(Author's Notes: Here's the latest chapter! Sorry for the delay; holidays were busy. Anyways, with the end of the rise of the Demon Lords and the New Terminal Arc, we're now moving into a different arc of the story. We're still continuing the Demon Lord's war, but this felt like the right place to move into Act Three. There's times when I regret not separating the Metal Empire war and the Demon Lords war into their own individual stories, since Holy War is starting to seem pretty long, but we've come this far. With that said, I have the rest of the fic pretty much plotted out, so I do know where I'm going with everything. Thanks for sticking with me and I hope you continue to enjoy the story!
While the previous interludes were shorter, this one was originally a chapter, but I changed it into an interlude for ease. Enjoy and let me know your thoughts! Thanks for reading up to this milestone! Hope you continue to do so.)
Interlude: Act III
A few days passed since the Siege of New Terminal ended. Reconnaissance reports confirmed that the Demon Lords indeed left the territory of the Republic of Node and were returning north to the Gloaming Fields. Although nobody was naïve enough to assume that that was the end of it, it still felt as though a weight had been lifted off of the populous' collective shoulders.
The emergency level had been lowered to medium in New Terminal. The soldiers and politicians were beginning to relax, if only just. Some citizens began to return to the city to see how much damage had been caused and see just how much they had lost. The reconstruction efforts had already begun, with the Republic's military and the Royal Knights leading the charge. They worked together to rebuild the city wall and the damaged northern districts as best as they could.
Meanwhile, the many who were wounded in the battle continued to recover in hospital. The medical staff had been treating the patients around the clock. Fortunately for many of the wounded soldiers, they had been healed enough that they were able to be released.
Among the patients ready to be released was VictoryGreymon. After a few days of intense healing sessions, his wounds had mostly closed up and were now healing naturally. Despite his positive recovery, he had been told that he would need plenty of rest and that he would have several lasting scars across his chest.
VictoryGreymon didn't particularly mind that. After an emotional first day, he was now returning to his usual chipper and optimistic self. He was just glad that he and his friends and family were alive and well. While he was still sad about his dad's arm, he was grateful that it wasn't worse than it was. He wanted to make sure that his father had help adapting to the change.
For now, VictoryGreymon waited until he was officially discharged. He knew that his doctor was busy, so he waited patiently. The dragon man lay on top of his hospital bed. His muscular, orange body was garbed in white, button-up pyjamas that were patterned with miniaturized, chibi renditions of the Royal Knights. As he lay comfortably in bed, VictoryGreymon happily read a comic book about the Royal Knights' past adventures.
He was so engrossed in the story that he had read countless times before, he held the comic right up to his face. The corners of his snout curved into a wide smile as he watched a two dimensional rendition of Craniamon lunge in front of an attack to protect his friends with his shield.
"They're so cool!" VictoryGreymon murmured to himself with barely contained glee.
"Erm… VictoryGreymon?" a voice tentatively said.
VictoryGreymon blinked and he started to feel blood rush to his face. He had been holding his comic so close that he had obscured his vision to the door of his hospital room. The Ultimate level dragon man slowly lowered the book and peeked over the top of it.
To his surprise, he saw Paildramon standing in the doorway, looking sheepish. She was wearing her green and black armour, but he noticed the bandages wrapped around the exposed parts of her abdomen.
VictoryGreymon blinked, and he was unsure of how to react. The last thing that he remembered of her was her viciously attacking him in her Black Imperialdramon: Fighter Mode form. He didn't know what had happened to her after he blacked out, but SaviorHackmon mentioned that she was in hospital recovering. "Oh. Paildramon…" he uttered with surprise.
For a few moments, Paildramon stared at his bandaged body. She looked down a little, feeling immensely guilty. She knew she had hurt him severely – and if it hadn't been for GrandisKuwagamon, she probably would have killed him. As much as she couldn't bear to stand before him, she summoned her courage and looked at VictoryGreymon steadily. "…May I come in?"
VictoryGreymon blinked and lowered his comic book. "Oh, um, of course!" he exclaimed, a nervous smile forming on his face. "Come in. Please!"
Paildramon walked inside the room, but she didn't presume to approach the bed. She didn't want to make him uncomfortable. After her monstrous mode change and vicious attacks, she knew he was probably understandably nervous around her. Doing her best to respect his boundaries, she kept her distance and lingered near the door.
An uncomfortable silence filled the room. Neither of them really knew what to say first. VictoryGreymon was waiting for Paildramon to make the first move, but Paildramon wasn't sure how to begin.
Finally, she inhaled and broke the nervous quiet that permeated the room. "How are you feeling?" she hesitantly asked, gently clasping her clawed hands together.
"Me?" VictoryGreymon asked, pointing at himself. He put on a jovial smile, not wanting to make Paildramon feel bad about his wounds. "I'm great! The doctor said that I'm healing really good! The holy, restoration magic they used on me worked wonders; no permanent damage or anything. All my organs and stuff is where they should be. I guess I might have a few scars, but all heroes have some battle scars, don't they? Haha."
Paildramon released a worried breath. It didn't dispel her guilt, but she was happy that he wouldn't have any lasting damage because of her. "That's a relief."
VictoryGreymon smiled and nodded. "I'm getting discharged today," he explained. His green eyes drifted down to Paildramon's bandaged injuries. "Um, what about you? Are you gonna be okay? That looks bad."
A gentle wince flickered in Paildramon's eyes. "It isn't that bad. The physicians here have healed me enough that I should recover soon," she insisted, downplaying her wound. She already felt guilty enough without VictoryGreymon of all people worrying about her. His concern for her after what she did to him just made her feel worse.
"That's good. I was really worried about you," VictoryGreymon told her with a friendly smile.
Paildramon cringed and eyed the bedridden soldier. "VictoryGreymon…" she began. The over-sergeant hesitated. She formed the words in her mouth and she felt emotion stirring in her chest. She wanted him to know how sincere she was; the last thing she wanted was to come off as cold or disingenuous. For this, she allowed her guilt and regret to take control, just for a moment.
"I'm… I'm so sorry," she apologised, barely able to continue looking at him as she offered her heartfelt remorse. "I know words will never be enough to make up for what I did to you."
VictoryGreymon looked at her sadly. "Paildramon…" he sympathetically murmured. After a few moments of thought, he offered her a warm smile. "You don't have to apologise. I forgive you."
Paildramon tilted her head away from him. "How can you say that so easily?" she asked him, keeping herself from grimacing. "You were just trying to help me. I treated you like the enemy. I nearly killed you." She clenched her fist. "I was supposed to be leading you, and yet…"
The dragon man gently shook his head. "It wasn't your fault, Paildramon. You weren't yourself. You thought that your brother was dead…" he answered, trying to make her feel better.
"But he wasn't dead. I… I was wrong. I can't use that as an excuse," she explained. "I became a destructive maniac for no reason."
"You can't beat yourself up about it. You didn't know," VictoryGreymon insisted. "That battle was horrible. There was so much destruction everywhere. You couldn't have known that your brother was safe. And, even if he was, you had every right to be worried. It's no wonder you lost control."
"Even so, I shouldn't have let my anger take hold," Paildramon responded. "It was my own fault that I lost control. I can't just wash my hands of any responsibility."
VictoryGreymon slowly pulled himself into a sitting position, lifting himself up so that he wasn't sitting on his tail. Once he was upright, he levelled a reassuring smile at her. "You're my friend, Paildramon. The Black Imperialdramon I fought wasn't the real you. I know you… The real Paildramon is warm, kind, and helpful. She's just and disciplined and the best over-sergeant that I know," he explained to her ardently. He reached his arm out towards her, offering his hand. "The Paildramon who's standing in front of me is the real Paildramon."
Paildramon felt a pang of emotion inside of her at his kind words. She closed her eyes and smiled graciously. "Thank you, VictoryGreymon," she softly said in response. Paildramon walked forwards and took VictoryGreymon's hand, squeezing it and slowly helping him to his feet. "You're too kind. You're making me feel worse."
VictoryGreymon frowned. "…I am?" he asked, sheepishly rubbing his neck. "Oh. Sorry…"
A soft chuckle managed to escape Paildramon's lips. "Don't be. It just proves how nice of a Digimon you are," she assured him.
The dinosaur man laughed and continued to scratch the back of his head. "Gee, I don't know about that," he humbly said.
Paildramon smiled and sincerely gazed into VictoryGreymon's eyes. "…I mean it, VictoryGreymon. Thank you," she told him, letting go of his hand. "I can't repay you enough for what you tried to do for me, and for what I did to you."
VictoryGreymon lowered his arm and returned the smile. "You don't have to. That's what friends are for, after all," he told her.
The dragon woman nodded. "I hope that we can remain friends."
"Of course we can!" VictoryGreymon insisted. "It's not like I haven't made mistakes. Heck, I've probably done stupider things than most people. I screw up all the time…"
"You should give yourself more credit, VictoryGreymon," she informed him with an encouraging smile. "I might not remember much from that night, but one thing I do remember is you trying to get through to me. GrandisKuwagamon as well. I'll never forget that. You have inner strength and a big heart."
VictoryGreymon felt his cheeks turn red at the compliment. He always got embarrassed whenever anybody would praise him. "Aw, thanks, Paildramon," he answered amiably. "So do you."
Paildramon looked at the pyjama-clad reptile curiously. "Speaking of which… do you know what happened to GrandisKuwagamon?"
"Oh, um… SaviorHackmon said that he was taken into our custody," VictoryGreymon explained. A worried and thoughtful frown formed on his draconic face. "I think he was taken back to the Order's dungeons already. I was hoping to talk to him, but I'm not sure they'll let me near the dungeons after last time… which is understandable, considering how I messed up there…"
"I see…" Paildramon responded contemplatively. She was hoping to talk to GrandisKuwagamon too. There was a lot that she needed to say to him, and a lot that she needed to find out.
"Um… I know it might be hard to remember… but is it true what SaviorHackmon told me?" VictoryGreymon tentatively questioned. "That GrandisKuwagamon risked his life to protect me?"
In response to the question, Paildramon closed her eyes. She could still remember that moment of lucidity where she saw GrandisKuwagamon standing before her, bleeding heavily and trying to prevent her from killing VictoryGreymon. That was one of the few scenes from that night that was engraved in her memory. "…Yes, it is. He took my beam blast to protect you," Paildramon grimly confirmed. "I never would have thought it… but I'm glad that he did."
A small but warm smile formed on VictoryGreymon's face. "He saved my life? Gee... He really did change..." he affectionately said.
"Somehow… People don't just change without an impetus, though. He opened the gates to the city just hours before," Paildramon considered. "What happened?"
VictoryGreymon's cheeks flushed. "Well, um, I wouldn't know anything about him being impetus; him and I are just friends. All I did was made him open his eyes," VictoryGreymon responded modestly. He raised an eyebrow and thought to himself. "Er… 'eye'. Um… wait, bugs don't have eye lids, do they? So I guess he couldn't even open them – I mean, it."
Paildramon smiled a little at the clumsy dinosaur man. "I know what you mean, Victory," she assured him. "You must have done a great job convincing him. We both know how stubborn GrandisKuwagamon is."
VictoryGreymon grinned goofily and rubbed the muscles of his large neck. "He is, but he's not that bad of a guy deep down. All I did was make him realise that. He even surrendered voluntarily."
The female dragon folded her arms and nodded, thinking carefully. "I see… I guess we both have a lot to say to him," she mused. "Anyways… I should get going. Now that I'm being discharged, I need to report in to Captain Ouryumon and Leftenant HippoGriffomon to explain myself."
"Good luck. I hope they aren't too hard on you," VictoryGreymon wished her. He walked towards a bag resting on the chair against the wall, his orange tail swaying behind him.
It was then that Paildramon noticed VictoryGreymon's unusual pyjamas. She had been so focused on apologising to him, that she hadn't really registered what he had been wearing. "Are those… Royal Knight pyjamas?" she couldn't help but ask.
"Yeah! I bought them especially! They're a collector's item," VictoryGreymon declared proudly. "They were pretty expensive since they had to be custom fit for my body, but they're so awesome and comfy. Do you like 'em?"
Paildramon smiled. He really was a devout Royal Knight fanboy. "They suit you," she replied.
"Thanks!" he enthusiastically replied. VictoryGreymon smiled sheepishly. "I was gonna ask the tailor to add a cape on the back, but the last time I wore a cape, I ended up in the hospital…"
"Oh…" Paildramon awkwardly replied. "Uh… Anyways, I've been told that the Strike Forces are heading back to the Free Area today. You mentioned that you're being discharged?"
"Yup! Doctor Stingmon said that she'd be back with the paperwork soon," VictoryGreymon replied. "Tell them I'll be by soon. I just want to say bye to Dad before I go. I need to make sure he's okay and that he won't be alone with his injury."
"Alright. I will," Paildramon responded, walking to the door of the room. She stopped in the threshold and turned to look at him. "Thank you again, VictoryGreymon. For being so understanding. It's more than I deserve."
VictoryGreymon shook his head. "It's not. And it's no big deal. Really…"
"It is to me. Anyways, I'll see you soon," Paildramon told him. The armoured dragon gave him a nod and walked out of the room. She began walking down the hospital corridor towards the exit.
Alone in the room, VictoryGreymon looked down and tugged at his Royal Knight pyjamas. Suddenly, a realisation dawned upon him.
"…Uh oh. Black Imperialdramon destroyed my breastplate in the battle. Should I wear these to roll call?"
Elsewhere in the hospital, Alphamon stood outside of an operating theatre. He wore his dusky armour over his bandaged body. After a few days of rest and treatment, he had been told that his wounds were healing well. Knowing this, he felt like he had permission to be more active in the aftermath of the battle.
The news that the Demon Lords had retreated gave the Royal Knights a sense of reprieve. At least they didn't have to worry about the Demon Lords attacking somewhere else for at least a little while. They felt as though they had some temporary breathing space to act as they wanted.
Standing in the hallway with Alphamon were Ouryumon and Dynasmon.
Ouryumon sported bandages all over his body. His aggressive combat style usually meant that he was in the thick of the fighting, which usually caused him to get injured more. The snake-like dragon stood up straight so as not to block the hallway. His arms were folded across his chest and he tapped his foot impatiently.
"That specialist from the Heavenly Choir has been in there for ages. What's taking so damn long?" Ouryumon asked irritably, attempting to look inside the operating theatre.
Alphamon frowned and pressed his winged back against the stone wall. "It is a serious wound, Ouryumon. DORUgoramon's life hangs in the balance. They need to be very careful," he explained.
Ouryumon scowled and he resumed pacing back and forth in front of the entrance. His claws subconsciously fingered the hilts of the Gairyu scimitars that hung at his sides.
The dark knight watched as Ouryumon marched agitatedly. He knew that Ouryumon was worried, although he didn't outwardly admit it. He was sure that the gold dragon felt helpless. Alphamon had to admit that he felt the same way. A lot had happened between the three of them, but Alphamon still considered DORUgoramon a friend of his. He suspected Ouryumon must feel the same, despite his acrimonious objections to the contrary.
Dynasmon placed his hands on his hips and looked over at Alphamon. "It looked pretty bad when I got there. What did Lilithmon do, exactly?" he wondered.
"She stabbed him," Alphamon responded grimly. "It seems her claw was lined with some sort of poison or virus, so it was causing his data to corrode. If they can't treat it, he will die. Even if they can, they don't know the extent of the damage."
"Damn Demon Lords…" Dynasmon growled, removing his hand and squeezing it into a tight fist. He put aside his own anger and eyed Alphamon with concern. "You gonna be okay, buddy?"
Alphamon looked back at Dynasmon and smiled reassuringly. "I'll be fine," he insisted, not wanting Dynasmon to worry about him. Despite his words to the contrary, he feared for DORUgoramon.
The door of the operating theatre suddenly opened, and appearing behind it was a Piccolomon wearing gloves and a sanitary facemask. The faerie Digimon turned his beady eyes towards Alphamon and flew over to the much larger Digimon. "Excuse me. You are a friend of Councillor DORUgoramon, correct?" he questioned.
"Yes, I am," Alphamon replied. He stood up from the wall and straightened his posture. "Is there a problem?"
The Piccolomon shook his head, and, by extension, his whole body. "Not as such… I merely wished to give you an update, pi. And if you could pass the word on to the other Councillors as well, that would be appreciated, pi," the healer requested.
"Of course. What is the situation?"
"I am afraid that there is good news and bad news," Piccolomon explained, frowning. "The HolyAngemon who specialises in demonic afflictions has confirmed that the wound has been blighted by a corrosive virus. He has been working had to pour holy magic into the wound to counter it. Fortunately, we have been able to stop the spread of the corrosion from destroying any more data. However, it will be days before we eradicate the toxin completely."
Alphamon frowned at the news. At face value, the medical prognosis sounded good, but the way that Piccolomon said it left Alphamon feeling that there was more to it. "So… what does that mean for DORUgoramon?"
"The problem is that, although we stopped the spread of the decay, until the toxin is eradicated from his system, his data will be unable to heal. At present, it seems as though his data is not rewriting. In layman's terms, that means that his injuries will not be able to heal, pi," Piccolomon informed him. "Councillor DORUgoramon is currently in a coma. He will likely need to stay in that coma for the foreseeable future. He has a deep hole in his back from the initial wound, you see. It will not be able to heal until his data starts to rewrite itself again. Even in unconsciousness, he is in unthinkable pain. Until the toxin fades, we have to keep his wound from bleeding and becoming further infected. We have to keep him heavily sedated, and we are unsure how long the process will take, pi."
A wince formed on Alphamon's face, but he nodded in understanding. "I see."
Ouryumon growled a little and he scratched his head with impatience and irritation. "What the hell does that mean? Is he going to recover or not?" he demanded.
Piccolomon glanced over at the tall dragon. "If his body is strong enough to endure the trauma, pi," he plainly stated. "I'm afraid I cannot give you any clearer information than that. Once the week passes, we should have a clearer picture, pi."
Alphamon thought to himself for a few moments, but nodded calmly. "Thank you for filling us in, Doctor," he told the small, pink, faerie. "I will make sure that the Councillors know."
The Piccolomon nodded and turned around, flapping his tiny, cherubic wings and proceeding back into the operating theatre. As the doors swung open, Alphamon was able to see inside the circular, aseptic room. He could see the unconscious body of DORUgoramon lying on his stomach on top of an operating table. There was a large, white cloth over his back, with a hole cut in the middle to access the open wound. Standing beside DORUgoramon was a HolyAngemon with blood-spattered gloves on his hands. He was pouring a warm, golden light from his hands into the deep hole in the middle of the dragon's back.
Alphamon's eyes softened as he stared at DORUgoramon's face. He thought a quiet prayer to Yggdrasil on the Councillor's behalf, hoping that he would pull through. As he did, he quietly reminded Yggdrasil that he specifically made DORUgoramon, Ouryumon, and himself for a reason. Although he didn't know what exactly that reason was, Alphamon trusted that Yggdrasil had a design behind it. The god of the Digital World always did. That was why Alphamon had to trust that DORUgoramon would survive. At least, he sorely wished that he would.
"I suppose that's all we can do here," Alphamon spoke, turning to Ouryumon and Dynasmon. "We should go and meet with the others."
"Sure. If you're both ready," Dynasmon's deep voice rumbled. "I just wish that Piccolomon guy wouldn't keep saying 'pi' when he's supposed to be delivering bad news…"
Alphamon smiled a little and turned to Ouryumon. "Ouryumon?"
Ouryumon winced and looked towards the door reluctantly. "…Yeah, fine," he agreed, pulling his eyes away from the theatre. "Damn bastard better be too stubborn to die."
Dynasmon smiled at the pair of them. "I'm sure he will be. Don't underestimate us stubborn dragons," he optimistically suggested, placing his hands on his friends' backs. "Come on. Duftmon will throw a fit if we're late."
Alphamon nodded and began walking through the hospital wing. Fortunately, as more patients were healed, they were released over time and the hospital became less busy as a result. It wasn't as chaotic and flooded with physicians and soldiers as it had been right after the battle.
"At least DORUgoramon's not getting any worse anymore," Ouryumon muttered, folding his arms as he followed the two Digimon, lagging behind somewhat due to his short legs.
"Still, he is in a coma," Alphamon realistically considered. "You heard what Piccolomon said, even if he recovers, he will be out of action for some time. That will have some serious implications."
Ouryumon cocked one of his scaly eyebrows and looked down at the shorter Digimon. "What do you mean?" he wondered.
"The Council of Seven. With DORUgoramon out of action, that leaves only six Councillors remaining," the Knight of the Empty Seat explained, raising his finger as he looked over his shoulder. "As it stands now, the Council of Seven are split into two camps. On one side is the anti-Demon Lord faction of DORUgoramon, Angewomon, Butenmon, and Imperialdramon. On the other side is the pacifistic faction of Rosemon, Okuwamon, and MegaSeadramon. With DORUgoramon unable to perform his duties, if the discussion of war comes to a vote, it will be a three-three split. Basically, the Council is at an impasse. There is no guarantee that they will agree to help us fight the Demon Lords."
"What?!" Ouryumon balked with disbelief.
Dynasmon turned his white, horned head and glanced at his friend. "How do you know what?"
"Straight from the dragon's mouth," Alphamon replied. "Councillor Imperialdramon told me that that's what the political situation is right now, so we shouldn't hold our breaths."
Ouryumon growled and clenched his clawed hands, causing the purple fabric of his gloves to strain. "How can any of them not want to fight the Demon Lords after that they did to our city?!" he demanded.
"It's precisely because of what the Demon Lords did to our city that they are reluctant to fight," Alphamon responded. "It's understandable. The damage to New Terminal has been great, and many Republican soldiers have lost their lives. They don't want to lose even more than they have in a war that they wanted nothing to do with in the first place. If they declare neutrality in this war between the Demon Lords and ourselves, they think that the Demon Lords will be too cowed after their retreat to bother attacking again."
"Sounds like cowardice to me," Ouryumon snarled.
Alphamon frowned. "I disagree with them, but I understand their point. The pacifist faction are administrators, not warriors. The Republic of Node's army was already damaged during the Battle of Saversburg months ago. They aren't sure they can sustain a prolonged war, and with DORUgoramon incapacitated, they want to realign the Republic's priorities. Meanwhile, the militant faction wants to officially declare war on the Demon Lords. They believe that it would damage the Republic's prestige if they don't stand up for themselves and avenge the fallen after these brutal attacks," he explained.
The knight sighed, and readjusted his chest armour so that it rested more comfortably on his sore body. "DORUgoramon would have been at the head of this call for war. But he isn't, so the debate is deadlocked. This means that unless DORUgoramon recovers or one of the Councillors switches sides, we can't expect to rely on the Republic of Node for support."
Dynasmon casually rubbed the back of his head as he walked into the hospital lobby. "Well… that's just great," he muttered.
Alphamon nodded slightly. "This sort of impasse is the same reason why I want to find a thirteenth member of the Royal Knights," he explained.
"Oh yeah, you mentioned that recently," Dynasmon remembered. "Have you thought of anybody yet?"
"We've been pretty busy lately. I'm still thinking about it, but there is somebody who recently caught my eye," Alphamon answered with a cryptic smile.
"Oh… It's me, right?" Ouryumon asked, looking down at Alphamon with an expectant smile.
Alphamon turned his head and stared up at Ouryumon uneasily. An awkward silence ensued as Alphamon realised who he was with, and how this very issue had caused upset with Ouryumon in the past.
After a few tense seconds, Ouryumon chuckled and punched Alphamon's shoulder. "Relax! I'm kidding. I don't even want your stupid Royal Knight position anyways," Ouryumon teased, sticking his narrow, reptilian tongue out at Alphamon. "I see how much paperwork you guys do. Nah, I'm good with being the coolest Captain around. I'll just keep kicking ass in battle while you guys do all the boring stuff."
As relief washed over him, Alphamon smiled. "Well, then… I didn't know I was so boring," he teased in response.
"You've always been a little boring," Ouryumon told him with a smirk.
The ebony Royal Knight chuckled a bit. Although they bantered, on the inside, Alphamon was appreciative of Ouryumon's words.
He had been worried about how Ouryumon would react when he told him that he was looking for a thirteenth Royal Knight. He had always wanted to join the Royal Knights, and he had been jealous of every new knight that they appointed. However, after the final battle against DarkKnightmon and their subsequent talk, Ouryumon hadn't mentioned becoming a Royal Knight since. It seemed that all he really wanted was to feel like Alphamon's equal. Alphamon felt proud to hear Ouryumon so casually talking about not being a Royal Knight, and he really believed that Ouryumon was being sincere. It seemed as though he really had grown.
"So, who is it then?" Dynasmon pressed with a broad grin on his face. "Tell me so that I can start picking on them."
Alphamon continued to smile mysteriously. "Simply somebody who impressed me over this last operation with their potential. You will see in due time."
"Ugh, you're so damn coy," Ouryumon complained, playfully elbowing Alphamon's arm.
As they spoke, the three Royal Knights walked into the hospital foyer and left the building. They were greeted by the sun's spring rays and the light poured across their armoured bodies as they stepped out of the darkness of the hospital. Most of the tents had now been cleared from the courtyard, with only one first aid tent remaining off to the side.
Ahead of them, they saw Duftmon waiting, tapping his foot, and checking his wrist watch. The rest of the Royal Knights were gathering around him.
Duftmon flicked his locks of immaculate blond hair backwards and turned his gaze towards Alphamon. "There you are," he spoke, doing his best to hide his impatience.
Dynasmon grinned broadly and walked over to the tactician, putting an arm around his shoulders. "Aww, you were waiting for us!" he teased jovially.
Duftmon's body tightened and he curtly shrugged Dynasmon's arm off of his shoulders. "Yes, I was. Please refrain from physical contact; I don't know what sorts of places your sweaty hands have been, nor do I wish to know."
Magnamon walked past them and greeted Alphamon and Ouryumon as they approached. "How is DORUgoramon?" he asked, looking up at them.
"He is still in a critical condition," Alphamon explained with an austere expression. "He may recover, but it is too soon to tell. Needless to say, he will be out of action for the foreseeable future."
A figure in dark hakama, strode down the stone courtyard and approached the group of Royal Knights. "In short, it means that we will be unable to help you," he said.
The twelve Royal Knights and three Captains turned and saw Gaioumon walking towards them. The Council's Sitting Advisor stopped respectfully at the outer edges of the group and looked towards where Alphamon and Duftmon were standing.
Ouryumon scowled upon seeing his fellow draconic samurai. "Oh, it's you…" he distastefully spoke, folding his arms.
Gaioumon ignored Ouryumon and looked at Alphamon. "Unfortunately, the vote this morning on whether to declare war resulted in a stalemate."
Duftmon folded his arms and nodded. "As I expected," he concluded. "The Council of Seven is disunified."
Dukemon narrowed his eyes and stepped forwards from his place beside Examon and Omegamon. "I can't believe that they don't even want to avenge what the Demon Lords did to DORUgoramon," he protested.
Gaioumon's eyes momentarily shifted in Dukemon's direction. "To declare war based solely on vengeance would be folly," he told the crimson knight. "There are strategic and practical interests to consider over one's baser emotions."
"I agree with Gaioumon in principle, however, this deadlock is unfortunate for our purposes," Duftmon spoke, tapping the end of his rapier against his ankle. "As it stands, our only known ally against the Demon Lords are the Heavenly Choir, and neither of us have committed to any sort of military cooperation. We do not even know if they will decide to fight any battles on Eniac."
"Hey, we can count on the Warrior Ten at least," Dynasmon spoke up confidently. He looked towards Gaioumon pointedly. "There's no way that AncientGreymon and the others would just let the Demon Lords randomly attack and conquer random places."
Gaioumon leered at Dynasmon, acknowledging the needling comment, but chose to remain quiet.
"Be that as it may, the Warrior Ten are little more than an undisciplined band of ten friends who act as a adventurers, albeit powerful ones," Duftmon commented disparagingly. "They are hardly a professional army."
"They're not unprofessional. They helped carry the Heavenly Choir while we sat around and waited in the Heavenly War," Dynasmon defended his friends.
"I am sure that AncientGreymon will involve them whether anybody asks them or not," Gaioumon calmly spoke, although there was an undercurrent of contempt in his voice.
"At least he's reliable," Ouryumon indignantly declared, throwing a few not-so-subtle barbs in Gaioumon's direction.
Gaioumon, again, ignored the golden dragon. "Regardless, my apologies that I do not have any better news. Until DORUgoramon recovers, I do not expect the situation to change," he explained. "At most, the Republican army will organise to defend its own territory against further attacks."
"Thank you, Gaioumon," Alphamon told him. "Your tactics during the battle surely helped to limit the damage."
"They weren't that good," Ouryumon petulantly muttered to himself.
Gaioumon glanced at Ouryumon and then nodded at the Royal Knights. "I wish you luck in your future ventures. It is… regrettable that we cannot be of any service at the moment," he coolly told them. "I am sure that if DORUgoramon survives, we may be able to join you later. Until then, perhaps we can come to an agreement regarding military access and logistical support."
"Yes, thank you," Duftmon answered, eyeing Gaioumon charily.
Gaioumon looked around at them, politely bowed, and then turned to leave.
The Royal Knights stood and watched as the sitting advisor departed the hospital courtyard.
"…I can't stand that guy," Dynasmon muttered, shameless in his hostility. "He's a cold fish and twice as slimy."
"Yeah, me neither," Ouryumon was quick to agree, crossing his arms and glaring at the samurai as he walked off.
"Getting back on topic," Captain Knightmon tentatively spoke up. "What do we do now? The Strike Forces and Defence Forces are waiting outside of the southern gate of New Terminal, currently awaiting orders."
"I suggest that we head back now," Magnamon proposed, looking around at the others. "Unless we chase the Demon Lords down, which I think we agreed was a bad idea, then we'd might as well go back to Castle Albion and continue preparing our campaign."
"Why bother?" Gankoomon argued. "Our army's already out here. It feels like a waste to go all the way back south if we're just going to march north again."
"We were called out here before we were ready," Examon explained. "We had to hurry to protect New Terminal, but we weren't prepared to launch our campaign yet. The Demon Lords' sudden attack kind of put a wrench in our plans."
Duftmon nodded. "The dragon is correct. Our strategy must be adjusted accordingly. And what do you expect us to do in the meantime?"
"We can't exactly keep our army camped outside of New Terminal either," Alphamon agreed. "It won't do the population any good. We would just be in the way and using up resources, not to mention making everybody nervous that we are inviting another attack. Now that the reconstruction is well underway, I believe that it would be best if we returned to our base for the time being."
Gankoomon shrugged. "Well, fine. Back to the castle it is. Gotta make sure Hackmon is properly disciplined anyways."
"Any objections?" Alphamon asked, looking around.
Dukemon folded his arms. "Well… I still think it would be better to chase the Demon Lords down, but… I guess some of you are kinda hurt from the battle. It'd be better for you all to recover." He looked at Alphamon and UlforceVeedramon. "Especially you two."
UlforceVeedramon attempted to fold his arms with his arm sling, and proceeded to wince with pain. "I'm f-fine! Don't worry about me. The Ulforce is doing wonders!" he insisted.
Alphamon smiled a bit. "I agree. We have some business to sort out back at the castle anyways. If any of you want to stay here to keep an eye on things, feel free. If not, let's get moving."
None of the Royal Knights had any objections. New Terminal seemed to be recovering well enough, and the Republic's military had taken control of the defence and reconstruction efforts. It was clear that they didn't need the Royal Knights at the moment, and with the Council at an impasse, there wasn't any point in them staying any longer. They doubted that the Demon Lords would attack here again, at least for awhile.
All twelve of Royal Knights plus the Captains proceeded to move as a group to the southern gates of the city.
As they walked, they saw soldiers and civilians lining the streets to see them off. As the procession of knights made their way down the central street, they were greeted with cheers, waves, and gratitude from many who they had helped to save. Some of the Royal Knights, like Magnamon, Sleipmon, RhodoKnightmon, and UlforceVeedramon, soaked in the praise. Gankoomon, Duftmon, and Craniamon simply ignored the cheers and proceeded on their way. The others politely waved or responded to their gratitude with varying degrees of confidence and humbleness.
"Thank you, Sleipmon! You're so cool!"
"Haha, it was really nothing," Sleipmon light-heartedly said to a gushing fan. "We were just doing our jobs…"
"I love you, Magnamon!" a child cried out. "Sign my autograph!"
"Sign my cast!" a soldier said, rushing over with his friends.
"Heh. You're too kind," Magnamon exclaimed coolly to his own gathered fans. He smiled with proud satisfaction as he took in the attention and praise. The ostentatious knight happily took out his trusty pen from a pocket underneath his chest armour. "Of course I'll sign your cast. A hero can't turn down one of his fans, after all."
"Can I feel your muscles too?!"
In contrast to the Royal Knights who liked being the center of attention, a shy Omegamon stuck close to Alphamon. He furtively used his larger, caped body as a shield against the effusive praise that was showered upon them.
Alphamon noticed the white knight walking just a bit closer and smiled, allowing himself to absorb some of the focus away from him. He knew that Omegamon never did feel comfortable being showered with applause or recognition, particularly when he felt that he was simply doing his job.
Personally, Alphamon didn't mind the attention, nor did he particularly bask in it. He knew that their renowned status was simply part of the job as heroes. It had been a long time time since the Royal Knights had caught the imagination of Digimon across the Digital World, and they had become something of unintentional celebrities due to their heroics. He accepted that not all of the Royal Knights were comfortable with it, as many joined the Order simply to save people.
Still, Alphamon also knew that such admiration meant that they were doing their job right. While certainly not everybody loved them, many trusted the Royal Knights in their job as defenders of Network Security. When they first started the Order, this was far from a given. Although they didn't always succeed, Digimon looked to them for protection. That was why they had to see their campaign against the Demon Lords through to victory.
As the Royal Knights past underneath the southern gates, Alphamon looked over his shoulder. He gazed at his home city behind him.
When he had left Castle Albion to go there, he hadn't been certain that he would see New Terminal again. He felt relieved that they had managed to prevent the city's capture and destruction, if only just. However, the feeling was bittersweet. They had only barely fended the Demon Lords off. His friend was badly wounded, and Alphamon feared that DORUgoramon would be only the first of many.
Still… New Terminal persevered. There was no guarantee, but Alphamon hoped that they all would persevere. This brutal siege just proved to him how dangerous the Demon Lords really were.
Their collective resolve was strengthened. Although they were returning to their castle to regroup, the Royal Knights were determined to challenge the threat that the Demon Lords posed. They knew that they had to win, or else more tragedy would befall the Digital World.
The collective military of the Order's Strike Forces and Defence Forces was gathered outside of the gates of New Terminal. They stood clear of the main road to allow civilians to pass through unobstructed. They also stayed away from the Locomon Railway tracks that were about a kilometer to the east of them now that transit to New Terminal had been allowed to resume.
The Strike Forces and Defence Forces were grouping up into their respective units and squads to make for an orderly journey. The officers organised their soldiers and prepared them for the coming journey home.
SaviorHackmon watched as the Strike Forces gathered nearby. He could see some of his fellow recruits getting into orderly lines near the elite squads of the Aerial Strike Forces. They followed their orders to the letter, immediately falling into line under Leftenant HippoGriffomon's orders.
As he watched, SaviorHackmon glanced down at the bandages that were firmly wrapped around his metal-plated arm and waist to support his injuries. The steel dragon man was a bit subdued. His citrine eyes seemed lost in thought as he stared at his fellow recruits. With a slow and tentative movement, he raised his bladed foot and began to walk towards them.
As he did, there was a small and gentle hand on his unbandaged arm. He looked down and saw a girl in white garb looking up at him.
Sistermon Blanc stood beside him, looking up at him with concern, a bored Sistermon Noir waited nearby for them to get moving. "SaviorHackmon, you're still recovering from your injuries. We can always take the Locomon Rail instead of walking the whole way. It's free for members of the Order right now."
"No, Blanc-chan," SaviorHackmon adamantly responded. He frowned and gazed down at his injured arm. "I don't want any special treatment. I already feel like I'm getting let off the hook more than I should..."
Sistermon Noir bent down and looked over at SaviorHackmon. "Hey, Hackie!"
SaviorHackmon turned towards her. "Yeah-?!"
Right as the dragon man turned a small rock beamed off of his steel forehead and ricocheted upwards. "OW!" he cried out, clutching his head with surprise. He glared at her. "Why did you do that?!"
Sistermon Noir smirked and placed her hands on her hips. "Hey, you said you didn't want any special treatment. That's what Gankoomon would do if you were feeling sorry for yourself."
SaviorHackmon grumbled and rubbed the sore but minor bump on his head. "I'm not sulking. I just want to be treated like a normal Strike Forces recruit," he explained. "I don't want any preferential treatment."
"Then get your shiny metal butt over there and stop running off to do stupid, heroic stuff," Sistermon Noir blithely stated, never one to pull her punches. "You're the one who keeps making yourself special by trying to do everything by yourself."
SaviorHackmon frowned and looked down at the ground. As much as he didn't like to admit it, he knew that she had a point. He supposed he didn't have any right to complain when he was the one who asked Gankoomon if he could come with the advance team. "…Okay, I will," SaviorHackmon declared firmly, about to make his way over to the others.
Sistermon Noir grinned mischievously and looked behind them, towards the city gates. "Oh, but first… Hey, Blanc-chan! Your dream boyfriend is headed this way!"
Sistermon Blanc was about to protest, but she turned to see Magnamon breaking off from the separating group of Royal Knights and heading towards them. She immediately squeaked with abject terror and jumped behind SaviorHackmon's cape, clutching it with a vice-like grip that physically prevented SaviorHackmon from walking away.
"Heeey, Magnamon, Sir~" Sistermon Noir waved him over, taking great glee out of tormenting her sister.
Magnamon smiled and walked over to the three. "Oh, hey there," he greeted, casually saluting the three.
SaviorHackmon immediately stood up straight and spun to face Magnamon, saluting him vigorously. "Sir Magnamon-shishou!"
Magnamon chuckled and placed his hands on his hips, taking on a comfortably heroic stance. "At ease, SaviorHackmon," he told him. It was then that he noticed a pink, fuzzy ear sticking out from behind SaviorHackmon. "Oh, hey, Sistermon Blanc. I didn't see you there," he greeted with a friendly smile.
Sistermon Blanc sheepishly poked her head out from behind SaviorHackmon. Her face was bright red and the cute rabbit face that formed her pink habit was also somehow wincing tightly. "Um… H-H-Hi… Sir…" she barely was able to say, her voice a soft murmur.
"What are our orders, Sir?" SaviorHackmon asked him, looking down at the golden knight with the utmost respect.
"We're heading out in ten minutes. Think you're up for the trip? We can get you some help if you want," Magnamon offered, glancing at SaviorHackmon's various injuries.
"No, thank you, Sir! I'll be fine. I'd like to walk with the others, Sir," SaviorHackmon insisted.
"If you're sure. I hear you went toe-to-toe with Demon by yourself," Magnamon mentioned, tapping his blue hand on his hip. "I'm amazed you held your own."
SaviorHackmon blushed and sheepishly looked down at himself. He really didn't think that he deserved any praise for what had happened in Hope's Crest. "W-Well, I didn't really, as you can see…" he murmured, gesturing to his bandages.
"You survived. Against the Demon Lords, that's a victory on its own," he assured the young dragon man with a smile. "Still, you need to be able to pick your battles too."
SaviorHackmon bowed his head and nodded. "Yes, Magnamon-shishou. I'm sorry."
"Hey, I've been there before a few times, as much as I hate to admit it. Sometimes a hero can get carried away trying to prove something to him or herself," Magnamon advised him with a grin. "Still, you three all did a good job in those battles. You held out long enough for us reinforcements to arrive. And I heard that you saved VictoryGreymon and Paildramon. That's something to be proud of."
SaviorHackmon smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Sir..."
"Th-Thank you," Sistermon Blanc squeaked shyly, still blushing heavily and hiding the bottom half of her face behind SaviorHackmon's cape.
Magnamon nodded. "Well, I'm sure Gankoomon's looking for you, and we need to get moving soon, so we should get into position," he told them.
"Yes, Sir," SaviorHackmon responded, saluting his senior officer as Magnamon passed by them. "And, can I just say that I'm sure you were awesome during the battle?"
Magnamon grinned with charming confidence at having his ego stroked further. "Thank you… but I really didn't do that much," he answered with faux-humility. He winked at them, gave them a suave salute, and continued striding towards the rest of the Royal Knights.
"Magnamon's so kind to everybody…" Sistermon Blanc murmured dreamily, swooning as she watched the Royal Knight walk away.
"Oh boy…" Sistermon Noir muttered with a roll of her eyes. "Blanc's gone to la-la land now."
"Sir Magnamon is amazing though…" SaviorHackmon agreed thoughtfully. After a moment, he tried to walk away, but he found that his cape was still trapped in Sistermon Blanc's vice-like clutches. "…Um, Blanc-chan? Can you let go now?"
"Uh huh…"
Sistermon Noir walked over and started dragging her sister away by the long, pink ear of her habit. "Coooome on, sis. Let's go find Gankoomon. You can fan girl over Sir Sparkly on the way back."
"I-I'm not!" she stammered, her light cheeks still blushing. "And don't call him Sir Sparkly! I'm… J-Just… I think I see Gankoomon-sama!"
As the two sisters argued, SaviorHackmon smiled a little and looked towards the Strike Forces. He drew in a centering breath, regained his confidence, and began walking over to the rest of his fellow recruits.
The Greymon Five stood together among the new members of the Aerial Strike Forces. Leftenant HippoGriffomon stood at the head of the assembled group, telling each unit where to organise.
VictoryGreymon leaned against KaiserGreymon for support, still having trouble standing on his own. As his armour needed to be repaired, he instead wore a black shirt over his chest. He smiled and exchanged waves with SaviorHackmon as steel dragon warrior began walking over to the group of gathered Strike Force recruits.
"Hey, Victory," SaviorHackmon greeted. "How're you feeling?"
"A lot better, thanks. It barely hurts at all," VictoryGreymon insisted with a big smile, masking the pain that still intermittently throbbed through his chest. "You?"
"I'm okay. My shoulder's just stiff," SaviorHackmon replied.
"You're both worse off than you're making out," KaiserGreymon told them, eyeing up the pair's bandaged injuries. "Don't push yourselves too hard on the journey back. Ask for help if you need it."
"Yes, sergeant," SaviorHackmon obeyed.
"I will," VictoryGreymon agreed, keeping his arm around KaiserGreymon's shoulder.
As they waited for everyone to finish assembling, VictoryGreymon looked around the gathered Digimon of the Strike Forces. Behind a crowd of them, he spotted Paildramon.
Paildramon was standing off on her own, lingering around the outskirts of the Strike Forces. She seemed a bit out of place, like she was staying only as near to them as she had to. It looked as if she was trying to keep to herself.
VictoryGreymon frowned at the sight. He felt bad for her. Although they had made up, he was sure that she still felt guilty. He wished that there was some way that he could help.
WarGreymon stood beside the bandaged dragon man. His brows were furrowed behind his helmet and his hands were balled up tightly. VictoryGreymon saw that he was staring at Paildramon as well. "I should go over there," WarGreymon spoke in a low murmur.
ShineGreymon glanced at WarGreymon and followed his gaze over to Paildramon. His blue eyes narrowed a bit as they fixed on her. "To give her a piece of your mind? Go ahead. I can't say I'm not tempted," he muttered with a shrug.
"To see if she's okay, you idiot!" WarGreymon angrily clarified, casting an annoyed glare in ShineGreymon's direction.
"Look, War, I know you've got a thing for her, but she nearly killed VictoryGreymon!" ShineGreymon irritably defended.
WarGreymon snarled and took a step towards the white dragon man, but BlackWarGreymon got in between the pair of volatile dragons to keep them at a safe distance. WarGreymon glanced down at the hand on his chest, but didn't walk any closer. "I don't! It's not about that! She's still our friend," he defended cholerically. "It was special circumstances, wasn't it? Paildramon wouldn't hurt VictoryGreymon intentionally!"
"She did though," ShineGreymon answered, folding his arms. "We nearly lost VictoryGreymon because of that."
VictoryGreymon winced and placed a hand on ShineGreymon's shoulder. "It wasn't really her fault… She thought her brother was dead. I already forgave her for it…" he urged his friend.
ShineGreymon looked to the side with an uneasy grimace. "I know. It's just… I need some time," he murmured. "I thought we might lose you, Vic."
The larger dragon man offered him a warm smile. "I know… but you didn't," he assured him. "Just try to forgive her, please? I know she's already beating herself up for what she did on her own…"
ShineGreymon hesitated for a moment and sighed. However, he nodded and put his usual grin on his face as he turned to VictoryGreymon. "…Yeah, okay. I'll try. It's because the Demon Lords attacked anyways… If anyone's to blame, it's them…"
Meanwhile, Paildramon cast a furtive glance towards the Greymon Five. A part of her wanted to go over there and apologise to the rest of them, but she didn't want to impose. She knew that they probably needed more time. It didn't seem like the right moment anyways.
Instead, the over-sergeant continued to stand a few meters away from Leftenant HippoGriffomon. Things had been a little awkward between them. She didn't think that he knew exactly what to say to her. When she had arrived, he had at least asked if she was okay. Still, he was mostly focused on getting the Aerial Strike Forces in order. That suited her; she didn't want nor expect any special attention, especially when there was actual work to be done.
The white gryphon turned his head and looked down the Grand Highway, spotting the Royal Knights making their way over to their makeshift camp. "There they are…" HippoGriffomon spoke.
Paildramon looked over and saw Alphamon and Ouryumon heading in their direction. They were her top superiors and, as such, there was something that she needed to broach with them. It was a subject that was going to hang over her until she got it out of the way.
The azure dragon turned towards Leftenant HippoGriffomon. "Sir? May I have permission to speak with them?"
HippoGriffomon tucked his ivory wings against his sides and looked towards her. "Oh, go ahead, over-sergeant. Just bring the Captain over here after you're done," he told her.
Paildramon nodded and quietly walked over the grass, moving past the rows of gathered soldier. As the pair stepped off of the road, she went to meet them.
"Excuse me, Sir Alphamon? Captain?" she hesitantly asked, raising her hand up to her forehead in formal salutation.
Alphamon and Ouryumon exchanged glances as Paildramon approached them and promptly saluted. "Over-sergeant," Alphamon greeted, returning the salute. "How are you feeling?"
"I'll be fine. Thank you, Sir," she responded. She glanced down, hesitating and trying to think of how to say what she wanted to say. "Er… Could I ask for a minute of your time once we return to the castle? From both of you, I mean."
Alphamon looked over at Ouryumon, who shrugged and nodded with agreement. The knight turned back to the draconic soldier. "You can have a minute right now," he told her. "We are both here, after all."
Paildramon blinked with surprise. She shuffled in place uneasily and a hesitant frown formed on her face behind her crimson helm. "Here, Sir? It's just… I'm not really sure it's the most appropriate setting. It's about my resignation proceedings."
The black knight arched an eyebrow and looked at Ouryumon. He brought his hand up to his black chin and stroked it pensively. "Your resignation?" he wondered with surprise.
Paildramon nodded. "After everything that has happened, I believe that it's your prerogatives to decide whether to ask me to resign."
Ouryumon folded his golden-brown arms across his armoured-plated chest and stared at her pointedly. "Oh, yeah, that," he offhandedly remarked, treating it like it was an afterthought. "I can't allow your resignation, over-sergeant."
At this, Paildramon couldn't help but frown with sheer confusion. Had he not heard what had happened? "Sir…" she said to the Captain tentatively. "I'm… not sure that you understand. Did you not hear about the Black Imperialdramon Fighter Mode that ran rampant? That was me."
Ouryumon continued to stare at her. His face didn't change even a little at her words. "…Yeah, I know," he bluntly replied.
Paildramon's eye brows furrowed further as her bewilderment increased. "…I levelled a city block."
"Who hasn't?" Ouryumon flippantly shrugged.
The dragon woman's eye twitched and she couldn't help but raise her hand to rub her temple. "Captain, I nearly killed VictoryGreymon… How can I carry on with my duties as an over-sergeant? How can anybody under my command ever place their trust in me again? I can't even trust myself." She lowered her hand and looked up at him, locking her eyes with him. "Sir, I need to resign."
Ouryumon tapped his claw against the metal bracer on his forearm, clearly unimpressed. "Hey, Alphamon," he spoke up. "How many stupid things have I done?"
"Literally too many to count, Ouryumon."
"Literally too many to count!" Ouryumon explained, looking down at Paildramon. "Yet, Alphamon, the Royal Knights, and my subordinates still trust me. We all make mistakes. Sometimes we make bigger mistakes than others. I made one of those recently. And so have you." He unfurled his arms and placed his clawed hands on the sides of his serpentine body. "Paildramon, you've had a chrome digizoid record up until this battle."
"I let my emotions control me. I lost control," she insisted.
"I've done that loads of times," Ouryumon responded. "I've had my own problems in the past, but I don't think I'm a totally bad person. I still want to help people by being a big part of the Order. I make stupid mistakes, and Alphamon usually calls me out on them. All I can do is try to become a better Digimon. I'm still trying to be the best Captain of the Strike Forces I can be. That's what you should be doing too."
Paildramon frowned, glancing down. "Yes, but… VictoryGreymon was very nearly killed by my hands."
"Have you apologised to him?" Alphamon questioned.
"Yes, Sir," Paildramon replied.
"Did he accept it?"
"Yes, he did."
Alphamon smiled at her knowingly. "I think that what you are really asking for isn't resignation, but punishment," he insightfully said. "You feel guilty for the mistake that you made, so you think that punishing yourself will make you feel better… or, at the very least, will give you what you feel that you deserve."
Paildramon winced and she weakly tried to protest. "Sir, that's…" She found herself unable to deny his words.
"You feel responsible for a massive amount of destruction. The guilt in your heart feels immense, and all you want to do is isolate yourself. You think that if you punish yourself enough, then that will somehow make up for what you have done," Alphamon deduced, staring at her with calm but firm eyes. "However, that isn't the answer, Paildramon."
Paildramon was quiet, but she listened to what they had to say.
"If you want to atone for a mistake, then you need to do it by being constructive, not simply running away from your responsibilities and punishing yourself," the dark knight explained. A small, self-aware smile flashed in his golden eyes. "Take it from somebody who has learned that lesson the hard way."
The blue dragon frowned and looked up at Alphamon curiously.
Ouryumon looked at Alphamon and smiled a little. He nodded and looked back at Paildramon. "Stuff happened, you lost control, and you fucked up horribly. You can either give up and let that mistake define you, or you can stand up, dust yourself off, and try to make up for it."
"If you want to try and make up for what happened, then help us to defeat the Demon Lords who caused this destruction in the first place," Alphamon told her. "The best way that you can do that is by remaining in your role as over-sergeant. We didn't promote you to that position for nothing. You were, and still are, one of the best Digimon for that position."
Paildramon bowed her head. "Sir… I… don't know what to say," she responded, a conflux of mixed feelings inside of her. "Are you sure? I don't want you to feel any repercussions because of me."
"Yes, I believe I am," Alphamon responded certainly. "It's true; there are some who say that I give too many second chances… However, I am a Digimon who believes in a Digimon's ability to change for the better. At a Digimon's very nature is the concept of evolution. What is 'evolution' if not the ability to adapt, to mature, and to become better? I believe that Digimon should be allowed to change, if even a spark of desire to do so exists."
Paildramon mulled over his thoughtful words and nodded gently. "I suppose that's true…" she mused. She couldn't help but think about GrandisKuwagamon. Had he changed? Should she allow him the same chance that Alphamon and Ouryumon were allowing her right now?
After a few moments, Alphamon smiled wryly. "Although, I admit, part of this decision is selfish. Losing you would be a blow to the Order. You are an exceptional officer."
Paildramon smiled a little. "I appreciate that…" She looked at Alphamon sincerely. "…Thank you, Alphamon. It's more than I deserve."
Ouryumon grinned. "Though, my reputation as a hard ass is on the line here. I'm not gonna let you off the hook entirely," he told her. "You seem like you're desperate for some sort of tangible thing to do, so… if you really want to make it up to VictoryGreymon, you can help him with his and SaviorHackmon's custodial duties. They'll need the help now that they're both injured. I'll talk to Phantomon when we get back. Got it?"
"Yes, Sir," Paildramon answered, grinning a little.
Ouryumon thought about it for a second. "That reminds me, I need to heap another few weeks onto SaviorHackmon's punishment for running off like that," he mused with sadistic pleasure. "Anyways, if that's all, hurry up and get into formation, Paildramon. We're leaving now. Tell HippoGriffomon."
Paildramon nodded and saluted. She turned and was about to begin walking away, but she stopped. The dragon woman turned and looked at Alphamon. "…Thank you again. I think I needed to hear all of that. It helps listening to somebody with perspective," she said appreciatively. "I'll make up for my shortcomings using my strengths. I promise that I won't let that shadow get the better of me again."
Alphamon smiled. "I know that you won't."
With that, Paildramon walked back to her position.
Alphamon and Ouryumon watched with a burgeoning sense of pride as she started pro-actively getting the Strike Forces into formation.
Within minutes of the officers organizing everybody, the Royal Knights and the Order were prepared to leave.
"Did you get the chance to see your parents?" Alphamon asked, glancing over at Ouryumon as they made their way to the front of the army.
"Yeah. Dad's already back in the smithy, cleaning up. Mom gave me an earful for getting myself hurt again," Ouryumon responded with a grin. "You?"
Alphamon nodded and smiled. "Mom had to drag Dad away to keep him from fighting the Demon Lords himself. They're both home and fine now, though the home was partially damaged."
Ouryumon looked at Alphamon. "Still, the damage can be repaired."
Alphamon nodded and looked over his shoulder at the retreating city. He watched as the walls of his home became gradually further and further away as they travelled.
"Yes… With a little time and a lot of effort."
Ouryumon glanced at Alphamon as they arrived at the front of the army, along with the other Royal Knights. "We'll destroy those Demon Lords," he soberly stated.
Alphamon closed his eyes and took his place at the front of the Order.
"Yes…" he spoke calmly, reconciled to their duty. "That's the only path forwards. Any other alternative is far too costly."
With that, they flew at the front of the army, making the long trek back to Splendour's Reach.