"Welcome back," Seth says, staring at Tamina Snuka as she rotates her shoulders, standing tall and unbothered by everything around them. All of the changes since her injury.
She tilts her head at him, smirks. "Thank you." She'd been a part of Smackdown, but the switch over to Raw hasn't bothered her in the slightest, it seems. Piyomon looks a little more wary of the others than she does, but as she exudes confidence and calm, so does her partner, and Seth nods at them before turning to look at his digivice.
It's a busy day for activity, numerous trouble spots registering on his digivice, and he sighs, wondering if they can address all of them before it gets too late. Dean is staring at him from across the way, an unfathomable look in his eyes, and Seth decides to get moving before he does or says something that will get him back on his brother's bad side. "C'mon, gang, let's outta here."
When they arrive at the nearest spot on the map, Seth pauses, a little disoriented. It's not even a village and they all look around for the cause of the alert still flashing steadily on the digivice. "Huh, maybe it's a glitch?" he wonders, tapping the screen like he expects that to honestly do anything worthwhile.
While their partners look around for some sign of trouble, the humans cluster around Seth, also checking their digivices, each map showing something similar. "Damn, what's goin' on?" Heath wonders, blowing out a breath and shaking his head.
"I wish I knew," Seth mumbles, stepping away from the group and casting a suspicous glance around. It's quiet. Too quiet. His mouth twisting into a grimace, he digs his hands into his pockets and rocks forward, shielding his eyes from the bright sun shining down. "What is going on?" He's about to turn back to the others and suggest they move on to the other spots when something catches his eye and he spins towards it- only just spotting Mamemon X-Antibody before everything catches up with him. This split second movement is the only thing that spares him as something riffs against his side and only the edge of an explosion blasts his body back, Seth hitting hard and staring up at the sky, winded and in some serious pain.
"WHOA!" Dean's voice, frantic and loud, shouts from a fair distance away and Seth blinks a few times as he skids to his side, his worried face wavering in front of his vision. "Seth! SETH!"
"I- I..." Seth's ears are ringing and his body feels like it's burning. "What..."
"Just breathe," Dean says, cupping his face. "Look at me, Seth." Their eyes lock and Seth struggles to say something but Dean shakes his head. "No, no talking. Just breathe, brother. You're gonna be alright." He looks up and anger crosses his face. "Otamamon!"
But Seth can tell by the sounds nearby that the others have it, Heath yelling out at Duftmon, more explosions sounding nearby. "Shit," Dean hisses, suddenly covering Seth's prone body with his own. "Watch that shit, would you?!" he yells out, glaring over at the battle that Seth can't see.
"Sorry! Just... hold tight, we almost got 'im!" Heath calls back, Seth groaning softly as a colorful arch from Duftmon's sword appears in the sky overhead.
"Beautiful," he breathes out, fingers trembling as he reaches towards the impressive effect. Dean snags his hand and presses it close to his chest, shaking his head down at him, and Seth frowns at him, not understanding the flash of fear he sees in Dean's eyes.
"One of us having a near death experience this year is enough, Seth, don't you dare-" His words get muffled and Seth closes his eyes, biting his lip at the pain pulsing through his side.
"Dean..." he whispers, shivering a little. When Dean leans in closer, wraps his jacket around Seth's midsection, warm tenderness fills his chest and Seth finds the strength to open his eyes, watch Dean a little longer. "I'm sorry... sorry I keep failing you..."
Dean shakes his head vehemently, digging his fingers into Seth's jaw. "It's not you, alright? It's not, I swear... You're... you're just you... I'm really messed up right now. Don't blame yourself. I'm trying to work through it. I just need time."
"Sorry I'm pushy," Seth breathes, lips twitching up into a bemused grimace. "I just... want everything to be ok... I've missed you..."
Dean closes his eyes and presses his forehead to Seth's, staring into his eyes, when there's another, louder, stronger explosion, and Dean shifts, shielding Seth's body once more.
Once everything calms, quiets down, Heath lets out a whoop. "Duftmon, you're the best damn partner a guy could ask for!"
Dean laughs weakly. "I think Heath beat him."
"Sounds like it," Seth nods wearily. He feels strangely cold and hot at the same time, searching Dean's face. "It's bad, huh?" He feels weak, his words slurring against his thick tongue, and he kind of can just tell. Wonders what a full on hit would've been like, if there would've been anything left, and he sighs, sinking into the warmth of Dean's jacket, breathing raspily.
"No, you don't get to do that. Seth!" Dean slaps his face a couple of times before scrambling away.
When Seth opens his eyes again, Dean is pacing in the background, Zack Ryder kneeling by Seth, his digivice held out. Seraphimon is holding his hand over Seth's prone body, warm light washing over him, over Heath and Lopmon, over the rest of the digidestined, healing various injuries from life on the road, matches they've competed in recently. Healing Seth's injuries, reversing everything that Mamemon had done to him with one swipe of his fist.
Seth sighs softly when the light fades away. Even his knee feels better than it has in a long time as he gingerly sits up, Dean scrambling to his side to help him. "I'm ok," he says, not making any serious moves to free himself from Dean's grip. He stares at him as the digidestined milling around pointedly puts their focus elsewhere, all too aware of the tension between the Shield members. "Are we?"
Dean stares at him for a long, tense moment, before throwing his arms around Seth and hugging him tightly, kissing his forehead when he eventually pulls away, an awkward, anxious look about him. "Yeah. We're fine." He exhales, then, punching Seth hard in the arm. "Don't ever scare me like that again or I'll sicc Roman on you."
Seth laughs a little, rubbing his arm. "I'll do my best not to, then," he promises with a soft smirk on his lips.
