Through the Tunnels

Story
Kai, Kevin and Vector are traveling through a large cave system, with ceilings far above them. They are currently walking uphill.

Kevin: Okay, now I know you’re lost! You’re taking us up, and we need to go down!

Kai: These systems are more complicated than any regular cave. This path will lead us to a trail that takes us down.

Kevin: Down is down! We shouldn’t have to go up to go down!

Kai: Success comes to the patient. Just follow my lead.

Kevin: Following you is getting us lost!

Vector: Stop arguing already! You’re giving me a headache.

Kevin: You know what? Fine! I’m going to try this path over here. (Kevin breaks away from them, going down a tunnel.)

Kai: Kevin, we need to stick together!

Kevin: I’ll see you at the bottom! (Kevin disappears into the tunnel.)

Kai: (Scoffs) Boys. Always have to be difficult.

Vector: Well, we are going uphill.

Kevin: (Voice echoing) Run away! (Kevin comes out of the tunnel he took, followed by a swarm of wasps.) You were right!

Kai: Was that so hard to admit?

Kevin: Help me!

Kai fires an arrow into the swarm, which explodes and separates them. The swarm regroups, as Vector breathes a flamethrower, killing off even more of them. Kevin activates his metal layering, and takes a series of stings without harm.

Kevin: Much better! (He punches into the swarm, as the cloud of wasps disperses.) Ha! Can’t take what I’ve (A collision occurs, Kevin smashed into the ground as a dust cloud forms up from the spot.)

Vector: What happened? (Vector starts to move forward, when the wasps form into a human shaped bug clone, the clones surrounding him and Kai.) Eh, I don’t suppose you have something that can fight these things, do you?

Crashhopper hops out of the dust cloud, Kevin charging after it. He swings a punch, but Crashhopper hops backwards, dodging. It then hops into the sky, and bounces off the cave ceiling, crashing down at Kevin. Kevin dodges, but stalactites break off and fall from the ceiling, leaving Kevin running.

Kevin: Ah! I hate this cave! Oof! (Crashhopper hits him from the side, knocking him down.) Ugh. Alright. AmpFibian!

Kevin’s materia glows, summoning AmpFibian. AmpFibian floats towards Crashhopper, shooting lightning from its tentacles. Crashhopper dodges by hopping, and AmpFibian puts its tentacles on the ground, releasing lightning. Crashhopper lands, and is electrocuted, stunned into place.

Kevin: Good. Now, materia blaster! (Kevin pulls out the materia blaster, and fires it, hitting Crashhopper. Crashhopper turns into purple light, being sucked into the blaster. A piece of red materia is ejected.) This guy leaves a bruise.

Kai summons Blaze Spear, who then spins, encompassed by fire. The wasp clones are drawn to it, and are incinerated by the flames. The cave is quiet without the buzzing, as Kai recalls Blaze Spear.

Vector: Whew! It’s hot in here!

Kai: Hot enough to heat the cave floor.

Kevin: Guys! (Kevin comes running over.) Hey, just wanted to say, OW! (Kevin starts hopping.) Hot, hot, hot, hot, HOT! What did you do?!

Kai: (Chuckles) Nothing. Now, come on. We still have a ways to go. (She starts walking uphill.)

Kevin: Oh, don’t start this again. End Scene

Ian, Logan and Sakura have returned to the crater, scaling down the ledges.

Sakura: Ugh! Couldn’t we have gone through the caves or something?

Logan: Caves are too unreliable. There are twists and turns, along with the fact that we’d have no idea if we were actually going where we wanted to.

Ian: I agree. (He jumps down to the next ledge.) Plus, it will be hard for enemies to sneak up on us out here.

Sakura: How about from out of the caves? But fine. I get it. You guys are too chicken to, AAAAAHHHHHHHH!

Sakura is pulled off the ledge, and goes plummeting down. She grabs onto a ledge, her grip slipping quickly. Ian jumps down, extending a chain that wraps around her arm as she lets go of the ledge. She is floating in the center of the crater, being pulled by Ian’s chain and a bandage.

Sakura: Eeeehhhh! Get it off of me!

Logan: Better hold still then! (Logan swings and releases an Air Claws, the wind causing Sakura to rock violently. The bandage is severed, as it retracts. Ian pulls Sakura in.)

Sakura: Don’t do that again! (Logan swings his Air Claw again, causing Sakura to put her hands over her head.) What did I just say?!

Logan: Sorry, but we’ve got a bigger thing to worry about.

Sakura turns, seeing Mummy Dusk crawling out of a cave, and along the crater walls. Logan fires another Air Claw, as Ian jumps down, extending Octopus chains across the crater, missing. He swings across, and Mummy Dusk jumps, meeting him with a punch. Ian falls to the other side of the crater onto a ledge, as Mummy Dusk lands, crawling up towards them. It arrives on their ledge, as Logan charges it, slashing at it with its claws. Mummy Dusk regenerates from the attack, charging at Sakura.

Sakura: Oh, I am so not becoming your treat!

Sakura punches Mummy Dusk, and it goes flying. Sakura smirks, when she notices the bandage wrapped around her arm, being pulled along with it. Mummy Dusk pulls her in and wraps her body in bandages, carrying her up the crater. Ian gets back to his feet to see this.

Ian: Sakura! (He extends his chains, missing Mummy Dusk, but allowing himself to be pulled up after them.)

Sakura: Like I said, I am not your treat. Heatblast!

A red light glows through the bandages, as Heatblast appears, falling at first. It catches itself by propulsion with its flames, and flies after Mummy Dusk. Mummy Dusk drops Sakura onto a ledge, and retreats into a cave. Heatblast lands on the ledge, and releases a flamethrower into the cave. Mummy Dusk screeches, as it burns away and explodes in green light. Heatblast then gently uses its flames to free Sakura.

Sakura: Yeah! That’ll teach that, thing! (Ian arrives on the ledge.) So much for seeing ambushes.

Ian: Sorry. Want to travel through the caves?

Sakura: Nah. I’ve got a better idea. Heatblast! (Heatblast channels heat into the ledge, it breaking apart from the crater wall. It then floats down like an elevator, stopping in front of Logan.) Going down?

Logan: Ha. Real funny. (Logan boards the rock elevator, as it continues its descent downward.) End Scene

John, Gwen and Chopper continue through a winding, small tunnel that leads from the top layer down. John and Gwen are crawling, while Chopper is walking, leading the way.

Chopper: Hurry up, slowpokes! Why are you falling behind?!

Gwen: When did he get so confident?

John: I’ve noticed it goes up when he needs to take charge. As long as he’s with me, we shouldn’t have to worry about him going Monster on us. And besides, it’s nice to have enthusiasm.

Chopper: Guys! I found the end!

Chopper was standing on the ground, looking up at a small hole in the ceiling. Gwen slides out of it, creating a mana platform to land on. John squirms out, landing on the platform.

John: Quite a drop.

Chopper: (Tears in his eyes and rubbing his head.) You’re telling me!

Gwen and John chuckle, as Gwen lowers the platform to the ground.

John: Nice control. I think you’ve finally mastered your powers.

Gwen: Thanks. I never could’ve done it without you.

Chopper: Which way do we go? (John and Gwen look forward, seeing a fork in the road.)

Gwen: A fork? Does that mean one way takes us there, and the other doesn’t?

John: Sense it with your mana. What do you think? (Gwen closes her eyes, as they glow with mana. She reopens them.)

Gwen: The destination is the same, a deep, energy source.

John: So our path doesn’t,

John stops abruptly, as all three of them sense it. Gwen spirals her arms, creating a mana vortex. The roof above them crumbles as Big Shot falls, arms spread in eagle position, ready to body slam them. It hits the mana vortex, and is momentarily suspended in the air. It then comes crashing down, as John turns into Four Arms, struggling as he catches it.

Four Arms: Ugh! Need to lose a few pounds. (Four Arms tosses Big Shot aside, and it bounces off the floor to its feet.)

Chopper runs at Big Shot, and shifts to Arm Point. He thrusts his hoof forward, being sucked into Big Shot’s stomach.

Chopper: Huh?! (Big Shot punches Chopper, sending him flying back.)

Gwen throws mana disks at Big Shot, it scratching at a spot where one hit. It turns to Gwen, who looks slightly nervous about the lack of damage. Big Shot then walks towards her, then suddenly bounces off its stomach at her. Four Arms tackles Big Shot, knocking it into the wall. Four Arms holds it down, as Gwen pulls out her materia blaster. She fires it, hitting Big Shot. It turns into a purple light, as it is sucked into the blaster. A red piece of materia is ejected.

Gwen: Got it! (Four Arms reverts.)

John: That was a bit of a hassle. I didn’t know he could be that strong.

Gwen: Well, who gets it?

John: You caught it. It’s yours.

Chopper: Hey, guys! What are you waiting for?! Let’s go! (John and Gwen see Chopper down the left path. The two run after him.)

Characters

 * John Spacewalker
 * Kai
 * Vector
 * Ian
 * Chopper
 * Gwen
 * Sakura
 * Logan
 * Kevin

Villains

 * Wasp Swarm

Summoned by Kai

 * Blaze Spear

Summoned by Kevin

 * AmpFibian

Summoned by Sakura

 * Heatblast

By John

 * Four Arms

In Wild

 * Crashhopper (first re-appearance)
 * Mummy Dusk (first re-appearance)
 * Big Shot (first re-appearance)

Trivia

 * This episode focuses on the group going down the crater.
 * This episode references an age old dispute between men and women about directions.
 * In this episode, it seemed like the women won, as the men's choices led to battle.
 * When Kevin says, "Oh, don't start this again," it is a reference to The Jungle Book, where the vultures debate what to do, and one of them says, "Oh, don't start that again!"
 * John sees that Big Shot can actually move quite quickly despite its appearance.