*waves* Hey, people! how's it hanging? Okay, new story! I hope you'll like this one. I wrote it around midnight. yeah, what fun.

Disclaimer: I don't own digimon. if I did, I don't think I'd be writing a fan fic-- would you?

No flames, Please! Read and review at the end! Please

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Matt slowly put his books away, lost in thought. School was over for the day and he and the rest of the Digi gang were all going to hang out at the park. He hoped it would let his day get better; he had a bad day. First it was sleeping in and being late. Then he found they had a pop quiz in another class of his, and he didn't even know the material-- which was a sure sign he had flunked. Then to top it all off, he was failing one of his classes. His teacher gave him a note to give to his dad to read.

Exhausted- he hadn't gotten much sleep lately- he banged his head quietly against his locker and closing his eyes, drowning out the noisy hallway.

"Hey, Matt" came a cheerful voice from behind him.

Matt spun around startled-- only to slip on a piece of paper that had fallen out of his locker, causing him to fall on his rear. And to jerk his head back, making him bang it against the locker.

"Ouch. That had to hurt," Tai, his best friend, commented staring down at him with a grin.

Matt glared back. "Shut up, Tai." He growled, getting up. He bent down picking the piece of paper up. He stood up, only to bang his head yet again on the locker-- his upper locker was still open. He yelped and rubbed his head.

"Uh, not having a good day, are you?" Observed Sora, as she came up and slid her arm around Tai's waist.

"You could say that," Matt shot back. He shoved whatever he needed in the locker and slammed it shut. Then he realized that his bag was still in there. He groaned. "Dammit."

He ignored Tai and Sora's laughter as he quickly redid his comb. He opened his locker and yanked his bag out. He slammed it shut again and face the laughing couple. He gave them a glare and stalked down the hallway.

"Oh, I think he's pissed," Sora said. "Maybe you ought to talk to him, Tai."

"I think a day at the park will cheer him up." Replied Tai. "Come on, let's catch him before he goes and beats up a locker."

Laughing, Sora and Tai ran after their friend.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Ha, ha! TJ, I got to be partners with Kari today!" Davis called, grinning, catching up with his friend TK. "Hope that doesn't make you jealous?"

TK smiled and rolled his eyes. "Davis, how can it make me jealous? We're going out and it's just a school project." He replied.

Davis kept grinning as he just shrugged. "I dunno. It was worth a shot, wasn't it?" He fired back.

"Uh, yeah, you keep telling yourself that!" Joked TK. He and Davis laughed.

"So, speaking of which, where is Kari?" Davis asked.

"She said she'd be a bit late; I think she had to talk to one of her teachers about a paper grade mistake."

"Hmm. The teacher's mistake or hers?"

"The teachers. Come on, Davis, we all know that Kari is perfect," came a cheery voice.

The two boys turned to see Yolie and Ken walking up to them. Yolie and Ken were holding hands; they had been going out for at least a month. They at first wanted to keep it secret but then decided that their friends would have nothing to object to the two of them going out. In fact, everyone was happy. As Matt told them, "We all wondered when you two were going to get together!"

"Hey, Yolie, I know that but does Kari?" Davis answered.

"I think she does." Ken stated, his violet eyes flashing teasingly. "And we all know that TK is also perfect and that what makes them such a perfect couple."

"Hey, Ken's right," Davis said, staring at TK with innocent eyes. "YOU are perfect. Wow, I'd never thought."

The group burst into laughter and that was when everyone else showed up.

"So, what's so funny?" Kari asked, hooking her arm with TK's.

"They were teasing us-- how you were perfect and how I was perfect, and that is why we made such a perfect answer," Came the answer from TK.

"No, we're not just perfect. We're the cute perfect couple!" Kari teased back.

"Oh, ok, let's stop!" Davis wailed. "I hate hearing about perfect people!"

"That's because you're not one of them," Ken replied, smirking.

"Ok, ok, let's leave Davis alone, you guys." Tai said, grinning.

"Thanks, Tai." Davis said, sighing with relief.

"We can tease him much later!" Tai added.

Davis groaned and everyone laughed. They continued on their way to the park, still teasing Davis.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Matt sighed as he watched everyone else. He sat under a tree, silent and by himself, observing. He watched Sora chasing Tai around for something he teased her about. Ken and Yolie were talking to Cody and Joe. Izzy was on his laptop, and TK and Kari were teasing Davis. The only person who wasn't here was Mimi and she was in America.

Matt sighed and flopped onto his back. He stared up into the tree, lost in deep thought. He didn't realize how tired he was; he fell asleep.

That's when he started to have a disturbing dream.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, Sora had been watching Matt. She was getting worried about his odd behavior.

"Is Matt ok?" Sora suddenly asked, glancing at her boyfriend. She had noticed that he wondered off by himself and just sat in under a tree, just watching.

Tai munched on his potato chip and glanced at his best friend, who seemed to be dozing. "I- I don't know. He hasn't been talking to me." He replied, slowly.

"Uh, maybe it's my fault. We're always out together and spending time together." Sora said, sighing.

"Nah, he doesn't hate you for that. It isn't your fault," Tai said. He gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Besides he's always with his band."

"Yeah, I guess so." She said, but she still felt that something was wrong with her friend.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Matt woke up. He blinked his eyes, trying to adjust to the darkness. He sat up and looked around, realizing he wasn't at the park. But somewhere else. He slowly stood up, and gazed around. He couldn't make out much detail--- it was hazy, and foggy. And dark. He felt an evil aura around him; he felt that he wasn't alone.

He spun around, suddenly feeling that he was being watched. There was no one there. He shivered, wondering what was going on? Why couldn't he wake up?

"Wake up, Matt," He ordered himself, not liking the feeling he had. "Come on, wake up."

"Waking up won't do you any good, kid." Came a raspy, malicious voice from behind him.

Matt spun around to face to what looked like a digimon to him. He took a step back, horrified at the digimon monster. It looked like black panther standing up. Only it had human features-- which were gruesome. They were scars all over it's body. It had ironically black pants on and a white tee shirt. It grinned evilly at him, showing sharp, pointy teeth. Teeth like a panther's.

"W-who are you?" Matt choked out, taking another step back.

"I am what you call a Digimon. Only my name is Panthamon." Came the answer. "I can be in the Digital World or here, in people's dreams." He paused, smirking. "I heard you call me, Matt."

"I- I didn't call anyone," Matt stammered. "What're you talking about?"

Its grin grew even darker. "Yes, oh, yes, you did call me." He raised a finely shaped eyebrow. "You see, you may not have realized you did. I come to people who are down, depressed or simply not having a good life. I can help those who want out."

Matt stared. Was he feeling depressed? Was he not having a good life? What was going on? "I- I like my life, so leave me alone." He spat out. Then he paused, eyes connected with Panthamon's. "Just exactly how can you help?" He asked before he could stop himself. He winced, mentally smacking himself.

"See? You don't enjoy life. At least yours. I can see your memories, Matt Ishida." Came the calm reply.

"NO, no, leave me alone." Matt cried, shutting his eyes. "I like my life. It's just peachy."

"Really? Hmm," Panthamon replied. "Tai, your best friend went out with the girl you liked. But you accepted it anyhow, telling yourself they 'belong' to each other. Your dad's rarely home, TK's got his own life and the rest of your friends are too involved with their own life to see that their friend-- that's you, Matt-- desperately wants someone to talk to. But you don't tell them because you're 'Mr. Cool.' Your band's not doing well, seems like you fight more than practice."

"Stop it. Shut up." Snarled Matt. But he knew that the evil digimon was right. But still, he didn't want a new life.

"Come on, Matt, come with me," Panthamon coaxed. "Forget about the divorce, forget about your adventures in the Digital World, forget about all your pain and suffering and come with me."

Matt's eyes closed and he nodded, as if he was in a daze. "Yes, yes, I will come with you," He replied without thinking about it.

Panthamon grinned. This was too easy. If all the other Digidestined were like this, he'd be done in no time. He placed a hand on Matt's arm and led him away.

But he didn't get far. Someone was waking Matt up in the real world. He hissed, trying to keep the spell on Matt. But it didn't work. Matt's eyes snapped open and he pushed away. He hissed angrily, and turned to Panthamon.

"YOU tricked me!" He yelled. Then he realized he was being shaken awake. "I'm so outta here."

Panthamon snarled. "I don't think so, Digidestined!" He snapped back. He tried to put a spell on Matt, but Matt's figure was vanishing as he woke up from his dream.

"Dammit, I almost had him!" He screamed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Ahhhh!" Matt screamed as he woke up, startling Tai and Sora, who were the ones who were waking him up. "Stop it, stop it, stop it!" He cried, hands flying to his ears and covering them. This brought everyone's attention to him.

"Matt," Tai said, freaked. "Matt, it's me, Tai. And Sora."

"What's wrong, Matt?" Sora asked, a bad feeling creeping over her.

Matt started to tremble, and he shook his head. "No, it's all lies. I don't have a bad life. I like my life," he whispered to himself, burying his head in his hands. "I don't, I don't."

TK ran up them and looked up at Tai, concerned and worried. "Tai, what does he mean? What's wrong with him?" He asked, kneeling next to his brother.

Before anyone could reply, Matt looked up, his blue eyes confused and a dazed, frighten look on his face. He looked at Tai, Sora and TK. "What? What? Why're you staring at me like that you guys?" He asked, puzzlement in his voice. He drew in a shaky breath.

"You were jerking in your sleep, and kept saying 'no, no, no' over and over," Sora replied gently.

"Then when we shook you awake you screamed and kept saying 'stop it, stop it, ' and something about you not having a bad life." Tai continued. "But the thing was when you said those you were awake. You were freaking me out, man." He added.

"Yeah, and everyone heard you scream, too, that's why I came over," TK said. He looked behind him, to see that everyone was occupying themselves. "What's going on with you, Matt? You look exhausted and I find out you're failing one of your best classes and receiving detentions. And you look like you haven't been eating."

Matt froze. He looked into TK's concerned eyes. "I'm fine," he whispered. "I'm fine. Really."

"No, you're not." Tai shot back. He looked at Matt. His friend looked pale and sick. "You need sleep, Matt."

"NO!" Matt screamed, scrambling to his feet. This time everyone did stare and kept staring. "HE'LL GET ME! I CAN'T LET HIM GET ME."

Tai bit his lip and stood up. He wrapped his arm around Matt's shoulder and felt him trembling. "Matt, what're you talking about? Who's going to get you?" He asked softly.

"Panthamon." Matt whispered. "He-- he's gonna get us, one by one," he added. Then he fainted in Tai's arms.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Is he gonna be ok, Mr. Ishida? Joe?" Tai asked, concerned seeping into his voice, as he looked down at his friend, who was sleeping in his bed peacefully.

Joe nodded. "He's exhausted and low on nutrients. By the looks of it, he hasn't been eating well lately." He replied, following Matt's dad and Tai out of the room. "Just let him miss a day or two of school, give him some food and he should be ok."

Mr. Ishida shook his head. "I wonder why he's doing this to himself?" He wondered. "This isn't like Matt."

Tai nodded. "I know. I can't believe he actually fainted." He said.

"Well, thanks Tai, Joe for bringing him back and letting me know. I'll make sure he eats some healthy food and gets some sleep," Mr. Ishida said, as he walked them to the door.

"No problem, Mr. Ishida, see you later." Tai said. "See you later, TK!"

TK looked up from the soup he was making for Matt and smiled. "Bye guys, see ya later."

Joe and Tai walked out and meet the rest of the gang outside the door. Joe repeated everything to them as to what he said to Mr. Ishida. He sighed and looked at Tai, who looked worried.

"Izzy," Tai said, frowning, as they walked slowly down the sidewalk, "You have your laptop right?"

"Of course, Tai." Izzy replied. "Why?"

Tai held up Matt's digivice. He smiled, and said, "He had this on, and I swiped it because I've got a feeling he's met a digimon."

"Ah."

"In his sleep? Isn't that impossible?" Yolie asked, as they all gathered around Izzy and his laptop, when he had found a bench.

"Technically, yes. But we're dealing with the Digital World-- anything's possible." Izzy replied. He placed Matt's digivice in the slot and open the digimon analyzer up. A few seconds, a picture of the digimon Matt showed up on the screen. "Panthamon, a dark and evil digimon who answers to those who disprove of their life, is depressed or simply not having a good day. He can even show up, when you didn't even call him. If he feels like you need a new life, he'll give it to you." He paused. "On one condition though, and that is to give whatever power you have into his hands."

"Oh, wow." Cody remarked.

"And that power that Matt has is him being a Digidestined," Davis said causally. "Makes sense."

"Uh-huh, Davis. When did you get so smart?" Ken teased.

Davis rolled his eyes. "Come on, Ken, you know I have my moments." He replied back.

Everyone laughed, but Tai gripped Izzy's shoulder and asked a question that stopped the laughter.

"But Izzy, can he still reach Matt? He fainted, but that's basically like sleeping." He said.

Izzy looked up into Tai's worried, brown eyes. "Yes, Tai, he can still reach Matt." He answered.

But all Tai heard was "Yes, Tai," and then he was gone, sprinting back to Matt's apartment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Oh, no, not again!" Matt cried, realizing where he was and seeing the familiar surroundings. "Someone wake me up!" He screamed.

Suddenly a hand was on his shoulder; he yelped as he was forced to turn around to look into Panthamon's endless black eyes. Panthamon grinned and caressed Matt's cheek. Matt trembled; he didn't like this.

"Oh, yes again." Panthamon purred. "Matt Ishida, out of all my others you delight me."

"Your others?" Matt stuttered. "What're you talking about?"

"My slaves. They all give in so easily, but you-- you reject me and fight me." Panthamon answered. "You have a strong will in you, despite all your pain and suffering."

Matt wretched away from Panthamon and his cold touch. He stumbled back and gasped, as he slammed his head into a tree. He saw stars and he saw Panthamon approaching him, with a knowing grin on his face.

"Get-- get away from me!" He screamed. "I don't have any pain or I haven't suffered!" Even as he screamed the words he knew it was a lie. And he knew that Panthamon knew that as well. He bit his lip and ran into a direction, any direction. As long as he didn't have to face Panthamon.

He ran, tears streaming down his face. He wanted to wake up and to wake up NOW. He didn't want this. He didn't want his emotions rammed down his throat. He didn't want anyone to tell him how he felt.

Suddenly he tripped, stumbling to the ground. He paused, gasping for breath. He went to stand up only to bump into Panthamon. Matt couldn't control himself-- he gazed into his eyes and felt himself getting lost.

"I- I'll go!" He choked out. "I-- I hate my life!"

Panthamon grinned with satisfaction. I knew this kid was easy, he thought as he wrapped his arms around the young blonde boy.

"I'll take you to my home, Matt. Where you can feel loved," Panthamon whispered, as he and Matt disappeared into the dark mist.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Nooooo!" Tai screamed, shaking his friend as hard as he could. "Matt, dammit, wake up!" He had been shaking Matt hard for about ten minutes and felt it when Matt had gone with Panthamon. "No, Matt, no, no," Tai sobbed, his head in his friends shoulder.

Granted Matt was still alive, but he wasn't there. He wasn't responding or waking up. Tai had flown into the Ishida's apartment, startling Mr. Ishida and TK. He had ignored them as he ran into Matt's room, only to be too late. He had touched Matt's shoulder only to feel him leave.

"Tai, Tai what's going on?" TK asked, frightened by Tai's behavior and Matt not waking up.

"Panthamon took him, he took him," Tai replied.

"Who or what is Panthamon?" TK asked.

"A evil digimon," came the answer.

TK spun around to see Izzy and Sora standing in the door way. Izzy walked in and placed his laptop on the bed stand. He flipped it open and tapped for a few minutes. Sora went up to Tai and placed her arms around his waist and held him. TK stared at Izzy, waiting for more. Izzy looked up and explained everything to TK. TK shook his head, as he listened.

"But why did Matt give in so easily?" TK finally asked after Izzy finished. "How can we save him?"

"Panthamon is a powerful digimon. He knew that Matt was feeling low at this point and he knew that he was a Digidestined. So of course, he came to Matt." Izzy replied. "As how to save him, I haven't figure that out yet."

"Well, figure it out, Izzy. That power is going to someone evil!" Tai snapped. Then he blushed. "I'm sorry."

"It's ok, Tai, I understand. Well, I do have good news." Izzy replied, smiling a little.

"What?" Sora asked.

"Panthamon may have Matt's crest but he doesn't have Matt's digivice-- Tai does. So he doesn't have all the power."

Tai's eyes widened. "You're right, Izzy. I still do have it." He said. "But how does this help us?"

Izzy shrugged. "I don't know yet. But I'm working on it, so take it easy." He replied.

"Uh-huh. Take it easy. That's all you can say?" Demanded Tai.

"Tai, calm down," Sora said, quietly. "Screaming at Izzy isn't going to help Matt or us out either way."

Tai hung his head. "I know, I'm sorry. But I don't understand why'd he give in so easily. Why didn't he talk to me?" I don't get it. I don't get Matt either and I thought he was my best friend." He said softly.

"Hey, he's my brother and I still don't know him all that well." TK said. "We've gotten closer but he still guards himself."

"Hey, maybe if you get any lower, Tai, Panthamon will visit you." Izzy said, noticing how depressed and worried he looked.

Tai jerked his head up, his eyes widening. "What a great idea, Izzy. I am already feeling low. . .quick someone say something that will make me depressed." He replied.

"Your hair is ugly and you need to know how to brush it," TK suggested.

Tai laughed. "Uh, TK, I said something that will make me depressed, not laugh." He retorted.

"Umm, well, how about--" TK shook his head. "Never mind."

"What? What is it, TK?" Sora asked, noticing how he guarded himself like his brother.

"I told Matt I wouldn't tell!" TK said, upset. "And I always keep my promises!"

"But--- TK, it's for Matt, do it for Matt!"

TK bit his lip, conflicted. He wanted to tell, only to help Matt out, but he didn't want to break his promise. He always kept his promises and he didn't want Matt to be mad at him.

"TK, please." Tai begged. "Please."

TK saw how worried and hurt Tai was to see his best friend giving up on life and to be on the evil, dark side. His eyes started to water, and he shook his head. "Oh, Tai, it involves you and Sora." He whispered.

"Huh?" Sora said, confused. "How?"

TK turned his eyes on Sora. "He really, really like you, Sora. But before he could tell you how he felt---" His eyes switched to Tai, "---you asked her out, Tai. He was hurting, but never let you know it. He never let you know that he like Sora, because he knew Tai liked her. So once he saw how happy you two were together, he gave up. He believed you two 'belonged' together. His heart was broken. He told me, when I found him sitting at the park. I had asked him what was wrong and he told me. He rather keep you both as friends instead of trying to break or ruin the friendship up." TK said quietly.

This really did bring Tai down. He groaned and hit his head on the bed post gently. "Jeeze, I am such a moron." He said.

"That is why he has the Crest of Friendship," Izzy commented. "Even though he won't admit it, friendship is important to him."

"Man, I didn't know." Tai wailed.

"Tai, shut up. It's time for you to sleep." Sora said firmly. "Time for you to rescue your best friend!"

Tai nodded. He let the feelings get to him; and he knew the others tried not to comfort him. He had to meet with Panthamon. He had to save Matt. He sighed and stood up. He gently pushed Matt away and laid down next to his friend. He closed his eyes, falling asleep instantly.

"I hope this works," Sora said, softly.

"So do I," TK replied, looking down at his brother and Tai, with hope on his face.

"I've told Tai, to keep his digivice here, with me," Izzy informed them. "Along with his crest. Whatever he's wearing now, he'll be wearing in the dream."

"Ok. I see." Sora nodded.

"Now, if Tai can convince Pathamon to take him, he'll go to wherever Panathmon keeps all his slaves. Matt should be with them somewhere. After he finds Matt, he will banish all depressing thoughts from his mind and take Matt back with him to consciousness in this world."

"If anyone can do it, Tai can." Sora said, and TK nodded his head in agreement.

"Come on, Tai. Come on, Matt." TK whispered. "Come back to us."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

wellllllllllllll. that was interesting, was it not? Can anyone tell that I am completely winging this? That I'm making it up as I go along? *holds up hands* Yeah, yeah , yeah, I shouldn't but that's how I write. *glares* If you don't like it then too bad.

*smiles* so like my cliff hanger? (if you call that a cliff hanger) well, let me know if you like it---but no flames, K? good. If I get 5 reviews I'll continue it. Got it? Good. so review, please!

*waves* well, good bye peoples!