"I mean, I find you pretty funny. Candlemon hasn't done anything especially tease-worthy yet." Tinkermon obviously wasn't paying much attention to what Arukenimon was saying, but she'd pick it up later. . . Probably. Arukenimon sighed at the Digimon but realized it was of no importance that they payed attention.

"Well, Niels and his partner will be back soon I think. Knowing that kid, he probably is already trying to track the Chessmon or on his way back." Arukenimon stated, "Well, the Chessmon Kingdom is rather far spreading. Their Leader is KingChessmon, though he's a bit of a coward that let power go to his head. They're mostly a nuisance, but it seems that's a less than apt description now." The Digimon-Woman scratched the side of her head thinking of what to add. "Well, guess I can tell you what you're up against. I'll have to add a few apps to your Digi-Vice so you can do this on your own from now own... So there's RookChessmon, an Ultimate. Way above what your partners can do if I'm to be frank, that's where Niels comes in. That said, there are apparently two KnightChessmon, Champions. For that, I have a present for you. More data."

The digimon reached into a pocket of some sort and a flurry of code circled in a ball like shape as she put her hand up to show the group. "More data?" Yumeko made a guess. It seemed like what was there when the digimon absorbed the defragmented data from those Commandramon. "Where did you get that?"

"I found two lost souls wandering around town somewhere. I asked if I could help but they attacked me. Guess they didn't expect to find themselves trapped in the spider's web." Arukenimon chuckled before continuing. [b]"It should hopefully let you all stand against them and whatever amount of PawnChessmon they have sitting around the base there. They're rookies but with the way you all handled the Commandramon, you should be fine."[/color]

Yumeko looked at the data and to the other humans and their digimon. "Well, we've done it before. Might as well do it again." Yumeko nodded to the others. Without a word, Arukenimon sent the ball flying at the Digimon whether they were aware or not and it split into three parts.

"Power up dears. You've a job to do. Back on subject though, they tend to be a bit of meatheads if I'm to be honest, the Chessmon that is. . . And Impmon." She couldn't help but mess with the little guy a bit since everyone else seemed to have fun with it. "Anyhow, there should be a couple patrols about and a couple squads of PawnChessmon. Plus those three I mentioned earlier, I think the best way to get in is guns-blazing. With the data power-up you have, you should be fine fighting the PawnChessmon as you are. There's a lot of them, but they're weak in the first place. That should be just about it though.

"I have a map so I know where their base is in the local area. It looks like quite the walk though. . ." She said looking between Rachel and Vivian. "But nothing impossible." Tinkermon meanwhile had been confused when she was absorbed part of the data-ball, but figured it out sooner or later and flew back over to Yumeko but not before sticking her tongue out at both Impmon and Candlemon.

Rachel Holt

"And what have I done that's tease-worthy?!" Impmon replied, obvious not too happy with his position as the one everyone is going to apparently be teasing. It didn't help that Arukenimon seemed to join in on the teasing, too. It made him more than a little angry and he couldn't help but to give them a small glare. "If anything, this cactus brain here has done more stuff tease-worthy than I have!" He said, pointing to Rachel who didn't reply in her usual manner. "G-gah, it don't matter. We'll take out those rogue digimon easily! Nothin in the digital world can stand up ta' me when I'm serious."

"Sounds like a bit of a walk, though..." Rachel commented, looking over to Yumeko. "Can I just take a nap here already? This is more activity then I do in a week."

"Oi, off your rear end partner, we got bad guys to wrangle and outlaws to bring to justice here." Rachel gave him a deadpan expression before yawning, not entirely too interested. "Oi, none of that get that human butt of yours in gear or I'll drag ya there myself!" Rachel rolled her eyes, but looked over to Yumeko.

"...alright, lets get this over with." She was content with following the other person.

"You have the funniest reactions." Candlemon answered to Impon question about why he was the target of the teasing, the candle body smiling wide as Impon all but started to throw a tantrum. Loud and expressive tantrum. It was fun to watch. The flame looked over to Rachle as she stared blankly. Definatly no fun to tease, if she looks so tired. Thougth if he ever saw that human start jumping and nearly kicking around as lively as impmon does then he definitely would tease her as well. Alas, until that day he settled on his digimon friend from the agency.

The data came to him as a bit of surprise and turning around he hopped back up Viv. They could at least tell them they are getting even more of a power up. Not just throw it when they werent paying the needed attention. That was Rude.

Vivian sighed, at the idea of guns blazing approach. He looked calmer now that he knew more,Candlemon noted, thanks to the information he was given most likely. The red hair looked as if he was thinking them over, before making a decision. "You have more experience than I do so yes. lets do it that way.... I so hope we dont end up running into complications."

"If we do. I am here." Cnadlemon reassured his human partner and he was delighted to see Viv smiling at him.

"Okay lets get going, sleep is for the dead!" Viv escalated with vigor adjusting the backpack before following Yumeko and the map any second wasted was a second things could turn worse.

"Indeed." Candlemon nodded to his partner statement glad the human got it.

double post

"I knew I could count on you lot." Arukenimon said as she clasped her hands together in a cute manner. "I can't join you. Bureaucratic red tape, you understand. That said, I'll look into help. I'll contact your Digivices if I got some info for you. With that, ciao!" With that, the Spider walked off towards the Gate.

"Alright. Well, shall we go? We'll just run into Niels right?" Yumeko asked herself more than the others. She looked around to see if Niels would show up any second, but no such luck. "I suppose it's time to go then? The sooner the better."

"Yep. If we're going to save Greymon, we're going to have to assault the enemy base. From what I remember though, it shouldn't be too bad. It's like a small wooden fort. Maybe we could find a back way in." Tinkermon said as she floated over to Yumeko again and settled on her shoulder again. "Maybe we could use Candlemon's flames to catch the place on fire. Hehehe." Yumeko couldn't tell if it were a joke or her being serious.

"Well, lets get going." With that, Yumeko led the group of town and down the road. As the moved away from town, the forest grew thicker and thicker. One noticeable thing though, was the weird bending of trees. They'd twist and turn and make odd enlongated crescent shapes. Among those, the leaves also had odd designs that were the same thing over and over and over again. Nothing especially natural. "Once you get out here, you seem to realize that this isn't our world."

The sound of underbrush rustling and a familiar face or two coming out of the forest may or may not suprise the six travelers. "That's why it's called the Fractal Forest. I don't think they stay too close to what an actual fractal is, but they tried." A boy and a giant mecha lion man.

"Oh, Niels! I didn't think you'd just come out from the forest like that." Yumeko said, slightly surprised which merely gained a laugh from Niels.

"Me either. We were chasing Ruuto's monstrosity and lost sight of the thing if you can believe it." Niels said as he had his hands on his hips.

Grapleomon held back laughter before continuing for him. "Yea, I lost sight of him when Niels fell face first after tripping on a tree root."

"Wanna fight!?" Niels said with an irritated looking face.

Grapleomon scoffed at him. "I'm not the same Elecmon I was back in the day that you man-handled!"

Tinkermon looked fairly unamused. "Are you two idiots or something? Cause you seem like idiots."

The two partners pointed at each other and yelled at the same time. "He's the idiot!!!"

"Yea sure, I'll believe you." The little fairy continued looking off into the forest.

Rachel Holt

Rachel followed Yumenko silently, holding Impmon in her arms as they walked. She couldn't help looking around the area, and simply observing and taking in the sights. Yumenko was right...this was definitely not their world. Trees didn't do that. Not unless you were high on the good stuff...not that she'd know what the good stuff was. As she walked, Niels suddenly showed up with Grapleomon. Fractal forest, huh? Those didn't look like any fractals that she'd seen before.

Impmon was just glad he wasn't the one being called an idiot for once.

"Ha! Yeah, only idiots argue with their partners, right partner?" He said, giving Rachel wide grin. The human simply gave him her usual blank expression before dropping him.

"...heavy."

"O-oi, I'm not heavy!" Rachel didn't comment further, but stretched and glanced over at the pair. Ruuto? Who was Ruuto? She didn't know anyone by that name...and they weren't exactly speaking a great deal about it.

Hmm...that wouldn't do at all, especially if it was relevant.

So she started staring.

Menacingly. As menacingly as 'half asleep' could be.

...well, either way they'd talk when they got ready too.

Vivian walked with the group he wasnt paying too much attention to the strange plants. In a world where dinos and candles and imps walk around why should there not be strange plants? He was much more focused on thinking of all what ifs that could go wrong with what they were doing. Sadly he was coming with way too many... Maybe he was just worrying for nothing.

As the rustling came to his attention he watched as Candlemon instantly put himself between the source and him. The body looking forward but the flame looking at him giving him a quick wink. Some of the tension of his active mind went away. Candlemon proved he was his partner and looking out for him. It would only be fair if he is calm and be there for him too. Vivian made an effort to stop from overthinking things for now.

As Niels voice came Viv sighed a relief. No suprise attack and a smile found its way on the red head boys face.

"Such a bad luck to lose sight of a tank sized digimon. " Viv chuckled watching the interaction.

It was Candlemon who looked over the group and let a loud ahem out to get everyone's attention.
"Saving Greymon. Now?" The digimon spoke with his arms crossed. Viv nodded, regardless how much it would be nice to just hung around together they sure were to have better chances.

"Exactly, Niels we are going to the chess bully group to save Greymon. Coming with us? We should not waste time. Life depend on us."
Vivian said with a renewed vigor starting to walk ahead and having candlemon hop after him. They had to get to their destination and beat a few kidnappers, or is it diginappers? Or Kidnappermon?

Niels gave Impmon an impish grin himself. "Oh yea, getting along with your partner alright." That delivered a sigh from the boy's lion digimon. "Aaaannnnnyyyyways. Ahhh, Yumeko? Right? Cute Japanese girl that's a bit of a tomboy?"

Yumeko was a slightly flustered by that. "Shut up. You're never going to get any girls that way. A-anyways, we need to save Greymon." She looked at the map on her Digivice and walked off in a direction.

Tinkermon couldn't help but giggle. "This train ain't stopping anytime soon, so you better catch up while you can. Hope you don't trip on any tree roots while we're going there." The little Pixie digimon said, guessing what was on her Tamer's mind.

"H-hey! Wait up! I was just joking around!" Niels said, play catch up. Supposing no one objected the party continued. . .

---

What felt like thirty minutes passed and the group of tamers ran into something they had not probably expected. A giant tower of a digimon and five smaller digimon that looked like little shorties in armor. "What in the Digital World is this? A small group of tamers? Not one of the ones we need. . . But it's always nice to get rid of the competition. What do you all say?!" The giant tower thing said to the smaller ones.





"Yea, boss!"

"We got this!"

"They look weak"

The little things said amongst themselves. Niels just giggled a bit. "Oh my, did the pipsqueaks in armor with toothpicks for spears call us weak?" He seemed genuinely amused by this. The Chess Army soldiers seemed irritated by this and were ready to pick a fight.

"Hey, these guys. . . Are they?" Yumeko had to ask. Tinkermon just nodded almost laughing with Niels. "Then. . . The big one is RookChessmon and the smaller ones are PawnChessmon?" She just guessed since they were related to chess anyway. "Then we can handle the PawnChessmon. No problem. You get the RookChessmon. He's the same level as your GrapLeomon right?"

"Geez, since when were you the boss? Still, I was going to suggest the same." He leaned over to Vivian a bit and whispered in his ear, "Geez, you have it tough dontcha?" He then slapped GrapLeomon on the shoulder and urged him onward. We got this, bud. This guy is cake compared to Ruuto's Tankdramon."

The RookChessmon practically sighed as he went to face GrapLeomon. The PawnChessmon were riled up and wanted blood. Luckily, our Heroes had more than enough time to prepare. "Last one in's a rotten Digiegg." Tinkermon said as she moved forward towards on of the charging Chessmon and kicked him in the face. . . Or, at the least, where his face would be if a helmet weren't in the way. He fell over quickly. "Oh wow, he was right, you are w.e.a.k."

Rachel Holt

"Geh, can it ya dunderhead. This ain't nothin!"

Hmm

They didn't spill the info about this Ruuto people person. Hm, she'd ask later. Once she got a bit of time to get out of this mess when they were least expecting it. Catch 'em off guard like a sneaky ninja or a stealthy computer virus, heh. So for now, Rachel followed the others. Impmon followed closely beside her, grumbling to himself quietly. Unfortunately, the small reprieve from battle didn't last long.

Soon enough, they came upon another group of digimon that were obviously the bad guys. Yumenko suggested they tackle the small guys - which was fine with her. She didn't wanna exert any more effort than needed...she was too busy thinking about Niels and Grapleomons mysterious Ruuto.

"Hey, Partner. Ya got tumbleweeds in yer head or somethin'? Quit spacin' out!" Rachel simply watched the PawnChessmon passively, completely uninterested. They didn't look to strong, so Impmon could handle them himself. So she gave the imp a thumbs up and a blank stare before starting to fiddle with her digivice, inspecting it for any more surprise functions she might be able to use.

"...Heh, fine fine!" Impmon grinned. "Unlike you lot, my partner trusts me, heh!" Not like he needed help from Rachel anyways. She could do this. Impmon followed after Tinkermon, joining in her little insult.

"Heh, the only rotten digieggs here are these schmucks." He chuckled, slamming his own fist into the head of one of the other digimon and knocking the pawnchessmon right out. "I could take ye guys in my sleep!"