(Author's Notes: Here's Chapter 17. A chapter with no Royal Knights? Can it be? R&R and enjoy!)
Chapter 17: Deception
Dorbickmon strode up a stone road towards the seedy city of Shroud. He was here to continue to ongoing job for Karatenmon. He was tasked with finding out more about Black Pincer Company. Particularly, he needed to find out who was hiring and paying them to attack the Royal Knights.
The crimson dragon man sauntered up the road towards the walled city at a casual pace. The data storm that lingered over Shroud was fairly calm today, and some sun even shone through at intermittent intervals. Dorbickmon felt the rays of sun against his red scales as he walked up to the toll booth outside of the city's gates.
Dorbickmon walked up to the window the gatehouse and looked in. As he expected, he could see the imp-like body of an Evilmon reading a magazine with a flushed, perverted grin on his face. Dorbickmon cleared his throat to get his attention. "How's this issue of everyone's favourite dirty magazine?" he asked with a toothy smirk.
"It—shut up! I'm reading it for the articles!" the Evilmon protested, snapping the magazine shut. He levelled an irate leer with the dragon man. "What do you want?"
Dorbickmon flashed him his ID card, which gave him permission to enter and exit the city without paying a fee.
"Fine, go in. Just a minute," the imp Digimon responded, flapping the stubby wings on his back and giving the guards the signal to open the gate.
Dorbickmon watched as the gates creaked open. After waiting, he walked forwards and entered the busy city. As he entered, he rolled his head around to pop the joints in his neck. He then cracked the knuckles of his claws and grinned to himself.
"Think I'll have a look around the shops today. Then I'll stop by the Severed Arms tonight and see what information I can wrangle up. I'm sure Karatenmon's bribe money will go along way here. Just have to speak to the right people…"
A few days elapsed from Dukemon and Dynasmon's return to the Royal Knights. Within those days, the D-Brigade made their final preparations for the invasion of the territory west of Haganemame City. The assault was now ready to begin in full.
Commander Raijinmon stood at the head of the ranks of the D-Brigade's primary assault force. Behind him were over a thousand D-Brigade troops, all of whom were making final preparations before getting into formation. They checked their weapons and ammo, and went over battle tactics.
Raijinmon stared into the distance, towards Haganemame City. He could see the thousands of the city's metal dome buildings sparkling in the horizon. Between his army and the city were dozens of kilometers of flat grassland. Although the terrain itself was flat and generic, the landscape was haphazardly littered with appliances and electronic junk. There were refrigerators, toasters, computer monitors, televisions, stereos, dishwashers, bathtubs, and other such things strewn across the fields. None of them appeared to be in working order. The Junk Plains of the Mamemon Kingdom served only as minor obstacles for the D-Brigade.
A veil of flat, grey clouds covered the sky, darkening the landscape somewhat. It caused Raijinmon's shimmering gold body to stand out against the shadowy backdrop. Raijinmon stood before his soldiers with his hands crossed behind his back, poised at ease. He observed the Mamemon Kingdom's army, which waited several kilometers away, in front of the outskirts of the city. It was a sizeable army, but it was still dwarfed in quantity, size, firepower, and discipline by the D-Brigade. Raijinmon felt cautiously confident.
He heard a pair of feet touch down behind him. Raijinmon turned and saw Fujinmon land gracefully. "Fujinmon," he greeted.
"Are your divisions ready?" Fujinmon asked the Thunderclap Commander.
Raijinmon nodded at the green, sword wielding Hurricane Commander. "Yes. Are yours?" he wondered in response.
"More or less. Just getting into formation on the left," Fujinmon explained. He nodded across the junk-covered fields. "How does our enemy seem?"
"Don't ask," Raijinmon muttered, turning forwards again. "I'm hoping they surrender."
"What?" Fujinmon lightly asked, walking up beside the gold cyborg and looking at him curiously. It was rare to see Raijinmon turn his nose up at a chance to prove himself. "You aren't eager for this battle?"
"Not at all," Raijinmon responded, folding his arms and bowing his head with a brooding gaze.
"Why not? This is your first field battle. You are always talking about how you want to make a name for yourself as a capable commander," Fujinmon pointed out, his words bordering on playful. He glanced at the Thunderclap Commander with a more serious gaze. "Do you have doubts about this campaign, perhaps?" he wondered.
"It isn't that," Raijinmon responded, turning and looking at Fujinmon. "The enemy commander who is supposed to oppose me is a PlatinumNumemon. A PlatinumNumemon." He winced and looked away. "A PlatinumNumemon," he repeated emphatically. "You know what mutant Digimon can be like. I can smell their army from here… Even if we win a sweeping victory here, I wouldn't mind at all if this battle stayed out of the history books. If I even so much as hear the words 'Thundercrap Commander' after this, I'm going to do something drastic."
Fujinmon couldn't help but release a chuckle. "Don't overreact. You are far too concerned about how you are perceived, Raijinmon," he told him.
Raijinmon gave Fujinmon a dry stare. "And you aren't, Fujinmon? You're lenient on the mistakes of your soldiers because you don't want them to resent you. Just recently, you only gave that HiAndromon a stern warning after he made an error that allowed Dukemon and Dynasmon to escape," he reminded him defensively.
"I am just naturally kind," Fujinmon insisted huffily. "I'm not fixated on commanding respect like you are."
"More accurately, you don't like being disliked. You're afraid that somebody with a grudge against you will start whispering about your past as a JumboGamemon supporter," Raijinmon perceptively replied.
Fujinmon shot him an annoyed glare. "My loyalty is unquestionable. Besides, at least I'm not obsessed with victory in everything I do, unlike a certain someone who fears failure. You'll do anything to make a name for yourself and become famous… Admit it, Raijinmon, you secretly want to become the thirteenth Royal Knight," Fujinmon retorted.
"I wasn't questioning your loyalty," Raijinmon firmly stated. He released a defeated sigh. "…Enough of this. I'm not trying to argue. Let's stop before either of us says something seditious."
Fujinmon sighed. "Very well. I apologise. I wasn't trying to be accusatory," he spoke evenly. His red eyes grew pensive for a few moments. "But while we are on the topic… I don't have anything to worry about when it comes to JumboGamemon. …He has been deleted."
Raijinmon looked at his green companion with shock. "What..? When?" he asked incredulously.
"I don't know. Awhile ago, by the sounds of it," Fujinmon replied. "Chaosdramon ordered the assassination himself. He only just told me about it when he was rebuking me and questioning my loyalty."
"What? But that's… How come we didn't hear about this?" Raijinmon questioned with a deep frown in his golden eyes.
Fujinmon gave his brawny, gold counterpart a meaningful look. "He went behind our backs to order the assassination. He picked the team himself. It's obvious that he doesn't trust us," he explained. "Not just me, but you and Suijinmon as well."
Raijinmon folded his arms and glanced away with a wince. "We should stop talking about this, Fujinmon," he advised him. "We need to focus on the battle."
Fujinmon calmly nodded. "Very well… Just don't ignore what I said," the Hurricane Commander beseeched his comrade. He placed the metal side of his inactivated Critical Arm on Raijinmon's shoulder battery, prompting Raijinmon to glance at him. "Good luck in the assault, Raijinmon. …I will be at your side, aiding you in your victory."
The Thunderclap Commander gave Fujinmon an appreciative look. "Thank you, Fujinmon," he responded softly. "I know."
Without another word, Fujinmon flew into the air and began gliding off to his divisions over on the left flank. Raijinmon watched as he flew before turning around and facing his own divisions of D-Brigade troops, who were now standing and flying in formation. The thousands of Digimon were in orderly rows and columns, dutifully awaiting Raijinmon's command.
Raijinmon stood up straight and placed his hands behind his back, an aura of reserved confidence and authority emanating from the Thunderclap Commander. "Formations A, B, C, D, E, and F!" he spoke, turning and looking across all of the D-Brigade soldiers. "As your Commander, it is my honour to be leading you into battle for the sake of the Metal Empire. I trust that you are all ready, prepared, and capable?"
"Yes, Commander!" their voices rung out in unison.
"As I expected. You are soldiers of the D-Brigade, after all. You are the best of the best. Many of you have passed Selection-D with exemplary results. You are disciplined, capable, efficient machines who own the battlefield," Raijinmon told them with an inspiring voice and an intense gaze. "Will you follow me, your faithful Thunderclap Commander into the battle? Will you help me ensure victory over those who dare oppose us? Will you demonstrate the might of the D-Brigade?"
"Yes, Commander!" the chorus repeated.
"Then come! March forward and let us grasp victory!" Raijinmon stated, turning around and pointing forwards dramatically. He began marching across the junk-loaded field in the direction of the enemy army. The golden-beige commander was relieved to hear the militaristic melody of footsteps and engines behind him. It served to embolden him as he marched. It would take at least a couple hours for the D-Brigade to get into range and position. Part of him still hoped that the Mamemon Kingdom would spare him this indignity.
Meanwhile, in Haganemame City, PrinceMamemon was busy watching as the bad situation progressed. He stood on a balcony that jutted out of the western side of his giant, dome palace; the balcony overlooked a good portion of the city, as well as the Junk Fields beyond the city's outskirts. He peered through a giant, gold telescope that was set up on a sturdy, metal stand.
He could see the Mamemon Kingdom's army standing in front of the western edge of Haganemame City. He tilted the telescope up in order to look further into the distance. He could see the D-Brigade steadily advancing and moving around the appliances. It was a terrifying sight to see such a large army approaching his city.
"Why is that army still advancing?!" PrinceMamemon demanded, stepping back from the telescope. "Why isn't our army doing anything?!"
Mercuremon calmly stood behind him, near the door of the balcony. "Because if we were to go out and attack the D-Brigade directly, our army would be devastated," he explained. "I advised General PlatinumNumemon to await my – I mean 'our' - tactical advice before doing anything."
"I see," PrinceMamemon stated, gripping the railing of the balcony tightly. He squinted his eyes and gazed into the distance at the approaching D-Brigade. "Well, the D-Brigade is fast approaching. You said that you had a plan, didn't you? Isn't time running out?"
"Yes, I do, and yes, it is, Your Majesty," Mercuremon responded, eyeing PrinceMamemon with his nearly featureless face. "Shall I go now?"
"Please, do!" PrinceMamemon exclaimed nervously. "Go to PlatinumNumemon at once! And send for the Royal Knights! We need their assistance now more than ever."
"We are blockaded from the south. It would be hard to send for them. I will see what I can do, Your Majesty," Mercuremon assured him. The humanoid mirror Digimon bowed deeply. "Just try to stay calm. Place your faith in me and I will salvage this situation as best as I can."
"V-Very well, Mercuremon," PrinceMamemon stated, turning around and looking at him with visible concern. "Do your best."
Mercuremon stood up straight. "Of course, Your Majesty," he responded. The aristocrat turned around and began gracefully walking inside the palace so that he could make his way down to the front line of the battlefield.
Far to the south of these events, three Digimon were taking a different course of action.
GrandisKuwagamon lay on a grassy hillside. The sun beat down across the landscape from overhead, warming his smooth, black carapace. His Gran Killers lay beside him, and his hands were placed behind his head, cushioning his reddish-orange hair from the grass. His single crimson eye stared up at the sky.
Blitzmon sat beside him, keenly looking across the landscape. At the bottom of the long hill was flat grassland that stretched for kilometers. Running parallel to the hill they were on was a railroad that spanned across the whole grassland and far beyond. It was the main Locomon Rail line. The insect man kept his eyes over to the right, eyeing the southern part of the rail tracks.
Bolgmon was some distance away, further down the hill and over to the left. He was hunched over with his cannon arms on the ground. The gun port of his horn was aimed into the distance, and the tracking screen that emerged from his back was activated. He seemed to be testing it out.
"Anything yet?" GrandisKuwagamon asked Blitzmon nonchalantly, still gazing up at the sky.
Blitzmon looked over at Bolgmon, but the cyborg insect seemed to still be testing out his targeting systems. "Doesn't look like it," he replied to GrandisKuwagamon.
The ebony bug Digimon quietly continued to watch the clouds float overhead. He scoffed. GrandisKuwagamon couldn't help but think about BaoHackmon's words to him.
He couldn't understand why that Digimon thought that he cared about what happened to him. He wondered: did he really give that impression? He couldn't help but wonder why he talked to BaoHackmon so much that night at all. GrandisKuwagamon told himself that it was because he was bored. However, that didn't explain why he gave him advice. BaoHackmon said that it was because he cared what happened to him. GrandisKuwagamon narrowed his eye. Why would he care about that? It didn't make any sense. He advised the dragon just because he hated idiocy.
GrandisKuwagamon stood to his feet, dismissing his thoughts. Now wasn't the time to think about trivial stuff like that, he figured. He picked up his Gran Killer gauntlets and slipped the metal guards over his forearms.
"It's coming!" Bolgmon called out to the other two humanoid insects.
Both GrandisKuwagamon and Blitzmon turned their heads and looked to the south. They could see the distant figure of a Locomon, pulling along several train cars.
GrandisKuwagamon clenched his fist. "You think you can read me? You don't have a clue about who I am. Don't fool yourself, you naïve brat," GrandisKuwagamon thought. He looked over at Bolgmon. "Are you in position?"
"Yeah, just waiting for the right moment," Bolgmon responded, placing himself comfortably on the hill. He kept his head steady so that his cannon horn didn't move at all. The tracking system on his back fluctuated with readings and digi-letters as it waited for a target to come into range.
"Whenever you're ready, Bolgie," GrandisKuwagamon responded, folding his arms and gazing across the landscape.
"Don't miss," Blitzmon added.
"Like I would," Bolgmon replied. He narrowed his green eyes and locked onto a target. Once he was satisfied with his targeting, he smirked. "Okay… Field Destroyer!"
A fully charged beam surged from the muzzle of his cannon. The recoil of the beam was enough to send Bolgmon skidding back into the hill, but he kept his aim straight despite its immense power. The pillar of positrons streamed through the air towards the railroad and the oncoming Locomon.
The Locomon was chugging along the tracks at a swift but steady pace. The large, blue locomotive Digimon kept driving forwards as usual. As he chugged, his attention was diverted by the flash of light coming from the hill far ahead of him, to his left.
Locomon frowned curiously and inspected the flash of light. He noticed that it started to move and grow bigger. It was after a few moments that his eyes widened and he realised what it was. A beam attack.
"Attention, all passengers!" he announced, his calm voice becoming hurried while trying to remain serene. "Please calmly brace for a sudden stop and possible impact!"
Locomon grimaced and slammed on his breaks, causing sparks to shoot out wildly from the train tracks and wheels. The beam streaked ahead of him at a diagonal angle. The torrent of energy slammed into the railway tracks a few hundred meters in front of him. The metal crumpled and melted before breaking into data, just as the beam caused a ground-shaking detonation.
The ground in front of him was obliterated by a massive explosion that caused the intense blast. Locomon kept pressing his brakes hard, trying to come to a screeching halt before he could hit the explosion and the destroyed tracks. He couldn't do it with the amount of momentum that he had picked up. Locomon slammed into the shockwave of the explosion, and the force of both was enough to knock him off of his tracks.
"Hang on!" Locomon shouted, wincing as his metal body derailed. He careened to the side and soared towards the grass. He grimaced as he slammed into the grassy ground with a mighty crash, releasing a wave of dirt and grass from around his face. The coal car and the passenger carriages that he was towing were the next to crash into the ground. Locomon and his cargo skidded along the grassy field, his coal cascading everywhere, and the Digimon passengers getting thrown around inside the carriages. They finally came to a stop after several moments, the locomotive lying in the grass in a mess of train cars.
Over from the hill where the shot was fired, the three mercenaries observed the damage.
Bolgmon stood upwards with a gleeful smirk on his face. The interior of his horn's bore was red-hot from the beam, and smoke wafted up from the cannon muzzle. "Haha! Did you see that?! Damn, that was satisfying!" he announced cheerfully.
"Mission complete," Blitzmon calmly said, folding his arms. "Let's get out of here and head back to Shroud."
"Yeah," GrandisKuwagamon responded, prompting Blitzmon to start flying into the air and Bolgmon to speed up the hill. The black insect's gaze darkened as he stared at the derailed Locomon. "We'll do what we need to do to survive. We always have, and we always will. …Cross me again, kid, and I'll kill you. If you're too naïve to realize that, then that's your own damn fault."
With that GrandisKuwagamon turned and started beating his X-shaped wings. He flew after Blitzmon and Bolgmon and it wasn't long until they disappeared from sight.
Back in Haganemame City, the battle had almost begun. The Mamemon Kingdom's army was lined up outside of the western edge of the city. It was composed mostly of the Mamemon species, puppet Digimon, mutant Digimon, and machine Digimon. There were quite a few soldiers there, but they paled in quantity and preparedness to the D-Brigade's army.
The D-Brigades had stopped their advance about two hundred meters away from the Mamemon Kingdom's army. They were preparing their ranged arsenal, which was boundless in number. To the south of the Haganemame City, Suijinmon and his flank had surrounded the capital and prevented any escape or reinforcements. However, the D-Brigade didn't advance or fire any shots. Raijinmon was hoping that they could settle terms.
At the back of the Mamemon Kingdom's army was a slimy, silver mollusk Digimon with wide, gold wings. He flapped his wings and flew back and forth, giving out orders to the army. The PlatinumNumemon was the general of the military. He made this evident by wearing a pair of aviator glasses over his long, googly eyes and having several medals stuck to his chest.
"You! Is that fixed turret up and running yet?!" he called out to a MetalMamemon, who was working on a Mugen Cannon that had been salvaged from a scrap yard and repurposed into a stationary artillery cannon. PlatinumNumemon flapped his wings and spun around, looking over to the left part of the army with lowered sunglasses. "You lot! Spread out more!"
"General?" a voice asked from behind him.
General PlatinumNumemon whirled around to see Mercuremon walking down the road that led out of Haganemame City. "Ah! Royal Advisor Mercuremon!"
The mirror Digimon stepped up to him and looked around. "May I ask how things are going? What are your plans?" Mercuremon asked him.
"Things are going. We're just readying our technological defences now," the slug-like general explained, licking the bottom rim of his sunglasses with his oversized tongue. "We plan to let the D-Brigade make the first move and then blow them away!"
Mercuremon turned and looked across the battlefield sceptically. "That's it…? You plan to face the D-Brigade in a field battle?" he asked him. "You'll be annihilated."
"We're making do with that we can. It's really our only option!" PlatinumNumemon explained. "Normally, we would prefer to use guerilla tactics, but that would put all of Haganemame City in danger, so…"
"That is not the only option…" Mercuremon explained, placing his hands on his hips. "That is why I'm here."
"Oh? Has King PrinceMamemon sent you to give us your tactical advice?" the general asked him curiously.
"His Majesty has told me to take care of the situation. I have his blessing to do what I think is best to get us out of this terrible position," Mercuremon responded.
PlatinumNumemon readjusted his aviators using one of his wings. "Well, okay! Tell me what you want me to do and we can talk it out!" he exclaimed.
"Simple…" Mercuremon spoke calmly. "I want you to do nothing."
The slimy mollusk general looked at the tall mirror Digimon blankly. His sunglasses slipped down his face as he stared incredulously "Do… nothing…?" he questioned.
"Precisely, General," Mercuremon answered. He extended his arm out towards the expansive forces of the D-Brigade. "Do you really think that we are able to defeat that?"
"Well… Maybe…?" PlatinumNumemon offered, although none-too-convincingly.
"Don't fool yourself, General. Lives are at stake here," Mercuremon spoke. "I have already made my decision. I am going to negotiate for peace with the Metal Empire."
"Wh-What?! But that's…!" PlatinumNumemon reluctantly uttered. "After all that's happened, they'll give stiff terms for surrender!"
"I am prepared for that," Mercuremon replied. "However, now is not the time to let pride get in the way of common sense. You must realise the futility of the situation, General; we can either make peace or we can watch as all of these loyal soldiers are crushed under the weight of the unstoppable machine that is the D-Brigade. Which would you prefer?"
PlatinumNumemon winced. "I… I see your point, Mercuremon," he responded weakly, his eyes drooping.
"Good… So, I trust you will stand down and not do anything to obstruct the peace negotiation?" Mercuremon asked him.
"…This is what King PrinceMamemon wants?" the general asked him.
"PrinceMamemon has given me control of the situation and has accepted my actions," Mercuremon answered, choosing his words carefully.
The general sighed. "Very well… Let me know how the negotiations go," he said to the royal advisor.
"I will," Mercuremon said, beginning to walk towards the gap between the two armies. He stopped and looked over his shoulder. "Is it safe for me to walk out there?"
"It should be. …Bring a flag, just in case," PlatinumNumemon explained.
Mercuremon nodded. "By the way, if the Royal Knights happen to show up, send them away. I don't need their interfering," he spoke, turning and walking past the Mamemon Kingdom soldiers.
"B-But I couldn't…" PlatinumNumemon mumbled to himself, unable to consider saying such a thing to the Royal Knights.
Mercuremon walked off across the junk-strewn field, heading towards the D-Brigade. He decided to forgo taking a flag, doubting that they would be rash enough to shoot at him.
Raijinmon was standing in front of his soldiers, giving out orders in preparation for the battle. His attention was drawn by the reflective sheen of Mercuremon's mirrors as he crossed the halfway point between the two armies. Raijinmon
"Commander," Raijinmon's giant junior officer – a Mugendramon – spoke. After getting his attention, he pointed with his claw at Mercuremon.
"Let him approach. They may want to settle terms," Raijinmon responded, stepping out onto the field. The gold-armoured commander looked over to his left and hailed to Fujinmon, who also spotted the lone Mamemon Kingdom Digimon.
Fujinmon flew away from his flank and soared over towards Raijinmon. As the Thunderclap Commander grew nearer to the steel aristocrat, Fujinmon flew down and landed beside Raijinmon. "A negotiator?" he asked his fellow Storm Commander.
"So it seems," Raijinmon replied, eyeing the humanoid mirror Digimon walking towards them. "We should hear him out. Emperor Chaosdramon wanted a battle, but I'm sure we can find a satisfactory alternative."
"I agree," Fujinmon responded with a glint in his eye. "It is fortuitous that Suijinmon isn't here to serve as Chaosdramon's mouthpiece."
"Give him more credit. I doubt Suijinmon wants a battle either, especially after the number of losses his group took to the Royal Knights during the last battle," Raijinmon stated.
"I suppose. Even so, we should play it cool and see what we can get out of this," Fujinmon responded, beginning to close the gap between them and Mercuremon.
"Of course," Raijinmon agreed before walking up to Mercuremon.
Mercuremon stopped in front of the two commanders and bowed. "Good day," he greeted politely. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Mercuremon, the royal advisor to PrinceMamemon." He extended a hand.
"Ah, yes. We know of you," Raijinmon replied, taking his green, metal hand and briskly shaking it.
Fujinmon nodded at him politely. "We are Raijinmon and Fujinmon, two of the Storm Commanders. We are Chaosdramon's proxies on the battlefield. We speak for him in military affairs," the green Hurricane Commander explained brazenly.
"What about political affairs?" Mercuremon asked with a smirk.
"The emperor trusts our good judgment," Fujinmon responded calmly. "I take it that you wish to negotiate? It must be clear to an intelligent Digimon like yourself that your army is outmatched in every way."
"Indeed it is," Mercuremon conceded. "And, yes, I do wish to negotiate. However, there are many Digimon, PrinceMamemon included, who do not wish to simply give up and let the Metal Empire walk all over them."
Raijinmon frowned and looked at Mercuremon, scrutinizing him. "If your monarch wants to fight, then what are you doing here?" he questioned the royal advisor.
"His royal majesty can be stubborn and unreasonable," Mercuremon explained with a smile. "It often falls to me to choose the best path for the Mamemon Kingdom and allow him to take the recognition for it. It has been my job to work behind the curtain for the good of the kingdom. However… as a royal advisor, my loyalty is to the crown… not necessarily the king. PrinceMamemon would sacrifice this army and kingdom for his selfish pride. I simply want to make a deal that will ensure the Mamemon Kingdom's survival."
Raijinmon and Fujinmon exchanged subtly pleased looks. "You do realise that we hold all of the cards here," Raijinmon stated. "Whatever the terms for peace will be, they will be at our pleasure."
"I acknowledge that we have more to lose from fighting this battle than the D-Brigade does," Mercuremon agreed. He turned and looked at both commanders individually. "You could handily defeat us. However, I'm sure you both know that it wouldn't be a gentle stroll. We are still capable of causing a lot of pain and discomfort to you. Our army has high-powered lasers… smart and capable soldiers… and an unspeakable abundance of trash and fecal matter. They won't go down without a fight. I am sure that you would both like to avoid an unpleasant battle."
Raijinmon released a half-chuckle. "…If the terms are right," he responded. He eyed Mercuremon. "Are you in a place to do this?"
"All I need to do is speak to General PlatinumNumemon and tell him that the negotiation went well, and he will surrender," Mercuremon explained.
"And PrinceMamemon?" Raijinmon asked him.
Mercuremon smirked at his question. "…He won't be a problem if he is removed from power, will he?" he explained.
"Your true intentions revealed…" Fujinmon spoke, calmly observing the advisor. "I suppose you wish to take his place? That is the real reason why you are here, isn't it?"
"Am I that transparent?" Mercuremon asked with a soft chuckle. "But think about it… As long as he is in power, he will cause a stir. He has been rallying against the Metal Empire heavily, even seeking help from the Royal Knights. Wouldn't it be better if somebody sympathetic to the Metal Empire were in charge?"
"I suppose…" Fujinmon agreed. "So, what exactly is it that you want?"
"I propose this: I will hand you the 'keys' to the Mamemon Kingdom… and, in exchange, you help me remove PrinceMamemon from power and install me as the new king," the aristocrat explained. "Emperor Chaosdramon does want PrinceMamemon gone, does he not?"
Fujinmon looked at Raijinmon for his opinion. Raijinmon raised a hand to rub his metal chin pensively. "He does… but we need more than that," Raijinmon explained, his voice level and commanding. "He have suffered a humiliation in response to the actions of your king and we have invested a lot into this campaign. Such a deal would only be sufficient to the Emperor if we absorbed the Mamemon Kingdom into our empire as a client state. You will still be in charge of Mamemon Kingdom affairs, so long as you are loyal. We need somebody who is knowledgeable of this kingdom to be in charge anyways."
"And we will also need those blueprints back," Fujinmon added.
"That is acceptable to me," Mercuremon responded. "You can trust me with that responsibility."
Raijinmon extended his hand. "So, do we have a deal?" he questioned.
"Of course, Commander," Mercuremon replied, smirking as he shook Raijinmon's hand to solidify the deal. "I will go back and tell the general to surrender. Then, you may enter Haganemame City and we can pay PrinceMamemon a visit."
"Very well," Raijinmon spoke, retracting his hand with a satisfied expression. "Thank you for your cooperation."
Mercuremon bowed. "It is my pleasure, Commanders," he responded. He stood up with a smile and turned around to walk back towards the Mamemon Kingdom's army.
Fujinmon turned and looked at Raijinmon with a light grin. "That went well," he pointed out. "It seems you won't have to be called the Thundercrap Commander after all."
"Good. If so much as one fragment of dung hit me…" Raijinmon narrowed his eyes and folded his arms, shuddering at the idea. "Anyway… You should go and tell Suijinmon. I will go and tell our soldiers what is happening. I will have to write a letter to the Emperor as well."
"Very well," Fujinmon replied, gently stepping off the ground and rising into the air. "Wish me luck. I may need it."
"Good luck," Raijinmon spoke, nodding to him.
Fujinmon flew off towards the south of Haganemame City. As he did, Raijinmon turned around and began walking back to the D-Brigade army.
The golden cyborg strode towards his army, thinking to himself. "I consider that a victory…"
Black Pincer Company sat in their usual bar in Shroud – the Severed Arms. It was the early evening in the cloudy, shadowy city and they had returned from their mission to attack the Locomon Rail system. The bar was warm and the sharp, thick scents of alcohol and bar food filled the building. The bar was filled with rough-looking Digimon; it was hard to find an empty table since it was the peak hour for serving customers. The sound of chatter and loud chewing and drinking resonated in the air.
The three mercenaries sat in front of the bar counter, each with a drink in front of them.
"Ahhh…" Bolgmon sighed with contentment after knocking back a shot of Requiem Oil. "Nothing tastes better than a nice drink after finishing a job."
"Don't drink too much," Blitzmon advised him, nursing his pint of fizzling beer.
"Let him relax a bit," GrandisKuwagamon said with a grin. "We haven't been able to unwind in awhile. This makes a nice change."
"If you want to lug his heavy, drunken ass off to bed, be my guest, Grandis," Blitzmon responded, taking a sip from his drink.
GrandisKuwagamon chuckled. "Fine. Don't drink too much, gear head," he told Bolgmon.
"Whatever," Bolgmon dismissively responded, waving his battery arm. "Another shot here!"
The door of the Severed Arms opened so that another patron could walk in. GrandisKuwagamon casually looked over his shoulder to see who entered. His relaxed demeanour disappeared when he saw the Digimon who entered.
Dorbickmon stepped into the bar, looking for a drink to satisfy his thirst. The dragon mercenary began to walk up to the bar counter, but he stopped when he noticed Black Pincer Company sitting there. Dorbickmon locked eyes with GrandisKuwagamon, who was staring right back at him. On reflex, Dorbickmon looked away, pretending that he didn't recognize him.
He came to the bar to try to get some more information on Black Pincer Company and their client, but he didn't expect the three bug Digimon to be there themselves. However, he knew that, now that GrandisKuwagamon saw him, he couldn't just walk out or else he'd look even more suspicious. Dorbickmon decided to walk over to an empty table and waited to be served.
GrandisKuwagamon eyed Dorbickmon suspiciously for a bit longer before turning around. "Don't turn around. Dorbickmon's here," he said to Blitzmon and Bolgmon.
"Huh?" Bolgmon asked, beginning to turn his head.
Blitzmon grabbed hold of Bolgmon's horn to keep him from obviously looking over. "Don't look," he told him. Blitzmon let go and looked at GrandisKuwagamon. "…We don't know for sure that he's the one leaking our information, Grandis."
"No, but it's a damn good bet," GrandisKuwagamon responded, taking a bite out of the piece of meat on his plate. "…Somebody's trailing us and giving our information out to people. Don't you think it's a bit weird how he keeps showing up around us? First, it was at the inn where we were attacked after talking to Wizardmon. Then it was in Dragon's Peak, right before the Royal Knights came directly to our hideout. Now he's here again, in our regular. That's not suspicious?"
"I guess…" Blitzmon conceded. "It has to be someone, and it's not Wizardmon. That wouldn't make any sense."
GrandisKuwagamon looked across the counter at the Sagitarrimon bartender, who was busy filling a few glasses with amber-coloured ale. "Hey, Sagi!" he called out to the familiar bartender.
The draconic centaur turned and looked over at the three insects. "What's up, Grandis? I'm kinda busy," he responded.
"It'll be quick. D'you know that Dorbickmon over there?" GrandisKuwagamon asked him, subtly nodding over his shoulder to the crimson dragon man in question.
Sagitarrimon glanced over at Dorbickmon and then went to serve the drinks to a different part of the counter. Once he was finished, he walked back to where Black Pincer Company was. "Yeah, I've seen Dorbickmon around here. He comes in from time to time, but he started coming in here more than usual recently."
"Was he asking about us?" Blitzmon followed up.
"…Yeah, a few times," Sagitarrimon replied, although somewhat hesitant about answering. "Wondered where he could find you. And that Wizardmon client of yours too. Maybe he was looking for a job."
The three mercenaries exchanged looks with one another. All of them grew even more suspicious and ready to act.
Sagitarrimon noticed their demeanours change and began to regret his words. "Uh, you didn't hear it from me, though. Consider it an anonymous tip from a friend. I don't need the hassle, okay?"
Blitzmon narrowed his eyes and looked at GrandisKuwagamon. "…What d'you suggest we do?"
"We could grab him and then beat the truth out of him," Bolgmon suggested.
GrandisKuwagamon smirked. "I've got a better idea…"
Back in Haganemame City, PrinceMamemon paced back and forth inside his lavish palace bedroom. His expression was wrought with fear, disbelief and apprehension. His large, round body sweated profusely and he wrung his crown in his hands.
PrinceMamemon walked back out onto the balcony. He looked down onto the streets of Haganemame City and saw D-Brigade troops continuing to march into the city. They had been doing this for the past hour, securing key points in the city. There was no violence, but the situation was clear to the king: somebody had surrendered without his permission and now he was in deep trouble.
"I cannot believe that this is happening!" he exclaimed, walking back inside. "I am the king! How could this be happening?!"
The king's attention was diverted when he heard a knocking on the door of his royal bed chambers. PrinceMamemon turned towards the door. He had piled a table, several chairs, a lamp, and myriad pillows up against the door in order to barricade himself inside.
"Who is it?! Go away! I am not here! The king has absconded!" PrinceMamemon called out frantically without really thinking.
"It is Mercuremon, Your Majesty," Mercuremon stated calmly. "Open the door."
"Mercuremon! What in the Digital World is going on? Why have we surrendered!? Where are the Royal Knights?!" PrinceMamemon demanded, although still not opening the door. "Why is the D-Brigade traipsing through the city like they own the place?!"
"The Royal Knights are not coming," the royal advisor explained. "Open the door, if you please."
"I do not 'please'! I want to know what is going on, Mercuremon!" PrinceMamemon exclaimed agitatedly, tapping his foot. "You told me that you would deal with the Metal Empire!"
"That is exactly what I did, Your Majesty. This is what is best for the Mamemon Kingdom," Mercuremon explained from the other side of the door. "Now, please, open up."
"…No!" the Mamemon monarch stubbornly said.
Mercuremon sighed. "Very well… We will do this the hard way…" He turned to the Digimon beside him. "Commander, if you please?"
Suijinmon stepped up and raised his heavy, metal arms. "Infiltrating the barrier. Accel Arm!" he droned. The giant, red machine Digimon drove his giant arms into the door. The sturdy metal tore through the opening and released a shockwave that shattered the door, chairs, and table into splinters, and the pillows into shards of fabric and feathers.
"Gwah!" PrinceMamemon cried out, scampering into his walk-in wardrobe.
Raijinmon walked in first, followed by Suijinmon and Fujinmon. They entered the royal chambers and looked around, but couldn't immediately see PrinceMamemon.
"Where did he go?" Suijinmon asked, scanning the room. "I didn't hit that hard…"
Mercuremon sighed and walked inside after the three Storm Commanders. "Your Majesty? Please come out. You may want to show some dignity in your last few minutes as king," he advised him.
The closet door slowly opened and PrinceMamemon skulked out. After his sheepish appearance, PrinceMamemon's emotions suddenly came back to him. "Mercuremon! What is the meaning of this?!" he demanded, pointing at Mercuremon and completely ignoring the trio of commanders.
Mercuremon sighed and placed his hands on his hips. "Must I really spell this out for you as well, Your Majesty?" he asked with exasperation. "You are being overthrown."
"What?! No! I won't have it!" PrinceMamemon protested. "Tell the army to resist!"
"I have already told the army to surrender," Mercuremon explained, smirking smugly. "It is over, Your Majesty."
"What…?" the round, yellow monarch demanded, just now realising what had happened. "Mercuremon…? This is your doing?!"
"You have done this to yourself, PrinceMamemon," Mercuremon informed him. "I merely aided the transition."
"Why you… you… duplicitous, treacherous… two-faced…!" PrinceMamemon sputtered, glaring and clenching his trembling fists.
Raijinmon took a step towards PrinceMamemon and folded his arms. "PrinceMamemon, you have one of two options. You may either go into exile and never presume to return here, or be placed under arrest. Which do you prefer?"
PrinceMamemon glowered. "You… You… This is… unthinkable…!" he could barely manage.
Fujinmon stepped up beside Raijinmon. "Well, Your Majesty…?" he asked, eyeing the large sphere Digimon. "I apologise, but these are the terms that were agreed upon. You trusted Mercuremon with your authority, did you not?"
"I didn't mean it like this…! Mercuremon! You betrayed me! You betrayed the Mamemon Kingdom!" he declared, pointing his finger at Mercuremon accusingly.
"Be reasonable, Your Majesty," Mercuremon spoke, his voice free from guilt. "Instead of trying and failing to compete with the Metal Empire, it would be better to work under them as a client state. That way, we can truly prosper. We wouldn't have to worry about them trying to crush us. The loyal and hardworking will be rewarded."
"You mean you will be rewarded! You want this crown, is that it?!" PrinceMamemon declared, throwing his crown at Mercuremon.
Mercuremon calmly raised a shield and deflected the crown. "Gracefully accept defeat, Your Majesty."
"Indeed," Suijinmon spoke, meandering forwards and standing on the other side of Raijinmon. "…Your decision?"
PrinceMamemon took a few steps back with fear as he observed the three Storm Commanders before him. "I… I… You'll never take me alive!" he declared. "Smiley Warhead!" He ran towards the bedroom wall and crashed through the metal barrier, flying out of the palace and towards the ground.
The three D-Brigade Commanders watched as he landed on the ground in a roll. PrinceMamemon rolled for several meters before springing to his feet, unharmed. He then began dashing down the streets of Haganemame City, heading for the eastern exit. "I am going to my summer palace to meet with the Royal Knights!" he yelled over his shoulder at them. "Just you wait! Just you-!" He tripped and fell, rolling for a few more meters before jumping up again and continuing his sprint as if nothing had happened. "—wait!"
Suijinmon narrowed his eyes. "The Royal Knights? …Perhaps we should arrest him, after all."
"There is no need to worry about that," Mercuremon assured them. "He calls the Royal Knights his subordinates, but they don't take him seriously at all. He is a joke to them. It is rather embarrassing, really."
Raijinmon turned and looked at Mercuremon. "Even so, they won't come to his aid?" he asked. "They have been working against us all this time."
"Perhaps, but if that is true, PrinceMamemon won't make a difference in their opinion one way or another," the mirror Digimon explained.
"I suppose so," Fujinmon reasoned. "There is no sense in angering a compliant population by imprisoning their king."
"Indeed…" Mercuremon stated, folding his arms. "Well, I trust Emperor Chaosdramon will be pleased with this?"
Raijinmon walked to the balcony, gazing down at the thousands of D-Brigade soldiers marching through the streets of Haganemame City. He closed his eyes and nodded.
"Of course… This is what he wanted, after all…"
Dorbickmon sat at his table in the bar in Shroud. There was a mug of ale in his hand that he took a drink from every so often. He sat across from a Gigadramon, who he chatted with casually. More than either of these things, he was concerned with Black Pincer Company. The red mercenary occasionally glanced over at the group of three insects when they weren't looking.
"—and then I held my cannon to his face and yelled, 'you're not getting off until you pay me every bit of money we agreed!' He went as pale as a Bakemon and paid every bit!" the violet, serpentine, dragon cyborg exclaimed to Dorbickmon with a laugh.
Dorbickmon chuckled. "You gotta get tough with clients now and then. They think they know the game better than we do," he responded. "And they think that just because we're hired muscle, we can't do basic math."
"Ain't that the truth," the Gigadramon replied, taking a glug from his own drink.
"Anyway, good talkin' with you," Dorbickmon said, getting to his feet and nodding over his shoulder. "I'm gonna go pay up and get out of here."
"See ya," the cyborg dragon told him.
"Later," Dorbickmon replied, turning to his left. Just as he was about to walk over to the bar counter to pay for his drinks and food, he saw GrandisKuwagamon walking over to him. Blitzmon and Bolgmon followed after the black insect Digimon.
Dorbickmon internally cursed, but managed a grin when GrandisKuwagamon strode up to him.
"Look who it is," GrandisKuwagamon stated with a foreboding grin. "Dorbickmon, right?"
"Hey, you remembered," Dorbickmon responded, trying to smile disarmingly.
"Hard not to when we keep running into each other," the ebony mercenary spoke, a smirk in between his pincers. "Funny how that keeps happening, isn't it…?"
"What a coincidence, huh?" Dorbickmon responded, shrugging and maintaining his friendly grin.
"Then again, this is our usual bar," Blitzmon spoke up from behind GrandisKuwagamon, leering at Dorbickmon with suspicious eyes.
"Strange how we never really noticed around here until recently," Bolgmon added, wearing a broad, shit-eating smirk that was reflected in his narrow, gleeful eyes. "We know the faces of most of the Digimon in here. Yet you never really showed your face around us until that night we were attacked at the inn."
Dorbickmon couldn't help but grit his sharp, draconic teeth defensively. "Huh? I come here a lot. Ask around. People have seen me in here," he responded, although not wanting to sound too guilty. He grinned a bit. "I go to bars all over the continent. Cloudspire, Dragon's Peak, Dark Point, Shroud… I'm not picky as long as the grub's good."
"Yeah, we remember seeing you at Dragon's Peak…" GrandisKuwagamon spoke, looking Dorbickmon in his violet, draconic eyes. "We were talking with a client while you were in earshot. A day later, the Royal Knights attacked our hideout and raided the whole place."
"Damn. That's a bitch," Dorbickmon responded nonchalantly. He locked eyes with GrandisKuwagamon, revealing heavy intensity in his stare. "Hey… It sounds like you're implying something…"
GrandisKuwagamon was undeterred by his subtle warning. "Maybe I am…" he responded coolly. He smirked and looked around at the bar around him. It was teeming with mercenaries and criminals just like them. Most of them didn't care for the Royal Knights, and the Royal Knights certainly didn't care for them.
Suddenly, GrandisKuwagamon turned away from Dorbickmon and addressed all of the patrons on the bar. "Hey, everyone!" he called out, gathering the attention of the rough Digimon filling the tavern. "You know the Royal Knights?! The guys who are constantly on our backs and waiting for their chance to haul us into prison?!"
An outbreak of boos and swears were his response. Dorbickmon snarled in his throat, taking a step backwards and glaring at GrandisKuwagamon. He didn't like where this was going at all.
"Oh, you do, huh?" GrandisKuwagamon answered. He grinned and turned back to Dorbickmon. "Well, this guy – this big, ugly dragon right here – he's been working for the Royal Knights! Hell, he's been feeding them information about us! I know for a fact that Dorbickmon here leaked sensitive information about our merc company to the Royal Knights! They came down on our asses like a lightning bolt! I wouldn't be surprised if he's working on the rest of you guys as well!"
Dorbickmon felt a bead of sweat trickle down the back of his head. He clenched his claws and looked around the tavern, watching as menacing eyes full of anger and scorn began to settle on him from every direction. He could see Digimon beginning to rise to their feet – big ones. He felt a sinking feeling in his chest as watched as all of the Digimon around turned against him.
The dragon mercenary snarled at GrandisKuwagamon. "You lying bastards!" he growled, taking another step back and narrowing his eyes at him. "Where's your evidence?!"
"Tch. Evidence," Blitzmon responded, folding his arms and leering at the dragon. "Your actions right now are the only evidence we need. Your eyes, your words… Don't even bother denying it. We know liars."
"I bet you do! You're the biggest liars around! Don't listen to a bunch of data absorbers!" Dorbickmon shouted out in an increasingly desperate attempt to put doubt in the minds of the mercenaries that were starting to surround him.
"That's rich," Bolgmon said with a cackle. "If you guys want to leave a Royal Knight spy hanging around Shroud, that's your business. If you don't want first dibs, we're happy to take care of him ourselves. We'll just get to have all the fun!"
GrandisKuwagamon smirked. "But if you guys do want to help us teach him a lesson, the more the merrier," he explained. "Who knows what kind of useful or incriminating info he has?"
Sagitarrimon winced from behind the bar. He didn't like these developments one bit. "Grandis, wait—"
"Get him!" the massive, muscular form of a Vikemon shouted, leaping over a table and charging for Dorbickmon.
The whole tavern erupted and the mercenaries poured towards the dragon mercenary. The wave of angry criminals and mercenaries descended on Dorbickmon. Even the Gigadramon that Dorbickmon had been talking to flew up and drove his metal claw towards him.
Dorbickmon snarled and dodged the swipe, grabbing the Gigadramon by the arm and throwing him towards some of the charging mercenaries so that their path would be obstructed by his long, serpentine body. He turned and saw the Vikemon charging at him, preparing to grab him. Dorbickmon rushed forwards and drove his fist right into the Vikemon's snout. The giant polar bear growled and staggered back with pain, clutching his bleeding nostrils and crashing into some of the mercenaries behind him.
Black Pincer Company all grinned at their handiwork and hung back to watch the show from a safe distance.
A DeathMeramon took a swing at Dorbickmon with his chain-wrapped fist, but the dragon ducked under it and drove his fist into the humanoid Digimon's abdomen. The DeathMeramon was thrown onto a table, causing it to break under his weight. Next, a Mummymon released bandages from his arm that wrapped around Dorbickmon's forearm. However, the dragon man spewed a swath of fire out from his mouth that reduced the strands to ashes, using his Dragon Breath Tonic Fire attack.
Dorbickmon snarled and held his arm out, starting to summon his fiery blade to defend himself. "Tyrant Collbrande!"
However, right as he was summoning the flaming sword, the giant, leonine form of a Regulumon grabbed hold of Dorbickmon's right arm. He yanked Dorbickmon hard enough to release his hold on the sword, causing flames to be extinguished.
The Vikemon that Dorbickmon had punched ran over with blood staining his furry snout. He levelled a heavy blow with Dorbickmon's mouth, causing his head to jerk to the side. The Vikemon then grabbed hold of the dragon man's other arm and heaved him onto the table.
"Hold him down!" one of the angry participants shouted out.
Dorbickmon snarled and resisted stubbornly, squirming under the hold of the two muscle-bound Digimon. He could taste blood in his mouth from the savage punch, but it only served to fuel his adrenaline and make him fight back harder. As the two giant mammal Digimon pinned his arms on the table, he drove his foot up and kicked the Regulumon in the face.
With the mercenary recoiling in pain, Dorbickmon retracted his right arm and drove his fist into the Vikemon's face again. The giant polar bear snarled at the blow but retaliated by biting down hard on Dorbickmon's armoured hand, sending pain shooting through it. Dorbickmon growled and responded by slashing the Vikemon's cheek with his claws and then ripping some white fur out for good measure.
The Vikemon released a sharp yell of pain and anger. He quickly responded by open-palm punching Dorbickmon right in his face, sending his head back against his spiked collar. Regulumon was quickly upon the dragon again, drilling his fist into Dorbickmon's gut, tearing a garbled growl from the crimson dragon man.
"Keep him down! Use DeathMeramon's chains!"
"Yeah! Let's show him what happens to Royal Knight spies! Give him a lesson he won't forget!"
Dorbickmon grimaced as he felt a hand grab hold of his throat and pin him down. He tried kicking with his foot again, but another set of hands grabbed hold of his ankles.
"Damn… it…!" he snarled, gargling a mouthful of blood that pooled up in his maw after trickling in from his numb lips. "I don't… THINK SO!" he roared with adrenaline and fury. "Take THIS!"
He unleashed two blasts of fiery power from the gun ports on his pectoral muscles. The dual streams of fire slammed into the Regulumon and Vikemon, exploding upon impact and throwing the two Ultimate level Digimon off of him. The two jets tore through the ceiling and the blast was strong enough to cause the table he was lying on to collapse.
Free from the various holds, Dorbickmon had more freedom of action. He snarled and sat up, blood trickling from his mouth and his chest heaving. "Dragon Breath Tonic Fire!" he shouted, unleashing a torrent of flames from his mouth all around him in order to drive the mercenaries back.
As the flames swelled in the air around him, the endangered dragon merc used the opportunity to scramble to his feet and make a break for the door. He could see the threshold several meters away. He just needed to get there. Dorbickmon dodged a forceful swipe from a Callismon before he violently threw a WereGarurumon out of his way. Behind him, he could hear the sounds of the mercenaries gaining on him, so he summoned his sword once again. "Tyrant Collbrande!" he roared, igniting the massive broadsword of fire within his claws.
As he ran towards the exit, Dorbickmon swiped the blade behind him, cutting into the armour of a mercenary who began to close in on him. The Digimon flew back onto the mercenary behind him, causing a temporary obstruction. Dorbickmon used the opportunity to crash through the large doors and stagger out into the dark street. The mob of mercenaries, adventurers, and criminals began pouring out into the street after him, but they were slowed by the bottleneck that the relatively narrow exit created.
Dorbickmon grunted, panted, swore, and snarled as he sprinted down the stone street. The Tyrant Collbrande lit up the darkness as he ran. Aware that there were still mercenaries chasing after him, Dorbickmon stabbed the burning blade into the street as he ran, dragging it through the rock with all the strength that he could muster.
"Burning the Dragon!" he shouted, tapping into the Dragon Veins that ran throughout the Digital World. Shards of rock began tearing up from the street, breaking the concrete and sending pillars of rock shooting into the air, straight down the road. These served to act as further obstacles between Dorbickmon and his pursuers, who were beginning to lose ground to the adrenalized dragon.
Dorbickmon looked over his shoulder and saw that there was a good amount of distance between him and his attackers. This prompted him to extinguish the Tyrant Collbrande so that it would be easier for him to slip into the night.
The dragon man continued dashing up the road. He knew that he was still being chased, and that the Shroud police would be arriving in a matter of time. He snarled, blood dripping from his face, and kept running up the streets of the city. He knew that he had to get out of Shroud as quickly as possible.
Meanwhile, back at the Severed Arms, Black Pincer Company were enjoying themselves in the wake of the live entertainment.
"Hahaha! That was a hell of a show!" Bolgmon laughed. "Hope they catch up to the bastard!"
"Heh, even if they don't, he won't be a problem for us again, now that he's exposed," Blitzmon added with a dark smirk.
GrandisKuwagamon chuckled. He turned around to look at the Sagitarrimon bartender, who was looking thoroughly pissed. "Sorry, Sagi. Couldn't help myself," he told him, shrugging and grinning.
"Assholes… Look at this mess. You're helping to clean this up," Sagitarrimon told him with an annoyed glare, gesturing around at the spilled drinks, destroyed tables, and singed wood. "And you're paying for the damage."
"Add it to our tab," GrandisKuwagamon responded nonchalantly. He smirked and looked out the door, still hearing the sounds of the horde of mercenaries chasing after Dorbickmon.
"It was worth it to get a bit of sweet revenge…"