(Author's Notes: This chapter turned out to be really long, so it's actually going to be a three parter, partially because that's the way the narrative is divided up too. However, while all three parts are still going to be "Chapter 13", I'm going to be using different chapter names for each one, just because I have different names ready, but they only work for the different parts of the chapter rather than the entire chapter as a whole. Just wanted to clarify that up in case of confusion. Anyways, enjoy!)

Chapter 13: Fracture (Part I)

Several torches rested in their sconces as they lined the walls of a castle corridor. Their flames danced and licked the air as they provided a light source for Castle Albion's inhabitants. The evening had turned into night, so they were especially necessary to illuminate the inner areas of the Royal Knights' headquarters where the moonlight couldn't shine in. The irregular, orange glow of the flames cast across the hallways.

Footsteps echoed down one of the corridors on the first floor of the castle. The metallic steps had a leisured tempo, and they were accompanied by a pair of voices. They belonged to Dukemon, who meandered down the hallway, and Zero ARMS: Grani, who floated along beside him.

"—and then Omegamon asked you about how we met?" Grani asked, his blue eyes glancing over at Dukemon.

"Yeah," Dukemon responded, rubbing the back of his head. His fingers played with the long strand of white hair protruding from his helmet as they made their way down the corridor.

"And…? What did you tell him?" the Zero ARMS inquired curiously.

Dukemon glanced at the wall to his side. "I told him I didn't want to talk about it…" he explained sheepishly.

"Why not?" the crimson dragon bird asked.

"You know why," Dukemon answered. He turned his head and gave Grani a meaningful look.

Grani sighed and looked up at Dukemon. "You have nothing to be ashamed of, Dukemon. You ought to tell him. Or Examon or somebody."

"Why? It's not like they need to know every single detail about my past," the white and crimson Royal Knight reasoned. "It's not like I know every little thing about Craniamon or Magnamon, for example."

Grani closed his eyes with thought and continued to fly down the corridor. "It sounds like you are avoiding discussing the issue with others so that you don't have to confront what happened," he deduced, opening an eye and glancing at Dukemon.

Dukemon folded his arms and looked away. "Okay, smart guy. Why would I want to do something like that?" he countered.

"You know why," Grani echoed.

A subtle wince formed on Dukemon's face. "Yeah, well, you should understand why I don't want to bring it up, then…"

"They won't judge you, Dukemon," the Zero ARMS insisted.

"You don't know that," Dukemon replied, leering over at his friend.

Grani sighed with disappointment. "You ought to give them more credit."

Dukemon formed a half-hearted smile and they turned a corner to the left and walked into the marble foyer. His metal boots echoed against the polished floor as he stopped near one of the marble pillars that circled the center of the room. "I don't think they'll be horrible to me or anything. It's just… it makes it more genuine," he reiterated.

"I don't think so," Grani answered in a warm yet composed tone. "They won't think any differently of you. It was a very long time ago."

Just as Dukemon was turning to walk towards one of the staircases leading up to the second floor, he saw Examon emerge at the bottom of the stairs.

Examon walked out from the stairs and stepped into the foyer, looking at Dukemon and Grani curiously. "Hello, Dukemon, Grani," he greeted with a smile. He looked at Dukemon with interest. "What was a long time ago?"

Dukemon shuffled in his place and scratched the back of his neck. He tried to quickly think of a response but found himself at a loss. Although he hated lying, he really didn't want to answer that question. "Er…" he uttered to stall for time.

"Hello, Examon. It happened when we first met," Grani calmly explained to the large dragon.

This prompted Dukemon to whip his head towards Grani with a look of fear and incredulity.

"Dukemon fell head over heels for this female Digimon but she wasn't interested in the slightest," Grani continued, lying on behalf of Dukemon.

Dukemon released the breath that had been stuck in his lungs. Despite his relief, he felt a bit guilty about Grani lying to Examon. He also gave Grani an annoyed look, irritated that he used such an embarrassing response.

If Examon had been more attuned to his body language cues, he might have noticed Dukemon's sheepish expressions. However, he took Grani's reply at face value and chuckled. "Really? I suppose that's her loss," Examon replied, grinning at Dukemon.

Dukemon smiled awkwardly and kept rubbing the back of his head. "Glad you think so, Examon," he answered with a half-chuckle. "So, what are you doing?"

"A messenger told me that I've received a letter from the UDC," Examon explained. "Shutumon has it for me in the administration office."

"The UDC?" Dukemon asked, eager to change the subject.

"Is it from a friend of yours in the United Dramonic Coalition?" Grani questioned, picking up on Dukemon's tactic.

Examon nodded tentatively. "The messenger said it was personal correspondence, so it wouldn't be from the Four Great Dragons or the mayor of Dragon's Peak. I think it's from Dorbickmon," he stated.

"He did say he was going to Dragon's Peak last time he was here," Dukemon mused. "Do you think he has more information for us?"

"I guess we'll see," Examon answered with a shrug.

Dukemon responded with a nod, beginning to relax again. "Did you hear that Rhodo and Magna are back?" he inquired lightheartedly.

"They ran into a bit of trouble while in Thunderhead Rainforest," Grani added as he floated in place.

"I heard," Examon replied, folding his winged arms across his chest. "They fought a data absorber, apparently."

"Yeah, a Boltmon. Good thing they dealt with him," Dukemon stated. "He must've been strong; he held his own, judging from the bruises they had when I saw them."

Examon frowned. "Yeah, a very good thing… Still, I'm glad they're not hurt, bruises aside."

"Me too…" the crimson paladin agreed.

The red dragon turned and looked at Grani. "Do either of you know when Alphamon and the others will be back from Saversburg?" he wondered.

"Probably not until tomorrow," Grani responded.

Dukemon nodded with agreement. "I doubt they'd come back this late at n—"

The doors of the foyer leading from the entrance hall swung open sharply. Dukemon, Examon, and Grani turned their heads to see Duftmon stride in swiftly from the entrance hall. Behind him was Alphamon, followed by Sleipmon. Between them was UlforceVeedramon; he was lying down on top of the back of Sleipmon's Niflheimr shield. Alphamon and Sleipmon carried the shield from each end, using it as a makeshift stretcher.

UlforceVeedramon was lying on his back with his left leg slightly elevated and his right arm resting on his chest. He was sweating heavily and grimacing with agonizing pain.

"Never mind, then," Grani mumbled, blinking with surprise and floating to the side.

"Ulforce!" Dukemon exclaimed rushing over to them.

Examon narrowed his eyes and did the same, followed by Grani. "What happened? Is he okay?" Examon asked them, urgency in his voice.

"J-Just peachy," UlforceVeedramon managed. Speaking alone seemed to send a shock of pain through his body, prompting him to shut his eyes tightly and release a half-hiss, half-snarl.

"His shoulder's dislocated and we think his leg's broken," Alphamon told them, although not stopping.

"We were attacked by the D-Brigade near the Saversburg-Mamemon border. They were trying to capture a strategic bridge over the Champion River," Duftmon added, glaring.

"What?!" Dukemon demanded, narrowing his eyes. "They attacked us again?! And they did this to Ulforce?!"

Sleipmon grimaced and looked away in shame. "It's my fault that he got hurt," he spoke up, his voice weak and guilt-ridden.

"You are precisely right!" Duftmon told him, turning his superior, judgmental gaze towards the horse knight. "In fact, that's the smartest thing you have said all day."

"Enough, Duftmon," Alphamon told him firmly, his voice not leaving any room for argument. "This is neither the time nor the place to assign blame. It's counterproductive anyways. We need to focus on getting UlforceVeedramon to the medical bay so that Duskmon can look at him." He turned his gaze towards Dukemon, who seemed to have an aura of anger emanating from him. "Dukemon, take over for Sleipmon, please."

"Yeah, okay," Dukemon conceded, although still furious at the D-Brigade. He walked over to Sleipmon's side and carefully helped him transfer the grip of the Niflheimr between them. He indicated to Sleipmon that he had a safe grip on the shield, so Sleipmon gently let go.

Alphamon looked over his shoulder and nodded to Dukemon, indicating that he was ready to move again. Dukemon returned the nod and began moving along with Alphamon. He looked down at UlforceVeedramon. "We're almost there, Ulforce. Just a few more minutes," the red and white knight assured him.

"Hooray…" UlforceVeedramon murmured half-heartedly, still wincing as they carried him along.

Dukemon and Alphamon carefully took him down the corridor on the left side of the foyer, heading towards the stairs that led to the basement level.

Grani watched as they disappeared around a corner. His eyes turned to Duftmon. "Should we tell the others what happened?" he asked him.

"At dawn," Duftmon answered, folding his arms. "It is late and Duskmon doesn't need everyone swarming the medical bay. With that said, we need to have a meeting first thing in the morning. I will post notes on their bedroom doors letting them know."

"Very well," Grani responded, beginning to turn his metal body around. "Get some rest, you two. You look exhausted." He began to float down the corridor opposite the one that Dukemon and Alphamon took UlforceVeedramon through.

Duftmon nodded and began to head towards the staircase leading up to the sleeping quarters.

Examon watched as they left. As much as he wanted to know what happened now, he decided that he could wait until the morning. He completely forgot about his letter in all the commotion.

The dragon knight turned his head towards where Sleipmon had been standing. To his surprise, he was no longer there. Instead, he saw Sleipmon trotting heavily back down the entrance hall. Examon watched as Sleipmon disappeared outside.

"Where's he going…?" Examon wondered with a concerned frown. He walked out of the foyer and began to head down the entrance hall after him.

Upon reaching the end of the hall, he opened the doors and gave the two guards on duty a polite nod. Examon looked around to see where Sleipmon went. Through the dark of the night, he could see Sleipmon taking a path to the left. It headed to the castle gardens along the south side of the main building.

Examon followed him into the castle gardens. The flowers' colours were hard to see in the darkness, so it was hard to appreciate the scenery. Only the sound of trickling water coming from the GigaSeadramon fountain could be seen clearly as the intermittent moonlight shimmered in the falling cascades.

As the large dragon began to catch up to Sleipmon, he called out to him to get his attention. "Sleipmon?"

Sleipmon stopped near a patch of tall, purple flowers. He glanced over his shoulder. "Examon?" he questioned, his voice and facial features downcast.

Examon frowned and walked up to him, standing beside his horse-like body. "What are you doing out here?" he asked him curiously. "Shouldn't you go see Duskmon? You're not in great shape either."

"I will later. He needs to focus on UlforceVeedramon right now, anyways," Sleipmon answered, turning his head forwards again. He signed and looked across the castle garden. "I just wanted some time by myself…"

"Oh…" Examon responded sheepishly. "Sorry. I'll leave you in peace."

"No, don't worry," Sleipmon assured him. "Stay. I'm sure you have questions… I don't want to be selfish…"

Examon looked at Sleipmon uncertainly. "If you're sure…" he tentatively replied. He could clearly see that Sleipmon was upset, so he decided it might be best to keep him company. "Er… What happened?"

"It's like they said. The D-Brigade attacked us," Sleipmon responded. "After our meeting at the academy, we heard that there was a team moving along the Saversburg border. We went to investigate. When we got there, they attacked us."

"I see…" Examon calmly replied, his green eyes lingering on Sleipmon's face carefully. "Then… why do you think UlforceVeedramon getting hurt was your fault?"

Sleipmon winced reflexively. "Because it was," he answered. "…Raijinmon got the better of him in battle. He had him in his grasp." The equine Royal Knight balled his fists up. "I had the chance to stop him… I had the chance to delete him…"

Examon frowned. He could see Sleipmon's gaze tighten. The pain and regret was clear in his eyes.

"…I couldn't do it," he spoke, bowing his head. "I tried to incapacitate him instead… I thought I could have it both ways…" Sleipmon shut his eyes and shook his head. "It wasn't enough to stop him. He slammed UlforceVeedramon into the ground."

A soft sigh escaped Examon's nostrils, causing them to flare briefly. "…You didn't want to delete him…" he observed.

"No, I didn't…" Sleipmon answered, his voice resigned. He didn't make any attempt to justify himself. "Because of that, UlforceVeedramon was hurt…"

Examon's brows furrowed further. "UlforceVeedramon could have been killed…" he pointed out.

"I know, Examon…" Sleipmon explained remorsefully. "I realize that…"

The dragon knight winced a bit and rubbed the back of his spiky head. "Sorry… I'm not trying to make you feel bad, Sleipmon… I just… don't understand. Why would you try to save that Suijinmon guy? You said he attacked you. He was trying to kill UlforceVeedramon. He's a Commander of the D-Brigade. …Why? Why would you care about the life of someone like him?" he questioned, genuinely curious.

Sleipmon opened his eyes and smiled sadly. He turned towards one of the nearby flowers and gently took it in his hand, carefully touching its petals. "Because all life is precious…"

"Not all life…" Examon answered.

Sleipmon gently slid his fingers away from the flower and turned to look at Examon directly. "…Can you really say that with such certainty, Examon? …Is it fair to write off the enemy just because we label them as 'the enemy'?" he asked.

Examon met his gaze. "But surely UlforceVeedramon's life is more important than that of a D-Brigade commander… Isn't it?"

Sleipmon's gaze faltered and his eyes glanced away. "…I find it hard to weigh one life as greater than another…" he answered quietly. The guilt began to return to his violet eyes. "I know I shouldn't say that, but… it's hard…"

"UlforceVeedramon is our friend…" Examon told him.

Sleipmon grimaced and turned his head. "I know that… A very dear friend. That's why I hate what I've done so much. I hate that he got hurt because of me." He raised his hand and rubbed his face. "I… don't know what I should do. I don't ever want to put my friends in that position again." His eyes were tight behind his palm. "But… if that means I have to kill… Can I really do it? Can I cause that pain?"

Examon frowned. "It isn't as if the enemy is innocent… They go into battle intending to delete," he explained. "…Magnamon and RhodoKnightmon fought against a data absorber: a Digimon who absorbs the data of other Digimon and prevents their rebirth. Would you have trouble fighting against a Digimon like that?"

Sleipmon massaged his eyelids with his fingers. "I don't know… You don't have trouble deleting Digimon who you consider evil," he pointed out. "I don't know if I can do that."

"They can be reborn as good Digimon. You would be doing them a favour, as well as a favour to the Digital World," Examon calmly explained, hoping to use logic to make Sleipmon understand. "Evil Digimon will delete other, good Digimon. Really, all you're doing when you delete them is erasing a problem and saving innocent lives."

"It's not that simple… You don't understand, Examon," Sleipmon told him, his voice pained and reflective.

Examon's gaze softened. "…You're right. I don't understand…" he responded. "I'm trying to… I've tried to understand your point of view, but… I'm having trouble. I just can't see the logic in what you're saying. I'm sorry…"

Sleipmon sighed and turned away. He tilted his head up and turned his violet eyes towards the starry sky. "No… You aren't the one who nearly caused his friend to be deleted today…" he answered. "…I guess what I'm doing is wrong. I'm being naïve and overly sentimental. My priorities are skewed, I guess… Maybe I should be more like you, Examon. Putting my friends first and my enemy second. Or third. …Maybe that's what I should do from now on…"

Examon looked down guiltily. "I don't know what to say to that…" he admitted. "I don't want to make you feel like you should change who you are, even if we don't understand one another… I admire your big heart, Sleipmon. It isn't something to be ashamed of…"

"But even so, UlforceVeedramon is in the medical bay now because of it," Sleipmon answered, turning around and walking past Examon. "Thank you for talking with me, Examon. It helped me to gather my thoughts…"

Examon sighed and turned, watching Sleipmon walk back down the pathway that he came from. It seemed like he was heading back to the main building.

The tall, crimson dragon rubbed the back of his neck. He waited for several moments before heading after him, going towards the main building as well. He hoped that both Sleipmon and UlforceVeedramon would be okay.

"Rnnnnnnnnnnngh!"

UlforceVeedramon's muffled scream pierced through the medical bay. Alphamon and Dukemon held him down firmly so that he didn't hurt himself as Duskmon popped his shoulder back into place. The blue Royal Knight writhed in agony on the medical bed under the hold of the two knights.

After a few moments, the pain began to dull, and Duskmon released his freshly relocated arm. UlforceVeedramon panted heavily and spat out the rubber bit that had been placed in his mouth for safety. He lied back on the bed in utter exhaustion.

Duskmon stood beside him and began to prepare the herbs on the table next to the bed. "Are you regretting refusing the numbing herbs now?" he asked him dryly, the eyes on his chest and right shoulder giving UlforceVeedramon a pointed stare.

"Ve… Very much so!" UlforceVeedramon exclaimed as he heaved and sweat trickled down his head and chest.

Duskmon went to work on grinding up several blue flower petals. "Tell me if you need to throw up," he reminded calmly.

"You'll be the first to know, Doc," UlforceVeedramon joked, although his body was extremely strained.

Duskmon managed a slight grin. "With your masculinity proven, can I apply the mixture to your leg now?" he asked.

"Go ahead, Doc," UlforceVeedramon responded. "Arm feels a lot better now though."

"Don't move it, all the same," the multi-ocular physician told him. He began to gently spread the bluish mix onto the dragon man's leg. His boot had to be removed and the lower leg of his skin-tight body suit was pulled up so that they could access scales underneath.

UlforceVeedramon hissed at the initial pain of Duskmon's hands touching his sensitive, aching leg. "Ngh," he grunted, tensing up initially. The pain dissipated, and he soon felt a cool, numbing feeling in his scales and leg muscles. "That's… a bit better…"

"Remember: just because it doesn't hurt, that doesn't mean you can go and move it," Duskmon reminded him.

UlforceVeedramon grinned weakly. "Yeah, I know…"

Dukemon and Alphamon slowly removed their hands from UlforceVeedramon and stood beside the bed. The crimson knight looked up at Alphamon. "You said that Suijinmon did this?" he asked, a serious look in his eyes.

"Yes," Alphamon responded, glancing up at Dukemon.

"I take it he doesn't like being touched," UlforceVeedramon understatedly joked.

Although Dukemon managed a momentary grin, his expression remained largely serious. "I guess it's official, then," Dukemon said to Alphamon. "They attacked our castle, our soldiers, and now one of our Royal Knights. It's—"

"War," Alphamon finished. He sighed. "Yes, it seems that way." He fixed his eyes on Dukemon's. "Still, we mustn't act rashly."

"Just as long as there's no denying we're at war now," Dukemon told him.

Alphamon nodded. "There isn't," he answered, although not without regret at the fact. "This isn't a conflict that we wanted, but it seems that we have no choice but to participate now."

"That's for sure," Dukemon stated, glancing down at UlforceVeedramon. He then turned to Duskmon, who was carefully lathering UlforceVeedramon's leg. "So… What's the damage?"

"We'll have to wait until morning to see how his shoulder is. I'll have to work on his leg overnight. It seems to be an incomplete fracture. I'll need to bandage it and fix it in place in order to keep the bone straight. Once that's done, he will need to give it time to heal," Duskmon explained.

UlforceVeedramon looked up and frowned at this. "What does that mean for me? How much time? A few days?" he inquired.

"You will be out of action for two weeks at the minimum," Duskmon informed him. "You'll need to lie in bed and give your body time to recover."

"What?!" UlforceVeedramon protested incredulously. "Two weeks?!"

"At least. It depends on how your healing goes," the physician explained.

"I can't lie around doing nothing for that long!" the azure Royal Knight insisted ardently, narrowing his red eyes. "We're at war!"

"And the best way to help the Royal Knights is running around, turning that incomplete fracture into a complete fracture, is it?" Duskmon countered dryly. "That's one way of doing it, I suppose."

"I can still fly," UlforceVeedramon continued to argue.

"UlforceVeedramon," Alphamon spoke, placing his hand on UlforceVeedramon's uninjured shoulder. "Duskmon's right. You need to rest. Focus on getting better," he told him with both warmth and a firmness that implied that this was an order. "Wars aren't won in a week. We'll need you to be in top form, so that means letting yourself heal."

"Yeah," Dukemon added. "You're no good to us like this, even if you want to help. Just take it easy, Ulforce."

UlforceVeedramon winced and turned towards Duskmon, still not ready to take no for an answer. "What about the power of the Ulforce overwrite sequence?" he inquired stubbornly. "That should heal me faster than normal."

"I've taken that into account, UlforceVeedramon," Duskmon explained. "Most Digimon take longer than a couple weeks for broken bones to heal. The Ulforce is an exceptional power but you can't rely on it to heal all your wounds, injuries, and ailments in the matter of only a few days. Even that can be overused. Just let it work naturally."

UlforceVeedramon gritted his teeth. "But…"

"Bed rest is the order of the day, UlforceVeedramon," Alphamon told him. "I know today was a shock, but you need to recover. Duftmon, Sleipmon and I do as well."

"That reminds me," Duskmon said, turning a shoulder eye towards Alphamon. "Stick around. I'll get to you after I'm done with UlforceVeedramon."

Alphamon nodded. "Take your time."

Dukemon turned to Alphamon. "Should I tell the others?" the crimson knight asked him.

"Wait until tomorrow. We'll have a meeting in the morning," Alphamon explained. "There's no sense in getting everybody stirred up this late at night."

UlforceVeedramon glanced up at him. "I don't suppose I get to come, do I?" he sarcastically questioned.

"Sorry, Ulforce," Alphamon said, half-smiling sheepishly. "Not in your condition. We'll keep you updated though. I promise."

"I don't believe this," the injured, cobalt knight complained. "I feel fine now! My shoulder's fine. I can hop around on my other leg. You guys are being overly cautious."

"It's better to be cautious rather than reckless where injuries are concerned," Alphamon responded calmly. "I'll defer to Duskmon's good judgment."

"If only Digimon did that more often while they are patients," Duskmon mumbled, walking off to one of his apprentices so that they could start getting to necessary materials for UlforceVeedramon's leg.

UlforceVeedramon clenched his fists. "Really, guys, I'm fine. You're making too big of a deal out of this. Suijinmon barely even touched me. I'll be fighting fit in a matter of days with the help of the Ulforce. Just—"

"You're going to tire yourself out with all this arguing and complaining, Ulforce. Save your energy. Or we'll put that bit back in your mouth," Dukemon told him with a grin.

The dragon knight, however, didn't share in his amusement. Annoyed, UlforceVeedramon stopped complaining and lay back in the medical bed, closing his eyes.

Alphamon looked at Dukemon. "We should let him rest," he advised.

"Yeah," Dukemon agreed. "You get patched up too, Alphamon. I'll get Duftmon and Sleipmon to come down here next." He looked at UlforceVeedramon. "Take it easy, Ulforce."

UlforceVeedramon didn't respond, prompting Dukemon to rub the back of his neck and leave the medical bay.

After a few moments, Duskmon returned with his Pidmon apprentice following behind him, carrying bandages, a metal vice, and material for a cast.

"Alphamon, I'll look you over while Pidmon gets UlforceVeedramon ready for the procedure," Duskmon explained. "Armour off, please."

UlforceVeedramon opened an eye and glanced at the physician and his apprentice. "…My leggings are going to have to come off for this, aren't they?" he asked, his voice dripping with resigned annoyance.

"I'm afraid so," the Pidmon answered.

UlforceVeedramon sighed. "This just keeps getting better…"

That same night, clouds drifted through the sky over the United Dramonic Coalition. They were blown by the same gentle breeze that swept down the face of the mountains.

The Dragon Mountains were a vast mountain range in the western provinces of the UDC. They started three quarters of the way up the UDC's western coast, right next to the Delta Ocean. From this northern tip, they stretched southeast, all the way down into the northwest part of the Claw Desert. This created a natural (albeit partial) border between the UDC and the Mesozoic Kingdom, colloquially known as the Savage Marches.

The mountains themselves were some of the largest in the Digital World in terms of area. Although they weren't close to the tallest, they were still fairly lofty; the highest peaks around the center of the range were snow-capped and stretched into the clouds. The mountains were extensive and they were a picturesque maze of craggy peaks and verdant hills. There were even ponds, lakes, valleys, and rivers between the mountains at certain points along the range.

The Dragon Mountains were important to both the Dramon and the Mesozoic dinosaurs due to the fact that they were rich with minerals, ores, and even gems and precious metals. There were mines and mining towns built along the base of the mountains. The vast capital of Dragon's Peak itself started out as a mining town. However, in addition to mines, there were also plenty of caves, both natural and Digimon-made.

One of these caves was located in the southern Dragon Mountains, in a UDC province adjacent to one that bordered the western-most province of the Free Area. The mouth of the cave was at the base of a cliff, located at the top of a grassy incline. In the cave's entrance was a sizeable, blue, tank Digimon, who was peering out into the night.

Bolgmon looked out with narrow, green eyes, gazing across the landscape and up at the dark grey, cloudy sky.

GrandisKuwagamon sat against one of the cavern walls. Blitzmon stood across from him.

The cave itself was bigger than it looked from the outside. It was actually a complex cave network that was nearly labyrinthine. The cavern had wide, curving, intersecting passages with sturdy, semi-smooth, rock walls that were tinted an earthy yellow-gold colour. The inner parts of the cave contained lanterns and electricity-charged lamps to illuminate the passages and certain "rooms".

"Get away from the entrance, Bolgmon," GrandisKuwagamon told him, sitting back against the wall. "There was a Royal Knight patrol in the area an hour ago."

"You should've dusted those guys, Grandis," Bolgmon countered, glancing over at the dark bug. "Then we wouldn't have to worry about them."

GrandisKuwagamon rolled his eye. "Yeah, like the Royal Knobs won't notice that one of their patrols didn't return. They'd send a team out here to investigate faster than you can blink," he explained. "We're supposed to lay low and pick our moments so that the Royal Knights think it's the Metal Empire attacking them, remember? That's the contract."

Blitzmon folded his arms and nodded. "We have to be extra careful after that attack on their headquarters. Their patrols are going to be even more active and vigilant," he agreed. "Grandis is right. We need to focus on laying low."

"What about our next job?" Bolgmon asked irritably. "How long are we going to have to hang around our hideout for?"

"A few more days," GrandisKuwagamon said with a nonchalant shrug. He stood to his feet and moved the battery-powered lamp beside him further into the cavern's entrance, onto a flat, table-like stone. "That's when Wizardmon said he'd be back."

Bolgmon reversed his treads and drove into the cave a few more meters, although still not committing to going all the way inside. "And where's he meeting us?"

"Same place as before. That bar in Dragon's Peak where he gave us the money," GrandisKuwagamon answered.

"The drinks there were shit," Bolgmon stated, folding his cannon arms. "I thought Dramon were supposed to be good drinkers…" He rolled his eyes. "Whatever. So, what do you think the next job'll be?"

"Something shady and sneaky?" GrandisKuwagamon sarcastically answered. "Fuck if I know. First, stealing from the Metal Empire. Then, giving those stolen blueprints to the Mamemon Kingdom. Then attacking the Royal Knights and trying to make it seem like it was the Metal Empire who did it. All I know is our client is trying to play the Royal Knights and the Metal Empire off each other, and we're caught in the middle."

"It seems like it, doesn't it?" Blitzmon agreed, narrowing his calculating green eyes. "But if that's the case, we should be fine as long as we can convince them that it's the other side doing the dirty work."

GrandisKuwagamon nodded. "It all comes down to risk-reward. Each job we take has an incredible reward. But the more jobs we take, the higher the risk that we'll get found out. Then we'll have the entire D-Brigade or Royal Knights on our asses. Or both. I say we take two or three more jobs max. Then we take our cash and cancel the contract."

"…I can probably agree with that," Blitzmon said, cracking his knuckles. "But let's wait and see what the jobs are before committing one way or the other."

"Yeah, okay. They might be easy money like the Mamemon job," GrandisKuwagamon agreed.

"That was boring. I want one of these jobs to be exciting!" Bolgmon stated, turning around to look at his two humanoid insect comrades.

"Sneaking into Facture and Castle Albion wasn't exciting enough for you?" GrandisKuwagamon asked sardonically, looking at him with dull incredulity.

"I hardly got to blow anybody up," Bolgmon responded.

The black insect couldn't help but chuckle. "You're a hard bug to please, Bolgie," he said to him. He turned around and began to walk deeper into the cave. Blitzmon smirked and walked with him.

Bolgmon eyed the two as they walked down the smooth-floored cavern. He glanced over his shoulder out the cave's entrance before speeding after them. "Wait for me, dumbasses!" he shouted to them, following them down the lamp-illuminated passage.

GrandisKuwagamon laughed and looked over his shoulder at Bolgmon. "Oh, so you don't mind going in caves now, huh?" he taunted as he and Blitzmon approached an underground room, constructed in an existing underground grotto.

Bolgmon rolled his eyes as he drove in after them. "This is our hideout. Besides, we checked the stability of the tunnels and chambers before we decided to use it," he responded. "I don't have to worry about collapses."

The room was outfitted with furnishings like chairs, a couch, a rug, desks, and a bookshelf. On the opposite side of the den were two more passages leading to other parts of the cave complex, deeper into the mountain. Further in their hideout was their sleeping area, a makeshift bathroom near a subterranean stream, a provisional office, an area where they could practice their physical combat techniques and, most importantly for this hideout, a cache where they kept their money. It was safer to keep their reward money here than it was to keep it in Black Pincer Company's small office in Dark Point - a city where break-ins were common.

Blitzmon went and sat down in a chair. He noticed that, on the table beside him, the battery-powered lamp was dead. He took the battery and recharged it using his electrical abilities. Once he reconnected the battery and turned the lamp on, he turned to the others. "I still can't believe somebody abandoned this place. It's a great hideout. We got lucky when we found this place last year."

"Assuming anybody was here to begin with," GrandisKuwagamon stated, going and flopping down on the couch. He picked up a book from the coffee table in front of it and opened it up.

Bolgmon glanced over at him. "Of course somebody lived here. The floors and walls are smoothed, like somebody drilled into it and then wore it down through use," he pointed out.

"Maybe someone made a mine but couldn't find shit so they abandoned it," GrandisKuwagamon suggested, shrugging as he flipped to the page he left off at.

"Doubt it," Bolgmon answered, rolling over to the wooden table. He looked to Blitzmon. "You said you wanted to divide up our pocket money before we go to Dragon's Peak?"

Blitzmon glanced over and then stood up. "Yeah? Why?" he asked.

Bolgmon shrugged. "I'm bored. Might be fun to do some betting. Like, on what our next job might be?"

Blitzmon rolled his eyes. "Fine. Just as long as you don't blow it all on gambling once we get into the city," he responded.

GrandisKuwagamon looked at Bolgmon with a smirk. "I'm in. Thirty bits on ambushing a patrol," he challenged before turning his red eye back to his book.

"I'll match that with kidnapping," Bolgmon responded. "You want in, Blitzie?"

"Pass," Blitzmon responded with a dismissive wave. He began to walk towards the left tunnel on the far side of the chamber, making his way to the office in order to evenly tally up the money they could spend on their next outing. "I'm not going to waste my money."

"Miser," GrandisKuwagamon stated with a grin.

"He loves his money alright," Bolgmon agreed with an electric cackle.

"If it were up to you two, this company would be broke!" Blitzmon called back from the stone passage.

GrandisKuwagamon smirked. "How often have we heard that?" he asked, slinging one arm over the back of the couch while the other held his book up.

"Pretty much every time we overspend," Bolgmon answered, reaching over the desk. He emitted a magnetic field from his cannon arms, causing the metal darts on the table to get drawn towards his arm and hover in the air. He then reversed the polarity and fired the darts – one after the other - at a dartboard on the wall. "No wonder he always insists on doing the finances." He checked his aim and scowled with annoyance when he saw he only hit one of his targets. "…Why don't we add another layer to the bet? An extra twenty bits for guessing who we're targeting... I'm betting the Royal Knights."

"Guess I have to choose the Metal Empire," GrandisKuwagamon answered, not looking up from the page. "Fine, you're on."

Bolgmon smirked with dark excitement. "Guess we'll see whose asses we'll get to kick soon."

The next day came around and the morning rose. The Royal Knights' council meeting at the break of dawn went on without UlforceVeedramon, who remained in the medical bay.

UlforceVeedramon lay on a soft bed, staring up at the ceiling. Around his left leg were bandages that lay beneath a tight, full splint that held his leg in place. This helped to keep the fractured bone in its regular position so that it could heal properly. His right arm, although he could move it without too much pain, was stuck in a sling so that he wouldn't be tempted to overexert his shoulder.

Last night, he had been dressed in some of his loose-fitting clothes: A pair of boxers, gym shorts, and a t-shirt. This was so that it wouldn't take a lot of effort or put pressure on his leg and shoulder to remove them.

The Royal Knight could hear Duskmon and his apprentices and helpers moving around the room as they saw to the other two patients in the medical bay. One was sick to his stomach and the other sprained a muscle during training.

UlforceVeedramon sighed as he lay on his winged back. He was under strict instructions to get bed rest. This meant that he couldn't move around without support. Though, he wasn't entirely sure he'd be able to even if he tried.

Duskmon walked over and approached UlforceVeedramon's bed. "Can I get you anything, UlforceVeedramon?" the multi-eyed physician asked him.

"How about some crutches?" UlforceVeedramon attempted.

"Not yet. It's far too early for you to be moving in any capacity. Simply trying to keep your leg off the ground could injure it further," Duskmon explained.

UlforceVeedramon raised his hand to his face and rubbed his brow with frustration. "Then can I get a book or something? Or would turning the pages be too strenuous?" he sardonically asked.

"I'll get my apprentice to get you a few," Duskmon calmly answered. The eye on his right shoulder shifted to look at the medical bay's entrance. "You have a visitor."

UlforceVeedramon glanced over towards the door as well. He saw Sleipmon standing there, looking uncertain about going in. The dragon man made eye contact with him, prompting the equine Royal Knight to enter and walk over.

"Hello…" Sleipmon said tentatively, offering a faint smile as he approached.

"Hello, Sleipmon," Duskmon greeted, stepping to the side to allow him to walk to UlforceVeedramon's bedside.

"Hey…" UlforceVeedramon said, returning the faint smile.

Sleipmon raised a hand and sheepishly rubbed the side of his neck. "How are you feeling?"

"Physically? I feel fine. But try telling that to this guy," UlforceVeedramon responded, thumbing to Duskmon.

Duskmon rolled his eyes and walked off to speak with his apprentice.

"And… otherwise?" Sleipmon questioned.

UlforceVeedramon stifled a sigh. "Eh. Okay. I just hate lying around…" he answered minimally.

Sleipmon winced and looked at UlforceVeedramon's cast-bound leg. He turned his violet eyes to meet UlforceVeedramon's red ones. "I'm so sorry, Ulforce…" he apologised, bowing his head slightly. "This is all my fault."

The azure dragon knight sighed but half-smiled and shook his head. "No, it's not, horsie. It's my own stupid fault for letting myself get put into that situation," he assured him. "My movements were too predictable. I shouldn't have underestimated Suijinmon."

"I could have stopped him though," Sleipmon said, his remorse obvious in his face. "I should have taken the right shot."

"Even if you did, there was no guarantee you could have hit him. You're a great shot, but that would have been a hard shot to make. If you missed, I would have ended up fried by his beams," UlforceVeedramon explained.

Sleipmon frowned. "Even so… I should have put your wellbeing first."

UlforceVeedramon exhaled through his nostrils. "It's fine…"

"It isn't though. I should h—"

UlforceVeedramon balled up his fist, gripping the blanket beneath him. "Did you come here just so that I could make you feel better?" he asked the equine knight pointedly. "I'm the one stuck in bed for Huanglongmon-knows-how-long, remember."

Sleipmon blinked with surprise. "N-No! I really didn't, Ulforce… I honestly just wanted to apologise," he ardently explained to him. He winced and looked away. "You don't have to accept it."

The cobalt knight sighed. He started to feel guilty for being so brusque. "Sorry… I appreciate it, Sleip-chan," he guaranteed him. He offered a reassuring smile to punctuate the nickname to assure him that he wasn't angry. "Just… don't blame yourself for this. It was Suijinmon who did it, not you. I'm just kinda frustrated. And tired."

The red-armoured Royal Knight nodded gently. "Can I do anything for you? Do you want anything from your room?" he offered.

"Maybe a few library books," UlforceVeedramon said. He then managed a grin. "Just be sure to check them out properly; you're already in Duftmon's bad books enough without breaking library protocol too."

Sleipmon smiled a bit upon seeing his humour return. "Sure." He then remembered. "Oh yeah. The other reason I'm here is to fill you in on the council meeting."

"Yeah? What did I miss?" UlforceVeedramon asked him.

"We told everyone about what happened at Saversburg," he explained. "The arrangement of the academy's Dark Area meeting was kind of overshadowed by the Metal Empire's attack."

UlforceVeedramon nodded gently, causing his horns to push further against the pillow behind his head. "What'd they say?"

"Well… Everyone agrees that we're pretty much officially at war now," Sleipmon said, although he took no pleasure in saying so. "Alphamon's going to make an announcement to the forces later."

The winged dragon man frowned in thought. "What happens next?"

Sleipmon sighed. "I don't know yet. We'll probably have a strategy meeting in a day or two to decide our plan of action," he responded.

"I'll try to be there," UlforceVeedramon assured him.

The six-legged Royal Knight put his hand on Ulforce's uninjured shoulder. "Just focus on getting better."

"Not like I have a choice," he responded with a half-smile.

"You'll be healed in no time, Ulforce," Sleipmon reassured him.

UlforceVeedramon looked down at his sling-bound arm and wiggled it gently. "I'd better be…"

"Can you feel the Ulforce working its magic?" Sleipmon asked him.

"Kind of. It's a gradual thing, though. It's not an instant cure for stuff like this," UlforceVeedramon answered with a sigh.

Sleipmon nodded. "Well, just be patient. Maybe you'll be able to walk in a week," he said to him encouragingly.

UlforceVeedramon turned his ruby eyes back up to look at the ceiling. "We'll see…"

Three days passed.

It was the evening in Dragon's Peak, the capital of the UDC. The buildings were made of stone, constructed with medieval, jagged designs. Deep in the city was a bar on the corner of a street, called the Dragon Hoard. Inside was a lively tavern filled with many pub games, strong ales, hearty food, and boisterous Dramons.

Dorbickmon was inside, sitting at the bar. He had in front of him a large stein of beer and big plate of juicy meat slathered with a spicy sauce. As he dug into his food, he sat across from the bartender, a Fladramon. The slender, blue dragon man, dressed in a black suit with a flame tie, poured a glass of beer for another customer before walking back to Dorbickmon.

Dorbickmon swallowed a mouthful of beer and glanced at the bartender. "Are you sure they're going to be here, Flamey?" he asked him.

"Stop calling me that," the Fladramon responded with a sideway leer. "And I'm sure, Dorbickmon. Last time they were here, I remember the Wizardmon telling them to meet here this time tonight."

Dorbickmon looked over both of his shoulders. "I don't see any of them," he said, turning back to his food.

"They're probably running late," the Fladramon bartender told him. The lithe dragon man then glanced over the larger one's shoulder. "One's here. Don't look," he mumbled to Dorbickmon as he nonchalantly went to collect an empty glass.

Dorbickmon focused on his food so as not to be conspicuous. He heard light footsteps behind him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a blue hue.

The dragon man took another bite as a Wizardmon climbed onto the stool beside him and glanced around the bar. Dorbickmon definitely recognised him from Shroud; he was the guy who gave Black Pincer Company their reward money.

As he followed up with a drink from his beer, he closed his eyes. "He probably knows who the client is. Maybe I should kidnap him and bring him to the Royal Knights for information…" he mused, although trying to ignore the image of Examon shaking his head disapprovingly at the back of his mind.

"What can I get you?" the Fladramon bartender said, going and standing across the bar counter from Wizardmon. "We have a delicious gold ale that I couldn't recommend higher. Or if you prefer spirits, maybe you'd like the Blue Diamante Explosion."

The Wizardmon looked up timidly. "Oh, uh, I don't drink…" he responded sheepishly.

"You don't?" the Fladramon asked. "Okay, well, we've got food too. Do you want the menu?"

"Uh…" The Wizardmon glanced around, obviously not comfortable being in a bar with a bunch of large dragons. He looked over at Dorbickmon and what he was eating. "Maybe I'll just have what he's having."

Dorbickmon took the opportunity to look at him directly. "You know, if you just came for food, I could recommend some restaurants around here instead."

The Fladramon tried not to be annoyed by the comment as he knew that Dorbickmon was working him. "Coming right up," he said.

The short mage looked up at Dorbickmon. "Oh, uh, actually, I'm here to meet somebody."

"Oh yeah? A girlfriend?" he asked with a grin.

Wizardmon flushed behind the collar of his cowl. "N-No. I'm here on business," he answered.

"Yeah? What kind?" Dorbickmon nonchalantly asked, trying to make it seem like he was just making small talk as he drank his beer.

"Just a meeting. I'm a scientist," the sorcerer explained.

"Huh. What d'ya study?" the large crimson dragon asked the lightning mage.

"It's pretty complicated…" Wizardmon responded vaguely. "Just… geology."

"Yeah? As a Dorbickmon, I know a thing or two about rocks," the dragon said with a toothy grin.

Wizardmon looked forwards with some discomfort. "I see…" he answered, not wishing to prolong the conversation. He looked over his shoulder to scan the bar. To his relief, the entrance to the bar opened and GrandisKuwagamon walked inside, with Blitzmon and Bolgmon behind him. "They're here. I have to go now."

Dorbickmon glanced over his spiked shoulder. His violet eyes fixed on Black Pincer Company for a moment before he turned back to the bar counter. "Okay. Later," he told him. He hoped that the three bugs wouldn't recognize him and see him talking with the Wizardmon. He stood up and walked towards the washrooms to disappear for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, Wizardmon hopped off the stool and walked over to Black Pincer Company. GrandisKuwagamon recognized him and approached the short wizard. "Yo. Let's get a corner seat," he told him, walking past the mage and heading over to a table near the far corner of the bar.

Wizardmon nodded and waited until Blitzmon passed and Bolgmon rolled by before following them. They made their way over to a four person table and sat down, except for Bolgmon, who pushed a chair aside and rested on his treads. GrandisKuwagamon sat across from the Wizardmon and eyed him carefully.

"Thank you for meeting me," he said to them.

"No problem," GrandisKuwagamon answered. He glanced over at Bolgmon. "Wanna go get us some drinks?"

"Fine," Bolgmon responded, driving into reverse so that he could go over to the bar counter. "Blitz?"

"I'm good," Blitzmon said, shaking his head.

Bolgmon nodded and drove off to get their drinks. He returned after a minute with two large beers in his smaller pair of arms.

GrandisKuwagamon took his beer and had a drink, his crimson eye never moving from Wizardmon. "So…" he began, his voice gravelly. "I take it our client has another job for us?"

Wizardmon glanced around the bar and tipped his hat down a bit. He didn't notice Dorbickmon behind him, returning from the washroom and choosing a seat at the side of the bar counter that was closer to where their table was.

Dorbickmon sat with his back to them and ordered another drink. He felt comfortable that he could make out at least most of what they were saying.

"As you know, my client was very impressed with the success of your last job," he explained. "He is increasingly confident in your capabilities."

"So he's a he?" GrandisKuwagamon asked with a smirk. "Good to know."

Wizardmon winced. "Er…"

Blitzmon chuckled briefly. "Relax. That doesn't exactly narrow it down…" he responded. "Besides, all we care about is getting paid."

"Okay. So, uh… He is very pleased with the way things are going," Wizardmon explained. "The Knights and the Metal Empire are going to war."

"And that's what he wants?" GrandisKuwagamon asked inquisitively.

"I can't really say," Wizardmon responded. "His goals are his own."

Dorbickmon listened in on this, narrowing his eyes as he leered into the bubbling, golden ale in front of him. "Were they the ones behind that attack on the RK's castle?" he wondered.

"So, what's the next job?" GrandisKuwagamon asked him.

"It's kidnapping, right?" Bolgmon asked eagerly. "Someone from the Royal Knights, yeah?"

The Wizardmon shook his head. "I'm afraid not," he answered.

GrandisKuwagamon shot Bolgmon a smug grin. The large, tank-insect swore under his breath.

"At least, not yet," the blue-cloaked mage corrected. "Right now, he wants you to ambush a Royal Knight patrol." The Wizardmon paused. "…He doesn't wish for there to be any survivors."

Dorbickmon heard this and took another drink from his mug.

"Damn it!" Bolgmon stated, partially at the fact that he lost part of the bet. "We could've been done this already! A patrol passed us earlier!"

"Yeah, right near our hideout," GrandisKuwagamon sarcastically responded. "That would have been a great idea, to get the Royal Knights swarming the Dragon Mountains."

The corners of Dorbickmon's mouth formed a smirk. That's what he wanted to hear. "They've got a hideout in the Dragon Mountains, huh? Thanks a lot for the info."

GrandisKuwagamon looked past Wizardmon, his gaze landing on Dorbickmon.

"So, can it be any patrol?" Blitzmon questioned their client's representative. "Doesn't matter who?"

This drew GrandisKuwagamon's attention back to Wizardmon. The mage nodded. "I don't think it matters as long as the Royal Knights think it's the Metal Empire," he explained, tugging at his collar nervously. "He doesn't want you to get found out."

"Too late for that," Dorbickmon thought with a smirk.

"Yeah, we got it," GrandisKuwagamon answered. "Data tells no tale."

"So, we get to go all out, right?" Bolgmon asked with dark excitement in his voice.

"Uh, however you like," the Wizardmon murmured, ducking his head a bit. "I'm just the messenger. My client says as long as you get the job done."

"How long do we have?" Blitzmon questioned.

Wizardmon frowned. "Maybe a week? Is that enough time?" he asked them.

"Yeah, that's fine," GrandisKuwagamon answered, confident that they could finish by then. "We'll meet you in a week. Somewhere else, this time. The Metal Empire probably still wants our blood, and I don't want to take my chances with the Royal Knobs either. We've gotta keep a low profile, so let's meet in Fulminus."

"That sounds fine…" the mage agreed. "When we do, we can talk about your next job."

"Good," GrandisKuwagamon answered, grinning and taking a swig from his drink. "Pleasure doin' business with you."

"I'm just an intermediary," Wizardmon insisted, standing to his feet. "Are any of you hungry?"

"Yeah, I guess so," GrandisKuwagamon said with a shrug.

"Good. I'm going to leave," the blue-cowled humanoid stated. "I've ordered some food, but I'm not very hungry, so I'll have it sent over. My treat."

"That's awfully nice of you," Blitzmon said an amused glint in his eyes.

"I won't say no to free food," GrandisKuwagamon agreed. "Thanks."

Wizardmon nodded. "I'll see you soon," he told them. He nodded politely and turned around, walking to the bar counter.

Using his peripheral vision, Dorbickmon watched the Wizardmon talk to Fladramon and pay for his food. He decided he was going to follow him and, if he got the opportunity, kidnap him for information.

The dragon mercenary heard the Wizardmon thank the bartender. He glanced over and saw him turn around and begin to walk towards the exit, around a few large Dramon.

This prompted Dorbickmon to stand up from his barstool and put down some money on the counter. "I'm paying up, Flamey! Money's on the counter," he called over to the bartender, already turning to follow the Wizardmon.

As soon as Dorbickmon turned, he stopped in his tracks. GrandisKuwagamon was standing directly in front of him, blocking his way. Dorbickmon froze as he stared into the black insect's red eye, suddenly feeling a tenseness in his chest.

"You weren't thinking of leavin' without saying goodbye, were ya?" GrandisKuwagamon asked him with a grin.

A chill crept down the dragon's back and he used every inch of willpower not to tense up on reflex. Dorbickmon looked down at the beetle man in front of him and momentarily scanned his face. He wasn't sure if GrandisKuwagamon suspected him or not, so he decided to play it dumb.

"Have we met before…?" Dorbickmon asked him as convincingly as he could. He looked over at Blitzmon and Bolgmon, who were watching curiously. "Hey… You're those guys who tore up that inn in Shroud a few weeks ago!" He didn't dare look over GrandisKuwagamon's shoulder to check on Wizardmon, who he assumed was gone by now.

"In the carapace," GrandisKuwagamon said nonchalantly, leaning an elbow on the bar counter and taking a sip from his beer.

"I guess you escaped the D-Brigade just fine, huh?" Dorbickmon said with a playful smile.

"We're still alive, aren't we?" the black insect responded with his own smirk.

Dorbickmon glanced at each of the three of them. "Yup. That's pretty impressive on its own." The large, red dragon folded his arms and looked down at GrandisKuwagamon with a disarming grin. "So…"

"…So?" the ebony bug dryly asked in response.

"In Shroud, you said you'd tell me after some drinks what you did to piss the D-Brigade off," Dorbickmon responded. "Well, here we are, drinks in hand."

GrandisKuwagamon hardly even remembered that. He looked up at the dragon with a bland expression. "Is this your way of asking me on a date?" he deadpanned.

Dorbickmon laughed. "You're not my type," he assured him.

"Good. Stick with your BlackWarGreymon friend," GrandisKuwagamon responded. "We got the D-Brigade on our bad side during a job."

"I hear ya," Dorbickmon said with a nod.

"So, what exactly are you doing here?" GrandisKuwagamon challenged. "It's weird meeting up again so soon."

"I live here?" Dorbickmon said with a confident grin. "I'm a Dramon and this is Dragon's Peak. I should be asking what three bug Digimon are doing here with a bunch of loud dragons."

"We're here for a job," the black insect explained, his red eye staying on Dorbickmon's. "But you know all about that, I'm guessing."

Dorbickmon blinked and started to feel his defensiveness return. "…Huh?" he asked, slowly letting go of the beer mug on the counter.

"You're a merc, right?" GrandisKuwagamon questioned intuitively. "You talk like one. You act like one. That's how you knew we're Black Pincer Company."

Dorbickmon relaxed a little. "Yeah. I'm a merc. And yeah, I've heard of you guys before. Lots of nasty rumours about you three," he added with a toothy smirk.

"Who says they're just rumours?" GrandisKuwagamon responded, a dark yet playful grin on his face. "…So, who do you work for? Kowloon?"

"Myself," Dorbickmon answered. "I'm a freelancer. I don't work well with people."

GrandisKuwagamon glanced over at Bolgmon and Blitzmon emphatically before looking back at Dorbickmon. "You and me, both."

Dorbickmon looked over at the two blue insects that watched them from the table. "Those your teammates?" he wondered, pretending that he didn't know.

"Yeah. Want to meet them?" GrandisKuwagamon offered.

"I would, but I'd better get going," Dorbickmon responded. "Otherwise my friend'll nag me about pubbing too late."

GrandisKuwagamon chuckled. "Lucky escape," he teased, taking his drink and moving out of Dorbickmon's way. "Later."

"Yeah, later," Dorbickmon said to him, looking at him as he passed by the bug.

"Might see you around," GrandisKuwagamon added, meeting his gaze before walking back to Blitzmon and Bolgmon.

"Maybe," Dorbickmon said, glancing at the bug as he made for the exit.

Dorbickmon walked out of the bar and released a sigh. Some of those comments were far too ominous for his taste. He looked up and down the street. As he expected, Wizardmon was long gone. He knew that he had no chance of catching up with the mage now.

He grunted and swore under his breath. "Damn… I lost him," he murmured with a snarl.

Dorbickmon glanced at the bar behind him before heading down the long, stone street."At least I've got some info… I'd better send a letter to Examon and them tonight. Still haven't heard back from him about the last one, though. He better get his ass down here soon…"