Yeah, I wasn't going to leave that cliffhanger hanging for long! ;)

ON WITH THE SHOW!

The Misadventures of Hyperdimension Peashy

Episode 78

by Derald Snyder

"OH HO HO HO HO!" Nepgya laughed in triumph. "NOW PREPARE TO BE STOMPED INTO OBLIVION!" The Nepgeardam's foot lifted up...

"RUN!" Peach screamed, she and the others hightailing it out of there. But Maderas, injured as we was, but only utter "Noooooo!" before being fatally squashed underfoot. The Armored Rangers quickly mounted their vehicles, Sergei and Chika getting in the Jeep with Adrian and Peashy, promptly peeling rubber and zooming through the vehicle access exit.

"MAGES.! MAGES., come in!" Red Grizzly yelled over the radio. "The Nepgeardam's been hijacked! We need you and 5pb. to get in your singing stage robot and try to intercept!"

"Not good!" the Mad Magician responded. "We'll be over there to assist you as soon as possible, I promise!"

As for Green Heart, she flew in a three-dimensional pattern through the air, firing off an Inbetween Spear to try and draw Nepgya's attention! "Forgive me for damaging your creation, little Nepgear...!" She quickly weaved to one side to dodge the retaliatory eye-lasers!

"YOU DON'T THINK YOU CAN STOP ME ALL BY YOURSELF, DO YOU?" Nepgya taunted.

"I can certainly try!" the HDD goddess retorted. "And besides, you can't leave this stadium without the proper access code!"

"...WHILE I COULD JUST SMASH THROUGH WITH BRUTE FORCE, YOU'VE APPARENTLY FORGOTTEN THAT I'M A ROBOT! AND HACKING THE STADIUM DOOR SYSTEMS IS NOTHING TO ME! OVERRIDE!" Sure enough, the stadium began opening up, the Nepgeardam promptly plodding through! "NOW, WHAT SHOULD I DESTROY FIRST...?"

*Meanwhile, not far away...*

"We gotta do something!" Peach insisted, having re-donned her armor. "Lady Vert can't hold off that thing all by herself!"

"Peashy, I understand your frustration, but we're sitting ducks until MAGES. and 5pb. get here!" her fiancee pointed out. "That being said, I do have a plan for once they arrive..."

"Anyway, it looks like Lady Vert is holding her own all right!" Sergei observed as they watched the battle above, Green Heart nailing the Nepgeardam dead-on with a Sylhet Spear! She then weaved away from the robot's eye-lasers, only to get smacked by its hand into a nearby high-rise! "Oy, I should have kept my mouth shut..." But then several pointed energy projectiles launched from the CPU's impact point, causing the Nepgeardam to put its arms up to protect its monitor head.

"Glad she's not going down that easily..." Peach noted grimly. But then she saw the monitor's eyes begin to glow! "Oh, no...!"

"Shit!" Adrian cursed. "Even if Lady Vert dodges, the people inside...!" But then, a pair of missiles slammed into the Nepgeardam from behind, causing the head to recoil backward, the eye-lasers shooting harmlessly into the sky!

"WHO DID THAT?!" Nepgya demanded as her robot fell to its hands and knees.

"We did!" two female voices answered, as 5pb.'s Singing Stage Robot plodded onto the scene! "We won't allow you to wreak havoc on Leanbox!" the singer proclaimed.

"About time they got here..." Nisa grunted, she and A-Mac hiding in another alley.

"Thank Goddess!" her boyfriend concurred.

"OH REALLY?" Nepgya said as her robot stood and turned to face the new arrival. "THEN HOW ABOUT I WREAK HAVOC ON YOU INSTEAD?!" With that, the Nepgeardam unleashed its lasers on the other robot... but when the smoke cleared, it was completely unharmed, its arms held out as a spherical energy shield surrounded it! "WHAT?!"

"Fuahahaha! You think we don't learn from our prior mistakes?" MAGES. taunted.

"MAGES., come in!" Adrian activated his radio link. "We need you two to get in close, and grapple with the Nepgeardam, try to hold it in place! That way, Peach can jump on the head, force open the hatch and try to throw Nepgya out of the cockpit!"

"Roger that!" the Mad Magician replied. "Cousin, let's move in closer!"

"Right!" 5pb. nodded, inducing her robot to charge forward... But then, a sudden snowstorm enveloped the area. "Kyaaa! What's going on?!" the diva cried as her vision was obstructed by the blowing snow.

"A blizzard?!" Nisa cried in disbelief.

"Well, it is December," A-Mac pointed out. "Surprised it didn't happen sooner..."

"Augh!" MAGES. grunted as she re-engaged the energy shield to fend off another eye laser blast. "We can't move when the shield's up! And it's hard to see with this blizzard!"

"Dammit!" Adrian grunted. "If they don't engage and fast, that monitor is gonna get too slick with snow for Peach to keep her footing!" But then, he saw a green flash in the sky, beholding Vert's NEXT Green transformation! "What's she doing...?"

"It seems there's only one way to break this stalemate... Forgive me, Nepgear!" the CPU proclaimed as she focused her power... "INFINITE SPEAR!" Several green gates appeared in the sky, raining down uncountable energy spears!

"UH-OH!" Nepgya cried in distress. "NEP SHIELD ACTIVATE!" The Nepgeardam kneeled down, holding the shield overhead, the energy spears embedding themselves in several points on the Nep-Shield... but then a large beam of green light blasted down from the sky, engulfing the giant robot!

"Look!" 5pb. pointed at the beam, clearly visible through the snowstorm. "That must be where the Nepgeardam is! Charge!" The Singing Stage Robot promptly ran forward, crushing a few parked cars underfoot...

As for Vert, she was panting heavily as she touched down, her transformation reverting to normal. "That's all I can do... the rest is up to you, MAGES., 5pb..." Fortunately, her EXE Drive had turned the tide, as the Nepgeardam staggered back to its feet, heavily damaged and its shield having been obliterated, before it was tackled into the side of another high-rise by its opponent, holding it still!

"Alright! Way to go, Lady Vert!" Red Grizzly pumped his fist. "Hurry, Peach, get up there!"

"Roger that!" White Gorilla nodded.

"Here, comrade!" Sergei held out his combat knife. "Maybe this will help you pry open the hatch!"

Peach hesitated for a moment, before taking it. "Thanks, Sergei. OK, here I go!" Getting in position, she crouched down, tensing her leg muscles... then she launched into the air, her jump carrying her all the way up to the top of the Nepgeardam! Landing safely atop the monitor-head, she ran over to the hatch, slipping a little from the snow but managing to keep her feet. Reaching the hatch, she jammed Sergei's knife in the slit to start and pry it open. "Come on..." Eventually, she got it open just enough to slide her fingers in. Pulling with all her strength, White Gorilla let loose with a roar worthy of her namesake as she finally wrenched the hatch clear off its hinges! "Yes!" She wasted no time sliding down the opening...

"ARGH! I NEVER THOUGHT VERT WOULD ACTUALLY USE THAT EXE DRIVE ON NEPGEAR'S CREATION!" Nepgya grunted, as she tried to push 5pb.'s robot off. Wires extended from her hands, literally worming their way into the control panel, allowing her to operate it without pulling any switches or levers. But then, someone grabbed her from behind, sparks flying as the wires were ripped from her hands! "WHAT?!"

"Surprise, bitch!" Peach growled as she lifted and hurled the evil funny-face into the monitor's face-screen! Quickly jumping over the control panel, she ran and slammed into Nepgya with a Peach Tackle, the glass shattering as the robot was sent flying out of the Nepgeardam altogether!

"NEPGYAAAAAAAA!" The robot flailed as she fell, bouncing off the Singing Stage Robot's chest, before finally recovering and going into a somersault, landing on the pavement in a three-point landing! "C-CURSE THAT PEASHY...!"

"There she is!" Sergei pointed. "Peach did it!"

"Alright, let's go, Gunny! Move in!" Adrian exclaimed, he and 'Green Lion' rushing the Nepgear doppelgänger...

"OH NO YOU DON'T!" Nepgya yelled as she activated her laser blade, forcing the two soldiers to evade as she swung at them! "COMPARED TO PEACH, YOU'RE BOTH NOBODIES!"

"We used to serve in the same unit, machine!" Sergei shot back as he tackled the robot against the Nepgeardam's foot, before lifting and hurling her a few yards away! "Don't underestimate us!"

"Roll, Sergei!" Red Grizzly screamed, the other soldier doing as told just in time to evade Nepgya's own eye-lasers! Pulling out his assault rifle, he opened fire to distract Nepgya!

"THAT WON'T WORK ON ME!" the funny-face taunted as she fired on Adrian, who jumped and rolled away! Before she could press the attack, she was grabbed from behind again!

"Don't forget about us!" Yellow Tiger growled as he flipped Nepgya onto the asphalt! The robot responded by spinning her body around, tripping Arthur and sending him to the ground as she righted herself! But then Nisa came in with her Prinny Gun in blade mode, clashing with Nepgya's laser-sword! The two traded blows for a short bit, before the Blue Ranger was forced to back off as Nepgya scored a hit on her shoulder, almost slicing through the armor! But before the robot could follow up with her eye-lasers, she was tackled again in the side by A-Mac! "Now, Nicole!" he yelled as he held the robot in place!

"NO!" Nepgya screamed, unable to bring up her sword up to defend in time, as Blue Falcon literally decapitated her, her long hair scattering over the street as her body collapsed to the ground, her head bouncing away a few times before stopping. "NOT... LIKE... THISSSSSSS..." she lamented before her brain finally ran out of power and shut down.

Just then, Peach came down from the sky in a three-point landing, as 5pb.'s robot slowly lowered the Nepgeardam to a kneeling position. "Finally found the emergency kill switch... hey, you got her!" she exclaimed happily.

"Yeah," A-Mac grunted as he laid Nepgya's headless body flat on the ground. "Wasn't easy, though..."

"No, it wasn't," Nisa agreed as she reverted her armor to data form, checking her shoulder. Fortunately, though there was a wide tear in her shirt, there was only mildly burned flesh beneath. "Looks like I just need some cream or something, thank Goddess..."

"I am indeed thankful that no one was seriously hurt," Vert said as she walked up to the Rangers. "Poor Nepgya, though, walking away from her creator before she was completed, and then being corrupted by Etna and the demons... We should send her back to little Nepgear for repairs..."

"If we do that, she better make damn sure she fixes her AI!" Peashy insisted as she also reverted her armor, the others following suit save Sergei (who couldn't) and Adrian.

"Well, in the meantime," Red Grizzly pointed out, "we should get indoors and out of the snow, even if the wind's calmed down a bit..." He then radioed to the Singing Stage Robot, "MAGES., 5pb., if you could move Nepgeardam out of traffic for the time being, we'll worry about repairing it later!"

"Roger!" "Understood!" The giant robot began moving as ordered...

*Overlord's Castle*

"I bring good news and bad news, Master," Rayna said as she walked into the Etnachamber.

"How's that?" Etna turned to her Cleric.

"First, the good news: that cowardly traitor Maderas is dead and gone for good, at Nepgya's hand. And then the bad news: we've lost Nepgya, she literally lost her head, and most likely will be reprogrammed by MAGES. or her original creator..."

"Damn," the redhead muttered. "Why didn't you help her then?!"

"I tried, but I was blown off-course by a sudden blizzard!" the fallen angel protested. "By the time I had regained my bearings, it was already over!"

"Oh, right... it's supposed to be winter over there, isn't it," Etna grumbled. "Rayna... it may be time for us to activate our sleeper agent. For real this time."

"Very well then," Rayna bowed. "As soon as the weather permits, I will contact BlackGatomon..."

"Take the Tenga with you, just in case," the Demon Lord advised.

"Yes, Master Etna."

*To be continued...*

"HOLD IT!" a voice cried out.

Huh?! Chika, what are you doing here?!

"You completely forgot about me!" the Oracle of Leanbox complained. "I shan't forgive you for such an oversight! Take this!" She raised her spear over her head.

Ow! Ow! I'm sorry, Chika! I really am! I'll make sure not to forget you next time, I swear! I swear it!

"You had better!" the greenette growled. "Or next time, I'll tell Peach to sic Iris Heart on you!"

NOOOO! Anything but thaaaaaat...!

*Episode 78- End*

...that's what I get for rushing... anyway, review... owww...