(to start off with, this has nothing to do with the story, this is just something I had on me, second, this is a one shot. I hope you like it, I hope this will suffice until I can get out chapter 17)
Planeptune, the land of purple progress. Odd name but for a nomadic type, it didn't really matter what the name of the place was as long as food was available.
"What is my point in this game, this game called life?" I said to myself. Being a simple wandering arm for hire. Simply doing jobs here and there just to be able to buy food, water, and clothes when necessary. Lying on the side of a river feeling the warm air clenching my body and the soft green grass comforting me I looked up into the sky, that beautiful blue sky that was as pure as a diamond. To the side, just barely in sight, was the mighty Planeptower. The home of the Nation's Goddess Purple Heart. I cared little for complicated things like politics, war, even organizations. I believed that the best way of life was simply in exploring the infinite of the world. Slowly drifting away into a slumber I was brought back to full consciousness by a voice.
"Yahoo! Finally done with all that work!" a young, quite nice voice crossed my ears. Turning my head to the side I saw a young girl. A white, light blue, and purple parka dress combination. Looked similar to a hoodie if it didn't have a hoodie.
"Huh? Mister, how'd ya find my secret spot?" the young girl asked.
"Mister, I'm not that old yet, maybe 17 or 18, stopped counting once I started my journey" I thought to myself before replying. "Secret place? I just wandered here. I apologize" I said sitting myself up. "I didn't mean to intrude on your space um, what was your name?"
"Oh, I'm Neptune. Some call me Nep since they can't pronounce my frickin name. More people know me as Purple heart though." she said smiling.
"Purple Heart… wait, this girl is the nation's patron leader?" I had asked myself in doubt. "Nice to meet you Lady Neptune.
Even if I didn't belong to any particular nation, I still understood how upper and lower classed people would interact with one another. I wasn't a complete bum at least yet.
"Oh you don't need to call me Lady or anything, I'm just Neptune."
"I understand, Neptune then" I said looking at her for a reaction
"Oh! You can say my name! Amazing!" she said eyes sparkling.
"Is Neptune really that hard of a name? I'd assume there were harder names, like Galifianakis or something,"
"Who are you though mister?" she asked.
"It really doesn't matter" I said looking down slightly.
"Aw come on, pleeeeease? I told you who I was right? It's only fair to do the same."
She is rather hard to reject when she is as cute as she is.
"Okay, I'll tell you," I cleared my throat for a moment. "To be honest, I barely know myself, for I don't know how many years, I've just been a wandering traveler moving from place to place, country to country. I don't think I could be considered a citizen of anywhere." I said feeling a shade of melancholy in my own voice.
"That sounds horrible though, don't you get super lonely?" she asked looking both sad and worried.
"Well, I'm not entirely alone, I'm surrounded by life, animals, nature, while the animals can't respond I know for sure they know I'm here and there."
"What do you mean?"
At this point even Neptune sat down to listen, interested in my story, man, there's a first for everything indeed.
"I said I was a wanderer, a nomad if you will. A long time ago I felt something hit hard. I was at a festival filled to the brim with different people. Many talents everywhere. Swordsmen, artists, archers, sculptures. Every form of art, even video games. But, I realized something in the light, darkness. Seeing all of this I questioned myself, if there's all this talent in the world, so much potential, so much strength, then why do I, some average joe schmoe exist. Why am I allowed at this place? So I decided to start looking. I wanted to explore the world for that answer, still am looking,"
"Quite an interesting way to explain running away," this voice was different, it was deeper, more mature, and instead of the light hearted atmosphere Neptune's voice generated, this was rather elegant.
"N-Neptune? No, you must be Lady Purple Heart? Wait, what do you mean run away?" I asked for confirmation.
"That is correct, I am Purple Heart, but who I am is no mystery, but I digress, you said you saw the talent in others and decided to leave your home because of that. So you indeed ran away no?"
"I-!" I could say nothing in defence, this was true.
"Do not misunderstand however," she said eyes closed. "You indeed ran away, but everyone does at some point. You ran because you wanted to find your purpose, a chance to make your existence fact, most Goddesses may not have experienced such a feeling, being that as Goddesses we are known worldwide, but that doesn't mean we can't learn about one another."
"L-Lady Purple Heart," I said losing my calm, collected tone.
"I admire you, you have this aura around you, it looks beautiful."
"Please," I spoke out. "Don't say that, I'm not any of this until I can prove it myself,"
"My goodness." Purple heart said, then turning back into Neptune. "You're kinda dumb huh, you don't need to make your existence fact."
"Huh?" I asked confused.
"You just gotta have faith that you really are you, after all, faith is why I, Noire, Blanc, and Vert exist right?"
"I, I'm sorry, it's hard to change my thinking after so many years."
"Well then, let's go" she said grabbing my hand and pulling me
"Wait wa- where are we going!?"
"To my home, I'm gonna help you." Neptune said pulling even harder, unable to resist I followed her towards the Planeptower.
Several minutes later we had finally arrived inside the Basilicom. We were greeted by an odd person. A young women smaller that any child, she looked like an adult however, but also floated on a book over a meter off the ground.
"Is this some robot?"
"Welcome back Neptune… and guest?" the person greeter.
"Yo! I'm back Histy, he's going to be helping me with some stuff for a day or two." Neptune proclaimed.
"P-Please forgive me, H-Hiiisty?" I said not sure of what to call her.
"It's quite alright, more help with the paperwork and mini-jobs would help greatly. My name is Histoire, and I am the Oracle of this nation.
"So that's why she looks like this, not that I've ever seen an oracle that is." I thought. "Understood Histoire-sama, thank you very much for allowing me to be here."
"You are very welcome, a friend of Neptune's should be perfectly safe."
"C'mon now! We gotta get to work." Neptune said pulling me away once more. "Actually, I never got your name"
"I, I don't remember my name."
"Really!?" Histoire and Neptune said simultaneously.
"W-well then," Neptune began, "let's give you a new name, how about Haru?"
"That's a bit generic" Histoire noted.
"Inu?"
"That means dog Neptune,"
"Paraphernalia?"
"That doesn't make sense in the slightest form."
"Alright then! How about Hiro!" Neptune shouted pointing towards me.
"Hm, Hiro huh?" I spoke. "Yeah, alright, from now on I am Hiro," I said.
"Nice to meet you Hiro-kun" the two girls said.
"Onee-chan?" a voice came from the side of another door with some light purple hair,. "who's that boy?" the girl said peeking her head out more. She resembled Neptune greatly, just a bit older.
"Oh Nepgear! Great timing, get over here for a sec!" Neptune shouted.
"Well, let's see if Neptune can really change someone like me," I thought.
Neptune took me to an office room with a huge stack of papers.
"First off, I'd like you to help me with this stuff!" Neptune declared.
Looking at the papers, they seemed to be about things like production, construction, leases and loans, etc.
"She's just looking for a scapegoat huh, very well," "what's the pay? Neptune?"
"Pay?" Neptune asked her sister.
"Onee-chan, if you're going to have someone do your work, especially a random person they are obviously going to ask for something in return."
"Um, well~" Neptune looked somewhat nervous.
"Crap! I forgot that I used my allowance to buy a new game." "um, how about I take you somewhere to eat? My treat." she said
"Hm, yeah alright, it's a deal then," I said. I had just then realized I hadn't eaten anything all day.
Minutes turned to hours, Neptune went off to do something in the meantime, Nepgear had stayed to supervise.
"Amazing! You can do this stuff faster than I or Histoire can. Even though you don't look like the business type."
Still looking down at the sheet of paper detailing some time of transaction and delivery of a massive shipment, I could barely reply. "Thanks, I have pretty intimate knowledge on most things, I used to try and learn everything there was to know. Got a bit into business before I gave up."
"Why don't you stay in one country Mr. Hiro? You would be a huge asset to any nation."
"Well," I said taking a break. "I'm not the settle down type, I just wander the world doing anything to find answers."
"You're like a sage,"
"More like a bum really, I do admire the CPU's, quite a bit in fact,"
"Well, that's only natural I guess, by why would someone like you care about CPU's?"
"Because of the power you hold within yourselves, your strength, wisdom, tenacity, attitude, the aspects you all have are things I couldn't dream of having."
"...I don't think that's true at all." Nepgear said seriously. "You are strong enough to live for years alone, away from civilization without companions, you look for your purpose in life, and maybe you may have to do some things bad to get it, but at heart I can tell you have the makings of a CPU,"
I didn't have any response. In over a decade I hadn't heard any real compliments aside from the occasional "thank you very much" or "you can do a lot" I'd get from people.
Suddenly Neptune barged in,
"Hey! Hiro, come with me for a minute." she said taking my hand and standing me up.
"What? Aren't I supposed to be doing this stuff? Or are you gonna finish it." I asked sarcastically.
"No, I heard there was a monster problem and I want you to come help. There's a whole ton of them"
"...fine..." I said not caring.
Several miles out in a large green field there were an army's' worth of Dogoos, slime like blue creatures that had pet-like qualities. Not only that, a few Ancient dragons and ice whales as well. Everything was here.
"that's them" Neptune said equipping a katana. I did the same taking out a handgun and aiming it.
Our little extermination began, Neptune cutting apart dozens and me shooting down just as much. Even so, the horde didn't end. It was only a matter of time before either Neptune or I gets overwhelmed, it happened, Neptune was caught in the back by a red dogoo.
"Gyaa!" Neptune said falling to the ground.
"Shit! I gotta help," I thought.
"Wait!" a voice said to me,
"Who's there!?"
"Just leave her to be, once she's done for you can claim her power that you envy so much!"
"What!? The hell are you talking about, she can go HDD and she'll be fine.!" "Neptune! Hurry, go HDD now!"
"A-alright!" Neptune jumped up and held a small crystal shape in her hand. "HDD! Activate!"
However, whe she said this, nothing happened.
"Huh? HUUUH!?"
"What's going on?"
"I won't let her, now, take her power, take all the CPU's power, obtain that pwer and you will get your answers! The one thing you truly want above all else"
"I… I… I will… I will not!" shouting to the voice in my head I charged forward shooting down anything in my path. Quickly getting to Neptune I realized my mistake, I didn't check my back and was soon surrounded once more.
"This is the end I guess maybe I should've just settled down, neither of us would be doing this, no, I lived my life, I may have some regrets, but I'll get over it." I said picking up Neptune's sword in my other hand. Ready for my last effort to end in vain I saw something. Nepgear in HDD form had rocketed towards us holding her sword gun firing several lasers at the surrounding monsters.
"Onee-chan! Hiro!"
"Neptune-san! Young boy!"
We were saved by Nepgear and a girl who introduced herself as "B-Sha". Good timing at it's absolute best,
"Onee-chan! Why didn't you transform!?" Nepgear demanded.
"Well, I uh, I don't really know why,"
"Wait, Nepgear, what do you mean?" I asked.
"Well Neptune, rather Purple Heart, had a plan to test you. To help you realize who you were and also to make you a friend. She was going to transform but act like she was still in danger but when she really was in danger I had to come as fast as I could
"...no," I said. "I had second guessed myself, thinking about letting things happen, I'm no friend. I'm sorry."
Neptune stood in front of me and looked me dead in the eye.
"Listen here Hiro! It doesn't matter what you were thinking before you acted. What matters is that you did act!" she said. "You can feel free to imagine everything under the sun, but you helped me and that's what mattered! You ARE a friend Hiro. if you weren't you wouldn't have done that for me, risking your own life for someone else."
Friend, I had little to no idea of the word after so long. I could barely comprehend what she was telling me.
"Friend… me, a friend." I said. I paused for a second and recollected myself. "Understood, Neptune, thank you for being my first friend in years."
"Yay!" Neptune cheered. "Now let's celebrate!"
In celebration of a new friend Neptune Invited the other Goddesses over so Hiro could meet them.
"You this is Hiro-kun yes?" Vert had asked. "You're something to look at." she said smiling.
"W-what?" Hiro asked. Vert showing him a mirror showed mid Black hair with Dark brown red eyes. Practically a perfect face.
"I-, I've never seen my own face before." Hiro said in disbelief
"So he's also a loner. And he's good looking, he's, he's" Noire thought staring at him
"Heard he had no friends till now, sound familiar Noire?" Blanc said staring at her.
"H-Hey! I do too have friends! H-he's a friend now,"
"Hey, Hiro," vert said from behind Noire. Vert suddenly kicked Noire towards Hiro causing them to fall to the ground. Noire had landed and been set on top of Hiro in a rather "exciting" position.
"Gyaaa!" Noire shouted jumping away completely flustered.
Everyone laughed, aside from Noire, even Hiro had to grin at an embarrassed Noire even though he too felt weird, he'd never been in a relationship before so something like this was new to him.
"Gamindustri's next headliner, Noire gets bold. Lonely heart gets a new friend." Neptune declared.
"Hey!" Noire said.
A portal opened in the middle of the room. Out of it came another person. She resembled Neptune, hair in a ponytail wearing what looked like a dress crossed with pajamas
"Everyone~ I'm here~" the girl said.
"Hey, Pururun! Glad you could make it!" Neptune said greeting the girl.
"Who's this Neptune?" Hiro asked.
"This is Plutia, CPU of the other Planeptune, the other me,"
"Nice to meet you hiro-kun~"
"Likewise" Hiro said shaking her hand.
"Now, Hiro, if you will follow Pururun to the room over there we have a surprise for you." Neptune explained.
"o-okay?"
Following Plutia to the room everyone else had stayed outside of the room.
"Huh?"
"Sorry about this Hiro" Neptune said. "But ya did say you thought about letting me die, think about this as payback" she said eyes filled with pity.
"O-Onee-chan, don't you think this is a bit too much?" Nepgear asked.
"I think this'll be interesting" Vert said putting a camera on the wall
"H-hey!" Hiro shouted but was ignored.
"Well, it's also kinda an initiation, everyone's been through it anyway, so he's gotta go too. Again, super duper sorry about this Hiro!" Neptune said before shutting the door.
"Locked in a room with Plutia? I have a weird feeling" Hiro thought.
"Now, let's begin~~" Plutia said being enveloped in a light. When the light disappeared Plutia had disappeared. In her place was a taller, older, and much more terrifying woman in revealing "clothes". An unshakable fear surged through Hiro's body, every instinct from his years shouting danger, but he was frozen still in fear.
"Now" the woman spoke. "Time for your punishment, hehehehe"
END