Episode 6 - We Are Family
by bender180

IZZY: Last time on Digimon, Allison and I got trapped in an underground tunnel. Luckily, we found Allison's crest, the Crest of Integrity, and a passage to the surface! Maria and Joe landed in a desert with a tired Okomon, and we found them trying to figure out what a huge wall was doing in the middle of the desert. Once we got close enough, Maria's tag started glowing. A section of the wall came out and revealed itself to be her Crest of Determination! Now we'll see what's on the other side of the wall...

Setting: A sandy Digiworld desert, no other visible features in sight. Starlight illuminates the plains only slightly. Standing out is a simple canvas tent lit from within by firelight. Silence.

Close in on tent, three silhouettes become visible. They flicker with the firelight. One of the silhouettes stands and raises its arms.

CRYSTAL: It makes me so mad that we have to stay in this stupid tent!
SOLOMON: Yeah, to think Piedmon chose this week to fumigate the palace for termites!

Flash to the inside of Piedmon's wrecked palace, where Vegimon in gas masks are spraying greenish gas around. Switch back to tent view.

DAMIEN: Shut up, you two. I'm busy.

Now we can see inside the tent. Three sleeping bags, a small pile of food, and a small pile of mechanical parts lie scattered about. A lantern in the center of the tent lights the area. CRYSTAL is standing, looking at DAMIEN. SOLOMON is sitting on a sleeping bag, sulking. DAMIEN sits and fiddles with a small machine in his lap. The three evil digimon NISOMON, MECHIMON, and TOXEMON lie sleeping in one corner.

CRYSTAL: No, Damien, I will not shut up! Who're YOU to boss me around?
SOLOMON: Both of you shut up, okay?
DAMIEN and CRYSTAL: Shut up, Solomon!

Nobody speaks, and we can hear the sound of DAMIEN messing with his machine.

CRYSTAL: Well, I'm going to sleep.
DAMIEN, staring at his machine: Good. At least your snoring isn't as loud as your blabbing.

SOLOMON laughs and CRYSTAL gets a "throbbing vein" on her forehead. She hits him over the head.

SOLOMON: Hey! Why, you little...
DAMIEN, shouting: Both of you, knock it off right now! I am very busy and I can't afford to be interrupted!
CRYSTAL: Just what're you making there anyway, Damien?
SOLOMON: A new video game?
DAMIEN: No.
SOLOMON: Then what is it?
DAMIEN: It's important, that's what it is. Hey, could somebody grab me a bag of chips?
CRYSTAL, rummaging through the pile of food: No chips. We don't have much food at all...
SOLOMON: Man, I wish we could go home...
DAMIEN: Then leave me alone to work.
SOLOMON: What do you mean? What IS that thing?
DAMIEN, sighs: If you must know, this little gadget is what's going to get us home.
CRYSTAL: But I thought Piedmon said...
DAMIEN: I know what Piedmon said!
CRYSTAL: ...that we have to get rid of those mean Digidestined kids first!
DAMIEN: Piedmon is not my boss. I make the rules around here!
CRYSTAL: Sure you do.
SOLOMON: So, Damien, how's that thing going to get us home?
DAMIEN: I believe I've discovered a critical link between our world and the Digital World.
SOLOMON: What do you mean?
DAMIEN: This world is connected to ours in some special way. Computer data from our world helps to shape this world. They're interconnected in many ways. It explains that virus I made, it explains the digimon... I'm not quite sure how it all works yet, but this machine should be able get us back to our world. It operates as a small interruption in the Digiworld's program. With the program at this location interrupted, our bodies will disappear and then reappear in the real world.
CRYSTAL: Hurry up and use it then!
DAMIEN: Not quite yet. I'm still a bit worried about those four kids that Cupidmon failed to capture. Two of them have already found their crests.
SOLOMON: I don't think we have to worry about them. Cupidmon's still got all their strongest digimon locked up. No way they'll be getting away from him.
DAMIEN: All right, but I'm leaving our digimon here to guard the tent. Nisomon!

NISOMON does not awaken at the sound of DAMIEN's voice. DAMIEN kicks NISOMON.

NISOMON: Eh? Hey, what'd you do that for?
DAMIEN: Quiet, Nisomon. Solomon, Crystal, and I are going out.
NISOMON: Out? As in where?
DAMIEN: You don't need to know that! Just get out and guard the tent while we're gone!
NISOMON, bowing: Of course. You're the boss, Damien. Okay, you two, let's get a move on!

TOXEMON and MECHIMON wake up, grumbling. They all exit the tent.

SOLOMON: Hey Damien, don't you think we should take the digimon with us?
DAMIEN: What are you, an idiot? Of course we can't take them! They're part of this world's program. I don't think they can make the transfer.
CRYSTAL: How do you know WE can make the transfer? I don't wanna get fried by your little gizmo there.
DAMIEN: Crystal. Are you questioning my judgement?
CRYSTAL, subdued: No.
DAMIEN: All right then. Let's go.

DAMIEN twists a dial on his machine and presses a button on it. Nothing happens.

DAMIEN: What? It's not working!

DAMIEN tries again without success.

SOLOMON: What happened, Damien?
DAMIEN, fiddling furiously with the machine: I just don't understand! My design was perfect!
SOLOMON: Maybe I can fix it. Just let me whack it a few times and...
DAMIEN: Be quiet, right now! I cannot concentrate if you keep bothering me! Now leave me ALONE! (on this last word, DAMIEN hurls his machine right at SOLOMON's head)

SOLOMON falls backward, limbs in the air, and DAMIEN puts his head in his hands. The view changes and we can see the three digimon lounging around outside the tent.

MECHIMON, blinking: What in the world are they doing in there?
TOXEMON: I don't really care. I just wish they'd hurry up and leave.
NISOMON: Hey, c'mon! Be quiet, they might hear!

The view switches back into the tent.

DAMIEN, depressed: I can't believe my machine doesn't work. I can't...

SOLOMON sits up and holds the machine in front of his face, studying it. The Crest of Wrath around his neck begins glowing, illuminating the machine from behind. We can see the silhouette of his finger pressing the button on top.The screen whites out. When color returns to the screen, the three kids are in a new setting, A large bedroom with four-post bed and oak furniture, and a television. Most significantly is the impressively large computer workstation dominating one side of the room.

SOLOMON, blinking, finger still held above the button: Um...
DAMIEN: Solomon! What on earth did you do?
CRYSTAL, looking around: Hey, Damien... I think... I think this is your room!
DAMIEN: Of course it is. My machine worked! We're back in our world!
CRYSTAL: Awesome! I'm ordering pizza! Outta here, guys! (rushes out of the room)
DAMIEN, once Crystal's gone: I knew my design was perfect. Tell me, Solomon, how did you activate the machine? And why couldn't I?
SOLOMON: I don't know. Maybe I pushed the button harder than you did!
DAMIEN, with sweat drop: No, Solomon, I don't think that's it. Well, it's not important right now. Why don't you go with Crystal and buy some food? I have some things to take care of right here.
SOLOMON: Whatever. See you later.

SOLOMON leaves the room, entering a grand hallway with chandeliers and many rooms. CRYSTAL is walking toward the far end of the hallway, about to turn a corner.

SOLOMON, running up to Crystal: Hey, wait up!
CRYSTAL: Oh, are you coming along?
SOLOMON, grinning: Yeah, Damien sent me to babysit you!
CRYSTAL, angry: What? You're kidding!
SOLOMON: Oh, no way! It's a big, dangerous world out there. I have to protect you! (holds up his index finger) As your big brother, it's my duty to make sure you're always safe.
CRYSTAL: Oh, come on, this is ridiculous! Like I'd ever need protection from you! I'm a "big girl" now, Solomon. Why don't you just go away?!
SOLOMON: Man, lighten up, Cryssie! I was just teasing you.
CRYSTAL: Oh. Hey, and don't call me Cryssie!
SOLOMON: Oh, and why not?
CRYSTAL: My name is Crystal. (dreamily) Crystal, beautiful, pure, and strong, just like me...

We see CRYSTAL in an elegant town square, standing against a sunset background. She looks radiantly beautiful in a black dress, hair her natural brown, eyes closed, holding a parasol. The wind blows her hair a bit and we can see the back of SOLOMON's head (with sweat drop) back in the hallway and CRYSTAL standing dreamily, eyes closed.

SOLOMON: Of course. How silly of me.
CRYSTAL: Oh, just be quiet.

They turn the corner and continue walking along silently for a few moments.

SOLOMON: It sure is great to be back.
CRYSTAL: Hmm?
SOLOMON: I said, "It sure is great to be back."
CRYSTAL: Back? Where?
SOLOMON: Here! The house! The real world! What did you think I meant?
CRYSTAL: Oh, I don't know. I didn't think you'd get so excited over being back in this big old house.
SOLOMON: Hey, we only got this place after a lot of trouble.
CRYSTAL: Trouble?
SOLOMON: Oh, right, you were just a baby then...

SOLOMON trails off and enters a flashback scene. Two boys, the younger holding a baby girl, standing in what looks like the main entrance to their mansion. DAMIEN, SOLOMON, and CRYSTAL, all very young. Various adults rush about, taking pictures, writing on notepads, and ignoring the confused children. A middle-aged LAWYER with a business suit and slicked-back hair approaches the children. In one hand he holds a piece of paper.

LAWYER: Well, hello there, children!
DAMIEN, blinking his big, kawaii eyes: What? Who're you?
LAWYER: Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Mr. Shinoda, attorney at law. May I assume that you are the children of the deceased?
DAMIEN, horrified: De-... ceased? Deceased?!
SOLOMON, tugging at the back of DAMIEN's shirt: Damien, what does that word mean?
DAMIEN: You! What happened to my mom and dad?!
LAWYER: Calm down there, son! You must be Master Damien Miyamoto? Your parents were involved in a fatal car crash this afternoon. I thought you'd been told already.

SOLOMON starts crying, which makes CRYSTAL start crying.When I say "crying," I don't mean the exaggerated "fountains from the eyes" crying. I mean serious, realistic crying. Understand?

LAWYER, frowning: Now, then, if you're quite done sniveling, we have some issues of inheritance to discuss. Patrimony, this estate, alienation, distribution of property, your parents' multinational software company, annuity payments, and, ah, my commission, of course...
DAMIEN, coldly: Let me see that will. Now.
LAWYER, holding the paper up out of his reach: You? But you're just a child? What could you possibly know about law? You are the only one who can pay me my commission, though. Why don't you show me to your piggy bank, little boy?
SOLOMON, putting down Crystal, then getting angry: Here's your "ka-mi-shun," you big jerk!

SOLOMON kicks the LAWYER viciously in the shin, and he drops the will. DAMIEN picks it up.

LAWYER: Ouch! Why, you... Grrrr, I'll be back tomorrow morning to put you little brats in a foster home! (storms out of the house)
SOLOMON: What're we gonna do, Damien? I don't wanna live in a different house.
DAMIEN: I... (holds the will up to his face and looks at it) I'll figure it out... don't worry... I have'ta do it... for all of us...

Now we can see DAMIEN at his desk in his room (with a much smaller computer, however). The lights are dimmed and he's in his pajamas. Many books are spread out over the table, along with the will. He's studying fiercely. The view changes and we can see his face from the front.

DAMIEN, to himself: Hmm, what if I... hey, that might work... Yeah! (He looks up and makes a fist. His eyes glisten, as if they were full of tears.) They're not gonna get us... not gonna get me...

The screen fades to black. When the scene reappears, DAMIEN has his face down on the desk, snoring, all of his books and papers still out. A loud, booming knock wakes him up suddenly.

DAMIEN: Wha...? Oh! He's here! (grabs the will and a few books, runs out of the room)

DAMIEN runs through the halls and down a flight of steps into the entranceway. SOLOMON is already there, looking worried, and CRYSTAL sits near him. Another loud knock at the door. DAMIEN walks up to the front door. The instant he opens it, the LAWYER stomps in, furious, holding a briefcase.

LAWYER, pointing at Damien: You! It's time to go, little boy. I won't stand for your rotten behavior again.
DAMIEN: I think not.
LAWYER: What did you say?
DAMIEN: We're not going with you. You might as well leave right now.
LAWYER: Oh, yes you are. You can't live by yourself. It's against the law.
DAMIEN: This house is mine now.
LAWYER: Is that so?
DAMIEN: Yes. (holds up the will for the lawyer to see) It says right here in article 2-C that in the event of my parents' deaths, all of their possessions, fortunes, and properties go to the eldest surviving member of the Miyamoto family. According to the Revised Code of Odaiba, section 211.4.16.251, clause 3, that would be me, Damien Miyamoto. (evil grin) Now I'd advise you to get off my property before I have you arrested for trespassing.
LAWYER, surprised and blinking: No! Impossible! How could a six-year-old like you have known? But you can't possibly expect... No judge in the city would take your case seriously! The fortune's as good as mine!
DAMIEN: Wrong again. (holds up a videotape in the other hand) Right here I have a recording of you from yesterday on surveillance camera. It shows you first refusing to give the will to me, its rightful owner. Then it shows you threatening to steal the money out of my piggy bank. Even if you didn't go to jail, your career would be ruined for sure.
LAWYER: I can't believe this! Outsmarted by a little kid! You haven't heard the last of me! (runs out of the house, leaving the door open behind him)
DAMIEN: Loser.

The flashback ends.Now SOLOMON and CRYSTAL are standing in the entranceway, in the same places they were in the flashback, almost eleven years earlier.

CRYSTAL: Wow. Damien did that? I had no idea...
SOLOMON: Yeah. Pretty cool, isn't it?
CRYSTAL: I didn't know he cared about us that much.
SOLOMON: He'd never admit it, but everything he does is for the good of this family.
CRYSTAL: Even this whole "take over the Digital World" thing?
SOLOMON: Yeah. Once Digiworld is ours, we'll be the strongest force there is. No one will be able to stand up to the Dark Triad!
CRYSTAL: Wait a second. Whatever happened to that multinational software company that the lawyer was talking about?
SOLOMON: Oh, Miyamoto Computers? Damien sold that to some guy named Bill Gates in America. He said he didn't need it.
CRYSTAL: Oh, okay. Well, let's go get some food. I'm starving!

They both leave the house, closing the door behind them. Back to DAMIEN in his room at his desk silhouetted by the glow of his computer screen.

DAMIEN, typing: Let's see, pathname C:\FUNSTUFF\VIRUS\piedmon.exe...

Now, on the computer screen, we can see a square in the upper left corner containing a picture of PIEDMON's face, eyes closed. On the lower half of the screen is a steadily-filling bar showing the progress of some action. It reads "23%". DAMIEN taps a key and the image of PIEDMON changes to show a school bus, upside down and on fire. He taps another key, changing the image to show a group of businessmen frantically running around an office as their computer screens show gibberish. He taps the same key a third time and the image switches back to show PIEDMON again. The eyes in the picture open.

PIEDMON, voice slow and distorted at first but gradually returning to normal: Damien. A pleasure, as always, my good man.
DAMIEN: Piedmon, good to see you're doing well. According to my readings, your digital body has already been 23% restored. Of course, half of Japan is in an uproar because of your virus.
PIEDMON: An acceptable consequence. Rather enjoyable, in fact! As my world embraces chaos, so does yours. Delicious!
DAMIEN: Yes. Of course.
PIEDMON: The Digidestined are making progress, Damien. This is not good.
DAMIEN: I know, Piedmon, but all of their efforts will amount to nothing. The Dark Triad will crush them eventually!
PIEDMON: And the Digital World will be fit for my triumphant return! Think of it, Damien. You, me, Solomon, and Crystal will rule the Digital World together. Ultimate power...
DAMIEN: Yes, power...
PIEDMON: And with your world in such an... unfortunate... state, perhaps we can move on to conquer it too!

A siren goes off on DAMIEN's computer, and the screen starts flashing red. PIEDMON looks surprised.

DAMIEN, quickly: What is it? What happened?
PIEDMON: The Digidestined are approaching your temporary base of operations. You must go back immediately and destroy them!
DAMIEN, laughs: No problem. I'll see you later, Piedmon. (He switches the screen off and pulls a cellular phone out of his pocket.)
DAMIEN: Solomon? Hello?
SOLOMON: Yeah, Damien? What's up?
DAMIEN: Get back here right away. It's an emergency!
SOLOMON: Awww, now? We just started eating our fifth pepperoni pizza!
DAMIEN: I'm serious!
SOLOMON, disappointed: Okay, bye.

A few seconds later, SOLOMON and CRYSTAL rush into the room, breathing heavily. Their arms are filled with chips, candy, pizza boxes, and bags of groceries. DAMIEN takes his transportation gadget off of his desk and stands up to face the others.

DAMIEN: Do we really need that much food?
CRYSTAL: Sure! Taking over Digiworld will make anyone hungry!
SOLOMON: Yeah, Damien. We may be the Dark Triad, the strongest force in the world, but we're still human.
DAMIEN: Whatever. Let's go. (He's about to activate the machine when Solomon stops him.)
SOLOMON: Maybe you should let me do it. It worked for me last time.
DAMIEN: Nonsense. I can do it myself. (He presses the button, but nothing happens. He sighs and hands the machine to SOLOMON.) Here you go. Knock yourself out.
CRYSTAL, leaning over SOLOMON's shoulder to speak in his ear: He doesn't mean you should actually knock yourself unconscious, you know.

SOLOMON rolls his eyes and gives his huge load of food to DAMIEN. He starts to activate the device. As his finger gets closer to the button, his crest starts to pulsate with light. He stops, looks down at it, and blinks.

SOLOMON: Hey, what's it doing?
CRYSTAL: Solomon, did you put a nightlight in your crest? Are you still afraid of the dark?
SOLOMON: No! I don't know what happened.
DAMIEN, bending to have a close look at the crest: Hmmm. Your Crest of Wrath appears to be reacting to my transportation machine. When I tried to use the machine, my Crest of Shadow didn't do that.
CRYSTAL: Maybe the machine only works when it's close to Solomon's crest!
DAMIEN: I don't know. It could be that my machine serves more purposes than just moving people to and from the Digital World. The machine does modify Digiworld's program, and these crests are part of that program. Maybe the machine has different functions depending on which crest it's exposed to... and the Crest of Wrath activates its transportation function!
CRYSTAL: Wow, I wonder what my Crest of Vanity does?
DAMIEN: There will be plenty of time to conduct research later. For now, we have an annoying problem to attend to. The Digidestined are very close to our base.
SOLOMON: You mean the palace or the tent?
DAMIEN, sweat drop: The tent. Anyway, let's go. Solomon?
SOLOMON: Okay. Let's go!

The Crest of Wrath doesn't glow as brightly as it did the very first time SOLOMON used the machine, so we can see exactly what the transportation process looks like. If you've ever seen the "X-Zone" magic from the Final Fantasy series, that's exactly what it looks like. An area of black void erupts from the machine and swallows the Dark Triad. When the void is gone, so are the kids. They reappear in the Digital World outside their tent base in the desert. Their three digimon are standing in front of the tent, locked in fighting stances. They stare out over the horizon. A gust of wind blows some sand by. It's daytime, and the sun beats down on all of them from the very top of the sky. The Dark Triad hurry and hide behind the tent, silently watching six dots on the horizon coming toward them. Now we can see IZZY, JOE, MARIA, ALLISON, OKOMON, and TOPOMON walking.

JOE: It sure is hot. If anything, Server's desert has gotten hotter since we beat the Dark Masters.
IZZY: Aw, don't be so cynical, Joe. We'll get to Gennai's house soon enough.
TOPOMON: When I'm hot, I just dig a hole in the ground! It's nice and cool down there...
JOE: Uh, I don't think so. I'm claustrophobic. Small spaces make me dizzy.
ALLISON: Yeah, and there're so many worms underground...
MARIA: Worms? In the desert? I don't think so. Worms need lots of water to live.
TOPOMON: Well, what about sandworms?
IZZY: Sandworms are merely a myth, Topomon. Nothing so large could survive long in the desert in the real world.
ALLISON: But this isn't the real world, Zumi. Maybe there's a sandworm digimon!
JOE: Oh, great! I was hoping not to meet any huge, hungry digimon in the desert this time around.
OKOMON: I wouldn't worry about it.
MARIA: Fine, but in the meantime we're all being cooked like dumplings in this heat!
OKOMON: If you're hot, just concentrate on being cool. You can lower your body temperature with your mind while you meditate.
ALLISON: You know, Maria, I just thought of something...
MARIA: Hm?
ALLISON: We've been gone for nearly three days... do you realize what we've missed...
MARIA: ...for three days...
ALLISON: ...every day at four-thirty...
MARIA and ALLISON, huge heads with spouting tears and huge mouths: We've missed three new episodes of Sailor Moon!!!
JOE and IZZY, sweat drop: You watch that show...?
MARIA, scene goes back to normal, she holds up her first finger and makes a ^_^ face: You bet! It's an amazing story of love, tragedy...
ALLISON: ...and a really hot guy!!!
IZZY: Waah?!
JOE, smiling, but with a sweat drop: How long have you been watching it for?
MARIA: I've seen every single episode for a year and eight months!

IZZY and JOE both fall over.

ALLISON, with sparkly eyes: Oh, I wish I could be Sailor Mercury! (Next shot, she's in a Sailor Mercury outfit, posing as if she's just transformed.) She looks totally awesome!
JOE: That's a disturbing visual...
ALLISON: Grr... be quiet, or I'll use my Mercury Aqua Rhapsody on you!!!
JOE: Wha...?
MARIA: Give it a rest, Allison. He doesn't know what he's talking about!

JOE blows a mushroom and turns a depressing blue. OKOMON and TOPOMON look at each other, then they sprout sweat drops.

IZZY: Hey, do you guys see that?
GROUP: Hm?

Shot of three shadows in front of the setting sun on a sand bank a ways off.

JOE: I can't quite see...
ALLISON: It's Matt! It's Matt!! (She starts to run.)
MARIA: Allison, wait! You don't know what's out there! (Starts to run after her.)
JOE: Maria, wait up! (Starts to run after her.)
IZZY: Hey! Don't forget about me!! (Starts to run after them.)
OKOMON: This is not good. I detect evil.
TOPOMON: Oh, come on! It's just three mysterious objects in the middle of the desert that could turn out to be the enemy! What could go wrong? (Grabs Okomon and runs toward the group.)
OKOMON: Ow! My ear!

We see DAMIEN peeking out from behind his tent with a pair of binoculars.

DAMIEN: Just a little closer...
CRYSTAL, whining: Why are we sitting here?!
SOLOMON: Yeah, let's go and beat 'em right now!
DAMIEN, waves a hand at them while still looking through his binoculars: No! We need to do this right. (to the digimon) You three, wait until you can see the whites of their eyes...
NISOMON, deep laugh: Then it will be too late for them!

The scene returns to the Digidestined.

ALLISON: Huh?! (She skids to a stop and the rest of the group runs into her in a big clash.)
JOE: Ow!!
MARIA: Someone's sitting on my hair!
TOPOMON: Would you please remove your elbow from my stomach?

They all get up.

ALLISON: Those look like digimon!
ALL: Hmm?
IZZY: Let's see... (He sits down, takes out his laptop, and starts typing.) Hey...! These three aren't in my digimon analyzer!
NISOMON, amused: There's a reason for that.
ALL: Huh?
NISOMON, in a Digimon Analyzer screen: I am Nisomon, ancient evil dragon of legend. I am also the servant and warrior of Lord Damien. My Dragon Sword attack uses the powers of the dragon to create a blade of pure energy to cut down my foes.
MECHIMON, in a Digimon Analyzer screen: My name is Mechimon, and I am a robotic digimon designed for war. My designated master is Solomon. My Iron Fist attack strikes with over 1,000 pounds of pressure. It can shatter a boulder with a single blow.
TOXEMON, in a Digimon Analyzer screen: I'm Toxemon, princess of all the flowers! The beautiful Crystal is my master. My Poison Spore attack will slowly drain your strength until you can't even move!
MECHIMON: Iron Fist!! (His boxing-glove-like hand comes off and flies toward Maria.)
OKOMON: Maria! (She pushes Maria out of the way and gets hit by the attack.) Ahh! Grr, you'll pay for that... Psychic Vision!!!

MECHIMON ducks, dodging it, and the attack hits NISOMON.

NISOMON: Gyaaah! (He jumps toward Okomon angrily.)

Cut to TOXEMON, who is looking at TOPOMON evilly.

TOXEMON: You're mine, squirt! (She starts running at Topomon.)
TOPOMON: Sand Storm! (A small whirlwind of sand hits Toxemon, and she lands with a thud in the sand, scraping her cheek. When she stands up, she's squinting.)
TOXEMON: No, I can't see!

TOPOMON walks toward her, but MECHIMON lands in front of her suddenly.

MECHIMON: Stop, in the name of... Iron Fist!!! (The attack hits Topomon, who flies back a couple of feet, landing in the sand before getting up unsteadily.)

Cut back to NISOMON and OKOMON.

NISOMON: I shall teach you not to oppose the Dark Triad. Dragon Sword! (He swings his glaive and produces a glowing green crescent that spins and heads toward Okomon at a high speed.)
OKOMON, hit head-on: Aaaahh!
MARIA: Okomon!! (Maria runs over and grabs Okomon, comforting her.) It's gonna be okay, Oko. I'm here for you.

DAMIEN's eyes narrow, and we hear Maria's last sentence echo: "Here for you, here for you..."
DAMIEN: What?

Cut to a flashback. We see an absolutely kawaii kid-Damien playing in a sandbox with some other brown-haired LITTLE GIRL. A TEACHER's voice comes from offscreen.

TEACHER: Kids! Snack time! We've got Oreos!

Silhouettes of other children run offscreen. The LITTLE GIRL starts to go as well, but stops when DAMIEN doesn't.

LITTLE GIRL: Hey, Damien, aren't you gonna have something to eat?
DAMIEN, concentrating: No, not now. I have to keep working so I can finish this sculpture. (He keeps working on pushing sand into a pile, then a piece breaks off and slides away. Damien looks discouraged, but then the Little Girl starts helping him.) Eh?
LITTLE GIRL, smiling: Don't worry, I'm here for you. I can help you rebuild it.

The flashback ends, leaving a close-up of DAMIEN looking a little shocked and sweating. TOPOMON lands at his feet, injured. The cloud of dust jerks him back to his senses and he regains his senses.

DAMIEN: Uh...? (Thinking.): So familiar... it couldn't possibly... (Speaks softly.) Fall back, now.
CRYSTAL: Excuse me?
DAMIEN, louder this time: I said fall back! Retreat! We no longer need this area!
SOLOMON: No! We can crush the Digidestined right here and now! Our digimon are more powerful, and outnumber theirs! I say we stay and fight!
DAMIEN: Don't question me! Just do it! (Yells to the battling digimon.)Nisomon, Mechimon! Retreat now! Crystal, you bring Toxemon.
NISOMON and MECHIMON: Huh?
CRYSTAL: We need to waste these guys before they start causing more trouble! You haven't given up, have you? This one's all ours!
DAMIEN: Not now. Not like this. (He yells out to the Digidestined). We shall meet again. I can promise you that. Think of this as an intermission. It's time for us to take a break... (He turns away and begins running, and Solomon, Crystal, and their digimon start picking up pieces of the wrecked tent and following him.) ...until the final showdown. Farewell, Digidestined.
SOLOMON: But...

The Dark Triad and their digimon all disappear from view.

MARIA, still holding Okomon: Well, that's a relief.
JOE: Are you okay, Maria?
MARIA: Yes, thank you.
ALLISON, sarcastically: I'm fine too, thanks for asking.
JOE: Very strange, that they just left suddenly like that.
IZZY, frowning and with clenched fists: This has gone far enough.
ALLISON: Say what?
IZZY: It's time for a serious change in circumstance. We have been walking through this desert for nearly a day, vulnerable, with no food!
JOE: Just think of it like the old days. Anyway, I brought some fruit.
OKOMON, sweatdrop: About that... it's kind of... being digested now. By me.

JOE facepalms.

IZZY: My point is, we've got to do something! We're sitting ducks out here. Plus, I feel like we've been going in circles.
TOPOMON, pointing offscreen: Then why is there an ocean over there?
ALL: Huh?!

The group dashes to where TOPOMON was pointing. There is indeed a huge ocean, and after a few seconds circular waves begin coming out from a single point.

OKOMON: Hey, where're all those waves coming from?

The scene changes to inside the fortress. Specifically, to the prison cell in which all the Digidestined humans are being held. It is a futuristic, sci-fi type cell, complete with bare metallic walls and an energy forcefield holding the kids in. The cell starts shaking.

MATT: Hey! What's happening?
SORA: Is it an earthquake?
KARI: But we're under the ocean!
MIMI: Oh, I don't feel so good...
SORA, helping Mimi sit down: Here, Mimi. You'd better sit down.
TAI, yelling at a Gizamon that's guarding their cell: Hey, Gizamon!
GIZAMON, floating over: Whaddaya want, human?
TAI: What's happening? If we're in Gennai's house, why is the earth shaking?
GIZAMON: Cupidmon has built a fortress around the old man's house, imbecile. Now we're going to relocate it to a forest on Server.
TK: Why is he doing that?
GIZAMON: Quit being so nosey! (He bangs on the forcefield, causing sparks to fly at TK inside the cell. TK stumbles back and nearly falls down. Gizamon hops away again.)

The scene switches back to the other Digidestined group again. They watch the fortress rise out of the water and start to hover towards their position.

ALLISON, dancing white anime spots: Yaaaa! Should we take cover or something...?
JOE: That... would be an excellent idea...

The lot of them hit the dirt and lie on their backs, watching as the fortress passes right over their head. Underneath it are enormous anti-gravity engines that keep the thing airborne.

IZZY: Prodigious! That technology doesn't even exist on Earth yet!
MARIA: THAT thing was hiding... in the ocean?!
IZZY: I wonder... hey!
JOE: What is it, Izzy?
IZZY: I know why it was in the ocean! It's Gennai's house... or at least partly.
ALLISON and MARIA, big sweatdrops: Wha...?
IZZY: I know it sounds weird, but Gennai's house was underwater last time we were there. Cupidmon must have seized it so he could build it into that huge fortress!
JOE: Quite an assumption there, don't ya think?
MARIA: Which means that all the other guys were being held right near us all along!
ALLISON, glimey eyes: Including Matt!
OKOMON: Logic would dictate that we try to get inside it.
TOPOMON: To do that, we're going to have to follow it. Everyone hurry, it's almost out of sight!

The entire group starts running after the fortress, and the camera zooms out to show the fortress advancing towards a huge green forest on the horizon.

ANNOUNCER/ANGEMON: Will the Digidestined ever escape from their prison inside Gennai's house, now transformed into a fortress by the evil Cupidmon? Is Piedmon really planning to return to the Digital World? What affected Damien so deeply that he spared the Digidestined? Find out on the next episode of Digimon: The Middle Series!