Episode Thirteen: Last Laugh

Along the hall the walls of the hallway, the words "IN HEAVEN, EVERYTHING'S FINE!" Are written in a deep, dripping red like blood.

At the end is a door and nothing else.

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At the end of the hall is a door.

???: "Behind this doorway, lies the terrifying and unspeakable secrets of Hell. No one who sees it, lives to describe it. And you shall live in darkness for all eternity."

With nowhere to go, but through the door, Azuma opens it and enters the darkness inside.

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Along the walls are windows showing firing squads gunning down prisoners, the hallway not at all being soundproofed, so they hear everything.

Machinedramon's voice sounds over the PA system.

Machinedramon: "Ideas are more powerful than guns. We would not let our enemies have guns, why should we let them have ideas."

The shots steadily grow quiet both as they progress down the halls and as the prisoners are executed, eventually the hallway transitions to a white room, with a coffin in the center with Cameron's name on it.

On the back wall is a series of photographs of Cameron. One from not so long ago while the rest show him gradually decaying.

From a coffin emerges a decaying version of himself, face painted up like a mime.

Mime!Cameron: "Did you enjoy that trip back into yesterday? That could have been all of you against a wall waiting for the end. It should have been you. Someone who can't protect their own family has no right to live."

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Minotarumon being in top form as opposed to Gallantmon who wishes they were in top form, easily tanks the attack and charges, swinging with the Demon Arm.

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Piedmon?: "Yes, how could I possibly forget? You're both idiots. I'd be doing both worlds a favor, killing you. Perhaps I'll do what MetalPhantomon couldn't. Or...."

It bends down in a sickly unnatural manner and rummages through a bag of leaves and gears, withdrawing a grenade.

Piedmon?: "Puppetmon never was good at picking up its toys."

It pulls the pin and throws it at Terriermon while running towards Eve with a cooked grenade.

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Hitomi falls back while Angewomon tries to put some distance between herself and Mephistomon to notch an arrow, but it's not letting up.

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That just made things worse as now not only is there a mostly nude Kylie painted up like a mime, but now it has a gaping hole in wherever that attack it.

Mime!Kylie's legs quiver and if not for the arm bindings, it probably would have fallen over to accompany its moans.

Mime!Kylie: "You show promise, but there's only one who could truly inflict the most desirable amount of pain. The kind that no matter how much if inflicted, no matter how maimed, scarred, and crippled it leaves, you only ever want more. The kind of pain that could only be replicated by living in a world where those who claim to be your friends and family abandon you. A world like your own."

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He can smell blood. Probably coming from Roatha where his hand was bitten down on. Also the kinds of smells that come from not bathing in a few days.

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Wandering in the darkness, the reassurance provided by Renamon begins to wear thin. While it's always nice to have someone and not be alone, the hopefulness of the situation becomes quite bleak when even the direction you're walking from shows no sign that there was ever a way in.

*Gallantmon blocks with shield & then uses the spiral saber or whatever it's called.*
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*He smells specifically what's down each path.*
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*Rosemon keeps going.*

*For the first time, Eve looks at Piedmon directly as she runs back. She looks incredibly pissed*

Eve:<You're projecting, but you already knew that! You know exactly what to say to get a reaction out of us. You want one? Fine! Golden Armor energize!>

*Terriermon jumps off of Eve as he's surrounded by golden light. Magnamon emerges from the light, and uses Magna Blaster to destroy the genade before firing on Piedmon*

<Magnamon, Magna of Miracles!>
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Kylie:<Cameron didn't abandon me! This is some trick of Piedmon's! We'll all find each other soon!>

*She slowly gets to her feet*
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Cameron:<What was I supposed to do? Destroy Piedmon before he did all of this shit?!>

*Biyomon grabs one of his arms*

Aroma hears the same voiceover before the door opens up to the darkness. Maybe the whole room is just a metaphor for the darkness inside her. Maybe a skeleton will pop out. Or maybe this is the only junction point in the whole maze where all paths meet.

It's the third one as the darkness fades and Rosemon finds herself in a room with Azuma & Taiyo each at different ends.

It's the front hall of the manor featuring a wide open elevator shaft, a winding staircase leading up to the second floor and another door leading straight ahead.

Taiyo runs to Rosemon which is probably going to hurt.

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Mime!Cameron: "You think this is the only time you've failed her?"

The room transitions into LadyDevimon's throne room where Cameron gets to witness and relive the degrading acts Kylie was through.

Cameron: "You've never been able to protect her. She'll die here and it'll be all your fault."

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Minotarumon recoils and swings with the Demon Arm. Striking the shield from the inevitable block and proceeds to pound on the shield with Darkside Quake.

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The Piedmon-looking thing explodes regardless, but that doesn't stop the voice over.

Piedmon?: "Time and time again you walk into the most obvious of traps, make dubious at best decisions and you continue to wonder why your credentials to bear that Crest are called into question."

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Angewomon tries to keep Mephistomon back, but regardless of the damage it sustains ripping through the shields, it refuses to let up until it eventually overcomes Angemon and pummels her into submission, leaving Salamon.

Mephistomon: "The sequel is always worse than the original which only gets better with age."

Mephistomon takes a large whiff of the air.

Mephistomon: "A scent that will be with you even in death. The scent of one who seeks only to corrupt the light."

Mephistomon barely registers an attack from Salamon.

Salamon: "You talk too much."

Mephistomon continues to ignore Salamon, stepping towards Hitomi as she backs away, raising one of its burned hands towards her.

Mephistomon: "Your death will be quick. But it will not be painless."

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The Mime!Kylie looks around.

Mime!Kylie: "Not soon enough. Not when you're all in your own personal Hell's with no hope of crossing paths no matter how many turns you take.

The Mime!Kylie twists and pulls, freeing itself from its restraints in a sickening and painful sounding way and steps towards Kylie, various scars barely covered by the straps of the body harness are faintly visible and overall it's enough to make anyone have body issues.

Mime!Kylie: "Scream as much as you want, however you want."

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The only scents are those of Roatha's.

*She decides trying to conserve energy is doing more harm than good at this point, letting loose with Final Elysium after the quake subsides, hopefully at least blowing off his hand/weapon thing.*
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*Rosemon is wary, standing slightly on guard, but still holds out an arm to welcome Taiy-Taiy.*
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R"Try yelling down the tunnels, see which has the most echo."

*So he does that.*

*Magnamon lands near Eve, who's shaking*

<You know this isn't really. Eve, relax, it's like you said, and you're just giving him what he wants. Let's go.>

*Magnamon grabs Eve and flies off in the opposite direction*
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*Lunamon grabs Kylie's hand, and the pair move backward*

Lunamon:<You can talk all you want, nothing is going to stop us from finding the others and kicking your ass!>

*Kylie smilies, and stands a little straighter. She's still staring at the ground to avoid looking at her clone through*
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*Cameron covers his eyes, tears leaking out*

<I haven't been able to protect her when I should have been...but that's in the past! I've made mistakes...but since I can't change the past, I'll just have to be better now and make amends for failing Kylie!>

Taiyo slows down, looking confused and because Rosemon has thorns and that'd hurt.

Azuma: "If she were an illusion, do you think I would be here?"

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Mime!Cameron: "Really? If each lash were a strike against you, you'd have been out a long time ago."

The scene transitions to what Kylie is currently experiencing which is probably an uncomfortable sight for Cameron for a few reasons.

Mime!Cameron: "She can't bear to look forward, but she chose to stand up. It wasn't you that got her to her feet, it was her partner. The one that has been there since the beginning, making you obsolete."

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The Demon Arm comes off, although rather than data drifting from the wound, wisps of black smoke emerge which form a new arm, featuring an entirely different weapon while the smoke overtakes Minotarumon's body. The beast that had slain Regulumon so many years ago, Callismon emerges.

Raising its gun-arm, it open fires.

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I assume opposite direction means opposite of the one they came from as they'd find the way they came from is gone.

The hall starts out as its usual featureless white, eventually taking on the appearance of blood and rust. In the center of the next room is a fountain like they had seen previously, looking incredibly out of place with its surroundings.

On the back wall is a row of photographs, one of Eve as she is now and the rest show her progressively decaying. To the right is a path.

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Hitomi: "Salamon is right. You do talk too much."

Mephistomon: "Funny coming from the one who talks less than a dead mute."

Hitomi: "The dark forces always talked too much, leaving little room for accomplishing their tasks because there needed to be room to monologue about their superiority or to make the one on the other end feel bad. I don't let my voice speak for me. I let my heart speak for me. And that is why we will defeat you."

Mephistomon: "I'll rip your heart out!"

Mephistomon reaches for Hitomi, recoiling to shield its eyes from a flash of pink light. Before its vision can clear, Magnadramon barrels into it, and proceeds to maul it.

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Mime!Kylie: "Oh? Please do."

It turns around and leans forward against the St. Andrew's Cross, legs spread, so they (and Cameron) get a full glimpse at everything.

Mime!Kylie: "Show me your resolve. Show me that rather than crave to have pain inflicted upon you, you crave to inflict it."

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With each hall that's shouted down, a voice shouts back "Not here!"

*Dodge. Final Elysium.*
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"I don't know, nothing else in this maze has made any sense."
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D<...Who's not?!>

*Magnamon continues flying, not looking at the pictures. Eve does, however*
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Kylie:<I'm going to end everyone's pain, even if it means causing myself pain in the process!>

*For the first time, she looks up at M!Kylie. She and Lunamon biomerge, then Dianamon points her scythe at MKylie*

<We're going to find Cameron, Biyomon, and the others! No matter what it takes!>
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*Cameron watches, looking away at one point 'cause [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] Anyway, he wipes some tears from his eyes, then faces MCameron*

<More than one person can make you strong! You're right, I should have been able to protect her and be with her, but I failed. I'll fail her again if I give up now.>

*Biyomon nods*

Biyomon:<I'm here for you, now and forever.>

Azuma: "I think it made a lot of sense. I don't know what you saw, but what I saw made sense to me."

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Mime!Cameron: "It's easy to make bold statements. Backing them up is another issue entirely."

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For much of the same reason Minotarumon was able to tank an Elysian Blaster, Callismon has an even better reason as well as being more durable than its previous form.

Callismon slams a fist on the ground, breaking ice beneath it, the labyrinth shaking. Large needles burst from the ground, rapidly heading towards and around Gallantmon.

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At the end of the hall is a plain white door with a gold handle, standing out amongst the otherwordly decor.

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Mephistomon fades away, Magnadramon reverting back to Hitomi & Salamon. The two wait in the event something else happens, but after a moment, they carry on down the hall.

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Mime!Kylie shivers in anticipation, the desire that comes from the idea of being raked by an enormous scythe getting it really hot and bothered as Dianamon can see and be disgusted by.

Mime!Kylie: "Then let me be the first to experience it. Tear me asunder and paint this maze with my blood and ecstecy."

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There is no response.

Rosemon<"I saw decaying pictures of my human self, as well as a mirror. How does that make any sense?">
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*I don't know, I guess she takes to the sky, aiming for the side he just attacked with--& therefore should be off-guard on--slashing at his shoulder/neck/eye area with spiral saber.*
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*Ever determined not to go down a hallway at random, they stand around & wait to see what happens.*

*Magnamon lands near the door, setting Eve beside him. She tries the door*
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*Dianamon raises her scythe, then lowers it a second later*

<Killing you will bring me no closer to finding Cameron and our friends.>

*She turns to leave*
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*Cameron looks at M!Cameron, then back at the scene in front of  him*

<Kylie, we're coming for you! Biomerge Digivolution!>

*Cameron and Biyomon are surrounded by a dark purple light, out of which Ornismon emerges, roaring and flapping his wings*

<Ornismon!>

Just hold on, we're coming! No matter what it takes!

Azuma: "The pictures were probably to psych us out."

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Mime!Cameron steps outside of the coffin, a flight of stairs inside.

Mime!Cameron: "What a great way to initiate your resolve."

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The needles follow, tearing through the wall and ceiling, not slowing down until they hit their mark.

The attack having moved to the side and not Callismon means it can block the attack and fire point blank with its gun-arm.

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Like everyone else who opened the door, they hear the same voice over. Inside the door is nothing but darkness.

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The hall eventually comes to an end, a door on the back wall. Opening the door, Hitomi hears the disembodied voice and walks into the darkness.

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Mime!Kylie runs after Dianamon.

Mime!Kylie: "Don't you dare leave me unfulfilled!"

*Gallantmon shield checks the gun from underneath, directing it toward the roof, & uses Spiral Saber again.*
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*They degenerate, I guess, Aroma holding Lalamon in her arms as usual.*

"I also saw the ghost or something of AncientMermaimon--"

*She shakes her head.*

"Oh, but never mind that, we should look for the others!"

Magnamon:<So...are we going to go in there?>

*Eve has already stepped inside. Magnamon shakes his head and follows*
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Dianamon:<You will never be fulfilled.>

*Continues walking*
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<KYLIE!>

*Ornismon roars and tries to move towards the image of Dianamon*

Eve and Hitomi with their partners appear quite literally out of nowhere, feeling like the walk through the darkness went on for a long time.

Taiyo: "Where's Euryale?"

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They're gonna walk into a wall if they keep going, the image or Dianamon disappearing, the last thing Cameron seeing is some berserk mockery of his sister lashing out.

Mime!Cameron: "Search the maze all you want, you will not find her here. All paths lead to the same ending and the path you walk will not meet with the path she walks."

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Callismon drives a fist into Gallantmon's torso followed by pushing them away, ready to fire another volley of ammunition.

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Mime!Kylie latches on to Dianamon, biting into their flank. It hurts for reasons beyond getting bitten some unholy creature. Along with the pain of the bite is a burning sensation like something is being pumped into them.

*Eve looks around at those assembled*

<Oh good, I thought I was never going to get out of there. What happened to all of you?>
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*Dianamon tries to yank M!Kylie off herself*
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*Ornismon leans down to look at M!Cameron with one giant eye, wings folded*

<I will destroy this maze then!>

"I don't know, I don't know where anyone is. There must be doors to the maze, we should take the ones we didn't come through and search."
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*Gallantmon doesn't have many options at this point but to use another Final Elysium & mentally complain that nothing about this fight makes any sense at all.*

Azuma: "There hasn't been a door for anyone that arrived here."

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Mime!Cameron: "The maze will continue to destroy you before you could even scratch the surface of these walls. You either find the end or die."

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Callismon staggers backwards and raises its gun-arm, firing a volley of bullets.

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It comes off, but it is quite painful. The Kylie-looking thing seems overjoyed when some of its death are yanked out in the process.

*Dianamon drops MKylie, then turns to leave again*
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Ornismon:<Then how do I find the end?>
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Magnamon:<Roatha, Kylie, Cameron, Euryale, and their partners...that's everyone we're missing, right?>

*Yet another Final Elysium.*
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"Yeah, what are we supposed to do? Where can we go? How can we find anyone else?"

Azuma: "We don't even know where we are. What we do know is everyone eventually appears here."

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Mime!Cameron: "Follow the path until there is no light. You'd best figure that out quickly before your sister leaves the maze and finds you're nowhere to be seen."

As a recap, there are no paths, but there is a flight or stairs leading down in the coffin.

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Callismon falls to one knee and slams its fist on the ground, sending more needles towards Gallantmon.

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Eventually they lose it, either because it stopped following or just killed over. The place on Dianamon's legs it bit burns as a nice reminder that what they witnessed most certainly did happen.

The path begins to darken as the white fades and is replaced by the colors of blood and rust, continuing onward for some time.

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Roatha's hand where the Piedmon-looking thing bit him stings, the gnarly looking tooth left behind pulsing and seemingly trying to inch its way further inside of him.

That hand will probably have to be amputated if it goes unchecked.

*He covers his other hand in his sleeve & starts pulling it out.*
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A"But what if they don't make it here? What if they get lost or can't move or think we'll come find them?"

L<Some of our missing friends are pretty...well, I mean, they seem like they might ignore the maze just to spite Piedmon.>
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*Gallantmon leaps, coming down on that fucker & stabbing him with a lance.*

*Cameron and Biyomon separate back into themselves, then head down into the coffin*
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*Dianamon does the same, then Kylie and Lunamon continue walking*
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Eve:<Then all there is to do is wait.>

Azuma: "None of us crossed paths in the maze. Either it was really big or it's one per person."

Taiyo: "What are we supposed to do then?"

Azuma: "Bide your time, and hold out hope."

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The coffin closes shut, leaving them trapped in another white hallway that get progressively darker as the walls transition from white to the otherwordly colors of rust and blood.

Following them and getting ever closer is the sound of whimpering and panting like some kind of wounded animal in heat.

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The needles pursue Gallantmon tagging them in the back while Callismon fades away.

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That doesn't make the pain go away and Kylie finds a gnarly looking bitemark on her thigh, wet with some sickly looking bubbling green stuff as well as a goddamn tooth sticking out of it.

While Lunamon doesn't feature a gnarly wound as Kylie because describing it would be difficult and I don't think Lunamon has thighs, she feels a similar pain in a similar area.

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Like trying to reel in a fish, it doesn't want to come out and is actively resisting, possibly winning the struggle or not, but it hurts and now Roatha has a pretty large gash in his hand that may or may not resemble diseased female genitalia, the thing he removed being closer to a paring knife in size than a shark tooth as if it were growing by feeing off of him.