Greetings, my fellow readers, and welcome back.
Now I know I said I'd make this mini arc with Nisa, Linda and Numemon into two parts and all that, but I really dislike adding over 10k words into a single chapter if I can help it. So yeah, this story shall end up as a three part arc just like with Noire and Dracomon. Sorry about that, but them's the breaks. In the meantime, though, that gives me a chance to deliver some character growth for our stranded trio.
In the last chapter, we've seen Nisa trying her best to help Linda and Numemon survive on the island that they found themselves stranded on. But our Heroine of Justice got more than she bargained for when she tried her hand at fishing, almost resulting in her and the others getting eaten alive by a giant sea serpent that had no intention of being anyone's catch. Now both girls are at odds with one another, with poor Numemon caught in the middle of their drama.
Meanwhile, across the sea, a fleet of D-Brigade ships commanded by Sealsdramon are on a routine escort mission when they find a typhoon along their travel path. But not a single one of them had any idea that just a few miles away from them was the island that the two girls and the slime Digimon were stranded on. And the trio had no idea that the very storm that the fleet would turn away from was heading directly for them.
The clock is ticking as stormy weather and rocky relationships start to collide with one another. Will Nisa and Linda be able to overcome their differences in time? Or will the coming storm spell the end for them all? And what of Numemon? Well, who knows what he will do.
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 43: Stormy Relationships
A few hours had past since Nisa and Linda had last spoken to each other. After the blue haired girl's ill-fated attempt at catching a fish, only for said fish to be a giant sea serpent that almost eaten them all alive, both she and the former criminal had gotten into a heated argument, which ended with Linda walking away from her, wanting nothing more than to be left alone and to not be bothered by her.
Nisa just couldn't understand what the green haired girl's problem was. All she wanted to do was help them all stay alive and find a way off of the island. But it seemed like that no matter what she did, she just couldn't seem to get on the former criminal's good side at all, as if everything she did was like a personal attack on Linda. But what else was the Heroine of Justice supposed to do? It's not like rescue was going to come for them any time soon. She had to do everything she could to keep everyone alive.
"How am I supposed to be a hero when one of the people I'm trying to help just... just- Ugggh!", the blue haired girl groaned in frustration.
She had no idea how to deal with someone who was as stubborn and ungrateful as Linda was. It was quite an insult to the Heroine of Justice to be shown such disrespect towards her and her actions. Well she wasn't going to let it bother her for long, that's for sure. She was determined to find a way off of this island and find the CPUs and their Digimon allies, with or without Linda. As far as she was concerned, she can find her own way out.
The blue haired girl walked across the island for a few minutes, a certain destination on her mind. While she had been searching for a way off of the island for the past three days, she had not found so much as a vessel to help her and the others get off of the island. So she decided to make a vessel of her own. For two days straight she had foraged whatever solid materials she could get her hands on and try to bundle them together into one object. It was something another one of friends, an adventurer named Falcom, had taught her once during their days fighting against ASIC years ago. Using a bunch of giant leaves, branches, some strong logs, and other miscellaneous items she found, she was able to make an escape raft - or at least something akin to that.
The whole thing looked like a mess rather than an actual raft, looking more likely that it will explode than float with the way she bundled everything into one. She had to admit, she wasn't the best architect when it comes to solving problems, as she was more used to solving problems through fighting evil doers. Still, Nisa felt that it was better than nothing. If anything she was banking on the idea of it not sinking at all. She wanted to save it as a surprise for everyone, but now she didn't care anymore, as she was still angry with Linda.
"I'll get out of this jam if it's the last thing I do", she said.
The Heroine of Justice felt ready to just get off the island, but before she could, she needed to take her amateurly made escape raft for a test run. Looking out towards the water, she nodded in confidence. She placed her hands on her makeshift raft, only for it to start rumbling and twitching. She wondered what it was. Then, without any further warning, the makeshift raft, held together with nothing but bits of the string she had used for her fishing line, suddenly exploded from its bindings, sending the Heroine of Justice flying backwards by a few feet.
Nisa shook her head before she looked back at what remained of her makeshift raft. All that was left were broken pieces strewn everywhere on the beach. All of her hard work, reduced to nothing but broken wood and leaves. Needless to say, she was more angry than disappointed, more so by the fact that her raft had exploded on her.
"Ugh! How does that even happen?", she exclaimed. "I swear, I blame the writer's inconvenience for not coming up with a better subplot!"
"Hey! Don't you go pinning the blame on me, lady!", the author snapped back.
Ignoring the voice that had come out of thin air, the blue haired Heroine of Justice sighed sadly as she sat on the beach and stared out to the open ocean. She never felt so depressed in her life than right now. The blue haired girl wasn't feeling so heroic anymore. In fact, she felt more like a jerk than anything else. The very idea of leaving the former criminal and the slime Digimon to fend for themselves was not something she really wanted to do, but she was so upset with Linda arguing with her earlier that she didn't want to interact with her.
And now that she thought about it, the whole idea of a makeshift raft carrying them all was rather pointless anyway, considering the fact that there was a dangerous sea serpent out there in the open ocean waiting for them. If she had gone out there on her raft, there was a good chance that she would not make it back to the island alive if the monster decided to attack her and destroy the raft. Needless to say the Heroine of Justice was at a loss at what to do.
"There's no way I can be a hero now...", she said as she wrapped her arms around her legs in a fetal position.
As she sat there in silence, the blue haired girl could feel the breeze of the wind blow against her body. She then gazed up at the sky, only to see something ominous i the distance. Dark clouds loomed over the ocean, and heavy rainfall could be seen underneath. Nisa pondered on this as she observed the distant storm.
"That doesn't look good...", she said as she watched the storm from her spot on the beach, a sinking feeling churning up in her gut...
On the opposite side of the island, away from the Heroine of Justice, Linda was sitting on the sand near the waves as she watched the water froth to and from the shore.
She was still a little angry from her argument with Nisa earlier. The green haired girl just could not fathom why she needed to play the part of a hero the whole time. Didin't she realize that they were stuck on an island with practically no way out except perhaps in the jaws of a giant sea serpent? The former criminal had always found herself in harsh situations before, but not one where she might never get out of. It was quite vexing to her.
Then there's the fact that the blue haired girl always kept trying to help her. Not that Linda needed any help, however. She believed that she was more than capable of looking after herself. Although it was also almost thanks to the blue haired girl that they and Numemon were almost eaten alive that day. Perhaps it would've been a better fate than being stuck on an island with two beings she didn't quite like for the rest of her life. The green haired girl sighed, unsure of what to think anymore.
As the green haired girl continued to stare out towards the ocean, she gazed up at the setting sun. Ever since they had arrived in the Digital World she noticed that the days and nights seemed to go by a lot quicker than they do back in Gameindustri. Perhaps the Digital World doesn't follow the same rules of logic her world does? Whatever the case, it didn't really help her figure out a way to get off the island. In fact, all she could think about right now is how she'll respond to Nisa when they next met.
"That brat, always trying to act like a goddamn hero. Who does she think she is? I don't need her or anyone else's help!", she said.
Linda then picked up a nearby rock and then chucked it as hard as she could towards the ocean, pathetically landing in the shallow area. She sighed as she sat back down on the beach. Just how has she gotten this soft? Usually whatever problem she faces she either just runs away from when the opportunity presents itself or beats the living daylights out of who or whatever is causing her problems to begin with. And then there was Nisa, whom she had especially hated back in the glory days of ASIC. She was like the complete opposite of Linda, and it irked her knowing that. Many times she had the opportunity to just punch her in the face simply because she didn't like her attitude or her "heroic personality", as the blue haired girl puts it.
And yet, whenever the opportunity arose, she held herself back. It was as if the green haired girl just didn't have it in her to do what she normally would've done long ago. It just didn't make sense to her. Was she truly going soft, or did some small part of her still need the Heroine of Justice in some way? The former criminal had never felt so confused before. Finally, she yelled in frustration as she placed her hands on her head before falling on her back.
"Ugggh! What is wrong with me, damnit?!", she shouted to no one in particular.
"I don't know. Can I help?", said a voice, as if on cue.
Looking up to where the voice came from, she saw Numemon staring at her, much to her displeasure as she groaned in annoyance.
"Go away, you...", she said, not wanting to deal with someone as clueless as the slime Digimon.
"C'mon, we're friends, aren't we? That means friends talk to each other", he said.
While there was some logic to what he was saying, Linda just didn't feel up to it. It was bad enough for her to deal with the Heroine of Justice, and now she had to put up with the one Digimon who was perhaps the most useless creature she had ever seen? As she thought this, though, she couldn't help but think back to how he saved her and Nisa from being eaten alive by the giant sea serpent. It nagged at her constantly, and she didn't know why. It certainly wasn't the first time that she felt this way, either.
Ever since she met with Numemon, something within her had started to change. From saving his life from an attacking sludge monster named Raremon, to having him save her life when the very same monster was about to attack her back in Lastation. And now here she was again, being saved by a grotesque poop loving, poop throwing slug of a Digimon, the strangest creature she had ever seen, and the only one who seemed to actually like her, to the point where he even referred to her as a "friend", a word that she was not used to. Perhaps both of them being trash in their own way was something they could both relate to, considering how the former criminal felt about herself her whole life.
About half a minute passed before Linda, realizing that the slime Digimon was not going this matter go, finally sighed in defeat as she sat back up, prompting the slug-like creature to approach by her side. He had a concerned look in his eyes as he glanced at the former criminal, wondering what was wrong with his "friend."
"Come on, pretty lady. You can tell me", he reassured the green haired girl.
"...It's that self-proclaimed "Heroine of Justice' that's been bothering me, that's all", she said in annoyance.
"What about her? She seems cool to me", the slime Digimon stated.
"I never liked people like her. People who think they can save everyone around them just because they think they can be a hero", Linda grumbled.
"I wanna be a hero like her one day! I can save all the pretty ladies I meet", Numemon said, now fantasizing about being a super hero.
The green haired girl sighed, thinking that he just didn't seem to understand her plight. On the other hand, she couldn't help but be a little amused by Numemon's dream of wanting to be a hero.
"Never meet your heroes, little guy. They're not all what they're cracked up to be", she said.
"What'cha mean, pretty lady?", asked Numemon innocently.
Linda gazed back up towards the setting sun, which was becoming veiled by a few dark clouds, before finally explaining what she meant to the slime Digimon.
"I used to work for some pretty nasty people a few years ago. They were a criminal organization who where spreading their influence all over Gameindustri. I thought they were pretty cool, so I decided to work for them, ya know? I became a top of the line grunt for these guys", she said before trailing off.
She then thought about how life was for her when she was working for ASIC all those years ago. From distributing pirated software and games to the public, to promoting propaganda about how great the criminal organization was and that everyone should follow them. For her, it was quite nostalgic to think about, as she considered that time as her glory days of youth. But with the memory of the good times, there were also memories of her worst experiences.
"But then things changed when those bro-...", she said before cutting herself off. "...Those CPUs and their friends started showing up. They beat me many times, got in the way of our plans, and even defeated our most powerful leaders I had the pleasure of working with."
The former criminal could still remember the haunting memory of how she encountered the CPUs and their allies, and how in every engagement she managed to let herself be overwhelmed by some kids with divine powers and stuff. And as if that weren't bad enough, the very leaders that she had worked with previously were all taken down one by one, all while she watched the very organization she helped to maintain crumble before her. Numemon listened one with curiosity in his eyes as the green haired girl went on.
"It was only later when I found out that the criminal organization I was working for wanted to revive some sort of dark god who wanted to just destroy every one and everything. When I found about it, I wanted no part of it. I was all in for causing some mischief, but I didn't want to help a bunch of crazy cultists blow up the whole world."
She could recount how long ago, Arfoire, the Deity of Sin, had revived not long after the leaders of ASIC were destroyed. Their destruction resulted in the negative energies that they had collected since the beginning of ASIC's reign, along with what faith the people of Gameindustri had placed in the criminal organization, to pour together into the Gameindustri Graveyard and revive their dark master. But the awakening of the Deity of Sin nearly caused the destruction of Gameindustri itself. Fortunately the CPUs and their allies were able to band together one more time and stop the dark god before she could get the chance to destroy everything. And while Linda was grateful that her world would not enter oblivion, the whole incident left her without a job.
"After that mess was over with, the organization was dismantled and disbanded all together", she went on. "I went on the run, and became a street rat. I tried to revive the organization a few times, make it better than it once was. But I flopped so hard every time. And if that wasn't bad enough, those who did join up with me turned their backs on me some time after."
The green haired girl frowned before turning her head back down to stare at the sand. She could still think back to how she lived a life on the run, having to fend for herself at every turn. She even thought of multiple instances of how she would meet others that were either like her or whom she considered as an ally, only for them to betray her and rat her out as a wanted criminal, for one reason or another. Whether it was greed, revenge, or just because she wasn't like them, she had become mistrustful of those who would "help" her, then turning their backs on her moments later.
Even a certain rodent friend of hers no longer wanted to associate with her. The last thing she heard about him was that he was somewhat reformed and helping another rodent at a retro game shop in Planeptune. She just couldn't believe how much things had changed for her over the years. And it had only gotten worse for her in the recent weeks as well.
"For a long time, I was all alone. The street rat that nobody would want... And then these guys showed up. I think they were from the same world you came from", said Linda.
"The Digital World?" asked Numemon.
"Yeah", the former criminal replied. "They said I could have the glory days of being a master criminal again if I worked with them. But..."
She trailed off again, this time thinking back to how she worked with the likes of creatures such as SkullSatamon, and an individual that she could never see, except fo the haunting yellow eyes that felt like were staring daggers into her very soul. The green haired girl shuddered at this thought.
"I could tell that they didn't give a crap about me one bit", she continued. "They even threatened to kill me if I failed or even blab about what they were up to. And they almost did. And that's when we..."
She then turned to the strange Digimon beside her, remembering once more about they had first met in the sewer system underneath Lastation, and the events that followed afterwards. It was only after meeting him that things began to turn around for her up to where she was now. It baffling to the green haired girl how one Digimon could somehow change her life, just from a chance encounter. Was it fate that bound with one another, or was it just mere circumstance that they were able to meet at all? Before she could finish her train of thought, Numemon smiled at her and spoke up.
"That's when we met each other, right?", said the slime Digimon.
He was right, of course, as much as Linda didn't want to admit. She was very lucky to have met this strange creature. Although she was less than fond about being associated with something that lived in its own filth, it was almost poetic, The worst individuals that two different worlds had to offer would somehow find a way to live with one another when no one else would want them. The former criminal didn't know whether to feel happy or disappointed by this knowledge. Either way, there was no changing the past. She was stuck with this creature, just as he was with her.
"Yeah...", the green haired girl said finally. "Now you know just how pathetic I am. Like I said, never meet your heroes..."
"What'cha talking about? If you hadn't done what ya did, then I'd still be stuck in the sewer with that sludge monster Raremon, and I would've never met the best friend I could have", said Numemon.
Linda just stared at the slime Digimon, unsure of what to say. Even after telling him about her criminal past and her life on the run, despite everything that they been through, he still considered her as a friend. And yet, the very thought made her feel... happy. She chuckled a little bit after letting what she heard process in her mind for a few seconds.
"You're pathetic, you know that?", she said as she smiled warmly for the first time in a long time.
Numemon tilted his eye stalks for a moment, unsure of what she meant by it. But he could only assume in his simple and primitive mind that she was complimenting him, so he smiled again, believing that he made his friend cheer up a little. In a way he did succeed in doing just that. Linda felt a strange warmth growing inside of her. Was this what true kindness was like? Or perhaps it was the fact that they were both unwanted trash from their own worlds that made their connection feel special? Whatever the case, she couldn't help but smile a little.
Just then, a distant rumbling noise could heard from where they assumed was the other side of the island. They both looked up to see that large dark clouds were starting to hover over the island. They were rapidly approaching, and they had even blotted out the Digital World's sun. When they heard the distant rumbling noise again, this time a little closer than before, they realized that it was the sound of thunder they were hearing. This could only mean one thing to them: A thunder storm was approaching. And judging by the formation of the dark clouds, it was going to be a monstrous one at that.
"That's a pretty nasty storm coming this way", Linda remarked.
"I don't like what I'm seeing", added Numemon.
"Yeah, me neither...", the green haired girl remarked as she gazed at the storm that loomed overhead.
Nisa was shocked by what she was seeing. A gigantic formation of clouds were rapidly approaching the island, bringing with them a torrent of rain and lightning that seemed to be spreading everywhere. From what the Heroine of Justice could tell, it was a powerful storm, one that she didn't want to run into at all.
"It's a typhoon... And it's heading this way...", she said aloud.
Her friend Falcom used to tell her a few stories about her adventures, and how they all seemed to start with her getting caught up in a storm whenever she was on a boat. For someone like the blue haired girl, this was not something she wanted to experience herself. And yet here she was, staring face to face with a monstrous storm that was about sweep over the island.
As the wind blew against her body and the rain started to pour down upon her, she could see the distant flashes of lightning slowly following behind, with the echoing booms of thunder coming only a few seconds after each flash. Judging by what she could observe, Nisa concluded that a storm of this magnitude could flood parts of the island. Worse still, if the wind start to pick up, the island could be torn apart by debris form broken trees and plants, even more so once the lightning starts to pass over them.
"This is bad. I have to find the others", the Heroine of Justice said.
Looking back to the small mass of land behind her, she realized that by the it would take for her to run around the island and find either Linda or Numemon, the storm would've gotten much worse. She believed that her best option was to proceed through the thick brush of tropical forest and hope that she can meet the others half way. Making her way past some bushes and plant life, the blue haired girl marched her way through the vegetation.
The wind and rain pelted her as she trudged her way through the tropical canopy. Although she was not keen on seeing Linda again, she knew that the former criminal could probably see the storm as well. Knowing her and Numemon, they'd probably want to find her and take cover some place where the storm would least affect them. There was no time to lose.
"Underling! Numemon! Where are you?", the blue haired girl called out.
But there was no response, and the howling wind started to drown out her voice. If she couldn't find them in time, there was a good chance that she might not be able to see them again. Her heart sank at this prospect, and that was something she didn't want to see happen. Even if they did butt heads with one another, she just didn't want to see any harm come to Linda. So she kept trying to look for her and the slime Digimon, hoping that they were alright.
"Numemon! Underling! Can you hear me?! Where are you guys?!", Nisa called out again.
She looked around desperately, hoping to beat the storm before it could fully cover the island. But the weather was faster, as she could hear the lightning from the typhoon get closer and closer. Suddenly, a bolt of electricity struck a nearby tree close to where the Heroine of Justice was moving. Shielding her eyes from the sudden flash, she soon opened them back up once it was over, only to see that the unfortunate tree was now falling towards her. Unable to react in time, the towering plant fell down on top of the blue haired girl, pinning her underneath.
"Aggghhh!", she yelled out painfully.
The tree landed with a thud as a cloud of dust and debris filled where Nisa had been standing just a few second ago. When the dust cleared, the blue haired girl coughed and gagged as she struggled to breath. She then tried to move, but she couldn't. She had been pinned by the fallen plant life.
She tried to lift it odd the ground with all of her might, but it was no good. She was just not strong enough to move it. Worse still, it was getting hard to breath as a result of the lumber crushing her chest. She needed help, and she needed it now.
"Under- Ah...", said the Heroine of Justice before stopping herself.
She realized that she was still using the very name that Linda had despised the most. She could now see how the green haired girl must've felt when she heard it, as if the very implication of it was like a heavy weight that crushed her spirit every time it was uttered, much like how this very tree was crushing Nisa right now. Realizing her error, she brought herself to yell out the former criminal's real name.
"Linda! Grrrk... Liiinnndddaaa!~", she screamed with all of her might, hoping that the wind would carry her voice over to her unlikely ally.
Both Linda and Numemon raced through the thick vegetation as fast as they could, searching for any sign of Nisa anywhere in the tropical forest. They had the same idea as the Heroine of Justice, believing that they could find her if they go through the dense brush instead of going around the island and run the risk of getting blown away by the powerful wind or being struck by the deadly lightning from above. They could see the wind blow against the tree top fiercely as bits of leaves and even branches fell from above. The pair knew that they didn't have much time on their hands, as the environment around them was getting darker, making navigation all the more difficult.
The green haired girl really didn't want to meet with Nisa again this soon, but Numemon's insistence that they find her pushed her on. Although she disliked the self-proclaimed Heroine of Justice, Linda, for reasons unknown to her, felt that if she didn't find the blue haired girl now, she would regret it later on. It was quite vexing to her, as she couldn't believe that she was forcing herself to do this, despite her animosity towards her former rival. Nevertheless, she pressed on, regardless of her grievances with the blue haired girl.
Suddenly, as they continued to search through the foliage of tropical growth, they heard an unmistakable cry for help being carried by the wind. It was the voice of Nisa. And not only that, it was her using the green haired girl's name. Linda could not believe her ears at first, but when she heard the distinctive call for help again, she realized that this was not a trick being played on her mind. This was actually happening. And from the sound of desperation in the blue haired girl's voice, Linda knew that she was in trouble.
"That's that hero girl's voice! I'm sure of it!", the former criminal said.
"Where is she?", asked Numemon frantically.
The green haired girl looked all around, listening carefully so that she could trace the source of the cries for help. When she heard the distressed girl's voice again, she point in the direction of where it came from.
"That way!", she called out.
With that said, she and the slime Digimon raced over to where Nisa's call for help came from. From what they could tell, she wasn't that far away. It only took a few minutes of marching past wind, rain, and thick plant life, before they finally found the Heroine of Justice, and the predicament she was in. When they saw what had happened to her, they gasped in shock. Nisa, on the other hand, looked at them like they were her guardian angels.
"Linda! Numemon! Thank goodness you're okay", she said.
"What happened to you?" Are you alright?", asked Linda, showing a surprising amount of concern to the blue haired girl.
"A bolt of lightning struck this tree, and it fell on top of me. I can't move...", Nisa replied.
The green haired girl couldn't help but feel a little amused by the predicament the Heroine of Justice was now in. At the same time, though, she felt a little sorry for her, especially considering that this was the same person who went on and on about how she was going to help them get off the island and survive. But now it was Nisa who needed saving. The irony wasn't lost on the blue haired girl as she looked at Linda and the slime Digimon that was with her,her eyes begging the former criminal to save her life. The green haired girl wasn't exactly sure if she could, but her strange friend made the choice for her as he went over to his fallen ally.
"Hold on! We'll get you out, super hero lady!", shouted Numemon.
Linda couldn't help but sigh, knowing that there was no way to argue with him now. The pair moved over to the tree and got on opposite sides of the fallen plant life, believing that if they could lift it from one end on each side, they could at least move it a little. Getting a good grip on it, the pair looked at each other to confirm if they were both ready to move the large obstacle.
"Ready, Numemon?", the green haired girl asked.
"I'm ready when you are!", said the slime Digimon.
Using what strength they can gather, they tried to lift the tree up as hard as they could. But it was no good, as the heavy object hardly even moved a few centimeters, which was not enough for the Heroine of Justice to move at all. At last, feeling the strain on their bodies from trying to move the fallen tree, the pair let go, giving their hands a break.
"Ugh! It's no good. It's too heavy for us", said Linda.
"Keep trying. I'm sure there's a way", Nisa encouraged. "I'm open to suggestions."
As the rain pour down from the sky, and the wind and lightning threatened to harm their very being, they tried to come up with a plan to free the blue haired girl. Just then, Numemon's eye stalks twitched as an idea came to him.
"I know! Maybe I can loosen her up a bit", he said nonchalantly.
"W-What do you mean by that?", asked Linda, afraid of the response she'll get from him.
"It's easy! All I have to do is apply my-"
"NO! Out of the question! Don't you even think about it! Don't even finish that sentence! I forbid it!", exclaimed Nisa suddenly, interrupting the slime Digimon.
Numemon tilted his eye stalks in confusion, unsure of what she meant by her outburst.
"What? I'm not gonna use my tongue, if that's what you're thinking", he said, clueless as to what the blue haired girl really meant.
"I know exactly what you were about to suggest, and I am against it!", the Heroine of Justice blurtted out.
"But you said you were-", said Numemon before being interrupted again.
"I know what I said, and the answer is no! We're not using 'that' to loosen me up! Forget that you ever thought that up!", she scolded.
"Yeah, what the hell were you thinking, Numemon, you sicko? Are you trying to get this story banned or what?!", added Linda, breaking the fourth wall as a result.
The slime Digimon drooped his eye stalks in disappointment. He really thought his idea was a good plan, but apparently the two girls disagreed.
"Aw man. I was gonna say I could use my body to slime her up a bit. This stinks...", he thought, not knowing about what the two girls really thought.
"Look", Linda interjected, "there has to be a way. Maybe if we all lift together, we can at least move it a couple of inches."
"Ugh... now that sounds like a better idea to me. Let's try it", the blue haired girl agreed.
Everyone nodded in agreement, knowing what they must do now. All three would apply their strength into lifting the tree up just enough for Nisa to crawl out of and escape the confines of her entrapment. But with the thundering storm pelting at them from above, they knew that they did not have much time to work with. Getting back into position like before, both Linda and Numemon placed their hands on the end of the tree, while the Heroine of Justice readied herself as well. Once they checked to see if they were all ready, Linda started the countdown.
"Okay... one... two... three!", she said.
Using all of their strength, both she and Numemon tried to lift the tree upward as much as possible, while Nisa pushed upward from her end as well. Secretly Linda felt that this was the most ridiculous plan she had. Still, it was better than nothing. After a few seconds, they could feel the fallen plant life slowly start to move by at least a few centimeters. Their plan was working. But would it be enough? Numemon could feel the strain from trying to lift the massive object as he could almost feel himself losing his hold. Yet he pressed on.
"I'm slipping...!", Numemon groaned as he struggled to keep his grip.
His compatriot could also feel her hands starting to give way, as every fiber of her body screamed at her, begging her to stop now before she hurts herself. But Linda was undeterred, not wanting to let even one finger let go of the tree. Even if she didn't like the Heroine of Justice, she felt that no one should deserve to be trapped somewhere until they die, even if that person was once her enemy. So she continued to try and lift the fallen tree with all of the strength she could bring as it slowly rose centimeter by centimeter.
"Keep... going!", Linda encouraged.
"Almost there... just a little more...!", Nisa strained.
All three forced themselves with all of their might to try and move the tree as high as they could to free the pinned Heroine of Justice. After an agonizing minute of excruciating pain and stress on their bodies, the tree was moved by at least three to five inches. This was more than enough for them, as they only had seconds to spare before their combined strength gives out.
"Hurry! Gooo!", exclaimed Linda.
Nisa, acting quickly, slid herself from underneath the tree and moved out of the way just in time. Once she had let go, the others soon followed, quickly releasing their grip on the tree before it could crush their hands as it fell back down on the ground. Everyone breathed heavily as they checked themselves all over to see if everyone was okay. They all sighed in relief as they gazed at one another.
"You... you did it...", Nisa remarked to the unlikely pair.
"No... we did it, together", Linda replied.
The blue haired girl smiled at this. She always knew that they could somehow work together if they tried, and this was a great example of their efforts. Perhaps she was wrong about the former criminal. Maybe she wasn't as stubborn as she had originally thought.
But there was no time for celebration, as a loud boom from a nearby lightning strike reminded the trio that their lives where in danger. The storm had reached its peak, and there was no way they could return to the beach now. And the cover of the tropical canopy above them could only provide them with so much protection. They had to get moving, and fast.
"Can you walk?", asked Linda.
"Yes... Just need some fresh air after being crushed for a while", Nisa replied.
Nevertheless, the green haired girl wrapped one of her arms around the Heroine of Justice, if only to make sure that she didn't fall over. The two girls and Numemon then started to trudge their way through the now darkened forest, trying to look for someplace to take cover under. Nisa was quite puzzled by what the former criminal was doing for her, though, as this wasn't like her to do something like this for her. Before she could think anything else, however, they heard a sickening crack nearby.
"Look out!", exclaimed Numemon.
Moving out of the way just in time, they watched as the wind blew hard against another tree fell down, resulting in it falling right where they were all had just stood moments ago, hitting the ground with a resounding thud.
"That was too close, damn it! Is this island trying to kill us now?", Linda remarked.
The wind continued to pick up through the tropical greenery as they thought about their situation. Although they were lucky have escaped, the two girls were suddenly not quite enthusiastic about their odds as they were before. They had only just freed Nisa from her predicament moments ago. They weren't about to let it happen again. They needed a shelter, and soon, before the storm can have a chance to strike them down again. With the wind becoming more deafening by the minute, the trio practically had to raise their voices in order to hear each other.
"It's as if fate itself is conspiring against us!", said the Heroine of Justice grimly.
"I don't give a crap about fate! We're not going to get done in by some storm!", Linda growled.
"We need a place to take cover in and ride out the storm until it passes!", said the blue haired girl.
"And where exactly on this empty island can we take cover in? It's not like there's a beach hut around anywhere", the former criminal retorted.
"I'd find a rock to hide behind whenever I get scared! Maybe we can do that?", Numemon proposed.
The slime Digimon did have some logic behind his suggestion. An immovable object like a rock could help them, assuming that the pounding rain doesn't loosen it up to the point where it can be carried away by loose dirt and mud. They looked all around, searching for anything that they could use to take cover in or under. Then they saw something in the distance just a couple of yards away. It looked like a rock formation, shaped like that of a cave entrance. It was just big enough for the trio to hide underneath and shield themselves from the storm. The Heroine of Justice felt that this small formation of rocks was their only chance to evade the typhoon's wrath.
"We can take shelter there!", Nisa called out.
"What?", Linda asked her in disbelief.
"Assuming that this island doesn't flood overnight, it may be our only chance to ride out this storm and live to see another day!", the blue haired girl stated loudly.
The former criminal, not wanting to argue at that moment, decided to just go along with the plan and moved with Nisa. At this point, anything would do for the green haired girl, and she wasn't about to stand outside and battle against the weather all day and night. The two girls as fast as they could towards the rock formation, with Numemon following not too far behind. All three were now hidden underneath the rock formation. Nisa and Linda huddled inside first, then the slime Digimon who placed himself in front of them. All three were now sheltered from the storm, if not a little cramped as a result of trying to hide inside a small space.
They panted heavily as the trio caught their breath, taking a moment to collect their thoughts and think about what they had experienced that day. First a sea monster had just tried to make them its next meal. Then they had to free the Heroine of Justice from being trapped under a tree, and quite possibly save her from being a victim of the typhoon that raged outside. And then the storm, as if it had sensed their rescue, almost dealt them a bad hand with another falling tree. Needless to say they were in need of a break. As they stared outside towards the storm that hovered over the island, Linda spoke up.
"So... What now?", she asked.
"Now we just sit here and wait, and hope for the best...", Nisa replied.
The green haired girl looked at her as if she had just grown a second head before speaking again.
"...Is that really all we can do?", she said.
"I think so...", the Heroine of Justice answered grimly.
They then sat there in silence as they watched the raging storm wreak havoc on the island outside of their makeshift shelter. They were nearly pressed against one another in the tight space, their bodies nearly touching one another. But it was a small price to pay for ensuring their own safety. Plus with the trio being so close together, they could keep each other warm through the cold wet night.
Although they could still feel the wind from outside along with the rain, it wasn't as bad as it was when they were outside. The wind howled, the thunder roared, and the lightning flashed all around their makeshift shelter as they stared out of the little opening. The trio sat in silence for a few minutes, thinking how they were going to ever live through this digital nightmare. They didn't care about getting off the island anymore. They just wanted to live to see tomorrow again. Getting off the island would just be a luxury at this point. Finally, after another few minutes of silence, Linda broke the tension as she sighed. She was just about to say something, but Nisa spoke up first.
"Listen... I'm, uh... I'm sorry", she said.
"What?", asked Linda in confusion.
"For not calling you by your real name, I mean. I didn't know you felt so discomforted by it...", the blue haired girl stated.
The former criminal just stared at her in disbelief, unsure of what to say now. Although she appreciated that the Heroine of Justice finally acknowledged her real name wasn't Underling, she thought that this was hardly the time or place for such an apology, as she felt like she was the one who should apologize for arguing with her earlier that day. But then Nisa went on.
"You were a real hero back there, you know?", said the Heroine of Justice.
"Huh? What do you mean?", Linda inquired.
"You and Numemon came to my rescue in the nick of time. If you weren't there, who knows what would've happened", Nisa explained.
She then smiled and placed a hand on the former criminal's shoulder, causing the green haired girl to blush in embarrassment.
"So thank you, Linda for saving my life. As the Heroine of Justice, I acknowledge you as my new sidekick from now on", the blue haired girl finished.
Now Linda felt a little more annoyed than embarrassed by what had just been uttered from Nisa's mouth. A sidekick? What made this self-proclaimed Heroine of Justice think she wanted to be her sidekick? And not only that, she didn't feel like a hero at all, and it felt like such an insult to the former criminal to be referred to as such. She turned her head away, not wanting to face the blue haired girl now, in fear of showing her just how embarrassed she was by her comment.
"W-What are you talking about? I'm no one's sidekick. I'm a solo act", stammered Linda.
"Too late, it's already decided. As of this moment, I shall dub thee 'Linda, The Sidekick of Justice!'", said Nisa heroically.
"Nothing's been decided! And don't go giving me weird nicknames without my consent!", the Sidekick of Justice argued.
"Aw, but it suits you. And even the author has acknowledged your new title. You should feel honored", said Nisa, breaking the fourth wall for the second time today.
Linda groaned in irritation, not understanding anything the blue haired girl just said. Maybe it was a mistake saving her after all. Although it bothered the green haired girl to be referred to as a hero or a sidekick, strangely enough, she felt a little happy on the inside. She wondered if this was what it was like to truly be praised by someone else. But then another voice interjected between the unlikely pair.
"Hey! What am I, chopped liver? Don't I get a cool name, too?", asked Numemon.
Both girls stared at him unblinkingly for a moment. They had completely forgotten that he was there with them the entire time. Linda smirked as she thought of an idea.
"How about this? If I'm the sidekick, that means you can be our training dummy", she suggested.
"Are you crazy, pretty lady? I don't wanna be a dummy!", the slime Digimon exclaimed.
"Why not? You certainly fit the part of comic relief, so why not a second role?", the green haired girl retorted.
"No way!", Numemon said emphatically.
Both Nisa and Linda then laughed at his reaction, much to his dissatisfaction, before eventually he too started laughing with them. Only the sound of a nearby lightning strike interrupted their laughter, causing them to jump all at once. They all looked at each other before laughing once again, if not for the fun of it.
After their laughing fit was over, Linda felt that in order to pass the time she would tell Nisa the same story she told to Numemon earlier that day, about how she saw ASIC from her point of view, and the days that followed after. Nisa would also go on to tell stories about how and why she decided she wanted to become a hero for all of Gameindustri, and how the existence of ASIC had pushed her to do so. They went on and on, all while Numemon would listen to them both, sometimes adding in his own commentary or two every few sentences. Eventually they all became so tired that they could hardly stay awake to talk any longer. And before they knew it, they were all fast asleep, with the sound of the wind and rain being the only thing that drowned out the sounds of the slime Digimon's awful snoring.
On that day, in the middle of the raging storm, a new unlikely bond was formed. Though the two girls would never completely see eye to eye with one another, both Linda and Nisa felt that maybe they don't really need to at all. If they could learn to tolerate each other in the middle of this storm, then they would be able to do anything together. At least until their mutual mission in the Digital World was over with. Then perhaps it would be back to business as usual. For now, though, it was just a matter of riding out the fierce storm around them. Little did they know that when they next wake, a new surprise shall await them on the island...
And that concludes this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it.
Personally I don't see any sort of relationship with Nisa and Linda going beyond just being mere acquaintances or even friends. Still, maybe... Naaah, that wouldn't be realistic.
On another note, I can kinda relate to being in their situation a bit, as I've dealt with a few hurricanes and tropical storms over the years. But eventually I got tired of it and just moved to where I hopefully won't have to deal with them as much anymore. Ironically, though, sometime after I did move, a storm actually hit where I once lived. I like to think that me leaving was a sign of sorts, like I was a good luck charm that kept the damage to a minimum, and when I finally left, the chaos commenced.
But at any rate, storms like that and many others are what inspired me to eventually make a chapter like this, and I'm glad I did in all honesty, as it makes for some good character growth material. Cliche? Yes. But does it work? Well it depends really. Which is why I shall leave it to you to express your thoughts about this chapter.
Do leave a review if you enjoyed this latest escapade, and be sure to follow this story for more updates in the future. I will see you again in the next one. Take care and have a wonderful day!