Digimon Adventure~Summer Camp (Book 1)

Trash Day

The group, minus Matt and Gabumon, are wandering around the forest, calling out for their missing friend. "Matt.... Hey, Matt!" Tai shouts. "Matt!" T.K. calls. "Matt, where are you?" Sora yells. "Matt! Ma-acghk!" Arashi's shout is cut short as she has another coughing fit. "Arashi!" Meicoomon cautions worriedly as Arashi waves her off with a smile. "Sorry, pollen went in my throat." She replies with a raspy voice. "I'm worried. What do you think could have happened to him, Tai?" Kari asks. "Matt's a big boy, he can take care of himself." Tai snaps, crossing his arms in a huff. "Well, wait a minute. What if he was kidnapped by Puppetmon?" Agumon protests. "Yeah, he might have been. Or something worse." Izzy trailed off. "No. It wasn't anything like that." Joe admits glancing at the others and then at his shoes. "What?" "How do you know?" Arashi and Tai question.

Watching this display, Matt backs away from the group and heads toward the forest. "What's wrong Matt?" Gabumon asks trailing after his partner as Joe sends them a glance.

"What, he just walked away? And you didn't even try to stop him?" Tai asked, shaking Joe by the arms. "Well, no. Was I supposed to? I mean, I thought he was just gonna go use the bushes... or something." Joe replies as Tai backs off. "Huh. This is weird. I mean, it's one thing if he was kidnapped, but why would he just disappear on us like this?" Tai muttered. "I'll say. He's been gone way too long for just a potty break." Agumon chimes in. "Wait a minute. Is it just me, or has Matt been kind of strange lately?" Sora asks. "He has been acting a little high-strung." Izzy comments.

At the same time, Matt's digivice began beeping as the boy glanced at his crest to find it dull and unresponsive. "They won't glow..." Matt said, shaking in shock.

"Remember when Gabumon had that digivolving problem?" Biyomon asks. "Yeah! I bet there's a connection!" Palmon concludes. At the same time, Kari snapped her attention toward the trees in shock. "Kari, what is it?" Gatomon asks. "I thought I heard a voice out there," Kari replies as Arashi looks at her strangely. "A voice?" She asks. "Was it Matt?" Tai cuts in. "I don't hear anything. Come on, Kari, don't you start losing it, too!" He groans. "He couldn't be very far away, you know. Maybe we should look for him." Izzy offers. "Yeah, I suppose. Okay, guys, let's go!" Tai sighs leading the group into the forest. As they're about to hold up the back, Kari grabs Arashi's hand. "Arashi..., it wasn't Matt's voice I heard," Kari confesses. "Oh? Think you could tell me more?" Arashi asks, kneeling down in front of Kari.

Elsewhere, Matt is walking along the edge of a lake as Gabumon runs to keep pace with him. "Matt, come on!" Gabumon protests. "I'm all for exercise, but I'm really not built for long distances. Matt, where are we going?" Gabumon questions. "Just away. I need some space." Matt replies.

On the other side of the lake, Puppetmon watches them from a tree branch with a twisted chuckle. "Aw, the poor little kid needs a little space. Someplace far away from his nice little friends and closer to me." Puppetmon hums. "I agree completely." A voice conquers as Puppetmon stands up. "I'm not waiting. I'll put him out of his misery! Those digidestined kids really bug me!" Puppetmon grumbles when the voice stops him. "Wait a minute, Puppetmon. I have a better idea. You can take care of those other digidestined children if you want to, but as for this one, leave him to me!" The owner of the voice smirks as he turns out to be the tree himself. Cherrymon was an elderly Digimon resembling a cherry tree with six arms, vines on its head, and a tree stump cane. "I'll have him climbing up a tree before I'm through with him!" The enormous tree Digimon laughs delightedly.

Matt and Gabumon eventually rest along the edge of the lake as Matt confesses his worries to Gabumon. "You ever felt like a fifth wheel, Gabumon?" He asks. "That's what I feel like. All this time, I thought I had like, a purpose, you know? To look out for my little brother. I thought T.K. wouldn't be able to survive without me watching over him." Matt begins thinking back on moments with his brother throughout their time in the Digital World. "But suddenly, it's like he's growing up. He doesn't need me anymore. And it's not just him. It's everybody, man. I mean, when I think of Tai and Arashi and Mimi and the others, this place has changed them for the better. They're stronger now. It's almost like they've digivolved or something." Matt trails off as Gabumon nods in understanding.