Chapter 1
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or anything associated with it. That honor belongs to Toei Animation, Saban, and Fox. I'm just a fan who needs an outlet, so please don't sue me.

Author's Note: (4-16-01) "Lost and Found" was my very first Digimon fanfic, and the only fanfic that I've ever completed to date. So this one is my very favorite. Don't judge me too harshly for my made-up character, I only want her to be a part of the action in the future, not the entire focus. I just needed a girl to relate to. Looking forward to any comments anyone might have about my story. Thanks so much for reading! -- Chrys

Prologue:

Machinedramon stomed up to the house with a booming laugh that shook everything in the house. Gennai jumped up out of his seat. Waddling to the door of the room, he called out into the hall.
"It's time! You have to go! Now!"
A wide-eyed girl came flying out of another room, stumbling as the house shook beneath her feet.
"Now?" she asked in fright.
"Yes, now," Gennai answered. "You remember what I told you?"
The girl nodded silently.
"Good, then get out of here while you still can!"
The girl stopped to give Gennai a kiss on the top of his bald head, then took off running, getting out of the house and running as quickly as she could to get away. She turned around, just in time to see the house explode.
"No!" she cried.
Then she noticed a figure sneaking away, unnoticed by the giant Digimon that was destroying the house. It was Gennai, escaping in the other direction. Going over Gennai's instructions in her mind, the girl set off in the direction she had started.
She whispered to herself. "I only hope I can find them..."

End Prologue

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Note: This takes place during the time that Matt is separated from the rest of the Digidestined.

Lost and Found -- by Chrysalis Raina
Chapter One:

Matt walked among the trees, carrying Tsunomon with him. He wasn't going anywhere particular, only trying to put distance between himself and the others. After awhile, he stops and looks over his shoulder, back at the way he came.
"I do have to be alone..." he thought to himself. "Don't I?"
Shaking his head, he kept on walking until he reached a small stream. "Let's stop here and rest for awhile, Tsunomon," he suggested.
The little Digimon murmured his assent, so the pair stopped and sat down by the water. Apprehensive, but determined, Matt stuck his head out over the water and made himself peer into the water's surface. To his relief, all he saw was his own reflection.
All was silent for a few moments, but then a rustling sound came from a nearby patch of tall grass. Matt and Tsunomon both jerked up. Tsunomon reflexively digivolved to Gabumon, who bounded off to investigate. He was out of sight for a tense moment.
"There's someone in here!" Gabumon finally called back. "She's asleep!"
Matt rushed headlong into the grass to see what in the world Gabumon could be talking about. As he stumbled toward the voice of his partner, he heard a high, frightened scream. Pushing his way into the little clearing where Gabumon stood, he arrived just in time to see a human girl with her back to him scrambling up off the ground.
Without thinking, Matt shot out his hand and grabbed the girl by the wrist, dropping down to one knee when she jerked back and fell back on her butt.
"Wait!" he said.
The girl turned around, wide-eyed -- first in fear and then in surprise. Matt found himself staring into a pair of navy blue eyes surrounded by a pretty face, and a halo of reddish-blonde hair. For a moment, they just stared at each other in utter silence.
"Umm...Matt?" Gabumon broke into the quiet.
Matt jerked his head and turned to look at his friend. "Yeah, Gabumon?"
"What's going on here? Do you know her?" Gabumon asked.
"No," Matt shook his head.
"You're one of the Digidestined, aren't you?" the girl asked quietly.
Matt's free hand immediately went up to his chest, where his crest and tag hung. Was he a Digidestined anymore? He didn't know. But if it mattered to the girl, maybe he could help her.
"Yes," he admitted. "My name's Matt, and the funny-looking thing that scared you is my partner, Gabumon."
"Pleased to make your acquaintance," Gabumon said. "I hope I didn't scare you too much."
"That's all right," she smiled, relaxing a little. "I'm Annira. Anni for short."
"How did you get to the Digiworld?" Matt asked her.
Anni's wrinkled her forehead, perplexed. "How did I get here? I've always been here."
"What?" Matt and Gabumon said together.
"Well, my father Gennai says that he's never found out exactly where I came from, but as far back as I can remember, I've always been here."
"Gennai?" Matt wondered. "He never mentioned having a daughter."
"Well, Dad is a little scatterbrained," Anni laughed.
"That's the truth," Gabumon added.
"But what are you doing out here in the middle of nowhere?" Matt asked.
Anni's eyes clouded over. "Hiding from the Dark Masters," she said quietly. "You see, Machinedramon destroyed our home, and Dad and I had to split up. I was supposed to find the Digidestined, but instead I found Puppetmon. He thought that Gennai's daughter would make a good playmate."
Matt nodded, remembering what his brother had gone through with Puppetmon.
"But I got away. And I've been hiding ever since."

Later that night, Matt, Gabumon sat in the dark, exchanging their stories.
"...and that's when we split off, Gabumon and me," Matt finished. He stared off into the distance. He kinda missed them all. But he sure couldn't stay with them... Everything was all wrong.
Anni reached out and touched Matt on the arm. "I think I understand. You're on a kind of Walkabout, aren't you? The kind where you have to walk until you meet yourself?" She smiled. "And then the both of you sit down and have a long talk, get things sorted out, then you go home."
Matt looked up in surprise. That was it. Exactly. He hadn't even gotten the idea really sorted out in his own head, what he was doing. But here Anni had taken what was in his heart and put it into words. He opened his mouth to reply, but Anni yawned before he could say anything.
"You'd better get some sleep," Matt finally said. "I'll sit up for awhile and keep watch."
Anni curled up on the ground. "Wake me up later, and I'll take a turn at the watch," she requested sleepily, hardly finishing the sentence before she nodded off.
The world was silent, except for the light sound of Gabumon snoring. Matt absentmindedly took his tag and crest out from under his shirt. He was shocked when he saw it emitting a faint blue glow in the darkness.
"It's glowing!" he whispered to himself. "But how?" And then it came to him. "Anni....she listened. She really listened to me..."

"So where are you going to go now?" Matt asked Anni the next morning.
"I don't know," she replied. "Somewhere. Anywhere."
"You can't hide from the Dark Masters forever," Gabumon said wisely.
"I know, but I don't know what else to do..."
"Why don't you come with us?" Matt suggested.
"What?" Anni cocked her head.
"You'll be safe with me," Matt promised. "The Dark Masters are going to be defeated, someday soon. Until then..."
"We can be a team," Gabumon finished, obviously glad to see Matt associating with another human being again.
"All right," Anni agreed.

So the three of them went on together, following the stream. And everything was going smoothly until they heard a voice in a tree behind them.
"Hey Annie May, didn't anyone ever tell you it's not nice to run away from your friends?"
Anni froze for a second, then spun around to face Puppetmon.
"I am not your friend!!!" she spat.
"Sure you are, Annie May!" Puppetmon persisted. "You're my special friend, and it's time to get back to our game!"
"Didn't you hear me?" Anni shouted back. "I'm not your friend, and I don't want to play!"
"Ohhhh!" Puppetmon said. " I see! You'd rather play with that boy and his dog over there...Well, I've played with him before, and he's no fun!" The evil Digimon dropped down from his perch and stood in front of Matt and Gabumon and Anni. "But if that's really how it's gonna be, then I'll just destroy you all and get a special bargain -- one pesky girl, one digidestined brat, and a funny looking dog. Three for the price of one!" He ran up to Anni, raising his hammer. "Puppet Pommel!" he announced.
"No!!" Matt shouted. His crest glowed brightly as Gabumon warp-digivolved to MetalGarurumon right there on the spot.
"Huh?" Puppetmon turned, hammer still in the air, to look at the new arrival. He turned his head just in time to see MetalGarurumon blast off a Metal Wolfclaw attack that knocked the hammer right out of his little wooden hands.
"Ow!" Puppetmon screamed. "That hurt! You guys are no fun, I'm going home!" And with that, Puppetmon ran off, disappearing.
As MetalGarurumon went back to being little Gabumon, Matt rushed over to Anni.
"I'm all right!" she insisted. "Just a little shaken, is all."
Matt helped her to her feet. She gave Matt a kiss on the cheek, and then bent down to kiss the top of Gabumon's furry head. Both boy and Digimon blushed.
"Thank you," Anni said. "You saved my life. You were right when you said I couldn't hide from Puppetmon forever....and you were right when you said I'd be safe with you."

Matt, Gabumon, and Anni wandered the forest for most of the day. Late afternoon rolled around. Noises they had supposed to be normal forest noises were starting to sound like the sounds of battle, and Matt was worried.
"I think they're fighting Puppetmon!" he said.
"Then you've got to help them, Matt," Anni said firmly.
"But what about you?" Matt asked.
"I'll be fine."
"But..."
Gabumon cut in. "She's right, Matt. They need our help!"
"Go," Anni ordered with finality.

And so, of course, Matt runs into the fray. And it is in the end, MetalGarurumon who deals Puppetmon the final blow. But Matt leaves again, this time going back to the place he left Anni. Finding no one there, he sadly wanders off, alone again.

End Chapter One