NOTE: Update time! :D So I wrote this chapter a while ago and saved it. When I went back to look at it again I realized something...it's REALLY short! D: I think it might be one of the shortest things I had ever written! :( But I don't want to try and make it longer because I think it fits well with how I want to go with the story...Well, I hope you enjoy it.

WARNINGS: Read the prologue.

DISCLAIMER: Read the prologue.

Chapter 1. Finding a Friend Among the Worms

Matt Ishida sat alone on the swing sets and watched the other children around him. They all had their own little playmates to romp around with. Matt, on the other hand, had no friends his own age. Sure, he had his younger brother T.K., but his mother rarely let the younger blonde out of her sight, due to some odd over protectiveness she had with him. The blonde sighed and started to swing by himself.

"Nobody likes me. Everybody hates me. Guess I'll go eat worms," he sang quietly to himself as he swung higher and higher. He wasn't quite sure what it meant, but he liked the tune and the part about the worms. He then sighed and muttered to no one, "I wish I had a friend to play with…Just like the two people in Mommy's storybook."

"Hey! Mattie!" Matt stopped swinging and looked to his left. He saw a group of older boys, about the age of eight or so, coming up to him. The blonde frowned at the three boys he knew all too well. "What 'cha doing on our swings?"

"Sorry Bobby," Matt apologized to the leader as the swing started losing momentum. "It was empty so…I thought it would be ok…" The shorter of the three in the group ran behind Matt's swing and pushed him off. The blonde yelped as he went flying through the air for a mere moment and crashed on the ground. The older boys laughed. "Hey! That hurt!"

"Aw, lighten up Mattie," Bobby snickered. "We're just having some fun." Matt looked down at his scrapped knee. It stung terribly and he could see a bit of blood seeping out. Matt started to stand but Bobby pushed him down again.

"Hey!" Mat yipped as he fell on his rump again. The older boys laughed harder. The small blonde started to tear up with a mixture of embarrassment and pain. "You guys are mean!"

"Is the little baby gonna cry now?" the third, and fatter, boy jeered. Then the three started to chant, "Cry baby! Cry baby!"

"Leave me alone!" Matt shouted. As the tears fell down his face, he wished more than anything that he had a friend…

"HEY!" Bobby turned and was rewarded with a soccer ball to the face. The boy yelped and fell down. Immediately after, the four boys looked up to see where it had come from.

A little boy with tan skin and wild bushy brown hair stood not too far from them. His dark caramel eyes glared at the older boys. Matt slightly blushed at the sight of the other boy. He reminded him of a dashing knight in his mother's book…only this boy was real. The boy ran over to the group and retrieved his ball. He glared at Bobby.

"Leave him alone you bully," the soccer boy growled. Bobby glared at the smaller boy, and stood to show how much taller he was compared to him. The smaller boy didn't back down. Bobby scoffed, kicked some dirt at Matt, then ran off with his two accomplices.

The new boy was about to run after them, but remembered the boy who had caused him to come over in the first place. He squatted down next to the blonde. Matt was wiping away the tears that had fallen. The other boy watched the blonde for a moment then he gently touched the scrapped knee. Matt yelped and pulled it away.

"I'm sorry!" The darker boy gasped. Matt sniffled as the other boy gently placed his hand on the injury again. "Did they hurt you really bad?"

"A little," Matt sniffed.

"Where is your mom?"

"At home."

"She's not with you?" Matt shook his head and pointed to the apartment complex just behind the park.

"That's where I live," Matt said. "Mommy is always with T.K., so I just come here by myself a lot of the times."

"Hey! That's where I live!" the other boy said excitedly. He pointed to the same area Matt had done, but a little higher and to the left some more. "Only I think I'm more that way." The boy held out his hand, to which Matt accepted, and helped him up. "My name is Tai. What is yours?"

"Matt," the blonde replied.

"Nice to meet you Matt!" The two stood silent for a moment. Tai blushed and dropped his gaze slightly. "Um…I just moved in and…well, I don't have any friends yet. So…" He looked back up at the blonde. "Do you wanna be my friend?" Matt blinked in surprise. A friend?

"Y-Yeah!" Matt replied happily. Tai grinned and gave the other boy a hug.

"Yay!" Tai cheered. "I have a friend and his name is Matt!" Matt grinned also. "Want to go play on the slide, friend?" Matt nodded and ran after his new found friend.

I know...it's short...but I couldn't really find a way to make it longer. Well, I'd like to hear what you all think about it. :) No flames please.