A/N: Hello! Nitrus7 here and I would like to answer a few people's questions.
Jeitron: Yes, David is indeed a reference to Walter from Hellsing. Love that anime.
Shadow Vanear: Sorry, if I answer that then there will be spoilers. Please bear with me until then.
Disclaimer: I do not own any material used here except for my OC's. Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;birth is property of Idea Factory, Sega, and Tecmo Koei. Please support the official release.
Chapter 4: Onwards to the Black Nation
Murasaki found himself in a dark forest. Fog surrounded the area as the dead trees slowly rotted away. In front of him stood a younger version of himself drenched in blood.
The younger Murasaki asked, "Why didn't you use your Gift?"
The angel responded, "You know the reason why."
The child tilted his head, "Even so, it doesn't make sense. In the past, we would use it to our hearts content. But ever since you became an AI, you only used the Gift for regeneration. Even then you are reluctant to use it unless in extreme circumstances. Are you scared of what you become in that state? Or perhaps it is your sanity you fear? Maybe you're afraid of what your worthless goddess will think of you? If we kill her, you can be free-"
Murasaki's eyes glared at his younger self, "Don't you dare lay a finger on her!"
His younger self shrugged as the scenery around them began to disappear, "I have no such interest. I am just one of your many voices in your head after all. However, I'd be more worried about you laying a finger on her once you find your goddess. You are beginning to lose it. You'd better hurry and deal with this problem of yours, for your sake. He's coming for you."
The ground beneath Murasaki cracked open and revealed a large pair of eyes glaring at him. The AI fell into the crevice and a giant dark hand grabbed him. The hand then began to crush Murasaki.
He screamed in pain as everything faded to black.
*break*
"AAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHH!" the purple haired boy screamed as he jolted upwards.
Murasaki panted heavily and was drenched in sweat from the vision he just had. He put his hand to his head and calmed himself down. The purple angel took a good look at his surroundings.
Murasaki was in an apartment room that was in a girly way. The curtains were pink with hearts on it and the shelves had stuff toys on top. Leaning against the wall was a giant syringe. This slightly disturbed the angel.
Murasaki tried to get up, but he fell down when he felt his skull ring out in pain. He looked down and saw that his body was covered in bandages. The boy also noticed that his right arm was missing.
He tried to remember what happened. The last thing he can recall was fighting that butler. Murasaki remembered that he was winning until someone interfered. Everything went black from there.
"So why am I in a girl's room?" he thought to himself.
A voice yelled, "Woah! Don't yell so loud! Jeez, nearly gave me a heart attack."
The purple haired boy was startled and looked up. He saw a brown haired girl with a over-sized jacket.
Murasaki recognized the girl, "Miss IF? What are you doing here?"
"I'm here looking after your bloody body. What were you doing in that cave?" inquired IF.
The angel quickly thought to himself. He at least owes this girl an explanation, but he can't tell her about him being an AI. That may complicate things.
"I was looking for a friend of mine. We got separated in the cave so I was looking for her."
IF didn't look very convinced, "Uh huh. Then why did we find you covered in blood?"
"I was badly beaten by a monster down there."
She still had a suspicious look in her eyes but decided to let it go. The two sat in awkward silence. Murasaki internally thought of a way to get out without letting IF know where he is going. He has to hurry back to the Basilicom and figure out a plan to deal with David and his master. The knight will be damned before he allows a civilian into national affairs. He spotted his clothes on top of a shelf and an idea formed in his head.
Murasaki got up and IF asked, "Where are you going?"
The boy didn't say anything and ran up to the girl. He hit her in the back of the neck before she could do anything and knocked her unconscious. Murasaki caught IF and placed her in the bed.
He put a blanket over her and apologized, "Sorry. I am in debt to you, but I can't allow you to be involved in this. I'll make it up to you somehow."
The boy tried to use his gift to regrow his arm, but stopped after too much strain was being placed on his body.
Murasaki thought to himself, "I can't afford to lose it right now. I'll have to wait another day again."
He thought about David's rant about Gifts. The AI's gift is called "Sanity Breaker." Murasaki can gain immense power and abilities, but as the name implies, using it will break his sanity and drive him into madness. Regeneration and increasing his physical traits to a certain degree is the least stressful action the boy can do with his Gift, but even that has it's limit. Murasaki used Sanity Breaker too much during the Console War and his fight with David. Anymore will risk driving him insane.
He sighed in frustration at another handicap that was placed on him. The angel put on his clothes and jumped out the window. Murasaki startled some people when he landed, but walked on as if he didn't just jump off a skyscraper.
He walked back to the Basilicom. The guard noticed Murasaki's missing arm but didn't say anything when he noticed the angel's glare saying, "Say anything and you die."
Murasaki walked into his room, "I'm home."
His loyal raven was on his desk sorting out and signing the paperwork for it's beloved master. The black bird looked up and flew to him.
It looked at Murasaki's arm and then his eyes as if to say, "Are you okay?"
He smiled, "Don't worry about it. Anything of interest happen while I was gone?"
The raven shook its head.
"I see. Anyways, let's get to work. Those paper's aren't going to sign themselves."
The knight sat down and got ready to look at the paperwork until he realized something, "…I'm right-handed…"
*break*
Neptune and Compa walked back to the apartment with grocery bags in their hands.
After the two went in to the cave to take care of the monster, they met a girl named IF, a traveling Guild agent. Together they killed the monster and completed the Guild quest. Soon afterwards, the trio happened to find a disc that can create monsters and encountered an old goth lady, named Arfoire, who was after the Key Fragment. Neptune and co. fought with Arfoire but was soundly beaten. The old hag then tried to absorb the purple-haired girl's power but ended up absorbing Compa's instead, allowing them to beat her. Deus Ex Machina at its finest people.
When Arfoire found out about Neptune's amnesia and that someone named "Murasaki" wasn't with her, she decided that she can always take the Key Fragment another time and fled. The band of heroines ran after her, but came across a bloodied body with a missing arm. They took him back to Compa's apartment and took care of him as he recovered. Neptune and Compa left to go get groceries as IF stayed to watch over the unconscious boy. Which leads us to right now.
The purple amnesiac asked, "Hey Compa, what are we having for dinner?"
The nurse-in-training thought to herself, "Well, how about curry?"
Neptune leaped for joy, "Yay! Curry is already a delicious enough, but when you cook it it will be…be…um…Super Neplicious!"
Compa blushed, "Aw, you praise me too much Nep-Nep."
The two girls walked in to the apartment and found IF sleeping on the bed instead of the injured boy they found with said boy nowhere to be found.
Compa yelled at IF, "Hey Iffy! You shouldn't be the one in bed, where's the patient?"
IF got up quickly, "Wah, huh!? What happenend?"
The blond girl dropped her bags and grabbed the sleepy girl by the collar, "Where's the patient? It's not good if he's still injured. I still need to practice my medical skills on him!"
"I don't think that's the real issue her Compa," Neptune commented.
Compa ignored her and pressed on, "Where is my test subject!?"
IF yelled, "Alright! Alright! Just put me down already!"
The girl let go of her and the Guild agent coughed for air, "Where's the patient?"
IF said, "He left. I think he might have jumped out the window."
Neptune and Compa eyes widened, "What!?"
The purple themed girl continued, "What do you mean he might have jumped out the window?"
"Exactly as it sounds Nep. He might have jumped out the window."
The amnesiac pointed an accusing finger, "Why would you let him jump out the window?"
Veins began to pop on IF's forehead, "I didn't. He knocked me unconscious then left. The window was open so I'm assuming that he jumped off."
Neptune and Compa began to cry, which began to unnerve the brown haired Guild agent, "Why are you two crying?"
The amnesiac sobbed, "Poor Iffy, she lost her innocence in her sleep and the man doesn't even have the decency to stay!"
The nurse-in-training joined, "I'm so sorry Iffy. That it is way to cruel to endure."
IF grabbed a giant paper fan and hit the two on the head, "That's not what happened!"
"Ouchies!"
"Ow!"
The irritated girl inhaled deeply and calmed down, "Okay, we should stop worrying about that boy, we probably won't even see him again. What we need to focus on is finding the other Key Fragments."
Neptune tilted her head, "What do you mean? That boy was clearly the main character of this fanfic, so of course we're going to see him again."
IF sighed, "I seriously have no idea what you're talking about. Anyways, do we know where to go for the Key Fragments?"
Compa suggested, "Why don't we go to Lastation? It's the closest nation to Planeptune."
The Guild agent thought for a moment, "That is a good point. Very well, we'll go to Lastation then."
Neptune cheered, "Boo! The ever popular tsundere goddess is appearing next chapter! She's going to steal my screen time!"
The nurse-in-training looked at her, "What do you mean Nep-Nep?"
The purple girl waved it off, "Nothing. That's something the readers should already know. Probably. Maybe."
IF commented, "I wonder if you truly have amnesia."
Neptune ignored the comment, "Anyways, onwards to Lastation!"
IF and Compa cheered, "Yeah!"
*break*
David walked in to a dark room. He was covered in bandages from his fight with Murasaki. The old AI can't help but feel the dread he felt when the Purple Knight began his onslaught. The way he fought was wild and out of control, but at the same time it was calculated and precise. David had faced against many monsters in the past, but none of them can compare to the savageness of the AI of Planeptune.
Laughter came from a dark corner of the room, "What's wrong old man? Did the brat frighten you that much?"
The old man talked without turning his head, "You won't be talking big if you saw what I did."
The voice didn't seem convinced, "Riiiiiggggghhhhtttt… Anyways, the old hag is already planning her next move. I'll be in Lastation if you ever want to see me complete my mission."
David sighed at the disrespect the dark figure showed to their master, "Arrogance beckons failure. You'd be wise to remember that."
"Whatever old fart. Later."
Footsteps echoed as the arrogant minion left the room.
The butler wondered out loud, "Lastation huh? Perhaps I should go watch. It's been ages since this old man's been entertained."
David left the room and followed the dark figure. With every step he took, a voice in his head kept telling him that he'd get an exciting show. The former AI didn't know how he knew, but he was certain that the voice was absolutely correct. It could be from years of experience, or perhaps it's just wishful thinking. Regardless, David was unaware of the large smile that slowly appeared on his face. An idea then formed in the old butler's mind. He normally wasn't one for mischief or to do anything that would jeopardize the mission, but that upstart needs to be taught a lesson in humility.
David took out a cell phone and dialed a number, "Let the games begin."
*break*
Murasaki watched the sun set and flexed his newly regenerated arm. He wasn't able to do any paperwork because of his missing arm, thus wasting another day of work. Most people would be happy about that kind of thing, but when the stability of your nation relies on your job, skipping too many days isn't the best thing to do. The AI was testing out and adjusting to his new arm when he suddenly heard his phone ring. Murasaki looked at the contact ID and saw that it was a number that he didn't recognize.
He answered the phone, "Hello?"
The angel heard a familiar voice, "Hello again, Corpse Eater."
Murasaki's eyes widened, "David!? How did you get this number?"
The man who was partially responsible for his severed arm clicked his tongue, "Tsk, tsk. You shouldn't underestimate our information network. I believe I made that clear when we first met."
The boy calmed down and asked, "What do you want?"
The butler said, "I'm here with a message, little angel. I'll be in Lastation for the next 3 days. If you can find me, I'll fight you again. As a gentleman, I don't particularly feel good with the way our fight ended. However, I also can not do anything that will endanger our mission."
Murasaki's eyes narrowed, "So you want to play hide-and-seek."
"Precisely. If you don't show up, then I'll assume that you are too afraid to come and it will be my victory. I'm looking forward to it. I'm sure that Purple Heart would be glad to see you too. You should come, lest any…misfortune…should fall upon her."
"What do you-"
"Oh yes, by the way, don't bother trying to track down this cell. I've already disposed of it after this call ends."
The Purple Knight yelled, "Hey wait-"
The line went silent and cut Murasaki off. He wasn't sure what to do. On one hand, it might be a trap to kill the disabled angel right now. On the other, Neptune might be in danger. Murasaki doesn't find the idea of his goddess being captured too far-fetched if his theory about his condition is true. It would be the perfect bait for a trap. But one thing doesn't make sense.
"Why Lastation?" Murasaki wondered out loud.
His raven looked at its master with concern, "Are you going?"
He nodded his head, "Yeah. If what he's saying is true, then Neptune's in danger. It's even worse if they're in Lastation with that sociopath."
The purple angel wasn't particularly worried about Black Heart harming the goddess. Everyone knows that she actually likes her, n more ways than one. What really bothered Murasaki was Black Knight. He knows that the black angel is mentally unstable and has random acts of violence several times in the past.
The boy stood up, "Raven, you're coming with me."
Murasaki will need his black bird for this one. He's going to need to know ahead of time what will lie before him in Lastation.
The Purple Knight walked out the door with the raven in tow.
Murasaki's face darkened, "Let's go pay that old man a visit."
A/N: Yup, everyone's now heading to Lastation. Also, new villains are appearing. Such fun! Please leave a review and tell me on how I did and what I can do to improve. Constructive criticism is welcome and appreciated. Au revoir.
