Episode Ten: Play Time

*They don't notice because it's funnier that way.*
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*Roatha sits down, as planned.*

R"Where'd everyone go? Hmm...oh yeah, I think someone was trying to tell me something, but I wasn't listening...."

Terriermon:<Excuse him for trying to do something.>

*Eve looks around*

<Roatha?>

Ogremon: "How are you going to grow up to be like Leomon if you don't eat right and not push yourself to the point of exhaustion?"

Panjyamon: "Ogremon, please. There are other matters at hand."

Azuma: "His disappearance is different. He's still showing on the map. Not too far from here."

Panjyamon: "That doesn't mean he's safe."

Taiyo: "That map also doesn't show anything. He could be in a hole or something."

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???: "Ho hum, perhaps you should pursue the Child of Knowledge. Opposites attract afterall. She has some dimension to her meanwhile you....let's just say the powers that be put too much faith in you."

R"...You know you don't actually sound intimidating, right? You just sound like some kid writing pretentious poems about now nobody gets him 'cause they're all conformist sheeple."
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E"Well, let's just go get him, then it won't be a problem."

L<I could pave the way with my Sunshine Beam!>

Eve:<Let's find him before Puppetmon does.>

*She looks down at her digivice, then heads off in that direction*

There is a lot of trees to get in the way and nothing that could be considered a path. A street sign with an arrow pointing to the right leads right into another tree with a bush containing some white berries.

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???: "Intimidation has nothing to do with it. I just want to help you grow, that's all."

A gold mist begins to envelope the area, showing that the voice belongs to a Cherrymon.

Cherrymon: "I have no reason or desire to do you harm."

Roatha begins to feel chilly as the most grows thicker and his mouth gets dry. The Cherrymon begins to appear closer and then far away while its colors fluxuate, inverting before taking on entirely different colors. Despite all this, everything seems to be all right.

"Wait a minute...did you drug me?"
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<SUNSHINE BEAM!>

Terriermon:<Food?>

Eve:<I have no idea.>

Does a whole lot of nothing as recently tangoing with two Mega's is a tiring experience shared by all.

Azuma: "White and yellow, kill a fellow. Purple and blue, good for you."

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Cherrymon's voice fluxuates between loud like it's right in Roatha's face to barely audible like it's talking from a mile away.

Cherrymon: "I am aiding you in opening your mind. Broadening your horizon. Many people and cultures in your world use mind altering substances in the pursuit of knowledge or to escape pain. You bear a lot of pain, don't you? Pain that becomes more and more severe as each chapter unfolds."

*Roatha runs off.*

"Get away from me, you hobo!"
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<SUNSHINE BEAM!>

Terriermon:<Darn it.>

Pushing through a mess of foliage getting scratched by branches and leaves where leaves shouldn't be leads them to a small-ass clearing with a tree in the center that if each of them stood around would fill up the clearing.

Straight ahead beyond the tree is a path with many braches littering the ground as if whatever made it just cut their way through the forest.

???: "Hyaaaahh!"

Some [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] jumps down from the tree looking to cleave someone in two. Renamon jumps in to catch the blade, gritting her teeth as it cuts into her hand and kicks Spadamon into the tree.

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Roatha trips over his feet and lands face down in the dirt or lava, mud, water, whatever the ground appears to be changing to. This would be painful if it weren't for the perpetual euphoric feeling.

A"Are you okay?!"

<Pyro Sphere!>

E"Maybe we should ask it what it WANTS first?"

D<Ehhhh....>

Kylie:<Hey, don't attack us! We're friendly!>

Spadamon rolls out of the way and readies to attack again before seeing the humans, lowering its sword.

Spadamon: "Humans? In Puppetmon's domain? The Agent was sure you wouldn't return after disappearing suddenly."

Renamon backs away when Spadamon shows no signs of hostility, clutching her bleeding hand.

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Cherrymon: "The powers that be have made the same mistake again. I come bearing gifts of knowledge and the opportunity to eradicate those that have brought injustice upon you. No matter, there are others."

Roatha feels like he's sinking, his body shaking. All around him he hears the rustling of leaves and grinding of gears constantly changing between loud and quiet while Cherrymon leaves him to trip balls all alone in the mist.

E"That's nice. We actually have to go find our friend, sooo...."

*Aroma steps up to Renamon, looking through her first aid kit for anything of use. Dorumon is still going "ehhhhh."*
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"I didn't mean to get high, Captain Planet, honest!"

*Kylie goes to help Aroma*

Eve:<We temporarily returned to our own world.>

Renamon: "Thank you."

Spadamon: "In this place? Good luck. The Digital World has gotten worse since the Dark Masters were given control. If someone went missing, it's not likely you're going to find them unless Puppetmon thinks it'll be amusing."

Azuma: "Who are you?"

Spadamon: "UlForceVeedramon's apprentice, Spadamon. At least I was until the Dark Clown blinded them. Now I'm just Spadamon."

Patamon: "I thought all the Royal Knights were gone."

Spadamon: "Nope. UlForceVeedramon is still very much alive."

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The mist begins to fade while its effects remain, the feeling of euphoria beginning to fade as evidenced by a sharp kick to the ribs by a tie dyed Jokermon.

Baalmon: "Worthless. Why anyone had any interest in you is a question even I can't answer. Don't waste your time, we have more worthwhile targets to hunt."

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

*ROATHA LEAPS UP ON A PCP INDUCED RAGE & BITES JOKERMON'S NECK.*
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A"It's what friends do."

E"...Do you people have ADD?"

A"I needed to take the time to bandage Renamon."

E"Fair enough. But we really do need to get a move on."

Terriermon:<Speaking of him, any idea where his lair is?>

Spadamon: "I'm lucky I found here. I have walked the same path for three days and each time I come to the end, there is something different. If you're trying to find someone, you'll end up as lost as they are."

Taiyo: "But we know where he is. He's-"

She looks at the map, Roatha's signal is further away in the opposite direction they've been going.

Taiyo: "What?"

Spadamon: "I don't know if it's Puppetmon or if the forest itself is alive."

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Due to impaired depth perception, he falls on his face. The Jokermon leaves, stepping on him as it follows Baalmon.

The world around him spins out of control followed by the sound of grinding metal and whirring gears. The closed in clearing he had originally been in now sports a narrow opening flanked by low growing plants with leaves of three constantly shifting from shades of blue and green.

Terriermon:<So what are we supposed to do ?>

E"Same question."

Spadamon: "I don't know. Maybe you'll get lucky and stumble upon each other."

They all hear the sound of grinding gears and whirring metal as the section of foliage they pushed through is replaced with some dreadfully tall grass.

Terriermon:<So, wander around it is.>