Hyperdimension Neptunia: the Flame Guardianes
This chapter is literally the last one, except from my OC's perspective, other than that, the plot is the same
Chapter 2
The End of the Beginning
"So… let me get this straight…" The figure was a tall man, around 6 foot 5, a large build, who wore a white short sleeved shirt, a bulletproof vest, light chromium armor, which is three times lighter and three times stronger than steel, blue jeans, for the moment. On his waist was a sword, which was sheathed, and on his left hip was a pistol in its holster, and his shoes were running shoes, which were modded to have steel toes. He stroked his poorly groomed beard while repeating his mission, which he had been called to take.
"You want me, and my men, to go into this dimension, rescue this 'Nepgear' girl, AND save the four CPUs, who are most likely here, in this highly guarded government research facility, AND bring them all home before anyone knows they're gone… right?"
"Yes, I do understand it was a lot to call you on, and on such short notice, but these girls are vital to this world, as I am sure you know." Histore replied calmly. It amazed him at first, a fairy girl, floating on a book, somehow being able to not only know who he was, but his phone number, AND that he was a mercenary. The odds were extraordinarily low. He himself was also astonished with himself, keeping his composure even when confronted with this. I REALLY need to stop travelling between dimensions… he thought while staring at the foot-tall girl in front of him it's bad for my health.
"I think you get it. Without the goddesses…" IF said, IF was an interesting character to be certain, she works in the guild, is best friends with a goddess, and is apparently his age… unbelievable. "The world will just fall into ruin…"
"Poor Nep-Nep…" Compa whimpered. Compa was surprisingly a lot braver than she let on, and stronger than she looks, too. "She is probably being poked with big, scary needles…"
"You're one to talk, Ms. Nurse." IF said back. At this point, the mercenary got it.
"I'll do it." He said.
"Really? That'll be a huge help, considering the other CPU candidates are still…" Histore began, but was quickly cut off by the merc.
"The soonest I can get back is one week. My ship's interdimensional travel system takes that long to recharge. I should be back by then, if not, that means I died. And I'm lowering the price, 300 credits will suffice for supplies, then I'll be on my way. Do we have an accord?"
"Deal" IF said, speaking for Histore. After the 300 credits were handed over, the man left, saying as he was "escorted" to the door:
"In any case, it seems that your hands are tied here, but…" he quickly turned around, stopping to talk to the trio gathered before him.
"I would like it if either Compa or IF to come along, a familiar face will help swaying them to help me." IF and Compa refused, IF stating:
"we basically have to help here, I have to fill in lady Vert's place in Leanbox, as they don't have a CPU or CPU candidate, and Compa has to help out here in Planeptune, sorry."
"By the way, mister… uh… mister… er… what's your name?" Compa asked.
"Just call me 'Ranger'" he replied.
"Oh, ok Mister Ranger, do you know where Ge-Ge is? We know the location of the goddesses, but where is she?"
"Those 'Salesmen' from earlier were actually members of the mafia back in the other dimension, so I know where she most likely is, shouldn't be much of a hunt." Ranger replied, confidently. After a short moment, his face fell, and asked:
"Have any of you seen a girl in a black dress, heels, with horns on her head? Maybe holding a scythe? Maybe?
"Can she summon chains from thin air?" IF asked. Ranger's face shot up and his eyes locked onto IF as he quickly answered:
"Yes! How in the world did you know?"
"We saw her, she was helping Arfore defeat the Goddesses. But after Nepgear and the others showed up, she just vanished…" IF said. Ranger then got a call, and after answering it, said:
"I gotta go, listen, if you see her, run like hell. She's too dangerous to fight, even if we did restrain her power, she's still WAY too strong. Report any sightings of her to me immediately after the encounter, got it?" the three nodded.
"Good", he said. "Now, if you'll excuse me…" stepping onto the elevator, he said:
"Good luck. You'll need it." And disappeared down the tower that was Planeptune's Basilicom.
"I hope he can rescue Ge-Ge and the others in time…" Compa said.
"Yeah… but who is he? We got a codename, not a first and last name… I still hope we can trust him…" IF replied.
"Well, we can only hope so, now IF, it is best you head for Leanbox immediately." Histore said. So IF got in the elevator and went down, leaving science in her wake.
Back on the ship, Ranger and his group, the Flame Guardianes, were preparing to travel between dimensions.
"Are all systems go?" He asked the pilot, standing in the large cockpit, watching their flight plan mapped out by the computer.
"Yup. Everything's good, shall we take off, boss?" the pilot asked, looking back.
"Go, and while you're at it, give me the ship's intercom." Ranger replied, and was handed the walkie-talkie-like device that transmitted across the entire ship, which was much like a plane, except it was a VTOL, was 300 meters long, and held over 20,000,000 pounds in ammo. Not including the surplus of weapons, and the multitude of soldiers that now called the ship, named the Swifte Flame, home.
Speaking into the intercom, Ranger commanded: "all troops, we are about to take off, make sure that all doors are closed, all sinks off, and all toilet seats down (Hana gets REALLY pissy if you don't) and prepare to go home!"
The ship blasted off, passing by Planeptune's Basilicom on the way to the sky, before opening a portal to this other dimension that Nepgear was taken to. Leaving no trace of the Swifte Flame at all. Not even the echo of the powerful jets could be heard.
After travelling to their home dimension, the Flame Guardianes made their way to the Japanese island of Nagasaki, to rescue Nepgear from the mafia that had her in captivity.
"All right, we're here" Ranger said, looking out of the Swifte Flame's cargo bay door, at the ruined house below. The house itself wasn't anything, just a pile of rubble left from when the US dropped the atomic bomb there. The radiation had cleared, but no one moved in. mostly because the basement was where the mafia's base was.
"You sure they've got her there?" Hana asked, looking quite skeptical. Hana was a young girl, and was 21 years old. Her pink hair was waist length, and at the moment, was done up in a ponytail. She wore a black stealth suit, with a bandolier strap filled with her ranged weapon: throwing knives, and on the backs of her hips were two twin daggers, with a button to convert the blade into a shortsword, in sheaths.
"Positive, hey, while I'm in there, hack into that facility's data base, and look up all recent additions. Especially look up SPR, and within 48 hours. I can take this alone, so be quick, so be quick, you hear?" Ranger replied, preparing to make the jump to the ground below.
"Ok, please be careful, k?" Hana asked, turning back into the ship's interior.
Ranger dropping onto the ground below, pulled out his blade, and walked into the mafia's base.
Inside the base wasn't too hard, just a bunch of hired scientists wearing white lab coats building some kind of machine, they were also unarmed. An advantage Ranger had right off the bat.
After killing them all, he moved throughout the facility, checking every room. Most were empty, some had people in them, which he quickly shot with his .45 caliber magnum pistol. Finally, he came to a long hall, with an open door at the other end. Before he had the chance to go down the hall, some thug with a .44 Magnum revolver appeared in the hall, fired two shots, both missing, and then Ranger fired one shot. One perfect headshot. Putting the pistol back into its holster, as it had no ammo, drew his blade, and charged down the hall. When he was about halfway there, an old, wizened man appeared in the hall wielding a 2x4, and charged. Readying his blade, Ranger shouted out the name of his special move:
"Crescent Slash!" and his blade went straight through the thug. Turning to his left, Ranger saw a girl, who was tied up, but more importantly…
She was Nepgear, and her head, which looked injured, began to fall to the ground. Rushing forward, Ranger caught her head as it fell, leaving an unconscious Nepgear in his hands. Quickly cutting her bonds, Ranger made his way to the stairs up, speaking into his communicator:
"I've got her, drop the cargo net, and get ready to head to L.A."
Whew… that took forever
Alright, next chapter we get to see things through Nepgear's eyes again. So see you then!
Also, Swifte Flame has that e in there on purpose.