Hello and welcome back to the story. Hope you brought some popcorn or pizza for this one, cause this chapter is going to be filled with a bit of action. But before we get into that, I have something important to say.
As of finishing this chapter, this story has officially reached one hundred followers! Although progress has been slow over the years, I never stopped believing that I could make this story reach out to many people who are fans of both Digimon and Hyperdimension Neptunia. And I also have each and every one of you who have been following this story to thank as well. Without you all, I would not have the drive to keep making this story. I greatly appreciate the feedback and love for this crossover. Let's keep it going and take this story to even greater heights!
Now then, on with the recap:
On the last chapter, we followed Nepgear and Hagurumon trying to find their way through the Magma Plains, until a squad of D-Brigade soldiers had intercepted them. Just before the pair could be captured, a rebel Digimon named Flamedramon jumped in and bailed them out of trouble. Leading them to his hideout, the pair explained their situation with the rebels, who in turn revealed how their home had been taken over by the D-Brigade. But when their hideout was discovered by the digital army, the rebel Digimon are now forced to evacuate, while their leader, Volcdramon, buys them all time to escape. But with Megadramon leading the D-Brigade's march, can the old volcanic Digimon survive long enough to give his allies the chance to fight another day?
Find out as we begin the next chapter of Digidimension Neptunia: Digital Journey!
...
Ha! You thought I was gonna say DBZ, did ya? Well if you read the recap in the narrator's voice while listening to the recap theme, then you are a person of culture. Now then, on with the story!
Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon or the Hyperdimension Neptunia series. Both franchises belong to their respective companies.
Chapter 38: Heated Hearts
Outside the hideout, dawn was approaching, as the digital sun slowly crept up from beyond the horizon, illuminating the landscape little by little. The D-Brigade forces marched up to the cave, stopping just mere yards away from the entrance. All of the Commandramons and Tankmons stood at the ready, eager to go into battle with their enemy. Meanwhile, Megadramon smirked at the sight of the entryway.
"This is where the rebels are hiding? I was expecting more", he said.
He then turned to the Hi-Commandramon captain, who awaited the order to attack.
"Awaiting your orders, sir", he said.
Megadramon simply grinned sinisterly as he stared down the entrance to the hideout before giving the attack order.
"Move in", said the cyborg dragon Digimon.
The captain nodded in acknowledgement, then gestured his first wave of troops to march forward inside the tunnel. The D-Brigade forces formed up, trying to get as many Digimon inside as possible without wedging themselves in. Just as they neared the entrance, however, a large stream of fire and magma suddenly erupted out of the entryway, catching the D-Brigade troops by total shock. Unable to move out of the way, they were caught up in the flames and lava, their bodies eventually being destroyed as a result.
"What?!", Hi-Commandramon exclaimed.
Neither he or the other military Digimon could understand as to what had happened. Megadramon, however, didn't even need to guess as to who or what had caused it.
"Come on out, Volcdramon. I know you are in there", said the cyborg Digimon.
Just then, everyone could hear the loud sound of something stomping inside the cave entrance. Peering his head out into the open, the Digital World's sun shined down upon the volcanic Digimon, revealing his presence to the Megadramon and the D-Brigade forces. The cyborg dragon Digimon smiled ominously as he and Volcdramon stared each other down.
"So, the old Digimon wants to come out and play, does he?", he said.
"I may be old, but on my word, as guardian of Magma Plains, I will not let you pass", said the volcanic Digimon.
"Come now. Do you really think you can take us all on your own?", the cyborg dragon Digimon asked sarcastically.
Volcdramon only stared him down, not giving a single reply to his foe. Megadramon could only laugh, not knowing if he was serious or not. It did not matter to the cyborg dragon Digimon, however, as he was ready for whatever the great Digimon would through at him.
"Well then, shall we begin the slaughter?", said Megadramon menacingly.
Volcdramon roared loudly in response, loud enough for everyone in the vicinity to hear. He knew that this would either be a long slog, or it would be the shortest battle of all time. Whatever the outcome, he could only hope that he can give his people the time needed to successfully escape, even at the cost of his own life. The digital sun shine down upon him, showing his defiant stance as he held his ground, ready to take on Megadramon and his forces.
"Have at you, fiend!", he roared.
Megadramon growled before turning to Hi-Commandramon, who nodded in response. Raising his arm in the air, he then pointed it towards the direction of the hideout's entrance.
"Attack! Storm the hideout!", he shouted.
The mixture of Commandramons and Tankmons roared, their battle cry deafening anything else that would've been heard. They charged towards the entrance, their goal made quite clear to them. Volcdramon, however, was not about to let a single one of them pass. The miniature volcanic spouts on his back started spewing smoke and sulfuric ash, creating a large black cloud that surrounded the entire area. It hung close to the ground, creating a black wall that was impossible to see through. By the time the charging D-Brigade soldiers stopped in their tracks, it was too late, as the sulfuric ashes had surrounded them, blocking even the sun light.
Blinded by the thick smoke, they coughed and hacked as they tried to find their way out of the haze. But as they searched desperately for a way out, some of them started to collapse, unable to breath the sulfuric ash. the others were unlucky enough to bump into the volcanic Digimon, who would quickly dispatch them by either stomping on top of them, or chomping down on them with his jaws and tossing them around like ragdolls. He would even slap some of the D-Brigade soldiers away from the entrance, sometimes even bashing them into other able forces.
As more and more Commandramons and Tankmons moved in to assist their fallen comrades and tried to push their way past the haze and make their way to the hideout's entrance, Volcdramon would do the same attacks to them all over again, even harder than before. Seeing that enough was enough, the fiery veins on Volcdramon's body started to glow, and the volcanic spouts on his back looked like they were about to erupt. His mouth then started to glow red hot as he readied his attack, preparing to blow away the D-Brigade forces again.
"Volcanic Fount!", he roared.
Causing the ground to quake around him, the spouts on his hack erupted with hot streams of lava, and his mouth spewed hot flames and magma at the direction of the D-Brigade forces. Panicking, they tried to run away in random directions, but either tripped or bumped into each other in the process as they struggled to find a way out of the cloud of smoke. In the end, though, they were unable to escape the stream of fire and magma, as they were caught in the blaze, becoming nothing but digital particles.
Megadramon, the Commandramon captain, and the other D-Brigade forces kept their eyes pealed, waiting to see the outcome as they could hear the sounds of the battle in the cloud of smoke and ash. Soon there was an unnerving silence. Then, as the sulfuric ash finally started to disappear, they could all see what had transpired. From behind the vanishing haze, they could see that Volcdramon was still standing, unfazed and still remaining where he stood when the wave of D-Brigade soldiers began their initial charge. There was no sign of them now, except for the fading digital particles that marked their fate.
The Commandramon captain growled angrily. He was in disbelief that a Digimon such as Volcdramon could hold off the D-Brigade all on his own, let alone even decimate some of his forces. He was about to send in another wave to try and get past the volcanic Digimon, but Megadramon placed one of his cybernetic hands in front of him, stopping him from declaring another attack. The captain was puzzled as to why.
"It's obvious that he will fight until he is deleted. Well then, I will be more than happy to grant his wish", said the cyborg dragon Digimon.
He then flew forward, wanting to take on Volcdramon personally. The volcanic Digimon growled profusely, knowing that he would have trouble with the cyborg dragon Digimon. He was an Ultimate level just like him. The only difference being that his opponent was in much better fighting shape than the aging Digimon. He could only hope that he could hold him off long enough until all of his fellow Digimon could escape.
"Please get away safely, my comrades. I'm counting on you all", he thought.
He then readied himself for battle once more, staring down Megadramon with defiance in his eyes. Then, both he and the cyborg dragon Digimon charged at one another, ready to subdue or destroy one another.
Inside the escape tunnel, many Candlemons and DemiMeramons were moving along at a steady pace. Leading them all were Flamedramon and FlameWizardmon, who kept watch at the front. From the rear of the crowd, Nepgear and Hagurumon were tailing behind, keeping an eye for any signs of the D-Brigade behind them. So far there wasn't any hint that they were close, but both the lilac haired girl and her Digimon partner would not let their guard down for a second. They knew that the enemy would possibly arrive at any moment.
Both Flamedramon and FlameWizardmon also kept an eye out for the D-Brigade themselves. Though it was highly unlikely that there wouldn't be any of them ahead of the escape tunnel, they didn't want to take any chances. They knew that their enemy would do whatever it takes to make sure that the resistance was squashed. The two Digimon of fire, however, would make sure that not one single D-Brigade soldier would get to them or the other Digimon they swore to protect. And with Volcdramon fighting to help them escape, they were determined to make sure that their great leader's sacrifice not be in vain.
As they marched on down the tunnel, Nepgear found herself looking back down the path behind them more often than ever. She could feel a tightness in her chest turning into a knot within her. Part of her still felt uneasy leaving the volcanic Digimon behind to fight the D-Brigade all alone without any help. She tried to not think about it too much, wanting to believe that he would be able to make it. But no matter how hard she tried, the Planeptune CPU just couldn't stop thinking about him. Something within her was telling her to go back and help him, but that would mean leaving the rebel Digimons alone with both Flamedramon and FlameWizardmon to protect them. Hagurumon could see his partner's face frowning, showing her internal conflict. He decided to talk to her about it.
"You seem really troubled, Nepgear", he said.
The lilac haired girl snapped out of her train of thought, looking down at her partner Digimon before hiding behind a smile.
"Oh? N-No, I'm fine... Really...", she said.
The gear Digimon just stared at her, not really believing that she was okay. After a few more seconds, she sighed heavily.
"No, I'm not fine... I can't stop thinking about Volcdramon", Nepgear said sadly.
"I know how you feel. But you heard what he said. He does not want anyone else getting captured or destroyed under his watch", stated Hagurumon.
"And I understand that. But still...", the CPU Candidate trailed off.
She couldn't help but feel wrong about fleeing from the fight. As much as she wanted to believe that Volcdramon could handle himself, a dreadful feeling kept washing over her, telling her that if she doesn't go back now, she will regret it for the rest of her life. Now this feeling of unease started to affect Hagurumon, as he too couldn't help but think back to the volcanic Digimon. At last, he spoke up again.
"He may be willing to give up his own life. But I doubt he would want to be deleted all on his own...", said the gear Digimon said.
Nepgear stared at her partner for what seemed like a full minute before she nodded with a look of determination forming on her face. She felt that dreadful wave of discontent turn into that of bravery and willpower, like a fire that burned with her. She realized that no matter what the circumstances or what Volcdramon had said before, she wanted to see everyone return to their home alive. It was the same feeling she had when she fought ASIC long ago with her friends, and her partner Digimon had reminded her of it. Turning back to her partner, she stopped in her tracks, causing Hagurumon to stop as well.
"Let's go, Hagurumon. We have an ally to save!", she said.
The gear-faced Digimon nodded in agreement. Both of them knew that they would not let anything bad happen to anyone and everyone they knew, whether it be some like her or a Digimon. They started to turn around and went back the way they came, hoping that they'll be able to make it in time.
Meanwhile at the front of the crowd, Flamedramon looked back to see if Nepgear and Hagurumon were still behind them. Instead, he could see the pair going back the way they all came. The armored Digimon's heart sank a little when he realized straight away what they were up to. Turning his attention back the fire mage Digimon, he spoke up.
"FlameWizardmon, if I don't come back in five minutes, you'll be in charge in my absence", he said.
"What do you mean, Flamedramon? Hey!", his comrade said.
But before he could say anything else, the armored Digimon was already running back in the other direction, hoping he could catch up with Nepgear and Hagurumon. The fire mage Digimon could only watch as his ally ran off into the distance, hoping that he wouldn't do anything rash.
"Be careful, my friend", he said to himself.
Back down the tunnel, Nepgear and her Digimon partner hurried down the path that would take them back to the other entrance. As they made their way, however, Flamedramon jumped in front of the pair, standing in their way.
"Just what do you think you're doing?", he asked sternly.
"Excuse me, Flamedramon, but please don't get in our way", said Nepgear.
"If you're thinking about helping Volcdramon out, then you're just as crazy as he is", the armored Digimon said.
"We have to do something to make sure everyone comes back alive", stated Hagurumon.
"I know how you two feel. Believe me...", he trailed off before smiling proudly. "But I'm not letting you do this alone."
The Planetune Candidate and the gear Digimon were surprised by his response. They did not expect him, of all Digimon, to help them, knowing the danger it poses.
"But why?", asked Nepgear.
"I feel the same way as you guys do. Besides, I don't think the role of 'leader' fits me anyway", Flamedramon replied. "So, what are we waiting for?"
They smiled at him and nodded in agreement, thankful for his assistance. All three of them then raced off once more, hoping that they would not be too late to save Volcdramon. As they ran, Hagurumon had an idea forming in his circuitry.
"Nepgear, I think we can get there faster if I Digivolved", he suggested.
"Good thinking. Let's do it", said the CPU Candidate.
Flamedramon was puzzle by what they were talking about. Nepgear then pulled out her Digivice and aimed it at her partner Digimon.
"What is that?", the armored Digimon asked.
"You're about to find out", said Nepgear. "Digivolve!"
A lilac colored beam of light suddenly shot out of her Digivice and engulfed Hagurumon, beginning his Digivolution sequence.
"Hagurumon, Digivolve to...!", said the gear Digimon.
His body soon began to grow bigger and change shape. He now had a steampunk-style copper-colored body, his eyes went from red to green, and an engine-like thruster pack formed on his back. A few puffs of steam spewed out as his Digivolution was finished.
"Guardromon!", he exclaimed.
Flamedramon could not believe his eyes. He had never seen a Digimon Digivolve with the assistance of a human. It was intriguing to say the least. Getting on his back, Nepgear climbed aboard Guardromon, who then activated his jump jets on his thruster pack.
"Let us be off. We haven't a moment to waste!", he exclaimed.
He then sped ahead of Flamedramon, who was still amazed by the Digimon's change of appearance. As he gazed on, he couldn't help but smile again.
"They just might be able to save our land after all", the armored Digimon thought.
He then picked up the pace, chasing after the pair before they get too far ahead of him.
Back outside the hideout, both Megadramon and Volcdramon were still going at it with one another, each one trying to destroy one another. Neither side would give an inch as they either scratch, bite, or use any other means necessary to try and injure their opponent. The volcanic Digimon wanted to make sure that the D-Brigade leader would not be able to get past him and destroy his fellow rebels who were still making their way to escape. He was still unsure if he could hold off Megadramon for long, however, as his age was starting to take a toll on his body. When the cyborg dragon Digimon noticed this, he simply smirked deviously.
"What's the matter, Volcdramon? Do you need a rest? Shall I give you a moment to let you catch your breath?", he said mockingly.
"I can still fight... I am not beaten yet", the volcanic Digimon snorted.
"Hehehe! Just being sporting is all", the cyborg dragon Digimon chuckled.
Growling in annoyance, Volcdramon roared as he charged up his attack, the magma veins on his volcanic body glowing red hot and the spouts on his back started smoking again.
"Volcanic Fount!", he roared as he blasted another hot stream of fire and magma at Megadramon.
Seeing this coming, however, the D-Brigade leader simply flew up above his attacker, avoiding the attack. Then his metallic claws opened up, revealing what appeared to be ports where his palms should be.
"Genocide Attack!", he exclaimed.
Then what seemed to be a series of organic missiles shot out of both of his cybernetic claws, raining down upon the volcanic Digimon. The force of the explosions pushed him back just a few feet closer to the hideout entrance. He roared in pain as he took the force of the attack, but he still stood his ground as his body was smoking from the blast. Megadramon laughed as he looked down on his adversary.
"Why do you continue this futile resistance? Why defy against your very rulers when you know you can't win?", he asked.
"As long I still stand, I will not stop fighting for my people", Volcdramon said sternly.
"Is that a fact? Well then, let's just test how long you can keep on your feet then", the cyborg dragon Digimon said ominously.
He then looked at Hi-Commandramon, who was watching the fight from afar with his fellow D-Brigade soldiers. Crossing the tip of his cybernetic claw across his neck, Megadramon gave a silent order to the heavily armed Digimon captain. Understanding what his superior meant, Hi-Commandramon nodded in response.
"D-Brigade, focus your fire on Volcdramon! Show him what pain really means!", he ordered.
The various other Commandramons and Tankmons, happy to oblige, began to open fire on the volcanic Digimon. Even Hi-Commandramon himself opened fire with his grenade launcher, pelting Volcdramon with a barrage of explosive projectiles. Although they were Digimon of a lower level, the constant barrage they unleashed was an unceasing pain that he could not ignore. And at the rate the D-Brigade was going with their assault, it wouldn't be long until they would actually bring him down to his knees. Volcdramon, however, knew that Megadramon was only doing this to torture and weaken him for his defiance.
At last, raising his hand up, Hi-Commandramon ordered his troops to cease fire. The deafening sounds of weapons fire soon fell silent. When the smoke cleared, the volcanic Digimon now looked battered, his body covered in injuries. The cyborg dragon Digimon smirked confidently, knowing that their enemy wouldn't be able to last much longer.
"So, had enough yet?", Megadramon inquired.
Volcdramon did not respond, however. He only grunted as he still held his position, not moving a single muscle. Parts of his body volcanic body were scorched from the barrage. Despite his injuries, he continued to stay in front of the entrance, not leaving a single opening for the D-Brigade to pass through. Megadramon laughed, taking the volcanic Digimon's silence as an answer.
"Good! Because I'm just getting started!", he shouted.
The cyborg dragon Digimon then raised his cybernetic limbs at Volcdramon. He knew what was coming next. The volcanic Digimon braced himself for impact, as his adversary launched his own assault.
"Genocide Attack!", Megadramon yelled as he blasted multiple organic missiles from his cybernetic limbs.
Volcdramon knew he wasn't fast enough to avoid the waves of missiles, as his size would hinder his movement. The fact that his old age also added to his own hindrance did not help his case. Having no choice but to brace for impact, he took the brunt of the missile fire. He exclaimed in pain as his foe pelted him with what seemed like an endless wave of rocket fire. Soon the cyborg dragon Digimon ceased his assault, allowing the resulting smoke and dust to settle. When the cloud had cleared, everyone could see that Volcdramon was still standing, but barely. He could be seen struggling to stay up. Although Megadramon admired his determination, it also had started to annoy him.
"Persistent, aren't we? This is becoming tiresome now, don't you think?", said the cyborg dragon Digimon.
The volcanic Digimon ignored his foe's comments as he tried to maintain his balance. Though he tried to keep a brave face, he was now not so sure that he could keep up his defense for much longer. It wasn't until he looked down at his legs shaking that he realized his own worst fears were confirmed. He now knew that he was no match for the D-Brigade leader.
"It's no good... If I were many years younger, I probably would've stood a chance... I may not be long for this world now...", he thought.
Meanwhile, the cyborg dragon Digimon was now out of patience, ready to end the battle once and for all.
"Very well then", Megadramon continued. "I think its about time I ended this farce."
Volcdramon could only watch as the cyborg dragon Digimon prepared his next attack. As he readied himself, Megadramon spoke once more.
"I haven't used this one in quite a long time", he said.
Suddenly, sparks started to burst from his body. Then, all of reality started to shift around the two. It was becoming a realm of polygons, energy spheres, dimensional cubes, and other abnormalities, from flying binary codes to digital grids. Volcdramon had never seen anything quite like it before. Everything was spinning around him, and he was unable to comprehend.
"DG Dimension!", Megadramon exclaimed.
Then, as if on cue, a series of dimensional cubes and spheres were sent flying in Volcdramon's direction, exploding on impact. Watching from afar in awe, both Hi-Commandramon and his troops were amazed by the rare sight in happening in front of them.
"Amazing! He's using his DG Dimension! I've only ever heard the stories, but I never seen him actually use it", the captain commented.
Volcdramon screamed in agony as the attack made contact with him. He never felt so much torment in his life. As soon as the cubes and spheres stopped, the dimensional distortion faded away, the area retuning to normal soon after. Once the dust finally settled, the volcanic Digimon had finally collapsed to the ground, unable to stand any longer. Megadramon smiled fiendishly as he hovered over his fallen body.
"You see? That's what you get for defying our might", said the cyborg dragon Digimon.
He then whipped at the volcanic Digimon's body once with his tail, causing even more pain to course through Volcdramon.
"And do not think you get to perish just yet", Megadramon continued. "Not until I have both you and Flamedramon, broken and defeated, for everyone to see. And THEN you will have my permission to be deleted."
He then turned to Hi-Commandramon and the D-Brigade forces.
"Secure him and storm the base. Our victory is in sight", he said.
The heavily armed Digimon captain nodded in response, gesturing his troops to march forward. As they did this, however, Volcdramon started to laugh slowly. This caught everyone off guard. The volcanic Digimon had been critically injured, yet he still had enough energy to try and laugh? It was inconceivable to Megadramon as he tried to figure out what was so funny to the fallen Digimon.
"Why are you laughing? Answer me", he demanded.
"Y-You should know by now...", Volcanicdramon coughed. "I never never intended to beat you... I just had to stall you long enough for my people to escape..."
Megadramon growled in anger as a wave of realization washed over him. It was no wonder that his enemy was hardly fighting at all. The volcanic Digimon knew he wouldn't really be able to beat the cyborg dragon Digimon. He just needed to keep him and the D-Brigade busy until everyone in the hideout got away. This very thought made Megadramon so angry he roared loudly in frustration.
"I may have failed, but at least my people will live on...", said Volcdramon weakly.
"Then you be but the first to fall", Megadramon hissed with venom in his voice. He then aimed his cybernetic limbs at the volcanic Digimon, ready to finish him off once and for all. As Volcdramon prepared to meet his end, he took one final look at the cave entrance, while the D-Brigade forces marched their way into it.
"Be safe, my comrades...", he thought.
Suddenly, as the D-Brigade soldiers started to enter inside, they had a expression of shock on their faces. They then quickly tried to turn around, but were blasted away by a series of flames and explosions, causing a cloud of smoke that covered the entrance. Everyone had looked on in total surprise. There was someone else inside the entrance, but who was it? The answer was about to reveal itself.
"Fire Rocket!", said a voice.
"Guardian Barrage!", another voice called out.
A series of fireballs and missiles shot out of the cloud of smoke, aimed directly at both Megadramon and his troops. They hit their mark, blasting away more of the D-Brigade, while the cyborg dragon Digimon staggered backwards. He was completely caught off guard by the attack.
"Who dares?!", he exclaimed, demanding to know who was so bold to attack him.
When the smoke cloud revealed itself, there was a blue dragon-like humanoid with red flamed armor, a human with lilac hair, and a bronze robotic being. It was none other than Flamedramon, Nepgear and her Digimon partner, who had Digivolved into Guardromon on the way over. Volcdramon could not believe his own eyes. The three had disregarded his order to flee, just so they could save his life. Although he wanted to be cross with them, he couldn't help but admire their selflessness and bravery.
"Don't worry, Volcdramon! We'll save you!", shouted Nepgear.
"We've got your back, so don't worry!", added Guardromon
"Yeah! We'll help you get out of here!", finished Flamedramon.
Volcdramon just could not understand it at all. They could've fled with the other rebel Digimon, and yet they chose to fight alongside him instead, to give him a chance to live another day. Even so, he did not really blame them for their caring nature. The volcanic Digimon could not have asked for better comrades.
Meanwhile, Megadramon looked on angrily. He never expected more interference to show up, especially from Flamedramon, of all Digimon. Still, he felt that his appearance now would save himself the trouble of hunting him down again.
"Flamedramon. So, you decided to come and save your leader? Such noble nonsense, especially from a traitor like you", the cyborg dragon Digimon said.
This comment confused both the lilac haired girl and her Digimon partner. They didn't know what Megadramon meant by calling their ally a "traitor." Did the armored Digimon use to be part of the D-Brigade at one point? But Flamedramon just snorted upon hearing this statement.
"The only traitors to the Digital World are you, D-Brigade scum!", he shouted.
Megadramon scoffed, not wanting to indulge in conversing with the armored Digimon. He then turned to look at both Nepgear and Guardromon, smirking in delight.
"And I suppose you must be one of the CPUs I've heard about. Tell us where the rest of you are, and I may just spare the lives of your allies", he said.
"No way! Even if we did know where they were, we wouldn't tell you anything!", said Nepgear.
"I warn you, human. We have ways of making anyone talk, human or Digimon, and one way or another you will tell us the location of the other CPUs", Megadramon threatened.
"We'd never betray our friends, no matter what, so you can forget it", said Guardromon.
"Have it your way. Just like Flamedramon, you too shall be considered a traitor to our cause, you mechanical glitch", the cyborg dragon Digimon said.
Nepgear and Guardromon just stared in confusion. They still had no idea what the D-Brigade leader meant by the bronze robot Digimon being a "traitor" like what he called Flamedramon. They wondered if the armored Digimon had a history between himself and Megadramon, but there was no time to ask him about such things right now.
"Enough talk, Megadramon! The Digital World will never belong to the D-Brigade!", he exclaimed.
He then lunged for the cyborg dragon Digimon, his claws ready to tear into the Ultimate level. Megadramon simply swiped away the armored Digimon with his cybernetic claws, but Flamedramon quickly recovered as he landed back on the ground.
"Fire Rocket!", he exclaimed as he launched a volley of speeding fire balls at the cyborg dragon Digimon.
Megadramon simply shielded himself from the attack with his cybernetic claws, taking little to no damage from the fire balls. The cyborg dragon Digimon then tries to swipe one of his limbs at the armored Digimon, but Flamedramon jumps up and dodges the attack, then lands on Megadramon's limb before leaping again, using his own armored claw to deliver an uppercut to his opponent's lower jaw. The cyborg dragon Digimon staggered a bit, but this unexpected attack would not be enough to defeat him. He smirked sinisterly as he readied himself for another attack.
Meanwhile, both Nepgear and Guardromon tried to help Volcdramon get back on his feet. The lilac haired girl, however, had trouble even touching the volcanic Digimon's body, as he was as hot as a large bon fire. The Planeptune Candidate almost burned her hands in the process, as she could feel the heat when she got near. Guardromon, on the other hand, had no trouble getting close to the fallen Digimon, as his body was made entirely of metal, allowing him to withstand the intense heat. Even so, he still had trouble trying to lift the large Ultimate level, though, as he was bigger than the bronze robot Digimon.
"Come on, Volcdramon! Get up, please!", Nepgear exclaimed.
"I'm not sure if I can... but I'll try...", said the volcanic Digimon.
"We must hurry. Flamedramon won't be able to hold off the D-Brigade for long", stated Guardromon.
Volcdramon knew that they were right. If they did not retreat immediately, they run the risk of either capture or destruction of both themselves and the fleeing Digimon rebels. As Guardromon struggled to push him up, the fallen Digimon tried to lift himself up with his own legs.
Meanwhile, the D-Brigade soldiers were still fixated on the battle between Megadramon and Flamedramon, wondering who would win. But when Hi-Commandramon turned his attention towards Nepgear and Guardromon, he saw what they were doing and turned back to his fellow troops.
"You fools! We cannot let them get away! Stop them!", he exclaimed.
The remaining Commandramons and Tankmons understood their captain's orders and charged for the group, ready to do whatever it takes to stop them from getting away. Turning away from his battle with Megadramon, Flamedramon reared up one of his armored claws, covering it in flames.
"Fire Rocket!", he exclaimed.
He then launched a series of fireballs at the charging D-Brigade forces. They either scattered in random directions or were unable to dodge and were hit by the flames. Though the armored Digimon had kept his allies safe for now, the momentary distraction, however, left him vulnerable to Megadramon. Using his tail, the cyborg dragon Digimon wrapped his tail around his body, squeezing him tightly.
"I have you now, Flamedramon!", said Megadramon triumphantly.
"You better watch it, big guy. I'm a roaring flame!", Flamedramon yelled.
His body started to heat up, eventually becoming surrounded by flames. The scorching heat caused the D-Brigade leader to let the armored Digimon go, as his organic tail could not withstand the incredible heat. While the cyborg dragon Digimon tended to his injury, seeing an opportunity to make a break for it, he ran towards both Nepgear and Guardromon, who were still helping Volcdramon get up. Lending his aid, he helped the bronze robot Digimon push with all his might. Finally the volcanic Digimon was able to get back up on his feet.
"We did it!", Nepgear cheered.
"It's not over yet! Let's get out of here!", Guardromon warned.
"Get going, Volcdramon! We'll cover you!", Flamedramon ordered.
"Thank you, my friends...", said the volcanic Digimon weakly.
As he slowly wobbled his was back to the tunnel, Nepgear, Guardromon and Flamedramon took the rear, keeping the attacking D-Brigade forces away from him and the entrance as they launched their own attacks. Try as they might, however, they could not stop them all forever. There were still just too many D-Brigade forces to deal with, and they would not give up no matter how many numbers they lost. To make matters worse, Megadramon was coming for them, too. Something had to be done, and fast. When the group was just entering the tunnel, Flamedramon broke off from them. They looked to him in shock, not knowing what he was about to do.
"Flamedramon, what are you doing?!", Nepgear asked frantically.
"Making sure you get away!", he replied.
"Don't be a fool! You'll never make it!", Guardromon scolded.
"There's no time for arguing! Get out of here!", the armored Digimon snapped back.
"But-", the lilac haired girl said before being cut off.
"Fire Rocket!", Flamedramon exclaimed.
Aiming directly at the top of the entrance, he launched multiple fireballs at the rocks, causing them to crumble and collapse. Nepgear tried to reach out to the armored Digimon, but was yanked back inside the tunnel by her partner Digimon before she would get crushed by the falling debris.
"Flamedramon!", the Planeptune CPU screamed before the rocks fell in front of her.
As the avalanche of rock and debris fell, the D-Brigade forces just stared in disbelief, with even Megadramon both stunned and furious. Rather than allow them to follow them inside, Flamedramon would instead cut off the only path to the hideout, thus denying them of ever reaching the rebels. When the rocks stopped falling, the entrance was completely blocked off. There was now no way to get inside the tunnel. The armored Digimon smirked, knowing that his comrades would be safe and live to fight another day.
"Stay strong, guys. We'll meet again soon", he said to himself.
When he turned around, Megadramon and the D-Brigade forces had him completely surrounded, their weapons trained on him. Flamedramon knew that his odds of escaping this encounter were slim to none, so rather than risk his life by fighting back, he raised his arms in surrender. The cyborg dragon Digimon smiled triumphantly, his prize now in his hands.
"Well, at least this day was not a total loss", he said sinisterly.
Flamedramon growled quietly as the D-Brigade soldiers moved to apprehend him. Though he lost this day, he knew that his people would have another chance to take back their home, under the protection of Nepgear and her Digimon partner.
"I'm counting on you two. Our hopes ride with you", he thought as he was about to be lead away.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the wall of debris, Nepgear pounded her fist on the rocks, desperately trying to break through the rubble, but to no avail.
"Flamedramon, answer me! Flamedramon!", she shouted, hoping that her voice would get through.
"Forget it, Nepgear! He's probably either captured or dead by now!", said Guardromon as he tried to keep his partner calm.
"He can't be gone! We have to help him somehow!", the lilac haired girl cried.
"Think, Nepgear! Would he want you to risk your neck trying to get back to him when the D-Brigade is still out there?", the bronze robot Digimon said.
The CPU Candidate soon realized there was some truth to his words. Her eyes started to tear up as she struggled to regain her composure. Not wanting to see her cry, Volcdramon lowered his head towards her.
"It deeply grieves me that one of our most trusted fighters has been lost", he said calmly. "But I assure you, we will not let his sacrifice be in vain."
The pair looked up to him as the volcanic Digimon then stared at the wall of debris, an expression of sadness and regret on his face showing.
"If he is still alive, we will do everything in our power to set him and our people free", he continued.
Both the Planeptune CPU and the bronze robot Digimon knew that he was right. As long as they were still alive, they would not give up on their comrade or the other Digimon who were trapped with him. They would be the ones to save them. Once Nepgear had calmed down, her partner placed a metal hand on her shoulder.
"Come on. Let us regroup with the resistance", said Guardromon.
Nodding in agreement, the lilac haired girl started to move down the tunnel with him and Volcdramon, hoping that the other Digimon had managed to get away in time. As all three went on their way, Nepgear took one last look at the wall of rock, her eyes once again filled with determination.
"I promise we'll be back for you, Flamedramon. Just a little longer... I promise", she thought.
After almost an hour and a half of walking, the three had finally reach what looked like the end of the escape route. The light from the sun peered through the exit hole, lighting their way out. They came out of the tunnel, taking in their surroundings. From what they could see, they had walked just a few miles away from the volcano. As far as they knew, the hideout, which had long been veiled in secrecy by the resistance forces for so long, was no more. They no longer had a base of operations to return to.
Knowing that there was no turning back now, they went on their way in search of their allies. After thirty minutes of looking, they found the rebels past a hillside. FlameWizardmon was doing a head count, making sure that they didn't leave everyone behind. As soon as he had made sure that no one was missing, he turned to see Nepgear, her Digimon partner, who had returned to being Hagurumon, and a limping Volcdramon. All three were heading their his way. A glimmer of hope shined in the fire mage Digimon's eyes as he ran towards them. They were all happy to see each other.
"I knew you would make it, Volcdramon", he said.
"It was quite a harrowing ordeal. If it weren't for the actions of this human and her Digimon partner, we probably be here at all", said the volcanic Digimon.
FlameWizardmon was grateful to hear such news. Though he did not trust the CPU Candidate and the gear Digimon before, they had managed to prove his suspicions incorrect. The pair had gained his trust. However, as the fire mage Digimon was thinking about giving his praises to them, he noticed that something wasn't right. There was someone missing from the group.
"Where's Flamedramon?", he asked dreadfully.
The group all looked at him sadly, unsure if they should tell him or not. At last, Nepgear stepped forward, catching FlameWizardmon's attention.
"Flamedramon... isn't here. He saved us all before he got captured", she said, confirming the fire mage Digimon's fears.
He stared at her in disbelief, unable to initially process what she had said. It was something unimaginable until now. His best comrade, Flamedramon, captured by the D-Brigade. FlameWizardmon wanted to argue that it couldn't be true, until Volcdramon spoke up.
"There was nothing we could do. He wanted to make sure everyone escaped from harm by any means necessary, even if it meant giving himself up", he said.
"Flamedramon had collapsed the entrance as soon as we made it back inside the tunnel. There was nothing we could do for him at that point", Hagurumon added.
The fire mage Digimon just stared at everyone before sighing heavily. He still could not believe that his friend was willing to give his own life to save everyone else, especially when Volcdramon was the one who tried to do the same thing. Still, his leader was right. If Flamedramon hadn't done what he did, none of them would be talking about it. As he took in the information, FlameWizardmon sighed once more as he turned back to his leader.
"All of us are present and accounted for. Nobody was left behind", he said.
"Good work, FlameWizardmon", Volcdramon praised.
"I only wish all of us were here, though...", said the fire mage Digimon, referring to the absence of Flamedramon.
"Do not grieve. We'll rescue him soon enough. For now, we must rest and formulate our next plan of action", the volcanic Digimon said.
They both nodded in agreement as they moved to help the other rebel Digimons set up their temporary camp. As they wandered off, Nepgear just stood in place, lost in her own thoughts.
"Have we really cost these Digimon their future?", she thought. "I can't help but feel like this is all our fault. If we hadn't come here..."
Hagurumon saw the look of worry on his partner's face and wanted to take her mind off of what happened.
"Why don't we help the others set up camp?", he suggested.
He went off with the other Digimon, offering his assistance however possible, while the lilac haired girl just stared off into space.
"Right...", she said as she followed her partner.
Even though she felt she and her partner were to blame for the chain of events, she still wanted to help them in any way they could. So she set off with her partner, lending her assistance with setting up the camp.
Inside what seemed to be a prison cell, Flamedramon stewed silently as he stared out through the bars. His capture was a devastating blow for his people and his rebel allies. Even though he wanted to get away with his allies, he knew that the D-Brigade would not stop until they were all destroyed. The armored Digimon had no choice but to seal off the entrance to his former hideout, thus denying the enemy of ever reaching his comrades.
Now here he was at the D-Brigade's base of operations in the town of Magma Plains. He was taken alive and was locked up in a fire proof prison cell. The walls and bars were specially made so that he could not melt or blast his way out with his power over fire. And even then he couldn't use his powers to begin with, as the D-Brigade had taken extra measures to ensure that he could not break out.
Wrapped around his unarmored arms and legs were four electronic braces, equipped with what seemed to be small rods that were constantly charged with electricity. They were made so that if he even so much as attempted to use one of his attacks or try to beak the braces off, they would send volts of electricity throughout his body. He did not dare to attempt a breakout as a result of this.
As Flamedramon sat there in his cold and lonely cell, he wondered if his comrades were alright, assuming that the D-Brigade were unable to find them or re-open the entrance. He could only hope that they would rescue him and the other Digimon who were held captive in he city before his captors will inevitably destroy him and his people. Suddenly, the sound of a door opening broke his train of thought. It was Hi-Commandramon, coming to check up on his prisoner. He smirked at the sight of the armored Digimon's predicament.
"My, how the mighty have fallen", he said.
"Save your speeches for someone who cares", Flamedramon snapped back.
"Watch your tongue, Flamedramon. Either me or Megadramon can remotely trigger your braces with just a flick of the switch", the military Digimon threatened.
The armored Digimon just growled quietly at his captor, not wanting to give him as excuse to make good on his promise.
"The only reason that you're alive at all right now is so that Megadramon can pump you for information on the remaining rebels and their new whereabouts", Hi-Commandramon continued.
"And is that the only reason? Or is there more to it than that?", Flamedramon inquired.
"Once he gets what he wants, you'll be made an example of in front of everyone in town, as a warning to those who dare defy the D-Brigade", his captor replied.
"He'll never get anything out of me. So you might as well delete me now, save us all the time and trouble", the armored Digimon said.
"I assure you, we have ways of making Digimon like you talk", the D-Brigade captain stated. "And one way or another, Megadramon WILL make you reveal your secrets."
He then turned around and went back towards the doorway he came through. As he was about to exit, he turned his gaze back to the armored Digimon with contempt.
"You were once one of our best operatives, until you turned traitor. You could've been so much more", he said.
"I saw the evils the D-Brigade committed", Flamedramon replied. "It made me realize that I was fighting for the wrong side. It's why I've been fighting for a better cause: Freedom."
Hi-Commandramon turned his gaze away from the armored Digimon and walked out of the prison, the door way shutting behind him. Flamedramon just sat there, staring off into space once more. As he started to formulate any possible ideas of escape in his mind, he thought back to both his comrades, then he thought about Nepgear and Hagurumon. He knew they would come for him soon enough. All he needed to do was be patient.
"Let's hope my faith in them isn't misplaced", he thought to himself.
Later that day, night time had fell over Magma Plains. The rebel Digimon had finished setting up camp for the night. It was the only thing they could do until they find a new location for their hideout. They had a lot of planning to do before they can make their next move, especially now that their former base of operations had been lost.
Volcdramon was currently resting up after his near-deletion experience with the D-Brigade and Megadramon. He was so badly injured he feared he may never be able to battle again. It was quite upsetting for him to think about. For the time being, though, he had to take time to recover from his injuries. How long it would take for him to heal was up to him. Sadly, he believed that it wouldn't be soon enough.
FlameWizardmon, meanwhile, was taking charge of the rebels while his leader tended to his injuries. The fire mage Digimon even tried to help Volcdramon recover more quickly, but with little success. After a few failed attempts, the volcanic Digimon told FlameWizardmon to tend to the needs of the others, not wanting him to worry about his injuries, to which he complied. He went on to make sure all of the other rebels had everything they needed, ranging from food and supplies to other minor issues.
Meanwhile, sitting a few yards away, Nepgear was staring out into space. She kept her eyes on the volcano in the distance, her mind still in a state of sadness. The Planeptune CPU still couldn't help but blame herself and Hagurumon for showing up to Magma Plains to begin with. She felt that if they hadn't appeared at all, perhaps the resistance would have stayed hidden for a while longer. Though her Digimon partner tried to assure her that it wasn't their fault, she still couldn't help but feel like it is.
Hagurumon could see that his partner was still trying to come to terms with the events that transpired. He wondered if there was anything that he could do to help his friend. Volcdramon noticed this as well and weakly walked over to the gear Digimon.
"Your friend does look troubled, doesn't she?", he asked, understanding the situation.
"Yes. And I just do not know what to do to to help her. She believes that all of this was our fault", Hagurumon explained.
"Hmm... Perhaps I can speak with her about it", said the volcanic Digimon.
He then walked over to the lilac haired girl, catching her attention as he towered over her.
"Oh, hello Volcdramon. Are you feeling any better?", Nepgear asked.
"I think so", the volcanic Digimon replied, much to the relief of the CPU Candidate.
"That's good...", she said before trailing off.
"You do look glum. Do you wish to converse about it?", Volcdramon asked kindly.
Nepgear then looked back towards the distant volcano, while the great Digimon lowered his head next to her. The lilac haired girl continued to stare out into space for a few more seconds before sighing heavily.
"I still can't believe that all of this is happening", she said. "All I wanted was to help stop the D-Brigade and save the Digital World with my partner. But now because of us showing up here, the D-Brigade found your hideout, you got yourself hurt helping us escape, and Flamedramon is either captured or..."
Volcdramon could understand why she would blame herself for how they had lost their base. But none of them had no idea that the D-Brigade had something like the Gizumon drones in their arsenal. Not wanting to see her look so upset, he decided to console her.
"It was never your fault to begin with", said the volcanic Digimon. "I should have foreseen the events that would unfold beforehand. The D-Brigade grows stronger with each passing day, and with their strength, they become more powerful. We should have taken action much sooner before they had taken over our town."
Nepgear turned her gaze back towards him before he continued.
"In a way, your arrival is a blessing in disguise", said Volcdramon. "We've been in hiding for so long, we never knew how powerful the D-Brigade had become."
Though the Planeptune Candidate knew he was trying to help raise her spirits, he felt that she wasn't getting any better. The volcanic Digimon decided to change the subject a bit.
"Flamedramon never told you this", he continued, "but he actually used to be part of the D-Brigade."
The lilac haired girl looked at him in shock. She had no idea that Flamedramon was once a member of the D-Brigade. She then started to realize why he and her partner were called "traitors" by Megadramon.
"I don't understand. Why would he work with such a cruel organization?", she inquired.
"Flamedramon wanted to be a protector of sorts", Volcdramon explained. "At the time, he wanted to be able to maintain order across the lands. Which is why he briefly joined the D-Brigade, believing that he could help bring order to the Digital World. Or at least, the D-Brigade's version of "order." As time went on, however, he began to have doubts about the D-Brigade's motives, and it wasn't until that they targeted the town of Magma Plains - the home where he and the rest of us lived in - that he was forced to make a decision. And his choice inevitably protected us all."
The Planeptune Candidate wasn't sure what he was talking about at first, but then a wave of realization soon came to her.
"He warned you of what was coming, didn't he? He made sure you escaped before the D-Brigade could capture you all", said Nepgear deductively.
"Precisely", said the volcanic Digimon. "He decided to help us flee when he heard that the D-Brigade had planned to invade. What he didn't know, however, is that they had begun ahead of schedule. They knew that he would turn against them once he realized they would take over his home, so they had initiated their assault early. There was no time to evacuate everyone, but those of us who escaped promised the others that we would return one day to free them."
As Nepgear listened on, she began thinking back to the armored Digimon. Though she had no idea that he was a former member of the D-Brigade, she couldn't help but feel some relief when she heard that he had made the right choice by turning his back on the D-Brigade and helping his people. He had helped his people fight for a righteous cause, one that even she thought was worthwhile for everyone.
"I do not think even he knew all of the D-Brigades secrets", Volcdramon said. "But what I do know is that he was willing to do anything to help those in need. I can sense the very same bit of nobility within you and your Digimon. It may be up to you to help save him and his people, as he had helped you."
Nepgear gazed at the volcanic Digimon. She knew that he was right. It WAS up to her and Hagurumon to save their people, their land, and their world if there is any hope of obtaining peace in the Digital World once more. Her partner moved up to her and smiled at her.
"He is correct, Nepgear. It is up to us to help save them all and the entire world. Are we going to let them down?", he asked.
The lilac haired girl looked down at her partner with more hopeful eyes and smiled.
"No. We won't let them down", she said. "We'll save the Digimon and their world, no matter what!"
Hagurumon jumped for joy as his friend had finally come out of her sad slump. Volcdramon just smiled, happy that he was able to make them feel better. Still, as much as lifting spirits went, it still did not help them come close to making another plan. As he wondered how they would formulate their next course of action, FlameWizardmon suddenly called out to everyone.
"We've spotted something in the distance! It's coming this way!", he shouted.
Everyone tensed up as they heard the news. Nepgear and Hagurumon nodded to each other as they rushed over to see what seemed to be a tall figure coming towards their camp. It was hard to see in the dark, so they couldn't make out who or what it was. They all feared that the D-Brigade may have found them once again in such a short amount of time. They barely had any rest since the last encounter with them. If they had managed to find them all again, then they would surely be doomed.
The CPU Candidate and the gear Digimon readied themselves for a fight, willing to defend the rebel Digimons no matter what. As the tall figure got closer, the pair could make out a shape. It was humanoid, but the rest was hard to see. Then, as the unknown figure neared the light of the camp, their faces of unease changed to that of surprise and amazement. Entering the light, the figure revealed itself to be a humanoid girl with black hair with short twin tails, and a black and grey dress and shoes. On top of her head was a black rabbit-like creature with very long ears and a single tiny horn on his head. Both Nepgear and Hagurumon could not believe their eyes.
"Uni?! BlackTerriermon?!", the lilac haired girl asked.
"Is that you?!", the gear Digimon inquired.
"Nepgear! Hagurumon! What are you doing here?", their friend asked.
"Boy, talk about happy reunions!", the black rabbit Digimon said.
And that is the end of this chapter. Things are really starting to heat up (no pun intended) in Magma Plains. And now we get to see a bit of a reunion. But just how did Nepgear and Uni manage to find each other? We'll find the answer to that question in the next chapter.
I want to thank my followers once again for sticking around for so long and helping it get this far despite my slow process. It really makes me happy to know that you still love this story, no matter what flaws it may have here and there. And I hope we'll continue to keep that spark going until this story reaches a conclusion in the future.
Until then, stay tuned for the next chapter of Digidimension Neptunia. Be sure to leave a review, as well as follow and favorite this story if you want to see more chapters like this. And as always, keep on Nepping!