Dai: Okay, figured it out. Hopefully. Just for reference, this takes place one year after Fossil Fighters and six months after DQMJ.

BlackGatomon: Nothing is owned here.

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Monster did not know how she got there. It was dark, and she shuddered. Her feet were wet, and she looked down,to see black paws, stained with blood, beneath her.

"No..." she whispered. "No, no..."

"You will never be free of me, Monster. No matter how you try, you can never escape your inner darkness." The Ace of Spades' words grated in her ears- their ears. Darkonium crystals, slick with blood, were around her. And laying on those rocks, a gash in his throat, was Joker.

"This isn't real. It can't be real." She couldn't move from that spot, couldn't avert her eyes.

"You're right. It isn't real. At least, not yet. But soon, I will be back. And not even the one you call master can help you this time. If he even tries, well..." The lifeless body in front of them said all that was needed to be said.

She tried to block out the words of the dark creature, but she couldn't. "Please, someone... help me."

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Joker placed the glass of water back on the counter, feeling better. He looked at the clock on the wall. One-thirty. He could definitely grab some more sleep, especially if he wanted to be ready for the official start to the Cup the next day.

Returning to the main room he was sleeping in, he saw Monster tossing and turning in her sleep, muttering. "Please, someone, help me." He had never seen her so vulnerable before, not even in the cave when the orc defeated her.

"Monster, hey, Monster. Earth to Monster. Come on, wake up." He gently shook her.

She gasped awake. "Master..." She only called him that when she was worried.

"Are you all right, Monster?" The Incarnus said nothing, instead studying her claws. "Come on, I know you better than that."

"Nothing. It was just a nightmare."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No. I'm fine, really."

He didn't believe her, but knew not to pry. If it was important, she'd tell him eventually. "Okay. Just remember, I'm always here if you need me."

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"Come on, five more minutes." Cody mumbled, turning over in bed.

Rosie huffed. "Come on, we'll be late. And let me remind you that entering this was all your idea."

"You know, she has a point." Duna pointed out.

"Fine, fine, I'm getting up."

"Hurry up and get diga-dressed. We need to get there in twenty minutes."

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Kelly glared at Todd. "Come on, do you want to be late? You're the one who even wanted to be a Fighter."

"I was young then."

"We're still young. Fourteen isn't that old."

"You know what I mean!"

"Yeah, yeah, get up. Otherwise, some not fun stuff will happen to your Dino Medals."

"Kelly! Give me back my Medals!"

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Joker and Monster quickly finished breakfast. Monster still seemed disturbed. Joker was worried. She had a habit of not mentioning things that bothered her. Once it concerned him, she usually spoke up, but that didn't matter. He didn't need it.

"You alright?"

"Yeah. I'm perfectly fine. Why do you ask?"

"You just seem off."

"How would you know that?"

"I've known you for eight months. In that time, you have never acted like this."

"Like what?"

"I dunno. Scared, I suppose. But why? It's just a tournament. We've done stuff like this before. Drax and Gooball may not be here, but I don't see that mattering, when we have new friends like Alectro to help."

"It doesn't matter. Really. Just had a bad dream, that's all."

"I don't believe you."

She groaned. "What is this, breakfast, or an interrogation? Look, just drop it. I'll be fine, really."

He dropped it, but he didn't entirely believe she was fine. He'd find out soon enough. He always did.

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Meanwhile, in Green Bays, things were less than peaceful. Two monsters were trying to keep things under control, and failing at it.

"Come on, it's fine, Joker and Monster will be back any minute." Drax said, in an attempt to help out.

"Yeah, what he said." Gooball chimed in, while trying to protect his crown from a random girl that had passed by.

Drax landed and sighed. "Okay, we aren't fooling anybody. We need to find them before Solitaire gets back, and try to keep the place under control."

"How? What if she gets back before we find them?"

"Is your crown on loose enough? I said we would find them before she gets back."

"Well, I'm gooing shopping. Tell me if goo find them."

"How would you shop? You have no arms."

"Gooo'd be surprised what I can goo if I want goo."

"Look, you are helping me, and that's that, because if you don't, Solitaire is going to kill us."

"Well, if goo put it like splat..."

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Dai: Not much happened, but it'll get exciting soon. Just for reference, Drax is a Great Dracky and Gooball is a King Slime.