*Flash*

Nepgear held up her sword to weakly block a slash from Netherrealm who was in Battle Mode. She cried out when she dropped her sword. Netherrealm put the blade to Nepgear's throat. He groaned in frustration at Nepgear's fear. "What the hell was that? Is that all you've got? Enemies won't hesitate to kill you! You're supposed to be the CPU! Act like it!" Netherrealm exclaimed with a dark glare. Nepgear blubbered, about to cry. "Netty! That's enough!" Neptune exclaimed as she pushed Netherrealm away from Nepgear.

Nepgear looked at her older sister with stars in her eyes as Neptune defended her. "She's just a kid, Netty! Your methods don't work! Get that through your head already!" Neptune scolded her sworn brother and pressed her finger on his cuirass. His glowing white eyes narrowed before smacking Neptune's hand away.

"That's no excuse Neptune! You asked me to train her and she's made no progress! You coddle her way too much!" Netherrealm argued. Neptune's eye twitched. "Coddle her too much?! Netty I know you never had a Mom in your life but no need to take that out on Nepgear!" Neptune rebutted. Netherrealm jerked his head to the side. Silently challenging his 'older sister'.

The two stepped to the side. Netherrealm drew his blade got into his stance. Palm on the pommel, body bent back, blade pointed at Neptune. One hand on the handle. Neptune took out her katana and got in her stance. Legs spread, two hands on the handle, and blade pointed up. The two rushed at each other with a battle cry.

Nepgear watched in both awe and fear at the sheer speed their blades moved. Hearing the sound of grunts and metal crashing. Histoire floated next to Nepgear with an amused expression. "Worry not Nepgear, this is part of how those two work. This is a stressful time and they need a release. But this is also how some people communicate, through fighting," Histoire explained. Nepgear turned to look at Histoire in disbelief.

Neptune flipped over a stab and landed behind Netherrealm. He snapped around and kicked Neptune in the ribs. She shook her head and kicked Netherrealm's ribs. The two locked blades and Neptune was being pushed back from Netherrealm's sheer stature. She fell backward and cartwheeled away from Netherrealm. Kicking him in the jaw as she did so.

Nepgear continued to watch the clash. She saw that their blades flew out of their grips. The two resorted to a slug fest. They both kicked each other. The simultaneous hits caused them to stumble back. Nepgear watched as they limped. Struggling to continue to fight. Neptune fell on her butt, then rolled backward and used her hands to spring back to her feet. "Now we can stop them," Histoire told Nepgear. Who ran to her older sister. Nepgear grabbed Neptume's hand and smiled at her. Neptune quickly calmed down at that sight, giving Nepgear a hug.

Histoire floated up to Netherrealm who refused to kneel. Breathing heavily. He took off his mask. His skin turned from charcoal black to a normal Caucasian. His solid white eyes became normal, his violet Iris and solid black pupil returning. His shaved black hair glistened with sweat. Netherrealm watched as Neptune and Nepgear talked with each other. He hated the pity Neptune gave him when she made him her sworn brother.

Histoire floated over to him. "You are to never train Nepgear again. You are far too quick to anger and go too overboard. Even with all you learned, you've still refused to move on from Seiryū. Grow up Netherrealm," Histoire tore at him very coldly. Before scoffing and returning to the sisters. Netherrealm picked up his sword and stared into his reflection. Before storming off.

*Flash*

Nepgear walked out of the Basilcom. Histoire had told her to do some Guild quests for Shares. Nepgear can build up strength, and resources until they're ready to make a proper move. She felt listless and drained. She just couldn't do it. So instead went to a cafe to gather her thoughts.

She took a seat outside under an umbrella. At least everyone didn't know who she was, adding a sudden crowd focused on her onto all the existing stress would likely prove sufficient to make her faint right then and there. She sipped a cup of coffee. "Mind if I sit here?" The voice of an elderly woman brought Nepgear out of her thoughts for a second. She nodded and heard the chair scrape as the woman sat with her.

She is a small old woman. Her features are sharp and her black eyes have a wild, wolf-like tinge about them. She wore a white kimono with red trim. Wooden sandals over her socks. Her body is painted ashen white. Underneath her eyes are red lines and on her forehead is a red circle. Her gray hair was styled in a bun.

Nepgear looked down at her coffee. She just can't do it. If Neptune couldn't do it. Then what chance does she have? Her chest felt tight as she thought about the wires. How they slithered around her body, how cold to the touch they were. How tired it made her feel when she managed to build up the slightest drop of Share Energy, only for it to be drawn out of her by some of them that had been connected to her body. How useless she was to stop the long needles at the ends of those wires from being stuck into her body. How the world might just be better off without her. The old lady took a sip of the coffee she ordered.

Nepgear had nothing to offer. She thought of Netherrealm yelling at her. How crushed she felt with every loss in their sparring matches. How her big sister always had to come to her rescue. Maybe the next CPU Candidate will be more useful than her. Nepgear closed her eyes. Wishing she could go to sleep and not wake up.

"What's wrong Missy?" The old lady asked Nepgear. Nepgear looked up at her and blinked. Her eyes felt wet and her nose was running. She realized she was crying in public. Nepgear mentally kicked herself further for that embarrassing public display.

"I'm sorry Ma'am," Nepgear apologized. The old lady scoffed and waved her hand in dismissal. "I've seen grown ass men cry. Ain't nothing wrong with crying. If you need to cry, no one should stop you from letting it out," she said and Nepgear nodded to show she's listening.

"Talk. Something's eating ya," the old lady urged. Nepgear looked around and sighed. "My name is Nepgear, I… I'm supposed to be the CPU Candidate. But I just can't do this. I'm not strong enough… My sister should be standing in this city, not me," Nepgear said as she started to sob. All the emotions she held in being let out. She put her head down on the table to muffle her crying.

The old lady merely got up and rubbed Nepgear's back. "Chin up kid. You got a future ahead of you. You are the future. Don't let some old bat like me or your sister stop ya. You're here for a reason. So step up, this is your fate," She advised and Nepgear sniffled.

"The name's Okami. I run a tattoo shop. Before that… Well, I've seen all kinds of things. All kinds of people. I've made mistakes myself. But kid, don't give up before you've even started," Okami said. As Nepgear stopped crying, absorbing that knowledge.

Nepgear pulled herself up. Her eyes were red and face wet. Okami took a napkin and started to rub it on Nepgear. Drying the CPU Candidate off. "Now, you have a nation to save. So save it," Okami encouraged. Nepgear nodded and in thanks, paid for both of their meals.

Nepgear waved goodbye to Okami and ran to the Guildhall. She was able to grab a simple "kill five Dogoos" mission. Nepgear wasn't a fighter by nature like her sister was. So she needed to train, train hard to unlock her inner warrior. Facing a few easy monsters was her first training session.

In the Virtua Forest, Nepgear was in front of one Dogoo. It jumped at her and she brought out the handle of a sword. With a flip of a switch and a snap-hiss the blade flashed to life. She blocked the body blow, closing her eyes momentarily. The Dogoo took the opportunity to nail Nepgear in the stomach. She stumbled back with the wind knocked out of her. She breathed heavily as she entered a stance similar to Neptune's.

She remembers Netherrealm's first lesson. "Keep your eyes open. Don't close them or flinch. You must stand your ground," his voice repeated the lesson in her mind. Nepgear countered a jump from a Dogoo with an overhead slash. It flew into the tree. But it was still alive.

Nepgear gulped as it attacked again. Nepgear jumped to the side to avoid it. "When you see an opening. Do not hesitate. Your enemies will exploit your openings. So you must exploit theirs," Netherrealm growled in Nepgear's mind. She raised her sword up as the Dogoo passed her. She slashed at the back of it. Then watched it roll across the ground for a second.

Nepgear ran forward with a battle cry and put her sword in a reverse grip. She raised it up and stabbed it in the ground to finish the monster off. It rolled away and Nepgear groaned in frustration. She pulled her sword out of the ground and fell on her butt. The Dogoo slithered between her legs. "GYAAAAA!!!" Nepgear screamed as her face became… something funny to say the least. She raised her fist up and slammed it down on the Dogoo. Finally making it splatter. Her fist was buried in the dirt due to her divine strength.

She whined at how much of a screw up that first real fight was. Then she got to her feet and pulled her now dirty fist up. She patted her clothes down and picked up her still activated sword. "Goo?" A voice asked behind her. Nepgear flinched at the sound. She turned around shakily to see five Dogoos in the brushes staring at her. Nepgear screamed and ran away as they pursued her. More joining the chase for the pretty lady.

"You have a nation to save. So save it."

Nepgear sat on a hill, fifteen puddles of jelly surrounded her. Her clothes were ripped and wet. Showing off her bra and panties to the world. Her face is red and her sword is deactivated. She had to face a horde because her panties flashed in front of a few of those mysteriously pervy Dogoos. 'Sixteen down in total,' Nepgear counted. She ran to this hill and almost died on it. She groaned and whined at how sore her body was. As she wasn't used to this type of exertion.

Nepgear had gotten home and changed into clean clothes. Before heading back into the guild to turn in her quest. Gaining some money and hopefully a few Shares for Planeptune out of the experience. She headed back to the Basilcom for the night. To finally rest after a draining day.

…

Nepstation!

Neptune: "Yoohoo Planeptune, welcome to the first ever broadcast of Nepstation! Today we're gon- huh?"

Netherrealm crashes through the ceiling onto his stomach. He immediately gets up and tackles Neptune out of her chair, before taking her place.

Netherrealm: "Nevermind that idiot, this is Netstation!"

Neptune: "Netty, the hell?!"

Netherrealm: "Don't worry, you can still be my co-host."

Neptune: "Uhh... Alright, sure!"

Neptune sits next to Netherrealm as she looks at him warily. A picture of a tearful Nepgear running through Planeptune with ripped clothes showed up on the left corner of the screen.

Netherrealm: "For our story today. Nepgear is running from some paparazzi. Now pictures of her butt are circulating through the net. They don't even know she's Purple Sister, yet Planeptune's Shares spiked anyway with people calling this a gift from Purple Heart.

Neptune: "Heh, I don't blame them. My baby sister has a great butt. Just like mine!"

Neptune stands on the desk and shakes her butt for the camera. Netherrealm crosses his arms and looks at Neptune. Who then gets off the desk and sits back in her chair.

Netherrealm: "For the preview of the next episode Netherdimension Neptunia Mk2! It is, Of Madness and Monsters! Stay tuned!"

Netherrealm and Neptune wave to the camera goodbye.

Netstation!