Hello everyone! Another chapter for your eyes to read.
When we last left our heros, they had Underling and her goons surrounded, but SkullSatamon shows up out of nowhere and destroys Goblimon and Aruruamon for failing their objective at capturing Nepgear and Uzume. The group gave it their best shot, but SkullSatamon mopped the floor with them. He was about to finish off Neptune and Dorugamon, but then he was called back by a mysterious yellow-eyed individual. Needless to say, the CPUs may have a bigger threat on their hands than they realize.
Okay, with that quick recap outta the way, let's see what the CPUs plan to do. Enjoy the new chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon or Hyperdimension Neptunia. Both franchises belong to their respective companies.
Chapter 13: Recovery And Planning
It was night time when the CPUs and their Digimon friends returned to the Planetune Basilicom. Nepgear had called Compa to help treat the injuries they received from their battle with SkullSatamon. When Histoire saw what a mess they were, she asked what had happened.
The group had explained to her how Nisa had rescued Nepgear and Uzume from being captured by Linda. Histoire was surprised to hear that Linda had returned to Gameindustri to cause more trouble. She was even more shocked when she learned that both the CPUs and their Digimon could not stop SkullSatamon and that he was close to wiping them all out.
Compa had just got through treating to everyone's injuries and had gone back home to get some sleep. Everyone else got back together in the main room to discuss what to do next.
"It is a relief to know that you're all safe and sound. However, the news about this Digimon that attacked you is disturbing to me", said Histoire.
You should of seen it, Histy. We had that Underling right where we wanted her, and then that skeleton was all like 'Pow! Bam! You can't win!' and stuff!", Neptune rambled.
"We all would've been history, but then he got some sort of headache and left with Underling, just like that", said Nepgear.
"Yeah. Why'd he leave like that? That's what I don't get", added Noire.
"Maybe he went to see a doctor for that headache?", said Dracomon.
"Whatever the case, the fact remains that SkullSatamon is still out there somewhere", stated Histoire.
"Well even if we do find him again, how are we supposed to beat him?", Blanc inquired.
"Yeah, we barely made a scratch on him. My ice couldn't even hold him", added Blucomon.
"If only we could use our NEXT Modes", said Vert.
"Oh yeah, I forgot about that!", Neptune exclaimed.
"Unfortunately, Planetune's Shares aren't high enough to sustain the NEXT Mode at this time. Perhaps if someone wasn't busy putting off her work...", Histoire stated, talking to no one in particular.
"Ehehehe...", giggled the lilac haired CPU.
"Don't laugh about that! This is serious!", snapped Noire.
"Well then, why didn't you enter NEXT Mode?", Neptune asked.
"I-I would've used it! I-I was, um, just preserving my strength...", the raven haired CPU stuttered.
"Uh-huh", said Neptune doubtfully.
"What are you talking about, sis? You took a week long break because you said your hands were hurting from filling out 3 days worth of paperwork", Uni called out.
"Uni! I told you not to mention that!", Noire stammered.
She then looked at everyone and her cheeks blushed. The other CPUs didn't say a word. They just grinned teasingly.
"I-It's not like I wanted to stop working for a while! I don't usually get a break from my work, so I just... Shut up!", the raven haired CPU exclaimed, feeling embarrassed.
"Nobody said anything", said Blanc.
"Well what about you? Surely you can enter NEXT Mode, right?", Noire inquired.
"I couldn't do it even if I wanted to. I... I don't have enough Shares either", the brown haired CPU replied.
"Wowsers. You too, Blanc?", Neptune asked.
"I was busy with my novels and taking care of Ram Rom while Mina was away. I barely found time to do anything else", said Blanc.
"And we sometimes drew on her novels when she wasn't looking", said Ram.
"It was funny", added Rom
Blanc scoffed at this, trying to keep her cool and not have another fit. Blucomon saw the strain on her face and gulped.
"And let me guess. You too, Vert?", Noire asked the blonde haired CPU.
"Unfortunately, yes. I've been grinding away in a collaboration event for 4GO trying to get limited time rewards", Vert explained
"Yikes! Seems like we're all in the same boat", Neptune concluded.
"So it would seem...", Histoire sighed.
Everyone now looked at each other with concern. Their Digimon could not do a thing against SkullSatamon. Even their Goddess forms could not withstand the skeletal Digimon's power. They now felt that if they couldn't enter their NEXT Modes, they won't ever stand a chance.
"Oh c'mon, what's with that look guys?", Uzume spoke up at last.
"Uzume, in case you haven't noticed, we can't enter our NEXT Modes without enough Share energy", stated Noire.
"So what? Even without NEXT Mode, we can't give up! We faced worse than that skull headed creep!", the red haired Goddess said.
"Uzume's right! Even with all the odds against us, when we all work together, nothing can ever beat us!", said Neptune.
The CPUs all looked at each other and nodded. Their Digimon nodded as well, not wanting to give up either. They knew that they faced bigger threats before. They felt that they need to do something to stop SkullSatamon the next time they saw him.
"Still, how are we going to beat SkullSatamon?", Nepgear asked.
"Even when we're all together, it still didn't make a difference", added Uni.
"Well, why don't we gather more Shares? That sounds simple enough, right?", Neptune replied.
"Not exactly, Neptune", said Histoire.
Everyone was now thinking about what they were going to do the next time they would face SkullSatamon. Even when they were all together, SkullSatamon had still defeated them single handedly. They needed a plan of action.
Just then, Neptune's Digivice started beeping. They all looked on as the lilac haired CPU as she pulled out the purple device from her pocket.
"What's going on with this thing now?", Neptune asked.
"I don't know, but I think it sounds like a phone call to me", said Nepgear.
Now curious, Neptune tapped what looked like an answer button on the face of the screen. Suddenly, a light shot out of the Digivice towards the middle of the room. Then it started to take the shape of a human body. The shape became more visible as it showed a purple haired woman wearing glasses, a white dress, and black long pants with matching boots.
"Hello again, CPUs", the woman said.
Histoire, the CPU, and their Digimon recognized the woman in the light. It was Mirei Mikagura, the same person they met at the Digi-Lab. Even Nepgear and Uzume recognized her.
"Mirei! Is that you?", asked Histoire.
"Yes, it's me. I figured that it would be a good time to test the two way holographic communication between here and your Digivices", said Mirei.
"It's you! You were the woman at the Planetune Basilicom", Nepgear stated.
"Yes. It's a pleasure to properly meet you, Nepgear. And you as well, Uzume", the purple haired woman said.
"Okay, now that's creepy. How does she know our names?", asked Uzume.
"If I may, I would like to explain this", said Histoire.
The Oracle went on to explain to Uzume and the Candidates about how they had met Mirei and how she was the one who sent the CPUs their Digivices.
"I see", said Nepgear.
"It's kind of hard to believe, really. Still, it's nice to have an explanation for the Digivices", stated Uni.
"From the way she sounds, she's like some kind of secret agent working behind the scenes! So cool!", said Ram.
"She looks very pretty", added Rom.
"She may sound like a cool person and all, but is she the reason why these Digimon are appearing in Gameindustri?", Uzume inquired skeptically.
"Not at all. I am, however, still determining how the Digimon are appearing in Gameindustri", replied Mirei.
"Have you made any progress so far?", Histoire inquired.
"A few hunches, but nothing concrete yet. I want to be very thorough on the information I gather", Mirei said.
"I see. But this is not the only reason why you have called us, yes?", the Oracle asked.
"Correct. The real reason why I've called you is that I've been observing your battle with that SkullSatamon", Mirei said as she adjusted her glasses.
"You were watching us? Creeper alert!", Neptune blurred out.
"I prefer the term 'observing.' I had a little drone in the shape of a fly observe your battle", the purple haired woman said.
"But why were you watching us? Like Neptune said, it's kinda creepy", Noire asked.
"After you had left the Digi-Lab, I couldn't help but shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen, so I decided to keep an eye on you all for a bit", Mirei explained.
"So you saw what happened when we tried to fight SkullSatamon, right?", Dorumon inquired.
"Yes, and I wished you had retreated from that fight", replied Mirei.
"We couldn't just let Underling get away. We thought we could take on that creepy skeleton", said Uzume.
"But we were no match for him at all. We couldn't even damage him", added Nepgear.
"Indeed. SkullSatamon is on a whole different level than you or your Digimon", said Mirei.
"Yeah, we got that part the hard way...", said Uni.
"I think you misunderstand. When I said 'different level', I mean he is on a different power level", the purple haired woman said.
"What do you mean?", Histoire inquired.
Mirei then looked at the CPUs Digimon, who looked back at her. She then adjusted her glasses again before speaking again.
"All Digimon are ranked in terms of power and level. Right now your Digimon are in what is called the 'Rookie Level'", she explained.
"Rookie Level? Well if you ask me, our Digimon are more than Rookies", said Noire.
"Yeah, we can hold our own with the best of them!", added Dracomon.
"As I was saying", Mirei continued", your partners are at the Rookie Level. Their strength is small but manageable. When you used your Digivices to make your partners Digivolve, they grow into their next evolutionary phase called the 'Champion Level.'"
"That's when they become bigger and more powerful, right?", Blanc asked.
"Correct. Although they possess greater power than their Rookie forms, it's not exactly enough to stop a Digimon on another level like SkullSatamon", said Mirei.
"But we faced against other Digimon that attacked us so far, and we had won by all working together", stated Vert.
"Yes, but you never faved anything like SkullSatamon. He's a level that goes further than the Champion Level. This is a stage called the Ultimate Level", said Mirei.
"Ultimate Level? Is that when they're all beefed up and are all like 'Behold, my true power!' and stuff?", Neptune rambled.
"Not exactly how I would put it, but let's go with that...", said Mirei.
"So SkullSatamon is an Ultimate Level Digimon?", Histoire asked.
"Yes. Because of that, he has even greater power than the Digimon you faced before. Right now your Digimon are not strong enough to stand against him", the purple haired woman said.
"And without more Shares, we can't enter our NEXT Modes either", Noire stated.
"Yes, that does present a problem...", said Mirei.
"So what can we do?", asked Nepgear worriedly.
"Well, there may be only one way to beat SkullSatamon. You'll have to take your Digimon to the next level", said Mirei.
"But how can we make our Digimon stronger? Is there some kind of button for it or something?", Neptune inquired.
"That is something you will have to figure out on your own, I'm afraid", Mirei replied.
"Aww, c'mon! Can't you give us a hint or something?", the lilac haired CPU whined.
"When the time is right, you will know what to do", said Mirei cryptically.
Suddenly, Mirei's hologram was starting to fade. Everyone were surprised, not knowing what to do.
"I apologise, but I do have to get going. I have to get back to work. Until you and your Digimon get stronger, do not engage SkullSatamon. I will contact you again at a later time", the purple haired woman said.
Before anyone could say anything more to her, Mirei's hologram disappeared. The light from Neptune's Digivice faded. Everyone looked at each other and then the CPUs looked at their respective Digimon partners. Their Digimon smiled at them.
"Don't worry, Nep. I'm sure we'll find a way to get stronger", Dorumon said to the lilac haired Goddess.
"Yeah. We'll reach Ultimate Level in no time Just you wait!", Dracomon said to Noire.
"You can count us until you get stronger yourself!", Blucomon said to Blanc.
"We'll fight for you just like you fought for us!", said Lalamon to Vert.
The CPUs all looked at each other and smiled. They knew that their Digimon would be there for them whenever they needed them. They knew that their partners will not let them down. The Candidates looked on with admiration.
"Goodness. Now I wish I had a Digimon", said Nepgear.
"I'm sure we'll get one ourselves. I hope mine will be cool", Uni replied.
"I want a cute Digimon! We could play together all day!", exclaimed Ram.
"I want a Digimon too", added Rom.
"Well if you want one, you'll have to get yourself a Digi-whats-it or something. Can't have mine, though. I know you'll want to tinker around with it, Nep Jr.", said Neptune.
"Awww...", the lilac haired Candidate pouted.
"Well, in any event, we still have a mission. Find any wild Digimon that enter our world and stop them before they cause any trouble", said Histoire.
The group nodded at this, knowing that they have to protect their world from any threat that would disturb the peace.
"Well, in the meantime, we might as well keep a lookout for any sign of trouble in our nations", stated Noire.
"Yeah, and besides, I gotta head back to Lowee. Blucomon will shrink if he's in the heat for too long", added Blanc.
"Well he is looking a bit smaller than usual. Maybe he needs a growth spurt?", said Neptune.
"Don't joke about that! You know I don't like the heat!", Blucomon exclaimed.
"I should get back to Leanbox as well. I still have an event in 4GO to clear before it ends", said Vert.
"Playing too many games is bad for your health, Vert", stated Lalamon.
"Nonsense. I am a Goddess. A little fatigue won't stop me", Vert replied.
"Still, I don't know if we should break up the party now! What if that creepy Skullington guy or whatever comes back again?", Neptune said, messing up SkullSatamon's name.
"Then we'll just have to back together and stop him", said Noire.
"But even if we do fight him, we don't have enough strength to actually beat him", stated Nepgear.
"We'll find a way to beat that SkullSatamon! I'm sure of it! No way am I gonna give up!", exclaimed Dorumon.
"I'm with you, buddy! They always say you can't keep a good Nep down!", added Neptune.
The two gave each other a high-five, although it was more of a hand and a Digimon paw.
"Well, in the meantime, we'll have to keep an eye out for anymore disturbances involving any Digimon that might enter our world", stated Histoire.
"We'll show the bad guys whose boss, right Noire?", said Dracomon.
"Naturally. But it's not like I'll need help with defending Lastation or anything", said Noire.
"As much as I'd like to help, I think I'll rest up with Gearsy for a bit. Getting captured and getting our butts kicked can get tiring", said Uzume.
"I agree with Uzume. I feel a little winded", added Nepgear.
"Well then, I guess it falls on you to do some work for a while, Neptune", said Histoire.
"Bleeehhh... That makes my noggin hurt", said the lilac haired CPU.
"Nep, if your work is important, why not just do it?", asked Dorumon.
"Well, it is important, but it's so boring sometimes", replied Neptune.
"Boring or not, your duties as a CPU remain the same", said Histoire.
Neptune sighed, knowing that she can't argue with the Oracle. Histoire then looked over to the rest of the group.
"I trust that you'll keep watch over your nations?", the Oracle inquired.
Noire, Blanc, Vert, and their respective Digimon all nodded in unison, letting Histoire know that she could count on them to keep the peace. She smiled in relief.
"Well then, I will leave you to it. We'll work on a plan to defeat SkullSatamon, but for now we will have to build up our Shares in the nations", Histoire stated.
The Oracle then looked out at the window, wondering if or how the group will get their Digimon to their Ultimate levels. She also hoped that they'll stop SkullSatamon soon, and figure out why Linda was working with him. Histoire pondered on it, even thinking about what the group described when the skeletal Digimon had a headache, even mentioning a "master" of sorts.
"I wonder... Could there be another power at play?", she thought.
Her thoughts then turned back towards thinking of a plan to counter against SkullSatamon, should the CPUs ever face him again. It would take some time, but she hoped they can do the job.
Inside a dark room, SkullSatamon was kneeling before a pair of yellow eyes peering from the darkness. The voice belonging to the eyes spoke up.
"What is the Underling's status?", it said.
"So far so good. She's making her way to the cave system in Lastation as we speak", said SkullSatamon.
"Good. It won't be long before she gets what I require", said the voice.
"Master, are you sure you can't send me to fetch the item for you? She proved useless in capturing a CPU", the skeletal Digimon asked.
"A minor setback, but that has no bearing on our goals. She'll be an asset to our plan. And besides, I do not want the CPUs suspecting something if you show up", said the voice.
"Surely though, Underling will need some sort of help, yes?", SkullSatamon asked.
"She is capable of handling the task alone. She knows that she must come back with the component I need for my plan, or not come back at all", the voice replied.
"But what if the CPUs catch her? She'll squeal if she gets caught", SkullSatamon inquired.
"Not to worry. I already have a distraction ready and waiting. While the CPUs deal with the wild Digimon, Linda will obtain the components needed for the test", the voice said ominously.
"But what if this test run fails, master?", SkullSatamon asked.
"Wether the test succeeds or fails, it matters not. We will gather the necessary data needed to move forward. Now, go and wait for my command. You are dismissed", the voice ordered.
"Yes my master. As you wish", the skeletal Digimon said, walking away through a doorway.
As SkullSatamon left, the yellow-eyed figure turned around and faced a wall full of monitors, which turned on the moment he faced them. The screens showed recordings of yhe CPUs, their Digimon, and the previous battles they had.
"The walls between this world and the Digital World will soon be torn asunder. But I must prove that it can be done. Only then will my plan really begin", said the figure.
The yellow-eyed silhouette laughed silently as he watched the recordings of the CPUs and their Digimon, feeling that not even they would be able to stop what is to come in the near future...
And that's about it for this chapter. Don't really know what else to write in this one.
I know this took a while, but I kinda took a break from writing this as I wanted to catch up with my games. Expect this to happen quite a bit.
Also, I think I need some help. I want to ask you guys on something that I have been having trouble on deciding. It involves a future chapter where Ram and Rom will eventually get their own Digimon.
However, I'm kinda stuck on how to go about it. I want to decide on whether the two should each get their own Digimon who can DNA Digivolve into one Digimon, or rather share one partner, as Ram and Rom tend to come together as a set.
So what do you guys think? Should the twins have two Digimon that can combine into one? Or should they just have one Digimon that they can share together? Tell me what you think in the reviews. It'll help me a lot.
With that out of the way, time to wrap this chapter up. Don't forget to leave a review and follow if you want to see more of this story. Until next time!
