Netherrealm woke up in a snowy field. He sat up and looked around. Pale blue hair fell in front of his face. Even though he kept himself shaven. He looked at his hands to see clawed gauntlets. He looked to his right to see a battle axe. He picked up the battle axe and looked at his reflection.
"What the hell?!" He exclaimed, inside the reflection is White Heart. He looked up to see three streaks of light fly past him, one purple, one grey and one green. "What the hell is going on?" He wondered and he fully stood up.
In the distance is snowy Lowee, a place he never wanted to return to. "Lady White Heart!" A voice called out to him. "I'm not White Heart!" Netherrealm said as he turned to the voice. It's a woman, a maid to be exact. She has long red hair and orange eyes. "We were worried when the CPUs knocked you out of the sky. Come, let us return," The Maid said, grabbing Netherrealm's wrist.
Netherrealm was dragged into Lowee, the people bowing to him. It felt strangely cathartic to see a place that hunted him down bow to him. The Lowee Basilicom is a white castle. Beautifully constructed and a place he never could enter. Yet the gates opened for him like he had the key under the mattress.
The inferior has baby blue walls and dark blue carpets. Many rooms lined the cozy, yet regal home. Netherrealm was taken to a tower, which is a command center with many screens. A couple of people tapped at keyboards. Netherrealm sat down on a large, comfy chair at the 'helm'.
He looked at a particular screen, there was Neptune, IF, Compa, Noire and another woman with long blonde hair and a green dress. Their conversation was being recorded for Netherrealm to hear. "Something's up with White Heart. She's been acting out of character," Noire said. "Yuppers, she usually goes for head on assaults. She normally isn't quiet," Neptune replied. "Still, whatever the case, she can never find out about Number 1," The Blonde Woman said.
"This feels weird, this has to be a dream," Netherrealm complained, rubbing his forehead. "Listen, Number 1 must be what they've stopped feuding over. It's gotta be the key to your victory," The Maid said, sitting on the armchair of White Heart's chair. "I'm not sure, i'm not sure about anything anymore," Netherrealm replied, Seiryū flashed through his mind.
He could still feel it, warm blood splattering his fists and cooling off. His heart pounding in his ears. His fist making contact with Seiryū's face. His failure to stop him from dying. The burning guilt eats away at him.
"If Lady White Heart's not sure, imagine how I feel," A Basilicom Worker said to the guy next to him. "Yeah! Double! That goes double for me!" The other worker replied. "That goes triple for me!" The Basilicom worker argued back. The two began to argue about who's the least sure. "WILL YOU LITTLE SHITS SHUT THE HELL UP?!" Netherrealm yelled with shadows covering his face and his right eye burning red.
The two workers babbled and stammered in fear. Before recollecting themselves, saying, "Be seeing ya". Then they scrambled out of the room. "Nice touch," The Maid complimented Netherrealm. "What do you mean?" Netherrealm asked. "White Heart's voice, you wanted them frightened, and it certainly did the trick," The Maid explained.
"I didn't want to frighten them, I wanted them to be quiet," Netherrealm mumbled a bit shamefully. "But that voice was so strong and commanding. Definitely not a weak little boy's," The Maid said with a seductive wink. "No, it's something much worse. It represents everything I hate!" Netherrealm said coldly. He clenched his fists as everyone who, White Heart, or Arfoire had killed that were close to Netherrealm flashed through his vision.
"Is that everything you hate? Or everything you're afraid of becoming?" The Maid asked with a soothing, yet dangerous tone. "This is getting too weird. I've gotta find Number 1, maybe then this will all make sense," Netherrealm said, a goal in mind.
At the Planeptune Basilicom, the Multi-Platformers were at the meeting room. "Lady Neptune! We spotted a bogey heading this way!" A worker said over a holoscreen. "A bogey? It has to be White Heart," Noire said to Neptune. The door to the meeting room slammed open, and Netherrealm stomped inside with an aura of confidence and authority.
"Neptune! We need to talk! Now!" Netherrealm demanded. "No way Whitie! I don't know how you got in, but i'm sending you out!" Neptune rebuked and she jumped at Netherrealm. He caught Neptune by the shoulders, forcing Neptune to look at Netherrealm. "Neptune, if this was a dream, then I could end it. Right here and now, but I won't," Netherrealm growled. He placed Neptune down gently.
"I need you to trust me," Netherrealm asked and the Multi-Platformers glared at him. "Why should we trust you White Heart?" IF asked with hostility. "No! Not White Heart! Guys, it's me, i'm Netherrealm," Netherrealm said, looking at everyone for any validation. "She's crazier than Kyoken!" Neptune whispered to The Blonde Woman.
"You're not my friend! You're not Netty!" Compa yelled at Netherrealm. Hearing those words coming from the woman he loves. It hurt, it is a crushing cold pain. "You've gotta believe me! Maybe if I can find Number 1! He could help!" Netherrealm said in an desperate attempt to appeal to everyone.
"I knew it! This was all a trick to get Number 1! Demonic Inferno!" IF exclaimed, a beam of fire shooting from her right arm. It impacted Netherrealm in the chest, who slid back in shock. He dug his heels into the floor as he is further pushed out. He roared in pain and anger as Noire helped IF by firing a stream of black lightning.
"Stop! You could never be my friend! Netty could never be as heartless as you!" Compa yelled with tears in her eyes. Netherrealm had a crushed expression on his face. "P-Please Compa! I've changed! But i'm still Netherrealm!" He gasped out, holding his hand out to Compa. Neptune hugged Compa as she cried into Neptune's shoulder. He is further pushed and pushed by the two beams.
"It's time for White Heart to pay for her crimes!" The Blonde Woman declared. "Be seeing you," Neptune said. Netherrealm tried to jump at them. Yet blue beams snagged his limbs. Forcing him into a plank position. "No!" Netherrealm yelled as he struggled.
A rectangular, white console was brought out. It's one of Lowee's console, the Lowee Mii. A beam shot from the disc hole. It pulled Netherrealm closer, they're going to trap him inside a console! "No! I will not be pushed, crushed, or trapped in anyway!" Netherrealm yelled as a dark, smokey aura leaked off him. "YOU WILL NOT HOLD ME!!" He roared as a dark explosion erupted from him.
At the Lowee Basilicom command center, The Maid was looking in a mirror while sitting in White Heart's chair. She made various facial expressions while fixing her red hair. Netherrealm slammed open the door with a tired and angry expression.
"They didn't believe me," Netherrealm said, downtrodden. "Why should they? To them I'm White Heart, and I did nothing to prove otherwise," Netherrealm lamented as he looked at the clawed gauntlets of White Heart. "What's wrong with being White Heart?" The Maid asked in a mockingly, childish tone. "How can you say that?! Everything about White Heart, about Arfoire is wrong!" Netherrealm snapped at The Maid.
Yes, Netherrealm knows that Arfoire is really masquerading as White Heart as Histoire pointed out. He just can't move on, he's been attributing Arfoire's sins with White Heart for years. It can't just change like that. Because White Heart has been his childhood boogeyman for so long.
The Maid stood up and walked to Netherrealm with a sway in her hips. "The strength, the control, the reputation, the power! Isn't that everything you've wanted?" The Maid asked Netherrealm am armor piercing question. His head hung low as he thought of about it.
C-Sha and the other contestants of tournaments he's bullied. The people he extorted and intimidated when he was a Black Dragon. He had influence and power, he ran the streets of Lowee. He is the Silver Dragon of Planeptune. All of that came from an orphaned kid who lived on the streets. He came from nothing and became something.
"Yeah, that is what I've wanted, but not like this. Not at the expense of Compa and the others," Netherrealm replied to The Maid. "I've gotta make them see that i'm sincere. I have to prove that i'm, Netherrealm," He said, saying his name with a bit of revulsion. "And i'm not taking no for an answer," Netherrealm growled with a sinister expression.
At the Planeptune Basilicom, a blue ball of light floated into the Meeting Room. It's the size of a small child. Yet only Noire, Neptune, and the blonde woman were there. "Well Histy?" Neptune asked the ball of light. "I have decided that you should meet with Number 1," Histoire said to Neptune. "You must've given it a lot of thought," The Blonde Woman said. "No, I called and asked him," Histoire replied. "Oh... Is the rendezvous point still the same?" The Blonde Woman asked. "Affirmative," Histoire said and the three left the room.
Purple Heart, Black Heart and Green Heart flew from the Planeptune Basilicom balcony. They were streaks of light that darted across the sky. Behind them, is Netherrealm with The Maid on his back. The three CPUs entered Lowee and towards an abandoned warehouse. They entered the front door carefully and quietly. While Netherrealm was not far behind, speeding across the air.
"Looks like they're hiding Number 1 in Lowee. Predictable, but unexpected," The Maid said to Netherrealm. She kissed his ear and giggled in a creepy way. "Well if this is a dream! I say we find Number 1 and end it now!" Netherrealm exclaimed with determination. "Spoken like a true ruler!" The Maid yelled with a wide smile.
"You need to stop! You've been freaking me out!" Netherrealm said to The Maid. "I'm just playing, lighten up Lady White Heart," The Maid said 'Lady White Heart' in a mocking way. She kissed Netherrealm's neck, which caused him to shiver. "That's Netherrealm to you, you skank! This insanity stops now!" Netherrealm growled.
He sped up and the door to the warehouse got closer and closer. Yet it was also so familiar. He's been to that warehouse before. He spotted a faded graffiti of a roaring black dragon on the wall. This is where the Black Dragons met up! Netherrealm went there to hang out, it was an escape from the harsh reality of the streets. Spurred on, Netherrealm pushed foward. He slammed open the door and landed on his feet.
Yet, inside wasn't the interior of a warehouse. It was a black abyss all around him. The Maid just dissapeared, like she never existed in the first place. Behind him are large, wooden doors instead of the metal doors of a warehouse. Netherrealm looked to his left to see a child version of Seiryū and, strangely Purple Heart on a teeter-totter. They moved up and down, not acknowledging Netherrealm's presence.
Netherrealm continued his observation by spotting a jury box. All of them are hooded teenagers with obscured faces. Yet all of their hoodies had a black dragon on it. There were two metal poles that fed downward to elevators. IF, wearing black rimmed glasses stood next a tall judge's bench. Netherrealm rubbed his eyes, yet that didn't change what was in front of him. "Where is Number 1?!" Netherrealm demanded, after collecting what remained of his composure.
Some of the Black Dragons banged on the jury box to create a 'beat'. Others headbanged, and the rest waved their hands in the air. Then they began to sing in high pitched, harmonized voices. "Here comes the judge! Here comes the judge! Everybody knows that, here comes the judge!" They sang.
Neptune was lifted onto the judge's bench by an elevator. She nodded her head to the singing with a smug grin. "Here comes the judge! Here comes the judge! Everybody knows that-" The Black Dragons were interrupted when Neptune suddenly snatched up the gavel and slammed it down. "Silence in court!" She demanded.
"The Prosecution will read the charges," Neptune said, leaning foward. "Milady, The Defendant is charged with believing that the ends justify the means, and of becoming everything he claims to hate," IF read the charges. "Well Your Honor-!" Netherrealm was cut off by Neptune. "Jury? How do you find The Defendant?" Neptune asked.
The Jury responded by banging their hands on the jury box repeating 'guilty' a few times in a chorus. "Your Honor... Your Honor! This is no trial! Where the fuck is my defense?!" Netherrealm yelled, his right eye burning red. Neptune stroked her chin and hummed obnoxiously. "Good point! Bring in the character witnesses!" Neptune exclaimed, while rolling the 'R's in a faux English accent.
The two elevators hissed steam as the character witnesses were brought up. "Dem bones! Dem bones! Dem dry~ bones!" C-Sha and Compa sang while rising to their stands. "Dem bones! Dem bones! Dem dry~ bones!" They finished. "And what do you have to say on The Defendant's behalf?" Neptune asked with a closed eyed smile.
"Ugh, he made me a laughing stock! I wanted to be as strong as him! Now, it's just not worth it. He bullied me and other contestants," C-Sha said, crossing her arms over her still flat chest. She parted the bangs of her brown bobcut. "He always yelled at us and threatens us. I'm scared he'll hurt me," Compa sniffled. Netherrealm was stunned as they just doomed him. Yet those words, are true in a sense. Netherrealm took his anger out on people who tried to reach out.
"How does The Jury find The Defendant?!" Neptune asked The Black Dragons. Who repeated a chorus of 'guilty' while slamming their hands down. "Dem bones! Dem bones! Dem dry~ bones!" Dem bones! Dem bones! Dem dry~ bones!" C-Sha and Compa sang as they were lowered back down. The song echoed for a bit before fading out.
Netherrealm looked around at The Jury, IF and Neptune. "...But i'm Netherrealm! I'm your friend! You must believe me!" He begged to IF. "Stop saying you're Netty! You bastard!" IF yelled before running up to Netherrealm. She punched his face, yet it did nothing. He picked IF up by the shoulders, IF kicked and screamed in pain. Before dissolving in his hands almost immediately. "Iffy... What have I done...?" Netherrealm asked, his voice cracking.
"Actions speak louder than words! You betrayed the memory of everyone supposedly loved! How does The Jury find The Defendant?" Neptune asked The Jury once more, and again they repeated 'guilty' a few times while slamming their fists down.
In the blink of an eye, Neptune was walking towards Netherrealm. No longer on the Judge's Bench. She got in his face, while normally Netherrealm was much taller. Being in the body of White Heart meant that they were at similar heights. "Have you have anything to say before I execute you?" Neptune asked, before realizing what she said. She turned to The Jury with a bashful smile. "Sorry! Passed sentence!" Neptune apologized to The Jury.
"Neptune, please... Help me! I have to end this! I have to know who is Number 1!" Netherrealm begged with a strained glare. "Guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty," Neptune chanted with a cold expression. The Jury joined in repeating guilty. "Guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty," They chanted. Now it sounded like the entire abyss was chanting it. They sped up and got louder. Netherrealm's head began to spin as they only got louder.
"Guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty!"
"Guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty!" It continued at nauseam, somehow Neptune was back on the Judge's Bench banging the gavel.
"ENOUGH!!" Netherrealm yelled as he summoned White Heart's axe. With one slash, everything had dissolved. Now Netherrealm was alone in a black abyss. The silence was maddening! He has to be dreaming! He has to find out who is Number 1!
A spotlight shone on him. Netherrealm blinked and checked his hands. He was still in White Heart's body. The Maid was now leaning over his shoulder. "So you've killed everyone. Good..." She said. Netherrealm whipped around, yet no one was there. He turned back around to see a giant version of The Maid's face. "Haven't you figured it out yet? I know I have..." She said as her face glowed into a blinding intensity. Netherrealm had to cover his eyes.
The giant face shattered into light particles and the particles formed into mini YingLongs. All suspended like a child's mobile over a crib. They all began to talk in high pitched German accents. "We all have.." "We ALL have!" "We all have." They repeated this for a bit before stopping completely. Netherrealm raised his fist to the abyss. "TELL ME!! WHO IS NUMBER 1?!" He demanded answers, right now.
The world panned down to a video chat screen that acted as a mirror. Netherrealm stared into the mirror, absolutely infuriated at this joke. He looked away, until the reflection talked. "I am Number 1!" She declared in a deep and sultry tone. It was Arfoire's voice coming from White Heart's mouth. "I am the driving force in your life. I am hatred! I drive you on and consume you," Arfoire explained and gave a hungry smile when she finished.
Netherrealm roared in denial and fear before punching the screen. It shattered and reformed. Just like how Netherrealm is now back in his own body. His reflection was in Battle Mode. "I am Number 1! I care for no one," Netherrealm's reflection declared, while mocking the facade of pride and strength Netherrealm used to survive.
"That's not true! I love Compa!" Netherrealm replied to his reflection. "No you don't, you think of her as a Pocket Ego-Boost," Netherrealm's reflection said cruelly. Netherrealm looked down in shame as he took the harsh insult. The reflection held up one finger. "Just looking out for Number 1~!" The reflection mocked in a singsong voice.
Netherrealm shook with rage at those insinuations. He used his White Lightning Style to shoot a quick beam of lightning. Destroying the screen, and it didn't reform. Yet a second spotlight shone down. Netherrealm's eyes widened as his face turned into one of pure horror. "No! Not you!" Netherrealm gasped.
A little boy, about nine years old, walked out of the abyss into the spotlight. He wore a puffy red coat with white furr, black snow pants. Black mittens and black snowboots. He has cute short black hair and wide violet eyes. This is a little boy who lost everything and grew up into a violent creature. This is a little boy Netherrealm shunned in disgust, finding him too weak. This little boy is Netherrealm before his parents died. When he still had a normal life.
"I am Number 1, the original!" Little Netty declared, pointing to himself with both hands. "Do you think this is a dream? Do you?!" Little Netty asked angrily. "..But how..? You're me..?" Netherrealm asked, at a lost for words. "But you hate me, you must! Just look at what you've become," Little Netty said, looking at his grownup self in disgust.
"You're wrong! I had to become bigger, tougher! I had to be ready for White Heart to survive on my own!" Netherrealm rebuttled indignantly. "Did you like palling around in Lowee? More than your little bro?" Little Netty asked. "No! No I didn't! I couldn't go back," Netherrealm said, his voice cracking with guilt for leaving Seiryū alone.
"'I had no other choice', 'it doesn't matter'. 'I can do whatever I want'," Little Netty mocked potential excuses for Netherrealm being a shit person. "YOU KILLED MY FAMILY!!" Little Netty accused his older self, pointing at him. "MY FAMILY!!" Netherrealm yelled back, pointing at himself with his thumb. "YOU'VE FORGOTTEN YOUR FAMILY!" Little Netty yelled.
"You've let yourself wallow in your own hatred and became a monster," Little Netty said and Netherrealm was shook in anger. "What would Dad and Papa think of you now?" Little Netty asked mockingly. "Dad...? Papa...?" Netherrealm whispered in melancholy. He hasn't being a dragon, he's been a tyrant. The men who took a toddler and infant from a terrible home. Then raised them as their own.
A dragon is strong, wise, a protector and attacker who holds himself high. Netherrealm has only focused on strength and attacking. "'There can be only one dragon'. Be seeing ya," Little Netty mocked one last time. Before Little Netty threw an orange, glowing crystal at him. It melted and refroze, drowning Netherrealm.
Netherrealm yelled as he woke up in the Lastation Basilicom. He looked around, and felt his body. He's back in reality, Netherrealm crawled out of the guest bed. He checked the time on his phone, It's midnight. He heard the sounds of construction outside. Since Lastation still needs to be rebuilt and the deactivated YingLong needs to be moved.
Nothing about that, dream, made sense. It had some information he didn't have. The interiors of the Planeptune and Lowee Basilicoms. An entire person he didn't recognize was there. Netherrealm guessed that was Green Heart's human form. Yet how could he have known that? He filed those questions away. Because he's probably never gonna get those answered anytime soon.
Netherrealm was shirtless wearing only grey sweatpants again. He walked out of his room to take a walk. The Lastation Basilicom was quiet, despite the construction outside. The CPUs coming back down from Celestia has been revealed to the entire world. Since the YingLong Incident was being recorded by international news agencies, like these Dengekiko and Famitsu people.
There were a hundred casualties, that's a hundred too many. People accepted Black Heart back thanks to their religious upbringing. Yet many who lost family and friends weren't too happy. Kei has become Noire's personal Secretary. Chian still runs Passe and Nisa will continue being a vigilante.
Neptune did say that she felt more powerful when Noire made the official statement of the CPUs coming down for the first time in, forever. Planeptune most likely accepted her coming back. She even introduced Compa, IF and himself as Purple Hearts best friends. Along with helping to defeat YingLong. The majority of people loved them.
The Silver Dragon of Planeptune is now known internationally thanks to Neptune. Netherrealm had always been a more obscure figure in the underworld. Now people consider him a hero. His life did a complete one eighty from the vapid excuse of one had before.
"Netty?" Compa asked, wearing her nightgown and slippers. "Hmm?" Netherrealm looked at the nurse-in-training with a tired and bug eyed expression. "Let's get you back to bed, and we'll talk about it," Compa said as she gently grabbed Netherrealm by the arm and shoulder. Leading him to the bedroom he was staying at.
Compa left after guiding him back and returned with two mugs of hot chocolate. "What's going on Netty?" Compa asked. "Am I a bad person?" Netherrealm asked, then sipped on the burning liquid. Compa shook her head at that question. "Netty, you've done bad things that warrant a spanking. But you've helped saved Lastation, all to keep people safe. You could've ran or joined Seiryū. You didn't because you cared," Compa assured Netherrealm.
"I'm afraid, that, that i'll become like White Heart, I mean like Arfoire," Netherrealm forced himself to say. He swallowed his pride once again. "White Heart's been the face that made my life hell for years. Now I know that's it's Arfoire and what she truly looks like. It's hard to change to shift blame like that," Netherrealm admitted shaking as the traumatic memories of The Black Dragons and Seiryū came to light.
"You're not like Arfoire, Netty. You won't ever become like her. You've moved past that phase, you've got to let go. As my Grandpa once said, 'don't let the demons win the custody battle. Because you'll be drinking the rest of your life'," Compa advised. They finished their hot chocolate and Compa went to put the mugs in the kitchen. After coming back, she gave Netherrealm a soft hug. "We care about you, and you care about us. We're friends, and we'll be there for eachother," Compa said softly.
"Hey, can you, stay with me..? For the night of course!" Netherrealm asked, his face turning bright red. Compa giggled and accepted the request. Netherrealm laid down, facing away from Compa. Yet Compa put her arms around his waist. Pressing her large breasts against his back, and tangling their legs. Netherrealm has become 'The Little Spoon'.
!Bond Level Increased!
Compa: 8-9