With the European tour happening, it makes it easier for Shinsuke and Seth to meet up with Luke and hash over some changes in how WWE is running things now, and talk to him about potential new Digidestined down the road, considering all of the recent wrestlers coming in from NXT. "So," Luke says quietly. "Because of this Wild Card Rule, sometimes the two brands will interlap but you're not really sure when or how?"
"Right," Seth says, glancing at Shinsuke. "Sometimes it'll be this guy, and other times it'll be that guy, appearing on the other brand for a night. So it'll make things complicated, I think we should just continue on as best we can with how we've been doing it though."
"Yes," Shinsuke agrees calmly. "As long as we can safeguard the Digital World and earth, it is sufficient as is."
"Very well," Luke says. "That's what we'll do then."
Pleased with his accepting their suggestions, Seth and Shinsuke go to rejoin their group of digidestined, calm, confident looks on their faces. Raw has nine Digidestined to Smackdown's ten, but Seth doesn't even seem to be annoyed by it, just nods at Gable and grins at Xavier before turning his attention back to his own group. "So, Luke has agreed for us to continue on as we are. When Digidestined from Smackdown are on Raw, if they wish to join us on missions, they're allowed. Otherwise, we carry on as we always have. Sound good?"
"Yes," most of the Raw Digidestined intone.
"What he said holds true for you as well," Shinsuke tells the Smackdown team primly. "Do you agree?"
More affirmations and Shinsuke nods, relieved that this portion of it all is winding down already. Then Seth claps loudly. "Well, since we're all here, which is a very rare thing, perhaps we should do a test mission and see how we all group up alright," he says. They all look at their digivices, at the various cries for help shown on on their screens. "There's a village not too far from a digiport in danger, should we attempt that?"
"Works for me," Shinsuke says, nodding at his team to fall in with the Raw guys. Shane smirks as AJ elbows him aside lightly, making room for himself and Modoki Betamon, while Xavier settles in next to Seth, looking tired and anxious as Kevin Owens lurks nearby. Seth stares him down when he gets too close, and Owens raises his hands in a falsely innocent movement before walking away to find someone new to torment.
The Digiport they take is nearly on top of the village, all of them crashing out onto the ground surrounding the entrance to it. "Note to self," Seth groans, quite a few of the team having landed on him and Shinsuke. "The more people in the group, the less space there is for a good landing." They both nod as Heath and Rusev move to help them to their feet, Heath dusting Seth off quickly. "Alright, thanks, Heath, I'm good," he says briskly. "C'mon, guys, we're right-"
Before he can finish, there's a terrible noise and Coronamon cries out in pain, everyone tensing up and turning at one to the awful sound. Shinsuke moves in nearly a blur, collecting his partner off of the ground and staring at him in twitchy-eyed horror as a huge, Panda type Digimon slams through the ranks of Digidestined, sometimes attacking their partners with his fists or claws, and other times just barely missing them. All Seth can do is blink, trying to keep track of what's happening, but it's impossible, he moves too quickly. "Everyone, MOVE!" he barks, sensing that it's not done- and then there's a wave of Pandamon pouring from the village, and whoever's partners are still mobile and conscious pull out their digivices, Garurumon, Taomon, Stingmon, Bakemon, Andromon, Roamon and Rosemon fighting as hard as they can to ease the tide of the attacks.
Seth and Shinsuke's eyes lock as they cradle their injured partners, both looking frustrated. As much as they've experienced, a gang of Digimon attacking like this is a bit new. They can only imagine what the village within looks like by now. Seth looks up in time to see Rosemon delete a couple, Taomon and Andromon shattering more into strands of data. Garurumon blasts two at once, and Stingmon impales another, but there's still more circling them, Roamon and Bakemon overwhelmed until Taomon slashes the air with her brush, and more are destroyed. Rosemon takes care of what remains and they just stand there, panting and overwhelmed, Carmella stepping forward to check on her partner. "Thank you, Rosemon," Seth calls out to the mega leveled Digimon.
"My pleasure," she says before devolving back down to Floramon. The other digimon follow suit and wander around, checking on their fellow injured digimon, their plumbstruck partners. No one is injured terribly enough to risk deletion, but still. It had been quick, effitient, and very bad.
Seth closes his eyes and wonders what they could possibly do if an attack like that had come from a stronger, higher level Digimon. He meets Shinsuke's eyes and shakes his head. "I know our teams have worked together for years," he says solemnly. "But I think we need to seriously become a team. You know?"
Shinsuke nods solemnly. "Yes. I do know. Exactly what you mean."
Seth leans back, relieved that Betamon is awake, that Betamon looks like he'll be alright shortly. But for now, he has a lot to think about. They all do.
