UPDATE: Made some corrections in grammar and added some extra dialogue.
Hey readers! That last chapter came out very quickly, didn't it? I think I was on a writing craze with that one. But don't expect that to happen often.
On the last chapter, the CPUs and their Digimon had discovered the entrance to the Digi-Lab, and met with its proprietor, Mirei Mikagura, who explained to everyone about what's been going on between both Gameindustri and the Digital World. Though it gave them answers to some questions, it did open up more questions to ponder on. After their chat with one another, the gang went back to the Basilicom, only to meet with the Candidates and find that both Nepgear and Uzume have gone missing. Now who do you suppose would want to kidnap the pair? Let's find out!
Not much else to say except to enjoy this next chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon or Hyperdimension Neptunia. Both franchises belong to their respective owners.
Chapter 11: A Daring Rescue!
"Unnngh..."
Nepgear slowly opened her eyes, trying to see what is happening around her. Her vision became blurry for a few seconds before it cleared up. When her vision came to, she could see that she was inside some sort of a room. The walls and ceiling looked old and somewhat deteriorated. From what she could tell, it looked like a small bedroom. There was a small cracked window nearby. Then she looked at the old bed and saw that Uzume was sitting there looking back at her. She could see that her friend had her hands and legs bound together by rope.
"Hey, Gearsy. Glad you're awake", the orange CPU whispered.
"Uzume!", Nepgear said excitedly.
"Shh! Keep it down", Uzume hushed the lilac haired Candidate.
Nepgear tried to move, but she felt restrained for some reason. She looked at herself to find that both her arms and feet had also been tied by ropes just like her friend was. She tried to move her hands and feet in order to free herself, but they wouldn't budge.
"Forget it, I already tried. Those guys really tied us up good", whispered Uzume.
"Oh no...", Nepgear sighed.
"They took our weapons, so we can't fight back. They even took my communicator so I can't call for help", Uzume continued.
"So what can we do? Oh goodness, I feel so helpless now...", Nepgear said sadly.
"Don't worry, Gearsy. I'm sure we'll figure something out", the red haired girl said, trying to cheer up her friend.
They sat in the room, trying to think of a way to free themselves, get their weapons back, and get back to Planeptune in one piece. They also thought of the possibility that their friends will come and rescue the pair. Uzume looked out the cracked window and saw something.
"Psst! Gearsy, look at this", she whispered, gesturing the lilac haired girl to the window.
Nepgear scooted over to the window and peeked her head slowly to look outside. They could see two creatures standing guard outside the building they were in. It was Goblimon and Aruruamon, the two Digimon that they encountered on their way back to Planeptune.
"Those two creeps are guarding the door out there", Uzume growled under her breath.
"I don't get it. Why would they want to capture us?", Nepgear whispered.
"No idea, but I don't like it", the orange CPU replied.
The two CPUs continued to sit there as they tried to figure a way out of their predicament. Just outside the abandoned house, a silhouetted figure looked on from a bush, watching and waiting for the right moment to spring out.
"Just you wait, CPUs. A hero of justice is on the way", said the individual, continuing to spy on the Digimon guarding the building.
"Okay, calm down, Uni. Breath", said Noire as she tried to calm her sister down.
Everyone was in the living room of the Planeptune Basilicom. They had returned from the Digi-Lab a moment ago when Uni, Ram, and Rom stopped by with bad news. The Candidates were in a panic, saying that Nepgear was missing and that she may have been kidnapped. After the younger sisters were calmed down enough, Histoire floated over to them.
"Now please, start from the beginning. This time, take it slowly", said Histoire.
Uni breathed in and out slowly before finally speaking up.
"Okay. So, me and Nepgear were planning to head over to the arcade later today after she got through with her monster hunt with Uzume", said Uni.
"I see", said Histoire as she nodded her head.
"Did Nep Jr. ever show up?", asked Neptune.
"No. I tried to call her on her N-Gear, but she didn't pick up", Uni replied.
"Uni then called us and asked if Nepgear was with us", said Ram.
"She wasn't with us", added Rom.
"Really? Do you have any idea where she could've gone?", Noire asked her sister.
"No. We decided to look in Planeptune and see if she was still hunting monsters. We...", Uni stopped for a moment.
"Well, spit it out already", said Blanc.
"We found this...", said Rom.
The short haired girl then pulled something out of her pocket. It was a rectangle shape and was colored in purple and black. It also had a purple "N" mark on one side.
"It's Nepgear's N-Gear", said Uni.
"Oh my...", Histoire said in shock.
"Nepgear never goes anywhere without her N-Gear! She just doesn't!", Ram cried.
"I'm worried for her...", added Rom, tears forming in her eyes.
"What about Uzume? Did you find any sign of her?", Histoire inquired.
"Uzume isn't answering her communicator either. I think they're both missing", said Uni.
Everyone now had a worrying look on their faces. If Nepgear and Uzume really were missing, then it was up to them to find and rescue the pair. Vert had a determined look on her face as she shook her fist.
"By my rare in-game item collection in 4GO, I swear I will find my future sister and punish those who dare lay harm on her!", the blonde haired woman exclaimed.
"Yeah, we'll find Nep Jr. and- Hey, wait a minute!", Neptune shouted, realizing what Vert had just said.
"Vert, when are you going to learn that Nepgear is Neptune's sister?", Noire deadpanned.
"A girl can dream, can she?", said Vert before sighing.
Lalamon sighed at this, not wanting to know what Vert had in mind.
"What about Uzume? I know she can take care of herself somewhat, but still...", said Blanc in worry.
They all turned to Histoire, who looked like she had already had made her decision on what everyone should do.
"Well, it seems clear that we must find both Nepgear and Uzume before something worse happens to them, and quickly", said Histoire.
"But how can we can find them? We don't even know where to begin to look", Blanc stated.
It was then that Dorumon started to sniff the N-Gear that the Candidates had found. Neptune and the others soon took notice of this.
"Dorumon, you smell something? If someone broke wind, raise your hand now", said Neptune.
"Neptune, please don't joke about that", said Noire, the cheeks on her face turning red a little.
"Whose joking?", Neptune asked.
Everyone was disgusted by this comment except for Dorumon, who took no notice of her rambling as he sniffed the N-Gear. At last, he moved his nose away from the device.
"I can smell Nepgear's scent on this", the purple Digimon said.
Suddenly, he started to move through the room. Everyone were surprised by Dorumon's erratic choice in going on his own. Neptune went to see what was the matter.
"Dorumon, where are you going?", she inquired.
"To find Nepgear! I can trace her scent!", he said as he ran off.
"Hey, wait!", said Neptune as she went after her Digimon partner.
The other CPUs and Digimon looked at each other and then at Histoire, who looked on with concern before looking at the group.
"I think it would be best if you followed them, too. Find Nepgear and Uzume. Make sure they're brought back safe and sound", she said.
"You can count on us, Histoire! Let's go everyone!", said Noire as the CPUs and their respective Digimon left to follow Neptune and Dorumon.
As they left, Histoire looked out the window with concern and worry. She wondered what could've happened to Nepgear and Uzume. If they really were kidnapped, then who could've done such a thing?
"Please be kay, everyone", she prayed aloud.
Back at the abandoned house, Nepgear and Uzume were still trying to think of a way to break out of their makeshift prison. So far they had no luck with trying to break the bonds over their wrists and legs, and they dared not make too much noise in fear of being spotted. If they were caught trying to break out somehow, then their captors would retaliate against them somehow, so they didn't take any chances. Suddenly, they heard some voices outside. The two Digimon that were guarding the outside door sounded like they were now having a conversation. Uzume and Nepgear pressed their ears into a nearby wall, trying to listen in on the conversation.
"Man, I'm getting hungry. Could go for some roasted meat right now", said Goblimon.
"How can you think about eating at a time like this?", asked Aruruamon.
"Hey, when I get bored, I get hungry", Goblimon replied.
"Jeez, you're own stomach is gonna get you clobbered one of these days", the plant Digimon commented.
The two CPUs looked at each other, thinking that the two Digimon seem to suspect nothing yet. They pressed their ears back to the wall, hoping to get any more information from the two Digimon.
"So, when is the boss gonna get here?", the goblin Digimon inquired.
"She said she would meet us at this abandoned house by now", replied Aruruamon.
"Why don't you try looking ahead of you?", said a third voice.
The two CPUs were surprised to hear the third voice. They were not expecting someone else to arrive in the area. Carefully peeking out of the window again, they looked to see a third figure approaching the building.
The figure was feminine and had light grey skin, green hair, red eyes, and pointy ears. She wore a black choke collar on her neck, gloves that reach through her wrists, with black coloring on the dorsal side and red on the palm, and has white zig-zag lines on the wrists. She wore a grey hooded jacket with grey trimming on the outside and red on the inside. The hood looked like it had mouse ears, whiskers, and a nose. On the back is a broken heart design with red and yellow coloring beside each of the crack's sides and black crossbones under the heart.
The similar design can also be found divided by the bottom front of her jacket. Underneath the jacket was a black tube top with crossing strings in the middle. The same heart design on her jacket can be found on the middle of the tube top with the heart being divided by the strings. She also wore grey baggy pants with strings and a black waistline. On her feet are dark grey combat boots with a white welt and black strings. In her hands was an iron pipe with a copper colored handle.
"B-Boss! There you are!", Goblimon stuttered.
Nepgear looked on in shock. She could not believe who she was seeing outside. It was an old enemy that she had faced a long time ago. Uzume looked at the lilac haired Candidate with concern.
"Gearsy? Are you okay?", she asked her friend.
"I know that person from anywhere. It's Linda!", Nepgear whispered.
"Who is Linda? And why am I getting some bad vibes from her?", Uzume inquired.
"Linda, or Underling as we called her, was part of a criminal organization called the Arfoire Syndicate of International Crime (ASIC). Me and my friends fought her on multiple occasions. She gave us a lot of trouble during those days", Nepgear explained.
"Oh yeah, I think I read about that group. According to Histy, she and these ASIC guys were trying to revive something called the 'Deity of Sin', right?" the red haired CPU asked.
"Yes. And they almost succeeded, too", Nepgear continued. "But thanks to me and my friends, we destroyed the Deity of Sin and defeated ASIC. Most those who worked with ASIC were placed under arrest. Others went into hiding, Linda included.
"And now it looks like she's back to her old tricks again", said Uzume.
"I don't know what she's up to, but I'm sure it involves us", said Nepgear.
The two CPUs pressed their ears back to the wall again to listen in on the group's conversation.
"So, did you get the CPU of Planeptune like I asked?", Linda inquired.
"Uh, see, that's the thing. We don't know if we actually have the girl like you asked. We did catch a friend that was with her, though", Goblimon explained.
"A friend? What do you mean?", Linda asked in an annoyed manner.
"Uh oh, now there's gonna be trouble...", Aruruamon said.
"Wait, boss! I'm sure that we got the girl like you said!", the goblin Digimon panicked.
"Outta my way. I wanna see for myself", said Linda as she brushed the two Digimon aside.
The two CPUs looked at each other. The former member of ASIC was heading their way. The pair knew that they had to act fast before their captors suspect that the pair were listening on or trying to break out. The two moved back to their original positions and waited for them to enter. At last the door opened.
"Here they are, boss", said Goblimon as he pointed inside the room.
Linda looked around inside the room and saw both Nepgear and Uzume, still tied up in their positions. When the green haired girl saw the CPU Candidate, however, her face twisted into that of anger and rage. Suddenly, she bashed Goblimon with the iron pipe in her hands. The goblin Digimon grunted in pain.
"You idiot! I told you to capture the CPU of Planeptune! This is her sister!", yelled the former ASIC member.
"Underling. Even after we've defeated ASIC long ago, you're still committing new crimes", Nepgear asked.
"You bet your butt, I am. Just because my former employment is gone doesn't mean I can't try to make a living", said Linda.
She then looked at Uzume. She did not recognize the red haired girl. She had never seen her before at all.
"I don't remember seeing you before... Who the heck are you?", Linda asked.
"The name's Uzume Tennouboshi. A CPU of Planetune. That's all you're getting from me", scoffed Uzume.
"Another CPU? You're kidding, right? There's only two CPUs of Planeptune. A Goddess and a Candidate. There can't be two Goddesses", the green haired stated.
"Well, why don't ya set me loose and I'll transform right in front of you right now? Maybe that'll be proof enough for ya", said Uzume.
Linda growled at the red haired girl, but then snickered as she smirked with confidence.
"Heh. Do you take me for a fool? You're no CPU. And even if you were, there's no way you'll leave here", said the grey skinned girl.
"But it's true. Uzume IS a CPU. She was trapped in a console before, and now she lives here with us", said Nepgear.
"Hmph. Whatever she is, you two still aren't getting out. I have a deal to complete, and you two will have to make do", Linda replied.
Linda then walked over to Nepgear. She bent down and placed a hand on the Candidate's chin.
"As for for you, I wanted to grab the Goddess of Planeptune, but I think you'll do just as well", she said to the lilac haired girl.
"You won't get away with this. Our sisters will come and find us, and you'll be sorry", said Nepgear.
"I'm not too worried about them. They'll never find us here. This place is nice and out of the way of Planeptune City, so they won't find us until it's too late", said the former ASIC member.
Nepgear kept a straight face, but deep down inside she couldn't help but feel a sense of dread. What if Linda was right? What if the other CPUs couldn't find the pair in time? She wondered how she and Uzume could get out of this mess.
"Besides, I've been wanting to get my revenge on you brats for what you did to me", the green haired girl continued. "You and those other CPU broads made a fool out of me, ruined my life, and eliminated the organization I was a part of."
"You only have yourself to blame for joining such a corrupt group, Underling. You could've helped the world instead of trying to destroy it", said Nepgear.
"Enough! And that's another thing. You always call me Underling. I have a name you know, and that's Linda!", the pale skinned girl said.
Linda then angrily smacked the CPU Candidate with the back of her hand. Nepgear yelped in pain, while Uzume looked on with shock and anger.
"Leave her alone, you jerk! If you want to beat on someone, try me instead!", Uzume demanded as she struggled to try and free herself, but Goblimon smacked her lightly with his hammer.
"You best shut your mouth and sit yourself down if you know what's good for ya", the goblin Digimon said.
Uzume growled under her breath as Linda snickered at the CPU's predicament.
"Now, you may not be the CPU I was after, but perhaps if I hold you two for ransom, maybe I can make a quick score", said Linda.
"You don't expect our friends to yield to your demands, do you?", Nepgear inquired.
"Not unless a little pressure is added to the mix", the grey skinned girl said grimly.
The two CPUs did not like the sound of what Linda had planned. They felt that they needed to figure a way out soon before Linda lays any harm to them.
Meanwhile, the CPUs and their Digimon continued to follow Dorumon as he followed Nepgear's scent using the N-Gear he sniffed earlier. They had reached a forested zone outside of Planetune's city area. Uni recognized the spot they were in.
"This is where we found Nepgear's N-Gear", the black haired Candidate said.
"There's no sign of them...", said Rom, referring to Nepgear and Uzume.
"This blows. What if we can't find her in time?", added Ram.
"Don't worry guys. Dorumon's got the nose of a bloodhound", said Neptune.
"I'm not a dog!", snapped Dorumon.
"Don't sweat the details. Just keep on sniffing and leading!", Neptune exclaimed.
Noire, Blanc, and Vert looked at each other and then at their Digimon. Something told them all that something didn't feel right. They were all heading too far from the outskirts of Planetune. Where ever Nepgear and Uzume were at, it felt more like someone or something had kidnapped the two. But they had a job to do, and that was to find their friends and save them.
They pressed onwards and chased after Neptune and Dorumon, who continued to run down a path that looked like it hadn't been used in years. In their minds, they hoped Nepgear and Uzume were alright for now. They would need to hurry, however, before something bad happens.
Back inside the abandoned building, Aruruamon had entered inside the room with Linda and Goblimon, bringing two items with him. It was Nepgear's beam sword and Uzume's megaphone. The two CPU's looked with surprise.
"These are the weapons they had with them, boss", said Aruruamon.
"Nice. I'm sure these will fetch a hefty price on the black market", said Linda, smiling devilishly.
"Excuse me? May I ask something?", Nepgear asked.
"What is it now, twerp?", said the grey skinned girl.
"What exactly are you doing with those two Digimon anyway?", Nepgear inquired.
"Is that what they're called? Well, wouldn't you like to know", said Linda.
"Just what's the deal with you and the two creeps anyway?", asked Uzume.
"Look, I've been hired by somebody to not only capture you CPUs, but also to keep my mouth shut about it, so why don't you put a sock in it before I shove a knuckle sandwich down your throat instead?", Linda threatened.
"I'd like to see you try", dared the red haired girl.
"Uzume, don't antagonize her!", whispered the CPU Candidate.
Now getting angry, Linda started to walk over to Uzume and punched her straight in the face. Nepgear looked on in shock, while Linda smirked.
"Had enough, ya brat?", she asked.
But then Uzume started to laugh. Linda was both confused and angered by this.
"Is that all you got? I've been through worse than this", Uzume laughed off.
"That's it. Now you asked for it!", Linda exclaimed.
She grabbed Uzume and pulled her up. She pinned the orange CPU to the wall and grabbed her iron pipe, preparing to strike at the CPU. Nepgear shut her eyes, not wanting to watch what was about to transpire.
"Let's see how you like a taste of this", the pale skinned girl said.
But before Linda could attack Uzume, the window suddenly shattered into pieces. Everyone looked on in surprise as they saw what had smashed the window. It looked like some kind of capsule.
"What is this thing?", Goblimon asked as he went to pick up the object.
"Wait, don't touch tha-!", shouted Linda.
But before she could stop the goblin Digimon, smoke suddenly sprayed out quickly from the canister. Everyone started to cough and gag. Nobody could see what was happening. While they were trying to figure out what was going on, Nepgear and Uzume felt their bonds cut free. They could now move their hands and feet.
"Out the window, quickly!", said a voice.
Nepgear and Uzume didn't have time to register who or what the voice belonged to or what was going on. They knew that an opportunity to escape had revealed itself, and now they had to act quickly. The two CPUs looked for the exit and found the broken window. They raced for the now open window and jumped through, landing on the dirt below, much to the frustration of the former ASIC member.
"After them, you fools! *cough* *cough*", Linda choked as she tried to find a way out of the smokescreen.
Nepgear and Uzume ran from the hideout as fast and far as they could. They didn't dare look back to see if their captors were chasing after them. There was no time for second guesses. As soon as they felt that they were far away enough, the pair stopped to catch their breath.
"Haa... What a rush...", said Uzume.
"Goodness... Glad we got out of there", added Nepgear.
"Yeah, but... who was the one who bailed us out?", Uzume inquired.
"Why not ask her yourself?", said a voice.
The pair looked up to a nearby tree. They saw a figure drop down from the tree and stand right in front of them. The feminine figure had deep blue eyes with matching hair that appears to be very long, but is worn up with a few long, loose curls. She had a pair of black goggles worn in her hair like a headband. She wore a black, revealing body suit with the zipper worn below her belly button and bandaging worn around her chest. It has thin red and blue lines on the side and is worn with big cuffed, gray gloves and matching boots. Also worn is a long red flowing scarf, a prinny-like backpack, and a gray and gold pouch strapped to her leg.
"In times of despair and days of distress, evil will show itself when people least expect it. But when the people need hope the most, a shining light will banish the darkness and bring justice to the world!", said the blue haired girl.
She then started to move her arms around in the air and then made a pose, moving her right hand and making a "V" symbol with her fingers.
"Nisa, The Heroine of Justice, is here to save the day!", the blue haired girl shouted out.
The two CPUs looked on in awe. They could not believe who it was that rescued them. Nepgear, who was especially glad, smiled and went over to Nisa.
"Nisa! It's you!", she said as she hugged the blue haired heroine.
"Hey, easy there! Long time no see, Nepgear!", said Nisa as she hugged the Candidate back.
"Is this another person you know about, Gearsy?", Uzume asked.
"This is Nisa, the self-proclaimed Heroine of Justice. She's one of the few people who helped me during the time we fought against ASIC", Nepgear explained.
"Nice. A friend of Gearsy is a friend of mine.", said Uzume as she stretched out her hand.
"Likewise! I heard of another CPU recently taking residence in in Planeptune. I take it that it's you?", Nisa inquired as she shook Uzume's hand.
"Yep! My name's Uzume Tennouboshi, otherwise known as CPU Orange Heart", the red haired CPU said.
"Lady Orange Heart, eh? It is an honor to meet your acquaintance", said Nisa, giving a salute to the CPU.
"Hey, just call me Uzume. Using the word "lady" just makes me feel old", said Uzume.
"Ah, sorry. I usually have a habit of addressing the CPUs formally", the blue haired heroine apologized.
"No worries. If it makes you feel better, that line and pose you did were so cool! Not to mention the way you busted us out of that jam! You are awesome!", Uzume complimented.
Nisa smiled at this and rubbed the back of her head, her cheeks blushing red with embarrassment.
"Hey, c'mon. No need for all the prasing", said Nisa.
"So, what are you doing here, Nisa?", Nepgear asked.
"I was patrolling the trade routes for any signs of monsters that would dare to cause trouble when I heard a noise", Nisa explained. "It sounded like a battle, so I went to investigate. I saw you two get captured by some strange monsters and followed you to that abandoned house. I waited to make my move and rescue the both of you. It was also a perfect opportunity to use the new smoke canisters I got."
"Those weren't any ordinary monsters, Nisa. They're from another world. They're called Digimon", Nepgear stated.
"Digimon? That's a new one to me", said the blue haired heroine.
"And that's not all. Apparently they're working with Linda", the lilac haired girl continued.
"So I gathered. I thought I smelled her foul stench a mile away", Nisa commented.
"That's not all you'll be smelling when I'm through with you!", yelled a voice.
The three looked behind them to see that Linda, Goblimon, and Aruruamon were now catching up with the group. They had a very annoyed look on their faces when they laid eyes on the group. When they stopped in front of the three girls, Linda had a scowl on her face as she saw Nisa with them.
"What the hell?! You again?!", she exclaimed.
"That's right! Nisa, The Heroine of Justice, is on the scene! It's over for you, Underling! Your evil ways will be put to a rest once and for all!", Nisa declared as she raised a fist.
"It's Linda! And you won't stop me this time! You two, go get those brats!", the green haired girl ordered the two Digimon.
"You got it, boss!", Goblimon and Aruruamon said at the same time.
Nisa then pulled something out of the bush behind the group, revealing to be none other than Nepgear's beam sword and Uzume's megaphone.
"I managed to snag these during the confusion. Arm yourselves, CPUs! A battle of good and evil is about to begin!", she said
She tossed the pair their respective weapons. The CPUs nodded in kind, thanking their blue haired friend, and both they and Nisa readied themselves for battle, waiting to see who would make the first move. Goblimon charged for Uzume as he swung his hammer at the red haired CPU, but she manages to dodge out of the way. The red haired girl then counters by screaming into her megaphone weapon, causing ear numbing sound waves to hit the goblin Digimon. He clutched his ears in response as he tried to stop the ringing in his eardrums.
"You'll pay for that! Goblin Strike!", exclaimed Goblimon.
He then launched a fireball from his hammer directly at the red haired girl's direction. Uzume saw this, but she could not get out of the way in time. However, she was pushed out of the way by Nisa, causing the fireball to miss the two.
"Thanks. I owe you, Nisasy", said Uzume.
"No problem. Wait, did you say 'Nisasy?'", the blue haired heroine said in confusion.
"It's just how Uzume nicknames the friends she's made", Nepgear stated.
"How odd. But also exciting!", said Nisa as she felt fired up.
Suddenly, Aruruamon got in front of the lilac haired Candidate. Nepgear raised her beam sword, waiting to see what the plant Digimon will do.
"Nemesis Ivy!", Aruruamon exclaimed as he extended his vine-like claws towards the CPU Candidate.
"Not this time! Mirage Dance!", Nepgear shouted.
The CPU Candidate then sliced and diced away at the vines with her beam sword, cutting them down into bits and pieces. Aruruamon saw what she did to the plant Digimon's hands and panicked. He did not expect to get his claws cut like how a chef cuts vegetables with a knife. He then tried to run away as the lilac haired girl chased him around, not wanting to let him get away.
Meanwhile, Nisa dodges a swing from Linda's iron pipe and tries to deliver a punch of her own, but the grey skinned girl sees this and moves to the side and swings her pipe again. The blue haired heroine reacts quickly and grabs the iron rod, yanking it from Linda's hands and tossing it at Goblimon, the pipe hitting the goblin Digimon in the head. Linda then tries to through a punch, but her opponent dodges it and counters with a flurry of her own punches and kicks, knocking back the grey skinned girl several feet. Nisa then jumps high into the air.
"Justice Kick!", she calls out.
She then falls down towards the former ASIC member, drop kicking the girl in the chest and knocking her into a tree. Linda groaned in pain and got back up, trying to ignore the wound she got from the attack.
"You'll regret that!", she said angrily.
Elsewhere, Uzume made her way to finish off Goblimon and help out the others. She charged at the goblin Digimon and tossed her megaphone weapon into the air.
"Dream Combo!", she yelled.
She hit Goblimon with a series of rapid punches that a normal human eye could not track, ending it with one one punch that sends the goblin Digimon flying into Linda, the pair falling over as a result. Uzume soon caught her megaphone weapon and smirked with a cheeky grin.
"Slash Wave!", exclaimed Nepgear.
She then swings her beam sword upwards, causing a lilac colored wave of energy to be launched straight at Aruruamon. The impact of the attack causes the plant Digimon to fly into both Linda and Goblimon, who had just got back up only to be flattened once again. The trio groaned in pain as they fumbled over each other to get back up on their feet.
"Damnit... This isn't going well...", muttered Linda.
"You have no chance of beating us, Underling! Give it up now!", Nepgear ordered.
"As if! I can still take you on...", the grey skinned girl said.
"You sure you're willing to take on all of us?", called a voice.
Everyone looked over their shoulders to see a large group coming towards them. It was Neptune, Dorumon, the CPUs and their sisters, and their Digimon coming to their aid. Nepgear, Uzume, and Nisa were relieved to see them.
"Neptune!", the lilac haired girl exclaimed, hugging her sister.
"Nepsy! Perfect timing!", added Uzume.
"Looks like the cavalry has arrived. This is just what we need to win!", said Nisa.
The group were happy to see that both Nepgear and Uzume were safe. They were also surprised to see Nisa on the scene, but not as shocked as they were to see Linda and the two Digimon aiding her.
"So, the Underling has returned. I see you suddenly got the hots for my sister, eh?", said Neptune.
"It's Linda! My name is Linda!", the grey skinned girl yelled. "When are you CPUs gonna get that through your damned heads?!"
"Right now that doesn't matter. You tried to kidnap two CPUs, and now you have to pay for your crimes", Noire stated.
"No use running away. Give up now", Blanc ordered.
"Unless you want another helping of humiliation, courtesy of the Goddesses of Gameindustri", added Vert.
Linda and the two Digimon looked nervous now. They all knew that there was no way that they'll be able to take on all of the CPUs at once, let alone the Digimon they have with them. They felt that they were now cornered like rats.
"What are we gonna do, boss?!", Goblimon asked.
"We can't lose here!", added Aruruamon.
"Tch. You two clowns are useless. I'm outta here!", said Linda.
As she made an attempt to flee, however, she was stopped by Dorumon, who growled and bared his teeth. She yelped and backed away from the purple Digimon, but then she saw Dracomon behind her. She looked at both sides and saw Blucomon on her left and Lalamon on her right. The CPUs had Goblimon and Aruruamon surrounded as well. Not one of them was going to let Linda and the two bad Digimon get away.
"Now, let's try this again. Give up now and we'll go easy on you", said Uzume as she smirked with confidence.
The green haired girl was now starting to sweat. She and her two minions were surrounded from all sides and there was nothing she could do to get away. She was running out of options. Just then, as she was trying to think of a way to bail herself out of her predicament...
"I'm afraid that none of you will catch my Underling today", said a voice.
Everyone was surprised to hear the new voice. They looked all around, but they saw nothing but trees, grass, and a blue sky.
"Who said that? Are you playing hide and seek?", asked Neptune.
Then, a cold chill blew over everyone's shoulder as they felt a disturbance in the air. The wind picked up and they could see something forming nearby. It was covered in a black veil of darkness, so it was hard to tell what it actually was. Linda, on the other hand, stared at the dark veil, as if she knew what it was. A horrified look formed on her face.
"Oh no... Why is 'he' here now? I'm dead meat...", she thought.
At last, the dark veil cleared up, and a tall figure stood in it's place. He was tall and skeletal, as if devoid of life. He had two black wings on his back, a red skeletal torso with a black orb and red bat-like symbol in the center, and his boney arms were also colored red. On his left arm were brown straps wrapped around it, while his right arm had a large metal bracelet. He a rust colored loincloth on his pelvic area, metal gauntlets on his hands and metallic boots to match, and both his waist and legs were covered in rows of black belt straps. The most frightening feature, however, was that the skeletal figure's head was a black skull with what looked like small bat wings on it.
In his hands was a long staff-like object with a curved handle in the center. On one end was what appears to be a red hook, while the other end looked like a red three pronged claw with a glowing yellow orb inside it. His appearance and presence gave the CPUs chills. Even their Digimon looked on with nervousness. The skeletal creature looked at everyone as they looked back at him. Then he looked back at Linda with disappointment showing on his face.
"Well, it looks like you are having trouble eh, Underling?", he said to the grey skinned girl.
"S-S-SkullSatamon, sir! W-What are y-you doing here?", Linda stuttered in, panicking as she looked on.
"What does it look like I'm doing? You can't even do a simple job right. Now it seems I'll have to take things into my own hands", said the creature known as SkullSatamon.
Everyone got a sickening feeling about this creature as they stared at his general direction. His name also caught the CPUs off guard. Was this another Digimon? And if so, where did he come from? One thing was for sure, however: Everyone had a bad feeling that something terrible was going to happen...
Well, this is quite a turn of events, now isn't it? Just when the CPUs think they have Underling on the ropes, a new challenger appears. Now how do you think the CPUs and their Digimon will be able to face this threat? Well, we'll just have to wait until next chapter, now won't we?
That's about it for this chapter. I'm sure some of you reading on might know what'll happen next, but no spoilers until the next chapter please! If you enjoyed this chapter, be sure to leave a review and follow for more.
Until next time!