Chapter 67: A Nightmare at Neps

Well I guess like before I've ended up in some distinctive place, this must be my nightmare for tonight from the bad girl of Planeptune, as I don't have any previous memories of being here.

The location I'm in appears to be some old, dark, tiny office. The only light is from a small bulb that illuminates a wall. On the wall are some posters of Neptune, Nepgear, Plutia and Peashy. While there are a few that have them in human form, there are others in their HDD forms and the posters have different combinations of those characters, though many of them appear to be drawn by a child. One thing is for sure that all of those posters show them smiling, laughing and having fun. Below the posters is a desk that spans the room full of what appears to be cameras and TVs, it's difficult to see due to the lack of light and I'd get up to have a closer look, but for some unknown reason I'm not allowed to move and I can only look around. I do see a fan on the desk switched on as it moves left and right. There is a large cup with a straw containing an unknown soft drink, as well as different wrappers containing various half eaten snacks, that were once warm. The desk has a set of drawers beneath it as well as some large black speakers that are covered in cobwebs.

This place certainly looks familiar and I notice in my HUD some information. To the top right I see 12 AM and to the bottom left I see Power: 99% and below that Usage with a green bar next to it.

My gut feeling tells me it's got Neptune written all over this. I know where I am now, I'm at their version of Freddy Frazbear's Pizza Parlour, and I'm here as their night watchman trying to stop some animatronics from killing me just so I can get $120.50. I'm just glad that Noire ensures that all employers provide extremely safe working conditions, that not only prevent accidents but stress, repetitive injury and I know for a fact that all the workers in Lastation get plenty of pay for their wages.

Neptune sure is persistent and stubborn, she failed with one Horror game, and now she tries with this one. A game where I cannot move and I wouldn't be surprised if this is at the hardest difficulty. While I remember playing this game before, it has been a long time so trying to think of a strategy to survive this will not be easy, but I like a challenge.

The phone rings and due to circumstances I just wait for the message. As I hear the ringing of the phone I can't help but predict that it's Neptune, and she'll probably just boast about my predicament as opposed to just trying to help me.

"Hello Black, it's so wonderful to see my buddy again. You know I really appreciate you deciding to work for us. Not that you had any choice or anything…" Neptune speaks in her usual so called friendly tone.

"Yeah Right." I think to myself.

"…I really do. I feel really bad that we've been fighting each other all this time and I'd still like you to join us, so rather than convincing you, I just brought you here so you can work for us instead.

OK so basically I recorded this message for you, so that I can make you feel right at home working for us. As a matter of fact I'll read you the formal introductory greeting from our company, being as I know you like that kinda stuff. "Welcome to Nep's Pudding Parlour: a magical place for kids and grownups like me, where fantasy and fun comes to life. We're not responsible for the damage of property or for the injury of person. If a damage or death of a third person does indeed occur, a report will be filled within 90 days unless the property and the premises have been thoroughly cleaned and bleached, and the carpets have been replaced. Blahde blahde blah."

But enough of that legal mumbo jumbo, I prefer stuff to be simple for my noggin's sake…" She drones on in her annoying voice.

"It figures, you don't seem to care about any potential accidents or deaths occurring in this death trap of yours do you." I think to myself.

I'd speak back but there doesn't seem to be any point does there.

"…The whole point is that you need to watch these cameras from 12 until 6, I mean I'll even pay you $4 an hour, so you'll get $24 just for sitting there twiddling your thumbs, and then you can appreciate the joys of being lazy like I do.

There are a few other things to watch out for. The animatronic characters for instance. They do act strange even in my books, I can't blame them singing the same songs year after year, I'd get bored too if I were them, so it's only fair if they get to wonder around at night. The important thing is these characters hold a special place in the heart of the fans. So you need to show them some respect got that?" She speaks trying to sound friendly, but she just sounds so fake and she's becoming more and more annoying as time goes by.

"Respect, respect like the same some respect you show to the innocents? Like the same some respect you show to the people I love like Noire? I suppose you want me to show them some respect when they try and come in my office, and kill me with their stupid jump scares, like I need to get stuffed." I think while becoming more and more frustrated.

I quickly calm down as I will get my vengeance and when I do, she'll wish she never even thought of this.

"So just to let you know: These characters do wander around a bit, as a matter of fact they're left with some sort of "free roaming mode" at night. Yeah to help make them more reliable. They used to wander during the day but there was this super cool bite that happened in 89… I'll never forget that bite, I suppose you'll think bad of me for not doing something about those robots but hey, it's not like they weren't provoked. And even if they can be a bit uncontrollable at times, getting a repair dude to have a look at them would cost too many credits, it would be super mega expensive so to save money we decided it's better to hire a sucker… I mean employee like yourself to just watch them…" She speaks, though now she sounds as though she's relishing the situation I'm in.

"Who would have thought that you'd be just as much of a sadist as your friend Plutia." I mutter to myself. I'll admit that maybe me and my allies could perhaps be sadists, I mean let me be the first to admit to you readers, that I get a kick out of seeing them get tortured or seeing them suffer, but it's only them and they themselves do it to other innocent people.

"…But one other fact I would like to reveal, is that they'll see you as a metal endo-skeleton without its' costume on, and that's a big no no in this place. So as punishment they'll forcefully stuff you in one of their cute suits. Oh that sounds like fun, what makes it more fun is that these suits contain beam's, wires, devices, especially the facial area. I can only imagine them causing discomfort and death but anyway, if you was to be stuffed in a suit your eyes and teeth would pop out in front of the mask. It's too bad they don't tell you them before signing up, but that makes it more awesome. We hook them in and then we tell them about their impending doom." She finishes of her speech by laughing quite manically.

I can really tell how much she's relishing this from her voice. She'll get it, she'll pay.

"So tonight should be a fun night for us, I'll talk again tomorrow. Watch the cameras for any boo boo activity and should any naughty perverts come in, close those doors. I forgot to tell you that to help save money you only have a limited power, and there's even less power if you come back tomorrow. Nighty night. Don't let the bed bugs bite but the characters?" She says trying to sound like she's in charge before hanging up.

Well at least she's hung up now. I've had just about enough of her stupid talk. The day when I can finally defeat her pathetic ass and put an end to her wretched life…. When will that day come though? I guess this is the hard part now, surviving this night. Hopefully at least I can just deal with this night and hopefully I wouldn't have to come to this place ever again, I wouldn't be surprised if they offer poor service or food to the customers here as well. I suppose it's just as well this is merely a nightmare. What place like that could possibly exist here? Lastation no way, Noire is too good of a CPU to allow that to happen. Planeptune on the other hand, I shudder to think that those sort of places exist in chains throughout the landmass.

Well at least some facts that I do know are coming back to me. I know that one of them is usually in pirate's cove, I just have to keep my eye on that and I just have to keep my ear's peeled for demonic laughter, as well as looking at the lights that while Neptune deliberately failed to mention, I know of their existence. And I got to keep an eye on the camera to the right of this office. OK let's do this.

I find myself quickly looking at the cove I speak of by quickly looking at the laptop. I remembered how a Fox would hide behind the curtain, but with it being this nightmare I'd expect one of the CPUs to be there instead, there isn't anyone there. Already I hear demonic laughter though this sounds like it's Neptune, maybe this is the same one who spoke to me through the phone. I also remember to close the right door every time I look at the camera. I know I have no weapons at all, not even this time so I can't fight them if they come in the office. So all I can do is just ensure they don't come in.

I remember this game more and more, I can only assume that this is going to be extremely difficult if not impossible. Even if I was perfect with my strategy it all relies on luck, yeah in her universe she has all the luck in the universe where as we do not have any. By this point I look to see the power already being 95% and it's still 12AM. Though somehow I doubt it's actually 6 hours but rather more like 10 minutes.

I randomly switch the left door lights on, only for me to gasp as I see Nepgear in her HDD costume, standing lifeless in what I'm assuming is a corridor as if she's a statue. At the same time I hear a distinctive noise signalling her presence, so I quickly lock the left door to stop her from coming in. Whew that was quite close but this ain't over yet. I do more systematic checking, quickly switching the right door lights on and off to save my decreasing energy, looking at pirate's cove quickly before flashing the left door lights to find that she's now gone. Good I'm glad she hasn't drained too much of my energy, or worse disabled the lights.

Yeah looking at the camera adds a bar to usage, switching the lights on adds a bar and closing the doors also adds a bar. All this adds up and I'm concerned that I may lose my power, and I'll have to try and play dead and listen to the creepy, yet Christmassy classical tune called Ouverture from Carmen. Still at least I like the tune, not sure I'd like the jump scare after wards though.

I still keep doing the same repetitive sequence, checking both lights, closing the right door, looking at the camera, open the right door. I rinse and repeat these actions over and over again, without stopping. I do this so many times that I almost make a tune from the sounds of the laptop, the door and the flicker of the lights.

I get stressed from doing this as I'm desperate, desperate to survive. Already the power is at 90% and it's not even 1AM yet. If I can at least reach 1AM before going to 84% then I'm fine…I hope.

Yeah Neptune's constant demonic laughter doesn't help either, though that will not deter me.

I quickly look at the camera to find Plutia there peeking around the curtain at the cove, as if to flirt though she's an epic failure. At least she's frozen like a statue.

I do my routine checking again and again. Still she stands there, the power is 88% now come on 1AM where are you? Uh oh.. as I do my routine checking of the left door lights, I find Nepgear standing there again. I quickly close the left door and check the other areas. I constantly flicker the lights before realising her shadow has no gone. Good I can open the door again now.

While I keep at it with the checking, I notice that the camera seeing Plutia is completely dark, this concerns as could it be down to me looking at her too frequently? But what frequency am I supposed to check on her? Fortunately I look at the camera again and find she's not there.

I'm pleased that I'm able to check quickly, but is this enough? Apparently not as my power is now 83% and it's still friggin 12AM.

I quickly spot Nepgear again only to close the door, do my checks and at the correct time, open the door again. Despite the fact that I am able to keep them at bay and I'm relieved for it to be 1AM now, I'm getting more and more stressed. The tension is overwhelming for me as I have to keep looking, I have to be perfect as Lastation always aims for future proof perfection.

It concerns me that for what it is, it appears to be the calm before the storm. I know I need to keep calm but my gut feeling tells me that I may not make it, I'm finding it stressful having to constantly check, keeping my eyes open with no time for a breather. Yeah calm before the storm, I've only spotted Nepgear a few times, Plutia seems to be too scared to leave Pirate's Cove and Peashy is yet to be seen on the right hand side of the door. I think they're trying to break me down psychologically, and wait for me to get too scared and tired for me to maintain my perfect checking. I need to stay focused then.

I do remember that if Plutia only comes for my door once, I should be OK but I don't like how it's 72% power and it's still 1AM. Oh look at that Nepgear is there again, her frozen appearance doesn't even spook me, as I just close the door and flash the lights to get her to get lost.

As I do my routine check for the umpteenth time, I notice Plutia is leaning out more and I can see more of her hideous plug suit. OK my knowledge informs me, that this is a sign that she is about to run to my office at any moment. I look at the left lights to find Nepgear standing there again and so I did you guessed it, shut the door on her. I'm pleased it only takes a bit of flashing on and off before she disappears, but I remember how Plutia was leaning out the last time I checked.

I keep checking and she's still there in the same pose, it's 2AM now but it's a shame that my power is at 62%, but at least it could be worse. Using my previous knowledge as a guide, I remember how sometimes they can be unpredictable. I mean for instance when is Plutia going to try and get me? Is it soon or is it later? I suppose that's the point because with knowledge of regular patterns, they'd be easier to defeat.

By the time I reach 56% power I do my extremely regular intense checking, but as I checked Plutia's location, I check the others thinking everything's fine only what I previous saw hit me: What I saw was different as the curtain is open a bit, there's a sign that says it's me and she's gone. Fortunately I spotted this in time.

I quickly check the left lights to find Nepgear there again so I shut the door, I look at Plutia's last location and then I look at the camera overlooking the left hall. Only to find is Plutia running very fast. It's a good thing I spotted this.

"Don't wait up Blacky, I'm coming for you." The slut calls out in her lame sexy tone.

It's not long before I hear her knocking on the door.

"Oh come on let me in Blacky, you know you want to. I don't like it when you don't do as I say, you deserve to be punished for that." She speaks in her usual pathetic sadistic tone.

I couldn't care what she said, I'm just pleased for getting one over her, out witting her as I stopped her from coming here. I have no time to celebrate as it's only 2AM, and there's still what seems like forever to go. With that I check the lights to find that they're gone and so I open the door. I look at Plutia's hiding place to find her there again hiding behind the curtain. I just hope she doesn't come out again.

I do the routine checks again. Though it's a relief to be able to survive this long and one of Plutia's charges, who's to say she won't try again? And what's more concerning is that it's 49% power and it's still 2AM. Even if I make it to 3AM I don't think it will be that bad, no I will make it to 6AM and will survive this. After doing one of my checks, I find Nepgear at the door once again, only for me to do the necessary rituals to get her to leave.

As I keep going I eventually do make it to 3AM, though this bears little comfort. My confidence is starting to fade away, I'm concerned I've made too many mistakes with this, though I don't even know what mistakes. I hate making mistakes, I always want to be at my best and always do it. I even find myself not being 100% sure with what I have seen, as I check each of the doors and that one camera. I thought Plutia was leaning out only to find that she wasn't. Perhaps I'm too cautious, I must have stopped Nepgear in her tracks numerous times, as just then I spotted her with my lights. At least I am certain that she is always at the left door. It's interesting to note that for 3 hours Peashy hasn't done anything.

Oh I spoke too soon, during my routine checking I find her in the right door lights, before closing the door. I saw her in her HDD outfit and she stood frozen, not moving a single muscle. At least when they reach my door they don't drain too much of my power, but it's still getting low and it doesn't help the tension that I feel. I must admit it is getting monotonous as I do my regular checks, finding Nepgear every now and then, and the time just refusing to budge it seems, as well as the power that's all the more eager to decrease and decrease.

At least after every time of checking, Plutia has remained in that same spot, but I don't like how sometimes I can be deceived to think, that she is getting closer to do her second run to my door when she isn't. It's because I check too fast to register it, but I have to be fast, I have to be fast with my reactions and with my processing of information to survive this.

After a while of constantly checking, I notice that Nepgear hasn't done her routine of being at the door, and I've not seen Peashy during that encounter, but I then notice a few times and I'm sure of this, that Plutia has now changed position as she's leaning out of the curtain more, ready to sprint. This deeply concerns me as I know that even if I do stop her like last time, she'll just drain more of my power, power which I don't have much of and is decreasing fairly quickly.

I guess I'll just have to do what I can and just routinely check, keeping in mind Plutia's position. One thing I do find is that Peashy is back again, not only this but so is Nepgear. I manage to react in time by shutting both doors and I keep flashing the lights before they're gone. I look at the clock to see it say 4AM and the power to see it say 22%. After a while of feeling tense, stressed and worried I now feel a sense of irritation, as well as a bit of frustration as even though Plutia looks as though she's about to run, she's still in that same pose. It does make me wonder whether there are reasons other than me saying it to myself, that I could survive this night. As I find Nepgear at my door again, I realise that despite her persistence she is the least of my concerns, if anything it's Plutia. As is she going to strike my door again, and if so when?

I check again to find both Nepgear and Peashy at my respective doors, and so I routinely shut them and flash the lights on them. I dislike how it takes numerous flashes for them to go, but they eventually do and what can I do about it?

I keep checking again and again as my power draws closer to 10% and the time still saying 4AM, I'm starting to really dislike my predicament, I just know that Plutia is going to charge at my door again like last time, though I don't think I'll survive it. I'm just hoping I can hold out as my power is now merely a single figure. At least Nepgear and Peashy have not showed up just now, though what difference would it make if they did. Come on Black, come on you can hold out.

I keep checking repetitively as the power is now 5%. I hear Neptune laughing at my impending doom in a demonic tone, at least it's 5AM but will it suffice? Though the power is now 4% out of instinct I choose not to do anymore checking, and I just play dead as best as I could. I wouldn't be surprised if Plutia were to jump me and just finish me off. But I won't give her the satisfaction of being afraid, that's for sure. Despite knowing that my fate is probably sealed I still hold out hope, I refuse to give in. Before I was hoping that my power would last as long as possible, and now the irony is that I want it to go to 0%.

I find it difficult to watch and make the most out of the sticky situation, so desperate for the power to decrease though ironically now it takes too long.

3%...

2%...

1%...Come on just go to 0% just go to 0%.

0%...Now power down.

Good the power is down. I look around to see the light and the fan switched off, though for some reason I can still make out the wall of posters, and the desk containing various items.

I suppose it's almost like a last stand, I remember how Freddy would come in and play a tune before killing you, unless the time went to 6AM. So I predict Neptune to hum the iconic tune at any moment. Though I just hope that it can be 6AM before she finishes her song. I don't see the time anymore in my HUD, though what difference would that make. I kinda hope that Neptune doesn't come straight away, but she probably would. I continue to hope while making sure I do not move a muscle, though actually physically playing dead, and not giving any signs of life is easier said than done.

I guess any hope for her to take a long time has gone now, as I see just her face lit up in the night as she hums the iconic tune.

Alright if you're going to come here before 6AM then just take your time. Make it last as long as you can Neptune, you just hum for a long time. I know it's in your nature being as how you're incredibly lazy, and I know how much you hum sometimes.

As she drones on and on with the tune, I just can't help but hope that I'll survive. But what concerns me is I have no sense of time at all. Come on be 6AM already, be 6AM so that I can survive the night and get out of this hellish nightmare for good.

She stops humming, I'm dead now aren't I? Though maybe it doesn't mean I'm dead, just means that 6AM has been reached. But I do not see 5AM change to 6AM, or hearing a bell ringing with children screaming in victory.

I guess I haven't made it then as now Neptune speaks to me. Ah well I guess me being defeated had to have happened sooner or later, and maybe it's good for my character being as how I win all the time. Though I must admit I find myself baffled that I do.

"Did you enjoy my humming? I hope you did my buddy. Now you know my best friend Plutia is obsessed with making stuffed animals right? Well for her birthday that's coming up really soon, she'd like a stuffed animal of someone special. And being as how you're the one she has in mind, you can be the one we stuff. Oh but don't worry it won't be very painful, for very long that is." Neptune speaks mocking me.

That's strange, if she's meant to parody an animatronic for this nightmare why is she able to talk? But what difference does it make as I see Neptune with a two handed sword in her hands, and after finishing her annoying yet triumphant speech she swings the blade quickly.

I guess this is it then, I am to die here in this nightmare of hers after living and fighting for all of this time. I won't give her the satisfaction though of crying or showing any signs of suffering. I'll just close my eyes and embrace the sword that will seal my fate, while thinking about the CPU I truly love: Noire Black Heart.