A story created by Proximatic / Dan. A crossover between Hyperdimension Neptunia and Nanatsu no Taizai (The Seven Deadly Sins).
. . .
With progress slowing down rather significantly as a result of the inability to gather Shares, Neptune felt a little bit disappointed and stopped in an alleyway to take a break and play some games.
Unfortunately, she eventually made an encounter with the Ten Commandment of Reticence, Monspeet, after he explained that he was here to finish what Galand couldn't.
As the Goddess and the Demon engage in a fierce battle, another individual arrives to assist Monspeet: Derieri, Ten Commandment of Purity.
With two of the Ten Commandments fighting against her, it seemed there was no hope of winning. But just when it appeared to be pointless, the citizens of the attacked town came out and shouted their faith in Neptune, giving her a surplus of Shares.
With enough Shares, she was able to transform into the legendary Purple Heart, an individual feared even by the strongest foes of Gamindustri.
We now continue from where we left off. . .
Woosh. . .
Gentle breezes flowed through the air, throwing around leaves and small pockets of dust. A heavenly aura filled the vicinity as Purple Heart gently and gracefully hovered above the ground with a myriad of blue and violet, aurora-like energy sparks rotating around her like a whirlwind. In her hand was the sword of Lost Purple, the N-symbol of Planeptune within the blade's hilt glowing brilliantly, and her Processor Unit pulsating with power and divinity.
The Commandment of Reticence and the Commandment of Purity both look at her, unnerved by this overwhelmingly holy presence of hers. Tt was almost like they were suffocating as the light of faith illuminated potently within the darkness of fear. Monspeet knew this feeling, and he knew it well. . .they were utterly outmatched, and they needed to leave immediately.
". . .Derieri. Let's retreat. This sinisterly holy presence she's radiating is too much."
"Are you kiddin'? You think I'm going to run away from the same race that—?!"
"I understand how you feel. But as she is now, she's too powerful for us to deal with. . .and she could very well kill us. We need to go."
". . .tch. . .okay. Fine."
As the two turned around and materialized their wings through their power of Darkness, they leaped into the air and started to flee from the battlefield. However, Purple Heart won't be letting these two Demons off the hook that easily. She quickly vanished and reappeared right in front of both of them!
"You can't run from a Goddess battle."
The Demons stopped in their paths after being caught off-guard, and expressions of surprise fall upon their visages. Neptune, soon after, delivers a powerful roundhouse kick angled downwards to Monspeet, and an axe kick to Derieri, preventing them from leaving. She's seeing this battle to its end. They're not escaping.
BOOM! CRASH!
The pair of Ten Commandments slammed into the ground next to each other, upheaving dust and rubble as a result, with Purple Heart floating back down towards them. Her hands were tightly grasping the handle of her Lost Purple Blade; a majestic power approaching the darkness dwellers. They stood back up on their feet and looked at her with slight frustration on their faces.
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Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Verse OST — Perfect Purple
0:01 •— 4:24
ll
ᴠᴏʟᴜᴍᴇ: —•
"Now allow me to show you. . .the protagonist's true power."
"Rrrgh. . .YOU'VE YAPPED ON LONG ENOUGH!"
Derieri, clenching her darkness-imbued fist, charged forward at Purple Heart with rage-filled eyes, and a murderous intent becomes embedded within the air itself. She launched a punch forward, which Purple Heart intercepted with her sword and blocked, as sparks and jolts of red lightning flew in all directions from the sheer power that was emanating from the clash itself. As Derieri felt her arm being pushed back, she spun around and landed a roundhouse kick against Purple Heart's right arm; a shockwave of physical intensity spawning from the impact. The Goddess backed away after, with the Commandment of Purity giving chase, pulling back her arms.
"RRRAGH!"
Thrusting her arms forward in an attempt to land a couple of more strikes, Neptune acrobatically avoided them with a few backflips, and Derieri's arms eventually collided with the ground, creating some modest-sized craters as a result of the strikes against the earth. She used this opportunity to propel herself forward and land a flat-foot kick against the Goddess' chest, causing minimal damage. But something was strange. After Derieri landed that kick, Neptune could sense her strength increasing. Slightly, but increasing nonetheless. Perhaps some sort of rage boost? Regardless, this small increase in strength was a small red flag to the Guardian Goddess, prompting her to try and avoid or block these attacks.
"YAH! HHHRAH!"
Two more punches were thrown forward, both of which were blocked by Neptune's blade, but even when she successfully blocked the attacks. . .
'Every time she strikes me or my sword, her strength increases, even if it's very minuscule. . .what is this power?'
She could still feel those slight increments of strength being added to Derieri's overall power, which is a bit more concerning. Derieri jumped into the air and pulled her arm back again, this time preparing for a more powerful swing. In that instant, Neptune infused her sword with the element of Lightning and spun around, creating a circle of electricity that surrounded her body. A bolt of lightning was shot out from this circle, striking Derieri's hand and shocking it, causing the Commandment to nervously jerk it away, leaving herself vulnerable to being attacked. Seeing this opening, Neptune recalled the circle of electricity into her sword and thrust the tip forward, piercing Derieri's body and applying high voltage across her figure, electrocuting her with powerful lightning magic.
"Thunder Edge!" she shouts out, and an ensuing explosion from the attack shot Derieri away, with Purple Heart touching back on the ground once more. Monspeet reacts quickly and zips over to Derieri, catching her and halting her velocity, bringing her back to the earth beneath them as tiny jolts of the remaining electricity jump around her body. Readjusting herself and cracking her knuckles, Derieri stood next to Monspeet in a position to take off.
"Damn it. . .if I could just keep landing those hits on her. . .!"
"Hm. To continuously increase the potency of your Combo Star, correct?"
"Yeah. . .but this jackass is too nimble and strong! How am I supposed to—?!"
In the midst of her sentence, Purple Heart appears behind the Commandments using her innate teleportation abilities [1], blade tightly clenched and eyes glowing with merciless power.
"You don't give up, do you?" she says in a coldly confident tone.
The Goddess delivers a powerful kick to Derieri's back and launches her beyond the town's boundaries; through multiple hills and mountains, piercing them with small holes through their centers. Teleporting once more to intercept Derieri's trajectory, the Goddess lowers her sword and holds it in a position such that she would be ready to swing upwards once the Commandment of Purity is close enough. As the Demon came flying towards Neptune — unable to regain control of her path — she could do nothing but hold her arms up to mitigate some of the damage.
"Then please, have some more!"
A fiery, violet aura envelops the Lost Purple Blade as an upward crescent slash cleaved into Derieri's arms; the force of the impact sent her straight up, breaking her guard and drawing multiple streaks of blood from her arms. A sonic boom rippled through the air as Purple Heart flew up faster than Derieri's velocity. Spinning around and thrusting her hand forward, five swords of light appear above Purple Heart's head that all pointed their tips directly at Derieri's torso, hoping to pierce her chest — EX Rush Blade! The swords launched towards her, and realizing this, Derieri materialized her wings through her darkness and started to fly around, trying to avoid them. But, the swords were homing; they continued to follow Derieri in spite of her rapid movements.
"HRAAAGH!"
Her large fist of darkness collided with one of these swords, creating a clash between the light of faith and the darkness of fear. The power was immense, sending quakes through the air and creating minor tremors that affected the earth beneath them.
Vwern. . .
". . .you've lost," a familiar voice says, moments after vanishing and teleporting behind Derieri again.
Grabbing Derieri by the arm, Purple Heart lets out a shout before throwing the Commandment of Purity back down to the earth, creating a larger crater upon impact. Now stuck in a position where she cannot move much, on top of some serious injuries she already gained from Purple Heart's prior assault, Derieri was in a very vulnerable state at the moment. Teleporting in front of Derieri, the Guardian Goddess stares down at the Demon with a cold glare. Even those that cause others fear cannot help but quiver before the divine retribution of a Gamindustri Goddess.
"You fought well. . .but not well enough.
. . .good game."
As she raised her sword to deliver a finishing blow, she was quickly interrupted by a searing feeling approaching her from the right. The land around her became orange like fire, and once she turned her head, she realized that a supercharged Hellfire Bird was sent directly her way. The heat felt intense. . .but even still, a confident smile forms on her face. She holds a hand out, and as a typhoon of those same aurora-like particles swirls around her, her palm collides with the head of the magical fiery avian, eventually slowing its momentum to a screeching halt. She had grabbed hold of the attack.
"I-impossible! How could she have stopped it when I used so much magical power?!" Monspeet shouted out in disbelief.
"S-she. . .!"
"I can tell you're in shock. . .but it's like I said. The protagonist always wins."
With the Hellfire Bird in hand, Neptune spun around and threw the attack right into Derieri, who was defenseless against it as a result of her position. Monspeet quickly swooped in, covering Derieri with his body to protect her from receiving too much damage, choosing to receive the brunt of the attack. The following explosion was wide enough to encompass the entire mountain, with a large column of smoke and ash rising from the aftermath. The hills and foliage were scorched within a half-mile radius, with the magical power radiating a shockwave of magic throughout Britannia.
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Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Verse OST — Perfect Purple
2:39 •— 4:24
ᴠᴏʟᴜᴍᴇ: —•
Britannia — Countryside — Inside the Boar Hat
. . .
Crash!
The sound of glass breaking echoed within the first floor of the Boar Hat after a wine glass was broken with the Seven Deadly Sins' Captain's hand. As he soon snapped back into reality and realized what had just happened, he stared down at the floor with a hint of curiosity in his eyes.
"Hoh. . .that happened."
"Hey, Danchō, sounds like something broke. Is everything okay," the Boar Sin of Gluttony asks.
". . .I can feel a familiar magical power emanating from a long way away from here."
"Hm. . .odd."
"Yeah. It feels like. . ."
Returning to the Battleground
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Nanatsu no Taizai OST — 7Tsuno: The1 (yes that is the name, I cannot make this up)
0:01 •— 4:51
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As the rubble and smoke scatter and dissipate some time following the explosion from the Hellfire Bird, Purple Heart walks over to the point of impact. Once the dust settled, she noticed that both Monspeet and Derieri stood there, nearly unconscious from the attack being redirected and directly striking them both.
"Haaah. . .hrrrgh. . ."
"You. . .haven't won yet. . .you cocky bitch. . ."
The two Commandments could barely even balance themselves as they took slow, impotent steps forward. Their bodies were covered with ash and scorch marks, and injuries burdened their energy. Energy of darkness slowly surrounds their bodies as it attempts to heal the wounds, but it was working too slowly, it seems.
"This battle. . .has reached its climax!"
Backflipping onto one hand, and then performing another backflip to get back onto her feet, Purple Heart slides her hand across her sword and bestows the violet edge with a wreath of flames synonymous with her color scheme. Small lines of energy rise from the ground beneath her, sword raised to the sky like a beacon.
"It's time to break the balance of the world!"
A brilliant light, brighter than the sun, shines radiantly; energy gathers into one point as Neptune powers up and prepares to unleash her EXE Drive — Neptune Break! An attack so fierce, powerful, fast, and devastating, that it breaks the balance of the games and worlds she uses it in! Of course, that's only self-professed, but with the level of strength she packs into such a simple attack, one can't help but think that her claims are true.
"W-wait! Stop!"
The Demons tried to stop Purple Heart, but the fear in their eyes told all. The Goddess charges forward and slashes through them twice — one slash for each Commandment — and sent them straight up into the air in a state of helplessness. Jumping into the air, a myriad of slashes assaulted the Commandments. It almost felt like the amount of slashes was infinite.
"Hiiiyaaah!"
A powerful slash that pierced both of them was delivered, and Neptune landed on the ground soon after. She stared up at the duo, suspended within the air, and smirked.
"Let's end this!"
Tossing her sword up and having it spin around above her before catching it and leaping forward into the air once more. She sliced through them, appearing behind them before turning around.
"Haaah!"
Her sword was driven directly through the Demons' chests, and after pushing them back down to the ground, an enormous pillar of energy emerged from the point of impact. Cracks ran through the earth, upheaving entire square chunks of the land, creating tremors many miles away that even the avians can feel. Piercing the skies, it's almost as if the fabric of reality was catching ablaze, as the air was filled with intense heat and energy.
. . .
"You're ten years too early."
Britannia — Countryside — Unnamed Town
A deafening silence fell upon the town after the pillar of energy dissipated from the battlefield. Citizens stared in its direction, curious as to what had just happened. Was that Purple Heart? Or the Demons? It wouldn't be long before they got their answer. . .
"Look! Over there!"
A purple light flew back over to them. . .once close enough, the light would reveal the Goddess with a triumphant smile on her face! She flipped forward and landed on her feet in front of the citizens, who were cheering for her, creating quite the uproar of victory. Holding up a peace sign, Purple Heart giggled, happy that she was able to stop the threat of the Demons.
Shuu-whiiieeern. . .
A cocoon of light enveloped the Planeptune Guardian as she reverted from her HDD Form and returned to her Human Form. That joyous smile was retained, and she even raised her hand to the sky with the peace sign.
"V for Victory!"
As the crowd settled down into a small conversation. . .after several minutes. . .one of the citizens came forward, looking to speak with Neptune.
"Young lady. . .thank you for coming to our rescue. . .we can't thank you enough for saving our town from the threat of the Demon race. We thought that we were going to perish. . .but you've helped us live to see another day."
"Ehehe. . .no sweat! It's just what I do, y'know? All this crazy fighting and stuff is just normal to me! I've been doing it for a long time now, after all!"
"Is there any way we can pay you back? Perhaps some food. . .or a place to stay for the night?"
"Y'don't need to do any of that stuff, promise! For realsies, all I want you to do is just keep believing in me! Maybe I can take down the threat of the Demon race all by myself! But I can't really do that if you don't put your faith in me! Heck, go and tell some others about what I did, and maybe they'll start believing that the Demon race can be defeated by me, too!"
"Put our faith in you. . .I see now," the citizen said, smiling at the Goddess. Their gratefulness, along with the rest of the citizens', is endless, and they truly can't thank her enough for her heroism.
"Well, I got places to be now. . .so I guess I'll see you all at some point in the future! The mirai, even!"
Mirai is the Japanese term for future.
As Neptune turned around and ran out of the town, she looked back and waved them goodbye.
"Take care, young lady!" the citizen shouted as everyone in town waved to her, saying goodbye to her nigh-chorally.
She's on a streak today! She's saved two towns in the span of 24 hours and it doesn't look like she's being stopped! She's gathered a lot of Share Energy, even if she had to use up quite a lot of it for her transformation against Monspeet and Derieri. . .but regardless of that, she's got a ball rolling, and it won't stop rolling unless she stops moving.
With the sun now beginning to set over the hills, an orange tint lay across the sky like a fiery canvas. Clouds became a light gray color, and the rays of light from the celestial lamp retreated to rest for the next batch of nighttime. Gentle winds brushed by the Goddess' hair, stepping out into a large, open plain with the sound of grass blissfully rustling entering her ears.
"Mmh. . .I missed this feeling! I've been doing so much fighting lately that I haven't even gotten the time to be me! Man, that's so lame!"
Britannia — Forest Hill
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AM2R [Another Metroid 2 Remake] OST — Initial Descent
0:01 •— 3:51
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As she entered a new forest, the atmosphere felt mystical and enchanting. Unlike the previous forest, this one exuded a different kind of energy - a magical one, perhaps due to recent magical activity. Despite not knowing the reason behind the forest's enchanting aura, Neptune gleefully frolicked around, reveling in the soothing and silky touch of the magic that seemed to caress her cheeks.
Rays of light shone through the foliage, and small animals pranced around with Neptune. It's that feeling once again. . .the feeling that she's at home. . .even if she isn't. It's a nostalgia-filled feeling, but one that she embraces fully.
She hopped, skipped, and jumped all around, spinning playfully like a zany bandicoot with nothing to hold her back.
"Woohoooo!"
As she lounges in the forest, surrounded by the chirping of birds, rustling leaves, and the soft rustle of grass beneath her, she finds herself fully immersed in the tranquil sounds of nature.
"Mmh. . ."
Her back gently rested against the forest floor, staring up into the sky through a convenient circular opening within the trees, letting the hazy-colored worldly blanket fly overhead. . .she started to feel that bubbling sense of nostalgia again. It reminded her of when she and Nepgear would sneak out of the Basilicom and head into the Virtua Forest when they were newly-created Goddesses.
With her mind wandering elsewhere, Neptune shuts her eyes and feels a warm sensation fluttering in her chest. She eventually slips into a deep slumber, letting her consciousness enter a world of dreams.
. . .
. . .
? — Nepstation Studio
| Nepstation Broadcast Jingle! |
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Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory OST — Nepstation
0:01 •— 2:33
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. . .
"Z z z. . .h-huh, what—? Are we—are we live? Oh, hey there everyone! Been a while, hasn't it? I know all you lovely Nepsters must've really missed meee! Even if you saw me, like, two seconds ago. . .but that's not the important part!"
What's the important part?
"It's that we're finally back with a new premiere of Nepstation! Woohoo, clap clap clap!"
It's only been one chapter without it.
"Aw, don't sweat the details, Proxi-mox! I'm sure people reeeally missed this in the last chapter!"
I didn't think you'd bring back that little nickname you gave me all the way back in Chapter 1.
"It's Chapter 11, we have to! But, anyways, we should get on with the thingy, or else we won't actually get to the reviews! Lemme just uhhh, sort my papers reeeally quickly. . ."
Shuffle shuffle. . .
"Ehhh?! There's no new reviews to give us any filler for this Nepstation?!"
Yeah, sorry. . .
"Nooo! What are we gonna do now?! I can't possibly think of something stupid, fun, cool, or witty right here and now! We're gonna have to call off the program for now, aren't we. . .?"
Well, not really. I mean, why not do one of those episode previews you did in VII?
"Huh. . .huuuh. . .huh! I guess you're right! Although, our beloved viewers out there probably don't really know what you're talking about if they haven't played it. . .eheheh. . ."
They'll understand.
"Well, if you say so. . .but if we get complaints in the reviews section, I'm blaming you for it!"
Shush.
"Anyways. . .ahem.
As we find our heroine — that's me, by the way — strolling through the land of Britannia, she finds herself facing a new dilemma. . .where the heck is all of the pudding?! And where the heck is she going?! There's only one way to solve this mystery madness. . .
Next up: Nepudimension Neptunia N: Nepping it in the Nep!"
See you all later.
"Byyye!"
{ Audience Applause SFX }
| Broadcast End |
. . .
Chirp, chirp! Whistle!
As Neptune slept, a Gouldian finch landed on the bridge of her nose and began to sing, rousing her from her slumber. She gazed at the vibrant bird without making a sound, and couldn't help but smile. Its multiple colors were a sight to behold.
"Hey there, little fella. You a Chocopi. . .?"
She raised her arm to caress the soft animal, but it flew away as soon as she moved her hand closer. Neptune woke up to the sun's rays shining through the foliage of the enchanted forest. Surprisingly, she had slept peacefully through the entire night without any disturbances.
"Fwaaah. . .that was such a nice nap! As the protagonist, I definitely need my rest, otherwise I can't be in my tip-top shape! Maybe I should ask Histy if I can have more naptime, since it's pretty important for me to be at my best!"
The Goddess stood up from her resting spot and stretched her arms, letting out a soft yawn soon after. It's time for her to get a move on and head for the next town. . .that is, if she plans on trying to gather more Shares. With how easily she was able to defeat those two Commandments, and with the possibility and likelihood of her brave victories spreading to other towns and travelers, perhaps there wasn't a need to head out for towns anymore.
Maybe she was already strong enough to help the others again. . .is it time to regroup? Though she does not show it, being on her lonesome for too long is something she doesn't take very well. She can get anxious and fidgety, but the bright face she wears every day hides that fact.
'I think I'll be fine! I just gotta keep getting all the stats I need, and I can definitely make it further without them!'
Continuing her journey, Neptune dismisses the thought and moves forward.
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The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker OST — Windfall Island
0:01 •— 2:16
↺ ll ⋮≡
ᴠᴏʟᴜᴍᴇ: —•
Soon enough, she emerges from the forest and finds herself standing on an open plain; a piece of Britannia's beauty that leads to an ocean on the left. In addition, there is a small cluster of houses settled on the cliffside. It appears to be a quaint hamlet with only a few dwellings.
As the sun shone brightly in the sky, three young children could be seen playing in the vast field to the right of the rightmost home. With their small wooden toy swords in hand and their equally small toy wooden shields, they appeared to be lost in their own little world, pretending to be a group of Holy Knights in a playful yet comically serious manner.
The Goddess, curious about their imaginary game, decided to walk over to the minuscule settlement, her hands casually behind her head. It was a lovely day, and the sight of the children playing so innocently brought a smile to her face.
As she approaches the settlement, a powerful wave of happiness began to wash over her. Memories flooded her mind of wild adventures in Planeptune City's central area with her dear friends, playing energetic games and laughing until their sides ached. The rush of emotions was like a rapid stream: unstoppable and overwhelming.
Seeing the joy and enthusiasm of the children playing around rang the bell in her head of those carefree days; a reminder of the wonders of friendship and the magic of living life to the fullest.
"Ooh, a new girl!"
"Wow, she looks so super cool!"
The children ran over to Neptune with their swords and shields in hand, giggling excitedly and looking up at her.
"Hi there, miss!"
"Hi, hi!"
"Wanna play with us? We're apprentice Holy Knights! We beat up the bad guys with our magical abilities!"
"Eheh. . .well, I can't say no to bubbly li'l kids like you, now, can I? You really remind me of P-ko! Or even the blue and pink mountain scramblers!"
"P-ko?"
"Who's that?"
"Must be a friend!"
"Wait a second, I don't have a weapon! Hey, this isn't fair! You're activating some kind of cheat code! The. . .the K-Sha code! Up down, up down. . .wait, no, up up, down down. . .d'ah, whatever, you're all a bunch of meanie cheaters for not leaving a spare weapon around!"
"Nyaaa-nyaaah! Holy Knights newer than us need to earn their weapons!"
"Yeah! You gotta prove yourself, then we'll let you have a weapon and shield!"
The third child puckered their lips and blew a raspberry, wiggling their fingers with their thumbs pressed against their ears. It was a childish move, but one that accurately depicted their playful nature. After all, they were just children, free to express themselves in any way they pleased.
"Hmm. . .fair enough, then! See, audience? This is what we call a 'fair trade'! None of that scamming business! I'm talking to you, gacha companies!"
"So yeah, if you can prove to us that you're worthy, you can join us! But if you don't, you're gonna be called a Holy Knight loser forever! Heheh!"
"Well, Mama said not to call people that because it's mean, and people get very sad when we say that. . ."
"I think we should do a race! Being fast is a big part of being a Holy Knight!"
With a hearty giggle, Neptune couldn't help but put a hand to her lips like a high-school girl. Although she was always ready for a good fight and intense action, the idea of taking a break from it all was tempting. She could imagine kicking back, playing with the children and some friends, and just enjoying the simple pleasures of life. After all, it would be a much-needed respite for her mental state, which had been under some undisclosed stress lately.
Sometimes, even Goddesses like her need a break to rejuvenate their spirits!
"You've got yourselves a competition, then, kiddos! But don't expect me to lose! I've got the essence of the speedy blue hedgehog in me, and I'm not going to let that (very legitimate) pride and joy go to waste!"
"May the best Holy Knight Apprentice win!"
As two of the three children gathered, their swords and shields clattered to the ground as they lined up at an imaginary boundary. Neptune followed suit and took her position alongside them. With a poised stance, she seemed ready to burst into action at any moment. One of the youngsters positioned themselves to the left, completing the trio's attendance. It was a sight to behold; the young and brave warriors ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
"Three. . .two. . .one. . .go!"
As soon as the two other children took off running, Neptune was suddenly pushed over by the third child, who found it amusing to see her tumble onto her side and roll around in the grass for a moment.
"Come on, miss! You're just too slow!" one of the children shouted, despite not making it more than ten meters across the field.
"Yeah, yeah! You can't catch us!"
The juvenile voices and the playfulness of the taunts. . .it reminded her of. . .
. . .
"Hurry along, Onee-chan, we're going to be late!"
"Wait, hold on, Nepgear!"
. . .
As Neptune lay there in silence, thoughts began flying in left and right. A brief memory had flashed before her eyes, leaving her to become slowly enveloped in contemplation. The children had gathered around her, their worried expressions etched onto their young faces, seeing as she hadn't moved since she fell over. They knelt beside her, eager to help in any way they could.
Yet, Neptune continued to wade in her thoughts, reflecting upon the memory that had just resurfaced. The sky above seemed to mirror what she was thinking, as if showing her the tumultuous emotions that had been secretly and subconsciously churning within her.
"Miss?"
As Neptune gazed out at the vast expanse of Gaia's blanket, she looked back on the excitement and anticipation she had felt before embarking on this little dimension-hop of hers. That burst of motivation and willingness to travel to this new world now found itself waging a battle with a brewing sense of homesickness.
It was a feeling of longing for the familiar comforts of home. As she lay there, remaining in a labyrinth of thoughts, she couldn't help but speak a single name. . .
"Nepgear. . ."
"She talked! She's okay!"
"Come now, children, let's leave the poor girl alone, okay?"
As the maternal voice gently coaxed the children away from Neptune's lifeless form, her mind raced like a bullet train. She pondered the realization of the experience of making new friends in this dimension. While it was certainly a pleasant change of pace from her routine back home, she couldn't shake the growing sense of longing for the people she cared for; those who have been with her since her inception. But she wouldn't let it stop her.
Neptune took what felt like an eternity to regain her composure after her fall, but finally, she summoned the strength to rise to her feet. The world above her shimmered with a semi-circled row of colors that seemed to offer a fleeting sense of solace. Despite the natural beauty of the scene before her, Neptune couldn't seem to lose the feeling of unease that lingered in her mind.
As she gazed up at the sky, she couldn't help but wonder if it was trying to tell her something, or if it was just a random occurrence. . .
"Excuse me, young lady?"
Her attention darted to the voice that called to her, eyes shifting rapidly with her head following suit.
"Yeah?"
"You were laying there for quite a bit. . .are you okay?"
"Huh? Oh, uh. . .you don't gotta worry about that, I was just getting a little nostalgic. It happens to the best of us!"
To maintain a positive demeanor and expression, the Goddess attempts to put on a smile with carefree motions: putting her hands behind her head, swaying her body a little bit, humming quietly.
"I'm sorry if the children were being rude to you. They are still young, so they know not what their words can do to others."
"Oh, it's all good. . .I know they're still little tykes, so you can't really blame them for not knowing if they're being mean or not!"
Near the edge of the cliff, the children continued to play their pretend game; they had their wooden swords and shields in hand again and started to "fight" each other in a rowdy, yet still childish and playful way.
"They're gonna be real good kids one day, I can tell. Seein' them so determined to win something as little as a race, y'know? Reminds me of a certain black-frizzy-haired kid. Or even a friend back home."
As the Goddess and the mother approached the group of lively children, they couldn't help but smile at their playful antics. The sound of wooden weapons clacking together filled the air as the youngsters gleefully engaged in their imaginary battles.
"They're already so active and wishfully thinking of becoming Holy Knights, but I don't want to see them be grievously injured."
"Hmm. . .well, in that case, why not have 'em stick together? Like a party in an RPG! They can't go without each other!"
"A. . .what?"
"Oops, sorry, just talking in meta again! That just goes to show how it's hard-coded into my personality!"
"In any case. . .I believe that could be a wise decision. After all, they get along so well. But they are still far too young to even consider trying to become a Holy Knight."
"Well, hey! When the time comes, you gotta let them choose their own classes! Let 'em make their own decisions, and not follow a scripted sequence of events or what have you! They make their own futures!"
The mother looked at Neptune with a tad of a surprised expression on her visage. Such wise words from someone so physically youthful.
"I suppose you are right. I still love and care for them, and though it would upset me to see them get hurt in battle. . .I cannot have them listen to me for the rest of their lives."
"See, see? Now you're getting it! Just think positively and it'll all go well! A protag ruleset never fails on people who're always in a good thinking space! Be as free as the gusts of wind that blow through this world oh-so naturally!"
Neptune holds up a peace sign, with the mother reciprocating the positivity with a smile.
"Mama, Mama! Look, I won the fight!"
Looking to the scene of the imaginary battle, it looks like the other two children were down on the ground, pretending to be unconscious as evident through their subtle movements and inaudible giggling.
"That's wonderful, dearie! I'm sure you're going to be a fantastic Holy Knight one day with such proficiency!" the mother stated, giving the third child a few gentle strokes on the head. It warmed Neptune's heart, seeing them engage each other in such a happy way.
"Well. . .glad I could stop by for a little bit and see what you all were up to, but I'm on a bit of a tight schedule right now, so I gotta make like an azure hawk and head up the countryside to see what else is going on!"
As Neptune prepares to depart from the quaint hamlet, she feels a sense of anticipation bubbling up inside her. She is eager to continue her journey through the vast expanse of Britannia, always on the lookout for people who may be in need of her assistance. However, just as she is about to make her exit, she is halted by the gentle touch of a motherly hand upon her shoulder.
With a quick turn of her head, Neptune meets the gaze of the woman who has stopped her in her tracks.
"Wait, young lady! Before you leave. . ."
The Goddess tilts her head curiously, waiting for the woman to speak.
". . .I'm sorry for not asking you earlier, but what is your name?"
A chuckle slipped through her lips, eventually turning her body around, giving her a two-finger salute.
"Neptune! The name's Neptune!"
"Neptune. . .what a lovely name. I'll remember your kind and helpful words, Neptune. Please, take care on your journey."
"Bye, Miss Neptune!"
"Have fun!"
"Don't get eaten by dragons!"
The Goddess starts to sprint across the open plain at high speeds, as if she was a speed-boosted bounty hunter, arms out at her sides with a carefree attitude that flowed like a river.
With our heroine now temporarily freed from the shackles of battle, she continues her journey up the Britannian countryside, ready to jump in and help others at a moment's notice. The threat of the Ten Commandments has been weakened just a bit, but what else is in store for our rugged Goddess of Planeptune?
Time will soon tell us that answer. . .
End of Chapter 11!
Clarification; [1] - As of the latest game in the series at the time of writing this chapter, Sisters VS Sisters, Neptune has shown the ability to teleport both within battle and within the overworld, hence her ability to be able to do so in this chapter.
Author's Note: Hey again, everyone! It's been a while since I last uploaded a chapter, but I'm happy to have found the motivation to finally put this one out! I know I said in the omake chapter that I uploaded before this that I've been struggling to find the motivation to write these main chapters, but all things considered, I'm extremely proud of how this one turned out! I'd like to hear your thoughts on the direction I'm taking this story, seeing how it has diverged quite a bit from the actual canon!
In addition, I'd like to hear your thoughts on how I decided to write Neptune this time around! It's certainly out of the ordinary, but I like to think that there's something to be had with a different interpretation of her personality and feelings! Of course, if it's not your cup of tea, I'll gladly try and make it something more streamlined and more akin to her canonical self, but regardless, your feedback, criticism, or compliments are always appreciated!
With all of that said, this chapter was really fun to write, and I hope you enjoyed reading it! Have a good rest of your day!