Chapter Two
Matt ran a tired hand through his hair as he walked on alone through the underbrush. He'd been going on steadily for an hour since leaving everyone else behind. He now wished that he had let Gabumon come with him, wandering out here without him was probably a bad idea. ~This is when some huge digimon comes out to blow me to bits,~ Matt thought sardonically. ~This is more like something Tai would be dumb enough to do.~
Just thinking of Tai heated Matt's anger anew. Tai was nothing but a thoughtless jerk, but he'd still managed to earn the other kids' respect. Matt knew he could lead better than Tai, wearing a blindfold, but he never had the chance to prove himself. He did better on his own anyhow. Matt didn't need a bunch of other kids trailing around after him. He didn't miss them. ~Well, maybe I miss TK,~ he admitted to himself. Maybe he shouldn't have just walked off, leaving TK there. "I can do fine on my own." he muttered angrily, rushing on despite his protesting legs.
"Of course you'll do fine." A small voice encouraged.
Matt circled around instantly, tensing for a blow. He desperately hoped that Gabumon had followed him afterall. After a few moments passed and nothing had happened, Matt opened his eyes, searching for the source of the voice. A small black digimon sat high above, perching on the branch of a nearby pink tree. It was vaguely spider-like, but covered with fur, and it had a long tail hanging down behind it. Vibrant red eyes shone out of it's tiny face.
Matt rolled his eyes, "Get lost pipsqueak, I don't need a pep talk." He sat down to rest on a stump, really feeling the pain in his legs from all this walking.
The digimon clumsily wriggled down the smooth tree, and jittered over to where Matt sat, hunkering itself down on all eight legs. "You got some really bad manners there kid. What's your name?" it inquired.
"Matt." he shrugged. "It doesn't matter, go away." he turned his back towards the little digimon.
"Hey, I'm just trying to be friendly!" the spider protested, puffing up.
"I don't need friends." Matt said sharply, facing the creature again, glaring at it.
"Whatever kid. I was just being nice, you were looking kinda down. I thought I'd make sure you were alright. Allow me to introduce myself," The spider-digimon said, fluorishing his front legs and bowing. "I am Atemon, and I am not a pipsqueak, I am a Mega-digimon." Atemon finished proudly.
Matt scoffed, looking down at the small creature. "You sure don't look like a Mega." his deep blue eyes were full of skepticism. The little spider wasn't even as big as Patamon, there was no way it was a Mega-digimon.
"Oh yeah, and looks are everything!" The Atemon huffed indignantly. "I could say at least half a dozen things about your hair!" the spider taunted, raising himself up as high as he could, which was barely half a foot off the grassy forest floor.
Matt just shrugged, trying to ignore the annoying little monster. It screeched more often than not, in a shrill little voice that grated on the eardrums. Matt just wished the little creep would leave him alone. He was in no mood for company.
"Depressing much?" The spider observed sarcastically, eying Matt thoughtfully. "I'll tell you what, kiddo. You can join up with me. Trek the great Digi-frontier. I also know where we can get some good grub." It rubbed it's little hands over what Matt guessed was the thing's stomach.
"I'm going for the alone thing here. I don't need anyone else, no one needs me." Matt trailed off, outwardly keeping it cool. Was that true? Did no one really need him? ~Maybe TK needs me,~ he hoped. ~TK would miss me at least, right?~ Matt silently keep trying to reassure himself out of habit. No one wanted to feel useless, unwanted, but that's exactly how he felt inside. The feeling was eating away at him slowly, and he couldn't fight it. ~Maybe I should just accept it. I'm useless.~ He berated himself for just leaving the others though. He should've stayed, for TK, he was the only other person who still mattered. Half the time though TK agreed with Tai, he sided against his own brother. Matt sighed. He deserved it.
"Hello? You still with me, kid? Matt?" The tiny Atemon shrilled, startling Matt out of his depression. It crossed it's arms, chittering wordlessly at Matt. "Are you even listening to me?" it whined.
Matt shrugged, "Not really."
Atemon growled in frustration, waving his stick-like arms around wildly, muttering under his breath. After his initial anger had passed, Atemon settled back down, folding his legs underneath himself. He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, I'm just trying to help." the spider squeaked. "If you're going to be this impolite to me however..." it trailed off, looking up at Matt sadly, it's beady red eyes twinkling. "I just thought you were different from those other digidestined, especially that one, you know, he wears goggles?" Atemon said offhandedly as it began to scuttle back into the thick blue bushes surrounding them.
"You've seen the others?" Matt asked the retreating figure, his attention focused again.
Atemon waved him off. "Yeah, sure. It's such a shame. They just wander around letting Mr. Goggles push them around. It's not fair. If they ever want to beat Cronosmon, they'll need a better leader than that guy."
"Cronosmon?" Matt jumped up. "Do you know something about Cronosmon?" Maybe Atemon could tell him something that could help them beat...Matt brought himself up short. He had been thinking as though he was still part of the group. Cronosmon was none of his concern any more.
Atemon frowned, wrinkling his brow. "I don't know much, I don't think any digimon does...except Cronosmon himself, of course. They say he's super powerful, way beyond any other digimon. He digivolved so high that he doesn't have a body any more. Some say that he's from the future, or the past. Others say that Cronosmon is just working for another, something even darker, a shadow. No one supposedly has seen this shadow, but then, no one has seen Cronosmon either. This is all just rumour, even digimon who claims to know the truth about Cronosmon will tell a completely different story. I think though that Cronosmon is real, and the digidestined will have to face him eventually. I'm just worried that they'll fail, the goggle-boy is just too weak to lead them against something as powerful as Cronosmon. They need someone stronger." The digimon look sideways at Matt, trying to make his point obvious. Atemon smiled encouragingly.
Matt laughed. "It's too late, I already quit. Tai can be the leader for all I care now." The unspoken suggestion still had appeal though. They could beat Cronosmon. They could finally go home. Matt shook his head, and walked along the path again. Atemon followed along, scurring beside him on thin little legs.
Atemon chuckled deeply. "When we're finished though Matt, Tai would beg you to be the leader. Everyone will! Just let me help." The spider trailed off softly, nearly whispering. It was enticing.
Could I do a better job that Tai? Does Tai even deserve to still be the leader? Do I? Matt's mind echoed the questions, but offered no answers. "What kind of help?" he asked hesitantly, glancing warily at the spider.
"I'll be your new Digimon, I really am a Mega. Together we can beat any other digimon that comes along!" Atemon beamed.
Matt frowned, feeling pretty unsure about all that was happening, It didn't feel quiet right. "I can't, that'd be like betraying Gabumon." Matt couldn't do that to the little wolf-like digimon, Gabumon had been nothing but good to him. If he accepted Atemon's help, what would it do to Gabumon?
"Last I checked, Gabumon isn't here, he stayed with Tai. A good digimon would've followed you, even if you tried to push him away." Atemon covered a smirk. "I think that says a lot about his loyalties." Atemon openly smiled up at Matt now, reaching into a small fold of fur. "Speaking of that, I have a gift for you." Rummaging around, it finally pulled out a small bronze tag, the crest inside had a strange symbol on it, like all the other crests had. It was black with a circle in the middle of it, a line curved through the circle, making an inverted crescent inside. It shone.
"You have a crest?" Matt murmured, staring avidly at the swaying crest. he sat down heavily, his eyes still glued.
Atemon looked proudly at Matt, holding the gift out toward him. "It can be yours. It's my promise to you, that way you'll always know that I am on your side. Friends can betray you, but I will always be loyal. This is the Crest of Loyalty." He stretched his small hand closer.
Matt's hand reached out slowly, unbidden. his fingers closed softly around the tag and crest. ~Someone who will always be on my side,~ his mind whispered. He opened his hand, and peered down at his new crest, it felt different, but somehow right. It glowed lightly for him, like a small patch of midnight sky he could hold. He slipped the silken string around his head and settled it comfortably around his neck. It blazed darkly against his chest. Matt smiled, his eyes glazing over with similar darkness. everything was alright now, everything would be fine, he would make sure. Most of all, Tai would pay.
Looking up, Atemon grinned deeply, showing fangs. He himself had made that crest, and had been waiting for the right time to come. One of the digidestined, out on their own, vulnerable. He had done his homework too, studying each one of the digidestined, he knew each of their weaknesses. Atemon could feel the boy's energy through the crest, harnessed like with the digivices. Soon he could the energy to digivolve again. No digimon could say for sure what came after the Mega level, or if it were possible to digivolve further, but Atemon would find out. Soon. He was ready. He could rule the digiworld, not even the Cronosmon from legend and rumour would rival him. He would be the the most powerful digimon ever, all thanks to one of the digidestined. The boy had been so gullible, so willing to step into Atemon's trap, that it struck him as funny.
Atemon laughed deeply, and Matt laughed with him.
