Ho-Hum and the Alien Visitation

A Hyperdimension Neptunia Fan Fiction

by Derald Snyder

Chapter 46- Blade Duel on the Deck

*Mt. Ebott Summit*

"Hey, quick question before we get this party started," Undyne grunted as she lifted up Peashy in her arms. "Do you guys, like, have giant flying robot mechas and stuff?"

"Eh, we've got one or two big robots, but they don't fly," Neptune said. "The aliens that just arrived, on the other hand..."

"Aliens?! You have aliens, too?!" Undyne's good eye nearly bugged out.

"They just arrived, First Contact and all that stuff," Neptune expounded. "That's why Vert's not here- she's keeping an eye on the aliens in case the bad guys try to attack them again..."

"O-oh my, they must be quite confident of their abilities if they're assaulting the aliens!" Alphys stammered as she adjusted the jetpack.

"Let's just say they know how to pick and choose their fights for the most part," Neptune said. "Alright, launch whenever you're ready!"

"Okay!" Alphys nodded, pulling a remote control from her lab coat. "Step back a little, please... okay, launching jetpack in 3, 2, 1!" She hit the launch button, the jetpack igniting and shooting into the sky! "Now, Undyne!"

"Heave-ho!" Undyne hurled Peashy up into the air, just as the laser lashed out and blew the jetpack to smithereens!

"Wheeeeeeee!" Peashy squealed as she sailed through the air... looking down, she saw a black man-like shape on the airship's outer deck, angling herself to meet him!

BAM! Direct hit! "Ahhahahaha! I got you, Mr. Adrian!"

"Wha... Citrus?!" Soldier #20 grunted as he sat back up, Peashy sliding down into his lap. "What are you doing here...?"

"Mr. Adrian, we made a big mistake!" Peashy waved her cat-paws up and down. "Mom-Us is a bad guy! He tried to blow up the base with me and Neptuna and everyone in it! You gotta stop working for him!"

Adrian sighed and shook his head. "Citrus... no, Peashy. I know what you mean, but I have my reasons for continuing to work for Momus..."

"In that case, I would like to hear them," a contralto female voice spoke up, Purple Heart soon touching down on the deck. "While Vert and myself have already deduced some of your motivations, I would like to hear it from your own lips..."

"Lady Purple Heart," Adrian nodded in acknowledgement. "Peashy, get off, please." Peashy promptly obeyed, the soldier climbing to his feet, leaving his laser rifle on the floor. "I'm sure you know by now that the former Demon Lord Lilithmon has been recruited into this organization... and she's already gone behind Overlord Momus' back once. So yes, I'm here to supervise her..."

"But how did Momus recruit you to begin with?" Purple Heart pressed. "You seemed to be one of the most loyal soldiers I've seen, in Leanbox's army or any other..."

"I admit I refused Momus when he first made the offer," Adrian began, "but when he revealed his true identity to me, I realized he was someone I could trust..."

"Huh? You mean Mom-Us is really someone else?!" Peashy's eyes went blank. "Who? Who is it?!"

"Now, now P-ko, that's not the sort of thing you reveal in the middle of the story," Purple Heart gently chastised. "The villain's true identity usually isn't revealed until near the end, after all..."

"I thank you for your genre savvy, Lady Neptune," Adrian nodded. "But why are you here, and not Lady Vert?"

"In a way, it's your fault," Neptune said as she reverted to normal. "P-ko and I had to spend a few days with Big Peashy to get her back on her feet, after she freaked out hearin' about you joining the bad guys..."

"Urgh, I was afraid of that," Adrian bowed his head in apparent shame. "But, I've made my choice, and I have to deal with the consequences... even if means she leaves me forever. This isn't like the misunderstanding we had with Keisha, after all..."

"K-Sha," Neptune corrected. "So, does the evil demon kitty have a bunch of traps waiting for us inside?"

"That information isn't going to come for free," Adrian warned. "After all, I am a member of Ho-Hum, so I at least have to go through the motions..." He then activated his double-pronged energy blade. "I am Generic Soldier #20 of Ho-Hum! I challenge you to a blade duel!"

"Challenge accepted!" Neptune agreed, equipping her katana. "P-ko, stay back. This is between me and the Master Chief ripoff!"

"Okay!" Peashy agreed, backing up to the railing. "Kick his butt, Neptuna!"

"I'll show you a ripoff!" Soldier #20 growled as he charged in with a horizontal slash, Neptune easily parrying! He pressed the attack with several slashes from different directions, slowly forcing Neptune back! But then the CPU broke away and retaliated with a Cross Combination, leaving several scratches on Adrian's black armor!

"Go, Neptuna!" Peashy cheered. Adrian, however, had kept his feet, easily deflecting the follow-up slice before kicking Neptune in the calf, bringing her down to a knee! Neptune managed to block an overhead slash, shoving Soldier #20 off, then rolling and backflipping to get some distance! She stood ready as Adrian charged her again, their blades clashing... Neptune then broke the lock, going for a vertical slice-

-only for Soldier #20 to catch Neptune's katana between the twin prongs of his energy blade, twisting and chopping over half the steel blade off! "Fish sticks...!" Neptune grunted as she took a few steps back, staring in disbelief at her wrecked stump of a sword.

"You disappoint me, Lady Neptune," Soldier #20 shook his head. "I expected better of a main character such as you..."

"You better!" Neptune shot back, tossing her wrecked katana away, before suddenly pulling out another sword, this one a laser blade! "I learned from my fight from Dogoo Man back in Planeptune!" She immediately went on the attack again, Adrian being caught off-guard from the sudden reversal and getting forced back as a result, barely parrying the CPU's strikes! "Critical Edge!" she intoned, attacking with a downward slash, an upward slash, and finishing with a horizontal cut that knocked the energy blade out Adrian's hands, which broke apart upon impact with the airship hull! "Checkmate!"

"Ah..." Adrian promptly fell to a knee, bowing his head. "Well done, Lady Neptune. I yield."

"Yaaay!" Peashy jumped and punched the air in joy.

"At least you know when you're beaten, unlike some bad guys," Neptune pointed her sword at him with a triumphant smirk. "So, as agreed, spill the beans!"

"As you wish," Adrian assented. "BlackGatomon is in the control room, naturally, and she has the Tenga patrolling throughout the ship. She also has possession of Affimojas' Nega-Share broadsword, so HDD is a no-go past this point."

"Ugh, just great," Neptune sighed in frustration. "Anything else?"

"Yes. The virus you know as 'Keramon' has evolved further, into Chrysalimon. It has an extremely hard carapace, so your regular attacks will only do scratch damage at best. BlackGatomon likely has it set up as the 'boss' of this airship."

"But, Pea can punch really hard!" Peashy cut in. "So Pea will just punch it to pieces! Pow! Bam! Whack!"

"You can try..." Adrian sighed, standing back to his feet. "Anyway, I won't hinder your path anymore. Good luck, Lady Neptune, little Peashy."

"Thanks," Neptune nodded. "C'mon, P-ko, time to raid this airship!" Walking up to the door into the ship proper, she promptly slashed it open, she and Peashy cautiously heading inside...

*To be continued...*