"Matt wait!" The little blonde boy ran as fast as his legs would carry him. He was short but quite cute. A taller boy turned around sharply to see the little child running at him, arms spread out.
"TK. What's wrong?" Matt looked into his brother's tearful eyes. TK flung his arms around his brother's waist and held on for dear life.
"I don't want you to go Matt! Please don't go, I know I'm not the best brother but I don't want you to go!" Matt's turtleneck sweater muffled TK's voice. Matt pulled TK away from him and picked him up so he could look at him straight in the eyes.
"TK, don't ever talk like that. I love you very much and you're the best little brother I could ask for." TK sniffled and smiled slightly. "I don't want to go but I have to."
"But why?" TK always asked questions, bless youthful curiosity.
"Because we don't live together anymore TK. I have to go home with Dad but I promise that I'll come and visit you as much as I can, I promise. Nothing will keep us apart."
"You really promise Matt?"
"I really promise TK."
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The words rang in Matt's brain as he lay in his cell. He promised his little brother that he'd go back and see him but did he? No. He couldn't go and see him ever again. Not after what had happened with Mimicmon. He wanted to protect his little brother but he couldn't protect him without hurting him. Tai had hit him once when they were talking about TK … that was the only one of Tai's punches that actually hurt. Matt knew that Tai was right and that he should have gone back to TK … but Matt couldn't do it. He couldn't put his little brother in danger.
Another memory sprung back into his head.
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"Hey Matt!" Tai Kamiya ran towards his best friend who was walking away from him.
"Tai?" Matt turned back to see his best friend; it had been a while. He was looking toned from playing so much sport. Matt had his huge bag with him and Tai had a football under his arms. Typical.
"Is that sheet music?" Tai asked when he finally caught up with his friend.
"Ermm … yeah, it is."
"So you're still playing then?" Matt nodded his head solemnly.
"On and off." He paused for a moment; the tension between the two of them was immense. "What are you doing here Tai?" The question had a certain level of destine in it.
"I was just … playing some football and saw you. Thought we could talk…"
"It's been a long time Tai, maybe too long."
"It's never too long." Tai stated with absolute conviction. "We said we'd be friends for ever Matt … what happened to us?"
"Nothing lasts forever Tai, you should have grasped this concept by now." Tai shook his head and choked out a slight scoff of indignation.
"You've not changed a bit. Why am I even bothering? When you realise what you loose by acting this way Matt, tell me. I'll ALWAYS believe in our friendship."
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Matt shook his head to try and get rid of the memory and the tear rolling down his cheek. He couldn't shake the thought of Tai … his eyes were so powerful when he spoke. "I'll always believe in our friendship." Matt spoke softly to himself. He wished he had something to write with or his guitar … just something to get what was inside of him out.
It's just a waiting game now … waiting.
*******************************
TK tore Matt's room to shreds. There was no pillow unturned in that room; he still hadn't found what he was looking for though. He sat on Matt's bed and looked at the mess surrounding him. "Come on Matt where would you put a secret code. You wouldn't write it on a piece of paper because that's just too damned easy isn't it? What would you do?" TK mused to himself as he scanned the room. "It must be something that's important to you…" He looked around the room one more time and on the bedside cabinet one lonely photo had remained standing from TK's onslaught. It was a picture of himself and Matt that had been taken along time ago. The two of them were smiling, happy then. He picked it up too look at it. Then he thought. "What if…"
TK cracked the back of the frame open and there scribbled on the underside of the photograph was Matt's secret code sheet. There was a note also; it had TK written on the top of it. He gently lifted it off and read it aloud to himself.
"Dear TK. If you're reading this then I'm probably not around and have gone missing. Well … it's a long and complicated story but most of it is detailed in my journal, I don't want to write about that here. I just wanted to say … I always loved you TK, don't ever think I didn't. I know I may have been a really bad brother and you probably hate me but … well maybe after you read my journal it might make some sort of sense. Just know that I never meant to hurt you and I will ALWAYS be your big brother. – Matt"
TK clutched onto the note for dear life, in the slight chance that it might slip out of his fingers and be lost forever. Tears dripped from his eyes and he tried to stop them but he couldn't. Matt was really gone and Matt really did love him. He ran to the apartment door and tried to get back to Izzy's as fast as he possibly could, tears teeming down his face.
*******************************
Centimon rapped his short stumpy hands on Matt's door. "The master wants to see you." Matt got up slowly off his bed and followed the slithering Digimon back into the main hall. A lavish spread of food covered the large dining table. Mimicmon was sat at the head of the table an ushered Matt to the seat next to him. Matt sat down on the table and starred at the food in front of him with great suspicion.
"What's this all about Mimicmon?"
"I thought we should get to know each other before we became partners. You know ruling the world will be such a bore if you keep that attitude up Matt." Matt screwed his face up in disgust.
"I HAVE A PARTNER!" Matt screamed at Mimicmon. "Don't ever forget that Mimicmon." Matt's rage flooded his voice and strangled his throat.
"Ahhh, yes. Gabumon wasn't it?" Mimicmon chuckled. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news Matt but sadly Gabumon is no more." Matt's face dropped and he turned slowly to meet Mimicmon's cloaked hood.
"What … what do you mean gone?" Matt stammered out.
"Sadly, he met with a grave accident. Appears some evil Digimon attacked him and deleted his data." Matt's face was racked with absolute horror. Gabumon couldn't be gone. This was his best friend … for life.
"But … he would have been restored at primary village." Mimicmon shrugged.
"Perhaps but no one has seen his egg for quite some time." Matt wasn't going to believe this. He couldn't trust this thing. "Oh, I believe these were found near the site of his deletion." Mimicmon handed Matt a Digivice and the crest of friendship. Matt's shaking hand reached out and took them from Mimicmon.
"It's … my Digivice and crest. I gave this to Gabumon to look after when I left." Matt paused for a minute or two, just staring at the objects in his hand. "I guess he really is gone."
"Yes. Well this leaves you in somewhat of a predicament my young friend. To complete the tasks required to pay your debt to me, you need a Digimon. Lucky for you I just so happen to be a Digimon."
"I'll never be your partner Mimicmon. A partner is someone…" Mimicmon interrupted by slamming his hand down onto the table.
"You defiant little child! You act like you have some kind of choice in this matter! Do you not remember what happens if you do not do what I say? Little children who don't obey Mimicmon wave 'bye bye' to their friends. Do you understand?" Matt had never seen Mimicmon like this before, shouting and angry. He decided it was best to just accept it. He couldn't let Mimicmon kill his friends.
"Yes."
"Good. Now take that plate of food and go back to your room." Matt took the plate of food and walked back into his room. He heard the subtle click of the lock locking. Matt leant against the door and sank down to the floor crying.
"Gabumon … no…" He cried his heart out, constantly looking at his Digivice and Crest.
