Episode Nine: The Beast

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The tunnel of light comes to an end when they're spat out on a small island surrounded by the ocean with very few lanasses being visible from most sides.

Along the shore is the gnarled and broken remains of a line of phonebooths.

Azuma: "Isn't this the beach you tortured that fish on?"

*Dorumon & Guilmon start sniffing around the phone booths.*

R"I didn't torture any fish, alright? For all of your bitching, I should have just left you to eat seaweed, like Aroma."

A"And what the Hell's THAT supposed to mean, HM?"

*Roatha looks around at her, startled.*

R"Uh...nothing. Sorry...."

*She looks away, & as does the Lalamon in her arms. Roatha looks at Taiyurle & points at her, mouthing, "What's this about?"*

Lunamon:<Don't you eat meat?>

Terriermon:<Ignore his dumb ass.>

Kylie:<Everyone's in such a great mood after we just won...>

Terriermon:<Then got randomly sucked back into the digital world without being able to gather supplies.>

*Kylie goes over and pats Aroma on the back*

Azuma: "You did get supplies. You got a bunch of earplugs."

The phonebooths smell like sea water, the people they're with, and something unfamiliar.

Taiyo looks away from Roatha towards the ocean which wasn't where she's looking when they were first on this beach.

Taiyo: "Wasn't there a forest around here?"

*Aroma smiles at her. Euryale shakes her head at Roatha. The Digimon shrug at Taiyo.*

*Terriermon turns around like he's going to say something, then hops on Eve's shoulder, and whispers something in her ear which causes a grin spread across her face*

Taiyo: "Where do we go from here?"

R"I don't know, I didn't even want to come here in the first place."

A"Me neither."

D<I could fly up & look for somewhere else to land.>

Biyomon:<Yeah, I don't see anything else to do.>

*Biyomon digivolves and Saberdramon takes off to look around*

Up above they can see there is water. And lots of it, but no other land within sight above their current location. Should they move out away from the starting point they can see faint landmasses on the horizon.

Azuma: "Perhaps we should split up and find somewhere hospitable."

Taiyo: "Why would you suggest that?"

Azuma: "Staying together won't get us anywhere."

===================================

Elsewhere in the Digital World, Piedmon observes the group from a large telescope.

Piedmon: "Those bit players are frozen with stage fright, hopelessly waiting for the moment they'll be saved. And yet, there's an unseen twist in the plot."

An enormous cybernetic sea monster emerges from a mote around Piedmon and its telescope.

MetalSeadramon: "I say we cut to the punchline and go straight for the action!"

A demented marionette drops down from the ceiling, beside Piedmon.

Puppetmon: Oh please, that would be boring. I want to play this drama to the hilt! Let's pull out all the stops and give them what they paid for."

The chair Piedmon sits on moves away from the telescope, turning to face MetalSeadramon and Puppetmon.

Piedmon: "I'm in complete agreement, a quick victory would be a letdown."

In a dark corner of the room, the mechanical monster Machinedramon comes alive, its eyes flashing red.

Piedmon: "The Chosen Children have entered MetalSeadramon's domain. We must rehearse before they get here. It will be the final performance! MetalSeadramon, Puppetmon and Machinedramon, I present to you the downfall of the Chosen Children!"

R"That makes no sense."

A"Maybe we do need some time apart."

R"And that doesn't sound like you, why are you acting so weird?"

A"Frankly, that's none of your business."

R"No, it's not my 'business' to keep you from wandering off & getting eaten by a sea monster over something that's likely easily preventable."

Terriermon:<Has "let's split up" EVER been a good idea here? Killing anything takes All Our Powers Combined.>

*Saberdramon lands*

<There's some land way out there, but that's all.>

Azuma: "Not that we've ever stopped bickering to ever take anything down as a whole. KingEtemon didn't go down because we all attacked it at once. Whatever Aroma has to sort out won't get done if she's being chirped at about there being something up with her. And frankly I'm sick of your attitude. If there's an island, go to it. Anyone else capable of flight should find a different island to go to."

E"YOU'RE sick of HIS attitude? Listen here, you arrogant little bastard--"

*Euryale starts towards him angrily, but Roatha holds out a hand to stop her.*

R"Let it go. You'll just give him what he wants, otherwise."

E"So you're just going to let him have his way?"

R"Yep. He made his choice, he'll just have to live with it. Which I'm sure will be easy, because when has Azuma ever suffered consequences for his bad ideas?"

*He turns around & starts walking toward the Digimon.*

R"Hey, you 2, time to Digivolve."

Patamon armors up, Azuma biting his lip as his chest begins to hurt. He and Hitomi carrying Salamon get on and take off heading away from where Saberdramon saw land.

Divided we stand. United we fall.

Salamon: "Now what? We fly around and hope we find something?"

Azuma: "Might as well. What else are we going to do? Go back and listen to that nonsense?"

===================================

Taiyo: "Are we all going in seperate directions?"

*Terriermon flips him off as Azuma leaves*

Eve:<Really, Terriermon, really?>

<You were thinking it.>

Eve:<But I didn't doit.>

Lunamon:<So now that they're gone, why don't we stay together?>

R"Lunamon's got the right idea."

A"...I'll go wherever Kylie goes."

G<Where are they going? Isn't it dangerous out there?>

E"Yes, Guilmon, but if pointing out the obvious doesn't work, then they just don't want to listen to reason."

D<I get it. So, if they get hurt, it's their own stupid fault. Even if you don't like it, what are you going to do, fight them over it?"

R"Yes, now if we're all through rationalizing our decision, you 2 should probably go Ultimate so that you can carry more people."

*Euryale & Roatha walk away to make some distance. Guilmon's ears droop, but the pair Digivolve all the same.*

Hitomi looks down at the ocean below.

It's so serene in its natural blue. Can he see that?

Pegasusmon: "I don't feel so good."

Azuma: "Figured. It shouldn't be too far."

Salamon: "What shouldn't be too far? A good place to crash."

As Pegasusmon loses altitude, an island comes into view which he soon skids to a landing on before reverting to Patamon, knocking everyone into the dirt, Sanzomon watching the whole thing.

The island is larger than the previous one with patches of dirt and grass. The only feature that stands out is a cobblestone path leading to a temple, piles of stone on each side of the path and a pair of statues.

Patamon: "Sorry, guys...."

Azuma: "It's fine. It wasn't your fault."

Sanzomon: "It was yours."

===================================

Taiyo: "I guess this is goodbye for now?"

Lunamon:<But I thought we're all staying together.>

*Terriermon digivolves to Rapidmon*

Rapidmon:<Ok, who does not have a ride?>

E"Yeah, why would anyone leave? Unless...."

*She frowns.*

Azuma: "What do you mean my fault?"

Sanzomon: "The strength that the Digimental offers is that of the trait being displayed. If you're not going to demonstrate Hope, both you and your partner will suffer. That is why Patamon could not maintain that form."

Salamon approaches the walkway, the Holy Ring around her neck glows when she steps on the path, she backs away growling.

Salamon: "What is this place?"

Sanzomon: "Ogudomon's tomb. Sealed away many years ago by the Warrior Ten whom were unable to defeat it permanently. In MetalSeadramon's domain, this is the only safe haven."

Azuma: "MetalSeadramon's domain?"

Sanzomon: "That is not your immediate concern. The harm you do to yourself and others and undoing the damage done to you during your time in the World of Darkness should be your primary concern."

Azuma: "You know about that? And you didn't do anything about it?"

Sanzomon: "It is not my duty to interfere with the fate of others. I informed Zarek of it and as an Agent of ENIAC, he is more than qualified to involve himself with the Chosen Children's affairs should he choose."

Azuma: "A lot of good that's done."

===================================

Taiyo: "What?"

Taiyo takes her hand.

Taiyo: "No, I don't want to leave you. It's just....shouldn't we be doing something?"

E"I thought we were."

D<She has a point. What are we going to do when we actually GET to this island?>

R"I don't know. Get food, set up camp, & explore? Be nice if we could flush out some information on where this Millenniummon jackass is hiding."

G<But what would we do once we found him? We're not even Mega level yet.>

Eve:<We have to try and get Mega before we face him.>

Lunamon:<The next enemy we have to face usually just shows up, so....>

Sanzomon: "He chooses to limit hos involvement with-"

Azuma: "Yeah yeah, he wants us to stand on our own feet. How are we supposed to stand on our own if we can't even stand together?"

Shademon lied.

Sanzomon: "These are questions you should be asking yourself and them. What you ask me is not my purpose. My purpose is to complete my pilgrimage and help those that have lost their way."

Azuma: "Then....help me."

Sanzomon: "Come."

Sanzomon walks past them to the shore, stepping into the water. As it walks further out the water reaching its waist it begins to rise as a Whamon emerges from the ocean. The two follow, carrying their partners.

===================================

Taiyo: "Not really, we haven't."

R"Well, now we have a plan."