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Here I am again, with what is just another one-shot for the sake of writing something.
This one's for all you chumps who take a certain girl's hard work for granted. Such a shame, you guys!
Enjoy! Or not, I'm in no position to make demands, but I'd rather like it if you guys enjoyed it.
Disclaimer: No, I'm certainly not Iffy or Compa! Why does everyone ask that?!
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Day by day she explores infinity, the never-ending dungeon of memories. That is her life, her one task.
And she couldn't be happier about it.
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I am the Dungeon Master, as was my mother and all the others before her.
Grass. The wind blows gently through the endless plains, devoid of any color aside from the green of its ground.
The sky, blue as a nonexistent sea, watches over the infinity, bearing not a single cloud in its entirety.
The bright sun, standing in the heavens as if frozen in time, bathes all within its reach in a never changing warmth.
In this timeless world, a single building stands tall.
A gigantic gate projects its shadow, its only proof of existence, upon the grass below. The unnatural dark stone which forms the mysterious construction offers a beautiful contrast with the brightness of the realm around it.
There is nothing beyond the gate, only the distant horizon which connects the sky and the green sea. A useless architecture, meant only to lend its beauty to the scenery.
That is the illusion which would trick any mortal whose eyes fell upon the gate.
Save for one.
I am the overseer of the secret realm, hidden in eternity from all who may seek it.
The wind shifts, as does the world.
A bright light.
And no longer is infinity empty.
Blue eyes filled with life adorn her features. Long golden hair which descends to her back even as a pair of black ties with violet borders secure part of them in a pair of tails, the accessories evoking the image of rabbit ears as they ascend without any sort of support.
A black sweater-like dress with a white frilly skirt covers her form as a pair of black boots protect her feet. On her upper torso, a circular golden brooch with a star in its middle, far more than a mere accessory, holds her pink jacket with white sleeves together, and yellow shooting stars decorate both sides of the outerwear.
The small girl, whose height is no more than 4'5", brings a little amount of life to this vacant realm.
And she is not the only one.
A certainly oversized golden eyed cat, standing tall on its hind legs at 2'4", is beside her, wearing nothing but a black necktie with the white outline of a feline head drawn on it.
Its fur, while primarily black, bears white at several places: the tip of its tail, its four paws, its lower torso and its lower head. Instead of a simple horizontal line, the form which divides black and white is something akin to a downwards V, bringing to mind a pair of white triangles in its body.
In this world which never was, where the vibrant grass never grows neither dies, they are the only beings who bear souls.
And yet, that simply elicits a smile from the small girl. It's as if all is but a mere playground of hers.
Slowly, the girl walks forward. She doesn't need to look back in order to know her companion is following her.
Standing tall before her is the dark gate.
The brooch glows.
A flash of light. A shatter.
Behind the gate there is nothing.
Through the gate is a dark corridor, the walls made of the same unknown material as its entrance.
An impossibility. And yet, such a concept holds no meaning in infinity.
The two beings step into the gate, just as they did many times before.
What awaits them this time, however, is simply unknown.
I am the key which opens the path to infinity, and the one able to harvest its fruits.
There is not a single source of light. Even so, all is illuminated.
The rooms composed of nothing but black walls shouldn't allow for any visibility.
However, all is clear amidst a darkness which isn't present.
A paradox in another world. A simple fact in this inconceivable domain.
The girl brings down her sword on the small azure slime, only for the creature to dissipate in a rain of glow.
A fitting end for a false being.
The girl reaches for the blue orb which the monster left behind. At her mere touch, it explodes in light, much like the creature did. A golden glow suddenly permeates the room, and the item's remains are absorbed by the golden brooch.
Blue eyes fall on the feline as a small smile reaches her lips, to which her companion responds in kind.
The item she just gathered is not real by any means. One might even call it the mere projection of a dream.
However, it shall transcend its limitations and enter reality the moment they leave this infinity.
The pair turns towards a wall bearing the sign of a golden star.
A crack. Another. A third one.
The condition has been fulfilled.
Eventually, the wall shatters, revealing a set of upward stairs.
They go forward, not once diverging from their one path.
Just as all the others behind them did.
And thus, the two warriors advance.
I am the guide of the vacant world, and only through me shall any trespasser find their way out.
A roll to the left. A jump back. A block.
At the sight of an opening, the girl advances towards the robotic yet humanoid figure which towers over her.
The metallic monster raises its scythe to strike once again, but isn't fast enough.
She slashes through its side, not stopping until reaching its back.
The blade didn't break in, but its defenses are almost gone by this point.
The girl turns around in order to resume her assault.
It takes her too long to realize the creature did not halt its attack, instead opting for a spinning slash.
A scream. Sudden pain overtakes her whole being.
Her back hits the wall. The blade is sent clattering on the ground.
There is not a single damage in her body or outfit, for such is an impossibility in this world.
The pain she feels, however, is far too real.
Should she fall in combat, no harm will befall her. Instead, she shall simply be thrown out of this realm.
All she gathered, however, will scatter, not leaving a single reward for her actions.
And her companion, who doesn't possess the same amount of control over infinity as her, shall remain here, frozen in time until her return.
A complete loss without any consolation.
Which is why her eyes widen as the giant approaches.
It raises its scythe above its head, and the girl knows she lost once again.
She closes her eyes as the weapon descends.
The surprise of a metallic bang, however, forces them open.
Her companion, who was lying on the ground mere moments ago, is holding back the massive scythe with the sword which was hers.
A perfect block. Size does not matter as Mana itself counters the attempted slash.
White light envelopes the blade. In an action which an oblivious observer might believe to be effortless, the feline pushes against the metallic creature and sends its scythe back.
Her companion advances. A last slash and the already weakened monster becomes light.
The girl can only smile at that.
I am the warrior of this lawless domain, where past and present are always interlaced.
Memories. Simple projections of the past.
However, they hold far more meaning in this world devoid of life.
The sea of the past is a vast one, but not all events hold the same importance.
Sometimes a memory is fleeting, all but impossible to find in infinity.
And sometimes a memory glows brighter than all which surround it, and it's a simple matter of searching deep enough in order to run into its light.
As such, the girl should have expected this outcome. After all, she went far over her usual reach in infinity this time.
Yet, she can't help but tremble at the mere sight of the being standing before her.
Her companion doesn't have such a reaction, but even so she feels the fear under that mask of bravery.
And it's simply understandable.
The fake monster is undoubtedly more dangerous than all the ones they faced before.
It stands on four fleshy red legs and dark blue paws with three claws each. The legs are connected to some sort of giant maw surrounded by flesh of the same azure shade as the paws.
Its torso is like a parody of a man's; scarlet connects the back of the maw to the upper body. Its shoulders are dark blue and from them come a pair of similarly colored arms, the hands bearing only four fingers each.
Scarlet connects the shoulders to its "head", a giant red eye surrounded by dark blue. From it, a brown appendage grows upwards and a pair of darkened azure bones with several white fangs extend from it, much like the ones which come from its back. Four bat-like red wings descend from the bones, creating the illusion of the creature being slightly bigger than it already is.
Lastly, an upper body is stuck above the maw. It has the appearance of a woman with purple skin and a pink fox-like head, a red gem located in its forehead and a pair of wings reminiscent of a bird's substituting long ears. Her arms are protected by a violet armor, and small black top protects her modesty.
There is not a single doubt as to what this creature is.
However, a copy is much different from the real version. Not weak, but undoubtedly weaker.
The girl's hold on her blade tightens. She takes a deep breath in order to regain her calmness, not missing how the feline does the same.
They advance.
The Fake Deity Of Sin roars.
And yet, for all the power I yield, I am far from unbeatable.
Grass. The wind blows gently through the plains, full of life as the many harmless dogoos and boxbirds follow their usual routine, from making a meal out of surrounding plants to simply napping underneath the occasional trees.
The sky, blue as the faraway sea, watches over the world, the white clouds present amidst the azure doing nothing but enhance its beauty.
The bright sun, slowly ascending the heavens as the halfway point of the day grows closer, bathes all within its reach in a comfortable warmth.
A flash of light.
A fallen girl, alone with her weapon.
Her body has not a single trace of damage, and yet she feels extinguished both outside and inside.
Failure. That is the only reward she received.
Her companion is gone, frozen in time until she manages to return.
Just as many times before.
Exhaustion slowly catches up to her, but she doesn't feel alarmed.
It's not as if it's a new feeling.
None of this is a novelty for her.
Once more, she has let her masters down.
Once more, she has let her friend down.
And, as consciousness slowly fades, a last thought crosses her mind.
Once more, she has let herself down.
I am a simple servant of the guardians of my world, after all.
Sounds. They are the first to assault her senses.
The gust of the wind, the cries of the monsters, the... cracking of the grass on the ground?
She's... shaking? Being shaken by something?
Up, down, up, down... Such is the calming rhythm which repeats itself without fail.
And there is the feeling of a breeze gently hitting her face...
Blue eyes slowly open, only to see what the girl already expected.
Grass. The plains are beneath her, and yet her feet are not touching green.
It's still bright, and nowhere close to dusk. It can't have been over an hour since her return.
On the horizon are buildings of all shapes and sizes, the one which towers over all of them somewhat reminiscent of a gigantic cone.
It's Planeptune. And she's moving towards it.
Being carried towards it.
The lilac strands of hair on the corner of her vision are enough for her to understand.
Azure orbs focus downwards, towards a sight she has witnessed many times.
First is a white hoodie dress, and farther are a pair of white boots which, unlike hers, are touching the ground.
If there was doubt before, now there is none.
Two words exit her lips in a weak voice almost instinctively.
"Lady... Neptune..."
Her Lady's face isn't visible at all, and yet she knows an apologetic smile is present.
"Sorry, kiddo. Looks like I sent you too far again."
Her voice comes hushed, guilt laced in each word.
A response attempts to escape the tired girl's mouth. An assurance that this is not her Lady's fault, no doubt.
However, she doesn't have a chance to voice her thoughts.
"Yep, it's totally my fault and you're not tricking me into believing otherwise, little missy!"
The girl refrains from objecting to the voice which slowly but surely regains its cheeriness.
This exchange of theirs is far too familiar.
The past is riddled with many versions of it, just as the future will certainly be.
"I'm sending Pandako with you next time to get Felly out. And if it goes bad, this Nep's gonna follow you in whether Histy gets Pissty or not, got it?"
The answer doesn't come immediately, the girl opting instead to silently admire the distant sight of Planeptune. A miniscule smile tugs at her lips.
This is the same exchange as always.
She lets out a single hum in agreement, and a grin undoubtedly grows on her Lady's unseen face.
"Great! But for now, kiddo, you better just close your eyes and take a nap! I'm having Comps check you up before anything, and you got no say in this!"
Another hum, this one longer and quieter.
The girl has no qualms. It's simply logical after she managed to faint from exhaustion, after all.
As azure eyes close once more, her head rests on her Lady's shoulder. It doesn't take long for sleep to take over.
I am the Dungeon Master, as was my mother and all the others before her.
A heavy burden was placed on her. And yet, she doesn't dislike it.
Her power is a gift. Her actions do make a difference, no matter how small. It would be unthinkable for the girl not to use what was granted to her.
Obtaining a material means her masters won't have to endanger themselves in order to seek it. Finding a potion means they'll be better prepared for a battle. It might sound petty, but if this is the only way the girl can assist them, she won't hesitate.
There is no doubt someday she'll let the CPUs down once more. And again, and again, until the distant dawn of a new generation when her responsibilities pass on.
The girl will feel the crushing weight of failure innumerable times. Most of her efforts will certainly be fruitless. Her resolve will threaten to shatter at every turn.
But even so...
Although the small girl is already lost amidst the sea of dreams, her thin arms gently embrace her Lady.
Failing just means I'll have to try again, isn't that right?
A sweet giggle from her master breaks through the silence, and the slumbering girl's smile brightens at the simple sound.
That is my task, after all.
"Sleep well, kiddo. You totally earned it."
As if acknowledging those words, a content sigh escapes her lips.
And I'll keep on cherishing, as I always have.
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I am Stella, the Dungeon Master.
Nothing more, and nothing less.
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