed in the net.

The next round, Veemon kicked the ball hard. Palmon took the ball, passed it to Gomamon, who headbutted it to Agumon, who kicked it past Gabumon, who was blocking him. Veemon caught the ball with his foot, passed it to Biyomon, who kicked it forward and back to Veemon, who kicked it to the net where Gatomon was the goalie. Gatomon caught the ball with her claws and the ball popped right in her face.

"AHH! Oh, no! I'm so sorry everyone!" Gatomon said apologetically.

"Come on, Gatomon. Did you have to go and pop the ball with your claws?" Asked Veemon.

"I didn't mean too. It was an accident." Gatomon started to cry.

"Veemon! Be considerate of her feelings!" Patamon yelled at Veemon.

"Well, now we can't play anymore!" Argued Veemon.

"Lighten up, Vee. She didn't mean to!" Patamon countered.

"Guys! Really? You two are going to argue while your friend is obviously hurt?" Palmon said.

Veemon and Patamon looked over at Gatomon and noticed she was sitting down on the ground holding the remains of the soccer ball, crying. Veemon was about to approach her when Patamon held him back.

"Haven't you done enough damage?" Asked Patamon.

"Me? You were the one who yelled at me!"

"Stop arguing, you two. You're only making Gatomon feel worse!" Shouted Biyomon.

Gatomon grabbed the popped ball and started to walk back to Tai and Kari's apartment. Agumon went with her.

"I'll go with her to explain the situation to Tai." Said Agumon.

Agumon put his arm around Gatomon and they walked home.

"You're right! What's Tai going to say about this?" Wondered Biyomon.

Veemon looked again at Patamon, who was watching Gatomon go on sadly.

"You think I should go apologize to her?" Asked Veemon.

Patamon had tears in his eyes at this point. "No. Just let her go for now. She has to work a few things out. But yes, eventually, we will have to go back and apologize to her. Veemon, I'm sorry for arguing with you. It was a silly argument really about nothing, that only made everything worse."

"I'm sorry too, Patamon."

Veemon and Patamon shook hands. The rest of the Digimon, followed by Patamon and Veemon, went back to their partners' apartments.

"I thought it was fun, still." Said Gabumon.