"Sayu and Gizamon have been captured," said Christo, looking out at the sea.

Labramon hurried up, carrying some food in her mouth. She dropped it, and, seeing her partners worried face and the absence of Sayu and Gizamon, asked, "What's wrong? Where's Sayu?"

"Sayu and Gizamon have been captured," Christo repeated.

"What, AGAIN?" Isthian flopped his head back on Fiona's lap and groaned. "You're right, not much of a change, huh? Why are we always having to rescue people? And why aren't I eating lunch yet?"

Muchomon waddled out of the forest after Labramon, patting his stomach. "So, where's the food, mon? 'Ey, what you lookin' all down 'bout, mon?"

Chris blinked. Sayu had been kidnapped? For about one second he entertained thoughts of simply letting that be, but then jumped up. "We gotta go rescue her!"

"...if I'm not mistaken, we just *did* rescue her. If she's this much trouble, then maybe she's just plain not worth it, eh?" Kyrainia said, her tone harsh as she leaned against a tree in the outskirts of the group.

Kamika sighed but nodded. She had been relishing for at least a FEW minutes of break but of course, what did she expect? "It doesn't matter if we just rescued her. If you recall, her digimon was supposedly a traitor. So isn't it expected that she'd be targeted? We really must hurry and find her before the enemy does something. . ."

Chris scratched his head. "So...how are we supposed to find her, anyway?"

"No idea," Christo said, thoughtfully, "But that hasn't stopped us before. But can we eat first?" And she picked up a banana that Labramon had dropped.

Wollymon rolled out of the woods, followed more cumbersomely by some of the more manually-able Digimon carrying a slingful of assorted fruits. He rolled into Muchomon and looked up at him, upside-down, with an apologetic smile. "Whoops!"

Thian looked over at him and blinked. "Oh, hey, look, it's my blobby thing. I wonder if he'd make a better pillow than you..." He stumbled to his feet, rubbing his head, and sauntered over to the pile of food.

"Does no-one actually care about Sayu?" Christo exclaimed. She sweatdropped. "Actually, I'm surprised I even care myself..." she muttered under her breath.

Thi blinked at Christo. "Huh? Why would I care if Sayu wants to wander off? I've already got a girlfriend." He tossed an apple -- red with yellow and orange patches -- to Fiona, and grabbed one for himself. "'Cause if she didn't want to be captured, she wouldn't keep doing it, right?"

Fiona caught the apple. "You know it."

Christo sweatdropped, "You're not gonna help me, are you?" Having nothing that she could immediately do, and being very hungry, she began to eat.

"You can't go and rescue her by herself, you know," Labramon whispered.

"I'm not going to!" Christo hissed back. "We'll think of a plan as soon as we've got some food." She thought for a moment and then added, "Besides, I wouldn't be alone. You'd be with me, wouldn't you?"

Thian shrugged. "Well, it's not like I'd just let you wander off alone and get yourself hurt. I just don't think that we need to go running off after Sayu." He took a bite of his apple and spoke around his mouthful. "And in any case, we can't search on an empty stomach, now can we?"

Sayu and Gizamon were now in Metalseadramon's lair. Poor Gizamon was unconscious, and Sayu was sulking. Not being that intelligent, she didn't think to wonder why a water-Digimon's layer was in the middle of a mountain.

Christo looked at the others. "I'm going to explore," she said, shortly, standing up and striding off, Labramon following her.

"Are you sure this is the best idea?" Labramon asked. "I mean, you don't know what could be out here. We didn't see all the island while we were gathering food, you know."

"I know," said Christo, "if you had, I wouldn't be exploring. Besides, since none of them seem to want to do anything; I need to have something to keep my legs from seizing up. Anyway, I've got you to protect me, right?"

Labramon didn't answer, but stared at the ground and at her partner uneasily. But, against her better judgment, she followed, knowing what she did about Christo's unyielding will.

Chris started hopping around. "Come on, come on! What are you doing stuffing your faces? One of our friends is in danger, and we have to help her! Are you all so inconsiderate and heartless that you'd just let her go?"

Tekumon pulled on Chris's shirt. "Um, isn't Sayu the one that threatens to kill you all the time?"

"...yeah, well, but she's still one of us, and we can't just let her die!"

Meanwhile, Muchomon, displaying remarkable speed despite his rotund bulk blocked Christo and Labramon from entering the trees behind him. "Naw, mon, you dun want to be goin' in there, eh? Somethin' I'll tell ya though, eh? If your friend be underwater, there be a spiffin' tunnel on this island that leads straight down there, so you can rescue her, eh? Whaddya think of that, mon?"

"Are we really so inconsiderate and heartless to just let her go?" Kyrainia pretended to ponder for a moment. "Well I do think you know my answer to that...of course I am. Because that's all I am, a self-centered, inconsiderate, heartless bitch. Hmm, well, I do suppose, as much as I hate to admit this, that you probably have a point and we should *probably* go and look for her. If only to see her beat you up some more." She smirked, with a small glare at Chris.

"A tunnel," pondered Christo, "Sounds interesting..." She turned to the others, "So are we going or what?"

Chris glared at Kyrainia. "You never stop, do you?"

Kyrainia raised an eyebrow. "You actually expected me to? Not good evaluating on your part, jerk boy." She grinned, though.

Kamika shook her head as she listened to the conversation, "It's just like LAST time when Chris was taken. We spend all this time talking when we already know what we are supposed to or what we'll end up doing. Despite our arguments in this group and all the hatred people seem to have for each other, we'll still end up saving the other in times of need. So how about we stop TALKING..." she paused for a second since well, she realized that she had been talking herself for a while, "... and just start moving," she looked around to see if anyone agreed, "Right?" she ended uncertainly.

Thian gave his apple a final satisfied lick and tossed the core off into the ocean waves. "Okay, I'm ready! Let's go!"

"Mmmph..." Wollymon slowly chewed and swallowed another big bite out of his third orange, and then started glowing with a bright yellow light. "Wollymon, digivolve to... Tsafmon!" The lizard-Digimon reappeared with a flash, and looked around happily. "Yay! I have legs again!" He stood up on his hind legs and did a little prancing dancestep in celebration.

"Great!" Isthian grinned, winked, and flashed a thumbs-up. "This just keeps getting better and better!"

"...at least you said it with a smile." Chris turned away from Kyrainia. Meanwhile, Tekumon flew up to Muchomon. "So, where is this tunnel thing anyway?"

Muchomon shrugged. "It's back there in the forest, mon. If you all wanna go, I'll be happy to guide yah."

Kamika gave a sigh as she watched them fight again. "I swear," she mumbled to her, "Every second, those two fight," she looked at Isthian and shook her head, "I suppose this was decided a lot quicker than last time." She gave a nod and stood up. "We really should get going. . . We never know what might happen with every second that passes."

Fiona frowned at Tsafmon. "I liked the yellow ball thing better," she said. Letting that go for the moment, she turned towards the other group. "I'm ready to go too. But do we really have to go through a dark tunnel?"

"Okay." Ignoring Kyrainia for the moment, Chris headed for Muchomon and the woods. "You guys coming?"

"Coming? Weren't we leaving already?" Thian grabbed Fiona by the hand and pulled her along with him. "Come on, American-girly, this is no time to be standing around!" He skipped on past Chris and into the woods, Fiona dragged along and Tsafmon skittering behind.

Muchomon waddled quickly in front of Isthian, blocking the path by spreading his wings/flippers wide. "Naw, mon, you dun wanna be goin' in there widout me guidin' you, trust me. Once alla ya're ready to go, I'll take yah."

Isthian stopped, blinked, and shrugged. "Alright! I thought we were, but if we're not, then we're not, and... Yeah, I'm gonna go finish wakin' up." He shook his head and walked back to the fruit pile, leaving Fiona behind and muttering to himself. "Still half-asleep, Hanasaki, you'll never be gettin' anywhichway like that..."

Christo shook Isthian rather roughly, "Come on," she said. "We are going as soon as possible, and you are going to be awake for it."

"Dyah! Daemon woman!! I swear I didn't do it!!!" Thian snapped out of his daze -- or perhaps into one -- and took off running. His flight was cut short by an unfortunate trip over a half-buried stick and a nose-dive into the sand. He sat up, rubbing his nose with a groan, and tried to shake some of the sand out of his shirt. "Ow..."

Muchomon waddled off into the forest, waving a flipper at the kids. "C'mon, follow me. Step sharp'sh now!"

"Alright! Let's mooooooove out!!!" Christo yelled, pointing in the direction they were going. She hurried after Muchomon. Labramon sweatdropped at her partner's militaristic attitude.

Isthian nodded sagely to this, stood up again, spun dizzily around on his heel, and stumbled back in the direction from whence he'd came, pausing momentarily to grab an orange from the fruit pile on his way.

Chris paused at the edge of the forest, and turned to face the rest of the group, tapping his foot in annoyance. "Are you guys just going to sit there and stuff your faces all day? Come on!"

Having finally ascertained that everything was finally ready to go, Thian followed Muchomon and Christobel into the deep, deep forest. "Let's search for and gather the shards of clues!" he rambled enthusiastically, clearly still too confused about some part of the mission to manage coherent sentences.

Within only about fifteen minutes, the tropical forest had become so thick as to cast what seemed like a never-ending night. Thian put his arm around Fiona's shoulders and pulled her close, murmuring, "wouldn't want you to vanish into the infinite darkness, mm?"

Fiona giggled and lightly elbowed Isthian. "No way! Besides, aren't we on a mission? Or something?" She continued to allow Isthian's arm around her, though, and smiled happily as they made their way through the forest.

Muchomon waddled through the forest, humming to himself. Chris and Tekumon followed behind, looking around nervously as the forest became more and more foreboding. "Uhm, how much longer till we get there?" Chris shifted uncomfortably.

"Eh, it's a ways yet, mon. Just keep walkin', and don't leave the path, yah?"

"It's a lot darker in here than I pictured," said Christo, with her arm raised slightly in front of her face, so that she didn't walk straight into a tree without some warning.

Finally, after much walking, Muchomon stopped in front of a large, dark, gloomy cave entrance. "In here, mons."

"Doesn't look very welcoming," muttered Christo, warily entering the cave.

"Do we really have to go in there?" whined Fiona. "It's dark..."

"Guess so, so let's get going! Come on, Fi. I'll make sure you stay safe!" Thian kept his arm around the American as he walked into the cave, but he leaned down and grabbed Muchomon by the wing as he passed. "You wouldn't want to leave us now, just when it's getting fun, would you?"

Nervously, Christo entered the passage. Labramon stuck close by her, pressing her head against Christo's hand to reassure her.

Isthian walked through the cave, looking left and right. He gulped nervously as his eyes found nothing but blind, dancing lights, and pulled Fiona even closer to his side. "Looks like I was wrong," he said hoarsely, then cleared his throat and spoke a little more strongly. "So d'ya know where we're going then, Birdiemon? And maybe you can glow in the dark a bit for us, too?"

Muchomon shook his head. "Naw, mon, you're leavin' some at the entrance. Gimme a second." He waddled speedily back to the entrance and started dispensing painful pecks amongst those who still waited at the cave entrance. "Move it, ya slackers!"

Thian looked around again, blinking nervously. Muchomon's voice echoed faintly from the mouth of the tunnel. "Looks like we're all alone here..." He blinked again, then grinned. "It's almost kind of romantic, wouldn't you say?" His arm around Fiona's shoulders grew distinctly more friendly.

"Get a room," Christo muttered.

Isthian jumped at the sudden noise, then sweatdropped and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Hey, I didn't know you were here... Uh, hi, Galana! Uh, nice weather we're having, huh?" He sweatdropped again and muttered, "Where's that stupid bird already?"

Fiona raised an eyebrow. "I wouldn't call walking in a dark, scary tunnel exactly romantic, Isthi..." It was hard for Fiona to concentrate on anything "romantic" when she couldn't see a thing and was probably going to get eaten by some monster and die a horrible, painful death. She shuddered. She really, really hated the dark.

Meanwhile, Sayu was dead.

...Well, not really. But the poor Digimon set to guard her cell were starting to wish she were. And they were also starting to wish that her digivice didn't automatically translate what she was saying for them.

"^%&*^T( &*^(* &*^*&^! And that goes for your ^%*(^ families, too! LEMME OUT OF THIS ^%&* CELL!"

Why was Sayu so miserable, you ask? Well, mainly because she was knee-deep in water. Sayu despised water. The other reason was because they had taken Gizamon away. Don't take that the wrong way - she couldn't care less whether he lived or died. But what she did care about was that there was no one whom she could take her frustrations out on physically.

So she had started using the worst curses she knew, in a very, very violent fashion.

"Oh, my virgin ears!" One little Otamamon moaned after one particularly colorful out burst from Sayu. A Gekomon sucked on his finger and stuck it in her [the Otamamon's] ear.

"Not anymore." He smirked, and she glared at him.

In another part of the semi-underwater fortress, Gizamon was dead. Well, not really. But he was starting to wish he was. Mostly because of the torture. Actually, completely because of the torture.

"Not... fair...." He moaned raspily, as he watched with mournful eyes as an entire feast was being eaten right in front of him. And as he was chained to the wall, there wasn't much he could do about it. He at first hadn't seen the point of being chained to a wall, as they had given him some sort of weird stew, but as he'd eaten bowl after bowl of the stuff, he'd found himself getting hungrier... and hungrier... and hungrier...

Damn that Subtraction Stew.

Oh, and, in case you were wondering, no, no one had been smart enough to take away Sayu's digivice and crest. Or that pretty dagger of hers, either. Well, actually, they'd tried to take the dagger, but as Sayu would either stab them with it or clutch it protectively and hiss "My precioussssss....", they had given up on account of the 'Destined of Pride being way too disturbing.

Kamika trembled as she walked inside the cave, "I do NOT like this whatsoever.." she mumbled to herself constantly. It was dark and ICK! How were they ever going to tell when an enemy would come out and attack them? NEVER. That's how. They were practically blind in this place. Shaking her head, she pushed out all the pretty thoughts out of her head. "No no no.. Think... um... Think..." she scratched her head as she pondered what'd make this a much better travel, "Pretty thoughts?" Shaking her head again, she just kept walking. Once again, she returned to her previous phrase, "I do NOT like this whatsoever..."

"Ra ra ra..." Thian sang lightly, tapping his foot and looking around in the darkness. His attention span was apparently short enough that any initial fear or compassion for his companions had already worn off, and he was merely bored at the delay. Tsafmon skittered around his feet, feeling the walls and floor. After a minute or two of this, the lizard stopped and looked unerringly back at his partner.

"Hey, Thi... Check this out! These walls feel really weird!"

"Mm?" Thian, letting his arm slide out from around Fiona's shoulders, walked over to the wall and touched it. "Hey, yeah! Wow, it's so smooth! That's pretty cool, hey?"

Muchomon waddled hurriedly into the cave, seeing Isthian poking the wall. "HEY, MON! You dun wanna be tuchin' that wall, now. Just move yur bums along till yah find the big houle daown there. Den yah jump on in, and that'll spit yah out down 't the big guy's lair, eh?"

Eventually, Taira and Demon made their way back up the cliff. Their digimon were drying off and Poromon bounced out of the bushes now that all seemed alright.

There was so much drama going on in the water, that poor little Cubimon couldn't stand still. "I want to go help. Can I Taira, please, I swear I have the energy. And if you don't I'll bite your ankles off as you sleep." She started running for the edge of the cliff.

Taira instinctively grabbed her digimon around the waist. Poor Cubimon was only the size a small fox and was only able to kick and swipe at Taira. Cubimon glared at her partner with slits closed so much Taira was shocked she could see. "Don't you look at me that way, you did enough battling as it is and they seem to be fine for now. Plus what are you going to do with your lack of energy, blow bubbles at it or maybe tickle it?"

Damen watched Taira's behavior curiously. It seemed that she had some sense of safety, but was still apt to disagreement easily in hazardous situations. I guess she will do... He thought and watched as his Gomamons dried off. He had allowed them to not force themselves into digivolving, if he did, the new group would notice that his digimon were not as advanced as theirs. From what he could tell, this group was destined to somewhat succeed or fail miserably, either way he needed to get to Earth before hand and if that meant bringing one of these humons with him, he would do it. But if he were to be successful at taking someone into control, it would need to be done without anyone else's knowledge.

Sighing, Damen got up from his spot and helped Taira calm her digimon. "Why don't you go watch Poromon and that will be your job. It will need the protection in case we need to evacuate." Cubimon growled in his general direction and nipped at Taira's hand.

That pain caused her to drop her Digimon. "I'll get you later and trust me this is for your own good." The little digimon simply lifted her tail in annoyance of her partners comment and sat by Poromon. Once in her station, Cubimon puffed her chest out proudly and ignored the humon in her area. "Stupid Humon, think you know everything."

It was a good thing that Cubimon was now preoccupied with her recent duties because Damen was carrying out his little plan. This is as good a time as any... Damen pulled out small berries from his massively large pockets. His chains clattered slightly as he offered it to Taira. "It looks like you could use some food."

Taira was pouting over her now water stained goggles. They reflected the light still, but had dull white spots all over them. As she attempted to clean them off her stomach gave a nice low growl. The boy she found was soon offering her these nice looking berries. They looked like smaller white grapes of some sorts. "Are they safe?"

Those eyes almost smiled back in reassurance. "Of course. I wouldn't want to kill anyone I know might save me from this place. Besides I kind of like you." His slight accent caused her to melt down her security walls and the berries did look very good.

"What the hell... Got anymore for poor Cubimon?" Blushing, she began to eat the pale green berries as she spoke. It was like Heaven had decided to move into her mouth and throw a party. They were sour at first with this sweet after taste. "Chocolate?"

"The middle taste exactly like what you are hungry for. I guess you were wanting something sweet. I have more for your digimon if she needs it." Her mouth coiled to the side as if she was trying to guess if he was lying or not.

It was so sudden that Taira doesn't even remember falling forward a bit towards the edge of the cliff and Damen grabbing her by the waist to prevent her collapsing back into the hazardous water. He popped a few of a second type of berry into his mouth and pulled her close. "What the--"

By then he was already mouth to mouth with her. His tongue was forcing this liquid into her mouth and she was unable to spit it out. Normally, she would be fighting, but she felt so sick and weak.

Cubimon watched the humons with slight disgust. "You know. I tried that thing with Teku, and it really doesn't work well with a muzzle..."

Taira, I know you are scared, but you should feel very privileged. You are now my partner in this world whether you like it or not. The first berry simply makes you feel ill for about five minutes. Very susceptible to outside influence. I kiss you now so we both have tasted the second part of my little treachery. We share the same mind now and I control you to a point. I have you as a little humon toy now and I don't even need to steal your body.

This Damen kid was part of the other destined. All he wanted was to go home after his group died off. So I'm taking him home and I will rule this Earth. No more will I be the underdog...

I watched many before him come and go. This kid appealed to what I needed. I learned his digivice and the workings of your groups. Each time they failed before I could reach this Earth they spoke of so dearly. I'm tired of being here and you and your group will help me get there. Just need you all to destroy the evil in my way. Now, after this you will act completely normal and listen to my directions when I provide them.

As quick as it had happened was as quick as it ended. Soon, Sayu's digimon was behind Damen and Taira was looking at the boy shocked. Apparently, it took them far too long to answer and so Sayu dragged them all on.

Cubimon was still in her "guard the Poromon" stage and was ignoring her partner. Though Taira was looking confused and a bit distant, Cubimon was still a bit peeved with her.

Damen was clutching onto Taira close, despite the fact that she was cold from the water she was pushed into. She was his and soon he would be out of this digital world. All in due time...

"All in due time we will be home..." Taira spoke softly to herself as they flew to the island.

Cubimon ignored her partner as she sat and petted the Poromon, who in turn was sleeping contently in Taira's lap. Eventually, she slid up next to Teku on the venture to get food. From then on it was simple enough to follow her Digifriends and ignore the odd zoned behavior of her partner. Soon they met up with another digimon and things seemed alright. Taira ate up as usual. Foxmon returned to her normal Rookie state after a nice meal.

She was zoned due to the fact the illness berries had not completely worn off.

Then the news broke of Sayu being taken again. Back at the beach Taira should have been adamant to saving the fiery addition to the group, but she just looked vaguely concerned. It seemed the new mission was set, again to save that Sayu, and the woods looked to be the direction to go.

Stay with me on the beach. They will be back.

"I'm staying on the beach. Go on with out me... I am too tired to move." Her voice was too soft for them all to really hear. Cubimon flipped her tail again in aggravation and took off with the others, figuring that Damen's digimon would suffice in helping if danger arose.

As soon as they were out of site Damen spoke up. "I suggest you take a nice nap. You'll need it when they return. Those woods are not where they need to go."

Poromon was soon snuggling up to Taira as she used her hands as a nice pillow.

"Huh?" Thian turned and blinked at Muchomon -- or at least in his general direction. "What, am I going to get fingerprints on it, or something? My hands are clean, I promise!" He waved them at the gaudy penguin to show off. "And, hey, can we be going now then? Everyone's finally here, right?"

Christo gave the walls a strange look. She didn't trust those walls... "Paranoid," muttered Labramon, watching her partner.

Kamika, of course, had been trembling a few minutes ago. Now, however, she was downright shaking. It was kind of funny considering how there was pretty much nothing to be afraid of. Unless you counted all those digimon who were probably out for her and the others' skins for being digidestined. But let's put that thought aside. The cave seemed endlessly... endless. And no way of escape. "Ooooh!" she exclaimed fearfully and tried not to shiver any more. Muttering to herself, she glanced around, "Why can't we get OUT of here already?" She pouted at the misfortune and wondered how long it'd be...

Isthian shrugged. "Weren't you two the ones saying we ought to go rescue her in the first place? Birdiemon says that we just walk along here until we get to a hole, and down through there is the bad guy's headquarters! The quicker we go, the quicker we'll get through, so let's just keep walking!" He looked around blindly, then shrugged again. "Hey, Tsafmon! Where're the girls?"

"Huh? Right over here, Thian!" The lizard-Digimon scuttled over and gently headbutted Thian's leg in the right direction. "That way!"

"'kay, thanks!" Isthian shuffled carefully over to his fellow Digidestined, and grabbed Fiona's and Kamika's hands when he bumped into them. "There, you feel better now? We'll all go on together!"

Muchomon shook his head sorrowfully at Isthian's comments, and stepped back, muttering to himself. "It's a wondur they evin got dis far, eh?"

Meanwhile, Chris had been following along with the group, looking around and generally remaining quiet. He was feeling something weird, but he wasn't sure just what it was... maybe it hadn't been a good idea, eating that fruit. Just then, he saw Isthian clamp onto Kamika's hand, and his brow furrowed. Pushing up alongside them, he dislodged Isthian and took Kamika's hand instead. "Thanks, but I got this." Looking at Kamika, he smiled. "There's nothing to worry about. We'll just go find Sayu and then keep on trying to get ourselves out of here, hmm?"

After several more minutes of walking, Thian got rather bored again and started kicking a rock along as he went. Luckily for him and those walking with him in the front, the sound of the rock accidentally clattering down the narrow shaft was quite noticeable, and so the hapless Digidestined were spared a rather ignominious drop. Thian knelt down and felt out the edge of the hole. "Hey, cool! It's all smooth! That's pretty handy." And without further ado, he grabbed Tsafmon in his arms and dangled his feet over the edge. "See you guys on the other side!" He pushed off and slid down the shaft.

Chris saw Isthian jump down a hole. "Hey, if the crazy Japanese kid decides to go down there, why should we- AUGH!" Just then, Muchomon pecked him roughly from behind, and his first instinct was to hop forward.

Right into the hole.

"That's not fairrrr....." His voice trailed off as he fell, with Tekumon cannoning right after him.

Isthian bumped and sped around the corners as the shaft continued windingly downwards. After what seemed like a deceptively long time, he shot out the bottom and thudded onto, surprisingly, a trampoline. He bounced off and onto a soft, squishy couch, presumably placed there for exactly that purpose. He rolled off clumsily and stood up, letting Tsafmon jump down onto the floor. "Hey, wow! Now this is what I call a room!"

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