(Author's Notes: Big thank you to everybody for your reviews. Read, review and enjoy!)
Chapter 3: Times Past and Time Present
Two half moons loomed in the starry sky. The low growl of an engine harmonized with the clicking of metal treads rolling across the grass and the low drone of insect wings beating. Three Digimon moved swiftly under the cover of night.
Bolgmon sped along the ground, kicking up dirt and clumps of grass behind him. Meanwhile, GrandisKuwagamon and Blitzmon flew above him, with their backs against the night sky. The metal insect below them suddenly began to decelerate and roll to a relaxed speed.
"I think we're in the clear now," Bolgmon said with a sigh, looking around the general vicinity.
They were in a vast stretch of grassland that went on for kilometers. The only things in the immediate vicinity were a small pond that was way over to their left and a random yield sign sticking up in the grass in front of them.
"No thanks to you," GrandisKuwagamon said, shuddering his wings as he flew down and landed beside the signpost.
"I said sorry," Bolgmon responded with a roll of his eyes as he drove over to the sign and stopped in front of GrandisKuwagamon.
"Great, thanks, Bolgmon," the black insect muttered. "Now we've probably got a team of Dick-Brigade special forces chasing after us. Those scrap heaps will chase us like a Greymon chases a steak… especially since we've got some of their precious blueprints."
"In that case, they were going to chase us anyways," Bolgmon retorted.
"But now they know what we look like and we've lost our head start on them," GrandisKuwagamon challenged.
"Arguing isn't going to solve anything," Blitzmon told them.
"No, but it's a good way for me to relieve stress," the black insect answered, folding his arms and flexing his scissor-like mandibles.
"Let's go incognito for a bit," Bolgmon suggested. "Lay low in Shroud or Dark Point or somewhere until the heat's off us. The client said we can take as long as we need."
"Bad idea. They're not gonna stop looking for us," GrandisKuwagamon countered. "Those blueprints are hot; I'd rather hand them off as quickly as possible."
"You're so cynical, Grandis," Bolgmon told him with a look of levity in his eyes.
"Yeah, and I'm still alive and kicking so why fix what isn't broken?" He turned his crimson eye over to Blitzmon. "What d'you think? You're the tiebreaker again."
"Hmm…" Blitzmon folded his arms and frowned. "You've got a point about handing off those blueprints as soon as possible… but we don't know where to meet up with our client. If we're being chased, I don't want to figure that out on the fly. We should lay low until we figure out our next move."
"Fine," GrandisKuwagamon said. "I don't want to stay in one place for too long though."
Blitzmon nodded. "I agree."
"So, Shroud? Couple rooms at the Severed Arms?" Bolgmon suggested.
"Yeah. I could kill for some real beer," GrandisKuwagamon agreed. "Not that piss they served in Facture."
Blitzmon nodded. "Let's head out before we lose our lead."
The three insect Digimon took off and passed the signpost, hurrying south, towards their safe haven.
The next day was a warm one in the Free Area. The sun was unrestricted by clouds, so it could send rays of heat and light beating down across the grassy landscape.
Inside the Royal Knights' castle, Dorbickmon trudged out of the guest room that he stayed in. The rushing sound of the river that ran beside the south wall of the castle prompted him to go to relieve himself. He released a yawn from his draconic mouth and walked down the stone hallway.
Upon reaching the end, the big, red, dragon man opened a door at the end of the hallway and walked in before closing the door behind him. A minute passed and Dorbickmon washed his hands and opened the door to walk out. After a few steps, he stopped abruptly.
Standing several paces away from him was Ouryumon.
Ouryumon walked down the hallway towards the washroom, stopping as soon as he saw Dorbickmon appear from the lavatory. He narrowed his eyes when they locked with Dorbickmon's.
The mercenary stopped upon noticing Ouryumon. He saw the gold dragon's sharp, violet eyes staring into his own. A bead of sweat rolled down the back of his head and he waited for Ouryumon to make the first move.
Neither of them were on particularly good terms. After all, Ouryumon had been DarkKnightmon's prisoner and when the Royal Knights came to rescue him, Dorbickmon had put his sword to his throat and used him as a meat shield.
When the Royal Knights took Dorbickmon on as their informant, Ouryumon protested and may have socked Dorbickmon in the cheek.
Since then, they did their best to stay out of the others' way, as they both knew how hot-headed they were. Dorbickmon wanted to try and keep his nose clean so that he didn't end up in prison, and Ouryumon wanted to try to prove Alphamon that he could be more mature.
However, now that they were standing face-to-face…
The air grew thick with tension, discomfort, and anticipation. Both dragons waited for the other to do something.
Dorbickmon watched Ouryumon carefully. There was a fierce yet unreadable look in Ouryumon's eyes. He watched the Captain of the Strike Forces grit his teeth. Dorbickmon's own eyes glanced down and he was relieved to see not a sword in Ouryumon's hand but a large toothbrush. At least he couldn't do much damage with that.
Ouryumon released a short breath and began striding towards the mercenary. "Hey! Exadork's friend!" he called out to Dorbickmon gruffly as he made his way towards him. "I've still got a score to settle with you!"
"Here we go…" Dorbickmon thought. He shrugged. "Would it help if I said I was sorry about what happened?"
"It might if I thought you meant it," Ouryumon said in a growly voice as he stepped up to Dorbickmon, standing up straight so that his tall form loomed over Dorbickmon's in a display of dominance. He bent down so that he was face to face with Dorbickmon. He raised his hand and stuck his toothbrush against Dorbickmon's chin threateningly. "Forget your sorries."
Dorbickmon inwardly sighed and thought that this was going to be a hassle.
"Get your weapons to MetallifeKuwagamon and install the training program," Ouryumon suddenly continued. "You and me are sparring at noon."
Dorbickmon blinked. He was expecting to be cussed out or punched in the face right there in the hallway. "What?"
"You heard me. Fight me dragon to dragon and maybe I'll forget about you being a complete dick," Ouryumon told him. He prodded Dorbickmon's neck with his toothbrush. "Unless you're a coward."
After a few moments of shock, the mercenary grinned competitively. "You're on, but don't expect me to let you win."
"Damn well better not, Dorbickdick," Ouryumon responded with a smirk of his own. "By the way, borrow Exadork's toothbrush. Otherwise your breath will finish me off before the match even starts."
"Tch," Dorbickmon responded. "You talk big."
"Uh huh," Ouryumon fired back, passing Dorbickmon and heading into the washroom. "Don't be late!"
"I won't," Dorbickmon said, looking over his shoulder. When the washroom door closed, Dorbickmon walked away.
After brushing his teeth and having a shower, Ouryumon emerged from the washroom in a long, custom-fitted black shirt and red shorts. He felt fresh and ready to face the day while he rubbed the towel across his damp purple hair. He tossed the towel over his shoulder and started making his way down the hallway.
Alphamon turned the corner at the end of the hallway and began to walk towards him.
Ouryumon saw him and smiled. "Morning, Alphamon," he greeted.
"Good morning, Ouryumon," Alphamon responded with his own smile. He observed him for a few moments. "You showered over in this wing of the castle?"
"Yeah. Craniamon was using the shower in the other wing and Magnamon was next in line, so…" Ouryumon shrugged.
"I see," Alphamon answered with a nod. He looked at Ouryumon. "You smell nice."
Ouryumon flushed mildly but he grinned at the innocuous comment. "Thanks."
"…At least, better than usual," Alphamon added with playful levity.
Ouryumon laughed and tossed his wet towel onto Alphamon's face. "Smart ass."
Alphamon chuckled and pulled the towel off of him. "Can I use this? I'm about to shower, myself."
"Go nuts. There's plenty of hot water left," Ouryumon told him.
Alphamon nodded. "By the way, I should warn you…"
"Dorbickmon's here?" Ouryumon asked. "Saw him."
"And… can he still walk?"
Ouryumon grinned. "I haven't touched him. Unless you're asking if Examon did something to him overnight," he playfully added.
Alphamon's cheeks tinted at the idea. "I wasn't. So, you're not mad at him?"
Ouryumon shrugged. "I'm trying not to hold a grudge. We're going to thrash it out in a controlled sparring match later. That way I can still get a little bit of payback," the Captain said.
Alphamon smiled. He was proud that Ouryumon was acting more mature than he used to. Not to mention that he was finding comparatively healthier ways to release his adrenaline and aggression. "It should be an exciting match. I'll check it out if I have time," he told him. "Try not to lose your temper if you lose."
Ouryumon laughed and folded his arms. "Who said anything about losing?" he asked him confidently.
Alphamon grinned. "Well… Somewhat more mature…" he inwardly thought. "We'll see. Talk to you later, Ouryumon."
Ouryumon smirked and nodded. "Later, Alphamon," he replied, beginning to walk past him and down the hall.
Alphamon passed him and disappeared into the washroom.
As he did, Ouryumon glanced over his shoulder. Part of him wanted to go in there after him. He kind of hoped that they could pick up their relationship where they left off.
However, doubt seized Ouryumon. He wasn't sure if the timing was right for Alphamon. Alphamon hid it from the others well, but Ouryumon knew that he still felt guilty over killing DarkKnightmon. There was also the fact that Ouryumon didn't feel confident enough to ask Alphamon that big question. The only reason he had been able to confess his feelings to him in the first place was a string of five beers on a fateful night. He didn't think it would have the same effect a second time.
Instead, Ouryumon gave him a lingering glance and turned forwards, heading down to the end of the corridor.
He reached the point where the hallway ended and turned left at a ninety degree angle. Just ahead of the corner was a staircase that lead down to the foyer on the first level of the castle. He made his way down and emerged in the marble room. From there, Ouryumon headed down one of the hallways towards where the computer room was. He expected that MetallifeKuwagamon would be in there at around this time.
Indeed, when Ouryumon walked to the doorway of the computer room, MetallifeKuwagamon was in there, talking with Magnamon.
"Hey, Metallife," Ouryumon hailed. "Magna."
Both MetallifeKuwagamon and Magnamon turned to look at him. "Hello, Ouryumon," the humanoid, cyborg insect replied.
"What brings you here?" Magnamon asked him.
"I came to ask Metallife if he could put the training program on my scimitars when he's got the time." Ouryumon turned to look at MetallifeKuwagamon. "Can you?"
"Sure. Just the Gairyu or your body as well?" the technician asked.
"My body too," Ouryumon responded. "I'm having a match against Dorbickmon so I'm gonna go all out."
"I suppose it will go double for him," MetallifeKuwagamon assumed.
"It better. His sword was friggin' hot," Ouryumon spoke, remembering the time the Tyrant Collbrande was held at his throat. He paused for a few moments before heating up. "I didn't mean it like that!" he suddenly insisted, worried about his phrasing.
"Pardon? Mean it like what?" MetallifeKuwagamon asked with confusion.
"Some people have such dirty minds," Magnamon said with an amused smile, understanding what Ouryumon was embarrassed about after a few moments of thought.
"But I was—" Ouryumon rubbed his flushed face. "Never mind. I'll come back with Dorbickmon when you're free, Metallife."
MetallifeKuwagamon nodded. "Before lunch?" he asked.
"Sure," Ouryumon quickly said as he turned around and left the room to disappear around the corner.
MetallifeKuwagamon nodded again. After a few seconds, he suddenly blushed and rubbed his face. "Oh… I see what he meant now," he murmured.
Magnamon chuckled. "I shouldn't laugh. He's obviously still insecure about it," he said, though still smiling.
"I don't see why he should be," MetallifeKuwagamon spoke. "The Strike Forces all respect him for his combat prowess."
Magnamon shrugged. "Everybody has something that they're insecure about," he replied consciously.
"Even Duftmon?"
Magnamon laughed lightly. "I'm sure even Duftmon. But I doubt he would ever admit to what it was."
MetallifeKuwagamon sat down in his swivel chair and looked down at his lap.
The Knight of Miracles noticed his change in body language. "Metallife?" he asked him with a hint of concern.
"…This theft of the blueprints from the Metal Empire… It's sure to rile them up. They'll likely send multiple covert task groups from the D-Brigade all over to hunt down the thieves. I know from experience their tactics, after all…" MetallifeKuwagamon said, narrowing his eyes with worry.
"Are you worried they'll start hunting for you again?" Magnamon asked him.
MetallifeKuwagamon nodded. "They might even suspect that we had something to do with it. I'm sure they know by now that you and the other Royal Knights are harbouring me."
Magnamon placed his hand on MetallifeKuwagamon's shoulder. "We're not 'harbouring' you. You're one of us now. That means if Chaosdramon and his D-Brigade want you, they'll have us to answer to," he said before giving MetallifeKuwagamon a reassuring smile.
"Thank you, Magnamon," MetallifeKuwagamon told him. "I would likely have been deleted or placed under house arrest if it weren't for you."
"As I said before, I was just in the right place at the right time," Magnamon insisted. "Besides, you've more than repaid the favour with all you've done around here."
MetallifeKuwagamon turned his chair to face the massive computer system installed against the wall. He began to type away rapidly at the keyboard. "Well, I would rather use my talents to aid a noble cause than to help the Metal Empire elites get richer and more powerful."
Magnamon chuckled lightly. "See? You're thinking like a Royal Knight now too," he told him.
MetallifeKuwagamon smiled inwardly. "This Order is lucky to have you as one of the founding members," he mumbled to himself, his eyes scanning the screen in front of him.
The golden knight, who was making to leave, stopped and glanced over at the insect Digimon. "Pardon?" he asked, not having heard him.
"Nothing," MetallifeKuwagamon responded with a shake of his head. "Just running a DADAR system scan."
Magnamon smiled. "I'll leave you to it, then. See you later," he told him, walking out of the room.
The Miracle Knight meandered down the stone hallway. He supposed he might go for a run since he'd been feeling a bit groggy ever since waking up.
At the opposite end of the hallway, walking towards Magnamon, were Sistermon Noir and Sistermon Blanc.
The taller, darker-clothed of the two led the way. Sistermon Noir walked with her arms lazily rested behind her head. "I'm so damn booored…" she complained. "Gankoomon has BaoHackmon all day, so we don't even get to help him train."
"Maybe do something productive…?" the younger, shorter, white-clothed sister suggested in a meek voice.
"Like what, Sis?" Sistermon Noir asked boredly.
"The library…?"
"Heeey, yeah. Maybe they'll let me shoot some old books!" Sistermon Noir said excitedly.
"Th-That wasn't what I meant!" Sistermon Blanc protested, grabbing hold of her older sister's arm in case she ran off.
Sistermon Noir rolled her eyes and kept walking. "Hey, isn't that Magnamon?" she asked aloud, noticing the familiar form at the end of the corridor.
Sistermon Blanc suddenly squeaked, let go of her sister, and ducked into the nearest room.
"Maybe he—huh?" the dark-garbed Sistermon asked upon noticing that Sistermon Blanc had suddenly disappeared.
Sistermon Blanc hid in the doorway of a supply closet and meekly peered out Magnamon with a blushing red face.
The Royal Knight headed towards Sistermon Noir. "Hello," he greeted politely.
"Hey," Sistermon Noir replied confidently.
"You're not training BaoHackmon today?" Magnamon asked her.
"Nah. Gankoomon said he'd take care of that," she responded. "Hey, did you see where my sister went, by any chance?"
"Sorry. Isn't she usually with you?" Magnamon questioned.
"Yeah. At least, until she's near a cute guy," Sistermon Noir explained, knowing full well that her sister could probably hear her.
Sistermon Blanc blushed intensely at the words and prayed that Magnamon wouldn't pay any attention to her.
Magnamon chuckled a bit, not realizing that it was him that Sistermon Noir meant. "I see. Is it Ulforce?" he asked, wondering if that was who she meant.
Sistermon Noir grinned knowingly. "You're not far off…" she playfully answered.
"Well, if I see her, I'll let her know you're looking for her," Magnamon told her, passing her and heading closer to the doorway that Sistermon Blanc was hiding in.
She panicked and stepped further in the room, hiding inside until he passed.
After several moments, Sistermon Noir spoke up. "It's safe to come out now!" she chimed loudly.
Sistermon Blanc cautiously emerged from the room, looking down both ends of the hallway. She sighed with relief when she saw that she was in the clear. Sistermon Blanc walked out and over to Sistermon Noir. "J-Jerk…"
Sistermon Noir grinned. "What? It's not like I told him you like him."
"Sis!" Sistermon Blanc protested at the statement.
Sistermon Noir ignored her and thought to herself. "Wait, does that mean he thinks UlforceVeedramon's cute? Hmm. That's what you should worry about instead of getting mad at me, y'know," she told her younger sister.
"…Jerk!" Sistermon Blanc yelled in a high, sharp voice. She stomped away from Sistermon Noir and marched down the end of the hallway that Magnamon had come from.
"Oh, come on!" Sistermon Noir called after her, following her angry sister. "I was just joking! Mostly!"
Beam bullets tore through the warm, late morning air. The glowing, yellow blasts of energy slammed into two wooden, humanoid targets standing side-by-side. The bursts tore the ambiguously shaped, fake Digimon to splinters. The structural integrity of the targets faltered and they broke into bursts of data. When the data clouds emerged, the patter of rapid gunfire faded. Five seconds after the data faded, the two destroyed targets were replaced by a new pair that shot up from the ground.
A female Paildramon faced the Royal Knights' target range. She had a lean, athletic, draconic build and possessed an air of composure and confidence. Apart from being slightly more svelte and more feminine-bodied than the average male Paildramon, she retained all the other characteristics. She had sleek, smooth blue scales and a white underbelly with an XV symbol on it. She also had the standard black and green armour over her legs, torso, upper body, and forearms. The muzzles of two teal cannons that flanked her hips breathed smoke and residual beam energy as they cooled. She lowered her cannons and adjusted her tail and wings for balance.
Paildramon swiftly raised her arms out in front of her, spreading them diagonally so that they aimed at two targets in her peripheral vision. "Cable Catcher!" she spoke. As the second syllable left her lips behind her red and white helmet and mask, her ten finger claws ejected from her gauntlets and shot forwards. They were guided by flexible metal cables which provided her with a degree of control over them as they soared through the air.
Five claw-tipped cables stabbed into the head and chest of the target dummy on the left. The other five wrapped around the target on the right, ensnaring it. She them pulled her right arm back powerfully and ripped the target from the ground. These two targets also burst into data and were replaced in their stations by new ones.
"I'm coming over," a male voice announced himself abruptly from behind her.
Paildramon retracted her cable claws back into her hands and relaxed her stance, signifying that she was out of her combat mode. She looked over her shoulder to see who was addressing her.
UlforceVeedramon smiled and meandered over. "You've got good aim," he complimented.
"Thank you," Paildramon replied, turning around to face him calmly. "It's easy to hit stationary targets, though."
With a grin, UlforceVeedramon stopped in front of her and placed his hands on his hips. "I could activate the moving target system, if you want," he suggested with a friendly grin.
"Maybe after I get warmed up, Sir UlforceVeedramon," she answered.
"Oh, you can just call me Ulforce. Six syllables is kind of a mouthful, isn't it?" he said with a light laugh.
Paildramon smiled slightly. "Try saying 'Imperialdramon Dragon Mode' every time you evolve."
UlforceVeedramon laughed again. "My sympathies. I hope you start mid-evolution." He smiled eagerly. "I don't think we've had much of a chance to chat since you joined a few months ago. You're Councillor Imperialdramon's daughter, aren't you?" he asked.
"I prefer 'Paildramon', but yes," she responded with a hidden, playful smirk.
"Sorry," he apologized, rubbing the back of his horned head. "How are you settling in? I know living here at our headquarters must be different from being in the Republic of Node's military."
"I'm settling in fine. It's nice that the barracks here are relatively private," Paildramon responded. "The rooms are much nicer too."
"Well, we have that going for us," UlforceVeedramon joked. "So, have you been in the Republic's military for awhile, if you don't mind me asking?"
"Yes, I have," she explained. "Over a decade. I guess you could say that I'm a career soldier."
UlforceVeedramon smiled. "Oh, yeah? I've seen you in action and you're pretty impressive."
"Thank you," Paildramon responded, looking at him with a knowing smile. "But why do I get the feeling that you're trying to flatter me?"
UlforceVeedramon chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. "Hey, I was being genuine," he insisted. "But okay. You have me. Would you be interested in going for a drink with me at some point?"
Paildramon looked at him with a diplomatic gaze. "I don't want to be rude – especially not to a Royal Knight – but… I'm not interested. At least, not in the way that you're intending…" she answered. "I'm sorry, UlforceVeedramon. I don't think it would be a good idea."
UlforceVeedramon rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled sheepishly. "No, I'm sorry. I'll just slink away now…" he playfully responded.
Paildramon smiled. "It's nothing personal, honestly. It's just a general rule I have not to get involved with people I'm working with. It's unprofessional and it could lead to complications," she explained. "Especially when they happen to be one of the Royal Knights."
"Yeaaah, that's probably smart, actually," UlforceVeedramon said with a half smile. "I understand."
"However…" Paildramon added. "If you wanted to go for a drink in a purely friendly, gallant manner, I wouldn't have any objection to that."
UlforceVeedramon smiled a bit wider. "In that case, you're on," he replied. "The tavern later?"
Paildramon nodded. "I'm usually finished my jobs by sunset."
"Great, I'll see you then," UlforceVeedramon told her. "There's a few things I need to see to."
"Bye, UlforceVeedramon," she said to him, turning around to face the target range again.
UlforceVeedramon flapped his wings to fly into the air. When airborne, he darted over the castle grounds and headed towards the headquarters.
"S-Sensei… Can I stop now…?"
BaoHackmon panted as he raced around the edges of the training grounds. Sweat dripped down his body and he ran more sluggishly than he did when he first started. The training grounds was a vast area inside the castle walls, so just two laps around the area would be enough for a decent amount of exercise. BaoHackmon had lost track of how many laps he had done.
In front of him was Gankoomon. He was running backwards at a leisurely pace so that he could face his teenage student. He didn't wear his trademark jacket as it would have likely fallen off during the running.
"You're the one who decided you wanted to become a Royal Knight," Gankoomon reminded him, still running in reverse as he looked at him. "You're gonna need to do better than this if you want to have any chance of getting knighted."
"But…" BaoHackmon began before suddenly thinking better of himself. His gaze hardened with determination at Gankoomon's words and he began to push himself harder. He picked up his speed with a burst of reinvigoration. His sweat-drenched, hooded, ruby cape rippled behind him as he ran. "I can… do it…" he muttered between grunts.
Gankoomon grinned and picked up his speed as well. He found that training his eager student was much easier ever since joining the Royal Knights and moving them into the castle. Since BaoHackmon was surrounded by his heroes and inspirations, it made him want to work harder, and it generally made him more obedient too. They seemed to be a positive source of motivation for him. On the other hand, it made BaoHackmon eager to want to impress them too, which sometimes led him to be reckless.
"Good, because I think Dukemon is watching," Gankoomon told him with a smile.
"H-He is?!" BaoHackmon asked, looking around eagerly. As his attention grew distracted, BaoHackmon's legs wobbled and he began to trip. "Whuagah!" he exclaimed as the muscles of one of his forelegs shuddered and his legs buckled. BaoHackmon crashed to the ground and skidded a little, getting a face full of grass and dirt.
Upon seeing this Gankoomon stopped running. "…Okay, maybe that's enough for the day," he stated, placing his hands on his hips.
BaoHackmon's yellow eyes grimaced and he felt his face heat up with embarrassment. He slowly lifted his head and looked up at Gankoomon. "Dukemon saw that, didn't he, Sensei?"
Gankoomon grinned and walked over to his student to help him to his feet. "Hey, even Royal Knights make asses of themselves sometimes."
"Not often," BaoHackmon muttered, not looking around out of fear of making eye contact with somebody after that embarrassing moment. "Can we go get a drink? I think I swallowed some dirt…"
Gankoomon chuckled. "Sure."
The dinosaur Digimon trudged across the training grounds alongside Gankoomon. He released a tired yawn and inwardly looked forward to giving his tired legs a rest.
The Royal Knight folded his arms and looked down at his student. "So, Huck – sorry – BaoHackmon…" he began.
The caped reptile quickly looked up at him. "That wasn't a yawn, Sensei," he insisted as they neared the edge of the training grounds.
"Whatever you say," the grinning Gankoomon said. "What I was going to ask was if you're really still intent on becoming a Royal Knight one day."
"Of course I am!" BaoHackmon exclaimed with an excited, determined smile. "Now more than ever!"
"I see," Gankoomon replied. "You want to be on the same level as your sensei one day, huh?"
BaoHackmon laughed, though it came out more like a wheeze as he was still trying to catch his breath from all the running. "That'll be a nice bonus. You won't be able to boss me around as much."
Gankoomon gave him a toothy smirk. "Who says?" he teased. "So, I guess your perception of the Royal Knights hasn't been shattered by living with them and seeing them in person? Sometimes one can get a pre-conceived idea of who their heroes really are, and when they meet them in person they become disappointed. Not the case with you?"
"Not at all," BaoHackmon responded with an honest smile. "Actually, now that I've really met them, they're even cooler than I imagined! Before, they were these awesome, gallant heroes who stood up for weaker Digimon. Now, they're still that, but it's like they're still regular Digimon too. They're so cool!"
Gankoomon couldn't help but laugh and ruffle his apprentice's horned head, causing the dinosaur to blush and try to pull away in agitation. "I gotta hand it to you, BaoHackmon; you're an optimist."
"That a bad thing?" BaoHackmon asked, glancing up at the Royal Knight.
"Nah," Gankoomon replied. "You keep trying to become a Royal Knight and I'll keep helping you train, kid."
BaoHackmon smiled. "Awesome. So when can I go on a patrol?"
"Don't push your luck."
"Peri goes on patrols," BaoHackmon stated, referencing his friend.
"Imperialdramon's had eight months of recon training," Gankoomon responded just as quickly. "And he's a Mega level while you're a Champion."
"He's the same age as me!" Gankoomon's squire protested.
"Enough with the backchat, BaoHackmon," Gankoomon told him. "Unless you want to do a few more laps."
"I don't mind," BaoHackmon insisted, pretending like his leg muscles weren't sore and trembling from exhaustion.
"Oh, really?" Gankoomon asked, looking at him with an expression that told him that he wasn't making idle threats.
BaoHackmon ducked his head and glanced away. "Y-Yeah… But maybe later…" he mumbled.
Gankoomon smirked. "Uh huh. Let's get some food inside you. Or will you puke it up?"
"I'll be fine," BaoHackmon assured him. "Even if I do, the taste of Sir RhodoKnightmon's food makes it worth it."
"Yeah… He's kinda weird but he's a hell of a cook. I'll give 'im that," Gankoomon admitted.
"His food's way better than anything you ever made, Sensei," BaoHackmon teased.
Gankoomon lightly swatted his head. "You've turned into a smartass since coming here," he told him with a grin.
BaoHackmon grunted but smiled at him. "You always said I should be more assertive."
"Uh huh. Just don't forget that I'm one of the Royal Knights now too," Gankoomon reminded him. "You're not a Royal Knight yet, kid."
"And I'm not a kid anymore, either, Sensei," BaoHackmon countered.
Gankoomon smiled and shrugged as they walked across the road towards the castle. "Point taken. Just don't get ahead of yourself."
BaoHackmon sighed but managed a small grin. "Yeah, yeah. Message received…" he answered. The dinosaur Digimon walked towards the entrance and smiled inwardly. "One day… I'll be able to save Digimon just like the Royal Knights do… I just need to keep training."
An hour passed since noon.
Ouryumon and Dorbickmon's friendly spar had taken place out in the training grounds not long after BaoHackmon and Gankoomon left the area. It had been an intense, hard fought, cathartic match for the two Digimon.
"Hell…" Dorbickmon grunted as he slogged across the grass.
His arm was over Examon's back, just above his large wings. The dragon knight had his arm around Dorbickmon's waist, helping the exhausted mercenary walk. Dorbickmon's body was dripping with sweat and he panted with husky breaths as he walked.
Craniamon and Dynasmon strode beside them at a leisurely pace.
"Pretty close match," Dynasmon said with a satisfied expression as he counted the money in his claws.
Craniamon cast an annoyed look at Dorbickmon. "Too bad he beat you. I was betting on you, you know."
Dorbickmon shrugged. "I let him win. I felt bad about the whole 'using him as a hostage' thing," he asserted.
"Suuure. Whatever you say," Dynasmon replied, nudging him with his elbow.
"Knights don't throw matches," Craniamon tersely spoke. "Especially not ones that other people are betting on."
"Hey, I'm no knight," Dorbickmon replied, giving Craniamon a tired, toothy grin. "But damn. Those electric shocks pack a hell of a punch."
"They beat real attacks, don't they?" Examon asked, looking at his friend.
"Yeah, guess so. And that nerdy bug came up with that system?" the mercenary inquired.
"MetallifeKuwagamon?" Examon replied. "Yeah, but I don't know about 'nerdy'…"
"Yeah, well, you're a big nerd yourself so you're probably biased." Dorbickmon looked at him with a grin.
Examon raised an eyebrow and glanced at Dynasmon. "Define 'nerd'."
"Duftmon," Dynasmon clarified.
"Heh," Craniamon chuckled briefly.
"I am not like Duftmon," Examon indignantly insisted.
"You're both smart," Dynasmon pointed out.
"Neither of you are very good socially," Craniamon added.
"You're both kinda snobby and uptight," Dorbickmon chimed in.
Examon grumbled. "Come on, I'm not that bad."
Dynasmon laughed. "Okay, you're a nicer version of Duftmon."
Examon rolled his eyes. "That isn't a whole lot better…" he responded. He looked at the Digimon who he was helping to walk. "What are your plans for when you leave, Dorbickmon?"
"Fishing for those bugs," Dorbickmon replied.
"Where are you going to start?" Examon inquired.
Dorbickmon and the others stepped onto the courtyard road in front of the castle. It contained several buildings like the blacksmith's, a barracks, an armoury, and various merchant shops that had permission to sell inside the castle grounds.
The mercenary shrugged. "I'll probably start with Shroud. Since they're on the run from the Metal Empire, that'd probably be the first place they'd go, if we're talking geography. If they're not there, they might have gone down to Dark Point on the west coast of the continent. I think I remember seeing them in a bar there called 'The Hook and Eel Pub'."
"Another shady place," Craniamon remarked.
"If you're on the wrong side of the law, you don't exactly want to go out in the daylight," Dorbickmon replied with a light, toothy grin.
"S'pose not," the violet armoured Royal Knight responded tersely.
"Anyway…" Dorbickmon said, looking around the courtyard and noticing a bunch of male soldiers around. "It sure is a sausage fest around here."
"It is?" Examon asked, raising an eyebrow and looking around. "I don't see or smell any sausages…"
Dorbickmon turned and stared at Examon blandly. After a few moments, he turned to the other Royal Knights. "Is he serious or does he just have a really dry sense of humour that I'm not getting?" he asked, rubbing the back of his head with his free hand.
"He's serious," Craniamon replied.
Examon blinked curiously. Dynasmon leaned over and whispered into Examon's ear, causing the dragon Royal Knight to blush. "Oh, a sex joke…" he spoke sheepishly, sweat dripping down his head.
Dorbickmon shook his head. "The things I need to teach you…" he said with a sigh.
"Anyway, nah," Dynasmon said to Dorbickmon. "There are a good number of female Digimon in the Order. Shutumon's in charge of administration, for example. I can see why you say that though. There's definitely more men and not enough women."
"We know why you want more women, Dynasmon," Craniamon said, eyeing him.
"Nothing wrong with being sociable," Dynasmon replied. He responded to Craniamon with a playful glance. "It sure beats bringing a spear and shield to bed."
Craniamon stared at him flatly. "I do not bring Claiohm Solais and Avalon to bed. I put them on their racks."
"I bet those aren't the racks that Dynasmon's interested in," Dorbickmon said with a chuckle.
Examon sighed. "You should speak with better manners, Dorbickmon," he recommended.
"Hey, I'm not part of the Order. I can speak how I want," Dorbickmon insisted. "This is why people think you're a prude."
Examon shook his head with exasperation. "So, when are you heading out?"
"After supper," Dorbickmon responded. "Might as well stay for another meal if it's half as good as lunch was."
"So you liked RhodoKnightmon's cooking, huh?" Dynasmon asked with a grin.
"Who doesn't?" Craniamon replied matter of factly.
Examon gave Dorbickmon a light smile. "He was shovelling it down."
"I know good food when I see it," Dorbickmon asserted.
Dynasmon chuckled. "Well, Rhodo's got to have some good qualities to balance out all of the annoying ones."
"He's a good fighter when he can be bothered to get off his ass," Craniamon added.
Another laugh escaped Dynasmon's mouth. "That's true. I remember he wiped the floor with you during your proving duel. Hahah! The look on your face was priceless, Craniamon! I thought you were going to burst into tears!"
Craniamon growled and reached over to punch Dynasmon's arm painfully. "I've gotten much better since then," his deep voice echoed behind his helmet.
Dynasmon winced but maintained his smirk. He rubbed his sore arm with his large hand. "Sorry. Still a touchy subject over all these years, I guess…"
"Have you gotten any better since founding the Order, Dynasmon?" Craniamon asked, eyeing him coolly. "And I'm not talking about getting attractive women into bed."
"Hey, you're acting like I'm a complete lecher," Dynasmon protested. "I treat women well and I'm a hell of a knight on top of that."
Craniamon rolled his eyes. "Well, it doesn't really help our pious image."
"Image schimage," Dynasmon protested. "We're a military order first, and a religious order second. Don't tell me you're super religious, Craniamon, because I know you aren't. Besides, sex has nothing to do with our religion. And also, Ulforce and Examon are both believers of the Huanglongmon faith, not the Yggdrasil one. Most Digimon don't care about that."
Craniamon folded his arms and grunted.
"He's just really proud of being a Royal Knight, aren't you, Craniamon?" Examon said, looking over at the violet Royal Knight with a smile.
Craniamon averted his gaze and didn't respond, embarrassed by the personal question.
Dynasmon chuckled. "He's probably blushing behind that scary helmet of his now."
"Get stuffed, Dynasmon," Craniamon responded with a sideways glare.
"Yup, I knew it. He's a big softy on the inside," Dynasmon snickered.
As the group of four approached the front entrance of the main building, Dorbickmon pulled his arm away from Examon. "Okay, I'm fine now, " he said quickly, stepping up to the doors and pushing them open before the guards could get to them first.
"You took some serious shocks, Dorbickmon. I know they aren't life threatening, but you still shouldn't overdo it," Examon insisted, going after him.
"My muscles are just a bit tingly. I'm fine," Dorbickmon insisted with a dismissive shrug, walking down the entrance hall obstinately.
"Stop trying to look cool," Examon said with a sigh.
Dynasmon smirked. "Who're you trying to impress, Dorbickmon?" he asked him, following along behind Examon.
"Nobody, tin cans!" Dorbickmon exclaimed, looking over his shoulder. "But I don't need help walking!"
As if on cue, the next step Dorbickmon took caused his leg muscles to quiver. A numbing jolt shot up Dorbickmon's leg and caused it to buckle. The mercenary collapsed in front of the several stone steps and landed flat on his face.
As Examon jogged over to the collapsed dragon, Craniamon stifled a chuckle and Dynasmon burst out laughing.
With his face a deeper crimson than usual, Dorbickmon nudged Examon's claws away and tried to stand up on his own. "Let's forget that happened…"
Omegamon walked through the castle gardens which was located between the right side of the main building and the southern wall. He stepped down a path that was flanked on both sides by a myriad of beautiful colours. When he looked up, he could see the cloudy sky glowing with a warm, pink and orange hue as the sun set behind him. He could hear the sound of rushing water coming from the other side of the stone wall. It was a small river that curved and headed east towards the ocean.
As Omegamon walked down the path, enjoying the peace and atmosphere, the path led him towards a large, finely sculpted fountain. In the middle of the fountain's marble, water-filled basin was a sculpture of a long, fearsome, majestic sea serpent. Its body was coiled up and a blocky, draconic head rose from the apex, aimed at the sky. From the serpent's mouth gushed a jet of water that shot into the air, rolled down his marble body, and gathered in the basin. The Digimon was GigaSeadramon, the leader of the Deep Savers. The Deep Savers was a group of marine Digimon who controlled the Net Ocean to the east of the continent. GigaSeadramon was an ally of the Royal Knights and he had commissioned this fountain for himself before giving it to the Royal Knights as a gift.
The Royal Knight stopped in front of the fountain and watched the water splash down in front of him, causing countless ripples in the basin. The glowing sky was distorted in the fountain's reflection. Omegamon began to turn, heading to sit down at one of the nearby stone benches so that he could enjoy the peaceful gardens. However, a arm reached out behind him and rested on Omegamon's back and shoulders.
Omegamon tensed up for a moment. He turned towards the presence beside him. He saw Dukemon standing there with a grin.
"Oh, Dukemon," he said, relaxing a bit.
"Hey, Omegamon," Dukemon said cheerfully.
"What are you doing here?" Omegamon questioned, still mindful of the arm on his back. "Were you looking for me?"
"No, I just came out here to stretch my legs," Dukemon replied. "Beautiful evening out, huh?"
"Yes, it is," the white Royal Knight agreed. He paused for a moment. "I thought you preferred sunrises to sunsets."
Dukemon chuckled. "Yeah, true, but I can't be picky." He walked over and sat on the stone bench with his back to the fountain. He raised his arms and rested his elbows on the rim of the fountain, closing his eyes and relaxing.
Omegamon sat down next to him and leaned forwards, resting his forearms on his legs. He glanced over at the crimson Royal Knight pensively.
Dukemon opened his right eye and looked back at Omegamon. "So, how are you doing?" he asked him.
"I'm fine, thanks. Yourself?" Omegamon answered.
"I'm good. No complaints," Dukemon casually replied.
Omegamon smiled. "Did you come out here to check up on me?"
Dukemon turned his head towards him. "Check up on you?" he asked quizzically. By the change in his expression, it was clear that he realized what he meant. "No… I'm the last person who would do that."
"Why is that?" the white Royal Knight inquired.
A grin flashed on Dukemon's face. "Never mind…" he responded, dodging the question. "So… How long have we known each other, Omegamon?"
Omegamon frowned and sat up straight. "All the way back, even before the Order was established… It was back in our adventuring days. I was travelling with Imperialdramon and you were travelling with Grani."
Dukemon leaned back against the fountain and looked up at the warm, colourful sky. "That sounds about right…" he spoke nostalgically. "You and Imperialdramon saved my butt a few times - the reckless guy that I was."
"You returned the favour a few times," Omegamon answered with a small smile. "Like when we were swarmed by Death-X Digimon."
Dukemon chuckled softly. "I made a hell of an entrance, didn't I?"
"You got a kick out of that, didn't you?" Omegamon queried with a reserved but playful tone. He slouched forwards again and placed his arms back on his knees. "Why ask about when we met, Dukemon?"
"No reason… I was just thinking about how different our lives were back then," Dukemon responded, watching as the orange and pink hue contended with the dusky blue above him. "We didn't have the responsibilities that we have now."
Omegamon nodded understandingly. "Do you miss it? Being off on your own – or with Grani – that is…"
"Not at all," Dukemon answered without a second thought. He turned towards Omegamon and smiled. "Being a Royal Knight… Being friends with you… with all of you… I wouldn't give it up for a single thing." Dukemon played his words off casually and he leaned his head back, gazing back up at the vestiges of sunset in the sky. He didn't want to seem like he was getting too sappy or intense. However, there was a look of contentment on his face. "And you?"
Omegamon smiled at the warmth and honesty in Dukemon's words and then gazed down at his lap. "I couldn't agree with you more…"
Dukemon was about to reply, but something caught his attention. As he stared at the sky, something passed overhead that prompted him to stand to his feet.
"What the…"
The sounds of grunting and heavy, exerted breaths filled the air. Sweat rolled down the skin of Alphamon's toned chest as Sleipmon's hand grappled with his shoulder. Alphamon faced Sleipmon, who was also shirtless and sweaty. They grabbed for each other's arms and chests, trying to get the better of the other.
Alphamon huffed and broke Sleipmon's hold with his arm. He dashed forwards and wrapped his arms around Sleipmon's waist, just above where his body went from humanoid to beast-like. "You sure aren't going easy on me, are you, Sleipmon?" he said with a slight grin between breaths.
Sleipmon grunted and spread his six legs to keep balance. He placed his hand under Alphamon's arm, trying to pull it off from around his waist. As he did this, his other hand went down to grab hold of Alphamon's leg to try to throw him off balance. "I can't afford to," Sleipmon replied with a smile.
The two Royal Knights stood in the middle of a spacious room. Over half of the room was empty except for flat, smooth, bamboo hardwood flooring. The floor glistened pristinely as if it had been freshly swept and mopped. This section of the room was used for indoor practicing and hand-to-hand sparring. There was plenty of room to move around, making the area well-suited for those kinds of activities. For the purpose of Alphamon and Sleipmon's sparring, rubber mats had been moved over the floor to cushion any painful take downs as well as damage to the floor. Near the entrance of the room was a mat where Digimon had to place their footwear before entering, so as not to scuff the floor.
Further down the expansive room, making up the other half, was a gym. It was full of exercise equipment such as bench presses, pneumatic and weight-based exercise machines, free weights of various types and sizes, resistance bands, weighted items, and punching bags, to name a few. The one most often seen in this room was Craniamon. It was almost like a second bedroom to him, so he usually took it upon himself to clean it instead of the maintenance staff.
Off to the side, sitting against the wall, were RhodoKnightmon and Duftmon. RhodoKnightmon languidly watched Alphamon and Sleipmon wrestle, appreciating the eye candy while trying to strike up a conversation with Duftmon. At that moment, he was too lazy to do anything productive.
Meanwhile, Duftmon sat cross-legged against the wall and read a book. In one hand, he held the book, and in the other, he used a charcoal pencil to write down notes on a notepad resting on his leg. He largely ignored Alphamon and Sleipmon's physical grappling match.
"-that's what UlforceVeedramon told me, at any rate," RhodoKnightmon finished, glancing over at Duftmon. The strategist was silent, seemingly fixated on what he was doing. RhodoKnightmon sighed and realized that trying to get Duftmon to engage in the topic was a waste of time. "What are you reading?"
"A treatise on aerial envelopment tactics," Duftmon responded. "It was written by Gaioumon. The one who is currently the sitting advisor to the Council of Seven. I am writing a counterargument in response."
"Very clever, Duftmon. Cute as well," RhodoKnightmon mused. "Why has nobody made you theirs yet?"
"Please do not bother me with such nonsensical questions, RhodoKnightmon. I am trying to concentrate," Duftmon replied dismissively.
RhodoKnightmon smiled behind his helmet and place his hands behind his head, expecting an answer like that. "Oh, yes. That's why, isn't it?" he spoke. He looked back at Alphamon and Sleipmon. Alphamon was grappling with Sleipmon, trying to throw him off his six hooves, but his heavy lower half made it difficult. RhodoKnightmon looked back at Duftmon. "What about this, then? What do you think the Metal Empire will do next?"
Duftmon looked up from his book and paper. "They will probably send out an elite task force to hunt down the insects. If they catch them, they will probably interrogate them to get them to reveal their client" he replied matter-of-factly.
"And whom do you think their client might be?" RhodoKnightmon inquired.
"I won't speculate," Duftmon responded. "However, if it turns out to be a state wishing to acquire the technology for itself, then I wouldn't put it past Chaosdramon to wage war to get it back, unless it was very strategically unviable."
"That could be trouble," the pink Royal Knight said.
Duftmon nodded. "Depending on what happens in the coming weeks, we may have to intervene in a peacekeeper role… unless we use the hypothetical opportunity to take down Chaosdramon. We have been looking for an excuse to get rid of him. He is diametrically opposed to our ideals, after all."
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Alphamon spoke up from the sparring room floor before grabbing Sleipmon by the waist and hurling him off balance and onto the mats with a crash. Alphamon then jumped on top of him to try to pin him down, but Sleipmon resisted. "We… still don't know anything…f-for sure," he said between breaths and grunts as Sleipmon's arm pressed against his neck. "Wait for Karatenmon and Dorbickmon before… coming up with controversial scenarios like that."
"I was merely supposing," Duftmon responded, closing his eyes with a minor huff.
Alphamon grabbed hold of Sleipmon's arm. "Still-"
"I can find my own way, thank you," a familiar male voice said from the hallway. "I used to live here, you know."
Alphamon and Sleipmon both stopped in the middle of their wrestling and looked towards the door. Duftmon and RhodoKnightmon went quiet and looked over, recognizing the voice as well.
A white and blue draconic silhouette appeared at the door of the sparring room. He was clad in white and golden plate armour and had immaculate blue scales. There was something about the way that he carried himself that seemed innately heroic.
Imperialdramon Paladin Mode observed Alphamon and Sleipmon on the ground with a raised eyebrow and an amused smirk. "Am I interrupting?" he asked.
Alphamon let go of Sleipmon and stood to his feet. "Imperialdramon," he greeted his friend with bewilderment. After a moment, he turned and helped Sleipmon to his feet as well. Once the equine Royal Knight was up, Alphamon walked over to Imperialdramon Paladin Mode, the founder of the Order. "What are you doing here? We weren't expecting you back for another few weeks."
Imperialdramon's usually light expression suddenly grew serious. "That's right… There's something important that we need to talk about," he explained. "Gather all of the Royal Knights."
"What is it?" Sleipmon asked as RhodoKnightmon and Duftmon made to stand.
"I'll go into details later," Imperialdramon Paladin Mode responded with a frown. "I'll just say this… The Dark Area isn't stable."