Episode Twelve: The Man Who Laughs

*Whoever is currently on watch checks the time on the clocks*

*As they had presumably returned to their positions, Euryale laid back on Guilmon so that she wouldn't crush Taiyo or Aroma when she fell asleep. She now awakens to the sound of Aroma crying softly & trying--poorly--to pass it off as yawning & rubbing her eyes, Lalamon patting her back, but looking no less miserable. Euryale yawns herself, stretching her arm around Aroma. This prompts Guilmon to open an eye & raise his head, Roatha & Eve are presumably asleep on top of each other with Dorumon awkwardly sandwiched in the middle.*

Being unfamiliar with Digital Standard Time which I just made up now and having not known the time when entering the cave, the current time is meaningless.

Taiyo hugs Aroma, the lot of good it'll do.

*Eve remains blissfully unaware of what is an incredibly awkward sleeping position, while Terriermon is curled up next to her. Cameron has his arm around Kylie's shoulder, while Lunamon sleeps in her lap. All three lean on Biyomon*

*Aroma is seemingly unaware that anyone is touching her.*

E"...We should take down Piedmon ASAP."

Azuma: "That is true, but just barging through the front door won't be easy. It's pretty much spelt out here."

E"What, that gibberish?"

*Eve opens her eyes, yawns, and sits up against the cave wall*

<What are you talking about?>

Azuma: "It's German. A chess term that essentially means no matter what move we make, we're at a disadvantage."

E"That's never stopped us from winning before."

*Eve looks over at the wall for the first time*

<We can't afford to wait around for too long. Piedmon will slowly wear us down until we lack the will to fight any longer.>

Azuma: "Then we go."

Presumably they have some munches and crunches and set out, hoping they don't trip over the macabre rock set up and fall into a Jokermon standing in the center, its face in the same position it generally is, the mask a cold shade of blue.

*Terriermon points from Eve's shoulder*

<You got a message or are you just trying to commit suicide by Chosen Children?>

It doesn't respond. Or move. It just resumes standing in place like a statue, its default facial expression unchanging.

Renamon approaches, knocking on it, recoiling when it's cold to the touch like ice.

Renamon: "It's frozen."

Cameron:<Well, glad we didn't end up like that.>

Terriermon:<Should we destroy it or...?>

E"Let's just ignore it & keep going."

*Aroma & Lalamon start to shiver 'cause they are easily frightened.*

Taiyo shudders as who knows how long that clown was watching them sleep.

It's still quite dark as it has been for some time, their flashlights being enough to illuminate a path a little ways in front of them. The same path they took to IceDevimon's lair unchanged aside from what are presumably Ogremon's footprints and those of a large cat, presumably SaberLeomon's.

The path eventually splits, a frozen Jokermon with a plank of wood stuck to its outstretched arm with the words House of the Screaming Child written on it pointing down a new path made up of Ogremon & SaberLeomon's footprints while the path straight ahead is the same path they took at the beginning of their journey.

*Eve moves up to stand beside Euryale*

<Hey, can I ask you something?>

*Lunamon points at the sign*

<That seems like a completely safe place to go.>

E"What?"

A"W--well, at least Ogremon & S-SaborL-Leomon are there...."

*Presumably, they start walking up that-a-way.*

No one contradicts Aroma which is probably best about Ogremon telling them SaberLeomon being dead.

They probably could have gotten away with flying except for it being damn dark, but w'ever. There are no distinguishable landmarks that they can see, but around them either up close or in the distance they can see glowing white orbs, like headlights or eyes staring and following, nothing jumps out to cross their path, but whatever it/they are just stare.

<Uh, that gold thing you found in the factory. Can I see it?>

OOC: Oh shit, I forgot I was up.

E"Uh, sure."

*Guilmon had it, so he hands it off. I don't want to know where it's been.*

D<Hey, something's staring at us, we should do something about it.>

It's probably best not to think about where it was. Anywho, the Digimental glows, briefly illuminating the world around them showing the frozen canyon they're about to enter, but not the source of whatever is watching them before disappearing.

Eve's D-Terminal beeps.

Eve:<Thanks.>

*Eve checks her D Terminal*

Lunamon:<Wait and see if it tries to kill us?>

R"Should we try flying?"