Glad to have got this going and I forgot to mention that because I love delivering nods to other franchises, there'll be a minor special guest here...

First Battle Win

"Hmm, doesn't seem like the stores around here haven't changed." I said.

"Apart from that huge tower over there." Kyu pointed out.

I looked ahead and the beam that came from the tower was still present and a small circle was above it. If I hazard a guess, there must be something inside that's keeping that portal of some kind from closing. That would have to be the source of the power and if that was cut off, maybe it would close the circle above...oh great, now I'm starting to act like an RPG character, might as well get used to it.

"Yeah, but I don't think their security will allow me or you to just go on in that big tower." I said. "Besides, security looks very tight, especially with those huge gates."

"Then maybe there's a way to get in if we look all around the city."

"I had a feeling you would say that. I guess RPG games are meant to be that challenging, but to see this actually happening for real...I just don't know."

"Well why's that, champ?"

"Well, I'm not a fighter."

She laughed. "Well you better get used to it if this is how the story is going to be."

"Story? Wait, what do you mean this is a story?"

"Don't bother over it in that dome of yours, let's just ask around for information or clues."

Then just by coincidence, a young girl walked up to me, she was dressed in a blue dress with red shoes, like a doll and she had a huge red bag on her back.

BGM: Fairy Fencer F OST - Lola's Theme

"Hello there, travellers." She greeted in a cute voice.

"Uhhh, hi there." I replied. "And who might you be?"

"I'm Lola, your one and only place for all the information you could ever want...for a price."

"Well that's convenient." Kyu muttered. She was right, I know a Lola who gets her coffee at the cafe, so this Lola was a very different person altogether. The Lola I know is currently far away on a long vacation in Hawaii, taking a break from her stewardess job.

"Oooh, you have a fairy travelling with you?" Lola noticed. "That's so cool!"

"Yep, but she's more of a guide to be honest." I answered. "So about the information, do you think you can help us?"

Lola smiled. "Sure, as long as you pay me first, I will give you information as accurate as possible."

"Hmm, do we even have any money?" Kyu asked.

"Well, I have some on me." I searched my pockets for Munie since that was the currency in this city. "Will this do?"

Lola nodded and took the money from my hands. "Yes, that's wonderful. Thank you for your patronage."

I had question marks. "Patronage?"

"So what information do you need?"

I shook my head. "Y-yeah, we'd like to know if there's a way to get inside the Corporation building."

"Oh, the headquarters of the Gladstone Corporation. Well they say security is very tight in there and the only clear entrance is through the main gates, but it's locked via security keycards. They were scattered across the areas outside this city, but their whereabouts are unknown at the moment."

"I see and how do we get those keycards?"

"Well first of all, you will need to travel to various dungeons that exist outside the city and to do that, you will need a world map. My sources tell me that you can find one half of the world map at a place called Honeycomb Forest, but there are monsters that lurk over there, good luck with that."

I frowned. "Well thanks for the lack of support there, kid."

She didn't seem to take my frowning kindly. "Hey, if you keep frowning like that, I'm gonna charge you."

I suddenly changed my expression. "Okay, okay...thanks for all that info, I think we're more than ready to start."

Lola smiled again. "Okay, take care, bye bye." She walked off and around the corner.

End Of BGM

"Honeycomb Forest, huh?" Kyu asked. "Well, I think I saw a forest over there."

"Now that you mention it, I can see a few trees." I agreed. "Then we should go, although I'm not too keen on becoming some kind of fighter."

"Well dude, have you played these RPG games before?"

"I have, so I kinda know what to expect, it's just that this is happening too quickly."

"Don't sweat it...besides, there may be a few others who might be in the same situation as you."

Of course, Kyu had a point there. I've become some kind of RPG character, so there's a chance a few others may have become one as well. Kyu led the way as we left the city area and up west to where we found the forest entrance that had a small sign by a tree with an arrow as an indication that we were about to enter a dungeon.

Entering Dungeon: Honeycomb Forest

BGM: Mugen Souls OST - Oak Tree's Steps

"So we're inside Honeycomb Forest now." Kyu said. "Well, I wasn't expecting this place to be this big."

"Yeah, the trees are actually much taller than I thought." I added before I looked ahead to see several areas that had some monsters around. "Looks like her info was right, there are monsters around here. Can you fight?"

"Well, my boss warned me about this in advance, so she gave me some fairy magic to work with."

I felt hopeful. "That's kinda cool, so what magic have you got?"

"Just the basics. A simple beam spell and small healing magic."

I frowned again. "So just a simple attack and some small healing...that's it?"

"Well come on, this is like just the beginning of the adventure, so stop moaning."

I sighed. "Alright, alright...so it's just you and me in the party?"

Kyu joined the party!

"Now I am, champ." She beamed.

"Ohhh kaaay...anyways, we can go."

We started exploring the dungeon area and noticed a trio of hornets that saw us and zoomed to us.

"Uh oh...first taste of RPG battles incoming!" I exclaimed pointlessly.

Three hornets appear!

"Let's consider this a chance to go over the basics and get used to things." Kyu said.

"I just hope I don't get stung and be poisoned or paralysed, I don't have any potions." I replied as I drew out my sword.

"Don't worry, I feel that this is a tutorial battle so we're pretty much going to win."

"You've gotten used to RPG games very quickly."

"Well duh, I've seen you playing your video games when I was helping you out months ago."

"Figures...anyways, off I go with a normal attack."

Mike attacks!

Hornet A is defeated!

"Allllll right, my turn." Kyu said.

I should've known this would be turn based as well...

Kyu attacks!

Hornet B is defeated!

Hornet C attacks!

Hornet C missed!

"Get ready, me." I said to myself, preparing to attack.

Mike attacks!

Hornet C is defeated!

"Aw yeah! We got them, just like I said." Kyu jumped as I did a victory pose.

All enemies are defeated!

The party earned 15 EXP!

Mike reached lvl. 2!

Kyu reached lvl. 2!

"Huh? I levelled up?" I asked. "They weren't that tough now that I think about it and they just shattered into pixels when we killed them."

"And I didn't have to use any healing magic." Kyu added.

"Hmm, maybe I was stronger than I thought." I pondered before I heard a vibration noise in my pockets. "That's my phone..."

"Who could be calling you?"

"I'll check right now." I opened up my phone and saw that it was a text message from Tiffany.

End Of BGM

Mike! Please...save me! Under attack! Help me! Tiff xxx

I gasped and grew serious. "Come on, Kyu. My love's somewhere in here!"

"Alright, wait for me!"

We rushed towards the end of the dungeon and there was a wide area.

"Is that her?" Kyu asked, pointing to something she found.

There was a downed girl with some armour and a different kind of sword on the ground next to her.

"Tiffany!" I rushed over and grabbed her up to check on her. "Are you alright?"

"Ugh...oh Mike...I'm okay, I'm just not well...ow..." She seemed to have been struck down and had a weapon too, I don't think she could fight right now.

Kyu suddenly gasped. "Mike! Incoming big monster!"

"Huh? Where?!"

BGM: Hyperdimension Neptunia Rebirth 1 OST - Splash

We suddenly heard a huge roar and we turned around to see a big animal had turned up, it was a rhino of sorts, but...it had six legs, what the hell?!

"Aw shit!" Kyu exclaimed. "Looks like that monster's got us trapped."

"Dammit..." I readied myself. "Guess we're not going anywhere until we take out this big boy. Come and get it!"

Rhino appears!

"Normal attacks aren't gonna do much I think, I wonder if I have any skills." I said. "Oooh, maybe I could use this skill..."

Mike used Quad Strike

Mike caused 40 damage to Rhino

"Wait, I may have a skill as well, hold on." Kyu added when it was her turn.

Kyu used Single Light Shot

Kyu caused 35 damage to Rhino

Rhino attacks!

Rhino caused 25 damage to Mike

"Tch! That kinda hurt a little..." I groaned. "...but I gotta soak it up."

Mike used Quad Strike

Mike caused 40 damage to Rhino

Kyu was worried for me at that point. "Hold on, let me heal you."

Kyu used Small Heal

Mike received 25 HP

"Thanks Kyu."

Rhino attacks!

Rhino caused 25 damage to Kyu

"Big mistake there, monster." I smirked. "What else have I got...oooh, an elemental attack, time to use this."

Mike used Flame Combo

Mike caused 50 damage to Rhino

That may have done the trick as the monster roared and fell to the side before is shattered into pixels.

Rhino defeated!

The party earned 50 EXP!

Mike reached lvl. 5!

Mike learned a new skill: Hexagon Slash!

Kyu reached lvl. 5!

Kyu learned a new skill: Double Light Shot!

End Of BGM

"Phew!" I sighed in relief. "All in a day's work."

"Nice dude, we even levelled up quite a few." Kyu added. "Now about Tiffany."

"Oh yeah." I went over to Tiffany who was now on her knees and holding her stomach. "Can you walk?"

"I think so...but it still hurts." She replied before she hugged me tightly. "Thanks for saving me, I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't got my message."

I held her tight as well before bringing her up to her feet. "Me too...is that your weapon?"

"Yes, it's called a rapier. But I haven't gotten used to using it well enough yet."

"So you already know what's going on?"

"Well, just a little bit. One minute, I was on my way to do a bit of shopping and then this huge boom noise happened and I was knocked down before waking up and that I had changed into this."

"Then it's true, I'm not the only one who's gone through this RPG change."

"Oh, so I can see. At least they're comfortable to wear."

"So, then why did you end up in the forest?" Kyu asked.

"Well, when I asked this young girl about it, she suggested this forest to do a bit of training until that rhino appeared and attacked me." She then thought of something. "Oh that's right, there was a piece of paper in this area somewhere, I think this is it."

She handed out a torn paper and we had a look, it had several diagrams of areas around the city, but only half of it since the other half was still missing.

"That must be the first half of the world map we need." I said. "But still, why did you choose to do this on your own? You know you could've called me and I would've been there to help."

Tiffany felt a little ashamed about it. "Yeah, maybe I should've asked you if I had known I would be attacked suddenly, sorry..."

I shook my head. "It's alright...just as long as you're safe. But don't make me worry over this next time, please."

"I promise." She moved her head to mine and we shared a gentle kiss.

"Oooh my, shall I give you two some private time?" Kyu remarked. "Seriously though, save that for later."

Tiffany giggled. "So what do we do now?"

"Shouldn't we get in touch with our friends and see if they can help?" I suggested.

"Well, I tried that earlier, but for some reason, I couldn't get a hold of any of them."

"None of them...that can't be good." I felt concerned. "Then we might as well head back to the city and look for that Lola girl to see if she has any info."

"Yeah, I think we're done here." Kyu agreed. "Let's go, I could do with a pedicure anyway."

I sighed as we left Honeycomb Forest, that was a real first taste of an RPG battle, but we were able to get through it. Guess I do have what it takes to be a fighter after all...

If you're curious on the elemental attacks, they are ice, fire, wind and lightning and each of them can be strong or weak against one other element.

Next time! The party journey to the next dungeon to find the second half of the map.