As Tai leaves for an important soccer camp, Agumon feels neglected and plans to do something about it. They get a bit more than they bargained for.

Going by the English Dub

A couple of original characters.

Spoilers for Digimon Adventure Tri

It's been six months since the defeat of Ordinemon. Tai Kamiya thinks about how his life has changed while he packs for a soccer camp (why does he always wait until the very last minute?) While much remains the same, he still goes to school, plays soccer, and chills as much as possible, his life direction has changed. He's been attending cram school two, sometimes 3 times a week. Who would've thought just a few months ago that laid-back, carefree Tai, who put little effort into school work before, would ever attend cram school? While he's not attending it as much as some other students, his attending to improve his grades and to try to get into a decent college. Before, he wasn't sure he even wanted to further his education, now, after the sacrifice and death of his beloved teacher and mentor, Mr. Nishijima, Tai's ready to create his own future, whatever direction that may lead.

He also hoping to get a soccer scholarship to pay for college. This camp is a big step towards that. Much pressure is involved here, and Tai has worked long and hard for this.

The biggest change in Tai's life, however, is that his digimon partner, Agumon (as all the partner digimon), are now 'stuck' in the real world. It's been an adjustment having Agumon and Gatomon (his sister Kari's partner) here permanently, especially on the food bill, curtsey of Agumon mostly! However, they wouldn't have it any other way.

While Tai thought he'd been making enough time for Agumon, the orange dinosaur has been thinking otherwise.

"Do you really have to go to this soccer camp Tai?" asks a distressed Agumon, sitting on the bed.

"Agumon," Tai looks at him; "I've already told how important this camp is."

"More important them me?"

"Well no;" answers Tai; "but as I said, this camp could be the key to getting a scholarship to pay for college. The best coaches from the best teams will be there. I can't pass this up."

"Are you sure I can't go with you?" Agumon ask for the umpteenth time; "I'll pretend to be a stuffed toy, like always."

"It's not that simple Agumon;" answers a disappointed Tai; "I've thought it through over and over, but I'm bunking with 40 other guys in one big room, hiding you would be nearly impossible. Besides, I'm going to be busy the whole time."

"You're always busy it seems. I hardly see you anymore."

"What are you talking about?" ask Tai; "We hang out every evening, on weekends, and afternoons when I'm not busy. We could hang out in the mornings if you'd wake up."

"Then why don't you wake me?"

"You told me to quite doing that, remember? Not like you'll actually get up that early."

"I take that back;" Agumon crosses his arms and keeps sulking; "It's just that, since I'm living in your world now, I thought we'd spend so much more time together. Between school and soccer and this cram thing, I hardly see you. I thought we were going to spend this whole break together."

Tai huffs; "Oh Agumon. It's only for 3 days;" Tai tries to sound cheerful; "Then, we'll spend the next two weeks just hanging out. We've got that food festival and carnival next week, and the grand opening of that new cheesecake factory giving away free cakes! You've been looking forward to those. And Matt and TK are picking you up later to play with Gabumon and Patamon, and Izzy and Tentomon will be joining you. And Kari and Gatomon will take you out with them tomorrow to meet up with some of the others. Mom and Dad will be here, you love going grocery shopping with Mom. You'll have a blast."

"Yea yea;" Agumon turns towards the wall; "I'll be the only digimon without my partner. That'll be lots of fun."

Tai's feeling a little frustrated; "Agumon please, you're making this difficult."

"Good."

Tai places his hand on his digimon; "Believe me buddy, if I could take you I would. I really want too. I do."

"Tai;" calls his mom, Yuko; "Are you still packing, you're going to be late. Come get your breakfast. I'm making pancakes, fried eggs, bacon, and sticky buns."

Agumon's eyes light up and he leaps for joy. Tai smiles; "There's nothing like food to cheer you up, as he always says."

As the guys fight over the remaining food, Kari and Gatomon shake their heads. No matter how many times they've seen it, it never ceases to amaze them.

"Shaggy and Scooby have nothing on these two;" says Gatomon.

"Tell me about it;" agrees Kari, as Agumon greedily shovels the last of the fried eggs and sticky buns in his month, Tai's face turns red and he gives Agumon a neggie.

"Hey, some of that was mine!"

Agumon swallows and pats his belly; "Not anymore they're not."

"Why you."

Kari and Gatomon stare at each with sweat drops on their faces. Some things never change.

"Tai, let's go;" calls his Dad, Susumu at the front door.

"Agumon, are you sure you don't want to go with us;" ask Yuko; "We're all going to see the cherry blossom trees after we drop Tai off."

"Nah, I'd rather not;" answers Agumon with a clear distress in his voice; "No fun without Tai."

"We're not that boring are we?" asks Susumu.

"Ok dear;" says Yuko as she picks up one of Tai's bags; "Well Agumon, stay put and don't completely clean out the covers. We'll be back around lunch. Stay safe."

Kari and Gatomon say bye and go out the door. Tai goes over to Agumon, who turns away.

"Come on buddy, at least give me a hug."

Agumon shrugs; "I will if I can go with you."

Tai huffs; "Ok, be that way."

Agumon relents; "Well, I might as well humor you."

The pair share a hug, and Tai heads for the door. "Hang in there buddy, I'll be back before you know it."

Agumon turns away again, crossing his arms. Tai sieges and leaves. After a moment, Agumon gets up and goes out on the balcony. He can see the family loading up. He sniffs and goes back inside. It's not that he doesn't understand that everything Tai's doing is for all of them, even soccer camp. Still, he misses his partner terribly. If Tai would spend just a little more time with him.

Something then catches his eye. Tai left his duffle bag behind.

"Tai," ask his Mom; "where's your duffle bag?"

Tai's mouth drops open; "Oops, I knew I forgot something."

"Go get it."

Just then, Kari arrives with his bag.

"I got it. Geez Tai, how much did you pack? It's only 3 days and you only need soccer clothes."

Tai quickly grabs it and throws it into the trunk. Was it heavy? Too quick to tell. But then again, it should feel a bit heavier to Kari then it would him. Tai takes one last glance at his apartment window as the car pulls away. He wishes he could move the mountains right now to take Agumon, but it's just not safe for him. People in general still don't trust digimon.

The car pulls into the parking lot where the rest of Tai's teammates are waiting. Before he can grab his bags, two of his teammates snatch them; "Hey, those are my bags!"

"Well you're late and we're in a hurry. Come on Tai, everyone else is on the bus."

Tai says good-bye to his family and gets on the bus. Coach Hino checks him off and he takes a set. Turns out, he's not the last to arrive. One more guy is late. He arrives 2 minutes later, the doors close behind him and the driver starts the bus.

"Where were you Wayne?" asks one of the guys; "You're usually one of the first to arrive. Tai's actually not last for once."

Tai sticks his tongue out at his teammate.

"I set my alarm for PM instead of AM;" explains Wayne.

"You knucklehead."

"Sit down;" calls out Coach Hino; "I got some details to go over."

"I thought we went over all those already." Wayne then notices what appears to be a girl sitting up front. It's Coach Hino's 9-year-old niece, Katherine, with her nose in a book and headphones in her ears, as usual.

"Hey Coach, what's she doing here?"

Tai's surprised. He hadn't noticed Katherine when he got on board.

"I thought she was going with her Dad this weekend;" says Wayne.

"Yea well, that fall through;" sieges Coach Hino; "Anyway, all you guys know just to let her be. She won't bother any of you if you don't bother her. And if she gets up and stretches, just let her do it. Don't touch her, don't mess with her. Am I clear on that?"

Coach Hino looks at all the guys with a stern look on her face. She's extremely serious. All the guys answer in agreement. She goes over a few basic rules, including the top food credit limits each player has when they stop for lunch. She also tells them that security has been strictly tightened around the sports complex due to "odd disappearances" in the area, and that nobody is to leave the grounds at any time, period.

Tai raises an eyebrow; "Odd disappearances? What kind of odd disappearances."

"Oh didn't you hear;" replies Wayne; "Half a dozen hikers and campers have gone missing this past week."

"Really?"

"Yes," says Timothy, one of the other guys; "At least that's what I've heard. No trace of them, no witnesses, nothing. Very odd indeed."

"Yea, maybe some giant man-eating plant got them;" they looks at Wayne; "Or maybe flesh eating zombies, or maybe alien abductions, or a demon clown called It. Just a rumor going around. The first person to disappear was some eccentric botanist. His lab was destroyed. They say his specialty is carnivorous plants."

Timothy rolls his eyes; "Wayne, you've been watching too many scary movies."

"Well, they couldn't cancel the camp this late of noticed, so they've put in some strict security. They've even got police there patrolling the camp. It's going to feel like prison."

"No it won't doofus. Not like we'll have much free time to go exploring the woods anyway. Oh;" Timothy jiggles his pocket; "got my coins for the pay phone. Phone receptions supposed to be bad, if any, out there. You guys got yours? Sorry, no borrowers."

Oh No! Tai left his change at home. Oh well, not like he'll really need to call home, but his family would like to hear from him, he'd especially love to talk to Agumon. Maybe he can borrow some change, or maybe he'll get phone reception. It's not like anything serious, other than soccer, is going to happen.

Giant man-eating plant. What lame a suggestion. I'd much rather hear that digimon were attacking again.

Reviews appreciated