The 'Game' Begins
Nepgear and Uni waited on the battlefield. Kei, the Lastation Oracle, and Chika had both come down to the field. Val, the citizen who came forward to Planeptune about hosting the national games had also come down with Eas.
"What exactly is it that she wants?" Eas asked quietly.
"We don't know," Uni replied.
Kei was deep in thought. Chika was looking longingly at where the portal had been.
"What if they don't come back?" Val asked.
She was short, timid, Uni had only met her once. As odd as it seemed though the girl had what looked like a crowbar on her back.
"They'll come back," Nepgear said with her usual resolute manner.
"CPUs."
Nepgear and Uni turned to see MAGES., Tekken, and Falcom coming up to them. MAGES. was speaking.
"It seems the national games will be on hold indefinitely."
"At least till we figure out what to do with this Corisonde person," Nepgear said.
"If I may," MAGES. replied, "I noticed her defense was peculiar. And her tactics, though grim, are ingenious in stopping you from attacking her outright."
Falcom nodded, "She is on the defensive. Though powerful, she may not be able to take all you on at once. Now is not the time, but perhaps an opportunity will arise in the near future."
Tekken beat her fists together, "I want to give this girl a beating."
Kei listened to her earpiece then turned to the others, "There are several dead at the concert stadium, and a hundred injured. Tsunemi and Ai were both on site with 5pb, but they are all okay. 5pb is being sent to the hospital but will recover."
"Oh good," Nepgear let out a sigh.
"How did she plant explosives everywhere?" Uni asked.
Kei was back into pondering and MAGES. glanced at them, "I will do some research into this. I have traveled the dimensions in search of my fabled elixir, it is possible I could discover a seam in this Corisonde's armor."
"Thank MAGES.," Nepgear nodded to the mad magician.
MAGES. nodded back and then performed a spell, disappearing in a puff of light and smoke.
Kei cleared her throat, "We have military forces on standby to begin exiting the citizens out of here as soon as we are sure of their safety. Everyone else who was not in the stadium when this girl appeared has already been safely evacuated from the complex."
"Thank you Kei," Uni said.
Kei merely nodded.
Almost immediately a jolt and the portal appeared again in a flash of light and electricity. Vert stepped out first and Chika ran forward.
"Oh my darling Vert," she embraced her.
Vert smiled and stepped to the side with her. Blanc came out next and everyone tensed up with how furious she looked. Then Noire, then Neptune, both looking very serious. Corisonde stepped out last, smiling broadly, and the portal closed.
"Alright," she shouted over the speakers, "with that done now we can get back to the games. Your goddesses now understand the severity of the situation. You don't play the game and this world goes," she then acted out the sounds of a crashing vehicle even with spitty explosion noises. "Now … where was I?"
She looked at everyone and they all stared back.
"Oh, new people. Hello Tekken, are you wanting to beat me or are you wanting a beating?"
Tekken gulped but looked fierce, her hands up in fists.
"Oh, right, so you have to kill each other, any one can join in the fun. Hear that citizens? Maybe some of you don't like the CPUs of another nation. Maybe they did something bad to you or your relatives in the past? Well, go ahead and kill them! Remember, Vert and Nepgear go together or not at all. No choosing favorites with Rom and Ram. Am I missing anything?"
Vert crossed her arms.
"Ah! Seven days."
"What?" was all Nepgear and Uni could say.
"Oh, I mean, you have seventeen days, that should be enough time," Corisonde said. "Seventeen days to kill each other and then I won't blow you all up. Don't do it in seventeen days, then, well," she made a popping noise.
"This is insane," Vert said.
"You are insane," Falcom added.
"I know, I get that a lot, but believe me, there's a method to this madness, I promise, oh so much," Corisonde laughed. "Now, lets commence the 1st Annual CPU Battle-to-the-Death Match. You have exactly seventeen days," she shouted and a giant timer appeared on one of the live video screen feeds. "Cheers and applause."
Silence.
"Cheers and applause, damnit," she shouted. "Clap like your lives depend on it people!"
The stadium burst into applause. Negear felt sick to her stomach. Uni's arm twitched. Kei was staring at Corisonde. Corisonde meanwhile was looking at all of them. Smiling broadly, her teeth clenched together, looking feral. She turned off the headset and tossed it aside. She stepped forward into the middle of them.
"Now, I reserve the right to change the game's rules at any moment I see fit, including the victory conditions. But you have seventeen days. Plenty of time to think things over. Alright, I'm hungry."
A portal appeared next to her and she stepped through with a wave. The portal closed and almost instantly the crowds of people began running from their seats. Like Kei had said military forces from the four nations all came inside and began helping the citizens evacuate in an orderly fashion.
"What the hell is going on here?" Blanc yelled. "Who is she?"
"We have no information on her," Kei said.
"MAGES. is looking into some things," Nepgear replied.
"Ugh, I'm am going to kill her," Blanc said, stomping off before turning around and coming back. "We ARE going to kill her, right?"
Vert nodded, "I agree but we need to be careful about this. She is too well organized. We will have to plan our moves accordingly."
Uni looked at her sister who had been quiet. Noire was already looking at her, an odd expression on her face.
"Neptune?" Nepgear asked.
"Yeah sis?"
"What did she show you?"
Neptune looked at Noire then back to her sister, "I will tell you later."
Nepgear looked worried.
"Was it proof that she destroyed an entire dimension?" Uni asked.
"No it god-damn wasn't," Blanc shouted. "She proved what she is capable of, but not that she will destroy Gamindustri."
"Blanc," Vert tried.
"No, you all are talking about waiting and thinking, we need to kill her, now!"
"Kei," Noire said suddenly. "Come, find Ganache, we are returning to Lastation."
"Yes Lady Black Heart."
"Noire," Uni went to her sister, "you can't be serious about leaving right now."
"I most certainly am," Noire said, and she kept her distance from her sister. Uni stopped and frowned. "Vert is right, we need to think things over first. The stadium hasn't even been evacuated yet. Our troops will assist, and then I am recalling everyone back to our nation. I will not let Lastation be put into any danger."
"But Noire," Neptune said, "we need to work together here. We should do all this thinking crap right now, like Vert said."
"Enough Neptune! When I'm ready to talk I will talk."
Noire walked away and Kei followed.
"Come on Chika," Vert said. "We need to discuss some things. Neptune, Blanc, I will be in touch shortly."
Blanc swore again and Neptune looked defeated. Nepgear turned back to Uni who was standing alone.
"She didn't want me to touch her?" Uni said softly.
"Oh Uni," Nepgear touched her arm.
Suddenly Blanc went HDD and flew away, leaving a stadium worker in her dust.
"Where is she going?" Eas asked.
"It appears that this Corisonde girl is in the food court right now," Val replied.
"The food court?" Neptune asked.
"Well, she did say she was hungry," Nepgear said.
"We can't let Blanc go fight by herself," Tekken said.
Everyone looked at each other before they took off in the same direction. Nepgear paused when she saw Uni not moving. Neptune paused too when she saw Nepgear stop.
"Neptune?"
"Yes, Uni?"
"What did you see?"
"I … can't-"
"What did Corisonde show you?"
Neptune frowned, "I'm not good at all this serious stuff."
"Was it something Corisonde made us do in another dimension?"
Neptune gulped, "Uni … I … we have to help Blanc right now."
Neptune took off after the others. Nepgear walked back to Uni.
"Uni."
"It's fine Nepgear. Just give me a moment."
"Okay, Uni."
Nepgear ran away, glancing back once, before running all out to the food court.
