(Author's Note: Here's Part 1 of Chapter 36. I'll post the second half in a week or so. Doubt and revelations, a Digimon walking on a knife edge... Enjoy the chapter! Read, review, and enjoy!
At anon: Merci beaucoup!)
Chapter 36: The Shadow of His Mind (Part I)
A long night passed since GrandisKuwagamon's escape and the next morning came about.
The medical bay was sparse, but it had a few more occupants than before.
VictoryGreymon lay on one of the soft, white beds. He was fast asleep after the painful, emotional night. His injuries weren't very bad, but he sported a cut lip and a couple of bruises on his arms and legs. He was sprawled on the bed with a melted pack of ice pressed against his tender cheek, as well as another one between his legs.
The other patient was SaviorHackmon. However, unlike VictoryGreymon, he was wide awake. He hadn't been able to get much sleep through the night; his mind was plagued by the events of the previous evening.
He sat on the edge of his bed, his body hunched forwards and his bladed head bowed. His arms rested on his bent knees and he was curled slightly in on himself. He sat abashedly with his goggle-clad hood pulled over his head, the hem reaching up to his nose horn. The crimson hood concealed a swollen lip and scuffed metal. More than that, it hid his mortified eyes.
He stared down at the floor, deep in thought. His golden eyes were narrowed in a soft wince as they stared blankly at the place between his bladed feet. The dull pain in his face was nothing compared the sharp aching of his heart.
He trusted GrandisKuwagamon. He trusted him so much that he had been willing to break Order protocol just to do something nice for him. SaviorHackmon felt like a complete fool. He felt used and betrayed, but he also knew it was his own fault. He was too gullible, too trusting, too reckless…
"How could I have been so naïve…?" he thought to himself sullenly. "I can't believe how stupid I've been… GrandisKuwagamon was right all along… I am a naïve idiot. I fell for his story and he manipulated me into freeing him. I might as well have walked him out of the castle myself… I can't believe how much I let the Royal Knights down…"
The pain in SaviorHackmon's heart swelled and his stomach felt uneven. "How could he have used me so easily? Was he working me from the start? Was there a drop of truth in anything that he said? Was everything he told me a lie? Everything he said sounded so genuine… Or was that just my own wishful thinking? He made it sound like he had such a tough life… I wanted to believe him. I wanted to believe that there was a good reason for the way that he was. I thought that maybe I could change him... How arrogant could I get…? Thinking that I'd be able to change a ruthless mercenary… I thought we were becoming friends, but none of it was true… It was all just my own naïve stupidity… I've been so blind…"
His eyes narrowed and his throat tightened up the more that he thought about it.
"Maybe there was truth in one of the things that he said… My heart's too big. Maybe that's true… Maybe I'm too naïve… too idealistic… Maybe I need to harden my heart like he has… That way, I'll never be taken advantage of like that again…" SaviorHackmon considered, bowing his head more so that his hood drooped further over his snout. "Can I even do that…? Maybe… Maybe I'm just not cut out for this… Maybe I don't have what it takes to be a Royal Knight… Maybe it's all just empty dreams…"
He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't even notice the nearby footsteps and the figure approaching him.
The lean, golden form of TigerVespamon stopped in front of him. The tall, humanoid wasp was wearing surgical gloves and a white overcoat. TigerVespamon was there in the medical bay volunteering his medical expertise. When he wasn't training as a recruit, he worked as one of Duskmon's assistants.
"SaviorHackmon?" he spoke calmly.
SaviorHackmon didn't reply.
"SaviorHackmon?" TigerVespamon repeated, with a subtle change in inflection as he attempted to catch his attention.
SaviorHackmon blinked and looked up from the shroud of his hood. "…TigerVespamon?" he asked.
TigerVespamon raised his hand, which contained a small bag of ice. "Could you tilt your head back please? I need to apply an ice pack to your snout to contain the swelling," he informed him.
The dragon nodded slightly and quietly leaned back on the bed. He gripped the sheets with his claws and angled his snout into the air. His horned nose protruded upwards as the fabric of his hood receded up his forehead.
The hornet Digimon silently leaned forwards and pressed the bag of ice gently against SaviorHackmon's bruised and swollen snout. As the frigid ice touched his metal scales, the numb pain elicited a wince in SaviorHackmon's features.
"Hold that, if you would be so kind," TigerVespamon said to him. "I must make sure that your premaxilla isn't broken."
SaviorHackmon raised his claws and pressed the ice bag against his lip without asking any questions. He couldn't look TigerVespamon in the eyes, even as the assistant physician leaned towards his face.
TigerVespamon raised a glow form with his left hand. He held the small, glowing, ball of light between his thumb and index finger, positioning it right in front of SaviorHackmon's nostrils so that he could see inside. With his other hand, he raised a swab and gently began pressing SaviorHackmon's snout and inside of his nostrils, applying pressure from different angles.
As TigerVespamon worked, there was a quiet air between them. SaviorHackmon was half-lost in his thoughts. TigerVespamon calmly applied the routine medical procedure without saying a word.
The quiet was getting to SaviorHackmon. He wished that TigerVespamon would just say something. He knew that he didn't like GrandisKuwagamon. He could only imagine how TigerVespamon must feel, knowing that SaviorHackmon was responsible for releasing the mercenary. Was he being passive-aggressive? It was agitating him. Spending most of his life with Gankoomon and Sistermon Noir, he was used to people being direct and aggressive when they were mad at him. He couldn't stand the quiet and the not knowing. He wanted TigerVespamon to be angry at him.
"You can say 'I told you so', you know," SaviorHackmon spoke up. For the first time since he arrived, SaviorHackmon braved a glance into the wasp Digimon's compound eyes. "Or you can tell me how stupid, naïve, and insubordinate I am."
TigerVespamon continued to carefully move the swab around the interior of SaviorHackmon's blood-encrusted nasal cavity, while also touching the surface of SaviorHackmon's snout with his fingers. "…Is that how you feel?" he serenely asked, his voice not fluctuating even slightly.
SaviorHackmon grimaced and he gripped the ice bag somewhat more tightly. "…What is this, TigerVespamon?" he asked him directly. "What are you doing? You can't make me feel any guiltier than I already feel…"
TigerVespamon paused for a moment and stared into his hurting citrine eyes. "…I promise you, SaviorHackmon, that is not my intention…" he gently responded. "I do not plan on judging you… It is not my place… I am merely here to provide you with medical treatment. I am High Physician Duskmon's assistant."
"I'm sure you must have an opinion on what happened…" SaviorHackmon pressed. "You've never been shy about your dislike of Grandis… I guess you were right all along." He pulled his gaze away and looked off to the side as much as he could without moving his snout.
TigerVespamon sighed. "I… simply want to know why you did what you did," he explained. "What possessed you to go to such lengths?"
SaviorHackmon gritted his teeth slightly. "…I wanted to believe in him. He… told me about how rotten his life was while growing up. The things he experienced. How it made him into who he is now… I thought that nobody deserved to be put through what he experienced. I just wanted to do something kind for him… I thought that maybe I could change him…" he admitted bitterly. "I don't even know what's true and what's not anymore."
TigerVespamon was silent for a few, thoughtful seconds. "…I see," he finally said. "…Whatever may have happened to him in the past, I do not believe that it necessarily excuses his actions in the present. Although there are some who disagree with me…" TigerVespamon angled his head away slightly.
"I don't know anymore…" SaviorHackmon whispered. He tentatively glanced up at TigerVespamon. "…Why do you hate him, TigerVespamon?"
"He… has done some things that I cannot forgive…" TigerVespamon pensively replied. He retracted the swab and placed it in the tray. His actions were a bit swift and uncomfortable, a slight change in his usual fluid motions. "I would rather not speak about it. I apologise."
"I guess I'm not the first person that he's hurt…" SaviorHackmon mused, frowning.
TigerVespamon carefully pressed the bridge of SaviorHackmon's snout, right beneath his horn. "Does this hurt?"
"Not much…" SaviorHackmon replied.
"I see… It doesn't appear to be broken, fortunately," TigerVespamon explained.
"That's good to hear," Duskmon said, walking over and standing nearby. "Looks like we won't have to do any surgery. The swelling should subside in a few days."
"That is hopeful news," TigerVespamon said with a gentle smile.
SaviorHackmon nodded quietly. He stared down at his lap and began to fall back into his thoughts. He began to think about TigerVespamon's words. He didn't know how he could be so tranquil about it…
Duskmon's eyes suddenly turned and looked past SaviorHackmon, spotting something behind him. "…Ah."
SaviorHackmon was so withdrawn into his own negative thoughts that he didn't notice the shadow looming behind him.
A sharp crack on the cranium of his head pulled him painfully out of his thoughts. SaviorHackmon winced and clutched his head, pulling his hood back and then looking up.
Gankoomon withdrew his knuckles from the surface of SaviorHackmon's head and folded his arms, looking down at SaviorHackmon coolly. "I hope that knocked some sense into you…" he firmly chastised.
"Gankoomon, please refrain from assaulting my patients," Duskmon dryly spoke, giving him a sideways leer as he passed behind him. "I will have to ask you to leave if you do it again."
SaviorHackmon looked up at his mentor with shock. "Gankoomon-sensei…?" he questioned, a bit bewildered.
"You've reaaally done it this time, Hackie," Sistermon Noir spoke, casually strolling up beside Gankoomon and putting her hands on her hips. She smirked at SaviorHackmon. "Jeez, you must have it bad."
"D-Don't tease him, Noir…" Sistermon Blanc spoke up, tentatively stepping out from behind Gankoomon's back. She walked over to SaviorHackmon and took his hand, gazing at him sympathetically. "Are you okay, SaviorHackmon-kun?"
"I'm fine, Blanc-chan…" SaviorHackmon answered with a grimace. He stared back down at his lap, unable to look Gankoomon in the eyes. "I'm sorry, Sensei…"
"Only apologise if you mean it, SaviorHackmon," Gankoomon told him bluntly, staring down at the humbled dragon.
"I do mean it…" SaviorHackmon murmured bitterly. "I was such an idiot… I can't believe I trusted him."
"What'd he tell you?" Gankoomon asked, raising an eyebrow.
"He told me what a terrible time he had growing up… How he was just barely surviving and how he was treated like dirt," SaviorHackmon explained remorsefully. "He asked if I could remove his inhibitor, since it made him feel more like a bondservant than a Digimon… Turns out it was a ruse." SaviorHackmon closed his eyes and scowled, gritting his teeth. "I trusted him… I thought I understood him. I thought that, deep down, he was a good Digimon. …I wanted to believe him, Sensei…"
Gankoomon looked down at him coolly. He raised his hand and placed it on SaviorHackmon's head where he had whacked him. "I know you did," he said, his words more gentle than their usual harshness.
SaviorHackmon grimaced tightly. "That's my problem, isn't it?" he murmured. "Despite all the things I've been through… losing my hometown – everybody I cared about… I always tried to remain positive because I had hope." He looked up at Gankoomon with sad, doubting eyes. "I had hoped that I could join the Royal Knights… I wanted to join them so that I could become a hero who could help end the suffering in the Digital World. The Royal Knights were there to save the world from the Demon Lords during the Night of Falling Stars… They couldn't save my village, but they tried their best… I listened to your advice from back then, Sensei; I wanted to turn that tragedy into something good. That's why… That's why I wanted to become a Royal Knight. I believed that I could… I always hoped for the best – for myself and in other Digimon… Maybe I'm just fooling myself."
TigerVespamon quietly turned away as he listened to SaviorHackmon's dejected words. There was a thoughtful and distant look in his ruby eyes. Without a word, he took his gloves off and went to check on VictoryGreymon to give them some privacy.
"What?" Gankoomon shortly asked, leering at SaviorHackmon. "What's this 'wanted to' stuff?"
SaviorHackmon looked down and shook his head. "…I don't think I'm cut out to be a Royal Knight, Sensei…" he murmured despondently. "I'm not strong like they are – in body or spirit. I'm weak… I'm too trusting and impulsive. I'm immature and stupid. I'll never have what it takes to be a Royal Knight. Hell, I'll probably be kicked out of the Strike Forces after all this… I was just deluding myself this whole time…"
"SaviorHackmon…" Sistermon Blanc sadly spoke, placing her hand on his.
"Tch… Is that really what you think?" Gankoomon asked with frustration. He spoke as if there was something distasteful in his mouth. "I'm disappointed, Hackmon."
SaviorHackmon grimaced and looked away. "Yeah… I'm sure you aren't the only one, Sensei," he responded. "It'd probably be better for everyone if I just left the Order."
"SaviorHackmon!" Gankoomon boomed firmly, folding his arms and glaring down at SaviorHackmon with an intensity that only Gankoomon was capable of. "A man doesn't wallow in self-pity! When you make a mistake, you acknowledge it, pick yourself up, and try to make things right again!"
"How can I possibly make this right…?" SaviorHackmon asked, staring up at Gankoomon with eyes that begged for an answer from his sensei. "I messed up so much…"
The Royal Knight sighed. "I don't know… I can't fix this problem for you, SaviorHackmon. You can't always depend on me to give you all the answers. You don't have to explain yourself to me, but this is also something that you have to solve for yourself," Gankoomon informed him. He placed his hands on SaviorHackmon's shoulders. "But you're stronger than you think. Disabling GrandisKuwagamon's virus was a mistake, but it took a lot of guts and conviction to do what you did. You did what you thought was right and you saw it through. That's not nothing."
"And I was wrong," SaviorHackmon retorted bitterly. "Just because I believe in something, it doesn't make it true. I'm realising that now… Not everybody can be how I want them to be… not even myself." He sighed and stood to his feet. "But, you're right, Sensei. I can't just sit around feeling sorry for myself… I have to take responsibility for my actions. I don't want you stepping in on my behalf to reduce my punishment."
"What do you take me for?" Gankoomon replied with a smirk. "Have you ever known me to clean up your messes for you?"
SaviorHackmon shook his head. "Just a few times… Thank you, Gankoomon-sensei."
Duskmon walked back over to SaviorHackmon with a glass of water in his hand. "Here, SaviorHackmon. Drink up," the physician of darkness told him.
"Thank you… And I'm sorry," SaviorHackmon apologetically told him.
"I hope this is a learning experience for you. Please never take medical items without permission again," Duskmon said calmly. His multiple eyes all shifted towards SaviorHackmon and stared at the dragon man coolly, sending a chill down the patient's spine. "I will be upset if you do…"
"I-I won't, Duskmon-sensei!" SaviorHackmon nervously promised, standing up and bowing deeply. "I promise."
"I believe you," Duskmon spoke, placing the glass of water in the dragon's claws. He turned around and walked over to VictoryGreymon's bed. "Shouldn't you be getting up, VictoryGreymon?"
VictoryGreymon murmured and wiggled in his bed. He slowly opened his green eyes and looked up at Duskmon sleepily. "Mmm… Huh? BlackWarGreymon?" he asked in slumberous daze as he stared with blurry vision at the black, blond-haired Digimon.
"It is Duskmon. You should get up; you are wanted," Duskmon informed him.
TigerVespamon stood over the other side of the dragon man's bed. "How do you feel this morning, VictoryGreymon?" he asked him.
"Not too bad…" VictoryGreymon diminutively responded, sitting up with a light wince. "I'm feeling a lot better than I did last night… My face isn't as numb…"
"Better freshen yourselves up. I came down here to get you guys. Alphamon wants to see you both immediately," Gankoomon explained, his aloof voice not giving anything away.
VictoryGreymon's eyes widened and his face contorted into a grimace for a split second. He caught himself and forced a sheepish smile on his face. "Y-Yeah… Okay, Sir Gankoomon…" he responded positively, although he was unable to hide the fear, remorse, and guilt in his deep voice.
Shamefully, SaviorHackmon looked across at VictoryGreymon. "VictoryGreymon… I need to apologise," he guiltily offered, his voice low and humbled. "I'm sorry for getting you involved in this. It was my fault, so I'll take responsibility. I don't want you getting in trouble because of me…"
VictoryGreymon offered SaviorHackmon an encouraging smile. "It's okay, SaviorHackmon. I'm as much at fault. I knew it was against protocol, so I can't blame anybody but myself. We both thought we were doing the right thing…" he tried to reassure him. His smile wavered for but a moment. "I didn't expect GrandisKuwagamon to betray us like that… Maybe I'm as dumb and naïve as people say… Haha…" He tried not to let his smile fade and he rubbed the back of his head. "I just hate that I let the Royal Knights down…" He looked at Gankoomon submissively. "I'm so sorry, Sir Gankoomon."
"Save the apologies for Alphamon, you two," Gankoomon told them. "You should both get going."
Breathing out through his nostrils, which were half-clogged with dry blood from the beating, VictoryGreymon stood to his feet. "Yeah, I guess we should," VictoryGreymon agreed with trepidation looking over at SaviorHackmon.
"Don't worry, VictoryGreymon. I'll make sure that Alphamon-shishou knows that it was my fault," the white dragon assured him.
"I can't let you do that…" VictoryGreymon sadly told him.
"You two can sort out who gets the most blame on the way there," Sistermon Noir informed them, sticking her tongue out. "Just get your butts moving before you get in any more trouble."
Sistermon Blanc nodded. "Good luck," she bid them nervously.
"Just explain to Alphamon what happened and why you did what you did," Gankoomon advised them. "Don't fall on your swords just because you feel guilty. You won't do anybody any favours."
"Yes, Sensei…" SaviorHackmon agreed pensively.
VictoryGreymon nodded and smiled at them as he began to walk towards the exit. "Thank you, Sir Gankoomon…"
SaviorHackmon sighed and walked alongside VictoryGreymon. They both felt as guilty as the other. They felt like they deserved to be punished. Neither wanted to be kicked out of the Order, but they were both prepared for that possibility, as well as a severe chewing out. They tried not to let it show, but they were both nervous as they made their way out of the medical bay and up to Alphamon's office.
All they could do now was explain what happened and await Alphamon's judgment, whatever that might be.
"How could you both be so irresponsible?!" Alphamon's deep voice boomed.
His words cut through his office like a sword. SaviorHackmon and VictoryGreymon both visibly flinched at the anger and disappointment of the usually calm Royal Knight. They felt like students being scolded by the normally friendly head principal.
The pair stood in Alphamon's office, standing opposite to the leader of the Order. They were positioned side-by-side, their heads bowed, as they waited in front of Alphamon's desk.
Alphamon stood behind his desk, his eyes fixed on the two dragons with a stern stare. His hands rested on the surface of the desk.
Standing to his right, beside the desk, was a slender, humanoid Digimon who wore a formal, light blue, business suit over her body. The sand-hued skin of her face was covered by a pale, pink fabric that came up from under her suit and clung tightly to her neck, mouth, and nose. She had sky blue hair that seemed to branch outwards in the form of wings. Matching this was a pair of long, brown wings that extended from her back. She observed the pair of Digimon with calm, studious, grey eyes.
This Digimon was Shutumon, the High Administrator of Order Affairs, which was the highest non-military rank within the Order. She was responsible for managing the daily affairs of the Order, both external and internal. This involved dealing with issues regarding the client states in the Free Area, arranging meetings with important Digimon or other states, the daily running of the Order, and dealing with the Order's internal affairs. Internal affairs involved things like complaints, personal requests, jurisprudence, and arranging trials. As a result, she often worked closely with Alphamon.
Standing on Alphamon's left side was Ouryumon, who folded his arms and scowled irately at his two subordinates. The Captain of the Strike Forces was not pleased to hear about what happened last night.
Also in the room was Paildramon, who stood behind SaviorHackmon and VictoryGreymon. Her posture was impeccable as she stood at attention. She was especially formal because she realised the gravity of the situation.
Alphamon's shoulders relaxed and he released a subtle sigh as he stared at the two soldiers that he was chewing out. "Such flagrant flouting of Order protocol, especially with regards to such important security issues like high priority prisoners, is not an easy thing to overlook."
"If I thought you two were smart enough, I might have thought that you guys were colluding with GrandisKuwagamon to help him escape," Ouryumon pointed out with a soft snarl, his violet eyes sharp and cutting as they glared at the pair. "That'd be grounds for a trial. Treason."
VictoryGreymon's eyes widened with mortification. "I-It wasn't anything like that!" VictoryGreymon stammered desperately, putting his hands up in front of him and staring back at his superiors with large, fearful, green eyes. "Honest, Sir! I swear! Please, believe me! I'd never do that - never ever!"
SaviorHackmon grimaced and bowed his head deeper. "We didn't mean for that to happen…"
"You knew that you were breaking the rules. You released a prisoner from his cell and gave him the vaccine to his inhibitor virus without authorization," Shutumon pointed out. "What you did was premeditated."
Alphamon sighed and sat back down in his chair, sitting at his desk. "…I believe you that you didn't mean for him to escape, but, even putting that aside, what possessed you to remove his restraint?" he asked, his sternness subsiding and being replaced with his usual even-handedness. "There was a good reason why he was outfitted with that virus."
"I'm- I'm so s-sorry, Sir Alphamon," VictoryGreymon shakily and emotively responded, his lip quivering as he bowed deeply.
"It's all my fault… I convinced VictoryGreymon to help me. Please don't blame him," SaviorHackmon pleaded. His golden eyes narrowed into a repentant grimace. "I did it because… I wanted to help GrandisKuwagamon. I was talking to him before. He… he told me about what a rough life he had. How Digimon treated him like dirt growing up… He said he felt like that now, and that I could make him feel like a regular Digimon again by removing that virus…" He bowed his head deeper, his cheeks burning red with emotion and embarrassment. "He manipulated me… I thought I was doing the right thing by helping him… I'm really sorry, Alphamon-shishou…"
VictoryGreymon shut his eyes tightly and tried to bow deeper, but he nearly toppled over. "Rm… I wanted to do something kind for him too. He saved me during our mission to Dark Point, so we thought… I thought that maybe he wasn't that bad of a guy…" he admitted. "I thought he was my friend. I guess I was just being stupid like usual…"
Alphamon sighed and rubbed his forehead. "That was incredibly foolish and naïve of both of you," he reprimanded them. "For whatever tragedy GrandisKuwagamon might have had in his life, he is incredibly cunning, and he is canny enough to turn any situation to his advantage. Emotions are an essential part of a Digimon's heart, but blind emotion without a flicker of second-thought will lead to hasty decisions and tragic outcomes. You are both extremely lucky that nobody was killed. You would have had to live with that guilt."
"Permission to speak, Sir?" Paildramon tentatively asked, looking at Alphamon.
"Yes. You don't need my permission to voice your thoughts, over-sergeant," Alphamon explained, looking over at the female dragon.
"I am partially to blame for GrandisKuwagamon's escape. I had the opportunity to stop him, but he manipulated me as well. I let my guard down and he took the chance to get the better of me," Paildramon explained. "I can attest to his manipulative skills. He knows how to use Digimons' feelings against them. He may look like a street thug, but he is very good at playing mind games."
Alphamon's gaze shifted from Paildramon to the two dragon men in front of him. "That may be so… but I cannot allow these transgressions to go unnoticed," he said, staring at SaviorHackmon and VictoryGreymon. "As new members of the Strike Forces, we expect better than this. We expect our rules to be followed, even if your heart tells you otherwise. Rules exist for a reason; there is a reason why we place inhibitor viruses in dangerous criminals. You cannot just pick and choose which rules you want to follow at your leisure. It is arrogant to believe otherwise. You both should have known better."
"I know, Alphamon-shishou…" SaviorHackmon shamefully murmured, forcing himself to look up at the black-armoured Royal Knight.
"M-Me too!" VictoryGreymon exclaimed, standing up straight and twiddling his fingers in front of his chest. "I'll never break another rule ever again! I promise on my life!"
Alphamon closed his eyes. "At the very least, I believe that you both made impulsive decisions based on your hearts and GrandisKuwagamon's manipulations. I can understand how this unfortunate sequence of events happened, but I am not pleased about it. We're just fortunate that we got what information we needed out of GrandisKuwagamon already…"
Shutumon turned and gazed at Alphamon. "What would you like to do about their punishments, Alphamon?" she asked him, placing one hand on the hip of her blue suit.
Alphamon opened a gold eye and stared at SaviorHackmon and VictoryGreymon from across his desk. "…I am seriously reconsidering the suitability of the pair of you as recruits in the Strike Forces…" he explained forebodingly.
VictoryGreymon's eyes widened with terror at the thought of getting kicked out of the Strike Forces. This was his biggest goal in life – being able to work with his heroes. The thought of it being taken away was too much to bear. His chest tightened up and he looked about ready to break into tears. "S-Sir Alphamon… I… I…" he stammered to beg with his hero, although his voice began to get choked up.
The words deeply stung SaviorHackmon as well. He could feel his dreams crashing down around him. He grimaced and shut his eyes tightly, trying to resign himself to the inevitable rather than break down in front of Alphamon. He realised that it was all his own doing. He knew that he had to accept his fate. At the very least, he didn't want to drag VictoryGreymon down with him. "Alphamon-shishou…" he spoke, his trembling voice begging despite his resignation. "Please don't punish VictoryGreymon. I pressured him into helping me. It was all my idea. He was reluctant from the start… All he did was let me use the dungeon; I did everything else."
"S-SaviorHackmon! Don't say that!" VictoryGreymon insisted despite his fear of getting kicked out of the Order and failing his lifelong dream. "I can't let you take all the blame for me. I'm as much to blame as you are. I shouldn't have let us break protocol. I deserve the same p-punishment," he stubbornly said, grimacing despite his words.
Ouryumon turned and glanced at Alphamon meaningfully. Alphamon caught his glance but remained quiet.
"Th-That's why…" VictoryGreymon continued. His deep voice raised an octave as it trembled with emotion. "That's why I have another confession to make!" he announced, his green eyes wide with fear and remorse. "I-I'm a criminal! I'm… I'm a money launderer!" he cried out in despair.
Everybody else in the room blinked and looked at VictoryGreymon in shock. "…Pardon…?" Alphamon asked him, obviously stunned at the declaration.
"I accidentally laundered money!" VictoryGreymon explained, tears welling in his eyes. "A week ago, I accidentally left a few bits in the back pocket of my jeans when I put my laundry through the barracks' washing machine! The coins came loose during the wash and they rattled all over the place! I didn't think the machine broke or anything, so I didn't tell anybody… I'm sorry I didn't say anything until now! I'm so sorry!"
An incredulous silence took over the office in response to VictoryGreymon's admission. VictoryGreymon stared at Alphamon with shame and regret, nervously holding his tail in front of his body and sniffling piteously as he awaited Alphamon's wrath.
Alphamon merely lowered his gaze and stared at VictoryGreymon with dry exasperation. "That… isn't what money laundering is, VictoryGreymon…" he flatly informed him.
VictoryGreymon blinked with shock. "…It's not?"
Alphamon sighed. "I have decided what your punishments will be," he explained. His eyes were stern and aloof as he gazed between the two of them.
VictoryGreymon and SaviorHackmon both swallowed nervously. Their mouths were dry and their muscles were tense as they timorously anticipated Alphamon's decision.
"…What you both did was extremely naïve, arrogant, and insubordinate," Alphamon stated firmly. "You not only put your own lives in jeopardy, but those of your fellow soldiers as well. You broke security protocol, which resulted in an important prisoner escaping…"
The two dragon men's bodies became even more rigid and they braced themselves for the Knight of the Empty Seat's fateful words.
"…However… I realise that your actions came from a place from kindness. Naïve kindness, but kindness nonetheless. I can also appreciate that GrandisKuwagamon took advantage of your compassion for his own ends," Alphamon explained, the hardness in his voice softening. "Furthermore, I believe that both of you regret your actions and that this will never happen again… Am I right to believe that?" he questioned, staring carefully at the pair of them.
"Yes!" VictoryGreymon was quick to speak up. "I'll never step a foot out of line again! I promise, Sir!" he insisted sincerely. "I'm really, really, really sorry!"
"M-Me too, Alphamon-shishou…" SaviorHackmon agreed, although his voice was more reserved and humbled. "I won't disobey Order protocol again, even if my heart is conflicted. I'm ashamed that GrandisKuwagamon escaped because of me…"
Alphamon nodded and exhaled thoughtfully. He looked over at Shutumon and nodded. "Very well…" He looked back at the two. "SaviorHackmon, VictoryGreymon, I will allow you both to remain in the Strike Forces as recruits, but if you ever do something like this again, I will not hesitate to expel you both on the spot," he firmly explained. "In addition, for the next two months, you will devote all of your leisure time to helping the castle's maintenance staff."
Shutumon stepped forwards. "One of the maintenance staff will be keeping track of you as you work and logging your hours. You are to report to High Curator Phantomon for your detail," she explained calmly and methodically. "For that two month period, your pay will be halved and you will not be allowed to participate in Order activities outside of your standard training regimen. Furthermore, neither of you will be allowed to volunteer for guard duty again," she added. "Any time that you miss due to Order operations or extended training exercises will be made up beyond that two month period."
Alphamon turned and looked up at Ouryumon. "Is there anything that you would like to add to that, Captain?" he asked the Strike Force's captain.
"Oh, yeah. You're both gonna be cleaning the barracks' washrooms top to bottom. Got it?" Ouryumon commanded with a devilish smirk, folding his arms as he leered at them.
"Yes! Thank you, Captain! I'll do anything! I'll make those toilets sparkle as much as ShineGreymon's wings!" VictoryGreymon exclaimed, nearly sobbing tears of joy. "Thank you so much! I'll never do anything like this again!"
SaviorHackmon bowed deeply. "Thank you so much, Alphamon-shishou!" he graciously replied. As he reached the nadir of his bow, he blinked back the tears of relief that formed in his eyes. "…Thank you… for giving us a second chance. I'm so grateful. I mean it…"
"Don't make me regret it," Alphamon told them sternly. "I have high hopes for you both, so don't disappoint me again."
VictoryGreymon stood up straight, puffed his muscular chest up and saluted. "I won't, Sir! I promise!" he vowed, a massive smile on his snout.
SaviorHackmon straightened his body out and saluted as well. "The same goes for me, Sir."
Alphamon nodded and smiled slightly. "Good…" He turned his eyes to Paildramon. "Now, about GrandisKuwagamon… Paildramon, are you up to going after him?"
Paildramon nodded and stepped up beside VictoryGreymon and SaviorHackmon. "Yes, Sir. I was about to offer. I would like to make up for my failure last night," she explained. "What are your orders?"
"Form a small capture team and catch up to him. He has had the night to get a head start on us, but with the speed that your Imperialdramon form possesses, you should be able to catch up to him with a small team in tow," Alphamon informed her. "I want you to try to capture him, if possible."
"That is, if I can find him…" Paildramon mentioned. "It might be difficult; do we know which direction he is going?"
"Actually, yes," the obsidian-hued paladin replied. "One of our scouts on patrol in the northern Free Area spotted GranKuwagamon flying through Lupolford at the break of dawn. He was heading north towards the Republic of Node – likely New Terminal. Since he's flying and in a hurry, he is probably taking the most direct route by air."
Paildramon nodded. "I will take that route, then," she confirmed. "Who would you like to accompany me?"
Ouryumon turned and looked at the two male dragons beside her. "I want VictoryGreymon and SaviorHackmon to go with you," he said, staring at the pair. "Think of it as extra-curricular training."
Alphamon gazed at Ouryumon before turning his head to see SaviorHackmon and VictoryGreymon's responses. "Do you think that you two are up for that?" he asked them, not wanting to force them into it if they didn't feel ready.
"Yes, Sir…" SaviorHackmon responded soberly. His golden eyes stared back at Alphamon with the fire of determination coruscating within them. He wanted to correct his mistake, both for his own sake and so that the Royal Knights would trust him again. He also wanted to confront GrandisKuwagamon about what he did; he needed closure. "I won't fall for his lies again. I'll be able to fight him."
VictoryGreymon frowned deeply. It pained him to have to fight GrandisKuwagamon, but the mercenary had betrayed them. He supposed they weren't friends after all. VictoryGreymon looked at Alphamon and nodded gently. "I can do it… I can fight him," VictoryGreymon responded, although his voice was soft and resigned. "I want to make it up to the Order. He's an escaped criminal, so…"
"I need you to be positive. Your lives will be on the line should you agree. You cannot afford even a moment of hesitation because GrandisKuwagamon will surely capitalize on it," Alphamon pressed. "Somebody as desperate as GrandisKuwagamon will not hesitate to strike the killing stroke.
SaviorHackmon's eyes hardened. "I'm sure, Alphamon-shishou," he promised.
VictoryGreymon frowned and stood up straight. "Me too… He's the enemy now, so I'll treat him like one," he agreed although not without sadness in his words.
Alphamon nodded gently. "…Very well. If you're both sure. Just don't let your emotions get the best of you. He is an Ultimate-level Digimon, and a powerful one, at that; be vigilant and refrain from recklessness," he advised them.
"Will it just be us?" Paildramon questioned, looking at Alphamon. "Didn't it take five Royal Knights to take him down previously?"
"That amount was a bit excessive. It didn't require all of us to capture him in Saversburg; that was just how many of us arrived at the scene," Alphamon explained. "His abilities might still be somewhat weakened due to the virus, but as the virus fades completely, he will be restored to full strength. That said, do not underestimate him. He is more than capable. As somebody who has fought him personally, I know that he is not an easy enemy to defeat. You will still need to fight him to your fullest."
"Understood. We'll be careful," Paildramon confirmed.
"And it won't just be you," Alphamon added. "You will be Team A. Team A will follow GrandisKuwagamon from behind and close the distance on him. Team B – headed by UlforceVeedramon – will fly ahead of his path to intercept him in the case that he eludes you. Ideally, you will be able to engage him and keep him distracted long enough for Team B to arrive. You don't have to defeat him – just stall him."
"Understood, Sir Alphamon," VictoryGreymon said seriously. He saluted the Royal Knight and stared at him with determination. "We will retrieve the escaped prisoner."
"Don't push yourself beyond your limits just because you feel that you have to redeem yourselves. Guilt and the desire to redeem oneself can be a powerful motivator, but it can also skew one's priorities and better judgment," Alphamon advised them perceptively. "Just do what you can. Nothing more."
"Yes, Sir," SaviorHackmon acknowledged.
Paildramon nodded. "I will keep us focused," she assured the Royal Knight.
Alphamon stood to his feet. "Very well. You are dismissed," he told the three Strike Force members.
Ouryumon nodded and stepped towards them. "You have an hour before you leave, so make it count. I'll tell Leftenant HippoGriffomon what's happening. When you're ready, meet UlforceVeedramon and his team on the staging grounds."
"Sir," the three dragon Digimon said in near-unison. The team saluted Alphamon, Ouryumon, and Shutumon before turning and walking out of Alphamon's office.
After Paildramon, VictoryGreymon, and SaviorHackmon left, Shutumon glanced over at Alphamon. "Considering how angry you seemed earlier, I am surprised that you were not harsher," she mused.
"It wasn't just them that I was angry at," Alphamon murmured. He sighed and placed his black hands on the table. "They're idealistic... I can't fault them for wanting to do the right thing. It is far better to use this as a teaching moment so that they know not to ignore the rules again, rather than punish them so severely that I break their spirits. They know that they made a mistake." Alphamon closed his eyes meditatively. "We all make mistakes, now and again…"
Ouryumon stared at Alphamon studiously. "Yeah, I guess so…"
Shutumon turned to the Royal Knight. "I will make arrangements with High Curator Phantomon about their maintenance work," the High Administrator of Order Affairs informed him.
"Thank you, Shutumon," Alphamon replied, nodding at her as she left as well. "I appreciate it."
As the sylph Digimon stepped out of the office, just Alphamon and Ouryumon remained. The copper-gold dragon stepped around Alphamon's desk and stared at him from the other side. "…What's going on, Alphamon?" he asked him with the directness that Ouryumon was known for.
"What?" Alphamon questioned, looking up at the taller Digimon.
"Something's bothering you. Don't try to deny it," Ouryumon bluntly said. "I know you too well."
Alphamon smiled slightly. "I suppose I can't hide much from you…" he decided. "I am partially to blame for GrandisKuwagamon's escape. I didn't handle him very well… I should have communicated the situation to him more clearly. Maybe two years was still too harsh after he stuck his neck out to help us. Perhaps I didn't want to show weakness to him. …If only GrandisKuwagamon didn't feel the need to escape."
Ouryumon's brows furrowed. "What the hell is this, Alphamon? He's just an opportunistic mercenary. Why are you putting all this on you? He saw an opportunity and he would have taken it regardless," the dragon Captain debated. He stared inquisitively into Alphamon's eyes. "You always think long and hard about your decisions, but you don't usually doubt them once you make them. …What else is going on?"
Alphamon closed his eyes. "There is… something that I haven't told you or any of the other Royal Knights about yet…" he informed Ouryumon. "Yesterday, Paildramon informed me of the identity of Black Pincer Company's benefactor. I am still… processing it…"
"What…? You know who's behind all this?" Ouryumon questioned, leaning forwards on Alphamon's desk. "Who?!"
Alphamon stared up at him with heavy, golden eyes. "…It's Bagramon…" he informed him, with words that seemed burdened by the weight of the information.
"Bagramon…?" Ouryumon repeated, his violet eyes widening with revelation. "You don't mean… Him?! That Bagramon?!"
A drawn out breath escaped from Alphamon's mouth. "Yes… Most likely it is that Bagramon. None other than the angel of death… and DarkKnightmon's brother…" he murmured.
"Tch… I should have known…" Ouryumon growled bitterly. He clenched his clawed fists tightly. "I should have known it would be him! If one brother is rotten then the other one obviously is too! Not to mention Bagramon was already one of the rebels in the Heavenly War… Damn it! It's so obvious! That whole damn family is seriously screwed up!"
"Ouryumon…" Alphamon said, trying to calm him down.
He sighed; he knew that Ouryumon's acrimony towards DarkKnightmon still remained despite the latter's passing. They had always been rivals back when DarkKnightmon was with the Order, but their rivalry had only deepened during DarkKnightmon's rebellions.
Alphamon was reluctant to take the same wrathful stance towards DarkKnightmon that Ouryumon took. Rather than a source of anger, DarkKnightmon marked a source of regret and personal failure for Alphamon. Though DarkKnightmon was dead, he didn't want Ouryumon dwelling on his bad feelings over their enemy.
"It's true," Ouryumon reiterated with ire. "First, DarkKnightmon tries to destroy the Order, and now his brother unleashes the Demon Lords onto the Digital World?! Even in death, that bastard is causing big problems for us…"
Alphamon sighed. "I should have guessed…" he explained. "But all we can do is move forward. Once all of the Royal Knights are back from their inspections and travels, I'm going to inform them as well."
"Yeah, okay… I'll try to act surprised," Ouryumon responded, running his clawed hand through his lavender hair. He looked at Alphamon carefully. He knew that this must be affecting him. He was sure that he was blaming himself – he usually did when it came to DarkKnightmon. "…You okay, Alphamon?"
"I'm fine…" Alphamon assured him, although his mind was still burdened by the news. He felt like he should change the subject. There wasn't any point on dwelling on Bagramon right now. "Are you sure about sending SaviorHackmon and VictoryGreymon with Paildramon?"
"Yeah, I am. I think they need to face him… They need to get it out of their systems, otherwise they'll just dwell on it and become distracted from their training," Ouryumon explained. "Apart from their own peace of mind, they're both capable. SaviorHackmon's inexperienced, but he's passionate, got a lot of potential, and Gankoomon taught him pretty good fighting skills. VictoryGreymon's clumsy, idealistic and dense, but he's strong, he's got experience, and apparently he's a really good swordsman when he focuses. He's more than enough to face a fellow Ultimate."
"GrandisKuwagamon is strong and ruthless," Alphamon pointed out.
"I have faith in them," Ouryumon contended. "And I think you do too, otherwise you wouldn't have agreed to let them go."
Alphamon conceded a smile. "I suppose you have a point… I expect great things from the pair of them," he mused. "…I may have a blind spot when it comes to certain Digimon, but I like to think that I have a good read on most Digimons' capabilities."
Ouryumon grinned. "They'll be fine; I'm training them, after all!" he boasted.
Alphamon chuckled. "As long as they only develop your skills and not your attitude," he jokingly replied.
Ouryumon folded his arms and stuck his long tongue out at Alphamon. "With Gankoomon as a teacher, I'm pretty sure SaviorHackmon's already doomed from the start."
"True…" The winged knight reclined in his seat, smiling with restraint. The smile waned and Alphamon closed his eyes while meditatively stroking his chin. "…I do hope that his recklessness doesn't get the better of him again."
Alphamon could only wait for the prisoner retrieval operation to commence. As much as he lamented the turn of events, he was concerned about how the operation would go. If GrandisKuwagamon was desperate enough to launch an escape attempt from their heavily guarded castle, then Alphamon wondered what lengths he would go to in order to escape.
The Knight of the Empty Seat could only wonder why he felt the need in the first place…
A few hours passed and the morning shifted into mid-day.
In the northern reaches of the Free Area, rain clouds began to form in the sky. A sheet of pale grey clouds blanketed the firmament, stretching for kilometers. The dim veil cast a thick gloom across the verdant hills and level grasslands that marked the region. The greys of the sky accentuated the brilliant greens of the landscape. This oppressive overcast threatened rain but ceased from releasing a downpour of water that was typical of spring showers. Only a couple rain drops escaped and intermittently fell upon the blades of grass.
A black figure cut through the grey sky.
GrandisKuwagamon soared fifty feet off of the ground. His shadowy body cast a striking form against the wispy greys above him. His orange wings beat swiftly against the air, causing a deep, fluttering buzz to resonate from their rapid strokes. The fugitive insect flew at a medium speed so as not to exhaust himself. His crimson eye gazed around the landscape alertly. He was vigilant in staying observant, always watchful for Order patrols and even passersby.
He had only stopped once since his escape last night. He had landed in a forest and slept in a dense tree canopy. However, he only allowed himself a few hours as he wanted to leave the Free Area as soon as possible, and his instincts were too nervous to sleep anyways. He was sure that the Order would be after him. GrandisKuwagamon continued his escape towards New Terminal. From there, he planned to travel either west to Dark Point or north to Shroud in order to lay low.
That was about the extent of his plans. Upon his return to Castle Albion, he had been so fixated on his predicament that when he saw an opportunity to get out of it, he took it. He hadn't thought about what would come next if his escape attempt worked. As he began to feel assured of his escape, the realization was beginning to catch up with his exhausted, nervous mind.
After checking around him, he sighed and continued flying forwards. He was about two hours away from New Terminal. He had pretty much exhausted his capability to use Zone Black Hole for now, but his brief rest allowed him to recover much of his stamina. He felt that the virus had mostly faded by now as well.
"Damn it…" he whispered to himself, slowly clenching his black fists beneath the fearsome claws of the Gran Killers. His blood ruby eye was fixed coldly ahead of him as he reflected on his actions and his situation. The muscles around his compound eye tensed.
"Was I too reckless? Was this really my best move to make?" he wondered to himself. "Now the Royal Knights will be after me for sure… Maybe they were being true to their word when they said I'd just be locked up for a year or two. Maybe I could have stuck it out that long… I've got nowhere to go. I've got no Black Pincer Company to go back to. I can't trust them. Now I'm going to be looking over my shoulder for the tin cans for who knows how long? Maybe this was a…"
"Tch," GrandisKuwagamon scoffed, shaking his head with a frustrated glower on his face. "What the hell am I doing, doubting myself now? Don't be stupid, Grandis. There's no way the Royal Knights would just let a mercenary like me go free. Escaping was the only way I'd ever have freedom again. It's the only way I'd ever be in control of my life. There's no point in questioning the decision. It's done now. I made it. Who cares if I used SaviorHackmon and VictoryGreymon to escape? It's their fault if they were dumb enough to help me. All I can do now is decide what to do with the future…"
He released a breath and continued making a bee-line for New Terminal. The mercenary didn't want to lose any more time, so he took the most direct route. He knew he couldn't afford to spend much time in New Terminal, as the Royal Knights would likely be looking for him there. From there, he considered his future…
There was no way he could ever go back to Blitzmon and Bolgmon. They had wanted to get rid of him. Even if Blitzmon showed doubts, he knew that Bolgmon was out to get him, and he didn't trust either of them. Blitzmon would cut him again if it was too much of a hassle.
GrandisKuwagamon considered freelance mercenary work… He could compete with Blitzmon and Bolgmon for their old Black Pincer Company clients and undercut them, but he wasn't sure it would work out for him. A single mercenary, however skilled he was, was a different thing from a three-mon mercenary team. He didn't have the same capabilities on his own, so the jobs that he would be able to take would have to be different – more specialized. He supposed he could start a new team, and while he had friends and contacts, he didn't trust anybody else to have his back. He also considered joining a large, rival, grey-claw mercenary team such as Kowloon Company, but he had enemies there and he didn't want to just be low-ranking member in the vast organization of such a large mercenary company. He felt like he didn't have many options – at least, none that provided both opportunities and security.
GrandisKuwagamon dismissed these thoughts. He figured there was no point in thinking about it until he felt completely in the clear. He could decide how to make a living once he was in Dark Point.
He continued zipping through the sky, passing over a small hill that jutted up from the lush meadows. The plains beyond were covered with grass, soil, and the occasional bed of flowers.
"I did the right thing for me. If those two idiots were collateral damage, then so be it… I'll never allow myself to be put in that position again," the mercenary told himself.
GrandisKuwagamon relaxed his fingers and slackened his shoulders slightly. As he soared, he tried to center himself. He breathed meditatively and relaxed his body, letting his wings carry him. He dispelled the thoughts from his mind, controlled his body, and allowed his mind to become one with nature around him.
He felt wind blow around his body, sensed the intermittent breeze ahead, and watched as it blew a gentle wave along the fickle blades of grass. He became more attuned to what was around him. This was a practice that GrandisKuwagamon performed regularly.
The scarab fugitive continued jetting northwards. Ten minutes passed. GrandisKuwagamon's mind remained tranquil and intensely focused. As he flew, he passed over an expansive plain of grass. The field of green was sporadically dotted with flowers of yellow, red, white, and black. Over to the left, the grass faded and formed a large tract of dirt, from which there were a few large boulders fixed in place. Apart from those features, the land was pretty level.
GrandisKuwagamon's eye was fixed ahead of him. His wings, although beginning to tire, moved almost automatically. His mind was empty of thoughts and he focused on an instinctive level.
Suddenly, a shiver snapped up GrandisKuwagamon's spine and his muscles clenched. He felt a disturbance in the wind and he heard a distant noise that was nearly inaudible. It came from behind him. It sounded like a soft whooshing sound, like something tearing through the wind. The noise grew progressively louder. It wasn't simply the sound of the wind – it was something else. The aggressive whirring sound increased in volume.
He realised it was heading towards him.
GrandisKuwagamon stopped in the air, angled his head to the side, and gazed over his shoulder out of the corner of his compound eye. There was a large blur of black, white, red, blue, and gold speeding towards him at high velocity. It was moving so fast that he couldn't even focus on it. It was travelling at several kilometers per second, almost fast enough to leave afterimages in its wake.
The mercenary spun around, but by the time he did even that simple action, the figure was already closing in on him. The massive figure stretched out its broad, vermillion wings, catching the wind and decelerating sharply. The draconic figure's form was obscured when its glowing back suddenly erupted with blazing energy.
"Positron Laser!" a booming, contralto, female voice echoed with resonance.
GrandisKuwagamon, for a split second, caught a glimpse of the form. It was Paildramon in her Imperialdramon form. Her sudden appearance caused his eye to widen with shock.
"What…?!" he whispered, his crimson eye staring with alarm as the cannon on Imperialdramon's back discharged a torrent of blazing light. The condensed positrons flooded out in a brilliant, spiralling beam of crackling energy that coursed forth. They ripped through the sky towards their target. GrandisKuwagamon watched as the swell of positrons closed in on him.
GrandisKuwagamon's combat instincts took control. As the onslaught of light approached, he angled his body and kicked his wings into full gear. He veered hard to the left to evade the incoming blast. The spiralling beam closed in and GrandisKuwagamon basically threw himself through the air. Thanks to his agility and timing, he managed to narrowly avoid getting caught up in the blast. He swerved sideways and the beam passed by him, narrowly missing by a couple meters. The light illuminated his form and reflected off his black armour brightly. GrandisKuwagamon could feel the heat and pressure of the beam against his right side, pushing his arm and shoulder back.
The mercenary clenched his teeth and kept flying sideways, getting clear of the blast. As the beam thinned out and faded, GrandisKuwagamon stopped in the air and raised his Gran Killers up in front of his body. He took on a defensive stance and glared at Imperialdramon. Imperialdramon came to a stop and hovered in place, flapping her large wings to keep herself aloft.
Imperialdramon stared back at GrandisKuwagamon, not shying away from his gaze. She angled her smoking cannon towards him, locking him in her sights. "GrandisKuwagamon, hold it right there!" she commanded.
His blood-hued eye tightened as he beheld his attacker. He tightened his fists and lowered his arms to his sides. The Cimmerian blades of his Gran Killers elongated and shimmered in the pale light. As the beam exploded in the distance behind him, he cricked his neck and accepted her challenge.
"Paildramon… Yo!"