Arachnophobia [RANK A; CONTENT WARNING]

Alan watched the leaves crunch, crunch, crunch under his boots. The chilling air brought with it a familiar feeling for the young human, memories of the cold reality against his face while he trudged to the school bus stop, far too early in the morning to make any sense. Perhaps there was a feeling of nostalgia? No, "nostalgia" wasn't the right word.

Rather, he wondered what his old classmates, those timeworn relics of an age gone by but a few years ago, were doing now. The trans artist he had gotten along with so well his first year in high school. The uptight boy who would never keep quiet in the face of a historical inaccuracy from the history teacher. The boy who solved Rubik's cubes competitively. The "troublemaker" who liked to sit in on classes that weren't his and wait for the teacher to notice. The autistic boy with whom he had bonded for all four years over their shared lack of initiative when it came to picking their partners in class.

Would they all be doing something different now if they knew they all had another option for their futures, beyond the hand the tyrannical grip of human society had dealt them? Mayhap one or two of them had already figured it out. Wouldn't that be a pleasant surprise?

Bleck. Alan had had enough of the bus-stop weather, he thought, switching on his EV Suit and flipping his heavy orange jacket's hood down to regain command over his peripheral vision.

"Oh... do you not want the fire anymore?" Speaking of peripheral vision, there was Levi, the flame-armored dragon walking beside Alan, holding one of his flames aloft with one claw. There was a hint of dejection in his voice.

"No, no," Alan chuckled, "We can use the extra degrees. Maybe put it away before the park rangers sees it get too close to anything flammable. We don't want to give them anything else to worry about."

Stowing the fire hazard known as fire just before the door, the pair graciously accepted the invitation inside, assuring the Petermon that yes, they were some of those who had answered the call. It was only polite to affirm such a thing, even if it was obvious, especially given the warning outside the door. "I'm Alan Pantell of... myself, and this is Levi!" "Good to meet you! I'd ask how you're doing, but..." "...it'd be better to ask how we can help."

Inside they saw nothing but familiar faces, each recognizable for different reasons. The Petermon shared a face with a cryptic Petermon they had met before, and the young shepherd and his very small flock... had been met before, a varying number of times depending on which version of events the reader chooses to believe. Either way, they waved to them as friends, glad there was no need for introductions. "Hot cocoa for us too, please!" They took a seat where they could and waited for everyone to get settled. 

Inside the Ranger's Outpost, it was rather cozy and homely - made equally as an officespace for the rangers, and as a place for travelers to rest and get the news before they headed deeper in to the woods. On the left, there was a front desk - and one could easily spot the occasional digimon in a tizzy over paperwork, as they moved back and forth between the hallways beyond the desk.

On the right, though, would be a more cozy-looking living room or lobby area of sorts; a few couches with throw blankets and cushions set up around a coffee table, near a crackling fireplace. Nearby, would be a long counter-space with the sort of fixings you might see at a hotel's breakfast bar; a coffee maker, various mix packets for things such as hot cocoa or coffee, a bottle of creamer, a fruit basket, etc.

Most notably though, would be that someone was sitting at one of the couches - a D'arcmon, wrapped up in a fluffy warm blanket, nursing a cup of tea. She, too, didn't seem as though she was doing too well - her eyes past the mask that any D'arcmon wears looking red and puffy, as if she had been crying. As she noticed the presence of the others, she quickly reached a hand under her mask to wipe at her eyes, before setting the cup down on the coffee table; perfectly quiet the whole time, aside from a brief sniffle.

As everyone began introducing themselves and requesting some hot cocoa, Petermon would nod - a squint at the corner of his eyes implying a tired smile, as he spoke "It's good to meet you all; though..." Briefly, he'd pause mid-sentence to yawn. "... I'd certainly wish that it had been in better circumstances. You can call me Petermon." His gaze in particular would linger on Kaya for a second, before sighing to himself - shaking his head as he moved to the counter to begin making some hot cocoa.

(A keen-eared digimon might be able to hear, as he murmured under his breath "And I'd certainly wish that we weren't having to rely on children for this, for their sakes...")

The D'arcmon, quietly, would glance over at the others - before adding in a soft voice "I'm... D'arcmon." with a small nod. She seemed withdrawn and unsure, to say the least; her gaze staring at her own reflection in the surface of her tea.

"Speaking of... You holding up okay, D'arcmon?" Petermon would call and glance over to the angel - and though she'd startle a bit, visibly jumpy, she would shakily nod, responding "Y-yeah... Thank you..."

"Do you want me to explain the situation to them, for you?" Petermon asked, as he worked on mixing together the hot cocoa for everyone.

"I.." Briefly, D'arcmon's gaze would flick over everyone, before back towards Petermon. "... Go ahead. P-please." She'd finally respond, her voice briefly choking up. "Please excuse me..." Picking up her cup of tea, D'arcmon would stand up - awkwardly shuffling to another room; Petermon's expression sympathetic as he watched her leave the room.

"... Sorry about her." The fairy digimon would eventually sigh. "She's been through a lot. I'm sure her nerves are pretty rattled; and the last thing she probably wants is a reminder of what she just went through..." Moving between the counter-space and the coffee table, Petermon would set down cups of hot cocoa one by one as they were made - beginning to explain "She was part of a group who had gone in the woods to try and investigate the recent disappearances - though her group had been ambushed, and captured, and she was the only one who managed to escape safely..."

Briefly, Petermon paused to yawn - sitting crisscross on the floor, next to the table. "... The first thing we know about these disappearances though, are that they're kidnappings, no doubt. And the perpetrators are a group of spider digimon - preying on weaker digimon, and bringing their victims back to what we believe to be their lair." Taking out a map, he would unfold and lay it out across the coffee table, for all to see. There were a few locations and paths - including the outpost itself - clearly marked.

"Thanks to D'arcmon, we have an idea of where the lair is - at this area, we circled here." Petermon would trace a finger around the indicated circle; a location deeper within the Server Woods. "Dokugumon, Kodokugumon, and an Arukenimon are our confirmed sightings, the former two in respectable numbers whilst we've only been able to confirm a single Arukemon; we theorize the Arukenimon is the leader of this swarm, and that they and the Dokugumon are kidnapping digimon to feed their Kodokugumon young, from what D'arcmon can remember the Arukenimon saying, during her group's own capture."

"It's likely that D'arcmon's group - as well as the other disappeared travelers - will still be there, and that a good number of them will still be alive. Our best hope, is that you all will be able to attack the lair and clear it out - preventing the Dokugumon and Arukenimon from harassing any more travelers, and rescuing any survivors within."

Glancing up towards the assembled group, Petermon would yawn a bit, before asking "Any... any questions...?"

The sight of D'arcmon was a sobering one. Alan and Levi usually approached their missions with a sense of adventure and curiosity, but this digimon was clearly traumatized, and now wasn't the time for either of them to be acting like the Chippendales Rescue Rangers (the two of them often disagreed on how the show's name was spelled.) They put on serious expressions and, aside from Alan fidgeting with his digivice to retain information better, stood as still as was reasonable for them.

Of course, the apparently excessive youth of one of the volunteers had not been lost on the young man, but what was he to do about it? As far as he knew, the Digital World had a way of protecting many tamers from more than they could handle, so it would have felt hypocritical of him to suggest that Kaya could possibly be "too young." He and his partner held fast to the belief that everyone deserved a life of adventure, with emphasis on the word "life," so for now, they kept respectfully quiet.

The explanation they had been given was a thorough one for what it was, but the party would need as much information possible for the greatest chance of suggest. Alan spoke up. "I... do have a question," he said, and lowered his voice. "Did D'arcmon happen to have the displeasure of witnessing any of what happens to the victims after they are captured? If she escaped before that, or if she does not wish to speak of such things at this time, I understand."

Both Kenny and Alan would have questions, it seemed - the both of them respectively asking about protective gear and the potential fate of victims after they're captured. Both good questions, even if the latter was a bit prying - Petermon would briefly consider both questions, before he'd widely yawn, and then speak.

"Sadly, equipment won't be able to be provided... We had tried to equip some of our own staff members, to investigate the situation; though they inevitably got abducted as well, meaning that we lost the gear..." He'd mutter, sighing heavily. "We aren't made for huge infestations like these; most stronger feral digimon tend to be solitary sorts. We've been tight on staff - and money - ever since, as a result; it's a miracle we were able to put together as much as we did for a reward, let alone continue to keep the paperwork flowing."

"And as for what happens to the victims after they're dragged off, well... We don't know, at least not for sure; as you said, D'arcmon escaped, and she's not comfortable with sharing much beyond the necessities." Petermon began, yawning once more. "If I had to hazard a guess though, the spider digimon are likely using webs and/or paralytic venom to keep their victims subdued. Webs are expected with spider digimon, including with this swarm, and D'arcmon's report confirmed that they employ the latter as well..."

"Which does remind me, that they do employ a couple varieties of poisons; acidic and paralytic. Not much you can do about the former, unless you've got an ability to directly treat or resist such things... But the latter, the paralytic venom?" Petermon began, managing to stifle the urge to yawn this time around. "Seems to respond to even basic healing abilities... Ain't immediate, but it clears up pretty quick afterwards, from what we understand; makes one wonder how it works. 's the reason why we made particular mention of bringing healing on the request."

Briefly, a Logamon would step into the lobby - a cup of what smelled like coffee in his hands. He'd quietly nod to the others in a respectful greeting, before handing the cup to Petermon. "Ah... Thank you." The fairy digimon would respond, the two sharing a nod before the Logamon returned to the hustle and bustle going on behind the desk.

Taking a big sip of the coffee - and wincing a bit from the heat - Petermon would let out a heavy sigh, before turning back to the subject at hand. "It's rough. It's been rough for everyone out here." He'd state, casting a tired, yet hopeful, look over the assembled group. "Do any of you have any more questions, or would like me to help guide you all in the direction of the den?" He'd question - pausing briefly to blow over the surface of the coffee, and taking a more careful sip this time - before continuing "The sooner you all can stop the swarm, the sooner the forest will return to normalcy..."

Acidic venom. Such a substance sounds dangerous, but what's a bit of pain in a fight? That's what Levi thought, before admitting that no, it sounded very painful. Torturous, even, and if he could hazard a guess, that was exactly the point of it.

Paralytic venom. It sounded like the real trouble. Even with it being easily cured, would that be enough in the middle of a fight? Would it be enough to stop the spiders from creeping closer and finishing him off with a jab of acidic poison directly into his eye socket, melting his head from the inside, and dripping down through the rest of his body, eventually eating away at his very digicore?

Eh. Maybe.

"It sounds like they don't have any interest in killing their victims immediately," said Alan, arriving at that same "maybe". "In the analog world, creatures will kill others in ways most would deem cruel and unusual, but you couldn't really criticize them, since it was just how they ate. It makes me wonder... why go to all this trouble to prey on travelers, in this world where meat loved by almost every digimon I've met grows from the ground and on trees?" The boy blinked once. "That wasn't a question I expect you to answer, but I hope we can find an answer. No further questions. And, uh, get some sleep. I'm sure the den will find us, if everyone else here agrees." He gave the others glances to show he was deferring to them.

Hawkeye would comment on these spider digimon not being feral - to which Petermon would hum a little. "The Arukenimon we can confirm isn't a feral digimon; though we can't say for sure for the Dokugumon and Kodokugumon." He would mention, adding after a brief yawn "I can easily see the Arukenimon being the one calling the shots in all of this, and the Dokugumon and Kodokugumon are either their 'pets', or their underlings, depending on how sapient the spider digimon are."

At the talk of the poisons that the spider digimon were known to employ though, Petermon would nod; smiling a bit at Skadi mentioning her resistance to toxins, and Hawkeye being able to keep his distance. It was good to know that the people that were here were at least prepared. As Kaya voiced her concerns over the team becoming paralyzed though, Petermon's smile would become a little more strained - hoping that people did, indeed, have a way of treating the paralysis. The outpost had specified healing on the request, for a reason.

Alan raised a good point on food availability though - that food like meat was easy to find, without needing to actually hunt down other digimon. Hawkeye would have his own answers for it - which were indeed some of the reasons why these digimon were doing this. Petermon would also add his own two cents in though, explaining "And it's possible that the Dokugumon intend for their children to load these digimon; both as a source of sustenance, and as a way to expedite their growth. You all may have the bonds you share with your humans to trust in - though for those of us without partners, we only have a few options; natural growth through aging, by seeking out things like digimentals, or through fighting and loading other digimon."

"If you have a buffet of strong - but helpless - digimon provided to you by your parents, though... Loading is by far the safest way to grow stronger faster."

Both Levi and Alan, as well as Kaya and Hawkeye, would want Petermon to get some proper sleep though - whereas Kenny asked for Petermon to show the way to the den. Smiling gently, Petermon would take the time to chug down the rest of his coffee, before rising to his feet. "It's alright; I don't mind pointing you all in the right direction, 'specially now that I've had my coffee." He'd reassure the concerned foursome, before gesturing for the group to follow. "C'mon."

...

... Stepping out onto the road, it was once more obvious that there was a lack of any travelers; especially with the layers of undisturbed fallen leaves that would be scattered over the main road as the group began to move deeper in. There weren't even signs of any feral digimon having been through recently, or even the usual calls one might hear from the more vocal sorts of ferals; the forest having fallen under an unnatural and eerie silence...

"Keep your eyes and ears alert, folks. Stay aware of your surroundings, and each other." Petermon would warn, glancing back to the others. On either side of him, would be a couple of fellow rangers - the Logamon from before, and a moss-covered Guardromon. "If you hear or see anything strange, speak up - and if you feel like something's wrong, trust your instincts."

"We'll be guiding you as far as we feel is safe - but once we reach that threshold, you're all on your own." The Logamon would state in a strict tone, raising a claw to adjust his jacket around himself. "We're not able to digivolve any higher than this - so we won't last long if we're ambushed and dragged into combat - and the outpost can't afford to lose any more staff."

"As much as we'd love to help you fight, I don't think we'd be able to provide very much combat support..." The Guardromon - their voice surprisingly young-sounding - would murmur sadly. They would spend the trek gazing down at a map - likely to keep track of where they were - and occasionally glance up to peer over their surroundings. "Petermon told you all we know, so at this point, all we can provide is guidance..."

...

... And guide they would; the trip through the forest thankfully being uneventful, even if unsettling from the lack of other digimon to be found in the area. Deep into the woods they'd go - the trees growing taller, stronger, and thicker as they went; and the light similarly becoming more and more dim, from the thick canopy above. Eventually though, the trio of rangers would come to a stop when Guardromon piped up "I think we're close enough!" to their peers.

With that, the rangers would glance over to everyone assembled. "We'll be parting ways here." Petermon would murmur with a brief yawn, glancing in a direction off the road. "The den should be that way; you'll likely know it when you see it." He'd state as he gestured in the aforementioned direction. "D'arcmon described the entrance as the trees 'bending and overlapping one another, forming into a cavelike tunnel' - it'll likely look pretty unnatural, compared to everything else here."

"Do be safe!" The Guardromon would chirp - continuing "We don't want to see anyone else be lost to those mean spiders...!"

"As things are looking now, if you guys don't succeed, it's going to become a hell of an emergency..." The Logamon would add dryly - sighing heavily.

Briefly, Petermon would cast his peers a sympathetic glance - sharing in their own worries and exhaustion - before glancing back to the group, as the three of them would start making to move the other way, back towards the outpost. "Be careful, all of you; whatever fate's befalling those digimon in there..."

"... I have a feeling it isn't a pretty one."