Chapter 1: The Sages Syndicate Alliance
The goddess Purple Heart, or as she was better known as Neptune, walked into the living room of her Basilicom. In her favorite casual parka hoodie, she plopped down on the couch with a cup of pudding, yawning and shaking her head of scruffy, lilac-colored hair which was adorned with D-pad clips. "Whew. Time for some gaming after a hard day's working."
Neptune nearly switched the power button of her Planeptune Jupiter on when a very petite, blonde girl with long, purple robes and wings floated on a book over towards her. "If by working, you mean moving your butt from the bedroom to the kitchen, enough to make a pudding and then onto the couch, then I question your authenticity as a goddess."
Neptune sweatdropped at first, trying to smile, "I mean, yeah. It's still work, right? But let's not sweat the small stuff, Histy."
"I agree, Neptune." Histoire said in her usual calm demeanor, making Neptune sigh in relief, but not a second later, Histoire went full circle. "WHICH IS WHY I AM SWEATING OVER THE BIG STUFF!"
"Yikes. Histy are you… pissty?" Neptune's eyes whitened in cartoonish shock.
"What does it look like, Neptune?! Day by day I put up with your insolent laziness! Whether I have gotten used to the little things or merely desensitized by them is one thing, but when you extend that laziness to the big things like keeping your fellow CPUs waiting then I START TO LOSE! MY! COOL!" Histoire floated in front of Neptune and yanked on her cheeks with the last three words, continuing to hold onto the little goddess's face. "I spent nearly 15 minutes trying to get you to wake up! I tried knocking, shouting, even saying 'game service' in hopes that you'd sleepwalk over to the door!"
"Wait… why didn't the soundtrack change?" Neptune asked. Histy raised an eyebrow, uttering a confused noise as she let go of Nep's face. "You know, the soundtrack always changes to 'Mini Car' every time someone has a tantrum."
"First off, that won't work! We are in a work of fan fiction, Neptune. The readers can't hear music from a document! Second, don't change the subject on me! Are you even listening?!" Neptune's eyes wandered to which Histoire folded her little arms, a shade of darkness befalling her eyes. "Very well, if you don't call Blanc back within 5 minutes, I'm going to vaporize your pudding!"
Neptune pulled the cup of pudding closer to her chest, her eyes widening as she nervously sweatdropped. "Wh-whoa! Hey now! Leave the pudding out of this. What did it ever do to you?"
"Exactly what I intend it to do. Get you to cooperate!" Histy then stood up on her book, pointing angrily. "Now get your butt on the computer to call Blanc! And no games!" When Neptune asked what Blanc wanted, Histy folded her arms with a huff before storming out, saying "You'll just have to find out yourself!"
Nep raised a concerned eyebrow as Histoire floated away. Histy seemed more upset than usual. I better get to calling Blanc. Neptune quickly jumped onto the video chat, making her call to the Lowee goddess with a lively smile, "Helloooo, Blanny Blanny Bii!"
A little sigh escaped Blanc's lips as she closed her eyes indifferently. "Well you're chipper as ever, Neptune. I should have known you'd kept me waiting. I told Histoire how important it was that we speak."
"Well, I'm here now, so let's not sweat the small stuff and tell me already." Nep smiled.
"This is hardly small stuff, but very well. See, recently I got an unexpected visit from an old friend of ours."
"OOH! Was it a puffy, pink ball from outer space who came in on a shooting star with an appetite for destruction?" Neptune smiled.
"What have you been playing?" Before Neptune could answer, Blanc continued, "No! I don't wanna know. And no, SHE wasn't. Now if you'll allow me to continue-…"
"Neeppyyyy" a familiar blue-haired girl with a braided ponytail called out, before swinging her arms wildly, losing her balance with a yell as she fell into Blanc.
"What the hell, Plutia!?" Blanc yelled, to which the girl lackadaisically apologized.
"Well I'll be an old Sega reference! What are you doin' here, Plutie?! How are P-ko and the others doing?" Neptune grinned, excited. Plutia gave a confused 'uuhh', bemused eyes drifting off into space as she placed a single finger on her chin.
"I was just getting to that." Blanc stated "She isn't entirely sure how she got here. Rather she said she was fighting… er… who were they again?"
"Oh yeeeaaah…" Plutia smiled "Ya see….. I was tracking those bunch of dummies from… who were they again?" Plutia's eyes wandered skyward as Blanc facepalmed.
"Yep. That's our little Plutie for ya. It's a wonder she shares the name with the farthest planet in the solar system." Nep sweatdropped.
Blanc sighed, "Don't be silly Neptune. The Milky Way doesn't exist here. Anyways, the group she was combating was one you had fought before in Ultradimension. Something like… the Seven Mages or something?"
Plutia piped up, "Ooohh yeeeaahhh. I was tracking down the Seven Sages, as they seem to be up to their old no goodies again. But then… something happened…" Neptune leaned in towards the screen as Blanc gave Plutia a 'go on' kind of look. "Well… I don't remember exactly. According to Blanc, I was in HDD form when I fell through here. Then I passed out and changed back."
"Thank goodness." Blanc and Neptune mumbled.
"Huuuh? Did you say something, guys?" Plutie asked
Blanc quickly changed the topic. "U-um! Yes, since her arrival, Plutia's been rather weak. She slept for near a day."
"Yyyup!... I've been really sleepy. But I'm feelin' better every moment." Plutia smiled brightly in her usual Plutie way.
"That's right, Blanc." Nep grinned "Don't tell me you don't spend entire days sleeping. A girl needs her beauty sleep after all."
"Afraid not, because unlike a certain Planeptune CPU, I have lots of work to attend to. But let's get back to the topic at hand." Blanc stated plainly. Nep scratched her head, unsure of which Planeptune CPU she meant. "There's more than just Plutie's arrival that is at hand. Rumors around Lowee have been popping up that suspicious activity has been occurring in the area of Donkong Ruins, which began spawning shortly after Plutia arrived here."
"What sort of suspicious activity?" Neptune asked.
"Liiiiiiiiiiiggghhhts." Plutia's eyes whitened as she raised both her hands, much to Neptune's bemusement.
"Let me explain." Blanc stated. "Strange lights and monstrous noises of which the Loweean citizens have never heard have been coming from Donkong Ruins. So I've sent Marvelous AQL to scout ahead."
"Ya sendin' out Marvy?! Why not check it out yourself?" Neptune's eyes widened in surprise.
"Marvy's the best in her field. Hand-picked from Lowee's Takaki Academy. Until we can get confirmation on whether this is actually a threat or not, I have too much work to do here in the Basilicom. You know, running a country, having twin sisters, stuff like that."
Plutia nodded "I'd go myself, but I was still too weak at the time. Even now, If I transform, I'm sure to get tired."
"You don't worry yourself on these matters, Plutie." Nep chuckled nervously "You just take your time and get well! We'll handle things from here, right Blanc?"
"Who's this 'we' you're talkin' about, Neptune? I thought someone needed their beauty sleep." Blanc stared with unamused eyes at Neptune.
"Hey. I may like to sleep, but that doesn't mean I can't do my goddess things too!" Nep perked up. "Do the others know about this?"
"That only goes to show how little you pay attention. I was in a call with the others while Histoire said you were busy sleeping. I even sent you a G-Mail about it." Blanc replied.
"That's our Neppy." Plutia giggled. Neptune grumbled.
"I mean it, Neptune. Make sure you're on alert until Marvy comes back. If anything out of the ordinary happens, contact us, alright?" Blanc said.
Nep finished up with Blanc and Plutia, but for the rest of the day an uneasy feeling broiled within her about the uncertainty of recent events.
Amidst the stone and moss-covered ruins of Donkong, a flash of wind was all that could be heard in silence of the shadows. MarvelousAQL, Lowee's resident Ninja, moved swiftly through the old ruins, leaping between the rocks and crevices. This is strange. Why is the place cleared out of monsters? I haven't had to engage in a single fight so far. Marvy leapt over a stone gate and crouched behind a rock when she heard faint voices. She began a slow crawl, discovering a convenient hole underneath a mound of rock, to which she could listen in closer as she spotted a group of people including an old businessman, a short but hot-tempered girl, a couple of large robots and a fellow in pink armor.
"Tricksty, are you sure that you can keep Judge under control? His requests at sparring have turned into threats as of late and you know I'm not that kind of man." The pink armored man said in a rather feminine voice.
"Like yeah!" The short girl stated. "If my life is gonna be on the line, I am out of here!"
"You'll do no such thing!" The large, yellow machine named Trick replied "CFW Magic has her ways if Judge gets out of hand. Or am I gonna have to give you a lickin', Abnes cutie?"
"Don't you dare touch me!" Abnes snapped, "I'm only here because you promised it was this plan that would remove the CPUs from power! Now where is Magic?! If this turns out to be a waste of my time, I'll be pissed!"
"Indeed. If this investment is a waste, I will pull out." The old businessman grumbled.
A tall, more muscular robot named Braved stepped forward. "Patience, companions. You all signed onto this alliance through bond oaths. Break them and ASIC will hunt you down."
"Like hell you would!" The old businessman retorted. "Your precious ASIC would be but a speck of dust without the investments of the Sages! Don't make us regret this."
Marvy's eyes widened in fearful anticipation. The Seven Sages… AND ASIC? This is bad. I thought we either destroyed them or they disbanded!
The yellow, metallic lizard hopped his stubby body forward towards the old businessman. "Need I remind you, Mr. Badd; who came to ASIC when Lastation's military general nearly sent them to the Gamindustri Graveyard? So don't make me laugh with talk of 'investments'. The plan will proceed. These yoma, particularly the Ayakashi, have the ability to cross-breed with Gamindustri monsters! A recipe for the ultimate army." Trick laughed, smacking a giant cage full of monsters. Perturbed, Abnes took a couple steps back.
Marvy gasped. So that's where all the monsters went? I almost feel bad for those poor things. Retreating to the little cove of rocks, Marvy began typing in a number on her wrist, Marvy then spoke into her headset. "This is MarvelousAQL, come in Blanc! The news went from code blue to red! ASIC has survived somehow! What's more is they've teamed up with the Seven Sages. They're planning some kind of weird monster crossbreeding! Warn the other nations and-… wait… AH!"
Marvy's headset fell from her as a laser beam nearly struck her. "I Thought my sensors were picking up something!" the pink armored fellow said. "Allow me to introduce myself! I am Anonydeath. Might we have yours, little spy?"
"You may call me vanished!" Marvy said reaching for smoke bombs.
"I don't think so. Licky, licky!"came the voice of Trick. Marvy yelped as she felt a gigantic tongue come out and envelope her. "Eh, it just isn't the same when she's all big and busty like this."
"URGH! Let me go!" Marvy cried. "We know you're here now!"
A woman clad in black, spiked armor and an eyepatch came forth. "A spy, now?" I'm afraid we can't have your friends coming here now. But… would they risk doing anything if they knew your life was on the line?"
"Magic! We need to have a talk! About this Sphere thing you had me collect." Abnes demanded.
"Wait your turn, Abnes, we have a guest to attend to." Magic's tone made Abnes back up and stay quiet.
"We aren't actually going to harm her, are we Magic dear?" Anonydeath asked.
"Of course, not… as long as she and the other CPUs cooperate." CFW Magic said, twirling her purple side ponytail with one arm.
"I will never tell you anything. It doesn't matter what kind of torture you put me through!" Marvy's voice echoed resolutely.
"Tough talk for someone who's about to take a beating." Magic stated, drawing her scythe. "Let us see what your CPU friends think once they see you broken."
"I WON'T ALLOW IT!" came a deep, feminine voice. Suddenly Marvy felt the grip of the huge tongue releasing her as CFW Trick screamed in pain. A hand reached out, helping her up. "A ninja letting herself get snuck up on? You're getting' rusty, Marvy."
Marvy looked up to see a girl with a long, blue-haired ponytail sporting a loose blue and white jacket with a blue miniskirt and a giant blade in her hands. "Tamsoft!? You're still alive!"
"Hell yeah, I am! It takes more than being a minor character to keep me down!" Tamsoft turned her attention to ASIC and the Sages. "I don't know who you are, but anyone who hurts my friend is the enemy!"
By now, the other members of the combined alliance had arrived. Magic's brow furrowed in irritation. "How rude of you to interrupt us without introduction. And you may refer to us as the SSA, the Sages Syndicate Alliance. Let it be the last name YOU REMEMBER!"
Marvy looked up, a small tear beginning to form. Her heart exploding with an emotional storm which cancelled itself out into a blank stare. "T-Tammy? After all this time…"
"We'll talk later! Come on, Marvy! Let's get the hell out of here!" Tamsoft said, grabbing her arm.
"Oh, you awre goig to pay for dat, you lille wresh! Lirally! You owe ee a ew togue!" Trick slurred on his words as he pointed to the tongue that lay on the ground.
Marvy began running with Tamsoft as fast as they could out of the ruins, the SSA not far behind them. While Tamsoft and Marvelous were fast, the enemy had become accustomed to the ruins. Almost reaching the exit, the stone wall to their right began moving as a giant black and green robot with skulls decorating him came out, blocking their way.
"You're not getting out of this so easily!" the robot named Judge swung his halberd menacingly.
"Heh. So you think." Tamsoft smirked, drawing her sword. "Hope you like gettin' burned, ya oversized toaster! Cause I'm about to turn up the heat!"
"Rather cocky for a little girl!" Judge said. Blades clashed as Marvy and Tamsoft struck with all their might, but Judge managed to push them back.
"Be careful, Tammy! This one's strong!" Marvy shouted.
"Hehe! I can see that. But so am I!" Tamsoft grinned, dashing towards Judge, executing short warping black bursts to dodge his mace swinging down before jumping up in front of him to summon a dark pair of astral swords.
Marvy quickly rushed into action, engaging Judge alongside Tamsoft. But as Judge's powerful blows shook the ground, Marvy and Tammy were too quick, jumping all around climbing on his arms, making the big bot punch himself. But as Tamsoft soon got Judge's attention, out of the corner of Marvy's eye she saw Mr. Badd charging up an energy blast from his mech. I won't lose her again! "TAMMYYY!" Marvy leapt in front of the combatants, taking a full paralysis blast, tearing up her outfit and exposing her slender thighs and bouncy beachballs.
"Marvelous!" Tamsoft shouted, but then took a full slap from Judge's 5-foot (1.5m) hand. Struggling to her knees as quickly as she could, she crawled over to Marvy, who's body sparked with paralysis. "You dummy! Why did you do that?!"
"T-… Tam…" through the paralysis, Marvy could barely speak, weakly reaching up and placing her hand on Tamsoft's arm. Just then, Tamsoft found weapons pointed at her face.
"On your feet!" CFW Magic commanded, to which Tammy reluctantly complied. "Good girl." Magic smugly said, when a blow to the back of the head blackened Tamsoft's vision.