The smell of salt and seaweed, the sound of crashing waves. You stood in front of a nice, cozy cottage.
"Here we are", you said, "Phil´s cottage." You were not sure yourself why you emphasized it this way. After all, it was no big deal, no?
As you had to decide between Phil´s cottage and Cobalt City, the cottage it was. First point on your agenda would be the repair of Josh´s BeastCube. In your manifold Brawls against trainers you had learned a lesson: If your Beasties were out of their Cubes, like you liked them to be, your opponents could clearly see them. It was no problem against small fry, they stood no chance against you anyway. But an Arena Boss would be on another level. You would love to have your BeastMon-Team as a surprise. And as you knew from Pauper City, Arena Bosses had an Eagle Eye on their respective city. Marching in just willy-nilly with your Beasties in the open would reveal your opponent everything.
"You are a fast learner", Annie had said with her usual smug, as you unfolded your thoughts to her.
Now, you stood before the cottage. Seemed peaceful. Through the windows you saw no movement.
"On guard." Josh had noticed something. Your Beeborer stepped at the veranda, peeked through a window and stepped back. "There is a mess inside."
You stepped up to take a look, but he stopped you with a raised hand. "My liege, please wait."
Liege. Josh had picked up a rather strange behavior since his evolution into a ninja. Not that you minded it. Could be worse, being treated like someone special.
"Would you allow me to take command for this one?" You nodded. "Kind of you. Racer, aerial reconnaissance."
You Pudgybow took flight instantly. "On it!"
"Annie and Belle, rearguard."
Belle the Donnermäh, youngest member of your team, gave Josh a brisk salute. "Jawool!"
Annie, already not amused by the whole ordeal, looked behind. "Rearguard, eh? Oh so dangerous ..." The trail was just as peaceful as every Route, with wide and open fields and meadows. There was not even a forest in the distance.
"Just think about last time", you remembered her.
After the formation was set, Josh opened the door and secured the room, then held it open for you.
"Careful. Door is heavy."
"Thanks." You went inside, observing the room. Their was a little chaos, you admitted, but after Josh´s report you had awaited a little bit more destruction. Maybe blood. But actually, there was just a toppled shelf. Albeit, the cottage seemed indeed empty. On the backside stood a few bulky, egg-like machine ... thingies? Also, there were tubes. And circuits. And cables. Seemed complicated.
Behind you, Josh rapidly let go of the door to stay by your side, and with a *thump* it hit Annie in the face.
"Ouch! Asshole!" She pushed it back open. "Watch it, you bodyguard-wannabee!"
He just shrugged her off, raising his hand. "Wait! Not now. Something is in here."
You pricked your ears. Indeed, there was a covertly sound, a scrapping and shuffling.
Josh pointed at a massive desk in the corner. "There."
Instantly, a childlike voice called out: "Shit! Not again with these pesky trainers!" From under the desk, a little boy crouched out. At first you thought of him as a BeastMon, as he was dressed like a magical girl in such a bright, pinkish way ... it would be inhuman of any parent to put your son in such a ridiculous costume. So much ribbons and bows on that dress, it just screamed BeastMon. But it talked, so ...
"Oookay", the boy called out with impressive self-confidence, and he turned not to you, but your Beeborer: "You there, Bee-Ninja. Maybe you have somewhat of a bond to your trainer and could tell him soooomehow: I´m not a BeastMon, so please don´t hit me! I´m human, you see, and just merged with one. So technically it would be highly unethical to beat me up and enslave me."
Josh stood straight at all that, then nodded. "I will."
"You don´t have to", you said, "I understood already."
The boy turned at you. "Say what?"
"I´m surprised myself."